Hope Falls

"Me too," She whispered, moving ing her hand to brush her fingertips against his chest lightly.

---

"Good, it'll be good for you and after that we'll eat; you haven't eaten yet."

“My appetite went… maybe I’ll feel different after the bath but… just the bath for now.”

---

“Maybe when this is less reactionary mm? You’re upset and wanting to put that emotion somewhere, but this won’t help.”

"You need to have something, T." Magnus whispered, kissing her cheek before getting up and leading her to their quarters to draw a bath.

---

"Sleeping with you always helps." Karina mumbled. "Doing things with you - full stop always helps."

“I’m here now, I’m here.”

---

Thea wrapped her arms around his, leaning into him as they walked.

"You keep saying no." Karina approached cautiously then. "Every time we start to... even when we're both happy, you know? I mean - it's okay, that's fine. I just... I want to make sure we are okay and if we are. Are you okay? Is something going on?"

---

"Would you still like a party, or shall we just.. send word out. Keep it quiet, maybe a meal with whoever you want to invite instead?"

"You keep saying no." Karina approached cautiously then. "Every time we start to... even when we're both happy, you know? I mean - it's okay, that's fine. I just... I want to make sure we are okay and if we are. Are you okay? Is something going on?"

---

"Would you still like a party, or shall we just.. send word out. Keep it quiet, maybe a meal with whoever you want to invite instead?"

“Do we need to announce her now? Should we? It’s just putting a target down isn’t it? Is it best she’s just a rumour rather than something we’ve confirmed?” Thea asked sadly.

---

“I don’t like the thought of them being in the room.”

"We can't leave them either, they're too young for that." Karina frowned, slipping off of his lap. "So you're going to make us wait for months? When - when a war may be starting and we could never see each other again?"

---

"I think it is impossible to hide her for any longer."

“We don’t have to hide, just… making a big deal out of it, sending out letters confirming she’ll be here soon is just letting everyone know we’ll be vulnerable. Whereas if it’s just a rumour that’s unconfirmed to the majority of people they won’t risk anything based on it. What if they attack the night she’s born because I announce I’m pregnant and they get spies to inform them when it’s time and they lay in wait?”

---

“I can’t help that I - I can’t when they’re in the room. I physically can’t. I suggested for Dagmar or Devika or one of the Royal childrens minders to watch them for a few hours so we could have some time alone but you kept batting it off.”

"Thea..." Magnus whispered sadly.

---

"Organise something then." Karina whispered, sitting down on the arm chair and curling up into it. "You never said it was so we could be close, so I batted it away because I thought you were just.. thinking I wasn't coping."

“It’s gonna be so sad telling her, when she grows up… how we were so excited but we couldn’t share it.” Thea swallowed, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Her birth should be celebrated with feasts and parties…”

---

“If I thought you weren’t coping I would’ve said.”

"We need to do something. We can't say no to everything. I need to do something."

---

Karina shrugged lightly, turning her head to stare out of the window. "Well, no one we trust here is there? So... we'll still not get to be close for weeks."

“You don’t trust Thea?”

---

“What do you think would be safest, then?”

"No, not right now. Not when she has barely even asked me how I am yet alone paid them attention." Karina mumbled sadly before correcting herself; "I don't trust anyone with them. No one can keep them safe like us."

---

"A letter - like I said. A feast with our most trusted." Magnus answered, pushing the door open and stepping into their quarters. Adding bitterly; "But if you'd rather do nothing then. Fine. If her safety is priority then I'll have the maids draw you a bath, I'll draft the invites to peace talks now. I won't see you much.. I have lots of things to review."

“Not trusting anyone with our children means we’ll be in for a long few years: and that anxiety will transfer to them too.”

---

Thea stopped when she heard the tone in his voice change, clasping her hands under her stomach and looking at the floor. “You’re mad at me.” She stated quietly.

((Might))

"I'm angry at the situation, not you. I wanted to be happy, I'm angry we can't be."

---

"You come to me this time?" Karina asked quietly, holding her arms out to him. "I- I can trust Dagmar. She is at least interested in them... no one here though."

(( Night night))

“Thea will be interested in them soon enough, we’ve come in and dropped a bombshell on them both.” Emmett headed over, scooping her up and sitting in her spot on the chair before settling her on his lap. “If anything this makes me feel lucky… we’ve had the first few weeks with our children. We expected them with joy, we’ve been able to have time as a family. And then we’ve come in here and dropped it on those two that they get none of that - if I were Magnus I’d probably accuse whoever was dropping the news of deliberately rubbing it in. Thea loves you as much as you love her, deep down you know that which is why you’ve not demanded we pack up and go home now we’ve told them what we need to. Just give her a few days.”

---

“It’s a good job I’m not in charge of your army because I’d have them crack the Wolf border tonight and decimate the entire pack of flea ridden monsters before they could do the same to us.” Thea muttered pettily, crossing her arms.

"If we had more proof then a vision that is what I would be doing," Magnus whispered. "And I'd be willing others to do the same but that isn't the case is it? I wish we could just do that, get rid of the problem entirely."

---

Karina curled against him, closing her eyes as she let her head rest against his shoulder. "A few days... yeah but if she hasn't shown interest in them by the end of the week can we go home?"

“Conan should’ve come here with them to discuss strategies with you instead of forcing this anxiety to last even longer by waiting. It would’ve been the smart thing to do.”

---

“If that’s what you want.”

"The man lost all his brain cells when he realised he was in love with the Valkyrie." Magnus snorted softly in amusement. "All he thinks about is her."

---

"Mm," Karina whispered, resting her palm against his chest to quietly feel his heartbeat.

“Does he love her or did he only get with her because of the child?” Thea wrinkled her nose. “It’s his schtick isn’t it, doing things because it is the right thing to do in his head, not because he wants to do it. First one was taking the crown from his cousin after centuries because they were being mean to the Fallen. Then he gets a Valkyrie knocked up and knows she’ll be disgraced either way but he can prevent a portion of it by acknowledging the kid as his.”

---

"I don't think he is very bright." Magnus laughed quietly.

“At least I know you’re with me because you love me and for no other reason.”

"Mm, because I love you. Right." Magnus answered, exgarrating unease in his voice to tease as he began to draw the bath

“Don’t say it like that!”