Light of the Moon

3

She took him through the woods and to a hidden grove, the only way in concealed by long, hanging vines. She took him and his things out of the cart and then went to the bottom of a tall tower.

"Now, the story is that you are an orphan I took in." She said calmly. "Do not change from the story. Understand?"

He nodded silently.

She nodded and then led him to a door at the side that was concealed by rocks. She opened it and him through, urging him to go before her.

"Once you are inside, I will return to the bottom and dispose of the cart." She told him, reaching up and opening a trapdoor.

Varian climbed up and into a well-furnished home. The woman got out and shut the door, then looked around. "Rapunzel!" She called.

"Coming, mother!" A blonde teenager around twelve years old with long hair that reached the floor came running over to them. "Oh, hi!"

"Rapunzel, this is an orphan I took in today. He will be staying with us from now on." She looked at him. "Introduce yourself."

"I'm Varian." He said, forcing a shaky smile.

"Aww, an orphan!" She hugged him tightly. "Don't worry, we'll be your family now!"

"...Great." He glanced at the woman over her shoulder and frowned.

"Rapunzel, why don't you help him get settled in? I have something to do real quick." The woman said as she headed for the trapdoor.

"Okay! Oh, we don't have another bed...do you mind sharing mine? I know you're a boy...ah, you're little. Come on!" She picked up his bags and headed off up some stairs.

Varian looked back at the trapdoor, where the woman was still standing. "...If you hurt him, I will make you regret it." He said, his eyes and hair starting to glow.

"I will only hurt him if you try to leave." She opened the trapdoor. "His survival is reliant on your obedience. Now, run along. Rapunzel is waiting. And stop it with the rocks." She frowned at the black rock sticking out of the floor near the trap door.

He slowly unclenched his fists and sighed, the glow fading as he forced himself to calm down.

"You'd think that you would have a handle on your temper after eight years." She went in and shut the door behind her.

He walked over to look out the window, watching as she disappeared through the vines.

"Varian! Are you coming?" Rapunzel called to him.

He sighed and left the window to follow her up. Something skittered by his foot when he reached the top of the stairs and he let out a yelp.

"Oh, careful!" Rapunzel giggled. "That's just Pascal."

He looked down and saw a green creature – a chameleon, he remembered – stared up at him.

"Pascal, this is Varian, He's going to be living with us from now on." The creature skittered over to her and she knelt to pick him up. "Oh, uh, Varian? Can you not tell Mother about him? He's my secret."

Varian saw no problem with that at all. "Of course." He nodded.

She smiled and went into the room. He followed her in, looking around as he entered. "There's a lot of paintings on the walls." He noticed a similar style on an easel in her room. "Yours?"

"Uh-huh!" She nodded. "Oh! I should paint you!" She went to get her paints, then gasped and turned back to him. "Did you eat yet?"

"Eat...?" He gasped. 'The food was cooking!' He bolted out of the room.