Krys laughed and Blaine shrugged it off, “Different degrees as I said. Don’t know much about your mother- only met Toya obviously, Angela and spotted Lily a couple of times personally.” Krystopher continued to eat his food while he pondered about what Liz’s family were like. He had things about her sister, but not of her mother. He wondered what or how she would feel about his presence around her daughter. “Cathrine’s the second oldest, right love?”, Blaine asked his wife.

The banter between brothers wasn’t something out of the norm for the two of them, though it had been ages since they did bicker. The last time had been when Blaine was about ready to kick Krys’ ass for keeping things from him and the others. Things that he kept from mentioning to his brother or Liz now. Krys felt like stopping the moment he felt her hand against him. It didn’t seem like she was thrilled with the argument. He wasn’t even sure what to say as she reassured Blaine about the situation with her and having more children. He didn’t know what she meant by being damaged unless she meant emotionally from the things that happened in the past. He felt for her as he also wondered about his daughter. He suppose that after he was done with that, they could at least speak about it given that whatever they had bloomed even further.

Things seemed to simmer down, fortunately. Krys didn’t feel much like fighting anyway and he was still fighting a bit of sleep from the late night. He looked to see Liz adding more food for him. “I’m fine, I thought you were the one that was starving.” He was more concerned for her well being since she hadn’t ate for a good bit and then he reached over for some juice when he heard the suggestion. “We can do that if you want. I doubt that there’s anything here that I will miss aside from these two doing their usual things.” After breakfast and when she was ready, he followed her from the White Rose Manor and towards her home.  A part of him was admittedly nervous about this sort of thing. He couldn't help but to recall that he never met any of his former lovers' parents before. The closest to that was his late wife's aunt that raised her, but he knew them both since childhood so this was a completely new experience. 

Toya sipped on her juice and looked amused. “Ooohhh Angela would love to hear that one. Cathrine is older by five years or more making her the oldest. She is boring and a stiff… She is in charge of Arri’s trade routes and things like that.” Liz chuckled a bit more.

“My mother likes the rules and keeps them in check. I once watched her take the air out of both Aunt Toya and Aunt Angela’s lungs when we were in DaeLuin. It was when my mother was leaving that place to go back to Arri. She was leaving notes for my sister and I and how to take care of us. Toya and Angela were more content with their little spat than to listen to her so she made them shut up and listen. My mother is a mute so she can’t talk but by way of telepathy.”

Once they moved past the fighting she just smiled at him. “I’ll eat too as long as you do.” She was showing her concern for him as she moved to eating her own food. After they were done and dressed for the day she took him down the streets and across Sularia until they reached the academy like manor. “Don’t be nervous or anything Crystaline will sense it before you even say anything.”

She teased him gently as the door opened for them and the staff let them in. “Liz you are home!” Crystaline came barreling down the steps and Liz was prepared as the blind angel tripped down. Liz caught her sister and they both laughed a moment.

“I told you not to do that. It’s dangerous… Is Colden no here with you then?” Crystaline nodded to her sister before she turned her attention to the new scent in the room.

“Is this him?! Is this your boyfriend Liz?!” Crystaline was all excited as she practically pushed her sister out of the way to size Krys up. “You better not hurt my sister or I’ll get… someone? To teach you a lesson!” Crystaline went to poke him in the chest and actually got his shoulder. “Oops… I’m sorry!” She put her hands up to feel his face. “He’s cute.”

Liz rolled her eyes. “Okay, you pain in the ass… Where’s Mother?”

“In the library,” Crystaline said as she finished getting a good mental picture of Krys.

“Of course she is.” Liz chuckled a bit. “Stop gawking at Krystopher.” Crystaline shook her head softly at her sister and Liz sighed a bit. “Meet my little sister Crystaline.”

Blaine realized his slip, and then grimaced. “You knew what I meant, woman. Ugh.” Krys shook his head, “Old age much”

“Can it, mutt.”

He listened closely to Liz speaking of her family. “Getting those two to cease fighting is a power in of itself, I’d imagine.” Blaine couldn’t help but to agree with those words, though he didn’t want to say anything lest he have to deal with his wife blowing up at him.

Later on, everything was said and done and he was off with her to her house. “Easier said than done. Never really been in this situation before. And you’d think I would have been by now”, he said sheepishly. He had been taught on how to meet with one’s parents, but that time seemed so far away from now. Now that he thought about it, it really had been. “Besides, she would have sensed it either way from what you described her.” He wasn’t too bothered by Crystaline, it was Cathrine that was his concern.

