starting to fly

I get so forgetful when I look in your eyes

Perhaps patience would have been a good virtue for Kiton to possess. The mire lion strode through Amaryllis with purposeful strides, his head held up slightly higher than usual to try and account for the (minimal) extra weight hanging from his jaws in the form of a small, furry package. Silver had hardly uttered words of planning the day before and already the Hodari lion was venturing through the foreign terrain of the land in search of a particular group of lions who had been on his mind for some time now.
He only made a sound when he caught the scent of their pride on the breeze. Making certain not to cross the scent border without permission, Kiton let out several guttural chuffs of summoning for the Valour leaders to greet him if they were able. He ignored the mewls of his newborn son dangling from his jaws and tried to detect any signs of their approach.

@Nymeria @Taj

code by corvus

Tending to the children of the Brook was like magic to the Heiress. A moment that she was more than happy to experience let alone partake in. For several years, children had been unheard of in the Brook but now it seemed to be bustling with childlike activities. Talisa's job as a parent continued to get easier as they grew but also as she added in another mate to the mix. One that was just as eager to get in there and teach them as she and Morrigan had.

So when the opportunity to go to a call at the borders came, she was happy to have Farrow watch over them while she attended to business. Or, personal business since she spotted @Kiton from quite a distance away. Chuffing back at him to let him know that she was coming, crushing the distance with a light jog before settling in front of him. A smile written clearly on her face as she stared for a long moment at the adorable child that hung limp in his jaw. I didn't realize you had been expecting .. ? She smiles with a little laugh, completely unaware that he was married to someone and that they were planning on children. Funnily enough that he wasn't either of those things and yet there was a child in his mouth that looked quite like him.

manip & table code by k'sariya

it had been too long since she had seen or caught up with the man from the mire — but alas, parenthood was an exhausting, and not to mention time-consuming, feat, so nymeria liked to believe she has some sort if excuse for her secluded habits as of late. his call, however, prompted her into action without so much as a second though, limbs carrying her through the familiar paths of the grove, until the soft murmuring of voices garnered her attention. lashes fluttered, eyes twisting as she pushed through the remaining tendrils of the shadows — though the sight waiting for her upon the borders was not at all what she had been expecting. "kiton?" she called out, pushing up alongside her sister’s flank, attention trained purposefully on the small, mewling babe. There was blatant concern etched across her features, brows furrowed and her lips hung agape in unspoken questions, and even though @Talisa did not seemed startled by the fact that the king had a literal newborn between his jaws, nymeria could not help but find herself fearing for the worst. "is everything alright?"

starting to fly

I get so forgetful when I look in your eyes

He was overjoyed to be greeted by Talisa first. Her chestnut-brown pelt was ever-familiar to the lion and he beamed as she approached, bending down to set the bundle atop the warmth of one of his massive forepaws.
"My apologies--I did not have much time to prepare for this gift," Kiton explained with only a hint of sheepishness. The litter had been far from a secret, but by the time Silver both figured it out and informed him, there were many pressing matters to take care of in preparing for them and far too little time for keeping up with his social calendar as he would have liked.
"Does this mean we can expect playdates?" He questioned cheekily, only realizing after he had said it that bringing up cubs he had not met was unwise. There was no telling what their fate may have been, but Kiton opted to hope for the best when he had no other choice. This was when the lighter figure of Nymeria appeared there before them, concern woven in each crease of her expression.
"Your Highness," Kiton greeted with a bow of his head. "No need to worry--all is well. I wanted to introduce you to my firstborn, Taj Hodari," he explained as he bent down to offer a few rough licks on the back of the squirming cub to try and help keep him warm. He glanced between the two lionesses to try and make it clear that he was addressing both of them in his plans. "I have not kept in touch as much as I have meant to, but I wanted to inquire about the cubs of Vermeda Brook. You see, I think highly of the lions of your pride, and I thought it might be advantageous for both of our families if I offered the eldest son born to me in an arrangement of marriage," he explained directly. It was a heavy request, sure, but Kiton saw great value in his own proposal. He would not have offered it if he did not think it was a brilliant deal.
"I wish my own parents had made this area of my life easier in this way," he chuckled lightly.

