Hope Falls

“This land was isolated for centuries to protect it whilst they were weak. They grow stronger by the day. The first children to be born after the wasting are almost fully grown adults, unburdened by the trauma faced by their ancestors. I think it is possible… but I think it will take a longer time than Kael believes, in truth. Have you ever broken a bone, Ishaan? My older sister broke her leg as a child. Months she couldn’t walk on it at all, but then for a while she could, but ever so slowly. It took almost three years before she could completely walk without any twinges, aches and pains. And even then in the wintertime the part of her thigh where it broke would still stiffen. All of that is to say - she was walking after a few months, but the pain was still there as a reminder for years. It took time before she no longer thought of it. I think there will be a time when your people are accepted here, I think it will be longer before they are accepted and celebrated for the things they can offer.”

---

“Did you not dream of marrying a lowborn healer? Is it not your dreams coming true too?”

"Dreams of marriage is something I never had, not a happy one or a willing one. We aren't allowed that luxury as royals, none of us. Marriage is a transaction."

---

"I have broken many a bones in the past at the very least, Your Highness, I have been in battles for my country." Ishaan wrinkled his nose. "More than the one undergone here. Arzen and I were my fathers war horses."

"Get away with it? No, no. It isn't fair to keep it from them any longer than you already have. It is time they are having with you when you are well, thru need to know it's precious." Kael whispered, leaning back from her finally and wiping at his face. "Don't delay for me. It - it won't kill Morfydd if we get emotional together. I won't break... not with her."

“The end of the week then… I still want to preserve her innocence a little longer… I want a few more days with her where things are norma before I collapse it all.”

---

“This isn’t exactly willing for you is it? Forcing your hand.”

---

“Then you understand my analogy. The discontent caused by the war will dissipate slowly.”

"Or never. I lean much closer to never, your husband is a fantasist. His entire life he has been a hero of a story his parents crafted for him, what will happen when it hits him that the great things he aims for aren't possible?"

---

"Okay," Kael whispered, "Okay. I will avoid her in that time then, I can't... I can not lie to her. Or act like everything is okay either."

---

"I care about you, I asked you rather than being told to. It is willing."

“You doubt him incredible amounts. This isn’t a hint at an overall feeling is it? Allying my sisters with potential enemies of my husband in the future isn’t something I wish to do.”

---

“If you must, I understand.” Isolde nodded, moving her hand to brush her thumb against his cheek. “I won’t forgive them for this, the Ancestors. For what they’re doing to you and your sisters…”

---

Lily nodded, swallowing thickly. “Tonight then…”

"It comes from a place of care, not animosity." He assured, lifting his hands up in surrender. "I have left this place with my head bowed before I do not wish to ever do it again, I assure you."

---

"They - There is a plan for everything. We can't doubt them, can't villainise them." Kael whispered, though leant toward her touch. "Fiadh assured me everything will be okay and - and if I lose you at - at least you'll see Sìofra, at least you can tell Bodhi how much Indira and I love him, tell him how we still talk about him. Remind him he isn't just a name."

---

"Only if you want. I would protect you, wife or not, healer. If you want to sentence me to a life with the stuck-up vipers then you may." Rohan chuckled weakly. "I'll only be a little hurt."

“It is the only thing that has brought me comfort… knowing I will be with those we have lost… Especially my Síofra.” Isolde nodded, her voice growing thick. “You are a parent now… you know the ache when your child is not in your arms. And I have waited so long to hold her again.”

---

“It is not the marriage I imagined… but if I do not have long left I’d like to do something worthwhile with it. Saving you from a marriage to one of those two sounds worthwhile enough to me.”

---

“We only wish for peace too… across all continents. We have had too much war.”

"Mm, bittersweet." Kael whispered thickly, barely giving a nod of understanding. "You'll look after Bodhi for me? I know he is being looked after anyway, there are enough people to do it but no one - none of them are you, so..."

