Varian's Tale: A Tangled Fan Fiction

Chapter 9

I made it back to Thea's house without getting caught. The guards had stopped chasing me shortly after they'd caught Thea. I walked into her house, and Ruddiger came over to greet me, eyes silently asking where our new friend was.
“She's gone,” I said, kneeling to pick up Ruddiger. “They got her.”
Ruddiger climbed into my arms and I sat, stroking him. “She's gone. I told her it was a bad idea, but she insisted.”
Ruddiger made a squeaking noise and nipped at my finger.
“What?”
He crawled out of my lap and stood by the door.
“What? You want to go... rescue her?” I said. “Ruddiger, we can't do that!”
He cocked his head as if asking why we couldn't.
“It... We'll get caught!” I snapped. “And I'll go back to prison, and then we'll never get Dad out.”
Ruddiger came back towards me and flopped onto the ground with a sigh. I wanted to help Thea. I really did, but I couldn't get caught. Besides, family should come first, right? That's why I'd gotten out in the first place, to save my dad.
Ruddiger fell asleep. I glanced at the little guy, sleep might be a good idea. My dad would tell me to sleep on it, Thea probably would too. I sighed. Sleep seemed like a good idea. I walked into the other room and grabbed a blanket from the bed before bringing it back to the main room. I wrapped myself up in the blanket and curled up by the fire. This was going to be a long night.
---
I'm on the island, near the castle. It's night time. My father stands next to me. In one of his giant hands is a lantern, in the other, my tiny hand. We are in the middle of a crowd and there is an aura of excitement in the air, excitement, and sadness. I don't understand the sadness.
“Daddy, why's evewyone sad?” I ask.
“It's the princess’s ninth birthday,” my father explains. “It's been nine years since she was kidnapped.”
“Oh,” I say quietly. My father lets go of my hand for a moment, and my too big sleeves flop over my tiny little hand. “Is that why we have the wanterns?”
“Yes, it is, Varian,” my father smiles. “We let them up every year on her birthday.”
“How do they fwoat?” I ask curiously.
My father smiles down on me. “The hot air makes them float.”
“Fwum the fire?”
“That's right.” My father ruffles my hair and I laugh.
“It's time,” he says. I see a lantern floating up, up, up, but I'm too short and lose sight of it. I try jumping, but I'm still too short. My father scoops me up and places me on his shoulders.
A wave of lanterns float into the sky, and I stare in awe. My father lights our lantern and pushes it into the air. I stare into the sky, fascinated by the floating lights. One floats down close to us. It, unlike our plain one, is decorated with a sun. I don't want it to fall. I reach out and push it back into the air and watch it float away.
Eight years later, I am back.
“Varian, put that thing away,” my father says.
“But Dad,” I say. “It'll make the lantern stay up for-”
“Varian, put it away,” he repeats firmly.
“Yes sir,” I say quietly, putting the sheet of paper thin metal in my pocket,
The king and queen launched their lantern, and a moment or two later, my father and I launch ours. Suddenly, something shoots out of the ground and spears the king and queen’s lantern. A sharp black rock. People scream, and panic ensues. There are people running as more rocks sprout from the ground.
A hand grasps my shoulder and pulls me out if the way of a rock. “Varian, run,” a girl whispers, letting go of me. “Don't let them get you.”
“Who?” I ask, spinning around, but the girl is gone. I have an urge to follow her, but before I can make up my mind, I hear a shout.
“Varian!” My father. I run towards the sound of his voice.
“Dad!?” I call out, weaving my way through terrified people and sharp rocks.
“Varian!” It comes from my left and I run after it.
“Varian!” More urgently from my left.
“Dad?!” I cry, stopping, listening,
“Varian, run!” the girl from earlier shouts.
“Varian, help!” cries my father.
I stand frozen between the two voices. I don't know what to do. I have to find my father, but I don't know where he is. I can't find him.
“Varian, run?” the girl's voice cries again.
The rocks start rushing towards me. I start running, but they're too fast. They surround me. I stop running and look for a way out, but there is not one. There's nothing. I am completely surrounded. I am trapped.
“Should have listened to the girl,” the voice of a woman laughs. Her voice is cold and condescending. “But it's too late now, my little moondrop.”
---
I flew awake, panting. It took a moment for me to figure out where I was. Ruddiger rested a worried head on my foot. The fire was going out. “I'm fine, Ruddiger,” I muttered, petting him reassuringly.
I rooms a deep breath and looked up out the hole in the ceiling. It was dark, but I guessed that morning would be coming soon. I tried to figure out what to do. Thea, for now, was out of the question for now, as was my dad and the amber. Both of those had a high probability of me getting caught, and I couldn't have that happen. Not yet.
My mind flashed to the rocks. Always the rocks. It always came back to the rocks. Maybe I should look at rocks in other places. Somewhere other than Old Corona. Maybe that could help.
“Come on, Ruddiger,” I said, getting to my feet. “We're going on a field trip.”