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Chapter Text

27 Years Ago:

A knock on his bedroom door awoke Edmund from his dreamless sleep.

"Come in." he called, wondering who would be here this late at night. Judging by the moon's placement outside his window, it could be no later than one in the morning. And with the sudden virus starting to spread around the kingdom, Edmund needed a full twelve hours rest to deal with all of the stress building among his subjects. Everyone knew this, so why on earth would...

The door opened to reveal his most trusted royal guard, and friend, Quirin. His face was hardened, though not with bitterness or anger. It was filled with concern and wrinkles of exhaustion, something that wasn't exactly regular for the man. 

"I'm sorry to wake you, Your Majesty, but I'm afraid it's getting worse!"

Edmund's eyebrows furrowed, and he beckoned for the Brotherhood member to enter. Quirin did, closing the door behind him and approaching him quietly. 

"The sickness?" Edmund assumed, and Quirin nodded. "By how much?"

"There have been dozens more children brought in since yesterday, Your Majesty. And the symptoms have grown worse; coughing up blood, vomiting more often, and weakness so strong that even the oldest ones of sixteen don't even have the strength to sit up in their beds! The infirmary has overflowed at this point, and if we don't do something soon, we might lose most of our Kingdom's children!"

Edmund felt his gut twist, thinking of his pregnant wife who was due to deliver within the next few months. Would it affect her too?

"And this isn't affecting any adults?"

"No, Sir. Only Children up to sixteen, it appears."

Edmund thought for a moment, hand clenching into the sheets of his bed as this all sunk in. The virus had started a few weeks ago, with only a few children showing signs that had at first been mistaken for the common cold. But since then, it's gotten worse -- nearly the entire future citizens of his kingdom were nearing the point of death, and if that were to happen...well, they've already endured so much, this would most likely destroy them!

Edmund sighed, deciding four hours of sleep would be enough to get him through the majority of the morning and day. There were better things to worry about than rest.

"Show me." 

Three months later, the King had had enough. Attempting to free the world of the burden that was the Moonstone, Edmund reached into its cage and grabbed it. But this only lost him his right arm, his wife, and half of his already plagued and depressed subjects. The only good thing to come from the action was the healing of the still sickened children, who through many heartbreaking losses, had survived through the pain and agony the virus had caused. 

But even then, Edmund still knew it was now too dangerous to keep his people near the Moonstone's power. He evacuated everyone, including his own Brotherhood friends and son in order to keep them safe. And after the first few years of living in isolation, the plague of the past was forgotten.

------------------

Present Time -- POV, Cassandra:

"I told you. This is all that's left of the Great Tree."

Cass watched the girl float over to the pile of torn scrolls, pieces scattered all over the floor of the tree's center room. As she did, the Moonstone wielder looked around, memories of eight months ago flooding through her mind. 

The flower that Eugene and Lance had nearly been swallowed by was rotting now, lacking it's old vibrant pink and purple colors. Around it were pieces of wood and bark from the destroyed tree, along with vines and overtaking undergrowth starting to swallow the remains into the earth. 

 Cassandra held her gaze intently on a dead flower, which had darkened and slopped over. She remembered seeing it lose all of it’s color and light. All of its life. Because even though she told Rapunzel to stop, she didn’t, which led to a numerous course of events to follow that certainly didn’t strengthen their once strong bond. In fact, it may have been the baseline for her stealing the Moonstone in order to achieve her destiny.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of a small “Aha!”, and looked over to see her ghost companion raising a scroll in the air triumphantly. It looked to be the only scroll intact out of the whole pile.

“What is it?” she asked curiously, approaching the girl.

She opened the piece of parchment, revealing to herself and Cass an assortment of unintelligible symbols. Symbols that were similar to the ones written on the walls and the Demanitus Scroll. Besides them, however, was what Cassandra observed to be a translation of these symbols.

“What does it say?”

The girl narrowed her eyes, focusing on the words for a few moments, before a smirk grew on her face. 

“I haven’t seen this for a long time.” she answered cryptically. She turned slowly to face Cass, her view of the words now obscured by the back of the paper. “It’s an incantation for The Seuche Curse.” 

