Fingers brushed through her hair, weaving through the thick locks as they tugged at loose knots. Those same fingers ran along the side of her jaw, tracing small circles as Leala allowed her eyelids to flutter shut and breathe in the moment surrounding her. A soft pair of lips lightly brushed against her own, a thumb run along her chin as she gazed up to the golden eyes above her. River's body flush against hers, Leala drew her arms around River's arms, hands softly squeezing the muscle underneath his shirt as his hair became a curtain over his eyes for a brief second. 

"I don't want to go," she whispered, almost out of breath as she could feel the attraction between the two of them in this moment. 

"A new sun rises and your title calls for you to complete its duties."

"Duties of politics to drown out the day." To drown out the memories which still haunted Leala. The scars which had formed over her body from the battle reminded her everyday of the battle won. Perhaps it was a battle won, but there were still losses. Processing grief is never a simple task - a task which has many ways to lead to completion. "I would rather be here and in your embrace than arguing with Finley another five hours."  

River chuckled, rising from the bed as he readjusted the shirt he had thrown on not ten minutes ago. "No one wishes to settle arguments for hours on end." 

"I feel chained to this job like a hound," Leala muttered. "But it is the decision I made to lead an army, multiple packs, and to become the next queen." 

"So focus on what is ahead. Do not think about the misery of dealing with Finley...think about what good things are to come from all of these debates, arguments, and matters of politics and the heart." 

A smile painted the future queen's face, River's words reminding Leala of why she loved returning to her room every night to greet the same man - it was his optimism and words of encouragement and wisdom. It was in these moments that Leala's attraction to River only grew stronger and formed permanent ties. 

Leala picked herself off from the bed and headed for the door, leaving River with a kiss as they parted ways. Ever since their return from war with Keva, Leala and River had become inseparable, finding ways to spend the nights together and loopholes to keep one another company. Yet as Leala prepared for the formation of a kingdom, River was busy tending to the needs of everyday life. River understood he would be Leala's hand when she took the throne - an individual to care for the simpler and everyday matters which the crown would be too distracted from for time to time. River was learning to deal with these matters before Leala would take her throne. 

Yet as the days to the coronation neared and plans arranged for the moment Leala Maxwell became queen, tensions had begun to rise within the packs. Crimson Lock members whispered in corridors about the fate of the new queen. They wondered what was to become of the pack if their alpha was to become a queen. Would they become the Royal Pack and move to the city outside the palace? Would they stay in their origional territory and have a Steward placed over them. Brie or Cedric could become the one to run Crimson Lock while Alpha Leala was off running a kingdom. These matters still seemed up in the air for the common folk. 

"I need a drink," Leala muttered to Brie as she took slid into her office chair, looking outside to watch her garden being tended to. "Something like a whiskey or scotch." 

"So soon?" Brie questioned, walking to the alcohol cabinet stored by the bookshelf. 

"Coronation day nears."   

"And you will move into what has been built of the palace."

"It looks beautiful," Leala commented, thinking back to the pictures she had been shown only a week ago. "The work mages can do is impressive. I thought only the elves built that fast."

"They both use Chaos to create the palaces," Brie pointed out. It was true, for Chaos was a common source of magic used to create palaces of the old at a fast pace and with beautiful architecture. "Soon enough your private chambers will be completed." 

"And then I will be paraded into the Temple of the Moon Goddess to have a crown placed on my head." 

"A seamstress will be visiting today to complete your gown for the event." 

Leala nodded, checking her schedule for the day as Brie placed a glass with scotch on Leala's desk. With the two women leaning back in their chairs and looking outside, Leala wondered what Brie would bring to her attention first. Would today's morning chat be about Crimson Lock? River? There were many more possibilities. 

"Something was brought to my attention by Alpha Yusuf." 

Motioning for Brie to continue, Leala picked up her drink and took a sip. 

"Sybil and Zion were spotted not twelve hours ago passing into the North American boarder." Leala's eyes widened at the names spoken. "Zion has a family house located along the East Coast. It seems the two will be staying there for a bit." 

"They wish to see the new kingdom being build up." 

"They are being watched with a close eye," Brie assured. 

"Zion tried to murder my mother while she was pregnant with me," Leala snapped, eyebrows burrowed together. "Make sure they do not try and come for me."

"They could very much be here for River - to speak with their son." 

