I am the son and the heir

@Nauja <3

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Luc wished they had stopped to rest on their way back to Risnjak. While he didn't want to admit it, his paws ached. And from the way Sylvan was now much closer than before, he could tell his companion was also tired. Lucian snuck a glance at the woman at his side, wanting to ask if she was as tired as they were. "You've been awfully quiet." His eyes flickered from her face to the path before them, as if checking to see if she, too, was eyeing him.

While Lucian knew there was nothing to be felt, he did wonder if Nauja liked him. He was a gentleman who wouldn't pursue if the lady wasn't interested. It was reprobate, and frankly, it wasn't pleasant to witness. He had seen Florian do it in the past, and was always disappointed in how similar he was to their father. Étienne. Just the thought of the silver man cast a dark cloud over Lucian's mind. And now, thinking of the woman at his side, he realized why he was so hesitant.

Once the familiar scents of his family filled his nose, he came to a stop and looked at the woman. "This is Risnjak. My home." For the first time, his smile reached his eyes. "Do you, like it?" Lucian felt himself trembling from the cold or his nerves; he couldn't quite tell. But deep in his heart, he hoped she did.

Lucian watched Sylvan shoot off towards home, leaving a cacophony of caws in her wake. Of course, she'd leave him. Luc shifted his paws as his gaze fixated on the distant mountain range. The sky was a mix of blues, violets, and oranges, with the sun just beginning to creep over the peaks. Even in these foreign lands, it was the one piece he still had from his past.

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Nauja was no stranger to long treks. Yet she was only a wolf, and one who had inherited her mother’s thick coat. They had crossed through regions far too warm for her. By the time Nauja knew they had reached Lucian’s home, her paws were sore too. She wanted nothing more than to lay down on a cold patch of snow and fall asleep.

But she could not rest yet. She had kept close to him, a quiet, pale shadow to his handsome figure. Nauja had promised that no harm would come to him, and she intended to see it through.

“I listen,” was the soft answer she gave him. It was true. Nothing would catch her off guard, as long as she kept her focus. He was trembling, she noticed—he could not be cold; his fur was too thick for that. Was he tired, too? She cursed herself internally for not paying more attention. She should have insisted he rest.

Then he asked her a question. Nauja looked away for a moment to study the sheer, frozen peaks that surrounded them. Winter came early to this place: snow already frosted the landscape, stark and pale against the darkness of rock and pine. The mountains were new to her. They reminded her of stories her father had told her, of gods and giants that dwelled on their slopes.

“Yes,” Nauja said, looking back at Lucian. She smiled, too, suddenly feeling warm under her fur. “It is a good home.”

“You should rest,” she added more seriously. Even his silvery raven-friend seemed weary.

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Lucian could tell that the journey had weighed on Nauja despite her relaxed demeanor. They had slowed down once Risnjak came into view, but he knew there was still more of a trek ahead of them. Risnjak was an unforgiving land, filled with treacherous terrain and sharp cliffs.

"Mmm." He nodded, her short reply taking the words from his mouth. Perhaps she was not the talkative type. They didn't know much about each other yet, but Lucian wanted to know more. What she liked, and didn't like. What she enjoyed doing while alone, and what she hated. But he couldn't bring himself to ask. What if she hated his prying?

"I am glad you like it." Lucian turned his eyes back to the path before them. The peaks rose high into the sky above them, their tops hidden by the thick clouds. Another storm was imminent. A soft sigh left the prince as he returned his gaze to the woman at his side. "Oh, I'll be alright. But I believe it's time to find a place for you to build a home before the storm rolls in." Lucian quickly began to walk off toward the center, his ears swiveling back to rest against his head. Worry began to gnaw at his mind, thoughts of how Nauja would fit into Caelistis and if she even wanted to be part of it. While she did agree to come with him to Risnjak, she never promised to stay. And while Lucian would never say it aloud, he wanted her to stay. He, liked having Nauja around.

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“You pick first. I choose after,” Nauja said firmly, shaking her head. Though typically mild and gentle, she did have a spark of defiance in her. It only flared up when it came to her friends and family.

She followed him as he proceeded farther into these lands, ears twitching at what little she could hear in the muffled snowfall. She heard a branch creak somewhere with a flutter of wings—and the crunch of snow tumbling to the ground. She heard others, too, moving through the woods and cliffs.

“Is your family big?” Nauja asked him.

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"So stubborn." He chuckled in response to her words. It was an admirable trait in Lucian's eyes. It meant she had a strong sense of morals, something she wouldn't waver from even if others disagreed with his thinking. But as Lucian talked to the woman, he felt he was gaining access to her mind, earning her trust and respect just as she had earned his.

Lucian's ears flickered at the faint noises coming from the nearby woodland. It seemed either Kyrillos or Vanille were at work today. Perfect.

"Not at the moment. My family is still adding members. It is a slow process, as you may expect. However, my uncle and childhood friend have come to join me at Risnjak." The words brought a smile to Lucian's face. He had his family with him; well, the two who he knew were also in this land with him. Lucian did wonder if those from the past had also come here. The friends he had made in his youth. His brother. Ruslana. Just the thought of her made his smile falter. Lucian hoped she remained, maybe even wedded Florian in his place. It would keep the alliance intact, and they had the chance to be happy. It was all he wanted for the both of them. To find someone to be satisfied with. It was all Lucian had ever dreamed of for his brother. And himself.

