Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Cassandra was sitting with her back leaning against the doorframe of the caravan. A location where the wooden roof kept the sun from her face, but she could still feel the late spring breeze running through her hair.

Owl was napping next to her while she wrote in the journal her mum had gifted them.

Right now she was adding in what she considered relative information about knights next to Rapunzel’s drawing of Adira.

Rapunzel was nearby, sat on a blanket in the grass. She cherished the warmth of the sunlight on her skin, warming her all the way through, and making her hair shimmer in its glow.

Pascal squeaked at Rapunzel.

Rapunzel sat up. “Pascal?”

Another squeak and a gesture towards her bag.

“Oooh, you want something from my bag?” She opened it and Pascal took a snack out before wandering over to Cassandra to nap in her lap, having already basked enough for one morning. “I need to stock up on treats…”

“Why do you do that?” Cassandra asked, lowering the pen ever so slightly.

“What? Keep treats in my bag?” Rapunzel asked.

“No… The way you talk to Pascal.” Cassandra stroked the top of Pascal’s head with one finger.

“I don’t know what you mean?”

“He said he wanted a treat. Why do you respond with ‘ you want something from my bag? ’ as though he weren’t clear enough?” She frowned.

Rapunzel looked from Cassandra, to Pascal, to her bag. “Oh… I’m sorry Pascal… I didn’t understand first squeak.”

“Squeak?” Cassandra scrunched up her nose.

“Yeah, that’s what I call the cute little noises pascal makes! What do you call them?”

Cassandra didn’t respond.

Owl hooted.

“And I call Owl’s talking: hoots.” Rapunzel smiled.

Cassandra sat back, swallowing and twirling the pen as casually as she could. “I see.”

“Guess I’m not as good at talking to animals as you, but I’m getting better. I was really quick to realise Pascal was pointing at my bag this time.” Rapunzel finally stood up, dusting off her skirt.

“You did.”

Rapunzel stepped over Cassandra, patting Owl on the head on her way inside. “I’m going to go prepare some tea before we head out on our afternoon walk. Want any?”

“No, thanks Rapunzel.” Cassandra put the pen to paper again, trying to not look suspicious.

Caine was with Eugene, buying a few supplies and checking the towns were safe. No stakes in the squares, no whispers in the alleys, those stuff. Eugene helped her pick out the freshest fruits and vegetables, but when it came time to pay, she sent him to fetch the saddlebags from Max who was parked nearby.

When Eugene returned, the task of piling the vegetables into the bags was quickly accomplished.

As they walked towards the horse, Caine paused to look at the noticeboard.

“Anybody we know?” Eugene asked with a grin.

Caine shook her head. “Some newbies on the block.” She pointed to a poster of a couple in masks, the name underneath reading The Daylight Thieves .

“Crappy name.”

“Sorry, didn’t realise you were such an expert, Flynn Rider .”

“No problem, you’re not half bad yourself, Lady Caine.”

They both laughed as they reached Maximus, attaching the saddle bags before climbing on. Caine behind Eugene. “Sure your girlfriend won’t get jealous?”

Eugene laughed. He’d told Caine about the misunderstanding, hoping it would help Caine forgive some of Rapunzel’s previous attitude, but it mostly just lead into her teasing him a lot. “If it does, you can walk next time. How does that sound?”

“How about, no . You walk. It’s your relationship.”

“Even when I do go on a walk, you seem to be not far behind me.”

“I couldn’t give a fuck about you. I’m following Cassandra and you know it.”

“Yeah, and Cassandra follows Rapunzel, and Rapunzel follows me. Same thing.”

“Not the same thing at all.” After a pause. “So where are we heading off to this evening? If you take us to another mountain, I think I may just throw somebody off it.”

Eugene chuckled. “I think once we get home Max is going to scout the land for some place fun, right old boy?”

Max huffed at being called old but otherwise nodded.

“You trust the horse to plan? No wonder we always end up in boring places!”

Max huffed in disapproval.

“Max is special. He’s a very good horse. Plus, he once nearly defeated me in a sword fight.”

“Well, that could say a lot about the horse, but I think that says more about you, Eugene.”

“Oh, I can beat you.”

“As if!”

“I can beat Cassandra, who beats you.”

“Well… How about we put that to the test once we get back?”

“You’re on!”

Maximus gave an excited neigh informing he would be the judge.

Lance was playing hide and seek with Keira and Catalina when he heard the trotting of hooves in the distance. He looked up to see Maximus coming over the hill with his two former co-workers and saddlebags overflowing with food.

“Did you get meat?!” he shouted.

“No!” Caine shouted back, causing Eugene to flinch.

“My ears…”

Caine ignored Eugene’s complaints. As they arrived, she jumped off the horses. “Put that away,” she ordered Lance, while she walked towards the caravan, though she paused halfway to turn and see Lance already eating a mango. “Make sure you don’t eat all of it.”

Lance nodded, mouth full of fruit.

Caine sighed, opening up the door to her and the princesses’ room. She spotted Rapunzel brushing her hair and Cassandra on the bed staring at a wall. She decided both were safe activities as she grabbed one of her swords from atop her nightstand.

“Fight?” Cassandra perked up.

“Gonna show Eugene I’m a better fighter than he is.”

Cassandra grabbed her own dagger. “I want to duel too.”

“Come on then.” Caine gestured with a smile, un-surprised.

Eugene was waiting with his sword at the ready. “Who’s going first?”

Cassandra stepped forward.

“No.” Caine pulled her back. “Me first.”

“Why?” Cassandra asked.

“First of all, because I asked first on the way here. Second of all, because I know him,” she pointed her sword at Eugene. “When I win, he’ll claim it wasn’t fair, as you tired him out first. Sorry, Cass, but I need to be first.”

Cassandra smiled and raised her hands. “Fair point, be my guest.” She did a perfect bow for Lady Caine, who rolled her eyes at the gesture.

“I think I preferred the uptight royal version of you that assured me she’d somehow handle the criminal law despite being literally new, not just to law, but to the outside world.”

“Did or did I not keep my promise?”

“There’s a reason I’m here, right?” She leaned in close to Cassandra, opening her mouth intending to throw a quick quip or other, but it escaped her mind at the sight of bright grey eyes with their mischievous glint as her mind was on high alert, ready to respond to anything Caine came up with. Caine blushed and turned towards Eugene, sword drawn. “Let’s go!”

Cassandra looked taken aback and crossed her arms as though offended, feeling their game had come to a sudden end, thinking Caine had held back on her for some reason. Cassandra could take the same teasing as Eugene, if not more!

Eugene seemed pretty calm as Caine attacked first.

Rapunzel exited the carriage with a sigh.

Eugene dodged and Caine twirled around him, nearly catching the back of his jacket, but Eugene was fast. He attacked her second, and she blocked with a fan he hadn’t seen she had but was not one bit surprised by.

Eugene pulled out a second dagger, but she blocked that one with her sword before quickly disarming him.

Eugene looked surprised. He stepped back and concentrated more on his next attack, ripping through Caine’s fan, but she twirled her hand and managed to disarm him with the fan before pointing her sword at him. “Wooooah, you are really out of practice, Eugene.”

Eugene huffed. “Let’s say I’m still recovering from injuries from Vardaros, shall we?”

“You say what you want. I won’t.” She handed her sword to Cassandra, hoping it would serve her better than the tiny dagger. “Glad I went first, or he’d be piling up excuses.”

“Me next.” Cassandra rushed over and into position.

“Remember, if you beat me, it’s because of Vardaros plus Caine tiring me out.”

Cassandra nodded. “Cool, cool.”

Eugene figured that despite beating Cassandra the last time they’d fought, the girl had trained a lot since then.

He went in for the first attack and Cassandra blocked it like nothing, a good chance to disarm, but instead she moved away before attacking herself.

Eugene barely managed to block it and had she wanted to go in for a quick second attack, she’d have likely won.

Again, she stepped away.

“Are you playing nice?” Eugene teased.

Cassandra laughed and attacked. He blocked it properly this time and went in for an attack himself; she dodged quickly and went in for another attack. Eugene managed to disarm her of the sword Caine had given her, leaving her only the dagger.

Usually, that would be a good sign, but Eugene knew Cassandra had trained more with the dagger than the sword at this point. He blocked an attack from her and she moved to disarm him, but stopped.

Eugene took this moment of hesitation to disarm her before frowning. “Are you okay, Cassandra?”

Cassandra laughed. “I’ll beat you some day!” she claimed, picking up Caine’s sword and handing it back to her before picking up her dagger and heading back to the carriage, smiling at Rapunzel on her way in.

Caine and Eugene shared a glance.

Rapunzel came out of the caravan to give Eugene a kiss and draw his attention back to her. “Sooo, this evening?”

Eugene kissed her. “You’ll have to wait and see!”

Chapter Text

Arianna’s hand rested within Frederic’s. She was wearing a dark-coloured cloak alongside her old horse riding gear, an outfit fit for adventure. Though the guards had already come and searched the place and, in theory, it was safe.

Despite this, Frederic too was dressed in black. Anything to do with this woman was a reason for distrust.

The cottage was, as they’d been told, cozy. It had a large bed, a fireplace, some privacy walls, and far too many mirrors. But other than that, there was nothing too out of the ordinary.

Arianna moved to the vanity. It had a beautiful large mirror balanced on top, which Arianna ignored, opening the draw to many creams and powders.

Frederic moved to the fireplace. He picked up a doll which sat atop the shelf alongside some decorative plates. “Cassandra’s?”

Arianna frowned. “Perhaps.”

Frederic put it back for now as he moved to the window seat. There was a red blanket folded carefully atop it. When he lifted it, dust filled the air. It was small. Frederic thought that must have belonged to one of the girls though he folded it and placed it back where he’d found it for now.

Arianna moved from the vanity to the bed. The pillows were good quality, far better than her daughter’s bed in the tower. The covers were silky and smooth. Arianna understood that not everybody could provide their children the best, but Arianna knew if she were working within her means, her children would have come first.

She heard a door-handle and turned to see Frederic opening up a door in the back. “Empty.”

“It’s odd, right?” Arianna stepped to where he was, arms crossed.

Frederic nodded as they entered. “Not even used for storage… Perhaps it had something in it and that something was removed?”

“Maybe it was Cassandra’s room?” Arianna whispered hopefully.

Frederic shook his head. “Too big. The woman wouldn’t give up this much space for her.”

“It would get her out of the way?”

Frederic frowned. “You really want to start picturing less than four-year-old Cassandra alone in this big room?”

Arianna looked sad, and Frederic quickly regretted those words. He gave Arianna a quick hug. Then he began to circle the room, passing a hand over the wall, looking for marks or any other sign there might have been furniture here in the past.

Arianna looked up at the banisters above, but they were empty. There truly was no indication this room had any use. Then there was the sound of stone scraping against stone and she turned to see Frederic holding one of the candle holders down, staring at what once was a wall, now the entrance to a… tunnel?

“Rapunzel said Gothel moved a candle to activate a trap in the tower,” Frederic said.

Arianna stepped over, kissing Frederic on the cheek before peering over the edge. There was a stone staircase leading down and down, the walls were carved directly into a mountain and there was very little light.

“I feel the need to point out that guards have not explored this part of the building and thereby we have no certainty it is safe.” He grabbed Arianna’s hand. “Now, having pointed that out, I doubt you will care.”

“Let’s go see what this woman was hiding.”

Frederic smiled, kissing his wife before they entered into the stairwell. His grip on her hand tightened as he did not like the lack of railings, though the stairs did seem pretty stable.

“Down we go…” Frederic frowned.

“Down we go,” Arianna smiled.

At the bottom of the many, many stairs, there was a tunnel and tracks. A mine cart lay empty in the centre of the empty space.

“Woah,” Arianna circled around on herself as she took in the walls of rock. “This must have taken years and years… Is this an old abandoned mine?” She looked at the cart. “Or was this built for getting around?” She touched the walls. “Nothing about this place looks like there would have been ores of value here…”

Frederic carefully looked out at the tracks and where they lead. “Looks to be for transport to me… These tunnels do actually remind me of the castle’s escape tunnels?”

Arianna paused, taking in her surrounding with that visual in mind. “Huh… You’re right.” She moved to the cart. “So… Do we go for a ride?” she smiled.

Frederic crossed his arms and raised a brow. “Do we pop into a cart and trust gravity and abandoned tunnels?”

Arianna huffed.

“Do you want to leave the girls orphaned?”

“Fine! We’ll walk. But know you’re boring.”

“I’ll take that over dead any day.” He kissed her as they began to slowly follow the tracks by foot.

“How is this place not darker?” Arianna asked. “Also, we could have taken the mine cart,” she gestured to the end of the track. “See? Safe!”

“Well, we know that now. We didn’t know that then, did we?”

“Well, we would have known this about three hours ago had we taken the cart!”

Frederic chuckled. “We’ll take the cart next time we come down.”

“Oh, good.”

“I’ll hate it.”

“I’ll love it enough for the both of us.”

“Ah, you carry this relationship, my love.”

Arianna just kissed him before kneeling to look at the glowing mushrooms. “Are these natural or magical?”

“Is magic unnatural?”

“The real question,” Arianna acknowledged. “Before we leave, I must take a sample for Varian.”

“Are you sure? They could be poisonous?”

“Well, I wasn’t planning on feeding it to him.”

“I mean, I trust them right now because I assume Gothel would have walked these halls, but if you cut them open, spores may be let loose and that could make the air poisonous.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“No, you’re not sure you’re just saying that,” Frederic argued as Arianna looked at a little mole. “Look, if animals can survive down here, we can too.”

“That’s not how this works.”

“Who knows more about nature, me or you?”

Frederic opened his mouth, paused, then frowned. “I have no clue.”

“Then assume it’s me and move on.” She walked a little further to find this was a dead end. “Guess this wasn’t the way.”

“This place is like a labyrinth.”

“It’s probably done on purpose to confuse those who shouldn’t be here,” Arianna reasoned.

“Us.”

Arianna pulled a notebook from her back. “Fortunately for us, I’m pretty good at this type of thing.” She sketched out a quick map. “We’ll just keep testing tunnels until we find something of interest.” She gestured for him to follow her back the way the tracks came.

Frederic followed her. He smiled at her determination. “Should we have brought camping equipment?”

She laughed. “Yes.”

Chapter Text

Eugene was walking beside Maximus, leading the group. He’d been rambling for ages about how amazing the place they were going was! Truly, he trusted Max.

Which meant Cassandra had to hold back laughter at Maximus, neighed, talking about the many apples in the tree. Matching Eugene’s energy perfectly. But Cassandra knew Eugene wasn’t expecting an apple tree.

She was tempted to tell the group, but then she remembered what Rapunzel had said about Pascal’s squeaking and Owl’s hooting and she decided against it.

“Oh, I think we’re nearly there!” Eugene announced excitedly as Maximus neighed in excitement, breaking into a gallop and… Getting up on two feet to show of the magnificent apple tree.

Owl quickly flew from Cassandra’s shoulder to the tree and Fidella rushed over too, making Cassandra clap.

“Yes! Well done Maximus!” she praised with genuine enthusiasm, enjoying the horses’ happiness, before grinning at a very flustered Eugene.

“Stupid horse,” he muttered under his breath, so quiet none of the animals heard.

“Oh, can we climb the tree, dad?” Catalina whispered into Lance’s ear, who nodded, putting the two girls on the ground so they could run off and play.

Though they didn’t need help, Fidella lifted them up into the lower branches so they could start their climb to the top.

“You know… Despite your ridiculous buildup,” Caine stated, receiving a glare from Eugene. “This is your best walk yet. Happy horses, happy children. I say the horses guides us every day from now on. Shall we put it to a vote?”

Catalina and Red rose their hands, Cassandra and Caine also, and the horses nodded their heads, Lance gave a sheepish grin but slowly raised a hand.

Rapunzel crossed her arms in defence of Eugene, but even Pascal raised a little hand.

“Sorry, you’ve been demoted from walk leader to um…” Caine looked around. “Maybe assistant to the horse?”

Maximus nodded in agreement, taking another apple.

“Very funny Caine.” He rolled his eyes.

“Well, we are in the middle of nowhere,” Rapunzel pointed out. “I bet your next walk will be full of tons of interesting things to see! And hey, I bet if we bothered to keep walking, we’ll find some cool stuff, right, guys?”

The horses didn’t seem in favour until Cassandra started picking apples and filling up the saddlebags for them.

“Or we could just… Sit on the ground under the apple tree?” Caine tried and failed to convince the group to have a peaceful evening.

It wasn’t much further into the walk when they ran into an old wooden carriage. It had a weird build, with a rounded roof that went inwards then outwards, a square balcony area, several windows of different shapes. There was a sun painted onto the back and at the front there was a sign laid out reading:

“VIGOR the VISIONARY See-er and knower of ALL,” Rapunzel read the sign out loud, turning to look at her group.

“All? I hope not all!” Lance joked.

Eugene and Caine both rolled their eyes, already realising the type of establishment this would be. Eugene, though, also realised it was unlikely he’d be able to convince Cassandra and Rapunzel of this.

That was when a woman exited the carriage. “Oh, how many travellers!” her one good eye travelled across the group evaluating something or other. “Welcome! I am Madame Carnadist and I bring to you the travelling psychic Vigor the Visionary! He has foreseen the fates of emperors, the future of pharaohs, the destinies of dynasties, yet he shared his passion for fortunes with the world and because of that, he is willing to tell you your own future for just six silver coins!”

“Six?” Caine laughed. “Yeah right.”

Cassandra, though, looked hesitant. “What about our future will he tell us?”

“Well, that is not something I can tell you, I’m afraid! But I assure you, whatever information Vigor gives you will be of the utmost use in future endeavours!”

Cassandra looked intrigued, yet her eyes moved up to Caine’s annoyed expression, seeking out some form of permission.

Caine glared at Madame Carnadist before noticing Cassandra’s somewhat fearful, somewhat hopeful expression. Caine glanced at the little caravan, then back at Cassandra whose eyes were widening and her mouth parted to ask if it was okay to partake, yet the words didn’t come out. Caine sighed, pulling six coins from her pocket before grabbing Cassandra’s wrist tightly. “Here.” She gave the coins to the old woman while rolling her eyes.

Despite his hatred for the scam, he couldn’t help smile at how Caine gave in before Cassandra had even asked.

Rapunzel tried to follow, but Madame Carnadist raised her hand. “Only two at a time!”

“Oh, alright.” Rapunzel stepped back while Cassandra and Caine entered. “We’re next!”

Eugene sighed. He realised he had however many minutes Cassandra and Caine took to convince Rapunzel this was a scam and save the group a few coins.

The inside of the carriage was draped in darkly coloured materials. It smelt intensely of incense, which made Caine scrunch up her nose and increase her grip on Cassandra’s arm. At the very back was the silhouette of a very short figure.

Caine narrowed her eyes just as Madame Carnadist lit the candles to reveal a monkey.

“Awww!” Cassandra was thrilled, leaping forward and kneeling on the other side of the table. “Look Caine! It’s a monkey. I’ve never seen one in person!”

“A monkey? Your great fortune teller is a monkey?” Caine raised her brows, though her expression softened at Cassandra’s wide smile.

“Vigor is the greatest monkey psychic in all the land.”

“Course he is…” Caine mumbled sarcastically. Not like there’d be much competition in the area of monkey psychics .

“Oh, animals know more than we give them credit for,” Cassandra defended, smiling at the animal with his large white turban and gemstone in the centre, clearly playing the part of a psychic. “You must be such a smart monkey if you can see futures?”

The monkey looked at Cassandra, it’s eyes didn’t really seem to be focused, not that Cassandra minded. Cassandra smiled at him. The monkey tilted it’s head, then with no warning, leaped across the table, it’s hands grabbed Cassandra’s hair pulling at it hard and it’s other hand formed a fist which he used to hit her with as much force as the little monkey body could fathom.

Cassandra screamed and the loud noise got the monkey to leap into the banisters above, just in time to avoid Caine who had leaped forward to defend Cassandra.

“Are you alright?” Caine asked, wrapping her arms around her, one hand covering her head to protect her from any incoming attacks while the other held a dagger, ready to skin the monkey alive if it came down from the banisters. Her glare move between the animal and the woman who’d took her money.

“Vigor has never done that before,” Madame Carnadist said sourly. “It must be a sign!”

“A sign you don’t know how to train or control your pet!” Caine screamed.

Cassandra grabbed Caine’s hand, trying to calm her down.

“Now give me back my money and apologise to Princess Cassandra!”

“There are no refunds!”

“No refunds? What about reparations for the damage you did to my princess?!”

“I’m fine Caine.”

“You shut up!”

Cassandra stepped back.

“I will allow for someone else in your party to come in and receive their fortune in your place, but just this one.”

Caine looked furious, but Cassandra managed to pull her towards the door. “That works for us. Come on, I’ll pay you back later, I promise.”

Caine glared but followed Cassandra out, as they exited the carriage, Rapunzel looked excited to go in but Caine looked at the group and said: “Who here is more likely to a punch an abusive monkey if I pay for them to get their fortune told?”

Keira’s hand went up immediately.

“You’re in kiddo.”

Keira grabbed Catalina’s hand and rushed inside.

Lance chuckled and smiled, hoping his kids enjoyed the experience.

“What happened?” Eugene asked.

“Vigor is a monkey, and he attacked Cassandra. That monkey is now our enemy. And the woman who doesn’t do refunds just exchanges is as well.”

Rapunzel looked ready to argue, but Eugene nodded. “Guess we can’t give her more money then. Wouldn’t want to support a business that attacked your sister, right Blondie?”

Rapunzel crossed her arms and huffed, but nodded. “You win this round, Eugene, but next time something cool comes up, we’re trying it together.”

Eugene’s lips brushed against her cheek giving her a soft kiss, making her eyes flutter closed and her lips twitch into a gentle smile. “Alright Blondie.”

Cassandra smiled, still rubbing her head. “I didn’t know monkeys were so strong…” She looked with concern towards the closed carriage, though it wasn’t clear if she was concerned for the girls or the monkey.

The group waited in a somewhat tense silence for the girls to come out again.

Chapter Text

After not very long, Catalina stuck her head out of the carriage. “Dad?” Her voice was low as it always was, and her eyes were glistening with tears.

Lance rushed over. “What is it, sweetheart?” his voice held a seriousness not common for him. “Are you alright? Did the monkey attack you?” His eyes hardened as he tried to see past Catalina into the carriage.

“Can… Can we have some more coins…?”

Lance’s features softened, his shoulders falling, and a gentle smile coming to his face. “What for?” He didn’t mind giving them money, but he didn’t really want them being scammed.

“Keira says it’s the most urgent thing ever,” she whispered.

Lance hesitated before handing Catalina some coins, nodding.

“She’s stealing money from children!” Caine shouted at her group. “I know we’re the good guys, but could we be a little bad? A tiny bit?”

Cassandra crossed her arms.

“This is what I get for protecting your honour.”

“From a monkey. It’s an innocent animal… I think…” Her next words were barely audible. “It wasn’t very talkative...” She managed to raise her voice again. “It probably just thought my hair was something else. Animals can be silly sometimes.”

Owl fluttered from a tree onto Cassandra’s head, making an offended hoot.

“With exceptions.” Cassandra raised a hand for him to land on so she could press her forehead against his.

“No, no exceptions,” Eugene argued. “Animals are silly, the horse thought an apple tree was—”

Pascal hit Eugene with his tongue.

“Ouch!” he jumped away. “Fine, fine, with exceptions! I was messing with Maximus, not you! You were just collateral damage. Can’t you take a joke, Frog?”

Rapunzel smiled.

Eventually Keira and Catalina came out holding Vigor in their arms.

“Are we adopting a pet?” Lance asked excitedly because he really wanted a pet, but the girls said no.

Keira shook her head. “We’re just renting him.”

“Renting him? You were supposed to punch him!” Caine’s face twisted in indignation.

“No, but you don’t understand,” Keira handed Vigor over to Catalina, and he made a home in her hair. “When he was going to tell us our future, he found this.” She pulled out a golden leaf necklace from beneath her shirt. “I’ve had it forever.” She held it gently. “I think it must have been left with me by my family.”

Lance’s expression was impossible to read. He showed no reaction, muscles stiff as he took in the information.

“He says he can take me to my tree, which obviously means my family tree! He knows where my family is!”

The silence that came over the group was quite thick.

Caine’s anger had vanished as her eyes darted to Eugene, who was looking worriedly at Lance.

Rapunzel was smiling, clearly not understanding the deeper meaning of this little side-quest.

Cassandra seemed more concerned with remaining hidden from the monkey behind Caine than actually processing what was going on.

“I see…” Lance’s face finally broke into a wide smile. “Well then, we better get going! How many chances do we get to find a long-lost family, huh, Eugene?”

Eugene snapped out of his worry and nodded. “Yeah… Course Lance…”

Keira and Catalina looked very relieved as Lance picked them up. “Monkey point. The rest of us follow!”

The rest of the group shared concerned glanced before following the group’s happy family into the forest.

“Remember! You get only five hours! Then the monkey must be back here or you will be cursed for an eternity!” Madame Carnadist called.

“Oh, the monkey will be back,” Caine mumbled lowly, an arm wrapped protectively around Cassandra. “In what condition? I make no promises.”

“Caine,” Cassandra scolded.

“What? I can’t make a promise! I take promises very seriously, and these adventures are unpredictable,” Caine lied.

“Me too.” Cassandra smiled gently and Caine hated the fact she was now going to have to start taking promises very seriously.

Eugene held Rapunzel’s hand, falling to the back of the group. As they ventured further, his expression grew more and more concerned.

