Happy Easter/Resurrection Day for those who celebrate! If you don't, have a great day anyway!
FINAL CHAPTER! At long last, we made it! I apologize in advance; this one was supposed to be a normal-sized chapter, and instead it's THIRTEEN. THOUSAND. HECKIN. WORDS. But I didn't feel like splitting it, so... have at it.
Sunlight glinted off metal armor, the rhythmic stamp of boots accompanying the thunder of hooves as the army slowly marched down the dusty road. Here and there, soldiers exchanged nervous glances and the occasional whisper. Breath fogged in the crisp morning air even as sweat beaded at every brow from the long trek.
Three hundred men had been called to arms earlier that morning, no one quite sure why. The only information they were given was that there was a threat in Old Corona. Not a soul in the entire battalion was unaware of the circumstances of the last battle in the same town. Some of the soldiers looked far too excited to return.
Very rarely were they called out in such a great number without being told what they were facing. Even less often did the king himself come with them. Whatever this threat was, it was unlike anything they typically faced.
Old Corona was a hollow wreck, the black rocks laying flat against the ground where they'd moved when the princess was summoned away. In their absence, the houses they'd pierced through had fallen to bits, littering the ground with the remnants of once-warm homes. At the far end of the village, the broken manor house that had once belonged to Quirin stood vast and cold, a ghost of a memory lingering around its walls and windows. This was where it had all happened, though from the outside it seemed just another building ravaged by time and nature and the rocks that spared no one and nothing.
The battalion stopped several hundred yards in front of the manor. No one spoke, and only a few dared to breathe in the oppressive silence. The king moved to the front of the army, turning to face them. Astride his horse and dressed in armor—another rare occurrence—he surveyed the men in front of him with a critical eye. "One year ago," he began, his voice carrying over the crowd so all could hear, "Our kingdom came under attack from an alchemist. The strength of our people and the courage of Princess Rapunzel succeeded in subduing this threat. But some months ago, this alchemist broke out of prison and escaped. Now he has returned, and his presence is a danger to our homeland. Today, we retake our old enemy and spare this kingdom from his villainy!"
A cheer rose up from the assembled soldiers. Not a three-hundred-strong cheer.
"We have seen what this enemy can do," Frederic continued. "And we know he is not alone. Prepare yourselves. Whoever brings me the alchemist alive will be greatly rewarded. If anyone stands in your way, cut them down. For Corona!"
"For Corona!" the echoing shout rang off the stones and bricks.
Then the army began their slow march forward again.
O‴O‴O‴
"Ready?"
Varian adjusted his gloves one last time. On his shoulder, Ruddiger chittered in affirmation. "We're ready. You?"
Hector grinned. "We're all set. Quirin, you'll take point?"
"I've got it."
"So… how exactly does this help?" Varian asked. Far be it from him to question the strategies of professional soldiers, but they were outnumbered about seventy-five to four. One hundred to three, if he didn't count himself; his training with Hector hadn't prepared him to face an army. And while he'd seen what the Brotherhood was capable of, the numbers were still daunting. The plan was to get out without a fight, Quirin had told him, but the chances of that were slim.
Quirin placed his sword beside the door. He hadn't changed into his armor, choosing instead his old red shirt and fur vest. Though Varian knew it was necessary for the first stage of their plan, the idea that his dad would be doing this without proper defenses unnerved him.
I can't lose him again.
"The tactics of Battlemaster Helios, the Sun Knight. By unsettling our opponent, we buy ourselves precious time. And time, right now, is not on our side."
"Yeah, but… time for what? Our situation won't change just because we get an extra few minutes."
"Time for me to deal with our enemies outside the wall." Adira examined the blade of her new sword. She'd grumbled unhappily about the weight and balance of it, but until they got hers back from Cassandra, she was stuck with this. "There's about forty. I haven't fought that many in a while, but I want to see if my skills are still what they used to be."
"They are," Hector grumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "If our fight in the Tree is any indicator. You still fight like a lunatic."
"You say the sweetest things. Once I'm finished up, I'll have Artemis signal you."
"One long screech for all clear, two short for backup."
"And three to fall back."
Quirin closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Fifteen seconds." Outside, the marching grew louder, the army's boots thudding against the surface of the black rocks.
Hector placed his hands against the armoire in front of the hole in the wall. The rest of the barricade had been moved out of their way.
"Ten seconds."
"It's an honor to fight beside you again, my brothers," Adira said with a smile.
Hector nodded, scowling grimly. "If we pass into moonlight…"
"We go together." Quirin nodded. "Time."
Hector shoved the armoire over with enough force to slam it into the next wall. Quirin stepped into the opening and out onto the front steps. Sunlight poured in around him, outlining him with a soft golden glow.
Then he was gone, stepping down the stairs to confront that man.
Varian ran to the edge of the hole, keeping behind the wall as he peeked out through the cracked boards. Behind him, Adira and Artemis disappeared into the hallway. Hector stood next to Varian, a protective hand on his shoulder. Outside, Kubwa had disappeared into the trees, to appear when Hector called for him. Kiki and Riki snarled and paced around the living room, eager to charge, while Ruddiger hissed near Varian's feet.
"Deep breaths, Var," Hector murmured softly. "If you're lucky, you won't have to fight at all."
"What if I do?"
"Then I'll be right beside you. You've been training for this. But you can't let yourself panic."
Varian looked back through the broken wall. Outside, the army had come to a stop, a wave of uneasiness passing among their ranks at the sight of a dead man walking. Like the Red Sea, they parted before him, forming an opening between him and the king. Frederic rode forward slowly, uncertainly, so unlike the brash and harsh figure he tended to present.
He stopped before Quirin, dismounting from his horse and stepping forward. "Quirin," he began hesitantly, "is that really you?"
Varian couldn't see Quirin's face from this angle, but he could imagine the calm smile. "Frederic, my old friend! It's good to see you again." He bowed politely, if a bit stiffly.
"You… you were dead."
"I got better." Quirin crossed his arms. "I've heard some concerning things since my return. I hoped you might clear up this misunderstanding for me. I've been told that my son Varian committed treason and tried to murder the queen. How is this possible?"
Frederic shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid it's the truth. I don't quite understand it either."
"That is odd," Quirin said with a shake of his head. "I can't imagine how he could do such a thing, especially since you would've taken such good care of him in my absence."
Frederic's composed mask faltered for a split second, just long enough for Varian to see. "I—"
"As my friend, I know you would have treated him like your own and given him a safe place to stay. I'm shocked that he would throw your generosity back in your face like that, that he would betray the people who protected him. You promised you'd… get him help, after all."
The king's eyes narrowed. Varian shivered; Quirin's trap was sprung, and both of the men knew that Frederic had walked right into it.
"As painful as this must be for you," Frederic responded through gritted teeth, "Varian did indeed commit treason of the highest order. I'm afraid I have no choice but to call for his arrest. Surrender him now, and I can promise he'll be treated fairly."
"Like you treated him fairly the first time?"
A ripple of shock spread through the assembled crowd. Frederic's glare hardened. "I don't expect you to understand. As king, I did what I had to for the sake of my people."
"Torturing my son was for the sake of your people?" Quirin snarled.
"I don't know what lies that boy has told you, but I never—"
"He didn't have to say a word. His scars told me everything." Quirin took a step closer, invading the king's personal space. "I have seen more scars in my life than you could ever imagine from the safety of your precious palace. I know what year-old scars look like compared to three-month-old scars. And I know what chemical burns look like. My son is far too careful to hurt himself that many times."
"I believe you're misreading this situation."
"You may be able to lie to others." Quirin took another step forward, and this time Frederic stepped back. "But you have never been able to lie to me."
The king twitched; Quirin's words had struck a nerve. Giving up the friendly pretense, He growled, "You may not like it, Quirin, but this is the reality of ruling a kingdom. I have to make decisions that prioritize the good of many over the good of just one. Varian is a traitor to Corona and thus I have every right to order his arrest. Stand down before I'm forced to order for yours as well."
