Saving a Cursed Knight (And Getting Judged for It)

The fire crackled softly, sending warm light flickering against the dark backdrop of the forest. I leaned back, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of roasted meat while my dragon, Kkum, lay curled beside me, his tail twitching every so often in his sleep. Across from me, Cassian sat hunched over his sword, sharpening it with slow, precise strokes.

It had been an eventful day.

He had nearly died.

I had saved him.

The town had looked at me like I'd personally decided to align myself with the forces of evil for daring to touch him. The whole 'black magic equals bad' stigma was so strong that I was genuinely surprised they didn't try to burn me at the stake for healing him.

Which, you know, would have been a great first foray into the world's discrimination system.

Cassian broke the silence. "Why are you still here?"

I raised a brow at him. "Camping."

He didn't look convinced. "You could've left after healing me."

I shrugged. "Maybe I like making sure people don't die on me."

His expression didn't change, but I could see the slight tension in his shoulders. He wasn't used to kindness. At least, not the uncalculated kind. The realization settled in my chest like an uncomfortable weight, but I pushed it aside.

Now was not the time to unpack that.

Instead, I ripped off another bite of meat, chewing before adding, "Besides, what kind of person leaves a half-conscious knight alone in the woods? That's just asking for another near-death experience."

He stared at me. "I'm not weak."

"Never said you were," I said, stretching my arms above my head. "But you're not invincible either, Mr. Bleeds-a-Lot."

His grip on his sword tightened for a fraction of a second. Then, to my absolute delight, he exhaled through his nose.

A laugh.

Or, well, the closest thing to one Cassian Valehart was probably capable of.

Progress.

I grinned. "Oh, my God. Was that amusement? Are you actually capable of joy?"

He scowled. "Eat your food."

"You should try it. It's good for your health." I tossed another piece of roasted meat toward him. He caught it with an effortless motion, inspecting it like it might be laced with poison.

"I made it myself," I said proudly. "Well, Kkum hunted it, but I did the actual cooking. Which, if you ask me, is the harder part."

Cassian hesitated for another second before taking a bite. His expression didn't change, but he didn't complain either. That was a win in my book.

[Affection +5]

Nice.

I stretched out my legs, watching the flames dance. Then, with the kind of casual tone one used to discuss the weather, I asked, "So, why does everyone think you're a monster?"

He stiffened slightly. "Because of my magic."

"Yeah, I got that part," I said. "But like, do they think you eat babies or something? You're literally a knight. Isn't your whole job description 'stab bad guys, look pretty doing it'?"

He blinked, clearly caught off guard by my phrasing. "...Something like that."

I rested my chin on my palm, tilting my head. "Well, I think it's cool. The magic, I mean."

Cassian's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "You shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's dangerous."

I snorted. "Buddy, I'm pretty sure everything in this world is dangerous."

His lips pressed into a thin line. "Black magic is—"

"Feared, I know," I interrupted. "But that doesn't mean it's evil. People fear what they don't understand. Doesn't make them right."

For a moment, he just stared at me. Then, ever so slowly, he looked away, his gaze fixed on the fire.

I let the silence stretch between us, giving him time to sit with my words. No need to push too hard. Not yet.

Kkum chose that moment to wake up, lifting his head and yawning wide enough to show all his razor-sharp teeth. Then he crawled into my lap, shoving his face against my stomach.

"What do you want?" I muttered, scratching behind his ears.

"You spoil him," Cassian remarked, watching the tiny dragon purr contentedly.

I scoffed. "Obviously. He deserves it."

Cassian hummed, an almost amused sound. "You're strange."

"Yeah, yeah," I said. "Get in line."

He didn't argue.

Instead, for the first time since we met, he looked almost... comfortable.

And that?

That felt like another win.