Crystaline smiled at him and nodded. “She’ll forgive you, Colden. She loves you despite how she handles herself. How closed off she comes off, I could tell the way she sounded around you. Also, her aura whenever you seemed like you were in pain changed too.”

She listened about the stone and got excited just a bit. “What about the cut of the gems? What are they like?” She realized she was going just a tad overboard as she brought her hands over to the stone and felt them herself. They were cut in a variety of different ways. “Sorry, sometimes I can’t help myself. Though I can feel the cut by myself.” She laughed as she hadn’t thought of it before. She let her hands fall back down into her lap now.

She listened to him talk about the weather and she seemed to relax a bit more as she popped the cork of the wine. “Oh good. She is scary when she is upset.” She smiled a bit more now as he invited her over whenever she would like. “I would like that though I’m sure the house staff will get annoyed at my constant asking to go someplace.” She laughed gently at the thought.

When he told her just how red her face was she began to laugh more. “I knew it was red but I didn’t know how red it was. I’m sorry I just embarrass easily.” So she told him exactly what his punishment would be. She heard the surprise in his voice. The sigh that came from his lips was something she had heard Liz do a thousand times. “I’m sorry it annoys you, Colden.” She sounded sad now. So she told him exactly what she had done. “Because I wanted to help and I didn’t think that anyone else could relate to you, especially from Angela’s daughters. They don’t know what its like. I had heard Kirika fighting endlessly to bring you home safely knowing that you wanted to kill her. I figured that if she was willing to put that much on the line that you must not truly be all that bad.”

She felt him get off the bed and she stayed seated where she was. “Yes, the council was put in place to deal with situations like Cyprus, or rather to make sure it never happened again. Sadly the council is made up of people who Cyprus has wronged. She has killed their family and friends. They are biased and unfair. That is why the queens have started to discuss disbanding them or getting a new council elect in. Unfairly putting consequences on you and your family is not what they are here for. The law may be the law and it is harsh here in Arri but it shouldn’t be that harsh. You are not your mother and neither are your sisters. You have suffered enough because of her. You don’t need to anymore.”

She could now smell the rainfall that would be soon to come and she smiled a bit as soon as the breeze brought that to her nose. She thought about his question and for the first time, she didn’t answer quickly or confidently. “Because Colden, not only do I desire to be useful but I desire to help as well. The purple court is known as the court of sacrifice for a reason. We have the souls of valiant heroes who help those in need, or so the stories say. Avenging Valkyries is what my mother likes to say.”

She struggled for a long time and she pulled her legs up onto the bed and wrapped her arms around them. She was in deep thought it looked like. “I don’t necessarily think I deserve better. Colden in a place like Sularia I have my blindness against me. Even if I were to produce strong children the fact of the matter is that I am broken in the eyes of most men. I cannot do wifely duties, I cannot take care of myself, for the most part, I can’t even braid my own hair, but I do try. However, most don’t see that. They see the struggle that taking me on would bring. They don’t see me for my talents or for my kindness. They can’t see past the fact that I am disabled in a way. Most men in Sularia like warriors, I am no warrior even if I could see I am not very strong. My body is very light because of my angel blood and that makes me easily knocked over and other things of that nature.” She put her chin on her knees and perhaps for the first time since they met she was the one who was sad.

“I loved someone once and he left me. I don’t know where he went. I just know he’s gone and he never came back.” Her words were quiet. “I think it broke my heart more than Xavier betraying me. Maybe because I know he left because of my troubles. Despite how hard I do try sometimes it just doesn’t matter.” She offered a smile in his direction. “So I do the things I can for the people I feel like deserve it. I think you deserve whatever I can do to help you. I can’t tell you why just that it is a feeling I have. Deep down in the pit of my stomach, that’s all I know.”

