Casus Belli Ch. 07: Accepting Fate

Cassandra smiled softly, "I know you have reasons to feel good ordering the nobles around a little, but please don't forget why they're here this time."

Polly nodded, looking sad, "I saw a lot of crying noble girls today, which made me realize they're no different than we are. I feel for them, I really do." There was a lot of nodding around the table, as the other maidens expressed their agreement.

They finished their tea, and then they decided three maidens would probably be adequate to handle the diminishing number of nobles that would still be arriving. So Denora, Vala, and Leavy, left for the first floor entrance again, while the others stayed behind to keep Cassandra company.

The three had barely left when there was a knock on the living room doors. "Yes?" Cassandra reacted. The doors opened, and one of the Royal Guards came in, followed by Burgon Goban. The soldier looked at her questioningly, and she nodded at him, "It's okay, thank you." The soldier bowed slightly, stepped back and then turned around and left the living room.

Once the Royal Guard had closed the doors behind him she locked eyes with the Burgon, "Sir Goban, I thought you were at home with your family..."

The Burgon nodded, "Yes your highness, but my family lives in Iriskan, like most of the councilor's families. And I was to keep tabs on developments until the official surrender, that's why I'm here. There has been some bad news I'm afraid, and I considered it my duty to inform you about it personally." Cassandra felt her blood freeze, and the Burgon's hands came up in a placating gesture, "No! There is no news from Sir Boruga." She placed a hand on her chest, where her heart was thumping madly, and a soft whimper escaped her. "Such news would have been Marecomb's department anyway," the Burgon said apologizing.

Cassandra nodded, "Yes, I realize that now, but..."

The Burgon smiled softly, "I understand. We all hope he'll turn up unscathed, and as far as I know there are no reasons to assume he won't." She nodded, and the Burgon continued, "We have received news that two noble families from the east managed to escape to Loras, by crossing the Cravas somewhere east of Bougas."

Cassandra cocked her head, "They took a bloody great risk, but that's good news, isn't it?"

The Burgon nodded, "Yes, but there was also a noble family that tried to escape and didn't make it..." Cassandra felt her stomach turn. "They tried to escape to Mercandon, of all places, and got caught somewhere west of Rogin, at a ford in the upper Bosan. One or more of the smugglers guiding them, it's a known smugglers route, escaped, and lived to tell the tale. Apparently all the smugglers that got caught, and all the accompanying servants, all men, got executed on the spot, as was the family father, after he charged the orcs. The women got raped first, and then they were executed too. There were also two small children..., no one survived."

The young Kangess' hands had closed into fists, and somewhere in the back of her mind a little voice was screaming, "No...," she managed, and then, while the screaming in the back of her head got louder, "Which family was it?"

The Burgon's face had darkened, "It was the Declos family, your highness, from Candor."

Cassandra slumped, and her eyes filled with tears. "Driara...," she managed, her voice sounding broken, "Oh gods, please have mercy on her soul..." She felt hands on her, as sorrow overwhelmed her. The young Kangess cried, and then she cried some more, as the image of Driara's smiling face haunted her thoughts. It took a while for her to find her composure again, and when she did, sandwiched between Moiga and Polly, the Burgon had long gone.

Syldan was hugging her from behind, "Are you okay?" she asked. Cassandra swallowed, "Yes, I'm fine now. It was just..., it was just the straw that broke the mule's back I guess." She received two tender kisses, one on each of her wet cheeks, courtesy of Polly and Moiga.

The young Kangess just sat dumbfounded for a moment, and then her pain turned into puzzlement, and she vented it, "Why the fuck were they on their way to Mercandon anyway? What by the gods were they thinking?"

The three maidens present just shrugged, clearly as dumbfounded on the matter as she was, and then a terrible thought surfaced inside her mind. "The last time they visited Bromodin, her father and stepmother tried to pander Driara to my father, a man thirty years her senior," she recalled out loud, "I bet those two were planning to use her as their ticket into Mercandon somehow." Anger overwhelmed her, "And she had two younger siblings, a lovely little boy and girl, also dead now. What a fucking assholes... If they weren't dead already I would kill them myself."

Polly sniffled, "So the orcs executed two small children. I..., I can't..."

