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It had felt strange having no where to go, nothing to do. Portia had drifted along the straits like a leaf in the wind, without purpose or premise, rather just existing in the hollow wastelands of whatever vast open field, forest, river, barren nothingness she managed to find. In some way it had been numbing, both mentally and physically to have such a drone, monotonous life now that she’d escaped Tortuga. Portia had little concerns about being hunted, the back of her mind wondered if her dear Captain of a brother even noticed her existence within Tortuga let alone outside. It was not his fault, though, as Portia made herself scarce as time ticked on. Nothing had been the same since the wildfire, their family been ripped to shreds, Portia feeling less and less and less for her kin and their well being and more about her own needs.

That faded until she no longer felt loyalty to her home. To her Captain, her Quartermaster; nothing. So she left, without a breath of goodbyes or a single thought of remorse. Perhaps it was heartless, unforgivable, but nothing unlike what her mother had done. Father was not the same from that point, either, and suddenly everyone was trying to prove a point. Portia couldn’t care, her heart and her family devotion burned up in the flames the day she witnessed her parents nearly get burned alive. Portia didn’t even remember the day Rita passed the Captain torch to Brielle, just that one day she had vanished and Portia was left without a mother. She had been mad for so long, she had believed her brother and her mentor, all the twisted words and stories spun about what an awful creature their mother was, how selfish she was for leaving and how little she cared.

Portia believed them.

Her drifting little path led her wandering aimlessly in a field of shadows in the middle of no where as darkness fell upon the world and the silvery coated woman nearly drowned in the blackened scenery aside from the glimpse of moonlight dancing across her features. Voices traveled far in the darkness and while Portia didn’t hear the exact phrases spoken, her attention turned to the makeshift noise of something regardless. There was no paranoia there, simply blatant interest in where she was and who was present, turning her focus towards the figures in the distance from the east and squinting, trying to make out the strangers from a safe enough place to not give herself away too easily. Fiery eyes were able to make out three— some light markings, creams, white, other darker tones muddled in the shadows. But the light bounced off the figures in strange ways though, snaking down around an array of accessories that took Portia a moment longer of careful focus to register, ones that were distinctive in their nature and as quickly as they became clear to the ex-princess she felt bile rise in her throat.

Portia believed them, once.

Shuddering in her stance she blinked once, twice, three times, before realizing those were not imaginary figures before her. Shark was there, her father whom she’d ran into briefly since leaving Tortuga. But he had been alone. Eyes stared at the figures in the distance and as the one who resembled her mother so clearly turned her head ever so slightly, flashbacks of fire surrounded her vision. The sight of her mother and father burning, trapped under fiery logs and her being yanked away— screaming, fighting, Loch was there too— where did Loch go? Where did anyone go? Portia felt her cheeks go warm like the fire had been licking at them right then and there, but instead it was the welling warmth of her angry, hot tears trickled down her face. It was a mix of relief and hurt, betrayal, sadness and happiness all wrapped into one explosive breakdown.

“You’re… ” She started, quietly, slowly, as if they were standing right in front of her. But they were still far away, enough to possibly not even have seen her yet. “You’re alive!” She spoke a little louder, not enough, still, though, as her emotions flared even more and her teeth grit, a wheeze through a quaking throat as the lack of reaction made her mad. Didn’t she care? Did Rita not care that her daughter was standing right there? Portia hadn’t even realized that they couldn’t hear her, instead like the fire crackling around her from the traumatic day she’d last seen Rita in the flesh fueled her hurt and she stormed forward now, eyes blurred with tears and her teeth bared like daggers, it was a surprise Portia could even hold herself up.

“YOU’RE ALIVE! You… YOU!!” She yelled now, loud and clear, striding up to the trio and staring her mother down as her form continued to grow as she got closer, the reality of her before her become more and more solidified as she did. “YOU LEFT ME!” Bellowing now, Portia felt her voice wheeze through her angered roars, ears pinned back and giving an array of mixed signals. “Why!! WHY!!” As she approached Portia would attempt to snap at Rita, although with little physical force and likely enough for the woman to simply shift out of the way. If she didn't, the contact would be comparable to baby nips, nothing strong enough to do harm even if within her mind Portia imagined herself doing more damage. Her pitiful snaps wouldn’t last long, though, before she simply came to a shuddering halt and scowled, demanding everything from her wearing and travel-worn mother, nearly forgetting in that moment that her sister she’d not seen in just as long and her father were standing there too. Portia’s eyes would dart between them briefly, only adding to her conspiracy of why they were all together.

“How could you leave us… How could you leave ME… what are you doing here! Why are you here!!” Her voice had lowered now, but it still had the same spitfire fuelled emotions. The little porcelain girl who once idolized her mother so much stood in mixed shock before her; no longer a child but a grown adult, who lost herself and her purpose the moment Rita had disappeared from her life. Once the dust settled, Portia might’ve actually cried happier tears to see her mother.

But, it wasn’t too late for that.

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ooc: sorry lovely gemini rangers for the family drama on your borders, but..... hey, loud commotion now!!

She hadn't seen her mother in over two months.
Not that it was entirely unusual.

