the children bristle and snap -- @Hillevi at calypso, and @Minna at him. he watches both with bland interest, a small frown marring his features. perhaps next time he would think twice about ushering them along. a shame, then, that he does not realize what he's said to minna to upset her so, his attention instead turning towards @Eydís. not anymore, he murmurs in the common tongue. his shield-sibling has been gone for too long, and too much has happened -- she will need to be caught up, and hopefully soon. he gives a small nod to @Calypso as she speaks, offering assistance should the worst come to pass. it is appreciated, clearly, but hopefully it will not come to that. alas, though, it does. today is not @Saga's day and she falls, beaten by the clay-pelted male. displeasure ripples across his features, a small sigh pulling from his lips. defeat was felt here today, but he does not doubt that saga will try again later; the important thing is that she felt keen enough to vy for this crown. and if she could go for this crown, she could go for jarl. she sweeps forward and he stands, noting the way her gaze seems to slide from his. well, fine. the newly-crowned sovereign is quick to shoo them out so he shifts his attention, shooting a small look to @Calypso. take care of yourself, he murmurs, gesturing his chin towards her affected limb -- having noted her limp previously. with that he looks to his sister, head tilting -- come with me? an offer, an invitation, to return to the lagoon he's calling home at the moment. saga gestures for her child so his muzzle leans down to grab minna and return to more familiar sands. exit w/ minna

code by irish // art

None of it makes much sense to Hillevi, and it's all over as quickly as it had begun. The end of the fight draws her attention, and she sinks back between Hákon's paws for a moment, her sharp gaze spotting the dejected look on her mother's face. She doesn't need to be told to understand the concept of loss, and she squelches her toes with a bit of disappointment into the muck. It would've been cool to live here, she thinks. It doesn't take her but a moment to lurch to her paws and follow after @Saga without needing a verbal command, hot on her mother's heels and the tang of blood in her nostrils. Exeunt Hillevi w/ Saga

table by koi

solvi doesn't understand what's going on in front of her. not really. but she watches her mother clash with the stranger with wide eyes, little heart pounding wildly in her chest. she shrinks back against @Voluspa, taking comfort in the solid feeling of her cousin behind her. when the man apparently wins and tells them all to leave, her mother does without so much as a glance in her direction. her fur fluffs up in agitation and she finds her feet, toddling forward a step or two. her cheek are puffed out with the unspoken, angry screech she wants to release and she takes a deep breath to do so -

only to have voluspa touch her spine.

surprise, she exhales in a sputtering sigh and whirls around to stare up balefully at the dark yearling. her frown deepens as she's beckoned on and with a glance over her shoulder to where saga and hillevi disappeared, the piebald child grumpily follows voluspa home.
exit

_{ART — CODE}

+5 Attend a spar or challenge to assess the wounds (2/2)

The squabbles settle as quickly as they had begun, and the fight ends with the same suddenness. Calypso finds it hard to keep track of it all, if only because her attention bounces between the two males and the numerous children. Her gaze is drawn more than once to the tiny @Minna, though, with a hint of concern for the angry child. Next time - she makes a mental note.

Saga falls and the new king dismisses them; one by one they rise to take their leave. With a glance to @Calhoun she, too, is pulled to her feet. Hakon's parting words earn a small nod and no more, this was neither the time nor place for anything else.

Finding no need to say anything more she, too, heads for home, sore and tired and limping more prominently than when she had arrived.

-exit-

Art by Rabbit | Table code by Zodiac