Let me know how you guys are liking this story so far.
After Luz's attempt to visit her mom, she has been trying to make a video for her mom to try and convince her that the Boiling Isle isn't that back. She hasn't been very successful; the video has Hooty shedding his skin, Bosha attacking Luz, and the detention pit. She looked disappointed at how her video had turned out. Varian was glad to be back on Eugene and Rapunzel's good side. He decided to take the diary with him to Hexside to read more about making a portal. He told Luz that things were going to be ok.
After school, Varian and Luz were waiting for Eda and King with Gus and Willow. Those two were talking about what theories they had about Belos's face behind the mask. Gus thinks the emperor is just shy or he's just too handsome that people can't focus on what he says. Willow just thinks that there's a mirror underneath and that the real emperor was society. Luz wasn't paying attention to her friends; she was still looking through the video she made. Gus asked Varian if he got a look at Belos's face when he came out of the portal.
Varian stated that he never got the chance since he just made a run for it. Luz only managed to chip off a piece of his mask, but she never saw his face. Amity joined in with her theory which was that Belos was scarred from wild magic. Luz was startled but she relaxed once she saw her girlfriend. "Hola batata." Amity spoke in Spanish.
"Did you just call me a sweet potato?" Luz asked.
Amity got a Spanish cookbook from Gus so she could learn some Spanish to impress Luz. Luz was definitely impressed since she was blushing up a storm. She called Amity a sweet potato which made her face turn bright red. Amity then asked Luz if the Titans Blood came in handy which made Willow and Gus ask if Luz had visited her mom. Luz wasn't sure how to tell them that her mom made her promise to never come back to the Boiling Isles when she returned home. So, she lied and told them that she hadn't used the door yet.
"Oh. Ok." Amity replied, "What about you Varian? Did you use the door?"
"Did you see the princess? I bet she forgave you." Gus stated.
Varian shared with them what had happened when he used the door and how Eugene and Rapunzel had forgiven him. They suddenly heard Owlbert's hoots which meant Eda and King were here to pick them up. Luz gives Amity a quick kiss on the cheek before getting onto the staff and flies away. Varian followed them from behind on his own staff. Luz was unaware that she had left her phone with Amity. They flew all the way to Bonesborough, Eda promised Luz that she would help convince her mom to let Luz visit the Isles or use a charm that turns people into obedient zombies.
When they landed in town, they saw lots of scouts walking around and decorations being set up in every nine covens. Varian and Liz looked a little confused about what was going on. King stated that the scouts were just preparing for the annual Coven Day Parade. "Balloons, Fireworks, Floats. And even a small dance in the town square at the end." King spoke.
"Oh, it's just a fancy way to kiss the emperor's..."
"Eda!" Varian shouted.
"Whatever. I'm just here to pick something up." Eda stated.
Eda, Varian, and King started walking away, Luz was about to follow them until she heard someone, Kikimora who was on a call with her mother. She overheard Kikimora's conversation with her mother about returning home, but she couldn't or Belos would end her. Her mother forced her to choose, or she'd be banished from her home then she hung up. Luz joined the others at the Private Inspectergator booth feeling a little down. King knew just how to cheer Luz up besides bread puns and that was hot gossip. King blurted out that Eda had hired someone to spy on her ex, Raine Whispers.
Eda's cheeks turned bright red "Did you read my diary?!" she asked King.
"And they're Head Witch of The Bard Coven! And they also..."
"Yes. They secretly led a rebel group against the emperor and got captured! I was there!" Eda shouted at King.
King claimed that he didn't read that far ahead in her diary about that part. Before Varian could say anything, Luz let out a starstruck gasp. Her eyes widened at the explanation of Eda and Raine's love story, then she passed out on the ground. "I think you broke Luz," Varian stated.
"It was the... yeast I could do." King joked with his bread pun.
After Luz woke up from her fangirl daydream, she snatched the file from Eda and began reading through it. King played a recording of the song Eda and Raine played together which made Luz feel more intrigued with their love story. She compared it to her favorite Azura book series in one of the books with her favorite shipping, Hecate and Azura. Eda took the recording from King and turned it off before taking the file back from Luz. She looked a little confused at the file, Raine was still working with the emperor's coven even though they were seen as a traitor. Not to mention that they were going to be in the parade.
If Eda was going to talk to Raine then she needed to get them out of the parade without being spotted by scouts. They needed someone on the inside to lend them a hand. Luz spotted Kikimora feeling glum and gestured to Eda that she could help them. "Are you mad Luz?!" Varian shouted, "Kikimora nearly turned Eda to stone, she attacked me and Hunter in Latissa and Eclipse Lake. She's evil."
"But this could be Eda's way to talk to Raine. Isn't it worth the risk?" Luz asked.
Varian groaned but thankfully Eda told him that he didn't have to join in on the plan if he didn't want to. Varian spotted Hunter in the crowd except he was wearing normal clothes instead of his Golden Guard uniform and mask. Luz noticed Varian looking at Hunter then she told him that he could hang with Hunter while the rest of them did the plan. Varian looked almost nervous to talk to Hunter until Luz gave him a push and he fell right into Hunter's arms. Both boys blushed so hard that Hunter helped Varian to his feet. Varian apologized so much but Hunter said that it was fine.
