Chapter 62: The first cleansing
"So you share similar traits? What kind?" Cass asked and Draken’s face flushed. The sharp angles of his face dulled, and it appeared the more they talked, the more Draken became...human.
Draken moved one of his hands away from Cass’ back to cover his mouth, his face flushing further as he looked around the carriage. Cass kind of liked how nervous and awkward he was behaving. It gave him something to distract himself from the awful experience he’d just gone through.
"W-Well, I think we should save that kind of conversation for a different time, Cassian. I-If we get closer, I’ll tell you then, alright?" Boring. That was a boring response. Cass wanted to know now. He did enjoy how Draken squirmed though.
Cass leaned in, staring up at Draken intently.
"Why can’t I know now?" He asked and Draken groaned.
"Because of reasons, Cassian. It’s not...lots of people run away when they hear about some of the traits I have. There is a reason I don’t just tell people outright." Draken mumbled. "And humans look at me differently when I tell them the truth. They get all...worshipy." Draken didn’t sound happy about that and Cass started laughing.
He leaned back, taking in Draken’s dark and worried expression and smiled at him. "Do you think I’m the kind of person, of human, that would get like that, Draken?" Cass asked, and Draken surprised him when he didn’t answer immediately.
"I...don’t know. Mages are...different. Some are normal, and react the same way as most humans. Others are...chill, and some...some are worse than the humans." Draken shuddered. "They get excited by the level of depth of my magic. Some of the female ones are the worst. They wanted to be my mate. I would never mate with someone who views me as an object to study." He sounded so sure, and Cass was sure that there were several stories there.
He could help but laugh, his stomach hurting as he turned his gaze back towards Draken.
"What would you do if I found out, since we’re bonded, and I turned into one of those crazy fanatics?" Cass teased and Draken narrowed his eyes.
"Well, I’ve been around you long enough to know that you wouldn’t even be impressed by my magic pool. Yours, despite your current condition, is almost as big as mine. It’s unheard of in a mere mortal, but I suspect there is more to you than meets the eye. Especially with your Mom being part fairy. They also have large mana pools, but I took years to grow mine. Most humans are born with their mana pools." Draken hesitated, before he shook his head. Cass, slightly curious about what he was going to say, wanted to ask. But something told him that Draken wouldn’t answer him.
"So, you have theories about me?" Cass asked, feeling playful and Draken nodded. He moved his hand away from his mouth, placing it back on Cass’ back.
"I do. Why wouldn’t I? Some random human comes in, able to nearly match my power level, but just is inexperienced. Not that there’s anything you can do about that. I’m older than you, and will be older than you for forever." Draken shrugged, and Cass realised that he wasn’t being cocky, he was just stating that like it was a fact.
It didn’t feel...demeaning, even if from someone else, anyone else, it probably would. It might have to do with the fact that Cass knew he was much, much older than anyone else could believe. Especially given his behaviour.
"Is there really no way I could end up older than you?" Cass asked, teasing, and Draken chuckled.
"Cassian, there hasn’t been any kind of magic created that I know of where that could be possible. While many scholars talk about time magic, that is something even out of my realm of capabilities. Or anyone of my kind that I know." Cass kind of wanted to tell him that he just didn’t know everything, but that felt a little too cocky.
"Oh? So there are a lot of your kind?" Cass asked and Draken froze. He grew somber, his expression chilling.
"No. There aren’t. A war a...long time ago wiped out quite a few of us. A silly thing. There was no need for it either." Draken said and Cass frowned. Damn it, that wasn’t what he wanted to do. He was just poking fun at him. He didn’t want him to get sad remembering the past.
"Sorry Draken. I didn’t mean to-"
"-You did nothing wrong. How could you know? I rarely talk about it, so don’t beat yourself up over it. How are you feeling? You aren’t shaking, and you appear more stable internally, but I can only sense small snippets." He sniffed, his nostrils flaring. "It appears that they have retreated, so there is no need to fear." He said and Cass shivered.
"You can tell that by smell?" Cass asked and Draken glanced at him before he laughed.
"No. I can tell by the smell of your knight approaching while covered in dire wolf blood." A knock sounded on the carriage door before it was flung open, a worried Sir Forsythe looking into the carriage before his eyes went wide.
"My Lord are you-Lord Draken? W-What in the world happened? Why are your clothes torn to shreds?" Sir Forsythe looked ill at the sight while Draken rumbled and the whole carriage shook.
"Make no mistake, this will not happen again." Draken warned and Sir Forsythe nodded, dropping to his knee.
