(set at the northern most part of Drifter Bay at the Pictou River)
Christian was irritated by the slow pace their party mates had been showing lately. Seemed at least Verena was ready to keep on going, and that suited him. The famed souls land was talked about across the ocean like a paradise, but he only saw what was the same as where he had been. Paradise was only a dream of hope and he was sure this place had its own hell on earth places that would drive anyone to re-think their original impressions of this land. Of course he was the prince out of all of them and they may not have traveled to as many places as he but he didn’t hold the hope that so many of his compatriots about this place.
The prince of knives only walked on before there seemed to be some distance separating him and the others, except for Verena. His eyes moved over to hers for the moment, wondering what she wanted to do. Already he had told her that he was hers if she wanted him, and he was prepared to accept any orders she would give him, but he didn’t like this. If Layla had run away then she didn’t want to be a part of this family is his eyes. But the same could be said for him, giving up his birth rights to start anew here.
He wore all of his weapons and his fur was somewhat matted from all the travel they had been doing for a while. Grooming wasn’t something he had, had much time to do. His fur was currently shedding its winter coat and it being longer it was starting to irritate him. Finally he was starting to have enough.
“I need to stop,” he said in English to her, almost pleading. He needed to be away from everyone else, thinking it a private matter to be done away from prying eyes.
Verena's feet were sore from the troops travels. There was six of them now. Axel, Amaryllis, Konstantine, Christian, and herself had started this journey about a week after Layla had disappeared. She was raised that sibling stuck together, lest they all perish from the harshness of life. Yet, the travel has gone slow. One part because Layla, in Verena's mind, was a psycho that really didn't stop to eat, and one part that as they drifted behind to nourish themselves, her tracks grew dimmer and harder to trace. Also, they were delayed with a meeting of a peculiar female a short while ago, who decided to join their gang. Her name was Jackaline, though they mostly referred to her simply as Jack. A rather masculine rottweiler and poodle mixed female. She had been more help than harm, fortunately.
While stepping over pebbles, Verena was thankful for her new tough soles. If nothing else, this experience was toughening her for the real world. A lovely voice asked for her attention. It wasn't lovely for the sound, though it could be found to be quite charming, but lovely for the dog it came from. Turning her focus upon him, her upright ears caught his english phrase to stop. Verena raised her tail high to signal the others to hold up. They had made good progress and the others falling behind was a sign that a rest was needed. Looking to the heavens, Verena quickly decided against pressing on afterwards. "Set up camp," she said. "I shall return. Have dinner ready."
Nodding at the prince, she started to walk off the path a little bit. If she wasn't so undecided in her heart, she could be calling him her prince. He had offered and what did she do? Practically asked for a pause because she was busy with Layla's disappearance. Why not say yes? He had done the hard part in putting his heart on his sleeve, how much effort would a yes take? Well, she was quite young. Her feelings for Christian could not be denied, yet she didn't want to make a mistake. She didn't think she was either, which was frustrating. This little adventure would either keep them together or wear them apart and would make the best answer obvious. Verena had high hopes.
It took not a minute to reach a pine tree. "Is this adequate?" she asked. Verena turned around to face him. "What did you need to stop for? Just tired? I think the others were," she said. The male's long fur was hard to miss nowadays. Before this little trip he had been well groomed in his thick winter coat. At the moment, several patches of shorter summer fur made his appearance more disheveled. It really made no difference to her out here in the wilds. Her fur was much the same though her pelt was no where near as long and wasn't as apparent.
Verena was nothing but a hard shell to crack he guessed. Christian watched her tail flick, he was smitten with her, even if she wasn’t the most princess like behaving girl he’d ever seen. She acted more like a Queen already charged with a pack and that was what interested him the most. The prince of knives’ cared little for a woman who spent her days dotting over fine linens or cooking, no he rather liked her rough exterior. His green eyes watched her with interest, and swiftly followed after her. Once out of site his tail wagged a bit as he heard her voice addressed him.
