two prides had already been established, all within the span of a few days. interestingly enough, it had been a mixture of new and old faces to rise up and make attempts at the thrones, vying for the crown for one reason or another. it did not bother ambrosine much that she and her family were biding their time, waiting and watching, as she had learned was ever-so important. but it did peak her curiosity, especially considering that the tollaire king had been one of those challengers on the beach that day.

the dieudonne woman found herself just south of the cove in the late afternoon, her body sprawled beneath the looming shadow of the ocean-side caverns. eyes flickered shut every now and again, but for the most part she was alert, ears perched atop her head to catch the sound of any approaching footfalls over the lull of the waves. by this point in time, she had come to expect the array of new faces that resided here in these lands, but still preferred the company of those familiar to her, friendly or otherwise.

Drakon Tollaire

He hadn't paid much attention to any of the faces that had been at the challenges let alone those that may end up being his enemies. He had lost the fight for the coast but that hadn't changed much of anything truly. He had stayed close to the coast so that his wife would be able to see the ocean whenever she pleased and could relax. But today he walked further into the territory before his nostrils flared at a familiar scent. Fiery jewels glanced around until he spotted her form. "Ambro?"

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the sound of an approaching figure had been expected, anticipated even, as ambrosine lounges by the shore in blissful solitude. she hadn't quite been expecting the shape that comes to join her however, gaze twisting, only to land on the familiar, alabaster shape of the tollaire patriarch. it was almost as if her thoughts had materialized him before her -- though when he speaks her name, she knows that this was no figment of her mirage or some cruel mirage.

"drakon," she greets, shoulders rolling back as she straightens her posture, gaze sweeping over his figure quickly as she does. "glad to see you didn't get too knocked around during the challenge." she supposed she was glad, all things considered. there were too many unknown faces here, too many unknown variables, for her to try and justify senseless hostility. the mess between manes and hecuba still weighed heavy on her mind some days, but she no longer saw a reason to punish drakon for it. they hadn't had a chance to delve deeply into the topic, but she liked to believe that they had come to an understanding with one another. but, time would tell, based on the tollaire's reaction and response to the dieudonne woman.

Drakon Tollaire

He would chuckle at her comment. "I'd say I got more than knocked around." He would admit. Though they weren't friends, Drakon sometimes liked to think that they were at least on good terms and acquaintances at times. He moved closer towards her lounging form and stayed a respectful distance between them. "And how have you been?" He knew about Hecuba and Manes. It haunted more than his own mistake. It haunted him more with the more than vivid memory of Hecuba falling off of the cliff and hurting herself. But there had been a part of him that had died and didn't return; but what it was, even Drakon didn't know himself.

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she studies the tollaire king, curious as can be, as he settles next to ambrosine on the beach. this time last year, if someone asked ambrosine to envision herself in this scenario, she would have laughed -- and yet here they were, two figures in the sand and tied together by the strings of fate. "well, we both know you've been through worse." she drawled in response, somewhat coy, though her tone was far from humourous. it was a dry smile that painted across her lips now, thinking back to that day bitterly -- though, surely, drakon remembered it better than anyone else.

hoping he would not take the statement with any ill-will, the woman continued, answering his question without giving much pause. "i've been better." she sighed, lowly, with a small shrug of her shoulders. "between the rogues, and the exodus, and, well, --" her voice pauses, unsure how to say "the part about our husband/wife being caught in a lover's quarrel" without sounding too brash, before simply skipping to the next topic. "-- everything else. i'm just hoping everything can start over here." and wasn't that the truth.

Drakon Tollaire

"That's putting it nicely." He would admit, though Drakon didn't add more. Granted, Drakon didn't know anything about the "lover's quarrel" that Manes and Hecuba had gotten into. He had been to distracted and focused on his own fight that he hadn't gone glancing around to make sure his wife was alright. "Maybe it can. Hecuba wants it o." He would state bluntly. Though that may not be the case in the near future. Only time would tell.

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"i'm always nice, remember?" she mused, sarcasm heavy on her tongue as she offers a weak, if not somewhat simpering, smile in the tollaire's direction. of course, it did not take a genius to know that ambrosine was far from a demure, sweet-souled woman -- but she had her moments, within reason.

the mention of hecuba causes a brief flash across ambrosine's features -- her brows furrow slightly, lips pursing for not more than a moment, before they smooth out again into even, neutral lines. it was an instinctive reaction, if nothing else, as drakon could surely understand. "i saw her recently; i'm sorry to hear about your daughters. i know the feeling." the parisian would offer, her eyes tilting upwards so that she could better look upon @Drakon's features. she was trying, if nothing else, to move on from what had happened all those months ago. by this point, the source of her distrust towards the dragon was long gone, almost like a distant memory or a faux mirage.

Drakon Tollaire

"Maybe nice by not eating me." He would muse at her, a small smirk forming on his inky lips as he would glance around them. However, his attention is right back to the woman before him as he mention's Hecuba and their daughters and his eyes glaze over for a split second. "Yea.. I haven't been to good of a husband in that department.." He grieved differently than she did and it showed; drastically. "But how are you? And your brood?" He was curious afterall.

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another brief muse, as ambrosine's lips purse and the edges curl up toyingly at the corners. "well, that should count for something then." of course, she had wanted to eat the white dragon at one point or another, but time was fickle and funny and had brought them here now. casually would ambrosine look to push herself up then, rising from the sandy shoreline into a more appropriate seated position. her eyes remained settled evenly on @Drakon, though occasionally would they swivel back towards the ebbing tide and the gentle roar of the waves.

and it was a fine distraction, until the talk of their children delved deeper, and a certain air of sombreness swells across the space between them. "three of my sons are missing. it is hard not blame yourself." the dieudonne offers, her tongue dry, throat closing slightly as the words force themselves out into the open air. it was as if she was speaking a sin into existence -- as though saying the words would materialize it all into reality. but ambrosine could not stop there, and instead gives a soft, if not somewhat sad, sigh before asking: "what's next for you, drakon?"

Drakon Tollaire

"It does." Granted he didn't know that she was a cannibal. That she would have done just that if not worse but those were things that weren't something they needed to discuss right now as he would listen to her speak about her own children. "I've only see one of my children. Rameses, my oldest. He's told me that one of my daughters are here but my children with Hecuba are not." He would admit. He could trust Ambro right? They weren't enemies but they weren't friends either and that was something they would eventually work on in time. "I want to find a place that Hecuba can be happy in. Gain a crown again if possible." He would state. Though things may be changed when others go for the prides here.

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