by A. Kingsley
Sage couldn’t remember the last time that she had read outside of school. She wanted to tell her mother that this was all unnecessary and it would be a long time before she had to take over, but she had a feeling that this wasn’t true. She took the books under her arm, wondering how she was going to finish all of them in such a short amount of time, but if Clare could manipulate Cassius in two weeks, then she could read five books. She could feel their bond strengthening even though they were miles apart. “Alright, I will do it, but only because you told me I must. I don’t plan on losing you anytime soon and don’t even think of stepping down.”
Gracielle gave her a soft smile, the new wrinkles on her face deepening as she did so. She was young, yet old for her time and the stress kept piling on. “Good, now off you go. You have a lot of reading to do.”
Paint
Cisily had prepared he bath so over the top that Clare was unsure if it could even be classified as water. The bath water was milky and smelled of roses, lavender and maybe chamomile, she had forgotten the list of ingredients. She hadn’t taken a very long bath, but she soaked long enough to get the stench off. After drying off with a soft towel, she slipped into the fluffy bathrobe laid out for her and called for Cisily. The girl flocked to her side and held out the dress with excitement. “You are even pretty when you are fresh from the bath,” she complimented. “I’m quite a bit taller than you, so I altered the dress to the best of my abilities to fit your height,” she said. She led Clare to the chair by her vanity and began to brush through her wet hair. “If he wasn’t my cousin, I would ask you more about your activities with him.”
“Well we are just hardly getting to re know each other, so there are no activities. We were childhood playmates, but we grew apart when tensions rose between the three Kingdoms. Now that peace is attempting to be made, we are meeting again. You should tell me more about Cassius, I don’t know too much.”
“Well…” she said, “he used to be a very bright and happy kid. Then my uncle was continuously unkind to him. Around the age of twelve he became distanced and cold. I'm sure you’ve noticed that he now walks with his shoulders high and he always stands so stiffly. There are moments, mostly when we are alone, when he is the same boy that I once knew, happy and smiling. Other times he is sly and closed off. That is all I feel comfortable sharing at the moment, but do not be afraid of him Clare, he is a good man, he is just blinded by the shadows.” After Cisily finished brushing out Clare’s hair, she dusted her cheeks with blush.
“Do you know how he felt when they told him about the arranged marriage? Did he have a past lover?” Clare asked, closing her lips so Cisily could apply lip gloss to them.
“He did not have a past lover, so there is no need to be jealous,” she teased. “I don’t know if he was glad, but he smiled a little. He has always admired you Clare. When we were younger, we used to tease him about you after parties. He was always blushing furiously during those conversations. He was never upset with his parents about their decision. I don’t think he minds very much. If anything I think he is angry for you, he feels bad that you are stuck with him. You know, the two of us never talked much when we were younger, but I was at those parties too. I would hear you talk about love stories.”
Clare’s face lit up in a blush. She took Cisily’s hands as the girl helped her up and led her to the folding screen that she could change behind. “I did not know everyone heard my fantasies. How embarrassing. I can tell Cassius cares for me,” she said, “but sometimes he treats me like a doll.”
“Men are frustrating. I don’t think he is alone in that category.”
Clare did not agree with her completely, the men she had been close to all her life had not been this tiresome, but she kept her lips shut.
Cisily turned around to give her privacy while she changed. Once Clare had the dress on, Cisily helped her put the dress on and smooth it out. Clare was impressed, she felt a small smile grace her shiny lips. The dress suited her style perfectly and she felt confident in it. For the first time she felt her heart flutter in hopes that Cassius would like it. She had no feelings for him, but she desperately hoped that they would come. He was an attractive man who kept her mind stimulated, but if she were to be happy in a marriage, he would need to be more than just attractive. “You look gorgeous. I think I did a pretty good job, what do you think?” Cisily asked as she gestured to her makeup.
“I think you did a great job as well. I would love to keep talking to you, you have been so kind to me, but I must get to dinner or his parents will dislike me more than they already do. Thank you once again.”