“The what?”

“The Seuche Curse, also known as Der Pestfluch. It’s a spell that can cause just as much, if not more destruction than the incantation of Decay. I thought this was destroyed millenia ago along with the Demanitus scroll, but apparently I was wrong.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened upon hearing the name of the very thing Rapunzel and her group set out to collect. “Wait...did you say Demanitus Scroll?”

The girl peaked up from the parchment, eyes curious. 

“That wasn’t destroyed; Rapunzel has it.” she explained. “We collected the pieces during our journey to the Dark Kingdom, and it’s now in one…”

She trailed off, an idea forming in her mind. 

“Wait...what exactly does the Demanitus Scroll have that pertains to the Moonstone opal? Aside from the Decay spell.” 

She remembered seeing a third, untranslated piece of the scroll that they ended up never using, and couldn’t help but wonder what it would be for; Sundrop or Moonstone? Or...both?

The girl smirked. “It has the ability to give you full control of the black rocks.”

“Wait, if you knew that, than why-”

“Like I said, I thought the Scroll was destroyed a long time ago along with this.” she gestured to the Seuche Curse scroll. “So I never mentioned it. But now...now that I know of the Demanitus Scroll and this, perhaps we can change things! Of course, I need to know where the Scroll is in order for us to harbor it’s power.”

Cassandra smirked, knowing full well where this was going.

“Well then, it’s off to Corona.”

------------------

A Few Weeks Later -- POV, Rapunzel:

Rapunzel had expected many things to come out of Eugene’s big day. Finding and freaking out about him being a year older than he believed was one thing, and successfully proposing to him was another. But...but her -- former? -- best friend who she hasn’t seen for months showing up out of the blue was not the third! Come to think of it, she didn’t really have a third expectation for how this day would go.

“Swell party…” the woman spoke from the throne room doors after allowing her shocking appearance to sink in. She seemed to take pleasure in this, and it made Rapunzel feel cold inside. “I’m guessing my invitation got lost in the mail?”

“I think for the next party, I’d like to have at least some input on the guest list.” Eugene muttered from beside his girlfriend -- who, by now, should’ve been his fiance.

Rapunzel flinched when Cassandra pulled out her sword and started dragging it across the carpet, causing a painful screeching sound as she approached the Princess and her friends with a wicked glint in her eyes. 

“If you don’t mind, I’ll just help myself to a slice of cake!”

Cassandra stopped in front of the tall, sugary replica of Corona Castle, barely acknowledging the fact that Rapunzel was right in front of her. 

“Cass...where have you been?” Rapunzel asked, voice breaking. She couldn’t help it with who, or more correctly what was in front of her. This wasn’t Cassandra, not the one she knew! This was an evil replacement, an evil version of the cold, yet endearing and strong hearted warrior she had been friends with. 

“Helping myself, you could say.” Cassandra answered, slicing off the tower piece of the cake. 

Rapunzel mentally noted that it was her room, representing the girl’s need to take everything from her. But she didn’t want to believe that. She...she couldn’t…

“It’s about time I help myself, don’t you think?”

Finally, the woman turned to face Rapunzel, which she hadn’t done since their fight in the Dark Kingdom. Then, Rapunzel remembered seeing steel, but scared and guilt-ridden eyes. Now, however, she only saw pure, red and blue anger that blocked off any part of her that might be regretful of everything she was doing. It was terrifying! 

The Moonstone on the woman’s chest crackled slightly as the girl picked up the plate of cake, finger swirling over the small drip of whipped cream. 

“I’ve been thinking a lot about how we left things, and it makes me sad!”

Rapunzel knew it was a lie; or, at least, not how she was trying to make her interpret it. But she couldn’t help but reply with a sad, “It makes me sad, too! I-I miss you, Cassandra. I want us to be friends again!”

Cassandra stopped waltzing away, back to Rapunzel once more. 

“Yeah, we both have things the other wants; which brings me to why I’m here.”

She turns, the faux sadness replaced once more with malice. 

“I want you to give me the scroll.”

