Hope Falls

"I didn't last night, actually." Matilda laughed quietly, getting to her feet and crossing the room to settle herself back down onto the sofa. Pulling the jumper back up to hold it to her chest. "I slept here."

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"Were you there when he done it? Were you hearing the words she was saying to him? Because if you were then I would love the first hand account."

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"Zacarias... Zac. He was my baby brother. Did you see the little uh.. the little darkened pstch of skin above his right eyebrow? Birth mark."

“It doesn’t matter what she said! She’s was a fucking weak human and he mauled her like a fucking beast.”

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“Oh… oh.” Ada frowned, taking his hand once more. “I’m sorry…”

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Draven frowned as he glanced over, face softening a little when he recognised the clothing. “Sorry… I stirred something last night didn’t I? About Søren.”

"No, no it hasn't been anything to do with you." She insisted quietly, "It's like I said to you the other day I've just... been missing him more recently. Life is slowing down now, I am starting to see the gaps."

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"Why don't you use your new freedom to go and rescue her then." Sarika answered, voice growing bored. "You would be no use to us if we were ever attacked anyway, and I have no interest in you staying here if you believe that I have treated my husband any differently to how I would have treated anyone else."

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"This is the reason it's discouraged, isn't it? Let's go. There are more things to do, more places to see before we have to go back. Are you ready to drive?"

“I’m not the only one who sees it Sarika.” Rafferty chuckled. “She may have only been among them for a day or two but they liked Florence. Saw how scared she was at being one of us and everyone resonated with that fear of the first turn, especially when she’s just so easy to like.” He leaned in then with a grin. “More people are defecting to the Witches every day, and who can blame them when the Alpha’s tyrant husband is shredding innocent people? Rampaging against the staff? Raping the Seers? And the Alpha is too busy mourning her son that she just allows it. Or that’s what they’re saying anyway, those are the stories that are getting out, travelling around… no smoke without fire is there?”

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“I didn’t realise you still had so much of his stuff… after all this time.”

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“I am, if you’re ready to leave her?”

"A small storage box, but I've folded things we'll enough that it fits in well." Matilda grimaced, placing the jumper on the side before walking to the wardrobe and pulling the box out of the bottom. Placing it onto the bed in front of him; "Some of his favourite clothes, a blanket... bits and bobs."

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"Raping?" Sarika scoffed. "You are being absolutely ludacris. I gave you an important role, Raffetry, you were one of my trusted little foot soldiers. The fae Seer really got into your mind didn't she?"

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Dmitri nodded, squeezing her hand. "Lets try and have some fun."

“I didn’t say he did it but you know what people are like when they get their teeth into a rumour. But no. She didn’t get into my head, how fucking horrible you are did. None of what has happened to her is anything she had a choice in and she’s going to be ripped apart by those Fae for no wrong of her own. We’re no better than them, what they did to us!”

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“I’ll let you drive next, since she’s your baby.”

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“After all this time I can still smell him on it all… amazing.”

"You wolves and your good sense of smell." She laughed quietly. "I can smell him on some of it, if I focus hard enough. It's faint, I don't think I'll have much longer left of it which scares me."

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"The borders are open for you to run and try to be her little Knight in shining armour but if you put yourself in that situation you are not going to be on the list to be rescued." Sarika growled lowly. "I have no regrets."

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"I'll drive back to the hotel, you can have the day with her."

(( Night night ))

“You want to go back to the hotel?”

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“I’ll probably have some of his stuff buried somewhere… I’ll see if I can find it.”

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“You’re not running me out of here. I’ll happily sit back and watch your own country turn on you for supporting that monster in your bed.”

"You don't want to save your friend that badly then, do uou?" Sarika scoffed, adding quietly. "You'll be waiting a long time." before turning on her heel and leaving.

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"You don't have to dig it up for me."

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"No, not now. I meant at the end of the day." Dmitri grimaced

“Oh, here’s me thinking you suddenly found me irresistible and couldn’t wait.” Ada chuckled as she gently bumped into him.

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“Don’t have to, but I will.”

"You know I find you irresistible but if we buy an hour on a race track and you can show me how fast you can drive my car then I'll never allow you to leave bed again." Dmitri laughed. "I won't put you through the fun of street racing, I dont think you'd win against the police."

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"I- Thank you."

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"Sorry, I had.. something to do whilst the kitchen cooked something up for you." Sarika whispered as she walked back into Izsak's room; holding a simple bowl of tomato soup. "They recommended this; nothing exciting but it has what you need in it and... what have you been eating the past few years? Nothing good for you, mm?"

“I wouldn’t be able to tell you, couldn’t taste anything past the poison.” Izsak shook his head.

---

“Your obsession with these things is frightening.”

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“I’m glad you’re still here… someone I can talk about him with.”

"I haven't called your painting frightening," Dmitri frowned, kissing the side of her head before getting into the passenger side of the car. "I like adrenaline."

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Sarika frowned, sitting herself down on the bed beside him and quietly offering hin the bowl. "Here, we need to start building your strength up."

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"I'll always be about for you to talk to, about anything, not just him." Matilda promised gently, lifting her hand up to brush her thumb against his cheek affectionately.

