AN: guys, seriously from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for these reviews. I'm packing up to move to college and its been a really sad week, but your guy's positive words make me feel like I'm on cloud 9.C:
Beyond the bright light at the end of the tunnel isn't anything that I am expecting. As I stepped through, I suppose I don't really know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't a bar.
That's the closest I can come to finding a word to describe this place. It looks as though it is hollowed out under a large tree; the walls are made of packed dirt and the ends of tree roots hang from the ceiling. There are will-o'-the-wisps flying about the cavern, giving off a warm glow around. As I step through the small entrance in the wall, I think it looks warm and inviting, somewhere I can relax by myself and totally unwind.
Until the noise hits me. It is like I suddenly receive the gift of hearing as soon as I step into the room. Shouts and laughter and jangling piano notes echo about the room and brush harshly against my ears. I cringe back a moment, unused to this noise. Cassius seems completely at his element though, and tugs me forward before the door shuts behind us.
"And who have we here?" barks a rough voice and I jump. A large man lumbers up and takes my hand in his, holding it to his nose and inhaling deeply before planting a kiss on it. He takes up most of my vision, wearing a large plaid shirt and ripped jeans. He reminds me of a lumberjack. He has rough stubble lining his cheeks and dark rumpled hair. His bright blue eyes hold mine as he smiles.
Cassius gives me a stern look when I rip my hand from the man's and take a step back. "Bud," he says casually, unsmiling. "What's it take to get a guy a drink in here?"
Bud's roaring laughter is all I can hear for a few seconds. "Anything for my dearest Prince, eh, Cas?"
"If you want to think of it like that," is all Cassius says. As Bud turns and walks away, he looks at me, his golden eyes filled with amusement, though everything else on his face betrays nothing. He wipes a bit of dirt from my cheek and raises his eyebrows at me. "Be good," he says before turning and following Bud.
So much for never leaving your side, I think as I watch him go. When I am used to the cavern itself, I begin to study the people inside of it. They are every age, every shape and size. They all look very dirty, all very hungry. I feel a pang of guilt nab at me as I look down at my own dress. It was beautiful before the forest had dirtied it, probably the nicest thing I have ever worn- certainly the nicest thing any of these people have ever seen.
I keep my eyes on one girl in particular. She is small and narrow, blonde like me, and dirty as well. When she turns and I see her face I gasp as it all comes together. She is the girl that I woke up in this place to. She is the girl that I have been thinking about constantly during my captivity. I owe her my life, practically. And whats more...
"Alice?" I whisper to myself. It cant be. But she looks so uncannily like the the little girl that is practically ever asking to serve me that I have to rub my eyes to make sure I am not hallucinating.
The little girl notices my stare and abruptly turns, heading in the other direction.
"Wait!" I say loudly, following her, questions bubbling in my mind.
Before I can really gain on her though, a hand presses against my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. I snap to attention and look up. The boy cannot be much older than me, though he is tall and lanky. His hair is long and oily, as is his pock-marked face. His smile seems to drip with venom as he leans toward me. "And who might you be?" he asks.
The fact that he is bare-chested does not get past me as I shrink away from him. "Excuse me," I say as nicely as I can, trying to step around him.
But that only brings him closer to me. He wreaks of body odor and sweat and alcohol. "What's your name, pretty?" he coos.
Anger flashes through me and I shake his hand from my shoulder. "None of your concern," I say bravely.
"You're not very polite." He frowns.
"I said 'excuse me'."
His frown morphs into a wolfish grin. "Your name is beginning to become my concern. You've gotten my interest."
"The feeling isn't mutual," I say. I've completely lost sight of the little blonde girl. Panicked, I shove past him. "Now move," I say as I start forward again.
But before I can take one more step I am shoved against the cavern wall. Dirt crumbles from the wall and rains down around me as the oily boy presses himself up against me. "I think it's time someone taught you some manners," he growls in my ear and I cringe back into the wall. He shoves his arm up against my sternum and I am pushed up the wall a foot.
