Hope Falls

"My things." Florence laughed quietly at that. "I haven't even thought about my things. I was half way through logging all of the creatures."

---

"Good. There won't be any mercy in this case, the man has been through enough." Sarika answered, voice dropping low and guttural in warning. "Which room are you keeping him in?"

“The side room with the fire, he’s not got enough meat on him to keep himself warm. Won’t take long for us to put it back on him.”

---

“And you’ll get your chance to complete your work now you’re back mm?”

"Maybe, I don't think there is ever completing things like that though. The forests are deep, there might be things in this forest even people like you don't know exist."

---

"I have no doubt that with everyone's dedication he'll be fine, physically anyway." Sarika nodded, before stepping into the room. Quietly closing the door behind herself and whispering, "Matilda, you go. I can take over here."

"Oh, are you sure?" Matilida asked with a frown, glancing up from where she sat at the arm chair in the corner of the room.

"Yes, go."

Izsak lay covered in the bed, extra blankets placed on top of him to keep him warm as well as the fire. Eyes open ever so slightly as he dozed, slowly coming round.

---

“I won’t say you’re wrong on that, there are parts of the forests around here so dark people have not ventured in for centuries.”

Matilida glanced toward Izsak briefly, before getting to her feet and quietly leaving the room. Though, instead of returning to her own Chambers, she knocked gently on Draven's door.

---

Sarika pulled the chair from the corner to Izsak's bedside, perching herself down on the edge as she whispered; "I thought you were dead. I was sure of it."

---

"If you embraces technology; torches would be perfect for that." She laughed quietly.

“Come in.” Draven called, setting his drink down on the side from where he was sat on the couch, having just been staring into it rather than drinking.

---

Izsak inhaled sharply at her voice, forcing his eyes open a little as he turned to her, giving her a mournful smile.

---

“We have our own version here, of torches.”

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to give you a fright, I should have thought about that." Sarika laughed gently, lifting her hand up to rub his upper arm. "Hello Izzy," She greeted affecfionately, "Still a sight for sore eyes I see, astounding."

---

Matilida quiet pushed the door open and stepped inside, "I just wanted to check in before I retired for the night. How was the journey?"

---

"Fire goes out, batteries can last for days if used well enough." Florence shrugged. "It doesn't matter if it rains with torches."

“Long, hard… but the goal was met.” Draven lifted his hand and motioned for her to come in. “How’s the patient?”

---

Izsak moved a hand over, weakly lifting it from the covers to rest his palm on her cheek.

---

“Dmitri and Ada are in the human world at present… if you miss it that dearly… next time they go I… I don’t see issue with you going too, for a small time.”

"He had to be sedated, to clean his infections." She answered quietly, making her way over and perching on the arm of the chair next to him. "I think he'll recover in body, but in mind... well; war never leaves you, does it? Do you need me to draw you a bath; you must be in agony."

---

"No, no. You need to be resting." She tutted softly, though lifted her hand up to rest her palm over his hand to hold it in place. Tilting her head towards his touch. "Would you like me to clean up your locks? You might feel more yourself for it. It will make you feel lighter."

---

"I - really?" Florence asked, eyes widening in excitement. "I am dying to go to a diner, I need a burger... a milkshake. Elvis on a jukebox."

“I don’t see why not.” Isolde nodded as she took her arm and began to walk. “Prying you, pressing you for visions in the way I did before wasnt… the kindest way for us to get off, so I think it’s safe to say that we ended up getting off on the wrong foot. I suppose, duty or not, it is unfair to expect you to suffer for these visions that help us, and for us not to accommodate your wants in return. I realise my mistake.”

---

Izsak shook his head, gently brushing his thumb across her face, staring as he took her in.

---

“No… no it’s okay, they’re clean, they were kept under bandages under my shirt. But thank you, Tilly.”

"Good, the better they are looked after the less likely they are to scar in... obvious ways." Matilida answered carefully, raising an eyebrow at the pet name. Cautiously leaning toward him, slipping an arm around his shoulders and resting her chin on top of his head.

---

"Draven could do it if you'd prefer, it has to happen though, lovely. Your hair will be heavy on you as it is now, I imagine it's making your scalp sore." Sarika brushed her thumb against his knuckles in gentle circles. "You have nothing to be shameful of, you're a hero. Let us treat you like one."

---

"You were.... under a lot of pressure." Florence whispered, frowning when she took her arm but not moving away from it. "I can't imagine what it was like leading a kingdom during a war as.. complex as that. I'm sorry you were given me and not someone who knew what they were doing."

“It is not something to apologise for, it isn’t your fault. I hope we can… we can move past it.”