Varian asked him why he wasn't doing his Golden Guard duties for the Coven Day Parade. Hunter told him that he doesn't work on Coven Day, he mostly hung around the booths and stayed for the dance. He wasn't a big fan of the parade; he had seen it so much that it was getting a little dull. Varian asked him if he could tag along to enjoy the festivities. The Coven Day Parade kind of reminded him of the festivities back in Corona including the Princess's big birthday celebration. Hunter immediately said yes which caused him to blush again.
"So why is it called Coven Day? I got the explanation from Eda as a way to suck up to the emperor." Varian stated.
Hunter let out a small chuckle "Not like that. This day celebrates the founding of the main nine covens. Every coven gets the chance to create a float with their brand of magic. Sometimes it turns into a competition between the coven heads to see who makes the better float. Just be careful around Terra Snapdragon, head witch of the plant coven. She can be manipulated."
Varian gave him a nod before Hunter grabbed his hand and started to take him to some of the booths that were set up. Varian looked around completely mesmerized by all the different decorations and booths for each coven. Although he was so lost in it that he accidentally crashed straight into an abomination. Varian ended up getting covered in abomination goo which stained his clothes as well. He apologized to Hunter for ruining their good time, but Hunter told him that there was nothing to worry about. He knew someone who could help Varian get new clothes.
Hunter took Varian to the booth where Darius, Head Witch of the Abomination Coven. Hunter asked him if he knew a spell or something that could get the stains out of Varian's clothes. Darius managed to get the goo off Varian's clothes, but he also made some new ones for him. He showed Varian to the back and had him change into his new clothes. When he came out, Hunter took one look at Varian's new outfit and his face turned so red. Varian was wearing a cream-colored shirt with a new apron and gloves for alchemy, even his goggles were polished too.
Flapjack popped out of hiding from Hunter's pocket and gave him a teasing look. Hunter just rolled his eyes at Flapjack and then told him to get back into hiding. "Alright Little Prince, I got your boyfriend a new look. Now please leave." Darius said, impatiently.
"B-B-Boyfriend?! He's just my friend!" Hunter stuttered as his face and ears turned pink.
Varian felt his heart tighten a bit at Hunter calling him a friend. But he shook it off and followed Hunter as he took him to some more booths. Varian and Hunter could hear the commotion happening from the parade; they even saw the scouts chasing a moving statue of Belos. "Let me guess, Eda wanted to talk to Raine?" Hunter guessed.
"Yeah. How did you know?" Varian asked.
"Raine talks about Eda a lot. They still have a thing for Eda." Hunter answered.
The two boys started walking towards the town square where everyone was gathering for the big dance. Eda, Luz, and Amity were already there too. Luz told Varian that her plan sort of backfired, Kikimora betrayed her and almost got her, and Amity killed. Raine didn't seem to remember Eda or their time together with the rebel group. But Luz told Varian the strangest thing, somehow Kikimora didn't remember seeing either Varian or Hunter at Eclipse Lake. Luz figured that it might have something to do with Varian's new magic ability.
Suddenly, a few members of the Bard Coven started playing music as some witches and demons gathered to dance. Luz and Amity joined the crowd to dance and enjoy themselves. Sapphire and Ruddiger kept tugging on Varian's sleeve as a way to tell him to go dance. He wasn't much of a dancer, but he did like how much fun everyone was having. Luz pulled Varian into the dance then Eda pushed Hunter into the dance as he glared at her. But Eda got pulled into the dance by Luz as payback.
Everyone was dancing, laughing, having fun celebrating even using magic to make their dance moves flashier. The dance ended with Varian and Hunter in the center of everyone holding hands, their faces just inches from each other. Both boys backed away from each other in a blushing mess. Varian took off on his palismen to a quiet little edge to look up at the night sky. He pulled out his bag and started to take out materials to make a lantern. He remembered during one of the lantern celebrations he figured out how to change the color of his lantern for Rapunzel.
He suddenly felt someone's hand on his shoulder, he turned away to see Hunter who was looking worried. "You just took off so suddenly. You, ok?" Hunter asked.
"Sorry. I'm just a little homesick. The celebration reminded me of what me, my dad, and our kingdom used to celebrate the lost princess's birthday. The whole kingdom would release thousands of lanterns into the night sky in the hope that the princess would return. When I was six, I figured out how to change the color of the lanterns. I wanted to give the princess something new, so I changed the color to purple. Not everyone liked the idea. Some village boys took it and destroyed it in front of me. I never got the chance to show it to the princess." Varian spoke, softly.
Hunter kneeled beside Varian and asked him to show him how to make a lantern. Varian explained the step-by-step process then both boys had their lanterns made. Varian used a fire glyph to light his and Hunter's lanterns then he used a powder from his bag that changed the flames' color to purple. Both boys released their lanterns into the night sky, watching them float away. Varian decided to pull a bold move and confessed to Hunter that he liked him, more than a friend.
"I've had a crush on you since I met you. When I saw you as the Golden Guard, I thought you were mysterious and a little bit of a stick in the mud. But I got to see past the mask and see this smart, kind, brave, beautiful guy. But I get it if you don't want someone as broken as me." Varian stated as his cheeks turned deep red.
"I don't think you're broken." Hunter spoke sincerely as he held Varian's hand, "I thought you were smart, funny, caring, and the coolest guy. I only said that you were just a friend to Darius because I was embarrassed. I thought you would be too much of a loner to like someone like me."
Varian smiled then he worked up the courage to ask Hunter out on a real date. Hunter quickly said yes as the two boys curled up against each other under the sky.