Ghyslaine

She would give @Alaric her complete attention, listening respectfully as he spoke. While she did not have to agree with every word he said, as free-will and free thought were still things- she knew that ultimately how he chose to raise his cubs, was his and his wife’s business. She would respect his wishes- content to help as she can and offer a soft shoulder for them to turn to if they needed it.

His words about enemies made sense, especially since the pride-meeting, when he had discussed the Sigrun’s. The name had hit her in a dream, and she now remembered that one of the first lions she had met in Amaryllis had been a Sigrun in the passage. How different things could have been had she gone with him to his pride! What would she have thought of them drowning their cubs... in a pride she had lived in. That would have been horrific. And so about those enemies, she commented, “I still struggle to understand how anyone could drown their cubs.” The words are a low growl, anger not directed at her king but at the Sigurn family and their vile ways.

”I’ve been training. Your wife- Erna, attempted to show me that I was took weak to fight shortly after I arrived.” Words paired with a grin. “I hope to one day prove her wrong and show everyone that while I am small I can be trusted to defend the cubs with my life- and stay the one living.” Gentle words, but her true wishes. She wasn’t tattling on Erna- she had accepted the incident somewhat- just unsure still why it had happened- but it was fine. As the King and Erna’s husband, he probably heard his wife gloat over her weakness. Inwardly, she didn’t care. Ghyslaine would work and and work until she came out on top.

"I am a pretty lady,"

_{art by yumpy}

Enemies brings talk of the Sigrun, as he might have expected it to do. Alaric shakes his heavy head at her words as a dark frown marks his features. "I don't understand it myself. I will be the first to admit that, where I am from, cubs from any lion other than yourself were not.... loved. The King was the only one to bear children, and any other males offspring best stay far away. It was more... traditional than here." It was the gentlest way that he could admit that the cubs of other men were killed, including his own once upon a time... "But to willingly risk their lives... twice...." His frown deepened. "I cannot understand those that would do that in the name of a God. If they feel it is necessary to live and thrive then how can they explain the rest of the lions in Amaryllis that live and thrive without committing such an act?" It was the most he had said on the matter, and he found himself slightly taken aback that he spoke so freely to Ghyslaine of all people. She mentions, then, a fight with his wife, and the frown is replaced with a wry twist of his lips. "Ah, that sounds like my wife." His gaze slips over the golden female, and as she does not seem to bear any truly heinous scars he imagines that Erna had actually gone relatively easy on her. "Erna cares about the security of the Mire more than most, and I value that about her." Alaric would not apologize for her temper -- if there were members who could not tolerate it then he would not expect them to stay.

Ghyslaine

Perhaps being female had saved Ghyslaine any odd experiences in life. She hadn’t had any brothers- merely another sister and thus they were expected to remain in their parents pride until death. She wasn’t exactly sure how that would work out- what if they fell in love? Would their father have allowed them to wed?

She listens carefully to Alaric, and her frown deepens. “I have to admit, that I cannot understand doing something like this in the name of a religion. Where I am from, harming a cub was a death sentence for anyone-“ Of course she wasn’t sure what happened to other males. “I met a Sigrun when I first arrived, in the passage. Obviously, I didn’t take him up on his offer... and I am glad that I didn’t. I cannot imagine the horror I would have felt to realize the atrocity they commit as a member of their pride.” She speaks freely in this moment, finding herself comfortable enough to say what she’s thinking. Whether or not she finds that comfort too soon... is up to Alaric.

“Maybe I’ll impress her one day,” She says with a shrug not willing to talk badly of the Queen. While Erna wasn’t her favorite in the pride- she was Alaric’s wife and with that she earned a degree of respect that Ghyslaine had- had hammered into her from a young age. She was many things- not a simpering fool but not a loud mouth idiot- she would respect those with a rank above her, and respect that there was something that Alaric had to love about her- as she was his wife. “I would expect any mother to care for the security of their home- more so the Queen of the Mire.” She speaks, unaware that Erna isn’t ranked as a Queen here, it is an assumption that Ghys makes- Alaric is King— Erna is his wife, therefore a Queen.

And despite how her feelings had been hurt, she would not fault her Queen much for her actions.

@Alaric

_{art by yumpy}

Alaric was not surprised that she had met a Sigrun, or that the one she had met had been so open about their name. It seemed the Sigrun had no fear of enemies, they were too secure in their position here, and the wheat King knew it meant he was putting his life in danger by speaking against them. He would meet his enemies head on, though, and he refused to hide the truth away from those he thought should hear it -- read: everybody.

"It is a good thing you came here, then," he mused, and it was clear that he believed she had made the right choice. There were those that would disagree with him, but Alaric was not afraid to tell them all why he had chosen to stand against the Sigrun.

"My queen," he corrects, "but not yours. She is ranked above you, yes, but she does not lead the Mire with me." Erna, much as he loved her, was not fit to rule. Or, even if he thought she was, he knew what her quick temper would bring them. He knew how much more of a target they would become if a Rike sat on the throne beside him, and he was determined to keep his family as safe as he could.