“I wouldn’t do that!” Eugene cut in, gripping Rapunzel’s shoulders protectively. “The scroll has the instructions to wielding the power of the-”

“Stay out of this, Fitzherbert!” Cass sneered, making the man stiffen. Rapunzel realized it must be because he hadn’t heard her nickname for him since her betrayal. “Blondie can think for herself, hm? Give me the scroll, and I’ll leave Corona in peace.”

Rapunzel swallowed the fear building in her throat, staring beggingly towards Cass.

“Cass, I don’t think-”

“Oh, I know! It’s hard to make decisions when the only friends you have left are ex-convicts...and losers!” 

While Lance and Eugene defended themselves from the insulting comment, Rapunzel’s stomach twisted with both hurt and horror. The way Cassandra walked so smugly, and the condescending tone and comments...it-it was so much like her! As if she was back and trying to take her “Flower” back. How hadn’t she seen the resemblances before? 

Even if she had, she would’ve never held it against her, of course! You didn’t choose your parents, like you never chose to be taken from your home by a woman who only thought of herself. She didn’t now, either, and she never would! But still, seeing the way she was so similar to Gothel made her...well, it chilled her to the bone!

“C-Cass…”

“I’ll give you some time to think about it, Raps.” Cass smirked, turning away and throwing the piece of cake at Eugene. Rapunzel felt tears burning in her eyes. “Enjoy your party, Eugene!”

And with that, the woman was gone.

------------------

POV, Cassandra;

“Do you really think giving Rapunzel time to think about the Scroll was a good idea?”

Cassandra groaned at the voice of her little ghost companion, and set the necklace she’d been admiring back into her old wardrobe. The wardrobe that had belonged to her young, naive, and shadowed self. It was filled with mostly weapons, but a few things inside were also objects containing painful memories of the past.

Like the necklace, for example. 

“And, uh...this is for you.” 

Or the rose.

I’m gonna want to help.

And even the silky, violet robe hanging on the inside of the door.

With the wind in my hair! Woohoo!

Before she could allow the burning in her eyes to override her senses, she slammed the doors shut, and turned to face the ghost girl standing expectantly for an answer.

“No. I just threatened the welfare of her pathetic kingdom; it needs time to sink in before she can make the only decision to hand over the Demanitus Scroll.”

“Does it? Or will she take the time you’ve given her to come up with a trick? To lure you into handing over your power.”

Cass’s face fell, but she shook her head.

“No...she wouldn’t do that, she…”

“Doesn’t care about you anymore, Cassandra. She only wants to take the Moonstone because she realizes you’re never going back to being her slave. Which is why she might take the advantage of trying to take the only source of power you have!” 

Cassandra felt herself sink onto her bed, thinking over those words.

What if she was right? What if the Princess, who normally never gave up on things that weren’t worth her time and effort, just gave up and set her goals on the Moonstone? What if she gave up on Cassandra coming home, and would inevitably decide that the opal was worth more of her energy?

Why was Cassandra so heartbroken over this? It wasn’t like she cared about her anymore!

“You’re right…” Cass muttered. “I should have just demanded the Scroll. Ugh, how could I have been so stupid!”

The girl sighed in sympathy. “It’s alright, Cassandra. We’ll get that scroll one way or another. But at least we have this…”

Cass looked up to see her holding a familiar piece of parchment rolled up in her hand. 

“The Seuche Curse…” she muttered. The girl nodded. “But...what does that-”

“They don’t know we have this; a weapon so powerful it could possibly counter that of the Sundrop! So, if we -- or you -- play the cards in your hand right, this could be the key to getting to Scroll. And therefore, full control of the black rocks!”

Cass took the scroll and studied over the words and symbols. 

“But...when will I know how to use it?”

The girl walked away, out of the warrior’s view, though she was more focused on what lay in her hands. 

“I will guide you if it comes to it. For now, however, it seems your old friends are leaving.”

Cassandra sprinted over to where the girl stood in front of her old bedroom window, watching almost peacefully as the stars started popping up all over the midnight sky. Below it, in the city, was a familiar group heading away from the castle. 

“Where are they going?” 

“You’ll have to find out for yourself. Follow them, but make sure they don’t see you.”

