Hope Falls

Devika paused, even her breathing hitching in her front once again - albeit for a few second this time. The freeze was just brief though, turning her head to kiss slowly down his neck. Her teeth grazing his skin as her hand played with the buttons of his trousers, almost teasing.

---

"It was always in the plan; children. I am a bit like you though, I didn't think it would be a possibility. I just..  We just need to find ou-"

"Hello?" A voice questioned, short and blunt before the door had even answered properly. The fae woman whom it belonged to stood slouched, her raven hair unkempt and the remnants of sleep still tucked into the corner of her eyes. "What do you wan-" She began, in the same tone at Florence. A sudden intake of breath escaping her when her eyes took in Wyatt, pushing her shoulders back to stand straight and raking fingers through her hair to attempt to fix her unkempt look; "Oh, Hawk. How can I help you sir?"

Florence shifted her weight at the sudden change of behaviour, eyes briefly flashing amber as a guttural growl bubbled from her throat.

Lucian let out a small groan, moving his hands to tangle into her hair.

---

“Apologies for the intrusion - may we come in?” Wyatt asked, arm gently folding Florence into his side.

The healer, Iona, gave a curt nod - taking a step to the side to let them in. Not acknowledging Florence's territorialism, asking Wyatt sweetly; "Can I help at all?"

"Is anyone else here? No one else can be here, no one else can hear."

---

"Are you sure you want this?" Devika asked breathlessly. "You are a Prince. I am- I am of little importance."

“Your discretion would be valued, Iona. I know how this castle is a breeding ground for gossip and it can’t happen with this.”

---

“You are of much importance Devika,” Lucian insisted, eyes closed.

"Not all gossip is idle or meaningless, I am under an oath to report soke things to my superiors, or the Queen if need be."

"Then you must Isolde to keep it to her chest until Captain Hawk and I speak to her." Florence stated, blunt, matter-of-fact. Weight leaning against Wyatt gently.

---

Devika nodded slowly, moving her weight to undo his trousers and pull them off. Her lips returning to his as they faded to black.

“We will speak to Isolde ourselves if it turns out to be something she will want to knowS but we would rather Isolde be told by us, and not someone else.”

"You will have twenty four hours to tell her, if it is something that I am obligated to pass on." Iona bargained, taking a step bsckwards to let them inside.

"That sounds... fine." Florence muttered, disgruntled acceptance as she took a step into the room.

Wyatt sighed softly, heading inside.

"What can I help you both with?" Iona asked, reaching her hand out to snatch back a small satchel bag that Florence had pick up off of the table.

"Babies." Florence whispered, wrinkling her nose when the rope that hug from the bag grazed her skin as it was taken back.

"Babies?"

“Florence believes she’s with child. We need you to confirm it.”

"That is next to impossible." Iona shook her head, holding back a laugh as she waved them away. "This is what you interuppt my time with? A wolf - fae child is a ridiculous thing to even entertain."

"I know my body. Something isn't right, if it isn't a baby then-" Florence cut off as a jar was put into her hands.

"The sooner I prove you wrong, the sooner I can get on with my day. Put your urine in that, and..." She paused, opening drawers and bags that were scattered along and beneath the desk before finding a long yellow-tinged leaf. "Put that in it. If it remains the same, there is no child - if it wilts and becomes red then you are with child."

“In either scenario you need to find a healer of Wolf origin, if she is with child they’ll need to work with you to handle it. If she’s not then we’ll need their knowledge to diagnose her.”

"Go. The lavatory is the door just to your right there." Iona waved Florence away, waiting until she heard the door close before answering Wyatt. "I do not tell you how to command those beneath you so do not tell me how to do my job, Sir. I believe there is nothing wrong with her, maybe she is trying to fool you so that you do not have to work for such long periods."

“You believe there is nothing wrong with her based on absolutely nothing. You have asked her nothing, haven’t even touched her, Iona.” Wyatt folded his arms, staring her down. “Now I believe that to be for one of two reasons - you’re incredibly uninformed and it’s well out of your talents to treat a Wolf, therefore you don’t want to embarrass yourself by even trying. Or, your ugly bias against Wolves is showing and you’re reneging on the oath you swore in front of the ancestors when you graduated from your healing classes. Which is it?”

