There was no gratification in it. Only cold, hard reassurance that she would not be flung into the air the moment she said her piece. But to watch her daughter's face harden into stone, to see the light in her eyes a blaze, like two hot coals sinking into snow. She was disgusted that it had come to this. Whatever misstep she had taken, whatever faith she had forsaken, how had it come down to
forcing her daughter into compliance? She was not unaware of the violation, of the resonance with which the act echoed trauma that both had endured in their lives.
Still, she was angry. Disgraced. If it had to come to this, then it was Kaida who had driven her hand. Kaida who had run, who had snubbed her, who had threatened her. It had taken this long for her to actively seek a conversation, and what was it for? A deathwish. Nothing productive, nothing redeeming. A stupid, senseless stroke of ego. She had half a mind to burn the girl to dust there, be done with her entirely. Whatever daughter she had risen, she seemed to have flown the coop.
But, she stood where she was, not unaware of Sigfrid's presence. Without the woman, she might had devolved into emotional wailing, possibly tears. It both would have accomplished nothing, and stripped her of what was left of her dignity tonight. She would maintain that.
Jaw tight, she inhaled, then spoke,
"You may do as you wish when I give you permission." She intended to instill, but the magic fell flatly. She would try again later. If that indeed failed, they would find a place to tuck Kaida's frozen figure, safe from the sun to wait out the limitations of the suggestion. For now, she frowned tightly, and continued,
"From the moment I fed you my blood," She reminded the girl, whos crumpled body she could see still, laying on the floor of her establishment.
"Everything I have done was in your interest. To make you stronger. Us stronger." She gestured between them, her words acidic.
"When we lost Asao..." She bit her tongue, sure she could taste venom on her tongue,
"We lost too much." She decided instead, her head tilting sharply down. Her nostrils flared, and she righted herself.
"My attempt to rebuild was flawed. And you left. I did not want to force you back to me." She had taken too long to search for her. It was the only conclusion she could have drawn from the bad blood. She had made the mistake of letting her daughter use the wings she'd gifted her, and realized too late that without the breath of her little dragon, she had nothing for kindling. No reason to continue to survive.
Yuna was a proud, ambitious woman. Power was something she demanded out of undead life, given she had been denied it so many times in her human life. But she was not selfish. Not inherently. What was the point of power if not to share it with those she deemed most valuable to her? Those she cared most about. Losing Asao had been nearly cauterizing. She might have stepped into the sun if she had not had Kaida to continue to give her purpose.
"But, I will not be bargained with." She established.
"I will not be stupid. I will not be played." Let it be known. She was no complying, spineless widow that would do anything to be loved again.
"You are strong, Kaida." She ground out, jaw tight. What an awful waste.
"You have purpose. It is not to be turned to ash by a man." Her true death could not reflect her first.
"If you wish to best him, then grow stronger. I will help you do that. Triumph does not have to come from blood." There were other ways to go about it. She did not have to waste her potential before she fully realized it.
"I will not touch Beauregard. Not while my clutch is in its infancy. Not while we both do not know our full strength." That said, she lifted a slender finger, as if Kaida had the ability to interrupt at all.
"Return to me, return to the girl I know can conquer. We will grow stronger together. And then, if you still find it worth your time to harm him, we will cripple him. We will kill his Praetor. She is the one who he answers to." She was interested to know how easily the Clutch would crumble without her. What a was leader without a backbone?
Failure