"I am sorry my Lord. I deemed that you would be safe given your knowledge and abandoned my post. Even if I knew I shouldn’t, I let my friendships get the better of me. I shall not make the same mistake again." Cass frowned, before glaring at Draken. This was not the response he wanted, and he honestly didn’t really care that Sir Forsythe had run off to help his friends.
It was his own fault for only trusting one guard.
"No, Sir Forsythe, this isn’t on you. I have neglected purging the guards that were sent to me. I cannot let it stand anymore." Cass sighed and Sir Forsythe looked up, his expression shocked.
"You mean...you’re getting rid of your grandfather’s men?" He whispered and Cass felt his lips turn up slightly.
"I’ve been married long enough, haven’t I?" Cass said in response and Sir Forsythe swallowed, before got to his feet and folded in half.
"You have full use of me, my Lord. Whatever you need, I am willing to help. Anything for the next Duke Blackburn." Sir Forsythe declared slamming his hand over his heart, his eyes invigorated. Even without the blood, it would have been a striking image.
Draken rumbled next to him.
"Do I need to train your knights as well, Cassian?" Draken asked and Cass glanced at him.
"I feel Sir Forsythe is more than capable of doing so." Cass said and Draken huffed, steam pouring out of his nose. Sir Forsythe watched him, his eyes wide, but he didn’t back down.
"I guess I’ll have to test his mettle before that then, hmm? If Cassian has such faith in you, and he’s seen me at work, you must be talented." Draken’s words sounded like a slap to the face, not a compliment. Sir Forsythe swallowed, before his back stiffened.
"It would be an honour to exchange sword blows with Lord Draken, sir." Sir Forsythe declared and Draken sniffed
"I’ll send a message when I have time. Make sure that Lady Ava is around, unless your people can’t be healed with holy magic either?" Draken asked and Cass shook his head.
"No. Sir Forsythe is normal, as far as I know. And please don’t attempt to kill him, Draken." Cass warned and Draken grinned.
"I’m not going to kill him. I’m testing him. If you’re planning to build an army, who better than to test but a rogue mercenary that was picked up by the hero, hmm?" No one bought it, but Sir Forsythe forced a smile. Poor guy.
Cass just frowned at the man who still held him in his arms.
"Sir Forsythe, we don’t have a change of clothes, do we?" Cass asked, changing the subject and Sir Forsythe shook his head.
"No, we don’t my Lord. If we had our normal carriage, we might, but with Sam currently on the mission you gave him, I am unfortunately of very little help." Draken grumbled.
"You don’t have your normal carriage? What happened? Don’t you have, like, 17? They take up so much space." Draken protested and Sir Forsythe stiffened. Cass started to laugh, and he would admit, it was pretty villainous.
"Oh, I’m just going to kill our stablemaster when we get back to the castle, that’s all." Cass said and Draken froze.
"Well, don’t do it without me there. I can at least hide the evidence so Fiona doesn’t find out." It was bad that Cass thought that was a sweet gesture. "Speaking of the castle, if your aide isn’t around, I’ll head back to the castle and grab something for you to wear and come back. I don’t feel comfortable having you go around in torn clothes. You shouldn’t expose your skin like that." Cass stared at the man who was bare chested, holding him.
"Uh, Draken, you do realise...you’re without a shirt, yes?" Cass said carefully and Draken rolled his eyes.
"I’m different, Cassian. You like clothes. I don’t. I can’t have anyone else realising you have pale skin all over. I’ll be back quickly. Stay in the carriage until I get back." He shifted, moving Cass around like he weighed nothing as he maneuvered around the carriage. He didn’t even kick the basket on the floor either, and before he knew it, Cass was still in the carriage, shoved into a corner, and Draken was outside with Sir Forsythe.
Draken pointed a finger at Cass, his eyes narrowed. "I mean it. No moving from this spot, or I will be very cross. I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’m fast." Draken said, before he glanced at Sir Forsythe. Sir Forsythe straightened again, nodding to Draken before Draken turned back to look at Cass before he took off.
Cass had thought he was going to fly. No.
He ran.
He was gone between one second and the next and Sir Forsythe exhaled.
"I...I think I would have appreciated a warning if Lord Draken was going to arrive." Sir Forsythe whispered, and then shook his head. "No, you are not obligated to do that. I just...it was terrifying to come back to the carriage and find a...Lord Draken wrapped around you. I will recover." Sir Forsythe said.
"How is everyone else?" Cass asked and he sighed.
"Ser Hune has a minor injury, but she should be okay. Are you hurt, my Lord?" Sir Forsythe asked and Cass sighed.
"Probably." Cass muttered, the spots where the saliva had dripped burning at the mention. Sir Forsythe looked like he’d seen a ghost.
"Probably? Probably?! What happened while I was gone, my Lord?"