Life should be about more than just surviving

LOCATION Theronida - the woods
DATE sometime in August 2021
TIME noon
ATTIRE Dire wolf shape
TOPIC FOR @Damian xx
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It had been around a little more than a few weeks where she had used her time here, after having seen some of the sights with Damian, Tatia hadn't seen enough. So, she had stayed behind for just a little while, possibly the first time since she was a young girl where she had done something for just herself. Where she had been just herself. Tatia had completely forgotten how that fresh breeze of freedom felt like. What true freedom should feel like. Here, she wasn't a leader, she wasn't a survivor of all the horrible things she had endured in her life. She was just a girl running around in the forest being free. Tatia knew she had to return home at some point, but right now she didn't really care. She just wanted to roam free. But even those days were close to being over. Tatia had noticed earlier the day that someone was following her, but since she also knew she wasn't on her own territory she didn't attack. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to make her think of her as an enemy. Because she knew how she treated enemies.

It was first around the evening hours that there had been more looking out, and she knew the signs. These werewolves were highly trained in being in their shapes, and the dire wolf walked closer to them, only showing teeth once one of them came too close to her linking. The blood red eyes starred forward as some of them seemed to greet another person that was coming closer. That scent. It was familiar. Making her lower her guards a little bit before shifting back and getting up on her feet. "Damian," she breathed out his name. She completely ignored the fact that she was naked because it didn't matter to her, not living in a pack. She frowned a bit, not having imagined seeing him right here and right now. Carefully she tilted her head a little bit, and so it seemed the other wolves took a step back to the fact that she recognized their alpha just waiting for him to tell them what to do.

She noticed how the wolves turning into their humans shapes and wander off, but her eyes didn't let go of Damian. Then he spoke her name, and it was like the built-up tension in her shoulders vanished. Tatia breathed out, the warmth of his smile was infectious and without even realizing it a smile curled softly up on her lips. "Well to be fair, most seem to find my scent a bit alarming," she added to his apology with a small curl on her lip, just happy she had at least become a bit better controlling her temper and her instincts hadn't flipped in a moment of fear. Not many people did really understand what animal she was connected to, it was easy to find the wolf, but the burned firewood scent that sometimes followed her was to most people unknown, and it wasn't like she walked around and bragged about her dragon like nature, she hadn't even told Walter about that back when they were together.

Tatia kept her eyes on him as he walked towards her with the blanket, licking her lips slightly as she took it and wrapped it around her body. She pressed her brows a little bit together as he asked if she wanted to join him for dinner, mostly because she didn't expected to hear those words. But a more tender expression washed over her faced within seconds, "I would love to," she responded with a more mushy voice, far from her usual hoarse voice. She felt the warmth spreading in her chest from a small flame that he had lighted up, when they first met, it hadn't gone out, but she had found herself fearing that she wouldn't get to see him again. Slightly annoyed over the past weeks that she hadn't been able to let him escape her mind. "I was beginning to worry I wouldn't get to see you again," she confessed with a small chuckle, running her hand over her messy hair while keeping her eyes on his.

He couldn’t help but let a warm deep chuckle form in his throat, as she told him that her scent could be alarming. “And then the fact about you being a female alpha, it has a tendency to making people around here nervous” he licked his lips, as he pulled the blanket at little tighter around her body and stepped away from her letting out a soft breath through his nose. A big smile formed over his lips, pulling back and showing some of his teeth. Being the firstborn pureblood werewolf came with its perks, in this instance, four of his teeths were slightly sharper than a normal human. Then there was his aura and strength, but all of that didn’t really matter to him. He had lived for such a long period of time, that it had made him quite arrogant when it came to his superior. Knowing very well, that he did have a demeanor that wouldn’t soothe everyone.

“I was worrying about the same thing, but my duties have kept me rather busy I’m afraid” he walked towards his horse and then looked at her. “Would you be okay riding with me back to town?” he asked, it would be faster than walking on foot. Of course, she could turn again, following him that way. But he would like to use this opportunity to talk with her.  

