A Cassarian Story
Varian always knew that he cared for Cassandra. But he didn't realize how much until she was gone.
Six long years after Cassandra leaves Corona, she finally returns. Varian is overjoyed, but she comes bearing terrible news. A stran...
"Daddy, I can't believe you punched Abhu!" Opal says, her mouth agape.
"That's what love does to you, Little Gem," Varian explains. "It makes you do crazy things, even against your better judgement."
"Crazy is right," Cassandra says.
"Oh, like you wouldn't have done the same thing," Varian teases. "I know for a fact that you've clocked a lot more people than I have."
"Touché," Cassandra says with a grin.
"So where did Abhu go?" Opal asks.
"We'll get to that later," Cassandra says. "But the next day, there were a few surprises in store. Including the start of something that I didn't understand yet..."
The next morning, Cassandra arises after struggling to sleep. Her mind kept returning to the conversation with Abhu, and now she can't help but feel worthless. Worthless and exhausted.
After doing the best she can to make her wardrobe more island-appropriate, she exits the shelter and heads to the beach. There was a particular rock just offshore where she used to sit every morning the last time she was stuck here, to enjoy the peace and quiet. Once she swims to it, she settles in and watches the sun slowly rise in the orange and yellow sky.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
About ten minutes pass, and she hears footsteps clomping along the sand behind her. She assumes someone else has finally awakened, but when she turns around she is surprised to discover that Varian is emerging from the palm tree jungle rather than the shelter. What was he doing out there, and so early? She wonders. She hops off of the rock, and returns to the beach.
"Whoa! What the heck happened to you?!" She asks, catching sight of the huge bruise on Varian's jaw. There is also a bit of dried blood on the corner of his mouth.
"Oh, um... it's nothing," Varian says, instinctively reaching his hand up to touch the bruise. But as soon as he does, he winces from the pain.
Cassandra shakes her head. "You confronted Abhu, didn't you?" She realizes. "And he punched you?! I can't believe he would—"
"Don't blame him entirely," Varian says sheepishly. "I, uh... Well, I-I punched him first."
Cassandra raises an eyebrow in disbelief. "Yeah, sure you did."
"No, really," Varian insists. "I was so angry with how he treated you! It just... kind of happened."
Cassandra pinches the bridge of her nose. "You two are infuriating... Alright, where is he?"
"I don't know, he took off into the jungle last night."
"Last night... and you've been out here all that time?"
