Mar 11, 2024 15:11:24 GMT
Post by Cassie Eloise Enigma on Mar 11, 2024 15:11:24 GMT
The events of the past few weeks had frayed Cassie's nerves more than she could manage, and her absence of mind had sent all her maidservants to their wit's end. She hadn't been able to handle all the uncertainty. She had thought about her new fate for weeks. Would she be exiled to the Undersea? Would she be stripped of her title, taken from her place in Court? Would the Queen ask Cassie to work for her? It was obvious that the tour of Faerie her father had made her take was no longer happening. She’d only been able to visit the East Court so far, and even her visit there had been cut short by the announcement of the Usurper’s successful challenge for the throne.
She’d had to rush back home to the High Court to await her fate there while Guinivere Marcel was crowned High Queen. Her Majesty was going to replace her with one of Jin-hwa’s siblings, Marcellus Yong, which had been expected. He was well-educated in the ways of the Undersea, but the Queen had not raised him for the sole purpose of acting as an ambassador, as the former High King had done with her. It would not be smart to dismiss Cassie, who’d had the education needed to become an ambassador, and years of experience with the relations between the two courts. Dismissing Cassie meant dismissing all of her experience, and leaving the High Court with a lack of said experience.
On the other hand, Cassie was an Enigma. Even though she’d forfeited her right to the throne, those who would have her reclaim it were still around. She could be exiled to the Undersea to prevent any possible ascension to Marcel’s throne. Besides, Gemini had been declared Queen Guinivere’s heir. If those people wanted an Enigma on the throne, they could have Gemini. Cassie had never wanted anything to do with being Queen. Cassie needed to speak to her brother. And she knew she would only find him in the library. She made her way down the cold stone hallway. It was so odd, feeling like an outsider in what had been her home for so long. She didn't know if she would ever be used to it. Maybe she wouldn't have the opportunity to even get used to it.
It was how they’d bonded, Cassie and Gemini. Even at six years old, Gemini had already learned to hide in the library. Cassie, only eight years old, and new to this land where the men seemed more valued than the women, had also learned to hide there. So they spent their days there, quietly enjoying each other’s company. Occasionally she would begin to blather on about something she’d learned, and Gemini would shush her, annoyed. After all these years, she liked to think he was only pretending to be annoyed. In light of recent events, maybe he truly had been. She shoved open the grand oak doors, making sure to quietly click them shut behind her.
She made her way in, peeking into each aisle, looking for that familiar mop of obsidian curls. Eventually, she found him, a stack of books on the floor beside him, fingers flipping through yellowed pages. He looked up as she approached, and she managed to smile at him, but it felt so wrong. The High Queen's words echoed in her head. Your brother begged for mercy for his sister. But it wasn't you. It was Ophelia, my ward. Of course she'd made tons of excuses for him in her head. Because she couldn't stand to think that he'd simply forgotten about her, or that he didn't care. She loved her siblings, even cold, distant Ambrose. But looking at Gemini right now, she felt her heart twinge with the betrayal it had been feeling for days. “Hello, Gemini. Are you busy right now? I have to speak to you, and I’m afraid I can’t put it off any longer.”
She’d had to rush back home to the High Court to await her fate there while Guinivere Marcel was crowned High Queen. Her Majesty was going to replace her with one of Jin-hwa’s siblings, Marcellus Yong, which had been expected. He was well-educated in the ways of the Undersea, but the Queen had not raised him for the sole purpose of acting as an ambassador, as the former High King had done with her. It would not be smart to dismiss Cassie, who’d had the education needed to become an ambassador, and years of experience with the relations between the two courts. Dismissing Cassie meant dismissing all of her experience, and leaving the High Court with a lack of said experience.
On the other hand, Cassie was an Enigma. Even though she’d forfeited her right to the throne, those who would have her reclaim it were still around. She could be exiled to the Undersea to prevent any possible ascension to Marcel’s throne. Besides, Gemini had been declared Queen Guinivere’s heir. If those people wanted an Enigma on the throne, they could have Gemini. Cassie had never wanted anything to do with being Queen. Cassie needed to speak to her brother. And she knew she would only find him in the library. She made her way down the cold stone hallway. It was so odd, feeling like an outsider in what had been her home for so long. She didn't know if she would ever be used to it. Maybe she wouldn't have the opportunity to even get used to it.
It was how they’d bonded, Cassie and Gemini. Even at six years old, Gemini had already learned to hide in the library. Cassie, only eight years old, and new to this land where the men seemed more valued than the women, had also learned to hide there. So they spent their days there, quietly enjoying each other’s company. Occasionally she would begin to blather on about something she’d learned, and Gemini would shush her, annoyed. After all these years, she liked to think he was only pretending to be annoyed. In light of recent events, maybe he truly had been. She shoved open the grand oak doors, making sure to quietly click them shut behind her.
She made her way in, peeking into each aisle, looking for that familiar mop of obsidian curls. Eventually, she found him, a stack of books on the floor beside him, fingers flipping through yellowed pages. He looked up as she approached, and she managed to smile at him, but it felt so wrong. The High Queen's words echoed in her head. Your brother begged for mercy for his sister. But it wasn't you. It was Ophelia, my ward. Of course she'd made tons of excuses for him in her head. Because she couldn't stand to think that he'd simply forgotten about her, or that he didn't care. She loved her siblings, even cold, distant Ambrose. But looking at Gemini right now, she felt her heart twinge with the betrayal it had been feeling for days. “Hello, Gemini. Are you busy right now? I have to speak to you, and I’m afraid I can’t put it off any longer.”
