@Brigid

his return is easy, unhurried.

after all — what does he have to worry about?

what he left behind hardly registers in the selfish beast's breast; he thinks of nothing but the future, the path forward. and while... while he might have missed a few of the ones he'd left behind, it was necessary to do so. he'd returned home — to his home, not the sigrun's idea of it — and come back. if not refreshed, then maybe grounded. he trusted no one's visions but his mother's, and the oracle's sight had certainly not diminished in the time they'd been separated. still he did not linger there long, refusing to spend more time than was strictly necessary. and so he returns, thinking nothing of how it might seem. how his absence might have effected the others. even now he does not hurry back to the hollows, instead standing along the shoreline as a storm brewed far off in the distance. watching with a quiet reverence as it steadily comes his way, a slow but steady pace. the storm will break soon, but not just yet.

not just yet.

She wasn't quite sure what drew her here. Perhaps it was the need to get out of the caverns, after all she had been cooped up within them for so long she almost forgot what it was like to feel the sun on her face, to smell the brine of the ocean. She missed the sea, that much was certain and Brigid wasn't sure how much longer she could continue onward, living this lie in the Hollows. She was with family of course but she had been left to rot by the one that she supposedly 'loved.' Brigid refused to believe that Hákon had simply been taken, no the man had certainly left on his own accord that much she was certain. But the fact that he had cast her aside like a piece of garbage, it stung more then she liked to admit. The sand underfoot was a welcome change from the cavern flooring, she was glad for the change. It wasn't until a wickedly familiar scent reached her that her pace increased from a slow walk to a steady jog. She could sense him the closer she got until eventually Brigid was only mere paces away from him. But instead of stopping like any normal individual Brigid moved faster until she was full-blown charging Hákon like a fright train. She barreled across the sand and aimed to send a heavy shoulder into the side of his neck, meanwhile her left front paw swiped up and outward, hoping to catch him in the jaw with claws unsheathed. "You bastard!" She snarled angrily, tail lashing upon her dappled haunches before she finally halted her movements alongside him. She didn't need to see him, hell she didn't want to see him, if she saw his face she likely would have wanted to rip it off even more. "Don't worry, I was perfectly fine without you .. you selfish asshole." She snapped before shoving past him to move further down the beach. Brigid approached the water allowing her paws to sink into the coolness of it in hopes that it might ease her temper ever so slightly. "You cast me aside like I never meant anything to you. Like we weren't ever anything." Brigid's words were like ice as her blind gaze stared blankly out across the sea; perhaps it would be better to just allow the ocean to swallow her whole, at least then she wouldn't have to feel the betrayal anymore. @Hákon +10 - Study the landscape of an area +10 - Tell a lie without getting caught

yumpy

Her scent takes longer than it should to reach him.

Despite himself, despite everything, he'd grown accustomed to it. And it's only now, scenting it again for the first time since his absence, does he realize that he's missed it. Maybe missed her, too. Sea eyes turn towards her as she approaches -- and that soft feeling of affection melts away quickly as she barrels towards him. And then, into him. He staggers a bit from it, flexing toes against the sand to steady himself and snarls, jerking his muzzle up -- allowing her claws to just barely catch him. A growl rises hot in his throat, rumbling out as @Brigid shoves past him, her voice shrill and hurt in the same stroke.

Her dramatics were enjoyable -- humorous, even -- but not when they are directed at him. Brows furrow as she continues on and on, yapping even as she turns away from him to move towards the sea. He thinks her to be finished then, but of course she isn't. Stop it, he snarls, annoyed. Shut up. Their union was nothing more than the direct result of his mother's meddling: she, a widow with no Sigrún blood to claim, and he, the spare. Or so he assumed -- it was always hard to tell what his mother was ever thinking. But Ofelía is not here and their betrothal was useless; a concept they both humored, or so he'd thought. Assumed, and maybe incorrectly given her ferocious welcome.

While, belatedly, Hákon might have realized his mistake... he certainly wasn't going to admit it now. Instead he hunches his shoulders forward, drawing himself up to his full height. It didn't matter that she was facing away from him, or that she couldn't see him in the first place. What mattered was his tone of voice and it lowered, gravel in the oncoming storm. You're embarrassing yourself. I don't need to explain myself to you -- and I wasn't even gone that long. And if he sounds like a petulant child, then he is -- but it's easy to mask his strangely-hurt feelings with venom. Better that than examining why he doesn't like to see her upset.

