a place to die [birth/mature] [Roka/open]

[Sabaoth]

Sabaoth had returned from his trip to Acerbus only moments ago – and a good thing, it seemed. He’d emerged from the seas dripping and huffing, with the visibly-pregnant form of the white Valyn femme hanging from his back. He’d deposited her into the sand, prodding her with his nose, but her only response had been a sudden gasp, orange eyes flying open and body writhing. For a moment, he had not known what to do; it seemed as if she was dying judging by the noises that slipped from her muzzle, and though the ocean had washed some of the filth from her pelt, she still was no sight for sore eyes. And then suddenly he had realized as the faint scent of blood had burned his nostrils; she was not dying. She was giving birth.

It was far too soon, but blessedly he had gotten her to the shore before she’d gone into labor. He did not wish to imagine what might have happened had she began during their swim. His eyes lifted, flitting towards the tree line in the distance, wondering if the femme would refrain from doing anything stupid if he went to find help. He knew nothing of birthing, and yet a part of him knew that there was no guarantee the insanity that ravaged her mind would not urge her to harm the pups or herself in his absence. It seemed as if the gods were in his favor, however, for before Sabaoth could decide, a dark blur slipped from the trees that he immediately recognized: Messoria. Seemingly drawn by the racket that the artic she-wolf was making, the slender fae slipped down the shores towards him, her amber eyes questioning as she took in the sight before her.

”I have no time to explain. She needs help.” His voice was low and gruff as he gestured to the pregnant she-wolf with his muzzle. ”If you are able, please. If not, find the Matriarch, and she –“

”I am the Matriarch now.” Messoria’s voice was low, and there was a mixture of emotions flickering behind her gaze; a dawning realization, a softening of her features, sorrow, regret. ”Much has changed in the short days that you have been gone, General. Your brother is gone. Datura is gone. And in Goliath’s place is Emperor Typhon.”

For a moment, he did not reply. It was as if the world was suddenly spinning, her words ringing in his lowering auds as he stared at her with incredulous disbelief. Goliath, gone? Sabaoth had not been particularly close with his brother, but the news was still shattering to hear. It had been Goliath’s seemingly endless reign that had driven Sabaoth to strive for infamy and greatness. It had been Goliath who had made Sabaoth feel as if he could conquer the world as his brother’s right hand, as if his ruthlessness had to manifest on a grand scale simply so that he could keep up with the greatness that was Kairos. And now he was gone? For a moment he felt his temper rise, sure that Messoria was joking with him – a cruel, sick, twisted joke that made him snarl. But no. He saw it in her eyes, in the set of her shoulders, in the anger reflected in very posture. She spoke truly. And everything inside of Sabaoth was coming undone.

Wordlessly Messoria stepped around him, roused by another of the ivory fae’s cries. The two exchanged no further words as the newly instated Matriarch crouched beside the pregnant femme, murmuring words that Sabaoth could not hear but that were not responded to regardless. And then the waiting began. It was clear that the Valyn she-wolf was struggling, her expression one of hatred and pain. The amount of blood she was losing seemed unnatural, until at last Messoria cast him a swift glance. ”I cannot stop the bleeding until the pups have been born. It would be useless to try. I don’t know if she will survive.”

”So be it. Do what you can for the pups.” If his words surprised her, she did not show it, instead turning her attention back to the laboring mother as at last the first pup was born. It was apparent immediately that it was excessively large for its mother’s body to have carried, proven by the amount of blood that stained the sand beneath its body. When it became clear that its mother had no intention of cleaning or caring for it, Messoria swiftly lifted the pup, folding into the sand a short distance from the arctic femme and beginning to clean the blood from its fur. Slowly the colors of the pup appeared – ebony, with an ivory swath running the length of its spine and tail. A whimper slipped from the pups throat as it wiggled closer to the Matriarch’s side, squealing indignantly when no milk greeted its hungry mouth. There was a smile upon Messoria’s muzzle that was almost pained, though she said nothing as instead she focused upon the mother, who’d began to cry out once more.

