Happy New Year's Eve!

I apologize for the unexpected hiatus. I thought I'd have time to write this semester, but student teaching is brutal. But! I graduated! So yeah, I've been unfortunately rather busy, but I've been picking away at this in my limited free time, and Portal took care of sections of it for me, may she be eternally blessed.

Growing up in the countryside, Varian had watched the way new mothers, whether they be hens, goats, or even humans, corralled their children and kept them close by their sides. They panicked when their young ones left their sight and only calmed upon tucking them back under wing.

Hector was worse than that.

He hadn't let Varian move more than a foot away from him in the last hour.

The Brotherhood, King Edmund, and the remaining Coronans, along with their animals, had congregated in the circular sitting room of the Brotherhood's chambers. Someone had set a fire going, driving away the ever-present chill that seeped into the rooms from the cold stone and the wind off the mountains; the atmosphere surrounding the gathered people was far from warm, however.

Hector snarled softly as Eugene paced too close to where he and Varian were sitting on the couch, tightening the hold of his arm around Varian's shoulders. The Coronan—or were they referring to him as part of the Dark Kingdom now? Hector didn't seem to act like it, and Varian frankly didn't want to—backed up, hands up placatingly.

Across the room, the king stood by the window, in whispered conversation with Adira. His face had turned an impressive shade of red, almost matching Adira's paint. The lady warrior crossed her arms in front of her chest, jaw set stubbornly. She certainly didn't look afraid of him, but Varian couldn't bring himself to look away. The others had engaged in conversations of their own, respectfully giving the two their space; polite, yes, but was there danger in that? Was Varian the only one here concerned for her safety? He tried to relax back into Hector's side—stars knew he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon—but he kept his gaze fixed on them.

Kiki purred contentedly, the vibrations traveling up Varian's legs from where the bearcat pressed against him. The warmth and the soothing rumbles teased him with the desire to sleep, but he shook off the feeling.

With a low growl, King Edmund turned away from Adira and strode towards the center of the room. Adira followed him and stood next to the couch where Varian and Hector rested, muttering under her breath.

"I see no other option," the king spoke up. "Hector, can you track the thief?"

"Easy," he answered. "She won't outrun my boys. What's the order?"

Edmund sighed. "If she surrenders, retrieve the Moonstone and bring her back here to face judgment. If she refuses… you know what to do."

Hector released Varian to stand and bow. "Of course."

Rapunzel frowned. "Wait. Are you saying you'll kill her?"

"If she leaves me no other option," Hector answered. "She took our kingdom's most sacred object. She desecrated its resting place. She lied to all of us—and she nearly killed Varian." He scowled, eyes narrowing to slits. "I shoulda killed her at the Great Tree. That was my failing as a knight. Had I just done my job, we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. For that, my king," he continued, bowing to Edmund once more, "I apologize. I won't fail again. Thank you for allowing me the chance to redeem myself."

"You've always been faithful," Edmund replied. "I trust you to finish what you started."

Adira scoffed. "Redeem yourself? For what, not being a murderer? Short Hair hadn't done anything wrong except try to enter the Dark Kingdom."

"An offense punishable by death," the king reminded her.

"And yet you haven't ordered the execution of her friends. You know as well as I that just because someone isn't from here doesn't mean they're our enemies. The Dark Kingdom once had thriving relations with other nations. The princess and her friends came here in a desire to help her people and everyone between her kingdom and ours. And you acknowledged her position and the Moonstone's wishes. Had Hector done as you believe should have been done and killed them as they passed through his domain, then the Moonstone's call would have gone unanswered and we would have paid the price." She turned to Hector. "And you can't honestly have expected to know what Short Hair was planning. You can't blame yourself."

Hector gritted his teeth. "No. Maybe not. But I can blame you."

"Me?"

"I told you what your treachery would bring! I warned you of the danger this—this princess and her entourage would bring! You didn't listen. You never do."

"I always listened, but I never heard you say anything that would serve as an actual solution to the problem," Adira seethed. "In fact, I listened enough to notice how quickly your own words were replaced by Edmund's," the warrior added coolly, her eyes narrowed. Varian gulped, glancing between his aunt and uncle. He'd seen Adira irritated and perturbed on a handful of occasions, but this was different. He sensed there was something deeper drawing out Adira's anger, something beyond the fact that her relatively logical plan was constantly dismissed as treason and insanity.

"I swore an oath to the Moonstone and to my king; I should be agreeing with whatever the wearer of the Dark Kingdom's crown decrees!" Hector snapped.

"Even at the cost of effectively serving those who look to the Brotherhood for protection and security?" Adira countered. "Those who wield the highest levels of political power in any kingdom must adhere to the strictest rules of conduct. I have seen those rules of conduct prohibit good, brave, sacrificial individuals from serving their people in their fullest capacity. Even as knights of the Brotherhood we have more freedom to take action and serve the weaker masses than someone wearing the Dark Kingdom's crown!" The two warriors were now standing face to face and toe to toe, glaring indignantly at one another. Varian wanted to stand and push them apart, remind them that they all needed to work together to stop the Moonstone's threat once and for all. Kiki whimpered softly and snuggled against Varian's legs, as if warning the teen not to throw himself in between the two adults. Riki, who was on the other side of the arguing knights, laid silently on the floor and gazed nervously up at them. Ruddiger pressed himself into Varian's side.

