#resuming TangledTober!

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Inner Demons ♠️

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“Everyone Has Their Autumn”

A quick ficlet for the Tangledtober Day 18 prompt - “Dream”

Hope you enjoy it!

[Quick author’s note: Some parts of this piece have statements written in italics between parentheses, and these are meant to indicate moments of Varian nearly questioning his subconscious as he’s dreaming, though he doesn’t fully realize that he is indeed dreaming. I know when I dream, things and places will sometimes just change around me for no discernible reason, but when dreaming I often times don’t really question it until either something happens that just really makes me stop and go, “Ok, what the heck?” or when I wake up and think back like, “Oh wait, wow, that was actually weird.” So yeah, I kinda wanted to depict that happening with Varian where things and places around him will just shift as they do in dreams, and that Varian makes a dim note of it being not normal, though his subconscious doesn’t allow him to fully realize it as unusual, so the dream goes on. Hopefully this isn’t too confusing for any readers. I just thought it would help to add a bit of “realism” to a dream sequence, if you will.  xP]

“...How the gentle wind Beckons through the leaves As autumn colors fall

Dancing in a swirl of golden memories The loveliest lies of all...”

~ Into the Unknown, “Over the Garden Wall”

Varian couldn’t have been happier.  Everything was perfect.

The autumn air was cool and fresh from where Varian sat atop the high hill overlooking Old Corona, and Ruddiger’s large presence at his back helped keep him warm and comfortable as he leaned back, utterly relaxed.  Right above them gold, red and amber leaves fluttered down lazily in the growing twilight, with some of them alighting gently atop of Ruddiger’s head, muzzle, and broad shoulders as the sleepy beast lay dozing on the grass.  Varian smiled, brushing some of the leaves gently off Ruddiger’s coat with one hand, and giving Ruddiger a few fond scratches behind the ears as he did so.  Varian could feel the purr rumble through Ruddiger’s chest and throat in response, and the giant raccoon drowsily nudged him back in return.

It all made Varian feel so safe, and so at peace as he turned back to look down at the crowd of villagers gathered around a roaring bonfire in the center of Old Corona’s greenspace.  These were the days of Old Corona’s annual Harvest Festival, and almost everyone from around the rest of the kingdom came to join in the celebration (for of course Old Corona was the kingdom’s largest supplier of crops and livestock, so it was only natural that they would be the ones to host such an event every year).  From where he was, Varian could hear faintly the sounds of the pipes, castanets, drums, and stringed instruments that played for the many dancers that skipped, hopped, and twirled in wide rings around said fire.  Among them were Princess Rapunzel herself, Eugene, Lance, and of course all the pub thugs from the Snuggly Duckling.  Varian could also see Cassandra sitting off to the side by herself on a haybale, though by the way she tapped her foot and swayed a little in time to the music as she sipped on a glass of apple cider, Varian could tell that she was having a good time as well in her own way, which of course Varian understood well enough himself.

For as he had grown up into his teen years, Varian had taken on the attitude that many boys his age did – where he felt himself too cool and too mature to participate in such odd traditions as dancing all silly-like around a bonfire (at least, what he thought to be odd and silly).  But while he may not have admitted it to anyone, there was definitely something about the atmosphere of the whole affair that Varian found appealing, and of course he thoroughly enjoyed all the sweet autumn treats that came with it all.  Pumpkin pie with whipped cream was his own personal favorite, and Ruddiger always enjoyed a good candy apple at this time of year.

Varian couldn’t help but take in a deep, contented breath of crisp fall air as he thought of these things, and tilted his head back to look up at the darkening sky and the stars that began to peep out as the sun’s light retreated westward, glowing a warm orange on the horizon.  A ways to the east, Varian could see the crescent shape of the moon begin to emerge as it made to resume its nightly watch over that part of the globe.  To the sound of the jubulient festival below and the twilit sky above, Varian felt like this hour marked the epitome of autumn time – feeling somehow slightly melancholic, but also radiating a lot of joy – and he couldn’t help but feel his heart swell at the beauty and mystery of it all.

“Hey there Son,” Varian suddenly heard the deep voice of his father greet him as he came from around Ruddiger’s sleeping form.  “Mind if I join you?”

“Oh, h-hey Dad!” Varian greeted happily in return, and scooted over to make room for his dad to also set himself down against Ruddiger’s furry flank.  “Yeah, take a seat!” 

