Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The crunch of gears followed him through the dark, groaning and creaking with effort as the machine lumbered after him. There was no cover in this forest. The trees were spindly and thin, many cut through with the sinister tips of black rocks. Varian wove through them clumsily, his panic making him desperate. What was happening? He no longer had automatons, where had this one risen from? Why was it after him? 

He yelled in surprise as he tripped, barely missing the machine’s arm as it swung past him and took down a tree with a thunk. He rolled into his back, his eyes wild. It was bearing down on him, blocking the canopy and filling his vision. “No! No, please! Stop!” 

Varian bolted upright in his chair, chest heaving as he covered his face with trembling hands. The nightmares hadn’t come in years, having subsided after his stint in the castle dungeons. The automatons must have been rusting away somewhere. He didn’t know. He didn’t care. 

Ruddiger chirped at him worriedly, his little paws patting at Varian’s chin. He brushed him away gently, stumbling to his feet. He’d fallen asleep at the table and his body protested, cracking loudly as he stretched. The automatons...the things he’d done..:that was in the past. He wanted them in the past, forgotten mistakes left where they belonged. He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest protectively. 

Ruddiger chirped at him again from the table and the sound was answered distantly by the stirring sounds of morning, bugs quieting as the birds began to wake. The sun was just rising and casting the ethereal blue across the fields. Varian frowned as he leaned out a window. It was strange to be up this early but the faint shake he could still feel in his body told him he definitely wouldn’t be going back to sleep anytime soon. 

“Everything’s blue.” He  rubbed his arms and looked down at Ruddiger. “I think we should have a drink before we get to work today. Tea or coffee?” The raccoon leapt to his shoulder, rubbing his face into Varian’s cheek. “Yeah, tea is good. Mom always said it was calming.” He patted Ruddiger as he glanced at the fireplace. He’d let the wood run out again. One of the housekeeping tasks that he tended to forget about. He lifted the latch, talking to Ruddiger without bothering to look back at him. “Give me a second. Grab the tin, will you? And the su...gar?” 

He froze mid-step, one hand still on the door. There was someone outside. They were sitting next to the small woodpile in front of the house. A hood hid them from view and Varian’s eyes darted between the figure and the ax leaning against their leg. Slowly, he backed up. There weren’t many other houses around since he was outside of Old Corona. Nobody ever stopped there. Even if they did why would they be messing around with his ax? 

What if they were an ax murderer?

He chided himself almost immediately. What a thing to jump to! Maybe they were just taking a break and moved the ax? Yeah that made sense. More than ax murderer did anyway. Then again, he was outside of town. Things like that weren’t unheard of. He couldn’t be too careful. Silently, he felt beside the door for his satchel. Maybe there was something he could use to drive them away. At the very least he could throw some impressive smoke clouds. 

Ruddiger darted between his legs suddenly. Varian jerked in surprise, stumbling into the door frame. Panic sieved him. Ruddiger was his friend, his only company, he couldn’t let anything happen to him! He sprinted toward the figure, reaching uselessly out for the raccoon. Ruddiger had already reached it and leapt into their lap, chittering excitedly. A voice laughed softly and a feminine hand ruffled his ears. Varian stumbled to a stop, just managing to keep himself from plowing into the figure as she turned to look up at him.

“Cassandra!!”

“Uh, good morning? You okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah. I was ...um, what’re you doing here this time of uh morning.” His words spilled out of him in his surprise, and when the corner of Cassandra’s mouth quirked up in amusement he felt his face flush. It didn’t seem to escape her notice.

“Calm down. I saw you haven’t been keeping up with your firewood again. There’s still a few weeks of winter you know. Are you two planning to freeze?” He nodded toward the wood she’d been working on. Varian planted his hands on his hips, annoyed. 

“Of course not! I was waiting until I actually needed more.”

“Uh huh. Pretty sure that wood is what I chopped the last time I was here.” He followed her gaze to the wood piled next to the house. It had been there for a while, but hadn’t he used more than that? Things got away from him when he got too focused but surely he’d have realized how cold they were. Then again, he’d started catching himself sniffling a lot. Maybe he could use more fires. 

He wasn’t going to admit it, of course. “Did you come all the way out here to judge my firewood consumption?”

“Of course. And I was heading into Corona for a visit and thought I’d say hello.”

“Really.” A little warm rose in his cheeks. Nothing much happened out there and that was how he liked it, but really who turn down a visit from a friend like Cassandra? “I’m glad you did. We’ve just been working on stuff.” Ruddiger slunk his way onto Cassanadra’s shoulder and chirped at Varian. “Including some tea. You want to come in and warm up?”

Ruddiger stuck his nose in her ear and she laughed, pushing his head away gently. “That sounds good. I have some cookies that would be good with it.” 

“Cookies? I never took you as a sweets girl, Cass.” He lead the way back, picking up a few pieces of firewood along the way. 

“Come on, everyone likes cookies.” Once inside, she looked around the room, moving some papers to make room at the table. Varian didn’t speak as he lit the fire and set the kettle on. As long as he’d known Cass, even after outgrowing the crush he’d had as a kid, he still felt self conscious around her. Something about the watchful way her eyes tended to follow him. Or the way she never quite relaxed as if she were ready to spring into action at any time. She was full of edges and it made him nervous in ways that weren’t always unpleasant. 

Her eyes were on his back when he turned to her, as he’d thought they would be. She had her chin propped on her hand, other hand stroking carefully along Ruddiger’s back. Unabashedly, she smiled. “What’ve you been doing that’s kept you so busy? Or is it too technical?”

“It’s not, really.” He gestured around the cottage. It was mostly one room with a smaller area sectioned off as a lab area. He didn’t need much room and it was welcoming in a cluttered, cozy kind of way. “I haven’t started building it yet, just sketching some thoughts out, you know? I’ve been wondering if I could run a series of pipes around the walls. Maybe fill them with water or something and Route part of it through the fireplace. If I’m right then that should heat the water and cause it to spread along the pipes. I think it would heat more than just the area around the fireplace.” He pushed his hair back, eyes dancing along imagined pipes on the walls with excitement. “Of course there would be steam to worry about if the water heats too much. I’ll have to figure out a way to release the pressure regularly but I also want it to be something you don’t have to mess with a lot, you know?” Beaming, he looked to Cass expectantly. “I‘ll probably get to make some valves!”

“That’s a good idea.” She picked up a paper from the table, one of the sketches Varian had mentioned. “If you worked out the details a lot of people would be interested in something like that.”

“No, I don’t think so.” The kettle was whistling but he didn’t seem to hear it. “People still don’t really like a lot of the stuff I build.”

“They should. But I guess their memories are too long.” His brow furrowed, his eyes downcast as he thought about it. “Varian. The tea?”

“Tea?” He made an annoyed face at her. “What’re you- oh! The tea!” He laughed it off but even she could see the tension that took over him. He retrieved the pot l, thanking Ruddiger as the raccoon scurried away to fetch some small cups. They fell into a thoughtful silence as he poured their drinks. 

It wasn’t often that either of them spoke of their time opposing Corona and the crown. The rare occasion that it did come up, often it was only the two of them. There was something awful shared between them. Regret, shame, fear that the peace they were experience was short lived. It had been a few years since Cassandra had given up the moonstone and left Corona. Still, people whispered. They stared. Newer people in town avoided her completely. It was the same for Varian, although her more recent actions had overshadowed his somewhat. There were still some people who were wary of the alchemist and anything he built, even though he often made things for the royal family themselves. Even if his heating system worked perfectly chances were good that few would want anything to do with it. Machinery from Varian was just not something they were ready for. 

It was a shame. Cassandra had no patience for learning and puzzling but Varian excelled at it. As far as she was concerned the young man should have been an asset to Corona. The thought made her scowl. 

“Wow. So serious.” Varian made an exaggeratedly serious face at her, wiggling his eyebrows. “You should stop thinking and give me a cookie.”

“Sorry, I was just- you know.” She sighed, passing him her bag so he could dig them out himself.

“Mm,  they smell spicy! Did you make them?” He pulled the wrapped cookies out and tossed the bag back to Cass. “You should give me the recipe.”

“I bought them a couple towns back. If I can find the shop again I’ll ask about it for you.” She took the cookie he held out to her and dipped it in her tea, savoring the way the spices mixed with the earthy flavor. They fell silent again, Varian wearing an intense expression. 

“I know there’s clove. And anise. I don’t know where I’d get ahold of those, though. Maybe I could make it artificially.”

“Hey Varian?”

“I’m sure dad would lend me flour and stuff. I’m going to put in my own garden but the ground is still pretty hard for tilling…”

“Varian.”

“It might take some experimenting to get the amounts right but at least that won’t blow up, right?” He chuckled, faltering when Cassandra didn’t join in. She was looking at him appraisingly. “What?”

“Are you really okay?” She looked uncomfortable with the question. He knew she wasn’t the best at feelings and Having Talks and although he wasn’t sure what prompted the question the concern was appreciated.

“Sure I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”  She stared at him, her eyebrows drawing together as if she couldn’t figure him out. They looked at each other for a long moment before Varian began to fidgeting uncomfortably. “Okay. I may not be sleeping that great but in my defense no one would when they doze off at a table every other night.” Her eyes drifted across the room, to the little alcove in the wall were his bed was tucked. It was more like a nest with all the blankets Varian used to stave off the winter air. 

“Because you’ve been working on the...the water pipes?” she asked unsurely. He nodded firmly.

“Yeah. I lose track of time a lot.”

“I see.” She drained her cup, setting it smartly on the table, startling both boy and raccoon. “Put something warmer on. We’ve got work to do.”

Chapter Text

They worked most of the day. The little cottage Varian was staying in had been empty for years, in a lightly wooded strip of kingdom owned land. It was within easy walking distance of Old Corona so his father was never really far away, but when he’d asked Rapunzel for suggestions to minimize collateral damage she’d offered the place as his own, to do with as he saw fit. It was an excellent solution: people were close, but not close enough for him to worry. The chance of loneliness creeping up on him was easily wiped away as he could just spend an evening in his old home. 

It was still nice to have Cassandra around. It made the job of clearing old overgrowth away from the house and plotting out the garden easier than it would have been. The ground was frozen so there was no point in working the earth yet but by nightfall he knew exactly what would be where. The firewood was also stacked neatly against the wall of the house. It was beginning to look lived in, even outside, and it felt a little more like home. 

Cassandra was taking stock of her few belongings when Varian voiced the question that had been in the back of his mind all day. “Do you want to stay?” She paused, her arm halfway into her pack as she stared at him. Her sharp eyes felt like they were trying to pick him apart and he backpedaled instantly. “I-I mean I know that you’ve been doing your own thing. You probably wouldn’t want to anyway, I was just thinking that it’s going to be pretty frigid tonight so you might be more comfortable here, you know? There aren’t any inns nearby. But if you don-“

“That sounds like a good idea.” A smile pulled at her lips, but she pressed them together to keep it away and instead moved to set her pack beside the door. “It would be nice to stay with a friend. I haven't done that in a long time.”

“Yes! It would be nice to have a friend stay, too.” He grinned, picking Ruddiger off of the mantle and plopping him on Cassandra’s shoulder. “Right, bud? There’s always room at Casa Varian~”

“At what now?”

“Heh, that’s uh.. never mind.” Varian cleared his throat. He was thrilled, much more than he felt he should be and he scolded himself mentally but that didn’t damper his spirits at all. She was staying. She was staying. For just the one night, he supposed, but it was enough. He hustled happily to the fireplace, removing the iron pot they’d thrown a stew into earlier. She was staying! Wait. He stopped, clutching the pot’s handles. The metal stung a little through his gloves but he didn’t notice. He was happy because he wanted to visit with her but should he really be this happy? Almost giddy? Slowly, he looked over his shoulder at her. Ruddiger was still on her shoulder, eating up the attention as she nuzzled him and laughed softly under her breath. 

She really hadn’t changed much. She was still beautiful, with wild curls and soft hazel eyes. Her gaze was sharper, but her smile seemed softer. That little laugh… Varian could feel the heat rise in his cheeks as he turned away again, even against the warmth of the fireplace. He’d grown, too, though he’d never grown into the hulking strength of his father. Instead the soft angles and curves of his mother graced his face, a likeness that he often noticed fondly. Maybe she would notice too.

Scoffing softly, he shook his head and banished the thought. If she saw his mother in him it would be weird. But if she was noticing him… he shook his head again, squaring his shoulders and making himself bring the pot to the table. 

Maybe he hadn’t grown out of Cassandra like he’d thought. Beautiful, fierce, gentle Cassandra. In his house. In his house and staying the night .

“You okay? Your face is really red. You’re not getting sick, are you?” Suddenly Cassandra’s hand was pushing his bangs away, her glove missing as her warm palm cupped his head. He flinched away from her without thinking. The movement surprised her, and for a moment they frowned at each other unsurely across the table. “Varian?”

“I’m sorry, Cass. I was thinking and I just- you know, I think it’s where we were outside all day. It feels a little too warm in here, doesn’t it?”

“A little, bit I’m always outside so I’m more used to the cold than the heat, you know?” She pulled away, a doubtful frown pulling at her face. “Keep an eye on yourself though, okay? I used to be a handmaiden, not a nurse.”

“I know, I know.” He passed her a bowl and sat picking a few carrots out of his own bowl for Ruddiger. He’d never really been a guarded person but it was apparent he was worse at not wearing his feelings on his sleeve when they were catching him off guard. He was blindsided by it. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been around Cassandra as he grew older, but there’d been a lot going on for everybody. Then she had left on her own and it had been what? A few years. 

He rubbed his forehead. He could still feel the calluses of her hand pressing against his skin. He’d always liked the things like that about her, her strength and edges were cushioned by delicate touch and the song of her voice. A blush started in his ears again as he asked himself why he hadn’t let her touch linger a little longer.

—-

Night came quickly. The silence of the cottage was pleasant and Varian had a clear view of where Cassandra sat at the table, her maps spread across its surface. She poured over them, marking here and there. He thought she must be amending places she’d visited recently, or picking where to go when she next left Corona. Varian himself was sitting cross legged on the bed, double checking the bolting on a loop of piping. It was a small test run for the heating pipe he was planning. If he could give the kingdom hot running water he could surely warm his own little cottage. Still, it was better to test on the small side, just in case. A five foot length of pipe would do a lot less damage than an entire house full. 

A soft note caught his attention and he glanced up at Cassandra again. She was leaning her chin in her hand and humming, the sound so soft that it broke every few notes. She was writing on one of the maps. His curiosity piqued, Varian sat up a little straighter, trying to see.

“You could just ask, you know.” Her eyes slid toward him and she raised an eyebrow. 

“Yeah, but then you’d stop humming.” A blush colored her cheeks. She hadn’t realized the sound had reached him. “It’s nice.”

“Thanks. It’s one of those things I had to know how to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“As a handmaiden.” She shrugged. “I was pretty much Raps’ assistant back in the day but I was also her companion. I learned how to do a lot of things that would pass the time for her.”

“Ah. Girly stuff, huh? Singing and needlepoint type stuff.” He made a face and she laughed. It was a beautiful sound that sent a little flutter going in his chest. Varian smiled and sat his wrench aside. “That’s no fun,”

“It isn’t! Lucky for me she was only into the singing. It grew on me, I guess.”

“That’s understandable. Some things just are expressed better that way.” Her smile was warm, and it beckoned him to her. Or it felt like it did, and he climbed off the bed to stand next to her. Her careful handwriting dotted the map, and Varian focused much harder on it than on how starkly aware he was of their proximity. “Some days you just have to sing.”

“That sounds like something she’d say. You’re right, though.” Setting her pen aside, Cassandra traced a fingertip across the map, trailing from Old Corona to where she had been working. A rough drawing of Varian’s cottage was there, right where it should be. He stared at the loops and lines of his name in her handwriting. He had never realized how much he liked his name. 

“I’m on your map?”

“Why wouldn’t you be? Am I not allowed to visit again?” She said it casually but Varian spun to face her anyway, waving his hands at her.

“Of course! Of course you are! Cass, you can come visit me whenever you want, why couldn’t you? I would nev…” his panicked corrections were cut off and she burst out laughing, a hand lifted against her mouth. Varian pursed his lips, embarrassment swelling up in him. “Oh. You were kidding…”

“Of course I was. I’d come anyway, Var. Why wouldn’t I?” She grinned and picked up the pen again, scratching a little pouty face under his name. It wasn’t Rapunzel level good but it was definitely recognizable as Varian and he made an annoyed sound in his throat.

“Cass! Why- oh now you’re just teasing me!”

“Casa Varian, the house of pouts~”

“Seriously?”

“House of magic!” She dipped her pen again and he planted a hand on her head, distracting her so he could pluck it out of her hand and prevent any more unfortunate map alterations.

“Not magic! Alchemy and engineering. You know that.”

“I do, but you get so annoyed about it.”

“People never get it right.” It happened less than it used to but the sting of dismissal was always there. Varian huffed and looked at Cass. He was still holding her head, his fingers buried in her dark curls. She was giving him an amused smirk, her eyes flickering to his arm. For a second he froze up, looking back at her with his eyebrows furrowed. She was making no move to pull away from him. Friends touched each other’s head sometimes, right? Did she not mind this? He struggled a little to process it, his brain having also frozen up and after a long moment he patted her in the head a couple of times and quirked an eyebrow at her. “You’re pushing your luck, lady. If you’re not careful you may only get three blankets tonight.”

“Oh no! However will I keep warm? You’ll just have to help me out, huh?”

Did she just say that? Did she really…? Varian snatched his hand back, his face feeling absolutely on fire. Cassandra’s hazel eyes had widened a little but at his blush she turned her head and smothered a small laugh. Had it just slipped out? He wasn’t sure. How was he even supposed to react to that? 

Pretend it hadn’t happened. Yes, that was a logical reaction. Wasn’t it? He laughed and it sounded high in his ears. “You joke but it really does get damn cold in here at night. You’ll be glad I’ve got a lot of blankets.”

She answered him with a hum, pushing her map aside and picking up a small leather book. “We’ll be fine. You’ve always been the prepared sort. You’re smart, after all.”

Was that a compliment? Varian wasn’t sure. He shifted on his feet and stared at the map, resisting the urge to peek over her shoulder at the book. She’d made a few other notes in the area but most additions were outside of Corona. 

—-

There was only one bed, naturally, and after some argument they decided to flip for it. Really, Varian knew they’d be matched for stubbornness and offered to flip for it so they wouldn’t offer it to each other all night. He let her call heads, peeking straightfaced at the tails side up coin on the back of his hand. “Heads. It’s all yours.”

“Well, I guess that’s fair. But I really am used to not having a bed, Varian.” Cassandra frowned and pulled a few blankets off the bed. “I hate taking it from you.”

“Yeah, well, you won. I really don’t mind.”  he took one offered blanket and swept it around his shoulders. “I’ll be close to the fire anyway so it won't be cold or anything.”

“At least take another blanket.”

“Nope. This is plenty.” He smiled at her unhappy face as he took a pillow as well. The floor next to the fireplace was nothing when he was used to a hard chair and table half the time. “Really. We already flipped for it and it’s decided, Cass.”

“Fine. I don’t want to hear you complaining halfway through the night.”

“You won’t.”

“Uh huh.” He settled on the planks of the floor and scooted until he could feel the warmth of the fire against his back. Cass was still looking at him as she toed her boots off and curled into the mound of blankets he called a bed. She was farther from the fire and would need the extra layers by morning. Realizing they were settling down for the night Ruddiger climbed in with Cassandra, curling against her neck the way he normally did with Varian. He could see the glow of the raccoon’s eyes reflecting the low firelight back at him. 

He hadn’t been lying when he’d told her he didn’t mind her using the bed. From this safe distance, with the fire behind him so she couldn’t see his face, he could give in and examine the strange course of his feelings over the day. The memory of the puppy love he’d once held for her was downright embarrassing. He’d followed her whenever he could like a lovesick shadow. He’d have thrown himself at her feet to keep her boots dry if she’d even hinted at wanting him to. That must have been so awkward for Cassandra. He’d want to apologize for it but that would mean bringing it up in the first place. 

Cassandra shifted and turned with a sigh. She’d fallen asleep quickly, he noticed. She must have been worn out. Or perhaps it was the comfort of a bed after who knew how long.  Varian couldn’t see much of her dark curls in the shadows but he was still acutely aware of her. A woman in his bed. His bed. A woman. Cassandra. It was complicated, he supposed, but there was a part of him that thrilled from it and he turned his face into the pillow. Maybe he was still the puppy he’d been all those years ago. Maybe there was a little spark labeled Cassandra with lovely, looping handwriting somewhere inside him. Sharing a quiet day together with no fights, no celestial stones was all it had needed to flare a little brighter. 

Cassandra. He looked toward her again, or where she was in the darkness. He knew this was temporary. It wasn’t like she would stay. She had no interest in making Corona her home anymore and no one would change that, him least of all. Even so, as he lay there and watched the flicker of the firelight across the floor his mind began to wander. Maybe she would stay the winter. Cold weather made for hard traveling, not like spring with its pleasant breezes and trees flowering along the roads. It would be beautiful then, like her, and much better for setting out. 

He was probably kidding himself but thinking there in the dark it was easy to think of them over the coming weeks. They could start the garden together. They could pass the long, cold nights together. Maybe she would tell him about some of the places she’s found. He could show her the things he’d picked up from hanging out with Eugene and the guard. He was pretty handy with a stick these days. She’d seen how clumsy he can be, maybe she would be impressed…

He was kidding himself. The most he could probably hope for would be a couple of days. 

Cassandra made a noise and shifted again. Varian lifted his head curiously. It would seem she hadn’t gone to sleep as quickly as he’d thought. He lay there in silence for a few more minutes before asking quietly, “you ever get homesick?”

“You’re awake?”

“Yeah.”

She hesitated, thinking it over. “I guess. I mean, I miss my father sometimes. That’s about it, though. Why?”

“I dunno. I was just wondering, I guess.” She didn’t get homesick. So much for that. “I think I would. Once in a while, anyway. There’s something nice about having a place that’s familiar.”

“There’s something nice about exploring new places, Varian. No one knows you.”

“You know, people get over things.”

“Good night, Varian.”

“Cass-“

“I said good night.” There was no venom in her voice. She sounded tired more than anything. Varian wasn’t sure if he’d offended her or not. Perhaps he shouldn’t even have spoken but he’d done so without really thinking about it. The prospect of being unknown would have once been attractive to him as well but he knew you didn’t have to run away from things to be happy. Blankets rustled as she presumably turned away from him, and Varian turned over himself, eyes settling on the wavering embers of the slowly shrinking fire. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting. 

Chapter Text

Varian woke to pain in his hip and a chill that had already worked its way all the way through him. The floor, it seemed, might have been worse than the table. He probably should have grabbed another pillow or two, at least. He curled a little smaller and pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders. The fire was out as it usually was by morning. He’d have to move to get it going again and the thought of giving the frozen air any chance to pry its icy fingers into his covers made him groan and burrow further into his pillow. Maybe spring would come if he laid there long enough. His bones would thaw and he’d feel like moving again. Like living.

Winter had never bothered Varian when he was younger but he couldn’t help himself now. When it snowed his mind would bring up the memory of a child dragging himself through a blizzard, hopelessness fighting against fury and hurt and desperation. That had been the longest night of his life and he remembers starkly the cold numbing him from everything but the repeating disbelief of she promised… Dad...she promised! I’m all alone...

That was a long time ago. Varian scrunched his eyes shut and blocked it away. Things were different now and they were better. Those scars were old and didn’t control him anymore. He told himself this often. Slowly relief at the trueness of the thought stole over him. He was cold, but he was okay.

Cassandra was up and moving already. He could sense her move near him as the sound of a block of wood landing in the fireplace drew one of his eyes open. Silently he watched her striking flint into a crumpled ball of discarded paper. He had fire starter - his own making and surprisingly stable - but she went about lighting the fire in such a practiced way that he felt maybe she wouldn’t want it, anyway. She hummed in satisfaction when the sparks took and pale smoke began to curl from the paper.

Varian watched the embers light her face, their red glow growing as she slowly fed them. The light bounced off her eyes and the string of beads at her neck, drawing his attention away from the focused gaze. He tensed beneath his blanket, his eyes zeroing in on the necklace. He’d passed right over it at first, attention caught only by the reflection. It couldn’t be.

It was. The flames took and the red flared into gold, dancing across the beads of Cassandrium. The element he had named for her and given her so many years ago. She was wearing it. He’d never once seen it since that day but it had been so important to him as a boy he’d never forgotten it. The name had been a bit of an attention grab but it had also been beautiful, like her, and he’d loved it as much as he’d admired the girl herself. And here she was not a girl but a fully grown woman with his own element coiled around her slender neck. Varian felt like his heart was going to stop from the shock of it. She must have liked it, liked him, even in some small way to have kept it. A hesitance stole over him as quickly as his heart had leapt. Maybe she didn’t actually remember it. Maybe she had found it in the back of some drawer and, not making the connection, wore it so it wouldn’t just be taking up space.

He hated that doubt that reared in him. He’d always been the confident type and the way he kept second guessing things with Cassandra irked him. Why jump to conclusions? He could just ask her and save himself all this flip flopping. He drew his blanket a little closer. Asking would be easy. The easiest thing in the world. He was a scientist, wasn’t he? His whole life was questions.

But if she didn’t remember… he frowned. They didn’t have anything. If she’d forgotten he could remind her, they’d have a laugh at the coincidence and go about their morning. Easy. She was probably, more than anything, wearing it because she liked it. Wasn’t that what he’d wanted to begin with? For her to like it (and notice him but he wasn’t thinking about that attention grab)?

He was being ridiculous. Heat was starting to creep into his blanket from the fire so he put an arm out into the cool air and poked Cassandra’s boot. “Hey, Cass.”

“Good morning. Still not a morning person, I see.”

“Not really.” She smiled and it warmed him more than the fire ever could. The feeling bolstered his confidence and he sat up. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“You... kept the Cassandrium?”

Cassandra paused, her fingers moving to brush the beads at her neck. He thought there might have been a blush on her face but the firelight made it hard to tell. She considered his question, and he kept silent, giving her the time she needed. At length she sat, wincing at the cold floor. “Yeah. I did.” Seeming unsure of herself, she looked at him from the corner of her eye. “I guess.. after all that happened it reminded me of how things were before. That I had friends.”

“Aw, I was your friend?” He teased gently as he sat up, scooting a little closer to the fire.

“Well, moreso later, but yeah. You were my friend. You are my friend.” She looked at him, her stare serious. This wasn’t something she wanted to joke about and Varian found himself sitting up a little straighter under her gaze. “That’s something I’d forgotten, Varian. I won’t let myself do it again.”

He nodded and they fell silent, both sifting through their thoughts as they soaked up the heat. This wasn’t really a subject that Varian thought they’d be discussing but as he mulled over her words he felt compelled to broach the subject, at least in this regard. He swallowed, hoping she wouldn’t brush him off again. “Cassandra, I need to say something.”

“Okay.”

“You might not want to hear it, and you can change the subject if you want or stop talking for a while or whatever you want to do. Just...just let me say it, though, okay?”

“What is it, Varian?” She sounded tired and he wondered if she knew what he wanted to say. Cassandra was not a “feelings person.”

“For a long time, I forgot that I had friends, too. I forgot that they cared about me.” He glanced at her. Her eyes were trained on the fire. “You know how it was.”

“I remember.”

“I felt alone but the thing is, looking back on everything I was alone because I made it that way. Rapunzel didn’t mean to not help me but she had a whole kingdom to take care of. Eugene had to help the king and queen. You had to help with the guard and your dad - which I definitely understand. It felt like everyone abandoned me and I was hurt and scared and I just…” he waved his hands a little, as if he could pull the words he wanted out of the air. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I know that things like that - mistakes you make - well, they stay with you. They stay with you forever.” She was looking at him now, her eyes thoughtful. “Even now, I hate winter. I hate the snow and the cold because it makes me remember that night and when things started to get screwed up. But it’s easier. I know now that the princess and Eugene have my back, even if there’s other things they have to do. I know that you have my back. I know I’m not alone even when it really feels like I am. It was a little hard to remember that at first but the more I remind myself the easier it becomes.” He stopped and turned to her, grabbing her shoulders and leaning close in his sincerity. “Cassandra! What happened to you, what you did, it was different than me, but it also wasn’t. You’re traveling and finding your place and your own adventures but even then you’re still not alone. I-I know you know that, but...ugh! What am I trying to say…”

“You know how I feel, mostly.” Cassandra smiled and pulled his hands away. “We were both hurt. We were both angry. I was more selfish, though.”

