Fireplace Ashes (Cassie)

[Kallias Greyson]

Cassie Eloise Enigma
Notes: I hope this works, lmk if I need to change anything!

Kallias had never been one for parties.

His parents, however, did not share this sentiment. Mr. and Mrs. Greyson were all too fond of throwing party after party, soiree after soiree. While he had some affection for his parents, Kallias considered this to be their fatal flaw. Letting strangers into their home to eat and drink? Disgusting. Especially since every single one of them never put forward their true selves. The fae nobility thrived on hidden untruths, and beautiful deceptions. Masking their true feelings, putting on an act to further themselves in life. There were many things Kallias liked in people; genuinity was one of the more important ones. Unfortunately, it seemed to be something most fae lacked.

His favorite strategy for avoiding said fae was hiding away in the library of the manor. Their guests came for many things; to further their intellect or education was not among them. This made the library the perfect place to hide away. It was also a plus that he was rather fond of reading.

He sat in a plush armchair, the fire lazily flickering in the hearth, the slowly dying flames making crackling sounds. His fingers nimbly flipped the pages as he read along, occasionally needing to push his glasses higher on his face. His cat lay in his lap, asleep. His legs were stiff and nearly asleep themselves, but what was he meant to do? Move and wake his cat? That would just be cruel.

[Cassie Eloise Enigma]

    The Greysons were getting on Cassie’s nerves. She’d always come to their parties, just to make an appearance, but they were so terribly outdated that she could barely bear it. Honestly, did someone not help them plan their parties? Didn’t they have a son? Shouldn’t he be taking over this sort of thing? She sighed and downed another flute of champagne. She had never seen him around the home, and frankly, she couldn’t blame him. If her parents were this out of date, she would also do her best to distance herself from them. Good thing her parents were both dead.

    Cassie placed the now-empty flute on a passing waiter’s tray and made her way across the room, eyes set on the door. Faeries reached out to her as she passed them on her way, exchanging the usual pleasantries; complimenting her dress (even though they were totally judging her for showing too much skin), and still offering condolences on the death of her father. She faked a smile and thanked them, lacking the patience to say anything else about their current political situation. She cleared the crowd and slipped out of the door quickly. She didn’t want to leave quite yet, for the Greyson’s had a sprawling mansion. And when Cassie got bored at parties, she liked to explore.

    She’d been chastised for it before, but most housekeepers either didn’t mind or didn’t have the courage to speak up to a princess. Cassie removed her shoes, giving her feet some relief. Her feet made soft padding sounds against the rug are she made her way down the main corridor, peeking through every door she passed. Her wanderings were never random, and, like now, she did her best to find the library. She found that the libraries of these families told a lot about their character. Now as she made her way to the end of the corridor, her eyes were drawn to a set of large oak doors. There it was. Cassie pushed through the doors and was pleased to see how beautiful the room inside was. She was surprised the Greysons had such esteem for their books, considering how terribly dull their parties were. Then again, maybe they should stick to their books and not their parties.

    Cassie dropped her shoes by the door and made her way in, tracing her fingers over the bookshelves. Again, she was pleasantly surprised to see how no film of dust covered them. The shelves loomed over her until she made it to the opposite side of the library. Beautiful glass panes glittered over bay windows in the setting sun, and a dying fire crackled in the small hearth. In the corner, two armchairs sat around a small side table, but what piqued her interest was no longer the library or its contents. There was a boy, and he was a beautiful boy, curled up in one of them with a fluffy cat dozing in his lap. Cassie gasped delightedly and grinned. “You must be the elusive Greyson son!” She did some digging in the backlogs of her mind, but his name evaded her. “I’m Cassandra, but you can call me Cassie.” He had to know who she was, but introducing herself on a familiar level made people much more agreeable with her. She drew closer. “You are…?”

TAGS: Kallias Greyson
OUTFIT

★fai

I once believed love would be black and white but it's golden.

