Forgotten Magic

Chapter 16

I caught Rapunzel's eye.

"Give me a minute." I started to run towards the princess.

"So what did you want to tell me?" She asked quietly.

"The..." I lowered my voice to a whisper. "The rocks. They're growing."

Rapunzel's eyes widened. "Show me."

I nodded. "You can come with us back to Old Corona. I...should catch up with...

"Well, I guess I should start cleaning this mess up," Varian sighed, turning away from Cass. And facing me.

"Your dad's here," I said simply, nodding towards Varian's father. The alchemist turned, his father waved with a smile, and Varian grinned.

"Thanks, again, Varian, for this," Cass told the raven-haired boy. "It's...not everyday you get to have an element named after you."

"I actually got the idea after discovering a cluster of these strange, black rocks by my village," Varian explained right away.

"Black rocks?" Cass and Rapunzel inquied together.

I decided it was time for me to step away from the situation.

~ ~ ~

You can guess who wrote this next part. I dare you.

~ ~ ~

"It was amazing," I explained, approaching the strange formations as the sun set. "They just kind of sprouted up a couple weeks ago. I have never seen anything like it."

Rapunzel cautiously approached the rocks. As she did, her hair began to glow from the roots. A bright yellow. At the same time, the black rocks glowed an eery cyan.

"Fascinating," I whispered. "The rocks are demonstrating an actual physical response. To you."

"Shh! Varian," the princess whispered.  I need you to promise to keep this between you and me, okay?" She glanced behind her at Pascal and Cassandra. "And them."

"Wh... Why?" I wondered.

"Because my dad has forbidden me from talking about these rocks to anyone," the blonde explained. "We collectively are going to figure it out. But I need to know that I can trust you."

"You can count on me," I answered with a smile.

~ ~ ~

I doubt anyone's curious what I was doing just then. But here it is anyways, huh?

~ ~ ~

I watched in curiosity as Varian showed the princess and her lady in waiting the rocks that had sprouted atop a hill near the village. They talked for a bit, and then the women left. Varian stood there for a moment, thinking, before he started towards the house. I ran downstairs to meet him.

"So? What did she say?" I asked as soon as he walked in the front door.

"What? Oh, nothing," he shrugged. "Just that I should keep clear of those rocks and that she would do everything she could to bring it up with her dad."

"Okay," I answered, though I wasn't all that convinced. For I had noticed something while they were talking. As Rapunzel neared the rocks, her hair-and the rocks-began to glow. The same way that my pin...and the rocks, had when I found them.

. . .

Varian and I had something special planned. For, in a few weeks, was the night of the Empyrean Shower. We were planning to watch it together, as it coincided with the day that Varian and I had met. It was a special day, to say the least.