Dark Mer

5

The remaining two days were spent searching frantically for Varian. Finally, his father told them to just go, he would look for Varian himself. With heavy hearts, they returned to Corona.

"What am I going to do about this hair?" Rapunzel sighed as Cassandra styled it into a braid for her again. "I can't cut it, so it's just...super long."

"Well, this braid seems to do the trick." Cassandra said as she finished. "There we go. It's just hair. We'll manage. Besides, I hear that fancy hair is in for royalty. You'll be the awe of everyone."

"Shame we didn't actually get to the Dark Kingdom." Eugene said, taking a bite of an apple. "Woulda liked to have seen the castle."

"Well, from what we heard, it's all covered in black spikes." Cassandra rolled her eyes. "This has been a fun little detour, but we should be getting home. We have our own lives to get back to, and we can't dwell on lost kingdoms and merboys."

"I'm just so worried about him. And I can't shake the bad feeling." Rapunzel sighed.

"I'm sure it's just your worry making you think he's in trouble." Cassandra finishing with her braid and then stepped back. "There. All better."

"I hope you're right..." Rapunzel sighed.

--

Once they returned to Corona, it was business as usual. Cassandra put her handmaiden dress back on and put away her weapons and travel clothes and Rapunzel got to go back to learning about proper etiquette.

She wasn't sure if she was grateful for the distraction or annoyed when a man came running into the castle anxiously.

"My King!" He cried, running up to King Fredric. "Forgive me, but there is something terrible happening!"

"Something terrible?" Rapunzel frowned.

"What's happened?" Fredric asked.

"All over the continent, mysterious black rocks have been appearing and destroying the landscape! Our homes! We can't destroy them, and they're not stopping!" The man cried.

"Black rocks?" Rapunzel gasped. 'Varian!' She realized, feeling guilty when he remembered that she hadn't thought about the poor little Mer since she got back.

"We'll have our guards look into it." Fredric assured the man.

"Father?" Rapunzel got up. "Let me take Eugene and Cass and look into this!"

Fredric looked unsure but sighed. "We will talk about this later. For now, sit back down."

Rapunzel pursed her lips but agreed. She would be looking into it whether her father allowed it or not! She was done staying behind walls!

--

Varian shivered as he curled up under a stolen blanket. "The land of humans is so cold..." He said, looking up at Madam Tiri.

"Hm..." She looked thoughtful. "You will need proper clothes. Wait here." She left him then, and he curled up tighter in the blanket, his body shivering and his breath coming out of his mouth in white puffs.

He missed the sea, it was warm. This place was cold and getting colder and all he had to wear was the moonstone's "outfit". He noticed Madam Tiri coming back and she motioned for him to follow so he reluctantly got up and followed her.

"Take those." She pointed to some clothes hanging on a line. "They are your size."

He nodded and took them. Then she led him around until he found some boots that were his size and gloves. Then he returned to his hiding place and put on the clothes over his moonstone armor.