“What’s the matter, Eugene?”

“Well… My best friend’s adoptive daughter is getting a monkey to help find her real family, so… I guess I’m worried about the weather.” Eugene raised a brow.

“Oh.” Rapunzel looked towards the front of the group.

“I can’t blame Keira for… She’s just a kid… Of course, she wants to know where she came from. But first of all, that monkey’s a fraud so we’re not actually going to find anything, but even so, I can’t imagine having your daughter want to find a new family is… Great for the self-esteem.” He looked worriedly at the back of Lance, Catalina was on his shoulders, arms wrapped around his head while Keira walked up ahead with Vigor.

“Lance is an understanding guy...”

“Sure he understands Princess, but that doesn’t stop it from hurting…” Eugene rubbed the back of his neck.

Rapunzel nodded. “You can take Lance into town tonight for some drinks and some guy time. But right now, although you’re probably right that we won’t find anything, we should let the girls try. If we stop this, after all, they’ll feel like we took something from them.”

Eugene smiled and nodded. “Experience?”

“Well, my mother stopped me from going to see some lights and because of that, we had to find our own way.” She got on her tippytoes to kiss Eugene. “Lucky us, a handsome young thief came to help!”

He blushed and kissed her back. “Lucky you or lucky me?”

“Lucky us.”

The sound of screaming up ahead made Eugene draw his dagger just to see Cassandra hiding behind Caine after trying to talk to the monkey again.

“That girl never learns…”

Rapunzel laughed, as Lance had to get between Caine and the monkey.

“She wants to make a new friend,” Rapunzel defended her sister.

“Guess it isn’t every day she finds someone with such a similar brain!” Eugene said while laughing at his own joke.

Rapunzel just rolled her eyes as they ran to catch up with the group.

Chapter Text

The monkey seemed to have stopped its guiding and was now sat on the grass picking at some ants.

“Come on Vigor, you have to show me where my family is,” Keira was trying, though Vigor ignored her.

“Hey little monkey dude,” Lance sat on the ground next to his adopted daughter. “Do you perhaps not know the way from here?”

The monkey moved past Lance, who took a deep breath, probably with relief.

“Nooo!” Keira looked extremely distressed. “You need to help me!”

And nobody except for maybe Catalina had ever seen Keira so worked up.

Eugene hesitated before kneeling down. “Girls, listen, you have to understand these… Things,” he gestured to the monkey with a glare. “They’re not real, they’re just trying to get your hard earned money—”

Vigor looked up at the word money and suddenly Lance had an idea, though he didn’t want to do it.

Keira shook her head. “You don’t understand!” she shouted at Eugene, despite knowing damn well he did. “I’ve never known my family. I… I…” She was holding herself, trying not to cry and Eugene didn’t know what to do, trying to remember how he was at her age.

Lance pulled out a coin, and Vigor stared at him before pulling some cards from his turban. “I figured it out.” he tried to sound proud, though he looked away, hiding a disappointed expression from the girls who were excited to see what happened.

Vigor shuffled the cards and pulled out one of them, ‘The Wheel of Fortune’.

“Great, even the monkey’s admitting he just got lucky,” Caine commented.

Vigor stuffed the card into his mouth.

“Why would he eat it?” Rapunzel asked.

“Probably means his diet is low on fibre,” Eugene said with a shrug.

“Ooooh!” Cassandra excitedly rushed over to Max, pulling an apple from the saddlebag and breaking it in half with her thumbs. She rushed over to Vigor. “I can help you.”

Vigor sniffed the apple, and Cassandra looked excited, finally about to make a new friend. “Agh!” she jumped back after Vigor bit her hand.

Eugene prepared to catch Caine before she attacked the monkey, but the woman just pulled Cassandra back. “Why would you go near it again ?”

“Apples have fibre…” Cassandra defended.

Before the group could forget the origin of the fibre comment, Catalina was pulling on Lance’s shirt. “Dad,” she whispered, holding up a map.

Lance looked at it. “I don’t think we should feed the monkey maps darling, first of all it’s probably not good for them! But second of all, we might need the map—”

“Fortuna!” Keira looked at the map, clapping her hands. “That’s what Wheel of Fortune meant! We have to go to Fortuna!”

“Really?” Eugene sighed. “Fine, fine. Let’s keep going.”

On their way, they walked through a village. It seemed empty, but Caine still made sure Cassandra’s hood was fully pulled up and covering her face, that she was by Caine’s side, and in the centre of the group, out of sight.

“Some days I wonder if you shield me from the world out of fear for my safety or fear I’ll prefer the world beyond Corona and not return, costing you your pardon.”

“First of all, you got attacked by a crowd and nearly burnt at the stakes. Is my fear unjustified?”

Cassandra had to admit she made a good point. Well, she didn’t have to. She could just grin and say nothing, which was precisely what she did.

“And second of all, if you don’t wanna go back to Corona… I’d never force you.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Huh… I mean, I love my kingdom and want to go back to it anyway, but… What about your pardon?”

Caine hesitated before turning around as a window slammed closed. “Alright, what are you people hiding from?”

Cassandra sighed at how Caine changed the subject, though she didn’t want to push either. Her tone of voice caused most resident to hasten their hiding.

“Great, you’re scaring everybody. Good job, Caine,” Eugene teased.

“They’re wise to hide, not like you, Eugene.”

“Harsh, need I remind you, if you punch me, it’ll make you look bad in front of your cr—”

Caine grabbed Eugene’s shirt faster than a sword in battle. Eugene realised and could only truly think, fair , for his almost blunder.

“Accident,” he whispered, and his voice was gentle enough that Caine actually let go, though not without a glare.

Cassandra sighed while Rapunzel looked shocked.

It was only Eugene grabbing her hand and laughing that caused her to calm down.

“Hey you!” A voice came from a barrel, out of which a squid was sticking out the top.

“A talking squid,” Lance said, trying to smile.

Keira and Catalina rushed up closer.

“You guys are scaring the village!”

“Sorry,” Rapunzel said, though she didn’t yet know why.

“Everybody thinks you’re thieves!”

The group, made almost entirely out of ex-thieves, shared a few glances.

“We’re not,” Caine said sternly.

“Yeah, well, doesn’t matter. If you know what’s good for you, you gotta get out of here before the Daylights get you.”

“The duo from the poster,” Eugene whispered, recalling his and Caine’s visit into another nearby town.

“Yeah, they stole my piccolo,” another man said from inside a haystack.

Caine crossed her arms. “Two thieves ain’t gonna take us out, don’t worry.”

“They’re stronger than they look.”

“Then I’ll punch harder. Come on.” She pulled Cassandra away from the barrel and the haystack.

Cassandra looked back at Eugene. “You realise you called Corona weird when this is what outside of Corona is like, right?” she pointed.

Eugene laughed. “I’m beginning to realise you attract both trouble and the oddest of characters. Not Corona’s fault, I guess.”

Cassandra grinned. “Are squids good hats?”

“Yes, amazing. Warm and squishy. You know what, if you promise to wear it, I’ll buy you one in the next town!”

Cassandra laughed before Caine pulled her closer, clearly still protective. Unfortunately, Caine also pulled Cassandra slightly too close to Keira, who was holding Vigor, and the monkey leaped onto Cassandra, trying to claw at her face.

This time nobody could stop Caine fast enough as she hit the monkey, and it crashed into the ground.

“Hey!” Keira picked it up. Thankfully, Vigor was fine and Keira held him tightly to her chest. “We’re renting him!”

“Then keep him under control!” Caine said, quickly checking Cassandra’s face for scratches. “He’s lucky he didn’t draw blood, or he’d see…” And she pulled Cassandra forward and out of the village.

“Why does the animal hate me?” Cassandra whispered.

“Because it’s a dumb monkey.”

“I feel like we’ve been walking forever,” Caine complained. “I knew we should have just stayed by the apple tree!”

Cassandra frowned. “It is getting a little long…”

“Not until we find my family,” Keira said with both determination and fear.

Catalina was now holding Keira’s hand tightly, trying to support her as best she could.

Lance stood nearby, his eyes were on the sky and if anybody were tall enough to see, they’d see how they glistened with tears.

“It can’t be much further,” mumbled Eugene as he rubbed his eyes. He was so tired he almost didn’t see the canyon. Thankfully, Max let out a loud neigh, causing him to pause, and his eyes widened at the sight. “Oh, well done Buddy.”

Maximus neighed proudly before taking an apple from his saddlebag as a reward.

“How do we get over?” Keira asked.

“Maybe we don’t,” Caine said.

“But, my family, they have to be near here!”

Caine frowned before kneeling down. “Listen to me kid, I feel for ya, I do. But this monkey.” She poked Vigor quite harshly. “He’s not a real psychic. He’s just gotten lucky.”

Eugene nodded. “We’ve given him a chance and… Nothing.”

“Nooo!” Keira shouted before sitting on the ground, shaking her head. “No.”

A pause, Lance got another coin out of his pocket to show the monkey. “Worth a shot…” he whispered, though he wanted nothing more than for the monkey to run away and never be seen again.

Vigor instead took the coin and excitedly pointed towards a bridge leading to a house which they’d previously been unable to see due to the dog.

“That’s where my family is!” Keira shouted excitedly running, Catalina beside her.

The rest of the group took a moment longer, but Rapunzel and Cassandra weren’t far behind. It was Eugene who grabbed Lance’s arm. “You okay there?”

Lance shook his head, swallowing as he tried to hold back tears.

“There’s no way that monkey’s right,” Caine added in an attempt at comfort.

Eugene frowned.

“I don’t want it to be wrong… I want them happy…” He rubbed tears from his eyes before walking forward. “Let’s go.”

Caine and Eugene once more shared glances before following Lance towards the bridge.

Chapter Text

The old wooden rope bridge did not offer up the level of stability one would wish when crossing with a group of seven people, two horses and a chameleon, but thankfully none of the group was afraid of heights.

Owl flew overhead, flying around the home a little.

Cassandra frowned when he flew back towards the group, hooting at her.

“Your owl enjoying the fog?” Caine asked.

“No… He’s not… He also doesn’t like the home we’re approaching.”

“You can tell that from a couple of hoots?” Caine laughed.

“Rapunzel calls them hoots too,” Cassandra mumbled.

Caine rolled her eyes. “Guessing you have some other cutesy name for them? Honestly, your use of language is concerning. Aren’t princesses supposed to speak eloquently?”

“Tower.”

“Stop using your past as an excuse for everything. It ruins my teasing.”

“Get better at teasing, then.”

Eugene opened his mouth, but Caine glared enough to shut him up.

Keira and Catalina were the first to cross the bridge, rushing towards the house.

“Girls wait!” Eugene called, causing them to pause. “Listen,” Eugene rushed forward, kneeling down. “I know you two are excited but... This is going to be a shock so, you need to let the adults speak, alright?”

Keira frowned, but nodded. “Fine, just don’t say anything embarrassing, alright?”

“Well,” Lance arrived, “There goes my plan to start with the story of how you first tried hot sauce!”

Keira didn’t notice how Lance’s voice broke or how the joke was deflecting from his fear of losing her as she ran over to the door, bouncing excitedly and waiting for the rest of the group.

Once everybody was there, Lance knocked softly, hoping there would be no answer, but of course, the sound of footsteps and the clicking of the lock came far too quickly. Causing Lance to swallow and freeze.

The woman who opened the door looked about the right age, sharing a few features with Keira which were common enough nobody would bat an eye if not for the current situation. Eugene opened his mouth to explain, but then Keira couldn’t hold back her excitement as she rushed forward and hugged the woman’s feet. “I’m your daughter!” she shouted.

The woman looked confused, shocked, almost scared.

“My name’s Keira! All I have left of my family is this necklace, but the monkey psychic told me he’d take me to my family and he did! He brought me here! You’re my family!” Her hug tightened. “Which means you have to keep me and care for me and love me.”

Lance now had tears flowing down his face as he quickly stepped away.

Catalina looked split between following her dad and remaining with Keira, but then her name was spoken.

“Both of us, me and Catalina, we go together!”

The woman still looked shocked, and Eugene swallowed.

“She explained it pretty well, but um… Yeah, long-lost child surprise delivery?”

While Eugene handled the girls, Caine split from the group to follow Lance over to the bridge.

Lance was leaning over, probably leaning a dangerous amount of weight on the rope railing as he cried uncontrollably. He’d obviously made the effort to get far away enough from the girls they couldn’t hear him.

“Lance…” she stepped over and placed a hand on his back, flinching when the man embraced her fast. But she let it happen.

“My daughters…”

“I know…” Caine whispered, though in reality she had no clue. She barely knew what it was like having a family, far less children of your own to protect. “I’m so sorry.”

He hugged her. “I want what’s best for them…”

“That’s… The best quality a parent can have and… I’m sorry.”

Lance hugged her and nodded, and they remained there quietly for a few long moments. Soon Caine heard the rest of the group approaching.

“Do you want me to send them back so you can have a moment longer to compose yourself? Or are you comfortable with them seeing you like this?” Caine whispered.

Lance rubbed his eyes. “I’m comfortable. Eugene’s seen me worse and those princesses aren’t likely to think any less of me.”

“No, they won’t.”

“Lance,” Eugene smiled as he approached. The smile was far from genuine as he patted Lance on the upper arm.

“I know, I know, don’t let girls drive me crazy like that?” he joked and laughed before letting out another sob.

Vigor, who was holding Rapunzel’s hand, reached out a hand towards Lance.

The man just frowned, not exactly interesting in swapping his two precious daughters for a monkey. But then the monkey pulled out a wooden instrument from his turban.

“Did you steal that?” Lance asked with a raised brow. “Goodness, do you two attract thieves?” he tried to joke at Rapunzel and Cassandra.

Caine took the instrument from Lance. “This…”

“It’s a piccolo,” Rapunzel, who knew a thing or two about instruments, said.

They all processed the information, but Lance was the first to move, running towards the home faster than much of the group had ever seen him move.

They were all running not far behind him.

Then they saw the man from the house near the bridge with something sharp.

“Grab on!” Caine screamed, but it was too late. As the rope was cut most of the group fell.

Lance managed to jump, not reaching the edge but grabbing onto a ledge that was just a short climb from the home. The horses who had been just behind him didn’t fall too far at all.

Eugene only just managed to grab onto some vines.

Caine was the only one with the instinct to hold on to the rope bridge. And had she kept both hands on the rope, she wouldn’t have fallen far. However, in her desperate attempt to grab Cassandra’s hand, she’d instead fallen with the girl.

Thankfully, Eugene saw the two and managed to catch Caine. of course the weight of three people caused the vine to snap and all three to fell to the ground below, though he had managed to slow down the descent and probably save the girls some broken bones.

Eugene hit the ground first and banged his head against the solid floor. His senses blurring before the pain reached him.

Caine didn’t hit her head, but she did feel a pain in her side that caused her to close her eyes tightly.

Cassandra had the best landing, though she did seem awfully confused.

Rapunzel leaned over a ledge higher up. “Eugene!”

This got Cassandra to quickly check on the man. “He’s okay!” she shouted back. The truth was, she had no idea if he was okay, but he was alive and it wasn’t like a panicking Rapunzel would help the situation.

“I’ll be right down there!” Rapunzel promised as she collected her hair.

Cassandra hummed before looking around. She was surprised to see numerous snakes slithering towards the group.

“Hello little guys,” she whispered.

A snake hissed at her as another went towards Eugene’s foot.

“Oh, no, he’s not food!” she scolded. “He’s my friend,” she explained.

Another hiss.

“Yeah, I understand. If you head up to the forest floor, there’s a lot of mice there you can hunt. Tastier too! Or at least that’s what my owl says.”

Some more hissing before they left.

“Thank you,” Cassandra added.

Lance climbed to the top of the cliff, he rushed towards the house and without hesitation he crashed into the door; it fell to the ground and with his fists clenched; he searched for the couple who could perhaps pose a danger to his daughters only to see them already restrained on the ground struggling.

Catalina sat nearby.

“Oh… Guess you two didn’t need me?” he joked.

Catalina ran to him and held out her arms. He picked her up and held her close.

“Your sister?” he asked.

She pointed out the window, and Lance’s shoulder tensed at the sight of the girl sitting miserably on the grass.

“Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Keira wiped tears from her eyes, trying desperately to seem stronger than she was.

She heard Lance’s footsteps and curled in on herself further, but when Lance sat down by her side, she couldn’t help but move to his lap for a hug.

“I’m so sorry...”

“Why are you sorry?” Keira cried, pressing her face against Lance. “I’m the one who failed!”

“Failed at what?” Lance asked carefully, his hand rubbing Keira’s back lovingly.

“I was finally going to let you be free! Free of having to drag us around and spend money on us and spend time and…” her crying increased. Her fingers curled around the soft material of Lance’s clothes. Catalina, who was never far, looked at the ground.

“Now wait just one minute… I don’t want to be free of that stuff.”

Keira cried a little longer before looking up at her dad. “You don’t?”

“Of course not!” He held her. “All of that stuff comes with being a parent. I wouldn’t… I love you two. You two are my daughters.”

“But… But only so we won’t be thieves.”

“Well, although I do grant myself many kudos for managing to keep you two out of criminal territory… I trust you two to do that on your own. No… I adopted you two because I fell in love with the two little girls who, despite everything they’d been through, and trust me, I understand what you went through, were so full of life. Two girls who loved each other unconditionally despite their differences… I saw a younger me and Eugene reflected in you two and I knew… I had to be there. And with each day, I know you two more. I love you both more… I love you two. You’re my daughters. I never… Did I give you the impression I didn’t love you that way?”

“You… I… No,” Keira hugged him. “You just… It’s… We’re not little babies.” Lance felt his heart miss a beat at that declaration. He’d been there, of course, been in the orphanage from a very young age watching the youngest, cutest children get chosen over him time and time again. He knew Keira and Catalina had come from an orphanage, but they were still so young he hadn’t thought they’d already lived through that experience and lived it so intensely it was now etched into their consciousness and their way of seeing the world.

“Now I disagree. You two will always be my babies.” He whispered, hugging them both. “I think you two are perfect, just as you are, and you’ll continue to be perfect even as you grow bigger. And though you’ll hate me for it as you grow into rebellious little teenagers, you’ll always be my babies.”

“You… You really think of us like that?” Keira asked.

“Course.”

Keira hugged him. “I love you Dad! I’m sorry I… I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t be,” he whispered, kissing both girls on top of the head and hugging them. “I’m just glad you’re both okay.”

It took a bit longer for the rest of the group to get up the canyon, enough time that Lance was back to his smiley self and Keira back to her trouble causing self.

Eugene was leaning heavily on Rapunzel, his visions slightly blurred, not really sure what had happened after the fall. While Caine was, for a change, being supported by Cassandra.

Lance smiled. “We captured some thieves!”

Usually Keira and Catalina would correct Lance for taking credit when it was there doing, but not today. They nodded along with great big smiles.

“Great…” Caine mumbled sarcastically, rubbing her head. “We go out for an afternoon stroll and end up taking out criminals. Do you guys know nothing about relaxing?”

“Eugene needs to be checked on by a doctor,” Rapunzel said with concern dripping from her voice. Her fingers caressing the area of his head that had hit the ground.

“I’m fine Blondie.”

“As someone who’s suffered concussions before, I can tell you now that medicine is good,” Cassandra suggested. “Also, I think I have a Corona guard helmet in the caravan! We’ll have to put it on you to protect your head!” she sounded excited.

“Cause that won’t draw attention to us…” Eugene rolled his eyes but smiled when Rapunzel kissed his cheek.

“I won’t force you to wear a helmet, but we do need to stop by a doctor.”

Eugene nodded. “Fine. How about we split up?”

Nods all around.

“Lance, you and the girls take the monkey back to that woman before she charges you overtime.”

Lance nodded.

“Rapunzel and I will go to a doctor, as her Royal Blondeness commands.”

“I do command,” Rapunzel said.

“And the horses alongside Caine and Cassandra can deliver the thieves to the nearest sheriff’s office. Good?”

“Yup,” Cassandra nodded. She glanced at Caine’s shoulder with slight concern but the woman rolled it to indicate it was fine, just some bruising.

“Great, we’ll meet back at the caravan.”

Eugene and Rapunzel’s trip was quick.

The doctor confirmed Eugene had a concussion but was very lucky to not have further damage. Couple of potions to take and a list of suggestions Rapunzel was studying and would certainly be forcing on Eugene later.

Lance and his girls dropped Vigor off at Madame Carnadist’s. The woman tried to charge overtime, but Lance laughed in her face and walked off with the girls.

They wouldn’t notice as they left how Vigor seemed somewhat reluctant to go back into the caravan, as though perhaps he wanted to stay with the group.

Finally, Caine exited the sheriff’s office with the small reward she’d soon add to the group’s chest.

She turned the corner to find Cassandra waiting just where she'd left her, on top of Fidella, her arm was resting on Fidella's neck forming a sort of cushion on which her head lay, her eyes were closed and her hair fell over her face.

"Goodness, you even look gorgeous when you sleep," Caine mumbled.

"Thanks," Cassandra mumbled back, making Caine freeze.

Caine decided she was never assuming Cassandra asleep ever, ever again. Nope. Never.

That night Caine was avoiding Cassandra like the plague, too embarrassed to even exist right now. She claimed she was foraging as she walked through the forest, dreading her very existence.

Rapunzel was doing the cooking tonight so that Lance could spend some quality time with his daughters, who were getting him to play dress up with them.

Lance enjoyed the game perhaps more than ever before, just because earlier that day he hadn’t been sure he’d get to play with them again.

Eugene sat a small distance away from the caravan, breathing in the night air and taking in the forest view. He heard Cassandra’s gentle footsteps before she sat down next to him.

“You’re worried.” He didn’t even need to look at her to know. The fact she said nothing as she approached was enough.

“Eugene… Maybe I shouldn’t be talking to you about this seeing as you’re um… Unwell.”

“I’m fine. You’ve had a concussion before.”

“Painful.”

“But manageable.”

She nodded.

“Go ahead.”

“I just need to know… If I did something illegal, would you… Would you still care about me?”

Eugene chuckled before glaring at her. “If you bring up the fact you lived alone in the tower under the age of eighteen one more time, I swear I’m taking you to the nearest town to steal some apples or something so you can be an actual criminal. Do you understand?”

She nodded. “It’s not that.”

He rolled his eyes. “Then whatever it is, yes, of course I would.”

“You’ve no idea what it is though, you can’t possibly know that!”

“I’ll bet it’s not even illegal knowing you but, even if it is, yes Cassandra. I’d still care about you. Now what has you so worried?”

Cassandra frowned. “I talk to animals.”

Eugene laughed. “Yeah, I know. It’s weird, but not illegal.”

She looked at the ground.

“You expecting the guards to go around arresting everybody who speaks to their pets?”

“You don’t understand, Eugene… I speak to them and they understand.”

“Smart animals.”

“And I understand them.”

A pause as the words settled in and Eugene sat up straighter. “Because they’re very expressive?”

She shook her head.

“Shit…” Eugene said before quickly grabbing her hand. “It’s okay though.”

“I’m magic,” her voice was breaking.

“It’s okay.”

“I’m exactly what everybody accused me of.”

“No, you’re not,” Eugene quickly grabbed her other hand too, now holding one in each of his. “Talking to animals is hardly dark magic,” he quickly said.

“But… What if there’s more to it?”

And unfortunately, Eugene was sure there was. He hugged Cassandra. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay…”

Cassandra hugged him back and he could feel how she began to cry. “Eugene, I’m scared.”

“I can tell but… It’s okay,” he repeated the same thing again and again despite not really believing it himself. Magic? Of course! So obvious. Why wouldn’t Cassandra be magic? And this would be complicated, politically, first of all but, in so many other ways too.

However, it wasn’t something they could fix.

It wasn’t something they could change right now.

So first things first, Eugene held Cassandra and promised her it was okay. He looked over Cassandra’s shoulder to see a worried-looking Rapunzel, who was clearly holding herself back. He wondered if perhaps the sundrop magic had just rubbed off on Cassandra? That would be perfect, however, Eugene did not dare to hope for such a simple explanation. He held Cassandra tighter as she cried out the confusion she’d been keeping to herself for the last few hours.

Eugene didn’t know where this would take them, but he knew Cassandra needed to not be alone and to feel safe right now, so he held her and mumbled once more: “It’s okay.”

Chapter Text

“Sleeping bags,” Arianna read off her list.

“Check,” Frederic confirmed.

“Journal with map?”

“Check.”

“Food?”

“Check.”

“Water?”

“Check?”

“Dagger?”

“Check.”

“Rope?”

“Check.”

“Explosives?”

“What?”

Arianna opened a pocket. “Check!”

“What?” Frederic was regretting leaving the planning to Arianna as she picked up her bag and gestured for him to follow her back to the cottage for their second day of tunnel research. “Why do we have explosives?”

“Don’t worry about! It’s unlikely we’ll use them.”

“Unlikely isn’t comforting enough for me…”

“I got them from professionals!”

Frederic sighed. “I married you and gave you power… Everything that happens moving forward is my own fault.”

They were quick at moving through the cottage with Arianna’s little map, moving into new tunnels and opening up doors into small rooms, most of them holding nothing but shelves upon shelves of notes which Arianna marked on the map for the archivers to come and collect.

“These tunnels truly are extensive,” Frederic said, looking upwards at the rocks that had by now changed colour.

“It’s possible they connect all of her properties?” Arianna suggested as she closed the door and continued onto the next tunnel.

“Do you think any go into the palace?”

“I wouldn’t be concerned by such a thing.”

“It would explain how she took Rapunzel.”

