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Cassandra found Vex slumped over the table in the dining room of Whitestone Castle nursing a strangely coloured drink, which Cassandra strongly suspected was a hangover cure courtesy of Keyleth. She could just make out the bags under the elf’s eyes as she stared solemnly at the drink, her fingers clasped around it as she seemed to will herself to pull it towards her.
Cassandra cleared her throat startling the elf slightly whom sat up straight almost immediately before regretting it, a hand pressed to the bridge of her nose, not unlike her bother would do sometimes.
Cassandra crossed the room taking a seat opposite Vex, trying to supress the smile pulling at her lips as the elf frowned trying to focus her eyes on her.
“Good morning Vex’ahlia. You had a good time last night I suspect?”
Vex’s eyes went downcast in an instant, staring intently at her glass but she couldn’t hide the grin pulling at her lips “One could say that yes. I mean we did just free Tal’Dorei from the Chroma Conclave. I’m surprised you didn’t join us Cassandra?”
When Vex lifted her head Cassandra gave her a grim smile. “When one’s brother refuses to take responsibly for being head of the family it falls to me. I regret being unable to join due to handling the political fallout of losing Uriel. It apparently falls to Whitestone to takeover the affairs of Tal’Dorei until Emon recovers from the devastation of the Chroma Conclave.”
Vex pulled her lips into a tight line, she had forgotten how young Cassandra was and she looked positively withered for someone so young. Percy had said she was the youngest of the siblings but with the stress of being under the Briarwoods control for so many years and then taking over the duties of Whitestone she looked like she had aged far beyond her years.
Cassandra sighed heavily before continuing. “Hopefully once the dust settles and Emon has a newly elected council, the burden of Tal-Dorei will fall to others. Once that is settled and when my brother decides to share the weight of Whitestone with me, I may finally be able to relax and indulge in more frivolous activities. But until then I will remain head of Whitestone.”
Vex felt for Cassandra, she had been so young when this had started and she still is at the age of eighteen running an entire town. Vex could only imagine the pile of papers sitting on her desk and briefly imagined Percy sitting her place, asleep at the desk much like how she would find him in his workshop late at night.
Suddenly Cassandra brightened a mischievous smile pulling at her lips as she clasped her hands together before leaning her chin atop her fingers. “Speaking of my brother…” Cassandra paused for effect, watching Vex narrow her eyes in confusion in response. “A curious title my brother has given you considering it was not his to give. But I can only assume it was for a good reason no?”
Vex paused thinking back to the moment in Syngorn when Percy had handed back the letter to her father with that magnificent smug smile, as he triumphantly announced the title wiping the smirk right off the pricks face.
To see Syldor the man she loathed to call her father, who had barely spared her glance in her direction when she was young, now looking in what Vex could only describe was how proud he seemed but only for the briefest of moments before he resumed a familiar mask.
How happy she had felt once the rest of the family left to see Percy’s beaming mischievous smile looking back at her. How grateful she was for giving her so much more than just a simple title. He had given her a home. A place to call her own.
“I can assure you Cassandra, it was for a very good reason but I strongly suspect only your brother can truly answer that.”
Cassandra narrowed her eyes searching the elf’s faced but did not find the answer she sought. She sighed, shaking her head in dismay, her fringe falling into her eyes for a moment forcing her to brush it away with her hand.
“Sadly my brother has been quite tight lipped on the matter so I had hoped you would be more forthcoming but alas it will remain unanswered.” Cassandra pressed a finger to her lips much like her brother as she had a thought come to mind. “But a question I do hope you could answer, do you like my brother? More than just his friend?”
Vex had begun to drink from the glass when Cassandra spoke and had spit-take the contents back into the glass forcing her to swallow hard before coughing. Vex could feel the tips of her pointed ears burning as she spoke. “Sorry?”
Cassandra chuckled, leaning a little further down the table. “Lets be straight with each other shall we? We both know my brother does not do anything without a real reason behind it. Such as giving a friend such an important title,” Cassandra paused again to see the blush rise in Vex’s cheeks. “Or stabbing a dragon in the middle of the war room inside the castle.” Cassandra just about spat the words, rolling her eyes as she did so.
Vex remembered Percy back peddling when she had confronted him at first stating it was to force Raishan’s hand which admittedly had worked but eventually gave her an embarrassed smile as he admitted it was a dangerously stupid idea.
“He does not do anything but halves that is for sure. But he did have good intentions Cassandra.” Vex swirled the contents of the glass, watching the concoction slosh around until she took a sip even as her face contorted in disgust.
“While I admit that may be true you are skirting my question.” Cassandra chuckled with mirth as Vex placed the drink down, pushing it away from her for a moment, giving it a steady glare before returning her gaze to Cassandra.
“What I think of your brother is nothing of your concern, Lord Cassandra.” Vex responded icily, not taking her eyes off the woman opposite her.
Cassandra smirked and defiantly returned the icy response. “It may not be Lady Vex’ahlia,” Vex felt a shiver run down her spine at the name, “-but I do care for my brother and I take particular interest in those that he deems enough for his time despite his protests. While we may not have been close when we were young, very few things piqued his interest, love not being one of them. He would be the first to excuse himself from a grand ball to hide in his workshop rather than dance with the ladies.”
“I had always thought your brother would’ve been quite the charmer.”
