Hope Falls

“I ask him to trust me. To open to me… I have to give in order to expect that, mm?”

"Whatever reason you done it, I think it was a brave choice. I admire you."

(( Night night. I am happy to skip a week or so maybe, until Lucian and co get there if you are? Just let me know if you agree and want me to post first, or go ahead and post first if you want to ))

“Sometimes sharing grief… helps others with theirs mm?”

((Sure we can skip if you want))

---

“My father apologises for not meeting you as soon as he arrived a few hours ago. Quite honestly he would have done, but our healer insisted he rest after a few days of travel. And the rest of us agreed it was for the best for him.” Kenna explained after being escorted into the Queens meeting room, glancing between the royals as she spoke.

“Apologies are not necessary. We appreciate your father coming - when we asked King Conan to spare your father for a while to provide insight and offer advice from his unique perspective we did not realise that your father was still recovering so deeply from the Wolves attacked.” Isolde shook her head from where she was seated as she glanced at the women in front of her. “I’m lead to believe that you, Lady Zaretsky and you Lady Belmont, have recently been in Baldruun and have also come to offer insight. We appreciate it greatly.”

Kenna struggled to hide her distaste at how she was addressed, the formality still not sitting right with her. “It has been a while but yes, we’ve been there recently.” She confirmed. “We’re not sure what we can offer but father has requested we at least speak to your advisors… and so we are here.”

"What do the people of Baldruun think of their royal family?" Kael questioned; emerald eyes boring into Kenna's. His tone frosted, hardened compared to what it had once been. "Are they liked by the majority?"

"We do not want to speak on behalf of an entire population," Lynette frowned, the sound of her fingernails reverberating against the glass as she spoke. "Baldruun is mass, and the cultures mix and thrive together unlike here where you stick to your own."

“Prince Ishaan is beloved. His sisters rarely seen, his brother travels. The people’s Prince who is known for giving the shirt off his back to the poor when needed.” Kenna answered, folding her hands over her lap, easily holding Kael’s gaze. “He regularly volunteers with charities, the people know him, he often knows the locals around the palace by name. Public opinion in general is strong.”

"That may be true of the Prince, but what of his family? His parents?" Aodhän took in a breathe, "We are trying to identify what the Adair's could have offered these people, in return for their assistance. What do the Baldruunians gain from our potential downfall?"

"The King is stoic. He leads with coldness, a very similar method to how people in this Kingdom seem to speak of you." Lynette directed at Isolde. "He, however, would execute his children if need be. He thinks nothing of his family, they are pawns. Each one of them."

“I am not enlightened in Fae business unfortunately, Sir. Would gaining access to your trees - your ancestors, be gainful for them?”

“There legends of heathens using their own ancestors and Gods to subdue the ones already on the lands, millennia and millennia ago. But those are just legends, and our ancestors are strong. Our forests are bigger than their entire country. There’s no possible way their ancestors could do anything once planted here.” Isolde shook her head.

“Then your guess is as good as mine, Your Majesty.”

"So in your years of adventure, which your father has told me many stories of you did not pick up one tid-bit of information that is at all useful?" Kael leant back in his chair then, lips tugging down into a bored frown. "I don't see how that us possible, you must know something."

(( Sorry I need to sleep, struggling to keep my eyes open. Goodnight))

“I’m a halfbreed.” Kenna stated as she leaned back in her chair. “The majority of the working class don’t give a rats arse about that. It happens. And as a not so obvious halfbreed people don’t tend to figure it out straight away. But - as a halfbreed - the ruling class in some eastern countries such as Baldruun? I am nothing better than a rat to them. And they’re very well trained in picking out what they do not like. I am not stupid enough to go anywhere near the Baldruunian royal family, knowing that on an off day I’d be fodder for a bored guard to take out his prejudices on.” She snorted before rolling her eyes at him and turning back to Aodhän. “Your wife talks of their size. Baldruun was not always so, was it? If you look at a map of the country from a few hundred years ago compared to today they have had half of their country claimed by their neighbours. As the Adairs are claiming you have done to them. Have you stopped to think that maybe the offer is a mutual one? That if they help out the Wolves claim back their land that they then may use your army that will be under their command to help Baldruun claim back theirs?”

“So why not use that as a condition for the marriage?”

“Would you have sent your men half a world away to die for a land they’ve never stepped foot on because the boy Prince they barely know is fucking the least favourite daughter of the man who lays claim to the land?” Kenna chuckled. “Even a stupid monarch wouldn’t do as such, let alone one that has been praised for her wartime leadership such as yourself. If I were Queen, and someone made me that offer I’d laugh and move onto the next. As I’m sure you would too.”

Kael audibly scoffed when he was referred to as a 'boy prince', clenching and unclenching his hand into his palm as he listened. "Our people would take their own lives before they ever fought for people who took these lands from us so soon after we claimed them back."

"The Adair's found a way to manipulate the witches into joining their feud, with similar promises." Aodhän spoke quietly, casting his gaze towards Isolde. "Sarika is stupid enough to try the same tactics again, with a people we don't know. It sounds plausible."

“He could have played the long game. Had his daughter produce children with Kael so that when he eventually ended up on the throne he’d feel obligated to win back his children’s birthright. But that may take decades… so this was the faster option…” Isolde murmured, moving her hand to rub at her eyes.

"If they are being offered the easy way on a platter, if the wolves had pointed out how close they were. Their Seer betraying them is what turned the tides in that war, our forces were being battered. The Adair's knew that." Aodhän swallowed, his gaze moving back to Kenna and Lynette. "What if their land do they cherish the most? It's culture, or the resources it provides?"

