Chapter 95 I don't own Merlin. Italics is Latin- or emphasising- bold is mind speak.
"Mi Reina, que hacemos aquí?" Duke Velasco asked.
"Tenemos un traidor, Duque." Cassie answered, her eyes golden as wooden beams flew to the doors and locked everyone in with a resounding thud.
"¡¿Qué?! Espero que tenga pruebas, Reina Casiopea, antes de hacer semejantes acusaciones!" Duke Sandoval said, his face red and angry. "¡No tiene ningún derecho de tenernos rehenes!"
"Esto..." Cassie said, holding her hand out as she made the ring fly into her hand and she observed it. "Esto es mi prueba." she said, her eyes glowing golden as she undid the spell that allowed the enemy to see in and destroyed the ring in a puff of dust.
"Gidie?" Duke Garsea asked, looking at the man with wide eyes. "Explíquese, ¡ahora mismo!" he ordered.
"Está pagando los platos rotos de su padre, Reina Casiopea." he spat angrily, glaring at her as Miro and Gundemar restrained him.
"Mi padre murió antes de que yo naciera. Lo que está haciendo es sometiendo a los ciudadanos inocentes a su tiranía." Cassie told him in a dangerously quiet voice, the power radiating off her in waves, evidenced by her golden eyes and the warning vibrations of the table, as he cowered against the two men holding him.
"Alteza, no tenía la menor idea. Me tiene que creer. Su hermano fue un aliado leal, un amigo. No lo traicionaría así." Duke Garsea begged, getting on his knees in front of her and putting his hand over his heart with a quavering voice.
"No está en duda su lealtad. Ni la lealtad de los demás. La guerra se adelantó; Gildas, quédese con el prisionero. No puede ver, oír, ni hablar. Entendido?" she ordered, looking at him and mentally translating.
"Si, Majestad." he answered in a heavy accent, his eyes glowing golden as he tied a blindfold over Gidie's face and took hold of him roughly.
"Geopene þæm infærelde to āsēċenne hwider." she chanted by herself, opening the portal and nodding for the others to walk through. "Ebro, Gildas, cast the wards. Addie, make sure he knows nothing. Deprive him of every sense. Gundemaro, vamos por los soldados."
"Si, mi Reina." he said, bowing low and following her to where the Dukes all stood, looking around to try and guess their new location, finding just trees all around.
"Iremos por ellos ahora. No los voy a obligar a dejar sus ciudades sin protección. Decidan ustedes cuántos soldados vienen. Estoy poniendo en sus manos el futuro de la gente de Recópolis. Empezaré con los soldados que hay reunidos en Narbona. Acompañenme." she said, closing the portal. "Beclȳsaþ."
"Alteza, se va a cansar muy rápido si hace tanta magia." Gundemar said, looking at her worriedly as she un-beamed one of the heavy doors and opened them.
"Esto es dócil en comparación con lo enojada que estoy. No me voy a cansar." she said, nodding her head and walking over to where the soldiers were all training, nodding to Gundemar and Abilio. "Señores, los que vienen están a su discreción."
"¡Hombres, en fila!" Abilio commanded, watching as they all lined up and he walked over to the third from last line. "De esta fila en adelante vienen conmigo. El resto se quedan defendiendonos."
"Gracias, conde." Cassie said, going into the middle of the field and opening another portal. "Geopene þæm infærelde to āsēċenne hwider. Gundemaro, regrese cuando el último hombre pase por el portal. Abilio, quédese con sus hombres mientras vamos por los demás." she said, nodding at Gundemar as he walked forward and threw the pebble indicating that he'd already made sure the sorcerers were maintaining the spell in case and returning as soon as he could. "Beclȳsaþ."
"Majestad, se va a lastimar." Duchess Sence said, taking her arm worriedly. "Tome todo con más calma, desacelere."
"Tranquilícese, Duquesa. El único que va a salir lastimado es Witerico." Cassie told her, gently extirpating her arm from the older woman's grip and conjuring another portal to Salamanca.
"Duque Sandoval, sus soldados." Cassie said, waving her arm and waiting patiently for him to speak with a guard and have them all convene in front of her as she stared stoically at the statue of her grandfather in the middle of the square, the stories she'd heard her whole life playing through her mind.
"Estamos listos, Reina Casiopea." he said, getting on one knee as his soldiers all did the same. "Le prometemos vida, miembros y lealtad, mi Reina."
