Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Why. Queen Arianna sighed, looking out into the courtyard where her daughter sat. Why can’t it be easy? Why does it have to be her?

She was afraid of this. When her daughter’s hair returned, she hoped for the best, that it wouldn’t mean losing her. But fate was never known to be kind.

Rapunzel was destined for some kind of… journey. The rocks clearly wanted her to go somewhere very far and out of reach.

We just got her back. It had been a year to be exact. She returned to them right after her eighteenth birthday, and on her nineteenth… Arianna sighed again, everything was spiraling out of control. If Rapunzel stayed, their kingdom was doomed to fall to the black rocks that threatened to destroy everything in their path. But if she left… there was no telling what could happen to her.

The world is a cruel place. She tapped her fingers against the balcony’s railing, watching her daughter swing her fiancé around as if they were dancing to music. But she has enough people to protect her.

She watched Eugene, the way he interacted with her daughter reminded her of Frederic when they were newly engaged. It was a complete breach of royal protocol for the soon-to-be husband and wife to interact as much as they did, but Frederic always found a way to sneak around the rules without so much as bending them. As far as he was concerned, they couldn’t interact publicly, so he made an effort to get to know her behind the castle’s closed doors.

It was his willingness to make the best of their situation that led her to kiss him first - something that would’ve made the court riot.

Arianna knew that one day Eugene would be in the same position as her. He would be King Consort to Queen Rapunzel, and that scared her a little. Between the two, if one or the other had to be crowned, she wouldn’t be able to pick. With his real-world experience and Rapunzel’s love for her kingdom, they’d make a great King and Queen.

Arianna truly hoped her daughter would be able to find time to do the things she loved after she was crowned.

There was a knock at the balcony door.

“Your Majesty, the trial is about to begin.”

After all, there were always more pressing matters to attend to.

“Just think of it Eugene!” Rapunzel spun him around, a massive grin on her face. “A whole new world of wonder!”

He let out a nervous chuckle. “Haha, yeah.” A whole new world full of nasty and dangerous surprises. But he supposed things wouldn’t be much safer for them in Corona.

The rocks have stopped their approach for now, but there was no guarantee that would be the case if Rapunzel stayed. No one is safe if we stay.

Cassandra was standing by the door, and the only reason she caught his attention was because she left. As much as she and Eugene butted heads all the time, they both agreed on at least one thing, keeping Rapunzel safe. Seeing her leave was odd, but Eugene let it go for now. He’ll bring it up later if he gets the chance.

“I can’t wait to pack!” Rapunzel squealed. “Wait! I don’t have to wait! I can pack now!”

“Rapunzel, Sunshine, you haven’t asked your father about going.” Eugene placed his hands on her shoulders. “Until he says ‘yes’, we shouldn’t start packing just yet.”

It was a little silly, even the King knew that Rapunzel didn’t have much of a choice about leaving. If she stayed, the kingdom would fall. If she left, she could save her home and family.

However, with how King Frederic has been acting as of late, he wasn’t sure he’d be reasonable. There was one thing that Eugene admired about the man, it was that he always put his family first. Unfortunately, that often put his kingdom as his second priority.

“Hmm.” Rapunzel thought for a moment. “Well, I’ll pack anyways, just to be prepared. Worst comes to worst, I’ll have to unpack.” She didn’t seem to believe that she’d have to.

Rapunzel took off running, leaving Eugene alone in the courtyard.

He heaved a sigh. He really, really hoped that this journey would be easy, for all their sakes.

Varian stood in the center of the throne room, chained up and surrounded by officials who were giving him the most disgusted looks. He was held in place by two guards, who were squeezing his arms like a stress ball.

He supposed he deserved that.

Nigel was speaking, listing out Varian’s crimes.

Attempted regicide. Two counts. The Princess wasn’t crowned, so she didn’t count under Coronian law, apparently.

Assault of a Royal. Four counts. He supposed Eugene was a royal.

Attempted murder. Two counts. The Queen and Cass. He felt an ounce of regret about that.

Assault of a Coronian official. He wasn’t paying attention to how many counts that was. Though, he presumed that it included the captain and whatever guard stood in his way.

Animal cruelty. Ruddiger. The raccoon in question was back in his cell, hiding from him. Varian supposed… he deserved that.

High treason.

Destruction of property.

…

Varian didn’t realize that Nigel had stopped talking until the King started to.

“Through discussion of the council-” they hadn’t stopped the trial to have a discussion, all of this was planned out from the beginning “-it has been decided that Varian of Old Corona will pay for damages through servitude in Ingvarr, whose Queen has graciously offered to pay Corona for his services. Once that debt has been repaid, Varian of Old Corona will serve a life sentence in prison with servitude.”

“Shall I prepare an escort, your Majesty?” The Captain stood up, his voice hoarse as he spoke.

“No need, I have made all the necessary arrangements.” The King waved off the Captain, subtly telling him to sit down.

Behind him, the doors to the throne room opened, and Varian’s heart dropped when he saw Cassandra stride through with an escort of five guards. Among those were Stan and Pete, the guards tasked with serving breakfast and dinner to the prisoners in Varian’s hallway.

Pete was limping slightly, but if he felt any pain, he wasn’t showing it. Stan, however, was very clearly pissed. He always was in the presence of Varian, mostly because he could’ve killed Pete. But regardless of how he felt about Varian, he was always sneaking food to Ruddiger. He… appreciated that, at least.

Cassandra was decked out in armor and various weapons, two swords were strapped to her back and a dagger was attached to her belt. She walked with a purpose, and despite everything, Varian felt old feelings flutter again, much to his annoyance.

He squashed down any reaction, even biting his tongue to keep himself from saying anything.

The guards next to him tightened their hold on his arms, making him wince a little. That was going to bruise.

The Captain looked surprised, but overall he was very obviously proud of his daughter.

Why couldn’t his dad look at him like that?

“Lieutenant Cassandra.” The King addressed. “As per Varian of Old Corona’s sentencing, he must be escorted to Ingvarr. I request that you see to it.”

Cassandra passed him, kneeling before the King. “Of course, your Majesty. We will leave tomorrow morning to waste as little time as possible.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” King Frederic dipped his head in gratitude. “You are all dismissed.”

And with that, Varian was dragged out of the room, the guards moving at a faster pace than he could keep up with due to the chains around his ankles.

Through a window, he caught a glimpse of the city of Corona. And despite everything, he did his best to savor the view, he probably wouldn’t get to see the city again for a long, long time.

“Dad?”

The sound of his daughter’s voice caught the Captain off-guard. She always had this uncanny ability to sneak up on him like no one else, and he loved her dearly regardless of how many mini heart attacks she gave him.

“Yes, Cass?” He looked up to smile at her. He was in his office, right near the dungeons, seated at his desk.

“You know you shouldn’t be hunched over like that with cracked ribs.” She chided, a small smile on her face as she leaned against the doorframe. “In fact, you should be on bed rest until tomorrow.”

He let out a long sigh. “As much as I’d love to, I’ve been watching this pile up all week. Any slipup or misdirection could lead to mass mutiny among both guards and prisoners alike.”

“I’m sure it can’t be that bad, it’s just paperwork.” Cass raised an eyebrow, skepticism written all over her face. At his dry look, she relented a little. “Okay, how about we share the work. Two is better than one, right?”

The Captain smiled softly, pulling up a chair. “I suppose I could use the help.”

Cass took the offered seat. The grateful look on her face barely covered up the concern, which he knew was because of his injuries. Even as a grown woman, he could still read her like an open book.

