Re: Hope Falls

Phoenix Sun 20 Aug - 21:09

“Did i kidnap him, daddy?”

Fiadh tangled her hands in his hair, wrapping her legs around his shoulders. Back arching with a soft noise as he caressed her skin. “Kael…”

“She told me to be careful, that I wouldn’t be allowed to keep any child that resulted… none did.”

**BestNameEva** Sun 20 Aug - 21:21

"Kidnap?" Conan laughed, shaking his head. "No, no sweetheart. You've done nothing of the sort. No where near."

Kael made a noise that sounded like a purr against her skin, going lower, and lower. Around them, vines began to grow, winding with one another to cocoon them into complete privacy - thorns protruding on the outside to keep people away, however within the darkness the same white blooms illuminated around them.

"With the baby boom we are having in the Kingdom, what will we do if Seagrave comes to be with child?"

Phoenix Sun 20 Aug - 21:26

“I discount the child from the line of succession officially, to make sure he’s still eligible for marriage later on. But the child will still be our grandchild… and we will treat it no differently.”

“Kael…” Fiadh whimpered again, hands tightening in his hair, back arching moments later as she writhed against his touch. “Kael!”

“His family are gone… I didn’t know where else to.”

**BestNameEva** Sun 20 Aug - 21:38

"That is exactly what I had hoped to hear." Aodhän nodded, "No one is hurt in that way, no dishonour and no heartbreak."

"Sira, Sira." Conan hushed softly, tightening his arms around her. "Don't be so silly, Princess. You done exactly what you should have, it is scary knowing someone can do that to someone else. I am so, so proud of you.'

Kael chuckled as they faded to black

Phoenix Sun 20 Aug - 21:41

“Bastard children have always been a thing. I imagine my father probably had his own he had tucked away. Kael can have his mistress, a family with her, as long as he knows his duties.”

“I think Cass likes him too…”

**BestNameEva** Sun 20 Aug - 22:01

Aodhan gave another nod of agreement.

"Cassius didn't meet him when you did?"

Phoenix Sun 20 Aug - 22:05

“No, today was the first day.”

“Children are always a blessing with us… whether or not their parents are married. If Seagrave conceives then I believe we shall be excellent grandparents.”

**BestNameEva** Sun 20 Aug - 22:13

"I would enjoy being a grandparent, I think." Aodhan smiled softly, lifting his hand up to rub his face as if trying to hide the longing from his face. "I feel ready to be a grandparent, be around small children again. Especially away from war. Kael's childhood was robbed from us, wasn't it? We couldn't enjoy it, even when he was starting to feel better."

Kael lay breathlessly on his back beside her afterwards. The white petals that has cascaded above them had now fallen to give the illusion of a bed, of blankets. Their thorny catacomb den remained, but around it a symphony of different species and bright colours had bloomed - almost creating an entire field of art.

"He lied to us then?" Conan shook his head, "See now, that isn't good."

Phoenix Sun 20 Aug - 22:24

“Do you ever feel… well… anything toward the fact that I do everything in my power to prevent having another child. I - I can’t lie and say I have ever considered your feelings toward it. After Síofra… I made the choice to never have another… and I know I refused to leave it to discussion, even with you…”

Fiadh lay on Kael’s chest, eyes closed but breathing deeply. The fact her body was covered in the mud beneath them not seeming to bother her at all.

“I asked him to so I didn’t get in trouble.”

**BestNameEva** Sun 20 Aug - 22:39

"It is going to be so obvious," Kael laughed breathily, glancing down to watch as his fingers traced her tattoos, brushing the dirt away when he could no longer see them. "Unless we sneak to the palace to wash off the mud first, everyone is going to know where we have disappeared to."

"Kael has always been enough for me, every day until.. until maybe last year, just before he moved away." Aodhan whispered. "Now he is an adult, now he is grown - it isn't very male of me, but I wish there was someone smaller around. An... embodiment of the two of us. I wonder which traits they would have inherited." He sucked in a breath, "I have never wanted to hurt you, bring the topic up. You have been so clear on your feelings, and I love you, a child with me or otherwise. You have been so good with him."

"Aesira," Conan frowned.

Phoenix Sun 20 Aug - 22:47

“Do you care? They have already made their assumptions. They will have made them the moment we started dancing. The moment we kissed… they think this has happened already…” Fiadh murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to Kael’s cheek. “I see this as a seal of approval from the ancestors. They didn’t strike us down, didn’t stop us. If we are going to do this, be together… I will have no shame Kael.”

“You want us to have a child, together.” Isolde stated as she mulled his words over, hand still entwined with his. “If you had the option to choose… you would wish for a child rather than against one?”

“You will be mad… so I asked Cass to lie so you wouldn’t be mad…”

**BestNameEva** Sun 20 Aug - 22:56

"I -" Aodhan took in a deep breath. "If a child were to come about, by the ancestors, then I would be elated. If no child were to come though, I would still be happy. I adore you Isolde, not for what you can give, not for your position, but for your character. For how you have taken my son under your wing as your own, for how you include me in your decisions, for your compassion and your strength. For - For everything that makes you who you are."