The next pup came swiftly, miniscule in comparison to its brother, and Messoria repeated the process of cleaning the dark pup and tucking it against her own side. Sabaoth wondered how many more the Valyn she-wolf would have; her cries were growing faint and quiet, until at last they dissolved into ragged breathing as her eyes fluttered closed. Into the world came the third and final pup, though it became apparent immediately that something was wrong. It did not move, not even a twitch, and its body was…unnatural. Semi-hairless in places, underdeveloped, the visible skin red and angry. Messoria made no move towards it, her eyes narrowing. ”She tried to get rid of them, it seems. There are herbs that will endanger the lives of unborn pups…but she-wolves usually avoid it, not seek it. Regardless. I will find her something to –“

She trailed off then as the she-wolf’s body jerked, a single gasping breath escaping from her lungs before she went still. And Sabaoth knew even before he stepped forward to check that she was dead. The silence was broken only by the squeals of pups and water against the sand as he leaned down to grab the female by the scruff of her neck, dragging her towards the churning waves, where she would be swept away to likely become food for the sharks. Something in his stomach twisted as he watched her form while it was swallowed by the waves; regret, maybe, or shame. He could not be sure, not now when his thoughts seemed too loud for his head to contain. Next went the stillborn, which Messoria had still cleaned despite it’s lifelessness; the death of the pup weighed upon him as he turned from his task. He was cruel and rough on his worst days, but the General had always been fond of his children. To lose one was a tragedy.

He could feel Messoria watching him as he approached, but instead his gaze was upon the pups as he leaned down to reveal their genders – the largest a male, and the small one a female. It was as it should have been.

”I cannot raise them. It’s been too long since I’ve had pups of my own, and I will not carry any this season – or any other. Take them to Roka. Her season was early, and not terribly long ago; she will do well with them.”

A dip of his head was the only thanks that he could give her, and yet it seemed as if Messoria understood. Wordlessly he lifted the pups by the scruff of their necks, ignoring their squalling as he bounded across the sand, diving between the line of trees without so much as a backwards glance. Onwards he went until the trees began to thin, and the opening of the caverns appeared. He could smell Roka within them as he plunged inside, the pups whimpers echoing off the stone walls as he weaved through the winding tunnels. He found her swiftly enough, coming to a halt just before where his mate lay before lowering his head, depositing the pups gently at her paws.

”They are motherless, and born only moments ago.” He did not know where to begin with the story of their mother, and so he did not, letting the foreign young who bore such a striking resemblance to him speak for themselves. ”Roka. Will you raise them?”

TAG: @roka
WORDS: 1,452
NOTES: okay sorry this is SUPER LONG, I wanted to get it done in one thread lol. I definitely don’t expect your reply to be this massive <3

[Roka]

Roka had returned from the caverns, her explorations of the island mostly fruitless. Her search for peace of mind had only gained her the opportunity to meet some of her pack members, but making friends had not put her mind at ease. Nothing would. The rift that had formed between her and Sabaoth seemed to only grow, especially with his departure from Ina'mos. He had given no indication of why he was leaving or where he was going. Roka had just figured her needed some space from her. During his absence her anger had all but dissipated leaving the bitter taste of regret to linger. Pushing Sabaoth to his limits had always exhilarated her, made her feel closer to him. It was all worth it just to see the flashing of anger in his eyes. Being together was easy for them because they wanted the same thing, to be under one anothers skin. This was no teasing though. She had really pushed him too far this time, her hurt and anger causing her to push him over the edge of his anger. In the moment her temper had exploded leaving her with nothing but harsh words and a growing hurt, but none of it seemed to matter anymore. Odara was here and there was no changing that. She was about to start a family with Sabaoth, her pups would have siblings and there was nothing that could be done. Despite the fact that Roka would not be a part of that life she would not interfere with it. Sabaoth had made his choice and she could either respect that he wanted Odara as well and move on or she could leave him. Remaining in Kairos would be an almost impossible task because without Sabaoth in her life it would be unbearable to stay and watch his life unfold without her. Odara was carrying his pups and that meant that they shared a life together, one that she understood all too well. They would grow closer as the pups were born and they began raising them and Roka knew that those pups needed their father and their mother. She would also not keep her pups from getting the chance to meet their half-siblings. It was not her place to keep them from their own blood. After her male had left she made the decision that her objections to Odara would cease. Allowing her anger to fester only hurt Roka. Her male's absence had made her realize that even though they had parted ways in anger she still missed him. More than she thought was possible. He was her rock, the only wolf that she needed in her life.

