Hope Falls

Rohan shook his head, switching language once more so Lily could understand him, "I am no island, Kiaan. I am not Arzen, Ishaan. If a friendship comes then it comes, if the roles would have been reversed you would have found connection here too. Lily has a talent that can help us save our brother if she agrees, but before any of that.. something is happening here. I will help her work out what it is, I shall not let her be a prisoner in her own home. If you would rather smoke red root then wait an hour or so to have a conversation then go. It is behind the third door to your right, two hallways down. Stop treating me like the enemy."

---

Cassius shook his head, mumbling, "It doesn't matter, all of them are all right and - and - "  He let out a slow breath. "I need mother. It is more than just missing her. I have never hated myself so much before and it is terrifying because it is getting harder to pretend otherwise."

(( Night night ))

“I will find out what it is they’re slipping in all your drinks here to make you turn into sycophants.” Kiaan shook his head, leaving the room and slamming the door behind him.

---

“Cass…”

"He has been trying to have an argument with me for hours now, he is harder to still then Rahul has been." Rohan rubbed at his face with frustration, other arm moving around Lily's waist to pull her in. "Have they told you the real reason those guards are stationed outside?"

---

"Just please don't fight with Eden because of me. Please."

“No, only what I have already told you.” Lily shook her head.

---

“It’s not because of you. It’s because Ira could decapitate you and she’d find a way to excuse it. Pisses me off.”

"She's just being protective, like you are of me. Just stop talking about either of us to each other, then yiu can go back to being friends."

---

"I will investigate," Rohan frowned, other arm moving around her to pull her into a real hold then. "Was anything going on, when it happened?"

“The Queen gave birth this morning, to a girl. She was hysterically upset and disappointed, screaming and pleading for Kael to forgive her but - nobody outside the room could have known. It happened minutes before we were arrested. And Aodhän can’t - he is not so stupid as to arrest us because the child was born a girl. Even if he somehow knew it had already happened.”

---

“Stop pushing it. I can decide who I do and don’t want to be friends with, and I don’t want to be friends with her, Cass.”

"There must be-" Rohan cut off quickly, hands dropping as he moved to sit down on the edge of a chair just behind him. Gripping Lily's hand and placing it against his forehead just in time for Aodhän to stride inside, "...and I don't know what it is. How I can feel so feverish when it is so fucking cold here, one of your useless chefs must have poisoned me, healer. Some undercooked food."

Aodhän narrowed his eyes at Rohan, arms folded across his chest as the guards closed the door behind them. "It seems men with more confidence need to be put on the door. I gave them clear instructions you weren't to have visitors, even unwell visiting royals."

---

Cassius sighed, looking to the side to stare across at the wall.

“Both Aoife and I are being confined Sir, visiting guests expect to be seen to by someone higher up than an acolyte…” Lily murmured, though bowed as he entered and kept her gaze low.

"The two of you had best have done your job correctly then, because you aren't to be seeing anyone for awhile. Not one another either." Aodhän kept his tone cold, eyes flitting to Rohan. "Get out."

"If your healers are in danger then we are willing to help you, I can speak to my brother." He interjected. "I am sure there is something we can offer. You know Kiaan and I are skilled in crafting poisons, we can eliminate a threat without it..." He trailed as Aodhän lifted a palm out to silence him.

"I do not trust you. Get out."

"It was mine and Kiaan's notes that Avani used to save your guard, my nephew is your grandchild, my sister is married to the Captain of the Guard." Rohab argued. "Your son has been trying to forge familial bonds. I am offering a strand of it."

Eyes flitted to Lily then, Aodhän's voice quieter as he questioned, "Do you trust this man?"

“I trust him more than you right now. Imprisoning me for no good reason, Sir. I delivered your granddaughter, the future Queen safely merely an hour ago but I have been thrown in my room like a naughty child!”

