Chapter Text
A long time ago, there were two lands.
One of fae, one of man. One, a land bursting at the seams with machine and technology, and one, a mystical place, imbued with the creative power of magic.
For many years, they were kept separate. Only the strongest of the fae had the power to cross realms and those that did would use that power to wreak havoc on humankind. It was a great taboo to cross, and an even greater one to return.
It took a man of both realms to finally bridge the gap. A man of both science and magic. The wizard Demanitus dedicated his entire life to the creation of two stones- blessed two of the greatest powers he could conceive of, the sun and moon.
He had split the celestial power at the seams, and so the stones longed to be reunited. That longing gave him the power to create a tear large enough that man and fae could travel. One, the sundrop, he buried in the dirt under Corona, a kingdom in the land of fae, and one, the moonstone, he kept hidden within a cave beside Mount Yareia of the human realm. Their separation kept the bridge stable.
Suddenly, two worlds were joined. Although many tried, only one human ever had the bravery and the wit to cross through and return home (the land of fae can be remarkably disorienting without a guide.) But many in the fae kingdom were blessed to learn about the technology they could find from secretive voyages to the human world.
It was a wonderful creation. The life's work of a genius. The physical manifestation of his lost years.
(How funny it is that when the time is exactly right, and when pressure is applied just so, a hundred years of work can be lost in a hundredth of a second.)
Unfortunately, even the most wonderful power can be misused.
Hugo, of the human realm, and Varian of fae both knew this all too well. They knew how different their worlds were, and how dangerous it would be if they crossed.
Andrew, in both his anger, and his lust for power had managed to raise an army. The havoc Andrew or the retaliating fae could cause was immeasurable.
Despite their precautions, despite their desperate attempts to outrun and disorient Andrew’s men, Varian and Hugo knew they had been followed as they traveled the mountain path toward the bridge.
Varian watched the stone of the cave wobble slightly in the light. He looked back at Hugo. If Varian didn’t know him any better, he would have missed the way his face had fallen. The echoing sound of footsteps snapped him out of his trance.
“Go,” Hugo said firmly. “I’ll lead them somewhere else.”
“Hugo-” Varian protested. Hugo gave Varian a reassuring smile. He pulled Varian’s head into his chest, pressing his lips to his forehead. Varian melted, wrapping his arms around Hugo’s waist.
“I’ll be OK, Sweetcheeks,” he murmured. “Get yourself home. I’ll deal with the rest.”
Varian sniffed a small sigh, lifting his head up to rest his hand on Hugo’s cheek.
“I love you,” he said softly. “I’ll be back.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Hugo grinned. Varian tilted his head upwards, pressing their lips together.
The footsteps got louder. Hugo flinched as he heard Andrew’s unmistakable yelling. They were out of time.
“Go,” he repeated. This time, Varian listened, taking a step backward into the wall. The raccoon that had followed them this far chirped, trotting next to Varian’s feet, following him through.
He was bathed in a brilliant golden light. The world outside was beginning to fade. Varian blanched as he noticed a shadow coming up from behind Hugo.
Hugo didn’t react.
He didn’t notice.
The figure raised a knife.
White-hot terror flooded his entire body. Without thinking, he snapped his hand up. He let the familiar emptiness spark up through his fingertips for one brief moment, slamming the man's head into the stone floor with one well-placed black rock.
Hugo looked back in surprise. He met Varian’s gaze before he faded away.
The light surrounding him got brighter, bathing him in a familiar warmth as his body traveled backward.
The darkness in his chest stayed put. He clenched his fists, trying to fight it back.
Suddenly, he felt something crack.
The light wavered. His hands felt cold. He looked down, gritting his teeth as his chest tightened. Blue light began to creep up from them, leaking up from the markings that traveled up his arms.
There was a loud creaking sound. Varian gasped as suddenly, he was thrown from the portal. He gasped for air, falling face-first into the dirt.
He shivered, grabbing at his chest as he tried to catch his breath.
His face split into a small smile as he recognized the brilliant purple light from the Coronan side of the portal.
It quickly fell as the light began to flicker.
The bridge had been in this clearing since the day Varian was born. If he got the time of day just right, sometimes he could even see the light all the way from his bedroom window.
Without making a sound, it faded into nothing, leaving behind absolutely no trace of the bridge that it used to be.
Varian blinked, squinting in the darkness.
That had never-
“No,” he murmured, grabbing at the air where it had been. “No!”
His lungs were being squeezed through a vice as he tried to breathe. He fell to his knees, desperately patting the ground for any kind of sign of what might have happened.
He felt nothing. There was nothing here. The emptiness made him want to scream. He reached out, trying with all his might to bring it back, to undo his mistake.
The markings on his arm slowly began to fade. He curled into a ball, grabbing his hair with his hands. The raccoon chirped sadly at him, watching as he completely lost control.
“No, no, no no no-” he whimpered.
He did this.
The bridge was gone.
Hugo-
Varian buried his head in his hands and screamed.
He didn’t know how much time had passed, but soon he was able to register small raccoon hands tapping his face softly. He sniffed, picking him up and setting him on his shoulders.
His eyes burned as he made his way through the eternal forest. He followed the sound of the wind, guiding him past the endless rows of identical trees. His brain was too foggy to guide him, so he relied on his feet to carry him home.
He stepped through a wall of trees. The forest faded away, exposing the grassy Coronan hills.
Branches curled around the small homes, draping them in bright green leaves. Everything was as he had left it. Even the flowers lining the path through the village were the same.
He heard a small gasp. An old woman whose name he’d never bothered to learn stared at him with a pale face. She took a step backward. She snarled at him before muttering a protective spell and waddling away.
Varian wrapped his arms around his waist. Good to be home.
He followed the stone path down the hill. The massive fields in the valley became larger, making it possible for him to see the endless rows of crops. He kept his eye on one house in the distance, in the center of one of the fields.
His mouth felt dry.
He could feel the memories around him as his boots sank into the soft dirt.
He could hear himself, 14 years younger, squeaking as he ran past the large pumpkins, hiding from his dad who was pretending not to see his scraggly black hair poking out from behind it.
He could almost see his dad, looking down at his 12-year-old self with such disappointment as he failed to hide a black rock he had created.
He could hear his dad’s screams. He could remember what it felt like to drain him of everything.
He swallowed.
The door was the same, but it felt like it was 10 feet tall. His closed fist hovered over it.
He took a second. Then he took two.
He felt another ghost slide next to him. This one felt warm.
You can do it, V. Don’t tell me you forgot how to knock.
He could hear Hugo’s stupid little smirk. A wave of annoyance set his face on fire before he felt a stone drop to the bottom of his stomach.
His fist met the door. He flinched at the sound.
For a second, he heard nothing. His mind began to spiral.
There’s no one there.
There’s no one there.
There’s no one there.
He grabbed his hair, taking deep breaths as the dread threatened to consume him.
The ghost touched his scalp, running its fingers gently through his hair. He could hear the suggestion of comforting words, but they weren’t strong enough for him to discern what they were.