“No, that’s not-“

“I was, Varian,” she cut him off, but smiled gently. “I was selfish, I was being manipulated...I could make excuses but I won’t. I should’ve known better. The thing is, I know better now. And now is what matters.”

“Yeah.” He grinned. They understood each other. His eyes went back to the Cassandrium and he tilted his head. “It makes me happy. That you kept it, I mean. Even if it is a little embarrassing.”

“It makes me happy, too.” They fell silent, each with their own thoughts as they sat there and let the heat steal through them. Cassandra was right. Now was what mattered.

Chapter Text

They spent a pleasant morning together, cooking some eggs and potatoes over the fire. To Varian it felt a little bit like camping. To Cassandra it was routine. She helped him tidy up a little but after the previous day’s work there was very little to do and it wasn’t long before Cassandra was stretched out on the bed thumbing through one of Varian’s books while Varian himself was putting the finishing touches on the test pipe for his heating system. Ruddiger had disappeared outside somewhere. The silence was companionable and comfortable.

Eventually Varian gave a satisfied hum and stood, drawing Cassandra’s attention away from the geological history of Corona. “Done?”

“Maybe. Ready for a test run, anyway.” He hoisted the pipe up. It was almost as tall as he was.

“Isn’t that just a rectangle pipe? There’s no… you know. Gizmos.”

“Sometimes things don’t need to be complicated. Even if that would be more fun.” Varian smiled at her and shrugged. “Maybe later I’ll revamp it but right now I’d just like to get the basic model working.”

“Should I take cover?” Cassandra smirked, earning herself an eye roll.

“If you feel the need. It’ll be fine, though. No chemical formulas or anything here, just water to spread the heat.” He pushed the pipe across the floor toward the fireplace. It caught a little against the hearth but in a moment he had it settled close to the coals of the fire, its length lying away from the heat source. Varian grabbed a paper from the table and sat near the end of it, his face intent. “I’m not sure how far off you’ll be able to feel the heat. It’s awfully cold in here…”

“You’re telling me. When’re you going to get your hot water put in?”

“When I get to it. I’d rather be warm in general first.” He waved her away, wanting to focus on his test run. Even so, he was aware of her moving to stand close to him and watch, her curiosity getting the better of her. It had been a few minutes, and the piping was very close to the fire- than it would be for the final arrangement - it should have been showing an effect fairly quickly. Varian pulled off his glove, hovering his palm over the pipe in front of him. A strong heat was already radiating off the metal but it didn’t extend more than a few inches outward. He made a thoughtful noise and nudged it with his boot, shoving the opposite end into the embers. They both flinched when the metal pinged, but nothing more came of the change.

Cassandra said, “you think the steam would be a problem?”

“No, there’s not much in there. When I do a bigger version I could put some vents along it, maybe, to release the pressure.” He stuck out his hand again, grinning at the increased output. “I think it’ll work. Can you feel any of it where you’re standing?”

“Yeah, a little.” She had leaned back slightly. There was a faint groan of metal. “What’s that noise?”

“What noise?” Varian’s face had become focused again as he scribbled numbers on his paper, his mind sifting through lengths of pipe and the size of the room. He hmphd and put out his hand again.

It was sudden. Neither of them were expecting the pop of a bolt flying, the shattering of a vial somewhere, the tearing of metal and steam as the connection of the pipes failed. For a second it was like a small bomb had gone off - heat and bits of metal and pain. Varian felt it belatedly, as if his brain took a second to process the searing of his nerves. The steam enveloped his hand, from the heel of his palm to the tender inside of his wrist. It swept up the sides before he reflexively jerked away.

Cassandra swore behind him as he curled instinctively around his arm. It was a bad move. The contact sent his nerves screaming and he slumped back in shock. Varian had been hurt before, but not like this. This wasn’t a singed eyebrow or a knicked finger. This was-

He chanced a look andfelt his head spin a little as he started to faint. The skin was a fierce red, already beginning to swell. Small punctures and slices peppered it, releasing small rivulets of blood over the injured skin of his arm.

Cassandra burst back in with the water pail. Had she left? How had he not noticed? His hand spasmed as a pulse of pain hit. Oh, that was why. She dropped to her knees next to him and grabbed him by the elbow. “Varian, the water! Now.”

“Cass-“

“I said now.” He didn’t think about it, just moved and plunged his arm into the bucket as far as he could. The water was icy and for a second it hurt as much as the burn, but within a few seconds it faded. The difference was small but he was still grateful for it.

Shaken, Varian pulled his knees up to his chest. A hand found his shoulder as Cassandra moved in front of him and knelt, another hand lifting his chin. Her wide eyes skittered across his face, searching for injuries. His eyes were burning, tears trying to push their way out. If ever there was a good time to cry, he thought this was it but they didn’t come, only hovered behind his eyes. After a quiet moment Cassandra stood, her brow furrowed and her shoulders held stiffly.

“Can you carry that bucket? We should go down to the stream and get your hand in some moving water.”

“I didn’t think it would… I thought it was okay,” Varian said, his voice much smaller than he had meant it to be. Cassandra frowned.

“Well, it wasn’t.

Varian winced at her words. They were cold and blunt. Cassandra in action mode. It wasn’t comforting but at least he knew she was a quick thinking. It was good that he had her there. But what if he’d gotten her too? He’d feel terrible if he hurt her somehow. His hand throbbed and his heart leapt into his throat, panic belatedly flaring in him. Had he hurt her? “Cassandra! Cassandra oh god are you-did it hit you? Are you okay?” He scrambled to his feet, his uninjired hand finding her face. Whether she was startled or not he didn’t know but she stumbled away from him a little and pushed his hand away.

“Calm down!”

“Did you get burned? Please tell me, I didn’t mean to hurt yo-nngh!!” A throb in his hand, then the pain welled tremendously, stopping his panic in an instant. Groaning, he went down on one knee. Cassandra knelt beside him and gripped the bucket, bringing it back to his hand.

“It’s okay, Varian. I’m okay, but you aren’t. We’re going to the stream, okay?”

“Cass…”

“No more talking. Okay?” When he nodded she picked up the bucket, moving slowly to let him move with her and avoiding bumping the sides of the bucket. How very like Varian, she thought, to be panic stricken at the idea of her being collateral damage when he’s the one who’s in trouble. Keeping her voice soft and soothing, she talked to him as they moved together toward the door. “Well. We know the water won’t work, now. Guess we’ll get to do some problem solving later. Er, in a couple days I mean. You’ll know more about that stuff than me, though. This science stuff was never my strong point but I can restock a winter’s worth of firewood in a day. I’d like to see Fitzherbert beat that. He probably can’t even chop wood. That raccoon of yours ever bring you kindling? He’s probably a handy friend to have, huh?”

Cassandra was not at all one for chatter but she knew Varian was, and he realized as they struggled over the frozen field behind the cottage that she probably hoped it would keep him distracted from his injury. Even as he fought back the nervous sour feeling in his stomach he felt a small smile curl across his face. He didn’t answer her, letting her continue her efforts over the short walk. At the stream she steered him to a shallow, fast flowing spot and sat him down at the water’s edge. “We’ve got to get the heat out before there’s more damage. Keep your arm in the water? Okay? I’m going to get something to use as bandages.”

“Is this sanitary? I mean, it’s a stream. Fish pee in there.” He shook his head dubiously, and Cassandra pointed sternly to the water.

“It’s what we have, Varian. Do it” he complied wordlessly, watching her hurry back to the cottage. The cool water slipped across his skin, doing much more to cool the burn than the bucket had. He sighed in relief, feeling a little of the tension leave him.

The frozen grass crunched behind him and he glanced back to see her returning with bandages. He thought she must have had them in her pack because she didn’t recognize the fabric. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. How’s it feeling?”

“Better.” He pulled his hand out experimentally. The odd sensation of heat blooming beneath his skin but it was much milder than before and began to fade quickly, replaced with a deep ache. “It still hurts a lot but the heat’s gone, I think.”

“That’s good. I’m sure the water helped but it would suck to give you frostbite on top of a burn.” Cassandra sat beside him, pulling his arm to herself. Leaning into her, Varian held it out for her to inspect. He was blistering but now that the panic of the moment was over it seemed like it wasn’t as bad as he’d expected. Cassandra was stiff beside him. He glanced at her. A delicate flush covered her face, but her expression was darkening. Her body was tense and warm. Oh lord he was leaning on her! Varian shot upright, nearly jerking his arm out of her grip. She didn’t comment on it and instead focused very hard on carefully drying and wrapping his wrist. After their conversation in the small hours of the morning he’d have thought he might not feel so self conscious with her. It would appear that assumption would be wrong.

Cassandra sighed as she tied off the bandage and leveled him with a look. “Okay, I know you know what you’re doing, but that was stupid, Varian.”

“Excuse me?” He drew back from her indignantly. “Stupid?”

“Yes, stupid! Pushing that thing clear into the fire like that! It could’ve blown your fingers off! Blinded you! God, Varian! NNGH!!” Growling in frustration, Cass jumped to her feet and kicked a rock into the water. It landed with a disappointing splash and she grabbed at another one that she hurled after it. “It was irresponsible! You’ve always done that! You start thinking about stuff and you just don’t CARE.” Varian climbed to his feet as Cassandra seethed at the water. Her sharp eyes were darting around,too anxious to settle on anything. Her comments stung something inside him and his temper flared in a way it hadn’t in years.

“I don’t care? I don’t care? How oblivious can you be?” Cassandra’s stare snapped to him, her brow furrowed and the lines of her body rigid. “If you think I don’t care you must be even stupider than I am! I’m not that kid that blew up the village anymore, Cassandra! I’m not a failure! And I’m definitely not stupid! Why do you thing I’m out here?” He threw a finger in her face, jabbing at the air and getting himself so worked up that he just needed to do something and it seemed the least harmful action. “Do I bother you that much? Huh?? If I’m so stupid why are you hanging around here? Why waste your ti-“ he cut himself off, swearing softly under his breath. He’d momentarily forgotten his hand and made a fist. The gesture had pulled at the damaged skin and nerves. For a moment he was startled, breathless, and he turned away from her.

Cassandra shifted, her expression dark. Varian’s hunched form struck her with guilt, heavy and barbed. With an irritated scoff she stomped past him. Varian’s head shot up, his eyes wide. Was she leaving? Should he follow her? What had even happened? He wasn’t sure why he had risen to her ire so quickly. It was a sore spot for sure, but he didn’t think she’d press it intentionally. He didn’t think she would be cruel like that.

Across the clearing she threw the door open and stomped into the house. He’s told her off...she was probably gathering her things to leave. Of course he’d screwed up something as simple as having a friend visit. He’d gotten defensive and driven her away. He deserved to be here all by himself.

An uneasy chirp sounded from overhead and Varian glanced up to see Ruddiger clinging to a branch, Owl above him. The raccoon had probably been watching the whole thing. An interruption would’ve been convenient but logically he knew they probably wouldn’t have even noticed. Sighing dejectedly, Varian looked back to the cottage. It stood silent. “Well. If I had taken the time to make sense of the past two days and wanted to say anything to her I just threw that chance out the window.” Ruddiger dropped into his shoulder and he lifted a hand, stopping himself short when he saw the bandage. Better not to aggravate it. “Maybe she’ll get over it? It has been a stressful day…”

The cottage door flew open and Cassandra stomped out again with her cloak, causing Varian to flinch back and his defenses to go up. So she wasn’t done, was she? He could hold his own in an argument. Instead of coming at him Cassandra held up Varian’s old oversized coat and satchel, her face turned away. “Let’s go, shrimp.”

“Go where? I’m not going anywhere.” Like he’s let her drag him off somewhere when they were mad at each other. She was as likely to leave him up a tree as she was to apologize. Even from where he stood he could see the way her shoulders hunched for a second before dropping. What was her deal?

“We’re going to the medic. Need to make sure you don’t get an infection or anything.”

“The castle medic?” She shook the coat insistently and Varian approached her slowly. It was a sensible suggestion but the past few moments had been one thing after another to catch him off guard. He took his things and she wordlessly went for Fidella. How was he supposed to react to all this? Was she not mad anymore? Why had she even gotten mad to begin with?

Why was his life so confusing all of a sudden?

He slipped the coat on, grateful for the warmth of Ruddiger’s chubby body against his neck. The satchel held his journal and a few vials that he tended to always keep there. Everything he needed for a short trip. Cassandra was already in the saddle, looking back over her shoulder but keeping her eyes resolutely down and away from him. “You coming or not?”

A hand, for him or maybe a wordless offer of apology, helping him climb up behind her. The curve of the saddle tipped his body forward into Cassandra but neither of them commented on it as she spurred Fidella into a trot and began the long trek to the castle town.

Chapter Text

It was a long trip. It felt even longer due to the heightened temper between them. Every hour or so Varian would feel Cassandra take a deep breath, her head would turn back toward him slightly, then return forward as she deflated. He puzzled over this the first time, then chalked it up to the fact that she never had been good at apologizing or talking about feelings. As far as he knew she wasn’t, anyway. He could’ve started, he was well aware, but he still wasn’t even sure what had spurred the fight so he kept quiet, trying to ignore the throbbing in his hand and the way Fidella’s gait was constantly jostling them together. It would’ve been nice to be so close to Cassandra if they were in a better mood, but as it was they only felt a prolonged awkwardness.

How long had they been riding? Did it just feel like it was taking forever? The sun had passed noon a long time ago, the thin light reaching them unhindered by the bare branches overhead. They’d been in a wooded area for a while now, Cassandra having abandoned the road not long after they’d left. Varian assumed it was a shortcut since she was excellent at finding her way, but as the light was fading slowly around them his trust in her faded as well.

He really didn’t want to be out there in the dark. He wasn’t frightened or anything but the fact that it was cold wasn’t much deterrent to criminals. Varian waited a few more minutes before he cleared his throat. “I know you know where we are. And I’ll admit I’m not crazy about going into town needlessly but I feel like we should’ve been there a long time ago.” Cassandra’s arms tightened against her sides, her body language tense.

“You’re right. I know where we are, and we’ll get there when we get there.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He didn’t mean for it to come out irritated but it was out of his mouth before his mind even processed it. He felt Cassandra stiffen and put his hands on her arms, not sure what else to do. “Ah! No, I uh…” It was the wrong thing, apparently, because her head snapped toward him, her eyes flashing dangerously. Varian snatched his hands away and held them up. “Sorry! I’m sorry, Cass, that came out wrong. I just, I dunno, it feels like it’s taking too long and we haven’t stopped in a long time and honestly I’m starving and tired and...and I dunno. We’ll get there when we get there.”

She stared at him for a long moment, her lips pursed together. Eventually her eyes dropped and slid away from him. “No. You’re right. I’ve been stalling.”

“What?” Varian sat up, his surprise at the sudden admission outweighing his surprise at her change of tone. She surprised him a lot.

“We should’ve been there an hour ago. I was waiting for night to fall so not as many people would be out.” She leaned forward, her head dipping toward Fidella’s mane as if she wanted to hide her face in it. Varian mulled over her words, his eyes wandering over her slumped shoulders.

“Did it… did things not go well last time you visited?” He asked gently, feeling that it might be a sensitive subject. Cassandra sighed and sank forward a little more. The horse made a questioning noise and turned to glance back at them.

“Varian, I…” Her voice cracked, almost imperceptibly, and she cut herself off before straightening up slowly. When she spoke again her voice was firm and devoid of what had almost broken through a moment before. “I haven’t been back since the first time I left.”

“What? But I saw you a few weeks ago!”

“You saw me. I was too much of a coward to go farther than Old Corona.” She shook her head, the disgust she felt at herself evident in her voice. “I was afraid of facing everyone after all that happened. So I didn’t.”

“Cassandra…”

“I don’t need you telling me it’s okay. It’s not, Varian.”

“I wasn’t going to.” She looked back at him again, her expression cautious and her eyes narrowed. Varian couldn’t resist rolling his eyes. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not going to tell you that because I know you won’t listen. And...I understand.” He frowned and busied himself with scratching along Ruddiger’s spine, mostly to avoid looking at her. “I didn’t… a lot of people still don’t trust me. They don’t care that I can hear them whispering behind me. They don’t care that I have a title now. I’ve seen people make their kids go inside when I’m coming down the street. Shops have shut in my face.” He pressed his cheek into the raccoon’s fur and gave Cassandra a sidelong look. “It doesn’t really go away, Cass. You just have to let it roll off your back and do what you need to do.”

She studied him for a long moment before looking off into the trees toward what he assumed was the castle town. Her thoughts weren’t evident to him and he watched her as she thought, trying to ignore the pit the admission had made grow in his stomach. At home, with his dad or his friends he could forget that things still weren’t okay for him. Did Cassandra have anyone out there that helped her forget? He hoped so, although he imagined it would be hard for someone new to break through her walls enough to be a friend.

“You’re right. I’m being silly, aren’t I?” It was forced. The casual way she agreed with him was painfully transparent. For a moment Varian said nothing. She turned Fidella in the direction she’d been looking and Varian shook his head.

“No. It’s a lot to face, Cass.” She looked at him again. “We can face it together this fine, at least.”

“You know, you’re a good friend. I’m sorry about this morning, Varian.”

“Me too.” He returned the smile and leaned into her, ducking to touch his forehead to the back of her neck. He’d thought a hug would be too much, but the gesture struck him with an odd intimacy that he wasn’t quite prepared for. A few seconds was all he allowed himself before pulling away. Cassandra let the contact pass with comment and finally set Fidella into a trot toward town.

Their welcome was what Cassandra had expected. Even though night had fallen before they reached the bridge into town as soon as Fidella’s hooves hit the cobblestones, as soon as they were close enough for people to recognize them, what few people there were out and about cleared away from them. Many slipped into doorways, some simply moved to the opposite side of the street. There were stares. Hissed words floated to them from behind hands, gasps of “that witch!” “He’s fallen in with her now?” And several wondering to each other if the guard should be called.

Cassandra rode with her head high and her eyes forward, her guard training still inspiring a proud stubbornness. Varian kept his eyes on her back. He had a harder time with the weight of their cold stares, despite his words to Cassandra earlier. He withstood the distrust as well as he could but it wasn’t in his nature to disregard such hurtful reactions. It helped that he wasn’t alone, that Cassandra and Ruddiger were there, but he still could not bring himself to look back at them.

The whispers and stares followed them through the streets, even to the gates of the castle itself. Occasionally there was a friendlier face - for Varian. People he had regular dealings with as Royal Engineer. Cassandra was met wholly as the outsider they’d decided she was.

Varian could feel her becoming more and more tense as they went. By the time they arrived at the castle gates she was practically shaking. He chanced a hand on her shoulder, a gentle reminder that a friend literally was at her back. The shaking stopped but nothing about her posture softened.

The guard at the gate was young and unfamiliar to her. He straightened, face full of determination, and moved into their way.

“Miss. I must ask what business you have here.”

“This is a cold reception when I’ve done nothing to warrant one,” Cassandra said evenly. Her tone betrayed nothing of her discomfort and for a moment the guard seemed unsure of himself.

“This castle is the home of the royal family. Grievances may be brought before the princess during daylight hours. All other visitors must be by appointment or invitation.”

Cassandra bristled a little, obviously not used to being harassed by doormen. Before she could complicate the visit Varian leaned around her and waved before scrambling down to his feet. “Hi! Hello. I don’t know if you remember me or not…”

“Sir!” The guard’s face brightened in recognition and he dipped his head in an acknowledgement that Varian found still felt strange. He liked being respected, but he also liked just being Varian. “My apologies, I didn’t realize you were uh, accompanying this...lady.” He glanced up at Cassandra, who was watching him with little warmth. “Have you come on business? Should I announce you?”

“No. No, I’d rather you didn’t. Lady Cassandra and I were hoping to see the Royal Medic, and visit Princess Rapunzel and her family.” The guard’s eyes widened and darted toward Cassandra.

“If you let us in quickly I might consider not telling them you were giving us trouble.” Cassandra swung herself down beside Varian and crossed her arms unhappily.

“She’s kidding! Of course she is!” Varian elbowed her and the corner of her mouth curled a little as he scrambled to smooth the threat over. “Now, may we?” The guard looked between them, still obviously uncomfortable but someone with a Royal title would normally have been granted entry to the castle no matter the time. Former enemies of the people? He wasn’t so sure on that point. They stood there for an awkward moment before the guard fumbled with the gate and stepped aside to let them pass. He kept his eyes down, his expression heavy with worry. Varian wondered if it was Cassandra causing his discomfort and thanked him quietly as they passed.

Inside the gate Cassandra paused to remove Fidella’s bridle and strike her nose gently. “You know your way. Get some rest. We’ll find you when we’re ready to go.” The horse knickered happily and nuzzles her nose against Cassandra’s curls before trotting happily off into the darkness.

——

As dark as it was, in the midst of winter it still wasn’t late when they quietly entered the front hall of the castle of Corona. It was a little warmer, but the large room didn’t have enough fires going to keep the chill completely out. The smell of a far off meal tinged the air, faded as if it had already passed and was only clinging to the air to tease them. Varian’s stomach growled and he chuckled, drawing a subdued smile from Cassandra.

“Maybe we can drop by the kitchens after the medic?” She offered softly. There was an apology in it somewhere, he thought, for dragging him through the forest all day with no food. He returned the smile warmly.

“Maybe we can get some cakes to take home.”

“I’ll make sure of it.” She winked and Varian busied himself with making sure Ruddiger was still comfortable under his coat collar. His face was hot despite the cold.

“I think the medic has quarters somewhere around here. Maybe close to the room I usually use. I should be able to find it easily.” He eyed Cassandra. “What’re you going to do?”

“I’ll go see Raps, I guess. It’s been...a really long time. I should.” She looked uncomfortable at the idea, although Varian wasn’t sure why. Rapunzel spoke fondly of Cassanadra often, even with such a long separation. Maybe she was worried about the King and Queen. That, he could understand.

“Okay. You want to find me when you’re done visiting? I don’t spend a lot of time here so I still get a little turned around. My room is Eugene’s old room…”

“Yeah, sure. I know where that is, unfortunately.” Cassandra rolled her eyes, but wore a small smile. “Go get fixed up.” She shooed him away and approached one of the fireplaces, warming herself as she watched him wandering down an adjoining hall. When he turned a corner out of sight, she moved quickly.

The halls she’d grown up in were still familiar, and her feet lead her without much thought. There was no use going directly to Rapunzel’s room, it was still much too early for her to have gone to bed. Judging by the scent of the air the royal family had finished their supper recently and would be relaxing somewhere. The winter air meant the garden was unlikely so her feet turned her toward the library. The princess wasn’t a bookworm by any means but she had often enjoyed thumbing through the genealogy records there or admiring the illuminated lettering of the older volumes. It had been years, but Cassandra hoped that her friend’s habits hadn’t changed too much.

Staff hurried past her, giving her second glances as they finished up their duties for the day. She ignored them gracefully, continuing to walk the halls as if she still belonged there. Even if she felt a little out of place she hoped that it was common knowledge among that staff that she was still welcome. Their hesitance to approach her was reassuring in a way and Cassandra, unhindered, soon found herself approaching the large doors of the second floor library. They were closed, winter practice for keeping warmth in each room of the castle, and she stopped in front of them, her hands in fists at her sides.

Rapunzel would be happy to see her.

She loved her, she was her friend. She had told Cassandra this herself on that horrible day all those years ago. Even now there was no doubt that the princess would receive her with open arms. The rest of the family? That did worry her. Just a little. Eugene would probably follow Rapunzel’s lead. He had always trusted her judgement on a lot of things. Even if he didn’t give her a warm welcome she would meet him with the confident iciness she used to. King Frederick and Queen Arianna, however, were what made her nervous. Were they in there as well? Would she still be welcome once they saw her?

She raised a fist to knock, hesitating. She could leave. She could go wait for Varian at his room, tell him they had been busy, and be on her way by tomorrow afternoon. He didn’t seem entirely at home there anyway, he’d probably be happy with leaving right away. They could just make sure that he would mend well so she wouldn’t worry about him. A muffled giggle escaped the thick door and her heart flew into her throat. That was Rapunzel’s laugh! She’d know it anywhere! She was right there beyond that door! Obviously, she wasn’t alone. But who was with her?

“Excuse me, miss…” Cassandra jerked away in surprise, the small voice catching her completely off guard. She’d been so absorbed in her thoughts she hadn’t heard the maid approaching her, or registered her standing awkwardly beside her for several minutes. The girl held a tea tray with two cups, which tilted precariously as she also pulled away in surprise. Cassandra reached to steady it, shaking her head apologetically.

“Sorry! I’m sorry. I was thinking and I just didn’t...I’m in your way. Excuse me.” The girl’s eyes were wide, watching Cassandra with delayed recognition as she stepped away from the door. She seemed unsure how to react to her and just stood there, her eyes flicking toward the door. Rapunzel’s voice sounded again, just on the other side and Cassandra straightened as the door opened inward and Arianna stepped into view.

Not Arianna. Unnoticed, Cassandra stared. Rapunzel’s chestnut hair had grown to past her shoulders, a length she had never let it reach in the past. As a result she was the very image of her mother. The likeness had never been so apparent. Her mannerisms were not the polished things Cassandra had tried to practice into her, however, and she found herself smiling fondly when the princess relieved the tray from the ruffled maid. She was smiling and insisting, breaking the protocol of being served as she always had.

The sight of her melted away the doubts that had frozen Cassandra. She was there, right there, and she could see her at last. Cassandra put her hands on her hips and laughed. “You haven’t changed, have you?”

Rapunzel spun toward her so fast that the contents of the tray slid and the sugar bowl went toppling into the maid’s outstretched hands. Only a few cubes escaped. The princess didn’t notice. Sensing the need, the maid plunked the bowl onto the tray and smacked a hand underneath to catch it all as Rapunzel all but dropped it and threw herself at Cassandra.

“CASS!!” The hug was bone crushing. It was so achingly familiar that Cassandra practically melted into the embrace. Rapunzel pulled back to look her over, her eyes flitting over her curiously. Cassandra did the same, noting that the princess’ face had thinned out a little in her twenties.

“Wow. You look like your mom, Raps.”

“Thank you. You look wonderful!” She patted Cassandra’s face. “Oh, you’ve got so much color! You look happy! Are you happy?”

“Uh…”

“Oh, I guess that’s kinda a pushy question, isn’t it? I’m sorry. You want to come in? We were getting ready to have tea. I could ask for another cup?” She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled hopefully. Cassandra glanced apologetically at the maid.

“Some hot tea sounds wonderful, actually.”

“Great!” Rapunzel turned to the maid, realizing for the first time that she seemed a little blindsided by the reunion. “Oh! Miriam, I’m so sorry. I was excited, I didn’t mean to run into you like that.”

“Of course, Highness. Shall I fetch another cup? Maybe another tea if lavender isn’t to your guest’s liking?” She looked at Cassandra, who didn’t really know if that would be to her liking and waved a hand dismissively. Miriam curtseyed and went to hurry back down the hall. Rapunzel took Cassandra’s arm and lead her into the library. There was a lot to talk about.

Chapter Text

Rapunzel was not alone in that room. Cassandra had seen two cups on the tray, of course, and had assumed that one would be Eugene’s. When she followed the princess back into the library, however, she found Arianna standing to greet her with a warm smile. The queen’s eyes darted over her, covertly taking her in before she spoke. “Cassandra. Welcome home.”

“Thank you.” Thank heavens her voice didn’t shake like she thought it would. She bowed at the waist, her eyes on the floor. The queen had never been as demanding in the area of protocol as King Frederick but after the way Cassandra had left things she thought it better to err on the side of caution. Arianna stepped up to her, an amused shine to her eyes as she touched Cassandra’s shoulder, beckoning her to straighten.

“You always did have impeccable manners, but please don’t be so nervous on my account. Rapunzel cares for you very much, you are always welcome here, Cassandra.” She touched Cassandra’s chin, the contact fleeting, but intimacy of that kind coming from the queen sent a blush into her cheeks. Rapunzel beamed and hugged her mother over the shoulders.

“Aw, mom! You’re so nice~”

“I know. Don’t tell your father.” Arianna chuckled. It was strange, the demure and proper monarch was joking and laughing? Cassandra looked back and forth between them, puzzled. Rapunzel did have an interesting effect on people. She seemed to bring the best out in them.

