Private Tales Brothels and Broken Things

[Lexi Quinzell]

Lexi smiled and shifted herself so that she could lay her head upon Cassian's shoulder whilst the ceremony took place. She didn't think she had ever been happier in that moment, him at her side and watching her little brother about to start his life.

The gryphons were a sight to behold. They ranged from the size of horses up to large things that were almost as big as a house. The General in charge of the Knights stepped forward and did a succinct and concise speech about why they were here today before passing the baton over to the gryphons themselves. Much like how Damien said it would go ahead it did.

One by one gryphons of all different colours and sizes stepped forward and chose one of the men or women who had made it through the trials to be their partner for the rest of their lives. Eventually, Damien stepped forward.

"Here we go," Lexi leaned forward excitedly in her chair, eyes intent as a beautiful snowy white gryphon, roughly double the size of a horse stepped forward. She had strange orange eyes which she peered at him with then leaned down her head to nuzzle at his hair. Damien's grin looked as though it would split his face in two as he scrambled onto the big beasts back and then was launched into the air for their first flight.

 

[Cassian]

Cassian was utterly transfixed as he watched the gryphons be led out onto the field. Up in the air and in the towers they looked much smaller, but now that he saw them up close his respect for the knights soared.

His fingers squeezed affectionately, (or perhaps a little nervously?) at Lexi's shoulder as the snowy gryphon stepped up to Damien. The beast towered above the young man, and Cassian held his breath as he watched.

It all seemed to be going well, and his body physically eased as the creature nuzzled at the boy's head, and the breath he'd been holding was let out slowly but it caught in his throat as Damien climbed up and was launched into the air on the beast's back.

"HOLY SHITE!!" Cassian sprang up from his seat to stare up at the ascending pair, his hand shielding his face from the sun. He glanced down at Lexi and realised he had every eye in the vicinity on him, either wide with shock or narrowed with amusement. He felt his cheeks flush with colour and cleared his throat.

"Heh... Eh. He's alrigh'.Don' anyone panic..." he assured and gave a slow nod before lowering back into his seat and sinking down a little further...

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

Lexi was struggling not to laugh. She at least had grown up between here and the White Ravens city and had seen gryphons up close a number of times. That wasn't to say it want awe inspiring every time but she could still remember the first. Her reaction had been very similar to Cassian. As he sat back down on the chair beside her she ran her fingers over the broad expanse of his back and leaned her head once more on his shoulder as though nothing had happened.

"The first flight is the final test to see if they're compatible. It's mostly just ceremony at this point but there have been a few times where a person has failed even now."

 

[Cassian]

Cassian appreciated her effort not to laugh. He watched as the gryphon grew smaller and he frowned and reached for her hand. “Why would you fuckin’ say that?..” he asked her incredulously at the thought of Damien plummeting to his death. He had surprised himself at how nervous he was, and his free hand rubbed at the back of his neck and squeezed at the tension.

“Well now we know that it would never have been for me. Heh.” Cassian laughed awkwardly, ignoring the chuckles and letting out a calm breath.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

"You think it is just to watch my brother get a pretty feather that I'm here?" Lexi raised an eyebrow and gave Cassian a coy smile. She was partially joking, partially not. His comment on what he believed would be the outcome of his own trials made her frown somewhat and she slid from her seat into his lap, the hem of her dress creeping up.

"Don't be silly," her hand ran along his cheek up into his hair. "A gryphon would have a hard time getting you off even if it wanted to. Your stubborn arse wouldn't let go," she smirked and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

 

[Cassian]

Cassian smirked at her, but it was quickly wiped from his face with a pause in his natural expression as she slid onto his lap and he glanced down at the olive skin of her thighs and he tensed up. Everywhere. The hand running into his hair sent a visible shudder racing across his spine and he groaned quietly against her lips as she kissed him.

"Mh. Fuck me lass, think I've made enough of a spectacle of myself. Gryphons won't be the only things bein' mounted in front of an audience today." he muttered quietly at her ear, though apparently not quietly enough as the woman seated behind them stared wide eyed and flustered at him. Cassian shrugged at her and gave her a sheepish smile.

His arms curled themselves around her waist and his fingertips tickled at her sides.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

Lexi buried her face in the crook of his neck in an attempt to try and muffle her roar of laughter. It didn't work too much as they drew more attention. When she raised her head a little and caught the same woman's eyes Cassian had been shrugging at she rolled her eyes and waved a hand in her direction.

"You two were young once," she motioned to the woman's husband who was giving Cassian the look most men gave another man when they were equal parts jealous and proud. Lexi was surprised he didn't reach out and clap Cassian on the back. The woman gave an indignant snort and Lexi turned back to watch Damien up in the sky.

"I think he's happy though," she sighed and rested her head back on Cassian's shoulder.

