Hope Falls

“Forgive me for saying so but the amount of children your parents had is egregious, I can see why people were intimidated. Classes in schools back home are no larger than ten, and that’s considered a large class. All of you at once would have been hard to navigate I imagine. You were often left wrangling the younger ones?”

---

“Thank you, Sir. I appreciate that.”

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“Is it time to get up?” Isolde asked, eyes blinking open at his touch. Tendrils of the disease reaching up toward her neck, only a fraction closer than before, but notably so.

"No, you rest for as long as you need to." He encouraged gently, frowning as he touched the skin just above the disease. "I love you, more than you'll ever understand."

---

"I will see you later," Kael hummed with a tired smile. "Remind me the food you can't have? I'm sure you were intolerant to something, weren't you?"

---

Agatha nodded. "We all took turns, but the others were quicker to temper than me and as soon as you raise your voice at any of those girls and they lose respect. It becomes a losing battle, instantly."

“I’m quite alright with everything Sir, don’t worry.” Ruairi assured, giving a quick nod before leaving.

---

“I do know, and I love you immeasurable amounts too…” Isolde closed her eyes once more, reaching her hand for his.

---

“Too many for anyone to handle, I often thought that there were six of us was probably too much for my mother but you are over three times more…”

"Our mother stopped caring about us as individuals, and I used to be angry about it. It used to boil my blood that she would remember how Daphne would enjoy her drinks, or what food made her brighten but half the time she could not remember my name. I would wonder why I wasn't good enough, if there was something wrong with me. As I got older though, I learned that it wasn't her fault though - how could it be? Her mind would have been broken after so much, so many."

“Even brood mares and dairy cattle are retired long before twenty children…” Kiaan nodded in understanding.

"It appears we lack individualism to all of you, anyone outside our family and I understand why, especially compared to the openess you are used to. What we do exhibit though, in our family is a blaze of rebellion, only a cinder to you."

---

Aodhãn interlocked his fingers with hers, and squeezed her hand tightly. "It was nice, last night, to have all of them in one room."

---

Kael's knocked on the door to Aoife and Lily's quarters less then ten minutes later, calling quietly, "It is urgent... please."

“You say this, but I am under the impression that the moment your elder sister came here and began to be an individual you took offence to it and wanted conformity again.”

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“One last time mmm… I doubt we shall have it again.”

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Lily opened the door, her gaze low, already refusing to meet his eyes. “Your Majesty.” She greeted quietly.

"Can I come in and speak to you? Aoife too, if she's available." Kael asked quietly. "This talk is - is long overdue, I believe."

---

"Maybe, maybe not." He whispered, "I think they all might surprise us."

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"It felt... feels like her husband is disrespecting her, disrespecting us." Agatha swallowed, lowering her gaze to watch the floor. "It isn't so easy to adjust."

“Not easy, no. But do you not think your sister felt more disrespected that her sisters do not think she is capable of deciding for herself? That any change must have been coerced or influenced? My own sisters have changed here.” Kiaan reasoned quietly. “How they dress - no more sandals and exposed midriffs. Less jewellery and more layers. But it is changes they have made because they wanted to, not because they were forced. They eat different foods - but not because food from home is not an option, because they want to. Indira is raising her son differently here to how she would at home, because it is what she wishes to do. Avani has gone from a Princess running a rich lords household and raising his children to being a guest in the castle of another monarch, she has adapted. Not everything is forced or coerced.”

---

Lily swallowed, stepping back from the door and allowing Kael inside as she quickly crossed the room to create space.

---

“It would be nice… but I fear Eira will be the only one we shall see in our bed again.”

"How did you take it? How have you... coped?" Agatha swallowed. "I am trying, I assure you that I am doing my best. The staff here do not make it easy though, the staff mock our accents when they believe we don't hear. The drinks always taste... strange and I know it is not because of a change in ingredients because I have sipped Daphne's and hers has been fine. We did not lie about those guards, those beasts... they were violent, they bruised us and found pleasure in it. We were scared."

---

"You are scared of me?" Kael frowned, sitting himself down on the edge of the sofa. "I - I am sorry, for how my father treated you, Lily."

Rohan stepped from Lily's room, his hair and clothes dishevelled. Arm snaking around her waist to bring her in. Ducking his head to whisper in her ear, "I'm here, nothing is going to happen to you."

---

"Better to allow time to give us the answers."

“Your mother’s life is on a timer and so is mine. It could be tomorrow or in six weeks or six years or… And you have the power to make it so. Forgive my caution Sir…” Lily lifted her gaze briefly, her hand moving to rest on Rohan’s. “Everything I thought that would keep me from falling out of favour with your family was wrong - my life hangs in the balance.”

