BIG shoutout to my cowriter Portal, who wrote the first section of this while I was lamenting my sprained wrist keeping me from working!
Also I owe all my lovely readers an apology. I'm awful with technology and couldn't figure out for the life of me why it wasn't allowing me to respond to some of your reviews. Apparently I'm not able to PM guest accounts, and it took me months to figure that out! I do want to let you know that I read and appreciate every review y'all write. I'll do what I can to respond to reviews on here, and if you fancy further conversation, this story is also posted on AO3, which allows for responses to guest reviews!
Hector rarely allowed himself to sleep in. The bearcats always woke him with demands for breakfast, whether that meant they would all hunt it down together or Riki and Kiki expected him to get them something from the castle's kitchen. He moaned and shifted when a soft, wet nose started nudging his own. The knight reluctantly opened his acid-colored eyes to see Riki with his paws on the bed, reaching over Varian to put his face in Hector's. The man sighed and blearily reached up to scratch behind his animal companion's ears. "Yeah, you're hungry already, huh? Can't you go bother Adira for once?" he teased.
Riki nuzzled against his hand and then licked his fingers. "Then again, neither of us know what all Edmund's got stocked in the kitchen. Guess I should go scout out the food situation, eh?" Two days had passed since he, Varian, and Adira had arrived home. Varian tried sleeping in Quirin's room every night, always discovering something new about his father from the items left behind. He always ended up crawling into bed with Hector, however, which the warrior didn't mind. Having Varian close always soothed his anxious thoughts about the possibility of another panic attack; as long as his nephew was within arm's reach, he had someone to rely on. Someone to protect.
To his surprise, Riki's behavior became more insistent, and distressed. Hector sat up and pulled the blanket a little tighter around Varian, his face contorting in confusion. "What's the matter with you?" he inquired, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with his knuckles. At that moment Kiki ran up to the bedside, and Hector realized the other bearcat hadn't even been in the room a moment ago. Now that he was more awake, both animals became even more distressed, jumping and stamping while growling nervously.
Instantly Hector was on the alert.
"What's wrong?" he demanded quietly, gathering Varian into his arms and moving him to the other side of the bed. His nephew squirmed and began to stir. Hector tried to shush him and tuck him under the blanket in the hopes that he'd fall back to sleep. Kiki jumped up onto the bed and pawed at Hector's leg, prompting the man to scramble to his feet and dress properly for a possible confrontation.
"Uncle Hector?" came Varian's sleepy voice from behind as he pulled on a day tunic.
"Stay here, kid," Hector grumbled, pulling one of his gloves on.
"W-why? What's wrong?" Varian sounded much more awake, and much more frightened.
"Nothing I can't handle," Hector assured. "Kiki will stay here with you. I'll scout the situation with Riki and come back—"
"No."
Hector turned to look at his nephew, captivated by the fire in his eyes so soon after waking up. "We made an agreement, and we're gonna start doing things differently. I'm not letting you run off again just 'cause you wanna protect me," the teen insisted. Hector sighed but couldn't bring himself to argue.
"Yeah, guess you're right," he agreed. "Get dressed and grab your weapons. I don't know what's got the bearcats on alert, but it can't be good."
"I thought the Dark Kingdom was supposed to be relatively safe," Varian commented as he untangled himself from the blanket and climbed out of Hector's bed.
"Yeah, well, Edmund agreed to let that stupid princess and her friends in," the knight grumbled bitterly as he picked up his other glove. "And it's not like a one-armed man is gonna fend off a group of people on his own if anyone else made it past the traps," he added. It was about time for the Sundrop to arrive, and dealing with her was the last thing Hector wanted to think about. He went to pull on his other glove but paused when he saw the symbol on the back of his hand. Edmund's words from their meeting in the war room flashed through his mind, and he grimaced. Artemis swooped into the room, perching on his bed and giving him a look. Ruddiger, who was yawning and just starting to wake up, scowled when he noticed the hawk. Hector rolled his eyes and grinned slightly; they would have to learn how to get along sooner or later.
"—see her again?" Varian's voice finally pierced through his emotional fog, and the knight looked back at his nephew. Varian was standing motionless, his eyes glazed over from the reminder that he'd be facing the princess who betrayed him.
Crap. "Hey, look at me Var," he said gently, taking a step towards him. Varian blinked, then his eyes focused on his uncle. "You know your aunt and I aren't gonna let her even be in the same room as you, right?" he said, hoping to rekindle that fire he'd seen a moment ago. Varian gave him a brief, nervous smile, before frowning worriedly again.
"Of c-course," he affirmed. "I'm not really scared of her anymore, I guess I just…was sorta hoping King Edmund would say no," he explained, glancing away nervously and rubbing the back of his neck. "I still wanna join the Brotherhood, so if the princess isn't allowed to mess with the Moonstone, then…at least I'd know what my next move is."
Hector nodded and gave an understanding hum. "I wish he'd done that too," he agreed, stepping over and hovering his hand above Varian's shoulder. "I've spent almost my entire life keeping the Moonstone out of people's hands, and I can't fathom why Edmund would agree to try Adira's idea. I already told him what the Sundrop did to the Great Tree." As he spoke, Varian carefully pulled his ungloved hand down onto his shoulder, grasping it tightly with his own. One of his fingers traced Hector's Brotherhood mark nervously.
"Do you think…King Edmund made a mistake?" he asked quietly, almost reluctantly. He looked into Hector's eyes with a level of fear and vulnerability that the man hadn't seen since he'd first rescued him. His gut gave a strange twist.
Did Hector believe Edmund had made a mistake?
He thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I think that…Edmund is trusting Adira a little too much," he finally replied. Varian tilted his head curiously.
"What does that mean?"
