Hector was tired. The more he slept, the less rested he felt. He wasn't discouraged though. If anything, he saw this as a good sign. When he had visions in his dreams he didn't exactly sleep. He wasn't really having full visions just yet, more like simple premonitions that were more of a feeling than anything, but it was leading up to something big, he just knew it.
He wished he could remember the premonitions or dreams when he woke up. The most he could get was that the moon was watching and waiting. The moon wasn't a patient goddess. Whatever she was waiting for, she wouldn't wait much longer. Sooner rather than later she would take matters in her own hands, and Hector was going to be ready to serve her when she did.
When he wasn't sleeping Hector kept a close eye on Varian, Andrew, and Eugene. Everybody else was getting ready to defend themselves, but those three were taking a more proactive course of action.
It had started with the red water, but it certainly hadn't stopped there. They'd observed the capital for a few days, looking for the people's reactions and making sure that nothing too bad happened. For the first few hours it had been absolute panic. Hector had seen that much for himself. Eventually though the king and his guards got things back under control and they were somehow able to convince the Coronans that nothing was wrong. Even though the water was still red, life was going on as normal. They were being ignored. That was when Varian and Andrew took things a step further.
Varian did something that Hector didn't completely understand, but within hours there were flocks of grasshopper-like bugs swarming the entire kingdom, not just the capital. The bugs didn't hurt people directly, but they attacked the crops and scared the citizens. To make sure that things wouldn't be brushed off again, Eugene went to talk to the king himself.
Hector didn't want to leave Eugene's side. He didn't trust the king to not try to hurt him. Besides, Hector needed to be around Eugene should he decide to use the moonstone again. Eugene gave Rapunzel a soft smile, but focused mostly on her father. He said that the water and bugs were because of them, and things would only get worse until they were allowed the freedom they deserved.
Rapunzel and Queen Arianna looked desperate to grant freedom to the slaves, even without the threat. The king didn't listen to a word that either of them had to say. He looked ready for murder and tried to send his guards to arrest them, but they'd been able to escape without issue.
King Frederic hadn't taken their threats seriously, and Hector hoped that he was regretting it now, because they had made good on their word. Varian and Andrew, through the combined powers of alchemy and the Saporian gods, spread plagues throughout the land of Corona, getting worse and worse each time.
The red water and locusts had been unsettling, but arguably harmless. The same couldn't be said about the hives and boils bothering the Coronans, or the illnesses that were spreading amongst the animals. The skies were now eternally overcast, blocking out the sun, which brought down the good moods of the people of the sun. Between the lack of sun and the bugs, the crops were dying and the people would surely be feeling the repercussions of that come the winter.
After every instance, Eugene would go talk to the king, asking for relief, and every time went the same as the first. He wasn't changing his mind.
The people of Corona, however, were another story. They may have been oblivious to the slavery going on under their noses, but they seemed to be catching on now. Hector didn't really see it for himself, but he heard the others talking. Apparently the citizens of Corona were worried about what was happening, and when their king wasn't giving them answers they started to get answers from other places, which ended up being from the Saporians themselves.
Right now it seemed that talk of slavery was little more than rumors whispered anxiously in the backs of stores when the guards were looking the other way, but it was better than no talk at all. The people were watching now, whether the king liked it or not.
Some progress was being made, but the only person that they needed to convince was refusing to hear them. It didn't matter how much the Coronans were willing to listen to them when they were still being led by a tyrant.
The latest attempt to get the king's attention was a downpour of hail, and Andrew knew that the others had to be getting just as desperate as he was. They had never wanted to hurt the citizens themselves, and yet here they were, with Andrew asking the Saporian gods to cause a kingdom-wide hailstorm that had been going nonstop for the past three days. Nobody could so much as leave their house without the threat of being pummeled by falling ice. Nobody had died, but innocent people had been hurt. It was regretful, but as Hector had told Andrew, it was necessary.
Now that the people were getting hurt, surely the king couldn't ignore them anymore. If he didn't agree now, Hector thought that there was only so much more that they could try.
