This is not a position he ever fathomed himself in, let alone with the pale woman who had made it all possible. However, life had a funny way of surprising him, and this was the greatest trick it had pulled yet. Had you asked him a couple months ago he would have laughed. Would have thought you were lying. Dismissed it as a flight of fancy from a feverdream from whatever you were smoking. And yet, here he is, here they are. His wife had challenged for and won a pride. Gwyn was second fiddle to her, a position as of right now, he was oddly content with. He was still regaining his strength. Still not quite a hundred percent. That and to say the beast was proud of his formally demure soulmate is a bit of an understatement. Gods above she had been beautiful, and attractive taking what was hers from beneath the paws of the uppity idiot. The one who went for her throat. Something he would have to correct at a later date.

For right now? Right now was the time to mix business with pleasure. Talk to her about some things that may have rubbed him the wrong way in the inpromptu meeting right after, and celebrate. He was finally well enough to do so properly. And after all that? Well, he might be a little hot under the collar for her. He found strength sexy.

So after the general group had parted ways, and he had dropped a word to Lillith to take the kids, he set off. Searching the territory with it's former owner's stench lingering in odd spots. Which, admittedly, he corrected with malicious glee. Overwriting such things with a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. Eventually he finds a spot that will do nicely. Secluded in a grove of palms, a mangrove or three growing and guarding the seaward entrance, is a shadowy spot. Cool in the late spring sun. A shelf of old coral, covered in a thick layer of sand hovers a foot or two above a hollow dug by high tide. Some dampness lingered at the bottom, refreshing. And so the man perched on the ledge and chuffed. Summoning the newly crowned sovereign. ""

Manip/Code by Saph

@Pistis

She’d been... well she’d been scrambling around since her successful crowning. Walking the borders, strengthening the scent. Showing some of the members to the den site, checking the prey cache. Yep, this would certainly be busy... at least, though, she had someone to share it with (technically two someones, but she was in the Cove.) She pulled her head away from the small prey pile as she heard a chuff. Obviously Gwyn’s. She walked at a quick pace towards him, new poultices along her neck and stomach.

She gave him a smile as she approached, bumping her forehead to his chin as she waited to hear what he had to say. Figured he needed to say something to her. Many things, actually. She sat and waited, striped crown and ears slightly tilted. She hoped he was okay with all of her choices, but hell, he’d not given her much warning when he’d chosen to take the Hollow. This wasn’t much different. Although she was worried he’d not be very happy with his rank. But only one of them had been ready to challenge, and it had been her.

@Gwyn

Manip/Code by Saph

He is not long waiting, the pale queen emerging into his little hide away, offering a smile. Gwyn returns it, the expression he wore only for her. At her bump of his chin his jaws would snake around the top of her skull to nip affectionately, playfully at her scruff. Taking full advantage of their privacy thank you. He'd been very very good in public; trust him to be bad in private.

"Is everything well?" he queries lightly into the expectant space between them. This would likely take a while, both parts of what he planned for this encounter. He wanted to make sure the place wasn't going to burn down while they talked and celebrated with one another. Because, she knew him, knew the spark glimmering in the depths of his gaze. It was a promise and a warning both. Once business had been handled he was not inclined to let her leave until they were both pleasantly exhausted.

Manip/Code by Saph

@Pistis

Pistis knew, basically at once, that he had plans for this evening. What with those little nips. He was so cheeky, Gods above. How did he expect her to talk business when he was teasing her? But he draws away so they can speak, at least. “Yes, I think we have a decent foundation, I know the ins and outs of this territory fairly well,” she smiled, “and I’m fine, my poultices are placed and drying.” She’d done that herself, too. Well, with the help of Siofra and Lilith, anyways. But she already had some concerns.

“What did you say to Xerxes? I know he’s... an angsty teen. But he’s been through a lot... seen a lot. He’s so young.” She reminded him, she wanted desperately for the two men to get along. She and Xerxes had made some amends, but he clearly wasn’t interested in Gwyn at all. “And I know that what he said was not right. But he has never been chastised for such behavior. Ambrosine took care of him but did not teach him manners.” Pistis would have. A few cuffs on the ear or making your children apologize in front of the family? It worked wonders. She knew from her own childhood. She’d always been fiery, but knew there was a time and place. “I just- I want you two to get along, I love you both.” Ah, the L word. Had she dropped that yet around him? She wasn’t sure.

@Gwyn

Manip/Code by Saph

There is a very male sort of satisfaction emanating from the beast at her reaction to his nips. It was very tempting to simply have fun first, talk later, but he'd stepped back. She had begun to talk and he forced the rising heat down to a manageable level. Patience would only make the eventual end all the more sweet no? Pity his body wasn't very good at listening to that advice, but, he ignored it. For now...