He looked at the house itself and looked in awe. This was a home? It was more like an academy or something. After even gawking, Krys followed her inside and soon met with Crystaline coming down and after a near scare, everything seemed alright. For someone without sight, she sensed him rather quickly. She was young and he could see that she was protective, or rather was putting up an act of such as he just stared at her as she poked him. “My intentions are pure, Crystaline”, he spoke as his eyes kept on her finger. “I won’t hurt her, I swear that.”

“It’s fine”, Krys reassured her as she felt his face for a bit before she got a good picture of him. “It’s a pleasure, I’m Krystopher, though I’m sure you already know a lot about me. Hopefully nothing but good things.” He looked to Liz for confirmation. 

Liz chuckled a bit. “At least I don’t have a father around. Imagine how it would be if I did.” She was teasing him but she was a little sad that neither her father nor Cry’s were around. Her mother seemed to go on without any real need for another person only relying on her books and research. “Aye, she probably would have smelled it…” Liz had a shiver go down her spine as she laughed.

When Liz noticed how Krys looked at the home she smiled. “My mother is a woman of knowledge. It is why the Academy is on her turf instead of Angela’s. My mother gets first dibs on all the books that come into the market place as well as artwork… You can say it is her passion to unearth rare treasures. She’s never really alone as long as she has a good book… At least that’s what she told me when I asked her why she never married.”

For a moment Crystaline was full of giggles at her works. “He’s like a knight Liz!” It was clear that she had no way to really protect her sister as she finished looking at him. “He’s all honorable and sweet! It’s not like Colden when he is being innocent because he doesn’t know better.” There was a blush on her face and Liz chuckled lightly at her sister.

Liz nodded to him when he asked about the good things and Crystaline chuckled a bit. “She said some things but she didn’t really delve into anything. She has been super secretive about you.”

“Lady Crystaline, Lord Colden is outside waiting for you. A day in the market place I think he said,” the help at the house didn’t even need to say much before Crystaline was running out the door. There was a loud OOF like she had tackled him right off his feet.

Liz smiled a bit and chuckled. “I wasn’t approving of their relationship at first… but… He’s made her a very happy person. I’ve never seen her this happy before. Always by herself before and never asking for any help but doing everything in her power to help those she cared about. A selfish guardian angel even though she can’t really help us… That would be how to describe my sister.”

She took his arm and cuddled close to it as they walked the halls. “My mother is in the library… Though I am sorry the meeting with Crystaline was so short. She is really young and head over heels for Colden.”

Once in the library, it was grander than even Angela’s library, which was pretty spectacular thanks to the magic. However, Cathrine’s was due to the sheer volume that she possessed. ”Welcome Krystopher to our home. I am sorry that I did not greet you earlier. I figured that Crystaline was enough of a welcoming party for you. The voice came from all angles but Liz was able to find her quite easily up on the second floor. The woman was up on a ladder putting a book away her Rosenite eyes looked down at them as she studied their appearances. ”You should have told me you weren’t coming home Elizabeth.

For a moment Liz was in shock before she chuckled. “Sorry about that Mom won’t happen again… This is Krystopher and Krys this is my mother Cathrine.”

“Knight, no. More so like someone that would have once been a ruler, but that was in another life though”, he replied. Where back in the past he would have said it with some bitterness in his voice, Krystopher was calm and matter of fact with it. He came to peace with the realization long ago and sought to find some purpose in his life instead of living for that part of his past. “Thank you?” He wasn’t sure if he should have been compared with Colden on that front but since Crystaline knew him much more than he did, he’d take her word on it.

“Well, that’s at least comforting, has she any pet names for me? I know of a few of them, though I can’t say that I like them”, he chuckled. Krys eyed Liz for a moment to see her reaction before turning back to her sister. “I guess I’m a pretty good secret if that’s the case.” It didn’t bother him whether she shared more than what was being told or not; that was in the past and they were to move forward together. He barely got to say his goodbyes before she rushed out away, presumingly to go see Colden waiting for her. “To be young again…”, he started before turning to Liz, “Don’t say anything, you.” It was a simple jest as he followed her through the house. “I can understand, but I think she has a keen eye for knowing how people work. Colden’s a troubled boy from what I’ve heard, but it would be far for me to judge him for his actions. Anyway, I’ve heard that he’s been improving and trying to make amends for them. I can understand somewhat the path he’s on. Hell, I’m still on it even after so many years.” He at least hoped that the boy would find solace quicker than he did. “It’s fine, they should enjoy their time together for as long as possible.”