code by corvus

Despite being polyamorous, she was feeling a little bit of what it felt like to be a little disappointed. Her thoughts immediately thinking on how much she had really grown to like @Kiton and while they might not have gone into the burning love that she felt for Morrigan or Farrow, it damn well could have. Even in this rare piece of emotion, it was one that she was easily able to swat away and dismantle for there was little room to be selfish and jealous when there was a wonderful child present. Immediately, her heart was simply taken by the beautiful boy; so it was with great luck that @Nymeria showed up so that her attention being primarily stolen by the child wouldn't be seen as rude.

Playdates a'plenty! she excitedly replied, exuberant as she pictured them all wandering about the pride lands and going on adventures together. Luckily for the Mire High Sovereign, both women had had very successful births. Sweet Taj, she murmured quietly as she looked to her mauve friend and quietly sought permission from him. Hoping that she might receive so as to gently attempt to press her nose to the side of his neck - a greeting for one so small. Oh? A betrothal? she asked, only having been brushing up on her knowledge of them thanks to Morrigan having asked her about her thoughts on it with regards to Magnus' children.

The Valour were not a family built on the perception of a betrothal but she didn't believe it to be too outside the box for them. Just not something they had ever practiced in their lifetime. I've got two boys and a girl. Nym's got three girls and a boy. Though, my wife and I have had a light conversation about a betrothal with her High Sovereign's children. Lilac eyes swept to her big sister first and foremost as this would be information to her ears, too. There was nothing that she had set in stone because she wanted her children to be able to choose for themselves if it was a path they wanted to take. Talisa would never force them into something that they felt uncomfortable with or pressured into doing. It was their life and she wanted them to do what they wanted, without interference.

manip & table code by k'sariya

she couldn't really be blamed for finding a sense of worry within the fact that @Kiton had brought a newborn all the way from the mire -- but her concerns were quickly soothed by the king's words, which helped to control the rattling of her heart within its cavity. taj hodari -- "a beautiful name for a beautiful son; congratulations, kiton." the valour expelled upon a lighter rush of air now, gazing wandering down twoards the sweet boy, and contemplating how they had all managed to be so blessed within this life.

it was his next words, however, that had nymeria's mind rearing anew, the gears shifting, as she spared a curious glance towards @Talisa at the mention of her own diplomatic plans. she could not help but wonder when this conversation had occurred with magnus, but knew that her sister was a responsible mother, and any choices that she made would be in the best interest of her family. opting to let the announcement go without further pressing, as now was certainly not the time to get information on the evolving relationship with the hollows, nymeria would turn her gaze back towards kiton, crown nodding, as she offered a light smile in his direction. "like talisa mentioned, i've had three girls; rhaella is the first, then ariadne, and juliette. they are around two months old now - already growing up too fast, if you ask me." the words fell easily from her lips, thinking fondly back to the four of them, who were likely nestled within the safety of their den at this very moment. however, nymeria needed to know a little more about what such an arrangement meant for the hodari, given her lack of front-line experience in such sorts of alliances. "it is certainly a new concept for us, but something that i am open to learning more about. what does a betrothal mean, to you?" hopefully kiton would understand that the nuances of it were important to nymeria, and that this agreement held more weight than a simple "i do". in order for this to be successful, they needed to be transparent, as well as on the same page.

