Post by Aric Demarais on Dec 31, 2019 17:05:13 GMT -5
[continued from Walking on Eggshells and Desperate Measures]
ARIC:
He hated this. He hated this whole situation, hated that he hadn’t been there for Cassandra, and was completely useless at this current moment with his side bleeding again as it was. And he hated that pleading look in Alexandria’s eyes, if only because he realized he wanted to do nothing but obey it. Somehow, even if it was for the briefest of moments, she was able to subdue that stubbornness.
When she followed, he was halted in his steps, attempting to hide the winces of pain from his face. He couldn’t wait, he couldn’t hope that Orin and his crew found her...because what if they hadn’t? She would still be out there...or worse. And he couldn’t think that way. As hot-headed and cruel as his cousin could sometimes be, she had always been there for him. She had always supported him despite his brother having the power to grant her whatever it was she desired.
Still, his shoulders visibly sagged with her “please”, and he let out a soft sigh. She was right, but his mind wanted to do something his body simply could not follow, and it was difficult to bring him down to that realization right now. However, when someone spotted another ship on the horizon, Aric was automatically following behind the queen towards the docks.
The moments that passed as the ship sailed closer and closer felt like a millennia. He stood there on firm feet, even if he slouched with a hand pressed to his side. If Cass was not on there, he wasn’t really sure what he would do, if he could stay behind as Alexandria wished.
CASSANDRA:
Although she was one to pry into someone else’s life, Cassandra didn’t bother to question him further after he gave her such an abrupt answer. It wasn’t her place to, she knew, as much as it seemed to pique her interest. She figured that, once they made it back to Aralore, they would never speak again, if it could be helped. Maybe that was a pity- she couldn’t be very sure.
The minutes ticked by, her anxiety only heightening as her white-knuckled grip held tight to the railing as though she might splinter it to pieces. At one point, the shore finally came into view, growing bigger and bigger with each agonizing moment. Her heart was thundering within her chest, relief completely washing over her, and she feared it would be near impossible to wait for the ramp to depart the ship once it pulled into port. From this distance, she could see a group of people gathered on the beach and docks but had yet to see her cousin’s face.
ALEXANDRIA:
Her eyes never moved away from the horizon, even as Aric joined her at her side. She could see, from the corner of her eye, him holding his side, which worried her. But there was no way she’d be able to talk him into going to the infirmary right now. It would be a while, she imagined, that he would receive medical attention with all of what was going on right now. A sigh escaped her lips, but was stolen quickly by the wind. What was she going to do? The worst case scenario played in her mind , that Cassandra was not on the ship. Maybe something had happened to Orin, too. And if that were the case, Aric would be hopping on the next ship, while still injured and bleeding.
Alexandria turned to another gentleman who stood at her side and she leaned in whispering to him. “Please go find one of our healers. Tell them to bring supplies to clean and sew a wound shut. As soon as possible.” The man nodded and quickly ran off.
Her eyes turned to Aric and she unexplainably took his free hand into hers, almost as if it were instinctual. She lightly squeezed his hand, as if letting him know she was scared and sorry for all that had happened. Her eyes, as she looked at him, said it too. Although she barely knew this man, she felt some sort of strong connection to him, and did not want to risk losing him, too, or messing things up with him and his family.
She slowly looked away and back out at the horizon with the ship approaching them. If only they could speed up. The anxiety was killing her.
ORIN:
As soon as land was spotted, the deck quickly came to life with various other crew members, shuffling and bustling around, trying to prepare things for their landing. Orin barked out a few orders here and there, helping out when he could, but his main priority was steering the ship.
He too, could start to make out the figures on the shore watching for them. They were still too far to make out the individuals there, but he could sense the urgency, especially when he saw the other ship docked. They had made it back already, in which case, the group standing by would be hopeful Cassandra was on board this ship. He then knew, for sure, Alexandria was one of the figures standing there. He could almost see that desperate pleading look on her face as she watched their ship approach. And then, if Aric was back and knew of the situation, he was sure that he was standing there too, which he wasn’t too sure he was ready to deal with.
He quickly turned to where Cassandra was, and spoke politely this time. “You may want to get back below deck, or find somewhere to sit. The shores can get choppy and dangerous. I wouldn’t want you to fall overboard and have to swim with the sharks.” A small smirk followed his comment and then quickly disappeared as he turned his glance back to the shore.
ARIC:
The fatigue was settling in the longer he stood there, the longer he stressed about the possibilities and outcomes of this whole ordeal. Were it not for Alexandria’s steady hand, her presence at his side, he may have started pacing the docks in worry, something he so often did out of habit. With that touch, he momentarily broke his attention from the approaching ship to glance down at their entwined fingers before ocher eyes lifted to her face in silent contemplation. Even after his stubborness and his rash words, she was still there beside him, despite it all. Aric knew from the very start...he did not deserve her. And she did not deserve to be bound to a brash man.
His mind momentarily drifted to his last visit with Edward, and the ultimatum. This had never been a fair trade to begin with, and his brother cared not. All he wanted was power of Aralore, and he was using Aric to do it.
For the briefest of moments, he wanted to tell her everything, tell her to deny him, deny Edward, find her own way...but he couldn’t seem to utter a single word, even as they sat at the tip of his tongue. Perhaps, a part of him wanted to be selfish. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the vessel out on the waters, and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze; blinking the exhaustion from his eyes.
CASSANDRA:
The anticipation was killing her. Amidst the well oiled machine of the sailors on the desk, Cassandra stood there against the whipping wind, holding tightly to that railing as Aralore came closer and closer. There was this strange feeling of relief that suddenly took hold, because as much as she did not feel at home on these shores...it felt more alive and welcoming than Tresteria as of late. Her cousin Edward wanted eyes in the Aralore court, trusting only her...but to what end? What exactly did he want her to share with him? These people still had so little compared to the lavishness of Tresteria.
For the briefest of moments, a part of her didn’t want to get off this ship.
A sudden lurch of the ship brought her out of her thoughts, followed by the comment of the queen’s brother. Was he smirking? Cassandra looked at him a bit dumbfounded for the quickest of seconds before she sat down on the top deck, still clinging to the railing with a hand. Indeed, the waters got a bit more rough as the waves lapped and crashed upon the shore. The men were quick to bring the sails up to half mast to slow their arrival. “How thoughtful of you, m’lord. Looking out for me and all,” she commented back dryly; there was a glint of amusement on her face that could not be helped. She knew that it would probably make the entire crew happy if she went straight overboard, Orin most of all.
ALEXANDRIA:
For what seemed like hours, but was nearly just minutes, Alexandria stared ahead, watching the ship approach. She never let go of Aric’s hand and could sense the exhaustion from him. This only made her squeeze onto his hand a little tighter. She couldn’t help but wonder what he thought of her and if he really wanted to marry her or if he was simply just going along with his brother’s wishes. Then again, he hadn’t pulled his hand away from hers.
The silence was finally broken when a tall, lean gentleman carrying a satchel, approached them and cleared his throat. “My lady.” He nodded towards Alexandria before turning to Aric. “M’lord... Let me help you.” He motioned towards his side.
Alexandria let her hand slip out of Aric’s and she lightly nudged him along. “Please let him help you. Your wounds need to be stitched back up before you lose too much blood…” She urged him to sit on some large boulders nearby so the healer could work on him. They still had a bit of time before the ship would dock. Alexandria hoped Aric would cooperate. For his own sake.
ORIN:
He watched Cassandra from the corner of his eye as she clung to the railing of the ship and took a seat. The choppiness of the sea was enough to make anyone collapse to the deck, but Orin had grown used to it and was able to balance himself so that it looked like it barely phased him and he stood strong and unmoving as he steered the ship closer towards the shore.
Another faint smirk appeared on his lips as Cassandra spoke, which prompted a shrug. “I do what I can, my lady…” Aw, did he just sound genuine for a moment? “Wouldn’t want that pretty hair of yours to get wet, now would we?” And there was that sarcasm to ruin it.
They were gaining closer to the docks now, and the ship needed to start its slow down. The men on the ship began moving even quicker to adjust the sails. Orin started to turn the ship’s wheel in the direction that seemed as if he were pointing in the wrong direction, but still, they maintained straight ahead. The ship did seem as if it was beginning to slow down. It wouldn’t be too much longer before they’d land at dock. He wasn’t sure how things would take place once they did, and he felt a little nervous.
NAEVA:
It seemed like time was standing still since they had left the Necron Forest with Cassandra and the bandits who had captured her. Naeva had stayed below decks guarding their new prisoners, which caused the time to drag on further than it should have. The men were sorry excuses for that, and although she tried interrogating them, they would not speak. Eventually giving up, she closed them away in one of the closet-like rooms and sat outside, listening to whatever they spoke about.
She was able to get a few tidbits of information by eavesdropping. Their whole motive was for money and riches. They were from the outskirts of Tresteria and had somehow heard of the arrangement between Alexandria, Aric and Edward. So of course, taking advantage of the whole situation, they figured they could use Cassandra as ransom, either from the queen or they would wait and bring her back to Tresteria to get money from the King.
Their plan had unfortunately not worked, and they argued for hours on where they had gone wrong, whose fault it was, who was the bigger idiot and what were they going to do now? How were they going to get out of this?
They really were idiots if they thought no one was listening in on them. Naeva found it ridiculously amusing, but she couldn’t help but wonder what would be in store for them once they returned to Aralore. Would the queen sell them out to Tresteria’s king, or would they remain in Aralore? Or would they be killed off as traitors? If it were up to her, they’d already be dead by now.
A faint whisper of a voice had finally broke her thoughts. “Commander, the shores of Aralore have been spotted. We should be landing soon.” The other men had known she was spying and knew not to speak loudly around the area, otherwise the men would have stopped their chatter. Naeva nodded in response and waved the man away. She slowly stood up from her spot on the floor and stretched quietly. Thank the gods they were almost back. She wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to endure it down here.
ARIC:
He knew how to sail, knew the way of the waters, and yet he was still silently thinking that this could possibly go faster. Somehow. He was anxious, so the silly ideas couldn’t be helped, but the longer he stood there waiting, the more tired he became; feeling the warm blood seeping further through his tunic. He was by no means in complete danger, but it would not be good to let it continue. Yet still he did not budge on his own accord. He could rest when he knew Cassandra was safe.
However, his perhaps reluctant wife-to-be was already taking care of things. “What?” he murmured, snapping out of that quiet trance to find the healer acknowledging him. Aric regarded him with confusion, his dark eyes flickering to Alexandria briefly since he knew this had been all her doing. Still, he couldn’t exactly be annoyed by it. He would be of no help if he passed out.
“Right, of course...thank you,” he spoke to the man, hesitating just a little before moving over to the rocks. Were it not for Alexandria, he may have fought a little more, or perhaps he finally knew when to lose the stubborn streak. Aric removed the belt from his waist before carefully lifting the tunic over his head with the healer’s help, bearing the chilled air against his skin. Those eyes remained upon the approaching ship as the other man carefully cleaned the wound. It was only when he snipped away at the old, useless stitches did Aric finally flinch in discomfort.
“I’m sorry…” he broke the silence after a long moment, and it wasn’t to the healer he spoke. He pulled his attention from the ship to once more look to the queen. “I...shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.” Aric could still understand why Alexandria kept his cousin’s disappearance from him, even if in some ways it hadn’t been the right call.
