#pixie writes

“You’re freezing,” Luke says from behind you as you feel the mattress dip. 

You had just showered, your hair was slightly damp, and your skin was warm from the water, though already losing heat. You’re tucked under the blanket and wearing one of Luke’s old UMich shirts, with your knees pulled up close to you, trying—yet failing to stay warm. 

“I’m fine, Lu…” you mumble, causing Luke to softly snort.

“You’re literally shaking.” 

Cold air slips in as he lifts the blanket, but slightly disappears when he gets in behind you. And of course, he doesn’t hesitate, he just snuggles closer until your back presses against his chest, his arm sliding around your waist. 

“Your hair’s still wet,” he softly says, his thumb softly rubbing over the ends. “No wonder you’re so cold...” 

You hum, and inch backward more into him, snuggling closer, if even possible. The blanket shifts as he moves it up higher so it’s at your shoulders, before his arm tightens around your waist and you let out a soft content sigh. 

“Lukey?” you mumble, your voice sounding sleepy already. 

“Mh?” he hums. 

“You’re warm…cozy.” 

A smile curves against your hair, and he lets out a soft laugh. “That’s kinda the point, baby.” 

You smile, and he rubs slow circles into your side, and your feet slip between his calves, toes cold but warming quickly as he stays close. 

Your body relaxes against his, the tension in your shoulders melts away, and your fingers that were curled into his shirt release as you get sleepier.

And of course Luke notices—always does. And after a few quiet moments, he softly speaks, his voice careful not to really disturb you. “Better now?...” 

You softly nod, barely awake. “Mhm…warm…” 

And that’s all he needs to hear. 

Both were breathing heavily, when they eventually arrived at the training ground, just when the last bell tone began to fade. 

Lucanis’ slender frame was already standing at attention and real worry for both of them showed on his face as he had to watch Caterina striding towards Illario and Cara with stern steps and an icy stare as they came to a halt.  Panting, chests pumping and sweat streaming down their faces.

“So, Master Dellamorte and Lady de Riva have eventually decided to join us today.” the sarcasm was literally dripping from every word.  Her cane made a clinking noise on the ground like a dark thread.

It did not matter that technically they had been just in time.  There was no arguing about what was or was not in time. Caterina was just looking for a way to justify the torment she was about to inflict on them.

“Run! Five laps around the estate. High Path. If you are not here and done within the hour you will run five more. And five more if you won’t finish within the next hour then. Until you finish the course in time. I play this game longer than you three have years combined and I won’t tolerate any lack of discipline. I have the patience for you to finish this task even if I have to wait for you till midnight or tomorrow morning!” She waved her free hand towards Lucanis and resumed without pause: “You, my boy, will run with them and have an eye on them. No shortcuts, no taking the easy route. You will report the smallest of steps astray from the route I ordered. Understood?”

“Yes, Caterina.” Lucanis had already mastered the art of not letting any emotion slip neither with his tone or a facial expression. It was impossible to see what he was thinking or feeling.  Would he really rat them out to her? Was this, how they operated in here? Cara wondered.

Lucanis just shrugged towards Illario and Cara, then pointed with his chin into the direction they were supposed to take.  “Let’s hurry. One hour is a tight goal!”

Just around the next corner, Illario was back on mocking her: ”You’ll be dead after this run with all that baggage. And probably be the reason we will be running all night. Thank you, de Riva!“ He snapped between heavy breaths while jogging next to her.

”Mierda, save your breath, Illario and run!” Lucanis barely turned his head to look at his cousin while he swiftly was making pace a few meters ahead of them.

”It was not my fault we were late.“ she hissed back and sharply pushed her elbow into Illario’s ribs, before she sped up to catch up with his cousin.

Illario almost tripped as her bump threw him out of pace. ”Maldita perra!“ he cursed, while Cara just snickered.

”Leave him alone, de Riva.“ Lucanis was barely breaking a sweat and maintained a fast and steady pace. ”Caterina makes his life miserable enough.“  

”I am right here, Lucanis.“ Illario complained from behind. ”And I don’t need your pity. Or anyone elses. Especially not from a royal bastard de Riva bitch.“

”Shut up and run! We got this.“ Cara quickly looked over her shoulder. ”We all know, we were both in time but your grandmother was looking for a reason to inflict punishment on us.“ This time Illario did not even bother to give an answer.

