He grimaced; the magic faded slowly enough, setting them both relatively gently back down on the ground. He tried to grab ahold of the stone, as it drifted lower, and then turned his attention to Azizos.

"Assuming that it's truth, indeed. But I've been told a few times, and by other sources, that there are things even the Masters are scared of. I saw one of them nearly destroy Tenzin. Simply melt Raheerah," he explained, quietly. For a moment his gaze was distant. He shook his head. "Devil's advocate? Perhaps. But I don't see what choice we have; it is more that I cannot make it for everyone. Giving away children is... not an option; I would never hand you or Arsu off to some unknown fate. But fighting will get everyone killed, and I suppose... I suppose I thought it best to lay out the facts for everyone to decide. If we were going to rebel it would have to be together, with all in agreement. There were too many for me to read, but I know the dragons would have refused--would have fought. As for the rest, I do not know," he finished, with a shrug.

For a moment, he was silent, gently tossing the stone toward Azizos. Then his eyes flicked down, troubled, and Pride spoke further.

"In the stories I told you both as children, there would have been some heroic solution. Some hero to come and fight off this enemy. Some good answer, some safe and pleasing ending." His voice nearly broke, faltering with emotion; the guilt that still lingered tore at him. But he pressed on, determined not to fall apart in front of his son. "There is none of that here. Only necessity; and if we were pushed farther--if we are pushed so in the future--I am not sure what ending we will write."

@Azizos

"That... Lord, right?" Azizos attempted, furrowing his brow. His jaws worked with a stab at more words, but he'd run out of things to say. It was difficult to respond to, well, those all-powerful Masters fearing something. Moonlit eyes drifted slightly, and he chewed idly. "At least," he began, "they gave the illusion of choice." It was sacrifice or death - either were undesirable. "And it'll... be limited - like to that... person - the purple one showed." The moral ramifications of condemning children to servitude were horrid. He felt a distant pang of sorrow for whoever'd given stone to it.

"If numbers were on our side, we could maybe rebel, but... there's the matter of what would come," the lion-stag fretted. He barely caught the stone, and set it down - his focus was wearing thin. His hooves clattered softly towards Pride. No more catch.

He paused just a foot away from the stag, ears back, brows quirked in faint concern. Oh. Azizos closed the rest of the distance. If allowed, his nose pressed against his father's, and he murmured unintelligibly. Words weren't... coming quite so easily, now. He settled on: "I don't blame you for anything, father - just... at least we're together?"

Caves, couldn't put it better and not been cliched...

@Pride

Pride didn't tell his son everything. When memories of the agonized, screaming dragon rang through his mind, he only tightened his jaw a little more. But he did hint at it, at least: "If it were only death, then even that I think I could face: to know that I went with honor. That I fought until the end. That I could take pride in. But I fear their influence does not end at 'death.'" No; they could melt you. Unmake you, and remake you, while you writhed in agony the entire time.

Would they care enough to-? Were the Gembound important enough to try that on? Pride didn't know, but the thought was troubling. Still-... His son was close, his words gently reassuring, and if Pride's forehead hadn't been covered in pale spikes he'd have pressed it to Azizos'. As it was he allowed that nose press, holding it in turn with a soft sigh (and breath that likely stank of grass).

"Of course, we're together, and we're safe, it seems. Everything has worked out, for now--better than I'd hoped. What do you plan to do now?" he asked, taking a step back. Perhaps the conversation was winding down, perhaps not, but Pride would be damned if he didn't show an interest in his son's life. Especially after he'd missed an apparently very interesting chunk of it.

@Azizos

Truly, Azizos didn't know the half of it. He was unaware of the magnitude of what'd... really happened - not been able to witness firsthand the death (theft?) of Raheerah. Even with that, he'd had an easy life compared to his father. No contending with the Bloodberries, no mantling a part of your childhood's bones atop the Throne, no -

"If it can't be helped..." he tried softly, "at least... going with honor and not without a good fight would be - good." Caves, where are my words.

Whatever... his grass-breath father was here, and that's all that mattered in the moment. The lion-stag stayed close, nodding gently. "I don't know - rest, first," Azizos laughed softly, "I just came from the Pillars. My knees are sore." Silvery eyes peered up. "And you?"

@Pride

He fired his son a brief and quizzical glance--warm, but curious--at the reference to the Pillars. "You are quite attached to that place, aren't you-?" he added, and then, tilting his head, watched him for a moment. "Had you considered showing others the way there? It might benefit someone, some day, if they choose to bond and so forth."

"As for rest... let's find you some place a little comfortable, hm?" He turned, pacing back toward the throne, peering about here and there. He said nothing about honor--he did not even acknowledge it--for to do so would be to admit that even death might not be an escape. He was still struggling to come to terms with that, himself; and it seemed a fault in Pride that he could not view his sons as adults, yet, as able to truly withstand the world's horrors. It was not that he couldn't see Azizos' strength; it was that he still also saw Azizos as a child, a fawn-cub frolicking in the lights beneath the grove.

