Iris woke up, groaning. It seemed like with the constant pressures of having to act like… well… perfection, she couldn't rest. Rubbing her eyes, she realized it couldn't have been past 4 in the morning. Unaffected by the cold, she decided to step outside and get some fresh air.
Mae heard a twig snap behind her, and turned around abrubtly
Iris saw Mae, briefly before remembering that she was still in her nightgown. A small blush tainted her cheeks - but it was too dark to see, thank god.
Virgil was sitting atop a tree, watching over his subject's tents and making sure that they were safe from any attacks.
"What are you doing?" Mae asked Iris, motioning for her to come atop the rock.
"Getting some air," Iris replied, sending a sideways glance at Mae. "I'd assume that's the same as you."
"Partially. I couldn't sleep," Mae said. Then, in a moment of courage, she asked, "Do you ever feel like you're wearing a mask? Like there's so much pressure on you, that people expect you to turn from coal to a diamond, when really you'll just crumple to dust?"
(hello?)
"I'm always wearing a mask. It's part of living this life." She gave a sad sigh. "You have to be a goddess compared to them. Not human. You don't even know what a mistake is. No such thing."
"Exactly. You have to be powerful, strong, show no weakness," she said
Tilting her head in agreement, Iris analyzed the girl. They had a lot of similarities… of course they did. It was the life of every royal. "Especially not weakness," she added.
Cassius stared upwards, tired and irritated. He was no longer numb, but instead, he had a lot of energy coursing through his body. He might as well try and walk the restlessness off. He slipped on his mask and a pair of shoes before leaving his tent. He immediately spotted Mae and Iris sitting together on a rock, before seeing Virgil in a tree. He walked over to the tree and leaned against the base.
"You couldn't sleep either?"
Mae couldn't remember the last time she had connected with somebody like this. "My father's used to scold me if I was nice. The said it was a sign of weakness,"
"Emotions, too," Iris whispered, lost in thought. "What they don't see doesn't exist." She finished, looking up to see Cassius.
(Wait, are the tree and rock close to each other?)
Virgil looked down. "No, its more of I don't sleep." He says, patting the branch next to him. "Join me."
(I just realized I've been switching between Cassius and Cassian for no reason I need to go fix all of that, hold on)
(It's fine)
(Alright I'm too lazy to fix all of that, but from now on his name is Cassius)
Cassius climbed up to the branch and sat down. "So, why don't you sleep?"
"Emotions, too," Iris whispered, lost in thought. "What they don't see doesn't exist." She finished, looking up to see Cassius.
(Isn't Casey is hiding? Idk)
(Alright I'm too lazy to fix all of that, but from now on his name is Cassius)
Cassius climbed up to the branch and sat down. "So, why don't you sleep?"
"Power comes with a drawback." He says sadly, his head darting down when he hears a noise but looking back up at Cass when he sees it was just some kids.
"So, even the Commander of Nightmares falls victim to fear?" Cassius paused for a moment before taking off his mask. "Interesting." He set it down in his lap and stared forward into the night.
"Not fear, the opposite actually. I dont feel free nor do I have the abbility to sleep." He says, noticing the man take off his mask.
"Did that happen when you seized the throne or were you born like that?" Cassius asked, closing his eyes. He shifted back so he could lean against the trunk.
"My species is not born, we kinda just pop into exsistance." He says, obviously trying to avoid the question.