"It means…Adira's always been an idealist. And an optimist. Edmund is trusting her track record of being right in most situations, also the fact that she and I can both confirm the Sundrop's power." Hector shook his head. "But Adira's not perfect. I believe this is one of the rare times her instinct is off, and if I'm right, then we're opening up ourselves and the world to something immensely dangerous."
Varian's eyes widened fearfully. "C-can't you argue against the king's decision? You and Adira have some kind of, of, political power as the kingdom's highest ranking knights, don't you?" he demanded.
Hector gave a shrug, squeezing his nephew's hand. "I did what I could. It was ultimately Edmund's decision," he replied apologetically. "Look, let's not think too much about it right now. You wanna help me investigate whatever's setting the furbabies off, so get dressed and grab your weapons." Hector released Varian's hand and pulled on his glove, covering his Brotherhood tattoo. His nephew blew out a nervous sigh and nodded.
"Okay," he said, his voice and his gaze determined. Hector smirked proudly as he watched the boy prepare for the coming conflict.
His kid was strong. Stronger than Hector would have ever anticipated when they first met. He wanted to see that strength develop to its fullest potential, and if he had his way, he'd be the one nurturing it.
O‴O‴O‴
Adira met them in the hallway. She nodded grimly in greeting as she strapped on her forearm guards. "Morning, sleepyheads."
"Is it them?" Hector demanded gruffly, cutting straight to the point.
"It's them. They're trying to find a way across the ravine now."
"Why don't they just take the bridge?" Varian asked.
The warriors exchanged a mischievous look. "Probably weren't smart enough to find it," Hector quipped. "What happens if they die on the way over?"
"They won't die," Adira argued. "They might make things harder for themselves, but they'll get over. Varian, if you want to wait in the library—"
"I'm coming." He surprised himself with his own declaration.
Adira shook her head. "I don't want them near you. We'll take care of this."
"I'm not happy with the thought of it, trust me. But I am involved in this, whether we like it or not. And I still have the Demanitus scroll. It might come in handy if… if the king says they can…" He rubbed his arm. "I'm not afraid. I'm angry still, since she just doesn't get it , but the others aren't so bad. And Cassandra… okay, I'm still scared of her, but I'll be fine."
Hector sighed. "Your choice. I'll kill her if she touches you. Fair?"
"Fair."
Varian turned towards the grand window, outside of which lay the ravine. The Sundrop's golden hair gleamed against the dark rocks. As he watched, she turned and looked at him. It was too far away to tell what she was thinking, but he didn't miss the way she tapped Lance's shoulder and motioned towards him. The man waved, and Varian grinned and waved back.
"Yeesh," Hector huffed, looking over Varian's head. "Better get this over with. Come on."
They started off for the main hall. King Edmund was there waiting on them already. Adira followed Varian and Hector demurely. Varian hadn't been told what happened in the meeting a few days ago, but Adira had been unusually quiet around the king ever since then. She didn't flinch around him or act like she was hurt, but she was good at hiding things, covering her emotions the same way her long sleeves and high collar covered any potential bruises.
Varian found himself looking at Hector during those two days, watching the way he looked at Adira. The two of them seemed closer, somehow, and Hector hadn't given any indication that anything bad had happened to her. He didn't look at her with pity or worry, just brotherly concern.
"Varian," the king said as they entered. "You don't have to be here for this."
Storms, why did they all insist on treating him like a frail infant? "I'll be fine, Your Majesty," he answered cautiously.
"Very well. I think they're arriving."
The door swung open. Hector and Adira shifted to stand in front of Varian without blocking his view, swords drawn and held at the ready. He tensed as the party entered, tapping his claws out just in case.
Rapunzel and Eugene entered first, arm in arm. They strode in determinedly like they owned the place. Typical. Lance and Shorty trailed in behind them, and the ex-thief shot Varian a grin. Cassandra followed the others at a distance, eyes gazing off into space. She glanced over to the warriors, flinching slightly at the sight. Well, seeing two Titan-like killers who had no problems manhandling people and/or stabbing them had to be intimidating.
Except… she was looking at him .
Varian met her eyes. She held his gaze for a second, expression twisting into something unusual for the stoic soldier before she looked away and scowled.
The newcomers respectfully bowed to King Edmund, who nodded. "Your Majesty," Rapunzel greeted him. "I'm Princess Rapunzel of Corona. The—"
"The Sundrop," he interrupted. "I'm aware. Welcome to the Dark Kingdom."
Lance coughed sternly and tapped Rapunzel's shoulder. He nodded to Varian and made a "go ahead" gesture. She nodded, twisting her hair nervously, stepping away from Eugene and approaching the Brotherhood. "Varian," she began, voice shaking slightly. "I… need to apologize. Again. I messed up. You're right; I haven't been able to see my father the way you have. I let my love blind me again." She flinched. "Sorry, poor choice of words. But this… is the same thing that happened with Mo—with Gothel. I didn't see who she really was. And I wanted to think that my dad would be different, that he wasn't like her, so… I guess I just… chose not to see. And I'm sorry."
Varian drummed his claws along the top of his crossed arms. "I—thank you. I appreciate your apology. I can't forgive you yet, but I respect that."
She nodded solemnly. "I understand."
"Well," Hector hissed. "Now that that's out of the way, I suppose we've unfortunately got business to attend to. Our deal was that you could speak to the king. Get talking before I decide you don't need that tongue."
"At ease, Hector," King Edmund said gently, stepping forward and giving the younger man's shoulder a soothing squeeze. "There's no need to fight these Coronans yet." Varian didn't like the implication that fighting was even an option. "We should take this discussion to the War Room, and settle the issue properly."
"Your Majesty, we aren't here to start a war!" Rapunzel piped up nervously.