CASSANDRA:
She shut her eyes as the ship lurched again, rocking as the men further adjusted the sails to slow them down more. Cass couldn’t watch the waves anymore, lest she get sick. She drew in deep breaths, clinging tightly to the railing as she tried to not imagine the ship sinking. Water had always frightened her as a child, ever since that one time she had fallen into the lake back home. She had sunk in her heavy gown, traumatizing her so she never really did learn how to swim. It was almost funny how that memory suddenly resurfaced now, while they were only minutes from land.
When Orin spoke once more, she chanced a moment to look at him. Maybe it was the situation, maybe it was relief for returning to land, but Cassandra was ready to genuinely thank him after his words that sounded so polite and genuine...until they weren’t. It might have been that constant smirk on his face that kept her from retaliating in her usual manner. Or the fact that she couldn’t think as clearly in her current state. A hand attempted to flatten out that auburn hair that was very obviously a mess from the wind before responding with the same bit of sarcasm. “You’re such a charmer, Mr. Evans. I hope you never change.” The funny thing was, she actually meant that last part. As frustrating and insufferable as he truly could be, he didn’t let others beat him down. It was admirable in certain ways. He didn’t seem like the type to back down...which could be deemed a good and bad thing.
ALEXANDRIA:
A very faint sigh of relief escaped her lips when Aric agreed to have the healer help him out. Part of her expected him to fight back and refuse the help, so she was happy he gave in and let up on his stubbornness. Once he pulled his shirt off and she got a glimpse of his wound, she turned away. Not out of weakness that she did not want to see the blood (she had seen and dealt with plenty of bloody gore), but rather to give him his privacy.
Her eyes shifted back to the approaching ship, where she could make out figures onboard, but not who they were. In her head, she repeated over and over ‘please let Cassandra be on this ship’. If she wasn’t, she didn’t want to deal with the consequences that would come. Oh how angry Aric seemed. How angrier he would be if they had failed to find her...
His voice cut through her thoughts, almost as if he were reading her mind, or could hear what she was thinking. He was apologizing? Her sapphire colored eyes shifted back towards him and she gave him a confused look. “Sorry? My lord?” She took a step closer towards him and shook her head. “No, you reacted exactly the way that you should have… Cassandra is now a citizen here, and should have been protected. We failed her. And you. And for that, I should be apologizing to you…”
She worried that Aric or Cassandra would let King Edward know of all this, and that this could be the start of another war against them. It would be the end of her and Aralore, for sure. She looked to Aric with a sort of panic, almost as if she were about to cry. “I am so sorry for all of this. Truly, I am… And I hope this will not alter any arrangements between Aralore and Tresteria... Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help fix this.”
ORIN:
He remained steady at the wheel of the ship as it rocked heavily back and forth through the waves. Landing was the hard part--making sure that the ship docked precisely, without crashing into the land or the dock. The land was getting closer and closer and they needed to start slowing down more. He motioned to the men on board, giving them the signal to adjust the sails so they’d slow down in time.
He couldn’t help but laugh at Cassandra’s words. “Oh, you haven’t seen half my charm, my lady… I reserve that only for the best of moments.” Another grin. “I guess I could say the same, too. Don’t change who you are for any of these people out there…” And he was actually being genuine at that bit of advice to her. “It’s not worth it.”
Orin looked over the railings, back at land, and he could now make out more of the figures. One, he knew for sure, was Alex. Then he spotted the man sitting, with another looking to be helping him with something. It looked strange to him and he had hoped everything would be ok once they landed.
ARIC:
He had to let his attention waver, to focus on something other than Alexandria or the ship when he felt the healer completely remove the old stitches and further clean his already irritated wound. It stung, it throbbed, and he knew the new stitches would only be worse. Perhaps the beach wasn’t the most sanitary place to be doing this, but he certainly wouldn’t agree to leave. He was not going anywhere until he knew his cousin was safe.
His brow furrowed when she appeared near tears, and that only seemed to make him feel more guilty. A part of him was glad he hadn’t reiterated his brother’s words, that she was forced into this marriage whether she liked it or not. “Whoa, whoa…” he tried to soothe her, though she wasn’t a horse, and the thought made him grimace. That, and pain suddenly shot up his side, causing his breath to hiss out between clenched teeth. Dark eyes lowered to the healer who barely acknowledged him as he began to pierce needle and thread through tender skin.
“You should have let this heal properly…” the man muttered lowly, scolding without being too disrespectful.
Aric simply blinked at him before sighing in defeat. Well, he was right. Now it was going to take twice as long to heal.
Focusing his gaze back to the queen, he attempted to continue. “You did not fail, majesty. This was not something you could control,” he said in all honesty. Yet what she said last had him pause. Did she think this might anger Edward? Was she afraid this might bring another war to her shores? Aric looked surprised, bothered by this. “It does not alter anything...do not worry about that.” Nothing will change my brother’s mind about this. He wanted to tell her how he tried to get her out of this situation, this marriage, how he attempted to get Edward to agree to simply help and build a relationship between their two lands simply on goodwill. Nothing worked. Deep down, Aric feared his brother might have some underlying plans he could not yet see. “I tried...talking to him. About the arrangement.” No, maybe this wasn’t a good idea right now. But why not, why did he want to hold this back? “I wanted him to offer you aid without forcing you into this commitment...but he declined. For that, I am sorry. Know that I would be here, regardless of any engagement.” Maybe there was no reason for Tresteria to help a land that could offer it so little, but Aric had lived among these people. They offered so much without expecting anything in return.
CASSANDRA:
Well, excuse her while she temporarily looked at him in a different light. He laughed, and it changed his face. It lost all wrinkles and hard lines from his constant scowling and frowning. Laughing looked good on him, and perhaps he should do it more. Not that she was going to tell him that. Especially not now while she studied him with narrowed, curious eyes, as if trying to decipher whether he was actually mocking her or not. It was sort of hard to tell, considering they did nothing but mock each other this entire trip. Still, she found herself grinning. Maybe being nearly home put him in a suddenly good mood, despite his words of wishing to stay out to sea.
“Even when the people look at you in disdain?” It was an honest question, but it was obvious she did not miss the looks or hear the whispers of those around her. They did not trust her because of who she was and where she was from. For the most part, Cassandra didn’t allow them to see how it affected her. She was too prideful for that.
ALEXANDRIA:
Her mind began racing with additional thoughts of worry as Aric admitted to speaking with his brother about the arrangement. “Wha--….?” Her question faltered out of nervousness.
She hadn’t complained to him about it, nor had she gave any impression that she objected. Alexandria had agreed to the arrangement as it was her duty to do what was best for her kingdom. Perhaps they did not yet have anything to offer back to Tresteria at the moment, but once they were rebuilt, she would make sure that the alliance remained strong and King Edward would not regret his aid. The motive for getting Aric involved, she imagined, was to make sure word was kept. If his brother was king, there would be further obligation to abide by the treaty.
But now Alexandria couldn’t help but feel that Aric wanted no part of the arrangement, and perhaps it was not fair for him. Was she ruining his life out of her own selfishness to keep her kingdom alive? “Why…” She was struggling to get her thoughts out because she felt so conflicted right now. She felt for him and that she did not want to force him into something he did not want to do. But, she also felt that he had made her look weaker to Edward, and as if she wanted to back out of the arrangement and used Aric to try to get her out of it. “Why… Why would you do that?” Her eyes pleaded with him for answers.
Maybe this wasn’t the right time or place to start this conversation, but she couldn’t help that knotted feeling in her stomach, and wanting to figure out how to remedy the situation they were in. “Did you not…. Do you not want this to happen?” Her question almost made her cringe. She sounded weak in that moment, like she was scared to hear his answer. Perhaps in the beginning, she would not have cared so much-- but as time went on, she couldn’t help but feel a strange connection to him. She honestly cared for him and wanted to get to know him further. She appreciated him being there and all he had done so far.
He had nearly risked his life by going there and back. Had it meant that much to him? “We can change this… And I will somehow try to figure out how to deal with whatever consequences transpire from it… I do not wish to ruin your life, my lord... I do not want to hold this all over your head as none of it needs to be your responsibility... ” She moved a little closer and placed her hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “I just wish you had spoken with me before going to your brother… Now I fear he sees me as weak and wanting to back out of my commitments… And you nearly got yourself killed.” She studied him, unsure of how he would respond or react now. The healer was nearly done with the stitching, and he scoffed a bit at Alex’s last remark, as if agreeing with her that Aric was slowly killing himself, but god forbid anyone listen to the healer!
ORIN:
He hadn’t noticed Cassandra’s looking at him in that moment, as his eyes remained steadily on the horizon as they got closer and closer to the shore. He focused on his sister, off in the distance, and he tried to imagine what was going on in her mind. He secretly hoped that in his successful mission to save Cassandra, that she and Aric would forgive him for the outburst he had created at the ball months ago. He knew better now that there was a time and place, and that was not it.
He finally looked to Cassandra when she spoke, questioning him about people looking at her in disdain. His features changed with a very slight look of concern. Despite how strong willed and stubborn Cassandra portrayed herself, he was now seeing that it really did bother her what others thought of her. She somewhat just admitted it to him now. And he was guilty of displaying that disdain towards her, too.
For a moment, Orin just stayed quiet, almost as if he hadn’t heard her question, or didn’t want to answer it. But, he was thinking of how he should respond. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders. “That’s your decision to make. If you want others to continue to look at you in disdain, then yeah… Don’t change. If you don’t like that they look at you in disdain, then maybe it’s time to make some changes. What I meant- is don’t change what you like about yourself, to please everyone else. If you aren’t happy, then what can you do to fix that?”
He almost cringed at his own words. He was showing that he was caring now and that he had deep thoughts and meaningful things to say? What was wrong with him? Oh well. He quickly turned his gaze from her again and back to land. So close to being done with this trip. So close.
ARIC:
The funny thing was, he had gone all the way back to Tresteria for her. He wasn’t even sure if he had realized the true nature of his visit until now, but it was for her. So when she sounded so taken aback by what he did, he was confused. Surprised as well.
Forgetting the tugging pain at his side while the healer worked, dark eyes watched the display of emotions over her face, the way she struggled to find the words to say. It left him silent and cold, until it finally hit him.
This all looked completely wrong and different to her. His selfless reasonings came across as selfish, and he felt the dread drop into the pit of his stomach. The healer and the pain temporarily forgotten as her hand fell to his bare shoulder, Aric didn’t know how to explain.
“No…” The word fell from his lips, low and gruff, without thought. He should probably elaborate on what exactly he was answering, but sharing emotion wasn’t really his strong suit. He was annoyed by the prospect. “He thinks I’m the weak one, Alexandria. He doesn’t understand…” Attention turned to the approaching ship, trying to look anywhere but her face. “He doesn’t understand that...I do not wish for you to be unhappy.” Before she could interject with any words on how she accepted this fate, how she made her choice for the good of her people, he was speaking again; his tone frustrated. “I am a miserable man. You would not have accepted this if you had any other choice.” There was no attempt at seeking pity, he was simply stating facts. “I wanted to spare you...from me...because you deserve to be happy after all that has happened.”
Maybe it was foolish to think Tresteria could help Aralore out of the kindness of its heart, given nothing in return. But certainly something else could have warranted a deal?
He felt the sharp tug as the healer knotted the thread before beginning to bandage his wound. It was making Aric antsy to sit there so still, because he wanted nothing but to get up and pace back and forth, or walk away from this shame. He felt that well known anger rising to the surface, an anger he did not wish to unleash on her accidentally.
