When they got back from their excursion out into the city and beyond, Cass got right back to work. The rest of the day was thankfully, uneventful. For Cass, that was a good thing, but Gideon and Edgar were not in agreement.
It became clear at dinner why, when the whole family had gathered. Unlike when Lucian prepared dinner, Gideon and Edgar sat on either side of Cass, he was forced to sit at the head of the table. Sam and Byron were still forced to come to the table, as were Ser Hune, who reminded Cass that he better start calling her Ailia or she was going to start crying, and Sir Sanders.
Who thankfully, made no threats to Cass about calling him by his first name. Cass swore the man almost looked apologetic. Cass was grateful for one less change.
The rest of the fairies were scattered throughout the table, with Taniora sitting wherever she would like. Turns out, while Taniora was dead, very much so, she did have a physical body. That seemed to confuse a few of the fairies, and Cass, and while she could eat, it didn’t result in anything.
She could eat small amounts for enjoyment, but that was about it. She could physically pick up things, but the magic that she once wielded was gone. She didn’t give off demonic powers, she still felt like a fairy, so it was a bit confusing as to what she was.
Gideon had gladly lent the fairies the large book of demon knowledge to them when he caught them having the discussion without Taniora around, happy to be of help. He had immediately gone to Cass and told him what he had done, remembering that it wasn’t his book to lend out, but also feeling that Cass wouldn’t be upset with it.
Edgar had been helping out at that time in Cass’ office, working alongside Mr. Collins and Sam to help Cass organise and go through all of the papers that had piled up while they had been gone.
Gideon got flushed in the face even coming into the office. He saw Cass and blushed, and then caught Edgar’s eye, and blushed more. Now that he wasn’t trying to keep his distance, he was really not trying to keep it.
He looked like a little kid trying to get a reward for being a good kid. For helping someone out.
Cass had kept his snort in until after he’d left. Cass must have something wrong with him if he thought the deadly holy knight turned saint was cute. Though, maybe there was the same thing wrong with him as there was with Edgar, because he’d had a soft look on his face too as he watched Gideon leave the room.
Which led to the moment where Cass was at dinner surrounded by everyone. Even the staff were out more than they had been when it had just been Cass here as a fairy. The energy in the mansion had shifted, and it was...it was upsetting to Cass that Lucian wasn’t here to feel it too.
He was sure that Lucian would like it, that he would enjoy it. That he would be smiling and grinning alongside everyone, happy to be involved and accepted so easily. Cass knew that he shouldn’t be thinking like this, that this was a happy moment that shouldn’t be tainted just because Lucian wasn’t here, but he couldn’t shake it.
He did his best not to let it bleed into anything, and he was a little bit happy that there wasn’t someone around who could sense his emotions outside of Lucian. He hoped that Lucian wasn’t able to feel his emotions, or maybe that he could.
Would Cass know when the bond had expired? That was something that Cass hadn’t even considered.
"The damn King hasn’t sent anything." Edgar finally said, pulling Cass from his thoughts. Cass turned and stared at him blankly, while Gideon’s expression, which had been fairly open, hardened as he nodded on the other side of Cass.
"I’ve been waiting all day as well." Gideon said. "I’ve even stayed near the foyer, just to make sure." Gideon added. Edgar raised the goblet in his hand, taking a deep sip of his ’wine’.
"Should we make this into a problem? Even without Fiona around, to not acknowledge that we dealt with a dungeon? Shouldn’t that not only make him curious as to how we did it without a hero, but also shouldn’t we get double the acknowledgement? This is so damn frustrating." Edgar muttered. "Now that we don’t have a big bad red dragon who can do whatever he wants, we can’t just storm the castle."
Cass glanced between the two sons of Dukes, who were still somewhat caught up in the whole ’noble’ thing, while Cass blinked a few times.
"Is there a reason we want him to do that?" Cass asked and Edgar slid his gaze to him.
"Yeah. If the King still treats us well, it means the common people will treat us well. If we have to go into more hostile places, they will usually be more likely to work with us. That was also how we were able to get help from the mercenaries as easily, along with the temple priests. Granted, we also have a confirmed saint with us, even if you are a secret secondary hero, so-"
"You haven’t told anyone you’re a hero?" Taniora spoke up, cutting into the conversation. She seemed shocked. "Isn’t that important for others to know?" She asked. "Forget the nobles, but the people are owed the knowledge that this time around is very dangerous." She said. Cass winced.
"How would that help them?" Cass asked back, staring at her. Taniora’s eyes widened slightly. "While I don’t disagree that maybe they should know, how would it help them? What part of them knowing that this cycle is extra dangerous? What if that makes them more susceptible to demons because they think it’s a hopeless situation because there are two heroes? It’s unfortunate that we have such incompetent higher ups, but honestly? I’m very aware that most groups that are in charge of others are incompetent." Cass said. The room was quiet for a moment as Cass shrugged, leaning back casually in his seat. "So, while I understand your anger and frustration at the situation we are finding ourselves in, there is nothing that can change that. Suppose I do come out to everyone? Tell everyone that? Who is going to believe me?" Cass asked.