He wrapped his hands around his middle, trying with all his might to suppress the loud sob that was building up in the back of his throat. Distantly he registered the raccoon jumping off his shoulder, pawing sadly at his leg. He couldn’t focus on anything other than the silence that threatened to swallow him alive.
Then. Footsteps.
They were soft. For a second, he was convinced it was another ghost.
The door opened.
He met a puzzled pair of green eyes. Everything stopped.
“Varian?” Rapunzel said quietly. The disbelief on her face was palpable as her jaw dropped slightly.
Varian’s breath hitched.
“Hi Rapunzel,” he whispered.
The sound of his voice caused her eyes to soften. She let out a loud sob, racing forward and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She pressed him tightly into her chest. He couldn’t breathe, but he couldn’t find the heart to care as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“I thought I was never going to see you again,” she wailed. “I- I didn’t know where to look-”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry -”
“It’s OK,” she said firmly, squeezing him tighter. “I missed you.”
He sniffed as her hands began to card through his hair. He nuzzled closer. He hadn’t realized how badly he’d missed her, until the feeling of her hands in his hair caused his entire body to melt, relieving an ache in his chest he hadn’t even noticed was there.
He stilled as he heard footsteps.
“Hello?” a heavy voice called out from inside the house. “Rapunzel, I appreciate all you’ve done, really, but I can answer my own door.”
Varian’s body tensed.
He pulled away to look at her.
A knowing smile was slowly making its way across her face. He swallowed a lump that formed at the bottom of his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a harsh breath.
His hands fell to his sides. Rapunzel stepped around him so he could see inside.
A large figure limped into the living room. He was putting all his weight onto his left leg, using a crutch to help him move as his right leg trailed at his side. He covered the hand holding his crutch with his other hand. The grip was weaker, causing his arm to shake.
Both father and son gasped in synchrony.
“Son?” Quirin gaped. “Son, is that you?”
“Dad!” Varian exclaimed, running towards him at light speed.
Quirin let out a loud ‘oof’ as Varian collapsed into him.
“Oh! Careful,” Rapunzel called out, helping Quirin settle back onto his feet as Varian wrapped his arms tightly around Quirin’s waist.
“Oh thank the sun,” Quirin muttered. “Thank the sun.”
Quirin’s right arm shook as it moved around Varian. He took raspy breaths, swaying slightly as he used Varian to keep him steady.
Varian let out a loud sob.
“Dad, I’m so- I’m so-”
“It’s OK, son. You’re safe. That’s all that matters.”
“I thought I killed you,” he hissed.
“You didn’t.”
“But-”
“Varian, we can talk about this later. For now, I’m just glad you’re home,” he said quietly.
“Me too, dad,” Varian murmured into his shirt.
From across the room, he could feel the ghost smile.
Told you it would be OK.
Even without the ache, his chest still felt cold.
The melody that played in the back of his head was soft. He could hardly call it a melody- more of a rhythm. Something that pressed gently against the edges of his subconscious, demanding to be known.
The stone in his hand felt cold.
It melted into the center of his palm like a smooth piece of ice. It made his fingers burn but he couldn’t let go.
He heard yelling. Eyes glared up at him, burning a hole deep within his chest.
He gripped the stone tighter. His arm began to tremble.
There was an enraged shriek. A voice whispered soft words of encouragement to him. He didn’t know where it was coming from.
The song played louder. He could hear the melody now. It was foreign to him, but something about the way the song lilted felt eerily familiar. If he listened closely he could almost hear singing.
He closed his eyes and let go.
He felt the shards begin to fly.
Silence.
Then another symphony started in the back of his mind. This one was a lot less foreign.
“Hugo.”
Memories began to swirl, blending into each other in a vibrant crescendo.
“Lying’s a sin, Stripes.”
“I don’t lie.”
“I’ll be back for you, baby. I promise. Just a few years here until mommy gets back on her feet. I love you, sweetheart.”
It was so loud. Holy shit, it was so so loud.
“Hugo?”
It wouldn’t stop. The shattered stone lay at his feet, screaming at him, taunting him. It was all his fault.
“I love you. I’ll be back.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
It was all his fault.
“You can’t do anything right! What’s the point in having you around if you keep fucking up?!”
“Sorry, Don.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it. Clean your mess.”
He was the creator of his own nightmare.
“"̵̰͈̩̓H̸̟̘̺̥̊̽u̶̙̜̿̋̔̃̀̔͋g̷͍̭̭̦͖̘͙̣̓͛̈́̈́̋̕o̵̻͉̥̿.̸̥͔̣͌̀͑͒"̴̺̓̓̉̀̾̒̆̉”
“Hugo!”
Hugo’s eyes snapped open. He threw himself out of bed, flailing as the covers wrapped around his sweaty limbs. He gasped for breath, smacking at the blanket to free himself from the overwhelming heat.
He ran his hands through his hair, looking up in confusion.
“Nuru? What are you doing here?” he asked. She glared down at him.
“Do you know what time it is?” she asked, crossing her arms.
Hugo blinked, looking out the window. The sun had just barely begun to peek out over the horizon.
“Time for you to get a watch?” he asked with an awkward smile.
She smacked the top of his head.
“It’s 6:30. You said you’d be up at 6 to help me deal with stock!” she admonished.
Hugo cringed.
“Shit, I did, didn’t I?”
Nuru raised an eyebrow. Hugo’s shoulders fell. His head hit the back of the bed frame with a loud bang.
“I’m sorry, Nuru. I guess I was more tired than I thought.”
Nuru sniffed. Hugo looked down at the floor, rubbing his arm. Her eyes softened as she uncrossed her arms.
“How did you even function before you hired me?” she sighed.
Hugo shrugged.
“With very inconsistent hours and no guarantee that anything anyone was looking for would be there.”
Nuru snorted.
“Figures. You’re lucky you have me. Get dressed. I left it all for you to do since I had to wake up to wait for you.”
“Wh- hey!” Hugo protested as Nuru dashed out of his room. The door shut with a loud click before he could say anything else.
He sighed, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He let out one more exhausted groan before he pushed himself off the bed and trudged over to the dresser.
He couldn’t help but feel just a little bit guilty watching light start to peek through the curtains.
Nuru had only been working at the shop for about a month now, and he would never in a million years admit it out loud, but he’d probably die for her if she asked him to.
It had just barely been a year since Don had settled him down here, in a small town on the exact opposite edge of Ingvarr’s border, and disappeared. He was still trying to adjust. He had been spiraling just a tiny bit. Without anything familiar to hold onto, it was impossible to rationalize getting out of bed, let alone going about his stupid mundane life.
(Going back to his mundane life also meant thinking about the things he’d left behind, and that was a train of thought he was happy to derail.)
Then there was Nuru. She was a small ball of energy. She was just barely 16, and she was so full of life. It was helpful having a human shield in the form of a teenager with the brightest smile you’ve ever laid eyes on whenever customers start getting rowdy.
