The Parts We Play

Down That Path Into Darkness

Cara fidgeted and paced around her room as Irene told her what she'd found out.

These beings that had attacked her and her Royals had had powers demonic in origin; as of yet, Douxie and Irene had found little else. Their friends beyond the Champions of Arcadia had begun reporting stories- other paranormals in the area had spotted them, been attacked by them. Some were wounded. No one was missing or worse, yet, but perhaps it was a matter of time.

Thus, once Irene finished, Cara excused herself and went downstairs.

She texted Krel, finding her worries repeatedly circling back to her favorite academic, who absolutely could not fight a demon or anyone working for one.

'Hey. Whatcha up to?'

'About to head to rehearsal, why?'

'Mind if I join you? It's boring to walk alone'

"And more dangerous," Cara muttered aloud to herself.

'Not at all. My place is on the way for you, right?'

'Yep. See you in a few, My Liege :)'

Cara breathed a quiet sigh of relief, her core uncomfortably warm with the anxiety coiled around it like some terribly tangled serpent. She'd come to conclude the sensation was similar to an accelerated heart rate from adrenaline for a human, and given Irene's descriptions, it was an experience of a similar level of unpleasantness.

She quickly headed out, half walking and half jogging to Krel's place.

He opened the door with a smile, and Cara returned it, the heat in her core fading with relief at the sight of him, replaced by a much more unobtrusive warmth.

"It's good to see you," she told him honestly as he locked his front door.

"Likewise," Krel bumped his elbow against hers. "Any particular reason-?"

"I enjoy your company. Is that good enough reason?" Cara tried.

Krel raised an eyebrow at her. "I know you. And I know about the attacks on paranormals- Douxie warned us. You're really here to protect me, because of your oath."

"Well- yes," Cara said, "and no. I do have to protect you, sure, but I also want to. I want to take care of you and see you safe and unharmed, because you're my friend, and I care about you, and in times like this I also worry about you. As I said, I like your company." She looked away as they rounded a corner, checking all around them. "I lost it once. I don't like the idea of losing you again- especially not permanently. This time I can be with you to protect you, and I won't forgive myself if I don't do so."

Krel must have realized how scared and genuine she was, because his attitude from a mere moment before melted away, replaced with a quiet reciprocal care and concern. "It'll be alright, Cara," he assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We aren't alone in this- and I won't let anything come between us again, not this time."

She finally looked at him, and she offered a sweet smile. "Well," she said, "even if I'd rather you were out of harm's way entirely- there's no one I'd rather take on the universe with than you."

Krel smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "So, you feel a need to walk with me to places now, hm?"

"If it doesn't impede you, My Liege," Cara said quickly.

Krel waved a hand. "Of course not. It's a lot of good time to talk. You've told me a little of what you've been up to- you said you've studied Earth engineering?"

"I did, for about a decade," Cara nodded. "I was desperate to get off-world. I was... I was alone. It's motivating."

Krel looked at her. "That it is," he said, voice low as he recalled the time between the loss of his parents and when he'd first made some real friends- how dreary and bleak it had been. But at least he'd had Aja and Varvatos. To be entirely alone, with no technology and no others of their kind...