Night Flight

Cassandra hadn't come out of the bathroom all night - and she wasn't going to for a while. Both reasons being she didn't want to see her dad, and she didn't want to see Silas.

Just as she suspected, the peace she had found was destroyed by the thunderous barrage of knocks that came off more like a tightly wound fist hammering at the thick wooden door.

Her father came to demand for her presence at dinner, but luckily - she had a real excuse when he came pounding on the bathroom door.

"Cassandra - come out immediately. You're making a fool of your mate, of me, and of yourself. Act like the Luna you are supposed to be," Harbinger growled.

"I'm not," *hic* "feeling" *hic* "well," she replied truthfully before she let another stream of bile leave her mouth.

She had been crying for hours, and along with her nausea from being pregnant, she was also making this worse with her sorrow. If it wasn't for the fact she was expecting, and she needed to tell Metas that her father had human weapons now - she would have thrown herself from the tower already.

"What is wrong with you now?" Harbinger sighed out and leaned against the door frame as though she were going to state something make believe.

"I'm...pregnant..." she replied and laid her head on the bathtub to stop the headache that was looming from pounding.

"What? Are you certain, or are you guessing?" Harbinger asked with much more interest now.

"I'm...certain.." she groaned and closed her eyes as she silently prayed for her father to go away.

"Cassie, that's great. You did something I'm truly proud of," he beamed for one second before he turned the mood sour, "I mean, any female can pull it off, but you did as I asked, and for that I'm proud."

'Go away...just go away...' she begged silently. 'Make him go away...' she continued.

"Do you want me to have tea or crackers sent to you?" Harbinger asked with a much softer tone again.

"N-no...please," Cassandra answered with dread.

"Very well. Your mother was the same at first. I'll have the kitchen put together a meal plan for you to ensure the best growth and chance for the coming child. I'll let you skip eating today, but tomorrow you will eat something, and you will like it," he scowled coldly. He didn't like it when anyone disrupted the order or schedule he had set for the day. Now she was refusing to eat. This was now her second transgression against his plans.

It fine, though. Once she had that little boy (or girl, but he didn't want to think about that outcome), Harbinger would start doting upon it day one. He'd make sure to be a constant support in the child's life so that he could later manipulate them.

If he could just keep order for a little bit longer - things would be fine. Tonight he would sleep well knowing that the future was his to control and influence. Everything would continue on as normal, and the Lycan kingdom would thrive as it always had.

As he left her room for the grand hallway that had been lit up with all sorts of different crystals and candles that looked as though they were floating. Harbinger fixed his custom-made outfit where his tail could stick through as he kept his anthropomorphized form as proudly as he always did.

Over the years it had begun to get harder to maintain his shape with his body getting older. He used to sleep like that in his younger years, but now he opted to just sleep as a wolf. It was good his hair was already white, otherwise he'd show a lot more of his aging than was on the surface.

For now it was fine, but soon he'd have to walk on two old, mortal legs that were wearing out just like all of those who survived time. His body was going to die, but if he played his cards right, his legacy would last for lifetimes.

******

"Cassie! C-Cazanrda!" Silas shouted as he pounded on the bathroom door. Now it was his turn to disturb the peace she had been enjoying.

Since she had dozed off, it made it uncomfortable to shake her head to get the sleep out and realize what was going on. "Hmm? What?"

"Y-You difdn't tell me you were pr-regnabnt!" Silas shouted.

'He's drunk again...' Cassandra thought bitterly. 'He's worse when he's drunk...'.

"I tried to earlier, Silas. You kept cutting me off." She replied curtly and hissed his name as though her palate had the foul aftertaste one would experience after a root canal from the dentist.

"Why disdn't you ssrtop me?" He shot back furiously.

"You were mad. I was going to tell you when you returned...but I see my fath-" she stopped and hissed, "-oop--damn it." She caught herself hopefully in time before his drunk brain put pieces together.

"Yuer what?" He spat with anger.

"Your father- your father ruined the surprise, but I get it. He was just proud is all. I guess I just consider him my dad now, too." Cassandra lied like milk chocolate that poured from a fountain at the perfect melting point.

"Awwg..thats really wseweet, babe....I lve you," he smiled and sighed out as though her words satiated him just fine.

She wanted to reply to him in the same fashion - but she couldn't. All Silas loved was her father's approval as well himself. His words were platitudes.

"Go sleep, Silas. You're drunk. We can talk in the morning," Cassandra sighed out tiredly. She was sick of this. Once he passed out, she had every planned move flicker through her head like a choppy film. She was going to be free, or she was going to seriously debate diving out of the high tower.

In some way, she felt as though Syrana were getting even with her from behind the veil between life and death....and in every way she felt as though she deserved it.

It wasn't long before she could hear his deep, loud snoring from the bed that she left the safety of the bathroom. Since he was so conked out, she knew that only a giant explosion would wake him up now (maybe).

She at least had the courage and decency to leave a note behind for him on the bathroom counter that she hope he'd read and make use of the words it contained.

Cassandra didn't dress heavily. She had to be in something light and looked like sleep attire to sell what she was going to display on her way out. Quickly, she dressed in a light white night dress, and put a thin green robe over her shoulders to keep herself warm enough until she could run away from the mountain.

She had to be quick, or she was going to miss her opportunity. Cassandra followed the path she laid out in her head precisely, and made a quick 'run' down the stairs and towards the grand garden where most of high society went for a nice view, or just to feel free from the stone surrounding them.

As she thought there would be - there were guards posted towards the entrance and exit into the forest.

'act like the Luna you are supposed to be' her father's words echoed in her mind.

"Okay. I will." Cassandra hissed to herself and bravely made her way up to the two guards and looked at them with an expression of pain and power.

"You two go inside for a moment. I need some air, and I'd rather not expel my insides around you," she commanded the best she could. Cassandra wasn't used to giving orders - but taking them was a skill she had mastered.

"My Luna, General Harbinger said-"

"I don't care what he said. Surely you can give me a moment. Last I checked, the General was below the King and his Luna. Go inside and give me my privacy. The royal garden is full of guests who are leftovers from the party," she lied so smoothly (and she was more than likely right).

"All I want is some fresh air, and some peace and quiet. Get. Out." The more she spoke, the better she got at taking command. Her voice had genuine agitation in it as she was honestly feeling sick, and she needed to get away before she burst into a billion pieces of pressurized salt-acid.

"Yes, my Luna - of course, my Luna" they both replied and gave her a respectful bow. "Please shout if you need us."

"Indeed." Cassandra replied coldly.

As soon as their footsteps got far enough away, she turned and took to four legs so that she could run faster into the forest, where she would be free.

Now, she would do everything in her power to stop her father, and Silas from making more of a mess than they already had. If she ran fast enough, perhaps she could get far enough away before Silas woke up and peeked out the window to see her.

More than anything - anything - she wanted to be free from the oppressive mountain and the two males inside of it that caged songbird.

Well, now this songbird was free, and she would not have her wings clipped ever again.