skill: ?

He'd been quiet after offering his words, letting the others offer their opinions. He had been absent, and while he knew of Nottin it did not seem right for him to offer a vote. It would have been hollow - he could only assume the good intentions and what each of the wolves who put themselves forth might have done. After the votes had been tallied and it was clear that despite the support she had, Euphemia had not been selected by their peers as the Pillar of Courage. Still - had she not been brave? Had she not done a great service to Dawnbreak by even offering herself? They all had - each of the wolves who had stepped forth to try and shoulder some of the responsibility.

Maybe it was for the best that Nottin had been selected. Maybe it would give Aurelia and Tiberii a chance to actually grieve the loss of Genghis without needing to put another of the Shakti-Vaes children through so much. They had all lost so much, but it was more personal he thought to the children that had grown up under Genghis' watchful gaze. There was a second when he saw some of the others beginning to disperse and his golden gaze met Euphemia's eyes and he saw something in her - he was unsure what the emotion he saw swimming in her gaze was, but he cleared his throat before he approached her. It was surprisingly easy to weave his large body through the gathered of Dawnbreak, even as some left and headed this way and that.

He touched her shoulder gently before canting his head to the side, inviting her to walk with him. Maybe getting some air further from the prying eyes of all the other wolves might help give her the space to process her feelings, whatever they might be.

[she doesn't know that the world is turning just for her]

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.

---

skill: ?

It was a blur between everyone moving and talking, and it made for a perfect opportunity for the two wolves to walk away. Vidarr used his bulk to block the view both for Euphemia and the rest of Dawnbreak. An ear flicked when she spoke, but she seemed so dismissive of making a choice. Passive to what he did, what he thought and what might be the best option. Vidarr had spent years leading after he could recognize in others when the weight of the world was threatening to crush someone. He let out a soft sigh but nodded. Let's go. He said it quietly, taking her further away from everyone.

Vidarr's goal was to take them at least far enough away that they didn't hear everyone's accolades for Nottin - which were earned, no fault to him at all! - while she was starting to crumble. You know, He began, his voice low - rather than his booming presence he wanted to be subdued for her. This was a time to shelter, not a time to overwhelm. Long ago I followed my father, desperate to learn how to lead from his example. Knowing that once he was gone, I would be the one others looked to - the one they expected to protect them and guide them. He was blessed to have had as long with his father as he did, which only made it harder. In Kaldrvegr, I was fortunate to know it was my responsibility to take my father's role. I knew that since I was young, and I had time to prepare and to grow. He was gentle as he reached out to gently guide her head up with his snout.

Ljós (Light) you have so much to give to Dawnbreak, and you were brave today. Your parents would be proud of that, of who you are becoming. They were admittedly adults, and yet he still saw them as those gangly yearlings sometimes. It wasn't bad necessarily, because it was a specific sort of privilege in seeing who they were and see who they were becoming.

[she doesn't know that the world is turning just for her]

skill: [none]

---

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?

---

skill: ?

It wasn't that he thought somehow merely his presence would be enough to settle the tempest within her. Still, Vidarr had never been one to fear the waves as they rolled or the thunder as it boomed or the lightning as it danced across the sky. No storm, even grief, had been enough to scare Vidarr Asulf. Euphemia still had her own thoughts about the situation, as clear by her responses and the way she seemed so far from the lighthearted woman he thought she was. I think you misunderstand. Vidarr said gently, because it was not because he had learned his entire life that he thought her to be somehow unworthy. It was exactly the opposite. I always knew, from my younger days, that I was expected to become the next Hjálprekr (legendary King). You never had such a path set before you, instead you chose to face the moment head on and you did so for Dawnbreak. Vidarr would not allow her to sell herself short.

Aye, I am certain that they are proud of each of you. Vidarr, while a grown man who did not share blood with them, still cared so deeply for his friends' opinions of him. Vidarr had a number of siblings, he understood the difficulties that jostling for rank amongst siblings could do. It could start to shake the foundation of even the most close of siblings. It gave him pause, realizing why she was struggling - had Ormr ever looked at him with envy? Had Eira? Thoughts of his own siblings hurt him and though ruthless in the defense of those he cared for, the kind-hearted wolf did not long for the pain of others. To think that he might have caused such a hurt in his siblings made him worried - and he could not even ask his siblings to verify.

I had the luxury of time and training. And without already having the knowledge, you were still willing to step up. That is a precious, precious thing about you. Vidarr knew that he was lucky, and that Eira by contrast had not been when she had taken up his helm. And from what I heard, no one thought they would have to step up so quickly. Dawnbreak would be lucky to have you, should you seek that path again. There was much that shifted in Dawnbreak that was quite different than how Vidarr had been brought up. It was a pleasant change he thought, as he got to watch the Shakti-Vaes children grow into the people they were truly meant to be.

[she doesn't know that the world is turning just for her]

skill: [none]

---

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.

---