Hope Falls

Kael's shoulders visibly relaxed, "Oh, oh good. She has been so melancholy, a deep rooted melancholy. I didn't know if she would give in to it again or not." He laughed nervously, "I was coming up with menial tasks to make her promise to teach me. I was even willing to ask her to teach me how to paint those lines they put on their palms and knuckles."

“Things have already begun rolling into place that will root her into your life permanently. The path you are on, she will be in your life for a long long while. Longer than Dima and I ever were. She isn’t going anywhere. Rest easy knowing that.”

"Another story for the bards to sing with their lyrs in taverns?"

“By the time you join us Kael there will be hundreds.” Ada laughed, gently tapping the end of his nose.

"And when I do join you, we shall have the biggest party you have ever seen. The ancestors won't know how to handle us all, they will never have seen a celebration like it. I am taking the best of every kingdom I go to."

“I hope that won’t be for a very, very long while yet. You have so much to do, so many things to experience. I hope you don’t join us for hundreds of years yet.” Ada whispered, bittersweet as she pressed another kiss to the side of his head, gently brushing her thumb across his cheek. “Not everyone you love will leave you, my sweet boy. And I cannot say you will never know pain again, because that would be impossible, but you will know such love and joy and peace before you are reunited with us. And if you feel it is the end, and you have not experienced everything I have promised, then just know it is not the end, not yet.”

Kael closed his eyes at her touch, leaning in to her as much as was possible. "I'll remember that. Thank you."

“We are out of time.” Ada murmured after a moment of silence as she moved to stand. “You must go back to your life… But I’ll be here, we all will, should you need us. I promise you I shall always come when called.”

"I will try not to disturb your peace too often. I don't know how often I would be able to say goodbye before it gets to me entirely." Kael laughed humourlessly, opening his eyes to watch her. "Thank you, Ada for - for everything you've done for me, everything I am sure you continue to do when you can. Thank Dmitri for me too. Everything I do with Mor, everything I'll do for my next sibling. I learned from the two of you."

“Your sisters are as lucky to have you as the rest of your family. Be brave Kael, and you’ll be just fine.” Ada promised, reaching to squeeze his arm gently before disappearing from view.

"Sisters..." Kael echoed quietly, smile fading a few moments after she disappeared from view. Taking his time as he pulled his boots back on and made his way down the path to rejoin Wyatt.

Wyatt was sat down leaning against one of the taller trees in the area, squinting into the branches above at the life teaming up on the higher level of the forest. “You were a while, they must be happy with you, to grant you so long.” He remarked as he moved to stand.

"It was Ada. She and Dmitri have both been accepted amongst our ancestors, they are together, they are well." Kael whispered, lowering himself down to sit heavily beside him. "My mother is having a girl again, Ada said sisters. Plural."

“Ada and Dmitri did a lot for you, I’m glad the ancestors have rewarded them so.” Wyatt offered him a gentle squeeze of the shoulder. “I am sorry for your lack of brothers though, maybe next time.” He chuckled.

"Maybe the next one will be less princess-ey and I will have someone to rough house a bit when she is old enough." He chuckled. "I need your sofa tonight though, if that is still okay. She uh... I don't want to go back to my own rooms yet."

“Of course. You’re always welcome with Florence and I, you know that.”

"We would have died, if I hadn't of acted so quickly with that blow to Arzen." Kael whispered, swallowing. "She told me how it would have happened. Arzen would have killed me the way I did to him, then he would have removed your head... then fathers. They would have stormed the castle, ripped the wings from the angels that were fighting to help us. Dessimated... everyone."

“You saved us all Kael. I know you find the act abhorrent… but I am glad you did it. I hope it has eased some of the guilt you feel over it all.”

"For some reason I always believed no matter what happened that night you would have ended up okay. It was strange to hear otherwise. It is easier to believe you are indestructible."

“Of course not. I’m still just a man. A man who is grateful he gets to see his son grow up. So thank you.”

"You grow softer, drop more of your bravado every month that passes. With me, anyway." Kael mused, patting his shoulder lightly.

“Do not keep reminding me or I’ll have to build the walls back.”

"If you do that I'll be mournful. I'll have to wear black every day for months." He gasped.

“Oh your mother would be angry, I can’t have that.”

"No, no you couldn't. I am merely her sapling, you don't upset the Queen's sapling." Kael pushed to his feet, offering Wyatt a hand up. "'We should carry on home. Get you to your sapling."