"Duquesa, quédese aquí, cuide su ciudad. Su vida. Yo no sé qué va a pasar y no quiero que se lastime." Cassie said, quietly, holding back the tears.
"No, mi Reina. Voy con ustedes, pelearé." she said, shaking her head and wiping the tear that fell down Cassie's cheek with a motherly smile.
"Gracias." Cassie said, nodding to her and looking at Gundemar to repeat the process of the pebble.
They repeated this process for the soldiers in Toledo and Segovia, the clearing in the forest to the east of Recoppolis almost replete as Cassie stood in front of everyone and they all knelt awaiting her orders.
"Hombres, amigos, aliados…" Cassie began, her heart thundering in her chest as she scrambled for words and looked over the sea of kneeling men. "Debido a circunstancias imprevistas nuestro ataque ha sido impulsado. Ya no esperaremos a que la luna nueva ensombrezca nuestros movimientos; no esperaremos a que los soldados de WIterico recojan sus armas para defenderse; ¡y no esperaremos a recuperar este Reino! El sol todavía está alto, estoy seguro de que el viaje fue inesperado y discordante. Tomen hasta el anochecer; descansen. Atacaremos en cuanto se ponga el sol y la gente esté en sus casas. Nos dividiremos en cinco grupos: uno por cada entrada a la ciudad y uno conmigo. Tomaré la ciudadela mientras que ustedes incapacitan a los guardias. ¡No quiero derramamiento de sangre innecesario! Si no hay otra opción, y solo si, entonces haganlo de la manera más rápida. Pero recuerden mis palabras, no permitiré que esta ciudad vea más derramamiento de sangre. Esta guerra no es para mí; es para ellos, para ustedes. Mis ciudadanos! Este reino no es nada sin ustedes!" Cassie declared, unsheathing her sword and lifting it up to the sky. "¡Por la gente, por Recópolis, y por Hispania!"
"¡Por Hispania!" they all chorused, standing up and repeating her battle cry.
"I wish I had understood it, you clearly inspired them." Addie said with a proud smile.
"It was horrible, I think they only did it out of respect." Cassie said, taking a deep breath and pulling the traitor aside with gentle hands, her eyes glowing golden as she let him hear again.
"¿Qué hace? ¿Quién es?"
"Eso quería saber yo, Gidie. ¿Quién es?"
"Es una falsa, no tiene nada que ver aquí. Su familia eran asesinos, y usted también le es." he spat angrily, speaking to the side of her face and turning it towards her voice as she responded in a gentler voice.
"Yo volví para salvar a la gente de las crueldades de su amo. ¿Por qué se alió con él?"
"Porque él me prometió mi venganza contra su familia. Algo por lo cual he estado esperando toda mi vida."
"¿Qué fue lo que le hizo mi padre que lo tiene tan enojado? Tan lleno de odio." Cassie asked him, leaning away from him.
"Mató a mi padre, mandó a que sus soldados rapten a mi hermana y madre y me dejó por muerto." he said, lifting his shirt and showing her pale scars all along his chest and abdomen.
"Los pecados de mi padre no son míos. Tendrá su día de juicio. Y su oportunidad de defenderse. Pero le advierto desde ahora, una venganza sobre algo que ocurrió hace más de veinte años no es una defensa adecuada." Cassie told him, biting back the tears as she heard, for the first time in her life, that her father would do such a thing and saw the scars as proof.
"Ya me sentenció a la muerte, ¿por qué no lo hace de una vez?"
"Por qué no lo estoy sentenciando. Le estoy diciendo que se defienda bien para que tenga opciones." Cassie answered, snuffing out his hearing once more and tying him to the tree with a wave of her hand and a glow of her eyes.
"You look tired, Cassie." Gundemar said gently as he walked up to her quickly, leading her away from the dukes that wanted to speak with her and holding her hand. "You overdid yourself with the magic."
"No, I didn't. I was serious when I said my anger was fuelling me." Cassie answered, walking over to Addie. "You shouldn't participate, Addie."
"I was going to stay with the prisoner. Just put him to sleep while you go and make sure he stays that way for the rest of the night." she said, smiling at her. "I'm sorry you were betrayed." she added softly.
