Romance Fan Fiction ❯ Enemy of the Stars (A Stars Above Sequel) ❯ Chapter 6: Familiar Faces and Propositions ( Chapter 6 )
Rapunzel, Cassandra, and baby Nova had only been traveling for a couple of days. For the most part, it was pretty calm and scenic. If Rapunzel was being honest, she missed the outside world and the new smells, sights, and feelings. So did Cassandra. Everything was going generally normal until Cassandra placed a quick hand in front of Rapunzel and Nova. “Cass, what is it?” Rapunzel asked worriedly, recognizing the familiar look of danger on her face.
Cassandra didn’t respond as she unleashed her sword and narrowed her eyes. “Who’s there?! Show yourself!”
It was silent for a couple of seconds before quiet chuckling could be heard. “I see your instincts haven’t changed.”
Cassandra’s eyes widened. That voice… No, it couldn’t be… Seconds later, a gorgeous woman with navy blue eyes and silky, wavy, dark brown hair that lay longer than her shoulders jumped down from a tree. “Long time no see, Cassandra.”
“Carina…” She muttered in disbelief. Rapunzel gave her a confused look but Cassandra’s eyes suddenly turned angry and dark and she tightly clenched her sword. “You have some nerve showing yourself here.”
Carina rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, are you really still sore about what happened?”
Cassandra narrowed her eyes. “What the hell do you think? You abandoned me.”
Rapunzel’s eyes widened upon realization of who this was by that exact statement. “Please - it was nothing personal.”
“You used me as bate!”
“You know out here it’s every woman for themself.”
Instead of Cassandra responding, Rapunzel did before her. “That’s not how a relationship works.” Her voice was bitter.
Carina peered behind Cassandra and raised an eyebrow. “Who’s the softy?”
Rapunzel huffed and moved from behind Cassandra to stand next to her and gripped her arm. “This ‘softy’ is the one who stole your girlfriend that you oh-so happily left behind.” Rapunzel held up her hand and with an ‘innocent’, half-smirk smile and added: “See the ring?” As she was suspecting, Carina’s eyes narrowed in jealousy for a split second. After all, if she was in love with Cassandra once before, there was no way she still wouldn’t be now. Cassandra was just too amazing.
Cassandra couldn’t help but smirk at her protectiveness and un-like Rapunzel behavior. “Carina, meet my wife, Rapunzel. Oh and our daughter Nova.”
Carina looked the princess up and down. “She looks like such a snowflake.”
Rapunzel tightly clenched her fists and took a step toward the infuriating young woman. “Oh, I’ll show you who’s a snowflake.” She mumbled.
Cassandra chuckled and placed a hand on the princess’s shoulder, momentarily stopping her but Rapunzel still didn’t tear her glare away. “Calm down tiger,” She then turned and glared at Carina. “What are you doing here, Carina?”
Carina smiled ‘innocently’ and tilted her head to the side. “Can’t I just pay a simple visit to my favorite person?”
Rapunzel narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “If she was your ‘favorite person' then you wouldn’t have abandoned her and then shown up years later. Clearly, you want something.”
Carina’s innocent smile dropped as she looked at Cassandra. “Insightful little thing, isn’t she?”
“I have a name, you know,” Rapunzel responded, forcing Carina to direct her attention away from Cassandra by stepping more in front of her. “And you’re not talking to her, you’re talking to me.” Carina narrowed her eyes dangerously and Rapunzel did the same. The tension in the air could definitely be felt. Cassandra has never heard Rapunzel speak like this to anyone. But if she was being honest, she was quite enjoying it.
Suddenly Carina smirked and crossed her arms. “Fiesty. Brave. Knows how to stand her ground. I like her.” Carina then peered to look at Cassandra a second time. “Sure she isn’t available?”
Rapunzel looked like she was about to kill her so Cassandra quickly stepped in front of her. As much as she would’ve loved to see it, she did it for Nova’s sake. “Yeah, she’s taken,” Cassandra responded harshly. “Now, what do you want?”
Carina placed an over-dramatic hand on her head. “Oh, Cassa, I’m so hurt. You think so little of me…”
“First off, don’t call me that. Secondly - hurry it along before I make you.” Cassandra warned, placing a hand on her sword.
Carina put her hands up in defense. “Alright, alright! Jeez… always with the violence. Anyway, I heard you were returning to Ingvar.”
“How did you-”
Carina cut her off as if the pending question was never asked. “But here’s what you don’t know. The typical path to take is littered with demonic energy, shadows, stuff like that.”