"Those orcs had their own children killed," Moiga interrupted her stammering fellow maiden, "by Nigawans. Events like that always have their consequences."

"You mustn't forget," Cassandra added, "that after we chose to go to war with them, and before Marecomb talked them out of it, the orcs were planning on executing ALL the nobles, including the children..."

Polly shook her head, "I can't imagine such a thing, even for orcs having lost all their own children to murder, I just can't, only beasts would do such a thing."

"Our army did such a thing...." Syldan replied.

They just sat for a while, the four of them. "What a rotten world we live in," Polly then said, on a tone that made clear to everyone that it came from the bottom of her heart.

Shortly after regular dinner time the three maidens that had spend the afternoon receiving arriving nobles returned to the royal quarters. Cassandra was at the windows, observing the main gate, as they entered the living room. Denora was the first to come hug her, "We heard the news, how terrible, Driara was such a lovely girl."

"Yes," Vala said, joining the embrace, "and so were her siblings. What a disaster."

Leavy was last to join their little group hug, and her face showed a deep sadness, "As bad as it must have been, I think it was a mercy-full end for Driara, and maybe for her siblings too."

Cassandra locked eyes with the platinum blonde, "You also suspect foul play..."

Leavy nodded, "I can only imagine one way in which they could have bought their way into Mercandon; by offering up Driara, and maybe the two little ones too."

Cassandra watched Denora's eyes grow large as understanding dawned on her senior maiden, "You mean... But she was their own daughter!"

"His daughter, her step-daughter," Cassandra corrected her.

Denora's face darkened, "I can't even..., what a filth, both of them."

The young Kangess nodded her agreement, and so did the other maidens.

They had a slightly delayed dinner, and while the food was excellent, the atmosphere wasn't. Afterwards they retreated to the couches, as usual, and soon the orcs became the subject of conversation. They discussed their recent actions concerning the Declos family. The girls had all, to some degree, difficulty grasping what had happened, but Polly just couldn't get her head around it. "They were warned beforehand," Cassandra explained, "and when they ignored these warnings, and got caught, the orcs had no choice but to set an example. The only real tragedy here is that three innocents got caught up in it all."

"Whatever the explanation, those orcs acted ruthless," Denora said, "which doesn't bode well for the surrender ceremony..." She looked at Cassandra, who looked back stoically. "I feel so sorry for you," Denora said, "especially considering the effort you made to protect your servants from forced sex. It's cruel that, from all people, you're now destined for a fate you worked so hard to spare others from suffering."

The young Kangess shrugged, "I didn't really expect any tenderness on the part of the orcs to begin with... But anyway, it's not the same. The rules of the game change once war erupts. In war killing becomes legit, that's why soldiers aren't prosecuted for killing enemy soldiers after a war. They are recognized as mere tools that only did their job, and as a consequence it is the wielders of those tools that are held accountable in their place. It is then up to the victor to decide who those wielders are. In this case the victors chose to hold the entire ruling elite responsible. That seems severe, but not when you count in that our army performed genocide on their entire people..."

She looked around at her maidens, "They could have put us all to the sword, the entire nobility, children included, and they would have stood in their right, but they didn't. They decided to spare our lives, and enslave us instead. And now I'm destined to become their whore, to spread my legs for them in their brothels, together with all the other attractive noble women." She swallowed, "As much as I loathe that destiny, I can't really blame it on the orcs. I'll serve them as required, and should really be thankful I'm allowed too, because they spared my life." She dropped her head, "And so the brothel now awaits me, and I will try to make the best of it.

The remainder of the evening passed in a subdued atmosphere, with her maidens trying to lift everyone's spirits a little, without much success. When bedtime came only Leavy and Vala accompanied her, to get her ready for bed. Once they had helped her into her nightgown Leavy surprised her by leaning into her and hugging her, ""Don't linger on it," the platinum blonde whispered, "she's in a better place now."

Cassandra nodded, and felt Vala hug her from behind. They stood together for a moment, the three of them, and then the doors to the living room opened, and Denora and Syldan entered. Her senior maiden smiled softly, and then she threw her companion a disappointed look, "It seems our services won't be required tonight..."

