"Come find me, Artemisia." No matter which way the young girl looked, she couldn't find the source of where the voice was coming from.
"Who are you?!" no reply, typical. But she could tell the voice was male.
"You need to follow the rocks, they'll lead you to where you need to be." It wasn't a voice she knew, not the king, or Eugene, and certainly not Varian.
"Where do I need to be? Please, give me some kind of answer..."
"Follow the rocks, Artemisia, follow them to me, you'll get your answers." Before she woke up she saw a pair of familiar yellow-green eyes before her own shot open.
"Dad!" Blue eyes watched her with absolute shock, "Artemis! Yo-you're finally awake." Her whole body felt weighed down and as more of the sleep fell away she noticed it was because she was shackled down. The teens could hear foot fall.
"It's probably just the usual guard detail. Though, now that you're awake, they'll probably tell the princess."
"Varian...where are we?"
"The dungeons." She sighed, this was the place they belonged, they had committed the worst of crimes, treason. Staged a coup d'état against the entire kingdom...
"We belong here."
"No, we don't. they turned their backs on us when we needed them. They—"
"We did the same thing, Varian. But worse. You could have killed the Queen." He looked at her with frustration, "So, you'll side with them."
"I'm not siding with anyone!" A smack on the bars startled the blonde, "Good, you're awake. The princess wants to see you, Artemis."
"Captain..." she kept her eyes down as Stan and Pete undid the shackle chaining her to the floor, there was a nice bruise forming where they had secured the double locking cuff.
"Easy." The blonde tilted her head in confusion as they hauled her up, why the delicacy? "You've been out for a month."
"A month?!" wild eyes looked between the Guards and Varian, that certainly explained why she felt so weak.
--
Frowning as she stared at the carriage, the teen had been forced inside almost a week ago, Rapunzel insisting that the Guards tell the young alchemist that they were just borrowing her.
"Come on, Kid. It beats a prison cell, doesn't it?" she narrowed her eyes at Eugene, "Shows what you know, at least in the prison cell there was still someone who loved and cared about me."
"Ouch. Look, Artemis." She frowned again, but begrudgingly brought her eyes up to meet his, the former thief taking in her horribly disheveled and dirty appearance.
"Yikes, okay. I know you two kids are all each other has, but nothing's going to get better if you don't let this go." She slapped his hand away, "Let it go?!" she was quick to her feet, "Let go the fact that when we asked—no, begged for the kingdoms help, even after that storm was gone, the king lied, to save his own ass! So don't you dare tell me to let it go." With that she tucked herself into a separate corner of the caravan.
"Next stop, Vardaros!"
"City of fun and games" rolling her eyes she tried to get some sleep as the two former thugs started screaming. As the mediocre conversation carried on the carriage eventually slowed down.
"We're here" as everyone fled out the door Artemis stayed in her spot. Rapunzel poked her head in the door.
"Don't you want to eat?" The teen scoffed, rolling her eyes, "I appreciate the Gesture, Rapunzel, but I don't want anything from you." Rapunzel let out a sigh, "Look, I can't make you do anything, but how do you think Varian would feel if he saw what you were doing to yourself?"
"Like you care." The Princess' expression softened, "I know we have our differences, but I'm sure that whenever we get back to Corona, he'd want to see that you were taking care of yourself." The princess set a basket down in front of the younger girl. Artemis ignored the food basket as Rapunzel left the carriage.
Her brooding was brought to a screeching halt by something actually screeching outside, carefully she went to poke her head out the door,
"What was tha—oh..." it was just shorty...
"Shorty?"
"How did you get here?"
"How indeed. The circumstances which led to my unexpected departure from Corona make for a long, yet fascinating tale..." Artemis groaned as she stumbled out of the carriage,
"The idiot must have fallen asleep in the food compartment...obviously." She rolled her eyes. Short was always causing problems.
"Look, if you guys even want to have the slightest chance of surviving out here...ditch him."
"No, no, no, no, no, the food. He ate all the food"
"Glad to see Strongbow has his priorities straight." As Lance carried on with the theatrics Artemis made her way back to the carriage.
