"Please, address me as 'Queen' in front of other people King Cassius. They can't know we are that close." Xena tells Cassius as they walk towards the mighty castle.
"Why tell Xena. People already know we are close. I was your slave, we slept together and that leaves nothing to people's imagination. So tell me, why do I have to refer you as Queen." Cassius questioned.
"Also, I don't believe a female can rule, I have told you time and time again. Her place is beside the male. I will never refer you as a Queen until you marry a King," Cassius and walked with his head held high, not caring what Xena thought. He just wanted to get his point across.
He was never going to give her the respect that he gave to a King until or unless she is a Queen to a King.
He did not found it fit for a female to rule and he had no problem saying that to Xena's face.
"Cassius... " Xena started but Cassius cut her off, he did not want to hear her say anything that would make him change his decisions.
He was that smitten.
"We will be late. A King should be punctual but then again - you can never be like a King." Cassius insulted and Xena felt her face burn.
"I don't care if you don't like me ruling but there is nothing you could do about it! I deserve respect and you are going to give it to me!" Xena exclaimed and stopped walking.
Their driver that was walking at the front also stopped. Cassius turned around, walking closer to Xena, trying to intimidate Xena - it worked.
Xena wanted to step down by the force by which Cassius watched her.
"I never said I didn't respect you. I do, but just not the respect I would give to a fellow King. I can punch another King, not you." Xena just watched him but then decided that she would just ignore him.
He can stuff all his opinions to somewhere where she can't see it.
Xena walked past him and the driver started walking too. Cassius clenched his jaw and turned around as well. Walking to the giant doors that led to the palace.
The gates were opened for them, the guards bowed. A person led them to the throne room and then they were stood in front of the King who led that kingdom.
"King Arnold." Xena curtsied while Cassius nodded while saying,
"King Arnold."
King Arnold placed a hand on the left side of his chest and also slightly bowed,
"King Cassius and Queen Xena. I was looking forward to your presence. I must say, it's truly an honor to meet you in person King Cassius."
King Arnold ignored Xena and Cassius gave her look that clearly said, 'No one will ever take you serious about leading a kingdom.'
Xena scrunched her nose but then cleared her throat which got king Arnold turning to face her,
"Queen Xena! You are even more gorgeous from up close." King Arnold greeted and Xena smiled.
"Shall we get down to business?" King Arnold asked and they both nodded, "Well why don't you both freshen up and then meet me in my office. They will show you the way."
And just like that, Cassius and Xena were led to two different rooms where they got a change of clothes and something to eat.
Cassius wore one of his other traditional outfits of the kingdom while Xena wore a simple off-shoulder gown with a small train.
Cassius and Xena stepped out of the room together and on seeing each other's face, they both looked away and started walking. Cassius walked faster. Xena tried to overtake him but Cassius was still faster.
Xena started to speed walk and hardly got a step ahead of Cassius when he also started walking faster and got ahead of Xena.
"You will never be able to get past me or above me for that matter." He definitely had the double meaning but Xena didn't understand the other meaning.
She gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes.
"I will show you." She whispered to herself but that was what got her slammed into the wall.
Cassius had pinned her to the wall, his nose on her neck.
"I will like to see you try." He whispered very sensually, "It will be quite entertaining if I say so myself."
Cassius sigh, thinking about his sentence. After a few seconds, he added,
"Only my wife is allowed to step on me. If you are not my wife - I will step all over you." Cassius whispers more to himself but then, suddenly fire ignited in his eyes and he looked straight into her eyes.
"Marry me!"
"No."
"Marry. Me."
"I will not marry you!" Xena bit back and Cassius chuckled,
"Is that a challenge, my love?" Xena did not reply and Cassius smirked,
"Then I promise you, I will make you mine." Cassius pulls away and looks at Xena's face that was flushed red.
"See you at the meeting, love." And Cassius walked away.
This time, the roles have changed. A year ago, Xena would be the first one to start everything but this time, Cassius was going to start and finish everything.
Xena stood, still attached to the wall. Butterflies were clashing with each other in her small belly. Her heart was drumming and her face was beet red.
Love. Why does he call me love? Does he love me? Xena thought.
No, it wasn't possible. Was it?
"Queen Xena, are you lost?" A servant asked with his eyes cast to the ground.
Xena immediately straightened and fixed her crown.
"Um, yeah, can you help me, sir?" Xena politely said and the man nodded and guided Xena to the said office.
Xena knocked twice before entering but when she did, she was in awe. The office was really big and well decorated.
