The next morning, Asra woke up in Julian's room and the first thing he saw was Julian fast asleep next to him. Memories of the previous night came flooding back, and he grinned. He was still surprised that Kasumi had been okay with this. He had to admit that he was relieved also, because it meant he didn't have to lie to Kasumi about his feelings towards Julian anymore. He slowly and quietly got off the bed so he didn't wake up Julian and started picking his clothes up off the floor and dressing himself. He was in the process of buttoning up his shirt when he heard Julian groan as the sheets shifted, and he turned his head just as Julian opened his eyes.
Julian looked over and yawned before smiling and leaning against his elbow. "Morning."
"Good morning, Ilya. Sleep well?"
"Definitely!" He sat up and stretched his arms, the sheets falling off his bare chest. "Dressed already? Where are you going?"
"I thought I'd go see Kasumi and we'd head back to the shop before the announcement this afternoon."
"You know, I should thank Kasumi for last night." Julian said with a laugh.
Asra chuckled. "It was fun, wasn't it? Well, you know… if you ever want to do it again, you know where to find me." He wrapped his scarf around himself and grabbed his bag, bringing it over his shoulder. "Will I see you at the town square later today?"
"Yeah, absolutely. I'll be there."
"Good. Then I'll see you this afternoon." Asra then walked out of the room and started heading towards the front doors.
Meanwhile, Kasumi walked into the palace with Ember walking beside her after they'd woken up in Portia's cottage. When she saw Asra walking down the hall towards the entrance, she ran over, calling his name excitedly, "Asra! Asra! Asra!"
He chuckled at her excitement. "What? What is it?"
"You'll never guess what happened last night after you left!"
"You're probably right, I won't. What?"
Kasumi picked up Ember and smiled brightly at Asra. "Chandra must be psychic or something, because she led me straight to my familiar!"
Asra's eyes widened in shock before he smiled widely, and he was obviously just as excited as she was. "Kasumi! You finally found your familiar!" He hugged her happily. "I'm so happy for you!" He pulled away and looked at her fondly. "See? I told you that you'd find the one for you someday!"
Kasumi laughed and hugged him back. "I already did before last night, though." She heard Asra let out a happy sigh at hearing that as his arms encircled her waist again. Ember got out of Kasumi's arm to climb onto her shoulder so she wouldn't be squished between them. After the hug, Kasumi looked at Asra and asked, "Speaking of familiars, where's Faust?"
As if on cue, Faust came around the corner and slithered up Asra's leg before resting around his shoulders and looking happily at Ember. "New friend!"
Asra chuckled and pet Faust's head. "Right here. Where were you all last night, huh?"
"Tree!"
"Oh? I should have guessed!" Asra laughed. "You always did love hanging from those branches!" He then looked back at Kasumi. "Come on. Let's head back to the shop. We'll see Ilya, Portia, and Nadia later."
"Speaking of Julian…" Kasumi smirked. "How was last night?"
Asra chuckled. "It was fun. I'm glad you talked me into it."
"I'm glad!" 'Part one: get Julian and Asra together, complete.' She followed Asra out of the palace and they made their way back to the shop.
The morning went by quickly, and before Asra or Kasumi knew it, it was time to head to the town square where Nadia would be making her announcement. That morning, she had sent out multiple messengers out to spread the word to the people so they would gather in the square. Not long after arriving in the square, which was already packed with people, Asra and Kasumi walked through the crowds holding hands until they found Julian standing near the podium where the announcement would be made. "Ilya," Asra called as he and Kasumi walked over. "There you are. We were looking for you."
Julian chuckled. "Well, I'm right here. Pasha and Nadia should be here any minute." He then looked at Kasumi with a smile. "By the way, I wanted to thank you for last night."
"No problem!" Kasumi laughed. "You two are good together, and I would never want to come in between you and Asra."