Rapunzel’s eyes lit up in realization. “Azriel…” She mumbled. “But how did he-”
Cassandra only narrowed her eyes at Carina. “And why should we believe you? You’ve deceived me once before. I’m not falling for it again.”
Carina shrugged. “Believe me, don’t believe me, I don’t really care. But if you really want to keep that family of yours safe then you should consider listening to my proposition.”
Rapunzel narrowed her eyes. That was just plain dirty; using Cassandra’s protective instincts to manipulate her. Cass would never- “Fine.”
Rapunzel stared at Cassandra wide-eyed. “Cass!” But Cassandra never took her eyes off Carina.
“Good choice.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just shut up and start talking.”
“Pushy, pushy…” When Cassandra only narrowed her eyes in warning and placed a hand on her sword again, Carina put her hands up again. “Jeez, alright. Anyway, since the path is blocked, you know there’s only one more you can take…”
Rapunzel watched as Cassandra's eyes lit up in realization but then they darkened. “Hell no.”
“What other path?” Rapunzel asked in confusion.
“She wants us to take Death Valley Row and yes, it is as bad as it sounds. It’s very, very dangerous and that’s why we are not taking it. I’d rather take my chances with the demon.”
“Oh, please, it’s not that bad.”
“99% of people die, Carina. And most of them don’t even get halfway through!”
“Good thing we’re the one percent that survived it, huh?” Carina asked with a smirk. “And I’ve survived it multiple times.”
“Barely!” Cassandra shouted. “And if you seriously think I am going to take a two-year-old through there, you are highly mistaken.”
“Well, let’s look at the facts, you always love those,” Carina responded with a sarcastic smile and started to count off her fingers. “If you take path #1, you will for sure die. But if you take path #2, there’s a one percent chance that you won’t die. I like those odds.” Cassandra looked like she was considering it and she was about to say no again but Rapunzel spoke up.
“I think we should take it, Cass,” Rapunzel said suddenly, making Cassandra’s eyes shoot to hers in wide disbelief.
“Yeah, Cass, listen to your wife,” Carina smirked.
Rapunzel spun around to glare at her. “Stay out of this!” Carina held up her hands in defense. Glaring at her for a second longer, Rapunzel moved to stand directly in front of Cassandra to block Carina’s view. “What other choice do we have? Azriel is exactly who we’re running from, it wouldn’t be smart to go towards him.”
“Did you miss the part where there is a high chance that we’ll die?”
“As much as I hate to admit it, she’s right. If we go towards Azriel, we’re gonna die anyway.”
“I don’t know, Raps… She could be lying and leading us into a death trap.”
“I can hear you, you know.” Both women turned and glared at Carina before looking back at each other, this time with more hushed voices.
“Look, I don’t trust her anymore than you do. But what choice do we have? If she really is telling the truth, we’d be walking right into his trap.”
Cassandra seemed to go silent for a moment as she considered it before sighing and nodding. “Fine.”
“Great!” Carina suddenly said, clapping her hands together. “If we lea-”
“Wait, what do you mean ‘we’?” Cassandra asked, turning back around. “You are not coming with us.”
“What??” Carina shouted. “That’s not fair!”
Cassandra raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Still a child, I see.” Rapunzel had to hold back a laugh at the women’s frustrated features. She really did look like a child.
“Ugh, look, I’m sorry about what happened. I shouldn’t have fled and left you there. But-”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that before…” Cassandra cut her off and mumbled.
Rapunzel’s blood boiled. “You’re ‘sorry’? She could’ve been killed and that’s all you say?!”
Cassandra placed a calming hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Raps. It doesn’t matter now.” Rapunzel seemed to calm herself slightly but Cassandra could still see the untamed rage radiating throughout her body.
“Pft, it was a long time ago. Besides, she’s still alive, isn’t she?” She placed a hand on her hip with a smirk, acting like she didn’t even care.
Rapunzel narrowed her eyes. “Hey, remember when you said you were gonna teach me how to fight with a sword?” Rapunzel addressed Cassandra without even looking at her. “Well, now would be a perfect time.”
Carina smirked and narrowed her eyes. “I’d like to see you try, weakling.”
“Oh boy…” Cassandra thought, mentally preparing herself for war.
“Excuse me?!” Rapunzel placed the slightly startled two-year-old into Cassandra’s arms and rushed towards her. Both women held their ground as they stared at each other with devious intent. “First - you drag Cassandra to sneak onto someone's property, then when you two were caught, you fled and left her there. Second - you show up years later claiming you have information, somehow knowing where we are even going. And third - you brush off leaving Cass to possibly die and face consequences that you should have been facing as if you don’t even care? What is wrong with you?” At this point, Rapunzel was barely a couple of feet in front of her.
