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Chapter Text

Three weeks. It had been three weeks since the Princess had brought the Saporian’s nefarious plot to destroy the kingdom to a screeching halt.

Citizens, guards, and castle staff alike were overjoyed that the Princess had returned, and were relieved that they no longer had to endure the grueling labor in the mines. It was wonderful to be back in the castle - to have order, structure, and peace.

But the situation was far from normal.

Now that the people of Corona were no longer wasting away in the mines, they were spending their time repairing the castle after the damage the Saporians caused. Or rather, the damage from different explosions that only one person could be responsible for.

And there he was: the rogue alchemist, the source of all of the Royal family’s troubles.

The bothersome boy was chatting excitedly with the Princess over ways to help repair the throne room, ways to have a better response system for when prisoners escape, and ways to restore her parents' memories.

“I really cannot tell you how sorry I am about this, Rapunzel. I just got in so deep and I couldn’t stop them from taking their memories!” Varian was saying in his loud obnoxious voice.

Couldn’t stop them indeed - it was likely that evil child’s idea to wipe the memories of the beloved king and queen and take the kingdom in a petty, selfish act of revenge. And now, here he was weeks later, worming his way into the Princess’s heart, acting as though he was not at fault for everything that had transpired during her absence. It was a devious trick of the twisted wizard to get the Princess on his side by pretending that he had truly changed. Princess Rapunzel was too trusting for her own good, and had a need to see good in everyone.

“Varian, you don't have to keep apologizing. You have been pardoned and are fully forgiven. I know you were stressed and scared, still resentful of the fate that had befallen you. I am just as much to blame. But you saved the kingdom! Just as you have forgiven me for the wrong that I have done, I have forgiven you wholeheartedly.” Princess Rapunzel was saying to the boy, her arm around his slender shoulders.

Oh how it burned Nigel to see such friendship and comradery among the two. Friendship between the bleeding heart Princess, who was naive enough to believe that she had been at fault, and the dangerously selfish alchemist who truly was at fault. Nigel hated to see Princess Rapunzel smile at Varian like he deserved her compassion and love, and for the little brat to look back at her with acceptance and hope at being seen as good again. But Nigel knew better. This child was dangerous and unstable even before his attempt to bring down the kingdom with his metal monsters.

He had the nerve to pretend that he was friends with Lady Cassandra and traipse around the castle, claiming that he was helping. In actuality, the “help” that the alchemist brought with him was a vortex that almost had devastating results. Once again, the Princess came to Varian’s rescue and all was forgiven. How much longer would it go on?

How could Princess Rapunzel forgive Varian for flinging himself on her and demanding that she drop everything to help him - one of hundreds of citizens? He had screamed and cried, shaking the Princess and yelling in her face while she was at war with the decisions that needed to be made as a queen. And when Princess Rapunzel had to refuse him, the boy threw a tantrum and sent his enlarged raccoon to run amuck in the kingdom in order to steal away Queen Ariana.

Recalling that memory sent Nigel into an even darker mindset as rage flushed through him. He stared daggers at Varian’s cheerful face as he endlessly talked with the people repairing the throne room. The boy had been attempting to make friends with those around him in the past weeks, trying to right his wrong and show that he had redeemed himself. While there were some that were happy Varian had come back to sense, fortunately there were also those who saw Varian for what he truly was: dangerous.

It was deeper than that - this boy was not only dangerous, he was evil and reckless.

And Nigel couldn’t wait for the day when the King and Queen regained their memories and they put Varian in prison where he belongs.

Chapter Text

Varian reached for his fire reducing alchemical bomb when yet another experiment ended in spontaneous combustion. How could this even happen? There was nothing flammable in this solution! He brought two balls back to where flames were dancing on top of his desk.

He could barely see through the chemical that was smeared across the lenses of his goggles but he threw down his alchemy bombs in the general direction of the fire. The flames were immediately quenched and died down without so much as a spark. Ruddiger, who was familiar with this frantic routine, carefully swept the charred remains of paper into the waste basket under the desk.

Fortunately Varian had painted his desk and chair in a fireproof coating after his last desk had been completely turned to ash when he fell asleep at it and forgot to put out his candle. After Rapunzel’s overreaction and Eugene’s “Remedial Course on Lab Safety,” Varian had taken precautions and tried to fireproof as many things as he could. And so far he had managed to not burn down the entire castle in his short time staying there.

Following the defeat of the Saporians, he had been determined to make up for his horrible mistakes by contributing to a number of projects around the castle, but mainly focusing on restoring the King and Queen’s memory. He knew it would be beneficial for the whole kingdom, and he also knew how much it would mean to Rapunzel. He owed everyone that much, so it didn’t matter that he was slightly panicking about what he was trying to do. He couldn’t think twice about his own situation and what restoring the memories of their majesties would mean for him. What if the King was furious at him? What if merciful Queen Ariana couldn’t stop King Frederic from sending Varian back down to the dungeons. This was Varian’s greatest fear: that he would end up back in that cold lonely cell, where he spent the worst year of his life, with the vengeful Saporians who swore that they would pay him back for his betrayal. Traitors to Saporia pay with their lives…

Varian shook his head to clear those thoughts before they could blossom any further. He didn’t realize that he had been immobilized by his panic and was standing very still in front of the burned desk. Ruddiger chittered and brought Varian’s attention back down to the mess that the fire had caused. Varian sighed and started helping his faithful raccoon clean up. He had swept up the last of the remains of burned trinkets when he heard someone clear their throat.

He turned around to see Eugene casually leaning against the door frame of the lab space that Rapunzel had given him.

“Do you need to have another lesson on lab safety, Goggles?” Eugene said with a smirk on his face.

Varian pushed his soiled goggles up onto his head and returned the smile. “I can assure you, I know more about lab safety than you do,” he shot back.

Eugene strode into the room and looked around at the various solutions, bombs, and beakers that littered the space. “Fine,” he said, “we’ll just switch the title to Lab Responsibility.”

Varian rolled his eyes but bit his lip at the remark. He knows exactly what to do to be safe in a lab, but what his dad and countless others have told him is that he lacks caution. And he knows it’s true.

Slipping his goggles into the cleaning solution underneath the desk, Varain turned back around to face Eugene. “So what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see how you were doing. You seem tired.” Eugene said, giving Varian a look.

For a moment, Varian was speechless. No one had ever come to see him, just to see how he was. While he felt that his dad loved him, Varian couldn’t remember Quirin ever spending enough time with him to know how he was doing. It seemed like his dad didn’t push him aside only when he was sick. Having Eugene and Rapunzel constantly coming into his lab at least once to day to check on him made his heart feel warm. He could feel their concern and relished in the feeling of friendship, despite his nagging conscience telling him that he didn’t deserve their love.

Varian shook his head again and tried to look away from Eugene to hide the dark circles that were prominent under his eyes.

Tired was an understatement. Varain was no stranger to staying up late and denying himself basic necessities in the name of science, but recently he had been working over time to get the throne room fixed or trying to find a cure for the King and Queen. He was exhausted, but everytime he went to rest, someone would give him a suspicious look or make a comment about how he should still be in prison, and he would snap back into action. He would never be forgiven if he couldn’t fix his mistakes.

Eugene seemed to notice his darkening mood because he swept further into the room and put his hand on Varian’s shoulder. “Come on, kid, I know that your self care habits have been a bit lacking.”

Varian shrugged off Eugene’s hand and turned back to his desk. “I’m fine, Eugene. I have to fix this.” Oh how he wished his voice didn’t crack when he said that.

Undeterred, Eugene walked around to the other side of the desk and started scratching Ruddiger’s head. “Varian,” he said, a slight warning in his voice. Varian glanced up at him. “You can’t help anyone if you don’t help yourself.”

Varian looked back down at his boots. Eugene was right and he knew it, but how could he stop now when he was so close? “I appreciate your concern, but I’m a man who can take care of himself,” he replied, trying to simultaneously lighten the mood and get Eugene to drop the subject.

“A man huh? If you’re going to be a man, then you’re going to need to draw on some more facial hair,” Eugene jabbed.

Varian’s face turned dark red as the insult embarrassed him immensely, but he laughed in spite of himself. What had he been thinking? Eugene joined in the laughing and Ruddiger chittered happily.

When the laughter died down, Eugene straightened up. “You really should get some sleep though, kid.”

Varian sighed, noticing that Eugene was looking above him instead of at him. “Later,” he said, “right now I have to keep going.”

Eugene let out a deep over dramatic sigh and Varian turned to look at him. “Well then you leave us no choice. Plan B is a go, Lance!” Eugene called.

Before Varian could react to those words, a soft blanket was wrapped around his body and strong arms lifted him off of his feet. “Hey!” he yelped. He craned his neck to see that it was Lance who had picked him up and bundled him in the blanket, and the man was now hauling him out of the lab.

“Let me go, I’m not finished yet,” Varian fussed, struggling in Lance’s big arms and the blanket that had been effectively wrapped around him to constrict his movement. Lance ignored his demand and kept carrying him down the hall of the castle.

“Sorry little man,” he said, “but until you get some proper sleep, there will be no more alchemy.”

Varian stopped struggling, seeing that it was no use, but pouted nonetheless.

He wasn’t a child. He didn’t want to take a nap!

Eugene stepped up next to Lance and looked at Varian. “Kid, you’ll never be able to make the trek to Old Corona tonight if you aren’t properly rested. And you need to sleep so you can come back tomorrow at the top of your game.”

Varian huffed, but once again, Eugene had a good point. Rapunzel had not been happy the last time Varian tried to go home without getting any sleep and he had passed out into a fountain.

Eugene opened the door to the guest room that Varian was staying in and Lance waltzed in and plopped Varian down onto the bed.

Varian immediately moved to get up, but he was too entangled in the blanket and Lance and Eugene placed their hands on his shoulders, pushing him back down. “Ah ah ah, none of that, you’re taking a nap whether you like it or not,” Lance said. Varian scowled but remained sitting on the bed.

“Your trash cat can join you if you like,” Eugene drawled, hoisting Ruddiger onto the bed. The raccoon came up beside Varian and gave him a pleading look, encouraging him to lay down. Knowing he was defeated and unable to say no to Ruddiger’s face, Varian groaned and layed down, pulling the blanket up to his chin. Lance pulled off his boots and Eugene removed his gloves before setting them on the bedside table.

“We’ll come get you for dinner, kid,” Eugene whispered and Varian only hummed in response. He wanted to ignore it before for the sake of continuing his experiment, but his exhaustion was catching up to him and he was slowly losing consciousness. With Ruddiger and the blanket making him feel cozy and the thought of the delicious dinner that he was going to eat tonight, Varian was asleep before Eugene and Lance had left the room.

Chapter Text

After completely stuffing himself at Rapunzel’s dinner, Varian had walked home to Old Corona feeling good. He and his dad had a pleasant evening by the fire where they talked about the day’s events and Varian’s latest projects. His dad reminded him that he was proud of him for working so hard to get back in the royal family’s good graces. Varian’s heart swelled at the words. It was all he ever wanted to begin with. He and his father had been working on building a better relationship as Quirin had never paid much attention to Varian before and Varian had done many extreme things to gain his dad’s attention. They were now more open and worked to fix what had been wrong.

Varian hugged his father goodnight and went up to bed… after he was told that he could do no more experimenting for the night. Varian did not complain - while his nap at the castle had left him feeling better, there was still plenty of sleep to get caught up on. For the second time that day, Varian bundled himself in his blanket and, with Ruddiger purring in his chest, fell asleep.

The next morning, Varian decided that he wanted to work with some of the materials and books that he had at home before going to the castle for the day. It was such nonstop work for the entire morning that Varian did not bother to touch the breakfast that his dad had brought him. Luckily Ruddiger took up the task of consuming the meal. With his goggles pulled down over his eyes, Varian added one last drop of chemical to his latest memory retrieving solution. He picked up Ruddiger and backed away from the beaker as it began to react over the flame he was burning.

Having read more about the Saporian Wand of Oblivium, Varian felt more confident working on his solution that he ever had before. But he knew that only the results could speak for themselves, so he braced himself for the outcome - whether it was the color changing from purple to pink or another explosion that would ruin his third desk.

Varian closed his eyes and waited for the explosion, but it didn’t come. He hesitantly opened his eyes and saw exactly what he had been praying to see for three weeks. The solution is the beaker was glowing a strawberry looking pink! Happiness and relief sped through his veins as he lifted the beaker off of the fire. He finally did it! His breakthrough was so intoxicatingly happy that for a moment he couldn’t breathe.

Varian squealed from his state of euphoria and pumped his fist in the air. “I did it! I did it! Ruddiger I did it!” He knew that he wouldn’t disturb his father, who had left early that morning to attend to the fields, so he continued his excited giggling.

Then he remembered that he was in Old Corona when he should be at the castle. He needed to tell Rapunzel right away!

Varain grabbed his solution, his backpack, and various notes while Ruddiger climbed up onto his shoulders. He raced out of his house and hurried to the castle as quickly as he could. When he got the gates, he was sweaty and panting, but he was hoping that the guards would let him in any way. Usually Stan and Pete were guarding the gate, and even when Varian was a prisoner, they were kind to him. When he saw that they were at their usual post, he couldn’t fight back his grin.

“Stan! Pete! Good morning! Can I come through? I have to see Rapunzel right away!” Varian wheezed, skidding to a stop in front of the two guards. They looked amused at his state, but began to open the gate for him.

“Good morning, Varian! You seem to be-” Pete began, but he was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Varian peeked around Stan and his heart fell.

There was Nigel: the man who hated him, who wanted nothing to do with him, the man who argued with Rapunzel that Varian should be returned to the dungeons. When Rapunzel refused to send Varian back to his cell, Nigel had appointed some guards to “escort” him everywhere he went. That is, until Eugene put a stop to it. Nigel had never hid his disdain from Varian - always giving him dirty looks, making open comments about how destructive he was, and even going so far as to say that Varian was evil. Varian didn’t exactly blame the man for being angry with him, but it still hurt.

And now NIgel was glaring at him with the same disgust as always. Varian shrank back under his cruel gaze, immediately forgetting the euphoria he was just feeling. Nigel gave him a once over before turning to Stan and Pete. “What is the meaning of this outburst?” he asked in his nasally accent.

Stan straightened up and looked Nigel in the eye. “Varian needs to see Princess Rapunzel. It seems to be a matter of urgency. Seeing as the Princess has allowed Varain access to the castle, I was opening the gate to admit him,” he said calmly. Varian bit his lip and waited for the response.

“I see…” Nigel said slowly, “and you were going to just let him wander into the castle unaccompanied?”

Stan and Pete shared a tired glance with each other before Pete responded. “Princess Rapunzel is expecting Varian, and he has been in the castle many times, it has become customary that we allow him entrance.”

Nigel raised an eyebrow and turned his gaze back to the alchemist. Varian tried to look resilient when looking into Nigel’s eyes, but his face was so sharp and full of hate that Varian couldn’t hold his gaze. He felt frustration at his situation because while he couldn’t entirely blame citizens for being angry with him, Nigel had become a problem in his life before Varian had even committed treason. It was Nigel that had him tossed out of the castle by the guards and it was Nigel who had told the King that Varian had attacked his daughter, leading the rumor to be spread throughout the kingdom. With the people angry at him and the masked guards sent by King Frederic holding him prisoner in his home, Varian had not been able to make it back to the castle for help. Nigel had villainized Varian before he had done anything wrong. Rapunzel, Eugene, Lance, and a few others had apologized for everything they had done to Varian leading up to his arrest, but Varian knew it would be a cold day in hell before Nigel apologized for his part in his downfall.

Varian clenched his fists and looked back up at Nigel, new determination and anger filling his gut. “Sir, it’s urgent that I see Rapunzel-”

“She is a Princess and you will refer to her as such,” Nigel interrupted sternly, daring Varian to challenge him.

Varian grit his teeth in frustration, but he knew that his discovery was more important that a petty spat with the King’s advisor. “Please, sir, I need to see Princess Rapunzel. I believe I have found a cure to restore King Frederic and Queen Ariana’s memories!” Varian said, rushing to get it all out before Nigel interrupted him again.

Nigel’s eyes widened slightly and it seemed he was speechless at the news. Quickly recovering, he cleared his throat and motioned for Pete to open the gate the rest of the way. “Very well, boy, you may see the Princess. I shall bring you to her myself,” he said icily.

Varian shivered at the tone and the words spoken, dreading walking through the castle with Nigel breathing down his neck, but he knew that matters were far too serious to stand around arguing.

“Very well, sir,” he mumbled. He stepped inside the gate and began to follow Nigel into the castle, hearing words of encouragement and congratulations from Stand and Pete from behind him. Their kind praises left him smiling a little bit.

Nigel said nothing as he led Varian through the castle and to the throne room, but Varian could practically feel the hatred radiating off of the older man. Still both remained silent - Nigel too disgusted to speak and Varian too afraid of making things worse.

When they finally arrived at the throne room, he was relieved to see Rapunzel and Eugene speaking to the King and Queen. Varian faltered for a moment, too ashamed to come face to face with the royals. He hadn’t actually been present when the Saporians used the Wand of Oblivium on the King and Queen (he had been hiding in a guest room trying to drown out the guilt that he was feeling with anger), but he still felt bad that he had helped them achieve their goal of taking over the kingdom.

He tried to steel himself against those memories now. Things were different. While he felt uncomfortable being around the King and Queen after what he did, he took comfort in the fact that Eugene and Rapunzel would help him get through this.

Varian practically ran from behind Nigel and up to Rapunzel, pulling his backpack off of his shoulders and waving around his pink solution. “Rapunzel, I think I got it!” he said excitedly.

“What is it, Varian?” Rapunzel asked sweetly.

Varian continued to wave around his latest alchemical discovery. “The cure for your parents! I think I figured out how to bring back their memories!” he said triumphantly.

He had just barely gotten the words out before Rapunzel pulled him into a bone crushing hug. “Oh Varian,” she cooed into his hair, “I knew you could do it!” Varian snuggled into her warm hug, her words making his heart swell. He never got tired of Rapunzel’s hugs.

She pulled away and looked at his pink solution. “So what do we need to do?” she asked.

“They just need to drink it,” Varian replied, pouring the solution into two smaller beakers he had taken out of his backpack.

“Great work kid!” Eugene exclaimed, clapping his hand down on Varian’s shoulder.

“It was the least I could do,” Varian said sheepishly.

“Mom, Dad,” Rapunzel called, motioning her parents to come over. The King and Queen came close and looked at their daughter expectantly. “You two remember Varian don’t you?” Rapunzel asked. The King and Queen looked at him and Varian willed himself to not look away.

“Oh yes, Varian, you are one of Rapunzel’s friends aren’t you?” Queen Ariana said warmly.

“Yes, your Majesty,” Varian said hesitantly. It’s not a lie, Varian told himself. Him and Rapunzel were friends again after all.

“You are the young man who has been helping with many of the castle repairs,” King Frederic chimed in.

Varian nodded timidly. “Your Majesties, if I may, I believe I have found a solution that will bring back your memories,” he said quietly. The King and Queen gave each other an excited look before turning back to him.

“Oh Varian, that is wonderful! Thank you for all that you have done for us,” the Queen chirped. Don’t thank me yet, Varian thought.

“My boy, you must truly be an excellent scientist if you have figured out this mystery,” the King claimed. Varian looked down, hoping that his guilt didn’t show on his face. The King and Queen were only being nice to him because they couldn’t remember what he did. Still, he pushed onward because this was for the good of the kingdom.

“Your Majesties, if you would drink this solution, it should reverse the effects of the Saporian Wand of Oblivium and your memories should return almost instantaneously,” Varian explained. The Queen showed no hesitation when she yanked the vial out of Varian’s hand and downed the contents before he could say anything else. Everyone was surprised by her motion, but the King soon followed suit, drinking more slowly and carefully.

As soon as the vials were empty, all of Varian’s fears pushed themselves to the front of his mind. This was it. The King and Queen were going to remember everything that he had done. It was likely that they would be furious, maybe even sending guards to chase him out of the castle… or worse yet: put him in chains and take him back down to the cold, dark dungeons. Fear frosted inside of his chest. He shuddered at the phantom feeling of chains on his wrists.

It was by the Captain of the Guard’s demand that Varian’s shackles were never to be removed from his person at any time, except for when he needed to wash. His wrists had always been inflamed and he had faint scars from the ever tugging metal that he was never given relief from. Panic washed over him as he recalled his dark time in prison. He couldn’t go back to that place, he didn’t want to be chained and left in the dark with people who wanted to kill him.

Rapunzel seemed to pick up on his distress and grabbed his hand, pulling him back to reality. Varian shook himself out of his thoughts and looked up at her. He hadn’t realized that his eyes were welling with tears. Rapunzel noticed this as well and she squeezed his hand, letting him know that she was here and she was going to stand by him. He was grateful, and turned back to see how the King and Queen were faring. Both of them were staring at him. He could feel his shoulders trembling as they continued to stare him down. Their faces showed their remembrance and recognition. The Queen looked confused and slightly sad while the King’s face remained expressionless.

“Varian,” he said lowly.

Fear clenched at Varian’s heart. He was going back to prison. Not knowing what else to do, he fell down onto one knee and bowed to his rulers and started babbling. “Your Majesty,” he began, “please let me explain. I’m so sorry for everything!”

The King now looked confused and Queen Ariana tilted her head, motioning for Varian to continue. Continue he did.

“Please know that I understand that what I did was wrong. I’m sorry for threatening you, for scaring citizens, for damage that I caused, and I’m sorry that I created the automatons. I’m sorry that brought you to my lab, Queen Ariana, and I’m especially sorry for using your daughter, and hurting people in the process. Please know that I will never jeopardize this kingdom ever again. I am truly sorry.” He paused finally looking up at the King and Queen.

Queen Ariana seemed to be looking at him with pity, and something that looked like understanding, while King Frederic just looked at him. Varian swallowed, waiting to hear what they had to say.

“You helped the Saporian’s take over the kingdom,” the King accused, “You sent the citizens to work in mines for minerals, and you took away the memories of me and my wife.” Varian hung his head back down and tried to blink away his tears. Everything that the King said was true, but he was drowning in his guilt and felt the pain stabbing in his gut. Rapunzel opened her mouth to defend him, but Varian knew that he needed to explain first, so he held up a hand to stop her.

“When I was first arrested and brought to the dungeons, I was angry and bitter. I had no one left, and all of my plans failed. My father was trapped and it was all my fault. I didn’t know how to deal with the guilt and sorrow, so I blamed your family. My heart was hardened and I was reduced to only a shell of anger and bitterness. The anger and bitterness turned into fear and regret. And the fear and regret turned into desperation and loneliness. I was in a very dark place and scared of what the future held for me. Being as lonely and desperate as I was, I turned to my cellmate, Andrew of Saporia, for any kind of comfort. He offered my false hope, promises he didn’t intend to keep, and a chance to escape my fear and guilt. He told me that they planned to erase the memories of everyone in the kingdom, and when I figured out that people wouldn’t remember the monster that I had become and the things that I had done, I jumped at the chance. He manipulated me, urging me to use my guilt and turn it back into anger. He twisted my thoughts and brought me back down the road of darkness. He used me for my alchemy skills and lied to me at every turn. I was too scared and guilty to do the right thing. I was so afraid that no one would forgive me, that I thought my only way out was to make everyone forget about what I had done. When Rapunzel came back, she forgave me for the wrong that I’ve done and helped me see that I was going down on the wrong side of history. She gave me a chance and helped me see that there were people who wanted to help me and to know that there was more in me. She helped me gain the courage I needed to see through Andrew’s lies and turn my back on those people when I learned that their intent was to destroy the kingdom. In my attempt to stop them, I realized how far I had gone and how the Saporian’s had no intention of helping me. They only wanted to use me for themselves. Andrew made it clear that as soon as I was no longer of use to them, that they would get rid of me. I was blinded by false hope, and it took being held over the side of the airship, about to plunge to my death, to know that the Saporians only wanted to hurt and kill people… even people they claimed to be friends with. After everything that had happened, I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. And I still don’t. Please, I am deeply sorry for all of the trouble that I have caused and that I have been doing everything in my power to make it right.”

Varian took a deep breath when he finished speaking and stared at the floor. It somehow felt good and horrible to say all of that out loud. Especially to the King and Queen. But it was done, and Varian was relieved nonetheless.

Queen Ariana stepped forward and put her small hand on his shoulder. Startled, Varian’s head snapped up to meet her soft gaze. “Rapunzel told us all that you did to stop the Saporians, how you were willing to risk getting caught in an explosion to clean up the mess. That was incredibly brave, Varian. Not only that, your remodels to the throne room have been truly amazing, and the fact that you have worked tirelessly to bring back Fred’s and my memories, I say that you have more than made up for the things you have done. You stayed here and tried to right your wrongs, despite not knowing what the consequences would be, and you have worked to become the good person that you have always been. I am sorry that you had to go through all of that.”

Varian stared up at the Queen’s eyes through his own tear filled ones. She had said everything that he had wanted to hear. Was it really true that she forgave him? He almost couldn’t believe it. It was too good to be true. But when he looked into her earnest eyes, he saw no sign of anger or deception. The tears that had welled up slipped out and spilled down his cheeks. “I’m so sorry for everything that I did to you,” he whispered.

The Queen looked at him tenderly and wiped a tear from his cheek. “Varian, I accept your apology and I forgive you. You are an incredibly smart, brave, and determined boy. The royal family had betrayed you and left you, which is against everything that we stand for. That was very unfair to put you in that situation. But I think that both parties that were at fault have learned. You are young and deserve the chance to rebuild your life. Thank you for returning my memory to me.”

Varian choked on a sob at her words. How could she be so kind? It was almost too much, but at the same time it was everything he needed. He had probably hurt her the most, and the fact that she was willing to forgive him, made him have hope that he was redeemed after all.

Until the King cleared his throat.

“Varian, you committed treason, caused destruction, and attempted to destroy the lives of those I hold close to my heart,” the King started, and Varian flinched and felt his heart fracture and fall deep into the pits of his stomach.

“Frederic-” Ariana said, but the King held up his hand to stop her.

“That being said, while you were in prison and Rapunzel was gone, I came to the realization that you are not the only person at fault in this whole debacle.”

Varian looked at him with a bewildered expression, his mouth agape. What was the King saying?

“Varian, your actions were inexcusable, but not unforgivable. So were mine. I am starting to have a better understanding of why you did what you did. I was not taking responsibility with the rocks and you took it upon yourself to help my kingdom even though you had no obligation to do so. The result of your good deed left you severely mistreated, falsely accused, without a father, and with my own guards sent to harass you. I would not listen to Rapunzel and I did not want you to get to her and cause her unnecessary harm. However, you and Rapunzel are nothing if not determined. In battling you, I realized that my daughter is strong and can make decisions for herself and that her destiny is far greater than anything I could imagine. And in my foolish resolve to keep Rapunzel safe, I left you, one of my subjects, to take blame for all of the mistakes that were made. How could a young boy react any differently than the way that you did? So what I want to say to you, my boy, is that I also apologize for ignoring the problems with the rocks, leaving you broken-hearted to pick up the pieces. I’m sorry that I sent the guards to keep you corralled in Old Corona like an animal instead of getting you the help that you needed. I’m sorry for leaving you in the dungeons to be used and manipulated. Please forgive me for any harm that I have caused you just as I have forgiven you for all of the harm that you have caused me.”

When the King finished his words, Varian was shocked into silence. The King of Corona was apologizing to him. The boy who had almost taken over the kingdom. Twice! Tears kept flowing down his face as he continued to sob. Could this really be happening? They forgave him? Even the King, who Varian was terrified of? It didn’t seem real. But oh how good it felt for the King to tell him that there was blame to share. For almost a year, he had wanted the King to say those exact words and finally take responsibility for the problems that he had ignored before. It was wonderful to know that the King felt sorry for his actions just as Varian did. Varian’s actions were worse, but that didn’t mean that he was the only one to blame.

But his actions were worse. “You d-don’t have to apologize to me, Your Majesties, I did terrible things, and I-I-I am so s-sorry!” he choked out.

Despite the words that he desperately needed to hear being said, Varian’s guilt was starting to resurface in his chest.

“Varian,” Rapunzel said, kneeling on the ground and taking his hand. She pulled him up off of the floor and looked at him with a kind smile. “You have never been the only one at fault in this whole mess. There is blame between all five of us, and it would be wrong if you took all of it upon yourself. But you are forgiven, and if you are willing to forgive us, then we can move on and grow from this experience.”

Varian sniffled and smiled at the Princess, his heart full of gratitude and trust. She was right - he was forgiven. And it was time for him to do the same. The King had caused him a lot of pain and grief, but he had returned the favor tenfold. But like Rapunzel said, all of them could grow from this and keep working to be better people.

Steeling his nerves and letting his shoulders relax, Varian turned back to King Frederic and Queen Ariana. “I forgive you. King Frederic, both of us acted out of desperation to protect those that we love, and in the end it only caused hurt. I understand, and I am truly sorry and it means the world to me that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. I will never throw away this gift of compassion as long as I live.”

King Frederic smiled lightly. “Yes, Varian, it seems that both of us made moves to protect our families that only made things worse. But we have both grown from this experience and learned that what we did was wrong. I have learned to listen to and respect my daughter, and to treat my people with similar respect. And you served a sentence for the crime you committed and learned to work through your mistakes and to trust again. You are far too young to be locked in prison, and I don’t know if I would’ve seen that if it wasn’t for these events. Thank you for restoring my memories,” the King said.