starting to fly

I get so forgetful when I look in your eyes

He smiled with no hints shown of suspecting her true tone regarding the arrangement, happy to stick to the simple joy of reveling in each other's successes. While he had already been in possession of a pride of lions, this was perhaps the greatest pride Kiton had ever felt in life--to have children to call his own and boast to others about their brilliant feats.
"So many royal cubs for the Brook," he mused with an awed smile. He had known Talisa during her pregnancy, but the news that High Sovereign Nymeria had cubs of her own was just that--news to him. He nodded as the lionesses explained their ages and genders. "Perhaps your eldest daughter would be a good match for young Taj, should she be available for such an arrangement," he proposed with a tilt of his chin toward Nymeria. It made sense to him that since they were litters closest in age and both the high sovereigns' cubs, that they would be of relatively equal standing.
He nodded once more as Nymeria posed her question, both to show that he understood her concerns and to buy himself time to answer. Perhaps he had not thought in-depth about what the arrangement would entail, but he supposed that was for all of the parties to discuss.
"I must be honest: the idea is new for me, as well," Kiton confessed solemnly. "As I said, I did not have such an arrangement in my own life. But, I wish I had, for I would have married the girl I love much sooner than.... how old am I, five years now?" He mused with a glint of humor in his eye. "It would have saved me a lot of heartaches." He did not feel the need to dive into the specifics of his failed marriage in their polite company, but he alluded to it all the same. "I want to set my cubs up for success in life by securing the best partners for them. I know the Valour to be an honorable and stable family, and I suspect any of my cubs could be just as happy in the Brook as they are in the Mire." Perhaps this was more of a sales pitch than an overview of logistics, Kiton thought.
"I envision this as an arrangement of their anticipated marriage as a union of our families. Both the Valour and the Hodari would be stronger for such a union." He tried to meet the gaze of both Talisa and Nymeria. "They should be involved in each other's upbringing and expected to wed when they are of age. I know no one's paws can be forced in this way, but time breeds fondness. I truly believe this will serve them in the future." It did not occur to him that he might have to convince them of his own intentions of love, freedom, and happiness for the lives of his children. It was all he had known from his own father. Clearing his throat, Kiton turned his attention more directly to the brunette figure of Talisa.
"While young Taj is the eldest born to me, I have taken in a small group of rogue siblings as my own children. I believe they are about eight months old now, give or take. I have offered a similar deal to King Magnus, but one of the sons remains unpromised. Aphelion is his name, and he is the clear leader of them all, should you be interested in such an arrangement for your daughter." Kiton concluded his spiel with a crooked smile, hoping the idea would appeal as much to the lionesses as it did to him. Silver had seen the advantage even as such a protective mother, getting his hopes up even higher that the other mothers might.

@Talisa @Nymeria

code by corvus

The heiress easily recognized that this was not a conversation that she had had with her sister just yet. Something that she and her wife had been talking about here and there but not having come to any sort of solid agreement. Mostly because she wanted to be able to talk to it with her family, or at least @Nymeria, to see what was a good direction for them as a family. Never in a million years would she have thought this conversation would come up twice in as short a timeframe as it had yet here they were.

Even if it was not a pointed or glaring look, Talisa knew that this information that she had was likely quite blindsighting. Something that Nymeria might not ultimately agree with and think that it had been done in the interest of keeping it hidden. Talisa would never, of course, as family was always what came first in her books and would never do anything that important to the family without first telling someone. @Kiton seemed happy to oblige with details and explained much that left them questioning. Eldest daughter being put on the table and the cleric eased a steady breath, knowing that this wasn't necessarily about her or her children yet but engaged all the same. Nieces and nephew very important to her and their future to be accounted for.

Though, as they continued talking there was something that was beginning to rub her the wrong way. Not in any way that would cause tension or angry, but simply confused. Very confused. I've told my wife this before but I want to encourage my children first and foremost to be themselves. To choose what they want in their lives, so long as it makes them happy. They are still young, but I anticipate that one, or all of my children will love all genders. Talisa loved any and all, and it wouldn't be so far-fetched for them to be the same way. So, why did it have to be his son and their daughters? Why not his son and one of their sons? And did he have more than just @Taj or was this bean simply along for the ride because he was the eldest?

manip & table code by k'sariya

well, this was turning out to be quite interesting — so much so, that nymeria found herself pausing in a moment of thought. it became clear to her, as the discussion continued, that they had been raised very differently from one another, and it was not so much that one was better than the other, but simply that they were disjointed in their perception of life. she maintained a smile, for there was no anger to her demeanour, but there were some Key words That she could not help but to pick up on. "expect… success… serve them in the future" — not to mention the pointed comment, and quick rebuttal, from @Talisa on the topic of their sexuality. were she not talking about her children, nymeria may have found some humour in the vastness of their upbringings, but she would remain calm and quiet, until there was a break for her to speak.