"You are not to tell a soul of what I am going to tell you. Kael is not to find out, no one in this kingdom or yours, Prince Rohaan, is allowed to catch wind of this. I am telling you, only for your promise that you will try and help - to form bonds my son has been begging for." Aodhän warned, before directing at Lily, "You and Aoife failed my wife. I told you it was not mere exhaustion, I told you to keep looking and you were so convinced that you were corrected that I believe you did not even search. This morning I found bark replacing skin on her shoulder. You will make her better, you will not tell Kael she is unwell. If this disease takes her too, I will parade yours and Aoife's head on spikes."

“Queen Isolde has - “ Lily swallowed as she took in the information, moving to sit heavily on the seat by her table. “You - you are sure the wasting has returned?”

Aodhän dipped his head in confirmation, swallowing as his throat began to tighten,. "This information does not go anywhere. You and Aoife are not to spend your energy on anything other than looking for a cure. Even the guards stationed outside will not know the true reason you are held in your rooms. Isolde and I will decide when we tell Kael. The people will panic if they find out."

"Your ancestors only inflict this on you if they are unhappy, isn't that what you all believe?" Rohan frowned. "So what has happened to displease them?"

“Sir I - it cannot be cured.” Lily almost whined, “I - hundreds of years people tried.”

"You did not listen!" Aodhän bellowed the words, wood of the counter beneath him splitting with the force of his hand smacking against it. Nostrils flaring when he was quickly face to face with Rohan, who had planted himself between him and Lily.

"Would you like to try to yell like that towards me instead? You'd have to face the consequences of it."

Aodhän laughed, taking half a step backwards. "Save her. If you do not, you will be dying too - only my wife will get to join the ancestors. I wouldn't allow such a thing for you and Aoife."

“I request the sword now.” Lily swallowed, standing up. “I will walk to it, I will admit my misdeeds. But I - I cannot live knowing my death could be in two weeks or ten years. People survived that long with it Sir. But it cannot be cured… And I would rather be executed now.”

"If she has to suffer then so do you." Aodhän sneered, turning and leaving the room then. Slamming the door closed behind himself.

Rohan shook his head, remaining where he waz until he was sure Aodhän wouldn't return. Shoulders tense.

Lily took a deep, shaky breath, getting up from the chair and beginning to pace the room with trembling hands.

"Come here, " Rohan mumbled as he turned to face her, offering arms out for an embrace. "You'll be okay, come here..."

Lily wandered to him, though quickly started patting down his waist in panic. Already sobbing as she grabbed the dagger she knew he kept holstered and fumbling around to unsheathe it.

"No, no, no." Rohan frowned, encompassing her in his arms and pulling her back to his chest. Gripping her wrists to stop the movements of her hands. "You aren't going to hurt yourself. There will be no execution, I won't allow it. I'll find away. You'll be okay, flower. You'll be okay."

“There is no curing it!” Lily screamed hysterically. “Do you think that we sat on our backsides for a thousand years whilst it ravaged the country?! Do you think we didn’t seek help?! Didn’t pray to every fucking god imaginable?! Didn’t bring in scholars and healers from every corner of the earth?! We did it all! Do you think the Queen’s daughter died because we just couldn’t be bothered looking hard enough?! There is no cure! Isolde is going to die! And I cannot I will not wait years pacing my room going mad as she declines before it happens! If you care about me at all you will give me the honour of a quick death, right here and now!”

"I will help you search, I will help you and if Isolde gets to the point where death is a shadow waiting at the end of her bed then you will come to Baldruun with me." Rohan brushed his thumb against her wrist as he spoke.

“Take me now. If you mean it then take me now. I cannot live like this Rohan. I cannot live not knowing if the end is a year away or tomorrow. Not when I cannot live my life in the meantime. Not when I am looking at these four walls!”

"I'll see what I can do. When we all go back, you will be on that boat with us." Rohan whispered, slowly releasing her hands. "You are going to be okay."

---

"I wasn't gone long at all, see." Aodhän hummed gently as he stepped back into his and Isolde's room. Door not making a sound as he closed it behind himself, looking towards the bedroom to try and spot her outline.