"Don't be, I'm fine. It helped to spur the battle forward; I was prepared to keep going over the minutiae forever. If only to stall." Cassie said, sitting down next to her and looking up at the sky. "I'm going on a hunt. Alone. I'll bring something back to eat for everyone. Don't tell." Cassie said, smiling at her and nodding at Gundemar. "I trust you-"
"Go, Princess. I know you well enough to know you can take care of yourself." he said, nodding at her while Addie stood up and walked towards her husband. "Don't make any indication that it's not me." she told him, her eyes glowing golden as she whispered the spell and quickly disappeared from view as her illusion took her place. "Āsċieppenne mín þone ġedwimor."
"Mi Reina, ¿qué es eso?" Duchess Sence asked as she hauled the dead deer to the edge of the clearing and let go of the illusion of her resting her head on Gundemar's shoulders.
"La comida."
"No debió haber salido sola."
"Me puedo cuidar sola, Duquesa. Y la verdad, necesitaba estar sola." she said, cleaning the bloody dagger on the grass and sheathing it beside her gilded one. "Los hombres necesitan sus fuerzas. Y no soy de las que obliga a aguantar hambre a los prisioneros."
"Que va a hacer con el?" she asked, looking at him as he sat tied against the tree and Gildas and Addie sat in front of him.
"Tendrá su juicio. Su oportunidad de defenderse y luego dictaré su sentencia." Cassie said, watching as the men prepared the deer to be cooked and eaten.
"Es demasiado justa, Alteza. A veces se necesita una mano dura."
"Correcto, y es mi decisión qué hacer con él. Como Duquesa usted sabrá lo que es tener juicios para sus criminales. El Reino es mío, la decisión es mía. Agradezco toda su ayuda, agradezco que me esté impartiendo su experiencia, pero tengo que creer en mis decisiones. Si no, seré una persona débil." Cassie told her gently, but brokering no argument, nodding to her and looking around at all the soldiers as an idea popped into her mind.
"¿Qué sucede, tuvo otra idea?"
"Si, tomaré la ciudadela antes de que se den cuenta que estamos aquí." Cassie said simply, shaking her head and looking out at the forest.
"No se pueden dar cuenta por la magia que hicieron." Sence said, looking at her with a furrowed brow.
"Si, lo sé. Pero para qué esperar a darles el golpe?" Cassie said, smirking triumphantly as she steered her over to Gundemar.
"Alteza, Dama?" he greeted, bowing to them both and looking at them curiously.
"Gundemaro, me voy."
"Te vas?" he asked, furrowing his brow and looking slightly hurt.
"Entraré sigilosamente en el palacio, incapacitaré a Mstivoj y esperaré a que caiga la noche para avisar. Mientras se ocupan de los guardias, ya los habré encarcelado y retomado nuestro Reino."
"¡Es muy peligroso!" he said, keeping his voice low so no one would hear but themselves.
"No si no me ven." she said, surreptitiously gripping the amulet she'd slipped off her neck and wrapped around her wrist as she disappeared from view. "Ojos que no ven…"
"Es un buen truco, mi Reina, pero no cree que Mstivoj la delatará?" Sence asked, staring in wonder as Gundemar, too, disappeared from view once she touched his arm. "¿No hay nada que pueda decir para cambiarle de opinión?"
"No, nada." Cassie said, letting go of the amulet and Gundemar. "Necesito hacer esto ahora. Estén tranquilos hasta que les avise. Gildas sabrá cuando."
"Suerte."
"La suerte no tiene nada que ver." Cassie said, smiling at them and disappearing once more, sneaking through the forest towards Reccopolis, amulet held tightly in her hand.
It took her almost two hours to run to the other side, creep along the walls and find the overgrown ivy hiding the hole she'd blasted when she was a child.
"I'm inside the gardens. Say nothing to anyone but Gundemar. Make sure he knows not to talk." Cassie spoke telepathically to Gildas, nodding to herself as he said one word in reply and following a servant in through an open door.
She looked around at the stone walls, memories of her childhood returning in full force and threatening to make her break down in tears in the middle of her mission. She shook her head free of them and pressed herself close to the wall behind a wide pillar as a gaggle of guards marched past her with a rack of spears and pikes. She took in deep, shaky breaths and blinked her eyes many times to clear the tears that fell down her face.