“If that is the case, then…I will take you myself.” He felt different around her presence, around all of their presences now that he had learned to start letting go. He couldn’t be that little boy anyway, the one that wanted his mommy when she didn’t want to have anything to do with him save for trying to make use of him in her nefarious schemes and discard him. He had to move on and strive to be better. “Don’t worry about it, really.”

Colden shifted around and for a moment was thinking of what she thought he was annoyed with her. When it dawned on him, he frowned deeply. “I’m not upset at you or by this predicament. More so, I guess the punishment didn’t make sense to me until I thought about it. I’m guessing Aunt Angela had to do with it and Kirika went along and included herself into the deal, right?” It seemed to make sense given Angela’s domains, and he was not a fool when it came to the scarcity of the Court. “I may be naive, but I’m not so much to know the state of my family. There’s only Eldora, Lotus, myself and Kirika and possible a few more left of the Black Court. Once we are gone, there will be no one left to carry on the legacy. It makes sense that we would be tasked to do this” Still, he was still puzzled about Crystaline being so willing to offer herself to be the mother of his child.  Her words of the council fell on deaf ears for the most part; he didn’t know much about them, but he knew enough not to like them. They just seemed like he was- vengeance filled and since Cyprus would be gone, they wanted to punish her children now.  If it had just been him, then so be it. But…he didn’t want the others to pay for his mistakes now. His mind was much more clearer and he felt remorse and shame.

They talked some more and she seemed adamant about going through this, anything she could do help. Then Crystaline’s mood started to change and he watched. As she spoke, he stared at her as she belittled herself and told him that she wouldn’t be seen as a suitable mate to other men because of her blindness. Colden was starting to feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand, his hands closing into fists and tightened. He was trying to keep his cool, but the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He didn’t see what these other men would; he saw a woman with a bigger heart than anyone else he’d seen. She had that and a strong spirit and determination. He couldn’t stand to see her sad.

What set him over the edge was when she discussed her former love and how he abandoned her. “To hell with the others! What do they know!?” The outburst slipped out from him, heavy breaths soon followed as he tried to collect himself. “…Sorry…I don’t know…I just..” He fell back and became silent as his thoughts were coming together. She did deserve better than that, even if she didn’t believe it. “They are fools, if you ask me. All of them- Xavier, the one that broke your heart, the other men. Anyone that thinks the way they do…I’d punch them right in their face.” He moved over to her and took her hand with care. He didn't want her to talk about herself in such a terrible way. She was a far better person than he was and yet she had to suffer more? What justice was there in this world?

“Follow me.” He led her off the bed and out of the room. He was sure that he had gathered attention from the others in the house, but he looked passed them as he guided her outside the manor and stood to the courtyard. The wind blew gently and the rain started to fall around the scene. He glanced up, “The clouds are darkened now. In fact, all around us is darker but don’t be afraid.” Soon he felt the rain hit him and he looked to her while he squeezed her hand. “It’s starting to rain. The downpour is coming shortly, I can feel it.”

“You would come get me?” She tilted her head. “That’s a lot of running back and forth between the houses isn’t it?” She had a thought for a moment before she smiled. “Why not come visit me on some days? I’m sure my mother wouldn’t mind having you around. The manor is really… well.. quiet. Our family is just as small as yours. If not smaller actually…” She frowned a bit as she thought about her dead brothers. “It’s just the three of us.” She hadn’t really thought about how small the Purple Court’s family was in comparison to the others before.

She was glad to hear the annoyance wasn’t at her and she chuckled. “I am not sure if Angela started it or not. To her though it was a lesser punishment if a punishment at all. Kirika saw that it was a way out and that was why she did it. She wouldn’t have wanted to put something like that one any of you unless it were necessary.” She nodded a bit and frowned. “It’s just like ours in that sense. My brothers dying had a huge impact on our court. I’m not even sure if Liz will ever recover enough to have children either.” It was a sad thing to think about. “My mother isn’t really the type to just have children because she wants to. She is a scholar and a researcher… Always that first.” Now that she thought about it, the deal with Colden would actually benefit them as well.