"The War Room serves many purposes," Edmund assured her. "It's a space dedicated to discussing serious subjects without the use of physical force."
"Oh," Rapunzel said, blinking in surprise.
"Unfortunately my council has dwindled drastically since the Moonstone's last incident; the only other political forces to serve alongside me will be two of my highest ranking knights, Hector and Adira."
Cassandra, walking up to stand beside the princess, attempted to stifle a snort. Hector growled softly and took a step forward. Adira placed her hand on his other shoulder. "Something you want to say, lady-in-waiting?" he sneered.
"No! No she does not," Eugene spoke up quickly. "Blondie, er, Your Highness," he continued, focusing on Rapunzel. "Why don't you choose who will be a part of your council for this discussion?" he suggested meaningfully.
"Oh! Of course, yes," Rapunzel muttered. Assuming a more regal tone, she addressed Edmund, "I too have a very small council. The Prince Consort of Corona, Eugene Fitzherbert, and Lady Cassandra of Corona."
"Can a lady-in-waiting serve on a War Room council?" Hector asked, crossing his arms and looking sidelong at his king. Cassandra scowled at him.
"Short Hair and Fishskin are the only other members of Corona's royal hierarchy to have traveled with the Princess," Adira reasoned. "Corona's political policies may be vastly different from those of the Dark Kingdom. And in an unprecedented situation, such as this one, we can't afford to allow differences in policy to prohibit a council from proceeding."
Edmund hummed and gave a nod. "Excellent points, both of you," he agreed. "Princess Rapunzel, is there anyone else in your party that you believe could adequately serve in the stead of your lady-in-waiting?"
"There is no one in my party like Cassandra, Your Majesty," Rapunzel responded assertively. "Her judgment is a valuable asset to me," she added, glancing meaningfully at her friend. "And I want her and Eugene both by my side for this." Cassandra's aggressive stance deflated slightly, and she gave the princess an appreciative nod.
"It's settled then," Edmund acquiesced.
"Wait, what about the rest of us?" Lance asked incredulously.
Eugene gave him a pointed glare. "Absolutely not. You do not get to talk politics after what happened last time."
"What about last time?"
"You know what you did!"
Lance sighed and nodded. "That's fair."
"You and Shorty can stay out here with the animals," Rapunzel suggested. "And with Varian, I suppose."
"He stays with me," Hector hissed. "Varian doesn't leave our sight."
"He's not a political counsel," Eugene argued.
Varian straightened his shoulders. "I'm Uncle Hector's successor. Or I will be. I have to learn about court proceedings."
"Drop it, Fitzherbert," Cassandra barked. "Let him come."
He held up his hands. "Alright, alright, whatever! Let's just get this over with."
O‴O‴O‴
The War Room was bare, save for a map on the wall and a long table in the middle. King Edmund walked to the far end and sat in the throne-like chair at the head. Varian followed Hector and Adira to the right side of the table, to the king's left. The three of them sat; Hector took the seat next to the king, and Adira motioned Varian to the seat between her and Hector. The princess took the seat across from the king at his gesture, with Eugene to her right and Cassandra to her left.
"Now, to discuss the matter of the Moonstone and Sundrop," the king said regally. "Two options have been positioned before us. Firstly, to proceed as tradition and protect the Moonstone from all outsiders. Secondly, to unite the Moonstone and Sundrop in the hopes that their powers will neutralize each other and remove the threat of the celestial stones from the world for good. I will hear Princess Rapunzel of Corona. You may speak, Your Highness."
She nodded respectfully. "Thank you. Your Majesty, we've come all this way looking for the Moonstone. I understand the Brotherhood's concerns about the Moonstone being stolen or misused. That's not why we're here," she insisted with a shake of her head. "If you already know I'm the Sundrop, then you know what I have to do. It's my destiny."
"Destiny?" Edmund growled. Adira flinched. The shuddering movement was slight enough that she managed to let it fade into a shift in her stance. Anyone who was focused on Edmund and Rapunzel wouldn't have noticed.
But Varian did.
"The destiny of the Brotherhood is to protect the Moonstone above all else," Edmund insisted back. "Nothing else matters to us. Why would we take that chance? Things can continue here the way they always have."
"I respectfully disagree." Adira crossed her arms and met the king's gaze. What was she doing? Didn't she know how this worked? What if he punished her for speaking against him? Varian tensed and prepared to stand if necessary, watching both them and Hector for any clue that things were about to turn sour. He couldn't take on the king in a fair fight, but Hector would help, right?
Adira didn't seem concerned about this possibility. "Things can't continue like this. Our home is a ruin. The black rocks have spread across the ocean, all the way to Corona, in search of the Sundrop. They've left a trail of destruction in their wake. If nothing changes, they will continue seeking and destroying. We have to do something; the Sundrop is the answer!"
King Edmund glared at her. "So you've said. You wish to hang our kingdom's fate on a rumor. You betray your oath, lead strangers into our kingdom, and now you want to grant them access to the very force of destruction that we have sworn to hide from the world."
"That's what I keep telling her," Hector grumbled.
She frowned at him. "I know you have reason to doubt. Hector, you saw the Sundrop's power at its worst."
"She nearly killed us. Not the best example you could reference."
"My point is, I understand your concern, but you know how powerful she is! This is the answer we've needed for so long."
"Adira brought us here for a reason," Rapunzel added. "Give me a chance, that's all I ask. All I want is to bring an end to the danger the black rocks have caused!"
Varian scoffed under his breath. Too late he realized this brought attention on himself.
"Varian and Hector have told me some… disconcerting tales about how difficult situations are handled in Corona," Edmund said. "Based on what I've heard, I'm not sure that putting the fate of my kingdom, of the Moonstone, in the hands of Coronan royalty is a good idea."
"Demanitus disagrees," Rapunzel retorted.