"Those with the most power have the most responsibility and must be held accountable for their actions," Hector growled. "Even knights of the Brotherhood answer to someone of a higher rank, so we don't use our political and combative powers selfishly. Or unwisely."

"And who decides what is or isn't a wise use of power?" Adira hissed. "You and Edmund have done your best to guard the opal and keep away anyone who might abuse its power. You assumed the Moonstone could be contained within the Dark Kingdom, but I have brought proof that that's impossible!" Adira gestured to the Coronans awkwardly staring from several feet away. "If I was the one wearing the Dark Kingdom's crown, I'd be hailed as a hero for taking the risks that I have in the name of protecting my people and the rest of the world. Instead, my actions are demeaned as treason and betrayal because of my status as a knight."

Hector's lips peeled back to bare his fangs as he brought his face within an inch of his sister's. His luminescent eyes gleamed as they bore into Adira's deep brown orbs. "Maybe you shoulda thought of that before you abdicated," he sneered disdainfully.

A moment passed before both warrior's eyes widened, and Hector quickly took a step away from his sister. The tension that had been mounting throughout their argument suddenly dissipated, like a soap bubble unexpectedly popping. Varian grimaced slightly, knowing full well that his uncle had just crossed a very important line.

"Abdicated?" Eugene asked from across the room. Hector, to his credit, refused to look at anyone or say a word in response. "You've been telling us Edmund was the king this whole time - we needed his permission to see the Moonstone and everything."

Adira cast Hector one last betrayed glance before turning to the Coronans. "You did need his permission, and he is the king. The decision to abdicate was not one I took lightly—and I was under the impression that it was a decision my brothers supported."

"I did support you," Hector rasped. "I still do. You make a better knight than you do a queen."

"Thanks, I suppose."

"Wait a minute, Adira…you're a princess? You were in line to rule the Dark Kingdom?" Rapunzel exclaimed. "That's amazing! Why did you abdicate?"

Varian frowned at Rapunzel. She seemed much too cheerful for the current circumstances. "Not everyone likes the idea of ruling," he defended his aunt. Not that she ever needed defending, but the conversation had made her visibly uncomfortable.

Hector seemed all too happy to change the subject. "That thief does. She's got a mind to establish her own dictatorship in Corona. Personally, I couldn't care less about what happens to your kingdom, but I've got a job to do, and the sooner we find her, the better. I'll head out tonight."

Rapunzel clasped her hands in front of her, her obnoxiously bright smile out of place in the gloomy situation. "I think we're all overreacting here! Sure, what happened was… bad, yeah, but I'm sure there's a peaceful solution to this!"

"It's gonna get real peaceful when I deal with her and you weirdos finally leave. Maybe then I can go two minutes without worrying about the kid getting killed. We ain't had a moment's peace since y'all got here."

"I'm fine," Varian snapped. "Don't worry about me. Just let me come with you to find her."

"Absolutely not!" Hector whirled on him. "You are gonna sit right here with King Edmund until I get back."

"I'm not just gonna wait here!" Varian stood. "She's got the Moonstone, and she's out for revenge. She'd kill you or Aunt Adira on sight, but I can talk to her!"

"What makes you think you can?" Eugene demanded.

"Because…" Varian bit his lip. "She's doing this because of me. This is my fault."

A loud ruckus arose from the assembled crowd, Hector and Adira the loudest of all. Their voices overlapped into a melee of "The heck is that supposed to—don't you dare—that little thief is a no-good—blame for this—"

Varian blinked and shook his head. "Quiet!" he snapped. "Seriously, I can't hear myself think."

Hector took a deep breath. "Varian, kiddo, my dear nephew, why the HECK do you think this is your fault?"

His face burned with shame. "Because of what she said. I told you; she's furious at the Coronans, especially the royals. Because of… because of what they did to me. Now she thinks she's some revolutionary who's gonna expose all the corruption in the government and set up her new kingdom. She wants to be some hero for the rejects of society. 'All the people who've suffered under their rule,' or something like that." He hung his head. "If I hadn't been so stupid, none of this would've happened, and she wouldn't be doing this."

"Hey." Hector thumped the top of his head. "We talked about this, Var. None of that crap."

"Yeah," Varian responded placatingly, having no desire to listen to Hector's attempt at a motivational speech he'd memorized already. It didn't make it seem any less like his fault. Not when Cassandra had been Rapunzel's devoted lackey until Varian had been dragged back into their lives against his will at the Great Tree.

"What, if I'd accepted my proper place as her pet alchemist at her beck and call?"

Had Cassandra taken that to heart, decided that she was sick of living in Rapunzel's shadow? That was when she started acting odd, wasn't it?

"My point is," he growled, shoving his negative thoughts aside, "I'm probably the only person she'll let near her. I can try to talk her down."

"And my point is that that's not a risk I'm letting you take," Hector snapped back. "She tried to kill you!"

"No she didn't."

"She shoved you off a cliff! Since she showed up, she ain't been anything but a threat to you."

Varian threw his hands up in frustration. "She saved my life! She didn't mean to hurt me. Then she summoned that rock so I wouldn't die."

"Why are you defending her?"

"I'm not! But she wasn't trying to hurt me!"

"Varian." Hector's voice took on a low hiss. "She stole the Moonstone. Whatever her intentions were, she's officially a threat. Whether she wanted to hurt you or not, she's made herself an enemy of the Dark Kingdom, and that includes you. You wouldn't've been in danger in the first place if it wasn't for her."

"Could you stop hovering for five minutes?" Varian snarled, backing away from the warrior. "I'm not gonna fall apart if you stop looking at me!"

Hector backed up, surprise and hurt flashing in his eyes.

Varian wrapped his arms around himself, casting his gaze to the floor. The words burned as they passed his lips. "It—it doesn't matter what she wanted now. Even if she wanted to hurt me, we still have a job to do. And I'm involved, whether you like it or not." Straightening and tugging at the edges of his sleeves, he growled, "She wanted my help. And I'd never help her. But I can try to talk to her. I am not getting left behind while you go off hunting an unstable, would-be anarchist." He leveled a steely glare at his uncle. "You promised me."

Hector held his stare for several long seconds, the muscles in his jaw twitching. The room went still, not so much as a breath stirring the air. Even Rapunzel's entourage didn't dare interrupt.

Finally, though, Hector closed his eyes and sighed deeply and slowly. "Yeah," he huffed. "I did say that, didn't I? And I can't even say I didn't expect anyone to steal the Moonstone, because I blasted did." His mouth twitched, as if he wanted to smile but couldn't let himself. "Well, if you're gonna learn how to do what we do, a little real-world experience will be good for you."

Adira nodded in agreement. "I don't want you around Short Hair, but I also think you'll be safer with us."

"Cassandra won't hurt anyone," Rapunzel spoke up. She still had that ridiculously bright smile on. "Maybe she's a little upset, but it's not like her! All we have to do is talk to her and see why she did this."

"I already did," Varian reminded her. "She told me exactly why, and she told me what she wants. At least we know where she's going, so we can head her off."

Eugene laughed. "Um, 'we'? I can't help but notice you're awfully quick to go after Cassandra. Varian, kid, I know you don't want to be left here, but maybe you should stay back and let the stabby people deal with her."

"Don't patronize me, Fitzherbert. Now's not the time to start caring about my safety. We have a job to do."

"Technically the Brotherhood has a job to do."

"Yes, and I'll be a member one day. This is as much my responsibility as it is theirs."

King Edmund stepped forward. "Not just 'one day.' Given our precarious situation and the… rather unorthodox state of our military currently, I believe now is the time to officially appoint you as Hector's successor and induct you into the Order of the Brotherhood. I've already spoken with Hector about this. If you're ready, Varian, we'll hold the swearing ceremony."

"Wait, really?" His jaw dropped. "I—I mean, yeah, I—yes, I'm ready!" Hector had already asked the king? When? A fierce blush burned at his face; maybe Hector really did believe in him. Maybe he wasn't trying to be over-protective—his actions in the last hour might have been born of sudden panic, not doubt in Varian's abilities. Lance stood and waved his hands. "Wait, wait, you're joining the Brotherhood? I thought that whole 'successor' thing was more about, like, being an heir or something."

"I am his heir. The heir to his title and place."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Why not?"

His brows drew together. "Varian, I don't mean this to sound insensitive, but you're a child. Are you sure rushing into being a knight is a good idea? You're, what, fifteen? Sixteen?"

"Fifteen." Varian scowled. "This is what I want. I know what I'm doing."

He didn't seem convinced, taking a step closer. "Look, I've known a lot of kids who rush into things because they've been dealt a bad hand. I get that you're worried about Cassandra, but is being a child soldier really your best choice? Maybe you should wait until you're older."

Varian tensed, clenching his fists tightly. "I haven't been a child in a long time," he shot back. "Not since… not since that night."

"That's not true," Hector interrupted. "But either way, it doesn't matter. Knights of the Brotherhood have always been chosen young. You'll continue your training under my instruction until you're older."

"Then it's settled," the king said. "We'll rest tonight and prepare for the ceremony tomorrow. The Moonstone thief can wait until then. Princess, I'll show you and your party to a suite. If you need anything, feel free to ask. And Horace—"

"Eugene."

"Would you allow me to speak with you for a moment?"

"Umm…" Eugene winced. "Maybe tomorrow. I think we're all a little drained right now."

"Ah, of course. I should have known this was an inopportune moment, given that the thief was his friend," Edmund muttered to himself. Varian bit back a laugh at the unamused look on Eugene's face. The princess and her company left with Edmund, leaving the Brotherhood alone.

Varian motioned to Ruddiger, who was growling at Riki. The bearcat had swiped an apple out from under Ruddiger's paws and was now holding it out of reach. "Come on, bud. Let's go."

"Where you off to?" Hector asked.

"I'm gonna keep working on the scroll. See if I can find the missing incantation. Maybe Demanitus wrote a second scroll?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "But why wouldn't he jsut say that? Or is there a second layer to the code I haven't figured out yet? Of course Demanitus would hide a code inside a code; he's a genius."

Hector ruffled his hair. "Get to sleep early. We'll be up at five tomorrow. I'll be in the training halls if you need anything." He turned to go.

"Wait!" Varian grabbed his sleeve. When Hector stopped and looked back at him, he let go and wrapped his arms around himself. "I'm… I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Hector shrugged. "It's fine. I'm sorry I was being suffocating. You're right; you're getting ready to join the Brotherhood. I'm always going to protect you. That's my job. But… I'll try to back off a little if you'll try to be careful. Deal?"

"Deal."

"And while we're in the apologizing mood, Adira, I'm sorry too. I overstepped back there."

"You did," she acknowledged. "I forgive you. But I meant what I said." She started to walk past him, then turned to look him in the eye. "Be careful about blindly doing everything Edmund says. He's a good man, but he's still a man. He's allowed to be wrong. And you're allowed to admit that."

With that parting advice, she disappeared.

O‴O‴O‴

"Dawn" was an abstract concept in the Dark Kingdom, where the difference between day and night was a mere few shades of light. But Hector knew the time instinctively, his return home bringing back years of memory and habit. At half past five, he and Varian slipped out into the barren woods surrounding the kingdom, the younger carrying his bow and dagger and the older weaponless. This was the first part of the ceremonial proceedings; the hunt.

Hector had insisted it was fine if Varian didn't find anything; the Dark Kingdom wasn't what it once was. But Varian seemed determined, moving noiselessly through the forest for hours. If anything happened, he was responsible for protecting them; Hector wouldn't step in.

By nine, Varian was dragging a buck through the front doors.

"I'll get this started," Hector offered, taking the buck. Preparing the spoils of the hunt on the day of the ceremony was the responsibility of the current Brotherhood. "Go get something to eat and meditate for a few hours."

Adira was waiting in the kitchen, examining a set of knives. "I thought we wouldn't get the chance to do this," she admitted, smiling wistfully. "After the kingdom fell, I sort of… gave up on the whole idea. I'm happy for you. Varian's lucky to have you as a mentor."

Hector set to work. "It'll be different for him than it was for us. He'll probably be the last member of the Brotherhood."

"A Brother without siblings," Adira sighed. "I wish he could have had everything we did."

"And we didn't have everything our mentors did. They wanted more for us. Face it. The Dark Kingdom fell long before we realized it."

She scowled, staring at the counter. "I know. Quirin should have told Varian sooner. He should have known about his legacy before it ended."

"He should have been the one to take Varian as a successor," Hector whispered. "It was his right to ask, and he didn't. He just… threw away our history like it was nothing. And after all his talk of 'none of us will be the ones to break the lines of succession.'"

Adira breathed a choked laugh. "He did keep saying that, didn't he?"

"He always was so arrogant."

They looked at each other. Unable to hold back the bitter amusement of the situation, both gave in to the grief-tainted laughter. Hector ran his hands over his braids. "Stars, I miss that pompous jerk."

"Me too."

They returned to work in silence, lost in their thoughts and memories.

O‴O‴O‴

"Varian!"

Varian turned to see King Edmund hurrying toward him. Subtly resting his hand on the hilt of his dagger, he nodded. "Your Majesty."

"I'm glad I was able to find you. How was the hunt?"

"It went well, Your Majesty. I found a buck."

"Excellent! I'm glad you had success." Stroking his mustache, he murmured, "With the way the environment has been affected, I'm surprised the lad found anything."

Varian raised an eyebrow. "Was there something you needed?"

"Ah, yes!" He nodded. "I'd like your help. Follow me." He started down a hall. Varian looked around for a moment before following, trailing a safe distance behind him.

Up a flight of stairs, through a foyer, up some more stairs, and finally into a storage room they entered. Varian stood by the door and waited while the king opened a large box. The sides fell away to reveal a machine inside.

He stepped forward, curiosity piqued, but kept between the king and the door.

"I want to surprise Hector and Adira," Edmund explained. "They haven't been to the Dark Kingdom in many years, and I hoped to offer them something special during the ceremony this evening. This machine is the perfect answer, but it broke several years ago. Do you think you could fix it? Hector says you're good with machines."

He nodded. "I'm an engineer, but I haven't worked with machinery in about a year. I can try, though. What does it do?"

Edmund smiled—not cold and calculating, like Varian expected, or distracted and silly. It was warm and fond, as if there were a part of him that truly cared about Hector and Adira like family. He explained the machine and what he wanted to do with it.

Varian grinned. "I think I can get it working. Give me a few hours."

"Excellent! Wait, don't you need time to meditate?"

He grabbed a toolbox from a corner shelf. "This is close enough. And I should have plenty of time. Can you find Ruddiger for me? He should be in our rooms. Or in the pantry."

"Of course."

Varian slid underneath the machine, where Edmund had pointed out the suspected problem. Without his alchemical solutions, he was forced to rely on a candle. Inefficient, but it would do. He twisted his head uncomfortably to the right to get a better look. "Okay, so this belt here connects to this… And that bar is out of place…"

The tools in his hand were a familiar, comforting weight. He fell back into his old rhythms easily, muttering to himself as he worked.

O‴O‴O‴

Hector found Varian in their living room, legs crossed and eyes closed. Ruddiger sat nearby, staring at the Demanitus Scroll—which had magically sealed itself together when Varian placed the pieces next to each other, much to the young scientist's dismay—as if he could read what was written. Maybe he could. The raccoon was suspiciously intelligent at times, and Hector would not be a bit surprised if Varian taught him how to read.

Gently, he tapped the boy's head. Varian blinked in surprise, twisting his head to see as he reached for his dagger. Hector quickly stepped in front of him. He hadn't meant to approach from the right. "Sorry. Time to get ready."

Varian stood. "Where's Aunt Adira?"

"She was getting some things ready. She'll be here in a few minutes. Now, do you remember our talks about your fighting style and weapons?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. As you keep training, you'll continue developing your own style. You don't have to make any decisions on what kind of fighter you'll be today. Adira's bringing up some weapons and outfits she found that you might like. You can choose something that suits you."

Varian held up a pair of gloves. "I started working on something. Want to see?" He looked up at Hector hopefully.

"Of course."

Varian slid the gloves on, metallic ribbing standing out against the back of his hands. "I had a few hours earlier to work on them. I took the idea from the ones you got me. When I was fighting Cassandra, they bent my hands backwards a little bit too much because her armor is too hard to cut through. So these have extra reinforcement on the back of the hands and the fingers. I made the claws longer, too." He tapped his fingers together, summoning his claws. "What do you think?"

"Hmm." Hector inspected the claws. "It's a good idea. They'll be a little heavier this way; you'll need to adjust to the added weight. Consider adding some kind of brace to your wrist, too. And if you really want something to stand against that armor, I can see if we have any rock fragments laying around."

"Awesome!"

The door opened, and Adira came in, carrying a chest. "I found some things in storage."

They opened the chest and started digging through it. Hector laid the clothes out in a neat line. Adira had grabbed an assortment of anything that looked to be the right size and was in relatively decent condition.

"Take a look-see, kid. Anything that stands out?" He stood and gestured to the clothes.

They spent ten minutes selecting an outfit and a few spares. Once Hector could get his hands on some fabric, he'd make some identical outfits so Varian could have a consistent look. In the end, Varian settled on two he liked and went to change into one. Hector took the second, wrapped it up, and placed it in Varian's bag. He also picked up a new staff from the pile of weapons. His nephew tended to prefer weapons without sharp edges—whether from bad experience or a misplaced sense of mercy towards his opponents, Hector didn't know. He'd picked up on the staff lessons far more quickly than he had swords or daggers, though he carried both anyway.

To his surprise, Varian also chose two short swords that rested in sheathes on his back. Adira nodded her approval. To complete his look, she pressed a small jar of blue paint into his hand.

Hector offered one last gift: a set of miniature leather armor he had made for the bearcats when they were kits. It had only taken a few minutes for his younger self to realize that the binturongs would refuse to wear it. It fit Ruddiger perfectly, and he preened happily in front of the mirror as he studied the arm and leg braces. A leather strap ran down the length of his spine and looped around his shoulders and waist: supple enough to allow easy movement, but thick enough to protect him should he be thrown into anything.

They finished up their preparations as the sky grew a few shades darker. Leaving the rooms, they traveled down to the chamber where the Moonstone formerly rested. The princess, her friends, and their animals waited in the antechamber, the wreckage of statues littering the ground. The horse that belonged to Cassandra held her head low and didn't look up when the Brotherhood arrived. It couldn't be easy for the poor girl right now. Riki, Kiki, and Kubwa would be devastated if Hector ever betrayed them and left them behind like that.

A soft murmur of surprise spread through the assembly as they Brotherhood stepped into view. Hector didn't blame them; the outfit Varian had chosen was striking. Black leather boots with silver embellishments, black pants, blue bands looping up his lower left leg and upper right, and a knife strapped to his right calf. A deep storm-gray tunic with blue accenting around the hem, collared neckline, and shoulders. A leather belt held his dagger, and the straps to his sword sheaths looped around his shoulders. His mended maroon cloak with silver fur latched in front of his throat with a Brotherhood clasp. Black gloves and gray leather bracers covered his hands and forearms. His hair had grown out in the last few months, and Hector had braided it. Three lines of blue paint started underneath his blind right eye and trailed down towards his jawline.

Most eye-catching, though, was the fact that his tunic was sleeveless, leaving his scarred, burned arms bare.

O‴O‴O‴

"Are you ready?" King Edmund asked from the doorway to the chamber.

Varian nodded, shifting from foot to foot. "I am," he answered past the breath caught in his throat.

Lance took a step forward. "Varian, buddy, are you absolutely sure of this? You're not rushing into it, and you don't feel pressured into it?"

"I'm sure, Lance. Trust me."

The man sighed. "I don't support your decision, but I respect it."

Varian's determined expression settled into a small smile. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry if I was being a little pushy or overprotective."

"It's okay. I appreciate your concern. And I did meditate on what you said so I could make sure this was what I wanted."

"Oh." Lance blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah. Thanks for, uh… thanks for caring, I guess."

The king opened the doors to the chamber. "Let's begin."

Hector, Adira, and Varian followed him. Eugene kissed Rapunzel's hands and whispered a promise to tell her everything he saw—outsiders were forbidden from witnessing the ceremony, but as the king's son, he was expected to attend. He fidgeted nervously with the purple heirloom gem, the symbol of the Dark Kingdom's royal family, that held his fur cloak as he followed the Brotherhood.

The Moonstone chamber was dark, the glow from the Moonstone snuffed out in the wake of the thief's betrayal. The king had placed torches by the entrance to alleviate the shadows. Wreckage of the black rocks, sliced to pieces by Adira's blade, littered the small bridge that crossed the cavern. At the far end, the Moonstone's pedestal sat empty and surrounded by a circle of sharp rocks.

"Without the Moonstone here, it's hard to say if your oath will be binding," the king said.

"Binding?" Varian asked.

"Magically binding. The oath of service links you to the Moonstone, and it in turn grants gifts such as longevity. The Moonstone sees to her own as they see to her." He winked. "There are many secrets surrounding our kingdom that one only learns after they take their oath, so they may best serve. You will discover some and be taught others."

They picked their way across the bridge. Eugene and King Edmund stood to the right of the pedestal. Hector and Adira stood to the left. Varian knelt facing the empty pillar. His father had knelt here so many years ago, a feral boy and an ex-princess by his side, taking the same oath that he was now preparing to take. The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

"In accordance with the traditions of the Dark Kingdom," King Edmund began, "we gather today to induct a new member into the Order of the Brotherhood. Varian, son of Sir Quirin, son of Lord Enlin and Lady Katerina, are you prepared to take your sacred oath?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Enlin and Katerina; were those his grandparents?

"Who speaks for this lad?"

Hector stepped forward. "I do, Your Majesty."

"Sir Hector, are you prepared to take this young knight as your successor and sword-son, to continue his training, to teach him the ways of the Brotherhood, and to one day pass your position on to him?"

"I am."

King Edmund turned back to Varian. "The oath you are taking is a solemn promise, both to the Moonstone and the people of the Dark Kingdom. It is not to be entered into lightly. It binds you to a lifetime of service and sacrifice. Has your mentor instructed you in the responsibilities it entails, and is this sacrifice one you are willing to make?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Then give your oath."

This was it. Through the dryness of his mouth, he rasped, "I, Varian, son of Quirin, do pledge my life, sword, and service to the Moonstone. I swear to protect it from harm and to protect my people from the harm it can cause. I will keep its power from the wrong hands. With my weapons, I will defend. With my hands, I will build. With my soul, I will honor. I will follow the code of conduct for a member of the Brotherhood, and I will observe the path laid for me by those who came before me. In life, I will keep this sacred oath, and in death, I will make my sacrifice for my cause. This I swear in the presence of the king, the Brotherhood, and the Moonstone."

He hadn't been sure about adding that last part, but Adira had insisted it was customary. They had no procedure for this particular situation.

As he finished speaking, the pedestal in front of him glowed softly. The gleam grew brighter, the platform, bridge, and even the stone walls joining the mournful brilliance. Shudders of light rippled across the room, pouring from every rock in an eerie dance.

The Brotherhood gaped in surprise, staring wide-eyed at the sight. "The Moonstone…" Hector murmured.

"She hears you," Adira finished. "The oath is binding."

King Edmund nodded. "Then… as king of the Dark Kingdom, I name you Sir Varian, Knight of the Order of the Brotherhood. Long may you serve."

He bent down and picked up a small box. "Sir Hector, step forward and take the shard."

Hector took the box from the king and opened it. Then he knelt in front of Varian, taking from the box a small jar of ink, a pen, and two rods. He closed the lid and placed each item on the floor. From there, Varian could see that the smaller of the two rods had a thin sliver of black rock fixated to the end at a right angle.

The older warrior reached for the pen, but his hand paused above it. Varian looked up at him to see a flash of uncertainty in his eyes. His brows knit in worry.

"It's okay," Varian whispered. There was only one reason Hector would hesitate over this, when he had been so sure before. "Just do it."

"It's going to hurt," Hector warned.

"It's okay," he repeated. "It's not like that. Don't worry."

