Cassandra bolted upright from the cot she was lain in and immediately winced at the sharp pain in her side. She looked around, she was in some sort of tent, with herbs hanging from the ceiling? Suddenly a woman came in, she had snow white hair in a bun and golden earrings. "Oh, you're awake. Sit up and drink this," she handed Cassandra a bowl of steaming hot...something.

"Uh, no offence but why should I drink this? I don't even know who you are?" Cass asked incredulously.

"Ah, yes. You are a bit more sensible than I would think a person who managed to acquire an injury as grave as yours would be. I am Adira, and you might want to drink that if you ever want to get out of bed and find your friends," she answered as she tended to a fire in the middle of the tent.

"How long have I been out?" Cassandra asked after she finished the hot...something.

"Three weeks," came the reply.

"Three weeks?!" Cassandra almost shouted.

"Yes." Adira said.

Cass pinched her nose bridge and let out and exasperated sigh. Then a thought occurred to her, "Did you see an owl nearby?"

"One flew off soon before I found you," Adira replied as she crushed some herbs into a salve.

"Why are you helping me?" Cassandra asked after a long moment of silence.

"We share a common enemy."

"Varian, get out, get out right now!" screamed the coughing Queen as she hurriedly inserted a key into the door of his jail cell.

Varian had longed to hear the creak of that door as it swung open to free him but he never thought he would be more confused than happy when the time came. "Wha-? What's happening?"

"We're under attack! Get out! No time!" she said between coughs as she hurried off.

Varian didn't hesitate to run, survival was practically in his blood by now.
He emerged from the top and blinked at the harsh light he hadn't seen in almost a year, though it was now partially blocked by smoke and ash. He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Find my daughter, please," the King said before disappearing back into the chaos.

Varian ran, he ran and ran even though he didn't know which way was the right one, or if there even was a right one. At one point he thought he heard the Captain say, "I know her life's not as important as the Princess's and her boyfriend's but save my Cassandra, won't you?"

He wasn't sure if that was just his imagination though. Cassandra was perfectly capable of saving herself, if she couldn't do that, how could he? But then he shook his head vigorously. He knew he was just fooling himself. Despite common sense he would still most likely try. So he did. He trudged off once more, hoping he was going in the right direction.

A/N
Sorry the story's going kinda slow but I promise some fluff is coming.