Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Varian never was a big believer in “Peace Time”. Sure, he trusted the princess when she told him that all of Corona’s enemies were safely locked away, but that never seemed to ease his thoughts. In spite of this, during his five years as Royal Engineer, things had been rather uneventful, as he passed into adulthood without so much as a minor skirmish or rebellion to push back. Peace tended to mean quiet. And while Varian wasn’t opposed to some nice peace and quiet while at work in his lab, it scared him that the rest of the world was enjoying that same peace and quiet. And as he rode along the trail leading back to Old Corona, alone with nothing but his thoughts, he couldn’t help but feel isolated in that same peace and quiet.

Maybe , he thought, that was why he was so uneasy.

Suddenly, his horse came to a sudden stop, before beginning to cower. As Varian looked over to the source of fear, he saw only a couple of rats scurrying off.

Or maybe , he continued, letting out a sigh, it’s because I’ve been stuck with the most cowardly horse in the whole kingdom.

Varian supposed he couldn’t blame Icarus, after all, he had been the smallest of all the horses born in his year, and was treated as such. But in a way, Varian felt a certain kinship in being what at first would seem the smallest and the weakest, that was why he had chosen the horse, after all. He only wished that said horse would grow a backbone. In the end, though it was still nice to have some company, ever since Ruddiger had grown too old to travel consistently. But with each step closer to his childhood home, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing something. It was only at Icarus’ second panic attack for the night, right outside of the house, that Varian realized just what had been bothering him. Even in the darkness, he could see the broken window before him. He jumped off his horse, rushing forward to the door, finding it locked.

“Dad!” He banged on the door, as he kept yelling, “Dad! Ruddiger! Let me in! What’s going on?” It was then that he heard a weak chattering sound, and with that source of determination, he gave the door a hard kick, breaking it open and revealing the sight of his nightmares.

The first thing to hit him was the smell. The overwhelming scent of blood, as he saw it covering the walls and floor, finding the source of the chattering, as he saw Ruddiger in a crumpled heap on the floor, desperately trying to stand, his attention was directed to the center of the room. It was then that he truly processed what it was he was seeing. The source of the blood, because of course, it was too much for just one raccoon, lying on the ground was the mangled corpse of his father, and it was at that moment that consciousness left Varian, leaving him seeing nothing but pure black.

*~~~~*~~~~*

To say things had been quiet over the last few years would be an understatement, but if you were to ask Lance, he would have no problem with that. He was a proud father of two lovely young girls, living the life in the treehouse of their dreams. No, life couldn’t be better for the family of reformed thieves. He had just finished serving up pancakes, when there suddenly came a loud knocking at the door.

“Now, you two girls just keep enjoying breakfast. I’ll go get the door, no problem!” And with a flourish, he stepped over to the door, letting in their guest. “Eugene! It’s great to see ya, buddy! What can me and the girls do for you?”

“Hey, Lance, it’s good to see you too. Keira, Catalina. Listen, Lance, buddy, can I talk to you? Alone?”

“Now, Eugene, whatever you have to say to me, you can say it in front of my girls!” At this, Eugene leaned in close, before saying in a hushed voice

“Not when it’s about the girls.” Lance’s eyes grew wide, before turning back to look at his daughters.

“Okay, girls, I’ll be right back, okay?” They both let out mumbled responses of indifference, as Lance pushed both Eugene and himself outside. “Okay, tell me, just what is going on with my precious little angels?” Eugene let out a sigh, as he started.

“Lance, there was an attack in town. Varian’s dad, Quirin, was attacked and murdered last night,”

“That’s horrible! Is the kid okay? Does he know? Is he gonna go all crazy on us again?”

“Varian’s… alright , he was the one to find the body, and he’s definitely torn up about the whole thing. He’s grieving, but trust me when I say that it’s way more healthy than last time.”

“Now, don’t get me wrong, Eugene, I care about the little guy, and I’ll do whatever I can to help, but what does this have to do with the girls?” Eugene’s expression turned grim, before looking Lance in the eyes.

“Quirin’s wounds consisted of a series of claw and fang marks, and they were accompanied by large paw prints. An analysis was done and-”

“Okay, I get it. You’re worried the girls and I are in danger from some wandering beast! I assure you, Eugene, we can handle anything that comes our way. Well, if that’s all-”

“Lance. I’m not here to warn you. I’m here because the analysis done on the tracks and claw marks has led the investigators to the conclusion that the attack was done by a-”

“Don’t you even finish that thought, Eugene Fitzherbert! Catalina would never in a million years do something like-”

“Don’t you think I know that, Lance? This order doesn’t come from me, it comes straight from the king himself.As much as I don’t want to, I have no choice but to place Catalina under arrest.”

“But you know she didn’t do it!”

“What I “know” is that it will be a lot harder to prove if she doesn’t come in and get put on trial. Catalina has nothing to worry about. She didn’t do it, and we’ll prove it at the trial. I’ve already got her the best defender Corona has.”

“And how am I supposed to tell the girls that Catalina is being accused of the murder of their best friend’s father?”

“Lance, I know! Okay? You think I want to do this? As far as I’m concerned, we both adopted them, so to have to arrest Catalina is tearing me apart! But there’s a reason there isn’t a whole battalion of soldiers here to arrest her. I came alone, because I’m trying not to scare her. I need you to trust me, alright? We’re gonna figure this out, but that’s not going to happen if you take the girls and run, like the look on your face tells me you want to.”

“Alright, alright. Just… Let me tell the girls, okay. This takes a certain finesse that you, my friend, lack,”

“Whatever you say, Lance,” And with that, they both turned and went inside, trying to keep a positive air about them. Upon seeing them, both girls perked up, noticing Eugene. Keira was the first to respond.

“Eugene! It’s good to see you! What are you doing all the way out here?” At this, Eugene's face once again turned grim, but before he could even open his mouth to begin explaining, Lance suddenly exclaimed.

“Varian’s dad was killed and they think that Catalina did it!” Once his outburst was finished, he looked to the ground, ashamed, not noticing as both girls' faces went blank before turning to each other. Seeing the terrified look on her sister’s face, Keira suddenly jumped up, before yelling back.

“Why in the Sun’s name would they ever think that Catalina would kill anyone? Much less the dad of one of our close friends?”

“So much for that ‘finesse’, Lance .” Eugene let out a sigh before going on, “Quirin was found dead last night with wounds that are consistent with a werewolf attack. There were also tracks found outside of his home that match the examples we have in the book left behind by Creighton all those years ago. Catalina,” His face softened, as he turned to the girl in question, “I want you to know that I in no way think you would ever kill anyone, much less Varian’s father. However, given the evidence at hand, I have been ordered by the King to have you arrested, and taken to the castle where you will be put on trial.”

“This is stupid! You guys are really going to arrest my sister based on some claw marks and some footprints?” Eugene sank back slightly from Keira’s glare, as she continued, “No way is Cat going anywhere with you, Fitzher jerk . Right, dad?” At this, she turned to Lance for confirmation, before seeing the dejected look on his face. “Right?” 

“The order came straight from the King, Keira. I… I wish there was something we could do.” His look of defeat was all too obvious, as he looked at his two girls. “Right now, the best thing we can do is come quietly, and trust that Eugene and Rapunzel will figure this out. I don’t want you girls living a life on the run. All of us in this room know how draining that kind of life is.” Keira’s fury only increased, as she snapped.

“If you think for one second that I-”

“I’ll go.” At that proclamation, everyone’s attention turned to the one person who hadn’t said anything so far, Catalina.

“What? Cat, you can’t!”

“Sis, that isn’t your decision to make. I don’t want you or dad to get in trouble just to keep me safe,” And with that, she turned to Eugene, “I’ll come quietly.” His face was stone, as he processed her words, before finally responding.

“Alright. I’ll give you a few minutes to gather whatever you guys need, and then we’ll head out. And Catalina,” He looked at her, a light smile on his face, “I promise, whatever it takes, we will find a way to prove your innocence,” And on that melancholy note, he stepped outside, guilt overtaking him, as he tried to work up the courage needed for what was to come.

*~~~~*~~~~*

Catalina had expected looks of fear or anger as she was riding into town with Eugene. What she didn’t expect, however, was the open hostility as displayed by the people of Corona. Various rotten fruits and vegetables were thrown at her and Eugene as they rode in on Maximus, with various insults and slurs added in for good measure. Keira as throwing back what she could from her and Lance’s horse, but all Catalina could focus on was the pure hatred in their eyes, shrinking into Eugene as she looked up at him.

“They all really think I did it,” She observed, breaking the awkward silence between the two.

“Yeah, kid,” He looked down to her, seeing the fear in her eyes, “They do. But don’t worry, we’re going to prove your innocence! Or my name isn’t Eugene Fitzherbert!” 

At that, she left out a soft chuckle, before adding, “I thought your name was Horace?” covering up her fear with a form of mock humor, in a desperate attempt to stay calm. Just when she thought he had bought it, he turned back to her, the sorrowful look returning to his eyes. 

“It’ll be okay,” he comforted, “I promise,”

“Hey,” She started, no longer looking him in the eyes, “Does Varian think I…” He adopted a look of confusion, before realization dawned on him.

“I…” He thought long on his answer, before continuing, “I don’t actually know. When he found his dad, he passed out, whether it was from seeing so much blood, or just from shock, I don’t know, but he was found the next morning by a neighbor. They sent word to the castle, and I arrived as soon as I could. By then, Varian had woken up, but I could tell just by looking at him that he wasn’t all there at the moment. I brought him back to the castle, and he’s been holed up in his room ever since. I want to think he wouldn’t join the rest of the castle in jumping to conclusions, but I can’t honestly say for sure what he thinks,”

“He must hate me,” The tears began to well in her eyes, as the thought of one of her best friends hating her finally sunk in. “I’m a monster.”