"You'll have to arrest me, then, and the rest of us. You won't get to Varian without going through us."
"Then so be it. I didn't want it to come to this, my old friend." Frederic lifted his hand to motion to his army.
Varian took a deep breath and stepped into the open. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
At his sudden arrival, every eye fixed on him. Their hushed whispers grew louder. Varian flinched under their collective gaze, glancing nervously back to Hector, who nodded. Turning back to the army, he took a step forward out into the light. This was the most people he'd seen in one place in… well, over a year. And they were all here to send him back to the nightmare that was Corona's prison.
"I wasn't just sitting here waiting on you," he continued. "I was, ah…" he tsked mockingly, tilting his head with disdain. "...Busy last night. Those tunnels that run underneath this whole town? Yeah, I rigged them with bombs. Take a step forward, and I'll blow this whole place higher than your ego."
Frederic hesitated. Varian smirked, casting his mind back to that day, remembering what it felt like to be in control of the situation for just a few minutes. It was easier to feign confidence with Hector just out of view behind him and his father in front of him. Last time, he had been alone.
Like with Quirin, he knew Frederic knew he was lying. He couldn't stand the sight of chemicals, much less work with them, but if Frederic called his bluff, he would be forced to admit in front of all his men that he'd tortured a child. While he had been able to play off Quirin's words as exaggeration or outright lies, he couldn't call Varian a liar without admitting how he knew.
"You wouldn't," Frederic responded instead, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. After all, Varian might have hidden extra supplies, and he might just have had his family set the bombs. Varian might take no joy in lying, but like before, there was something heady about seeing the king's great power fail him. About having him unsettled, like Quirin said. About shifting the power balance for just a few minutes. "You'll kill yourself and your family as well!"
"That's a risk I'll take. I'd rather die than be locked up again," Varian spat.
They stood locked at an impasse, neither bothering to hide the contempt in their eyes for each other. When in the past Varian would have wilted under his glare, knowing that such a look meant a continuing of the endless agony he experienced, now he glared back just as fiercely. Frederic might call him out and order his army forward anyway, and Varian wouldn't be able to stop him. But he would die in the process; Quirin stood directly in his way, and he didn't need his sword to take a life. If he yielded, though, he would look like a coward in front of his men, and he never was able to stand a blow to his fragile pride. He might attempt to spin the tale to say he was protecting the lives of his soldiers, but he would live with the knowledge that he had lost to his worst enemy.
A shadow flew across Varian's eyes for a brief moment as Artemis gave three short screeches.
Fall back.
Quirin looked over his shoulder to Varian, who nodded. "We'll give you time to make your decision," Quirin informed Frederic. "Let us leave Corona, and we'll leave in peace. Try to arrest us, and we will have no choice but to defend ourselves." With that parting warning, he turned and walked back up the steps to the house. Varian followed. Once inside, they pushed the armoire back in front of the opening.
Adira met them in the living room, holding her right arm to her chest and breathing heavily. She collapsed into a chair, hissing in pain. Quirin rushed to her side, while Varian and Hector hung back to give her space.
"What happened?" Quirin demanded.
Through gritted teeth, she groaned, "They… they have his—his chemicals." She moved her hand away from her arm to reveal her burnt sleeve and skin. "They knew we'd try to get out that way. They all had glass orbs with chemicals in them."
Varian clamped a hand to his mouth, waves of nausea seeping into his stomach. Bile rose in his throat. They'd… they'd burned his aunt. With his chemicals. They'd used his alchemy as a weapon and had burned Adira with it. Her arm, her dominant arm, was burned and would scar up just like his own burns when they had done that to him, and if it was him he would be okay because he was used to it but they had burned his aunt!
"Varian!" He flinched away, feeling hands on his shoulders, but it was just Hector. Hector, who had been trying to talk to him. "Var, what the dickens do we do?"
Right. They needed his help. He was the only one who worked with alchemy… or had, at least. "Get—get her coat off," he stuttered out. "Get it—get it off her and get her to the kitchen."
"I'm sorry, Adira," Quirin whispered as he helped her wiggle out of the overcoat. She hissed in pain as it rubbed against her irritated skin. Then he used her knife to cut away her shirt sleeve.
"Kitchen—running water," Varian ordered. "Cold water." He ran to the kitchen, turning on the tap and motioning the others over. "Hold her arm here."
Quiring thrust Adira's arm under the water, holding her shoulders as she involuntarily jerked away. "Don't move," he ordered. "You have to let the water wash it off."
"Hurts," she growled, jaw clenched tightly.
"I know. Varian, how long—"
"At least ten minutes. Maybe twenty." In prison, he'd had no such option. Maybe if they treated her properly now, she would avoid the worst of the scarring.
"If I let you go, Adira…"
She glared at him. "I'll be fine. Just let go."
He released her, and true to her word, she kept her arm under the water, the fingernails on her other hand digging into the countertop.
"I'm s-so sorry," Varian sobbed, only then noticing the tears coursing down his freckled cheeks. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault, I didn't mean—"
"Hush, little one," she ordered, keeping her gaze locked on her arm. "This is no more your fault than it is mine. You didn't tell them to use your genius as a means to hurt others."
Hector wrapped his arms around Varian. "She's right, kid. Don't put this on yourself."
Varian hid his face in Hector's shirt, cursing his tears and his weakness and the day he'd decided to become an alchemist. Mostly, though, he cursed him. He would make him pay. That tyrant would pay for daring to hurt his family. He would make him regret the day he lifted his hand against the people Varian loved, if it was the last thing he ever did.
He would make him pay.
O‴O‴O‴
The horses tore up the distance between the castle and Old Corona, arriving quicker than Arianna dared hope. Dread filled her heart as she saw the army stationed in front of the old manor house. Without stopping to see what had happened, she and Rapunzel continued on until they reached the soldiers, who turned to give them surprised looks.
She swung down off Fidella's back, starting towards the men. They parted, letting the captain through before she could reach them. He approached quickly, relief crossing his face when he saw the two women. He bowed politely. "Your Majesty," he said, low enough to avoid being heard by the men nearby. "Thank goodness you've arrived. Fitzherbert got you my message?"
"He did. What's the situation here?"
"Varian and several others, we're not sure how many, are inside the house. Quirin is alive, and very angry."
"As he should be," she muttered under her breath.
Low though it was, Captain Bartholomew caught it and nodded in assent. "Varian claims to have rigged bombs underneath the ground, but we're not sure if he's telling the truth. Most of the men here don't want to fight. They're confused about the entire thing. His Majesty only hand-picked a few men to come, some of the ones who were assigned to guard Varian in prison. The rest have no clue what happened to him."
"Are Stan and Pete here?" Rapunzel asked.
"No, Your Highness. Please don't be angry with them. They didn't mean to speak out of turn; His Majesty called them privately and questioned them. They're very upset about their own negligence and asked me to pass on their apologies."
Arianna stepped forward and surveyed the scene with a critical eye. As good as the Brotherhood was, according to Rapunzel, it would be difficult for them to fight this many people and escape unscathed, especially if Varian was with them. Her daughter had also explained on the way that Varian no longer used his alchemy as a result of the abuse he had suffered, so he was near defenseless. An all-out fight between the two groups would result in heavy casualties on both sides.
"Why doesn't the Brotherhood escape through the wall?" she murmured.
"The Brotherhood, Your Majesty?"
"Varian's family. A group of warriors from Quirin's home country."
"I see. There's another group of soldiers stationed beyond the wall to keep them from fleeing." He rubbed his neck uncomfortably. "Your Majesty, what exactly do you plan to do? I can't recommend you stay here where a fight may take place."
She straightened her riding coat and drew herself up to her full height. "I'm going to make sure this fight never happens. Take me to Frederic."
O‴O‴O‴
"What are they doing out there?"
Varian looked up at Quirin's words. "What's going on?"
Quirin gestured out the window. "They're talking, it looks like. I expected them to have attacked already. Frederic wouldn't care how many of his men died as long as we die as well… and as long as he lives. But it looks like there's been a commotion."
