Blinded By Stardust

Chapter 17: The Walk

(Me the whole time I was writing this chapter: AAAAAAAH!!! MY HEART!!!! in a good way)

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As the sun moved across the sky, the four of them contained to talk and joke, enjoying being together.

It wasn't long before Varian was able to move his legs again. Now that he was feeling better, he soon grew tired of staying in bed. Varian wanted to get out of his room, even to just walk around the castle a little and soon insisted on trying to stand.

His friends were hesitant to help him at first, saying he should probably rest a little more, but then they remembered, Varian normally wasn't one to rest for long. They realized he was probably going to try, with or without their help, so they agreed to assist him.

Varian turned so his feet were on the floor then Eugene pulled him up. He was pretty wobbly and ended up need Raps and Cass to help stabilize him at first. They stayed at his side as Varian walked around the room, slowly restoring his balance.

Once he was more stable and felt stronger, Varian was able to convince Raps and Eugene that he would be okay to leave the room; Cass still wasn't so sure about it though. When Varian asked Rose and she said that would be alright for him to do, Cass finally agreed.

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It wasn't long before the four friends were strolling through the halls, carrying on a conversation. Varian soon heard Raps and Eugene come to a stop behind where he and Cass strode. He slowed his pace a bit, curious what the royal couple was up to.

"I'm proud of you kid," he heard Eugene whisper then he glanced back. "You're just as strong as I knew you were," Eugene finished and Varian gave him a smile. "You okay, Var?" Cass asked, noticing how he slowed down a little more. She looked back to see the couple watching them, both with a huge smile on their faces. The princess giggled. "Go on," she whisperered to the alchemist as she motioned for Cass to keep going too. Cass and Varian both chuckled then looked at each other.

Raps leaned on her fiance. The captain put his arm around her as they watched their friends continue walking. "They are so cute together," the princess said with a smile. "She finally found her venomous cobra man." "What?".

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"You know I meant it when I said I loved you, right Cassie?" Varian asked after they walked a little longer. "Yeah, I know you did," Cass answered, coming to a stop.

"I just don't understand how you can, especially after everything I've done," the woman added as she looked away from the boy. "You keep saying that like you expect me to be mad at you, or scared of you," Varian stated as he stopped walking and turned towards Cass' voice. "But I'm not. Why should I be?" he continued.

"I stole, kidnapped, I hurt people, I destroyed the kingdom then took it over..." Cass listed then Varian grabbed her hand. "Cassie, don't you see? The reason why I'm not mad or scared is because I did the same thing." Cass looked back to him as he continued. "I stole the Sundrop, kidnapped the queen, and hurt her, Rapunzel, most of the royal guard, my dad, and you... the parts of Old Corona the rocks didn't destroy, I did, and I helped Andrew take over," Varian stated then paused for a second.

"I'm probably the only one who understands what that feels like, what that guilt feels like." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "But trust me, it gets better, all it takes is one person to believe in you," Varian continued then gently kissed the top of her hand, "Cassie, I never stopped believing in you."