“Catalina, you aren’t a monster. Sure, on occasion, you get a little hairier than the rest of us, but that doesn’t make you a monster. I know it, Lance knows it, your sister knows it, and I’m sure Varian knows it too. No matter what happens, we’re all going to stick by your side and prove your innocence.” 

“Thank you,” Catalina said, desperately trying to suck back up her tears. “Thank you so much, Eugene,”

Chapter Text

If Varian were being completely honest, he still hadn’t entirely processed the events of the night before. There was a part of him that was so sure it had been a dream, some nightmare conjured up by the sins of his past. And yet, as he sat at his desk, lethargic raccoon weighing down his lap, the clarity slowly arrived. Still, there was a large part of him that was in some form of denial, as if any moment, his dad would walk in, alive and well, asking how his latest project had been going. But seeing as how Varian’s fortune was never that high, he was left with no choice but to find something to occupy himself with, in this case being: Coronan Law.

Oh sure, he had studied it before, after he had been pardoned by Rapunzel, but a refresher never hurt, and he wanted to be sure he knew just what was happening in tomorrow’s trial. As he poured over the nature of the proceedings, and compared them to the evidence, it left a very clear and painted picture of what had occurred, it was an open and shut case, and his father’s murderer would be locked away.

The only problem being that it was too perfect.

The giant wolf paw prints, the unidentifiable fur left in the room that clearly didn’t belong to Ruddiger, the claw and fang marks that adorned his father’s mangled body, there were only so many things that could produce such an effect, and one of them happened to live only a short distance away.

But Varian knew Catalina. He knew that unlike her sister, she would hardly even hurt a fly. He knew that she was looking forward to the life ahead of her, with no need for thieving or attacking anyone. He knew she loved Quirin like an uncle, ever since he had helped her and Keira get settled near Old Corona, and given them a place to go on nights it was too lonely out at the treehouse, before Lance had even adopted them.

But he also knew that Catalina had never lost control before. And that left him with only a few options.

Option 1, Catalina murdered his father in cold blood, and ran off instead of admitting to the crime, having to be arrested instead, and throwing away any goodwill ever offered to her.

This would go against everything Varian had ever known about his friend, and would more than likely break him more than he already was, and as such, he had tried to avoid thinking about this option.

Option 2, The Wolf has grown out of Catalina’s control, and that meant that she was now a danger to the people around her, and could hurt any of them at any time.

This would mean that the already unknown nature of the werewolf curse that rested inside Catalina had grown even more unpredictable, and in a situation like this, Varian wasn’t sure there was much he could do for his friend, nor if a part of him would really want to help.

Or finally, Option 3, she didn’t do it

Varian would never admit to having any optimism left inside of him, but if you were to ask him which option he preferred, it would be the last one. The chances were slim, with the evidence at hand, but if he had learned anything from his past, it’s that you shouldn’t be so quick to give up on people. No, he would make up his mind at the trial, he would let justice run its course, and find peace in whatever decision is reached. 

*~~~~*~~~~*

“Don’t you worry, Catalina! I know Coronan law like the back of my hand. I’m going to get you out of this, no problem!”

In most situations, Catalina would find Rapunzel’s optimism annoying, but in something as dire as this, it was nice to have at least one person looking on the bright side. As such, she made sure to give a few reassuring glances here or there, just to let the princess know she was listening, even if all the information wasn’t quite sinking in.

“Now, sure, going over the case, it’s not the most reassuring thing in the world, but you know what we have that they don’t? Witnesses! You were with Lance and Keira the whole night! They can both vouch for you!” Catalina perked up for a moment, before a feeling of dread began to sink in. For the first time in their entire conversation, she spoke up.

“But, Rapunzel, we all sleep in separate rooms. They can’t prove I was there all night. Besides, sometimes, the Wolf needs to go for a run, and not be confined, so they wouldn’t have said anything if I had left as the Wolf.”

“Catalina, you’re focusing too hard on the negatives. They both said that they didn’t hear you leave on the night of the murder, Wolf or not.”

“But what if they’re lying for me? What if I really did it and they-”

“No, I will not hear any more talk like that.” Rapunzel snapped, before giving a more sympathetic look “You are completely innocent. We all trust you, and we know that you would never do something like this, okay? Even if you don’t believe in yourself right now, I believe in you, and so does Lance, and Eugene, and your sister! So we won’t give-”

“What about Varian?” 

“What about him?”

“Does he believe in me? Or does he think I did it?” And with that, Catalina hung her head in shame, fearful of her friend’s scorn, as tears began to well up in her eyes.

“Well, I… Uh…” Rapunzel thought to herself, giving a pause that only served to strengthen Catalina’s anxiety, before continuing. “Well, I think that Varian doesn’t know what he believes. Last time he lost his father, it took him to a pretty dark place, and I know that he’s struggling. But I promise that no matter what happens, your friendship will survive this, because like I keep saying, you’re innocent!” And with that, Rapunzel gave a cheerful smile, desperate to raise the teenager’s dwindling spirits. It was then that they both heard the door open, as Eugene stepped inside, a solemn look apparent on his tired face. He let out a sigh before speaking.

“Well, Blondie, I hope you’re both prepared, because they’re all ready for you,” He then turned to his niece, doing his best to give a look of comfort. “Hey, Cat, I know things look bad right now, but no matter what, we’re all going to help you get through this, together, okay?” The girl in question lifted her head, before giving a weak half smile, as if to acknowledge the man.

“Okay,” She finally muttered, half-heartedly. The two adults in the room gave each other reassuring looks, before the three of them all left the room, ready to appear before the court.

*~~~~*~~~~*

“Order! Order! This court will come to order! You all will either quiet down, or be thrown out!” Catalina could hear the nasally voice of Nigel, the king’s most trusted advisor, even from outside the throne room. But his screeched calls for quiet seemed to have gone unnoticed by the crowd presently inside, with calls of “monster” and “murderer” being the most prominent. Catalina looked between her two companions, her “uncle” and his wife, before taking a deep breath, and stepping inside. Only then did the crowd come to silence, as all eyes turned straight to her. There was a pregnant pause, crowd versus teenager, before the room once again exploded with noise.

“She killed the leader of our village!”

“She attacked an innocent man, and left a child an orphan!”

“She’s a menace to this kingdom!”

“She has to be stopped!”

“Kill her!”

“Hang her!”

“If you all do not cease this incessant clamor immediately-”

“She’s a monster!”

“Her reign of terror comes to an end!”

Any hope left inside of Catalina was immediately drained, as their hatred bore down on her in full force. As she hung her head, her own emotions somewhere between anger and guilt, a loud whistle suddenly rang out from beside her, and she looked up to see Eugene begin to talk over the shouting.

“Hey! You all want justice? Then quiet it down, and let things proceed properly, or I will throw you out of here personally!” And with that, the crowd quieted, before a low grumbling began, as everyone took their seats. Nigel readjusted his coat, before acknowledging the trio.

“Aw, thank you, Captain.” The three of them went to their respective seats, and Nigel cleared his throat, beginning bringing about the beginning of Catalina’s personal nightmare. “Now then, without further adieu, we can begin this trial properly. All rise for his honorable majesty, King Frederick Der Sonne of Corona! And his wife, Queen Arianna Der Sonne!” 

Complete silence finally permeated the room, as everyone stood from their seats, no one wanting to be the odd one out, still talking or sitting. It was only once everyone was standing that Catalina took the chance to actually look around, and it was then that she saw her family, Lance and Keira stuck back in the corner, seemingly ostracized from the rest of the crowd. As she kept scanning the crowd, she noticed one glaring absence, but before she could inquire to Rapunzel about the subject, the King stepped out, in all his regal glory, his face somehow both neutral, and yet furious. Meanwhile, his wife, tailing behind him, had a much more relaxed air about her, before turning to lock eyes with Catalina, giving a reassuring look. They both took their seats, and at Nigel’s signal, so did everyone else present. Nigel then began to speak.

“We are gathered here today for the murder of Quirin, of Old Corona. Based on the evidence, Quirin was attacked two nights ago in his home, his body found by his only living relative, Royal Engineer Varian Giudice, age 21. When asked to testify on this matter, Varian denied an appearance in today’s proceedings, citing emotional trauma. In lieu of verbal testimony, however, he did deem fit to provide a written version for the court’s consideration. In the boy's own words, he found his father in “a mangled mess of blood,” He then went on to add that: “The house was in shambles, furniture strewn about and destroyed.”” With that, Nigel stepped forward, handing the document to the king, before continuing. “Varian’s account matches perfectly with the scene found upon the royal guards arrival early yesterday, and upon further investigation, several large paw prints were found, as well as several animal hairs, that when tested, do not match with those of the family’s pet. Due to the wolfish nature of these paw prints, as well as the size and damage done, it was concluded that the culprit must be a werewolf. And, not so coincidentally, one just so happens to live, right outside of Old Corona.” With that, he gave a pointed look to where Catalina was sitting, as he went on. “Catalina Schnitz, age 16, daughter of Lance Strongbow, and resident of the outskirts of Old Corona. Miss Schnitz has been a werewolf for the better part of five years now, and has caused countless damages within Old Corona, as well as a handful of instances here within the capital. With all of this evidence, I see no reason for further deliberation, though I  will yield to you a chance to say something.” And with that, he stepped back towards the throne, taking his place by the king’s side, as Rapunzel started to stand. 

