Cassandra Pendragon

The spectacle, the oversized human and Ahri were making of themselves, drew the attention of everyone around. I, myself, had trouble not staring like a child on Christmas, after all, it wasn’t everyday that you could watch a beautiful girl dance around a lumbering brute and dismantle him in a display of grace and agility. Unfortunately, I couldn’t indulge, there was still a conversation I needed to have. Leaning down, I whispered in Reia’s ear:

“Stay here, I’ll be back in a minute. Don’t move, or I’m never going to take you along, again.” She nodded obediently, but her reassurance was worth about as much as a gambler’s promise. “I mean it,” I hissed. Standing back up, I tapped my brother on the shoulder and extracted my hand from hers. Over the dull impacts of flesh hitting flesh I asked him to keep an eye on the vixen and made my way to the counter. The barkeep’s eyes had flashed to me, as soon so I had moved.

“What can I do you for,” he asked, shrouded in a cloud of alcoholic vapours and stale sweat.

“It’s a little early for me, but I could use your help, either way. You’ve been living here for a while, I take it? I’m looking for a… Damn it, this is more embarrassing than I expected. I want to take my girl somewhere nice and when I spoke to the only local I know, the only places he could come up with were either the brothels with the most beautiful girls or the taverns with the cheapest ale. Neither struck me as even remotely suitable. Do you, by any chance, have a better idea?” His eyebrows rose until they almost vanished beneath his already sparse hairline.

“Seriously? That’s what you wanted to know?” I nodded, hesitantly.

“Don’t make it worse than it is. I’d also rather not ask the owner of such a… fine establishment, but here I am and I’m running out of time. So… any recommendations?”

“Maybe, depends.”

“On what, exactly?”

“What you’ve got in your pockets. I could recommend any number of seedy places, for free, but you’ve already made it clear that’s not what you’re looking for. For a coin, or two, I’m sure I could remember the name and address of… more sophisticated entertainment.” His language was surprisingly accurate, without even the hint of an accent. I pulled a gold coin from the depths of my cloak and placed it slowly on the counter.

“Nothing’s free, is it,” I grumbled and kept my hand over the blinking metal. “I assume I’m paying you almost as much as the evening is going to cost me. This better be worth it.”

“Oh, don’t you worry,” he reassured me with a smirk and slapped my hand away, the coin vanishing behind the counter, the fraction of a second later. “For someone of your rather expensive tastes, I’d recommend the “Silver Swan”. It’s run by one of the Captains and she makes sure, her customers can enjoy a peaceful evening with music, fine wine and exquisite meals. Other entertainment is also provided, but very discreetly. And trust me, with one gold coin, you won’t get very far. I hope you’ve got a few more, where that one came from, otherwise you’re wasting your time. And mine, I might add.” I didn’t bother with an answer and watched Ahri skilfully weave around Richard, her quick, powerful jabs hitting his joints in rapid succession.

“Which one is running the “Silver Swan”, anyways,” I finally asked, when Richard’s knees buckled.

“One of our own, Lady Kirena. Don’t know if you’ve heard of her. She’s a fine woman, but dangerous like a typhoon, when crossed.” I had. Alassara had told me a bit, about an hour earlier.

“Only the most superficial descriptions. Anything you’d like to share?” He pointedly looked at my pockets and I grudgingly obliged, producing another glittering coin. Once he had taken it, he said:

“Let’s see, then. She was one of the finest courtesans this city has ever had the pleasure to accommodate. For a few years, she collected the attention and admiration of the rich and powerful, like others would collect baubles. When she was certain of her connections, she set out on her own, opening a handful of expensive brothels. Over time, the information her girls gathered made her powerful in her own right, until she demanded a seat at the table. As far as I know, she was laughed out the door the first time. In the coming weeks, the dealings of every Captain who had denied her became public. Vices, smuggling routes, secrets of treason and treachery… when she asked again, she was welcomed with open arms. Ever since, her influence has only grown. There isn’t much going on in this city, without her knowing.”

“Is that so… tell me, is she, by any chance, also visiting the “Silver Swan”, from time to time?”

He shrugged. “Probably, but if you’re interested in her itinerary, I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you. When you’re there, you can, of course, ask around, but don’t expect answers. On the contrary, she’s most likely going to hear about it, the very moment you leave.”

“Oh, I’m counting on it. Very much so. Thanks, you’ve been tremendously helpful.”

