Hope Falls

"Oh I know, but... I think he is nice, and funny. He makes me smile, sweetie. Your daddy didn't like plenty of things, people, that I like."

---

"Why don't you want to? Did you fight?"

“Dad told us to stay away… so we shouldn’t anymore?”

---

“She’s just sad all the time… I don’t like bothering her. Cass says it’s not bothering but it feels like it.”

"From - from Lucian? No." She whispered, "No, you don't have to stay away from him. He is kind. Your daddy was just.. nervous of him, that's all."

---

"Maybe spending more time with you will make her happier."

“Mm… maybe.”

---

“So not allowed my new friend… but the man daddy said not to be friends with I can be friends with now?”

"I know it sounds... confusing."

---

"Lets go see her, you'll see."

“Very but… you said trust you. So okay.”

---

“She’ll probably be in her and daddy’s room.”

"Thank you, sweetheart."

((Do you want to skip to the wedding? ))

((Can do if you want!))

(( Awesome! You want me to go first or you? ))

((Would you mind?))

(( No problem - lemme just load up my laptop for it ))

((Okay ))

(( I am proper stressing about Swansea tomorrow. No idea where this company are sending me ))

A week and a half later, Karina tilted her head up towards the warmth of the suns rays as they pierced through the glass decoration of the high ceilinged chapel within the centre of the palace. Closing her eyes and letting out a slow breathe, shoulders rolling back to reposition the fabric of her dress burned gold dress.  "This is a very special day, sweethearts. It may feel boring, I found events like this excruciating when I was your age but in only ten years time you will be considered very lucky to be at the front of a wedding as important as this."

"Aesira says Uncle Conan doesn't even want to be here, that he is being forced because of his job. I don't think that is very fa-"  Eden mumbled, fidgeting where she sat on the marble pew, uncomfortable with the fabric of her own dress - close to the same colour as her mothers. "I feel like a dress up doll!"

Conan stood at the front of the altar, gazing out blankly as he watched the guests filter in and take their seats in preparation. Hand mindlessly lifting up to fiddle with the gold detailing that adorned the lapel of his suit.

---

"You look..." Alastair breathed from the doorway of his half-sisters guest quarters, taking a moment to consider his words before finishing, "Absolutely royal." His own black and white suit detailing a deep purple handkerchief, embroidered with their family crescent; a wild boar.

“I don’t feel well, brother.” Liara confessed quietly, smoothing down the front of her dress. Her hair had been braided and put up simply, in order to allow the crown she would be presented with later to sit easily on her head. “So many important people and I cannot put faces to the names I have been given. Queen Thea is described as beautiful with dark hair - does that not cover half the guest list? The only one I am confident I can identify is Queen Isolde - red hair and likely to be wearing green. But her husband? King Magnus? Half the dignitaries from the East? I feel unprepared. What if I embarrass myself because I don’t know them and they speak to me?”

---

“Nobody does.” Ira pointed out from where he was sat next to his sister - glancing to Aesira and Cassius opposite, before looking toward the back of the room where Dagmar stood silently against a pillar. Dressed in a simple dress - a deep blue in the darkest shade she could get away with for a wedding. Her hair down rather than her usual braids to be used as a curtain for her face.

“Here.” Lucian walked up through the aisle and toward his cousin, placing a ring box in his hand that contained the wedding rings. “The goldsmith assured me that these were sized correctly now.”

((I’m sure it’ll be okay!))

"They best be, I will have to wring the poor woman's neck if they are wrong again. Publicly, too, there is no room for error, not today, it isn't the rehearsal." Conan stressed, knuckles white with the force in which he gripped the ring box. If anything, relieved to have something else to focus his attention on. "Have all of the guests arrived, Magnus, Isolde... those from the East?"

"It is a wonderful day," Karina assured distantly, squeezing both of her children's shoulders as she stepped away from her pew and approached the dias. Her hand reaching up to fix Lucian's collar as she spoke to Conan, "You must start looking happier, Conan. If the children are picking up on the undertone of misery, then others must be as well."