Varian smiled and he felt that he was going to combust from pure happiness. This was everything he could’ve wanted and more! “Thank you for giving me a second chance, Your Majesties,” he replied.

“Now I’m sure Rapunzel has already seen to the details, but let it be by decree of the King and Queen that you are hereby pardoned of your crimes,” Queen Ariana said cheerfully.

“And you won’t ever go back to prison,” Rapunzel added. She knew about Varian’s fear of the dungeons and the Saporians, and even more so, of chains. Her assurance that he wouldn’t ever feel the cold metal against his wrists again made the fractures of his heart start to put themselves back together.

A large weight dropped off of Varian’s shoulders at the thought that he never had to return to that dark place ever again, because he wouldn’t ever do anything to warrant being put there. He would not waste his second chance. Varian threw his arms around the Princess and let out the rest of his tears and sorrows into shoulder. She shushed him and rubbed his back until his crying stopped. For the moment, he just soaked up all of her love and warmth and forgiveness, knowing that if he had those things, he could make it. When he pulled away from her, he glanced back at the King and Queen. They were holding each other and smiling at the sight.

Then King Frederic stretched out his hand to Varian and Varian took it without a moment's hesitation. They shook hands and an understanding passed between them. The Queen nodded.

Eugene whistled and clapped his hand down on Varian’s shoulder, ending the quiet moment between him and the royals in front of him. “Well, that certainly was something, but Blondie, didn’t you have something planned before the kid showed up?” he reminded Rapunzel.

Her eyes lit up at the thought and she grabbed Varian’s hands. “Varian, we were planning to have a picnic out in the garden before you arrived! Would you like to join us?”

Varian’s heart was alight with love and gratitude, but he didn’t want to impose on the royal family's picnic. “Thank you for the offer, Rapunzel, but I don’t want to intrude-”

“Oh come on, Varian, don’t be that way. It would be great if you came!” Eugene said, cutting the alchemist off.

“Yes, dear, you certainly are more than welcome,” Queen Ariana said as King Frederic nodded behind her.

Varian knew that he couldn’t say no to that and he was moved by their offer. Ten minutes ago, he believed that he was going to be dragged back down to the dungeons in chains, and now he was going on a picnic with the family he had been close to ruining. Oh how things changed.

“I would love to join you,” he said with a big smile on his face.

Chapter Text

“Let it be by the decree of the King and Queen that you are hereby pardoned of your crimes!” Queen Ariana crowed.

Nigel’s jaw dropped and his stomach fell through the floor when he heard that.

He had remained silent all throughout the interaction between the royal family and Varian - patiently waiting for the King and Queen to demand that the guards whisk away this traitor back to the dungeons. A sort of sick glee welled up inside of him at the thought of Varian being arrested and treated like the criminal he was. When Queen Ariana showed no hesitation in drinking the alchemist’s memory concoction, and the King soon following, Nigel held his breath in anticipation. At first, the King and Queen look wary and suspicious, and Nigel could hardly contain his excitement.

That is until Varian fell down onto his knees and started spouting out apologies. The boy recounted his story of desperation, pleading with the King and Queen to forgive him and saying that he would never do it again. Nigel scoffed at the Varian’s pathetic attempt to convince his sovereigns that he deserves a second chance. How could anyone buy his sob story?

Apparently Queen Ariana could.

She whispered words of condolences to Varian and offered her forgiveness. Nigel was not very surprised to say the least; after all, Princess Rapunzel had gotten her compassion and merciful bleeding heart from somewhere. He knew that it was the King he could count on to deliver a just sentence to the alchemist in front of him.

“Varian, you committed treason, caused destruction, and attempted to take the lives of those that I hold close to my heart,” King Frederic said sternly,

Yes! Nigel nearly shouts, yes he is a guilty, selfish criminal!

At last, justice was about to be served. But then the King continued to speak to Varian, saying that he too was at fault, and that he and Varian were not so different after all.

Then he asked the alchemist for forgiveness. The King of Corona was asking a child - a criminal - for forgiveness! Nigel’s heart was ablaze with fury.

How could the King so willingly forgive the boy who threatened his family, almost destroyed the castle, and took over the entire kingdom? How? He clenched his fists and restrained himself from punching the wall of the throne room. This boy was ruining everything. What would become of the kingdom if the royal family kept trusting traitors and criminals?

Something had to be done. But what?

Could Nigel convince the King to send Varian away for an apprenticeship or a prolonged science related journey? It was very unlikely as Varian had just reunited with his father and received a full pardon.

Maybe Varian would stay in Old Corona with his father permanently. That already was not the case as the Princess invited the brat everywhere she went and he trailed after her like a lost puppy.

Perhaps if he framed Varian for a crime, it would increase Varian’s list of felonies against the crown and they would have no choice but to arrest him. The boy would be chained up like the animal he was and left to rot in the dungeons. No, that would never do. Princess Rapunzel would fight tooth and nail to prove the alchemist’s innocence, as he had seen first hand when she vehemently defended another one of her criminal friends.

Killing the boy was off the table for obvious reasons, but how could he protect the kingdom if Varian was always flashing his buck toothed smile at the royal family?

Nigel was pulled from this thoughts by Varian’s weeping. Rapunzel was hugging him tight and her parents were looking on fondly. The King, the Queen, the Princess and Captain Fitzherbert invited Varian to join them on their picnic in the garden.

Disgusted, Nigel turned away. He had bigger problems to worry about; he had to figure out a way to protect the kingdom from criminals like Varian. He had to protect the crown from Varian himself, for surely the next time the boy was angry, he would explode and destroy the kingdom. Apparently Nigel was the only one who took the threat seriously, and it was up to him to take care of the problematic alchemist once and for all. But he didn’t know how.

When the group started to exit the throne room, Nigel cleared his throat. “Excuse me, King Frederic, might I have a word with you?”

“Of course Nigel,” the King replied. “Rapunzel, why don’t you fetch the picnic blanket, and Eugene and Varian can pick up the basket from the kitchen. Ariana, dear, why don’t you go with Rapunzel, and I will meet the four of you outside.”

The group accepted their assignments and left only Nigel and King Frederic in the throne room. King Frederic looked quite content when he faced the advisor and the advisor was not so at ease.

“Nigel, what did you wish to speak with me about? Is something wrong with the harvest of Old Corona?” the King asked.

“No, your Majesty, this is more of a matter of safety.”

“Safety? Is something wrong?”

“Please know, King Frederic, that I only speak for behalf of the people of Corona. The safety and preservation of this kingdom is of utmost importance to me,” Nigel began to explain. The King raised his eyebrow, but Nigel continued. “Your Majesty, I believe that the young alchemist you have allowed to roam free throughout the castle is extremely dangerous.”

King Frederic’s eyes widened and he paused, taking in Nigel’s words. “Nigel, I deeply appreciate that you want to keep the kingdom safe, and I think that your heart may be in the right place, but I truly believe that Varian is a changed young man. He seems to be back to his old self,” the King said slowly.

Nigel could barely stop himself from saying that Varian’s past self is an angry, spiteful little monster and anything he was before then was an elaborate ruse to use the Princess.

“Your Majesty, he did horrible things! He acted out of malice and selfish revenge-” he retorted but the King was quick to cut him off.

“Yes, I am aware that Varian did dangerous and awful things. But I did terrible things as well. While Varian’s actions were wrong and extreme, he didn’t act out of complete selfishness. He lashed out because of fear, guilt, regret, and a feeling of betrayal that cut deep into his soul. His father was trapped and his entire village only offered scorn instead of help. He was scared and alone.”

“And are we supposed to let every criminal that is alone go free?” Nigel bit back. The King flashed him a warning look. Nigel took a deep breath to steady his anger before he lost his composure in front of the King. He had to approach this delicately if he wanted the King to see reason.

“Come now Nigel, Varian is not like other criminals. He was just a boy. A boy who came to the palace for help in his most desperate hour only to be pushed aside. And do not forget, Nigel, it was you who told everyone in the palace that Varian attacked Rapunzel when you knew that wasn’t the case,” the King argued.

Nigel could feel his blood boiling. That was the night that this problematic boy had shown up in their lives. “The boy came in kicking and screaming! He grabbed your daughter and roughly shook her, demanding that she drop everything to help him.”

“Rapunzel explained to me what happened that night. Varian was extremely distressed, but he never harmed her.”

“Even if that wasn’t the case, King Frederic, the boy expected the Princess to come to his aid, and when she put her duty as a queen and the safety of her kingdom first, Varian threw a tantrum and abducted the Queen. He almost destroyed your family!”

For a moment, there was silence. Nigel stared down the King and the King glared at the floor. Both were angry in their own way. The King just would not see reason and if Nigel had to argue all day with him he would.

King Frederic took a step forward and leveled his gaze with the advisor. “Nigel,” he said with a dangerous edge in his voice. “I’d like to explain to you exactly why Varian has been pardoned for his crimes and forgiven for the trouble he has caused.”

NIgel resisted the urge to roll his eyes in front of his sovereign when he realized King Frederic was about to launch into a speech.

“Think of his situation. All the boy wanted to do was help his kingdom. That’s all he ever wanted to do. My neglect to take action against the black rocks caused Old Corona to be destroyed and my citizens to be displaced. Although Varian had no obligation to do so, he took it upon himself to fix my mistakes and help the kingdom. In a terrible accident, Varian’s father was trapped and it was his fault. Full of despair, Varian traveled to the castle in a blizzard in hopes of getting help. When help was refused - for as good reasons as they were - he was thrown back out into the storm and had to go back home to see his worst nightmare come to life. You were the one who told me that Varian had attacked my daughter and in a fit of paranoia and rage, I sent disguised guards to keep an eye on him. I’m sure that was one of the final straws for Varian, as he had already been villainized and treated poorly by his village before he did anything wrong because he was falsely accused of attacking the Princess.”

Nigel was once again about to argue that Varian had most definitely attacked Princess Rapunzel and she was just too scared to say it because then precious little Varian might get his feelings hurt. And if his feelings got hurt, then he would take it out on the entire kingdom. How selfish could one child get?

The King continued his speech. “When the Captain informed me that Varian had found a graphtyc, I was furious, and I feared Rapunzel’s safety. I told the Captain to retrieve the graphtyc by any means necessary. I couldn’t allow Varian to come back to the castle and tell Rapunzel what he knew, and I urged the guards to keep him contained in Old Corona. Under house arrest, Varian would be tied up and interrogated in his own home while guards would tear apart his house in order to find it. All of these were done from my orders. I told the guards to bind and interrogate a fourteen year old before he even committed any crimes. When the poor boy finally fought back against his mistreatment, he was sent to prison. His crimes warranted his arrest, but as a king I never should have treated one of my subjects so cruelly. I ignored Rapunzel’s plea to get him the help that he deserved. He was locked in a dark cell and left to stew in his guilt and fear and regret. He truly felt that his only way out was to erase the memories of those he had hurt. But when presented with the opportunity to destroy the kingdom, he defended it and stood his ground, risking his life in the process. He saved Corona. He worked so hard to get mine and Ariana’s memories back even though it might mean that he was sent back to prison. So yes Nigel, Varian used to be a danger to my family and the kingdom, but I was a danger in my own way. We have both grown. While this experience was less than pleasant for everyone involved, it made us better people. I am a better ruler and a better man because of Varian.”

If by “better” King Frederic meant weak-minded, spineless, and forgiving of those that don’t deserve it, then Nigel was inclined to agree. He grit his teeth and held his tongue for now.

“Now I’m not asking you to forgive the boy, or even like him, but you are to under no circumstances treat him as a criminal. He is welcome in this castle, and will be treated as such. Am I understood?” There was no room for argument in King Frederic’s tone.

When the King finally finished his speech, Nigel was not appeased. Everything that the King thought was immoral in his actions against Varian, Nigel saw as completely justified. After Varian had attacked the Princess, he left the palace and found a graphtyc in order to steal the legendary Sundrop flower - not for the good of the kingdom - but for his father that he had caused to be trapped in the first place. And when Nigel urged the King to send the guards after the child, the King had willingly agreed.

It was necessary that the boy be tied up during the interrogation because he likely would have used his magic tricks to prevent the guards from finding the key to Rapunzel’s magic. And it was necessary for Nigel to discreetly convince the Captain to leave Varian alone, bound and gagged, for several hours so he could not alert his village before the evacuation, and in an effort to get him to cooperate.

But that stubborn brat never caved. The boy would never cave, not even if his life depended on it. Now that he was back at the castle to stay, Nigel would never be rid of this burden. As long as Varian was in the kingdom…

Nigel halted his thoughts. Wait a moment, that might work. What if Varian was not in the kingdom, but far far away where he would not cause any more problems?

Although, now that Varian was forgiven and in league with the royal family, he would never leave of his own volition. He would not be persuaded now that he had the forgiveness of the King and Queen. But Nigel was a problem solver and if persuasion could not convince the alchemist to leave, then perhaps something else might force him to go.

A small idea began to form in Nigel’s mind and a smile formed on his lips in response. The King noticed his smile and eyed him warily. Nigel put his thoughts to rest - as the idea would need thorough planning - and regained his composure.

“I understand, Your Majesty. Perhaps I have been too harsh toward the lad. I will respect your wishes,” he said with false humbleness in his voice.

King Frederic nodded his approval and strode out of the room. As Nigel watched the King leave, his smile returned. A plan like this would need to be planned with expert timing, strict secrecy, and zero chance of coming back to ruin him.

But if everything went according to plan, within the month, the alchemist will be gone.

Chapter Text

Four weeks after restoring the King and Queen’s memories, Varian’s life had drastically improved.

He no longer looked over his shoulder for the guards to take him back to the dungeon, and the feeling of freedom had warmth seeping into his bones. He started to feel more comfortable around the royal family and even some of the castle staff thanked him for his work on the throne room and his memory-retrieving solution.

Sure there were some who still didn’t trust him, but there were far less callous and biting comments thrown his way. The people in the castle were getting used to his presence as he started spending more and more time there - working on projects for the kingdom, trying to reach out and make more friends, or spending time with Rapunzel, Lance, and Eugene.

The four of them would often have picnics, take walks, and go to the market so Varian could look at the higher quality alchemical supplies than the ones that were in Old Corona. He loved spending time with the people that loved him in return.

And when the fun of the day was done, he would go home to his father and they would talk about their day. His dad was relieved that the King and Queen regained their memories and he would congratulate Varian for finally solving the puzzle. After a warm evening spent with his dad, Varian would curl up with Ruddiger and let his worries melt away.

His life was in no means perfect; he still had his anxieties, frustration with failed experiments, and small lingering amount of guilt. But he knew that his life was better than it had been in the dungeon or even with the Saporians.

Many people in Old Corona still treated him like a traitor and took it upon themselves to not let him forget his crimes. There were times that vendors would not let him purchase anything, women would keep their children far away from him, and even times where angered citizens would throw things at him. It rarely got violent and Varian was at least grateful for that. It hurt his heart to know that he may not get into good graces with the people he had grown up with, but he was familiar with their scorn, as he wasn’t very popular in the village before he committed treason.

Fortunately, the people in the capitol city were much more receptive of him, and since that was where he spent most of his time, he could deal with the negative aspects.

Even Nigel had started to treat him better. He would speak to Varian with stiff politeness instead of the open contempt and disdain that he was used to. He hoped that maybe his efforts to be a better person had had some effect on the advisor.

Varian was very relieved to be in good graces with the royal family above all else. He and King Frederic would meet once a week for a game of chess that involved good natured trash talking and a fair amount of competitiveness. Most times, Varian won, but the King would best him occasionally. Along with his friendly game with the King, Varian would meet with Queen Ariana and they would have a reading session and a cup of tea. They would exchange their favorite books or suggest new ones to each other or talk about all the different things that they have read in a book club type way. And Varian looked forward to it every week.

He also looked forward to the alchemy lesson and painting session with Rapunzel. Varian would show her how to create simple alchemical solutions and Rapunzel would teach him how to sketch and paint. Despite Varian’s reluctance at first, he found that quietly sketching and painting was extremely relaxing. Occasionally, Varian and Lance would cook treats in the kitchen and try to lift some sweets when the cooks weren’t looking. Eugene was insistent on teaching him how to use a sword, but Varian pushed back that he was a man of science and he did just fine on his own. Eugene refused to give up.

When everything was stripped down to its core, he was happy. Life would never be perfect and there were more fears and anxieties in his life than he cared to admit, but he had love of his friends and family, and alchemy, and Ruddiger. No one could take that away from him. So above all else, Varian was happy.

He sighed in content as he finished cleaning up his lab space. He was about to head back to Old Corona for the night, but Rapunzel said that if he didn’t start keeping his place clean he would have to do more lab safety and cleanliness sessions with Eugene. He smirked at the thought. If anything, Eugene and Lance were the reason that safety rules needed to be in place.

Varian scooped the last of his crumpled notes into the garbage when the door of his lab flung open and hit the wall. He let out an embarrassing shriek and kicked his wastebasket across the room. His heart was pounding so loud it almost drowned out the laughter that sounded from the doorway. He blinked owlishly at Rapunzel and Eugene standing in the entrance of the lab, trying to hide their snickers.

Varian’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh hey you guys… I uh, wasn’t expecting you… so late,” he stammered.

“Obviously,” Eugene smirked, stepping further into the room.

Varian rolled his eyes and went to retrieve the kicked wastebasket. “So what can I do for you?” he asked.

“We wanted to make sure that you were going to sleep at a reasonable hour,” Eugene joked.

“Varian, it’s pretty late. You’re not going to walk home are you?” Rapunzel asked.

“I was planning on it. I mean, it’s only been twoooooo - uh five hours - yikes. Um, sorry Rapunzel, I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.”

“That’s okay Varian, you can stay in the guest room you sometimes use for the night. Your dad will be okay with that won’t he?” Rapunzel said, stacking Varian’s papers in an orderly fashion.

“He might be a little concerned that I didn’t show up, but he knows that I sometimes get caught up with my experiments. It should be okay if I head out first thing in the morning,” Varian replied.

“After breakfast of course,” Eugene drawled.

Varian smiled and nodded. “Of course. Ruddiger doesn’t like to travel on an empty stomach.”

Rapunzel smiled and pulled him into a tight hug. “Good night, Varian. We’ll see you in the morning. I… I love you,” she whispered in his ear.

Varian froze in her grip. She… loved him? She actually loved him?

He blinked away his tears as an overwhelming need to be loved filled his whole body. He’d never had many friends growing up and was not well liked in his village, and now he found genuine love and friendship in one he used to call an enemy. This was the girl that he caused so much fear and pain, a princess who should have nothing to do with a poor farm kid from Old Corona, and yet here she was hugging him tight and telling him that she loved him.

The fearful and skeptical piece of his mind told him that he shouldn’t trust the words - that this was an elaborate trick played on him in order to gain his trust and ultimately betray him again. He shook the thoughts from his mind.

He trusted Rapunzel, he knew that with absolute certainty. And he didn’t quite realize it until now, but he loved Rapunzel. He loved Rapunzel and Eugene like the siblings that he always wanted. Because they were everything that he ever wanted.

He melted into her hug and held her a little tighter. “I love you too, Rapunzel,” he said quietly. Ruddiger purred loudly in his ear.

Rapunzel sighed and pulled him closer. When she pulled back, she stared into his blue eyes with such love that it made Varian feel like he truly mattered.

He smiled and gave her hand one last squeeze. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” he whispered.

“Oh, Varian, it’s us that should be thanking you. We’re so grateful to have you in our lives. You’re such an incredible and caring person, and I almost missed it. I’m happy that you are part of my family,” Rapunzel replied, touching her forehead to his.

Varian was too choked up to respond. He was sure that if he tried to speak, he would just end up sobbing - he was far too overcome with emotions. So he just smiled and blinked away the tears..

Eugene cleared his throat, breaking them out of their trance. Rapunzel walked over to him and took his hand in hers.

“I love you too, Varian, just don’t expect me to get all mushy about it,” Eugene said with a wink.

Varian grinned at his playful tone, but he knew that Eugene was sincere in his words.

“The guest room is all yours. Good night, kid. We’ll see you at breakfast,” Eugene said.

“Goodnight you two,” Varian responded, giving them a small wave. Rapunzel returned it and her and Eugene exited the lab, hand in hand.

Varian stood there for a moment, reeling because of all the emotions that coursed through his body. He could still feel Rapunzel’s radiating love and Eugene’s kind words in his heart. He didn’t think he’d ever felt this good in his entire life.

He took Ruddiger from his shoulders and planted a kiss on his head. “I love you too, buddy. Never forget that,” he whispered.

The loyal raccoon had never left Varian’s side, and for that Varian could never repay him. Ruddiger purred and butted his head into Varian’s chin affectionately.

“Now come on, we’ve got a few more things to clean up, and then we can head to bed,” Varian chirped, setting Ruddiger onto his desk. He whistled a pleasant tune while he finished washing out his beakers, and let his thoughts think good things. He was full of love and happiness, and for now, he just wanted to soak it all in.

Little did he know, his moment of peace and happiness was about to end.

It was while Varian was cleaning his burner that he heard the door open for the second time that night. He knew that it was very late and it was strange to him that someone would be coming in since Rapunzel and Eugene had already gone to bed. He assumed that it was Lance who had spent another long night at the Snuggly Duckling, and didn’t bother turning around to greet him. Lance always came in for Varian’s - shall we say hangover treatment? - when he wanted to pretend to Eugene and Rapunzel that he hadn’t spent another late night out with the pub thugs.

Varian rolled his eyes and reached for his treatment in his cabinet. He paused when Ruddiger began to chitter suspiciously from Varian’s desk. Varian turned around to see what had put the raccoon on edge and saw an unfamiliar man walking through his lab.

The man had dark hair and eyes, and those eyes were taking in the sight of Varian’s lab. He was wearing travel clothes and had a flask on his hip.

Varian was immediately tense. It was too late at night for anyone to be here, and he had never seen this man. No one was allowed in the castle unless they had permission, so how did this man get in here? And how did he know where to find Varian?

Instead of reaching for the alcohol treatment, Varian reached into his alchemy belt for the goo bomb that he had stashed. He always kept a couple of weapons on him for emergencies.

“Who are you?” he said sharply, his hand wrapped around the goo bomb.

The traveler stopped walking and put up his hands in a placating manner. “Excuse me, young man, I didn’t mean to disturb you, but I was told that you can help me,” the man said calmly.

Varian relaxed a little bit, but he did not let his guard down. His hand remained in his belt. “With what?” he questioned.

The man took a couple steps forward, but seemed to sense Varian’s apprehension, and his steps faltered. “You’re the alchemist aren’t you?” the man asked.

Varian squinted and sized up the man standing in front of him. He couldn’t help but feel slight pride in his chest that this man knew what he did was alchemy and not magic. But he was still on edge.

“I am an alchemist. What can I do for you?” he said curtly.

The man looked at Ruddiger on the desk and then back at Varian. “I heard that you made a humane trap for critters. You see, I have a pest that I need to take care of. I don’t want this little critter to continue to disrupt what I do, and I am looking for a humane way to deal with it. I was told that you had the solution.”

The tension in Varian’s shoulders melted away. He didn’t know why this couldn’t wait until morning, but if it was important then he was glad to help with a pest problem without injuring them. Varian always had a soft spot for animals, that’s why he created his goo compound to begin with, and he appreciated anyone who wanted to take the same approach.

He smiled slightly and pulled the goo bomb out of his belt. “As a matter of fact, sir, I have some of that compound right here. I find traps to be cruel, and I have to respect that you are wanting a humane way to solve this problem.”

The man reached out his hand to take the goo bomb. “You're a very efficient young man. Can I pay you for this?”

“Oh no, sir, that’s quite alright,” Varian laughed, “but I can send you with some more traps if you like. That way you can have some extra ones.” Varian started walking to the other side of his lab to retrieve more alchemy balls, when he heard the sound of a goo bomb detonating and Ruddiger screeched from his perch.

Before Varian could turn around to see what commotion had just ensued, something collided with him and he stumbled forward. He craned his neck to see that it was the traveller that had thrown the goo bomb at Ruddiger - who was now stuck to the desk - and had barreled into him. With the man weighing against his back, Varian was pushed down and his chest was pinned to his alchemy table. He inhaled to scream as loud as he could - scream for any kind of help - but fabric was pulled over his mouth, blocking out any sound. As the fabric was being tied behind his head, he finally began struggling.

He didn’t quite understand what was going on, but his frazzled mind recognized that he was being gagged, and that was a very bad thing. He pushed back against the man holding him down, but his core strength was not enough. Varian wiggled and squirmed as his arms were pulled behind him and his wrists were tied together with frightening speed. Ruddiger continued hissing and screeching.

Varian’s heart was pounding so hard in his chest that he assumed that his attacker could hear it. He should’ve known better! When a mysterious stranger comes to you in the middle of the night, trap them in the goo bomb before you start asking questions!

Varian struggled as the man finally pulled him up off the alchemy table and began dragging him towards the door. No, they couldn’t leave the castle! Where was this man taking him, and more importantly, what was he going to do with him? Varian dug his heels into the carpet and pulled against the traveller that was dragging him. He tried in vain to pull his arm out of the man’s grasp, but the man held onto him with bruising force.

Seeing that Varian was being taken, Ruddiger began frantically trying to tug himself out of the goo trap and was hissing wildly. Varian tried to call out to him, to reassure him that everything would be fine, but his voice was muffled by the gag.

“I would stop struggling, boy, unless you want me to use a more inhumane way to deal with your rodent,” the traveller hissed in his ear, sending a shiver down Varian’s spine.

He looked up at the older man, pleading with his eyes, for what he didn’t know. Pleading for some kind of explanation? Pleading to be let go? Pleading for the man not to hurt Ruddiger? He knew the previous ones would not come to pass as much as he knew that the traveller was serious when he said that he would hurt his loyal raccoon.

The man looked into his frightened eyes and then continued pulling him out of the lab, shutting the door behind him. Ruddiger’s hysterical screeching could barely be heard through the door. Varian tried to slow his breathing but that was difficult to do with the gag obstructing his breath. He willed himself not to panic, but he didn’t know why he was being kidnapped or where they were going. Surely someone would find him and help him! Or maybe this would be just like last time…

Varian closed his eyes as flashbacks overtook him.

He remembered when a couple weeks after the storm, the guards from the castle burst through the door of the lab in his home. He had been so startled that he didn’t put up much of a fight when they grabbed him and tied him to the support beam in the middle of the room. Much like now, he had tried to control his breathing and not let panic take over, even when the guards began asking him questions and threatening him. They had asked him about the graphtyc that he had found, and while he was confused that they had known about it and why they were trying to steal it from him, he knew he couldn’t tell them where it was.

At the time, he was convinced that it was the way to save his dad and he didn’t want King to know as he wouldn’t have used it to help Quirin, but just use it as another way to keep Rapunzel and the kingdom under his thumb. So Varian had kept his mouth shut during every interrogation that went on. A horrifying routine had formed when every couple of days the guards would come in, tie him up, and demand that he tell them about the graphtyc. They never hurt him, but that didn’t make the ordeal less frightening.

Although Varian was scared, he was angry that the King that he was loyal to would send guards to bind and harass him. But that wasn’t even the worst part. After about the fourth interrogation, when he still hadn’t said anything about the graphtyc, Varian had had enough. The guards had done their best to keep him in his house, but he needed to sneak out. He knew that the village thought he was a traitor for attacking the Princess, but hopefully someone would help him. The guards weren’t supposed to be doing this and Varian truly hadn’t done anything wrong.

He had planned to brave going out into the village to find help when the guards finally untied him and left him alone, as they always did. But that time was different. All of the guards except the Captain left, and Varian assumed that the man would threaten him a little more but then let him go. The Captain had silently walked up to him, regarding Varian with a look of distaste, before suddenly pulling out a cloth and shoving into Varian’s mouth to the point where the boy thought he would throw up. He choked a little bit and looked up at the Captain with surprised blue eyes.

“Your village won’t help you. I would keep these meetings a secret if you know what’s good for you,” the Captain spat.

Varian could only blink up at the man and try his best to hide his fear. He didn’t know why they were doing this to him, but he just wanted it all to stop. He hadn’t done anything illegal!

“Maybe some time alone down here will make you rethink about telling us where to find that graphtyc,” the Captain said before exiting the lab and shutting the door. Varian’s eyes widened as he realized that they were going to leave him down there - a gag in his mouth and tied to a beam in his underground lab. He wished so badly that Ruddiger was there to bite through the ropes, but the raccoon had gone to get some apples to snack on. Varian had cried and struggled for hours until he had passed out from exhaustion.

The Captain had done this to him three more times until Varian decided to strike back, following all of the chaos that had ensued.

Now, being bound and gagged was bringing back horrible memories and a blinding panic. He opened his eyes and found that the traveller had dragged him through one of the servant’s entrances. He had been so caught up in his memories that he hadn’t realized where they were. He began struggling again, but the man holding him gave him a rough yank to keep him still.

The traveller opened the door and pulled Varian outside into the cool evening air. Varian blinked and tried to get his eyes to adjust to the darkness outside. There was no moon and hardly any stars to give him some kind of light in the darkness that he was feeling.

“It is about time that you got here. I thought that you were supposed to be the best,” a voice said, startling Varian.

A figure was standing there in the darkness a ways away from the service entrance. The figure was wearing a cloak with the hood pulled over their head, so Varian couldn’t make out much, but the voice sounded like a man. So this was a team job, Varian thought uneasily.

