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The first few days were about maintaining Fenrick's control of the pack. He made some speeches, and made the first and most important decisions about who was staying and who he couldn't trust. There was fighting and tension as wolves vied for the best positions within Fen's pack. I was seen as a contender because I was related to Fen, though I wasn't taken seriously at first because I was a human. Prost had been easy once I'd figured out just how tough werewolf skin and fur were to penetrate with my blades. In all honesty, it was more effective to give them some well aimed punches than it was to cut them.

The other two fights were harder, but I'd learned from Prost. It was also a bit easier that I didn't have to kill these second two. Prost had been brutal and insistent to the end, but I just had to best the other two. The first one slunk off, pissed that he'd lost to me when I still wasn't taken seriously. The final fight was with a man named Lothar. After I'd finally taken him down and stood up myself for what felt like the tenth time, he had laughed a big, booming laugh. He then told me I could call him Thar, and we were actually really good friends from there.

After a week though, things were finally settling down. Fen started to make more decisions for the pack about less drastically and immediately important issues. There were still important things to change and adjust, but Fenrick was making it work. He and Ava talked often and very seriously about these things. I was happy to see them working together, to know that she was being made a part of things. She was a smart woman, had always been smart though I had started to distance myself from her somewhat when she'd headed down the brattier side of her teens. It had been nice to find her, and not just the stuck up brat she'd been turning into but the good friend I'd always had growing up.

I was grateful for Fen for returning my sister to being a reasonable person. Even more grateful when, as things settled down, I could see she was really, truly happy with him. I started to think I might head home. There was a life of easy debauchery to return to, if I wanted it, though there was something about this rugged world I liked. And I couldn't deny an attraction to the werewolf females. They were different from what I'd known, stronger and more open. They were in many ways on more equal footing to their male counterparts than the women I knew at home and I liked that. Freya had been strong and independent like that, she'd known what she wanted and I admired her insistence on going after it without guilt.

I brought home a duck. I had taken to going out into the mountains a bit sometimes to hunt on my own. I was no good for pack hunting without claws and werewolf speed. Imava had mentioned she wanted duck, craved it, so I'd taken it upon myself to go and get it for her. It was partially a way to be useful, partially a way to use up time. I wasn't feeling like Fen and my sister needed my protection anymore, and that left me with time to kill. Wanderlust was maybe setting in a bit with that too, the desire to find my next role in the world.

Fen walked out of his bedroom, nose in the air. “I smell duck. Ava will be very pleased." He said as he entered, The expression on his face, to an average man, might have been terrifying, but I recognized it as a wolfish smile. The massive black werewolf was in his smaller wolf form as he padded towards me. “It is good that you're back. We have something we wish to discuss with you. Something important."

“Important?" I asked, not sure I liked the tone. Sometimes, rarely, Fenrick reminded me of my father and eldest brother. I was pretty sure it was all the guilt and responsibility Fen let weigh him down a bit.

“Did you say duck?" Imava asked, emerging herself. Her eyes seemed to jump to the bird and she snatched it from me, looking it over and licking her lips like she might eat it raw.

“You said you wanted it, and I had the time and effort to spend." I told her, a little disturbed.

Ava grinned at me. “Thank you! I'm going to pluck it and set it to go right now, it'll mean dinner will be a little late but I am not waiting until tomorrow, or burning it. Promise."

Fenrick chuckled. “She really has gotten better about cooking. It has been well over a week since she has burnt anything." His expression sobered a little. “Would you come have a seat with me, brother of my heart?" The term 'brother of my heart' was similar to brother-in-law, but I noticed Fenrick reserved the term for matters he considered deeply important.

“Of course." I said, taking a chair but feeling awkward. He really did seem to be laying on the importance pretty thick. I felt like I was about to be scolded for fighting in school. “Come on now Fen my friend, what's on your mind?" I asked cheerfully.

“I have a matter of some concern, but no simple way to deal with it." He began, his tone somber. “I need a male that I trust, and there are none that I trust more than you, Emmett. My sister, Runa, was mated to Voltas when he took the Pack from my father. With Voltas' death, she has no mate, and by tradition she has become bottom rung of the pack pecking order. I don't allow the abuses that happened under Voltas to low rung females, but that doesn't mean her life is good. She needs a male that is respected to establish her in the pack again. Emmett, I would like for you to take my sister as your mate."

