Chapter 6: Meeting Lotus
"Cass! You better be in there and make it worth me having to pass through that smelly passageway," the annoyed voice of Lotus came through one of the tunnels leading into the arena.
Sighing heavily, Cassandra called out.
"I am here."
A young woman with brown curled-up hair and a very fancy rose-shaded gown emerged. The frills, laces and bodice were a piece of art on her gown. Heavy jewellery adorned her beautiful neck and dainty wrists.
Instead of a smile, she wore a small scowl on her cute little face. Two maids followed her, fanning her with hand fans and carrying the side of her gown.
"There you are, you know how I hate this place and had to walk through the mud. Look, my shoes are all dirty."
She gestured to her maids, who raised her gown from the sides a bit further, and she pointed towards her shining shoes. Not a speck of dust could be seen on them.
Cassandra had to bite her lower lip to hold back a snort. Lotus and her dramatics.
"Why did you follow me here?" Cassandra asked, facing her sister, who was now watching Siroos with a keen interest and scrunching her eyes.
"Well, I heard Father is making you participate in the arena and you received a gift from an alpha. That was a lot, even for your standards. Just needed to make sure. Is that him?"
Lotus grabbed a hand fan from one of the maids and began to fan herself more rapidly. Beads of perspiration were breaking on her dainty forehead.
"It's what it is and yes," Cassandra answered, knowing how difficult it was for Lotus to break out of her bubble and come all the way to this filthy place. But she was the only one who didn't hate Cassandra and cared for her.
Punishments by their father and Stephanie were what kept Cassandra from involving Lotus too much in her affairs. She didn't want her sister to get hurt because of her.
"Wow, you shifter men are made different. Look at all these muscles."
She stepped closer and poked Siroos's arm with the tip of her fan, just to check them. The curiosity sitting on her face like a cute cat.
Siroos narrowed his eyes at her, not at all pleased at being poked. Cassandra had on an apologetic look now.
"Is it true you people drink the soup of the bones of your victims to prolong your age and build all these muscles?" Lotus curiously questioned. Waving her fan in front of him while craning her neck to take in all of his majestic build. She stood at least a foot smaller than him.
Siroos lowered his head, placed both his hands on his tapered waist and flashed her an animalistic smile that bordered on insanity, before crawling out.
"Yes! Especially of pretty girls who talk too much."
Lotus placed a hand on her heart and dramatically leaned her body back.
"Blimey! How barbaric."
Cassandra was shaking her head by now. Understanding Siroos was lying and Lotus was overreacting.
"We should head back; Siroos needs to eat, not the bone soup but real food, and we need to discuss more strategies to survive that arena."
Cassandra separated the two and took Lotus's hand, propelling her forward. She leaned on Cassandra and whispered in her ear as they began to walk back.
"That man has insane vibes. Be careful, Cass. I can't believe our father is doing this. What does
Commander Razial has to say about this?"
"He hardly acknowledges my presence, at this point, I believe he must be delighted that he may get rid of me for good. I am nothing but a thorn in his throat." Cassandra sighed, her shoulders slumping.
Maids and Siroos walked at a distance from them, letting the sisters talk.
"Nonsense, how many times have I told you to dress in finer gowns and tame these wild hair of yours? Be more proper and you will win his heart in no time," Lotus instructed, adjusting her own well-curled hair on her forehead.
"There is no spark between us, sister. No amount of clothes or powder will fix it. I am doomed, I was doomed the day I was born." Cassandra spoke with a bleeding heart. Sometimes she wondered about her crimes to have been given such a miserable life. Maybe it was for the best to die in that arena.
"You are not doomed, we all are too self-conceited to realise the goodness you hold, Cassandra. You are destined for greater things, I just know it." A faint smile graced Cassandra's lips at her sister's words.
She said, "I appreciate you, sister. Can I make a small request?"
"Of course, anything."
"Can you arrange a meal for Siroos? He hasn't eaten anything since he arrived and you know how servants are with me."
"Don't worry, it will be arranged. I will send my special maids with food, three times a day. As long as he doesn't eat them." Lotus turned her head at the last sentence and cast a dubious look his way.
He flashed an equally infuriating smile back at Lotus as if hearing what she had said.
They arrived outside his room, Lotus and her maids took their leave while Cassandra lingered.
Before Siroos could go inside his chamber she spoke, making him halt.
"Look, I will train day and night to hone my skills, to become better and not be the reason you go down. But if it comes to it that I become the weakest link then you should let me be. Just save yourself."
His head turned to face her and she could clearly see the wrinkled forehead and annoyance-riddled eyes. He seemed disturbed at her suggestion and spoke clearly but his words were sharp and held an edge.
"There will be no more training sessions. I will see you at the arena, princess." Opening the door he entered and banged it close behind him without letting her explain any further.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Sunny_Shumail
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Chapter 7: Preparation For Arena
(This chapter is dedicated to my fellow author and one of the sweetest people I know @LotusLin. Character of Lotus is inspired by her.)
The day of the arena dawned amidst thunderstorms and lightning. The warm weather morphed into a cooler pleasant one.