"Both, Baldruun is a symphony of beauty and warmth. They produce the finest materials in the world for clothing, nurture the best designers to go with it. Their livestock is hardy, their horses built faster than what you can imagine." Lynette hummed.

"The horses, yes." Kael exhaled, only briefly moving his gaze away before it returned to Kenna. "You're father gifted me a stallion, a few mares. They are magnificent. Did you have a hand in which ones to sned over?"

“You were sent Hviteran horses, not Baldruunian. Theirs are too small for you. They are small, light, built for speed. A Baldruunian mare would have hit the mile marker before yours even got out of the stall in a race.” Kenna chuckled at the image. “But the beasts we sent you… could carry twice your weight without flinching and spend a week with no food or shelter in the snow and not even think about it. There is Hviteran legend that if the sun were to fall from the sky and strike the planet that their horses would still be standing.”

“We made a mistake in allowing the Adairs to live. Especially as our seers are blind. All of our seers seem to be blind when it comes to them. It appears fate has decided we are to be punished for letting them live by laying in the bed we made.” Isolde set her jaw as she contemplated the situation.

"That is.. fascinating." Kael contemplated, letting his posture drop as he began to relax with the situation. "Perhaps you could join me later and we can discuss the stories from the East, Lady Zaretsky. Your father and I discussed his adventures on his last visit, we didn't linger on fables."

"It was not just our decision. We were trying to work collaboratively." Aodhän answered stiffly. "All of this over a few bones."

“Kenna. Lady Zaretsky was my grandmother. It’ll be my father’s bride if he ever takes one. If surnames are to be used then my father’s alias was Kovalsky, I always used that when necessary.” Kenna replied easily, though nodded at the request. “I’m not as well travelled as my father, but what little I know in comparison I can share.”

“Would we not do the same to put Kael with our ancestors? If someone had prevented me from putting Síofra where she belonged…” Isolde shook her head, swallowing. “Though at this point I don’t believe to to be about bones but their pride. They will win or martyr themselves, they won’t allow themselves to be losers.”

"Kovalsky." Kael nodded his head in acceptance. "I imagine somewhere more casual would make you more comfortable, if you dislike titles and formal naming. There is a tavern just beyond the walls, they have a magnificent bard, a better barman."

"Do not play games, Prince." Lynette warned lowly, shoulders tensing as she moved to the edge of her seat. "Lucian may think you good-hearted but we don't know you yet."

"We can't allow either, which is where our problems lay. What would happen if we were to-" Aodhän began, cutting off his sentence as he heard Lynette's warning to Kael. "Is their a problem, Lady Belmont?"

“Lynette is wary of us leaving the walls after everything that has happened here recently. We’ve had a few too many brushes with Wolves to last us another lifetime, that is all.” Kenna assured, kicking Lynette under the table before turning back to Kael. “An informal drink would be welcome, by back is starting to tire under all this maintaining posture I’m required to do in your mothers presence, to be rather frank. I am sure you’ll send for me when you wish to see me.”

"We have had a challenging few months, the formalities are..." He cast a glance to his father, half smile disappearing as he met his glare. Continuing to Kenna, "The formalities are just that. An evening of story-telling is much needed to relax. Be ready for sunset, I will come to your guest home to greet your father - we can walk to the tavern together."

"Mm," Aodhän hummed his distaste. Asking Isolde under his breath, "Is there anything else we need to know from them for now, or shall it wait until they are rested tomorrow?"

“Kael has already started to plan, can you not tell? Alcohol loosens all lips, he gets the girl drunk and I’m sure she’ll have more information.”

“I’m sure he’d enjoy seeing you again. He didn’t shut up about you last time. I’ll be ready.” Kenna murmured as she stood, “are we excused?”

"Perhaps." Aodhän whispered.

"It was a pleasure to meet you both." Kael answered with a warm smile, turning his head to look at Isolde so she could give the formal dismissal.

“Tell Prince Zaretsky to take his time, if he is not well tonight or even the morning to have a meeting then so be it. We appreciate the effort made to come here and we can wait till he is well enough for conversing.” Isolde added, before giving a gentle wave of the hand to dismiss them.

Kenna nodded, bowing her head before getting up and quickly taking her leave.

Lynette barely ducked her head in respect, getting to her feet and following several paces behind Kenna. Silent until the gaze of the guards bored down on then with less gravity, before stating, pace falling into step with hers. "Do not take on too much. We can not jump on a ship and sail away if things go wrong here."

---

Kael letting out a breath when he was alone with his parents, sagging forward and pressing his forehead to the edge of the table to try and soothe himself. "Will this count as a third war, or did the first one never end? It is all caused by the same people, the same reason. Is it just a long, singular war?"

“What do you expect to go wrong? Dad could barely move his head earlier he was so exhausted. I am buying him more time and less thoughts about him whilst he recovers. Coming here was a bad idea and we shouldn’t have allowed Karina to talk him into it! If the Prince wants entertaining with fairytales from the other continents then I’ll give them to him till dad can make an appearance.”

---

“Hopefully we can skin the mutt before this escalates to war.”

"We don't know this man, but we do know what can happen when he loses his temper. Your father has enough to feel terrible about, he doesn't need you unable to move in a bed being something added on to it. You know to never underestimatea royal who can look so naive, we have been here before."

---

"Do you think getting trid of Sarika will do a thing? They have brought in other people.. made them kindred spirits."

“Without the Adairs if Baldruun intends to invade they’ll be fighting someone else’s war with no guide to the land. Suicidal by definition. Ridiculously stupid. Going up against a home army with no ally because they’re dead? No. I don’t believe the King to be so stupid.”

---

“I don’t think the Prince is going to flatten me Lynette.”