[Kallias Greyson]

Cassie Eloise Enigma
Notes:Outfit

Kallias was completely expecting to be alone for the remainder of the evening, at least until his mother came to scold him for not attending yet another gala. That was, if she was sober enough. He didn’t blame her for that. If he’d been at that party, hell, he would have been drunk too. Completely different reasons than his mother, but the point still stood.

His head snapped up from his book the moment the door creaked. Someone was coming into the library? He nearly sent a nasty glare to the newcomer, but stopped himself. She didn’t seem to notice him at first, instead running her fingers over the books. The books he had been very careful to keep in good condition. In the back of his mind, he hoped her hands weren’t dirty. She was rather pretty, he had to admit that much. He wasn’t stupid. But what was this girl doing in his library?

She seemed to finally notice him. He raised an eyebrow, not moving from his spot. Why would he? He was sure she’d leave once he bored her or she figured out he was no use to her. That’s how all his parent’s friends seemed to be.

Elusive. Well, she wasn’t wrong. “Kallias. And who are you meant to be?”

He didn’t bother shutting his book either, instead setting in on his lap. He took care to not bump his cat, either. No need to wake the sweet thing up.

[Cassie Eloise Enigma]

    “Kallias,” Cassie mused. “I quite like that name.” She took a few more steps towards the boy, her skirts whispering over hardwood floorboards that creaked under her bare feet. “In the ancient mortal world, there was a country called Greece. To them, your name means beauty.” She cocked her head and leaned against the armchair opposite him, smiling at him like she knew something he didn’t. His hair was mussed, like he’d never bothered to style it in the first place, and his dark eyes twinkled with intelligence. He was wearing a dark red shirt with plain black pants, an outfit, that, for a faerie, was quite simple. A dainty gold pendant hung around his neck, gleaming in the setting sun’s light. All in all, Cassie thought she already liked him.     He looked at her like she was intruding upon his personal time, which, in a way, she was. “You ask an interesting question.” Cassie considered it for a moment, gazing up at the bookshelves while she thought. She turned her gaze back to Kallias, “I don’t know who I am meant to be." She put extra emphasis on the word 'meant'. "I know who I am now though.” She pushed off from the armchair and moved forward, sinking into it. “Princess Cassie Eloise Enigma of the High Court.” It was a title, not a good look into her character, but that was who the world was to see her as. It was the facade she had to slip into every time she spoke with someone, the mask she had to put up. But it was all crumbling down now. With the usurper on the throne, saying that she was a Princess of the High Court was a lie, but she must’ve been able to say it because the Belladonna Queen had not yet been crowned. “Though for how long my title will continue to be that, I do not know. Will that suffice as an answer to your question?”

TAGS: Kallias Greyson
OUTFIT

★fai

I once believed love would be black and white but it's golden.

[Kallias Greyson]

Cassie Eloise Enigma
Notes:Outfit

Kallias hummed in acknowledgement of the meaning of his name. He remembered once doing research into his name, but it was rather interesting that she knew the meaning of it. What, did she do research into peoples names on the random? Even so, the fact that she knew it meant she had at least picked up a book once. Or more. Hopefully more. He wondered to himself if she was an avid reader as he was. Since she had found the library, and not only treated it with a sort of respect, it had to mean she at least respected books and the knowledge they harbored. “Have you researched the mortal realm, or something?”

He glanced up at her from his spot in his chair, not bothering to move. Now that she was closer, he really took in her appearance. His first impression of her appearance still stood: she was very pretty. Almost annoyingly pretty. In that way some people were, where you couldn’t help but wonder how they could just be that gorgeous so… effortlessly. Even then, it was hard to be truly annoyed at those people. And that stupid smile. One that was so smug but just so… nevermind. Her outfit, which looked rather expensive to him, reminded him vaguely of flowing water, a gentle current. Like a very elegant jellyfish. In a good way, he supposed. Jellyfish were very interesting animals. He’d only read about them, but he’d always wanted to see one. “You can sit, if you like.”

