Reunion at Sea

Hollow

"And set them free, if there are." Juniper nodded.

"Well, let's not waste time." Adira suggested.

They all headed out to carriages waiting outside and piled in. Nigel couldn't help but feel nervous, traveling in close proximity with the Brotherhood. He had, after all, thrown their precious Moonstone out into a blizzard and proceeded to help spread rumors about him. He was feeling anxious just looking at these people.

Not to mention the little imp himself, who sat next to the Prin--Queen like he belonged there.

"Are you nervous?" Rapunzel asked Varian gently.

"A little." He admitted. "But, I've got all of you with me, and I know I won't be staying. We're going to shut that place down, for good."

Rapunzel nodded firmly with a smile.

--

The carriages pulled up next to the base of the mountain and Nigel stepped out with a sigh. "Forgive me, my King and all the Kings before." He muttered, then walked over to press his hand against a certain rock, giving it a twist to the left, then the right as he held it down. The ground started to shake as part of the wall opened up and revealed a door in the wall. Then he walked over and knocked on the door before saying "The Sonnes shine over Corona."

The door opened and he looked back at Rapunzel. "You...may want to brace yourself."

"What is it?" Rapunzel asked.

He just motioned for them to all follow him in.

--

They came out into a wider area and Varian gasped in surprise. "What...what is this?!"

Ruddiger gently took Varian's hand, squeezing it soothingly as they looked around in silent horror and disbelief.

The "bunker" was much more than a small hideaway with a lab like Varian had suspected. It was a city inside a hollow mountain populated by armored guards and people in chains. He felt ill, just imagining this kind of life for himself, and Quirin wrapped an arm around him protectively.

Nigel turned to them, noticing they had all gone silent with shock.

"All this time..." Andrew breathed.

"They've been locking us up and enslaving us in secret." Juniper finished for him, clenching her fists.

"This is creepy." Hector cringed, looking around. Adira nodded, her expression grim.

"Well, I'm putting a stop to this right now!" Rapunzel declared, walking forward. "I want to talk to whoever is in charge of this place!"

"Princess Rapunzel?" A guard asked with surprise, turning to her from the slave he had been talking to.

"It's Queen now." She said venomously. "My father was ousted from the throne and is charged with high treason against the Kingdom, as soon as we find him. He's allied himself with demons. But, that's not what I want to talk about right now! Remove those chains, right now! Remove all the chains, by order of the Royal Family of Corona!"

"Prin--Your Majesty, be reasonable. Why don't you come and talk to the Overseer?" The guard offered.

"I will and, while I talk to him, I want this place shut down. I can't believe there's an entire city of Saporian slaves! This is disgusting! Shut it down and unchain all the slaves!"

"Your Highness?" A voice said, and Varian looked over to see a woman shakily approaching Andrew.

Andrew's eyes widened. "Eva?" He moved towards her. "Eva, you're alive? But, you came with our father--"