Re: Hope Falls

**BestNameEva** Tue 23 Jul - 23:10

"We didn't, she chose. Everything connects though... everything. Has she made you sad? Your not - I thought you would have been with her. You can, if you'd rather. You haven't seen her in... ages."

"He did, didn't he? I forget about the makeup." Cassius scoffed his amusment. "I always thought it was just a pirate thing. Nit to do with... anything like that."

"Please." Karina nodded, offering her hand out to her.

Phoenix Tue 23 Jul - 23:16

“Kenna and I are in the middle of a disagreement which I thought would be long done with considering it has been near enough seven years since I last saw her… the longest time we have ever gone without each other. Double that. But it is okay, I will remain here with you whilst she hopefully rethinks things.”

“Perhaps it is a pirate thing. But it had men looking even at the time. He isn’t like that anymore, all… fancy with his clothes and the like, since the accident, but he still did it once mm?”

Liara took her hand with a smile before heading into the room to meet Devika.

**BestNameEva** Tue 23 Jul - 23:25

"He's depressed though, since the accident. He doesn't smile like he used to. It was so long ago now..."

"Sit, sit." Devika nodded to the sofa as she poured boiling leaf and herb water into two cups and brought them across to the women. Waiting until Karina, at least, had complied and taken a hesitate sip before continuing, "Ira is stable, for now. He has lost an obscene amount of blood, and his heart failed for maybe ten, twenty seconds before we managed to bring him back. The exact damage that has occurred is hard to tell, until swelling goes down, until he wakes, you know how it is. He will though, wake, if he remains as he is."

"What is the disagreement about? You living here?"

Phoenix Tue 23 Jul - 23:33

“She has brought a healer to fix my legs. Because I am not whole.” Lucian said sadly, “I told her no, so many times, Eden. And I know what you will say, that she sees I am unhappy like this, that she loves me and wants to make it better. But the point is I said no. In any situation, if I forced her, or tried to force her into something she did not want to do, I would be a monster. But she and Lynette conspired to do this. To ambush me. To ignore what I said - when I pleaded for them to accept me as I am. But they can’t. It is unfair. And I don’t want to discuss it further because everyone is on her side. Farah, Lynette. I have no doubts Conan will find it delightful they have found someone who has had success. Your mother will want me to do it too… nobody will understand why it hurts me so deeply they have done this.”

“He will wake. That’s incredible, mm, Karina? Thank you Devika, for bringing him back from the brink.”

“He’s lost not only his legs but his wings too. I think I’d rather die.”

**BestNameEva** Tue 23 Jul - 23:41

"It hurts you because it makes you feel like they'll all only love you if you are able to walk, which reminds you that you also don't have your wings. What man can't walk to protect his family? What angel can not fly? If you are not man, nor angel then what are you? Loved, should be the answer... loved for your dreams, and your wit, and your smile is what they told you and made you believe and you started to think so, too, only for them all to pull the rug and make you feel as small as you told yourself you were. As worthless." Eden whispered, "Is that - is that right?"

Karina let out a slow breath. "His heart stopped b- but his brain? Him?"

"We won't know, until he wakes which... I don't imagine it will take long, with his spirit. So you best get in there, mm? When those eyes open send for me, and I'll continue my assesments."

"I couldn't even imagine it..."

Phoenix Tue 23 Jul - 23:52

Lucian swallowed thickly as he looked into his lap with a nod. “I love them both so much… but I am only lovable to them if I am whole. I am not even worth listening to, respecting, if I am not whole. They want me fixed because they think if I am fixed I will leave here and sail again. They dk not care how I feel, or what I think. I need fixing…”

“Nor could I… not both. One or the other maybe I could tend with but… both is cruel.”

“His heart is beating, and he will wake. Amazing news.” Liara squeezed Karina’s hand gently.

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 0:04

"I can't speak for your daughter, your Lynette but I can for your family here. For - for us. Ira, me, mum." Eden swallowed, crouching down so she was at level with him. Resting her hand over his and squeezing it tightly, "There is nothing to fix. We wouldn't change you, not for a thing. I - I, personally, do not want you to sail ever again because the idea of losing another dad? Shit that is so scary. When I fall in love, and marry, whether you walk beside me down the aisle or roll beside is irrelevant to me as long as you are there. Whatever it is you do, don't think me, mum and Ira don't love you okay? We do. We do."

"I don't know how he copes, how he does so well."

"I- until he does I want think." Karina swallowed, getting to her feet and heading into the next room where Ira had been settled before Devika had even nodded.

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 0:09

“I - thank you Eden. That means more than you will ever know. Thank you.”

“Does he cope?” Aesira asked, squeezing her brothers shoulder. “Let us hope Ira does not end up the same way. I cannot deal with two brooding men like that.”

“Would you like me to remain with you?”

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 0:14

Eden leaned across to hug him then, resting her head against his shoulder and adding quietly, "We all just want you happy, that's all."

"N- no. I can - I can sit at his bedside alone. Just let Eden and Lucian know?" She asked, pausing in the doorway to look over her shoulder at Liara.