"She believes she is pregnant, I have given means to test for it that works across the species. I have no need to ask question, nor have any physical contact with her until the test has been done." Iona slowly folded her arms across her, tapping her fingertips rhythmically against her skin as she tried to hold the eye contact. "I have treated plenty of wolves, I have no bias. Do not try and intimidate me because I will not comply with your request for secrecy."

---

Afterwards, Devika let out a deep breath as her head fell against Lucian's chest. Eyes closing in contentment, fingers tracing dancing patterns against his stomach that matched the beat of his heart.

“She’s having pregnancy symptoms, if there is no pregnancy then there is something wrong with her - which makes your diagnosis of nothing, utter bullshit. Do your fucking job Iona instead of sulking that you have to treat her kind. You’re charged with helping and healing people who come to you, not dismissing them because you don’t like their species.”

---

Lucian lay with his eyes closed, dozing peacefully as his hand gently ran up and down her arm.

"I much prefer you when you are the silent and brooding commander. When you behave away from your rank you are plainly rude and aggressive. If you have such an issue with me being the one to assist you then you have other options to go t-"

"We can go." Florence interuppted as she stepped out of the room. Placing the empty cup on the side, it appearing unused - a leaf balanced inside it, in the same state as the one that had been passed to her. "I must not be hydrated enough, and you have made your position on helping us very clear Iona."

---

Devika's patterns paused when they fell upon a rougher part of his skin, blinking her eyes open and sitting up enough to quietly inspect any scars in obvious reach. Stating softly; "You feel like an enigma."

“Because you felt a bit of scar tissue? I’m sure I have more of it than actual skin on my body at this point.” Lucian snorted softly, moving his hand to her hair. “I’m old, and I run my mouth a lot. Not everyone reacts in turn with words.”

---

“Everyone in this castle needs to grow up, not every Wolf was responsible for what happened. And if there was a child it would be one of us; with our ancestors too.” Wyatt snapped before gesturing for Florence to leave.

"Because you are gentle, and... happy-go-lucky." Devika corrected quietly, "Despite the scars. I believe you are better at letting go then I could ever be, better at self-healing."

---

"I have not raised my voice at you, so I am not pleased that you use such a tone with me." Iona answered sharply. "I have not mentioned her being a wolf, not the once. I have mentioned the possibility of her feeluing unwell may be linked to your work abscene. You are putting words into my mouth."

Florence grimaced, squeezing Wyatt's arm gently as she went to leave the room. "Come on."

“Neither of us are stupid enough to believe the words coming out your mouth. The war is over, you all need to start acting like it.” Wyatt finished before following her out.

---

“I spent far too long after the coup where my family was slaughtered just… not living… rotting. Someone reminded me one night that my mother would be more upset over the fact I was so miserable in mourning than she would be if I just… lived again.”

"It is nothing to do with my soecies and all to do with her being jealous that we are mates. Her attitude changed when she spotted you." Florence mused when they were out of ear shot. Adding with a mischevious grin; "I have spent enough time helping the healers since the end of the war to know exactly what they were going to give me to test it." Her hand fiddled with the sleeve of her dress until another one of the leaves slippwd out of it and into her palm. "You and I will decide when people know. Only you and I will get to share in our joy, or see our sadness."

---

"Rotting..." Devika echoed quietly, silently noting every scar as her eyes moved up towards his face. "I think even the strongest people have a period of rotting when their world is ripped from them in such a way. If there is nothing then you would be psychotic."

“Iona? She has never shown any interest toward me, why would she care that you and I are mates?”

---

“Hear hear, oh wise one.” Lucian chuckled.

Devika snorted laughter, resting her head on the pillow beside his as her fingers flicked his forehead. "None of that or the next scar you get will be from me."

---

"Lots of people seem to care, it is all I hear. I choose to believe it isn't because Draven turned me into this but more because it is so rare. I think they are jealous of it, our connection."

“How very rude of you!”

---

“People hate your kind because of what happened to the ancestors and the land… but they can’t blame you personally when you were born long long after that happened.”

"I'm disliked by the Fallen when I am a human Oracle, disliked by Isolde as a Seer and now disliked by most as a wolf. My friendships are always those of convenience rather than real bonds - other than Raffetry, of course, who is probably dead. The point is, I think there is something fundamental that makes me who I am which makes me.. hard to get on with. It doesn't upset me as much as it used to, and though you defending me will never fail to give me butterflies, you shouldn't worry. I'm okay, I promise."

---

"You are a fool."