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@Olive @Tiberius

Having just settled the children down for sleep (or rather, told them to make a little less noise while they played because they wouldn't listen anyway), Valeska emerged from their temporary den and yawned widely. She was tired from the journey, but still unable to quiet the restlessness she felt.

She had hoped to meet with Olive for a chance to catch up; however, Tiberius' recent journey to Elysium came to mind, and she suddenly wondered what had happened on that front. They seemed fine - presented quite well, even, as if nothing at all was amiss - but she hoped it wasn't just a facade.
Valeska's advice was sincere and came from an innocent place, and she would have been heartbroken if their relationship had been damaged by her misplaced good intentions.

Opting for a quick drink, she wandered over to a nearby stream, drinking in the deliciously cold water with unusual gusto. Having grown up in snowy mountain peaks, this was her preferred temperature to enjoy most things; the trip to Duskguard in some ways was a vacation, and this was like a delicacy.

She rose up again, licking her lips - and thought she spied Olive's form approaching from a distance.

“Ah! Hello! I hoped we might have the chance to talk - how are you? How are your pups? They are so lovely!”

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It was all quite fortuitous, that Valeska had come calling upon Duskguard's doorstep with her entire brood, as Olive had much to discuss with her friend and ally. The day had been long, and Olive had been caught unprepared for such an event, but the Priestess could easily appreciate Valeska's intuition and desire to forge a bond between their two families. There were currently a plethora of children within the Vale's yawning bowl, and Olive was happy for it all. For a time, she even forgot about the upcoming trial, or Tiberius's woes with the tiger he adored.

That evening, Olive was out for a walk, seeking the silence and clarity that came from a brief moving meditation. In her path, the fates had placed Valeska, slaking her thirst at the waterside. The two woman greeted each other, and the sylph moved in to embrace her friend for perhaps the first time that day. "and yours have grown into incredible children," she expressed, recognizing each of their coat patterns from when she had examined them as newborns. This was possibly the best moment a midwife's career, when one was able to see the fruits of their (second-hand) labors. She was thrilled to see them hale and healthy, especially the darker girl who had almost slipped from this world as quickly as she had come into it.

Olive heaved a sigh, shuffled backwards a step. "The Gods have blessed this convenance. They must have, seeing that you were able to wrangle so many cubs over such a long distance!" She looked at Valeska with a wry glance in her eye, one that deeply saw what an undertaking that was. In fact, the thought intimidated Olive so much, that she had not yet thought to try it. Her puppies had never been out of the Vale even once, though they were understandably younger than Valeska's brood.

Perhaps the first time she must leave and spend time away from her litter, was for the upcoming Court gathering. Olive glanced at the earth, preparing to address such a topic so they could move on from it and, momentarily, focus on other things. "The matter with Ragnar," she segued with a lifted brow. "is to be settled soon. It is nigh the first anniversary of his daughter's death." At this, Olive subtly grit her teeth."Do you know of the Elsewhen?"

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Slight Tiberius PP okay per Minxy

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The embrace was returned with equal warmth, if not held a touch longer on Valeska's side. Olive's scent released a flood of emotion through the silver wolf, recalling how diligently she had worked to bring her pups into the world. Valeska had been so frightened and overwhelmed - instinct would have taken its course regardless, but having a comforting, experienced midwife nearby meant more to her than she knew how to say.

She would forever be in Olive's debt - and even moreso now, glancing toward the approaching figure of Tiberius. She swallowed nervously, wondering what had come of their discussion concerning his amorphous feelings for @Kuhn, but knew this was neither the time nor the place. Instead, she offered him a strained smile, nodding her head in greeting as he did so in turn before taking a nearby seat.

Gods. She hoped she hadn't ruined it all.

“Oh, it was not so bad,” the High Priestess responded to Olive's mention of hauling five rambunctious kids across half the tundra.

It really wasn't.

Valeska had traveled with two chaperones, her own firm paw, a set of sharp fangs, and two powerful lungs that could project Russian curses in excess of 96 decibels.

The trip was just fine.

“Your girls are so stunning - and I cannot believe how old they are already! It is my hope that they will all become friends in time; my children would do well to socialize outside of their circle.”