His dark eyes watched her carefully, trying to figure her out. “A princess? I would bow, I assure you, but I’d rather not wake Hecate. I’m sure you’d understand, your Highness.” He tried, at least a little, to keep from sounding too sarcastic. He gently patted the sleeping cat’s head for emphasis. “That suffices, Miss Enigma. If I may call you that.”

“I suppose the reason your title is in jeopardy is a result of the Mad Queen? Or whatever she’s called now. It’s hard to keep up with all the nicknames.” He tried to stay out of political affairs, but the whole mess with the Usurper and Ambrose was hard to ignore.

[Cassie Eloise Enigma]

    Cassie shrugged in response to his question. “A princess has to be well-read. Besides, there wasn’t much else to do in the palace that interested me.” She fidgeted with her skirts before looking around, admiring the grandeur of the library. “The library in the High Palace is probably one of my favorite places to be. I appreciate it when I visit someone else’s home and they value their library as well.” The library in the High Palace was also the place where she would go so she wouldn’t be found, but it seemed that might dampen the mood if she brought it up, so she didn’t. Maybe another day she’d tell Kallias about it, but it seemed he might just be nothing more than a fling.

    She sat, tucking her legs under her and arranging her skirts so they flowed around her. The armchair was worn in some places, but Cassie preferred the term ‘well used’. There had been a war not too long ago, and not everyone was able to worry about if their armchairs were up to date. She shook her head, smile softening as Kallias spoke. “Please. Don’t worry about it.” She gestured to the sleeping cat. “I understand.” She’d never been allowed to have a pet in the Palace, especially not in the library. That was, until she was older. She had an Eagle Owl, and a cat as well, named Minnie, but Cassie rarely saw them. They were there to keep the mice out of her quarters, and occasionally a cuddle or two.

    “Oh, just call me Cassie. As far as formalities go, it’s all or nothing for me.” The one inconvenience to being a princess (among other things) was that people never felt comfortable around her. They were always distant and formal because they did not want to offend her. Only in ignoring the titles did Cassie find the warmest and realest connections. She nodded morosely in response to Kallias’ question. “Yes. The whole Challenge of Heirs has been quite the ordeal.” She would really rather not talk about it. It was such a dull and somewhat worrisome thing to think about, especially when there was such a mysterious, gorgeous boy in front of her. “But let’s not bore ourselves. Tell me about yourself. I assume you hide in here during every party your parents throw?”

    She couldn’t blame him, not really. It was a beautiful library, elegant and ornate, with all the trappings of a high society home. There were almost no walls, just bookshelves, each book on them looking more intriguing than the next. There were brightly colored books, books so old they were falling apart, books with leather covers, and books with silk ones, and Cassie found she was amazed by it all. It was so beautiful, she didn’t see how anyone could leave it. Perhaps that’s why she’d never seen Kallias around before. “I can say that I blame you for choosing to spend your time here, but I’m curious." She grinned at him demurely. "You are a mystery to me, and I’d like to fix that.”

TAGS: Kallias Greyson
OUTFIT

★fai

I once believed love would be black and white but it's golden.

[Kallias Greyson]

Cassie Eloise Enigma
Notes:Outfit

He supposed she was right. Princesses were meant to be well-read. But that didn't always mean they were. Even so, it would be a waste if they weren't. He was sure the palace had a grand library, one that was equal in knowledge and splendor. When he had gone to the palace, his parents had kept a close eye on him. Sneaking off to read was not 'proper.' He knew it wasn't, he just couldn't be bothered to care. His eyes subtly lit up at the mention of the High Palace library, leaning forward in his seat ever so slightly. "Is it everything you would expect? Grand and vast?" Or is it shallow like the people residing there. He held his tongue from saying that. She might just take offense. Offending a princess was never good for one's head. That, and she was rather intriguing. He didn't want her to leave yet. He motioned to the well-kept shelves, leaning back in his chair again. "I assure you, this library is well-valued by me."

He watched as she sat. She made the motion look so grand, with the way she arranged her skirts so they flowed around her. She made his well-loved armchair look almost... shabby. He glanced away for but a moment. "You can pet her, if you wish." The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them. What was he thinking? He didn't know her. He didn't trust her. Yet he was offering her the chance to touch one of the things that was most precious to him? Even so, she didn't seem the type to cause harm to animals. She didn't seem to bear that cruelty. 

