Table © Alaine
OOC: Ghita lubs her baby Aro. :3
Wc: 675

Despite the joy that her new puppies brought to her, (along with a myriad of feelings ranging from exhaustion to exasperation) that joy, and all of the emotions along with it, was tainted by one simple fact: Her family was not complete. It wasn't too long after Tony, Lorenzo, and Fia had entered Ghita's world that Aro had stepped out of hers, and so, in moments where her guard fell, she saw a baby Aro staring up at her beside her three newest Marinos, blinking and waiting for milk to come. Around the corner of the manor, a flash of black would appear and her heart would race, finally believing her baby had returned - all to the avail of a shadow. Her family was not complete.


This wasn't to say that Ghita was in ruin because of it. In a weird, twisted, reversed way, Ghita was proud of her son - he was making his way in the world, which was a steep task for a new adult, and he was proving to have inherited the wanderlust that Ghita so coveted in her own personality. All the same, it had seemed just yesterday that the mother had defied physics and flipped her lid so mightily at her son for spending the night in Dahlia de Mai, only having met the girl after Aro had departed. Now it was a regrettable exposure of her protective side, but she only wished that she could see her baby boy once again in the manor. Her family was not complete.


She spent many a naptime and many a feeding time wondering just how he was faring - had he settled down with a girl - or a boy - and decided to leave Crimson Dreams forever? Had he crossed the sea in a bout of curiosity for Italy? Was he learning the ways of a new pack? These thoughts chased themselves around her mind endlessly, causing fits of worry to come and go, knotting and unknotting her heart time and time again. But the result still remained - her family was not complete.


And so it was on this day, when the blizzard raged outside, that Ghita had finally put her ever-growing children to bed, still in the heaps of puppydom they insisted on sleeping in, that the fae rose to stretch her limbs. Using ivory-tipped fingers to push blankets around the sleeping heap, the Italian mother knew that she would not be exiting the house in this weather - she pitied anyone who was out there at this time. But of course, that led to another bout of worrying - was Aro out in this blizzard? She hoped beyond hope that he had found some shelter to watch the snow fly by.


Hearing the door creak open slowly, Ghita fully expected Jazper's large, bulky black frame to inhabit the doorway, and so her build remained focused on her young. The mother had grown skinnier in Aro's absence, but still retained the beauty that an aging wolfess could possess, but it took only a moment for the scent to occupy the room before her body snapped up faster than a lighting flash, and recognize her son's presence. Beaming with a smile wider than it seemed her face could allow, she threw herself at her son once more, repeating the greeting that her wayward son had first received upon returning from Dahlia, enclosing the boy in her arms. Now standing taller than Ghita was herself, she had to strain on the tips of her toes to hug her baby, but that wasn't important in Ghita's shining turquoises - the son that she held in her shaking arms was. " "Sei di nuovo - si è finalmente tornato, Aro."" The emotion brought her back to the native tongue they both understood, Ghita not releasing her son for an instant. She needed so hold him now - to make up for the time that she had spent worrying for him, all in this instant she could not let go of. Her family was finally complete.

Table © Alaine
OOC: I'm sensing this will be a feel-good thread all around. XD
Wc: 759

Holding her oldest son couldn't be described as wonderful. Or anything less, for that matter. There were no words to fully describe Ghita's emotions, having her son safe and at home at last, in her arms once more. Aro was now taller than she was, but Ghita had been expecting that - her build was smaller than the average wolf's but Jazper's was much, much larger, and it was clear who's stature Aro had inherited. All the same, Italian was a romance language - the one of passion and emotion, and how fitting it was now, to hear that same language resurface at such a key point in their lives. True, Ghita had been the one to insist that they learn Italian, but for the same reasons that all of the Marinos (save for Ehno) insisted that their children learn Italian in Crimson Dreams - to keep their culture and their family alive.