Hector left Adira's side, where he'd been wrapping her arm in clean bandages, and strode to the window. "Hmm. Something's upset His Royal Pain." His brow furrowed as he leaned closer. "Is that… who I think it is?"
Quirin squinted out at the scene. "That's… what is she doing here?"
"Who?" Varian stood and joined them, but he couldn't make out at this distance who his family had seen. "Who's here?"
Hector gave a short, curt laugh. "Well, finally someone with a brain enters the picture. That's the queen herself."
"The queen? " Varian yelped. He pressed his face closer to the glass, finally making out a lady with a long brown braid standing next to the king in heated conversation. Frederic, for his part, had his eyebrows drawn together in pained distress as his wife gestured calmly around at the army and the house. They were too far away for him to hear what was said, but the slumped shoulders and vague wave Frederic gave as he rubbed his forehead indicated that whatever Queen Arianna had wanted, she had gotten.
She turned to the house, serenely striding forward with an armored guard by her side. As they got closer, Varian jerked away from the window. That was the captain beside her.
The two stopped near the house. "Her Majesty Queen Arianna of Corona requests an audience with the Brotherhood of the Dark Kingdom," the captain called out.
Hector stepped over to the armoire, drawing his sword. "What do you think, Var? We can say no, or we can hear her out." Beside him, Ruddiger whined nervously, probably remembering the last time Her Majesty had unwillingly visited this house.
"I…" Varian bit his lip. "Do you think we should talk to her?"
"I think if we're gonna talk to anyone, she's the one to talk to. Not sure about that man with her."
"That's the captain."
Hector grunted. "Is he on my hit list?"
"He's the one who kept me under house arrest."
"So yeah, then. Do you want me to kill him?"
"Not yet. We'll see what happens first." Varian nodded firmly. "Let them in."
With a firm shove, the poor battered armoire fell to the side once again. Quirin winced. "It took me two weeks to make that," he grumbled.
"We'll get you a new one," Adira huffed.
Hector stepped out. "What do you want, Your Majesty?"
Arianna's expression softened when she saw Hector. "I seek an audience to negotiate an armistice. Will you guarantee my safety while we confer and my freedom once we're finished?"
Hector nodded. "You have my word." He stepped back inside, giving her and the captain room to enter.
They stepped warily inside, both giving respectful nods to the Brotherhood and Varian. They bowed in return. "Thank you for agreeing to this parley," the queen began, stepping forward while the captain lingered by the door. "I'm glad to see you all in good health. You especially, Quirin."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, and to you."
Her gaze fell upon Varian, who shrank back slightly. "Hello, Varian," she said softly. "I… I'm glad you're alright."
Her tone was perfectly sincere, her queenly mask slipping away for a moment to reveal the human underneath, and perhaps it was that sincerity that made Varian flinch away. Shame dug its claws back into his heart. She had no reason to be happy that he was no longer under her husband's control, that he was free to experience his life again and be with his family.
So then why had she helped him? What had convinced her to assist Uncle Hector in rescuing him? She, out of all people, had the most reason to despise him, and yet she didn't.
"Your Majesty," he responded politely, clenching his hands together to hide their shaking. "I-if I may, I have—I have something I want to say."
"Please, say whatever you need."
He took a deep breath, straightening his shoulders as he closed his eyes for a brief moment. Opening them again, he blurted out, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I did. I—I never should have—should have tried to hurt anyone, especially you, and I'm sorry I dragged you into this and almost killed you. This wasn't your fight. This was between me and the king, and I hurt you and a lot of other innocent people instead. I lashed out at people who didn't do anything to me, and I don't think I'll ever be able to make up for the damage I caused, but I still want to say I'm sorry. And—and thank you. You didn't have to help me, and I didn't deserve that, but thank you. I really am sorry."
Her eyes widened. "Oh…" With a sad smile, she replied, "I forgive you. And… I actually want to apologize to you as well."
"...Huh?"
"I owe you—and you, Quirin, as well as all of Corona—an apology. For twenty years, I have stood by and allowed my husband to rule unchecked. I turned a blind eye to his abuse of power and his crimes against his people. Like you, Varian, I was angry because someone I love dearly was taken from me. But I couldn't get at the person who took her, so I retreated into myself and chose to let Frederic do whatever he wanted. Instead of a queen, I became a glorified ornament, just another pretty bauble hanging on my husband's arm. Somewhere in the last two decades, I lost my spine. And my people suffered for my negligence. I was the one who looked away, but my citizens paid the price. And Varian… I'm so sorry this is what it took for me to see the truth. I'm sorry that my understanding came at the cost of your suffering. I know I can't change what you endured, but if I can help it, this won't happen to anyone in Corona ever again. It's time I start acting like the queen I am."
Varian's gaze flitted to the captain, still standing by the door and clearly able to hear every near-treasonous word his queen spoke. Subtly, he shifted his weight, prepared to charge if the man took one step toward her. Nearby, Hector lifted his fist slightly, readying his sword.
Neither the queen nor the captain missed their movements. "Don't worry," she assured them. "Captain Bartholomew knows my stance on this matter. He has agreed to work with me to undo the damage the king has caused."
The captain took a step forward, stopping when Varian flinched. "If I may, I have something I'd like to say as well, while we're all on the topic of apologizing." At a nod from Varian, he knelt, eliciting a small gasp of surprise from him. "My actions contributed to the pain you experienced, both by what I did to you personally here and by my choice to neglect you in prison. As captain of the guard, I have a duty to uphold the law, but instead, I followed orders that broke it. For this, I owe you my apologies. As Her Majesty said, that doesn't change what I did to you. If you and your family wish me to forfeit my life in atonement for my crimes, I accept. I just ask that you wait until I can be certain of Her Majesty's safety."
Hector raised an eyebrow at Varian as if asking permission. Varian didn't give him an answer. Instead, he growled, "Get up." As the captain stood, he continued, "I don't want your life. I'm not here for revenge. But you're going to do something for me."
"What do you need?"
Varian nodded to the queen. "If Her Majesty is attempting to go against the king, she'll be in danger. You have to protect her. Your life belongs to her now. If anything happens to her, I'll hold you accountable."
Captain Bartholomew bowed his head. "You have my word I'll do everything within my power to keep her safe. I'd lay down my life for her."
"I suppose Nigel will want me to pass along his apologies as well," the queen added. "He is our other ally in this little conspiracy and was very regretful about his part in the false accusations that kept you from getting help."
Quirin shook his head. "Wait, allow me to get this straight. Your Majesty, what exactly are you planning to do?"
She smiled, but there was no joy in it. "I'm going to overthrow the king."
He made a sharp hissing sound as he breathed in quickly. He wore an expression of thinly-veiled concern, the same he wore when Varian would suggest a new project that was needed and Quirin would mentally weigh the potential risks to his son with the necessity of what he was doing. "That's a dangerous course you've chosen to sail, Your Majesty."
"I know. I'll accept the consequences as they come. Once this is finished, if I can't call on enough allies, I may need to request your help to remove him from power."
Adira spoke up for the first time, her voice strained. "I'm afraid we have a crisis of our own to deal with, but once we have that sorted, I can offer my help. I don't want my nephew coming back to Corona, but I'll come, and one of my brothers may be willing to assist as well."
The queen nodded graciously to her. "You must be Adira. My daughter speaks highly of you."
"As she should. I am pretty amazing." Adira winked. She motioned to Hector with her left arm. "For the record, my brother has very good things to say about you as well."
Queen Arianna raised a playful eyebrow at Hector, who shrugged. "You're the only person in this dang country I respect," he huffed. "But I can save you a lot of trouble. Your husband ain't planning on letting us leave, so I can kill him right now. He made it real easy by coming right to me. Now I ain't gotta go look for him."
Quirin landed a solid smack against the back of Hector's skull, hard enough to nearly knock him off balance. "We're not killing the king."
"Wrgh—Why the dickens not?"