A pause as Arianna looked up. “That’s true… I guess we’ll have to explore every inch of them.” She nodded, a bit more determined, and kept walking.

Frederic smiled and followed. After a while, he heard a distant rumbling sound. “You’re hearing that, right?”

She hummed. “Probably just old cave sounds.”

“Old cave sounds? You mean like tunnels crumbling in?” he raised a brow.

“No, not so sinister! Like old castle sounds.”

“I love you and your optimism, but sometimes I fear it’ll be the death of me.”

“Oh, darling, don’t be silly. Look at these walls.” She patted one. “They’re very solid.”

Frederic nodded, trusting his wife’s judgement for now.

Arianna found yet another door. She pushed it open and paused. “This one is different…”

Frederic peered in. “So it is…”

“It’s a lab…” They both stepped inside.

There were thick glass vials the size of an average tank lying around, drained of their contents. In the centre was a table, clinical in nature. It had leather restraints attached to it which Arianna did not dare touch but did stare at. “They’re small,” she whispered to Frederic, pointing at the holes in the leather which closed with a belt like mechanism. Simple yet effective.

Frederic took Arianna’s hand in his own. Both were thinking the same thing, not daring to say it aloud.

Arianna forced herself away from the table, heading to the desk, there was papers pinned above it with hand-written notes and pictures. Arianna leaned forward. The language was a mixture of English, Latin and an ancient language she could not read. “Standard magic: functional…” Arianna read out loud, squinting at the small writing. “Sundrop magic: unconfirmed?”

Frederic looked at the doodles of mostly flowers alongside a lot of maths. Before directing his attention to a journal on the desk, opening there were numbers.

Test 1: Failed.

Test 2: Failed.

He skipped forward a handful of pages.

Test 43: Failed at 362 days.

Frederic frowned, trying to figure out what the tests entailed.

Arianna moved past the desk to the shelves, boxes upon boxes. Most contained bottled up potions, more notes, some hand-mirrors. “Could this woman not do anything without staring at herself?” she huffed, dropping the mirror back into the box, having not touched the glass at any point.

Frederic hummed as he looked up at the notes.

“Frederic…” Arianna’s voice rang louder than usual, though Frederic wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing as he quickly moved to her side.

She was holding what appeared to be a potion with glowing gold liquid.

“I know it’s a long shot, but…”

“Sundrop magic?” he took it from her, looking carefully at it.

“If she stored some away for a rainy day… There’s more of them.” She was trying to not let hope overwhelm her, but at the same time this could be huge.

Frederic frowned, though. “The colour is different from the one Varian produced…”

“Different concentration?”

“Perhaps, but…” Frederic moved over to the desk, placing it down carefully before looking up at the notes pinned above the desk. He pointed at a dissected butterfly pinned to the wall.

“Golden wings… Darn.”

“We’ll have it tested, of course. It may still be something useful?”

Arianna nodded, twirling it around. “If nothing else, it has a beautiful coloration.”

Frederic smiled. “Precisely. Plus, I think Varian will find this far more exciting than translation work.”

Arianna laughed. “Oh, that for sure! And there are many potions for him to test… Oh goodness… He’s going to blow up the castle.”

“No, he’s going to blow up the town’s best blacksmith.”

“Ah, true.”

“Have you added this room to the map?”

“On it!” Arianna pulled out her journal, adding in the room along with some notes as she lead Frederic into the next room, one that was right next door.

Frederic opened the door while Arianna’s eyes were on the journal. It smelt dusty, more so than the other room. He scrunched up his nose as he took in the shelves upon shelves of… “Animals bones,” he said with a confused look.

Arianna raised her head to take in the scene. Her eyes widened, and she gasped, stepping back, her hand grabbing on tightly to Frederic.

“What? What is it Ari?”

“Those aren’t animal bones…” she was panicking and Frederic did not understand why.

He turned to look at the room; the bones labelled tests. “But they’re so small…” and his voice faded as understanding reached him. His arms wrapped around Arianna.

“How could… How could…” Arianna’ was struggling for words.

Frederic pulled her away and out of the room, closing the door.

“How could anybody…”

Frederic swallowed, still holding his wife. She was crying now. He could feel his own eyes filling with tears.

“We knew that… But…”

“Ari…”

“Fred,” she looked up at him.

“I think that’s enough for one day…”

She swallowed and nodded, wiping her eyes off more tears. “Me too.”

Chapter Text

Eugene was in bed. The caravan was being kept dark, blankets pinned up over the windows so that Eugene could rest.

Technically, he was allowed out of the caravan, but every time he tried, Cassandra tried to put a guard helmet over his head for protection , and Eugene would have to fight her off.

So Eugene had decided the caravan was a good place to be.

He was, however, a little annoyed at the group’s refusal to move forward while he was recovering. A concussion wasn’t a good enough reason, in his opinion, to be at a standstill. Yet Cassandra talked about it as though it were the most painful experience of her life!

Probably to guilt Caine.

Eugene wondered how long it would take those two to sit down and talk about their feelings. Caine clearly liked Cassandra, though Eugene wasn’t sure about how Cassandra felt.

She liked Caine as a friend, definitely. But Cassandra had this distance to her which Eugene didn’t know hot to interpret. Cassandra was so odd, in some aspects she was an open book, but in others she was an open book with the wrong cover, the letters mixed up and in an ancient language.

A soft knock on the door drew him from his thoughts. “Come in?”

Rapunzel peeked inside. “Eugene,” she smiled, coming in and sitting by his side, kissing him softly before holding out a mug. “I made you hot chocolate.”

He sat up. “My favourite.” his hands wrapped around the mug, feeling its warmth on his palms. “Thanks Blondie.”

“How you feeling?” her voice was barely a whisper, she’d clearly learnt since Cassandra’s concussion.

“I’m fine. The medicine’s been doing wonders.”

She nodded. “That’s good.”

“How are things out there?”

“Well… Lance went foraging with Keira and Catalina.”

“They’ll eat everything they find, but that’s alright.”

Rapunzel smiled. “And Cassandra and Caine are heading through the forest to the nearest town to stock up the medicine cabinet, you’ve um… Drained it a little.”

“I apologise.”

Rapunzel smiled, kissing him again. “You’ve been keeping us all safe.”

“I was tired of you girls being the main source of trouble for the group, wanted to get in on it.”

She laughed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m just glad everybody is still okay.”

Rapunzel nodded.

Deep in the forest, in a clearing that wasn’t quite shrouded in shadow but also wasn’t shrouded in sunlight. Sat at a beautifully set table, well, toadstool, in front of a colourful cottage, a couple were enjoying their afternoon tea. Both wore cream suits, and had their hair in unique, very noble-esque styles. The man went by the name Father and the woman by the name Mother.

They’d once upon a time had actual normal names, but they’d fallen into disuse such a long time ago even they struggled to remember them.

Father poured a cup of tea. “Not much left…” he mumbled. The teapot, which was a bright red with the shape of a bird if one payed enough attention to the pattering, was in fact about to run out of tea.

“So precipitately?” Mother asked. “But we so recently replenished it. What length of time could have come between then and now?”

“Ten, twenty years?”

“Has such an inordinate length of time passed yet again?” The woman sighed. “I presume we must locate a novel magic source.”

“As we always do, my dear.”

Caine thought she knew the way back to the caravan, but unfortunately she was mistaken. The trees all looked identical, and the winding paths made it hard to tell one turn from the next. Though every step the weight of the bags was becoming more and more burdensome, yet, Cassandra seemed unphased, smiling at the wildlife which surrounded them.

Cassandra’s smile widened as a small bird landed on her hand. “Hello there. You wouldn’t have happened to see a caravan near here?”

Cassandra hummed, smiled at the bird as it twittered.

“Just south? Alright! Thanks a ton!”

The bird offered one last twerp and flew away.

Caine groaned. “Cass, stop messing around. We’re trying to find our way back.”

“Oh, it’s this way.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“A little bird told me.”

“Course it did,” Caine rolled her eyes but followed Cassandra, regardless.

From a bush, a couple watched and shared glances. “Did she just…?”

“A magic user, all the way out here? Oh, how unusual… And so young… I think we may have our next source.”

“I think we may.”

Caine wasn’t sure if she was annoyed or not at Cassandra being right about the directions, but she was ready to sit down and rest after all that walking.

Eugene was sitting at the entrance to the caravan, eyes narrowing at the sight of Cassandra, ready to retreat inwards if she got her hands on the helmet. Thankfully, as Rapunzel took the bags from Cassandra, the young woman just flopped down onto the grass in a state of exhaustion.

“Hey, we should send Cassandra to shop more often, keep her out of the way.”

Caine glared at Eugene as Lance took her bags. Eugene just stuck his tongue out at her, knowing he was safe, at least until he recovered fully.

“You two took a while,” he said as he walked closer, sitting down next to Cassandra on the grass.

“It’s a long walk,” Caine said.

“We got lost,” Cassandra answered more honestly making Eugene laugh.

“She might have been lost, but I wasn’t,” Caine said as she walked away before Cassandra could tell the truth.

“She was lost, and a bird directed me back here.”

Eugene frowned before smiling. “Good use of your um… Talents?”

Cassandra nodded.

“Did Caine notice?”

“If Caine hasn’t noticed yet, she isn’t going to suddenly assume I actually talk to them.”

Eugene nodded. “Have you told Rapunzel yet?”

Cassandra shook her head.

“You know Rapunzel won’t judge you for it.”

“I know, but she’s terrible at secrets and I don’t… I’m not sure how everybody is going to take it yet.”

Eugene hummed. “Hey, leave it to me. I’ll test it.”

“How?”

“Just trust me.”

Cassandra rolled her eyes, frowned, then her eyes narrowed. “Hey!” She jumped up. “Where’s your helmet?”

Later, while they were eating supper, Eugene sat between Lance and Rapunzel, the helmet resting on the side as he was allowed out without it only during meals. After another bite, he put his plan into effect.

“So, guys, quick question…”

Caine groaned, leading to Eugene narrowing his eyes at her.

“What do y’all think about people with magic?”

“Why am I feeling personally targeted?” Rapunzel smiled, brushing her fingers through her hair.

“No, I mean, not Sundrop-pure-magic like just… Normal magic?”

“There’s such a thing as normal magic?” Caine raised her brows.

“Historically speaking, yes, that used to be a thing and probably is in some places to this day. Koto uses magic, right?”

Caine nodded. “Going by that definition, I think they are all a danger to society.”

The group went very quiet.

“That’s a bit extreme,” Rapunzel said, more brushing of her hair.

“Look, your magic is healing magic, but any other type of magic is rarely used for good. You made the point yourself, Eugene, Koto. Remember what they did to you?”

“Well, that was one man, not exactly an entire kingdom.” Despite this, he played with his fork, twirling it between his fingers.

“Let’s think of other examples of magic then… Evil spirits brainwashing people? Not good. Fountains turning people into children just to then maybe kill one of those children? Not good. Witches who kidnap princesses and abuse children? Not good.”

“There’s no evidence Gothel was magic…”

“But she was invested in magic! She looked at magic and said I can use that for my gain.” Caine pointed out. “Magic users are inherently evil because they wish to control and use a force of nature.”

“What about people born with magic who don’t get a say?” Cassandra asked quietly.

“I don’t think anybody can be judged for something they don’t get a say in,” Lance said.

Catalina nodded in agreement.

“If they never use the magic,” Caine said, looking thoughtful, “then they can be forgiven.”

“What if they had no idea what they were doing was magic?”

“If they can use something as powerful as magic without even being aware, they’re a danger to society.”

“Oh… Fair enough.” Cassandra took another bite.

Eugene wanted to comfort Cassandra but couldn’t in front of the others without giving something away.

“I think magic is super mega awesome!” Keira declared.

Chapter Text

That night, Cassandra exited the caravan while Rapunzel and Caine were sleeping. She took a deep breath of the fresh air as Owl landed on her shoulder with a soft hoot.

“I know it’s late,” she whispered as she began to walk away from the caravan. “But I can’t sleep. Got too much on my mind.”

More hoots as she stepped into the forest. “If I get lost, I’ll ask an animal to direct me.”

Owl hooted, seemingly content with her response as he flew into the night to continue his hunting.

Cassandra knew going into the forest alone at night without telling any of her party was… Not her smartest idea.

But she didn’t care.

She’d wanted to cry after hearing Caine’s words and refused to cry in front of the party, so now she was sneaking into the forest to be alone with nature, her tears and her thoughts.

Reason be damned, because she had emotions to deal with.

Eventually, she found a log to sit on. She pulled up her legs and finally she let her tears fall down her face. She hugged her knees and slowly her sobs got louder. She was far enough away from the caravan; she knew she could probably scream with nobody hearing.

She heard some ruffling in the bushes and looked up to see a yellow hawk emerging.

“Hello little guy… Did I wake you?” she asked while wiping tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s quite alright, Dear,” the bird responded, flying up to perch on the log. If anybody else from her party were there, they’d be shocked at the talking bird, but Cassandra had no reason to assume this bird was anything but normal. “Whatever is the matter?”

“I… It’s just… This girl who… Who I have confusing feelings about, but… She says I’m evil.”

“Are you?”

Cassandra glanced at the bird. “No,” she sounded offended.

“Oooh, well then. What is the bearing of her thoughts?”

“It bears meaning to me, because… Her opinion matters to me.”

“Why?”

“Because… Because she…”

“Why are you evil according to her, my dear?”

Cassandra swallowed. “Because I have magic.”

“Because of magic?” the bird laughed in a way Cassandra hadn’t heard a bird laugh ever before. “Why that’s derisory!”

Cassandra frowned.

“Magic can be used for so much vantage in the world!”

“Other than healing magic?”

“Why of course!” the bird then gestured for Cassandra to follow and Cassandra did without question. “Why, just take in my image!”

“You?”

“Yes, I!” and the hawk lead her to a small cottage with toadstools outside forming a table and chairs.

“I don’t follow…”

The hawk landed on the table-toadstool and picked up an egg that was already waiting for her; she threw it into the air and cracked it with her beak. In a puff of smoke, a large woman dressed in the same colours as the bird sat atop the table. “Ta-dah!”

Cassandra stepped back. “How?”

“Why magic, of course!” She smiled. “Oh, magic is a wondrous thing. It can do considerable things! For me, it grants the freedom to fly! Though perhaps you seek something else?”

Cassandra frowned. “I don’t seek anything… I didn’t even know I had magic until recently. I just assumed animals talked to everybody and that some people were awfully rude.” The amount of times she’d glared at Captain for not heading Maximus’ concerns…

“I see. But you enjoy talking to animals?”

This question got Cassandra to tilt her head before nodding. “I do. They’re amazing. They’ve told me some of the best stories and are so very helpful.”

“So, you see, magic can be an elegant piece a paraphernalia if used adequately.”

“I… I guess you’re right.”

The woman smiled. “You ought to enter my abode and make the acquaintance of my husband! We are quite old magic users and though I’ll acknowledge it’s been quite some time since we’ve used magic for anything other than assuming the forms of aviary creatures, I am certain we could assist you in reaching your potential?”

“Potential?”

“Indeed! If communicating with the animal kingdom comes naturally, then picture what you could accomplish with added intent!” Mother wrapped an arm around Cassandra’s shoulder as she began to guide her towards the cottage.

“Oh, no, I can’t, I must head back to the caravan, my friends… If I’m missing too long somebody will notice and then… They’d worry, I don’t wish to make them worry.”

“Just a hasty introduction? Afterwards, you may return to your caravan and come back here when you’re ready to attain the knowledge we will instil.”

Cassandra hesitated, but nodded. “Alright, quick.”

As she walked into the cottage, she had not expected the home to be so colourful. Every room had a different colour and pattern for the walls, every piece of furniture too. The sofa, for example, was red with four cushions: blue, green, purple and yellow. Cassandra found the vibrancy hurt her eyes.

From the ceiling hung dream-catchers made of many types of feathers as well as bird-cages full of all types of birds. In the living room there was even a tree with birds chained to it, clearly designed to be wheeled outside during the day.

Cassandra stared into one of the cages at a tiny little red bird.

“Why are they in cages?” she whispered, horrified. Birds were meant to fly free!

“Oh, these poor darlings are here for their protection. They can’t survive outside,” Mother said with a dismissive wave.

“I don’t reckon that to be true…” Cassandra frowned. “Hello little guy?” she tried to speak.

The bird looked up at her, then tweeted.

Leave the lanterns on.

“What?” Cassandra didn’t understand.

Dad went to the bakery. He’ll be back soon.

“To the bakery?”

The river is cold this time of year.

“Nothing you’re saying makes sense to me…”

“Oh, that’s because they’re bird-brained,” a male voice caused her to turn. The tall man must be the woman’s husband. “It’s a condition. We’re working hard to help these guys out so they can fly free again.”

“Oh,” Cassandra still frowned, disliking the cages.

“We do what we can, alas, our best isn’t always enough.” He sighed before smiling. “My wife says you’re interested in learning magic!”

Cassandra hesitated. “I guess…”

“Oh, that is stupendous! I haven’t had the chance to take on a new student in… My, a very long time.” He walked further into the house, gesturing for Cassandra to follow. “Magic isn’t what it used to be. No longer is it an art-form or a useful skill people yearn to learn. Now it is feared and rejected despite all its uses!”

“They’re burning witches at the stakes in Equis.”

“Again?” he shook his head. “It’s barbaric.”

Cassandra nodded.

“Do not worry though, my dear, a good magic user won’t get caught, for they have absolute control.”

“Oh… But how long would that take? I can’t really stay for long and… In fact, the only reason I’m nearby at all is my friend who hurt his head. A week at most I have around these parts, then I must move on.”

“Oh, we would never dream of keeping you from your journey! And for some basic magic, no time at all! One week is more than enough if you are consistent and come here often!”

Cassandra smiled. “I guess seeing as I have this inside of me… It would be foolish not to use it, right?”

“Exactly, my dear!” He turned to look at the woman. “Oh, you’re right, Mother. She is so very smart.”

Cassandra’s smile widened.

“Then it’s decided! You will come back to us tomorrow and we will teach you to use your magic!”

“Thank you,” Cassandra said, forgetting the over-saturated home, the creepy birds and all the stuff she’d learnt about stranger danger. Happy for a chance to learn.

Chapter Text

The next day Eugene got up early in hopes of finding Cassandra alone.

As he’d hoped, she was swinging her weapon around; he was surprised by the smile on her face but happily so. Then she spot him. She raised a brow.

“Helmet.”

“Oh, come on Cass! You only had to wear the helmet while training with the guards… Or are you asking me to fight you? Cause even with a concussion, you know I’d win.” A playful grin reached his eyes as he saw the glimmer in hers.

“How about this, put your helmet on, we’ll have a single match. If I win, you wear the helmet when outside of the caravan, no more arguments?”

Eugene laughed. “And when I win?”

“ If you win,” Cassandra gestured for Eugene to finish the sentence, as she knew he had something in mind from the way he was already picking up the helmet.

“ When I win, you’ll prepare us both some tea and we’ll move away from the caravan to discuss last night?”

Cassandra sighed. She swallowed, but nodded. “You aren’t going to win.”

Eugene pulled his sword from off a desk and chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”

The two circled each other. Eugene frowned because the helmet limited his vision, not to mention he hadn’t stretched and though the concussion was almost gone, it probably wasn’t doing much for his reaction speed.

Cassandra stepped forward first, her dagger aiming to disarm.

Eugene blocked with ease and for the first time took in the fact Cassandra was using a dagger, though she’d trained for many days with it, his sword offered him a slight advantage over such a small weapon. But to keep that advantage, he needed to keep his distance so her dagger could not reach him.

Cassandra watched Eugene’s eyes, how they took in her weapon, her grip on it, her feet. Despite this, there was something about her eyes which made Eugene wonder how truly there she was.

As he darted forward with the sword, she dodged, but barely. She moved to the side and grinned, trying to pretend like she hadn’t nearly been hit so easily.

Eugene decided not to say anything as he let her move closer before stepping forward, going in to disarm her.

She blocked the incoming sword but found she had to move her left hand to support her right hand and keep the sword away.

If Eugene moved down quick, he could probably get her from below, but he’d risk slipping and cutting her hand for real, which he didn’t want.

Did Cassandra not bring training weapons with her?

Too late for that. If Eugene suggested it, she’d tease him and say he was scared.

Eugene backed away but barely enough for Cassandra to let her guard down before hitting her dagger again and knocking it clean from her hands.

She looked confused.

“Still not ready to spar with the great, I’m afraid.”

Cassandra glared. “You got lucky.”

“Sure I did, Young Princess.” Eugene’s lips formed a grin as Cassandra’s face scrunched up at being called young. After so many years being the oldest sister in the tower, the idea of being younger didn’t seem to agree with her. Eugene pulled off the helmet and rolled it beneath the caravan. “Good riddance,” he said, before placing a hand on Cassandra’s shoulder. “Now I believe you owe me a chat.”

Cassandra rolled her eyes, but she also smiled gently. “Fine.”

Her tone was so soft. In fact, Eugene wondered if she’d lost on purpose. He decided not to suggest it, first because whatever got her talking was worth it, but second because that would just bring forth comments such as: “Oh, so you know you’re not strong enough to defeat me?” And Eugene didn’t need that right now.

Cassandra prepared a tea each plus grabbed some of Eugene’s favourite biscuits for breakfast. They sat on a log a small distance away from the caravan, far enough nobody would overhear, but close enough nobody would worry they’d gone missing either.

“So… Danger to Society, had a nice ring to it. Suppose I’m not allowed to start calling you that?”

“Not if you don’t want stabbing in your sleep.”

“What happened to freedom of speech?”

“Princess give, princess take back.”

“Pretty sure you didn’t give me freedom of speech?”

“Fine, princess take away.”

Eugene chuckled.

“Now stop teasing and get to the point.”

“Fine, fine, you know Caine’s wrong, right?”

Cassandra frowned.

“You talking to animals is probably far more harmless than Rapunzel’s indestructible hair. What, just because Rapunzel’s came from a healing flower it’s harmless? Caine wasn’t thinking her words through. If she knew it was you, she would—”

“She can’t know we were talking about me.”

Eugene nodded. “You’re scared she won’t like you anymore?”

Cassandra flinched.

“I get it,” Eugene placed a hand on her knee. “Up until Blondie, I was pretty defensive about my past out of fear of rejection. I know being an orphan and talking to animals aren’t alike or anything but, I get it.”

Cassandra nodded. “I don’t… I don’t want to tell anybody, not until I know what it is.”

“It’s magic Cass, we aren’t going to find a simple explanation for it. We barely know what Blondie is. The Sundrop, sure, but what’s that? A magical flower! Oh great, now everything makes sense?”

Cassandra smiled. “Then, until I know what I’m capable of.”

“You’re capable of many things, Cass, few of them to do with magic.”

Cassandra paused. “You think I shouldn’t be exploring these corners of my abilities?”

That caught Eugene off guard. He hadn’t realised that was on Cassandra’s mind. “Explore?”

Cassandra’s frown deepened as she nodded.

“How?”

Cassandra’s eyes darted towards the woods before slowly returning to Eugene. “I don’t know,” she said slowly, a half lie. She knew where to start, but not what that would entail.

“I see… Well… I’m not against you exploring it,” he chose his words carefully. “I don’t fear magic. Rapunzel did, after all, use magic to save me and, from what you girls have said, keep you alive past your due time.”

Cassandra nodded.

“However… Perhaps that is something that should wait for the safety of Corona?”

“So… You wouldn’t support me?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

“Not here, in the middle of nowhere, on your own.”

On your own . Cassandra nodded, then smiled. “Alright.”

“Okay…” Eugene wasn’t sure where those questions or that response had come from, but he decided to head back to the original topic as it continued to concern him. “Caine doesn’t hate you.”

“Because she doesn’t know.”

“Even if she did, trust me, she’d think twice if she knew it was you. Caine’s like that, she can be fast to judge at times and it’s only when faced with nuance she’ll take the time to reflect.”

Cassandra didn’t look convinced, but nodded. “You promise?”

Eugene squeezed Cassandra’s hand. “I promise.”

Cassandra smiled.

Eugene decided while they were on such sensitive topics to check up on something he hadn’t spoken to her about in a while. “So, back in Vardaros, you weren’t sure how you felt about Caine. Any change?”

Cassandra’s nose scrunched up and eyes found the ground. Her expression wasn’t negative, per se. “I’m confused.”

“Alright, that’s fine.”

“She likes me, doesn’t she?” Cassandra buried her face in her hands.

Eugene smiled. “Yeah.”

“I feel terrible for not knowing.”

“Aw, Cass, it’s fine. You’re new to this, and Caine would understand you needing time to figure it out if you told her… Which I’m guessing you only will if she confronts you first.”

“Obviously.”

Eugene chuckled. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Cassandra sighed. She shrugged. “I think she’s cool.”

Eugene opened his mouth to make a joke but caught himself, realising the moment he broke the ice, this conversation would be over.

“I find comfort in being with her. I like… I like that she likes me?” She paused. “Is it selfish for me to like her liking me when I don’t know if I like her back?” she looked straight ahead. “Am I a horrible person?”

“Yes.” Despite the clearly teasing tone, Eugene flinched at his own quick stab. He had intended to take this seriously. “But not because of the liking her liking you spiel.” He rubbed his forehead, but Cassandra just rolled her eyes. “That’s normal. How could you not be at least a little entertained by the fact someone finds you attractive?”

“Attractive…”

“Yeah, that’s usually how this whole deal starts.”

“What’s the difference between attractive and beautiful?”

Eugene paused. “What an odd question.”

“Do you not know the answer?”