Asra smiled between them and took Julian's hand with his free one, so he was holding his in one had and Kasumi's in the other. "I, myself, couldn't be happier to have both of you in my life."
Kasumi kissed Asra's cheek. "You're sweet." Julian nodded in agreement with Kasumi as he squeezed Asra's hand gently.
Suddenly, there was a small commotion, and the three of them looked over to see a carriage, with Vesuvia's crest painted on the side of it, stopped at the walkway that led to the podium. Nadia got out of the carriage first wearing her usual white and see-through dress, after the driver opened the door. Portia walked out after her, wearing a finely made blue and silver strapless dress that stopped at just above her ankles. He hair was tied back as usual, but instead of her usual striped headband, she had a flowered clip holding it back. She followed right behind Nadia as she made her way up to the front of the crowd and rang a bell for silence.
Once there was silence enough for Nadia to speak, she cleared her throat and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Public speaking had never been her strong suit, and she dreaded it, but being Vesuvia's leader, she had no choice. Once her nerves were in check, she opened her eyes and called out loud. "People of Vesuvia, today I have a very important announcement to make. As you all know, Count Lucio is gone…"
"Thank every saint out there for that, too." Asra whispered, which made Kasumi and Julian both snicker quietly.
"Therefore, I feel it only appropriate as Vesuvia's Countess to remarry."
Julian suddenly looked shocked while some people in the crowd began whispering amongst themselves.
"Allow me to introduce you to my betrothed…" She motioned Portia over and presented her to the crowd. "Portia."
"What?!" A man in the front of the crowd yelled, and Kasumi could tell he was a noble of some kind from the way he and the woman next to him – who was most likely his wife – dressed. "A laundry maid?! As a countess?!"
"I'll have you know that Portia is exactly what this city needs after all the turmoil it has endured."
"No!" Another person yelled at Nadia. "No commoners as royals!" The woman who shouted that soon had multiple people repeating the phrase.
Kasumi, Asra and Julian all exchanged looks before Kasumi let go of Asra's hand and jumped up onto the podium. She tried to quiet the crowds calmly, but when she failed to, she growled and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Quiet!" Everything went dead silent and everyone seemed to freeze. She let out a deep sigh and rubbed her temple. "Now, before you all start a riot, I want to say something. I've spent time in the palace and have gotten to know Portia as a dear friend of mine. Allow me to say that Portia has always done what is best for Vesuvia, and she has shown the grace and poise that is equal to any noble or royal out there."
While Kasumi was delivering her speech in her defense of Portia and had everyone's attention, no one seemed to notice a person in a black robe stand up on a pile of wooden crates near the back of the crowds and load an arrow into their bow. They then pointed the bow directly at Kasumi… and fired.
Kasumi suddenly fell back when the arrow pierced her chest, and the crowds started panicking, running around like mad chickens.
"Kasumi!" Asra cried and jumped up on the stage with Julian, who was looking just as concerned and they rushed over to her.
"Guards!" Nadia ordered, and a few immediately rushed over, bowing to her. "Find the person who shot Kasumi! Bring them to me!"
"Yes Countess!" The guards said and immediately formed search parties while Nadia and Portia checked on Kasumi, too.
Julian sat behind Kasumi and lifted her up a bit, so that the back of her head was lying against his stomach as Asra was inspecting the wound. The arrow had pierced her right below her left breast which seemed to be making difficult for her to breathe, meaning it was in her lung. Blood was pouring out of the wound, staining her blue colored shirt red. "Is there something you can do, Asra? Use some kind of healing magic?" Julian asked concerned as his eyes silently pleaded with Asra.
"Not this moment, no. I would need to take the arrow out first, and if I do that, she could possibly bleed to death…"
"We need to get her back to the palace, then." Nadia said.