Hector nodded and took a breath. "'Kay." He motioned for Varian to take his glove off and place his hand on the box; then he dipped the pen in the ink and, with swift and practiced perfection, drew the symbol of the Brotherhood on the back of Varian's right hand. Then he dipped his finger in the ink and touched the rock shard with it. Lining the shard up with the symbol, he took the thicker rod and began to carefully tap the back of the thin one so the rock pierced the skin.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, the rock punctured over and over and over again. Varian forced himself not to flinch at the stinging; breaking Hector's concentration might cause him to slip. Once it was done, Hector took a cloth, poured a bit of water from a canteen over it, and wiped the excess ink and blood away.

"It'll be sore for a while," he warned. "Don't do anything reckless till it heals."

Varian nodded. He couldn't look away from the mark on the back of his hand, laying overtop a myriad of scars—and yet somehow this thin circle of ink, yet another mark on his skin, made it look so much better.

O‴O‴O‴

If Varian had to compare the celebration to anything, it felt like the harvest festivals he used to attend in Old Corona—just much smaller. The difference this time was that instead of sitting off to the side and reading while occasionally making small talk with some of the town elders, he was the reason for the goodwill.

In a way, it was satisfying. All he wanted in the past was to help people, to make them happy. Now he had. His aunt and uncle, and even the king, grinned and laughed and chatted with each other with a new light in their eyes. Even the former tension between Adira and Edmund had faded into the twilight. In a night, the clock turned back almost thirty years, showing a fragment of a glimpse into the Dark Kingdom of his family's past.

Both the Brotherhood and the Coronans gathered in a large banquet hall. Tapestries lined the walls, detailing histories and victories of centuries past. Torches rested on pillars, sending flickering beams across the hall. On the table sat the prey from the hunt, along with other foods: eggs and tomatoes, cranberries, loaves of bread, slices of cheese and flatbreads, fruit tarts, steamed cabbage, honey cakes, and rice. Mugs of spiced apple cider sat by the plates. Varian had fallen asleep before Hector and Adira returned to the rooms last night; they must have stayed up late preparing all this. And some of the foods had been brought from outside the castle; the only way to get much of it would be to travel a few days away and get it from a local village. When had Hector spoken to the king about letting Varian make his oath? It must have been shortly after they arrived.

They clustered at the far end of the long table, with an unspoken truce to put aside their animosity for one night. Rapunzel admired Varian's new tattoo, tactfully keeping her mouth shut about the other "decorations" on his hand. Lance spoke with the Brotherhood freely, his former kindness to Varian allowing him to conversate with them without receiving the narrowed eyes and sharp undertones that the others got. Aside from one hissed "flirt with my sister again, and they'll have to start writing your name in past tense," of course.

Riki and Kiki scarfed down their share of the food quickly, licking their paws. Then they padded up to Hector, whining pitifully. He rolled his eyes and tossed a scrap of meat to them. Artemis, who had perched regally on Varian's shoulder and watched the bearcats with detached aloofness, swooped down and snatched the meat out of midair. She landed on the fireplace and held up the food, cocking her head jauntily as the offended companions snarled and jumped at her. Diving off the mantle, she flew over the table and dropped her stolen prize to Ruddiger, who abandoned his apple tart for the more delectable chance to mess with the bearcats. He scampered up the back of Hector's chair and chittered mockingly, tossing the food back to Artemis as Kiki's teeth snapped inches away from his leg. Their game of keep-away lasted a few more seconds, before Hector barked a command and threw them another cut.

Partway through the evening, King Edmund nodded to Varian, who slipped away silently. Behind a pillar, he'd hidden the machine. He wheeled it out into the open and placed it near the head of the table. The king cleared his throat loudly. "In honor of tonight's ceremony, Sir Varian and I decided something special would be in order for Hector and Adira. You have our young mechanic to thank for this. Varian, if you would…"

Hector and Adira exchanged confused glances and muttered questions. "I didn't know," Hector whispered. "What, you think I watch him every second?"

Varian tapped a few buttons, and a cylinder on the machine began to rotate. From there came a steady beating like a drum. The sound of a deep horn crooned a haunting melody, something ancient and deep. Varian had never heard anything like it back in Corona and had been enthralled when he tested the machine for the first time. The music continued, singers and instruments joining the refrain as it grew louder. A rhythmic chant in another language—one that Hector sometimes sang (and often muttered) in—echoed the drumming as the melody of the violin swelled.

As the song continued, Adira's mouth fell open in shock. She looked like she'd seen a ghost—in a way, maybe she had. Hector turned his gaze to the ceiling, leaning back in his chair as unshed tears glimmered in the corners of his eyes. "How did you do this?" he demanded, his voice gravelly.

"It's a pretty simple device," Varian explained. "I can't believe I didn't think of it. The cylinder is made of a soft material, so when you put a needle to it, it wiggles back and forward and up and down so it records the noise. Then you just put the needle back on it to let it replay."

"We recorded the songs years ago," the king added. "Varian fixed the machine so we could hear the music of our culture once more."

Adira leaped up from her chair and held a hand out to Hector. "Dance with me!"

"What?!"

