Cassandra Pendragon

Shifting my weight I made the troublesome racist squirm, until he finally looked up at me.

“Did you hear him,” I asked rhetorically. With a last push, I drove the air form his lungs and stepped back. “Why don’t we leave it up to you? Apologise and I’ll see what I can do for your beloved mistress. Keep glaring at me and she’ll die in the street, broken and discarded. But at least she won’t have been touched by my filthy hands. I’m sure, that must be a consolation for her, when she draws her last, choking breath. What’s life compared to purity, am I right?”

His eyes bulged, the veins in his face pulsed ferociously and his cheeks turned a surprisingly vivid red, almost as if he was suffocating… or constipated. I bit back a smirk and walked to my brother’s side, taking care to splash the downed soldier with water, when I whirled around.

“Are you really going to let her die,” Mordred asked quietly in our mother tongue. “Over something this stupid? Kirena, Blackthorne, Dawn… there aren’t many Captains left and she…”

“I know,” I cut him off. “But she, or at least her church, helped the followers of the Broken Wheel in their assault and…”

“But you made peace with him, didn’t you? What’s the difference?” My mouth fell open.

“How do you even know?” He cocked an eyebrow and shook his head exasperatedly.

“I was there, in the beginning. I’m knowledgable enough to retain the memories of my soul. I’ve seen his spark and I’ve felt your intentions… since most of the town is still standing, I assumed the two of you found some common ground. You’ll have to tell me, what happened, exactly. It’s about high time we had a talk, anyways. I’d much prefer to be on the same page, before Arthur arrives.” Mom was listening intently, her tails tickling the back of my neck. Somehow, I had a feeling, the both of them had an idea, I wouldn’t like. I couldn’t imagine, what scheme they had come up with, but their secrecy made me cautious. Luckily, I was spared a reply, when the spluttering human had caught his breath and managed to utter a few words:

“Do you think threats and your unholy strength will convince me? You belong in a cage… you’re an animal and I won’t let you bewitch my mistress, while I still draw breath.” Panting, he struggled to his feet and added venomously: “return to whatever hell you’ve crawled out of, we don’t want you here, you’re not welcome in our lands.” I was taken aback and honestly more flabbergasted than actually offended. Maybe he had lost his mind during the ritual, having your soul sucked right out of your body can do that to some people, or he was just a plain and a simple zealot, whatever the reasons, I hadn’t expected this level of idiocy.

“Our lands,” a soft, new voice flowed over us, like a warm breeze. “There would have been no land left, if it hadn’t been for her.” The newcomer was probably the second in command. Of course, I was guessing, but she looked so much like the unconscious girl, she simply had to be her younger sister. She wore the same, well crafted plate armour, was about the same height, with long, blonde hair and gleaming blue eyes, even though the former was caked with dirt and the latter red from unshed tears. Even the straight nose and luscious lips were similar.

While I was still puzzling over whether or not I’d be dragged into another fight, she suddenly turned to face me and kneeled. “I am terribly sorry for any offence my comrade might have caused,” the comrade in question was paling and gesticulating for her to shut up, but she ploughed on, regardless: “and eternally grateful for what you’ve done. Still… if it’s not too much to ask, please, could you help my sister? Whatever it takes, whatever you want, I’ll make sure you receive it in return, but please, help her.” I had a bunch of snappy retorts ready, but they all seemed rather inappropriate, considering her sincerity. Damn it, now I couldn’t even properly shout at the knight in muddy armour.

Sighing, I pulled her back up. “There’s no reason to kneel. I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t promise anything. I don’t even know, what’s wrong with her.” Her hands shook, when she took mine in hers and said tremulously:

“That’s enough. I’ve seen… thank you.” I squeezed her fingers and crouched down, turning my back on the fuming warrior. A nasty, little voice in my head even prayed for him to act, to throw a stone or tackle me. I’d have loved a chance to continue his education, but unfortunately, he didn’t budge. Shoving aside my more violent impulses, I focused on the drenched girl. She was pale and her breath came in short, laboured bursts. Sweat appeared on her skin, before it was wiped away by the rain, time and again, and her eyes quivered beneath her lids. It seemed like she was having a nightmare, one she couldn’t break out of. Grumbling quietly, I sent a trickle of energy into my eyes and placed my hand gently on her armour, just above her heart. Silver ignited between my fingers and the world became a mirage of light and shadows.

I saw her strength, her vitality, a burning fire underneath my hand, a strong, pulsing force, that surrounded her like a corona. Deeper within, I saw the infinite spark of her soul, a glowing ember with a distinct golden sheen. It hadn’t found its way back, yet, and was stuck somewhere in between, neither fully part of her, nor truly separated. All it needed was a tiny push and while I might not have been able to directly manipulate her soul itself, that much I could manage.

