The Tales of a Cursed Warrior

IV

Cassius smiled at her. "You will not regret it."

Her face became sour. "I hope not. But first, you have to promise their safety."

He looked at her, surprised. "Of cou—"

Asteria shook her head. "You have to make an oath. That no matter what happens you won't cut them off from supplies or kick them out of the house. No matter what happens, you won't let any danger approach them. Swear it."

The oath was a vow that would end up in the beheading of the vowers, should they break it.

Cassius blinked slowly, studying her face. Then he nodded slowly and extended his arm, she took it, their hands gripping each other's forearms. They lowered to their knees, facing each other.

"I, Prince Cassius Atticus Vesper, son of the Throne, swear on the Crown to give your brother, Ares Frost, and your friend, Lukas Sallow, a shelter to keep them both safe. A supply of food and water to keep them healthy. A full supply of whatever they might even want. A transport. A job to keep them occupied, should they wish it. And I promise you their safety in City Clerisir, unless they betray the Throne and The crown." His gaze hardened and her heart ached. "In exchange for your hand in marriage, Captain Asteria Celeste Frost, daughter of war and peace."

"City Clerisir," she muttered, arm dropping from his. "Biggest city in the Northeast."

"Well-guarded," he informed, standing up and brushing his cape. 

"But too far away from here," she sighed out.

"Sallow just suggested it to Lex," said Cassius, pointing at the strap on his wrist and beginning to walk again.

"Then so be it," she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

"Is it really that terrible?" he said after a few minutes of silence as he led her around the maze. His gaze flickered to hers. "The idea of marrying me?"

Asteria brushed her hand along the length of a hedge. "You seem like a nice person," she said uncertainly. "Maybe you'll be nice to me."

His lips lifted at the corners. "You don't sound so sure."

"I don't know, Cass," she said, frustrated. "I don't know, okay?"

She looked over at him to find his smile widening. 

"What?"

His eyes stopped on hers. "You called me Cass."

"So?"

He shook his head and continued walking. "No one calls me that but Lex—and Louis. Another friend of mine."

Her head tilted curiously. "You don't have a lot of friends, do you?"

"Hard to maintain friendships when you're expected to take over the Throne one day," he said with forced nonchalance. 

"And Lex's different?" she asked, her hand brushing his.

He flinched a little. Her touch was too soft, unlike any way he's been touched before.

He was no stranger to a woman's touch. He'd spent his free nights with different women, in different positions. But none of them had ever touched him so softly before.

"He's my cousin," said Cassius, swallowing harshly. "We grew up together, his father is my father's brother. He died two years ago."

"And his mother?" she asked softly.

He winced. "Suicide. She couldn't take it all anymore. Lex was fifteen, I was fourteen."

"That's sad," murmured Asteria, staring at him sidelong. "Your mother?"