Hope Falls

“And you’ve got too much weight in your step.”

---

“Is that bad?”

"No, no. I suppose not." Devika whispered, staring towards the door with a frown before taking a deep breath and physically shaking it off. Turning her attention back to Aesira; "Anyway, where were we? Ah yes. You and I are going to find something you are amazing at. Better than your brother, and father, mother and even I. We'll find something that makes you proud to be you."

---

"I wanted to warn you I was there, i wouldn't want to travel all this way to simple give you a heart attack now, would I?" She hummed, side stepping away from the knife - though the indentation from the blade had wiped away make up that concealed a 10mm sized strip of deep purple bruises. The edges of her eyes slightly veined and bloodshot around the edges as she looked him over from the head down. "I have interupted your breakfast. I hope you've at least left something to drink for me."

"Help yourself to what you want, just don't steal anything this time."

“And why did you travel all this way, seemingly without my two favourite people? What is it you’re after, Urchin?”

“I’ll tell the staff to lock up the silverware.” Dagmar snorted.

---

“And what would that be?”

"Not here," Lynette chirped, reaching across the table to steal Dagmar's drink from her. Smelling above the cup enough for it audible, the sound, however, not as loud as her gag as she let the drink go. "That's disgusting."

Conan's shoulders tensed as the cup shattered on its impact to the ground. "That was a gift."

---

"Would you like to help me make some remedies for people? Without guidance too, you can go solo with it."

---

“But what if I end up poisoning someone? Like mama?”

---

“I know you’re of the habit of going out and bringing women back but how about you do the opposite tonight mm? Take this one out and return alone.” Dagmar said dryly, narrowing her eyes at Lynette.

“Now now, both of you.” Lucian sighed, pushing his chair out and getting up.

"I have notes, recipes. As long as you follow the instructions then I promise you that you will be helping people. I think you'll be brilliant at it, you've helped me before, it's no different."

---

"We saved your ass, you should be kissing the feet I walk on. Or perhaps I can ask Farrah and Kenna to undo their little miracle." Lynette threatened lowly, adding in a whisper to Lucien in quiet disgust as she took his arm to support him; "They haven't been looking after your back."

Dagmar rolled her eyes, sitting back in her seat.

---

“Devika has been taking excellent care of my back, actually.” Lucian hummed, reaching an arm up to ruffle her hair.

---

“I… okay…”

"Not like we can. Luckily for you I plan on staying here for awhile, Devika can be denounced from her duties and it can go back to me helping you deal with it." Lynette flinched away from his touch when he went near the back of her head.

---

"She is a deplorable woman."

---

"Good! Go in, finish your breakfast. Come to me when you are done, I will have everything set up for you."

Aesira nodded, giving Devika a brief smile before heading back into the dining room.

“There’s just no manners with her.”

---

“You’re here for a while? Just invited yourself over have you?” Lucian raised an eyebrow, frowning briefly when he noticed the flinch. “You’re fresh off a fight?”

"I wonder how Lucian has managed to keep his, the amount of years he was around people like that." Conan grimaced, offering an arm out towards Aesira when she came back into the room. "You missed the dramatics, sweetheart. I am glad you were taken out."

---

"I made the mistake of sleeping with a vampire on the city excursion; Hadeon Lakatos. We were caught." Lynette wrinkled her nose, letting go of his arm gently as they stepped into his quarters to peer at herself in the mirror. Grimacing as she noticed the bruising around her neck peeking through; "Hanging was a... New one to escape from."

“Shit, urchin. There are countries in the East that will tolerate that but not in that region! You know how conservative they are… Please tell me that you did not allow Kenna anywhere near there knowing how they treat hybrids, if they’d found out what she was - “ Lucian hissed through his teeth, shaking his head. “You should know better… you should’ve known how dangerous it is!”

---

“Dramatics? What happened?” Aesira enquired as she headed towards her father, climbing up onto his knee.

"I was drunk, not thinking and he was easy on the eyes. I heard he isn't so much anymore though." Slowly, she let a breath out through her nose - muscles tensing as she touched the bruise. "Kenna wasn't near, until she was needed - you know there is not any stopping her. She is unharmed though. I need to stay low here for a few months until they have more to talk about."

---

"Lynette snatched your mothers drink, broke the glass that Duke Adam gifted to us on purpose. Very exciting stuff."

“You could’ve gotten yourself killed for some pretty boy leach that won’t have been worth it. Stupid.” Lucian shook his head, walking towards the cabinet in his quarters that contained the alcohol. Pulling out a decanter of whisky and two glasses, filling them both up on the side before walking to Lynette and handing her one. “After what you’ve just confessed to don’t you dare lecture me about drinking before noon.”

---

“Devika isn’t happy she’s here… I could tell.”

"I get the feeling that Devika is perhaps a little too fond of your Uncle, but that is to stay between us."

---

"Oh if you fuss anymore over my love life then I will be able to accuse you of jealousy." Lynette laughed, slipping the glass from his hand and downing half of it in one gulp. "It was just a but of fun, Luca. We all partake in that."

“Plus your uncles friends are… not house trained.” Dagmar sighed softly. “They’re mischievous.”

“Uncle Lucian says they just have fun… and you’re uptight.”

---

“Fuck who you want… but not in countries it’ll get you hung for doing so. Idiot.”

"Everyone's versions of fun are different." Conan stated diplomatically. "Your Uncle and his friends also don't have a Kingdom to run in the same way your mother and I do. We have to look a certain way to people for them to trust us."

---

"Dickhead." She returned affectionately. "What has been happening here - what bullshit have they forced you to do?"