Cass nodded, taking one of the cloaks from the wardrobe and chasing after the group. 

------------------

After following them for almost an hour, she started growing suspicious. But then they were suddenly led down into the old Herz Der Sonne caverns below ground, and into the Demanitus Chamber where Rapunzel had stopped Zhan Tiri’s blizzard two years ago. And then...Varian.

Seeing Varian with his normal, childish and innocent kind of way, was a lot nicer than his psychotic side. It reminded her of when they’d first met him.

But she didn’t think too much of it, because the kid had the very thing she wanted. The very thing she needed! And she couldn’t let the past get in the way.

So, in the blink of an eye, a fight had broken out between her and the opposing group. Rapunzel held her alchemist friend behind her protectively as Cass started swinging at her, annoyed by the way she used her blonde hair to block her blows. Would she ever learn to use a real weapon?

“Cass, let’s just talk!” Rapunzel was begging continuously, Cassandra battle-crying with each swing of her black rock blade.

“Oh, sure! Let’s have another chat about how my mother chose you over me!”

“Cass, Gothel took me and held me against my will. It wasn’t my decision, you know that!”

“Was it your decision to push her out a window?”

Cass used Rapunzel horrified shock against her, kicking her stomach and forcing her to the ground. She heard her boyfriend cry out for her from where he, Maximus, and Lance were stuck at the edge of the center of the Demanitus chamber. 

“Cass, please-”

Cass, with as much power as she could muster -- and quite painfully, she might add -- managed to impale a rock through the woman’s hair and tangle her to it. Now her main opponent was temporarily out of the way. Knowing her, she wouldn’t stay down for long, so Cass had to move quickly.

“Varian, run!”

But before the alchemist had time to listen to Rapunzel’s scream, Cassandra had him by the arm of which he was tightly gripping the scroll. The warrior woman growled, trying to get it out of his hand.

“Give me that scroll, Kid!”

“C-Cassie, I can’t let you do this! Trust me, I-”

Cassandra didn’t have time to listen to whatever he had to say; instead, she kneed him in the stomach, making him lurch and cough in pain. It also made his hand open and drop the key to her destiny to the floor.

A bubble of guilt formed in her stomach as Varian fell to his knees, holding his stomach in pain, but she wasn’t the one to blame for his resistance to give her the scroll, was she? She wouldn’t have had to kick him if he’d been compliant!

“Varian!” Rapunzel cried out in horror. “Cassandra, how could you!” 

Cass ignored her and reached for the scroll, but before her armored hand could grab it, it was suddenly wrapped in a slimy pink tongue, and pulled to Pascal. The chameleon bolted up the side of the Demanitus device, followed by Cassandra’s narrowed eyes.

She bolted across the bridge connecting towards the machine, and threw her black rock blade at Pascal. It landed next to him and scared him into jumping off the machine, forcing him to release the scroll in order to shoot his tongue out and save himself. Cass smirked as the scroll and her blade landed side by side in front of her. Finally…

But she shouldn’t have celebrated so soon, because right as her fingers skimmed the rolled up parchment, a strip of blonde hair wrapped around it and brought it to the now-free Rapunzel’s hand. She kneeled beside Varian, tears visible in her eyes while he continued coughing from the force of Cass’s kick.

“Look at me! You know me, Cassandra!” she begged. She patted Varian’s back as she did, scroll held tightly in her grasp. The warrior growled. “I have always supported you! And...somewhere inside, you know this isn’t right!”

Cassandra stopped and her grip on her sword’s handle loosened at her words. 

“Stealing the moonstone, hurting your friends! It-it isn’t right, Cass! Just come back home with us so we can...s-so we can figure this out and stop the fighting and the hurting.” 

Cass’s eyes landed on Varian, who was now calming down from his fit. His eyes brimmed with pained tears as he stared at her, visibly shaking on the ground against the Princess. Cass...Cass had caused that, hadn’t she? Not him...he didn’t do anything wrong to deserve that. 

Her hand recoiled from her sword, the regret and guilt truly sinking in. 

“Cassandra, how could you!”

“I-I miss you, Cassandra!”

“Please, stop!”