I keep my ground though. "Get off of me," I say, shoving at him. My nails find purchase along his skin, but that only makes him press in farther.
"You chose the wrong guy to pick a fight with, darling," he growls.
"Funny," comes a dark voice from behind the boy. "I was going to say the same thing."
The boy doesn't release me, though he does turn to see who said that.
Cassius is staring at the boy, standing a few feet away. From what I can tell, he does not look amused.
I expect the boy to let go of me right then, but he merely smiles, no fear in his eyes or expression. "Is that an order from the Prince?" he says.
Cassius rolls his eyes wearily. "You know the rules here as well as I do, Bart. I'm not royalty down here."
"No," Bart says agreeably. "So buzz off."
But before Cassius can give his reply, I bring my knee up between Bart's legs, hard. He wheezes and releases me and I race to stand beside Cassius.
He holds my face between his hands and looks down at me comically. "What have you done, Blondie?" he asks. "I told you to be good."
"I was on my best behavior," I say, a little surprised at how tenderly he is holding me. "He started it."
He smiles down at me and my heart begins beating erratically. "That's my girl," he says, chucking under my chin. "You should probably get behind me. Wouldn't want you to get punched in the face."
I open my mouth to ask why he would punch me in the face when I am shoved behind Cassius. I turn to see that Bart has swung at him, full force. I choke back a scream, fearing for Cassius-
But he takes it all in stride. He dodges the punch easily and avoids the second as well, as if he's anticipating Bart's every move. I think for a moment that he might be smiling, but it's disappeared within the next second. It doesn't take me long to realize that Bart charges like a bull, while Cassius strikes like a cobra.
Every punch that Bart lands, Cassius takes and returns in kind. I am yearning to run and stop the entire thing. I debate it in my head until I feel a soft tug at the hem of my dress. I look down to see a pair of light eyes staring up at me. "Don't get in between them," the little girl that looks like Alice says solemnly. "You'll just get hurt and make Cassius even more upset."
I stare at her, speechless, for a moment. "Who are you?" I manage to ask.
"My name is Mary," she says in return, cocking her head and studying me. "I see you remember me."
"You look just like-"
"Alice," she finishes for me. "Yes, I get that a lot. Or I used to, anyway. I'm glad you made it to the House."
Before I can ask Mary anymore questions, though, I hear the crowd that has gathered around the two men erupt into cheers. I turn to see that Bart is on the ground with Cassius kneeling over him, one knee pressed against his chest. "Don't play this game with me, Bart," he says, not unkindly. "I was brought up with military training. Yield."
Bart breathes deeply through his nose, clearly annoyed, though I can tell he is more hurt than he is leading on. He directs his glare toward me. "Teach your precious Bride some manners," he spits.
Cassius smiles. "I dont think she takes orders from anyone." He turns and looks at me now. "Will you mind your manners?" he asks me amiably.
"As soon as he does," I say, nodding toward the boy underneath Cassius.
Cassius smiles. "And I'm betting it will be awhile before that happens."
"I yield," Bart says, "for now. Get off of me before you break a rib."
Cassius' smile widens. "Excellent." He stands and walks over toward me. "Shall we be going now?"
"I'm ready to leave, if that's what you're asking," I say, keeping my eyes on Bart.
"He wont bother you now," Cassius says, following the line of my gaze. He offers me his arm and I loop mine through it.
"I dont think I got to meet your friend," I say as we make our way toward a ladder laid into the wall.
"Jules wasn't here," Cassius says, sounding... relieved? Maybe they weren't really friends. "I don't think I got to meet yours either," he says as we reach the ladder.
I turn back to where Mary was standing next to me, but she has disappeared.
AN: Again, thank you guys so much! I look forward to reading more reviews! I hope you enjoyed! Tell me what you think!C: