Yes, I did word my sentence carefully as well- teasingly so, tossing in so casually that names of Eris’ true born brothers, though both are long since dead, along with her true-blood sire and Mother, the later by my own fangs while Eris stood beside me and watched. A distant, momentary grin lingered in place at the thought of such a night, so many, many years ago. Others may say anything they wish- yet that night, she became my daughter in every sense of the word. The reason for the mention of her siblings names was no more than a subtle reminder to the girl who stood before me, above me that I still know more than she does, that no matter what secrets she believes she has uncovered she never has, nor ever will match my knowledge on such topics and she should well remember her place in this life. Until the day I die she will stand beneath me and she will respect that. Perhaps she’s owed the truth- but it will be at my discretion. If I damn well feel like it and as it is, this is a rather touchy topic, one even Devil and I never discussed, the black Alpha wise enough to accept and leave it alone, even Jaidah, true-blood sister to Eris never dared to seek her sisters return and Eris turned her back on that bloodline, renounced it in every way. She was my daughter. No one else’s. Not now, not ever. Maybe Ava does deserve the truth, but to my mind- that is it. If she wants to get…technical then so be it. Let us see if I am feeling benevolent, smirk or you want, my darling Ava, but I have played this game a very, very long time and perhaps I alone am the single wolf who does not fear you. Not even a little bit. Her features lift, slightly, head raising as she allows some semblance of emotion to eclipse the delicate outlay of her face, some vague sense of amusement seeming to hold her form, my own eye lifting slightly, a silent question as to what exactly she found so comical.

Her words brought another passing smirk to my own lips, violet gaze flickering in amusement as she claimed to accept this answer. Well, one should not ask a vague question that can be so easily deflected if one wants a straight answer now should they? Surely I taught her better than that? Then again, that she even had the courage to bring up a topic most dare not even breathe near is respectable in a way, even if we were still dancing so teasingly around it. I had a feeling however, any humorous notes within this conversation would soon taper out. The dark girl lifted smoothly from her seat, her large, powerful form, so perfectly within it’s prime gliding softly across the earth. Honestly, she was well built enough, graceful enough and lithe enough despite her size, for many to believe she bore my blood in one way or another. Truly it was only the eyes that gave it away. Eyes never lie, never, I teach my own apprentices this. After all, coat lies, a child often taking after grandparents, throwing back to blood long forgotten yet for whatever reason this is not the case with optics, no, eyes truly are the window to the soul in my belief and the shade of one’s eyes bare the truth of the blood- and Ava’s eyes are her Fathers….golden, like his Mother before him with touches of Eris’ blue. All those born from my line carry the violet taint, or the opalescent blue of Zeivah in one way or another, though Azrael’s imprint has added gold to the lineage now. The signs were always there, though it seems few are willing to question what I say is truth. It has been that way for years. What can I say? I’m good with words.

The girl moved, coming to sit before me, her muzzle stretched forward towards my own though she held no true malice within her actions, no actually dominance or aggression as I remained unflinching and calm before her, hot tendrils of air released from my muzzle to caress her own as she lent close, allowing her to do as she pleased, if she is attempting intimidation she has chosen the wrong creature. I met her gaze levelly, evenly, I respect her enough for that and if this is the conversation she wants, so be it. I merely gestured for her to continue, ears rotating slightly at the tone within her voice, a momentary single rumbling within my chest a warning to watch herself all the same. She is a powerful creature, a prideful one- an exquisite one and yet- so am I. Tread carefully if you want the truth I hold- or some admittance of it. She continued on, that latina of her voice a pleasant sound, a perfect symphony for a creature designed to be all an Assassin should, a perfect Artist and truly, no matter what occurs this day I will forever hold the pride of saying I held some part in the creation of all that is Ava, a wolf from whom greatness always called.

“Verum quia haec locutus sum vobis in omni re a me, tenebris. Numquam enim mentiti sunt mihi, numquam quaeritur te.”
(I have told you the truth of every question you have ever asked me, darkling. I have never lied- you have never asked.)

It was true, was it not? She had never asked me if I had fathered her Mother. She assumed what all others believed, I simply never corrected and as already stated, in every way, Eris was my child and she my grandchild. She turned her head aside, pausing to look over the fading gold of the sun as it set upon Diveen, bathing the earth in gleaming light, setting our own forms aglow. She spoke again, her eyes still held away, my own violet optics following her gaze to linger upon the land. These words were hasher, cooler and I returned such vocals in atone much the same, hasher, words tainted with a muted veil of agitation.