Her optimism was kind of impressive. When they first met he’d been a bit unsure of her. He’d always had trouble with optimists. A life spent on the streets was more than enough to make it next to impossible for him to trust people who could still see the good in the world.
But Hugo was only just beginning to learn there was so much more to Nuru than met the eye.
He didn’t know much. He knew she left home. He knew she’d run away from somewhere else. (And that somewhere else was traumatizing enough for her to completely shut down if he asked her about it. He only made that mistake once.)
He also knew she was here, living in the room across the hall from him, with nowhere else to go. At sixteen years old. And she still woke up with a smile on her face, and a skip in her step.
He’d call it inspiring, but the reality was it was more fascinating.
He looked up, watching as the light brightened even more. He cursed, grabbing his boots, and shoving them on as he pushed his way out the door.
“Took you long enough,” Nuru admonished as Hugo raced down the stairs.
“A vampire broke into my room. You’re lucky I’m even alive,” he deadpanned, crossing his arms. “What we got?”
Nuru sniffed, shoving his arm.
“Jerk. We’ve got about 10 boxes worth of stuff. I wasn’t sure where to tell them to leave them, so-”
Hugo raised an eyebrow, looking around as Nuru gestured at the piles of boxes that were scattered across the floor.
“So you just told them to leave them in the middle of the floor?”
Nuru narrowed her eyes.
“Hey! Someone was supposed to help me.”
“That’s on you for expecting me to be awake earlier than 8 in the morning.”
Nuru rolled her eyes. She looked down at the box full of intricate vases, neatly stacked by her feet. She tapped it lightly with the side of her foot, causing it to rattle.
Hugo brushed his hands against his pants, letting out a long sigh as he moved to the center of the store.
“Right, here. We can move the boxes to this corner,” he said, pointing to the left. “We can keep all the clutter over there and we can deal with unloading throughout the day. I don’t think there’s any way we’re getting this all dealt with before 8:30.”
Nuru crossed her arms.
“You’re right! If only someone thought of that and suggested we wake up earlier.”
Hugo narrowed his eyes. She raised her hands defensively, shrugging. He held her stare for a second before he snorted and shrugged.
“Fine. I’m sorry. Are you happy?” he asked, bending down to pick up one of the boxes.
“Very,” she beamed, picking up a box of her own. She groaned as she leaned backward to support the weight of the box.
“Don’t lift with your back,” he said sharply, setting his box down in the corner.
“What does that even mean?!” Nuru groaned, dropping her box on top of his and leaning over it to catch her breath.
“Don’t lean forward to pick it up. You’ll hurt yourself.”
Nuru rolled her eyes, watching as Hugo bent down to pick up another box. She pursed her lips before she shrugged, walking to the other side of the store, and copying his form.
“What did I tell you?” he grinned as she dropped the box down.
“Shut up.”
Hugo rolled his eyes, pulling the lid off of one of the boxes. He stared at the plates that were stuffed between rolls of linen to keep them from smashing. They were white, with a strange red design lining the edges.
“Oh these are ugly,” he bemoaned. “Don has awful taste.”
Nuru blinked.
“Didn’t you get these? Who’s Don?”
Hugo huffed a small laugh.
“No, I didn’t get these. I have eyes,” he said, gesturing at a small white plate with an off-center purple dot in the middle. Nuru chuckled.
“Technically, Don is your boss,” Hugo explained, setting the stack of abominations down on one of the tables. He frowned at it, pushing it behind another stack of plates.
“So you don’t own this place?”
“Nah. I’d never be able to afford it. Don's my mentor. She lets me take care of it, and by extension, she lets me decide to let you stay here.”
“Huh,” Nuru mumbled, grabbing one of the small china cups and fidgeting with it with her hands. “How come I’ve never met her?”
Hugo cringed.
“It’s- it’s kind of a long story.”
“We’ve got-” Nuru cut herself off, looking over at the old grandfather clock pressed against the wall by the stairs. “At least an hour.”
Hugo rolled his eyes. Nuru stared at him with wide, pleading eyes. She pressed her hands together and gave him a pathetic little pout. Hugo groaned, leaning against one of the boxes.
“Right, fine. Would you believe me if I told you we’re wanted?”
Nuru blinked.
“Wanted? Like criminals?” Her jaw dropped. “Hugo, what did you do?!”
“Not- no!” he said quickly. “Not like- not criminals. Just- look. What do you know about the Saporians?”
Nuru frowned.
“Oh, they- they’re bad news, right? I think I’ve heard of them.”
Hugo huffed a small laugh. “Bad news is- it’s a word for them. They’re- well they weren’t always this dangerous but uh- they’ve gotten support from a lot of powerful people over the last year. Me and Don managed to really piss them off.”
“What did you do?”
Hugo bit his tongue. His blood felt cold. The taste of iron burned his tongue as memories started to waver in and out between his ears.
“Kid? Kid, I’m sorry!”
In the distance, Hugo could hear a hauntingly familiar voice scream. He squeezed his eyes shut.
“Hugo?”
“Stuff,” he said loudly, cutting off the noise. “We- stuff happened. We pissed them off, and now we’re in hiding. She can’t stay in the same town as me because it’ll draw attention to us.”
The sound of blood rushing past his ears made his head throb. Far away memories were clawing at his skull, threatening to break loose. He was drowning in his own head. Thinking about what had happened opened the floodgates and he didn’t know if he could-
Hugo flinched as Nuru’s hand found his shoulder. She drew it back, letting it hover as she frowned. Hugo sighed, leaning back against the wall.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t realize it was a painful memory for you.”
Hugo sniffed, letting his head bump lightly against the wall.
“Yeah. It’s-” he clicked his tongue, letting out a frustrated breath and pressing his hands on his knees. “It’s been weird not having her around.”
Weird was a bit of an understatement. Nuru’s face fell. She let her hand drop, fidgeting with her hands as she rocked back and forth on her heels.
“I understand. Not- not the being wanted thing, obviously,” she chuckled. “I understand how confusing it is to be on your own. I’m really sorry.”
Hugo’s face split into a small smile.
“Thanks, Nuru. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome,” she smiled.
They stood for a beat, before Nuru pushed herself off the wall, shoving his shoulder.
“Now come on. Move your lazy butt.”
Hugo barked out a loud laugh.
Nuru kept his sanity intact.
Before her, there was too much empty time. It made him want to crawl out of his own skin. The shop Donella chose was intentionally modest. A humble wooden building squeezed between two large stone ones. They were lucky to get 3, maybe 4 people in a day. Most of his day was spent standing around doing nothing.
Maybe he should enjoy it more, but the Nothing made him feel like he wanted to crawl out of his own skin. His head was too loud. He’d take a little bit of nagging over closing his eyes and hearing the sound of stone hitting stone, shattering like it was made of glass-
Yeah. Nuru was a welcome change. For the first time in the absolute trash fire that was this year, Hugo almost felt like things could be OK. Like he could survive this with no problem.
(In other words, he was pretty much asking for trouble.)
The next day started off mundane.
He woke up late. (Again.)