"Nope, Uh-uh, you're coming into town with me to replenish supplies."
"Get your hands off me, Fitzherbert!" the former thief backed away as her blue eye started to glow.
"Ack! Okay...let's go...you." He plastered on a fake smile as he tried to play nice.
"Okay, enough! We're taking the caravan into Vardaros." Sighing, everyone piled back into the carriage.
--
The young blonde started laughing as they all filed back out of the carriage and into the city of Vardaros.
"This is your city of fun and games?!" she continued laughing, "This place is as desolate as a wasteland now."
"Artemis." The teen wanted to give the princess a middle finger and go back to her sulking but instead walked towards an abandoned shop.
"What's first, matching face tattoos? Or see if we can get a good deal on a rusty hatchet?"
"Your enthusiasm is noted."
"Your enthusiasm is noted." She mimicked as she stepped further into town. Several pairs of eyes narrowed at her attitude.
"Here's an idea, let's see which of us catches the plague first. I hope it's me." She gave a sadistic smile as she rattle doff her ideas.
"I think you need a nap, young lady." She rolled her eyes at him, "And I think you need a better personality." Cassandra bit back a laugh as Eugene turned back to the deserted city.
"I don't understand. What happened?"
"Come on, guys...maybe it's not exactly as you remembered it, but that doesn't mean it's not a fun loving city."
"Okay, I retract my previous statement, I hope she catches the plague first...or maybe Dysentery."
"Hello there." The group watched as Rapunzel stepped up to the knife stall, "We're new in town, my name's Rapunzel"
"Get lost." Cass put a hand on her friends' shoulder, "Maybe you should hold off on the introductions. Something tells me that if words got out that actual royalty were in town, we could be in trouble."
"You know I hate saying this, but she's right. Let's keep a low profile princess, we'll go get the supplies, you guys take the caravan back up to the camp. The last thing you need is for someone to recognize you."
--
"He asked you to marry him again, huh?" Much like a startled cat, Rapunzel seemed to bristle, slamming the cover of her journal closed,
"Come on. I know you guys well enough by now."
"I-I guess he...maybe...asked me."
"Oh please, there's no maybe when it comes to marriage, he either asked you, or he didn't. simple as that." Disregarding the younger teens input, Cassandra came to sit between the two blondes,
"What did you maybe say?"
"I didn't say anything. And, I'm not sure why."
"Oh, I can tell you why." Three heads whipped around, looking for the new voice.
"You have bigger things laying ahead of you" Artemis stared at the woman leaning against the carriage,
"I...I know you." But why did the young girl know this woman, she wasn't from Corona...
"Greetings." And any impression she may have had of the woman was gone the second chunks of apple flew from her mouth.
"Ugh... didn't your mother teach you not to talk with your mouth full?" Cass and Rapunzel were both surprised at the teens comment, Cass biting back laughter,
'I'm sorry, who are you, exactly?"
"Oh, right, sorry. Princess Rapunzel, my name is Adira." That name...why was it so familiar. Artemis wracked her brain to try and figure it out as something finally came back to her,
"You're getting good with that wooden sword, little one." A small Artemis has parried the older woman's own wooden weapon, "You'll make a fine warrior someday."
"You really think so?! I'm gonna be the fiercest warrior in the kingdom, even better than papa!" the bean pole of a man stood from the sidelines, laughing at the little girls enthusiasm as he walked over,
"You think you can best me in combat?"
"I don't think, I know I can!" she poked him in the stomach with the tip of the weapon and he feigned injury,
"Oh no, the mighty Artemisia of the dark kingdom, you have fell me!" he played the theatrics up as he pretended to "die" falling to the ground in pretend agony.
"Tell the world that I did not go down without a fight, little one." Artemis giggled at his pretend death before he suddenly swooped her up, causing her to drop the wooden sword.
"Papa! No...s-stop!" he had started tickling the little girls' sides, causing her to laugh.
"Adira..." Cass stepped forward, shielding both blondes from view. "What do you want, Adira?"
"A word with Rapunzel is all." The woman's eyes fell to the smaller blonde in curiosity, how did this child know her?
