Lazarus is the smallest of my two children, and honestly his health is not the best. Not only is his small, but the boy has not had an easy time. He was weaker, and required a lot more attention and care than his much more energetic sister. Today though, Lazarus really wanted to go out. He was feeling better today. Stronger. He does not wobble today when he walks. He wants to go out and see the land. He was recently taught about being Price of the lands, and being a 'majesty'. He wants to see it all with his own eyes. He even said, 'Papa, I want to see even if you have to hold me.' It breaks my heart, knowing Aster could make the journey and he could not...yet.

Yet. He will grow and he will make the journey on his own. He will just need more time to get there. I obliged my small son on this day. I carried him in my mouth initially, setting him down every now and then so he can walk around a little and get a taste of the world. It was just a day for us two, father and son. I had missed those days with my own father.

We were heading closer to the side of Spirane. It was rather safe over here, and I allowed him to follow by my side. He was so excited as he slowly followed, a smile on his little face and his red-marked chest puffed with pride. He was remarkably adorable, and I do not think I am bias in this. I smile warmly down at him as he traverse across shorter grass, my eyes ever wary of movements in the trees or bushes further off.

In fact as they continued, he put a paw in front of Lazarus to stop him when his eyes caught sight of a white figure, whose voice raised only moments after his eyes caught onto him. He saw the color on that white, and immediately he recognized it has Tesseract. His father.

Lazarus did not seem to understand at this moment why we stopped as he paws at my own paw. I am honestly in a state of disbelief. Here he is, in our territory. I know he has been here, had been given permission to come and go and yet he never came to see me? Never to see his grand children, although I am not even sure he knew. I look down to Lazarus as he begins to howl along with Tesseract, my brows furrowing slightly as I whisper at him to quiet down. We are still quite far off- it would take a good sprint for us to get to him or vice versa. I lift my head back up to see another figure with him. My mind initially leaps towards my hopes and dreams- Mother. My eyes quickly correct my bleeding heart as I then recognize the woman from a far. I used to see her in Glorall.

Is that what he has been doing since he left us those many winters ago? He had given up on mother? I cannot seem to control the burning in my breast as my eyes refuse to leave the two, a small flame of anger flickering in my chest. I hear Lazarus call to me a few times, asking who they were. I never welcomed that woman onto our lands, and I had half a mind to chase her out. Perhaps it was my futile attempt to chase her out so that perhaps my Mother would appear into the picture again...but she had abandoned us too.

I had not realized how still and tall I was standing, and how my eyes were digging into them. I felt betrayed. I knew there was probably some sort of logical explanation, that my feelings were an overreaction and yet...I cannot stop the fire that has started. I know not if Aithne had invited the woman into Iromar, and thus I do not act rashly. Instead, I simply end my gaze. I read down, grabbing Lazarus by the ruff. He looks to Tesseract, my son does. He asks me who they are again, asks why I am not responding but I do not answer him...not right here, not right now. In a few moments perhaps. I look to them only for a second more with Lazarus in mouth, before I turn and come back from where we came. Lazarus turns his little head, I can feel it, to look back at them. He is so curious, my boy, but...now is not the time. I hope he never feels the burning in my chest that I feel in this very moment as I seek to take him to another part of Iromar that he has not explored.