Hope Falls

"You don't? The land has made your brain rot." Lynette snorted.

---

"'This doesn't seem like something we can win, it doesn't sound like it is. Unless Lucian's daughter tells me more tonight, tells me anything interesting I don't know what we are meant to do."

"Well, it is good that the responsibility of the eecision isn't on you then, isn't it?" Aodhän's tone was one more of warning then comfort. "You are learning, Kael. Your mother is the one to have to be weighed down by the final decision."

(( Night night ))

“Your father means… you do not have to worry about those choices just yet, son. Just… go out with the girl tonight… enjoy yourself, best you can. Try not to worry of things for a few hours.”

---

“No… I’m just exhausted acting as if everyone is our enemy. I hate the privilege that dad now drips from his pores but it is indeed a privilege sometimes to know that we are safer than we could ever be anywhere else as his associates.”

"I will try to enjoy myself tonight." Kael echoed quietly, rubbing his face with his hand as he pushed himself to his feet. "Do you think any of our healers will be able to help Lucian Zaretsky's.... condition? Him being too weak, after so long. There must be something our people know that the angels, or his own personal healer does not."

---

"'Privilege dripping from his pores.?" Lynette repeated; failing to keep the amusment from his voice. "What makes you believe that?"

“You can always visit our healers and see if there is anything they can do.” Isolde nodded.

---

“Nobody wanted to piss him off when he was a captain but now they’re actively vying for his favour.”

"Thank you," Kael whispered, silently excusing himself from the room then.

"I didn't expect him to pick up any kind of duties so soon." Aodhän frowned as the door closed behind Kael. "It was something he had to do, but I expected him to need more encouragement."

---

"Your father has always had people wanting his favour, whether his title has been Captain or Prince. I don't see much of a change at all. Losing the use of his legs has hurt his spirit but he will get it back and perhaps by then he would have seen how much of a nuisance the Seer is so he can come home with us."

“He’s trying to stay busy isn’t he? I feel for him…”

---

“Hurt? It’s broken him, Lynette. Have you ever seen him so low?”

"Yes, much lower in fact because he was still barely talking by the time I joined the crew. Farrah found him, in a much, much worse state then he was now. He came back from that, and he will come back from this aswell. He needs time, Kenna. He'll be okay given time." Lynette sighed, reaching an arm across to wrap it around her shoulders as they walked. "No one likes seeing him this way. It hurts me too."

---

"Mm." Aodhän hummed, reaching forward for the water in front of him. "I had an update from the cells this morning. The Princess' Guard still isn't talking."

“What if this is his last straw and he just gives up?”

---

“Start removing appendages then. Fingers, toes. An ear, an eye, teeth. That always gets them talking.”

"He would not have came here today if he was anywhere close to giving up. He is far, far from that point." She squeezed her arm, coxing her closer as they walked. "Farrah will attest to that aswell."

---

"Mm. There is something I would like to try before we go to that, something that may be more effective. It would involve giving Lady Mehan a shake up, nothing that would leave more than a graze."

---

"Food." Kael stated as he pushed the door to Indira and Zoya's quarters open with the toe of his boot. Placing the trays down on the side units. "We found some food and spices in your guards room, the cooks have used them as best they can. They have some knowledge on Baldruunian food, enough to create something edible, I believe."

“He spent centuries pining after Karina and now he is pushing her away. How can that not worry you?”

---

“No… her father is likely the one bankrolling this entire thing. If we harm his daughter who knows what he’ll buy to cause hell…”

---

“You’re not here to tell me my brother has returned then?” Indira asked, clearly disappointed at the lack of news throughout her imprisonment.

Kael's face softened to a frown, a shake of the head being the only response. Making his way further into the room, and making himself comfortable on the sofa before the hesitant question came, "How close were the two of you?"

---

"We have the fingers of female guards, plenty of them. If we give the woman a fright, where the Princess' guard can see so he believes we are not too scared to hard her, and then present him with a finger. It may make him more liable to talk."

---

"Pig-headed male pride, that is all that is. He isn't fond of any of us being near him at the moment."

“We do not touch her unless it is a final option. We have plenty of avenues first. Castration for one. When threatened with becoming a eunuch he might just talk.”

---

“Close enough that I do not understand why he left me when as far as he knows you could be doing as you like. My father I could imagine doing so, even my other brother, but not Ishaan. He threw me to the wolves.”