Ah good. His gaze flicks to her wounds, checking to see the handiwork himself(as well as admiring her form... because it is Gwyn) before slipping back to her face. "I left our little ones in my daughters' care"he states in response. He had handled things on his end, so they were free in that regard as well. They had time to do as they needed and as they wished.

Ah, that kid. His face darkened slightly, skull shaking at the boy. "Simply told him to wait his turn and to stop whinging. I did not want to turn away from your fight." he states, with a shrug. He would eventually teach the boy to mind his tongue, but that would be later. "Ambrosine's parenting leaves a lot to be desired." he states, derisively. The second child to mouth off to him, the second child to want to fight the brute. It was not healthy for them to do so. "I shall correct that at some point." he promises, looking at her. Asking permission to do so with the glance. He might be rougher, might need to be rougher, with the boy but nothing more than a few bumps and bruises. Gwyn well knew the boy would not listen until they had a proper battle and the man took him in hand with laughable ease thanks to his experience. His look softens at her next words. "I cannot promise that. I will need to discipline him so he will likely not think fondly of me; I won't start anything new. " he states. Only so much he could do with his side of the equation.

That said, he addressed her drop of the L word. "You do?" he asks, though the question is far more rhetorical than actual. He knows she loves him; why wouldn't she? He was glorious after all. The beast preened for a moment before returning to business.

"What did you mean about the bones?" he queries. Did she mean to say that anyone could fish or shelter here if they obeyed the bone marks? That did not sit well with him if so. It put their children and the others in their care at risk.

Manip/Code by Saph

@Pistis

Good good, Lilith was watching the children, that was good. She kind of needed a small break anyways. They needed a designated babysitter, it wasn’t like she could bring the prince and princesses with them everywhere. Not to negotiations, that was certain. Then the conversation of Xerxes continued. Pistis brows furrowing at his last suggestion. “You’re not to hurt him. I am not going to put him through that.” Even once would scar him. No thanks, Gwyn, please don’t scuff up my children. Cuffing an ear or a little smack on the shoulders was much different than hurting them. “If you both agree to a dominance match that is something different.” She could live with that.

“Discipline is fine. I want him to respect you, eventually.” Then his smug attitude about being told she loved him. Ugh, sometimes she wondered why with that pride. But she supposed it was the opposite to her self-consciousness. It was probably good for them. He balanced her, she balanced him. The bones are questioned, so she clarifies, “say there is hail or exceptionally high rain, rogues or members of prides may take shelter in caves marked with bones. If someone is especially hungry, they may fish in the indicated spots. If they are found on these locations during sunny days or fish too often, they can be chased off.” Rather simple, no? Or at least she thought so. She thought it was fair. She couldn’t imagine being a mother or yearling without food to bring home. If they distrusted prides they may be more inclined to do this, as well.

@Gwyn

Manip/Code by Saph

His brows rose at her demand. What if they ended up fighting? She continues and he nods, finally. "I will try, but if he chooses to challenge me as he did during the fight, I will take that as consent to deal with the consequences" he rumbles. It was the best he could offer on that front. There are some things, when more pressing issues weren't in play, he would not let stand. Challenge offered such as the boy had, insults, well, not things that he was inclined to let lie thank you. Gwyn had never tried to hide that part of his nature from her. She would understand. "I would appreciate it. But such things are up to him." he states simply. Finishing that topic and moving onto the next.

Oh, it was as he feared. Gwyn shook his head. "That leaves us open to attack" he begins, disagreeing with her, but keeping his voice level. Not angry, just firm. "What if they use it as an excuse to cause trouble, to infiltrate and harm those within our borders?" he asks her seriously. He looks towards the direction where he left Lilith and the kids. "What about our children?" he asks her, voice soft, looking back at her. Shake's his skull once more. "No. I cannot live with that. If they announce their presence, and wait for an escort then, I could live with it. " he states simply. She may wish to offer their home as sanctuary, but he is not so friendly, or willing to accept others with open arms. He rather enjoyed his privacy thank you. That and they had very young children to think of. Open borders were not a plan that would work with Nomi, Daeva, and Apophis underfoot.

Manip/Code by Saph

@Pistis

Pistis listened and nodded, that was fair enough, “just try your best not to hurt him too badly. I understand wanting to teach him a lesson, though.” She gave her blessing. If it went wrong she would heal her son herself. But she just hoped he didn’t tear him a new one. Hoped her son didn’t hate her for anything Gwyn did. As she could not control him. It was up to Xerxes to react as he would. Whether he saw it as unforgivable or it made him think a bit. But she’d felt incredibly embarrassed to have her own son speak bad about her husband in such a public setting.

