more than willing to offer myself

Alaine Winters · 03-05-2011, 11:29 AM

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Word Count → 5+ :: table © sie

The king seemed to take her formal addressal of he and his son in stride, as she'd known he would. Many found her titling somewhat unerring, and in turn made her uncomfortable by expressing a wish to be called less, but Alaine found comfort in giving rank where rank was due. It seemed Vigilante was aware of this. He took the time to introduce her to the prince, to which Alaine smiled generously, taken with the curious little face that peered up into her own. It seemed that fertility was high in the pack this year, and for that, Alaine was glad. She did not recall being called for the birth of Noah, and assumed immediately that it had gone well - the king's mate was a strong woman, and she had birthed before.

Noah did not linger with her presence for long, instead diverting his puppy attention to the little offwhite puppy that nestled between Alaine's footpaws. Odette was a strange child, and very attached to Alaine - Often, the Apothecary speculated that the amount of dependence the girl had on her foster mother's nearness was unhealthy. However, not knowing the girl's origins, the colliewoman was loathe to spurn her adoring attentions, instead allowing her abandonment issues to grow deeper.

The woman's next guiltily words did not at all appear to surprise Vigilante. It was as if the king had predicted her mannerisms - She had, at one time, been rather firmly friends with the man. Back when Leroy had kept her prisoned within the old Chien Hotel, which had quickly developed into the best home she had ever had. However, duties seemed to have come before any true friendship that Vigilante and Alaine might have had - She, having taken the place as Apothecary for the entire pack and for most of the southern region of the land, and he, eventually stepping up into the momentous rank of ruler. As it were, Alaine was now merely his subject, and although she deeply respected the male for the kindly but firm hand with which he guided his pack, she could not assume his benevolence.

His suggestion was taken with a slight sigh of relief. Her pelt was not as thick as his, and her legs ached from the walk down from the oceanside cliffs. Her two newborns continued to sleep soundly in the leather bag, but after the long trek, they felt far heavier on her shoulder than they truly were. Seeing a fallen tree nearby, Alaine gestured to it mildly, and moved to sit on the thing. She settled the satchel on her lap, careful not to disturb the two bodies therein, and gestured to Odette to take interest in the king's son. It would be good for her to have friends her age, not restrictive to the other two pups in her immediate family, and it would definitely be good for her to make a strong association with the prince.

After a moment, the woman began to speak. "Vigilante - My King. I should have told you sooner, but I was not sure that they - That my children - That this was going to happen." I was not sure they would survive. She did not deliberate further, for the memory of her previous miscarriage was still tender, "There was a strong urge, and I had to obey it. Forgive me that, for I was absent from the duties that I am committed to." Emerald eyes looked fleetingly to the male, and they were full of anxious sadness. As yet, there were no others to take her place as healer from the pack, but she did not doubt that a crueler ruler would have blamed her for her absence, perhaps punished with demotion.

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