"Hector." Arianna stepped forward. "I understand your anger. But if you kill him, there's nothing I can do to stop that army out there from attacking. Even if the four of you survive, you'll incite war, and we will lose any chance of establishing diplomatic relations between our kingdoms." She put a hand on his arm. "Please, be patient. Let me do this my way. I trusted you once. Trust me now."
The angry tension fell from his shoulders, and he fixed her with a steely glare. "You saved my nephew's life. I won't forget that. Can you promise we won't regret trusting you?"
Varian waited with bated breath, noting the set of her jaw, her fist clenched by her side, the eye contact she maintained without a hint of trepidation. She didn't move her hand from his arm. Though Hector towered over her, all sinewy muscle and sharp teeth, there was no less strength in her composure and the noble set of her head and shoulders. A silent understanding passed between them, an air of respect that Varian had never seen Hector give to anyone besides the Dark King himself.
"I won't promise anything. My current course of action could very well get me executed if I'm discovered." Her eyes narrowed, her voice clipped and cold as winter wind. "But I assure you, I don't intend to lose a game that my opponent doesn't even realize he's playing."
"Well spoken," Hector acknowledged. "Varian, it's your choice."
"What?!"
Hector stepped back and crossed his arms. "I'm not one for politics. I don't care when he pays, so long as he pays. Say the word and I'll kill him right now."
Varian froze. He would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted by the idea. Truthfully, he had never considered the concept of Frederic's death. His own, yes, the long days in prison wearing at him until he wished they'd put him out of his misery and he regretted the few good decisions he'd made to keep himself alive: pouring what little water they gave him onto his cuts, choosing to keep his eyes down, swiping at stray pieces of cloth to use as makeshift bandages whenever they dragged him from his cell. Despite the man's aging years, the idea that Varian might outlive him had never crossed his mind. Even the thought of making him pay for his actions had faded into a dream as his tormentors worked to convince him that what they did was just. Even as Hector taught him the truth, he had focused more on leaving his past behind instead of seeking justice for the crimes committed against him. For Adira's injury, of course, he wanted retribution, but to kill him?
Now, though, two paths lay before him. The tyrant king would reap what he had sown either by the hand of Hector or by the hand of the queen.
No one spoke. Half of him wanted to scream at them, to demand they take this choice from his shoulders. Why should he have to order someone's death? Why would Hector ask him to do that? Why didn't the queen demand that he spare her husband? The other half of him stilled. This was his choice. He had been the one to suffer, to bear the blame for both his own actions and the king's, to be silenced, to be sentenced to the darkness, to be sacrificed to an insatiable greed for power.
This was a matter of heart versus wisdom.
One year ago, he had chosen wrong.
"Not yet," he answered finally. "Your Majesty, I trust you. If you say you can help us, I believe you."
A small sigh of relief escaped her controlled demeanor. "Thank you for trusting me."
"Yeah, well, I don't—I don't do it often." Two months ago, he probably would have done whatever Hector suggested. Hector still had all his trust, leaving him with nothing but crumbs to share with anyone else. He glanced to his uncle, biting his lip as he shuffled his feet. Would Hector be hurt that he hadn't done what he wanted?
He gasped softly as Hector's hand stretched out to ruffle his hair. "Pretty mature of you, kiddo," he said. "But that still leaves us with a problem. We're stuck in here. Any ideas?"
"Well, I did say I came to negotiate an armistice," the queen reminded them. "I suppose I'd better try. We need to convince Frederic that trying to fight you is more costly than letting you go. Unfortunately, the cost of letting you go is his pride, and that's never been something he could let go of easily."
"So then the cost of fighting us must also be his pride," Quirin suggested. "The three of us could take out most of his army on a good day, but we're in no condition to fight right now. But he doesn't know that, and our reputation might be enough to convince him not to risk it. Losing half his men to three knights would reflect poorly on anyone."
Varian shook his head. "He won't fall for it. The fact that he brought them out here for a fight means he won't care if it comes to that. He'll tell everyone there were more of us or something."
"So then let Quirin stay in here, and me and my boys can take care of the army," Hector offered. "If it's a fight he wants, let's give it to him."
"Those soldiers out there didn't have a choice whether or not to come," Arianna reminded him sternly. "I'm looking for a solution where we avoid a fight. Violence should be our last resort. Only the innocent will be hurt if you engage in battle. Is that what you want?"
He placed a fist over his heart and bowed deeply. "Of course not, Your Majesty. Please accept my apologies."
Adira sighed and stood, holding her arm against her stomach. "I think we're all missing a very obvious solution here."
Queen Arianna frowned, only now noticing Adira's injury. "Are you alright? What happened to your arm?"
"This is why we couldn't get past the other soldiers," she explained quickly. "They're using alchemy bombs made with supplies stolen from my nephew."
The queen put her hands to her mouth. Turning to Varian, she said, "You never… you never intended your alchemy to hurt. Sleeping potions, truth serums, that pink goo, all of your alchemy was… was designed to avoid harming anyone. And now this."
He shrank into himself, shoulders hunching as he stared at the ground. "I didn't want to hurt anyone," he whispered. "All I ever wanted was to do good."
"I know. This was something of yours that was corrupted and used in a way it was never meant to be." Something dangerous edged her voice, a sharp blade running along the pained words. She nodded stiffly, resignation settling across her face as if another weight had been added against Frederic on her scales of justice. "Dame Adira, I apologize for the injury you've received. Rest assured that it's another thing for which my husband will be held accountable. Now, you believe you have a solution for our problem?"
Adira nodded. "We're looking at this as if our only two options are to fight a whole battalion or to sneak away. But the Dark Kingdom has a code that allows for single combat. Does Corona offer this option?"
"It does."
"Then I can challenge one of his people to a fight?" Hector asked. "We win, we leave. We lose, we get arrested. Like that?"
"Essentially, yes. It's a bit more detailed than that, but that's the main idea. You'll approach the army and request single combat. Then you set forth your terms. As the challenged party, Frederic would have the right to put forth his champion, and the champion can set forth his challenge to anyone on your side."
"Fine by me," Adira spoke up. "If he doesn't take the bait and chooses to challenge me or Quirin, we're still up to it."
"I agree." Quirin stepped closer to them. He started to rest a hand on Varian's shoulder but quickly dropped it back to his side. "Coronan guards—and I mean no disrespect to either Your Majesty or you, captain—are pitifully trained compared to what knights in the Dark Kingdom are taught, especially the Brotherhood. They prioritize brute strength over skill and direct attacks over strategy. They leave far too many openings for their opponents."
Captain Bartholomew raised an eyebrow. "If these were better circumstances, Quirin, I'd request you come help with training. Corona hasn't seen war in many years, and my men are embarrassingly unprepared."
"Perhaps when this is all over and Her Majesty controls the throne, I'll take you up on that offer."
"Are we in agreement?" Adira asked. The others nodded. "Very well. Shall we, then?"
O‴O‴O‴
Arianna walked quickly back to the assembled army, the captain right behind her. Frederic waited for her, Rapunzel by his side and several guards surrounding them for their own protection. Rapunzel gave her a worried glance, and she gave the barest nod. Her daughter breathed a soft sigh of relief.
"Are you alright, my love?" Frederic demanded as soon as she was in the safety of the circle. "Did those brutes attempt to hurt you in any way?"
"Of course not, dear," she answered, putting a hand on his shoulder. "The Brotherhood are honorable knights of the Dark Kingdom, and their code would shame them for such behavior."
"What did they say? Did you negotiate their surrender?"
"Not… not exactly. The Brotherhood demands unhindered leave of Corona. In return, they offer never to come here again and to cede all rights to legal action against the crown of Corona for alleged crimes against nobility of the Dark Kingdom."
Frederic's face twisted in rage. "Denied," he snapped. "They must take me for a fool. They are the criminals here, not us."
"They thought you might say that. Their other offer is to pose a champion for single combat."
Rapunzel gasped.