After a few minutes of silence and the occasional scritch of a quill, he looked up from his work to watch Cassandra. She was hunched over, much like he was before she walked in, diligently reading through an injury report on the prisoners. He saw The Alchemist’s name appear a few times, and as much as the Captain wanted to be furious with the kid, he found he couldn’t.

He was left with a cold numbness, and he couldn’t pinpoint why.

It made him feel awful, The Alchemist attempted to crush his daughter with his machine and tried to destroy Corona. The kid deserves no pity. But without fail, every time he thinks about The Alchemist, he remembers the night he found Cassandra.

‘What if’s always filled his head. What if Gothel took her and Rapunzel? What if she was left on her own? Would she have tried to tear apart the kingdom too?

He supposed nobody should’ve left a genius teen to his own devices, let alone a grieving teen.

The Captain wasn’t stupid, nor was he willfully ignorant. If he died, he knew Cass would at least have a support system to help her through the hard times. But…

“Dad?”

He blinked, realizing he’d been staring.

“Is something wrong?” She asked.

“Nothing, Cass.” He shook his head. “Just thinking about your future as Captain of the Royal Guard.”

She jolted a little. “You can’t be serious? The King would never-”

“Lieutenant, you’re already filling my position, the King himself approved that without my knowledge.” The Captain placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve got more than a foot in the door to becoming a guard, and the King and I would be fools to overlook you.”

She was silent for a moment. “Thanks, dad.” The smile on her face was genuine.

The ice in his chest refused to recede.

Chapter Text

Rapunzel walked up to the throne room door, peering in as people left. Something had to have happened, and as much as she wanted to ask her father about it, she doubted he would answer honestly.

She’d been having doubts about her father as of late. It was a cold, writhing, uncomfortable feeling that reminded her of Gothel. She hated that she was comparing her father to her.

Once a majority of the people cleared out, she stepped in, pulling on the excitement from earlier. A journey outside Corona’s walls! She had a feeling she’d be able to convince her father to let her go.

“Rapunzel!” Her mother called, brushing off her dress as she stood up. “How are you, dear?”

Beaming, she bounced over to her mom and gave her a hug. “Perfect! I’ve just got to ask Dad something really quickly.” Her mood soured a little at that, and her mother clearly caught something in her eyes.

Her mom squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I’ll be here if you need me.” I’ll be here to back you up. Was what went unsaid.

That’s what she loved the most about her mom, she was willing to challenge her father, the King, about his decisions. He loved her very much, and she often had to make him see reason, especially now that Rapunzel was home.

Rapunzel was… aware that her father was a harsh man while she was missing, and her mother, who was grieving just as much, did little to stop him. It was something that has always, and will continue to, weigh heavy on her mom.

“Rapunzel.” Her father’s calm voice echoed in the now-empty room.

Before he could say much else, she wrapped him up in a hug as well.

“Hey dad, I’ve thought about the journey to follow the black rocks, and I have an idea of who should go with me?” Her voice pitched higher at the end, making it sound like more of a question than an answer.

Her father nodded, encouraging her to continue.

Rapunzel cleared her throat. “Right, uh. I definitely want Eugene and Cass to be with me-”

He raised his hand, a nonverbal way to cut her off. It was a little infuriating, especially since she had more to say.

“Lieutenant Cassandra has a different mission right now.” He said gently.

“Oh?” Rapunzel gave her father a dazzling smile. “Where’s she going?”

Her father shifted, opening his mouth to presumably lie to her, but her mother cut him off.

“She’s escorting Varian to Ingvarr.” She said, sending her husband a hard look.

He let out a long sigh. “Yes, she’s escorting The Alchemist to Ingvarr. It will take her a few weeks to get there, and another few weeks to get back.” He clearly thought of something, seeing as he sat up straighter. “If you’d like to have her with you, you’d have to wait for her to get back.”

Oh. He wanted to get her to stay longer.

Rapunzel shook her head, thinking of the maps she looked at prior to packing them. “Ingvarr is technically on the way for us, why don’t we take Varian with us-”

“No.” Her father interjected. “Absolutely not-”

“But Cass would be there to protect us if he tried anything-”

“Rapunzel.” Her father raised his voice a little. “I said no.”

The throne room fell quiet and tense. Father and daughter staring at each other with a stubbornness that she recognized.

“I think that could work with enough security.” Her mother said.

“What-” Her father turned to his wife, shock written all over his face. “Arianna-”

Rapunzel watched her mother place a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I trust the Lieutenant to protect our daughter and keep watch over Varian.” She then turned to Rapunzel. “Who else would you like on your journey, dear?”

She sent a small, appreciative, smile to her mom. “Lance Strongbow.”

Her father frowned, “I feel like there should be a few guards with you as well…”

“We’ll be fine, dad.” Rapunzel reassured. “Cass will be able to handle anything that comes our way.”

Not wanting to doubt his own Lieutenant, he reluctantly caved. “I will let the Captain know about the change of plans.”

“Great!” Rapunzel chirped. “I’m all packed and ready to go tomorrow morning… Hopefully that isn’t too soon for Cass.” She cringed a little as she thought about it.

Her mother laughed a little. “She planned on leaving tomorrow at the crack of dawn.”

Nodding, Rapunzel bounced out of the room. Ignoring the exasperated look from her father. She considered it payback for locking her in one of the castle towers.

Varian awoke to the sound of his cell door unlocking.

Before he could sit up properly, his arms were shoved into cuffs that covered his hands, clicking into place with a bitter finality.

He was quickly hauled to his feet, and by then he was fully aware of Stan and Pete in his cell and Cassandra standing outside of it.

Ruddiger scampered out from under the cot and towards Cass’ feet, who scowled at the mammal. It didn’t deter him, however, and he proceeded to climb up her armor and settle on her shoulder, much like what he used to do with Varian.

His expression soured as he watched his friend leave him for her, which was something that didn’t go unnoticed. She surprisingly didn’t shake Ruddiger off, instead letting him cling to her armor and wrap his striped tail around her neck.

Varian was ushered out of his cell, Stan and Pete holding his arms tightly. They moved past other cells without sparing their inhabitants so much as a glance. There was the occasional shout or jeer from a prisoner, some muttered threats under their breath, but most opted to glare in his direction.

Even the convicts hated him. The few that didn’t include a man named Andrew and a woman named Lady Caine, a Saporian and a gang leader. The latter tried to overthrow Frederic a few months ago, during the Princess’ coronation. The former… Varian didn’t like him very much, Andrew was annoying and egotistical. The only thing the man had done for Varian was teaching him various breathing techniques, and most of them were about calming down or centering oneself.

The dank dungeon gave way to the garrison, or more commonly known as the ground floor of the castle. The walk was surprisingly short to the front gate, and what greeted him was an unpleasant surprise.

A bright yellow and purple caravan sat innocently on the gravel, it was stocked with food and resources, but what was most surprising was the people next to it. He spotted Lance, a man he’d met briefly, and Eugene leaning against one of the wheels. As he continued to look around, a sinking feeling took hold.

Varian must’ve stopped for far too long, seeing as Stan shoved him forward, sending him stumbling and the chains rattling.

The conversation between Eugene and Lance stopped, their attention drawn to him. Never before had he wanted them to ignore him and overlook him.

All he ever wanted was their attention, and now he had it.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, unsure of when it appeared.

Silently, he was placed in the caravan and chained to the wall near a hammock, the chain from the wall locked around a link between the cuffs. Ruddiger was placed in there with him as well, but he quickly made his way to the opposite side of the room, eyeing Varian with caution.

It was a small mercy to have his raccoon with him.

