•|°°|•|°°|•

"I know your feelings towards him, Fredric, but the situation he's in is very threatening,"

"Arianna, dear, I, too, know that you care for him, but what if he is faking it all?"

"Pete and Stan said that they heard everything shattering at the same second, it's not possible by any means of logic that he broke everything,"

"Darling, I just don't want him to hurt you,"

"He's a child inside a cell, with no weapons or such, and I have two of the best guards by my side, don't you worry, I will be alright,"

"I am aware of that, but I didn't mean the pain in that way,"

•

It was going to be another beautiful sunny day in the land of Corona, as the sun welcomed her kingdom once again. In the borders of the land stood the great Wall of Corona with all its might, the wall that witnessed this kingdom's history since ages and ages, the wall that kept the mysteries of Corona inside, away from those who seek the worst for the kingdom.
Outside of the wall, there was a big huddle of people, horses, carts and carriages, different types of animals inside cages, and about nine huge elephants. The people's voices chatted loudly, waiting for the massive gate of the land to open up and welcome them. In front of them all, a woman with dark skin and bushy black hair was on a horse, gripping the horse's reins and staring up at the wall with narrow eyes, that's when the loud blow of a horn was heard, a confident smile appeared on the woman's face as the doors slowly cracked open. Behind her, the people cheered, the horses neighed, and the elephants let their voices loud with excitement and happiness. The huddle slowly advanced behind their leader through the huge doors, smiles and grins on their faces, happy to return to Corona, again.
A beautiful black mare slowly stepped next to the woman in the front, on the mare's back was a young girl, sitting on the horse with both her legs at the same side, her long flaming red hair fluttered with the small amount of the fresh morning breeze, her white dress fitted neatly on her, her hands were holding tightly to the horse's saddle, and her cheerful light brown eyes stared around the area in awe, she and the woman looked at each for seconds, then shared a deep excited giggle. The girl gestured for her made to walk back, the critter didn't question it at all and turned to walk on the opposite way, the girl looked fascinated by the sight of the massive doors closing the light behind them, then her mare came to a halt near one of the carts then turned to face the right direction again, keeping pace with the moving carriage. The girl balanced herself to stand on the mare, she gripped her dress, and after a moment of focusing, she jumped high onto the cart, the mare neighed a laugh when the girl almost fell after grabbing the tip of the cart's roof, she pulled herself up with her arms and gradually her whole body was standing on the roof, then she called for one of the elephants, the massive creature heard her, and in response, he wrapped his tall gray leather nozzle around her middle, and lifted her up, placing her of his back, she thanked the creature silently and stood up, her first look was at the castle's island ahead, far away behind the blue sea, she felt shivers in her body at the idea of crossing the long bridge.
Then there was a certain thing that she wanted to see, her excited eyes searched the wall with a grin on her youthful face, she pushed a strand of her hair away from her eye, attaching it to the white flower on her hair, observing the things near the wall, she was looking for a certain small lovely village in the distance, and a small castle that she loved to see even though it barely appeared.
Her smile fell and her eyebrows furrowed at the view, at the glitter and gleam of the many inky blue spikes, then she realized that they covered everything. Her eyes went wide, she rapidly turned to the other side, only to find more of them, she looked at the road before her, they sprouted there as well. Her gaze shifted back to the village, her eyes softened with pain at the horrifying sight.
A big part of the wall was broken, thought it was being rebuilt, letting the light shimmer on the many and many black spiky rocks. Near the gap in the wall was the castle, utterly destroyed with huge similar rocks penetrating it's old walls. The whole village was in the same situation, those rocks sprouted and destroyed everything on its path. She finally understood what was the path coming out of Corona. She slowly sat down, holding her knees close to her chest. closing her eyes for she couldn't bear more.
The elephant stopped eventually, so did the whole huddle, as the people stood shocked at the rocks around them, their voices were now whispers of concerns and confusion.
Then a glint of a green light twinkled on her eyes, she opened them hesitantly, the light annoyed her eyes, she held her hand up to shadow it, and then she searched for its source, it was coming from one of those rocks, at the tip of it, was something metallic brown, big and strange. She tilted her head curiously, then hopped down the back of the creature to the the cart and then to the ground, running towards the strange figure, gripping her dress to prevent tripping on it, avoiding the many rocks on her way, she reached the big spiky figure and her reflection appeared dimly on it, she lifted her gaze up, the rock was sprouted through what seemed to be a human-like big machine of thick metal, it sprouted right through his back, making his head, hands and legs dangle loosely in a violent way. On his head, her fingers graced the rounded green glass that appeared to be his eyes, she turned around to find more of it crushed and shattered over the rocks, she was frightened, staggered, asking herself what could have happened in what used to be a calm small lovely village called Old Corona.
The bushy haired woman came from behind, she looked confused as well, but then put a hand on the girl's shoulder, smiled warmly at the girl, gesturing for her to get back to the huddle, the girl smiled back and nodded, the older female walked back, the girl's gaze was fixed on the castle for seconds, a curious glint in her eyes called for her to go and see what was inside, and she also caught the hint of something shiny burned yellow in there,, but she pushed it off and followed her friend so that everyone will continue their journey.