---

“It’ll scar either way… and it’ll serve as a reminder that I fucked up and disobeyed my wife.” Draven sighed deeply, leaning into her.

---

Izsak shook his head once more, moving his hand from her face to gingerly lift up the covers beside him so she could get in.

"Ah, so we're still self loathing. You two are as bad as each other, you and your wife. Birds of a feather." Matilda joked gently, turning her head to bury her face in his hair briefly; not quite kissing him but almost. Tilting her head to the side and looking toward the whisky on the table; "Are you and Sarika okay? Did the journey help clear the air?"

---

Sarika pursed her lips in thought, before giving a nod and kicking her shoes off. Slipping beneath the covers next to him and turning on her side so she could rest her palm gently against his cheek, turning his head so she could see his eyes properly, humming softly; "I've missed those eyes."

---

Florence grimaced, shaking her head as she glanced to the grounds. "No, no.. things.. things happened with the wolves. They hurt me in ways that.. when you learn what they are.." She shook her head.

“She doesn’t understand how much it cut for her to accuse me of having an affair with you. How that hurt more than the fucking whipping, than anything. I know she didn’t ask me to - but I gave up everything for her, turned my back on everyone. I’m still seen as less than by people around here because of who I was before her… but I never gave a shit.” Draven shook his head. “And she doesn’t trust me, after everything…”

---

Izsak lifted his head, gently taking Sarika’s face in his hands and moving to kiss her forehead. “I thought about you, every moment of every day I thought about you.” He murmured, his voice hoarse, words ever so slightly mangled, still unused to speaking without his teeth.

---

“Did they…” Isolde stopped then, looking her over before shaking her head with a grimace. “Are you with child because of this?” She asked quietly, taking her hand then.

"Oh no, no she loves you, 'Ven. When I took you from the post, when she opened that door and you had collapsed on the floor the way she cried - it felt like the only thing keeping her together was my arms she waw a wreck. She feels so responsible for how you hurt, I think, in her head you would cheat because she done that to you. It's not about you, I really don't think this is about you."

---

"Oh." Sarika whispered, letting her eyes close at the kiss. "You can speak... they- they weren't sure if the fae had taken your tongue."

---

"No, no." Florence shook her head, before wrinkling her nose and mumbling; "If I were though; you'd make me get rid of it wouldn't you? Wolves don't fit into here, right? Even ones who had no choice but to be what they are..."

“Male wolves are exactly like males of any other species, taking women is something they do too. Most Fae women who find themselves in the unfortunate situation do choose to terminate, but there are a handful of Fae-Wolf hybrids. Those that cannot control the change usually end up moving themselves to be with their own kind, the Wolves are pack animals and they cannot control the urge to be close to one another. Those that can control it… It is easy for them to forget what they are, there are blends our elders can produce, that the Mages with the witches council can concoct to keep the beast down.” Isolde began to walk again, arm still looped with Florence’s. “I may no longer be a mother… but I wouldn’t take it from you, if you were with child. It would be a situation I have not dealt with before… but we would deal with it.”

---

“It wasn’t my tongue they took, Sar. I’m so sorry… I’m sorry…”

---

“She thought I was capable of that…”

"So what..." Sarika began with a frown, leaning back from the embrace to look at his face properly. Moving her hands up to massage his cheeks before lifting his lips up to see the inside of his mouth, colour draining from her face at the absence of teeth. "Those bastards."

---

"No, her mouth probably ran away with her. She led a overthrowing of our monarchs, she has to have a tongue so devilish even she can't control to be able to do that. I am sure she never meant to hurt you." Matilda soothed, leaning down to pick up his glass - taking a sip from it herself before sliding it into his hands. "Drink, 'Ven. You and your mate will be absolutely fine; time heals."

---

"I'm not with child." Florence assured, swallowing thickly. Adding after a moment of silence; "At least, I don't think I am. Perhaps I need to take a test? Make sure."

“We can have that arranged.” Isolde nodded. “It won’t be easy if you are… but you have my word that I won’t take being a mother away from you. No one need know the origins of the child, and when the time comes we can see about suppressing its Wolf.”

---

“I know why they took them… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.” Izsak sobbed then, moving his face away from her hands and covering his mouth with his own to suppress the noise.

---

“A marriage is lucky if it can survive losing one child but all three? And she - the termination… because I wouldn’t be able to cope with new children so soon. I’ve cost her five in total… she fucking hates me. I know she does.”

