Re: Hope Falls

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 18:59

"This kingdom does not have a Queen." Conan hummed in amusment, stepping across to rest his palm against the small of Dagmar's back as Tadgh scrambled to his feet.

"No.. no Queen? No kingdom then." Tadgh shook his head, "No kingdom with a Queen, no King without a Queen. Not where I live."

"I don't want her to get away with it."

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 19:02

“He’s Fae. The children think tribal, they’ve not heard his mother tongue.” Dagmar explained to Conan quietly. “His family appear to have ventured down here.”

“He won’t punish her. He’ll feel guilty over his feud with Emmett when he died. And the Pirate is his cousin…”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 19:10

"Have you heard of Fae so.. removed.. they are considered tribal?" Conan asked, voice dropping to a whisper. "Unless his family came from the East, we know less on how their societies operate."

"He needs to. It is acceptable." Magnus huffed his frustration; pushing himself to his feet and offering her a hand up. "Lets just focus on you."

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 19:13

“The Fae are secretive enough I wouldn’t rule it out at all. But then again… he is a child isn’t he? Of Aesira’s age… of which there are apparently none due to their problems.”

Thea gripped his hand tightly, holding on as she pulled herself up.

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 19:26

"I'll have our guards listen out on their patrols for anyone missing a child that fits his description, or if any people behaving suspiciously. It is... very bizarre."

"Go to our quarters, begin to run the water. I'll collect some herbs for you to put in your bath."

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 19:30

“Cass seems excited to have him here, very much so.”

“I’m sorry…”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 19:43

"Mm. It is unlike our children to keep from us if they have made friends or not, and even more unlike their guards to keep interactions with strangers from us too." Conan grimaced, his gaze not leaving Tadgh as the boy became brave enough to walk further into the room - beginning to pick up ornaments and smaller portraits before placing them back down on the mantles. "I think a conversation with them both, separately, is going to be needed so we have all of the facts right."

"You haven't done anything wrong, T, not a thing." Magnus affectionately brushed his thumb against her cheek, adding warmly, "I missed you so much."

"Are you fed up of me yet?" Karina questioned, sat in a towelling robe at the top of the bath. Her hair loose, and still dripping, as she warmed scented oils into her hands. Leaning in to whisper as a low tease in Lucian's ear, "I can always leave you to stew alone, if so. You can pamper yourself."

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 19:51

“Either way, it’s clear the child has been abandoned. Who could do that to such a small child?”

“I - I didn’t give you chance to tell me what had happened. I threw accusations at you. I’m sorry…”

“Sick of you? How could I ever be sick of you?” Lucian chuckled, moving to brush his nose against hers. “Don’t tempt me into pulling you back here with me.”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 20:03

"Now, now, that would not be very royal of you. Though I would expect nothing less of Prince Prat." Karina laughed her amusement, leaning back so she could begin to work in the oils into his back. The bottom of her palm pressing down against the muscle, fingers sweeping to the side as she did to protect damaged nerves.

"We don't have to mention it again. It is better to forget silly things like that."

"Should we see if Sira and Cass' tutor can free up her schedule, offer the boy private speech lessons. We need to find ways to communicate properly with him."

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 20:16

Lucian laughed, the noise quietly turning into an involuntary moan at the relief he felt in his muscles. “I appreciate the beasts but I am not riding another horse any time soon, anywhere…”

“When the children return with his food, we can leave them with someone to mind them whilst we see if anyone knows anything. Unless you have wedding planning you need to return to?”

“I do not think that way of you… I just wasn’t thinking at all. I was overwhelmed… I’m sorry…”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 20:29

Magnus offered a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Go. I'll get you herbs and be right with you." He encouraged, not leaving space for anymore discussion as he walk the opposite way from her - towards the healers rooms.

"No. No I have had enough of that for today. It is awful, every single aspect of it is awful."

"Unless Conan has duties for you, I don't see any reason for you to have to ride one for awhile. The fae bitch calling a meeting is rare, and as you've said Magnus isn't going to welcome us back there anytime soon." Karina frowned as she once again took in the scarring on his back, "What Thea said though, of - of children. I have... not even considered if anymore would be in my future. I have never pictured more than two. Do you... What do you picture?"

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 20:43

“I have Kenny, you have the twins, so we’re both capable of having them. I’m open to more, but not having any wouldn’t ruin any future plans I don’t have.” Lucian closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

“Planning a party and picking all the food, horrendous.” Dagmar murmured, trying to joke though it fell flat in her throat.

Thea watched him go sadly. Waiting a few moments and taking a deep breath before leaving the room too, heading toward their own quarters.

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 20:57

"I don't think I would want to sentence myself to a lifetime of having to look after a miniature you, conversations with The Guardian's would be much easier." She joked lightly, her hands briefly moving away from his central back to focus more on his neck and then collarbone. Pausing to put more oils onto his skin as she whispered, "It didn't surprise me, as much as it should have to have learned you've spent all this time sailing. The amount of times you leapt off of those ridiculous high cliffs at Haling Cove and 'forgot' to open your wings to fly before you hit the water was..."

