Hope Falls

"Such as?"

“Reprimanding soldiers for their laxness which caused Lily to be able to attempt her life in the first place.”

"Order Rauiri to do it, that is his job now. You have gone above and beyond today, please... bathe, then go home for the day."

“I’ll go speak to him… send for me if you need me.”

"I will, I - I need to grow up, be - be King for the rest of the day. Tomorrow though, I - can you stop by tomorrow?"

“Of course, but if I am needed before then, don’t hesitate, Kael.” Wyatt assured before leaving the room.

"Love you," He called just before the door closed behind him. Wiping at his face with a trembling breath a moment later, getting to his feet and going into the sleeping quarters to see Daphne. Sheepishly whispering, "Hi... I'm - Sorry."

“I do not care who that man is to you, if he admonishes me in such a way again I will be leaving this castle or he will.” Daphne whispered quietly, face stained with tears as she rocked back and forth with their still whimpering child on the bed.

Kael's face screwed up, as if he had taken a physical blow. Hand moving too quickly to pick at his arm, it not taking much to begin the spiral back down. "M - my mother is dy- dying. The wa - asting is back. Wyatt is never, never going to be leaving this place. I appr- appreciate th- that it was sca- scary for you b- but he had my be- est interests at he- heart. Never g- give me an ultimatum like th- that."

“I thought you were dying, screaming like a wounded animal! And I wasn’t allowed to help, or to comfort, or to ask what was wrong. I was treated like a naughty child.” Daphne swallowed as Rhea’s whines continued, taking a deep breath with a shake of her head to steady herself before moving to stand. “I thought the wasting had gone completely when your mother won back the land, are you entirely sure that is what is happening? Would she not tell you herself?”

"If she is too ill. Wy- Wyatt thinks my father had no intention of telling me." Kael swallowed. "I believe him. The healer, Lily, she tried to ki- kill herself today because of my fa- father."

“I think you should speak to your mother before you get yourself so upset. What if all of this is a misunderstanding and your mother is not dying? You’ll be in all this pain for no reason…”

"What is - What is your problem? Wh- why are y- you trying to s- sow see- ds of doubt constantly?" Kael shook her head. "I can't - I can't deal with your lack of - lack of everything right now. I'll be ba- ack later... maybe."

“Hawk should not have dismissed me. He should have told me what was happening. He should have offered to take the baby so that I could comfort you, if things are truly as bad as he is telling you. But we know how he can be with the truth, which is why I think you should speak to your mother first.”

"Wyatt never touched your fucking sisters." Kael sneered, temper flaring. "Wyatt would never lie to me about anything, I trust him. Why would he be explaining it to you when he was trying to help me breath? How would that have helped? I - your causing a argument now, really?"

“I am not causing an argument. I am your wife, it is my place to comfort you, not to be dismissed the way he did! And then to send me back to my room with the child screaming to and I could do nothing to help either of you!”

"My wife?" Kael laughed humourlessly, shaking his head. "Not one who understands me, who understands that I - I just needed him."

“I am sorry that wanting to comfort you and being told to go away means I did not understand you. That you cannot deal with my lacking right now.”

He stared at her in silence for several moments, before whispering, "I have things to do. I walked in here t - to check in on you, to ex- explain. Not for you to gi- give utilmatums about Wyatt and accuse him of ly- lying. Not for you t- to make this about you instead of ac- acknowledging how huge this is. I'll ask someone to fetch your sis- sisters if you wish. I am sure they'll be delighted to hear how terrible Wyatt was to you, that I ha-" He cut off as his voice broke, flinching as he gripped his own arm. "I miss you. I'm scared the damage they have done to us will never get u- undone."

“When I came here I was assured by you I could be myself, speak my mind, and no longer had to shrink back with my opinions. Yet unless those words are positive about you and the man you love - you want me to go back to doing exactly that. It’s not the true freedom you promised me.” Daphne whispered. “Your friend hurt people I love and you silence me when I speak on it. And now I do not trust him as a primary source of information - because I think you should confirm it from your mother herself rather than a potentially twisted version from Hawk, I am no longer the person you think you knew? I sat in here with a screaming child listening to you sounding like you were dying and I wasn’t allowed to comfort you or even know why because Hawk deemed it so. You fear what my sisters have done to us? I fear what Hawk has done to us.” She added shakily.

"The first thing you done when I stepped in here is argue and try and make me doubt the word of my closest friend, those are not the actions of a woman wanting to comfort. Even now.... I - I - " He waved a hand away in exhaustion. "What is there to say? I am sorry I have someone who loves me. I am sorry your sisters hate me. I am sorry my mother is dying. I - " Eyes flitted to stare at the ground mournfully, head low, "I am sorry I am not the perfect saviour my people have painted me out to be. The one you know how to deal with."

“Ah because I am lying about my intentions. I do not wish to comfort you, I wish to watch you suffer, is that what you think?” Daphne shook her head with a soft sigh. “If you mother is sick I am sorry, truly so. And I wish I could be what you need right now - but apologising like that to make me feel guilty for my lack of trust in Hawk is not going to work. None of this would be an issue if he had told me what was going on and hadn’t dismissed me…” she pointed out quietly as she once again tried to soothe the whiny babe in her arms. “Where do you wish to go from here? Because it is clear you are unhappy.”

"I am going to spend the rest of the day, and tonight elsewhere. This is all - this is too much. This is becoming about us and I don't care about us right now, which you are going to chatise me for but it is true. I need to process, I need to... I need to go."

“As you wish… I hope you find the peace you’re seeking elsewhere.”

Kael just nodded, visibly shaking as he turned on his heel and walked out. Fast-paced steps used to disguise the trembling breathes, not knocking, not hesitating to push the door to Indira's rooms open and seek her out with a panicked expression.