Being lifted into the air came as a shock to her, but surprise was only the soundtrack playing in the background to her joy and gratitude. Rolling her eyes at him, the mother gave her son an affectionate nuzzle, quick and to the point. "Psh. Don't say such things!" She joked, glad that he knew enough to tease her about how she missed him. Breaking away from the embrace, Ghita took her own moment to absorb her son's appearance in it's entirety, noticing his increased height and stronger muscles. "They're a handful, but no more than you were at that age." Ghita laughed, letting the bell-like sounds chime around them. "Besides, the last time you saw me I was much heavier." All the same, her new weight was less than she'd weighed before the pups came - even before her injury. But then again, most of the food she ate went straight to milk for her pups, unsurprisingly. "You've changed too. Much taller, stronger... You're turning into a fine man, just like your father." Grinning with a quiet pride in her heart, Aro almost looked like a younger Jazper, save for the white on his pelt and lack of tattoos. The hair was different as well, but the base was there - her baby boy had become a brilliant man in his time away.


Leading her son around the room, she took a few steps towards the bed before pointing her youth out. "They're asleep right now - just on those pelts, there." Of course, when Aro and Sophia had been born, neither of them wanted to sleep at the same time, but Ghita had learned from that experience and made sure to tucker each and every pup out before naptime approached. "Tony's the brown-ish black one, Lorenzo is the timberwolf, and Fia is your white sister." She whispered, afraid of waking the children who'd just fallen asleep. At the mention of his name, Tony lifted a healthy rump in the air as he turned over, flopping down on a pelt not half an inch from Fia's paw. "They'll be fully weaned in a few days - we're trying to be very gradual so they're not shocked."


Unable to keep from breaking into a large smile at Aro's news, she hugged her son once more, innards trembling with relief. "That's such good news, Aro!" She said, before biting her lip. "You know what I mean. I'm so proud to have you finding your place in the world, but I'm much happier to have you home." Squeezing his hand gently, she let out a sigh, wondering just what new adventures he'd have to tell her about. What had his eyes seen on his adventures? Hopefully nothing but peace and pleasantries, but that wasn't always how the world worked.


Sitting down on the edge of the bed farthest away from her slumbering children, she patted the space next to her, indicating that Aro was to join her. "So, my boy. What of the world did you see out there? I can't wait to hear all about your adventures." She envied him, in a weird way, being able to get up and explore the world on a whim. Ghita herself was rarely happier than when she was traveling, experiencing new things and seeing something new every day, constantly on the move. But at the same time, her place was Crimson Dreams - with her sister, brother, mate, and children - and she would never think of giving that up for a second to be able to travel extensively again. "I'm sure you have quite the stories to tell!"

Table © Alaine
OOC: durr
Wc: 663

Shaking her head at Aro's concern, she couldn't help but be touched by the male's concern. "Now here you are, taking care of your old maid, eh? I just need some more rest - and that'll come when the pups grow older. Don't you worry." In any case, Aro was correct - Ghita had never focused much on her outward appearance. For the majority of her life, she didn't have to - living in her Lupus form, she'd never been exposed to the vanities of other wolves when it came to appearances. At the same time, given her co-rank and lifestyle, Ghita didn't need to watch her weight all that much - she was running and hunting enough for exercise and that suited her body just fine.


But she was lying to say that the weight loss was solely due to the new additions. Even the old ones still had cause to worry her. Even though Ghita was the 'cool' mother, notably more lax than her husband at times, she still worried for her son without being smothering. She worried in her quiet way that could only be calmed by his presence - which he offered her today. And she could already feel the energy seeping back into her bones. Her son was home - her entire family surrounded her. That was all that mattered now.


"Of course you are - and you can. What, you'd think I'd lie to you?" Ghita teased, half serious in her light taunt. She and Jazper had shaped a man man that now stood before them - and Aro deserved to hear every word of her praise. He was courteous without being smothering - strong without being domineering. Everything that a Marino Knight should be - living up to his families' names with ease, bringing endless pride to his parents even if he didn't always know it.


Chuckling at his incredulity, Ghita could only nod, grinning from ear to ear at the memory. "Even tinier - this is after a few weeks." It was true that their pelts and personalities were beginning to show, but the tiny lives still seemed ever fragile against the large world they longed to explore. It was truly a miracle, being able to shape entire lives within your paws - as Ghita and Aro were witnessing now. Even if how they came to be was still a messy act, the simple splendor of having created lives was something Ghita could marvel over for years to come.