"Dance with me," she repeated. "We haven't danced in years!"

He shook his head, smiling wanly. "Not since our ceremony." Taking her hand, he stood. The two of them bowed to each other—and then drew their swords. The Coronans gasped in alarm but wisely said nothing, watching to see what would happen.

The warriors stamped their feet in time with the beat of the music, twisting around each other in a pattern almost too fast to follow. Their swords flashed in the torchlight, clashing against each other and breaking apart only to clash again. If Varian hadn't seen them spar repeatedly, he almost would have been concerned. Their dance grew faster and their blows struck harder as the music picked up the pace.

As the machine struck up a new song, Adira motioned for Varian to join them. They showed him how to position his feet and guided him through the steps. His short blade rang as it slid against Hector's. He stumbled through the dance, tripping over both his feet and theirs, laughing all the while.

"Princess, you dance, right?" Adira asked.

Rapunzel's eyes widened. "I do, but I've never done anything like that," she admitted.

"Come. I'll teach you."

She clasped her hands over her heart. "I would be honored to learn! I don't know how to use a sword, though."

"Don't worry; not all of our dances are done with swords." Adira winked. "Just the fun ones."

They danced long into the night, Adira managing to convince the others to join them. The Brotherhood sang along to the music as they spun and weaved, Varian and the Coronans stumbling to keep up with their fast-paced movements. Song after song flew by, some light and airy and others sounding like a precursor to war. They danced until their feet ached. Then they pulled chairs around the fireplace, and the king recited tales of the knights of centuries past.

In the warmth of the fire, panting softly from exhaustion, Varian found his head sagging against Hector's shoulder. As the senior members of the Brotherhood took turns telling stories, his eyelids drooped lower. At some point during the evening, he felt Hector stand and pull him to his feet, heard gentle goodnights, and leaned against his uncle as they left the room.

O‴O‴O‴

Hector pulled Varian's cloak further around his shoulders as the chill night wind brushed against their faces. As if the sky itself wanted to celebrate, the clouds had parted, offering a rare view of the stars. They settled on one of the balconies, leaning against each other—even the reserved Adira joined them. Kiki and Riki curled around them, purring and nudging Varian's hands carefully to receive head scritches.

I missed this. I forgot how much I missed this.

"They would be proud," Adira whispered. "Our sword-parents. They'd be proud."

He shrugged. "Talya would have loved him. I wish she coulda met him."

"She'd be proud of you, too."

He turned to meet her gaze, which was full of sincerity. "You think?"

"Give me some credit. I know she was always proud of you."

Hector looked down at Varian, who yawned. "Big day for you, kid. We'll go in soon."

"'Kay," he mumbled back.

He had a successor. Despite knowing he was going to do this, despite the days spent teaching Varian their customs and traditions and the discussion he'd held with the king where he formally asked permission to appoint his nephew, the thought still made him shiver.

What the dickens was he thinking? He didn't know how to be a mentor! Sure, Varian hadn't died yet, but did that mean he was capable of not only raising a child, but also teaching him how to not die when Hector wasn't there to save him?

Varian trusted him, though. He must have done something right. Varian trusted him enough to let him teach him, to put his life in his hands, even to let him take a shard of black rock to his hand—and if that wasn't nerve-wracking as the dickens, tracing the ink in a precise pattern, hurting him… Talya's hands hadn't shaken when she tattooed him. She hadn't hesitated. Hector had known what he was doing, had prepared for it; but something about intentionally causing Varian any pain, especially considering it wasn't a spar or a training session, sat painfully in his chest. He'd done it, though, and Varian was fine.

Varian yawned again, stretching and curling up closer to Hector. Crap, the kid was so young; had they been this young when they joined? They had, yes, but at least they'd been a bit bigger than him. He wrapped an arm around his nephew. "Hey. I'm proud of you, kid."

"Thanks, Dad."

A shock like lightning surged through him, straight to his heart. It took every ounce of restraint he possessed to keep from jerking in surprise. Waves of heat scorched his skin, replaced immediately with an impossible cold that sank all the way to his bones. He wanted to scream. He wanted to laugh. To cry. To throw up. To grab this kid—his kid—and spin him around and strangle him in a bear hug. To run far away, leave Varian behind and disappear into the woods because what was he thinking he wasn't a dad—how could he possibly replace his brother in Varian's eyes?

He didn't do any of that. Instead, he pulled Varian closer, wrapping his own cloak around him as his kid's eyes slid shut, blissfully unaware of what he'd just said. "Yeah… no problem, kiddo."

Hector, the entirety of this fic: my kid
Varian: my dad
Hector: * has stopped working*

A few notes on the worldbuilding: Firstly, the idea of the purple gem being the symbol of the DK's royalty was Portal's genius; she noticed only the king and queen were only ever seen wearing it, unless our memory betrays us. Secondly, I had to do some research on tattooing for this chapter, since heck if I know anything about it XD. I'm not sure of all the different types, but this method was used by Fang Od, a traditional Filipino artist.

As always, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Thank you and God bless!