CASSIUS

The aftermath of what had just occurred was brutal. The final day of the Ancestral Festival was tattered, the speech unfinished, and the people of Ojak left with questions and fear. Cassius was rushed away from the balcony and to the infirmary wing. He couldn't figure why that was necessary, considering his only wound was the cut on his ear. However, with the adrenaline--which was initiated by the chaos--fading, he now began to feel the sharp stings of pain, so fierce that they made his ear seem to throb. Cass supposed getting it treated wouldn't be the worst thing. He was ushered through the palace, down familiar corridors. He knew the way himself, and yet he was not allowed to travel unsupervised, out of fear of another attempt to take his life. The cameras had obviously stopped rolling, and the heir could only imagine how terrifying that must've been for people watching on their devices, tucked away in the safety of their homes. It seemed mighty unfair to Cassius, seeing as his home was now no longer safe, according to his father, who was busy shouting commands. Magnus and Sosephane, Ojak's rulers, were busy trying to restore order and escape the created chaos. There was no doubt that they too would retreat into the palace, for the added protection. Fear was powerful, that much was evident.

After several minutes of walking at a brisk pace, he was jostled into the infirmary. The moment he entered the room, Cassius seemed to be swarmed by medical staff members. The staff busied themselves with cleaning out the cut and bandaging it. Regardless of his age, Cass still winced when they applied the antiseptic; he was forced to grit his teeth to keep from softly hissing in pain from the sting it gave. But pain was a small price to pay for health. His blue eyes flicked around the room, looking at everything around him. There were far too many people around him and the space was beginning to feel unnaturally stiff. Once the bandage made contact with his ear, he was relieved the procedure was done. And with it being done, he would be free to leave. This was, unfortunately, not the case.

"Well, thank you for patching up the small wound. It's appreciated. However I'll just be taking my leave--" Cassius began, starting to get up from where he was seated. However, he didn't get very far because one of the nurses shoved him back down, a little harshly too.

"Your highness, we are not quite done yet. While your physical state has been taken care of, your mental one could very well be at risk."

"My mental--no, you listen here. I am fine!" Cass protested indignantly. There was no way that he was going to let them run mental tests! He was perfectly fine!

"Prince Cassius, it'll only take a moment. After such a traumatic experience it's normal to be a little shaken. We wish to ensure your health--"

Cassius glared at them. "There is nothing wrong with me! I'm not shaken up! As your future monarch, I demand you stop this immediately," he ordered. It was already bad enough his life had been put on the line. Now, he had to deal with more people seeking to restrict him. When would it all just end? It was tiring having to play the part. He wasn't in the mood for these games anymore.

The nurse shook her head, a frown on her face. "Unfortunately, Prince Cassius, your father ordered us to briefly check over your mental state to ensure you are well. It is by his orders that we perform this action against you. Also, I do believe your father is the actual monarch of Ojak and, therefore, his word overrides your own."

The heir sat there, a little stunned. My father? He thought to himself, his eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly. Why... but then it hit him. This wasn't about what happened today. This is about what had happened earlier. This was about what had happened over the course of time. Not only was this entire 'mental test' a condescending ploy, it was also a clear message. Magnus Ignis wished to keep his son in check, no matter how inconsiderate it may be. By now, Cassius was fuming, though he wouldn't let this show. His face was slack of all emotion, like a cold and endless void. His blue eyes flickered up to the nurse and with a blank voice he stated one simple word: "Fine."

The nurse looked pleased that the heir had conceded to her requests, or rather the orders she was given by her monarch. However, festering in his mind was a hurricane of words, brewing and ready to be unleashed. Oh, not on the nurse, oh no. These words were for one person only: Magnus Ignis.

The 'mental test' began and the questions were dull and pointless, in Cassius' not so humble opinion. They also showed him diagrams and asked him to interpret them, nodding thoughtfully at his answers. They piled on more questions after the diagram tests and like the previous inquiries, they were pointless. By the end of it all, Cassius was cleared to be in normal health. Finally, he stood and was able to take his leave, the nurses content with the work that had been done.

Shuffling out of the infirmary, Cass made his way down the elegant corridors and long hallways. His mind had a fixed location and his step was brisk. He was determined to speak his mind, regardless of the consequences. He would be quiet no longer.

At last, he arrived at the door he had been seeking: the door to his father's study. Normally, Cass would've knocked out of courtesy and respect for his father. However, at this moment, he felt no sense of respect for the man who sought to bind him. Instead, Cassius firmly grabbed the door handle and twisted, thrusting the door open. His blue eyes were like chaos, wild and hiding nothing.

Upon his arrival, Magnus had glanced up from his conversation with a royal advisor, Jargon. The conversation the two had been in the middle of dispersed the moment the prince barged through the door. "Cassius?" Magnus spoke first, his thick eyebrows furrowed the way they often did, a small crease spreading across his forehead.

"I have come to request a private audience with you," Cassius responded, fighting to keep the venom out of his voice. When anger took its toll on the heir, he was an entirely different person. His anger was also hard to control at times, and sometimes that led to irrationality, something Cass did his best to avoid.

Magnus studied his son for a moment, reading his demeanor. He frowned, "Can this wait?" he asked, though it sounded more like a condescending statement.

"No," the heir replied firmly, holding his father's gaze with a fierce determination.

Magnus subtly rolled his eyes but turned to Jargon, "We will continue this conversation at a later time. You are dismissed," he told the advisor.