Shaking her head she laid down among her pups ready to retire for the night. It had been a long day and despite her children being old enough to spend time on their own she still liked to be here with them. They would all depart for the Agoge soon and that meant months without seeing them. She wanted to soak up as much time with them as she had. Her tongue brushed over each of her pups as they wiggled about trying to get comfortable. Before long they each fell asleep and Roka felt her own eyes drift closed. Whether she slept for a few minutes or a eew hours, she never slept very deeply. With Sabaoth's absence and Xena's disappearance there was no one here to protect them but Roka. Despite the fact that it was highly unlikely for a stranger to make it's way here without being caught first, Roka didn't trust anyone. They were almost old enough to strike out on their own epic journey, but she would always protect her children. The silence was so still and peaceful that Roka allowed her slumber to envelope her. Being a mother drained her more than she cared to admit, but she would rather exhaust herself than miss a single moment with her pups. Roka didn't wake until she felt a change in the air of the cavern followed by footsteps. Someone was coming towards their part of the caverns. Roka perked her head up despite knowing it was a member of Kairos. Even so she didn't want to indulge any company right now. The growl that had been forming caught in her throat when she saw that it was Sabaoth and not some intruder. Her eyes softened as she looked him over despite the lack of ligh in the cavern. He had returned to her and that made her feel so much relief. There was no time to talk though, his muzzle lowering to place two tiny little pups at her feet. Their eyes were still closed and they wiggled around on the cold floor. His words seemed to pass over her ears, all of her focus tuned to the newborn pups. She nuzzled her own pups out of the way making room for these ones to snuggled into her warm fur. Her nose prodded each of them making sure they were healthy and she picked up traces of blood, Messoria, and a stranger. Roka was relieved that it was not someone that she knew, because dying in childbirth was something she wouldn't wish on her worst enemy. Her own tongue rasped over them as she replaced the trace scents with her own. From the looks of them they were obviously her mate's children and they were far couldn't be Odara's. He had taken another female and a small thorn pressed itself into her. This time the pain didn't hurt her near as bad as the first.

The word motherless rattled around over and over in her head, reminding Roka of her own tragic birth. Roka's own mother had died in childbirth and her father had nt been sane or strong enough to raise her. Sent to the mothers of her pack, she was passed along from mother to mother, never really belonging anywhere . They had been nice enough to her, providing their milk when she needed, but as soon as she had become weaned from them tey had left her to her own. The thought of these pups meeting a similar fate to the one she endured brought a surge of protectivness ripping to the surface. "They are not motherless. Not anymore." Looking them over more closely she discovered that one was male, the larer of the two, and one was female. Roka's own pups had made the transition to meat already so she hoped there would still be milk enough to sustain these pups. Nudging them she licked until they finally latched on to her teats, squirming and squealing as they found their first meal. "They look just like their father. What are their names?" Roka had so many questions for her mate, but decided to leave them for later. She knew that her previous conversation with him hadn't gone as planned and the last thing she wanted to do was make things worse between them. She had no de where they had come from or even how Sabaoth had managed to bring them here. The swim to the island was perilous to a wolf swimming alone, carrying another would have been an impossible task. The mother had obviously not been from Kairos, but that confused Roka even more. It was obvious that as much as she thought she knew about her male there were still things that she had yet to discover. Things that she doubted her wanted her to know. He had been busy while she had remained here raising their pups and Roka was having trouble wrapping her mind around this situation. Her temper not helping matters in the least. For now however the anger would have to wait, because she had a new batch of pups that needed her attention. She had no idea how she was going to explain the arrival of these young ones, especially since they looked so similar to Taranis that they could be mistaken as full siblings. "What are are we going to tell them Sabaoth?" She couldn't do this on her own and she knew that it would be impossible to even try.

Sabaoth

[Sabaoth]

For a long moment there was silence. It surrounded them, and Sabaoth did not dare break it as he waited, watching as Roka examined the two newborns. There was a possibility that she might reject them; they were so clearly his, born of another female that she had not known about, and for that Sabaoth felt the stirrings of shame in the pit of his stomach. It was an unfamiliar feeling, and yet now it gripped him, rising like some great tidal wave. Without her, they would likely die; there were other pregnant she-wolves, but they had not yet given birth, and in the time it would take for them to, the pups would waste away. But then suddenly Roka was moving, gently pressing her own pups – their pups – aside to pull the younger ones closer. They were so small compared to Sabaoth’s eldest children, so tiny and defenseless, and yet as Roka pledged that they would not be left without a mother, Sabaoth knew that they would not be left to fend for themselves any longer. Already they took to her, too young to know that Roka was not their true mother; all they knew was warmth and satisfaction as at last their hunger was sated.

