Sitting down beside Gibbin's butcher stand, Cassandra was as quiet as could be. A plate of ginyol was fresh in front of her and she had barely touched it. For a woman with such a strong appetite; her hunger was absent in its hour of reward. While her stomach was empty – her mind was full.
So full that she wished she could vomit it all away.
Gibbin stood by, in the middle of dressing another kill that he had bagged on the way back. Whatever the strange creature was, it was small and served as a fun way for the woodsman to pass the time. Cutting through the four-legged, rabbit-like critter was a sinch with his new knife. The edge of the blade was so sharp that it cut through the muscle like butter.
Gibbin carved its stomach wide open, holding the knife up to the Specter Moons as their rays glistened across the metal. "Ah! Samuel's craftsmanship at its finest!"
Cassandra's eyes briefly rose to glance at his display. Amid his admiration, the man failed to notice the leg of the carcass dangling from his hand by mere strings. He must have gotten a little overzealous during the hunt, she assumed.
The brunette lifted her arm and gestured her pointer finger at the slowly falling corpse. "Gibbin…"
"Don't be jealous, Cassandra." He smiled at the knife. "I'm sure you're regretting allowing me to take ownership of such a fine tool."
The leg detached seconds later and a small plop smacked against the ground. Gibbin glanced down as soon as he heard it, feeling the weight in his hand lighten up at the same time. "Oh, damn it…"
A small chuckle was the only response that Cassandra could offer. The sight was worth the small laugh – and she needed it. As Gibbin picked up the rest of the kill, he inspected the remains, dismayed to see them covered in dirt. "Damn it indeed…"
He threw the body on his table and set the knife down beside it. "Going to have to wash it now. Farwell to the taste."
Picking off a piece of the ginyol and pushing it into her mouth, Cassandra offered her opinion, "Washing it shouldn't affect the taste. You're being paranoid."
Wiping his bloodied hand on his long beard, Gibbin pulled out a bottle from under his table and set it down on the stand. It was only a foot away from Cassandra, but the moment he popped the top off, the intense smell of whatever it was inside invaded her nostrils. She pushed herself away from the table, hunching over to her left as she fought for clean air.
"Ugh! What is that?"
Gibbin seemed unaffected by the concoction he held. He must have been no stranger to it, given he did not flinch upon taking a large whiff of the stuff. "Dast; a Joulin classic! They don't brew it like this anywhere else in the world."
She dry-heaved at the smell as it found its way closer to her. "Argh! It reeks!"
Gibbin groaned, grabbing the cork to the bottle. He quickly ingested two big swigs before capping the top and setting it back down. The smell began to subside – slightly. It was a short moment before Cassandra could find the air tolerable enough to allow her to sit back up. When she did, she met the burly man with a sharp glare.
"Do not drink that in front of me again."
Rolling his lip, he reached down again to grab something else. Cassandra reared back – worried about the next thing he would display. Before she could complain about his choice of beverages, he let out a small laugh. "You prefer something less strong? Maybe a sweeter mixture?"
"Like what?" She raised a brow at his offer.
Gibbin smiled again as he sank further down to the ground. "I usually keep this stuff for the ladies whenever one wishes to take me up on a night together."
Her eyes fluttered off to the side; one hand rising to her mouth. "Okay, now I am about to throw up…"
"Ha!" He sounded amused. "Relax, it's been sitting here for a while. Better someone drinks it than nobody." He pulled out the next bottle. It was not squared in shape like his previous one. This drink was housed in a long, cylindrical container with a thin, short neck.
It looks…like a wine bottle.
Cassandra reached out and took hold of the bottle, cautiously popping off the top as she inspected it. A tiny inhalation followed – lest she vomited across the wooden stand.
It doesn't smell bad. Hmm, this actually smells kind of good. It's got a hint of what wine was. Huh…alright, Gibbin…
"Deal." Cassandra brought the rim of the opening up to her crimson lips and enjoyed a small helping of the liquid. It was sweet, as described. Swallowing it down, the sound of her tongue smacking against the roof of her mouth played out as she further analyzed the taste. "Okay," she said to him, "I like this. What is it?"
"Hindfek," he replied. "It used to be something reserved for, well, what I guess one would consider wealthier poils, over a century ago. It used to be hard to make – until travelers discovered an overabundance of hind berries in the region. I never had a taste for the stuff, but like I said: the ladies love it."
"You can stop reminding me about that last part, thank you." Cassandra rolled her eyes as she took another sip, feeling a small tingle along her gums. It was stronger than the wine she used to enjoy back at home. Unless Gibbin made it himself; she wouldn't have expected blood to be a part of the mixture.
And if he did and it was indeed part of it – for whatever reason – she doubted that it was intentional. The man looked like such incidents were well within his reach.
"Very well." Gibbin grinned. "Since we're not going to discuss me love life, shall we discuss yours?"
…
Cassandra raised her left brow in a flash of annoyance. She couldn't believe that he would have had the audacity to ask her about such a thing. If she wasn't so drained; she'd have considered throwing her meal at him. "How dare you ask me about such things." She curled her lip. "That is none of your business."
Lowering her head at the food below her that had now grown cold, she mumbled under her breath. "Disgusting man-thing."
"I heard that," Gibbin chuckled again.
"I don't care."
"Oh," he continued, "I take it that little Vasan did not manage to sway your heart?"
Cassandra did not say a word, but he had her attention now. She picked up her head and stared directly at him. The large man could see the ire being drawn in her eyes, but it did not push him into silence. It only drove his opinion into more words.
He scratched his beard before reaching down to retrieve a small helping of cooked hikan. "You know, I was a tad shocked to see you and him together." He chomped on the strip, ripping off a good portion in the process. "Last I saw you two; you had that boy on the ground scared for his life."
A small grunt passed her lips as she peeled another tiny helping from her plate and chewed it up. Such an action allowed Gibbin to hold the floor for more dialogue – much to her annoyance.
"So, what changed? You two friends now, or…something more?"
Cassandra adjusted her hood, deliberately pulling the top down to conceal her face even further. She shook her head; a motion that should have answered it.
"Ah, who am I kidding?" He remarked. "Of course, ye are! You were on top of him for a considerable –"
"Be silent!" Cassandra's temper flared in the form of a hunk of meat turned into a projectile. The ball of flesh hurled across the stand, colliding against Gibbin's chest before falling to the ground.
The man bent over to pick it up; a tilt to his head and a small hum to go along with it. "Still edible," he said as he took a bite. Cassandra could only groan as she closed her eyes and laid her head down.
"Why am I here?" She could not believe that this day's events had brought her to this man's company. If it wasn't for him upholding his end of the bargain, she'd likely have been on her way back to the castle. The day was mid-way through and there were enough hours to kill before nightfall. To chance another bump-in with Lia was not something that she wanted to do.
