Re: Hope Falls

**BestNameEva** Sun 15 Sep - 18:31

"He will always be the half dead boy, laying in the arms of his deceased mother." Aodhän swallowed. "It is a need to shield him, not to undermine him. He is lucky to be alive, and all of these people, all of these nobles and the allies he has made just don't understand that the same way we do. They do not know how that moment felt for me."

"That is Kiaan's way of saying he is pleased you are here." Avani chuckled, brushing her thumb in gentle circle across the armour. "Kiaan is the brother I used to echo my mothers folkstories too. The adventures and romances. He enjoyed the romances more, I believe."

"Easily, if they are willing to break the rules. Expend their energy to make themselves solid. It is like touching any other woman, well, no.. no not any other woman. Fiadh...my Fiadh. Just as I remembered, parts I had forgotten." He breathed. "Do not tell Daphne, do not tell Indira, do not tell a soul. Fiadh is.. everything. She always will be. I can not help it."

"My light..." Zoya echoed.

"Mm. It sounds like Prin- King Kael respects your culture, your boundaries. He will do whatever you ask him to, the power is truly in your hands. Having them there though, it is the only time you can openly curse with the guarantee of no arguments, no consequences."

Phoenix Sun 15 Sep - 18:43

“Sometimes we meet a woman that no other could ever compare to.” Lucian nodded, “Magnus and I are lucky in that we have the ladies we feel such a way about. My heart aches for you in that you do not.” He appeased sadly. “Your secrets are safe always, Kael. “Spectral mistresses included.”

“I fear for my child. That by going against beliefs I will have doomed them. But I do not want to rob Kael of the experience. I do not want to tell him no on a superstition.”

“Have him in the room. He wishes to do so, he wishes to hold your hand. Birth is hard enough without having the one you love there. I have had four. The first… the babe was dead when she left me. My husband was just as present at that birth as he was the other three… your husband being there will not change if your baby is meant to live or not, Daphne.”

“Romance is wonderful until you realise it does not happen for most, dear sister.”

“I love you, Zoya. No distance between us will ever change that. My sister.”

“He is Nerissa’s little boy to me too… as well as a man grown… We need to change how we see him.”

**BestNameEva** Sun 15 Sep - 18:55

"I won't see her again for a long while, she told me so. Nearer the end she said to ask for her if she was needed but I don't think she... I don't think it was a promise she would be allowed to come." Kael swallowed, refilling his glass. Attention turning briefly to Magnus, "I didn't expect Thea to be here with you. It must be - She is doing well."

"She is strong, a rock." Magnus agreed quietly. "Hyper-vigilante though. I hope that Karina's presence will help her to relax."

"It is not like I do not try, not like I haven't tried for years. I am doing my best, Sol."

"He loves you, deeply. It is plain to see." Karina reassured gently. "Every moment during this day he made reference to you, even when speaking of others. Words like 'us', 'ours', 'my wife and I'. Shared glances, pauses for you to interject if you wanted to. Every person in that room could see how much of an equal he views you as."

"You will find someone, I am certain of it. I will find the Seers here and ask them to look to your future so they can assure you to." Avani peeled herself away from her husband to pinch her brothers cheek as she had done when they were young. "You're a catch. Very handsome. You suffer one more heartbreak and I swear the woman will not walk away from it."

Zoya let out a shaky breath, gently guiding Indira into a hug once again. Whispering thickly, "Lets stop with all these sentimentals. I worry I won't be able to pull myself together from it all, and we are in public."

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 3:30

“I think their presence will help each other, Karina doesn’t much like being here either. But it is something they are working on, which is a good sign.”

“I know, I know.” Isolde assured, moving her hand to brush her thumb across his cheek. “I know.”

“If only the work was equal when it came to giving birth.” Daphne chuckled nervously. “If only my sisters could see what you see… they are so convinced he does not view me as an equal. That he does not love me, that he is having an affair with Indira and propping her up for the world to see.”

“Ah, I am swearing off women for the foreseeable, if my brother orders me married then I shall have to comply, but I am done with them otherwise.” Kiaan shook his head.

“Sometimes the best times to find love are when you are not looking.”

“We will have time later. You can come to my rooms, I’m sure Idris would love to show you round.”