He and Eugene had gone to the capital, and it was only thanks to the blessings of the Saporian gods that they weren't hit by the larger and harder hail. The king refused to even see them. It was only after an hour of insistence and determination did a castle servant nervously tell them that the king had said that he hadn't changed his mind, and there was nothing they could do to strongarm him.
Hector hated to admit it, but he thought that the king might be right about that much. He was stubborn, and prideful. If he cared about his people it wasn't enough to convince him to admit that he might have been wrong. He refused to fix the mistakes of the past, deciding to buckle down instead.
"I don't know what else we can do." Eugene said as they walked out of the castle. He glanced towards Rapunzel's tower. She was standing on her balcony, watching them. She gave them a small wave, and Eugene looked pained as he returned the gesture. Hector watched them carefully, feeling a nudge at the back of his mind.
He had an idea. It wasn't a nice one, and he didn't really like it, and he knew that Eugene would hate it, but they were desperate. They didn't have a lot of options.
Hector looked towards the sky. It was dark now. Though the skies were overcast, he could feel the moon above, watching them. He could feel her waiting for him, and now he understood why. The last time she had told him what he needed to do, he had resisted her. She had granted him forgiveness, but she was watching him, looking for proof of his loyalty and dedication. She had a plan in mind, and she wanted to know that he was on the same page.
Hector's chest tightened. "I understand." He mumbled. Eugene looked at him.
"Understand what?" Eugene asked. Hector sighed.
"If we can't get through to the king by targeting his people or his kingdom, we need to go after something that we know he cares about." Hector said slowly. Eugene looked confused for a long moment before his eyes widened. He turned to look back towards Rapunzel.
"No." Eugene said. "We're not going after his family. They're our allies. They're innocent in all of this."
"Everybody who has been unfairly enslaved for generations has been innocent." Hector said, though he knew the reminder wasn't necessary. "Look, I don't want to hurt the princess, and I don't think the moon does either. She has a plan. Can we at least hear her out?"
Eugene was silent and looked conflicted for a long moment, but eventually he nodded. "I'll try."
"Good." Hector smiled slightly. He looked around. "Do you know if there's a place where we can have privacy for a bit?" He knew it would be safer to just go back to Old Corona to meditate and try again to have a vision, but the moon was out now, reaching for him. He didn't want to keep her waiting or give her any reason to pull back. The sooner he could have a vision, the better.
Eugene smirked mischievously. "I was a wanted thief in this kingdom for years. I can't even count the number of places that I know we can hide." He led Hector to an underground tunnel. He would rather be in the moon's light, but the dark, cold, and isolation of the tunnels was good enough. Hector sat on the ground and gestured for Eugene to join him. The lost prince grimaced.
"I think I'll just stand guard." Eugene said. "I barely understand this whole vision thing."
Hector frowned slightly. Eugene reminded him so much of his father. Edmund had said things along those lines when they were younger and Hector was still getting used to having visions. He'd believed that as a member of the royal family, Edmund was naturally more blessed by the moon than even Hector was. If she had something to say, she'd probably tell her prophet, but there was also a good chance that she would talk to the monarchy.
Edmund had been happy to join Hector in his meditations when they were younger, but as he got more royal duties he left the prophecies and visions to Hector. He said that he trusted him. Hector had been fine with it, but then he had the vision about the coming of Corona, and Edmund had been convinced to brush it off.
Hector didn't blame his brother, but he believed that if Edmund had joined him in his vision then he wouldn't have so easily disregarded something just because it was unpleasant to think about. Hector believed that if he had a vision then it wouldn't be good news, and Eugene especially wouldn't like it. What if he refused to believe Hector too?
This was far too important to be ignored.
"Your highness, I really think you should join me." Hector said slowly. "See the moon's will for yourself." Eugene still looked terrified, and Hector knew that if he didn't convince the younger man to try to join him in a vision, then anything he might see would almost certainly be disregarded. Hector couldn't go through that again. Their people wouldn't be able to survive it.