"Sweotolae mec þære brimlade æt þon ic bió sēċ." she whispered quietly, opening her eyes and seeing the golden mist snake its way up the stairs and to the east wing of the palace, leading her closer and closer to her own former chambers as she looked for him. What she found when she peaked through the barely open door made her almost gag and lose her grip on the amulet she held; inside the room, on her bed, was Mstivoj with two men and lots of rope. She crouched there in shock and disgust as she could do nothing but stare at how it all moved, at how the bed, her bed, protested under the weight and movement going on atop it, how sickening the groans coming from the three reverberated. The thing to snap her out of her trance was the sound of a servant dropping a basket of laundry behind her and muttering under her breath, gathering it quickly and turning around with a shake of her head. Her heart pounding for the few seconds it took for her to realise the serving girl had seen nothing.
"Que hago ahora?" Cassie muttered to herself, looking around and spotting a broom closet she knew had an opening into the battlements; one she used quite often as a young child. She crossed the hall and looked around before sneaking into the room and locking it behind her. With shaking hands and swirling thoughts she leant against the wooden door and closed her eyes, only to open them immediately and emptying her stomach of what little contents it held in the corner.
"I knew he was depraved, but that was sickening." she whispered with heavy breaths and cold sweats, opening the trapdoor on the ceiling and climbing out onto the battlefields, her mind cast back years and years before to the last night she spent up there. "No! This is the wrong time to relive memories." she said to herself, finding her hiding spot and crouching inside it, turning her face up to the sun and keeping her eyes closed for a few moments until she heard voices on the far end, gripping her plain wooden dagger tightly and waiting as they walked past and completely ignored her, opening the door on the opposite end and disappearing down the stairs.
"I'm on the battlements. Mstivoj has guests in my former room and Witeric is too guarded to go near right now. I'll wait until dark to get them." she told him her disgust clear in her mental words, releasing the breath she had been holding.
"Stay safe, Cassie. Keep me informed." Gildas replied telepathically.
She sat there for hours, waiting for the sun to begin to sink before she slowly stood up, looking around carefully as she climbed down the trapdoor with a heavy breath. "I really hope they're done." she whispered to herself, using her magic to see who was in her room and sighing in relief when she found it empty. "This is going to be a long night." she muttered, pulling out her dagger and taking a seat in the shadows of her room, forcing herself to stare blankly at the door.
She gripped her dagger as the door opened and Mstivoj walked in alone and locked the door. She knew that he was a battle hardened warrior, that no matter how invisible or stealthy she was he could easily fell her; so she sat there silently; and she waited as he walked around the bed and opened the wide windows with his sword resting against the frame; and she watched as he threw off his shirt to expose a huge triskelion tattoo on his chest and collapsed on his bed with a heavy breath.
"Forswige." she muttered, her eyes glowing golden and her smile twisting into a triumphant smirk as he looked around in confusion. Mstivoj opened his mouth to scream for the guards as he shot up in bed, scrambled around for his weapon and stared at her as she finally let go of the amulet, tucking it back in her tunic after placing it around her neck. "Geborhfæstee." she whispered, watching as his arms and legs were bound tightly with the heavy rope he had in a tall basket. "No importa cuánto asco y miedo guarde por usted, la venganza no es mía para tomarla. No lo mataré ahora mismo; tendrá su juicio, tendrá su oportunidad de defenderse. Pero no podrá advertirle a nadie. Se quedará ahí atado." Cassie whispered shakily, her eyes glowing golden as she put him in a deep slumber, wiping the tears that flowed down her face quickly and walking out the door, making sure she was the only person to be able to unlock it.
"Mstivoj is detained and incapacitated for the night. Witteric's next. Make sure Addie's safe to stay with Gidie and tell Gundemar I'll let them know when they can begin the invasion." Cassie told him telepathically, sticking to the shadows as she walked the deserted corridors of the palace, glancing at the moon and realising it was well past midnight.
"I was getting worried, it's been hours since you've said anything. The dukes were ready to march in there the moment the sun went down, Gundemar stopped them, convinced them to wait for your say-so."
"I'll let you know if anything happens. Tell them to set out in half an hour no matter what." Cassie told him, hiding behind a pillar as a pair of guards rounded the corner and walked towards where she was on their nightly routine.
"Okay. Let me know the moment you need any help."
"I will."
"Alto, ¿quién va allí?" one of the guards called as she walked out from behind the pillar and pulled the hood up to cover her face.
"Es-Esmeralda." Cassie answered, the first name that popped into her mind.
"¡Voltease, muestrenos su cara!" they commanded the sound of their swords being unsheathed ringing in the air as she turned around and shakily lifted her hands to her hood, looking nervous on purpose. "¿Qué hace en el Palacio Real?" they demanded.
