Reunion at Sea

Something Strange

The next morning, Rapunzel was roused from a fitful rest by the sound of knocking on her door. "Your Majesty? It's morning."

"Mmm?" Rapunzel yawned. "Uhm...wait, where's Cassandra?" She looked around, smacking her lips.

"On the training grounds, Your Majesty. Princess Juniper said that she wanted to 'make good on her promise' and took Lady Cassandra and Lord Ruddiger to the training grounds."

Rapunzel blinked, then gasped. "Oh, wait!" She got out of bed, grabbed a robe to cover her nightgown and ran out of the door past a startled maid. "Juniper, come on! You said you'd wait until later!"

Okay, granted, this was later, there was a lull in what was going on, maybe she thought it'd be a good time. Or maybe Cassandra just accidentally did something to set her off. Either way, she needed to get down there and stop them!

She found the training grounds already filled with spectators. Varian apparently had set himself as the referee, since he was standing near them, and Andrew was looking as exasperated as Rapunzel felt.

"How long has this been going on?" Rapunzel asked, walking over to him.

"...A while. I haven't been keeping track." He admitted.

"How did it start?" Rapunzel asked.

"Well, it startled with an arm-wrestling match, which Juniper won, and Cassandra said that she bet she could beat her in real combat. Then she said 'okay, I'll let you prove it. You can even bring Ruddiger as backup'. Then she announced to the Royal Guard that this match was going on and..." He gestured to the trio locked in combat together. "It's still going."

Rapunzel sighed. "...Well...as long as it's under control."

"Don't worry, Varian's keeping an eye on things. I just wish Juniper wouldn't do this all the time."

"At least she's not just attacking them randomly." Rapunzel shrugged. "I'm going up to my room to get changed for the day." She headed back to the steps into the castle.

"Your Majesty!" Maximus ran through the courtyard and stopped at the foot of the steps just as she reached the door. "Something terrible is happening in town! People are reporting their children going missing!"

"What?" She turned him with a gasp. "Go assemble the Guard, tell the Captain and tell Juniper that whatever they're doing will have to wait!" She headed in, hurrying back to her room as he ran to the training grounds.

–

"Missing children?" Varian frowned.

"Yes, all around the ages of 12 and 16." Fidella reported.

"This the usual crime issue, or is it Disciple-related?" Eugene asked.

"Ruddiger?" Varian looked at him.

Ruddiger frowned thoughtfully. "Was there anything about these kids that particularly stood out? And are they all boys or also girls?"

"Seven girls, thirteen boys." Captain Solomon said grimly.

"Then it's not Lucas. He only targets boys." Ruddiger pulled out his list and moved his finger down the line. "Let's see...missing kids, missing kids...could be The Jester."

"The what?" Varian asked.

"Did you just say 'Jester'?" Lance paled. "As in, a clown?"

"If you can help us zero in on that person's aura, we can track him down and save the children." Floyd said. Clyde nodded in agreement.

"The Jester was basically like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. He used magic to manipulate children to do his bidding, usually using their life-force to fuel our powers." Ruddiger explained. "He never killed them, though, they only ever felt sleepy. Then they would be given tea and turned into birds forever by Mother and Father Feather, then controlled by Melina to do terrible things."