---

"I don't like sitting down here when mama is right at the back," Cassius leaned in to whisper to his sister, shuffling where he was sat. "Do you think I'll get in trouble if I move down to sit with her - at the..." He trailed off, glancing over his shoulder as Kael shuffled onto the pew behind them.

"Your first royal wedding," Kael hummed, fingers curling around Fiadh's hand as he squeezed it tightly. "The rules of things like this are.. my mother told me that I wasn't too embarrass her so, that is the only rule,  I suppose?"

---

"Ah, Valkyrie." Magnus hummed in cheerful greeting as he stepped up beside Dagmar, a glass of champagne already settled in his hand. "I hadn't expected to see you here, thought you would have ran away from the hustle and bustle of it all."

---

"You always nod and smile," Alastair advised, pulling a small box from his pocket as he stepped into the room properly. "Act interested, but not enthralled. Allow King Conan to lead if you are unsure on who the person is, or what the correct comment is. If you are speaking without him there, keep it light - small talk. The weather, the opera. Give leading questions, allow the person you are talking to do the work. You know all of this, Liara, it will come without you thinking of it."

“I also… I found your parents rings, Conan. Took a while but I located them. And I got them resized too. Your fathers for you and well - it’s not your new bride whose hand I had your mothers sized for.” Lucian handed him another box, the rings inside this one silver instead. “The chain Kari wears gave me an idea for those rings.” He added as he reached his hand up gently to touch Karina’s. “As for the guests, they’re all here. Prince Kael has brought his mistress which - considering everything, I think Isolde has allowed the insulting gesture as repayment for what she considers the slight we dealt her so… I personally am recommending that we ignore the bait. Magnus has brought an exceptional number of guards, and when I saw her with her child a few moments ago Thea was showing less skin than I’ve seen from a nun, I’m assuming Isolde has her nerves frayed. But I’m sure they can all hold their tempers for the moment.”

---

“Well I was in attendance at your parents, at the back though. So certainly my first on the arm of the most handsome Prince around.” Fiadh hummed happily, both her arms wrapped around his, putting her chin on his shoulder. “It certainly is beautiful here… shiny though. I can barely see any flowers…”

---

“Conan needed me here… so as much as I would rather fall on my own sword I must be here.” Dagmar replied miserably. Speech thick despite her composure, indicating she’d already had a few glasses of champagne herself.

---

“You have spoken to the Seers this morning, yes? And they have seen nothing of note?” Liara asked as she began to pace.

Karina frowned at the mention of Thea, casting a glance over her shoulder towards the mass of people mulling around behind them. "I see Magnus, not Thea, nor the fae bitch. People are still mingling though, not quite taken their seats yet. There is nothing to fret about, and the Fates have been deathly silent in regards to any visions they've gifted me today. I think it will go smoothly."

Conan nodded, placing the wedding rings on the tall table beside him so he could open the other ring box. Taking in a breath as the silver glimmered within, casting a glance up towards Dagmar a moment later. "I - Thank you, Lucian. They'll appear as just.. decorational too, to others so they are perfect."

---

"I disregard them as royal, they are just my parents." Kael laughed, a little louder than he should have been in such a public setting - leaning in to press his lips to Fiadh's cheek. Humming lowly, "This is my first time in this place, it is too much isn't it? So much gold. The ancestors would be recoiling at what it do-"

"Excuse me," Cassius interrupted, shuffling so he could look at them without straining his neck too much. "You meant to be guests. Guests no judge place. My dad worked hard on today, so... shush."

---

"He needed you here - why? You being here does not change the outcome." Magnus frowned. "Had Thea and I not been so lucky - I never would have expected such things of her. It is cruel, bad enough the children have to be here."

---

"No foreboding warnings have come to them." Alastair assured. "Sit back down, sister. I have something to gift you. Here..." He pushed the stool over so it was better positioned in front of the mirrored dresser. "Sit."