"I agree." Julian nodded. "My medical kit is there, and I could help treat her." He slowly moved around and picked up Kasumi in his arms and carried her gently, much in the same way he had when she'd gotten bitten by that vampire eel. He brought her over to Nadia's carriage as the coach opened the door for him, and he got in, followed by Asra, Nadia and Portia. They then quickly made their way back to the palace as Kasumi sat on Julian's lap, her head against the crook of his neck as her hand gripped her wound. She was breathing shallowly through gritted teeth as the pain seemed endless, and Asra was running his fingers through her hair to try and keep her calm. Portia sat across from her brother as they rode, completely silent, just staring at Kasumi while Nadia was biting her nails nervously.
When the five of them finally made it to the palace, they let Julian out first since he was the one carrying Kasumi, and he ran through the gates and up the steps to the doors with Asra right behind him. Nadia and Portia both nervously took their time getting out and going through the gates. Nadia turned to one of the gate guards and ordered, "If someone comes here with information about this would-be assassin, send them to me immediately." The guard nodded his head and bowed. When they walked through the gates, Nadia noticed Portia looking distraught and frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Kasumi got up on that podium to try and defend me…" Her head was bowed sadly. "If something happens to her… it would be my fault."
Nadia's frown deepened before she pulled Portia into a hug. "It's not your fault. I admit… things could have gone a lot smoother today, but the last thing you should do is blame yourself."
Meanwhile, Kasumi was being rushed into Julian's room, and once in there, he laid her on the bed very carefully as Asra rushed in behind him. After Kasumi was comfortable, Julian stood up and rushed over to the chest in the far side of the room where he kept his medical equipment.
Asra slowly walked over to the bed and kneeled down beside it as he glanced at Kasumi's face, and she looked back at him, pain evident in her eyes. He frowned as tears started welling up in his eyes.
At Asra and Kasumi's shop, Faust and Ember had been spending their time playing while their magicians were at the meeting in the square. They both sensed their others distress and Faust slithered onto Ember's back, lightly gripped her tail around Ember's stomach so that she wouldn't fall off. Of course, Faust could slither quite quickly when she wanted to, but not as fast or for as long as Ember could run. Ember then climbed up through an open window on the first floor and jumped out, immediately taking off towards the palace.
Back in Julian's room, he was sitting on the bed next to Kasumi who was still lying there, and he took her shirt off enough to see the wound. "Ah… it's worse than I thought…" He breathed out, but quickly got to work anyway. After taking out bandages and a few other things, he turned back to Kasumi. "I have to take the arrow out to fully heal you. I'm not going to lie, either… this is going to hurt. It's best if I just do it quickly." He handed her a cloth. "Here, bite into this."
Kasumi took the cloth from Julian and put it in her mouth, biting down on it and gripped the headboard of the bed, bracing herself for the pain. As Julian gripped the shaft of the arrow, she flinched slightly, but when he took a deep breath and suddenly tore it out of her, she screamed in pain through the cloth. Asra didn't know whether he was going to break down into tears or vomit; he ended up doing both.
A few hours later, Kasumi suddenly woke up with a start as a loud clang happened when Julian accidently knocked a decanter onto the floor. Julian immediately crawled onto the bed next to her and placed his hand on her forehead. "I'm so glad I didn't kill you." He said with a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"
Kasumi moved a bit, and there was a dull pain in her wound as she did so, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been before, so she answered, "Better."
"Good." Asra smiled as he crawled onto the bed on the other side of her, kissing her on the lips gently. "You really gave everyone quite the scare. Look who even came to check on you." He motioned towards Ember and Faust as they got onto the bed also. Ember immediately went up and pressed her head against Kasumi's, nudging her lovingly while Faust wrapped herself around Kasumi's arm and squeezed it.
Kasumi laughed. "I love you both, too." She pet Ember and Faust on their heads. She then turned her head to look at Julian. "So, you saved my life again. How many life debts do I owe you now?"
Julian barked out a laugh. "This one's on the house!"
"You've saved her before?" Asra asked.
