A Queen and Her Kings

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"They passed out a little while ago; but speaking of Grim, I'm reminded of a story my father told me a long time ago.", Cassandra said in a wistful tone, and Riddle focused entirely on her, curious about his girlfriend's revered but elusive father.

"Long before I was born, my father adopted my brother, a boy who he named Marcellus Gerad, or Marcel as we called him. His biological father was... less than kind, and when Marcel became a man, my father killed his blood father and took him to his mansion. He lit a torch and said, 'Marcellus, great men are forged in the flames of adversity. It's time you put out those flames of hardship and light a new fire of determination to be better than that man ever thought you could be.', and so he did. Marcel set the manor ablaze when everyone was out that night at a ball, and he told me that it felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders; as if he was finally free for the first time in his life.", the girl said, golden eyes and voice soft with nostalgia as she recounted her tale. Riddle listened, captivated by the tale of such great men (and not fully processing the whole 'murder' bit). When she was done, his lover turned to face him with a serious expression.

"There is much to be learned from this, but the most important thing I want you to take from that story is this; Riddle, there comes a time in every young man's life where he must learn to commit arson.", Cassandra said in a deathly serious voice, and it took Riddle a minute to fully grasp what she was trying to insinuate. When he did, however, he looked at his girlfriend in shock and anger.

"Cassandra, we are not burning my childhood home to the ground!", the boy yelled, appalled at the suggestion. Cassandra frowned.

"Ah, but just think about it, love! It would be so cathartic for you!"

"No!", Riddle shot back, but Cassandra went on.

"Plus, it would allow you to get back at your harpy bitch of a mother- !", the girl pleaded, but Riddle cut her off.

"Language!", he hissed with a glare, more focused on the swears she was using than the person she was using them to describe. Cassandra collected herself and gave him a flat look.

"I speak well over a dozen, love.", she responded snarkily, and Riddle didn't have time to be impressed as she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him from behind, resting her head on top of his with a sigh.

"Darling, you cannot tell me that hag doesn't deserve it.", Cassandra said as she and Riddle both moved their heads so they could look each other in the eyes without changing position.

"I saw how she treats you, Riddle. How she treats you like a puppet she can yank around on her strings, and I'm not having any of it. You are not going back to that house, period.", the redhead girl said, warmly but firmly. She then kissed Riddle gently on the forehead and nuzzled her face into his neck.

"I just want what's best for you... ", she mumbled into his shoulder. Riddle's stern expression melted and he sighed.

"I know, which is why you need to understand that I have to go back; not to live, but to get some closure. I need to speak with my mother one final time; I need to understand why she treated me like she did. Also I need to retrieve some possessions of mine. I know that if I leave so much as a sock in my room after we talk she'll torch it in the backyard.", the boy said quickly when Cassandra looked up to protest, mumbling the last bit in a voice that said he knew this from experience. Once he'd said his piece, the girl nodded slowly.

"Fine, but I'm going with you. And I swear, if that bitch says or does anything to you I will snap her neck so fast she won't even realize she's dead.", the tanned girl said, hissing her threat with a fang-filled snarl. Riddle looked up at her in alarm.