She didn’t jump at his outburst nor did she think it was unwarranted. The aura that fed off of him as she turned her eyes and looked at his outline told her that he was genuinely upset at them. “It’s alright Colden.” She reassured him. Crystaline laughed at his threat and chuckled. “Right now, I can see you. I mean not in the way that others typically can.” Her eyes had a slightly different hue to them when she was aura reading, it wasn’t drastic but the blue shifted just ever so slightly to a more vivid aqua. “I think that envy is the deadliest sin of them all,” she wasn’t scared of him but she was commenting. “That’s why you are so strong to be able to resist it like you have. You must rule it and not the other way around. Before you say that you didn’t… the past few days you very much have. At least to me, you seem stronger.”

The half angel took his hands and let him lead her out of the house. The courtyard she didn’t know as well as his room so she stuck by him and kept a firm grasp of his hand. She felt at home in the wind but she held out her hand as she felt the drops. A smile came to her face. “I love the rain. It’s just the thunder that bothers me. It’s soothing the sound rain makes when it hits a puddle.”

She tilted her head up so she could feel the raindrops on her face. The rain was good for her senses, it didn’t overload her like many things did. She could smell the rain in the air. “Very soon actually.” She chuckled as the closer the downpour got the more intense the smell became to her. Soon she was huddled by him as the rain fell down. She didn’t ask to go inside but she just stood in it taking in all the noises and the feeling of the rain against her skin. She was absolutely soaked within minutes but it didn’t bother her at all.

“The one thing about living in the desert even here in the oasis is how scarce the rain can be… This is good to have a downpour like this.” She brought her hand back in as she felt the drops against her body. The downpour only lasted for a few minutes but it was long enough that it left both of them drenched. She shivered now as the wind blew against her wet skin and clothes. “Thank you…” She said with a smile as she thought of them going out like a gift. She didn’t feel the dark mood she had been in earlier anymore. The rain was still coming down but nowhere near how bad the downpour had been.

The roll of thunder made her jump and she clung to him lightly. “Maybe we should go back inside?”

He was serious in his offer to bring her here whenever she wanted. Colden thought for a moment when it came to visiting her, which seemed only fair to him considering how gracious she had been to him since he got back to Arri. “Sure. Why not? It’s only fair that I see you in your own element.” It would be less of a strain for her to trek back and forth each day Besides, from her words, her family was even smaller than his own so he could see that it could get lonely sometimes.

There was another benefit from hearing her speak of how her family was when it came to her volunteering for this punishment he was stuck with. With how the others were, she seemed like the last hope for her own Court to grow it out again. He didn’t blame her for it, but again she did this out of sacrifice. “What’s your mother like, besides what you told me?”, he asked out of pure curiosity. He knew Angela to be loving and tough but fair, Toya to be a bit of a spitfire but well meaning and he knew of his ‘mother’, but when it came down to either of the other two Court Queens, he was unsure about Aunt Lily or Aunt Cathrine. At least he could learn more about the latter.

He hadn’t meant to explode the way he had, but Colden had enough of hearing about how men didn’t desire her for a relationship. No other woman could compare to her in his eyes and thought any man would be lucky enough to have her. He didn’t want her to just settle, he wanted her to be happy. She went to calm him down a bit and he could only take a few huffs as he recollected himself. Her eyes slightly changed but he only noticed because he was so used to their normal blue. “I don’t think that I’m…:”, he started to say but she cut him off. Honestly he had stewed in his sorrow and despair during that time, completely ignoring his desires. He didn’t think of himself like she had stated. Perhaps he wasn’t that little boy anymore, but he didn’t quite think of himself too highly, at least not like he had shamefully not too long ago.

