Vardaros. A city without a kingdom and a place without law and order…well, that is, until a certain bright-eyed princess and her feisty companions showed up. Now, Cassandra noted as she rode into town, things were much more joyous. It had been two long weeks of travel since leaving Corona and she was more than happy to be able to locate lodgings that she didn't have to share with wild animals. Bears, skunks, raccoons, and squirrels had all been major pains to her. But she relied on her wilderness training and managed to make it unscathed.

Every single day, she'd written a new letter to Rapunzel. Sending them through the transport bottle was the easy part. She'd draft her composition, send it on its way, and then receive a return letter in the same bottle. Of course, since she was constantly moving, she had to tell Rapunzel exactly where she was in every single letter. That was the difficult part because wide swaths of forest are extremely prone to become directionally challenging. But she relied on her maps, her compass, and Owl to help guide her. Thankfully, she'd received all of Rapunzel's return mail.

She had yet to write her on this day, preferring to wait until she was able to sit at an actual desk. Once in town, she made arrangements to obtain such a spot. The hotel was simplistic, yet welcoming, as were the staff who worked there. It was a rather interesting place, with ceilings that didn't take themselves too seriously, but didn't scrimp on design, either. There was a small staircase leading up to where the rooms were and a comfortable looking dining area. Normally, Cassandra didn't take time to notice such things. However, seeing that she was in no hurry, she decided to stop and smell the roses; or, as Rapunzel would put it, enjoy the fun at her feet.

Once let into her room, she was able to unpack and settle in. She planned to spend two or three days in Vardaros, exploring the town and reuniting with some old friends. Though she was definitely excited about these prospects, she was also exercising caution. This was still Vardaros and her previous experience hadn't been too pleasant. Even with the reinstallation of Captain Quaid as sheriff, she still didn't truly trust the place. The people were definitely friendlier than last time. However, even the nicest things can overshadow a darkness within. She knew that from personal experience.

But before she could deal with that, she had a letter to write. So, she excitedly dug out her journal, a quill, and an inkwell. She sat down at the small desk on the opposite side of the room and began writing…

Dear Rapunzel,

I cannot believe it's already been two weeks since we parted. I've made it to Vardaros and I'm expecting to see Quaid and Vex again. The town's made a lot of improvements in the meantime. It's starting to look like the happening, joyous place full of atmosphere that Eugene and Lance first made it out to be. There are actual colors on the buildings, Raps. Colors! I know that I'm not one to comment on aesthetics, but some of them are really quite stunning. There's a definite 'Rapunzel' influence here. Tons of purples and blues and greens and yellows. I mean, it's almost like someone took your personal color wheel and then tossed it everywhere. But it all makes sense…much like you. A little crazy, a little scattered…yet sensible, beautiful, and warm. Wow. Did I really just write that? I guess I'm getting in touch with my emotions out here. Seriously, though. I really mean it, Raps. I miss you more than I can say. I miss Corona and Eugene and Pascal and…everything. I wish with all my heart that you were making this journey with me, but I know I have my destiny and you have yours. It's time for me to chase mine in the right way.

I love you, Raps.

Your sister,

Cass

She had taken to signing her letters as a sibling, for that was what she and Rapunzel truly were. They were best friends, fierce rivals, and close confidantes. Considering both of them had been through hell with Gothel as a mother, Cassandra felt it appropriate. She remembered, with a smile, how excited Rapunzel's return letter had been after receiving the first "sisterly" letter. Raps had poured her heart out, explaining how often she'd longed for Cass to refer to her in that way. The whole thing had brought Cass to tears. Out of all the return mail she'd received so far, that had been her absolute favorite. It held a special place within her saddlebag, in a tube of her own making.

—

After dinner, she decided to head over and try and meet Captain Quaid and Vex, his deputy. The tough sheriff and his no-nonsense partner had certainly done a lot to clean up Vardaros in just two years' time. Cassandra had read news reports back in Corona of just how much Vardaros had changed in terms of crime. It was said that thievery had dropped 98% and other, more ghastly crimes had plummeted even further. Quaid and Vex had everything well in hand…or so the stories went. But Cassandra didn't quite trust that everything was so hunky dory. Things almost seemed to be going too well and she needed to hear things straight from the dynamic duo.

"Hello? Quaid? Vex?" She called as she knocked on the sheriff's office door.

"Cassandra?" A familiar voice rang back when the door opened. "Is that really you?"

Cassandra smiled. The voice belonged to Deputy Vex who, by this time, had grown into a teenager. Gone were her straight braids and short stature. She'd gotten much taller and her hair carried no distinguishable style, plummeting off her head down around her shoulders. The uniform she wore was blue, with a vest made of cowhide, leather chaps down her legs, and boots with bright silver spurs. She looked both extremely professional, yet fitting with the town's wild, gritty atmosphere.

"Yep, it's me," Cassandra said.

"Hey, Cap!" Vex called out. "We've got a visitor!"

From the shadows, Captain Quaid emerged and smiled at Cassandra. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite cynic."

"It's good to see you too, Captain," Cassandra said. "Mind if I come in for a minute? I really need to see you."

"Of course, of course!" Quaid said enthusiastically. "Please come right in."

Cassandra followed the two law people inside and took a look around. The office was rather nice and appeared to have undergone a recent refurbishment. It was clean, well organized, and showcased many of the adventures that Quaid and Vex had shared. Cassandra saw posters of wanted criminals that the two had worked to bring to justice. She couldn't help but chuckle at some of their names: Wild-Eyed Bart, Saddle Slim, and Brother Bash. They were so crazily unorthodox that, for a split second, she wondered if they'd actually been real. But then she remembered who stood in the office with her and the amount of trust she had in them.

"So…Brother Bash, eh?" She asked, pointing to the poster of a rather gargantuan human being with a scar running across his face.

Quaid chuckled. "Yeah, Brother Bash. His real name's Bartholomew, but everyone calls him Brother Bash. He was a handful."

"He robbed three stagecoaches and fifteen solo riders all in one week!" Vex exclaimed. "If I weren't on the right side of the law, I'd be impressed."

"That's certainly something," Cass said before turning back to the two. "Look, I didn't just come here to ask about old criminals. I came here because I was…"

"-banished," Quaid cut in. "Sorry for the interruption, Cassandra, but word travels fast."

"So…all of Vardaros knows?"

"Mm…some of them do. Since it's not Vardaros news, I guess a lot of them tune it out."

"The thing is…I'm not looking at this as a banishment. It's a chance for me to chase my destiny in the right way. But I promised Rapunzel that I'd stop in and see how the people we saw on our journey are faring. From what I can see, Vardaros is holding up pretty well. I guess the stories of diminishing crime are all true."

Quaid's eyes cast downward. "For the most part, yes. Unfortunately, we're in the throes of a fight that we just can't seem to untangle ourselves from."

"Fight?" Cass asked with concern in her eyes. "With whom?"

Quaid opened his mouth to answer when, suddenly, the doors to the office flew open and a frantic man rushed in. Even though darkness had settled on the city, Cassandra could still see the fear and panic in his face. His teeth were grinding together and he was bleeding from cuts on his lip and ear. Dirt covered his clothes and one of his pant legs had been torn around the knee. Within this rift another gash presented itself, bleeding profusely.

"Carl!" Quaid exclaimed, rushing over to where the man stood. "What happened? Who did this?"

"It's the Ambrosian Gang!" Carl exclaimed. "They've returned!"