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Post by Aveilthé on May 13, 2011 20:34:10 GMT -6
A drop startled the Giaku Empress from her thoughts. The clouds became a shade darker, and already it started to rain. Great, she thought bitterly to herself, just what I need right now...... Then came the awful, cold downpour, and already she was soaked to the skin.
"Why isn't your belly protruding yet?" echoed an impertinent voice from her memory.
"I... don't know," was her only truthful, exasperated response.
"I thought it was the Empress's duty to get knocked up." "Why aren't you pregnant yet?" "Where's the sound of little pitter-pattering paws?" "Great, the future of Giaku is doomed now because our Empress is barren..."
All those voices from her memory crashed down hard on her. Barren. That single word was like a kick in the gut. She always liked the idea of having pups with Ammon, and not just because it was her duty as Empress to have some. The thought of a family seemed wonderful and ideal... and to hear the collective voices discriminate against her was not only shameful, but downright hurtful.
Truly, it was not her fault she was unable to bear pups. She was simply... born this way...
After a time of crying painful tears in the rain, the defeated Empress stood up and walked into a nearby cavern. At the mouth she sat down, and drooped her head.
"Barren as this god-damned field," she growled, staring coldly into the distant wastelands. "And as worthless."
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Post by demin on May 14, 2011 3:26:28 GMT -6
 Ammon sat atop the Royal Tower of Hatsuhi, looking down on his Empire, seeing the various nobles and subjects go about their business and the guards standing motionless at their posts. Everything and everyone was normal, as if nothing had happened. The skies, however, seemed to notice the Royal Family's plight, and grew darker with each passing minute. The sky let loose a downpour of rain, as if Tallara herself wept for the Emperor and Empress. The realization that Lacrimosa would likely never have pups threw both her and Ammon into a deep depression. The nightmares, which had grown worse with the melancholy, were increasingly vivid and horrific. The Ohm wasn't sure how much more he could stand before he went mad.
Ammon's ebon fur quickly became soaked from the rain, but he paid the growing cold no mind. His eyes darted to and fro across the various demons, Druins, and wolves scattering to escape the frigid rain. The area in front of Tower was quickly abandoned by all but the dedicated sentinels watching the entrances to the Tower. Ammon grew bored and retreated to the depths of the Tower, expecting to further grieve with his mate whom surely had returned from her excursion by now. She had not, however. Ammon grew worried practically sprinted down the steps of the Tower to the exit, the metal of his fake back right leg clinging and clanging the entire way. The sentinels stood to attention in the presence of their Emperor but he did not even glance at them, following his mate's scent through the rain to Wabishii.
Hours later
The torrent had followed Emperor Ammon to Wabishii, making for a cold, lonely, miserable trip, but Lacrimosa's scent grew stronger with every step he took into the badlands. He came across a rocky outcrop that looked solid on one side, but noticed it curve inward to form a cavern, where a familiar figure sat in misery. Ammon was soaked to the bone and freezing, but the look on Lacrimosa's face is what sent shivers up his spine.
"Lacri..." He said, almost under his breath, feeling as if he were again a powerless pup.
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Post by Aveilthé on May 14, 2011 11:23:13 GMT -6
Lacrimosa had no idea how much time has passed since her arrival here. There was no comfort to be found here, no Ammon to ease the pain welling up inside her like cancer. The gods were so very cruel to have done this, and she could not help but to think that perhaps she was not meant for this role after all. Was this a sign from Etanus himself that she was the wrong heir? There was no denying that she was a good leader; she proved as much during the war.
There was nothing a female in this world feared more than being infertile. Why...
In her own masochistic way, she desired punishment. That is why she remained here, contemplating the Shadowlands... and perhaps...
She gazed upward at the craggy precipice of the canyon and thought how fine it would be to run away from the weight of the Empire. To forget about her plight. Selfish? Indeed... it was very much so. Ammon would be furious if she even once thought of ending it all, as would her uncle, and all those who looked up to her. When she so much as took a step forward, she heard a voice that broke her heart into tiny pieces.
A surge of emotion exploded in the form of a snarl as she whipped her head to him. "And what does the Emperor want with his worthless mate?" So much pain and hate filled her words, but it was not hate to him. It was hate for herself... so much hate... festering like a disease in her heart, mind, and soul.
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Post by demin on May 14, 2011 23:48:34 GMT -6
Ammon started back in surprised, the red runes on his magic eye flashing a bright scarlet in reaction to his surprise. The snarl uttered by his mate hurt him and he almost felt like rolling over in submission to his Empress. The Ohm simply stood there, the bony stumps that used to be his wings twitching as the rain continued to pummel him. He wasn't sure what he could say, but he had to try something.
"Lacri..." He wracked his brain for anything to say, anything to make it all better. Nothing came to mind. The 'mighty,' battle-scarred Emperor of Giaku was reduced to an awkward, nervous pup.
Ammon stepped into the cavern and sat beside his mate, facing toward the barren wastelands of Wabishii. He closed his right eye, the lidless onyx sphere that served as his left eye staring out across the desolation.
"'Worthless'...? Is that what you think?"
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Post by Aveilthé on May 16, 2011 5:29:54 GMT -6
No... please don't, Ammon...
Lacri's heart strings were being tightly pulled by the only one who can do so. Facial features softening, she bowed her head a dropped her ears, feeling guilty for her behavior. "Ammon, I'm not mad at you. That was uncalled for... I shouldn't have lashed out like that..."
Deftly, she inched closer to him until their bodies touched, and she immediately felt at ease when she felt his warmth. She lifted her muzzle to his face and gave him a few kisses.
"It just hurts... knowing that I will live the remainder of my life unable to have any children with the one I love. I am a little afraid of what you might think of me..." She sighed a little, feeling awkward at having to say this. Ammon was not one to share all of his thoughts like her. A silent creature, but she never--not once--doubted his love, especially now.
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Post by demin on May 16, 2011 10:25:20 GMT -6
Ammon knew his mate had not meant anything with the sudden burst of anger, that it was hate and rage directed at herself more than it was him. He wasn't sure which was worse. The black Ohm responded to his mate's apologies and affections with gentle nuzzles, showing all was forgiven. What she said next, though, surprised him almost as much when she snapped in anger. There had to be something he could say that would comfort Lacrimosa.
"'What I think of you?' I became your mate because I love you, not to use you to make pups." He sighed, a small smile flitting across his face. "I ran almost non-stop in the freezing rain for hours to find you, Lacri. It wasn't easy"
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Post by Aveilthé on May 21, 2011 21:29:50 GMT -6
For a long time she remained as silent as a grave. Doleful eyes looked on to the rainy horizon and finally spoke out loud. "It is my duty to have your pups. It has always been this way. It is expected of me. And now..." She fell silent, thinking that Ammon understood. A long, drawn-out sigh escaped her lips. "I understand that, co zula. Believe me, I do..."
It shattered her heart again to hear him talk about how he wandered through the rain to find her. It was this gesture that promptly told her that he would give up all his limbs for her if he truly had to. That was love. "You didn't have to," she murmured, looking back to him. She could see his dark eye, and the one that faintly glowed red, and thought how much she loved him. She leaned over and gave him a kiss near his magical red eye. "But I'm glad you did. I love you so much."
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