crossing the line AU

Chapter 22

Cassandra

Woah...

That was...

Something...

Gradually, we both pull ourselves away, sitting back up straight in our seats, with stunned expressions. My hand creeps up to grab the back of my neck, and hers plays with her hair.

We both try to look at anything beside each other.

"So- uh- that was um... We just-" I didn't want to talk, but I failed to catch the words before they left, so now I've broken the silence with unnecessary stuttering.
"Yeah..." was all she said back, her eyes glancing over at me on occasion.
"Well uhm- I... Uh... I don't-"

Stop it Cassandra, stop it. You're gonna make it more awkward for yourself the more you talk, or atleast, try to talk.

Somewhere during my mental argument with myself, Rapunzel had brought her knees close to her chest and was finally looking at me again.

"It's cute how you always get so flustered." her head tilted to the side as she spoke, my eyes shot open.

Wait a minute... Is that what I've been doing this entire time? I've been-

That suddenly answers all my questions about my burning cheeks, and racing heart beat...

I guess my feelings were more obvious than I thought-

And I'm pretty sure this means I like her a lot more than I thought I did...

"I'm not- I'm not that flustered." I insist, attempting to calm myself down and return back to earth, but her laugh sends me right back up into the clouds.
"Sure, Cass." She gave me a wink and then continued her soft laugh. The gesture hit me hard, causing my head to snap to the side when my cheeks began burning more.

Exactly how is this girl able to do this to me?

After I'd calmed down enough to function again, I got us ready to head back to shore, but I spot something odd in the distance, a faint candle light being held up by a human shaped shadow, lighting the way for a small group of people.
I look past Rapunzel, over her shoulder and narrow my eyes, trying to figure out who's there, and she clearly notices me.

"Is everything ok?" She asks, her facial expression shifting to one of concern. I pick up the boat's ore's and starting rowing us in the direction of the light.
"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." I attempt at convincing her, as well as myself on the matter. But I soon learn that the people with the lantern were the guards I'd left with yesterday, and they've clearly spotted me.

Shit.

I bring the boat up onto the land, a few feet away from where I'd seen the guards, and brush back my hair from out my face.
Rapunzel climbs out of the boat herself, but I stop her from following me.

"Uhm, do you mind just... Waiting here? I need to- uh- talk to someone. Real quick." I understand she's confused at my request, but she nods anyway.
"Oh? Uh, sure. But why-?" I lean down into the bottom of the boat, grab my dagger I'd left, put it back in my boot, then stood in front of her, grabbing her hands in mine.
"It's nothing to worry about, I promise I'll be as quick as I can." I bring her hands to my lips, then leave before she has time to question me any further.

All I have to do is tell them I'm fine, then they'll head back to the castle. That's why their here, their out looking for me because I hadn't returned with them yesterday evening.

But I'm fine, they really don't have to worry.

After walking for a minute or so, following the sound of stupidity in the form of a mocking laugh, I spot who were waiting for me.

Blake, Noah, and the other two that left with me yesterday.

Great. This is gonna be fun.

"Hey guys, what are you doing out here?" I announce my presence immediately, hiding my nerves under my usual mask, one that makes me sound as though nothing is wrong.

Not only are my parents probably worried about me, but I'm also not supposed to be out during today's celebrations, so I have to tread carefully, and make it out as quickly as possible.

"Oh well would you look at that, there she is!" they all turn in my direction, I stand with my arms crossed over my chest, my body stretched to improve my posture.
"Yep. Here I am." I reinstate, a sense of bitterness lacing my voice. They take a few steps towards me, a mixture of expressions spread out between them.

"Where the hell did you go? Do you know how much trouble we got in for losing you yesterday?" Of course it was Blake who jumped straight to it.
"Oh, well, I mean, you and Noah did leave me. Didn't you? All I did was continued looking for the theif alone, and I spent the night in the forest. It's not like any of you came back to look for me until now, of course." I point my finger to him, my voice bold yet plain.
"What? We never left you, you ran off and we had no idea where you went. We were so worried about you."

Is this guy seriously trying to gaslight me right now?

"What the fuck? You didn't listen to me when I suspected something and decided to leave me to it. I obviously wasn't going to run after you two and leave what I'd found, considering you two were getting no where." His fake innocent act makes me want to scream in his face, but I stop myself and fight back in a relatively civil manner, even though it gets harder and harder to do by the second.
"Whatever. It doesn't matter what happened. What matters is that your wanted back at the castle immediately, the orders came from cap and the king and queen themselves." I knew he'd change the topic the second he's corrected. I roll my eyes and spin around on my heel.
"that's fine, I'll head back there shortly."

I lift my foot, ready to take a step forward, back towards Raps, but Blake had the audacity to physically stop me.

"Get off me! The hell?"
"Last I checked the way to the castle was that way. Where do you think your going?" I snatch away my arm and glare in his direction.
"I'm not an idiot, I know where it is. But I have something to do first. So if you excuse me-"

I attempt to leave a second time, but this time I stop myself.

"oh, yeah, sure. Go see that little blonde bitch you were over there locking lips with." at the sound of his voice and the other's laughs, my fists clench at my sides.
"I'm sorry, what the fuck did you just say?" I speak through gritted teeth, my nails digging into my palms as I try and refrain from absolutely destroying his smug exterior.
"You heard me." Reluctantly, I turn back around. "if I'm being honest, I never thought you'd be one of those people, but- actually, no. It makes perfect sense." The pain in my palm increases and I can only imagine I've started drawing blood. I look to the others, but no one seems keen to say anything, not even noah.

Go figure.

"Where is the other freak then, hm? We all saw her in that boat with you, her hair is like a god damn beacon-"
"don't you dare call her that! And if you think I'm going to tell you anything, you severly mistaken mister, I don't answer to you." He creeps closer to me, his wicked smirk tugging at the side of his mouth.
"You may be treated like a princess around the castle, but out on this team, your nothing more than us. Now we will be completing our mission in sending you straight back to the castle, because, while you're out here without your parents knowing, your also out on a day you know you're not allowed out of the castle walls. So get your little, gay ass over to the horses and back to where you belong." I look up at him, a raging flame in my eyes, and I try my best to defend my corner.
"But the thing is, I'm not on the island while the celebrations are happening, and I will return home, on my own terms. So you can try and intimidate me all you want, it's not going to fucking work."

I assume he's given up trying to force me to go back, but instead of turning away and leaving, ready to tell some sick lie to those back at the castle, like I thought he would. He instead shoves me behind him, leaving me to fall in front of the others, and points his arm at the island.

"Men, take the princess back to the castle and do not let her out of your sight, captains orders. Drag her there for all I care, it doesn't really matter." the two men I don't have names for, grab both of my arms and refuse to let me go.

No matter how hard I try and pull away.