I was sure I looked shocked, very shocked. It seemed I was being married off for political reasons! The idea was both laughable and very serious. I settled my features as best as possible into a thoughtful expression. If I accepted this, it changed everything. I might make a trip home, but I wouldn't stay, I would have to return to my wife. Good gods, I'd thought I had another ten years or so of bachelorhood before I'd settle with some dainty, fun loving little thing of a woman. I could feel the itch to take up Fenrick's sister, though. I imagined she'd had a horridly lonely time of it as Voltas' wife, and I had a problem with leaving lonely people alone. It was an oddly specific weakness and I had no idea where it'd come from. It was why Imava and I had become close as children, she'd been lonely, excluded by our other male siblings.

“Fen." I said, voice still carrying my shock. “I've never met Runa, I don't know her, I don't love her, and I dare say she doesn't feel any of that for me. I mean I can try and make her comfortable, of course, but I don't know if she'll ever be really happy with me. Or I with her, to be honest." I knew that males at least sometimes took up secondary wives among the kin, but mating was also a strange thing. Full moons drove the kin wild, and most matches were made during that time since breeding was guaranteed to have the result of offspring. I wasn't built like a werewolf, to find, track, and hunt down beast or mate. Runa was, possibly, a very simple solution to the fact that I wasn't fit to find a mate the usual way werewolf men did.,

“I don't expect you to love her, or for her to love you. You don't even have to stay with her indefinitely, but right now having a respected mate will ease her transition into the new pack hierarchy." Fen looked a little sad. “Runa was taken by Voltas when she was twelve years old. She's had ten children birthed live, two dead. Only seven of them are still alive. She doesn't understand love. I don't even know her that well since she was taken away from me when I was so young. If you do this, you'll be walking into not only a wife, but seven children, some of which probably resent the fact that their father was killed by me. It won't be easy, and I won't force you to do this. My only other option is Brand, but I didn't want to force him into anything so soon after . . ." He took a deep breath. “After Freya's passing. He's still not really recovered."

I nodded, sobering some on the outside and even more inside. Freya was still a good sized stone in my heart. I hadn't loved the woman exactly, hadn't been in love with her anyway, but she'd been amazing and fun. It was hard to have things end prematurely, and I knew I wasn't the only one that felt her passing keenly. Brand though, of course, had more right to mourn her than I did. Than any of us, really. I let a moment of brooding pass between us before I sat up and smiled cheerfully again. “Well me it is then! I'm sure if Runa can be reasonable about things, we can make it work at least until she's got some respectability under her again. I'm generally good with kids, they like me for some reason. So do animals. I probably could have tamed that duck in there." I said, nodding toward the kitchen. I was joking, somewhat. “Seems to me, Runa deserves a good start to this new life with her family ruling the pack again, and I'd be glad to help give that to her." And help Fen out. I knew family was important to him, and this was probably something he felt deeply about but had had trouble coming up with a solution for.

Fen let out a sigh that sounded like a relieved breath. “Thank you, Emmitt. You're every bit the good man I knew you were. I'll arrange for a meeting with Runa tomorrow morning, if that's alright with you? The sooner we get moving on this, the better it will be for her. She has the biggest house in town, so you'll be comfortable at least, and - of course - you'll always be welcome here."

“Tomorrow sounds fine with me, of course. I haven't made any plans." I smiled at him and leaned forward to pat him on the shoulder. “You're doing great Fen, really. And I'm happy to help where I can. Runa and I can be friends at least, I'm sure." I stood then as Ava came in to set the duck to cooking.

“Oh, I missed the whole conversation." Imava said as though scolding herself. “I'm sorry Fen, it's just … I don't know what's gotten into me." She said as she set up the duck.

“It's what needs to get into you, apparently." I said with a laugh. “No trouble Ima, Fenrick explained it to me. I'll meet Runa tomorrow morning." I mused her hair, which I knew she hated, and went on to the bedroom they'd provided me with to wrap my head around everything for a while.

Fenrick led me towards the house that had once been Voltas, marching as though about some kind of dire business. That sort of seemed to be his nature. Everything was very serious with Fenrick, especially recently. “She's prepared breakfast for you. I've already discussed this with her, so you'll just be doing the introduction and formalizing things for yourself." Fen sighed. “She didn't indicated whether she was happy or angry about matters. She just looked tired, maybe a little scared. I don't think this is going to be the easiest thing you've ever done, brother of my heart. If you need help any time, feel free to ask." He stopped at the edge of the Runa's property.