Pleasantries having been exchanged, Olive came round to the core of the matter - one which Valeska had not forgotten, either. To stave off a war in the north. Duskguard and Elysium both had ties with Northfall and Dragonford, and should either pack call for their aid, it would be a tricky situation to navigate no matter how they might tiptoe around it. Elysium in particular held no love for conflict, and it was their mission to prevent unnecessary bloodshed at all costs - especially the lives of innocents needlessly thrown into battle for their leaders' satisfaction.

“I had wondered when that would arise,” Valeska said, sighing quietly. It was far better to hold the Council than engage in region-wide hostilities, but she still didn't enjoy the thought. “Elsewhen - I do not recall. Is it very far from here?”

She considered for a moment.

“How long until his daughter's... anniversary? And do we know who all shall be there? I myself will go to represent Elysium, but I will be bringing one or two wolves with me as added safety on the journey - unless Northfall objects.”

Valeska reached out to touch Olive's forepaw with one of her own in a comforting gesture, holding her gaze with sorrow-filled eyes. “If I can help in any way, whether with this gathering or anything else, even while we are here visiting - please let me know.”

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Olive was pleased when her dark knight appeared, entirely unwilling to let any anxiety or strange weirdness linger over them (if there ever had been). The two had been able to find a very comfortable sense of normality since he had (for lack of better words) come clean, but truthfully, they hadn't explored anything beyond that. The prince and his priestess easily lapsed back into what came naturally to them; guarding, and minding the pups, and ignoring anything that wasn't within the Vale itself (for the time being).

But still, late at night, Olive thought about it often. Esra prayed about it often. She wondered what a triangle meant, to her.

To Tiberius.
To Kuhn.
To Valmua — wouldn't that make it a square?

Olive grinned to herself, passing it off as a reaction to Valeska's sincere wishes for their children, and any potentiality of friendship between them. Now that the idea had been suggested, Olive could see no other way for it. A wide sweeping of her tail, left to right and left again, accompanied her now fully-present smile. "We should make a trip out East when the girls are old enough," the woman affirmed to the other, turning towards Tiberius to nod enthusiastically towards him as well.

"My childhood was spend as nomad with my family, and it was such a gift to learn about the world through a youthful lens." Olive shruffed wistfully. "Once we grow up, we become so staunch in our ways." but even she too had so recently learned the true value of a permanent home, and a true family, and the idea of 'love' in addition to 'knowledge'. Olive still felt it was quite normal for young things to eventually fly their nest, usually coming back home to roost when the world proved too exhausting. If Olive could gently guide her daughters towards Elysium, then she would at least be assured they were exploring within safe confines.

The pale priestess appreciated having a force like Valeska in her life. There were very few that she felt had so similar a position in life, in their packs, and with their gods. At times, she felt the full weight of her overwhelming responsibility — a similar responsibility, she assumed Valeska felt as well. Though Tiberius and Olive worked well together, but there was something about communing with another woman that afforded her the warmth of friendship that Olive deeply desired more of. "It is directly south of here, but in the mountains," she advised softly, shifting her weight so that she sidestepped towards Valeska, closer."I believe it was this month, last year. Ragnar should be sounding the summons, soon."

With their close proximity, Olive whispered into the woman's feathersoft ear. "...and, I should thank you for extending a helpful paw to Tiberius," she added, unable to address the elephant in the room and rid themselves of it."He doesn't have many that he can go to for advice about such things." Tiberius deserved his own relationships and his own guidance, outside of her & whatever she thought. Olive glanced over to him, and pawed gently at the ground.

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If there was any way to describe Olive, it was as a warm ray of sunlight piercing through snow-laden clouds on a crisp winter morning. She was as calm as the stillness of a lake illuminated by the radiant presence of dawn; there was something about her that pulled one closer, an open vessel waiting to receive one's secrets. It had always been easy to speak with her, and Valeska was happy to hear the sound of her voice again.

“I and my family would be delighted by your visit,” she affirmed, imagining the glee on her children's faces at the prospect of more souls to torment. Not that she would allow any such devilry with their guests, but it was just nice to picture them getting excited about something besides shoving each other into makeshift graves.

Olive continued, describing her childhood in a few brief sentences, outlining their nomadic lifestyle and how they had been able to better learn of the world around them as a result. Valeska had never heard of such a thing from another wolf - she herself had grown up in frigid isolation, her own father having grown bitter and hostile as he aged well out of his mind. Thankfully she hadn't allowed his teachings (or lack thereof) to poison her heart, and she had developed a love for adventuring as she grew older and farther away from her former home.