"El Rey me mandó a llamar." she said in a silky voice, walking forward slowly and sweeping her hood back, her magic pouring into every syllable as she spoke. "Me dijo que les dijera que no será interrumpido por el resto de la noche hasta mañana por la mañana."
"No lo interrumpiremos." they answered, bowing with glazed eyes. Something she was quick to notice.
"También me dijo que le dijera qué Mstivoj está contagioso, cualquiera que se acerque a él caerá gravemente enfermo." she added, feeling sick to her stomach as she saw the control she could have over them when their eyes glazed over even more.
"Si, nadie se acercará a Mstivoj." they said, bowing and leaving her there. "Have you ever been able to enchant someone with just your words?"
"Cassie, this is hardly the time to be curious! Are you in trouble?"
"No, but the strangest thing just happened to me-"
"Cassie, are we to set out yet or not?" he cut her off, rolling his eyes to his wife's curiosity.
"No, not yet."
"Then get back to what you're supposed to be doing."
"Fine!" Cassie muttered to herself, pulling the hood back up and quickly walking to the King's chambers, keeping her mind on the task at hand so she wouldn't be bombarded with the horrible memories of that fateful morning.
"¡Alto! ¿Qué hace aquí?" two guards at the end of the hall asked, looking at her as she lifted her hands to pull back the hood.
"Vengo a ver al Rey; me ha llamado. Dice que sus chicas se están soltando y quiere una virgen." Cassie said shakily, thinking with disgust and uneasiness of what the man on the island had said and not bothering to hide the fear in her eyes from everything going on.
"Siga." he said, looking at the girl with compassion in his eyes and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder before she walked through. "Será mejor si no pelea."
"Hmh." Cassie said, nodding her head and tearing up as she did so, knowing that this wasn't the first time someone had said the same thing to them. She walked forward on unsteady legs, looking back at them as they kept their eyes trained forward and their jaws clenched.
Cassie paused for but a moment before she reached out with shaking hands, her eyes glowing golden so the door wouldn't make a sound as she opened and closed it, locking it tight with her magic. She turned around and looked at the bed where the two girls sat up in fear, hugging each other tightly and quaking as they stared at her. Cassie spared a glance to the man that lay sprawled across the bed, mouth hung open and snores breaking the silence of the room.
"¡Vengan!" Cassie said softly, looking at them with as much compassion as she could muster. "No les voy a hacer nada, lo prometo. Le dicen a los guardias que el Rey ya no las quiere. Que las echó, y ellos las dejarán ir. ¿Tienen un lugar seguro?"
"No." the smaller one mumbled, shaking her head as tears fell down her face.
"¿Donde duermen cuando no están aquí?"
"Solo aqui." the other girl said.
"Bueno, venga, no las voy a lastimar. Sé lo que les ha hecho hacer ese hombre. Vengo a salvarlas. ¿Confían en mí?" Cassie asked, leading them over to the partition and pulling the curtain back as the girls nodded and followed her. "Si siguen el camino van a encontrar una puerta que conduce a la sala del trono, hay una escotilla a lo largo de la pared a la derecha. Tócala y tira de ella para abrir la puerta. Escóndanse ahí. Cogan esto, es para protegerse por si acaso. Cuando todo acabe vendré por ustedes." she whispered, pulling a large portrait off the wall and unlocking the door with her magic.
"Gracias." the younger one said, hugging her tightly and letting go, taking her sister's hand and running away as she gripped the wooden dagger.
"Despicable man, they can't have been older than fourteen at most." she muttered darkly, taking the ropes from the curtains and tying his hands together.
Cassie noticed that he was so deeply asleep that it gave her an idea. One she wished she could erase from her brain forever. She took the dagger Arthur had given her and cut the sleeve just enough for it to appear ripped by him, messed up her hair and allowed the memories she'd been largely failing to keep at bay flood her brain. She took shaky breaths as her eyes glazed over in fear and quickly muttered a spell to keep any noise from being heard from inside. Cassie ran out with tear-stained cheeks and fell to her knees in front of the guard who'd spoken to her.
"H-he- ayudame!" she whispered, clutching at the guard's hands and stealthily taking the shackles from him, her hand disappearing beneath her cloak as he looked at her with sorrowful eyes.
"Lo siento, no sabe como lo siento." he said, taking her by the wrist and walking her back to the door. "Perdoname." he added, clenching his jaw as he opened the door and pushed her in, locking it behind her.