“So!” Rapunzel unwound herself and took Cassandra by the hand, pulling her over to a comfortable looking couch. She moved a pile of books to the floor and bounced onto the cushion, patting the spot beside her invitingly. “Tell me how things are! Where have you visited? Have you made any new friends?”

“Uh, well,” she took the offered seat, relaxing a little as Arianna wandered back toward an armchair with a book lying open over the arm. That she was giving them a semblance of privacy calmed Cassandra’s confusion a great deal and she smiled at Rapunzel as she sank back into the plush couch. “I’ve actually done a lot since I’ve been gone. I’ve played bodyguard - which isn’t as fun as it sounded, and I’ve done some bounty hunting in Ingvar.”

“Wow, you’ve gone that far? I bet that was exciting!”

“It was! And it’s so satisfying when those lowlifes realize they can’t beat you and start cowering,” she laughed. She’d found bounty hunting was right up her alley. She got to go after bad guys, fight a little and rough them up, and get paid for the fun of it. Perhaps it wasn’t as honorable as being in the guard would have been but the more she excelled at it the more she found she enjoyed it. Rapunzel was shaking her head, amused. “Oh, I’ve explored a lot, too. There are a lot of ruins between here and the other kingdoms, you know?”

“Ruins? Anything interesting?” Rapunzel asked, leaning forward. Cassandra knew what she was hoping for and shrugged.

“Nothing magical if that’s what you mean. Pretty interesting from an anthropological standpoint, though.”

“Oh.” She nodded, not seeming disappointed. “Maybe I can see some with you sometime? It would be a lot of fun to travel together again.”

“It would, Raps. Maybe when the weather warms up. Wonder if Varian would want to go…” she muttered to herself. It was an afterthought, almost, but as always Rapunzel was right on top of her and she perked up excitedly.

“That’s a wonderful idea! You know, he became the royal engineer after you left? He’s really taken to it, too. I’m so proud of how he’s doing. You should stop in and see him before you leave. There’s this little house on the edge of Old Corona…”

“Oh, I already did. That’s why I’m here so late, actually. He messed up his hand-“ She began to wave a hand dismissively but Rapunzel’s eyes had grown wide.

“He got hurt??”

“Oh, a little? He got burned and some little cuts. Otherwise he’s fine. Really, it’s more of a precaution that he’s here.” Cassandra swore inwardly. She’d forgotten that Rapunzel would worry about him as soon as she heard he was injured in any way. That was the normal reaction, wasn’t it? Maybe she’d been away from nice people for too long.

“Oh that’s awful! I’m glad he came, though. Dr. Mella is away but an acquaintance of his is filling in.” She pulled her hair over her shoulder, fussing with the strands nervously. “I’d like to go see how he’s doing…”

“Maybe you should wait until morning,” Ariana has been listening from her armchair. She looked sheepish when Rapunzel turned to her. “He and Cassandra have both come a long way. I’m sure they would appreciate some rest.”

“It’s not that late!” Rapunzel shook her head, her face taking on that stubborn frown Cassandra had seen so many times. “And he’s my friend, I should check on him, shouldn’t I?”

Cassandra moved to object. Friend or not she expected he wouldn’t feel like listening to Rapunzel’s chatter after she’d dragged him all over the kingdom. Before she could speak a soft knock preceded the door opening. Miriam bowed her way in politely, setting the tea tray on a small table near the door. “I brought fresh tea! Also, another cup and some sweets. Shall I fetch anything else?”

Ariana seized the distraction, effortlessly using it to derail the conversation. “Miriam! Always right on time. I was just thinking some sweets would be nice. You’re a mind reader, aren’t you?” She hurried to the tray as Miriam poured the cups out. Cassandra could smell something very floral. Hopefully that wasn’t actually the tea smelling like that? The urge to wrinkle her nose was strong but she forced it into a polite expression of interest as the maid brought her a cup and saucer with some dainty cookies nestled along one side. It was definitely the tea.

Ariana pulled a chair close to their couch and accepted her cup with a smile. Miriam excused herself softly and Cassandra watched her leave, lifting her cup to her lips. The taste wasn’t as strong as the smell and she found she didn’t mind it, although it wasn’t something she’d have requested. The heat of it felt divine as it spread through her. The three of them were quiet for a moment until Ariana hummed thoughtfully.

“Cassandra?”

“Yes, ma’am?” She sat up straighter, a habit when being addressed by someone higher than her. Ariana didn’t seem to notice. “I was thinking. Dr. Mella’s friend will probably ask Varian to stay close for a few days so his healing can be monitored. Will you be staying as well?”

She hadn’t thought about it. She looked down at her tea and ignored Rapunzel’s eager stare. She didn’t have anywhere she needed to be at the moment. No jobs she was working or people she was tracking. Varian would be fine on his own, but last night...it has been nice to have someone close by. Even if he hadn’t given her the bed the sense of another person not being far away, especially someone she knew and trusted, haddelt good. She hadn’t realized that she’d missed it.

She hadn’t realized she’d missed Varian.

The thought irked her and she frowned. Missed Varian? Why would she do that? He’d been eighteen when she left, still a kid. They’d been friends but not particularly close ones. But where had she gone the last time she came to Corona? Where had she felt safe and sure to be welcomed? Before even Rapunzel… “Cass?”

Rapunzel’s voice startled her out of her thoughts. She could feel the blush rushing to her face and cleared her throat. Could you will away a bodily reaction like that? There wasn’t time to try. Rapunzel was looking at her with an eyebrow raised in confusion and Ariana was studying her quietly. “I’m sorry. I must be more tired than I thought. I would like to stay, if I’m allowed.”

“Allowed? Cass, you grew up here! This is your home whenever you want it to be.” Rapunzel leaned into her, smiling, and Cassandra felt another rush of warmth. Ariana watched her daughter fondly.

“I agree, you are always welcome here. Although I have a reason for asking,” Ariana said. Rapunzel sat up, her smile growing wider. A happy little wiggle ran through her and Cassandra leaned away. “In two days time we will be receiving guests from the other kingdoms. They are granting us their presence for the winter ball..my birthday, actually. I realize you have attended these events in the past as a handmaiden. Would you be interested in attending as a guest?”

“What?” Cassandra nearly dropped her teacup. A look at Rapunzel confirmed that she’d heard correctly. “Oh! I mean, your majesty! I would be honored.”

“I hope you’ll enjoy yourself, Cassandra. Of course, you will bring Varian with you?” Ariana looked pleased, more so due to Rapunzel’s happiness than Cassandra’s acceptance of her invitation.

“I will. Thank you.”

“Ooooh, Cass!” Rapunzel remembered to set her tea down before she threw her arms around Cassandra. “This’ll be so much fun! I’m in charge of decorations so I’ll be pretty busy tomorrow but you can borrow one of my dresses if you want! And we can do your hair! You’ll look great!” Who could say no to her when she’s that happy? Not Cassandra. She laughed and returned the hug, trying to ignore the tiny doubt that hovered at the back of her thoughts.

After the reception the townspeople had given her she didn’t know if a royal party was a smart place for her to be.

——

Varian was tired. Really tired. The castle hallways were long and cold and it wasn’t the first time that day that he was glad to still have that old coat. It fit better than when he was younger but was still warm. Ruddiger had vacated the space beneath his collar to perch on his shoulder. It left his neck a little cold but the cheek brushing the raccoon’s fur was pleasantly warm. At least this was a path that he knew. His room, Rapunzel and Eugene’s room, the kitchens. These were the places he actually utilized in the castle and he’d walked the halls between many times over the past few years. They felt longer than usual. His hand was throbbing. Should it still be hurting so much? The thought that he’d messed up big this time had been floating in the back of his mind all day but he pushed it down once again. He needed his hands capable and whole. What if the damaged tissue went down too far? What if it hurt so much because the nerves were fried? Could he still work with a useless hand? If he lost his position in the kingdom would Corona’s tolerance for him finally fade?

Ruddiger tittered against his hair, sensing his friend’s anxiety. Varian slowed and stopped in the middle of the hall, using his healthy hand to scratch Ruddiger’s back. He lifted his other arm and rubbed at his face. Cassandra wasn’t there to distract him with her tension and confusing feelings. He was alone with his thoughts and as usual they were trying to run away with him. He couldn’t panic. Not yet. He had to take care of himself first and foremost and working himself up wouldn’t help him do that.

What if she hadn’t been there? It could’ve been so much worse, or he could’ve put off leaving, thinking he was fine while the injury festered into sepsis. It would’ve been a stupid mistake. He knew better than that, didn’t he? He was smart, he would’ve known to take care of himself.

Wouldn’t he? The more cynical side of his brain knew that he would’ve covered the blood so he couldn’t see it and gone back to work. He would’ve been too focused to want to stop, putting it off until later but ultimately forgetting about it. Maybe he wasn’t that smart, after all. He raised his bandaged hand to frown at it. The dressing had gotten dirty with their traveling, and Cassandra hadn’t done the most careful job wrapping it. It throbbed again as if to remind him of the blistered and torn skin beneath. Experimentally, he closed his fingers as if to grasp one of his vials. The skin pulled and burned, causing him to gasp and relax his fingers. Most of the injury was his palm and wrist but the mechanics of his body were too much. Tears welled in his eyes, pain and panic fighting to be expressed. He was such an idiot.

“What’re you doing here?” Varian gasped and spun in surprise. He hadn’t heard Eugene behind him, had no idea how long he’d been standing there. It must not have been long, as his face melted into a look of concern as soon as he saw Varian’s reddening eyes. “Jeez, Varian, you’re white as a ghost. What’s wrong?”

“Am I? O-Oh…” Varian cleared his throat and rubbed his cheeks, wincing at the pressure it put against his burn. When had his hands started to shake? He realized, standing there beneath Eugene’s expectant stare, that he’d been spiralling into an anxiety attack. His nerves still felt jittery and he took a deep breath to steady himself. “I guess...it’s been a really long day, Eugene.” Ruddiger’s paws patted at his hand.

“It must’ve been. We didn’t even know you were coming. Well, I assume we didn’t. Rapunzel usually lets me know stuff like that.” He stepped closer, his movements slow and measured in a way that Varian didn’t like at all. The man was perceptive, especially when it was bound to be annoying and he was sure that Eugene was only reaching to scratch Ruddiger’s head so he could get a closer look at Varian. As he thought, a few quick flicks of his eyes scanned Varian, taking in his tired face and slumped shoulders. He moved his bandaged hand out of view but it was too late. Eugene’s hand shot out to his upper arm. “Yikes! What’s that?”

“This? Ah, nothing. Just a little, Uh, thing. You know how it is.”

“Uh huh. A little thing that requires a lot of bandages.”

“Yeah.”

“And that your buddy there is awfully worried about.” He raised an eyebrow, obviously not appreciating being taken for a fool. Varian blushed and gave Ruddiger a reproachful look, but the raccoon huffed at him and pawed at his left shoulder worriedly. “Why’re you hiding it? Is it that bad?”

Damn his perception. “No. I mean, yes? It’s not as bad as it could be but it needs looked at…”

“I feel like it must be pretty bad to have you looking like this, Varian.” He bristled a little under Eugene’s frown but tamped it down. Running a hand through his hair, he realized belated that he’d been sweating through his panic. The jittery feeling was still manifesting as a tremble in his hands. He didn’t know if Eugene had noticed, so he pressed his fingers into his scalp and rubbed them around. “All pale and sweaty, like you started to faint or something.”

“I-I was just thinking. You know how I am with blood and stuff. What if it looks really bad under the bandage? I’ll probably pass out.” He laughed, as if he were not working himself down and had only been worried about his visit to the medic. Eugene’s expression relaxed, finally. He was well acquainted with Varian’s aversion to blood.

“Oh! Why didn’t you say so? Listen, I get that. Not everyone can handle that stuff.” He clapped Varian on the shoulder, hesitating for a fraction of a second when he felt the tremble running through him, and grinned. “I’ll come with you. For emotional support, man to man.”

Varian started to shake his head, but stopped. Eugene’s presence was good. If he was talking then his brain wouldn’t have time to chase after every what-if that it could conjure. And even if he wouldn’t entertain the thought, generally it was nice to have someone with him for these things. He nodded, feeling his body relax a little more. “Actually, I’d appreciate that. Thanks, Eugene.”

“Naturally. I mean, you did help me when we singed off my eyebrows that one time…” Eugene put his arm across Varian’s shoulders, hugging him loosely as they began to continue down the hall. Ruddiger, put out, transferred himself to the taller man’s shoulder and found it convenient for snuffling at his boy’s hair.

“Sorry that serum took a few tries. I’d have gotten it to you sooner but I really didn’t want to give you foot long ones.”

“I wouldn’t have blamed you. I’d have been able to trim them, right?”

“Eventually.”

“....Eventually?” Varian grinned, knowing that Eugene would’ve had a horrible time with the faulty hair growth recipe. They chatted as they continued down the hall, catching up after the weeks they’d been apart. Varian and Eugene had had very different lives but the times they’d spent together were some of Varian’s favorites. It was good to have friends to catch up with, who wanted to know that you’d been doing well and what sort of things you’d been working on. As unpleasant as it was to be generally disliked and untrusted by the town, the few good friends he had were well worth it.

Each step was easier with someone beside him. Each breath deeper. They walked the hall together, Varian more and more glad for the reassuring weight of Eugene’s arm. Yes, it was so good to have friends.

He’d already been close to the medic’s quarters when he stopped and a scant ten minutes later he was knocking at the door. His stomach was in his throat but a glance at Eugene as he leaned against the wall eased the feeling. After the third knocking the door was flung open by a young, harried looking man. He looked at Varian, then Eugene with recognition. “These are my personal hours, aren’t they? I’m busy.”

“Hey.” Eugene gave him a charming smile and the man’s stern look faltered a little. “Varian, Dr Mella is away for a few weeks. This is Fioré. The temporary medic.” Fioré turned his stare to Varian, looking him up and down. Something nudges the back of Varian’s mind. Was this guy familiar?

“I’m an herbalist, actually, but that often crosses paths with the medical field. And to be fair, the royal family pays well.” He stepped aside to let them enter his quarters. Varian tried to steal another close look as he passed him, taking in his hair and eyes. A red scarf was tied around his head, keeping some of his hair back. The man caught his eye and raised an eyebrow, causing Varian to flush and scuttle after Eugene. “Through this door here and You can tell me what you need.”

They followed his direction to a smaller room off the main one. It contained a table and a chair that was obviously meant to seat a patient. Varian slowed at the sight of it but a nudge against his back from Eugene sent him stumbling into it. He sat rigidly and stuck his arm out. Fioré hid his mouth behind his arm, amused by his obvious discomfort.

“Varian.” Eugene prompted, when he had let his arm hang in the air and didn’t offer anything more. He shook his head, clearing it and offered his hand toward Fioré again.

“Sorry. Uh, this morning I was scalded by a burst pipe. It burnt me pretty bad and there were some little cuts. Can you do anything for it?” Varian asked quietly. He didn’t feel like the explanation really did it justice but if this guy knew anything of what he was doing it was all he needed. Fioré nodded and unwrapped the bandages from his arm. Varian resolutely kept his face turned away but he heard Eugene whistle at the sight. He winced when Fioré touched the burns and inspected them.

“The cuts are mostly superficial, although this bigger one on the heel of your hand worries me. I’d like to make sure there’s no debris in it. I can see where the blistering was but they didn’t make it through your trip here, I guess.” Varian looked at Eugene. His face had grown paler and the older man patted his shoulder. Fioré rummaged around several stacks of equipment, finally finding what he was looking for: a long set of tweezer-like things. Varian felt cold as he looked at it. Shakily, he reached out for Eugene’s arm.

“I think I’m gonna be sick…”

What followed after was a blur. There was metal in his hand, he knew, but he fainted twice during the whole examination, scaring Fioré nearly to death. He was almost glad that he fainted, considering it allowed him to skip on experiencing it. The herbalist insisted on looking at his arm thoroughly, so it was more than an hour before he allowed Varian to leave. He gave him instructions to visit again in a few days and a little pot of an antibiotic. It was his own making and Varian had taken the little thing dubiously. Before he could question it Eugene had ushered him toward the door.

Varian didn’t protest. He could always ask about it when he went to follow up with Fioré. Instead he was silent as he walked with his friend, staring thoughtfully at his bandaged hand. There were some small stitches under there, he knew, from where the shrapnel had gotten him. It ached but the feeling wasn’t as sharp as it had been. Experimentally, he made a first and hissed through his teeth. Now not only did the burns pull at his skin, but the stitches pulled at it too. Fortunately whatever Fioré had put on it dulled the pain. Eugene stopped at the hiss, his eyebrows creasing in concern. “You okay? We can go back if you need to.”

“No no. It’s fine, I was just.. you know. Feeling it out.” He continues walking, prompting Eugene to keep pace with him. “As rough as that was I’m glad Cass brought me in. It’ll heal faster now.”

“Cassandra brought you in?”

Varian rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Did I not… I thought I mentioned that? Sorry.”

“We haven’t seen her in years.” Eugene crossed his arms. “Where is she? She didn’t leave already, did she?”

“She was going to see the princess.” He didn’t add that she was meeting up with him afterward. That wasn’t important. Well, it was, but he didn’t want Eugene butting in. He stopped that thought as soon as it formed. Eugene had his back any time he needed it, he knew that, but he wasn’t sure if he’d have much time with Cassandra now that they were in the castle. He wanted to get what he could. His friend would understand that but Varian did not find the words to express it. Why? He wasn’t really sure of all the feelings he had been having. He hadn’t really taken enough time to think through them in a way that was logical and unhindered by his heart going crazy because she was so close to him. He glanced at Eugene. A well experienced friend was supposed to be good for this stuff, wasn’t it?

“I’m glad she did. Blondie’ll be real happy to see her. When we get letters she talks about it for days.”

“Hey, Eugene?” They’d reached the hallway where his room was. He stopped at the door and looked at Eugene. He was still taller than him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course. Is this my old room?”

“Focus.” He let them in and dropped his coat next to the door. Ruddiger jumped off Eugene’s shoulder to check the room out. “You’ve...been around.”

“Heh I really have.” He grinned.

“You’ve been around….ladies.”

“Well, obviously. I mean, I am charmi—“ Eugene froze as the statement sunk in. Slowly a smirk curled across his face and he raised an eyebrow at Varian. “Why?

Varian felt the blush and Eugene’s grin widened before he could turn away so he didn’t bother. “Uh, well, you know what most people would call formative years, for me, were..used for other things. And since then I’m not really the most popular guy, so…”

“Varian Varian Varian.” Eugene was next to him in one smooth movement, his arm resting that reassuring weight across his shoulders once more. “No need to be embarrassed. The company of the fairer sex is by far one of life’s greater gifts. No one should miss out on that. I know I’m technically a noble nowadays but I do still know some people who are in that line of work. What do you think you would go for? I’m thinking sweet and gentle, especially since you haven’t had much chance to explore your interests.” Varian’s face was getting redder with each word. He supposed he could be grateful that Eugene didn’t meet this assumption with judgement but really!

“No, Eugene, I-“

“Or maybe someone would let you try out a few things. Most girls are pretty accommodating.”

“That’s not-“

“No? Oh! Whoa, didn’t even think about that. Sorry, Varian. I do know a few men in the business. Not my cup of tea but I can vouch for them in a general sense. You like muscles?”

“Oh for-I’m talking about Cassandra!” It came out much louder than he’d have liked, but Eugene finally heard him. He looked at Varian blankly as he processed it.

“Cassandra?”

“Yes. Yes, Cassandra.” Varian pushed his arm away and paced to the other side of the room, running his hands through his hair. Eugene sat on the bed, watching him with a thoughtful look. “She showed up yesterday morning all ‘I’m going to chop this wood for you and look fabulous doing it’ and I invited her to stay the night because of the weather and it’s been like five years but she’s still so pretty and cool and I don’t know WHY this is all coming back! I was like fourteen it wasn’t even real feelings or anything but they’re all coming back but it’s different and it’s SO MUCH WORSE.”

“Uh huh…”

“I don’t want to scare her off or make things weird! That’s all I did back then, make it super weird for her! I want her to be my friend and keep visiting but maybe let me like hug her or something every once in a while except I start getting anywhere close to her and I’m getting heart palpitations and I get shaky sometimes and you have no idea how hard it was to get here today we were on the same horse! THE SAME HORSE, Eugene! All up against each other and we had this fight because she was SO mad I got hurt, like god, woman, it’s not like I did it on purpose!” He groaned, moving back over to flop down beside Eugene. “I don’t even know what I need to talk about thisisSOFRUSTRATING!”

“Okay. Wow. I didn’t expect all that.”

“....neither...did I.” Varian closed his eyes and covered his face. Was he really so pent up that he should be acting like this? Emotional outbursts were unlike him. He didn’t like the way he felt, even after letting everything out. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to get so worked up. It’s been a really long day.”

“It sounds like it.” He felt the bed shift slightly as Eugene lay back next to him. For a long moment they both lay there in silence. Eventually Eugene chuckled softly.

“You’re gonna laugh at me?”

“Sorry. I just...you were really weird about this when you were younger. It’s kind of funny that you’ve grown into it.”

“What do you mean?” Varian turned to look at him; but Eugene was still staring upward. “Grown into it?”

“Yeah. You love her.” Varian’s heart did a funny little flip. “Or at least, you’re attracted to her. The two aren’t totally separate”

“She’s only been back since yesterday. Doesn’t that sort of thing take longer?”

“I knew Rapunzel for two days before I died for her. Literally. You’ve known Cassandra for years.” That was an excellent point. Varian mulled the last days over carefully. They were both different, changed over the years. They were more open, and she had let him enter into moments of her letting her guard down, letting him past the walls she used to put up. They were only small things but they were, to him, significant.

She’d smiled at him so much.

“You know, some of the stuff she’s said...I suppose one could interpret it as flirting. But she was so angry this morning…”

“When you hurt your hand?”

“Right.”

“Varian, you do realize you probably scared her to death, right?” The look Eugene gave him was a little pitying. “Cassandra may have lightened up a little but she’s never been great at expressing certain things.”

It was glaringly obvious, now that someone else was pointing it out to him. Of course. Varian felt like an idiot. He’d have to talk to her when she came later, apologize for everything and thank her for looking out for him. He didn’t know if it would really fix much but it definitely wouldn’t hurt.

It might be possible, even, that she was feeling some things for him, too. Maybe that was why she’d reacted so negatively. Varian smiled to himself and Eugene laughed again. “Yeah, I know that face,” he said.

“You know what?”

“You feel better?”

“Yeah. Eugene, when I was kid I was in that science exposition. Remember?”

“Kind of?”

“I made a new element.” Varian felt heat in his cheeks again, although it was more belated embarrassment at the memory. “I was trying really hard to impress her, you know? So I named this element after her and gave her a necklace I made from it after the show.”

“Cute. Man, I can’t believe she didn’t fall for you then and there~”

“Shut up.” Varian elbowed him. He didn’t mind teasing from certain people, and Eugene had been at the top of that list for a long time. “It was dumb back then but it’s important! This morning I saw her without her jacket on. Eugene. She still has it. She wears it.”

“Really.” He pushed himself up on an elbow. “You’re sure about that?”

“Positive.” He folded his arms beneath his head, sighing happily. Even if he hadn’t been able to decide what he wanted to ask specifically, he felt better. He couldn’t wait to talk to Cassandra.

Chapter Text

The forest, that damned nightmare of a place. Varian stumbled blindly, his heart pounding as he tried to find his way in the darkness. The ground beneath his feet shook beneath the weight of the automaton as it lumbered after him. He wished the darkness was comforting, that he could tuck himself into it and hide until it was over and daylight made him feel safe again. He knew better. He knew the intimate workings of the machine, every gear and cog that brought it roaring to life. He knew he couldn’t hide. It would find him. It always did.

He fell. Brush scratched into his skin, pulled against his hair almost as if grasping at him, holding him down. Panic welled In him and he thrashed his way free. No, the brush had dropped away, suddenly thrust aside by the dark spike of rock that sprang from the earth. He stared at it in confusion, until the foot of the automaton crashed down only feet away. Another rock erupted next to him. Now there were two things after him, it seemed. Scrambling and terrified, Varian drug himself free and staggered to his feet.

Everything hurt. He didn’t look down at himself, knew it would be too dark, and pushed himself onward. Was that light between the trees? His thoughts seized on the possibility, clinging to it like a drowning man to a rope. It was! He hoped it was. He made for it, desperate for help, for relief, for anything but this. When he broke through into the clearing he stopped short, eyes widening despite the sudden brightness of the blue light.

Cassandra. She stood with her back to him and her head down but he knew her in an instant. The black armor, the striking blue of her hair, her hands balled into tight fists at her side. The rocks were everywhere, growing in abrupt jerks as they closed in on her. The light flared with each movement. He called her name, reached to her, but several new rocks rose between them, forcing him back. Cassandra’s head lifted slowly and she turned to him. Her hair shone and shifted, floating around her head. Her eyes were lifeless, black blocking out the hazel he expected. Tears ran down her cheeks, unnoticed. There was no recognition in her face.

“Cass! What’s… no, we have to get out of here!” He pushed against the rocks, reaching for her, but she only looked at him blankly. Varian could still hear the automaton behind him, it’s metal screeching against the rocks in its path. They had done nothing to slow it. “Cassandra! Please!” Her face began to crumple, a hand lifting uncertainly toward him. Suddenly the ground surged beneath her feet. Varian cried out after her, his voice breaking. Didn’t she control the rocks? Her own weapon was turning on her! He watched her shrink in on herself, her arms wrapping around her body and folding in on herself. The shadow of the automaton bore down on him as the rocks rose to meet her.

——
Varian woke with Cassandra’s name in his throat and tears on his cheeks. He thrashed and kicked, realizing slowly that he was wrapped in the blankets from his bed as he lay across it. Reality worked its way back into his mind. His room at the castle. The medic. Eugene. Eugene? He was alone. After the long day he’d had he must’ve fallen asleep while they were talking. He made a mental note to thank his friend for covering him against the chill of the room. Wiggling out of his blankets he sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. It was damp with sweat, the result of his panic moments before. Now, sitting on the edge of the bed he knew that he wouldn’t sleep again anytime soon.

Wobbly with sleep, he made his way back to the door and dug his satchel our from the pile of his coat. Maybe writing it down would help his nerves. It would be nice if it helped him make sense of it. He tossed it into his bed and crossed to the wardrobe; pulling his shirt off. Fresh clothes and getting his thoughts down. That was a good plan. The clothes he kept at the castle were nicer than what he wore at home, mostly because he was supplied with new ones often but also because he was expected to be presentable more often and not just stay holed up in his lab.

The cool air was as refreshing as the clean clothes and Varian was already feeling better as he pulled on a plain gray shirt and traded his pants for some warm brown ones. They were plain and comfortable and felt more like him than many of the options he had passed over. He messed with his hair again, fluffing it and feeling the air against his scalp. He definitely felt better.

He climbed into bed and pulled out the journal he made notes in. It would work. Before he wrote anything he took a moment to stare at the blank page. Conjuring up the images from his dream wasn’t pleasant, and he wasn’t eager to do it now that he felt better. Was there still any point to it?

It got me this time. He froze at the thought. That was what had woken him, really. His stomach twisted at the thought. It got me… and the rocks… Cassandra had not been in his dreams since those embarrassing and unrealistic dreams he’d had as a kid. She’d certainly never been in any of his nightmares. Why would she show up now? When they’d talked the day before she seemed to regret what she’d done but he’d also thought she’d moved past it. Did she have dreams like this too? He wrote Cassandra?? and stared at it, remembering the horrible emptiness in her eyes. Regardless of how she felt about the past, Varian had dreamed it. He had forgiven her for all that, hadn’t he? If he hadn’t wouldn’t he have dealt with it by now? He drew some shapes around her name, mulling over the past. It stirred no animosity or ill will in him. There was a little hurt but it felt more like hurt for Cassandra than because of her.

Cassandra’s name had a spiral of stars and feathers around it now. He honestly didn’t know. She’d been so broken in the dream, was he projecting something onto her subconsciously? He drew Ruddiger, curled up at the foot of the bed and added a few apples around him. None of it made sense. Then again, maybe it was just a dream. He knew that things a person was preoccupied with could influence dreams but he wasn’t a believer in signs and things of that kind. He was the source, but if he couldn’t put any significance to her appearance maybe there wasn’t any to begin with. It was just a dream.