Such thoughts left him as he went to cheer her up and for some reason he thought bring her outside would help with it. Perhaps he was hasty, but the rosenite wanted to help in some form or another. She seemed to rather enjoy it which helped to put his own mid at ease. The rain fell and went, but they remained, albeit soaked and cold but as she carried a smile on her face, so did he. “It’s no big deal. Just…wanted to help. You look better with a smile on your face.” He felt his own cheek growing red from the remark but he put it aside once he heard the lightning and felt her coming to him. He draped an arm around her for support and then nodded. “Yeah, let’s. Just follow my lead and I’ll make sure nothing happened to you.” Colden slowly led her back into the house and back into his room. Going into the closet, he took out several towels and blankets and handed her some of them to use to dry off while he did the same. “Perhaps the storm isn’t quite over?”, he said again, looking through the window. He could see the townspeople hurrying off the streets and into their homes. “Should I send word to your household that you may be stuck here, at least for a little while? I don’t want them to worry.”       

Colden looked to her again before he sat down on the bed and just watched her for bit. He still didn’t like how sad she had gotten earlier. It wasn’t fair for fate to treat her in this regard. If there was anything at all he could do, what he could actually do for her, he would in a heartbeat. “I see you differently than how you may see yourself. I know how it feels to think you aren’t worth anything. You’ve seen that from me and yet you helped me out. I see you as being stronger than most give you credit for.” He was trying to find the words that would reflect his thoughts on the matter. “Having gentle heart, especially in this world is harder to obtain than having power or wealth, titles or armies. It’s easier to give into anger and hate, but harder to be kind and loving like you are.” Colden moved to her and took her hand into his, “You, Crystaline, are a diamond in the rough. I don’t care what others say or think of it. That’s my two cents on that.”

Crystaline thought hard about what her mother was like. “She is wise and knowledgeable about most subjects, unlike Aunt Angela who is only knowledgeable noticeably in plants and alchemy. She is strong and kind but not overly kind. She expects payment when things are not dire because she doesn’t want people to abuse her kindness. She is loving but not in a coddling way. Mother is the one who normally ends the fights between Aunt Toya and Aunt Angela. Mother can’t speak but she can telepathically communicate.”

She blushed as he talked about her smile and might have had a bigger more dumb smile on her face as the words left his lips. “Well thank you, Colden.” Once the thunder scared her she was comforted by the draping of his arm. It was the same thing that her family used to do for her when she was younger. It felt nice in a way she could never explain and yet it was different when Colden did it. “Alright,” she smiled and was glad that Colden was there to take care of her. They moved slowly so she could move her feet and make sure not to stumble over anything. She shivered more once they were inside the cool air of the Black Court Manor and gratefully took the blankets and towels handed to her so she could try and dry off.

“No, I don’t think it will be for a while. The downpour might be over but the storm itself could last a few hours or the rest of the night.” She pulled a warmer dry blanket around her as she tilted her head. “Could you please? I know that’s a lot to ask for in this weather. Considering the Purple Court is quite possibly furthest of the courts from this one.”

Pulling the blanket tighter she stood just for a bit and tilted her head. He was quite for a little bit now and she wondered what he was doing. Finally, he started to speak and she blushed a bit more now. She heard him move to her and she was a bit taken back by him taking her hand. So much so that the blush was worse and she listened to his last few words and felt almost speechless towards him.

Taking a stepped forward she put her other hand with his so she could hold it and she moved her foot just enough to make sure where he was completely. She did this by lightly tapping the inside edges of his feet. She was quiet not really letting on what she was going to do as she pushed herself up on the edges of her toes and pressed her lips against his face. She thought she was going to lips but she ended up getting the side of his cheek closer to his jaw. “Thank you, Colden.” She let herself back down as it was hard to reach someone of Colden’s height when she was so small.

She took her hands from his and wrapped herself around him with the blanket now secure between each of her fingertips by the edges. She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes. “Those are the nicest words I think I’ve ever heard.”