 

[Cassian]

Her laughter was infectious and a grin caused his jaws to ache as he laughed at her amusement. He gave the pair behind them a smug look and pulled Lexi against him, following her gaze to watch the circling gryphon.

"Aye, he seems it lass." he rumbled at her and pressed a kiss to her temple. Cassian sighed as the gryphon dived. It seemed to move with such grace for a creature of it's size, and a small smile curled at the corners of his lips as he watched the display.. "Seems he's got the hang of it too." he nodded with a pat on her hip.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

The ceremony stretched on for an hour or so with the Gryphons swooping through the air with their newly chosen companions. One by one they touched back down but it was clear from the wonder in their eyes that their attention was entirely on their mounts and very little on anything else. Lexi wasn't dumb, she remembered the feeling of joining new ranks and wanting to bond with comrades so when he approached them with that awkward cheeky grin it was his older sister who made the excuses for them about needing to be off. He feigned being sorry for their departing but it was clear he was also relieved at not being the one to hurt their feelings.

"Come on," Lexi said quietly and tugged Cassian from the little courtyard after their goodbyes and best wishes. "I want to show you my favourite spot in the city."

She led him further up into the city where only the rich tended to go, though commoners milled about here and there doing menial jobs the higher classes didn't like to dirty their hands with. It was down a seemingly random side street she took him where they suddenly came out to a large semi circle of rock over looking the river. They were at equal height with the Great Sea Wall now and Gryphons flew past practically at head height.

"I used to sneak up here as a kid to watch them with Damien."

 

[Cassian]

He found the climb deeper into the city more strenuous that he normally would have had he not been beaten half to death a few days prior, but wherever she led him, he'd follow without complaint. Still, he couldn't help but let out a groan of relief as they levelled out onto a flat street and he laughed under his breath.

"Lass, if you wanted to find another alley to fff--ucking hell.." his brow creased as it rose in awe of the view of the great gates and the sparkling water way, way below.. His eyes followed a passing gryphon and he had to force his jaw shut.

"Wow.." he sighed and pulled her close.. "Now who's romantic?.." he mused and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

Lexi laughed under her breath.

"Don't you ever say that to my men," she warned and then led him right to the edge where they could sit down with their legs dangling over the abyss. She didn't seem at all frightened of the height despite the almost certainty of death but it might have to do with the fact her eyes were looking up mostly, or directly in front of them both.

Another gryphon flew by so close they could have reached out and touched its feathers.

"I used to like to make up stories about the ships that passed through, what people were doing," she pointed down to where one ship that sat low in the water was pulling into the gate to pay the toll. It had a Dornoch flag flying proudly at the mast. "It felt like you could be a part of the city whilst being somewhere quiet, you know?"

 

[Cassian]

He gave her a roguish grin at the warning, as though he had some form of leverage in which to blackmail her with. "Hm. I'll keep hold of it in case I ever need to embarrass you, lass." he mused.

Cassian's lips thinned uncertainly as he looked over the edge, but he followed her lead and sat down beside her whilst trying not to look down. His hand reached for hers to entwine their fingers and hold on to her a little more firmly than he would normally, and it tightened even more as another gryphon passed so closely. A quiet "Fuck me." was muttered under his breath and he pulled in a deep breath. The woman clearly had some sort of death wish.

He eased a little and followed her gaze to the ship approaching the gates.. "Hm. My brother and I used to do somethin' similar when soldiers returned. Where they'd been, what monsters they'd been fightin'.." his head shook.

"Where's that one goin' then?.." he asked, not recognising the flag.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

Lexi smirked whenever Cassian flinched and rested her free hand on his thigh firmly; she would never let him fall. If it wasn't with her strength it would be with her magic that she caught him. It was what gave her such arrogance to sit on what should really have been a perch reserved for the winged beasts that swooped the sky.

"Dornoch - it's a city further up the straight. They've been at war with Oban so many times over the years but they're in a moment of peace at the moment. Doesn't mean the guards won't demand a little extra though for their ships to pass," a little quirk of her lips into a smile as she shook her head. "It's an interesting city - like the mirror image to Oban - over there it's the women who hold all the power."

 

[Cassian]

"As it should be.." he commented smartly with a subtle wink. Cassian had never been taught much respect for women. His father certainly hadn't made a point of making it important, and without a mother or sister in his life, his first marriage had failed miserably and women became even more of an object to serve food and ale and satisfy him by other means. Even when he'd met Lexi he'd been insufferable toward her, and yet now he'd never respected another person more than he did her. She deserved the position of power that she was in, and where most men he'd known would have been drunk on the authority, she loved and respected the men and women who served under her, and it made her far more worthy than any man.