What was she doing?

“Questioning your path, are you?” 

Cass’s eyes shot over to see the girl floating beside her, eyebrows raised in suspicion. All of the guilt and regret suddenly retreated, replaced once more by anger and determination. 

“No, I wasn’t!”

The girl didn’t look convinced, but Cassandra was distracted by Rapunzel’s form suddenly starting to cross the bridge between them. The bridge she swore to burn nearly a year ago.

“Cass...I’m not going to fight you.”

“She’s trying to trick you! Remember what I said before; she only wants the Moonstone! Don’t let her take what’s yours!”

Even with the small voice inside telling Cassandra that that wasn’t true, that it couldn’t be, the one of her companion’s felt a lot louder and more reasonable. How could she have let her guard down so easily? Rapunzel only wanted the Moonstone, and nothing to do with her anymore!

Rapunzel stopped walking half way down the bridge, giving her a begging expression that Cassandra wouldn’t let past her walls again.

“Then don’t fight, Rapunzel…” 

She reached her hand out to the side, and the girl knew immediately what she wanted because the weight of a rolled up piece of parchment in her hand came in seconds. The look on Rapunzel’s face was priceless, making Cass wonder how she could’ve been tricked so easily. 

“Cass? What is-”

“Something that might get you to change your mind about the Scroll.” Cass sneered, unrolling it in her hands. Rapunzel watched with widened eyes, and Varian, who was now standing and holding his stomach, watched in a similar fashion. At this point, Rapunzel’s friends had managed to get themselves off the edge of the cliff, and were now watching from their side as Cassandra clutched the unraveled scroll in her armored fingers. 

“Now, read the words with emotion.” the girl instructed beside her. “Order them from your lips, command them!”

Cassandra looked at Rapunzel’s confused gaze one more time, before looking back at the scroll and reading:

Wither, pain, and death

Take their every breath

Bring both agony and sorrow

And for them bring no tomorrow 

Cass could feel energy radiating through her body, the Moonstone crackling wildly on her chest. It felt powerful and strong underneath her skin, almost like how the Moonstone did whenever she somehow managed to spear a single black rock from the ground.

Bring youth both sickness and fear

Have them feel that death is near

Poison their blood and air

And make the world turn fair

The world turn fair…

As soon as she read the last line, a burst of energy erupted from the opal and filled the entire chamber. It flooded it with blue light and a great wind, knocking everyone except herself off their feet. It burst through the ceiling and walls, making pieces of the room crumble around them like beach sand in your palm. 

Booms and bangs echoed throughout the chamber, and in the moments following, silence filled the room along with darkness as the torch lights started to fade into a rough glow around them. 

Cassandra watched with widened eyes, skin tingling underneath her armor. What the hell just happened?

------------------

POV, Rapunzel:

Rapunzel’s limbs felt sore, and her skull thundered like a roaring storm inside her head. Even though she could feel the weakness in her limbs from the blast, she forced herself to push up to her feet and face Cassandra once again, eyes wide in shock at what had just happened. The woman who she’d once called her friend smirked at her and rolled the parchment up. What kind of incantation was that!

“C-Cass, what was that?”

Cassandra’s smirk lingered, and no answer was provided. Whatever she’d just read off the parchment, whatever that blast was that came from the Moonstone, was a mystery that Rapunzel wanted solved immediately.

But first…

She looked around, noting how the room had crumbled in a bit and pieces of the machine now lay around the room. She spotted Eugene, Max, and Lance getting to their feet, balancing on each other. She met eyes with her lover, which had the same amount of shock and confusion as she felt. 

She looked back and saw Varian struggling to his feet as well, coughing all the while. How hard had Cass kicked him? Had the blast made it worse?

She turned back to face her former friend, now enemy, who seemed to be awaiting some kind of reaction. “I won’t ask again, Cassandra. What was that?”

Cassandra’s devilish smile grew. “Guess you’ll have to find out for yourself. Now, I’m sorry to be leaving before giving Fitzherbert a birthday present, but-”

“Rapunzel!”

The Princess spun around to see Eugene catch Varian right as he fell back, eyes closed and face paler than normal. And...and blood was coming from his lips!