Varian blinked in surprise. "W-wait, Demanitus? As in the Demanitus? 'Wrote the scroll' Demanitus?"
"We met him," she said with a smug grin. "He's a monkey."
"But he's been dead for—wait, a monkey?"
"I'll explain later. He helped us get this." She reached into her purse and pulled out a scrap of paper. Holding it out, she stood and approached Varian, stopping when Hector growled at her. Adira held out her hand, taking the paper and passing it to Varian.
Varian took the paper and studied the scrawling print. "It's the last piece, all right."
"So you can read it?"
"I'm pretty good at reading his code by now. It should just be…" he muttered under his breath. "So that's 'crescent', yeah… and that's… no, what about… okay, there's 'below.' Then there's… okay, I got it."
"Great! What's it say?"
Varian crossed his arms. "None of your business."
"What?"
"The scroll doesn't say anything about how to keep you alive if you try to neutralize the Moonstone. That was the deal. All this is is an incantation for anyone who does manage to harness its power, and that's never gonna happen, so you don't need to know. Interestingly enough, it mentions a fourth incantation, but it's not on the scroll."
Hector and Adira pivoted towards him with wide eyes. "There's another incantation for the Moonstone?!" they demanded in perfect unison. Based on the uncomfortable expressions in Rapunzel's group, they felt the same level of apprehension.
"Yeah? Is that a problem?" Varian clutched the scroll piece to his chest.
"Var, kid, you saw the devastation the first incantation can cause," Hector replied. "That kind of knowledge is dangerous. And…I think you're right to keep it from the Sundrop, but…" the older knight trailed off.
"But what?" Varian demanded.
"But this scroll is probably best kept out of human hands," Edmund interjected. "Once we're done here, Varian, I'd like to discuss finding a suitable place to store Demanitus's scroll where it will be safe from misuse."
"Oh, uh…of course," Varian stuttered, glancing at his aunt and uncle. Hector's expression was muted, whereas Adira looked angrier than Varian had ever witnessed. He pitied his aunt, he really did—she wasn't trying to hurt anyone, but the people she was closest to didn't have any faith in her ideas. Just like dad never had any faith in me, he thought bitterly.
A sickening pang hit him as he processed that thought.
"Hey!" Rapunzel butted in. "That scroll has guided us the entire way here, we've risked everything to put it back together and find the Moonstone!"
"It's safer this way," Hector responded, surprisingly calmly. "Varian kept his end of the deal. There's no reason why we shouldn't put it somewhere safe… unless you're planning on using that last incantation?" He crossed his arms and sent a sharp glare in her direction.
"Wh—no, I just… I think that scroll can help us! We went to so much work to put it together!"
"You might have found two of the scroll pieces," Varian interrupted. "But the other two belonged to my family. They're part of the Dark Kingdom's legacy. The other two were locked away to keep them safe. Demanitus may have helped you get the last piece—and I definitely need you to explain that to me later—but whatever that fourth incantation is, it's not helping you any if it's not on the scroll. I agree with K-King Edmund."
The king nodded. "Now that that's settled, back to the topic of the Moonstone. So far, you have given no assurances that allowing you to attempt to neutralize it will work or that it won't kill everyone in this castle. If the scroll cannot help you, then what exactly do you plan to do? How will you ensure your safety and the safety of everyone here?"
"I, uh…" Rapunzel frowned. "Well, the Moonstone has been calling to me. I believe it wants me to attempt to reunite the Sundrop with it, and the Sundrop's power manifests through my hair. If I try to touch the stone or wrap my hair around it, the celestial powers should meet and cancel each other out. In order to keep everyone safe, I should probably be the only one in the room. And everyone should be prepared to evacuate, just in case."
"Yeah, I think the crap not," Hector scoffed. "Ain't no way you're going in there alone."
"I'll be with her," Cassandra interjected.
"Even worse!"
Adira shook her head. "I'll be in there with her." At Hector and Varian's protests, she held up her hand. "This was my idea. I'll see it through to the end, if the king gives his blessing. No one else should put themselves at risk. Hector, if you're that concerned, you can wait at the door."
Varian bit his lip. "The king hasn't even said yes yet. I still think this is a bad idea. Princess, haven't you considered the idea that maybe the only thing that'll happen is that you and the Sundrop will be destroyed but the Moonstone won't? I know you want to do this, but it seems impossible."
Eugene shrugged and cast a small grin in his direction. "Hey, you know what Flynn Rider says. 'If something's not impossible, it's not worth doing.'"
"Don't quote Flynn Rider at me," Varian huffed, but he had to hide a smile.
"Wait," King Edmund ordered. "You, young man. Say that again."
"Um—me, Your Majesty?" Eugene pointed at himself. At his nod, he repeated, "'If something's not impossible, it's not worth doing.'"
"Flynn Rider and the Lost Treasure of Scotia," Edmund murmured. "And his likeness… Step closer. Where I can see you."
With an awkward cough, Eugene stood and moved closer to the Brotherhood, making sure to keep his distance. Varian's eyes darted between him and the king. What was this about? Had Eugene offended him or something? But the king had known exactly where the quote came from. Had he read the books? Varian hadn't pegged him as the type.
King Edmund looked Eugene over, his eyes aging years in mere seconds with a weight they hadn't held before. "Horace?" he whispered in hopeful confusion.
Eugene rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Umm… sorry, no. It's Eugene. Eugene Fitzherbert."
Edmund shook his head. "Your face… I don't know how I didn't see it sooner." Reaching into a hidden pocket in his cloak, he pulled out a wanted poster and placed it on the table. "Flynn Rider's" face stared back up at them. "I've had my crows keep an eye on you all these years. You… you are my son."
Hector and Adira exchanged a look. "Wait…" Hector growled. "That's the missing prince? Fishskin?"