It was true, after she had become an alpha people had been picking up on that as well. She tend to forget it had a say, but it was also only the people in her pack along with a few others that knew about the dragon side to her. "Fair point," she chuckled a little as he pulled the blanket a little tighter around her, making her heart skip a few beats ahead. She clicked her tongue a little as he mentioned his duties had kept him busy, and she followed him towards the horse. "I wouldn't hold it against you," she replied, because she understood the pressure of having things to do before you could actually allow being free. Tatia was just happy to have Kenzo back at Athena whom she knew she could trust with the pack's safety. Her greenblue eyes turned towards the horse when he asked if she was alright riding with him back. "Yeah, I don't mind," she replied licking her lips a little before turning her gaze back to him. Freedom was a good look on her, overall she felt way more relaxed than she usually did. "I've actually enjoyed taking some time off, I can't recall the when I last just ran around without a care for time," she confessed with a softer chuckle. She was rather a person who spend much time with a phone in her hand or a calendar, she could count days on how many times she had seen the sun set and rise, but after the first week she had gently let that go too. "I warned you that I might never leave," she added with a teasing smile dancing up on her lips before turning her attention to getting up on the horse so they could get moving.

“Excellent” he breathed with a soft smile on his lips, he mounted the horse he leaned down with his hand reached out to take hers, in a shift move he pulled her up to sit between his legs in front of him. The normal sidesaddle, with legs pointing in one direction. He thought it would be the most comfortable for her, given how she was dressed.

A scoff left him, and a smile became bigger on his lips as she told him that she had warned about her never leaving. His eyes travelled to hers, now that she was so close, he could see all the nuances there were in them. “Well, that wouldn’t be the end of the world if you asked me” he winked at her and pulled in the rains turning the horse towards the house that he had told Tatia that she could use while she was here. Maybe he had been having a secret agenda, making it very hard for her not to stay. Besides, what harm would it make?

He made the horse pick up speed, making them almost fly by the them as the rode down the mountains to the small town they were headed too.

Tatia chuckled a little bit, "as if the end of the world would stop me," she added with hint of a more teasing smile balancing on her lips. Her arms around his body, still holding on to the blanket, but this was also just the perfect excuse to stay as close to him as possible, letting her head rest against his back. Time flew by getting them towards the smaller town. She had stayed there a few nights before she had made the choice to explore the forest, which was the trip she never really had gotten home from. She had just been so completely consumed by the freedom she had found here in this land. Tatia took in his scent, making her close her eyes, how did he smell so good? It wasn't fair. But even just sitting here made her feel like she had found something she had been missing for so long, a home, the feeling of home that she had tried to hunt down for ages, centuries. She felt entangled with his soul in ways she couldn't even begin to understand or explain, but she dared herself to figure out just what it meant. Because finding this feeling, and experiencing it this intensely, there was no way in hell she was going to let go of that. It was fun how some of the silence was just silence, not because there were nothing to talk about, but just simply because the energy spoke loud enough on its own. And she kept herself close to him, till she remembered some of the houses they came closer towards. "So, what are you planning for dinner?" She moved her head towards him, letting the green-blue eyes look almost innocent. There was something about seeing someone who was used to put up to many fronts, completely leave the heavy and bloody amour at the door and show her true colors. "Please say I don't have to wear heels again," she chuckled a little bit, but wasn't really kidding.  

Planning for dinner, he frowned a little as he started thinking about it. They could of course go out and eat, but something told him that it would be much nicer to just stay in. So, it would be easiest just to call the castle and get them to bring them food. “Well just get something delivered” he said with a smirk, and then started laughing as she told him that he had to promise that she wouldn’t be wearing heels again. “Well, you are more than welcome to eat in your current attire” he said with dark and husky voice. They finally came to their destination “Hold tight, I’ll get down first” he explained and got down from his horse, before he grabbed Tatia around her waist and helped her down. Very well aware that she still didn’t really need his help, but he liked to, because it meant a closeness that was more easily obtained this way.

