#cassadra

Cassandra followed the traces of Muriel’s magic away from the Colosseum and through the winding streets of Vesuvia until she caught him in her sight, melting into the misty forest like a shadow into the night. She wasn’t sure why she trailed him in secret, staying out of sight and falling back just enough to grant him space but not enough to lose him, especially considering she her goal was to speak with him, but Cassandra kept her distance nonetheless as Muriel led her back to his home.

But as it turned out, her stealth was all for naught, for as Muriel arrived at his front door, he stopped, back rigid and voice hard as stone. “Why are you following me?”

Cassandra sucked in a sharp breath. How had he…?

“You could sense my magic. I can sense yours.”

Well it was pointless to hide now. Cassandra stepped around the tree she had hidden behind. Once she had gathered the courage, she had planned to knock on his door when she was ready, but that plan was out the window.

“I wanted make sure you were alright,” she said, crossing the space between them. Muriel took a cautious step back, his lower lip sticking out as he avoided her gaze.

“I’m fine. Now leave.”

“Muriel…” Cassandra reached out for him, but he turned away, undoing the enchantments on his door with a wave of his hand. She let out a huff of discontent. A charmer, she thought sarcastically.

Cassandra could have just left it at that. Muriel was obviously, well… she wasn’t sure “okay” was the best term to describe him, considering she didn’t know how a content Muriel acted, but he was unharmed, and he obviously didn’t wish to speak to her. But something her gut still demanded that she stay.

“Please.” Her voice softened and she let her hand rest on his shoulder, solid muscle tensing beneath scarred skin. “I’m not trying to hurt you. What you did back there... I just want to make sure you are alright.”

Muriel was silent and for a moment, Cassandra worried he would send her away again. But then he grunted and opened the door with a  simple, “Asra will not rest until you return to him.”

Muriel retreated into his shelter, but much to Cassandra’s unexpected delight, he left the door open for her. For Muriel, that seemed to be the closest thing she would get to an invitation. She followed him into his living space.

Inanna raised her head from where she lay by the fireplace, her yellow eyes trailing them as they entered. Her gaze settled on Cassandra for a little longer than comfortable, but eventually her eyes returned to Muriel as he dropped his cloak onto his cot and ran a large hand through her silky fur. A fire still crackled in the hearth, warming the humble home and burning away the dampness of the forest. Muriel must have left in a hurry when Asra called for his help.

As Muriel moved about the cabin, settling a large cauldron over the flames, Cassandra’s eyes fell on the scars that marred his battle-worn skin. How old was Muriel? Surely, he was far too young to bare so many marks. The number of scars easily outnumbered his years spent on this earth. Cassandra frowned at the flickering shadows cast by the firelight on ragged ridges of silvery skin.

“I wanted to thank you for what you did today. Back in town,” Cassandra said at last after Muriel had settled on his bed, which seemed far too small for his large frame.

“I would do anything for Asra,” he murmured, closing his eyes. Whether it was to steady himself or retreat into his mind, Cassandra didn’t know.

“Well, thank you for that,” she said gently, crossing the room with cautious steps so she wouldn’t spook Inanna nor her human companion. “You helped us out of a tough spot...even though Doctor Devorak… well… you know.”

Muriel said nothing.

“I… ah… Asra told me a little about your days as a gladiator.” Cassandra knew this was pitiful small talk. Muriel might have let her in, but she certainly wasn’t a welcome visitor. Perhaps it’d be better if she just left… “Returning to the Colosseum...in front of all those people… that was very brave of you, Muriel. It must not have been easy...”

She trailed off, the words dying in her throat as she noticed. He was shaking.

“Muriel?”

Nothing. He simply trembled, he head bowed as his shoulders tensed and his fingers quivered. She reached out for his hand but he jerked away, shaking more violently. Cassandra’s heart ached, knowing this was the product of facing nightmares and painful memories that were best left untouched.

Muriel began to muttered something unintelligible under his breath and Cassandra had to strain to make out the words.

“Please.”

“Hey, Muriel, it’s okay,” Cassandra cooed, kneeling before him to see his face clearly. To her left, Inanna growled lowly and the young magician held up her hands to show that she meant Muriel no harm. Inanna backed down, but her eyes remained vigilant.

Muriel’s face was a mask of pain, a stark contrast to the stone expression she had become accustomed to seeing. Sweat beaded at his brow as his ragged breath fanned across her cheeks.

