lคץ ๓є l๏ฬ

[assassinrue]

"It's in the past. Your news on the other hand, is not." Forget etiquette. He went and sat beside her, placing his hand lightly over her shoulder blades. "I'm sorry." His voice was soft again.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl leaned into the touch without really thinking about it. When was the last time she'd had human contact? His comforting words pushed her over the edge, and the tears started flowing. Her father and her had never been close, but she'd loved him nonetheless. And now he was gone.

[assassinrue]

Cassius urged her to lean against him and he wrapped the full force of his warm, long arms around her. "It's okay, let it out."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

For the moment, Averyl forgot she was sobbing into the shoulder of one of her servants. For the moment, they were just two people, one who had suffered a loss and another who was there for her. She needed it, needed it sorely, since the only person left in her life had died.

[assassinrue]

Cassius held her tightly, the way she was crying he was afraid if he let go of her she would shatter into a thousand pieces and no one would ever be able to put her back together again.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Eventually, the sobs died down, but Averyl stayed there, her fingers curled around his shirt, her face pressed against it. She was pretty sure his shirt was soaked, but he hadn't said anything about it.

[assassinrue]

Cassius didn't loosen his grip, he wouldn't do it until he knew she was ready. He reached a hand up to stroke her hair.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Slowly, she came back to her senses, realizing where she was and who she was with. She pulled away abruptly wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry. That was completely inappropriate of me," she said, suddenly very formal.

[assassinrue]

Cassius stood, he knew the moment was over. "Is there anything else you require, Lady Averyl?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl took a deep breath and shook her head. "No, but thank you... for everything." She paused and glanced at his shoulder, where his shirt clung damply to his skin. "And I'm sorry."

[assassinrue]

"No matter ma'am. It will be clean by tomorrow. I will retire to my room now. Good night, m'lady." Cassius slowly retreated from the room.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Goodnight," she said softly. She looked down at the floor, her breathing starting to steady. What had she been thinking? Ladies weren't meant to cry, and certainly not in front of their servants.

[assassinrue]

Cassius laid awake all night. He couldn't calm down, his mind was racing with the Lady's sadness as well as his own renewed sadness. When dawn broke, he rose to his tasks without hesitation.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl stayed in her room as possible, but she knew she had duties to take care of, including the arrangement of her father's funeral. It was going to be a long day. She got dressed in a light blue dressed and pulled her hair back, then left her room and walked to one of the smaller sitting rooms in the west wing for breakfast.

[assassinrue]

"We heard there was a commotion in the main house last night." Kalleb said as he began cooking the lady's breakfast. "What was that about."

"No idea." Cassius said non nonchalantly and shrugged.

Kalleb looked at him pointedly. "You clearly haven't slept."

"It's not really my business to tell."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl took a seat and waited for a servant to bring her food. She opened a book on her lap to pass the time, but her mind kept trailing back to her father, and she had to keep rereading sentences and whole paragraphs.

[assassinrue]

"Here, mate, take this up to her."
"You're joking?" Cassius said darkly.
"My kitchen boy isn't here yet, go."

Sighing, Cassius took the tray up to where Lady Averyl sat. He served her food in silence, his face passive his eyes blank, just as he had been trained. He stood by the doorway, half in shadow, the tray held in front of him with one arm in waiting to clear her plates away.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl kept glancing at him as she ate. He looked so... vacant. Maybe it was better that way, if both of them acted like last night hadn't happened. If she didn't say anything, maybe it would just fade into the past, forgotten over time.

[assassinrue]

The suspense was killing him. He wished she'd hurry. The longer he stood there, the more he felt like asking how she was. It was frustrating.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Finally, Averyl finished her breakfast and pushed the tray away from her. She picked up her book again so she didn't have to look at him when he came to collect it.