Adira scrutinized the man in question. "He does have the king's eyes."
"Hold up," Cassandra demanded. "You're saying that Eugene Fitzherbert, freeloader extraordinaire, is a prince ?"
Varian groaned as a horrifying thought occurred to him. He elbowed Hector in the side. "Does this mean I have to listen to him now?"
"Absolutely not," Hector grumbled. "He was never even coronated."
With a shrug, Adira added, "He's still the prince, though. I mean, I'm not going to listen to him, but he is still the prince."
"Hold up!" Eugene snapped, holding his hands up in a "slow down" gesture. "We're all just making assumptions here. We don't know this for a fact!"
"It's your eyes," King Edmund replied. "I can tell a lot about a man by looking in his eyes."
Hector and Adira mouthed the words along with him, forcing Varian to bite back a laugh. Apparently he said this a lot.
"We can discuss this more at a later time," the king continued. Eugene gratefully retreated back to his place beside Rapunzel. "For now, we should come to a decision on the Moonstone and Sundrop. I see many ways in which this could go wrong. Princess, if you die in this attempt, you could incite a war between our people. And while Corona is a strong country, there are only four of us left in the Dark Kingdom now—five, if we include Horace."
"Eugene, and we do not."
The Brotherhood ignored him. "So then what?" Adira asked. "If we leave the Moonstone alone, we probably all die, and the rocks continue their rampage across the land. If we let the Sundrop try to unite with it, then she might die, and there's a slight probability we do too."
Rapunzel stood, hands folded regally in front of her and shoulders back in a queenly posture. "Your Majesty, I understand your worries. You and your people have suffered so much, and you don't want to risk anything else happening to them. I feel the same way about my people. I've failed them in the past, Varian especially. I let people get hurt when I could have stopped it. I put myself and my wants above their needs. I can't make that mistake again. The black rocks sought me out. They guided me here. If I don't take this opportunity, how can I face my people? You're right; destiny isn't what this is about. This is about responsibility. I have a duty to my people. As their princess, as their future queen, I can't live for them if I'm not willing to die for them." She motioned to the people at her side. "If that does happen, my friends can tell my parents that this was my decision, that I did this knowing the risks and I wasn't forced into anything. That should be enough to avoid war."
Varian listened to her speech with arms crossed, trying to hide his discomfort. The thought of Corona losing their princess didn't sit right with him. Sure, she was arrogant and naïve, but she had willingly apologized to him again just a few minutes earlier, and she was finally putting her people above herself. She, a royal, was offering to lay down her life for the citizens of her country. She would make a far better ruler than the current king; if she died here, though, he would be forced to name a new heir, and it would probably be someone just like him.
Kind Edmund sighed. "It's a noble idea, Your Highness, and one that befits someone of your rank. We are to serve and protect those under us. But I'm afraid there is too much risk involved. I cannot in good conscience allow—"
A low rumbling cut off his words. The room began to shake, gently at first but growing stronger. Dust rained down from the ceiling. Everyone leaped to their feet. A golden glow lit the room as Rapunzel's hair began to float. She reached for it, probably to protect herself and her friends, while Hector hovered over Varian protectively and Adira reached for her sword.
Then the black rocks shot through the floor.
Hector snatched Varian up, leaping aside to avoid getting skewered. He twisted and dove, slipping past the rocks and to the side of the room. "Too many near the door," he hissed. "Stay low!"
Varian tried hard not to flinch as the rocks continued to sprout. They centered around Rapunzel, cutting her off from everyone else. Just like back then.
And then they stopped.
Slowly, they lowered, laying flat against the ground and pointing towards the door of the war room.
"Well," Adira breathed. "I guess the Moonstone has made the decision for us."
O‴O‴O‴
"It appears it has," the king answered. He stood shakily. "Its will cannot be denied. It will indeed seek you out, Princess. I didn't want to believe it, but…"
Hector looked Varian over once more. He was shaken but unhurt, thankfully. Turning his attention back to the king, he asked, "Your Majesty? What do you mean?"
"I'm sorry, Hector." He sounded like he meant it. "The Moonstone wants the Sundrop. I fear the consequences if we refuse it. I see no other option. I will allow the Sundrop to unite with the Moonstone."
He couldn't breathe.
This wasn't happening.
Edmund walked over to them and put his hand on Hector's shoulder. "I know this isn't what you wanted. I don't want it either. But for the safety of our people, this is the best way. We'll keep our distance and be prepared to evacuate if anything goes wrong."
"My king…"
"You've always trusted me," Edmund continued. "Trust me now."
"I… trust you," Hector sighed. "It's them I don't trust."
Varian leaned against Hector's side. Hector wrapped his arm around him. "So then we just… let her take that risk?" the boy asked.
"I'm afraid so," Edmund answered.
Hector growled lowly. He very rarely grew angry with his king; he took the man's word for law. But he was angry now. His chest tightened and burned as if fire sat in his lungs. His fists shook. He wasn't like Adira; her rare bursts of anger were always controlled, directed, but his fury tended to lash out like a wild animal. Cautious of his nephew next to him, he forced his body to relax before the tension in his muscles accidentally hurt him.
"Fine," he hissed. "That's it, then. I guess Adira gets her way after all. But when this goes wrong, when this blows up in your faces, don't say I didn't warn you." Letting go of Varian, he spun on his heel and started for the door.
"Hector!" Adira called.
"Wait!" the princess pleaded. "Where are you going?"
"Anywhere but here."
"But our deal—we said you could make sure we did this safely!"