"Hmm." Frederic stroked his beard. "That idea holds some merit. Who speaks for them? Quirin?"
"No, dear." Arianna pointed towards the house. "Him."
The Brotherhood and Varian had assembled on the steps, and Hector had stepped forward, sword drawn. Once he noticed the king's eyes on him, he flashed his sharp-toothed grin and traced a line in the dirt with his blade. "Do I have your attention?" he called.
Frederic seethed. "And just who are you?"
Hector rested his blade against his heart and gave a mocking bow. "Sir Hector, knight of the Order of the Brotherhood of the Dark Kingdom. And you are?"
Through gritted teeth, he bit, "King Frederic of Corona, whose lands you are trespassing on."
Hector's eyes widened. "Oh, you're the king! I guess that makes sense."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Denied."
Frederic spluttered angrily, and Arianna bit her lip to hold back her laughter.
"As a knight of the Dark Kingdom," Hector continued, "I have the right to request single combat. There's no need for any excess bloodshed. If we win, we leave Corona. If you win, we surrender. Do you accept my terms?"
Of all the potential reactions, Arianna was certainly not expecting Frederic to calm down as quickly as he did. He smiled almost coldly as he responded, "I accept."
O‴O‴O‴
"That feels almost too easy," Varian muttered to the others. "I don't like it."
"It's our best bet," Hector reminded him. He'd taken a few steps back to rejoin the others.
Varian tapped his fingers against his arm. "I know. But I don't like it. He's up to something."
The king, meanwhile, had stepped away from his family to speak to a few of his soldiers. Probably selecting his champion, if Varian had to guess. It didn't really matter who he picked; there wasn't a single man among them who could stand up to the Brotherhood.
One of the men stepped forward, taking off his helmet. Varian hissed in shock, flinching back into Hector's shadow. A cold tremor pressed against the back of his spine. Even from this distance, the cold smile was unmistakable.
"I present our champion," Frederic announced. "David."
David took a step forward. Varian tried to step back, but his feet refused to move.
"As the challenged party, I demand the right to choose my opponent," David demanded. His smile grew bigger. "I challenge Varian."
The world fell away from under his feet. His vision blurred, and a dull aching spread through his chest; he'd forgotten to breathe at some point. Somewhere beside him, Adira and Hector were protesting loudly, while Quirin's low rumble held no less threat of danger. He dug his nails into his arm, the sharp pain providing him a fragment of clarity.
"Varian is neither knight nor soldier," Quirin growled. "You have three others to choose from."
"The challenge has been offered," Frederic answered, lips curled in a smirk. "Either accept the terms or surrender."
"I accept!"
A sudden hush descended upon the crowd. No one dared break the silence except for Ruddiger, whose panicked screeches echoed through the broken town. Varian clenched his fists and took a step forward. "I accept the challenge."
"Kid, you don't have to do this," Hector argued.
"Yeah, I do. If I don't fight, we lose."
"Are you sure?"
Varian turned towards Hector. "He was one of them," he hissed, the venom dripping from each word burning as it left his mouth.
They held eye contact for several long seconds. Then Hector nodded, tension draining from his shoulders as he sighed. "'Kay," he said. "I trust you."
"Absolutely not!" Quirin snapped. "I forbid it."
"You can't."
Varian moved closer to the guard, away from the Brotherhood. Hector followed a few paces behind him. David grinned wider. "I'll let you have the choice of weapons," he called.
Varian took a deep breath. "Hand-to-hand combat," he demanded. "No weapons."
"You sure about that?" Hector whispered.
He nodded. "I don't know how he fights with weapons, but I know how he fights with his hands."
"Heh. Smart kid." He knelt down next to Varian. "Remember what I taught you. Right now, he doesn't see you as a serious opponent. He'll try to get inside your head. What do you do?"
"Don't let him?"
"Well yeah, but—get inside his!"
"Oh. Right." Varian took off his cloak and passed it to Hector, who stood and draped it over his arm. Then he slid off his claw gloves, quickly switching them for his regular ones he kept in his pocket. His hands felt bare and unprotected without the familiar weight. He passed the rest of his weapons to Hector, watching as David did the same on his side. The guard even went so far as to take off his breastplate, flashing another patronizing grin to Varian. Then Hector stepped away, and it was just the two of them facing each other.
Behind him, Quirin still protested. "Hector, are you insane? Varian can't fight!" he argued.
"Yes he can," Hector answered lowly.
The combatants walked closer to each other. As custom dictated, they nodded respectfully; though from the disdainful glares they shot each other, no one could make the mistake of assuming any respect existed between the two.
"Scared, little boy?" David taunted.
Varian smirked. "Why? Have you gotten any stronger in the last six months?"
David exhaled angrily. Not one for witty remarks, he lunged first. His right fist swung straight for Varian's head.
Or where his head had been.
Varian spun, ducking out of the way and letting David's momentum carry him forward. Twisting behind him, he delivered two quick strikes to the kidneys. David howled, stumbling and falling to one knee. Varian darted forward, aiming his fists for the back of David's neck, but the guard rolled to the right and scrambled to his feet. He landed a solid blow to Varian's side before he could turn to face him. "Brat," he hissed as Varian fell. He lifted his foot, bringing it down toward his throat.
It was a move he'd repeated often in the past.
Varian planted his hands, twisting his body around to slam his legs into David's while he was off-balance. David fell, hard, the breath rushing out of his body. Varian jumped up and back; he needed to strike while David was down, but his ribs ached, and he took the opportunity to breathe while he could.
David stood, watching Varian more warily. The arrogant smile was gone, hatred filling his eyes now. He slowly began to circle to Varian's right, his own left. Varian grimaced; David was there that day, so he knew about his blind spot.
He watched David, turning to keep him in sight. He dragged his feet too much, his hands were balled up in a terrible defensive position, and his balance was shifted too far to one side.
David swung again, this time a sloppy left. Varian sidestepped and slammed his fist into David's solar plexus. The guard stepped back, gasping for breath, doubling over and holding his arms around his torso. Varian sidestepped and brought his leg up, bringing it down on the back of David's neck. The man crumpled to the ground.
"Yield!" Varian snarled, stepping back into a defensive position.
David didn't answer. He couldn't.
He needed to attack again. He needed to finish this while he was down. He didn't have to kill him, just knock him out.
But he hesitated.
David pushed himself to his knees, glaring up at Varian. "Never," he spat. "You learned… you learned that one from—from me, didn't you, brat?"
Varian scowled, refusing to answer. It was true, and they both knew it.
"Difference is…" David rasped, "I wouldn't hesitate." Quicker than Varian could react, he shot to his feet, driving a sharp uppercut to Varian's jaw.
Seeing the movement, Varian tried to scramble back, and the fist clipped the edge of his jaw. Not enough to knock him out, but enough to knock him off balance. He stumbled, barely catching himself before the next blow landed against the side of his head. Then to his ribs again, his stomach, his arms as he vainly raised them to block the hits. He twisted away, tried to move behind David again, but firm hands grabbed him by the shirt and wrist.
CRACK!
Varian staggered, pain radiating across his face. Blood seeped between his parted lips, coppery and acrid on his tongue. The world faded in and out around him, the image and angle warping with each flicker until it settled sideways. He dragged in quick gasps through his mouth, blood dripping down his face to mix with the dirt he lay on. Through his blurred vision, David's bright grin grew even wider as he reached up a hand to rub his forehead.
"Not so tough without your big robots, are you, little brat?" Red stained the stone floor, shining in the dim torchlight. Varian spat, but more blood trickled down into his mouth every time he tried. "Come on, stand up and fight back!" He tried, again and again, but heavy fists drove him back down every time.
Varian dragged his left arm up to cover his head, tugging at his hair.
"Do you know what a sprained ankle feels like?" A heavy boot landed on his lower leg, twisting as it pressed downwards. "You're lucky we have to keep you alive, or I'd break every bone in your body."
He needed to get up. He had to get up, or he'd end up back there, and he'd rather die!
