[ P ] Broken home

For once, Ismailia was thankful to see the sun set.

A cooling breeze whispered through the Yorkshire forest, bringing with it the sweet, summer flora, a moments respite from the earth and grit of camp. And with the sun set, came the end of her watch for the day.

Her gaze briefly set upon the solider to her left. Who seemed incredibly bored, a lacksidaiscal stance, and a grunt of discomfort every now and then. It made her jaws tighten.

Since when did the Army allow such laziness?

She was trained under strict instruction, never waver, never hesitate. Under Ankh's hateful gaze, the Matriarch begged her to make a mistake, one tiny crack in her perfectly placed façade; any reason to strike her down where she stood.

And Ismailia never gave her a reason. Never gave into those games. She proved the old hag wrong in the end and happily watched her body burn.

"Stance straight, solider." Her words were short and shrill. She was the commanding Officer and she will not have tardiness on her watch. "Keep your back straight." Her dry lips curled into a faint hint of a growl.

No, not on her watch.

It was late in the day by the time he arrived in Yorkshire. He'd gotten word of his daughter's return and wasted little time heading towards the barracks. Why she'd returned there first instead of the Tiamat manse in Rionna was beyond him but it didn't truly matter -- he would see her one way or another. It had been... oh, how long had it been? Years? Things were different now and she needed to know that. Ankh was long gone, but so was Nassar. The women that had more or less raised Ismailia before she'd left on her own adventure. Then there was Ahkoris...

There had been so much death in the face of war, and after. But Lia had not been here for any of it and for that he was honestly grateful. If he'd lost her among the toll he didn't know what he'd do.

Once he reached the barracks he was directed into the forest that surrounded Yorkshire and by sunset he was faced with his daughter and her patrol, or what was left of it. He assumed she was nearing the end of her shift by now and he drew a breath before walking up to her and the other soldier who quickly took his leave upon his approach. "Lia..." he said warmly, if not a bit tentatively. They had never been on good terms, not since she was very little, but it took everything in him not to draw her into his arms and cry. His brown eyes glistened as he looked at the young woman before him; strong and proud as ever.

"I came as soon as I heard you'd returned. Why did you not return to Rionna first?" he asked, titling his head. She would not know he no longer lived in Melrose either, that he now lived in the very place he'd taken her to when she was young. It didn't matter her reasoning, he had news to tell her and so much of it. He offered a small smile and sat down beside her, hoping she would not take leave of his company before he could get another word out.

"I have so much to tell you..." he said with a sigh, his words listless and growing somber. "Ankh has passed..." he said, and he wasn't so sure she'd be so sad to see her grandmother go but his tone was still melancholy all the same. He missed his mother, in a way, for all the things she hadn't been able to do for him when she was alive. "Nassar is also gone, taken by the war." his voice broke then, the wound that her loss had left behind still open and festering for him. "Even Ahkoris could not escape death as he passed during a hunting accident shortly after." He added, listing off names he wished he didn't have to.

"I've been living in the manse with everyone for a while now, I've taken a new wife... her name is Sif Asgaut and we've had four beautiful children together. Sheik, Haskell, Rune and Nasirye... your brothers and sister." he said, his lips curving slightly as he spoke of them. There was still sadness in his tone from the talk of death prior, but he hoped to move onto more happy topics if she'd allow it. "You have a step-sister too, from Sif. Her name is Aurora. I'm sure they'd all love to meet you." he said, looking at her now with curiosity in his brown eyes. While their family had lost some, they'd gained some. It was the circle of life and they were only able to keep moving, he realized. Dwelling in the past would only hurt them more and that was something he tried to tell himself each and every day. With the most important things spoken, he fell silent for a moment before nudging her with his shoulder. "How have you been? What was it like... out there?" he asked, hoping she would indulge an old man's curiosities.

manip + code: clae

The Solider rightly corrected his faults as soon as the order was barked, the invisible whip she held cracked him into shape. Those icy eyes of her scoured his stance looking for any wavering cracks. Perhaps a small part of her felt disappointed that her words were taken so earnestly.

Perhaps she was ready to relish in anguish. And just as the growl settled within her throat, a familiar figure gave way to more than frustration. Her stomach churned as those flames began to simmer under the surface, licking at her paws.

