Rossarm was the one to break the silence with a deep monotone. "Fendros." He seemed a walking statue as he stepped and lowered himself into a seat next to Calia. It was uncertain what he was thinking with his blank face and his grinding teeth. What could be discerned, especially from Ahnasha was that there was the distinct buzz of residual magic around him.

"Father," Fendros responded, trying not to blink.

"I'll get some more cups," Llarasa placed down the teapot and very nearly began jogging out of the room. "Go sit down, Monderyn," she urged her transfixed brother as she passed.

Monderyn was usually more outspoken, and he was not expected to change that much since they ran across him in the Imperial City. However, whenever it seemed that he was going to say something, he glanced at his mother and father and curled his lips instead.

The tension rendered the very air into invisible treacle. Breathing was slow, time was slow, and no one knew how to proceed. Fendros was the one to break the staring contest. He swallowed and breathed in to speak. Rossarm interrupted him.

"Four years." Rossarm continued his hollow speech. "You went missing for four years. We searched far and wide. We lost much trying to find hope. Trying to find any sign. There was none. An empty receptacle where your ashes were meant to be stands by the fields." Rossarm raised his chin just enough to show some sort of emotion. Disdain. "...But now you appear before us, healthy and alive. There was not a single sign given. My eldest son, my blood heir, do you have any idea what you have put your family through?"

Llarasa re-entered the room with the presence of a mouse. She poured tea for Monderyn and Rossarm, but neither took them just yet. Llarasa took a stool behind Monderyn to sit upon, looking over their heads with her hands clasped together.

Fendros was staring into the cup in his hands. His mouth felt dry, but he didn't feel like drinking. All he could do was to make his face a wall against the shame that was creeping into his mind.

"Rossarm!" Calia snapped and shot a cross visage to Fendros' father despite looking past him. "It was not his fault!" She flicked a hand out to backhand the air. "If you would stop radiating your bottled grief all over him, he might have the space to tell you that he caught lycanthropy!"

While Rossarm flicked his eyes over to listen to Calia, he took a quite moment afterwards to scowl at what she said. "You should start explaining yourself, Fendros."

"I had hoped that seeing you again would have a better outcome, father" Fendros said, keeping his voice low and careful. "I'll just start again..."

Almost word-for-word, Fendros proceeded to repeat his explanation of lycanthropy to the rest of his family. This time, his wording was more clinical and emotionless. In particular, he made the danger of coming back to his home as clear as he could. When he reached the point of explaining the pack, he slowly lifted his teacup to his lips while he thought of what to say.

"This still does not explain the Khajiit you have brought with you," Rossarm observed.

Fendros pursed his lips to suppress a subtle anger and found the courage to look his father in the eyes again. "This is Ahansha. She is a close friend of mine now. Her and some of her friends found me in the woods. They are lycans themselves, so they took me in to take care of me. They also taught me how to control the beast spirit."

Rossarm butted in at the next pause. "They kept you from letting us know of your whereabouts."

There was a small exhale from Fendros. "No, I already told you, it was too dangerous." Fendros put his hand forward. "I knew you would try to make me stay back home even if I told you. If I had transformed in front of you back then, when I had no control, anything could have happened! I stayed away because I didn't want anyone to be killed by it. Please, understand that. It was risking you all to let you know or keeping you safe to keep you ignorant. I had to make that choice."

[hr]
To Meesei's snide remark, Harriet squinted her eyes. It was unclear whether she was pained or angered by the statement. When it was her turn to speak, Harriet's eyes went down and to one side. She took a moment to recall, swallowed, and began.

"I ran. I just ran. None of that leadership crap mattered any more. I didn't know where I'd end up, I knew I just needed to..." She cut herself off and shook her head. "I never looked for any agents of Vile. That slimy lizard was the only one I really spoke to. I didn't find any more, before or after. They didn't find me either." Harriet looked up at Meesei and took a deep breath. "At first, I looked for a wizard who could get your ring out of me without killing me. That was too much to ask for. Anyone with the expertise was too expensive to even talk to."

Harriet tilted her head to one side, her eyes avoiding the pack's. "I spent some time wandering, living off the land, staying away from packs and clans. After a few months, I had to settle down. The kid was coming. I couldn't move and hunt like I usually could. I chose Cheydinhal because an Orc wouldn't be out of place here and there aren't any local lycan clans that come by often. I worked as a servant for a bit, learned to swallow my pride and stop being an ass, then I started taking side-jobs repairing clothing." She huffed out a short-lived laugh. "You get plenty of practice doing that as a lycan. Narsi came out, I've been making a new life here ever since. I thought someone would find me eventually." She shrugged again. "I guess I hoped that wouldn't happen."