“Not forcing me to do anything. Conan has me in charge of trade, I’m experienced enough at it that he thinks it’s the one thing I won’t fuck up.” Lucian grinned. “He has me down in the port city a lot, I know a lot of the traders that come in on the ships, easier for me to sort out prices. Stop the people getting ripped off, etcetera.”

---

“So he’s right… he has fun and you can’t because you’re scared?”

((Night))

"'Scared? What does he think I am possibly scared of?"

---

"Oh." Lynette answered, reaching across to flick his forehead with her fingernails playfully. "Come ow, you are turning boring if you at all enjoying something so mundane."

“I get to spend a lot of time with the tradesmen, I get to hear stories, keep up on news from you and Kenny.”

---

“People seeing you not like a King? Because you already messed up with me and mama?”

“Messed up?”

“I shouldn’t be here should I?”

"People try and dictate who we can love," Conan explained quietly. "As if you get a choice in things like that. Your mother and I upset some very powerful people, we still do, and that is why we are not allowed to be married. It is better though, that punishment, then losing her. It is better then not being able to have you and your brother in our lives. You are not a mistake, Aesira, you are a blessing. You are the proof that love wins."

---

"Don't be having so much fun here that you won't come back home."

Two Weeks Later..

"Lèna just pushed past me with a whole rack of various gowns to be chosen from, so I don't imagine it will be long now until this all unravels if Thea disapproves."  Magnus stated, though his posture was relaxed as he rearranged the positioning of one of the dahlias that had been woven into the silk monotonal fabric decorating the chairs in the grand hall.  "Even in the unlikely event she is angry, she will never be more terrifying than András having to cater for this many people so last minute." He paused, clicking his tongue as he inspected a small stain on the white cuff of his shirt before directing at Emmett;  You are sure Karina hasn't gone and 'she's my sister so I have to tell her'd all over this surprise?"

“Karina has been keeping Thea distracted all morning whilst also subtly helping her get ready and making sure she’s drinking enough blinding tea to keep her visions at bay. Your cousins are keeping your newest guests hidden but entertained and I am at your disposal.” Emmett repeated for the third time since this morning, unwavered by Magnus’ flapping. “And Matilda and the other girls are helping to decorate the hall.” He added.

---

“I’m told that at her age I was unstoppable, as soon as I could walk I wouldn’t sit still, I would often nearly get crushed by horses and I’d chase chickens.” Thea mused as she came out from her room, where Zaria was sat on the floor playing with her toys, entertaining herself thoroughly.

"You should count yourself lucky that she must be more like Magnus then," Karina mused, taking a pillow and dropping it down onto the floor in front of her feet. "Sit down for me? I need to practice a hairstyle for Eden, she has been unhappy with my last few attempts of it. She is the most demanding girl for one her age."

---

"Magnus' chef is the best on the continent, I have tried to lure him over to work for me on various occasions but it has never worked." Conan updated Lucian and Lynette, keeping his voice a low despite being far away from Thea's quarters. Following a crowd as they were guided to one of the reception rooms for drinks. "I can promise you it will be better than anything you have tried."

Lynette let out a breath a little quicker than normal through her nose to show she had heard, though she didn't waste the energy to respond. Fingertips brushing against any piece of fabric she could touch as they wandered down the halls.

"I don't believe Thea hasn't worked out what is happening." Devika spoke absently as she walked behind the others, glancing towards Dagmar - the first time she had pulled her eyes from Lucian. "She is the most powerful Seer, no?"

---

"Has Karina done all her research on how to be a celebrant of these things? Did you test her this morning, put those flashcards into use? That part is important, it's important Karina does this."

“There’s an herb that grows in the East. Crushed into a powder and then mixed in with water makes a tea that can dull a Seers visions temporarily. Too much and they go completely blind to their visions, not enough and they’ll have them but patchy. He had Karina making it, just enough to keep mundane visions at bay. Nothing consequential… though I’m sure her reaction will be. They don’t like using it, it’s like cutting off a sense, hearing, touch…”

“We’ve been off the continent though… and the food east is divine.” Lucian laughed, shaking his head. “I’m sure it’ll be fine but… I’m not sure it’ll compare.”

---

“You know I dislike my hair being played with.” Thea sighed deeply, smoothing her dress under her as she moved to sit. “The moment you pull or snag this is over and you can practice on a maid.”

---

“If anything goes wrong tonight it is not my wife’s doing, I assure you.”

"Every piece of hair I have ever seen on a maids head is brittle and unkempt, it is nothing like my child's hair. Yours compares much better." Karina laughed, taking a comb from the side and gently running it through her hair. "You moan like a child so this is the exact practice that I need."

---

"Nor yours, it best not. Conan is bringing his cousin, I have heard plenty on how the two of you don't get on - no dramatics, Emmett. Don't let the man get to you, I'll have my men remove him if I must but try and hold your tongue to the indiscrepancies."

---

"The things that come from the East, the healers and what they do, their methods." Devika wrinkled her nose, moving her gaze ahead once more. ""The people from there. It is all very... It puts into perspective-" She stammered; "I don't get out much."

"I am willing to bet money on the idea it will compare." Conan laughed, nodding a thanks as he took a glass of champagne from one of the trays. His eyes sparkling as another tray moved around with canapés; "Ah, of course. Now you will see."

Lynette rolled her eyes, hovering her fingers over the tray when the food got to them. Using the tips of her fingers to pick up a tartlet with a purple filling and shoving it into her mouth without much thought. Her eyes momentarily widening, though she regained her composure as she swallowed and waved Conan away with a casual; "I've had better."