She was still concerned about how Milo viewed her. The way he had raised his tone at her during the clash with Lia was entirely unforeseen. In all her days, she had heard many grown men shout at her. It didn't matter back then as such was part of the act whenever she was in the process of ending their lives. She was in full control and there was nothing that they could do about it.
Admittingly; she had felt a little scared when Milo cast his loud voice. It was like hearing Alcina all over again. She didn't want to put too much thought into it as such reflection would only dampen her mood to greater ends. The brunette already felt lousy as it was – all things considered.
While she never got 'kicked' out of Castle Dimitrescu following an argument; something about the episode felt oddly familiar. It didn't make much sense as Milo did not enforce her leaving with Vasan. She had chosen that out of her own free will. Part of the man looked like he wished she stayed in.
Something wasn't right. Why did she feel like this?
Gibbin continued to down the strips of meat while Cassandra just sat there. He turned his attention to her, moving the bottle of hindfek closer in case it was needed. She poked her head up, reaching out to take hold of the glass and sitting up when she had it in her grasp.
Cassandra did not take a sip; as Gibbin had anticipated. She studied the container instead. Her eyes held a soft stare as she fluttered her long, black eyelashes at it. A small sigh escaped her chest when her thoughts fell to an end.
"Whatever's bothering you," Gibbin pointed to the drink, "can be fixed with a little more of that; trust me."
Another sigh from her end before she brought the top against her lips. Downing an extra helping of the stuff brought its sweet taste coursing down her throat. She breathed a small relief; flicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth once again.
Looking up at Locwitary's sky above her – Cassandra found more familiarity in the serene glow of the Specter Moons against the influx of clouds.
The air around her was warm like any other spring afternoon back at home. The intense greenery that surrounded her was nothing different than the way her village looked during some parts of the year.
Winter would decimate life around the region. All plants would have the life sucked from their roots; frozen in decay as the white hell from above fell to their world. It looked so depressing and dreary during those extended months. But the bitter cold would eventually end and in its place, the soul of the land would emerge.
The mountains would still retain snow atop their peaks, but the rest would return to their former glory in lively brown. The addition of grass patches across the husks was an added touch. It was like moss against the trunk of a massive tree. So many years old but never dead.
Sunny days were more akin to a gift than anything else. Overcast skies were still pretty common, even with the temperature at comfortable levels. Sometimes a break in the clouds could turn the entire village into a new world on its own. The inhabitants certainly enjoyed its presence as they emerged from their houses to bask in the sun's glory – all while she watched from her castle window.
Such beauty was a distant treasure for Cassandra and to see others being able to attain it only worsened whatever mood she was currently in. Jealousy had rented out her heart as their poor living conditions became a worthy trade-off just to be able to exist outside the luxurious castle walls. She'd collect her hate and save it for whenever someone would eventually be brought in for a date with death.
Even after getting all of her anger out on their helpless bleeding bodies, she still yearned for what she couldn't have. The world would still be out there – out of her reach. It didn't matter if everyone in the village was alive or dead.
Cassandra wanted to see the world around her and that was never going to be a reality.
Now, to be in Locwitary's realm; such a life was now a possibility. Holding the bottle of hindfek reminded her of those rare spring and summer afternoons of enjoying some Sanguis Virginis outside in the castle courtyard with her sisters. They'd be seated under the metal canopy; laying against the center statue as they passed the bottle around.
The luscious roses that lined the square's corner gardens were so beautiful. They circled along the trees and poked their heads out from the various shrubs and bushes within. Watching the rays of the sun as it peeked at them from the edges of the castle's towers was something only they got to experience.
Bela would let go of her big-sister persona and laugh along with her siblings; telling jokes and reminiscing about all the good times they had since they awoke together so many years before. It was a break from the constant push to appease Alcina. With the sun's kiss atop her blonde head – she was a little different. She could finally relax and drop her focus.
Cassandra loved it. In those moments, she had a close friend instead of an older sister.
Daniela was even more joyous during those occasions. She'd bring out a small book to read but she hardly got through it as the chattering commenced. The redhead loved to gossip about the maids. She'd call her sisters close, covering the edge of her mouth to whisper whatever it was that she had to say about the staff as if they were nearby – or could do anything at all.
Neither of the other two ever directed her to do otherwise. They'd simply lean in and fall into a fit of laughter as soon as they heard her words. Daniela's tiny smile would beam as she'd giggle and kick her legs around.
Cassandra would talk about what her plans were for the next occasion when she'd be able to venture out into the woods. Daniela would often ask questions about hunting and the brunette was happy to answer them. For once; Cassandra felt like a big sister herself. It was nice having someone look up to her as a role model. She could emphasize with Bela in those moments and it made her want to do better.
Those afternoons were a true treasure – the more she thought about it.
Holding that bottle of hindfek in the middle of Locwitary's small town of Acomb may have been akin to the desires that she yearned for back in those days. She was finally free and able to do what she wanted. She could enjoy a nice drink under the sun and watch nature as it lived around her.
The only thing missing was her sisters.
Gibbin lifted his brow as he noticed her staring aimlessly at the drink. "I guess it isn't enough, then."
"No," Cassandra replied as she set it back down. "It just reminds me of home."
"Ah." He nodded with a slight puzzlement expressed in his eyes. He only knew her name and her attitude but the rest of the woman was a complete mystery. If anything – he thought – it'd made for an interesting conversation. "That's right: you're not from around here."
Her brows rolled while her voice grew as soft as her eyes. "Nope."
"Look…" He picked up one of his knives and began to peel off a strip of meat from a fresh, juicy slab nearby. Gibbin tossed it over the small fire that he had burning off to the side, positioning it just right as he continued to speak to her. "Being homesick ain't ever fun. I've been there myself. Never grew up around this area – or this region for all that matter."
Cassandra shrugged her shoulder, unsure if she could relate to him. The man may have been distant from where he lived in his earlier days, but that place was still in this world. He knew nothing about her true circumstances and she opted to keep it that way.
However, that didn't mean that they still couldn't find some common ground between them.
"Where'd you grow up?" Cassandra turned her eyes to him.
"Tyillioum; just like dear old Milo." Gibbin paused as soon as he realized what he had said but grunted as he dismissed the fact.
"I've heard of that place," Cassandra told him. She too paused after it dawned on her that if she was pretending to be from this world – she might as well have been familiar with its regions. But whatever, she decided. She was too tired to care.
"You don't know about Tyillioum?" Gibbin asked, as expected.
"So?" She remained defiant.
"Huh." He returned with a small chuckle. "I'm guessing you're not from Joulin, either?"
Cassandra continued to play the part of the forgetful. "I don't remember much; how's that sound?" It was a simple but effective move on her end. Whether he believed her or not, she could constantly return to the simple response of "I don't know" whenever she had to.
"Well, you're certainly not from Deas," he said. "I can tell that."
At this point; she'd had enough of not understanding anything that the people on this planet meant. As much as she could care less for the facts about this world, she felt there was nothing else to steer her attention away from her other dilemmas.