•

"Stay here, stay safe."

Varian opened his eyes wide in the next morning as another soft voice echoed in his mind.
The warm stream of evening light fell upon the floor of Varian's room, after the events of yesterday's night, the hit on his head caused a painful feeling to it whenever he moved, and also a part of his back felt numb. The medic of the castle took care of him and he was told to take rest and enough sleep, but he didn't cooperate. And around launch time, he layed there on the bed on his back, his eyes casted on the roof, he looked almost lifeless, but his chest raised and fell peacefully, with his raccoon sleeping on it, Varian looked down at Ruddiger, the critter refused to sleep unless the boy did, so Varian faked sleeping until Ruddiger fell fast in it, he couldn't let his little friend suffer with him, his hand rested on the calm sleepy creature as he looked up at the ceiling again, he tried to absolve what he has seen and heard in his mind. The mark, the hand, the voice and words, they all seemed too familiar yet too strange, he felt like he had heard it once, felt like he touched that hand once, but his memory told him nothing about it. His eyelids gradually fell, but he immediately opened them up again, squeezing the dark bags under his eyes, he couldn't let himself sleep, he didn't want to see that beast again, he didn't want to see his mother's frightened face telling him to run, he didn't want to hear her pleading tune calling for him to keep a distance, he couldn't bear it. He inhaled deeply, gazing at his window, remembering her begging words. Suddenly, realization hit him like a horse kick.

"I know you're tired of it."