CASSANDRA:
Maybe he was right, or maybe he wasn’t. How was she to change where she was from? She couldn’t. And it was clear that being Tresterian was a big problem for a lot of the people here. She also didn’t find that changing who she was should be an option. Cassandra was very quick to judge someone who judged her without reason. And yes, sometimes because she just wanted to.
Regardless, she watched him silently, wondering about his sudden change of mood, and heart even. Just minutes ago, he had been very ready to throw her straight overboard, but now he was...trying to console her? She really didn’t know what it was or how to handle it, which was probably why she couldn’t find it in her to argue his words. Or whether she even wanted to. It had almost been second nature to argue with him, simply because.
“Do you think I deserve those looks?” So much for remaining quiet. The Duchess temporarily ignored the shore as it was closing in to watch the queen’s brother carefully, knowing that if anyone was going to be painfully honest, it would be him.
ALEXANDRIA:
Her sapphire eyes watched Aric as he spoke, seemingly frustrated with her, or with the whole situation. She had misread or misjudged him and his reasons for going to see his brother. He didn’t want her to be unhappy? Her brows furrowed in confusion as he rambled on about how he was a miserable man and she didn’t deserve him or to be unhappy. It left her speechless and unsure of how to react or respond.
She just stared at him until he finished speaking, and even then, she remained quiet, watching him. Yes, she had made her decision to agree to the arrangement, for the good of the kingdom and her people. But, to her, Aric didn’t seem all that bad.
Finally, she spoke carefully and quietly to him. “I beg your pardon, but I do not think you fully know what I have been through, nor what would make me unhappy…” It is true that Aric had seen her deal with quite a bit, but he knew nothing of her past and what she had to go through to be where she was today. “Just as I do not know much about you or your life, or why you are as miserable as you say you are…”
She crouched down so that she was eye level to him as he sat there, and she reached for his hand, giving it a very slight squeeze. “We made this agreement, and we are lucky that we’re not being completely rushed into it. We have the luxury of getting to know one another, if both you and I will allow for that. I want for us to be in this together. And if we cannot learn to love one another, then I hope we can at least become good friends. This would make me happy. You being here to help, makes me happy…” She lightly squeezed his hand again. “And I hope that I can make you happy someday… No matter how miserable of a person you may be. But I do not think you are…” She smiled slightly and looked him in the eyes. “I’ve seen a lot worse…”
She let go of his hand, then and slowly stood back up. She didn’t know what else to say, or even if what she said would make him feel better or not. But she felt a different kind of respect for him, then, hearing that he had gone out of his way to try to help her out, and that he was already looking out for her.
ORIN:
It wasn’t so much that Orin had a change in mood or heart-- It was more that there came a time when enough was enough, and suddenly Cassandra wasn’t annoying him or giving him a reason to want to throw her overboard anymore.
Either that, or it was that they were so close to shore, he did not want Alexandria thinking he was messing things up or making things worse again. Orin really wasn’t all that bad of a person and he did have his good moments. He cared for others, it just took a lot to dig that out of him.
Orin finally looked back at Cassandra when she asked him if she deserved the looks that she got. What a difficult question to answer. And how could he answer this? He was a brutally honest person, and rarely had reason to lie to someone just to make them feel better. He didn’t see reason in that. His shoulders liften in a light shrug. “I don’t know. If you continue to wander about with your nose up in the air like you are better than everyone else, then perhaps…” He couldn’t help but grin. “Do you think you deserve the looks you get. I think that’s what you need to ask yourself… If not, then why not? If so, then do something about it?”
His answer was so matter-of-fact. What else could he say? Maybe this… “I don’t think people appreciate feeling inferior or less than… Even if they might be. Just my opinion, I guess.”
His eyes finally wandered back to the shore, watching as they neared it closer and closer and the ship moved slower than ever.
ARIC:
What was it with this self destructive mind of his? For years, he had stopped caring, stopped hoping or thinking anything good could come of this world. Ever since Maria and the baby had died, everything had been dull, dark and bleak, and he truly became a misery to be around...according to his family. They told him to move on, that this wasn’t what she would want, that she’d want him to live, but what was the point? It was this martyr-like mentality that plagued him, and out of all the royal women his brother could force him to marry, he chose one who had suffered similarly as he.
Alexandria had told him little of the man she had lost, but people spoke. What surprised him the most was how they did not say anything ill of the man, but of how great of a loss he was. It was so admirable, and the last thing Aric wanted was to hurt her or make this life more difficult. She deserved peace, she deserved that love and devotion; not some broken man who would sooner charge into battle without thought just to see if God desired that he die that day.
And yet, even as she softly berated him for his assumptions, he realized there was a light. Metaphorically breaking through the black cloud that continuously followed him. It was there whenever she was near, wherever she was, and it was why he desperately tried to ensure she was happy, because it seemed to be the only thing that managed to make him the tiniest bit okay.
It should be him comforting her, but she was kneeling in front of him, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze as the grumbling healer finished up with his work. Aric stared at her in the softest bit of wonderment; after everything, she still seemed so sure and so hopeful, whether it was simply a front or not. That was the very thing that would help Aralore through this mess. He’s always known this, and it was why he admired her. She was far stronger than he was, that was certain, and he couldn’t remember if he had ever told her that.
I’ve seen a lot worse. “You haven’t seen the half of it,” he said, but the smile that finally broke onto his face made it clear he was joking. Maybe. Regardless, she wouldn’t have to know right now. “But...you are right, Alexandria.” A pause, he shifted on that rock, feeling a bit awkward that the healer was still there basically listening to this entire thing. Aric would wait a moment longer for the man to explain he was finished, to not break the stitches again, and packed up to walk away. “I didn't mean to offend, or assume. I just-” He was pausing again, letting his eyes drop to the sand. Aric had never mentioned Maria before, and he wasn’t sure if the queen even knew of his late wife...but she should. “...my wife. She-” Just when he was ready to explain what seemed to drag him down each and every day, one of the men on the docks screamed out to alert everyone that the ship was pulling in to anchor. He could hear the loud, clanking of the metal chain, the wind-swept fabric sounds of the sails as the men drew them up. Quickly drawing his tunic back over his head, ignoring the discomfort of the newly stitched wound, he prepared to make his way back over to the docks.
CASSANDRA:
To be truthful, she expected far worse of an answer from him. A painfully more truthful one. She also expected to somewhat explain herself, her reasonings for being who she was...but there was no point in doing so. He would not care nor did she feel it was any of his business. Whether she’d take his words to heart, however, would remain unsaid as she simply clutched the railing and grinned to herself. Cassandra could only assume that he was trying to make a point, that she had made him (or others as well) feel inferior, and she wouldn’t deny it. The woman didn’t apologize unless she truly meant it, either. More often than not, she was simply dishing out what was already thrown in her face, but not many here would see it that way. Maybe, for some strange reason, she didn’t want them to.
Funny thing was, she also didn’t blame them. She was a Duchess from another land with her “nose up in the air”. And she played that part well, it seemed. No one here would fault another of Aralore for automatically chastising her for simply being Tresterian, but Cassandra had stronger shoulders than some might believe.
“Thank you, Mr. Evans...for your honesty. But it is not always I that throws the first stone.” It was both acceptance and denial, because that was what it always was. Whether he’d understand what she meant or not, the ship lurched which made her considerably panic. With the wind no longer in the sails, the ship began to slowly coast towards the dock and she was able to spot her cousin standing there amongst the people! Her heart leapt within her throat, and it took everything within her not to stupidly jump overboard and swim the rest of the way.
ALEXANDRIA:
Finally, a smile crept onto his lips! She had gotten through to him--even if it was just a little bit. His sarcastically-seeming comment (of her not seeing the half of it) caused her to smirk and breath a brief laugh out her nose. “Oh, I’m sure I haven’t…” She playfully nudged him away from her as the healer left. But then came the seriousness again. Her smile faded as she watched him struggle to try to tell her something. Alexandria watched him carefully and attentively, and then nearly jumped with startle to the shouting men and the noise that seemed to suddenly come crashing upon them.
She whirled around to view the docks, noticing now that the ship had gotten even closer, and it wouldn’t be much longer until they’d discover if Cassandra was on the ship.
But Aric was about to tell her something important, she felt. She turned back to him as he was putting his tunic back on, and she reached out to help him, so that the discomfort would be minimal. Her eyes searched his for a moment, as if trying to tell him that they would continue this conversation later. She clutched onto his arm and moved with him back towards the docks before letting go of him again. Her eyes squinted to try to see as far as she could, and she could have sworn she could see her brother and a female figure on the deck-- but then, maybe she was just hoping. Her heart beat heavily in her chest, and her stomach felt like it was in knots. Please be on this ship, Cassandra. Please, Orin, please- bring her back. She kept repeating these words over and over in her head.
Several moments passed, and finally, the ship had docked and was beginning to unload. She watched anxiously, searching for her brother and Cassandra amongst those exiting the ship.
ORIN:
Oftentimes, Orin thought, that people just didn’t think or bother to understand how others might feel about certain things, before they spoke or acted upon something. He was guilty of doing this himself, which he regretted. And now, Cassandra, reminded him of that. He really needed to get better on thinking before acting.
But it is not always I that throws the first stone. He could relate to this. Orin’s shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I know. It goes both ways, I was not just speaking of you.”
By now, the noise on deck was loud. The crew were working hard to get the ship lined up and docked. He took a brief moment to study Cassandra with her nervous, excited expression on her face. He could see Alex and Aric on the shore waiting, unsure of whether or not they could see them. But he could nearly sense by his sister’s posture, the nervousness she was feeling at this moment.
Once the ship came to a stop, Orin turned to Cassandra and gently spoke. “Do you feel safe getting off the ship on your own, or would you like an escort? I need to stay behind until everyone is off… Make sure all the loose ends are tied down.”
NAEVA:
The ship was docked, and everyone was running around below deck, preparing to unboard. She had grabbed several guards to help her with the prisoners, and the men were gathered up in their chains, and dragged up to the deck where they would walk offboard and onto the shores.
The men reverted back to being silent for the time being. Naeva walked behind them, watching carefully in case one of them were to make any moves against the guards handling them.
As they walked by the Queen and Aric, Naeva gave a slight nod of acknowledgement, as if to say they had caught the bandits who captured Cassandra. But she did not feel that she should speak, unless spoken to. So she remained silent, as they moved passed them and boarded the bandits into a carriage to head towards the dungeons.
ARIC:
He saw the searching look in her eyes, understanding immediately she hadn’t overlooked what he was about to tell her. A strange nervousness washed over him, but he simply conceded with a small nod. She needed to know. Maybe she didn’t have a right to know, but he wanted her to. It was, quite possibly, an excuse for most of his behaviour, even if he’d never use it as one. When she clutched to his arm, he took her hand instead as they made their way to the docks in a brisk walk. A couple steps closer as people began to step off, carrying various cargo and bags, the tall prince was desperately trying to peer over heads in search of particular auburn curls. His eyes caught sight of Orin still at the helm, but did not spot his cousin yet.
CASSANDRA:
She felt a little better now that they were docked and literally just feet from shore. Inwardly, she believed she could swim to it if she foolishly fell overboard, even with that heavy gown...so that eased her nervousness somewhat. Her excitement grew, however, as she spotted both the queen and her cousin approaching and it took everything within her not to call out. They wouldn’t hear her from here anyway.
