that's all there is; a claim

[vulgaris]

VulgariS

take me, take me back to your bed. i love you so much that it hurts my head.
say, i don't mind you under my skin. oh, let the bad parts in, the bad parts in.

He does not sleep. He watches the horizon with feral eyes and waits for others to come take part in the sanctuary that Beqanna raised from the oceans. Somewhere, Adna is probably sleeping in a little bundle of legs, and he hopes her dreams don’t bring her terror as his often do. He had considered venturing out to Tephra to find her, but why drag her from somewhere safe to the Pampas? No, she deserved better than that. And so too did Leliana.

But he’s pulled from his thoughts when he sees someone venturing from the empty halls of Loess and into the new home. He squints his eyes and watches until he’s certain that he doesn’t recognize her. Guarding Loess had trained him to bare his teeth at the sight of an intruder but he quickly curls his lips back over the pointed rows of fangs. No, times have changed. Everyone deserves shelter from the storm. He reminds himself of this and takes in a deep breath, releasing it slowly until he’s sure he’s calm again.

Then he moves forward to meet her halfway. She’s got sad eyes and her coat is a bit red like his love. For a fleeting moment, he’s tempted to let his guard down, but his duty to Wolfbane and the Loessians comes first.

“My name is Vulgaris, champion of Loess. This region is claimed for my home, by order of our Lord Wolfbane,” he explains, though his tone lacks any bite or aggression. There is only a stoic calm. “We’re happy to welcome anyone seeking refuge from the plague, though. What’s your name?”

He wishes he had learned the kind of welcoming warmth that the more politically inclined members employed. Still, it’s not difficult to offer a faint smile when he finishes speaking, though he’s careful not to let the expression be corrupted by the cruel shape of his teeth.

@[Noah]