"What would you do if I told you I was cursed?"
CASSIAN X OC
IN WHICH SHE IS HER FAMILIES BEST KEPT SECRET, AND ITS CASSIANS JOB TO FIGURE HER OUT.
PRE ACOTAR - ACOSF
"Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound. Don't you dare look out your window, Darlin' everything's on fire, the war outside our door keeps raging on"
~ Safe And Sound, Taylor Swift.
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FLORENCE CARLISLE SCOWLED AT THE COCKY, ARROGANT, ANNOYINGLY HANDSOME MALE BEFORE HER. "I'm not a princess." She spat.
Cassian (what a ridiculous name, Florence thought) shared a bemused smile over her head at Yvonne; who only narrowed her eyes back to the warrior before falling into her own training routine.
Great. So much for friendship.
"Sorry," Cassian continued, arms still crossed against his training leathers covered chest. "I'm here to protect you Lady Carlisle."
She flinched, her hand stretching back to the comforting presence of the wildflowers braided into her hair. Cassian noticed frowning ever so slightly. "I'm not a lady." She spoke out.
He scoffed, sending her a charismatic grin. "What are you then, an empress?"
"A bastard." The words slipped out before she could real them back in. Said with more confidence than she felt about such a word as she stared into Cassian's eyes. She would not be ashamed. Not of her human identity, not of her mother, not for the way her mother had fallen in love either.
Cassian's eyes didn't falter. "Well then, we're the same." He spoke, smirking self deprecatingly before he took a step forward into the ring and towering over her as he held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Florence."
She took his hand hesitantly, the fresh daisy chain she had crafted that lunch dangling around her wrist. If she drowned out the sounds of the camp she could hear the birds flying above again. Her mortal companions.
"I don't know many warriors who wear that many flowers." He chuckled. "It's brave, people, fae, they can all be cruel."
"Cora, my sister, the real lady Carlisle, she says it's good to be gentle." Florence spoke up. She would not be afraid, she was fairly sure one can be strong and kind at the same time. That both qualities can exist in one orbit around the stars of her existence.
Cassian nodded, something strange in his eyes that she couldn't quite place. "That's brave too."
"Who sent you?"
'Your brother. To keep you safe." Cassian noticed her change in posture at that remark. Noticed the way she folded inside her thoughts.
None of them thought she could protect herself, she pondered. They cared, yes, enough to send what looked like a great warrior. But the point was that in doing that they didn't think her capable of achieving the same thing that Cassian has -