Ever since her mother's first downfall, back when she had first fallen into obscurity within Tortuga, her daughter had been there. Never having made too many close ties, there wasn't much difficulty for the young girl to turn to the isolate within the forests, sticking with her ailing mother, tending to her. But her mother seemed to mirror her own displeasure in constant company, and so their meetings became less frequent, less lengthy, though the daughter refused to outright cease them. Not when mother was so ill. So... wrong.

When her elder brother moved the empire, the two stayed behind, small relief washing over them as they began to worry less about encroaching visitors. Tethys could focus more readily on tending to her patient rather than simply securing their privacy. Though she cared little for the politics within her homeland, she was aware of the dangers lurking over her mother. Isolation was crucial for her recovery, for her safety. Countless nights passed without sleep, full of agony, the type that could only accompany a mind wrenched in so many directions. As gentile as she was, as caring as she could be, it was still a surprise to see Rita come out alive and intact. Well, relatively speaking.

Her recovery seemed to come hand in hand with a greater need for isolation.
The daughter granted it, in a sense.

Dainty paws followed closely as her mother trekked off from the girl's abandoned homeland, though she did well to give the ex-Captain her desired privacy. On the nights when Rita failed to turn Tethys away, the girl taught her mother the lessons in healing she'd learned. In the body, in the plants around them and their effects. If she couldn't stay close in tow with the only family member she had left, she would make sure that she'd be prepared for any pains she'd encounter. After all, only a fool would think a lonesome Rita wouldn't end up hurting herself.

In more recent months, Tethys had begun to enforce her mother's sobriety. Rokko helped, dutifully stalking and intervening on any attempts for the ex-Captain to worsen her physical condition. It was out of love, of course. Out of concern, care, duty. But the lonely, isolated queen without a crown only saw it as a slight... not caring for the intentions, only for the results. No relief from her anguish. Their times together grew short again, and less frequent.

That was why the willowy girl was surprised when her beloved cockatoo arrived one dreary dusk, relaying a message from Rita. An invitation. 

The rains drizzled softly on her silky fur, drenching it quickly as she made for the quickest route to the region her feathered friend had specified. The night hung heavy and low, a soft droning from the dark rains and distant crickets. Small paws sloshed against the soppy ground, shoulders rolling with each stride as she felt the grip on her back loosen and flex accordingly. The bird was not enjoying this ride, and as beak grinded against itself in blatant irritation, she could only offer soft whispers and coos in consolidation. 

Ahead she saw her. Wait... Saw them.
Tethys would slow, her stride coming to a halt in the dead silence of the night as she came upon her mother. And father. Her heart skipped a beat. They found each other. But he... he didn't look good. A pit in her stomach, an overwhelming guilt as she thought of how much time she'd invested in helping Rita... while her father suffered. But Rita noticed her, and turned, fangs bared. "I'm surprised you called for me, mother..." So rarely had she been sought out - it was usually her doing the tracking and hunting down.

"I'm surprised you answered."
A smile, soft. Of course I answered.

She would come closer, up to Rita's side, up to Shark, her face wrought with worry as she watched him lower himself to the ground. In pain. Exhausted. She'd offer the gentlest of whimpers, a loving tone for the father she hadn't seen in years. For the father she could never forget. But it was something else that caught her attention now. Or, rather, someone else. Even against the drizzle she could hear something that must have been a voice, though she couldn't make out the words. Instead she turned, vigilant, mirroring her mother's attentiveness but with her own cloak of cool. Eyes that matched her father's narrowed, picking out the form in the darkness. Could... could that be...?

It was her voice that confirmed it.
"YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU... YOU!" Sister... please...  "YOU LEFT ME! WHY!! WHY!!" Tethys watched, frozen beside her father, as she watched her own sister lunge at their mother. Her jaw split for a whining yelp out of horror, wanting to stop it, to intervene. Watching in shock as her mother took it. Rita simply let Portia nip and bite and attempt to latch on. She felt her heart sink as she saw teeth slide against Rita's chin, dipping down and going for bits of the scruff on her neck. It took a second or two for the frightened girl to realize there was no blood being drawn. But she didn't feel relief. Something else, something worse was weighing against her heart, against her chest. Guilt. Anguish.

And then their eyes met. 
She found herself without breath.

"How could you leave us... How could you leave ME..." Flurried eyes darted over to Rita, worried about her mother, worried that she might relapse. That she might lose what she had regained. But what could she say to placate the situation? "What are you doing here... Why are you here!!" It was at that moment she felt her wobbling legs straighten and step forward, much to the displeasure of Rokko on her back. Her regal, sleek figure slipped up toward the two, watching her mother's horrified and frozen eyes as they gazed down to Portia. She could recognize the pause, the look, the feel. Rita was hurting.

"Sister..." Ears were lowered, her paws carrying themselves delicately as she approached, cautious but yearning, "It wasn't safe..." Mother wasn't safe. Mother wasn't well. "It was me, as well, I had to act fast..." I had to get her out of there. I had to keep her away. With how sick she'd been, they would've eaten her alive. But it wasn't as simple as that. Nothing is ever so simple. Glancing over to Rita, Tethys knew only her mother's words had any chance of lending any sort of comfort, any sort of actual mending to the situation. She was just another daughter, one of countless denizens from the crooked empire, but it was only the queen who could save the peace.

Not that this family ever had a chance for peace.