"I never told you that story?" Kasumi asked him, and he shook his head. "Oh. Well, let me tell you now, then." She then told Asra the whole story about how Julian had saved her life after she'd fallen into the reservoir and nearly been drained of her blood by a vampire eel.
"I just wish I'd been able to save you when you were dying of the plague…" Julian frowned.
"You have to bring that up now?" Asra asked.
"Well, we're on the topic of me saving her, so…"
Kasumi cut Julian off by placing her hand on top of his. "Don't think about that anymore. Because of Asra, I came back, and because of you, I'm still here. You really need to stop beating yourself up over the past, Ilya." Kasumi laughed, then realized what she'd just said and corrected herself. "Uh, I mean, Julian. Sorry."
Julian chuckled. "Don't be sorry. I wouldn't mind you calling me Ilya."
"All right. Ilya it is!" Kasumi smiled.
Asra chuckled and laid down on Julian's bed beside Kasumi, gently placing his hand on her stomach as he yawned. "Damn. It's been a long day."
"Yeah." Julian agreed as he yawned, too, and laid down on the other side of Kasumi, placing his hand on top of Asra's over Kasumi. Ember then laid down above Kasumi's head, and Faust laid on Kasumi, her tail over Asra and Julian's intertwined hands.
"I just woke up, and now, I'm going back to bed?" Kasumi joked.
Julian chuckled with his eye closed. "Hush and go to sleep. It'll help you heal."
"Yes, and don't worry, Kasumi. Ilya and I will watch over you." Asra kissed Kasumi's forehead before placing his head back on the pillow and closing his eyes.
Kasumi looked back and forth between Julian and Asra as they slept on either side of her, cuddling with her, and she smiled happily as she closed her eyes too.
A few minutes later, Nadia and Portia entered the room quietly to check on Kasumi, and found the three of them, along with Ember and Faust, fast asleep. Nadia just let out a silent laugh and ushered Portia back out of the room, closing the door quietly. "We shouldn't disturb them."
"They all looked comfortable…" Portia said, but her tone sounded worried. "It's weird, isn't it? I mean, I catch Asra and Julian almost having sex in the cottage, and Kasumi just seems completely all right with it. Now, the three of them are sleeping together in the same bed? What is going on?"
"Maybe Kasumi is simply open to Asra being with Julian, and that's why it doesn't bother her. I mean, Lucio was always fine with me having other lovers."
"Yeah, but you two were never in love. I mean, would you be fine with me having a lover?"
"No." Nadia said, sternly.
"Exactly. So, why would Kasumi be okay with Asra and Julian being together? Doesn't she love him?"
"I know she does." Nadia answered, "But it is their relationship, Portia, so is it really any of our business how they go about it?"
"If they drag my brother into it, then yes. It does become my business." Portia argued, and Nadia just let out a deep sigh.
Meanwhile, deep in the flooded district of the city, the hooded person who'd attempted to assassinate Kasumi walked in between two of the abandoned buildings and into a dark alley. "It's done."
Another hooded figure walked out of the shadows. It was the same figure that had assaulted Kasumi in the shop a couple days earlier. "You remembered to poison the arrow?"
"Please, I was a doctor. I would never overlook such a detail." They put their hood down and flashed their pointed teeth in an evil grin.
"And they think everything is fine?"
"Of course. The poison won't take effect for another three days, but by the time they realize it…" They made a slashing motion with their finger across their throat, and they still had that hideous evil grin.
The other one put his hood down, his black and blonde hair gleaming in the little moonlight there was, and grinned back. "Excellent."
––
Ooooooo! Suspense! I love a good cliffhanger, don't you? *Evil smirk* Muwahaha!
…Ahem! Pardon that little evil bit of me that took over for a moment. Leave a review telling me who you think the two mystery men are! A cookie to the first person who gets it right!
I hope you're all enjoying this story! Let me know of any comments you have, and I will start the next chapter as soon as I am able!