Eugene shrugged. “It’s… I guess I could look at a man and recognise him as beautiful. I could find beauty in many places, but I would not find him attractive because I’m not attracted to him? Maybe… You do ask the oddest questions sometimes.” He chuckled, because he found that endearing about both Cassandra and Rapunzel. After so many years of unanswered questions by Gothel, they were curious and their questions got you thinking.

“So… a woman’s beauty and a man’s beauty are different?”

“It’s… Maybe? But it’s more complicated than that.” He shook his head. “It’s a personal taste thing, I think.”

Cassandra fiddled with her dagger.

“You once told me you wouldn’t want a man in your life?”

Cassandra nodded. “I can’t even imagine myself with a man… I can imagine myself with a woman, but… It’s not like you and Rapunzel.”

“How come? Women can love each other just as much as—”

“Not because of that,” Cassandra waved him off and continued to stare confused at the ground.

“You can tell me, Cass.”

“I wish I could, Eugene, but I don’t know.”

Eugene nodded. “Well… If you find the words, you know I’m always here.” He squeezed her hand once more. “I know I’m probably not your first choice for these topics but—”

“You’re not far from it,” she said with a gentle smile. “Though I wish I could talk to mum… You did introduce us to this big new world and… You’ve not once driven us wrong in it. I mean, other than allowing for us to become friends with the likes of you.”

Eugene chuckled, ruffling Cassandra’s hair. “That was a mistake. Should have left you behind.”

“You enjoy my company!”

“I enjoy being there whenever you fall.”

“So you can help me up.”

“And point out how you’d be on the ground without me.”

Cassandra laughed. “Thanks Eugene.”

“Don’t mention it. Literally, cause Blondie just got out of the caravan and unless you’re ready for questioning, we gotta seem like we’re murdering each other out here.”

“I’ll get a sword!”

Chapter Text

It wasn’t long into the morning before Cassandra announced she was going for a walk in the forest.

“I’ll accompany you,” Caine said with a sigh.

“I’d rather go alone,” Cassandra said quickly, making Caine’s eyes narrow.

“I really want to listen to the birds, maybe sit and watch some of them make their nest. Did you know that—”

“Be gone, princess!” Caine raised her hand as though dismissing a demon or ghost. “I do not need to know a single bird fact.”

Cassandra had to hold back a grin. “Your loss,” she said before wandering off into the forest.

“Scream if you’re in trouble!”

“Will do.”

Cassandra reached the familiar cottage, excited to learn. Eugene had said not to explore on her own, but she wasn’t alone. She’d found two teachers!

And with their help, maybe she could become stronger.

She was already strong, nobody could tell her otherwise but…

She thought of Gothel.

Of Apple and Pear who’d tripped Fidella and taken her prisoner.

Of Caine kidnapping her from a guarded square.

Of the prison barge where Caine had to come to her rescue.

And of most recently being tied to the stakes…

She had to pause to catch her breath as her heartbeat sped up at the memories. She wasn’t helpless but as Eugene often pointed out, she attracted trouble and if she could somehow become stronger, perhaps offer herself a last line of defence, one they couldn’t take away from her as easily as a dagger or a sword, she’d feel better.

Father stepped out of the cottage. “Sweetheart, what are you doing just standing there? Come in! Come in!”

Cassandra, broken from her haze, rushed over. “I’m ready to learn, Sir!”

“That’s splendid, such a good attitude from a young woman!”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“I suppose the first thing we need to know is, where does your magic come from?”

Cassandra frowned.

“Were you born a magic user? Did you acquire it through an artefact?”

“I’ve been able to speak to animals as long as I can remember.”

“Alright… Did your parents do that too?”

Cassandra frowned, trying to remember a single interaction between Gothel and an animal, but none came to mind. “I don’t think so,” she finally said, because she couldn’t imagine Gothel being able to have a friendly conversation with an animal.

“Do you remember a specific event in your childhood which may have led you to gain powers?”

Cassandra nodded. “A lot of healing magic was used on me, still is.”

“No, no, not really what we’re thinking. More like… Playing with an artefact that then glowed?”

Cassandra looked thoughtful. “I can’t remember anything, but my mother wasn’t the best at keeping spaces child safe, so I wouldn’t put it past her.”

“Alright… Well, we’ll try some normal exercises used my young magic wielders back in the era and see what we can do.”

Cassandra nodded. “Alright!”

Cassandra spent the rest of the day doing very odd things.

For example, she held a candle in the palm of her hand. She’d been told to light it via magic. But it did nothing for Cassandra. It sat unmoving and unbothered in the palm of her hand taunting her with the darkness it refused to fight.

Next, she was given a bird whose wing was broken and told to heal it. She was told to direct warm feelings towards the bird, but that didn’t work. Cassandra tried singing her sister’s incantation, but of course, that did nothing either. Eventually she held the bird to her chest and offered it comforting words. The bird responded with very illogical stances.

“It’s okay darling, you’re safe,” whispered Cassandra.

I must light the candles for supper.

“No, all you need is rest,” Cassandra tried.

The eraser I bought your daughter went missing again.

Cassandra tilted her head, sad for the poor animals.

When healing didn’t work, she was handed some ice in the hopes she had some sort of control of the temperature. The coldness burnt the palm of her hand and only stopped when the ice melted, but not from any magical intervention.

She was given water to play with, but nothing came of it other than some wet hair when she threw it in the air.

“I don’t understand. To understand and communicate with animals, animals of any kind, that isn’t an insignificant amount of power and yet you fail every test?”

Cassandra frowned. “I’m sorry.”

“Perhaps her magic is only good for specific tasks?” Mother suggested.

“True… True…” Father frowned, thinking about nature related magic tests. “Perhaps your magic only extends to animals. Fine, we can test that next. Rest assured young lady, we’ll find how to get that magic out of you.”

Cassandra smiled.

“Now run along before your friends notice you’ve gone missing.”

“Thank you,” she bowed before running off.

“A secure vessel.” Mother crossed her arms.

“Just like our teapot. But I’m sure we can find the cracks.” Father smiled.

Cassandra arrived back at the camp mere moments before Caine was going to wander off to look for her.

“How many birds could there possibly be in a forest this small?” Caine’s voice was laced with sarcasm.

Cassandra crossed her arms and grinned. “Well, given the territory, forest size and the numerous species of trees—”

“Rhetorical.”

“I’d say at the very least—”

“Rhetorical,” Caine repeated louder.

Cassandra just grinned. “I had an amazing time! Oh, I met this one bird—”

“Shut up and sit down. It’s lunchtime.” Caine grabbed her arm, dragging slightly. “You know I have no interest in birds.”

“Oh, but they’re so pretty.”

A gentle sigh. “You can tell me about birds while you eat, but I want to see you eating.”

“I’m sure my parents only meant for you to protect me from dangers and not care for me as you do,” Cassandra’s tone was playful.

“You’re a danger to yourself,” Caine said simply.

And to society , Cassandra added on in her head, remembering the night before. Caine sat her down next to Rapunzel, filling a generous plate and waiting until she took a bite before telling her she was allowed to talk about birds.

Cassandra hesitantly started to tell her about some native species, and, to her pleasant surprise, Caine did listen. Not just nod her head, but listen.

“So… the white feather chest is a sparrow…?”

“A house sparrow,” Cassandra smiled.

Caine nodded.

“Though the white chest is more visible for males, Dad told me that.” She smiled, then frowned. “Sorry.”

“For rambling about birds?”

“No, for mentioning… You know…”

Caine raised a brow.

“Dad…”

Caine rolled her eyes. “I call you princess on a daily basis, I know what I’ve gotten myself into.” She took a bite. “You done talking about birds? Want to move onto a more exciting topic?”

“Do I have to?”

“No, keep going if it makes you happy.”

Cassandra smiled because it did. Caine tried to hide her blush at how the princess brightened up just talking to her, even if the topic was boring to Caine.

Chapter Text

Later that evening, Cassandra told the group she was going bird-watching again.

“Do you want me to come?” offered Caine.

“Bird watching?” Cassandra laughed. “I thought you weren’t into birds.”

“I’m not.” She crossed her arms. “But you’ve told me enough about them at this point, and I’ve barely seen you today.”

“Miss me?”

Caine blushed. “Every moment you’re out of my sight is a moment you could well be in trouble.”

“I’m sure I can manage some bird watching.”

“Fine,” Caine turned away, though Eugene didn’t miss the disappointed look on her face as Cassandra left.

“Patience,” Eugene whispered as Caine got closer.

“Does she not want to spend time with me?”

Eugene smiled. “You’ve spent the past few days complaining about her talking about birds. She cares. She’s not about to drag you around to look at birds all day.”

Caine’s blush deepened, and she smiled gently. “Oh.”

“She listens, you know? Your complaints don’t roll over her like they did other company.”

“Guess I should complain less.”

“Probably a good idea if you want her to invite you even to the boring activities.”

Cassandra felt a bit bad for having pushed Caine away. But Caine wouldn’t understand. And Cassandra needed this.

Magic …

Cassandra wasn’t sure how she felt, but she knew that having control of it couldn’t make it worse.

“Ah, there you are,” Father’s voice was calming as usual. “I’ve prepared a new test.”

Cassandra nodded.

“This here,” he held out a bird. “His name is Chip. He’s one of our younger birds.”

Cassandra held out a hand, and the bird came to her. “Hi Chip.”

My dog went missing.

Cassandra frowned.

“Many magic users have such fine control over animals they can control them in a way.”

“Oh, but I wouldn’t want to do that.”

“It’s not a bad type of control,” Father tried to reassure. “It’s more… Influence their actions.”

“I’d rather just ask them and if they don’t want to, they can say no.” She shrugged.

“Oh, but what about little Chip here? He can’t think clearly. What if he was in danger and you needed to influence him to safety?”

Cassandra frowned. “Oh, I guess that could be useful.”

“So, how about we try it? Best to be ready than sorry, right?”

Cassandra didn’t seem fully convinced, but she nodded regardless because the point he made was fair.

“I want you to wrap your hands around him.”

Cassandra carefully did so.

“Now close your eyes.”

She did.

“Concentrate on finding a warm feeling within you.”

She took a deep breath and tried to feel it. She soon felt a warm fever like feeling in her fingers, her arms, her chest, but she wasn’t convinced it wasn’t all in her head.

“Now concentrate on the animal in your hands.”

She took in the feeling of his feathers, the occasional peck of the beak against her skin. All this while trying not to lose touch with the warm feeling.

“Open your hands.”

She did.

“Now try to picture the bird flying and try to make that warm feeling carry the bird.”

Cassandra felt the bird leave her hands. She opened her eyes to see a golden magic leaving her fingertips surrounded Chip. Moments later, it vanished, and she just managed to catch the bird before falling to her knees.

“Are you alright Dear?” Father asked. “That was very impressive!”

“Oh,” she looked confused as to how she’d reached the ground. “Yes, I’m quite alright.” She smiled, holding up the bird for Father to take before trying to stand up again.

She found her head spinning and vision blurring. It took a few deep breaths to be able to catch her footing.

Father watched her carefully. “Interesting.”

“Interesting?”

“Nothing, nothing Dear. It would seem we were right. Your magic does seem more animal focused, or perhaps that’s merely where your focus is?”

Cassandra tilted her head.

“Now you understand the warm feeling. Would you be willing to try it on something other than an animal?”

Cassandra looked at Chip, who twirped.

“I… I think I need some rest… That… That took a lot out of me.”

“I see… Well, that’s perfectly fine. Whatever you need. As long as you promise to come back tomorrow, of course.”

Cassandra nodded. “How could I not? I just used magic…” she grinned.

“Yes, you did.”

“I used magic…” The thought began to settle and Cassandra couldn’t help but laugh, feeling perhaps a little stronger than she had just a few days ago.

Later that same day, in the evening, Cassandra had fallen asleep on the ground near the fire, with the rest of the group surrounding her.

“I never realised bird watching was so tiring,” Caine said, her eyes raising to meet Eugene’s.

Eugene shrugged. “She’s had a lot on her mind recently. She’s probably taken this downtime to think about all that and now it’s eating away at her.” He bit into a biscuit, giving himself time to think about his next words. “It’s good she rests now while we’re not moving.”

Caine nodded. “I suppose.” Her hand reached down to touch Cassandra’s forehead, checking she wasn’t too warm near the fire.

“She’s always done that, sleep right near the fire,” Rapunzel added with a smile. “When we were kids, she’d curl up in front of the fireplace almost every night.”

“I guess she likes the warm…” Caine murmured.

“Explains why she likes you so much, Sunshine,” Eugene joked, earning a smile from Rapunzel.

“Do you want me to drop her off in bed?” Lance asked.

“Nah, let her sleep by the fire a bit longer,” Eugene said. “It’ll be good practice for us on volume control,” he raised a brow at Keira before she could say anything.

Catalina smiled and giggled while Keira blushed and crossed her arms, not saying anything but fully showing her offence.

Caine smiled at the antics before her brows furrowed once more in worry. “She seems so tired…” she voiced her concerns. “Maybe I should go with her tomorrow.”

“I’m sure she’d love your company,” Eugene nodded.

Chapter Text

In the morning Cassandra took a while to wake up, odd seeing as she was usually the first on her feet. She exited the caravan, needing to lean some of her weight on the door-frame. She was met with the smell of pancakes and honey.

Lance was cooking while Caine was putting the meals out on plates. She smiled up at Cassandra and her smile was unusually forced, her head tilted. “Morning Princess.”

“Morning guys,” she stepped down, accepting the plate full that Caine handed her, sitting down on the floor with her legs crossed so she has somewhere other than the ground to rest the plate. “Smells delicious.”

Lance smiled at the compliment.

Not far away, Cassandra could head Eugene and Rapunzel’s soft chattering, probably flirting as always.

“You slept in late,” Caine said, and though she tried to be casual about it, there was concern in her voice.

“Oh, yeah.” Cassandra placed some pancake in her mouth and chewed before answering the unasked question. “Tired, bird-watching shouldn't be tiring but um… When you climb trees to get a better view like me.” She laughed.

The explanation did seem to ease Caine somewhat as she sat down next to her. “So… What plans do you have for today?”

“Oh… More bird-watching… Well, animal watching, you know? I love the forest! And it’s not often we’re in the same place long enough for me to see all the animals there are.”

“We’ve not been travelling that long,” Lance pointed out.

“Oh, but long enough.”

Caine nodded. “Would you mind if I came along?”

“You want to come along?”

“Yeah, sure. If you enjoy it that much, maybe it’s funner than it sounds, right?”

Cassandra chuckled awkwardly. “Oh, nah, it’s pretty boring.”

“Well… If I can’t stand it, I’ll head back. But I’d like to try.”

“You do?”

Caine nodded. “That’s what I said, isn’t it? Are you not listening?”

Cassandra took another bite.

“Do you not want me there?”

Cassandra slowed down her chewing.

“You can say it.”

“It’s not… I…”

Caine raised a brow.

“I like the alone time… So I can think? It’s not about you. I wouldn’t want Lance, Eugene or even Rapunzel along with me.”

Caine hesitated before nodding. “Okay. Fair enough.”

“You can come at a different time?”

“No pressure, it’s you time… I get that.” She reached a hand to place on Cassandra’s knee.

The gesture made Cassandra smile as it did far more to convince her Caine meant the words than the words alone could. She moved her own hand on top of Caine’s. “Thank you.”

“Sure.”

Despite Caine saying she understood, and despite it being almost true. Caine continued to feel unnerved by Cassandra’s absence after she wandered into the forest once more. The woman was missing for too many hours; she came back too exhausted. Caine knew it was paranoia, and she hated it.

Eugene came over, seeing Caine’s pacing. “Didn’t go with your crush to watch birds?”

The glare she responded with made Eugene take a step back. “Remember, I’m still in recovery.”

“You’re lucky it’s a head injury,” Caine spat. “I’ll assume your brain is muddled, for your sake.” She paced a bit more. “Cassandra said this time is her alone time. She likes to use it to think.”

Eugene nodded. “And you’re wondering if it’s a problem with you?”

“No.” Caine surprised him. “I trust her, I believe her. It’s just she woke up so late this morning. She was exhausted.”

“We all are.”

“No, no, it was more than that…”

“Love making your paranoid?”

Caine blushed and glared.

“Muddled brain,” he shrugged.

She huffed. “Probably,” she admitted.

Eugene nodded. “Well… I know what I’d do.”

“Something stupid I bet.”

“I’d use all that sneaking around we both perfected as thieves to go check up on her. If you see her dorkily lying on the ground silently being excited over a gopher or perhaps talking to a bird, you’ll feel better.”

Caine paused and nodded.

“She doesn’t have to see you.”

“What if she’s thinking out loud and I invade her privacy?”

“Wow, you really are picking up fast on these whole moral things?”

Caine glared. “I just don’t want to make any mistakes.”

“You can then transfer the blame to me,” Eugene reassured.

Caine nodded. “I’ll try not to get close enough to hear… Just close enough to see her, you know?”

Eugene nodded. “Go on, before you wear out the grass?” He gestured to where she was pacing, already a slightly earthier blotch than the surrounding green.

Caine just rolled her eyes as she walked away.

Mother and Father were frowning at the nearly empty teapot. They needed to refill it soon and still weren’t fully sure how they were going to get the magic out of young Cassandra. Her magic was unique, not like the typical magic users they’d encountered in the past. Yet the golden strands of magic had been powerful.

If they could get the power out, it’d easily be enough to fill the teapot for a long time.

Cassandra arrived a little later than usual, but with her usual bright smile and ready to learn.

“Today we’re going to be doing a similar test to yesterday, just, inside the cottage?”

“Okay, why though?”

“Well, we’d like to know if your powers are being drawn from the forest or inside of you. That’s an important thing to know. We don’t want you to be in a desperate situation, only to find your powers are no longer there.”

“That makes sense,” Cassandra nodded, following them inside with a smile on her face.

Meanwhile, Caine was following a trail she assumed was left by Cassandra, but with each step deeper into the forest she took, she doubted her abilities more. “Why do you feel the need to go so far, princess?” she grumbled. “No wonder you’re so tired at the end of the day. You’re probably walking the entire forest…” she sighed. “Not to mention if something did happen like you falling from a tree and breaking an arm, we’d not hear your calls for help.” Caine held herself, trying to remove the image of Cassandra lying on the forest floor gripping a broken arm. Why must this woman bring forth so much concern in her?

Chapter Text

Caine was shocked to find a small cottage with a toadstool table just outside. She didn’t approach. She’d heard fairy-tales of children taken by fae. She instead hid in the bushes, trying to see the residents. Cassandra was forgotten for now as she tried to evaluate if this house, too close for comfort to the caravan, was dangerous.

She watched carefully as a woman exited the cottage, heading to the table and pouring herself a cup of tea. She looked down at the liquid sadly as a skinny man came to stand by her side.

“Only a scintilla left. Did she prevail?”

Father smiled and nodded. “We have our new source.”

Mother looked satisfied, drinking her tea and promptly becoming a bird, flapping her wings. “Marvellous!”

“Seeing how much she struggled, I was beginning to doubt she could truly wield magic. But it would seem it was in her blood. She’s resting right now, but we’ll cut her open before night falls and her blood will serve to brew us a new tea.”

Caine listened carefully, she didn’t understand what they were on about, cut open and blood did not promise a good time for whoever that magic user was… However, a magic user was none of Caine’s concerns.

Until a voice, familiar and gentle, beckoned from the cottage’s doorway. “Sir?”

Caine’s eyes widened at the sight of Cassandra leaning heavily on the door-frame. She appeared pale and her legs and arms were trembling slightly.

“Ah, sweetheart, you should be resting!”

“I don’t feel too well…”

“It’s normal! First time using such powers do that sometimes.” He placed a hand on her back, attempting to guide her back inside. “Come, come dear.”

Caine’s heart raced at the realisation of the danger Cassandra was in. As the white bird flew away, she messed with her belt, searching for a dagger.

“I think I should go,” Cassandra tried to argue.

“Oh, it’ll be best you rest indoors, sweetheart!”

“No, no, my friends.” Cassandra pulled away and took a few steps outside, though she was struggling. “I need to go back to the caravan for lunch or they’ll worry. I don’t want them to worry.”

“If you go back in this condition, they’ll worry far more than you arriving a little late.”

Cassandra stumbled forward, ignoring his words. She shook her head. “I’ll recover on the way, or make up an excuse…” she mumbled as she began to catch her footing. “I’m good at pretending.”

Caine swallowed. She’d address that later as she aimed her dagger at the tall man who’d mentioned cutting Cassandra open. Fully intending to do whatever it took to ensure Cassandra’s safety.

But as she threw her arm forward, something hit her from the side. Her fingers were already loose around the dagger and she was unable to stop. Instead, she stared in horror as it flew through the air slightly to the left, heading straight at Cassandra.

“No!” she screamed.

Father was fast, pushing Cassandra out of the way and to the ground.

Cassandra looked confused as Caine rushed out of the bush, relieved to see Cassandra not bleeding out.

“Did you just attack me?” Cassandra’s eyes widened, her voice trembling as she asked the question.

Caine opened her mouth to deny the accusation, but it wasn’t wrong. She turned to try to see what had pushed her, but saw nothing. As she turned to look back at Cassandra, the woman was in tears and the man, Father, stood in front of her.

“Yet another person who plays judge and prosecutor with magical beings.” And he ran at Caine. She drew her sword, but when she tried to hit him, something held her back, talons holding her clothes. Father threw some type of dust at Caine and her eyes burnt as she began to cough. She dropped her sword and, before she knew it, she dropped to her knees.

“Don’t hurt her.” Cassandra’s gentle plea was the last thing Caine heard before succumbing to unconsciousness, unable to explain herself to Cassandra, unable to protect Cassandra.

Caine woke up an undetermined amount of time later. Lying on hard wooden floorboards. She could hear the muffled sound of chirping birds and wings flapping, as well as the occasional clinking of metal.

She opened her eyes and was met with nothing more than darkness.

She tried to move but found she was bound with rope, tied tightly around her arms and legs. She could also taste something. She moved her head left and right, realising it was some sort of material probably meant to muffle any calls for help.

She felt her heart rate fasten because she doubted Cassandra did this to her. Had Cassandra allowed it, or had they done something to her?

Caine hoped Cassandra had allowed it.

With no explanation as to how Caine had unintentionally thrown a knife at the girl, it would make sense for her to do so.

Caine much preferred to think Cassandra had allowed it than the alternative.

She struggled, though. She needed to reach Cassandra. Even if she was okay now, she wouldn’t be okay for long if what she’d heard was correct.

Then the door opened just a few inches and Caine glared up until she recognised Cassandra’s grey eyes. She felt her heart calm as her glare vanished.

Cassandra slipped inside, closing the door behind her and kneeling in front of Caine.

The look of betrayal, of sadness, fear and disappointment, it broke Caine’s heart.

“I’m really sorry,” Cassandra whispered. “I didn’t know what to do…”

Chapter Text

Caine made a muffled sound, hoping Cassandra would remove the cloth so she could explain herself.

“I know what you think about people with magic.” Cassandra rubbed her arm, and Caine desperately tried to shake her head. “I get it,” Cassandra tried to reassure. “You don’t have to deny it. I see why you’d think me dangerous… I see why you wouldn’t want anything to do with me.”

Caine hated this.

“I wish I could have warned you before this whole journey began.” She wiped tears from her eyes. “I promise I didn’t know until recently, I promise…” She hugged herself and Caine wanted to hug the princess and reassure her she didn’t care. Because she didn’t. Magic? Sure, why not! Cassandra was full of surprises. She’d properly process it later, but right now what mattered was getting Cassandra to safety.

Caine tried to talk through the cloth.

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll remove that in one moment. Just, please, let me say my bit.” She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “I know you don’t trust me. I know you think I’m dangerous. There isn’t anything you can say that will convince me otherwise, and I understand why you attacked me.”

Caine shook her head.

“I understand… And I don’t blame you. I… I want to tell you that I understand if you wish to leave this mission, and I’ll talk to my parents so they grant you your pardon regardless upon my return to Corona. You did more than enough to earn that pardon in Vardaros alone…” She smiled. “All I ask is you do not try to kill me again?” She tried to make the last part sound like a joke as tears filled her eyes.

Caine shook her head.

Cassandra slowly reached forward, her fingers trembling as she carefully peeled away the cloth covering Caine’s mouth. Caine surprised herself by not saying anything. As the silence drew longer, Cassandra rubbed her arm. “Well… Say something… Please…”

Caine blinked. “There isn’t anything that would convince you I’m not afraid of you?”

Cassandra didn’t know how to respond. She looked at her hands. “You made your opinions quite clear a few days ago… How could you not be afraid of me?”

“Maybe… because I’m a fool, but… Also, because… I love you.” Caine blushed at the admission, finally put into words and out in the open.

It caught Cassandra fully off guard, her eyes widening slightly.

“I know rethinking one’s opinion after finding out they apply to a loved one is… Less than ideal, but…” Caine swallowed. “I would never have said that had I known you … I care about you. Goodness, I care about you a lot , Cassandra. I’m spilling my guts while tied up on the floor in a cabin in the woods…” She took a deep breath. “I love you Cassandra, so much I’m using the word love which I don’t think I’ve ever used before in this way. I would never do anything to hurt you, you have to believe me that knife wasn’t meant for you and I do not know how it got redirected but it was for the man besides you.”

“He’s been helping me—”

“I overheard them say they were going to cut you open and brew tea with your blood. They want your magic, not to help you.”

Cassandra shook her head. “They wouldn’t—”

“Please Cassandra, you need to trust me before you trust two strangers you found in the woods!”