The ambiance it created left a lingering affect on her.
"Queen Xena! Please come take a seat. Also, this is my daughter, Princess Aurora. She just turned twenty-five." Xena curtsied and Princess Aurora nodded.
Xena took a seat beside Cassius and in front of King Arnold. Princess Aurora was three years older than Xena and really gorgeous, she looked like an angel.
Xena peaked at Cassius from the corner of her eyes to see him gazing down at the ground.
Was he shy? Xena thought.
Did he like Aurora? Did he think she was beautiful?
Xena shook her head and cleared her head from any unnecessary thoughts.
King Arnold, King Cassius, and Queen Xena talked while Princess Aurora quietly watched. Princess Aurora only stared at Cassius.
Cassius and Xena both noticed.
But Cassius had his eyes only for one woman and so he ignored princess Aurora. He just didn't care. At all.
"Queen Xena, not everyone will be as supportive as I am about a female leading a kingdom." King Arnold spoke.
"Yeah, I know one already who does not favor me ruling my own kingdom." Xena gazed at Cassius from the corner of her eyes and then back at Arnold. "But I hope, they will sign the pact."
"I wish you well." King Arnold spoke and Xena nodded.
"King Cassius, how old are you?"
"My age shouldn't be of your concern." King Arnold shook his head and tried again,
"King, I respect you but I must know your age." Cassius sighed and nodded,
"I am twenty-six." King Arnold gasped and then smiled.
"Perfect! My daughter and you will have a great understanding. I look forward to making our bonds stronger." At this, Xena clenched her jaw and fists.
Cassius noticed.
"I look forward to making our ties stronger and I hope Princess Aurora will love my choice on my female." Xena's eyes widened.
"You mean to say that you have already chosen a lady for yourself?" The king asked wide-eyed.
Cassius nod with a smug look and Princess Aurora immediately leave the room.
Cassius knew exactly what he did, and he was happy by what he did.
Moments later,
"Why don't you take a look around the kingdom?" King said and Cassius immediately scrunched his nose.
"No, we have to go to other kingdoms as well."
"Sure, we would love to."
Xena and Cassius said at the same time and then turned to glare at each other. It was like they were shooting lasers from their eyes as their eyes did not break contact.
Cassius broke contact first and turned to king Arnold.
"Sorry King Arnold but we are already running late and as you know, us Kings should be very punctual." He said while watching Xena from the corner of his eye.
Xena felt his gaze but did not say anything but stood up and walked to the door.
"King Arnold, it was very refreshing to meet a King with such brilliant character." With that, Xena curtsied and walked out - Cassius soon followed after giving his greetings as well.
Xena stomped her way out of the castle but stopped when she noticed Princess Aurora.
She was waiting for Cassius - probably. Xena was proven right when princess Aurora rushed to Cassius when he came in sight.
Xena immediately gritted her teeth but stayed to see what Cassius would do.
"Your majesty, leaving so soon?" Princess Aurora tried to fall in step with Cassius but it was of no use due to Cassius' long strides.
"Yes, Princess." Xena wrinkled her forehead.
He never called me Princess when I was!
In simple words, Xena was plain jealous.
"But King, you should've stayed for tea at least. I would feel really bad if you leave without proper appetizers." Princess Aurora called as she was starting to lose her pace.
Cassius abruptly stopped and looked up at Xena, she immediately looked away - because she was caught staring - and Cassius smirked. A plan just formed in his head.
Cassius turned around and Xena brought her gaze back up.
"My lady . . ." The rest of the words were inaudible to Xena since Cassius whispered them in Princess' ear.
Xena was a second away from breaking the woman's neck. Why was she so jealous?!
Xena watched as the princess turned red and slowly turned around and walked away.
What did he say to her?
Xena immediately looked away when she found Cassius turning around and started walking.
Cassius had the perfect plan formed in his head to win Xena back. The perfect plan.
They both sat in the carriage followed by their driver and the carriage started moving.
Off to another kingdom.
Xena glanced at Cassius to find him staring out of the window. Xena sighed. She wanted to ask him what he said to Aurora.
And so, she did, in her own awkward way.
"Not that I am interested or anything but, don't you think it was inappropriate to whisper something in a lady's ear who you don't know?"
"I didn't say anything inappropriate." Cassius shrugged, still looking out of the window. He was really trying to bring his slightly lift of corner of lips down.
"Didn't seem by the looks of it."