Soon, he heard a sunshine voice he wished he’d never have to hear again. The sound grated on his ears, and in an attempt to escape it, he hauled himself up on the small hammock and covered his ears with the cold metal of the cuffs… Except he couldn’t separate his hands very well, so he was stuck with one ear uncovered.

Varian groaned internally and rolled onto his side, facing the wall.

The chatter grew closer to the caravan, and he heard the rumbling voice of the King wishing his daughter luck, although anyone with a brain could hear how unhappy he was based on his tone.

Varian heard the door open, and he refused to turn and look at who entered. He didn’t have to keep guessing for long, though.

“Varian?” The Queen’s soft voice cut through the silence in the room.

He kept quiet, only shifting to curl into himself more, which rattled the chains as he took the cuffs away from his ear.

She must’ve taken that as permission to approach, because he heard her footsteps on the wood. The Queen placed a hand on his shoulder, startling him.

His wide eyes met hers, and he froze.

Her touch was gentle, a stark difference in comparison to the guards - and by extension, his father. He absently wondered if his mother held the same warmth and safety in her hands.

She frowned at his cuffs for some reason, and sighed as she lifted her other hand to show him his goggles. He thought he’d never see them again, believing that the guards dumped them or sold them.

“Would you like me to put them on for you, or would you rather I put them in storage?” The Queen asked.

You’re giving me a choice? Varian’s face twisted as an uncomfortable feeling took root in his chest.

He must’ve said that out loud, seeing as the Queen responded with a reassuring smile. “Of course.”

Thinking for a moment, he considered his options for a moment. “I’d… like to wear them, if that’s okay?”

The Queen nodded and helped him sit upright in the hammock. She then carefully placed his goggles on his head, messing with his hair for a moment to make sure she didn’t pull it by accident. She made a ‘hmm’ sound as she pulled away and observed him.

“Since I couldn’t find your apron and gloves, I had new ones made along with some extra clothing as well.” She added, placing her hands on her hips.

He blinked, scanning her face for a hint of a lie. He found none.

“Really?” His voice was quiet.

“Yes, really.” She answered.

They fell silent, listening to the commotion outside. It wasn’t until they heard Cassandra tell the others outside that they ‘had to get going’ that the Queen moved to the exit.

“Your Majesty?” Varian rasped as she opened the door.

She turned to look at him.

“Thank you.”

Queen Arianna dipped her head in acknowledgement. “Anytime.”

And with that, she was gone.

Chapter Text

It was well into the night - the caravan started its journey that morning - and Varian couldn’t sleep.

Cassandra insisted on traveling until she couldn’t easily see the road anymore, to catch up on any time lost that morning. So the caravan rocked slightly as she drove, occasionally a wheel hit a rock, startling Varian out of whatever restless slumber he had fallen into.

He didn’t know how the others were managing to stay asleep.

Letting out a long sigh, he rolled in his hammock again, rattling the chains.

Varian found that it was easier to sit or lay down rather than stand, the weight of the chains made his wrists and shoulders ache, and standing made that pain worse. He hadn’t gotten up all day, and he really didn’t want to make that his usual.

He felt the caravan come to a stop, and he realized that meant Cass was going to walk in and see that he was still awake. As much as that should worry Varian, he realized he didn’t have the energy to care.

“What are you doing awake?” Cassandra’s quiet but cold voice hissed in his ear.

He spared her a glance, but remained silent.

“Got nothing to say?” She made her disdain clear with her tone of voice, he didn’t have to be looking at her to know how much she hated his guts.

He also knew she was baiting him.

“No.” Varian replied, indifferent.

Frustration overtook her expression. “That’s it?”

“I’m only saying what you probably want to hear.” He said dully.

“Do not tell me what I want.” There was venom in her voice. “You don’t know anything about me, Alchemist.”

“Ditto.” He sighed, rolling over. “And unless there’s something you want from me right this moment, goodnight, Lieutenant.”

She was quiet for a few seconds. “What I want is an apology.” She started walking away. “Goodnight.” She said curtly.

Varian was left stunned. It hadn’t crossed his mind to apologize to any of them, he was stuck waiting for someone to apologize to him.

He didn’t know if he’d ever feel truly sorry for what he did.

As far as he was concerned, it was retaliation for getting his father trapped in amber and refusing to help him.

He… supposed he could apologize when he felt like he meant it. But he was stuck wondering if he ever would.

Varian didn’t sleep that night.

Or the next.

They were a week into their trip, and the only person who really bothered to talk to him was Rapunzel, who he promptly ignored. Aside from her, the one person he had a conversation with was Cassandra, and that was six days ago.

Lance looked like he wanted to say something, but he was too invested in following Eugene around and trying to sneak extra food into his portions.

He heard Cass call out to Rapunzel, and he could hear them converse as she approached. Cass was expressing concern about her running off. Varian couldn’t care less if the Princess got lost.

“It’s not all fun and games.” He heard Cass say.

“Next stop, Vardaros! The city of fun and games!” Lance called out, he stuck his head through the trapdoor on the roof.

He could picture Cassandra’s annoyed look.

“Aw, ‘comon Cass. Vardaros is an amazing city! You’re gonna have fun, which I’m assuming will be a new thing for you.” Eugene teased.

Rapunzel laughed and said something to the others, her voice increased in volume as she cheered. Her excitement over their first big city was not contagious.

If anyone did any research about the place, then maybe they’d know that the Baron currently has a chokehold on the city and its inhabitants. Traders and travelers alike usually passed through Old Corona, news always reached them first, and the Baron’s actions were old news.

Vardaros wasn’t all fun and games anymore, it hadn’t been for a long time.

“Alright, we’re going to try this proposal thing one more time.” Eugene was speaking to Lance, and the girls were outside, chatting away. Although… The chatting part was mostly Rapunzel, Cass was expressing concerns again.

Eugene had pulled out a ring, and Varian - who was laying on his back - turned his head to see.

“And there isn’t anywhere better than Vardaros!” The man continued, grinning ear to ear. “One of the most beautiful cities in the world and it’s perfect!”

“Didn’t she say no the last time you proposed?” Lance asked, arching an eyebrow. Eugene stared at him. “...I’m just saying you probably thought that was perfect too.” He tried to rectify.

“Thank you. Lance.” Eugene said, his voice clipped. He closed the box that held the ring.

Varian scoffed quietly, but clearly not quietly enough, seeing as he caught their attention.

“You got something to say little guy?” Lance narrowed his eyes.

He let out a long sigh. “Vardaros isn’t exactly the same as you remember it being. And for the record, it’s completely illogical to assume the Princess - who just got a taste of actual freedom - would want to settle down with you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Eugene gave him a flat look.

“You’ve had an adventurous life, she’s had a stagnant one. You both have different ideas of what you want your life to look like in the next few years. Maybe, I don’t know, talk about it with her first?” Varian shrugged, his chains rattling.

“What do you even know?” Eugene broke eye contact with Varian to look at the box that held the ring. He was starting to look unsure.

“Look.” Varian muttered. “You want to propose, right?” He didn’t wait for Eugene to actually respond. “And you think Vardaros is the perfect spot to do it, yeah?”

Eugene nodded.

“Those statements have a lot of ‘you’ in them and not ‘the Princess’.” He huffed, rolling onto his side and leaving his back to Lance and Eugene.

They were both quiet, and Varian assumed they were sharing glances or something.

The caravan came to a halt.

“We’re here!” They heard Cass call, prompting Lance to throw himself out the door with a whoop.

Varian figured Eugene forgot he was there, seeing as he started talking to himself.