Both Leavy and Vala let go simultaneously, and kissed her goodnight. "She's your responsibility now," Leavy said while passing Denora on her way to the bedchamber doors, "better make sure we don't get any complaints..." Denora's hand lashed out, and smacked Leavy on her well shaped rump. "Ouch!" the platinum blonde cried, and then she sped off towards the door, rubbing her behind, and pouting all the way. Once at the door she turned, and winked, and then she put her arm through Vala's who had arrived next to her, and both of them left the bedchamber, closing the doors behind them.

The two remaining maidens helped her into bed, and while Syldan climbed in behind her Denora moved to the opposite side, and then got into the bed too. Cassandra was laying on her back, and the two maidens snuggled up to her. "I know it's hard," Denora said, "but try to think about all the people you saved, instead of the few you lost."

"I'm trying," Cassandra answered, "I have been from the moment Burgon Goban delivered the horrible news, but it isn't easy."

"It's because you knew her personally," Syldan whispered, "it's because you knew what a lovely girl she was."

The young Kangess nodded, and then she slipped her arms around the two maidens, and pulled them even closer. They lay silent for a while, and then Denora turned her head and locked eyes with her, "This is the last time we'll be together like this, you and me and Syldan I mean, so is there anything you would like to talk about," she blushed, "or is there anything we could do for you?"

Cassandra swallowed, and then she moved her head a little and pecked Denora on top her nose, "You already did more than could be expected," she turned her head around and pecked Syldan on top her nose too, "both of you did. Please hold me, and let me hold the two of you, because that's the way I would like to remember our last night together." Both maiden's whimpered softly as they tightened their embrace, and then Denora switched of the crystals, and darkness descended. Cassandra fought off sleep for a while, because she didn't want for the moment to end. Soon though she felt both maidens relax against her, noticed their breathing becoming more shallow, and let sleep claim her too.

Brando smiled softly at her, his eyes twinkling, and then he pulled her against him, and his hands caressed her back. Cassandra moaned softly in his warm embrace, closing her eyes to concentrate on her feelings. She felt him kiss her forehead. "Wakey wakey," he whispered, and she groaned her displeasure, before realizing it wasn't Brando's voice calling her back to the lands of the living. Her eyes opened slowly, to discover Denora's lovely face hovering above her own.

"Good morning," it sounded, with Syldan's voice echoing Denora's. Both maidens were hugging her, caressing her, and she moaned contently as they bathed her in affection. After a moment she took a look at the wall mounted chronometer, and this time the moan escaping her sounded disappointed, it was past nine already.

"Yes, we have to get up," Denora's voices sounded apologetically, "In an hour or so more noble families will start arriving."

One of the living room doors opened slightly, and Moiga's head popped out from behind it, "Good morning," the pretty brunette said with a smile, and then she disappeared again, and the door closed. It didn't stay closed long though, and this time Leavy and Vala marched inside, meaning that the usual getting up ritual was about to start in earnest. Cassandra pouted, and both Denora and Syldan hugged her again before getting out of bed. They had breakfast, and then, after the other girls left to handle the arriving nobles, she had a bath with Denora and Syldan. The two groomed her from top to bottom, and afterwards she let Syldan choose her dress for her, which saw her end up in a nice regal blue one with long sleeves and a modest neckline.

Teatime arrived, and all the maidens returned to her quarters for it: they had left the majordomo in charge of welcoming the nobles again. Afterwards Denora and Syldan accompanied Moiga and Polly to the entrance hall, leaving Vala and Leavy behind to do Casandra's hair and make up, and to keep her company. It was close to noon when there was a knock on the doors to the private hallway. Vala got up, and when she opened the doors, expecting to see one of the Royal Guards who were manning the reception desk, her eyes met Major Coburn instead. The Major made a slight bow towards her, "I have news for her majesty."

Cassandra had gotten up, "Please, come in Major." Vala stepped aside to grant the Major entrance, and he walked up towards were Cassandra was standing. He stopped about two yards from her, and bowed again, and then he straightened and locked eyes with her. She belatedly realized Major Coburn was the temporary military commander, and she swallowed as fear rose. He smiled softly, "I have been informed that the orcs started to arrive from the south about an hour ago. They are setting up camp outside the walls, and don't seem to be planning on entering the city, not yet at least. I have also been informed a large number of prisoners of war are arriving with them, and being set to work on building the camp."