He made up his energy potion. (Of course, Nuru made fun of him for making said energy potion. She didn’t understand the genius behind a bright pink vial of caffeine and sugar. More for him, he supposed.)
Trouble started approximately 23 minutes after Hugo crawled his way out of bed when he went to check the mail.
A small red envelope peaked through the letterbox. He pulled the handle, watching as the letter floated to the ground as soon as the door was open wide enough.
He hummed, turning it in his hands. There was no name, no return address, nothing. There was just the shop address written in plain, unrecognizable handwriting.
He tore the paper, plucking out the letter and letting the torn remnants of the envelope fall to the floor.
He couldn’t hold back the small smile that wormed its way across his face at the sight of Donella’s sharp, familiar handwriting.
Hugo.
I’m sorry it’s been so long. I’m also sorry the first time you’re going to hear from me in months is because of this, but this needs to reach you, and quickly. The Saporians have been traveling. Multiple sources are telling me they’re heading to the outskirts of Ingvarr, near where you are. None of them know why. I need you to keep yourself safe. That may mean leaving town for a few weeks. I have a safe house not far from where you are if it comes to that. The address is written below. Please destroy it when you have it memorized.
I hope you’re well. I’m sorry things are the way they are right now.
Donella.
Hugo clenched his fists, crinkling the paper as he tried to breathe.
Distantly, he could hear footsteps. He could almost hear Nuru’s voice, but it was impossible to tell what she was saying over the sound of blood rushing past his ears. His hands began to tremble as he felt ice begin to rush through his veins.
Everything always seemed to come back to Andrew. Every single time he thought he’d managed to piece his life back together from the shambles he’d left it in, he always found a way back.
He blinked as Nuru’s voice started to come into focus. She was holding her hands out in front of him, watching him carefully. She spoke with a soft lilt to her voice, as if she was talking down a spooked deer.
“Are you OK?”
Hugo swallowed back the emotions that were forcing their way up his throat and forced himself to nod. She gave him a look that pretty clearly told him she wasn’t convinced. He couldn’t blame her.
He looked back down at the letter. He read through it again. And again. The 10th time, Nuru had taken a step forward, raising her hand cautiously.
“I think I have to leave town,” he murmured.
“What?!”
“I have to- I- the Saporians are coming here.”
“Here like the shop or here like this town?”
“This town. Don doesn’t know why I-”
Nuru frowned as Hugo raced to the back of the store, pulling his backpack out of one of the cabinets. He opened it, frowning. He pulled out a small leather journal from the bottom of the bag. His thumb traced the letters carved into the bottom before he scowled, dropping it haphazardly back into the bag.
“How long are you going to be gone for?”
Hugo froze. He picked at a loose string on his backpack as he chewed his lip.
“I don’t know.”
“Are you going to come back?”
“I don’t know.”
“When will you-” Nuru cut herself off as Hugo gave her a tired look. “Right. You don’t know.”
“Now you’re getting it,” Hugo grinned.
Nuru’s face fell. Hugo felt guilt begin to pool at the bottom of his stomach.
“Nuru, I-”
“Can I come?” she asked.
Hugo paused.
“What?”
“Can I come?”
Hugo clenched his fist around the handle of his backpack, biting his tongue.
“Nuru, it’s dangerous. I don’t know if the Saporians know I’m here.”
Nuru shrugged.
“So?”
Hugo scoffed.
“So? You could get hurt.”
“So could you,” she countered.
Hugo groaned, dragging his hands across his face.
“That’s not the same thing.”
“Why not?”
“Because. This is my mess, Nuru. I can’t- enough people have gotten hurt because of me. I’m not adding you to the list.”
“You don’t get to make that decision for me.”
“Yes I do, and I am.”
“Hugo, please,” Nuru protested. Her voice wobbled at the end. Hugo froze as he looked her in the eyes. They were filled with a resigned sadness that made his mouth go dry.
“Nuru-”
“Hugo, I understand something happened to you. I’m- I don’t blame you for being protective but you’re the only friend I have. If you disappear-” she cut herself off with a sharp breath. Hugo frowned.
“I don’t want to be alone,” she said quietly. Hugo’s heart shattered.
“You’re not taking no for an answer, are you?” he sighed.
“Nope,” she beamed. The vulnerable look on her face was quickly wiped away in favor of a teasing grin. “I’ll find you if you try.”
Hugo pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Fine.”
Nuru bounced on her heels before she raced up the stairs. The sound of her bedroom door slamming echoed loudly through the hall.
He sighed. He was going to regret this.
Ingvarr was less of a kingdom and more of a border. Its capital lay in the center of a great valley, encircled by an ocean and a mountain range on the northern end, and dense forests on the southern end. Small towns surrounded the edges of the kingdom, so different they may have well been other worlds. Hugo had spent so much of his time in the south, he’d forgotten how different it was in the north.
As much as he missed the life he’d had back there, if there was one thing he appreciated, it was the privacy.
Hugo couldn’t remember a time he’d gone on an errand in his old village without being stopped by at least 3 people for a friendly conversation. For the most part, he kept to himself. Somehow that made him stand out even more.
He knew he frightened people. They weren’t careful to keep their voices down as he walked past. It never really irked him all that much- how could it? He knew he didn’t belong there. No matter how much about him changed, there was nothing that could erase the rat that Donella had plucked from the streets.
Here, nobody knew his name. Nobody bothered to ask. It had been a year, and he’d only just begun to recognize familiar faces. The man with a small wooden cane, with a scar on the left side of his cheek, the older woman with the long red coat, the teenage boy who came in every two weeks for the same set of silverware, he could point them out in a crowd, but he’d never be able to tell you their names.
All of that was to say, when a stranger stumbled into an isolated farming village on the southern outskirts of Ingvarr, it was guaranteed some eyebrows would be raised. In the north, everyone was a stranger.
And yet there was something about the stranger that had stumbled in that made Hugo’s skin crawl.
As soon as she’d stepped through the door, something about the way she moved made Hugo’s body feel stiff. He watched her carefully from his desk against the wall. She looked around awkwardly, pushing the boxes on the shelves lightly with her fingertips. She was huffing for breath, looking over her shoulder at the door repeatedly as she walked through.
Her dress was in tatters. The fabric was already thin to begin with. It was hardly enough for the heavy rainfall Ingvarr got this time of year. The bottom of her skirt was covered in dried mud, making it flow awkwardly against her legs. Between that, and the twigs and leaves that were poking out of her messy brown hair, it was obvious she hadn’t been having a good few days.
Her eyes were wide as she made her way slowly toward him. As if a china shop was the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen. (Who knows. Maybe she just didn’t get out much. Or ever.)
She watched him for a second, leaning over the desk. Hugo clenched his fists, holding his hand over his journal as he scribbled numbers, trying to keep his cool.
“Excuse me?” she asked quietly. “Do you work here?”
Hugo rolled his shoulders back, pressing his tongue against his bottom teeth.
“No. I just like sitting behind random desks. It makes me feel important.”
The woman blinked.
“Oh. Do you know who does work here?”
Hugo looked up at her with a frown.