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She chose to ignore his comment with what she hoped was something like dignified grace. At his next words, however, Nauja nodded. Her ears perked with curiosity—she began to wonder just who this friend and uncle were. Would they be as kind to her as Lucian had been?

What if they didn’t like her at all? Nauja knew that meant she would have to leave. And she would do so; she would never impose herself where she was not wanted. But…she didn’t want to go. She liked Lucian, even though she still knew little of him. He was kind, and always thoughtful. It was not something Nauja expected from others, especially not towards herself.

She wasn’t sure how to voice those doubts, though. After a few moments, she asked, tentative: “What are they like?”

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Lucian could see the cogs working in Nauja's mind as they came closer to the abode, and he wished he could do something to silence the fears he suspected she had. His family was good of heart, honest, and welcoming to those who needed a place to call home. They would not turn her way, that he was sure of. But if they liked her was another question he could not answer.

Lucian could not help the soft exhale that left him. He knew Vanille and Kyrillos trusted his judgment, but he wanted them to form their own opinions of the woman. Lucian would never influence their decisions; instead, the prince wanted to cultivate a community founded on trust and equality. Everyone deserves to have their voice heard and respected. There would be no influencing or shaming, but Lucian learned it was no more than a dream. He had witnessed how quickly those ideals could be eradicated as a child. Étienne always called him an idealist, a name Lucian quickly learned was entitled to him out of spite. A jab at the morals his mother tried to instill in him before her untimely passing.

"They are kind. Kyrillos is fair-minded and honorable, a man of good standing." He hummed, eyes lighting up at the thought of his family meeting the woman. He stopped, turning to face Nauja with a kind smile playing on his lips. "Do not worry, Nauja. I'm sure they will like you, just as I do." While Lucian wanted to calm the woman's nerves, his mind did wander to Vanille. The two were more alike than he would like to admit. And that thought made him swallow back a sigh.

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At his words, Nauja visibly brightened. He liked her? She had respected him, and he had been kind to her, but Nauja still struggled to believe that anyone might actually want her around. But there was something in the other wolf’s eyes that made her want to believe him. She wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, she might have something of value to contribute.

Maybe she could find a way to fit in.

“Thank you, Lucian,” Nauja said. “I…will try not to disappoint anyone.” She nodded, half to herself. She would keep that promise, as best as she could. She returned his smile with one of her own.

“If they are like you…I think I will be okay here.”

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Lucian could see the way Nauja's demeanor transformed into one of glee. Glimpsing the visible difference in the woman alleviated the concern he had not realized was brewing within his mind. Luc wanted his family to welcome her with open arms; hell, Nauja deserved it. She was a strong woman and one who earned a place where she could thrive and become something. He wanted to give Nauja a place that felt like home, just like Vanille and Kyrillos.

The weather was changing, growing colder the further north they went. Pale eyes noticed the growing peaks, and Lucian knew it meant they were getting closer to where his family had decided to claim as their current den site. It was safer in the vale between the tallest peaks with a path that seemed nonexistent. It would be difficult to locate, and that gave Lucian a sense of security. They would be safe there should he not be present to protect them.

"You can never disappoint me, Nauja. You have proved yourself to me; I know the rest will also acknowledge that. Just be yourself." He hummed and lightly bumped his shoulder against hers. Nauja would fit right into Caelistis, that much Lucian knew. He would not have brought her to his home if he did not see the potential in her. "I am surprised you liked me enough to accompany me to Risnjak. I was sure you would tell me to get lost." He tipped his head and chuckled softly. Luc wanted to offer a distraction, something to ease her nerves and, hopefully, elicit that rare smile. No, no. Lucian cleared his throat and lifted his gaze to the horizon. "We're almost there."

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Nauja smiled, nodding, though she doubted how true his words were. She could not shake the eternal fear that she’d fail those who expected something of her—yet at the same time, she wanted to believe him. And as much as she could disparage herself, she wouldn’t tolerate such self-deprecating words from someone she respected.

“Why would I do that?” Nauja scoffed, shaking her head. “Only a fool would say such a thing. Someone who was not taught proper respect.”

No, she could not imagine what person would tell Lucian to get lost! If she ever met them, she’d…well…Nauja didn’t know exactly what she’d do, but she’d do something about it. She could be scary, if she really needed to be. She just didn’t enjoy it.

As they approached their destination, Nauja tried her best to fight down her nervousness. She would be alright, she thought. She would. Quietly, she followed Lucian—peering curiously at the place he called home.

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At the sight of her smile, Lucian visibly relaxed. Nauja would be alright in Caelistis; he knew that. She had proven to be a force of her own, and Luc knew within himself that he had made the right choice. There would be no doubt in his mind, and he could only hope there was none in hers. Lucian wanted her to choose Caelistis, to want to be part of the family growing within the peaks of Risnjak.

"I was an unfamiliar man who happened upon a lone woman." He replied, his head tilting to glance at the woman beside him. Perhaps Nauja was not raised with the same rules Lucian learned as a boy. But at her stern words, he released a chuff. "I suppose you are right, Nauja." He hummed, lips quirked with a mirthful smile. She would do well among them.

As the pair crested the slope, Lucian halted and allowed his gaze to focus on the center hearth. "You may find shelter wherever you feel the most comfortable; I will not force you to reside where you do not wish to." He paused, pale gaze turning to the woman. "Furthermore, if you need assistance with something and I am not around, Vanille will be able to help. She's a lot nicer than I am. Lucian chuckled as he descended the incline. Luc turned his head over his shoulder, a soft smile on his lips. "Are you ready?"

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