Trials of the Heart

Chapter 5

Anya knocked on the door before slowly opening it.  "Hello?"

Varian's head snapped in her direction, his eyes flaming.  Then he seemed to notice it was her and he relaxed a little.  However, she noticed that he still seemed uneasy and obviously wasn't sure if he trusted her.  That was fine, she supposed.  Who knew what shit he had been through.

"What do you want?" He spoke at last.

"I wanted to drop by, see how you were... I missed seeing you come by Xavier's.  I'm glad you're not dead... god, I sound awkward, sorry."

He snorted.  "Not easy talking to someone that was dead a few days ago to your knowledge I suppose."

"Well, I'm surprised and confused, but I'm happy that you're ok."

"You were always that sort of person I guess..."

"So are you," Anya retorted.

"Was."

She sighed and shrugged.  "How are you doing?  I mean, I know things are probably shit to you right now."

"That's an understatement.  I'm still in prison.  Given it's more comfortable and I can see people now.  Sometimes.  It's still a prison cell nonetheless."  Varian clutched the sheets on his mattress tightly.  "I still have my say on nothing."

"Yeah, that sucks.  Not gonna lie about that," Anya admitted.

"How about you.  What have you been up to since, well... five and a half years, I guess."

"I'm a professionally trained guard, but I'm a lady in waiting in spite of that. Not sure if I'll follow Cass's and my foster father's footsteps.  Don't know what my parents were so maybe I can hunt them down or people who knew them and figure what they were.  Maybe remain a lady in waiting, or maybe just carve my own path."

Varian nodded. "I get that..."

"Do you want to walk in the garden?  Rapunzel said you should get fresh air."

"Who's escorting it?"

"Me and Ash."

Varian thought for moment.  "Fine, but I'll make it clear now.  I don't like Ash and she doesn't like me."

"So I've learned," Anya muttered.

A few minutes later Varian, Anya and Ash were sitting in the garden.  The former sitting off more to the side, lying on in the grass.  He gazed up at the sky and made it clear that he did not want to be spoken to.  He fell asleep pretty quickly.

"You two are awfully friendly," Ash said.

"We were always friendly," Anya retorted.

"Do you like him?"

"As a friend?"

"I'm just asking," Ash clarified.

Anya snorted.  "Yeah, no, boys aren't my thing.  I'm lesbian."

"Oh, Cass never mentioned that-"

"Because I never knew," Cassandra said.

The two girls turned to see Cassandra and Captain standing there.  Ash grinned.  "Hey, ba-"

Anya quickly kicked Ashley's leg, but made sure neither Cassandra and the Captain could see.  "Oh, hi!  I didn't hear you two coming," she began nervously.

To say Ashley was confused would be an understatement.  Cassandra cleared her throat, obvious uncomfortable with the hard look on the Captain's face.  "Um, Dad's here because Rapunzel asked him to see if he can try to remember anything on Varian's case."

"Rapunzel's in the throne room waiting," Ashley said.

"Thanks," Cassandra said before bringing her dad to follow her.

As soon as they were gone, Ashley looked at Anya.  "What the heck was that about?"

"Um..." Anya groaned and put her head in her hands.  "He's not exactly on board with the pride parade.  He has no idea you and Cass are dating and he just heard me tell you that I'm Lesbian.  I'll pass it off as a joke-"

"Wait.  Why didn't Cass tell me?  He's homophobic?"

"Kinda...  Like he doesn't care, but for some reason he doesn't like the idea of me and Cassandra being gay."

"Oh... sorry... I know how you feel... my mom doesn't agree.  My Dad's cool with it though."

"I don't know, maybe Captain thinks it's a way of protecting me and Cass... I really don't know what's going on his head most of the time.  I wish he would sit and talk things out sometimes..."

Ashley opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted to Varian screaming.  Both of them jumped up and froze.  Varian panicked as his blue hair stripe was defying gravity and his eyes were glowing blue.  Sudden, everything stopped after a silver rock shot up out of the ground.

"What the hell?" Ashley cried.