Chapter 6

  “Is there something on my face?” I asked, while the pair stared at me as if I'd grown a third eye.

Cassian gained his courage first, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he swallowed. “You’re the crown prince,” He stated bluntly. I nodded, confused by their reactions. I thought they knew? Cassian then knelt to the ground, head bent down in respect. “Forgive my rudeness earlier, Your Highness, the bounty said that a distant cousin of the royal family had been kidnapped, someone insignificant. I meant no disrespect.” I pursed my lips trying to keep in a snicker but instead letting out a snort.

“A cousin? My father couldn’t even pretend to want me home?” A soft scoff followed my sarcastic comment, although the realization of my father’s poor attempt to find me stung.

The more I pondered on my situation, the funnier it occurred to me. Cassian looked up in confusion as I clutched my stomach and laughed, muscles cramping from the giggling that plagued me.

Fear washed over Cassian’s face, afraid he had done something wrong by apologizing. When my laughter subsided, I gazed at the fear-stricken faces before me. “Fear not, I mean well, I just find this whole situation very humorous, ‘someone insignificant’” I sighed. Cassian cocked his head in confusion, unsure about what was funny.

“Of course my father would do such a thing, he hates me. Why would he ever want a disappointment back in the castle, when my younger brother has an opportunity for the throne?” I continued.

“But you are his firstborn son, Your Highness, why would he think you’re a disappointment?” Musika asked. 

“Apparently, a romantic desire for men makes one unworthy.” A thick silence then washed over the two, the air in the room suddenly becoming stale. The pain from my injuries seemed to hit me all at once as a sharp pain stabbed through my side, most likely instigated by my abrupt laughing fit. 

My ribs, bruised and tender, seemed to creak after every breath, breathing becoming difficult. My head throbbed and I felt dizzy, lack of air from my wheezing causing my vision to darken. I gasped as I felt my knees sink to the floor, my eyes sliding closed. Cassian rushed over and caught me before my head could hit the floor. His arms wrapped around me again, securing me safely in a hug. I looked up at his scruffy face, feeling stubble rub against my cheek.

The early morning sunlight pried at my closed lids, urging me to wake up. I blinked, shut my eyes, and blinked again, my eyes stinging from the warm light that streamed over me. Warm blankets covered my legs and I was laying on a small cot. I started to sit up, but a loud voice came from the doorway right as I felt a sharp jab of pain in my side. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” 

I winced and looked at the door to see Cassian holding a tray. His attitude had changed from the reserved persona he had shown last night. “When did you lose all your respect, huh?” I asked.

He looked up, his ashen hair shining in the light, looking like spun gold. “When you fainted in my arms, Princess.” He winked in a playing manner, making my cheeks flush. Even so, his pet names had a sense of endearment which was a much different tone than the way the orcs referred to me.

A short laugh escaped my lips and I quickly covered my mouth for finding amusement at such rude behavior. A crooked smile formed once again on Cassian’s face, leaving dimples on his cheeks. He had a small gap between his front teeth giving him a boyish quality and his eyes looked intrigued by my actions. Those amber rings once again shone in the golden light, his carmel brown eyes sparkling as they scrunched up.  

I looked around the room I was in, an add-on from the study I fainted in. The cot I was on sat in a corner that was surrounded by windows which I didn't notice from the outside of the building. In the morning light, you could see how much dust was in the air from all the books and clutter. As I tried to sit up more, Cassian rushed over to push me back down.

“I said you should do that,” His voice changed from cheerful to serious, and I fell back down in defeat, cushioned by the pillows that lay beneath me. “ You were walking around with three broken ribs, a stab wound, and a severe concussion. It’s honestly impressive how you even got this far.” He chuckled and set a small towel in a bucket of water, wrung it out, and laid it on my head. The cool liquid felt so good on my aching skull that a small moan of  relief slipped from my lips. My cheeks burned at the noise, but Cassian didn’t seem to notice.

Then, he took a deep breath and his cheeks turned pink as well. “I um- need to,” He coughed. “Take your shirt off.” He trailed off at the end, obviously embarrassed. If my cheeks were warm before, they were ablaze now, the tips of my pointed ears most certainly glowing bright red, sharp contrast against the light of my hair. I was still wearing my riding clothes from the scout mission, but now they were stained with blood and mud.

His hands trembled as his fingers slowly undid the metal buttons down my vest. Once it was gone, he started to untie my tunic, looking away as if it was some horrible act. My outer layers were gone to reveal my blackened and bruised chest. A large gash was carved across my stomach and my ribs were pronounced due to the color. I was so skinny because of my lack of food, and though my injuries were deep they were barely bleeding due to my lack of water.

He poked at the darkened splotches making me wince and gasp in pain, grabbing his hands to stop him from prodding any more. He withdrew his hands and continued, pausing every time I reacted but moving to a new area instead. After he checked me over, he reached under the couch to take out a small medical kit. Inside were a few bandages, rubbing alcohol, gauze, and an ointment. He popped the top open to the salve and dipped two fingers into it.

Reaching towards me, he started rubbing the cool substance across my bruises. The air smelled like mint and a sweet kind of berry as he covered my chest, hands massaging into the taught muscle. The salve was a light pink, and as it sat over the bruises, the saturated color started to fade from my skin. I gasped as almost all the color was soon gone from my body. The gash still took up most of my chest, I looked much better, less dead. He took out the alcohol and gauze, dousing it and making a face at the strong scent.