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 8:26

"Swearing off women? You being cellibate is as likely as Rohan losing interest in the use of all the herbs they use here to heal. He has been very.. he has spent a lot of time with a certain healer." Avani grinned, leaning backwards into Rauiri, without checking how close behind her he was. Simply trusting him to move to catch her if needed.

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 8:38

“You make me sound like a sex crazed monster, Avani. I can control myself for a few months I assure you.” Kiaan raised his eyebrows, “He has not mentioned anyone, in any letters. Whoever this healer is I imagine he just enjoys bedding her.”

“Lily would not allow that, she has made it quite clear to men before that unless they were as serious on marriage as she is then she wouldn’t bed them. She has had bad luck.” Ruairi shook his head, arm curling around Avani’s waist.

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 9:10

"A few months, swearing off women implies years of nothing. Therein lies my point," Avani chuckled, resting her hands over Rauiri's, guiding his palms to her stomach. "Mm, I thought Rohan would have spoken to you about her. It seems the two of you need a conversation."

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 9:20

“You seem very keen on this woman’s importance yourself, sister. Does your husband need to worry?”

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 9:25

"I am just trying to keep you updated, Kiaan." She laughed quietly.

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 9:35

“No, you are nesting and trying to matchmake whilst in your own marital bliss.” Kiaan corrected with a laugh, “First telling me I cannot swear off women, then overestimating our brother having a friend for something more.”

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 10:02

"Nesting." She echoed, leaning her head back to look up at Rauiri, "You and I need to begin thinking of names for a child, Rauiri."

"I couldn't think of a better tour guide then your little Prince." Zoya laughed quietly, turning to look across the mingling crowd. "There are so many people here, more than Ishaan's coronation. The atmosphere is much different."

"Trust your instincts. If he was behaving suspiciously at all then you would know about. Your gut would tell you." Karina assured. "Especially at the moment, with the baby so close to arrival."

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 10:37

“I think we will have plenty of time for that when it all happens.” Ruairi assured, shaking his head.

“I shall leave you two to it… I shall catch you up later, sister.” Kiaan laughed before walking away.

“Nothing suspicious at all. I cannot win with my sisters. When they came here they noted that we shared rooms and they declared it improper. With the coronation looming and Kael spending many late nights sorting things out, meetings and the like, he has been sleeping in separate rooms from me on a handful of nights so not to disturb me when coming in during the early hours or rising in the early hours - and now my sisters are saying the change is suspicious and he is obviously doing it as he is with his mistress. They are impossible to please.”

“Yours was a rushed necessity… Kaels has been planned for years. Not a sad affair, no dead monarch before him…”

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 11:00

"Behave yourself, Kiaan." Avani warned affectionately, twisting in Rauiri's arms to face him then. Lifting a hands up to cup his face in her palms, "The new uniform suits you very much. How does it feel to wear?"

"There are times when ultimatums must be given," Karina whispered with a frown, briefly glancing across to Thea. "The two of us didn't speak for many months when I reignited the flame between Lucian and I. Thea disagreed with it. All healed though. You must decide how much more rudeness you are willing to accept from your sisters, you mustn't be afraid to stand up for yourself."

"You are right, mm. A coronation under a cloud of suspicious was not the most pleasant. None of us wanted it. This is different, this is nice and... I am still in shock that he granted you freedom like that. Brought us all up to toast."

"It is the start of a new age now. I want people to be free to come and go as they please, Eastern, Western... it will look completely different here in ten years time, and by then such a change in attitude will calm both of your wives nerves aswell." Kael grinned. "Fiadh told me my child will survive, the one Daphne is carrying. Another child will not join Bodhi."

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 11:47

“Even if I choose to believe he does not love me… he loves Idris so much. He wants what is best for him. Freeing me so publicly, making such a show of the acceptance of us, of you all… It paves the way to ensure our son won’t face the vitriol Avani and I do whilst being here. It gives people time to adjust so he will not face it all. My little boy will be different to all his siblings, he will look different, he will sound different, he doesn’t need to be treated differently though.”

