Sunlit Moon (Varian x OC. Complete! [sequel cancelled for now.])

Challenge of the Brave

"Challenge of the brave? This was what you wanted to show me?" she looked up from the flier. "Cass is competing, I was thinking we could go cheer her on." The blonde looked at her alchemy obsessed friend "You just want to go because that marauder guy is gonna be there."

"Wreck Marauder is a tank, Artemis." He stated matter-of-factly, "Plus Rapunzel invited us, she really wants to show Cass some support. You can't turn down an invitation from the Princess." He did have her there, plus she was curious about what the challenge even was, maybe she could compete...

"Maybe...I'll enter, it sounds fun." Varian paused for a second before laughing at her, "You...you're going to join the challenge of the brave?" he laughed some more, "Come on Arti, don't joke about competing, I mean...look at you." She narrowed her eyes, hurt rising in her chest

"What is that supposed to mean, Varian."

"The whole idea of you alongside some of Corona's best fighters is just absurd, they'll tear you apart and eat you." The hurt was now matched with anger. She was going to join that competition and she was going to make him eat his words. Closing her mouth she merely turned and walked back to her house with ideas of joining the contest.

--

"Hey Cass," She had caught the young woman running a make shift obstacle course, "Hey kid, what's up?" she offered a friendly smile as she hopped down from one of the wooden posts.

"I heard you were competing in the challenge thing, so I came to see what you could tell me, I wondered about competing myself..."

"You should, it's be a great experience for you, and I can even help train you in weapons, if you'd want." The blondes eyes widened, "You'd really do that!?"

"Of course. Wait...did you tell Varian?"

"No, he'd only try and stop me, he's very protective..." she turned her head to the side, "I'm not the same kid he met in the forest, Cass. I want to be more than that." The woman rested a comforting hand on the girls shoulder.

"He's protective because he cares, Artemis."

"I know that, I just don't want that to be the only thing he sees. I want to be reliable, someone he can depend on." Cass smiled, kneeling down to the young girl's level. "Trust me, Artemis, he sees so much in you, more than you think. But if the challenge of the brave is really what you want, then Let's get to work." The blonde smiled as Cassandra pointed to the obstacle course,

"First things first, hurdles, let's see what we need to work on."

"Right!" she balled her fists in determination before sprinting off, Cass would have to the give the girl props, she was tiny, sure, but she was certainly quick on her feet, that would come in handy for outwitting larger opponents through the different challenges.

The two worked together over the next couple of days preparing for the challenge, "All right, Artemis, just get over that wall and we'll call it so you can get cleaned up before the actual event."

"Thank you so much, Cass!" she hugged the woman without thinking, catching the dark-haired lady-in-waiting off guard, she smiled kindly, ruffling the girls hair as she held her at arms length, "Hey, we got this!" the blonde grinned in response,

"We got this!" she took off as Rapunzel walked up.

--

"Okay, you've got this!" Artemis sat inside one of the competitor tents, trying to psych herself out, but outside she had seen a woman actually ingest a link of metal chain..."I can do this...I can do this..." a woman poured honey onto her face and a swarm of bees formed a beard over top of the sticky substance, the blonde grimaced, "I can't do this..."