It wasn’t even difficult. I nudged the glowing orb gently with the most minuscule of touches and watched it settle back into her. Like a lock and its key, it fit snugly and once the two parts had reconnected, her whole body lit up, as her own energies and, to my chagrin, those of her chosen deity raced through her veins. She was hearty and whole but how she’d react, once she opened her eyes again, was anyone’s guess. If she continued in the same fashion as her faithful lackey, I’d just put her back to sleep. One boneheaded moron had been enough and I couldn’t very well punch one of the remaining leaders of Free Land. Better to let someone else burn their fingers.

“She’ll be fine,” I stated, while I straightened with closed eyes and stretched my back. “Give her few hours to rest and she’ll be as good as new.” I turned and stared at her sister, weighing my next words carefully. “I hope you won’t forget, what I’ve done and in case she does, I hope you’ll remind her, once in a while. I don’t need your gratitude, but the next time, I’m being treated like an animal, I’ll act like one. Make sure she understands, would you?”

“Are you threatening my…” the narrow minded tin can had decided to pipe up, now that his mistress had regained her colour and was breathing regularly, again. The younger sibling was on the verge of shutting him up, but I silenced her with a gesture.

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“Yes, I think I am.” I lowered my face until I was barely a handspan away from him. “And what are you going to do about it? Go on, take a swing, see how it goes.” I raised my chin, offering him a clean shot. When nothing happened, I added derisively: “thought so. Now, the next time you want to express your opinion… just don’t, otherwise, I’m going to make sure you choke on it. Got it, pumpkin?” I patted his cheek and smiled sagely. If looks had been able to kill, I wouldn’t have taken another breath. To say he was fuming, would have been the understatement of the century.

When I glanced up, the survivors of the holier than thou order of knights had formed a ring of metal and muscle around us. Viyara and Alassara were eyeing them guardedly from across the square and a handful of dwarfs had strolled closer, their strong fingers wrapped around the handles of their axes, as if they were expecting a fight. And here I was, thinking I had done well. I was immediately cured of my assumptions, though, since most soldiers shared the expression of my humiliated friend. Murderous would have summed up their demeanour nicely.

I clicked my tongue. “Oh my, aren’t you an impressive lot. Let’s get this insanity over with, then, shall we? I bet you’re just dying to call upon your deity and smite me with your righteous fury. No need to hold back. I’ll…”

“You,” one of them erupted, a young man, not even 20 summers old, filled with conviction and pride. He took a step forward and spat at my feet. “Here is, what I think of you! First your vile magic destroys our city and now, you even dare to belittle our faith?” His hand shot to his sword. “I won’t allow…”

“Allow,” a weak, quivering voice rose from somewhere close to my feet, followed by a hackling cough. Immediately, the assembled group fell to their knees, like well trained puppies. In a way, it was truly depressing.

“Mistress,” the one, I had already beaten up, mumbled, “you’re awake! We couldn’t prevent…” She raised her hand and silenced him as effectively, as if she had used a remote.

“I don’t want to hear it,” she went on, reaching for her sister to help her up. They struggled, the amour had probably doubled the slender woman’s weight. When she finally stood upright, she still had to lean heavily on her sibling, but her eyes were clear and she looked much better than she had, barely a minute ago. Turning her back on her followers, she scrutinised me with a curious but guarded expression, until she extended her hand, a small smile tugging on her lips.

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for stepping in and thank you for your help. It was you, whom I felt, just now, wasn’t it?” I took her hand and reciprocated her smile, completely ignoring the awestruck expressions all around.

“Unless you have truly vivid dreams, I assume it was. How are you feeling? You’re not going to collapse on me again, are you?” Her smile widened.

“I think I’ll manage. You’re the kitsune, who has kept us all on our toes for the last few days, aren’t you?” This time, I chuckled openly. She was much more levelheaded than I had expected. And more friendly. A pity she surrounded herself with a bunch of brainless bozos.

“Guilty as charged. And you’re the mad woman, who helped orchestrate an attack against my friends and burn them at the stake, aren’t you?” Her lackeys gasped but she didn’t flinch.

“I am. Even though I can’t quite wrap my head around, why you’d help me, if you already knew.”

I shrugged. “Naivety, a bleeding heart, your sister’s puppy dog eyes… it definitely wasn’t your men’s charm. Maybe I even hoped, we would find a way to bury the hatchet, but judging from the loving looks your people are still throwing my way, I assume that’s not going to happen.”

