lay low

It had been a long day. She was finally released from the custody of the Transition Center and decided to spend her first day on the island staring at the horizon. Yes, yes. She knew none of that made any sense, but the wind rolling off the water was calming and she found a rather secluded little pier near the port that made a perfect place to stand and watch the waves turn white and glitter in the setting sun.

She was wearing one of the few dresses that she could find that felt like home. A long, flowing white lace thing decorated sleeves of golden thread. Her hair blew behind her, soft from this strange invention of shampoo. Taking in a deep breathe, Briella could smell the salt coming off the water and it made her smile. It reminded her of the castle in England, right on the coast line and always smelling of the sea after a rain. The clouds did not threaten rain any time soon. In fact, it was clear and crystalline, a mash of bright reds, oranges, and pinks that spiraled off the setting sun like the layers of a cake.

With this, she began to sing. It was an old song, not in modern English, but rather in a dialect of Old English that even she didn't completely remember. But the tune was nice and made her sway back in forth in fond memory. She could almost here the lyre being plucked by a rather terrible bard who believed he knew the true story of how the Norse hero Beowulf died. Of course, none of the people at court took him at his word, for he was a notorious liar. If she could recall correctly, Briella vaguely remembered him being beheaded for orchestrating a song about Prince Richard being a eunuch. The thought made her giggle.

TAGS | @cass

The sun was fading fast by the time Cassandra finally left the boat she had occupied for the last two days. Work had called her away, as it so often did, at a bad time. She had just met up with Dani a few hours before the orders came in, but surely the girl was fine. Cass was just a little over protective of the younger hunters now that Artemis wasn't around to give them guidance. Too much time away from their Goddess left them all a little lost and confused, though Cass knew she would return for them someday.

Slinging her now and duffel bag over her shoulder, Cass walked down the creaking dock towards the shoreline. The black leather of her field uniform was suddenly feeling uncomfortable, and she wanted nothing more than to change in to plain clothes as soon as she hit the barracks. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice floating from a nearby pier. Frowning, Cass made her way towards it to see someone she never believed she would meet again.


Her stepa were quick but quiet as Cass approached the older woman from behind. Gently placing her bag on the wooden planks, she stared at her former friend for a long moment before making her presence known. "Hello Briella. It's been a while, hasn't it." Her voice was steady and firm, the disapproval she felt hidden behind a professional air. It hadn't been long enough for her to quite forgive the fallen hunter for abandoning them, and she almost doubted it ever would be.

Although the woman was near silent, Briella had been around long enough to know when someone was approaching her. She stayed silent for a moment, waiting for the other person, a woman by the sound of it, spoke. The familiar voice caused Briella to smile to herself, "Cassandra." She said in her English accent, "You're quite right. Too long." Her voice was light and airy and very princess-like.

She turned slowly, her hands clasped together in front of her long skirt, "How are you? And the others? I suppose this island must truly be safe if you are all here." She said calmly, ignoring the white elephant on the pier.

TAGS | @cass

"Most of the others are safe. Only a few have fallen without Artemis' supervision, though they were all younger." The temptation was almost always the worst during the first decade or so. The older ones like Cass were fine, but adding the younger females to an island full of apparently attractive Demi-Gods had been a recipe for disaster. That was beside the point now though. Why did Briella care? "Myself and some of the older hunters have joined the Garrison. We've been on the hunt for too long to give it up now. Where did you end up? Modern life treating you alright?"

She nodded slowly, looking at Cassandra with kind eyes, "Yes, quite well." She replied smoothly, "I appreciate your mock concern for my well being. I know this must be awkward for you, Cassandra." She said mildly, insinuating that it was not awkward for her.

TAGS | @cass

"Less awkward, more irritating. Last time I checked only the fallen who did so on the island were allowed to be here." If Briella was going to open up that can of worms, Cass would take it. Even her normally kind nature wasn't having any of this. Briella had abandoned them like a coward at a time when they would need her the most. "Why are you here now? You said you were done with this life, so why come back to it?" At the least, Artemis would never take her back. Once the vows were broken, they couldn't be remade.

Briella's eyes were cold and unfeeling, a trick she had learned in her one thousand four hundred fifty eight years of life. She stepped forward so that she was closer to the woman and said in a cold, harsh voice, "I did not come to this place to return to Artemis. If you will remember, I was a Huntress far longer than you have been alive. I know very well the vows are no longer an option for me."

Looking at Cass, Briella continued, "I have been claimed as a daughter of Zeus. I am here as a demi-god, not as a Hunter."

TAGS | @cass

"You were never a huntress, Princess. Artemis was just a means to an end for you. You made that very clear the last time I saw you." Grabbing her bag, Cass glanced at Briella again. Once upon a time she had looked up to the older woman. Every girl wanted to be a princess, and Briella really had been one. Now, she was just...well, Cass couldn't find words for what she felt. Her better natured side wanted to forgive her old friend and let things pass, but how could she?

"The king of the Gods suits you far better than we ever did. I hope you find happiness amongst his children." Her tone was formal and distant, something that felt strange on her lips. Even as a soldier she had never been quite like this. Leave it to Briella to come back and switch everything up.

Arching a brow, Briella smirked and tilted her head to the side in a regal manner, "I was a Huntress, Cassandra. No matter the purpose of my tenure there, I trained and learned and fought just like the rest of you." She smoothed out the skirt of her dress and nodded slightly to a thought she had, "Yes, I did leave your ranks, but that doesn't take away the hundred of years I devoted to Artemis or the fact that I still respect her and hold her dear in my heart." Looking over her shoulder at the horizon and sighed and finished, "She knows as well as I that mortals were not meant to live forever."

TAGS | @cass