Hope Falls

"Okay... okay." Karina whispered, taking in a deep breath to brace herself to stumble as she swung her legs around and forced herself up to her feet.

---

"Never again." Maybus agreed quietly.

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"The gremlin comes from your side."

“Definitely your side! She takes after you!”

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Emmett supported her up, holding her hand as he walked her over.

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“I’m so sorry about the wedding.” Thea whispered.

"Your health is more important, T. It isn't a wedding if you can't be there, if - if you aren't comfortable during it then it can wait until you are."

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"You keep saying that but I really do think she more takes after you." He chuckled.

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"No, no. Let me go... you aren't strong enough."

“Stronger than you right now.”

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“No… I just see you. Your eyes. She smiles the same, the way her nose scrunches.”

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“I just wanted a special day with you… and they’ve ruined it.”

"You were going to ruin it yourself by making yourself uncomfortable for it all so..." Magnus shrugged with an anxious laugh.

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Karina shook his head, weight flopping onto the sofa with a quiet grunt.

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"I just think tha- ah." Conan mused as they stepped into the healing wing, Florence being on the nearest bed. "There they are."

Thea fell silent then, stiffening a little.

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“Oh Florence…” Dagmar frowned.

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Emmett started stripping the bed to clean it.

"Oh, Dagmar..." Florence greeted sleepily as she was tended to. "I- I'm okays. Just some brain gunk coming from my ears yo- you told me that wouldn't have again when I came here."

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"I'm sorry," Karina grimaced.

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"You were, though, T." Magnus grimaced.

“You shouldn’t have that.” Dagmar frowned as she headed over.

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“It’s not your fault, don’t be sorry.”

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“Put me down. I want to walk.”

"You're not strong enough to walk now, don't be stubborn." Magnus mumbled, though placed her down anyway. "We're almost there anyway. I don't understand why you are acting pissed at me for having an opinion."

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"I thought it was blood at first but nope!" Florence giggled almost hysterically.

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"I wanted to look after you tonight."

“Well I want never gets.”

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“I can’t believe you think I’d risk ruining our wedding. Have you ever considered that I know my limits and wouldn’t have gone ahead with it if I thought it would ruin the day?”

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“It’s not - it’s not funny Flo. Have they given you something?”

"You said it would sting during the day but you'd herb yourself. That's still - fuck this. I'll shit my mouth and you can fucking injure yourself all you want then but that means I can be pissed up when saying vows since that is clearly how much of a shit we give about it."

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"Dick." Karina muttered.

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"Mhm, being looked after. It's okay."

“You think this doesn’t mean anything to me?!”

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“Rude.”

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“Are you sure?”

"I think you are being irrational to me because I had the audacity to have an opinion! And in your mind you are twisting this as me not supporting you in claiming your own body back and that is why you are pissed at me instead of believing me when I tell you that I just wish you would have done it last week or... or a few days after we were meant to marry instead of the night before!"

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Karina grinned tiredly.

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Florence nodded towards the healer Conan was talking to. "She has sorted it, just.. it was intense that's all and mine are harder on my brain anyway because I'm 'young'."

“Well I didn’t do it did I?! And we’re not getting married anyway now so go ahead and keep blaming me for shit falling apart!”

---

Emmett went to grab some more linen from under the bed, dressing the bed up.

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“Thea had visions too… as well as Kari. Something happened.”

"I'm blaming you for thinking the fucking worst of me! I'm blaming you for being horrible to me instead of even attempting to understand!"

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"Mhm," Florence nodded. "It's too late to be worrying though, people are tired."

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"You look very domestic right now."

“I’m a soldier, I’m cleaner than you, of that I have no doubt.”

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“It’s not too late to worry when you’re like this.”

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“Well maybe you made a mistake picking me to be your bride mm?!” Thea shouted, moving her hands to the side of her head and pressing to soothe the pain that had intensified.

"Just go to bed and fucking rest." Magnus hissed shakily.

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"Bullshit. I've seen those soldiers quaters during the war, disgusting. Everything stank."

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"Cadoc is doing enough worrying for the whole world." Florence assured.

“And he’s right to… we just want you well.”

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“Whilst I’m sleeping you should make your mind up on whether or not you’re still interested in me now I’ve changed this much!” Thea snapped as she pushed the door open to the room and staggered in.

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“They won’t have been my soldiers.”

Magnus opened his mouth to shout a response, though stopped hinself before any noise escaped his lips. Turning on his heel and walking away.

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"They all blur into one,"

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"I'm in the right place."

“You are, and we’ll stay until you’re better.”

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“Mm, now come to bed.”

"Mm, I'm going to miss you." Florence confessed quietly. "And Karina, and Aesira. It is cruel, being shipped from one place to another like I am. I - I mean.. I don't know anyone here."

---

Karina done as told, pulling herself to her feet once more with a groan before limping over.

Emmett gently helped her into the bed, covering her up once she was in before gingerly climbing in beside her.

---

“The plan was formulated for help you learn since you were so inexperienced… I’m so sorry you feel like you’re being shipped off like cattle.” Dagmar frowned, taking her hand and squeezing gently. “You’re always welcome back with us anytime. And maybe in future when there are more seers to go around you can be transferred again…”

Florence shrugged, lifting her hand up to play with her necklace as she glanced toward the doorway she had last seen Cadoc in. "I uh... everything has been so busy I've not been able to talk to you about anything."

---

Karina lifted her hand up to brush her thumb against his hair near his face.

“If you feel another vision coming on then let me know?”

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“What do you want to talk about?” Dagmar asked gently.

"Normal things... girly things. I just... don't know what he thinks of me."

---

"I'll do my best," Karina promised quietly.