10 : Forehead Kisses

Xena wasn't up till late noon. When she did wake up, she was not surprised to not find Cassius on his couch.

It had become a sort of routine for him to disappear before she woke up.

Feasting on some delicacies of my kingdom. Sarcasm was evident in Xena's thoughts.

But something nagged her since by this time, he was always back. Since she already woke up late, shouldn't he be back by now?

Last night was. . . Eventful but Xena didn't care about it that much, or maybe she didn't want to.

Today, she was going to go to the city with her lady in command to get somethings for herself and Cassius. That creature could use a few shirts and trousers and definitely some shoes.

Xena loved to walk barefoot but not out of the palace whereas Cassius was always barefoot, and by always she meant always.

She was still ignoring her father, whom she hasn't seen since her birthday. Even though she loved her father dearly, now was not the time to show her affection.

Without taking permission, she left the house with her lady.

Didn't Cassius say that today she was supposed to take him to her aunt's house in the forest? Where was he now? And how did he know she had an aunt? That too living in a forest. Xena had a dozen of questions.

"Princess, where is your bodyguard?" Xena looked at her lady beside her and sighed, shaking her head.

"You mean that winged creature? Only God knows about his whereabouts. He does not trust me enough to apprise me." The lady nodded when Xena gave a tired sigh.

The lady's eyes roamed on her princess and then stopped on her neck after a shiny thing caught her eye.

"Princess, I have dressed you countless times and picked out your accessory but I fail to remember - I mean I haven't seen that necklace ever before. Did someone gift it to you recently?" She was quite nosy though but Xena didn't mind. She wanted company and company she got. A really nosy one.

Xena immediately grabbed the necklace's winged pendant and nodded.

"Yeah, it was a gift. Cas-"

"Princess look!" Her lady pointed towards an area where there was a lot of crowds gathered.

Xena stopped in her tracks with her eyes wide.

"What is happening there?" Xena asked and ran - as ladylike as she could - towards the area. People immediately making way for their Princess, allowing her to see what was happening.

The lady beside Xena gasped as well as Xena herself after taking the sight in. There tied up, on a cross sign was Cassius. Bloody and bruised.

"This was bound to happen sooner or later!" Xena gritted out to herself while the lady beside her was still in shock.

Cassius was hardly in a conscious state, after him being too far away from his master for a long time, the fake bond doesn't let the slave stay away for long by taking away all their strength, same was the case with Cassius but after being suddenly close to his master, their powers channeled each other, causing Cassius to slowly regain his strength.

Fake bonds also had disadvantages as such. Cassius was unaware of this - he was probably going to lash out when Xena and Cassius are in a private vicinity.

"What is this?" Xena demanded to the man who stood close to Cassius with a lit torch. If Xena would have been late any longer, they would have burned him.

"Princess, this monster has killed many people of this society. He has killed our military leader! We will not let him go!" The person announced angrily while pointing at Cassius who decided to wake up from the nap.

Xena glanced at Cassius who started grinning mischievously. What was he thinking?

"Sir, that monster is my slave and I definitely don't allow you to kill him!" The people around her gasped.

"You sent him to kill our child?"

"No slave is this intelligent to do it without orders."

"Princess wants us dead."

"He is killing our people!"

And soon enough, these comments turned into chants,

"Burn him! Burn him! Burn him!"

Xena glanced at Cassius to see him stretching his neck.

Xena knew Cassius was wrong but she didn't want any harm to come to him.

Why was this? Why was I taking side of a creature who brings harm to my people!

"Yes princess, let me burn." Cassius spoke, venom dripping"-You were going to kill me anyway."

And just like that, the torch was lowered but Xena stepped in, pulling the torch away from the man and throwing it away.

"I said, no one will burn him!" Xena shouted. It was time she took her place and position seriously.

Xena turned around to untie Cassius who looked shocked as ever but then, another comment was thrown,

"Burn the princess with him!" Someone screamed and a chorus of 'Yes' resounded.

"We don't want a princess who doesn't care about her people! Kill her!" A lady from the crowd shouted.

"Ok, that's enough. No one gets to kill her but me." And just like that, Cassius broke his ropes that were bounding him to the wood and grabbed Xena by her waist.

He had started to heal - by being close to his master - and now, it was the endgame for the people of the society.

Cassius looked around to see people were suddenly carrying knives. Cassius smirked and sprouted his wings.

This is going to be entertaining!

Everyone flinched and with one heavy swoosh of his wings, the people flew away, colliding with walls, buildings and whatever came in their path.

Once everyone was down, Cassius looked around, spotting the guy who held the torch and released Xena.

Without wasting even a second, He flew towards him and before the guy even knew what was happening, his head was pulled off of his shoulders and his intestines were pulled out.

Xena squealed but it was not at what Cassius did - she didn't even see what he did properly - but the knife that was flying her way.

People are really trying to kill me! But what did I expect anyway? Obviously they wanted to kill me! Xena thought as her life started to flash infront of her eye.

Knife only got closer and Xena shut her eyes tight. In an Instart, she was in the air, slammed in Cassius's chest - flying to god knows where.

"Looks like we will be taking our trip early," Cassius muttered to himself and groaned.

This was one annoying eventful morning.

Cassius silently flew as Xena tightened her grip around his neck.

"So, you going to tell me where is the house or are you just keep going to touch me?" Cassius' deep voice rumbled causing his chest to vibrate against Xena.

She flinched at the voice that came suddenly and tried to calm herself down. She was already too jumpy by the events that took place.

How could Cassius just forget about all this? How was he so unaffected by this? He was just about to be killed and now this nonchalant behavior?

"You know I can't see where we are going since my face is basically in your chest," Xena complained and Cassius groaned.

In one swift move, Xena was twisted around so she was only grabbed by her waist with her limbs hanging in the air.

She screamed trying to grab onto something but failed.

"Please don't drop me!" She pleaded to Cassius but he thought, why not.

"I wouldn't have if you just had remained shut."

And just like that, Cassius dropped her and she screamed. She was probably going to have a heart attack, and die. If possible, she screamed even louder as she got closer to the ground.

"Cassius!"

Cassius was having fun watching her fall but unfortunately, he had to save her or he would die too.

In a few blinks, Xena was grabbed and pushed back into Cassius' chest with her tear-stained cheeks against his skin.

Cassius landed both on the ground and instantly, Xena fell to the ground. She started to cry harder and when Cassius came to sit beside her, Xena turned around with fire - tears - in her eyes and started punching his chest.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." She looked too cute for Cassius not to smile.

She looked so cute and innocent with those rosy cheeks and runny nose with her right fists doing absolutely nothing to him.

Cassius chuckled and for only a while, he forgot all his plans for revenge from her.

"I hate you," Xena mumbled and crawled away but Cassius pulled her back against his chest.

"Okay, I am sorry. I promise I won't do it again." Cassius said jokingly.

"Promise?" When Cassius didn't answer, Xena cried again and spoke, "- I am never going to let you carry me again!"

Cassius shrugged and kissed her forehead. That made both of them freeze.

What the- Xena was shocked!

Cassius scolded himself for not being able to control his actions and Xena was too scolding herself for suddenly blushing and not staying angry.

"Let's go. Lead the way." Cassius said, pushing Xena off of him rudely and walking away.

What did I just do! Why did I do? Cassius thought.

...
I love Cassius and Xena. Dang it!

P R O Q U E E N