He wonders if @Ghyslaine will piece together why he has chosen another to rule with him, or if she will not think to wonder. "In any case, I am glad her welcome did not scare you off."

where innocence burns in flames

i'm frozen to the bones

image by yumpy, code by corvus

words She had never said aloud much about the lions she had met in the passage. The meeting was murky in her memories and it was merely their names and prides she really recalled now. When @Alaric speaks, her ears perk up. Truthfully, Ghyslaine hadn’t felt like she belonged in the Mire, but she took Alaric’s words perhaps in a way that he hadn’t meant them. He thought she belonged here?

He corrects her about an assumption she had made and she feels her eyes widen, wondering why Erna wasn’t Queen of the Mire.... wasn’t that how marriage worked? Perhaps that thought was evidence of her naivety but she was puzzled by that. She did no question her King however, respecting whatever reasoning he must have and respecting his judgement.

{“On the contrary it pushed me to work harder to prove her wrong. I look forward to the day that I can.”} She says, raising her head a bit, evident pride in her face. She will one day prove Erna wrong in how she viewed Ghyslaine. She would one day be worthy.

{“I haven’t met everyone here, and so I’m unsure of everyone’s jobs but is there something I can do to earn my keep more? I’m coming to every hunt I can, and I try to patrol the borders- but if there’s anything I can do- I’m glad to do it.”} Eager, ready to take on any responsibility and not to seem like a slacker, she offers herself- she doesn’t want her king to think her lazy- after all.

_{— art by yumpy}

@Ghyslaine was, if nothing else, eager. He liked to see that drive in his pridemates, and was therefore satisfied with the new recruit. Not to mention anybody that could face down Erna and live to tell the tale was worth something in his books.

"Train hard and I am sure you will," he encouraged, even if he somewhat doubted the truth of that statement. Erna had been training to fight her entire life, and while she had moments of failure she was dogged and determined and vicious. Ghyslaine did not strike him as the type to be vicious.

At her latter question he studies her a little more closely. "Learning to fight is a good start, as are patrols and hunting. Are there any skills you're particularly drawn to?" They had all sorts in the Mire, and he wondered what she truly enjoyed. She had mentioned hunting and caring for cubs, but was that her most prominent desire?

coding and art by dusk

Ghyslaine

She would nod seriously at his words. She would train hard, and work as hard as she could to become the best fighters she could be. His next words she considered carefully, taking in a thoughtful deep breath as she answered him.

"I enjoy hunting and I'm wanting to learn some about herbs to help mothers when it is time for them to give birth. I guess you could say I want to learn a little about everything." She said with a smile. Was she good at any one thing? Not the best, really, but she made up for her lack of knowledge with resilience and will to learn, or so she thought.

"One day when I'm ready for it... I think I'd like to try for a rank. I think I would like to try to find others to bring here, like Violarum found me." She explained. She had come to appreciate her friend for bringing her here- even if she still disagreed with him on whether or not it was a claim.

Most importantly, and she felt foolish to even verbalize this to her king and so she would not- she wanted to feel like she contributed to the Mire- that she contributed to her pride, in whatever way she could- because for her... these lions and lionesses would be her family.

@Alaric

_{art by yumpy}

He listened, and while he might have basic disagreements with the woman he found her plans to be on the right track. They were typically roles that lioness' had taken at home, too, and in particular recruitment was an area they could use more support in. Alaric simply did not have time to visit the passage as often as he would have liked.

"Just don't stretch yourself too thin," he advised. "It is good to know a bit of everything but it is equally important to find an area you are particularly drawn to." If hunting was it that would be of benefit to the pride, and if she turned out to be an ambassador he would not be upset at that, either.

Alaric had made enemies, and he needed representatives of the MIre that could help turn the bullseye elsewhere.

"I have to be getting on," the conversation was stretching beyond what was comfortable for the King, who had never much enjoyed small talk, and he had learned what he had wanted to learn. "I shall see you around, @Ghyslaine."

With a nod he turned to leave, pausing only briefly to see if she would stop him.

-exit-

coding and art by dusk

Ghyslaine

The idea of meeting others and hopefully filling the ranks of the Mire with able bodies, and making the pride into more a family intrigued her. She couldn't fully commit to one area of things- other than wanting to defend others, and that alone wouldn't fill many bellies in the pride. She listens as Alaric speaks, and nods thoughtfully, committing that to memory as something to keep in mind.

When he speaks, stating that he has to be getting on. Ghyslaine nods, and lowers her head respectfully. "I wish you a good day, and I'm at your service, should you need me." She says as he moves away- pausing for a moment as if he is giving her a chance to stop her. She is content however, to let him go about his duties, as it is time for her to get on to her own.

-exit Ghyslaine-

_{art by yumpy}