“I do.”
The poor woman looked downright confused.
“But- you said-”
“I was being sarcastic.”
Her mouth fell into a small o as the pieces clicked into place.
“Oh,” she chuckled. “Sorry.” Her eyes flitted back towards the door. Hugo frowned, following her gaze. When he didn’t see anything, he glared. He didn’t have time for this. He nodded impatiently at her, urging her to continue.
“Oh, right, sorry,” she said, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. “I’m looking for someone who knows about magic.”
Hugo’s eyebrows knitted together as he tried his best to process what she said.
“Magic?”
“Yeah, um, the people across the street told me you dealt in magic.”
Hugo frowned.
“I do alchemy. Not magic. And I haven’t studied alchemy in a while, but if you’re looking for something specific-”
“Not some thing, some one,” she explained.
Well, that got his attention.
“What do you mean?” Hugo asked, shutting his journal to meet her eyes properly.
“I need help,” she said. “I don’t know where else to go. A town a few miles from here said a woman named Donella might be able to help me, but they didn’t give me any way to find her. I thought if you knew magic, you might be able to help me.”
Hugo’s jaw tensed. Three things were jumping out at him all at once.
She was looking for Donella.
She’d gone to him to find her.
He needed to leave. Now.
He sat silently, watching as her voice trailed off. She leaned backward on her heels, chewing the bottom of her lip. That bad feeling he’d gotten earlier magnified, making him feel nauseous. He had to fight to keep the tremor out of his voice as he replied.
“I don’t do magic. I’m sorry, you’re going to have to try somewhere else.”
Her face fell.
“Could you help-”
“We’re actually closed,” Hugo said quickly. “I’m sorry, you need to leave.”
She opened her mouth to protest before her jaw slammed shut with a loud click. Hugo kept his back pressed straight against his chair as she reluctantly padded her way out. As soon as the door shut, Hugo jumped to his feet, racing to latch the door shut.
Nuru peeked her head around the corner.
“Isn’t Donella-”
“We need to go,” he said sharply, grabbing his backpack from under the desk. Nuru nodded, racing up the stairs.
He raced around the store, racing to find anything he couldn’t afford to leave behind. Most of the things tucked under his desk, and shoved in the cabinets in the back were worthless. Small bits of decor, and useless trinkets he’d be sad to part with, but would only weigh him down.
He opened the last cabinet at the very bottom of his desk. He stared at the small beige pouch set in the center. He grabbed it, fidgeting with the bottom with his fingertips. The small, shattered stones rubbed against each other like shards of broken glass.
He lost himself to the memories that were hidden inside. He closed his eyes.
The sound of murmured voices caused him to snap into focus. He watched the door as the sound of footsteps caused his ears to twitch.
One year ago, the sound of a gathering crowd wouldn’t even make him lift an eyebrow. Now, it made him jump to his feet. He threw the pouch into his backpack, racing to the front of the store. Nuru was already gathered by the door, hunched over, carrying a backpack that was filled just a little bit too much. There wasn’t time for him to suggest she travel lighter. She’d figure it out sooner or later. They needed to go.
He threw the door open, watching as 3 people hurried past. He looked at Nuru who only shrugged, following him down the stairs onto the street.
He turned the opposite way the 3 had been going, determined to move as far away from the footsteps and the talking as humanly possible. He pulled his hood over his head, looking at Nuru to urge her to do the same. He didn’t have to say a word before she nodded, pulling the silk sheet that was tied to the front of her head over her hair, and pulling the hood of her cloak on top of it.
He peered down an alleyway. The noise was filtering through the narrow space. He squinted, chewing his lip. He shouldn’t risk anything. He knew he should take Nuru and get gone, but fuck, if he wasn’t curious by nature. He had to know what was happening.
He held his hand up to Nuru who opened her mouth in protest. Before she could say anything, he was creeping down the alleyway, pressing his back against the wall, and looking around the corner.
The crowd was small. It was less a crowd and more a gathering of confused passersby. In the center of the chaos was the woman from earlier. She was hunched over, taking a step back with her arms wrapped around her waist. She was rubbing a dark red mark that was developing on the top of her forearm.
Stepping around her was a figure Hugo knew all too well. He held his breath, pressing closer against the wall, as Andrew circled around the woman like a shark. His grin was wide enough that he could see it clear as day from the alley. He swallowed, knocking his head against the wall as he pressed his eyes shut.
The woman took another step back, gasping as her back pressed against a large man Hugo immediately recognized as Kai. She jumped, trying to move away, but before she could, Kai grabbed her wrist. She growled, pulling forward to try and set herself free.
Andrew sauntered towards her. He pulled out a small knife, tapping it lightly against her neck. She flinched, letting out a muted cry as soon as the blade made contact with her skin. The smell of burnt flesh permeated the air.
Hugo bit down on his tongue. Distantly, he could taste blood beginning to pool at the bottom of his mouth, but he couldn’t focus on anything but the faint red mark that had begun to appear where the knife had touched.
He jolted as he felt a hand touch his shoulder. Nuru looked at the crowd, before turning back at him with wide eyes.
“We should go,” she hissed.
Hugo swallowed. She was right. But something kept his feet planted.
The woman struggled again, letting out a loud cry as she dug her heels into the ground. (That was the moment that he realized she wasn’t wearing shoes. Had he missed that earlier?)
“Please,” she sobbed, tugging on her arm, trying to free herself from Kai’s grip. “I don’t know what you think I’ve done, but I don’t mean any harm!”
Andrew hummed, crossing his arms and resting his weight on his left leg.
The woman let out a frustrated yell, rubbing her face with her hand.
“Please! I can’t lie! I wouldn’t lie! I haven’t done anything! I just want to go home!” she cried out.
If you know about fairies you know we don’t lie. I wouldn’t lie about this.
Hugo squeezed his eyes shut.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he smiled. “I don’t think you’ve done anything. In fact, if you cooperate, I can take you home myself.”
“ Hugo,” Nuru insisted, pulling on his arm. Hugo waved her off.
“What do you want?” the woman asked.
“Well, I’d bore you with all the details, but that would take too long. Right now, all I ask for is your name.”
“My name?”
“Your name,” he shrugged.
She blinked at him, furrowing her eyebrows. She rolled her tongue, pursing her lips. She gasped, clenching her jaw, and squeezing her eyes shut. It seemed like she was wrestling with something.
“Rapunzel,” she exclaimed.
Hugo’s heart plummeted.
She coughed, wheezing as she glared daggers at him. Her face paled as the grin across Andrew’s face became downright predatory.
Rapunzel gritted her teeth before she drove her foot into Kai’s groin. Kai let out a loud howl, letting go of her to stumble backward. Andrew let out a frustrated snarl, grabbing her wrist and throwing her to the ground.
She let out a grunt as her forehead cracked on the pavement. Her arms shook as she pushed herself up.
Andrew kicked her in the chest, sending her sprawling to the floor.
He raised his sword, glaring at her. She looked up with horror.
The sword never lowered.
