Hope Falls

"My village was built up mainly of farmlands. The population of the livestock was triple to the population of people there, but we often had people passing through. My home was closest to the ocean, one merchant stopped by every time he visited. He would come to my home, we would sell him eggs and milk and.. all he needed for the rest of the journey. Every visit though, he would come with a new story about this woman whom he claimed to despise. She was callous and manipulative, cold ans calculating, he swore the devil himself crafted her and sent her in his path as some form of hell torture. The last year I saw him though, that last ever day... she was with him, and when my home was attacked he took every blow his body could take to give her time to flee." Devika spoke quietly, each word careful thought out before it left her mouth. Her hand moving across to take his as she summarised; "People speak unkindly of others when they feel things they don't think they are allowed to feel. Karina loves you still, I am sure that is all it is. Emmett has fears of being left too, I dont think he has recovered from his first wife leaving him. This stays between us too, okay? I have no dislike of General Aster and I don't want it used as a weapon against him. I just.. don't let it bother you. Magnus has his own brain, any prejudgements he has won't last long."

---

"I need to end my holiday eventually, don't I?" Karina laughed. "We won't linger on it today though. Today is a happy day."

---

"He certainly seems characterful."

“He is… but he’s fantastic with children. Cassius idolises him, he’s really brought him out of his shell since he arrived. He’s really helped them both with getting back to normal after everything so… can’t fault him too much.”

---

“Thank you for being here…”

---

“Aster and I have never gotten along, before he was even with his first wife.” Lucian shook his head wjrh a small sigh, gently moving his hand to rest on the side of her arm. “Are you okay? After sharing that?”

"He was just a stranger, why would I be anything other than okay?" Devika challenged, not viciously, holding a steady gaze. Sucking in her lower lip as she grappled with the answer to her own question.

Magnus nodded, frowning as he caught sight of the time from the clock that stood tall in the corner of the room. Lifting his voice up to announce; "Everyone into the hall now please, time to take seats."

---

Karina gave a small nod before leaving the room.

“You deserve this Magnus, congratulations.” Dagmar leaned up and kissed his cheek gently. “If she kills you for this I’ll make sure your Kingdom throws a bigger party for the funeral.” She promised with a grin before taking Conans hand.

---

“Talking about your home being destroyed, I can’t imagine it was easy. But apologies if I’ve offended.”

"That's your most important job, Valkeyrie." Magnus hummed affectionately as he disappeared into the crowd once more. Walking through the centre rows of the black pine chairs, watching the flame of each candle illuminated the aisle before he settled at the front of the room. Tipping his head back, only subtly, to give a calming breath.

"He has gone for aesethic over comfort, I see." Conan whispered to Dagmar as they too stepped inside behind a crowd of others. Happily finding some seats at the front of the hall.

---

"It is you I worry about offending, Captain." Devika hummed, thumbs ever so lightly stroking the fabric of his shirt as she lowered her gaze. "I wouldn't want to ove-"

"Lucian." Lynette chirped, bulldozing her way between the two confidently as she hooked her arm through his. "We need to get a seat on the end of the aisle, at the back. We may get some interesting donations from people then." With the statement, she pressed some diamond earrings into the palm of his hand - having pinched it from the pocket of a passing wedding guest.

“Rude. Not here Urchin.” Lucian chided in an eastern tongue. “Not after Magnus has just ribbed me and told me to behave.” He added, offering an apologetic glance toward Devika.

---

“Always aesthetic with this one.” Dagmar mused as she smoothed her dress down underneath her before sitting down on the chair. “This is our first outing without the children, together… I’ve just realised…”

---

Devika frowned. Heading into the hall to find somewhere to sit without a word.

"He had no right to do that, he is discriminating against you." Lynette scoffed in disgust. "It is harmless, if people cared about their pretty things then they shouldn't be leaving them unattended."

---

"It is. It's refreshing to be away from them for something that is positive, isn't it? No fighting and killing."

---

"Do not tell my husband that I said this but I think the most handsome man in the room today isn't the groom, but you; the handsome brooding gentleman stood near the doorway." Karina whispered in a sultry tone beside Emmett's ear as she came up beside him, the delicate crystals sewn into the sleeves of her dress brushing against the fabric of his suit as she slipped her arm around his front. Ducking her head to press her lips to the crook of his neck.