“Well, thank you, Nigel, for that… clear and unbiased report,” She shot the advisor a pointed look. “Citizens of Corona, mom, dad, I am here to present to you a young woman who is nothing but an upstanding citizen of our lovely kingdom. Catalina Schnitz has an impeccable track record of helping save and fix Corona in its darkest times. Or have you all forgotten the werewolf that went toe to toe with Zhan Tiri? I mean, she didn’t last long, but that is besides the point! She has fought for you, in this form that you claim is so “Dangerous”. Not only that, but I would like to point out that Nigel never established any sort of motive. Catalina has complete control of herself while in her wolf form, why would she kill a man who has been nothing but nice to her? The father of one of her closest friends? Varian may have chosen not to come to court today, but if he was here, he would vouch for Catalina’s upstanding nature and kind heart. She would never hurt Quirin, and since she has complete control of herself as a wolf, there is no possible way for Catalina to have committed this crime.”  Sending a reassuring nod towards the girl in question, Rapunzel continued. “And furthermore, she lives with two other people, her adopted father, Lance Strongbow, and her sister, Keira. Both parties are extremely familiar with the accused, and their past profession makes them missing a detail like Catalina sneaking out an impossibility. I implore you, we cannot function as a kingdom if we jump to conclusions. We need to be fair, and give things a complete consideration. Not this insane witch hunt. That is all I have to say, unless Nigel wants to add anything.” 

The mumbling returned to the crowd, more divided than ever, before Eugene once again silenced them. Nigel turned up his nose, taken aback, before stepping forward and down towards Rapunzel and Catalina.

“I merely have a few questions for the accused. Miss Schnitz, can you provide for the court your whereabouts on the night of Quirin’s murder?”

“Well, I…” The soft-spoken Catalina found herself tripping over her words, as she tried to find her footing. “I was at home all day, with dad and Keira. I didn’t go anywhere or do anything out of the ordinary.”

“And the two parties in question, Mr. Strongbow and the other Miss Schnitz, they can vouch for this?” Rapunzel quickly cut in, replying in Catalina’s stead.

“Why yes! Yes they can! We can call up Lance right now, if you really want to question him so badly!”

“So I’m sure he would not object to some of the truth serum our Royal Engineer has provided specifically for moments like these?” With that, Nigel produced a vial from his coat, containing a shimmering blue liquid. A worried look passed through Rapunzel’s face, before she regained her composure. 

“Well… er, yes! So long as he agrees to it, I have no complaints.”

“I see. Well then, the court would like to call forth Mr. Lance Strongbow.” And so, Lance stood from where had been sitting, walking the long way up to the main area of the proceedings, and standing right next to Rapunzel.

“I’ll take this truth serum, so that I can prove my precious baby girl’s innocence!” He looked towards his daughter, smiling widely, as he took the truth serum out of Nigel’s hand, and downed the whole vial. He let out a small hiccup, before turning back to the advisor. “Now, ask away!”

“You were only supposed to take a few…” Nigel let out an exasperated sigh, “Oh very well. Mr. Strongbow, on the night of the murder, did your daughter, Catalina Schnitz, exhibit any odd behavior?” The large man was quick to answer.

“Nope! She went about her normal routine, we all woke up, I made us breakfast, and then her and Keira went for a run in the woods. After that, we all had lunch, also by me, I’m kind of a top notch chef, if I do say so myself, and then we all played a few rounds of blackjack. Catalina won, like usual, and Keira went off in a bit of a huff. Finally, we all had dinner, again by me, and all settled down for a nice evening's rest!” He smiled, satisfied with his response, before his face twisted, as felt compelled to keep speaking. With a pained expression, he continued, “There was one odd thing, though. I thought I heard some clambering late into the night, and I definitely heard some growling, but so what? Sometimes she likes to sleep in wolf form, who are we to judge? We all have weird night time habits, for example, I-” But before he could finish, Nigel cut him off, a smug look clear upon his face.

“And there you have it. The girl’s alibi has been broken. Forget the motive, this girl is a monster, and needs to be taken care of! We cannot stand idly by and let her threaten our livelihoods. Your Majesty, I implore you to make the correct decision here.” With that, he stepped back, once again taking his place, as Lance hung his head in shame, as he avoided looking Catalina in the eyes. Rapunzel was fuming, but before she could begin to say anything, Frederick rose from his throne, and addressed the room.

“Well then, Rapunzel, Nigel, I would like to thank you both for your input. A case that may at first glance appear very cut and dry does have some layers to it. With that in mind, I have come to a decision. Catalina Schnitz, as your king, I find you guilty of all charges.” The room exploded into a chaos of noise, people yelling and arguing, Eugene among them, being too distracted to call for order, until the king raised his hand for silence, and continued. “However, due to the uncontrollable nature of the… disorder, and the fact Catalina is but a child, I do find it necessary to grant a form of leniency-” Nigel cleared his throat, and began to speak.

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, leniency for children has proven to be quite unwise, or have you forgotten. Besides, the girl is hardly a child, she will be 17 within a week's time. I move to give the girl full sentencing, regardless of outside factors.” Frederick froze for a moment, and if Rapunzel didn’t know any better, she would swear that she could see something change about his demeanor as he went on. 

“Yes, Nigel, you are absolutely correct. Catalina Schnitz, you are to be held within maximum security for a week's time, until upon the passing of your 17th birthday, at which point you will be hanged for all crimes you have been accused of.”

Chapter Text

Oftentimes, when one is faced with a choice, the world seems to slow. As you go through life, and your choices continue, that pause only grows, whether fueled by knowledge, or wisdom, or fear, whatever the case may be, each choice branches your life into fractals, spiraling into unknowns.

“Catalina Schnitz, as your king, I find you guilty of all charges.”

It was only now, hiding within the throne room out of sight, that Varian began to understand that idea, as everything around him came to a complete stop.

“Catalina Schnitz, you are to be held within maximum security for a week's time, until upon the passing of your 17th birthday, at which point you will be hanged for all crimes you have been accused of.”

It would be so easy to leave, to trust the king’s judgement, to trust that for once in his life, things would be easy, that justice could be served without his interference. But as he looks out, and sees the faces of his friends, his family, he can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong. He sees the guards, stepping forward to detain the accused (Because that’s all she should be, not a friend), and Eugene’s resigned look as he’s unable to order them away. And then his eyes come to Catalina, and it’s her terrified expression that finally causes something to snap.

“Wait!” He emerged from his hiding place, rushing in between Catalina and the guards, arms outstretched to block them from her. “Wait! You can’t execute Catalina! You don’t have enough evidence! Something is wrong here!” 

Everyone stared at him, Nigel being the first to recover and respond.

“Royal Engineer? I thought you said you would not be attending today’s proceedings.”

“Yeah, well, I lied, I just wanted to avoid the attention. But I can’t stand by and ignore that fact that you have made the wrong call here, Your Majesty. I mean no disrespect, but Catalina is innocent,”

A confused look crossed the king’s face, before quickly giving way to anger.

“Varian Giudice! I thought you of all people would understand such an outcome. Weren’t you the one who said I didn’t do enough for this kingdom? That I let issues slide too easily? And yet here I am, taking an active role in uncovering the murder of your father, one of my oldest friends, and you find it necessary to turn this court into some sort of circus?” Varian’s face contorted, as if having an internal battle within himself, before eventually, one side won out.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I have spoken at great lengths about how I don’t approve of how you handle your rule, and I’ve been thrilled to see what you’ve achieved as far as change over these last five years. But as always, I have a duty, a duty that none of your other subjects seem willing to take, and that duty is to point out when you are wrong!” Frederick’s scowl deepened, his anger growing with each statement made by the alchemist. “So yes, I object. I object, just as I have always objected, to this idiotic black and white mentality just about everyone in this kingdom seems to have!” Now, it was the crowd's turn to grow furious, with various mumblings increasing in volume. However, as the volume reached its climax, Frederick raised his hand to silence the crowd.

“I see. So once again, you choose to turn your back against this kingdom. If this were your first transgression, I think that I would most likely be gentler. But seeing as how this is your third account of treason, I rule that you shall be locked away until further notice. You may have your own trial, and there, we will discuss the finer points of your sentencing,” Rapunzel let out a gasp, before turning to her father, betrayal evident in her eyes.

“Dad, you can’t do this!”

“I’m afraid you do not have a say in the matter, Rapunzel. Captain Fitzherbert, apprehend the wolf and the traitor immediately.” Now it was Eugene’s turn to look betrayed. And as he looked between his niece and his friend, and then back to his father-in-law, his own decision became clear. 

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I won’t be doing that.” 

Frederick frowned, his own disapproval apparent, but as he opened his mouth to speak again, he was interrupted.

“Sorry to interrupt, because I really appreciate the support, you guys, but I think we’ve all had a little misunderstanding here.” Varian smirked, as all eyes turned to him. “You see, I think, Your Majesty, that you were assuming I would “come quietly”? Well, I’m afraid that is happening” And with a quick motion, he threw down two alchemy spheres, the first immobilizing the guards directly in front of him, and the second emitting a gas that began to fog up the room. Reaching behind him, he quickly found and grabbed Catalina’s hand, pulling her along, and slipping back into the passageway he had entered from. It took about ten minutes of running, Varian careful not to lose concentration and get lost in the tunnels, for one of them to finally say something.