His mind went bewildered, if all of this was just a dream in his head, how can his mother know that he's tired of his nightmares, he started asking himself, then when he actually thought about it, she spoke as thought she was really there.
Thought his memory was good, Varian can't clearly remember how he lost his mother, and he can barely picture how the life was when she was around, only some good remainders of the love and joy she wrapped him in. But he knows that she's not here, not in his life anymore. He was cerebrating that her presence in his dreams was out of longing for that feeling of protection that he missed in his life since that moment when his father saved his son's life. He thought that it was something made up by his mind, but still, an unrecognizable monster cannot be made up by his mind either. He began to doubt if the nightmare was even in his mind. But after all, there was something that he couldn't deny, with the immense amount of fear he felt, he felt a tiny hint of joy the first time he dreamed it, because he's got to see his mother's face again, he's got to see those blue eyes he inherited from her again, and for him, it was all bittersweet.
"Wish you were here," He said out loud in longing, the picture of her smiling tender face in his mind, then he sighed closing his eyes, letting that picture last.
The queen has been standing next to his bars since a minute, examining the puzzled look on his face, that turned to obvious despond and pain, and she happened to hear him as well. "Who?" The word slipped out of her mouth, her voice alarmed his attention, he weighed himself on his elbows and turned to look at her with surprise, causing dizziness to fill his head as he groaned and grabbed his head. Arianna's expressions turned worried, she immediately told Pete to open the door, the guard looked unsure at first, but she give him a nod and a reassuring smile, then he obeyed and opened the door to let her in, her hands reached for the boy and helped him to lay down, he flinched at her touch and winced at the pain in his head, but then a smile of relief graced her face when his tensed body calmed down and he give up. After a second, he opened his eyes and looked at her with mixed emotions, pain, none trust and hate, hardly disbelieving her, he knows what's she's trying to do.
This woman was someone who he kidnapped, threatened, and almost crushed at a moment of rage, he knows the amount of damage he caused, but now she was before him, treating him like any other person who's done nothing wrong.
Arianna softly removed her hand from under his head, then smiled sadly at him. Out of all the people, Arianna was the one to truly understand Varian's situation, she knew that all the anger and hate that he feels was out of hurt and damage, of lake of aid given to a miserable abandoned child, Arianna blames herself for not acknowledging the state of her citizens, and she also knew the feeling of being parted from a loved one, her daughter was taken away from her once, a precious child was taken away from a loving mother, and the only way to heal those wounds is by giving compassion and kindness towards the wounded, and what else can she give to a heart split apart like his
But what she didn't know that he had read her, and he had sworn that she could give all the kindness she's got, but she will never breakthrough the thick crust of cold emotions that he shielded his heart with.
Now that he layed still, Arianna walked back to the door, Varian felt good when his mind told him she was leaving, but she wasn't leaving, she took an item, a full basket, from the side, placing it neatly next to Varian's vase of flowers, after gazing at the the boy, Arianna got a serious face and took the chair to sit next to the boy, her hands calmly on her lap. And Stan stood by her side now, making sure that Varian will do nothing against the queen.
"How is your head?" She asked beaming down at the boy, his expressions fell and he took interest on the wall next to him, ignoring her words, she frowned at his reaction and interlaced her fingers together. Then took a deep calming inhale. "I've got the whole day leisure, and so you do," She continued, earning the smallest glare from his side. "Varian, listen, what's happening to you is a serious situation, a dangerous one, and I've been given the permission to help you-"
"I don't want your help." He interrupted her speech, speaking as thought to himself rather than her, his eyes narrowed at the wall with bitterness.
Silence fell, but Pete the guard cleared his throat, the queen's gaze turned to him and he gestured to the maid that now stood near the bars frame and was holding a tray of food in her hands, Freidborg.
The queen smiled at her lady-in-waiting, she walked over to the maiden and took the tray, she thanked Freidborg in a whisper, the maid grinned widely, she leaned and waved a hand at Varian cheerfully, curtsied then walked off. The queen put the tray gently on the table, next to a small notebook, then sat back on the chair, the delicious smell of food didn't have any effect on Varian, but Ruddiger's nose sniffed it in his sleep, with his eyes close half asleep, the raccoon followed the scent with his nose in the air, Varian and Arianna, and even Stan, watched as he fell down the bed, walked across the room to the table, then he hit his head with the table's leg, causing it to shake and the notebook had fallen to the ground.