Hugo didn’t blink as he held his sword firm against Andrew’s, clenching his other fist to keep his body from trembling. Andrew’s face darkened.
“You,” he spat.
“Run,” Hugo yelled over his shoulder, holding Andrew’s stare. When he didn’t hear anything, he turned back frantically to stare at Rapunzel.
“Run!” he spat.
He didn’t give her a moment to think, before he dropped his arm, grabbed her hand, and ran, weaving through the retreating crowd.
“Seize them!” Andrew yelled.
Hugo readjusted his grip on his sword as he raced back through the alleyway. He gripped Rapunzel’s hand tighter as soon as he crossed paths with Nuru.
“Wha-” she blanched.
“Run first, ask questions later!” he yelled, skidding out of the alley. Rapunzel’s hand dropped from his, causing him to stumble, looking behind to make sure she was still there.
The terror dripping from her face was so potent he could practically taste it. He turned his head away from her, looking forward as the three of them sprinted down the street. They flailed as they tried to dodge random pedestrians. Hugo let out a yelp as his foot caught a stone in the middle of the pavement. Nuru caught his arm, snickering at him as Hugo rolled his eyes.
Her smile quickly fell as Kai jumped out in front of them from an alleyway.
“This way!” he said quickly, pointing down a street to their left. Rapunzel let out a surprised cry, stumbling to try and keep up with the other two.
“What’s the plan?!” Nuru exclaimed.
“Don’t have one!” Hugo called back. He let out a small curse as something occurred to him. He turned to Rapunzel.
“How many of you are there?!”
“What?” Rapunzel replied, heaving for breath as they swerved around another corner.
“Are there any other fae with you?”
Her eyes widened with understanding.
“No!” she yelled. “Just me!”
Hugo let out a relieved breath.
“Alright, alright. I can work with that!”
“Hang on, fae?!” Nuru shrieked. Her eyes flitted between Rapunzel and Hugo.
“I’ll explain when we’re not running for our lives!” Hugo exclaimed.
Nuru snapped her jaw shut with a click, muttering a curse in a language Hugo didn’t understand.
A loud shout caused the three of them to jump. Hugo looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with Andrew who was approaching them from behind. He winced, pumping his legs harder to try and outrun him.
“I don’t understand! Who is he? What does he want from me?” Rapunzel cried.
“That’s a bit of a long story,” Hugo replied. “When we get to Donella’s, I swear she can explain better than I can!”
Rapunzel blinked. Her face twisted into a scowl.
“You said you didn’t know her!”
Hugo snickered.
“I lied. That’s kind of our thing.”
She let out a frustrated huff before she turned around. She yelped as she made eye contact with Andrew.
The trees surrounding the outer edge of the town began to come into focus. He gritted his teeth as shouts came from either side.
He didn’t have time to think as he led them down a small dirt path out of the town and into the forest. They funneled single file, slapping at branches that snapped in their faces to try and keep distance between themselves and the hoard of men behind them.
The voices were drawing closer. He could hear branches snapping under their feet as they approached. No matter how fast they ran, they were gaining. He could hear Andrew’s yells above the rest, shouting commands that made his blood turn to ice.
He looked at Nuru. The terror was written clear as day on his face. He didn’t know what to do. They were screwed. There was no way they were outrunning them, and they were running out of options. He-
“I have an idea,” Rapunzel said suddenly.
“What?” Hugo asked.
Rapunzel didn’t respond. She turned around, planting her feet into the dirt as she faced back down the path. Nuru and Hugo turned to look at her, before looking at each other. Nuru raised an eyebrow. Hugo shrugged.
“Stay behind me!” she yelled.
Hugo didn’t have a chance to ask why before she raised her hands.
He felt a jolt of electricity. Then another. The air around them began to warm. Sweat began to bead on his forehead. He heaved for breath, as the heat began to choke him.
Rapunzel’s shadow faded as the edges of her body glowed a vibrant yellow. Her short brown hair unfurled past her shoulders, and down onto the floor in a brilliant golden display of light. The locks of hair were almost transparent, sparkling in the light of the sun.
Her ears began to poke through her hair, pointed and distinctly inhuman. She closed her eyes. As soon as she opened them, they began to glow white. She gritted her teeth and twisted her foot.
From the side of the path, a root began to slowly crawl towards her. The whole tree began to creak as it curved inwards.
There was a loud cracking noise as another tree from the other side of the path did the same. Blades of grass sprung up by her feet, spreading out in a massive circle wherever the golden light that was emanating from her fingertips touched.
His jaw dropped as roots and branches continued to crawl across the path from either direction, forming an impenetrable wall of wood and leaves.
“Come on!” Rapunzel yelled. Hugo shook his head. He didn’t even realize she’d been talking.
They raced up the path as the trees behind them closed in around them. He jumped over a root that had begun to crawl across the path. He watched as it curled around another root on the other side and lifted up over their heads.
The golden light from Rapunzel’s hands began to flicker as soon as they were underneath the shade of a large oak tree. He and Nuru watched with fascination as it seemed to explode as soon as they were back under the light of the sun.
The yelling became more distant as they made it to the top of a steep hill. They passed a large ring of trees. The path became wider, opening into a small grassy clearing. As soon as they stepped into the grass, the trees behind them slammed together, erasing all traces of the path that had been there. The rows and rows of trees and bushes were so thick, Hugo wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it through with a machete.
Without the sounds of shouting and footsteps, Hugo’s entire body melted into the ground. He pressed his hands to his knees, curling over to gasp for breath. He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the taste of blood.
Rapunzel fell to her knees, wheezing as the golden light faded from her hands. The strands of light that lined her hair faded away, returning to the short brown hair she’d had before.
Hugo and Nuru looked at each other. Nuru looked about ready to pass out. He wouldn’t blame her if she did.
Instead, to his surprise, she stood up straight, glaring daggers at him.
“What,” Nuru gasped, holding her sides. “The fuck?”
Hugo grinned slightly.
“I warned you.”
Nuru curled her lip.
“You warned me traveling with you could be dangerous, not about- that!” she cried, gesturing at Rapunzel who waved sheepishly at her.
“So what the hell?”
Hugo opened his mouth to reply, but Rapunzel beat him to it.
“I’m Rapunzel.”
“I got that!” Nuru said, dragging her hands across her face. Rapunzel’s face fell. Nuru groaned.
“I’m Nuru,” she said, gesturing at herself. She pointed at Hugo. “And that shithead is Hugo.”
“S’up,” Hugo said, raising a hand. Rapunzel raised a hand in response, smiling at them.
“So,” Nuru said, directing them back on track. “Fairies are real?!”
Rapunzel shrugged, wiping her hands on her dress.
“What are you even doing here?” Nuru asked. “What’s your agenda?”
She paused.
“Wait, do fairies even have agendas?”
Rapunzel chuckled.
“No agenda. It’s like I said before. I’m stuck.”
“Stuck?”
“How’d you cross the bridge?” Hugo asked, cutting off Nuru’s reply.
Rapunzel looked up at him blankly for a second. He shrank under her stare.