"To speak with him because they perhaps wonder-"

"Speak with River if you think he has heard from them," Brie interrupted. "I know they are the last people you wanted to hear about having come closer to your territory, but...but they are the parents of the man you love."

"Zion murdered my father."

"And Nixon murdered Sybil. Lily then tore down their palace. I know of the bad blood and how your families struggled in the past. Did you and River not agree to put the past behind and focus on the possibilities of the future? For the good of this kingdom and perhaps, one day, your own children?!" Brie rose to her feet, gazing outside. "If you are to have a child with River, then would it not be healthy for it to hear the bicker between parents about their own parents." 

Leala know Brie to be right. Leala had come to realize this fact many times, even coming to terms with River being the son of Zion and Sybil. "Do they understand that their son will be coming with me to the palace? As Hand of the Queen?" 

"That is a conversation to have with River." 

Taking in a deep breath, Leala decided to drop the matter, for Brie was right - this was a discussion to have with the man she was in love with. 

Before Leala could take another break to enjoy the day, the morning had turned to evening and the alpha was strolling through the grounds of the pack house, deep in discussion with Yusuf. "It is tradition for a priestess from the Temple of the Moon Goddess to complete the ceremony for coronation."

"And tradition to wear the colors of my family and pack." 

"If there was one family crest I never would have believed seeing sewn into flags, it would have been the navy and silver of the Maxwell family." 

"I doubt many did," Leala replied. "To think Crimson Lock was once a rogue pack...now to be the Royal Pack." 

The two circled around to the entrance of the pack house, being waved over by Cedric as the seamstress had arrived to begin the process of Leala's coronation gown. "If I am to be honest, Leala, I think you will make a far more grand leader than what your father could have done."

"I have heard I am the best of my parents," Leala commented, "but also the worst." 

"It is hard to please everyone." 

Leala sighed in agreement, entering through the front door as she took a left into the private library. Cedric and Yusuf followed her in, greeted by the seamstress sent from the Temple of the Moon Goddess. The young woman was barely eighteen, her orange hair pulled back in a tight braid, a simple dress which fell to her bare feet, and her bright green eyes looking up to Leala in awe. Leala had heard of the girls who were offered to the Temple to learn not just the rituals and religion of the werewolf world, but to deepen their connection to the spirit world. 

The young woman instructed Leala to stand before a mirror, pulling back the alpha's hair as she dismissed Cedric and Yusuf from the room. With solitude around, Leala stepped out of her clothes from the day and pulled on a heavy dress prepared by the seamstress. The delicate navy material of the dress swept the floor, covered in silver embroidery and jewels. The sweetheart neckline was low as a corset sewn into the dress helped offer Leala a boost to her chest. The seamstress began to pin a layer of white fur to the delicate neckline of Leala's dress, creating a modern robe to sweep behind Leala's dress and follow the train of her dress by an extra foot. The heavy robe was fur at the top and bottom, weaved with crystals and pearls through the navy material as Leala's eyes lit up at the sight of the gown. 

Never before had something so extravagant and expensive been worn by Leala. As the seamstress began to pin back fabric and use her scissors to cut excess fabric, Leala watched the dress begin to fit her perfectly. A slit was made in the front, running tastefully up to her toned thigh. 

Another hour passed of pins being placed carefully into the fabric to complete the final touches. The weight of the dress had begun to take an effect on the future queen, finding it hard to not feel warm as the seamstress finished another snipping of material. 

"All finished," the young woman spoke, pulling back her hands from the dress as she closed up her small container of pins. 

"It is beautiful." 

"I hope you will enjoy the gown when it is all complete."

"I definitely will," Leala exclaimed, thanking the seamstress as she helped Leala out of the gown. As the gown was tucked away for safety, Leala thanked the young woman again before changing back into her clothes and leaving the room. "A masterpiece," Leala spoke before Brie could ask how the fitting had gone. The Gamma stood outside the room waiting, surprised to see Leala full of joy as the doors sprung open. 

"It is starting to feel real yet?" 

"It is." 

<><><> 

Family is family - there are those who believe that family is the bloodline you are born into, adopted into. There are those who ride that statement as truth to their life and the generations of their offspring to come. For River, this was the truth he was born into. Yet is was still peculiar how a boy who was born and given to another to be raised up, for that boy to live his life only seeing fractions of the man and woman who gave him life...it was peculiar that he still decided to believe family is family. Yet as that boy transformed into a man, he too had begun to question that statement as truth or an opinion. Detesting the life he had been raised to believe he had to live, River developed a resentment for the path his parents and Keva had chosen for him. 