“Forget Varian, forget Lance!” He said, huffing. “This is Rapunzel we’re talking about of course she wants to get married.” Eugene started pacing. “And besides, I’m not asking her to settle down and throw her life away, I'm just asking her to… settle down-” He cut himself off with a loud groan. “Okay okay, enough already. I just have to ask her flat out!”

At this point Varian turned to watch him get down on one knee.

“Rapunzel, will you marry-” Eugene started, only for the door to open and Rapunzel to fall through with a yelp.

She pushed herself up and looked at Eugene and the ring. The man in question looked from Rapunzel to the ring and then snapped the box shut, shoving it into his back pocket while looking sheepish.

“Eugene, did you just ask me to marry you?” Rapunzel asked, standing up.

“What? Haha! No! That’s crazy- no, I just- I dropped something aaaand-” This was becoming more and more interesting to watch. “And I got it! That something that- that I dropped, and I knelt down to grab it which would explain why I was on one knee.” He paused briefly. “I can see how you would, uh, you know…”

“I thought I heard you say ‘marry me’?” Rapunzel spoke slowly and carefully.

Eugene’s mouth was open before she finished her sentence. “Ooooh I see, now there’s the confusion because I didn’t say ‘marry me’ I said… ‘larramy’ because I, uh, was talking about my old dog ‘larramy’.”

“You were talking about your old dog Larramy? To yourself?” She questioned.

“YuP!” Eugene said far too quickly and far too loudly. “Good old scruffy and totally real and totally not-made-up Larramy.”

They were quiet for a moment.

Rapunzel blinked and then smiled. “I’ll meet you outside.”

She left in a hurry, shutting the door far harder than it needed to be.

“You forgot I was in here, didn’t you?” Varian piped up after a moment.

“Not. A. Word.” Eugene pointed two fingers at his eyes, and then pointed them at Varian to say ‘I’m watching you’.

Varian shrugged.

Then they heard a scream that made Varian jolt and fall out of his hammock.

“Ow!” He yelped, but by that point, Eugene had already run outside.

He grumbled, but then noticed the latch around his cuffs came loose. It wasn’t enough for him to get out right now… but if he messed with it he might be able to get his hands free.

Varian looked around the room like other people were in it, and when he saw it was clear, he then slowly began to wiggle his right hand, shimmying it almost out of the cuff.

There was another scream outside, this time followed by shouts of outrage. Varian, his curiosity piqued, took a chance to peek out a window - the only window he could reach being chained up.

Much to his surprise, he saw Shorty of all people in Cassandra’s grasp, the latter was looking at the former with disdain.

Lance wailed about the food, so Varian presumed that Shorty ate all of it. That in of itself wasn’t a surprise.

Eventually he watched them all disappear over the hill and into the city. Varian wasn’t sure if he’d see them again- especially Eugene and Lance. He was pretty sure they worked for the Baron at one point? And then they double crossed him? Something about a stallion? Varian didn’t know what horse Eugene stole, but it certainly must have meant a lot to the Baron.

Rolling his eyes, he started to mess with the cuffs some more. He wasn’t sure what he’d do when he got out of them. Run? Maybe there’d be a job in Vardaros, but other than the Baron, who would be willing to hire him? Varian wasn’t stupid, he knew the only people he could reasonably trust right now were criminals, people who had been on the wrong side of the law.

Was he a criminal? In the eyes of the law, without a doubt. He knew what he did was treason, but he wouldn’t have resorted to it if someone listened to him for once! The rocks were still a problem, and if he never took action they would continue to be.

I should’ve stayed silent until the rocks destroyed Corona and everyone in it. The morbid thought appeared unbidden, and Varian stopped what he was doing to think about it.

It was technically true, if he truly wanted to see Corona fall, he should’ve waited. From what he saw and heard, the rocks started encroaching on the outskirts of the city the day he… enacted his plan. Sounds like that would’ve made a great birthday present for the Princess.

With a click, the latch moved over one spacing, allowing Varian to slip out his right hand. It was a squeeze, but he didn’t have to break his thumbs to do it.

Opting to sit on the floor, he started picking at the other cuff, and with a hand free, it was much easier and much faster to get the latch to move over a slot.

With both hands out, he rubbed them where they were sore. Cassandra only let him out of them to eat food and go to the bathroom. Other than that, there were no breaks. The skin around his wrists was rubbed a little raw, and it was tender to the touch. He wasn’t interested in letting that get worse, much less get infected. On the road, any ailment could mean death.

Varian sighed as he stood up, he snagged the cuffs and tossed them into his hammock, not caring if they rattled loudly. For the first time in a while, he smiled. The first step to freedom was always the sweetest, and he best not get caught up in it if he wanted out.

Slowly, he crept across the floor and opened the door, taking care not to make it creak. He spotted Max and Fidella off to the side, their backs to him. Perfect.

He stepped down onto the dirt, careful not to make too loud of a crunch as he walked away.

Once he was in the trees and out of sight of the caravan, he took off running. His body screamed at him for the sudden exertion, but he was too elated to care.

Varian let out a laugh, slowing down to catch his breath. He tripped over his own feet and landed on the ground with an oof, the air in his lungs getting pushed out.

He grinned, realizing he was on a hill, and began rolling in the grass. Next stop, anywhere!

When he reached the bottom of the hill, he came to an abrupt stop. Varian blinked and looked up to find a rugged man that smelled like burnt toast standing over him.

The smile that he didn’t realize was on his face melted away, and he found himself frozen.

Varian felt a chill run down his spine when the man smiled, all teeth, no warmth.

“Hello little Alchemist.”

Chapter Text

Varian woke up delirious, his head was spinning and he was laying down on warm stone. He could feel his arms were bound to his body with rope and that he was gagged.

When he opened his eyes, he immediately noticed the throne. It stood tall under a sculpture of some kind - he couldn’t see it clearly where he was - but he could tell that it, and the surrounding area, was made of sandstone.

An interesting material of choice, and an expensive one.

He lifted his head when he heard voices.

Then there was the sound of people being dropped.

A large man stepped out from behind him, he had long blonde hair and wore nice clothing.

Varian had a sinking feeling he knew who this was.

The man smiled warmly at him, keeping in the shadowed part of the pavilion as he knelt down. “Hello there, Alchemist. It was just now that your presence was brought to my attention.” He helped him sit up, leaning him against the wall so he could get a better view of the throne and stairs. “Nevertheless, you’ll be quite a… surprise.” The way he said the last word made him shiver.

Varian watched the man - he was ninety-three-percent sure this was the Baron - stand up and make his way down the stairs. His footsteps were loud and menacing, and he was relieved to not be on the receiving end of them.

He heard the squeaking gasp of… Lance? Who was trying to say something only to be cut off by someone else.

“Baron!” Eugene called out with a nervous enthusiasm, one that he put on in an attempt to fool others into thinking he had everything under control. “Haha, long time no see!”

The Baron made his way to his throne and took a seat, staring down stoically at them.

“Glad to see that you’ve set up shop here in Vardaros! How funny! We were just passing through and admiring what you’ve done with the place-”

The Baron scowled, eyes narrowing as Eugene continued to ramble.

“If you’d like to keep your tongue I’d suggest you stop moving it.” A sleazy voice threatened, cutting off Eugene. It was probably for the best, seeing as it was only pissing off the Baron more and more.

There was the sound of movement that abruptly stopped when the man on the throne spoke.

“Anthony, enough.” The Baron commanded. “Quit playing games, Rider. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.”

Varian curled in on himself, a sick feeling spreading. Someone had to have noticed him going missing by now.

“It’s time we… make things right, especially after what you did to my stallion.”

Oh god this was about the horse, wasn’t it. Why did it have to be about the horse - Varian thought that was a rumor!