Sighing, Varian dropped the journal onto the bed and pulled his boots on. He’d given the dream the attention it warranted and wanted to move on. If he didn’t, he knew, he wouldn’t be able to relax again. Ruddiger glanced at him with one eye and nuzzled back down into the blanket so Varian left him and let himself out into the dim hall.

It was silent. Even his footsteps were muffled by the carpeting that ran along the middle of the corridors. There were night staff somewhere in the building, cooks preparing things to be baked tomorrow, guards moving about the castle, but no one seemed to be near as he made his way silently along. Lit sconces provided light, but every other one was extinguished so the light faded completely from one before he reached the next. It was different from the bustle of the day but Varian felt a peacefulness in it, and stretching his legs felt good enough that he soon began to forget the dream and the questions it raised. He hummed softly, his voice fading in and out as his attention did.

He didn’t mind staying in the castle. It was easier to attend to his work there and he had everything he needed. Rarely was there not someone within earshot to assist him with whatever he needed, but it just wasn’t home. Even in Old Corona there was enough countryside that he could step outside and let his mind drift along the sounds of nature. He thought of the wind rustling the trees outside his little cottage and the stars overhead. It had been a clear day, they were probably bright tonight. It would be nice to sit under them with Cassandra. They could build a fire and share a blanket to keep each other warm. Varian could feel the blush rise in his face and for a moment he buried it in his hands. He was blushing over that? The thought of sharing a blanket? Sharing a blanket and looking at the stars how horribly cliche could he be? Just the thought of it was embarrassing! At least he wasn’t fantasizing the way he used to. At fourteen he probably would’ve dreamed about her swooning as he built her a spectacular bonfire and wrapped her in the finest furs while calling her “milady” or something stupid like that. The image brought another flush, this time of shame for his younger self and he couldn’t help a soft chuckle. Poor Cassandra.

Still, he wouldn’t deny he would like to warm up together, feeling their sides press together and her dark curls brushing his cheek was very appealing. It wasn’t really that dumb of an idea. Maybe Cass would even like it, he thought with a smile. He’d have to offer if the opportunity ever presented itself.

If she were still up… the castle was on the colder side with its stone and huge rooms. Maybe she wouldn’t mind sharing a little warmth with him tonight. Varian stopped and looked around, unsure which way her room would be. It was silly that he still got turned around here, but there were so many hallways and extra rooms. The halls were silent. To his left was another corridor down which he could make out the shape of tall windows thanks to the moonlight. He made for them. If he knew where he was in the castle he’d be able to find his way, he was sure.

They were brighter up close, the slanted light striking the patterned floor was surprisingly bright and he smiled to himself as he passed through it. Astronomy wasn’t a particular interest of his but when it was so close he couldn’t help feeling a little impressed.

The windows lined the corridor and for a moment Varian let his mind quiet and his steps take him in and out of the light. He moved gracefully, his face turned to the moon. It was peaceful and the night was soft around him. He spun as he went through a shaft, Cassandra’s soft laugh filling his thoughts. Did she dance? She must know how but did she like it? Would she like this? The question didn’t keep his attention for long as the idea itself took hold. He thought of her beside him, in his arms as they moved through the drifting moonbeams. Her hands touched his shoulders, his face, and she pressed close to him, that silken voice laughing softly around his name. She was so close to him, if he only moved a little closer he could-

A startled squeak brought Varian back to reality with a jerk. He stared at the maid who had just entered the hall in her nightclothes, his arms half raised. Oh this was a not happening. He didn’t move, but his eyes flickered away from her, looking for an escape. There, not far away, a door between two of the high windows. “Uh… “

“Oh, I thought you were a ghost! You frightened me, sir.” The maid put a hand to her cheek, still keeping a careful hold on her candle. “It’s odd to see anyone up at this hour. Did you need something? When you’re… finished?” Her gaze moved over him, obviously not sure what she was seeing. Varian lowered his arms slowly and scooted toward the door.

“No! No, sorry, I’m fine. Just getting some exercise. Been in the lab all day, you know.” He felt for the handle blindly, giving her a wide, unconvincing smile. “I didn’t think I’d see anyone. I’m sorry I scared you.”

“Sir, are you sure you’re all right?” She asked doubtfully.

“Yes yes. I’m fine. Excuse me. Have to, uh think about some more stuff.” He found the handle and twisted it clumsily, his injured hand protesting, and made much more noise than he’d hoped as he practically fell through it.

The night was freezing but thankfully still and windless. Varian shut the door and leaned against it, grateful for the cold air on his flushed face. Of course, the one time he lets his guard down and does something embarrassing someone had to see him. All the castle staff will likely know in the morning that the Royal Engineer dances alone through the halls. Wonderful. He rubbed his face, willing the blush away before looking around to assess where he’d ended up. Bare branches met overhead, tunnel-like as they moved away from him. He followed the path as it turned and open up into a wide, walled area. Even empty he could tell
That he’d stumbled onto the castle gardens. He’d seen it briefly once or twice in the height of summer when the trees were full and everything burst with color. It had been beautiful then but now it just felt empty.

He rubbed his arms, feeling the chill air begin to set into his skin. He doubted that the maid would linger in the hall for long now that he was gone. There was no reason she’d wait for him. He blew into his hands and looked up to the castle looming behind him. Rapunzel’s tower was easy to spot. If his memories of looking down from that balcony were correct then the front gates would be to his right from where he was standing now. If he stuck to the outer wall when he went inside he’d find his way back easily. Perfect!

“Ha!” Varian turned toward the voice, unsure if he’d really heard it. The garden was silent for a long moment. He knew he was tired, but hearing things? That was worrisome. Again came a sound, the quiet slap of boots against stone; then silence again. Varian glanced back at the castle once more and walked slowly deeper into the sleeping trees. There were decorative benches and the twigs of bare bushes that clung to him when he got too close. Beyond the flower beds there was a tall hedge, thin enough without its leaves that Varian’s eyes caught movement beyond it. Careful to stay quiet, he edged toward the end of the hedge and peered around it.

A circular fountain decorated the little square space, its flow absent in the cold weather. Along the gently curved side, Cassandra was poised on the balls of her feet. Her face was focused and intense as she went through several movements with the spear she held. The movements were sharp and precise, its point spinning through the dark before thrusting out in front of her. “Ha!”

Varian supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. As much as she traveled she wouldn’t have been as worn out as he was after riding all day, and he’d known for a long time that fighting was almost a hobby for her. She loved swordplay and archery and… spear play? He wasn’t sure what to call it. It was impressive, whatever the name was. He watched her run through the moves again, adjusting her stance as if she were being pushed back. Again, moving back and forth along the fountain wall as if battling an opponent for ground. Her form was beautiful, the product of years of practice and for several minutes Varian watched silently, admiring her.

It was a little creepy, he thought, since she didn’t know that he was there. But really, when someone’s swinging a weapon around should you surprise them? He ducked back behind the hedge. Maybe if she was startled and took a stroke at him it would shield him. That would work, right? He looked at the bare branches doubtfully and stepped back several feet before calling out to her. “Hello? Cass?”

Something whizzed past the other side of the hedge and footsteps rushed toward him. Cassandra rounded the branches with wide eyes. “Varian? Oh, thank the sun I didn’t get you… you surprised me.”

“Sorry. You surprised me, too, though. What’re you doing out here so late?” He passed her and sat on the wall of the fountain, wincing as he used his hands to push himself up. Cassandra saw and frowned. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“Yeah. It was nice seeing Raps again but I just feel uneasy, I guess.” She sat beside him, one arm draped around the haft of the spear. “Did you like the cake?”

“Cake?”

“Yeah.” Her face fell slightly. “I got us some from the kitchens but you were asleep already. I left it on the bedside table.”

“Oh the cake! I didn’t see it, I guess. I was kinda disoriented when I woke up.” Varian sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, realizing the state it was in from his agitation earlier. He blushed and smoothed it down. Beside him. Cassandra smiled and roughed it up again. “Hey!”

“Disoriented? You going to elaborate on that?”

His eyes slid away from her uncertainly. “Uh… just a nightmare. I woke up suddenly and it left me kinda rattled.”

“Is that why you’re wandering around the gardens so late?” She didn’t press him for details, for which he was glad. He’d heard all the sentiments before and he didn’t want to hear them from Cassanadra. “Varian?”

“No, I-“ he thought of the maid and stopped. That wasn’t something she needed to know about. Not until she heard the rumor about it, anyway. “Yeah. Yeah, I thought the air might help.”

“It feels good, doesn’t it? Could be a little warmer but it’s not so bad if you move around.” She rapped her spear against the ground for emphasis.

“Is that why you’re out here? You said you felt uneasy.”

Cassandra was quiet for a moment, her eyes drifting away from Varian before coming back to him as she straightened. “Yes.” It was more direct than he’d expected from her. “I told you before. I haven’t been back here since I first left. I had expected the reaction we got in town but didn’t know what we’d be walking into here. Rapunzel is thrilled to see me, and that helps, but I don’t feel like the guard are going to relax around me.”

“Have they bothered you?” Varian asked sharply. It surprised both of them a little and they looked at each other uncertainly. Cassandra shook her head slowly. “No. If they did I could handle them, although I don’t like the idea of getting into trouble here again. No, it’s just...a feeling. Like intuition.”

“Intuition.” That was unscientific. Varian didn’t put much stock in intuition but he understood gut feelings, the hunch just before a solution clicked into place. They might not be all that different in the end. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Cassie.”

“It’s my own fault, I guess. Maybe it’s even in my head.” She shrugged, obviously intending to dismiss the issue. “If they’re on their guard a little more than usual then they’re just doing their jobs.”

“Yeah but that was years ago. You’re welcome here now and they shouldn’t make you feellike you aren’t.” He watched as Cassandra scooted away from him and lay down along the wall. She crossed one leg over the other and looked up at the sky. Her head was right by his leg and the moonlight was full on her face. It made her eyes shine and Varian had to try very hard not to lose himself in them. “This was your home.”

“Was. The world is my home now,” she said. She didn’t sound unhappy so Varian decided to let it go. She hadn’t pressed him, he would do her the same kindness. He hummed thoughtfully and shifted, mirroring her position so that the tops of their heads where next to each other.

“What a romantic notion. The stunning lady of the sword, roaming the world in search of adventure. Something like that?”

“Something like that. I punch things, too.”

“Oh, can’t leave that out. In search of adventure and things to punch.”

“Much better. If I’m inspiring stories they’ve got to be realistic.” She laughed and Varian smiled. Was it cliche to hear music in her voice? He’d seen the notion in novels but had taken it as an exaggeration. Lying there in the freezing garden and listening to Cassandra giggle to herself he reassessed that. There was definitely music in it. “Although maybe not too realistic. I want people to actually want to hear them.”

“You could be the next Flynn Rider.”

“I could. I’d do a better job than Fitzherbert, anyway.” She lifted her hands and spread them as if spreading a banner in front of them. “The Adventures of Cassandra, the Hand of Justice! Nothing like a hero with a tortured past to draw people in.”

“It’s not tortured enough. You need a lover that died in your arms or something.”

“Well I’d need a lover first.” The tone of her voice mystified Varian. She didn’t sound like she was joking. It didn’t sound inviting either. Wistful? He tilted his chin to look up at her, but her eyes were still on the sky. “But what’s the point of that if they’re just going to die off?” She was joking again, uneasily, and they fell silent as the moment passed.

The stone pressing into his back was beginning to feel unpleasant, numbness sinking into his bones. Even so, Varian made no move to leave to companionable position they’d settled into. This wasn’t quite what he’d envisioned. There was no fire, no blanket, and fewer stars. There was Cassandra. That was perfect. He tilted his head back again, feeling the faint tickle of a lock of her hair. They were close. Perfect.

“Uh… Varian?” He snapped his head back down so fast that his neck cracked. Cassandra shifted to glance at him before looking back at the sky. “Listen.”

“Yeah?” He cleared his throat, hating the little squeak in his voice. She didn’t notice it

“Apparently the day after tomorrow is the Queen’s birthday celebration.” She didn’t sound happy and Varian pursed his lips together. He was required to attend royal events once in a while but had never had to be at something like that. Cassandra huffed softly, her hesitance evident in her voice. “She invited me.”

“The Queen?”

“Yeah.” Well. You didn’t exactly turn down royalty like that, even if they’re on the kinder side. “So I guess I’ll be attending. There’ll be a lot of people there.”

Oh. He could’ve kicked himself for not realizing outright. She’d just told him how uneasy being here made her and now she was going to have to attend a ball with royals and guards and who knew what else. “Cass…”

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but… a-and she mentioned you too but I can pretend like I didn’t get to ask you if you don’t-“

“I’ll go with you.” She stopped. Varian could hear the hesitance in her voice, the uncertainty that he would help her with this. It hurt him a little but he supposed it came from a place of being unused to asking people for things. Slowly, he saw her raise a hand and reach up to him. He clasped her frigid palm to his, squeezing it reassuringly through the sting of his stitches and trying to offer her the security he knew she needed. She squeezed back.

They clung to the contact.

——

By the time Varian returned to his room he felt frozen all the way through. The cake was gone, little paw marks had smeared the icing off the edges of the plate and Ruddiger was pretending to be very asleep on his pillow. Varian barely noticed. His hand was tingling. Or was it? He kicked off his boots and wiggled underneath the heavy blankets of the bed and cuddled his cheek into the raccoon’s back, still looking at his hand. The way Cassandra had reached out to him was still fresh in his mind and he replayed the tangling of fingers, the warming against each other over in his mind again. She’d slept in his bed. They’d talked about things neither of them really wanted to. They’d shared a horse all day. Why did this feel like something more intimate?

It was because she’d been reaching for him. She had felt vulnerable and had reached for him. He sigh dreamily and closed his fingers. Did she feel safe being like that with him? She could beat him six ways to Tuesday if she felt like it, the notion of her feeling safe with Varian was almost laughable, but it was still there. He liked it. He wanted her to feel safe with him. He felt safe with her.

The thought bounced around in Varian’s mind as sleep took him. He dreamed of dark hair and starlight.

Chapter Text

Varian woke late. For a while he lay there with his face smooshed into his pillow, thinking. He was taking Cass to the party. The Queen’s party. It was going to be fancy and she was going to be pretty and he’d be dancing with her. It hadn’t seemed like such a big deal last night in the quiet privacy of the garden but now that he’d had a chance to stew on it for a while his stomach had developed a jittery feeling that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. It was nerves. But it was also excitement. As he lay there with his face hidden he basked in the feeling. Even if it turned into a boring political function just having her there with him would make it so much more bearable. 

Ruddiger stretched where he’d been curled up against Varian’s stomach, his little hands tapping against the young man’s chest. Varian laughed and reached down to scratch through the fur on his belly. “Morning, Rudd.” He grinned when the raccoon kicked his hind feet against his palm. Belly scratches weren’t his favorite. “Sorry, you’re just too soft. It’s tempting, you know?”

He pushed himself up unthinkingly, with both hands underneath him. Instantly, he dropped again, tears springing to his eyes. He’d forgotten about his hand. It throbbed and burned beneath its bandages now, aggravated by the sudden weight he’d trusted to it. Ruddiger snuffled against his hair worriedly but Varian ignored him, taking a moment to curl in on himself and wait for the pain to ebb. It eclipsed his thoughts of Cassandra and the ball, instead invoking worry of torn stitches and burst skin. It sure hurt enough in the moment that he found himself worrying if he’d damaged it. 

Although, If he had the pain wouldn’t be fading. That, he thought, must be a good sign. He slowly uncurled his hand and stared at it, half expecting the bandages to begin to redden. They stayed nice and white, even if the movement hurt. Varian sighed and sank back into his pillow. Injuries were annoying and he’d have to remember to be careful with it. 

This time he used his good hand to push himself up and stagger out of bed. The room’s cold air bit at him through his thin clothes and a shiver ran through him. “At least I don’t have to ice it or anything. The air’ll take care of that.” He picked up the shirt he’d worn out to the garden and pulled it on, glad for the slight protection it gave. The day before had been one thing after another and the cold air was familiar enough that it brought his cottage to mind. “If I figure out that heating system at home it could be used here, too. Maybe we should visit the library while we’re here?” He tilted his head at Ruddiger, who only tilted his head. “Eugene and Rapunzel will be busy today. Cass… I don’t know what she’s doing, but we can find her for dinner. Sound good?” The raccoon chirped at him and followed at his feet toward the door. He’d read up on a few things… 

____

It almost felt like Cassandra had never left. She knew the castle like the back of her hand, each hall and room a buried memory. It had felt strange to be in her old room again, like she didn’t quite fit there anymore, and she’d spent most of the night wandering the cold halls, resisting the urge to constantly watch over her shoulder. She was safe here. She knew that, even if her old habits didn’t want her to. 

A maid rounded the corner ahead of her, sidestepping her with an uneasy expression. Cassandra gave her the most neutral expression she could muster. No, it wasn’t the same no matter how it felt. Nostalgia washed over her when morning had come but the underlying sense that she was no longer welcome could not be shaken. She leaned her back against the wall and crossed her arms protectively across her chest. No, this wasn’t home anymore. 

——

Eugene generally enjoyed being a leader but the prospect of having so many people whose safety needed to be considered was daunting even to him. He sat on top of the oak table in the guard room, staring at the map of the castle he had tacked to the wall. Pins showed the positions he’d assigned to the guards. All entrances were well guarded in theory but he could see a dozen weak spots that someone with the right skills could easily use to gain entrance to the ball. Having a history of breaking and entering had its ups and downs, although he supposed it gave him an advantage here. “Stan?”

“Captain.” The soldier straightened where he’d been lingering in the doorway. 

“Let bygones be and all that… I would feel better with a guy or two on the roof. You know?”

“Ah. Yes sir, I remember. Charles is quite adept with the bow, he could double as roof watch and eyes from above.” Eugene grinned appreciatively at the suggestion. 

“Wonderful. Also we need someone at this back wall of the garden. Make sure they’re not forgotten when rotation happens.”

“Of course, sir.” A salute and he was gone into the hall as Eugene hopped off the table and added two pins to the map. That was better. 

——

Rapunzel tried her best not to watch the clock. It wasn’t professional, and she knew it would only make things pass more slowly. Bit by bit the day was slipping away. Her stomach growled and she sat a little straighter. There hadn’t been time for lunch with the preparations for the ball but she told herself firmly that it would just make dinner even better. 

An array of table linens was spread before her. They were various colors and fabrics but she didn’t know if it would matter what she picked. We’re there rules about this sort of thing? There were a lot of surprising rules and guidelines she’d learned over the years but inconsequential things were a little harder to keep track of. Her gaze slid to the side, silently begging the advice of the maid waiting dutifully beside her. The woman shifted unsurely. “Your Highness?”

“What would you pick?” Rapunzel asked, her tone conversational. The maid glanced at the options, her answer immediate. 

“White linen with the gold embroidery along the edges. The one with the ivy. It’s elegant and the white will make the colors of the food pop so the dishes stand out.”

“Oh. I was thinking white was too boring. Aren’t the orange ones pretty? And it’s such a warm color. That’s nice because of winter, right?” Rapunzel looked up at her for an opinion. “The green of the salads would look nice against it.”

“It’s up to you, Your Highness. Whatever you choose will be lovely.” She folded her hands in front of her and waited. Rapunzel sank down into her chair a little, her confidence giving way to tiredness. 

“I guess the white is more elegant. Let’s use these ones that have the floral edges…”

——

Varian slammed the book he was reading closed, the sound deafening in the heavy silence of the room. He was in the more utilitarian library of the upper levels of the castle. He knew from experience that the smaller library favored by the royal family veered away from the scientific and technical sort of documents that would help him with his work. 

It was warmer in the upper floors, and the fire he’d coaxed to life in the fireplace was doing its best to make the place cozy. It was perhaps too comfortable as Varian had realized far too often that his brain was slipping away from Advanced Principles of Thermonetics and finding its way to the hazel eyes that had smiled at him the night before. He groaned and slumped down to bump his head against the cover of the book. He was tired. He thumped his forehead again. His hand was throbbing. He thumped it again, harder. He couldn’t concentrate! Maybe if he hit himself hard enough the book’s information would just be forced into his brain. That was a thing that happened, right? Learning by osmosis?

He groaned and pushed the book away, blindly grabbing at the stack on the desk beside him. He flipped it open to a random page, his eyes not really seeing it. “Ruddiger is this even a date? Is it like a...platonic let’s-go-as-friends date? I think that’s a thing. People hang out all the time...but it could be a date date. Should I have asked her…?” He looked toward the fireplace where the raccoon had been napping. The little guy was nowhere to be seen. Varian frowned. He’d always let Ruddiger come and go as he pleased but he wasn’t usually so preoccupied that he didn’t notice when it happened. Cassandra was really throwing him for a loop. “This stuff is a lot of trouble…”

“What? Everything okay?” Varian jerked, startled by the broken silence. The book thumped loudly against the table and he fumbled after it, heat flooding his face. Cassandra watched him with a raised eyebrow from the doorway. 

“Cassie!”

“Varian.” She didn’t move, watching him with concern as he settled down again. He flattened the book on the table and chuckled in embarrassment.

“Sorry. I didn’t know anyone was even on this floor right now, let alone in the room. You scared me.”

“I gathered that.” She crossed the room lightly, her fingers brushing along the spines lining a shelf. “I know you’re a thinker but you should try to be a little more aware of things around you, okay? Just because we’re in the castle doesn’t mean you should throw caution to the wind.”

“What do you mean? Should I be worried?” 

“No, nothing like that. Consider it a...a life lesson I’ve picked up over the years.” She paused and slid an old book off the shelf, weighing it in her hands. “No where is as safe as you want it to be.”

“That’s a little pessimistic, isn’t it?” He asked, watching her continue to peruse the shelf. 

“It’s realism.”

“Yeah, no. No it’s not. I am a realist, and I know that no one can live like that. It would drive you crazy.” She picked another book and brought it to the table, settling in beside him. “Or at least exhaust you mentally. Sometimes, Cass, a place is as safe as you want it to be. Like home.”

“Home, huh…”

“Right. It’s okay to let your guard down sometimes, you know.” He watched her open her book from the corner of his eye. It was something about the Southern Isles and it’s traditions. Not something he’d find interesting himself, but probably useful for a traveler. “Especially if you’re around people you can trust.”

“Like you.”

“Like me.” He smiled to himself. Even if she’d already shown trusting behavior it was nice to have it reaffirmed. He glanced down at his own book to realize what he’d blindly grabbed appeared to be a recipe book. Something about oil fried cakes. “...I appreciate that.”

“Good.” She flipped farther into the book. “You know, this is only the second place I looked for you. You’re a little predictable.”

“Rude.”

“I don’t mind, it made finding you easier.” He felt a light nudge from her arm. “So you get me in a better mood.”

“I’d take you in any mood.” Cassandra snorted and Varian ignored the blush he could feel creeping up his neck. “Trust me, you’re far batter company than ninety eight percent of the castle and on equal footing with the other two percent.” He hid his face in his book. Fried doughnuts with cinnamon. So much oil in this book. 

“That’s a compliment, right?”

Oil. Varian dropped the book down to the table, his brows furrowed in thought. Cassandra leaned away from him uncertainly at the change. He didn’t notice. Oil in his automatons. Oiling cogs and wheels. Oil greasing his iron skillet. Cooking oil smoked if you were in trouble but mostly it was just...hot. “Oil.”

“Oil?” Cassandra asked. 

Varian looked at her and waved his bandaged hand vaguely as if it would explain. “Yeah!” He shoved the cookbook aside and scrambled for his notebook and pencil. He had the notes from his heating system in there so knowing the length and diameter of the piping he should know how much it would hold. There were water measurements in there as well but he wanted to recalculate and allow a little room for the liquid’s change in consistency. Curiously, Cassandra watched him work, his pencil scribbling quickly across the page and interjecting notes into what was already there. “Why did I use water? That was so stupid of me, of course it would steam and build up pressure. Everyone knows that! But oil doesn’t give off steam! It’ll heat and as long as the temperature is limited should be entirely safe!”

“How would you limit it?” Cassandra asked, picking up on what he was getting excited about. 

“That’s a good question. You’d need maybe a temperature gage to keep an eye on it. Maybe...over the fireplace where it gets heated, if the piping could be flexible there you could adjust how close to the fire it is and how hot it would get…”

“Rubber hosing?” Cassandra leaned back in her chair. “With a metal segment in the middle to heat. The oil would keep it from drying out. You’d have to watch that it doesn’t melt, though.”

“Yeah! Why didn’t I think of this before? It would’ve saved so much trouble! Oh, but then we wouldn’t be here… ” they both paused and looked at each other. After a moment Varian looked down at his hand. It hurt and felt stiff, but without this trip Cassandra probably would’ve moved on already. “I mean, it would’ve saved me some stitches anyway.”

“Yeah. What brought about the epiphany?” Cassandra leaned her chin on her hand and studied him, her curiosity evident. Varian puffed up a little under the scrutiny and held up the cook book. “I grabbed this by mistake and figured I’d look through it. It’s...pretty much all fried. Lucky for me.”

“Nah that was all in your head. You just needed reminded.” She smiled and leaned across the table, her fingertips just barely reaching his head to ruffle his hair. Varian dropped quickly into his chair, caught off guard by the gesture. When Cassandra pulled back uncertainly he laughed as casually as he could. 

“Lost my balance a little there...the cold air must be messing with my ears.” A blush of embarrassment was creeping up his face and he ignored it, instead rubbing his palm against his ear. Cassandra was giving him an appraising look, and after a moment she smiled and reached over to turn a page in the cookbook. 

“You’re a bad liar, Varian.” Of course she would’ve seen through that. He swore inwardly at the lame attempt to cover for himself. “I didn’t mean to… yeah. Sorry about that.” He wasn’t sure why she was apologizing but the pinch to her eyebrows made his stomach drop. Surely she didn’t think he’d been trying to move away from her touch? It would’ve looked that way, sure, but he’d not acted like anything from her was unwelcome before this. Did she really think she’d crossed a line? Varian bit his lip, studying her outright. Her focus was on the cookbook, though whether out of genuine interest or a need to avoid his eyes he didn’t know. The hand she’d reached out to him with was worrying the corner of the page. Otherwise she seemed fairly at ease. 

She was putting up a front. He was sure of it. “Cassandra.” Her eyes lifted to meet his and he smiled, sliding one hand toward the book as well. He brushed his thumb across her fingers, noting the way they tensed gently at the contact. “You surprised me.” Her shoulders relaxed and her expression softened slightly. Whatever she was thinking the statement seemed to allay it and her eyes dropped to the table with a small hum. 

“Next time I come to corona I’ll bring something good. We can fry it up and have a picnic or something.” She pulled her hand back. Even though the moment seemed to have passed she seemed happier and Varian breathed a sigh of relief. Uncertain Cassandra was an unsettling experience. He didn’t want her to feel like that, especially because of him. 

“I’d like that. If it’s warm enough the garden should be grown enough there might be stuff in there we can have too.”

“Aw, Var, you’d harvest for me? I’m touched.” She elbowed him and he laughed, confident that they were moving on from the awkwardness. “Don’t think I’ve ever had a guy offer up his vegetables to me.”

“Well you’ve been missing out.” He closed the cookbook and picked up the stack to put them away. Now that inspiration has struck he didn’t feel the need to bury himself in research anymore. “So what’ve you been up to all day?”

“Not much. Hung out with Fidella for a while. Your shadow was there.”

“My shadow?”

“Ruddiger. Stealing apples from the troughs.” She grabbed the last book out of his hand and gave it a disinterested glance before standing to slide it back into place on the shelf. “One of the maids found me out there. I feel kinda bad that she had to look all over for me but I suppose it comes with the territory.” She pulled a paper from under her belt that he hadn’t noticed before and waved it in front of his face. “Raps wants us to have dinner in her room tonight. Or, whenever we’re ready. Sounds like she needs a break.”

“Yeah? I haven’t seen her yet.” He swiped it from her and shook it open one-handed. Rapunzel’s delicate scrawl adorned the paper, with a doodle of herself smiling underneath:

Dear Cass,

Should I start like that? it feelsvery formal, doesn’t it? Wow, I’ve looked at so many menus and seating charts that I dreamed about them last night. It’s not as fun as it sounds. I think I like parties much more than party planning. And the decorating is more fun when you get to do it yourself. More than all that, though, I want to hang out! Just us! And Eugene! You guys should come up for dinner tonight. 