“This might hurt a bit,” He said. He held out his hand and I latched on ready to feel the worst. What I expected wasn’t even close to the pain I felt. He held the gauze over my chest then pressed down and rubbed over the oozing cut making me scream in pain. I gripped onto him and squeezed as he wiped the opening of the slash, my nails dug into the soft flesh creating small crescents along his forearm. The cloth came back covered in blood, dirt, and grime. Every time he dirtied a cloth, he reached down to get a new one.

Soon, the pain started to subside as he cleaned most of the filth out of the wound. I took a deep breath and looked down at my chest. The sides were inflamed from the scrub but the brownish-green that surrounded the cut and the yellow pus was gone. I sighed in relief that the worst of the pain was gone.

I looked down and noticed that I was still clutching Cassian, my grip had moved down to his hand, his fingers turning blue. I loosened my hold a bit, a soft peach color returning to his fingertips but I didn’t let go. He reached into the box one more time and pulled out a roll of bandages. He helped me sit up and wrapped the cloth tightly around my chest. Faint splotches of blood seeped through the bandage leaving small crimson stains. 

Cassian then tended to my smaller wounds which he already wrapped when I was asleep. “I couldn’t clean the cut on your chest while you were asleep,” He said. “It would have woken you up and you obviously needed rest.” A shy smile made my chest warm, and he helped me lean back down.  

I felt hot, probably a fever from the infection, beads of perspiration collected on my face, my hair sticking to my cheeks. Calloused fingers carefully blotted the sweat away and then tucked the damp hair behind my ear. Cassian’s hands sent a nice chill across my face as I leaned further into his touch. I released a soft sigh at the relief as I closed my eyes and let myself relax, thudding headache slowly disappearing. 

He pulled away and I whined in protest, reaching out to bring his hand back to my face. “...Stay…” I mumbled, hardly conscious.

A soft chuckled lulled over me and a deep hum filled the silence in the air. In my dazed state I could barely make out the tune, a common lullaby, one my mother used to sing to me when I was sick. I peeked my eyes open to see Cassian holding a book with one hand while his other remained tangled in my hair. Although we’d only just met, I felt a sense of safety in his presence, one that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

---

Days passed, maybe a week, and my recovery process was slow, but the bruises were almost non-existent, and my ribs were almost healed. The more water and food I got into me the more I started bleeding. Finally, the cut started to scab over and the yellowish hue that tainted my skin had left. Cassian had to change the bandages twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. He stayed with me day and night to keep me distracted and to make sure I didn’t reinjure myself.

Finally, Cassian let me sit up and move around to help me heal faster. By the eighth day, I was finally able to go outside. The pine tree scent floated in the air throughout the town, something I hadn’t noticed before. Unlike the first day, the sun was shining and I could hear distant birds chirping melodies. Despite the recent snow, the warm air made it seem like spring.

We walked down the main road back to the tavern where we met. The pub looked a lot bigger than I remembered and the lack of people made the place look deserted. There was only a Nymph in a booth and the bartender. He was an older man, an Orc with sharp teeth that looked like tusks curving over his upper lip. 

His gray skin had a silvery glow which made his almost black eyes more prominent. He wore a blue vest with gold lined lapels overtop a blood-red tunic. His outfit looked as if for nobility and the brown walls and drab tone to the pub made him seem out of place.

His skeptical eyes looked Cassian over, obviously disappointed from the last time we were in the tavern. As if on cue, the Satyr slammed into the pub and up to the counter. He looked laid back, but when he saw us his eyes narrowed, his relaxed stance became rigid, and he scampered back towards the door. 

“Wait!” I said it before I could think about what I was doing. He turned, fear in his eyes but not looking at me. He was looking at Cassian instead. The Satyr had a black eye that ringed around the left side of his face. He trembled even more as Cassian seemed to stalk forward. I knew the feeling of being prey so I quickly stepped in between the two of them.

“I apologize,” I directed it more at Cassian, but he ignored me. “For Cassian’s rude behavior here the other day.” I kicked his shin and he turned to me, a pissed expression on his face. The Satyr looked at me in confusion and then nodded. Cassian and the Satyr stood apart from each other, arms crossed, brooding like children. 

I could see the Satyr’s Adam’s apple bobbing his throat, obviously afraid there would be a repeat of last time. He seemed to shrink into himself, making him look a lot smaller than he really was.

There was a loud shout from outside, followed by a scream. A young Elf dashed into the pub, his chest splattered with blood but not his own. He was panting, recently running from something. When he looked up and saw me, recognition flashed across his face. He knelt, bowed his head, and tried to catch his breath.

“Your Highness,” Though he couldn’t have been younger than me by 5 years, 14 years of age at most, his voice was unusually high. “The orcs, they’re here.” That was all he had to say to get Cassian on the move. He grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door into the road. He turned right but came face to face with the same orc that interrogated me in the cell.

I looked up at him, making eye contact, and stuck my tongue out, blowing a raspberry at him. His face changed from shock to rage in a split second, making his cheeks fume red. He grit his teeth when Cassian turned directions and pulled me just out of reach. I looked back to taunt him more but Cassian’s grip tightened in annoyance.

“Get that royal brat!” I heard the orc scream. When I looked back one last time, I saw the Satyr run out of the tavern and jump in front of the orcs, there were only three. They weren't tall, but the Satyr’s strength was no comparison. Despite that, he could at least hold them off long enough for us to escape. Cassian dragged me further away from EastCliff and deeper into the forest. When the houses turned into distant dots, Cassian dropped my wrist and urged me to run on my own.

My ribs and bruises ached, but I pushed past the pain gritting my teeth. Keeping my breathing steady, I pushed harder and went faster. I would not go back, not again.