Cassandra took in those words before nodding, pulling out her dagger to free Caine with two quick cuts. Caine surprised herself and Cassandra when she wrapped her arms around the woman.

Cassandra returned the embrace.

“This is the last time I’m letting you wander off on your own,” Caine hissed.

“Because you… like me?” her voice was so gentle and disbelieving it made Caine swallow.

“We’ll talk about that later, okay? Right now I need your head in the game as we need to get out of here alive, got it?”

She nodded.

Caine wrapped her arms right back around Cassandra. “I thought you were dead for a moment when I was knocked out and unable to protect you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“As you should be.”

Cassandra felt tears of relief fall from her eyes, understanding that Caine cared more about her than she feared magic. “Thank you.”

Caine was well aware that the two people waiting outside the door were no mere humans, but rather they were magic. And unfortunately for them, other than tea that turned them into birds and a dust that knocked you out, they had no idea what more that magic entailed.

The powder they’d thrown at Caine could be a natural spore from some plant in the forest, or it could be magic.

The risk of the unknown was Caine’s least favourite to deal with.

Which was ironic, given that Cassandra, alongside her sister, were practically just the human agglomerations of unknowns.

“You’re sure you’re too tired to fight?” Caine whispered.

Cassandra looked up at her with a gentle smile. “You know me well enough, if I were even close to well enough to fight, I’d be running in.”

“We’re going to be placing a strict ban on magic use if it exhausts you this much.”

Cassandra chuckled, yet nodded. “Fair.”

Caine moved the hair out of Cassandra’s face, looking at her pale complexion before shaking her head. That was a problem they’d worry about once back at the caravan. “Then we’ll go with your plan, but may it be known that I hate it, with a passion.”

Cassandra nodded. “That’s perfectly fair.”

“If something happens to you, if they lay a finger on you and I mean that literally, I will not hesitate to slit their throats.”

“Eugene said you didn’t hurt people.”

Caine had to take a moment to realise Cassandra was thinking way back to her kidnapping. That felt like a lifetime ago. “He said I don’t hurt innocent people. They lay a finger on you. They’re no longer in that category.”

Cassandra nodded. “Alright.”

“Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Cassandra and Caine exited the cottage, unsurprised to find both Mother and Father at their table.

Father stood up, his jaw tensed and his shoulders rigid. “Darling, this woman—”

“I’ve spoken to her,” Cassandra said, standing a few steps away from Caine. “She’s agreed she will leave without hurting any of us. She’s scared. Society does that, and I wouldn’t force her to remain by my side if she wasn’t comfortable.”

Caine didn’t say anything.

“She won’t hurt any of us as, if she did, I would no longer negotiate with my parents to grant her a pardon.”

Caine nodded.

Mother and Father shared glances before a knowing smile. Mother poured a few cups of tea, the final cups. “Sit girls, before you leave.”

Cassandra did so with no hesitation while Caine glared.

“I assure you it is no trick,” Father said. “I simply wish to say a few things before you two go on your way.”

Caine hesitated but sat down next to Cassandra, sniffing at the tea and promptly catching Cassandra’s hand under the table to ensure she didn’t take a single sip of it. Thankfully, Cassandra had her eyes on Father and not on the tea.

“It’s just a shame for such close knit friends to separate over something as trivial as magic.”

“It’s not trivial,” Caine snapped. “It’s dangerous and I have no desire to be involved in it.”

Cassandra flinched.

“Oh, you are so worked up. Drink your tea darling, it will help.”

Caine glared. “I would much rather leave.”

“Give us but a minute, you see, your friend here also was hesitant about magic. We had to convince her of how it could be of use to learn.”

“Is that so?” Caine glanced sideways at Cassandra. “Well, she is a fool for listening to you, and I am not loyal to any fool.”

“Sit, drink your tea.”

Caine was already seated. In an attempt to feign trust, she brought the teacup to her lips, without sipping, of course.

“You too, Cassandra,” Father encouraged.

Cassandra blinked before bringing the cup to her lips, but the same as Caine, she did not drink. From Father’s point of view, though, it seemed she had, which meant now he just needed to stall.

One new bird for the collection.

One new bird to brew.

“Magic is not something to fear, it’s a part of nature,” he gestured to the toadstools and the cottage. “People are so fast to judge. But magic is nothing if not pure, especially a connection to nature like Cassandra has. Learning to use it is only the logical next step. Did you not learn to use your legs to walk and your mouth to talk?”

Caine hummed. “Neither of those are nearly as powerful or dangerous as magic.”

“Did you not learn to use your hands to wield weapons?”

Caine huffed, but she too was stalling for time as Cassandra was reaching across the table while Father’s attention was on Caine. “I learned to fend for myself. Magic is a weapon nobody can fend against, inherently evil.” She felt bad for her words despite it being a part of their plan.

Cassandra’s fingers found the handle to the teapot, intending to throw it to the side and smash it against the ground. The idea being with no teapot they would have no reason to try to kill Cassandra.

Unfortunately, Mother, who Cassandra had forgotten about in her silence, snatched Cassandra’s wrist. “Want more tea, darling? Why you haven’t even finished your first cup! In fact… It seems you haven’t drunk any.”

“I don’t like tea,” Cassandra stated.

“Then why did you want the teapot?”

Father glanced down at Caine’s cup, realising it too had not gone down. “I see.”

Caine drew her dagger only for Father to disarm her with a sword within seconds. The man leaped over the toadstool table and if not for Mother’s tight grip around Cassandra’s wrist, she’d have tackled him. Instead, he was able to grab Caine and pull her to the ground.

“You’re right to have some hesitation around magical creatures, my dear.” He grinned.

“Cassandra run!”

But even if Cassandra wished to head Caine’s advice, Mother’s grip on her wrist was stronger than Cassandra realised humanly possible. “What are you?” she whispered.

“Why the same as you, darling, magical creatures.” And her other hand found Cassandra’s free wrist, holding her against the table.

“Now this is how it’s going to go,” Father said with his sword pointed at Caine. “Our magical friend here is going to drink her tea like a good little girl. That’ll turn her into a bird and that way we can give her a quick and painless death. Otherwise, draining the magic from her body would take a lot longer and she would suffer a lot more. I’m sure neither of you wishes to see that.”

Caine clenched her teeth. “Cassandra, don’t do a thing they say.”

The sword was pressed closer to her neck.

Cassandra stared at Caine, then her expression hardened. “Only if you promise to let her go. She doesn’t need to be a part of this.”

A pause. “Of course, Sweetheart.”

Mother pulled Cassandra into a sitting position before bringing the teacup to her lips.

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Caine screamed, at whom, it was impossible to say.

“Caine…” and Cassandra’s eyes went from Caine to the tea to the basket of eggs, back to Caine. Recalling how Mother had used the eggs to turn back earlier.

Caine swallowed. “Cassandra, please don’t leave me…” And the way her voice cracked broke Cassandra’s heart. Yet she couldn’t let Father slit Caine’s throat, so she opened her mouth and swallowed the sweet tasting tea.

Mother let go of Cassandra and let her sit on the ground, awaiting her fate.

Father let go of Caine, pushing her away from the table. “Go. Run before we change our mind.”

Caine swallowed and glared. Instead of running away she rushed towards Cassandra, wrapping her arms around her.

“Seems she wishes to become a part of our collection,” Father said with a grin.

“Caine, go,” Cassandra whispered.

“No.” Caine held Cassandra tight. “No.”

Cassandra felt weird. “Caine, please…”

Caine’s eyes darted up. The teapot was just out of reach, guarded by the woman known as mother.

“I can get to the teapot,” she whispered, her grip finally loosening on Cassandra.

Cassandra shook her head. “No.”

But Caine payed her no notice attempting an attack. Mother grabbed Caine, pulling a dagger from somewhere or other. Caine saw her life flash before her eyes but in reality that flash was actually a golden light which sprouted from Cassandra, knocking the dagger from Mother’s hand but more importantly knocking the teapot from the table.

Father sprinted to try to catch it, but instead it crashed and shattered against the ground.

“No!” both Mother and Father screamed. Caine fell to the ground, looking up to see how the couple vanished, followed by the toadstool table, by the shattered remnants of the teapot and an entire cottage. Leaving only fluttering birds and a basket full of eggs.

Caine rushed back to Cassandra. “See, we did it?”

Cassandra held Caine. “I killed them.”

“No, no,” Caine whispered, holding her close. “That’s not what happened.” She ran her hands through Cassandra’s hair. “You didn’t kill anybody.”

Cassandra closed her eyes. She rested her head against Caine. She didn’t think Caine was right, but she didn’t argue, feeling too tired for that.

“Shush, it’s okay,” Caine reassured before grabbing an egg from the basket, ready to fix the effects of the tea before Cassandra was even aware of them.

Chapter Text

Caine let Cassandra rest while she used the eggs to turn the birds back into people. As Caine directed them towards the nearest town, making sure all the children had responsible adult supervision and did her best to explain what had occurred, she realised she was actually the good guy.

It was strange this was the moment that made that feeling really sit.

But it did.

She shook her head, turning back towards Cassandra, who was still on the ground. Pale, shaking, breathing somewhat forced. Caine knelt down, pulling her into a sitting position. “Cass? Are you alright?”

Cassandra shook her head.

“You did the right thing.”

“Caine… I feel… Really tired.”

Caine nodded. “I’m going to help you back to the caravan. There you can rest.”

“It’s too much.”

“What’s too much?”

“I… I feel cold .”

Caine frowned.

“I did what they taught me. I connected to the warmth and let it out… But… I let out too much warmth and now… Now I’m cold.”

Caine nodded. “You need rest. You need to lie down next to a fire, drink some tea. I’ll get you back to the caravan, okay?”

Cassandra nodded. “Caine… Thank you.”

Caine moved her arms beneath Cassandra’s as she got to her feet, having to support most of Cassandra’s weight. “Yeah, don’t mention it.”

As they exited into the clearing where the caravan was parked, everything was calm.

Keira and Catalina could be heard laughing as they played some type of game. Lance was starting a fire. Rapunzel was sat with her eyes closed while Eugene brushed her hair and hummed.

Eugene was the first to spot the newcomers, oftentimes the most attentive of the group. And he dropped the brush when he did, drawing Rapunzel’s attention first to him and then in the direction he was looking.

Caine gestured for someone to help, as she was clearly struggling with Cassandra’s weight. Cassandra, by now, had her eyes closed, clinging to consciousness as she was.

Eugene sprinted over. “What happened?” he asked, taking Cassandra from Caine, who took a deep, relieved breath as feeling began to return to her shoulder.

“Magic,” Caine hissed before grabbing Cassandra’s hand. “Evil magic not… Not her.”

Eugene’s eyes narrowed at both of them before he helped Cassandra over to the fire, getting her to sit down. Rapunzel went to get some food and only after Cassandra took a bite of bread did Caine begin to explain.

Once all was said, the group was speechless.

“You used magic to knock over a teapot?” Rapunzel asked.

“And make a bird fly, just a little,” Cassandra managed to mumble.

“I’m the only one here who already knew she had magic because she trusts me more than any of you,” Eugene informed, earning glares from Caine, Rapunzel and Cassandra. “I did not, however, support her decision to find magic teachers in the middle of the forest and not tell anybody.”

“You said not to learn alone .”

“You know that is not what I meant.”

She laughed, her voice ringing out, before her energy dwindled away. Her head resting against Caine.

Eugene looked concerned. “I guess magic is exhausting?” he looked to Rapunzel, who shrugged.

“I’m magic…” Cassandra frowned. “I’m not normal.”

“Gee, thanks,” Rapunzel said.

Cassandra didn’t seem to hear her as tears began to run down her cheek. “What am I?”

“Cassandra,” Eugene grabbed the hand Caine wasn’t already holding. “It’s okay.”

Caine tilted her head. “You’re a sword wielding princess with a desire to make the world a better place,” she whispered, answering the question.

Eugene smiled at Caine’s approach. “You’re very annoying, yet determined.”

“You’re my big sister.” Rapunzel moved a hand to Cassandra’s shoulder.

“You’re our friend,” Lance said.

“You’re a freak of nature,” Keira announced, receiving a glare from Lance and Catalina. “What? She is! A really cool one! I mean, how can you all pretend she’s normal, as though normal , weren’t the most boring thing around?”

Catalina shook her head. “You’re different, but that’s okay. We still love you.”

Cassandra blinked, then smiled. “Thank you.”

Cassandra didn’t recover after a single night of sleeping by the fire like Caine had hoped. Rather, several days later she continued to barely move, curled up by the constantly kept on fire. When she dares to wander even a few steps away, her body would tremble, and she’d start to complain about the cold.

Caine didn’t move from her side, holding her close and watching the forest as though she expected Mother or Father to come after her once more.

“Caine,” Cassandra whispered one night after everybody else had gone to bed, the only light came from the fire, and all that could be heard was the hooting of owls and the crackling of flames.

“Yes, Cassandra?”

“About… About what you said…”

“It can wait,” Caine said firmly, fingers going through Cassandra’s hair. “You’re weak, still vulnerable, not a good time to talk about it.”

Cassandra smiled. “You were tied up in a cabin in the woods, vulnerable, when you opened up to me.”

“I chose to tell you in that moment.”

“And I’m choosing now to talk, if that’s okay with you?”

Caine frowned, looked to the forest, then nodded. “Alright. But first I must say something, something important.”

Cassandra nodded.

“I need you to know, even if you have zero interest in me in that way, I still want to stay by your side and protect you… Unless you want me gone, of course. I mean… Your response isn’t going to affect… I’m here because I believe in you as a future ruler, not just because I like you in that way.”

Cassandra smiled. “Thank you.”

Caine nodded. “Now… Your turn.”

“I… I’ve known you liked me for a little while.”

Caine blushed. “That obvious.”

Cassandra shrugged. “I mean… Stalyan clued me in.”

Caine nodded. “Stupid Stalyan. I’ll get her for that one day.”

Cassandra smiled. “I… I didn’t say anything because… I don’t really… I don’t know how I feel.”

Caine nodded.

“I… I think you’re really cool, with your sword and your fans and stuff. I think you’re beautiful.”

Caine tried to hide behind her hair.

“I think you’re a good person, despite some of your past actions, and I love having you around.”

Caine nodded.

“And I don’t see you as just a friend.”

Caine couldn’t help but look at Cassandra with hope in her eyes.

“But I don’t know if I like you in that way, either…”

Caine swallowed.

“It’s like… It’s like I really like being with you, not only in a group, but I cherish our alone time. Me and you alone… I also love when you hold me, when you run your fingers through my hair, and how you grab my hand when we’re walking.”

“I like that too.”

“But I don’t… I don’t feel all the flames and butterflies I think I’m supposed to feel.”

A small pause. “You know those are expressions, right?”

Cassandra laughed. “Yes.”

“Just checking…”

Cassandra laughed. “No, no, good idea to check… I… I don’t know what it is I feel.”

Caine nodded. She rested her chin on Cassandra’s head and continued to stroke her hair. “That’s fine.”

“It is?”

“I like you.” She whispered. “I know that. And if you don’t know how you feel, well, then I’m happy to wait and give you all the time you need to figure it out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Course.” Caine smiled. “Someone told me it was important to be patient with these things.”

Cassandra pressed closer to Caine. “Thank you, Caine, for everything.”

“I said don’t mention it.” She kissed the top of Cassandra’s head gently. “I’m glad to be able to do these things. To be by your side.”

Chapter Text

“Ready, my love?” Frederic asked before their third day of exploration.

Despite Arianna being fittingly dressed and having the rucksacks ready, she did not look as enthusiastic as day one.

After a few tests, Varian had confirmed the golden potion was not Sundrop related and would not serve to help Cassandra in the case of an emergency.

And Arianna was still struggling with the image of the room full of tiny bones. “A significant number of stillborns coming before her…” Arianna had whispered the words from Cassandra’s file many times since leaving the cottage.

Frederic had held her and tried to reassure her there was nothing she could have done.

Given Gothel’s age, many of those babies probably were dead before Arianna and himself were even born.

Today Frederic wasn’t sure going back there would be good or bad for Arianna, yet he hoped to capture her adventurer’s spirit.

“I’m ready,” she whispered, holding out a hand, which he took, helping her up and not letting go. “I guess we’ve seen the worst of it, right?”

Frederic hesitated before managing a very uncertain, “Right.”

The tunnels seemed somehow darker and quieter than before. Probably due to a change in perception from those within rather than any actual change.

“We’re going to go that way,” Arianna pointed. “It’s, um… Not the most effective way to research, however, I can’t go anywhere near—”

Frederic stopped her with a kiss. “No need to justify. You’re the leader.”

She smiled, kissed him back more intensely before nodding. “This way! I’m hoping to find an exit today, one that maybe tells us where these tunnels go, I like my theory that it connects all her properties but also, if it leads into the palace or any other public buildings for that matter, I want to know.”

“Me too.”

Arianna nodded. She frowned and lifted her head as she felt some vibrations at her feet.

“Old tunnel noises?” Frederic raised a brow.

“Umm…” As the vibrations stopped, Arianna shrugged. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Ari—”

“We’ll turn back if it happens again,” Arianna said, turning to look at her husband. “Please, Frederic…”

Frederic frowned, but sighed and nodded. “Alright, my love. You’re the leader…”

She smiled and reached for his hand.

After a while, they were in a large cavern. There seemed to be a hole at its centre. Arianna walked over, leaning to look in. “There are smaller caves inside.”

“No tracks, though,” Frederic pointed out.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen any tracks,” Arianna whispered, looking down at her map, then down into the hole.

“Thoughts?”

Arianna squinted at the smaller tunnels. They were rounder than the others they’d walked through, less uniform paths, more mess. “Those aren’t man-made.”

“Gothel was a woman so—”

Arianna’s hands pressed against Frederic’s mouth, ordering silence.

He raised his brows at her.

“Animals,” she whispered. “They’re done by animals.”

“Oh?” he looked down and nodded, not really understanding the danger they were in but ready to follow any of her instructions.

Arianna slowly and quietly walked around the hole, Frederic not far behind. Then there was the sound of rumbling. Arianna swallowed and broke into a sprint, Frederic right behind her. She spotted a door, a wonderful goal. So centred on it, she didn’t see the giant animal appear until its tail hit her hard.

“Arianna!” Frederic shouted as she was thrown into the air.

Frederic managed to catch her hand just in time as she almost fell into the hole. She smiled up at him as he pulled her up without issue, holding her close before turning to face an enormous mole.

“It’s blind,” she whispered, pulling on him so he’d kneel, making them as small as possible.

He held her tight, watching the animal sniff around for a while before jumping into the hole and vanishing into one of the tunnels.

Arianna sighed with relief. “My bad for running, sorry.”

Frederic kissed her. “Minor mishap.”

She smiled. “Though I’d rather neither of us need the other to keep us from falling to our death, I will say I prefer it this way around.” She stood up.

Frederic chuckled. “Yes, I think I do too.” He wrapped an arm around her as they walked back towards the door they’ve previously been heading to. Upon opening it, they found yet another room with notes, some potions, but also many, many mirrors.

Also, a fireplace with a painting of Gothel hanging over it.

Arianna scrunched up her nose. “Ugh.”

“She took self-love a bit too seriously.”

Arianna nodded. “And yet didn’t bother to teach those same values to our children.” Crossing her arms and shaking her head. “I can’t believe this ,” she gestured, “Was the nurturing figure in our daughter’s lives growing up!”

“It wasn’t,” Frederic said. “At most she was for Cassandra during those first years. Rapunzel’s nurturing figure was Cassandra and, let’s be honest, once Rapunzel grew up a bit, she offered far more love and care to Cassandra than Gothel ever did.”

Arianna nodded. Her hand found Frederic’s. “I’m so glad they had each other.”

Frederic nodded, looking at the mirrors. “You’re right. This is excessive, even by her standards…” his fingers traced the wooden frame. “There must be some sort of secret…”

Arianna found a wall of smaller mirrors, she took one off the wall to look at. “I don’t know… The girls described her as vain and you know how polite and sweet those two are. She was probably vain beyond anything we could ever imagine.” Despite this, Arianna’s fingers traced the glass, and it soon glowed. She almost dropped the mirror but managed not to. She almost purposefully shattered the mirror at the face that appeared, but restrained herself.

“Oh, such a beautiful day!” Gothel’s voice had a false type of sweetness, yet it was less annoying than what Arianna had previous imagined or chosen to imagine. “Today I went to the market and oh, so many compliments! I continue to be the fairest woman in the land!” She smiled, raising her hand clearly to show off her nails. “On a far more boring note…” She turned around. Suddenly, a very young child with black hair could be seen in the corner of the room, curled up, holding a doll. “Test 22 is… Progressing.”

The little girl looked up. Arianna would recognise her eldest anywhere, despite having never known her at that age. She looked to be less than two years old.

“Despite this, I do not hold much hope of it serving the intended purpose…” The baby girl reached out a hand, but didn’t make a noise. So silent, eyes wide and somewhat fearful. It was like asking for attention was some type of crime, and given Gothel’s angered expression, perhaps it was in that home. “But I suppose the fact she got this far just proves how amazing I am!”

And the vision ended there.

Arianna took a moment to realise Frederic’s hand was over hers, stopping her from dropping the mirror and allowing it to shatter.

“They… Record memories…” she whispered.

“Yes.” He took the mirror from her, moving it to the desk. “A lot of very important evidence here, clues…”

“She looked so lonely…”

Frederic nodded. “A few years later, she was handed a sister. She didn’t remain lonely for long,” Frederic tries to reassure and it seemed to work as Arianna nodded.

Frederic wrapped his arms around his wife.

“I fear what we’re going to see in these mirrors.”

Frederic nodded. “As do I… You can—”

“No. I want to see it. I said I wanted to know everything. I mean it.”

Frederic nodded, kissing her gently. “Then I hope you enjoy seeing that woman’s face, because I don’t think they’ll be a single one without her.”

Arianna sighed. “Oh, my…”

Another gentle kiss. “We’ll get through this together.”

Chapter Text

Four days later and Eugene was fully healed but Cassandra was fast asleep at two in the afternoon.

“It can’t possibly just be exhaustion!” Eugene argued as he paced.

Caine was sat on the ground, the blackness beneath her eyes reflecting her concern, reflecting the many nights she’d spent awake watching over Cassandra.

“Rapunzel,” Eugene using her name rather than a cute nickname was a clear indicator of how worried he was. “Have you ever felt this tired after using your powers? Perhaps after the gallows, the black rocks?” he sounded hopeful, looking for a sign this was in some way normal.

“You were there Eugene, you know I wasn’t.”

Eugene looked stressed out.

“There was one specific magical act that used to make me tired, though…”

“Which one?” Caine asked.

“Healing, but not just any healing.”

“You were fine after healing me…”

“Whenever I healed Cassandra from chest pain specifically, that would make me tired.”

Eugene raised a brow. “Great… So Cassandra’s the problem! I always knew she was a problem, but this doesn’t help us!”

“No, but perhaps I can.”

Swords were drawn and pointed at the new figure.

“Oh, not again!” Adira complained.

“Stop appearing out of nowhere, and perhaps next time we’ll find a better way to greet you,” Eugene hissed as Caine got to her feet.

Adira just laughed. “Your friend, I am uncertain of the exact ailment she is going through—”

“You aren’t even helpful!” Eugene complained.

Aidra narrowed her eyes at the interruption. “But I can say it is magical in origin.”

“Ooooh, so informative,” Caine hissed sarcastically.

“And I do know a place where they specialise in all things magic.”

Silence.

“No sarcastic remarks?”

“Yeah, why didn’t you start with that?” Keira shouted.

Adira couldn’t really argue with the kid’s logic, so she didn’t. “It’s called the Spire, but to get there, you will first need to pass through the Forest of No Return.”

“Sounds like a super fun and safe place,” Caine groaned.

“No worries, with me as your guide passing through will be easy! And in no time at all you’ll find the Keeper of the Spire who surely will be able to help your friend there with her… magic issues. Plus, they also hold yet another piece of the scroll.”

Rapunzel stepped forward, one of few not greeting Adira with aggression. “Adira, thank you for this.”

“Thank you?” Eugene threw his arms int he air. “She hasn’t done anything yet!”

“She’s going to help us, Eugene, and we could use any help we can get.”

Eugene rolled his eyes but put his sword away.

Lance appearing on his left. “Eugene… Who’s she?”

Eugene groaned, recognising the tone Lance was using as the one he always had when crushing on someone. “Adira, and she’s dangerous. Stay clear.”

“Adiraaaa,” Lance whispered.

Keira and Catalina shared concerned glances.

Caine was the last to put her weapon away, but she did. “I’ll be in the caravan guarding Cassandra with my life.”

“Very dramatic,” Eugene pointed out.

“Don’t worry, if anybody ,” and she glanced at Adira, “were to try anything , it would be them who died before I.”

When the caravan started moving, Caine was next to Cassandra, as promised. She was knelt on the floor while Cassandra slept peacefully in the bottom bunk. As the caravan sped up slightly, Cassandra’s eyes opened.

“Rest,” Caine whispered at the sight of the grey eyes.

“Where we going?”

“To find somebody who can help you?”

“A doctor?”

“Not exactly. Someone with extensive knowledge of magic.”

“Ah,” Cassandra hummed, closing her eyes again before opening them again. “Are you comfortable like that?”

Caine hummed. “I’m fine.”

“Kneeling before your princess, huh?”

Caine blushed and moved to sit on the bed.

Cassandra shuffled to the side, making room for her.

“Inviting me into your bed, are we?” Caine teased.

“Only to keep me company.”

