Haven't I given enough?
Always the fool with the slowest heart

She came under the cloak of night, purpose evident in the swiftness of her steps as she approached the borders of the Obsidian territory. She had tried being patient, briefly, and was not surprised to find that it did her no favors. Aware that her own paws were the most capable tools she had, she used them to carry her to the pride she felt was the setting for her brightest future. Magnus Sigrún had retired, but Hrefna Sigrún had not.

The young lioness let out a call for her betrothed's leadership, studying the territory as she waited. She knew the earth waited for no one, and this was made plain in how the vegetation had grown over and multiplied regardless of which family ruled this place. Still, its bones were the same--the essence of the hollows lived on in her and welcomed her home.

---

|| april y7 | one year | SL yearling | at obsidian hollow | tag @Roan ||
+10 Bring important information to a pride leader
+10 Pass along information that might be important
+5 Study the landscape of an area

Calls at the border were not uncommon, but they didn't usually come so late at night. It mattered little for Roan, though, as his waking hours were always shifting. There was always something to be done or somewhere to be no matter the time of day. A king's life was a busy one, and tonight would be no different. The voice was familiar, but it didn't hit the man right away why he knew it just yet. Only when the masked lion arrived in the doorway of the Hollow did he realize just why the stranger had been traveling under the cover of nightfall, and why she sounded so familiar.

"Hello, @Hrefna," the mauve lion greeted with a friendly dip of his muzzle as he settled upon his haunches. She was Magnus' daughter and Lysander's betrothed. That meant practically family already in Roan's eyes as a faint smile formed across his lips. "What can I help you with?" Had she not called for leadership specifically, the Hodari might have offered to fetch his nephew as well, but for now, he'd see what the former princess wanted of his attention.

Haven't I given enough?
Always the fool with the slowest heart

Her eyes continued to roam over the familiarity of the hollows as she waited for her call to be answered. While she doubted medicine would ever really be her calling in life, she did wonder what medicinal properties were harbored within the same walls which had harbored her and her littermates.

A rustling in the brush announced his arrival before she spotted the russet tones of his pelt under the light of the glowing moon. Hrefna bowed her head briefly in greeting, making note of how casual Roan always seemed despite the formality of his position.

"Hello, Your Highness," she greeted in turn, making a point to use his proper title after witnessing his victory for leadership of this pride. Only then did it occur to her that she had been hiding during the challenge and that it may not be common knowledge that she slunk about Amaryllis trying to glean what information she could. He asked what he could help her with, and she flicked her ears forward slightly with thought. Getting straight to the point seemed best.

"There are two things," she started. "First, my father is no longer ruling the lagoon. He has retired and saw fit to give the title to my aunt." She explained this while trying to keep any hints of her opinion on the matter from her tone, though perhaps a lack of enthusiasm said plenty.

---

|| april y7 | one year | SL yearling | at obsidian hollow | tag @Roan ||
+10 Bring important information to a pride leader
+10 Pass along information that might be important
+5 Study the landscape of an area

Hello, Your Highness. The girl's formalities broken through the quiet night air. Roan was never one for such rigid structures when it came titles and ranks. When it came to the Sigrun, though, the mauve lion got the impression that things were not so lax. Little did he know the kinds of traditions the monochromatic clan held within. "You can just call me Roan," the king would try to lighten the air with a less formal way of addressing him. He'd never actually talked one on one with his future niece-in-law.... Was that even a thing? Well it is now.

But anyway, if they were to be family in some semblance in the near future, it couldn't hurt to get a little more familiar with one another. Could it? Though the Hodari remained casual, he was not without his wits about him. That minty gaze studied Hrefna as she spoke, even when only accented by the moon as it barely lit up her dark features. He was pleased, however, that the yearling did not waste time in stating her business. It came as little surprise to hear that Magnus had stepped down from ruling the Lagoon, but at least now Roan had an actual confirmation as to what had happened. He'd seen Saga in the passage already, so obviously something had changed in Scilla. "I had my suspicions," the mauve lion nodded in understanding. "I hope he is still doing well, though." Retirement was inevitable. To live that long in the first place was a luxury many did not receive. After his tenure ruling lands within Amaryllis, Magnus surely deserved to relax.

