Faithe-- Chapters 18 & 19
~18
The Next morning
The four teens all sat in the common room, showered, changed, and rested. Ilias had had their bags brought in for them the previous day. Unfortunately Ilias had confiscated Lucky’s laptop, Faithe’s gun, and Nik’s cell phone. Liz was surprised that Faithe had carried a gun. Just then there was a soft knock on the door.
Faithe looked at the door quizzically, as if asking it a question. “Come in” She said in a strong but polite tone.
The door opened to reveal a small woman, around 20 years old, with blonde hair and blue eyes. When she saw Faithe she smiled. Faithe’s eyes grew wide with surprise and joy. Faithe ran to the woman and they hugged each other. Lucky, Liz, and Nikolas looked on in confusion.
“Kassiani!” Faithe cried. “I’m so happy to see you.”
Kassiani pulled away from Faithe and looked at her sadly. “I’ve been in Athens for two weeks visiting family, and when I came back Ilias tells me to come up and welcome our ‘guests’. Apparently he wanted me out of the country so I wouldn’t be able to warn you this time. I’m so sorry Faithe.”
“He found out you were helping me?” Faithe said worried, “He didn’t hurt you did he?”
Kassiani smiled, “You know better than that Faithe, he would never hurt me.”
Faithe nodded, “I know, I just worry sometimes.”
“And I thank you for that Cousin.” Kassiani said, smiling.
“Cousin?!” Lucky and Nikolas both shouted. Faithe was wearing that, ‘Oops I forgot’ expression.
“Yes. When Faithe’s mother was taken by the Cassadines as a baby, she had an older sister, my mother. My mother was raised by the Cassadines as a servant.” Kassiani answered like she expected them not to know.
“Is there anything else you need to tell us?!” Lucky yelled.
Faithe was about to respond when Kassiani stepped in, eyes blazing.
“What Faithe does or does not tell you is her business!” Suddenly this small, seemingly weak woman was a force to be reckoned with.
“It’s our buiseness when it endangers our lives!” Lucky yelled back.
Kassiani turned to Faithe, shook her head, and mumbled, “Americans”
Faithe laughed, “Kassiani Vilanys meet Lucky Spencer, Liz Webber, and Nikolas Cassadine.”
Kassiani gasped with mock surprise, “Prince Nikolas,” she curtsied, “it is an honor to have you in our presence.” She said in an all too surapy sweet tone, but her eyes were cold.
Faithe placed a hand on Kassiani’s shoulder, “Down girl.” She said smiling in amusement, “Kass these are my friends.”
Kass looked at Faithe in astonishment.
“I know, I know.” Faithe put her hands up in defense at the silent accusation of her being friends with a Cassadine, and the ‘Prince’ no less. “Look, he saved my life a couple of times, the least I could do was be nice to him.”
Kassiani seemed very surprised. “He saved your life?” Kass asked quietly.
Faithe nodded “Twice”
Kass turned toward Nikolas, “I am sorry I was rude,” She started slowly, “Thank you for saving Faithe’s life, I am very grateful.”
Nikolas just nodded in response.
Kass turned back to Faithe; “Do you have a plan to get yourselves out?”
Faithe looked surprised then looked about the room like someone was listening.
“Oh don’t worry. We can speak freely.” Kass held up what looked to be a tiny remote control. “It’s called a scrambler, it makes it seem like there’s just a lot of static. I turned it on when I came into the room.”
Faithe looked at her in mock astonishment; “You’re not going high tech on me are you?”
Kass just smiled
“I suppose there is a lot you want to know.” Kass said. Faithe nodded her head.
All five of them sat down on the couches and chairs and the attention was drawn to Kassaini.
“Why did Chrystos suddenly come after us four years ago?” Faithe questioned, “We hadn’t heard anything from them for years before that. My mother said it was because Kostas wouldn’t let Chrystos come after us.”
“Well that is true, Kostas kept a very firm leash on Chrystos, but then something happened.” Kass looked sadly at Faithe “About a week before the fire that killed your mother, Dimitria, Kostas’ wife.” She explained to Lucky and Liz, Nikolas already knew. “She had a stoke. She was very sick for a long while after that. With Kostas’ attention on his wife, Chrystos decided that it was the time to act against your father. Kostas exiled him from the family when he found out what happened. But Kostas always had such a forgiving soul. He eventually took him back. Kostas kept a more watchful eye on Chrystos and Ilias after that.” Faithe looked at Kass, waiting for her to go on. She knew there was more.
“For a long time Kostas was in control and Dimitria was healthy. Right before Christmas of ’97, about two weeks before you met Ilias in that library, Dimitria died. Kostas was devastated, he hasn’t been the same since” Kass’ face turned concerned, “I can barely get him to eat, it’s as if he’s just waiting to die.”
“He’s still alive?” Faithe said almost to herself. “My mother always said that as long as Kostas was alive, we’d all be safe. I just figured he had died.”
“In a way he did. His heart died with Dimitria, he loved her so much.”
There was silence for a while. Faithe finally broke out of her own trance. “I want to see him, Kostas.”
Kassiani nodded, she knew Faithe would want to see him. Faithe and Kass both stood from their seats and started to walk towards the door. Faithe turned back to her friends.
“We can just look for a way to escape until you get back.” Lucky said.
“No don’t do anything. Lucky, you and Nikolas may know Stefan and Helena inside and out, but Chrystos makes Helena look like pussycat. I know them. I’ll take care of them.” Faithe’s eyes held a cold hatred in them that Lucky, Liz, and Nikolas would rather not see again.
