Thicket of Secrets i'm going to graceland

Yes, we are all fine, @Ash said, and immediately the tensity in her chest subsided. They were okay, he was okay. While she had set out with many of her own problems clouding her head, finding his pack just gone had been incredibly alarming. To have that panic dissipated was a great weight lifted. The relief showed in her face as she let out a breath she had been holding for what felt like hours.

She had not had the opportunity to meet his wife and children, though he had told her of them (much to her delighted questioning) and so she knew who Narimé and Yuka were. To reclaim what was theirs? That was intriguing, though she did not immediately press him on it. Had they gone back to the caverns, then? But if he didn't know anything then he couldn't share it, and she didn't want to overly pry into matters not of her business. They were safe, and that's what mattered.

"I had been planning to ask if your pack had room for some more," she replied with a small smile. "It's been a dream to be back, but I can't look after my children with dreams. I don't think I belong on the mountain right now, and the only other place I want to be is beside you. I won't lose you again, Ash. It was my fault last time and I won't let that happen twice."

His little Belladonna meant the world to him. His heart had ached for her since she had disappeared off the mountains and he felt whole again knowing that she was here. While the rest of his lovers had certainly left a lasting impact on Ash’s heart, the losses he felt the most were the children. He remember each and every one of them and had tried his best to raise them. Aside from Belladonna, and perhaps Yuka, it had seemed that he failed. In turn, he had also successfully failed Athena and his heart once again ached at the thought of the pure white beauty. Perhaps, in the end, loving so much would be what destroyed him. He wasn’t planning on that anytime soon. His daughter’s words reached him and a questioning look came to his mossy green eyes as he turned to look towards where his leader disappeared off to. It was hard to have to bow down to him, having been so use to being in a leading position. The change wasn’t hard though, especially since Nina had made it clear that Mirren was trustworthy, as she had a part in raising him just as Ash had a part in raising Belladonna. Turning back to look at his daughter, he spoke, his voice curious. ”I’m sure that wouldn’t be a problem. My sister leads Secret Woodlands, alongside your friend? He seemed quite smitten with you.” At the end of his words, his tone went flat, making it clear that he wasn’t overly pleased with this. Belladonna was his little girl and the thought of someone else taking her away from him again made his heart lurch painfully in his stomach. He never wanted that.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

 

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.

@Ash, can we start a new one soon? we could wrap this up soon? or if you want to fade (with them chatting & then Bella going after Mirren) that works for me <33

Well, he had kept that one quiet! Bella glanced in the direction that Mirren had vanished, struck with the knowledge that her mysterious, forlorn friend was the lead of this place. With how he had extended the pack's welcome to her, Bella felt a little foolish for not deducing it earlier, but it had been a lot to take in at once, so she forgave herself for missing that little tidbit. "Huh," was all she said to that, as she wondered at the significance of the little she knew of Mirren in this fresh context. What would have caused a leader of an established pack to be out in the middle of nowhere on a stormy night? 

But the growing mysteries of Mirren Tainn were placed aside as Ash finished, and the surprise on Bella's face melted into fond amusement. Even after so long apart, he still saw Bella as his little girl. She smiled at him, humming a quiet, pleased note in the back of her throat. His concern was unnecessary, not only because she was more than capable of looking after herself now, but he had certainly misread the situation anyway. "Don't be silly," she chided in jest, reaching forward to bop his nose with her own, knowing the ache of worrying for one's child - and not wanting him to have to suffer that. He had younger offspring than Bella who needed his patriarchal anxiety a lot more than Bella, who really just needed nothing more than his company, love and understanding.

"It's not like that, we just met under unusual circumstances and this was the last place I expected to see him again - no doubt he thought the same. Besides - your sister leads with him? Nina?" She knew the name, but had never met her aunt - maybe finally that would come to pass! The idea of her little family growing further was thrilling. "They are not a pair?" Bella found it hard to believe that such a charming creature would long be without a lover, and if not Nina then surely there was some starry-eyed girl in the ranks who had laid claim to Mirren.

Ash had always been overprotective of Belladonna and it seemed as if that would not have changed in the years that passed. Aside from Rory, Bella was his only other daughter and he kept them all close to his heart. The only thing that bothered him especially was that he now had no knowledge as to Rory’s whereabouts. Due to the incidents surrounding her disappearance, one would think that she were dead but then again, the dead have always had their way of reappearing in Ash’s life. Even Finn had reappeared once, one of Ash’s potential love interests. He remained silent as he listened to his daughter’s words, her questions only confirming his earlier thoughts. The broody Guardian made a note to keep an eye on Mirren, make sure he and his daughter didn’t get too close. Ash had just found her again and had no plans of losing her. He took his time in answering her question, a knowing smirk obvious on his lips, ”No…my sister has had many losses. She took care of Mirren when he was born and he has been helping Nina with Secret Woodlands since some others betrayed her.” His mossy green eyes were pinned on his daughter, his mouth opening to continue, ”As far as I know, Mirren does not have a significant other…there is however, a child.” He watched her reaction to this news carefully, curious as to how she would see this. Of course, he had always been able read his little girl but he was unaware of how this woman in front of him acted.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

 

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.

What did that coy smile mean? Clearly she'd said something foolish; perhaps it was a little hasty to simply assume that the lead pair were lovers, with the age difference, but who was Bella to judge? Ash quickly put her right, though, clarifying that they were only partners in authority and not life. Then it got more interesting, and continued to get interesting. By all accounts it sounded as though Mirren was to Nina far more like Bella was to Ash, not birthed but raised by. Her curiosity at the mention of betrayal and hardship was clear in her face, though she was not so nosy as to press it; Ash would talk of his sister's business exactly as much as he deemed appropriate, and she respected those boundaries entirely.

Then the topic had changed to Mirren's business, and her brows raised in surprise of that little tidbit. "I didn't know," she said truthfully, intrigue ablaze; a child without a mother definitely had some history behind that. Her thoughts instantly went to the empty, searching, pained look she had seen in his eyes back when he had been nothing but a stranger in the rain. That just had to be related.

He was fueling the curiosity she was trying so hard not to give in to. It wasn't her business! "You are such a gossip," she teased, nipping his cheek gently. "But really, it's nothing between us, you're just being overprotective! I'm a big girl now, you don't have to worry about me."