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Chapter 9 -
Making Glowing Lights, An Unexpected Present
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Varian had gotten his lab back so he was working up there again, leaving you to be occupied with a book. Specifically, the Tales of Flynnigan Rider. You wanted to know why Varian loved this story so much. So far, you had no idea what you see in this guy.

Sure this Flynn is big in telling to pursue in adventure, but then again if you really look at it. You have to have loads of money to have an adventure. Like rich. It might given someone the wrong idea especially to get rich. Robin Hood is better than this. Sure Robin was a thief, but he didn't do it for himself and he was honest.

You fall backwards with your arms out and took a deep breath in then out. Being on grass was your favorite thing to do, just relaxing. The book was still in your hand, so you hold in up in front of you. The adventures Flynn went are were the only thing entertaining about it, but they need a different perception on the rich part.

Now that you think about it. Maybe someone did get try to be Flynn Rider and you did notice wanted posters with the name, but he was a thief. It kinda weirded you out, but also seemed slightly hilarious when each poster had different nose shapes. Though Varian had a perfect one so you knew how this Flynn looked.

It seems like you knew him and seen him before, but again like always. You haven't. You groan in annoyance, “You can't whisper above the thunder.”

You blew a raspberry and got up to return the book. As you made your way to Varian and Quirin’s home, you noticed some of the villagers were leaving somewhere. Almost half of the village. Once you got to the steps, Varian comes out and nearly runs into you.

“Whoa! (____)! Hey. I was wondering where you were at.” He pulls you inside and sits you down at the table. Quirin is there too and he smiles a bit at Varian’s excited mood. You were slightly confused when the said boy ran to his room. “Uh…...what's going on?”

Quirin looks to you and hums, “Today is Corona is celebrating the Lost Princess's birthday.”

You tilt your head and think about the baby girl with the blonde hair. Floating Lights. That's what came to mind.

“AND the King and Queen of Corona send off a lantern every year on her birthday, which I like making lanterns.” Varian says coming in with paints, parchment paper and glue. Plus a few metal wires.

“They hope the Princess see them and come back home.” He continues while happily scooting a chair between you and Quirin.

You chuckle at his behavior and notice Quirin give Varian a gentle expression without him knowing. This is a rare time that you'll have to remember. You watch as Quirin and Varian paint designs on the paper. Mainly in purple and sometimes you'd see Corona’s Sun Symbol on there.

Varian glances over to you and stops, “Are you going to do one?”

You tilt your head, “I can make one?” You thought this was a family thing and just watched.

Varian laughs softly, “Yeah, of course you can. Everyone can.” He grins excitedly, “The fun part is lighting it and letting it go into the sky! Also seeing the other lanterns come by too!” He slides a paper over to you and paint.

You take a brush as he gives it to you. Lightly the brush is dipped in purple paint and you begin decorating your paper. Soon your lost in it again and begin to draw around the sun symbol with ink then fill it in with paint. It was like you were copying the blurred image that you see in your head.

Quirin and Varian are now fixing their lanterns and your lantern to the wire. “Tonight when we see the kingdom's lanterns we let ours go.” Quirin said.

Varian whines, “A long wait until nightfall.” He tips his chair back a bit, arms crossed. Quirin sighs, “Varian, I told you not to do that or you'll-”

“AH!” Varian falls backwards with the chair.

Quirin shakes his head and you tried to keep in a laugh, but it came out into a laughing fit. Varian groans, pouting at you, “I'm okay, thanks for asking, (____).”

You laugh more and wipe a tear, “I'm so sorry Varian, but that was funny. Your face!” Quirin cracks a happy smile, chuckling softly. Varian just lays there.

To pass the time, you watched an intense battle between Varian and his dad. You didn't much about this game, but they were smart and hit each other when there was an opportunity. Strike for Varian, then a strike for Quirin, Quirin again, then Varian. Those looks on their faces were so serious and set on winning. So, you being a bit dramatic about the whole thing.

They were playing chess.

“Checkmate……....dad.” Varian says smirking and knocking down Quirin's King.

This was the very first time Quirin was a bit…. Out of character. “I thought I had you that time! (____), score.”

You look down at the paper, Quirin: 10, Varian: 11, “10 out of 11. So Varian wins by this game.”

Quirin slams his fist into his hand, “Next time…… son.”

Varian glares, “Bring. It. On.”

You facepalm, having no idea what to think and it seems you lost them both. Still it was a good game, so now it was barely evening and the stomach of three had growled. Being dramatic again about being hungry because you were bored and you three hadn't had lunch.

You made sandwiches and sliced apples, setting the food on the table. Varian hums after eating a bite of the sandwich, “Why is it, that the tastes better when you make it?” He asks, looking at you. You shrug and eat.

About two hours later, it finally gets dark and you in the bedroom, quickly writing something down. With a small thread, you roll the small paper and tie it so it wouldn't unroll. With more thread, you secretly tie the letter loosely a bit to your lantern. “Why am I doing this?”

Outside, Varian was impatiently waiting and you think about something, “How long has the princess been lost?”

Quirin answers without a thought, “16.”

You nod, then notice a faint light coming up from the direction of the castle. Not long after, more start to follow. You jumped when Varian lite a blowtorch on full power. He turns it low and smiles sheepishly at you, “Sorry.” You shake you head, smiling and Varian lits the middle which lights up.

Quirin hands you your lantern and you hold it gently. The five pictures you drew around the sun were glowing softly, almost a comforting feeling. Luckily, Quirin didn't notice the roll of paper tied to it.

A green chameleon, a sky blue bird, a yellow duckling, a white winged cupid, and a white horse.

You glance over to see some of the villagers holding their lanterns before letting them go up. Quirin and Varian did the same and to you, they look very happy together. Father and son. Their lanterns float up together and you frown. You don't belong, why are you here anyway. Gently, you push your lantern up and watch it head to the many more.

Sense of nostalgia hit you again. You've seen this site many times before and yet it made you slightly happy.

Varian smiled happily at the lanterns, but blinks before looking over at you. You were a four feet away from him and his dad with your arms crossed as you gaze up at the floating lights. You shriek slightly when Varian suddenly maneuvered you by your shoulders and placed you in front of himself and Quirin.

“I think you wandered off. We're right here.” Varian says, smiling and drapes his arm over your shoulder. A hand is softly placed on your other shoulder and you see it's Quirin, but he wasn't looking at you. You were confused, but it felt nice that you weren't going through this whole thing alone.

With a serene smile, you continue to watch the lanterns with the two.

Your lantern floated along with the trail in the sky, but soon it bumped into one which happened to be the King and Queen’s. The note fell, pulling your lantern down slowly almost like a hot air balloon. A pair of eyes caught site of the lantern as it glided down to get stuck on the vines that crawled up the tower.

“Pascal, can you reach it?”

There's a squeak and a small green creature climbs to the lantern, pulling it with its tail. Her hands gently grab the now dim lantern and she grins happily. “A lantern! And a note? Wow, this has got to be the best birthday gift ever!” She opens the note then looks confused, having difficulty reading it.

“.enoyreve rof enihsnus fo yar gniklaw a era uoy ,rewolf a naht erom era uoY .dnal no enoyreve rof seod nus eht ekil tsuj srehto eht revo sehctaw tI .nedrag eht ni tsellat eht si rewolfnus ehT”

She tilts her head then grins, “Oh well! We'll figure out this weird gibberish someday.”