Starts dotted the sky as snow fell onto the lagoon, it was still relatively warmer than most areas, but still the air at night was chilling, Laveau was grateful for her extra fluffy fur now, the small lioness stepped along the coast, watching the waves roll over the sand. She had been thinking about a lot recently, remembering her family, well her immediate family, her father, her mother, @Vain, and of course her adopted siblings. Though Poltergeist and Recluse occupied the Lionesses thoughts too, Poltergeist crude offer, to be shared between brothers, to hunt for them, be whatever they wanted.

She couldn't help but to go back to an earlier thought, of Envy having to know that to leave his Betrothed, without consummation would get her taken from him, truthfully she had atleast started feeling for him, but she was young, she needed something morefast paced, more scheduled.

She wished she could remember her parents relationship better, maybe she could get Vain to tell her about them. That was an idea!

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Vain had dug himself a rather cozy little divot in the sands just out of the tide's reach, yet still on the shore to be deafened by the crashing of the waves upon it's border. 'Our border now... I suppose' He thought to himself as his icy gaze reflected the white of the moon's soft hues. The waters sparkled with the same shadow of diamond, a dark abyss if not for the celestial light.

The wind was crisp, and though it was warm it held a chill of winter. The season was definitely not lost on the shore, but the peaceful silence of the desolate North was a stark contrast to the crashing of waves. The ocean held it's own kind of peace, really.

As he watched the dark waves lap at the sands, he suddenly became aware of someone else nearby. With cold indifference and without a hint of urgency, Vain turned to his left and then to his right to find the source of the presence he felt. It was then that his gaze fell upon his sister and widened ever-so-slightly in surprise.

"@Laveau, what are you doing this time of night?" He wondered, almost scolding in his tone. To him, to be wide awake at this unholy hour was quite natural... his body simply would not let him sleep far more than was healthy. But his sister had no such issues. Something must be worrying her. His normally casual expression held a hint of worry behind them... what was wrong now?

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Maturity and puberty has changed the sister, once a tiny amalgamation of black and bleed colors, looking more like a puffy cotton ball, was now a young lioness, her body sleek, Slender, but not without curves, her fur more evenly layered, though still on the smaller side, she was a woman now. Though she'd been an adolescent when they had been separated, lanky but small, not quite grown in to her developing body, but room for improvement, as one could see.

She did not notice her brother right off the bat, she was lost in thought, until her name fell from his lips and pulled her attention taut, like a leash, one he never had placed on her, no, her leash had been Vanquish's doing, he molded his daughter, groomed, and sculpted her to be worthy. And when his time had started to slow, he gave that leash to Vain, even if it was unwilling, someone had to guide the girl who only ever knew strict rules.

The scolding tone of her brother caused the lioness to furrow her brow, "I am taking a walk, duh..." Remember where it mentions maturity? Maybe that one didn't take as well, her tone held a playful tease, but there was a short, brief pause, indicating her brain was about to resume it's distracting thoughts, she shook her head and padded over, not only had her body changed but her voice, get accent, her language, "Chè frè mwen." She bent her head down to nuzzle into his neck, not missing the look of worry he gave her, "you worry too much brother."

1.My dear brother

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Vain scoffed and turned away as his sister nuzzled into his neck, spoke her foreign language, and told him of his flaws. Still, he leaned into the affection. It had been a long time since he'd seen her. He'd grieved her disappearance, in his youth... fearing the worst. No one needed to know it though. Not in this family.

"You know I don't understand you when you speak in tongues." He said with ears flattened in feign annoyance, his voice much lighter as her presence picked him up from his dreary self-reflection. "And I do not worry too much. In fact, I know no such thing as Worry." He held his head high to emphasize his words. Always composed, collected, calm... cold, calculating. It was what was expected.

Vain then turned to look her in the eye, ears lifting to half mass. "Something troubles your mind though, @Laveau. I can see it in the distance of your gaze." Perhaps she had come to seek him out purposefully? If anyone were to ever seek him out, it was always best to stalk the nighttime hours.

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His scoff was no deterrent to the Black woman, she laughed, one full of mirth, his body leaned into her affection and she butted against his chin, moving to lie down next to him, resting her neck over the upper parts of his shoulders, an embrace of sorts. She'd missed her brother, her disappearance had been just that, a disappearance, rather than the harsh reality of an abduction, but she kept her life as a captive quiet,her family need not know. The only thing she brought with her when she had escaped and came to Amaryllis was her foreign, harsh language.

