Cass was having breakfast the next morning when he heard the shouting and screaming start. He had chosen to have breakfast in one of the rooms off of the foyer overlooking the front of the house for this exact reason.
He was raising a cup of tea to his lips, a small smile there since the sounds of the screams were music to his ears. He should have known that Byron and Gideon would work quickly, as would most of his other people. However, the main reason he was able to work this quickly was because of his Aunt.
She was the one who had messaged him back quickly, saying she would be there shortly, yesterday. Cass had been a little confused what that meant until she showed up at his front door with Byron’s Mom, both of their partners, and one guard.
Cass had smiled, ushering them in to have a chat and it was with her help that Cass was able to move so quickly. The reason why Cass needed her help was twofold. He needed people, and he also needed to know she’d be okay without him here in the capital.
Of course his Aunt had smiled at his worries and patted his knee warmly.
"Cass, lovely Cass, you don’t need my permission to do anything. I came here to support my daughter and meet you. I’ve accomplished both, and I also showed up unannounced. You’ve given me plenty of help, and we can handle Taniora while everything else is happening." Cass had jerked at the reminder last night of Taniora. He had forgotten about her in his heat and everything that followed that.
Now he was sitting in a sitting room off of the foyer with Edgar, Sam and Taniora. Sam was the only one standing in the room behind the couch that Cass was sitting in, his hands behind his back while the screaming continued.
Taniora looked uncomfortable. She still had a rather stable body but still couldn’t really interact with anything. She also looked a little embarrassed and Cass had no idea why. He might not have seen her for a few days, but it wasn’t like she had been up to anything she should be ashamed of. As far as Cass knew, she had been brainstorming with the nursery tree for most of this time. She had been trying to find a solution for Cass.
That was nothing to be embarrassed about.
"Should we...check on that?" She asked as Cass and Edgar sipped at their respective cups and mugs, Edgar’s a more elegant, metal goblet so that the contents couldn’t be seen. Cass was drinking some Sam made tea. A true delight to the senses.
"Oh no. Byron and Gideon are handling it." Cass told her simply, and that didn’t seem to make her feel better. Cass could understand if this was any normal situation. Normally, one didn’t want to hear the horrified screams of their employees. Cass would agree with her. Except, these people had tried to use their connections with him to hurt the people he cared about. While he might not want them to be on the property anymore, it was the fairies that they should really worry about.
The nursery tree needed some nutrition, after all.
"Taniora, you know better than most that the nursery tree isn’t all that forgiving." Cass said carefully, picking up a pastry that smelled divine and that Cass knew was safe. He sunk his teeth into the flaky pastry and couldn’t help the small moan that left his lips. Delicious.
What a bounty he had available to him. Cass was thankful for the people his Aunt had suggested to him and who Sam had vetted. They were willing to work within any parameter that Cass needed as long as it would give them potential access to the nursery tree. Cass had no idea that so many fairies wanted to have babies but couldn’t.
If he was more of a monster of a man, he would charge money for it.
He was willing to take loyalty instead.
Taniora looked a little uncomfortable at the reminder, but she did nod.
"I know." She muttered, sounding about as upset as she looked. Cass smirked. The front doors slammed open and the screaming continued, only now they could see the spectacle. They were being thrown out onto the ground but that was the least of their worries. The foolish humans, because they were mostly humans with one person with ears being involved, were more worried about the dragon and holy knight who was throwing them out. They should have been more worried about what they had thrown them out onto.
The forest was more of a danger to them right now then the dragon before them. The only person who seemed to catch onto that was the one maid who had not fully human features. They were as white as a sheet, scrambling to their feet. The humans were still on their asses, trembling and shaking.
The other fairies who were slowly stepping out of the mansion and crowding them were grinning. It was anything but kind. Even the trees began to rustle, the leaves covering the sunlight, the canopy hiding them from view from above. Shadows darkened the humans, who still weren’t getting it.
Cass bit into his pastry, grinning. What a great show.
The humanoid, the were person, turned to Gideon and began to beg. They fell to their feet, pleading for mercy, for help, that they would rat out who they were watching them for if only they would save them. The humans were scared of course, but they weren’t scared enough to turn on their own people.
They were trying to keep their expressions scared but composed, but Cass could see the contempt in their eyes as they watched them beg. It was clear that they considered themselves superior to them, but Cass knew something that they didn’t.