There’s all kinds of food being made for the party so I picked out the tastiest ones for us. Come up to our room around eight. And of course Ruddiger and Owl are welcome too.

I can’t wait to see you!

Rapunzel 💜

Dinner did sound good. His stomach growled at the thought and he chuckled. “I am pretty hungry. Eight isn’t that far away,” he promoted, looking at her expectantly. Cassandra plucked the note back from him. 

“Yeah, I didn’t think you’d mind.”

—-

There were so many stairs. Varian would never admit it but he did have a tendency to slack off where exercise was concerned and as he trailed after Cassandra on the staircase he deeply regretted every time he’d chosen another chapter over taking a walk. Why did the princess have her room in a tower? Maybe her parents had thought it would feel more homey for her? It seemed a strange choice to him but the way of parents was a little beyond his reckoning. Honestly there wasn’t a lot on his mind but trying to catch his breath quietly enough that Cassandra wouldn’t hear him gasping like a dying man. He forced his breath to go slow and even, even though his lungs were screaming. When they finally reached the small hall at the top he almost fell to his knees and kissed the carpet. That blessedly flat floor was the best thing he’d seen all day. He still couldn’t breathe. In front of him Cassandra let out a breath, almost like she’d enjoyed the climb.  “Ah! Well, that’ll get your blood moving, won’t it? No wonder she’s so scrawny…” she turned to look at him and her eyes widened slightly. “Varian?”

“Yeah. Quite...a climb.” That definitely wasn’t what a healthy young man sounded like and he caught with a pang of embarrassment how her mouth quirked up at the corner. 

“Breathe, Varian. You can’t eat or visit if you’re passed out in the hallway.” She whacked him on the back, not hard but enough to startled a little gasp from him. The breach of his composure broke him and he gave in, bending to brace his hands on his knees and catch his breath. Cassandra was graceful enough not to badger him about it and simply leaned against the wall as she waited for him. 

The hallway to Rapunzel’s room was bigger than Varian remembered it. It wasn’t often that he had cause to climb up and visit. Normally Rapunzel sought him out while he worked. He sighed with relief at being able to breath normally and straightened, giving Cassandra a thumbs up. “Okay. Okay, I’m alive.”

“Nerd.” She grinned at him and trotted off down the short hall. Almost as soon as she knocked, the door flew open and Eugene was pulling them into the room. 

“Well well well! It’s about time! Blondie was getting anxious.”

“I was not, Eugene.” Rapunzel hopped down from the stool she’d been balanced on as she tied the curtains to the balcony door back. It wouldn’t keep the room as warm but it let the evening light bleed into the room, casting a pleasant glow over the blanket they’d spread on the floor. She beamed at them as she spread her arms wide. “Welcome to our own preview of the ball tomorrow! I got a ton of stuff for us to try!”

“And I got plenty of wine,” Eugene added, closing the door behind them. Cassandra rolled her eyes and ran to Rapunzel to wrap her in a hug. Varian found an arm slung across his shoulders as Eugene pulled him over to the blanket. “Eh, I couldn’t get to the really good stuff. Look at this, though. Strawberry cheesecake, honeyed rolls… you ever have lamb, kid? It is fantastic~”

“It’s okay. Kinda hard to eat after you’ve fed them and had them follow you around town all spring, though.” Varian shrugged and Eugene dropped his arm awkwardly. “What’s this stuff?” He dropped down to sit cross legged on the blanket and picked up a slice of something bright green. 

The princess skipped over to join him, her fingers curled into Cassandra’s snugly. In a moment they were all in the floor getting comfortable. “Those are kiwis. I’m not sure where they came from but they’re really good.”

“I was always surprised what good fruit the castle staff could get ahold of even in the middle of winter,” Cassandra said. She accepted a cup of wine from Eugene, eyeing him suspiciously. He made a show of stopping the bottle back up to show he wasn’t slipping something stronger in.  “I know nothing’s growing like that in Corona right now.”

“There’s nothing growing period…” Varian accepted his own cup from the reopened bottle and nibbled the fruit, pleasantly surprised by the taste. They passed around the plates, helping themselves to the various fruits and desserts. There were meats, as well as light, soft breads. Rapunzel hadn’t been kidding when she’d said they were sampling the foods for the Queen’s ball. Even in finger food form the food was richer than anything Varian was used to eating. He gathered from the smile Cass was giving them all and the warm glow of her cheeks that she was enjoying the meeting as much as he was. 

Although it might have been the wine. His own face felt hot against the slight chill creeping through the room. They laughed, listening eagerly as Rapunzel gave them a detailed telling of trying to go ice skating with Eugene the week before. She balanced on one foot, wobbling dangerously and ignoring her husband’s protests that his form had been so much better. Cassandra was giggling, her arms hugging her stomach as she enjoyed herself in a way she rarely got to. Absently, he rubbed his bandaged hand against his trouser leg. Did her eyes always shine that brightly? Or was the flush of her skin bringing them out?

“So you guys ever skate in Old Corona?” He straightened to attention, his mind fighting to pull away from Cassandra and process the question Rapunzel had posed. 

“Skate? Uh...there’s the pond? It gets hard enough I guess they could.”

“Oh, you don’t?” Cassandra leaned toward him a little. “You don’t leave leave your lab enough to have a little fun?”

“You make it sound like I’m a hermit! My lab is my job, remember?” He cuffed her arm gently and winced at the tenderness in his hand. No one noticed. 

“You should. In fact, I’m giving you official time off for ice skating!” Rapunzel switched feet, much more graceful now that she wasn’t teasing Eugene. “And anything else you want to do.”

“I’ve gotta work some!”

“No no, I don’t think you do. That sounded like a royal decree to me.” Eugene held his arms out and Rapunzel giggled as she twirled and dropped into them. “Was it, Sunshine?”

“It sure was! You can take a good break! And then you can come and let me take a good break,” she sighed heavily, arching back and reaching toward the cheesecakes. Helpfully, Cass picked one up for her. “Thanks! I’m soooo tired… and you’re so nice…”

Cass smiled fondly and glanced at Varian. “Someone’s a little far gone. Maybe we should slow down on the wine.”

“Actually, she’s been pretty stressed out the last few days planning the party. She really is tired.” Eugene took a bite of the cheesecake as Rapunzel waved it in front of his face. 

“Ah, I see. That’s why we’re having an indoor picnic?” Cassandra asked. 

“Yep!”

“Heh, yeah. And we wanted a chance to visit without people hanging over us.” Eugene smiled down at Rapunzel. She groaned around her cake. “There’s pretty much always ladies in waiting and advisors and...well, you know.”

“I remember. The life of royalty isn’t really one of privacy.” Cassandra drained her cup and sat it down heavily. “You got away with a lot before, Raps.”

“Can’t you just tell them to go away?” Varian asked, rubbing at his bandages. They were itching him. “I mean, you’re the princess.”

“She could, but being a princess is a job. If you want to do it well you have to put up with stuff like that.” Cassandra shrugged and popped a piece of yellow fruit into her mouth. 

“Mmm… maybe I should set some hours or something. No royal duties before eleven AM.” Rapunzel yawned loudly. “Sorry.”

“If you’re tired we can go, Raps.” Cassandra waved her hand dismissively. “We’ll see you tomorrow anyway, right? All this planning will pay off and we can hang out.”

“I want to dance with you guys, okay?” 

“I’m calling dibs on your first dance, Sunshine.” Eugene smiled down at her, then up at Varian and Cassandra. “It was nice seeing you guys tonight…”

That felt like a cue to Varian when Cass rapped his arm and climbed to her feet. They excused themselves, taking a plate of the leftovers and the last bottle of wine with them. In the hallway outside Varian closed the door quietly behind them and frowned. “She really was worn out, wasn’t she? Wow…”

“Well, partly. Wine has always made her sleepy like that. It was good with the food though, wasn’t it?” 

“You two have shared a lot of wine?” He grinned and swiped the plate from her. Cassandra only laughed. 

“A few times. When she first came here she told me she wanted to try everything. So I kept an eye out for things she could explore without alarming her parents too much. Not that they knew about the wine, of course, but she could try that in her room and just go to bed afterward.” She examined the bottle in her hand, turning it this way and that and watching the liquid slosh around inside. “If I ask you something are you going to be honest, Varian?”

He stiffened uncertainly. He’d been looking at her too much! It had to be. “Depends what it is.”

“Your hand is still bothering you, right? Have you changed the dressing yet today?”

He looked at his bandaged hand, wiggling his fingers. The tight skin pulled under the wrapping. “Nah. I figured in a few days.”

“I thought so.” The sigh Cassandra let out was a tired one. “You have to do it daily. I’ll help you with it.” Varian opened his mouth to protest but she took the plate back from him and turned toward the stairs. It wasn’t up for discussion. 

Chapter Text

Varian felt a little sheepish as he followed Cassandra through the twists and turns of the castle's halls. He worked there and had technically lived there. It was a little embarrassing that he got turned around so easily but the lower levels were maze-like enough that his usually decent sense of direction faded after the first few turns. The surety with which Cassandra guided him did nothing to alleviate the feeling but she didn't seem to notice. Or she just wasn’t acknowledging it. Either way he was grateful

They arrived at the heavy oak door to his room much faster than they would have otherwise and Cassandra paused, turning to glance at him with her hand on the knob. "You okay with this? You're a grown man, if you don't want me helping out I can leave you to it."

So she had noticed it. Varian shook his head and brushed past her to open the door. "No no, I appreciate the help. I...it might be a little soon for me to be looking at it, to be honest."

"Even cleaned up?" There was amusement in her voice. "Come on, tough guy, a few stitches aren't so bad."

"I believe you've seen how I handle these things." He lifted his chin and strutted through the door, leaving her to follow. "Even tough guys have to shy away from things sometimes."

"We can call it shying away, if that makes you feel better about it." She closed the door and glanced around, taking in his space. Varian pretended not to watch her, feeling surprisingly exposed. A visit to his cottage wasn't a big deal. It was bedroom, lab, kitchen, and so many other things. A visit to his room was... well. It felt more private somehow. Her eyes caught on the wall over his desk. Drawings and notes were chalked across the stone. A smile pulled at her mouth and he wondered what about that mess would amuse her. "This place is very you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It just feels like somewhere you'd like, I guess." She shrugged and wandered over to his bed, tucking one leg beneath herself as she sat. Varian fetched the little jar of ointment and a roll of cloth bandages from his coat and sat across from her. His stomach felt nervous as he set it between them and began picking at his bandages. Cassandra watched him pityingly. "Var... you're not really trying to do that yourself when I'm literally right here, are you?"

He pouted stubbornly, a strip of bandage slurring his speech slightly as he held it out of the way of his fingers. "Figured I'd do somefing for m'self." She shook her head and put out her hand, waiting until he finally gave her his own. She unwrapped the bandages in a practiced way that made Varian wonder how many times she'd had to do this sort of thing. Calloused fingers ghosted across his skin, barely making contact but leaving a definite trail of feeling in their wake. Varian watched her, transfixed at the gentle contact. As the bandages fell away his head snapped upward, face determined as he frowned at the top of Cassandra's head. He willed himself not to think about what was going on.

"So. You looking forward to tomorrow?" Cassandra asked. Her tone was casual and he thought she must be distractign him. It was almost as comforting as his eyes following the lines of her curls. 

“Not particularly.” Her hands stilled and he grimaced.  What a stupid thing to say! Varian ran his free hand through his hair, his thoughts racing to recovery. “Well, normally I would say that. I don’t really like official functions but since I’ll be going with you it’ll be- Ow!” Cloth scrubbed across his hand, just hard enough to irritate the skin. His gaze dropped enough to catch Cassandra giving him an unimpressed stare. He hadn’t been convincing, then. “Sorry. I...I said it without thinking. I really am excited to be going with you.” The stare softened and she looked back down to what she was doing. He could feel the gentle coolness of the ointment as she dabbed it onto his skin. “Cass?”

“I know. You should try not to speak thoughtlessly like that, though. Someone without my thick skin might be bothered.” Her face was unreadable. For a long moment Varian simply looked at her, unsure what to say or whether she was really upset. When she pressed a folded length of bandage over his hand and began to wrap it he looked down to watch. Her hands were sure and gentle as they touched him. A soft, warm feeling bloomed in Varian’s chest as he watched. How long had it been since he’d been taken care of like this? The medic wasn’t the same as someone he knew cared about him. Friend or otherwise. It was nice Cassandra was here and he didn’t want her to ever think otherwise. 

“I feel very out of place at these kinds of things.” He admitted. Cassandra tied the bandage and tucked it away, her eyes glancing up at his. “I really am looking forward to tomorrow, though.”

“I get that. I figured you wouldn’t have agreed to go with me if you really didn’t want to.” A smile curved her mouth, small and guarded as always. Varian had the sudden urge to lean closer to her, instead he straightened and grinned at her. 

“Oh! We still have cakes to finish!” Was he changing the subject? Perish the thought. Was he thinking about if he leaned forward how soft and warm her mouth would feel against his?  Maybe. Cassandra had still been holding his hand and she looked a little startled when he pulled it away abruptly to get up and fetch the plate and wine they’d brought from Rapunzel’s room. Nothing lightened a mood (or diverted attention) like food. He plopped down across from her and handed her the plate. “No cups. We’ll just have to share the bottle I guess.”

“Not a problem.” Cassandra dug into her pocket and brought out a small, dog eared set of playing cards. “All these little cakes give me an idea, though.” 

—-

Varian blinked hard, trying to focus on the cards in his hand. He’d lost most of them already and Cassandra had claimed another bite size slice of cake each time. For every bite that was won the loser had to take a draw from the wine. Varian didn’t have the poker face he’d thought he would and she was taking full advantage of it. They were down to the last cake. He’d gotten two of them. Cassandra peered at him coyly over her cards, her eyes shining as she held back a laugh. He knew he was a bit of a mess but if she was enjoying it he didn’t mind so much that his face felt numb and the room was tilting. “Gimme ‘nother card.”

“That’s not how Hold ‘Em works, Ace. You gotta work with what you got. Or you can fold.”

“Yeah right. Like I’d let ya win.” He hummed and made a face, concentrating on the four cards lined up between them. Cassandra had walked him through a few hands so he knew what to look for but that didn’t make it any easier to piece together the combinations he could use with his thinking so disjointed. He looked at her to catch a smile that was quickly hidden behind her cards again. “Heh. Cassie, that’s cute…”

“Oh?”

“Smile again. A big one!”

“Don’t think flattery is going to distract me, Varian. I know you have a bad hand~” He leaned toward her and she used her fingertips against his forehead to push him back. “I almost wish I had money on this.”

“You need money?” Her meaning went right over his head and Varian sat up as his eyes widened in concern. “I can let you borrow some. Don’t worry, don’t… I got you, ’kay?”

It was sweet and Cassandra smiled at the concern. “Okay, you’ve definitely had too much. You’ve still gotta finish it off when I whoop you with this!” She slapped down her cards triumphantly. “Hah! Two jacks!”

“Aw…All I got is nummer’cal order. I like that though.” Cassandra laughed and picked the last cake up to offer to him. 

“You came in from behind on that one, Var. you got luck-“ Varian ignored her, his focus on the cake between her fingers. Without a second thought he leaned in and bit it away from her. That he had decided to just eat from her hand caught Cassandra off guard and she froze in confusion. “That...You...You’re  supposed to take it.”

“I did!”

“Not like…a horse and a sugar cube.” She snorted. He was looking at her with his eyebrows furrowed, not seeing her point at all.

“M’not a horse, Cassie?” The indignance and confusion in his answer was too much and the snort turned into a giggle, then a full out laugh as she tipped onto her side and buried her face in the blankets. Her shoulders shook, her laughter muffled into the fabric. 

Varian watched her thoughtfully. He felt warm and fluttery. It was probably the wine but Cassandra's laughter was almost as sweet and he thought he would never tire of hearing it.

He wanted to be the one who made her laugh like that, to make that gentle smile brighten her face like the sun breaking through the clouds. He wanted to always be there to see it. He wanted her to know. "Cass...?"

Sitting there and watching Cassandra's shoulders shake with laughter, Varian felt a moment of clarity. He was drunk. Oh so drunk and even with the foggiest mind he could remember having he knew she wouldn't believe it. He couldn't tell her, at least not right then even if the mere thought seized him with the urge, the need to declare it to her. He opened his mouth, the words feeling urgent on his lips even as he thought that he shouldn't say it. Would she believe him, with the empty wine bottle laying between them? Or worse, would she turn him away?

He wasn't sure. Hearing her name, Cassandra pushed herself up onto her arms and looked at him expectantly. Varian stared at her flushed cheeks and the laughter that still sparkled in her eyes. When he didn’t speak she frowned. “You okay?”

He couldn’t do it. Not like this. Varian rubbed a hand down his face and groaned. “Yeah. Jus’ tired.”

“Maybe we should call it a night,” she offered as she gathered the cards into her hands and tucked them away. “I’m sure we’ll wish we had tomorrow.”

“Hmm. Tomorrow.” Varian smiled to himself, thinking of Cassandra in that dress that used to be her handmaiden uniform. She’d be much fancier this time around but it was the closest image his mind could conjure at the moment. “Lovely.”

“That’s the spirit. Don’t think of it as a stuffy, official thing.” She picked up the bottle and waved it in front of his face as she climbed out of the bed. “And on the plus side, now we know when to cut you off of the wine, lightweight:”

“That stuff is… it’s tricky. Tha’s what it is.” Cassandra laughed and Varian tilted happily into the warm space she’d left. He was feeling tired suddenly and the thoughts of Fancy Cassandra were being eclipsed by the way the blankets felt against his cheek. Distantly, he was aware of fingers tousling his hair gently. It was nice, and he wiggled himself into a more comfortable position. 

“Am I losing you that quick?” She asked, her voice lilting with amusement. Varian mustered a hum of denial but it seemed to him to take a great deal of effort. The fingers came again, followed closely by the sense of someone very close to him. Her lips pressed against his hair, very near to his ear, and he struggled an eye open just in time to see her body move away from him. It quickly slid shut again, heavy with wine and the insistence of sleep. 

Chapter Text

The field was dark.  A thick, clinging mist filled the air, its droplets deadening the sound of far off voices. Varian spun where he stood, confused. How had he gotten there? Who was shouting? He couldn't make out what they were saying but they sounded panicked, the tone becoming more shrill and frightened the longer he stood and listened. There was no light here, no stars or moon, no houses or fires to indicate where the sound could be coming from. It was faint in the thick air. Both the shouts and the damp sent goosebumps prickling down Varian's arms and he shivered as he stepped forward into the dark. Was it this way? His sense of direction felt skewed and the voices were distant but all around him. He moved carefully across the broken ground, feeling almost instinctively for the divots and ruts of plowed land. They were there but haphazardly done, varying in spacing and depth so much that he couldn't predict them and his steps were unsteady. He couldn't even see the soil beneath his boots for the dark and mist. The voices were changing now, some of them dying out. Why would they be going quiet like that? Panic siezed him. He didn't want to think about it. His steps quickened in the direction he hoped it was coming from. A familiar voice rose above the others defiantly. It was met by a horrible, familiar sound of gears working against each other. Varian's heart sank.

"Cass!" His voice fell dead, smothered by the mist and surely lost among the clamor. Far ahead, how far he couldn't tell, an orange glow grew beneath the film in the air. It undulated wildly, flaring and dying away. Varian began to run heedless of the furrows beneath his feet. He stumbled and leapt, his heart in his throat. "Cassandra!" More voices died away. Why were they going quiet like that? It couldn't be, not again! Not again notagain notagainnotagain notagain ....

A sudden burst of light, blue against the red glare. It was alarmingly close. A shape congealed withing the mist before him and Varian stumbled to a stop before the automaton. Its gears ground against each other, forcing themselves to stay in motion against the shards of glowing red rocks that pierced its steel sides. The angry red of hot metal illuminated the man piloting it as it swung away from Varian to level a cannon at the lone figure still standing against it. Cassandra. Her hair was glowing in a wild cloud around her head, her lips pulled back in a fierce snarl. She brought her arm around in an arc, red rocks following the movement gracefully and rising to meet the automaton. The cannon fired. A burst of red as it exploded and crashed against the rocks. They splintered and shattered, stopping the ammunition before it could reach Cassandra. They weren't supposed to break! He recognized the red rocks, how could he not? But he didn't know why Cassandra would be using them now. The red rocks were weaker, they were unstable.

They were fear. She was scared. 

The automaton listed sideways under another barrage of rocks and Varian scrambled out of the way. He was helpless here. He looked around for something that he could use, his eyes skimming over the familiar shapes of Old Corona without seeing them. There were figures everywhere, the mist disturbed by the altercation in front of him swept back into the corners and alleys of the town to reveal slumped bodies and broken structures. People hurt. It wasn't his fault this time! Or was it? The build was unfamiliar to him, too blocky and awkward to be the monstrosity he'd spent months pouring himself into. It wasn’t his fault this time!

"Varian! Enough!" The automaton shuddered horribly, stuttering to a stop. Cassandra's face twisted, her eyes widened. It was a look of horror. She rushed toward the automaton. Toward him. Varian struggled but he was pinned to the seat behind him, nestled in the familiar cockpit he’d built years ago. He called out to Cassandra, but his breath was gone. In. Out. Nothing. Cassandra was in front of him,  He could see her on the other side of the glass, blurred by the red glow reflected all around him. Her hands curled into fists and beat against the glass. She was crying. They'd just been fighting, hadn't they? Why was she crying? The soft beating of her hands almost covered the brokeness of her voice. He could see her there, only a foot away. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Varian!" His mouth moved soundlessly, the comfort on his tongue dead in the air. Cassandra's voice sounded distant, and she leaned her forehead against the glass. The red glow cast a pallor over her, highlighting the strange shades in her hair. Varian's lungs were burning. The lack of movement felt suffocating. Cassandra was shaking her head. He tried to shift again and couldn’t . It hurt, vaguely, like he was just beginning to process it. Varian looked down, mirroring Cassandra's gaze. The missing air suddenly made sense. A red rock had pierced the hull of the automaton and taken Varian along with its target. The soft glow of the rock filled the cockpit as it pinned his body in place. Dark liquid traced veiny lines away from his chest.

He felt cold.

The field was dark.  A thick, clinging mist filled the air. Silence.. Varian spun where he stood, confused. The field? No...the automaton! He turned, his eyes frantically scanning the flat, white air. They caught on a slender figure. He stepped toward it hesitantly. "Cass?" The figure jerked as if startled and disappeared further into the mist without a sound. His steps faltered and he looked around again. There was no indication of anything here but the soil beneath his feet. No more shapes. No sounds. Just Varian. He sank down, settling into the dirt. He was confused and his chest felt strange. Jumpy? No. Hollow. Empty. He was empty. This place was empty. What reason was there to not just...stop? That felt right. He would just stop here and stay. He would molder into the field and lose all thoughts of rocks and automatons and voices in the white mist. Even that thought began to drift away from him like a frail wisp and it became harder and harder for anything to form in his head. Varian sat and he withered and it was finally easy. This was what he should have done all along: not thought. not worried. Just let everything go.

Soft footsteps broke the silence. How long had he been there? Varian's head sank low as weariness overtook him. He didn't lift it to face the sound scuffing through the dirt. He thought it might have been coming from behind him, but what was the point of looking? It would just be another shadow come and gone. The footsteps stopped abruptly. There. They were gone, he thought. He wasn’t surprised. 

Fingers gently slid into his hair and Varian woke suddenly.

 ——

Waking with a headache was not unfamiliar experience for Varian. Long nights and habits like forgetting to eat were to blame for it, normally, but the unsettled feeling of his nerves exacerbated the feeling. Why did he feel nervous? The dream of the night before was forgotten but his body seemed determined to cling to the feeling of it. He tossed beneath his blankets, thinking of the thin blue light dawn would have been slipping through the windows of his cottage. It was a comfortable atmosphere that he had met many times on his way to bed and the windowless chamber he’d been given in the castle just didn't have the same hominess to it. He turned again. The bed was nice, though. it had been comfortable to sit on and play as well. The train of thought caused him to turn his mind to the memory of the previous night. Cassandra had laughed and it warmed him inside and out. It made waking up feeling terrible worth it, as far as he was concerned. Of course most things Cassandra did would have made it worth it.  He groaned and pushed himself up, his mouth felt rough and dry and he worked his tongue to soften it.

"I'm glad I kept my head last night. For the most part, anyway." There was no response from Ruddiger and Varian lifted his head to squint around the room. The raccoon was no where in sight. A pang of disappointment rose in him but it quickly faded. Now matter how much he enjoyed waking up with his friend Ruddiger had always come and gone as he wanted. The fact that they were in a castle didn't change that. He would just have to sort through his thoughts on his own.

The longer he sat awake, the steadier he felt and soon his was pulling himself out of bed. He needed to figure out what he was wearing to the ball that night. And get washed up and probably brush up on his etiquette a little. They were not the most exciting prospects but the thought of going with cassandra had him whistling to himself as he poked through his wardrobe. It was lucky that he'd collected things for various formal functions over the years and didn't have to think too hard about it. He took a quick look at himself in the mirror and ran his fingers through his hair, grinning. "You, my good man, have a date tonight. A date with Cassandra. If last night is any indication then you're gonna have a great time. Just don't do anything stupid, like have too much wine." He stared at himself, his eyebrows furrowing. "Or try to tell Cassie you...that you..love her." He'd really wanted to do it. He ran over the night again, his thoughts parsing out what he remembered. He'd wanted so badly to say something, but thankfully some part of him had known that it was a bad idea. He couldn't just go spouting off something like that. His gaze dropped as he thought. Yes, he was sure that he hadn't let it slip. It hadn’t been long after that when he'd started to give in to his drowsiness. He'd just sort of drifted off. He vaguely remembered a blanket settling over him but he could have been dreaming at that point. He'd been so precariously edging on real sleep that it was hard to tell. The blanket had settled over him and Cassandra had... touched his hair?  She had...he'd only half noticed but she'd felt so very close. Almost like she had leaned in.

Almost like she had kissed him.

Varian's head snapped up and he stared through himself. No. He must have been dreaming. Why would she... There was always the posibility that she had develeoped the same sort of feelings for him that he had, that was only logical, but he hadn't noticed anything odd in her behavior that would indicate such a development. Heat was gathering in his face as he blushed and worked his head around the memory. He wouldn't be good at reading people for something like that. He'd seen the dumb, smitten faces Eugene and the princess made at each other, sure. He'd seen the couples cavorting around town on Hearts Day, how could he not. Cassandra was different, though. He felt it was safe to assume that if she were to be giving off....signals (for lack of a better word) wouldn't it be more Cassandra? What did that even mean? 

Of course whether or not he was missing Cassandra's signals did not answer the question of whether he had been dreaming. A kiss from Cass, even a chaste one, wouldn't be that unusual in the realm of Varian's dreams but it hadn't quite felt like a dream. But it hadn't felt wholly real either. He took a deep, slow breath. The safe thing to do was to assume it had been a dream. It was the most likely reality, anyway. He'd put it out of mind for now and just be more alert at the ball. He'd watch Cassandra. If there were any indications, no matter how small, he would catch them. He was confident that he would.

He was confident. Varian squared his shoulders and smiled at himself. He hoped there would be something. He had become used to the concept that he liked Cassandra, enough that his drunken application of the word love to her wasn't surprising. Even now that morning had come and he'd slept it off it felt right. He loved Cassandra. His smile widened. He loved Cassandra. It was exciting to admit it, but it felt good.

He loved Cassandra. He just didn't know how to go about handling it.

----

it wasn't the queen's library. Not exactly. Varian still felt awkward standing in the doorway of the room that he knew she frequented. The books here were less technical and more...entertaining. He supposed that was a good way to put it. He'd borrowed the old first edition Flynn Rider books from this room once, but that was the extent of his experiece there.

But hey, a library was a library wasn't it? They were where you came for answers regardless of your questions. And Varian really only knew one way to address the situation at hand. He tiptoed into the room self consciously. The thick rugs silenced his steps as he approached the nearest shelf and scanned the spines. Nothing there sounded romantic, althought a title or two caught his eye and he resolved to come back for them later. He moved to the next shelf. Soon his awkwardness fell away and the focus that he approached his normal research with took hold of him. He scanned swiftly through anything that looked promising. If it seemed like a good find, he set it aside to look at more closely when he was done. There weren't many. By the time he was approaching the end of the shelves he'd only collected five books. it wasn't what he'd call heartening but it was better than nothing. He approached the last alcove of shelves. This was the last place he was likely to find anything unless he went back and lowered his standards for what was going to be helpful. The shelves were large, at least. Logically his chances were good!