Cold bars in front of him, cold metal around his wrists, cold stone beneath him, and everywhere, everywhere was the hot red blood pouring in rivulets down his skin and past his eyes and in his mouth—
"Varian!" Hector's stern voice pierced through the air, sharp as an arrow. "Get up now! "
Varian's eyes snapped open. He coughed and spat, digging the heel of his hand into the dirt to push himself up. He rested on his knees, bangs falling in front of his face. The guard's amused expression changed to shock as Varian dragged himself to his feet. His legs trembled as he wavered where he stood, dragging the back of his other hand across his mouth as he shot a glare at David.
"You should've stayed down," David hissed.
"I never have," he panted, the words muffled past his broken nose. "Why the dickens should I start now?"
David roared and charged forward, bringing his right fist up—way too wide. Varian stepped inside the reach of his arm, blocking it with his left. He drove his right fist up into the underside of David's chin. David stumbled away. Varian pressed forward, landing hit after hit on him. Twisting on his foot, he drove a kick to David's stomach, pausing for breath when his opponent bent over, wheezing.
David groaned and straightened up, eyes wide and brows drawn as he sneered. "Little brat!" he snarled. "I'll kill you!"
Varian took a deep breath, sliding his feet back into position. Then he waited.
He didn't have to wait long. David rushed again, arms outstretched in blind rage. Varian grabbed his wrist, spinning and throwing him over his hip. David landed on his back with a loud grunt. Varian slammed his arms to the ground, kneeling on them as he straddled David's torso. Then he drove his fist into the man's face. Again, and again, and again, until blood soaked his thin gloves and David's head rocked back listlessly.
"YIELD!" Varian screamed.
David spat past broken teeth. "No."
He punched him again, vision blurring as tears sprang to his eyes. "YIELD!"
Chest heaving, the guard let his head flop back against the ground. "I yield," he rasped.
Varian pushed himself to his feet, shaking as he stepped away from David. From one of his abusers, whom he'd just beaten to a pulp. Bile rose in his throat as waves of nausea rocked his stomach. He'd just… storms, he was gonna throw up.
He stared down at the beaten guard in front of him. Then he extended a trembling hand out to him.
David stared up at him, eyebrow raised. He slowly lifted his right hand, allowing Varian to take it.
Then he slammed his left fist into Varian's elbow.
Varian screamed, falling to his knees as David dragged him down. Metal flashed in the sunlight as the guard slipped his hidden dagger from its place and brought it down towards Varian's back.
Metal hit bone with a sickening crunch. David's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the sword sitting in his chest. Hector yanked the knife from his hand and leaned close to his ear. "That was a mistake," he hissed.
Hector pulled the blade free. Retracting his sword, he wrapped his arms around Varian, pulling him away from David's fallen body and back against Hector's chest. Varian yelped as his uncle's fingers carefully drifted over his elbow, white-hot pain shooting up and down his arm at the slightest touch. All the while, he couldn't look away from David, whose empty eyes stared into space.
"Not broken," Hector sighed in relief. "Just disjointed. We need to get that set."
"How dare you!"
Varian gritted his teeth against the pain as he lifted his head to look at Frederic. The scarlet-faced king glared down at Hector, fuming. "Interfering with the passage of single combat! Murdering a member of the Royal Guard! I'll see you hang for that!"
"The fight was over," Hector shot back coldly. "Your man struck dishonorably. His life was forfeit to me."
"The fight wasn't over merely because your boy lost. Guards, arrest them!"
The assembled soldiers shared nervous glances, hesitation holding their obedience captive. At the king's enraged glare, though, they began to step forward, swords drawn. Hector snarled and adjusted his grip on Varian, pulling him closer to his chest with his right hand and unsheathing his weapon again. From their kneeling position, it would be difficult for him to fight and hold on to Varian at the same time. "Le—let me go," Varian growled through his teeth. "Give me y—give me your knife."
Hector pressed his dagger into Varian's outstretched hand but didn't release him. Quirin and Adira moved to stand behind them, their own swords held at the ready. Riki and Kiki flanked them, while Ruddiger crouched next to Varian, hissing and clawing at the dirt. Off in the treeline, Kubwa snorted and stamped at the ground, ready to charge.
"Forward!" the king barked.
Varian's grip tightened on the dagger. Hector's grip tightened on him.
A flash of gold blocked the army from view, a glowing wall rising between them and the Brotherhood. "ENOUGH!"
The wall fell, Rapunzel's hair drifting town to settle around her feet. She stood before the Brotherhood, facing her father. "That's enough, Dad!"
"Rapunzel?"
"Stand down," she ordered. "Let them go."
"Rapunzel, stand aside."
"No!" She gestured to Varian and Hector. "Hector was right. Varian won. You have no right to arrest them!"
The king clenched his teeth together, forcing a gentler tone into his voice. "Sweetheart, Varian is an escaped convict who committed treason and attempted murder. His family aided his escape. They're all criminals in the eyes of Coronan law. I know you have a soft spot for thugs, but this is something we can discuss after their arrest."
"No," she snapped again. "I won't let you hurt them! Not again!"
"If they surrender peaceably, they won't be hurt."
"Really?!" Rapunzel pointed to Varian again. "Look at him, Dad! The last time I stood by and allowed you to arrest him, he nearly died! I won't let that happen again. What sort of princess would I be if I let people I care about be beaten and tortured? Varian is—was my friend. And I failed him, over and over again. Not this time."
"Rapunzel, I don't expect you to understand—"
"I understand enough," she interrupted. "Now you need to understand this. If you arrest the Brotherhood—" She glanced back at Adira. "Then I'll abdicate."
No one spoke for a long moment. Then a hushed whisper rippled through the crowd. Frederic shifted uneasily. "Darling, you're being irrational. Step aside and we'll discuss this later. You're not seeing things clearly."
"I'm seeing clearly for the first time. I refuse to be your heir if this is the legacy I'll be inheriting! So you can let them go, or you can let me go."
They locked eyes. Behind the king, Queen Arianna smiled and gave a slight nod.
Frederic sighed deeply and massaged his forehead. "You don't know what you're asking me to do. But very well. Guards, stand down." To the Brotherhood, he called, "I'll let you go this time. But step foot in Corona again without royal permission, and I'll have you all thrown in the lowest cell I can find."
"Much obliged," Hector muttered under his breath.
The king turned and mounted his horse. "Men, let's move out," he ordered. "Someone fetch the queen and princess's horses."
"No need," Arianna assured him. "Leave them. We'll join you shortly."
"Arianna—"
But she had already turned to the Brotherhood, the captain following her. Frederic growled in frustration as he turned to follow the soldiers back to the capital.
O‴O‴O‴
Hector wrapped the last of the bandages around Varian's arm. "There. Keep it still for a while."
"This is familiar," Varian grumbled. "We'll probably need to pick up more medical supplies soon." Between the bandages for his arm and Adira's, the bruise cream he'd needed after the fight, and the tape for his broken nose, their already limited supplies had depleted even further.
"No need." Arianna sat on the step next to them. "I sent a message back with one of the guards. Eugene and Lance are on their way with extra supplies for you. They should be here soon. Varian, how are you feeling?"
Varian gave a noncommittal shrug, not meeting her eyes. "Fine, Your Majesty."
She smiled sadly. "You don't have to lie. That was a very difficult fight for you, but you were very brave."
"That didn't feel brave," he muttered, staring at his feet. "It felt… wrong."
Hector pulled Varian into a side hug. "You did what you had to, kid." Burning anger seared in his chest, anger that Varian should be forced to feel such guilt at fighting back against someone who had hurt him so badly before. If Hector had been in his position, he wouldn't have hesitated even a second. The fight was legal, fair (until the end), and for a good purpose.
"I never…" Varian clenched his fists, now safely tucked inside his clean claw gloves. "I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just w-wanted to help people. I didn't want anyone to get hurt—" He brought the back of his hand up to cover his mouth as he gave a choked sob. "I wasn't trying to get revenge or get back at him or—"
"I know, darling," the queen soothed. "I know. Sometimes… sometimes being brave means standing up for what's right, even when you have to stand and fight for it. You kept your family safe and avoided a war. It wasn't right for Frederic and David to put you in that situation in the first place, but you stood up to protect your family."