She listened to his concern with a flick of her darkened ear. He had a point, of course, one she’d not considered originally. She let the silence linger before responding. “I agree that we should escort them to the fishing spots... but the caves..?” She asked, shaking her head, “I hate to think someone would seek out shelter and perish on our borders, uncertain. Perhaps... if they call out first? Then they continue to the cave and call out a few more times to ensure we hear them?” She asks, waiting for his opinions on it.

There was the matter of claiming, too. She’d let him know what she had planned, but maybe he had concerns. He’d been rather free to claim before. She knew he was possessive. But the thought of forcing a woman somewhere she didn’t wish to be? It made her uncomfortable. She remembered Poppy, briefly. She’d been so frightened, unable to worship her Gods in the tiny, dark caves. It also made her uncomfortable that her husband may still considered any woman he happened across to be his. Because hades, she’d never done such a thing with a man or woman. Couldn’t imagine thinking anyone belonged to her. Not even Gwyn. He had choices.

@Gwyn

Manip/Code by Saph

He nodded. He would try not to harm the errant child too severely but there was only so much he could do if the boy moved wrong. Even with care, accidents happened in battle. In this case it would be unintentional, but either way. The man could not promise outside of attempting not to. At least she understood, gave him her blessing to do what he needed, the boy needed if it came to it. For speaking out like that in a public setting, attempting to strike him with works, embarrass them both? No that was not to be tolerated and he would teach the child exactly why such things should not be done.

She listened and accepted his addendum to the fishing spots with ease. That allowed a sigh of relief to blow through the chasm of his soul. His wife worried though. Her tender heart different from his own hard one, and he sighs, shaking his head, but speaks. "I am still leary, but, if they must, they may. We shall send someone to watch, to escort as soon as we are able though. I will not allow any to flounce across our borders without an escort." he rumbles. A compromise for them both. Gwyn has always been protective, possessive really. Allowing their home to be such a sanctuary as it had been beneath the former king's rule was beyond him. This didn't sit perfectly well with him, but he could live with it.

Speaking of what didn't sit well with him, her stance on claiming was something that he was going to struggle with. She knew him. So he brought it up. "Claiming is a thing I've always done, and while I may try to refrain from doing so you cannot deny it allows for a pride to grow quickly." he muses to her. Their relationship's growth was handy in situations like this; they could talk and work through the problems they had together. Could listen and offer opinions without fear of a fight or major upset. He considered her for long moments. Weighing options, trying to sort out what might sit right with him and her. He was trying and she had to know that. Know that while, he had learned much, he was very much still who he was. "If I claim someone, I will let them know of a caveat. If they are not happy here within a months time, which should be long enough to get to know them, give us a chance, they can choose to go elsewhere. An ally? "he offers. A compromise that he would not like, but could deal with. Might help keep those like poppy who were too foolish to understand that a claim was just to get them in the ranks. That they were not chained to the pride. That and, it gave them a choice. One which he would honor once their month is up. It seems a good solution to the awkward problem to him.

Manip/Code by Saph

@Pistis

Pistis nodded at his compromise, so it would be. A neutral area for weary travelers, as long as a member came to watch, a strong, adult member, that was. Perhaps not quite as much of a sanctuary, but she could live with it. They would still help needy lions if they needed that, and that eased her heart. Perhaps she felt she needed to balance her power with helping others. Pistis couldn’t know for sure, honestly.

His next words cause a prickle up her spine. It helped numbers... yes but at what cost? She heard him out but her brows furrowed. His compromise was a nice thought but... who was to keep him to it? She looked from the ground to him, meeting his gaze. “Gwyn, you have never understood what it is like to be a woman. Every second of your existence you worry you may be ripped from your family or friends simply because of what you were born as.” She knew better than some lionesses, but they all had that fear, “when I was with my first husband, it took me many months to run. Why? If he hurt me so badly? Because I felt as if I was a piece of property. I felt it was my duty to have children with that horrible man because my family had no clue what sort of man he was.”

But that didn’t matter now. “Your nature rubs MANY the wrong way. Lions and lionesses alike. You took Amra and Poppy away from their family. Now the Dieu have a vendetta against us for many reasons. Your reputation precedes you and yet still-“ her anger rose, “-still I give you a crown beside me. Because I love you, and I try my best not to listen to them. But when every lion is telling me you are horrible, awful, or you treated them badly... what am I supposed to think?” She was being uncharacteristically talkative. Yes, she loved him and his flaws, she knew others didn’t understand. But people would not forgive an upbringing they didn’t know about. Many grew past whatever their parents taught them. Why was he special? Because he was a man.

@Gwyn

Manip/Code by Saph