Roka’s question drew his gaze, and for a moment Sabaoth was silent, musing over this. In the chaos of the birth and what Messoria had revealed to him, he hadn’t had time to name them. His eyes flickered towards the male first, a name falling off of his tongue as his muzzle parted. ”Balthazar.” That left only the smaller femme, so very tiny that it was hard to believe. Her name took longer, but at last it came to him. ”And Cimeries.” He was not even sure if they would survive infancy; he was reminded of their sibling, underdeveloped and maimed by whatever its mother had ingested, and rage clawed at his chest.

”What are are we going to tell them Sabaoth?”

Slowly, Sabaoth lowered his head, his gaze meeting Roka’s. Uncertainty shone in his pale gaze, so foreign and yet so strong that it seemed to wrap around him, rooting him in place. He stood very still in the mouth of the opening where Roka lay, knowing in that moment that he could not keep anything from her. Follow me, he’d told her once, so very long ago. And she had. From the very moment she’d laid eyes upon him, she had been his. She had stood beside him even when he was not there, his duties often calling him away, leaving her alone in a new place with only a swollen belly and the promise of young ones to keep her company. And even when he’d been cruel, selfish, she’d been there. Even when she was hurt, when she was pushed aside, Roka had not strayed. Sabaoth felt his resolve crumbling; he felt the earth as it seemed to shudder and fall out from beneath him, though he knew it was he who wavered and the universe that stood still. At last he moved, head still held low, wary of the unfamiliar emotions that coursed through him. And even now when he normally might have been angry, he was not. He was empty, desolate, even his own temper – the very worst part of him – having gone dormant beneath the reign of the monster he had somehow become.

Finally he moved, circling around behind her and lowering himself to the ground, curling around her. She fit so neatly against him, and though he gazed down into her eyes, he could see the shape of their young slumbering soundly in his peripheral vision. ”The truth. We will tell them the truth.” His voice was very quiet as he spoke, knowing that in that moment, he would have to tell Roka first. ”They may despise me for it. I am responsible for their mother’s death. I found her on the day that we conquered Kal'dyne. She was broken and pathetic, and I, in my childish triumph, claimed her as a prize.” Though at the time he’d thought nothing of it, Sabaoth’s world had flipped and torn in the days since. Reliving that evening now made his muscles tense, his stomach turn. ”I went back to find her when I went to Acerbus. She was barely alive, completely out of her mind, but I could tell she was near to her time. I could not just leave them with her; it was clear that she was in no state to care for them. So I brought her here, where she gave birth only moments after we arrived. Messoria is the only reason that they are alive. I…did not know what to do.” Despite how badly he wished to look away from her, to snarl and pace in an attempt to chase away his shame, he did not. ”She tried to kill them. There was another pup, and it was…it was strange. Wrong. It did not live. I don’t know how these two did.”

And now he did look away, ears splaying against his skull. There was something else, something he had to tell her now. There would be no more secrets, no more lashing out in the face of her hurt. ”There was another in Acerbus, on my way to find the first. A trespasser. I do not know why, truly.” And then, before he could stop himself, he pushed onwards, saying words that had not been uttered by the brute for years. ”I am sorry, Roka.”

TAG: Roka
WORDS: 922
NOTES: THE FEELS~

[Roka]

It was apparent that her mate had forgotten to name the pups when they had been born, but the names he had chosen were good ones. Strong names that would fare the pups well in Kairos. It was a miracle they had survived at considering their mother's death. Most newborns couldn't make it without their mother's milk and it was nothing short of a miracle that her own milk hadn't dried up. As she watched him cautiously something changed within him, like his strength that had been there moments ago had faded away. It was easier for her to forget just how young he was, just how much he had to learn. Even for a giant such as him this world could be a terrifying place to live in. He looked so lost and so unsure of what they were going to do, the once strong and certain General was gone. No matter how many females he took, or how many times he hurt her, she doubted that he shared this side of him with them. This was a part of him that belonged completely to her. His own brokenness made Roka want to cry out. Whatever pain she had felt when he had come to her smelling of Odara was nothing in comparison to this. Whatever he felt now was obviously weighing on him more than she ever could have imagined. Her rock, the one that she relied so heavily on crumbled before her very eyes. To witness something so strong loose it like this was almost unbearable to watch.