The cockiness that was once in Carina’s eyes switched to dark and dangerous. “You better be careful, snowflake, I’m not afraid to strike you down.” She had once clenched hand on her sword.
“Carina-” Cassandra tried to intervene. But they ignored her.
Rapunzel laughed darkly. “Neither am I.”
“Rapunzel-”
Carina looked the princess up and down. “You look like you can’t even pick up a sword.”
“That’s it...!” Rapunzel was inches away from attacking her when Cassandra’s shout glued them both to their spots.
“GUYS!” Both women stopped immediately but they never tore their glaring eyes away from each other. By how aggravated and angry her voice was, they both knew better than to go against her. “You’re scaring Nova.” The little baby was hiding in Cassandra’s arms. Cassandra’s glare switched between both of them before it landed on Carina. “I expected this from you,” She spoke with bitterness before landing her glare on Rapunzel, this one a reprimanding one. “But you know better. Get a hold of yourself.” Rapunzel looked away from Cassandra’s reprimanding eyes and crossed her arms with a frustrated, pissed-off pout. But she stayed silent. Carina had the same exact look. They looked like reprimanded children.
“Look,” Carina started, her voice much more serious as she met Cassandra’s eye contact. “You and I both know that I’ve survived it countless times. You need me to lead you through it.”
Cassandra seemed to consider this before she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “What’s in it for you?”
Rapunzel snapped her head back up. “You’re seriously considering this??”
Cassandra turned her attention back towards Rapunzel and glared at her. “Shut it.”
“But-”
“Rapunzel.” Cassandra warned. Both women seemed to have a conversation with their eyes. Rapunzel held her eye contact with narrowed eyes. Cassandra narrowed her eyes dangerously and eventually, Rapunzel seemed to back down and look away.
“Fine.” She responded quietly.
“Thank you. Damn, sh-”
Cassandra snapped her head and glared at Carina. But this time, it was an actual glare that meant death. “You’re not off the hook either. You’re on thin ice, Carina. Now, I’ll only ask one more time, what’s in it for you?”
Knowing Cassandra will very well attack her and although she didn’t want to admit it, Cassandra was much stronger than her, so Carina responded: “Fine. Look, I need to get past Death Valley so I can make it to some villages in the local area.”
Cassandra narrowed her eyes. “Why?”
Carina tilted her head. “Does it matter?” When Cass only narrowed her eyes even more in warning, Carina sighed. “I heard of some treasure buried in the area.”
Cassandra rolled her eyes. “Of course it’s money.”
Rapunzel eventually spoke up again, this time her voice calmer but still bitter. “Why do you need our help? If you’re so ‘skilled’, as you say, and have survived it ‘multiple times', why don’t you just do it again? On your own?”
Carina narrowed her eyes, her voice also bitter. “Because it’s easier and safer to travel in groups so we can watch each other’s backs.”
“You mean so we can watch your back?”
“Rapunzel!” Cassandra reprimanded, this time in a much more annoyed, threatening tone. A tone that meant Cassandra had met her limit and if Rapunzel pushed her even farther, there would be consequences. But Rapunzel was too pissed-off to care at the moment as she turned towards Cassandra.
“How can we even trust her?! We can figure this out on our own!”
Cassandra gritted her teeth. “This place is dangerous, as I’ve said. And she knows the area. We could use the help.”
“Oh, so now you’re taking her side?!”
“I am not taking her side,” Cassandra was doing her absolute best to keep her voice level but the frustration was evident. “This is a safety precaution.”
“Nothing about this is safe! She’s not safe!”
Cassandra stood tall directly in front of her. Rapunzel didn’t move, she only narrowed her eyes. “The decision is final.” She said with a ‘don’t argue with me or else’ tone of voice.
Rapunzel narrowed her eyes. Cassandra narrowed them back. It was then that they noticed that Carina was watching them with a smirk. “Oh, don’t stop on my account,” The overconfident warrior said. “I’m quite enjoying this.”
Cassandra glared at her before she placed Nova on the porch of the caravan directly next to Fidella and roughly, but not enough to hurt her, grabbed Rapunzel’s arm and dragged her away to a private but shady tree. Once Cass was sure that they were out of ear reach, Cassandra spun on Rapunzel. “What the hell is with you?”
“What the hell is with me??” Rapunzel pretty much snarled. “What is with you?? You’re seriously gonna trust her?! And you call me gullible!”