“You are not wrong,” she mused, wondering how life her might have changed under different circumstances. “It is much more difficult to open one's mind as the years pass on. I will be coming upon five, soon - a terrible thought - and I must make a concentrated effort to seek understanding that which I would normally despise.”

Their discussion shifted back to the ugly matter of the trial, though it was mercifully brief. No great amount of detail, just a place and a relative timeframe, and Valeska would try to content herself with that much. She was quite curious who all would be in attendance, but perhaps it was best not to know.

Olive surprised her by suddenly moving closer, almost surreptitiously -

- her voice a mere whisper above a soft breeze, stirring the fine downy hairs that guarded her crown -

"...and, I should thank you for extending a helpful paw to Tiberius."

Valeska felt a wave of heat come over her at once.

"He doesn't have many that he can go to for advice about such things."

She longed to melt into the earth, seeping far below the earth's crust so that she might reach Hell where she rightfully belonged.

“Oh, gods,” she croaked, swallowing nervously. The silver wolf thought herself in trouble, and she cast a worried eye toward her friend, but saw that her expression was gentle and sincere. What had he told her? Oh, gods, had Tiberius mentioned the shapes? The triangles??

“I would... like to apologize,” she said falteringly, staring down at her paws. “I just - he was so distraught. He thought he might lose you - lose you both. But you, Olive-” Valeska grew serious, drawing closer to the sylph as she met her gaze with utmost urgency.

“You are his world - his breath, his life, the reason his heart beats. I could tell from the way he spoke your name to me. You are wise and likely too good for this world we inhabit, but know that he would not heedlessly throw away what he has created with you.”

Valeska felt the wind pick up, ruffling the fur about their necks. She clenched her jaw, wishing she could find the words she needed to say.

“What you share is something no one can touch. Not even this 'other'. Perhaps it might be shared, if it is built upon trust and respect; but not if it shatters your heart in the process.”

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Valeska, bless her heart, had such a young soul. At the same time, Olive felt that she had quite an old soul, so perhaps that’s how they still could feel so similar to one another even though the latter only had 3 years under her belt. It felt good, as well as slightly harrowing, to know that her postulate had been confirmed by another who knew better than she, sheerly because of experience. “Yet you remain open-minded,” she said whimsically, her tail lurching into a wag. “and so have I.”

She shrugged a jovial shoulder, unleashing a thin smile. “Perhaps some hope yet remains for the world at large.”

When the subject of Tiberius was brought up, Valeska’s distaste for her involvement in the matter somewhat surprised the Duskguardian Priestess. Olive was never under the assumption that her business would stay her own, if the matter with Dragonford and Northfall was anything to judge by. Olive only hoped that her name and her dreams fell into the hands of those who were responsible with it. “Dear friend, my gratitude is sincere,” she reaffirmed. “So I shan’t accept your apology, though I do hear it.” Valeska’s heartfelt advice was exactly what Olive would have dished, had the roles been reversed.

In that moment, she wondered if perhaps a relationship with a woman might be less fraught with more certainty, and less dynamic instability. It depends on the women, she reasoned easily, understanding that most people existed on a spectrum, regardless of their relative masculinity and femininity.

The words that the Elysian spoke next were enough to bring a blush to the pale sylph’s cheeks, though it was not anything Olive hadn’t known herself. She had never known Tiberius to be so forward and open with another, and it pained her to imagine the titan so distraught that he had experienced such liquidity of tongue. She wondered, if she were so wise and good then how had Tiberius and Kuhn managed to transgress upon her in the way they had?

But a compliment was a compliment, and Olive tried to take it all at face-value. She returned her friend’s serious expression with one that she hoped portrayed calm.

Still, it was a topic to be taken seriously, which was why she had brought it up. Olive firmed her lips together, thinking upon her words and tasting them silently before she spoke. “I have practiced heartbreak before,” she sighed, thinking immediately of her family. Then, she thought of Benry. “so that I am no longer afraid of it.” It wasn’t that she wasn’t afraid of life without Tiberius, because the thought was utterly terrifying (if not inconceivable). It was more that she knew there was nothing, short of death, that would be the end of them.

“I know that is not at stake for Tiberius and I, even if he is slow to see.”

