Dance of Ciprahn

Chapter Twenty-Three: Cass

One of the guards was holding some sort of GPS navigator. "This way my prince! We are nearly there!" He says that several more times unironically. I want to slap him upside the head and tell him to stop it when finally he says "We are here." We walk up to a cleared landing. I hear a whirring in the distance and see lights up ahead. There is a sleek helicopter, as black as death and glimmering in the darkness like a satin mustang. Oh my God I might actually make it out this place alive. An incredulous smile creeps at one corner of my mouth. 

T and I might actually be able to be together. Forever! In love forever! A shadow of a tear makes its presence known in my eye. I breathe deep. A good, hearty peaceful breath. One I haven't had in a while. The co-pilot steps out and waves us over. We were going home. BANG! The gunshot is deafening in the stillness of the night. All drop to the floor. I instinctive crawl over to T to protect him. Who fired the shot? The guards look around puzzled. Suddenly other enemy guards rush out from nowhere and incapacitate the ones who are helping us. "Well, well, well. Where do you lovebirds think you're going?" The iciness of the tone is unmistakable. 

It is Talitha. She saunters out with that cultured arrogant swagger that I hate so much. I want to strangle her immediately. The mere sight of her makes my blood boil. The smoke of the gun trails like a midday cigarette. She holds it out loosely as if teasing us to make a grab for it. Like how a cat plays with a mouse before going in for the kill. "You didn't seriously think you'd win? I always get want I want. You? You are nothing. NOTHING!" she spits. Her face is going red. No pretend royal facades here. I'm pretty sure she is going to kill me. "You! How dare you touch him! How dare you say his name! He is mine! You've poisoned him! You've tainted him!" She pauses. "I told you that you were going home. And you will. But not alive I'm afraid." She smiles wickedly. 

"I am so going to enjoy this." She raises the gun. Suddenly I am pushed from behind and T puts his foot on me. I try to turn around but he presses his foot firmly. What the hell are you doing? Talitha lowers the gun unsure of what to make of this. "What is the meaning of this?" T breathes deeply then says "I knew she was going to escape. I've gotten to know her and her ways very well. I pretended to help her so that I could lead her back to you." Talitha stares at him blankly. T lifts his boot and walks over calmly to Talitha and says "There is only one woman that I have ever loved." Talitha continues to look at him puzzled and bewildered. "W-what do you mean?" T places a caressing hand on her arm. "You are the only one I have ever loved." The Duchess looks at him suspiciously but she so wants to be true. 

That little snake! I will carve out his effing heart out! Fury fills me as I try to tackle T but the guards restrain me. It WAS a lie! He never loved me! Liar! Trickster! False prince! I'll freaking tear his heart out! I scream like a wild animal. Then finally break down crying. Moved by this authentic explosion of passion on my part Talitha begins to let her guard down. "That's how it is then? Oh well. I supposed it's no surprise after all. I am me and you are you. And that's that. Now grovel and die." She raises the gun. T reaches out and pulls her into a passionate kiss. He dips her so low her long black hair touches the ground. 

They kiss for so long that when he lets go she is gasping for breath. "Tristannae what has gotten into you?" the Duchess asks. "The way the moonlight illumes your eyes is like the Pools of Silam on the East Shore. Like obsin emeralds of the royal family. Bejeweled and beautiful." replies T. Blech! Excuse me while I vomit violently over here. No way she would buy something like that! Surprising Talitha eats it up, flames to fan her massive ego. "Oh Tristannae," she says. Then she gives him a passionate kiss that leaves him short of breath. Hello? I'm still right here! God, just kill me already! "Come. Let me kill this accursed witch and let us be on our way," says Talitha. She raises the gun again. T gently lowers the gun and says "That would be too quick. Don't you want her to suffer? Wouldn't it be worse to daily see on TV and the news you and I together? To see the man she loved stolen away by her better, Talitha of Tabin?" 

Oh well, eff you too. Talitha smiles. "Yes, that's true. A quick death is too good for the likes of her!" She lets the gun slip from her hands. She and Tristannae embrace once more in a kiss. Just as I am considering rolling off the edge of the cliff and suiciding from this cringe-fest I hear the rustling of struggle. T has Talitha in a hold and is holding the gun to her chin. Talitha looks at him bewildered "My love?" T calls me to him. "Cass get in the 'copter! Hurry!" Glancing at both women he adds "I'll explain things later!" Deciding to sort things out later I dash to the helicopter. I stop and slap T. Then I kiss him. He looks at me surprised and confused. Then I slap him again and head towards the 'copter. The co-pilot helps me in. "

What did you expect?" T says to Talitha. "You kidnapped me and kept me here against my will! You were going to kill Cass! If you were as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside, perhaps in another life I could have loved you. Goodbye." Talitha makes no response as she stares at him sadly, a lone teardrop slithering down her cheek.  T climbs into the helicopter and once he is settled in his seat he puts his arm around me and holds me. He gives me a kiss on the forehead. He also rubs his cheek which was the red imprint of a hand on it. He furrows his brow in thought. "Sorry about that. I was trying to keep her from shooting you. I don't love her. You're the only one I love. I think she did deep down love me in her own twisted way. A possessive love. She mainly only wanted more power through me. "

 "I was an ends to a mean. But like me she is terribly lonely. Court life was worse for her than it was for me. Maybe under different circumstances we could have been friends but she let the world turn her cold and bitter instead of strengthening her." The island grows smaller as we take off and the passing night clouds look like apparitions dancing in the opaque skies, reflecting the moon's light from up above.