They where on a mission even if her pack didn’t approve of it, it was something he had felt a bit of animosity toward. The pack should have done much more to find their missing member. But the moment Verena told them she was leaving and taking her siblings it was taboo. Christian wanted to then and there challenge the alpha but his love interest had stopped him. That pack was not a pack worthy of being considered as an ally to the father land packs and his writings back home would reflect that, if he found the time to travel back to free-town to send a letter.
But he couldn’t dwell on it, she had asked him a blunt question, and for him he felt completely miserable, he couldn’t walk as well as he should have and the mats where getting bad around any joint that had been in constant use. His eyes looked at her, knowing she wasn’t used to these problems at least not as bad.
“I need to groom, my winter coat is shedding and it’s matting,” there were few things that would elicit his more childish side, and this was it. He hated this feeling of feeling dirty when he shed his winter coat. “I can do it myself but help would be welcomed,” it was at least the easiest way he could ask, to him it was a point of embarrassment but there was no one else who he’d dare even ask.
Verena witnessed embarrassment appear for what struck her as the first time on Christian's face. The Prince was royalty, and as such must have often been seen as pampered and unwilling to dirty his elbows. Mats were another thing all together. That wasn't just dirt, that was pain. Verena was fortunate to have a pelt short enough to make matting a near impossibility. Her features softened. "Of course I'll help!" she said. She sat her butt on the ground and searched through her pack. Her white hand withdrew a comb made of buffalo horn that had been imported and given to each of the daughters. Shoving her things away she signaled him to scoot into her open legs so she could work on those hard to reach areas in the back.
"Do you deal with this every year?" Verena asked politely. The female worked slowly from the ends to the base, obviously trying to be delicate. "Does it happen to be longer like this because of Germany, are the winters that cold?" Currently she was attacking behind the crook of his arm. His white fur looked almost creamy against her pale hands. It was something she noted mentally. She was trying not to sound distant, yet she was thinking of all the things that didn't happen, yet could have and all the thing still to come. She could have said yes. Where would she be know if she had? Made soft with adoration and an easy life, maybe? But since she hadn't, what did that leave to the future? With what she imagined, good things.
He searched his own pack and procured a comb when she offered to help. This was something he did indeed have to suffer through twice a year, spring being the worst. Christian couldn’t help but take notice of the way she sat as she invited him over, legs spread, and his male mind wandered a bit wanting to take up a different position between those legs but none of that would most likely take place today or tomorrow or a month from now as long as they still had that barrier between them.
Finally he sat, and instantly the comb dug into his thick fur, it was relaxing and freeing at times, when a knot was released, not only the release but his skin underneath bristled with satisfaction. He may have been a prince but being brushed and petting where not things he would idly turn down, especially not from her. His own brush was idly used as loud sighs escaped his lips as her hands went to work on his backside. How could he possibly work when this felt so good, he’d have to share this with her once they were done? Surely her coat could use a good brushing as well.
“Twice a year, spring being the worst,” but that didn’t really answer both her questions. She was curious as to the differences between their fur and that was due to his parents. “My father is a pure bred German shepherd, and my mother is a King Shepherd. The lineage has a lot of German but also includes other breeds; it’s where this long coat comes from. I have my father’s sleeker build, but my mother’s coat.” When her hands had trailed along his back enough he seemed to shift position a bit to give her a smile.
“Verena, last time we talked we had to put our conversation on hold,” as he turned back around to let her continue her work. “My offer still remains, I don’t want anyone else but you, and if you want a pack of your own, then I want to help you get it”
Idly chatting was fun and entertaining even if nothing important was on anyones mind. "Oh, I see." Verena said at the mention of who his parents were breed-wise. "The coat is rather luxurious, but requires attention," she commented. Attention she didn't mind giving. Her ale brown eye spied a glance at her own coat. It wasn't as glossy as normal. There were no mats, though there was a slight patchy look to her sides and no doubt her back. The ambitious female never really had to worry about her coat. Though, the young lady had only been around the calendar barely more than once. To think a year ago she was a pup and now she had to start thinking of mates and the future. Life moves fast and waits for no canine.