“Standing up for myself is exhausting… especially at the moment.” Daphne admitted, “And they have been helpful, when they are being amenable. It has been wonderful having the youngest one here, Zenovia, she is a joy. And sitting with my sisters in my room as they help me dress and bathe rather than having maids do it has felt more like home…”

“It is heavy, the responsibility of knowing I am stepping into Hawks shoes. Hopefully I grow into them.”

“Most wonderful news Kael, to go through it once was horrific for you. It’s good to know it shan’t happen again.” Lucian smiled warmly, “Perhaps yours and Magnus’ sons will grow up as close as we are, my young nephew Malachi too may continue the tradition.”

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 12:21

"You look confident, and all of them know what they are doing. Look at them," Avani praised, her gaze averting from his face to look at his staff. "If you weren't good at it, they'd be seeking guidance. Things wouldn't be so calm. This is... I am giddy for you. Very proud."

"A legacy of friendship between our families, it is a wonderful thing." Kael hummed. "How are your step children, Eden and Ira? How is Kenna, are you speaking with her?"

"He will get plenty of attention, for the best reasons. Women will be falling over themselves to be seen with him when he is old enough, you'll be batting them off with a stick."

"It sounds like they are trying to drive a wedge between you and your husband. Sly remarks about him, coupled with making themselves useful whilst you are vulnerable. It is manipulative, Daphne."

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 12:32

“Kenna left to take Ira to Kisar so he could study there, I imagine she’ll return when she feels he is settled. And Eden is… like her Aunt Thea. It is all about the social gatherings and events, sometimes I will not see her for a week because she has made friends with one lady or another and has travelled to their restate for some ball where she will then meet another lady and continue the networking. It is a shame Seers are not dispensable as spies, she’d be an asset.” Lucian chuckled.

“I do not think they have it in them to manipulate… I think it is mostly hard concern.” Daphne shook her head.

“Things have gone better than we could have anticipated today. No unrest at the parade through the city like we suspected… we were even prepared for discontent at the announcement of your sisters freedom, but nothing more than a few grumbles. It has gone well.”

“I am almost glad that as my son he will not be expected to marry, for politics. The child Daphne carries will be the most important political tool Kael gains. My boy won’t have that expectation. He can be who he wishes.”

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 12:48

"He won't be expected, but he is still a Baldruunian Prince. There will still be people vying for his hand, political alliances to be made." Zoya frowned. "It is something you and Kael need to discuss, little Idris is certainly not your every day townsfolk."

"It has, it very much has." Avani's fingers brushed across the new uniform, the new armour pieces. Memorising the new dips and textures in the emblems engraved. "I spoke to Lilly this morning, not - not just about Rohan but about myself aswell."

Karina bit her tongue, and leant back in her seat as she reached her hand out towards a member of staff to refill her drink. Casting a glance in Thea's direction once more, leaning so her shoulder brushed against hers, a quiet whispered, "Are you okay?"

"The Guardian's would not be eased with an idea like it," Kael laughed in amusment. "I don't imagine Karina would be either. It is good the two of them are branching out, following their passions. I am sure Eden will enjoy this evening greatly, there are far too many people to speak to. Daphne's sisters will be networking the same way."

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 13:03

“Mm, he is a Prince because Ishaan agreed to give him the title, but he is still… illegitimate. Most noblemen wouldn’t arrange a marriage for their children with someone like him. I cannot see it happening.”

“Being here is harder than I thought it would be. Yet Magnus will be remiss of time spent with his friends if I leave early. I am trying to not get too… burdened by those feelings, so he can stay longer.” Thea admitted, finishing her drink. “Daphne, excuse me. You look lovely, I am sure we will have more time to talk before the festivities are over.” She bowed her head slightly at her fellow Queen before walking away.

“Queen Thea is deeply uncomfortable being here, isn’t she?” Daphne frowned, “She has been stiff since she arrived two days ago, and today is the first time I have actively seen her since the arrival.”

“Your wine is stronger than ours, I’ve had to have one of my men keep an eye on her to ensure she does not get too drunk. She can be a nuisance when it happens.”

“You are unwell? Or is it the boys?” Ruairi frowned, hand moving to her forehead, seeking a warm temperature.