He was once again jarred from his thought process when the traveller holding him began to speak to the other man. “Well the entrance that you gave me was farther away from the kid’s lab than I was planning on. But once I found it, it was surprisingly easy to grab him.”

Varian’s heart was thudding in his ears. “The entrance that you gave me…” that’s what the man said. Meaning that the man in the cloak was someone who worked in the castle. There’s no other way the traveller could’ve gotten into the castle. A chill ran down Varian’s spine as he realized that a member of the castle staff was kidnapping him. What was the purpose?

“Nevermind that,” the stranger in the cloak snapped, “are you going to do as I asked or not?”

“Why go through all this trouble? Why not just kill the boy?”

Varian yelled defiantly and tried pulling against the man’s grip again, but it accomplished nothing.

“The penalty for murder is execution by hanging. I cannot afford to have the boy killed when there is the risk of being hanged,” the cloaked figure muttered.

Fear began to frost over Varian’s chest. If they weren’t going to kill him, what were they going to do with him?

“So what do you want me to do with him?” the traveller asked. Varian shut his eyes and braced himself. As much as he wanted to know the answer to that question, he also dreaded it.

“I want you to take him far away from Corona. I don’t care what you do with him, but I don’t want him anywhere near this kingdom. I may not be able to risk having a body show up, but I don’t want him having a chance at coming back. Get him away from this kingdom and do with him what you will, but make sure that he cannot come back,” the cloaked man explained.

At this point, Varian was sure his heart had stopped. This man who worked in the castle that he had tried so hard to help and repair was arranging his kidnapping and transport far away from Corona. He didn’t think anyone hated him this much. Who would do something like this?

Varian realized that if he was going to weed out potential suspects, then he needed to recognize the voice of the man under the cloak. It wouldn’t do much good, as he was bound and gagged and about to be taken away from the kingdom, but he would do everything he could to escape. And then he would come back and explain to everyone what had happened and who had arranged for him to be kidnapped.

“That should be fairly easy,” the traveller said, “There’s always some place to dump a kid in big cities. And if not that, then I know some… interesting people who I’m sure would buy an alchemist. They have such useful skills.”

Varian felt sick to his stomach at the man’s tone; he acted like this was a casual conversation with a friend and not a plan to sell a teenager on the black market. He whimpered.

Both the cloaked figure and the traveller ignored his frightened squeak, and the man in the cloak pulled a bag of coins from his pocket. “This is everything I owe you for getting rid of the brat.”

Varian sucked in a breath through his nose. Now that he was focusing, he realized that he did in fact recognize the voice under the cloak. And he knew a certain someone who referred to him as a brat quite often. Nigel. Goosebumps raced up Varian’s arms. How could he have been so stupid! How did he not recognize the accent until now? Nigel hated him with a burning passion that was so intense that Varian avoided him as much as he could. All those times where it seemed like Nigel was being a little bit nicer to him was just a ruse to put any kind of suspicion off of him.

When the others found him missing tomorrow, Nigel would not be a suspect because he was “improving his relationship” with Varian and he was the king’s advisor. Varian was frozen in horrified thought that Nigel hated him so much that he would hire a man to get rid of him.

He shook off his fear and tried to feel anger instead. He glared at Nigel with all the fierceness he could manage, and began to shout at the man, frustrated that his shouts were horribly muffled and indistinguishable by the gag.

Nigel regarded him for a moment before turning back to the traveller. “It’s time you made you leave, we’re risking the chance of getting caught,” he said, setting the bag of coins into the traveller’s hand. “Take the little wretch away from this kingdom.”

Without another word, Nigel went into the servant’s entrance and quietly closed the door. The traveller pocketed the bag of coins and wasted no time in dragging Varian to the stables where he retrieved his horse.

Varian started struggling again, but his fruitless attempts were in vain. The traveller pulled a long length of rope from the saddle on the horse and quickly began to tie Varian’s arms to his torso. Varian squirmed some more, but his mobility was limited as the man pulled the rope so tight that his shoulders were pulled towards his chest. There was a long end of the rope hanging down in front of him, but before Varian could wonder why, he was picked up and thrown onto the horse.

Disoriented and a little dizzy, Varian barely noticed the traveller taking the long end of the rope and tying it around the saddle horn, securing him to the horse. Varian tried to blink back tears as the traveller climbed up behind him and urged the horse into a run. It was bumpy and jostling since Varian had no way to brace himself with his hands still tied behind his back, but that’s not what hurt.

What hurt was the fact that he was being taken away from the family that he loved and the kingdom that he loved - the kingdom that he had tried so hard to help to be seen as good again. In this kingdom were the people that had forgiven him and he had just started feeling like himself again. He felt happy and comfortable and loved and all of that was being ripped away from him in the course of one night.

As the horse continued into the night, Varian couldn’t stop the tears that were silently pouring down his cheeks.

Chapter Text

Rapunzel grinned as she walked to Eugene’s room. She was inexplicably happy. Things had gone so well with Varian last night; she had finally told him how special he was to her, and he told her he loved her. The sad angry boy that Varian used to be was nowhere to be found and Rapunzel was so glad that they had repaired their friendship.

She would always feel slightly guilty for how she treated him in the past, but just like with her father, Varian had made her a better person. It was also a big help that she had managed to rebuild love and trust between her and Varian while she had lost it with Cassandra.

No, don’t focus on Cassandra, not when there’s a big surprise in order!

There was a slight skip in her step as she quickened her pace to get to Eugene’s room.
She had been up early that morning talking to her parents and a wonderful decision had been made. Rapunzel had gone to her parents trying to think of a faster way for Varian to get home and back to the castle, but her parents had other ideas.

Both Rapunzel and her mother had been secretly wanting Varian to stay at the castle permanently, but didn’t know how to go about making that a reality. So her father had suggested that Varian be appointed as Corona’s Royal Engineer and Alchemist. The King thought that Varian had done such nice work in castle repairs that he could do more to help the capital city by living there.

This position would fuel Varian’s main desire of helping people, it would show respect to his wonderful skills, and it would let him stay at the castle all the time. It would also show complete forgiveness and trust from the royal family.

Rapunzel knew that the people of Old Corona hadn’t quite accepted Varian and she had longed to do something about it. This was the perfect solution. Chambers would be provided for Varian - and Quirin if he so desired - and the space that Varian had claimed as his lab would be improved and modeled to fashion a proper lab and given to him.

After talking to her parents, Rapunzel had immediately gone to the kitchen and cooked up a special breakfast for her family. It was waiting for them in the dining room, so all she had to do was go get Eugene and Varian.

Rapunzel’s smile grew as she thought of telling Varian the good news. It all seemed too good to be true. She quietly opened Eugene’s door, finding him still asleep.

Unable to contain herself anymore, she ran through the room and leapt onto the bed. Eugene awoke with a start, shouting “Watch the hair!”

When he realized that his would be assailant was just Rapunzel, he smiled and pulled her into a hug. “Well good morning, Sunshine! You seem to be even more sunshiney than normal,” he commented.

“That’s because I have an important announcement today! We have to go to the dining room or breakfast will get cold! Hurry and get ready, my parents are already there,” Rapunzel rushed.

She ran out of the room before Eugene could say anything else and waited patiently for him to completely do himself up. He never left his room unless his hair and outfit were perfect, but for Rapunzel’s sake, he seemed to go faster than normal. She took his hand and began running toward the room Varian was staying in.

“Woah, Blondie, slow down! What’s this big announcement?” Eugene laughed.

“I can’t announce it without Varian so we have to get him and hurry to breakfast! Now, no more questions or you’ll ruin the surprise!” Rapunzel huffed, not slowing her steps.

Eugene only chuckled and followed her lead. When she arrived at Varian’s door, she had to restrain herself from bursting into his room like she had Eugene’s. So instead, she politely knocked before bursting in. What she found made her excitement falter.

The bed was completely made, as if no one had slept in it, and Varian were nowhere to be found. Puzzled, she stepped further into the room to see if maybe Varian was in the bathroom. “Varian?” she called. There was no response from the boy or his raccoon.

How strange. “Eugene, he’s not here,” Rapunzel said, turning back to the door where her boyfriend stood.

“No need to get over excited, Rapunzel, he probably got up early and went back to the lab. Or knowing him he pulled another all nighter,” Eugene said, fondly rolling his eyes.

Rapunzel relaxed, knowing that Eugene was probably right. Varian had a tendency to get less sleep than he should. She would have to send Lance to get Varian to take a nap again some time soon. But right now, she had to wow him with her important announcement.

“Well then, let’s get to the lab as soon as possible!” she squealed. She grabbed Eugene’s hand again and practically sprinted to Varian’s lab.

They made it there in no time and she made her move to burst right in when Eugene stopped her.

“As much as I’d love to see Varian kick his garbage can across the room again, you better knock. He might be working with something that explodes.”

Rapunzel smiled at the memory of Varian’s squeal and his face of surprise last night. She nodded and knocked on the door. “Varian, it’s time for breakfast and-” she began, but was interrupted by screeching.

She pressed her ear to the door and could faintly hear Ruddiger squeaking and chittering. But he sounded extremely distressed and she heard no sound of Varian inside.

“Varian,” Eugene called, throwing the door to the lab open.

Much like the guest room, the lab showed that Varian was not inside. Ruddiger’s frantic shrieking was much louder now that they had entered the room.

Rapunzel looked to see what was making the raccoon so upset, only to find that Ruddiger was stuck in Varian’s goo compound on top of the desk. He looked to be exhausted, but on high alert, his tail puffed out behind him. His loud screeching turned into sad but urgent chittering.

“Ruddiger,” Rapunzel cried, running to the desk and patting the racoon’s head to comfort him. “Eugene, find the neutralizing particle. It should be in one of his cabinets. It looks like a bottle of salt,” she instructed.

Eugene moved through the lab without a word. Rapunzel turned back to Ruddiger. “What happened? Where is Varian?” she asked, fear and determination trying to compete for her attention.

Ruddiger looked down at his paws in sadness before squeaking and chittering to explain to her what happened. Rapunzel did not speak raccoon, but Ruddiger’s distress was making her incredibly nervous. Varian would never trap Ruddiger in this goo and then shut him in the lab - he took Ruddiger everywhere. Something bad had to have happened if the raccoon was trapped in here without his boy.

Eugene had found the neutralizing compound and came to the desk, sprinkling the salt on the goo. It began to melt with a quiet hissing sound and Ruddiger pulled his legs free. He was frantically squeaking again.

Rapunzel knew that she would have to have someone translate the raccoon’s sounds if she wanted to know what was going on. She nudged Pascal, who had been sleeping on her shoulder, and he opened his eyes. “Pascal, could you please talk to Ruddiger and see what happened to Varian?” she whispered to him.

Pascal’s look of shock was quickly replaced by a look of understanding. He nodded and jumped off of her shoulder onto the desk. The animals croaked and chittered back and forth, the conversation seeming to get more panicked as it went on.

Rapunzel’s heart was pounding in her chest as she waited for the animals to finish. Eugene seemed to sense her unease, and he grabbed her hand, giving her a quiet look of reassurance. Rapunzel appreciated the gesture and she kissed his hand.

Pascal croaked to get her attention and she immediately kneeled down to be eye level with the chameleon. While she couldn’t understand perfectly, her and Pascal had learned to communicate in simple ways so she could understand his sounds and gestures. And the sounds and gestures that he was making were not good.

“There was a man,” she said aloud. Pascal gave an affirmative squeak before continuing. “... the man trapped Ruddiger in the goo…” Rapunzel continued, a dark feeling crawling up her throat.

Pascal nodded. He stood on his back legs and put his claws behind his back and pressed his lips together. Rapunzel contemplated what that could mean for a moment. Then the answer dawned on her and she felt horrified.

“The man tied Varian up and gagged him?” she gasped.

“What?” Eugene exclaimed, coming close. Pascal gave another grim affirmative.

Rapunzel didn’t need him to keep translating to know what had happened to Varian. She looked at Ruddiger with desperate eyes, hoping that she was wrong. “He took him?”

Ruddiger let out a sad squeal and put his head in his paws.

Rapunzel swore she could hear her heart breaking. She fell down to her knees as if a crushing weight was on her. That’s what the loss of Varian felt like. She gasped out an ugly sob and put hand over her chest.

How could this happen? This couldn’t be happening now! Varian was happy, and he seemed like his lovable, quirky old self again. He was going to be appointed as the Royal Engineer. That title would change his life! He would be so proud and excited for the opportunity to use his skills to help people.

Oh how cruel the world was to this poor boy! He had done so much good in his life and this was how he was repaid: being kidnapped and carted off to who knows where. Rapunzel let out another sob.

Eugene knelt on the floor beside her and she collapsed into his arms. While she cried into his chest, Eugene looked back up at Ruddiger.

“When was he taken?” he asked, a hard edge in his voice.

Ruggiger laid down on the desk and acted like he was asleep, indicating that Varian was kidnapped sometime during the night. Eugene set his jaw and made a decision. No one could take his little brother away on his watch. They needed to take action.

He let Rapunzel cry for a few more minutes before pulling back. “Rapunzel,” he whispered. She looked up at him with a look of pure despair that made Eugene’s heart crack. “If Varian was taken during the night, then whoever took him doesn’t have too much of a head start,” he explained, trying to force hope into his tone.

Rapunzel’s eyes were still full of tears. “Who would do this?” she choked out.

Eugene sighed and pulled her close again. “I don’t know. I don’t know why Varian was kidnapped. But we have to be smart about this. We have to notify your parents and send out some guards to begin a search for him. I’ll even have Lance lead a search party. The sooner we get going, the better chance we have of finding him before he gets hurt,” he said quietly.

He didn’t exactly want to rush Rapunzel, but they needed to get going.

Rapunzel looked down for a moment before wiping the tears out of her eyes. “You’re right,” she said, “I just don’t know how my mom is going to take this. And who’s going to tell his dad?”

Eugene grimaced. He knew that Queen Ariana had formed a very special bond with Varian and pretty much loved him as one of her own. She would be devastated to know that Varian was snatched away in the middle of the night. And Quirin? Well all Eugene knew is that he did not want to be the one to deliver the news.

But the King and Queen had to be informed so Eugene could get the green light to send out as many search parties as he saw fit. He was going to find Varian no matter what it took. Whoever kidnapped his young friend would regret ever setting foot in this kingdom.

He was broken out of this thoughts by Rapunzel getting to her feet. “Come on, boys, we need to inform everyone about what happened and figure out what is the best course of action,” she said, the princess in her shining through.

It was a full two days of pushing the horse at a full run before the traveller deemed the duo far away enough from Corona. Varian didn’t know how the horse didn’t collapse from exhaustion as he himself was about to pass out.

He hadn’t slept in what felt like forever and he was very sore from riding, along with being unbearably thirsty and hungry. The traveller didn’t seem to think that Varian was important enough to give him some of the food rations that he had been eating, and he certainly didn’t give Varian a drink from the water flask. Varian was so dehydrated that he couldn’t even cry anymore. All he could do was silently plead that someone would help him.

When the traveller finally urged the horse to a stop, it was in a small clearing in the dense forest that they had been riding through.

The man jumped off of the horse, untied Varian from the saddle horn, grabbed him by the shirt, and practically threw him onto the ground near some trees. Varian let out a grunt when he hit the ground, and didn’t make any move to get up. His stiff and exhausted body screamed at him to get out of his bonds, but he knew that was useless.

So he just laid there with his face in the dirt, wishing desperately that his mouth was free from the gag that made it ache. Speaking of ache, his stomach started loudly rumbling and he curled in on himself, trying to ignore the pain of its emptiness. He closed his eyes and willed himself not to feel.

“Sounds like you need to eat something huh?” the traveller mumbled.

Varian’s head snapped up at the sound of his voice. The traveller was regarding him and Varian tried his best to glare at him, but it ended up being just a tired scowl.

The man chuckled a little bit. “Come on, boy, don’t give me that look. I know you’re hungry.”

In proper comedic timing, Varian’s stomach rumbled again and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. The traveller huffed another laugh and pulled two apples out of his bag. As much as Varian wanted to be strong and defiant, he couldn't help but eye the apples with desperate hungry eyes. He wanted to lick his dry lips, but the gag prevented the action.

The traveller approached him and set the apples down near where Varian was laying. He grabbed a second travel flask and put it next to the apples.

“I’m going to untie your hands now, but you’re going to be tied to this tree behind you. And we’re far away enough from any cities that screaming won’t do you any good. Not that I think you’re in any condition to do so, but I wouldn’t try anything if I were you,” the man said.

Varian was also aware of the fact that he was in no condition to escape even if he was given the opportunity. And he was so desperate for food and water that he didn’t want to test this man’s patience.

He nodded and the traveller came and pulled him up off of the ground. Varian stifled a groan and the movement jostled his stiff body. The traveller undid the rope around Varian’s torso and proceeded to slice the bonds on his wrists.

Thankfully the man gave Varian a little time to stretch his sore arms before he was securely bound around his waist to the tree. His arms were pinned down by his waist, and he knew he’d have a hard time eating the apples. The traveller reached behind his head and untied the gag, and Varian took big gulping breaths of relief.

He hadn’t been able to breathe properly for days and his mouth had been aching from being gagged. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and licked his lips. After a moment, the traveller handed him the apples and the water flask.

Wasting no more time, Varian snatched the flask and began greedily drinking the water. He lifted his arms as high as he could and leaned down and likely looked pretty silly because of the awkward angle he was drinking, but at this point he just didn’t care. It felt so good on his dry throat and he let himself relish in something as basic and drinking water.

He then took a bite of the apple, grateful to have some food, but sad because it reminded him of Ruddiger. His poor raccoon was probably frantic over Varian’s kidnapping. He pushed his sad thoughts away before they could make him spiral into tears.

Varian looked up at the traveller with tired eyes. Yes this man was his kidnapper, but he was thankful to have these necessities and Varian’s father had raised him to have proper manners.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice raspy from underuse and lack of water. The traveller gave him a surprised and incredulous look before snorting and walking away. Varian went back to eating his apple.

The sun was starting to set behind the trees, and the traveller was starting to build a fire. Varian was disheartened to see that the fire was nowhere near him. It was going to be a cold and uncomfortable night.

Despite his fear, discomfort, and overall confusion, he wanted to get some answers so that he could get some of his bearings again. Steeling every ounce of determination he could find, he cleared his throat to get the traveller’s attention. The man looked up from where he was making a fire and shot Varian another surprised look.

Before Varian could lose his nerve, he started speaking. “Um, I was just wondering… what you… what you are going to do with me?”

The traveller raised his eyebrow, but Varian kept eye contact so the man would know that he was serious.

“You sure do ask a lot of questions. It doesn’t matter though, you won’t like the answer,” the man said.

Varian’s heart fell. He didn’t want to accept his fate, but the more these days went on, the more he realized that things were not going to end well for him. But he had to know.

“I’m a scientist,” he said, “curiosity is natural and the unknown is my greatest foe. I don’t like uncertainty. Please, I already know this isn’t going to end well for me.”

The traveller stood up and came to collect the flask that Varian had set next him. Varian did not look away, even though he was feeling very uneasy. The traveller sighed and went back to the fire.

“I haven’t gotten that far yet, but I think I’m going to bring you to Iriesa. That place is lawless. I could bring you there in a cage and no one would think twice about it,” he explained and Varian shuddered.

He had no idea where Iriesa was, but he had heard stories about what a wild place it was. Whenever someone tried to bring any kind of structure or laws to the city, they were either chased out or killed. The traveller was right when he said that no one would come to Varian’s aid. His only hope - and only option - was to escape before they made it Iriesa.

“How long does it take to get to Iriesa?” he asked quietly. He needed an estimate so he could know when to try to get away.

The traveller looked up in thought for a minute. “A little more than a month,” he replied.

Varian’s heart clenched. He didn’t want to do this for a whole month and he certainly didn’t want to be away from Corona for that long. Who knows what was waiting for him at the end of the journey. Wait a second… what was waiting for him?

“And what w-will you do with m-me once we get there?” he stammered, cursing his voice for trembling.

“Haven’t decided,” the traveller responded nonchalantly. Varian couldn’t take it anymore. He was frustrated and scared, and he just wanted to go home.

“Why don’t you let me go? Please let me go. You already got the money from the castle. If you release me, then you can do whatever you want with the money and you wouldn’t have to drag me all the way to Iriesa,” he babbled.

His voice hitched as he was close to tears and he had rushed through the words, near the point of hyperventilating.

The traveller stretched and drank some water out of his flask. “I appreciate your efforts in trying to get me to let you go, but I can’t do that,” he said.

Varian’s face fell. “Why not?” he asked.

“Because you just reminded me that I made a small fortune from that crazy man that paid me to get rid of you. Do you realize how much more money I could make off of you?” the man said, with a terrifying and greedy glint in his eyes.

This time Varian couldn’t stop the tears and his uneven breathing. He was so scared of what the man was implying.

“P-please! I j-j-just want to go home! If you t-take me home, I’ll get the Princess to give you a reward for returning me. I’ll tell her that you f-found me and only that man that paid you will be punished. Please!” he burst out.

And what he said was true; if this man returned him safely to Corona, Varian would convince Rapunzel that the man helped him get back and only pin the blame on Nigel. Nigel deserved the punishment anyway. Varian would do anything to get out of this situation.

“That’s a mighty clever offer, boy,” the traveller chuckled, “but the man that hired me will make my life a nightmare. He’ll somehow implicate me in his crime. And besides, the royal family couldn’t give me as much money as those in Iriesa will. There’s gotta be some idiot who will pay an absurd price to buy you.”

Varian choked on a sob. Being sold to a criminal in Iriesa would make him a prisoner again. Only this time it would be worse than being in prison with Andrew and the other prisoners who threatened him.

“Slav-very is illegal,” he whimpered.

The man only chuckled at his distress. “Nothing is illegal in Iriesa,” he said with a grin. Varian shut his eyes and tried to hold back his cries.

He had never been so certain in his life: he had to escape this man. He would not allow himself to get taken far away from Corona to be illegally purchased by someone who would likely use him and hurt him and treat him like dirt.

He had to convince the traveller that he had accepted his fate and was just a frightened child. While he was frightened, he would not roll over and accept what was happening. He would fight back as long and as hard as he could.

He would escape or he would die trying.

Chapter Text

Rapunzel paced back and forth in front of the doors to the dining room, pulling nervously on her hair. She had been trying to come up with something to say for nearly fifteen minutes, trying to think of something to say. Her heart was trying to pull itself together, but Varian’s kidnapping had shaken her to the core.

She had sent Eugene down to the barracks to gather as many guards as he was able to begin a search for the alchemist, but Rapunzel wishes that they could switch tasks. She was in charge of meeting her parents in the dining room, who were waiting for a celebration and honorary breakfast for the very person who was missing, and explain to them what had happened. Rapunzel was not even sure what happened - it was like Varian had vanished into thin air. If not for Ruddiger’s account, no one would have known what happened to the poor boy.

Well, they wouldn’t find Varian just pacing in front of the dining room. Rapunzel gathered every ounce of courage that she had and threw open the doors to the dining room. Her courage and determination was immediately decimated when she walked in. Her parents were talking peacefully with none other than Varian’s father. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, and Rapunzel felt that she brought in a blast of cold air that was similar to an omen of death. What was Quirin doing here?!

The three adults turned to her with cheerful smiles on their faces and Rapunzel freezes. Quirin stands and gives her a quick bow. “Good morning, Your Highness. Their Majesties were just informing me of what you plan to do for Varian. I’m grateful. Thank you for taking such good care of my son.”

Rapunzel felt as though an arrow shot her through the heart. What was she supposed to say? They were supposed to take care of Varian, keep him safe, look after him, and always be there for him. Well they did none of those things. If they had just made sure that Varian had put down his experiments and went home for the night, maybe none of this would have happened.

Oh this was all her fault! How could she even look Quirin in the eye and tell him that his son was gone? How could she tell him that they didn’t make sure Varian was safe. They had been sleeping peacefully in their beds when poor Varian was tied up and dragged off, probably very frightened and all alone.

Rapunzel couldn’t stand it! She was so confused and heartbroken, but she was also furious - a protective rage building up in her gut. How dare someone kidnap Varian! Was it only about him? It couldn’t be a political move - Varian hadn’t been appointed Royal Engineer yet - so was it something else? If it was, then Rapunzel was taking her frying pan and bashing in some kneecaps. When they found Varian - because they would - and he was hurt in any way, there would be no more miss nice princess. Before the rage could spiral further, Rapunzel took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. They were going to get him back.

Quirin wasn’t done with his ill-timed gratitude. “I understand that the title of Royal Engineer is very grand and I’m even more pleased that you have modified it to Royal Engineer and Alchemist to fit someone as unique as Varian. This truly is a huge honor, Your Highness.”

All of the rage that had built up inside her was gone in a puff of smoke, replaced instead by the crushing sadness that had enveloped her since she discovered Varian’s empty lab. Rapunzel’s heart beat faster with every word and her cheeks continued to lose color. Please stop talking, Quirin! She didn’t think she could hear any more! Her heart was already shattered and hearing such praise from Varian’s dad pained her to her very core.

Her pale face and horrified expression was finally registered by the people in the room. Her mother stood up, concern lacing her features. “Rapunzel, what’s wrong?”

Unsurprisingly, it was her mom’s motherly concern that brought more tears to Rapunzel’s eyes. She didn’t even try to stop them. This was just all too much for her to bear. Her little brother was missing and she had no way of knowing if he was hurt or even… No! She had to believe that Varian was still alive. Whoever took him wouldn’t abduct him just to kill him - they must want him for something. And somehow, Varian was going to be used and hurt and far away from his family.

Rapunzel sniffled and wiped tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry!” she choked out. “We’re going to have to cancel breakfast.” At this point, she didn’t even know what she was saying. Her words tumbled out of her mouth before she could even process them. But it was true - they couldn’t have an honorary breakfast for Varian without Varian.

Her mom came over to her and wrapped an arm around her. “Rapunzel, honey, what is the matter? What happened?” Both Quirin and King Frederic had stood up as well.

“Quirin, mom, and dad, I’m so sorry! Varian is missing,” Rapunzel sobbed.

There wasn’t an immediate response - more of just a quiet shock - but when it wore off, Quirin had a steely expression on his face. “What do you mean he’s missing?”

Rapunzel tried to take a deep breath to compose herself. She didn’t know if she could look Quirin in the eye, but she did her best to do so. “Eugene and I went to go get Varian this morning, but we couldn’t find him anywhere. But we did find Ruddiger trapped in Varian’s lab.Varian has been kidnapped!”

“What?” Rapunzel’s mom gasped.

“Kidnapped? How did this happen?” her father asked.

Quirin remained silent, and Rapunzel didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing. “I don’t know. He was in his lab last night and we went to check on him and tell him to go to bed. Because it was so late, I offered for him to use one of the guest rooms and he said he would get to bed as soon as he was finished washing his beakers. Ruddiger informed us that someone snuck into Varian’s lab and abducted him during the night. This is all my fault - I should have made sure that Varian stopped working or better yet, made him go home so he could be safe and-”

“Rapunzel, this is not your fault,” he mom said softly but firmly.

“But it is!” Rapunzel cried. “I should have-”

“Excuse me, Your Highness.” Quirin’s voice was so resigned and quiet, but it held an authority that made the monarchs turn to listen. He approached Rapunzel slowly and carefully. His shoulders were slumped in defeat, but his posture remained upright, as if he would not be beat by the sad news.

“I do beg your pardon, but I wanted to stop you from saying things that are not true. You are not to blame for Varian’s kidnapping. I know it is difficult not to feel that way and I’m sure we’re all wondering what we could have done to prevent this, but you are not at fault. Varian tends to think that he is at fault for anything that happens, but you are always quick to inform him that he is not. I want to do the same for you, as I know that wherever Varian is, he does not blame you in the slightest for what happened.”

Rapunzel took a shuddering breath. Quirin was right: Varian saw so many faults in himself and took on the weight of the world. Rapunzel had done her best to encourage him and let him know that he is not always at fault. And now here she was, pinning the blame solely on herself when the blame truly lied with whoever had taken her young friend. Maybe there was more she could have done to prevent it, but what’s happened has happened, and she needed to focus now.

She looked up to Quirin with tearful green eyes. “I’m so sorry, Quirin.”

The man nodded once. “Varian is one of the strongest people I know - he’ll be okay.”

Rapunzel straightened up once more. “I’m having Eugene gather as many guards as we can spare to start a search party for Varian. I know you cannot leave your duties in Old Corona, but please know that we will do everything in our power to bring him home safe.”

Her father put a hand on Quirin’s shoulder. “We’ll find your son, old friend. Anything Captain Fitzherbert needs for the search will be granted to him.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Quirin smiled softly.

As more details were discussed for the search parties and what areas of the kingdom to comb between Quirin and her father, Rapunzel noticed that her mother’s eyes were shining with unshed tears. She quietly slid her arm around her mom’s shoulders and hugged her tight.

“Are you alright, mom?” she whispered.

“Yes, Rapunzel. Or at least I will be,” the Queen replied, wiping a tear off her cheek. “I didn’t particularly agree with Frederic’s more harsh way of dealing with criminals in the past, but when we find whoever has taken Varian away from us... well they will not be spared from our wrath.”

Varian had timed it perfectly. No other plan had worked, but this time, he had meticulously prepared everything.