They were probably the only one who would survive this.
Cass smirked as he sipped his tea while Taniora sighed.
"I know." She muttered. "I just...I don’t like watching it." She admitted and Cass glanced at her.
"You don’t have to. I won’t force you to remain here. After all, it isn’t you that this is supposed to be a message to. Actually, this isn’t really a message, this is more of a feeding ritual for the nursery tree. We can’t have them underfed for Ailia’s child and the others that are planning to arrive." Cass said. Edgar nodded.
"Exactly. Please, if this is troublesome for you to witness, I have a feeling the halls are free. Don’t mind us. This has just been a long time coming for us." Edgar told her kindly. Taniora glanced between the three demons and sighed. She slowly rose to her feet and left the room.
Right as the roots of the trees began to move.
Gideon protected the maid who had begged and pleaded for help and their life, stepping back towards the house while Byron stepped forward as the guard. The nursery tree and the other trees wouldn’t hurt him. He was a fairy through his mother, he was safe.
The rest?
Cass watched, glee on his face as the first giant root broke through the ground and slammed down next to the foolish human. The scream that left all of their mouths? Priceless. Cass felt like he was jigsaw, watching on as the humans raced around trying to escape what was only inevitable. Through the choices that they had made, this was the outcome.
Do not fuck with the man who you think is from a villainous family and expect to get away unscathed.
Cass knew that this kind of ’punishment’ was more along the lines of something that Cassian would do, but he was Cassian now, and he had no issues with this. These fools had earned this. Cass had given them a chance to confess, rat out those that they were working for. Save themselves.
Only one person had taken them up on that offer as far as Cass could tell. He’d given them a choice, and now they were facing their own decision.
The first person got stuck on a hole in the ground left by a root that had escaped from the soil, tripping and was yanked down headfirst by said root. The muffled screams made one of the other maids break down crying, sobbing. Cass sipped his tea and Sam filled his cup once more.
Someone threw up, Edgar and Cass watched on as one by one they were plucked off. They could still hear some muffled screams as they were buried alive. It was a harsh way to go, but fairies weren’t elves. They weren’t gentle and sweet. They were lively and mostly carnivorous.
They lived with the trees, respected them, didn’t harm them. They harmed those that would harm the trees.
It was time for the trees to feast.
Cass put down his cup and let out a soft sigh.
"We should go see who the last one worked for." Cass said to the room and Edgar stood as well. He wasn’t shocked either. In fact, he looked pretty pleased as well. Sam had a little glimmer to his eyes. Cass didn’t realise that both men would thrive on the pain of the others, but he shouldn’t have been surprised. Sam wasn’t surprising in the slightest, but Edgar was.
Was it not against the teachings of the temple? Gideon was only doing this because of Cass, right?
Well, that didn’t appear to be the case. When Cass asked Gideon when they met up with him, Byron and the trembling and shaking spy, Cass asked him point blank.
Gideon had a serious answer. He’d already looked it up the night before when Cass was discussing his plans with his Aunt around him. Gideon had been able to find a verse in the temple’s ’proper’ teachings that excused anything involving fairies. They were different beings from humans and their teachings were to be respected. Honoured. That meant there was an extra layer to why it was fucked up that his family was monitoring Cass and the other fairies.
Cass was impressed, and a little frustrated that things continued to go this way. The damn Ducal families and their damn methods. Should he just let Lucian run rampant with Byron when he came back and just pick up the pieces after? Would he be able to deal with all of the fucking mess that came with that?
No. Cass didn’t want to be King. It would be better to work something out with the King or fuck, even the Queen or crown prince and see if he could work something out with them first. Don’t go scorched earth, not yet.
First, he needed to hear who this maid had been working for, and who had been foolish enough to not warn their people that they were in danger working at his home.
He was excited to see who would come out of the woodwork to ask if they had seen so and so. Mr. Collins had already been informed to keep an ear out for that gossip train. Mr. Collins had also suggested a few more people for Cass to ask to do the same, as long as he paid well enough. That was one thing that Mr. Collins didn’t have to worry about.
Cass was rolling in money, happy to give it out if it would help him, or people like him. So, his own network was growing while others were shrinking. Damn fools. Too blinded by their own greed to realise what was slipping through their fingers.