“Of course, I hope to speak with you again.”
Clare dipped her head and curtsied. She hurriedly slipped on the pink flats and began to hastily make her way down the stairs. She was hoping that she was not late, but she was sure that she wasn’t when she heard hurried footsteps behind her. Cassius was approaching her.
He was wearing a black suit similar to the one he had on earlier, but he was now clean and shining. His half wet hair dried in loose curls and he smelled of vanilla and mahogany. He took her hand in his, “Cisily did you justice. You look gorgeous,” he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “Now this is an appropriate outfit for dinner. My mum will never admit it, but she loves pink.”
Clare doubted that.
As they approached the table, Erebus and Adria stood to greet them. “You’re just on time,” Adria said softly. “Dinner is just about to come out of the kitchen. Please have a seat.” She sat herself down in one of the chairs and Erebus followed. Cassius pulled out a chair for Clare and once she was seated, he pushed it back in and sat beside her.
The duck had barely arrived when the king began to start asking questions. “So, you clearly didn’t want to visit my son just because you felt like it. You have better things to do as a princess. Why did you come? I don’t like lying,” his voice was harsh, his breath hot as he stabbed the duck with his knife and began to cut.
Cassius didn’t glare at his father, but he put a hand on Clare’s leg and let it rest there. He was on her side. She was going to ask Cassius to accompany her on her journey, tonight, but maybe it was best for her to ask here, so they would trust her.
“Well I wanted to come spend some time with Cassius before the event. I want to know what it’s like to live with him and I actually wanted to ask him if he’d like to come on holiday with me.”
“Holiday?” The question was echoed by the three at almost the same time.
“Yes. My mum has given me permission to go across the forests and travel for a month. Sage will take on both of our duties.” She had not been given permission yet, but she figured that this was the only way she could convince them.
“I would love to go on a holiday. I don’t get to do that very often,” Cassius said with a wide grin. She hadn’t ever seen him that bright. His stern face was adorable and puffed up with glee. His parents on the other hand still looked cross.
“He is a prince, the only prince. We will think about it,” Erebus said.
Adria chimed in, “but we are glad that you are here for our son and our son only. We wouldn’t want you falling in love with anyone else.”
‘Antoine.’ Her mind began to spin. She was in no means in love with Antoine nor was she in love with Cassius, but the white haired boy had caught her interest and if anyone found out that they hung around one another and continued to do so, she’d be in a world of hurt and so would he. They’d have to do their best to keep their mouths shut. “Right. I would never,” Clare said a little too quickly, taking a bite of her food. Cassius’s hand left her leg and found its way to his plate. She hoped that they would quit interrogating her and move onto another topic, but her wishes did not come true.
The king kept going. “As you know my son is next in line to take over the throne, though of course neither of us plan on leaving this Earth anytime soon, how will you support my son?”
Clare sighed. She knew that th
e right answer was going to be something along the lines of stay pretty, feed him and stay silent, but she couldn’t bear to play along with that game. “I’m a princess, I’ve seen my mother strategize through war and tragedy. The people have always said that I would have been fit to be queen, though I’m sure Sage will do a lovely job one day. I will use my skills to help Cassius succeed. I have always been good with my citizens and I’m sure I’ll be just as great with his.” She felt the tension increase on the other side of the table. “Of course only when he asks for my help. I wouldn’t want to interrupt him, how unladylike that would be,” she said sarcastically.
Adria began to smile, she interrupted her husband and shifted the conversation in a different direction. “She’s only just begun her stay, let her relax a little,” the queen said, glaring at her husband out of the corner of her eye.
Clare thought she heard Cassius mutter a ‘yeah’ in agreement, but it might have been in her imagination.
“What are some things you like to do in your free time? Cassius has classes he must attend to every day, but what can we do to help make you feel comfortable?” Adria asked.
Clare smoothed out her dress and after taking a few more bites of the duck and mash, she answered. “I fancy art. It is something I do rather well. I’m also fond of music, I can’t play, but I love to listen. I wouldn’t mind spending time with Cisily, if she doesn’t have any classes,” Clare suggested, knowing the loneliness would eat at her if she didn’t have someone to talk to until the evening.