“Dic igitur Ava quod vos non creditis? Sicarius sanguine nati sunt tibi credas posui vos, et posui vos ut credatis natus es mundi et staret supra communem plebem. Et suscitavit natus es de Angelis in sinum pack. Tu locutus es tu et omnia semper. Eris renunciavit ei sanguinem vindicare cum esset anniculos. Et sanguinis ejus ea conversa retrorsum vicissim iuncta meae. Cum aliquis interrogans te et Ava qui patrem non numquam Castore cum autem dixerint ad te filii patris vestri, qui? Qui raisd vobis? Quid dicis? Pater non est idem pater. Eris filiam meam. Meis, et non alii. Ego tuli te, cum ea non posse attolli. Aliquam non sum ego sed omnimodis cruentis pater patris sui.”
(Then tell me Ava, what do you believe you are not? I raised you to believe you were born to Assassin blood, you are, I raised you to believe you were born to stand above the common rabble of this earth and you are. You were born to a pack of Angels and raised in their embrace. You are everything I have ever told you you are. Eris renounced her blood-claim when she was a year old. She turned her back on her bloodline and in turn joined my own. When someone asks you, Ava, who is your sire, you will say Castor, but when they ask you, who was your Father? Who raised you? What will you say? Sire and Father are not the same. Eris was my daughter. Mine and no others. I raised her as I raised you when she could not. Maybe I am not her blood-sire but in every way I was her Father. That is no lie.)

It was true, was it not? Ava is born of an Assassin bloodline, just not mine- but she never asked. She was raised t believe she was Angel-born, also true, just via adoption. She was born and raised to believe no lies, just a different truth and indeed, can she deny my claims? Sire and Father are not the same, not even close. I raised Eris as my own, when I took Trenus I had no children of true-blood, I made Eris my heir. For she was my daughter. She renounced her blood and I made her my own. Ava has not been lied to- she just hasn’t been told every truth and yet would she rather have known? Would she rather shout about her connection to the weak vileness of Jaidah’s bloodline? Proclaim from the hills her ties to Tobias and Demons? I protected her, I shielded her from that and she has the nerve to feel slighted, I snorted, my own lip lifting slightly too briefly bare a single fang in irritation, my own tail lashing in time with hers as her own features seemed to darken with this knowledge of her blood. She wanted to know? Fine.

“Uerum uelis sanguine Ava negare velitis, et matris desiderium hoc quod cognosceret ejiciendum? Ita fiat, fiat. Eris "Ares genitor, alpha de Paracon, despied masculus a nativitate, et evanuit ante abandonded eius pack ad recipiendum a turpis Clama. Eris "Apollymi matris fuit, Alphess de Judila et ego wolfess salughtered mea dentes, a wolfess qui putabat adeo ut ipsi institores eius et filii vestri filiis suis avunculi Trenus ad favorem pro bonis, tam pueri periit. Eris dea viveret quia furabar illam, quia vidi Jaidah scriptor ambitio, quia Eris erat solum in viam suam semel amovi matre mecum tuta fuit. Eris dea vertit retro Jaidah, Anthropophagos in ipsa peperit masculum conjuges a magis memini tunc curat facta discipule mi, et peperit filiam duxi eam hersself honoris, facta est aliquid alicui. Arsenicum sinu Patris super te geris in sanguine, ex Alphaess Judila etiam, pater nihil scio de. Ibi felici? Quod es hoc ipsum in hac vita amke Ava. Non autem sanguis, qui possint esse. Ut non inferatis per sanguinem meum doleo, si corrigere non potui, sed volo vos mihi ..... et semper ita de aliis.”
(You want the truth of your blood Ava, you wish to deny your Mother's wishes and have knowledge of that which she cast away? So be it. Eris' sire was Ares, Alpha of Paracon, a despised male who vanished before the birth and abandoned his pack to be taken over by Devil May Cry. Eris' dam was Apollymi, Alphess of Judila and a wolfess I slaughtered with my own fangs, a wolfess who thought so little of her children that she traded her sons and your uncles to Trenus for good favour, the boys both died. Eris lived because I stole her, because I saw Jaidah's ambition, because Eris was the only thing in her way once i removed her Mother and with me she was safe. Eris turned her back on Jaidah, on the cannibals she spawned from more male consorts then I can remember to care about, she became my apprentice, she became my daughter and she brought honour to herself, she became something, someone. On you Father's side you carry the blood of Arsenic, Alphaess of Judila also, the sire I know nothing of. There, happy? You are what you make yourself in this life Ava. That may be your blood but it is not who you are. You do not carry my blood and for that I am sorry, if I could rectify it I would- but.....I will always think of you as my own and so will all others.)

I allowed my voice to soften, slightly towards the end, irritation still evident in my frame and yet…I respect her wishes enough to give her truth, even if I despise it, even so it is done, it is said, if she wishes to reclaim such blood then let her, I can demand nothing from her anymore and yet my words are true. She is mine, as her Mother before her and my thoughts on that will not change. Some part of myself acknowledges this- love. I saw her born, I watched over her as she took her first breaths, Ava is perhaps more my own then even Eris. The silence between us grew as she moved to sit against beside me, the rise and fall of my own sides bringing the snow of my fur into the ash and coal of hers, feeling the warmth of her against me as she spoke her words…..unusual as I frowned slightly, still facing away, still looking out over Diveen as I spoke. Blood? I had an inclination, a…feeling of what perhaps she hinted at and yet on such matters I will not chance vague obscurity, nor will I allow myself to believe this is what she asks, not yet, not until I am certain.

“-and who will give to you this blood, Ava. Whose blood do you desire?”

Though some part of myself, I believe, already knew. I think some part knew for a long, long time and simply chose to deny it…..


h e y e l
The Original Angel