He whirled back towards her. "I dedicated my life to this!" he snarled. "I gave up everything to protect the Moonstone. Decades of service, of isolation, all because my king asked it of me! I'm not about to watch everything I worked for come crashing down. Adira can watch you; this was her idea, after all. But I won't be a part of this." With those parting words, he stormed out into the hall, pointedly going the opposite direction that the rocks faced. Behind him, soft footsteps darted after him. Varian caught up and walked beside him.
"You can go watch if you want," Hector rasped. "Just stay far enough away from them."
"Nah," he answered.
They rejoined the animals in the foyer. The bearcats leaped up upon seeing them and ran to twist around their legs. Ruddiger scrambled up to his place on Varian's shoulder. Artemis cast one last glare at Owl and flew over to Hector.
Their little traveling party made their way out to a balcony facing east. Mountains rose up in the distance, their snow-tipped edges taking a jagged bite out of the clouded sky. Hector sat with his legs hanging off the edge, and after a moment, Varian joined him. Riki and Kiki curled up behind them, while Ruddiger sat in Varian's lap and Artemis perched on the railing.
Leaning back on his hands, Hector murmured, "I don't know how old I am."
"What?"
He shrugged. "I have a general guess. I think I'm a year or two younger than Adira. But I was just a kid when King Edmund found me. Well, he wasn't king then, but you get the idea. Like I told you earlier, he rescued me off the street. Brought me here, gave me a chance to become someone. From the time I was a child, I knew what I was supposed to do. I grew up as a cadet, sworn to serve the people. Then I was chosen to be a part of the Brotherhood. My mentor, Thalia, taught me that the ultimate honor for a Brother or Sister was to lay down their life for their people, their brothers, or their oath. And the most honorable way to live was to dedicate everything, every waking moment, every breath and thought, to the mission. There was no room in our lives for anything else. We gave up everything so others could have everything. Our sacrifice made that possible. It's a heavy lesson to saddle a kid with, but I learned it well." He clenched a fist. "I expected to die in service. I didn't expect to watch the mission be undone by a princess with a death wish."
With a heavy sigh, he pulled one of his braids out and began rebraiding it. "What am I supposed to do now? I have nothing except this. I am nothing without this." He turned his gaze to Varian, who watched him with sympathy.
The kid elbowed him gently. "You're not nothing. You're my uncle. And… I felt the same way when I realized I couldn't do alchemy anymore. I lost a part of myself. It was taken away from me because of someone else." He breathed a humorless laugh. "It's not fun. Not knowing. But you know, I found something else. I'm learning to fight. Maybe I won't be able to become part of the Brotherhood now, but I'll think of something. I think you can, too."
Hector huffed, giving a small smile. "Is that so? I've been fighting for at least forty years. You don't think that's too long doing something to get a new thing?"
"Nah. I mean, think about Dad. He was a warrior, but then he became a farmer!"
"I'm not a farmer." He ruffled Varian's hair. "I'm better at keeping animals—and the occasional kid—alive than I am at keeping plants alive."
Varian swatted at his hand. "My point is, you might find something else you like doing. Think about it this way. If you don't have to be the Moonstone's protector anymore, then the world is open to you! You have a choice now. Isn't there anything else you ever thought you'd like to do if you weren't doing this? And besides, just because the Moonstone will be gone doesn't mean you can't still be a soldier! We can—we can keep protecting this kingdom, right?"
Hector scowled, but his expression was fond. "Right. I just wish… You were a creator, not a fighter. I wish you didn't have to do this. I wish you could do something to create again instead of destroy. Maybe you can get Adira to teach you all about her medicines if we're still on speaking terms after this."
Varian grinned. "I think being a healer would be nice."
They sat in silence for a while longer, watching the clouds shift and dance. The chill air stung their faces but didn't quite make it past their thick clothes. Varian tugged at the edges of his sleeves. Finally he stood and crossed his arms. "I think we need to go watch."
"What?!"
He held Ruddiger to his chest. "I think it'll be good for us. We need closure."
"You do realize you could walk in on the princess getting blown to bits, right? Or torn apart by the rocks, or…"
"Wow, thanks for the nightmare ideas, my old ones were getting boring!" He rolled his eyes. "Come on. We need to see this if we want to move on with our lives. The Moonstone's been controlling us for so long. Maybe this will help us."
"I…" Hector groaned. "I hate this idea. I don't want to see that. But I'm not letting you go by yourself." He shoved himself to his feet. "Closure, huh?"
O‴O‴O‴
Things went wrong very quickly.
As they made their way towards the Moonstone chamber, shouts rang through the halls. Varian and Hector exchanged a glance and picked up their pace, the warrior muttering under his breath about "should've known, can't let them do anything…"
They sprinted around a corner right as someone came around the one at the other end of the hall.
It took a moment for Varian to realize what he was seeing. Or rather, who.
Her raven hair had turned to silvery-blue. Her arm, no longer bound in its cast, held Adira's sword. Her traveling clothes had been replaced with a suit of black armor, accented with glowing blue lines. On her breastplate, the lines traced the symbol of Corona's sun, broken in half.
In the center of the symbol sat a blue stone.
Cassandra jolted to a stop, blue eyes widening upon seeing them. "Varian?" she exclaimed.
O‴O‴O‴
Hector wasted no time in drawing his sword and attacking. With an animalistic snarl, he lunged forward, leaping up to brace his foot on a pillar on the right side of the wall. Sweeping his left arm and sword in a wide arc, he sprang at Cassandra, fully intent to slice her in half, apparently. Varian stood frozen in silent horror, unable to do anything but watch.
Cassandra threw her arms up to protect her head. A black rock sprang up between her and Hector, blocking his sword. He vaulted off it and landed on her other side, swinging again. She lifted her hand, and another rock shot up in front of her. Hector slipped around it and drove his blade towards her side. With a yelp of fear, she blocked it with Adira's shadow blade.
