Chapter 66: Children? I don’t like children
Cass found that he had been tricked.
He had been told that he was going to hand out toys to children. He had not, however, been told that he was going to become the center of attention of said children.
They ignored the beefy men, like Sir Forsythe and Sir Sanders, or Draken, and instead had gone for Cass. Was it because he looked like he could be one of them? He wasn’t sure. But Cass had never been good with the other kids who had lived at the orphanage when he and his sister had lived there.
He had felt awkward, uncomfortable, and had just wanted to be with his sister. He didn’t give a damn about any other kids, especially when they were going to get adopted and leave him behind. Forget about him like he was a bad memory.
So, when the children had swarmed him, he knew he was going to react poorly. How poorly? He had no idea. He did not think that he was going to react like cockroaches were at his feet, yet here he was, doing exactly that.
"Uh, um,"
"Are you the man who saved Tyler? That was so freaking cool!"
"Is it true that you’re a mage?"
"Can you show us a magic trick?"
"Can you shoot flames out of your hands too?"
"I heard you’re really wealthy, can we have some money?"
"Oh! If he gets some money, can I have some money too?"
"Hey! If they’re getting money, I want some money too!"
Cass felt like his head was going to explode. What the fuck were they even talking about? Money? Cass was planning to give them money, but through their director. He didn’t even consider that they would want it directly. Was that...even allowed? Could you give kids money like that?
He’d never been given money like that. That was why he sent Sam to get toys and candy. That was the kind of shit he had wanted as a kid, not actual cash. Not until after he learned the hard way what cash meant.
Oh shit, did these kids already know the worth of cold hard cash? If they did, Cass had a lot of damn work to do.
"Uh, are you sure you want cash? I brought candy and toys, but if you need cash...I guess I could give you some of that?" Cass offered lamely, his shoulders up to his ears. He could feel Draken laughing at him, and he wanted to yell at Draken to come over and see how he handled the kids, but at the same time, he didn’t. Keep his fucking distance. That’s what Cass wanted more than watching him suffer while surrounded by chatting children.
Cass watched as their eyes lit up, and they became even more riotous.
"You brought candy? Sweet! Where is it?" Several of the kids just began chanting candy and Cass felt like his head was going to explode. He glanced around, hoping anyone would catch his gaze, but no one would. Not even Sam.
In fairness to Sam, he hadn’t entered the building and had instead stayed outside. He was going to facilitate the handing off of toys and sugar, while Sir Forsythe, Sir Sanders, and Draken had followed him inside. They were the ones leaving him drowning, and Cass would remember that.
Draken was slowly earning back the ill will he’d relieved after saving Cass’ life. The man probably didn’t know it, given the way he smiled at Cass as he was drowning in a sea of orphaned children, but it was true. The man had no idea the hole he was digging for himself.
Cass shot every single one of them a glare as he was pulled and tugged towards the entrance to the toys. Sir Sanders waved with a cheeky grin, while Sir Forsythe looked away, his expression guilty. Draken had a stupid, goofy grin on his face, his arms crossed, and his orange eyes slightly glowing.
Cass ignored him.
The director was chatting to Sam as the large group exploded out into the clearing. Cass was desperate for anyone to help, but Sam and the Director had their hands full, and the other people were only here to drop things off.
He did notice that Ser Hune was nearby, but she was working on the disposal of the dire wolf bodies, so he wasn’t going to ask for help there.
That was, until a carriage rolled to stop on the road. Cass could feel that trouble was inside of that carriage. A sense, a knowing washed over him as he watched the door open and out stepped Lady Ava.
She was in proper priest clothing, and Cass had a feeling she was coming from a shift either at the temple or from a shift at the hospital or something nearby. He had no idea what she got up to all the time. He intentionally didn’t care.
It didn’t matter though, since Lady Fiona had paid specific attention to everything the woman had done. Cass hadn’t realised why she had done so until he found them returning from a night of...whatever the hell they had been doing. It was none of his damn business, especially now.
Still, watching the woman who Lord Blackburn hated, and Cass had mixed feelings about, step out in a pure white outfit when she normally wore simple shades of brown did give him a small bit of whiplash.
She looked like a damn angel, and even some of the children paused their candy chant to stare at her.
Lady Ava squinted, taking in the scene before her. The several carriages, the tower of boxes near the orphanage proper, Ser Hune cleaning up the bodies, and the swarm of children surrounding Cass. A small, tentative smile touched her lips and she waved her hand in a small wave.