Yet after the ash of the palace he had grown up in had settled, after River had found himself ending the life of who he deemed worthy of a brother, watching the woman who raised and trained him perish, and walking over the bodies of warriors he once played with as a child, River had come to accept another truth. 

The truth that he cared little for his true parents - perhaps less than he thought he had cared for them. River could never come to terms with Sybil and Zion thinking to leave their only son behind was a good idea. River never wanted to form a close relationship with them either - for their lack of support over the years had finally taken a toll. But River also understood he would allow them to stay updated in his life, for he wished his parents to still know of his growth as a man in a new kingdom of endless possibilities. Perhaps it was also that River wanted his parents to notice just how successful he could become without them having a say or influence. 

It was a girl with brunette locks and beautiful doe eyes who River now considered to be his family. Though Leala and him were far from any form of engagement, River knew Leala would be the woman he could rely on like family should be able to. 

Building a new kingdom, developing rules, making changes to the old ways, creating new boundaries, and healing the wounds of war across a kingdom, all of these things were adding to the stress of all those around him. River knew his role in the new kingdom, of what was to be expected of him. Yet he still wondered just when the strong relationship he had developed with Leala...when that would be made public to the kingdom and he would be able to one day propose to the woman he loved. 

River was willing to wait, a sacrifice which ate away at River every day, but he knew he needed to wait before he could ask Leala four questions he so badly wanted to. An engagement would have to be the lowest priority on both their radars as coronation day drew near and Leala would fall into her role as Alpha Queen. 

Taking a step back from the painting having been rested against the wall, River lowered the tarp having been draped over the unfinished masterpiece. The outline of Leala was her sitting, at an angle for the painter, and perfect posture as the paint streaks creating the texture of her hair fell over her shoulders. The painting would be completed soon enough, when she would wear her coronation dress, a crown placed perfectly on her head, and a world of decisions to be made. 

"I think the artist exaggerated the size of my eyes," Leala commented, her bare feet barely making a sound as she neared River in the dim hallway. 

"You look stunning in it," River replied, turning to face the strong woman he had fallen for months ago. Perhaps even the night they had met. "I wonder how large the crown will be."

"I've been promised it will not be as ostentatious as they once were..." Leala tailed off, coming to acknowledge that the crown she was commenting on was the one River's family had worn for generations. "How was your day?"

"Not as busy as yours." River was relieved he was able to kick back and relax, not dealing with too many matters of politics. "I heard your dress is almost finished."

"Very heavy and very breathtaking." River wondered just how stunning Leala would look in her coronation gown. He then wondered just how she would look in her eventual wedding gown.

Taking in a deep breath, River knew what needed to be discussed with his future queen. "I am sure you were informed how my parents are back in the territory of this kingdom." His voice was soft as he looked back to the tarp-draped painting. "I am wondering what you think of that."

Leala crossed her arms, pursing her lips together as thoughts ran through her head. "I was worried they could be coming for me. Though it was an outrageous thought. You are their son. They wish to perhaps make peace with you, to see you progress in the world, or perhaps they have come to apologize for the things they had done. There are many reasons for why they could be close." 

"I am toying with the idea of visiting them. I did not wish to do so without you knowing of that possibility." River looked back to Leala, wondering of the thoughts running through her head. "I believe they wish to make peace, though I doubt I will ever let them fully into my life. They are more like an estranged aunt and uncle than parents." 

Leala took in a steady breath. "I understand why you want to see them. I could never keep you from your parents...it would be uncalled for," Leala spoke up, "but I hope you understand why I could never accept them visiting you while I am in the same house or the palace."

An arm wrapped around Leala's shoulder, River pulling in the woman he loved tightly as he rested his chin on her head. His fingers ran through her hair slowly, her delicate fingers drawing circles on his back as they remained in silence for a minute or so. 

"I understand completely."   

"Thank you," Leala whispered. "When will you go and visit them?" 

"Before your coronation. Perhaps this weekend or next week sometime. I know they are expecting me any day." 

"Are you worried? Excited?" Leala asked, curious to the emotions River must be feeling. 

River pulled away slightly, placing a light kiss onto her forehead as he let out a sigh.

"Relieved."