Orin’s voice barely pulled her attention away, but she acknowledged him with a look over her shoulder. And she grinned. It was light, but it was genuine. “I think I can manage,” she answered, her voice lacking its usual snarkiness this time. “Thank you, Mr. Evans.” Maybe she’d have proper and more grateful words for him at a later date for what he’s done, but she was anxious to get off this ship. With nothing more said, fingers curled into the fabric of that ruined skirt to ensure she wouldn’t trip, before she was practically running down the plank onto the dock and headed in the direction she had seen the two. “ARIC!” she cried out, realizing her voice hoarse from yelling earlier on.
ARIC:
Had he heard his name? Looking sidelong to Alexandria, silently asking if she had heard that as well, he eventually spotted his cousin rushing down from the ship, struggling to push her way through the crew that was doing the same. One step, then another, he was quietly making sure he wasn’t just seeing things. “CASS?!” he called back, which seemed to make some of the crowd part and allow his cousin to run straight for him. Relief washed over him immediately, grunting in mild pain as Cassandra nearly barreled into him, her arms wrapping around his neck in a tight embrace. He didn’t hesitate to hug her in return, sighing in relief. Anyone could say what they wanted of the woman (certain things that he would even agree with) but she was quite possibly the only one left in his family he couldn’t bear to lose. Even as children, she had stuck up for him, when it should have been the other way around. There was a fierceness about her, so he should have known bandits could not be the end of her. “You’re alive. You’re okay.” He could finally breathe.
ALEXANDRIA:
Her eyes widened when she heard a voice call out for Aric, and her head instantly snapped in the direction of the voice and she watched her run right to him. Her eyes closed and she quietly sighed in relief. She was lucky. So so lucky. Now she could only hope nothing bad had happened to Cassandra. The bandits had been captured, thankfully, so punishment could be bestowed as needed.
Alexandria searched Cassandra, looking her over for any signs of wounds or emotional distress. She silently watched the interaction between Aric and her, feeling relieved that she was safe now, but also nervous to hear what had happened to her. She would never forgive herself if she were harmed in any way.
It wasn’t her place or time to say anything at the moment, and Aric had questioned if she were okay. For now, she just listened, waiting to hear what Cassandra had to say about her state of being. And she hoped that wherever Orin was, and whenever he decided to show up, if he were going to show up, that he would behave and not make this situation awkward or uncomfortable, especially how things unfolded the last time he and Aric had interacted with one another.
ORIN:
He couldn’t help but feel relieved that Cassandra managed to unboard the ship herself. It gave him some time to deconstruct his thoughts and everything that had just happened in the last few days, as he worked to anchor the ship at dock and clear the decks.
When he was done, and everyone was gone, he took a moment to enjoy the silence on board. It was his favorite type of silence. But, it had to come to an end. And he had hoped the crowd on shore would dissipate before he headed down-- but it didn’t.
He carefully contemplated if he should remain on board until the crowd disappeared. But he was sure that would have been frowned upon at some point. But he took his time, and when the last knot was tied, and his work was done, he let out a quiet growled moan before hesitantly making his way down the ramp and into the crowd, hoping he’d go unnoticed and able to sneak through.
CASSANDRA:
She could now finally, truly breathe. The Duchess didn’t let him go, keeping her arms wrapped tightly around his neck even if she had to stand upon her tiptoes. She was tired, she was weary and hungry, her dress was filthy and tattered, but she didn’t care. The whole ordeal had been utterly frightening, and there had been a moment where she had feared the worst. It hadn’t so much been the fact that she had been kept like an animal...it had been the glint she saw in the bandits’ eyes. A dark, feral, and lewd kind of look. To be honest, she wasn’t sure what she would have done if her Araloren rescuers hadn’t arrived.
“Yes, I’m okay,” she murmured, finally pulling away to look up at her cousin with a confirming nod. “I’m alright.” She was unscathed and untouched, if that was what he and Alexandria were really wondering. Cassandra wondered how many would be thinking the same, and it was not something she would be keen to hear whispered behind her back. “Just a couple of scratches and bruises,” she added, turning her attention to the queen. “Were it not for the Araloren crew, I’m afraid I do not know what would have happened.” She wanted to smile, but the thought of that “what if” scenario kept it from her face. “Thank you. And your brother, he-” A pause. This was where she could be cruel, where she could lie and manipulate simply because he had irked her briefly, because he had been rude to Aric and had embarrassed the woman before her in front of court. “...saw to my safety personally the entire way here.” After she had screamed her head off to be let out of that room, but she wouldn’t mention that part. There finally came a gentle smile; a small one, but it was almost as if she was silently telling her that some sort of olive branch should be extended. That was just her quiet opinion, of course. If the queen didn’t wish to forgive her brother for his foolish outburst, that was her decision. One she wouldn’t blame her for, either.
ARIC:
Defilement. That was exactly what he was terrified about, fearful she would fall into his arms in tears and speak of the horrors she had endured. But nothing of the sort was spoken. He was surprised, but more importantly, relieved to hear her say that she was alright albeit a little banged up. There were no tears, no screaming, no anger...nothing that he expected. And thankfully so. Still, to listen to her be so calm after such an ordeal had him blinking down at her; confusion painting his face before his expression grew grim. Orin had been hospitable, and that was a little hard to believe after what had happened fairly recently. Because of the man’s stupid outburst during the party, Aric had gone after Alexandria to pick up the pieces.
For the briefest of moments, he forgot about the annoyance to remember what had almost happened between him and the queen. That lost in the moment feeling, the stupid thing he could’ve done.
Then it was gone in a flash, and he caught Cassandra’s underlying tone. Drawing in a slow, deep breath, he supposed he should thank Orin...but he wasn’t so quick to move in order to find him. He was even afraid to speak, lest his words for the man be anything but grateful.
ALEXANDRIA:
She was really ok? Alexandria searched Cassandra once more, for any sign of her covering something up for whatever reason. She was expecting the worst, but just scrapes and bruises? Of course Alexandria was relieved, but she was just surprised, as Aric was, at how calm Cassandra was over such a traumatic event that occurred. She had seen how Cassandra acted towards others when not getting her way, and this seemed a bit out of character for her.
But then mention of Orin and she nearly cringed, waiting for whatever news of her brother’s behavior and how he mistreated her somehow. Her lips started to pull into a concerned frown, but Cassandra was now stating that he had kept her safe the entire trip. She did not want to show the surprise she had for hearing this, so she tried her best to stay neutral, and the smallest hint of a smile curled her lips upward as she nodded in acknowledgement. “I am relieved to hear you are okay, and that my brother sought to keep you safe in your travels back…” She lightly touched Cassandra’s shoulder. “Let’s get you back to the castle so you can clean up and get something to eat. You must be famished and tired... “
Her sentence trailed off as she spotted Orin walking towards them. She offered Cassandra another smile before she turned towards Orin and waved him over, shouting his name. As he got closer, she ran towards him and threw her arms around him. Relieved that he was ok, too, and that they had made it back safely. “Orin! I am so relieved you are back… I was worried when the other ship returned without you or Cassandra…” She buried her face into his neck. “Thank you…”
ORIN:
He was spotted. Damn. Eyes darted to where his name was called, and he spotted Alexandria, Cassandra and Aric. What a happy little reunion. Though, the sight of Aric made him feel awkward and guilty. Part of him wished he could go back in time and take what he said back. But then, he was just sticking up for Alex and what was best for the kingdom. They knew nothing about Aric, and here he was, about to take control of the Kingdom, just because his brother was funding their rebuilding after the war. Orin felt like they were just setting themselves up for another eventual war. How could Alexandria not see that? Did she know or see something that they did not?
Arms opened to embrace Alexandria as she ran to him. He held her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “Yes, I am ok. Everything is fine.” He remembered their conversation before he had left, and how desperate Alex was for him to help and that he needed to find Cassandra. Aric was gone at that point, and he only wondered how that conversation went, when he returned to find his cousin had been kidnapped. He could tell by the tone in Alex’s voice as she thanked him. He leaned in and whispered back to her. “You’re welcome.”
He let go of her and nodded to Aric and Cassandra, as if just acknowledging their presence. What was he supposed to do? Or say?
CASSANDRA:
Outwardly, she was calm. Tired but calm. Inside, however, her stomach was twisting into knots and she was desperately trying not to panic. Although she was safe, and it was true that all she had suffered were some cuts and bruises, Cassandra had been terrified...far more than she had ever been frightened before. Maybe it was foolish to try and hide how she really felt, but it was her stupid pride. She didn’t want to break down into tears in front of these people, in front of total strangers, so she held herself together.
Her hand fell to Alexandria’s upon her shoulder in another silent thanks, and she would nod. The sooner she could get back and lock herself away, the better. “Yes,” she breathed, a little relieved. “That would be wonderful.” A part of her didn’t understand why she felt showing weakness after such circumstances would be a bad thing, but she Cassandra wasn’t even sure who to trust in Aralore. She was a foreigner in their lands, just like her cousin, and they didn’t trust her either. Then the Queen’s stoic brother was lured over, and she was remembering their conversation upon the waters. Everything went both ways, everyone needed to treat others the way they wished to be treated. Too bad that wasn’t how the world worked, no matter how much you tried and prayed. She watched Orin’s exchange with the queen, even smiling faintly. It seemed many things had to mend, but perhaps this would be a good start.
ARIC:
If only the other man knew how his own thoughts parallelled the Tresterian prince’s. If Orin shared his concerns in a less ignorant way, they could potentially come to an understanding. That is, if Aric’s own stubbornness to didn’t get in the way. He had gone home to speak with his brother, practically plead with him to end this marriage...because Aric couldn’t help but wonder how deep his brother’s plans went. There was more to this, he could feel it, and it worried him. He completely understood that Tresteria couldn’t simply help Aralore out of the kindness of their hearts, there needed to be some sort of repayment...but this? Aralore could very well lose its freedom, and it may not survive another war. If he couldn’t stop this union, then he would have to figure out how to stop his own brother...should it come to that. Maybe, just maybe, Edward’s greed didn’t stem as far as Aric believed.
Withholding a sigh, he stepped forward and held out his hand towards Orin, even if this would only be a momentary truce, he was at least trying. “Thank you,” he said, and he meant it.
ORIN:
He stepped closer to Aric and extended his own hand, reaching for his and grasping it into a firm handshake. Another nod of acknowledgement was given before he cleared his throat and spoke gently. “I’m sure the same would be done for me if my sister went missing.” Or at least he was hoping. He didn’t know much about Aric though, and perhaps that was his own fault. He pushed him away instead of trying to get to know him. He hadn’t fully thought about his actions, and now he realized how ignorant he was.
Orin backed away a bit and flashed a hint of a smile at Alexandria, before kissing her forehead. “I have some things I need to take care of. I will talk with you later.”
And before Alexandria could protest, he started walking away. What did he have to take care of? He hadn’t the slightest clue. He just needed to get away, clear his head and maybe have a drink or two.
ALEXANDRIA:
She watched the brief exchange between Orin and Aric, unable to help herself from biting her lip. Please keep things civil right now. She wasn’t ready to deal with an argument or dispute of any sort. Was she even holding her breath? A bit. When Orin spoke and then backed away, Alex let her breath out, flashing her own hint of a smile back at him. And then, just like that, he was off. She wasn’t going to argue with him or convince him to stay. He had acted civil for now, and she didn’t want to risk that from changing. When he left, she looked back to Aric and Cassandra and smiled. “Let’s get back to the castle.” She motioned to the carriage that had arrived for Cassandra. She and Aric had taken their horses down to the stores. “If you want me to bring your horse back for you, Aric, I can.. So you could stay with Cassandra if you would like.”
