04-25-2009, 02:57 AM
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She knew his name, something which did not surprise him as it once had. After leading Inferni for so long, after all the de le Poer house had done, they were no longer nothing. Perhaps that was what his ancestors had wanted. His father certainly had not, despite the fact he had been so cursed with children. How many now survived here, in this savage land? Two sons and a daughter. Two out of the eight, one of who knew how many. Gabriel did not doubt that Jasper would not survive long without his father—he would likely not survive long without Corona watching him so dutifully.
Lord knew Gabriel had subjected his wards, his own children, to all the brimstone and holy fire of an angry God. That was how things had to be. Salvation through suffering. Blood and fire. He inhaled her voice and let the facts settle until they were stale in his lungs. “I am,” he revealed, and pushed his hair behind one torn ear. “Thank you for bringing him home, Cwmfen.” He pronounced her name slowly, a foreign word that he refused to mutilate. For whatever else he was, Gabriel understood the rules of dignity, just as he understood the rules (and lack thereof) of war.
“I’ll be honest,” he added, amber eyes narrowing slightly, sharpening. “I’m quite surprised you did such a thing.”
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She knew his name, something which did not surprise him as it once had. After leading Inferni for so long, after all the de le Poer house had done, they were no longer nothing. Perhaps that was what his ancestors had wanted. His father certainly had not, despite the fact he had been so cursed with children. How many now survived here, in this savage land? Two sons and a daughter. Two out of the eight, one of who knew how many. Gabriel did not doubt that Jasper would not survive long without his father—he would likely not survive long without Corona watching him so dutifully.
Lord knew Gabriel had subjected his wards, his own children, to all the brimstone and holy fire of an angry God. That was how things had to be. Salvation through suffering. Blood and fire. He inhaled her voice and let the facts settle until they were stale in his lungs. “I am,” he revealed, and pushed his hair behind one torn ear. “Thank you for bringing him home, Cwmfen.” He pronounced her name slowly, a foreign word that he refused to mutilate. For whatever else he was, Gabriel understood the rules of dignity, just as he understood the rules (and lack thereof) of war.
“I’ll be honest,” he added, amber eyes narrowing slightly, sharpening. “I’m quite surprised you did such a thing.”