“He doesn’t want this wedding any more than I do… he’s going through this as well. He didn’t expect me here I just - how can I say I should be his wife when I can’t support him when he needs me?” Dagmar shrugged sadly, moving to glance at the floor. “I’m glad it did work out for the two of you. This entire day is… well at least there’s alcohol and lots of it. My children are being supervised by their uncle today as it’s not proper for me to do so… so it means I can get absolutely wasted and forget that I’m going to be sleeping alone tonight.”

---

“Decorative, can be hidden under clothes. But you and Dagmar will know the true reason behind wearing them. I know today is going to be hard Conan. But it’s the right thing.” Lucian reached his hand up to gently squeeze Conans arm. “Kari has seen a few things of today and nobody is crying in any vision so… good sign mm?” He joked.

---

“Sorry! Sorry!” Aesira grimaced as she turned round to face Kael. “My brother - he was rude. Sorry.” She added as she moves to physically turn Cassius around. “We can’t tell him off! He’s a Prince too!”

Fiadh chuckled a little, glancing up to Kael.

---

Liara nodded, obeying her brothers instructions and moving to sit down at the vanity, swallowing to maintain her composure.

---

“Your majesty. Congratulations, I heard it’s a girl.” Thea announced loudly with a malicious grin as she walked past Isolde on her way to meet Magnus, having left Zaria upstairs with her minder rather than subject her to a wedding. Thea’s voice attracting more than a few glances. “Well, heard, saw, same thing really isn’t it? Shame about that birth defect though, can’t be helped, she’ll be loved anyway mm, all children are by their parents?” She added.

Isolde stood, eyebrow cocked in an unamused expression, not looking even remotely affected by Thea’s words. “Good morning, Queen Thea. Wonderful to see you again. We didn’t get the pleasure when your husband visited.”

"No, apologies to you, Crown Princess." Kael hummed, raising an amused eyebrow, nodding toward Cassius, "Prince. I mean no offence. I only mean to agree with my beloved on the differences of our Kingdoms. Nothing more, and most certainly nothing malicious."

Cassius bit his tongue, giving Kael enough glare before answering Aesira in a whisper, "Dad would ground us for a month if we spoke about other people like that."

---

"The idea of Prince Lucian looking after children would be enough to send me to drink." Magnus scoffed. "You should have seen him and Prince Kael smoking root when we left. Albeit, I was no better, but the boy was enamoured by his stories enough to be influenced."

---

"The tears will come this evening when we have to... consumate." Conan almost spat the word, doing his best not to physically shudder. "The day time festivities will be easier, just.. a part in a play that everyone is acting in."

"It will be worth it for the security it brings, in five years, you and Dagmar will be laughing at how worried you were." Karina assured gently.

---

Aodhän's eyes flared, his grip tightening in Isolde's waist as his lips turned up to physically snarl at Thea - the sound quiet, though audible enough to be heard if people paid attention. The snarl still in his voice as he answer, an almost rehearsed, "Your presence was almost missed. However, your name came up enough for us to feel like you were there."

---

Alastair stepped behind her, taking off the necklace that her head maid had chosen for her to instead clasp around their mothers amethyst gemstone instead. Ducking his head to look into the mirror in front of them, "She is here too, as long as you adorn that."

“Mm, I have heard nothing but lovely things about this amazing Prince. And yet nobody else seems eager and willing to marry their child off to him.” Dagmar muttered bitterly, grabbing another glass of champagne from a waiter that walked past. “Cass has already come to me twice, and I’ve had to send him back. It’s… awful.”

---

“He would ground us for speaking to other people like that too. Especially someone so important.” Aesira mumbled, turning to face the front with her brother.

“You’ll have to get used to small children, I suppose this is just a taste.” Fiadh chuckled as she glanced around. “Plenty of them here… their parents must believe they’re disciplined enough to sit through something so important.”

