Siblings of Corona-B3:Life On the Road

Chapter 6

"If only I could find something and I could-" Varian stopped talking when he saw that Stalyan was standing in front of their cell.  He hadn't heard her come.

"Relax, kid.  I'm not going to get mad at you for trying to escape."

Varian's eyes showed that he didn't trust her words, but he stepped back and leaned against the wall.  Eugene walked to the cell door.  "What is it, Stalyan?"

"You know what I was thinking about earlier? Our trip to Pincosta. Remember, you said stealing the sultan's jewels was one of the worst ideas I've ever had, but then I made you go through with it and, well, we made a fortune that day."

"You made a fortune.  I didn't see a penny of it," Eugene corrected.

"You know, together we were always so good at analysing a situation.  I trust that you'll make the right one." She tossed him a key.  "See you later, Rider." Stalyan turned to leave.

"It's Eugene now!" He called.

"No it's not," she called back. "Not yet, at least," she whispered the last part.

Eugene looked at Varian.  "I'm sorry I got you into this." He tossed him the keys.  "Get out of here before the Baron decides to use you too."

"You're not coming?"

"I have to get the antidote for Lance."

"You expect me to just leave you both here?"

"Yes, I do.  You have a life you need to live and someone needs to be there for Rapunzel.  Tell her that she is still the love of my life, I just don't have a choice."

"Eugene, there will be a choice. You won't be marrying Stalyan tonight." Varian walked out of the cell.  "Not while I can help it."

"Varian, go back to the caravan. Don't do anything stupid-"

"Sorry, Eugene." He closed the cell door, automatically locking it.  "But I have two thieves for brothers.  Doing something stupid is kind of a given.  See ya in a few!" Varian saluted and set the keys on the ground.  "You'll figure out how to reach them."

Eugene sighed as Varian ran off.  "He's going to get himself killed."

"I... I've always wanted a cat named Clovis," Lance announced.

"Clo- Clo, Clovis." He chuckled quietly in spite of himself. "It does have a fun ring to it…"

Varian snuck through the halls of the Baron's mansion.  He peeked past a wall.  It was empty.  He took his chance to make a move when he realized someone was behind him.  He turned to find a girl roughly his age standing there.

"Name your price," he whispered.  "Just don't tell anyone I'm here-"

"Idiot, I'm paid to get you out of here," she retorted.  "Your sisters' are offering a lot."

"Perfect!  You're working with them!  Great!  I could use your help.  Do you know which room is the Baron's ?  I'm trying to get an antidote to save my friend."

"Listen, I'm paid to help the lot of you leave, not steal from the Baron."

"If I don't, my friend is going to die," Varian insisted.

"I missed the part where that's my problem."

"Fair enough. But I'm not leaving without it." He peeked through a door.  "Nope, that's not his room."

She sighed.  "Of course not.  His room would be guarded, idiot."

Varian snorted.  "That's a bit overkill.  The man's a mountain."

"Yeah, he's also the biggest crime lord alive at the moment!"

"Eh, I wouldn't be so sure about that… What's your name?"

"Vex."

"Ah, unironically fitting," Varian said.

"I get that.  A lot."

"Shh. I found it."

They both leaned out to peek down the next hall.  Suddenly, they felt two large hands on their shoulders.  Both of them let out a yelp as they turned to look at who had found them.  The Baron.

"Let go!" Varian demanded, trying to yank his arm out of his grip.

The Baron said nothing and simply started dragging them with him.  "We need a best man and maid of honor, don't we?"

His words made a chill go up Varian's spine and Vex sent Varian a death glare.  To be fair, it was his fault that she ended up in the situation.  They were forced outside to the courtyard and set in chairs either side of the stage that the wedding would be performed on.

Varian looked at the crowd.  The moment the Baron's back was to him, he jumped up and hopped off the stage only to find a fist coming at him.  He landed on his side and his cheek throbbed from impact.  Weasel picked him up and forced him back into the chair.  Varian sat there, dazed.

Music began to play and Eugene came walking down the isles.  His face looked worried upon seeing Varian sitting in the chair, but he remained composed.  He stood next to Varian's chair as Stalyan came out, holding a bouquet of flowers.  She stepped up on the podium and looked at Eugene, her face unreadable.

"Let's get on with it, shall we?" The Baron said

"Funny. I was just thinking the same thing!" Rapunzel threw off her hat and coat, untying her hair.  Cass and Andrew drew their swords on either side of her.

"Blondie!"

"Eugene!" She called.

The Baron's men free their swords. "Blondie, you shouldn't be here!" Eugene warned.

"Hey, Eugene, just listen, please. I may not know what my future holds, but I do know that you are meant to be in it. I love you," Rapunzel said.  "So I'm not about to give up on us so quickly… And now that I've spilled my heart out to a room full of hostile strangers, feeling a little self-conscious…"

"Not even close!" Cassandra said.

"Get them out of here," Baron ordered.

The men run towards them with their weapons drawn.

"Hey! Leave them alone!" Eugene cried, grabbing Weasel's sword.

Varian took the distraction and his chance, jumping the Baron.  As he expected, the man caught him and set a dagger on his neck.  Varian clutched the antidote in his fist unseen.  He scanned the crowd, trying to find someone he could toss it to since Eugene was currently fighting the scarecrow.

Suddenly, two figures jumped out.  One of them jumped the Baron and the other tackled Varian.  They both fell off the stage and rolled on the ground.  The stranger landed on top of him.  Varian struggled to get free.  The man froze.  "Your hair…"

Varian noticed his bangs had come loose, revealing his blue hair.  Panicked, he grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it into the man's eyes.  The man yelled and Varian managed to escape, but immediately tripped over a broken chair.

He looked up to see the Baron staring down at him, a cut on his forehead.  Without a warning, he stomped his boot onto Varian's wrist.  The latter let out a cry and his hand opened from the pain.  The antidote went rolling away from his reach.