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“You bullied a child. A child they watched brought into this world and lose his brother minutes later. A child that makes everyone laugh, brings them all joy. From their point of view you turned up here and judged your sister for behaving like them and then to boot you badmouth the defenceless. Can you blame them for treating you badly so you leave, after your own bad behaviour?”

---

“Which means you agree…”

"My mothers impending doom is not going to impact your life. Not Aoife's either." Kael assured quietly. "My father and I are barely on speaking terms now, he is perfectly aware of how wrong he was and I have no doubt he is paying an emotional toll for it. My word overrules his though, I swear it on the ancestors, on Rhea and Idris' lives you are not going to die at the hand of this Crown."

---

Agatha grew quiet, staring at her own hands in her laps for several minutes. Head finally shaking in the negative

---

"I don't know." Aodhan frowned. "I am just grateful we had it, I just hope it will happen again - despite the likelihood."

“I think you got off the boat and onto the carriage here, exhausted from the journey which affected your mood and how you saw things. How deeply you felt things. How emotional you were. Instead of going straight to bed for a day or two, you and your sister opened your mouths without thinking and it has spiralled into the situation you are now in today. Just a few off comments that grew and rooted and now you are here… Your sisters marriage has collapsed, you are in a marriage you do not want to be in and everyone is miserable. I do not think you ever wanted it to be this way, and I do not think you wish for the hole to be dug deeper, nor do you know how to fix it.”

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“You wear the crown. It does not mean your father himself will not try anything. He is not a man without means. He ran this country with your mother for far longer than was official in their marriage. It would take seconds for him to have my life cut short.”

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“I think I scare Kael now…” Isolde admitted, her hand squeezing his.

"Scare him? No, no I can't picture that. He may be scared of the prospect of losing you, like the rest of us are to be scared of you? That is - that is just not true, Sol." Aodhan frowned, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "You are tired, exhausted. It is easy to over analyse things."

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"He would not dare step out of line, or try and overrule my word. He attempted it by making the threats he did to you, and I assure you if I had been aware of it then it never would have happened." Kael frowned, briefly looking towards Rohan as he felt the Prince's steely gaze. "My father and I are being civil for my sisters, and my mother but he is not forgiven and I don't think our already strained relationship will ever be anywhere close to friendly."

"My wife's trust in your leadership has been dented, tree dweller. She is talented, and as soon as she wishes to leave this place and come to my home then I hope you know you have lost someone irreplaceable."

"Of course, and - and you are welcome to leave whenever you want to." Kael swallowed. "I - I must ask though, have you been trying? I - " His gaze went back to Lily, voice thick, "We told my sisters, last night. The people will know by the end of the week, too. I just - I know it is a fools errand, Lily, I know. You saved Indira though, delivered Rhea without any issues. You are blessed by the ancestors, you are a miracle worker and bright and -  and whether you try or not, even if you fail, no harm will come to you. I swear it, I - I swear."

---

"It is all a mess," Agatha agreed, voice barely louder than a whisper. "I want this marriage, I - Part of the reason Iskra and I came here was to meet prospects. I am making my family proud, more than proud to be leaving this place with someone like you. Not being able to choose myself is a bit disappointing, and I never would have chosen you, because of who you are. I never would have been so ambitious. I am sorry you have been placed with me."

Lily swallowed, leaning further into Rohan. “I never thought my life would be under threat in the first place… how do I know that I can trust you now. When I trusted your father before and it proved to be misplaced trust? How do I know you are not just acting? And saying what you want me to hear?”

---

“I have let him down… and I scare him.” Isolde curled into him. “He’s never going to see me the same way again…”

---

“I never wanted a bride, I would not lie to you and say otherwise. But of my two options you are the more palatable one…”

"You are his mother, and he loves you." Aodhan promised softly, beginning to rock gently with her. "He has always put you on a pedestal above anyone else, and he still does. You are his role model, the person he aspires to be like."

---

"Two options, one of which I am better?" Agatha laughed humourlessly, "Oh your other match must have been a hag."

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"I hope that you know me well enough to know that I am not my father, I hope that you - that... You have watched me grow up, Lily. I am not flawless, and every day I have had this crown on my head I have been learning more things about me that I need to improve. I should have came to you sooner, I see that. I have left it far, far too long to make this right for you. I am deeply sorry."

“A child.”

---

“I want a blood oath… I want it overseen by the Ancestors that if you or your father harm me that you’ll be cursed for it…” Lily finally breathed, “I have given everything to this family and if I am to give my life in the end then I am taking you all down with me for it. Whatever trust we have was burned by your father and we are staring at ash.”