She scoffed, "What makes Deas so special?"
"Well," Gibbin snorted as he cleared his nose, "nobody lives there; for one."
Huh…well then.
"Okay." She shrugged and grabbed the bottle for another sip. "Why not?"
"I'm surprised you know none of this."
"My memories escape me," she said. "Why do you think I don't know this? Why do you think I'm here?"
"Hmm, good point." He continued with his story. "Well, Deas used to be just like the other two regions. There were plenty of poils living about and more fawns than you'd normally see. I've never been a big believer in all the folklore that the people here spew about. I've lived in the woods for so many years. I've witnessed some of Locwitary's most horrendous beasts and dangers." He checked back on the roll of meat that he had cooking beside him. The flesh was turning from pink into a light brown, but it still had some more time to run its course.
"All these stories of spirits hiding inside the trees and flying poils with a set of wings on their head is all campfire talk. If that was out there, I'd have seen it. But the folklore surrounding Deas is somewhat true, I guess."
There was something about the way that he told his stories that managed to snag Cassandra in. She couldn't understand why but assumed it had to be his mannerisms and appearance that played a big role. He looked the part of a dirty brute who put more than half his brain toward physical tasks rather than intellect – so for him to know what he was talking about had to be based on some form of truth. Yet, whether it was or not, his partially drunken voice added a flair to the magic he spoke.
She needed entertainment, after all.
"As I said: it used to be inhabited by many settlers ages ago. I'm talking hundreds of years. You could imagine it as Locwitary's advancement in knowledge and craft. At one point; poils were developing things at such a fast pace. Metal was an abundant resource in all the regions. One scholar was said to have spoken of it as a sort of revolution but in terms of the way the world was heading. Fawns and poils were living together in harmony, working together to change their lives."
"Lived in harmony?" What happened? Do they not get along?
"Wait," Cassandra interjected. "Did fawns and poils hate one another?"
Gibbin sighed. For some reason, the man held a sense of despair, even for something that happened many lifetimes ago. "Things weren't always peaceful. This world has had darker ages. Lots of bloodshed. We view dhins and the other beasts as violent, but in reality; we were the worst animals born upon this land. Things changed – for a time – and everyone came together." He breathed another sigh, withdrawing the bottle of dast from under his bench. He took a swig, allowing the foul smell to infect the air around them. Cassandra could ignore it for now. She had to know more.
Gibbin pushed the cork back in and returned it to its resting spot. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hairy forearm and straightened his thoughts. "They wanted to put an end to all the killing."
"So, what put an end to all the peace?"
"As the magic of the fawns became mixed with the tools the poils created; nature showed its carnivorous teeth." Gibbin rotated the meat around, staring at the remaining raw flesh as he did so. "Some wanted more advancement at the expense of others. The books say that some fawns were driven to the point of their power's limits. Well," his voice lowered, "we all know what happens then."
"A burn-out?" Cassandra asked.
"Many of them," Gibbin emphasized. "Those that opposed the pursuit of power sided with the fawns, and those that wanted more tried their best to keep the process going. Fighting began and when it did; all that harmony came to an end. Those that sought to escape the endless violence tried to use the fawn's magic to aid them in advancing their knowledge into the realms that exist around us."
Cassandra's heart began to pick up. Could he be alluding to what she thought he was?
"What did they try to do?" She tried to dig deeper.
"Well, your old friend Milo could explain this better than I ever could." Gibbin chuckled amidst the saddened outlook he had displayed mere seconds ago. "That man knows everything about this next part. They wanted to escape but the fawn magic could only go so far. They thought if they could harness that power into the strongest metal – they could sever the walls that divide these realms. They were desperate to find a new place to live where life was better."
She tried to shield her escalating anxiety from what he was telling her. As much as she wanted to explain her situation; he could not know that she was from one of the other realms. However, this was a chance for her to get some more information. Milo may have already had it, but for whatever reason, the two of them had yet to discuss this. Gibbin may just be her best resource right now, she figured.
"What did they create?"
"A dagger," he stated.
I knew it!
"A dagger?" Cassandra played her part.
"There are a few drawings I've seen of it. A very fine weapon, indeed. They don't make them like they used to, that's for sure. They named it the Dagger of Death's Flowers. Guess their reasoning was that they wanted to find something beyond all the carnage of the past. A new life. Welp, needless to say; the dagger worked. It cut through into another realm with all the power it had inside. The poor bastards who wielded it couldn't control it for long and it fell into the realm as soon as the barrier opened – lost forever."
Cassandra's eyes drifted down as she thought back to how her family could have ever come into possession of such an item. She and her sisters never asked much about it when Alcina first mentioned that the Hall of Worship was off-limits indefinitely. She had spoken of the blade and was adamant about them listening for any of the staff mentioning its name.
Some things weren't adding up but she knew that her experiences weren't going to piece them together. All she knew was that no one was allowed to see it – including the daughters. There was no questioning her orders, simple as that.
"I'll have to ask Milo about that sometime," Cassandra said. "It sounds interesting…"
It was loaded with fawn magic?
She had another question to ask, "If a bunch of fawns tried to do that again, do you think they'd be successful?"
"Maybe," Gibbin remarked, "if there were still enough left…"
Cassandra raised her eyebrow. "How small are there numbers?"
"Small." Gibbin reached down for his bottle again but decided to stray from the impulse to have another drink. It looked like something was hanging in his mind that was unsettling to the man. He mustered the will to abstain from the dast – for now. "Times haven't been the best to them. Lia and Leta are the only two ones in the local area that we know of. Acomb is a place where everyone can come together and live. It's that better future that everyone strived for so long ago."
"I've seen Lia training Leta on her powers. I'm guessing that every fawn risks death with their abilities?" Cassandra recalled the fire on Leta's fingers that had caused her pain. While the child had not demonstrated much use of any abilities beforehand, the brunette feared that the threat to her life was closer than she thought.
Gibbin relaxed his posture; smiling at the mention of Leta. "Ah, that wise child. Lia's simply teaching her basic tools. Unless she's a surge, she should be fine. Lia's the one who has to make sure her powers don't reach certain levels. She's a smart woman. I'm sure she knows when to stop."
Lia's a surge, that's right. What about Leta?
"When do fawns find out if they're a surge or not?"
"In their early years – around seven or eight. If they don't demonstrate excessive powers, they're fairly normal," Gibbin informed her. Cassandra felt an instant sense of comfort in that Leta was already past that age. It was only Lia who ran the risk.
"You seem to know a lot about fawns," Cassandra mentioned.
Gibbin stood silently for a bit before a slow nod of his head followed. "Yeah. They're good people. Wish there was more of them around, you know?"
"Why are there so few now?"