This notebook was given to Varian so he would design the sweet shifter in it, then it was left in his room, to be taken today if the boy happened to write any escape plans, but it will be left if not.
Stan couldn't help but chuckle at the critter, then cleaned his throat and stood with his hands clasped professionally behind his back.
Varian almost cracked a smile at his raccoon, who rubbed his furry face, the critter chittered happily when he saw Varian with half a smile that disappeared in a flash, the queen as well felt pleased to see him like this. Ruddiger looked up at the queen and Stan then chittered more in greeting, Arianna smiled at the critter as he climbed up the bed next to his friend, then he pouted when he saw how tired Varian was.
"Varian! I thought you were asleep!" Ruddiger chittered annoyed. "You tricked me!"
Varian sensed the unpleasant in Ruddiger's noises and felt bad for tricking his companion, but he doesn't have a choice. The queen tried to understand the interaction between the two, then she figured it right. "You didn't sleep as told, did you?" Varian was avoiding her eyes again, making her more concerned.
"Varian," She addressed him. "Please,vwhat would you lose if you told me about it?"
Varian's face got tired of expressing feelings, he looked blankly at the wall near him and thought about her question, what will he lose? He was already losing his arrogant dignity by not coming back with any words, but did that really matter?
Suddenly a tiny growl of a stomach called their attention, it was Ruddiger's.
Varian looked up at his little friend and raised an amused brow at the raccoon, the critter covered his face under his tiny paws sheepishly, Arianna couldn't help but giggle at the critter. "Someone is hungry, right Ruddiger?"
She approached the table and took the tray of food in her hands, turned around and saw the notebook on ground, the first page of it was opened, and the sketch on it caught Arianna's eyes, she slowly put the tray back and bent down to pick up the notebook, she observed the drawing with curious eyes, it was a large black figure, with large hands, claws and fangs, and long ugly twisted horns, the monster from Varian's nightmares. She glanced at the boy, then back at the sketch.
"Varian, what is that?" She asked, showing him his notebook and pointing at the figure, Varian looked at her from the corner of his eye, he thought that it was one of his designs so he moved his head to take a clear look, then he struggled to not show his emotions as his back slowly faced the queen, but Arianna noticed the glint of fear in his eyes. "Is that what you have been seeing in your dreams?" Varian flinched at the thought, and she took it as a yes. Arianna sat again near him, she bit her lip at the sketch, it was a real scary thing, even Stan felt uncomfortable about it. Arianna felt like she's seen the figure before, but she couldn't remember where. Ruddiger cooed at her, knowing that she's the only hope he has, Arianna looked helplessly down at her hands, her eyes narrowed in thoughts. She didn't want to bring such a subject up without warning, she didn't want to hurt the boy, more than he's already, but it's the only way for him to talk, she has to, she has to open what she believed was a deep wound in his heart, well stitched by good memories and love, far away from his fresh injuries, forgotten in his past.
"You know that Pete and Stan told me what happened," She dared to say, Varian eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. "Pfft, of course, reporting the situation of their top criminals," Varian scuffed with an eyes roll.
Arianna ignored his words and continued, "What about your mother?"
His shoulders tensed at her words, Arianna watching him closely as he was cracked by surprise for a second, but he put himself together. "I don't know what you're talking about!" His tune went defensive, his teeth clenched as he glared at the stones of the wall. "Your mother, Varian," She repeated, "Was she in your dream?"
The queen's inquiries were getting far more than Varian expected, and he thought that she put her nose in the wrong place, anger rushed through his body, she has no right to talk about his mother by any means! He thought.
"It's none of your business!" He shouted, finally turning to face her with rage. Stan was alerted by the boy's moves, he quickly caught him by the shoulders, thought Varian was already losing strength on his own, due to the pain in his head and the tiredness he's in, placing him back on the pillow, Varian's heart beating hardly in his chest from the sudden action, and his breaths refused to pace steadily. He opened one of his eyes, glancing at the queen from its corner, her concerned figure stood before, and through his shaky breaths he managed to tell her two words. "Get. Out."
Queen Arianna opened her mouth to speak, but words had failed her and she looked down sadly. She clasped her hands together and walked towards the door, but before she went out, Stan following her, she stopped and held the frame of the door, looking at him determinedly.
"I will have you know that I'll be back, I'm not giving up on you, we..we are trying to fix it, to make it up to you, if only you could cooperate," Then she disappeared from his sight.
Varian winced at the cracking noise of the bars as they were slowly closed beside him. Ruddiger slowly made his way under Varian's arm, purring as he gently leaned his head and paw on the boy's chest, hearing his rapid heartbeats, Varian calmed down eventually, stroking the raccoon's fur pensively as he stared at the ceiling, his mind preparing to calculate some things.