It wasn't long before he moved towards them, his giant body wrapping around their family. This was what she had been searching so desperately for the entire time he had been gone. The only person who could have eased her fretfulness was finally right beside her. All of the stress and worry of these last days without him seemed to melt away, leaving her mentally and emotionally wrought out. Giving a sigh she allowed her body to ease into his finally feeling home. No matter how long she spent in this place it never felt like home unless he was here by her side. Their pups rested here with them and Roka laid her head against his shoulder, the tiny new additions to her family suckling greedily at her milk. Sabaoth felt so warm against her and she knew that if they remained like this she would sleep better than she had in a long while. There was no more need to worry because they could figure things out together now that he had returned. As Sabaoth began to speak Roka refuse to let whatever news he shared with her disturb the small amount of joy she had found after so much uncertainty. One tale after the other came pouring from his maw and Roka wished that she had a better view of his face. Perhaps then she would know what he was thinking. He had never been so vulnerable with her before and that broke Roka's heart. The thought of him hiding all of this guilt and shame away from her, keeping it all bottled up made her a little ashamed of herself. No matter how much the truth would anger and hurt her she never wanted him to face his demons alone. He had taken the first female because she had been a broken female of the Valyn pack, their society uprooted and their ranks destroyed. Roka could understand the need to dominate the remaining femme left on her own. The second femme had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. If she had been caught by any other wolf of Kairos then her fate probably would have been different. He had changed so much from the first time she had seen him in the north. Then he had been a blazing pillar of strength seeking only to find the remains of his family and make their murderers pay. Now however he was broken and desolate, coming to grips with the legacy tht his brother had left on his shoulders.



Roka knew not what to say to him. The fact that he had apologized in the first place meant that there was a part worth saving within him. However Roka did not know how deep that part of him was buried. He worried about the hurt that he was causing to Roka, but she worried about the hurt that he was causing himself. "I can't say that I will understand what drives you to do these things Sabaoth. You are capable of such destruction and violence that I should be terrified of you." If she was smart then she would probably be more afraid of him and what he was capable of in his anger. He could hurt her so badly because he had so much power over her. Her smaller stature would not last a moment against such a might foe. The poor femmes he had taken must have been so afraid of the giant who had preyed upon them like an angel of hell. The first time her and Sabaoth had joined their bodies together in the ancient dance of creating life she had felt some pain. That had been with her wanting him as much as she had. Roka had a suspicion that whatever joining had taken place between them was not a happy one. "I don't understand how you can be so loving and patient to our pups, to me and have this other side to you. I want you to always be honest with me, to tell me what it is that troubles you. I don't want you to go through this alone, to feel broken and lost. I do not give my love lightly and that means that I love you for who you are now and in the future." Her steady brown gaze bore into his. Despite all of the bad that he had done in recent months he had also done so much good. "No matter your mistakes you remember that you have accomplished so much good. Our children have a father I would have killed for in my youth. You have helped to make this pack a mighty empire, a legacy that someday your children will inherit. You also have me. I will help you through this because I believe that you are capable of so much more than a few childish actions. I love you." With those last words she leaned more heavily into them and reached out to lick his scars. Specifically the ones she had given him the day she had given birth. She wanted to cover him with her love, wanted to mend the brokenness that resided inside just because she hated to see him hurting.

Sabaoth

[Sabaoth]

Sabaoth did not know what he’d been expecting from his mate in the moments after his admissions had left him. Rage, perhaps. Hurt. Or worst of all, rejection. But instead he found none of it, and as he lifted his head to meet Roka’s gaze once more, there was understanding and love flickering there, the sight of it causing his breath to momentarily catch in his chest. He was being foolish, he told himself, weak, and yet another part of him found that to have Roka still here beside him, accepting him, loving him, after everything he’d done…it was a relief that he had not known he’d needed until now. Sabaoth would not have dreamed of laying his regrets and the shattered remains of his being before anyone else, but with Roka…it was right.