"I can cope with brooding, as long as he is alive. He is already hard work, he can't get much worse."

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 0:18

“Hard work and yet you love him. Stupid in love is the phrase isn’t it?” Aesira laughed as she pulled away.

“I will. Please - let me know if you need me further.”

Lucian wrapped his arms around Eden in return, holding her as close as he could.

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 0:33

"I - I will. Thank you."

Eden remained where she was, waiting for him to pull away first. Completely silent.

Cassius shook his head at her, "Go. Let me finishing getting changed so I can go back to him. I have to be there when he wakes up, have to,"

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 0:36

Aesira nodded, kissing his cheek before leaving the room and heading back to her own.

Liara nodded once at her before leaving her be.

“You should go, be with your mother.” Lucian pulled away after a few minutes.

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 0:39

"Are you going to come and join us?" She asked, letting her hands drop to her own lap, though not raising up to stand yet.

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 0:43

“I will, in a few minutes. I’ve come from speaking to my daughter to all of this - I just need a few moments to still my mind.”

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 0:47

Eden nodded, squeezing his hands as she rose to stand up straight and walk the way they had came, back towards the healing quarters.

(( Skip a few hours until Ira wakes? ))

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 1:03

Just before sunrise the next morning…

Ira blearily blinked his eyes open, squinting despite the very faint light from a candle burning low at his bedside. Letting out a soft groan as his hand moved to where the lance had impaled him.

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 1:06

Karina sat on a chair at her sons bedside, her head leant against the knuckles of her hand as she glanced across the room and out of the window. Steely nerved in the silence, eyes moving upwards as she heard her son as her free hand sleepily moved across to take his and keep it away from the bandages, "Ah, ah. Let it heal, Ira. Don't touch."

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 1:10

“Hu-hurts.” Ira rasped as he tried once again, hissing through his teeth in pain. “Hurts, mum.”

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 1:22

"It's going to, I would be more worried if it didn't." She laughed humourlessly, catching his hand once more and directing it instead towards the herbs at the bedside. "Chew, for as long as you can before swallowing. It'll help the pain." Her free hand smoothing his hair down gently, "Everyone will be happy you're awake, sweetheart. You gave us a fright this time, a bit worse than a broken ribs. Can we begin to calm the extent of the injuries down now?"

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 1:25

“Bet they all found it amusing mm? An entertaining joust…” Ira snorted weakly. “Emmett Asters son in name only, because he cannot ride or fight or spar or joust correctly. Do not hire in any kind of physical position…”

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 1:35

"Your father was horrific at sparring, I was better than him and I have barely touched those things." Karina scoffed. "He was a talented man, sweet, but he wasn't the master they all hype him to to be and when I - when I say you are like him I mean the way your eyes shins the same way when the sun catches them, I mean the infuriating will and stubbornness and grit you have within you. When I say you are like your father, I mean that you soul is strong, physical strength is not important. Your mind is, and he believed that too. These men you are trying to prove yourself to were beneath him in rank, and there is a reason they have remained where they are since. You have nothing to prove to them, especially when the military is not what calls to you." Leaning forward, she kissed the side of his head, "You are Ira Aster. You shall make a name for yourself, you don't need your fathers legacy to carry you. However, you do have the honour of a young Prince who I have had to send away several times, waiting outside."

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 1:41

“I couldn’t live up to him anyway… I have tried.” Ira laughed without humor, grimacing when she mentioned Cassius. “You are horrendous at playing stupid when you know something. What do you know, mother? Speak plainly - I imagine I could still die. Do you want the last conversation to be lies?”

“It has been a while since you spent the night, I almost forgot how early you have to rise.” Aesira hummed inbetween lazy kisses, her hand resting on Marcus’ chest as they lay legs entwined in her bed.

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 12:20

"No one expects you to live up to him, and he certainly wouldn't want you to feel that way." Karina whispered. "I know little. Cassius was as distressed as the rest of us, several guards had to hold him back to stop him from being in the room whilst Devika helped you. I know he wanted to be here when you woke up, so, I'm just letting you know he isn't far." Karina laughed quietly.

"Devika turns into a monster if I am even a second late. She appears sweet to you all, quiet, she is not. I have never worked for someone more difficult to please." Marcus chuckled, brushing his thumb against her waist.

Phoenix Wed 24 Jul - 12:35

“You love how hard she pushes you, I see it in your eyes after a long day at work. It makes you feel like you’ve earned the praise she gives you.” Aesira laughed softly, rolling herself over him and moving to straddle his waist.

“Did he end up winning the tourney? An easy victory…”

**BestNameEva** Wed 24 Jul - 16:16

"No, no he forfeited." She hummed as she fussed. "Any other questions about him, he can answer, okay? Would you like me to bring him in, I can leave you both be whilst I go and find Devika to check you over."

"You're going to make me late," He breathed, sitting himself up on one of his elbows to brush his nose against hers affectionately. "If I lose this job you and I won't be able to see one another, I'd have to move back to the town. It would be a disaster

Sponsored content