•

A few hours later Varian sat upright on his bed, his hands hugging his knees with his chin resting on them. Watching the sunset taking place out of his room, out of this prison he's in, longing for his days of freedom, that life back when he had the choice if he wanted to watch it from the windows of his castle or from the distance of the fields in Old Corona.
"To make it up to you,"
His hand clenched into fists, is that their idea of making things up? He questioned mentally, then sighed again, his hand reached downwards for his raccoon, wanting to feel the coat of fur, but instead he felt nothing, his eyes casted beside him in response, then they searched the room for Ruddiger, and he spotted the gray figure, sitting silently next to the window, with his stripy tail curled around him, his small green eyes twinkling with light as he was watching the view outside, certainly the forest.
Varian's heart ached, guilt ruled his emotions as he looked at the raccoon, realizing how much Ruddiger missed the woods in Old Corona, true Ruddiger was mostly a pet, like other house pets, to Varian, but the boy would never forbid his raccoon from wandering around and being free to go to the woodland whenever he wants, Varian couldn't bear seeing his friend suffering like that.
"Ruddiger," Varian called softly. The raccoon's ears pricked up hearing his name, he faced his master with wondering eyes. "Come here buddy." Varian requested, sitting cross legged with his arms open for the critter, eyes watching Ruddiger as he obeyed and hopped up the bed into Varian's warm embrace, leaning into his chest and placing his paws on the boy's arm, Varian let go from the hug, one of his hands remained around his little friend, and the other ran through the gray fur. Ruddiger glanced back to the window, then he looked down, his ears turning flat on his head, saddened. Varian watching him the whole time, with eyes about to water. He hesitated, but dared to say the next.
"You- you don't have to do this," Ruddiger's ears went up again, surprised by the words of his owner, chittering worriedly as he looked at Varian with wide eyes. The boy sighed deeply. "To- to go with me through all this...all this mess! I- I can't handle seeing you like this, I don't want you to be punished for things that I have done!" Varian paused, his eyes never leaving Ruddiger's. He swallowed a lump in his throat, then looked down in sorrow. "If- if you want," His voice wavered. "I- I can- I can ask them to-..to let you go, you don't have to stay with me, Ruddiger, you can be free,"
"Is he kidding?" Ruddiger couldn't help but mentally ask himself, and he stared at the window. After all what happened, after all this time and struggle, and when Varian is truly in need, he wants his dear friend just to leave, what Varian didn't know is that Ruddiger didn't long to freedom, in fact, it's freedom for him when his only family is in prison, Ruddiger longed for those days he would spend with Varian out there, the times they worked in the lab, the fun they had together, and as for the forest, true it was his first shelter, but where he's with Varian, then that's his home, Varian is his home. And he also missed the trips to the forest in order to collect some supplies for whatever subjects Varian was working on. Ruddiger knew that he will never leave this boy, the whole world is nowhere to go without him. Then he faced Varian again, the boy couldn't hide his fear of being parted from the raccoon, from the only being who didn't betray him, the only being who deserves the kind and tender side of Varian, but he wanted his friend to be happy, and that's something important to him.
Ruddiger shock his head, to Varian's immense relief, and great surprise as well, the creature put his tiny paw on Varian's hand, chittering friendly as a toothy smile appeared on his face. Varian stared wide eyed at the raccoon for seconds, Ruddiger's expressions softened, then he butted his head under Varian's chin cheerfully, more joyful chitters coming from him, Varian stood dumbfounded by the raccoon's actions, then he let out a shaky relieved breath, tears filling the corners of his eyes, he closed his eyes hugging the critter tightly, letting the them down. After seconds, he pulled away grinning at his friend with tears streaming down his face, holding him with both hands, Ruddier taking notice of the tears, attached his forehead with the boy and used his tiny paws to cup Varian's cheeks to wipe away the tears, the boy chuckled under the touch of his raccoon, letting more tears down with each blink. "Heh, Heh! Thank you, bud," Varian let amused huffs. "You're such a good boy, Ruddy," Varian said with a tired, heartbroken, short laugh.

"You're a good boy."

•
Words Count: 4390.
The end of this was the easiest of it, tbh. So far, do you like the thing?
Amazing art above credits to an amazing person, Codynaomiswire on Tumblr!

•°°.°°•|•°°.°°•