"Lia..."

The solider rightly dismissed himself.

And all Ismailia could do was watch. Watch as the man who left her, fed her literally, to the wolves, now showed up with tears in his eyes. The man who had caused her all this pain- simply because he fell in love with a commoner, someone he should not have.



"I came as soon as I heard you'd returned. Why did you not return to Rionna first?"

A scoff flew from her dark nostrils. "I returned to my true home. We both know I never truly belonged in the Manse." She paid for his sins. Time and time again by Ankh's scrutiny...

"I have so much to tell you...Ankh has passed..."" That she knew.

It was cathartic, a relief, a joyous weight uplifted from her shoulders that day, the day she watched Ankh's body burn.

And yet, despite all the anger she had towards Khepri- all the that anguish... there was a small part of her that softened, dared just a tad, feel more at home at the sight of him.

Why?

"Nassar is also gone, taken by the war." As his voice broke, delivering the news like a hammer shattering glass, her facade broke. Icy eyes widened as dark-rimmed ears pinned to her skull. Gone?

The only Tiamat apart from her father, to show kindness.
Perhaps even that was fuelled by guilt.

Nassar had tried to be there, before she left.

Tried to ease the weight, tried to give her purpose.

And now that was gone."How? She managed to drawl out, her tone was rough, borderline monotone.

"Even Ahkoris could not escape death as he passed during a hunting accident shortly after. Ahkoris. She had never met her cousin, not fully... Would he have followed in Nassar's paw-steps? "A waste." Finally admitting in a sigh that relaxed her taught shoulders.




"I've been living in the manse with everyone for a while now, I've taken a new wife... her name is Sif Asgaut and we've had four beautiful children together. Sheik, Haskell, Rune and Nasirye... your brothers and sister."

Oh he had to add more.

If Nassar's passing was not enough he had to strike that knife and keep it dug, twisting, turning. Wrenching. The fires that had reached her stomach grew to nausea. She stifled her lips that begged to curl.

Siblings.

A wife.

. "You have a step-sister too, from Sif. Her name is Aurora. I'm sure they'd all love to meet you." A blink. Her heart seemed to thunder against her ribs, raging like an inferno, the fire fanned through to her chest, constricting... A blink, as she drew in a breath.

And took a step forward.

Her expression was unreadable, yet her hackles were raised.

She wanted to snap. Wanted to roar in pain. She wanted....

"How have you been? What was it like... out there?"

And yet as she neared closer, within inches of Khepri's face and saw the tears in his eyes.

How was it his fault?

He did what he could. Grieving the death of his wife, knowing he could not raise her the way she needed...

He did what he could.

Rosalie would not have wanted her to hate him. She would have wanted them both to be happy.

It takes nothing to be kind, Lia.

Words she tried to live by. And had lost in her pain.

Ismailia took in a deep breath and pulled her father into a hug.

She didn't say much in the face of him spilling everything to her; though she had never been very talkative, even as a girl. She only asked how and he lowered his gaze, unwilling to relive that day once again. But this wasn't about him and so he sucked in a breath. "A Jacobite got her. He attacked while we were distracted by another one and she bled out on the field. There was nothing we... nothing I could have done. I think she was gone before she hit the ground," he said sadly. It had taken him a long time to reconcile with the fact that even though he had been there, he hadn't been able to help. The idea that it was his fault still niggled at him but he tried to combat it by telling himself that it couldn't have been. He was not her killer and even he could not mend a torn neck wound quickly enough that someone wouldn't bleed out. He'd never had the chance to save her, really.

His ears swiveled at her comment about her cousin and he simply nodded -- he still couldn't believe that Ahkoris was gone. The day Sybil had come home from that trip had been horrible. He could imagine how she was feeling, and still might be, he felt like that a long time after Rose's death. But he'd found someone else, built a new life, and tended to the seeds of happiness as best he could.

He stared at his eldest daughter now, a remnant of that past life he'd spent the better part of his own mourning. Into those eyes so like Rose's, yet so different. An icy landscape filled with a chilling fire and those eyes were piercing now to the bone. He wilted beneath her stare as she came closer and he wasn't sure if she was going to attack or not but then, something happened that he never thought would.

She embraced him.