With confirmation that someone new was ruling Scilla, though, it meant that Roan would need to venture back out that way to discuss alliances again. He had trusted Magnus wholeheartedly. The Hodari could only hope Saga would be as agreeable an ally as her brother had been. "And second?" It was not missed that Hrefna mentioned two things and yet had only divulged one so far. Roan was curious, to say the least, certainly not anticipating what would come next.

Haven't I given enough?
Always the fool with the slowest heart

"You can just call me Roan," he insisted. Hrefna quirked one brow as she regarded the king, trying to determine why that felt so wrong. He was not her friend, nor her peer--they were unequal in every way.

"Uncle Roan, then?" She posed the suggestion with a glint of amusement in her gaze. Perhaps it sounded more intimate even than just his name, but she saw no sense in dodging around the truth of their situation. He was to be her family, for better or worse. She was eager to make this work to her advantage. He seemed to take the news of Magnus stepping down fairly easily, even claiming to have suspected as such. She flicked her tail with acknowledgment.

"And second?"

"Well, with his retirement, I have lost my own rank just as I am ready to really use it. They have made me a baron for ceremonial appearances." Hrefna's half-seeing gaze studied his expression as she spoke, wondering if she would find judgment reflected there as she felt rising up within herself. "Prince Lysander and I are not to be married until my second birthday, but..." She trailed off momentarily as she considered how to word her proposal.

"I think it would benefit us both if I joined Obsidian now. He wishes to know each other better, and I already feel I am unneeded with my own kin." The lioness spoke plainly as she explained her vision, finally falling silent in anticipation of his inevitable agreement.

---

@Roan
+10 Bring important information to a pride leader
+10 Pass along information that might be important

Not only would @Hrefna oblige the mauve man's request to be called simply by his name, but the yearling would take things one step further in deciding to get a little more familiar with her soon to be uncle-in-law. An amused grin evolved across his features. Touché, Hrefna, the king thought to himself. "If you wish," he'd finally accept the term with a light chuckle and light nod of his head. Even if it was still a ways off before the two yearlings would be wed, Roan was not against considering the girl family already. What could it hurt to allow her to call him uncle?

Quickly, then, it became apparent why the former princess was really here. She was not in a position of high rank anymore with her father's retirement, though she also claimed to wish to live in Obsidian again to get to know Lysander better. While Roan didn't fully doubt the latter, he would also take note of the subtle means of ambition Hrefna held. If she did not like her rank of Baroness within the Lagoon, then what was she after in Obsidian? Would the mauve lion deny her request to join? Of course not. Would he award her a higher rank right from the start though? Probably not. Thankfully, the only outright request being made at the moment was to join the pride, to which the Hodari as happy to accept. "Certainly. You are more than welcome to return to your home here in Obsidian. I'm sure Lysander will be thrilled to have you here with us." If the golden boy truly did want to get to know her better, then this was a perfect start for that. Living in the same home would certainly give them more time together.

"Have you already been released of the Lagoon or do we still need to arrange that?" Roan questioned honestly. He hadn't been to Scilla since Saga took over, so he needed to check in with the Sigrun anyway. Just as he had gained Hanneth's release from Vermeda, the mauve lion was more than willing to seek the same for Hrefna.

Haven't I given enough?
Always the fool with the slowest heart

"Certainly. You are more than welcome to return to your home here in Obsidian. I'm sure Lysander will be thrilled to have you here with us." The red lion politely accepted her request and Hrefna nodded with pleasure. Still, there was more she wanted, and she tried to think quickly about how to present her case.

"You are very kind," she started diplomatically. "I know I am young, but I have been training for leadership since I can remember. I would love to be put to work helping Obsidian thrive and grow. I have more to offer than appearances," Hrefna explained. "Do you have any openings in your court–perhaps a gentry or noble?" She kept her gaze fastened upon the Hodari's leader confidently, unable to see a reason he would deny her unless his ranks were quite full. Should that be the case, she would be in a similar conundrum there in the hollows as she was at the lagoon.