ARIC:
He hated this. He hated this whole situation, hated that he hadn’t been there for Cassandra, and was completely useless at this current moment with his side bleeding again as it was. And he hated that pleading look in Alexandria’s eyes, if only because he realized he wanted to do nothing but obey it. Somehow, even if it was for the briefest of moments, she was able to subdue that stubbornness.
When she followed, he was halted in his steps, attempting to hide the winces of pain from his face. He couldn’t wait, he couldn’t hope that Orin and his crew found her...because what if they hadn’t? She would still be out there...or worse. And he couldn’t think that way. As hot-headed and cruel as his cousin could sometimes be, she had always been there for him. She had always supported him despite his brother having the power to grant her whatever it was she desired.
Still, his shoulders visibly sagged with her “please”, and he let out a soft sigh. She was right, but his mind wanted to do something his body simply could not follow, and it was difficult to bring him down to that realization right now. However, when someone spotted another ship on the horizon, Aric was automatically following behind the queen towards the docks.
The moments that passed as the ship sailed closer and closer felt like a millennia. He stood there on firm feet, even if he slouched with a hand pressed to his side. If Cass was not on there, he wasn’t really sure what he would do, if he could stay behind as Alexandria wished.
CASSANDRA:
Although she was one to pry into someone else’s life, Cassandra didn’t bother to question him further after he gave her such an abrupt answer. It wasn’t her place to, she knew, as much as it seemed to pique her interest. She figured that, once they made it back to Aralore, they would never speak again, if it could be helped. Maybe that was a pity- she couldn’t be very sure.
The minutes ticked by, her anxiety only heightening as her white-knuckled grip held tight to the railing as though she might splinter it to pieces. At one point, the shore finally came into view, growing bigger and bigger with each agonizing moment. Her heart was thundering within her chest, relief completely washing over her, and she feared it would be near impossible to wait for the ramp to depart the ship once it pulled into port. From this distance, she could see a group of people gathered on the beach and docks but had yet to see her cousin’s face.
ALEXANDRIA:
Her eyes never moved away from the horizon, even as Aric joined her at her side. She could see, from the corner of her eye, him holding his side, which worried her. But there was no way she’d be able to talk him into going to the infirmary right now. It would be a while, she imagined, that he would receive medical attention with all of what was going on right now. A sigh escaped her lips, but was stolen quickly by the wind. What was she going to do? The worst case scenario played in her mind , that Cassandra was not on the ship. Maybe something had happened to Orin, too. And if that were the case, Aric would be hopping on the next ship, while still injured and bleeding.
Alexandria turned to another gentleman who stood at her side and she leaned in whispering to him. “Please go find one of our healers. Tell them to bring supplies to clean and sew a wound shut. As soon as possible.” The man nodded and quickly ran off.
Her eyes turned to Aric and she unexplainably took his free hand into hers, almost as if it were instinctual. She lightly squeezed his hand, as if letting him know she was scared and sorry for all that had happened. Her eyes, as she looked at him, said it too. Although she barely knew this man, she felt some sort of strong connection to him, and did not want to risk losing him, too, or messing things up with him and his family.
She slowly looked away and back out at the horizon with the ship approaching them. If only they could speed up. The anxiety was killing her.
ORIN:
As soon as land was spotted, the deck quickly came to life with various other crew members, shuffling and bustling around, trying to prepare things for their landing. Orin barked out a few orders here and there, helping out when he could, but his main priority was steering the ship.
He too, could start to make out the figures on the shore watching for them. They were still too far to make out the individuals there, but he could sense the urgency, especially when he saw the other ship docked. They had made it back already, in which case, the group standing by would be hopeful Cassandra was on board this ship. He then knew, for sure, Alexandria was one of the figures standing there. He could almost see that desperate pleading look on her face as she watched their ship approach. And then, if Aric was back and knew of the situation, he was sure that he was standing there too, which he wasn’t too sure he was ready to deal with.
He quickly turned to where Cassandra was, and spoke politely this time. “You may want to get back below deck, or find somewhere to sit. The shores can get choppy and dangerous. I wouldn’t want you to fall overboard and have to swim with the sharks.” A small smirk followed his comment and then quickly disappeared as he turned his glance back to the shore.
ARIC:
The fatigue was settling in the longer he stood there, the longer he stressed about the possibilities and outcomes of this whole ordeal. Were it not for Alexandria’s steady hand, her presence at his side, he may have started pacing the docks in worry, something he so often did out of habit. With that touch, he momentarily broke his attention from the approaching ship to glance down at their entwined fingers before ocher eyes lifted to her face in silent contemplation. Even after his stubborness and his rash words, she was still there beside him, despite it all. Aric knew from the very start...he did not deserve her. And she did not deserve to be bound to a brash man.
His mind momentarily drifted to his last visit with Edward, and the ultimatum. This had never been a fair trade to begin with, and his brother cared not. All he wanted was power of Aralore, and he was using Aric to do it.
For the briefest of moments, he wanted to tell her everything, tell her to deny him, deny Edward, find her own way...but he couldn’t seem to utter a single word, even as they sat at the tip of his tongue. Perhaps, a part of him wanted to be selfish. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the vessel out on the waters, and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze; blinking the exhaustion from his eyes.
CASSANDRA:
The anticipation was killing her. Amidst the well oiled machine of the sailors on the desk, Cassandra stood there against the whipping wind, holding tightly to that railing as Aralore came closer and closer. There was this strange feeling of relief that suddenly took hold, because as much as she did not feel at home on these shores...it felt more alive and welcoming than Tresteria as of late. Her cousin Edward wanted eyes in the Aralore court, trusting only her...but to what end? What exactly did he want her to share with him? These people still had so little compared to the lavishness of Tresteria.
For the briefest of moments, a part of her didn’t want to get off this ship.
A sudden lurch of the ship brought her out of her thoughts, followed by the comment of the queen’s brother. Was he smirking? Cassandra looked at him a bit dumbfounded for the quickest of seconds before she sat down on the top deck, still clinging to the railing with a hand. Indeed, the waters got a bit more rough as the waves lapped and crashed upon the shore. The men were quick to bring the sails up to half mast to slow their arrival. “How thoughtful of you, m’lord. Looking out for me and all,” she commented back dryly; there was a glint of amusement on her face that could not be helped. She knew that it would probably make the entire crew happy if she went straight overboard, Orin most of all.
ALEXANDRIA:
For what seemed like hours, but was nearly just minutes, Alexandria stared ahead, watching the ship approach. She never let go of Aric’s hand and could sense the exhaustion from him. This only made her squeeze onto his hand a little tighter. She couldn’t help but wonder what he thought of her and if he really wanted to marry her or if he was simply just going along with his brother’s wishes. Then again, he hadn’t pulled his hand away from hers.
The silence was finally broken when a tall, lean gentleman carrying a satchel, approached them and cleared his throat. “My lady.” He nodded towards Alexandria before turning to Aric. “M’lord... Let me help you.” He motioned towards his side.
Alexandria let her hand slip out of Aric’s and she lightly nudged him along. “Please let him help you. Your wounds need to be stitched back up before you lose too much blood…” She urged him to sit on some large boulders nearby so the healer could work on him. They still had a bit of time before the ship would dock. Alexandria hoped Aric would cooperate. For his own sake.
ORIN:
He watched Cassandra from the corner of his eye as she clung to the railing of the ship and took a seat. The choppiness of the sea was enough to make anyone collapse to the deck, but Orin had grown used to it and was able to balance himself so that it looked like it barely phased him and he stood strong and unmoving as he steered the ship closer towards the shore.
Another faint smirk appeared on his lips as Cassandra spoke, which prompted a shrug. “I do what I can, my lady…” Aw, did he just sound genuine for a moment? “Wouldn’t want that pretty hair of yours to get wet, now would we?” And there was that sarcasm to ruin it.
They were gaining closer to the docks now, and the ship needed to start its slow down. The men on the ship began moving even quicker to adjust the sails. Orin started to turn the ship’s wheel in the direction that seemed as if he were pointing in the wrong direction, but still, they maintained straight ahead. The ship did seem as if it was beginning to slow down. It wouldn’t be too much longer before they’d land at dock. He wasn’t sure how things would take place once they did, and he felt a little nervous.
NAEVA:
It seemed like time was standing still since they had left the Necron Forest with Cassandra and the bandits who had captured her. Naeva had stayed below decks guarding their new prisoners, which caused the time to drag on further than it should have. The men were sorry excuses for that, and although she tried interrogating them, they would not speak. Eventually giving up, she closed them away in one of the closet-like rooms and sat outside, listening to whatever they spoke about.
She was able to get a few tidbits of information by eavesdropping. Their whole motive was for money and riches. They were from the outskirts of Tresteria and had somehow heard of the arrangement between Alexandria, Aric and Edward. So of course, taking advantage of the whole situation, they figured they could use Cassandra as ransom, either from the queen or they would wait and bring her back to Tresteria to get money from the King.
Their plan had unfortunately not worked, and they argued for hours on where they had gone wrong, whose fault it was, who was the bigger idiot and what were they going to do now? How were they going to get out of this?
They really were idiots if they thought no one was listening in on them. Naeva found it ridiculously amusing, but she couldn’t help but wonder what would be in store for them once they returned to Aralore. Would the queen sell them out to Tresteria’s king, or would they remain in Aralore? Or would they be killed off as traitors? If it were up to her, they’d already be dead by now.
A faint whisper of a voice had finally broke her thoughts. “Commander, the shores of Aralore have been spotted. We should be landing soon.” The other men had known she was spying and knew not to speak loudly around the area, otherwise the men would have stopped their chatter. Naeva nodded in response and waved the man away. She slowly stood up from her spot on the floor and stretched quietly. Thank the gods they were almost back. She wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to endure it down here.
ARIC:
He knew how to sail, knew the way of the waters, and yet he was still silently thinking that this could possibly go faster. Somehow. He was anxious, so the silly ideas couldn’t be helped, but the longer he stood there waiting, the more tired he became; feeling the warm blood seeping further through his tunic. He was by no means in complete danger, but it would not be good to let it continue. Yet still he did not budge on his own accord. He could rest when he knew Cassandra was safe.
However, his perhaps reluctant wife-to-be was already taking care of things. “What?” he murmured, snapping out of that quiet trance to find the healer acknowledging him. Aric regarded him with confusion, his dark eyes flickering to Alexandria briefly since he knew this had been all her doing. Still, he couldn’t exactly be annoyed by it. He would be of no help if he passed out.
“Right, of course...thank you,” he spoke to the man, hesitating just a little before moving over to the rocks. Were it not for Alexandria, he may have fought a little more, or perhaps he finally knew when to lose the stubborn streak. Aric removed the belt from his waist before carefully lifting the tunic over his head with the healer’s help, bearing the chilled air against his skin. Those eyes remained upon the approaching ship as the other man carefully cleaned the wound. It was only when he snipped away at the old, useless stitches did Aric finally flinch in discomfort.
“I’m sorry…” he broke the silence after a long moment, and it wasn’t to the healer he spoke. He pulled his attention from the ship to once more look to the queen. “I...shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.” Aric could still understand why Alexandria kept his cousin’s disappearance from him, even if in some ways it hadn’t been the right call.