A small wolf girl, in her werewolf form, came running up. She'd been playing with a younger brother in the front lawn. She stuck out her nose and sniffed me as I drew near. “Are you going be my daddy now?" She asked, looking up at me with curious eyes. She looked at Fen and growled, before turning her attention back to me. Her head was held low, her ears down, and her tail was tucked in between her legs in submission.

I crouched before her, putting on a serious face for her benefit but letting her see the amused brightness in my eyes, too. “I'm going to be your friend." I announced. “Everything else is your decision." I told her, flicking my thumb over her chin at the very front of her snout. It was an expression of endearment I only used rarely, but the little one was cute and I hated to see her looking so worried. “I'm going to go in and talk with your mother now, alright?" I asked her.

She grabbed my pants as I was about to turn. “Please don't hurt her." She said quietly, and then she ran away back to her little brother as though I might hit her for saying that.

I frowned a bit sadly after her. “Well Fenrick, I think your nieces and nephews will be better off without Voltas around." I grumbled. Of course, I'd expected Runa to have suffered some abuse. I had every expectation that she and I might be friends, but probably never lovers or actual husband and wife. She would need time to figure out who she was after all the years she'd spent being abused by Vargas. I was just the welcome mat to something a bit better for her.

“I don't doubt that, Em. I hope you can find some happiness here too." Fen put his hand on my shoulder and then turned to depart. I walked forward into the house and opened the door. The smell of food wafted outwards towards me, and it smelled quite good. The house opened into what looked like a dining hall, and there was a full spread set at the table, far too much food for any one person to eat. At the opposite end of the table was a surprisingly human looking woman. She was a little taller than I was, but she was dressed in a simple white dress. I could see she had golden eyes like Fen, and I could see hints of black fur peeking out from different places around her dress. She walked towards me and curtsied as she approached. “Lord Emmett, I'm to be your wife now. I hope you will be pleased with me." She bowed her head and wouldn't meet my eyes.

I suppressed a giggle, instead smiling broadly at her, though I supposed she couldn't see it with her head bowed. “Please tell me you're going to eat some of this. I can't possible eat it all!" I walked over to the seat next to where it was obvious I was supposed to sit. I pulled it out and nodded to it, inviting her to sit. Her formal greeting was bringing out my manners. “Take whatever form you'd like, by the way, whatever you'd be comfortable in." I smiled at her again.

“Voltas has . . . had me throw away what he didn't eat, and he told me I was ugly in my other forms. I don't want to disappoint you, my lord." She said quietly, still not taking a seat.

“I'm not Voltas." I said soothingly, softly. “Come sit down. You can be in whatever form you'd like, so stay in the hybrid form if you'd like to." I said, equally soft. “I'm not sitting until you do." I added in my more jovial tones. “Where I'm from, it's polite to let Ladies sit first and you've brought out my good breeding with that lovely curtsy you gave there."

“I don't . . . alright." She said quietly, and then she walked to the table and took a seat at the opposite end of the table. There was no plate or anything set there. I wondered where the children were. It seemed strange to set out such a large meal just for one person.

I started putting things on a plate, and launched into conversation with myself. Runa seemed painfully shy, and I found that silence only made shy people feel worse. Once I had the plate full I put it down in front of her, and then started shuffling the food around until I had another plate with food on it for myself. I figured we'd finish eating, and then I'd see if there was a way to call all the children in to eat the rest. I sat near Runa, but not right up against her. I wanted to be close enough to talk without frightening her.

“Well Runa, this seems amazing. You're a far better cook than my sister already. She's working on it but this really smells amazing." I said and smiled, taking a moment to actually eat a bite. “I met a lovely pair of your children out front, the girl was quite charming though I didn't speak to the boy. I can't believe there are seven children running around here and I can't hear any of them from here! One of the best things about kids is all that happy noise they make." I took another bite. “I figure they can come on in when we're finished and eat the rest if they're hungry."

She looked up at me, surprised. “In the main house? You want the children in here?" Her fingers were knotted in her skirts. “You're not going to hurt them are you? I know some males kill the offspring of previous males, but please, I love my children. I'll do anything you want." She whimpered, her eyes glassy.