“Varian! Varian, where are we going? Why did you do that?” Catalina dug her feet into the ground, forcing them to a stop, and finally pulling her hand out of his grip. Her face was a strange mixture of both joy and fear, as she looked to the man in front of her, her friend.

“Well, I’ve had a bit of that pent up for a while, and I kind of just snapped. But it’s okay, now come on, we’ve gotta get out of here!” He once again reached back for her hand, ready to once again get moving.

“But what about Dad and Keira? Or Rapunzel and Eugene? What’s going to happen to them?” She once again pulled back her hand, before shouting at him. “Varian, answer me!”

“They’ll be fine! Now stay quiet!” He turned to scold her, and it was only at that moment that he took in the frightened expression upon his companion’s face. He felt a stab of guilt, as he finally let his body relax. “Catalina, I promise you, they’ll be okay. They’re all smart, they won’t do anything that would get them killed. But right now, you and I really need to go.” He looked her in the eyes, as if hoping to better convey his message. For a moment, there was only silence, before Catalina hung her head and let out a whisper, barely even audible to Varian.

“Why are you helping me?”

“What?” She repeated herself, louder than before, looking back up and emploring him to listen.

“Why are you helping your father’s murderer escape?” It was then that the gravity of the situation really sunk in for Varian, the weight of what he had done finally felt. He hung his own head, as he gave his response.

“Maybe I am. I don’t know.” He lifted his head back up, looking at her once again. “But I trust you, Catalina. I trust you with my life, and I trust that you have only the best of intentions, and I trust that you would never have killed my dad.” His face turned, somehow being a confusing mixture of both a smile and a frown, as he looked into her eyes. “If you really think you did it, if you are certain that you did it, and you can convince me, right here, right now, then I will take you back up there, you can turn yourself in, and I can apologize and hope for my job back, or at the very least, my life.” He let out a small chuckle, before his face turned back to the determined look from before. “Otherwise, you’re coming with me, we’re getting out of here, and we’re going to uncover the truth, together. You in?” 

*~~~~*~~~~*

Catalina had never had a day more confusing for her emotions than today. If anyone were to ask how she felt, she wouldn’t be able to give a straight answer, mainly due to the fact that it kept changing. She had received her sentencing, and at that point, everything had gone numb. The world had gone mute, and while she was vaguely aware of Varian in front of her, yelling (Where had he even come from?), she couldn’t quite process what exactly had happened.

It was only down in the bowels of the castle that she had finally regained enough since to talk, to demand an answer as to why she shouldn’t die right then and there, but as she looked into his eyes, and seeing his determination, it was then that her own determination returned to her, and she felt a rush of energy return to her.

“Alright!” A fire began to burn in her eyes. “What’s the plan? How many alchemy balls do you have left?” 

Varian grinned from ear to ear, happy to see his friend back to a somewhat normal state.

“I have enough to get us out, just a few self-defense ones for emergencies, but if we’re going to survive on the run, we’ll need supplies.”

“Alright, we’ll just swing by your lab and I’ll snag what we need!” She started stepping forward, before he reached his arm out to stop her.

“No, you can’t. That's one of the first places they’ll check. The best course of action for us right now is to swing by the stables, grab Icarus, and make a run for it.”

“But where are you gonna get more supplies? Without a lab or materials, how are you gonna make more stuff? No one’s going to sell to either one of us now.” The reminder of their situation hung on them both, but Varian only smiled back to her.

“Who said anything about having no lab?”

“But you said-”

“I said that the first place they would check is the lab here. I never took apart my lab back home, and there’s still plenty of supplies I can stock up on!”

“But wouldn’t they expect you to go to Old Corona? It’s a personal location for both of us.”

“True, but in this case, I don’t think anyone is expecting me to go back home anytime soon,” his face sank, the cocky look he had previously held melting away to despair. Catalina’s own excitement faded as she looked to him, before she grabbed his hand, and turned his face back to hers. She gave him a warm look, before speaking.

“Hey, it’s alright, you don’t need to think about it right now. Now, which way to the stables? The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can both put  this behind us.”

*~~~~*~~~~*

“Alright, just through here, we’ll snag Icarus, and make a run for it.” Varian, outstretched his arm, keeping Catalina from going forward, as she rolled her eyes.

“I’ve gotta say, V, I never pegged you for the thieving type,” They both shared a smirk, as it was his turn to roll his eyes.

“Please, I’ve done way worse than petty theft. Not to mention, Icarus is my horse!” Catalina raised an eyebrow at that.

“Isn’t Icarus a Royal Guard horse?”

“Well… Technically, but that hardly counts! I’m the only one who takes him anywhere! Now come on, let’s go.” And with that, they both crept out of the passage, Catalina keeping an eye out, being more familiar with the stealth aspects of a mission like this. They had only just reached the stables, when they saw guards coming out of the main gate, rushing in their direction. Varian made to bolt, before Catalin shoved him to the side, both of them hiding in an empty stall.

“Come on!” One of the guards shouted, “If they aren’t in the castle, they must already be on the run! They’ll never get far on foot!” It was at that point that they all started mounting up and grabbing horses, with Varian and Catalina being pushed up against the side of their empty stall. It was only once the clamor and bustling of feet and hooves that Catalina risked a glance outwards.

“Okay, I think it’s clear. I guess fortune is on our side for once,” She gave him a smirk, but Varian only let out a groan in response.

“You just had to tempt it, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about?” He pointed behind her, revealing the guard behind her, currently holding a sword to her back.

“So, thought you could run away, eh, little wolf?” The guard sneered at her, brandishing his sword as he opened the door to the stall they were in. “Well, looks like I may be getting a promotion- Ah!” He let out a yelling, before falling to the ground, revealing an old and beaten raccoon gnawing at his leg.

Catalina took that chance to punch the guard in the face, before ripping the sword from his grasp and knocking him with the pummel, rendering him unconscious.

“Ruddiger!” Varian yelled, a joyful expression returning to his face, as he scooped his friend into his arms. “It’s so good to see ya, buddy.” Catalina smiled slightly, before a serious look returned to her face.

“As happy as this reunion is, and as glad as I am to have a weapon, we really should get going.”

“Right, right.” He draped the raccoon over his shoulders, while Catalina grabbed the guard’s scabbard from him. “Follow me.” And with that, he began leading them down the row of stables, both of them keeping a sharp eye out, before they finally reached the more run down ones near the end. They finally came to the horse in question, a frightened look on its face as it looked towards its owner

“Hey buddy, it’s going to be okay. I know, a lot of commotion lately, but don’t worry, we’re just gonna go for a ride, okay?” The horse let out a trepidatious neigh, as both Varian and Catalina Climb on his back, but upon Varian’s prodding, the horse broke out into a full on sprint, breaking through the stable doors and out onto the streets of Corona.

It was about that time that they were once again noticed by guards, who began to give chase. With the only few horses left behind, a small battalion was on their tail, as they weaved throughout the city streets, barely missing the people out and about. Eventually finding their way to the main bridge out of the capital, they came to a sudden stop upon finding it lined with guards.

“Uh, Varian! We’re kind of boxed in, here.”

“Yeah, I noticed, just give me a second,” A loud voice suddenly boomed from behind them, as the guards on either side of them advanced

“Stand down immediately! We will not hesitate to use force!”

“How about you stand down, and I won’t encase you all in a goo bomb?” Varian dismounted Icarus, as he pulled out two alchemy bombs, one in either hand, as he stared down the guards.

“You have until the count of the three!” The lead guard began. 

“One!” In his focus on Varian, he missed Catalina sneaking behind and knocking out the guard next to him. 

“Two!” At that count, Ruddiger ran behind, pushing the guard on his other side over the edge. The lead guard heard the splash, and turned behind him, leaving an opening for Varian to throw down a goo bomb, as well as tossing one behind himself, encasing almost the entire bridge in goo.

“Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you,” Varian started, as the trio hopped back onto Icarus, “But we really must be going now. Don’t worry, the goo will dissolve in about an hour, see ya!” And with that, Icarus took off, as the group left Corona behind, their journey only just beginning.

Chapter Text

“Well, here we are, home sweet home!” Varian wore a smile on his face as they approached, but Catalina could hear the pain present in his voice.

“Hey, are you sure you’re going to be alright?” While she couldn’t see his face, she could tell he was thinking, and saw Ruddiger nuzzle further into the man’s neck. “We don’t have to go in, if you don’t want to. We’re on the run anyways, I could always… steal some supplies.”

“No.” He quickly cut in, not even entertaining the thought, “The last thing either one of us needs is to stack on more crimes, I promise, I’ll be fine.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that, V.” Both Varian and Catalina were startled by the new voice in that conversation, before Catalina recognized just who it was.

“Keira? Is that you?”

“I gotta say,” Keira ducked out of the tree she had been sitting in, standing in the path in front of the duo. “I had thought you two were being stealthy, seeing as how no one’s caught you yet, I guess the real answer is that you’ve been lucky.” Varian and Catalina both dismounted Icarus, as they approached their friend and sister.

“How did you know where we were going?” Varian began, apprehensively.

“Well,” She gave a pointed look to Varian, “ You didn’t swing by your lab on your way out. Knowing you as well as I do, I knew you would stop somewhere for supplies, and since no one in the whole kingdom would willingly sell to either one of you, I knew you had to be headed this way, for some supplies that had already been acquired.”

“Great, so the entire guard is on their way here as well?”