He rounded the corner and pulled up short. Rapunzel was tucked into the corner where the shelves met. a book propped open against her chest. Varian hesitated. He didn't really want to talk to the princess at the moment, he was too busy and she was too chatty. She was blocking some of the shelves, though. He stood for a moment, weighing it in his head. He could work around her, couldn't he? He’d just leave that area for last. He started at the top shelf nearest him, but every so often he'd glance toward the princess with a pang of guilt. He'd picked up on how tired she was the night before but she must not have gotten much rest after they left. She needed it, he reasoned. She wouldn't know that he was avoiding her.

By the second shelf Varian was gently tapping her on the shoulder. It took a few tries but finally she groaned and one eye cracked open just enough to see who was bothering her. "Var'an?"

"Close enough. I think you passed out on your book break, princess."

"What?" she sat up and caught the book before it fell to the floor, rubbing an eye with her free hand. "Oh no... I hope I haven't been here too long. I just wanted to take a break."

"Well....." Varian shrugged empathetically. "I've been in here for a good hour and I just found you, so..."

"An hour? It's probably okay, then. I had some time before I had to start socializing." She climbed to her feet and yawned, not protesting when Varian took her book and slid it back into a vacated space on the nearest shelf. Rapunzel swayed where she stood for a moment, still trying to wake herself up. Varian stood looking at he with his head tilted. She was definitely exhausted. "So," she smiled and some of her usual chipperness shone through. "I know why I'm hiding in here, but what're you doing?"

"I'm reading. That's what you do in a llibrary.." He scoffed to make it more believable and turned his back to her to go back to skimming the shelves.

"Yeah, but you don't normally read in this library. It's just surprising is all." She brushed past him, close enough that he felt her skirt against his legs. She was trying to peek at which books he was looking at and not exactly being sneaky about it. Varian picked a volume on pirates of the Southern Isles. Rapunzel made a tiny, disappointed noise in her throat and moved away from him. Anybody else he didn't think that he would mind but he and Rapunzel just didn't have that close of a friendship. He didn't feel bad about her disappointment. If she wanted to be nosy it wasn't going to be with him. "Oh, is this yours?"

Varian's head snapped up but she was already darting away to the shelves he'd gone over, having spotted one of the books he'd left out. "Hey!"

"Oh! Garden of Desire? This is a good one."

"That's not-"

She’d already turned to another of his picks. "Bergot's Letter? Hearts on Fire? You've got good taste, Varian. Although I didn't think you liked this kind of thing." She gave him a look and Varian felt the blush that surged into his cheeks. It was a knowing look and part of him wanted to crawl under the rug. "Well, maybe Garden. It is pretty smutty."

"It is?" His voice cracked and she pressed her lips together, trying to hide her grin. "Okay, I didn't... I just thought..."

"The title didn't tip you off?"

"There are different kinds!" He ran to her and snatched the book away, holding it protectively to his chest. His indignant denial really made her laugh and he stood there frowning while she got it out. "Yeah yeah, it's so funny. Can't a guy read a little romance once in a while? Guys do like this stuff too."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, Varian. You were just so embarrassed." Still giggling to herself, she went back to the first shelf and pulled a book off, offering it to him with an apologetic smile. "If you want romance this one is my favorite. The main character reminds me of Cass in a way." Varian looked at it dubiously and she wiggled it, prompting him to take it. "She's a little prickly but likable underneath. One of those interesting types." He didn't know if she was talking about the book or Cassandra, but he took the recommendation and glanced at the cover: Treasure of the Heart.

"Thank you. I'll check it out."

"I hope you like it. And that it's...informative. I know you like that stuff." She knew. Eugene must have said something to her. Varian was tempted to feel betrayed but really, he probably told Rapunzel everything. He couldn't blame him for that. If he and Cass were like that... He would've blushed at the thought had he not already been. Instead he smiled to himself. She'd teased him, yes, but she also seemed like she was trying to help. It was a surprisingly tactful offer. He still didn't want an audience, though. Picking up the books he'd singled out before - including Pirates of the Southern Isles - Varian smiled sheepishly at Rapunzel and scurried out of the room. There were still several hours before he needed to be ready. It would be enough.

----

Cassandra stared at the door. The maid (Miriam? Mary Anne? Soomething like that) had brought her the note from Rapunzel reminding her that she was free to borrow whatever she wanted for the ball. Life on the road didn't allow for luggage like an assortment of dresses, nevermind that Cassandra preferred her leggings. She didn't have a thing to wear to a nice ocassion like this. It was nice to know that someone had her back on it. She couldn't hear anything beyond the heavy door but that wasn't surprising. The royals' chambers had all been built with both provacy and protection in mind. She knocked and clasped her hands in front of her, mimicking the demure pose the maids often assumed when summoning attention. A scant few seconds later the door opened. "Cass!"

"Princess. You're three minutes and forty seven seconds behind schedule. Your hair should be washed by now, you know how long it takes it to dry!" She planted her fists on her hips and adopted the strict tone she knew she slipped into when giving orders.

"Oh no! I'm so glad I have you here to help me! What would I do without you?" Rapunzel brushed her fingers aginst Cassandra's arms and caught her hands to pull her into the room.

"You’re not as hopeless as you used to be, Raps. This seems a little early to be getting ready, though." She let herself be pulled along and Rapunzel plopped her down onto her bed before joining her and pulling her legs up under her skirt. She beamed at Cassandra. "Uh...what?"

"Well." Rapunzel tossed her hair, her expression turning conspiratorial as she dropped her voice. "I ran into Varian earlier. Er, well actually he ran into me but we don't need to get that technical."

"Okay? We're all staying in the same castle, Raps. It was bound to happen."

"You don't want to know what he was doing?" She leaned into her friend, insisting with every inch of herself that they gossip about this. It was important! It was interesting! It was secretive and really that was the most important part of it. Cassandra knew that pleading tone too well to think that she would be able to just brush it off. She sighed heavily and caved.

"Okay, fine. I'm dying to know. What was Varian doing?"

"He was picking out romance novels in the library." Rapunzel leaned back, her eyes wide as she stared and waited for a reaction. Cassandra just stared back.

"So?"

"So?? Are you kidding me? Have you ever known Varian to want to read that stuff?"

"I haven't even been around Varian in years, how would I know what he reads?" Cassandra brushed her off and stood, very aware of Rapunzel’s eyes on her back. "And anyway, what does it matter?"

"Oh, but Cass he was so embarrassed about it!"

"I would be too. SOme of them are awful. " She opened the wardrobe and eyed the gowns there. Thankfully the princess preferred manageble clothing to ridiculous, poofy things that some royals enjoyed. It would make borrowing a gown easier on Cassiandra.

"Okay, those are all fair points but hear me out." Rapunzel flitted from the bed and to Cassandra’s side, smiling. "Word through the grapevine- "

"You mean Eugene." Rapunzel barely paused at the interruption.

"Yes, word through the grapevine is that our friend may be interested in someone. I think it's obvious who that someone is~" This caused Cassandra to go still, a red dress pulled halfway out. She didn't look at Rapunzel but mulled the concept over. The princess was practically preening, knowing she'd finally pulled her in.  "It’s sweet, really..."

"You never used to gossip like this."

"Is it really gossiping if you're talking to one of the people involved?" It was a good point. Cassandra glanced at her and put the red dress away. She would've had to have been blind to have not noticed the way Varian acted around her. The awkwardness and little blushes here and there were telling but she'd chalked it up to not being a very social person. Granted he''d been extremely friendly when they'd met years ago but people change sometimes and she'd assumed Varian to be one of them. It had felt like they'd fallen into an easy friendship since she’d come back. An easy relationship, though...She pulled out another dress, not really looking at it. She would be okay with that. She'd had her share of flings while on the road but Varian would be different. She doubted he would want something so transient. That would be difficult. Varian though...she felt a little flutter in her chest as she thought of sitting by the fire in the small hours of the morning, the warmth of his body as he sat against her riding Fidella, the night in the barren winter garden...She could readily admit it. At least to herself. There were feelings stirring in her for Varian. There had been ever since he'd first startled her with his sleep-ruffled head in the frigid morning. Just because she'd put it out of mind didn't mean that it hadn't been taking root all along. "Cassandra?"

"Did he tell Eugene this?”

"Well, he didn't tell me exactly what he said. But Eugene seemed sure of it." Rapunzel sounded a little unsure of herself with the admittance but there was no need. Eugene was an astute man. If he picked up on something unsaid Cassandra would put money on it being true, however much she would hate to admit it.

"Are you going to tell Eugene that the feelings....maybe they're mutual?" Heat flooded Cassandra's face and she swore inwardly. Nothing would be more telling than that and the grin on Rapunzel’s face when she leaned into her line of sight confirmed it. Her eyes were practically sparkling.

"Do you want me to tell Eugene? Her could make sure it gets heard. You know." Despite her excitement the offer felt considerate to Cassandra and she thought it over for a moment. It would be easier than saying something to him herself. She could let him come to her. She considered it for the smallest moment and pushed the idea away. It felt immature. She was a grown woman who had all the experience she needed to navigate a romantic situation. She'd do it herself or not at all.

"No. Thanks, Raps, but if I need to tell Varian anything I'd prefer to do it myself." Rapunzels' face fell slightly and Cassandra smiled, knowing her tone had been a little sharper than she'd meant it. "I appreciate the offer, though."

"Of course. You know I'm here when you need me." She cupped Cassandra’s face in her hands affectionately and leaned in to hug her. "I hope you'll let me make you up a little though."

"I guess so. I'm wearing your clothes, I might as well wear your make up too." She chuckled as she princess squeezed her, giggling. "Low key, though! I'm not used to having that stuff on my face."

"Oh don't worry, I know. That reminds me! I had this one dress that I thought you'd like. It was a gift but I've never worn it. You can totally keep it if you like it." She released Cassandra and flicked through the clothing with a practiced motion, stopping near the end. She pulled out a wispy thing in blue with greens and yellows shooting through it. The colors melded together like a blur of motion. Cassandra hummed appreciately and  held it up for a better look. It was soft and looked like it would draped along the body, no ruffles or petticoats in sight. It was perfect, and that wasn't normally something she'd apply to clothing like this. A little thrill of excitement ran through her, surprising herself. She was looking forward to this.

Chapter Text

The day passed quickly, filled with the bustle of last minute preparations. Varian was glad that his services had never been required for these functions and he'd been left alone the majority of the day to peruse his references. It was a lot of flowery nonsense to him. On his second glance through the pile of books he'd filtered out even more that didn't look helpful until he'd finally settled on two volumes - the recommendation from Rapunzel and Hearts on Fire . Neither was a quick read and he was short on time so he skipped ahead to the last quarter of each book, skimming each page entirely and keeping an eye out for anything that might be helpful. It was all fairly standard: compliments to the girl, some of which were a little outlandish. He didn't expect Cass would care much about that. One scene featured an entire room full of flowers that could not compare "to an ethereal beauty" such as the love interest. He didn't think Cassandra liked flowers that well, let alone that it was the dead of winter. The romantic horseback ride was promising. He could see her enjoying an exhilarating race through the forest paths. Maybe he could save that idea for later. There was so much flirting, blushing and catching each other in quiet moments. It all seemed complicated to him.

"These weren't all that helpful. And I don't see how the princess thinks this girl is like Cass. She's way too sweet." He tossed the book onto the desk and picked up Ruddiger from where he was napping on the bed. The raccoon chirped sleepily and settled himself in Varian's arms. "I guess I'm on my own. Unless you've had any girlfriends you can tell me about?" He nuzzled Ruddiger's warm fur.The raccoon, of course, was silent. He glanced at the clock. There was an hour and a half until the official start of the ball. Having a title he'd had to go through the embarrassing ritual of being announced upon entering the hall. It had felt important the first time or two, but eventually he became aware that his appearance caused a hushed murmur to sweep through the gathered dignitaries. Apparently tacking "Most Trusted" onto his title didn't wholly wipe away his history with Corona.  He sighed and set Ruddiger back in his place. Fortunately after the announcement he typically faded into the crowd and was largely ignored. At least this time he had Cassandra there as well.

He ran a hand through his hair. It was time to clean up and get ready. A hot bath sounded really good.

-- --

An hour's time found Varian lingering outside the large hall used for gatherings. He had spent more time than usual looking at himself in his wardrobe's small mirror and fussing with the long hair that still insisted on draping itself in front of his face. He'd given up brushing it back the fifth time it had fallen back into place and now he nervously tucked it behind his ear. It fell free again. Of course. Apparently he could dress as nicely as he wanted but his hair was still his hair whatever the occasion. He straightened his waistcoat needlessly. It was a deep red, and the blue collar of his shirt peeked out against his neck. He hadn't been able to decide so he'd mixed the two outfits and thought it looked pretty good. Warm against the snowy season with a hint of ice underneath. Did he put too much thought into it? Definitely. He just wanted to look good. It was something that he wasn't used to worrying about. Like he needed something more to worry about. 

Where was Cassandra? He fidgeted with his bandage, full of nervous energy. A well dressed couple passed him and he glanced after them, trying to place their clothing. Ingvar? He was pretty sure he recognized the style. They didn't spare him a passing glance as they passed. They were just the next link in a passing chain through the evening and Varian paid them little attention.

There! He stopped, a hand half raised to wave to her. He'd always thought she was graceful but seeing her walking toward him in that wispy dress floored him. His eyes followed the way it wrapped across her torso and clung to her shoulders, guiding his attention to the white of her neck. Her lips were stained red and her hair braided into a soft tangle at the back of her head. A pale blue ribbon wove through the braid at the crown of her head. It tugged at his memory but he couldn't place it. Her eyes widened the smallest bit when she saw him and she smiled. Her dress matched her eyes. She was beautiful. She was...ethereal. He wouldn't say that, he refused, but that damned book had been right. She ran her palms down her thighs when she reached him, the movement striking him as nervous. He made a show of bowing and offering his hand.

"Oh! What a beautiful lady! Tell me, Miss, would you gift me the pleasure of escorting you this evening? I would feel it an grand honor."

"If the gentleman wishes, I will allow it. Though I do hope he won't be putting on airs the entire night." Cassandra took the offered hand delicately and Varian grinned sheepishly as he straightened.

"You know I won't. I was just startled by how lovely you are. I guess I felt inspired." He lifted her hand and brushed his lips to her knuckles, barely making contact. It felt like the proper thing to do before offering her his arm.

"Like a dashing hero from a book?" Cassandra asked. She tried to look innocent when Varian's head snapped around to her. "You sure look like one. Very handsome."

"O-Oh. Thank you." They walked together to the door. In an unconscious bid for support their grip on each other tightened and they paused next to the guard. He glanced at Varian and raised his voice above the pleasant din of the party.

"Corona's most trusted royal engineer and alchemist: Varian. And guest." The fall in the noise came. Heads turned toward them and a murmur grew. Varian could see people lifting their hand to their mouths and leaning together as if they could really hide the subject of their gossip. Cassandra's hand tightened where it curled around his bicep and he leaned in just a little as they stepped into the crowd.

"Guest, Cass. Guest is okay."

"Did you see how they reacted?"

"That was because of me. They always do that." She looked at him unhappily, her eyebrows scrunching together.

"I'm sorry, Varian. That was a long time ago, they shouldn't... I mean, I suppose I'm not surprised but that doesn't make it any less horrible."

"I've come to terms with the fact that the past is never really forgotten. It won't matter after tonight, anyway." People were shifting away from them minutely, almost as if they wanted to avoid them but were unsure whether it would offend their hosts. It was difficult for Varian the first time this happened but he was used to it enough as an adult that he paid no attention. "Oh, there's the princess. At least one person here likes us, right?" He tugged Cass after him, wanting her to be closer to someone she would be comfortable with. Rapunzel saw them coming and trotted over to meet them, a glass of champagne in each hand.

"I saw you guys come in! You look great, especially together~"

"Yes. Thank you, Rapunzel." Varian glanced between them. The use of her full name held a note of warning and the princess smiled, not the least bit sorry. Varian was sure he was missing something. Maybe it was a girl thing. He was pretty sure they'd spent some time together that day getting ready. Rapunzel had worn a pink and lavender gown. Stylized clouds decorated the bodice and sheer arms. A trail of vibrant embroidered lanterns drifted from the right of the full bottom and toward the left of the bodice, growing smaller as they went as if shrinking into the distance. Her long brown hair was loose and lay pulled over one shoulder. She looked every inch a princess but she didn't hold a candle to Cassandra.

"If you guys see mom, say hi. She'll be glad you came, even if it's not really a casual get together." Rapunzel laughed and pushed the drinks into their hands, winking at Cassandra before flitting away from them to greet the guests who had come in behind them. Varian sniffed the champagne warily.

"Raps is right at home at a party," Cassandra hummed and sipped her drink. " She's done a good job. They hardly ever lit the fireplaces back in the day." Varian followed her gaze to the large, elaborate hearths. They warmed the room with the aid of the crowd in a way that was pleasant and helped take their minds off the chilly night beyond the castle walls. They would have lent a coziness to a less formal celebration. Large banners modeled after the flag of Corona hung from the ceiling, helping to keep the warmth in.

"I'm surprised they need them with all the hot air in here." Cassandra laughed and Varian grinned smugly as he tried his drink as well. More guests were arriving and while people still moved almost imperceptibly away from them they were otherwise ignored as the night went on. The champagne was sweet and there were spiced wines and cider. They passed some time trying different things together and revisiting what they'd sampled the night before, both being unused to such rich foods. At length the guests stopped arriving and Arianna and Frederick were announced.  Varian and Cassandra were caught in the middle of the crowd as they raised their glasses in the queen's honor.

The pair toasted with a solemnity the rest of the gathering lacked. Both of them had the princess to thank for the blank slate they'd been given.  Varian, especially, felt a rare sort of admiration forArianna. She'd forgiven him, years before, and it was something he still carried with him buried deep somewhere that he preferred to avoid. Cassandra's glass caught the firelight as she lowered it, drawing Varian's attention back to his date. There was forgiveness there, and it went both ways. What a strange basis for their...whatever they were turning into. It was not a commonality anyone would want, really, but he would take it. Draining the champagne in one mouthful, Varian passed the glass to whoever was next to him without bothering to look at them (A startled old man from Dos Equis caught the delicate vessel before it could fall) and he stepped closer to Cassandra, his voice coming out in an awestruck rush. "Cass, dance with me!"

"What?" She looked between him and the queen who had begun to speak, clearly caught off guard. "Varian, they’ve stopped-"

"I know there's no music," He looked around, his eyes sweeping the large fireplaces and the layout of the room. There! One side of the room was marked with several sets of glass paned doors. It had to be a balcony. "Here, come with me." He took her hand and led her through the crowd, which parted silently for them. Cassandra left her glass on a table as they passed and offered no resistance, even when Varian carefully opened one of the doors and a wave or cold air swept over them. It wasn't as unpleasant as either of them had expected, as the room had begun to grow stuffy as it became more crowded. Cassandra closed the door softly behind them and looked around the wide balcony, amused. Varian was panicking inside. The impulsiveness that had seized him a moment ago was being overtaken with the nervousness from before the ball had started. He chuckled nervously and shed his waistcoat, offering it to Cassandra.

"So. There's no music out here either." She shrugged into the coat. The sleeves were a little looser than they were for Varian but she pulled the collar up, a soft expression stealing into her eyes. "What's the plan now, Romeo?"

"The plan...well, there is no plan. I'm playing this by ear." Varian strutted out to the middle of the balcony. If he was going to do this, he was going to commit. "We don't need it anyway." He held a hand out to her. "Dance with me?"

Cassandra took his hand and let him pull her close. Thank the stars that he'd grown some over the years. They were the same height and he could look her in the eyes. In the soft warm light that spilled through the windows they were beautiful and warm. "I'm not singing," she teased, settling her free hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't ask you to. You're probably terrible at it." He settled his other hand on her waist. The curve of her body felt nice against his palm and he felt strangely aware of the contact. "I, on the other hand-"

"You're not singing either. I don't know if I could deal with that."

"Okay, but I'm going to hum and you can't stop me, Cassie." She rolled her eyes but didn't argue as Varian swept her in a circle. They moved together well, Cassandra seeming to anticipate his moves as he lead her. His voice was soft, drifting through the lilting tune of a folk song he'd heard drifting through the village on summer nights. Cassandra didn't know it but the melody felt sweet and she watched his face with a far off expression. Her gaze sent a peasant fluttery feeling through him. There was no urge to look away from her, the eye contact felt natural and he leaned in a little closer to her.

Cassandra's lips parted and she hesitated. He didn't know what was going through her head. Her thoughts flitted across her face and where gone before he knew what to make of them. "You can sing, if you want."

"I uh...I don't actually know the words."  He watched the glow of the party play against her cheek.

"Oh. It doesn't really need them anyway..." She shifted, lessening the space between them. "The feeling is there."

"The feeling."

"Yeah. A good feeling." They stopped. Neither of them noticed. "Do you feel it?" she asked cautiously. Varian watched her hazel eyes. They darted around his face as if trying to figure him out. As if... The dreamy way she'd listen to his voice, the easy teasing, the nervousness in the lines of her face. He could feel something forming in the air between them, in his chest and they were closer than they'd been before and she was asking him...oh.

Oh.

Varian was suddenly struck with a clarity that startled him. He'd hoped, oh he had hoped and now here they were she was asking him did he feel it. She let out a breath and her eyes widened slightly, unsurely. Her beautiful eyes. Varian swallowed, his gaze dropping toward her lips for the smallest of moments. A small part of him wanted to hesitate, but the sure part of him was stronger and his doubt died away as he closed the distance between them.

It was easy. It felt like they fit together. Cassandra accepted the gesture readily, her arms moving to encircle his neck and pull him even closer against her. She was soft and warm and Varian's mind almost stuttered to a stop. He was kissing Cassandra. For real! This wasn't a dream or his mind wandering on the edge of sleep. She was real and when she broke away from him her cheeks were dusted a soft pink that he knew wasn't just the cold.Beaming, she cupped his face in her hands. For a long moment they just looked at each other. "Okay?" Varian asked, part of him just needing to be sure as if she hadn't kissed him back. Like music, she laughed and stroked her thumbs across his cheek bones.

"Oh Varian. Absolutely." Absolutely. Absolutely ! Varian laughed and touched his forehead to hers gently, closing his eyes. His heart was beating out of his chest. There were so many feelings in him in that moment that he didn't know quite how to process them all. It didn't matter, it absolutely didn't matter, because he was here with Cassandra and he could kiss her again. He did. A little less softly than before but with the way her hands slid down his jaw and along his neck she must not have minded. The brush of her fingers sent the hair on the back of his neck prickling and that opened a whole new avenue of thought that he'd have to unpacked later.

Music began inside, muffled and distant. They parted and wrapped their arms around other. For a long moment neither of them spoke, they just basked in the feeling of what they'd just done. What a feeling! Varian could have flown, he could have stayed in that moment for the rest of his life. He could have...sworn he heard a shout. There was no music.

Cassandra stiffened in his arms, her instincts kicking in. "You heard that, didn't you?"

"What was it?" Voices floated to them from the hall, a muted jumble. Another rang out above them, commanding and insistent. Cass slipped from his arms, her eyes on the balcony doors. They could see the crowd inside but it was difficult to see what was happening. Carefully, she tried the handle of the door nearest to them. It didn’t open, jammed from the other side. Cassandra turned back to him, her face dark and determined. " Something's wrong. We have to get in there."

"The other doors...?" She cut him off with a shake of her head.

"If these are blocked I'm not wasting time on checking the others." She paced past the line of doors, her eyes roving over the building as she thought. Varian took to the balcony railing, looking over into the courtyard in case there was a route they could take. Below them the paths of the garden were dark between the snowy patches of ground. The drop looked pretty far to take unaided but what other choice was there? "How's it look?  I don't think we can climb.."

"Not good, Cass."

"I don't think we have a choice." She came and leaned out to look beside him, her hand on his arm. "If we're careful how we land we might be okay." She put a knee on the wall and hopped onto it easily. Varian followed less gracefully, his stomach flipping unpleasantly at the lack of barrier between them and the drop. "Keep your knees bent. Try to land toward your toes so there's not so much shock."

"You've jumped off too many buildings, Cass." She hopped into the empty air without answering him. He waited tensely for a few seconds before a soft thud reached him and Cassandra called his name questioningly. She was good at this stuff and despite the situation he felt a wave of admiration. He took a deep breath to try to brace himself and jumped after her. The horrible feeling of his heart in his throat pushed all other thought from his mind. Air rushed past him. On instinct his limbs loosened and felt limp. It was only a split second before he hit the ground that he remembered what she said about landing and he tried right himself on his feet. The impact jarred his ankles painfully and he pitched forward into the frozen ground. Pain shot through his injured hand as he caught himself and saved battering his face into the ground. Cassandra's hands were on him almost as soon as he landed. She swore softly under her breath.

"Are you okay? That looked like it hurt."

"It's fine. I'll walk it off." He stumbled upright. The pain lingered. "You know this place better than I do, Cass. Which way?" She nodded and hugged the wall, moving away from the front gate across the courtyard. Varian stuck close behind her, looking over their shoulder. He didn't know what was happening outside but if someone had infiltrated the castle he knew there must be more of them around. They'd have to be stupid to not bring backup. 

The two of them rounded a corner and Cassandra stopped suddenly. Not watching, Varian walked into her and grabbed her shoulder to steady himself. Before he could ask what had happened Cassandra turned her head just enough that he could see her put a finger to her lips. Ahead of them the path was dark. A shape was barely visible stretched across the path. It was impossible to tell what it was at this distance. Together they crept forward. Varian touched a hand lightly to Cassandra's arm so she could feel where he was. He could feel the tension radiating off of her. The shape slowly defined itself as they neared it and the gold of the armor worn by the Corona guard reflected what little light there was.  "Is that a guard?" Varian asked, looking back over his shoulder again.

"Looks like it." Cassandra crouched down next to the prone figure, poking him gently before searching his neck with her fingers. "He's gone. Pretty recently, I think. It's hard to tell with the cold." Varian knelt next to her. He didn't recognize the man but the loss of a life was still a shame. It felt like something needed to be done. Be said, maybe. He picked up the helmet where it had fallen off and set it upright, unable to think of anything else. There wasn't time for it.

"I wonder who these guys are?" He said softly. 

"No one to mess with, that's for sure." Cassandra picked up the halberd that was standard for the guard and winced as it slid out from under the man's arm. "Sorry, friend. I need this more than you do."

"I don't think he minds." Varian stood once more and glanced around. The side yard was silent. It didn't make him feel any safer. "Where do we go from here, Cass?"

"There's a servant's entrance further down that opens into the kitchens. From there I should be able to get us close to the hall without being seen. We should still be careful, though." She turned to him seriously. "I know you can hold your own, Varian. But we don’t know what we’re walking into. Be careful." She offered a hand and he took it, nodding. Her touch soothed his nerves a little as she pulled him back into the darkness.

----

Rapunzel took her job as princess seriously, and a job it definitely was. The past few days had been exhausting and the work of mingling and fostering relations between kingdoms through the evening still lay before her. For a moment, standing behind her mother as she thanked the guests for their presence and well wishes, she let herself relax. Arianna practically glowed as she spoke, her voice sweet as always but with the iron undertone of someone who had been bred for authority. There was no mistaking her for anything but a queen and Rapunzel's chest swelled with pride as she took a sip for the toast. Her mom deserved the best party she coud give her.

Movement in the crowd caught her eye and she heard the minute pause in her mother's voice. It was Cassandra and Varian, not at all sneaking away. She grinned, a little smug, perhaps. She'd been right. Arianna raised her glass for a toast of her own. "To the glory of the Seven Kingdoms. May they ever triumph and prosper." The music began again, attention drifted away from them and Rapunzel sidled up to her mother.

"Even empty words are beautiful in the right setting, wouldn't you say, your Majesty?" Arianna had begun to turn to Rapunzel but she paused, her expression still as stone. Instead she turned to the man who had separated himself from the crowd. He was dressed finely, the style indicating he was visiting from Pittsford. Rapunzel felt Eugene move in close behind her and touch the small of her back.

"Lord Rauth. I am afraid your meaning escapes me. How are my words empty?" Rauth stood every bit as proud as the queen, as if he had an army behind him. So much confidence was intimidating and Rapunzel glanced around the room instinctively. There were others wearing the Pittsford dress. They lingered around the room. Eugene picked up on her unease and leaned in.

