Cassandra Pendragon

“You… why?” I wasn’t angry anymore. I was tired and overwhelmed. My ages older twin only shrugged, albeit with an aloof flair that clearly conveyed something. Embarrassment maybe?

“Look, I don’t want to leave but I also don’t feel very comfortable living here and I assumed it’s the same for you. That’s simply personal. With another two dragons coming it’s also practical. We, dragons that is, don’t make for the best roommates, we’re just too… possessive. I’m old enough to suppress my urges, even when I’m transformed, but trust me, you don’t want two youngsters housesitting, especially while you’re away. This island is large. We’re bound to find a suitable place out of town. Somewhere we can hunt and have some privacy.” I didn’t quite buy it.

“And you’re sure it’s got nothing to do with you not being in charge?” She sighed, her gaze travelling from my eyes to the winged hybrid in my arms.

“It has, but not in the way you think. I never expected to call the shots after I’ve seen you and your soulmate. I also don’t think I should. I’m too… old, too calloused. Bite first, ask questions later is a marvellous maxim when you’re alone but it doesn’t quite work when you’re a part of society. But that’s the point… Viyara might be different, she’s more of… she’s closer to an elf than a young dragoness, your doing, I presume, but for the rest of us… there’s a reason why dragons are loners. In a few years or decades we might change, maybe, but for now it’d be for the best if we lived somewhere else.” I stopped only a few steps shy of exiting the trunk.

“Does that mean you’re going to be around for family gatherings and leave us high and dry the rest of the time?” She snorted.

“Please… it only means I’ll scampered off somewhere isolated to cool down whenever I feel like I can’t reign in my temper anymore. And we,” she shot a side way glance at the dryad, “have to talk about how much I can manipulate the weave around here without hampering your growth. Besides, do you still want me to teach… not you, as you won’t be here, but the rest? If that’s the case, some place where we don’t risk burning down houses or scaring the neighbours is a necessity. Also, I’m pretty sure most of us will have to start flying hither and to anyways. You don’t plan on allowing your friendly sorcerer from across the waves the time to really dig in, do you? I don’t think there’s anyone, not even you, who’s better suited to pay him a visit, once in a while, and return some small part of the affection he’s shown us than me.”

“No, there probably isn’t. You’re pretty well informed, even though we’ve barely spoken. How come?”

“I sleep about as much as you do and there’s always someone willing to talk for a while. I’ll have you know I’m a rather good listener.”

“Sure. And well versed in plucking everything else form people’s minds,” I scoffed. “That’s not a bad thing, not necessarily,” I quickly added when I saw a vein in her temple begin to pulse fervently. “I’m just… it’s going to need some getting used to. You being here and, well, you being you. So… I couldn’t stop you anyways, even if I wanted to. What’s the plan?”

“I’ll use the night to look for a suitable place. I’m pretty sure we can dig ourselves a few cozy caverns along the cliff side. But I’d rather have them finished when the other two arrive. It’s going to be much less of a hustle that way. So, for now I’ll have to abduct your dryad. She’s still merging with the arcane lattice around here and I don’t want to mess that up.”

“I’ll come with you,” Greta interjected, “so I can keep an eye on your spells.”

“Can you even leave the tree,” my granny wanted to know.

“Sure. The island is a different matter. I’m convinced I can exist wherever my seeds will bloom but for now I can’t leave Free Land. It would… not kill me, but this body would disintegrated and I’d have to grow a new one. Which would take… decades.”

“Splendid,” I grumbled. “Which means if I need anything from either of you I have to tell you now or it’ll be too late.” I closed my eyes and racked my brains, which fortunately didn’t provoke an uncalled for comment along the lines of hurry up, it shouldn’t take too long. “Air ships,” I finally said. “In the morning Rachmahn is supposedly delivering five airships. I don’t have the foggiest how to tell a good from a bad one. I guess you’re going to look at the cliffs underneath the harbour?”

“Rather close by,” Sera explained. “I’d rather avoid anyone dumping their waste onto my doorstep every single day.”

“Could you carry a message for me? Tell the dwarfs to send some of their craftsmen to have a look at the ships and the equipment, if the big mouthed trader can even deliver. They should be able to spot anything he might try to hide from me.”

“Will do. Anything else?”

“Don’t eat, burn or squash anyone?” I didn’t like that it sounded more like a question than anything else but after the escapade with the Ironhands I didn’t quite have it in me to frame it differently.

