Hope Falls

"It is nothing to do with where you are from, plenty of women complimented the smell of those lotions when you had some left. I am allowed to dislike a scent." Kael pushed to his feet. "I am sorry for the offence caused, Princess. I shall leave you to the rest of your day."

---

"He was lucky Seers are rare, we were unlikely that there are hundreds like mother."

---

"I mind."

“One I have stopped wearing because you expressed you did not like it, not because I ran out. I wear different scents I cannot stand because they are less harsh to your nose, to make you happy, to fit in with your people. No need to try and embarrass me by pushing the subject after you had jested. It is everything to do with where I am from. That people do not want me here, that I do not belong. I smell offensive, my clothes are strange, my skin too dark, my accent funny, the tea I make an aberration. And because I thought that we were finally at a stage where I can express that I am not okay with what is being said, you are going to leave me alone to sit and think about what I have said like a naughty child. A reminder that if I wish to keep you in conversation in future it cannot be anything but pleasantries lest you have to be self reflective.” Indira shook her head, staring at her cup as he got up.

---

“There are two new Valkyries sent to replace mother. As if they could ever be anywhere near the Valkyrie she was.”

---

“Do not think about it. Just think of the children. Leave the rest to me. I can deal with it I assure you.”

"My grievance comes from you thinking I intended to offended you to begin with. I never asked you to stop wearing it, I am sorry you felt you had to. Would you like me to fetch it for you to apply now?" Kael folded his arms to trap his hands, to stop himself from picking. "I enjoy the tea you make, the dyes you use to put the colour back into your clothes when the colours have faded work like magic. Your accent is just.. you, there are no comments to make on it, like your colour. You are stunning, and I know this is not your home - I am doing all I can to get you back there."

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"The children don't want me near them, I have to think of something or else I'll drive myself insane."

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"I haven't met them yet, you have?"

“No I don’t want to wear it I just - “ Indira shook her head, sighing as she turned to him. “Do not run - because we have had words. Unless you truly wish it that I do not speak my mind with you and we go back to polite pleasantries and nothing of substance. Please… And do not lie about the tea either, you haven’t touched it again.” She added with a non offended snort. “I just… sorry. I am a problem aren’t I? Far too sensitive.”

---

“I had a fight with one earlier…”

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“Perhaps you could think of whom you would like to send East. A letter came around an hour ago, my cousin has informed me that the Baldruunian King was assassinated by his friend and his son is to be wed and coronated soon. We shall have to send someone.”

"I was just trying to jest, I'm sorry." Kael swallowed, sitting on the arm chair opposite her instead. Turning his head to stare out of the window, watching the birds that had settled on the sill on the otherside of the glass. "I am sorry you feel like- like you do. It must be horrible."

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"Why? What did she do?" Cassius asked quietly, adding a few seconds later with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I bet you won."

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"Oh, well that sounds precarious. I can't imagine many would be confident to do that."

“She introduced herself to one of the Lords that spoke to her as I walked past. Synnøve. I remembered her name. She was one of the Valkyries mum was close to. One that abandoned her, left her with no friends. Shut her out all alone. And then she is sent here to replace her? It’s offensive. It’s an insult… and I was winning until I got pulled off.”

---

“It would have to be someone you trust to represent you well, and someone willing to be away for a while. I imagine that will give you something to think hard about.”

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“Your people live on an island. Your country mostly homogenous. Sure there is a small human community, witches and wolves and the rest are sprinkled around but it is nothing like the melting pot that is where I come from. I cannot blame your people for being ignorant of other cultures… It is their unwillingness to receive me that hurts more than the ignorance.” Indira murmured sadly. “But because of the differences it means you will have less to worry about when you are travelling. As long as you are polite, kind. As long as people can see you mean well, you won’t offend or upset. You have that charm we mentioned remember? You will do just fine.”

"You say that, and yet I just offended you. So, it is clearly a lot easier to do then you have led me to believe." He chuckled humourlessly. "Lets not talk about me."

---

"Is it important? It is so petty, is it even important Aesira? They've already won, The Guardian's, they can parade two trophies around here all they like."

“Then pick something to talk about, we will start with my tongue, and then Kisari. Kisari is similar enough to Caleeri with a few grammatical differences that I think if I just wrote that down you could study it on the ship journey.” Indira tucked her legs under herself once again, speaking in Baldruunian. “From now until you leave we won’t be talking in your language, to help ready you.”

---

“It’s important to me that none of this is easy for those bitches. Nor for the Guardians. They tested mum and dad like silly pawns. I’m going to make them hurt over it: even if it is just a headache.”

"I'm not going to be wasting energy playing the game when it is already over, when we have already lost." He whispered, resting his hand over his sisters and squeezing it.

---

"Oh." Kael grimaced, though nodded his agreement. Eyes sweeping across the room to try and find a new topic of conversation.

“I’m not letting them enjoy their victory. I’m going to be a flea caught in their clothing until we get mother back.” Aesira insisted, turning to face him then. “They’ll regret taking her by the time I am finished.”

---

“What happened to the quick charm you claimed you had earlier?”

"Or you'll just make it worse for her, as soon as anyone else finds out you are giving them a hard time." He mumbled. "Don't do it, Aesira. Please..."

---

"I still need moments to translate, you spoke quickly." He grimaced, though his transition to Baldruunian was smooth. Accent failing at the end of certain words. "Tell me what food I should avoid."

“Knowing you and your father… mostly everything.” Indira snorted, shaking her head. “Absolutely do not eat anything purple. It will have your eyes watering enough to fill a bath.”

---

“So then what do I do? Just sit and play sweetly?”

"Sit, and play civilly. Play smarter, which doesn't mean louder or harder." Cassius leant forward onto his own knees, turning his gaze to watch the fire. "There must be something that can take the Guardian's out. I don't even understand what makes them so special."

“If there was something it would have been done by now wouldn’t it?”

"We won't know if we don't start to look into it,"

“You can be the brains that looks into it. I’m going to carry on making the bitches they left behind suffer so they report back.”

"Your just going to make it worse." Cassius repeated, voice raising in frustration. "Why can't you see that? You think they'll kill her anyway at the minute, so let's just give them more things to fucking torment her over? Let's make them angrier and be stupid brutes? Your behaving like some kind of savage!"

“And you’re behaving like a trained dog just laying down and going belly up on command!”

"I am behaving like a royal, where as you are acting like some drunk person in a bar. You are meant to be Queen one day, you can't keep going on being unable to bite your tongue and screaming when things don't work out!"

“Dad had to get married because theydo not want us, Cass! Me becoming Queen is the last thing any of them want. It isn’t going to happen! They smile in our faces for politeness but we’re bastards and half breeds to boot so when will you understand that neither of us are wearing the crown and we can act as we want!”

"We aren't getting a sibling, not ever. That much is obvious. We are the only ones, there is no other choice. You acting like this isn't helping them like us."

“Mum is gone. You think dad isn’t going to look somewhere else now she’s not coming back? It is more likely than you think. I don’t know why you want the job anyway. Look at how miserable dad is. Do you want that for me? For yourself?”

"I'd do it. I'd be happy to do it, you've only ever complained about all of the things that are basic, easy."

“Easy for you to say when most of your duty isn’t risking your life. When your duties would not demand pain. You have read too many stories, listened to too many songs of the glory of wearing that monstrosity father calls a crown!”

""Don't speak to me like I am a child, like we haven't seen the same things and like we don't know the same things. If you don't want it then step down and give it to me, then you can beat whatever strangers you like." Cassius spat the words, moving away from her as he got to his feet.