Making Royal Ties

@ Jaguar's Heart

Averila already knew that she would not be seen as the strongest female in his land. While she knew how to fight, it wasn't like she was able to transform into a wolf. While she was quite glad that she didn't, she was sure that being unable to would be seen as a weakness in his country. But if she was going to do this (and she had to), Averila was going to go all in. "Then I will just have to show your people that I am the strongest. I may not be able to transform but I know how to fight. I will not allow for others to think I am weak. Especially since your rule and country seems to rely on personal strength." His traditions were just another worry that she had to think about.

When the song ended, Averila stepped away from Kainan and gave him a small curtesy. "We may be in the same situation and want the same goal. But it would be foolish to think that us and our people do not have problems, thoughts and obstacles over being seen as one. We and our people are not one yet. And trust does not come easily after years of war." She had wanted to be civil tonight but it was Kanian who wanted to bring up their kingdom and run. Averila couldn't let him think that it was okay because it wasn't. And she wasn't ready to trust Kanian. She wasn't ready for anything to deal with him or his country. But yet she was being forced into it and she had to be ready soon. And she knew that both of their people felt the same. "You may find that many are not able to put the war and its results behind them as quickly as you are." With that Averila headed off of the dance floor. Averila had enough of this talk tonight. It was ridiculous how quickly Kanian wanted to move forward after the war. Even more so that he thought she would suddenly trust him or be willing to work so quickly on this situation. Let him prove himself worthy of her trust first.

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Kainan watched the Princess walk off and sighed. Well, that didn't work out as he'd hoped. As much as he didn't like this engagement... Kainan was hopeful for a brighter future. He was tired of war and conflict. And while he couldn't forget the horrors that had been committed on both sides... he was ready to just have peace.

With another sigh Kainan followed the Princess, moving to stand silently at her side. He chatted politely with those around him, responding to the questions they asked. Most were just as polite, but some were not as subtle with their barbed words. Kainan didn't take offense, though. He was in a new country and this... this was all new territory.

He kept close to the Princess, showing at least a somewhat unified front. He doubted that there would be any danger or attack, not here, but Kainan was always cautious. And if there was an attack... it would be directed at him.

@ Jaguar's Heart
Averila let Kanian stay close to her for the rest of the night. Though she did not feel the need to completely interact with him. As far as she was concerned, she needed a break until tomorrow. Then she would stuck in a carriage for a few days. So until the ball was over, the princess spoke to the nobles. Most of them raised their concerns about her being gone for so long, which she had to address and ensure them it was best. Also that they would see her again soon.

Once the ball was close to being over, she turned to Prince Kanian. "I am going to head to bed. You may stay here or look around the castle if you wish. Though when you are ready, the guards can show you where your room is." Princess Averila gave him a small smile, and a curtsy. "Goodnight Prince Kanian." With that, Averila made her way up to her room.

In the morning, the princess came down with a rather sleepy look on her face. They were leaving so early in the morning that she felt as if she was still sleeping.

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
The next morning Kainan woke, bright and early, and prepped for their trip. He was not looking forward to riding in the cart the whole time. He would much prefer running beside it, but he wasn't sure that Princess Averila would be comfortable with that. So riding it would be.

As Kainan prepped for their departure he mainly helped the servants load up everything that Princess Averila was taking. Did she truly need all of this? The servants had looked at him as if he was... well, as if he was insane. They apparently didn't have a lot of help from the Royal Family, but Kainan couldn't just sit around and wait.

So when the Princess and her family arrived he was still loading up the carriage, setting in the last piece of luggage. He looked up, then bowed low to the family, "Good morning."

@ Jaguar's Heart

"Good morning." Princess Averila said quietly. She turned to her parents, hugging them tightly before turning to Prince Kanian. For a moment she looked at him before her father helped her into the carriage. It was clear that Averila was upset, but also extremely tired. Though it was best that they got on the road early. Thieves and other criminals did most of their work at night. Also there would be less people moving about to disturb the carriage.

Once Averila was in the carriage, her father turned to Prince Kanian. He gave him a serious look. "Watch over her." This may have been a truce, and the arrange marriage an agreement. Though he knew that both of their people were still in an uprising about the war and the marriage. It was going to be up to Prince Kanian to make sure nothing happened when Averila was at his home.

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Kainan helped Princess Averila into the carriage, then turned to the King when he spoke. Kainan nodded to his short sentence, "I will," He said, "I know that this is... unprecedented, but I'll make sure she stays safe. No matter how this happened, your daughter is now one of my people. My family." He gave the King a smile, "And a wolf always protects what's his." He held his hand out to the King, wondering if the man understood that by initiating the handshake he was initiating a much more personal truce.

@ Jaguar's Heart
The father took his hand, giving him a firm handshake and a slight smile. He had a feeling that he could trust Kanian to watch over his daughter. There was something about the way Kanian acted and held himself that assured the king that his daughter would be safe with him. "Until we meet again." He said as he took a step back. He wrapped an arm around his Queen and watched as Kainan got into the carriage and it drove off.