“That doesn’t sound any better.”

Cassandra frowned, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

“Oh, you’re too innocent for me to tease.” Caine lay down, fingers running through Cassandra’s hair. “How do you feel?”

“Far, far too tired.”

“Hungry?”

She shook her head.

“Thirsty?”

Another shake.

“Cold?”

A pause, then a nod.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Not while in movement, no. Flames and moving wooden caravans aren’t the best combination.”

Caine laughed. “When we stop then.”

Cassandra nodded. “I could drink a tea.”

Caine smiled. “Then for now you should rest. I’ll wake you next time we stop, with a tea.”

“You spoil me.”

“Maybe I want to.”

“Are you hoping it’ll effect my decision?”

“Perhaps, but hope is not an expectation you need to carry.”

“Don’t you have a way with words?”

“Too much time with you lot.”

“That’ll be it,” Cassandra yawned. “I think I’ll head your advice and rest.”

“If only you’d head my advice more often.” Caine made sure the blanket was pulled up, carefully putting a hand to Cassandra’s forehead checking her temperature before moving her fingers to brush through her hair. “Sleep tight.”

“How could I not with such a loyal protector?” Cassandra’s soft whisper made Caine blush, as she watched the young princess drift off to sleep.

“I don’t trust her,” Eugene told Rapunzel from their spot driving the caravan.

The horses were following Adira, who was jumping through trees up ahead rather than walking or even riding like a normal person. “Oh, Eugene,” Rapunzel said. “Maybe you’re just being a bit paranoid?”

“Or maybe people who hide in the shadows are rarely good news.”

“She’s going to help us help Cassandra. It’s not like you have any better ways.”

Eugene paused, his hand found the right side of his jacket. “Yeah… I guess.” Things weren’t urgent enough yet to justify such urgent measures, however, if Cassandra did get worse and worse, Eugene did have a backup he suspected would work.

“Besides, it’s just a forest right? What’s the worse that could be waiting for us?”

“Why would you ask that?” Eugene raised a brow and smiled.

Rapunzel laughed. “Fair point.”

“You know now it’s going to be full of man eating wolves and owls that peck out your eyes?”

A hoot from Owl behind him made him jump before swatting a hand at the bird.

“Don’t scare me like that!”

Rapunzel just giggled at the birds antics. “It’s going to be fine,” she kissed Eugene on the cheek.

Eugene nodded as the trees became closer together, blocking out the sunlight and making for a creepy dark atmosphere. “I hope so Blondie, I hope so.”

Chapter Text

Adira stood at the edge of a swamp like area. A river of mud with fish larger than Lance swimming around inside. Ravens squawked from some of the trees, one flying down close to Adira before quickly turning away.

“That right there—” She pointed to the trees over the river, “—Is the Forest of No Return.”

“Great, and how do you suggest we get there, oh great dark knight?” Eugene asked sarcastically as he crossed his arms.

“Finally showing me the respect I deserve, I see,” Adira responded, making Eugene look even angrier. “Well, we can’t go through, nor can we go under. I’m sure you know the alternative?”

“Over?” Rapunzel smiled.

“Exactly!” And with a swing of her sword, a grand tree fell, forming a bridge.

The noise it made caused Cassandra to wake up from inside the carriage, and Caine rushed over to the window. “Hey! Wanna warn a woman if you’re going to knock down a forest right next to where we’re sleeping?”

“Sorry, didn’t realise like children we were still taking naps in the middle of the day.”

Caine looked about to climb out the window and strangle the knight but Cassandra’s gentle voice drew her attention. “Is that the knight lady?”

Caine huffed. “Eugene, keep the caravan parked for about five minutes while I make Cassandra a tea, she needs it.”

Eugene offered a thumbs up.

Cassandra shuffled over to the edge of her bed, trying to see Adira out the window but she was too far. She sighed and remained in bed out of fear of Caine scolding her if she got up.

Lance however came out onto the roof of the caravan. “Oh, guess we’ve got five minutes to chat? I don’t believe we’ve met before.” He held out a hand. “My name is Lance, Lance Strongbow.”

Adira turned her back.

Lance didn’t seem to mind. “I hear you’re a knight?” He moved his hand into his pocket. “Respectable profession! I myself actually have two jobs, both very important.”

Adira played with her sword.

“I’m a chef, feeding the hungry! But more important, I’m a father. Got two beautiful young daughters, the smartest most amazing daughters in all the land.”

“I hate children,” Adira said, before wandering off. “I’ll be back in five minutes.”

“Well, you can’t date somebody who hates children, Lance,” Eugene said, hoping his buddy would drop the crush.

“Ridiculous!” Lance laughed. “She only hates children because she hasn’t met mine. Nobody could hate my sweethearts.”

“The overly rude and violent—” Eugene stopped at Rapunzel’s glare. “Sure, sure Lance. You try that.”

Once Caine had poured the water into the mug and turned off the flame, she told Eugene they could continue before returning to Cassandra with the large mug of tea plus some snacks.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Which isn’t good,” Caine whispered, helping Cassandra to sit up and sip the tea.

The caravan began to move again, and Caine made sure to hold the mug while it did.

“Seriously, you really saw two strangers in the middle of the forest and thought, perfect magic teachers!”

Cassandra frowned.

“Were you never taught stranger danger?”

“I was.” Cassandra played with the blanket. “I was taught every single person beyond the tower wanted me and my sister dead.”

“Oh… Yeah.”

“I know I need to find a middle ground between trust nobody and trust everybody but… Goodness, it’s hard. Some people act friendly because they are friendly, some people act friendly to hurt you. Some people act bad because they’re hurt. You know?” She sipped the tea. “If I were to apply the logic nobody gives you things for free, I couldn’t trust my parents or Eugene.”

Caine nodded.

“People who hurt you sometimes turn out to be your greatest allies,” she smiled up at Caine. “And other times people with titles and supposed reputations, they try to kidnap you and have you burnt alive?” she thought of Koto. “It’s never clear.”

“Then you need to let me or Eugene, heck, even Lance is better than nobody, guide you.”

“I know, I know, but… How was I to know you were more fond of me than scared of magic?” She smiled before her eyes went down to her tea. “And Eugene was supposed to be recovering… Though I think I stressed him out enough that week, I probably had the opposite effect.”

“You certainly did.”

Cassandra sipped the tea, listening to the forest beyond the wooden walls of the caravan. “I think I’d rather be too trusting than not enough. If it leads to friends like you.”

Caine smiled. “That’s sweet princess, but I won’t be your friend if I find your body after you trust the wrong person.”

Cassandra nodded. “Good point.”

“Not to mention, if that did happen, I’d probably murder whoever touched you, meaning I’d not only fail to get my pardon after not protecting you, I’d likely end up arrested for murder. All your hard work, wasted.”

“You weren’t hard work.”

She blinked then smiled. “Wasn’t I?”

“Nope.”

“Good, then I don’t want to hear another complaint ever again about that concussion I gave you. It wasn’t even hard work.”

Cassandra laughed. “Fair enough.”

Caine helped her lie back down once the tea was finished.

“I’ll be fine in here alone, go help the rest. They’re probably arguing.”

“You think my presence will help that?”

She shrugged.

“I’ll do what I can. Rest.”

Caine exited to find Eugene and Adira arguing. Caine’s instincts shouted side with Eugene , because she did not like Adira. However, Adira was supposed to be guiding them and Caine wanted to arrive at their destination as soon as possible, so instead of immediately taking sides, she took a deep breath, walked over, and very maturely asked.

“The fuck are you two arguing about?”

“She’s calling that a map.” Eugene pointed at some folded pink paper.

“It’s a very sophisticated map, far beyond your comprehension, Fish-skin.”

“What did you just call me?”

“That is not a map,” Caine agreed with Eugene, looking at the strange invention. “I’ve been through many forests with Eugene as a guide. He’ll get us through this.”

“This forest is no normal forest, it’s the Forest of—”

“No return,” Caine matched the sing-a-long tone. “Yeah, we have no plans of returning here, just getting through and never returning. Eugene,” she gestured for him to lead and he grinned.

“Hah! You’re outnumbered.”

“We never voted,” Adira pointed out.

“Caine holds hers and Cassandra’s votes. I hold mine and Blondie’s.”

Rapunzel didn’t look convinced about that but didn’t bother to say otherwise as Eugene began to lead them into the forest.

Chapter Text

The forest was nothing like any forest Eugene had ever been through and, unfortunately, that became obvious very fast.

The trees would move around them, causing the group to find their paths closing in on them. The weather would change in a moment’s notice, bringing rainstorms that lasted mere minutes. Plants and animals none of them had seen before or even read about.

“I hate magic,” Eugene grumbled as he narrowly avoided a vine which seemed to have a mind of its own.

Caine nodded.

“Oh, come on guys, it’s… Whimsical,” Rapunzel tried.

“Whimsical like the woman who lead us here,” Lance mumbled from his spot popping out of the roof, staring at Adira, who sat atop the caravan.

“Dad!” Keira complained. “You’re being creepy.”

“No, this is how adults converse,” Lance told the girls.

“No, it isn’t,” Keira said. “Dad, stop it.”

Catalina nodded in agreement.

When they found themselves once more staring at the tree with the name of the forest carved into it, they knew they’d not advanced.

“This is my fault,” Caine said, as Adira leaped down from atop the caravan.

Eugene frowned.

“I’m sorry for placing my trust in Eugene.”

“Hey!” Eugene raised his hands.

“You lead us in a circle!”

“The forest was literally moving!”

“It was a… um… A nice circle?” Rapunzel tried to help, gaining raised brows from both Eugene and Caine. “Look, Eugene, why don’t you just let Adira lead the way?”

Lance exited the caravan with Keira and Catalina to check out the carvings on the tree.

“Because she’s a spooky shadow lady who I do not trust,” Eugene said.

Caine nodded in agreement. “Though Eugene did fail us, I still do not think Adira is our second best option.”

Eugene glare at Caine but took whatever support he could get. “I know you want to trust everybody Blondie, but she’s…” He looked at Adira, and gestured.

Caine nodded as though Eugene had said something smart.

Rapunzel sighed. “I know you two mean well—”

“I don’t mean well,” Caine quickly corrected before frowning. “Wait… Yes I do.”

Eugene chuckled. “You switched sides.”

“Yes, so I did…” Caine frowned. “I still don’t like hearing it said out loud.”

Rapunzel sighed. “Why not let her lead for just… A little while?”

“How long do you think it’ll take her to lead us into a trap and to our doom?”

At this point, Lance realised something. “Um… Guys…”

“What is it, Lance?!” Eugene sounded annoyed until Lance pointed and he turned just in time to see the caravan disappear.

“That’s a landpit,” Adira informed. “Means your horses and your camper are probably now in another part of the forest.”

Caine turned to look at Adira. “Did you know those existed and didn’t tell us?”

“Well, I didn’t think you were foolish enough to park your camper in one.”

Caine had to be held back by Eugene and Rapunzel. “Let go of me!” She almost punched Eugene in the face in her struggled.

“Calm down, we’ll find your camper and horses!” Adira assured.

“Cassandra was in there!” Caine screamed.

Keira and Catalina looked at the glowing hole in the ground before back up at Lance.

“Yeah… That’s not good,” Lance acknowledged.

Cassandra groaned as she fell from her bed. “What…?” she looked up towards the window. It wasn’t long before Fidella and Max were poking their heads through the window. “What happened, guys?”

The horses neighed before Max threw his head forward so his reins swung inside.

Cassandra grabbed the reins with both hands, and Max helped her to her feet. She groaned and leaned on the wall, opening up the door to look out at the forest, her friends gone.

“This is my fault,” she grumbled. “Shouldn’t have left them unsupervised.”

Fidella pressed her snout to Cassandra’s shoulder gently, while Max huffed and nodded.

Cassandra looked around spotting a weird-looking mushroom which, upon noticing her, began to bark.

Cassandra knelt down. “Hi little guy, I don’t mean you any harm.” She slowly held out a hand.

The mushroom quieted before sniffing her hand.

“Could you help me out? I’m a bit lost.”

Caine was pacing after finally having ran out of anger. “She’s probably terrified, all alone in this godforsaken forest!”

“She’s probably still sleeping,” Lance tried to reassure.

“Or she’s woken up and thinks we abandoned her here!”

“Cassandra knows we wouldn’t do that,” Eugene promised. Finally, turning to Adira. “Can you find Cassandra?”

“Of course I can!”

“Then please… Lead the way.”

“Glad you finally realized your place, Fish-Skin.”

“It’s Eugene.”

“I don’t do names,” Adira said. “An easy to remember characteristic is the way forward in my book, Sundrop, Fish-Skin,” she pointed at Lance and the girls, “Earing, Loudmouth,” Keira glared and nearly shouted, “Quiet,” Catalina crossed her arms but true to the name kept quiet. Adira turned to Caine. “Rose-Tattoo.”

“Oh, I quite like this, Annoying-Know-It-All-With-No-Friends.”

“A bit long,” Adira said with a shrug before gesturing for the group to follow, which they did, though Caine and Eugene looked very annoyed.

Cassandra held on tightly to Max’s reins as they walked through the forest, following the little pupshroom. The forest moved around them but the pup was unphased as were the horses and Cassandra.

“If we leave, the others will catch up, right?”

Max neighed, his ear flopping in a sign of uncertainty.

“I mean, they can’t get lost in here forever…” she glanced at the moving trees. “Then again…”

Fidella moved her head underneath Cassandra’s arm to better support her.

“Yes, I guess I am a bit too tired to truly be of assistance. We’ll keep an eye out for them, but they can manage alone just this once... Right?”

Chapter Text

Adira lead the way. Lance and Rapunzel were at the centre of the party with the girls. Caine and Eugene, meanwhile, kept falling further and further behind.

“I hate her.”

“Ditto.”

“I don’t trust her.”

“I wouldn’t trust her with a pet rock if I had one.”

“I wouldn’t trust her with a rock that isn’t my pet!”

“This is your girlfriend’s fault. How can she trust her?”

“My girlfriend’s?” Eugene held his hand to his chest, mouth open. “Excuse me, but isn’t your girlfriend her number one fan?”

“I don’t have a girlfriend… yet.” She looked around the trees. “I hope she’s okay.”

Eugene’s features softened. “I’m sure she is, I mean… We haven’t exactly found too many dangers? Cassandra can befriend even the most vicious of animals, and she has Maximus and Fidella to protect her. I know they’re horses, but trust me, they’ll keep her safe.”

Caine nodded before looking up. “Look at that, little miss perfect Knight has found herself a dead-end.”

Eugene laughed. “Hah!”

Adira raised a brow as she turned. “As I was saying, all we have to do here,” she gestured to the geezers. “Is run across.”

“You want us to run through explosives?” Eugene asked.

“I take back all my concerns. Cassandra is in much safer hands than we are.”

“Oh come on guys, we’ve done more dangerous stuff than this!” Rapunzel insisted.

“I trust you, Adira,” Lance added.

Keira and Catalina were sat on Lance’s shoulders and currently on the side of not taking sides.

“We can walk around it,” Eugene stated.

“No,” Adira argued, looking at her folded paper. “We have to go through it.”

“We have children.” Caine gestured to Lance, though she meant Keira and Catalina.

Adira frowned. “Well, seems like you were foolish bringing kids along for an adventure.”

Caine turned around. “I’m going to find Cassandra.” And she began to walk away.

“If you leave, I won’t be putting in the effort to find you.”

But Caine didn’t even hear the rest of what Adira had to say as the trees moved and she was gone.

Eugene looked nervous, but he wasn’t willing to step away from the group to follow Caine. “Great… Now we’ve split the group up further.”

“I’m going with Adira,” Rapunzel informed.

“Us too,” Lance decided.

But suddenly Keira and Catalina were a bit squirmy.

“I don’t trust her,” Eugene said, stepping back and then Keira and Catalina had escaped Lance and run to Eugene.

“We trust Uncle Eugene more than the stranger.”

Lance looked surprised. “Girls…”

Eugene picked up Catalina, holding Keira’s hand, looking expectantly at Lance and Rapunzel. “You’re going to go with the newcomer rather than me?”

Silence.

“They are,” Adira said firmly. “Because you just lost your chance.”

Eugene looked confused before the trees shifted once more and the three of them stood back in front of the beginning tree. “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” A pause. “Don’t tell your father I swore in front of you.”

Keira and Catalina each gave him a thumbs up.

“Cassandraaaa!” Caine called out, her voice echoing through the forest as she walked down dark pathways, avoiding strange animals and dodging low-hanging branches. “Cassandraaaaa!”

She mumbled something about knights and stranger danger and how they didn’t even know if this stupid spire was the right place to be heading. She held herself, thinking of Cassandra lying in bed sleepily. She shouldn’t be alone. With each minute that Caine failed to find the woman, she was failing her mission to protect her.

A deep breath. “Cassandraaaaaaaaa!” she called even louder, hearing her voice echo through the forest. “How big even is this place!”

“Well, let’s cross over and exit the forest.”

Rapunzel frowned. “What? No! We have to find our friends first.”

“They left because they wanted to.”

“No, no,” Lance interrupted. “Caine left because she wanted to find Cassandra. Eugene, you did not warn in time for him to decide to step forward and Cassandra might not even be aware yet she is lost!”

“Oh, yeah, Short-Hair.” Adira had forgotten the second princess that the Sundrop seemed fond of.

“And Eugene has my children!”

“I never did understand parents’ desire to be around their children twenty-four seven. Let them be one with nature for a bit!”

“They’re already one with nature enough,” Lance argued.

Rapunzel nodded. “They really are. Adira, I know this isn’t your fault, but please , could you help us find everybody before we exit the forest?”

Adira sighed. “My goal isn’t really to act as guide, it’s mostly just to get the Sundrop to the Dark Kingdom.”

“Well… I’m not going to the Dark Kingdom without my sister, the girls and my boyfriend, so… Oh, and Caine… I guess,” Rapunzel hummed and mumbled slightly lower. “I think Cassandra might disown me if I leave her bodyguard in a forest.”

“Fine, fine,” Adira folded her map with a frown. “This won’t be easy, though.”

“Easy isn’t a huge concern of mine right now.”

Cassandra felt her legs give in and Fidella had to kneel to guide her to the ground slowly so she wouldn’t collapse.

“I’m in no condition to be hiking through a forest,” Cassandra whispered.

Maximus knelt down next to her, nuzzling her so she’d climb on his back.

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea Max, I fear I’ll lose consciousness and fall to the ground.

The little pupshroom wandered over, asking Cassandra to pet it while she was on the ground, something she complied with.

“Could you tell me if it’s much further, little one? I do not mean to rush you. I’m just… So tired…”

The pupshroom gave a concerned bark, then it seemed to hear something and ran off.

“Wait, no,” Cassandra reached out, but it was gone. “No…”

Maximus watched the pupshroom disappear into the bushes, neighing for Cassandra to look up when the pupshroom exited moments later, pulling on Catalina’s sleeve.

Catalina gasped. “Uncle Eugene!” she called, louder than usual, causing quick footsteps.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Eugene rushed over to Cassandra. “Cassandra, are you alright?”

Cassandra smiled and nodded. “Tired. This little guy’s showing me the way out of the forest.”

“Ask him if we need to run through fire.”

“Huh?” Cassandra frowned before doing so, receiving a confused bark in return. “He says no…”

“Good. I much prefer the mushroom-dog’s guidance than the knight—”

“The knight?” Cassandra’s excitement was met with a glare from Eugene.

“We chose Uncle Eugene’s side,” Keira informed.

“Sides? Oh, don’t make me pick sides. I’m too tired to pick.”

Eugene smiled, helping her to her feet, and helping her up onto the Caravan. “Lead the way, oh, and keep an eye out for Caine. She’s frantically searching for you.”

“Ooh, poor Caine.”

“That’s what she gets for leaving me,” Eugene informed. “We were a team!”

Cassandra shook her head, whispering something to the pupshroom requesting he keep an ear out for Caine.

Eugene smiled. “You know, I wasn’t sure about this whole magic thing, but if you just talk to animals, I can get behind this.” He walked nearby.

Cassandra smiled. “Yeah…”

Chapter Text

Caine sat on the ground feeling the rough bark of one of the tress against her back, uncaring how it moved and she moved with it. Hugging her knees close. Feeling like she’d failed, and this forest was now her home.

When a mushroom bounced up to her she nearly kicked it away, thankfully she didn’t and it just hopped by before coming back followed by the sound of hooves.

“Found her!” Eugene sounded proud.

Caine raised her head, her expression lit up when she spotted the caravan and far more importantly the woman who sat up front.

“Cassandra!” Caine leaped up, running and climbing up onto the caravan to wrap her arms around the woman. “How could you run off like that?”

“Run off?” Cassandra laughed. “I was sleeping! I woke up and you all had run off!”

“Details,” Caine dismissed and sat down. “I give in,” she informed. “I can’t get us out of this forest.”

“Cassandra’s on it,” Eugene informed with a smile.

“Oooh?”

“As always, you all forget the most basic of methods… Ask for directions,” she gestured to the pupshroom who was once more leading Maximus and Fidella towards the exit.

“This is why I adore you,” Caine said with a smile, making Cassandra blush ever so slightly as she laughed.

“Maybe save your adoration for once we’re out of the forest.”

“I’ll try.”

“Can you two tone it down, there are kids present?” Eugene teased.

“ Excuse me ?” Caine turned fast. “You’re telling us to tone it down? You ?!”

Keira and Catalina were laughing at the argument.

“Well, you see—”

“ You ?” Caine repeated.

“That’s because—”

“ You !” Caine clearly didn’t need to say much more as Eugene started laughing, too.

Rapunzel sighed as she followed Adira through the forest with Lance not far behind. “Are you sure about this?”

“Look, Sundrop, finding my way out of here is easy, finding lost people within it… That’s a whole other story.”

Rapunzel sighed.

Lance looked more and more concerned the further they went.

“The girls will be perfectly okay Lance, they know to stay with Eugene and Eugene is responsible when he needs to be.”

Lance nodded. “Yeah, I know. Just don’t like them being out of sight this long, ya know?”

“And we’re out,” Cassandra announced, lowering herself from the caravan to thank the pupshroom with a few more pats and words of endearment. “Would you like a treat?” she asked it.

Caine got down to be closer to Cassandra.

“Caine, fetch some biscuits please, also a pen and paper.”

Caine nodded and did as she was told, watching Cassandra give the pupshroom a treat and a note for Rapunzel, informing her they’d made it out safely and were waiting on the other side.

“Now we wait.”

“I adore you,” Caine repeated from earlier, getting Cassandra to laugh once more.

The pupshroom was fast at finding Rapunzel who’s feet were aching from walking so much and trying to keep up with Adira’s longer strides.

“Adira, please…”

“You’re the one who asked for my help!”

Rapunzel sighed, she paused when a mushroom started barking at her.

“That’s just a pupshroom, ignore it.”

“It has a note,” Rapunzel knelt down to take the paper.

“Don’t be silly, pupshrooms can’t write!”

“It’s from my sister. They made it out without us already.”

“Impossible. The only way to get out of this forest is with this map or me!”

“Well, apparently there’s a third way. You can ask Cassandra what it is.”

“If we leave, I assure you, they will not be there.”

Rapunzel sighed. “Why would Cassandra lie?”

Adira had no answer.

“I think we should leave. Cassandra will explain what she did. She’s not very secretive, Adira.”

“No.” Aidra shook her head, looking at her map. “I said we’re going to rescue your friends, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

“But they’re already out,” Lance chuckled.

“They’re not.”

Rapunzel and Lance shared glances. “Adira… Are you okay?”

“It’s your friends who are in trouble. This way.” She tried to lead, but neither followed, causing her to pause. “What?”

“They’re out, trust me, I know my sister. I know you think you’re the only guide worthy of this forest but Cassandra’s… She’s… She’s smart like that. Big sister stuff.”

Adira shook her head. “Nah. Older siblings don’t always know best. Now follow me.”

“Adira… Why don’t we just check if they made it out before travelling deeper?”

“They aren’t there.”

“Are you so stuck up you don’t believe anybody could have gotten out without you?” Rapunzel looked annoyed, and the harsh words reflected that.

Adira paused.

Rapunzel regretted the harshness of her tone. “I’m sorry Adira… I’m just… tired.”

Adira nodded. “You’re right.”

“I know I am, I can be silly at times but I know when I’m tired—”

“No, I mean about getting out of the forest…”

Rapunzel paused.

Adira sighed. “I don’t want to believe your friends are out because I want to be your guide,” she held out a hand and Rapunzel handed her the note to read. “But I guess… I guess I wasn’t a worthy guide.”

“Ooooh, Adira, that’s not true! You’re a fine guide,” Lance argued. “Bit rough around the edges but I mean, like Caine and Eugene are any better!”

Adira ignored Lance’s words, beginning to walk towards the exit.

“Why do you want to be the only guide?” Rapunzel asked.

Adira frowned. “The first time I made it through this forest, having bronchitis by the way,” she sounded proud.

Lance smiled as though also proud of her.

“My brothers told me I couldn’t. But I did. And they were impressed. As the youngest of the brotherhood it was a big moment for me.”

Rapunzel smiled. “That’s sweet. I can relate to that! I still remember when I got better at sewing than Cassandra, she panicked because she thought I’d replace her.”

Adira looked surprised, then smiled. “I see.”

“Clearly didn’t happen!” Rapunzel smiled. “To this day, even when me and Cassandra are equal, I end up looking up to her because she’s my big sister, you know? So whenever I am better at something, it feels good.”

Adira nodded.

“But I guess me and Cassandra are good at different things, so that helps.”