His abductor and him had been traveling for a little more than three weeks and they had fallen into a routine of sorts. They would ride all day through the forest to avoid the towns, then they would stop at night to eat and rest. Varian would be tied to a tree and given the only food that he had eaten for the day with a small ration of water. That would be followed by a cold and restless night tied to the tree. Then the routine would repeat.

So Varian had formed a plan, one that would take time, but one that would be worth it in the end. And it was about to begin.

It wasn’t very hard, as he was malnourished, dirty, and exhausted, but Varian had done his best to convince the man that he was a feeble little boy who had no chance of escaping. While the traveller didn’t ease up the rough treatment for a while, he had become lazy.

And that was exactly what Varian was counting on.

On day twenty-three, Varian decided to put his plan to work. They had stopped in the forest a few miles away from a large city, and Varian knew that the traveller would go into town the next morning to buy more supplies.

So during the day, Varian had started coughing to feign being sick. He would sniffle, moan, and breathe heavily to seem as weak and frail as possible. He pretended like it was difficult for him to walk because he was so ill. The traveller seemed to buy it and when they stopped for the night, the man only leaned Varian up against a tree instead of completely tying him to it. The man bound his wrists and ankles in front of him, and Varian had to resist the urge to smile.

It was too easy; as soon as the traveller fell asleep, Varian would untie his ankles and make a run for it. There wasn’t much he could do about his bound hands, but it was a small price to pay for his freedom. All he had to do was run to the city miles away and find someone to help him.

He waited patiently. He ate the food that was given to him and pretended to go to sleep early to really drive the point home that he was sick. The traveller paid him no mind. After some time, Varian peeked his eyes open. The sun had just barely set and the fire had dimmed considerably. He could hear the man next to it snoring soundly.

Excitement flashed through Varian. This was it - this was his chance to escape! He quickly undid the rope around his ankles and got onto his feet with shaky legs.

Had he not been dizzy with excitement and thinking a little bit more rationally, he would have stolen the traveller’s horse so he could really put distance between them. But all he could think about was his freedom, so he ran.

He ran as fast as he could for as long as he could. It was more difficult than he thought to run with his hands bound in front of him, but he didn’t pause once. Even when he could not run any more, he pushed on. The thought of going back to loving smiles from Rapunzel, friendly competition with the King, quiet evenings with the Queen, cupcakes with Lance, inside jokes with Eugene, weekends spent with his dad, and lunch breaks with Ruddiger had Varian running like his life depended on it.

And it very well did.

The city came into view after he had traveled for a great length of time, moving through the forest of trees and roots in his path. When he saw it, he felt such relief and joy. He picked back up into a run and made a break for the city. While it was still likely two hours before the sun rose, Varian did not want to take any chances of not having any shelter when it did.

His frantic running was stopped when he tripped over a large rock in his path. He cried out when he felt his ankle twist painfully.

For a moment, black spots crept into his vision as he almost lost consciousness. He laid there, letting pain wash over him. He was vaguely aware that he did not have time for this, but the pain made his head spin. There was no crack or sound of a break, which Varian took with a grain of salt, but he couldn’t rule out that his ankle could potentially be broken. He laid on the forest floor for several more minutes before he remembered his situation and he knew he had to move.

Praying that it wasn’t broken, Varian slowly stood back up. It hurt to put weight on his injured foot, but he at least could put some weight on it. That was a good sign. The pain was steadily building, and he didn’t want to walk to the city like this, but he didn’t have much of a choice. He steeled his nerves and pain tolerance before slowly limping into the city. He knew that this was the first place the traveller would look for him if the man were to come after him, so he thought it would be smart to find somewhere in the middle of the city to take shelter. As soon as his ankle healed, he would go to the authorities and find someone to help him get home.

But for now, he painstakingly limped up to a small house slightly spaced away from other homes, but plenty in the center of town, and quietly knocked on the door. His ankle was intensely throbbing and he was becoming increasingly dizzy with pain. There was no answer at first, and he knocked again, more firmly this time as his desperation was growing.

“Hold on a minute!” a female voice called from inside, “it’s the middle of the night, so if you expect an answer right away, you’re crazy!”

Even though the woman sounded angry, Varian couldn't help but be filled with pure relief. He straightened up to meet whoever was in the house, but a white hot flash of pain shot up his leg, threatening to send him into unconsciousness.

As he was about to collapse, the door swung open. A woman was standing in the doorway. She was dressed in her night clothes and holding a candle in one hand. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun, and she seemed to be shaking off lingering sleep. While she had a small scowl on her face, the woman had young and delicate features, and Varian found her rather pretty in a motherly way. Her scowl immediately vanished into a look of concern when she took in Varian’s bound hands and sorry state.

Varian stumbled forward slightly and grimaced in pain. His ankle was reaching an unbearable level of pain and all he wanted to do was sit down.

“Please help me,” he whimpered.

The woman grabbed his shoulders before he collapsed. “Oh my goodness! What - nevermind, questions later. Let me help you, honey,” she exclaimed.

She bent down and pulled Varian’s arms up so they were around her neck, then wrapped an arm around his waist to support him. He felt awkward having his bound hands right in front of her face, but he was in too much pain to give it a lot of thought.

She gently led him into her house, taking most of his weight as he slowly limped. The women helped him onto the couch in the main room and he exhaled with relief when he finally got off his injured foot.

Without saying a word, the women grabbed a chair from the eating area, put a pillow on top of it, and brought it back to where Varian was sitting. She carefully lifted his foot and set it on the soft pillow. He let out heavy breaths and tried to relax. He was finally safe. A kind woman had let him into her home and was helping him even though she didn’t know him or his story.

Varian closed his eyes and tried to ignore the throbbing in his ankle. He felt a hand on his thigh and he opened his eyes again to see the woman looking at him with concern.

“I’ll go get my husband and we can see about getting those ropes off of you, okay?” she said. Her voice was so warm that Varian almost started crying. He thought of Rapunzel and Queen Ariana. Oh how he wished he was with them.

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Varian nodded gratefully at the woman. She gave him a sad smile and disappeared down the hall.

Varian moaned as he tried to settle into the couch. His heart was pounding hard and his whole leg was throbbing now. He prayed that it wasn’t broken. He’d have a hard time getting to Corona if his ankle was broken. He took deep breaths and his heart rate was starting to slow. His adrenaline was starting to wear off, and he just wanted to sleep. But first he needed to get his hands untied and look at his ankle.

As if on cue, the woman came back into the room with a man following close behind. The man was tall and skinny, dressed in night clothes like his wife. His sleepy expression was quickly replaced with concern and a hint of intrigue when he looked at Varian. The man and woman rushed over and kneeled in front of him. The woman put her hand on her husband’s shoulder.

“Alastair, he’s hurt. There’s something wrong with his foot,” she said.

Alastair’s gaze leveled on Varina’s bound hands. “We’ll get to your foot in a moment, son, but first, let’s get you untied,” he said kindly.

Varian sniffled and nodded. Alastair began working at the knots on Varian’s wrists. Varian couldn't express his gratitude for these two for helping him in the middle of the night. He was hurt, scared, and likely getting sick, but these people showed him compassion and kindness.

Alastair untangled the rope and took it away from Varian’s hands. Relieved to not be tied up as he had been for so long, Varian pulled up his hand and rubbed his eyes. A tear had escaped and ran down his cheek.

The woman noticed this and put her hand on his leg. “What’s the matter, dear?”

The adrenaline finally wore out, and Varian couldn’t hold back his tears anymore. His breathing hitched, and he coughed, but he smiled at the man and woman before him.

“Thank you so much,” he gasped out. “I was so sc-scared and a-a-lone, and you are b-being s-so nice to me!”

Alastair and his wife shared a look before Alastair moved to sit next to Varian. He slung an arm around Varian’s shoulders and Varian couldn’t help but fall into the man’s chest and weep. It had been weeks since Varian had been around people, weeks since someone held him close. He knew he was being childish, but it felt wonderful to be surrounded by people who wanted to care for him and not tie him up. All he wanted was to sit here and be cared for.

But life never worked that way. When his tears began to slow, his ankle picked up the throbbing. He pulled away from Alastair and hissed in pain.

“Marilyn, pull his boot off and let’s see what damage has been done,” Allistair instructed.

The woman - Marilyn - did as she was told. She carefully pulled his boot off of his foot and Varian bit his lip to stifle a groan.
When he looked down at his ankle, he was slightly relieved. It looked better than he anticipated. It was already starting to swell and it was purple with bruises, but no bones looked out of place.

Marilyn looked back up at him. “I’m not much of a doctor, but I’m going to try my best to help,” she said.

Varian wiped away the remainder of his tears and nodded. She asked him to move his ankle every which way and pressed on it in spots, asking him where it hurt. He could rotate it some, and it hurt when she pressed on it, but not much more than it did without her pressing on it. After her assessment, she wrapped his ankle in tight fabric and helped him lay down on the couch.

“I don’t think it’s broken, but I wouldn’t put any pressure on it for a few days.”

A few days? Surely the man that kidnapped him would be looking in the city for him! He couldn’t stay in the city for a few days, he had to get away. He shook his head quickly and started to sit up, but Marilyn gently pushed him back down.

“Why don’t you just rest for now and we can talk about it more in the morning?” she suggested.

Varian wanted to argue with her, but this whole ordeal had left him shaken and exhausted, and the thought of sleeping peacefully was just far too appealing. “Okay,” he said quietly.

“Alastair, fetch a blanket and pillow from the bedroom please. I’ll get him ready and then I’ll join you,” Marilyn said.

Alastair disappeared down the hallway and then returned with a pillow and blanket in hand. Marilyn pulled off his other boot and set the pillow under his head while Alastair wrapped him in the blanket.

For the first time in a long while, Varian felt comfortable and safe enough to sleep. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Marilyn smiled and sat down on the couch next to him. Her and Alastair had a silent conversation before Alastair went back to the bedroom and shut the door.

“What is your name, sweetheart?” Marylin whispered.

“Varian,” he mumbled. He didn’t know if Marylin responded because he was slowly losing consciousness.

As he dozed off, Marilyn rubbed comforting circles on his back while humming a soft melody. Varian sighed and relaxed into her touch. To not be spending another night tied to a tree in weather cold enough to make his hands numb seemed almost too good to be true. But this was real and Varian relished the thought before drifting into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter Text

When Varian opened his eyes, he was relieved to find that he was still in Marilyn and Alastair’s house. He also felt more rested than he had since his abduction. His ankle hurt much less than it did last night - the painful throbbing turning into a dull ache.

He looked up to see Marilyn cleaning up her kitchen, humming the same tune that she had last night. Varian smiled slightly and sat up. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light.

Marilyn saw that he was awake and smiled brightly before coming and sitting next to him. “Hello dear. How are you feeling?” she asked.

“I’m okay,” Varian said softly, “my ankle hurts, but not as bad as it did last night.”

“Glad to hear that,” Marilyn gushed, “would you like something to eat? It’s probably been some time since you’ve eaten.”

Varian nodded eagerly. It had been sometime before he had had anything of substance to eat. For the past couple of weeks, he’d eaten mostly apples and some dried meat.

“Okay then! I’ve been making some soup for when Alastair comes in. It’ll be sort of a late lunch since he’s been busy and you’ve slept much of the day away,” Marilyn said.

“Thank you ma'am,” Varian replied.

“You can call me Marilyn if you like,” she suggested, stirring her pot of soup.

Before Varian could respond, the door swung open. Varian instinctively flinched and scrambled to the end of the couch, bringing his knees up to his chest.

When he realized that it was just Alastair, he sheepishly relaxed. He had been so sure that the traveller had found him and was going to drag him back into the forest, that he didn’t even think that it could be the man that actually lived here.

Alastair fixed him a sad look before greeting Marilyn. He came back into the sitting room and pulled up a chair next to the couch Varian was on.

“I didn’t mean to startle you, son,” he said.

“It’s okay sir. I’m okay,” Varian replied, looking down at his hands and picking at the worn ends of his gloves.

He wished he had his goggles, but those were sitting in the cleaning solution he had put them in before he was kidnapped. He hoped someone found them. And he hoped that Alastair didn’t notice the sad and wistful look on his face.

“Lunch is ready,” Marilyn cheerfully called. She impressively balanced three bowls of soup in her hands and handed a bowl to Alastair and Varian.

Varian was so excited to have actual food that he dug in without a moment's hesitation. It was delicious! He shoveled in bite after bite, devouring almost half the bowl before realizing that he probably looked like a crazy person. He felt his cheeks heat up and he looked up to see Marilyn and Alastair looking at him.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude,” he stammered, embarrassed by his animalistic behavior.

“Nonsense,” Marilyn laughed, “I’m glad you enjoy it so much!”

Varian smiled timidly and took another bite.

“Would you like some water, honey?” Marilyn asked.

Varian swallowed another mouthful of soup. “Yes please.”

“I’ll grab it,” Alastair said, going to the kitchen and returning with two cups of water and handing one to him.

“Thank you,” Varian murmured, downing the cup of water before Alastair even sat down. Alastair sat next to Marilyn and took her hand in his, fixing Varian with a serious expression.

“It’s been some time since you’ve been properly nourished, hasn’t it?” the man asked.

Varian looked down at his hands again. “Yes it has. I… I was kidnapped from my home three weeks ago,” he said quietly.

Marilyn put a hand over her heart and looked at him with sadness in her eyes. “Is that why you were tied up last night? And you came to our door for help?”

Varian looked away and nodded. “The man that kidnapped me let his guard down, and I came straight here to find some help. I was going to go to the authorities, but it was the middle of the night and I badly injured my ankle on the way. I came to your house before I could pass out and the man could find me again,” he explained.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Varian!” Marilyn cried.

“You say that was about three weeks ago?” Alastair interjected. Varian nodded.

“Where are you from?”

“I’m from Corona.”

“Corona? The sunshine kingdom? Well that makes sense. That is about a three week long journey if you’re traveling fast. What are you doing all the way out here?”

Varian’s breath became quick and uneven as he thought about what he was going to say.

“The man that kidnapped me… he was taking me… to Iriesa,” he wheezed. He was starting to hyperventilate. He hugged himself and tried to control his breathing.

“Hey, now it’s alright, son. You’re safe here with us. Breathe with me okay. In for six, out for six. Come on,” Alastair encouraged, taking large breaths of air and hoping Varian would do the same.

Varian copied his actions and soon his breathing returned to normal. He took another big breath and started to relax.

“Sorry,” he whispered, becoming embarrassed for the second time.

“Don’t be sorry, sweetheart. It’s okay to be scared,” Marilyn cooed.

“Iriesa is a terrible place,” Alastair said with disgust, “It’s lawless, cruel, and anyone with a brain knows to avoid it. Why did this man take you from Corona just to bring you back to Iriesa?”

Varian’s heart rate picked back up. He didn’t want to tell Marilyn and Alastair the whole story of committing treason, and Nigel hating him so much that it led to his kidnapping. These were nice people, but he didn't think they’d take it very lightly if they realized that he was an ex-criminal. But he had to tell them something. So he told them a half truth.

“The man wanted money. He said that people in Iriesa would pay… good money for an alchemist,” he said quietly, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Oh my stars, Alastair, that man was going to take this poor boy to the auction!” Marilyn exclaimed.

Varian’s eyes snapped open and he quickly looked up at Marilyn. “Th-the auction?” he stammered, fearful of what the answer may be.

Alastair sighed and shook his head. “Iriesa is a hotbed of criminal activity. A few years back, some of the more prominent criminals started to host an underground auction. They would sell and trade things. It’s not very common that people are brought there, so many pay more. The auction is now a common occurrence and is held regularly about once a month,” he explained.

Varian paled and his heart fell into his stomach. The traveler said that it would take around a month to get to Iriesa. Probably right on time for the auction.

He blinked back tears and pulled his knees back up to his chest. His breathing quickened yet again and he wished so badly that he could get himself under control.

Sensing his distress, Marilyn piped up. “You said that you are an alchemist? Would you mind telling me more about that?”

Varian was pulled out of his spiraling thoughts by her question. He was so surprised that at first he didn’t know what to say.

Before he had made up with the Princess, no one had cared about his alchemy. The people of Old Corona called him a wizard and told everyone that he was dangerous. People would avoid him and never want to talk about the thing that he found so interesting. His own father never seemed to want to hear about his latest experiment, often brushing Varian to the side.

There were rare occasions that, after an experiment went horribly wrong, people would demand Quirin take action against his son. Some called for Quirin to take away all of his supplies, others wanted Quirin to hand out harsher punishments, and there were extremely rare instances where some men had threatened to drag Varian out of his home and burn his lab.

Although these things had frightened Varian, he never gave up, truly believing that he could do something amazing someday. So he kept at it. And eventually it paid off. He had created many helpful compounds, healing solutions, and functioning machines that had helped people around the capitol and in the castle. Alchemy was a part of him that he loved. If Marilyn really wanted to hear about it, then we would tell her.

Varian spent the better part of the afternoon talking excitedly with Marilyn and Alastair about his projects and experiments. They asked him questions and seemed genuinely curious about his work. He answered every question and almost forgot about his troubling situation. He was just glad to share his passion with these people that he trusted.

Varian adjusted the straps of the backpack he was wearing, getting it as comfortable as he could.

Marilyn had given him the backpack which was full of food, water, medicine, a blanket and even money. Varian had tried to refuse, but Marylin was having none of it. She was sad to see him go, but she knew that he was itching to start the long journey back to Corona.

For the past five days, Varian had stayed with Alastair and Marilyn while his ankle was healing. Alastair would go to work in his shop during the day and Marilyn and Varian would stay home. Since Varian couldn’t get off the couch, Marilyn would sit by him and they would talk. She would even make him hot cocoa and rub his foot and ankle to reduce swelling. She would tell him stories about her and Alastair’s life and ask him questions about his. Varian steered clear of talking about his dark past, but he told her about Rapunzel and Eugene and Lance, his book club and chess matches with the Queen and King, his experiments both in Old Corona and the castle, Ruddiger, his dad, and some of the adventures he had been on.

It ached a little to talk about the things he loved while he was taken away from it, but he was also slightly excited because he would hopefully be returning to them soon. Even though he was glad to be going home, he was sad to leave Marylin and Alastair. They had treated him with such love and kindness. There was even a night that, when Varian was woken up by a horrific nightmare, Alastair stayed next to him and helped him control his breathing until he could fall back asleep. He was immeasurably grateful for everything.

On the last day of his stay, Marylin had helped him walk around the house to gauge how his ankle healed. He was walking well, with very little pain and he could rotate his ankle with no more pain. It was still slightly bruised, but the swelling had gone down.

Varian regretfully informed her that he was ready to start his trek back home. Marylin did not want him traveling on an empty stomach so she made him a delicious lunch to send him off. Alastair came home to join them for the meal. After Varian took a bath and put on some of Alastair’s old clothes, he laced up his boots and put on the backpack. He was ready to go.

Marilyn wrapped him in a tight hug and Varian returned it with equal ferocity. There was no way to repay these people for what they had done for him. They took him in, fed him, gave him a place to sleep, and took care of his injured foot. Not only that, they helped him feel safe and comfortable, and he almost hated to leave them. But he knew that he had to get home.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” he said quietly, “I don't think I can ever repay you for your kindness and help.”

Marylin pulled away from him and touched his cheek with her hand. “Oh, Varian, I’m so happy we could help you. And I’m glad you found us when you did. It’s been a wonderful few days, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed spending time with you. You’re an extraordinary young man,” she said.

Varian refused to let his happy tears fall because if he did, he would never leave.

He nodded and Alastair stuck out his hand. Varian took it and they shook. “Good luck getting home son. There’s a town not far from here where you can purchase a good horse. Are you going to be alright?” Alastair said.

“Thanks to you guys I am. As I said, there’s no way I can repay you, but thank you so much for all you’ve done to help me.”

“The pleasure was ours. Please send us a letter when you get back to Corona,” Marilyn piped up.

Varian smiled at the thought. “I will. Thank you again,” he said making his way out the door. “Good luck sweetheart!” Marylin called. Varian turned around and gave her and Alastair one last wave before they closed the door.

He took a deep breath and continued down the road. The city was fairly active and some parts were more busy than others.

Varian was nervous to be traveling by himself, but he felt well rested and full, and his ankle hardly hurt anymore. And he had a backpack full of supplies and money. So he went onward.

He was near the edge of town on an almost empty street when his world crumbled down around him.

As he was passing an alley, a hand shot out and grabbed his arm. He was roughly yanked into the alley and another hand clamped down over his mouth.

“I knew you were somewhere in this town,” an all too familiar voice hissed in his ear, “it was just my luck when an oblivious civilian blabbed about a “nice kid” staying with him. Thought you could get away from me didn’t you?”

Oh no! Alastair! He had unintentionally mentioned Varian to other members of the town and was completely unaware that the very person who was looking for him was within ear shot.

Tears immediately sprung into Varian’s eyes and he began thrashing wildly, trying to scream for help from underneath the man’s hand. This couldn’t be happening! He was so close! Fear completely enveloped him and he struggled with all of his might.

The man held him with a harsh grip and dragged him out of the alley, towards the forest. Varian dug his heels into the dirt, but couldn’t get enough traction to stop them. He couldn't hold back the pathetic whimpering escaping him as the man dragged him through the trees.

Every instinct of self preservation and fear caused him to reel back and sink his teeth as hard as he could into the hand over his mouth. As soon as he felt teeth pop through skin and heard the traveller curse, Varian took off like a shot. With adrenaline coursing through his body, he was prepared to run all the way back to Corona if he had to.

Unfortunately he only made it a couple of feet before a fist grabbed his shirt, yanking him to a stop, causing Varian to cry in out sheer frustration and despair.

The traveller had no sympathy for Varian’s plight and roughly shoved him to the ground after pulling the backpack off of his shoulders. “I’m gonna get you for that, you little brat!” he hissed.

Varian’s only response was to curl up into a ball and pull his arms over his head. He just wanted to disappear. He had finally been hopeful, was about to go home to his family after being helped by some of the kindest people in the Seven Kingdoms, and now here he was. He was right back where he started; back with his abductor and going to be sold at an auction of criminals.

He felt so miserable and empty that he didn’t even have it in him to cry. He just laid there on the ground, willing himself not to feel.

His misery was cut short when the traveller grabbed the collar of his shirt and began dragging him across the clearing. Varian struggled, but his wrists were quickly tied painfully behind his back. It didn’t stop there though as he found himself bound another tree. The man also tied his ankles much tighter than necessary, and proceeded to put another gag around his mouth. Varian wanted to cry and shout and kick, but he couldn’t both physically and mentally. He was spent.

“Listen here, runt,” the traveller snapped, towering over him. “Things are gonna change. From this spot, we’re about three days away from Iriesa by horse, but you have proved that travelling by horse isn’t good enough for you. Since you like to run away so much, you’re going to be walking to Iriesa. The trip will last about a week and you’re going to walk every mile of it. So you better get some rest tonight because it’s going to be a long trip. It wasn’t personal before, but now it is. Nobody escapes me, especially not some scrawny kid. I’m taking you to Iriesa and selling you to the highest bidder.”

The man’s words had started out hard, but as he went on, his tone became venomous and enraged. Varian only stared up at him in horror. Every new thing that the man told him sent him further into panic.

This really was it - he was going to be sold in Iriesa after being forced to walk there. It was like talking a lamb to the slaughter. He finally found it in himself to cry. His crying was muffled by the gag, but he cried for his life that was over, for the family that he would never see again, for Ruddiger - his ever faithful friend - and his father, and for the forgiveness that was freely given, but ripped away from him.

The traveller paid him no mind as Varian wheeze-cried himself to sleep.

Chapter Text

“Come on, Rapunzel, these cupcakes are getting cold,” Eugene whined. Rapunzel stopped pacing in front of him and took a deep breath, running a hand through her frazzled blonde hair.

Eugene winced slightly at the sight of Rapunzel. The week after Varian’s initial capture, when all of the search parties had come home empty handed and no word of the alchemist, Rapunzel had completely busied herself in political affairs that made Eugene’s head spin. Meetings, crop reports, regularly opening the castle to citizens in order to be made aware of their problems (and trying to solve each and everyone to the last detail), and even attending council meetings that Rapunzel detested. He knew that she was trying to distract herself from the pain of Varian’s absence (on top of the pain of Cassandra’s betrayal still very prominent in their lives), but Eugene was worried about his girlfriend.

She rarely slept, jumping from one activity to another to ward off intruding thoughts of what Varian may be going through, and it was lucky if she got a nutritious meal during the day. It was a miracle Eugene could even convince her to have some quiet time in her room to eat cupcakes. And so far that time had been filled with Rapunzel pacing back and forth in front of her window seat Eugene was currently perched on.

Rapunzel heaved a deep sigh and finally sat down next to her boyfriend. “I’m sorry, Eugene. I know I’ve been busy and you probably feel like I’m neglecting our relationship, but every time that I think of Varian I just…” she trailed off, tears balancing on her beautiful lashes.

Eugene pulled her into his arms and she quickly rested her head on his shoulder. “Trust me, Blondie, I understand. I don’t think you’ve been neglecting me - I know you’ve been working hard - but I’m worried about you. You’re going to get early wrinkles if you keep working at this pace. Or worse: eye bags.” He pretended to shudder, drawing a wet laugh from the princess.

There was a brief stretch of silence - not uncomfortable, more just foreboding - before Rapunzel spoke again. “What are we going to do? It’s been almost a month and there has been no sign of Varian; not a single lead to follow. What if he thinks that we’ve given up searching for him? What if he’s hurt, or even-”

“Hey, hey, Rapunzel stop,” Eugene gently interrupted. “These worst case scenarios are only going to make you feel worse. And I know this is not what you want to hear, but whoever took Varian planned it out specifically. If they were going to kill him, they would have sent some kind of message to us. They must want him for something.”

“That’s just it! They want him for something! Why is it always like that? Varian has been used as a tool for far too long - where does it stop? We can only assume he was kidnapped for his knowledge and skills since there hasn’t been a ransom, and it just isn’t fair!” Rapunzel’s shoulders slumped as she finished her flustered rant when she realized her voice was escalating in volume. “I’m sorry, Eugene, I didn’t mean to get so upset. I’m not mad at you, I just can’t bear the thought of someone hurting Varian - not after all that he’s been through.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Sunshine,” Eugene said quietly. “We’ve all been a little on edge since Varian’s kidnapping. And I know what you mean; it hurts to know that someone snatched Varian for their own gain and the unfairness of it all. In my experience, the best and kindest people that I’ve known have been taken advantage of the most. Gothel was like that with you, and too many people have been like that to Varian. I know this is hard for you because of how you feel about the kid, and I wish I could make it all go away, but I can’t.”

He took Rapunzel’s hands into his, looking into her beautiful green eyes to convey his sincerity. “But I will promise you this: I will be right by your side through this whole ordeal, and I will be there for you any way that I can. We’ll scour the Seven Kingdoms if that’s what it takes to find Varian, and not matter what, we’re going to get through this together.”

Rapunzel smiled up at him, radiant and pure even though she was hurting inside. “Thank you, Eugene,” she whispered, settling back into his shoulder again. “You always know just what to say.”

“It comes with my charming personality,” he joked. Rapunzel laughed, sounding much less weighted and heartbroken as it did before, satisfying her worried boyfriend.

They sat together a little longer, relishing in each other’s company and enjoying the sunset when a knock sounded at Rapunzel’s door. “Come in,” she called, noticeably disappointed to have the moment interrupted.

Expecting to see one of Rapunzel’s maids, Eugene was surprised to see Nigel stride into the room, posture overly poised and snobbish as usual. Eugene had never liked the Royal Advisor, and the feeling was mutual. The man was the most vocal about “a criminal living in the castle,” “-he’ll rob us blind,” “-a preposterous disgrace,” blah blah blah. Honestly Nigel definitely tried to be bigger than his boots.

“Pardon me, Your Highness,” he groveled in his nasally accent, “I do not mean to disturb you, but King Frederic would like a word with you and Captain Fitzherbert regarding the missing alchemist.”

Eugene quickly stood, bristling at the way Nigel spoke about Varian with such disgust in his tone when Varian could be in danger at this very moment. He was well aware that Nigel disliked Varian even more than he disliked Eugene - he hadn’t forgotten that Nigel had unjustly sent guards to tail and harass Varian following the defeat of the Saporians - but talking about Varian like his life didn’t even matter was completely unacceptable.

“Thank you so very much for letting us know, Nigel. Of course we’ll talk to Frederic about our friend who was kidnapped because as you know, this is the top priority of the kingdom,” Eugene spat, thinly veiled venom lacing his tone.

The advisor did not react to his words, but rather raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Yes the boy’s fate is undoubtedly tragic, but I would think that the safety of the kingdom would be the top priority rather than wasting time finding a boy who got what was coming to him. Excuse me.” Without another word, Nigel promptly left Rapunzel’s room.

Shock had Eugene glued to the floor, but when he got his bearings, he was so enraged his throat constricted. He moved to chase after that snooty advisor and punch him in the mouth so hard he’d bite his own heart. Nobody spoke like that about Varian - not on Eugene’s watch.