"Strike us down?" Kael laughed, a loud, joyous sound. Reaching across to take her hand, his fingers curling around hers so he could squeeze her down. "Was that a genuine fear? I don't believe I have ever heard of the Ancestors 'striking people down'."

"I wouldn't have been though, because I'm not." Conan shook his head. "Though, I would be lying to you if I told you I wasn't disappointed that your brother would... lie about something so important. It effects that boys safety, and yours." Letting out a slow breath, he continued, "However, I know your Uncle Lucian also lied on my behalf, and I on his many times. It is part of life so... I will try and forget it happened."

Phoenix Sun 20 Aug - 23:14

“Earlier this evening the Seer Bronwyn approached me. And told me I was with child, she had seen me heavily pregnant in the snow in a few months from now. I told the girl she was stupid, ridiculous. That she had had a vision of the past, when I was carrying Síofra… and then you passed me the Aur Wine an hour ago and when I went to drink it the smell… it knocked me. The way it did when I was carrying Síofra. I couldn’t bare it then, as I can’t bare it now, Aodhän.” Isolde moved to take his other hand with hers, so she was clasping his, moving to face him. She confessed this quietly, glancing around quickly to ensure they were not overheard. “And then watching Kael, and you mention if his mistress becomes with child, the recent influx of children we have has after so long without them… which lead us to the discussion we had. I’m no fool, I know what signs are. I know when our ancestors are telling me things… and the more I focus, the more I stop ignoring my body; the more aware I become of it all…”

“You know how fearful I have been of my father being disappointed in me… of shaming him. Our name, our family…” Fiadh pointed out, moving to glance up to his face. “But this happened. We happened. And nothing has moved to prevent it. We are in the forest where they are strongest and they did not stop us. I dare say that’s approval. And if we are approved by the ancestors then nobody, nothing, can stop us from being together.”

“Don’t be mad at Cass, please. He only lied because I asked… I wont ask him to lie again.”

**BestNameEva** Sun 20 Aug - 23:33

"I - I recall you laughing Florence off once, when she was still a Seer. She had a vision that was - that was dreadfully similar, but we took it to a misinterpretation because she was so young." Aodhan stammered, his eyes widening. Squeezing her hands tightly, the only thing he could do not to pull her into an embrace, or take her face within them. "You are - We are going to have a child? We have been blessed? Is that - is that why Hawk's disrespect towards us - towards you - has been so enraging. Is that why... things are making sense."

"You're a hopeless romantic aren't you? You kept that side of yourself so well hidden." Kael laughed, "Soppy, soppy, Fia."

"Your Uncle Lucian and I used to do the same things, albeit not when we were so young. The... sneaking around, the scheming, didn't come until later."

Phoenix Sun 20 Aug - 23:45

“I assumed a grandchild. I was so - I couldn’t imagine ever birthing another child.” Isolde nodded in remembrance. “Just after the war as I lay injured, she was trying to convince me I would live and be fine and go on to live and have a child… and I dismissed it as a grandchild because I would never have another myself… Aodhän to say I am scared would be the understatement of my life. I have done every single thing in my power since Síofra died to prevent being with child again and yet now… now it has failed. After all this time… I cannot lie and not admit that even a few decades ago I would have run from this gift and done all I could to - to make it go away… But all of this, now… the small flutterings I feel in my stomach alongside everything else…” she whispered, giving him a wary smile. “I am pregnant, Aodhän.”

“You cannot blame me for wanting everything approved. For not wanting to be worried about disgracing my family…”

“I’m sorry dad, I really am.”

**BestNameEva** Sun 20 Aug - 23:54

"It has been, hurtful, on various occasions." Kael confessed, turning his head to stare at the remains of where the flowers had once bloomed above them. "More - more than hurtful, perhaps, to feel so enamoured by you and to be.. rejected, but not quite rejected either. She likes me, but she doesn't. She likes me, but liking me is will make her ancestors, her family hate me. You have been... a headache, a heartache."

Aodhan's chest moved with another deep breath, unable to stop himself as his hands moved. A palm resting against his cheek, as the other rested over her stomach. "This is... truly a blessing indeed. Fuck it. Lets announce Wyatt and Florence's child, mm? And then, when you are ready - we will throw the biggest celebration for our own, continent wide. It will put Horvat to shame."

"Make sure you remain safe next time. You were lucky, the boy seems innocent but it was not long ago we were at war Aesira. There are still rebel groups, and they will have no shame in using their children as lures to get you to trust them so they can hurt you. Use you as a bargaining chip. Indescribable things."

Phoenix Mon 21 Aug - 0:04

“I - I am sorry.” Fiadh whispered, moving to pull away from Kael, peeling herself from his chest, the dried mud crumbling off her.