She wanted him to call her by name. Odd. Most nobles he met insisted upon their proper titles being used. And yet, this girl was offering her first name, despite being a princess. So odd... "Of course, Cassie. I don't know if it need be said, but just call me Kallias."

He picked up on her lack of desire to talk about the Challenge of Heirs. If he were in her place, he'd probably feel the same. 

"You want me to tell you about myself?" he repeated, a light laugh escaping him. "I suppose there is no harm in doing so. But consider it a trade. I wish to know more about you in exchange."

"You've seen their parties. It is simply not for me. This," he motioned to the library around them, "is something I am far more suited to." Books were so unlike people. Books never hid things from their readers, not by the end. Every mystery was revealed, every lie found out in the end. People were not the same. They would go to their graves, clutching lies to their chests like gold.

He glanced at her outfit again, at the shimmering fabric and pearls. "You are certainly dressed for the occasion. Are parties something you are suited to?"

Titling his head, he couldn't stop the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. A mystery. Everything he had ever wanted to be. There was a comfort in being unknown. He wondered, in the back of his mind, if the reverse was also true. He doubted it. Being known had to be one of the most terrifying things of all. "A mystery? Do you think I am going to be easy to solve, princess?"

[Cassie Eloise Enigma]

    Cassie couldn’t help but find it adorable how much Kallias seemed to like books. The way he leaned forward when she brought up the High Palace’s library, how proud he looked talking about his own library, made something in her heart twinge fondly. “Yes, grand and vast. Anything you wanted to read, you would find there. I wish I could say I’ve read every single book inside of it, but I have not.” There were only so many hours in a day, and out of those hours, so few could be allotted to reading. There were always meetings to sit through, advisers to listen to, treaties to be negotiated and allies to be made. She used to read to pass the time, to keep her entertained and hidden, though there were days when she wished she didn’t have to hide. In her mind, reading would always be associated with hiding, as much as she wished it could just be something she did for fun. She wondered whether it was a similar situation for him.

    “I appreciate that. All the work you must put into it definitely shows,” she responded, looking up at the high ceilings, remembering the way her fingers came away from the bookshelf clean. She glanced at the cat in surprise. Hecate, he’d said her name was? There was an air of protection in the way he sat with her, and it felt like he was giving her an opportunity he gave to very few. Cassie slid off the armchair and made her way across, crouching at his feet to be eye level with Hecate. “Hello Hecate.” She extended her hand, letting the cat get used to her scent before she actually put a hand on the cat’s head. She purred, and Cassie smiled up at Kallias. “I think she likes me.” She spent a few more moments petting the cat’s head, which was emitting a fair amount of purring. It was always a good feeling when an animal liked you.

    She rose and settled back into the armchair, tucking her feet under her once more. “I think we can arrange for that.” She responded. There was something so comfortable about the way Kallias spoke. He seemed to be somewhat shy, but spending one’s entire life in a library away from people could do that to a person. This is something I am far more suited to. She couldn’t help but smile at him again. He seemed so innocent, hidden from a world of half-truths and backhanded compliments. It must have been nice. “Oh, I love a good party. Your parent’s parties, though, are not good,” she said with a mischievous grin. It was like she was sharing a secret only he could know. “I attend them because it would be seen as rude not to make an appearance.”

    Cassie shot him a demure smile. “But now that I met you, maybe I’ll have a more motivating reason to attend.” It was a bold statement, much more bold than anything else she’d said to him throughout their conversation. Do you think I am going to be easy to solve, princess? Princess, he’d called her. Something about the way he said it made her stomach feel as if it had become home to a flight of butterflies. But she didn’t let it show on her face. “Who says I thought it would be easy? The best mysteries are the hardest to crack.”

TAGS: Kallias Greyson
OUTFIT

★fai

I once believed love would be black and white but it's golden.

