Chapter 5
That evening, Varian was looking up at the sky, all by himself, when Cass came out too. "Hey, Vari, can we talk about something I've been keeping from a lot of people, even from Rapunzel?" She asked shyly. "Oh, um, of course Cassie, you can talk to me about anything." He told her. Cassandra sat down beside him. "This is bigger to me than you'll ever know, but.. I don't.. necessarily feel like I'm really a girl.." She said. "Do you.. feel more like a boy?" Varian asked. Cass shook her head 'no'. "Then.. what do you feel like?" He softly asked. "I'm not sure, but I don't really feel like I am anything.." Cass told him, "I'm definitely not a girl, but not a boy either, maybe just, something in between? I'm still figuring it out, but I think whatever happens, I'm going to have to change, and I'll probably want to, are you.. okay with that Vari?" "Cassie.." Said Varian, "I will accept anyone for anything, especially for you being you, you know that, I have always been like that and I always will be, I promise, this is safe with me." She looked back at him with relief, saying, "Thank you, that actually means so much more than you think it does." He softly smiled. Then his grin turned upside down as he said, "To be honest, I feel like I don't really know myself right now either.." She was listening, waiting for him to continue. "Before Nebulus left while taking Rapunzel away, I called him a monster.. but he just laughed at me and said I was too and it just.. it just got me believing he's right.. considering what happened with the Griffins today and when I.. betrayed you a few weeks ago with the whole moonstone thing. I still feel terrible about that, it's this stupid magic! I wish.. I wish I never got it! I never asked for it, I never asked to be the Moonstone Host, I never asked to do any of that! I'm afraid.. That one day I'll be the villain again.. It's what I fear the most about these powers, they can make me do something awful to you, or Rapunzel, or Eugene.. or that new ally, Hugo.. I used to know myself, and you, you used to know me well, but now I don't think anyone does.." Varian explained. "Varian.. Look at me." Cass said, "You have gone through so much since Rapunzel came home, I've known you've been struggling since I found you against the wall surrounded by the rocks in your room. But you improved, you grew, and now, you're probably more powerful than you realize." He shed a tear while he smiled at her. "Thanks, that means the world.." He said. "Of course, we're buddies." She teased. They both laughed as Cass said, "It's getting late, we should go back with the others and set up the tents." They began running back to the site they settled at, when Varian said, "And I wasn't lying when I said I can keep a secret, trust me, you know that I'm brutally honest." TO BE CONTINUED..