"You were spying on us?" Xena's spit stuck in her throat. After clearing her throat, she replied,
"I most certainly was not, you both were out in the open. Everyone must've seen it." Cassius shrugged.
"I don't care what people think." Xena narrowed her eyes and clenched her her hands in tiny fists. She still didn't get her answer.
"King, I really don't want to snoop in your business but what d-"
"Then don't snoop in my business and let me sit in peace." Cassius snapped and Xena's eyes widened.
"Fine!" She snapped and took an oath to not talk to him until they returned.
Xena's feelings were slowly making themselves known . . Again. As much as she tried to push them back, she was still aware of the fact that she still loved him.
No matter how much of a sexist he was.
They traveled from one kingdom to another. Everyone signed pacts with them and the outcomes made Xena happy.
Cassius just admired her from afar.
In the middle of the conversations with the Kings, Xena and Cassius would fight with each other in sentences with double meanings.
But in the night time, they both would cozy up in Cassius' wings - the only exception - but in the morning, everything would be back to normal.
They would fight again without a care in the world.
"Cassius! If you can't talk like a civilized person then don't talk to me!"
"Xena, if you can't marry me then stop getting jealous by the other ladies!" Xena gasped.
"I am most certainly not jealous."
"Oh, but you are! I could practically see the heat come out of your small ears when the daughter of King Reece hugged me." Xena immediately covered her ears.
The fact, at every kingdom, Kings were eager to get their daughters the attention of Cassius. Cassius had his eyes set on someone else so their obvious attempts went down the drain.
"You are . . . You have every attribute of a dog except loyalty!" Xena snapped and Cassius growled.
How dare she call him a dog.
"You have all the characteristics of a popular First Queen; bad breeding, a horrible voice, and vulgar manners!" Cassius snapped even though none of it was true.
Xena had her eyes wide and she backed in disbelief.
"I hate you!" Cassius did not respond to that.
They were on their way back to Xena's kingdom - but that was what she thought - Cassius had other plans and had decided to make a stop at King Arnold's kingdom.
"I will be back to see you one last time." Cassius had whispered in princess Aurora's ear that made her head spin and blush crimson.
But that was not the only reason he was going there. No.
He was going to make Xena his by using one of the old tricks from the book. Making her jealous.
"Sire, we are here." The driver called from the front as the carriage stopped and Cassius smirked.
Xena looked around.
"This is not my kingdom," Xena muttered and looked at Cassius who had stepped down from the carriage and was now stretching.
"Cassius," Xena called but he ignored.
"Cassius, I am talking to you," Xena said and again and stepped out of the carriage herself.
"What in the world are we doing here?" Xena asked, remembering the place. Cassius watched her from the corner of his eyes and then sighed.
"Queen Xena -" Xena had her mouth agape. He had called her from her title . . . But what changed? "- Remember when King Arnold said that we should make our ties stronger. I am here to do just that. On our trip together, I just realized it was for the best."
By now, Xena's jaw was wiping the floor.
What! No! He seriously cannot be talking about . . .
"I am going to take up his offer for marriage."
"But-" Xena was getting short of breath,
"Yes, my Queen?"
"But, you had declined him. You don't even like her!" Xena exclaimed baffled. She could not believe how Cassius was begging her to marry him a week ago and now he was planning to get married?!
She could not just swallow the fact that he was choosing someone else . . .
"But Cassi-"
"It would be great if you call me from my title Queen Xena." Cassius mocked and then started to walk, all the while with a smirk gracing his perfect lips.
Xena's eyes started to burn. Why is this affecting her so much?
Because you love him. Her conscious spoke. Xena sighed.
A tear was about to drop when Cassius called,
"You coming?" Xena looked up and took a deep breath and then followed as well. The driver following closely behind.
After an hour, Xena and Cassius had greeted the king and were now taking a walk in one of his giant parks.
"So, are you really sure you want to marry her?" Xena questioned and Cassius nodded with a smile.
"I am pretty sure."
"Like really really really sure?" Xena had her eyes wide, hoping he would change his answer but without hesitation, Cassius repeated,
"I am pretty sure I want to marry her." Xena's eyes started to burn as her heart broke. She immediately moved her gaze away.
"I will ask her tonight. Thank you for being here to support me."
"To support you?" Xena asked with her eyes wide. While Xena was about to cry, Cassius was having fun.
"Why yes, since you know me more than anyone here, I expect no one else but you to stand by me." Cassius definitely had the double meaning but Xena being the oblivious one did not understand.
"I - I will be in my room if you need me." Xena stuttered and immediately walked away, Cassius watched her go.
