Hope Falls

“Thank you, for fetching Katrina. You saved my life…” Dagmar thanked him, reaching her hand out to his arm. “So did you, your colour looks better… I’m sorry, for your losses.”

“We should all be more careful in letting things slip.” Dagmar nodded, giving him a knowing smile, her eyes darting to the crack in the door Magnus had left open, able to see Thea in the bed before looking back to him. “The Fates can be cruel sometimes can’t they? For all the wonderful things they do.. some things they plan out feel like a knife to the heart…”

Dagmar nodded, taking a step back to show she meant no harm. “I’m a lot of things but a hypocrite isn’t one of them. Nor is a liar, so I can’t deny what you’ve said anymore than you can deny what I’ve said so - we’re in a situation of mutually assured destruction of anyone speaks out mm?”

“What if the war kills either of you? Or leaves her mind damaged beyond repair if the same tactic is used against the Seers over and over again… will you regret not having at least one night with her? Or will you be proud that you stood firm and protected her from what could’ve happened had you given in up until the last minute? That’s for you to decide Magnus. What will be harder to live with in the end? What if push comes to shove and the only way for you to secure a fighting chance is to marry for an alliance and being unfaithful even emotionally to your new bride isn’t an option because of the consequences of that being found out?” Dagmar offered the only advice she could. “I’ve made my choice. I lived through one war and saw what happens, I may not survive a second so…”

“I don’t expect to survive either… which is why I’m off to go see my Angel.” Dagmar smiled sadly. “He’ll never be mine, but I can pretend for the night.” She leaned over and kissed Magnus’ cheek. “I’ll be in touch over the next few days once I’m all patched up and back to myself, try not to cause a war in the meantime.” She laughed softly.

“You’re not about to tell me that duty calls are you? That you have something to go see to?” Thea asked quietly, having sat up against the pillows. “I’ll return to my room if that’s the case, the Valkyrie can move somewhere else…”

---

“Angel?” Dagmar called through Conan’s house as she entered, closing the door behind her. Moving to lean against the kitchen side, too tired to go much further for the moment.

“There’s no mutual here. Nothing has happened for her to know about.” Thea murmured, glancing down at the covers to avoid eye contact. “So… she’s just given you free information on the Loyal’s there by the sound of it…”

---

“So much better now.” Dagmar whispered as she curled up against him, resting her head on his chest. “I believe Magnus to be in love with Thea… and our actions tonight have made Magnus aware of us so… we’re all staying silent. We have more important things to think about mm?”

“You made it clear earlier that you wanted to keep your honour… and I’d rather die than beg anyone to want to spend the night with me so…” Thea shrugged, though was clearly still stinging from his earlier rejection, however well intended it had been.

---

“I don’t know why the Fates made it so that things between us would change in an instant and we’d lose all sense of being able to pretend but… they did. And it’s unfair that for following their plan I end up hurt one way or the other, either emotionally or physically… if certain people falling in love is so bad then why haven’t the old bars stopped spinning those damned threads that way?” Dagmar muttered mournfully.

“I’m sorry I’m just tired… overthinking…”

---

“It’ll be me the Guardians will be most pissed at - and if Seers begin dropping like flies I doubt they’ll strip me of my sight. But I doubt they’re paying attention anyway, doubt they’d be worried about punishing us when all hell is about to break lose. And I don’t understand the rule anyway! They send me to be in your service. They send me to protect your interests but developing feelings for you is wrong. It is my job to spend my life focussed solely on you but they didn’t factor in what effect this will have. Whether or not they’ve been caught and punished for it almost certain that you and I are not the first Seer and her Master to start having feelings.”

“You’re sweet.” Thea hummed. “Your position makes you my master but it doesn’t dictate the feelings I have for you.”

---

“You’ve got the house well trained.” Dagmar laughed softly.

“Is that why you’ve held back for so long?” Thea snorted, almost impressed as she moved to rest her hand on his shoulder. “Because you thought I was doing this as your Seer to her Master and not as a person to person thing? Even if you were just a foot soldier and I outranked you I’d still like you Magnus. The authority you have and the confidence it gives you is a bonus - I won’t deny it. But if you stepped down tomorrow then I would still have the same feelings towards you - you’ve not coerced me by being my boss.”

---

“What would you be, if you were a human?” Dagmar asked as she leaned into his kiss, closing her eyes and snuggling in. “I like guiding people… maybe I’d be a social worker or something. Or a teacher, there’s always been teachers, they’ll always be needed… my grandma was the local wise woman, there weren’t any official teachers back then but she was like the equivalent of it, y’know?”

“A baker and a teacher… a wholesome couple.” Dagmar snorted. “Ignoring the fact that both are trained killers, of course.”

---

Thea kissed him back deeply, pulling him down on top of her before resting her hands on his face.