---

"I won't be allowing you to die," Rohan repeated, pulling her onto his lap once he had settled on the sofa. Holding her close, "Though if you are so certain, I gave my idea to Kiaan - about the wasting being weapomised and he - he liked it. If you go to Isolde and take a few samples for me m, discreetly? I - I'd be grateful."

---

"I believe we all share a common threat right now. The wolves are at unease across my continent too now. It is worth us working collaboratively to find a way to pin them all down. Restrict them, so we can watch them all closer."

“Of course, I will be telling him all about you, and his brother. His aunts. I’ll be telling him everything.”

---

“I’m not allowed near any of them, I doubt I’d be able to get close.” Lily frowned, shaking her head. “I’m sorry.”

---

“My husband is convinced Sarika will come one day. Most people seem to be.”

"Not if her people are quelled now, and if we do a cross-continent approach then it may work." Ishaan whispered. "'Do you have ideas here on how to prevent it?"

---

"They'll allow you if you tell them you need samples to test a cure. Please..."

---

Kael nodded, leaning in to hug her then. Resting his head on top of hers so that he was now the one to comfort. "'We'll be okay. I promise... we'll miss you, but, we'll be okay."

“I’m so sorry, Kael. So sorry that this is happening. That your first few months of your reign - of your daughter’s birth, have been marred by me. It should be such a glorious time for you. I’m so sorry.” Isolde whispered, taking a deep breath to steady her trembling.

---

“I’ll try, but I can keep no promises.”

---

“No… my expertise isn’t war or preventing it unfortunately. My father did not see fit to educate women in such matters.”

"It isn't your fault; it isn't your fault please don't apologise." Kael whispered, rubbing her arm gently. "I'm not angry at you, not at you. Never at you..."

---

"I imagine, mm. Your father done you very little favours for being a future Queen. My kingdom has half a foot in your people's mindset and the other half more social, so it isn't a criticism, very you become uncomfortable.:

---

"Trying means plenty. You can't save your Queen, I know, but your ability to get samples may be the key to saving my brother."

“I do not think my father thought any of us would amount to much, never mind being future Queens. Especially not with me being the third sister. He wanted his son, and did not care about the rest of us.”

---

“I wanted so badly to watch you grow into the King I know you can be…”

---

“I will try.” Lily assured, closing her eyes and leaning into him.

"Again, very much like my own father. Our importance was ranked by our birth order, and gender. I faired... fine, not amazingly. The perfect second though, the perfect right hand. My sisters raised to be quiet and obedient, to not speak and to remain silent even when taking a hit. Rohan and Kiaan to know that even though their minds were brilliant, that they most likely would be a trade agreement marriage like their sisters."

---

"I- I will be fine. I will be good and you still will be watching, it'll just... be a little different."

---

"You must be tired," Rohan finally sympathised, pulling her onto his lap. "Must be so tired, flower."

“Before I die… I wish to see the West Wing reopened… and you must promise me that these rooms do not get turned into a dusty tomb the way I allowed Síofra’s to.” Isolde whispered, struggling to keep her voice steady. “Before I go I wish to see it returned to its former glory, full of life. The West Wing is the rightful place for the heir to be. I deprived you of it, we should not allow that to be the same for Rhea.”

---

“I am.” Lily admitted, “Aoife has been taking care of me, but keeps chastising me for how much blood I ended up losing. She keeps reminding me how close I was to truly dying…”

---

“My father wasn’t even bothered about having us married off. He felt no need for alliances, he was an arrogant man.”

"She cares about you, that has been clear in the time I have been here." Rohan whispered "I imagine you scared her, I imagine you were close to dying. When yiu set your mind to something not much seems to get in the way."

---

"He was rich, richer than mine. If you have such money I suppose alliances aren't so important. Though his arrogance extending to his army was concerning, our milita is a good force. Kiaan and Rohan are the brains behind our inventions, so with your sisters married to them then you can be assured your family home will be well protected."