"Checkmate, love." He whispered. If she really loved him - she would come to him.
The night came and Xena was hyperventilating. Was he really going to choose Princess Aurora over her? Her!
Was he that easy willed?
Xena had spent a while crying to her fate. The only guy she ever loved was choosing someone else.
She never knew that keeping Cassius hanging would cause this. Never in a million years had she ever imagined that someone who just told her that he loved her would marry someone else.
She watched as the stars took over the sky from the window of the guestroom.
Cassius would've proposed by now.
Immediately Xena's head was filled with Princess Aurora's squealing of happiness and she groaned.
Xena could not stay in her room, watching her lover marry someone else.
No way in hell!
And just like that, Xena marched out of her room with such confidence that she hadn't experienced her whole life. Probably.
But it all vanished the second she neared Cassius' door.
Was he even in there?
Xena thought whether she should or should she not knock. The hall was dark and there was no one.
She felt alone.
Xena clenched her eyes and sighed. She was finally about to knock when someone cleared their throat behind her and Xena immediately turned around.
"What are you doing here?" Cassius asked with a sly smirk - hidden in the shadows.
"Cassius?"
Cassius stepped out and a shiver went up Xena's body. What was she about to say now?
"You wanted to talk with me?"
"I - I did!" She finally said after clearing her throat.
"Is that so." Cassius took a step forward and Xena took one back.
"Yes." She said with confidence but her face showed the opposite. She wanted to run away from his dangerous eyes.
"Okay, I am listening."
"I wanted to say . ." Xena took a deep breath, "Good luck."
Cassius looked baffled.
Why is she so stubborn. Why doesn't she just admit that she loves him too?
Xena started to walk away when Cassius spoke,
"Is that really what you want?" Xena stopped in her steps and turned around. Her heart drumming against her chest.
She gulped.
"Cassius I . ."
"King Cassius!" A loud voice called and Cassius' eyes widened. Princess Aurora was coming their way.
Cassius panicked and grabbed Xena by the arm and pushed their bodies in the closest room.
Cassius is panicking!?
"What are you doing?" Xena whispered asked when they found themselves in a very confined space.
Cassius slammed a hand on her face to stop her from talking.
They waited until Princess Aurora went away and Cassius removed his hand from Xena's face.
"What was that?"
"She cannot know I am here at the moment. I don't want to see her." Xena frowned. Was Cassius that shy that he wasn't even going to look at his bride to be?
Images flashed in Xena's head of Cassius and Princess Aurora getting married and suddenly, anger flared inside her.
No way was she going to allow it.
"I will not let you do this."
"Do what?" Cassius asked.
Was she going to push him to Princess Aurora now?
"You cannot marry her!"
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to! You love me!" Immediately Xena was slammed to a wall of the small space with Cassius' lips on her.
Xena was dumbfounded, her eyes open wide as she looked straight into Cassius' green eyes while their lips were attached.
Xena immediately pushed him away - ignoring all the Sparks and fireworks in her body. Heat crept up to her face as she watched Cassius.
"What are you doing?" A short laugh left Cassius' mouth and he looked down and then back up.
"I was messing with you, Xena. I do love you and only you till the end of time."
Xena's ear was full red but it was dark so it was not that visible.
"I will never let you go. It was all a trick - you were so stubborn. You wouldn't listen! I had to do this. Forgive me."
Xena could not believe what he said.
And just like that, Xena slapped him hard. The last time she had slapped him, she was slammed into a wall. What will happen now?
Cassius' head was turned to the side and he didn't move for a moment. After a while, he sighed.
"I deserved that." He whispered and Xena's eyeballs were on the ground.
He really did love her.
"Never do that ever again," Xena said and pushed him away, exiting the small room. The second she was out, she was slammed into another wall.
Okay, she was slammed in the wall either way.
"I won't let you go, not without an answer."
Xena only stared at him.
Cassius sighed and let her go but what surprised Xena was that he bent one of his knee and sighed.
"I beg you, Xena, please. Marry me and make me a happy King."
Xena finally got what she wanted.
She made the mighty king bend and beg. A smile graced her lips.
"I will think about it."
"No!" Cassius said angrily but then sighed and lowered his voice, "Don't mess with me please."
Xena waited for a moment and raised an eyebrow.
A second passed.
Then another.
And another until Xena also knelt on the ground and smiled.
"I love you too."
...
That the end folks. You are free to imagine whatever you want.
I may or may not add something else later.
P R O Q U E E N