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

Flynnigan

Hugo showed them around the 'best' parts of the kingdom. He took them to the train station and they spent a long time there so Yong and Varian could watch as steam engines pulled in. Every time a train showed up, they cheered.
Hugo and Nuru watched them from a bench close by.
"I wonder if they're ever going to get tired of this." Nuru sighed.
"I just wanna complete the trial and get outta here." Hugo responded.
"For once we agree on something."
There was a short silence.
"Sorry for what I said on the boat." Hugo said, finally and Nuru looked to him, surprised.
"Really?" She crossed her arms and smirked slightly.
"Really. I don't exactly...like you, but you're not terrible to be around." Hugo replied with a grin.
"And you're not...completely unbearable." She looked back to Varian and Yong, "Which doesn't mean I'm not still suspicious of you; I am."
"If I wanted to do anything to hurt anyone, I'd already've done it." Hugo told her, "I know how it must've sounded...but I've never had people I could trust before." The boy hated that he was falling back on the 'opening up about your feelings' schtick, but he couldn't risk the Princess finding out about his deal with Donella. Nuru looked as though she couldn't think how to respond. She sat up slightly and turned to Hugo,
"Will you show us where you live?" She asked, softly. The blonde stared, searching the girl's eyes, "Why?"
"I feel like I've been so quick to judge you because you put on this...smug, 'don't care' attitude. And you're quick to judge me because I didn't grow up with the same struggles you did. You've seen where I live, I want to see where you live...so, will you take us there?" Nuru asked, and Hugo watched as another train pulled in and Yong cheered.
"Sure." The blonde responded.

"I thought we 'wouldn't wanna see' where you live?" Varian joked as Hugo led them through the streets again.
"Well, as the Princess asked so nicely, I decided; why not." Hugo responded.
"I'm so excited!" Yong said, joyfully.
"Don't get your hopes up, kid." Hugo sighed.
"But you're so cool- so your house must be super cool too!" Yong exclaimed and Hugo looked slightly embarrassed. When Hugo turned into an alleyway which went unnoticed by the others, they were hesitant to follow, especially Nuru. The alleyway led them deeper into the heart of the city, behind all of the flashy buildings and impressive vehicles.
It was like walking through a portal to a whole new kingdom. The buildings and technology wasn't nearly as impressive. There was a cart of what the group assumed was mud until they passed it; the smell was awful.
They moved quicker to keep up with Hugo. Most of the buildings they passed looked rundown, and there were no vehicles passing through. When they were about to pass two men having an argument, Hugo whispered to the group, "Just keep your heads down."
They all followed his command and walked past, seemingly unnoticed. When they reached the end of the street, Hugo moved between two three story buildings.
They reached a ladder on the side of one and Hugo stood beside it, "Ladies first." He looked to Nuru, and she nervously climbed the ladder. Yong followed, then Varian. Hugo stared off in the direction they'd come from, before he too climbed the ladder.
When Nuru reached the top, she climbed in through an open window on the top floor, helping Yong inside. The other two boys followed. There was a large hole in the ground of the room they stood in and when Yong got too close to the edge, Nuru pulled him back. Hugo walked over to one of the building's supporting pillars and pulled on a rope that was tied around it. He carried the slack of the rope to the hole and threw it down.
"You do this every time you come here?" Nuru asked, cautiously.
"Pretty much. Wanna go back?" He asked, almost hopefully.
Nuru looked between Varian and Yong and they all smiled, determined. Hugo attempted a smile too then took the rope in his hands, dropping down into the open floor and climbing until he reached the floor below.
Varian, then Nuru and Yong followed. Once they reached this new floor, Hugo led the way to a door, which he lock-picked. They waited patiently and there was a click. Hugo held the handle for a moment then turned it and swung the door open.
"Well, this is it." He told them, and stepped aside. Varian was the first to walk in.