Bab 72: Sparring with Cassian
"Isabelle." Cassian's voice thundered beside her as he placed his hand on the blade pointed at Samuel. She didn't realise that he was there and when he came around. Isabelle scowled at him unable to control her facial expression at first. "Direct your anger at me." He said calmly.
Isabelle panted as she lowered the sword, feeling a wave of shame. She did not intend to make Samuel feel uneasy. She won before so she definitely didn't expect to see his face drain of blood.
"You're unstable on your feet." She said at Samuel as she shoved the blade into the ground. "Excuse me and forgive me, your highness." She mumbled and walked off to the table where she took the straps off her wrists.
Samuel sighed with relief. "Thank God you were here, Cass." Samuel said jokingly but his comment made Isabelle's skin crawl. She wasn't a killer and she certainly felt that Samuel's words were painting the wrong picture to Cassian. What will Cassian think of her now?
"If she wanted to kill you, you'd be already dead. Work on your footwork." Cassian said with annoyance before he went after Isabelle. At least Cassian knew that she wouldn't kill. Isabelle felt marginally relieved.
"Isabelle." He said her name as he grabbed her arm gently. Isabelle looked up at him. "You're obviously angry. Don't bottle it up."
Isabelle's eyes were stormy and she was undecided. She looked down at Cassian's hand on her arm, the wedding band shining on his finger, a reminder that he was her husband and he chose her. His words from night before still echoed in her head. Looking at his hand she could still feel his fingers caress her cheeks. It felt wrong to remember his touch so vividly. She wasn't right for him or the role given to her and he was to see that soon. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath trying to contain her emotions but Cassian was right. She was exploding. After months and years of holding everything in, everything started to spill over. "I feel like a fool, Cassian." She reopened her eyes and looked up into his eyes. "You and Sir Asselin knew of my identity and yet you acted as if you didn't. I feel like a fool, and a fraud, but also I feel as if I was lied to. I know that it is ridiculous to feel that way but…" she spoke only of the tiniest of specs of what bothered her. She wanted to scream.
"You've lied because your father told you to. We went along with the lie because I thought that it would make you feel more at ease. You were forced into it but we chose it. It was a wrong choice." Cassian admitted. He was calm as he replied to her.
"At ease? I was constantly trying to pretend to be someone else!" Isabelle raised her voice slightly. Cassian nodded in understanding letting go off her arm. He grabbed the sword from the ground, wiped it into his tunic, and passed it back to Isabelle. Isabelle looked at the sword unsure of what to do. "I shouldn't have agreed to sparring Sir Asselin . It is inappropriate…" she mumbled in embarrassment, still angry that Samuel acted the way he did in front of Cassian.
"To hell with shoulds and shouldn'ts." Cassian said taking his cape and jacket off and loosening the collar of his shirt. "Spar with me, even if it is to entertain my whims." Isabelle took the sword with hesitation and watched as Cassian picked up and put on a wristbands, tightening it carefully.
"You shouldn't..." Isabelle was about to protest again remembering his recent injury.
"I'm fine." Cassian decided. "And I want to spar." He demanded.
Isabelle wasn't convinced by his words but she put the wristbands back on and turned to face Cassian. Samuel quickly moved out of the way, and watched with curiosity as Isabelle walked into the circle. "You first. Get it all out." Cassian waved at her. Isabelle paused but soon obliged and lifted the sword and swung it in the empty air to get the momentum in herself, circling around with Cassian who patiently awaited her. She now struggled to look at him. His eyes that were filled with soft care rather than disdain and anger. He encouraged a fight but he was in no way threatening. Not to her. His body was relaxed. He was not concerned about what might go wrong. Perhaps he trusted that Isabelle is a dainty princess or that she intended him no harm. She was no dainty princess though and she did not want to cause him any harm. He was safe. Or perhaps he was confident in his own skills. The most likely reason why he didn't react to a potential threat.
Isabelle charged and hit Cassian's sword with so much force that sparks escaped from between the blades. It was still a contained hit. She was capable of so much more.