---

“Now now.” Thea tutted, shaking her head at Aodhän. “Just as animalistic as the Wolves your kind. Apologies though if I was a little loud with my congratulations for your pregnancy.” She raised her voice as she spoke, enough to once again attract attention.

“You are acting as though you have discovered something scandalous, Thea. I don’t think that anybody of any reasonable intelligence will be surprised that a wife is having a child with her husband.” Isolde turned to Aodhän. “Oh we may have to get her some help - this may be one of those nervous breakdowns she’s known to have. Poor dear. Has anyone seen Magnus? He may have to take her to a healer to be sedated before the screeching starts.”

---

“I think the shock of me marrying and being crowned Queen would be enough to put her in a grave if she were not already in one.” Liara joked softly, moving her hand up to touch the necklace. “Thank you, Al… thank you. And for being here… for staying.”

---

“At least… try to enjoy yourself today Conan. Mm? I know the bride isn’t the one you wanted but it’s the only wedding day you’ll get… maybe if you at least try to enjoy it, it’ll make the day feel less… daunting for later.” Lucian grimaced.

"I will merely be fleeting visits soon enough, you will be far too busy with your kingdom for the likes of Vivian, the bump and I." Alastair offered a toothy grin. "Though the letters will be weekly, I have no doubt. Pocket-sized portraits galore."

---

"Mm," Conan hummed his indifference, eyes lifting to scan the crowd once more. Watching his children for only a moment, before setting where he intended them to be most of the day; on Dagmar. "Look after her today, Karina, please. This will be hard for her, and though it seems Magnus is already making a fuss that may just make her feel worse."

"I'll do my best." Karina frowned.

---

"The boy is smitten with his guard, and the idea of love. The idea of life, in general it appears. Your children were born and raised around war time, but they were not so gravely ill. Being close to death so young seems to have moulded him into a good person. There is no need to attack the fae child today, Dagmar. Especially not with his mother and father in the vicinity, it won't make the day easier for you, Conan or the children if - shit." He hissed the curse when he heard the elevation in Thea's voice, and took a glance over. "You'll have to excuse me."

---

"We can only hope there are plenty of healers on standby, the way her screeching was described to us, it certainly would upset the whole day wouldn't it? Oh, and the shame it would bring upon her husband would just be terrible." Aodhan agreed tersely, only glancing towards Isolde briefly. Continuously scanning, watching the crowd for danger. "Perhaps we should go and find our seats."

---

"How disciplined can children so young be?" Kael frowned, leaning back in the pew to cast a glance over to Eden and Ira. "I was only just starting to... recover... at the age some of these children are."

“She doesn’t need looking after…” Lucian sighed softly. “You’re getting married. You’re not casting her out, you’re not disposing of her. You’re not telling her she’s no longer important. You’re legally joining yourself to someone for the benefit of the Kingdom she knew you had the moment she met you. She fell in love with a man with responsibilities and chose to be with him despite those. I love you Conan - and I know you love her, and I know it’s hard to see her in pieces but at some point we have to face the fact that this is a stupid contract to please the people that she’s acting like a child over.” He bit the inside of his cheek toward the end to stop himself going any further. “You’re legally binding yourself to a friend. That’s all this is - friend you occasionally have to sleep with and may coparent with in the future. But other than that, it’s all this is.”

---

“I still don’t want my daughter married to him as a child.” Dagmar sighed, nodding at his words. “Was Thea coming the right choice? Devika has sedatives on hand if you need. Slip one into a drink, might calm her down. Karina, Isolde both here. Both making her antsy…”

---

“Mm, let’s go sit. Find Kael… keep an eye out for the Eastern dignitaries too.” Isolde nodded, gently patting his arm when she saw how anxious he was. Not giving Thea another glance as she stepped past her and in to the chapel.

---

“More of them to wrangle I suppose, need to be more disciplined. When there was only you for your parents to look after you could be freer. Same will be true for your new sibling mm? Plenty of people around to watch them and yet the only young child belonging to your parents. They’ll have the same freedom as you.”