Cassius seemed delighted that she wanted to get to know his cousin. “Oh yes Cisily is available, her brother lives with us as well. Though I may get jealous if you spend too much time with him. His name is Theodore, but he goes by Theo. He mostly spends time in the library. Actually I may not get jealous, I don’t think he fancies women. They will be your friends here. As for the art and music, we have painting supplies, servants and instruments to keep you happy,” Cassius said confidently. Adria was glad that her son was trying to impress Clare and keep her comfortable. She let him take the lead in the conversation. “If Clare proves herself, will you let us go on holiday?” he asked.
Erebus wanted to say no, but Adria was the one in control of the kingdom, she grinned, “of course, though I believe she won’t have much trouble. She’s impressed me already.”
The rest of the dinner went smoothly. Erebus went on to explain the kinds of training Cassius was put through, both physical and mental. Cassius had invited her to watch one of his fighting practices and Clare had agreed as long as Cisily could tag along. While King Erebus spent the rest of dinner boasting about his son, he stated that Cassius could still sleep with any woman that he wanted and that the kingdom called him the prince of charms. Cassius explained that he would remain loyal to Clare and hoped that she would give him the same amount of commitment back. Clare agreed and realized that this would mean she couldn’t be seen with Antoine. If he was jealous of his might be gay cousin, then he would certainly be jealous of the servant. Adria on the other hand had spent the rest of her dinner ignoring her husband and discussing books and fashion with Clare. Once dessert was finished and cleaned off of the table, she gestured for her son to go make sure his bedroom was clean. Once Erebus had left to go resume his work, she pulled Clare aside. “I know this is hard for you. While my husband may be an ass, I am here to support you. You may come to me if you need anything. Just imagine that I am your own mother. Do not hesitate to reach out to me. I know that this process can be overwhelming. And I hope you do not think that when I was younger I chose him because I did not.”
Though Clare had assumed that Adria was the nicer of the two leaders, she hadn’t expected for Adria to like her and she hadn’t expected to like Adria. Of course she did not trust the woman yet, but she wanted to trust her. If the queen had been in an arranged marriage too, then she must have known the struggles. “Did you grow to love him? The king.”
“I did, I grew to love him,” her voice went quiet and Clare could tell that this wasn’t the complete answer.
Maybe their love had faded over the years. A part of her wanted to keep pushing, but she kept her thoughts concealed, she didn’t want to ruin what was beginning to blossom. “Well, I hope to be like you in the sense that I grow to love my future husband. Do know, I am trying my best to open my heart to your son.”
“I am sure you are, now go. I think he has a surprise for you,” she winked and gestured up the stairs. “I hope you remember your way.”
“I do, it’s been a while since I’ve played here, but after the tour my memory has been refreshed. Thank you again.”
Clare gathered up her dress in her hands and slowly made her way up the stairs. She was careful in taking her time, she didn’t want to trip and make a fool out of herself. Everywhere there were people watching. Anything silly that she did would be seen and the news would be spread quickly throughout the castle like wildfire. As she made her way down the hallway, she noticed Cisily emerging from Cassius’s bedroom.
“I was just helping him set things up,” the girl said happily, “he has a surprise for you.”
Clare noticed that the girl was always smiling, she returned the grin. “He does? How generous. Are you off to bed for the evening?”
“Oh yes, I’m quite tired. You arrived fairly late.”
“Right. I do feel a bit tired myself,” she looked fearfully to the door, hoping that this surprise wasn’t sex.
“Well,” Cisily said, “off to bed I go. I heard dinner went well, you can fill me in tomorrow, don’t keep him waiting!” She hurried past Clare and into her bedroom, waving to her new friend before shutting the door.
Clare drew in a deep breath before continuing down the hallway, she could only hope that this surprise was something innocent and not something lustful. Cassius opened the door wider for her upon her arrival. She was quick to scan the room, sighing in relief when she saw two sketchbooks and some acrylic paint laid on top of a lilac blanket on the floor. The room was lit by a few candles, the window open to reveal an array of stars.
