[SRP] A Proposition (Epimetheus x Metis)

[Epine de Rose]

"We are equals."

 

[Epine de Rose]

He wasn't fitting in.

The simple truth of it was that this world had considerable difficulties accepting what he was. The colour of his coat was enough to strike fear into the most superstitious, and bring out the spite in others. Despite who his parents were, even what his parents were, this did not stop the most religious of society from turning their judgmental gaze upon him. It had grown tiresome and as the months had drawn on he had come to respect the tenacity and thick skin of his father's closest companions.

Gideon, a noble like he, was capable of completely ignoring the hateful gazes; while Adar-malik simply embraced it. For every hateful gaze, one of cruelty was returned. For every claw raised, the same was given... Unfortunately, Epimetheus was his mother's son and while he would love to have the capacity to truly lash out as Adar did (and get away with it), he appreciated that sometimes that simply made things worse. To lash out, to react in any way to the behaviour of those who simply didn't trust him, would result in a self fulfilling prophecy...that endless cycle he and his brothers had observed on their arrival here.

...And yet...

From the shadows, a pair of red eyes had been watching him. There had been no cheshire cat smiles, no snarls of malice, simply eyes. Unblinking, unwavering, they had remained fixed on him for a considerable amount of time and seemed to have no intention of leaving him any time soon. Remarkably, it seemed that the black lion had company and it came in the form of something that really shouldn't have been there - he was staring into the eyes of a Phantom, the scourge of this world, and it was calmly returning the favour.

Most curious was the fact that it was broad daylight, yet this strange individual had found the most perfect spot to relax. Undisturbed and entirely unseen, even in broad daylight this shadowy being had developed the skills necessary to remain invisible. It was worthy of applause but Epimetheus was more interested in why the individual was there to begin with.

They didn't come this far north, they stuck to their warrens.

They plotted.

They planned.

They...did exactly what these zealots 'claimed' they did. Their sole existence was to ensure the destruction of this world and yet this one made no attempts to do so. Was it because he was like them? Save for a 'defect' within his eyes, he was most assuredly meant to be one of them and the lions of the Al-Siq seemed determined to remind him of this.

"You are a long way from home," he said at last, unwisely in the view of some, choosing to approach the individual's vantage point.

"Quite the assumption," Metis replied smoothly, pursing his lips thoughtfully as the lion bridged the distance between them without even the slightest coaxing. "And where might my home be?" he asked curiously.

Now this gave Epimetheus pause for thought. He hesitated, and the phantom took advantage of this.

"The warrens, if those of this world would be believed," Metis shook his head, his form becoming clearer as Epimetheus finally came within touching distance. "Except you know as well as I do, that you were not born in the warrens," he pointed out. "So why must I be?"

"They kill their young here if they -"

"Are you sure?" Metis challenged.

"What?"

"Are you sure?" Metis repeated and lifted a brow.

"Do they not abandon them, the majority at least, to die from exposure and -" Epimetheus stopped abruptly and peered at Metis, an older lion who seemed to be looking towards him with something akin to amusement. Was this as a result of his naivety, of the fact that despite the fact he hadn't been raised here, he had so openly accepted something as truth without even a semblance of evidence.

"And...?" Metis pressed.

"I'm wrong," Epimetheus stated simply.

"Are you?" Metis's eyebrow lifted higher and Epimetheus nodded with a surprising amount of conviction. Now this was intriguing for the elder lion, who promptly leaned back to observe the younger noble more closely, to gain a better grasp of what he might be dealing with. Now this was a turn up for the books, even by Metis's standards and he wasn't often surprised... It seemed Destati had been rather heavily influenced by that little creature he now called his wife.

"Aren't I?" Epimetheus challenged and frowned.

"You might well be," Metis agreed, deliberately vague in his approach.

"There are...two sides to every story," Epimetheus chewed on his lower lip. "And I've only heard one," he stated.

"Very true."

"So now you can tell me the other," Epimetheus stated, causing Metis's eyebrow to reach new heights.

"And then what?" Metis inquired in a low drawl, he wasn't one for preaching and this was going far too well for his tastes, he had been expecting some resistance. Had the Al-Siq truly done all the work for him, had they been so utterly despicable that the Justicar's son was already doubting his place here?

"Then I can paint a full picture, or at least paint enough of one to work out where to go from there."

Metis wasn't one for gambles, but on this occasion, something told him that it would be right.

"I will do you one better," Metis said at last, after he seemed to have given it considerable thought (which he had) and clucked his tongue. "If you are feeling brave, I will show you."

"Show me...?" Epimetheus seemed uncertain.

"I will show you the world that you all deny exists, one that you all dearly wish did not, or simply cannot believe it is possible," Metis remarked. "You will find little value in words if you have experienced one side and not the other. You wish to paint a picture, one with all the facts available at the time, yes?"

"That...was the aim," the younger lion agreed.

"Then allow yourself to see it with your own eyes, to experience it, and then you will have both sides as per your own wants," Metis offered.

"No one is allowed to enter the Black Province, that would be fundamentally -" Epimetheus frowned. "It would be completely possible, wouldn't it?" he muttered as a smile lifted on to Metis's lips.

"You learn quickly," Metis observed and motioned with his paw. "Is this an offer of interest to you, or should I simply preach to the parish as one of your priests would be inclined to do?" he asked softly.

"I'm interested."

And he was.

Epimetheus wasn't entirely certain of what might happen, but he knew that as he was now the Scourge wouldn't destroy him unless he posed a threat. If this was the world that he was meant to be a part of, if he was meant to fall under their banner and act as they acted... then perhaps it was time that he understood what these expectations were. He just wasn't entirely certain of what he might find down there, and whether or not he'd like what he was supposed to be according to Al-Siq doctrine... But it was better to know, at least this way he might be able to aspire towards the demeanour of Gideon and eventually grow immune to the taunting.

Either that, or there might be method to Adar's madness.

"Intriguing," Metis rumbled. "Then you will have your chance," he promised.

"When...?"

"Not in broad daylight," Metis replied smoothly and motioned with his paw, he had no intention of moving any time soon, but come sundown it would be a very different story...

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