Of all the wolves of Taviora, it is Zeltzin I know to be one of the few who would not take such a chance to dig for information for any political gain. I understand Mara Sov, the woman to whom this ball is owed, has the intention of gaining such knowledge but Zeltzin? Ah, I have my doubts as to whether or not such a tender heart could even bear the thought let alone survive the act. Sometimes I catch myself wondering whether it was nature or nurture that created a woman so willing to forgive; perhaps the best example of that is her here with me now.

"Perhaps the spring," I suggest with a small roll of my shoulders. By such a time, perhaps Ehiyeh or her children might be willing to meet the sister of Amoxtli; if not that, then perhaps Asriel might have had his fill of space. "Until then, I promise I'll behave." I jest lightly, the smallest hint of a grin as I look towards her. I have learnt that much, at least.

I had, at one point, considered inviting Zeltzin to Glorall for good. Yet, I understand how such things are now; with all that has happened, I seldom find it within myself to suggest to my own family that they ought to explore elsewhere. For Zeltzin, I imagine it is much the same: she is the mother to a queen, brother to a former king, daughter of an even older king. If there was ever a wolf to be shackled by duty, it would only be appropriate for it to be her. So, I understand her quiet, her hesitancy perhaps. I am the king of another pack, a pack with no formal bond to Taviora or any other...who could blame a wolf in her position but to feel the slightest bit apprehensive?

When she speaks of Asteraia, I turn to her with the slightest curiosity; my head tilts and brows furrow in surprise. Aster had apparently not been so vocal as I had assumed. "Aster is young and has experienced much loss in her life from what I understand," I had been rather...impressed by Aithne, after all, "quite some time ago, a woman by the name of Vesper came to Glorall. She was Aster's aunt and though she desired a life with us, she soon disappeared." I pause, moving by the bark of an old tree that seems awfully familiar - I often forget, I feel, that I was once a subject here. "When found, she had been attacked by something and had been killed," my eyes meet Zeltzin's again, "she blames Glorall, claiming we failed her aunt. Yet, she was but a stranger to the pack and for her to disappear...nobody was suspicious."

It is, of course, a story I doubt Zeltzin would have liked to hear for it is rather...atypical, no? Perhaps I should have been more vocal of the woman's murder but who am I to question such a thing without knowing who she was? Nonetheless, I bow my head solemnly, as one might do remembering a fallen comrade. "Her grandfather is, of course, a former alpha of Glorall. I do not mean to accuse but I have a suspicion, perhaps, that he might make amendments more complicated than they ought to be," I breathe out a sigh of frustration, though it is only half-true. After all, I am hardly truly frustrated about her claims but rather, perplexed by how she had expected to outplay somebody who has been playing for a decade more than she. Still, Zeltzin is wise and surely one of the few to understand both sides of such a conundrums and so, I look to her for advice this night though I shan't speak that desire so plainly.