Averila looked softly at the prince as he got into the carriage and sat down across from her. Though as the carriage started to move, she looked out, watching her parents see them off until they headed back inside. She let out a small sigh before pressing her head against the back of her seat. This was not what she wanted. It was so odd that she was being sent away with a man that she hardly knew. Slowly her tired eyes rested on Kainan, waiting for him to speak.

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Kainan was staring at Averila as she turned to him. He wasn't sure when the future held for them, but he would try to make sure it wasn't... bad. So he smiled at the Princess, "I know you don't trust me - or like me, but I think we can work this out." He shifted on his bench, "How about this... what are you most concerned about regarding me?"

Maybe if they talked it out they'd be able to get past this... hesitancy a little.

@ Jaguar's Heart

Averila was a little surprised by Kainan's question. While it was something that they needed to talk about, she was not expecting him to want to work on it so soon. It was beginning to become clear to her that Kainan was the type to see a problem and want to move forward immediately. This was not a horrible thing but it did not leave a lot of time for thought. She sat up a little bit, deciding that maybe it was best to get it all out now.

"I can not trust or like someone that I barely know. I have only met you yesterday." Averila glanced over at Kainan with concerned. "Though I do hesitate doing either even though we have only just met. And the war is one of my reasons for that hesistation. It may be over but the fact remains that I heard of your part in it. I know that you are a great warrior, and I have heard that your strategy in battle was well done. But it reminds me, and makes me wonder how many deaths of my people you were responsible for. And how many people have you killed that I personally knew. We had very different roles during the war so it is not like I can remind myself that I had done the same to you." Averila closed her eyes for a moment before looking into his. "I know it is important now for us to seem as an united front, especially to stop an uprising to happen, but I can't get myself to automatically trust you."

Kainan sat back and let her words filter through his mind. It seemedd that her concerns were more about his role in the war than the beast within him. Still, Kainan was fairly sure that she would still have some reservations when she first saw his wolf. Most humans did, believing that the wolf was blood thirsty and only hungered for human flesh. That was far from true.

He gave a little sigh, "I understand your concerns, though I would hope that you'd also see my side of things. Your people were not innocent through this war either. You may not have been fighting on a battle field, you might not have even participated in the war planning, but you did participate. You, your family, your people. You all fought, killed, murdered just as you believe we did. In a war, no one's hands are clean or blood free." He paused, considered his next words, "Don't think that I am not having the same troubles as you are regarding our engagement. But I prefer to see the good that this could bring. I believe that trust will come as long as we both have the same goal in mind; to keep our people heathy, happy, and peaceful."

Kainan gaave her a smile, "I'm hopeful that we can grow to understand and enjoy each other's company as our time together continues."

@ Jaguar's Heart
Averila couldn't help but roll her eyes at his words and anger boiled up a bit. She refused to accept that she was guilty but mere association. In fact it was her who asked her father not to participate in the war. And then it was also her who asked him to finally end it. Though if she would have known that the ending would have left her with him, Averila probably wouldn't not have asked at all. Though she didn't ask in concern for Kainan and his people. She was concerned about her own country and her people. Averila was worried about them fighting against such horrible beasts. Though it didn't matter in the end. Both sides of the war were done and neither of them really won.

"I also want my people to be happy, healthy and at peace. Though I don't believe that marrying you is the best or even a good path for that." Averila told him bluntly. She then leaned back into her seat. Averila was clearly stressed and uncomfortable. Kainan, his country, his people and going to his home was not what she wanted at all. "Though how we feel about our union doesn't really matter at this point. We just must work together to meet that goal for our people."

Kainan sighed as Princess Averila roll her eyes. Great. He'd be stuck married to a Princess who believed that they were faultless. Kainan had heard of human princesses like that, but he'd hoped that Princess Averila hadn't fallen under that category. It was a shame. He allowed silence to permeate the carriage for almost an hour before he finally spoke again, "Tell me, Princess, what is it that you're expecting out of this arrangement? Truly expecting. For yourself, not just your people."

@ Jaguar's Heart

Averila turned her head from the carriage window and glanced over at Kainan. She had tried to keep her mind blank the last hour in order to keep herself calm. There were so many emotions going through her that Averila was afraid that she would just jump out of the carriage and try to run away. Though when Prince Kainan spoke, she was ready to respond. Just because she wanted nothing to do with him, didn't mean she was going to ignore him or try to be rude to him. "Do you mean what am I hoping to get out of our relationship?" She asked him. "Because I don't know what to expect from you or this arrangement. Though I know what I hope will happen. I want us to get to a point where we can put our current worries and concerns about each other behind us. And that we will be able to work together and to truly respect each other. I don't expect us to actually love each other, but I hope we can get to a place of friendship. But in the least I hope we don't hate each other."