CASSANDRA:
She shut her eyes as the ship lurched again, rocking as the men further adjusted the sails to slow them down more. Cass couldn’t watch the waves anymore, lest she get sick. She drew in deep breaths, clinging tightly to the railing as she tried to not imagine the ship sinking. Water had always frightened her as a child, ever since that one time she had fallen into the lake back home. She had sunk in her heavy gown, traumatizing her so she never really did learn how to swim. It was almost funny how that memory suddenly resurfaced now, while they were only minutes from land.
When Orin spoke once more, she chanced a moment to look at him. Maybe it was the situation, maybe it was relief for returning to land, but Cassandra was ready to genuinely thank him after his words that sounded so polite and genuine...until they weren’t. It might have been that constant smirk on his face that kept her from retaliating in her usual manner. Or the fact that she couldn’t think as clearly in her current state. A hand attempted to flatten out that auburn hair that was very obviously a mess from the wind before responding with the same bit of sarcasm. “You’re such a charmer, Mr. Evans. I hope you never change.” The funny thing was, she actually meant that last part. As frustrating and insufferable as he truly could be, he didn’t let others beat him down. It was admirable in certain ways. He didn’t seem like the type to back down...which could be deemed a good and bad thing.
ALEXANDRIA:
A very faint sigh of relief escaped her lips when Aric agreed to have the healer help him out. Part of her expected him to fight back and refuse the help, so she was happy he gave in and let up on his stubbornness. Once he pulled his shirt off and she got a glimpse of his wound, she turned away. Not out of weakness that she did not want to see the blood (she had seen and dealt with plenty of bloody gore), but rather to give him his privacy.
Her eyes shifted back to the approaching ship, where she could make out figures onboard, but not who they were. In her head, she repeated over and over ‘please let Cassandra be on this ship’. If she wasn’t, she didn’t want to deal with the consequences that would come. Oh how angry Aric seemed. How angrier he would be if they had failed to find her...
His voice cut through her thoughts, almost as if he were reading her mind, or could hear what she was thinking. He was apologizing? Her sapphire colored eyes shifted back towards him and she gave him a confused look. “Sorry? My lord?” She took a step closer towards him and shook her head. “No, you reacted exactly the way that you should have… Cassandra is now a citizen here, and should have been protected. We failed her. And you. And for that, I should be apologizing to you…”
She worried that Aric or Cassandra would let King Edward know of all this, and that this could be the start of another war against them. It would be the end of her and Aralore, for sure. She looked to Aric with a sort of panic, almost as if she were about to cry. “I am so sorry for all of this. Truly, I am… And I hope this will not alter any arrangements between Aralore and Tresteria... Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help fix this.”
ORIN:
He remained steady at the wheel of the ship as it rocked heavily back and forth through the waves. Landing was the hard part--making sure that the ship docked precisely, without crashing into the land or the dock. The land was getting closer and closer and they needed to start slowing down more. He motioned to the men on board, giving them the signal to adjust the sails so they’d slow down in time.
He couldn’t help but laugh at Cassandra’s words. “Oh, you haven’t seen half my charm, my lady… I reserve that only for the best of moments.” Another grin. “I guess I could say the same, too. Don’t change who you are for any of these people out there…” And he was actually being genuine at that bit of advice to her. “It’s not worth it.”
Orin looked over the railings, back at land, and he could now make out more of the figures. One, he knew for sure, was Alex. Then he spotted the man sitting, with another looking to be helping him with something. It looked strange to him and he had hoped everything would be ok once they landed.
ARIC:
He had to let his attention waver, to focus on something other than Alexandria or the ship when he felt the healer completely remove the old stitches and further clean his already irritated wound. It stung, it throbbed, and he knew the new stitches would only be worse. Perhaps the beach wasn’t the most sanitary place to be doing this, but he certainly wouldn’t agree to leave. He was not going anywhere until he knew his cousin was safe.
His brow furrowed when she appeared near tears, and that only seemed to make him feel more guilty. A part of him was glad he hadn’t reiterated his brother’s words, that she was forced into this marriage whether she liked it or not. “Whoa, whoa…” he tried to soothe her, though she wasn’t a horse, and the thought made him grimace. That, and pain suddenly shot up his side, causing his breath to hiss out between clenched teeth. Dark eyes lowered to the healer who barely acknowledged him as he began to pierce needle and thread through tender skin.
“You should have let this heal properly…” the man muttered lowly, scolding without being too disrespectful.
Aric simply blinked at him before sighing in defeat. Well, he was right. Now it was going to take twice as long to heal.
Focusing his gaze back to the queen, he attempted to continue. “You did not fail, majesty. This was not something you could control,” he said in all honesty. Yet what she said last had him pause. Did she think this might anger Edward? Was she afraid this might bring another war to her shores? Aric looked surprised, bothered by this. “It does not alter anything...do not worry about that.” Nothing will change my brother’s mind about this. He wanted to tell her how he tried to get her out of this situation, this marriage, how he attempted to get Edward to agree to simply help and build a relationship between their two lands simply on goodwill. Nothing worked. Deep down, Aric feared his brother might have some underlying plans he could not yet see. “I tried...talking to him. About the arrangement.” No, maybe this wasn’t a good idea right now. But why not, why did he want to hold this back? “I wanted him to offer you aid without forcing you into this commitment...but he declined. For that, I am sorry. Know that I would be here, regardless of any engagement.” Maybe there was no reason for Tresteria to help a land that could offer it so little, but Aric had lived among these people. They offered so much without expecting anything in return.
CASSANDRA:
Well, excuse her while she temporarily looked at him in a different light. He laughed, and it changed his face. It lost all wrinkles and hard lines from his constant scowling and frowning. Laughing looked good on him, and perhaps he should do it more. Not that she was going to tell him that. Especially not now while she studied him with narrowed, curious eyes, as if trying to decipher whether he was actually mocking her or not. It was sort of hard to tell, considering they did nothing but mock each other this entire trip. Still, she found herself grinning. Maybe being nearly home put him in a suddenly good mood, despite his words of wishing to stay out to sea.
“Even when the people look at you in disdain?” It was an honest question, but it was obvious she did not miss the looks or hear the whispers of those around her. They did not trust her because of who she was and where she was from. For the most part, Cassandra didn’t allow them to see how it affected her. She was too prideful for that.
ALEXANDRIA:
Her mind began racing with additional thoughts of worry as Aric admitted to speaking with his brother about the arrangement. “Wha--….?” Her question faltered out of nervousness.
She hadn’t complained to him about it, nor had she gave any impression that she objected. Alexandria had agreed to the arrangement as it was her duty to do what was best for her kingdom. Perhaps they did not yet have anything to offer back to Tresteria at the moment, but once they were rebuilt, she would make sure that the alliance remained strong and King Edward would not regret his aid. The motive for getting Aric involved, she imagined, was to make sure word was kept. If his brother was king, there would be further obligation to abide by the treaty.
But now Alexandria couldn’t help but feel that Aric wanted no part of the arrangement, and perhaps it was not fair for him. Was she ruining his life out of her own selfishness to keep her kingdom alive? “Why…” She was struggling to get her thoughts out because she felt so conflicted right now. She felt for him and that she did not want to force him into something he did not want to do. But, she also felt that he had made her look weaker to Edward, and as if she wanted to back out of the arrangement and used Aric to try to get her out of it. “Why… Why would you do that?” Her eyes pleaded with him for answers.
Maybe this wasn’t the right time or place to start this conversation, but she couldn’t help that knotted feeling in her stomach, and wanting to figure out how to remedy the situation they were in. “Did you not…. Do you not want this to happen?” Her question almost made her cringe. She sounded weak in that moment, like she was scared to hear his answer. Perhaps in the beginning, she would not have cared so much-- but as time went on, she couldn’t help but feel a strange connection to him. She honestly cared for him and wanted to get to know him further. She appreciated him being there and all he had done so far.
He had nearly risked his life by going there and back. Had it meant that much to him? “We can change this… And I will somehow try to figure out how to deal with whatever consequences transpire from it… I do not wish to ruin your life, my lord... I do not want to hold this all over your head as none of it needs to be your responsibility... ” She moved a little closer and placed her hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “I just wish you had spoken with me before going to your brother… Now I fear he sees me as weak and wanting to back out of my commitments… And you nearly got yourself killed.” She studied him, unsure of how he would respond or react now. The healer was nearly done with the stitching, and he scoffed a bit at Alex’s last remark, as if agreeing with her that Aric was slowly killing himself, but god forbid anyone listen to the healer!
ORIN:
He hadn’t noticed Cassandra’s looking at him in that moment, as his eyes remained steadily on the horizon as they got closer and closer to the shore. He focused on his sister, off in the distance, and he tried to imagine what was going on in her mind. He secretly hoped that in his successful mission to save Cassandra, that she and Aric would forgive him for the outburst he had created at the ball months ago. He knew better now that there was a time and place, and that was not it.
He finally looked to Cassandra when she spoke, questioning him about people looking at her in disdain. His features changed with a very slight look of concern. Despite how strong willed and stubborn Cassandra portrayed herself, he was now seeing that it really did bother her what others thought of her. She somewhat just admitted it to him now. And he was guilty of displaying that disdain towards her, too.
For a moment, Orin just stayed quiet, almost as if he hadn’t heard her question, or didn’t want to answer it. But, he was thinking of how he should respond. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders. “That’s your decision to make. If you want others to continue to look at you in disdain, then yeah… Don’t change. If you don’t like that they look at you in disdain, then maybe it’s time to make some changes. What I meant- is don’t change what you like about yourself, to please everyone else. If you aren’t happy, then what can you do to fix that?”
He almost cringed at his own words. He was showing that he was caring now and that he had deep thoughts and meaningful things to say? What was wrong with him? Oh well. He quickly turned his gaze from her again and back to land. So close to being done with this trip. So close.
ARIC:
The funny thing was, he had gone all the way back to Tresteria for her. He wasn’t even sure if he had realized the true nature of his visit until now, but it was for her. So when she sounded so taken aback by what he did, he was confused. Surprised as well.
Forgetting the tugging pain at his side while the healer worked, dark eyes watched the display of emotions over her face, the way she struggled to find the words to say. It left him silent and cold, until it finally hit him.
This all looked completely wrong and different to her. His selfless reasonings came across as selfish, and he felt the dread drop into the pit of his stomach. The healer and the pain temporarily forgotten as her hand fell to his bare shoulder, Aric didn’t know how to explain.
“No…” The word fell from his lips, low and gruff, without thought. He should probably elaborate on what exactly he was answering, but sharing emotion wasn’t really his strong suit. He was annoyed by the prospect. “He thinks I’m the weak one, Alexandria. He doesn’t understand…” Attention turned to the approaching ship, trying to look anywhere but her face. “He doesn’t understand that...I do not wish for you to be unhappy.” Before she could interject with any words on how she accepted this fate, how she made her choice for the good of her people, he was speaking again; his tone frustrated. “I am a miserable man. You would not have accepted this if you had any other choice.” There was no attempt at seeking pity, he was simply stating facts. “I wanted to spare you...from me...because you deserve to be happy after all that has happened.”
Maybe it was foolish to think Tresteria could help Aralore out of the kindness of its heart, given nothing in return. But certainly something else could have warranted a deal?
He felt the sharp tug as the healer knotted the thread before beginning to bandage his wound. It was making Aric antsy to sit there so still, because he wanted nothing but to get up and pace back and forth, or walk away from this shame. He felt that well known anger rising to the surface, an anger he did not wish to unleash on her accidentally.
