crossing the line AU

Chapter 28

Trigger Warnings: Blood, wound detail

Cassandra

I pace the bottom of the tower, calling up to Rapunzel every know and again, hoping she would suddenly pear over the window sill at the sound of my voice, then thinking over strategies and easy escapes when I don't hear a single sound, and then finally asking myself if this is actually worth all the possible risks..?

Shut up Cassandra, it's worth it and you know it. She's worth it and you know it.

Why are you trying to deny it?

Fuck! I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't know what I'm doing, what I'm feeling. This is fucking crazy!
My gut is telling me to run, leave before something bad happens to me, and I always listen to my gut. Always.

But judging by the fact I'm still here, I should change that 'always' to 'most of the time'.

Even though it's stupid, because I'm not used to all this shit. I don't know anything... Why aren't I heading back home? Why aren't I sending the other guards? Why am I putting myself on deaths door? Why aren't I listening to the warning?

I have no idea!

The only thing I do know is that there's something pulling at an invisible string around my wrist, tugging me in the direction of the tower and insisting I climb up.

And even though I shouldn't... I do.

I start climbing the wall, the same way I had the first time, and with every stab of brick, I felt a pound in my head, or throat? or maybe it was my heart?

I cant say for certain which it was.

Sure, the climb was long, exhausting, and in some cases terrifying, but none of that mattered, none of it dared cross my mind and distract me from my mission, my purpose.

The time felt like it was racing past, but also it felt the slowest it's ever felt before, but eventually...

I made it.

Once I reached the window sill, I clung onto the wood and peered inside, but I saw nothing. The entire room was pitch black, the only thing admitting any sort of light being the moon itself. But it wasn't enough to help me see inside on its own. So I climb up and jump inside, searching for some sort of additional light source that might be near by...

But I didn't find anything... I couldn't... because I don't even get to take 3 steps in before, a small candle behind me was lit and I felt something slice right through my stomach...

The immediate serge of pain I felt caused me to jolt back, wrap my arms around myself, double over and fall to my knees. I tried to keep myself from giving in completely, but I could feel whatever had impelled me get ripped back out and thick, cold blood soaking through my t-shirt at a pretty rapid pace. I couldn't help but audibly announce my presence with some sort of deep groan as I squeezed my eyes shut and started loosing control of my breathing.

At first, the only thing I could think was she did this... that she got scared and acted fast. I couldn't decided whether she did it out of instinct or with the intent of hurting me. And no matter what outcome had have been true, I wouldn't have blamed her...