---

“You will have to bring them both here soon - when they can travel. I’m sad she couldn’t be here today, if I had my way I’d have pushed the wedding back till after Vivian had given birth so she could be here too… you mustn’t forget me Al. I want to know it all…”

"It is easy to dismiss it when you are not the one having to suffer through it, Lucian." Conan shook his head. "You become insulting whenever I struggle with one of my duties. Whilst you were making trade deals and gambling for treasures, I was fighting two wars and before that finding ways to win our home back for us. You may not think I am a good enough King, but -"

"No one said that." Karina cut it off, fingers digging into Lucian's arm gently as she sighed in Conan's direction. "I think you are over-thinking, Conan, and it is leading to stress. Just.. think of other things, speak of other things but do not start falling out with people right now."

---

"Mm, Karina." Magnus wrinkled his nose. "I plan on avoiding her today aswell, she threw absurdities at my wife - at me. She was entirely out of order, Dagmar and despite Thea insisting I don't I will be having a quiet word with Conan about it. Did you hear how she disrespected Queen Isolde aswell? She is turning into a renegade."

---

"Forgetting you would be like misplacing my own head." He assured, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "The only person scattered-brain enough to misplace something that important would be you, not I."

---

"I never wandered, not really. The first time I wandered properly was during a party. Twelve full seasons must have passed since I was born and there was a child who seemed to only know her parents - so I dragged her to dance." Kael chuckled, childishly pressing his foot into the back panel of Aesira's pew. "She must be a bratty young teenager by now."

---

"The sooner we can start on discussions with the East the better." Aodhän agreed quietly, keeping step at her side.

“I think you’re a King your father would be proud of. But I also think you allow your heart to rule your head sometimes.” Lucian took Karina’s hand, leaning over and kissing her forehead gently. “Take your seat with the Seers. I need you stood strong when the rest arrive. The delegations from the east will take one look at know they need to be wary of us and who we have in our arsenal.” He hummed, brushing his nose against hers.

---

“We must have truly unnerved Thea if she believed that little demonstration there would rile us up.” Isolde snorted, leaning against Aodhän’s arm as she glanced around. “I must admit I’m impressed by the guest list though. It appears we undervalued the pirates social abilities, I’ll bet half of these are here because he is involved.”

---

“She doesn’t seem bratty… all the children seem so… stifled don’t you think? Even the way the little boy just then admonished us.” Fiadh glanced over at the twins before going around the room with her gaze to spot out the other children. Flinching a little when at Kael’s kick, Aesira whipped around quicker than a flash.

---

“She’s just lost Emmett… and Isolde made her kneel? I - perhaps it is good I’m not Queen because I fear I’d fail to reprimand her on it.” Dagmar admitted. “Kari and Thea always seem to make it good in the end though. I’m sure this time will be no different.”

---

“I won’t be forgetting anything. You’re my family.” Liara closed her eyes at the kiss. “Is it time?”

Kael raised an eyebrow at Aesira when she looked, cocking his head with a mischievous grin. "If there is dancing later, I expect you to have improved, Princess. No standing on anyone's toes, okay?"

---

"The more names from the East that are here, the higher our chances are." Aodhän whispered, watching Kael and Fiadh in their seats for a moment. "It looks like they are mingling."

---

"How you managed to make this continent seem like a superpower, enough to encourage even a small amount of delegates from the East here, I do not know. They would not know who me and my sisters are, they wouldn't glance twice at us. You are very charming though." Karina mused quietly before moving away, peeling from his side to take her seat once more.

---

"She has gotten over Emmett already, shit all over their relationship by falling into her bed with her ex before the dust has even settled over his grave." Magnus hissed, eyes darkening as he looked down to watch Karina and Lucian. "Karina has the audacity to say I use Thea like a trophy, whilst making it clear to everyone that Emmett, in the grand scheme of it all, meant nothing to her."

---

"A slow walk, and we'll be there right on time. Now, is there anything you need refreshers on? Names, situations?"