Before he could exit the room, he felt a hand on his arm, and Rapunzel pulled him backwards. She must’ve been able to see the steam that was surely coming out of his ears. How dare that pompous know-it-all ever -

“Eugene, I know you’re angry - I’m angry too - but we can’t worry about that right now.” Eugene tried to listen to Rapunzel’s words and let them ground him as they always had, but he couldn’t let go of the ugly rage that was clouding his senses. “He-he can’t just say something like that - Varian - he - it’s not right-”

Rapunzel cut him off with a quick kiss on his lips. “I know,” she said quietly. “It… it hurts so much that some people don’t care about what happens to Varian. I think some might even be okay with him never coming back. And-and I don’t think I could handle that because it’s my fault that he’s gone and if he never made it home, I don’t-”

This time, it was Eugene’s turn to cut her off, the words she was saying finally penetrating his protective anger. “Hey hey hey, don’t say that. Blondie, I thought we talked about this; you’re not responsible for what happened to Varian. You couldn’t have known something like that was going to happen. The only person to blame is the person that kidnapped Varian.”

He could never allow Rapunzel to think that Varian’s abduction was her fault - that just didn’t make sense. No one could have predicted something like that, and there was no way to know that on that night specifically, that would happen. Unless...

“I appreciate your concern, but I’m worried about you too. You’ve been feeling down about the things that happen, and I know you. You’re blaming yourself for not being there to protect him and save him, but it’s not your fault. There’s nothing you could have done.”

Eugene’s shoulders slumped in defeat. There was no need to hide it from the person who knew him best. He did feel guilty about what happened to Varian. It wasn’t Rapunzel’s fault because there’s no way that she could have known, but he’s the Captain of the Guard for crying out loud! He was responsible for keeping everyone in this castle safe, especially those he held close to his heart. Someone had snuck into the castle, broke into Varian’s lab, and snatched the kid without anyone being the wiser. All of that happened on Eugene’s watch.

He sighed, worry and disappointment in himself surfacing. “It’s my job to protect people, Rapunzel. Varian was kidnapped right under my nose and I had no idea. No one even knew what happened until a raccoon let us know that our friend was stolen right out of his lab!” Eugene huffed and ran a hand through his normally styled hair.

“Eugene,” Rapunzel said seriously, concern etched across her face. “You just told me that there’s no way anyone could have predicted this. You are no different. There’s nothing you could have done. Somebody obviously knew how to sneak into the castle and knew where to find Varian in order to-”

Eugene immediately straightened up, old thieving skills and habits kicking to life in his dormant senses. Somehow Rapunzel’s words triggered something in his mind. There were always petrol at the gates and at the entrances of the palace - at all times a day. Eugene knew this because he made sure that it happened. This was to ensure that no one would be able to sneak into the castle. After all, that’s exactly how he had stolen the crown. He had made sure that every entrance was covered by someone he trusted in order to prevent something like this from happening. And yet, it had happened.

Rapunzel seemed to see the gears turning in his head and leaned forward. “What is it?”

He didn’t mean to ignore his girlfriend, but Eugene's thoughts were moving a mile a minute. If the entrances were covered, how did someone manage to sneak in? Perhaps it wasn’t a matter of getting in… sneaking into the castle would be nearly impossible, but sneaking out? Well Eugene knew that it was much easier to get in than out. So maybe, no one had gotten into the castle, but rather, they had gotten Varian out. Or at the very least, if someone had managed to get into the castle and know exactly where Varian’s lab was (which only those who worked in the castle would know), then they had received help.

Eugene immediately bolted upright, his epiphany running through his very being. Of course! How had he missed it before? He turned to his girlfriend, a new lead and new determination making him feel more strong and powerful than he had since Varian’s abduction.

“Come on, Sunshine, we’ve got to talk to your dad right away. I think whoever took Varian had help. This was an inside job.”

Varian was rudely awakened by a kick to his side. He gasped and blinked open his swollen puffy eyes. In the early morning sunlight he saw the traveler sneering down at him.

Varian cringed away when all of the memories from last night came flooding through his mind. He tried not to look scared, but apprehension welled up in his heart. The traveler bent down and untied Varian’s ankles. As soon as he was done, he moved behind the tree, undoing the rope that had kept Varian stiffly pressed against it.

Wasting no time, the man grabbed Varian’s upper arm and yanked him to his feet, his hands still tied behind his back.

The only thing that Varian thought was that he was grateful to still have his gloves because he would already have horrible rope burn without them. The traveler pulled him close to the horse and began to tie the rope around his torso, pinning down his already bound arms.

Expecting to be thrown onto the horse and tied to the saddle horn as he had been so many times in the past couple weeks, Varian was confused when the man took the rope that had previously bound his ankles and looped it through the rope snaring his torso. His confusion escalated when the traveler took the long end of the rope and tied it to the saddle. He gave the rope an experimental tug and Varian let out a muffled yelp as it yanked him forward. Satisfied, the man climbed up onto the horse after throwing Varian’s backpack on the saddle.

Varian’s eyes widened in realization. The traveler turned around and noticed Varian’s horrified expression and smirked.

“I told you that you were walking all the way to Iriesa, didn’t I?” he said smugly.

Varian glared up at the man, silently screaming every curse word that he knew. The man only laughed at the fire he held in his eyes.

“You don’t scare me, boy,” he said.

Varian huffed and looked away. There was no getting out of this. Even if he struggled and fought the traveler probably wouldn’t have patience for his resistance and just drag him behind the horse.

Standing up straight and squaring his shoulders, Varian looked forward and started walking before the traveler pushed the horse on. He knew that his act of defiance would have no effect on his abductor, but he didn’t want to seem weak. He had already cried, struggled, escaped, and ended up in the same spot.

So he would walk to Iriesa and pray that some help would come, knowing full well that it probably wouldn’t. The traveler scoffed at Varian’s indignance and urged his horse forward.

By the time they stopped at sundown, Varian was stumbling to keep up. The rope connecting him to the horse had relentlessly pulled him along and every time Varian slowed, it would tug him forward and he would convince himself to power on.

Towards the end of the day he could hardly keep up and the rope was practically dragging him as he shuffled through the forest. He was covered in sweat and his face and neck were sunburned. He wished he had his sunburn remedy, but alas, everything he wanted was back in Corona.

His mouth was dry as the air and he was so dehydrated that his vision swam in front of him. His arms were very sore from being bound behind him, his wrists starting to painfully swell. He desperately wanted the gag to be removed. It wasn’t exactly causing him pain, but it was causing him to be distressed. He’d never been so restrained in life and it only brought back painful memories of being imprisoned in his home and his time in the dungeon.

Varian was forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other when they finally pulled to a stop underneath a cluster of tall trees.

Before waiting to be untied, Varian fell to his knees and took deep breaths. He was frustrated and embarrassed because he was supposed to walk the entire week long trip to Iriesa and he was already breaking after day one. He was beyond exhausted and didn’t think he could take another step. He was ready to fall asleep right there on the ground, but the sound of his growling stomach reminded him that he couldn't sleep with these intense hunger pains.

Varian looked up when his stomach omitted such a loud sound and the traveler raised an eyebrow at him. Varian scooted forward on his knees and turned his pleading eyes up at the man. He was in no condition to have too much pride to beg for food and water and he was too hungry to care. He pleaded as hard as he could with just his eyes, hoping the traveler would have mercy on him.

“I bet you’d like some food wouldn’t you? Maybe a little water?” the man said smugly, taking a long swig out of his flask.

A hot ball of anger welled up in Varian’s gut. It seemed this man only wanted to taunt him. The traveler wanted to break him and wear him down as much as possible. He wanted to shout at the man and glare at him with his most fierce villain gaze, but he was exhausted and he would do almost anything for food at his point.

Varian looked down at the dirt and nodded. Without thinking he whispered the word please but it was unintelligible no thanks to the gag. He hung his head low and blinked to make his eyes less dried out. It’s likely that he would've cried again if he wasn’t so dehydrated and empty. And he was so sick of crying.

His head popped back up when he realized the man was talking to him. “...you’ll think twice before you try and escape me. This is what happens when you get a big head.”

He reached forward and undid Varian’s gag, much to his relief. But that relief was overwhelmed by anger. Fed up with being dragged around and treated like dirt, Varian stood up, hoping he looked at least slightly intimidating despite him being tied up.

“What do you expect?” he snapped, his voice embarrassingly raspy and soft.. “I don’t want to get dragged away from my home - my family - and sold to some selfish criminal who will just use and abuse me! Did you really think that I would accept this fate that I never asked for? You took my life away and I-”

Varian’s anger-fueled rant was cut off by a hard punch just below his eye.

Weak from days of travel and malnutrition, Varian collapsed to the ground, dizzy and seeing spots. He barely had any time to register the sharp pain spreading through his cheek before a kick to the stomach left him wheezing for air. He couldn’t focus, couldn't see, could breathe - the pain was too much. He knew his pain tolerance was pretty low, but this seemed like nothing he had ever felt before. He lay on the ground, gasping for breath and holding a hand to his throbbing cheek to uselessly try to alleviate the pain.

The traveler waited until Varian was semi coherent before grabbing Varian’s hair and yanking his head upwards, eliciting a cry of pain from the alchemist. Varian blinked up in a painfully dizzy haze to see the man glaring down at him, causing Varian to flinch.

“You think I care what you want, boy? You are nothing but a means to an end - a way for me to get rich and nothing more. I’ve been nothing but hospitable and here you go running off and thinking that you could outsmart me like-”

“Hospitable?” Varian growled through the pain, “You kidnapped me!” Another kick to the ribs left Varian gasping for breath and curling inwards in an attempt to protect himself. He had been expecting to be kicked again, but anticipating pain and experiencing it were two very different things. And Varian was unfortunately familiar with both.

“This isn’t about me, runt. Whatever you did to make that snotty noble hate you enough to give you the boot is the reason you’re out here.”

Varian hated that the man had a point. Had it not been for his past crimes, he would currently be ending a weary but rewarding day of experiments and going to join his father for dinner. The thought that this was his fault hurt more than any of the insults and kicks that were delivered to him.

It always came back to that didn’t it? He couldn’t escape his past no matter how hard he tried. And oh did he try! He spent countless hours working on a cure for King Frederic and Queen Arianna’s memory loss, many sleepless nights drawing up plans to improve the throne room after he had a hand in destroying it, and endured snide comments from the Royal advisor and several others in order to prove that he was working to make amends for the things that he had done.

He’s heard it said that a person shows growth through their actions, but in Varian’s case, he knew that he needed to go beyond that. He had apologized to everyone that had been directly and indirectly affected by his selfish actions, sincerely expressing his regrets and sorrows. Most of the kingdom had been sent to work in the mine for various minerals so it was not an easy task that Varian had taken on himself to complete, but he knew that it was something he had to do. Not just for the sake of others but for himself.

Some had accepted the apology and others had slammed their doors in his face. Since then, he had been working as hard as he could to prove himself. Would it ever be enough? He wasn’t the brash and angry kid that attacked the royal family anymore, but would those like Nigel never be able to see him for who he truly was now?

The answer to that question was most definitely no. But something stirred in Varian the more he pondered his situation. He may never be able to change people’s opinions about him, but he couldn’t control their actions anymore than they would control his. It wasn’t for them to tell him if he had changed. His dad knew it, his friends knew it, and most importantly, he knew it in his heart.

After he had apologized to those he had wronged, his heart felt lighter than it had in a long time. Not because everyone forgave him, but because he wanted to be okay again. Making changes in his life and finding peace within himself had been a long lasting struggle, and one that wasn’t fully over, but bending over backwards to please others was what landed him in several messes before. He created many inventions and helpful alchemical compounds to make people’s lives better because it was something that he had always wanted, but his road to recovery and the things he did to turn his life around were for him - and him alone. He wanted to be a good person - one that people could appreciate and be happy to be around, sure - but he also wanted to be comfortable with himself.

It didn’t matter what other people thought of him, it only mattered what he thought of himself. Those who mattered to him had done everything they could to get him to this point, and those who wanted to let his past hang over his head and not let go were people he would not be bothered by.

He has been doing his best and showing his true self through his actions and that is what matters. Nigel had chosen to take the path of anger and hatred, and his actions reflected that. This man that had abducted him chose to act on greed and selfish desire and that was not in Varian’s control. Varian could only control thoughts and actions.

With a new resolve in his heart and a weight of guilt over something he couldn’t help, Varian sat up off the ground. “I’m out here because you want to make a profit off of me!” he spat. “You had every opportunity to leave me be, but you chose to drag me out here for money!”

“And so what?” the traveler asked with apparent irritation. “You think that if you fall on your knees and give me a speech that I’ll just pack up my things and let you go running back to your precious princess? This isn’t a fairy tale, you naïve little brat!”

“You’re right - fairy tales at least have interesting and compelling bad guys!”

“I’ve had enough of that smart mouth of yours. Unless you’d like to be walking to Iriesa on a broken ankle, I would suggest you shut up!”

Usually if Varian was threatened - another thing he was haplessly acquainted with - he would take the warning and back down. But not this time. The rational part of his brain that wanted two functioning ankles and to live to see another day was overpowered by the more absurd and chaotic part of his brain that demanded he fight his way out.

“Do whatever you want to me,” he hissed, “I’m not going to just roll over and cry like a scared little kid. I’m not afraid of you, and I’m going to find a way to get away from you. And once I do that? I’m going to find a way to make you regret ever kidnapping me.” Varian was surprised by the power that he held in his voice, but he meant every word.

The traveler was silent a moment before unsheathing his dagger, making Varian tense. “I’m not afraid of you either, kid. And I’m going to find a way to make you shut up.”

The hilt of the dagger came down on Varian’s head before he could even make a move, rendering him painfully unconscious.

Chapter Text

Varian stepped into the cesspool that was Iriesa feeling a dreadful mix of relief and trepidation. 

On the one hand, he didn’t think that his body could stand one more day of walking. His previous ankle injury had started acting up two days ago, and it now pulsed with pain with each step he took. The swelling was only increasing and Varian was worried that if he didn’t get off his foot soon, the damage would be irreparable. It felt as though every single cell in his body was fighting against him, screaming for relief that he could not provide no matter how much he wanted to.

The week walking to Iriesa had taken a very large toll on his body - his sunburned skin, empty stomach, dry throat, swollen and tight wrists, and a seemingly sprained ankle that flared up whenever he took a step… which was every minute of every day. And he suspected that he still had a mild concussion from being pummeled by that dagger.

All in all, Varian was feeling pretty miserable. 

However, some irrational and self-preserving part of his brain recognized that reaching the intended destination meant that he would finally be given relief from the incessant walking through the forest. A real rest would be just what he needed, despite the increasingly impatient traveller insisting that the previous day’s rest from travel should have been enough for Varian to feel “fit as a fiddle.” Yes that day of rest had been very appreciated, but Varian needed a week of bedrest in an actual bed if he were going to feel fit as anything ever again. 

He knew that a goodnight sleep was not something attainable in the near future as he was marched down the grisly streets of Iriesa. If the rundown, shabby buildings weren’t an indication of what kind of city this was, the people were. 

The grumpy man that had kidnapped Varian was correct when he said that not a soul would care about Varian’s plight. Thankfully, the traveller had hitched up his horse and was now dragging Varian through the streets - the boy’s hands tied in front of him. It was still humiliating, but far less so than being pulled behind a horse. 

He was hoping that his humiliation could get someone’s attention. Throughout their walk, Varian had scanned every person he could, hoping to find a sympathetic or kind face anywhere in the crowd. All he was met with were glares, scoffs, and eye rolling. A couple of thugs had even gone so far as to try to pickpocket him. 

That had annoyed Varian more than anything else. Honestly, did it look like he was in a position to have money or anything of value on his person? He was tied up like a steer on branding day and people were trying to rob him. 

This place was the worst. 

Just as Varian was starting to believe that his day couldn’t get any worse, he was suddenly pulled into a dark alley (not that all of the streets of Iriesa looked like horrible alleys) and shoved down some stairs. Varian stumbled and very ungracefully braced himself against the wall of the dark staircase before being pushed down farther and yanked through a filthy and creaky door. 

Expecting to find himself in a dark basement of a possibly haunted house, Varian was surprised by the light that flooded his vision. For being a creepy building, it was surprisingly well lit. Varian hardly had any time to take in the room around him when the sound of shuffling caught his ears, followed by a string of curses and a shout. 

“If you’re trying to get something auctioned off, you’re too late! Scram and try again next month!” The voice sounded equal parts furious and exhausted, and Varian didn’t know if those words filled him with happiness or horror. 

There was no way that his kidnapper would want to drag him around for another month, or stay in this city for that matter, so he may get sick of Varian and let him go. On the other hand, maybe the man would actually hang on to him, and Varian didn’t think he could do this again. The other possibility was being killed… overall this was a lose-lose-lose situation.

All options were above a five on the Doom Scale. 

Undeterred from that angry voice, the traveller yanked the rope that kept Varian tied and strode further into the room, the unwilling alchemist right behind him. “Don’t give me that runaround, Patrick,” the aggravated man called, “I have something worth far more than whatever is being auctioned off at this circus.”

Disgusted with being talked about like he was just a trinket to be sold off, Varian growled and tugged at the rope binding his wrists. Scowling and showing bitter anger was the only way to mask the small pit of fear that was continuously growing in Varian’s stomach. This really was it, wasn’t it? He would finally get away from the man that had abducted him only to enter into a new form of captivity, and Varian didn’t like it one bit. 

So he struggled and pulled with all of his might. Unfortunately, the might was no match for his kidnapper, and the cross man just yanked his tether yet again. “Stay still, boy, or I swear I’m going to make this as difficult as possible!” 

“Bite me!” Varian sneered, doning one of his most withering glare from his rocky past. “Let me go, or I’m going to make this as difficult for you as I can!”

Varian knew that his threats didn’t mean much to the traveller, but being quiet and submissive were two things that Varian had never been very good at. He was good, however, at striking nerves and annoying people that deserved it. And by the flash of irritation in his kidnapper’s eyes, he had succeeded in both. The man opened his mouth to give Varian a piece of his mind, but was interrupted by another man entering the room they were in. 

The man was nothing like Varian would expect in a place like this; his black hair was greased back into a ponytail that went a fair way down his back and he had a hideous mustache attempting to grow above his lip. He was dressed in some ridiculous black suit and boots with heels that even a lady would look silly in, all quite literally topped off with a black top hat. 

Varian was reminded of a magician he had seen with his father when he was young upon seeing this man, and if the circumstances weren’t so dire, he might have found it in himself to laugh. Things being how they were though, he stifled his laughter. 

The top hat man still looked annoyed, but stepped forward and shook the traveller’s hand. “So getting laughed off the stage three times in a row wasn’t a good enough indicator that this isn’t really your thing, Clint?” 

Varian’s kidnapper - Clint, as he had just now come to figure out despite travelling with the man for month - scoffed in indignation and yanked Varian closer, enough for the boy to smell the pungent scent of alcohol on the man with the top hat. No one is more of a showman than a criminal, Varian thought, rolling his eyes. 

He would know. 

“Trust me, Patrick, this is the real deal. Picked this one up from Corona - a bounty already on the kid’s head. From what I hear, he’s a genius who is dangerous in the wrong hands and a highly experienced alchemist.” 

Clint introduced Varian like he was just a show pony: very valuable. And what made the whole ordeal even worse was the fact that the man would only know these things because Nigel had told him. Varian could almost picture the disgusted scowl on the advisor’s elongated face as he described how clever and resourceful Varian was, knowing that he was going to ensure that Varian could never come back to Corona to prove those things once he was sold off on the black market. Never to be heard from again. 

Varian physically recoils at the thought - anger, insecurity, and fear all clawing their way up his throat.

Feeding off of his anger rather than feeling the weight of insecurity and  fear, Varian snarled and tried to pull away when Patrick grabbed his chin in a quick and unwelcome gesture. The man ignored Varian’s struggle, instead focusing on studying the boy’s face. Varian held his fierce glare, if only to seem less afraid than he was. 

“You expect me to believe that this little twig is some kinda genius scientist?” Patrick laughed incredulously. 

Varian was not surprised by this. Most everyone he knew had underestimated him throughout his life. It’s because of this that Varian loved to show others what he was capable of, he loved seeing the shock written over people’s faces when he could impress them with knowledge, alchemy, or mechanical engineering. He had always valued his intellect, prided himself on the things he was capable of, but now in this moment? It felt more like a curse than anything else. 

Varian opened his mouth to retort that yes he’s a genius scientist and knew much more than pea-brained Patrick, but Clint must have anticipated backlash from his captive because he harshly tugged Varian’s restraints again, causing the alchemist to close his mouth. For now. 

“That he is,” Clint replied, “Some snobby noble paid good money to get this kid off the grid, and I intend to make even more. So you gonna put him in the auction or what?”

Patrick held up his hands and offered an oily smile. “No need to get testy with me, Clint. I’ll put him on the list. But you owe me the entrance fee and I want some of the profit you get off this kid.”

The man turned and looked directly into Varian’s eyes - taunting just as much as it was threatening. “I expect you to make a small fortune from this kid, and I’m not about to miss an opportunity.” Varian’s heart nearly fell to the floor and chills raced their way up his back. 

“Done,” Clint said firmly, giving Varian no time to gather his thoughts. Wasting no more time, Patrick pulled out a large list and hastily scratched out Lot #24 - Alchemist. He then pulled open a large desk drawer and began fishing through it, not looking up when he addressed Clint again. 

“I assume you’ll want him restrained - he looks like a trouble maker to me.” 

“Oh you don’t know that half of it.”

Varian bristled once again at the two men talking about him as if he wasn’t even there. “I’m already restrained, and if you think that I’m-”

He instantly broke off, fear and dread making his lungs freeze over. A fast acting and heart stopping panic nearly made Varian’s mind short circuit, making him almost unaware of what was happening at the sight of that dreadful metal.

 For out of his desk, Patrick had pulled out a pair of shackles attached to a long chain.

No! No no no no no no! Rapunzel told him  that he wouldn’t ever have to feel cuffs clamped around his wrists ever again. She - she promised that he wouldn’t be put in chains, so why was this happening now?! 

Varian desperately tried to pull himself together to avoid spiralling out of control, but his short quick breaths could not provide enough oxygen to his body - therefore he could not calm down. 

Horrible memories resurfaced when he was reminded of being shackled again. Trying to sleep in the frigid dungeons, uncomfortable and painful as his chains rattled from his shivering. Being forcefully yanked down the dark hallways of the dungeons whenever he was taken somewhere, gaining no sympathy from uncaring guards when he fell down and struggled to regain his footing. 

And worst of all: spending long, lonely nights in chains whenever the Saporians thought he needed a test of loyalty, or a “reminder” of what they were fighting for, or whatever else Andrew could think of. If he was doing anything that his so-called friends had deemed unacceptable, they would chain him up - not just with shackles - and leave him alone in the darkness. 

No words could describe the crippling anxiety, dejection, and loneliness Varian felt in the solitude of the dungeons, cuffed and chained to the wall behind him. He had been terrified of nearly everything - the dark, the chains, the thought of what the Saporians were going to do to him when they finally released him from the cell - and he didn’t know how to deal with those emotions. 

It was those moments that made him grateful that Rapunzel had come back.

She helped him, she promised that he wouldn’t be chained up  - where was Rapunzel he needed Rapunzel he needed Eugene he needed it like he needed to breathe - 

He flinched away sharply when he realized that he had been untied and Patrick now grabbed his wrist harshly and pulled it forward to be clad in iron. Varian struggled and tried to pull away. “No,” he whimpered pathetically, “no please don’t.” In another situation he would have been embarrassed, but he was so upset that he didn’t care what these men thought of him. 

“P-please don’t.”

Not swayed by Varian’s desperate pleading, Patrick clamped the shackles onto Varian’s wrists without any trouble, ignoring the boy when he twitched and fidgeted with phantom pains and bruises. Varian hadn’t even noticed his eyes were now blurry with tears, but through sheer will power, he urged them not to fall. 

“Alright then, we better get going if we’re to be on time,” Patrick said casually, as if this were an everyday occurrence. 

“Actually,” Clint interjected with a cruel and knowing smile, “you got anything that will shut the kid up? He’s got a bit of a smart mouth and-” His grin only sharpened when a sick realization dawned on him. “He’s got a problem with biting as well. Can’t have that, can we?”

Varian was still too frightened and panicked to fully understand that the man was talking about more than just a simple gag, but his eyes cleared enough to see Patrick approaching him with a small black mask-like contraption. He recoiled and strained against his chains in order to get away from the muzzle that was inching closer and closer to his face.

He cried out when Clint roughly grabbed his hair to hold him steady while Patrick quickly fastened the muzzle onto Varian’s face.

When the deed was done, Varian stumbled back in shocked panic, reaching his hands up to mindlessly claw at the muzzle, knowing in the back of his mind that it would not even budge. Still Varian pulled and tugged, feeling queasy and claustrophobic at the way it squeezed his face, the lower half under his chin firmly pressing his jaw up into his maxilla. The muzzle was designed to prevent him from speaking… or as Clint put it, his problem with biting people, and it was sure doing its job. Varian couldn’t open his mouth or part his lips even a centimeter thanks to the corse mask fused to his face and the sensation filled him with immense fear.

Had he been in his right mind, Varian would have been horribly humiliated to be degraded by such treatment, but with his lingering panic from being put in chains on top of being muzzled made him more anxious than anything else. He had expected to be treated poorly and made to suffer in some ways, but he had not anticipated how terrible he would feel at this very moment. 

It was only made worse when Patrick lifted an unimpressed eyebrow. “Alright, that should do it. Now let’s get him onto the auction block.”

Unmoved by Varian’s wordless whimpers and clear signs of distress, Clint yanked on Varian’s chain and began to drag the boy to an open door - ready or not. Varian did what he could to brace himself for what was to come, knowing that there wasn’t going to be any hope of a future for him. 

The sunset was absolutely stunning this evening. 

Rapunzel and her mother were sitting on the tower balcony, taking in the beautiful scenery and enjoying a cup of tea. Mom had been insistent that Rapunzel take some time to sit down and take some time off. The princess had been running herself into the ground trying to manage political affairs, public appearances, and keeping an eye out for suspicious behavior in the castle staff. 

Once Eugene had notified the King and Queen of his theory about Varian’s kidnapping being an inside job, it had been all hands on deck between the royals, Eugene, and Lance. At this point in time, all those who lived in the castle were considered suspect. Obviously there were those who were much higher on the list; guards who had harassed Varian during his incarceration, maids, butlers, and cooks that all seemed to still hold grudges against him, and anyone that has expressed outright disdain. 

Unfortunately, that left a very long list for the group to sift through, but they had all refused to give up until the culprit was found and Varian returned home safely. Eugene was interrogating everyone he could, Lance diligently led search party after search party, and Rapunzel? When her every moment wasn’t spent on royal duties, she was writing correspondence letters to every connection she had in the Seven Kingdoms, appealing to them to help them find the missing alchemist. 

But for now, she was taking some time for herself, relishing in the warm weather and the quiet, soothing company of her mom. There would always be the nagging worry of finding Varian in the back of her mind, but moments like this were far and few between, and she couldn’t spend every second agonizing over things she couldn’t control. 

She heaved a large sigh and closed her eyes, releasing some tension from her shoulders. Her mother glanced at her with a knowing eye. “You have been busy, Rapunzel.”

Rapunzel huffed out a humorless laugh. “That’s a bit of an understatement.”

Her mom returned a smile that was more like a grimace. “I understand that this is a stressful situation, honey, and I know I can’t bring Varian back, but think of all the wonderful things that you have done. You have handled yourself like a true queen during these months, and I could not be more proud of you.”

At these words, Rrapunzel felt unexplainable joy swelled into her heart. Between Varian’s kidnapping and the knowledge that someone part of her own staff had potentially orchestrated it just made her feel sick. In hindsight, it all made perfect sense; someone had managed to sneak into Varian’s lab (a location that was not known to the public) and take him out of the castle - managing to avoid other staff members and all guards. 

After Eugene had voiced these thoughts, Rapunzel had immediately felt stupid for not noticing it sooner. Of course the kidnapping had come from someone from the inside. And now that Rapunzel was aware that the culprit was likely somewhere in this castle, she had stopped feeling sorry for herself and vowed to find them. 

“Thank you, Mom. I’ve been so focused on finding Varian that there have been times that I’ve felt like I've been neglecting the kingdom and our citizens.” 

That wasn’t a very fair statement, as she tried so hard to avoid showing favoritism by intensely searching for Varian, by putting in as much time as she could into the needs of her people. But it was her fear that others may not see things that way. 

She was pulled from the thoughts when her mom reached forward and grabbed her face, sympathy and love bleeding into her tone. “Oh sweetheart, there is no fault in searching for your missing friend. He deserves to be found and live a long happy life. But you have managed to beautifully balance the lives of your people and the life of your friend. And I know that is something that you have been working on, so I am even more pleased with you.”

Rapunzel did not hesitate to lean forward and hug her mother, blinking back happy tears. They sat in silence a little longer, watching the sun dip behind the trees 

The sound of the balcony door opening made Rapunzel resist the urge to roll her eyes, but when she saw Eugene’s face peek from behind it, the annoyance melted away. 

Eugene looked tired - just about as tired as everyone else working to find Varian - but he looked much more put together since he had speculated someone in the castle had something to do with Varian’s kidnapping. He now walked with purpose and held a grim look of determination in his eyes knowing that he was at least one step closer to finding his brother. 

Rapunzel stood to greet him, but was surprised to see her dad stepping onto the balcony behind Eugene. Both men wore somber expressions and for a moment, Rapunzel feared that instead of finding Varian, they had found his body. 