Somehow, she knew exactly what to say. As she spoke, her words lent him the strength he’d lost. It seemed like an eternity ago, not mere hours, that he’d washed ashore upon Ina’mos and found that everything had changed in the short days that he’d been gone. He would follow Typhon until his body was ravaged and driven into the ground, without any hesitation, and yet still Goliath’s sudden absence stung. And suddenly Sabaoth was finding that he, who had always sworn he would not care about a living soul besides his own, had begun to soften somewhere along the way. It had terrified him, this newfound abundance of creatures who he worried for, whose company he enjoys, and so his fear had driven him to become something that even he was ashamed of. Worse than his temper, which he could not blame for things he’d done while perfectly level-headed and sane. And there was nothing he could do now to fix the wrongs he’d done with the deceased mother of the tiny pups snuggled into Roka’s side, or the she-wolf he’d found intruding upon Acerbus…but there were things that he could fix with Roka. With his family. A part of him still recoiled at the very thought of showing weakness to her, but a stronger side of Sabaoth brushed this aside as if it were nothing. She had shown her strength, her weakness, her all in his presence. He could do the same.

”I am not proud of it. Any of it.” His voice was quiet as he shifted to rest his head upon her shoulder, his gaze lingering upon their growing pups: Rhys, Taranis, Kegan, Liadan. He’d built a life with Roka, with his children, and somehow they’d lodged themselves firmly within the heart that Sabaoth had always sworn he’d never had. He could not change who he was; he was gruff, abrupt, and horrid at expressing himself. And yet he could change what he had become. ”I do not want our sons to see the dark things that I have done and think that is how they have to be. And I don’t want our daughter to hear of my actions and think of her father as a monster.” Belatedly he remembered that he had another daughter now, another son, another pair of pups to raise. His life was not his own any longer; it was his children’s, and his mates. ”You have stood beside me through every awful thing that I have done. And I don’t want the list to continue to grow. I want to come back from this.”

TAG: Roka
WORDS: 568
NOTES: ;___;

[Roka]

Roka could sense her mate's relief at her reaction to his honesty. He probably expected her anger, maybe even her hurt, but she could not burden with her own emotions at this moment. He was expressing his regret for his actions which meant that he was sorry. His apology did not fall upon deaf ears because she knew that he really wanted to change. He was not one to lie to her and feign remorse if he didn't feel it. When he had told her about Odara there was no apology. He had merely stated that he had taken her, he had known that he had hurt Roka but there was no regret in his eyes. Here she could see how much these actions had hurt him. Roka could never remember when he had been this vulnerable not with anyone. He had become swept up in the devastating machine that was Kairos and she could understand his need to please his brother. It didn't help that this was only his second season since reaching his sexual maturity. He voiced his concern about his children hearing of his actions and judging him for them. "I wish I could tell you that they will never hear about this, but they will. They might judge you for what you have done, by the mistakes you have made. You have a chance to make things right though, to change the path you are on so that they grow up seeing the good about you." Everyone had made mistakes in their life, perhaps that was why Roka was so understanding in this moment. She had things in her life that she regretted so she had no right to judge him for his mistakes.

She knew that he could make the change if her really wanted to. He had the strength within him to accomplish so much if he could only see that. "What you have within you is stronger than anything Goliath tried to inspire. You have to realize there is nothing you have to prove. Especially not to me. I remain with you because I need you. I don't think that my life is worth living without this." She only emphasized her words by motioning to their family, including the newest additions nestled against her belly. They were like a tiny little gift, so very precious to her. THe fact that she was not able to breed this season had bothered her more than she had cared to admit. Not being able to carry a litter had made her feel as if she was inadequate and not fulfilling her duty as a consort. Despite their tragic beginning these new miracles made Roka feel as if she had some purpose for this season. Six pups all for her to raise, such a blessing.

"Will you go to Typhon soon?" As the General he would need to report to the knew Emperor sooner rather than later. Typhon while large in stature was too young to run a pack on his own, not until he had more experience. "He is going to need you and Isaiah if he is going to rule. "Redeem yourself however you can, but don't linger in this. I forgive you for whatever hurt you have caused so let go of the guilt. Be a leader for this pack, show just how much strength you have in you by using it for the betterment of this pack. I will be with here for you always." She laid her own head down next to his letting the rest of her tension fade out of her body. He was finally home, whatever walls they had erected to try and stay strong were gone now. They were finally past all of the anger and pain each had caused each other trying to avoid their feelings. This was better than any anger she could allow herself to feel.

Sabaoth

OOC: Sorry if this is a little repetitive.

