skill: [none]

When the voting had concluded, and Nottin had addressed the entirety of Dawnbreak as the newest Pillar, Euphemia found it difficult to move.

So, she stayed right where she was, ass planted on the ground. It was almost as if she believed if she didn’t move, then no one would be able to perceive her or know she was there. The wolves dispersed, the ghost of Genghis acknowledged and accepted. Euphemia was in limbo, not exactly sure what had just happened and how to process it.

The maiden was suddenly hyper-aware of every mistake she had ever made, that led up to this embarrassment. She should have been more involved in the pack’s politics beforehand, demonstrating an interest in leadership from early on. She should have committed herself to the Pillar of Courage, instead of pledging her life to botany and the healing arts. Should have made better friends with those members of Dawnbreak that were not made of the same sinew and bone as she. Should have, should have, should have…

Euphemia hadn’t given a single thought to the expression written across her visage until Vidarr interrupted her mental spiral. He didn’t bother saying anything either, only motioned for them to move the side. Out of the center stage, where she had so desperately sought invisibility and anonymity.

The silvered fae looked up at the giant northerner, absolutely unsure what her response should be. Was this something that others would consider devastating? Should she even be able to look at him in those big, baleful eyes? Or should she have pride, or be obstinate about such a result? After all, it did feel heinous that anyone should be considered more capable of serving Dawnbreak than she, even Nottin. Look at Dalmatia, look at Dalmatia’s vote… Tiberii, Isaiah...

and then look at Aurelia.

Yeah, I… Phia muttered finally, absently. I gotta get out of here, and she stood up, allowing herself to be directed where ever he thought best.

Clearly, her own instincts couldn’t be trusted.

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skill: [none]

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Euphemia didn’t see anyone; her gaze stared out in front of her, unfocused. The only thing she saw was him. He was framed by the movement of others, the dispersal of the crowd, but he didn’t move. Vidarr was stalwart, and her unfocused gaze began to center on his chest, and the fur on his chest, and she noticed how thick his northern coat was, and how each hair fell somewhere different on the scale of pale grey to dark slate. Shadows caressed the curve of his breastbone, and the shadows became shallower as he breathed.

It was almost meditative, to look at something so closely and so minutely. It calmed her, and she allowed herself to at least be steered away from the dispersing pack. Then Vidarr spoke – thank god he was filling the air with words, which meant that she didn’t have to – and she sat as an empty vessel, being filled with his words. They were complimentary, but Euphemia still felt hollow.

Sure, she was brave, but not brave enough to be the Pillar of Courage – that’s what she thought as he oh-so-gently nudged her muzzle upwards, daring her to not look so forlorn. For a moment, Euphemia remarked on the fact that it was Vidarr at her side, who was quite possibly the last soul she wanted to see in the moment, at what currently felt like the lousiest, lowest moment of her life. It should be one of her sisters, maybe Dalmatia, someone she could just melt into and experience her fullest sorrows.

But instead, the silvered maiden allowed her visage to be guided upwards, and she delighted in the slightest touch he proffered, even if it was set against a backdrop of regret.

Finally, she sighed, unsure what to say but knowing that she needed to say something. I thought it was something Genghis would want, but… her jaw tightened into a grimace, used perhaps ironically. Perhaps not. Either way, Euphemia was eager to be understood. She had volunteered herself not because she thought herself some great warrior or politician – she simply felt it was her duty to her family.

I honestly thought no one was going to volunteer, so I did. If I knew Nottin was going to run too…

If she had known, she wouldn’t have put her name forth. For all the reasons that Vidarr was skillfully insinuating. She didn’t train hard enough, didn’t fulfill the needs of the role enough. Nottin clearly was better than her, and the votes he secured had been hard-fought for. Hers had been born to her. It smarted, understanding the clear undertone of what Vidarr was saying. Those meant to lead trained for it all their life –

and that was not Euphemia.

Euphemia sighed, briefly glancing around Vidarr to look at the now-empty meeting space. He mentioned mother and father, and she felt it was such a cursory compliment. They would have been proud of her no matter what she did, most likely. Do you think Mother and Father would be proud of Aurelia? the young woman asked flatly, thinking hotly to the vote that threw the election. Many might say that Hexx’s vote tipped the boat in Nottin’s favor. Euphemia couldn’t care less about Hexx in the face of the vote Aurelia had cast.

Aurelia was her own twin. How could she?

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skill: [none]

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Euphemia shifted uncomfortably as Vidarr doubled down on the concept that her volunteerism was not entirely unwarranted, and she was not the stupidest idiot in the world for thinking she might be voted into a position of power, with real responsibility. The maiden did not believe that he would outright lie to her, so somewhere deep in her logical mind, it made sense to believe him. However, the feeling in her stomach felt so far from what Vidarr described, all she truly felt in this moment was incredulous that someone would look at woeful little her, and think all of these great things.

He was so well-spoken about all the feelings that Euphemia herself was feeling for the very first time, it felt nice to be so understood with so little effort. As embarrassing and raw as it was, she could not help but feel that she did not hate the feeling of being so vulnerable in front of him. Perhaps it tickled the fancy of the very same place that trusted him deeply; trusted him as one she had known her entire life. In a world where her own twin could vote against her, at least there was Vidarr, who worked to instill her with confidence. That too, was nice.

It felt better than whatever sorrow she felt before, and it was easy to yield her regret to... whatever it was that Vidarr's philosophies offered her.

Euphemia drew a deep breath and released it, surprised at how her diaphragm shuddered with withheld emotion. Her gaze dropped to the ground, seemingly suddenly introspective. Then, the same spirit that subsumed her when she put herself forth in the election took hold of her, and the silvered maiden drifted towards him, looking upwards.You really think so? She sought affirmation once more, the shallowness of her breath simply unable to create sounds louder than a whisper, but the question hung heavy and valid and seeking.

She didn’t know what she expected next, and Euphemia didn’t care if it sounded dramatic – but if Vidarr put space between them, she hoped the earth would crack open wide and swallow her whole.

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