[Kallias Greyson]

Cassie Eloise Enigma
Notes:Outfit

He wished he could visit that library. It must be so well kept, with so much information. He feared that if he were to visit the High Palace library, that no one would see him for days. Perhaps weeks. "Anything at all? Of course, I suppose it is to be expected. I would expect no less from the High Court." He would have loved to lose himself in those shelves. Even though he spent a good bit of his time reading, he had never grown tired of it. He was not sure he ever would.  Reading was a comfort he often retreated to. People rarely bothered him when he had his nose in a book. He liked it that way. Well, most of the time, he thought, eyes on Cassie.

He tried not to let himself brighten too much at the compliment. He had always been fond of praise, of compliments. A shame his parents rarely spared him any. "She likes you?" He blinked, a little surprised. Hecate rarely liked others, a trait they shared. But she liked this girl? Odd. So odd. He bent his head down to be level with Hecate, narrowing his eyes at her. He looked at her for a moment, the cat looking back at him with no trace of any sort of aggression. Kallias then sat back again, one hand absently stroking the cat behind her ears. "That's good for you. She's normally very grumpy." He spoke of the cat's grumpiness with a hint of affection. 

"Your parent’s parties, though, are not good." He didn't bother stifling his laugh. "I have to agree with you there. You can see what lengths I go to in order to avoid attending." For her, he could see why she may want to avoid being perceived as rude. He, on the other hand, could care less what other people thought of him not being there. His parents would give some creative excuse to save face, anyways.

He couldn't stop the swarm of butterflies that swirled in his stomach at her words. He could be her motivation for attending those dreadful parties? He tried to hide how happy that made him. "I, uh, hope I am worth the pain of attending these parties."

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Spoken like someone who has read many books. Best of luck in solving my mysteries then, Cassie." Perhaps he'd have to solve her as well. He found no reason not to.

[Cassie Eloise Enigma]

    Cassie smiled demurely. Kallias seemed to be getting a little pink at the ears, which meant her small compliments to him were working. This was the game, the chase that she lived for. How many times could she do this until she got bored? She didn’t think she ever could get bored of the chase, of the game. The thing she did get tired of was what came after. There were always lovers, always more flings to find. But they went away, and she was left alone. Cassie had wondered before if she should consider herself a romantic, but there was something so alluring to her about finding ‘the one’. The idea that there was someone out there who existed just for her seemed unattainable, but didn’t everyone want the things they couldn’t have?

    “You certainly are worth the pain of attending. In fact, I can’t help but find myself excited for the next one.” she replied, waiting for meaning of her words to sink in, waiting for that adorable, flustered face he made. “I like pretty people.” Kallias smiled, and she smiled right back. She wanted his mysteries to be hers, wanted her mysteries to be his. There was something that set Kallias apart from everyone else she’d been with, and it intrigued her. She wanted to know why he was different. He was quiet and shy, and didn’t seem to know how to take her flirtations. Nobody else, in all her experience, had ever been this way.

    “You say that like you’re not going to help me.” she said slyly. She leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands like she was thinking. “Let’s see, where should I start?” Cassie dug through her best talking points. Maybe she should start with something simple? Something personal, of course. What did she know about him so far? He wasn’t fond of parties, especially his parents’. He was very fond of books and of his cat. “How about Hecate, my new friend?” she said, waving to the cat from her seat across from her. “You seem very protective of her. How long have you had her?” She recalled the interesting iridescence in her white fur. “Is she magic?”

TAGS: Kallias Greyson
OUTFIT

★fai

I once believed love would be black and white but it's golden.

[Kallias Greyson]

Cassie Eloise Enigma
Notes:Outfit
Also acckk I'm so sorry, I'm alive

He glanced away. This girl was getting to him. He was sure his ears had flushed pink by now. He wasn't quite sure what to do with her words. All his wit left his mind the moment her words sank into his mind. Did she think he was pretty? He'd never been described as pretty before. He rather liked it. He leaned his cheek on his hand, looking back at her, tilting his head. "You think I'm pretty?"