Sensing the tension in the room, and also knowing his place, Jargon did not argue. He merely dipped his head in respect to his monarch, "As you wish, your majesty." He then proceeded to take his leave and exit the room. The door clicked shut on his way out.

"So, what was so important that you had to rudely burst into my study?" Magnus asked once the royal advisor had left. He sounded annoyed, like he didn't have time to waste messing with childish antics.

"You made them test my mental stability," Cassius stated plainly. His voice didn't waver as he spoke and his tone was anything but friendly.

"Indeed I did--"

"Why would you humiliate me like that? I am perfectly fine, and you know that!"

"Do I, though? Cassius, can you blame me for being concerned? Your life was just threatened! Something like that doesn't always go over well, and you had the potential to be shaken up. It was a precaution," Magnus replied, exuding confidence and authority. He was convincing, and anyone else would have been persuaded to believe that that was the truth of the matter.

However, Cassius was not so easily convinced, "Oh don't even start that!"

"What exactly are you hinting at?" the king demanded, his frown deepening, small creases forming at the corners of his lips.

"This 'mental test' wasn't for the recent attack. It was to get back at me for going off with Atlas!"

"Well aren't you just the clever one?" Magnus' voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Just admit it!"

"Fine, it was heavily weighted upon your recent behavior. You are the future monarch of a planet, Cassius! You don't have time to be running around like a mischievous child! You have far more important things to be doing! If Atlas continues to be a bad influence, then I'll be sure he has no influence at all!"

"You can't just do that--"

"Oh, but I can. Atlas may be Raza's son, but he refuses to take his title seriously. You, however, cannot be so lenient of your own title! You are Prince Cassius Ignis, my son, heir to the Ojakian throne! Does that mean nothing to you? You can never escape your destiny! You are far more important than any noble, and I will not stand insolent behavior from my son! Sneaking off without a word? That's not what a monarch does, Cassius! That's not how a king behaves!"

"So my destiny is to be restricted like a caged bird? Father, I just want a little freedom! I'm not like you, and I never will be!" Cassius retorted, giving a huff and crossing his arms across his chest in an indignant manner.

Magnus pinched the bridge of his nose and gave a frustrated exhale, "I'm not restricting you, Cass. I'm ensuring that you behave like any son of mine should--"

The heir shook his head, "Why can't you understand that I don't want to be bound to all of your intolerable rules?"

"Intolerable? Now you listen here--"

But Cassius didn't listen. No, he turned and began to storm towards the door, not wanting to hear another word. His father had said everything already, he didn't need to hear it over and over again. He wasn't about to stand there and let his father walk all over him. He had been fairly obedient all his life. He had never made a scene, he had always stood by his father's side and taken every harsh command with a straight face and without any arguments. However, Cassius was tired of being bound by metaphorical chains. He longed for the freedom Atlas had, the ability to go through life without fear of messing up or being short of perfection. A few more strides and he'd be out the door, having vented his feelings to his father, as displeasing as his emotions were.

However, the heir didn't make it to the door before his father grabbed him harshly by the arm. Cassius winced slightly, regretting showing the weakness of pain to his father. His blue eyes looked up into his father's dark brown ones and he gulped. With the adrenaline of anger not fleeing his body, Cass realized he may have overstepped his bounds. The boy who was afraid to anger his father surfaced, his prior confidence gone. The heir was well aware of punishment and knew it almost all too well. After all, his longing for freedom had a long history, and with that, his father had a long history of keeping Cassius in line.

"You will not walk out on me, Cassius!" Magnus growled, looking dangerous. "You are my son and you shall abide by my rules. I only do what's best for you! Keeping you in line will ensure your success! A king must be mature, collected, and rational. This little tirade of yours has only proven you've let yourself stray away from such attributes. A king has the weight of his planet on his shoulders; there is no time for freedom! Do I make myself clear?"

"But I'm not a king yet--" but Cass never got to finish because the smack across his face killed any other words that had threatened to come tumbling out of the prince's mouth.

"You are my son, Cassius! You may not be a king yet, but you had better start acting like one!" Magnus answered his son's short-lived protest. "Do I make myself clear?"

With a gulp, the prince nodded slowly, "Yes sir."

"Then start acting like it. I don't want to hear of any more funny business. Now go," Magnus concluded, releasing his grip on Cassius' arm and turning his back to his son.

Cass didn't need to be told twice. He simply went on his way. He was a mess, his mind racing. He was beyond conflicted and he couldn't understand. However, his father had given him a clear message. If the apparent 'funny business' didn't stop, Magnus would not only remove Atlas from Cassius' life, the heir's only true friend, but the prince was certain his father would do a lot worse.

It wouldn't be the first time he'd felt the sting of leather across his shoulder-blades. Maybe it was cruel, and it probably was; however, military ideology was tricky, and many didn't understand it. Everyone knew that in order to make a soldier, you had to break him first. It was psychology and nothing more. It wasn't a typical punishment, as most households had done away with such harsh practices, but the Ignis household was definitely a stickler for tradition.

All Cassius knew was that his father had made it clear that this was no light warning. The prince ought to tread lightly now, and not step out of line. It was clear his father wasn't a fan of him sneaking out unsupervised, nor playing along with Atlas' shenanigans. Anyone could see that Cass had better heed the warning and not risk anything more. However, after everything, there was still something that was bothering him, and something he was determined to get to the bottom of: how did Atria Zamet see the future as if she were a Seer? It was impossible. He knew that finding the answer to that question would cost him, but it was a risk he had to take, and he planned to take it.