I felt pained, and like this situation called for a dramatically intense response to make it stick. I got down on my knees beside her, which I knew would be incredibly startling since it was very submissive really, from a wolf's perspective. I carefully pried one of her hands from her dress and leg and held it between mine. “Runa, I'm not ever going to hurt your children. I'll only ever hurt you if you attack me, and then only enough to get you to stop, and I won't enjoy a bit of it. I promise. If you're afraid for the children, if you need to know me better first, I understand and you can keep them wherever you'd like." I changed my tone to be jovial again as I got back into my seat. “I'll leave the room if you think they'll eat this feast though, I really hate to see food go to waste." I shot her an uncertain smile, hoping to gain something of a positive reaction from her.

She looked shocked, but her hands eased in her dress. “No, if you say you won't hurt them I believe you. Voltas and his friends hated them." Tears started to fall down her cheeks. “He killed one once because she tried to crawl on his lap. He just snapped her neck and threw her away." She looked haunted. It was hard to imagine she came from the same line as Fen.

I couldn't help but imagine the girl from outside. I had to take a deep breath, and had lost my appetite. I was no stranger to being angry, but I knew how to manage myself. It was frustrating that I could become so enraged by a man already dead though, it really took the fun out of it. I sighed heavily. I wanted to take Runa up and comfort her, but we were only barely strangers and I didn't think it'd be welcome. “I'm sorry Runa. Voltas did a lot of brutal things we can't undo, but they won't happen anymore. I reached out and squeezed her hand. “Let's call them in then huh? Get the little ones fed. Are there some plates in the kitchen they can use?"

“Yes." She nodded and got up and headed for the kitchen, intent upon getting the dishes for the table. “We sometimes had guests over, so there are dishes for the entire table. The children have never eaten in here though. They weren't allowed in the main house."

"Well, where are they sleeping now? We won't change everything on them at once if they're safe and happy, but I think it makes more sense to keep them close." I followed her, insisting on helping. "I'm sure they'll respond better to you calling than me, not to mention the best I can do is go out there yelling 'children!'" I said with a laugh.

“We used to keep goats, but when I started having children Voltas converted the stables into a place for the children. It's out behind the house." She explained as though this were normal. “You met Oldest and Flint in the yard. The others will probably be up soon." She looked at the plates, then at the table. “I could go get them, but I don't want to leave you with the work here."

I wondered if 'Oldest' was really her name, or just something she went by for some reason, like a title. “Don't worry about it, I can handle it." I said, resisting the impulse to run a hand down her back as we passed in the kitchen. She was beautiful, and I constantly had the feeling I should be comforting her. “Go on and I'll get things set up." I told her with a smile and a wink.

I set the table while she went to gather the children. I wondered about their ages, how they'd act. I wondered if they were as shy and damaged as Runa, or headstrong and ill behaved from lack of attention. I had filled about half the plates when the children came in, timid at first. I stepped back and made them a sweeping bow over the table, then invited them to sit down. This started us off on good, fun footing. Children adjust far faster than adults, and I found it easy to coax the shy ones out and ease the pouty ones into smiles. They were all in werewolf form for the meal, and the truth was, I was a horrible judge of werewolf age. I still had only a vague idea of their age range when the meal was done.

I started working on learning their names and personalities, and while the meal was going on I proposed a game of tag outside with some of the older ones. I noticed one of the boys, who I thought was somewhere in the middle in age of his siblings, had a cough. He tried to keep it well hidden, and it seemed to make Runa nervous as well. I figured his illness would have been a sign of weakness to Vargas, a reason to end his little life. I ignored it for the time, but made note to myself. If he got worse or needed attention I'd bring it up.

When nighttime came I went out to the stables with a book I'd had in my small pack I'd brought here, a favorite of Imava and I's as children that I often carried about and reread. The book was in terrible disrepair and it was already a replacement of the original she and I had read through. I was tired from the strain of being in a new, unknown environment, from playing so long with children and their endless amounts of energy, but I wanted to make sure the stables would be alright for them and figured the kids would love to be read to.

It took some settling and clustering, this was obviously not something they'd done often if at all. Then I read to them the first chapter of the book, having to remind some of the restless ones to imagine what I was saying. About half of them were asleep when I finished for the night, promising them another chapter the next night. The stables were alright, but not the best situation. I supposed for werewolves it was alright with their thick skin and fur, but I still felt like I'd be more comfortable moving them into the house soon.

I went back to the house and sighed, sitting heavily in a chair by a fireplace. Bed sounded like it might be a good idea sooner rather than later, and I snorted at myself because of how ridiculously early it was. Back over the mountains, I'd have been getting ready to go out and raise a little Hell.