Gibbin rolled his shoulder as he rested his large hands against the wooden table top. "I said I don't believe in folklore much. Stories get diluted the more people tell them. For the last few years, travelers around the region have been talking about something called the Surge Eater. I guess that's some new folklore that's come about. Wouldn't say I believe all of it, but…fawns keep disappearing. Keep dying. Wouldn't be surprised if something was out there killing them."
He stretched his neck; deciding it was best to end the story there. "No one lives in Deas anymore. That small region is salted by the past. Tyillioum and here are where everyone else lives now, but things just ain't like they used to be. If Milo is trying to get you home; it isn't in Deas – I can promise you that."
She breathed a small sigh of her own. He had tossed a lot of information at her. Bit by bit; the history of Locwitary was starting to come together. Neither Milo nor Lia had mentioned or alluded to anything of the past. The caretaker in the castle only seemed to look toward the future, while the fawn who resided with him focused on her sibling and her skills. Cassandra wanted to ask them about everything that Gibbin had told her, but it would have to come at the appropriate time.
Lia of all people was already too volatile to converse with. The hope that their relationship would reach friendlier levels was buried deep into the ground. It seemed that for the remainder of her time in this world – the two of them would stay enemies.
So be it, she decided.
Whatever had gone on in this world was bigger than her and she was in no place to delve any further. She was nothing more than an injection into this universe and the best course of action was to escape. Milo may have been kind and Leta may have been a source of comfort – but, Lia was right.
She had no place here.
It numbed the pain of loneliness for a moment to think that she was not where she belonged. There was no internal debate over what was right and wrong. All she had to do was wait for the time when she could transcend the barrier back to her world – however that may be done.
Still, Gibbin's story coupled with the environment around her created a different perspective that began to encroach into her brain. This was no dream. It was all so real. The warm rays of the Specter Moons were no different than the sun that she had so seldomly enjoyed – but the joy was there.
The hindfek was not so far off from any standard wine; minus the inclusion of blood. Entering her past world would not come in the form of a 'wake-up.' All of this around her would still be here; as would the memories she has made of them.
If she could find happiness here – as she did – then this could also be a world for her.
What am I thinking? Don't get too attached.
"Anyway," Gibbin laughed, breaking her concentration again in the process. "Let's talk about you for a moment."
Ugh, what now?
He peered down at the meat that had been burnt by the dancing flames below. Yanking the stick out; Gibbin took a bite and continued to talk as he chomped down on the charred strip. "You and Vasan must have had a rough afternoon."
What else can I throw at this man?
Cassandra picked up her bottle, teetering it around in her grip slowly before bringing the end to her mouth. It would be such a waste to lose all the contents, she thought. Downing some more of the sweet nectar, she cradled it against her chest and glared at the butcher. "I'd rather be anywhere than that castle for right now. Vasan's ideas of fun are boring and I wanted no part in them."
"So, that's why you've come here to sulk in your sorrows?"
"What?" She bared her teeth.
"You've barely eaten any of your food." Gibbin picked up a small piece of the ginyol and brought it up to his mouth.
She was already annoyed at him for what he had just said. Now that he had stolen some of her food, she was angry. Cassandra's arm reached out, trying to yank the segment of flesh out from his dirty hand. Her upper body leaned over the stand as she nearly lost her balance. "Give that back to me, you bastard! That's mine!"
As soon as he took a bite, she let out a frustrated groan and sat back down. In what would have normally been an explosive reaction; Cassandra merely resorted to pulling her dish closer to her body and hovering over it as she began to stuff what was left in her mouth. With each bite – another low grunt drummed from her chest.
The man thought her display was incredibly funny as he unleashed a burst of uproarious laughter. It only pissed her off more as she began to turn away from him. Not wanting to see her leave, Gibbin soon cooled down his amusement before returning to their conversation.
"Look; I don't know you. But when you threw Vasan to the ground over him trying to stop you from stealing –"
"Accusing me of stealing…" She interrupted.
"Whatever." He ignored that debate. "You do all that and then I take some of your food and all you do is let it happen? Nah, that's not the same woman. Even when I saw you with him at Samuel's little shop; you still had that flair to you. Now, look at you."
Cassandra tapped her fist against the top before reaching out to grab the hindfek bottle – only for Gibbin to pull it away. Her hand curled as she brought it back to her lap. With her head down, he could barely see her face.
He did not retain custody of the bottle for long as he soon put it back within her reach. She disregarded it as soon as he did; his words had found their mark.
Gibbin continued to look at her, poking at her shoulder to get her attention. She swatted his hand away in an instant. With a gentler voice, he spoke to her again, "Look, you don't have to tell me what has got you all bothered, but I'd hate to see ya carrying on like this for the rest of the day."
"You won't." Her ferocious glare appeared as she raised her head. "I'll just go back to the castle. I could care less about this pitiful town."
He turned his body over to the side, glancing across the hills as he gestured his thumb toward them. "Stay on the path this time; shall you?"
With a grimace on her face, Cassandra continued to lock eyes with him. Seconds went by and yet, she did not move. It was just as the man had expected.
Gibbin threw another hook at her ego. "You're hoping I beg you to stick around, don't you?"
She gave a small growl. It did nothing to faze him. The man had lived amongst wilder creatures than her. He could see how mad she was at him, but her hesitation spoke volumes about what was going on in her mind.
He shook his head as he tossed an extra helping of ginyol onto her plate in compensation. "You're the worst liar. A damn entertaining one – but still the worst."
She gave up at that moment. There was no use in acting like the town owed her something. She was lucky to have been given the amount of hospitality that they had shown. Even Gibbin feeding her at the expense of the money he would have made from her meal was courtesy enough.
It had been a fairly rough day from the start, but that wasn't what had sunk her mood. It was the way she reacted to it and treated those around her. She felt like a total fool; realizing that she was only trying to push others away, again.
Lia could be blamed for starting every single argument in the castle from this point forward and it would mean nothing if she continued to respond the way she did. It was a personality flaw that needed to be addressed and she knew it. Cassandra huffed a slow breath; calming herself down as she did.
Looking around at her surroundings – everything was coming together.
The familiarity of the scenery. The reminders of what she sought back at home. The rare feelings of fun that she was able to have here. Whether she was in Locwitary or her home realm – she was still the same Cassandra and would always be. The unhappiness that she felt as she evaluated herself would persist through the barrier. Nothing would change unless she changed.
She rested her cheek against her hand; lips pushed to the side. She wasn't trying to elicit sympathy from the man. He had some to offer – but she'd have to be honest and upfront. Her persona of an uncaring and heartless woman would only carry her so far.
"I don't know," she said to him. "I hoped you would. I'm just mad at myself. I keep making mistakes."
As soon as she said that, Gibbin's demeanor shifted. He had to have been waiting for her to finally cut the act. He pulled over his dainty, wooden chair. It looked far too small for a man of such build – but it would hold. Taking his seat, he pushed her plate closer to her chest.
Cassandra pulled off a small strand of the tasty food and took a bite. "Thanks…"
"You spend all your days feeling like this?" He asked.
