Chapter 18
Dungeon
"I told you this was going to happen."
Kiera grumpily sat in the cell with her sister, Catalina.
"I'm sorry..." Catalina apologized.
"No, it's not your fault, don't apologize!"
Kiera aggressively said, though it was out of caring and frustration rather than anger and hostility. "It's Lady Caine, she's the one who snitched on us to help herself out." Kiera added with a hiss. Catalina hugged her knees. "What...are they going to do to us?" Her eyes teared up.
Kiera glared at the floor, "They won't do anything. Not if I'm around. I won't let them hurt you or me, we're not going to go down that easily." She cuddled up close to Catalina in the cell.
Later on, Kiera and Catalina had heard rumors about their execution, and if they didn't act now; they wouldn't have time to act on anything. So they were trying to come up with a plan to break out of the cell before they faced their doom.
"So, here's what we're going to do. You remember that weird wolf mark you got on your face?" Kiera whispered. Catalina's eyes widened and she looked shocked that she would mention that, "No, I'm not using that. Besides... It has to be a full moon, remember?" Catalina made an excuse.
"Lucky for you, tonight's a full moon, so heh, don't be makin'excuses." Kiera snickered.
Catalina could slap herself for that; of course it was a full moon, duh. "Idiot." She muttered, referring to herself. "Okay fine... You want me to use it tonight to break the bars on the window, don't you." Catalina looked back at Kiera and spoke. "Yep, that's the plan anyway." Kiera nodded.
Catalina looked down and bit her lip nervously.
She hadn't been the best of company when being a werewolf. She had rememebered a night when Kiera got nightmares of the werewolf incident and Catalina didn't want that to happen again. "Are you sure? I don't want you to be scared again..." Catalina squeaked.
"I'll be fine. Would you rather me be scared or dead?" Kiera leaned on the wall.
"Neither." Catalina wheezed.
"Well that ain't happening, it's one or the other, Catalina." Kiera sighed.
The next morning, the snow was finally melted away to just some slush, which pleased Varian; because that meant he could finally wander back around the Kingdom of Corona without having to trudge through snow. Varian climbed out of the window, his backpack and bag in-tow, and of course with Ruddiger; because he never left without Ruddiger unless he told Ruddiger to help him do something. "I'm glad the snow is nearing gone." Varian sighed in-relief.
Ruddiger chattered and smiled in agreement.
Cassandra, yesterday, had told him to meet her nearby the bakery. Cassandra had been feeling bad for Varian since he was homeless, and had been helping him out; plus she got to hang out with him, and that was special to her because though she had Rapunzel as a friend, she was...
...Energetic and loud.
"Cassie, hey!" Varian waved with a bright, happy smile on his face. "Varian, hey." Cassandra waved, just as Varian hugged her. "How have you been?" Varian asked. "It's only been a day, sheesh. I'm doing fine though, and what about you?" Cassandra hugged him back and rubbed her knuckles in Varian's hair playfully. "Ow, hah-" Varian winced a bit due to her knuckles.
"I'm happy the snow is going away." Varian hummed, putting his hands behind his back.
"Me too. I know It's still cold, but it was even colder with the snowy weather." She shivered.
Varian looked around, "I heard about the Silent Strikers from one of the Newsies." He said. "They escaped?" Varian nodded. Cassandra sighed and shook her head, "Mhm. The bars on the window were somehow ripped off, it's actually kind of scary." She explained.
Varian was confused by it; how could those two girls have done that much damage. "I guess Lady Caine knew what she was doing." He mumbled. Cassandra agreed, "She's a smart one, I'll give her that. But that's about all I'll give her." She hissed. "I agree." Varian glared.
"Anyway..." Cassandra adjusted her tunic.
"Should we head into the bakery then? It's warm in there." Varian raised his brows.
"Yeah." Cassandra smiled.
"Stop!"
One of the royal guards shouted, which shot fear into Varian's body.
"Whoa, what's going on?" Cassandra tried to calm the small group of Royal Guards down. "Miss Cassandra, stand back, we can handle this!" Stan informed her. "Hey, what-" Cassandra was gently pushed away from Varian. The Royal Guards crowded Varian and Ruddiger;
"Let me go! Put me down!" Varian gasped. Ruddiger chattered.
"Leave him alone, he hasn't done anything!" Cassandra snapped at them, running to the group, trying to get them to leave Varian. "You don't understand, Miss Cassandra. Do you not know who this is?" Pete looked at Cassandra. "His name is Varian, he's my friend." Cassandra defended him.
"No, he's not your friend!" Stan said.
"He's the Stress-Streak Thief!" Pete shouted.
Cassandra froze completely, "What?" She shook her head, "He doesn't even have a stress-" She went to protest, but the guards showed Varian to Cassandra while Stan used a wet rag to wipe away the fountain-pen ink on Varian's stress-streak, revealing it's blue, teal color through the black of his hair. Cassandra's eyes widened and she stepped back.
She could have sworn she felt the prickling of tears in her eyes.
"Varian?" Her voice cracked.
"Cassie! I'm sorry! I-" Varian squirmed around.
"Be still!" One of the guards snarled at him.
"Cassie, please!" Varian cried, "I was going to tell you, I swear! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Varian screamed, tears rolling down his face profusely. Cassandra couldn't figure out how to react, whether she was angry, upset or a mix of both. The guards began pulling Varian away, "It's in to the dungeon with you, thief." They said to him. "Cassie!" Varian shouted.
Cassandra didn't respond, or even move.
"Cassie! Help!" Varian called.
"CASSIEEEEEEEE!" He screamed, and his voice began getting further away.
Cassandra choked on her own scream;
"Varian!" She ran after him and the guards...