Several moments of calm silence passed between the two of them as they sat there on the hill together.  A couple of times Varian risked a glance over at his dad, to see his eyes were filled with fondness as he looked over the land and the village that was their home.  Of course, being the village leader, this was both a very exhausting time of the year for Quirin, but also extremely rewarding.  Varian could tell that his dad was very happy with how the harvest had gone this year, and had thoroughly been enjoying the festivities of this year’s celebration.

“Sooo…” Varian began awkwardly after a few moments, and moving to adjust the red scarf he had tied around his neck (When did he put this on?).  “Some night for a party, huh Dad?”

“Mm-hmm,” Quirin hummed in agreement as he nodded.  “It really is Son.  Candy apple?” he asked, handing said treat to Varian who took it happily (and not bothering to question how Quirin aquired it when he hadn’t been holding it only seconds ago).

“Thanks.”

As Varian began munching on his sweet treat, Ruddiger’s nose twitched as he caught the scent of it in the air that brushed passed his muzzle, and soon enough Varian was forced to push and shove away from him a set of large, glistening fangs and a slobbery tongue that flicked outward, trying to swipe at the tasty piece of glazed fruit. 

“Ha ha ha!  No Ruddiger!” Varian scolded his friend.  “This one’s not for you-!  Gah!” Varian exclaimed as Ruddiger opted for swiping his large tongue across Varian’s face instead.  “Augh!  Gross!  Bad raccoon!” Varian cried as he wiped up Ruddiger’s drool with a handkerchief Dad handed to him, but a smile could also be detected in his voice as he said it, and soon enough Ruddiger had hunkered back down again, and Varian finished the remains of the candy apple (Boy, did he finish it off quick.).

“Hey Varian?” Quirin said as Varian finished his snack…his face turning strangely grave to Varian.

“Y-yeah Dad?” Varian asked in return, shivering a little as the sun sank further behind the horizon, and the chilly air of the night began to take hold.

Quirin’s brow furrowed, and he sighed deeply, but the brief shadow that appeared across his face was lifted as he now turned his eyes squarely to his son.  “Everyone has their autumn, Varian.”

A pause followed this statement, with Varian waiting for Quirin to say more.  But Varian was forced to blink up at him in puzzlement with Quirin made no effort to say anything further.

“…Oh,” Varian finally ventured to say, as Ruddiger now made to crawl into his lap (When did he get so small again?), and Varian leaned back into the hay pile at their backs.  “Um…Y-yeah, that’s-that’s very true Dad.  Comes every year, right?”

“And everyone has their spring.”

Varian raised an eyebrow now; very confused.  “Um, yup.  True again Dad,” he said.  “Spring, summer, fall and winter. That’s…kinda normal, right?”

Quirin nodded, and gave Varian’s hair a quick ruffle before resuming a reclined position on the bench they were sitting on together, and watched contentedly as the party before them continued, and Varian could now feel the heat of the fire warm him against the cold that began to set in around them (When did they get down here from the hill again?)

Though, despite now being in right among the exuberant atmosphere of the festival, and even having Cassandra right there next to him…Varian suddenly didn’t feel very happy.  Something felt off.  He blinked up at Cassandra, perplexed at the odd feeling that tugged at his guts as he saw her, and the feeling increased as he watched Rapunzel, Eugene, Lance, and the others continue to dance and play their instruments around the fire, and everyone letting out a loud cheer and applause as the next song ended.

But Varian couldn’t cheer.  Something was wrong.  Not everything was perfect anymore, and while he had some vague sense as to why, he couldn’t quite place it.

Varian shivered again as a gentle snow began to come down from the sky, and he had to wipe away at his stinging eyes as he looked over to see his father highlighted in an amber light from the fire beside him.

It seemed that a winter for him was now coming.  …Or had it already come?

Hardly knowing why he did it, Varian snuggled himself into his father’s side, his gloved hands clutching desperately into the furry texture of Quirin’s vest as he buried his face into him – needing to know that he was there, and wanting things to never change from what they were, and to stay the same.

“It’s alright Son,” Varian could hear in the air above him.  “Just rest now.”

And Varian did…with Ruddiger doing his best to keep him lulled in sleep as Varian hugged his furry companion close, and buried his face into his furry coat, with the gentle glow of the harvest moon streaming into his cell from overhead.

“Everyone has their autumn…”

Some of the music I imagined as playing during the Harvest Festival - “Harvest Dance” by Mannheim Steamroller