“Oh my gosh! Varian!”

Forgetting Cassandra, she sprinted over the where Eugene held the alchemist in his arms on the ground, Lance and Max behind him. Ruddiger was whimpering beside them, sniffing anxiously at his owner and wondering what was going on. Rapunzel placed a hand on his forehead, and she nearly flinched back from the amount of heat radiating off his skin. 

“How...h-how, what...wh-what…” she trailed off because she had no idea what she was trying to ask. From the burning, to the blood dripping from his chin, and the way he looked so lifeless and weak...this couldn’t be just some fever! 

“I don’t know.” Eugene muttered. “But if I had to hazard a guess, it would be the incantation…”

Rapunzel’s blood ran cold inside her body, suddenly remembering her best friend. She looked up and saw the woman holding the Demanitus scroll, writing something down on it and looking up at the wall Varian had used to translate it. 

And what Rapunzel felt next, was pure, pure anger and red rage that she’d only ever felt once.

“Cassandra! What did you do?”

The woman glanced at the group for a split second, an emotion crossing her face that Rapunzel couldn’t read. But then she looked back, folded up the scroll, and sprinted out of the chamber as if she didn’t just hurt Varian and her old friends.

And as tempted as Rapunzel was, she didn’t pursue her. 

She looked back at Varian’s pale, lifeless face with tears in her eyes as she brushed his bangs away from his head. 

She had something more important to take care of.

Chapter Text

POV, Rapunzel:

By the time they reached the castle, Varian held tight in Eugene’s arms, it was nearly pitch black outside. Rapunzel held onto her boyfriend’s waist as they both rode Maximus across the bridge to Corona capital, her eyes glancing down at the sweat-soaked boy every so often with fear. 

Lance allowed them to leave without him, saying he was going to check on Catalina and Angry. It allowed them to go at a faster pace, getting to the castle’s front gates just minutes before midnight. 

As they climbed off the stallion, Rapunzel looked at Varian again. He hadn’t woken up at all since Cassandra had run off, and the crimson liquid making its way down his chin had dried, but started up again over and over so that the bottom half of his face was practically drenched in his own blood. Not only that, but he appeared a lot paler and hotter than he had when he’d passed out!

What had that incantation done?

After telling Pete and Stan hastily of what had happened, they were quickly led to the infirmary where a doctor took the teenager into one of the private back rooms. This left them in the main hall of the infirmary, being checked out by nurses. Only a few bruises and scrapes here and there, plus a minor cut on the Princess’s scalp from pulling her hair out of the black rock. And soon, they were both sitting together on a hospital bed, alone, awaiting their family and news of Varian’s health.

The King and Queen arrived shortly, fearful of their daughter’s state. Rapunzel had started wishing for their memories to erase again, seeing that familiar glint of protectiveness glaze over her father’s heavy eyes. Their memories, after some time, had come back to full restoration not too long ago, leaving Rapunzel having to convince the King not to throw her reformed friend back in prison.

He seemed convinced enough now, though, especially upon hearing the news of what happened in the Demanitus Chamber.

“And she just...ran off?” her mother asked. Her parents sat on the bed in front of them, listening intently to their story.

Rapunzel nodded. “Mhm. And Varian...he-he was so pale and hot...that incantation did something to him! It had to have!”

Arianna gave her a warm, sympathetic, motherly glance that Rapunzel would never get sick of. It contrasted heavily to the stern, faux-loving looks she’d gotten used to from Gothel. 

“I’m sure he’ll be okay, Sweetie.”

“I hope so…” 

That’s when the doors to the infirmary slammed open, revealing a very tired, and very worried looking Quirin. 

“What happened!” he demanded immediately once his eyes landed on the Princess and her family. “Where is my son?” 

Rapunzel took a deep breath and stood up. She walked over to the farmer, who was looking more anxious the longer he was met with silence. 

“He’s in the back being checked out, right now, Sir. I...I don’t know how to explain, but-”

Before she could finish, the back room door was opened and Doctor Hemlick came out. The Doctor that had taken Varian back.

