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Every so often during his hostess' explanation, the thief began to say something, and each time smothered it before it left his mouth. Knee-jerk reaction rejected that anything wrong had happened. And true, Merle had proven herself to be fallible in multiple senses of the word, but her teaching him had had a use in the end. The skills he now had were put to their intended use, free of her twisting. Viltre's upbringing had been unpleasant, certainly, but it had also been necessary.

Hadn't it?

Bravery was not a survival trait in his world. Not without excellent backup. Kavensei'd shown these people his real face, as he understood it, and that was itself difficult sometimes. Reflexive fear was giving way to confusion, however. He'd only briefly wrestled with the notion that he'd been wronged, and that had come to a head with the matriarch herself. Beyond that... "I have been trying not to think about it. There's so much to do, I can't. I'm out from under her thumb, and that's something, isn't it?"

She wasn't satisfied with that answer. Like all else, her every thought was writ plain as day on her face and in her body for all with eyes to see. Likely wouldn't be satisfied until the one who'd hurt her mate as a cub was no longer a problem. The tears were no longer just beading at the corners of her eyes, but had begun to fall. From a whole range of causes, from wrath and empathy, to outright offense and horror. Strong hand gripped more tightly to his palm. "It's a start, an' you're a couple steps further. It ain't enough for me that yer used to the pain, I wanna see you healin'. If y'don't see how you're hurt, y'ain't gonna know enough to think y'need to heal. Y'stop thinkin' about it. An' ignorin' that sorta thing lets it fester. Ain't seen it too often, but things like that can rot people, twist their souls."

A bit of sweet to help the words go down. Seeing her whole prey would serve better than seeing only the worst parts. And she meant to hunt the Kavensei matriarch now. ...But Viltre's feelings were clearly still complicated on the woman, so Ein could ease off some. "Willin' 't'bet your dam wasn't always this hateful, either. I might see it too late now, but there's prob'ly a hurt she buried what took root an' seed in her. Y'said you're similar. Y'so sure you couldn't twist up the same if y'don't look out for yourself?"

Her other hand, while one was busy thumbing at slim knuckles, left the pregnant warrior to dig around in her sleeve for a scrap of jerky. This she offered to Variel, perhaps to spoil the hatchling more...

Variel gave Ein a bland look unsure of what to do with the trembling leaf. It was obviously a sore spot perhaps where old poisons lay. She took Ein’s hand. “Gently, my love.” If she was to try to heal old hurts it would have to be delicate with precise timing and poultice.

“Some hurts are harder to heal that others.” Not that she herself was a healer she just knew Viltre.

She also took Viltre’s hand. “Lets keep focus shall we before I habe to go lay down like a big girl.” The children were heavy.

When Variel spoke up, belayed the aggression spilling over through insistence, the hunted air to their scribe held, then eased, bit by bit. His posture and (lack of) expression betrayed no such shift, but the feeling became different. At her prompting, he laid out a few more details of their situation. "They don't want witnesses most of the time, and haven't got either the coin or homefield support to make big moves. Unlikely they'd attack or try infiltrating a fortified position like this. May well encounter more than 'bandits' on the road, though."

A pause, and Viltre returned to his blue lady's worry. "...Cannot promise. Still don't see how I'm hurt. Functioning fine, have been for years. ...But if it means that much to you. Will walk you through what I remember." A pause, now that he had a little room to breathe. He recalled incentives and deterrents, some harsher than others. They'd got rather strict around his teenage years, actually, and then all but fallen away entirely. Odd, that. "Later, though. Not going to train our children as I was, if that's your worry; can't see there ever being a need."

Einsol considered this peace offering for some time. When she broke her silence, it was with a nod. "Alright. I trust ya t'try. An' now I know why I'd be killin' people, so it's fine by me. Thank you for tellin' me what ya can." The smile wasn't ready to brighten her face just yet. But in contrast to the storm in her face bare minutes before, it seemed a good sign. The warrior's attempt did, in fact, ease it more, gentling the larger woman further.

"Sorry t'hear our sister's gotta deal with all that." Prince. Prince? Where've I heard that word before? Heard Saei use the word Royalty when he's tryin' to explain his philosophizin', but I don't think he meant the same sort as her. Sounded more like 'god', the way he was usin' it, only somethin' you can take.* "Prince? That's some kinda big chief an' council elder in one, right?" Clearly someone thought so, or else there wouldn't be any ceremony for Variel to complain over.

*(This was not technically wrong, as most kings, when you went far enough back, were terribly keen on taking things for themselves.)

Variel waddled back to her loves after a much needed mini break.

"Sorry guys, would have preferred not to leave but alas not much I can do about it with the baby lounging on my bladder."

Pregnancy had made somethings about life very plain, and besides the glowing skin there were not too many things awesome about it however the awesomeness would come after the baby(s) was born.

Gratefully she lowered herself into her chair again and waited to see if she had missed anything important in the short span. It may have been a good thing to leave them alone for a few minutes now that the glint in Einsol's eyes was gone. It wasn't her fault she had somewhat better control over her wolfish nature than her brother did at times. They were never more terrifying then when they both let go, reminded her of the triplets on a synergy day.

It did not do to forget that Einsol was not a safe woman. Patient and warm, yes, endlessly so. But from what Viltre could read of her, she was a wild thing, like her brother, and operated mostly on instinct. He and their mate, both shrewd and calculating in their own ways, were going to have a time of it with her. As would their enemies, if and when it came to that. The red thief could almost pity whatever fool sought healer or their children for leverage. ...Almost.

For the moment, young Kavensei put his smile back on, flashing it Variel's way. "As she says. We were trying to understand your country's royalty quirk. Neither of us quite understand, I think, so please correct me if I get something wrong." A wink, and he'd turn back to their brightly-dressed hostess, who'd scooped up the janarim cub while the Oban stepped out. "Not often. There are a few ways to handle that, but it mostly boils down to the actual government running things while the king is kept distracted by paving roads or something. The lords ruling each... Military district? Fiefdom? I know bloodline plays into things, but how does that work, anyhow?"

"Milit'ry, huh?" She recalled some of Ushiwa's tales from his time in Matori's service. ... Although she would be the first to admit how little beyond her twin's own experiences and hurts actually stuck. She might recall those close to him within the unit, if pressed, but the particulars of military structure and organization clean escaped memory. Something about packs of packleaders who themselves had a packleader? If that was how Oban nobles worked, then...

Einsol shook out her long braids. She looked first to Variel, then up to the ceiling, lips pursed speculatively. "Can't argue there, love. Seems like it ain't gonna last too long, if they ain't careful. Just from what I'm hearin' of this an' that." Especially out in harsh spots like Oban, or out on the sea. You needed to work tight together out there, and if the chief wasn't doing it right, there was only so much his people would put up with. ...Problems for someone else. With a shrug, she rolled the lizard hatchling in her lap belly-up, and got down to tummy rubs. With wiggles to keep her hands busy, the healer stayed to keep talking, happy to spend time with her lovemates...