"That's the point, so I can tease and taunt you without you understanding." She giggles, falling into the playful sister, she so dutifully held the throne for, his false annoyed attitude, and his lies about the worry that had etched his eyes brought forth another mirthful laughter. She began to groom his fur, snorting as he held his head high.

He turns to her at her and she almost drops her facade, had she been unknowingly searching for him? A brother who was the rock, the unwilling handler, her protector, she almost choked on the invisible leash, collar around her throat like teeth. But she shakes her head, riding herself of Vanquish's thoughts, "My betrothed left, Envy. Knowing we never took the step to fully become mates, I don't know why.. but now I fear, I'm to become the wife of someone who would make a slave of me." Wasnt that what she was though, a female in this family was nothing more than shackled and used, breeding and tending, hunting and not arguing, but it didn't make her wish it on herself. Even if she was to be shared with the king and his brother, the thought made her stomach hurt, she inhaled and buried her face into Vains shoulder

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Vain cracked a small (nearly unnoticeable) half-smile at her tease, shaking his head and rolling his Icy eyes like he used to do when they were cubs. She was hopeless sometimes...

Then she began to speak again, filling the silence between them and verifying that she did indeed having something troubling on her mind. She spoke of her prior betrothal... one he was not aware of. Had this happened before HE had returned from his hiatus? Had he missed her true return altogether while on his own selfish prospect?

He sighed outwardly as she continued to speak... disappointed with himself. Too often he found himself coming short when it came to his true sister. She doted over him, and he let her down time after time.

"Perhaps he will try." He said with emotion cut from his tone entirely, though he felt for her deeply. Sadly, it seemed she feared the very thing that was to be expected for a female Black... It was the way of their family. "But -" He felt her weight upon his shoulder... almost poetic in its irony. "You must remember that you are not simply a female Black. You are @Laveau Black, Daughter to Vanquish. Granddaughter to Decay."

She was a dark, cunning, and resourceful member of the family. She had the blood of all those who had come before her pumping through her veins. It was worthy of respect. She needed to tap into that well of confidence to find her stride. "Only when the rest of the family knows of your strength, will you be more than a thing to be used." He sighed deeply once more. He couldn't help her in this endeavor either... it was a cruel thing.

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Though she caught the half smile starting to form, she didn't call him out on it, he rolled his eyes and gave him a grin, huddling closer to her brother, "Envy was good to me, he found me when I first arrived on Amaryllis and we spent a lot of time together. And once we had the first meeting, he announced he was taking me as his Betrothed." She paused, her paw resting over his back, toes flicking the sand away from them, her head rested on her arm, and she stared down at her paw, before returning to speak, "He was older, quite a bit, maybe seven years, but he protected me from the hot spray of the springs when the weather here was acting against us. He would tell me stories. To lull me to sleep." She thoughtfully lost herself in speaking about her ex betrothed, she wondered if he were okay now, if he were alive? "But, we were betrothed for almost a year, and he decided he wanted to go searching for more Blacks, an adventure I guess. We never mated, that entire year, I don't know why, he seemed off put by me. But not in a way like he didn't love me, just, he was not very driven with desire I guess. I was going to go with him, but he seemed to want to head out alone, he was always kind of solitairy. So I let him. He's not been back since, and he left Recluse on charge, without consummation, I needed to continue the line on..."

She sighed and dramatically fell back and next to him, laying on one side, staring up at him with her eyes fluttering, a smile on her lips, "Don't lie to me Vain, Poltergeist cares for nothing but his brother and himself." She said softly, her voice was smooth, her accent somewhere between Cajun and southern, something she picked up and hadn't be able to drop, the sweet voice always held a soft of power to it though. She perked her ears up as he spoke of her, You must remember that you are not simply a female Black. You are Laveau Black, Daughter to Vanquish. Granddaughter to Decay. She snorted at their father's name, but she let him continue, Only when the rest of the family knows of your strength, will you be more than a thing to be used

Her eyes met his and she couldn't look away, "Father never liked me very much, I was never great in his eyes. I was just another female, " She paused and gave a half smile, "Tell me @Vain, do you love me?" She asked him, scared of the answer but she had to know, she needed this.

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