"It wouldn't be as fun if I helped you too much." A small smile played on his lips. He idly stroked Hecate's fur, the creature purring at his touch. The greatest mysteries weren't easy to solve, after all. And he wasn't one to divulge his personal information all that willingly. He did have a feeling that he would divulge much to her, though. When she smiled at him like that, how was he meant to not answer? He couldn't lie, but he could withhold. But he doubted he would withhold much from her. "I am indeed very protective of her. She is very important to me." He looked down at the cat. "She may be. I'm not too sure. Stubborn little thing, she is. I doubt if she was magic she would even think to show me."

[Cassie Eloise Enigma]

    Cassie’s lips twisted up into a satisfied smirk. Kallias had gotten really pink, if she did say so herself. “Of course,” her voice was quiet, akin to Hecate’s purr. “Do you disagree? What a shame that would be.” She wondered if he understood how far he could get on looks alone. And if he did, the fact that he didn’t care made her like him all the more. It was rare to find someone in Faerie who valued more than just looks and power. If Kallias was someone like that, she would do well to have him at her side. “It’s also a shame that you keep to yourself so much. A pretty face can get one quite far, especially here in the East.” She was really pushing it now. Color was spreading over Kallias’ cheeks and the tops of his pointed ears, but he’d spoken to her quite coolly. He could be as nonchalant as he wanted, but Cassie had done this plenty of times and with plenty of people to know he was only pretending.

    Deciding to give him a break, she changed the subject back to Hecate. “Well where did you get her?” She thought he may be right. Even if Hecate had magical abilities, she seemed much to haughty to use them, let alone show them to a mere faerie boy. “Her origin may explain more about her.” She grinned at him again, twirling a silky lock of dark hair between her fingers. “Come on, you have to tell me something more about yourself. Your identity can’t be composed entirely of your love for your cat and your library.” She wanted the chase, the back and forth, and she was very close to getting it. Kallias only need open up a little bit more, and then who knew what would happen. He thought he had the upperhand, not wanting to help her too much, not wanting to answer her questions. He was wrong. Cassie was the real mystery here. “Tell me something deeper, and maybe I will return the favor.”

TAGS: Kallias Greyson
OUTFIT

★fai

I once believed love would be black and white but it's golden.

[Kallias Greyson]

Cassie Eloise Enigma
Notes:Outfit

He ran a hand through his loose waves of hair, ruffling it slightly. He cleared his throat, still averting her gaze. He'd been called flattering words before, by nobles and the like who were trying to earn his favor. Handsome, intelligent, and the sort. Pretty, however, he'd never heard. It sounded more genuine. He thought he rather liked the sound of it. Especially coming from those lips of hers. He glanced back to her. "I just think you're being rather generous with your compliments." The word princess nearly slipped from his lips again.

Pushing his glasses back up on his nose with one finger, he replied, "That, I am aware of. But beauty isn't everything, yes? I believe I have better, more useful qualities than my features. My knowledge, perhaps? Knowledge is power, after all. Beauty can charm and beguile, but knowledge can lead, predict..." blackmail, in some more dangerous cases. "And the like. I'd rather not be just a pretty face." His pointed ears twitched.

At the question of his cat's origin, he looked back at the furball. "My parents gave her to me when I was young. They were gone often, and they believed I needed better companions than the staff. She was a kitten, then. She was a biting little thing." His tone was full of adoring sternness. Hecate truly was the most loyal creature in this world, sticking with him despite it all. Perhaps the cat was a magical creature. If she was, what a stubborn little thing for not letting him now. If she truly had gone all these years with magic and not told him... well, he wouldn't be mad. He couldn't really get mad at her.

He seemed to contemplate. A deeper secret? He tried to think, and ignore how silky and smooth her hair looked. Like a waterfall. He wondered what would happen if he touched it. He shook that thought off. "Well, I rather enjoy all sorts of art. Paintings and sculptures, to be specific. I cannot sculpt for the life of me, and I have tried. I also love painting, even if I am dreadful at it." He gave a soft chuckle. "I also want to care for magical creatures, as my career."