บท 20: Afraid of a little kiss?

Sam was staring at him, and the man behind him with a large, worried gaze. He looked extremely nervous as Cass approached him and came to a stop in front of him. Cass had no idea where he was, and with the anger boiling beneath his skin, he didn't want to spend another damn minute here.

"Um, my Lord, I don't think-" Sam's whisper was so quiet that Cass could tell he was worried that Draken could hear him. Cass huffed, adjusting the collar of his jacket as he refused to look behind him at the man there. There was no need for Sam to whisper. Cass knew he could hear him just fine.

"Sam." Cass cut off the other man who shut his lips dramatically. "Just lead the way." Cass ordered and watched as Sam nodded, spun on his heel, and continued down the hallway. Cass had only taken a few steps before the heavy footfalls came rushing at him.

"Oh absolutely fucking not. I was told to make sure you got to your chambers safely, and I will not be made a liar by you." Cass let out a gasp of shocked outrage as Draken grabbed him and swept him off of his feet. He was about to throw him over his shoulder, before Draken let out a loud tsk. "Fuck. You better be grateful I'm being so damn considerate of you. Only Lady Fiona and Lady Ava get to be carried like this normally." Cass' cheeks turned red as Draken spun Cass around in his arms until he was being carried in a similar fashion as Lady Fiona had done the night before.

The biggest difference was the size. While Lady Fiona had only been maybe one inch taller than Cass, Draken towered over Cass. That meant his arms and shoulders dwarfed Cass, and Cass hated how comfortable being held and tucked into his arms was. Cass wanted to complain, to throw a fit, but looking up at Draken, it was clear that was what he wanted.

His gaze was begging him. Throw a fit. I dare you.

So, Cass did the only thing he could do while still being petty. He gripped onto Draken's arms with his nails. Draken laughed loudly, the sound echoing off the walls.

"What are you, a stray kitten?" He made a soft, pitying meow at Cass and Cass felt his nostrils flare. "I had no idea you were so good at this. A small human who looks ill and fights you at every turn? Are you sure you want to belong to Lady Fiona? I know plenty of others who would gladly take you as a wife." It was an insult, and Sam's soft gasp didn't need to tell Cass that.

"Put me down." Cass ordered, furious. It didn't matter if Cass liked men, that was not an okay thing to say. To anyone. Draken laughed.

"Or what? It's clear from your reactions, Lord Blackburn, that you can't remember your spells right now. So what threat at you to me?" Cass wanted to wrap his hands around his neck. Turning his gaze towards the other man's face, Cass narrowed his gaze as he looked him over.

Draken was cocky. Sure of himself. He was a prideful creature, after all, and Lady Fiona was the only one who had vaguely tamed him. He was sure even the royal family bowed to him because he was so powerful and so many creatures listened to him. But, there were a few things that a man like him probably wouldn't like.

Hating himself internally, Cass released his tight grip on Draken's arms and slowly, carefully, reached towards Draken's face. Draken's smile faltered as Cass turned his gaze towards Draken's eyes, before glancing down to his lips. He was slow, deliberate, and even licked his lips.

Cass watched as the confident cockiness behind Draken's expression disappeared and Cass was dropped on the floor.

Cass wanted to laugh, but it wasn't a victory worthy of it. He was winded, and he needed the help of Sir Forsythe and Sam to get to his feet. Draken was covering his mouth, ten paces away from him.

"Are you nuts? What the hell do you think you were doing? I-I'm married!" Sir Forsythe's grip on Cass' hand tightened and Cass wondered if that was him disagreeing with the way Draken was speaking to him, or Cass' actions to get that reaction.

"What? You were talking about creatures who wanted me as their wife, so I thought you were offering? Was I wrong?" Cass put on a good act, blinking all innocently at him with wide eyes. He watched as Draken's face flushed.

"No! I am happily married! So are you!" Cass didn't realise he was slow closed minded. It proved to Cass that whatever Lady Fiona was, she wasn't sleeping with the men at the same time, and instead separately. Cass snorted, coughed, and then covered up his smile with his hand.

"What? What's the big deal? A kiss between two brother husbands isn't a big deal, is it, Lucy?" Draken growled at Cass' words.

"Don't call me that." He growled and Cass did laugh at his reaction then.

"Oh, don't be so stiff. Or is that the problem? Are you too stiff?" Cass scanned Draken's body from head to toe, watching as the other man squirmed. He'd never thought to use this as a weapon, but it was too fucking easy. The man seemed terrified of Cass being interested in him. "Well, I don't mind. I'm sure Lady Fiona is a very understanding woman." Cass teased and watched as Draken's expression tightened.

He was flustered, and Cass hated to admit that it was adorable that he was pressed against the wall as far away from Cass as he could be while still being near him.