"Alone, if you don't mind? The small one can stay as well." As Adira stepped towards them Cass blacked her, "Not going to happen."
"Just a second, Cass. let's hear her out." Adira looked at Cass' hand, "Okay, I gotta be honest, I know we just met but uh, I'm not a big fan of people touching me."
"And I'm not a fan of people who lurk in the shadows."
"Okay, last chance to do this the nice way." She grabbed onto Cassandra's wrist, "And where's the fun in that?"
"Cass, no. wait." Just as Adira was about to throw Cassandra Artemis stepped in, grabbed the while haired woman's wrist and knocked her legs out from under her, effectively pressing the woman to the ground.
"Enough!" Adira, Cass and Rapunzel were stunned to silence, "First rule of any combat scenario, always expect the unexpected."
"Artemis where did you...?"
"None of your business, Rapunzel." The fight stopped as Hookfoot came running up, "Rapunzel, Cassandra..."
"Hookfoot, are you okay?"
"I can see you have your hands full. I'll seek you out later." Rapunzel looked back to see the smaller blonde on the ground now.
"I fought as hard as I could and barely got away alive."
Wait, wait, wait, fought who? Where's Eugene?" the fat thug was clearly out of breath, "I'm so sorry. Eugene, the took him.
--
Artemis took off after the woman while Rapunzel and Cassandra were distracted.
"Wait!"
The white haired woman turned, surprised to see the young girl following after her, "Yes, what is it?"
"I know you..." upon closer inspection, Adira seemed to make a connection, "Artemis?" seeing her mis-matched eyes seemed to be the final dot.
"You do know me." For the first time in a while, she could feel a smile tug at the corners of her mouth, "You've gotten so big, but the lessons I taught you, they certainly stuck around. Those were some very impressive maneuvers, little one."
"Thanks. I learned a lot in Corona. But if you ever tell them that I'm grateful for what they taught me..." Adira laughed as the teen tried to be threatening.
"I followed you because I wanted to know, do you know where my father is?" Adira looked upwards, watching the clouds drift by.
"If you continue with Rapunzel and the others, you'll find him at the Great tree."
"The Great Tree?" the woman flashed a sympathetic look, "Artemis, proceed with caution, your father is not the same man he was 10 years ago."
"I don't understand."
"When the King closed off the Kingdom to outsiders, he changed, he's become twisted and cynical. Just...be safe, Artemis." The blonde looked at the woman, Casting her eyes back towards the Caravan she sighed, "I'll try."
"One more thing." The white-haired woman knelt before the teen, "Don't let past actions cloud your judgment, no matter what you've done, they want to help you. Especially the short-haired one."
Artemis gave the woman a quick hug, catching her off guard but Adira only smiled.
"Be Safe, Artemis, I'll see you again." And with that, Adira took her leave.
--
"Somebody somewhere has to know who took Eugene. We'll cover more ground if we split up." Artemis took a flyer, glancing at it as the others took off.
"They want to help..." with a new resolve she turned and headed back towards the town to see if anyone knew where Eugene was. She rejoined the others having had no luck.
"No one wants to talk."
"Look, Raps. We've been at this for hours, maybe we should go back to corona and send for the Calvary. If we leave now we can be back in two wee—Whoa! You're right, I'm so sorry, please stop looking at me like that." Artemis quirked a brow at Rapunzel's angry expression.
"You look both angry...and constipated."
"What's the matter, princess, looking for your boyfriend?" Artemis narrowed her eyes at the girl with the braids.
"Funny. how come you never get close to us, are you afraid of something?" she made short work of sneaking up on the girl without use of the rocks to help her.
"You know something, but either you're too cocky to tell us, or you don't value your life very much." She fished a dagger from her satchel, "Tell us what you know, or your pretty face might get rearranged."
"I don't need to tell you nothing." Artemis shrugged, "Suit yourself."
"Artemis, no!" she felt herself being pulled backwards and winced, waiting to hit the ground but ti never came.
"Calm down, Artemis." Blue and gold eyes looked up to see Cass, shoving her off she tucked the knife away and walked towards the sound of horns.