They reached the library and he looked on in astonishment for a bit but then the lycan was distracted for moment by the sound of Cathrine’s voice echoing as if it came from all around them. It wasn’t the case though once he looked to where Liz pointed out. “My…apologies, it was my fault that she didn’t come back last night… Krystopher was quick give her a half bow, still feeling slightly awkward about the meeting. It was something he never had to deal with before. “It is a pleasure however to meet you. I hope that Elizabeth had at least told you about me prior.” It would have been more awkward if she had yet to reveal him or what he was to her. Especially since her daughter was holding onto him so close.

Liz frowned a bit but it was Crystaline who tilted her head. “That doesn’t mean you aren’t Liz’s knight. They are two very different things you know.” Her voice was soft as she talked to Krystopher. “Redemption is possible for everyone even the darkest star.”

“No, she really honestly doesn’t. She just gets mad when I ask her too many questions.” Crystaline grinned a bit as she realized how mischievous she had been lately. After that moment she left him there so she could find her Colden and smother him.

Liz chuckled a bit leaned up to his ear. “You are no fun…” She was going to call him an old man but he got the words out before she could. She kissed his ear softly before holding him close. “I agree, she is also a good judge of character so I would listen to her.” She laughed a bit held herself close to him. “She wasn’t wrong though you are very much like a knight to me.”

Once they were in the library Cathrine eyed the man with interest before chuckling. “She is old enough to tell me when she won’t be home. I highly doubt you had anything to do with her not thinking about it.” Making her way off the ladder Cathrine was as tall as Angela was which made her ultimately shorter than her lithe daughter. She was built like Angela as well but held herself much differently compared to the Red Queen. There was wisdom in her green eyes as she thought more about it. “She probably wasn’t even thinking about it to begin with.” Liz scoffed for a moment proving that Cathrine was right.

Cathrine nodded to Krystopher before walked with them. “I knew of you. She would tell me when she was going out to run with you. The wind also doesn’t lie. You should know that the Arriese queens each have a relationship with an element… Mine is the wind.” Cathrine explained gently. “Toya’s… well, you can take a guess. You know Angela’s. Kirika is darkness and Lily is light.” There was a small smirk on her face. “We forced Toya into this she doesn’t really like it but her mind is brilliant… sometimes.”

The closer she got the more of a breezy aura she had. Even her hair was slightly swaying to the gentle breeze. “Please, I hope that you will join us for some tea though I am aware you probably ate breakfast so if you don’t want any snacks you don’t need to eat.” Cathrine gave a smile as they moved down to a small sitting area on the top floor of her library. It was right by a big picture window looking out over Sularia.

“Do we have any more of that tea from Egjora?” Liz asked as she sat down on the sofa next to Krys and snuggled in. “That was some really good tea.” Her mother nodded and clapped her hands before explaining to the staff exactly what she wanted in vivid detail. Liz smiled up at Krys and leaned over to kiss his cheek once more. “See, it’s not so bad.”

“What isn’t?” Her mother flickered her eyes over to the couple as she tilted her head.

He suppose that she was right and he hadn’t given much thought about what she had meant. “Yes, you have a point there.” Krys wasn’t too keen into thinking about the concept of redemption; it was awkward for him at times when he thought back to those wicked times. Those awful, horrible times where he sought for power to protect his family, but inadvertently had instead drove them away from him. “Aye, but it certain isn’t the easiest thing to so.” 

He figured that Liz hadn’t spoken much about him since she might have still been conflicted about her feelings for him. He hadn’t said a thing to anyone since the idea hadn’t came to him until last night. Or maybe those feelings had existed all along and he just skimmed through them. The lycan glanced over to her as she drew closer when they were alone. He didn’t feel like he was deserving of such a title she thought for him, but he wouldn’t stop her from thinking it if that was her wish. “If you are sure…”, he gave a light chuckle. “Just not a white knight, I beseech you.” He could feel Liz getting more comfortable with him as time passed by, and it seemed to help that they were in her territory.

His confidence died down a bit as soon as they found her mother. The resemble between Cathrine and Elizabeth was easy to recognize them as related. Not fully, but enough though for Krys to see it. It also didn’t help that she was several lifetimes older then him and was someone that could stop both Angela and Toya from bickering with each other. Waving off his apology and self blame made him blink and then look to Liz for her reactions as her mother spoke to them.

