She is glad when the gathering does not end in violence and bloodshed, glad when the vote sways in Wallace’s favor and the home she has recently come to know is still safe. Though it is impossible to truly know what Castile might have done with the island, what path he might have chosen for them, Luster was quite certain it would not have been something she wanted. Not when his introduction had been laced in violence, the voices of those already living here silenced, their concerns unheard.
Her gaze lifts to welcome Wallace back to their group, a soft smile sneaking onto her lips as the first to greet her is Luster’s own brother, Woolf. She hadn’t known that they had met, hadn’t realized they were friends, but somehow it feels fitting to see so much of her own family tangled with Kharon’s. Her dark eyes slip quietly through the gathered crowd, searching for the lavender face that makes her smile soften and her eyes glow with gentle affection. Kharon. She brushes against his mind so briefly, gentling her thought so it does not distract from the purpose of the meeting. Yeah, of course their families are tangled.
She listens quietly, her eyes first on Wallace, then Woolf, and then the man who must be Kharon’s father. When it is quiet, she hesitates for a beat and then takes her turn. Though Wallace had asked only for those interested in leading to introduce themselves, she decides to introduce her little family anyway. It would be good for everyone to know each other, right? She winces, hopes she isn’t overstepping.
“I’m Luster,” she offers softly for anyone gathered who might not know her yet, those dark eyes exploring the nearest faces, “I live here with most of my family, too.” There is a tug on one corner of her mouth, a shade of amusement in the dark of her eyes as a crooked smile blossoms across her mouth. “There might be too many of us to name before the sun sets, but these three are mine. My daughter, Dark, and my sons, Merry and Dustov.” She gestures to each in turn, touching her nose to their necks as she names them. “For me, the Island has always been a sanctuary. A place I can raise my children without fear of what or who might find them, a place I can protect them from the plague and the kind of danger we encountered today.” Her brow furrows softly beneath her forelock, worry tinting her eyes a shade darker. “I’d like for us to stay that way, be that for anyone else who might need it.”
She frowns a beat, not even realizing she’s done so, and glances down at the faces of her perfect babies. To make their home into something so ideal meant to risk the attention of those who would want to take it for themselves. Like Castile who claimed he wanted sanctuary and safety but had not hesitated to simply take it for himself. There would be others like that, surely. Perhaps others who might be more subtle and not immediately claim the attention of the Islands inhabitants. Others who might just seek to ruin. “I think we should consider putting some safeguards in place, though. Regular patrols, for one. Something to help protect against what happened today, to help keep track of who comes and goes.” She pauses, a hint of wariness creeping into her heart, a sense of vulnerability at the bare honesty of her opinion. “We should be a sanctuary out of actions, not words. Castile would have called us such, but he brought violence, not safety. The things we do need to reflect what we claim to be. A sanctuary is not a sanctuary if we cannot keep it safe.”
Her eyes lift again to Wallace, so dark and soft and edged with a hint of shy, silver light. “I can only speak for myself, but I voted for you because I trust you. It wasn’t just because of the circumstances, it is because you proved yourself to me by your actions.” She pauses, glances around at some of the gathered faces. At those who have pledged themselves to her, those who had stood against the invasion. There were so many strong horses among the Island family. “But if this is a weight you believe is better shared among a committee, I trust you in that, too.”