Cassandra narrowed her eyes. “You’re really pushing it.” She said, her voice calm and cold. Not good signs.
“She abandoned you, Cassandra! And you’re gonna trust her to lead us through, as you keep saying,a ‘very dangerous’ path?!”
“For the last time, she knows the area. She knows the least dangerous areas and knows what to avoid and how to do it. I don’t. If she doesn’t show us the way, we’d end up being killed as soon as we step foot onto the territory. You need to control yourself!”
“Oh, you’re one to talk about ‘controlling’ oneself.”
Cassandra clenched her fists tightly and said through gritted teeth: “I’m not the one trying to start a fight in front of a two-year-old. Look, I don’t trust her and I can’t stand her any more than you can. You’re the one who agreed to even go along with this plan in the first place. And it’s what’s best and safest for Nova. So you’re just gonna have to suck it up and act like an adult.”
“But she-!”
“I don’t care,” Cassandra responded cooly. “It doesn’t matter what she did. Be the bigger person - you’re better than this!” She whispered harshly.
“She hurt you, Cass,” Rapunzel responded, evident concern and aggravation in her voice.
“Yeah, well, so did you, and look where we are now.” The hurt that flashed across her face made Cassandra realize what she just said. Even she had to admit that that was a bit too far. Rapunzel looked downward and placed one hand on the opposite arm. Sighing, Cassandra hooked her fingers under her chin and directed her eyes back up to hers. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. But look - this isn’t easy for me either. But you need to think about what’s best and safest for Nova. As soon as we reach the other side safely, we’ll part ways and you’ll never have to see her again.” When Rapunzel still looked like she wanted to argue, Cassandra gripped her face tighter in warning and pulled her closer before whispering harshly but calmly: “I’m serious, Rapunzel. Either put up with it or there will be consequences later.” By the tone of her voice, Rapunzel knew she was at her last straw.
Rapunzel eventually submitted as she looked away from her eye contact. “Fine.”
Cassandra sighed in exasperation. “Finally.” To try and cheer up her spirits, Cassandra gave her a teasing smile. “Stubborn as usual.” When Rapunzel continued to look away, Cassandra’s smile fell as she sighed. She pulled the princess in close before pressing a small kiss to her forehead. “I’m not doing this to mess with you. It’s my job to keep you two safe. And while I appreciate you protecting me, there are bigger problems at hand right now than something that happened nearly 4 years ago.”
Rapunzel looked back up to meet her eyes. “You could’ve been killed, Cass…”
“But I didn’t.”
“But you could’ve. You trusted her and she turned her back on you; leaving you to die and pay for her mistakes. How am I supposed to live with that?”
“The same way I am,” Cassandra responded. “And you forgave me.”
“But you were hurting and confused. She did it for her own selfish intentions.”
“Hurting or not, I still left you in a cave full of poison with no way out. And I did it for my own selfish intentions, as you said. Whether it was emotionally driven or not, it still happened.”
“...But I love you and I did then too. You were easy to forgive… but she isn’t.”
Cassandra gave her a teasing smile. “Funny how you’re having a hard time forgiving her when it didn’t even happen to you.”
Rapunzel shook her head. “Anyone who’s ever hurt you is hard to forgive. I can still barely forgive myself.”
As much as she wanted to convince her otherwise, her heart warmed at that sentence. Especially considering how forgiving Rapunzel was. “...Well, then you don’t need to forgive her. You just need to put up with her.” Rapunzel looked away. “Please?” Cassandra asked in a pleading voice; knowing Rapunzel couldn’t resist. Just for extra measure, she added: “For me?”
When Rapunzel’s eyes softened slightly, she knew she got her. “...That isn’t fair. You can’t use that.”
Cassandra couldn’t help but smile. “I just did. And besides, you use it all the time so it’s only fair.” Cassandra bopped the tip of her nose with her pointer finger and as much as she tried not to, Rapunzel couldn’t hold back a giggle.
“Fine. But if she does end up double-crossing us, I’m gonna be the one to run her through.”
Cassandra chuckled. “Alright, Ms. ‘violence is never the answer'.”
“That’s ‘Mrs’ to you and when it comes to you, I have no problem showing her, or anyone for that matter, what happens when they mess with my Cassandra.”
Cassandra couldn’t help but smile. “And you call me possessive and over-protective.”
“I have known you longer and have been through more with you and I know you way better than her so I have first rights.”
“My god,” Cassandra responded with a teasing smile in disbelief. “Are you seriously jealous?”
