↳ 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹: 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙖 𝘿𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙪 - 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳 .𝟐

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[ female reader ]

If you felt like any normal human being, you know undoubtedly that your heart would be pounding in your chest. Not just because your commander barged in and witnessed something you'd aimed to keep quiet, but because of the look in her eye. Anyone can fake or hide an expression, but their eyes always give them away, and her's are murderous.

"Miranda." You murmur the dreaded name, feeling Cassandra step behind you and peer at the goddess over your shoulder. "I can explain."

"How long?" She endures only a moment of silence before speaking up again. "You heard me, how long?"

"Not long."

Cassandra catches her eye and swiftly bows her head, tracing a fingertip along your belt to take her mind off her raging nerves. The racing of her heart has you contemplating saying something— anything to ease her worries until you hear footsteps coming closer.

"I saved your life. I gave you a gift. I provided you with a home. I gave you work." You press your lips together when she stands before you, staring down at you. The disappointment in her tone is clear as day. "Most importantly, I put my trust in you."

"All due respect, my relationship with Cassandra doesn't make me any less worthy of your trust. I am still a capable candidate to protect this village like I have been doing for weeks now."

"I'd be more convinced if I hadn't warned you of the consequences many times before. We discussed this before I sent you away to do your duties. I made it clear that you are to keep things strictly professional at all times, no matter what. A relationship with a Lord's daughter doesn't sound very professional, does it?"

"Mother supports it." Cassandra informs. "No one has an issue with us being together. The only person who does is you." Miranda's gaze instantly darts to the witch. You faintly sneer at how it makes her look at the floor so damn quickly.

"I cannot afford distractions. Neither can the village." She spits back. "Things grow more perilous here by the day and I can't always be here to protect the people. If your mind is elsewhere rather than focusing on your orders what good are you? If you can't obey a simple order then how useful are you really? Do I have to remind you of your purpose here?"

"My purpose is to keep everyone here alive and safe. In case you haven't noticed the death toll has reduced significantly since I arrived. I understand your worries but Cassandra isn't a distraction. She understands my job, she knows what you ask of me."

"I only see her off duty." Cassandra adds timidly. Though instead of it persuading Miranda to climb onboard with the idea of your relationship, it has the opposite effect.

"Miranda! Miranda, please stop!" The witch hurries down the spiral staircase as the blonde drags you below ground. The firm grip on your bicep steering you past the cells holding the very traitors you caught with your bare hands.

A weight on your shoulder encourages you to kneel, your wrists swiftly being shackled purposely tight above your head. Daylight drips through the gaps in the metal grate stretched across the top of the empty well, illuminating the space around you for Cassandra to watch.

She stands at the edge of the circle of light, her gaze bouncing back and forth between you and Miranda. "Please you don't have to do this," her voice wavers.