Varian and the Seven Kingdoms (Varian's Seven Trials)

Bubbly Bandits

"So where're we headed next, Goggles?" Hugo was lounging on the bed, while Varian sat at the desk and looked through his mother's journal. Yong was sitting on the floor, playing chess with Ruddiger, who was losing sorely.
"Varian." He corrected, "And our next stop is Mayimgar."
"Hm." Hugo sat up, "Never been a fan." He stood and walked around the caravan, Varian keeping a watchful eye on him.
Hugo's mechanical pet mouse scurried across the desk, causing Varian to jump and Hugo to laugh.
"Did you have to bring that thing along?" Varian glared at the blonde.
"That thing has a name." Hugo responded.
"Oh, what is it? Cheddar?" Varian snorted.
"Her name is Olivia." Hugo replied, bluntly.
"What happened to her?" Yong asked when he took a look at the mouse, "She's all...metallic." Yong commented.
"She's mechanical. I made her."
"That's awesome!" Yong praised the boy.
"So you are good for something besides stealing?" Varian asked.
"Well, unlike some, I don't go reaching for my mother's journal every time a minor inconvenience arises." Hugo was quick to answer, catching Varian off guard, and so the boy went red, closing his mother's book and putting it down on the desk.
"What's this?" Hugo asked after a moment, examining the picture Rapunzel had painted.
"A painting." Varian responded, shortly.
"Who's the artist?"
"Princess Rapunzel." Varian felt himself smirk slightly.
"You're friends with a Princess?" Yong asked in excitement and Hugo's glasses seemed to gleam.
"The Princess, huh? Who knew you had such regal friends...Bet you could sell it for a ton of gold." He commented and Varian stared at him in disbelief.
"I'm not gonna sell a painting from my friend!"
"Oh, I know you wouldn't. But I would." Hugo grinned.
"Y'know, It's not too late for us to kick you out." Varian's eyes narrowed. Hugo stayed quiet, but it wasn't the sort of quiet that came with the satisfaction of having won the argument, he smirked and returned to the bed, which just made Varian angrier.

It was a long trip to Mayimgar and by the early hours of the morning, both Yong and Hugo were asleep, finally leaving Varian in peace and quiet so he could focus. It was clear that pages had been ripped from the book and he was pondering why. If it was Donella who had returned the book, perhaps she had removed the pages, but why? Could it be that she thought the eternal library too dangerous to visit again. After all, Varian's mother had disappeared trying to get there.
There was a clattering sound like coins hitting together and when Varian glanced over at the bed, Hugo had switched position, a bag of coins grasped firmly in his hand as he slept. A second later, he began snoring and Varian felt a great urge to strangle the boy, even without his usual smug look.

When Varian stood up, he stretched with a yawn, about ready to get some sleep. That's when the caravan jolted, causing the boy to lose his balance and fall. The bump woke Yong and Hugo, and now the caravan had stopped moving completely.
Hugo was up quick, and he walked over to the door, taking a look through the window. Yong climbed out of his bed and yawned.
"What happened?" Varian stood up.
"Only one way to find out..." Hugo gestured to the door, "Not it!" He smirked and Varian rolled his eyes.
"Keep an eye on him." Varian grabbed the door handle.
"You got it." Hugo responded.
"I was talking to Yong." Varian left the caravan and wandered around it, trying to find a cause for the sudden stop. He approached Prometheus and petted him. The old donkey seemed dazed and that's when he noticed a dart in the animal's side.
"What the..." Varian muttered, pulling the dart from Prometheus and examining it.
"Uh, Goggles!" Varian heard Hugo call from the caravan then looked around and spotted several cloaked figures moving in the dark. Varian ran to the caravan door and opened it, closing them inside.
"What's happening?" Yong asked.
"I- I'm not sure...they've stunned Prometheus with a dart."
"Likely thieves, then." Hugo commented.
"What do we do?" Yong asked quickly.
"Give me a minute to think of something..." Varian walked over to the desk.
"Uh, yeah...I don't think they're willing to give us a minute." Hugo looked through the window at the on-approaching cloaked figures.
"Sh!" Varian hushed the boy.
"No offence, Goggles-"
"Varian."
"Right. We need to make a decision now."
"Well, luckily- I bet those thieves have yet to reckon with the awesome power of alchemy." Varian put his goggles on and started to mix substances together.
"I'll distract them!" Yong exclaimed, climbing a ladder to a hatch on the roof and opening it. The young boy threw firecrackers around the caravan, which not only illuminated the surrounding area, but made the figures back off slightly.
"Nice one, kid." Hugo laughed.
"Alright...Hugo- make yourself useful and grab my bazooka from the trunk." Varian ordered.
"Grab your what from where?" Hugo's eyes widened.
"Now!" Varian looked to the boy and he hurried over to the chest and opened it, rummaging around then pulling a large bazooka. He shook his head in disbelief but carried it over to Varian who poured chemicals into it.
"What are two kids doing with a bazooka?"
"I'm not a kid!" Varian glared, "I'm eighteen."
"Whatever you say, half-pint."