Everyone who’d been sitting down, aside from Fredrick, rose to their feet. Quirin pushed past Rapunzel to talk with the Doctor, shaking visibly in a way Rapunzel had never seen out of someone so burly and intimidating looking.

“Is my son okay? What’s going on?”

Doctor Hemlick bit his lip unsurely, glancing around the room at everyone. 

“I’m not really sure, Quirin. It’s nothing I’ve ever seen before, sickness wise, at least.”

“Sickness?” Rapunzel spoke up. “Like...a fever, sickness? Or…”

“Yes, but much worse. I don’t know what it is, but as far as it looks, it doesn’t seem transferable so you can all go and see him if you’d like.” 

Quirin didn’t hesitate to run into the room, leaving Rapunzel to continue talking to Hemlick. 

“So...you don’t know what’s going on?” Eugene walked over to stand next to her, and took her into his arms comfortingly as her stomach dropped in fear. Was Varian gonna be okay? What had Cassandra done? 

“No, and I’m afraid he hasn’t woken up yet. It’s unclear if or when he will, Your Highness. I apologize.” 

Tears brimmed Rapunzel’s eyes at the news. If or when? IF? Could that mean that...could he…

She couldn’t finish that thought. She didn’t want to! The idea that the boy she’d worked so hard to get back and help was facing what might possibly be the end of his life. A life that was supposed to hold a bright future with someone as smart as him. She couldn’t...she could believe that he’d lose everything he was working hard for! She couldn’t believe she’d lose him.

“Thank you, Doctor.” Eugene nodded. 

Hemlick nodded back. “I’ll continue monitoring him for any signs of something different. For now…”

“I know what’s going on.”

Everyone once again -- to Rapunzel's growing anxiety -- stopped when the sound of Quirin’s rough, strong tone came from the doorway of Varian’s room. They all turned to face him, though he didn’t meet their eyes and stared hard at the floor. He looked on the verge of tears. 

“You do?” Hemlick asked in surprise. “Do tell, Quirin.”

Quirin breathed shakily, leaning against the doorway. 

“It’s the Der Pestfluch; or, better known as the Seuche Curse.” 

------------------

POV, Cassandra:

Cassandra was really starting to regret reciting that incantation.

At first, saying those words felt good! Had felt like all the stars in the universe had decided to transfer their light into her. 

But now...now, as the memory of Varian’s lifeless looking form in Fitzherbert’s arms passed through her mind, guilt was the only thing wanting to settle in her gut. The way he’d looked so pale, and the blood coming from his lips...was taking the scroll translation really worth it? All the power it held had made it feel so at first, but now she wasn’t sure.

As she tread through the spongy, crunchy ground of the forest, these thoughts and doubts started worming their way into her chest and stomach. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Hurting the people she once (still?) cared about? Breaking the once strong trust between her and Rapunzel? Was...was that what she wanted? Was that what her so-called “destiny” called for? 

She felt the presence of her little ghost companion as the girl materialized behind her. The cold sense the young mentor gave off sent shivers down the warrior’s spine.

“I can sense your doubt, Cassandra.” the girl spoke, making Cass roll her eyes. “If you keep feeling guilt over the pain Rapunzel made you feel, there will be no point in pursuing your destiny further.”

Cassandra finally glanced back at the girl after slicing through a thick layer of vines ahead with her sword. “I’m not doubting anything. I just…”

She trailed off, and her eyes lowered to the ground. 

Wasn’t she, though?

“Exactly.” the girl confirmed after a silent moment. “You’re doubting your destiny, and the means of achieving it.”

There was no point in trying to deny it anymore, was there?

“Well, the ends don’t ever justify the means.” 

“That’s where you’re wrong! If you were to continue helping Rapunzel get to what she believes is her destiny, would you ever find yours? Do you think she’d ever help you once this was all finished? You’re only taking what you deserve; making people listen to you!”

“Is that really my destiny? Or is it just me being selfish?”

Cassandra turned away, continuing to stomp through the undergrowth with an unfamiliar feeling boiling inside her chest.

“You’re insecure, Cassandra. Somewhere inside you know this is what’s right! You know that for once, getting what you deeply want, is the right path to take.”