“If you go first, I’ll just make the call to get us some food brought out” he said and winked towards her. He couldn’t really help but let his eyes follow her curves as she walked inside the house. Breathing a little out he placed the phone to his ear and made the arrangements to get food to the address. This woman really had a way to draw out his wolf, in a way that he couldn’t say he had ever tried before.

Something delivered, well Tatia had never really understood the terms of getting food delivered, so just as when Zitora talked about ordring food she nodded to the suggestion, not really understanding what it included in the long run. And her mind was taken off it by his commenting on she could just eat in what she currently was wearing, making her chuckle a little. "You would sure like that huh?" She replied narrowing her eyes a little bit. Then they made their destination, letting him get off the horse first. For someone who was used to do everything yourself and insist on doing so, she didn't really go against what he said, mostly because she knew it gave her an excuse for him to hold her - and who would be foolish enough to do anything to fight that? So, she let him help her down, feeling so connected with her wolf and how the wolf connected with his in ways she couldn't explain. The blanket fallen slightly down from the shoulders, but she didn't really care.

Her eyes looking up into his, taking a deeper breath in by just how consumed she was by him, folding her lips just for a second. "Okay - but" she took a step back slowly then followed by another, "don't let me wait for too long," she raised her brow a little bit before turning around walking towards the house letting the blanket just fall further down her back as she opened the door and walked inside. Tatia couldn't help smile to herself and take a deeper breath in, walking towards the closet to take one of her dresses out. She pulled it over her head, just a long dress, pretty loose fit but still enough to capture the figure. She ran a hand over her hair, she was pretty used to it being entangled, so she didn't think too much of it. She folded the blanket and placed it on the counter turning towards him, lifting her brow just a little bit.

He shook his head a little with smile forming on his lip as she told him not to make her wait too long. Which wasn’t really his attention either way, but he had always liked a woman that knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to ask for it. When he was done with getting his personal assistant to make sure that food would be brought to the house, he walked inside and looked around. It wasn’t much, but he had the feeling that Tatia wasn’t really the type to be impressed by money. Maybe power, depending on how it came.

As she walked towards him, now in a dress he couldn’t help but smile towards her. “So the food will be here in a while, do you have something to drink in the mean time?” he asked looking around, not really wanting to overstep. He might know this house, but was still hers right now, and that he respected. Almost uncanny for the alpha werewolf, that he respected someone else space.

It was hard not to smile just an inch more than she already did, as he smiled at her. Her heart felt so warm as it skipped a few beats ahead by just having him around. His question made her lick her lips before replying and turned her eyes from him to the kitchen shortly, "yeah of course." Tatia moved a hand over the entangled wavy hair before trading out to the kitchen. She didn't really ask to many questions nor speculate to much about what he had ordered, mainly because it wasn't the first thing on her mind. She had stayed here for a few days, Zitora and Frederik had visited her here before heading to the airport back home - and knowing Zitora, there would be a bottle of wine in the fridge. There was some instant coffee, once again one of Zitora's schemes. Well, to be fair you didn't have neither of those luxuries in the arena, but she had come to enjoy both over the last couple of years. "I have coffee, wine, water - what would you like?" She asked as she entered the kitchen, turning around placing her hands on the end of the counter as her back leaned against it, while facing him. Slowly the shapeshifter took a deeper breath in, biting her lower lip a little as she exhaled again. Tabbing her fingers on the edge of the counter, she tried not to give completely in to the battle of longing to get closer to him. But she already knew it was a losing battle fighting whatever she felt, because she had never met anyone who had managed to make her feel like this. Tilting her head just slightly to the left she took a minor breath in, "what kind of food did you order?" She wondered in a lower voice, still keeping her eyes on him, Tatia was curious, but mostly just to distract herself from losing the battle just yet.