"Mostly." She pressed her lips, pulling in the remnants of the skin with her tongue as she swallowed it. Her long eyelashes blinked and held an extended pause before she looked back at him.
Gibbin stared into her amber-infused glow. He didn't want to ask questions, but he could imagine that her origins were indeed a story worthy of folklore to some degree. But as he said before: he didn't believe in folklore. He believed in the truth.
"What mistakes do you make?"
Her eyes fell from his while she debated whether she should answer or not. There were so many things that she could have started with. She could keep it broad or leave it personal. Choices upon choices.
"I do whatever I can to make someone hate me. If they do; it makes it easier to stay mad. I can blame someone for my problems." Cassandra picked up another piece to eat. "The problem with you and everyone else I've met here is that you all keep trying to help."
Gibbin nodded. "And now you have to address the reasons why you feel the way you do, correct? No more hiding from it?"
Her voice cracked, "I'm scared."
He leaned forward, twiddling his thumbs at his lap just like Milo did. "There's no running away from it at all; you can only pretend like you are. That has to be scary," he commented. She gave a small nod in reply.
Instead of reaching into the center of her heart and ripping it out; Gibbin opted to take a different approach. "What mistake did you make today, Cassandra?"
Her lips parted and her eyes went back to him. It was like some of the weight had been pulled off her shoulders for now. With the conversation shifted toward the present, she could clear her thoughts of her storied past. It wouldn't absolve her of every negative emotion, but it was a good start.
"I threatened Lia," she confessed. "We got into an argument and I said that I would cut her tongue out. Milo scolded me right after." She sighed, feeling at a loss. "I was doing better and I threw it all away. Now, I don't know if he cares about me anymore. I've already tried to hurt her in the past, so, why would he think I won't? I feel like he just wanted me out of his castle."
Gibbin shrugged his shoulder. "Lia's got a temper. I'm not surprised you and her have had some squabbles since they took you in. Milo plays his cards well. He makes decisions with more than himself in mind. That fawn usually stays inside the castle, anyway, unless Leta is going out. I'm sure he knew you could get away for a bit."
Cassandra rolled her head as she nestled it back against her hand. "Maybe. I still feel like I screwed up."
"He doesn't hold onto grudges. I tell ya, the man can't keep an ounce of hate in his heart nowadays. He tries to find the best in everyone."
I hope so.
"I'm only here because Vasan knocked on the door and offered to spend the day with me in your town," she said. "If it wasn't for the fight with Lia; I would've walked away."
"Hmm," Gibbin glanced at the young woman, noting her beautiful frame. "I'm still surprised you took him up on his offer. The boy is of good character; always playing by the rules." His tone picked up – slightly – and gave some extra liveliness to his voice. "Never had much luck with the ladies. Getting an acceptance from you must have been like slaying a dhin on a child's first hunt," he laughed. "Something you'd never expect."
Cassandra lightened up a bit, breathing a low chuckle under her breath. "He's so annoying." A smile started to crawl around her face, exposing the bottom of her upper teeth. "Story after story. Compliment after compliment. Ugh, he never shuts up."
"Guessing you turned the lad down soon after?"
Cassandra removed her hand from her cheek and rested both arms against the stand, leaning toward her plate as she grew more comfortable. "I don't know what he's looking for, but it's not going to come from me. I don't want a relationship. Never did."
"Not ever looking to have some kids?"
She shuddered at the mere thought of that lifestyle. Such a concept had never arisen in her mind during all her years with her mother and sisters. Daniela was the only one who fantasized about a life similar to that – though motherhood was still outside of her interests.
"Not for me, I guess." She continued to eat.
"I can't speak for myself. Never fathered any kin, either. The ladies were aplenty in my younger years. Had closer calls with them than I ever did with death during a hunt," he cackled.
Cassandra nearly spat out her food as she lifted her hands. The look on her face was one of pure disgust. All she could picture was him in his current state. "Please, never tell me any of those stories. Thank you."
His cackling continued, growing loud enough to capture the attention of others around them. Cassandra was content to know that at least it wasn't she who they were staring at, for once. However, the trade-off was bittersweet when the expense came to having envision such atrocities.
He had one more remark to play. "You'd be here all day if I did." Another laugh roared out.
Dry-gagging; Cassandra spit out whatever food was still in her mouth. It didn't stop the laughter on his part, either. After waiting for it to die down, she abstained from eating until the images that she had conjured vanished from the back of her eyes. Gibbin soon settled down, having worn himself out with all the commotion.
"Look," Gibbin said once he returned to his level of normal, "We're not going to talk about our past endeavors. If you ever decide to become a parent, my shop will always have the right food that a growing boy – or girl – needs."
"Oh, great," she said sarcastically, "more interactions with you…"
"Ah! Old Gibbin is good with kids. Put a spear in their hands and they can take on the world."
With a laugh, Cassandra shook her head. It was such an unrealistic concept, but still fun to joke about. She did not expect to have a flock of kids, visiting the smelly hunter's wooden display stand to procure food at the start of each week. It was not the life that she was destined to live.
With Milo and Lia working to figure out how to return her to her world; she expected her time in Locwitary to be short. Even if it took longer than expected – she found no desire to ponder the possibilities of what could be started. Friendships would only be good to occupy the days at hand.
Once she crossed that threshold that separated both worlds – they'd be all over.
Kids? Ha!
An idea suddenly crossed her mind and brought up a question of its own.
Can I even have children?
While her knowledge of the human body was learned through countless murders and dissections; Cassandra's true understanding of it came from Bela. The blonde's constant chatter during dinner about what she learned that day did manage to seep into her memory banks. Biology was interesting – she'd give it that.
Bela had spent a few nights in a row, some decades ago, discussing what she had read about the organs and how they functioned. The Duke had sold her a medical book that had been newly printed with the most up-to-date knowledge at the time. She read through it like Daniela poured her heart into novels.
However, one night, she made it to the chapters about reproduction and development. In a completely unforeseen uproar, Alcina stood up from her seat and demanded Bela cease her conversation. Cassandra recalled her bowing her head as she sat there, an ashamed "Yes mother," spoken as soon as the noise died down. The look in her eyes was that of a frightened dog who didn't know it had done something wrong.
Bela often worked her hardest to earn Alcina's praise. But, in those instances when the mistress delivered her wrath to her, the eldest sibling never took it well inside. She spent the remainder of dinner in a quiet slump; the enthusiastic nature that she had, now ripped from her heart.
The book was thrown away and never seen again. Alcina's reason was that she did not want her daughters to concern themselves with "matters that did not pertain to their duties." Cassandra had not put much mind to it at the time, choosing to obey the lord's will as she was expected. However, what Bela had mentioned at dinner did offer new insight into how the villagers worked.