“We’ll have to see how it goes,” Greta replied with a cheeky grin. “And you shouldn’t be the one to judge anyways, should you? If that’s all, we’ll be back come sunrise.” I nodded distractedly, the winged hybrid in my arms was stirring and would probably wake soon. Perfect timing. In a way I had hoped she’d stay in dreamland for a while longer.

“Before I leave we’ll have to sit down together one last time,” I called after their retreating backs. “But first my brother has to find his backbone.” They only waved and vanished down the stairs.

“Great, now what,” I asked the snoring girl. “Look for Reia or Alassara or place you somewhere where you can sleep in peace?” The smell of sizzling bacon, fresh eggs, tomatoes and onions interrupted my musings. “Breakfast, or rather a midnight snack, also sounds lovely. Is that why you’re suddenly moving?” I didn’t get a reply but a trickle of drool dripped from the corners of her mouth. “Food it is,” I commented and took the last few steps. The stairs ended at a curtain of freshly grown ivy, which wouldn’t serve as any kind of protection if the vines didn’t radiate magic like the sun did light. Greta’s doing, I presumed.

Without dallying any longer I stepped through the living drapes and felt my eyes going wide in surprise. The expanse of green leaves and dark brown branches had changed. I didn’t know who had come up with the idea but the implementation had surely been Greta’s work, which also explained why no one had told me. Around the top of the trunk, a wide, circular space, reminiscent of a large courtyard, the branches had been elevated slightly to provide enough room for massive, living gates. To me it looked like those colossal doors led to central walkways, running along the whole length of a branch. Only one was open right now and in the lingering darkness behind it I saw smaller doors aligned left and right, almost like the cabins on a ship, presumably leading to a variety of rooms and chambers.

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The central square, for want of a better word, had turned into a cozy backyard, filled with the smell of cherries and food. The soft night breeze rustled among the leaves and turned into a calming song that reminded me of the distant waves, far below us. Close to the open gate a fireplace had been constructed, a few stone slaps provided enough protection to keep the tree from charring, and the colourful amalgamation of races I had somehow… adopted over the last days sat there, laughing, joking but mainly cooking. Not much of a surprise there, most of them had just had their magic changed and they had been asleep ever since. At least I was decently reassured that there hadn’t been any complications, otherwise they wouldn’t be this relaxed.

Morgan and Auguros were sitting with Erya, chatting merrily and chopping veggies, while Alassara and her daughter were engrossed in a conversation with Reia, Estrella and Archy, dutifully taking care of the eggs they were cooking in an improvised pan, nothing more than a flat piece of stone they had heated in the flames. Vanya and Will were taking meticulous care of a copious amount of bacon while the latter was gesticulating wildly, apparently emphasising the most important bits of a story he was telling to Faelan and Anna, the two slaves who had killed Asra, and Cecilia and Florentina, the former barmaids who had worked for Alassara. Pete and his ragtag band of rascals were also there, playing some sort of card game with our elves, while my mother, in her kitsune form, and my personal guards were leisurely talking to Liz and two more of the Madame’s girls, whose names I couldn’t quite remember.

I shook my head and stayed in the shadows for a few seconds longer, savouring the moment. The whole scene, the amicable atmosphere, the closeness between them… it truly felt remarkable, considering where we were coming from. Still, I felt my eyes sting, when I realised that the one person I actually wanted to share it with wasn’t around.

“That’s not true,” she whispered in my thoughts. “I might not be able to touch you right now, but I’m always with you, for as long as I live.”

“I know, but the not touching part is a problem.”

“Two days… weren’t you the one who insisted that she has been fine for years sleeping alone?”

“I might have over exaggerated. I miss you already and it’s been… two hours? Maybe three?”

“Try it form my end. I’m alone in a room on a flying fortress and the girl, you brought into my life, I might add, is out there, transformed into a prince I’ve killed, trying to convince her… father to take me in, either as a bride to be or a servant. She’s even come up with a reasonable explanation why I’m not with you and the other kitsune.” A dark, rather violent impulse surged through me while I digested her words but her silky laughter extinguished it just as quickly. “Don’t worry, she knows what will happen if she goes too far. No one but you will ever lay a finger on me. I like your jealousy but this time it’s uncalled for.”

“Bride to be doesn’t sound like it,” I retorted, but quickly added, “still, I trust you.”

“As you very well should. I’m not the one collecting pretty girls like baubles, am I?”