The young Kangess felt her hopes rise, but Major Coburn shook his head apologizing, "I'm sorry your highness, but Sir Boruga hasn't been identified among them, and everyone is looking, because they know how important it is to you."

She sighed, "No news is good news I guess..."

The Major nodded, "Yes. Well..., that's all the news for now I'm afraid."

Cassandra smiled at him, "Thank you for delivering it in person Thanos, it's appreciated."

The Major bowed again, "It's my pleasure your highness," and then he straightened and saluted, before turning around and leaving.

After Vala closed the doors behind the Major, Cassandra's expression fell, as the arrival of the orcs brought home the fact that the surrender ceremony was now just a day away. She felt Leavy hug her from behind, "Don't worry about it," the platinum blonde whispered into her ear, "there's nothing you can do to change it, what's going to happen is going to happen."

Vala had come over too, and now hugged her too, "She's right milady, worrying about it will get you nowhere."

The young Kangess nodded, and returned the hug. Leavy then led them back to the couches, and after they had sat down again both girls snuggled up to her. "Major Coburn is really nice," Leavy mentioned, "and he's quite attractive too."

"I heard he's still a bachelor..." Vala chimed in, "and he's certainly dedicated to you."

Cassandra chuckled, "Has Denora been setting the two of you up to this?" she asked.

Leavy looked surprised, "No!" She then grinned, "So Denora came to the same conclusion as we have?"

The young Kangess sighed, "Yes, she did, and I told her no."

Both maidens looked at her questioningly, "Why not?" Vala asked after a moment.

Cassandra shrugged, "Thanos joined the Royal Guard young, and his close combat skills saw him end up as part of my protective detail when I was still a baby. By the time I was a teenager he had been promoted as the leader of my protective detail," she grinned, "and there were some clashes. During one of them, when I, aged fourteen or so, questioned his authority, he told me how he had once, beside the road to Valdon, helped my mother change my diapers."

Leavy pulled a face. "Ah," Vala said, "I see the problem."

Some movement in the private hallway cut their conversation short, and then the doors burst open and four maidens came spilling in. They were talking happily, and then they noticed the three on the couch and everything came to a stop. "Did something happen?" Denora asked, sounding anxious.

"We just received news the orcs are arriving south of the city, and setting up camp outside the city walls." Leavy answered.

"Lots of prisoners of war are arriving with them apparently," Vala added, "but not a sign of the one we have all been missing so dearly..."

Denora nodded, "I see," and then she locked eyes with Cassandra, "it at least proves they have been taking prisoners of war... That's a good sign, no?"

The young Kangess nodded, "Yes, it is I guess, but..."

"But you had hoped Brando was among them," Denora finished for her.

She nodded, "Yes, and I know his absence means nothing, but it still was a bit of a disappointment."

Moiga and Polly had moved towards Cassandra along the back of the couch, and now bent over the backrest to hug her from behind. "Cheer up," Moiga said softly, "living prisoners of war mean the chances of him returning to you just increased considerably."

They had lunch; a delicious green salad with grilled chicken and baked potatoes. While eating, the girls managed to further lift her spirits, and afterwards Moiga and Polly stayed to keep her company while the other four departed for the entrance hall, to relieve the majordomo again. They sat on the couches, and when Moiga led the conversation away to their youth, clearly to distract her, she let her. Both girls had had a happy childhood, and she listened eagerly to their many funny stories and anecdotes. Afternoon teatime arrived, but of the four maidens that had departed for the entrance hall to welcome the noble families, there was no sign.

They waited patiently while Cassandra told some anecdotes from her own youth, until, a little less than an hour after the expected time, the four girls returned. They were happy to report that all the noble families, except for the two that managed to escape to Loras, and the one that got caught trying to get to Mercandon, were now accounted for. The mentioning of Driara's family brought tears to her eyes, which resulted in a group hug. They sat themselves down for tea, which came with sugar waffles, a treat they hadn't enjoyed before. "Oh, these are good!" Leavy exclaimed, after taking her first bite, "they make me think of the ones I had in Perna."