The maids served as a perfect example. While their time in the castle was short-lived individually; some still managed to stay in the Dimitrescu family's good graces long enough to maintain an extended keep. Over time, Cassandra would notice certain patterns when it came to their bodies. Bleeding in their lower regions was sometimes evident, despite the lack of inflicted trauma to the area.
She hadn't given it much thought until Bela had talked about menstrual bleeding – which prompted the sudden shutdown of the discussion at dinner.
As far as she knew; neither she nor her sisters ever experienced such an event. Granted, while they viewed themselves as above the villagers in all shapes and forms – that difference between them never added up. Over the years, Alcina often would react the same way whenever Daniela discussed scenes of a sexual nature in her novels.
Once again – the book would be disposed of. The redhead soon caught on and simply stopped mentioning those scenes altogether, though she had to have continued reading them.
Alcina constantly emphasized how much she wished to uphold the 'purity' of her daughters. Men were allowed to be tortured, but usually under specific circumstances. There was an incident in their earlier days when a man was stripped nude during his torment. Bela had meant to find access to his femoral artery, and in doing so, removal of his pants was required.
Once they bore witness to his genitals, Alcina's claws emerged and she sliced him in half from the top down in one, swift blow. The three ladies were sent away and from then on, the men were often eviscerated or cut in half not long after capture. Sometimes, extended torture would be allowed, but only under supervision or after Alcina personally castrated the male victims. The bodies would then be propped up outside the castle to serve as scarecrows, protecting the vineyard.
Modesty was held to the highest of standards in the Dimitrescu household and neither of the three daughters ever questioned it. While she never put thought toward such matters; Cassandra had now started to consider what she was even capable of nowadays. If she could not bleed like the servant girls, could she not bear children? If she could not, was love even worth it?
It was a convoluted mass of ideas that she did not wish to sort through, especially right now with Gibbin in front of her. She sided with the idea that no man would ever be worthy enough to experience her body. Such a conclusion wrapped the matter up quickly and brought her back to the conversation at hand.
"No children for Cassandra," she said.
Gibbin was just as eager to move on to his next statement, "Well, then. More time to hunt! If you can't find the perfect man, you can surely find the perfect animal!" He continued to laugh. The ease with which he amused himself was nothing short of staggering. She had not been around men too often and believed that it was best for her health that she stayed distant. If most of them were like him, she'd lose what was left of her mind.
"Ugh…just shut up…" Cassandra turned her head around and paused when she noticed Vasan sitting across the square from her. He had his back turned but she'd recognize that shaggy head of hair in a heartbeat. He likely may not have known that she was still around. Or, maybe he did? There was no way he didn't hear her shouting at Gibbin. Studying how he sat hunched over with his hand up against his cheek, she found him to look depressed as ever.
Just like her.
Gibbin picked up on Cassandra's posture without much debate. "He ain't looking at you. So, why are you looking at him?"
She heard him loud and clear but did not answer. Her eyes would not move.
In the absence of her words, Gibbin spoke for her. "There are more things to do around here than hang around my shop. You don't have to fall in love with the poor bastard, you know?"
With a sigh, Cassandra sat up in her chair and looked back at the food that he had given her. "Yeah…I guess."
"I'll tell you one last piece of advice: be true to yourself. You can put on an act all day and maybe it might work. If you're not happy, then what's the point of the show?"
I need to stop pretending.
"The show is all about the audience." She stood up from her seat, fixing her dress while shaking the dirt from her heels.
"And what good is it if the audience doesn't come back for more?" He added.
She fixed her hood and straightened out the rest of her hair. "Wise words. Thank you, Gibbin."
"Have fun, Cassandra," Gibbin remarked as he took the plate of ginyol and bottle of hindfek off of the tabletop. Leaning over the counter, he cast a small smile. "Enjoy your day."
Walking away, she stopped and turned her head to him with a smile of her own before focusing on the young man at the other end of the square. Trotting along, heel after heel, she took a long, steady breath as she prepared to jump headfirst into her troubles. Gibbin breathed a chuckle as he watched her go. Feasting on the leftovers from her meal, the man was nothing short of proud.
Cassandra approached Vasan from behind. The young man was so oblivious to his surroundings that he did not hear her at all as she neared him. It was only the sound of her voice that managed to break him out of the abyss.
"You," she addressed him.
His head shifted in all directions before he spun around and saw the woman in the black dress standing beside him. His eyes were wide with a shock that she had found him – still pink from their sorrows. His mouth moved but nothing would come out.
Cassandra rolled her eyes but offered a friendly grin. "Fine. I'll do the talking. Look; I said what I said back there. I'm not going to repeat it. What I will say is that I was promised some fun, and I have yet to receive it. If you're willing…" She slowed down, finding herself in new places of thought. "Then, I'm still willing to take you up on the offer."
His brow furrowed in confusion. He could not believe what she had said. He took a breath, trying to gather himself as the feelings that he held felt earlier came rushing back to him. He still could not escape her beauty. Just when he thought he was finding himself detaching from the attraction to her – it snagged him in its claws.
"Yes!" He smiled. "I'd love to!" He got up and stood in front of her. Her height was still slightly intimidating, as her heels added an extra two inches to the two that she already had on him. Nevertheless, he was not going to turn such an opportunity down.
Cassandra could see the joy on his face as he tried to keep himself together. Admittingly; she found his awkwardness slightly enjoyable. It was a funny thing to look at and she wondered how much of a giggle she could get by triggering it. Before she could say anything more – another male voice soon called out to her.
"Good afternoon, beautiful," said another young man who introduced himself to her. "I don't believe we've met. My name is Gerten." He was a taller fellow with a broader build. His frame was noticeably more muscular – particularly around the shoulder region. He was not alone; accompanied by another nearly as tall guy who sported a somewhat-slimmer physique compared to his friend.
The second man did not hesitate to inform her of his name as well. "Bradford. A pleasure to meet you."
Gerten extended his hand out to her at that instant, as if the two were now competing with one another. "Same. What might your name be?"
Cassandra's bewilderment was no secret as she crinkled her brow and shifted her stare between the two of them. With a low breath, she straightened her frame and rolled her lips. "Cassandra…"
She did not reach out to shake his hand, choosing to cross her arms instead. Gerten let his arm hang straight for a couple more seconds before it collapsed to his side. Visibly disappointed, he tried his luck again with the pale brunette in front of him.
"Anyway, we saw…I saw you and I was curious if you were interested in grabbing a meal together?"
Bradford leaned in, his bright blonde hair bobbing as he shook his head. "He can't see anything with those big eyebrows of his."
Yeah…they really are big…
"I already ate." Cassandra remained stern, finding these two men to becoming quite annoying. Vasan remained silent – almost afraid to stand up and tell them that she was spending time with him. Such inaction did not go unnoticed by her – as she found it somewhat sad.
Ugh…just speak up, coward.
"Very well," Gerten continued, "would you care to join me in enjoying a few drinks? Dast is my personal favorite."