As Verena went down his side, he turned around to smile at her. Prince Charming gracing her with a smile was like sunshine, she couldn't help but smile back. His next topic seemed to read her thoughts. On one hand she wanted to answer him when they returned to Toronto. But then again, why wait? Why take a chance and make him think that she has cold feet? Verena was never scared. "Well, of course I wish to rule. It's been my dream since I saw the throne," Verena said slowly, thinking back on all her day dreams of adoring family and pack mates praising her and of enemies catching a glimpse of her and tucking their tails between their legs and bolting.
Verena paused in her combing. Leaning back, she took a deep breath. "You know I feel the same don't you?" her question was more of an accusation than anything. "I just... don't know yet. There's so many questions to be answered," she sighed. Sitting straighter, she said more urgently, "I just don't want you to think that your offer is misplaced or that theres someone else or that I've got cold pads or any other nonsense. Because... Thats just not it." It was the best she could put it. A threatening mat came to her careful attention and she started combing it out, mumbling, "Lemme get that real quick."
Christian felt at ease and extremely loose with the way she had been working over his fur along his back, and soon he’d have to return to favor to his queen but for now it was a slice of heaven. Christian’s tail threatened to flutter around and smack inappropriate places as the surge of Goosebumps crawled along his skin with each brush stroke. His ears perked up atop his head when she started speaking about the future of the two of them. And he received pretty much the same answer he had gotten back in Toronto. Those ears slumped back forward again as he thought on her words. They hadn’t even kissed and here he was talking about wanting to be her mate, they hadn’t even really dated. He guessed he was going to have to wait, and take it slow with her but it still didn’t mean he didn’t want to turn around right then and give her kisses along that beautiful feminine muzzle of hers.
The mat was released from its prison just as she had promised to do when changing subjects and the more and more Christian stewed on her words the more and more he felt that sitting here doing was going to kill him. So he did something he hadn’t done with her eye, sensing when she had finished his body moved backwards as his head looked upwards, resting just under muzzle. His body rested against hers and his eyes looked up at her for a moment before his tongue snaked its way out to run along her maw in the best embodiment of a kiss he was able to give her. His position was calculated too, under her in a submissive fashion. He told her he would help her have her own pack to rule someday, and he wanted to reinforce the fact that it would be hers to rule, he just wanted her.
“Thank you,” he smiled to her for a moment, wondering how long it would be before she pushed him off.
Christian seemed to have no comments or questions on what Verena had said. So, the status was the same. Way to go, she thought sarcastically. As she worked down to his lower back and tail, she sighed softly and things remained silent. The mat were either coming lose, or quite often, pulling free from his coat and easily being shed. She was glad that they came loose so easily. She would hate to have to take a knife to his luxurious coat. She was about to suggest that they should have done this every night on the way, but she held her tongue. He liked his privacy and going this far out from the others wasn't wise to do every day.
Verena paused in this grooming. It had quite relaxed her, so she was a bit slow catching herself with her hands when Christian leaned into her. His tongue flashed and she felt it trace her jaw. Stunned, Verena sat there blinking for a moment. This shouldn't surprise her. He was asking her to be his mate for crying out loud! And yet, Verena never had been given a kiss before. His head somehow signaled submission. Somehow, he had been assertive and direct, but still submissive. She raised her hand to her face and a smile slowly crept along it. Her chest grew warm and her body relaxed.
"N-No problem," Verena stuttered at him. "Any time." The female was too shocked at the moment to get out from under him. Though a part of her would have very much liked that, this how ordeal being new and awkward for her, most of her didn't. In fact, most of the thought process that was left shouted not to ruin her first romantic moment of her life and that she would regret it if she did.
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