He began to work at the grass that someone had grown off to one side; alone, it was too sparse to really lie in but if he could tug some of it loose and pile it up on the rest, it'd be comfortable enough. He was unsurprised to find his worn-out magic failing, and he began to form a bed the hard way--with his teeth. It would take a few minutes to finish.

"Here; help me move some of this grass. Did you want a banana before you sleep?" he added, glancing back with affection at his son.

@Azizos

Azizos's ears flicked back, and he pawed at the earth awkwardly. Caught in the act - "ah, well... it's quiet, there. Quite a climb, so not many Gembound are there..." It was nice for when he got... somewhat overstimulated. Consider him a little selfish for not giving much thought to sharing it with others, but he'd own up to it. "I haven't. It doesn't come up in conversation often." He laughed softly, "is there anyone you'd like to ask the paw in union? I know a spot."

Silvery eyes peered, and he trotted towards the spot of grass, shaking his head gently, "oh, you don't have to, Father - the floor's alright, or we could walk to Mercy's garden here?" Surely it wasn't too overgrown, by now?

Regardless, the lion-stag carefully started nudging at the grass. He was careful not to knock his antlers against Pride's, but it was bound to happen at some point.

@Pride

He had not really noticed the growth of said antlers, at first; and when they clicked against his he raised his head in some confusion. Like realizing a new hairstyle on a beloved family member, belatedly, it was as though his perception had been blown away.

"Azizos! When did your antlers grow?" he cried, surprised. They had been small, before, like Arsu's: the twins had shared the delicate, slender back-twisting antlers, three prongs, that somehow made them look more ethereal and mystical. Now they were a regular stag's rack, broad and many-tined, and somehow Pride hadn't even noticed. Had they been growing, the whole time they were apart-? "That'll be an easier way to tell you and Arsu apart at a distance," he added, amused.

"Just be careful you don't get them caught in things... that's been an unfortunate experience of mine more than once." He turned, then, nudging the last of the grass in place, and stepped away.

"I'll be close by. Is there anything else you want to talk about once you're up? Are you sure you don't want me to come wtih you to Eridanus?" To meet Vivilene, was the unsaid addition to that; but he would leave that up to his son.

@Azizos

Click! Aw, there goes his hopes of not knocking antlers with - "huh?" His voice came as almost a mrrp? Like a cat activating. "... did they?" Azizos glanced up, as if he could see the tines from either side of his head. Maybe the shadow of them, but not... the whole set. Flicking an ear and a limp tail, he shrugged gently, "I... haven't looked at myself in a reflection in a while."

He laughed softly at the different between himself and his brother (and wondered for a moment if Arsu'd grown such a rack too) and gave another roll of the shoulder, "no wonder my neck's sore." The lion-stag eyed his father, as if asking if he had that same unfortunate experience too.

Perhaps, it was just something to get used to.

Anyways, the bed was made - Azizos pawed at it once, then called, "you don't want to rest too?" His mouth belatedly drew into a thin line. Tossing his head away, he plodded onto the patch. Not that he wanted to sleep with Pride like a child or anything...

Moving on, the lion-stag yawned slowly, "if I think about anything I'll let you know - and... I'll let you know." Two identical, vague answers to questions. Awesome. Where did his mind go? Carefully dropping onto sore knees and sighing with the relief, he shuffled over as far as he could. "Here's a spot if... you or Mischief want it?" Silvery eyes glanced up to the content hare.

@Pride

Pride eyed the bed, for a moment. He hesitated; he had things to do--he always had things to do, if only by his own over-active design--but Nassir's urging to rest once in awhile rang in his mind. He offered Azizos a smile.

"How could I say no?" he replied.

A moment later, a few clicks of his hooves, and he was settling contentedly in; and Mischief, hearing her name, had bounded over and thrown herself idly over Azizos' back. Should he allow her to stay, she would, simply sleeping there--curling up atop him, eventually, most likely.

Pride himself stretched, a little, working his own neck and thinking. "Perhaps it takes getting used to?" he offered, unknowingly mirroring his son's own thoughts. "My neck doesn't hurt, but I think-" (Dad-like mischief struck) "I have the strongest neck in the caves." A firm nod, to emphasize; a glint of humor in his eyes as he regarded his son.

Then he glanced around, the yawn contagious--he yawned, himself, and laughed. "It's catching," he observed. "Let's get some rest, then."

@Azizos

Azizos couldn't help the boyish smile spreading on his face as his father settled in; and, Mischief surely knew she had the lion-stag wrapped around her little paws. She could have whatever way she desired with him. Flopped or curled up on her back? He had no choice but to let her.

"I think I have the strongest neck in the caves." He guffawed, shaking his head teasingly. "We'd have to test how many rocks you can hold with it, then." Make a scientific endeavor out of the joke. "No way..." Azizos bleated, equally as mischievous and joking.

Coat-tailing on the dadly humor (he was, as it turned out, a dad) the lion-stag mocked dawning horror. "The plague is upon us, father!" A giddy little laugh later, and he settled his chin to the floor. Rest would be good. "Good night," he bleated softly.

He shuffled a few more times to get comfortable, and then he was out.

exit
@Pride