Cassian and the 3 diablos

Crystal

Emerie opened her eyes to find herself strapped to a pillar. Her arms were bond behind her back and her ankles were tied together as well. Her wings were strapped horizontally behind her. Stretching out so far she wasn't able to bring them back towards her. Emerie also realized that their were several male Illryian shouting angry words at her. Telling her that she's a freak, that she's a disgrace tot he Illryian race. She doesn't deserve to fly. Emerie knew exactly where she was. She was in an Illryian trial. And her wings were going to be-

Emerie struggled but it was no use. The bond was just too strong. "Please someone! Help me!" She cried as a tall Illryian male came towards her with a sword. This wasn't just an Illryian. It was her father. Her cruel father.

Emerie began to cry, the tears falling down at his feet. Her father laughed, sounded so humorless as she remembered. "You should've been a boy." he said as he raised the sword and her flight was gone.

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Cassian woke up to a horrible scream. His wings flared in alarmed as he grabbed the dagger from behind his back. He looked around the room for any possible threat but he only saw two startled little girls and a crying Illryian child. Nesta and Gwyn were by Emerie's side before she opened her eyes. "Emerie, what's wrong?" Gwyn asked as Emerie began to cry a river, tucking in her wings. Nesta was grasping her shoulder trying to calm her down. "Emerie, are you okay?" she asked as Emerie shook her head.

Putting the dagger away, Cassian walked over to the bed. "Emerie?" he said as Emerie flinched when her name came from his lips. Emerie's eyes were watery as she desperately tried to get rid of the tears. "Emerie, it's okay. You're not in danger." Cassian tried to sooth her when Emerie shut her eyes. "Emerie, look at me." Emerie's eyes were on Cassian. "What happened?"

Emerie didn't want to tell them at first. She figured that Nesta and Gwyn wouldn't understand because they weren't Illryians. But Cassian was an Illryian. He knew what it felt like. But a small part of her wanted to keep it inside. So to not feel the embarrassment. It was between herself. No one had to know right? But then again, they are her friends. It wouldn't hurt to tell them.

Emerie told them about the nightmare. The angry shouts. The sword. Her father standing before her. Even the wing clipping. By the time she finished, she couldn't breathe. Cassian began to hold her in his lap so she could feel comfortable. After Emerie stopped crying, she went over to Gwyn and Nesta and hugged them tightly. Cassian sighed and patted Emerie's head softly and went back to sleep in his chair. "Wait!" Nesta called out as Cassian froze. Nesta nudged her friend Gwyn who glared at her. Nesta only stuck her tongue out right after Gwyn turned to Cassian. "Would you tell us a story?"

Cassian nearly choked on his own saliva. He never told a bunch of children a story before. Better yet, he wasn't good with kids at all. Sure, he helped Emerie to fly but she could always fly. And he just happened to know how to treat boo-boos with Gwyn. And Nesta began to trust him after he promise to take her out of that sink hole. But telling bedtime stories? Not his thing. "Um...well um..."

"Please." He looked back at the girls. Emerie's eyes were not red and puffy, Gwyn was giving him the innocent puppy dog eyes, and Nesta was trying to intimidate her as well. Cassian thought back to his lessons as a child. He did learn the history about wing clipping. But that's not what they would like to hear. He loved the story of Tom Thumb but a man whose the size of a thumb wouldn't be so...inspiring. Then, one in particular came to mind.

Cassian smiled and nodded his head, causing Gwyn to cheer and Nesta to smile. Emerie didn't make too much of an emotion but she nodded her head slightly when Gwyn told her that Cassian would tell them a story. Cassian pulled his chair closer to the bed. "You ready?" he asked as the girls made themselves comfortable. They nodded their heads eager to let Cassian's imagination run wild.
Cassian cleared her throat. "Well this is the story about an Illryian named Crystal."