Cas
The surprisingly ornate door is still waiting for me to open it. I’m not sure why my hand won’t close around the brass doorknob and keep me from being late to this important meeting, but I have a tiny idea. This was a bad idea in the first place. I shouldn’t have asked for this alliance in the first place. It makes me feel like I’ve betrayed Justin while acting as regent. He hates Marudeva. And I should hate him too. But instead… I love him. I love him with all my heart. I love him so much it hurts. He’s supposed to be evil. He killed Esfira. But for some reason, I love him. Even though he did all those things, even though he was previously married, even though I can tell he’s trying to assemble some sort of army, I still feel attracted to him. And that’s why I can’t open the door. Because I’m afraid of how I’ll act. Because I’m afraid of my own feelings. Because… I’m afraid he loves me too.
Gathering my courage, I open the door at long last. Marudeva and a few others are standing around a large table with a detailed map of the entire island. He looks up at my arrival. Two of his assistants rush to help with the many maps and charts I’ve stuffed into my arms. Marudeva smiles. “Welcome, Ms. Safira. Did you have a reasonably comfortable commute?”
“It was good enough.”
“Good, good.” Marudeva dismisses his assistants. “Now, what do you suggest for a good supply train arrangement?”
I pull out the map and spread it wide on the table. Pointing to a little clearing close to the edge of the forest. “I think here would be good to set up a terminal, but we don’t want to impede on local wildlife-”
A warm presence appears on my shoulder and around my waist, and my breath hitches. So he does love me back… This feeling is amazing, a warm shock ebbing out from my chest outward into my arms and into my fingertips. I can’t feel my legs at all, it’s like I’m floating.
“Marudeva…” I say quietly, and hope he can’t hear the breathless strain in my voice from trying to rein in my emotions.
“Oh… Apologies.” He pulls away slightly.
I grab his hand quite suddenly, not sure what’s happening at all. It takes a moment of complete shock before I realize that he and I are blushing profusely. I let go and turned away, trying to little avail to pretend like nothing happened. “As I was saying-”
“Ms. Safira… If you liked me, you could have just told me.”
“...I- I… Well, you could have told me!”
“Well, then. Casandria, I love you.”
“I… I love you too, but I can’t. I don’t want to. Not after everything that’s happened.” My fear bubbles out, being slowly replaced with all the anger and courage I can muster.
“What do you mean?”
“I know everything.” I turn around to face him, trying to find something in his eyes at some point during this confrontation. “I know you killed Esfira. I know you’re building an army. I know you wanted to be king. I know what you’re planning. The only thing I don’t know is why.”
“Ah.” Marudeva chuckles. “And there is where you know nothing.”
“How?”
“You never heard how Esfira sacrificed herself so neither Justin nor I would be killed during a classic duel. You never heard how deprived we are in the desert. You haven’t heard that I am the eldest of the Divide Expedition, senior even to Viatora. You haven’t heard that everything I do… has been for someone. Someone they neglected to tell you about. I am a widower. My wife died in a freak accident caused by the foolishness of the Council. So perhaps I want revenge. Perhaps I want to make a better infrastructure for this continent. Perhaps I don’t want others to suffer as I have suffered.”
“... So you’re going to invade the other nations? How is that preventing suffering?”
“I tried to unite this people long ago. If they do not desire to be united, then I will make a better nation in my area. There is one worrying piece of evidence I would like to share with you, but first, I’ve heard rumors about you that I would like to discuss.” He plops down into a comfy looking chair and motions for me to sit on the sofa.
“I’ve heard from a couple of… recruits… that you are not what you say you are.”
“What… are you talking about?”
“Well, first off, the obvious lie is that you didn’t really need those glasses. After the first council meeting, I could tell that you truly needed those. Secondly, I heard that you got an Island gift. That one was a little harder to pin down, but I’m pretty sure it’s true. Now, the third and final rumor I heard… Well, it’s a huge accusation.”
I start squirming in my seat, trying so hard not to let fear engulf my entire body in a chilling, tight grip.
“I’ve heard… You are not only a Healing Witch, but you… well, that you’re a Dark Witch.”
My heart seizes. Could it be true? Did everyone know? It must have been Wilhelmina… That day… Of course she would tell everyone! It’s just in her nature to do that.
Marudeva has a curious look in his eye. “So you are a Dark Witch.”
“I- I… I-i-i… I can explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain, Ms. Casandria. In fact, I’m amazed, and honestly quite intrigued, at how you managed to keep it quiet so long. Do tell, how did you manage to keep it so quiet?”
“I just… never told anyone.”
“Then how did it get out?”
“Wilhelmina, most likely.”
“Ah. The island gossip. Of course.”
“Mhm…”
“I promise I’ll keep your secret safe now that I know. Since that’s out of the way, I’d like to discuss another set of rumors.” Marudeva stood up and walked over to the map table, motioning for me to follow him. He pointed to the edge of the bogs and the desert.
“This is the problem. No one claimed the bogs, as we deemed them undesirable, bordering on uninhabitable. And yet, a small group of individuals is always lurking around, stealing supplies in the dead of night. The worst part is, everyone else on this island claims to also be victim, and no one knows who they are. I’m not sure who they are, but this group is another reason I trust no one. Another reason I want to control this whole area. I want to find out who is responsible, and bring them to justice.”
“That.. sounds like a plan. But do you really need to take over the whole island?”
“No one’s cooperated with me when I’ve been civil. The only way they’ll listen is through force.”
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