“Oh, right.” He could hear the way Eugene cringed from here. “The stallion incident. We really should let this whole stallion thing go- I mean come on, it’s ancient history.”

Clearly not ancient enough seeing as the Baron was still alive and walking around. He was a man who was known to hold a grudge.

“Let’s all just move on?” Eugene suggested, and he probably had a weak smile plastered on his face as well.

“Let’s not.” A woman’s voice echoed across the pavilion, startling Varian.

Wait… He thought to himself.

“Hello Stalyan.” Eugene said far too quickly.

Dammit Eugene. Varian cursed, resting his head on the wall and staring up at the sky.

“Hello, Rider.” The woman’s voice - and the slap she gave Eugene - echoed as she marched by him to stand by the Baron. She kissed the man on his cheek and dropped a bag down next to the throne. The sinking feeling Varian had got significantly worse.

She glanced at Varian and did a brief double take - a blink and you’ll miss it kind of thing - before refocusing on the other people at the bottom of the stairs.

There were some hushed whispers from what he thought was Lance and… Shorty? What was he doing there?

Tangled up in his thoughts, he missed the next few exchanges.

“Stop talking.” The command from Stalyan brought Varian back to the present. The woman marched down the stairs - presumably towards Eugene - and started to speak again. “I swore if I ever saw you again I would break a lot of bones.”

“Fair, fair.” Eugene tried to pacify her. “To be clear, we’re talking about my bones, is that right?”

“But,” Stalyan continued on as if Eugene hadn’t said anything, “with time comes perspective. I realized that we were meant for each other, Flynn Rider. Partners in crime… partners in life.”

Varian would’ve worried his lip if he hadn’t been gagged. This was somehow worse than Eugene stealing a horse. He did something to Stalyan - presumably, he left her - and neither her nor the Baron were about to let it go.

“Let me give you a proposition, Rider.” The Baron spoke up. “You keep your promise to my daughter and marry her-”

The Baron clearly wasn’t done speaking, but Eugene interrupted anyway. “Waiting for the ‘or’.”

“Or.” The Baron scowled. “You, Strongbow, your pet troll, and the Alchemist will perish.”

“Painfully.” The man he believed was Anthony chucked darkly.

The words spoken finally caught up to Eugene. “Wait. Wait wait wait.”

The Baron stood up and grasped the ropes binding Varian, hauling him into view. Varian blinked a few times to clear the spots dancing across his vision. Iron deficiency. He thought, mostly to distract himself from what was happening.

He was being used as leverage. That wasn’t on his to-do list this year.

“You can’t make me marry her, Baron.” Eugene protested, looking alarmed as he stared at Varian.

“Oh, I’d like to give it a try.” The Baron dropped him, and Varian let out a grunt when his knees slammed into the stone.

Varian watched in horror as the man flicked open his ring, revealing a spider inside. He let out a muffled sound of panic when he realized what kind of spider it was.

The Baron laughed. “I see someone knows what this is.”

Lance, however, was freaking out. His fear was akin to what Varian was feeling as he watched the spider crawl out of the ring and onto the Baron’s hand.

“As your little friend already knows,” the Baron looked over at Varian, “this isn’t just any spider. It’s a venomous kai spider. Its bite causes fever and delirium, only when there’s swelling in the tongue and throat do you know the end is near.”

They watched as the Baron let the spider crawl all over his hand, a look of satisfaction written all over his face. He then grabbed Varian’s hair, pulling him upright and twisting his head to expose his neck.

He let out a cry as he felt the spider land on his skin, skittering around before going under his shirt. Just stay still. Just stay still. It has no reason to bite you if you don’t provoke it.

Varian attempted to manage his breathing, but it spiraled out of control when he felt a sharp prick of fangs digging into his skin. Something cool spread from the location of the bite, and Varian would never admit to the fearful sob that came out of his mouth.

I can’t believe I’m going to die again because of them. Again. The scornful thought didn’t push back the tears that welled up in his eyes. Varian furiously tried to blink them away.

Spots danced in his vision and then he woke up leaning against the throne, coming to realize he passed out from fear. Unless…

“No, the halfwit fainted from fear.” The Baron growled. “But he will be dead by nightfall.” The threat weighed heavy over them all. “Unless, of course, you have this.” He pulled out a vial attached to a necklace, inside it was an orange liquid. “The antivenom. Marry Stalyan, and this will be your wedding present from me.” He spread out his arms. “It’s a win-win situation, either way. If he dies, Corona could care less but Ingvarr… Well, let's just say they’ve been looking for a reason to go to war. Of course, you can fulfill your promise to my daughter and the Alchemist will live.”

Promise. The word strikes a chord in Varian’s chest.

Varian watched as Stalyan placed a hand on Eugene’s shoulder. “Trust me, Rider, it’s meant to be.”

He’d trust her as far as he could throw her, which was not at all.

The moment was broken by Shorty burping and hollering. “Congratulations Mr. Groob!”

Varian didn’t have much time to figure out who ‘Mr. Groob’ was before the Baron forced Varian onto unsteady feet. The spider was somehow back on the man’s hand, crawling into the ring.

He watched Eugene open and close his mouth, looking for something - anything - to say, before admitting defeat. He bowed his head and muttered something under his breath that Varian couldn’t catch.

Whatever it was made Stalyan smile. “Excellent.”

The Baron shoved Varian into the arms of two bandits. “Lock them all up, but leave Rider with me.”

Eugene?

“Eugene?” Varian tried to say, but it came out slurred.

His thinking was muddled and he was already feeling sluggish. Varian was smaller than the average teenager and much smaller than an adult, the venom had to be spreading quicker than usual due to his size.

Conclusion: Varian had less time to live than the Baron predicted.

Ergo: He would be dead prior to nightfall.

Chapter Text

Varian let out a pitiful moan as he shifted, his joints hurt and he couldn’t bring himself to be angry with Lance, Eugene, or even the Princess.

Lance had his arm wrapped around Varian’s shoulders, allowing him to rest against his body.

He then giggled as a thought popped into his head. “Lets recite the numbers of pi together, ready? Three point one four-”

“Okay little buddy.” Lance patted his head, which should’ve made Varian seethe but instead he leaned into it with a hum of satisfaction.

“You’re warm.” He mumbled. “I like hugs. But I haven’t been hugged in months, haha. Isn’t that funny Lance?” An echo of… something rattled in his chest, or perhaps that was just him breathing.

Lance gave him a weak smile. “Sure kid.”

The door squealed when it was opened - a noise that grated on his ears - and they watched Eugene get tossed in carelessly. The man cursed and slammed his hands against the bars, hunching over as he took in ragged breaths.

Varian whined at the loud sounds and covered his ears - or rather, he tried to. He only managed to retreat further into Lance’s side, burying the side of his face into his shirt.

Eugene eventually looked up and studied Varian. “He looks worse than I thought.” He was clearly talking to Lance but the observation didn’t register in Varian’s brain.

“What’dya mean?” Varian slurred, trying to lift his arms to look at them. There were large spots appearing on his sickeningly pale skin, they looked almost… greenish. “I’m not turning into a… a frog am I?” He made a gagging sound, which startled Lance. “Don’t tell me I need to find a princess to change me back.” Panic momentarily blinded him, and Varian moved with startling efficiency to grab Lance’s shirt. “Please don’t tell me I’m going to… to have’ta… ‘ta… what was I talkin’ about?” Varian let go and rubbed his head, unsure of why he felt so jittery all of a sudden.