---

“Have I put too much on him? The crown? Should I just have let him live his life as a young Prince instead?”

"Having that responsibility, being accepted so wholly by you has made him. You are his child as much as Siofora, as much as Mor and Eira. The lines are not there, they are so blurred that they are not existent. You are a good mother, Isolde. He loves you."

---

"A - A.." Agatha swallowed. "How old?"

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"I am willing to do that, as soon as possible. I have a meeting with Cavanaugh at dinner, but afterwards - just as the moon rises I will be able to meet you in the forest and we can conduct the oath." Kael nodded. "I - Would you consider trying to find a cure? I don't care if you fail, just to know that you are trying will mean everything..."

“I will need more blood.” Lily replied quietly. “Yours as you have survived it, your mothers as she has it… Indira because mother and babe share blood when it is in the womb and she carried Bodhi… and Idris because he shared the space with his brother too… I can try study it all…”

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“Sixteen when I return and am supposed to marry her. And Mehan would force the matter quickly. Ishaan and Zoya took too long to consummate theirs so he had it watched. I imagine he wouldn’t allow me to put the matter off as my brother did. The thought of the entire debacle makes my stomach roil.”

---

“He is struggling so much Aodhän…”

"I can get you that," Kael answered quickly, scared any delay would give her the chance to change her mind as he nodded his response. "Thank you, thank you. Just the effort means - it means everything, it really does."

---

"That's..." She swallowed, shaking her head. "I am sorry you have been forced into such a position. The uh, the fact that you have been, the fact that the King himself was is a foreign concept to me. I don't understand how it is possible, with you being brother to a King. I don't understand how a Lord can force an heir to marry or... It must all be very complex."

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"He is?" Aodhän frowned. "I was under the impression he was doing well."

“He’s barely sleeping, he has this on his shoulders, his marriage is collapsing… It is too much and I cannot help.”

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“Mm… he grew in power under my father and has wielded the influence extraordinarily since his death… But at the very least after marrying you I am no longer subjected to that fate.”

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“Not for him or for her or even for you am I doing this… but because if it’s returned and I don’t try it may come for those I love next too.”

"If you do not ever wish to be intimate then I am - I am willing to lie. I understand I am only the better option compared to a child, not compared to some... sun kissed goddess who would throw themselves at you, the kind of women I am sure you are used to." Agatha swallowed. "I do not wish to cause you to be uncomfortable. It sounds like your father in law is the one who is holding the power here."

---

Kael let out a slow breath, and nodded. "I will get you the blood before dinner, and I shall - I shall meet you in the forest at moonrise so we can contact the ancestors, and begin the blood oath. Thank you, for your time."

---

"It was never going to be an easy transition for him, and perhaps he made the wrong time to find comfort with Indira. These are all learning curves for him, and nothing to do with you."

“He’s not just found comfort with her, he’s making her his Mistress. It’s completely different to just an affair under his wife’s nose. And I do not think she is in the mood to forgive him for it any time soon - and I fear it will cause him to crumble further.”

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“Please do not get your hopes up for miracles Sir. I will try but… I will be one of thousands who has done the same and failed.”

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“I’ve told you why I didn’t bed you on our wedding night - you were shaking and frightened. I’m not in the habit of sleeping with scared girls. Nor girls that are not ready, or do not want things.”

"The entire prospect of it scares me, I have heard horror stories and - we have had this conversation, mm? I can not gain experience from thin air, nor knowledge. What am I to do? I'm not unattractive to look at, I know that."

---

"Thank you, th- thank you. I am sorry our relationship has been damaged, Lily. I really am." Kael whispered thickly, eyes flicking briefly towards Rohan, cautious of his presence. "You are not the only one who dislikes me right now. To say I am doing my best is not an excuse, but - but it is not a lie either. You join a line of people who wait to tell me I am not good enough, currently."

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"He has chosen the wrong timing, so eager to love everyone."

“I have not said I hate you, nor have I said you are not good enough. You’re projecting your issues onto me, onto everyone else unless they have said it directly. I have never been anything but friendly with you. Do not try and make me feel guilty when it is my head and my life that were threatened. That I was locked up less than an hour after delivering your daughter. When I tried to - “ Lily shook her head, a flash of annoyance at the self pity.

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“And when I am used to active and willing participants it seems unbecoming to order you into the bedroom and strip down so we can just get on with it…”

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“So much love to give… I can imagine him with such a large family, bigger than ours… and I won’t meet most of his children…”