Khepri couldn't remember the last time she'd hugged him, it had to have been when she was a child before he'd taken her to the manse. Before Rose had died. Before everything had fallen apart. He sucked in a breath, unable to speak as his body moved without thought. He drew her closer and pressed his head to the side of her neck, closing his honied eyes and shaking slightly as if he were cold.

But he wasn't cold, he was warm. Filled to the brim with love for that little girl he'd once known that maybe had finally, finally returned to him.

"I'm so glad you're alright." he whispered into her fur before eventually releasing her.

She said she didn't have a place back home but that was wrong. "You know you're welcome home any time you want. We'd love to see more of you." he said with a gentle smile.

manip + code: clae

She could see the anguish in his eyes. Despite the flames that prickled along her skin, licking at her stomach. He should have been there--"A Jacobite got her. He attacked while we were distracted by another one and she bled out on the field. There was nothing we... nothing I could have done. I think she was gone before she hit the ground,

Oh.

Had she been there, would Nassar still be alive?

No.

She had direct orders, she followed them. It was out of their control.

Ash-rimmed ears pinned to her skull. "She showed me kindness, in the end." Her icy gaze broke from his, to the sprawling foliage that beckoned.

She had grown in her time away. Still the chaos-ridden child of ice and fire, but grown. Now she had returned, she had to find her place back in a world she thought she belonged to. One that now felt foreign to her paws.

And in the moment she looked upon her father- she saw remorse. She saw him for who he truly was. Putting past her stubbornness, her anger for him abandoning her. He tried.

And that was all he ever did-try.

Perhaps it was sentiment that took hold of her, perhaps the space away had brought her clarity.

But when they embraced- she did not feel as cold. And dare she close her eyes for one brief moment. Scent was just as she remembered. Valerian, calming. Calmer.

"I'm so glad you're alright. A tight-lipped smile twisted her icy features.

"You know you're welcome home any time you want. We'd love to see more of you." A small sigh, paired with a nod of her fiery crown. "I should... meet my family." Her voice was quieter, not as shrill and commanding as before.

She had siblings.

And she could not run from her duties any longer.

Khepri nodded, knowing that Nassar would have shown Lia far more kindness than his mother ever had-- but now she was gone and the world was a worse place for it. He shifted his paws as he looked at his daughter now, she was so grown it was hard to believe. Time had passed in the blink of an eye and she was no longer the playful pup at his paws, but a grown woman with a determination in her blue eyes he admired. It surprised him that she thought perhaps she should take him up on his offer and meet her family. He knew Haskell and Sheik would be overjoyed to meet their big sister and it warmed his heart to know she was trying.

"We can go anytime you want," he told her as he placed a paw on hers. He didn't want her to feel rushed into doing anything since she had only just gotten back. But speaking of them, he knew he should get back soon. "I have to go back now, but like I said you're welcome back at the manse anytime. Whether that's to stay or simply to visit -- up to you." he said warmly. "I love you Lia, I'm so glad you're home." he said, his voice gentler now. He wanted her to know that he did love her, no matter what.

exit khepri

manip + code: clae

What did they look like? Would they be the spitting image of Khepri? Would they have his eyes? His features? Or would they be more like Sif? Her stomach churned at the thought. Replacements. Ismaila took in a deep breath to steel the bitterness that began to twist within her heart.

Her eyes darted to the sensation of his paw upon hers. Briefly, those ashen ears twitched, before settling. Accepting and forcing a small smile upon her dark lips.


"I have to go back now, but like I said you're welcome back at the manse anytime. Whether that's to stay or simply to visit -- up to you. I love you Lia, I'm so glad you're home."

Home.

Was it truly home? Did she truly belong here? It was soothing at the barracks- what she knew. What she had trained for. But going to the Manse again- would she really want to return?

Ankh was gone, the pressure was gone. The whispers and scrutiny died with the old Matriarch's passing.

A curt nod was given to snap her back out of her thoughts.

"Thank you, Dad. I shall see you soon."

And with that, she left, her pace was quick, sharp and to the point. A well trained soldier thrumming to the beat. Pushing herself into a slow lope the moment she would vanish out of eyeline, back to the Barracks.

To where she belonged.


-Exit Ismailia, end thread.-