“It’s okay,” Cassandra murmured again before she slowly raised her hand towards his face, her palm glowing with iridescent magic meant to soothe his suffering. Carefully, she rested her hand against Muriel’s cheek. Cassandra was surprised to see that he let her. “Is this alright?”

Muriel’s answer went unspoken. He leaned into her touch, expression still troubled but more relieved by a substantial degree. Cassandra could feel his pain crash into her in violent waves through the bond she created with her touch. She raised her other hand to his opposite cheek and his expression slackened even more, although much more agony still lurked beneath the surface.

“Tell me where it hurts,” Cassandra whispered, his skin cold under her touch. She hardly knew him beyond their few encounters and what Asra had told her, but now Cassandra knew that she would do anything to take his suffering away, even if only for a little while.

Muriel’s eyes opened, peering up at her in awe and disbelief. Pain still echoed in his muddy green irises as well as the caution he always carried around strangers, but his expression was as open and vulnerable as she had ever seen it. Momentarily, Cassandra felt like an intruder, as if his countenance was a secret she wasn’t privy to and she had violated something sacred by touching him so. But when Cassandra smoved to draw away, Muriel’s large hands covered her own, enveloping them in his grasp.

“Don’t go,” he croaked, eyes locking with hers.

Cassandra swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. She raised from her knees and sat on his cot beside him, watching with bated breath as his eyes drifted shut again and he moved her hands to his shoulders.

“Wait, Muriel, are you sure…?” The question died in the air as her palms pressed against the scarred skin. Pain flitted across his face, his body tensing before almost immediately relaxing under her touch. Cassandra let him guide her hands across the rugged terrain of his skin and he let her magic dispel the torturous pain that had lived within his bones for far too many years. When her hands brushed low over his stomach, Muriel whimpered and Cassandra began to pull away again, although his hands held her steady.

“I’m...okay,” Muriel grunted through labored breaths.

When his expression finally, fully, relaxed and his breathing flattened out, Cassandra let her magic dissipate, palms pressed to his chest. Her body sagged, weakened from the exertion of so much magic and Muriel reached out a hand to steady her, his touch surprisingly gentle. When the pale splotches of blue light that always appeared in Cassandra’s vision after she drew upon too much of her power finally faded, she became hyper-aware of Muriel’s skin under her hands, the chest that rose and fell steadily beneath, and the heart that thumped within. Cassandra was very close to Muriel--close enough to smell the sage and myrrh that wafted off of him--far closer than they had ever been. And beyond the limited proximity was all the contact. The touching.

It was very...intimate.

Cassandra wasn’t sure why she was suddenly so bashful, especially considering her hands had already travelled the wide expanse of him. It was a little late to be shy. Cassandra did however, take some comfort in noticing that she was not the only one who had suddenly become so farouche. Muriel had abruptly taken interest in his dusty floorboards, his cheeks flushed a deep pink. Cassandra withdrew her hands and this time he let her.

Inanna watched curiously from her spot by the fire.

“How are you...feeling?” Cassandra asked after a few long moments of heavy silence stretched between them. “No more pain?”

“No.” Muriel managed, taking a deep breath before meeting her gaze as he spoke. This...was new. “Thank you.”

Cassandra merely nodded. She wanted to tell him he didn’t have to thank her--that he shouldn’t--but the words failed her. Muriel didn’t deserve to still live with all of the pain Lucio had forced him to both inflict and endure. He shouldn’t have to thank anyone for taking away a burden he never should have had to carry.

“Are you...will you stay?”

Cassandra’s brows raised at his invitation and she simply repeated, “Stay?”

Bashful again, Muriel averted his eyes once more, his voice falling to a murmur.  “It’s dark out. It’s too dangerous for you to return alone.”

“Oh,” Cassandra turned her gaze upon one of the few windows in the house that looked out upon the world. He was right. In the time that she had been here, dusk had fallen. It was much too late to go wandering around the unfamiliar forest by herself, demon goat on the loose or not.

Stay. She turned that word over in her head, attention returning to the man beside her. Something had… changed today. In between her following Muriel home and easing his pain, something inside her had been transformed, and the idea of remaining here, even if only for a night, wasn’t so bad.

“Is that something… you want?” Cassandra questioned, resting her hand on his elbow. Muriel did not speak, but his answer was there; a slight nod, his fingertips brushing the knuckles of her hand on his arm. It was decided.

If he wanted her to stay, she would stay.