nothornlessrose | Room 203, Saturday Evening

Room 203, Saturday Evening

After they got back to Fandom, Cassidy had gone immediately to her room. Out of habit, she put a Tiger-Eye shield up around the room and then changed into pajamas. For the longest time, she sat on the floor beneath the window, looking through some of her books from home. With everything that had happened this week, her concerns about holding the leash of a Warlord Prince seemed so long ago.

She would probably do research on jhinkas at some point in time, but that wouldn't be today.

After awhile, she put a warming spell on the bed and crawled under the covers. She had seen and felt a lot of things over the past few days and she wasn't exactly sure how to process it all. Besides the fact that she had met a very cranky Warlord Prince who happened to be her cousin, Aaron, and the Queen who wanted to be his Lady, Kalush, other things were not as harmless.

She was worried about Karla. She was worried about Jaenelle. She was worried about Raven. She was worried about Morton.

Mother Night and may the Darkness be merciful. She was worried about everyone that had been involved in what had happened. It was easier to just say that than to try to think about everyone separately. She didn't know all of Karla's friends that had been there, but she was determined that she would try to get to know them. Poppi would say that when there was a crisis, you should get to know everyone that was there.

Agio could definitely be considered a crisis.

Of course, she would do that another day. Right now, she wasn't thinking of leaving her room or talking to anyone tonight.

Too bad she had forgotten about the fact that a Queen was supposed to let members of her Court know her whereabouts and there was a cranky Black Widow looking for her.

[[OOC: For Shira.]]

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Cassidy ran a hand through her hair.

"Karla was missing," she explained softly. "She was in trouble and we thought the worst. Emma gathered several of us up and we went to Kaeleer to find her."

Shira wasn't sure how to feel about that. On the one hand, she didn't know Karla well enough to feel specifically upset, but on the other hand, it was a Queen who had gone missing. So she could understand why Cassidy had taken off, would have done the same herself if it were Cassidy who'd been missing, but that didn't change a few things.

"Elle and I were terrified," Shira said, leaning back against the door. "Well, I was pissed off and upset. She was terrified."

She blinked back tears, feeling bad that she had worried her court. She was searching for a good explanation and she couldn't find one that was acceptable by Protocol.

"I didn't mean to scare you guys," Cassidy said, bowing her head. "I won't let that happen again."

Okay, she would never disappear like that again. She would probably give her Court fits more than once.

Cassidy's psychic scent was a mixture of sadness and regret.

Shira moved from the door to sit on the edge of Cassidy's bed. "I don't know a lot of Protocol, so I don't know the appropriate Queen response," she said carefully. "But when my mother did something that upset my father, she would let him fuss over her. It didn't fix the fact that she'd upset him or worried him, but it was an obvious gesture that she was sorry. And sometimes that was all that was needed."

"It was bad, Shira," she whispered. "It was so bad. I never imagined that anything could that horrible."

Then to her horror, she burst into tears.

Shira instantly wrapped her arms around Cassidy and held her close. "Ssh, it's all right," she whispered. "It's okay now. You're here now. You're safe. Nothing's going to hurt you."

Because she might only wear Tiger-Eye, but Darkness help anyone that came near her Queen right then.

"So many innocent people killed and so many children. Those creatures just kept attacking and killing." She shuddered. "When we got there, Karla and Lady Jaenelle were so worn out from healing so many and there were so many more than needed our help. I've never felt such pain as I did there and those creatures were so full of hate. We were trapped by them and the witch storm."

"I wish I'd been there," Shira said softly, resting her head against Cassidy's. "I could've helped. I could have healed people. I don't know how much good I'd have been otherwise, but I could have helped heal."

Part gentle dig, part calculated attempt to shift Cassidy's focus. Because Shira knew full well how much good she would have been otherwise. She was a damn good witch and being Shaladoran, also a damn good fighter.

Cassidy leaned against her, trying to calm the tears down. "Part of me wishes you had been there and part of me is glad that you weren't. I don't know if I will ever get all of that out of my mind, Shira. I've never seen so much death or pain. And it was hard for anyone to rest because so many people needed help and those that weren't taking care of the wounded were worried about the shield over the village and how we were going to get out of there."

Or even if they were going to get out of there.

"It hurts to see people in pain," Shira agreed. "I'm... used to it in a way. The Shaladoran suffering is quieter, but it's still very much there. Doesn't make it any easier to see, for all we're used to actually experiencing it. But it's so much there that it's practically a way of life for us."

She sighed. "So you're not going to be alone in it."

"I won't let that happen," Cassidy whispered. "I won't let that keep happening to you and Ranon. I won't allow anyone to hurt my Court and my friends. I will make sure that no one that serves me ever has to deal with that pain and fear."

The resolve in her voice was strong, even if she was still in tears.

Shira was touched. "Thank you," she said softly, knowing the words were woefully inadequate and also knowing she didn't have any others to use. "It's not going to be easy, though. By any means. But... if anybody can do it, it's you."

"A Queen protects her Court," she said as firmly as she could. "They don't let anyone or anything hurt them." She shook her head. "I never want you to be afraid of serving in my Court, Shira."

"I won't be," Shira said. "With you as my Queen, how could I be?" Because they didn't know each other all that well yet, but there were some things you just knew.

"Might I make a recommendation, though?"

"Of course," she nodded. "You're in my First Circle and your opinion is important to me."

"Make sure you talk to Elle? I get the feeling she doesn't get genuinely attached to people very easily and she seemed pretty freaked out that you'd up and left her."

It was odd, really. Sometimes when around Elle, Shira had the oddest sense that the girl was broken. There was danger and vulnerability mixed in with an odd dash of viciousness that could have been worrisome if not for her clear desire to make people happy.

"I will. I never would do that to her -- especially when she seemed so surprised that I was giving her a place in my Court." Cassidy took a shaky breath. "Just, when Emma sent out the summons that Karla was missing, I just gathered up supplies and ran off. I should have let you both know before I did anything." She sniffled. "At least Ranon wasn't here... and we don't have to tell him about this, right?"

"Oh, Mother Night." Shira paled at the idea of what Ranon might do. "This is going to be our little secret forever and ever and ever. Oh, and forever and ever, too."

Cassidy nodded. "This is a very good idea. He doesn't ever need to know what happened."

"You have good ideas. Very good ideas." Shira hugged Cassidy. "And hey. At least you've learned something from the whole running off without telling us thing." She grinned mischeviously. "And that something is don't run off without telling at least someone or you'll have a very cranky Healer and Black Widow show up and start shrieking at you. And nobody wants that."

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Room 203, Saturday Evening

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