"Hush, no apologies."  Sarika whispered, fighting go keep her voice stable as she repositioned herself on the bed. Slipping her arms around him to pull him against her, grimacing as she felt the bones beneath his skin where muscle once was - gently guiding his head to her shoulder so she could hold him properly; "No apologies, you've done nothing, Izzy.  I'm going to make them pay; for my children, for what they done to you and what they have done to all of us, as  collective.  Their world will burn one day, I promise.  You're safe now, lovely, you're home. I've got you. You don't have to be so brave anymore."

---

"Raffetry didn't do it but he... he kept me safe after they hurt me." Florence approached cautiously then. "And they're hurting him now for it. He - he's good, your Highness.... he's really good. I don't know how I'd still be breathing without him after being there."

---

Matilda lowered herself off the arm of the chair and onto the cushion beside him then, shaking her head as she pulled him into a secure hug. "It's going to be okay. I'm on your side."

“If you lose those who gave you a title… can you still use it? If you have no sons are you still a father? If you lose your twin are you still a brother?” Draven swallowed, closing his eyes and leaning against her. “If your wife no longer trusts you… are you still her mate?”

---

“Protecting your child will only be possible because it will be yours. I cannot facilitate wolf refugees, Florence. We are not the Witches. If your man is smart he will know that it is to them he must go if he wants sanctuary, he will know there it is they who are neutral and will welcome him. He won’t be the first nor the last.” Isolde said, though not unkindly.

---

“If I’d told you at the trade they would’ve killed me and then killed everyone else they held too, they warned me and I know - they would’ve gone through with it.”

"Always a father, always a brother." Matilda answered quietly, kissing the top of his head. "You are her mate for as long as your love is requited, which I have no doubt it very much is and the title... do titles matter? I think titles are unimportant - they reflect on you as a person yes but a person is ever-changing, ever growing."

---

"I am so very tired of finding connections just to lose them again, Isolde." Florence whispered sadly. "It is horrible and it makes me feel like I am losing my mind; to go from being able to regulate how I feel to suddenly feeling alone again. It's emotional torture."

---

"Do you want to know something the fae don't?" Sarika asked, whispering softly in his ear. Continuing before his answer; "Draven bit their precious Seer, she is one of us. At the exchange we told her to keep quiet or we'd punish the half-breee she so adores; now she is with them she knows they'll kill her on the spot but she hasn't had her first shift yet - her wolf is so new. With no other wolf around, when it happens it will be spectacular.. they'll kill her of course, but she'll maim or kill many before they do that."

“I miss Søren. He’d know what to say with shit like this… he was always better with his words than I was.” Draven snorted, moving to take his drink and down it. “Twins but he was always the big brother, he took those twenty minutes extra in the world seriously…”

---

“You sent a wolf pup into the lions den.” Izsak murmured, swallowing thickly.

---

“You won’t be leaving here again.” Isolde said assuringly then. “You’ll be assigned your own protection. Nobody will rip anything away from you now.”

Matilda laughed quietly, nodding lightly in agreement. "I.. fiddle with the piano on occasion; I know you know that but he came to me once and he guided me through a series of notes. When we finally fulfilled whatever was in his head he told me that when he felt it represented the two of you; he never elaborated. He said it was private and one day he'd ask me to play it for you but he didn't know when."

---

"No pup of ours; some girl who dangled my sons death over my mates head." Sarika snorted. "What Draven done to her she deserved, and I wish I could have told the people that too instead of having to give the command to punish him. The woman was nothing to us, and I asked Raffetry to charm her into liking him so we would never actually punish him - I must speak to him tomorrow; actually. He plated his part perfectly in the end."

---

"My own protection? Will he be good looking?" Florence chuckled tiredly.

“You were all he ever talked about… He adored everything about you. From the moment he met you there was nobody else.” Draven laughed softly. “Lovestruck fool he was.”

---

“Did she deserve everything that happened to her, truly? I’m sure the Fae could justify what happened to me…”

---

“I can arrange for it; if that’s what you want?” Isolde chuckled then as they reached the new room. The door already open, the room much bigger than the previous one, with better lighting.

"No, but she represents them and they do." Sarika answered with a small snort through her nose. "The world is cruel, Izsak and I have to protect our people. Even if it means sending a time bomb into the fae land, even if it means ruining my marriage which... I really fucking think I have. He hates me so much." She whimpered then. "I knew he would."

---

"Søren was any ladies dream come true, dancing in the rain to silent music. Supporting passions. Being so open emotionally. I just got lucky that I caught his eye, and... I don't know. Every moment of my heart aching is worth it for how special he was, I think he was the other part of my soul."

---

,"I like eye candy." Florence laughed quietly, stepping into the room and closing her eyes happily as the sun hit her face. "Yet every good looking man I have met has caused havoc. Can I get eye candy and not a jerk?"