“Not by choice. It just… happens and you can hardly fault me for the newest one. What was I supposed to do? Leave her there?”

“No… but you could have handed her over to someone else instead of cradling her in your arms for hours, as if she was your own daughter.”

“She’s got wings. At least I know how to carry her without hurting her,” I mumbled lamely. The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. Don’t ask me why, but just… leaving her with anyone but Ahri, before she even knew what had happened to her, seemed just wrong to me.

“Sure,” she replied, hardly bothering to conceal her mirth. “A perfectly reasonable explanation. But… why are you blushing? Remember, I can feel your body just as well as mine.”

“Bite me,” I sent but there was no heat behind my words.

“Soon…,” when I caught a glimpse of the images, swirling through her mind, I blushed for real. “By the way, our bet. Once you get here you might reconsider taking it lightly. I was bored and I’ve just rummaged through Zara’s wardrobe. Elves really have an interesting fashion sense.” I tried to peek at her memories but she shut me out. “Not yet, you’ll have to wait and see. Let’s just say… less is more around here, at least where clothes are concerned.” I came up with quite a few images, most based on the rather frivolous pictures I had seen in this life and the others, on the spot. A good thing I had won. Depending on how bad it actually was, she might have turned the next month into a living hell for me. As it was I couldn’t stop grinning rather lecherously.

“Can’t wait to see for myself… I think I’ve been noticed. Gotta go. Love you. Stay safe.”

“Same goes for you. Love you too. If you have some time on your hands, don’t hesitate to call out. I don’t think I’ll have much to do tonight, tomorrow might be different.”

“Will do. Until later, then.” I severed the connection reluctantly, but not before I had shared a memory of the warmth I felt, every time I held her in my arms.

Shrugging off the dull ache in my chest, I was just about to leave the shadows, surrounding the entrance, when I finally felt a small hand grip tightly on my arm. “Where am I,” a low, trembling voice sounded from somewhere below my shoulder. Mesmerisingly clear, purple eyes stared at me with an equal measure of hope, fear and confusion, when I turned my head. In response I moved my arms and brought her face closer to mine.

She was young, younger than I had thought. I would have put her in the middle of her teens but the flickering nervousness, that couldn’t quite hide her growing curiosity, told me that I was truly carrying a child, maybe ten or even less summers old. She had sharp feature, with a straight, slightly, upturned nose and a softly curving jawline. The time she had spent in captivated had bleached the colour from her face and turned her slightly visible cheekbones into perceivable protrusions. Her pale but full lips were pressed together into a straight line and underneath her wavy, matted, dark hair, the tips of pointy ears peeked out. Despite the filth, still clinging to her like a second skin, she was truly pretty, in an innocent, immaculate sort of way. If it hadn’t been for her smell, that reminded me of a butchery in summer, I’d have called her appealing.

“Safe, that’s the most important bit,” I smiled. “More accurately, you’re in my home. I’m Cassandra, Cassandra Pendragon. A… friend.”

“I… am I dead,” she stammered. “Are you a goddess?” My smile turned into a smirk as I gently pinched her leg. Her Common Tongue wasn’t perfect but I could understand her easily enough.

“Thanks, I guess, but the answers are no and no. Does my touch really feel that ethereal? I’m a kitsune, a hybrid race, just like you, and you are… well, not as far from death as I’d like but we’re going to rectify that soon enough. A warm meal in your belly and some clean water to wash away most of the dirt and you’re going to feel much better. Trust me.” She seemed to relax, at least some of the tension left her muscles and she leaned back against me.

“Then… why?”

“Why you’re here? I couldn’t very well leave you where I found you, could I? As for the rest… that’s difficult to answer since I don’t know the first thing about you. How about we start off with a name?” I hadn’t moved. Alassara and my mom had surely heard my voice, but they hadn’t yet made a fuss. Only the glowing, silvery weight of her gaze told me the latter was watching.

“I… I,” tears pooled in her eyes and a shiver raced through her limbs before her voice broke. For half a heartbeat I froze, unsure of what to do. Would she shy away from a real embrace? Unlikely, considering she hadn’t struggled yet, but I still had no idea what those bastards had done to her and I didn’t mean to scare her even more. Oh… to hell with it.

With the utmost care I moved her again until her head rested on my shoulder. My tails snaked up and enveloped her like a living blanket just when the dam broke and a hot stream of tears wetted my cheek. She cried and I held her, for as long as it was going to take.