“I’ve told the healers to get me a Mage’s hood and face covering. I can be out and about then without anyone knowing just how bad my condition is, nobody except the healers needs to know I’ve lost my bite.” Izsak told her as he sat up, gingerly taking the bowl. “That includes my mother and my sister. They will not know what happened, the extent of it, the torture. It’ll send my mother to her grave and I imagine Eris is still an angry bitch? I may have been away for a few years but she’d only just started to turn when I left and it takes years for the hormones to balance out..”

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“And yet you still won’t let me take you on a flight.” Ada wiggled her eyebrows with a grin as she got back into the car.

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“The way I’ve treated you the last few years… blaming you for my sons death wasn’t fair. I’m sorry…”

"Flying is unnatural; it is a step too far for adrenaline. Give me cliff jumping, I can do that. I am in control of that but... yeah, no." Dmitri grimaced, shaking his head.

---

"No, you were right. There are plenty of things I see, there were plenty that could have very well been acted upon to prevent your sons death but.. there was nothing obvious. During the war the visions came so fast, and they were all... horrible. I could have done better though, and I'm sorry you lost because of that."

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"You think they won't work it out eventually?" Sarika frowned. "I - I'm glad you've agreed to going outside, even if it is with the hood. I'm glad you've agreed to seeing them; they are going to be so happy "

“It wasn’t your fault. I needed someone to blame… Someone that was closer than the Fae. You just happened to be the target, it wasn’t my finest behaviour.”

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“Not for a few days yet, I still look - not for a few days. But I will see them.” Izsak nodded, finishing the soup quickly and putting the bowl on the bedside table before moving his hand to rest on her face, gently brushing his thumb across her cheekbone. “Should I be offended Draven hasn’t come with you? Is he over me? Am I back because I was your Captain or because you love me?” He questioned, tone teasing though the question was genuine.

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“And metal shells that speed are natural? Something tells me you’re just scared, my love.”

"Draven told me you'd said no to visitors, he did come to you - he checked in with the healers." Sarika assured with a frown, lifting her hand up to rest her palm above his. "We love you, Izzy. Both of us."

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"Your wolf likes to throw it's weight around near me rather often, you don't keep a lid on it very well. It must be the whole me not being a wolf thing that sends you through the roof." Matilda laughed quietly.

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"Scared? Me? No." Dmitri scoffed.

“So we can drive to a cliff, you’ll jump off and I’ll catch you?”

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“That doesn’t answer the question Sarika… did you get me back for the politics of the situation, or for love?” Izsak whispered, brushing his nose against hers then.

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“I’ve never thought of it that way… that it may be to do with that…”

"I notice it with all of you, when someone hasn't shifted in awhile and the wolf is frustrated I normally get it in the neck. Even walking into the town, I'm expected to step out of the way or.. I don't know. I don't mind it, it's always been that way, Draven. Just don't apologise, OK? You are who you are. It's fine."

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"We would have exchanged the Seer for anyone, getting people home is the priority for us now." Sarika answered carefully. "We just got lucky that it was you they offered."

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"No." Dmitri snorted, shaking his head. "No. We can jump off a cliff together, I'll land in the water and you can spread your wings but catching me? No."

"I notice it with all of you, when someone hasn't shifted in awhile and the wolf is frustrated I normally get it in the neck. Even walking into the town, I'm expected to step out of the way or.. I don't know. I don't mind it, it's always been that way, Draven. Just don't apologise, OK? You are who you are. It's fine."

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"We would have exchanged the Seer for anyone, getting people home is the priority for us now." Sarika answered carefully. "We just got lucky that it was you they offered."

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"No." Dmitri snorted, shaking his head. "No. We can jump off a cliff together, I'll land in the water and you can spread your wings but catching me? No."

“This isn’t an I'm a man and this is emasculating thing, is it?”

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“Anyone… So you weren’t aiming to get me back, weren’t negotiating for me specifically… just a lucky dip. Right.” Izsak swallowed, pulling away from her then, turning his head before she could see the crestfallen look on his face.

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“As soon as this heals I’ll have to shift… you’re right in that is has been a while since a full one.”

"I am drowning in plans and meetings, in..." Sarika sighed, swallowing thickly and swinging her legs around to get off of the bed. Mumbling; "I'll be back in a few hours to check on you, but I have things to do and you need to be focused on resting. Speak to the healers if you need anything, OK?"

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Matilda nodded, catching his hand to brush her thumb against his knuckles gently. "The next time you see Sarika tell her that she needs to do the same. A run together will do you both good."

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"No." Dmitri answered, too quickly for him to be telling the truth. Turning his head to stare out of the window.

“Yes ma’am.” Izsak nodded, moving to lay on his side away from her.

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“Mm, I will do. Thanks Tilly.”

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“Dima, don’t do that. Talk to me.”

"Draven is being a dick, don't you start too. I'm so fucking done." Sarika growled, stepping out of the room and going to hers and Draven's chambers without another word.

(( Skip maybe a week for the wolves now? Until thr boys are healing a bit? A week for the fae aswell maybe; they could be having an engagement party? ))

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"I don't like the idea of it, that's all. Why do you have to push so much?"

((Sure!))