He followed her movements with his eyes as she looked what she could offer him to drink. As the options was given, he was quick to decide “Some wine would be nice” he said, then watched how she walked and leaned back on the kitchens counter. A soft chuckle left him, followed by a light headshake. “So, I guess I take some myself?” he mused and walked over the fridge to look inside. Grabbed the bottle of white wine and took it out. “The glasses?” he asked pointed to one of the cabinets, hen then walked out taking two out. Deciding that she might also want one. If it was his house they were in, he opened the bottle and poured them both a glass when she asked what kind of food he had ordered. He shrugged “I’m guessing whatever the chef is making today, we try to keep it seasonal, not importing too much and growing mostly the things ourselves. I know my sons were out hunting later today, so maybe one of the animals that they got” he added, there was something about staying in a time where you got your own food for the table that still appealed him. “So, I hope you don’t have any allergies or have food that you don’t eat” he said with a soft smile as he handed her a glass and stepped over on the other side of where she was standing and mimic her own stance.

She chuckled a little while licking her lips, as he stated that he would take it himself. Tatia didn't say anything against it, she didn't mind and it meant she got to let her eyes follow his movements. The first time she took her eyes of him was when he asked to the the glasses, only lifting one hand up to point in the direction. Whatever the chef is making, that sentence made her frown a little, but she didn't interrupt him talking, she liked listening to the sounds of his voice way too much for that. Her people did the same, growing most of their own stuff and relied mostly on hunting themselves, even though it wasn't always easy in the woods of Gaia nor Moonlight Falls. But they tried keeping some of their old ways going, despite how modern world wanted you to behave. "Sounds appealing," she replied clicking her tongue as she took a deeper breath in. She lifted her brow slightly, and took the glass that was handed to her. "I'm not picky about my food," she moved the glass slowly closer to her lips, waiting just a few seconds before taking a smaller sip, before placing it on the counter next to her, looking in its direction shortly to make sure she placed it right.  

Turning her green-blue eyes back at him, folding her lips a little bit before taking a smaller breath in, pushing herself from the counter taking a step closer to him. "Speaking of hunting," Tatia kept her eyes on him, taking a step further towards him, now standing in front of him. "Maybe we should go for one tomorrow?" Tatia suggested letting her eyes wonder shortly from his eyes to his lips, holding her little breath a little till her eyes caught his again. "Unless you are scared that I'm faster than you," she chuckled with a lower voice, pulling a little smirk.

He gave a small nod as she told him that she wasn’t a picky eater. He would have been slightly disappointed if she had told him any other. Meeting a picky wolf, now that he thought about it wasn’t something he could think off was something he had ever encountered. He turned his gaze towards her as she placed her glass of wine down on the counter and then turned her attention towards him once again. He slightly titled his head and a smirk formed on his lips as she stepped towards him.

He could almost feel how she challenged his energy when asked if they should go for a hunt tomorrow. There was in that moment, nothing he would rather do. But he wasn’t even sure that his schedule would allow him to. His eyes almost lit up as she verbally challenged him. “Do you really think so lowly of me, that I would be anything but impressed if that was the chase?” he asked with a very low voice, leaning a little downward towards her face with his own. His hands still connected to the counter that his back was leaning up against.

She had no idea how he could influence her energy like this, how he could make her feel more alive than ever, simply just by standing in the same room as her. Tatia felt like she was playing with fire but luckily for her, she wasn't afraid of it. "If that was the case, huh?" She chuckled in an almost whisper, feeling the warmth in her body spread from her heart, as he leaned just a little bit downward, "I'll take that challenge," she added with an even lower whisper, once again her eyes moved from his towards his lips, before once again looking up into his. The pull towards him had always been strong, she had felt it since the moment she had suggested they snuck out from the castle, till this very moment, stronger by each second. But as he leaned down, she could nothing but tiptoe a little meeting him half way, as he closed her eyes and let their lips meet. Tatia moved her right hand up to the back of his head, to pull herself closer towards him. It was like a union of fire meeting fire, it wasn't just her who longed for his closeness, the wolf within that always every single day in her life felt restless no matter who she was close to - felt at ease and was drown to him and his wolf.

He watched her every move but didn’t move his hands away from the counter they were holding on too. Almost as he was more intrigued with seeing what she would do. Then doing anything himself. Now he wasn’t a man that normally just waited passively when there was something he wanted, he took it. But that didn’t mean that he was patient. And there was something about they way she moved, that it was very important for him to make sure she took the first steps. Maybe it was also his own heart bleeding from the last big love he had lost. That he needed to make sure that he was even ready. But could you ever be that? Knowing that there might come a time where you need to say goodbye, sometimes quicker than you were ready for.