Hector spun and slammed his foot into her side. She stumbled backwards, losing her footing and falling to her knees. He pressed his advantage, bringing his blade down towards her head.
She flung up her hands again, and the rocks caved the floor in right below Hector's feet.
He disappeared into the lower levels of the castle. With a twist of her hand, the rocks spiked over the hole to prevent him from climbing back up. Then she summoned rock cages around the bearcats, who snarled and flung themselves against the walls to try to get to her. Artemis screeched and dove at Cassandra's face, talons outstretched, only to be swatted aside by another rock. She fell and tumbled to the ground. Straightening and brushing dust off herself, Cassandra stood and turned to Varian. She placed the sword against her back, a rock sheath growing around it.
Varian bit back a cry of fear. The fall couldn't have been far, and Hector would be fine. Between the two of them, Varian was probably the one in more danger at the moment. He nudged Ruddiger off his shoulder, where the poor raccoon had been petrified in fear. Ruddiger scampered over to a pile of rubble sitting next to the wall, where he ducked behind the bricks but kept his eyes on his boy.
Varian slipped his short staff off his back and readied his stance. It would do no good against her; she had the blasted Moonstone, for goodness sake! But he had to try. If that didn't work, he had his claws, little good though they'd be against her armor.
"Varian!" She slowly stepped towards him, hands raised—not in an attacking gesture, but in a pleading one. At a gesture, rocks grew behind her, blocking the hall off.
He took a deep breath. This was it, now she'd take him back there, and he'd never get out again, but heck if he wasn't gonna take out a few people with him on the way down! "Put the Moonstone back, thief," he ordered, pride filling his veins as he kept his voice perfectly steady.
She took a step closer. "Please listen, I need your help!"
"Of course. It's right down the hall, take a left. Back the way you came."
Her eyes flickered with annoyance at his sarcastic jab but quickly shifted to… fear? The great Cassandra was afraid? Of what?
No, not fear. Desperation.
"Listen to me!" she snapped. "I mean it, I need your help!"
"Put. It. Back."
Her shoulders hunched as she touched the Moonstone protectively. "I can't do that. It's the only thing that's going to work."
"Work to what?" he snarled. "Cassandra, the Moonstone can't be wielded! Whatever you're planning, just… just stop and think for a minute! You don't know what you're dealing with."
She scoffed. "Shadow Lady said the same thing. You really do fit in with these weirdos."
"Don't talk about my family," he hissed.
"Sorry." She winced uncharacteristically. "Look, I don't care if I don't understand this power yet. I will. But I need your help if I'm going to do this! You're the only one right now who understands. I'm doing this because of you, Varian."
He bristled. "Don't blame me for this!"
"I'm not blaming you." She took another step. "I get it now. I understand the things that happen in Corona. The weakest citizens, the ones who deserve help and protection the most, are ignored—or targeted. The king has spent decades building his power through violence. He's a monster, and every higher-up in Corona has either closed their eyes and allowed him to get away with it or has helped him! And you…" She shook her head. "You did what no one else was brave enough to do. It was stupid, but you did it. You shook the core of that country! You landed a blow to the king's ego."
Varian listened in shock. Where was this coming from? A few weeks ago, she'd been ready to kill him on the spot!
She had slowly approached him as she spoke, and now she was just a few steps from him. Apparently her mind had drifted to the same topic. "I know I don't have a right to ask for your help, after the way I treated you. And Varian, I'm sorry. I said it before and I'll say it again. I messed up. But if you'll let me make this right, I can help you. I can help so many people! All the rejects of society. All the people who suffer from King Frederic's rule. I'll get vengeance for all of them!"
Varian took a few steps back. What she was saying… it was treason! The very thing he'd tried before he ended up a shivering mass of skin and bones on his cell floor. Whatever she was planning, it clearly wasn't diplomatic discussion.
He tightened his grip on his staff. "Put the Moonstone back." Meeting her eyes, he continued, "If you try this, you'll only get hurt. And I refuse to let you use the stone to do this. My people have protected it for centuries from people who would use its power to hurt others."
Cassandra shook her head sadly, as if he'd somehow betrayed her. "I can't do that. Rapunzel has the power of the Sundrop on her side. It's how she stopped you. I won't make the same mistake you did. I'm going to fight her with something equally as powerful."
"Fight Rapunzel?" Varian exclaimed. "Why?"
She scoffed. "You think that perky princess is gonna let me take over her kingdom if I ask nicely? 'Oh pretty please, Raps, let me just overthrow your father and tear down his dictatorship!' Yeah, that'll go over well."
"Look, I don't trust Rapunzel," Varian admitted. "But she's not her father. He hurts people on purpose; she just doesn't want to see. But I think she's starting to understand. If we just let her fix this, I think she can do it! She's already apologized to me. Why not try to help her?"
"Like she'll ever stand up to her father! She doesn't have it in her. I thought you, of all people, would get it. People are dying, Varian, and you just don't care! I thought you wanted to help them! I'm offering you a chance to do everything you wanted to do back then; and better yet, I'm offering you a chance for revenge! Don't you get that? Don't you want to make them pay for what they did to you?"
Varian scowled. If she'd asked him that when this all started, the answer would have been a resounding yes. But now… "No, I don't." He lowered his staff. "I'm… I don't want revenge. I want to be left alone. I'm tired. I'm not some violent revolutionary or a storybook hero. I don't care what happens to Corona. I just care about the fact that you took something that doesn't belong to you."
She sighed. "That's disappointing. I'll do this alone, then. Now move."
He lifted his staff again. "No."
"Fine." She summoned a rock under her feet, using it to catapult over him. He twisted and swung his weapon, only for her to catch it in one hand and shatter it. Then she spun and took off down the hall.
"Hey!" He darted after her. "Get back here!"
"Varian!"