Her whole body tensed and she rushed forward, grabbing Eugene’s hands. “What is it? What happened?” she burst out, desperate for an answer. 

Eugene seemed surprised by her sudden urgency and he raised a hand to brush her teeth. “Woah, slow down, Blondie, nothing happened,” he urged. “At least, nothing big.”

Rapunzel’s dad stepped forward, placing a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “We’re sorry to interrupt your private time, my dears, but Eugene and I have some important news.” 

Arianna moved forward, and placed a hand on her husband’s chest. “Is this about Varian?”

The King nodded. “I recently remembered a discussion that I had regarding Varian. The conversation involved outright anger towards Varian, a demand that he return to the dungeons, lest that “evil child” wreak havoc on our kingdom.”

Rapunzel and her mother were surprised by this, but Eugene picked up where the king left off. “We know that this person absolutely despises Varian, knows where Varian’s lab is located, could manage to avoid the guards, and mostly avoid suspicion.” 

Rapunzel was baffled by their candor, but when she thought about their words, she realized what they were saying. They had found a suspect that could lead them to Varian. 

“Who.” It was not a polite question but a firm demand. 

It was her father who answered, though both him and Eugene shared awkward and unpleasant looks. 

“We cannot be certain, but we have reason to believe that Nigel had a hand in Varian’s kidnapping.”

Chapter Text

At this point, Varian was sure that he was going to collapse. 

Too many things were happening at once and his overwhelmed brain was stuck in a fog of panic and despair that made it hard to breathe. His vision was blurry and tunneling, his head was spinning, his chest was tight, and he could hardly feel his limbs as he was dragged forward. The nausea he was feeling earlier had not quite left him and Varian was convinced that he was going to vomit. He compelled his stomach to calm down as he could think of nothing more horrible than throwing up while muzzled. There wasn’t even anything in his stomach to come up anyway. 

Clint and Patrick had briefly discussed getting Varian “presentable” for the auction by bathing him and giving him something to eat since Varian looked like hell itself, but they quickly decided against it as they were already late enough as it was. The most they did was sloppily brush his teeth through the muzzle and wash the rest of his face.

All of this was done in a demeaning way since Varian was bound and could not really do it himself. After his menial cleaning, Varian was dragged into the large room full of bodies as he was: filthy, hungry, and scared beyond belief. 

Varian’s vision tunneled upon entering the auction room, turning what he saw into a messy haze of shapes and colors. His breathing accelerated considerably and he now was hit with the urge to vomit and faint. The man pulling him along (Varian wasn’t even sure who was who anymore) paid no mind to the alchemist’s struggle and yanked the boy forward with little regard for his poor health. 

Time seemed to be moving in slow motion for Varian but before he knew it, he was brought back behind a large stage with a podium and forced to his knees.

A man with a bushy beard came forward and grabbed Varian’s head, tilting him this way and that to get a good look at him. Once the man seemed to find what he was looking for, Varian’s chain was then tied to a peg in the ground, securing the boy in place. In the midst of his panic, Varian hardly even noticed that this all was being done. 

Working through the breathing exercises that his father had helped him with ever since he was a child, Varian desperately tried to pull himself together before he coated the muzzle fastened to his face in bile. The very thought nearly made that happen, so Varian squeezed his eyes closed and forced the thought from his mind. 

When he felt like he could keep the nausea at bay, Varian opened his eyes again and finally took in his surroundings. He was in a tall-ceilinged well-lit room that was filled with smoke and the smell of cigars invading his nostrils. He didn’t have much of a vantage point from his spot on the floor behind the stage, but Varian already knew that the room was filled with people, if the chatter and yelling was any indication. 

Backstage was filled with objects, trinkets, and paintings that Varian assumed got to this place in many different illegal ways. It didn’t appear that there were any people up for sale besides Varian himself, which gave the alchemist a small sense of relief. He wouldn’t wish this fate on his worst enemy. His worst enemy Nigel…

Seeing as Varian wouldn’t be put on the auction block for a while - he remembered that he was Lot #24 - his traitorous mind began thinking of the events that lead to this point.

He had felt that his epiphany in the woods had been a good thing, something that helped him come to terms with his past, and it had been in a way. But now that Varian was chained to the floor and preparing to be sold, his fears and doubts were now making themselves known. 

If he hadn’t committed treason and taken any other route to be heard, this wouldn’t be happening to him now. He would be safe in Corona and not about to have his life ruined. Those ugly feelings contended with the fact that he would probably be sitting in his lab by himself, conducting impulsive experiments because he hadn’t matured enough to take basic safety precautions. If he hadn’t done the things that he had done, he would still be without friends and blindly trying to make anybody be interested in him, fishing for attention and praise. 

But if he hadn’t committed treason, he wouldn’t have enemies that hated him enough to want to get rid of him. He wouldn’t have palace guards tease him relentlessly, he wouldn’t be tip-toeing in the castle, afraid of making the wrong move and being forsaken yet again. But at the same time…

Ah! No this is stupid! Varian thought, shaking his head to clear his mind. It would do no good to dwell on these things now, it wasn’t going to do him any good. That was easier said than done as he had nothing to focus on.

So he closed his eyes once more and did more breathing exercises, calming down his rapid heartbeat, and tried not to imagine the person who was going to buy him, as his mind was only jumping to worse-case scenarios. 

Before Varian even knew it, his lot had been called and he was dragged to his feet and brought up onto the stage and manhandled onto the auction block.

Once his chain was tied down again, Varian feebly attempted to struggle against his bonds to no avail. The lights were much brighter now that he was on stage, but Varian was able to see that there was a huge turnout for this event. 

Several terrifying faces glared up at him, many perking up at seeing that an actual person was now up for bid, and others seeming the least bit interested. But Varian did not see an ounce of sympathy among the cruel faces and he was starting to panic again. He wasn’t even sure that he registered what the man at the podium was saying.

“Up next is lot #24 - an alchemist brought here all the way from Corona. For those of you who don’t know what alchemy is,” the man joked pointedly, “it’s a kind of science that will be mighty useful to most of your… businesses.” That generated several chuckles from the criminals. 

“About 17 years old, in fairly good health - once you feed him of course - he’ll last as long as you need use out of him. Got a bit of an attitude and a childish temper that makes him lash out, that’s why he’s in this little beauty,” Patrick banged his hand on Varian’s muzzle, causing the boy to flinch, “But he can be trained and edified if you use the right tools.”

Patrick grabbed the Varian's face and tilted his head around for people to see, just as that other man had earlier, ensuring that everyone in the room could inspect him.

It was completely horrifying to be standing at the center of attention, chained and muzzled, on display for everyone to pick at him and observe him. 

He wanted to scream and throw things and release every single curse word he could think of. He wanted to be home in Corona with the people that he loved and not these people who wanted to own him. Varian’s vision tunneled once more and sounds were a muddled mess.

“Genius intelligence, advanced weapon building, and engineering, the alchemist has quite a bit to offer in terms of services. Anything you want, the alchemist can create it.”

As the words finally penetrated the static in Varian’s ears, he realized that the crowd was interested, many of them whispering amongst their companions with greedy looks in their eyes. 

Unfortunately, the feeling of nausea surged into Varian’s gut with full force, nearly causing him to double over and release the meager contents of his stomach. These people were looking at him like he was some artifact at a museum. But these weren’t looks of admiration, no, these were looks of control and possession.

It made him feel awful.

Varian felt as though he were just a commodity that these crooks would pay to get their hands on to give them an edge in their criminal activity.  The boy once again had to will his stomach to retain itself, hoping that this ugly feeling would not be following him everywhere that he went. 

Consumed by his sorrow, Varian didn’t realize that Patrick had started the bidding. Varian wasn’t sure how much he was going for at the beginning, but the price just kept climbing higher and higher, criminals yelling and arguing in an attempt to outbid each other. Clint had stated that he thought Varian go for an outrageous amount, but Varian really had underestimated how much he was worth to people who only wanted him for criminal activity. 

The arguments and bids nearly reached a head when the french doors in the back suddenly slammed open. The shouting immediately stopped, replaced by groans and huffs of annoyance. From his point on the stage, Varian could only see the outline of the man that was slowly entering the room. 

He carried himself with elegance and power, striding into the room like he owned the place. Varian briefly wondered if he did. The man was tall, with salt and pepper hair and flashing grey eyes. He was dressed nicer than 90% of the criminals in attendance and his fancy boots clacked against the ground with each step that he took. But face betrayed no emotion but his eyes were sharp and calculating as they swept over the room.

From what Varian could observe, most of the criminals, if not all of them, knew who this man was. And they were not happy that he had arrived. Varian himself didn’t really have any opinions - he wasn’t sure what to think.

But Varian was curious by nature (heaven knows it got him into more trouble times than he could count) and he was becoming more and more curious about this man’s business. 

The room was quiet and still, when the man approached the podium and looked up at Patrick with a raised brow. “You weren’t trying to do this without me were you?” His voice was calm but cool. He really had a presence about him. 

“Heard you been out for a while,” Patrick hedged, looking far more excited than the rest of the crowd to see this man. “Didn’t think you’d care particularly for this lot.”

“Because I wasn’t aware that you had managed to obtain an alchemist of all things.”

“Oh yes, one of the best in the Seven Kingdoms from what I hear. You might want to place your bid before it’s too late.”

Varian scowled and rattled his chain, letting them know that he was right there. They only looked back at him with amusement. 

“I’m quite optimistic about my chances,” the man grinned, looking Varian straight in the eye. It sent chills up the boy’s spine. 

The man turned back to the crowd, the grin still on his face. “Well, what do you say gents? You want to just give up now?”

More shouts and protests rose up from the group, some even standing up. The surge of anger only made the man giddier, as if he knew that he would win the prize no matter what. Varian realized with a sinking heart that he probably would. 

“You got the last one!”

“Step off, rich boy!”

“The brat is mine!”

“They don’t call him Con for nothin'!”

All the shouting made Varian’s head spin even more than it already would. He had no idea that he would stir up this much trouble, but it seemed that Clint had been right: a good alchemist was evidently hard to come by and worth quite a bit of money. If the situation wasn’t so bleak and sick, Varian may have been flattered. 

“Shut up you lot!” Patrick suddenly shouted, pounding his fist on the podium, “You all know how this ends. Nobody has got a chance of outbidding Con and we have other items to get to.” He then turned back to the man - Con - and pointed at him. 

“So how much for Lot #24?”

This was it. No one could contend with this man in terms of money and power, so Varian knew that he would end up being sold to this man. A horrible sinking feeling entered his gut. As much as he didn’t like being on display, he did not relish the thought of things coming to a close by him ultimately ending up in a criminal’s hands.

In the back of his mind, Varian knew that it was always going to end like this, but now that it was happening, he had to hold back tears. He sniffled and willed himself to keep the tears at bay as the second worst thing to puking in a muzzle was crying in front of a bunch of strangers that viewed you as a commodity.

 So Varian stood silently and sullenly, knowing that his life was about to end. 

***

When it was all said and done, Varian was sold to the man known as Con for a ridiculous amount of money. Varian guessed correctly when he thought that no one would be able to match the man’s funds, and no one had really tried hard enough.

Based on the crowd’s reactions, it was a common occurrence for Con to come in and pull the rug from under other people’s feet during these auctions. It made Varian sick that he had done it again. 

Varian was pulled down from the stage and led by his chain out of the room by the man who had purchased him, accompanied by mocking and insulting - one man even going so far as to throw a half-eaten bagel at him. 

He was too stunned to fight back while they were in the midst of such a large crowd, but as soon as they exited and began to walk toward an open office, Varian was about at his limit. He stopped dead in his tracks and dug his heels into the ground, pulling back against the man keeping him captive. Unprepared for his prisoner’s struggle, the man nearly dropped the chain. 

“What’s the meaning of this?” the man snapped, yanking on Varian’s chain and starting a very awkward game of tug of war.

Despite the tugging at his aching wrists, Varian pulled his arms close to his chest and struggled fiercely, his boots scraping on the ground to gain purchase. He may have been prevented from speaking, but Varian would not be prevented from fighting, not now. As long as Varian lived, he would make this man regret buying him. 

Fed up with Varian’s scrambling, the man gave a mighty tug on the chain and pulled Varian to his knees, the boy emitting a startled and awkward yelp of pain as he fell to the ground. 

Con kept walking, Varian scrambling to his feet to follow in order to keep the strain off of his wrists. “Look, I don’t have any time for this, so just give it up and keep walking.” 

It was a clear and open threat, one that made Varian nervous to disobey. But Varian was nothing if not stubborn, so he scowled and pulled on the chain once more. Con turned around, Varian thinking that he was going to be struck and flinching away.

Upon seeing his reaction, Con huffed and continued to drag Varian into the office. This room was much darker than the event hall and Varian blinked several times in order to adjust to the abrupt change of scenery. It was a small office with merely a desk and a few shelves packed with random artifacts and knick-knacks. 

It reminded Varian of the Captain’s office in Corona, the one Eugene had shown him after he became comfortable on the job. The man had proudly waltzed around the room, telling Varian about all the changes he was going to make as Captain - something about making the new recruits call him “All-Powerful Commander and Chief” because it had a nice ring to it. 

Thinking about the man he considered to be an older brother made Varian’s heartache with longing to be back home with the people he loved. He may never see Eugene again, or Rapunzel, his dad, Ruddiger, everyone that he cared about in the kingdom that he loved. 

He was grateful that the last thing he said to each and every one of them was that he loved them. If he really was to never enjoy their presence and love in his life again, at least he had voiced his feelings. He almost felt childish to be wishing to be wrapped up in his dad’s strong arms and have his troubles melt away. Suns he was such a baby, wanting his daddy to hold him. But he did want his daddy…

Forcing the tears to retreat back to where they came from, Varian suppressed a sniffle and regretted the fact that he couldn’t wipe his eyes with his hands shackled. Instead, he turned his attention to the matter at hand, the fight and drive slowly draining out of him. 

“You’ll find that everything is in order and that the kid is now yer’s,” the man at the desk said, standing up to shake Con’s hand. 

The kid is yours. Varian now belonged to this man. He would never be free to experiment, explore, travel, speak his mind.

It was such a startling and horrible feeling that Varian was close to tears yet again. How he wished he could speak at that moment - not to tell these men off, even if that had been his intention before - just to beg them not to do this to him. To release him and let him go back to his family. It was getting harder and harder not to cry. 

Con and the man at the desk exchanged a few more words before Varian found himself getting dragged out the door once again. Only this time, he didn’t think he had any struggling left in him. Now that it was all over, Varian was tempted to just give up. 

Varian was led outside where several grumpy criminals that left the auction empty-handed had gathered. Most of them glared at him, some swore at him, while one man had the gall to spit on him. Varian cringed and his cheeks grew pink, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be angry. His clothes were already disheveled and ruined, the entire population of Iriesa may as well spit on him. 

Con paid the thieves no mind as he dragged Varian through the crowd. Varian hadn’t realized how rich Con actually was, but when he was brought to a stop in front of a grand white carriage, he couldn’t help but stare. The carriage was drawn by four exquisite horses and driven by two coachmen.

The parade didn’t end there though as there were two carriages behind Con’s for the dozen footmen that the man had brought with him. It seemed rather excessive to be bringing to an illegal underground auction, but if Varian were an extremely wealthy crimelord, he would do the exact same thing. 

Something that caught Varian’s eye, however, was that as soon as Con was amongst his own people, a tall hooded figure stood beside him and never left his side. The figure never spoke, but seemed determined to accompany the man wherever he went. Varian found that curious. 

He hadn’t realized that the man from the office had followed them outside, but he now took Varian’s chain out of Con’s hand and gave it a good yank, causing the boy to release an undignified yelp.

“Now listen here, yer now the property of Con, so ya do exactly what he tells ya, got that,” he hissed in Varian’s face. The alchemist only offered back a timid nod and the man seemed satisfied. 

“Now where do ya want him, Con?” the man asked, turning his attention back to Con, who had now engaged in a conversation with the hooded figure. “I can tie him to the carriage if it suits ya.”

The thought of being made to walk for God knows how long behind a caravan of his new owners made Varian’s heart contract painfully. He was in no shape to make that trip, mentally or physically. He was sure that if he was forced to make the trek that he wouldn’t make it.

He was hardly standing upright as it was, lingering nausea and present horror making his fatigued adrenaline spike back up again. He didn’t know if the others could hear his rapid breathing, but if they did, none of them reacted. 

Before Varian’s anxiety could further spiral out of control, Con shook his head. “I haven’t the time or the patience to deal with that. Just put him with the luggage and we’ll be on our way.”

“Sir,” a tall footman called, “the luggage cart is full.”

Con merely rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Very well then. Make adjustments in my carriage and let’s be off.”

As soon as the words left the man’s mouth, Varian was forcibly dragged to the illustrious white carriage and shoved inside without another word. The carriage was just as regal on the inside as it was on the outside and

Varian wondered once again how this man had managed to make his fortune as a criminal. Although Eugene had told Varian stories about the ruthless millionaire and thief known as the Baron, so Varian figured that it must be a similar situation. 

Varian picked himself up off the floor and sat down on the velvet bench, relieved at getting off his sore feet and determined to stare out the window for the rest of this miserable journey. 

That wasn’t going to be easy as Varian was quickly joined by Con and the hooded figure, who both sat on the opposite bench as him. When the door was closed and locked, the carriage began moving, taking Varian away to his new fate. 

He was pulled from his miserable thoughts when Con spoke. “Are we alone?” he whispered to his hooded companion.

“Yes,” a woman’s voice responded. 

“Good. Now take that horrendous device off of him at once.”

Varian had no idea what the man was talking about when the woman in the hood suddenly leaned forward, reaching for his face. Varian immediately leaned away, startled by this action, but the woman simply moved with him, stretching behind his head and deftly unfastening the muzzle from Varian’s face. 

Varian hardly had time to be confused and baffled by this action, as all he felt was pure relief at having the muzzle taken off. He rubbed his stiff jaw and rolled it around a few times before realizing what just happened. They had released him… why would they do this if he was just some prize.

Con had seemed disgusted by Varian’s treatment now that the alchemist was thinking about it, and that confused him even more. His wonder and curiosity only increased when the women in the hood gently took his hands and unlocked the heavy chains binding them. 

Finally freed from their oppressive weight and the horrible memories brought with them, Varian looked up at his captors with wide eyes. Neither of them seemed as intimidating and cruel as they had been before.

“Is this the missing alchemist?”

Varian’s heart nearly stopped at the words. Did Con know him? But how could that be? How did he know that Varian was technically missing from Corona and why did Con go through with buying Varian if he knew who he was? Varian felt that his head would explode with all his thoughts rushing about.

“This is him,” the woman responded, her voice now sounding strangely familiar, “I’d know that ace and that blue hair-stripe anywhere.”

She knew him too? What was going on?

When the woman removed her hood, Varina’s brain short-circuited. Sharp grey-ish green eyes stared back at him.

“Cassandra?”

“Hey, kid.”

Chapter Text

Eugene stomped down the hall towards his office, silently fuming the whole way. The look on his face must have been enough to ward off anyone looking for his attention and it was a good thing too - if someone spoke to him, he might explode. 

The investigation of Nigel’s involvement in Varian's kidnapping was going nowhere. 

After learning that it was an inside job, Eugene and his lieutenant had done significant research into all the different people who could have pulled it off. Unfortunately, Varian had made plenty of enemies in his short sixteen years and that put far too many suspects on this list. 

Heck half the Coronan royal guard hated the kid, which left Eugene pretty much at square one. But after hearing about Nigel’s conversation with King Frederic, where the man had called Varian dangerous and unstable, it left the Royal Advisor at the top of the list. 

Rapunzel, King Frederic, and Queen Arianna had been present when Eugegne questioned Nigel, but it was difficult for them all to be objective. Each one of them felt Varian’s absence personally and when presented with someone to release their pent up frustration at, it was almost too easy. 

Nigel, however, maintained that even though he did not like Varian and thought the kid was dangerous, he was not at all involved in his abduction. 

Questions were asked and Nigel kept his composure throughout the whole ordeal, making Eugene nervous. If it wasn’t Nigel, then it was probably one of Eugene’s guards, and that was not an easy pill to swallow. 

One guard they had questioned was especially pertinent as he was typically stationed outside of Nigel’s chambers during the night. 

After Varian had escaped prison, Nigel had posted a guard named George outside his office and bedroom for protection from the alchemist. Despite Varian helping the kingdom on numerous occasions, Nigel still did not trust him and wanted any available option to keep Varian away from him. 

When questioning George, the bright-eyed soldier informed them that Nigel had retired early on the night of Varian’s kidnapping and had not emerged again until the morning. The man even swore that he heard Nigel snoring for a good portion of the night. Nigel’s room was nowhere near Varian’s lab, so there was no way he could slip past his guard and aid in the abduction without George noticing. 

Frustrated by the blow to the investigation, King Frederic had pointed out that Nigel had motive to get rid of Varian - had even suggested to the king that he do that very thing. Nigel expertly informed them that many people in the castle had motive to want the boy who nearly destroyed the kingdom twice out of their lives. 

“It’s true I was not at all fond of the boy,” Nigel had said, “but you cannot deny that there are many people in this kingdom - the same kingdom the alchemist tried to destroy on multiple occasions - who have more motivation to hurt him than I.”

No one could argue. There was also no money missing from the treasury and Nigel strictly kept his contacts within the bounds one would expect of an advisor to the king, so it was not obvious that Nigel had brought in someone to kidnap Varian. Between Eugene and Rapunzel, they were very thorough in their questioning, to the point where Nigel made a comment on it. 

“It seems as though you want me to be responsible for the boy’s unfortunate fate. You are looking for someone to pin the blame on, and I understand that, but this is unacceptable. Kidnapping someone that is so close to the royal family is what I consider treason - something I would never think of doing. Though the same cannot be said about Varian.”

At the time, it looked like Rapunzel had been physically stopping herself from attacking the Royal Advisor, and Eugene had to admit that he had also been close to unsheathing his sword. Queen Arianna had cautioned Nigel against speaking in such a way, but Eugene was thinking of far more violent methods of warning. 

All that interrogation had led to nothing, so the investigation had now turned towards the guards and castle staff, garnering far too many suspects. And they were no closer to finding Varian. 

Eugene didn’t mention to anyone how much Varian’s kidnapping had eaten away at him, not even Rapunzel. When they had first returned from their journey to follow the black rocks, Eugene had been skeptical of Varian since the kid was in the middle of a coup when they returned, but now he couldn’t picture his life without Varian.

In every sense besides blood, Varian was Eugene’s little brother. 

Though Varian did not share many details, once Eugene had figured out how much Andrew the Saporian had manipulated and practically imprisoned Varian, he had come to see himself as Varian’s protector of sorts. Once he knew what Varian had gone through, he had vowed then and there that nothing else would happen to Varian on his watch. 

But now Varian was gone. He had been kidnapped. He was probably hurt and scared, possibly even dead, and that had happened on Eugene’s watch. He had failed to protect Varian. 

Ruminating on Andrew and Varian’s sordid past had only further increased his worries. Most of the Saporians had escaped prison after Zhan Tiri’s attack and Andrew made it clear that he would come after Varian if he got the chance. 

Traitors to Saporia pay with their lives.

Eugene sighed deeply, striding into his office and plopping himself down on his ridiculously ornate chair. The six weeks that Varian was missing had been absolutely exhausting, but he was prepared to do anything to bring Varian back home safe and sound. 

“I won’t let you down,” he swore to himself and his little brother. “I promise you, Varian.”

He knew what promises meant to Varian, but he was determined to keep that oath if it was the last thing he ever did. 

***

Varian was familiar with many different languages. He believed he spoke impeccable English, was fluent in Latin and German, familiar with ancient and modern Saporian, and was finally taking the time to learn the language of the Dark Kingdom.. He was well versed with scientific language and was discovering more about alchemy every single day. 

But the moment Varian saw Cassandra, any and all linguistic skills he possessed vanished. 

He wasn’t even sure there was a word in any language that could describe how he was feeling. 

It had been nearly six months since he had last seen the warrior, and though they had parted on relatively good terms, there was still a hurricane of emotions swirling through Varian, and he was convinced that his rationality was going to be swept away by the current. 

When Cassandra left Corona, she was the complete opposite of what Varian had known her to be. No longer did she seem confident, determined, or sure of herself, but rather uncertain, nervous, if not slightly awkward. At the time, Varian understood her apprehension and was empathetic towards her conflicting feelings. He had been just the same when he had tried to reintegrate himself into society. 

Granted, she had died for the kingdom and that bought her a lot of favor in the public’s eye, but Varian had tried not to let the thought get to him. 

Seeing Cassandra now, Varian saw no trace of the hesitant handmaid. Rather he saw a woman that held herself with dignity, and was not going to let anyone stand in her way. Varian had no idea what led up to this, but he was glad in a way that Cass had seemed to find herself. 

Slightly smirking at Varian’s utter bewilderment, Cassandra leaned forward and gently rested her hand on his knee, grounding him to the reality that was right in front of him. Somehow, Varian tried to unglue his tongue from the roof of his mouth. 

“Cassandra?” he repeated stupidly. “Wha- but how - when did you… how did you get here?”

Cassandra’s grin retreated and the humor vanished from her eyes. “Kid, I think the real question is how did you get here?”

Varian’s eyes darted up to meet hers, not fully comprehending her question. His gaze quickly flitted to Con, who had been silently observing their entire exchange. Overwhelmed by the day’s events, Varian’s panic abruptly grew fangs and morphed into anger. 

“What’s going on?” he snapped, frustrated at his lack of control in this situation. “Why are you with him?”

Varian was aware that it was probably not the best idea to antagonize the man who literally owned him, but he was just so confused. 

And scared and hungry and exhausted. 

It suddenly seemed like too much. Was this some sort of rescue or had Cassandra not quite put her criminal days behind her? And how terrible was he for wondering that? Exasperated by the tears that threatened to spill, Varian roughly wiped at his eyes. He would not be crying right now, no sir. 

He pretended not to notice Cassandra and Con sharing a concerned look. Con looked as though he was about to speak, but faltered when Cassandra held up her hand. 

“I know this is a lot to process right now, Varian, and I’m sorry, but I can explain.”

Varian huffed an annoyed sound and waved his hand with a sarcastic flourish as if to say go on. He shoved down the prickle of guilt he felt at being so callous with someone he called a friend. 

He knew Cassandra noticed the slight, but she didn’t react to it, and that made Varian feel weirdly grateful. 

“I guess to start,” the woman said thoughtfully, “For the past few months, I’ve been traveling all over the Seven Kingdoms and then some. I worked different jobs, but eventually found my way to Abery, a kingdom east of Iriesa. That’s where I became acquainted with this man known as ‘Con.’”

Varian’s gaze met Con’s, but he quickly looked away, not quite ready to trust anything yet. He looked up once more when Con suddenly spoke in a soft accented voice that did not match what it had half an hour ago. 

“My name is actually Markov Yenzin. I have faithfully served under Her Majesty Queen Marin II for thirty years now, taking on the responsibility of-”

“Oh of course,” Varian interjected sarcastically and somewhat hysterically, “You have the responsibility of assuming the persona of a crime boss that aquires slaves for Her illustrious Majesty. What a wonderful and noble thing you do!”

He wasn’t sure where all this raw anger was coming from, but the barbs were already viciously squeezing his heart, and the pain was released at those in range of his poison. 

Oddly enough, Cassandra and Con looked entirely sympathetic. Varian didn’t know if that made him feel better or worse. He had been through hell in the past month - never having a say in the things that happened to him - and now Cassanrda and Con were looking at him like they understood everything he had been put through. 

But they would never understand. 

“Varian,” Cassandra started, awkwardly reaching for his hand. 

Varian knew how she felt about affection and physical touch, and right now, he felt the same. He pulled himself out of her reach, looking up at her seriously. Rapunzel might push the matter, but he was hoping Cass wouldn’t. 

“I’ll listen to what you have to say, and I’ll try to be as calm as I can, but I don’t want to be touched right now. Please.”

Cassandra nodded with a look of understanding, leaning back and folding her arms across her chest. Varian let out a little puff of air. 

In what was almost like a test, Cassandra had shown that she would respect Varian’s wishes. It was the first step to building up his trust with the warrior. He didn’t realize how relieved he would feel about having the slightest bit of agency back, but that demonstration of care pulled a little bit of weight off of Varian’s shoulders. 

He took another deep breath. “Okay. I’m sorry I snapped at you. Please continue.”

“There is nothing to be sorry for, young man,” Con said kindly, “you’ve had a very difficult time and we have only added to your stress so far. I deeply apologize for having frightened you, but I would like you to know that I have done everything I can to help you.”

Seeing Varian’s confusion and slight suspicion, Cassandra took the reins. “As he was saying before, Markov serves Queen Marin II of Abery. The queen is very aware of the dealings in Iriesa, but any attempt at interfering and helping the city has ended in disaster. So she struck a deal with Markov, who has been her faithful advisor for years. The only way to get into Iriesa and not arouse suspicion, is to be engaged in some kind of criminal activity.”

The puzzle pieces started putting themselves together in Varian’s head. Markov took on a criminal identity in order to actually make some real progress in Iriesa, but how?

“I stepped into an alternate persona, infiltrating the city and finding out all I could about the criminal underground. Once I established myself as a rather prominent crime lord, I began using Queen Marin’s funds to secretly bribe or break up crime syndicates. It’s all just a ruse to dismantle the hold crime has in this city.”