"They weren't gonna accept anything else," Hector reminded him. "They weren't gonna let me or Adira or Quirin fight him. I wouldn't'a suggested single combat if I knew they were gonna target you. But you did good. We're all safe because of you." He hugged Varian tighter. "This is the ugly truth of being a knight, kid. Sometimes you gotta get your hands dirty."
"We're all very proud of you, Varian," Arianna added. "You're an incredible young man who's going to do amazing things. You have your whole life ahead of you now, and I expect you to live it."
He gave a halfhearted smile. "Plus est en vous, amiright?"
She grinned. "Plus est en vous."
Varian's eyes widened. "Oh! I almost forgot!" He leaped up and ran back inside the house.
Arianna raised a brow. Hector huffed a half-laugh. "Kids," he muttered fondly.
"You're very good with him. I can tell how much he means to you."
"I'd do anything to keep him safe," he answered. "But I'm the one putting him in danger right now. Every time I try to protect him, I feel like I just make it worse."
"I understand. Sometimes we have to let them do things that scare us. Like leaving home, or standing up to bad people. But that doesn't mean we stop protecting them."
"Heh. So that doesn't make me a bad uncle for letting him get into a fistfight?"
"Under other circumstances, you could have fought David. He did terrible things to Varian. You could have fought him, and Varian would have felt protected, sheltered. But now, he knows he can protect himself if he has to. You're not a bad uncle for teaching him how to defend himself."
Hector leaned back against the sun-warmed bricks, their gentle heat soaking through his gloves. "Thank you, by the way. For helping me save him. I… don't know what I'd do without him. I'm not the same person I was before him."
Her lips quirked up in a knowing smile. "Parenthood changes people. We think we know everything and we're the people we were meant to be, and then there's a tiny person in our lives who changes everything. Then we're scared, and uncertain, and all we want is for them to have the best life they can. Like you said, we would do anything we had to, fight anyone, just to keep them safe and happy."
"I'm sorry about Rapunzel. That must have been awful for you."
"It was." She shrugged. "That's the worst pain I've ever felt. Letting her leave again after that was the hardest decision I've ever had to make, but I knew it was the right one."
Varian sprinted out of the house, holding a folded cloth in his hands. He knelt down on the top step and held out the cloth to the queen. "Your Majesty. Umm… we cleaned it up. Got the blood off of it."
She gasped softly and took it. "My cloak?"
"Yes ma'am. Tha–thank you for letting me use it."
"Of course. What are friends for?"
"F-friends, Your Majesty?" He blinked owlishly. "Are we friends?"
"I'd like to be." Her eyes widened. "But I understand if you're not comfortable with that—"
"No, no!" He waved his hands. "No, I'd like that! I'd like that. And… if you ever need anything, Your Majesty, send a messenger bird to find me. Anything at all."
"Thank you, Varian."
Hoofbeats sounded against the rocky ground as Quirin rode up to the house. He dismounted and stroked the horse's neck. Varian gasped at the sight of the mare. "Whoa," he exclaimed, jumping up and running to Quirin's side. "Where did she come from? What's her name? How old is she? I've never seen her before; did you just get her today, or did you already have her somewhere else?"
Arianna laughed, and Hector didn't bother hiding his grin. Looking over the horse, he nodded in approval. The powerful legs, broad chest, and thick coat spoke of Dark Kingdom heritage. Someone from their homeland had bred her. Which meant someone from their homeland was here in Corona.
Rapunzel, Adira, and Captain Bartholomew approached. After the Brotherhood had extended their thanks for her help, Adira and Rapunzel had asked to speak to the captain privately. The eyes of both the princess and the captain were red-rimmed, their shared looks of misery the same. Adira's face remained impassive to anyone else, but Hector noted the downturn of her lips and the slight drawing of her eyebrows.
Arianna stood and rushed to them. They spoke for a moment, and Hector turned away to give them privacy. Soft footsteps drew his attention to the princess, who had stepped away from the others.
"Can I ask you something?" she began.
He motioned to the step. "What do you want?"
She sat facing him. "When you find Cass… what are you going to do?"
Hector raised an eyebrow. "I'm gonna do my job."
"But what does that mean for her?"
Yeesh. She really wasn't going to like this conversation. But the only kid Hector ever toned things down for was Varian, and he still told the truth to him. "My goal is to get the Moonstone back. If that means I have to kill your lady-in-waiting, I will."
"Please, I know Cass is still in there!"
"I don't really care."
Her lower lip trembled as tears brimmed in her eyes. Hector fought back a groan. "Please," she insisted. "She's… she's my best friend. Can't you try to convince her to come home? I can talk to her!"
"She may be your 'best friend,' but if she refuses to surrender the Moonstone, I will do what I must." He leaned forward. "Do you know what makes the Brotherhood so strong? Aside from our training and skill? We trust each other. We have to. I would put my life in their hands completely. We have a bond that goes beyond 'best friends.' And I've let them get away with a lot. Quirin left the Brotherhood. Adira went to go find you. I didn't do anything about it." His eyes narrowed. "But if one of them were to take the Moonstone and use its power, I would kill them. Without hesitation. And they would do the same to me if I took it."
"How can you say that?!"
"Because it's true. We all took the same oath. We all knew what we signed up for." He stood. "I told your friend exactly what would happen if she went after the stone, and she did it anyway. I'll give her one chance to surrender. Consider that my way of saying thanks for helping us." With those parting words, he walked away to join Varian and Quirin. Eugene and Lance had finally arrived with a cart of supplies, and Lance, bless his heart, was alternating between expounding upon how "insanely awesome" it was that Varian had won his fight and stressing that "what the heck were you thinking that was dangerous."
Hector ruffled Varian's hair as he passed by. "Don't lift anything," he grumbled, turning to the cart. "And put that tongue back in your head. I can see you."
"No you can't."
"Yeah I can. I got eyes in the back of my head."
"I keep telling him the same thing," Quirin shared under his breath. "But he says—"
"That's unscientific," Varian argued behind them.
They sorted the supplies into their bags. They had to travel light and move quickly, so they only took what was deemed essential. Eugene put a hand over his heart at the implication that hair products were "non-essentials." While they packed, Quirin and Varian went into the house to grab anything they wanted to keep. If they could never return, any sentimental items had to come with them, and they would need to hide them somewhere safe while they traveled.
It didn't take long for them to get the few things they needed and finish packing. Varian hadn't brought much at all, muttering an explanation of "not much I want to remember here," while Quirin had a small bag of keepsakes and a long, thin wooden box for transporting a picture. Probably the picture Hector had noticed in his bedroom. He'd also brought down his chest with their symbol on the lid. They loaded the bags onto Kubwa and Aurora, their new companion.
"You gonna be okay, little man?" Lance asked Varian. "I mean, I know you can take care of yourself and all, but…"
"Yeah," Varian answered, looking around at the rest of the Brotherhood. "Yeah, I'm gonna be okay. I have my family with me."
"Good. Is it…" He held out an arm hesitantly. "Is it okay if I give you a quick hug? No pressure!"
Hector tensed, watching the two closely. Lance was slightly less deplorable than most Coronans, and Varian cared about him, but if he gave his nephew a panic attack, he'd… drat, there was really nothing he could do to him without making Varian sad. But Varian nodded, cautiously accepting Lance's outstretched arm and leaning his head against the man's broad chest. Then he turned to give his final goodbyes to Eugene, Rapunzel, and the queen. Arianna lifted a hand, like she wanted to ask him for a hug as well, but she lowered it just as quickly.
Hector shook Lance's hand, gave a curt nod to Eugene and Rapunzel, and turned to the queen. "Your Majesty. Be careful. You've got a hard path ahead of you. When you need us, let us know." To the captain, he ordered, "Watch her back. If the worst happens, get her out. Take her somewhere safe."