They jogged in silence for a while and soon Cara learned what the High Path was. They had to climb up some ivy veins that were growing around one corner stone of the massive wall that marked the borders of Villa Dellamorte.  The wall’s capstone was spiked with razor sharp shards that stuck in a layer of concrete. The slightest trip, a second of distraction or the loss of focus could be lethal, because this was the route they were supposed to take. 

And it was Cara’s first time ever on this track, as she followed Lucanis who almost looked as if we would be dancing on this deadly path at breath-taking speed. This was clearly not his first time on this route.  She watched where he found footing and tried to set her steps exactly as he did. It helped but it still was terrifying finding her way many feet above ground across a narrow path of literal spear heads.  Cara feared that she would be wasting precious time with her caution. But recklessness would be far more dangerous so she moved as fast as she could without becoming sloppy. The second time around she would probably already feel safer. 

Once the wall had been passed, their way led them further up a trellis and after they had scaled that, a seemingly endless sprint across a tin-roof followed.  The midday-sun was cruel, they could even hear the sizzling sounds of their sweat drops hitting the hot metal.

”How did you know, we would have to run?“ Cara was clearly fighting for air when she asked Lucanis who maintained a swift and even pace.   

“I didn’t” he repeated.

“But you gave me your water skin. I would be up for death without any water on this course.” She did a short sprint until they ran side by side.

“What ever she makes us do. You will never want to be without water.” Lucanis explained.