"I bet you anything that's where you'll find Eugene." She watched the princess run off, being pulled along by Cassandra.
"Listen up, you scum."
"That's the guy that attacked us!" Artemis looked at the buck-toothed, seemingly one-eyed beanpole infront of them and frowned, unimpressed.
"This is what passes as a thug? Not impressive. Cassandra looked over, "Not really the time..."
"The baron has something he'd like to say."
"The Baron, Baron?"
"I hope it's an apology..." okay...maybe she had spent too much time around Eugene the last week...
"People of Vardaros, I bring you cause for celebration. A glint of joy into your otherwise meaningless and pitiful lives.'
"Now that is just rude..." she mumbled to herself as the fat blonde man continued on. "My people will be collecting gifts for the occasion, from each of you. I am proud to announce the re-engagement of my daughter, Stalyan."
"Wait...the Baron's daughter?"
"Whoa, what a daughter."
"She's not that impressive." Artemis rolled her eyes as the coppery brunette walked out on stage, "And her fiancé, Flynn Rider." There was a collective gasp among the group, "Wow...and you thought my double-cross was bad... that's just cold." She could tell from looking at the former thief though that this wasn't his decision,
"Something's wrong." She snuck away towards the back of the stage to try and get answers as Rapunzel shoved her way to the front of the crowd. Sneaking under the curtain, Artemis got her answer.
"Lance..." hearing a set of foot steps she ducked behind some crates to watch.
"He's with us now." The curtain was pulled back to reveal the sick, now reformed, Lance, Artemis made a quick signal to keep quiet, letting the princess know where she was.
"She had done some awful things, but she wouldn't outright let someone die, no one deserved pain like that.
--
"You know...it looks like a strawberry. You know, speaking of strawberry, I get the berry part, that part makes perfect sense, but what, where does the straw come in? they should call it noseberry, cause it looks like your nose. I'm gonna eat your nose."
"How's he doing, shorty?"
"He's doing great!" Artemis kept herself hidden as Stalyan stepped up to the cell door,
"Lance, budyy, just hang on, alright. I'm going to get you that antidote, I promise I'll do whatever it takes."
"It's the right thing, you know? Getting hitched."
"Stalyan, you need to call this off and get me that antidote, right now."
"You know what I was thinking about earlier? Our trip to Pencosta. Remember, you said stealing the sultans jewels was one pf the worst ideas I've ever had? But then, I made you go through with it and well, we made a fortune that day. My point is, I know what's best for you, Rider. I always have. I know in my heart that this is where you belong, Flynn and deep down, you know it too." Artemis could see the despair in Eugene's eyes, "Well, it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, and the last thing any of us needs is bad luck. Right, Flynn?"
Stalyan started walking away, "It's Eugene now."
"No it's not." The woman held up the key, "No it's not." Artemis watched her toss the keys to the floor, "See you out there." And with that she was gone. Waiting for the right moment, The blonde stepped out of hiding, picking up the keys.
"Lance sounds like you when you first wake up." Eugene looked towards the cell door,
"Kid! What-what are you doing down here, it's not safe."
"I'm doing the right thing, I'm going to get you out of this, Eugene, and hopefully get Lance some help." She passed the keys to him through the door."
"Why the sudden change of heart towards me, kiddo?"
"Someone gave me some good advice, earlier. She told me not to let past actions effect my present, and I know, Varian and I really screwed up...but everyone should have a shot at redemption, right?" Eugene's expression softened, "I'm not asking for any of you to forgive me...but...I want a second chance."
"Hey, Kid. Chin up, all right? We all make mistakes, My mistake led me to Rapunzel and now there's nowhere else I'd rather be, than with her."
"I know how you feel..." reaching through the bars, he put a gentle hand on her head, "Varian's a lucky kid, to have someone like you looking out for him."
"I'm not doing anything for him he hasn't done for me, he's always been there."
"That's the thing about the one's who love you, kid. They never leave. Now get out of here, before the Baron catches you." He took the keys from her and she took off.