“The brotherhood, we aren’t siblings by blood, and we all are good at the same thing, wield swords, look badass and protect the world!”

Lance gasped. “You do look badass!”

And for the first time, Adira smiled. “Thank you.”

Rapunzel nodded. “Besides, by how this note got to me, it’s most likely Cassandra that got the group out and she looks up to you!”

Adira nodded. “She does. Doesn’t she? Maybe Short-Hair is smarter than I give her credit for.”

Rapunzel’s smile became somewhat less genuine at the backhanded compliment, but she hummed anyway. “Cassandra is just a bit… Enthusiastic about the things she likes. You are the first knight she’s ever met after all and we grew up reading fairytales so…”

“I am her hero.”

“I wouldn’t go that far…”

“You can be my hero Adira.” Lance seemed fully invested in his crush now he knew the girls were safe.

Rapunzel just sighed, hoping to get out and back with Eugene.

As Adira, Rapunzel and Lance exited the Forest of No Return. Caine dragged Cassandra over to Adira.

“Hah!” she shouted. “We never needed you! Cassandra here.” Caine held Cassandra’s arm tightly so she couldn’t get away.

Cassandra blushed and waved.

“She got us out! And it’s her first time stepping foot in the forest, so what do you say about that?”

“Well, I got out my first time and I had bronchitis at the time.”

“So?” Caine crossed her arms. “Cassandra’s sick too. Look, if I push her, she falls!” and Caine pushed Cassandra, who only stayed up because Eugene caught her.

“Caine, you’ve made your point,” Rapunzel said with a sigh.

“I just want it to be known,” Caine glared at Adira.

Adira stepped past Caine, offering Cassandra a hand.

Cassandra looked surprised but hesitantly took it, and Adira shook it. “Congratulations young warrior.”

Cassandra gasped and shook enthusiastically. “Thank you! It was an honour to help.”

Adira grinned at Caine’s angered expression.

“I apologise that your friend’s recklessness meant that despite your somewhat vulnerable position you were forced to take the lead.”

Cassandra nodded. “Oh, it’s fine! I love them, recklessness and all.”

“Don’t take her side!” Eugene argued.

“Thankfully now you are nearly to the Spire, there you should find help with your lack of energy.”

Cassandra nodded and bowed. “Thank you, Knight Adira.”

“You’re very welcome… Princess Cassandra.”

The use of the title caused Cassandra to smile at Rapunzel, who smiled back.

“I will not be far if ever you need me,” she informed the group as she wandered back into the forest. “I wish you a safe journey.”

Cassandra smiled while Caine crossed her arms angrily. “I still hate her.”

“Agreed,” Eugene said.

Rapunzel laughed. “I think she’s just a little quirky… But I mean, we all are right?”

This started a massive argument with most of the group, Rapunzel sighed before helping Cassandra into the caravan. “You’re lucky you’re going to get to sleep through this.”

“Yes,” Cassandra agreed with a laugh and a yawn. “Yes, I am.”

Chapter Text

“I want to go back to royal duties,” Arianna stated from where she lay on the ground of the mirror room. It was their seventh day of going through mirrors and taking notes.

Frederic smiled. “You can just stop doing this without taking up a new responsibility, my love.”

“I hate this woman… I hate her. I hate her so much.”

“I’m aware. I think the entire kingdom is aware.”

Arianna took a deep breath. “Mirror after mirror of her neglect.”

Frederic nodded, glancing at one particular which had made his own hear ache and long for his daughter. A small handheld mirror with a simple handle, the memory recorded Gothel talking about herself while in the tower. And behind her if you looked carefully you could see a maybe five-year-old Cassandra trying her best to care for a baby Rapunzel while tears streamed down her face. Clearly overwhelmed and at one point, she looked straight at the mirror, clearly hoping her mother would help. Only for Gothel to shout at her to get out of frame. The way Cassandra had ran told too much of a story to Frederic.

“I hate her.”

Frederic nodded. “We’ve made some useful discoveries though, such as…” He looked at Arianna’s notes. “Rapunzel wants a hamster!”

“Great.” Arianna didn’t use sarcasm so drily very often.

Frederic sat down, passing through the pages. “You’re the one adding all the filler,” he teased before finding something genuinely useful. “We found a couple of medicines Gothel used to handle Cassandra’s pain as a child.”

“Keep her quiet, as that horrid woman said.”

Frederic nodded. “We also now know that these tunnels lead all the way into Equis. Now that is useful.”

“Yeah, except now if we don’t inform we could get accused of planning something, and if we do inform we’re putting our own kingdom at risk seeing as the tunnels aren’t exactly one-way only.”

“I’ll discuss with Nigel tomorrow, however, I firmly believe we do not inform. Equis has done little to earn our trust as of recently and I, for one, am fully in favour of anything that makes rescues easier.”

Arianna nodded. “I hope the girls made it through safely.”

Frederic nodded. “I’m sure they did. They’re not silly enough to have stopped in Equis of all kingdoms!”

Arianna raised a brow at him.

“Alright, perhaps they are, but they will have found their way out.”

Arianna smiled, standing up. “I supposed we must keep going.”

“Actually… We’re done here.”

“We are?”

“Well, yes… The only mirrors we’ve got left on our list are… Probably best left for another day.”

Arianna’s fists clenched, and she shook her head. “We’ll deal with them today.”

“Are you sure?”

Arianna nodded and began to lead the way.

Frederic followed.

“These won’t be the last ones. Just the last we have noted.”

Frederic nodded. “That’s true.”

“I want to know what happened in that… Lab.”

Frederic nodded. “You know it probably… It probably won’t be good?”

“I know.” She swallowed. “But I need to know.”

Stepping into the lab, it was unchanged since the first day, with the same workbench and the same cluttered shelves and the same musty smell.

Arianna headed straight to the shelves, pulling a box of handheld mirrors and placing it on the table with the restraints.

“Ready?”

Arianna nodded, pulling out the first mirror and touching the glass.

As the memory began, it was clear that to capture the lab; the mirror had been placed on the desk, pointing at the table. Gothel was at the forefront, wearing a leather like coat, with gloves and even goggles. Behind her, on the table, was a three-year-old with curly hair sucking her thumb. She wasn’t restrained, but her wrists were visibly red and she was eyeing the restraints fearfully.

“Test twenty-five is struggling with eating.” She glared at the baby, who remained silent. “She also has not been developing normal speech patterns and is not showing any signs of improvement…” Gothel paced a little. “I am not sure how much longer this test is worth the investment. I will keep going for at least another week and if things don’t look up well… As Demanitus always said,” she scrunched her nose up at the name. “If at first you don’t succeed… Try again .” Something about her way of saying try again was not comforting or motivating, but cold, calculating.

Arianna put the mirror down, scribbling something into the journal. Before picking up another.

Same position, same Gothel, but on the table was an actual baby. Small hands waved in the air energetically, soft laughter resonated through the room and if not for Gothel, it would be a cute scene.

“Test thirteen. Stable at the moment… Which is nice for a change. Lungs are functional, heart is… Semi-functional… Strained but it’s managing for now.” Gothel glanced over to the table and the baby seemed to perceive this as attention as she began to make noises and reach out for her mother. “Subject is clingy but… I guess I can’t blame it. Who wouldn’t want me?” And she actually smiled at the baby, even waving a hand over her head, causing excited giggles. “I’ll be visiting the Sundrop later this evening, will update then if it survives that long.” The mirror became dark once more and Arianna placed it down, scribbling in the journal.

Arianna picked out another. Immediately, this one was worse than the previous two. A four-year-old girl, an age at which Arianna, through some magical mishaps, had held Cassandra, was struggling against restraints, sobbing in clear agony.

“Mama, make it stop! Make it stop!” She was begging and whatever pain she was in was so severe that she couldn’t feel the way the leather restraints rubbed against her delicate skin. She looked far too pale, far too skinny. Arianna leaned into the mirror, wanting to reach in and pull out the familiar child to hold once more, to protect.

“As you can see.” Gothel rolled her eyes in clear disdain for the child who called for her. “Very emotional, not very stable.”

“Mama!”

“Shut up!” The child’s wails were cut short by Gothel’s sudden scream, and she trembled with fright, tears still rolling down her cheeks. Gothel took a deep breath, composing herself. “As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted, unstable. At least for now. Currently, the subject has been without magic for twelve hours, the longest stretch yet. Needles to say, it is not taking it well.” She approached a small glass container, which held a bright, golden liquid. After extracting just the right amount, she proceeded to connect a wire to the child’s arm. Finally, she allowed the magic to flow into the child’s bloodstream.

The child’s breathing eased, the soft glow reflected off her face, making it easy to see the softening of her features. She seemed to fall asleep as the exhaustion of her prior struggles overtook her, but not without first mumbling a gentle. “Thank you… I love you mama…” Words that got Arianna to almost drop the mirror if not for Frederic’s hand coming to help support it.

“We’ll try for thirteen hours next, to test it’s resilience,” Gothel said, and the image went black.

Frederic put the mirror down, watching Arianna angrily scribble stuff into the journal. “Let’s take a break.”

“No,” Arianna spat.

“You need a break—”

“Screw you,” Arianna spat, but her features quickly softened at Frederic’s hurt expression.

Frederic opened his mouth to say something before closing it again.

Arianna put the journal down. “I need to do this, Frederic.”

“I know, but… Not like this.”

“They’re going to make me angry, each one of them. I’d rather just get it over with… Please.” She raised her eyes to gaze at him with the soft features she was more known for. Clearly hurt, yet desperate to keep going. Desperate to understand.

Frederic took her hands in his. “One more, then we take a break for lunch?” he tried to negotiate.

She managed a soft smile and nodded. “One more.”

Arianna picked up the next one, her fingers touched the cold glass and, at first glance, things seemed fine.

A two-year-old lay on the table, curled up on one side, sucking her thumb. Her black curls fell over her face.

“Test twenty-four has not resulted favourable.” Gothel spoke while holding a small vial of red liquid between her fingers. “The issue may lie in the solution used during phase zero.” She popped the cork off the potion before moving over to the table. She pulled the child’s thumb away from her mouth and held the potion.

The baby whimpered and tried to pull away, but Gothel didn’t allow it. Using one hand to grip the toddler’s wrists, Gothel forcefully poured the liquid down the child’s throat with the other. The child resisted, but Gothel released her wrists and pinched her nose shut, forcing her to swallow.

“There we go, nice and simple.” She helped the child lie down before coming back to the mirror. The child could be seen in the background as she seemed to fall asleep, becoming still… Scarily still. “Test twenty-four has been terminated.”

And the mirror went black.

The words processed, and Arianna slowly dropped to her knees.

Frederic didn’t move.

Arianna’s eyes moved slowly from the table to the ground.

Frederic slowly knelt down next to his wife. No words coming to mind as his hand came to rest on her lap.

Neither of them had any words to say, nor did they cry or scream. Their minds felt fogged up. Both perfectly understanding and yet completely unable to comprehend what they’d just seen.

The silence drew long.

Eventually, after a deep breath, Arianna stood up, her eyes taking in the room once more. “Frederic…”

“My love…” Frederic looked up, not attempting to stand, his knees far too weak.

“I…” Tears streamed down her face. “I want… I didn’t want to know…”

Frederic nodded, understanding fully.

“Frederic…”

“Yes, my love?”

“The bones…”

Frederic felt sick.

“That child was… She looked just like Cassandra.” She took a step towards the desk but stopped in her tracks. “Those images… That liquid that was injected into them… They…” Arianna struggled to find words as her eyes wandered back to the last mirror they’d seen. “What is Cassandra?”

Frederic’s hands closed tightly, and he raises his head, blue eyes meeting green. “Our daughter.” And nothing Gothel had done to her would change that.

Chapter Text

Caine was sleeping in a position that could only be described as looking painful. She perched on a stool beside Cassandra’s bed, her head resting on the small gap between the bed and Cassandra’s body.

Cassandra was sleeping, yet her fingers absentmindedly seemed to fiddle with Caine’s hair, getting caught up every so often and pulling too hard, causing Caine pain. Caine, however, didn’t make a sound, just pulling Cassandra’s hand gently away.

In the morning when Rapunzel woke up, she had to get down from atop the bunk-bed very quietly to not disturb Cassandra and awaken Caine’s rage. The red-head eyed Rapunzel as though she were another threat for Cassandra’s well being.

Rapunzel tried to ignore that attitude. “Would you like some breakfast?” she offered gently.

Caine glared at her and shook her head.

Rapunzel nodded and exited the room, sighing in relief.

“Still in a bad mood?” Eugene asked his girlfriend, smiling up at her from his place setting up a fire.

Rapunzel stretched and walked over. “You’d think I’d done something to hurt Cassandra!”

Eugene laughed. “Caine’s just protective of those she loves. And if we’re being fully honest, she probably isn’t your biggest fan.”

Rapunzel huffed. “Yeah, well, if Cass were better, she’d be defending me.”

“She’s still barely conscious, huh?”

“Worse than before, she only wakes up when you wake her and barely stays awake long enough to drink and eat a bit.” Rapunzel sat down, watching Eugene prepare oatmeal for the group. “She says she’s fine, claims there’s no pain or anything but…” Rapunzel shook her head. “We’re nearly at the Spire.”

Eugene nodded. “Though I do hate Adira, I hope what she said is correct.”

Rapunzel nodded. “And then there’s the scroll…”

“Third piece,” Eugene hummed. “Though I don’t really know why it matters, not like we can read it.”

Rapunzel smiled. “But the drawings are pretty?”

Eugene laughed. “Sure, Sunshine, gotta look on the bright side, I guess.”

“Hey, if I didn’t see the best in every situation, who would?”

Eugene smiled. “Very good point, my love.”

Later, as the so-called spire came into view, they parked up the caravan in a clearing at the bottom of the mountain, no reason to risk climbing it.

“Alright, Lance, you’re in charge of keeping an eye on the caravan.”

“Yes, sir!” Lance saluted to Eugene, who rolled his eyes.

“Keira, Catalina, you two are in charge of keeping an eye on Lance!”

“Yeah!” Keira shouted aggressively.

“The rest of us are going to speak to this so-called Keeper of the Spire and, with a little luck, we’ll return with a far more annoying Cassandra.”

“Yaaaaay,” Cassandra managed a whisper of excitement from her place, leaning heavily on Caine.

“Couldn’t we take just one horse?” Caine asked with raised brows. “She ain’t heavy, but goddammit she will be if I have to carry her up a mountain!”

Fidella stepped forward, nuzzling Cassandra and volunteering her service.

“I’m not sure,” Eugene said. “Those paths look pretty narrow, and I’d rather be carrying Cassandra than trying to retrieve her and Fidella from the side of a mountain.”

“Me and mountains… We don’t talk much,” Cassandra mumbled.

Caine looked at Eugene with raised brows, then at the horse.

“Alright, Fidella can come.”

Fidella neighed in approval before nuzzling Cassandra and urging her onto her back.

“Not you Max, you’ve got to keep an eye on Keira and Catalina.”

“Aaaaaaw,” Keira and Catalina groaned as they crossed their arms.

Max neighed in approval at being left in charge.

“I want to be in charge,” Cassandra mumbled.

“You can’t be in charge,” Eugene argued. “You’re barely even awake and you’re the whole reason we’re climbing a mountain in the first place.”

“I feel like this is unfair,” Cassandra said with a yawn, leaning on Fidella, who didn’t mind one bit. “I’m the most responsible.”

“Sure you are, little miss animal whisperer. Alright, let’s head out, team!”

Caine held Fidella’s reins in her hand. Not that it was needed, but it made her feel like she was closer to Cassandra. Fidella blew warm air into Caine’s face in an attempt at comfort. It seemed the horse was the only one Caine didn’t mind trying to help.

As expected, the paths leading up the mountain were narrow and somewhat unstable. Rocks would fall and create echoing noises as they fell down the side. Fidella was very careful to remain close to the wall with Caine on the other side, in case Cassandra were to lose her balance.

Cassandra seemed pretty stable though, arms around Fidella’s neck as she slept peacefully.

Rapunzel and Eugene were slightly up ahead, leading the way. Hands intertwined.

“Soo… Your sister has magic. How we feeling about that?”

Rapunzel frowned because it was the first time Eugene had asked such a question. “I don’t like that it exhausts her. Other than that, I’m pretty indifferent. Magic’s kinda,” she twirled hair around her hand, “Kinda a constant for us.”

Eugene nodded.

“Thoughts, Eugene?”

“It’s just… Magic may be a constant, but it hasn’t been a particularly good constant. You were kidnapped and removed from a loving household because of your magic. Now Cassandra has magic too, which means… Well, it means there’s probably a purpose for that magic.”

Rapunzel nodded. “Knowing Gothel, certainly.”

“And though I’d love for it to just mean, she gets to sit and chat with animals…”

“I doubt it too,” Rapunzel nodded. “Any ideas?”

Eugene shrugged. “The only thing I can think is she’s a weapon designed to keep you from escaping, but… Well, if that were the case, she didn’t turn out how Gothel wanted.” He frowned. “But I can’t help but wonder if there’s a different use I’m not thinking of.”

Rapunzel nodded, turning to see her older sister asleep under Caine’s watchful eye.

“Maybe… Maybe Gothel was a witch like everybody says, and Cassandra inherited that magic and there’s nothing… Nothing to think about.”

“Is that what you believe or what you want to believe?”

Rapunzel played with her hair, her eyes moving from Cassandra to Eugene to the building up ahead. “I’m scared, Eugene, scared of my magic and how that ties me into a destiny I don’t know the purpose of yet. I don’t want anything of the sort for Cassandra. I want one of us to have her main concern just be castle politics, you know?”

Eugene chuckled, kissing Rapunzel on the top of her head softly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to laugh.”

“I love your laugh.”

“Yeah… It’s just funny that castle politics is your definition of a calm future.”

“I know.”

Eugene found Rapunzel’s hand. “I’m scared of what this Dark Kingdom holds for us too, but know it isn’t just your destiny, because you’re not going to face it alone. I won’t leave your side.”

Rapunzel blushed and paused to kiss Eugene. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. Being with you is the most selfish thing I do each and every day. For there is nothing that brings me more joy than seeing your smile each morning.”

Rapunzel kissed him again, giving Caine and Cassandra time to catch up.

Chapter Text

“Is that the place?” Caine asked the lovebirds as she eyes the narrow path leading to a two story building.

“Got the same info as you,” Eugene smiled, yet nodded. “But I think so.”

The building with oval-shaped roofs and ancient wooden doors loomed over them. “I vote we send Cassandra to knock!”

“Fuck you,” Caine responded before Cassandra could agree to being the group’s sacrifice. “I’ll go, coward .”

“That’s how you get people to do what you want,” Eugene explained to Rapunzel.

Fidella huffed disapprovingly.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Caine stepped back, maintaining her stoic expression as the door opened, not because anybody opened them but from the very pressure of her knocks, causing the unlocked doors to slowly spread making a screaking noise as they did.

“It’s haunted!” she informed the group.

“Don’t worry! Any half-witted ghost would be more scared of you than you are of it!” Eugene responded.

Caine opened her mouth to say something, only to swallow a mouthful of dust and flinch back as moths rushed forward.

Eugene quickly grabbed Rapunzel protectively, not that the moths had any violent intentions.

Cassandra blinked awake. “Hi little butterfly,” she whispered and hummed as they flew away.

Eugene helped Cassandra off of Fidella so she could come in with them as they slowly walked over.

They arrived just as the dust settled to reveal a short young woman with ginger coloured hair and a cream coloured tunic.

Caine frowned. “Are you the Keeper of the Spire?” she demanded in an aggressive tone to match her mood.

“Yes, that is I!”

“Perfect,” Caine gestured for Eugene to bring Cassandra closer. “Fix her!”

“Um…” The woman was caught off guard by the quick demands.

Rapunzel quickly pushed her way to the front of the group. “Sorry about her,” Rapunzel grinned sheepishly. “Hi! My name’s Rapunzel umm… Princess Rapunzel of Corona,” she tried to imitate Cassandra’s way of handling these situations. “We come seeking the Keeper of the Spire for several reasons, though most importantly in relation to my sister, Princess Cassandra of Corona. She has fallen ill after using magic and we hoped you’d maybe be able help?”

The woman nodded. “I, Calliope, Keeper of the Spire, have access to many magical artefacts which I protect from the world and—”

“Cut the crap. Can you help or not?” Caine growled.

“Caine!” Rapunzel scolded before smiling at Calliope.

“If anybody can, it is I.”

“That doesn’t answer the question,” Caine hissed.

Eugene placed a hand on Caine’s shoulder in hopes she would calm down. “Caine, remember what Cassandra had to do to get you to help her?”

Caine huffed.

“Be nice.”

“I am nice. You see that,” she pointed away from the narrow path at the large fall. “I didn’t throw you down there. See? Nice.”

Eugene took his hand off her shoulder and smiled as he stepped away.

“May we come in?” Rapunzel asked, and Calliope quickly allowed them inside.

“Tell me, what exactly happened to your friend?”

Rapunzel quickly explained the talking to animals, using her magic and the exhaustion that ensued.

“I see…” Calliope frowned.

“Do you have any ideas?”

Calliope looked up. “Of course I do! I merely… What other stuff did you need?”

Rapunzel smiled. “Oh, we came for a scroll.”

“What scroll? We hold numerous—”

“This one,” Caine snatched the scroll from Rapunzel’s hand where she was pulling it from the bag to show Calliope. “Do you have it? Yes or no question.”

“Yes.”

“Good. We want you to fix her and get us the scroll. You got that?”

“Yes, however—”

“Good.” Caine moved to help support Cassandra. “Did you hear that, Cassandra? I found you help.”

“Well, you could argue I’m the one who—” Calliope tried to speak.

“Ignore her,” Caine told Cassandra for no apparent reason.

“Don’t worry about her," Eugene reassured. “She’s stressed out because her girlfriend is ill and she can’t handle it.”

“She’s not my girlfriend… yet,” Caine responded, the final word a whisper and somewhat hopeful.

“So, you have the scroll and you can help Cassandra? That’s great! What do we do?”

“Well,” Calliope walked through the main room into the library, a room filled with books. “We’ll have to go to the Spire’s vault. That is where the scroll and most of the magical artefacts I’m sworn to protect are stored.”

The group followed her inside.

“The spire’s vault?” Rapunzel smiled.

“ Spire ,” Calliope corrected Rapunzel’s pronunciation. “The word spire comes from Latin,” she pointed at a book in Latin. “It’s an ancient language. I wouldn’t expect you to speak it!”

“I speak Latin,” Cassandra said with a yawn.

“Of course you do,” Calliope rolled her eyes, not taking Cassandra’s statement seriously.

“If she says she speaks Latin, she speaks it!” Caine defended. “ Why do you speak Latin?”

Cassandra smiled. “Mother used to speak it.”

“Oh, I remember that!” Rapunzel said. “I never understood.”

“That’s because I wasn’t good enough at it to teach you,” Cassandra sighed. “But back when it was just me and Mother, well, I needed to understand her. It was that or face her wrath for failing to obey an order.”

Caine’s grip on Cassandra tightened protectively. Then Cassandra saw some metal hoops on the wall.

“What are those?”

Calliope gasped excitedly. “Those are tools, the tools of a master illusionist! See, I’m not just the Keeper of the Spire, I have many talents! I’ll show you.”

Caine opened her mouth to say no, but Cassandra was smiling, so instead she sighed and sat down on the floor, bringing Cassandra to sit by her side.

Eugene and Rapunzel followed suit because what would one magic trick hurt after all?

Barely a few minutes in, Cassandra fell asleep, leaning against Caine. But the tricks went on for hours.

When Cassandra did wake up to see the end of one trick, she clapped. “More please,” she mumbled to Caine’s horror, before falling back to sleep.

“She doesn’t mean—”

“The princess wants another trick!” Calliope looked thrilled as she started yet another sequences of tricks.

Caine turned her head slowly, careful not to wake Cassandra, glaring at Eugene, who knew he was safe if only because any movement would wake Cassandra. “I don’t want her anymore. Take her back.”

Eugene snickered but said nothing.

Chapter Text

“Encore,” Cassandra said with a yawn.

“No! No encore!” Eugene screamed, unable to take this any longer, knocking Cassandra over as he jumped to his feet, causing Caine to glare at him as though Cassandra hadn’t slept enough already.

Rapunzel gave him a look, begging for politeness.

“We… We really need a moment to process all of that amazing magic you’ve already shown us!” he covered.

“I don’t,” Caine was straightforward.

“She doesn’t process anything, cause for that you need a brain,” Eugene explained.

Caine glared at him while helping Cassandra up.

“I’m processing,” Cassandra whispered.

“See?” Eugene laughed. “Even Cassandra needs to process.”

“I have a process for—” Caine pulled Cassandra closer, silencing whatever she was saying.

“Ah, I understand.” Calliope did, however, look disappointed.

“In fact, we might just step outside, take a breather, and we’ll be right back,” Eugene said, dragging the group out of the building with a sigh. “How can she be so annoying?”

“She was fine.” Caine shrugged, to Eugene’s shock. “What? When you actually speak your mind rather than pretending to be nice and letting your anger boil over, it’s way easier.”

Cassandra hummed in agreement. “The magic tricks were—”

“They were annoying,” Caine acknowledged. “But I blame Cassandra for that.”

“It’s a good thing Blondie here isn’t…” Eugene’s voice faded as he saw Rapunzel’s look. “Never mind, even Blondie’s annoyed. Caine, you’re the new leader.”

“Congratulations,” Cassandra told Caine.