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~19
Kass led Faithe to another part of the house; they came to a door at the end of a long hallway. Kass turned to face Faithe; “He doesn’t talk much, he might not even respond to you. I just want you to be prepared.”
Faithe nodded. She could hardly believe that after years of hearing stories about him, she was finally going to meet Kostas Cassadine. Her mother had always told her that Kostas had a good heart, she just hoped he would be able to help her and her friends.
Kass opened the door. The room was dark; the only light was coming from a small candle on a table. Next to the table was an old man seated in a wheelchair. He was staring blankly at a painting on the wall. The painting was of a beautiful young woman with long dark hair and big brown eyes, Faithe assumed it was Dimitria.
“I’ll leave you alone.” Kass said as she quickly left the room.
Faithe walked over to the man and kneeled down in front of his wheelchair.
“Kostas” Faithe said trying to get his attention. The man looked at her and seemed to recognize her.
“Anna?” The old man whispered.
Faithe smiled sadly at Kostas, she had been told she looked like her mother but she had never thought so. “No, I’m her daughter, Faithe.”
Kostas’ face was that of pure joy, “I was wondering when I would meet you.” He said smiling. Faithe had assumed by his actions that he was senile, apparently he just put on a good act. She had never seen anyone so lucid. Faithe smiled at the old man.
“You look so much like your mother, I miss her so.” Kostas said as he put his hand on her cheek.
“My mother always told me stories about you, how good you were to her.”
“She didn’t hate me?” he said astonished.
Faithe just shook her head and the old man smiled.
“Are my son and grandson up to their old tricks again?”
“Yep, my friends and I need to get out of here, do you think you could help?”
“I wish I could spend more time with you, but yes, I can help you at least get a message to the outside via email.”
“Perfect!” This fit right in with the plan that had been formulating in her mind.
The Spencer House
About an hour later
Luke was starting out the front window, where he had been for the past day and a half. Sonny and Stefan had people looking for the kids, and Luke and Laura had the job of waiting just in case the kids could get a message out. Luke hated waiting; all he had been doing was staring out the window and pacing. Laura wasn’t doing much better, she was cleaning everything in sight and she had already baked three dozen of Lucky’s favorite cookies. Luke knew that was what she did when she was nervous, she tried to keep herself busy.
Just then Luke heard the sound he had been waiting to hear; "You've Got Mail".
Luke rushed to the computer and clicked on the mail button. As he read a wide grin spread across his face. Faithe's plan sounded a little like one of those grand schemes Carly thinks up, but he had to admit it might just work.
Chrystos' House
Ilias was in the study reading the latest financial report of the Cassadine holdings when there was a soft knock on the door. "Come in" he said quickly, expecting only a servant.
The door opened and Faithe walked in.
"Faithe, what can I do for you?" He said sweetly.
“You knew didn’t you.” She said softly as she walked over and sat in the chair in front of the desk facing Ilias.
“What did I know?” Ilias said innocently
“You knew I would accept your offer to share power.” She said simply.
“And how would I know that?”
“Because you know I still love you.” She said quietly, almost weakly, but her eyes maintained contact with his.
An evil grin spread across Ilias’ face; “Yes, yes I knew that. I just didn’t know what was stronger, your love or your hate.”
Faithe shook her head slightly; “I didn’t know either until I saw you again. It was really easy to hate you from a distance.”
“You know my heart belongs to Kassiani.” Ilias said still wearing that grin.
Faithe rose from her chair and walked around the desk until she was directly in front of Ilias. She leaned in and kissed him, slowly, enticingly. She pulled away, looked straight into his eyes, and said, “I’ll take any part of you I can get.”
Lucky, Liz, and Nikolas were getting worried, Faithe had been gone now for several hours. Just then two guards entered the room.
"Mr. Cassadine would like to see you." One of them said.
Nikolas and Lucky shared a worried look, what if Faithe got herself into trouble.
The guards led Lucky, Liz, and Nikolas into the study, when they entered they saw Ilias talking to someone in a high-back chair. They couldn't see who it was.
Ilias looked up and saw them, "Oh, good you're here. I would like to give Elizabeth a chance to accept my offer."
Liz looked at him like he was crazy, "Never!" she said forcefully.
Ilias smiled at her loyalty to her friends.
“Well that’s all right, I just wanted to give you the chance of joining your friend.”
The three of them looked at him in confusion. Then the person in the chair turned around and she said, “Hi guys.”
“Faithe?” Liz whispered.
“Faithe what are you doing?” Lucky asked, already knowing the answer.
“What can I say, power appeals to me.” Faithe said smiling, showing no remorse for her betrayal.
“Faithe how could you just change sides like that?” Nikolas asked
“Easy, Ilias is offering me power and that’s what I want.” She said coldly.
“I thought you didn’t trust Cassadines” Nikolas said
Faithe looked back at Ilias, “I don’t” she looked down at the floor and said quietly, “But I love him.”
“So you would betray us, just like that?” Lucky cried
“Seems like it Lucky.” Faithe turned to Ilias, “Could they go now?”
“Certainly” Ilias signaled the guards and Lucky, Liz, and Nikolas left with them.
“Are you all right Faithe?” Ilias asked
“I’m fine. I just wish they would see it our way, things would be so much easier for them if they cooperated.” She said smiling at Ilias.
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