“No, definitely not. Someone did suggest looking here, but the general consensus was that it would be crazy for you to come back now given your previous… history” Varian let out a sigh of relief, as Keira turned to look at her sister. “Well, look at ya. My sister, wanted by the king’s guard, without me? Can’t say I blame you for getting out of there, though.” She stepped towards her sister, wrapping her in a bear hug, before turning back to Varian, and punching him in the arm. “And you ! Well, I can’t say I’m mad at you, because you got Cat out of there, but there had to be a better way than the little scene you made!”

He rubbed his arm, looking the teenager over, before responding.

“Yeah, well I didn’t see anyone else doing anything, and I wasn’t about to let Cat get hanged for a crime she didn’t commit.”

“Well, you’re right about one thing. You are not a murderer, sis. Now, what all did you need to grab from this place?”

“Just some food and alchemy supplies, as well as investigating the… crime scene. If we’re going to figure out what really happened, we need all of the facts.”

“Well then,” Keira started, taking a step back towards the door, “Do you have the key, or do I need to do my thing?”

“Yeah, uh, funny story about the key… I left it in the capital. So, I trust you can get it open. After all, it doesn’t really count for breaking and entering if it’s your house.”

“Well, V, you sure are lucky you have two master thieves with you, now aren’t you?” And with that, she pulled out a small tool, and started jimmying the lock, before turning the knob and pushing the door wide open, “Now then, shall we go on?” 

The three people and raccoon began to step inside, and were greeted with a similar sight to before. Overturned furniture aligned the room, along with various claw marks and a few sparing blood splatters in the corner where Quirin’s body had been found, as well as close to where Ruddiger had been found, knocked aside. Varian let out an audible gulp, as he looked upon the destroyed remains of his childhood home.

“Okay, you too, take a look around up here, I’m gonna head down stairs and grab some supplies. I’ll be right back.” As he turned away, he found another hand suddenly in his, and turned to come face to face with Catalina. She gave him a concerned look.

“Varian, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I… Yeah! I’m fine! Everything’s going to be just fine, don’t you worry.” He slipped his hand out of hers, and made his way out of the room, quickly followed by a chattering Ruddiger, leaving the two girls on their own. They both began to rummage through the wreckage, neither of them saying anything for quite some time, before eventually, Keira spoke up.

“Well, I will say this. I’ve gotta respect V getting you out of there like that. He beat me by probably 15 seconds, but either way, I’m just happy you aren’t going to be executed!” 

Catalina looked away from her sister, feeling shame rise within her.

“But Keira… He put himself in danger. He’s a wanted criminal again, all because I had to go and be the stupid wolf that got his dad killed.”

“Wait.” Keira’s eyes widened, suddenly, as if not quite hearing what her sister had said, “Are you saying you did do it? Because you know what happened last time Varian actually had someone to blame for what happened to his dad, right?”

“No! I’m not saying I did it! But… I’m not saying I didn’t do it. I’m a monster, Keira, you heard what they said, back there. I don’t know what I might’ve done, and Lance even said there were some noises that night that sounded like I could have been leaving.” Tears began to well up in her eyes, as she sat down in a nearby chair. “I know he wouldn’t lie to incriminate me, and even if he would, he was under Varian’s truth serum. I can’t prove I didn’t lose control and go on a rampage. We can’t prove that I’m not the monster that everyone already knows I am.”

“Alright.” Keira stepped over to her sister, looking her in the eyes. “Fine, you think you did it, then fine. I’ll run away with you, we can ditch Varian, and he can go clear his own name. We’ll go live a life on the run, just like when we were kids. But I don’t think that’s what you want.” She let a small smile come to her lips. “I know you didn’t do it, Catalina. I believe in you, and Lance believes in you, and so do Rapunzel and Eugene, and most surprisingly of all, Varian believes in you. He trusts that you didn’t kill his father, and he wants to help. He chose to help. No one forced him to step out into that courtroom and steal you away, but he did, and he’s trying to help.” Letting out a deep breath, Keira glanced down, before returning her gaze to her sister. “But it’s up to you. Whatever you want, I’ll do, wherever you go, I’ll follow, and while I can’t speak for Varian, I do know that he’s stubborn enough to do whatever he wants. And if that includes following the two of us on the run, well then, who am I to stop him?”

A warm smile crossed Catalina’s lips, but before she had the chance to speak, the front door burst open, as half a dozen armored men came walking in, the one in the middle sporting no helmet, instead being adorned with a thick beard, and a bun on top of his head, and a wicked smile spread wide across his face. 

“As sorry as I am to interrupt this touching sisterly moment,” The lead man started, “I’m afraid there’s a wolf and an alchemist that I need to talk to.”

*~~~~*~~~~*

As Varian made his way down the steps to his lab, a feeling of dread slowly crept up on him. He could hear Ruddiger, scampering along by his side, but other than that, he was numb to the world around him, as he tried to take stock of the last 72 hours of his life. Eventually he made his way to his lab, taking a deep breath before opening the door, and letting himself in. 

The lab was in pristine condition, having not been touched in weeks due to Varian’s extended stay within the castle. He grabbed a large bag, and began making his way from shelf to shelf, collecting various chemicals and equipment, carrying everything carefully. As he was making his way through, he heard a clattering sound, only to see ruddiger had knocked one of his empty glass beakers off onto the floor, shattering it. The raccoon let out an apologetic chitter, as it began trying to clean up the mess, before Varian let out a sigh and stepped over to help. As he bent down to collect the broken glass, he came face to face with a small scrap of paper lying on the ground. Varian reached to pick it up, and saw just what it was.

I was a painting from Rapunzel of him and his dad, right after Quirin was freed from the amber.

Varian retracted his hand, feeling his breath slip away as he began backing away, and for the first time since that fateful night, the reality of what he had been through came crashing down on him. He felt his own tears begin to well, before placing his head in his hands and sobbing. Ruddiger quickly ran over, dropping the tiny broom he had been holding, and instead curling up next to Varian, trying to comfort him. Varian reached out his hand and began stroking the raccoon, trying to pull himself back together.

“I… I c-can’t believe he’s actually gone, Ruddiger.” He eventually sniffled through the tears. “I mean, I- I know we already did this once with the a- amber, but I- I always thought th- that once he was freed, he’d be with me for- for a while.” The raccoon started chattering again, determined to convey the message of comfort, even if his boy couldn’t understand his words. “Once again, the great Varian proves to be a failure!” His voice was laced with bitterness, as the tears returned in full force. “Why should I have expected anything different? Xavier once called me the greatest mind since Demanitus, but if that were true, I would be able to at least protect my dad! I failed him.” Ruddiger began chittering away in disagreement, but Varian went on. “Why can’t I just do something right for once? I had the chance to let things go, and instead I went and saved Catalina, even when all the evidence demands that she was the one who killed him. It would be so easy to just let Frederick kill her and call it justice, but I…” He went silent, suddenly at a loss. “I want to trust her. I’ve known her for years, I know she wouldn’t do something like this, but at the same time… I just want someone to pay . That same part of me from 7 years ago who tore apart Corona and nearly killed Cass and the Queen, it’s screaming at me to give her up, to let them kill her. But I can’t.” He looked down at his oldest friend, who returned the look, both trying to convey their meaning. “What’s wrong with me, Ruddiger?”

It was then that he heard a crash come from upstairs, followed by the sound of several footsteps. He could hear muttered conversation, but none of it was comprehensible. Ruddiger looked up at his boy, beginning to chitter.

“Catalina and Keira are in trouble! You’re right, Ruddiger, we’ve gotta go help! But first, I’ve gotta grab something from dad’s room…”

*~~~~*~~~~*

The man stepped forward, walking with confidence, as if nothing they could do or say would even faze them. He approached the pair of sisters, all of his focus on Catalina.

“Well, well, well, little wolf, you certainly are not what I expected. A small little girl is the great beast that has all of Corona in a panic. Can’t say I get it, but hey, Coronans never were the smartest bunch.” He let out a small laugh at his own joke, as he stared down the two sisters.

“Who are you, weird man-bun guy?” Keira finally exclaimed, cutting in between him and Catalina, her arms outstretched.

“Me?” He looked at her, as if somewhat hurt by her words, “You mean Varian never mentioned me? I’m insulted, after all, we’re all fugitives, here. Name’s Andrew, leader of the Separatists of Saporia, and your friend’s former partner. Oh, we did great things together, it's a shame he had to go all soft, until recently, that is.” His face twisted into a smile, “I heard all about the little uproar he made back in the capital, and how he was on the run with some little werewolf girl.” He gave Keira a pointed look, “No mention about you though, guess you weren’t important enough,”

“I’ll show you “Important”!” She raised her fist, about to punch him, before Catalina put out her hand and stopped her. 

“Varian did mention you, actually,” Catalina started, giving the man a cold look. “Said you were a coward who was only able to take over Corona with the help of his alchemy and a memory erasing wand. Not very impressive, if you ask me.”

“So, the kid has the guts to call me a coward after he betrayed me? Well that’s just rich. Where is the little twerp, anyways. I’ve been wanting to catch up,”

“I’m right here, Andrew.” Varian walked in from the front door, carrying with him a large broadsword, the crest of the Dark Kingdom planted on its hilt. All eyes turned to him, Keira and Catalina both smiling widely, while Andrew maintained his neutral expression. “I’ve got to say, I didn’t think it would take you this long to break out of the dungeons. It took you what, six years? It only took me three months, so I’m going to have to agree with Catalina here, not very impressive.”

“Varian?” Andrew took in the man before him, before letting out a laugh. “Man, six years really does change a kid, now doesn’t it? Heard all about your little temper tantrum, impressive, really evading the guards like that. Reminds me of the good old days.”