“Right. Makes sense. Thank you again.”  Cara and Lucanis briefly nodded at each other.  This was no alliance or the start of a friendship. Just them acknowledging that they all three were in a similar position and the only power they possessed was to work together instead of against each other.  She hoped that Lucanis would be able, to make his cousin understand that too, somehow.

~~~

It had taken them 15 laps around Villa Dellamorte on the High Path, and therefor three full hours of running before Caterina’s task had been fulfilled. 

A few moments before the big tower bell started ringing to announce the third hour of afternoon they had managed to finish just in time.  Barely conscious they stumbled onto the training ground to reach the spots where they had started this murderous run three hours earlier.

Each of them had at least once retched out their guts along the way due to heat and exhaustion. They had kept each other moving, grabbing an arm when one was about to faint, dragging them along until the other was back on track.  Their water skins had been empty way too soon but they had shared every single drop of it among them. When Lucanis had tripped at some point, it had been Illario who caught his cousin and pulled him along with him until he could continue on his own.

And even though Cara and Illario could not stop exchanging verbal jabs and insults for the most part of the race, it had been Illario who at some point had offered to carry her heavy weapons for a while.  Which she had firmly denied, but still noted this honest display of camaraderie. 

Which did not make her like him more, but she could at least respect the fact that even the two of them growing up so isolated from other young Crows, they still instinctively understood the unwritten codex of survival among those not in power. That their only chance to survive the grueling ordeal of every test young crows were put through by their superiors, was to band together whenever they could, without facing grim consequences. 

That those two would backstab her (quite figuratively) the second, it came to a 'we against you'-situation was a given to her. Thus she kept up her guards.  But as long as the two Dellamorte boys continued to be willing to form a temporary alliance in order to survive Caterina’s lessons, Cara would take it.

Caterina was already standing there.  Waiting for them. Of course she had been informed by one of her invisible eyes, that they were about to finish. The matriarch had taken exactly the same spot as earlier, when she was sending them off to this grueling race hours ago. 

With an almost disgusted expression she glanced over the three young Crows as they all had collapsed to the ground, desperately panting to catch their breath and recover from overheating, dehydration and exhaustion.  Their garments were all dirty and torn, hands and knees bruised and bloody. Hair and faces soaking wet from sweat and probably running tears.

“Pathetic!” if it wasn’t impossible, Cara could have sworn the temperature in the yards dropped, just from the ice in Caterina’s voice. “You look like pigs and you behave like pigs. An Antivan Crow maintains grace and posture and flawless manners under all given circumstances. Rolling in the dirt like ogres… Disgusting!”

They all tried to get up as fast as they could, but it took time and a lot of effort. Legs were all wobbly and cramping, refusing to hold them upright.  But eventually all three of them were able to form some kind of line and stood at attention, none of them sure on their feet.

“You! De Riva! Step forward!” Cara did what she was told. “Why does the 5th Talon allow you to grow out your hair like that? It’s way too long, getting in the way. And the color probably shines in the dark! Has no one told you that the first order of being a fledgling is to blend in? Melt into the shadows? And why are you carrying shield and sword? We are assassins and no common town guards or foot soldiers!”

Even if she’d been allowed to reply, Cara would have been at a loss for words.  The dispute over her weapons of choice?  Well she could live with that. And was well prepared to prove, why it made sense.  In words and deeds. 

But never ever had anyone voiced an objection towards her waist long deep red curls.  Usually no Crow ever would criticize the appearances of their fellow Crows in such an earnest and derogatory manner. It was just not what Crows were all about.  As long as you fulfilled your contracts and followed the basic rules, it was all each their own. And having long hair, or red hair, was not against any of the rules, Cara was aware of. 

But well, this was the First Talon.  A woman of a whole other generation.  There was no way, Cara could stand up against Caterina. 

This woman loved to inflict pain. And not only physically.  Telling her to bun up or braid her hair so it would not get in the way would have been a fair critique that Cara would have accepted and even agreed with to some degree. She probably would even have understood getting punishment for being sloppy. For practicality and reason it was often easier to put her hair up. 

But Caterina was not picking on her for logic or with good intentions for her to learn a lesson. The matriarch was out for blood.

Either way, Cara had no choice but to remain silent.  She stared into the distance, just slightly past Caterina’s face to make it not that obvious that she tried to avert direct eye contact in order to remain calm and silent. Cara would not have been able to maintain the stoic façade, if she’d tried to meet the matriarch’s eyes.

Caterina made a sharp gesture with her free hand and an second later a servant hastily appeared, eagerly waiting for an order.

“Shears!” The single word echoed in the yards and even louder in Cara’s head and Illario escaped a short gasp.

Caterina’s head snapped towards her taller grandson.  “What’s that to you, Illario? Are you already wasting your time and the little talents that you’ve been graced with, by lusting over yet another pretty face again? When will you learn?”  The tip of her cane landed on Illario’s chest.

Meanwhile the servant had returned and with an obedient bow, he carefully placed a pair of rusty sheep shears in the First Talons hand.

Under normal circumstances Cara would not have reacted at all.  She had seen worse been done to fellow fledglings and was just as used to harsh punishments as any other young Crow in Antiva. 

Yet, today, she suddenly felt like fainting and some very unwelcome hot tears started welling up.  She willed them down and stubbornly pressed her lips to a thin line.  She would not allow her brother to even guess, when a punishment hit her in the feelings and for sure this old hag would not get the satisfaction to see a single tear from her, either. 

Meanwhile Lucanis was staring the other way and into the void.  He was obviously trying to pretend he was not part of this scene to be able to maintain as calm as he appeared.  He was simply not here. Clever boy. 

On the other hand, Illario’s obvious engagement in another Crows punishment would most likely do him no good.  

“Illario, over here!” Caterina demanded.  There it was. No way to oppose and so he obeyed and gingerly stepped over to where his grandmother was standing. 

She handed him the rusty shears and pointed towards Cara.  “Off with it! Not longer than yours. And quick! Training is not finished and I will not waste any more time with the shortcomings in the education of other Houses!”

Cara swallowed hard but refused to shut her eyes.  She was more angry than afraid now and fought hard to remain unreadable. 

Illario moved.  Hesitant and clumsy.  When for a moment Caterina was behind his back, he silently mouthed “I’m sorry”. 

Cara did not react.  This Illario remained an enigma to her:  Loud, obnoxious and by no means a strategic mastermind but then again he showed genuine emotions and empathy more than what was healthy for him. 

Then all in a sudden, Caterina’s patience expired and her cane landed forcefully across Illario’s back. His suppressed gasp of pain and him tripping forward under the force of the blow brought Cara back from her musings to the very real here and now.

“Hurry up, you idiot! And you, de Riva, bend over so he can get done with that cut!”

Technically I was supposed to this post this yesterday but assignments got in the way 😬.