Varian nodded slowly, letting the new information sink in. While absurd, Markov’s plan seemed very effective to gain respect and fear from organized criminals and use his weight to take them down. Varian had to admit he was rather impressed by Queen Marin and Markov’s determination to rein in Iriesa. He could also see why Cassandra had gotten involved. 

A thought flashed through Varin’s mind, briefly stopping his heart and making him look Markov in the eye. He had to be sure.

“So you… bought me… to help you carry out your mission?” 

The very idea of working with Markov made his stomach flip. He admired the man for the things he was doing - applauded him really - but he did not wish to participate. All he had ever wanted was to help people and to make their lives with the wonders of alchemy and cooperation, and though it had taken years and a brief stint on the wrong side of the law, he was now getting to achieve that goal in Corona. 

Not only that, but he had finally found what he had been quietly, but desperately seeking. He had people who loved him and appreciated him and his work. People who loved him for who he was and people that accepted him even with the harm he brought to the kingdom. Those are the people that he wanted to help; those are the people that he wanted to be with. 

He didn’t want to stay in this nightmare-inducing city far away from his friends and family and work for a man who was trying to accomplish something that was nearly impossible. 

This time Markov held up his hand. “No no, dear boy, that is not at all my intention. Cassandra and I are going to bring you back to Corona, where we may prosecute the man who ordered your abduction and you may live out the rest of your life in peace.”

Varian blinked. His gaze flitted back and forth between Markov and Cass, his mouth hanging open in confusion. 

Then the relief set in. 

They were taking him home! They had saved him from the brink of a doomed life and were prepared to make the long journey back to Corona just to get him home. 

He could hardly find the words to express his gratitude. Markov didn’t even know Varian, and yet here he was, doing what he could to provide aid to a stranger. It didn’t make sense.

“You paid a fortune to take me home? How did you even find me in the first place?”

Cassandra suppressed a laugh at Varian’s incredulous questions. “Ever since I left Corona, Rapunzel and I have exchanged letters with the help of Owl. A few weeks ago, I got a letter from her. She told me you had been kidnapped from your lab in the dead of night and they had no leads regarding what happened to you. I was in Bayangor at the time, but I quickly returned to Abery to gain resources and scouts to find you.”

“I offered to help Cassandra as a personal favor,” Markov explained. “The reports from our scouts were not promising, but when Cassandra mentioned that you were an experienced alchemist, I had to assume you were being taken to the auction in Iriesa. Talented alchemists are hard to come by, you see.”

Varian did not have to be reminded. He knew he was intelligent and skilled in his field, but until his kidnapping, he did not realize how much his skills were viewed as highly valuable. He shuddered as he remembered the looks of hunger and possession as he was appraised at the auction. 

“As for the supposed fortune I spent on you,” Markov continued, “nothing regarding that transaction was legal, so you do not legally belong to anybody. I initially offered the sum of money to your kidnapper, but it was all a ruse. In fact, my men should be arresting the man who brought you to the auction and reclaiming my fortune as we speak.”

Varian’s head was spinning from all the information that was being thrown at him. His heart had warmed at the thought of Cassandra rushing to help find him despite their rocky past, but he was stunned at the precision and careful planning that led them to this point. 

He would also be lying if he said that hearing Clint would be facing consequences for all the hell he had put Varian through did not bring him satisfaction. For all the bragging the man had done about how much money he would make off of Varian, it was good to know that he would not receive a cent of it. 

“But won’t Clint’s arrest make you look suspicious?” Varian asked, irrationally worried that all of this criminal activity would somehow ruin his chance at returning home. “How could you get away with getting that money back?”

Markov smiled, looking rather mischievous for such a dignified man. “I assure you, young man, I am very good at what I do. My personnel are untraceable and I supposedly paid an astronomical amount for you. For a criminal hive like Iriesa, it is not at all unreasonable to assume that anyone would steal that money. And I can assure you that my people have dealt with this man Clint swiftly and silently.”

Impressed by the planning of this endeavor, Varian released a little puff of air. “I… I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe you both did this for me and I can’t believe the effort you put into rescuing me. It’s been a really terrible six weeks, and all I can say now is thank you. Thank you for helping me and for everything you both have done.”

Markov smiled and dipped his head, a sign of respect that surprised the alchemist. He may be on equal footing with Cass but certainly not with Markov, a dignitary from a foreign kingdom. 

Never one to be very formal, Cass crossed her arms. “Don’t worry about it, Varian, you’re safe now.”

Safe. He was finally safe.

Varian sagged against the upholstery behind him, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. He had expected all this new information to overwhelm him, but now he just felt a burned out exhaustion that caused the energy to seep out of his body. 

He hadn’t felt safe or secure in over a month, living in a constant state of fear, despair, and the ever present feeling of hunger. He hadn’t experienced care or consideration in weeks and it was mentally draining to think about it. The fact that it was finally over was something he could hardly wrap his head around. 

“Varian,” Cassandra called, bringing him out of his stupor. Her face was stony and serious, her tone more grave than it was before. 

Fearing impending bad news, Varian sat up straight. “What is it?”

Cassandra pursed her lips before pushing forward. “Tell me what happened. Who did this to you?”

Varian’s shoulders involuntarily tensed. He knew that this line of questioning was coming, but it still made him wince. He had learned to accept what had happened to him to an extent, but knowing that someone hated him enough to remove him from Corona against his will made his heart twitch. Had Nigel known that Varian would likely end up far away from the kingdom and in the possession of someone?

That’s probably what he wanted, Varian’s mind unhelpfully suggested. If it hadn’t been for Cassandra and Markov’s interference, Varian would have had his entire life torn away from him as the property of a criminal. 

It made sense - Nigel believed that anyone who committed a crime could never come back from it and that criminals belonged with each other. 

Varian scowled, putting his palm to his forehead. “It was Nigel,” he said softly, as if saying it outloud would bring down the man’s wrath. 

Cassandra’s eyes widened and her brows furrowed. “I don’t believe it,” she murmured. 

“He must have known that I would still be in my lab after dark and told Clint where to find me so he couldn’t be implicated in the kidnapping,” Varian quickly summarized, reaching up to pull at his hair. “If I had just gone to bed like Eugene told me to-”

“Woah, hang on a minute, kid,” Cass interjected, waving her hands in front of her. “This is not on you. I grew up in the castle, Varian, and Nigel has been there almost as long as I have. I know him - he’s very methodical and he definitely has the patience to wait for opportunities to turn things in his favor.”

The thought did not put Varian at ease. Even if he returned to Corona, what was to stop Nigel from doing something like this again? Or something worse?

As if she could read his mind, Cassandra kept talking. “Nigel is one of the most meticulous people I’ve ever met. If he arranged something like this, then it’s not good. He was probably going to kill you, Varian, but planned an abduction instead so nothing could be traced back to him. If this weren’t such an awful situation, I’d be sort of impressed with his plan.”

Having pulled himself together somewhat, Varian frowned. “That’s what he said. He told Clint to take me away and ensure that I could never get back to Corona.”

Markov nodded. “That is why he brought you to Iriesa’s auction - you never would have been heard from again.”

Varian’s insides squeezed painfully. During his time as a villain, Varian had been blinded by grief, guilt, and fear, shielding himself behind an impenetrable mask of fury. He had been wrong to do the things he did, but the sense of abandonment did not allow him to see reason. Now, Nigel believed that he was protecting the kingdom from the threat of an evil alchemist. 

And yet, Nigel was also in the wrong. He had no right to do the things he had done to Varian, who, in the eyes of the kingdom and the law, was innocent. Nigel could blame Varian till the sun fell from the sky and accuse him of being evil all he wanted, but the royal advisor was no better. 

Varian clenched his fists. “Well, his plan failed! I’m going back to Corona and I’m going to tell everyone what he did to me.”

Cassandra suddenly leaned forward, reaching into Markov’s bag and pulling out some parchment and a quill. “Alright, slow down a bit. It’s likely that Nigel planned for every possibility, which means he has some kind of alibi and back up plans upon back up plans. It’s not going to be as simple as you accusing the Royal Advisor of kidnapping and treason.”

“But he did-” Varian spluttered in response. 

“I know that, Varian, but things are more complicated than that. It will be your word against his, and he’s got more weight than you do, kid, even with your connection to Rapunzel and the royal family. We’re going to have to be smart about how we play this.”

“Oh yes,” Markov said, “We have nearly three weeks till we arrive in Corona, and by then, we will have a plan.”

Varian groaned, leaning back in his seat. “Well what do you suggest?”

“I hate to even have to say this,” Cassandra said with a grimace, “But we are going to need Fitzherbert’s help.”

Chapter Text

“You really don’t have to do this, you know.”

Eugene ignored Varian’s third attempt to dissuade him from helping. He said nothing, but carefully folded a sling around Varian’s neck, the fabric snugly hugging his injured arm against his chest. 

When Varian hadn’t come to the castle that day, despite insisting that he would, Eugene figured he’d go to Old Corona and double check the kid didn’t accidentally blow up himself and/or others.

Imagine his surprise when he ran into Varian on the winding forest roads, gingerly cradling his left arm close to him. 

Goggles mysteriously missing, Varian looked more unkempt than usual. His shirtsleeve was ripped at the shoulder and his vest was hanging halfway open, displaying the mud that was smeared all over his torso. He wasn’t wearing any shoes and his feet were red from the chilly October air. But what made Eugene pause was the small but steady stream of blood spilling from the kid’s busted lip. 

Having been in several situations like this himself, Eugene knew instantly that Varian had been in a fight - and a one sided fight at that.

Varian must have seen the look on Eugene’s face because his cheeks went pink and he turned away out of embarrassment. Eugene opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t think of anything that would help the situation. 

It had only been a short amount of time since the defeat of the Saporians - Varian’s former allies - and since then, Eugene had barely spoken to Varian. While Eugene trusted Rapunzel completely, he didn’t exactly trust her to trust Varian. The boy had certainly left his mark on both of their lives and Eugene hadn’t forgotten what had happened. 

Was he sympathetic? Sure. Did he feel bad about the way everything was handled with Varian? Of course. 

But that didn’t mean he and the hyperactive alchemist were suddenly friends. 

Before the awkwardness could reach unbearable, Varian suddenly dropped to the ground, holding his head in his hands. At first, Eugene thought he was crying, but he heard quiet murmuring.

 “Stay awake, stay awake, stay awake.”

It seemed rather odd, but Eugene abruptly remembered Rapunzel telling Eugene about Varian’s blood phobia. He was trying not to pass out. Seeing the kid in this state made Eugene’s heart clench a little bit. Maybe he wasn’t friends with Varian, but he did know that Varian had just got the snot beat out of him and was just trying to keep himself together. 

Eugene slowly sat on the ground in front of Varian and offered his handkerchief. Varian blinked a couple times before wordlessly taking the napkin and holding it to his split lip, taking care to avoid Eugene’s gaze. 

“I’d take off the gloves if I were you,” Eugene finally said, “they’ve got a little… ruby red on them.”

Varian still said nothing, but took Eugene’s suggestion, pulling off his gloves and putting the offending garments out of sight. Once again, the two of them were sitting in uncomfortable silence, neither man knowing what to say. 

Apparently Varian couldn’t wait anymore.

“Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?” He finally met Eugene’s eyes, almost like a challenge to comment on the state he was in. 

Eugene sighed. “What would you like me to say?”

Varian huffed. “Don’t you want to tell me what a wimp I am or make fun of me for getting beat up by someone who was shorter than me? Or maybe you’d like to tell me how much I deserve it!” He choked on the last words, turning his head away again and blinking back tears. 

Eugene decided not to comment that there were not that many people who were smaller than Varian and it was surprising someone got the drop on him.

Instead he replied, “No I wouldn’t like to say any of that. What I do want to know is where your arm hurts.”

Varian’s head quickly whipped back to face him, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He seemed shocked that Eugene didn’t want to kick him when he was down, which left Eugene deeply dissatisfied. However, he wasn’t necessarily surprised, Varian was exactly Mr. Popularity in Corona. 

The kid stared at Eugene for a moment before his shoulders sank down. “I think my shoulder is dislocated.”

Eugene winced. Dislocations were never fun. “May I take a look?” he offered without thinking. 

Nearly a half hour later, Varian’s shoulder was back in place and neatly wrapped in a makeshift sling and his lip had stopped bleeding. Very little was said during the mini examination, but there were a few times Varian had tried to convince Eugene that he was fine and he didn’t need help. And after the third insistent comment that Eugene did not have to be there for him, Eugene finally responded. 

“Look I know you’re probably used to doing things on your own and I know you and I aren’t exactly close, but I’m helping you so just shut up and enjoy this luxury treatment.”

He was hoping to get a smile out of Varian, but he was once again met with a bewildered expression. “But why do you want to help me?”

This time it was Eugene’s turn to be surprised. Did he really come across as so callous that he wouldn’t help someone in need? 

Or was there something below the surface - something Varian was not saying. 

“Why would you think I wouldn’t want to help you?” Eugene countered.

Varian turned away. He gave a half shrug, trying to appear nonchalant, but Eugene could tell that there were plenty of feelings swirling around inside him.

“When Andr… the Saporians weren’t exactly the best support system. Most of the time, they didn’t care if I got hurt or was having a problem - to them it was usually funny.”

Now Eugene realized why Varian had expected to be kicked while he was down. The Saporians had already done it before. And it seems like Man-Bun was especially fond of picking on a kid. A stone settled in Eugene’s gut. 

“I thought you were friends with the Saporians,” he carelessly blurted. 

Varian winced once more. “I thought so too,” he said quietly. He looked down at his sling and pursed his lips. 

“I was wrong. It’s not the same as it is with people who actually care about me. There’s literally no reason why Rapunzel should forgive me and want to be my friend, but she did. She freed my dad because it was important to me, even though I gave her nothing in return. She saved my life even though I threatened hers! She actually lets me express my thoughts and feelings instead of ignoring me or silencing me!”

Varian was getting rather agitated, but Eugene could tell that he needed to get some of this off of his chest, so he let the kid vent. 

Besides, he wanted to let Varian express his thoughts instead of ignoring or silencing him.

“Isn’t that what friends are supposed to do? Real friends? Not people who say they are your friends and then treat you like garbage. People who laugh at you when you’re having a panic attack or hit you when you disagree with them or lock you up-”

Varian suddenly choked, squeezing his eyes shut, and taking in a deep gulp of air. Whatever subject he was getting to was clearly painful for him to relive. 

Eugene, however, was mortified. When they had arrived in Corona, he thought Varian was running the whole Saporian charade. He clearly was the smartest and most formidable foe out of the gang, but he can’t believe that he didn’t think that Varian’s motivation came from a place of manipulation and outright abuse. 

He should have seen it sooner. Man-Bun tried to throw Varian to his death!

No wonder Varian didn’t have a clue what real friendship was supposed to look like. 

“I’m sorry, Varian. You’re right, those guys weren’t your friends. But remember this: no matter what happened in the past, and no matter what’s going to happen in the future, Rapunzel will always be your friend. And from now on, you’ve got a friend in me.”

Varian peeked up at him, silent and unsure. But after a moment, he smiled. 

Eugene startled awake, bleary eyes taking in the scene of his office. He must have fallen asleep looking over the map of Old Corona. 

He took a sip of lukewarm coffee, silently reprimanding his brain for reminding him of such a fond memory of Varian while the kid was still missing. 

That day was a turning point for both of them, and their friendship became impenetrable since then, but after learning about everything Varian had been put through with the Saporians, it was also the day Eugene had promised to be there for Varian when he needed it. But he had failed Varian in his most desperate hour. 

Frustrated that he was going down this road again, Eugene took a deep breath, getting up from his desk and opening the window to let in some fresh air.

Instead of the sweet smell of lavender wafting through his open window, something soft and feathery immediately slammed into his face, making him stumble backwards. After releasing a rather masculine scream, Eugene reached for his sword. 

It was halfway out of its sheath when Eugene locked eyes with a bird of prey. Cassandra’s owl was sitting on his desk expectantly, like he hadn’t just shot into the room in a furious flurry of feathers. 

“Skies above, Owl, you almost gave me a heart attack,” Eugene fussed, tucking his sword back in its place. “If you’re looking for Rapunzel to deliver a note, she’s in the throne room.”

Owl hooted, displaying his leg to Eugene and revealing a note that said “Fitzherbert: Confidential” on it. 

“Now why would Cass be sending me a note,” Eugene wondered aloud, gently removing the parchment from the raptor’s leg. It must be important if the secrecy demanded on the front was anything to go by.

He opened up the note, willing himself to not just skip to the end. 

Eugene

Oh boy, she called him his actual name - it must be very serious. 

I don’t have time to insult you right now, but when I arrive at the end of this week, I will never let you get a moment’s rest.

She really was hilarious. She claimed she didn’t have time to insult him and yet - 

Eugene quickly reread the sentence. 

When I arrive at the end of the week.

Cass was coming to Corona without any kind of notice? Rapunzel would be thrilled. Which left Eugene once again wondering why Cass had sent him this note and not Rapunzel. 

Whatever you do, do NOT show this letter to anyone, not even to Rapunzel. I know that’s asking you to lie to her but she can’t keep a secret and I don’t know who in the castle we can trust, so you need to burn this letter as soon as you’re done with it. 

I’m getting straight to the point. I found Varian and I’m bringing him back to Corona as we speak.

This time Eugene actually spit his coffee all over his desk, praying he read that right. 

I found Varian .

 She found him and was bringing him home! Eugene had no idea what kind of state he was in, but the relief at knowing Varian wasn’t dead nearly knocked him off his feet. He eagerly kept reading. 

I can’t give you many details right now, but I need you to stay calm as you’re reading this. Nigel was responsible for Varian’s kidnapping.

Stay calm? Stay calm?! How in the world could Cass expect him to stay calm by telling him that his suspicions were right and Varian was abducted by that conniving little English muffin! 

The very thought nearly made the paper in Eugene’s hard alight with fire. Nigel had seemingly gotten away with this crime, but Eugene would go and arrest him right there and now - with or without evidence. He would make sure that that miserable creep would never see the light of day again and he would-

His eyes unconsciously crept down the paper, the words halting his whole plot of revenge. 

He had help, but because he is so well connected, there’s likely no evidence that points to him. This makes Varian’s testimony invaluable. I have my own connections and right now I have Varian himself, but I need you to handle NIgel. Varian and I came up with a plan, and we need your help. Because you’re stupidly loyal, I know you’ll be up for it.

“Thanks for that, Cass,” Eugene murmured to himself, too elated that Varian was safe to truly be upset at the jab. 

The first part of the plan is already in motion, so here’s what you need to do.

***

“Nigel, have the reports about the harvest come in from Old Corona?” King Frederic asked for the second time. 

The royal advisor nearly rolled his eyes, but pushed down the impulse.

Proceedings had been slow moving since the alchemist was removed from the kingdom, as the royal family was terribly put out by the abduction. They likely wouldn’t have even known it was an abduction in the first place if his hired man had gotten rid of that boy’s pesky rodent. 

Regardless, Nigel thought there had been improvement with the King and Queen focusing on things that actually mattered, but it all went quickly downhill again when he learned from Princess Rapunzel that it was soon the alchemist’s birthday . 

This realization had put the monarchs back under a dark cloud with a rather irritating lack of focus. Nigel couldn’t wait for the day that all those who lived under the castle roof forgot about the impudent twit and the kingdom could thrive once more. 

Still, King Frederic was his sovereign and he would never disrespect royalty, no matter how utterly ridiculous he thought the man’s personal feelings were.

“They have, Your Majesty,” he responded with dignity, “I have filed the reports and notified Mr. Connel of their contents.”

Once this birthday gloom passed, everything could return to the way it was. 

“Thank you, Nigel, you have been essential these last few weeks,” King Frederic said with a smile.

Yes, it was amazing how much could get done when the king let Nigel attend to business instead of getting distracted by frivolous distractions. Soon after the alchemist’s removal, the castle had seen less explosions and gooey footprints left in the carpeting. It was amazing the little brat hadn’t burned down the palace. 

“I appreciate you saying that, Your Majesty. I do what I can to bring prosperity to the kingdom.”

Nigel was mildly annoyed when a knock sounded at the door, despite his request that they be not disturbed. Without waiting for permission, Captain Fitzherbert strode into the room. Nigel was surprised he wasn’t sucking up to the Princess or getting into mischief with his large friend. 

Captain Fitzherbert breezed across the floor, his carefree manner displayed in his walk and his smile.

As if he wasn’t interrupting an important meeting.

“Mornin, fellas,” he said casually, making Nigel seethe. Father-in-law or not, Captain Fitzherbert was addressing the King in a disrespectful manner, and he came into his chambers as if he owned the place. 

“Sorry to interrupt, Frederic, but a letter addressed to you got mixed up in my mail, so I thought I would drop it off before I forget about it.”

He placed the letter in Nigel’s hand before disappearing just as quickly as he had appeared. 

Nigel eyed the letter, not recognizing the unfamiliar handwriting or the name of the sender. The whole thing was rather informal, and it made Nigel cautious.

“Who is the letter from, Nigel?” King Frederic asked, but Nigel could hear in his tone that he was distracted.

“I’m sure just another dignitary responding to the summit request, Your Majesty, I will read it for confirmation.”

Nigel quickly tore open the letter and poured over its contents.

King Frederic of Corona

Something of importance to you has recently come into my possession, and if you would like it back, read this notice carefully. 

I’m sure you remember an alchemist that was abducted out of your kingdom, just a few short months ago. The boy is now in my custody, and I do not have to inform you of what will happen to him should you fail to meet my requests. 

In three days time, I will arrive to privately discuss the matter with you. I am certain we can come to an agreement on payment if you would like the boy back alive and well. 

Do not try to cross me.

Regards,

Con

Nigel was frozen in his seat, stunned by what he had just read. He nearly crumpled the paper in his hands, outraged that that little parasite had somehow managed to worm his way back into their lives. 

Of course, Princess Rapunzel had offered a reward for Varian’s return and now a mercenary was set on returning the alchemist to Corona for more payment. Well, Nigel would just have to work his way around this while the alchemist was still a hostage. 

If they wanted money for the boy, Nigel would give it to them.

He stood up from his chair in a calm manner to avoid suspicion. “As I suspected, King Frederic, it was about the summit. I will take care of it at once.”

Nigel quickly exited the King’s chambers. This was a delicate matter and must be handled with surgical precision. That boy was not going to return to Corona. 

Yes, he would take care of it at once. 

Chapter Text

Entering the borders of Corona should have been one of the most exhilarating moments of Varian’s life. He had been gone for almost three months, and the only thing he had wanted in that time was to return home.

Now that it was happening, he felt like he was going to throw up.

The two and a half weeks of traveling with Cassandra and Markov had been peaceful, pure bliss compared to his previous weeks of captivity. The three of them had carefully and painstakingly laid out a detailed plan of how they would expose Nigel’s plot. Any free moment they had, the group would discuss their plan, what could go wrong, and how they would recalibrate if worse came to worst. 

Though planning and the use of strategy kept Varian busy and his mind sharp, he also found that he was completely at ease. His time as a hostage had been tense - every day causing his heart to pound with anxiety and the fear of the unknown. The constant state of stress was accompanied by the ever present feeling of discomfort. There was never a single moment that Varian felt content. He was always weak, exhausted, and hungry, not to mention scared, lonely, and pitiful. He had nothing and no say in anything that had befallen him.

Everything he had experienced while traveling with his kidnapper left him even more grateful for Cassandra and Markov’s care. 

It had taken a little bit of time for Varian to adjust to eating consistently and to the point of satiety, and an even longer time for him to warm up to Markov (a man who frightened him for seemingly buying him), and Cassanra (the woman who had previously kidnapped him), but the two had continuously chipped away at his reserves until the walls crumbled. 

Markov took it upon himself to make sure Varian ate as much as he could stomach and rest as much as he was able. Varian did not have to be told to sleep twice when Markov had graciously paid for a rather lavish inn so Varian could have a comfortable and safe place to sleep the night of his rescue. 

Varian had nearly cried when he saw the cushy king sized bed that was waiting for him, the relief of sleeping in an actual bed and not on the cold, hard ground nearly bringing him to his knees. 

Since that first night, Markov had done everything he could to make Varian content, and Varian found himself immeasurably thankful. It made the ache for his father a smaller hole in his heart. Whatsmore, Varian and Markov had bonded over their love of science and the drive to absorb as much knowledge as they could. As much as Varian appreciated Eugene’s attempts to pretend to listen to alchemy tangents, It was refreshing to talk with someone who understood what he was saying and could respond with an extensive vocabulary and immense intellect. 

Admittedly, it had been easier for Varian to talk to Markov than Cassandra. 

Cass had been careful to keep her distance from Varian, but things were a little awkward, and Varian didn’t want things to be awkward. The fact that Cass had dropped everything to search for Varian, employing the assistance of a foreign kingdom, was especially touching to Varian. He had always looked up to her, and though their relationship was rocky, her dedication to finding him did not go unnoticed. 

However, they had not seen each other in several months, their goodbye being stiff and a little uncomfortable. That time gap put even more of a strain on their relationship and Varian was rather dismayed to have Cassandra witness him as a victim yet again. He believed that in her eyes, he must seem like a pathetic and helpless kid, even if she had never said anything about it. 

Varian feared that the entire three week trip back to Corona would be unfamiliar and awkward with Cass, but in the end, her companionship had once again turned back into friendship thanks to their long days and nights talking, sharing, and connecting

Having only Cass and Markov for company did wonders for Varian’s nerves, and his thankfulness had greatly outweighed his initial apprehensiveness toward Cass. It was fortunate she was on their side - it was because of her brilliant military mind they were able to come up with a solid plan that put him a little more at ease. 

Near the end of their journey, Varian felt that their plan would succeed. Even if something did go wrong, at the end of the day, Nigel had arranged Varian’s kidnapping and Varian would do everything he could to prove it. 

He also had complete faith in Eugene. 

He only hoped he hadn’t told Rapunzel of their secret communications. If Rapunzel was involved, no one could be spared from her smothering hugs or her swinging frying pan.

The plan was fairly straightforward, and Varian himself didn’t really have to do anything. 

So why was he so nervous?

As they approached the castle, Varian’s palms became increasingly sweaty and his leg was bouncing hard with nervous energy. He must have really been a sight because Markov placed his hand on Varian’s arm. 

“I understand you’re anxious, my boy, this plot of intrigue is rather nerve-wracking, but it is imperative that you… well, it’s important to-”

“It’s imperative that you pull yourself together and stop sweating all over the place,” Cassandra griped from her place at the window.

Varian smiled. Her words were cross, but her tone betrayed her. She was doing what she could to make Varian feel better, while trying to alleviate some of her own nerves. Over the course of these three weeks, Cassandra’s presence was a welcome and comforting one.

“Sorry,” Varian chuckled, “it’s just been so long and I’m worried about Eugene.”

Cass leaned back against the seat. “Fitzherbert may be a moron, but I know he’ll do everything he can to help you. I’m sure he’s just dying to get “Team Awesome” back together.” 

Varian was also dying for that very thing. Being separated from Eugene for so long had been very painful, and Varian was aching to be near him again. Though he didn’t like to admit it outloud, Varian had come to feel safe with Eugene, as if just being with him could protect him from harm. He had felt this way ever since Eugene assisted him after a beatdown from village bullies. 

The thought of reuniting with the other half of Team Awesome made his blood pulse with anticipation. 

“Yes Captain Fitzherbert has shown remarkable dedication to you, Varian,” Markov said kindly. “It is wonderful that he is in your corner.”

Varian smiled. “I’m very lucky. It’ll be great to see Eugene again.”

“Before we enter the city, I wanted to express something to you, young man. It has been a pleasure to get to know you, and I am pleased that I was able to assist you in a time of need. Should you ever find yourself in trouble, do not hesitate to contact me, on behalf of Queen Marin II. And should you ever wish to visit Abery, I would be happy to see you again. Perhaps I can show you the engineering lab.” 

Markov wiggled his eyebrows to entice Varian, and it made him giggle, despite the vivid blush on his cheeks. 

“I can never express my gratitude for everything that you’ve done for me, Markov. Thank you for helping me. And I would love to see that lab. Maybe I can show your corp of engineers how to build a proper boiler.” Varian tried to cut through his own awkwardness with a little humor, and thankfully, Markov chuckled. 

“That might not be the best idea, sir,” Cass said, her tone amused. “From what I hear, Varian is prone to… shall we say lab accidents.”

“Hey, I’m down to about one explosion per week, thank you very much.”

“Oh thank goodness it’s that infrequent, you had me worried for a second there.”

Varian stuck his tongue out at Cass and she indulged his childishness by returning the gesture. 

“Cassandra, Varian,” Markov’s serious tone drew their attention to him, his accent tickling Varian’s ears. “We are approaching the palace entrance. Prepare for battle.”

Varian had to smile at Markov’s antics. The man really took his job seriously.

All three of them were already dressed in coordinated attire for their meeting, but Varian and Cass clasped their cloaks and pulled the hoods over their heads, hiding most of their faces. 

Varian was embarrassed to be wearing heeled boots, but he understood their necessity to make him appear taller than he was, so he swallowed his complaints early on. 

The carriage came to a stop in tandem with Varian’s heart. This was it. 

Letting in beams of the bright Corona sunshine, the carriage door opened and the group came face to face with Lieutenant James, one of Eugene’s top men. 

This was a promising sign. 

