By the time Auden's cries subside, she's sunken to the ground on her knees before the graves of her parents. She's not alone however, Kieran having wrapped a half-supporting, half-comforting arm about her shoulders had gone down with her. He doesn't speak in comfort or in judgment, simply allowing Auden to come to terms with grief she'd thought she'd dealt with, stamped deep down within her over the year. Her vision is blurred, her throat burns with the tears shed but that stone she'd grown so used to carrying in her chest feels lighter.
He doesn't so much as flinch when she finally subsides, a shivering breath as she wipes her face on her cloak. Something Auden knew would of sent Laurel into an absolute meltdown. When she drops the cloak, Auden sees his hand extended to her and as she takes it he easily helps her to her feet. His grip is firm, and she can feel the strength that flexed beneath his grip and the callouses against her skin. When she's back on her feet, he lets go of her hand a little too abruptly but Auden doesn't comment. Pretends not to notice as she brushes dirt from her knees.
"Are you ready to go back?" She doesn't answer at first casting a lingering glance over the decimated cabin that was meant to be her home in another life, coming to rest with a heaviness upon their graves. "I'll take you back here whenever you'd like. Or feel free to come on your own."
"Someday." Auden agrees, her fingers suddenly needing something to do lifting her hood up against the chilled breeze. "I think I might like a little time first. But for now I'm ready to go back. You've held up your promise, I'll hear you out." He makes a soft noise, relief or gratitude she can't tell. It's almost familiar as they fall into step with one another, side by side. She can feel the warmth of him, close to her side but they never touch. Each step that carries them further from the ruins of the cabin are a quiet relief and welcome to Auden.
The soreness from her trek through the forest last night, and out to the cabin are hardly felt to the freckle-dusted redhead, too lost in her own thoughts. Too soon and not soon enough the scorched earth beneath them gives way back to the lush valley, the sounds of the river distant dancing on the chilled air. At the top of the hill the small temple, more shrine and gazebo than anything, glitters beneath the sun. The wind shifts downwards at them and Kieran's the first to notice something amiss, as he draws to a sudden stop beside Auden halfway up the hill.
Irritation, unfettered and pure unfold across his face, pulling his lips back into a curl before he hefts a large sigh his face settling back into a contrived neutrality. "We have company it'd appear." Kieran doesn't elaborate, just continues forward up the path leaving Auden to follow his long stride. The reason for his agitation is draped over one of the white stone rails of the temple, eyes shut as his chest rose and fell. His skin was the same milky cream as Auden's mother, unblemished by scar or freckle. Just like her mother, he also had the same glittering, brilliant silver hair and slightly pointed elongated ears.
As Auden and Kieran draw up over the crest of the hill the male gives a lazy yawn, stretching like a cat beneath the sun before he sat up rubbing his eyes. He looked hardly older than Auden, and where Kieran was raw intimidating coiled muscle and power; this male was slender grace. He was dressed in pure silver robes, that partially exposed his chest and his arms were decorated with thin silver bangles twisted like vines.
His lavender gaze flicks over Kieran, the disinterest clear before falling to Auden. There's some genuine curiosity in his gaze, scrutinizing and calculating. "You're Tabi's girl?" His voice is as polished and glittering as the silver he wears, and deftly he jumps down from the railing of the temple. He's not intimidatingly tall, but Auden can almost feel the thrumming of power that crackled over his skin.
"You are?" Auden returns the question instead, chin tilts upwards ever so slightly, stubborn and challenging but it only fans some approval in the ashen-haired male's gaze. He seems to accept her answer as confirmation as he places his hand over his chest, bowing slightly to her. Kieran scoffs, but the blonde ignores him as he straightens back up, arm dropping back to his side with an easy and charming smile.
"Aurelius Basiliam. I meant to be here last night but I was caught up in some other business." His words are sweet as honey, dripping over Auden as he flashes a near blinding smile.
"Auden Yusinne." It's her father's name that still feels familiar and true on her tongue though she notes the way Aurelius' eyes darken ever so slightly. But he makes no verbal note of it, his gaze focused on her own mismatched one. Kieran says nothing, his arms crossed over his broad chest as he stood slightly behind Auden, the sunlight illuminating his black curls like a dark halo. Aurelius however hops from the balcony with a flourish as he straightens.
"I'm to be your instructor, of course." He drawls as if it's the most obvious thing and Kieran hisses at Aurelius.
"I-instructor?" Auden questions, confused as the breeze stirred her coppery hair about her face. Kieran's face darkens behind Auden at Aurelius.
"As usual mage, you're ahead of yourself. We haven't-" Aurelius waves him off.
"The girl's clever enough, she's pieced it together." He suddenly leans forward his face close to Auden as the sun glinted off his silver hair, some enticement in his gaze. "You've figured it out haven't you? The wolves want you to take your mother's place. I'm going to teach you magic." The breeze whispers by, cool and refreshing beneath the sun. A whisper of promise and confidence in Aurelius' tone, his offer.
Auden cranes her neck to look behind her shoulder at Kieran who despite his clenched jaw offers a s nod at Aurelius' words. Auden can only shake her head. "I'm not… I'm not like my mother." Is all she can offer, which seems to delight Aurelius.
"Of course you are Auden. You just haven't been taught. It's like riding a bike." He reaches out without warning, his palm against her forehead. Almost as if he was checking for a fever. "Your mother was… she was incredible. In her magic and devotion to you and your father. But that kind of magic can be… overwhelming for a babe so it's common to bind a child's magic until they can learn to harness it. Your bind just hasn't been broken yet." He withdraws his palm and straightens up, his lips pressed together with a grim smile. "I can unbind it, will unbind it, but only if you wish to learn."
The words are a siren's promise— and that something inside Auden that had bid her to run, from Laurel from the estate to freedom twists with excitement. "What… what will happen if I say yes?" She finally croaks out, her throat dryer than she'd like. Would her life forever be beyond the wall, out here in the woods? What did an emissaries role to a pack look like? She expects Aurelius to answer but it's Kieran's low rumble.
"You would have a life out here, with the pack. A role of prestige and honor, a packmate to us and more. It can be… dangerous but we'd do our best to protect you when needed. We have… learned from our mistake of having our emissary's home outside the main village. That guest cabin would be yours. Aurelius would stay to instruct you." Auden had pieces together as much. But the revelation that she could actually learn magic… every thought of freedom, a life of more than just behind the human's wall— that was tantalizing. It had been everything she wanted when she ran.
"Of course it won't be easy, learning magic, you've had a late start." Aurelius glares at Kieran as if somehow that was his fault. But that wild, twisting thing that had always been in Auden trembles. In that moment she sees two very distinct paths lain out for her. Auden knows with a certainty in her blood which one she'd pick.
"I'll learn." Auden says softly, then clears her throat as she tucks some flyaway copper hair behind her ear. "I'll learn from Aurelius, I'll fill the role my mother left behind." She agrees, mustering a small smile that she tries to imbue some measure of confidence in, painted on her plush pink lips, offering a sort of half bow of gratitude, of promise to the two males, the afternoon sun turning her coppery hair to a blaze. "When do we begin?"