I turned my attention back to the fight, just in time to see Richard finally hit the floor, groaning. His knees and elbows were swollen, the skin already turning a marvellous shade of red. As far as I could tell, she hadn’t maimed him, but it would take a while, before he could do more than limp around. And judging from the weird bend to some of his fingers, he wouldn’t be holding a mug in his own, either, for the next few days. He was a tough bastard, I had to give him that. Most people would be crying uncle by now, but he only squirmed a little and even managed to smile at her crookedly, through the trickle of blood that ran from his nose. The tavern exploded with applause.

“Damn, lass, yah didn’t lie. Ah give, ah don’t even think, ah can get up on me own. Why don’t yah lend us a hand?” Smiling, she gingerly helped him to his feet and escorted him to his seat, just a step away from where I was standing.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, “I didn’t plan on breaking your fingers, but when you caught my wrist, I didn’t know how to get out of your grip.”

“‘S fine,” he chuckled. “Truth be told, ah’m glad yah broke somethin’, otherwise ah wouldn’t have had anything to show for me troubles. If anyone asks, ah can truthfully say, ah fought to the bitter end. No need to apologise. So, here we are, then. Ah believe, yah own me a bag of gold and a promise, then I’ll talk.” Ahri and I shared a look and she said, for the two of us:

“I promise, we won’t kill your brother when we find him. I’m not saying we won’t hurt him, but he’ll walk away in one piece.” The faint stirring of her power was imperceptible to the mortals, but I felt it quite clearly. To my surprise, an echo of her promise slithered through our connection and nestled itself around my core. The girl had even more influence over me, than I had thought.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Tha’ll do, except…” without further ado, I slid a bag of coin across the counter, its heavy contents chiming merrily when he stopped it with his forearm, wincing at the impact.

“Now then, me brother, he’s got a home, not far from here, but yah won’t find him there. When he’s not out and abou’, he usually spends his gold at a place called the “Gilded Dream”. Run by an ugly old hag, goes by the name of Madame Sinis.” I had to suppress a startled yelp. That was the very tavern, Pete had wanted to go to ask around for my family, when they had been taken. “Drugs, girls, ev’rythin’ yah might desire, yah’ll find there. Now, ‘s far as Ah know, he’s made some coin last night ‘n ah’m willin’ ter bet, he’s spendin’ it there, righ’ abou’ now.”

I nodded my thanks and studied him closely, before I pulled out a second, smaller pouch. “I don’t know if you’ll use it like that, but that should be enough for a decent doctor and maybe even some magic to set your bones. Call it an investment. Next time we meet, I’d rather not go through the trouble of another fight.” He grinned lopsidedly.

“Can’t remember you fightin’, lass, but the money’s appreciated. Take care and… do come back, if yah have the time. Might wanna tell me what this has been all about.”

“I will. Maybe we can even have a drink in peace. I’m buying, of course.”

“No need,” he jingled his new purse, “Ah’ve come into a bit of money, recently, yah know? Wouldn’t mind spending it in the company o’ people Ah actually like. Good huntin’, Ahri, Cassandra. Mordred, it’s been a pleasure. Before yah go, though, mind tellin’ me, why yah brought a kid along? Doesn’t seem like the place to bring a young girl.”

“She wants to travel with us,” I shrugged, “and as strange as it might seem, this is still one of the more… flavoursome places, we might end up in. Besides, I told you it was personal. She’s my sister and she has much right of being there as any of us.” He cocked an eyebrow, the movement drawing the swelling skin on his face into a strange grimace.

“Dunno if ah want ter know what yah mean, but I wish yah luck, none the less… just don’t kill me brother. Yah promised, remember?”

“Don’t fret,” I replied evenly, “we don’t break our promises, ever. He’ll be… alive. Goodbye, Richard. I wish you a speedy recovery.”

“Good bye, may we meet again, preferably under more favourable circumstances.” Only when we had left, did I realise that his last sentence had been devoid of his usual southern drawl. Oh well, everyone guarded a secret or two, and I was willing to bet, the man mountain was no exception.

“You alright,” I asked Ahri. “Did he hit you?” She snorted in response and wrapped her tails around my leg.

“As if. He’s not bad and he’s got talent, but that’s not enough. I’m surprised though, how did you manage to beat him, Mordred? He isn’t much worse and definitely stronger.”

“Stubbornness and a healthy amount of masochism,” he replied with a smile. “You can either win by being better or by being prepared to take more damage. For me, it was the latter. Plus, mom was watching, so there was no way in the nine hells, I’d have allowed the brute to best me. I wouldn’t have heard the end of it, until my dying day. Provided the magical fox, turned by transcendent forces, outlives me, but I assume that’s a given.”

“Don’t joke about that,” my mom projected. “I’ve no intention of outliving my children.”