Rapunzel looked away in embarrassment and shook her head quickly as a deep blush filled her face. “I am not jealous.”
Cassandra laughed. “You so are!”
Rapunzel’s blush deepened as she looked away with a cute pout before she sighed and responded: “...I’m just scared her being here is gonna take you away from me.”
Cassandra was honestly surprised by that sudden remark. “What? Why would you think that?”
Rapunzel shrugged. “She’s right. I’m not strong. Not like you or her. I’m scared that maybe you’ll realize... That you’ll realize that I’m not the one you want to be with…”
“Raps,” Cassandra said sincerely and hooked her fingers under her chin, then directed her eyes back towards her. “I don’t love her. I love you. And maybe you’re not a skilled fighter like me but so what? You’re strong in so many other different ways. I’ve always loved you and that will never change.”
Rapunzel looked up to meet her eyes and Cassandra’s heart clenched at the fear hiding in her beautiful hues. Why was she so scared that Cassandra was gonna leave her…? Didn’t she know how much she loved her? “...You sure?” Her voice was filled with evident fear.
“Positive,” Cassandra responded without hesitation. “I don’t want to be with anyone else. I’m happy at where I am.” Rapunzel slowly nodded but she didn’t look convinced. “Raps, hun, there’s no one I’d rather be with than you. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if I thought otherwie.” She really hoped the pet name made it seem genuine.
It seemed to work as Rapunzel’s eyes softened and she nodded, this time with more confidence. But her eyes still held fear and hesitation. “...Okay.”
Cassandra smiled and pressed a small kiss to her lips. Rapunzel returned it and nuzzled against her before pulling back. “...I’m sorry… about how I acted. You’re right - it was immature and not right. I didn’t mean to call you gullible, either… I know this must be especially hard for you.”
Cassandra smiled. “I know,” She responded. “And I’m sorry I got so mad.” But then she gave her a reprimanding look but it was more of a soft look unlike before. “But you promised me you would listen to me out here, remember?”
Rapunzel slowly nodded. “I know I did. And from now on, I promise I’ll listen. But can you at least include me in the decision-making? We’re a pair, remember? Your words.”
Cassandra chuckled. “Yeah, I can do that.” Rapunzel finally gave her a true smile, which made Cassandra’s heart warm, as the princess leaned forward and pressed a soft, loving kiss to her lips.
“Thanks, hun.” She said teasingly but there was also genuine love evident in her voice. Cassandra rolled her eyes and gently elbowed the princess, making her giggle.
“Hey, love-birds!” They heard Carina shout. “Did you forget I was here??”
Rapunzel groaned. “I wish.”
Cassandra chuckled. “Come on,” She said while grabbing Rapunzel’s hand. The both of them walked hand-in-hand back toward Carina.
Carina crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “I see you two made up. Bummer.” Rapunzel narrowed her eyes and squeezed Cassandra’s hand. The warrior felt her tension and squeezed back softly, hoping it was enough to sooth her. But despite Rapunzel’s obvious rage, she didn’t say no snarky remark back. Thank god for that. “So, do you have an answer?”
Cassandra let go of Rapunzel’s hand and crossed her arms, glaring at the young woman. “Fine. But there are rules,”
“Rules?” Carina snorted. “I’m not a child.”
“Either abide by the rules or the answer is no.”
“Ugh, fine. What are these ‘rules’?”
“First - you are not allowed to leave my sight. Second - you can’t be alone with Nova nor Rapunzel.”
“What do you think I am? A monster?”
Cassandra couldn’t help but give her a slight smirk. “It’s more for your sake.” The entire time since they got back, Rapunzel said nothing but was permanently glaring death at Carina.
Wanting to argue to say that she could beat that snowflake with one hand tied behind her back any day, she thought better of it and rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
“Third - if anything happens to either of them during our journey through the Dark Valley, it's your head. Fourth - I’m in charge. And lastly - if you try anything, and I mean anything whatsoever, you’re gone. Capiche?” Her voice was threatening and dark.
Carina rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Fine. Can we go now? It’s not like this is a short journey.” She smirked and bowed at Cassandra. “Lead the way, your highness.”
Cassandra mumbled something under her breath before she walked forward. As Rapunzel passed by the infuriating young woman, she glared at her. Fidella, the caravan, and Nova followed shortly behind. As Fidella passed Carina, she ‘accidentally’ hit her with her tail. Carina rubbed her face and mumbled angrily as she followed closely behind the group.
Somewhere in the distance, a shadowy figure could be seen standing on a hill then all of a sudden, it disappeared.
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