CASSANDRA:
Maybe he was right, or maybe he wasn’t. How was she to change where she was from? She couldn’t. And it was clear that being Tresterian was a big problem for a lot of the people here. She also didn’t find that changing who she was should be an option. Cassandra was very quick to judge someone who judged her without reason. And yes, sometimes because she just wanted to.
Regardless, she watched him silently, wondering about his sudden change of mood, and heart even. Just minutes ago, he had been very ready to throw her straight overboard, but now he was...trying to console her? She really didn’t know what it was or how to handle it, which was probably why she couldn’t find it in her to argue his words. Or whether she even wanted to. It had almost been second nature to argue with him, simply because.
“Do you think I deserve those looks?” So much for remaining quiet. The Duchess temporarily ignored the shore as it was closing in to watch the queen’s brother carefully, knowing that if anyone was going to be painfully honest, it would be him.
ALEXANDRIA:
Her sapphire eyes watched Aric as he spoke, seemingly frustrated with her, or with the whole situation. She had misread or misjudged him and his reasons for going to see his brother. He didn’t want her to be unhappy? Her brows furrowed in confusion as he rambled on about how he was a miserable man and she didn’t deserve him or to be unhappy. It left her speechless and unsure of how to react or respond.
She just stared at him until he finished speaking, and even then, she remained quiet, watching him. Yes, she had made her decision to agree to the arrangement, for the good of the kingdom and her people. But, to her, Aric didn’t seem all that bad.
Finally, she spoke carefully and quietly to him. “I beg your pardon, but I do not think you fully know what I have been through, nor what would make me unhappy…” It is true that Aric had seen her deal with quite a bit, but he knew nothing of her past and what she had to go through to be where she was today. “Just as I do not know much about you or your life, or why you are as miserable as you say you are…”
She crouched down so that she was eye level to him as he sat there, and she reached for his hand, giving it a very slight squeeze. “We made this agreement, and we are lucky that we’re not being completely rushed into it. We have the luxury of getting to know one another, if both you and I will allow for that. I want for us to be in this together. And if we cannot learn to love one another, then I hope we can at least become good friends. This would make me happy. You being here to help, makes me happy…” She lightly squeezed his hand again. “And I hope that I can make you happy someday… No matter how miserable of a person you may be. But I do not think you are…” She smiled slightly and looked him in the eyes. “I’ve seen a lot worse…”
She let go of his hand, then and slowly stood back up. She didn’t know what else to say, or even if what she said would make him feel better or not. But she felt a different kind of respect for him, then, hearing that he had gone out of his way to try to help her out, and that he was already looking out for her.
ORIN:
It wasn’t so much that Orin had a change in mood or heart-- It was more that there came a time when enough was enough, and suddenly Cassandra wasn’t annoying him or giving him a reason to want to throw her overboard anymore.
Either that, or it was that they were so close to shore, he did not want Alexandria thinking he was messing things up or making things worse again. Orin really wasn’t all that bad of a person and he did have his good moments. He cared for others, it just took a lot to dig that out of him.
Orin finally looked back at Cassandra when she asked him if she deserved the looks that she got. What a difficult question to answer. And how could he answer this? He was a brutally honest person, and rarely had reason to lie to someone just to make them feel better. He didn’t see reason in that. His shoulders liften in a light shrug. “I don’t know. If you continue to wander about with your nose up in the air like you are better than everyone else, then perhaps…” He couldn’t help but grin. “Do you think you deserve the looks you get. I think that’s what you need to ask yourself… If not, then why not? If so, then do something about it?”
His answer was so matter-of-fact. What else could he say? Maybe this… “I don’t think people appreciate feeling inferior or less than… Even if they might be. Just my opinion, I guess.”
His eyes finally wandered back to the shore, watching as they neared it closer and closer and the ship moved slower than ever.
ARIC:
What was it with this self destructive mind of his? For years, he had stopped caring, stopped hoping or thinking anything good could come of this world. Ever since Maria and the baby had died, everything had been dull, dark and bleak, and he truly became a misery to be around...according to his family. They told him to move on, that this wasn’t what she would want, that she’d want him to live, but what was the point? It was this martyr-like mentality that plagued him, and out of all the royal women his brother could force him to marry, he chose one who had suffered similarly as he.
Alexandria had told him little of the man she had lost, but people spoke. What surprised him the most was how they did not say anything ill of the man, but of how great of a loss he was. It was so admirable, and the last thing Aric wanted was to hurt her or make this life more difficult. She deserved peace, she deserved that love and devotion; not some broken man who would sooner charge into battle without thought just to see if God desired that he die that day.
And yet, even as she softly berated him for his assumptions, he realized there was a light. Metaphorically breaking through the black cloud that continuously followed him. It was there whenever she was near, wherever she was, and it was why he desperately tried to ensure she was happy, because it seemed to be the only thing that managed to make him the tiniest bit okay.
It should be him comforting her, but she was kneeling in front of him, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze as the grumbling healer finished up with his work. Aric stared at her in the softest bit of wonderment; after everything, she still seemed so sure and so hopeful, whether it was simply a front or not. That was the very thing that would help Aralore through this mess. He’s always known this, and it was why he admired her. She was far stronger than he was, that was certain, and he couldn’t remember if he had ever told her that.
I’ve seen a lot worse. “You haven’t seen the half of it,” he said, but the smile that finally broke onto his face made it clear he was joking. Maybe. Regardless, she wouldn’t have to know right now. “But...you are right, Alexandria.” A pause, he shifted on that rock, feeling a bit awkward that the healer was still there basically listening to this entire thing. Aric would wait a moment longer for the man to explain he was finished, to not break the stitches again, and packed up to walk away. “I didn't mean to offend, or assume. I just-” He was pausing again, letting his eyes drop to the sand. Aric had never mentioned Maria before, and he wasn’t sure if the queen even knew of his late wife...but she should. “...my wife. She-” Just when he was ready to explain what seemed to drag him down each and every day, one of the men on the docks screamed out to alert everyone that the ship was pulling in to anchor. He could hear the loud, clanking of the metal chain, the wind-swept fabric sounds of the sails as the men drew them up. Quickly drawing his tunic back over his head, ignoring the discomfort of the newly stitched wound, he prepared to make his way back over to the docks.
CASSANDRA:
To be truthful, she expected far worse of an answer from him. A painfully more truthful one. She also expected to somewhat explain herself, her reasonings for being who she was...but there was no point in doing so. He would not care nor did she feel it was any of his business. Whether she’d take his words to heart, however, would remain unsaid as she simply clutched the railing and grinned to herself. Cassandra could only assume that he was trying to make a point, that she had made him (or others as well) feel inferior, and she wouldn’t deny it. The woman didn’t apologize unless she truly meant it, either. More often than not, she was simply dishing out what was already thrown in her face, but not many here would see it that way. Maybe, for some strange reason, she didn’t want them to.
Funny thing was, she also didn’t blame them. She was a Duchess from another land with her “nose up in the air”. And she played that part well, it seemed. No one here would fault another of Aralore for automatically chastising her for simply being Tresterian, but Cassandra had stronger shoulders than some might believe.
“Thank you, Mr. Evans...for your honesty. But it is not always I that throws the first stone.” It was both acceptance and denial, because that was what it always was. Whether he’d understand what she meant or not, the ship lurched which made her considerably panic. With the wind no longer in the sails, the ship began to slowly coast towards the dock and she was able to spot her cousin standing there amongst the people! Her heart leapt within her throat, and it took everything within her not to stupidly jump overboard and swim the rest of the way.
ALEXANDRIA:
Finally, a smile crept onto his lips! She had gotten through to him--even if it was just a little bit. His sarcastically-seeming comment (of her not seeing the half of it) caused her to smirk and breath a brief laugh out her nose. “Oh, I’m sure I haven’t…” She playfully nudged him away from her as the healer left. But then came the seriousness again. Her smile faded as she watched him struggle to try to tell her something. Alexandria watched him carefully and attentively, and then nearly jumped with startle to the shouting men and the noise that seemed to suddenly come crashing upon them.
She whirled around to view the docks, noticing now that the ship had gotten even closer, and it wouldn’t be much longer until they’d discover if Cassandra was on the ship.
But Aric was about to tell her something important, she felt. She turned back to him as he was putting his tunic back on, and she reached out to help him, so that the discomfort would be minimal. Her eyes searched his for a moment, as if trying to tell him that they would continue this conversation later. She clutched onto his arm and moved with him back towards the docks before letting go of him again. Her eyes squinted to try to see as far as she could, and she could have sworn she could see her brother and a female figure on the deck-- but then, maybe she was just hoping. Her heart beat heavily in her chest, and her stomach felt like it was in knots. Please be on this ship, Cassandra. Please, Orin, please- bring her back. She kept repeating these words over and over in her head.
Several moments passed, and finally, the ship had docked and was beginning to unload. She watched anxiously, searching for her brother and Cassandra amongst those exiting the ship.
ORIN:
Oftentimes, Orin thought, that people just didn’t think or bother to understand how others might feel about certain things, before they spoke or acted upon something. He was guilty of doing this himself, which he regretted. And now, Cassandra, reminded him of that. He really needed to get better on thinking before acting.
But it is not always I that throws the first stone. He could relate to this. Orin’s shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I know. It goes both ways, I was not just speaking of you.”
By now, the noise on deck was loud. The crew were working hard to get the ship lined up and docked. He took a brief moment to study Cassandra with her nervous, excited expression on her face. He could see Alex and Aric on the shore waiting, unsure of whether or not they could see them. But he could nearly sense by his sister’s posture, the nervousness she was feeling at this moment.
Once the ship came to a stop, Orin turned to Cassandra and gently spoke. “Do you feel safe getting off the ship on your own, or would you like an escort? I need to stay behind until everyone is off… Make sure all the loose ends are tied down.”
NAEVA:
The ship was docked, and everyone was running around below deck, preparing to unboard. She had grabbed several guards to help her with the prisoners, and the men were gathered up in their chains, and dragged up to the deck where they would walk offboard and onto the shores.
The men reverted back to being silent for the time being. Naeva walked behind them, watching carefully in case one of them were to make any moves against the guards handling them.
As they walked by the Queen and Aric, Naeva gave a slight nod of acknowledgement, as if to say they had caught the bandits who captured Cassandra. But she did not feel that she should speak, unless spoken to. So she remained silent, as they moved passed them and boarded the bandits into a carriage to head towards the dungeons.
ARIC:
He saw the searching look in her eyes, understanding immediately she hadn’t overlooked what he was about to tell her. A strange nervousness washed over him, but he simply conceded with a small nod. She needed to know. Maybe she didn’t have a right to know, but he wanted her to. It was, quite possibly, an excuse for most of his behaviour, even if he’d never use it as one. When she clutched to his arm, he took her hand instead as they made their way to the docks in a brisk walk. A couple steps closer as people began to step off, carrying various cargo and bags, the tall prince was desperately trying to peer over heads in search of particular auburn curls. His eyes caught sight of Orin still at the helm, but did not spot his cousin yet.
CASSANDRA:
She felt a little better now that they were docked and literally just feet from shore. Inwardly, she believed she could swim to it if she foolishly fell overboard, even with that heavy gown...so that eased her nervousness somewhat. Her excitement grew, however, as she spotted both the queen and her cousin approaching and it took everything within her not to call out. They wouldn’t hear her from here anyway.