“With her,” he pointed at me, “that’s pretty much assured, but with me…”

“Don’t,” she growled. “I’ve already left your father behind, I’m not going to bury you, as well. Neither you, nor Cassy, nor Arthur, nor you, Reia. Should it ever come to that, I’ll find a way or I’ll die trying and that’s a promise.” Silvery light ignited behind her eyes and a swarm of sparks danced around her small figure before they settled into her skin, just above her heart.

“Will you look at that,” I said, torn between affection and a distinct unease at her promise, “you should be careful, mom. Your word is just as binding as my own. Don’t give it lightly.”

“I know and I never have. Trust me, nothing I’ve said is anything less than the truth. Anyways, we’ve got an address, now, so what’s the plan?” I shrugged.

“Drinks in another seedy tavern? Find John and shake him for all he’s worth? We’re only here to confirm that Captain Nightshade actually is the one behind the mercenaries, wearing the Broken Wheel crest, before we pay him a visit. I don’t care much about his goons, one way or the other. Still, while we’re at it, we might try to impress upon the patrons just how bad of an idea it is to mess with our people.”

“You promised to let the only one, who might have a modicum of responsibility, walk, remember,” my brother interjected. “There’s no point in beating up henchmen, is there?”

“Probably not, but it might just make me feel better, and I didn’t promise to not touch him. Only that he’d survive. There’s a difference.”

“Semantics, unless you want to torture him. You don’t, do you?”

I inhaled deeply, the morning air, laced with the scents of the city, was deceptively warm, but I could still smell the oncoming change in the weather. There’d be another storm, soon.

“No, I don’t,” I said, while I tried to make heads and tails of the confusing maze of small, winding alleys, that should lead us to the “Gilded Dream”, already clogged with humans. By the gods, I hated cities. They were full, noisy, smelly and not to forget, dangerous. “But I do intend to scare him senseless. The last thing I want is him, trying to reach out to his Captain, before we had the chance to meet up with Nightshade. I’ll make sure that won’t happen. If it means dear John will spend the next day unconscious, so be it.”

“And I always thought I had a nasty streak,” Mordred mumbled, “but you sure are taking to violence like a fish to water.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said. Be careful, Cassandra. You’re behold to nothing and no one, but your own conscience. Tread carefully or it might lead you astray.”

“And what am I,” Ahri interrupted heatedly. “A bloody dream? I said I’d keep her safe, that includes protecting her from her own stupidity.”

“I don’t know whether to be thankful or mildly annoyed,” I murmured thoughtfully. “I’m not a child anymore and while I appreciated your concern, I…” I felt a tug on my hand and lowered my head.

“Don’t,” Reia whispered in my ear. “It’s funny to see you deal with my problems, once in a while, but let it rest. They’re not trying to patronise you, they’re worried and truth be told, so am I. You’re acting callous and I know that’s not who you are. Just because you think the world needs to see you as invincible… it doesn’t mean you have to be. We’re your family. You can trust us, always. Even with the things that might make you weak. Especially with those.” Damn it, the last thing I had wanted, was to receive sound advice from my baby sister.

“Fine. I’ll try. Remind me again, when I forget?” She nodded with a smile. I straightened and acquiesced: “I’ll keep it in mind, but I’m not out for blood, truthfully, at least not the blood of those, who weren’t involved in what happened to our home. Let’s just have a friendly chat and see how it goes, shall we? I can’t imagine the Captains were able to cultivate the loyalty of their people. Their fear and respect, maybe, but I don’t think those will prevent John from talking.” Mordred was visibly relieved at my assurance that I wouldn’t be looking for a reason to punish John. A bit surprising, considering how he had behaved before, but he probably really wanted to turn over a new leaf. Which also included a more levelheaded approach to problems, apparently.

Our conversation became much lighter afterwards and for a while, I almost managed to convince myself, that we were a normal family, enjoying the early morning sun in a busy city. Not that I’d have chosen Free Land for a vacation spot, but strolling through the streets and watching the last taverns close up and the first restaurants open for the morning crowds, the music of vibrant life, sung by quarrelling traders, cussing barkeeps, shouting seamen and playing children, still felt homely. It reminded me of the weekly markets on Boseiju, when almost everyone had been out and about, exchanging news and looking for a bargain. I hadn’t been allowed to go too often, but I had still enjoyed the few occasions, I had been able to convince my parents to let me visit, immensely. In the soft, rosy light, even the ugly parts of the city weren’t enough to drown out the similarities. Chaos and commotion were as intriguing around here, as they had been back home.