Chapter 11: A comrade in arms
"I wish I was tasked with something so important." Lady Ava's voice had Cass turning back to face her and see her crestfallen expression.
"What are you talking about? You also have an important task." Cass told her, and he winced as due to his shock at seeing Lady Fiona, a bit of sass had snuck into his tone. He watched as her brows furrowed.
"What do you mean? You just told me that the task could go wrong. Or, it already has." When she looked at Cass a cold sweat went down his spine. In her brown eyes it was like looking in a mirror. Like she already knew the future and the past. "And yet you are telling me that it is an important task." Her tone was accusing, and Cass who could now feel the gaze of a rather displeased Lady Fiona on the back of his head gave another soft chuckle. He knew it probably didn't sound good since Sam had reacted so badly to it, but he was appreciative that Lady Ava didn't flinch.
"Have you considered that our tasks are supposed to work in tandem? If you guys don't defeat the Demon King I won't be able to do mine." Lady Ava nodded, clearly agreeing with him until she realised what he said. She gasped.
"Wait! Are you-Are you leaving us?" She asked and Cass gave her a smile. Her gaze widened. "C-Cassian, why would you? We do need you! You're the best magician in our time! You've been instrumental in almost all of our battles up until this point!" Lady Ava made a good point, but she didn't know the ending of the book.
They hadn't needed him to defeat the Demon King. He'd been off 'scouting' but what it really meant was that he was stealing the holy relic that he needed. He still didn't know why. What he did know was that it appeared as if the Demon King had welcomed them with open arms. If the story didn't change, that was likely the outcome.
"It's...for the best, I think." Cass told her and she only grew more concerned.
"Why? Is it...is it because we haven't treated you well? I will do better, I promise! Now that I know the truth, I don't want you to leave! I feel like I'm finally getting the chance to get close to you!" Lady Ava was getting louder and louder. Cass winced.
Something inside of him told him that wasn't a good thing. It was likely that Lady Fiona was going to take her raised voice in the wrong way.
"What are you doing to Lady Ava?" As if on cue, there she was. The heroine. His wife. Lady Fiona.
Who seemed pissed at him for doing something to Lady Ava. Instead of being concerned that her injured husband was out of his room and wandering the castle. Cass dropped his head, chuckling.
"What am I doing to Lady Ava?" Cass repeated before tossing a grin towards his wife. "Nothing, dear wife. Why? Did you think I would?" Her stunned expression told him a lot. She didn't trust him an inch. Did she marry him to keep him in check? Why on earth did Lord Blackburn accept the marriage? No, why did he confess?
Lady Ava was glancing between them, growing more anxious by the moment. She got to her feet, thrusting her arms in between the couple. That caught Lady Fiona's attention and she glanced towards the other woman.
"Why are you defending him, Lady Ava?" Fiona demanded and Lady Ava huffed.
"And why are you assuming he is guilty of something?" Lady Ava shot back, surprising both sides of the couple. Cass didn't think Lady Ava would go to bat for him, yet here she was. She truly fit the healer archetype.
That's it. He was going to save her family, no matter what. Even if it made him look like a villain and he had to kidnap them. They were going to survive no matter what. Cass was pretty pleased with himself. She had no idea about his plans.
"Well, I-I-"
"Whatever you were thinking, you are very wrong, Fifi. I'm actually terribly disappointed in you. Was your behaviour earlier when he woke up just an act?" She sniffed, raising her nose up at her friend and crossing her arms. She looked every inch the new head of the Temple that she was going to become. Lady Fiona was floundering, clearly either having not experienced this behaviour from Lady Ava, or never expected it to be directed towards her.
Cass hated that he didn't have any popcorn to eat while witnessing this.
"W-Well, Lady Ava, I don't think-" Lady Fiona was glancing at Cass, clearly asking for his help. Cass decided this was the perfect time to play the 'I've lost my memories' card and stared at Lady Fiona without comprehension.
She looked confused, lost, and like she was panicking. Her jaw clenched and so did her hands.
"Lady Ava, you know that...that Lord Blackburn and I don't share-"
"-His name is Cassian." Lady Ava interrupted, so clearly on his side that he felt bad for Lady Fiona. She flushed.
"I know what his name is." Lady Fiona said, before she glanced at Cass. "You know that we don't share feelings for each other. Lord Bl-" a glare from Lady Ava had her stuttering over her words. "Cassian and I didn't marry for anything beyond recognition. Cassian needs to be married before he can inherit the Duke title, and I told you this. You know this." Lady Fiona seemed desperate, while Cass was excited to find out new information.