[Sabaoth]

Though Sabaoth was silent as Roka spoke, it was clear that he was drinking in her words by the set of his ears, the flickering storm of emotions gathered behind his gaze. It was as if he’d been cast out to sea once more, the waves too high for even him to brave, the current too mighty – and the steadiness that was Roka, the firmness of her words, was his lifeline. He would be better for her, for their family, for himself. Through everything, it was those who he loved that inspired Sabaoth, that gave him the strength he’d always thought he’d had all along. But he’d been wrong. He had been nothing before Roka, before Liadan and Taranis, before Rhys and Kegan. And without them, he would be nothing again. It was something he could not risk.

”I do not deserve you,” he murmured quietly, the words strange and foreign on his tongue. The General was not an emotional brute by any means, but here in this moment, with his ghastly confessions out and his walls shattered, he was desperate for Roka to know how very much she meant to him. With time they would be back to their normal selves, their love rough and unusual but entirely their own. But that was what made her so very perfect for him; she was fierce and strong, and he never had to worry over his gruff words or less-than-gentle touches, for Roka was much the same. ”I do not deserve you,” he repeated, ”but I’m…very glad that you are here.”

A brief silence followed his words until she inquired after Typhon, reminding Sabaoth once more of how much everything had changed. Typhon was so young, and to have his parents suddenly disappear, leaving the weight of an empire upon his shoulders…it could not be easy. Isaiah had been scarce even before Goliath’s departure; Sabaoth hoped that his brother would step forward to assist the new Emperor, but Sabaoth knew that ultimately it would be a task that he, as General, would have to take up. And it was one that he would do gladly. He had become so close with his nephew, and in Typhon’s time of need, Sabaoth would always be there to offer guidance and advice.

”I will have to go to him soon,” he said. ”I cannot even begin to imagine how he must be feeling now. Kairos is not small, and it will not be easy for him.” Even still Sabaoth was reeling from the news. It was as if he’d suddenly found himself in a dream, everything so very absurd and wrong. And yet it was reality. Somehow, some way, he would adjust. ”But for now, I would like to stay with you.” His voice was quiet as he tucked his head closer against her, his pale eyes drifting closed as he breathed in the scent of her. Soon he would have to stand up and face the changes that were coming, but for now he was content to lay by the side of his mate, taking whatever comfort she could give.

TAG: Roka
WORDS: 517
NOTES: I love these two <3

[Roka]

The almost hesitant words drawn form his lips made Roka crack a smile. This place where why had attained such vulnerability and honesty would not last for long, so she would have to take all the reassurance that he offered her now. The warmth of his body pressed to intimately against hers, his appealing scent, even his deep roughened voice. This was the whole reason that she had come to Kairos in the first place. Try as she might to say that she had made her place here in this pack before he had come to take her that first time, she was lying to herself. Her place was here, nestled between her mate and her pups, and it always would be. She turned her head to lick Sabaoth between his ears, her rough attentions meant to comfort him. He would leave her soon to go to Typhon, but now was a time for him to relax. To let all the stress and worry that he had been carrying around with him to melt away. I do not deserve you. The words were quiet and thoughtful, speaking of an insecurity within him that she had never seen before. Roka would have told him just the opposite if she had felt it would help him, but now was not the time for her to try to convince him of his own worth. He was a strong and capable male who would have to prove to himself who exactly he was. "Finally something we agree on." She chuckled trying to lighten the mood just a little before laying her head down to rest next to her mates. Here every thing was safe, everything was alright. "I am not going anywhere. I will always be here." Her own eyes began to drift when her male began to talk of his aid to Typhon. There would be a long tenuous road ahead of them if they were meant to survive.

There was no doubt in her mind that the pack would make it, the fact that the majority of them were blood relatives helped maintain it's power. Sabaoth had been through hell this past night, from watching the birth of his pups to his confessions to Roka. It was not an easy road to redemption and even though she knew he had so much good in him it was still his journey to make. His worth to prove. She could rapidly feel sleep overtaking her and she hoped that her male would feel a similar pull. His mind could use the rest and his body could use the comfort. "Tomorrow is soon enough to see Typhon. Sleep with me. Right here is where I want you, where you belong. Always." With those last words spoken in a gruff whisper she finally allowed sleep to overtake her, the squealing and squirming of newborn pups lulling her to sleep.

Sabaoth