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 13:22

"It is time to begin to talk of names for a child," Avani breathed, leaning in towards his hand. "I know it is not - I know it is soon, but these things aren't within our control, are they? I went to them to ask why my temper seemed shorter, if maybe I wasn't eating enough of one thing or another. Lily done an assessment, made me eat a herb and then note the colour it turned my... It was conclusive."

"How aware are you, of the things that Queen Isolde conducted here during the wars? The - the war when the wolves and her were allies, rather than enemies." Karina approached the topic cautiously, watching her friend disappear into the crown with a frown. "Magnus and her will not be here for long, no matter how much she tries to show a brave face."

"A nuisance," Kael grinned. "As bad as the three of us in the taverns of your home?"

"Worse. She was in my Kingdom last month, only for three days and it took several guards to get her to come back to her chambers. Two of which she forced onto the dance floor to try and buy herself more time out, before throwing up on their shoes."

"He still holds steed, he is still a way in to not one but two royal families across two different continents. I think it is a conversation you need to have."

"You sent her on her way very quickly." Aoife hummed in amusement as she stepped up beside Wyatt at a quieter corner of the room, craning her neck as Florence's frame headed out of one of the side doors towards the Guardians. "The two of you aren't celebrating your promotion together?"

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 13:32

“I am aware of what happens in wartime. But Kael has assured me that the worst of what I have heard about Isolde is propaganda and falsehoods. That she is accused of a lot more cruelty than she perpetuated.” Daphne frowned. “Thea was treated badly?”

“Mm, it’ll likely be discussed as he gets older. For now… I want him to be a child for as long as situation allows. Nothing of war or marriage or duty…”

“You are with child?” Ruari breathed, lighting up. “You - this is amazing, Avani!”

“She is young, but unfortunately lacks decorum when drunk. We are working on it.” Lucian grimaced.

“She has gone to collect Sully and bring him down for an hour or so now the other children are appearing.” Wyatt assured, “Not sent packing.”

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 13:50

"We were captured, Thea, my deceased husband and I." Karina whispered, craning her neck to ensure that they weren't being listened to. "I was wrapped in thorned vines, starved out and beaten. Beaten, not as - not as much as Emmett was. We were kept on the brink of consciousness, she tried to break us enough for us leak details of Conan and Magnus' plans. Locations. Strategies. Lord Hawk's mate was a new Seer at the time, freshly picked from the human world as an Oracle by Dagmar and rushed through the Guardian's training faster then even my daughter was. No guidance, thrown straight into the midst of a war - Isolde tasked her with pulling visions from Emmett. Torment, for her as well as him. She cried every time she had to do it, he shrinked from her touch like it was acid." She let out a slow breath. "Isolde was well known for taking their wings, it was that time Emmett and I made a pact that if it came to pass that I'd allow him to die. Uh," Lifting hands up, Karina rubbed at her face, "Whilst we were in the cells of these walls, Thea was placed up in one of the towers. Isolde has a creature, a kind of bird that mimics peoples worst fears, gets in their head and forces them to relive the most traumatic time over and over and over again. For Thea, for Thea she used the memory of what she had already done to her several months before... when Magnus was away, she sent her strongest male fae in, her most corrupt and dragged her out of her bath and through the halls of her home naked where each of them took their turn with her. Kael is wrong about his mother, sees her through rose tinted vision - she is fierce, she is.... evil."

"Ishaan and I have already discussed our sons future. It is important, something you can't bury you head in the sand with."

"Does she take after her mother?" Kael asked with a chuckle. "Is that what Karina was like when the two of you were that young? Crazed party goers without the ability to stop?"

"So busy being parents you can not simply be the two of you," Aoife mused. "There aren't many children running around here today, it makes a refreshing change."

"You are happy?" Avani let out a breath of relief, "Good. Good, I thought you would be. I was worried you'd think it were too soon though, I was worried you would have wanted time to settle into your job."

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 14:01

“The biggest party we will throw in decades I imagine. I think most people just want to let loose and celebrate. It is hard to do so if children are in tow. Especially if they are not at an age where they can successfully network. However my son resides here, and it is easy to send him back to bed if necessary.”

“No… Karina was and still is a quiet drinker. She will take her bottle of wine and her books and sit in a chair by the fire for the night. Nothing like Eden. She gets that from Thea for sure.”

