The prince thought he’d arrived late, with all the taunting, shouting, and screeching ricocheting and echoing off the mountain peaks, but as he responded to the call of their Queen and his father, it was only a few contributing to the din. He thought at first to simply relish in the chaos, to burn amongst it, to add fuel and vitriol to the fire, because it seemed so delightfully barbaric, so relishing, so simple, but it appeared as if his sire had truly had it with the entire lot. It was disheartening, after all, to watch the world he’d been born within begin to turn against themselves; like snakes eating their own tails. The blue demon waited and watched, listening to the rage, to the wails, to the sparks of incandescent brutality – against one another. Imagine if they could all come together, he told Orsino through their bond, smirking amongst the shadows, glancing at Enna from a distance, then motioning his eyes elsewhere when they landed upon her child too. Orsino snorted, but wisely contributed nothing to the statement, because the moments were stretching, whittling, bending, and breaking, and every etched, sketched rumination seemed all the more painful. Why did it always seem to be a mess, instead of an inferno of spirit and success? Why couldn’t they combine forces instead of butting heads, and relish the opportunities, the chances, they all had with one another? He missed his brethren, his brothers and sisters at arms, the way their childish livelihoods had all incensed each other to become something, to be the best, to cherish and unite and fight (he ignored the way those thoughts and feelings had become broken too; once they’d all separated and been born to Gods or been too bitter to forgive and forget). He missed the solidarity, the cohesion (and maybe they’d never had it to begin with, and his father had been hoping, and Erebos had been dreaming, and all those yearnings turned into nothing but snowflakes and dust). The boy wanted to help, wanted them to see that they were greater when they weren’t feuding or fighting.

He loved his herd. He knew Deimos, Hotaru, and everyone in between loved this herd. Even if they just didn’t show it. Even if they didn’t appreciate the lengths everyone had gone to see it secure, to see it safe, to see it prospering.

His voice sauntered from the shadows, following his father’s sentiments and statements, a Cheshire prince with smiles and beliefs, with soldier machinations and jovial proclamations. He wasn’t going to let several bad apples spoil the rest of their meeting. “I wonder what we could accomplish if we all banded together, instead of insulting one another?” He grinned, waiting to bear the brunt of their next level of accusations, but lord, he was strong and determined and had the blood of Deimos and Huyana running through his veins. All prince, all charisma, all danger and deceit, all lacquered and layered and covered in coveting measures and arms; but all he wanted now was to see his herd set to rights. “Everyone is allowed their opinions – but think, does it contribute to our discussions, or lead them further into the muck?” The lad’s eyes swept across the vast plain, the wondrous landscape, the strength, endurance, fortitude, and might – potential, harsh, unrelenting potential, and so many of them couldn’t see past their own wails and screeching. “This herd was built on perseverance, not insults and pettiness.” He could feel Orsino begging him to stop, rolling his fox eyes in the depths of his skull, but the lad only ended his speech on a bow and a flourish. “Congratulations to those who earned their ranks. Perhaps we could all learn from your dedication.”

Erebos

i have nothing, but then the have is not as good as the want