Won't you say you love me later, by and by

This content is not visible to non-members.

the staff team luvs u

Ira had retreated home with haste, though it was not the west from which she came. The woman was forced to cross through the Everfrost from her venture north, and while she could have detoured, she knew laying tracks and a direct route home would be best given what she had discussed with Reiko. It was early as her borders came within sight, the sense of familiarity washing over her as she pushed past marked lands. She had much to discuss with her husband regarding her travels, though it was safe to say one issue took precedence over the rest.

Fortune would favor her as she caught Hieronymous' scent on the wind, his trail relatively fresh as she followed until the painted man graced her eyes. “You wake early.” Not that he too was one to sleep in, but there were many days where she may wake before him due to his precise schedule. Of course with her absence she supposed he felt it was his duty to cover the tasks of both until she returned. “Fortunately you have spared us time. There is much to share.” Fortunately less so in regards to the one that troubled his mind, though what replaced her news would surely upset him just as much.

the staff team luvs u

This content is not visible to non-members.

the staff team luvs u

He missed her, of course, he did. She would be lying to say she did not feel the same. Her heart would always lay here; with him, their children, and the mountains. A touch was shared, brief as it may be, but she knew there was no time to rest and unwind. That could come after assisting Shiroshika. “Good. I would not want word of this reaching their ears anyhow.” War and strife were a part of the world, but they were all still young. She wished for them to grow up, strong, but unburdened by the weight of reality until they had passed their ceremonies.

“Ragnar is the least of our worries. I can recount that meeting later, but for now, we must speak of Shiroshika.” Surely he recalled the news they shared of certain visitors and now they too faced potential trouble from the same individuals. “I sought out the Empress on my way home to fill in what gaps Gyrfalcon could not. The tiger knows no bounds and it seems he is led willingly by the wolf of flame. Reiko asked for my counsel, and in doing so, our aid to end their troubles.” Briefly she would pause to look for his reaction. Surely Hiero would take issue with what she said next, but she was a precautious woman and the gods would smite her before she allowed the same fate to encase their domain.

the staff team luvs u

This content is not visible to non-members.

the staff team luvs u

He wouldn't say it, but she could see it in the way he held himself. His smile faltered, ears splayed, and the way he looked at her was not the same loving look. Love would always be there of course, but there was more brewing behind the mismatched sea of green. It was rare for her to see this side, though even now he hid it well. “Yes, I've always questioned how Reiko's leadership might hold in the long run. She's young and innocent, though it seems she has learned her lesson.” No matter how many warnings one received, sometimes the only way one could truly understand was to experience it yourself.

“I have no interest in affairs that do not concern us...but that is no longer the case.” It would only be a matter of time before the duo set their sights elsewhere. Now Ira was given the chance to eradicate that possibility before it was given chance.  “In return for our aid, Reiko has offered a formal alliance. She wishes to offer her daughter for Shiroshika's protection...or the company of one amongst the Hedrad.”

There was little left that needed to be said. Surely he too had realized @Quicksilver's infatuation for the Empress, though he refused to act and brewed storms instead. “I have accepted her offer.” Idly she'd wonder if he would bewail her hasty decision without conferring with him, though it would not be the first time one of them had acted without a discussion. Thankfully they had never truly taken issue aside from any feelings sewn and discarded in the moment.

the staff team luvs u

This content is not visible to non-members.

the staff team luvs u

Her husband was no fool, it was clear how much he had picked up despite how little she had shared. It was intentional after all, though he would ask for more anyway. “A kind heart does not prosper without the means to decipher the hearts of others.” If Reiko wished to be so openly kind she may, but now she knew the cost of doing so blindly. “Yes. It was him or Reiko's daughter. I do not wish to see her whore herself for the means of aid and an alliance, that is not the purpose of this arrangement.”

A random donor was not the honorable of those they wished to grow closer with, they were just a stranger's blood. They may lose Quicksilver, but the man was halfway out their door as-is for a woman a kingdom away. This would solve both problems. “I should think it would be obvious. We are to help solve their problem or at the least ensure they have the means to do so themselves.”

Once more she paused watching for darkness in her husband's face. This was a reality she knew would come eventually, no land was peaceful forever, but what of him? Was he prepared? “I will not sacrifice the whole of Vanderfell for this cause. Only a few able bodies to ensure the cat hears their message or perishes where he stands.” Ideally the latter, but that would depend on who was willing to take a life and who was not.

the staff team luvs u

This content is not visible to non-members.

the staff team luvs u

For once he had little to say, either drinking in her words or waiting for the worst to come. She thought it would be no question who went and who stayed, but it seemed the question was needed anyway. Ira knew he was a capable defender, but he could not feel his limits in battle. He was kind and merciful but this was not a battle that left room for such a mind that could be swayed; nor a man who would die fighting till his last breath for those around him.

Ira shook her head, “No. I must be the one to go. For many reasons, but above all else, I have acted as a general of war before. Reiko has no experience in this field. She will need more than just warriors, she needs to be guided by experience.” She could send Hiero off and sit at home with the kids, but that was never her style. She was never able to sit around she was a woman who took matters into her own paws. “I know you worry, but I will be safe amongst many.” She did not fear death, but she did not expect to see those golden gates so soon either.

“Trust me. Trust my experience, and I will return home with our own swiftly.”

the staff team luvs u

This content is not visible to non-members.

the staff team luvs u

“I know.” Her words were spoken with a softness rarely carried in her voice, though one Hiero had surely become acquainted with. She could not ask him to not worry it would always be his job, as it would be hers. Had the roles been switched she would not care to sit idle, but as the sole leaders of Vanderfell and parents to young, they had no choice. Should her judgment fail and their party decimated, she would not leave her children orphans nor those who put their trust in her without guidance.

However, there was but one way to avoid that. She must plan and prepare with those she had already decided would follow. Time was already ticking and their window of success narrowed by the hour. “I must go.” She'd stress her words once more, though this time in reference to her preparations over who would enter the woods of the beast. By now she hoped Hiero would understand she was not arguing with him, but before she could find out she would already begin to step away. “I will see you again 'fore we depart.” He and their children. She had no intentions of saying goodbye, but that did not mean she would not say farwell.

the staff team luvs u