Eagerly sitting back to listen to Aro's stories, Ghita's eyes sparkled with her excitement. Her son had come home uninjured, and in one piece - that was relief enough! And there were no visible scars, fueling Ghita's hopes that Aro had scoured the world without harm coming to him. Leaning back on her hands, she smiled at every story she heard, opening her mouth at the mention of Halifax. "What did you think of the city? I've visited it once or twice myself, but never for very long. I've never encountered Phoenix Valley, but if you do find your way to Aniwaya, give Dawali and Nayati my greetings - they'll remember me from older times." A smile lit her face, remembering the two Aniwayan men she'd encountered - Dawali had been a primary aid in her healing after the barn collapse, and Nayati had been a hunting companion on a happy occasion. "Dawali is a family friend of ours - he knows Cambria and Savina well."


Face brightening as a woman came into the picture, Ghita couldn't resist teasing his son on this front. "Should I be expecting any grandchildren soon?" She teased, her tone and expression clearly displaying her jest. "So? Do you want to tell me about her or leave it at that?" Ghita asked, tilting her head towards Aro. She understood that relationships were sometimes awkward to discuss, but also wanted to know everything about this young lady Aro had an interest in.

Table © Alaine
OOC: Np! Don't worry a bit - admissions are more important. <3 Best of luck!
Wc: 1235 SoSuWriMo

Like any mother worth her salt, Ghita was always questioning her son for the sake of his safety, eager to know just what he'd been up to, if he was in need of anything, etc. And this role would naturally be quite difficult to shake. To have Aro inquiring about her was a touching display of just how grown-up her son had gotten on his trip away from the pack, having become more aware of the mortality of his parents. It was a lesson that came usually within the grasps of puberty, but was somewhat shattering to realize - as a pup, Ghita had always viewed her mother as a concrete angel, infallible in the face of trouble and woe. Her father had never factored into the equation, seeing as she never factored into his. But it took Amata's death for Ghita to realize, too late in her life, that all wolves, no matter how important in someone's life, were made of the same life's breath, and wouldn't last the test of time no matter how much love they were given, or should have been given. It was one of Ghita's regrets to not express how much love she had for her mother - and wished she could've been closer with her siblings back in Italy.


But who would we be if not for our regrets? Pain makes us the people we are today, for better or for worse. And luckily for Ghita, her son would not be a part of that pain for lack of distance. For a while, the two had struggled as Aro grew up, exploring the territories before he was ready to, out in the world where pups would find themselves easy prey to bad wolves who ought to know better. However, after that initial conflict the two of them had patched the hole up quickly and grown all the stronger for it. Ghita knew that one day, if Aro chose to have pups of his own, he'd come across this same conflict with his own youth - it was inevitable, and she hoped that he'd have the head to use more patience with them than she had with him. "We're doing well, Aro, and all the more glad to see you do the same."


A secret pride couldn't stop burning in the agouti mother's chest when she looked at her son, for both obvious and not-so-obvious reasons. Of course, her son was turning into a fine man (who'd had his fair share of luck with the ladies, so she was hearing) and developed into a fine personality, someone that she was glad to have around for her pups as a role model. Beaming as they walked towards the bed, another part of her was proud that she could see the wayward trait that obviously came from herself in Aro, the need for adventure and wandering flowing through their veins. However many her shortcomings as a mother could be, she could always offer tips and tricks for traveling, offering her wisdom should he desire it. Also, she would always be there for her son, should he need her to run the length of Canada to get to his side. Previously, she hadn't recalled a dagger being at Aro's side, but approved of it's presence - a wolf needed to defend itself, whether the weapon was in teeth and claws or more humanized weapons of days gone by.


Loving, somewhat diabolically, how her son's cheeks seemed to flush under his tuxedoed pelt, she had meant the question only in jest - in reality, she would be torn between horror and joy if Aro had come home a father. In her eyes, Aro was still a baby, and only part of that was due to his actual age. He had turned into a man, but had passed the cusp of manhood just barely, adding to the fact that he was her son, and Ghita simply didn't feel old enough for grandchildren just yet. Despite the fact that she'd tried for her litter at the somewhat young age of two years, she'd taken another two years to have a successful chance at motherhood, and was blessed with another. At times, when she traveled back to the dark time of her miscarriage, she'd wondered if a whole litany of things had caused it, all of them being her fault, of course. Her own youth could've been a factor, but this time that all changed. She could finally put the trauma behind her, but never forget the lives she couldn't carry to the light. But in this moment, four lives she'd succeeded with were in front of her, calling her attention to the lives they were leading.