“Good afternoon,” the lieutenant said, “will you please inform me of what your business is here today?”

Markov secretly signaled Cassandra and Varian to remain silent. “Why yes I can. I have business with your king. He is expecting me. I received his notice to meet him in the south library.”

Accent completely gone, Varian felt a shudder hearing Markov’s commanding and intimidating “villain voice.” Once in their journey, Markov and Varian had discussed what each of them had done to sound more threatening than they felt. The sudden thought of that odd interaction almost made Varian smile. 

Lieutenant James inspected the parchment presented by Markov before signaling to two other guards to open the palace doors. “Very good, sir, you and your companions may follow me.”

The group climbed out of the carriage and followed Lieutenant James. Varian could hardly contain his excitement when they entered the castle and he was hit with the familiar smell of lavender and ancient carpets, but he stamped out the skip in his step and wiped the smile off his face. He needed to be as professional and stoic as possible. 

But internally, he was doing cartwheels.

Varian took in every sight and sound, relishing in the comfort of his home away from home. It felt so good to be back.

All too soon, they reached the south library.

Markov was optimistic about the fact that they had been summoned to the library instead of the throne room, but Varian’s heart was still beating hard. So many things could go wrong for them. As confident as he was in their plan, he was worried that Nigel had somehow managed to outsmart them. He hadn’t already been arrested for Varian’s kidnapping, after all, so he was a very careful planner.

Varian scowled, shaking his head. This was going to work. It had to.

The heavy library doors silently swung open and the group made their way inside, the cool air of the room a relief from the warmth of the sun shining through the window.

“Please do not hesitate to report to me if there is a problem,” Lieutenant James said, motioning for the other guards to leave the room. 

The doors closed with a soft thump, leaving the impression that all of the guards had left the room. However, instead of exiting, Lieutenant James made his way behind one of the massive bookcases, assuming his assigned post with a salute to Markov.

With one of the chess pieces in place, Markov, Cassandra and Varian approached the lone figure in the room. He was facing away from them, but his posture and position reminded Varian of a king sitting on a throne, making him roll his eyes.

What a tool.

When Nigel stood up from this chair to face them, Markov immediately stepped forward, his eyes blazing. “What is the meaning of this? I have a private meeting with His Majesty King Frederic of Corona. Remove yourself from this room at once!”

Irritatingly enough, Nigel just smirked at Markov’s order. “I can assure you, good sir, I am aware of any dealings the king takes part in. Just so, I know of the letter King Frederic received mere days ago and I am here to talk terms on behalf of the king.”

Varian held his breath.

“If you truly knew the contents of the letter, I can imagine you would be a lot more concerned than you are currently displaying. Clear out of here now.”

Nigel took another step forward with a deep sigh, looking rather bored with what should have been a tense encounter with a criminal.

“You are here because you have come into possession of an alchemist that you believe is of great importance to the royal family, and you wish to exchange his freedom for some kind of reward. You have expressly threatened that the boy would be harmed, should Coronan officials fail to meet your demands. As far as I am aware, this is a hostage negotiation. Have I left anything out?”

Varian wanted to punch that pompous smile right off of Nigel’s smug face. Although they suspected Nigel would be the one to show up to this meeting - if only to cover his tracks - Varian was still wondering why he would even bother to come here. It’s not like he cared what happened to Varian. 

Correction: He did care what happened to Varian. He cared if Varian suffered. His only concern was that Varian meet a cruel fate. 

For his part, Markov was a very convincing actor. He feigned deep confusion and just stared at Nigel a moment before seemingly collecting himself. He raised an eyebrow, looking rather menacing if Varian did say so himself.

“I say once again: you seem rather unmoved with the boy’s plight, and not at all concerned for a friend of the king’s.”

Nigel scoffed at Markov’s baited statement. “I’m not sure what nonsense the boy has been telling you, but I assure you, he is no friend of the king’s. He is a criminal, a low-life who beguiled the princess into thinking he is nothing but an innocent child. But I am not fooled.”

A shard of ice pierced Varian’s heart at Nigel’s words. Though the thought sometimes made his heart ache, Varian was aware that he would not be able to show everyone that he was not the same person who attacked the crown three years ago. It was that weary and angry little monster born out of desperation and hurt that was not the real Varian. The real Varian wanted to do everything he could to help those around him, but there were still those who would only ever see him as a villain. 

Varian had mostly come to terms with that fact. But here was Nigel, talking about how disgusting Varian’s actions were when he himself was in the midst of plotting revenge after the first kidnapping attempt fell apart. The ice shard was instantly vaporized as Varian’s heart with a red hot burst of anger. His fists were tightly clenched and he exhaled sharply. 

Thankfully, and rather surprisingly, Cass gently brushed her fingers along Varian’s arm, the movement nearly imperceptible. That motion conveyed many messages, and with it, Varian’s furious flames were quickly extinguished.

She was letting him know that she was there for him while simultaneously telling him to keep himself together, and Varian took a breath to heed her advice. 

He needed to stay calm, no matter what Nigel said.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Markov admitted, his tone suspicious and cold. “If you and the king harbor negative feelings for the boy, why come here today to negotiate his release?”

“I did not agree to meet you to make an exchange for the boy - quite the opposite. It is in this kingdom’s best interest that he remains in your custody.”

The room was silent for a moment, save Nigel’s nasally breathing. Giving the impression that no one knew what to say, Markov let the silence dwindle for a moment longer before speaking. 

“I couldn’t care less about your dislike for one little brat,” he spat with bone chilling fervor. “I came all this way to get paid and I’m not leaving without a substantial amount of money and that deadweight out of my charge.”

Varian knew that Markov’s demands wouldn’t mean much to Nigel, but he was still impressed with the man’s tenacity. 

“Would it make any difference to you if I offered you a substantial amount of money to get rid of the boy so he can disturb neither you nor this kingdom?” Nigel offered calmly. 

The hair on the back of Varian’s neck stood up. Did the fact that Varian had somehow made it back to Corona lead Nigel to believe that the only way to get rid of him for good was to kill him? It couldn’t be - Nigel was a class A douche, but he wasn’t a murderer.

Oh what do you know , Varian’s brain snarked. He didn’t think that primp and proper Nigel was capable of planning an elaborate kidnapping, and yet here he was. 

“I’m not sure you understand how hostage negotiations work,” Markov said condescendingly.

Undeterred, Nigel stepped forward. “It is you who does not understand. You came for money, and I am happy to oblige. But this is no exchange - leave the kingdom with that worthless wretch and enjoy your loot.”

Varian kept his face stoic to hide the pain in his stomach. During his time in prison and his brief rebellion with the Saporians, Varian had often felt that he was worthless. Not just because the guards said so or because Andrew said so, but he had felt a deep and draining form of loneliness and regret, and his mind did its best to convince him that he wasn’t worth much of anything. He was unable to make his father proud of him, he had very little in the way of friends for most of his life, and was sent to prison with people who openly wanted to hurt him. 

Even after the defeat of Zhan Tiri, it had taken Varian years to slowly and painstakingly build his self-worth back up. He didn’t think it would ever be to the level that Eugene hoped it would get to, but Varian was coming to terms with himself and had only grown in confidence. 

Yet cruel words from Nigel penetrated his armor. But Varian squared his shoulders, his jaw tense, and pushed Nigel’s words from his mind. 

He was about to get what was coming to him.

Markov’s arms crossed over his chest. “These wishes come directly from the king?”

“Directly.”

“Well,” Markov grinned, “I can’t say that I wouldn’t love having everything in my favor and getting a small fortune. Though you never specified, do you want the boy kept or killed?”

Varian had sort of expected Nigel to at least pretend to contemplate ruining or ending Varian’s life, but the man was quick to reply. 

“Kept. Killing him would be the simple solution as that cunning little rat has managed to slink his way back into this kingdom, but there is something about killing him that does not bode well. You see, this boy is a danger to the crown and to the kingdom. He nearly ruined my career and everything that I have worked so hard to achieve, and yet the princess values his opinion more than mine. So yes, I would like you to keep him. Do with him what you will, he means nothing to me. My only request is to make sure he will never set foot in this kingdom again.”

Varian suddenly felt ill. Nigel didn’t want to kill him because he wanted Varian to suffer, not because he didn’t want to get caught. Nigel hated him so much and resented the fact that the royal family respected him that he was willing to pay a supposed mercenary to make Varian’s life miserable. His horror must have spread to Cassandra because he could see her body tense up. 

If someone as battle hardened as Cassandra was upset by Nigel’s request, then a wimpy sap like Varian would promptly collapse to the ground. Varian’s wobbly knees almost made that a reality. 

Nigel had no way to know if Markov would take Varian and just kill him as soon as he left Corona, no matter what kind of deal they made. And yet, he condemned Varian to a doomed fate without a second thought. It made Varian’s blood burn, but he stayed still, waiting for Markov’s response. 

“You seem to have carefully thought this all out,” Markov observed quietly, coaxingly. 

“Believe me, the boy’s abduction is in the best interest of this kingdom. This has been a long time coming.”

Please Markov, Varian silently begged, I just want this whole thing to be over.

As if reading Varian’s mind, Markov straightened up and squared his shoulders. “I’ll admit this is not how I was expecting this meeting to go. However, I believe I will oblige. I will keep the boy and take him away, at your request. Deal?”

”Um, sorry scary criminal dude, I’m gonna have to say no deal.”

Everyone in the room startled at the new voice, even those who knew that intruder would be making an entrance at an instructed time. 

However, only one person was shocked and angry to see none other than Eugene Fitzherbert casually leaning against a bookcase, deftly swinging around a cast iron frying pan. 

He looked calm and collected, almost bored, but Varian could tell that he was tense with anticipation, his eyes burning with intensity. 

Man, Varian really was a wimpy sap. Seeing Eugene, his brother in every way but blood, was like healing balm on a stinging wound. Eugene meant home, safety, friendship, and comfort - the exact opposite of everything he’d experienced while he was away. It wasn’t even seeing his brother making Varian feel giddy, it was also the fact that head of the royal guard, Captain Fitzherbert had all but heard Nigel tell a mercenary to keep Varian held prisoner after kidnapping him in the first place. 

Varian remained still as NIgel briefly spluttered in surprise and Eugene smiled with vindictive pleasure. Lieutenant James and two other guards emerged from their hiding places, covering every exit and making it impossible for Nigel to flee. 

The jig was up.

Nigel, ever the careful planner and used to always being one step ahead, floundered for a moment. He wasn’t one to give up easily. 

“Captain Fitzherbert,” he said loftily, “I wasn’t expecting you to join this meeting.”

“Clearly,” Eugene snarked back, making Varian smile a little. 

“Then I am correct to assume that you heard this conversation?”

“Every word.”

“And what do you propose happens now?”

“Well I would think that an arrest is customary in a kidnapping case.”

Nigel remained quite composed for a man who was about to go to prison and he simply raised his eyebrow.

“You’re mistaken. I had nothing to do with the alchemist’s original abduction, I merely just allowed this man to keep him out of Corona’s borders. Forgive me for trying to keep the kingdom safe.”

Long ago, Varian swore that he would never let anger control him or his actions again, no matter how badly someone had wronged him. But now, with steam practically shooting out of his ears, he was ready to let a blind fury overwhelm him so he could punch Nigel with all the strength he had. 

While he seethed, Eugene simply laughed, too familiar with criminal activity for Nigel to sway him. 

“You’re going to try and spin that kind of story? Save me your web weaving skills, Nigel, I heard everything and there are several witnesses. James, cuff him. You’re under arrest and we are done here.”

As Lieutenant James approached Nigel, the advisor's composure seemed to be crumbling. He allowed himself to be shackled but hissed venomous words as it happened. 

“It’s too late, Fitzherbert. The brat is gone and you’ll never find him. Don’t expect this criminal to help you.”

Eugene was entirely undisturbed, fixing his hair in the ornate mirror hanging on the wall. “Gee, I forgot how out of the loop you are. Pardon me, I guess introductions are courteous. Nigel, this is Markov Yenzin, advisor to Queen Marin II of Abery. Markov, this is the low-life scum that abducted Varian.”

“Charmed,” Markov said with a deep, mocking bow, his accent back in place.

Varian was immensely satisfied with the way Nigel’s face turned red with rage. It was almost over. It should have been almost over. But Nigel was unwilling to throw in the towel. 

“Your elaborate charade is nothing more than that - a charade. The alchemist is still nowhere to be found, and as long as I live, he will never enter the castle walls again!”

The plan was clearly laid out: Markov, Cassandra, and Varian would arrange to meet with Nigel and goad him into admitting to arranging Varian’s kidnapping with Eugene and several witnesses present. Nigel would be escorted to a cell and Varian would reunite with his family without even speaking to the indigent advisor. 

Varian had done his best to keep his mouth shut to keep the plan intact, but he just couldn’t help it any longer. He had to see Nigel’s plan wither into dust and make it known that it was not easy to get rid of him. 

“Wanna bet?” Varian called out, pulling his hood off of his head. Several pairs of wide eyes turned toward the beaming alchemist and Cass reached out a hand as if to stop him.

“Varian,” Eugene breathed out in relief in tandem with Nigel hissing “You!”

Heart warming with Eugene’s relieved smile, Varian with a wicked smile of his own. “Next time you kidnap somebody, don’t pay someone else to do your dirty work.”

Nigel exhaled sharply and furiously, briefly straining against Lieutenant James’ grip. “You think you’re so clever - above everyone else because the princess showed you mercy. You’re nothing but a big headed child who got away with treason and didn’t pay for his crimes.”

The vengeful part of Varian immediately melted away and he was filled to the brim with indignation.

“Didn’t pay for my crimes?” he cried out, “I was under house arrest because of a rumor you spread! I was in prison for over a year with violent adults and forced to give my life to a cult! I was kidnapped and dragged across the Seven Kingdoms and almost sold into slavery! I was muzzled because of you!” 

“You should have been long ago,” Nigel raved. “You’re a traitor to the crown and a danger to this kingdom and it seems I am the only one who sees it! If I had things my way, I would see to it that you were properly punished for your crimes without leniency-”

The clanging thud of a frying pan meeting the back of Nigel’s skull echoed throughout the library as Nigel’s unconscious body unceremoniously flopped to the floor. Eugene stood locked in place, his arms still raised after his ferocious swing. His breathing was erratic and he looked angry, staring down in disgust at Nigel. 

“Man I hate that guy,” Eugene ground out, trying to lighten the mood. Varian could tell his emotions were running deeper than they appeared, but he cracked a smile nonetheless. 

“James, take care of him,” Eugene instructed, gesturing down at Nigel. When he looked up, he met Varian’s eyes. 

Without a second thought, Eugene stepped over Nigel’s unconscious body and rushed to Varian, pulling him into a tight hug. Varian, in turn, dug his face into Eugene’s chest, and inhaled his familiar scent. He pushed down the rising surge of emotion and just relished the comfort of Eugene’s hold. 

“Hey, Goggles,” Eugene said into his hair. “Glad you’re back.”

“It’s good to be home,” Varian responded quietly. He pulled back from Eugene and smiled at Markov and Cassandra, who had taken off her hood. 

“Even though Rapunzel is going to kill me for not telling her you’re here, Rapunzel is going to be so happy to see you, Var,” Eugene said, ruffling Varian’s hair. 

Varian just grinned, mentally preparing to be crushed by Rapunzel’s bear hug.

“So,” Eugene continued. “I suggest we make our way to the throne room. Ambassador Yenzin, may I introduce you to King Frederic and Queen Arianna of Corona?”

“It would be my pleasure.”

As the guards carried Nigel away to the dungeon, the group made their way out of the library to meet with the royal family. 

At long last, Varian was home. 

Chapter Text

If Varian had a Corona Sun for every time he had to testify at a trial for people who hated him, he’d have two Corona Suns. Which isn’t a lot but it was weird that it happened twice. 

Testifying against the Saporians had been bad enough as he had been their willing accomplice at one point, but he had also seen the fury in Andrew’s eyes and the threat of violence in his tightly wound body. He knew the man would destroy him if he was given the chance. But through the fear and exhaustion that tugged on his heart and weighed down his shoulders, Varian had spoken against the people who were not only cruel to him, but had almost succeeded in destroying the kingdom. 

The whole ordeal had been frightening and mentally draining, but Varian was glad that he at least got the chance to stick up for himself. And put Andrew back in a cell. 

Nige’s trial was a completely different story. 

Where previous trials in Corona were a several day process with the King passing sentences, Nigel’s case was open and shut, so the trial was concluded in just one day. 

It didn’t matter how careful Nigel was or how little evidence he left behind, Varian’s testimony as a character witness and the literal victim greatly limited the  need for deliberation. 

The advisor was given the opportunity to defend himself - at Varian’s insistence - but he was unable to convince anyone that Varian should be locked up beside him for being a traitor to the crown. 

Varian almost felt a little bit bad for the man. In Nigel’s mind, he believed that he was doing something good for the kingdom - that he was trying to protect it. However, his twisted and warped mentality went from protecting the kingdom to taking revenge on Varian, taking the course of unnecessary violence against him. He could preach about doing what was best for the kingdom all he wanted, he was still wrong and needed to face justice for the crimes he committed. 

With additional testimonies from Markov, Cassandra and Eugene, the trial was concluded and Nigel was subjected to the fate that had almost befallen Varian: exile. 

For a moment, Varian wondered if the sentence was too harsh, but Rapunzel had informed him that the court, the royal family, had all decided that it was for the best. Nigel clearly had a skewed view of how the kingdom should be run, and if he was willing to abduct Varian and sell him into slavery, what else would he be willing to do for the sake of “protecting the kingdom.” 

Varian felt a brief twinge of empathy for Nigel, but when the advisor was escorted from the courtroom, he steadfastly stated that eventually the King and Queen would forget about their pet project and he would be abandoned yet again, that empathy was washed away. Worst of all, Nigel decreed that Varian would never be worth anything more than the scum on the dungeon floors, and his inventions would do nothing for the kingdom but cause ruin and destruction. The guards managed to get the angry advisor out of the room, but Varian’s heart had been heavy. 

He emphatically wanted to help others and do good to make up for all the things he had done wrong in his life. He wanted his inventions and creations to be valued and his works to be noticed. He wanted to be appreciated. 

Hearing Nigel say that Varian would never amount to anything had left a hole in his confidence. 

Luckily, he had not been sad for long. A vibrant celebration of his safe return was held shortly after the trial had concluded. 

Rapunzel had spared no expense for the jubilant festival and Varian had never had so much fun in his entire life. There was so much delicious food, silly games, lively music, and glittering fireworks of his own design. Markov and Cassandra had even stayed for the party. 

Even with all the excitement and the wonderful party planning of the princess, Varian was sure Eugene was still on thin ice with his girlfriend. About as thin of ice as you could be on with the Sunshine Princess. 

Following Nigel's arrest in the south library, Varian and his group quickly made their way to the throne room. 

It was rather unexpected when the doors were thrown open and Varian had strode right in. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and stared at the entourage, not quite sure what was going on.

The stillness did not last long as Rapunzel had loudly squealed and jumped off the dias, running towards him with such intensity Varian almost took a step back. 

She immediately scooped Varian into a tight hug and had nearly squeezed the life out of him as she lifted him up and spun him around, crying into his chest. 

“I’m so happy you’re safe,” was the only thing Varian had been able to decipher from her rapid chatting when she had put him down. 

Once Varian had caught his breath and the room stopped spinning, he had been eagerly greeted by King Frederic and Queen Arianna, both of whom expressed their happiness at his return. Varian was left a blushing and stuttering mess, but he’d never forget the warm feeling in his chest.

After that, things had kind of exploded into chaos when Rapunzel realized that not only was Varian home but Cass as well. The princess had made everyone present sit down on the floor and demanded an explanation. 

Eugene, Varian, and Markov had taken turns with a rather extravagant retelling of Varian’s kidnapping, rescue, and Nigel’s arrest in the library. Upon Eugene and Cassandra’s confession that they had devised an elaborate plan without consulting Rapunzel, the blonde had glared over at Eugene and demanded how he could do that to her, knowing how stressed she’d been. 

To his credit, Eugene explained himself rather well, placating Rapunzel when he said that the only reason he did it was for Varian’s safety. Rapunzel had been quick to forgive and was back to her sunny self shortly, but she did hang the secrecy over Eugene’s head at opportune moments, which the man had easily taken in stride. 

“The only thing I care about,” Rapunzel had told the group, “Is that you’re okay and you’re home.”

Four weeks later, Varian was settling in nicely to a new routine. He had spent those first three weeks in blissful peace with his dad in Old Corona, the small village enthusiastically preparing for the harvest. That time of working in the fields, lazy nights by the fire, strolling the forest with Ruddiger, and just being close to his father was some of the most wonderful time Varian had experienced. 

It felt good to be home.

Eventually Varian’s restless energy and his high-wired need to work on something got the better of him and he found himself frequently heading to Corona Capital. 

There was always so much to do and he couldn’t get enough of it. He was taking inventory of the limited stock of alchemical supplies in the castle when he heard someone clear their throat. 

He raised his head quickly - too quickly - and bashed his skull against a steel pipe. “Ow! Holy suns above, why did that hurt so bad!”

As soon as Varian’s head had collided with the metal, he heard a snicker and a gasp and with those sounds, he knew who had come to visit him. 

Looking up, Rapunzel still had a hand over her mouth. She looked worried but her eyes were shining with laughter. Eugene was not so subtle as Rapunzel and was full on laughing while extending a hand to help Varian up. 

Varian took it begrudgingly, still rubbing his smarting head. 

“How do you two always manage to sneak up on me?”

Eugene just grinned. “Hey it’s not our fault you get so wrapped up in your work you don’t pay attention to what’s going on around you.”

“Touche.”

“Enough French, nerd, we got something important to tell you.”

“Eugene!” Rapunzel cut in, giving her husband a look. He stuck his tongue out at her in response

Varian smiled at their antics. Those two could be nauseatingly romantic at times, but Varian would be lying if he didn’t say that their love for each other wasn’t sweet. 

“This better not be some kind of emergency,” Varian groaned, “I think the Moonstone and an evil demon was enough for the next one hundred years.”

“Ditto,” Eugene agreed, “but that’s not what we’re here for. We’ve got good news and great news.”

Varian carefully tucked his inventory list into his apron pocket. Looks like he wasn’t getting any more work done on that today, not if his friends had anything to say about it. 

“Well in that case, I’ll take the good news,” Varian quipped. 

Rapunzel gently took his hand and began leading him out of the little storage room. “I wanted to let you know that Ambassador Yenzin and Cassandra were able to deliver your letter on their way back to Abery. Ambassador Yenzin says you should expect a response very soon.”

Varian’s heart swelled with joy at Rapunzel’s words. 

Shortly after his return to Corona, Varian had written a letter to Alastair and Marilyn, letting them know that he had made it back safely. He left out some of the more grisly details of his time at the auction in Iriesa and some of his more horrible experiences, but he told them of Markov and how the man’s resources and generosity had helped him get back home. And for the millionth time, he thanked them for their kindness and hospitality to him. They had insisted that he didn’t need to keep thanking them for helping him, but he knew there was nothing he could do to better express how much their care had meant to him. He would have never have survived without their aid, and he wanted them to know that he was okay. He was eager to hear from them again. 

“That’s great!” Varian replied enthusiastically, “If it ever works, I’d love to have them visit Corona. It would be amazing to see them again.”

“I’m sure we could make that happen,” Rapunzel gushed, aware of Alastair and Marilyn from Varian’s stories and their worth to him.

With Rapunzel still holding tight to his hand, Varian realized that they were heading out to the castle gardens. “Wait a second, what are you two up to?”

“Up to?” Eugene asked innocently.

“Up to?” Rapunzel echoed.

“Up to?” they both gasped dramatically. 

Varian laughed. “I know you guys want me to get more sunlight for my “health” and all that, but I know you’re both crazy busy, so why are we headed out to the gardens together?”

“What, can’t we just spend time with you because we love you?”

Varian just stared at him with a deadpan expression. 

“Okay okay,” Rapunzel sighed. “We wanted to surprise you with a fun little celebration picnic in the gardens.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Varian chuckled awkwardly. “Gee Rapunzel, I love all the parties and everything, but you know that crowds aren’t exactly my thing. I don’t know if I can do another round of small talk with people who may or may not hate me.”

Rapunzel smiled knowingly, pulling him even faster towards the clearing by the blooming red rose hedges. “I know that, Mr. Antisocial, that’s why today is going to be something a little different.”

She pulled Varian around the corner and he braced himself for shouts of “Surprise!” but they never came. 

Instead of the crowd of people he had been expecting, Varian was met by a small group of people and a chubby raccoon sitting on a quilt in the grass, surrounded by food. 

Queen Arianna was pouring pink lemonade into King Frederic’s glass, the monarchs looking peaceful and happy. Varian’s dad was preventing Ruddiger from snatching bits of fruit from the plate before it was served. Varian was surprised to see Tilly sitting next to his father, stroking Ruddiger’s fur. 

Tilly was a kindly nurse who had looked after Varian on the occasion that he had been hurt by a guard or by the Saporians. During his time in the dungeons and his brief period aligned with terrorists who threatened to kill you if you deviated from them, Varian had grown very fond of Tilly. She was always willing to help him and she was nice to him. Tilly’s face was the only friendly face Varian had seen in months. 

He was glad to see her face now, surrounded by other friendly faces.

“We wanted to have a nice, quiet lunch,” Rapunzel said softly, “just how you like it.”

Warmth spread through Varian’s body, so much so he thought it would shoot out of his fingertips. He liked to think about how considerate Rapunzel and Eugene were to him and how many nice things they did for him. A quiet picnic with people he cared about in a garden smelling of roses was exactly what Varian would have wanted and he was thankful his friends were aware of that. 

The afternoon was warm and lovely, filled with lively conversations and gentle laughter. Even Varian’s chimed in with a joke or two. It had been several years since Varian had felt so at ease. This is exactly what he needed.

Varian was joyfully rambling to Tilly when Rapunzel lightly tapped her wine glass with a knife, calling the attention of the group towards her. 

“Thank you all for meeting here today, it has been just marvelous. One of the reasons we’re gathering is to celebrate Varian’s safe return to Corona. We’re all so happy you’re home.” With the last part directed at Varian, she smiled warmly at him. Varian blushed as little cheers rang out. Having the spotlight on him still made him uncomfortable as it did happy. 

“The other reason was to get him out of his little alchemy nest  to actually see daylight,” Eugene joked, ruffling Varian’s hair. 

“I knew it,” Varian spat out playfully, relaxing at the sound of laughter around him. 

“The other reason,” Rapunzel rolled her eyes, “was because I have an announcement to make.”

That made Varian perk up. Why would she assemble this group for an announcement? This group would only be relevant if the announcement had something to do with him. His stomach squirmed a little at the attention.

“As you all know, my father has decreed that I should step into the role of Queen in one month.” This earned another round of cheering. “And as Queen, I want our land to be united, strong, and full of love. Because of that, I am gathering a team of advisors and consorts to help me navigate this transition and to strengthen our kingdom.”

Varian had no idea where she was going with this, but he nodded along anyway. He secretly hoped that she wouldn’t ask him to be a royal advisor. He had no interest in political affairs and wanted nothing to do with running a kingdom. Keeping everything in order during the Saporian reign had been enough, thank you.

And who wanted a temperamental teenager in that position?

“So,” Rapunzel called his attention back towards her. “Right before you went missing, Varian, I was going to tell you about an opportunity that I think would be wonderful for you. Should you accept, we can work out the details and sort through everything, but I wanted to know what you think.”

Varian  held his breath.

“Varian of Old Corona, should you so desire, you are hereby appointed as Corona’s Royal Engineer and Alchemist.”

All of the air Varian had been holding in rushed out of his lungs. He knew he was just blankly staring at the Princess with wide eyes, but his brain could just not compute. 

“What?” he said very intelligently.

Rapunzel just smiled patiently. “I would like to instate you as the kingdom’s engineer and alchemist. In this position, you would be able to build and make various creations for the benefit of Corona. Anything you can dream up, you can build it. As required for the nature of this position, you would be provided a room in the castle, materials for your work, and a lab to work in.”

Varian could hardly believe what he was hearing, but when Rapunzel said the words “lab” and “materials” his brain nearly short-circuited. A lab. A functional lab where he could keep all of his compounds, and machines, and creations, and work with alchemy to his heart's content. He’d be able to try new things with funds and materials from the kingdom and best of all, he’d be able to help people. He would be able to make people’s lives easier with the awesome power of alchemy!

This was everything he could have ever wanted.

So why did he feel hesitant?

He was almost worried to voice his anxieties, but he needed to know if Rapunzel was truly making a good decision.

“Are you sure you want me for this? I’m prone to accidents and explosions. I don’t have the best reputation and I’m still pretty young. Are you certain you want to offer this position to me?”

Rapunzel grabbed his hand, smiling softly at him. She made sure he was looking her in the eye when she spoke. “Everyone here recommended you to the position. We all have complete faith in you, and I know you can do incredible things. There’s no one else I’d trust more to be in this position than you.”

Varian held back the tears that started welling in his eyes. He wasn’t sure his heart had ever been so full. They had faith in him, they trusted him. Not only that, they wanted him. They wanted him to develop his skills and work to make Corona a better place. 

And he wanted that too.

Varian squeezed Rapunzel’s hand, looking at the smiling faces surrounding him, and he couldn’t help but grin. 

“Your Majesty, I accept.”