“Yeah… he’s not doing great. Shorty’s making more sense than him.” Lance shifted, pulling Varian closer as he started to attempt to stand. “Lets not do that little guy.”

“Little?” Varian pouted. “I’m fifteen.” He dragged out the ‘f’s and ‘e’s in the number, giggling at how goofy they sounded.

“I thought you were fourteen?” Eugene arched an eyebrow.

“I was.” Varian made no indication that he’d continue.

The silence dragged on for a few seconds.

“When was your birthday?” Lance prompted.

“Sometime this year, I don’t remember.” He blinked slowly. “I think I…”

“You think you what?” Eugene crouched down to his level.

“I dunno.” He sighed. “The last time I was this sick, I was out in the cold too long.”

There was a lengthy silence as Lance and Eugene shared a glance.

“That’s the most lucid thing he’s said in the past hour.” Lance muttered, eyeing Varian cautiously. “And he didn’t even answer my question.”

Eugene knelt down to Varian’s level. “Kid, just hang on for us, okay. I’ll get that antidote for you, I promise I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“You promise?” Varian felt like a hole was punched through his chest, he whined and wrapped his arms around his midsection, unable to stop the tears from spilling over.

“Woah there, what’s going on?” Eugene tried to soothe, but Varian pulled away from him and Lance, choosing to curl into himself.

“Hurts.” He gasped, burying his face into his knees, attempting to quiet himself.

“I know, kid. I know.” Eugene said, ignoring the woman who remained outside the cell doors.

“It’s the right thing, you know. Getting married.” Stalyan trailed a finger down the bars, looking through them to spare Varian an unreadable look. “It's a shame that a child has to be used against you, but if he survives this ordeal, I suppose we’ll have a nice addition to our wonderful family.”

“If he survives?” Lance questioned, offering his arm to Varian, who happily moved back over into his side. “The Baron said we had until nightfall.”

“Yes, but that’s for adults. He never tested the spider’s venom on a child.” Stalyan frowned. “And it’s not like the spider injected him with less venom just because he’s smaller.”

“What does that mean for him?” Eugene pressed.

“Figure it out, Rider.” Stalyan snapped. “His reaction is much more fast-paced and aggressive compared to the other… volunteers.”

“So it’s killing him faster.” Eugene concluded, his voice quiet and breathless with fear.

“I don’t know.” Stalyan shrugged. “It could be.”

“It’s a high probability.” Varian slurred, blinking slowly. His head felt like it was slowly being stuffed with cotton, the pressure kept on building, giving him a headache. He sniffed. Since when was he congested?

“Stalyan I need you to call the wedding off and give me that antidote, now.” Eugene pressed, walking up to the bars of the cell to plead with her, but she wasn’t listening.

“You know what I was thinking about earlier?” Stalyan hummed, looking over her nails. “Our trip to Pincosta, remember when you said stealing the Sultan’s jewels was one of the worst ideas I’ve ever had? But then I made you go through with it and… well, we made a fortune that day.” She was evidently talking to herself, seeing as Eugene was focused on Varian - although the man remained standing by the door. “My point is, I know what’s best for you, Rider. I always have.” She turned her gaze towards the cell’s occupants. “I know in my heart this is where you belong, Flynn. And deep down, I think you know it too.”

They were quiet for a moment. Varian tried to follow along with her logic, and - of course - it didn’t make sense to him. “Those statements have a lot of ‘you’ in them.” He grumbled, and he could’ve sworn an invisible force slapped Eugene with how hard he stumbled away from the cell door.

The man turned and fixed his gaze on Varian, shock written across his face. He let out a soft ‘oh’ before looking back towards Stalyan.

“Well,” she started, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, “it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, and the last thing any of us needs is… bad luck.” Stalyan glanced at Varian, the unreadable look returning. “Right, Flynn?”

“It’s Eugene now!” Eugene protested as she walked away.

“No it’s not.” Stalyan spoke far too quickly. Varian could only hear her now that she was out of sight. “See you out there.”

There was a jangling sound of keys, a whoosh, and then clattering of metal on stone. Varian perked up to see a keyring right outside the door.

For a moment, only the distant clack of heels fading away could be heard, and then there was silence.

“I know that look.” Lance broke the quiet.

“I’ve gotta do it.” Eugene whispered. “I can’t-” He swallowed thickly, looking at Varian. He made a split-second decision to kneel down to his level. “Varian, I’m sorry I got you into this.” He took a deep breath. “No matter what, I just want you to know, we care about you.”

Lance nodded. “Despite trying to blow me up and crush several of our friends.”

Eugene punched him lightly in the arm. “Not the time.” He hissed.

Lance gave him a look that said ‘what? It’s true’.

Varian was tearing up, they both sounded so sad, honest, and defeated.

“I once squished a spider.” He admitted, sniffling. “Except it was a mama spider, and all her babies scattered across my lab floor.” Varian shivered. “Is this my atonement?”

Lance paled several shades, eyes widening as he looked up at Eugene.

“Okay…” Eugene muttered, dragging out the ‘y’. “Lance, I’m going to need you to keep an eye on Varian. I pr-” He cut himself off, looking at Varian like one would look at a bomb. “I swear I’ll get that antidote, just hang in there.”

With that, he unlocked the door and stepped out. Lance swept Varian up into his arms, being mindful not to jostle his head too much.

Eugene walked up to the altar, unhappy with his situation but content knowing that once he got that antidote, Lance would step out from the side to administer it to Varian. His two escorts made sure he would stay put, with Weasel making the ‘I’m keeping an eye on you’ motion with two fingers.

The music abruptly changed, and Eugene glanced down the aisle to see Stalyan and the Baron. The two were making their way towards him, and all he felt was dread.

When they stepped up, Eugene heard the Baron murmur to them both. “Let’s get on with it, shall we?”

He actually sounded pleased, and Stalyan looked like she was. God, Eugene really didn’t know what he was getting into, did he. C’mon Blondie, I’m really counting on you here.

“Funny,” good timing, “I was just thinking the same thing.” Rapunzel threw off her hat with a dramatic flair, and Eugene knew he was swooning.

“Blondie!” He laughed, his relief immediate. Now they just had to blow this town and hopefully make it far enough where the Baron couldn’t reach them.

“Eugene!” Rapunzel beamed at him, and he felt his heart melt a little more.

The Baron stepped forward, and he felt his heart freeze again when the people around them drew their swords.

“Blondie, you shouldn’t be here.” Eugene was quick to correct himself, but the worry tainting his voice gave him away and he knew it.

“Yeah,” Stalyan rolled her eyes, “move along ‘Blondie’.”

“Hey, Eugene, just listen please.” Rapunzel started. “I may not know what my future holds, but… I do know that you are meant to be in it. I love you.”

There were a few ‘aww’s from the crowd, but Eugene didn’t care. He was only listening to Rapunzel and Rapunzel only.

“And now that I’ve spilled my heart out to a room of hostile strangers, I’m feeling a little self-conscious.” Rapunzel rubbed the back of her neck.

Stalyan threw her bouquet into Eugene’s face, her eyes blazing with fury. “Well that was lovely. Are we done here?”

“Not even close.” Rapunzel grinned, anything but friendly. “I was just getting started.” She shed her coat and ran over to a rock.

Shoot. Eugene shot a worried look towards Rapunzel, but she was too focused on letting down her hair and telling Cassandra to brace herself. Eugene himself ducked a little behind the Baron, confusing the man.

…except, nothing happened.

“What…?” He thought he heard Rapunzel murmur.

“Get them out of here.” The Baron growled, and the people from before began to advance again.

“Leave them alone!” Eugene cried, unable to help as he was being held back by Weasel, who was tying him up again.

