Chapter 2: Verdict Of Her Father
Cassandra LeBlanc was led to the private chamber of her father; Thalorian LeBlanc. One of the five high mages of the Magical Kingdom of Speldaria but the one who held the highest authority.
She tentatively knocked, and nervousness gripped her like a vice.
"Enter!" Thalorian's deep gruff voice sounded from inside and her heart clenched.
Her father could be cruel and ruthless if he chose to be.
Cassandra opened the ochre shaded double door by pushing against it with her shaking hands and entered tentatively.
Her father was elegantly perched upon his throne-like high seat with his hands steepled in front. His hawk-like eyes were focused on his youngest offspring. The one he considered to be his biggest shame.
"Father! You called for me." Cassandra respectfully folded her hands in front and slightly lifted her head to make eye contact with her father.
Thalorian leaned back in his chair and asked.
"Yes, have you met the barbarian brute sent for you?"
"I have," she politely answered in a meek voice, lowering her eyes.
"You are taking part in the arena this year. Making your debut. He will be your representative. Ensure he gives us a spectacular show. We are inviting Shifter Alphas this year, a peaceful treaty is what we sought. Don't disappoint me more," Thalorian informed her with disgust visible in his voice.
So what Stephanie had said was true.
Her father was indeed throwing her into the arena, knowing she had no magic. She wouldn't survive much longer.
A shiver scuttled down her spine and settled in her gut, spreading panic throughout her system.
"But…" she lifted her desperate eyes to plead her case.
"There will be no buts, Cassandra. Do your duty as it's required of you. Go train now, make yourself useful for once. I desire this event to be unparalleled to what anyone has ever experienced before."
He paused, "The Alpha of Dusartine has personally requested you be the participant, exactly the reason he sent one of his best warriors. It's all a sport, let's give them an impressive one."
Train? What was she to train for?
Why was an alpha interested in seeing someone like her in the arena?
Was he as sadistic as the men of her kingdom?
Arena had teams with two people making a single one.
One mage and one warrior.
Mages strategised with their partners and planned their battles. They had each other's back and worked as one unit to win.
But without magic how was she to defend him? She had decent sword skills but will they even come in handy against magic, lightning-fast shifters, vampires, orcs and who knew whom her father had invited this year?
It was useless to argue with her father though.
"Yes, Father," she defeatedly said and bowed in respect. She was suffocating under his scrutinising gaze and wished to leave here as soon as possible.
Her body moved, her feet shuffled, taking her closer to the door, a few more steps and she would be out of there.
"Die if you have to in the arena but don't bring shame to me. A dead daughter is better than a shamed one." His heartless words had her halting but she didn't spin around to face him. Tears scalded the back of her eyes but none escaped.
"Then I guess I will die," she stiffly said before rushing out of that stifling place. Her feet made no noise against the cold colourless floor.
A lady through and though she had been taught to be, even when her life was falling apart.
Her father had never disciplined her by vetting out physical punishments but his emotional torture was enough to leave her soul in shambles.
If only her mother was alive…
In her quickness, she bumped into someone and almost fell to the ground if her wrist hadn't been caught by a strong hand. She was pulled forward and was made to stand on her feet.
Her breath becoming irregular for her heart was going berserk.
Raising her head she wished she hadn't been hasty. He was the last person she wished to see in that moment.
"Is all well with you?" He slowly asked, steadying her and letting go of her wrist quickly as if her touch had scalded him.
Cassandra hurriedly composed herself and curtsied.
"I apologise, I shouldn't have made haste."
"No apologies needed. Is it true though?" A hint of curiosity she sensed in his voice as his cerulean eyes tried to read her face.
"True what?" Her heart throbbed in her swelled chest. She had a hint of what he wished to inquire.
"That you are taking part in the arena and already have a warrior gifted to you by the Alpha of Dusartine for it?" Her fiancé asked, a hint of surprise in his voice but no possessiveness as should have been. He could have prevented this. He was her father's right hand man.
"Yes! Commander Razial," she politely answered, no butterflies were dancing in her stomach when she spoke to him. They had long died because of his indifference.
There was a time when she was mesmerised by the handsome Mage Commander. Like a naive girl with unrealistic dreams.
He was hers now and yet he wasn't. The arrangement was forced by her father on the pretext she wouldn't find a good match elsewhere and his biggest shame would remain under his roof.
She felt nothing now.
Empty like a hollowed shell, who's pearl had been lost.
The way he spoke to her, all bland and emotionless, it killed her more every time. But she had learnt to guard her heart around him. He didn't affect her the way he used to.
And she wondered, being the commander working directly under her father. He knew someone was sent for her and yet he made no effort to interfere.
She half expected him to say that he would speak to her father that she wasn't fit for the arena. Where blood flowed like water and only people with years of training dared set foot in it?
But, Cassandra was stretching her luck.
"Good luck then, I will see you around," he said politely but without a hint of envy or unease. It felt like he was almost relieved.
No one loves the cursed child like her who had killed her mother during childbirth. And turned out to be such a disappointment, being a mage princess and possessing no magic.
She was an abomination.
Why would a mage of his calibre ever want or love her?
He seemed disgusted, almost.
"Of course," she answered, trying to keep the hurt and bitterness from creeping up in her voice. The unshed tears were held at bay too.
She watched him leave, his blue and silver cloak effortlessly flowed behind him and so did his long raven hair. A straight braid rested elegantly in the centre of his locks.
With a restless sigh, Cassandra turned her head and headed back to her room.
She had to have a conversation with the mysterious warrior. He did within a few minutes what Razial couldn't do in all their years of knowing each other.