--
"Rapunzel!" Artemis found the princess, Hookfoot and Cassandra by the dessert table,
"Artemis?! Where have you been?" the two spoke in sharp whispers, "I was helping a friend," she motioned the stage where Eugene stood now, waiting, as the wedding march started, for Stalyan to join him on the stage.
"Let's get on with it. Shall we?"
"Funny, I was just thinking the same thing."
"Blondie!"
"Eugene!" Artemis shot a snarky smirk to the brunette bride before sticking her tongue out, "Blondie, you shouldn't be here." Looking around, they were clearly outnumbered, but that meant nothing.
"Yeah, move along, blondie."
"Hey, Eugene just listen, please. I may not know what my future holds, but I do know that you are meant to be in it. I love you." The crowd was filled was 'Awws' as Rapunzel looked around nervously, "And now that I've spilled my heart out to a room full of hostile strangers, feeling a little self-conscious." Stalyan pressed her Bouquet into Eugene's face as she stormed off the stage,
"well that was lovely. Are we done here." Rapunzel shed the rest of her disguise, "Not even close. I;m just warming up. Cass, Hookfoot, Brace yourselves. Artemis, give me a hand."
The teen grinned, running towards another cluster of rocks, "Gladly." She detested the Baron's daughter with every fiber of her being.
"It's about to get rough in here." When Rapunzel touched the rocks nothing happened, but as Artemis focused, several small clusters shot up near the front of the stage.
"What the!" Stalyan looked at the small teen in surprise, "I think you're on the wrong side, kid!"
"I'm exactly where I need to be!" she fired back, Rapunzel and Cass sharing a brief look of pride at the teen's response,
"Get them out of here." Artemis got ready to launch more of the rocks at the men charging them, "Hey, leave them alone." She could see the scrawny thief from earlier tying Eugene up, casting her gaze elsewhere, Lance didn't look so good.
"Guys, they poisoned lance."
"Okay, Raps, Artemis, if you have a plan B, now would be a great time to pitch it."
"We need that antidote."
"Never." Artemis narrowed her eyes at the Hulking blonde man, "Rapunzel, Cass, cover me!" she shot herself towards the Baron using the black rocks to propel her, once she was close enough, she snatched the vial from around his neck.
"Nice aim, Kid!"
"Well, this party stinks."
"Tell me about it." Artemis resurfaced from a pile of sheets that had broken her fall, "Worst. Wedding. Ever. I hope the reception is better."
"All right, Rider, let's get out of here." Stalyan tried to drag the former thief away but Rapunzel stopped them.
"His name is Eugene!"
"His name is Rider and he belongs with me" Artemis watched the struggle unimpressed as she took the vial and walked towards Lance,
"How would you know, you had to poison his best friend to get him to marry you."
"That is a good point, Rapunzel."
"In fairness, that was my dad's idea."
"Ladies. There's. probably. A better way. To work this. Out." As the two women tugged the poor man back and forth, Artemis ducked around Stalyan,
"We'll work this out as soon as we get back to the caravan!
'And just what are you going to do, frog?" Artemis looked between Pascal and Stalyan, intrigued, but she broke out in laughter as Pascal slapped his tongue right into her face, scaring her into letting go of the rope binding Eugene.
"I love you!" Artemis winced as he hit the ground.
"We need that antidote, Pascal."
"Way ahead of you, Rapunzel!" Artemis flashed the vial with the orange substance in it. As the Baron's men closed in on them Cass called for Plan C.
"I don't have a plan C. I thought these rocks would react the way they did back in Corona, "They're not reacting because they found the Sun Drop. That would be you."
"Adira!"
"Great, weird shadow lady."
"I'm not that weird" Adira drew her sword and charged their now shared enemy, cutting Eugene's ropes as she went.
"Wow, thank you, tall person."
"Help!" Eugene, Cassandra, Rapunzel and Adira all looked towards the stage in shock, The baron had hold of Artemis.
"Let her go!"
"Come and get her, Rider" He drew his sword with his other hand, Eugene charged the stage, being careful not to hit the small blonde captive. Artemis could feel whatever was in her stomach coming back up.