“Tick tock, Rider.” The Baron warned.

Eugene turned to see Lance and Varian, flanked and held down by three people.

“Shoot.”

Varian was confused. His head was spinning and he couldn’t walk straight - but he was ninety percent certain that Lance was being held captive. Varian himself wasn’t restrained, which meant they didn’t perceive him as a threat. Or am I the threat?

Chaos exploded around him, and he only just registered the party that was going on. Were they dancing?

He was pretty sure dancing didn’t involve swords, but they weren’t in Corona anymore so Varian supposed there had to be some cultural differences.

A sharp whistle cut through the air, making Varian wince. There was loud clacking and… neighing? Was that a horse? Maximus?

Lost in thought, he found himself surprised when Stalyan appeared in front of him.

“A place like this isn’t for children.” She chided. “Why don’t you sit down and-” Stalyan cut herself off with a shriek, which ow. Golden hair wrapped around her waist, and Varian didn’t have time to process anything she said before Stalyan was yanked away from him.

What was he doing standing in the middle of the courtyard now? When did he get there? Was this even a courtyard?

Varian stumbled, crashing into a table. “Ugh.” He groaned, blearily looking up to see two Cassandras leaning over him. “Haha.” He giggled. “There’s two of you.”

“What the- what are you doing out?” She looked frazzled, and frankly, a little angry. She picked him up by the collar and held him out like she was showing him to someone. “Who let him out!” She snapped, turning to the people in the courtyard.

Cass quickly became preoccupied when two assailants made themselves known. She dropped him and fended them off, leaving Varian to his own devices yet again.

He blinked and suddenly he was near the stairs, watching a tug-of-war fight between Stalyan and Rapunzel. Looking at the princess and Eugene made him furious, and since he couldn’t take his anger out on the two people he hated the most, he opted to take it out on some poor soul. Which meant he grabbed the nearest object - a metal tray with some pastries on it - and swung it at the person behind him.

Varian didn’t realize Weasel was attempting to sneak up on him. The man had a sword strapped to his belt and rope in his hands. Was he going to try and hold me hostage? HA!

The tray met Weasel’s head with a crack, snapping his head to the side. He crumpled, knees buckling as he fell to the ground.

Varian’s hands buzzed, the vibration of the metal sheet in his hands was uncomfortable, it made his hands seize up, forcing him to drop it with a hiss.

All at once everything became too loud. The ringing in his ears was sharp and debilitating, his whole body screamed, his skin felt like it was boiling, and his vision turned fuzzy around the edges.

It was overwhelming. Varian whined, stumbling around until he tripped over his own feet and landed on unforgiving marble. Where was he again? He couldn’t remember.

His mouth felt dry along with his lips, and he tried to moisten them by licking at the cracked skin, but it did nothing to help. His tongue felt thick and fuzzy, near impossible to move as his breathing became ragged.

Varian’s inhales turned sharper and more strained as his throat closed, it was as if someone was choking him out. His lungs protested and his eyes widened in panic.

What’s going on?

As if someone read his mind about how parched he was, a small amount of liquid - presumably a drink with how sweet it was - was shoved down his throat. It had a bitter aftertaste, but he was far too distracted with the immediate relief it provided to care about that.

Almost instantly he could breathe easy again, which made him relax significantly. The buzz in his ears eased, giving way to silence. His vision slowly cleared, allowing him to watch the slender crescent of the moon come into focus. S’pretty.

He stayed like that, laying on the ground, cool air brushing up against his skin, Lance kneeling next to him, Pascal sitting on his chest- wait a minute.

Varian’s memory slotted into place, putting the last few pieces of the puzzle together. Everything slammed into him with the force of a boulder.

He tensed and Pascal made a worried chirping sound. The chameleon watched him warily, like he was dangerous. Varian supposed he was dangerous.

But he was tired. Varian was honest-to-God tired. His bones felt like lead and his head pounded in sync with his heartbeat. Ow.

He should take a nap. Yeah, that sounded like a good, completely logical, decision to make.

“G’night.” Varian mumbled, too exhausted to care when someone called his name.

Chapter Text

To say Lance was exhausted was the understatement of the century. He spent a good chunk of his day kidnapped and looking after a poisoned kid - the same kid who tried crushing him and his friends not even a month ago.

However, he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel bad for the little guy, especially when he cried. Yeah, he hadn’t told Eugene that. When he left to make his announcement with Stalyan, the kid completely lost it. Lance already knew teenagers were emotionally unstable - he was one once, too - but watching Varian break was… different. In a way, it wasn’t natural.

The kid was poisoned at the time, completely delirious, and asking for his dad. But as soon as the tears started, they stopped. It was like Varian forgot why he was crying, and just like that he was laughing himself sick again.

Lance was more than a little disturbed watching a fifteen year old go through the five stages of grief in less than three minutes. If he had to guess, it was probably because the venom was making him a little… nuts. ‘Nuts’ as in he was slowly losing brain functionality, which led to a lack of filter.

Varian said whatever was on his mind, whether it was reciting the numbers of Pie - “It’s ‘Pi’, Lance, not the kind you eat” - or rambling about what was the best metal - “Would it be steel for its durability and conductivity or iron for its lustrous shine and high melting point?” - before the conversation derailed as the venom spread.

When he was first bitten, Varian retained all functionality, so he kept quiet - other than making an occasional jab at Eugene. After Eugene left, even though it was brief, his mask slipped. Varian only knew Lance as Eugene’s friend and past-partner in crime, but other than that, they were practically strangers.

Sure, Lance was there during the battle of Old Corona, fighting off those.. machines, but they didn’t exactly see each other.

At least, not until the Princess begged her father to let Cassandra come with them. Now they were stuck with the kid until he was dropped off in Ingvarr.

All of that eventually led to where Lance is now, with him prying open Varian’s mouth to get him to ingest the antivenom.

How did I get here, exactly? Lance wondered.

He cursed under his breath, hands shaking as he used his thumb to uncork the vial. Pascal was sitting on Varian’s chest, his scales turning the same shade of sickly green as Varian’s skin.

Lance forced the antidote down his throat, careful not to let him choke - at least, not letting choke any more than he already is.

To his relief, the effects of the venom disappeared almost immediately.

The color returned to Varian’s face, the green spots fading from his skin. His ragged breathing eased, becoming near-silent and soft. His eyes cleared up as he blinked away their glassy look, eventually fixing his gaze on Lance.

There was a brief flash of confusion on his face before he seemingly gave up and passed out.

“G’night.” He thought he heard Varian whisper, closing his eyes.

“Varian-” Lance shook his shoulder, but the kid was out cold.

He panicked a little, looking up and around, except he found the courtyard empty - aside from his friends, everyone else retreated. Pascal scrambled off of Varian’s chest to make his way back to Rapunzel, who was hugging Eugene, and Cassandra was eating a piece of cake with a smug look on her face.

For the first time that day, Lance relaxed, the tension bleeding out of his body. He let out a heavy sigh, leaning down to scoop up the alchemist. Varian didn’t react much, only turning his body to lean into Lance’s warmth.

And to think he brought Corona to its knees, Lance thought, looking down at the kid in his arms. There was still some baby fat clinging to his face, giving him round, youthful cheeks and a button nose. His buck teeth created a soft whistle that could be heard when he breathed - something that would’ve been inaudible had he not been so close - and his expression was relaxed, wiped of all fury and resentment.

He really was just a kid.

“What made you do all that?” Lance mumbled to himself, his thoughts drifting to the battle of Old Corona. He didn’t really know much other than the sparse details Eugene gave him.