"I saw these guys arrive this morning. Insisted on bringing some of his royal guard. Our guard knows and were supposed to check for weapons before letting them in."

"They would have, wouldn't they?" she asked, not turning to him. The conversation before them felt delicate and she didn't want to draw attention to herself. Eugene hesitated.

"We have a good team but...They're supposee to be Corona's allies." She glanced at him, her face creasing in worry. They could handle anything this guy brought to them but it could also blow up into an interkingdom situation. Eugene shifted a little closer to the queen, just in case.

"Allies." Rauth sneered up at her, their exchange beginning to gain attention from those who could hear them. "Allies who pull power and weapons to themselves at every opportunity so they can flaunt it in our faces? Corona, kingdom of goodwill, indeed." The crowd murmured behind him. “Oh yes, you can give it a title and parade it around all you like, but we all know what your trusted engineer is. You think you can dangle him before us to show the power on your side?" The music stopped.  More and more people were drifting back to them, curious what was hapening. The others in the room from Pittsford broke from the crowd. They moved toward the doors.  Eugene slipped back into the crowd.

"I assure you, lord Rauth, I have no such intentions." Arianna met him coolly, her head held high despite the heat of the glare he gave her. "I believe in second chances, especially for those who make mistakes in their youth. While he may have had grievous errors in his judgement he has also done his utmost to make amends, both to my family and to the kingdom. That they are welcome here should not worry you." She smiled sweetly, a gesture meant to diffuse the situation. Rauth's cheeks colored.

"As underhanded as I had thought. I had hoped better of Corona. I suppose that was foolish." He shook his head. "I will take my leave of your supposed hospitality. However, I will not do so until I have the builder in the custody of the kingdom of Pittsford and dealt with appropriately in cooperation with the other kingdoms!"

"Excuse me?" Arianna, finally losing her composure, scoffed. "You aren't taking him anywhere."

Voices began to rise from the crowd in agreement. "Rauth is right, we can't leave him here." "You heard what Corona did to the Sapporians, didn't you?" "How long before they try to take the Seven Kingdoms for themselves?" The voices turned to shouts and Arianna drew herself up against the wave of sound, Rapunzel still by her side.

"Mom, maybe it's time to call it a night."

"How dare they! We've never shown them anything but kindness in all our dealings!"

"Mom!" She grabbed Arianna by the arm, tugging to get her attention. When Arianna looked at her she was flush with anger and frustration. "We should go.

They both flinched at the sound of shattering glass. Shouts rang through the room, calling for the builder. Rapunzel looked around for Eugene. He at the door that led toward the main wing of the castle, trying to muscle his way past one of the guards from Pittsford. The man was twice his size, easily rebuffing him. Even from a distance she could see he was glancing around and trying to look for other ways out. It had been her suggestion to keep the guard out of the hall to show that they were welcoming. Rapunzel felt sick.

"They went outside a while ago! They're probably escaping!" A woman shouted shrilly, Rapunzel looked toward the balcony, her heart in her throat, but the knobs had been looped with heavy chains . No one but the Pittsford guard would be opening them. Thank goodness Varian and Cass had gone outside. It looked like the rest of them were trapped.

Chapter Text

The servants' door was wide but it was tucked into a cleverly positioned alcove that was near invisible if you weren't specifically looking for it. It opened into the kitchens and Cassandra and Varian stumbled right into the bustle of the staff at full service. Fires were burning and people were dodging around each other, too busy to be aware yet that anything about the evening was amiss. Grabbing Varian's good hand, Cassandra pulled him close and jumped into the activity, weaving her way around the room with practiced steps. He crowded against her awkwardly, aware of every little bump and jostle from the staff. So much for not being seen, but maybe this way there'd be some anonymity. Some of the staff knew him, and he was sure some would know Cass, but new help had been hired several times over the years. They would just have to hope to get lucky and go unnoticed. The crowd thinned and broke almost as suddenly as it felt like it had appeared and Cassandra breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't miss that."

"Is it always like that?

"No, just when something big is going on. We might meet more of the staff with the corridors we're taking but it's the fastest way." She turned a corner, then another, every step sure. Varian hurried along behind her.

"What if the interior doors are blocked too?" he asked apprehensively. Cass took a moment before she answered.

"Then we'll have to break our way in somehow." She paused at a split in the hall, turned another corner and pushed aside a tapestry, startling the guard that was approaching from the other side. He jerked away from them and stumbled back against the wall. Even in his condition Cassandra noted his eyes sweeping over them to take them in. They caught on the halberd. "There's a situation," Cassandra snapped, not giving him time to voice the question in his face. "We were locked out on the balcony from the hall upstairs. A guard is down in the courtyard. Round up whoever is available and bring them with you. Be ready."

"Wait, who are you? You can't just run around with weapons in here!"

"Did you hear what I said? Captain Fitzherbert is with Queen Arianna and Princess Rapunzel. We can assume it's safe for now but no one can get in or out."  Understanding dawned in his face and he nodded once, turning to bolt back down the passage. Cassandra and Varian started at a run in the same direction. Who knew what was going on behind those closed doors.

----

Things were getting ugly. Eugene had not gotten out, and his attempts had only attracted more of the guard. Eventually he’d had to concede defeat. His eye was blackened and his lip split. He stood close to Rapunzel and her mother even as he swayed on his feet. If he couldn't go for help, he was determined to at least protect them.  Arianna was doing her best to keep the situation under control but Rauth had too much support. Shouts rang from the crowd. He was dangerous, they said. He shouldn't be roaming free. Corona had had long enough to address the problem. Rauth looked smug. "I see you aren't keen on performing your due responsibility as leader and giving them up to custody. I believe that is a violation of the agreements set down by our forefathers. One kingdom may not shelter accused from another kingdom."

"I believe you misunderstand, Lord Rauth." Arianna's words were icy, laced with an edge that showed she was losing her patience. "A kingdom may not shelter fugitives from the kingdom they have wronged. Their wrongs were done to Corona and it's people. We have dealt with the situation as we saw fit. Kindly call off your guard, this evening has reached its end." She started to turn, dismissing him. Rauth scoffed and raised a fist into the air, bringing it down with a snap to his side. Instantly the guards around the room moved, converging on where the queen stood at the head of the room. Eguene, sensing the movement in his peripheral vision, moved to place Arianna and Rapunzel behind him.

"Queen Arianna!" Rauth advanced on them as well, his head held high. "You show a distinct disdain for the welfare of the Seven Kingdoms. If you refuse to present the builder, you will be held accountable for putting us all at risk." He waved a signal to the guards closest to them. "Arrest them all." Voices rose from the crowd, many of them shocked but almost as many were cheering. As soon as the guards were within reach one made a move to knock Eugene out of the way. He ducked under the swing and threw his fist out, catching the guard on the chin. When he stumbled back, another rose up in his place. Rapunzel looked around frantically for something she could use. There were no weapons in the room, not even decorative ones, and the only thing in the immediate area was the decorative chairs that scattered along the edges of the room. She felt helpless. Her eyes caught on the bright dye of the banners that decorated the room. If there were somewhere to go at the top they could have climbed them out of everyone's reach.

A loud thud sounded from the door at the back of the room, barely audible above the voices. The chains were drowned out by the noise but they visibly shifted with the jarring impact. She felt a thrill of hope. Someone was trying to get in, if it was the castle guard they'd be okay. At least for the time being. A wide hulk of a man appeared beside her and she scrambled away, heaving one of the chairs up and whirling to face him like a lion tamer. They'd just have to hold out a little longer.

----

Cassandra and Varian sagged against the door. He was pretty sure that something had popped inside his shoulder. Hopefully it was only his joints popping as he battered them. The door was decorative but heavy, and the only part of it that gave was where it shifted slightly in its hinges. They weren’t going to be able to break through. There was shouting on the other side and he saw the dread he felt mirrored in Cassandra's face. If he had some *** or something he could melt their way through but neither of them had expected the evening to turn hostile and they were terribly unprepared. Grunting with frustration Varian gave the door one last fruitless shove. Chain clanked against the wood from the other side. If they could slip something through...The idea hit him suddenly. He didn't know how hefty the links were but they had to try. Voices rang out behind them as the on duty guard began to gather. "I need this. Push on the doors for me." He snatched Cassandra’s halberd from where it was propped next to the doorframe and stepped back, eyeing the seam between the doors. The space between them when she pushed was just wide enough. He lined up the halberd and slotted it through, working it gently as he went. It was difficult but after several tense moments his shoulders relaxed and he grinned. "I think I've got the chain. Maybe we can use this like a lever and break it?"

"Varian, that's a great idea!" If it weren't an emergency he would have been practically preening under the smile Cassandra gave him. It wasn't the best place to impress a girl but he’d take it. Careful not to dislodge the halberd, he knelt in front of the door and let the pole of the weapon rest across his shoulder. Cassandra steadied the free end. "You gonna be okay there?"

"I'm sturdier than I look. It's fine." She looked at him doubtfully and hesitated but he shook his head, knowing she was the stronger of them. "We may not have time for this, Cass!"

"Right. Here goes." She leaned her weight into the pole, little by little to not overwhelm him with it. Varian sank under the pressure only a little, gritting his teeth but bracing himself well. It did hurt as the plated wood dug down again bone but he grit his teeth and bore it, waiting hopefully for the shift that would come with the chains giving way. After what seemed a long time Cassandra pulled off. "It's not working."

"It should." Varian's eyes watered and his jaw hurt, but he ignored it. "We have the leverage. Maybe if we had another person."

Cassandra nodded and spun on her heel, bolting back down the hall toward the voices of the guard. He heard her voice snap authoritatively and a moment later she came running back down the hall, a guard hurrying behind her. He was wearing the solid breastplate that was part of the guard uniform. Varian ducked out from under the pole, holding it in place as the guard took his place. The pole teetered on top of the metal shoulder of the breastplate delicately. Ignoring the ache in his shoulder Varian scrambled to join Cassandra on the other end. "Thank you!" They fell onto it together, throwing their weight into the motion. The wood beneath the plating groaned but held steady. They pushed again, waiting tensely until suddenly there was a snap and a ping! and they dropped to the floor. the halberd had snapped. Metal clattered to the floor in front of them and the door popped open a few inches. "Varian!" Cassandra threw her arms around him and pulled him to his feet after her. Ignoring the guard the pair burst through the door into the chaos that was the Winter Ball,

It really was chaos. There were men advancing on the end of the room, several of them looked like they were in a wrestling match with someone. Visiting dignitaries milled about the room, many of them shouting toward the wrestling, others looking very put out over the entire thing. Varian caught sight of Rapunzel  beating fruitlessly at one of the guards with her fists. Her face was flushed and angry at being carted around over someone’s shoulder. The queen was backed into a corner, obviously telling another one off. They could see her icy glare from across the room. The Corona guard had not been allowed in the main hall as the queen had not wanted to appear as if they were showing off military presence but Varian had seen Eugene earlier, he had to still be here. One of the wrestlers went flying, a familiar boot in his wake. Oh.

"There! They've got Eugene!" He took off, rushing heedlessly through the crowd and moving with a singular focus that quickly had him diving into the fray. He locked his arms around the neck of one of the guards from Pittsford, squeezing with all his strength and throwing his legs around to upset the man's balance. Cassndra's voice rang out behind him but her words were lost in the noise. Someone grabbed him by the back of the shirt and started pulling him away. Viciously, Varian kicked out and heard a grunt as he was released. The man he was clinging to stumbled and went down, flopping Varian into the legs of the one Eugene was grappling with. "Eugene!"

"What are you doing here?" Eugene ground out. Varian hesitated at his tone. "You idiot, they're here for you!"

"What?"

"They're here to take you!" Varian froze. Him?  Take him? Where? Why? He hadn't done anything wrong, had he? What reason was there for this? He looked around. The place was a mess. People were scared and angry. The night was ruined...because of him? A guard made a grab for him and he rolled out of the way, surging to his feet. He looked toward the queen, cornered. Rapunzel, who's frustration he could see now was bordering on tears. Had giving him a second chance led to this? No. He'd wanted things to go back to normal and the years creeping by had let him think that they had. He'd been wrong, hadn't he? Of course. how stupid to think that he could have it easy like that. A home and time to research and  friends and...Cassandra. He looked for her, spotting her dark curls across the room. She looked to be organizing the guests to get them out through the single door. The Corona guard was arriving, working to get the other doors unchained. Several were heading their way, attention fixed on the royals. Things would be over soon, but for how long? When would another kingdom come for him and drag what few friends he had into it.

How long would he be hurting people? When would he hurt Cassandra? Would they want her once they realized who she was? That couldn't happen, he couldn’t let it. She was happy now, with the freedom of making her own way in the world. Varian’s heart sank. Finally. Finally he’d been happy, but this couldn't go on. It never did. Looking around, he found a discarded chair and set it on its feet. It had to stop. He climbed onto it and drew a deep breath once his head was above the clamor of the ball. 

"ENOUGH."

The pandemonium of the room died away. Cassandra turned to look up at him, her brows furrowed in confusion. Varian met her eyes, let himself remember just for a moment how deep her eyes had felt up close, and looked away. "Who started this?"

"I did." Lord Rauth stepped out from the corner he'd apparently taken refuge in. His clothes were ruffled and he straightened them with an air of inconvenience. The crowd parted for him to approach and Varian stepped down to meet him. He didn't bow or show him the respect decorum would have demanded, but stared him down, his face grim. "You are the builder." Rauth said, the words sounding like an accusation. Varian ignored his tone. 

"Why? What do you want here?"

The old man was not cowed by his nerve and drew himself up importantly. "You are a dangerous asset, boy. On behalf of Pittsford, I am here to take you into custody."

"Even though I haven't done anything," Varian spat. He was angry, but the mention of arrest sent a pang of fear through him. The long buried memory of his time in Corona's dungeons began to surface. He smothered it back down.

"Your past would indicate otherwise. You are fully capable of repeating those events so long as you are left free to your own whims." Rauth's eyes swept back behind Varian, searching, and with a sick feeling Varian knew he was looking for Cassandra. He shifted back into the old man's line of sight. He could hear her pushing her way through the rapt crowd. 

"If...if I go with you peacefully, will you leave this place?" Rauth narrowed his eyes at Varian, sizing him up. It wasn’t a good feeling and Varian felt the skin of his neck crawl under the scrutiny. If they really were causing all this trouble over him then he should satisfy the situation, right? “Leave immediately, and not bother anyone else here?”

"You are in no position to make demands of me.”

"I can make this a lot harder than you want it to be. Trust me." The threat was clear, even if Varian wasn't actually equipped to back it up, Rauth would not be aware of that fact. As far as he knew Varian had disappeared to arm himself with any kind of concoction and was ready to put up a hell of a fight. The old man considered him for a long moment, then waved one of his guards forward.

"Very well. We will, for now. Do not think that Corona's lack of cooperation will not be noted and dealt with." Varian stiffened reflexively as he felt heavy, rough hands on him. Cassandra's voice called to him but he didn't look at her. Couldn't. If he saw her following after him all the resolve in him would crumble and he would break. The guards shoved and dragged him, and Varian stumbled toward the doors and away from the hope and warmth he'd felt not an hour before. He hated it, he hated to leave her but it would give her a chance to leave and escape the fate he knew was waiting for him.

He had been there before. He would give anything to keep Cassandra from experiencing imprisonment, even if it meant putting himself there. 

She called for him again, more urgently, and he heard Rapunzel intercept her with muttered reassurances that he couldn’t make out. He didn’t try. He stared straight ahead, his head held high even as he was being manhandled.

It was worth it.

----

"What the hell is he thinking!?" Cassandra hurled the dagger she'd been worrying between her hands against the wall. It struck and buried deep, not even a wobble leftover. Rapunzel winced and handed her another. It had only been moments since the scene at the party, since she’d watched Varian give himself up. There were a lot of feelings welling up in Cassandra that she couldn’t deal with at the moment and she just needed to punch something. “He's never been the sacrificial kind, has he? I've never seen him just give in like that! What is wrong with him?" The dagger joined the first and Rapunzel handed her the next thing within reach: a helmet. Cassandra drummed her nails against the dome in agitation.

"I don't get it either. He was probably hoping it would deescalate things."

"It sure as hell did, didn't it?"

"Mom said she has law books in the library. She's going to go over them and find out exactly what Lord Rauth was trying to hold over us. There’s got to be something we can do for Varian." She kicked her feet. Where she was sitting on the table they dangled above the floor. Cassandra groaned.

"That will take so long! And why didn't they take me too? At least then he wouldn't have been alone..."

Rapunzel eyed her friend. They were both exhausted and disheveled, still in their gowns. Cassandra's hair had fallen and now only the braid along the crown of her head was intact, still woven through with the ribbon Rapunzel had intended to match the highlight of Varian's hair. Her heart ached. There hadn't been time to talk and see what had gone on out on the balcony but she was sure it was something that made this harder on Varian and Cass both. "Cass, I'm pretty sure that was the point. "

"That doesn't make it any less stupid, Raps." She looked down at the helmet in her hands, frowning. "I can't just leave him there."

"I'm sorry I can't go after him. This is kinda...with what happened it's a delicate situation. We have to handle it in a way that will minimize the damage internationally..." Cassandra glanced at her. Rapunzel's eyes had dropped to the floor and she was chewing at her lip. Being a leader had a lot of restrictions.

Good thing she wasn't a princess.

"I understand. You can tell them I stole the boat." She set the helmet down next to the princess, who frowned at her in confusion. "I understand that you can't really go after him, but I'm not a citizen of Corona anymore. There's nothing that can hold me back." She pulled the daggers from the wall easily and turned to stalk out of the room, Rapunzel on her heels.

----

They lost no time in removing Varian from the castle. He'd wondered as he was being dragged through the halls whether they would throw him into the dungeons and wait until morning. It was a small blessing that he wouldn't be revisiting that particular place. Instead he found himself being led outside. The cold air bit through his shirt, a sharp wind carrying it off the sea as the approached the docks. It reminded him starkly of watching Cassandra pull his waistcoat on over her gown. A ship was moored at the private dock below the castle, small by royal standards but large and intimidating to Varian. They walked the weaving tiers of the path to it in silence.  It was a strange juxtaposition to the music and festivities that could be heard from town, carried faintly on the salted air. If the townspeople saw Varian being taken, he doubted anyone would have stopped it. Even if they had, Varian didn't want them to. The longer they were content to take him alone the longer Cassandra would have without the threat of arrest hanging over her.

Rauth was leading the little procession, a horrible spring in his step. Varian could just hear him humming to himself  as they walked, his demeanor the complete opposite of what it had been before. He led them onto the ship and directed his guards toward a metal caging built low next to the main mast. Varian was thrown into it unceremoniously and the top crashed down over him. He landed face first in dirty smelling straw. Scrambling to right himself, he began to stand and his skull banged hard against the top of the cage. It was so small! He hadn't expected to be housed in luxury but he'd thought maybe there would be a cell in the brig or something. This... His face scrunched a little as he took in the smell. This was literally something for housing livestock. He settled with his back against the side bars and hugged himself, feeling the anxiety beginning to take hold in his chest. This was different, he told himself. It wasn’t the cell he’d spent a year in as a kid. Andrew wasn’t there to torment him. Cassandra was free. He could do this. He could handle this. 

There was activity everywhere. They were preparing to set sail.

Rauth loomed over the cage, that smug smile still on his face. "Well. That was messier than I had hoped but I can't say that I'm not pleased with the result. In a few days time we'll have reached Pittsford and you, little builder, can begin your work for me."

"What?" Varian glared up at him through the bars. Its effect was somewhat diminished by the straw in his hair and the way he tucked his arms against himself against the cold. "What's that supposed to mean?" He felt a twinge of hate curl through him, momentarily overpowering the anxiety. 

"I'm not stupid, boy. I've heard what you're capable of. King Frederick was quite shrewd to take the creator of the war machine and break him into an asset. Whatever you've been building for him I want it done better and faster. "

Varian laughed, it was shrill and disbelieving as what Rauth was asking dawned on him. "You want me to build you an army? Are you crazy?? I'm not doing that! Even if I would, do you have any idea how much time and manpower that would take? You're stupid if you think one guy could do that in..in twenty years!"

Rauth leant over the cage, his hand shooting between the bars and snatching Varian by the collar. The old man was stronger than he looked and Varian yelped as he was jerked forward and his face collided with the bars overhead. Pain burst through his face and his nose gave a horrible crack. Involuntarily his eyes welled with tears. He shoved back against the bars, wrenching himself free of Rauth's hold. The hot, wet feeling of his nose bleeding washed over his lips with a coppery tang and he began to feel even colder as his blood pressure dropped. "You will do as you're told. Or Frederick Herz de Sonne will be a saint in your eyes." Rauth stalked away, leaving Varian to curl in on himself, his hands cupped around his bleeding, broken nose. Dizziness swept over him and he fell limp against the straw, his thoughts jumbled and fleeting. 

What had he gotten himself into?

----

Corona was a port city, and most of her ships were large trading vessels. The smaller boats that were  used for fishing mostly belonged to the townspeople. Cassandra knew realistically that she couldn't handle anything too big on her own so the small ones were her only option. She jogged down the dock, the patter of Rapunzel’s feet behind her a welcome sound in the darkness. She'd changed to warmer clothing and a cloak swathed her against the cold sea breeze. Varian's satchel and journal were tucked securely underneath it. Rapunzel was wrapped in a thick blanket, her arms full of warmer clothes. "Are you going to be okay? Just in and out, right?" she asked worriedly. Cassandra smiled gently over her shoulder.

"Trust me, Raps. I've got this."

"I know. I'm sorry." She looked out over the water. It was a clear night and the faint outline of Rauth's ship could be seen far out on the water. Thankfully there wasn't much wind aside from the light breeze. She might never have had a chance of catching up to them otherwise. Cassandra had found a boat with the oars propped inside and she climbed into it. Rapunzel unwrapped her blanket and folded it over before handing it to Cassandra. "For Varian.”

"Thanks, Raps." She hesitated. She knew they wouldn't be able to return to the castle, at least not while all the other kingdom's were visiting. It might be a long time before they spoke again. "And...and thanks for tonight. You were right. About Varian." Rapunzel smiled back at her and leaned down to hug her.

“I’ll have Fidella waiting for you here. Good luck."

"Thank you." There was a lot to thank her for. Cassandra hoped she knew it as she pulled away from her. Turning, she focused on the ship in the distance. She would have to reach it before morning to better her chances of stealth. Her face set with determination, She’d faced begged challenges with less on the line. Cassandra took up the oars and set out after Varian.

Chapter Text

Varian would have liked to have put on a brave face. He would have held his head high and gave as good as he got. He would have rose to the occasion. Curled into a ball in an animal cage, blood and tears frozen to his face and frost  gathering on his clothes...it was a little hard to be intimidating. Not his fault. Most of his mental energy was going into thinking of how to keep himself from catching hypothermia before they reached Pittsford. It was colder on the sea and he couldn't imagine that the thin winter sunlight would make much difference when morning came.  He was dimly aware of the activity around him, getting the ship running and coaxing it along until they were farther into the open water where they would catch a fair wind. He ignored it. When he'd tried watching the men move about all it had done was drive home what was happening and make him feel hopeless. As if he needed more of that. He shifted onto his other side, angling his head so that he could look upward. The stars were out but they felt cold and distant. The wood dug into his shoulder, still sore from trying to break the door down with Cassandra.

Where was she? He'd banked on someone stopping her from coming after him. Maybe she would see what he was doing and not even try. Either way would keep her safe and far away from Rauth and his plans. The sail overhead rolled in what little wind there was and his heart sank, knowing it would inevitably take him further and further from her. It was okay, he told himself. Eventually he would have a chance to escape. He'd be in a totally new country, maybe months or years down the line, but it would be okay.

It would.

He turned his head, tears pricking at his eyes. He wanted to cry again. He hadn't been able to stop the tears before. These, though, were for himself. Cassandra. All that he'd almost let himself hope for just a couple of hours before. He wanted to let himself have this, to cry and rage and let himself mourn what almost was but it just wasn't in him. He pulled in on himself even further, trying to block out Cassandra's lips and voice in his memory. He would cling to them, he knew, but that would come later. Lying there with the creaking deck beneath him and the cold biting into him it was more than he could bear.

----

Cassandra's arms were numb, though whether from the cold or the exertion of rowing she didn't know. She had worked tirelessly, slowly gaining on the departing ship. She was close enough now to hear the sails rustle and snap against the breeze. If it had been any stronger she wouldn't have made it. The thought flooded her with anxiety and she pulled at the oars harder than she had before. Voices rang out over the water, the crew moving about in the darkness. Yellow lantern light lit parts of the ship but the glow was small compared to the night. She stopped rowing as she approached, using one oar to guide the little boat alongside the hull of the ship. For a moment she paused, resting her arms before she began the climb up the side. She'd been on a few ships and had a vague idea of where they were likely holding Varian. If she was careful they could be out without much fuss and let Rauth chalk Varian's disappearance up to his abilities. People had often though him a sorceror, after all. Her mouth quirked into a small smile at the memory.

The two daggers went tucked into her belt. Her sword was in its usual place on her back. If there was trouble, she reasoned as she felt for a handhold on the ship, she was prepared for it. It was reassuring that Varian could hold his own in a fight, as far as she could remember. If things came to a head it would that much easier. She took the end of the mooring rope and tucked that into her belt as well so the litlte boat wouldn't drift away and began to slowly and carefully pick her way up the wooden hull. The iced over sea spray made climbing difficult and more than once she slipped back down a few feet. By the time she was in reach of the deck her arms were trembling, almost at their limit. She scrabbled at her belt with one hand, freeing the rope and hooking it over one of the lashing hooks rimming the deck. She had topped out in a convenient spot where the lantern light was dim. Thanking the sun, she slipped over the rail and crouched behind some cargo barrels, shaking her arms to loosen them up.

The position let her get a good look at the deck and she spent a few moments assessing the crew present and where they were. The soft yellow glow of lanterns lit the deck in pools that swung and shifted with the motion of the ship. She saw a guard from the party but most looked to be just sailors. They were probably formidable in their own right, she couldn't take them lightly. Rauth was nowhere to be seen. As with many ships the deck was also crowded with storage crates and other supplies. Those could be useful if she needed to get up into the rigging for some reason.  She glanced around, looking for a door or grating that would lead below. There, close by on her right was a door. She glanced back the other way, checking if the coast was clear and her eyes passed over a cage, meant for chickens maybe, she thought, and froze. The dusty blue, barely visible through the shadows

Varian.

Cassandra saw red.

She surged forward toward the door, pulling out one of the daggers and swinging it as she approached. It connected through the looped handles and she jammed it farther until it wouldn’t budge any more. It wouldn’t hold for long but hopefully it would buy her enough time to make their escape. A shout rang out behind her as she was spotted and she drew the other dagger and whirled, her feet carrying her to meet one of the men on deck. He’d been hammering a peg into place and he bore down on her with his mallet, aiming to strike her atop the head. Cassandra dodged to the side, the blow glancing off her arm. Using his momentum she swung her arm and brought the dagger’s grip down into the back of his head. He dropped to the deck like a stone.

Her feet went out from under her and she fell hard, tripped up by a fishing spear. She hadn’t accounted for how close the others were and one had come up behind her. The spear came down, its point dangerously close to her stomach as she threw up a leg and knocked it from its path. It still caught her. A hot sting of pain edged across her side but a cut was the better outcome. She wasted no time in flinging her remaining dagger up at the man. In close range it struck expertly, burying into his neck. He collapsed beside her and she wrenched it back out, ignoring the dying man as he tried to grasp at her.

That was two down. There were three more as Cassandra hopped to her feet and balanced there, ready to move in an instant. Their hesitation was clear, but brief as they glanced between their fallen comrades and the woman that had taken them out. Any other time Cassandra would have relished the moment, knowing she had the upper hand when it came to intimidation and being just as sure of herself that she could follow through. But Varian was trapped, hurt possibly. Caged like an animal. Her blood was boiling and the rage she felt left no room for anything else. It pushed away any fear she might feel at his condition, any remorse that maybe these men didn’t deserve what was happening. They had left him there to freeze and they were going to pay for it. She shifted, a spring coiling, before she leapt back into movement and barreled into the closest man. He tried to dodge and she adjusted, leaping around him and latching onto his shoulders. Her body twisted and wrenched, knocking him sideways into the mast where he slumped and slid down the pole. Hands snatched at her, grabbing her by the arms and lifting her off her feet. Instinctively Cassandra threw her head back, the grip on her releasing when she felt a satisfying crack from his face. The instant she felt the boards of the deck against her feet she whirled and threw a punch, the man’s head whipping to the side with the force of it. He stumbled back and dropped to the deck, out cold. 