"Ah, I did check with my aunt before coming here. I would only need to grab some things and say my goodbyes," Hrefna answered him, hoping this was the correct course of action.

---

@Roan

Though Roan didn't know the young Sigrun well yet, he couldn't deny that she carried herself very well thus far. Had it been anyone else wishing to jump straight away into a rank, the Hodari might have hesitated longer before ever considering it. @Hrefna, however, was Magnus's daughter. Roan knew that any child of the Sigrun's would be raised well, or at least he would assume as much. So far, the families had been pretty similar in their values, and it was on this note that the king was willing to take the risk in giving his future niece-in-law a shot. Who knows, maybe one day Lysander and Hrefna would be ruling the Hollows together. After a moment of mental deliberation, the mauve lion would finally give his answer. "Gentry," Roan offered with a nod. "We'll start you there, so long as you don't mind trips to the passage." If he was going to take the risk in giving her such a high rank to begin with, the Hodari wanted to make sure that he would expect equal effort given back to the pride. The thought of those in their current ranks would have the mauve lion thinking about the current Gentry and how little he had seen her in the passage. It was one of his least favorite endeavors, but a necessary evil all the same. A pride did not grow without recruitment. Maybe Hrefna could help share those responsibilities now.

As for her current status in the Lagoon, it sounded good enough to the Hodari. "That's fine," Roan would nod. "I might even go back with you, if that's alright. It's long overdue that I talk with your aunt since her ascension to the Lagoon throne." Magnus had still been ruling Scilla when Roan took over the Hollow, after all. There was no formal alliance with the new leadership, though the family alliance was still apparent in his mind.

Haven't I given enough?
Always the fool with the slowest heart

She made her case, trying not to show just how vulnerable she felt as she waited for the leader to weigh his options. Hrefna knew her confidence would be required if she was going to get a paw in the den, even as she was venturing into matters she had never dealt with before. Silently, she wondered if Magnus would be pleased to watch her make a case for herself.

"Gentry." The word told her Roan had made up his mind as to where she could serve, and while it was the lower of the two positions she had suggested, it would be the highest rank she had held yet except by her birth.

"Gentry," she echoed, unable to hide the twitch of her pleased smile. "We'll start you there, so long as you don't mind trips to the passage." "I have recruited there for the lagoon before, but I know the hollows even better," she assured him with an idle whip of her tail. He easily shifted the subject back to her family's pride, and she nodded at his mention of speaking with Saga.

"We can go now?" She suggested with a peek behind her shoulder, eager to tie up the remaining loose ends required before she could make her move.

---

@Roan

It actually came as some relief to hear that @Hrefna had already done recruiting for the Lagoon. Given her age, he wasn't sure how much use she had gotten out of her birthrank before being stripped of it and placed into something less capable of recruiting. The Hodari didn't doubt that she knew the Hollows even better than her current residence. She probably even knew them better than Roan did, at least the physical aspect of the terrain. The rules of his regime, however, might differ from that of a Sigrun's. Still, at least she had the experience of 'selling' a home to prospective new recruits. "Sounds good, then. We'll catch you up to speed on how things are done around here now, and you should be good to go." Though he expected that Lysander might have already told her a bit about the rules in Obsidian, it still didn't hurt to make sure that Hrefna was on the same page as the rest of them. He didn't want to assume that she would know of every difference there might be now since she last lived here. The lands might be the same, but the leadership was not.

It would come as a brief surprise that the ebony girl was ready to go back to the Lagoon at that very moment to secure her release, but that surprise faded quickly. Even in the short time in knowing the yearling, Roan had already noticed her ambition and determination. What use was there in stalling the inevitable? Hrefna was obviously eager to get things sorted if she was so set on gaining a rank in the Hollow. "Very well. We'll talk along the way." Roan's head nodded before then starting off towards the Lagoon. The walk would grant them time to go over the rules of Obsidian before seeking an audience with Saga. He'd pause only long enough to make sure Hrefna was following before they would head off.

exit Roan