Oh sure for a brief moment Brigid wanted to pull herself together, she wanted to be calm and stoic but for whatever reason Hákon's sudden reappearance had affected all of her ability to remain calm. Her glassy gaze purposely stared out across the sea even if she couldn't see anything at all. The scent of a storm was promising, it would be a dream at this point. She purposely looked anywhere but at him and with good reason. Brigid didn't need him seeing the tiniest sliver of emotion she was trying so hard to suppress. 'Stop it, You're embarrassing yourself. I don't need to explain myself to you -- and I wasn't even gone that long.' An ear flicks, the smallest motion meanwhile her bottom lip begins to quiver with the anger that roils within her. Wasn't even gone that long. Had he not realized? She had counted the minutes, hours, days since his absence. Her mind instantly had gone to her previous husband Ansgar and how he too had left her, not by choice but it almost felt exactly the same. Hákon did not realize that his absence had her thinking the very worst, because one did not simply leave without a word, not if they had a decent head upon their shoulders. "Don't need to explain yourself? Meanwhile numerous of our pride members have up and disappeared without a trace.. family members. But you wouldn't know that, you've been gone." She hissed, ears lacing back against her skull for a moment as she contemplates her next move. The anger is all consuming, she wants to hit him and hard but she refrains. "If I mean nothing to you then say that, don't string me along like your little toy." This time she spins, her blind gaze narrowed as she moves towards the shadow of his shape within her vision. "Tell me if you are wasting my time with this whole betrothal because you and I both know how much you've hated being put in this godforsaken position." She snaps, all the while her body is trembling. Trembling with anger, frustration, and all of the above. Part of her just wanted to feel him, meanwhile the other half of her wanted to feel nothing at all. Not a damn thing. @Hákon +10 - Study the landscape of an area +10 - Tell a lie without getting caught

yumpy

she remains where she is, facing the opposite way — peering out unseeing at the ocean as the storm drifts ever closer. the air thickens around them, both with tension and rain, yet he does not look away from her. he hears the emphasis @Brigid places on family, yet it rolls easy off his shoulders. her family was not his — that much was clear. or rather, it should be. yet he does not make the obvious connection, the immediate jump. she had already lost a husband, yes, but he does not think of that — it never once crossed his mind. it still doesn't, even when she's standing here, upset.

i have been gone, yes, he confirms, annoyed — ears pinning back against his skull. i left for a good reason. i did not realize that i had to answer to you. he continues, voice low — a growl rumbling in his throat, an echo of the thunder breaking across the waves. i did not think you cared is what he means, but it's not what he says -- hell, he hardly even realizes it. finally she turns, spins on her heels, and they're face-to-face for the first time in... months. seasons. it's a strange realization, one that throbs dully against the fury in his chest, but it's not quite enough to soothe him.

her words are harsh, final, and a smarter man might pump the breaks. might take a step back and realize just how close to the edge they both were. but he is not a smart man. his mother would skin him alive for interfering with her plans, whatever they might be, but he sees red, fury rising like a tide. when anger rages against logic, anger will win every single time. what a pair they make, these two. say what you mean, brigid. he growls, taking a step closer -- not quite within snapping distance, but close. their situation and betrothal both were strange, precarious: they were both pawns in a larger game, brought together if not by choice then certainly by fate. there was no handbook to follow, no instructions to go off of, and left to his own devices hakon only knew how to do one thing: destroy.

Their relationship had never been easy. Hell everything about their betrothal had been spun together on a very whim. The two hadn't chosen each other by any means, they had been forced into things. And Brigid couldn't help but wonder that maybe just maybe her future husband held animosity towards her. He was stuck with a blind woman after all, he probably thought he deserved better and maybe he did, maybe they BOTH did. 'i have been gone, yes, i left for a good reason. i did not realize that i had to answer to you.' He was selfish and egotistical and she couldn't stand him; she also couldn't stand just how much she needed him. Brigid was furious with herself for becoming so dependent upon Hákon, his absence had truly shown her just how attached she was to him and she didn't like it. She didn't like the uncertainty that came with it. Even as she stands before him, the fury crackling within her, she refrains from allowing him to see the emotions upon her face. 'say what you mean, brigid.' His tone is dark, dangerous, but Brigid does not falter. "You don't want me, you never have. You've only gone along with this because of your mother!" She snarls and it was everything she had always felt but never voiced. She was the damaged goods, she was the 'liability.' She didn't need to see Hákon's face to know how he felt, she could sense everything. Both of them standing toe to toe, even though he towered above her she did not waiver. "Tell me the truth damnit. You left without a care in the world.. did you not once think how much I hate it here too? How much I would have given to escape with you but you didn't .. You didn't think of me at all." Only then does her resolve break and she moves, backing away from him as if he had slapped her across the face and it felt like he had. She turns her back to him as swiftly as she can manage, paws leading her back to the water where she stands firmly. She doesn't care that the waves are crashing, that the water is rising, she stands unmoving. Perhaps if she had been different Hákon wouldn't have abandoned her at all but the truth of the matter was that she wasn't different. And Hákon had made it very apparent that her family was not his, that it did not matter what they went through. It was becoming clear to Brigid that she would need to pick a side sooner rather than later and in her gut she did not know if she could pick. She felt betrayed, lied to, unimportant and unwanted. In the moment she wondered if not seeing him was a blessing, hearing his voice was painful enough. Seeing his anger and disregard would have broken her completely. @Hákon

yumpy

her anger is wholly unjustified and when she snarls at him (you don't want me, you never have!) a bewildered expression takes hold. bewildered, and furious. and — it's mostly because he doesn't understand her onslaught, the hostility of this reunion. confusion gives way to fury, because that's an easier pill to swallow. an easier emotion to deal with as thunder crackles in the distance and she snarls. her accusations almost don't register because they're true; he was only doing this because it was his mother's wishes. he never would've joined the sigruns in the first place, let alone marry one. but that wasn't new information — or rather, it shouldn't be. so why was it a big deal now?

