[i]"What is going on, Cassius?"[/i] Maren's words continue to ring in his ears. Cassius has been doing an excellent job of not showing it on his face, but this is nowhere near how he had imagined this going. He [i]had[/i] a plan, and until the [i]orcs[/i] had showed up he was [i]confident[/i] in the plan. He would have sent his men with Tamberle's army to defend their walls in the morning, and he would stay with Maren and, if things had went poorly, he would protect her to his dying breath, as he had said he would. He expected a quiet, if tense, evening - more time to fully accept his possible demise, not.. Not [i]all of this![/i] As Annabeth continues to talk, and talk, and [i]talk[/i], Cassius's neutral face slips into a grimace. Her voice is ear-piercingly shrill, like a harpy eagle's cry - but that is, frankly, an [i]insult[/i] to the majestic bird. "You're willing to follow orders, Lady Elliot?" He waits a moment or so, "Good. As your commander, I order you to be [i]silent[/i] until spoken to," Cassius pinches the bridge of his nose, voice softening to almost a whisper, "Your voice is giving me a headache." He leans into the railing slightly, back turned away from the chaos below. He instead looks to the night sky above. It's possible that the Karsusians will start attacking sooner than expected now, thanks to those damned orcs. He glances to Annabeth for a moment, then down to the city below. Maybe he should send her to rile his men up - he had told them that they could rest easy tonight, for it was tomorrow they needed to worry about, but now... He looks at Annabeth once again, "Actually," he stands up straighter, "Here's a job for you. Tell my men that I said they need to armor up and be ready, that the plan has been.. [i]adjusted[/i]. If they hassle you," Cassius takes off his scabbard, handing it to Annabeth, "flash this blade, they'll recognize it. My men are lodged over in that.." he points in the general direction of where his people are lodged. "..area, over there. It's close to the leatherworker's place. Despite my orders for them to rest, I don't doubt for one moment that Avery's awake and drinking right now, the idiot. Avery's a redhead, not common 'round here. You'd have to be a blind man to miss him." Cassius shoos her off to go do as he asked, "Go on." [hr][hr]Mentions: [@Zaphander]