I found Runa in the sitting room on her hands and knees washing the floor which was already clean. She was in her strange hybrid form which made the hunched over position all the more uncomfortable I was certain. She didn't seem to notice me as I entered the room. I leaned against the doorway. “That looks really clean to me, its been a long day, do you want to go to bed?" I asked, honestly thinking of sleep. In my tired state, I didn't think about my phrasing. I assumed she'd have a guest room set up for me.

She stood up , putting her cleaning things in a bucket. “I will if you want me to." She said, smiling, an expression that didn't reach her eyes.

“Well, I'd like to go to bed anyway." I said with a shrug, forgetting to reassure her that she certainly didn't need to want to do the same. “Can you show me to where I'll be sleeping?" I asked, looking around. I honestly hadn't spent much time in the house that day.

“Yes, follow me." She lead the way up a flight of stairs and to the end of the hall, and then she opened the door onto a room with one of the largest beds I'd ever seen in the middle. She closed the door behind us as we entered and began taking off her clothing. She carefully folded it into a pile and that sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at her legs.

“Oh." I said uncertainly. A part of me wanted to pretend this undressing was a sign she wanted me, but I knew that wasn't true. No one had ever just, undressed in front of me and then sat down like that. I walked up to her and took her chin in my fingers, rubbing my thumb over the tip of it. I tilted her head back to look at me. I smiled at her. “You don't want this Runa." My eyes wandered over her a little and I grinned as I returned my gaze to her face. “I mean if you ever do, I'd certainly be willing. Is this where you sleep? I can sleep elsewhere if you'd be more comfortable. I know the hybrid form isn't the most comfortable, if you can't relax and be something else around me then I suppose we really should sleep in separate beds."

Hey eyes looked a little hurt. “I'm not sure how to make you happy. I knew what was expected of me with my husband . . . with Voltas, he had rules, and as long as I did exactly what he told me he wouldn't hurt me or the children. I'm afraid that I'm doing this wrong for you. Do you prefer me in another form?" As she said this her body snapped and cracked as she grew into her full werewolf form. She let out involuntary sigh of relaxation as she left her least natural form. “I can be whatever you need."

I sat down next to her with a sigh and took her hand in mine. “I know this has to be confusing, frightening even. I don't have a set of rules you have to follow to keep me from hurting you. Or another set to keep me happy. I just want you to do what you want to do, be who and what you want to be. I'm not going to hurt you or the children, so you don't have to worry about that." I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her gently against me, rubbing her arm comfortingly. I didn't know what else to tell her, I thought most of it would take her time to accept, and then she'd have to fumble around figuring out what she wanted to be like.

“I'm really scared." She said softly. “I know my brother will be a better Alpha than Voltas was, but he's all I've ever known. I'm not sure if I have a place in this pack anymore. All I know how to do is serve."

“It's alright Runa, I can help you. I will help you, and you don't have to sleep with me to have that." I said and kissed the side of her head. “You have a place, I'm important in the pack, and we can find you something you'd like to do that can give you a real sense of worth, if you'd like."

“Do you really not care what form I take?" She asked, sounding far smaller than she was.

“I honestly don't care." I said, a smile in my voice. I kissed her head again, and bent my elbow so I could rub my hand over the fur of her neck.

Her body creaked and shifted, and before long I was sitting next to a large wolf with bright golden eyes. “This is my natural form. I have barely worn it in the last ten years." She said, and she laid down and put her head on my lap. “Thank you for letting me relax. It's so hard to hold my hybrid shape while I'm trying to sleep."

I stroked her along her length, like I would have a dog. “No trouble at all." I said with a sigh, her relaxation making it easier for me to do so. What sort of man kept everyone around him so twisted up and uncomfortable? How had that pleased him? “I went and read a story to the kids as they were settling in. How old are they all?"

“Oldest is ten. Kathor, Syndil and Tivald are 8. Etris and Viyya are 5 and Flint is 4. Voltas hasn't had sex with me since just after Flint was conceived. He said I'd gotten too old. I preferred it that way. He liked to hurt me while we mated. Sometimes it was just claws in my back, but occasionally he liked to break my bones, or bite me deeply so that I would pass out while we were together."