"yeah...this is...fun...but...I don't really like...rollercoasters..." as the two men swung their swords she started seeing double, but kept the antidote grasped tightly in her fist.
She spotted pascal and sneakily dropped the antidote so he could grab it before she was swung out of the way again. When she was all of a sudden tossed aside, she hit the ground, hard. Watching as the Baron shoved Eugene to the ground, opening a compartment in one of his rings.
"I should have done this from the beginning." His plan was cut short by...well...shorty who smacked into the burly man while picking food off the floor.
"Ah, no, no, no..." it must have bit him because the Baron stopped squirming real fast. "The anti-venom, where is the anti-venom?" Artemis sat upright as Pascal handed the vial back to her, uncorking it she quickly administered it to Lance.
"Aw, too bad."
"Clovis, you shaved your goatee."
"If I'm going down, then I'm taking you with me!"
"NO!" Artemis launched a small cluster of rocks towards the man, knocking him off his feet. His sword landing by her own. Picking it up, she walked over to him, pressing the tip of it against his skin.
"You picked the wrong people to tick off."
"Blondie!" Artemis stepped aside as Stalyan picked up her father, "We'll find the anti-venom, then we'll settle this, Rider."
"The name's Eugene." Once everyone either ran off or left, Artemis tossed the stolen sword aside.
"I wanted to talk about when you asked to marry me. I didn't...quite know what to say." She glanced towards Pascal for a bit of hope, "But I do now. Eugene, will you"
"No, that's not necessary."
"What?"
"You're finally free and out in the real world, I understand now that making a life-time commitment is probably the furthest thing from your mind. In other words, now's just not the time."
"Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right, you're right, now's not the time. That is totally what I was about to say. I'm...really glad you feel the same."
"But if the time does come. We need to have a serious talk about the ceremony decorations beforehand, I mean, did you see that swan?"
"I know, right? So tacky."
"Tacky? No, that swan is awe—Awesomely tacky. I mean, what? Outrageous."
"Oh my god you two, just kiss already!" she smiled as they took her advice. The teen stepped up beside Lance and Cassandra, "This may just be the fever talking, but was there a tall, angelic enchantress with a sword here a second ago?"
'gross...he's crushing on auntie Adira?' she shook her head at the man beside her
"Yeah, where did weirdo go?"
--
"Rapunzel?" the Princess turned from her attempt at getting the rocks to respond again, "Hey."
"Can I...Um..."
"What's on your mind, Artemis?" the teen sat next to her on the ground, "I know I have no right to ask this, but...I'd really like a second chance. I understand if you're not at a place you can forgive me, and I get it. I wouldn't forgive me either."
"Artemis." The teen looked up, "You're right, forgiveness might take some time, but you proved that we can at least trust you to come through for us at the ceremony last night, and I'm so proud of you. And if you hadn't done what you had, Lance might not have pulled through." The smaller blonde blushed at the compliment,
"Well, all I did was take down a thug that's been around since Eugene and lance were my age, steal an antidote, effectively foil his plan to force your boyfriend into a sort of arranged marriage, practically threaten his life, and saved lances life." Rapunzel quirked a brow before a smile broke onto her face, "But , no big deal, right?"
"Right, no big deal." The two shared a laugh.
"So, where do you think these rocks are taking us?"
"To fulfill your destinies."
"Adira. Who are you?" Artemis looked between the two, "What do you mean our destinies? How is Artemis tied to both me and these rocks?"
"Look, I am a friend, and I am here to make sure you get to the end of this journey you're embarking on." Rapunzel unraveled what Adira handed to her, "It's part of the graphtyc scroll."
"Listen, I don't have all the answers. But now that I've seen all that I have I have no doubt, these rocks were looking for both of you. And you both must follow them, to the dark kingdom."
"The dark kingdom?"
"My home..." Eugene who had come to join them after Adira left, "Your home?"
"My home before old Corona...before any of this." She felt two hands rest on either of her shoulders, smiling at the two adults behind her, "I was so little when mom and I left, but the idea of going back..."
"Hey, don't worry Artemis, we'll all be with you.
"Every step of the way."