Daughters of Fate Book 2 | An Original Fantasy Adventure

Chapter 18 (5th of Vashi in the year 6199)

"I asked," he repeated. "How old you were?"

Cassandra didn't know how to take the question, or what its purpose was. She had been sent to help with logistics and perform what amounted to exercises in paperwork after she once again expressed an interest in joining the Imperial military following several recent rebel attacks. It had taken her a long time to convince Lady Noranda to allow her into the military. Especially since Cassandra could never quite seem to obtain any level of proficiency with a sword, despite a year of training and private instruction.

But one thing Cassandra demonstrated was a remarkable ability for tactics. Even if she couldn't implement such things on the scale of personal combat, she understood them with profound intimacy on a battlefield level. So, Lady Noranda convinced Lord Hedric to assign her to an obscure outpost. And into Sub-General Dremn's troops, just to see what she was capable of. But there were explicit orders for her not to see any combat.

Not that such was even remotely possible out here. They were about as far from any active rebel cells as one could get. An attack from dwarfs over, or under, the mountains was more probable. And considering the dwarfs had no interest in the wars between the humans and other humans and elves, that wasn't saying much.

Cassandra always thought Lady Noranda's care she showed for her bordered annoyingly on parental. The mysterious woman in red always seemed to encourage her hatred of the Rebellion. But whenever Cassandra expressed an interest in doing something more than just stoking the embers of that anger, it was always, 'You're not old enough, yet.' Cassandra did not see what her age had to do with anything. All she wanted to do was kill rebels.

And she honestly didn't want another mother. She'd had one. Once. And that was all she required.

"Almost seventeen, sir." She responded and returned to the papers before her. Adjusting a pair of thin framed glasses she wore to correct a minor problem with her sight, a 'gift' from Lady Noranda, the young woman continued to read.

The legs of Sub-General Dremn's chair generated a wood on wood squeak as it move back from the table on the floor. He stood, the tent's lamplight glinting off the golden hilts of the twin sabers draped on each of his hips. He disappeared out of her peripheral view for a moment and as she continued to concentrate on her work. Some of these troop positions didn't make the slightest sense to her. If only these were located here, and this other contingent were reassigned to-

"Seventeen." He returned her words back to her as a whisper from behind. Cassandra flinched as Sub-General Dremn peeled away her hair and his breath kissed her skin when his lips drew close to her ear. "Having been locked in the palace all those years? I'll bet you've never been with a man before. He pecked her on the neck with a soft caress.

Cassandra's blood just froze. Her body tensed as she arched her shoulder trying to shrug him away. "Sir please," she cried. "Lord Hedric wants these arrangements made by-' His grip tightened, holding her in the chair, anticipating her very real thoughts of escape.

"They can wait." Pulling back her cloak, he gripped her arm tight to keep her put.

"Sir, I have a duty to perform," she pleaded as the grasp he maintained pained her. His hand moved to fondle her and a lump formed in Cassandra's throat.

"And you'll perform quite well, I Imagine," he mocked as she bit her lip in fear. "Did you really think I would let a simple girl into my camp? Lady Noranda worked hard to sell me on your ability as a tactical officer, but I want you here for more than that."

Sub-General Dremn hauled her out of the chair. She started to scream, but he clamped his hand over her mouth and whirled her to face him. As her body relax a bit, entirely from shock and in no way from capitulation, only then did he remove the muzzle he had placed over her. Then he kissed her on the lips and proceeded down her neck.