“Oldest's name, I mean, that's really her name?" I asked, not sure what to say at the abuse she'd suffered in the bedroom. I always tried to make it pleasurable for the women I was with, but I thought it Runa ever showed interest, I'd have to try especially hard for her. She seemed like she could certainly use a little pleasure after all she'd been through. I also thought about Vargas calling her too old, Runa was only 22, and Vargas had first taken her at 12. Then I thought of Oldest, and I was glad he hadn't lived any longer. I laid down to be more comfortable on the bed, but stayed curled in Runa's direction so I could continue running a hand over her.

“Her name used to be Holly, but Voltas changed it after he killed her sister. He thought it would encourage the others to try and fight her to take her place. I wasn't allowed to use her old name anymore. She was only three when it changed. I don't know if she remembers the old one." She said, sounding sad.

“Well how about we take her aside tomorrow and ask her what she'd prefer?" I offered, looking over her wolf form. “Your fur is so soft, and it's so dark, like your brothers'." I sat up to take my boots off and then my pants, leaving me in underthings and my shirt. I didn't have any night things to wear yet, I hadn't been with the kin long and there had been other issues to deal with. Not to mentioned I'd been sleeping alone, which meant clothing was optional.

“I was told it was ugly. I still feel a bit embarrassed to be wearing it, even if it's nice to not have the ache in my bones. If you don't want anything from me, why did you agree to be my mate? Is my brother paying you to help me?" She seemed at a loss to understand that a person might help another without expecting something in return.

“Well it's not ugly, and especially not to me." I laid back down and smiled at her, scratching her behind the ears. “No Fen's not paying me. He asked me if I would help you, and I said yes." I shrugged. “I figured if we couldn't learn to like one another and build a relationship, it only has to be temporary. In the meantime, I get to help a beautiful woman get a new start in life!" I smiled widely at her. “I thought you must be lonely, that being married to Voltas had probably been frightening, painful, and lonely. I can't leave lonely people alone, it just gnaws away at me if I don't try to help them out." I shrugged. “It's just a strange little part of who I am, and there are a lot of those strange little things." I laughed and impulsively leaned in to rub my face against her soft shoulder for a moment before I laid back again.

Runa leaned into me on her, and draped her tail over me. “After the men in my life for the past ten years, it's hard to believe you are what you say you are. You're sweet, and you make me feel safe." She pushed her nose into my chest and gently nipped at me. “Would you like to have sex with me, Emmett?" She asked as her head came back up.

I felt my body responding to her touch, and her offer. I took her head in my hands and gazed into her golden eyes. “Of course I do, but I want you to want it first." I flicked my thumb over her chin and then crawled further up into the bed. “You can sleep here if you'd like, I'd like that. Or if you'd rather sleep with the children I understand. I'd like to move them into the house soon, is tomorrow too soon do you think?" I said, feeling slightly embarrassed that she could probably tell I'd gotten slightly aroused. Then again, maybe it'd do her some good to know I found her attractive, and that I could control myself.

She dragged her tail over my hardness, and then scooted up the bed and laid down next to me. “I'd like to move the children in. I'd like them to know what it's like to sleep in a warm place. I will set up the spare rooms for them tomorrow. I'll sleep here with you tonight. They're not used to me sleeping with them. Voltas insisted I sleep in this bed with him, even if he was entertaining other women. I think I'd like to spend a night in this bed as I really am, and not in the form he forced me to take . . . it would make me feel . . . “ She was quiet for a bit, as though trying to find the right words. “In control. Will you hold me?" She asked. “He never touched me except for sex . . . I would like to try it."

"Yes." I said, smiling at her. I turned on my side and opened my arms for her to come curl up against me. Then I yawned and rubbed my eye with one hand. "I'm exhausted." I admitted.

She crawled across the bed and slid into my arms, pushing her face against my chest and draping her tail over my legs. “I'm tired too. I haven't slept since it happened . . . I was worried about what would come of me and the kids. I was afraid we would be exiled. I knew it was my brother who won, but I don't even know him anymore. I'm glad you're nice." She said the last quietly, tired, and in a moment I could feel her breathing pick up into a steady, slow pace.

I smiled and pet her a little more before falling asleep, happy she seemed comfortable. Today had gone far better than I'd hoped. Oldest at 10 didn't seem to hold a grudge against me, and neither did any of the other children. It seemed they had so little contact with their father, they didn't know to care really. I had also been worried Runa might have been more a brainwashed convert, but she was just more broken than I'd expected instead. I frowned a little and tried to block out all the horrible things she'd told me about. I settled on concentrating on the feel of her fur beneath my fingers, and I soon fell asleep as well.