Love you; Mean it

"Listen, Myranda - I am positive that was not a set up or a trick," Jyriah comforted her with a twisted face. "...and General Harbinger is a real fucking asshole. I'm sorry I had to agree with him, even if I was lying. I absolutely disagree with him just to be clear, and he can suck my dick." He said under his breath with finality - and in hopes of making her laugh.

"It's fine, Jyriah. I'm pretty sure it was just a nasty little game. Get the ugly servant girl's hopes up and crush her heart by pretending you can't show up. Classic."

"....You got your hopes up?" Jyriah questioned with surprise, and in hopes he could deflect her bad mood into some laughter again.

"No," she lied lowly, and cleared her throat to stop the tears that threatened to form in her eyes.

"Ah, Myri. I'm really sorry. I'm quite positive this was not his doing. He doesn't treat even the lower citizens with disrespect - so I am sure it was as he said, it's the Alpha and Luna, not Metas," he attempted to explain it all away with a little too much desperation.

"Well, that just makes it worse. What would I do even if we liked each other?" She asked, trying to mask the waver in her voice.

"Mates find a way, Myri..." Jyriah cooed and pulled her closer to him as they continued back down to the merchant clan's sector.

"Can I just come live with you and Joss?" She begged with a heavy tone, and large eyes of glass to match.

"No - you know it doesn't work like that. I can't. If you were little, and mom and dad were gone - I'd adopt you in a second, but you're too old." He answered sadly.

"So I'm stuck here forever is what you're saying?" She followed up with snark.

"No. I told you, littlest of sisters - mates always find a way. The Goddess doesn't play bad tricks, that I assure you" Jyriah reassured her confidently.

"Sure. Well, let me know when this joke turns into a fun trick then, will you?" The jaded female replied as their home came into view.

He frowned and attempted to give her good advice. "Listen. Get some rest, take a bath and do an angry shake when you're done. It feels really good."

"Ew. Gross. I don't want to clean that up. Do you know how much dirt and stuff is on your fur? Even if you wash it out, there is always remnant remaining. I hope Joss makes you less nasty..." Myranda finally felt a little better in order to quip back to her eldest sibling.

"I love you, Myranda. I always will - and no matter what happens, I will support you. Even if I have to break your legs to make it a 'special circumstance' in order to take you in," he joked a little too far, and laughed at the look she made.

"Haha, your face is great!" He bellowed a little too loudly to where his voice echoed down the carved halls of stone.

They both exchanged looks of shock at how loud the sound traveled, and quickly made their way inside the bakery hovel before they could get yelled at for causing trouble again.

As soon as they closed the doors behind them, they saw Syrana cleaning up the kitchen, and by the looks of her face at their arrival, she wasn't happy. "Don't tell me you let her talk your way out of this."

The eldest sibling was instantly offended. "Hey, don't be like that. I didn't. General Hardassinger told us the Alpha and Luna heard about what the prince was up to and stopped us before we could even get up to the mid-level....and don't judge me..."

He immediately followed up his words with maturity as he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Oh no... Are you okay, Myri?" Syrana asked with a frown and put the towel she had been using on the counter down and came up to her sister in a gliding stride. She wrapped her arms around Myranda, and pulled her in tightly.

"Yes. Everyone should stop asking now. I'm fine, I don't care - and I didn't think it would work out anyway. I still think this was some nasty trick that little princely prick piece of shit played on me. Well, congratulations to him - it worked, I'm crushed. Is everyone happy now?" Myranda let out in exasperation as the tears she had held back for so long started to weep down her face.

"You're just feeling two different things at the same time, but sure - we can pretend everything is fine if you want us to, and then I can come by in the morning to talk about it. Sometimes you just need the night to process," the middle sibling offered gently and kept her sister close for just a bit longer.

"How about you go to take a bath or something and go to bed. It's been a really long day. I can finish the chores up front and then I'll head home with Jyriah. Sound good?"

"....sure...." Myranda said with disappointment. She wasn't fine at all. She was crushed. If she was going to rebuke the Prince, she wanted it to be on /her/ terms. It was like the royal family was taking even her free will away.

She was mad, sad, and lost. It felt intense, too - far more intense than she had ever felt. Could it be that maybe - just maybe Prince Metas was also feeling this way? She read romance novels and myths where mates could feel one another when things were wrong, but as Myranda had never experienced it, she didn't really think it was an actual thing.

Since both of her siblings knew she was absolutely devastated, she didn't bother to pretend to be tough anymore as she dragged herself back towards her living quarters and let her lip quiver.

"Goodnight. Love you; mean it, bye" Myranda whimpered without even looking back at them. She merely waved her hand in the air as if that was some kind of proper farewell.

She found herself in a juxtaposition from earlier. Now she wanted to meet Prince Metas just to tell him to buzz off. This was the last day she wanted the Alpha and Luna to steal her freedom away. She would see to that if it was the last act she made.