lคץ ๓є l๏ฬ

[assassinrue]

Cassius breathed in deeply and hugged her tighter than pulled back just enough to look at her face. "What do we do now?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl smiled, her eyes closed. "Now I give you a title so you can be the man you were always meant to be."

[assassinrue]

Cassius glanced down at her smooth face with surprise. "Do explain." He requested eagerly

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Well, it won't be much, but I can make you a minor lord," she said. "You won't have any land, really, but you will no longer be a servant. Until we can find you a place to rule from, you may stay here as a guest."

[assassinrue]

Cassius smiled. "I'd love that. And it would give us so much more room to see where this goes."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

To see where this goes. Averyl heart skipped a bit at those words. It meant he was actually considering this, whatever barriers may be in place. It meant he wasn't going to give up before they started. "Yes, it would."

[assassinrue]

Cassius smiled and sighed. "I think I will like getting to know you very much."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl brushed her fingertips against his cheek and then stepped away. "I suppose I should get some sleep. After what happened tonight, I think tomorrow will be a long day."

[assassinrue]

Cassius's face transformed, he looked the part of a servant again, except a rather coy smile which lingered at the corners of his mouth and eyes. "Yes I think that might be best."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl leaned forward and kissed his cheek lightly. "Goodnight, Cassius. Tomorrow, everything changes."

[assassinrue]

Once out she was out of sight Cassius let out a deep, heavy sigh and turned on his heels. He knew where he was going without really thinking about it, it was a subconscious habit, an instinctual necessity. Cassius didn't knock when he reached the door, he had never needed to, and slipped silently into Luca's room, shutting the door softly behind him. "Luca, let's catch up my brother, we have much to discuss."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl prepared herself for bed and then slid under the warm, plush comforter. She sighed lightly, and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

[assassinrue]

There was a melancholy to leaving Luca's room in the early morning. The familiarity of being able to give an entire night to Luca and their conversations was pulling up long suppressed memories. It had been one thing to accept he might never see Luca again, but an entirely different thing to see him again and understand that everything had changed and yet, they were still undoubtedly bonded.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

In the morning, Averyl ordered a gathering of every important person there. Servants scampered around the stronghold while two others helped her get ready to address her subjects. When she was dressed in a fine gown of blue and silver, her hair done up neatly on top of her head, she left her room and made her way toward the Great Hall.

[assassinrue]

Cassius rose and dressed at a steady pace. The meeting made him nervous. In the throes of his affection for the lady he had never considered that he would be leaving behind the only world that he felt comfortable in since the war: he was a servant as much as he was a warrior. The servants here were his friends. Some like family. He shook his head and began his way to the Great Hall.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Oh god, what's going on? She's going to give him a title today, right?)

[assassinrue]

(I believe so haha)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Any idea what that might go like? lol not versed in medieval customs)

Averyl entered the Great Hall and took a seat in her designated chair on the raised dais. She sat regally, the way any proper lady should, as she waited for the attending to arrive. Lords, ladies, family friends and rivals. Everyone important was there to see the naming of a new lord.

[assassinrue]

(Doubt this would ever happen, shall we use our imaginations?)

Cassius stood outside the doors for a long moment, others passed him on the way in. Some, like good servants, ignored his existence the way he ignores theirs. And some cast him sidelong looks, curiosity burning. He did not move, not until a hand on his back jumped him from his reverie.

"Luca."

"I believe this gathering his held in your honor, brother. You should probably enter."

"I keep thinking the other foot will fall."

"Rightly so, lover, but those days are behind us."

Cassius looked at Luca in silence a long moment, his eyes smiling at something distant. "You have not called me that in many years."

"I think this will be the last time, a rather lovely lady awaits you on the other side of thathe door."

Cassius reached out and touched Luca's jaw. "I'm glad you are here... brother."

The men's faces grew serious, their eyes lost the melancholy they held,and they turned to face the great doors together. Cassius finally entered, his dearest friend close behind.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Actually I think it could lol. It's like knighting somebody or whatever...)

When Cassius entered, Averyl stood, and therefore so did everyone else in the room. She smiled at him from the dais and gestured him toward her.