Isolde rested her hand over his against her stomach, closing her eyes for a brief second as she nodded. “Not too soon… the announcement for our own. But it will definitely come.”

“I’m sorry daddy… he didn’t seem dangerous…”

**BestNameEva** Mon 21 Aug - 0:10

"And today we will allow Hawk's announcement, now, before Florence pulls him away." He grinned, adding with a chuckle. "You can do the honours of that, I would rather appear to be undermined by you in that way then lose face by seeming so emotionally swayed."

"It is fine. I have never disliked you for it." Kael assured quietly, "But with this cemented now, it is important, isn't it? We have no need for bravado now. I want to be honest with it, instead of continuing to pretend I didn't care."

"No, no they never do. Just, be careful next time, okay?"

Phoenix Mon 21 Aug - 0:19

“I promise… just… Cass isn’t in trouble is he?”

Fiadh nodded, swallowing thickly as she moved to pull her knees up to her chest, glancing around to see if she could spot where she’d discarded her clothing.

Isolde nodded. “Just one more moment of this, of us…”

**BestNameEva** Mon 21 Aug - 0:43

"Fia, are you - " Kael grimaced, sitting himself up when she did and sheepishly reaching across to touch her arm. "You're mad at me, aren't you? I - I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Stood on a dias, it will never be just us." Aodhan hummed, though leant forward to touch his forehead to hers. Letting his eyes close as he whispered lowly, ensuring only she could hear, "Everything is going to fine, Sol. You have me, for every moment, as infuriating as I may become. The ancestors chose to give us this child for a reason, they won't take it away. If two Seers have seen it now, I mean - it must be fixed. What will be more infuriating then my instinct to protect though, will most certainly be how smug our wolf friend - ex seer will be when she finds out. You may have to stop me from wringing her neck."

"No, no. No one is in trouble."

Phoenix Mon 21 Aug - 5:50

Aesira nodded, content with his answer. “I promise not to do it again.”

“No, no.” Fiadh shook her head, leading over and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, nose brushing against his. “I’m just… sad I did that to you. I was too wrapped in my own grief and I hurt you…”

Isolde closed her eyes as his forehead touched hers, squeezing his hands. “I will need some time to wrap my head around the news. It is not that this child won’t be loved - it was just completely and utterly a surprise considering how hard I worked over the last few centuries to prevent this from happening. She admitted. “But now I know this child is here… ours…” she moved their hands to briefly rest on her stomach, smile soft on her face. “You are right. They deemed us ready now, the ancestors, deemed me ready now. And there’s nobody else I would rather be with on the path they’ve set for us.”

**BestNameEva** Mon 21 Aug - 8:34

"You were allowed to be to wrapped in your grief, you'd just said goodbye to your father, that isn't a small event. I was... maybe a tiny bit tactless. I hadn't chosen my moment very well."

"Take as long as you need, there is no rush. You control every aspect of this."

"Now, why don't you find something better to read and we'll read through it together? As long as it isn't set by your tutor, I'll be happy."

Phoenix Mon 21 Aug - 8:44

“Kael remains my heir. No matter what I give birth to, boy or girl. He’s my son, I named him heir, he is first in line throne when I pass it over. This child doesn’t change that. I want Kael to be my successor.”

“What has passed has passed… but we both know now, our feelings. We have acted on them, “ Fiadh moved to rest her hand on his chest over his heart, disturbing the mud as it flaked off. “No going back now.”

“Can we go for a ride instead? I will be with you - so I will be safe.”

**BestNameEva** Mon 21 Aug - 9:13

"He'll appreciate that, as I do." Aodhän lifted his head to kiss her forehead gently. "Another sapling. This is a wonderful surprise, I - We have been truly blessed. I can not think of a stronger position for us to be in."

Kael leant against her hand, his own reaching over to flake the dirt away from her tattoos. "You kept these very well hidden. May I know the story?"

"A short one, a - a very short one."

Phoenix Mon 21 Aug - 9:33

“After I lost Síofra I never thought I would experience anything close to the joy I have found with you and Kael over the last few years, despite everything. I am excited for us to do this as a family, the three of us welcoming another. Kael has always said he wishes he had siblings. I hope when we tell him that he feels just as blessed as we do.”

“The first I got - the oldest one - is for my mother… I’ll add my father to join her soon. The few on my back… the men I killed during the war. I wasn’t fighting, I wasn’t even on the front lines - deemed too young. But my father took me to the camps to help. Help the healers, help the cooks… just to help. But one night whilst we were sleeping, Wolves invaded the camp, both in their beast form and upright. One of them burst into the tent and lunged at me with a knife. I’d be lying if I told you I remember exactly how it happened but a moment later he was dead on the floor with his own knife in his chest and the only blood on me wasnt mine.” Fiadh glanced up to check his face. “My mother was a skilled fighter, and a knife was her weapon of choice too. I believe my mothers spirit took hold of me and guided my body to defend myself, I truly do…”

Aesira grinned at that, quickly slipping off the bed and racing towards her closet.

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