“It was an accident,” she said finally. She turned towards Nuru who looked even more confused than she already was.
“The bridge between my realm and yours is broken,” Rapunzel explained. She looked down at the ground, chewing her lip. “We don’t know why.”
Hugo crossed his arms and stared at his feet. He didn’t miss the way she cringed, clenching the skirt of her dress as her body trembled ever so slightly. He didn’t dare comment on the lie.
“We-” she cut herself off as her voice started to wobble. “I was trying to fix it.” she cringed, gritting her teeth for a second.
Another lie. Hugo frowned.
“It- it worked for a second and I fell through. I landed in the middle of your kingdom, and I have no idea how to get back.”
“Is that why you need Donella?” Nuru asked.
Rapunzel nodded.
“How do you know about her?” Hugo said quietly. He crossed his arms, burying his hands in his armpits, digging his heels in the ground to keep the tremors that were making their way up his body at bay.
The brief moment of silence between his question and her answer made him want to scream. He didn’t want the answer- he knew it already, but something inside him needed to hear it.
“I told you. Some people in the last town over told me that she knew about the fae. She’s my only lead.”
Hugo nodded, swallowing back a lump that had made its way up his throat. She was perfectly still. She’d barely kept herself together when she told her past few lies. This was the truth.
“Good news for you, that’s where we’re going,” Hugo smiled. It didn’t quite make it to his eyes. He held his hand out for Rapunzel to take. She used his weight to lift herself onto her feet.
Rapunzel smiled at him as he turned to lead the way. He bit his lip to keep the scowl off his face. He led them up another path through the woods. The bright look in her eyes was so painfully familiar. He kept his gaze as far from her as he could possibly manage, but as soon as he looked away all he could think of was the color blue. He shuddered. He could almost feel the ghost of-
The ghost of her brother trailing behind them.
This was fine.
The journey to Donella’s safehouse was mercifully and painfully quiet. Hugo kept his jaw sewn shut, afraid he would say something he would regret if he tried to say anything other than this way or through there.
Nuru seemed to sense the tension. She kept to herself, kicking at rocks as they made their way down the forest path.
The sun had long since set by the time they finally made it to the abandoned windmill Donella described on the back of her letter. The stone at the base was cracked and decorated with a fine layer of moss.
They pushed their way through the tall grass. Hugo pushed open the large wooden door. It creaked loudly, echoing in the empty space.
He jumped backward as a large figure stepped in front of them. The light reflected off his sword as he held it up to Hugo’s face.
“Hugo?!”
“Heya, Cyrus,” Hugo grinned, waggling his fingers.
The bodyguard shook his head, lowering his sword. He stepped around Hugo to get a look at Nuru and Rapunzel who were hidden behind him.
“Who are they?”
“Where’s Don?” Hugo replied, tilting his head to look around for her.
Cyrus glared at him.
“Don’t worry, big guy, I’ll answer your question when we find Don,” Hugo said, rolling his eyes.
Cyrus huffed a small laugh.
“It’s good to see you, kid.”
Hugo’s face split into a small grin.
“You too, Cy.”
They descended the ladder at the center of the windmill, down into the reinforced tunnels that ran up and down the kingdom, and further beyond its borders. The rumor was they had been built by the neighboring kingdom. There was no way to find out; that kingdom, its people, and all its writing had been lost.
It was dark, damp, and cold. He shivered, wrapping his arms around his waist. His coat did nothing to make the cold subside. He dragged his feet, kicking small stones to the side. He could barely see in front of his face. Cyrus’ small torch did nothing for the inky blackness that surrounded them like a blanket.
Not to mention holy shit did his feet ache. If it had just been him and Cyrus he would have been whining the whole walk- less because he was actually in pain and more because annoying Cyrus was one of the few things that consistently brought him joy.
It had been hours since they set off for the safe house, and it felt like they’d been walking another hour by the time Cyrus was pushing the large stone door to the side.
Rapunzel and Nuru both pressed behind him as they trudged up the stone staircase. Light from the crack under the door at the top began to peek through, finally illuminating their path.
The door opened to an empty stone house. Faint beams of light poured in through the old, dusty windows.
A man stood in front of the door on the other side of the room. His eyes narrowed as he made eye contact with Cyrus.
“I need to talk to the boss,” Cyrus said, stepping in front of the man standing guard.
“No can do, Cy. She asked me to keep everyone out for the next two hours. That includes you,” he said, pointing at Cyrus’ chest.
Cyrus huffed. The man rolled his shoulders back, puffing his chest. Hugo had to repress a snicker. The man was half Cyrus’ height and a third of his weight. It was like watching a chihuahua bark at a hundred-pound pitbull.
“Move,” Cyrus snarled.
“No.”
Hugo rolled his eyes, stepping around the two of them.
“Not that I’m not loving this beautiful display of manhood, but I have somewhere to be. You understand?” he said, gripping the handle of the door and throwing it open.
His grin widened as Donella looked up from her desk. She raised an eyebrow as the man in front of the door squawked, hurrying into the room.
“You. out.”
Hugo curled his lip at the man as he grabbed his shoulder and started to pull him out.
“Stand down, Fitzherbert.”
The man blinked.
“But-”
“Stand down.”
The man threw his hands up in the air with a frustrated groan before he stormed out of the room.
“Don’t mind Eugene. He’s just new,” Donella sighed.
Hugo rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.
“He seems like a lot of fun.”
“What are you doing here Hugo?” Donella asked. She shut her journal and leaned forward on her desk.
“What, not happy to see me?”
“Hugo.”
Hugo frowned, turning his head to make eye contact with the others. He sighed.
“I blew my cover.”
“You what?!” she snapped. Hugo opened his mouth to respond. Donella held a hand up.
“No. I heard you the first time. I- Hugo, what were you thinking?!”
Hugo ignored her, stepping backward to make room for the other two who were shuffling into the room.
“Guys, this is Don,” Hugo said, gesturing toward her. He turned to face Donella.
“Don, this is Nuru, I told you about her in my letters.”
Donella blinked before she waved. Hugo braced himself.
“And this- this is Rapunzel.”
Donella’s eyes widened. She leaned backward in her chair. Her head snapped over to meet Hugo's eyes. Hugo nodded slightly. Rapunzel waved awkwardly.
There was an uncomfortable beat of silence.
“Um,” Rapunzel spoke up, leaning back and forth on her heels. “I’m trying to get home. I was told you might be able to help me?”
That seemed to be enough to snap Donella out of her trance. She reached down into her desk, pulling out a small black leather notebook. She paused, chewing her lip in thought, before she opened it. Her eyes scanned the page before she looked back up at them.
“You get home the same way you got here,” she said, setting it on the desk and standing up.
“What do you mean?” Rapunzel asked.
“Do you know what powered that door in the first place?”
She shook her head.
“My brother’s tried to explain it to me, but it all goes over my head,” she chuckled.
Donella caught Hugo’s eye. Hugo kept his gaze fixed on the floor.