“...somewhere inside, you know this isn’t right!”

“How are you so sure…” Cassandra felt her voice crack, the vision of Rapunzel falling back and Varian passed out in Eugene’s arms making her chest ache. This didn’t feel as right as it had then, and perhaps it wasn’t. Perhaps Rapunzel was the right one; maybe she was just destined for servantry!

The girl came around to face her, pity and some other unreadable emotion in her eyes. She reached out, cupping the woman’s pale cheek with a chill, transparent hand. 

“Because even though others may think they know you, I only know that you are worth more than what they believe. I want to help you, Cassandra, while others would rather steal what you possess! Let me do so now, by ridding you of your doubts and insecurities!”

Cassandra, now feeling utterly vulnerable and frightened, nodded. 

“Okay.”

The girl smiled.

“Good. Now, let’s find a place to build a stronghold, shall we?”

------------------

POV, Eugene:

Eugene, Rapunzel, Quirin, and the King and Queen had relocated rooms to the Throne room, along with Doctor Hemlick. Eugene held his girlfriend at his side, finding comfort in the weight of her head on his shoulder.

“So...what is the Der Pestfluch?” Rapunzel asked. 

Quirin let out a heavy sigh.

“It’s not a story for the faint of heart, I warn you.”

Eugene looked down to the Princess with an unsure expression, knowing she definitely owned one of the faintest hearts he’d ever seen. But, to his surprise, she nodded.

“I want to know. I want to help my friend.”

Quirin nodded in understanding; after all, that friend was his own son, how couldn’t he?

“Okay. Well, it starts a few months prior to King Edmund trying to destroy the stone, when the rocks were slowly starting to become a bigger problem to the Dark Kingdom.

“Me, Adira, and Hector had just come back from a brief journey to the Great Tree as a study mission to search for anything pertaining to the rocks and the Moonstone. We found a few things, but weren’t able to search long enough due to our duties to keep the Moonstone safe at all, if not most, times. So we could only stay for so long.”

Eugene mentally noted how that must’ve been why nobody had found the translated Decay incantation before they had. Or could’ve, considering who he believed had translated the sundrop’s incantation. Here’s a hint: the person he believed it to be was a manipulative, abusive, and dead witch.

“As I was saying…” Quirin continued after going slightly off topic. “Not long after returning from our journey, I awoke to a strange blue blast covering the entire kingdom. I went to find out what it was, along with Adira and his Majesty, but we never found the source. My guess as of now is that it came from the Moonstone.”

Rapunzel gasped. “W-Wait...the incantation...after Cassandra read it, there was a big blast! Do you think that’s what that was?”

“Possibly.” Quirin nodded. “And if so, then Corona is in danger.” 

Eugene’s eyebrows furrowed. “How?” he asked. 

“I’ll get to that, but first, I need to finish the story. Nobody knows about this except for me, Edmund, Adira, Hector, and those who escaped the Dark Kingdom after Edmund’s failed attempt at destroying the opal.

“Again, we were unable to find the source, but still searched. Finding nothing, we all just decided it to be nothing, which ended up being a bad notion. Days to weeks passed, and children from younger than two to sixteen started growing ill. It was at first passed off as the common flu, having similar symptoms, until the sickness only grew and the youth became weaker.

“The castle’s infirmary, after weeks, overflowed with sick children. Children who experienced the same, and worse, symptoms as my son is. And unfortunately...we never found a cure.”

“Are you saying…” the doctor started, trailing off. He looked absolutely horrified. 

Quirin sighed again. “Many died, but some somehow managed to get past the weeks and months in utter agony. A few months later, when Edmund grabbed the stone and set off another explosion, it somehow cured the children who hadn’t passed. The people left for known reasons, and the rest of the story is well versed by now.”

Eugene felt cold inside. Did this mean...did the incantation Cassandra read...was Corona also affected? Or just Varian? 

How far had that explosion spread?

It seemed that everyone wanted to ask this, but nobody ever got to.

Because seconds later, the Throne Room doors flew open, and Lance came running inside with sweat coating his entire form. 

And two, unconscious, pale little girls in his arms.