"i think we can all agree that love flourishes with patience, and time." the valour hummed, both towards @Kiton and her sister. talisa and nymeria had both had their share of whirlwind romances since last year, after all, and would not change that experience for anything in the world. "but we were also raised with the idea that love is a blessing, and not a responsibility. that it is about living freely and with your heart on your sleeve, unashamed of who you are or who you’re with. that is not to say that our ideas can’t coexist, but i don’t, and i don’t think my husbands would, want to force our children into a decision that we made for them. ” she continued to explain, hoping that the hodari would not take offence to any of her words. nymeria valued her friendship with their family, after all, but wanted to make sure that she was honesy about what her heart was saying. "so, i’d like to propose something a little more flexible, at least for now. i am willing to put rhaella and taj together, let them grow-up side-by-side, and see how they get along. if there is a spark, and they choose to pursue the idea of marriage of their own free will, then we can consider it a success — if you require more, i would need to discuss it with my family first.” feeling as though she had said enough, nymeria would take pause then, glancing between both faces briefly, gaging for a reaction.

starting to fly

I get so forgetful when I look in your eyes

He watched the lionesses carefully, desperate to find any signs of excitement on their part over the plan he laid out. He was out on a limb to be offering the very livelihoods of his cubs to these lionesses, but Kiton did not think there was another family in Amaryllis that he trusted more than the Valours. Were Silver present, she might have pointed out to Kiton that he hardly knew the other families of Amaryllis outside of the Valours.
The uncertainty in Talisa's tone as she responded was a marked disappointment to him. He nodded his respect and supposed understanding, whether or not he actually felt it. They are still young, but I anticipate that one, or all of my children will love all genders. It occurred to him then that Talisa had informed him of her wife and that they were expecting cubs--he had met Morrigan, even, and shared a casual discussion. He creased his velvet brow with widened eyes as he realized his own blunder, desperate to suck the words back into himself where they came so as not to jeopardize the entire mission in him coming there with Taj. He bent down to run another rough lick across the cub's back.
"My apologies for assuming in this way," he offered Talisa with a bow of his head. He considered the alternative--that the cubs should be attracted to those of their own gender. It just seemed such a slim possibility to be planning for. "I know some are particular about whether they love one, or even more. I am not particularly concerned with whether or not these are your cubs' only marriages, as long as they can agree individually on that," Kiton offered clarification. Should they love all genders, they could marry another. It seemed an easy enough fix to him.
He turned his attention to High Sovereign Nymeria as she spoke, his heart lurching in his chest with her words as if assuming each one of them to mean she was declining him. He pursed his lips together to keep himself from arguing or speaking out of turn. It's not like that, he might have said. My love is a blessing and it is not ashamed, and our lives have been entangled since birth. Even the novice ambassador knew not to interrupt his company.
"I understand and share your concern," Kiton declared when it was clearly his turn to speak. He shifted his weight slightly, feeling hot on his collar as he wondered how to salvage this situation so that they all might walk away satisfied and with their egos intact--particularly his own. "You should meet their mother someday," the mire lion sniffed a laugh. "I suspect her own words on the matter would sound quite similar to yours. I do not think you have to worry about any of us trying to rob the cubs of their agency or of their hearts." He certainly did not equate what he was proposing with a lack of love, but rather ensuring that they could love someone perfectly suited for them rather than wasting time looking around.
"Perhaps we can think of it this way: I would love for the marriage of our children to be a goal we share. I would love to trust that this goal, as well as that of our children's happiness, is shared mutually." Kiton spoke slowly, eying each lioness once more to try and gauge their opinions of the matter. "The impossibility of such a reality will not make an enemy out of me. I only want a shared goal in good faith." Much less was not much of an arrangement at all, in his mind.

@Talisa @Nymeria

code by corvus