"You have my word."
Farewells finished, he went to wait with his animal companions for the others. He scratched the bearcats' heads. "Well, boys, we got a long way to travel. Y'all ready?" They growled and snuffled around his feet, their disappointment at not getting to be involved in the fighting ceding to their energetic tussling with each other. Artemis rolled her eyes, fluttering up to sit on Kubwa's saddle. Ruddiger perched beside her and eyeballed Aurora, sizing her up as a potential competitor for any apples that may come their way. Hector stroked the mare's neck, muttering to her in one of the old tongues of the Dark Kingdom. She shook her clipped mane in response, snorting proudly. Good; whoever had brought her up had taught her well.
The circumstances might be crap, but Hector wouldn't bother pretending that seeing his family continue to grow wasn't nice. It sure beat living in a tree with only Riki, Kiki, and Kubwa for company. He wasn't a people person, but loneliness took a toll on anyone. If there wasn't the Moonstone thief to worry about—heck, if there wasn't the Moonstone itself, traveling around with the people he cared about would be ideal.
But there was the Moonstone. There was always the Moonstone, the mission. That had to come before everything else.
O‴O‴O‴
"And you have plenty of water? And snacks? Did you pack your sketchbook? Oh, do you need any more pencils? What about a coat? It gets cold this time of year!"
"Rapunzel." Varian picked up his bag. "I have everything. I'm good."
"Okay. Just—oh, if you did forget something you need, there's always Vardaros. It's not far."
He rolled his eyes. "I've been away from Corona for over six months. If I forget something here, it's not like I'll die without it."
"I know. It's just… really not fair. As soon as I'm queen, I'm taking that order down. I mean, you probably don't want to ever come back, and I completely understand that! But if you did, I want you to be able to."
"Thanks. Are you gonna be okay? That was, uh… pretty brave of you, standing up to your dad like that."
She twisted a strand of her hair. "Well, had to eventually, right? I can't let him hurt anyone else like that ever again. I won't ."
Varian cracked a small smile. "I'm proud of you. Really."
She clasped her hands in front of her, dancing on the balls of her feet. "Be careful, okay? We really don't know what Cass is planning, and I don't want you to get hurt. I…" She hung her head. "I can't give up on her, but I don't know what she's thinking. I don't want to make the same mistakes with her that I did with you."
"Then don't give up," Varian answered. "I'll try to talk her down, but she needs to know you'll be willing to listen. But if she becomes a threat to Corona, you have to be willing to do what you need to do. Same as you did with me. And she will be a threat if we can't stop her, believe me. She wants to destroy Corona. You need to be prepared to fight her if you have to."
"I know."
Varian gestured over his shoulder. "They're waiting. I need to go. Bye, Rapunzel."
"Varian, wait!" She held out a hand to stop him but didn't touch his shoulder. "Are we… Are we okay?"
"We're—" Varian stopped. After everything that had happened between them in the past, and now in the last few weeks, from his kidnapping at the Great Tree to her threats to abdicate, it was hard to answer. Though he still had yet to forgive her for everything she'd done to him, and she didn't yet forgive him, something had changed between them. Both of them had changed. "Not yet. But we will be. We just need time."
"Time. Yeah."
He rejoined the others, taking Hector's offered hand to climb up onto Kubwa's back behind him. Their little traveling party started out, the opening in the wall and the stone pathway marking their direction. Varian looked back once to where Rapunzel, Lance, and Eugene stood side by side. The afternoon sun shone down on the three, glimmering off Rapunzel's hair as she waved one last time. Then they were past the wall, the open plain stretching before them. As Varian left once before in the safety of Hector's arms, now he left again, his family by his side as they prepared to face a greater challenge ahead. Whatever came their way, whatever Cassandra planned to throw at them, they would deal with it together. As long as they were with him, he was ready for it.
O‴O‴O‴ EPILOGUE O‴O‴O‴
The night wind rustled the velvet curtains gently as it wafted in through the open window. Overhead, the waning moon ducked its bashful face behind the clouds. It would rain soon, just a light shower. The lights in the town had faded, the castle lanterns put out as well, and the evening grew still and quiet in blessed respite after the tempestuous day.
His slow, even breaths made no disturbance in the air. Just a few doors away, a single light flickered beneath the sill. Two guards marched past, their careful footsteps and the clanking of their armor the only noise in the hall. They passed by, heedless of their watcher. Two minutes later, two more guards passed.
The light under the door disappeared. A soft beam fell from the now-open door, cast by a single candle. Frederic stepped out of his office, closing the door behind him once more with a gentle click. He nodded to the first two guards, who had finished their cycle exactly two minutes after the second pair. They passed, and he paused in the hall after their departure to glance at the open window. It was too high up for disturbances and had thus been left open to allow fresh air into the stuffy halls.
Frederic began to resume his walk back to the room—there, somewhere above him, a single noise! A shuffle of fabric against stone. But there was nothing there; how could there be? He glanced back over his shoulder, and once again ahead.
There, again! Above his head. He looked up once more.
A soft thud on carpet behind him.
He spun—
Sniiiikt .
He fell, a hand clasped to the right side of his face, blood seeping between his fingers. To his credit, he didn't scream, only gasped and whimpered in pain as he stared up at the sharp, red-tinted blade hovering inches away from his face. It drifted down to settle under his chin, tilting his head back to look into the face of his attacker.
"An eye for an eye," Hector spoke quietly to avoid alerting anyone nearby. "My nephew's a little more merciful than I am. You're not dead right now because he chose to spare your life today. So you'll wake up every day and look in the mirror and know you're only alive because Varian did what you couldn't do." He leaned closer and hissed, " He had mercy. "
The tip of his sword pushed a bit further. "But touch him again, and not even he can save you from me ."
Then he was gone, out the open window, leaving no trace of his passing but a bloodied king.
O‴O‴O‴
Varian stirred and blinked his big eyes as Hector entered the cabin. An old, abandoned building, Quirin assured them it was a safe enough place to stay the night. Rain pattered against the roof, Quirin's earlier repairs keeping it on the outside where it belonged. They'd stashed the things they were leaving behind in a dry cellar, where hopefully they would be safe until the Brotherhood returned.
Hector sat next to Varian's pallet. "Go back to sleep, kid. Few hours till morning."
"Mm-hm. Where were you?" he mumbled, eyes already sliding shut again.
"Just had one last thing to take care of. Now go to sleep." He began to hum, carding his fingers through Varian's hair. Once his nephew had drifted off again, he lay down on the pallet beside him, Riki and Kiki opening their eyes to give him knowing glances. They curled around him, hemming him to guard him as closely as they would guard his little secret. Such was their way. Hector fell asleep against their warm sides, listening to the music of the rain as the itching in his hand faded for the first time in months.
And that's a wrap! I'm both very excited and also very sad to finish this one up. But there's the sequel to look forward to!
I want to give one last thank you from the bottom of my (nonexistent) heart to all my wonderful readers. For every review, fave, and kind word you've shared, thank you. Every single person who gave this story a chance, and even my wonderful "ghost" readers—I see you too! This story wouldn't be what it is without all y'all, and you've helped make me a better writer.
Now that this one is finished, I'll be taking a few months of personal time. I have about three novels I'm supposed to be working on, since ya girl tends to overcommit 😅 So I'm gonna take time to work on those. I want to have my next one finished by the end of summer and published by the end of the year, if possible. Portal and I will continue to work on the next book, Blood of the Covenant, and try to get a few chapters done before we begin posting. We hopefully won't be too long, but both of us have a lot going on, and we want the quality of the next one to be as good as possible.
And with that, a big thank you to Portal, whose creative genius brought so much more life to this story! And I'm very excited for y'all to see the fanfic she's been cooking up, "Incarnate" 😈 If you're a fan of seeing Hector in emotional (and physical!) pain, you'll enjoy it! I don't know if she'll post on here, but she'll be posting on AO3.
Until next time, my darlings, God bless you!