[ AW ] no place like home

It had been months. As she stumbled up the stone pathway to the manse, she stopped to take in the view as if it weren't real. She had been locked away for months without any hope of ever getting out or returning home and now she was finally here. Finally home. A sob almost escaped her but she barely contained it, settling for a silent shiver that racked her emaciated body instead. She was eager to see her family but for now she was content with just being. So she stood there in the light dusting of snow and drew in deep calming breaths. Her breath pooled in vapor before her and she turned her head towards the man that had helped bring her home. Obsidian. Without him she might have very well died up north. "I can't thank you enough..." she said softly. She was not the same woman that she'd been before all of this but she would try her best to find her way back. She was ashamed that she had not been able to get out of that mess on her own. Ashamed she had grown so weak and tired that she could barely stand. She looked to Obsidian, one of her only friends outside her family, and smiled. There was pain in that smile that she could not hide. "Badari Tiamat speaking."

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As they walked home from the hell she had been kept locked away inside of, he thought about the whole last few months. What had he been doing? He should have looked better. He should have gone out more. He did not fear running into the trash that swore themselves to Jacob. He only wanted her to be home, for some of his life to resume as normal. He watched her form, carefully. She did not speak much and he really did not want to uncover the truth of what that male had done to her, and to the other. It might break her again. He did not want to lose Badari - not ever again. He would kill a thousand just like the bastard to keep her safe for the rest of her days. There was not much he had left to live for, besides the crown and her. He didn't even think she had the proper time to grieve Leoric, when she was probably grieving for herself. He kept pace with her, often thinking of stopping and hunting so she could eat, but she wanted to go home so badly.

"Badari, you don't have to thank me... I only wish I had gotten to you sooner..." The sorrow that rested in his eyes shown clearly. There was no hiding the guilt that he felt for her, for the other woman. "I'm sorry that you went through any of that. I should have been there for you... but I was too concerned with Leoric.." His voice was soft, and his dual-colored stare did not leave her form. "Is there anything else you need from me?"

"speech"

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"Badari, you don't have to thank me... I only wish I had gotten to you sooner..." he admitted, his town sorrowful. She nodded her head, honestly wishing the same but not voicing such a thing. Truly she wished she had never been captured in the first place but that was neither here nor there. She could do nothing to turn back the clock and take back what had been stolen from her. All she could do now was live with it, somehow. "I'm sorry that you went through any of that. I should have been there for you... but I was too concerned with Leoric.." The apology fell from his lips and her eyes flashed as she reached out a paw to touch his shoulder. "Do not be sorry," she murmured. "We all have our own lives..." she said. Of course he had been mourning his cousin. She mourned for Leoric too. "Is there anything else you need from me?" Obsidian asked, and Badari shook her head, stepping aside so that she could stand on her on her own four paws. She swayed slightly, then shivered at the absence of his warmth at her side. "Leoric... he will be missed," she said softly. But she didn't have to tell him that -- he was already living it. She sighed, her gaze falling as she thought of the man she'd been meant to marry. Then, she thought of the children he'd left behind. They had not been married yet so she had no say in what happened to them, nor did she know them well, but she couldn't help but think of them now. "What of his daughters?" she asked, turning her curious gaze upon Obsidian once more. Had he taken them in, perhaps? She had no clue they had been taken back by their mother. "Badari Tiamat speaking."

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With her paw on his shoulder, he still did not feel better. She was assuring him with her voice and her touch that things would get better, but they never should have reached the point of which they did at all. Here they were though, surviving at this point. That was all he felt he could do was to survive now. He wanted revenge. He had satiated that for Badari, but when it came to Leoric, he wasn't sure he would ever be able to repay the debt that was owed for his life. Badari would probably never live a normal life again, and she would be haunted by this unspeakable past. Obsidian vowed he would be there to help her through it all, any way that he could. "He will be missed. I feel sorry that his young never got to truly know him. The little bit will live on in their memories, hopefully."

She pulled away from him and asked on the status of the girls. "Last I heard, their mother got them back. I suppose that is a better life for them than with me... though she may poison their minds about the kind of wolf Leoric was. That would be unfortunate, but perhaps in the future, I can find them myself and fix that problem." He was more so rambling to himself aloud at this point. The thoughts just poured from his lips. "Do you nee me to stay with you? What will you do?"

"speech"
@Badari

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"He will be missed. I feel sorry that his young never got to truly know him. The little bit will live on in their memories, hopefully." "I'm sure it will." she replied softly, a sigh escaping her as the thoughts invaded her mind. Would she have lived on in the memories of her family, had she died? Of course... but maybe not as much as she'd hoped. She was close to no one, really, well... nobody alive. "Last I heard, their mother got them back. I suppose that is a better life for them than with me... though she may poison their minds about the kind of wolf Leoric was. That would be unfortunate, but perhaps in the future, I can find them myself and fix that problem." At this, Badari blinked. She did not know about their mother or even think that she'd been in the picture. She had never really gotten to confront Leoric about it and now he was dead and the girls were gone. The little family she could have stepped into had disappeared before her eyes with the war but she was not so sure she was the same wolf that could do such a thing now as before. She was different, changed... and she did not know if she could ever be the same again. "I see..." she murmured softly, turning her head to look into Obsidian's eyes. "I hope she doesn't poison their minds toward Leoric, especially given that he is dead and no longer able to defend himself. I hope... I hope they are happy, wherever they are." she said. She had liked the girls, despite not knowing them well, and they deserved to be happy. She hoped they were. Badari took a few steps towards the manse before turning to face him again, her tail swaying gently behind her as he offered to stay with her. "I think I can manage alone... but thank you for the offer. You're a good friend," she said. When he asked her what she would do, she faltered, then shrugged. "I don't know. Carry on, I suppose." she said with a shake of her head. "I should go meet with my family. Thank you... again, for everything." she told him. She paused a moment before moving towards him and pressing herself against him in a gentle, sincere hug. After a few seconds, she withdrew and turned to head into her home where her family waited. exit badari "Badari Tiamat speaking."

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Obsidian could not help himself from feeling the guilt that was bubbling up inside of him. Even in his rage and anger, killing the bastard was not enough to satiate the burning feeling inside of him. What kind of monster could do that to someone? It made him sick to his stomach. His eyes softened as he looked at her. She needed to be with her family. Good for her. But who was going to be there for Obsidian? He was not going to burden her with it, not right now. With their embrace, he held her tight and close, and when she released, he released. "Should you need me, I will always be here for you." When she went in the doors of the manse, he turned around and headed back home towards the barracks. He hoped she would get better, but something as terrible as that would be hard to forget.

[Exit Obsidian.]

@Badari
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