He had made her heart race like it had never and before.
But how?
Was he mute though?
How did he escape the silver chains?
So many questions crowded her already stuffed brain.
There was only one way to find out. She had to go speak to him.
Her steps picked up the pace as she hoped that servants had moved him from her chambers and assigned him some guest chamber.
But all her hopes were deflated when she neared her room and found him standing outside. With his overly brawny and tanned arms crossed over his toned chest.
And then his gold-dusted eyes lifted and found hers, pinning her to the ground and stealing her very breath.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Sunny_Shumail
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Chapter 3: You Can Talk?
Cassandra's breath was stuck in her throat for a while, the way this man was unnerving her was not ordinary. Such feelings didn't exist for her.
Clearing her throat Cassandra finally willed herself to step forward and address him.
"Let me arrange the guest chamber for you. You can wait here."
The slight tilt of his head and that deep inhale unsettled Cassandra even more. Instead of speaking he only stared with those gold-infused eyes. She wondered if he even understood the language.
Sighing heavily, Cassandra's always straight shoulders slightly slouched, and she let her arms fall. Turning around she began to head for the guest wing of their castle.
A few steps in she felt his presence right behind her. Abruptly turning around, resulted in his colliding with her. She flailed again, her mouth opened in shock but his strong hands caught her by the waist and had her flush against his naked chest.
'Two times in a matter of a few minutes, that's my personal best level of awkwardness of falling and being rescued by men,' Cassandra thought to herself while blushing all shades of red.
But there was a stark difference in how both men had rescued her. While her fiancé had simply stabilised her and let go instantly.
This male was holding her snugly against his glistening chest, her face was buried in his pectorals. She could feel the swirling heat, the unique scent and cords and cords of muscles that were perfectly packed on his torso.
Most importantly she could sense the static sparks that travelled from wherever he touched and made her skin tingle. Plus that intoxicating scent seemed to ooze out of every pore.
His embrace was gentle and warm in comparison to how rough his hands were. She could feel them through the fabric of her gown.
"Careful!" He slowly breathed on the outer edges of her ear, making her bristle in his arms.
The voice so dark, rich and almost sinful.
'So the beast can speak,' she breathlessly mumbled to herself and made the mistake of lifting her eyes.
The pools of gold held only her as they swirled and almost sucked her inside. Her breath was stuck in her throat as her lips slightly parted and she tried to detangle herself from his extremely thick arms.
A flicker of disapproval flashed on his face at her actions but he let her go. She seemed overwhelmed and they were in the open area.
She scampered away as soon as he removed his arms from around her and accusingly asked, but she wasn't ready for the answer.
"You can speak?"
"When needed," he instantly replied in such a deep tone that sent a pang of shiver running through her. A hint of tease could be sensed.
"Good to know. Why are you following me?" She asked with a scowl while trying to get her frantic heartbeat under control.
He didn't answer, only gazed at her, rattling her.
She began to walk again, and he followed but leaned in and whispered. The hot breath made the tiny hair on her nape stand erect.
"To save you from falling on that pretty ass and hurting yourself."
A deep shade of crimson was what Cassandra's face turned into. Even a tomato couldn't rival it. She abruptly turned to face him, the scowl transforming to a full-on glower.
'Did he just speak about my ass?'
'Is that what he had been looking at?'
"Stop! Looking at my ass. Keep your eyes here?" She pointed to her face with her other hand on her waist.
He seemed unfazed, almost amused, a slow smile was curling up on his fuller lips.
They were interrupted by a servant. She bowed her head and waited for their staring contest to end.
"Yes! Tabia," Cassandra finally turned her head to face her. She was her father's special messenger.
"According to your father's wishes, the guest chamber in the East Wing has been arranged for your Warrior. Your father says all his needs and requirements are your responsibility. There shouldn't be any slacking in his care," she informed Cassandra, almost haughtily. Servants didn't respect her, knowing that she wasn't her father's favoured child, the other two were. The lack of magic made circumstances even more difficult for Cassandra.
"I will handle it," she told Tabia in a calm voice, knowing they wouldn't help her and would only add to her misery.
But the man with golden eyes observed how she had spoken to Cassandra. The playfulness he had held while talking to Cassandra disappeared, replaced by flickers of disapproval and darkness. His annoyed glance flitted towards Tabia and she felt an immense surge of raging energy emanating within that strange man.
She instantly retreated and ran away like a wet cat.
"Come! I will take you to your chamber and will get you something to eat." Cassandra diverted his attention towards her and all darkness dissipated. The rest of their short journey went in silence as they arrived at the intricately designed wooden door and she threw it open from the silver knockers.
"Here! Make yourself comfortable, I will bring you food. You must be hungry," she said while remaining outside the chamber.
"Come inside, we need to talk. Food can wait." He stepped in and held the door open for her.
It was highly inappropriate for her to be alone with him in his private chambers. But then he had been literally thrust into her life, tied to her bed. What more could go wrong?
Not experiencing any negative vibes from him, Cassandra took a deep breath and entered the place. They had a lot to discuss related to the arena and she needed to talk to him as well and tell him how useless she was.
Pathetic to be exact.
He wouldn't treat her any differently than others.
Once she was inside, he closed the door and locked it. Making her heart leap.
The natural light from the window flooded the room as he sauntered over on his thickly muscled legs and planted himself on the armchair. Pointing to his lap he teased with a twisted smile.
"Come sit and I might tell you my name."
Cassandra's mouth opened and her jaw hit the floor at his audacity.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Sunny_Shumail
Sunny_Shumail
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