“Right, the good old days, where I busted you out of prison, you took advantage of me, and then you tried to kill me.”

“Well, I couldn’t just ignore the rules. Traitors to Saporia pay with their lives.” Andrew sneered at the younger man, looking him over, “Or at least, that was the plan. But now I hear you’re an enemy of Corona again, and I’d like to extend an olive branch.” He took a step towards Varian, a sympathetic look coming to his face, “How would you and the wolf like to join up with some people who will bring Corona what it deserves? The sister can come too, I guess.” Keira let out a small shout of protest, as frowns came to both Varian and Catalina’s faces. “I knew you never stopped being angry with them, and the first chance they got, they turned on you.” He turned to Catalina, “Same for you, Wolfy. They look at you, and all they see is a monster, but I see potential. I see a young woman who can show those Coronans just why they shouldn’t look down on others just because of their differences. So what do you say?” He reached out his hand, his facing seeming sincere, “How about you get back on the right side of history?”

Both Varian and Catalina just stood in place, neither of them making any sort of move, before Keira stepped forward, looking between her sister and her friend.

“You two can’t seriously be considering this, can you?” They both remained silent, turning their heads to the floor. “What happened to-”

“He’s right, Keira.” Varian stepped forward, still not looking up, as he went on, “Corona is a kingdom filled with idiots and prejudice, and so long as Frederick is in charge, he’ll remain too scared to change anything.” Andrew smiled, as he began to speak, before Varian cut him off, “Thankfully, Rapunzel is going to be queen someday soon, and I know that she’ll make sure that everyone in Corona is treated fairly and respected. She’s a kind person, who always tries to make right her mistakes, and help those in need. So sorry Andrew, but I’m not about to let you start a coup against my friend and her family. Ruddiger, now!” And with that, the raccoon lept from the ceiling and threw down a goo bomb, covering three of the men standing at the entrance of the house. Andrew's face curled, as he looked to Varian, fury clear in his eyes.

“So that’s your choice, huh? Fine, if you think you know how to wield that sword in your hands, then prove it!” And with that, Andrew unsheathed his own sword, and charged forward.

Chapter Text

Sword clashed against sword as Varian and Andrew fought back and forth, Varian putting all of his effort into his two-handed swing, while Andrew easily parried each strike. Keira and Catalina had both unsheathed swords of their own, and had begun clashing with the other two separatists who hadn’t been trapped. Ruddiger, meanwhile, was working his way around the three trapped combatants, clawing and gnawing at any opening in their armor that he could get to. 

“Gotta admit, kid, you’ve definitely gotten better,” Andrew retorted, Varian and his blades caught in a clash, “But that things a little big for you. Pretty sure you’re only supposed to be using one hand,” He pushed back against Varian, knocking him off balance.

“Well, what can I say,” Varian regained his balance, and took another swing at Andrew, with full force, “It’s a hand me down. Besides, I’m just stalling, anyways,” He glanced through the open door, and Andrew followed his gaze, to see the setting sun right outside. “Gotta say, not your brightest idea to confront a werewolf right before nightfall.” Fear suddenly ran across Andrew’s face, as he looked over to Catalina and her combatant.

“Come on, kid, you wouldn’t-”

“It’s not really my call, now is it?” And with that, Catalina’s form began to enlarge, fur sprouting all over her body, as her face elongated into a snout, and her hands and feet morphed into sharp claws. The man she had been fighting suddenly dropped his sword, as she bore down on top of him, and let out a deafening howl. 

“I guess you guys really are idiots, aren’t you?” Keira called, letting out a laugh, as her own foe backed away in fear. Andrew’s fearful look suddenly dropped, giving way to smirk, as he looked between the trio.

“Oh? Did you think I didn’t prepare to fight a werewolf?” He let out a laugh of his own, as he brandished his sword again, “You do know what this sword is made out of, right, kid?” Varian’s face suddenly paled, as Andrew raced towards Catalina. 

“Catalina, no run!” Varian said, trying to catch Andrew before he could strike. But he was too late, as Andrew slashed his sword in a wide arch, knocking the wolf back, as he pierced her side. The soldier who had been underneath her got up, brandishing his own sword, as Keira’s opponent took a swipe at her in her distraction. 

Catalina’s wolf form crumpled, as she began twisting, her form shrinking back down to that of the teenage girl she had been before. Varian stepped in between the two men and the teenager, once again wielding his sword unsteadily, as Ruddiger joined him in his defense. Man and Raccoon began striking back, but it was quickly becoming clear they were being overpowered.

“Varian, any bright ideas?” Keira began to shout, her blade locked with her opponent as she looked around and assessed the room.

“I’ve got nothing!” Varian was beginning to panic, as he saw Ruddiger get kicked to the side by one of Andrew’s goons, “I thought they were just thieves or guards, I didn’t bring a lot of stuff in!” Keira pushed back against her opponent, kicking him in the stomach, before racing over to Varian’s side and blocking Andrew’s strike.

“V, I need you to take Cat and go!”

“What? Keira, you can’t possibly be serious?” He ducked as the goon took another swipe in his direction, backing up right to Catalina’s side, where she laid crumpled on the ground. 

“I’m completely serious! I’m the extra, remember? If they want you two, then you need to leave. I’ll be fine!” Her blade remained locked with Andrew, as Ruddiger jumped onto the goon, clawing up his face and bringing him to the ground. “I’ll catch up, eventually, now go!”

Varian took a moment to stare at the scene in front of him, before looking back to Catalina’s unmoving body. He took a deep breath, before scooping her up in his arms and making his way for the door. 

“Oh no you don’t!” Andrew began, breaking away from Keira and giving chase, before suddenly being stopped in his tracks as Keira jumped in front of him, the two once again locking blades.

As Varian passed by the door, the three goons who had been trapped reached out, trying to block their way, only for Ruddiger to once again come by and begin clawing at them, distracting them enough for Varian to get out the door, Catalina in his arms, as Ruddiger followed after. He gently laid Catalina onto Icarus, waiting outside, before hopping on himself. Ruddiger scurried on after them, and Varian took the reins, urging the horse forward as they rode off into the night, the sound of Keira and Andrew’s fight still raging on from inside the house.

*~~~~* ~~~~*

When they finally reached a cave that was suitable for shelter, Varian began to unpack, gently laying Catalina down on a blanket, and starting a fire. It was at that point that Catalina began to stir, before letting out a groan.

“V?” She finally choked out, “Varian? What… What hap-happened?” At this, Varian quickly ran over to her, trying to support her as she tried to look around, before clutching the wound at her side and collapsing back onto the blanket. “W-Where’s… Keira?” Ruddiger ran up next to her and began patting her side, as Varian’s face turned dark, before he looked down in shame.

“We were losing, really bad. And you were injured! I had never seen something like that before, Andrew’s sword forced you out of your wolf form, me and Keira both panicked. That was when… Keira told me to-”

“No! No! We need to go back right-” It was at that point that her wound became too much, and she began coughing, her energy once again leaving her.

“No! Cat! Stay awake, okay? Please just stay awake long enough for me to treat this.” Her eyes had begun rolling back, as Varian tilted her back upright. He then pulled out a vial, containing a yellow liquid. “Now, this might sting a bit, but trust me when I say that it will hurt way less than if we were to let it get infected.” As he said this, Catalina’s coughing continued, as she drifted in and out of consciousness, before turning to him groggily.

“Well, aren’t you just my knight in shining armor?” She let out a small laugh at her own comment, before going back to a fit of coughing. Varian did his best to remain calm, as he uncorked the vial.

“Okay, Cat, I’m not quite sure if you can hear or understand me right now, but this is going to help. I’m gonna count to three, and pour this on the wound. It will pull out any infection, as well as numb the area for a bit, while I wrap it up. Say “Yes” If you understand,” She once again let out a groan, sounding vaguely like the word “yes”. “Alright then, here it goes, one, two,” He tensed up, hesitating, “Three!” And with that, he poured the solution onto the wound. Catalina let out a loud cry, as the yellow liquid quickly turned green, before slipping away from the wound. “Okay, I’m sorry, Cat, but I need to remove some clothing here to put the bandages on. I’ll be real careful, I promise,” He got to work, carefully removing the clothing in the injured area, and wrapping the bandages as best he could to not cause anymore pain, and being careful not to look at anything other than the wound. When he was finally sure of his work, he laid Catalina back down, before collapsing himself from the stress. Ruddiger ran over, seeing that Catalina was in stable enough condition, and began comforting his boy instead, as Varian scooped him up into his arms, taking deep breaths. Ruddiger pawed at Varian’s face, before pointing to a nearby blanket.

“Huh? Ruddiger, what is it?” Varian mumbled.

Ruddiger rolled his eyes, before hopping down and running over to the extra blanket, before pointing at Varian and then miming going to sleep. 

“You know I can’t sleep, I need to keep watch, and monitor Catalina. You rest, buddy, I’ll be fine,” It the midst of his denial, his body betrayed him, as he let out a long yawn. 

Ruddiger gave him a pointed look, before walking to the mouth of the cave and standing up straight, puffing his chest out. 

“What are you…? Okay, fine, you can keep watch, but wake me in a couple of hours, so I can check on Cat, okay, her condition is unstable, she could get worse at any second.” 

The raccoon rolled his eyes, before once again motioning to the blanket.

 “Alright, alright. But only a couple hours, alright? Don’t let me sleep until noon like last time I told you a couple hours.” And with that, he made his way over to the blanket, before settling down for a nap, that quickly became complete and unconsciousness, and peaceful sleep.

