The Moon Calls

28

They stopped to make camp for the night and all got out to relax in the grass. Cassandra decided to take the time to get back to training Varian on his sword skills and Lance decided to bond with Hugo over some story.

Eugene smiled and took Rapunzel's hand. "How you doing?"

"I'm doing great." Rapunzel smiled. "Really."

"Really?" Donella cut in. "Because, under the singing and the laughing, you haven't been sleeping. Is it nightmares or anxiety?"

Rapunzel sighed. "A little of both. How are you so calm?"

"I had to keep Ulla from running wild." Donella sighed. "She was a lot like you."

"I wish I could have met her. What happened to her?" Rapunzel asked.

Donella pursed her lips grimly. "A mistake. The...The final trial. She was trapped inside, and then the totems vanished. We weren't enough, and she..." She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "She wanted to be the one to make the final move to get us inside. She was so confident, so proud of herself, so eager. Too eager." She lowered her arms. "She changed into...something...demonic. I couldn't help her, so I took her goggles and gloves and Journal and fled. I imagine the Journal is still at Quirin's place. As for the goggles and gloves?" She looked at Varian, who was wiping sweat off his brow from the training. "He wears them well. She would beso proud of him."

Rapunzel smiled. "Why don't you go tell him that?"

Donella looked offended at the very suggestion and walked off.

Eugene chuckled. "She's a hard one to read."

Someone jumped into their camp and they all turned in alarm but relaxed when they realized it was just Adira returning.

"You look like you could use a new sparring partner, Shorthair." Adira remarked, walking over to her. "I think the Moon Child's had enough."

"Aunt Adira, we talked about this." Varian said tensely.

"...Right. You didn't want me to call you that." She rubbed his head. "Sorry, Varian."

Varian adjusted his goggles. "I'm gonna do some alchemy." He walked off and went into the caravan to get his alchemy bag.

"Are you going to be staying this time?" Lance asked hopefully.

"I come and go." She said, easily dodging Cassandra's sword and kicking it away without unsheathing hers.

"Ah, a woman after my own heart." Lance said dreamily.

"Can you not get gooey next to me?" Hugo got up and went inside to join Varian.

Rapunzel giggled and then took Eugene's hand, smiling at their little group. "It's a bit of a misfit group, but I think we fit well."

"Me too." Eugene nodded. "Hey, uh, Rapunzel..."

"Raps!" Cassandra called. "I need backup!"

"Coming!" Rapunzel ran over to join the battle.

--

"Okay, guys," Eugene said as he stood in front of the males of their caravan, "I'm going to try to give the proposal thing another try."

"Well, gosh, maybe she'll actually give you an answer this time instead of freezing up in embarrassment and social anxiety." Varian said sarcastically.

"Oh man, did that happen?" Lance asked with a laugh.

"I admit, the last attempt was—"