Cassandra's eyes squinted and her voice fell to a monotone level, "I hate dast. It's disgusting."
The man's own eyes rolled as he tried to drum up another thing that they could do together. Vasan had finally had enough and moved in to voice his opinion. "Her and I were already going –"
Gerten did not spare the guy one glance, putting his hand up by Vasan's face instead. It was the rudest response that he could possibly give; disregarding him without a second thought. "There's no way she'd go for you. Keep fantasizing, Vasan."
Bradford laughed as he watched the young man lower his head – intimidated by the two of them. Vasan knew that if things devolved into a fight; he would be spared no chance of emerging the victor. These two were stronger than he was and the last thing he wanted Cassandra to bear witness to was him getting pummeled to the ground.
For Cassandra; watching him fold under such circumstances was borderline pathetic. The man couldn't seem to muster any confidence in himself. While she would normally have laughed at such things a week ago; the events of the last couple of days had seen her at her own lows.
Not just that – but the company of Bradford and Gerten was beginning to aggravate her.
She extended her palm out to Vasan, curling her eyelids at him as she did so. Like a shocked child, Vasan paused before glancing up at her. A soft giggle came from her closed mouth before he instinctively took hold of her hand.
Cassandra turned her attention to the two men, smiling coyly as she glared at them. "If you two don't mind; I'm spending my day with Vasan. You may go, now." She waved them off.
They were nothing short of dumbfounded at the idea that a woman like her would ever have lent consideration to Vasan. Undeterred; they continued to try and argue for her affection, hoping that she would drop his hand and go with them. The advances continued as Cassandra rolled her eyes, unaccepting of even the smallest compliments.
"You have to see my skill with a bow," Gerten tried emphasizing his prowess with ranged weapons. The way his expression and tone of voice begged her to follow him came off as overbearing to the brunette. All she could do was click her tongue and shake her head.
Suddenly, a third, boisterous voice spoke up from behind the two instigators. "Now, there…" Gibbin emerged from the background. "Let these two enjoy their afternoon. Besides, you wouldn't want to make this lady mad. There's a dhin lying dead in the woods who paid the price for such an act."
Bradford turned his eye toward Cassandra as soon as he heard that. "Impossible! You're telling us that she felled such a beast?"
"Ah," the butcher replied, "I never lie. Everyone in this town knows that very well. That woman right here fought not one – but two. Swear on me mother's grave. Now, let them be. I promise you'd rather not end up on the receiving end of what she's got."
The obnoxious hunter may have been unkept in appearance and lacking any manners, but from the way the two men responded to his words; he had to have carried a large amount of respect. As soon as he affirmed what he had told them, both Bradford and Gerten turned to Cassandra with a sense of astonishment in their eyes.
"Uhm…" Gerten tried to find the best thing that he could say to her. "Quite impressive, miss." He stumbled on his verbiage – earning an elbow from his friend in the process.
"Is that all you got?" Bradford chided him.
Gibbin interjected once again, having seen his fill of their banter. "Leave them be. Vasan has a fun day ahead of him."
Cassandra smiled at the burly man as she pulled Vasan to her side. "Thank you, Mr. Gibbin!" Her voice carried an upbeat pitch that was normally never to be found. "It was a pleasure."
"Have fun, you two," he replied as he nodded. Cassandra and Vasan began to step away toward whatever it was they sought to do next, while Gibbin turned his attention to the two men. "Since you lot want to bother Vasan while he's with his catch; you can help me with my own."
Gerten tried to dismiss the request. "I'm sorry, Mr. Gibbin. Bradford and I do not have the time."
Gibbin leaned forward, a smug grin stretched across his face. Narrowing his eyes, he placed his large hands over both their shoulders. The two young men may have been athletic, but they were no match for someone of his build, brawn, and reputation. "That's fine, boys. I wasn't asking. Best keep your strength up. We have a handful of large animals to carry back to my shop."
The two replied in unison, defeated in their pursuits. "Yes, Mr. Gibbin."
When Cassandra and Vasan found themselves far away from the duo, she released his hand without hesitation. "Ugh, those two were so annoying."
"Thank you for what you did back there." He curled the hand that she held in front of him softly as they continued to walk. While it had been gloved; he could feel the force behind her thin grip and couldn't stop thinking about what it would be like to hold her bare skin.
"Don't get used to it."
"But, why? Why did you come back to me?"
With a tiny groan, she turned her head to him. "Because I want to have some fun today. Is that too much?"
"But you were just telling me earlier that you weren't looking for love and –"
She stopped him right there. "Look, we're both having a terrible day. I don't want love. I just want to have a good day." Her words were sincere that he couldn't ignore them. Despite the strong feelings that were growing for her, Vasan knew he had to look past that as they stood in the way of what he truly wanted – to see her smile.
"As you shall," he said, happy as ever.
"So…" Cassandra shrugged her shoulders, yet remained optimistic. "Where is the fun to be had?
Lia sat at the edge of her bed; the blue energy window she had created hovering in the air in front of her. Concentrating as hard as she could, she steadily moved her right hand to the side, shifting through the various memories that Cassandra had infested her with. It was difficult to review the atrocities that their visitor had committed, but the fawn knew that this was the only way to get to the truth.
"Such violence," she muttered as her eyes watched the flickering faces of so many terrified young women. "Those poor girls…"
She made the extra effort to muffle the sounds cast from the window. It wasn't just for the sake of Milo and Leta not hearing it – but also herself. She had never seen carnage of this magnitude before in all her days. While the brunette had descended from another realm, Lia could not help but notice the strange things that surrounded her existence.
Granted; Locwitary was a strange place for Cassandra, but what Lia witnessed threw biology into the void.
"So many flies. Where are they coming from? They're everywhere…"
She recalled Cassandra mentioning that she could turn into a swarm of flies at a whim when she first arrived here. Initially, Lia had regarded her comment as mere hysterics, though she was wise to keep an open mind to the facts about other worlds. The more she witnessed the hordes of insects, the more she started to believe her – much to her confliction.
The memories could only be seen in first person – as they were through Cassandra's eyes. It was the same way she had experienced them throughout her unconscious stupor. They were all random in occurrence; adhering to no specific progression of time. She could not watch from a third-person viewpoint, either.
Such possibilities were only regulated to peeking into realms. Replaying memories was a trait that only a few fawns could possess. Even for surges – who exhibited the most power – this was exceedingly rare.
Rareness led to mystery and mystery meant a lack of understanding.
"Those must be your sisters," she said as she watched the visions of a blonde and redhead duo, both cloaked in the same garb that Cassandra wore. Some of the memories were mundane; showing the sisters sipping a red mixture out from an ornate cup, the redhead dancing around a large room near a staircase while the blonde could be seen pointing her finger at the two of them.
Others displayed various body parts strewn about in what looked like a dark dungeon that had to have been located within the same castle that the trio resided in. Brief glimpses of several distressed young ladies confined inside filthy cells shook Lia to her core. She could barely stand to watch them suffer but she had to press on.