“That all does sound… deplorable.” Daphne frowned deeply, “And none of which sounds like the Isolde I know, I couldn’t imagine her capable of such horrors… I am sorry, for what the both of you endured.”

“Of course I am happy. This is wonderful, wonderful news.” Ruairi assured with a grin. “I am to be a father!”

“Is the little one to be your only child? Has that been discussed?” Indira asked quietly, “I know your father would prefer you to have spares but… are you and Ishaan putting yourselves through the… process of creating more?”

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 14:15

"Around the time of the siege, on one of my first visits here after it all, she believed I mispoke and she threatened to cripple the country. Stop trading routes, recall the alliance we had agreed to, every inch of power she had she was going to use to make me pay for what she perceived as disrespect. The only thing that made her stop, was when she made me drop to my knees and plead for her forgiveness." Karina swallowed. "Your home is beautiful, your Majesty, but many people have very horrible memories associated with it. Things like that will take time to go, if they ever do at all."

"Nurture more than nature then," Kael chuckled. "I dread to think how Idris will be when he is old enough to drink, Indira and I both enjoy a good time. I can't imagine he has much scope to wriggle out of that game of chance."

Magnus snorted softly, "He, all of my children, young Malachai. Can you imagine what the parties will be like?"

"Even Isolde's coronation wasn't so grand, was it? The last one I remember would have been one that Prince Daegon held, do you remember it? Him and his lords began at a tavern and then tumbled into here with half of the city in tow."

"We have to, we must keep my father pleased and the more heirs the better." Zoya grimaced at the thought. "At least it does not have to be so public this time, with one heir already here no one cares to watch the conceiving of the spares. I am glad it is something you've not had to go through, glad your intimate moments have always been an experience you have actively wanted."

"You shall, mhm." Avani brushed her nose against his affectionately. "So once you are done with work, we need to think about names. We need to think about how we are going to decorate a room. We need to decide when we let others know, though, Indira and Kiaan already do - I'm sorry, I couldn't keep it from them."

Phoenix Mon 16 Sep - 14:28

“We should tell everyone right now, we should get up on the dais to announce it! Tell everyone here!”

“You never - you never said before that your father had you watched. I’m so sorry Zoya, so sorry.” Indira frowned deeply, “I - there weren’t words. I’m so sorry…”

“Mm, Daegan only got away with so much because he was King Llyr’s favourite nephew. He and his sister got away with an extraordinary amount that even his own sons weren’t permitted.” Wyatt snorted, “Remembering them all isn’t something I do often, it’s - melancholy, to think that dozens of dozens of the family were wiped out. As much as you hold distaste for the Royal family, when they dropped like flies it was… a dark time.”

“All I can do is assure no such cruelty will be performed here whilst I am Queen. All I can do is try and make amends for my mother in law. In any way I can. Any way at all.”

“Gone are the times of the monarchs sitting thrones on this continent being frosty with each other.” Lucian nodded with a smile.

**BestNameEva** Mon 16 Sep - 14:39

"I didn't mind Daegon and his sister, they were more realistic than the others. They treated us all as if we were people within their own right, I never felt disempowered or like I was being looked down upon." Aoife whispered, "We both drank to them, when she went and then when Daegon disappeared and the search was finally called off for him."

"There was never a need to mention it, it didn't - it doesn't matter." Zoya laughed humourlessly. "My father is not stupid, he knew when we returned from here that Ayaz and I were closer. He knew that it was a bond that stemmed from more intimate things then merely being tormented in the same siege as one another. If your brother and I were watched, there could be no doubting the child is illegitimate. It isn't important anymore. We hear the stories don't we, as women. We know how we could be treated, how we can be made a display of. It is Ishaan who was most effected by it, the lack of choice, the watching.. it felt more like an assault to him then it did to me."

"No more metaphorical islands, no more power play or wars between each other." Kael wrapped an arm around each of the mens shoulders and squeezed them in for half embraces. "You two are my biggest allies, my greatest and closest friends. That is never going to change, even when Sarika returns with her armies like it has been warned. She will stand no chance against us when we are united."

"We can not! We can not." Avani giggled. "We can't take this day off of Kael and Daphne."

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