All things were figure-out-able, with the Gods on one’s side. They were the best coping mechanism she had ever known, and as a result, the predicate that everything would work out for the best was at the core of most of her choices. Hoping not to sound too pedantic, she attempted to convey to Valeska that her triangles were much appreciated. “I do not adhere to outdated expectations, or ideas of how things should be.” At the moment, this applied most to the ideas that one only needed one partner, or that fighting their truest desires was the best way forward. “since that’s not how the Gods’ love works.” Olive gave her fine head a shake, and she uttered a small, knowing chuckle.

Often, she wondered if Tiberius would have been as open to her ideas, if Valeska hadn’t worked on him beforehand. Out of the side of her eye, her gaze flashed towards the High Priestess. “Having met Elysium, I know you believe much the same.” Elysium preached love, not war. The ideas behind Elysium felt so familiar to her that they were almost innate.

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Perhaps she was open-minded to a fault. Perhaps she had led Tiberius down the wrong path, assured him of geometric possibilities beyond his grasp, putting his relationship with Olive and his own family at risk in the process. He had been so terrified, stumbling over his words, barely decipherable coupled with the thick accent layered over his speech. Oh, gods, she had done a horrible thing, an unforgivable thing, and severed the ties between one of the loveliest couples she had ever known, and it was all her fault -

Olive, ever-gentle, ever-knowing, smiled.

Valeska was taken aback. How could one smile in the face of irreparable damage, caused by the foul-tongued monster sitting right in front of her? Yes, Valeska may have been approaching five winters, but she was young at heart, she was vulnerable and terrified, she was stupid and innocent and -

“Dear friend, my gratitude is sincere,” interrupted the sylph, her airy tones lending a stillness to the space around them. The silver wolf shrank back, ears pressed against her head, looking ashamed.

“So I shan’t accept your apology, though I do hear it.”

Valeska exhaled, then, her breath escaping in a soft plume overhead. The night was chilly, not that she minded in the least, but it offered a calming effect that a warm night might have otherwise heated into further distress. She smiled awkwardly, tipping her head down, tucking her chin into her significant ruff.

“I still mean it,” she said quietly, eyes darting off to the side, still unable to meet the Priestess' gaze with confidence. “It was... not my place.”

Olive broke the brief silence between them, explaining that she had experienced pain - no, heartbreak - before, and was no stranger to grief. Her heart seized, and she understood well what she meant. The little wolf had also experienced pain of a similar kind once before, having become entangled in a romantic affair with Rhelenso; yet as passionately as it had begun, the affair ended in a fizzle, his attentions and priorities having been directed toward his own pack and duties for far too long before he managed to muster up the courage to pursue Valeska further.

By then, it had been too late.

“I always thought myself keen on... males, before,” she ventured carefully, flicking her eyes upward to finally meat Olive's. “Yet Amaranth - what she does to me - my feelings - it is so different from anything I have ever known. She is my Tiberius, my better half, my guiding light.”

They could not be together intimately in the way that she and Rhelenso had ever been before. There was no biological closeness they could share but their own warmth and tenderness, yet somehow, deep within that embrace, a glimmering spark shimmered just as brightly as any true physical connection could ever create - something so fearsome that nothing could quench. Even when neither had the words to explain what festered within their hearts, the silence between them spoke volumes, and just their presence was enough to struggle through what complicated feelings lay within.

She listened to Olive intently, focused with such care that she felt herself leaning in to better absorb her words.

Whatever gods they may have separately believed in - they shared similar values, and Valeska heard her own speech echoing back to her.

To love another woman - to defy conformity and expectations - the gods would never frown upon such things. Neither Olive's, nor the Five.

“So long as your own expectations do not hurt you,” she offered gently, reaching out to touch the edge of her paw reassuringly. “It is difficult to discern between the gods' expectations and ours, sometimes. I know that my future has not turned out to be the way I anticipated, but - I was still granted my greatest desires.”

Valeska smiled fondly.

“You are brave to forge this path, but do not put your needs aside to satisfy another's. You deserve happiness,” she said, glancing up toward the night sky. The stars remained ever motionless, twinkling and calm as snowfall, peeking out only briefly between the clouds that shrouded them from view. “Is it intruding to ask - what was the heartbreak you have experienced? You need not tell me if you wish. It is merely my own nosiness and desire for connection, and perhaps... justification.”

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