He studied her face pensively as he considered for the hundredth time that day how lucky he was that she'd given him the time of day, that she'd had the patience to help a drunken who'd all but given up on life. He leaned to press his lips to her cheek with a deep sigh and a quiet 'I love you'..

"We'll visit Dornoch next time I can convince you to take time off.." he grinned, and pulled her close as he pointed to the next ship, playing her game with her as the sun slowly sunk toward the sea.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

Unfortunately, another holiday was not in the lovers stars.

Returning to Evora had been a basket of mixed emotions for Lexi. The place hadn't burnt down, which she thanked every non-existent God or Saint for, and nobody had killed one another whilst she was away - though Farah told her there had been a few close calls. She had raised her brows upon returning to find her apartments no longer her apartments though. The tiny space she had once called home with its cramped, rickety bed, desk and worn-down kitchen with a small fire were now occupied by Farah herself, albeit it had certainly had a make-over before her clerks move in. The Commander herself had been moved to the suite of rooms that occupied the lower floor. Rooms she hadn't been able to bring herself to live in after taking over from the man who had lived here as long as she could remember. The bedroom alone was as big as her old office and bedroom combined, and her new office with its floor to ceiling bookcases and impressive desk made her pile of paperwork seem small. Two other bedrooms, a sitting room, meeting room, and kitchen completed her new home.

Their new home.

Farah had silently moved Cassian's belongings from his tiny soldiers room into the suite and Ginger was sprawled out on the bed, thoroughly at home, when they had walked in.

She hadn't had much time to enjoy it though. The Ravens might have held themselves together whilst they were away but urgent matters had meant a day at home before three consecutive missions. When they'd next been home it had only been to be called away to a problem with a Chimera not far from Evora and the discovery of Cassian's long lost sister. When they'd finally got back it was to the news Rose had had her baby - a boy - and Lexi didn't think she had any more emotions in her to feel.

With a sigh she rubbed at the sleep in her eyes and down at the blurry words in front of her fae deals. Her candles had burnt down to stubs and the night was at its zenith but she felt as though she'd gotten nowhere with her research on how to get Fraeya out of her situation.

 

[Cassian]

Cassian had spent much of the day in the library, pouring over books which Rose's snooty assistant had thrust at him when he'd asked about fae. Reading was still near impossible, and so after four straight hours he hadn't made it so much as a quarter of the way through one of the dusty tomes. Peter and Alec found him with his head in his hands, and he was all-too-easily convinced to join them for a few catch-up drinks.

"This is what you need! A few mugs of ale with your two best buds, and Kain.." Peter snorted and grunted at an elbow in the ribs from the second in command. Cassian grinned, and couldn't help but agree. The three had lightened his mood significantly after he'd let Fraeya return to Gods only knew what.

He was pleasantly tipsy by the time he returned home, accidentally to Farah's first who screeched in fright as he waltzed in the front door with his shirt already off and his muscles flexed and a few choice promises on his lips. If glares could kill...

Cassian sheepishly apologised and returned to their new place, peeking in the door to make sure this was in fact the right home before he stepped in and quietly closed it behind him.

"Lex?.." he 'whispered' loudly, throwing his shirt over his shoulder as he followed the candle light to the study and sighed, rubbing his face. "Have you left this desk at all today?.." he asked doubtfully and wandered up to the back of her chair to squeeze at her shoulders and press a kiss to her head.

"C'mon.. Bed." he rumbled.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

"I left to get candles..." she protested whilst trying to smother a yawn with her hand. Aside from that though, he was right. She'd been reading before he had woken up and handed her a coffee till now and she was still no closer to an answer aside from the one she had already suggested. She wanted to throw her notes and the book against the wall in frustration but instead she sighed and scraped back the chair in an admittance of defeat. There was no point reading more if she could barely make out the word 'the' from 'fae'. if she got anything wrong it would be disastrous for them all. Still, she didn't stand up straight away even with the chair pushed back and instead gazed over her pitiful notes one last time.

"I will find something," Lexi promised and tilted her head back to look up at him behind her. There was a fiery determination in her eye whilst the other swirled with that odd mist and obscured the iris that could turn a person to stone. She finally seemed to realise his state of undress and her lips twitched. "How did this one come off?" Farah had joked she would need to employ a seamstress just for Cassian's shirts.

 

[Cassian]

"I know you will, lass." he answered her quietly. Of that he was entirely certain. "But she says she's safe, an' I won' have you runnin' yourself into the ground.." he huffed a boozy breath and squeezed at her shoulders with his thumbs.

He groaned at the question and looked down at his bare chest before grimacing awkwardly at her. "I forgot again.. I was about to give poor Farah a show she didn't ask fer.." he snorted and let his head fall back with a tipsy giggle.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

A soft, husky laugh escaped her.