Colden listened closely to the description of her mother well. She seemed like one that had a good head on her shoulders and was good when it counted. She sounded like a good mother, which wasn’t saying a lot from him whenever he had to compare one to Cyprus. The only good thing she had taught him was that there were good people around him and he had to strive to be a better person. The punishment would serve to set him on the right path- he would be more of a parent than she could ever be. He didn’t wish for another little one to endure what he had to. “She sounds wonderful”, he added.

He wouldn’t let anything happen to her, especially when it came to the thunder. He suppose that her hearing was quite sensitive due to it be stronger to make up for her lack of sight. Either way, Colden would see to it that she was as comfort as possible. The rain was lightly coming back but another sound of thunder boomed throughout the area. They would be far safer indoors if lightning was to follow.

“It’s not problem really”, he ushered her as he opened the wind and brought forth a flame into his hands. In another moment the flame shifted into that of a bird like creature. “Pass this message onto anyone of the Purple Court that Crystaline is safe with the Black Court right now.” The elemental nodded and was sent flying into the sky. “My summoning should make it on time before it's dismissed.” With that, he closed the window and dried his hair off with a towel. He didn’t know how long the storm would last, but he was hoping that she’d be okay until then.

Colden wanted to get it off his chest, that he thought that she was a wonderful person that was too hard on herself at times and that other people didn’t appreciate her the way they should have. Despite the odds, she was what this world needed more of- those with gentle hearts. There was enough of those that held dark hearts or ill intentions as it was. He wasn’t sure how she would react, but slowly she approached him and he felt like he couldn’t breath for a moment. If he was a mind reader, he would have been doing everything he could to know what she was thinking, what she was feeling right then. She moved up and kissed him on the cheek and he blushed a bit. “I only speak what I was thinking.” He didn’t feel like she should have thanked him for it, but he was grateful that he could help her.

Colden returned the gesture and closed the gap between them as they huddled for warmth beneath the blankets. For someone so tiny compared to him, she was surprising warm. Also he hadn’t noticed it before but she was stunning physically. Then again, the Rosenite blood was pretty strong even in hybrids. But he hadn’t taken the time to notice it as he was enthralled by her personality alone. Resting his chin ontop her head, he held her as if she would blow away and he would be sure that she’d know that he was there to protect her against the storm, no matter what was thrown at them. “We can brave this storm, don’t worry Crystaline.”

Crystaline smiled as she felt the magic in the room. “I hope the rain doesn’t catch him,” she chuckled a bit about how she could worry about such a thing but even elementals were living creatures.

She didn’t know what her advances were making him feel she only knew how she was feeling. It was a far cry from how he was when she had first met him. She could feel the warmth rising to his cheek as she kissed it. It made her giddy as she grinned. “I know. It makes you beautiful Colden.” That was the only way she could describe it. “Strong and courageous to say the things on your mind. Despite what you may think about yourself.”

They huddled for warmth as she shivered lightly still from the sopping wet clothes that she was wearing. The half angel felt protected as he embraced her and soon put his head atop her own. “Are you talking just the storm outside but the one we face in Arri too?” It was a musing she had as she tilted her head in question.

Kirika wandered by the room and looked in, she was happy that they were getting along but she had noticed that both were soaked. “You both might want to change before you catch a cold. Are you staying here tonight Crystaline?” The half angel nodded and Kirika’s eyes wandered just a bit. “I don’t think my clothes are going to fit you.” The queen laughed just a bit. “I’m not as well endowed as you are.” Crystaline blushed a bit and Kirika left for a few seconds to the room just off to the side of Colden’s.

Within a few minutes Kirika was back and she was blushing just a bit. “Afraid the only thing we have in here to fit Crystaline is some of Lotus’s stuff.” Immediately Crystaline was red again as she could only imagine what it was that Kirika had found. It was a nightgown made of silk and lace, not overly revealing at all. “It’s better than catching a cold in my opinion and you can’t sleep in your clothes…”

Crystaline left Colden’s embrace and Kirika threw the blanket over her brother’s head. “Don’t look.” There was a nervous laugh from Crystaline as Kirika shut the door and helped her change. The young queen even helped the half angel take all the pins and braids out of her hair so it could dry. Her hair was long past her waist now filled with wild waves and curls. Luckily for Crystaline because she was so short and Lotus so tall the nightgown was a good size for her since it obviously was made to be upper thigh length on Lotus.