*~~~~*~~~~*

It was noon when Varian finally woke up, to the sound of a clanging pot, and the smell of fresh cooked meat permeating the air. As he sat up, and looked around to see both Ruddiger and Catalina at the fire, as Catalina began to set the pan full of meat down onto a nearby rock, before turning to Varian.

“Well, look who finally decided to wake up.” She let out, somewhat shakily, a hand still clutching her side. 

“What?” Varian’s eye widened at the scene in front of him, “You’re supposed to be resting, that wound was pretty bad, you can’t just-”

“Hey calm down, V. I heal quickly, even with whatever it was that jerk hit me with. Besides, you’re better at the whole doctor thing than you think. I thought you hated the sight of blood?”

“Well, some friends are worth facing your fears. Besides, I became kind of desensitized to blood after all of my failed experiments. I still hate it, but I’m not gonna faint from just a little bit of blood, heh” He put his hand to the back of his head, a little embarrassed, before quickly correcting himself. “Um, not that that was a little blood, I just needed to get you all fixed up.”

“Well, you could have at least bothered to redress me, but other than that, I’d say you did a pretty good job!” His cheeks flushed at her comment, realizing his own error.

“I didn’t look at anything!” Varian quickly interjected, before looking down in shame.

“Hey,” Catalina’s expression softened, “You did what you had to to get me fixed up. Besides, at least it was you and not some creep. I trust you not to do anything,”

“As reassuring as your trust is, I’m begging you, please don’t tell anyone! Especially Lance or your sister, they’ll kill me!”

“Deal, as long as you don’t tell anyone how I screamed like a little girl when you poured that… whatever on my wound.” Varian cracked a smile, letting out a small chuckle.

“I wouldn’t call it a “little girl” scream, I’d call it more “Lance anytime he sees a spider”” Catalina’s eyes grew wide, mortified, before she let out a laugh of her own.

“Hey, you jerk, no one gets to make fun of my dad but me!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, I won’t tell anyone you inherited your dad’s scream!” He began laughing full force, happy to have some levity in their situation.

“I hate you,” Catalina muttered, but the smile on her face and the laughter in her voice betrayed her.

“Oh, don’t say that about your favorite alchemist criminal!”

“I wouldn’t exactly call you a criminal, V.” She let out a chuckle, but her face darkened, as they were both brought back to the reality of their situation

“Tell that to the king, or pretty much the majority of Corona.” He saw the concerned look growing on her face, before quickly adding, “Hey, don’t worry! This will all blow over once Rapunzel gets a handle on things. We just need to lie low for now.”

“But, Varian…” She paused, looking at the man before her, “You knew you would be branded a criminal again, so why did you save me?”

“I know what it’s like to go and get locked up in the dungeons for a crime you did commit, no way am I letting you get locked up for a crime you didn’t commit,”

“V, you don’t know that I didn’t do it. You heard what they said, I’m a monster,” Her face fell as she looked at the ground.

“Do you remember attacking my dad?” Varian, in contrast, adopted a stern look.

“No! But I-”

“And do you have any strange memory gaps you can’t account for?”

“No, my memories are intact. But I-”

“Then you didn’t do it, Cat. I trust you, you’re a good person. So I know for sure that you didn’t do it.” He put his hand under her chin, and lifted her eyes to meet his, “Besides, if they’re going to call you a monster, then us monsters have to stick together, right?”

“I’m not sure you count as a monster , V.”

“As much as I appreciate that, the sentiment isn’t exactly shared by the rest of Corona. Besides, I still do and think things I’m not proud of. I still hate the structures of Corona, frankly, I find a lot of the people annoying, we celebrate way too much, and I know I’ll never be as big a fan of King Frederic as my father is…” He stopped, correcting himself, “Well, was.” He tensed up, before continuing. “Besides...” Now it was his turn to look down in shame, “In a way, it’s pretty much my fault that you ended up a werewolf in the first place.

“What are you saying?”

“Seven years ago, back when I was trying to destroy Corona, the Wolf came to me and offered the same deal it offered you, a chance to be heard. I considered, man did I consider it, but in the end, I just didn’t trust it. But the Wolf didn’t go away, it stuck around old Corona for the next two years, waiting for me, until it found you. If I had just taken the Wolf then, you would be suffering now,”

“That doesn’t make you a monster, V. I’m the one who accepted the offer, I’m the real monster here! You made mistakes, but you’re sorry for them! You became better!”

“Did I really?” He looked her in the eyes again, his face completely void of emotion “I mean, sure, I love Rapunzel like a sister, and I would never do anything to hurt her or the queen ever again, but I did make them hear me, and that’s all I really wanted, in the end. So yes, do I hate my methods? Absolutely! But given the chance to do it all over, I don’t think I would change anything, because it made me who I am today, just like you’re who you are, Catalina. That’s what makes me a monster, so trust me when I say, you’ve got nothing on that.”

“Even if who I am is a dangerous beast, who at any moment could go on a rampage and hurt you? Or Keira? Or Lance? Or anyone else? Just like I killed your dad?”

“You didn’t kill him-”

“But what if I did!” At this, she stood up, hands clenching as she continued “You’re a fugitive again for nothing! Keira might be dead for nothing! You’ll have defended your father’s murderer for nothing! You could be thrown back in the dungeons for nothing! All because I am a monster! This shouldn’t even be a question! I need to turn myself in!” And with that, she broke down sobbing, collapsing onto her knees, before suddenly feeling arms wrap around her. She looked up, to see Varian embracing her.

“Cat, I promise you, whatever happens, you did not kill my dad. No matter what anyone says, you are a wonderful person, and I, for one, am greater for having met you,” He lifted her chin with his hand, looking her right in the eyes as he continued. “Besides, dad would want me to fight for what I believe in. And I believe in you, even if you don’t believe in yourself.” She looked up to him, feeling warm in his arms as their faces drifted closer together. It was at that moment, that Keira showed up at the mouth of the cave, looking bloody and disheveled. 

“Hey! Just what was going on in here while I was gone?”

At that, they both pulled apart, their faces flushing with embarrassment.

Chapter Text

To say the scene Varian had found himself in was awkward would be an understatement. After all, what were you supposed to say to a girl you just left behind to a bunch of Saporians, who showed up just before you may have been about to kiss her sister.

“Keira! You’re okay!” Catalina exclaimed, trying to stand, before clutching her side again in pain

“Yeah, of course, sis, it’ll take more than a few old guys to take me out! You were right, V, that Andrew guy really is pathetic on his own.” She began to laugh at her own comment, before she stopped herself. “Wait! Stop trying to distract me, what was going on in here?” It was at this point that Varian and Catalina’s faces turned completely red, their embarrassment clear.

“N-Nothing!” Varian quickly interjected, unwilling to face Keira’s wrath. Keira, meanwhile, was shrinking further into herself, “We were just… talking! Talking, and nothing else whatsoever, nor would we ever do anything else! Where would you get that idea…” Varian trailed off, realizing how he was sounding.

“Okay… Whatever. Anyways, are we gonna get a move on, or not?”  Seeming to drop the subject for now, Keira began to gather up the things scattered around the cave, as Catalina tentatively joined her. “Where are we going, anyways?” She glanced over to Varian, who put a hand behind his head and looked down, somehow seeming even more nervous than before.

“Well, I… We’re going to…“ 

“You don’t have a plan, do you?”

“What can I say, I never expected to be on the run from both the Coronan Guard and the Saporians all at once! I thought my criminal days were behind me, thank you very much!”

“Well, we can’t just sit here in this cave!”

“Would you two stop yelling!” Catalina suddenly interjected, silencing the other two. “I get that this is all a bit stressful, but we aren’t going to get anything done if we’re fighting amongst ourselves!”

“You’re right.” Varian added, his head hanging in shame, “We do need a plan, and I have an idea of where to start.”

“Oh, so now he has a plan!” Keira added sarcastically, before Catalina shot her a cold look, telling her to stop.

“Ignoring your oh-so useful input-” Varian received his own glare from Catalina, causing him to stop momentarily, before continuing. “A-Anyways, like I was saying, if we don’t have any leads on my dad, then we’ll have to investigate what we do have leads on. Andrew’s weapon was able to wound you as a werewolf, I don’t know many materials that would be able to do that.”

“It didn’t just wound me,” Catalina added, “It forced me to turn back to normal.”

“Wait, it “forced” you? What do you mean? I thought you changed back from pain, or lost concentration?”

“Well, normally I can change back and forth as long as I want, at least while it’s night. I don’t need to “concentrate” once I transform, and the only times I have to change are during a full moon, and even then, I usually transform before I have to. This was different. It was like… Everything about the wolf was just forced out of me.” 

“Okay, well, that’s new, then…” A strange look came to Varian’s face, as he began thinking, “I wonder if it was some kind of alchemical compound on the sword? A possible reaction between the Wolf’s Curse and the blade? Or was it- Ugh, magic ? The possibilities are endless!”

“Okay,” Keira interrupted. “As much as I hate to interrupt “nerd” talk, and really, I do, shouldn’t the priority be getting Cat away from the one guy who can actually hurt her? Not to mention the entire Coronan Guard on our tail?” Varian rolled his eyes at her remark, before responding himself. 

“Keira, it’s one thing to run from Andrew,” A mischievous glint came to his eye as he continued, “But if we figure out what he’s doing, and use it against him? Well, that would be all the better, now wouldn’t it? Besides, I wouldn’t worry about the Coronan Guards. You’ve seen those guys! Even with Eugene in charge, they’re all still incompetent! We can do whatever we want, unimpeded! We just need to do a little research on werewolves!” He began to laugh maniacally, as he saw Keira’s skeptical face, before stopping upon seeing Catalina’s concern. “Ahem, um, yeah, that about sums it up.” Keira brought her hand to her face, letting out a groan.