"Lo perdono." Cassie whispered to herself sadly, looking at the shackles and opening them without a word, turning around and staring at him with barely suppressed ire.
She looked around and saw the perfect place to shackle him to, shaking as her mind flashed back to the morning she saw the dead forms of her brother and sister-in-law on the very bed she was climbing onto. "Bytle Þíslan (erect a pole)" Cassie muttered, watching as the pole appeared behind the bed frame and stopped growing as soon as it was past the canopy of the bed. She moved his arms up above his head and shackled him to it, taking the ropes and throwing them aside as she unsheathed her dagger, holding it to his throat and slapping him awake with her other hand.
"Go, now!" she spoke to Gildas' mind, smirking at him as he struggled to move.
"Ah! Guardia!" he yelled as soon as his eyes opened, looking at her frantically.
"¿Se acuerda de mi, General?" Cassie asked him, watching as he stared at her in terror.
"Soñé muchas noches con tenerla así, Princessa." he said, trying to smirk and failing as his eyes kept going to the blade she held.
"Reina!" Cassie corrected, moving the blade up to his face and pressing it into his skin. "Por todo lo que me hizo, todo lo que le hizo a mi hermano, a mi familia, a mi gente, lo estoy arrestando." she said, watching as he yelled over and over again for the guards that should be posted right in front of his door.
"¡No tiene la autoridad! ¡Yo soy el Rey!" he yelled at her, spit flying everywhere.
"Usted núnca me agrado, general." Cassie told him, her eyes narrowing at him. "Ahora sé porque." she added, making him go mute and opening the door as the guards tried to push it down with all their weight.
"¿Que paso? ¿Quién es usted?" he asked, looking at her suspiciously as she opened the door looking much better than she had just fifteen minutes ago.
"Soy la Reina Casiopea." she declared, watching as their eyes widened and they stared at her in amazement.
"Mi Reina." they said, getting on one knee and bowing their heads to her in deference. "Por fin vino."
"Si." Cassie said, not knowing what else to say and holding her head high and the tears at bay. "Me imagino que no tengo que ordenarlos a llevarlo a la armería? En vez del calabozo. Tiene su espía, pero no es muy útil, General." Cassie said, adding the last to him as she opened the door further and led the guards out.
"Sera un placer, Reina." the one who'd apologised to her said, tightening his grip on Witteric's arm and leading him down as he screamed silently.
"Todos los guardias son como ustedes?" Cassie asked, nodding at them as they stood guard.
"No, hay algunos que están a su lado. Por supuesto tiene al bruto, Mstivoj y su mago. Los otros son comprados; mercenarios, mi Reina." he answered, watching as her eyes glew and the spikes lined up against the wall with a flourish of her arm.
"Bueno." Cassie said thoughtfully, her head held high as she wearily thought it was just more people for her to try tomorrow. "Iremos por ellos y por el mago. Me imagino que los leales a Witerico están en el cuartel?"
"Si, Majestad. Unos cuantos viven aquí; los más leales. Todos deben estar dormidos. La acompañamos?" he asked, looking at her respectfully as she nodded and motioned for him to lead the way.
"¿Quien es?" a palace guard asked, stopping them as they rounded the corner and looking at her wide eyes. "¿Reina Casiopea?"
"Si, soy yo." Cassie said, smiling at them as the group got on their knees in front of her. "Por favor. No es hora. El tirano ya está encarcelado en la armería. Mstivoj esta-"
"Él está enfermo, nos dijo un guardia. No nos podemos acercar. Es contagioso." the guard said, interrupting her and hanging his head as he realised his mistake. "Disculpéme, Majestad. No quise interrumpirla."
"Descuide. Enfermo no está; está atado." Cassie told him, putting her hand on his shoulder and making him lift his head in surprise. "Engañé a los guardias que me encontraron y les dije esa mentira. No sabía que la mayoría lo encontraban..."
"¿Cómo los engaño?" he asked, his eyes going wide in fear as she looked at the dying torch and made the flames grow brightly. "Mi Reina." he said in a shaky voice, backing up warily and bowing to her.
"No los voy a lastimar. Mi magia solamente la uso para ayudarlos. Tenemos que encontrar al mago. Él es el más peligroso por ahora. ¿Saben dónde está?" Cassie said gently, removing her hand and giving him his space.
"Si, sígame, Alteza. Su habitación está por aquí." the fearful guard said, bowing to her and leading her towards the south wing, holding the door open for her to walk through.