Orin’s voice barely pulled her attention away, but she acknowledged him with a look over her shoulder. And she grinned. It was light, but it was genuine. “I think I can manage,” she answered, her voice lacking its usual snarkiness this time. “Thank you, Mr. Evans.” Maybe she’d have proper and more grateful words for him at a later date for what he’s done, but she was anxious to get off this ship. With nothing more said, fingers curled into the fabric of that ruined skirt to ensure she wouldn’t trip, before she was practically running down the plank onto the dock and headed in the direction she had seen the two. “ARIC!” she cried out, realizing her voice hoarse from yelling earlier on.
ARIC:
Had he heard his name? Looking sidelong to Alexandria, silently asking if she had heard that as well, he eventually spotted his cousin rushing down from the ship, struggling to push her way through the crew that was doing the same. One step, then another, he was quietly making sure he wasn’t just seeing things. “CASS?!” he called back, which seemed to make some of the crowd part and allow his cousin to run straight for him. Relief washed over him immediately, grunting in mild pain as Cassandra nearly barreled into him, her arms wrapping around his neck in a tight embrace. He didn’t hesitate to hug her in return, sighing in relief. Anyone could say what they wanted of the woman (certain things that he would even agree with) but she was quite possibly the only one left in his family he couldn’t bear to lose. Even as children, she had stuck up for him, when it should have been the other way around. There was a fierceness about her, so he should have known bandits could not be the end of her. “You’re alive. You’re okay.” He could finally breathe.
ALEXANDRIA:
Her eyes widened when she heard a voice call out for Aric, and her head instantly snapped in the direction of the voice and she watched her run right to him. Her eyes closed and she quietly sighed in relief. She was lucky. So so lucky. Now she could only hope nothing bad had happened to Cassandra. The bandits had been captured, thankfully, so punishment could be bestowed as needed.
Alexandria searched Cassandra, looking her over for any signs of wounds or emotional distress. She silently watched the interaction between Aric and her, feeling relieved that she was safe now, but also nervous to hear what had happened to her. She would never forgive herself if she were harmed in any way.
It wasn’t her place or time to say anything at the moment, and Aric had questioned if she were okay. For now, she just listened, waiting to hear what Cassandra had to say about her state of being. And she hoped that wherever Orin was, and whenever he decided to show up, if he were going to show up, that he would behave and not make this situation awkward or uncomfortable, especially how things unfolded the last time he and Aric had interacted with one another.
ORIN:
He couldn’t help but feel relieved that Cassandra managed to unboard the ship herself. It gave him some time to deconstruct his thoughts and everything that had just happened in the last few days, as he worked to anchor the ship at dock and clear the decks.
When he was done, and everyone was gone, he took a moment to enjoy the silence on board. It was his favorite type of silence. But, it had to come to an end. And he had hoped the crowd on shore would dissipate before he headed down-- but it didn’t.
He carefully contemplated if he should remain on board until the crowd disappeared. But he was sure that would have been frowned upon at some point. But he took his time, and when the last knot was tied, and his work was done, he let out a quiet growled moan before hesitantly making his way down the ramp and into the crowd, hoping he’d go unnoticed and able to sneak through.
CASSANDRA:
She could now finally, truly breathe. The Duchess didn’t let him go, keeping her arms wrapped tightly around his neck even if she had to stand upon her tiptoes. She was tired, she was weary and hungry, her dress was filthy and tattered, but she didn’t care. The whole ordeal had been utterly frightening, and there had been a moment where she had feared the worst. It hadn’t so much been the fact that she had been kept like an animal...it had been the glint she saw in the bandits’ eyes. A dark, feral, and lewd kind of look. To be honest, she wasn’t sure what she would have done if her Araloren rescuers hadn’t arrived.
“Yes, I’m okay,” she murmured, finally pulling away to look up at her cousin with a confirming nod. “I’m alright.” She was unscathed and untouched, if that was what he and Alexandria were really wondering. Cassandra wondered how many would be thinking the same, and it was not something she would be keen to hear whispered behind her back. “Just a couple of scratches and bruises,” she added, turning her attention to the queen. “Were it not for the Araloren crew, I’m afraid I do not know what would have happened.” She wanted to smile, but the thought of that “what if” scenario kept it from her face. “Thank you. And your brother, he-” A pause. This was where she could be cruel, where she could lie and manipulate simply because he had irked her briefly, because he had been rude to Aric and had embarrassed the woman before her in front of court. “...saw to my safety personally the entire way here.” After she had screamed her head off to be let out of that room, but she wouldn’t mention that part. There finally came a gentle smile; a small one, but it was almost as if she was silently telling her that some sort of olive branch should be extended. That was just her quiet opinion, of course. If the queen didn’t wish to forgive her brother for his foolish outburst, that was her decision. One she wouldn’t blame her for, either.
ARIC:
Defilement. That was exactly what he was terrified about, fearful she would fall into his arms in tears and speak of the horrors she had endured. But nothing of the sort was spoken. He was surprised, but more importantly, relieved to hear her say that she was alright albeit a little banged up. There were no tears, no screaming, no anger...nothing that he expected. And thankfully so. Still, to listen to her be so calm after such an ordeal had him blinking down at her; confusion painting his face before his expression grew grim. Orin had been hospitable, and that was a little hard to believe after what had happened fairly recently. Because of the man’s stupid outburst during the party, Aric had gone after Alexandria to pick up the pieces.
For the briefest of moments, he forgot about the annoyance to remember what had almost happened between him and the queen. That lost in the moment feeling, the stupid thing he could’ve done.
Then it was gone in a flash, and he caught Cassandra’s underlying tone. Drawing in a slow, deep breath, he supposed he should thank Orin...but he wasn’t so quick to move in order to find him. He was even afraid to speak, lest his words for the man be anything but grateful.
ALEXANDRIA:
She was really ok? Alexandria searched Cassandra once more, for any sign of her covering something up for whatever reason. She was expecting the worst, but just scrapes and bruises? Of course Alexandria was relieved, but she was just surprised, as Aric was, at how calm Cassandra was over such a traumatic event that occurred. She had seen how Cassandra acted towards others when not getting her way, and this seemed a bit out of character for her.
But then mention of Orin and she nearly cringed, waiting for whatever news of her brother’s behavior and how he mistreated her somehow. Her lips started to pull into a concerned frown, but Cassandra was now stating that he had kept her safe the entire trip. She did not want to show the surprise she had for hearing this, so she tried her best to stay neutral, and the smallest hint of a smile curled her lips upward as she nodded in acknowledgement. “I am relieved to hear you are okay, and that my brother sought to keep you safe in your travels back…” She lightly touched Cassandra’s shoulder. “Let’s get you back to the castle so you can clean up and get something to eat. You must be famished and tired... “
Her sentence trailed off as she spotted Orin walking towards them. She offered Cassandra another smile before she turned towards Orin and waved him over, shouting his name. As he got closer, she ran towards him and threw her arms around him. Relieved that he was ok, too, and that they had made it back safely. “Orin! I am so relieved you are back… I was worried when the other ship returned without you or Cassandra…” She buried her face into his neck. “Thank you…”
ORIN:
He was spotted. Damn. Eyes darted to where his name was called, and he spotted Alexandria, Cassandra and Aric. What a happy little reunion. Though, the sight of Aric made him feel awkward and guilty. Part of him wished he could go back in time and take what he said back. But then, he was just sticking up for Alex and what was best for the kingdom. They knew nothing about Aric, and here he was, about to take control of the Kingdom, just because his brother was funding their rebuilding after the war. Orin felt like they were just setting themselves up for another eventual war. How could Alexandria not see that? Did she know or see something that they did not?
Arms opened to embrace Alexandria as she ran to him. He held her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “Yes, I am ok. Everything is fine.” He remembered their conversation before he had left, and how desperate Alex was for him to help and that he needed to find Cassandra. Aric was gone at that point, and he only wondered how that conversation went, when he returned to find his cousin had been kidnapped. He could tell by the tone in Alex’s voice as she thanked him. He leaned in and whispered back to her. “You’re welcome.”
He let go of her and nodded to Aric and Cassandra, as if just acknowledging their presence. What was he supposed to do? Or say?
CASSANDRA:
Outwardly, she was calm. Tired but calm. Inside, however, her stomach was twisting into knots and she was desperately trying not to panic. Although she was safe, and it was true that all she had suffered were some cuts and bruises, Cassandra had been terrified...far more than she had ever been frightened before. Maybe it was foolish to try and hide how she really felt, but it was her stupid pride. She didn’t want to break down into tears in front of these people, in front of total strangers, so she held herself together.
Her hand fell to Alexandria’s upon her shoulder in another silent thanks, and she would nod. The sooner she could get back and lock herself away, the better. “Yes,” she breathed, a little relieved. “That would be wonderful.” A part of her didn’t understand why she felt showing weakness after such circumstances would be a bad thing, but she Cassandra wasn’t even sure who to trust in Aralore. She was a foreigner in their lands, just like her cousin, and they didn’t trust her either. Then the Queen’s stoic brother was lured over, and she was remembering their conversation upon the waters. Everything went both ways, everyone needed to treat others the way they wished to be treated. Too bad that wasn’t how the world worked, no matter how much you tried and prayed. She watched Orin’s exchange with the queen, even smiling faintly. It seemed many things had to mend, but perhaps this would be a good start.
ARIC:
If only the other man knew how his own thoughts parallelled the Tresterian prince’s. If Orin shared his concerns in a less ignorant way, they could potentially come to an understanding. That is, if Aric’s own stubbornness to didn’t get in the way. He had gone home to speak with his brother, practically plead with him to end this marriage...because Aric couldn’t help but wonder how deep his brother’s plans went. There was more to this, he could feel it, and it worried him. He completely understood that Tresteria couldn’t simply help Aralore out of the kindness of their hearts, there needed to be some sort of repayment...but this? Aralore could very well lose its freedom, and it may not survive another war. If he couldn’t stop this union, then he would have to figure out how to stop his own brother...should it come to that. Maybe, just maybe, Edward’s greed didn’t stem as far as Aric believed.
Withholding a sigh, he stepped forward and held out his hand towards Orin, even if this would only be a momentary truce, he was at least trying. “Thank you,” he said, and he meant it.
ORIN:
He stepped closer to Aric and extended his own hand, reaching for his and grasping it into a firm handshake. Another nod of acknowledgement was given before he cleared his throat and spoke gently. “I’m sure the same would be done for me if my sister went missing.” Or at least he was hoping. He didn’t know much about Aric though, and perhaps that was his own fault. He pushed him away instead of trying to get to know him. He hadn’t fully thought about his actions, and now he realized how ignorant he was.
Orin backed away a bit and flashed a hint of a smile at Alexandria, before kissing her forehead. “I have some things I need to take care of. I will talk with you later.”
And before Alexandria could protest, he started walking away. What did he have to take care of? He hadn’t the slightest clue. He just needed to get away, clear his head and maybe have a drink or two.
ALEXANDRIA:
She watched the brief exchange between Orin and Aric, unable to help herself from biting her lip. Please keep things civil right now. She wasn’t ready to deal with an argument or dispute of any sort. Was she even holding her breath? A bit. When Orin spoke and then backed away, Alex let her breath out, flashing her own hint of a smile back at him. And then, just like that, he was off. She wasn’t going to argue with him or convince him to stay. He had acted civil for now, and she didn’t want to risk that from changing. When he left, she looked back to Aric and Cassandra and smiled. “Let’s get back to the castle.” She motioned to the carriage that had arrived for Cassandra. She and Aric had taken their horses down to the stores. “If you want me to bring your horse back for you, Aric, I can.. So you could stay with Cassandra if you would like.”