"Shackles are shackles, whether you get to choose what they are made from or not." Conan swallowed, "I am just looking forward to when it is all done with, when I can keep her at a distance. She seems lovely, I don't mean to insult her, she just... she isn't you."

"What does he like to eat?" Cassius asked Aesira as he flicked through a cookbook the chef had directed them towards, licking his lips at the drawings of the food within. "Did he ever tell you - oh, and I am still mad at you for having a friend and not telling me about it."

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 21:06

“For the first while it was to keep me moving so I couldn’t be tracked… after that I just… didn’t want to stop seeing the world.”

“Mm. She’s beautiful. I saw you laughing with her earlier in my way in here. It’s good, that she’s lovely, that you can laugh with her… it’s all good.”

“He was looking for his dog in our forests. He said not to tell anyone, so I didn’t… I only saw him a few times. He never did find Madra the dog…”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 21:17

"And you've thrived, hm?" Karina hummed as her hands returned to his skin. "You thrived, your cousin laid low with the humans and played with the Fallen royalty when he wasn't sneaking around with Dagmar. That time, for both of you... we were all so young, weren't we."

"Lucian done... well enough, to find someone who I can at least put up with. But, as I said, Dasha, darling, she isn't you."

"When people tell you not to say anything, that doesn't include me. You should know that! We tell each other everything, or we're meant to. If he was only looking for his dog why was it such a secret anyway?"

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 21:23

“Because I shouldn’t have been in the woods sneaking off without my guards…”

“It’s okay. It’s all okay. It’s good.” Dagmar insisted with a wry smile.

“I did miss home, miss here… it’s not that I never thought about it.”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 21:29

"It was not home." Karina stated bluntly, leaning in to press her lips against the crook of his neck. Speaking against his skin, "I am glad neither of you were here to see it, to endure it."

"And you think I would have told on you?" Cassius frowned, turning to her with a wounded expression as he closed the recipe book.

"Is this how it is going to be now? I will have to pretend with her and then when I come back to you then we are going to pret.." He let his voice drift off, shaking his head and the conversation away when he notice Tadgh glance over his shoulder at them.

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 21:45

“I hadn’t seen him in a while. I thought he’d gone.”

“What do you want me to say, Conan? That it hurts? It makes me feel sick? That I hate that I hate her because she’s nice? That I'm physically preparing myself for the gut punch of watching you kiss another woman? For whatever else might come after?” Dagmar whispered shaking her head. “That I can’t be angry because you’re also in a horrible situation, you’re going to have to marry, be intimate with a woman you don’t really want to be with… That the closer it gets to your wedding the more I want to shred anyone in sight who gives me either a smug look because they never liked me or one of pity because they know what a fool I appear right now…”

“I don’t regret my time away, in the end.”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 21:59

"You kept a secret from me, Si..." Cassius whispered, pulling open the cupboard loaded with sliced meats, resting delicately on a shelf of ice. Picking some up to make a sandwich as he continued, "And I will lie and say it was me too, who hid this from mama and dad but.. you still made me sad."

"Of course not," Karina chuckled, beginning lazily run her tongue across his skin. Her arm stretching out to give her the space to manoveur to his collar bone, only pausing to nip kisses. "A pirate is not my normal taste, but you've done well enough so far."

"I don't know." He gulped. "I - I don't know."

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 22:08

“I’m sorry… I just didn’t think it was all that important. I’ll tell you everything from now on, promise.”

“We are in a hideous situation… but the only one we can be to guarantee that the children stay safe.” Dagmar murmured sadly before turning back to Tadgh. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve only ever had one Seer, bad experience, never again.” Lucian teased.

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 22:22

"Is that so, Prince." Karina raised her eyebrows with a wicked grin. "It is a terrible shame because I believe I have had the same Seer as you and she is phenomenal with her hands. The pirate could never live up to such things."

"This..." Tadgh hummed, pointing to the wings on a small iron cast figurine of an angel from centuries before them. "Wings like birds. Like doves."

"Good. You better." Cassius mumbled, shoving the plate into her hands as the sandwich rested upon it.

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 22:28

“They’re like the ones we have - Conans specifically…”

“I fear you exaggerate her abilities. Very much so.” Lucian sighed dramatically. Shaking his head.

“I promise.”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 22:34

"Not yours?"

"You need to feed your tribal friend." Cassius reminded her quietly. "Go."

Karina sucked in her lips, playfulness mixed with mild irritation flickering on her face as she pushed herself to her feet. "What I do know is what ashame the serpents tongue the pirate possess isn't used to its full abilities. What a waste of a pretty face." She tutted.

Phoenix Wed 16 Aug - 22:42

“You’re not coming with me?”

“He’s put it to use multiple times. That Seer can damn well attest to that.”

“No, no. Mine are a little different. I’m not the same as him.”

**BestNameEva** Wed 16 Aug - 22:49

"I'm going to find something for us to eat first, stash some in my pockets for later. I'll come as soon as I've done that."

"So.. so Aesira is a bird or a... whatever you are?"

"She 'damn well' can now, can she?" Karina chuckled, crossing the room and picking up another small vial - replacing one oil for another. "You sound certain."

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