Nodding at what Aro told her of Phoenix Valley, she had never had any personal dealings with the pack save for a few, but found her son's desire to meet all of the pack leaders a noble and intelligent one. "I think that's a great idea." Biting back remarks that cautioned him about the packs she viewed as more inclined to violence, she was sure that her son knew of this already, and wouldn't need his mother's words of caution. At the mention of Naniko, her ears flattened with a suppressed, complicated emotion that held many layers, not all of them positive. The fae who'd been responsible for Cambria's trials, the fae who'd created a family with her own brother but then abandoned both him and the puppies, was in conflict with the leader she'd heard spoken of so highly in days gone by. Shaking of her trails of thought, at least Naniko wasn't in the forefront of her son's story, and should be treated with that much regard.


Her son's mention of marijuana had caused a raucous laugh to escape from Ghita, loud enough to wake the children but thankfully letting them sleep on. Even though Savina frowned upon drugs since Cambria's experience with them, Ghita did not share the same views on drugs, and in fact had recovered from a bad addiction to one called DXM in her past. Not only had she been experiencing that particular drug, but she herself had done marijuana with a friend from Inferni, Anslem, who had since become a family friend even when her feelings were with Jazper at the time. If the pups hadn't made themselves known to the Marino family in due time, Ghita's hand in mateship just might have gone to the charming coyote-male, an exquisitely foreign and exciting thought. "And how did you feel after that?" She asked, the laughter finally dying down after a few moments. "Do you remember the man that Jazper took you to meet when you and Sophia were young? Anslem? I used to smoke with him from time to time." She hadn't heard from her friend in nearly a year, something that worried her when she had a moment to spare for him. But the name of a female that had graced Aro's lips brought the mother back to her reality, and she searched her brain for a face to put it to. "I don't think I've met her, but she's seemed to have made quite an impression. I trust you to have good taste - after all, you take after your father, and he had impeccable taste." She laughed, once more sharing the intimate teasing she could with her grown-up son.

Table © Alaine
OOC: He sure is. <3 It's been amazing rping with you - all the best in the future! <3
Wc: 462

Relaxing was certainly one way to describe the effects of the harmless-looking drug that she and Anslem had shared all that time ago. And now to have her son experience it the same way brought around a weird sense of a cycle closing, a restoration of balance to life. It wasn't the most natural response for a mother to have when she heard her child was doing drugs, but all the same, it was the first thing that sprung to mind. Ghita's baby was growing up, and this was just one of the ways that he was proving his entry into the adult world. "Almost like you're floating in a very blurry bubble... nothing really gets in to affect you... it's nice, but dangerous to want all the time." No matter how okay Ghita was with it, of course the mother had to throw in her two cents so her baby could be fully aware of the risks involved. For rarely was there a free ride in life; most things held their consequences.


"I'm glad you found such a nice girl, Aro. Speaking one's mind is a good trait to have - communication would never be an issue, and you don't have to worry much about hurting her feelings without knowing it." That certainly wasn't a problem for Jazper and Ghita - the strong-willed Marino always let her family know her preference when a compromise couldn't be reached, but not in a rude way - just enough so that secrecy was avoided for the most part. Communication was something that she and Jazper had agreed to value in their family, to create a strong, unified bond between all the members and foster a safe environment for them. It was the kind of environment Ghita wished she'd had as a child but was never able to fully have with her father not around and Amata frequently tired, but she didn't resent her mother for it at all. It was just something that Ghita wanted for her children, an improvement to be made.


Hearing of her son's exhaustion, a part of her wished that Aro would stay for longer, tell her of all the stories he'd seen with those wise eyes of his, so she could breathe in his scent for longer and calm her heart, but she knew that he'd had to travel a long way to come back home. And to see him at all this winter was a blessing she thanked whoever was up there fore. "Alright, my boy - get a good rest. We'll talk more in the morning, if you want." Smiling, she stood up and wrapped her arms around him once more, planting a kiss on the top of his head. "I love you so, so much."