As their lips met it was clear just how much power there were between the two of them. Just how much his wolf spoke to hers. But also, whatever other animal was roaming inside that heart of hers. He kissed her back very slowly, almost as he was savoring every movement their lips made against each other. Even when her hand found his neck he didn’t do anything, until he couldn’t contain himself. He bend his knees, and with a quick grab he hoisted her up by her thighs and put her legs around him, before he turned around to place her on the counter. Leaning in kissing her much more passionately than they had done just a few moments ago.

It wasn't many choices in her life that was hers, not many times she had allowed herself to take the step she was taking right now, but as he kissed her back, there wasn't a fiber in her body that regretted having followed her heart for once. It was the slow burn that folded upon them, the small sparks that fired up the second he grabbed her, and Tatia's legs found their way around him, pulling him closer as he sat her on the counter. She felt the thrill and warm shiver wash over her, as she let her hands searched him, tugging the fabric of his shirt a bit. Tatia found herself completely astonished by the feeling within her, overly consumed she was by him. Finally letting their lips unlock to catch her breath, the small smile curled up on her lip as her left hand found its way towards his cheek. Still with her eyes closed her forehead leaned against his, taking in the emotions that filled up the room they where in. The moment of intimate silence was rather delicious, and Tatia took pleasure in being close him, craving that feeling that lured in her. "See, now I'm definitely not going anywhere," she let out with a softer whisper.

He let her break the kiss, even if he wasn’t really done with kissing her. A slight boyish smirk formed on his lips as he pulled a little away raising a brow looking at how she was looking at him. His hand found her cheek letting his thumb glide slowly over her skin, feeling how she was burning slightly warmer than she had done before they had kissed. A laugh left him as she told that now she was not going anywhere. “How terrible” he said still with the smirk intact on his lips. Clearly not meaning a single word of what he was saying. He was just about to lean in to kiss her again, when a small knock on the door was heard. “Poor timing for the kiss, but I have to say I’m starving” he explained as he drew away from her and walked over to the door, opening it to see a couple of people standing ready with their dinner “just set it up in the dining room” he explained letting five people walk inside, set it all up before they walked outside again. “Well, I hope you’re hungry” he said with a big smile, reaching his hand towards her to walk with her to that feast that had been prepared for them.

She chuckled a little bit, then heard the knock on the door making her lick her front teeth a little as he drew away from her. Tatia shook her head a little with a smile forming over her lips before she jumped from the counter. Curious she folded her arms in front of her and followed Damian to see the five people coming in to set up things in the dinner room, letting the short confused look roam over her face for a moment. Then again, she had never been privileged enough to have people come in and set her table, and bring dinner. So with slightly pressed eyebrows she followed the movements of the people, till Damian once again spoke and she moved her green-blue eyes back towards him and the smile pulled up on her lips the second she looked at him. The wonderful smell of all the food from the dining room made her stomach complain, making Tatia chuckle a little. "I'm starving," she replied with a lighter chuckle before she took his hand, and let him escort her to the dinning room where the table was set with a bunch of food. "It looks delicious," she confessed almost not able to take her eyes of it, and it smelled even more delicious. The pieces of the puzzle she had yet to solve starting to move a little, but yet not set in the right places. "Might be the nicest dinner delivery I've ever gotten," she chuckled a little to herself, but it was true - not that Zitora couldn't order a killer take away menu, but this was beyond that.

As they got to the table, he pulled out the chair for her and let her sit down before he pushed it in, and then walked and sat down opposite her. He gave her a big smile, as she told it looked delicious and nodded “Let’s home that it tastes just as good as it looks” he mused, moving the bottle of wine that had been brought to them as well and poured her glass with a red wine. There was also a pitcher with water in it if that was what she needed.