“Thank you for the promotion,” Caine said with a roll of her eyes. “Let’s get that woman to take us to the vault then—”

“Bonsoir!” Calliope’s voice came from the window above them.

“What?”

“Bonsoir, it’s French. It means goodnight.”

“We’re not in France. Did you get lost?” Caine spoke in a mocking tone.

“I thought you were going to take us to the Spire’s vault?” Rapunzel asked gently, trying to seem friendly.

“I am, but that’s an entire day’s treck! I’ll take you tomorrow. I need my beauty sleep first.” And she closed the blinds.

“Alright, she’s officially in my bad books. Eugene, you can accept the role as leader back or accept that my first action as leader may be murderous.”

Eugene sighed. “Guess my first job as leader will be to find us a place to sleep, seeing as we left the caravan below and didn’t bring a tent.”

“Oh,” Caine smiled. “Actually, that can be my last job as leader,” and she pushed the door open. “Unlocked. I’m not sleeping outside.” She guided Cassandra into the building.

“Yeah, I think that’s fair.”

“Isn’t this trespassing?”

“No, it isn’t,” Caine said, with no explanation as to how that was the case.

They set up makeshift beds on the floor of Calliope’s home. It wasn’t the most comfortable, or warmest, and the dust that was everywhere was making some of them cough. But it was something.

Cassandra was fast asleep, leaning against Caine as though this was a perfectly acceptable sleeping situation. Rapunzel had made her hair into a cushion she was sharing with Eugene.

Caine was the one struggling the most. It didn’t help that she’d been hopeful to have Cassandra back to normal by tonight and now she found out she was going to have to spend a whole day walking before Cassandra could be helped!

Caine’s fingers ran through Cassandra’s hair. “It’s okay Cass, soon you’re going to feel better.”

Eugene half-opened his eyes. “Hard work, isn’t it?”

“She’s not hard work,” Caine whispered.

“I mean caring about somebody so much, it’s hard work, like, on the soul and such.”

Caine hesitated before nodding. “Guessing it doesn’t get easier.”

Eugene shrugged. “No, not really.”

Caine looked at Cassandra. Her fingers touched her cheek carefully. “She’s usually so attentive, seeing her this… Slow… It doesn’t suit her.”

Eugene nodded. “Tomorrow we’ll get her the help she needs… And if not,” he touched his chest.

Caine swallowed. “Eugene…”

“Yes Caine?”

“Am I setting myself up for a world of hurt?”

“What do you mean, exactly?”

“Those vials… I heard Cassandra say there aren’t many, and she needs them to live…”

Eugene swallowed. “Cassandra’s… There’s a lot of mysteries about her. The latest being magic apparently, but… We’re all hopeful we’ll find something other than the vials to help her before they ever run out.”

“Hopeful, but that doesn’t mean anything. Does it?”

Eugene nodded. “I can’t tell you for sure how this will end, Caine.”

Caine nodded. She held Cassandra closer to her.

“Does it change your feelings?”

“No.” She was quick. “It makes me want her more. Makes me want to never leave her side and know that if she leaves early, I’ll have spent our time together wisely.”

Eugene smiled. “That’s… That’s beautiful Caine.”

She glared at him. “Oh shut up, I’m not soft like you.”

“I see… Well, good night.”

“Good night,” she whispered.

Eugene turned around, kissing Rapunzel’s sleeping form before going to sleep.

The next morning Cassandra was looking a bit better after a night’s rest, something Caine was extremely relieved by if not for the fact they were about to climb a mountain and even on horse Cassandra would surely tire.

Eugene handed out crackers, which was the only food item he’d thought to store in his satchel. Caine tried to get Cassandra to eat both her own and Caine’s, but Cassandra was barely willing to eat her own, claiming she wasn’t hungry.

“Alright, Calliope! Keeper! Get your ass down here and start guiding us to the vault or else!”

Eugene sighed. “Caine, be nice.”

Caine huffed. “Please guide us to the vault before my anger overflows and I decide to fight you!”

Rapunzel and Eugene shared exasperated glances.

But when Calliope ran down with a map in hand ready to go, it was difficult to deny Caine’s methods were effective.

Chapter Text

Cassandra hummed and braided Fidella’s mane from atop her back.

Caine walked next to her, seemingly content.

Calliope lead the way with Eugene and Rapunzel right behind her.

Calliope lead them through less than ideal terrains. She made frequent comments about how amazing she was. Correcting Rapunzel’s pronunciation of random words often. It was so bad Eugene thought this woman must be doing it on purpose! Perhaps as a test to ensure only the pure of heart, the most patient people got to go inside the tower?

No, because Caine was still with them.

Though Caine was surprisingly calm, far enough behind, she knew to go around certain parts of the terrain and could not hear most of Calliope’s comments. Her attention on Cassandra as it more than often was.

“She really does care about Cassandra, huh?” Rapunzel asked Eugene, trying to get on a light topic which would distract her from their awful guide.

Eugene smiled and nodded. “Not sure how Cassandra feels, though.”

Rapunzel frowned. “Well, Cassandra is very fond of her. She rarely leaves her side.”

“Yeah, but she isn’t sure if what she feels is love or not.”

Rapunzel nodded. “Pity. It’d be nice for Cassandra to date somebody.”

“How come?”

Rapunzel blushed. “Well, I enjoy being with you so much. Guess I want that same joy for her… Not that Caine and you are comparable in any way.” Rapunzel’s features scrunched up.

Eugene laughed. “Well, Caine’s a bit more rough around the edges, but I’d argue so is Cassandra compared to you.”

“I suppose.”

“Anyway, Cassandra might not find happiness in love. Not everybody does.”

“How come?”

“Well… Not everybody feels love the same way, Sunshine.”

“Really? How curious… Like how Gothel did not love us the same way mum does?”

Eugene laughed. “A bit of a dramatic example but, yes, I suppose Gothel did lack the ability to love. And found joy regardless of that fact...”

“Interesting.”

“You know what’s really interesting!” Calliope interrupted their private conversation to tell them about something only she found interesting, causing the couple to sigh and hope the spire vault was close.

After many, many more hours of walking, Calliope was standing still, staring at her map. But she was quiet, so neither Rapunzel nor Eugene dared say anything in fear of hearing her voice again.

But Caine soon caught up with Cassandra somewhat awake atop Fidella.

“What’s up?” she asked.

Cassandra took this moment to get down from Fidella. Eugene watched Cassandra move to smell some flowers, a relatively safe activity.

“I asked, what’s up?” Caine stomped towards Calliope.

“It’s just that I… Um… I… Well…”

“What?” Caine’s tone implied urgency.

“I went the wrong way.”

Eugene and Rapunzel both leaped forward to grab Caine, not trusting her to not throw Calliope off the mountain.

“That happens sometimes,” Cassandra’s voice was calm as she picked a flower. “Nobody’s perfect.”

“Yeah, but some seem to believe they are,” Eugene hissed.

Caine though, who hadn’t overheard most of the comments, sighed. “Cassandra’s right. This isn’t easy terrain to navigate and I can’t imagine you do it often. Make sure you know the path before we continue.”

Eugene and Rapunzel let go as Caine moved to check on Cassandra, a hand going to Cassandra’s forehead.

Cassandra laughed, handing Caine a flower. “They’re a mountain specific type of flower… I can’t recall the name, but they’re so pretty. Right?”

Caine placed the flower in her hair with a nod. “They are.”

“They’re the perfect food source for many animals,” Cassandra informed. Leaning against Caine with a yawn. “They’re umm… They have a lot of…”

Caine’s arms wrapped around Cassandra as she fell into a light slumber, the type which made Caine’s worry spike.

Rapunzel, seeing this, took a deep breath. “Calliope,” she spoke slowly, trying to remain calm. “Could we perhaps help you with this task?”

“I… No.” Calliope hunched over the map. “I’m the Keeper, thereby I’m the only one who can get us there!”

Eugene groaned. “Sure, but… Could the Keeper perhaps use a little bit of help?”

Calliope looked about ready to give in when a loud growling noise made them all look up. Caine jumped to her feet and pulled Cassandra up with her, but the girl didn’t wake up.

“What is that?” Rapunzel asked.

“That’s… That’s…” Calliope’s eyes are wide. “The protector of the spire! It’s a Kirlok!”

“A what?” Eugene asked.

Then they saw a bear like creature appear on the narrow path.

“Cassandra!” Caine tried to wake the girl desperately, but for whatever reason, she seemed to have decided now was the perfect time for a nap.

Eugene snatched her, throwing her over his shoulder and starting to run. Fidella held the rear despite being the fastest, ready to fight the Kirlok if it got too close.

“Cassandra, now would be a great time for you to start making animals friends!” Caine screamed.

“I don’t think she can hear you!” Eugene shouted back.

It was Fidella who saw the small space between the mountain and neighed before pushing Caine to the left.

“There!” Caine pointed, and the group ran in. Fidella, who wouldn’t fit through running off, neighing a promise to lead the Kirlok away from the group.

Caine gasped for breath. “Good horse!” she shouted at the gap in the wall.

“Well… It would seem we escaped the Kirlok thanks to the keeper of the spire.”

Caine turned. “What?”

Eugene placed Cassandra down on the ground. She remained sleeping despite everything. His hands moved the hair from her face.

“Well, I lead us—”

“You lead us the wrong way. You do not get the credit for keeping us alive! That credit goes purely to the horse!” Caine argued in Fidella’s defence.

Calliope quieted.

“Now shut up and figure out where we go from here, got it?” Caine huffed.

Rapunzel smiled because she agreed with Caine.

“Guys…”

Both girls looked over at Eugene.

“I’m worried,” he said simply, moving Cassandra’s head, so it was on his lap and not on the stone floor. “This isn’t normal.”

Caine moved closer. “That’s what I’ve been saying…”

“Calliope… Please?”

But Calliope looked lost, scared, overwhelmed.

“We need you,” Rapunzel gently said to Calliope.

Chapter Text

Caine was pacing around the cavern, trying to figure out how to move forward. Calliope was sitting on the ground with her map, but clearly too nervous to actually be of much help. Eugene and Rapunzel were tending to Cassandra.

Though neither said it, the question in the air was clear: When did they use the vial?

It was clear she was getting worse. But how bad was she right now? Did they wait for her to stop breathing or her heart to stop beating?

Eugene held her in a position that was comfortable, not wanting her to wake to an aching feeling.

“You know, maybe Cassandra being so sleepy is a good thing. If she were awake, the bear would be like: Yum, yum, delicious snacks!” Eugene put on an intimidating low voice. “And then Cassandra would be all: Yes… yes… Delicious snacks…” he put on his best sleepy Cassandra imitation. “And we would, in fact be, delicious snacks.” Eugene chuckled at the end, trying to lighten the mood, but nobody else seemed to be listening.

“Agh! Can you work faster!” Caine shouted at Calliope, frustrated and very worried about Cassandra.

Rapunzel’s fingers ran through her sister’s hair. “Oh, Cass, why couldn’t you just stay out of trouble?”

Eugene raised a brow at his girlfriend.

“It’s not our fault Gothel didn’t raise us properly,” she defended.

Eugene chuckled softly, though it was forced as he continued to worry for Cassandra.

Just as Caine was ready to exit the cavern and search for the fastest route at the risk of being attacked by a kirlok, there was the sound of neighing coming from above them.

“Good Horse?” Caine called, not recalling Fidella’s name.

Another neigh and with a couple of stomps, the ceiling fell in.

“ Good horse!” Caine shouted. “Guys,” Caine turned to see Eugene already standing and holding Cassandra carefully.

“Let’s go!” Eugene grinned.

Upon exiting, the Spire stood tall above them and relief filled the group even before Calliope said: “I got us to the vault!”

Caine opened her mouth, but Rapunzel’s hand on her upper arm stopped her. Rapunzel gave a small shake of her head, mouthing, “Not worth it.”

Caine rolled her eyes. She patted Fidella and whispered. “I know you’re the only person here to thank, Good Horse.”

Rapunzel thought that these small details were probably what made Cassandra so fond of Caine. Rapunzel didn’t say anything as Calliope demanded all of her attention. The woman was now trying to find the right key to the vault.

Caine crossed her arms, clearly impatient.

Rapunzel took a deep breath.

Eugene’s attention was on Cassandra, closely watching the rise and fall of her chest as though expecting her to stop breathing at any moment.

“Are you the keeper or not?” Caine sounded angry. “Cause Keepers, know which damn key gets into the thing they’re keeping!”

Calliope looked stressed. “Calm down! You’re stressing me out!”

“You’re stressing me out more!”

“Caine,” Eugene’s voice came with a warning tone and with his head, he gestured for her to step away.

Caine sighed, but did as she was instructed.

Rapunzel tried to be gentle, despite everything. “So, Calliope, lots of keys… huh?”

“Fine, it’s true!”

“What’s true!”

“I’m not the real Keeper of the Spire.”

A pause. Rapunzel seemed to be composing herself. Caine moved closer to Eugene just in time for him to pass Cassandra over to her and step forward. “You what?”

Fortunately for Calliope, the roaring of an animal behind them brought accusations and future screams to a sudden halt. Eugene grabbed Cassandra from Caine as they all began to run from the Kirlok.

Rapunzel, realising Eugene was the weakest link due to having his hands occupied holding Cassandra, tried to draw the Kirlok’s attention away from her boyfriend and sister. She threw her bright golden hair around, making herself into an easy to spot beacon for the animal. Calliope was unfortunate enough to be going in the same direction as Rapunzel but that truly was not a concern of the princess.

She was relieved when the Kirlok followed her and not Eugene. She threw her hair into a tree and, with much upper body strength, managed to grab Calliope and get them both into the tree and out of the Kirlok’s reach. Sighing in relief before resting her back against the trunk.

“That was a close one,” Calliope said, being met with a glare from Rapunzel.

“So, what’s this about not being the Keeper of the Spire?”

“Spire,” Calliope corrected Rapunzel’s pronunciation, earning a glare that got her to become quiet. “I’m… Sorry.”

“I don’t want an apology. I want an explanation because right now my sister could be dying and I’m in a tree,” Rapunzel held herself. “This is my fault for blindly trusting you.”

“I didn’t mean to… I’m not the Keeper of the Spire, but I am his apprentice,” she whispered. “I… I…”

“What happened Calliope?”

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “He took me on as his apprentice a long time ago. He found me performing my street magic and must have seen potential! Which was weird because nobody else was able to truly appreciate my art.”

Rapunzel held back a comment.

“And I was determined to prove him right. I learnt Latin, learnt about magical artefacts and the Spire and history! I did everything I could, and he seemed so proud until one day he just… Never came back. And then you came along and… I thought I could impress you by being the Keeper… But the truth is I’m no more than an apprentice and I proved that today.”

Rapunzel frowned. “Why wouldn’t you just tell the truth? Why would you assume we wouldn’t trust you?”

“Who would trust an apprentice, one abandoned by her master, no less?”

“I… I don’t know but… Maybe we’d of not followed you so blindly, maybe we’d have worked together, and we wouldn’t be in this mess…”

“I… I guess.”

“So… In the spirit of teamwork, do you think you can get us into that Spire?”

“Spi—” Calliope stopped the correction in her tracks. “Yes. I can. In fact, I only have one key left to try!”

“Perfect,” Caine’s voice from below the tree sounded angry. Eugene by her side with a Cassandra who had her eyes half open, relieving but also anxiety inducing as the girl was conscious enough to get in the way but not conscious enough to understand that. Eugene hated the fact he hoped she’d go back to sleep, but he did.

“Shall we get this over with?” Eugene asked.

Calliope and Rapunzel climbed down. “But we might need a distraction to get that kirlok out of the way,” Rapunzel grinned. “And I have the perfect plan!”

Calliope was very glad she’d been able to practice her tricks the day before with the small group of travellers, because a Kirlok was a demanding audience indeed!

But Calliope was a talented street magician and was not phased by the indifference her audience showed. No, the show must go on!

She pulled handkerchiefs from her sleeve, which was met with nothing more than a confused expression and slightly annoyed growl.

After a few more tricks than Rapunzel had instructed, she finally got the Kirlok to chase her in the direction of their trap.

Rapunzel and Caine were in a tree ready to pull the hair to trip the animal.

Eugene was hidden nearby trying to keep Cassandra quiet.

The trap worked, and the bear fell off the edge.

“Noooooo!” Cassandra, who was only aware of about ten percent of what was going on around her at any given time, called. “Poor Kirlok…”

“The Kirlok is fine,” Eugene reassured. He placed Cassandra back onto her feet carefully, pleased when she could stand on her own but keeping a hand on her arm in fear she may chase the Kirlok down.

“You’re all a bunch of meanies… You know that, right?”

“I can live with that,” Caine said, taking Cassandra’s other hand.

“Alright Calliope, time to get into that Spire!”

Chapter Text

Rapunzel stood behind Calliope as she opened the door.

Caine and Eugene were a few steps behind supporting Cassandra on either side who was staring up in awe at the Spire. “It’s so pretty,” she told Caine.

“It’s meh.”

“It’s so tall,” Cassandra turned towards Eugene.

“I’d say it’s size is disproportionate to all the climbing we had to do.”

“You’re sooooo dramatic, this was a nice walk!”

“You slept through it all,” Caine pointed out.

“That’s how nice and relaxing it was.”

Eugene opened his mouth to argue, but Caine raised a hand and shook her head. “Not worth it,” she said, similar to how Rapunzel had mouthed those words in regards to Calliope.

Eugene shook his head but nodded because truly there was no point arguing with a half-conscious Cassandra over the logistic of climbing a mountain.

The doors opened wide, allowing the group to finally enter.

“Wooow,” Rapunzel said as she stared up at the floors upon floors of artefacts, from jewellery to swords to everything one could imagine.

Some protecting by thick layers of glass, others easily reachable.

A tall spiral staircase surrounded the artefacts, allowing one to access them.

Calliope smiled and quickly moved up the stairs, reaching first for the artefact she knew the location of, a scroll piece protected within a container.

Eugene left Cassandra alone with Caine to stand by Rapunzel’s side.

Cassandra seemed enchanted by the spire, and Caine couldn’t help but smile. No doubt if Cassandra were less tired she’s have a lot more to say.

Caine allowed her to wander, watching carefully.

“Thank you, Calliope,” Rapunzel said upon receiving the scroll, she opened her mouth to remind her of the second far more important request when there was the sound of clattering.

They turned to see Cassandra staring confused at a necklace she’d knocked from it’s stand.

“Cassandra!” Eugene scolded.

Calliope rushed down, looking a little panicked. “Only the Keeper of the Spire can touch these artefacts!”

“I’m sorry,” Cassandra stepped away. “I don’t know what came over me…” She looked around, holding her hands close to her chest so as to not touch anything else.

Calliope picked up the necklace, staring at it. “What did you do?”

Cassandra frowned, looking to Caine.

“She touched it, barely even that!” Caine defended, rushing forward. “Her fingers barely even came into contact! It’s the necklace which glowed at her! Blinding blue! The necklace is the aggressor here!”

“I’m sorry—” Cassandra repeated.

“This is the Necklace of Somnus. It grants the wearer sweet dreams! The gems are meant to glow but now they’ve stopped!”

Cassandra stepped further back. “I promise I didn’t intend to break the necklace…”

“Cassandra,” Rapunzel’s voice was calm despite current events. “You look better.”

Cassandra looked up at her sister. She looked perfectly awake, less pale, perfectly attentive. “Yes.”

“At the cost of one of the artefacts I am supposed to protect!” Calliope screamed, clearly stressed.

“Calliope, please,” a male voice, gentle and calming, came from the door.

“Master,” Calliope looked like she wants to run to him, but then she looked scared.

“The Necklace of Somnus is not worth this much stress,” he reassured. Into the light stepped a tall old man with a long white beard. “So, these must be the Princesses of Corona.”

Calliope finally moved forward to hug her teacher who hugged back, clearly quite fond of her. “Master, where have you been?”

“I apologise, Calliope, for my absence. I had… An emergency…” He frowned. “And when I came back I wished to see you but I found out that this travel party was heading your way and well… It was the perfect opportunity to test you. A test you passed with flying colours, may I add.”

“A test?” Caine crossed her arms.

“Yes, you see, this was the first time Calliope acted not as a mere apprentice but as the Keeper of the Spire.”

“A test?” Rapunzel repeated. “That Kirlok could have seriously hurt us!”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous! The Kirlok is but a pet, friendliest animal you’ll find in this mountain. Something Calliope will soon come to understand when she raises her own but… That’s not what matters right now,” he bowed to Cassandra who was closer to him before bowing to Rapunzel. “It is an honour to meet you both. Through the winds, I have heard much about you.”

“About us?” Cassandra asked as Rapunzel came to stand by her side.

“Why, of course. Princess Rapunzel, the missing princess and the holder of the Sundrop,” he smiled. “A being of power so pure most Keepers will never get the opportunity to meet.”

Rapunzel nodded, though she did not understand truly what the man was saying. “Thank you.”

“And Princess Cassandra. It has been many the lifetimes since a kingdom has had a magic user on the throne, but two? Well, I could only hope for a magic renaissance, though I realise perhaps your experiences with magic have been… Less than ideal.”

“I adore talking to animals?”

The Keeper’s smile widened. “How quaint.” Cassandra has mostly heard quaint used as an insult but the keeper said it gently and sweetly and she knew it was meant in a good way. “Though… Could I perhaps speak with you alone in regards to those powers?”

Cassandra hesitated before nodding. “Of course.” She squeezed Rapunzel’s arm gently before following the old man out of the Spire.

The Kirlok was now once more at the top. Cassandra smiled at the animal.

“Why, hello there,” she greeted.

It made a few noises at her and she laughed.

“I apologise on my friend’s behalf but if you pretend to be the enemy that’s how people treat you.”

The keeper smiled. “Your powers come naturally to you.”

She nodded. “I didn’t know these were my powers until recently.”

“I see… Tell me child, what were you doing when you became so exhausted?”

Cassandra frowned. “Nothing too complicated. I knocked a dagger from the hand of one who wished nothing but pain upon my friend and knocked a teapot from the table.”

“I see. How did this look?”

“Look?” She hesitated. “Golden light came from within me.”

“You controlled it?”

“I did.”

“And once it had done its job, where did the light go?”

“It vanished.”

The Keeper nodded. “I think I know what happened.”

“You do?”

“My suggestion is keep to the animals, but do not let the magic exit your body.”

Cassandra frowned.

“It will not serve you well if you run out.”

Cassandra swallowed and nodded. “When I talk to animals?”

“That’s fine.”

Cassandra nodded, relieved but also somewhat disheartened. “What if I could learn to make the magic come back to me afterwards?”

The Keeper smiled. “Perhaps one day you shall, but it’s not something you wish to attempt on your own and though I am very familiar with all things magic, I am not an adequate teacher.”

“So I should find a teacher?”

“Do you wish to learn magic?”

Cassandra hesitated, she hummed. “I feel like if I have an ability, I should put it to good use.”

“Sounds like you’ve been taught your value lies within your abilities. I do not recommend that mindset for one such as yourself.”

Cassandra didn’t understand that. Where else would her value lie other than her skills?

“You have a long journey ahead of you. Forget about your magic for now. This is a subject for the future.”

Cassandra nodded. “Thank you Sir, and I do apologise about the necklace.”

“No worries! We hold artefacts of many kinds! Including some which are practically nick-knacks. The good, it has done you is worth far more. Besides, it’s not like the magic has gone very far…” He looked at Cassandra, tilting his head, feeling a sense of curiosity for the girl, but he didn’t ask any questions, for he knew Cassandra knew less than he did.

Cassandra bowed to show her appreciation.

That night, they sat around the fire, finally back at the caravan, a hot meal courtesy of Lance.

“Soooo, can we see?” Keira asked Rapunzel, ready to see the next piece to the scroll.

“None of us will understand it,” Rapunzel said with a soft smile before handing the scroll piece to Keira. “Careful.”

Catalina took it from Keira to unfold it carefully, something she felt Keira wasn’t the best at it.

Eugene huffed as the paper unfolded, revealing an image which did little to serve them. “A hooded figure. Great, so very, very informative.”

As she leaned over, Cassandra’s face grew cold and distant.

“What is it?” Caine asked.

“Do you know who it is?” Rapunzel sounded hopeful.

“No, but…” She looked away from the scroll, the image already etched in her mind. “I’ve seen drawings before.”

“What? When?” Rapunzel leaned forward.

Eugene saw Cassandra swallow, saw how her figure was hunched over. He carefully pulled at Rapunzel’s shoulder, indicating to give Cassandra space while she chose her next words.

“I’m not sure… Somewhere cold and… It was before Rapunzel.”

“With Gothel?”

Cassandra nodded. “The same place she took me whenever I was in pain.” Her hand moved to her chest.

Eugene frowned. “This is part of a scroll that talks about the Sundrop. It’s no surprise Gothel would have pictures relating to it.”

Rapunzel nodded, her fingers moving to rest gently on Cassandra’s shoulder. However, the sudden flinch of the girl caused Rapunzel to retract her hand and step back, giving her space. “Whoever this man is… I have a feeling we’ll figure it out.”

Cassandra nodded. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm the thumping of her heart as she pushed away the memories.

Lance began to tell a story, a fairytale. It came from nowhere, but was perfect to lighten the mood.

Caine watched Cassandra with worried eyes that only calmed when, over the course of the tale, Cassandra slowly moved closer until she was leaning against Caine like usual. Caine wrapped an arm around the woman, looking relieved.

They all laughed and enjoyed their meal as Lance’s story got more and more ridiculous with each new character.

There was still a lot for the group to find out, but tonight, they were healthy, together, and one step closer to the end of their journey.