“He could be if it suited him for his own benefit or if Father forced him to be cordial with potential suitors. He has the gift of the gab as you may know well but he rarely paid as much attention as he does with you.”
“That’s not true-“
“I thought we were being honest with each other here, Lady Vex’ahlia? My brother listens to very few people in his life, so I tend to notice when his attention is focused solely on you.”
Vex was instantly reminded of Vax encouraging her to speak to Percy about how she felt about the human after the ritual reveal.
He only listens to you. You are really the only one he listens to.
Now she thought about it he was the one she found it easy to confide in other than her brother. She had with ease explained her trepidation about entering Syngorn for the first time in years and how he had carefully crafted his responses in an effort to help her feel better.
She had felt the same albeit nervously when she had spoken to him in the woods, confiding in the carving on Fenthras, showing how much his words had touched her more than she even realised at first. How the one person who had been so set on vengeance to kill those that had wronged him to suddenly forgive the woman whom had caused him so much pain.
She had bared her heart to him both times and both times he had listened. Listened intently and offered words of encouragement with the promise of being there for her when she needed him the most.
“While there may be an element of truth we both know he is not known for being open about his feelings.”
“That is true for those he does interact on a rare basis but I suspect he will in time express those feelings to you since he knows you so well.”
Vex pressed a finger to her lips remembering their conversation in the woods, how in a split moment decision that seemed to surprise both of them he had closed the distance between them, clasping her chin gently between forefinger and thumb before kissing her softly with a smug smile as he pulled away.
“We’ll talk later.” He had said before walking off.
“I suspect in time he will.” Vex grinned to herself much to Cassandra’s confusion.
“But enough about me. What of you and Kynan?” Vex watched with satisfaction as Cassandras’ cheeks blushed forcing her to cough away her embarrassment.
“I’m not sure I follow you…”
Vex smirked before she continued. “Kynan needs some order in his life and I think for once in his life he has finally found the stability he has so sorely needed in being your bodyguard. I mean you two have grown awfully close as of late, if not pushing past the boundaries of professional wouldn’t you say?“ Cassandra smiled, pursing her lips together in thought remembering when she has first met the boy a few months ago.
“What I may or may not do in my spare time that may or may not include Kynan is none of your concern, Lady Vex’ahlia.” Vex sniggered watching Cassandra’s expression harden even as her cheeks blushed even more. “What I will say is that I am appreciative of his assistance.”
Vex smirked as she spoke, pulling the glass close to her again. “I thought we were being honest here?” Cassandra glared at Vex but the elf shrugged before grinning. “I’m sure Kynan has done a lot more than just that, Lord Cassandra.”
Cassandra had been about to protest when a new voice interrupted them. “What has the boy done now?” The recognisable voice of Percival caused both women to freeze in place and fall silent before the two now turned to Percy standing by the door in his long blue coat and ascot.
Vex felt her mouth go dry and Cassandra seemingly fell silent as she found herself increasingly distracted by the cracks in the table. “We were just discussing how Kynan was improving since we last saw him.” Vex said after finishing the contents of her drink, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
“Dare I ask why?”
“Would you rather we spoke of you brother?” Cassandra now piped up as Percy now closed the distance standing behind his sister, his hands resting on the back of her chair as he looked over at Vex.
“I would much rather you didn’t.” Percy glanced down at his sister with the look of disgust. “So what were you really talking about?” Cassandra returned his disgust with a smug smile.
“Practicing De Rolo honesty, brother.” Percy narrowed his eyes in confusion, his eyes darting between both the women in his life but was given no answers from the blank expressions he received.
Sensing he was not going to get a straight answer from either of them, he changed the subject. “Vex, might a speak to you?”
Now it was Vex narrowed her eyes wondering why he would suddenly need to speak to her. “Speak Percival, no secrets hide here.” Percy shifted uncomfortably at this, now feeling cornered.
“I had hoped to speak to you privately about continuing our conversation.” Vex tilted her head even as Percy flashed his eyes at her, trying to allude as to what he meant.
Thankfully for Percy, Cassandra sighed heavily standing from the table, pushing her chair back forcing Percy out of her way as she moved to him. “Pray keep your secrets brother I will leave you two alone. But we will talk about this later.”
The two siblings locked eyes before Cassandra grinned now seeming even younger than before as she slotted into being the annoying sibling for a brief moment, straightening his ascot.
“Don’t you have dignitaries to meet?” Percy growled in annoyance, pushing his sisters hands away as he tried to create some distance between them.
“You mean the dignitaries that you should be meeting, Lord Percival?” Cassandra shot back her eyes hardening as she did so, closing the distance between them again.
“Cass-“ Percy began but Cassandra waved a hand silencing him quickly before clasping her hands behind her back.
“That’s Lord Cassandra to you brother. When you start sharing the responsibilities of Whitestone only then do you get to use my name properly. But until then I leave you to your business. Good night Lady Vex’ahlia. Good night Lord Percival.”
“Good night Lord Cassandra.” Vex bowed as best she could from the other side of the table as she stood sharing a bemused look with Cassandra.
“Good night Lord Cassandra.” Percy said through gritted teeth and Cassandra simply chuckled, patting her brothers’ arm as she passed but paused to whisper in his ear. “Practice some honesty brother.” Before she walked from the room giggling even as Percy grumbled to himself.
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” He shouted to the door only to hear Cassandra cackle travel from the hall.