---

"I - I will make sure it happens then. Of course." Kael nodded. "Whatever you wish."

“My father always saw that we could just pay any armies off that tried to come to our doors, he didn’t see the need for a huge army. But it wouldn’t harm to have the assistance in finally building one up, just in case unease does happen and our country is involved.”

---

“The Castle being as it should be before I go…” Isolde nodded, “If it’s possible.”

---

“I couldn’t take the constant knot in my stomach… I wanted it over.”

"I'll order it, make it one of the priorities. I think Hawk is having doubts about Cavanaugh, and it's hard to work out if it is a genuine concern or if he is just struggling to let go. Maybe giving one of them control of that will diffuse tension."

---

"If you feel like it again, ever... send for me?" Rohan asked gently, beginning to rock with her. "You and I can try and find away through. I don't want you feeling like that alone."

---

"That would only work if the war were about money. What I know of the Adair's though, from their attack here when Kael's sweetheart was killed and then the one in my own lands.. it is vengeance they seek. They are angry souls, unable to grieve. Now Sarika is alone, now she has nothing to lose... it makes it so much more dangerous. Your people will need our strength."

“I understand struggling to let go… I imagine I’d be annoying you a whole lot more with my inability to do so if I had the strength.” Isolde laughed softly, “There’s much to go over with you. All of my clothes are being divided between your sisters, with a few to your wife. But I suppose if you are officially choosing Indira as a mistress I can include some for her too. The jewellery will mostly go to your sisters too but - but there are pieces I have that belonged to your mother, that I would like you to have. Either for yourself or your children.”

---

“We can begin discussions for all of that when our siblings are wed. I’ll inform my uncle of the choice I’ve made. He chose to give my the power to arrange their marriages so I cannot see him being irritated at who they end up with.”

---

“I will… I imagine we’ll be spending a lot of time together soon mm?”

"Kiaan and Rohan are catches, mm. Brilliant minds, each of them. I have never met people more intelligent." Ishaan beamed proudly.

---

"I think clearing out the West Wing will feel important enough for Hawk. He'll be honoured with it, get it done quickly and he'll take the heat off of Cavanaugh for awhile then too." Kael nodded. "As for - all the stuff. I - Who would you like to help you write it all down, inventory it? You can have whoever you like."

---

"We can spend however much time you'd like with me, there is no pressure. None at all."

“Most of it is already inventoried, I kept good track of it all. You’ll find I haven’t left much mess behind.” Isolde grinned with a soft laugh. “Being organised makes ruling a lot easier. It’s the best bit of advice I could give you.”

---

“My sisters are capable of running households well, I ensured they were educated well at home.”

---

“I don’t think I’d mind spending time with you…”

"Daphne is the organiser I feel," Kael mused affectionately. "She has a place for everything, and where something is shows what needs doing with it. It's some system she has, I don't understand it. She sure does get irritated when I move something though."

---

"That is a big compliment, mm. I'll try not to speak too much of my language, try not to make you feel isolated when we are together."

---

"Of course, of their person though? Tell me more..."

“Maybe you could teach me?”

---

“It’s a good trait to have. Knowing where things are, people are. What goes where.” Isolde nodded, “I learned that from your mother… she was my organiser for a long, long time.”

---

“They both love to hunt, they have skill with arrows especially. Iskras speciality is birds. Agatha’s is ground animals, bigger ones. Agatha is… less proper than Iskrs, but they’re both very committed to how we were raised, and are disappointed in certain ways I have chosen to conform.”

"Mm, what us your preference, for whom we match with whom?"

---

"Teach you? My language?" Rohan laughed quietly, shaking his head at her. "You do not want to learn it, not really, why would you? It is spat upon here."

---

"It wasn't just the two of you though, was it? There were more...  I- You've never spoken about it so I never thought the rumours were true but I found scrolls. Certificates and letters. The family is bigger than I knew."