“Well, it has to have it perks being me” he couldn’t help but say, as he took a bite of the steak that was on his plate. Well, they really had out done themselves in this. He looked towards her, to see if everything was satisfactory for her. Or he had to figure something else out, but he also had a feeling that she wasn’t really the picky eater nor a woman that would turn any meal away. Survival of the fittest. He had been there, and he could see it in her eyes that so had she.

It was a long time ago since she had been met with such gallant, but didn't mind it as she sat down and he pushed the chair in. The sweet little smile still curling on her lips as her eyes followed him sit down on the opposite side, then  her eyes couldn't keep from the food much longer. She chuckled a little, Tatia was pretty sure it did taste just like it needed to, not that she ever had been picky about her food, but it didn't mean she couldn't appreciate finer dining, after all she had met her daughter and Zitora was so different for Tatia in many ways.

"The perks of being you huh?" She narrowed her eyes a little curious, before turning her eyes to the plate and cut a piece of the steak and ate it. Closing her eyes shortly, it was as a matter of fact outstanding. "It is really good," she pointed out, before cutting another piece, it might even be the best steak she had had in a long time. She picked up the glass of wine, and took a smaller sip before placing the glass down again.

He nodded with a somewhat mysterious smile on his lips. Now he knew that he could outrun his legacy forever, and he had learned his lesson of not telling someone who he was. But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t take his time, to make sure that the person that he told it to, was ready to hear it. Or hanging around long enough for it to matter. Now, they had kissed. And there was this incredible tension between them. But she was not from this land, and she needed to go back to Athena at some point. He knew all that, then again, if he had to be honest with himself. He wasn’t going to let hundreds of miles stop him from following a person that he had a connection with. “I’m glad” he said with a soft smile, as he took another bite of the food himself. Chew, letting his eyes rest on her. Thinking about how to break the topic, he reached over and took his glass and let the bitter wine glide over his tongue.

"Well, I’m guessing I should let the cat get out of the bag and tell you exactly who I am” he said with a cheeky smile, licking his lips as he leaned back in his seat. “I can’t really outrun my aura, and I am an alpha of the pack living here on the island, and many other packs around the world that has decided to join me. But I’m also the very first alpha and pureblood werewolf, and this kingdom, its mine as I am the second king of Theronida” He took another bite, while waiting for her to react to what he had just told her. Now, you could go around these things many ways. And he would say he was rather good a reading a person, and Tatia seemed to him, that would rather just have people tell her what they had to say. Rather than fiddle around and not get to the point rather quickly. Ultimately,  stop wasting her time with not telling the whole truth so she could get on with her life.

Tatia kept her eyes on him, intrigued by what he might have to say that was clear. Usually, it was hard for people to get her attention, in a good way at least, she rarely let anyone get away with wasting her time nor distracting her, but something about Damian had completely flipped her around her usual habits.  Like her mind had shifted entirely to a state where she knew she wanted to figure out all the ways she could to see him again, attempt to by the last. She was still here for one.

She chuckled a little as he pointed out he perhaps should let the cat out of the bag, and she raised her brow a little bit. She knew he was an alpha, as he pointed out - he couldn't run from it. Tatia had been able to know that rather quickly, just like she knew he wasn't just like any other alphas, she had met others, and they didn't even begin to compare with the aura Damian held, so she nodded a bit, still listening. Tatia's brow lifted by an inch as he mentioned many packs around the world had chosen to join his here, she understod that, it was like a place made in dreams where your thoughts could take you to once in a while - but it was real, the dream was real. It wasn't even like she liked staying at Athena, it was just the option for now, where it had been the easiest to keep the ones who wanted to stay. Then, he spoke of being the first, no the very first alpha and the first pureblood werewolf, oh, and it was his Kingdom. Tatia blinked a little, of course it was quite the surprise and yet, the thought didn't really shake her. Tatia chuckled a little bit taking a sip of the wine before placing the glas down again. "So, you are telling me, I stole the King from his own party?" The shapeshifter shook her head a little gently as her lips curled up in a little smile. To Tatia at least, being an alpha already held the authority of being some sort of royalty, at least in the animal kingdom. Being king of a place like this, was something else, hard work, she understood that, Tatia respected that. Tatia couldn't imagine being the first one of a species nor the first alpha. She understood the not wanting to put some cards on the table till at least another person asked, or you saw the time as right, it could be a lot to take in - and some people could be outright scared of you if you told them your truth. Tatia never spoke about who she was, the warrior part - because strangers didn't get it, they didn't understand in this time who she was, which sometimes made it hard to figure out who you were without that part of yourself.