Cass felt his body freeze, but not wanting to cause trouble, he raised his hand in a small wave as well. Her smile widened, and she hastened her steps down from the carriage.
"H-Hello Cassian. And hello, little ones. Is something important happening today? I noticed all of the carriages passing me and worried something had happened at the estate. It appears that I was wrong." Sam, who had noticed who had gotten out of the carriage immediately, rushed towards Cass with a rather stern expression. The director also raced towards them, her expression complex.
"Hello Lady Ava." Cass greeted. He wasn’t quite sure how he should treat her. He was also busy being dragged by people half his height. Lady Ava chuckled.
"There seems to be quite a feast coming in for the children. Was this your doing, Cassian?" She asked and Cass sighed.
"Yeah. It was me. Did you want to help distribute the candy and toys?" He asked, and watched as her eyes lit up.
"Oh yes! I would love to be of help!" She exclaimed, and Cass felt a sense of relief fill him. He could hand off all the annoying tasks to her. What a wonderful, lovely idea.
Cass turned his gaze to Sam, who had a slightly sour expression on his face. Cass smiled at him brightly.
"Sam, Lady Ava wants to help. What task can we have her help with?" He asked and watched as Sam’s expression didn’t change, but did grow calculating. Cass should have expected that from the lead henchman from the secret villain, but he did feel a surge of pride. What a great guy Sam was.
Even if he didn’t like her, he knew how to put her to work.
"Oh, how wonderful Lady Ava. Children, if you follow me and Lady Ava, we’ll all get to pick out a toy, or two, before we move onto candy with the director and Lord Blackburn!" Sam was proving to be the best henchmen a man could ask for as he whisked away all of the children surrounding him. The Director chuckled as she took in Cass’ tired expression.
"Did you find them a lot?" She asked and Cass sighed.
"Children, no matter if they have children or not, are always a lot." Cass replied and she chuckled.
"Yes, I find that to be the case. But they are still lovely, wouldn’t you say?" It was a test. Cass knew what these were, and even if she was smiling, he knew that he was in an exam at the moment.
"Well, I think all children have an aspect of loveliness to them." Cass said carefully, watching as the kids flocked to Lady Ava. Cass was pissed that she looked so happy to be surrounded by them, and that she didn’t look awkward in the slightest. Damn woman and her damn halo from the ’gods’. Cass was sure he didn’t get something like that.
"Oh? Just an aspect?" The director prompted and Cass nodded.
"Yes. They are, after all, going to turn into people, and I find that people lose quite a bit of the loveliness that they had in childhood." Cass told her. He wasn’t quite lying, but he wasn’t quite telling the truth either. Children were lovely, but also annoying. He hadn’t met many children who hadn’t had an aspect of both, but he had a feeling if he said it out loud, she wouldn’t like it.
"I never considered it that way, my Lord. But...I can see how someone like you would see it that way." Cass nodded.
"I do tend to see how they can benefit me, I will admit that." Cass wasn’t going to lie about Lord Blackburn’s intentions. He had been that kind of man. "But, I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t provide the best that they can so that the kids can become even more useful." She started to laugh, her shoulder’s shaking. Cass let her have her moment.
"At least you are honest, Lord Blackburn. I appreciate that. Most people try to kiss up to me while offering a few coins. You, however, feel like you are offering me the world, but you aren’t demanding I send children your way, or anything nefarious. You just...want for the children to grow up useful?" She said, her tone questioning and Cass nodded.
"Yes. I would prefer if you were able to offer them classes in whatever interested them, get them literate, whatever they want. Well, literacy isn’t negotiable. That’s something all the children should have." Cass stated firmly. "It will get them many job opportunities, and broaden their horizons. I don’t want them to have an even harder time." Cass told her and she shot him a sideways smile.
"I wouldn’t have expected that from you, Lord Blackburn. But at the same time, that seems to be something that you would do. If we accept your funding, I would gladly do what you request. Is there anything else you’d like?" She asked and Cass sighed.
"Monthly reports. Anything more than that and my head might explode. I already go through so much paperwork, that is the most I can handle." He told her and she truly started laughing.
"Well, I must get these children trained quickly so that you may have another set of eyes to help you with your work, my Lord. If the children say so, we shall move forward with your plan. I doubt that they would say no to the one who saved Tyler, but you never know. You could have not brought their favourite sweet with you." She said, and Cass snorted.
"Impossible. I bought the whole store."