"I don't understand why you're all being so kind to me. Surely, you're as trapped here as I am. Don't you ever want to escape?" Varian asked.

"Cass is not as terrible as she appears. Somewhere deep in her soul, my friend is still there. She's just... lost," Rapunzel said.

"Friend?"

Rapunzel sighed. "Me and her got into an argument about seven months ago. I don't know what I did wrong. So I decided to throw her a surprise birthday party. That was when we were all cursed. We stay because it might be our fault as much as hers. We made her mad after all. No one remembers us because their memories of us were wiped away with the curse. So imagine our surprise when you and your father showed up."

"The last stranger that showed up on her doorstep turned CassAndra into a beast. That is why she flipped out, plus he had taken a rose, which the demon had also done," Eugene added.

"You mentioned something about the west wing. Did that have anything to do about it?" Varian inquired.

"Uhhhhh..." Eugene chuckled nervously. "Oh! Look at the time!" He pointed at Lance's face. "I'm ready for bed. We all should probably hit the cupboards."

"How can I possibly go to sleep? It's my first night in an automated beings-"

"Enchanted," Lance corrected.

"Right. 'Enchanted' people. How can I not have questions?" Varian quotated enchanted with his fingers.

"All questions that we have forever to answer. It's been a long day for all of us," Eugene said.

"Alright, fine," Varian sighed.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

"I'm sure this is the way," Quirin said.

There was a howling in the distance. Dwayne gave a frightened yelp. "Do you hear those wolves?"

"That's good. That means we're getting very close to the castle," Quirin replied.

"Look, enough is enough. We have to turn back," Caine said. "We've been following you for hours. If you can find your way back to town so easily, you shouldn't be getting us lost!"

"That's it! There it isThat's the tree. I'm sure of it. It was downed by lightning at the time. But now, it's resumed an upright position through some sort of magic or other. It sounds strange, but once you've seen what I've seen, anything's believable."

"You really wanna marry into this family?" Dwayne whispered. Caine brushed him off.

"So, that means that the castle is that... No. No, it's... That way. Definitely, that way."

"I am done playing this game of yours. Where is Varian?"

"The beast took him and he..."

"There are no such things as beasts. Or talking clocks and candlesticks! Or magic! But there are wolves, frostbite, and starvation," Caine seethed.

"Deep breaths, Caine. Deep breaths," Dwayne instructed.

She sighed. "So, why don't we just turn around? Go back to Old Corona?I'm sure Varian is at home, cooking up a lovely dinner."

"If you think I've made all this up, then why did you offer to help?" Quirin frowned.

"Because I want to marry your son! Now, let's go home."

"Varian is not at home. He is with the-"

"You say beast one more time, I will feed you to the wolves!" Caine snapped.

"Caine! Breathe!" Dwayne instructed. "Think happy thoughts. Go back to the war. Blood. Explosions. Countless widows."

"Dwayne, you say one more word and I'll slit your throat!" She sighed. "Sorry. That's no way to talk around to my future father-in-law, is it?

"Future father-in-law?"

"Yes!"

Quirin turned around, holding the lantern. "You will never marry
my son."

"I saw that coming," Dwayne said.

"He doesn't need your blessing, old man," she huffed.

"Of course not, but I know my son," Quirin retorted. "You don't."

She snarled. "Think what you want, but I will have his hand. You can stay here on your own." Caine turned on her heels and marched away as she muttered under her breath. "Once the wolves are finished with him Varian will have no one to hold him back."