"No está." Cassie said, sheathing her sword and turning to look at them tiredly.
"A veces sale a la ciudad baja. Pasa la noche ahí." the first guard said, reaching over to light the torch.
"Esperemos que no sepa nada." Cassie said, looking around the room and going over to the basin. "Sweotolae mec mín sāwlunge magan." she looked into the basin to find a very young looking man fast asleep in bed with a woman. "Está durmiendo. ¿Conocen a esta mujer?"
"Parece ser la hija de la cocinera." the youngest said nervously. "Vive cerca del herrero."
"Bueno, por ahora no es peligro. Gildas, where is everybody? Is everything well?"
"Perfect, we're walking into the palace now."
"Siganme, hay algo que tienen que ver." Cassie said, breaking the surface in the basin and walking towards the Grand Entrance.
"Sus leales súbditos, mi Reina." Gundemar greeted as all the soldiers and guards knelt at her feet while she looked out at them.
"Arresten a los leales a Witerico, tendrán su juicio mañana. Los soldados los seguirán. ¿Cuánto falta para que salga el sol?" Cassie said to the guards that had been following her before turning back to her Generals and Dukes.
"Unas cuantas horas, Alteza." Abilio said after looking out at the sky.
"Tan pronto desocupe los calabozos, aseguren a los prisioneros y descansen. Mañana será un día largo." Cassie told them, walking forward to the Throne Room with Gundemar by her side.
"¿Qué hay de Mstivoj?" Sence asked her, following her queen with her eyes as she did paced.
"Está asegurado por ahora." Cassie said, looking at the wall tiredly. "¿Cómo se llama?" She addressed one of the guards.
"Didacus, mi Reina." the guard who'd first helped her answered.
"Por favor encuentre una doncella y dígale que prepare habitaciones para mis huéspedes."
"Si, mi señora." he said, bowing low and walking away towards the servants' quarters.
"Mi Reina, tal vez debería descansar un poco. Los hombres pueden sacar las armas de las celdas y asegurar a los prisioneros." Duke Sandoval told her.
"Descansaré cuando sean sentenciados. Por ahora, supervisaré todo. Descansen un poco. Duquesa, Duques." Cassie said, smiling curtly at them and nodding as they bowed and left her.
"Cassie."
"Yes?" she asked, looking at Gildas and Gundemar as they approached her.
"You need some rest, Princess." Gundemar told her gently.
"Go bring Addie and the prisoner here, Gildas. She's been out there alone long enough." Cassie told him, nodding at him and waiting for him to leave before she turned to Gundemar.
"You need to have a clear head for the trials, Cassie. Get some rest. I'll oversee the weapons distribution and everything. Your Kingdom is in good hands, my Queen." he told her, bowing with a proud smile.
"King Gundemar, it's not mine." Cassie said quietly, looking at him with tears in her eyes. "Come, oversee everything by my side. Gain their trust. Gain their loyalty. They are your subjects."
"After you." he said, stepping aside with a soft smile, remaining by her side as she magically floated all the weapons back to the armoury and watched as the guards marched Witteric down to the dungeons.
It took them no more than fifteen minutes to bring the accused soldiers and lock them into the cell with Cassie informing them of their trials.
"You are one surprising woman, Cassie." Gundemar told her, his eyes following her sluggish movements as she walked away speaking to two guards.
"I told them to gather Mstivoj and bring him down here in a separate cell and then leave the soldiers all in one." Cassie said, noticing his questioning gaze.
"Good choice. And the sorcerer?"
"He's asleep somewhere in the lower town, knows nothing."
"I'll instruct the guards to stall him as soon as he shows up in the morning."
"Good idea. We must speak with them and tell them to watch their words with the servants as well."
"You think they're loyal to him?"
"I think the sorcerer is, and if he gets word, he'll try to free him." Cassie told him, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes as she watched the guards march Mstivoj down to the empty cell.
"Please, allow me to escort you to your chambers." Gundemar said, holding out his arm and smiling at her.
"I should stay, make sure-"
"The only thing you have to make sure is that you're well rested for tomorrow. You can barely stand up. Come on." he said, cutting her off with a gentle finger on her lips.
"I won't get any sleep, I might as well do something productive." she said, looking over his shoulder as Addie and Gildas walked in with Gidie trudging alongside them.
"Why is he still blindfolded?"
"We didn't know if you wanted to let him-"
"Ġeenda." Cassie said, her eyes glowing gold as she swayed on her feet.