Cassandra hadn't trained with Siroos after he had said they would meet on the Arena day.
She wasn't sure what had him pissed.
The fact that she asked him to save himself or the fact he was stuck with someone like her.
He was weird, mysterious and haughty. And he knew no one would dare harm him before the event or they could incur the wrath of his Alpha. Exactly why he wasn't afraid of anyone.
Cassandra woke up with the thunder rumbling in the sky. Her heart felt uneasy due to some reason and she wondered about the dream she had.
It was mostly the same dream, where she was dressed like some ethereal being and lived in a place with blinding light. There was always someone nearby, hidden behind the haze and the mist. All she could see were the gold-infused eyes, the eyes that seemed very much like Siroos's.
She wondered if she had seen him before or if there was some other connection between the two.
Pulling off the blanket she left her thoughts and bed behind her. It was time to get ready and face the day.
The door swiftly knocked and she wondered who it could be there this early in the morning.
"Come in," she ordered and it opened to reveal Lotus with two of her personal maids. She rushed to her sister's side as her maids hurried along, closing the door behind them.
"You are up, good. Girls, time to weave magic." She flicked her fingers and the maids moved towards the wash area with big pitchers of water.
Cassandra watched them, slightly bewildered.
"What's going on?"
"Getting you ready, what else? Come on, drop this night's garb and get into the warm fragrant water."
Lotus pushed her towards the brass bathtub where the maids had poured warm water. She swished her hand and magic pulsed in her veins and danced on her fingertips as it erupted in the form of hundreds of tiny fragrant flowers, plum in shade. They flowed from her hand and into the lukewarm water.
Lotus was blessed with nature affinity magic, it came naturally to her and years of training had enhanced it.
"I am not sure bathing in flowers will be of any help to me," Cassandra muttered, pulling down her dress and letting it heap around her ankles.
"Dear sister, you underestimate me. These are not ordinary flowers. These are Hydralias, known for their healing and protecting properties. Bathing in their water, the essence will be infused in your skin; hence, it will heal your injuries and protect you against basic spells." The care in her words warmed Cassandra's heart and she couldn't help but fondly stare at her sister.
"Get in now before it gets cold. Wash her nicely," Lotus ordered both Cassandra and the maids.
She was scrubbed clean and dried up while Lotus was ready with her costume. It was the same violet shade as Cassandra's eyes with patches of silver and blue. The colours represented their kingdom.
Natural fibres spun by Lotus and metallic plates she had acquired had been used to create it, the plates embedded in the parts to protect her soft areas.
"It will help in agility and will protect you against claws and fangs or whatever those creatures will have. Put it on. I sent something for your warrior as well." Lotus handed the costume to a bewildered-looking Cassandra; at any moment, she could end up crying.
"Stephanie will kill you," Cassandra choked out, accepting the costume while holding the tears at bay.
"That's in the future, we have no time to waste," Lotus nonchalantly replied, flicking her beautiful hair back.
Maids helped Cassandra put on the skin-tight trousers and a leather jerkin on top. The royal blue cloak was adjusted on her shoulder to complete the look.
"A fitting warrior-mage, you look incredible." Lotus held her shoulders and gushed at her younger sister. Her eyes twinkled with love.
"I am no mage, everyone knows that," Cassandra answered painfully.
"Nonsense, you won't win with this attitude. Here, I brought you something special." Lotus again clicked her ring-studded fingers, rings designed with flowers and vines.
One of the maids brought forward a sheathed sword in a leather cover. The hilt was visible, which had a big purple gem studded in it.
"Here, use this. I have enchanted the sword with my magic. You will be able to use it, there are no rules against enchanted weapons." She gleefully handed the sword to Cassandra who had her mouth gaping wide.
Lotus continued, "This stone belonged to our mother, her magic has been infused in it. It will protect you and guide you through the darkness."
Cassandra's fingertips traced the enigmatic stone, oval in shape and rich in colour. Perfectly crafted it pulsed with magic bound in it. Cassandra could sense it under her fingertips, it called to her.
"Did you steal it from Father?" She asked incredulously and Lotus merely shrugged her delicate shoulders with a meh expression.
"It was supposed to be yours. Mother gave all of her daughters a stone. Ruby for Stephanie, Emerald for me and this Amethyst was yours. Father held it in spite. I am just giving what was meant to be yours."
"You can get into trouble because of me, I don't want that." Cassandra shook her head but she couldn't peel her eyes off the powerful gem embedded in the sword.
"Will you go and win this stupid thing? Stop overthinking." Lotus endearingly smiled at her sister and encouraged her.
Cassandra was overwhelmed, she threw her arms around her sister and hugged her tightly.
"If I don't make it, remember I love you and thank you for this."
"You will be victorious, I have a feeling."
Both girls separated and Lotus left with her maids before Stephanie would find out she was there.
Cassandra was making final preparations when her door knocked again, she placed the sword in her halter belt and went to open the door.
She fell into those gold chasms which so affectionately stared back at her.
Siroos stood there in all his natural glory.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Sunny_Shumail
Sunny_Shumail
Two words for our sweet Lotus?
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
59 Power
stone 
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