He turned to see Rapunzel running after him, the princess apparently having slipped past the rock barrier Cassandra had made. "What?"
"Cassandra—is she—"
"She went this way."
"I'll help you stop her."
He pointed at her with the broken end of his staff. "You've done enough!"
She stepped back in shock.
"Just—just leave it. I'll deal with her."
"You can't! Trust me, I can get through to her."
Varian scoffed. "Doubtful. Right now, she sees you as part of the problem. Just stay out of the way." Ignoring her continued attempts to argue, he ran after Cassandra again. He had one advantage; he knew the castle better than she did. And knowing where she was likely to try to run to, back the way they'd come, he knew how to get there first.
O‴O‴O‴
For once, something went right. Varian reached one door and burst out of the castle just a few seconds before Cassandra reached the other door. Planting himself firmly in her path, he tapped his claws out. "Stand down!"
"Ugh." She rolled her eyes. "I thought we went through this already. If you're not going to come with me, then get out of my way." Her voice softened as she continued, "I don't want to hurt you."
"You'll only hurt yourself like this!"
"Last chance."
He growled and slipped into a stance that Adira had shown him. Charging at Cassandra would be stupid, so being an immovable object it was. If he could just distract her until Hector and Adira got here, they could finish this fight. He had no illusions as to his own ability to fight Cassandra; he'd be lucky if she let him live. He really hadn't planned to die defending the Moonstone before even being allowed to take his oath.
Things very quickly went wrong once again.
She sprang forward, lifting her hand to send a blunt rock shooting at him. It struck his chest, flinging him backwards and to the ground. He coughed as dirt entered his lungs, the movement exacerbating the aching of his ribs. And they'd been healing so well, too. Bringing a hand to what would be a massive bruise later, he gently pressed against it, relieved to feel no difference in his bones.
His opponent started to rush past him, and he quickly reached out a hand, snagging her ankle and bringing her crashing to the ground as well. He shoved himself to his feet and approached her. If he could just grab the Moonstone, he could—
She scrambled backwards, sending a rock up at his feet. He jumped back. Cassandra stood, panting for breath. "Brat," she hissed. "Stop getting in the way!"
"Yeah, I don't think so." He lunged for the stone. She threw her arms up, and his claws raked against them with a loud SCREEEEEECH . As she stepped backwards, he pressed forward, clawing and dodging and ignoring the danger he was putting himself in. He always did this back then, back when he still had the strength to fight, refusing to surrender until they were forced to beat every ounce of rebellion out of his body, fighting harder when he knew it would only end in him being hurt worse because he couldn't just give up. And maybe Cassandra claimed she didn't want to hurt him, but she would eventually, she would stop deflecting and skewer him with those rocks and leave him bleeding out for Hector to find.
He didn't see how close their struggle had taken them to the edge of the ravine until Cassandra gave one last shove—and his foot slid over the edge.
O‴O‴O‴
Hector darted through the corridors, listening for the sounds of shattering and cracking as the thief used her newfound power to try to escape. He couldn't be too far behind her. This castle was his home, his refuge, and he knew every step, every hidden passage. She wouldn't get far.
He found the staircase he was looking for and sprinted up. At the top, he turned to the left to follow the trail, only for someone coming from the right to slam into him and tumble to the floor. He stopped and turned to see that blasted blonde looking up dazedly.
With a snarl, he grabbed her arm and set her on her feet. "What the crap, Sundrop! Give me one good reason not to cut you in half right now! Our king allows you to access our most sacred relic, and this is how you thank him?"
She brought a hand to her mouth. Drat. The little pest better not start crying. "I didn't—I don't know what she's thinking!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "She's never been like this!"
"Yeah, well, she is now. You gonna do something about her or do I have to?"
"No, please!" She grabbed his arm, to which he promptly shook her off. "Let me try to fix this!"
He growled. "Fix this? There ain't one person in your little group I'd trust to fix this. But if you think you can do something, then come on. Just don't get in my way." He started after the thief again, rolling his eyes when the princess followed him.
They made it outside just in time to see Cassandra shove Varian—and for Varian to lose his footing and fall over the edge of the cliff.
The thief gave a short cry of shock, raising one hand in a gesture that Hector had come to associate with her using her stolen power. A roar of rage broke from Hector's throat as he unsheathed his blade and charged across the short distance towards her. How dare this monster! How dare she hurt his kid! Glancing back in fear, Short Hair quickly summoned more rocks to form a bridge across the gap.
"Cassandra, wait!" the princess cried.
Before they could reach her, she swung her sword—no, Adira's sword—and severed the path behind her. The rocks shattered, falling with the noise of thunder into the ravine. Without looking back, she ran for the other edge and disappeared into the stone forest.
Hector came to a stop at the edge, fully prepared to throw himself over the edge after his nephew. His searching gaze landed on one blessedly alive and mostly unharmed child, sitting on a flat pillar of rock. Varian waved up at him weakly and slumped down to lay on the rock, obviously exhausted.
Without waiting for them to ask, the princess took her hair out of its braid and lowered it down to Varian, directing him to tie it around his waist. Hector fell to his knees, his heart slamming against his ribcage. That was too close, Varian had almost died! That worthless thief had almost killed him!
He looked across the ravine, yellow eyes searching the rocks futilely. A low growl rose from his chest. This girl had no idea what sort of enemy she had just made.
But she would learn.
No animals were harmed in the making of this chapter. They'll free the bearcats, no worries!
I'm sure you all know by now that I won't just be copying canon.Cassandra's arc won't be much of anything like it was in the show. I wanted to explain a lot more in this chapter, but for sake of the flow, I had to keep it concise. Not everything is as it seems right now. Have patience and trust us; we've poured blood, sweat, and tears into this fic.
As always, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Thank you and God bless!