"I know the darkness can be overwhelming and terrifying." Hector said quietly. He allowed himself to sound more vulnerable than he usually would. "I have been walking the path of shadows my whole life. It's not easy, and it never gets any better."
"You know, you're not making a great argument here." Eugene crossed his arms defensively. He almost looked like he was hugging himself. Hector was reminded of the small child he had seen in his vision. The child who grew up to be Eugene, but was still inside of him somewhere, sad and scared.
"Our people don't use flowery words to make things look better than they are." Hector said. That was Corona's way, not theirs. "Look, I told you from the start that it was going to get dark, but I said I would stand by you, and I've stayed true to my word. You don't have to walk this path alone."
Eugene still looked scared, but there was an odd look in his eyes now. He seemed to be studying Hector. Finally he sighed and reluctantly sat down on the ground. "Neither do you."
Hector was stunned for a long moment. Eugene was going to be joining him, not because Hector had talked him through his fears, but for his sake. Eugene was doing this because Hector had asked him. Simple as that. Hector didn't know what to think about this. He'd never had somebody stand by his side, even though they didn't like what he was doing.
He knew that his siblings would always be there for him, but they showed it differently. They picked up the pieces when Hector eventually broke down. They would rarely defy the guards at the compound the way that he did, and even before this whole slavery business his siblings would warn him against making a mistake, and then take a step back until he sought them out again.
Hector thought that Eugene might be one of the first people who, when he thought he was making a mistake, wouldn't just give him a disapproving glare, but stand by his side and join him in his foolishness.
Maybe Eugene wouldn't always stand by his side, but he was here now, and that was what mattered.
Hector took the moonstone out of his pocket, fingering it thoughtfully. He held his hands out, and Eugene clasped them. They both held the moonstone. Hector closed his eyes.
"So, how does this work?" Eugene asked uncertainly.
"Just let your instincts take over." Hector said. "The moon wants to talk to us. We just have to let her in." Maybe it wasn't useful advice, but he didn't know what else to say. How was he supposed to describe something that had become second-nature to him since he was a small child? He was born to talk to the moon, and so was Eugene. They would be fine.
It was hard to tell how long the two of them sat there, but eventually Hector saw something. Although, it was probably more accurate to say that he realized that he was seeing something right before him with his mind's eye. He heard Eugene gasp and felt the hold on his hands stiffen.
He was having a vision, but he was still aware of his surroundings. It was odd, and very unfamiliar, but not unwelcome. Maybe this was just a different style of vision, or maybe it was like usual, and he'd just never had somebody at his side to ground him when he did this.
He didn't worry about figuring out the logistics. He had images flashing before him. They were vague, barely more than impressions, but they were ingrained in his mind and he didn't think he'd be able to forget it if he tried.
There was the moon, big, full, and blood red. He had seen lunar eclipses before, but this was different. It wasn't natural. It was a visible representation of the moon's wrath. Hector felt a chill go down his spine, and he felt like he was being watched.
The moon's light didn't dim, but it seemed to grow darker. It made Hector feel uneasy, even though he had spent his whole life embracing the shadows that night brought. Something was wrong.
Hector felt like he couldn't breathe. The smell of sickness filled the air, and with it Hector had the premonition of children and youths lying in their beds, gasping for breath and crying for relief. Some of them were too weak to do even that.
He felt like he should be hearing the crying and pleading of parents and loved ones, but except for the children's sobs and Eugene's stiff gasping for breath, the world around them was completely still and quiet. It was painfully lonely.
Hector felt like he saw the face of every single Coronan child. Dozens, hundreds of faces, and they would all be ingrained into his mind for the rest of his life. It seemed to be never-ending, but finally, after what felt like a life-time, they saw the familiar face of a pale young woman. Unlike the other youth and children they saw, she was completely still and silent. If it weren't for the pained expression on her face, Hector would think that she was dead.
Eugene made a broken sound, and Hector tightened his hold on his hands. "S-Sunshine."
"She's alive." Hector reminded him. The princess was up in her room, alive and well. All of the children they saw were okay..
