lคץ ๓є l๏ฬ

[assassinrue]

"i think so." he said quietly

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl lifted her chin again and met his eyes. "Thank you, for being there for me. Through all of this."

[assassinrue]

Cassius dipped his head once. "Of course." What else to say? They had crossed so many lines he wasn't sure what was what anymore.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

There was one more line to cross, and Averyl chose that moment to do it. She leaned forward, pushing herself slightly up on her toes, and brushed her lips against his. It took her less than a second to realize what she'd done and draw away. "I... I'm sorry," she stammered. "I shouldn't have done that. You've lost your family and I'm a lady and--"

[assassinrue]

Cassius turned his head away from her. He had no idea what to say, he didn't want her to apologize, he had liked the kiss, he had even once thought about what it would be like to kiss her. But she was right, they shouldn't have even touched.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl turned away, her head ducked to hide her blushing face. "Maybe... maybe you should leave now." Before she did or said something else she would regret.

[assassinrue]

Cassius glanced at her, but only for a fraction of a second. He wasn't supposed to look at her, never mind kissing her. He left the room silently, a ghost, carried away by the sigh of a lady.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her now loose hair. She closed her eyes tightly, telling herself she was just broken up and lonely and he was just there. All she could think about was how that kiss had felt, though, and how nice he'd always been to her. Was it really so wrong, caring for a servant? No one needed to know.

[assassinrue]

Cassius couldn't sleep so he relieved the tired guard of their duty and stood outside all the hours of the night, forcing himself not to think by being extraordinarily aware of every sound and movement around him. If anyone had come to invade the manor again, they wouldn't have taken more than a step out of the trees before they were cut down with one harsh blow.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl tried for a good two hours to get to sleep before deciding it was hopeless. She rose from the bed and walked to the window, sliding it open to feel the cold Northern wind in her face. It felt so hot in her room that night. Standing there by the open window, she wished she could climb out and sit on the roof like she had when she was a little girl. It had nearly given her poor mother a heart-attack, but it had made her feel free and, oddly, safe. No one could touch you when you were multiple stories off the ground.

[assassinrue]

When the sun rose, a guard came to replace Cassius's night long vigil and asked him to go to the kitchen. Asked him. As if he were anything more than a lowly servant. He had been nothing until he had accidently let himself get noticed. Fool.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl was by inside by then, after nearly falling asleep on the roof. It wouldn't have been a good idea. She called a maid to her room to help her dress, and then requested her breakfast to be brought to her there.

[assassinrue]

Cassius leaned against the counter, burying his face in his hands. "Kalleb, I'm an idiot."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(... Don't know what to do. Kalleb and him could just have their conversation)

[assassinrue]

(We need something to happen so that he and her are thrown together)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Instead of trying to storm the castle for a second time, they could just kidnap her, and he gets taken too for whatever reason. Proximity, or maybe he tries to stop them)

[assassinrue]

(Good idea and yeah he'd try to stop them.)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Kay, cool)

Averyl was still in her room, having just finished her meal, when the knock came at the door. She frowned, as she was no expecting anyone. "You may enter," she called. A man wearing servant clothing entered and bowed to her, but Averyl didn't recognize him. She didn't know every servant in the castle, but... something didn't feel rise. She rose slowly to her feet, keeping an easy smile on her face, but it vanished when four more men slipped into the room. These were not servants.

[assassinrue]

Chassis heard the cry for help and ran to find out what it was
But just as he rounded the corner to the lady's room, a swish of robes and a hustle of feet hurried around the other end of the hall. Cas ducked back and went through the tunnels in the wall to his room and grabbed his sword and ran for the stables, not pausing to saddle the horse, and hallowed after the disappearing raid, he was close enough behind he might not loose them. He hoped.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl had been both gagged and blindfolded, so she had absolutely no idea what was going on or where she was going. Well, that wasn't entirely true. These men were most certainly kidnapping her, employed by her dear uncle. Bitterness swelled in her chest and she had to force it down lest she start crying.