---

“I don’t think he’s fond of being alive… hence why I am worried of him giving up.”

"We all were. You should know that you are lucky that you made it out of that encounter without any injury. We have losts hundreds of people to the Adair's and their followers over the years." Kael answered, not unkindly. Swallowing; before adding quietly, "Good people. We've lost good people."

---

"I know," Lynette whispered then, shaking her head. "There is only so much we can do to help him right now, we just need to peservere."

---

"Very well."

“I’m sorry about Fiadh, Kael. I am…” Indira sighed softly as she apologised once again. “I didn’t have any does what was happening…”

---

“At least we have gotten somewhere with the information. I imagine Lucian shall have more. Insight is a blessing right now, especially when the King will have the Adairs spilling information on ourselves.” Isolde murmured as she pushed against the arms of her chair to stand up.

---

“He just… worries me.”

"She was incredible. Lit up a room when she wanted to, she felt closer to the ancestors when she were bare foot. It didn't matter what season it was, didn't matter how deep the mud was or how hard and frost-bitten is may have been."

---

"Knowing their reasoning is certainly helpful."  Aodhän whispered, offering her his hand.

---

"You are not alone in that," Lynette's voice dropped to a whisper as they approached the red door of the one floored cottage they had been allocated. Pulling it open and motioning for Kenna to step in first, "If he is awake we will update him."

“She’s with them now, I’m sure of it.”

---

Isolde gripped his hand tightly as she pulled herself up, wrapping her arm through his to lean against him.

"I am sorry your brother betrayed you," Kael returned. "I couldn't imagine my own family leaving me in a situation that felt perilous to me. I hope your captivity here hasn't been too gruesome."

---

"You are tired." He observed quietly. "Today has been top much strain on you, on our daughter."

“The bird is a slave no matter how pretty the cage…”

---

“I often forget my limits were not what they used to be.” Isolde admitted. “But I have you, I am okay. I can manage.”

"You should return to bed." Aodhän frowned, beginning a slow walk out of the room. "If it becomes too much, let me know and I can carry you."

---

"The lives people like us lead sentence us to be forever in cages, I would much rather a comfortable one though." Kael moved on the sofa, closer to the arm of it so there was room for her to sit if she chose to. "What does your cage at home look like? What do you decorate your quarters with?"

“Lots of gold ornamentals that I allow to hang.” Indira was quiet as she searched for the word Kael would knows. “Wind bells?” She raised an eyebrow as she spoke, not sure she had it right. “They have crystals on them sometimes, so when the sun hits just right colours explode from it. And my windows are often open to help with the heat, so they sing as they move…”

---

“I don’t need carrying my love, I’m okay.” Isolde chuckled. “Though ensure you keep your arms strong for when she is here and refuses to be out of them.”

"She will be much like you, she will be refusing any help as soon as she is confident she can manage herself." Aodhän glanced to the side with a smile. "I feel like we are nearing the times where shering name suggestions isn't too risky."

---

"Colours and music are both things you enjoy then?" He rested his head against his own palm, lifting a knee up onto the sofa so his body was twisted to look at her more comfortably. "I had an old friend, she was an artist. A very talented one."

“I don’t enjoy silence. The decorations are never silent. Even when there isn’t a breeze as such there is always air circulating, moving…” Indira whispered, hesitating - glancing back to the bedroom to check Zoya was still okay and sleeping soundly before moving to join Kael on the couch. “Who is it that inspired your love of the sea?”

---

“We can discuss names if you would like.” Isolde nodded with a smile, stopping as the door to their quarters were opened by the guards and stepping inside, quickly kicking off her shoes as soon as she were away from other eyes, a small noise of relief coming from her lips.

""My mother, my - the one who died of the wasting when I was young. Some of my earliest memories are of her, my father and I stood at the shores. She would be telling us tales of the folk and the creatures that thrive just under the waves, just out of sight. We would watch the selkies, they would watch us in return."

“Yes, I remember the stories of the selfies. Your favourite creatures. Cannot say I spotted any on my journey here, they must be shy to foreigners.”

"They are shy, elusive. Folk like that trust very few people, and since the wasting and the wars they have been more subdued." Kael hummed, his knee moving as he relaxed to touch hers. "What is it about silence that you dislike?"

---

Aodhän took off his own shoes, sitting down and guiding her onto his lap. "I have many ideas, many opinions."