Cassandra whirled to meet her final opponent. He had hung back a little, though whether out of uncertainty or to study her she didn’t know. Their eyes swept over each other as they sized each other up. One thick arm drew a short sword from his belt and he sneered at her, unimpressed. So he wanted to take the hard road? He’d be a walk in the park. Cassandra bared her teeth, reaching back to pull her own sword free of the scabbard on her back. The weapon was heavy and familiar in her hands but it didn’t fill her with the rush of confidence it normally did. She didn’t think of anything at all as they began to circle each other except for Varian still curled in on himself on the other side of the mast. Rage still coursed through her, unquelled by the fight this far. They stalked each other across the deck with a steady, even pace as the lantern light swung between them. The man’s eyes hadn’t left her, leaving no room for catching him off guard. The grip of her sword creaked slightly as she adjusted her hold and raised the tip. She was ready, but who would take the offense?

She felt as much as saw the man’s hesitation that came with realizing your opponent had no fear. He shifted back more solidly on his feet. So she was the offense. That was good, this would end more quickly. 

Steel sliced through the frigid air with a woosh as she darted toward him. The blow was sloppier than she meant it to be, and he blocked it to the side and dodged away, bringing his own sword up in an arc. Fear and irritation with herself swept through Cassandra and she dropped to one knee to duck beneath the blow. She felt it pull against her hair, missing the top of her head by a fraction of an inch. She’d lost her head, both figuratively and nearly literally. She’d be no good to Varian dead, even if she took this guy down with her. Using the momentum of dropping to her knee she lurched sideways, thrusting out toward the man’s legs. He leaped back, barely keeping out of her range. Cassandra surged to her feet and rushed him. The wild swing a moment before had thrown her off, reminding her that she needed to have some caution in throwing herself at an enemy. This time she kept her arms close to her body, dodging first to one side then the other. He fell for the feint and Cassandra took the opening, thrusting hard into his side. A pained grunt and the resistance against her blade told her that she’d struck true. He didn’t go down, instead jerking away from her. Cassandra fell forward with him, unable to pull back with the full weight of her movement driving her. Fear reared up in her again and she wrenched her sword back, rolling away from him. He grabbed after her, catching the edge of her cloak. The fabric snagged briefly before slipping through his failing fingers. Cassandra glanced at him only long enough to make sure he was staying down before she stumbled to her feet. 

It had taken all of ten minutes to clear the deck. The commotion had to have been heard below. She didn’t have time to catch her breath.

----

The grate at the top of the cage creaked as it was wrenched open and suddenly Varian felt hands grab him. He twisted toward them, confused and caught off guard. Cassandra's eyes were wide and frantic as they took in his face and Varian closed his eyes against the vision. The cold was affecting him already? Causing hallucinations? A cruel vision of Cassandra worrying over him. He didn't want it. He pushed whoever it was away from him but the hands were back instantly, one going to cradle his face gently. "Varian! It's me!"

"Cassie?" Her face flooded with relief above him and some of his confusion fell away, fear overtaking it. She was in danger. "Wh-What are you doing here? They're going to take you too!"

"Not if we move fast enough. Can you stand? What did they do to you?"

"Oh, my nose...it’s fine.” He let her pull him up. The cold had really seeped into him and his legs felt stiff and cramped. He stumbled against her. "How did you get past the..." The silence around them finally caught his attention and he looked around at the chaos Cassandra had left in her wake.The door leading below deck had been wedged shut with a dagger but it didn't look like it would hold for much longer. The wood rattled from the other side. Varian looked back at her In awe.  "Wow."

"Thanks. Come on." She took him by the hand and started toward the side where she'd climbed up, mindful that he was stumbling and still getting the feeling back into his legs. As they passed the door the dagger holding it in place wobbled loosely and clattered to the deck. Cassandra shoved Varian aside, drawing her sword as the door burst open on top of them. He caught himself against a crate and whirled just in time to see several of the guards from the party pour onto the deck. Cassandra swung at them, her blade hitting its mark with practiced precision. One of them saw the empty cage. "Find the builder!" he bellowed, his voice rising above the din. Varian scrambled away, ducking behind the crate as he frantically looked for something to defend himself with. His legs were loosening with all the movement, no longer feeling frozen through. It wasn’t much relief. His awakening nerves sparked with pain. He bit down on his tongue, fighting back the pain. His grasping hands met a coil of rope in the darkness and he snatched it up. It would have to do.

Two men had gone down under Cassandra’s efforts and Varian lashed out at the third that came after him. He swung the rope, its placement lucky enough that it hit the guard’s neck and swung around. Varian jerked it and ran, catching the man off guard and toppling him to the deck. The man made an awful choking sound and clawed at his neck. Varian ignored him, ducking under a club swung by the one that took his place. There were so many of these guys. They'd never hold out against all of them. Cassandra took down another and whipped her head around frantically, trying to spot him. She looked nervous and they were quickly becoming overwhelmed. Varian heaved himself onto one of the crates, his shoulder and hand screaming at him. "Cass!" She blocked a blow with her blade, backing toward him. They were beating her back but it was closer to him. It worked in their favor. As they neared Varian struggled and picked up a heavy keg that was stacked on the crate with him and brought it down on the man's head, buying her a few seconds to scramble up beside him.

"This isn't going well!"

"How'd you get here? You have a boat?"

“Over there!" She pointed and Varian nodded, spotting thebroke around the mooring hook. They had to get over there somehow. He stepped back to avoid a knife arcing toward his leg and his heel slipped off the edge of the crate. For a terrifying moment he felt himself begin to fall. The mast behind him thudded into his back and he looked up at it in surprise. If they could get into the rigging... He threw out an arm to get Cassandra's attention  and jumped with as much force as he could. Numb, his fingers swept loosely against the wood until he slid down a few inches and caught against a hand hold. Cassandra called out to him in confusion but he ignored her, his focus entirely on the netting of rope a little way above him. They could get higher with that and cut it to keep anyone coming after them. After that he wasn't sure but they'd figure something out.  The climb was difficult but the hardware of the ship offered traction and minute handholds. His determination was born of desperation now that Cassandra was with him and even as his progress felt slow it was steady. By the time he was close enough to stretch toward the ropes his shoulder was screaming and blood was beginning to show through the bandages on his hand.

He felt something whizz past his hair and a deep thud sounded above him. An arrow. It’s fletching quivered where it had sunk deep into the wood. Oh. They had bows. Varian made a wild grab for the ropes, hearing Cassandra swear loudiy behind him as the same realization hit her. His bandaged hand didn’t bend well and he grappled clumsily at the ropes until he managed to grasp the rough fibers. He clung to them for dear life and began to pull himself up. Another arrow struck to his left. He glanced back to see Cassandra reaching out for the rope as well, her face grim. A dark line of blood ran down from her hairline and along her eyebrow. Behind her more arrows had missed their mark. Whichever guy had the bow wasn't a good shot but that brought little comfort to Varian. Eventually he would have to get lucky. 

Now there was nowhere for them to go but up. Varian focused on his path, trying desperately not to think about an arrow burying itself in his back. One step at a time. Hand over Hand. The crows nest loomed above them. They would be safe there for a moment but it didn't solve the issue of escaping. His eyes followed the rigging above, the top of the sail ran toward the sides of the boat like a cross section. He couldn’t tell if it hung over the water. They could jump, but what were the odds of injury there? If either of them broke a leg it would be over. His eyes caught on a few lengths of rope. They tangled through one another as they served their various purposes, but there, one hung limply from the crow’s nest!, If they they swung from the opposite side they might be able to get a good enough arc to clear the side of the ship! He almost didn't dare to hope that it would be that easy. Surely it couldn't be? It had to be, he told himself. That was their only chance. Cassandra cried out below him and Varian twisted to look down at her. She had stopped climbing, pressing her face into the opening between the ropes. An arrow had found her. He could see it against her cloak, low on her shoulder.

"Cass!"

"It's fine! I'm fine, just go!" He hesitated. He wouldn't have been able to climb with a wound like that. Cassandra was heartier than he was but that didn't mean she was invincible. He could see her brace herself and begin to pull herself up again. Varian hesitated, but what could he do hanging in midair? They would just have to address it when they had time. He grit his teeth amd clambered the rest of the way to the area that ran parallel to the deck. Every part of him was torn. They needed to move, Cassandra was hurt. They couldn't stop here, he wanted to help her. The urge was overwhelming. He scrambled along the wood, trying to focus. She called out to him, confused that he was heading the other way, and he turned and held a hand out to her. He could see her eyes darting over him, searching out arrows of his own. When she got close she took his hand and Varian pulled her close to him as they teetered precariously far above the ship. She wound her arms around him and clung to him and for the first time since she'd woken him she looked frightened. Her face was pale with the pain and the cold. Her lip trembled. "I don't think I can climb any more even if there was somewhere to go." Varian pressed his cheek to the top of her head where she leaned into him, using his good hand to work the ropes loose. "I'm sorry, Varian. I tried.”

"Don't do that. It’s not like you to give up." He felt her shift in his arm, pressing her face against his neck. Warm lips gathered in a kiss and his heart broke a little. She must really feel like she failed. The rope loosened and he twisted his wrist around it a few times, trying to get a good grip as he wound it around his arm. "You think you can hold onto me for a couple seconds?"

"What do you mean?" She lifted her face and he felt her stiffen in his arms. Her eyes brightened at the sight of the ope. "You going to pirate us out of here, handsome?"

"I'm gonna try." One last hurdle. One barrier to get off the ship. They were so close. So close. Men were bellowing below them, but the stars overhead were sharp and bright. It felt like they were sitting on the cusp of space, holding onto each other for the bravery to step out. Varian kissed her forehead and she used the arm on her uninjured side to reach up and hold tightly to the rope just below his hand. Her other arm stayed around him, tight and trembling slightly with what Varian thought must be weariness. Her small hand fisted into the back of his shirt. Her hold on him bolstered his nerve and after the smallest of pauses to make sure they were both holding tight he threw them both to the side and into the empty air.

The fall was quick and it was terrifying. The instant it took the rope to pull taught felt far too long and the terrible thought that it wasn't connected to anything at the other end barely had time to form in either of their heads before it jerked hard and their downward momentum was forced in an arc toward the sea. The shapes of the ship rushed past them and suddenly there was empty darkness below. The sea. Cassanadra's grip failed and Varian let go, letting them freefall into the black waters. The surface broke like a wall of stone beneath them and the impact knocked the air from Varian's lungs. It hurt. Logically he knew it would but in the moment he almost couldn't process it. His body tried to go limp, the shock of the impact and freezing water stunning in its intensity. The air he'd lost left his lungs screaming he thrashed against the water, fighting to break the surface before his body took over and tried to draw breath. All around him was muffled noise, the far off sound of movement in the water. Cassandra. He continued to kick for what he thought was the surface although the water was disorienting. All  around him was black. He didn't know if he was even going the right direction let alone how far it was. What if he was swimming toward the bottom? Panic siezed him and he kicked frantically, his arms feeling around in front of him. He didn't want to die there, in the dark. There was no light. No air. No Cassandra. Nothing.

He felt something close on his shoulder and suddenly he broke the surface with a gasp. Cassandra was there, grunting with the effort of guiding him up. She shushed him. Varian began to tread water, craning his neck to keep it from submerging again. Now that they were away from the lanterns of the ship he couldn’t see anything, not even Cassandra. The men on the boat shouted and ocaasionally an arrow plunked into the water but they were farther and farther from them, each time. Cassandra brushed his arm beneath the water and he followed her movement back toward the ship, trusting that she was leading him there for a reason. It was difficult to move quickly without much noise but the clamor on deck aided their stealth as they moved along the side of the hull. There, he saw the little boat lashed to the ship that Cassandra had brought with her. They clung to the side of it for several long minutes, bobbing in the frigid water and listening to the activity above them. Rauth had awoken and he raged about the deck, berating his men for letting them go,

“There’s no sign of them, sir. That water would overcome a hardy man in full health. They’re done for.” Rauth leaned over the railing, peering in the direction they had swung. Cassandra grabbed Varian’s bandaged hand against the boat, her fingers trembling. They hardly dared to breathe until finally he slammed his fist down on the railing. 

"Damn. What a waste. At least they won't make it back to Corona." His figure pulled away from the railing and without waiting Cassandra hauled herself slowly over the side of the boat before reaching back to help Varian. They took a moment to just breathe. The cold was lost to their numb skin and their soaking clothes were going to be a problem, but for a moment they were both grateful that they could just stop. Within seconds they were both shivering. It didn’t take long for their clothes to begin to stiffen. Cassandra pointed silently to the blanket and clothing  tucked in the bow and turned to begin sawing at the rope still holding them to the ship. Varian picked the blanket up and assessed the size. It should be big enough for the both of them. He glanced at Cassandra. the shaft of the arrow was still hanging from her shoulder. it would have to come out before she could remove her wet clothing. He looked down at himself, still in his fine clothes from the ball. They wouldn't be good for much now. The air bit at his skin as he shed the wet clothing and pulled the spare shirt over his head. It hurt in a way but at least this way his skin had something dry against it. The clothes from the ball he slipped over the side of the boat into the dark water. Cassandra sat up, the rope falling away from her and they began to drift freely away from the light of the ship. She reached for the oars but Varian knocked her hand away gently. "Let me."

"Your hand," she hissed softly in protest. He couldn't help the small smile her worry brought.

"Your shoulder." There was no arguing that. She dropped her gaze and sat back. Varian took the oars to the water, all his focus on trying to move them quietly. Cassandra undressed as well as she could. Varian hadn't thought much about averting his eyes, he was too focused on what he was doing, how much of him hurt, to take much notice of whatever skin Cassandra was flashing his way. Even so when she scooted closer to him he couldn't resist an attempt at levity. "You know, when I dreamed about seeing more of you this isn't the scenario I had in mind." Her mouth quirked up in small smile. She didn't respond right away. Her face was drawn and pale. Varian felt a pang of guilt. "Sorry, That was terrible..."

"No, it... I mean I had something better in mind, too." She clutched the blanket to her chest and turned her back on him. 

"Yeah?" He fell still, his eyes drifitng back toward the ship. It was a small, glowing dot suspended in a flat, inky blackness. She was looking at him expectantly over her shoulder.

“Varian...could you…” He met her eyes, barely finding them in the dark before he remembered the arrow. Right, it couldn’t stay there. He pulled the oars in and reached out gently, finding the feathered end in the darkness. “Try to do it in one go, okay?”

“What if I...yeah. Yeah, okay.” He wouldn’t actually see it. That meant he likely wouldn’t faint, right? That was logical. She stiffened as he spread his hand against her back and gripped the shaft of the arrow tightly. “Want me to count?”

“No. No, just do it.” Varian nodded. He squeezed and closed his eyes, just in case, and pulled. The noise she made was soft but it was awful. It cut through him. Something pattered lightly against his boot and his head swam but he took several deep, measured breaths.  "Thank you."

"What you didn't think I'd come after you?"

"I knew you'd try. And I mean it." She nodded and pulled her shirt off. He could sense the motions in the dark because of her closeness. They fell back into silence for a few minutes while she finished changing. Away from the light of the ship the stars were brighter and their silver light offered a faint visibility.  It shone against their hair like fairy light. Cassandra stared up at the sky, her eyes hooded. They were both tired and there was a long way to go. Wordlessly Varian pulled the blanket around them boy and  they slipped further into the night.

Chapter Text

Raunzel smoothed her hair down, her fingers pulling through the dark strands nervously. Eugene was beside her, his solid presence grounding as always, but it wasn't enough to still her racing thoughts. Cassandra was strong and capable, but what if she needed backup? It would only make things worse to go after her. Not long ago she would have done it without a second of hesitation but if taking on more responsibilities had taught her anything it was that royalty occupied a precarious position when it came to dealing with other kingdoms. Peaceful times were easy. Making trade deals and organizing events to broadcast their good will toward one another was easy. This was something else entirely.

The heavy, protective weight of Eugene's arm slid across her shoulders as he took notice of her nervous fidgeting as they stood on the balcony. The king and queen had taken the situation in hand, preferring to leave her learning experience until after the fact. The princess had found herself wandering back to the ballroom. Staff would have a well deserved break once everything was over and the visiting dignitaries had left but now the clean up had begun. 

Rapunzel had been helping as well as she could, but worryin herself to distraction had ended with more than one of the maids thanking her gently but firmly and suggesting a different task. She'd given up after an hour and stood in the doorway, staring into the dark courtyard. It felt wrong to be there, even with the subdued attitude. Normally after a party the staff would be chatting away as they worked, enjoying the chance for a shared task and access to the remaining wine and food. Varian's absence was as obvious as the near silence of the room.

"Do you think she made it okay?"

"She's stubborn. She'll make it."

"Do you think Varian will be okay, Eugene?"

"He’s resourceful and almost as stubborn as Cassandra. Try not to worry, Sunshine."

"That's not really an answer." Her fingers began twisting tangles into her hair and Eugene caught her hand, stilling it by intertwining their fingers instead.

"I know." He pulled her away from the dark doorway and into the comforting light of the ballroom. "Listen, I know you want to be out there. I do too, but we're not going to know how things go for a while. It isn't going to help them to worry ourselves sick. "

"I know. I can't help it. I feel like this is my fault. If I hadn't insisted on giving him a position he wouldn't have had to be here and none of this woul-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there." He pulled her by the hand,  heading toward the tables laden with leftovers. There were still mugs and bottles of wine, one of which he swept off the table and offered to her. "Varian deserved that title. He's a genius."

"He is!"

"And who knows how long this has been building up. Pittsford could have been keeping an eye out for him from the beginning, you don't know. If it's even Pittsford."

Rapunzel rubbed her thumb along the swell of the bottle, her face drawn with worry as she considered the implication. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Rauth said it was on behalf of his country but...I don't like taking things at face value. I've learned that lesson too many times." He frowned and she looked up at him, empathy stealing across her face. Eugene didn't often share details of his life before them but he'd shared enough for her to know it had been hard. Betrayal and deceit were not strangers to him. The suggestion was cautious but if Rauth had acted alone it could potentially avert a conflict between Corona and Pittsford. Rapunzel leaned into him, her mind turning the prospect over a few times. Could they be so lucky? It would make the situation a great deal easier. Corona reaching out to their neighbor and asking what had happened so they could glean information regarding the situation would make them appear less aggressive. Clarification over retaliation. It was worth trying. She pulled away from Eugene and rose onto her toes to kiss him.

"Thanks. I'm going to talk to mom and dad. We have to consider every angle we can to keep this civil." He smiled encouragingly as she broke away from him and pattered across the ballroom. She knew they would listen to her. Her mother, at least, would. Her feet carried her through the familiar halls like a breeze, quick and silent. The maze-like corridors snaked from one wing to another, staircase after staircase until she was standing outside the king's private study. The deep tones of her father's voice drifted through the door, muffled and soft. She pushed her way in without a second's hesitation. "Wait a minute!"

"What's wrong? DId something else happen?" Arianna was on her feet the instant her daughter burst through the door. Gone was the steel and fire that had surged through her in the ballroom, now she was an exhausted woman who looked like she had the world on her shoulders. Her daughter's outburst had startled them both, and Frederick neatly dropped the bottle of ink in his hands.

"Rapunzel! How many times have I asked you to knock?"

"I know. Sorry, Dad, but this can’t wait. I don't think Pittsford was behind this." She let out a breath, her lungs still trying to catch up after her run. Her parents exchanged a glance.

"Arianna."

"Right. Sweetheart?" She reached for Rapunzel, settling her hands comfortingly on her shoulders. "This has been a stressful night, I know. You have so much on your minf. Maybe it's time to get some rest..."

"I don't need to rest!" With a quick, light motion she shrugged her mother's hands away. "Eugene and I were talking-"

"Eugene. Right." Frederick went back to his letter just as Rapunzel noticed it. She rushed over and pulled it away from him. Ink stained her fingers as she snatched it and Frederick made a indignant noise. "What are you-"

"How many men were there tonight? At the ball with Rauth, how many?"

"I don't know, Rapunzel." Arianna shook her head, growing exasperated with her daughter.

"Enough to catch us off guard, but not enough to make you think he had the whole court behind him, right?"

"Obviously not, Rapunzel. To have brought men in large numbers would have immediately indicated that he had aggressive intentions." Frederick held his hand out for the paper, frowning when his daughter ignored him.

"That doesn't make any sense. They weren't concerned with stealth, he demanded we hand Varian over in front of representatives from all seven kingdoms. Obviously he was trying to make a scene and get everyone on his side. I think Rauth was acting alone."

"Rapunzel, you aren't experienced enough to-"

"Dad!" The discussion ground to a stop. It was rare for Rapunzel to raise her voice in anything other than excitement and for a moment she shifted back against Eugene. He gripped her waist and she straightened a little. "I know I don't have the experience that you guys have but I trust myself when I'm sure of something. If Rauth had the support of Pittsford he would have brought an army. Maybe not openly but he would've had them outside of town or posing as tourist for the occasion. Something! He wouldn't have hightailed it out of here in the middle of the night on a single ship with a handful of men. The only reason he got as far as he did is because we let our guard down because we didn't want to  appear aggressive by having guards posted inside the ballroom. He got Varian because he got lucky, not because his country is behind him." Frederick pursed his lips and they were lost in his beard as he considered her words. Her insistence that they listen to her, at least, made him want to give the idea proper thought. Rapunzel would not be so agitated if she didn't truly believe it, after all.

"She's right. It's not a smart move on his part coming here alone. And I think if Pittsford were behind him he wouldn't have stopped at Varian." Eugene offered, stepping up to stand beside Rapunzel. Frederick assessed him for a long moment before nodding. 

"I can tell you've both thought about this. Perhaps more than I have. I admit when it comes to relations with the other kingdoms I tend to think things out second to taking action." He glanced at Arianna. "Fortunately I am balanced out in that regard. A good partnership lends itself to problem solving." He waved a hand dismissively. "Burn that. We'll begin again and send an ambassador along with the message."

Arianna pulled out a new piece of parchment, a small, proud smile gracing her face. They would work together on this, even if it wasn't an ideal learning oppotunity.

—-

Varian woke slowly. He ached, a deep, insistent pain that resting had done nothing to soothe. He was weary down to his bones but the nest of blankets and pillows around him was heavenly in its softness. Cassandra shifted and murmured, curled against his chest. He looked down at her and his eyes played over the curls in her hair and the curve of her bandaged shoulder. When they’d made landfall in the night Fidella had been waiting for them, Ruddiger dozing in her saddlebag and a pack of provisions and clothing at her feet. She had helped them make the last leg of the journey through the forest and to Varian's little cottage, where they'd started the fire and fallen into bed, clothed and desperate to get warm. Waking up like this, with the reassuring weight of her against him as he lay and watched the blue dawn seep into the room made him feel full and warm. He could lay there forever, just existing.

It wouldn't last.

They'd stopped because neither of them could go any further. It was a miracle that they’d made it this far without hypothermia or their injuries doing them in. The events of the night before had driven home to Varian that this life he had had been a temporary thing after all. If it came to light that he was alive and still in the kingdom's employ he knew there would be wolves at the door again. They wouldn't be able to stay. His eyes followed the thin light, roving over the things he'd brought as he worked on the cottage. The books, both salvaged from his lab and gifted by his father over the years, his own journals and notes, his mother's journal and the big cast iron pot she'd cooked in over the years, trinkets and baubles he'd picked up during festivals in town. The family portrait of him and his parents. This place felt more like home than it ever had after the rough night. He would miss it.

Cassandra sighed and shifted, nestling closer into him. Varian squeezed her gently and pressed his face against her hair. This was worth everything. Cassandra sighed and yawned, struggling to pull herself from sleep. "You okay?" he asked softly, part of him hesitant to  break the peace of the morning. She turned her head slightly and one hazel eye cracked open to look up at him. Her hair was wild and several coils of it slipped into her face.

"Mm hmm. Sore, but okay." She pulled the blanket closer to them, dislodging Ruddiger from where he'd burrowed down next to them. The raccoon chittered irritably and settled himself in a new spot against Varian's free side. "You're warm. I hate to get up."

"Then don't."

"We need to decide what we’re doing." She turned and glanced at the embers glowing in the hearth. It wouldn't take much to get it going and warm the room back up. "It sounded like that guy thought we'd drown but if they come looking for us...or anyone else does..."

"It's not common knowledge that I'm living out here, Cass. At least not around the castle." She started to sit up but he made a noise of protest and wrapped his arms around her. "Aw come on, it's cold!"

"Varian." He could see red bloom in her cheeks. and he grinned when she let him pull her back down. "What if he's not the only one? Neither of us have a good reputation in the other kingdoms.  If anyone let slip that you live in Old Corona...and then someone there directs them out here..." Cassandra frowned at him. She wasn't without sympathy for him but he needed to think realistically about the situation. Varian knew this, he knew everything that she was pointing out. He just didn't want to run again.

"You want to leave,” he said, already knowing. 

"I think we have to, Varian." Her expression softened and she lifted a hand to press against his cheek, the touch meant to comfort him. He covered her hand with his own and closed his eyes. "At least for awhile until things settle down."

"...I know. I'm just putting off the inevitable, I guess." He pulled his bandaged hand from the blankets and ruffled Ruddiger's fur. Cassandra kissed Varian's other cheek and smiled when he squeezed her a little. "At least we'll be together. It could be worse."

"Oh it could definitely be worse. You could be freezing again." She grinned and threw the covers off. Varian yelped at the cold and tried to burrow back into the pillows. Laughing, Cassandra broke from his arms and hurried over to the hearth, hopping a little on her feet against the cold floor. Varian watched her stoke the embers around a new log. Her shirt was loose and hung low on her shoulders, exposing the haphazard bandaging he'd done on her the night before. Her curls were a wild tousle, drawn tight with seawater and intensifying the bedhead look. Varian sat up in bed. Despite the wild night and all the hurt they'd both suffered he relished the warm, full feeling of contentment. He suspected it came from waking up with Cassandra in his arms, and the strange intimacy of morning. He could have a happy life with her, he thought,if only there were no one after them. Cassandra  straightened and saw him watching her. it brought a smile to her face. "What?"

"I love you." It came unbidden and was out of his mouth before Varian even registered the words. He felt himself blush but it was too late. It was out and he couldn't do anything about it but let the words hang in the air between them as Cassandra stared at him, His heart was pounding. How was this scarier than everything that had happened? Than freezing to death? A small admission in the morning quiet should not scare him more than a dark, freezing ocean, but it did. He didn't understand it. It felt right to love Cassandra but her actually knowing....

She smiled, her expression so warm that Varian forgot the frigid air of the room. "I love you too." Varian felt all the tension go out of him. Cassandra went back to him, cupping his face. She ran one of her thumbs along his cheek bones and leaned in to kiss him lightly..

----

They packed the essentials: food, an extra set of clothing, Varian's current journal and some harder to find alchemical ingredients. Fidella was only one horse and for the time being she would be carrying both of them, they couldn't weigh her down with unnecessary things. Varian didn't argue this point but he made no secret of how he felt leaving certain things behind. Cassandra met his attitude with some sympathy, she had once made that first move to leave her life behind and she knew how hard it was. They both knew it would be a long time before they saw Corona, let alone the little cottage again. 

They were ready by late afternoon. Varian left a short letter for his father on the table, asking him to look after the place if he had time and much too soon they were standing beside the road, shielding their eyes against the thin sunlight. They'd dressed warmly and the day felt pleasant compared to the cold air the night before. Varian looked back at the cottage, and beyond it in the distance Old Corona. Cassandra took his hand.

"You'll be back."

"Probably." They glanced at each other. "It's still home despite everything."

"It always will be, Varian." She was right. He didn't know when he would see the little village again but it had been there for centuries and it would wait for him a little longer. He nodded to himself, determination growing in him. He would be back some day. Things would be better. Until then he had Cassandra and Ruddiger and really there was nothing else he needed. He nodded to her and she turned to Fidella, climbing into the saddle. Varian took his place behind her, taking comfort in how they fit together and her hair tickled his face as she spurred the horse into movement.

There was a wide world waiting for them and they would see it together.