"I never thought I would be jealous of Farah," not when the poor girl lived above them. It didn't matter how many sound spells she cast around the apartment her clerk always looked at her a certain way when they had been particularly enjoying their evening entertainment. With a groan she pushed herself to her feet and gave a satisfied sigh when her knees, quickly followed by her back, popped. It was almost hard to believe she wasn't yet 30 with how much everything ached and creaked. Kain said she sounded like an old oak tree in a spring breeze.

She eased the Commanders cloak off her shoulders and rolled them too.

"Why don't you show me this... dance? Or was it just for Farah?" amusement twinkled in her eyes.

 

[Cassian]

His eyes creased as he smiled back down at her, though a sigh tumbled from his lips at the sounds her tired body made. She worked herself too hard, but Cassian had to try desperately hard not to get in her way, or to get jealous of that desk she spent so much of her time at. He hadn't realised how attentive he could be, how attentive he wanted to be. He plied her with what care and support he could when he wasn't working or training, or being buried by books in the library. Not that he hadn't selfishly enjoyed giving her breakfast in bed and massaging every inch of her...

"Oh, yer gettin' a dance." he grinned and reached to take her hands and tug her to the centre of the room where he lifted one of her hands to twirl her before pulling her against him to slow dance to the sound of him humming an old gypsy tune.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

A delighted laugh mingled with his humming as she was twirled into his arms. She could forget her tiredness for him, especially when he did something as sweet as this. Her arms wound about his neck and she pressed herself closer.

"Who do I have to thank for your good mood? Alec? Peter?" she rested her cheek against his shoulder and turned her face in towards his neck so that her breath tickled his skin when she spoke. "Kain?" he would no doubt feel her throaty laugh rather than hear it over his humming. She pressed a kiss to his neck and then another. Slowly, tenderly, taking her time enjoying the person she had finally allowed herself to have.

"Or did Rose finally find you that hungry caterpillar book you were looking for?"

 

[Cassian]

His grin grew until his cheeks dimpled and he let out a breathy laugh of his own, his arms holding her close to him as he slowly swayed them around the room. The kisses to his neck elicited a throaty groan of approval and his brow furrowed slightly.

"Hmm no. Just you." he rumbled quietly and dipped to lift her off of her feet and hum his way to the bedroom.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

Lexi woke with the same smile she'd gone to sleep with. Satisfied, loved, safe.

Sadly, it wouldn't last.

It took her a while after opening her eyes to figure out what had woken her in the first place. The sky beyond the drawn curtains was the mid-blue of early morning yet there was an odd, bright light that disturbed it. If the sky had been lighter she might have mistaken it for the sun but even in her half awake state she knew the sun wasn't due for another few hours. That hadn't been what had woken her up though. It was the noise. A soft chiming way off in the distance that reminded her of the...

"Warning bell," she hissed and bolted from their bed. It was only when she got to the door she realised she was naked and cursed again before beginning to drag on one of Cassian's shirt and her boots; it would have to do. She threw open the curtains and flames danced along the city.

"Get up!" she threw Cassian's boot towards him and then bolted for the door again.

 

[Cassian]

Cassian had been so deeply asleep that he hadn't realised that Lexi had gotten out of bed until his boot hit him. He let out a grunt in fright and tried to sit up and turn toward her so quickly that he clattered to the floor to land in a groaning heap. Red scurried from where she'd slept curled against his legs, and hid under the bed with a hiss.

"Ugh, fuck. What? What is it?" he asked, clearing the grittiness from his voice and pulling himself to his feet to stumble and hop into his breeches, his eyes still half shut and blinking hard to adjust his vision. He hastily threw on his boots, though fuck knew where his shirt had gone to.

He rubbed at his face and hair as he moved to the door, and then his gaze widened at the ghastly orange grin of fire that tore across the city. Swiftly, he armed himself with sword and axe, and rushed out, hammering the hilt of his weapons on doors that he passed.

 

[Lexi Quinzell]

The heat smacked her in the face as she wrenched open the door outside. Shouts filled the air and people ran about in various states of dressed; some were in full armour who had been on active duty and some were like here - in barely more than a shirt and boots. Nobody cared. Everybody was focused on the flames ripping through the barracks. She couldn't help the sigh of relief that it wasn't up at the library itself; not that it could get there. The ancients wards ground into the brickwork could keep out armies if need be to protect the knowledge within. It was short lived relief however as she got closer and saw the amount of people being hurled from the building.

"How many are in there?!" she shouted to Kain over the racket. He glanced briefly to her then over her shoulder, alerting her to the fact Cassian was on her heels.

"I don't know, the flames are too hot to get past the-- LEXI!"

She wasn't waiting round for it to get any hotter. At a run she went for the mouth of the blazing inferno.