"It takes a lot of strength and willpower to guide so many people," she tilted her head a little bit.  The face behind the title was often forgotten, the person underneath the mask sometimes not seen as anything but who he was meant to be. And even if you did do so much good, helped so many, ruled, people often forgot who you were underneath all of it. Just a person with a heavy weigh on their shoulders. "But I take its tough," she took another piece of the steak. "So, your sons - they live here with you?" Tatia wondered. He had mentioned them earlier regarding hunting.

A quick but hearty laugh left him, as she asked if he was telling her that she had actually stolen the King from his own party. He shook his head a little. “Not stole, rescued” he pointed out giving her a smile before taking a small sip of his wine before returning to his food, as she once again spoke, he nodded slowly. It did take a lot of strength and willpower; it also took a pack. Meaning that he relied a lot on his family to help him be the best king and alpha. He didn’t know if it was tough, his family had done it for so many centuries that you finally got to a point, where you didn’t think about it as a duty. But a way of life. “They do from time to time, I used a lot of time being free, before taking over the duties from my father. I encourage my children to do the same. So they shift with being here and out in the world, at this point my next eldest son Leon, is helping me the most as he is very good with politics” he gave her a small smile “Elias the oldest, well, we are all shaped differently with this curse, were most of us loses our loves to death he lost his to another man, and I don’t think he ever really recovered from that, so his around when you need him to be, the rest of the time I let him do with his life as he pleases” maybe it wasn’t fair to Leon, as Leon wouldn’t be the one taking over after Damian would step down from the throne. But most of the family put their trust in getting Leon to fix their problems, because he almost always knew what to do. While you called Elias for the fun, or when you needed help taken care of a problem the old fashion way.

Tatia listened in, she was genuinely curious. Being free, she licked her lips a little bit by those words. Because who didn't want to be free, before having duties falling on your shoulders. The crown could be heavy. Freedom had been the one thing she had wished to give her daughters, and it had been what she had given them, a life out of the arena - best choice she had ever made, no matter how it had ended after. A destiny in the arena would have been the most cruel fate. This curse. She wasn't sure if he meant the werewolf curse - she could figure out by simple logic that there had to be some way for them all to be alive still, but simply the matter of the curse and what it took to keep them from not aging, she did not know. But it was the same with her, and therefor she knew there was a lot of different means to a curse. Tatia noted the names of his sons. She could only imagine Zitora would like picking the brain of Leon to see how he valued things, then again Zitora was a piece of art herself. Then Elias, losing the person you loved to death or because someone took them from you, was cruel either way. One could say in death at least you could stop worrying, you could let it go. But at least he was still there when you needed him it sounded so, so it meant it hadn't crushed his spirit entirely - at least from how Tatia saw it. And there had been a time where she thought she would never love again too, and yet here she was sitting, looking at the alpha who had so easily gotten under her skin. But she gave him a small nod, understanding quite well.

"Zitora is the one of my daughters that I'm closest to. I have three daughters, one of them died few years ago, the other travels around somewhere - and then Zitora," she told before taking a sip of wine. Tatia never got used to the fact that Kaiya had died in the middle of all the chaos, both Zitora and Kaiya had died. But Kaiya had been half demon when she died, there was no getting back from that. You could only be so lucky. And Tatia just needed to be thankful for the fact she had gotten to spent the months she had with them before it had ended. But Tatia had killed Ramsay and another demon responsible, she had gotten her revenge. "She always goes to these sort of things, liking to keep her head in the game - not that I understand what she is talking about half of the time - but well, she got me here," she chuckled a little bit before taking some more to eat.