Blazing Hearts

Steve and Anne : Backstory

Cassandra glared at his retreating figure when suddenly Anne walked up to her.

"Hey Cass! Wanna join us for lunch?"

"No, I am good." She hissed between her teeth, still glaring at his direction.

Anne's brow forrowed. Something was definitely not right.

"Cass? I know that something's bothering you. And if it's so, you must talk about it, even if it's not me."

Cass now looked at Anne and forced a smile, "Anne, I am good. You really don't need to worry about me."

Anne took Cass by her arm near a bench, and after making her sit said, "Cass, you know that whenever something is bothering you, you are not yourself. I think we promised each other no secrets." She then put her hand sympathetically on her shoulder and said, "Cass, you can trust me."

Cass looked at Anne and smiled. She didn't know how she will process the information, but she decided to tell her the truth.
She took a deep breath and said, "It's Varian. He - he doesn't trust you two and - and finds both of you quite suspicious. I - I don't know why he is behaving like that." Though the last sentence had more of a desperate tone than that of anger.

"Maybe, it's because he cares for you." Anne smiled in her direction.

"Cares for me?" Her head turned sharply towards Anne.

"Of course! People usually behave like that when they care deeply about someone. Tell me Cass, had you been in his place, wouldn't you have done the same?"

"You think I don't care, Cassie?"

"When did you?"

Cassandra stilled. Memories of his voice came floating by, this time with the tone of pain with which he had spoken, which she had ignored, in her fit of rage. She mentally berated herself for a minute or two, until she was woken up by Anne.

"Cass! Are you Ok?"

"No Anne, I am not! I just committed another biggest mistake of my life, the first being the moonstone! UGH!"

"Cass, go, talk to him. And if it makes things any better, tell him the truth about us."

"Shall I?" Cassandra's eyes widened.

Anne smiled at her, "Of course. You shouldn't keep secrets from your friends."

"Thank you, Anne. Now I have to go!" Cass said, running outside the castle doors.

Cass wasn't really comfortable about talking about feelings, but in the case of Varian, she decided to make an exception.
Suddenly, she saw Stan and Pete in front of her arguing about pies. She went upto them and asked them, "Have you two, by any chance, seen Varian? And know where did he go?"

"Oh yes. We saw him. He was looking quite... sad, maybe?" Stan asked, turning to Pete.

"Oh no, not sad, he was angry."

"But I saw him! He was sad!"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. If it goes on like this, it will take forever. She decided to butt in. "He was sad and angry too, OK? Now can you tell me where did he go?"

"Whenever he is like this, he goes to his house in Old Corona." Stan said.

"Ok, thank you, Stan and Pete." Cass said as she turned to go to Old Corona.

The door to his house was thankfully open. Cass took a deep breath and went in. She looked around the house but couldn't find him.
She then decided to go up the stairs, and so she did. The door to the room was open enough for her to see him curled up, staring out of the window.
She gathered all her strength, opened the door wide and said, "Varian."