Tangled After The Series - There's No Such Thing As 'The End'

Chapter 23: Changes in the fate's design

Warnings: mentions of blood and injury

*~*~* That evening *~*~*

The room was dark and silent. Cassandra sat absolutely motionless. The problem with waiting is that it invites a lot of room for thinking or remembering and now was no exception. Snippets of the afternoon hurried through her head. The victories and the failures.

*~*~*

"NO! VARIAN!" Cassandra screamed, she bent her head to his and watched the tears drop onto his cheeks beneath his closed eyelids. It felt like some merciless force was ripping out the cracked pieces of her heart.

Tears running down her own face, Rapunzel raised her shaking hand to cover her mouth, trying to hold back the sound of her sobs. She felt strong arms encompass her and she hid her face in the chest of her husband. Eugene pulled away from Rapunzel and went inside the wagon to Cassandra, "Cass..." he carefully took her arms and tried to coax her away but the first time she tore herself away from his hands. Any usual quips they would've snapped at each other were forgotten; the atmosphere was too sorrowful for petty arguments. "The medic's here now let her do her job," he reached for her again and she gave in to him. Gently, Eugene led Cassandra outside of the wagon to where Rapunzel waited, they each wrapped an arm around the raven-haired woman and Cassandra held her arms around herself.

Dr Marie's voice cut clearly through the silent room, "Still breathing but faintly," Cassandra almost collapsed with relief against Rapunzel and Eugene, Eugene squeezed her arm and Rapunzel stroked her hair. "Quirin take him to his room for me," she motioned Quirin over. He went into the wagon, gathered up his son into his arms – crimson blood leaking through his fingers as he desperately tried to apply pressure to Varian's wound. Quirin hurried out of the room followed by the medic and a panicked Ruddiger scampered after them before the door closed.

The throne room was still for a few more seconds, no one knew what to say or do. Then Eugene spoke up, "The equipment needs returning for anyone willing," everyone except King Fredrick, Queen Arianna, King Edmund and the Old Captain nodded and picked up some form of weaponry to return to the guards stores, even the animals contributed.

The servants would be returning soon with Hector, Eugene asked his father if he would wait for them, tell them what had happened and that if Dr Marie had a request it would be fulfilled urgently. Fredrick said that he would meet everyone at the guard stores and offer them their rooms for another night, Arianna hugged her daughter and her son-in-law before following after him. The Old Captain placed a hand on Cassandra's shoulder, Rapunzel and Eugene moved away so that he could envelop his arms around her. Rapunzel saw something shiny on the floor, she pointed it out to Eugene, and he picked it up. It was a broken necklace, the clasp bent out of shape and some of the blue and purple beads had rolled off the string, the purple stone was scratched but still intact. He pocketed it and straightened up.

"He'll be alright Cassandra," the Old Captain said softly and lifted up his daughter's face. He brushed her tears away with the back of his hand.

"Come on Cass, we'll stay in my room until the medic lets us in," Rapunzel said. She took Cassandra's arm and the Old Captain gave his daughter another reassuring smile before they left.

Cassandra sat down on Rapunzel's bed, her princess taking a seat beside her and keeping one hand on Cassandra's arm. Eugene stayed standing, his hands on his hips and every so often would absent-mindedly run a finger over his own scar.

Hastily, Cassandra wiped away her remaining tears with her hand, "If you're going to take digs Fitzherbert then please leave it until at least tomorrow,"