Hope Falls

Aodhän watched the guard and his with a sad expression, before lowering his gaze to the floor. "I did not mean the words I said, and I would explain the fear behind them if it would make a difference to you but I don't believe any reasoning is good enough. Do what you must do, but know that I am sorry, and take the gift as a thanks for everything you have done for us. For Kael. We will all miss your presence immensely."

“I love him like a son too, I don’t think you understand that. How much I have always cared.”

"It is only something you began to let on in the past two or three years," Aodhän agreed quietly, lifting his gaze to look at him again. ""What was the moment you realised it?"

“I couldn’t say… I just know I do.”

"You are both adults. If you stay, nothing changes... if you leave, you two can be as involved in the others life as you wish. It is not news to me that my son will seek you out before he comes to me, he has always placed others before me."

“I’m not here for a parenting lesson, it’s not my place to tell you how to parent him.”

"I am not seeking advice. I am stating facts." Aodhän sighed, "You know where the keys in my office are, should you choose to take the cottage. When is your expected last day with us?"

“I won’t leave until Kael is well and fighting fit.”

"We need a date to work to, Hawk, to find a replacement."

“I don’t have a date. And I shall find someone suitable to replace me.”

"You can advise, but you shall not be the one making the final decision. I need a date to work towards by the end of the week." Aodhän whispered, pulling the door closed to end the conversation. Stating stoicly several minutes later when he came across Isolde, "Hawk is set on leaving."

“Leaving? Leaving why? Did this - the recent events scare him off?”

"When he was asked to rally the men to take on Arzen and join our allies on liberating us he hesitated, said fighting was not a wise idea so I told him I was disappointed in his cowardice. He is leaving because he is insulted by me, despite my apologises. I had forgotten I had even said it."

“I forbid it. I shall not allow it”

"Then you are welcome to speak to him, he is busy fawning over Kael and blabbering on about he loves him like a son." Aodhän almost spat the words, pulling open a cabinet and pulling out a bottle of alcohol that had come with the recent arrival of wagons. Taking off the cork to pour himself a drink with a trembling hand.

“Well then we can use that. Nobody who loves a child like that would leave them.”

"He wouldn't give me a date, for his departure. Kael will do the hard work for us, I imagine. Where is Morfydd, is she resting?"

“Mm, she finally allowed me to put her down. I didn’t particularly want to but - I needed to bathe…”

Aodhän nodded, taking a sip from his drink as he settled back into his chair. Offering an arm to invite her over. "How do you feel?"

“Exhausted… so so tired.” Isolde admitted as she sat by him, checking into his side.

"I am too, Sol." He whispered, wrapping his arm around her as he rested his head against hers. "I didn't think we were going to make it out of that one."

“Neither did I.” Isolde admitted, breath shaking as she spoke. “I thought for certain we would lose them all.”

"We almost killed her...."

“We did.” Isolde nodded, tears instantly falling then, swallowing thickly. “We did… but I still - she was already hungry. And already suffering… letting her starve would have been cruel. We - what we nearly did was horrific but… any more than letting her waste away?”

Aodhän closed his eyes, though not before his own cheeks had become wet. Turning his head to the side to press lips to her hair, his grip on her tightening. "I was going to tell Hawk," He began, voice tight, "Tell Hawk of what we were moments away from doing, before he hesitated to send his men but I do not think I would have been able to voice it to someone and hold my tongue if he said it was irrelevant to the words said."