"I guess I am about to make you a liar. Good day, Lucy." Cass turned, holding onto Sir Forsythe's arm for balance and waved his hand, wiggling his fingers as the smile fell from his face. Sir Forsythe glanced at him, before doing a double take.

Draken didn't attempt to follow him a second time. For that, Cass was grateful. His little outburst had been a great distraction, but that's all it was. A distraction. Cass was wobbling on his feet until they made it back to his rooms and once the door was closed behind him Sam was there to pick him up.

"Sir Forsythe, help get the Lord to his chambers. I need to go grab the pain medication." Sam ordered.

"Forgive me for my behaviour, my Lord." Sir Forsythe didn't hesitate to pick Cass up, and Cass didn't complain or grow embarrassed. Sir Forsythe was professional, even apologised before carrying him to his bed and laying him down gently.

Cass groaned, gripping his head in his hand and Sir Forsythe stood over him, his face awash with emotion.

"Get out of my way!" Sam barked, and he stumbled back as Sam pushed forward, slamming a tray down onto the bedside table. "You aren't really supposed to take these on an empty stomach, but I think this is urgent. My Lord, these are foul." Sam warned and Cass groaned.

"Why can't they taste like candy?" He groaned pitifully and Sam chuckled.

"You avoided sweets, my Lord. You said you were watching your weight." Sam told him and Cass groaned. Sam opened a tin and the stench was enough to make him gag. God, it was awful. What the fuck did Lord Blackburn have that he had to turn to medicine this alternative?

Sam hesitated for only a second before he grabbed the back of Cass' neck and pressed the ball against his mouth. Cass did his best, he truly did, but it was fucking awful. He was coughing, sputtering, and trying not to throw up as Sam forced it into his mouth. Sir Forsythe stood by, his expression grim as he watched this interaction.

"Sir Forsythe, the glass of water please!" Sam ordered, and Sir Forsythe stepped forward, handing him the glass of water now that Sam's hand was empty and Sam basically waterboarded Cass trying to get him to swallow the pill.

Cass was a mess when the whole ordeal was over. He was soaked, sweaty, and he didn't immediately feel better. Sam wasn't any better. He too, was covered in the pill and water, and both of them were panting heavily.

Cass was also coughing, his body feeling tight and awful. God, what the fuck was wrong with him?

"Sam?" Cass asked, his voice hoarse.

"Yes, my Lord?" Sam replied, a little out of breath.

"Did I ever tell you what was wrong with me?" He asked, and Sam's tight expression told him everything he needed to know. Lord Blackburn had kept this a secret even from his closest aide. Whatever was wrong with him, it was serious, it affected all aspects of his life, and led to him eating and consuming the worst tasting things he'd ever experienced. Buckleys? That shit didn't taste awful. That probably would taste sweet in comparison to that filth.

"You did not, my Lord." Sir Forsythe replied. "To the best of our knowledge, only you, your Father, Mother and probably the Duke know." A family secret. Great. That was not something written in the story, but something about it told Cass that it was a big deal.

Maybe it had something to do with why he betrayed everyone in the end? God, he hoped not. Because if he needed the item that they had needed to defeat the Demon King to rid himself of this nightmare, he might do it again.

"I trusted you as well, Sir Forsythe?" Cass had enough mind to ask the knight and Sir Forsythe straightened.

"You did not fully trust me, my Lord." That was a foolish thing to admit, especially if the man was given a clean slate, but it also told Cass about what kind of man he was. Cass sighed.

"I see, but you knew this much?" Sir Forsythe nodded.

"I am one of the few you took from the Blackburn estate with you when you moved to the castle. Even Sam is not from the estate." Cass glanced at Sam for confirmation and Sam nodded.

"I was hired once you moved here, my Lord." Cass sighed, rubbing his head as the throbbing slowly dimmed.

"Okay. Alright. Sam, help me get changed first, and then go get changed yourself. After, I'll take my breakfast in my office, and you, Sir Forsythe, are going to show me there and then give me your honest thoughts about who I was before now." Sir Forsythe seemed surprised by his words, along with Sam.

"My…honest thoughts?" He repeated and Cass nodded.

"Yes." He replied as watched as Sir Forsythe swallowed.

"Are you…sure?" He was clearly worried about what the fallout of this interaction could be. Cass chuckled.

"I am not going to fire you for the words you speak, Sir Forsythe. I am trying to figure out why people react a certain way to me. I have an inkling of why, but I want to hear it from the people near me. Sam, I fear, might tell me what I want to hear." Sam actually seemed offended by Cass' words and Cass gave him a grin. "Is that wrong?" He asked, and Sam kept his mouth shut. Sir Forsythe didn't seem convinced that this wasn't an elaborate trick, but Cass didn't care. "Now out so I can get changed." He ordered, and Sir Forsythe turned and headed for the door without another word.