“The bridge is powered by you,” Donella explained. “Or- your magic. It used celestial power to keep itself stable.”
“Oh,” Rapunzel replied. “But what does that have to do with the men who were chasing me?”
“Because, sunshine, they know you’re the only person on our side of the fence that can open that bridge.”
“What happens if they get across?”
“Bad things,” Hugo replied before Donella could. “They can’t get across.”
Rapunzel swallowed, fiddling with her hands.
“What if it doesn’t work? I mean- if I’m not strong enough to open it, what happens then?”
Donella hummed, slamming her journal closed.
“I’m not sure.”
Rapunzel’s face fell.
“You’re not?”
Donella frowned sympathetically.
“I’m not. I’m sorry I can’t be much help past that.”
Rapunzel nodded.
“It’s OK, ma’am. I appreciate your help.”
Donella pulled out a piece of worn brown paper that was peaking out of the final few pages of her journal. She spread it out on the desk, nodding her head at the 3 of them to come over to her. She pulled out a pen as the 3 crowded around.
Hugo recognized the map of Ingvarr. It was old, and slightly out of date- he recognized a few town names as those which had been abandoned within the last 10 years. Donella drew a circle around a patch of forest.
“This is where we are,” she explained. She moved her pen to the mountain range that started at the ocean and moved across the northern edge of the Ingvarrian border. She drew a circle around the mountain in the middle.
“This is where the door is. It’s in a tunnel at the very top of Mount Yareia. You’ll know it when you see it.”
Rapunzel’s face fell as her eyes scanned the map.
“There’s so much,” she bemoaned. “How will I-”
Donella’s eyes softened before she began to holler at the top of her lungs.
“Eugene! Get in here!”
Eugene practically barrelled into the room, gripping the door handle to keep himself from toppling over as he skidded in through the door frame.
“Oh, now you need me,” he snarked.
“Shut it. You’re taking Rapunzel to Mount Yareia.”
“I- huh?”
“Was anything unclear?” Donella asked. She glared daggers at him, causing him to take a step backward.
“Nope, a road trip with the random lady who broke into my boss's office sounds great!”
“There’s no need,” Hugo interjected. Donella blinked at him.
“What do you-”
“I’m taking her.”
Donella raised an eyebrow at him. Hugo crossed his arms, digging his nails into his skin to keep his body from shaking.
“Hugo-”
“I’m not arguing with you, Don. I’m going whether you like it or not.”
Donella never broke eye contact with him as she spoke again.
“Eugene, Can you show these two to the spare room? I need to talk to Hugo.”
Eugene huffed, nodding as he hurried Nuru and Rapunzel out of the room. Hugo’s mouth went dry as soon as the door shut.
“Does she know?”
He licked his lips, turning away from her.
“Know what-”
“Don’t play around with me kid. Does she know about V-”
Hugo’s heart stopped. He looked up in a panic as his eyes darted behind him to make absolutely sure the door was shut. Donella let out a small snort.
“Answers my question.”
“Don-” Hugo protested.
“She deserves to know,” she said.
Hugo’s face burned.
“There’s nothing for her to know.”
Donella raised an eyebrow. Hugo let out a tiff, rubbing his face with his hands.
“She didn’t know who you were, Don. Some strangers had to tell her. She doesn’t know shit about me, she doesn’t know anything, and that’s clearly what he wanted. I’m keeping it that way.”
Donella glared at him.
“What do you think you’re going to prove?”
“Nothing,” he protested. “I just- you can spare your men, OK? I’m helping her get home.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
Hugo let out a forced laugh. He clenched his fist trying to relieve the tension in his chest.
“Nope.”
Donella sighed. She let the silence lapse. It made him feel itchy. He kicked his heels, waiting desperately for her to say something. She lifted her hand. Hugo flinched as it settled lightly on his shoulder.
“You take care of yourself, Hugo, OK?”
He nodded slightly.
“Alright.”
Donella let out a small breath, turning back towards her desk. It was as good a signal as any that their conversation was done. He turned to leave.
“Hugo,” Donella said quickly. He whipped around to face her.
She seemed conflicted. She glanced to the side before she looked back at him.
“Hugo, the fairy realm, it’s nothing like the human realm.”
“Yeah, Don. I got that-”
“No,” she snapped. “You don’t. I’ve known hundreds of people who have crossed that bridge and never come back. If you do-”
“I won’t.”
“If you do, you better keep yourself safe. Stick close to her or-” Donella cut herself off. Hugo’s face darkened. “Stick close to anyone else who knows what they’re doing. You got that?”
Hugo curled his lip. He swallowed back a mound that was growing in his throat, making it impossible to breathe.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Don-”
“Swear it,” she snarled.
Hugo sighed. He knew better than to try and win this fight.
“I swear.”
Donella’s mouth settled into a small, relieved smile.
“Thank you.”
As soon as Hugo was out of the room, he let out a shaky breath. He felt a sob beginning to build at the base of his chest. He bit his tongue, forcing it back as tears made his eyes sting.
Calm down, Hugo. He repeated to himself as he made his way down the hall toward the spare room. This was going to be fine. He just needed to get some sleep to clear his head.
Hugo glared at the ceiling.
His body was made of stone, but the universe seemed determined to spite him because he could not sleep.
He jumped as Nuru snored loudly from the other side of the room. Her arm was bent over her face, and her mouth was wide open. A thin line of drool trailed down her jaw and onto her pillow. Gross.
He sighed, sitting up, and rolling over to push himself onto his knees. If he wasn’t going to get sleep, lounging around angsting about it wasn’t going to do him any favors.
He crawled to his feet, creeping around Nuru to make his way to the window. He leaned his elbows on the windowsill, pushing it open. The early spring air was cold and refreshing. He took a deep breath, looking up at the sky.
The moon was bright and full, accentuated by a sky dotted with stars. He cracked a small smile. Distantly, he could feel a head resting against his shoulder. He could almost feel a soft breath heating the crook of his neck.
He shivered.
It had been a year. A year, Hugo. He needed to move past this. He sighed, resting his head on his arms.
20 years old and he was still stuck on a silly little crush. Donella would be pointing and laughing at him if she got a glimpse into his brain.
Being around Rapunzel had forced all those feelings he thought he had shoved away to fly to the surface. He couldn’t breathe- he felt like he was drowning every time she spoke. He couldn’t see her. Everything she did reminded Hugo of him and it was making him go insane.
Maybe Don was right. Maybe this was a bad idea. He didn’t care. Most of his decisions were neutral at best, and horrifically bad at worst. This was completely in character for him and she knew it.
He looked up at the moon with a small sigh. He felt the song from his dream creeping through his subconscious again. Even when he wasn’t aware of it, he could always feel it there, softly tapping a rhythm in the back of his head.
A part of him wondered if the song was a sign. Maybe they could both hear it. Maybe, just maybe they were looking at the same moon. Another part of him wanted to crush those thoughts like a bug.
He jumped as he felt a small jolt of electricity. He frowned.
He really needed to go to bed. He could swear he felt the moon smiling at him.
Maybe he was going crazy.