Chapter 6
Vase


Varian knew that this was going to happen.
Taking the vase and the money was a bad idea.
Especially from Lady Caine of all the thieves still active.
Now Caine and Otter were after him.

Varian ran through the alleyways, a blanket covering his head and body since it was raining outside at the time, Ruddiger was tucked up in the blanket, on Varian's shoulder, holding on for dear life. Lady Caine had took a shortcut and got in front of Varian, making him stop suddenly.

"Hand over the vase and the money like a nice little boy and I'll let you go without a fight." Caine beckoned Varian with a dubious look. "You tried to get those thugs to attack me over that vase, I'm keeping the vase and the money, for the trouble you brought me!" Varian shouted at her, then he quickly ran in the opposite direction only to almost bump into Otter.

He had no way to go, he was stuck at this point. Ruddiger chattered, terrified. Varian stepped away from Otter and then stopped in the middle of the alley because if he had stepped back anymore, he would have had to back away from Lady Caine next.

They both walked to him slowly with smirks on their face, "Please, let's just talk about this, I'm young, homeless, I needed the money and the vase could be resold for more money! I'll even share some of it, just let me go sell it and-" Varian tried to convince them to back down, but they both jumped him and began taking his backpack and bag off forcefully.

Ruddiger clawed Otter and hissed at Lady Caine, trying to fight them off away from Varian. "Stop it! Stop!" Varian shouted, "Oh? What's this?" Lady Caine pulled out the Cassandrium and danced it around in her fingers. "Give that back- Oof!" Varian managed to get out of Otter's grasp, only to faceplant attempting to reach for the Cassandrium.

"I bet this is worth way more than that vase, I think I might just take this instead." Lady Caine purred. Varian dug around in the bag that Caine had left forgotten due to being so distracted by the gem and then grabbed the vase, then threw it at Caine's face, causing her to drop the Cassandrium and fall backwards. Varian staggered to his feet, grabbed his bag and backpack, then the Cassandrium and called Ruddiger.

Ruddiger jumped to Varian's arm, (the blanket in his mouth,) and crawled to his shoulder. Varian ran off again, past Lady Caine and kept going down the alleyway. "Okay, Ruddiger! We need to find a place to hide, just temporarily! I have an idea!" Varian explained to his raccoon.

Ruddiger nodded and waited for Varian to find a place for them to hide.

Varian tied the rag around his neck and then shakily drew the fake goatee on his chin, while Ruddiger used Varian's face-washing cloth to make a bandana for himself and he put some mud in his fur to make his fur look a different color. "There, hopefully she won't recognize me like this." Varian said, coating his stress-streak with ink from a fountain-pen so nobody could look at his hair and realize who he was.

Varian ran out of the alleyway and by the time he went out of hiding, it had stopped raining so he didn't have to worry about that. Varian sighed, "I can't believe I broke that vase... At least it got rid of Caine for enough time, and got me back the Cassandrium." Varian said to Ruddiger.

Ruddiger chattered sadly. "Ah well." Varian crossed his arms and continued walking.

Varian looked through his bag as he walked, making sure that Lady Caine didn't take anything. It seems a few coins had fell out during the fight, but other than that, it seemed to be all in-tact.

Varian took the Cassandrium out of his pocket and stared at it, he needed to find a better place to put this before he lost it again, but where? Then he caught glimpse of a jewelry store across the street. He could make it into a necklace and give it to Cassandra! She'd be so pleased!

"Ruddiger, hey, buddy, I have an idea." Varian smirked and looked down at Ruddiger.
The raccoon chirped and then looked at Varian with a confused look on his face.

"Can you snatch a string of purple beads from that store over there?" Varian slanted his eyes. Ruddiger nodded and ran off into that direction, "Meet me at the rooftop!" Varian whisper shouted and then ran off towards the rooftop to meet Ruddiger later.


Cassandra knelt down and looked at the blood and broken vase pieces on the ground, "Definitely looks like something bad happened here." She picked up a piece of the vase and investigated it closely before looking directly at Stan and Pete. "Keep an eye out, okay you two? We can't allow this anymore." Cassandra walked off, keeping the piece of vase for reference and evidence.

Stan and Pete nodded and saluted her.

Cassandra walked out of the alleyway, sighing and wiping the sweat from her forehead, she was tired of having to walk around keeping an eye on Corona all because Stan and Pete couldn't do their job right. She would have loved to be Captain of the Royal Guards' like her father, but...

That just wasn't the case.

Suddenly, Cassandra bumped into someone. "Sorry about that, didn't see you- Varian? Hey." Cassandra apologized and then noticed it was Varian (who was quickly wiping away his fake goatee so he didn't look silly with it on). "Hi, Cassandra... Sorry about that, I was distracted." Varian rubbed the back of his neck nervously then blushed a bit brightly.

"It's okay, how you've been?" Cassandra asked.
"Oh, good. I was...actually trying to find you." Varian replied.
Cassandra raised a brow, "Really? What for?"
Varian pulled a necklace that had the Cassandrium on, out of his bag and held it up to her.

"I wanted to give this to thank you for the other day... I couldn't help but find something to give you in-return." Varian told Cassandra. "Thank you... It's lovely, did you make this yourself?" She asked, taking the Cassandrium and holding it in her hands. "Yes! It took a very long time and a lot of time...searching...for the materials, but I finally finished it a minute ago!" He said excitedly.

Cassandra put it around her neck and smiled, "I guess we're going to have to talk more often if we're going to be bumping into each other and giving each other gifts, huh?"

Varian blushed heavily, "Being friends with you? Aw, I'm not worth it... Really..."
Cassandra frowned, "Don't be so hard on yourself, it's not good for you. Trust me."
She then slowly, but sadly smiled; "I know."

Varian heard the forlorn sound in her voice and wanted to frown too, but he cleared his throat, shook his head and attempted to smile, which looked very awkward and forced. "So... Are we friends, or were you just joking." Varian responded. "Mhm, looks like it." Cassandra nodded.

"Thank you, I'll... try to be a good friend!" Varian grinned, fighting back tears.
"Anyway, I have to get going back to the castle, Raps is waiting, you know. Bye Varian." She waved and walked off, leaving Varian. He waved back, then walked back into the alleyway.

Cassandra noticed a piece of vase glass that wasn't there before, and wondered if she had tracked it from the alleyway, but couldn't tell, so she just ignored it for now as Rapunzel was waiting.

Once Varian was far away, he choked into a sob; "No, really... I'm not worth it..." He said quietly as his bag fell and the loot he had stole from many people before Lady Caine found him, fell out...

Varian buried his face into his hands and cried, tears rolling down from his eyes, down his face, into his hands and down his arms and into his lap...