Answers would not come easily.
Another vision passed forth, showing Cassandra's arms reaching into one of the cells to scare one of the imprisoned girls with a sword. The unfortunate captive was already bloodied; cuts along the left side of her face and red stains soaking parts of her tattered clothes. She could barely move to avoid the long blade. At one point, she appeared to suffer a mild stab from its tip into her side.
Feeling her anger mounting, Lia shifted that memory away. She could not believe that this was the company that she and Leta were forced to share. Her contempt for Milo's pursuit of discovery was beginning to reach its capacity. She could not understand how a man who had been so careful to preserve the lives of she and her sister would suddenly lose all common sense after the arrival of a mass murderer from a different realm.
The memories persisted to the point that she decided to delve deeper than re-watching some of the murders. Seeing Cassandra's cruelty would only teach her so much. She flew through the many images that presented themselves, eyes on full alert for anything that would stand out to her.
"There has to be something."
A memory of a well-made dinner table soon played in her view. She could see Cassandra sitting down, her two sisters sitting beside her. With the sounds subdued, she realized that she could be missing out on something important. The blonde's mouth was moving and unlike the scene at the stairs, she felt the urge to learn what was being said.
Using her left hand; Lia pinched all five of her fingers together and slowly spread them apart. The sound from the memories started to elevate. She stopped it as soon as the noise level became acceptable for only her to hear.
"Cassandra," the blonde spoke in a dissatisfied tone, "Could you please fix your silverware?"
Cassandra's viewpoint soon drifted down to the unorganized set of utensils in front of her. Lia watched as her hands moved to throw them into further disarray. The direction of her eyes only moved up when she heard the blond groaning in frustration.
A small giggle came out from the right, prompting the blonde to speak again. "Daniela, none of this is funny."
Cassandra's voice called out to her annoyed sibling, "You're obsessed with everything being perfect, Bela. Do my fork and knife stay organized when I eat with them?"
The redhead joined in. "She brings up a good point."
"No, Daniela. She doesn't…"
Lia tilted her head. "Bela and Daniela. Huh…"
The memories were fragmented; missing bits and pieces. The scene quickly cut to another shot of Bela leaning over Cassandra, desperately trying to straighten the silverware herself. As the blonde angrily groaned at the disarrayed items, the brunette's loud cackling echoed all around.
"Ugh…I hate her laugh. So obnoxious…"
The scene skipped again – showing Bela now staring at Cassandra as she stood across the room. Her face tensed up into an irritated pull as Cassandra's left hand slowly began to spin the fork in the opposite direction.
"Cassandra!"
Another memory shot in. Entering were four of the servants; each holding various trays of food. From Cassandra's view, the focus was solely on the food itself, depriving Lia of witnessing the rest of the environment around her. She could only feel more disgust as she wondered if the enslaved women were forced to serve the remains of their peers to the ladies. It invoked a terrible churning inside her stomach.
Lia skimmed through again. stopping only when she suddenly glimpsed the sight of an unnaturally tall woman standing in the middle of the room. She instantly paused the image; her eyes could not believe it.
How could she have not seen this before, she wondered? All the memories that coursed through her mind during that day and a half while she was out had failed to display the incredible sight of the large woman. She could not fathom how someone could grow to such an immense height.
Lia leaned forward; her awe causing her to momentarily lose concentration. The window flickered and she had to get back on track.
She focused her hands – returning the window to the closest point it was at before.
"Bela," the woman spoke in an authoritative tone, "go find Ingrid and bring her to me at once! I will not have this mistake go unpunished."
"Yes, mother!" Bela stood up from her seat and exploded into a mass of dark insects.
Lia's hands ceased their magic and the window immediately vanished. She gasped as she backed up against the wall. It was all true. Cassandra had not lied.
"How did she do that? What is she?"
Lia's breathing had picked up, mirroring her anxious state. None of what she had seen made even the slightest bit of sense to the fawn. All she could determine was that Cassandra had only been mildly forthcoming about what she was and after she began to settle down with the trio – all other details about herself had gone silent.
Lia took a breath to calm herself, remembering that everything she had witnessed was confined to a realm that she would never see. Still; the horrors of it could not be forgotten. Part of her regretted having delved deeper into Cassandra's past, as seeing more of the truth only worsened her already sour opinion of the killer among them.
Getting up from the bed, Lia straightened out her fur cape and paced over to the door in front of her. The temptation to go forward to Milo with what she had seen was there, but her foresight overcame any ambition of him taking her side. She had left him with a true heartache of a comment and in keeping with her own values – she did not want to press him for acceptance.
With a sigh, Lia ran her fingers along the braided crown that she had crafted her hair into. It pained her to be the only one in the castle who had seen the truth about Cassandra to the level that she had. She wanted Milo to take her side immediately and sort this problem out together.
Leta, on the other hand, could not be allowed to know. It was already bad enough that the child had associated with such a vicious being. The last thing she needed was her sister being terrified. While Cassandra had yet to display such powers that she wielded back at home in this realm, Lia was well-aware that her understanding of the balance between barriers was minuscule to non-existent.
She couldn't imagine anything short of devastation if the brunette were to somehow return to her former self before they could send her back. The woman's true nature was something that she could not explain, but all she knew was that it was dangerous. The process had to be expedited and that meant that more learning had to be done. The longer Cassandra stayed in this realm, the greater the chances were that she would eventually regain her abilities.
Most importantly – she could not allow her sister to be around such a monster.
NOTES:
Another lengthy chapter in this story! Hope you all enjoyed it!
So, it looks like Cassandra is dealing with some more issues. A day full of stress is enough to get her thinking about everything – including herself. Hope isn't lost as she hasn't given up on trying to rise above the problems that she knows she has. Gibbin played a big part in this chapter and I hope you all liked the added depth to his character as we will see him again one day.
Vasan's future seems brighter and while love may not be in the cards, a nice day with Cassandra is still on the table. Let's hope he doesn't mess it up again. Does she want another friend? Who knows? She does want him to be happy and that is a new step for our brunette.
Speaking of new things: Lia has gotten a better glimpse into where Cassandra has come from and she is on high alert. While monsters exist in both their worlds; Lia is beginning to realize that there are things out there that she could never imagine. As far as Leta goes – she will protect her at all costs.
This story is nearing its next phase as two worlds are about to collide in one form or another. Tensions will rise and truths are about to come to light. I am so excited to show you all what is about to come!
The next chapter will be out on Friday, December 9th.
Follow this story on Archive of Our Own to check out the newest artwork created for this chapter! Every chapter gets at least one!
Thanks again for following this work! I am so happy to have such awesome readers who give me the drive to keep putting my imagination into words! It's always great to read what you think and talk to you! I hope life has been treating you all well and I can't wait to see you all again! Stay safe and enjoy the days ahead!