That caused Edgar and Gideon to shift uncomfortably, while the fairies, who knew a bit of what was going on in the capital but who didn’t know the kind of rumours that were circulating about Cass, frowned.
"Of course they are going to believe you." Aunt Alysora said. It was Ailia who made a soft clicking noise, disagreeing with her Mother.
"I wouldn’t be so confident about that." She said, making her own Mother glance at her in confusion. So did the other fairies. Ailia had done her research, and while she had worked with Cass for a while and hadn’t outwardly cared about the rumours about Cass, she knew. She was best friends with Sir Forsythe, and it wasn’t exactly a secret that her husband hadn’t liked Cass for a while.
"His grandfather has been spreading all kinds of rumours about Cass for a long time." It was the very same husband who spoke up in defense of Cass. "The general public think Cass is a monster. Whether that is a monster who is a human or isn’t, doesn’t matter. The Blackburn family name is...powerful and scary all at once. His grandfather is his own kind of evil, but he had also implicated his grandson so that it would undermine his own power and raise up his own as the Duke." It was a bit surprising to hear this from the normally quiet and collected Sir Sanders, but he did appreciate it. "I also fell victim to it." He admitted, stone-faced.
The fairies looked towards Cass, who had a knowing, bitter smile on his face.
"With everything the way that it is right now, one of my main missions was to rebrand my own image, but that has been put to the wayside because of everything else that has been going on." Cass told them. The fairies frowned.
"Well, don’t worry about that anymore." They said. "We’ll help you with that." The fairies had a glint in their eyes as they spoke up. Cass wasn’t sure what to do with that information.
"I’m fine." Cass told them, but they wouldn’t hear it, nor would Taniora.
"Absolutely not! You are a kind person, Cass, I would not let anyone who has such a kind heart be spoken about this way. Besides, they should fear you in small amounts. Due to the magical energy inside of you, that will tend to happen, but if what you said is true? That kind of fear is too much. You have not earned it." She said.
It was strange, hearing them speak of Cass like this. Cass hoped that Cassian saw this, felt this. He hoped that he understood that this wasn’t just being directed towards him.
"His grandfather didn’t put constraints on him as a child." Edgar piped up. Taniora looked confused, while his Aunt Alysora gave a horrified gasp.
"That’s incredibly dangerous! Especially for a child who has as much magic as he does!" She sounded upset on his behalf, while Cass had no idea why she was so upset. He gave Edgar a strange look, but Edgar’s jaw was tight with anger.
"It was how Cass ended up bonded to Lucy in the first place. He was becoming overwhelmed by his own magic. He had no idea what was going on. A man who is as talented as Cass had no damn clue about restraints, restrictions, nothing. Of course, we had nothing on hand, so the only thing we could do without knocking him out and potentially making the situation worse, was the bond. Or, that is how Fiona explained it." Edgar explained.
Taniora, who had more knowledge on dragons outside of the dragons themselves, looked at Cass with a new light.
"Is that true?" She asked carefully and Cass felt his face heat. Byron looked ill remembering it, as did Sam. Sam had been helpless to stop them at the time, it being too risky, and him being too weak when compared with the hero party. Cass exhaled slowly.
"Yeah. Which is why we haven’t completed the bond. Lucian and I...both agree that completing a bond under those circumstances isn’t...right." Cass said carefully. He got a few sounds of agreement from those around them. When Cass glanced at Gideon, a man who had stood by and watched it happen, he was surprised by the emotion on his face, and how tense he was holding himself.
He looked stricken at the reminder. Cass hadn’t said it so that he would be upset, but here he was, practically shaking.
"Oh, I’m so sorry I jumped to conclusions then." Taniora apologised, sounding very sincere. "It must have bothered you then when I called you the bond partner of the red dragon." She said. Cass shook his head.
"No. I wasn’t upset by that. Lucian and I have discussed it enough at this stage that...well, whatever we decide once he comes back will be just that. Our choice." Cass said, the truth settling into his bones in a way that had Cass’ face going bright red. Edgar reached out, squeezing his arm. When Cass met his gaze, his blue gaze was warm with affection. Edgar then turned to Taniora to speak.
"And we’ll support them both in whatever that choice is." Edgar promised. "Now, back to the previous conversation, if there is anything I can help you with in uplifting the image that Cass’ grandfather has made for him, please let me know. I would be delighted to help." Edgar flashed his playboy, pretty smile. Even the fairies, known for their prettiness, were caught off guard.
Cass gave a quiet sigh, his face burning. Everyone was being so nice to him that it was...almost a little unsettling. His heart was having a hard time with it.