The Tales of a Cursed Warrior

XVIII

The next few days had them very busy.

They jumped from court meeting to another. All to discuss possible plans to win should the South and the East unite against them and declare a war.

Asteria barely had time to sleep between her lessons and the meetings—ones she barely understood anything in and merely sat next to Cassius, nodding and blinking while Felix, Lex and Louis tried not to laugh at her.

"Shut up," she groaned.

Felix grinned and leaned back in his chair. 

They were in his private dining chamber, just outside his bed chamber. He'd invited her, Lex and Louis for some of the West's infamous mousse balls but they both declined, Lex wanting to catch up on some much needed sleep and Louis claiming he had work when really he'd found himself following one of the Dukes' daughters, fooling no one but himself about the imaginary discussion he wanted to have with her. 

"You know, you never told me about your mother," said Asteria suddenly.

He frowned, resting his cheeks in his palms as he stared at her. "What's with the sudden curiosity?"

She shrugged her shoulders in a very unladylike manner. "Perhaps it's the the only thing you and Cassius have in common. Besides the fact that you're both sons of Kings."

His lips quirked. "We're both motherless, you mean?"

She paused, lowering her fork. Maybe this was uncalled for. "Is that rude to ask?"

He smiled, leaning back again. "You'll be shocked that it is, in fact, rude to ask about an absent family member."

"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "Really. I never meant anything, I was just curious. Don't answer that, it's fine."

Felix laughed. "Asteria, love, I'm not mad. I don't mind. Others might but I don't. I ask you not to take offence because mistakes are better done with me than with anyone that does not know you very well."

She let out a relieved breath. "Yeah, whatever."

"My mother," he said, surprising her, "was murdered in battle. One of Father's many battles against the East. She was murdered in cold blood as my father watched. They beheaded her, five years after she gave birth to me."

"She died proudly," said Asteria.

He looked surprised for a few moments. "You're probably the only person who does not apologise when death is mentioned."

Asteria shrugged again. "I don't think she's sorry she died with her head held high. Maybe she's sorry she didn't get to watch much of yours and Ivy's childhood and continue to watch the rest of your brothers grow but she's not sorry about the way she died."

He smiled but it was a little sad. "With a heart like yours, love, I'm terrified of how Court is going to ruin it."

She grinned, kicking his leg. "I'll be fine."

The doors opened with a bang revealing Cassius. His eyes were wild and his hair was messier than usual not to mention his ragged breathing.

She frowned at him when their eyes met. 

"Your Highness," gasped one of the Sentinels, seizing Cassius's upper arm, "we told him he could not barge in like that but he would not be stopped!"

"Release him," said Felix, glancing at Asteria and standing up. "You may leave, Cassius is welcome to my chambers whenever he wishes."

The Sentinels bowed and left. 

"Are you—" Asteria cut herself off. "What's wrong with you?"

Cassius gritted his teeth and turned to Felix. "You think you have any form of permission to spend time with my fiancée? Alone in your private chambers like it's a date?"