“V, you have really gotta get a better laugh. Just saying.”

*~~~~*~~~~*

Once they had gotten Varian and Catalina’s camp all packed up, the trio took off, Keira and Catalina on the horse Keira had stolen from the Saporians, with Varian and Ruddiger on Icarus. For the most part, they all rode in silence, avoiding any major towns, and being careful to be discreet in both where they traveled, and what they left behind. It was only when the sun began to set that any of the trio even started to entertain the notion of rest. Even then, they continued to ride on for another few hours, eventually coming to a stop in a small alcove where it looked like a house used to be, settling down and spreading out a camp. They continued in their silence throughout their set up, only offering up the occasional word here or there, before finally settling down, with Keira offering to take first watch. Neither Varian nor Catalina complained, as they both laid down to sleep.

Varian eventually awoke to being kicked in the side, and the sight of an angry brunette standing over him.

“V! Psst, hey V! Wake up!” He groggily sat up, looking the young woman in the face, before taking in his surroundings, and realizing it was still dark out

“Keira? What is it? Is your watch over already? I feel like I barely slept.” At this she rolled her eyes, and sat down next to him.

“You have barely slept, it’s only been ten minutes, but I needed to talk to you! It’s important!” Despite her tone, she made sure to maintain a whisper, so as to not wake her sister, before continuing. “So, Varian , just what are your intentions with my sister?”

“Keira, I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, so that little scene I saw earlier wasn’t anything other than a friendship hug? Because it looked to me,” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, “Like it was about to turn into a friendship-”

“What?! Keira, I would never take advantage of Catalina like that! She’s my friend! You can’t possibly think that I would-”

“Woah, slow down, alchemist boy. I was going to say ‘kiss’, for the record, not whatever image you got in your head. And what’s with the ‘friend’ thing? I thought we were family, huh? The only reason I could see you doing that would be if you didn’t want to call Catalina your ‘sister’. And if you don’t want to call Catalina your sister, then what do you want to call her?”

“Listen, Keira. I promise you, I have no ulterior motives here. I just want to keep Cat from being locked up for a crime she obviously didn’t commit.”

“And if she did do it?”

“What do you-”

“You heard me. Would you be able to choose between my sister, and justice for your old man?”

“I’m not going to have to, because Catalina didn’t kill my father!” It was at this point that he finally stood up, getting in her face, “I am not losing any more friends to my ‘daddy issues’, as the general populace so likes to call them! I will protect Catalina and avenge my dad, if it’s the last thing I do! Now are you going to help? Or are you just going to keep accusing you sister of murder?”

“Woah, V. Calm down. I… I don’t want to believe it either.” Keira’s face grew dark, as a few tears dropped from her eyes,” But we have to consider every possibility. Even the… unpleasant ones. Me and Cat investigated that crime scene, and there was nothing other than what Nigel claimed was there. If the wolf is out of control, then we need to get Catalina help. And I don’t know if that can really be found by wandering the countryside, waiting for the guards or Andrew to find us,”

“It’s a good thing we’re not just ‘wandering the countryside’, then isn’t it?”

“Okay, you keep saying that, but you’ve yet to tell either of us where we’re going. What is the plan?”

“We’re not wandering. We’re taking a roundabout way to our destination, but it’s far from wandering.”

“Then where are we headed?” Varian adopted a bit of a smirk, as he answered.

“The Great Tree of Zhan Tiri. Or as I like to call it, Uncle Hector’s house.”

“Wait, Zhan Tiri? As in ‘giant demon octopus’ Zhan Tiri?”

“That’s the one!” At that, she gave him a disappointed look, opening her mouth to tell him off. “Oh don’t worry, Rapunzel killed every ounce of magic in the place last time she was there. Now it’s just a tree, nothing beyond that. Well, nothing besides a whole bunch of ancient scrolls that may or may not mention lycanthropy in a few places,”

“Lycanthropy? You mean…”

“Yep!” He popped the “p” on the end for emphasis, before continuing. “If anywhere has the info we need to find out whether or not the Wolf has gotten out of control, it’s there. But I assure you, Catalina is fine. The Wolf is in control, and even if it weren’t, it can’t make anger out of nothing. The Wolf doesn’t just want violence for violence’s sake, Cat didn’t kill anyone. Especially not…” He looked away, as if lost in thought, before turning back to her. “Everything’s going to be just fine, I swear.”

“And what if it isn’t? What if she did do it?”

“Then we run. We run, and we keep running until we find out how to get rid of the Wolf, and then we’ll run some more. I trust the Wolf, but even if it’s some malevolent force that… killed my dad, I’m not letting Cat get locked up. Ever.” She stared at him for a long time, as if trying to decide whether he was telling the truth or not, before finally coming to a decision.

“You’re a good friend, V. And Catalina’s really lucky to have you in her life.” They both smiled at each other, before she finished, “I never thought I would approve of her dating anyone, but if it’s you, I think I can make an exception.” At that, his cheeks flushed, as he started sputtering his defense, and she simply turned, and fell back to sleep.

*~~~~*~~~~*

Keira woke him up for his watch a few hours later, both of them agreeing to let Catalina sleep the whole way through. He kept watch till morning, making breakfast, before waking the two girls up. Once they finished their meal, they once again took off. As they rode, Varian kept in the front, guiding them along their path, while also advising Keira to keep an eye on the skies for any Saporian balloons.

It was about midday before everything started to take its toll on the trio, none of them used to such long stretches of travel. Ruddiger worked to keep his owner alert and focused, and the two horses followed along the stretch ahead of them, none of the party really sure about what they were doing.

They continued in this pattern for the next few days or so, it all being relatively uneventful, as they watched the skies and their tracks, being careful to avoid as much interaction with anyone outside of each other.

Eventually, on their fifth day of travel, they began to run low on supplies, coming to a stop just outside of a small seaside town. Keira and Ruddiger went on ahead into town, going to grab supplies, with Keira shooting Varian a suspicious look before leaving. He and Catalina began setting up camp, Varian starting a fire, with Catalina peering over shoulder, watching him work.

“You know, that alchemy stuff is actually pretty interesting,” Catalina began, careful not to get in the way, “Maybe you could… teach me? I mean, we’re going to be on the road for a while, but I mean, if you don’t want to, then…” she trailed off, suddenly getting nervous, before Varian’s face exploded with excitement.

“No! No, I’d be happy to! I just… I never thought you were interested. You always just nodded along whenever Keira called it “nerd stuff”.”

“No! I think it’s amazing what you’re able to do! It’s just that sometimes, when me and Keira are together, she tends to speak for us both, and I’m not really one to speak up.” She looked down, a bit dejected, before continuing, “But hey, she’s been getting better about not speaking for both of us! It’s just, I’m almost an adult, a grown woman, and she still feels the need to speak for me sometimes.” Varian reached out and grabbed her hand, a sympathetic look on his face, before his eyes widened with realization.

“Wait a minute, I completely forgot! Your birthday is in just a couple of days, isn’t it?  I am so sorry I forgot! We need to do something! I know that spending your birthday on the road isn’t exactly ideal, but I’m sure me and Keira can come up with-”

“Varian, it’s fine, really.” She let out a chuckle at the anxiety evident on his face, “It’s just another day, I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

“Well, sure,” He began, not really believing her, “But back home, I’m sure Lance and Keira would’ve arranged a huge party for you! I can’t just let you down like that!”

“You aren’t letting me down! Honestly, just not being executed is the best birthday gift I could possibly ask for. You’ve already done more than enough, all I really need is just me, you, and Keira, here in the great outdoors, not dying.”

“Alright… If you say so,” He pouted a little, looking dejected, “But I do have to ask if you’re okay spending your birthday on a boat?”

“A boat?” She looked at him, confused, “Varian, I told you, we don’t need to-”

“N-no, it’s not for your birthday.” He quickly corrected himself, seeing the assumption on her face, “It’s just, we need to cross the sea to get to the Great Tree, so I’m just making sure you’re prepared.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s fine, as long as we’re careful. Even since becoming the Wolf, every time I get wet, it smells like wet dog.”

“I promise to get us the safest ship three criminals, two horses, and a raccoon on the run can get,” He replied with a smirk, immediately followed by her punching him in the arm, and them both laughing. Eventually, Catalina got a handle on herself, and adopted a more serious expression.

“Anyways, there’s… one other thing I wanted to talk about.” Varian raised his eyebrows at that, listening intently, “It’s about the other day, when Keira walked in on us. I… I’m not sure what came over me, I guess the pain was just too much, and I was latching on to whoever was there. I’m really sorry about that.”

“What?” Varian did his best to blink away his confusion, as he looked at her. “Catalina, you didn’t do anything wrong. What’s a small hug between friends?” He gave her a small smile, before Keira’s words echoed in his ears, his face going red as he turned away.

“I…” Catalina turned away, looking dejected, “Yeah, friends. Nothing wrong with that…” She adopted a blush of her own, as she slipped her hand out of Varian’s, alerting them both to the fact that they had been like that for the entire conversation.

“As adorable as this pathetic excuse for flirting is,” A third voice interjected, a figure appearing from the gap in the woods, “I’m afraid this little love fest is over,” And with that, Andrew stepped out of the woods, his men encircling the camp, closing in on  the duo.