“Oh, they’re mostly all bark and no bite. You’d have to convince me, first and foremost.”

“Saving your hide and your city isn’t enough, then,” my brother scoffed. “Careful, Cassy, this one seems slightly demanding.” He wasn’t wrong, but it had been his idea, in the first place. From where I was standing, it was quite all right for me to snark, but if he wasn’t happy with her behaviour, he should have left her alone. As if to emphasise my thoughts, one of the henchmen immediately reacted, aggressively closing in on us, unsheathing his weapon.

Resigned, I shot my brother a withering glare and glided forward, ready to catch the clumsy strike. It never came, though. Somehow the sickly girl, who had just risen from the dead, managed to shove him back, positioning herself between us and her soldiers in the process. “No,” she hissed, swaying ever so slightly on her feet, until her sister stabilised her. “Have you lost your minds? What do you think you can accomplish, here?” I didn’t like where this was going. She was warning them not to incur our wrath. She wasn’t telling them, they were wrong. “Whatever else, she saved our city and my life. That’s a debt I can’t ignore.”

“If she isn’t in league with the sorcerer, in the first place,” someone new snarled. A woman, judging from the sound of her voice, but I couldn’t be sure, encased in iron as she was. My nose wasn’t much help either, the constant rain had washed away every last smell. “Maybe that’s what they’re after, our trust. And once they’ve gained it, they’ll…” I laughed mirthlessly.

“Honey, I don’t need your trust. If I wanted to take your life, there’d be nothing for you to do, but pray to your oh so mighty goddess. Anyways, I’m tired of this nonsense.” I focused on the younger sibling, who couldn’t quite meet my eyes. “You’re very welcome to seek us out, should you ever wish to do so. Gentlemen, if I never see you again, it’ll be too soon. And as for you…” I caught Captain Brightblaze’s gaze, as the silvery light around me brightened. “If you ever get down from your high horse, I’ll gladly let you buy me a drink and talk things over.” I wrapped my arm around Mordred’s shoulders and pulled him along. The self righteous pricks melted away, allowing us to pass between them without incident, but I hadn’t taken more than 5 steps, before I was called back.

“Wait,” the Captain blurted out. When I looked over my shoulder, her sister was insistently whispering in her ear and from the looks of it, she wasn’t too happy. I cocked an eyebrow and stopped, but I didn’t turn around.

“What,” I asked aggressively, my strained patience on the verge of snapping. The younger woman pushed her sister gently. Biting her lip, the Captain stared at a point somewhere near my feet and hurriedly said:

“I’m sorry, please don’t judge us too swiftly. Tonight has been a disaster and we’re all reeling. Maybe… would you be willing to visit me tomorrow? I’m sure, once I’ve taken a bath and slept, I’ll be much more easy to deal with. I meant what I said, I’m grateful and I didn’t mean to insult you.” She squared her shoulders, as if she had come to a decision and limped towards me, hand extended. “I’m Serena, Serena Brightblaze.” My brother nudged me and I hesitantly turned to face her.

“Cassandra, Cassandra Pendragon.” Her hand felt warm, almost as if she had a fever, but her grip was firm. “If you can bear the company of a hybrid and sorceress, I wouldn’t mind visiting.” She didn’t blush, but her fingers trembled ever so sightly in mine, before she pulled back and fumbled with her heavy leather belt. A moment later, she produced a small, gilded dagger and handed it over, hilt first.

“Thank you. Here, take this as a token of my appreciation and apology. I… I know, you aren’t at fault… I’m not going to pretend, I like what you are…” she paused, when her sister stepped up to her and cleared her throat. “But I do know we owe you… I owe you.” She inclined her head, much lower than I would have expected, which prompted her minions to stare daggers at me again. “And I won’t forget, what you’ve done.” Despite myself, I felt my mood soften. I didn’t see us becoming friends, any time soon, there was just too much blood between us, but I’d at least hear her out. Tomorrow. For now, all I wanted to do, was make sure the kids, Erya and Morgan were alright and afterwards return to a secluded and quiet island, where a beautiful vixen and a talkative elven princess were waiting for me.

I accepted her gift with a small bow. “There is no debt, in contrast to your people, us beast kin try to preserve life, wherever we can.” A not so gentle kick against my shin, curtesy of Mordred, shut me up, before I could even get started. “Fine,” I grumbled. “Captain Brightbl… Serena, it has been a long day. Don’t take me too seriously, I’m just as cranky as you are. Why don’t we postpone everything else until tomorrow? Otherwise, one of us might say something truly regrettable.”