“No, I didn’t know that, actually. But Toya’s element I suspect is fire from the sound of it.”, he lightly joked as he thought back to his sister by marriage. As volatile and explosive as she was at times, he would be genuinely shocked about it. “Can’t see a better way of obtaining information then, I guess”, Krystopher nodded. “Has the wind been saying good things about me?”, he asked with a smirk. It had been the same question he asked Crystaline earlier. It was likely to get on Liz’s nerves but it was just in the name of fun.

“It’s be my pleasure, madam.” He went to follow along as the trio moved up to the top floor. The lycan sat down and felt his own nerves coming at ease. Liz sat right beside him and he felt her warmth once more. It eased his lupine side nicely, along with the brief kiss to his cheek. “I see that no…”, he was about to state before her mother’s attention was drawn to their little conversation. “Erm…I was a bit nervous about meeting you. I don’t really recall meeting a parent of a lover before… Liz was just trying to show me that it wasn’t as complicated as my mind had made me believe. I tend to do that sometimes.”   

She winked at him and chuckled. “More like a handsome black knight. You aren’t white at all when you are running in your wolf form. Don’t want you to outshine me.” She was clearly joking with him as she laughed a bit lighter.

Discussing Toya made Cathrine smirk a bit as she tilted her head. “Fire is Toya’s element all right. It’s why the dragons seem to revere her as some sort of savior though if you ask me… it’s because she’s more volatile than they are and it scares them into submission.” There was a light chuckle from mother and daughter.

Liz jabbed him in his side as she smiled when he asked about the winds saying good things. “Good things only but who knows what bad things float on the wisps of the wind?” There was a glimmer of mischievousness in the elder Rose’s eyes clearly like that of her sisters’. “Best be on your best behavior then shouldn’t you?” Liz now chuckled at Krys now.

They found themselves by the picture window as Cathrine tilted her head at the couple. “I see, well I have never done it either. I can see why you would be a tad intimidated by it. It could be worse I heard from a little bee that Adraejen pushed his step-daughter's suitor off the top of his temple and barely caught him as a warning.” She shrugged. “But they are but young adults not like you and Liz. I don’t need to threaten you, Liz can do that all by herself.”

Liz seemed rather proud of herself. “I like you in one piece though so I don’t think I’ll be ripping you apart anytime soon.” She winked at the wolf and her mother chuckled darkly.

He couldn’t help but to roll his eyes at her but it was all in play. The last thing he thought of himself was that of a knight- he had been far too selfish and was lured to the dark side. But Krys would let her believe him as such because it was in her right to. Maybe there was something in him that she could see that he could not.

“That’s the last thing she needs. It will only give her a swell head”, he sighed. The thought of Toya wrestling with the creatures wouldn’t have seemed out of place for the likes of her. She was certainly…quirky enough to do so. He grimaced a bit when Liz got him for his jest and her mother replied. “I’d imagine I been doing so, otherwise I’d imagine my eyes been clawed out by now and we’d not have this meeting.” Well, not for this reason they were here for now. But at least he wasn’t like the poor boy they spoke of. “I think I’ve heard that name from Angela. I take it he is her husband?” Fortunately Cathrine was more understanding and sincere about who her daughter pursued. That and like she said, they were both full adults.

“Lucky me then”, Krys retorted before shaking his head smiling. “I’d probably never hear the end of it should we come to that path down the road.”

Cathrine nodded. “Her and Adraejen have been married for… some time now. It’s not been ten years but the flow of time for her and me is a little bit fuzzy. If it weren’t for watching my children grow into beautiful adults I would have never known the passage of time had gone by so fast.”

Liz chuckled a bit at him. “Keep me entertained and we won’t ever have to go down that path.”

There was a glimmer of light in Cathrine’s eyes for a moment. “If I were a part of a couple that was just beginning their story I think I would like to go to the nice tavern within one of the night gardens that are in Lily’s Court. Candle light, fancy clothes, and all that stuff… Just a suggestion.”

Liz looked at her mother and for a moment she was shocked. “Are you giving us date ideas?” For a moment she was utterly flabbergasted.

“I do, on occasion, have good romantic advice.” Cathrine winked at Krys. “So go get changed into a dress and head on over to the night garden. I’ll give you the directions to the one I am talking about. It’s not near any of the brothels so the company should be good too.”

Blushing the half lycanthrope looked at her lover and tilted her head. "What do you say? Wanna live a little with me? Won't get the chance often to see me in a dress." A chuckle left her lips.