After they were done Kirika took the blanket off Colden. “You should change to Colden. Also, I don’t have to cover Crystaline up.” Now that made Crystaline chuckle just a bit as she wandered back over to the bed and sat down. “I want you two to come to the parlor after Colden finishes changing. There’s someone I want Colden to meet…” Kirika took off not long after that closing the door.

“I feel weird in this. Your sister has odd tastes.” The half angel was pulling at the nightgown and how stiff it was against her body. It was soft, yes but it was tight and that made it more morally uncomfortable.

Colden felt weird ever since she had planted a kiss on his cheek. Sure it was likely to express her gratitude towards his words, but it was still something foreign to him. It was a good kind of weird feeling though. He knew that he had to learn a lot in a short amount of time- learning to be less cynical and more thoughtful of the world around him. Had he gotten his way to begin with, he would have surely ran everything down into the ground. His home, his family and people, the entire Court. All of it would be gone because he was never groomed to rule. He was unfit to do such given his upbringing and his temperament. It was one of the things he had to come to terms with as soon as possible when he was brought here, and it was a good thing that he had sooner rather than later. A lot of it had to do with Crystaline and getting him to see that he was capable of more than what he had thought at his lowest point. She was the one that helped picked him up and gather himself together, so of course he was going to think greatly of her.

“This one, that one. Any one to be honest”, he said without realizing what he was saying. “But right now, the one outside.” She wouldn’t have to feel so scared if he was there to support her like she had him. By chance, he looked up to Kirika coming inside. She offered to get her some clothing and he knew at some point he would have to get redressed himself. “Yeah, I hadn’t thought about that completely. We were just enjoying the rain outside.” He scratched the back of his head sheepishly while he waited for his sister’s return.

Kirika came back blushing and then when she explained what she found, Crystaline was doing the same. Colden felt as though he was missing something about his older sister but he put it aside once he saw the gown. Soon afterwards, he would be temporary blinded by the blanket thrown at his head, but as he was about to pull it off, he was warned against it. “I wouldn’t have peeked”, he spoke but knew good and well why she commanded him. His hand lowered away from it as he mentally counted to keep his thoughts busy as Crystaline changed into the gown and waited to be able to see again.

“Funny”, he said when he was freed and he looked to his cousin with a smile. He turned to the closet to fetch some dry clothes but turned to face the queen when she spoke about him meeting someone. “Wait, who…”, he started before she left the room. “I don’t know who she wants me to meet…or why.” Kicking off his boots, he undid his belt and shirt first before stripping off them and his pants. All the while he felt somewhat uncomfortable even if she couldn’t see him. He found a green robe to put on and laced his boots again. “Have any clue?”, he asked before walking back up to her and taking her hand. “ You do look quite stunning in it, but I guess that’s the sacrifice for practicality. Suppose we can’t leave them waiting for too long, whoever it is.” Helping her up, the two went on to find the parlor, which took him longer than he’d like because he had yet to explore the whole manor just yet.

It took a while but the two finally found their destination and his eyes scanned about, looking for his sister and this person he was to encounter.

His words made Crystaline chuckle as he told them he wouldn’t have peeked. She was sure that he wouldn’t have but Kirika was extra careful just in case. Kirika was gone by the time that Colden had tried to ask who he was going to meet. Crystaline tilted her head and shrugged just a bit as she thought about it herself. “No idea. I don’t know much about the Black Court other than you and your siblings… well, the living ones anyways.”