Before Eugene could voice the question that they were both wondering, about how long Rapunzel and Corona's youth would be healthy and safe for before the moon released her plague on the people of this land, their vision changed once more.
There was a sense of death. An extravagant funeral. It seemed like everybody in the kingdom was there, crying. Grieving. The moon would send sickness to Corona, as a warning, and if that warning wasn't heeded then death would follow.
It was overwhelming, and sad. Hector could see a way out of this. It wasn't a path that he wanted to tread, but he didn't know what else to do. The moon was giving them an answer, and as reluctant as he was to follow it, he knew that it would work. Soon, this nightmare would be over and they could begin to pick up the pieces.
Eugene whimpered and pulled away from Hector. He opened his eyes and looked at the younger man. Eugene was crying, and Hector realized that he had tears streaming down his own cheeks.
He scooted closer to Eugene and held his arms out. His prince's face crumbled and he fell against Hector, sobbing against his chest. Hector was reminded of when Eugene had been just five years old, far too young to ever be exposed to the pains and sorrow that the slaves were forced to experience.
Hector hadn't always been the one to comfort Eugene, because Quirin and Edmund had always been more emotionally available to the little kid, but whenever Hector had been badly hurt Eugene would cry and curl up in his bed, sad to see him hurt. The only thing that could comfort him was for him to know that Hector was right there, alive and as well as he could be.
"T-this-" Eugene trailed off with a pained laugh. Hector looked at him in concern. He sounded like he was having a complete breakdown. After what they had seen, Hector couldn't blame him.
"What?" Hector asked.
"I-I was just going to say that this is going to kill her." Eugene laughed again before he broke down into another round of sobs. "Gods, this is horrible."
"Everything about this situation is less than ideal." Hector said. What else was he supposed to say? He wasn't good at this whole comforting thing. Eugene snorted slightly and nudged him. Hector rolled his eyes and eventually pulled away from his prince.
"What we saw, it doesn't have to happen, does it?" Eugene asked.
"The first part is probably necessary." Hector said. "But if it can get the king to change his mind, and if the moon is satisfied that he'll actually change, death doesn't necessarily have to follow." Hector wasn't holding his breath about that bit, but Eugene was filled with hope.
"I need to try to talk to the king again." Eugene said. He stood up. "If we can get him to listen now, the sickness doesn't have to happen."
"Whatever you want." Hector stood up. "I'm following your lead." He hesitated for a short moment. "And I'm sorry about making you join me in the vision."
Eugene sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "You didn't make me do anything. It was my choice, and honestly, it's probably a good thing that I saw it. I'm probably going to have nightmares for the rest of my life, but if I didn't see it for myself and just had to go off of what you said, I probably wouldn't let this happen at all."
Eugene wiped the stray tears from his eyes. "I still don't like this at all, but if it will finally give us freedom, and without starting a full-on war, it's probably for the best." Hector agreed, but Eugene sounded like he was barely keeping it together. He was upset and about to fall to pieces.
"Look, after we talk to the king, why don't you spend the night with Rapunzel." Hector said. He had a feeling that they would both need it. "I'll take care of everything."
Eugene flinched and gave him a concerned look. "I know you're the moon's hands or whatever, but for this? Are you really okay with that?"
"I'm fine." Hector said. He sounded a bit more convincing than Eugene did. If the prince was in a better mindset himself, he would hear the lie, but as it was he was convinced. If Hector was being honest with himself, he wasn't fine with this. He didn't want to play a part in the pain and fear that he heard and felt. It was terrible, but this was the moon's will.
Hector had told Eugene that he didn't have to walk this path alone, but Hector's path was different than his. The moon may have a close connection to the royal family, and she shared her light with anybody that looked for it, but it was different for Hector. He was her prophet. Her voice and hands on earth. If anybody needed to do her dirty-work for her, it was him. Nobody else needed to bear this burden.
It wasn't an easy path to walk alone, but Hector wasn't afraid. This was what he had worked towards. He just hoped that he was actually strong enough to manage it.