"Cassie?" Gundemar asked her worriedly, holding her upright.
"Let's take him to the dungeons." she said, straightening up and looking at the man. "Mañana será su juicio. Descanse y aliste su defensa." Cassie told him, locking the gate and turning to leave, passing by the other cells quickly.
"I'm afraid I must put my foot down, Princess. I'm taking you to get some rest." Gundemar said, helping her up as she climbed up the stairs and held tightly to the railing.
"I can't sleep here, Gundemar." Cassie told him quietly, looking around her and trying to find an empty place for them to speak.
"Come, I'm sure we can find someone to point us to your chambers." he told her softly, wrapping his arm around her waist and going up to the nearest guard to ask.
They followed the guard as he walked them through the castle towards the King's chambers.
"¿No hay otro lugar? No podría quedarme ahí."
"Los del lado están desocupados, mi Reina. Los dos." he added, looking at Gundemar.
"Gracias. Avisaré si necesito algo." she said, smiling at him as he walked to the end of the hallway and stood guard.
"Estás bien?"
"Mejor que muchos." Cassie answered stoically, opening the door and hesitating on the threshold.
"Cassie?"
"There's two girls I should go get. I'll be fine."
"I'm coming with you." he said, placing his hand on her lower back and urging her forward.
"Okay, but be gentle, they're…"
"The two girls we saw last year?"
"Yeah." Cassie said, breathing heavily and going into her brother's chambers before pushing the portrait back and opening the door.
"It's really dark there, are you sure they stayed?"
"This door can only be opened from here unless you know where the hatch is. They're probably in the throne room right now." Cassie told him, letting him through before closing the door and letting the portrait slide back into place.
"Lead the way." he said, stepping aside and watching as her eyes glew and a blue ball of light floated in front of them. "Snuff that out, Cassie. You're going to burn yourself out. We can walk in the dark."
"I'm fine."
"I saw how you nearly fainted when you took off the blindfold. You're tired."
"Okay." Cassie said without arguing, feeling her way through the dark tunnel and sighing in relief when they got to the end.
"You don't like the dark?"
"I don't like not seeing what's in front of me. Especially tonight."
"Did you find the hatch?"
"No need, the girls are in that corner over there." Cassie said, kneeling down on the floor and holding her hand out placatingly.
"Hola, ¿están bien? ¿Cómo se llaman?" Gundemar asked softly, approaching them slowly as they nodded and dropped the dagger.
"¿Ya se acabó? ¿Está muerto?" the older of the two girls asked, both their eyes wide and hopeful.
"No, pero no las volverá a lastimar." Cassie answered softly, smiling as they leaned forward and hugged them tightly, crying their eyes out.
"Shh, están bien. Vamos, ¿se sienten cómodas durmiendo en la habitación? ¿Quieren buscar otro lugar?" Gundemar soothed while Cassie used her magic to open the secret door.
"Queremos ir a casa." the youngest one said, her voice choked.
"Bueno. Le diremos a un guardia que las escolte a su casa." Gundemar said softly, standing up and watching as they did the same, handing Cassie the dagger back.
"Gracias." the older one said, sighing shakily. "¿Quienes son?"
"Soy la Reina Casiopea y él es el Duque Gundemaro." Cassie answered softly as Gundemar walked forward and spoke to the guard.
"En serio? ¿Es la Princesa perdida?" they asked with wide eyes, tears falling down as they uttered the next few words. "¿Por qué no vino antes?"
"Perdonenme por tardar tanto." Cassie said softly, thinking about when she was that age only four years earlier and absentmindedly smoothing their hair back.
"Tenía mi edad y los vió todos muertos. Hemos oído las historias, es muy valiente." the eldest said quietly, looking at the floor as the guard walked up to them.
"Vayan a su casa, descansen. Traten de olvidar todo lo que pueden." Cassie told them softly, hugging them and nodding at the guard as he held his hands out and led them away.
"¿Podrías?" Gundemar asked her quietly, watching as she stared sadly down the hall.
"Yeah. I'll be fine."
"Come, you need some rest." he told her softly, sweeping her legs and carrying her back to her temporary chambers.
"I can walk." Cassie protested, her arms wrapping involuntarily around his neck and her eyes closing.
"Clearly." he said with a soft chuckle, carrying her into her room and gently placing her on the bed. "Sleep tight, Princess." he whispered, kissing her temple and leaving to go to his own room.