She blushed a bit as she gripped his hands. “I suppose,” she felt odd the way Colden made her feel beautiful. She couldn’t see herself but she supposed that she looked like much of their matron race. She nodded and got on her feet with his help. They wandered around for a bit before they finally found the room they were supposed to meet Kirika in.

When they got there Kirika smiled and looked to a brown haired woman who was small and petite much like Kirika herself. She had the Rosenite eyes and in her arms, she was holding a small little girl. She had bouncy brown curls and blue eyes. “Colden, this is Aria… she is our brother Casimir’s wife.” She was sure that Colden had no clue who Casimir is. “He disappeared not too long ago but he left Aria and Cinder here so we could protect them. Outside of Lotus and Eldora, no one knows about them. Casimir asked us to keep them a secret so Mother wouldn’t find out.”

Aria smiled at them. “I can see Casimir in you. He spoke of you just before he left and told us to wait here but he hasn’t come home so I fear that he might have been killed by Cyprus.” Cinder was staring at Colden with wide beautiful eyes. Aria put her down and pushed her just a bit towards Colden. “This is your uncle Colden. He’ll love you too Cinder.” Cinder stared up at him now and before long she was running to him.

“Uncle Colden!” She squealed as she wrapped her arms around his leg. “I love you!” She had a lot of love to give and Kirika was laughing just a bit.

“You love everyone don’t you Cinder?” Kirika asked before Cinder nodded to her and clung closer to Colden now.

“I had no idea there was a child here…” Crystaline mused.

“No, I think the only one who figured out she was here was Angela but nothing escapes her. We kept them hidden. Eventually I will tell the others but for now because of the threat of the council… They only think Casimir needs punishment.” Aria nodded.

“Casimir found me dying out in the desert years ago. We married in secret and stayed far away from Arri. When we had Cinder we knew we would have to come here… He hid us here and left to keep us safe.”

Crystaline looked sad as she thought about that sacrifice and knew that it must have made Aria sad as well. “I’m so sorry Aria. I couldn’t imagine that.”

“It’s fine if it was the one thing that Casimir taught me it was to remain strong. Despite my heart crying I need to be strong for Cinder and even Cinder understands now. At first, she didn’t but she’s only a child.”

Once they came inside the room, his eyes immediately fell onto his sister before being guided towards another woman and then the girl with her. He was a bit confused about the matter, and it showed on his face and how much tighter his hand held on Crystaline’s. He hadn’t known that he had a brother but then again he thought back to the images Eldora feed him back where they fought their mother. There were plenty of brothers and sisters unaccounted for now, so surely it wasn’t strange to think that he had yet another sibling. His eyes looked from Aria to the girl, who was possibly her daughter, which meant… His eyes widened a bit in recognizing that it meant she was likely his niece. His heart stopped for a moment as he realized that had Cyprus had her way, she would have been harmed as well. “I guess I was still too young to remember…”, he offered to Aria before nodding his head.

 “I’ll take you word on it though. I guess I would look a lot like him.” He sounded like an honorable man and he wished he would have gotten to know him better. It would have possibly help served him to be a better man and not fall into his mother’s trap as he did. His sights fell back onto Cinder, who seemed just as amazed. But once she ran up to him and held his leg, he could feel himself choking up inside. Releasing Crystaline, his hand slowly fell onto the top of the girl’s head and stroked it.

Had he would have done what Cyprus told him and had ruined his family, especially Cinder then he felt that he would have deserved death. He couldn’t bear to think that he would hurt someone so young and gentle as she was. It wasn’t long before he picked her up and held onto her tightly and buried his face onto her shoulder, trying to keep from crying. “I…love you too, Cinder.”

He looked back to her and smiled. “No, she doesn’t deserve to be a part of this situation. I will do my part to keep it that way.” His family had been through enough, he wouldn’t subject his niece to this as well. He would protect her with every fiber of his being. His eyes searched for Crystaline rubbed at her arm to help cheer her up.

“He sounds like a good man. Wish I would have met him or at least remembered what he was like.”