Cassian's smile vanished as he focused on her fast paced hits with power equivalent to his strongest opponents. He forgot how good Isabelle truly was with the sword and he quickly recalled the summer evenings as Isabelle's sword swung faster and faster. She has only gotten faster and stronger since.
The fight created a spectacular view when the blades made sparks on every contact and they both moved swiftly, as if they were whirls of the winds that danced together in an epic composition. Neither wore anything appropriate for this. Cassian's shirt was like a mast in the wind and Isabelle's dress tugged on her body. Her hair moved with equal enthusiasm. But she wasn't bothered by it. Her grandfather taught her to fight even when least expecting it. She could fight in a dress. She could pick up a fight straight from her sleep.
A few spectators joined Samuel who watched with amazement and his mouth gaping open.
"What bothers you?" Cassian asked when the distance between them closed again.
"You knew who I was and you pretended that you didn't." Isabelle said honestly, she was focused enough on the fight that she lost the filter.
"I thought that it will make you feel at ease." Cassian answered between pants. "You were newly married, in a new kingdom, in a new castle. You have introduced yourself as Adeline. I wanted to make your life easier."
"Easier?!" Isabelle definitely didn't consider the past few weeks easy.
"Believe it or not, yes. Everything I did was meant to make it easier. I've heard that you got along with one of the maids so I assigned her to you along Matilda to make sure that you had company. I moved out of your way because you acted as if you were petrified of me and I didn't want to impose my presence upon you. I gave you space and freedom."
"Freedom?" Isabelle asked with irritation. She recalled the first few times she saw Cassian and how she felt. She was petrified of him. But she certainly didn't feel free. "I was banned from the kitchen and I was a prisoner in your castle."
"Banned form the kitchen?" Cassian repeated. "Ahhh…" he realised what Isabelle was referring to. "You've burnt yourself and I thought that it was while you were in the kitchen, hence the ban. I didn't realise that you've burnt yourself on the oil lamp and not while baking." Cassian explained. "You were never a prisoner. The only reason we stopped you from going to Valarie was because the knights at the border didn't know who you were and because I was concerned for your safety. I've told you that you can use a carriage if you want to go anywhere. And I've got you a horse." Momentarily Isabelle thought that she saw a dark shadow behind him which made him look more vicious and monstrous. A shadow that grew taller than him. Nothing more than a darkening in the sky above him. A near invisible cloud that filled her with terror deep within. Cassian's eyes were clouded.
"You've got me a horse?" Isabelle asked with surprise.
"I saw that you liked Midnight so I ensured that she was yours. Anything else?"
"Annette?" Isabelle spat out angrily.
"I thought that you could use a company of a noblewoman to make your days more interesting and you more confident within the court. It was stupid."
"Why would you need me to be more confident?"
"Because when I was stuck in bed with a broken rib cage, pretty close to seeing the death itself, you stood up to the challenge and ruled. All I wished for ever since is that you rule beside me. And I didn't send her away earlier even when she infuriated me because I thought that you enjoyed your lessons."
"She infuriated you?"
"Yes! I was hoping to Gods that you will send her away but as you seemed so keen to learn I didn't dare to do it myself. I hated how shallow she was and judgmental. And I wish I did send her away as soon as she showed her true colours. I regret ever thinking that it was a good idea to bring her here!"
"And I thought that you wanted her close to you." Isabelle admitted.
"Why?"
"Because you were close friends before and I thought that you loved her as much as she loved you!" Isabelle spat out.
"What?!" Cassian was stunned by Isabelle's words. He took a few steps back to recollect himself. "I would have never married you if I loved anyone else!" Cassian raised his voice, slowing down his motion but still continuing the fight.
"Why did you do all of this?" Isabelle asked naively.
"Because I love YOU." Cassian admitted, his eyes returning to its usual blue shine. "I love you, Isabelle. I love your fierceness, strength, a brilliant mind. If it was you, you wouldn't have made any of those mistakes that I did. You see people for who they are. You see every fold of their soul and mind. I can only admire you because that is a gift."
Isabelle's anger vanished instantly. Her eyes and mouth dropped open and she moved a few steps back from Cassian to avoid any potential hits. They didn't come. Cassian stopped as soon as Isabelle did.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone