Picnic

Isabelle went to the city with Matilda, keenly posting the letters that she wrote to every physician and healer in the country. Then she walked across the city, observing the people within it. She walked past the market and the houses that burnt down recently. They were nearly as they were before the fire. She also welcomed all of the familiar faces, asking every person about their family and wellbeing, either learning the names of the relatives or remembering them through previous encounters.

It was a mostly pleasant ordeal, but even the smiles couldn't hide the hardships. Some people struggled more than others, often affected by the unfairness of life. Sometimes, it was seen as a child working to help their parents, leaving school at an early age, sometimes it was seen as patched up clothes hiding the ailments and lack of care of their body, sometimes it was even subtler - such as brittle hair and nails.

A lot of the people that struggled the most were families of the servants within the castle. It was the misfortune of their families that often pushed them into the life of servitude.

She didn't walk proudly amongst them. She felt burdened by the troubles of so many and her position only amplified the powerlessness she felt.

Isabelle looked around until she spotted a cabin near the centre standing empty with the windows boarded up. Upon further enquiry, she learnt that it was left empty by the family that moved into a different city to live with other relatives. Without further ado, Isabelle decided that purchasing it was the best option. The cost of it was nothing in comparison to the castle spendings, but even when she doubted her choice she remembered how much Cassian encouraged her to pursue the idea of the healing centre.

Isabelle returned to the castle feeling mildly accomplished. She was welcomed at the top of the stairs by Cassian.

Her face muscles acted on their own, pulling her lips into a smile.

"How was your walk?" Cassian asked. He held a large wicker basket covered with a cloth.

"It was a very fruitful walk. I think I have found a perfect location for the healing centre. I also spoke to quite a few citizens and learned a lot more about the lives within the kingdom. How did your meetings go?"

"Much less productive, I admit, but it seems that all is still well." Cassian offered Isabelle his arm which she accepted keenly. He led her towards the East side of the castle, and into the woods. Isabelle asked about their destination but Cassian insisted that it was a surprise. Only when they stood by the stream in the Meadow, Isabelle recognised it. 

"This used to be my favourite place of escape." Cassian spoke as he started to spread a blanket he had in the basket on the grass beside the stream. "I haven't been here in such a long time and I thought it was a good place to visit today."

"It is stunning." Isabelle nodded in agreement, gulping at a reminder that she was here before with Samuel, alone and unchaperoned, as she was trying to escape the prison that Annette created for her.

Cassian noticed her sullen mood and furrowed his brows in worry.

"What is upsetting you?" He asked directly, still keeping to his promise to communicate with Isabelle openly.

"I am not upset." Isabelle answered part truthfully. "I… this place is stunning."

"I believe Samuel showed it to you before, didn't he?" Cassian asked at which Isabelle nodded. "I don't think it counts though as he stole my place." Cassian chuckled. "For example, I can assure you that he doesn't know of the tree hollow in that tree over there."

"Oh." Isabelle was surprised at Cassian's lightheartedness.

"Nor does he know that a few years ago I hid my treasure chest in that tree hollow."

"A treasure chest?" Isabelle grinned at a thought.

"Uh-huh." Cassian took his suit jacket off and approached the tree. Isabelle watched with awe as he climbed up to one of the highest branches. He put his hand in the tree hole and pulled a small tin out of it. "It is still here!" He exclaimed as he started to climb down, jumping from the last branch onto the ground with the juvenile energy.

The tin showed its age through the layer of rust.

"Oh wow." Isabelle was truly impressed at the find. She sat down on the blanket as Cassian half laid down beside her.

"Open it if you want to see treasures of a teenage boy. Go on." Cassian encouraged her.

Isabelle pulled the lid open which screeched as it opened with plenty of resistant on the hinges. The content was surprisingly well preserved. Isabelle gently picked up the first item which seemed to be a deck of cards.

"That truly looks like a treasure of a teenage boy." She said teasingly but wa a mesmerised by being shown a bit of Cassian's history.

"Ah yes. My father didn't like me playing cards so I always snuck out a few decks out of servants quarters." Cassian took the cards as Isabelle passed them to him. He opened the box and skilfully shuffled it. "Pick a card." He offered her the cards to pick from. Isabelle obliged and without showing it, she placed it back. Cassian reshuffled the cards and after a few pretend back guesses he pulled a card from behind her ear as sort of his magic trick.

"I didn't know that you were magical." Isabelle continued to tease him. She removed her shoes and made herself comfortable on the blanket.

"I've learnt plenty of useless things in my life." Cassian's eyes glistened as he placed the cards back in the box.

Isabelle passed him the next item from the treasure box, which had a gold shine to it.

"And what is this?"

"This is what dreams are made of." Cassian joked. "It's a sundial compass. But wait…" Cassian opened the lid and the light jingle played. "And a music box."

"Wow." Isabelle expressed her admiration of his childhood treasures. Cassian gave her the compass back so that she could assess it. Isabelle was truly mesmerised by the delicate mechanism within it. "I think I recognise this melody."

"It's from the Ariadnan fairytale." Cassian explained as he started humming alongside to it. He sat up in front of Isabelle looking down at the compass she held. And then he sung the lyrics in a deep baritone. 

There was something unguarded about him in this moment, something she hasn't seen before. His usual confidence was replaced by something gentler, almost vulnerable, and it tugged at something deep inside her.

She watched him, her heart slowing, as if matching the rhythm of the lullaby. The way the fading sunlight caught in his hair, the way his lashes brushed against his cheek when he closed his eyes—every detail imprinted itself in her mind.

Isabelle didn't speak or move, afraid that doing so will break the spell. Instead, she just listened, letting the melody weave around them.

"I know this song." Isabelle whispered when the silence set and the melody ended. "Thank you for your endearing performance."

"I might not be quite the jester like Samuel, but I have my talents." Cassian laughed wholeheartedly. "My biggest talent is surely my appetite for cheese." He decided as he reached into the basket. He pulled the food and played out, setting them up across the blanket, so alike what he did in the morning as he set up their breakfast, and so alike one of Isabelle's distant memories.

Isabelle looked at a picture in the tin and her heart stopped. She didn't dare to ask about Atlas in that moment as she looked at a picture of the two teenage boys. 

"That's a picture of me and my brother." Cassian said quickly as he spotted the small square in Isabelle's hand. She didn't say a word before placing it down safely. The last item was a small toy carriage and a horse at which Cassian didn't comment anything, nostalgic at his past, and gleeful at how his past and present merged together in that moment.

"Those are indeed big treasures." Isabelle admitted. Her voice was quiet as if she was worried that she will disturb this bear sacred moment. 

"They felt important about 8 years ago." Cassian sneered.

"They are important now." Isabelle said quite decisively. "They hold a memory of a version of yourself that you no longer are. It's a reminder of how much you grew as a person."

"I suppose that is true. Sometimes I miss that old version of myself. The one who would climb trees and was careless."

"Well, you did just climb that tree which was equally impressive as worrisome." Isabelle looked at Cassian with all of her attention again, safely placing the tin with all of its content on the blanket.

They shared the picnic meal as Cassian described to Isabelle how he used to spend time in the meadow when he was younger. Isabelle laughed at some of the stories, still feeling the growing warmth within as she watched Cassian.

After they finished eating, Isabelle took her shoes off and started walking on the rocks across the stream, letting the cold water touch her toes. Cassian followed in her steps, speaking of fairytales and how he once imagined that faeries lived under the trees surrounding the meadow.

They spend entire afternoon in the together, in an almost childish manner that felt so comfortable to relinquish.

And after, they walked back with Isabelle having her arm wrapped around Cassian's.

This could be her life forever more.