“I thought that you might want to change into your nightgown. I will change as well. My mum suggested that I do something romantic for you tonight. When you mentioned painting at dinner, I knew that I could set something up with Cisily’s help. I thought that we could paint portraits of each other. How does that sound?” he asked.
Her eyes lit up at the expensive paint sets beneath her. “It sounds great, but I’m shocked that you’d want to do this. You don’t strike me as the artsy type. In fact, you don’t strike me as someone for romantic dates at all.” She watched him shrug off his suit jacket and hang it up in his closet.
“I’m not. I don’t think that I’ve ever set up something this nice for a girl. They normally just come back and sleep with me,” he gestured to the door leading to the bathroom. “Would you like to go change?”
“I would, but be patient with me. Corsets are a struggle to take off sometimes and I normally don’t do it by myself.”
“Would you like me to help?”
“No,” she said quickly.
She quickly brushed past him, opening the door and closing it as fast as she could. Her heart was hammering. She didn’t know that he had been such a sly fox. Constantly sleeping with women, bringing someone else into his bed. She wasn’t surprised, ‘but would he be able to control his urge?’ Clare had never slept with anyone before and she hadn’t planned on sleeping with him anytime soon. Maybe her plans would have to change. Sure he was appealing, but she didn’t know him well enough. She hoped he’d be able to wait. As she began to unzip her dress, she realized that she had forgotten her night clothes. “Cassius!” she called out as the dress dropped to the floor, the fabric spilling across the entirety of the small room. “I forgot my nightgown, would you please bring me it along with some fresh knickers. After a few twists, she managed to untie her corset, exhaling deeply.
“Yes,” she heard him grumble. She heard a thud at the doo
r and assumed that he had dropped her clothes.
While she still had some clothing on, she quickly opened the door and kicked the clothes in with her foot. After fully undressing, she slipped on the pair of strawberry underwear and the soft white nightgown dotted with yellow stars. She picked up her dress and heaved it into the room. He told her to leave it in the corner for now and she did. He was no longer formal. He was wearing a black fitted t-shirt and a pair of black boxers. Apparently he wasn’t fond of trousers. She plopped down across from him and took the canvas in her hands. She was about to ask him if he was good at painting even if he didn’t enjoy it, but he beat her to asking questions. He picked up a brush and dipped it in the cream colored paint, she did the same, watching as his mouth opened up to speak.
“I can’t ignore what happened last night. With the magic I mean. I need to know more.” He was splotching paint on his canvas with his brush, but he wasn’t looking at the painting, he was only looking at her.
Clare on the other hand was focused on mixing the cream paint with a dark brown to get the perfect shade of light brown. She parted her lips to respond, but went quiet as she painted the outline of his face. Once she had made some progress, she began. “That’s why I asked you to go on holiday. Of course I want to get to know you, but I need someone to come with me and help me figure out where my magic comes from. Now only you and my sister know, even my own mum is unaware. If she has noticed, she has said nothing.”
Cassius was struggling with painting her hair. His brush was a mixture of cream and orange since he had forgotten to clean it. “I don’t know how I would be of use to you.”
It was a blunt and cold statement and now that she considered it, ‘what could he do?’ She took a moment to think about it as she began to paint the base of his neck, fanning the paining with her hand when she was finished so that it would dry and she would be able to add the next layer. It came to her. “I can not fight. I may be able to heal, but I can not fight very well. I can deliver a good punch and maybe stab someone, but that is it. Who knows what kind of magical beings I may encounter on my journey or if I’ll need someone to lift something heavy. If magic is real, who knows what else is out there and I need moral support, I know you are a great listener. Normally Sage could be my strength and the other half of my heart, but I guess that’s up to you this time.” She finally looked up to get another good look at his face. His nose was wrinkled, scrunched up tight to his forehead, focused as he attempted to listen to her and paint her curls at the same time.