no, i didn't think of you, he admits in an angry tone, still angry because it's easy. despite the tense, harsh sound of his voice, there's still an undercurrent of confusion. but it's easier to shove the blame on her for this outburst, for the strange, conflicting emotions churning in his chest. it's all @Brigid's fault, and he won't hear a word otherwise. because i knew i wouldn't be gone long, and i wasn't. i didn't abandon you. or anything like that. should he have said something? ah, probably. would he be upset if the tables were turned? definitely. now — are you done? because you're embarrassing yourself, sigrun, he growls, seafoam eyes narrowing. perhaps he should've stayed gone and risked his mother's wrath, rather than returning to receive brigid's.

There is fury burning within her, angry perhaps for all of the wrong reasons. But they are the right reasons to Brigid. That would always be the downfall between herself and Hákon, they both always thought they were right and no amount of discussion would ever sway them from their own point of views. 'no, i didn't think of you, because i knew i wouldn't be gone long, and i wasn't. i didn't abandon you. now — are you done? because you're embarrassing yourself, sigrun.' For a brief moment Brigid thought about letting things go. She thought about allowing her anger to drain from her and wash out to the sea, to throw everything away as if it had never happened. But the very second he mentioned her "embarrassing herself" once more was like a match to an open gas container. All previous resolve and self-control she may have had was thrown out of the window completely. Brigid spins, moving so swiftly from the water one might just question if she was really blind with how quick she had turned on a dime. The only sound uttered was the hair-splitting snarl that erupted from her vocal chords as she charged her betrothed head on. She could only go off of the very vague shape of her beloved in her marred vision but either way there was one thing that was clear here - she was determined and was seeing nothing but red. Her large right forepaw lashes out with claws unsheathed as she attempts to slap him clear across the face and even if her claws were to miss she would attempt to land them anywhere on him, anywhere that he could feel her fury. An embarrassment? She'll show him embarrassing. Brigid vs. @Hákon For dominance aka "Shut your mouth" Round 1/3 Hits: Rolling 6d20: 13 + 20 + 18 + 10 + 2 + 19 Dodges: Rolling 3d20: 17 + 20 + 3

yumpy

by now he is used to her twisting around, dramatic swirls and swishes. he doesn't think twice, nor blink, when she wheels around at him again -- though this time is clearly different. he's said too much, poked at a too-raw wound, and his betrothed finally snaps. that low-raging fire springs forth and she does as well, all fangs and claws. her snarl gets lost in the rumbling thunder but her claws certainly don't. while he has time to move, to turn his face away (to his right), it's not enough to completely avoid her attack. those claws hit their mark, raking clear across the left side of his face -- starting high on his cheekbones and following them down towards his lips. a snarl rumbles from his own chest as he sees red, and doesn't even think before snapping forward -- intent on grabbing her left paw with his mouth, aiming for her wrist. in the same motion he raises his right arm, intent on reaching forward and grabbing her -- claws aiming for her left shoulder. hoping to box her in and grapple her.

hákon vs. @Brigid
for dominance aka make me >:)
round 1 / 3
hits:

Rolling 6d20: 19 + 3 + 1 + 9 + 18 + 7

dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 14 + 19 + 1

She is so angry with him that she is consumed by her fury, seeing nothing but blood red as she charges her beloved. All previous notions of 'letting things go' was completely gone, no now she was out for blood. She would not continue to allow her fiancé to disrespect her. In the very least she planned to make it quite clear that the ground he had been treading on was very very fragile. Her claws manage to slice through the skin upon his cheek and it is almost too easy, the thrill that comes along with it is short lasting however when Hákon snags her wrist between his teeth and clenches. An angry snarl is let out before Brigid's left front paw rises, meanwhile she leans backward to allow her weight to fall upon her hind legs and haunches as she rears. This time her left front paw is attempting to box him on the right side of his face anywhere she can manage to snag. Her claws are unsheathed in an effort to get him to let her go but all the while his own claws are puncturing the skin upon her shoulder, the instant stinging sensation angering her further. The pain is nothing however in comparison to the emotional turmoil she was going through. Brigid vs. @Hákon For dominance Round 2/3 Hits: Rolling 6d20: 3 + 19 + 12 + 14 + 6 + 7 Dodges: Rolling 3d20: 6 + 4 + 9

yumpy