So Lord Blackburn was trying to inherit the Duke title, but for some reason his Grandfather wasn't letting him huh? Interesting. Getting married to the hero would definitely be a good mark, but maybe not for the grandfather. He wondered why it never led to some 'fake marriage' scenarios between the heroine and Lord Blackburn? That was super popular.
"I am aware." Lady Ava stated tartly, her expression still dark and upset. Lady Fiona seemed lost.
"Then why are you so angry?" Lady Fiona asked, flustered and confused. Lady Ava slid her gaze towards Cass, narrowed it, before turning back to the brunette.
"Because you've never bothered to get close to him the same way you got close to the others. In fact, none of us have." Lady Ava told her, still angry. "And as someone who calls everyone else by their first names so easily despite their titles I am disappointed that you wouldn't do the same for Cassian." It almost felt like they were going to call his name and switched it up at the last minute.
It was very disorienting. Cass almost wanted to tell them to call him Cass but right now didn't seem like the right moment. The two girls were too upset.
Lady Fiona gave Cass a confused look.
"Did you...want to be called by your first name?" She asked and Lady Ava huffed.
"Don't ask him now! He doesn't have all of his memories!" She said hotly, and Lady Fiona flushed.
"Right." She muttered and Lady Ava brushed a hair out of her face.
"You didn't even ask him if he was okay? You just ran in here ready to accuse him of bad behaviour. Is that how you view one of your husbands? As some kind of dastardly villain?" Lady Ava only had a point now, because Cass wasn't one, but honestly, he felt a little conflicted.
Who knew what Lord Blackburn had been up to till now? If the reaction from his closest aides was anything to go by? Nothing good. On that note, Cass thought it might be time to intervene.
"Lady Ava, while I appreciate your concern, it's alright. I'm fine." He told her with a smile and Lady Ava sighed. She closed her eyes before she opened them and then gestured to Cass aggressively?
"Do you see how sweetly he smiles? He's been like this since I started speaking to him like a human. He's changed, Lady Fiona. And he's not a bad guy!" Cass' eyes went wide, and he quickly needed to nip that idea in the bud.
"Lady Ava, I appreciate your defense of me, but there are some things I've done previously that I don't think are particularly good." Cass told both of the women and Lady Ava gave him a confused look.
"But...do you have your memories back?" She asked softly and Cass gave an awkward smile.
"No but...it's just a...gut feeling of sorts. Plus, the reaction of my servants is...a bit telling." He had no problem admitting this if it got him sympathy from the two of them. Even Lady Fiona softened.
"You weren't...well, you were a little harsh with them, but you were never evil, Lord, uh, Cassian." She was so awkward saying his name that Cass couldn't help but laugh. It helped that her expression looked so close to his sisters that it was hard for him to remain angry at her.
"I know it's a hard thing for you to do, Lady Fiona. Why don't you start by calling me Lord Cassian? Or Lord Cass? Either is fine, I just..." He sighed, looking towards the statues of the gods. "I just don't feel like Lord Blackburn anymore suits me." Lady Ava gasped, taking Cass' hand in her own again.
"Of course we can do that. I already told you, I want to get closer to you, Cassian. Now would be the perfect time to reinvent yourself. With your memory loss, people are going to be more likely to forgive you. After all, it is in the teachings of the gods to give others second chances." Of course those fuckers preached about second chances.
Scumbags.
"I can do that at the very least, Lord Cass. I can't say I won't mess up in the future, but I will do my best. For you, and for Lady Ava." It was not lost on him that she included Lady Ava in her words, but that seemed to satisfy Lady Ava.
"Oh, I just knew you were the most wonderful and kind Hero out there, Fifi!" Cass watched the two women interact, a tingling sense filling him. But that was when Sam and Byron came over.
"My Lord, you should be getting back to your chambers. You need as much rest as you can manage." Sam said, concern in his expression and both of the women seemed surprised at Sam's gaul. Cass nodded, before trying to get to his feet.
Sam was there in a second, aiding him as he got to his feet. It felt like every muscle in his lower body was screaming.
"Are you alright?" Lady Fiona asked, concerned as Cass nearly stumbled as he stood up. Cass' legs trembled trying to support his own weight.
"He walked quite the distance to get here. I am worried about how he'll make it back." A light went off behind Lady Fiona's eyes and dread began to fill Cass.
"Oh, then I can be of help."