“Please act house trained just for the next few days.” Lucian sighed softly, gently rubbing her arm.

---

“How about we go out to the nearest village tomorrow, just the two of us? Hope nobody recognises who we are and just… be us for the night?”

---

“Ah I don’t condone infidelity, Ma’am, I’m sure your husband will be most upset.” Emmett laughed softly, placing his hand over hers and gently squeezing. “How is the Queen?”

"She is excited, very excited. She worked it out, I asked her to look surprised for Magnus' sake anyway." Karina smiled, leaning her head against his slightly as she watched the crowd take their seats. "How is the King?"

---

"This is the best place to disappear into the background, all of the townspeople focus will be on Thea and Magnus. It'll be like we aren't even here."

---

"I am pampered feline in a noble woman's home kind of house trained, there is no need to act. Don't be rude because you were told off by a King who doesn't even know you. Why do you care what these people think?"

“That sounds more exciting than this entire wedding!”

---

“Oh he’ll be furious.” Emmett laughed then, shaking his head. “He’s on his toes, excited too.”

---

“Becsuse an argument with Magnus will upset the balance Conan has. We’re not just ourselves here. I am not just me. I’m the Kings cousin, I’m a Prince. I piss off the wrong people and war is declared. Don’t act dense, Lynette. You know this.”

"I think I have forgotten everything I had planned to...reintroduce them. Offering to officiate something like this sounded like a great idea at the time."

---

"Don't say that too loudly." Conan laughed, leaning in to press his lips to hers.

---

"You spoke of me like I was a dirty animal and now your saying I am behaving like a stupid person. You cam sit through this stuffy wedding alone; dickhead." Lynette mumbled, tugging a loose piece of thread off of the sleeve of her dress in irritation as she got to her feet.

“Nobody knows Thea better than you, not even Magnus. Speak from the heart. You can’t go wrong.”

---

Dagmar kissed him back deeply, pressing a hand to his face.

---

“You’re doing that thing where you start an argument because you want to let off steam about something else. What is it, urchin?” Lucian sighed deeply then, his shoulder twitching a little at a small bolt of discomfort.

"You are trying to turn this into a problem I have rather than face up to-"

"Here we go, time to work some magic." Karina grimaced when the general murmur of the crowd began to get louder with the various conversations. Pressing her lips to Emmett's cheek gently before swiftly moving away, looking directly at Lynette as she announced to the room; "Lets settle down. The time for mingling will come again, the Queen will be arriving soon."

Lynette huffed, tucking her dress beneath her as she begrudgingly sat back down beside Lucian. Hand resting on the back of his chair lazily, though placed there purposefully to massage the nerves between his shoulders despite her irritation.

Conan pulled away at Karina's announcement, laughing quietly as he sat himself up.

---

"Your Majesty?" Lèna requested as she softly knocked on the door of Thea's quarters. "Are you ready? Your presence is needed at this moment in the Grand Hall."

“How dramatic of him.” Thea chuckled, standing up from where she’s been applying her own makeup in the mirror. I wonder what he’s got in store?” She added as she stood up, having just placed a silver circled in her head. “After you, Léna.”

---

Dagmar laughed - almost a giggle as she cosied up to Conan.

“Thank you, urchin.” Lucian murmured.

"Whatever it is... you look beautiful, Your Highness." Lèna complimented quietly, leading her down the halls towards the quiet hush of the hall.

"I'm not talking to you right now." Lynette replied icily. Glancing over her shoulder when there was the subtle knock on the doors, swinging open the violinist began to play.

Magnus took a deep, almost trembling breath, doing his best to remain still and not look over his shoulder too soon.

"You're doing great." Karina mouthed to Magnus almost silently, smile warm as she looked down the aisle towards her sister.

“Ah but you just did,” Lucian smirked. Looking around for room briefly to see if he could catch a sight of Devika, whipping back round as his shoulders tensed once more.

“Oh.” Thea whispered as the doors opened, swapping thickly as she took in the guests, having not white pictured so many. Taking a quiet moment to compose herself before flashing a nervous smile and beginning to walk down toward Magnus.

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