Chapter 26
Wagon

"Stop, Thieves!"
"Get them! Quickly!"
"Guards! Guards!"
"They've stolen my luggage!"

Kiera and Catalina ran quickly through the alleyways, holding a bunch of bags and suitcases. "This way, Catalina! Quick!" Kiera called her, darting around a corner. Catalina could barely keep up, but she managed to stay close as the royal guards chased them both.

"Meet me at Varian's place! Kill two birds with one stone! We check on Varian, and hide ourselves!" Kiera took the opposite direction, and Catalina went a different way.

Catalina nodded and raced through the alleyways, jumping onto crates and climbing onto staircase railings on the side of buildings. Kiera hopped across fallen barrels and crawled underneath coaster monger tables and stalls...

Eventually, they lost the guards and got to the area where they had first met Varian. "Help me up, please." Kiera looked at Catalina. She got ontop of Catalina's hands and then reached for the windowsill and climbed up into it, then she turned around, grabbed Catalina's hands and pulled her into the window as well. The place seemed untouched for a couple of weeks.

"Hey V, are you here?" Kiera looked around the place, dropping the stolen loot on the floor next to the barrels. Catalina helped Kiera look for Varian, but it seemed Varian had left this place...

"What happened to him?" Catalina frowned. "I'm...not sure... Do you think he got captured?" Kiera responded. Catalina nervously held her own arms, "...Does that mean he..." She whispered.

She didn't want to upset Catalina, but there was a big possibility that Varian had been executed by the King, so she just looked at Catalina with a soft, sad expression; "Maybe..."

Catalina felt tears prickle in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall, she quickly wiped them away and acted as if her crying never happened. "Well, let's... just hope for the best and maybe he escaped." Catalina's voice cracked, she was a very emotional person, and when Catalina got sad, this made Kiera upset. Kiera was always stoic and, well, angry, but she couldn't stay like that if Catalina got sad, she felt bad for her...

Cassandra and Varian; the next morning, had set off early towards their next destination. It was called Traveler's Cove, a place where many foreigners and travelers gathered to exchange knowledge, trade and barter and sell their wares. It was a very good tourists' spot, and it was easy to get directions from there if you were lost.

"You know... It would be a lot less difficult if I could just ask; 'Where's a place that allows Alchemy' without getting a weird look or questioned." Varian sighed. "It would be, for both of us." Cassandra sighed too. "But, traveling is fun, so..." Varian noted.

Cassandra stayed quiet to think of a response and then realized that she was actually having fun. "Yeah..." She looked down at the ground with a soft, warm smile. She hadn't been able to travel back in the Kingdom of Corona, as the Lady-in-Waiting, and this was a brand-new feeling for her.

Ruddiger chattered and crawled up Cassandra's leg, and back, to get on her shoulder and nuzzle her. "Hey Ruddy." Cassandra pet Ruddiger's soft, fuzzy head. "Do you think there will be any alchemists like me there? 'Curious..." Varian asked a bit shyly.

"Maybe. I know there will be at least one." Cassandra said.
Varian perked his head up, "Really? Who?" He asked quickly.
"You, idiot." Cassandra elbowed Varian gently.
...Varian set himself up for that one.

"Oh. Ha ha, very funny." He responded sarcastically.

"There will be a lot of people here, so you'll have to stay near me if you don't want to get lost in the crowds, okay? Hold my hand if you need to." She suggested. Varian blushed, "Hold...hold your hand?" He accidentally repeated what she had said. "Yeah, that way we can stay together." Cassandra didn't blink an eye. "Oh, uh-huh, right, mhm..." Varian tugged at his bag's straps gently, looking away off to the side at the trees.

Ruddiger perched on Cassandra's shoulder, while Owl perched on the other shoulder.
Varian thought it was funny.

"I also heard that there was a port there, so if we need to cross the seas, I guess we know where we're going, huh?" Cassandra explained, putting her thumbs in her tunic belt. "Mhm." Varian put his hands behind his back gently and quietly walked alongside her.

Traveler's Cove was a busy little place, and Varian definitely had to hold Cassandra's hand to keep from losing her in the crowds. There were so many people from different kingdoms, small towns and countrysides... It was a fascinating sight to see what everyone sold too.

"Pears and Lemons! Freshly-harvested!" "Hairpins for beautiful ladies and little girls!" "Need fabrics? We have them! An assortment of lovely fabrics!" "Handmade pots and vases, get them while they last!" These were only some of the advertisements being shouted and called through the cove's market. What caught Varian's interest though, was something involving science.

"Chemists, Scientists, Alchemists, come along! Test-tubes of chemicals, books about science, clean and sturdy beakers!" The old lady exclaimed.

Varian tugged on Cassandra's hand gently, "Did you hear that?" His eyes practically gleamed and glowed. "Sure did. You want to go over there or something?" Cassandra looked at him warmly.

"Yes, please!" Varian nodded.
The two headed over to the wagon and walked up to the window.

"Ah, yes, hello... Welcome to Madame Canardist's Wagon of Wonders, I am... Madame Canardist, how may I help you today?" She leaned on the windowsil upon seeing the two.

"My friend's an alchemist here, he was wanting you to show him some of your wares." Cassandra put her hand on Varian's shoulder. "Oh! Welcome, welcome. I will show you right away then." Canardist nodded and walked away for a minute to bring back some of her wares.

"Beakers a plenty, yes, a many of test-tubes too! Pure mercury? Dangerous, but we have it!" She explained, setting things on the windowsill. "Worried of explosions? Goggles are your friend."

Varian stopped her, "I want that. How much is it?" He pointed at the goggles.

"How much are you willing to pay?" She raised a brow.

Varian froze...

"Caine, Lady Caine. Come from outside of Corona. How much you want for the vase, kid?" The woman looked at the vase with a curious eye. "How much are you going to pay?" Varian leaned onto the table and raised his brows in a mischievous way.

Lady Caine let a smirk slip across her face, "Bargainer type I see. Very well. Let's start off with 30 silver pieces." Lady Caine sat down and tapped her nails on the table.

"Varian? Are you okay?" Cassandra noticed this. "Y-Yeah... Uh..." Varian shook his head, "I haven't had the best... luck... with bargaining..." Varian mumbled. Cassandra looked at Madame Canardist and slammed her palm on the windowsill, "Look, my friend doesn't want to bargain, give a price." She hissed at her. Madame Canardist was a little surprised, but she responded; "50 silver pieces."

Cassandra pulled out her bag and proceeded to give her the 50 silver pieces, despite Varian tugging on Cassandra's tunic, telling her that she didn't have to.

"Here you go." Madame Canardist gave Varian the goggles.
Varian looked at them, cleaned the dirt off the lens with his sleeve and then put them on.

It wasn't his goggles from back in the Kingdom of Corona, but it was goggles.
"Thank you." Varian smiled warmly at the old lady. "You're very welcome." She replied.

As Madame Canardist counted her coins, Cassandra asked; "Do you know of any place that allows alchemists to do their alchemy without being too shunned upon?"

Canardist looked up, "The Dark Kingdom. It is far from here, I can give you a map for 5 bronze pieces." She smirked. Cassandra rolled her eyes and gave her 5 bronze pieces, "Fine."

She took the coins and then gave Cassandra the map.

"The best route is over the seas, through the kingdoms, cities and towns past here, and then to the Dark Kingdom." She explained. "Thank you for your help, Madame Canardist." Cassandra thanked her, and Varian did as well. The two left and Madame Canardist counted her coins again.

"The Dark Kingdom, huh." Cassandra looked at the map.
"Guess we're going to have to go to that port after all." Cassandra put away the map...