The sound of footsteps made him look up and turn around. Cassandra, Rapunzel, Eugene, and Maximus stood there - when did Max get here?

“How did he get out?” Cassandra scowled, crossing her arms, her previous enthusiasm from beating up crooks gone.

“I don’t know.” Eugene sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The Baron just pulled him out all tied up and started threatening his life.”

“Clearly the news of Varian’s attack has been spreading.” Rapunzel looked off to the side, avoiding eye contact as she spoke.

“And he knows of Corona’s dealings with that tech-y city.” Lance added.

“Ingvarr.” Cass bit out. “And how?”

“Most travelers and messengers go through Vardaros,” Lance said, voicing his thoughts, “and if the Baron has control over Vardaros…” He trailed off, leaving the rest up to his friend’s imagination.

The scowl on Cassandra’s face deepened. “All our messages have been intercepted.”

Eugene cringed. “It’s likely they knew Varian was in the caravan.”

“But they didn’t have the key to get him out of his cuffs.” Cass pointed out, pulling out the key in question.

“Who do you think taught me how to lockpick?” Eugene scoffed. “Sure I sort of figured it out through trial and error, but I learned a lot more from the Baron’s men than I did on my own.”

“So, you’re saying someone kidnapped him right out from under our noses?” Lance shifted his arms, unconsciously moving to cross them, but he stopped when the person he was carrying curled into his vest.

They lapsed into silence, all of them sharing a look before settling their gaze on the alchemist.

“If that shadow lady hadn’t distracted us, we would’ve been able to keep an eye on him.” Cass grounded out.

“Shadow lady?” Eugene laughed. “Is that what we’re calling the woman with the big sword?”

“Who?” Lance was thoroughly confused.

“You’ll see her eventually.” Cassandra growled. “She’ll probably be back at some point.”

Max nickered, drawing attention to him. He gestured to the exit with his head, pawing at the ground with his hoof.

“Max is right, we should probably leave.” Rapunzel glanced around the courtyard they were in, nervously eyeing the unconscious bodies.

Cassandra sighed. “We’ve been standing around far too long, let's go.”

They shuffled out of the wrecked wedding venue, swiping some pastries to snack on as they left.

Lance wrapped two cookies in a napkin and pocketed them for later.

Varian woke up warm, which, waking up in of itself was a surprise.

He felt groggy, but overall well-rested.

Opening his eyes, he found himself staring up at the ceiling of the caravan, wrapped up in a blanket.

It took a few seconds for him to process that he wasn’t chained back up. And it took an additional minute for him to realize he could try to make a break for it.

Varian attempted to sit up and shrug off the blanket, eyeing the trapdoor above him with interest. Instead, he felt his body screaming at him. It felt like fire was in his veins, like he couldn’t move without needles being shoved into his spine.

He had to have made some sort of sound, because when he opened his eyes - when did he close them? - he found Eugene kneeling next to him, a waterskin in hand.

“Hey kiddo.” He almost sounded… concerned.

Varian tried to make a disgruntled sound - not a kid - but it came out more like a whine.

“The spider’s venom did a number on you,” Eugene helped him sit up this time, keeping Varian from trying to move on his own, “and even though we gave you the antidote, your body’s still recovering.”

The waterskin was shoved into his face, and he frustratingly needed help drinking from it too - seeing as he couldn’t hold the damn thing. Regardless, Varian was grateful for the water.

“So…” Eugene put the cap back on the waterskin.

An awkward silence followed.

Varian gave him a blank stare.

“Not in a talking mood, gotcha.” Eugene chuckled, glancing off to the side. “Hopefully we’ll be back on the road later today, we’ve still got to purchase supplies since we, ah, got sidetracked yesterday.”

Varian gave him a flat look. Oh really?

“How are you feeling?” Eugene asked, running a hand through his hair.

Varian shrugged and then winced, the feeling of needles returning with the small movement.

“That spider, the Kal-”

“Kai.” Varian cut him off with a frown. Speaking didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would, the pain was mostly in his torso and thighs - which was closer to the location of the spider bite.

“-the Kai spider,” Eugene corrected himself, “do you know what…” He winced. “ …side effects the venom can have?”

Varian gave him a confused look, but opted to list them out anyways. “Well, the venom damages and kills surrounding tissue - which can sometimes lead to amputation.” Eugene paled, and Varian couldn’t help but smile a little. Is he actually concerned for me? “In more extreme cases, it can cause organ failure.” Varian tapped his chin thoughtfully, ignoring the way his arm ached. He was going to milk this ‘I almost died’ card forever. “But most commonly it causes swelling in the throat, which can damage both the trachea and esophagus.”

“Right…” Eugene shifted, more than a little uncomfortable. He couldn’t possibly be worried. “Would it be alright if Lance or I looked you over?”

Varian scowled. “I’m fine.”

“If you’re fine, then this will be quick and easy.” Eugene raised an eyebrow, giving Varian a look.

Varian sighed, hanging his head and relenting with a nod.

He protested a little when Eugene picked him up out of the bed - it just registered that he was in a bed and not the hammock - but he quickly realized he wouldn’t have been able to walk with the amount of pain in his abdomen and thighs. Screw spider bites. He thought to himself.

Eugene hopped down from the bunk - were they banking on the fact Varian wouldn’t be able to move very well due to the spider bite? Because it really felt like they were - and shuffled over to a stool.

He put Varian down, catching the perplexed look he sent towards the bunk bed.

Eugene cleared his throat. “Lance slept in the hammock last night, he wanted to make sure you got as much rest as possible.”

Varian felt his face twist with a myriad of emotions, most he wasn’t willing to name. He didn’t… appreciate the kind gesture. He did not. Anyone who said otherwise was a liar.

Eugene must’ve caught something, because he practically beamed. “Alright, let's start with the spider bite itself.”

He pulled over a box with various medicinal-looking tools, ointments, and other miscellaneous items.

Varian fiddled with the hem of his shirt and Eugene waited patiently, watching him with rapt attention. Making sure not to move the lower half of his body too much, Varian slowly pulled back the cloth to reveal the bite. The mark was to the right of his navel, it was red and the surrounding skin looked bruised. Honestly, it looked like he’d been punched and kicked in the stomach a few times.

Eugene grimaced. “Can you tell me what hurts?”

“Everything.” Varian drawled, rolling his eyes. “Although, it's only when I move.”

“So your arms..?” Eugene questioned.

“They feel like pins and needles.” He shook them out for emphasis, only to wince when he jostled his body. “It’s the area around the bite that hurts the most. If I move, it feels like someone dumped acid on me.”

“Is that going to be permanent?” Eugene’s eyebrows pinched together with worry.

The question soured his expression. Right. They need me to be functional in order to work in Ingvarr. Varian thought.

He hesitated before answering, no sound coming from his open mouth. Varian could easily lie here. He could tell Eugene it was unlikely he’d be able to walk again - which was a half-truth, in reality he could walk, but he’d probably be in a significant amount of pain. Or he could be one-hundred percent honest. He didn’t actually know.

“Antivenom…” Varian started slowly, mulling over his words carefully. “It stops the toxin from spreading throughout the body by binding itself to the venom, effectively neutralizing it. What it doesn’t do is reverse the damage that’s already been done.” He took a deep breath. “What I’m saying is, I don’t know.”

Eugene slumped a little, running a hand through his hair - he really does that a lot, doesn’t he? - and letting out a long sigh. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, yeah?”

He swallowed thickly. “Yeah.”

Varian woke up feeling hot all over.

He groaned and felt around for his goggles, desperate to press the cold metal into his cheek in an attempt for some relief. He already kicked off the blankets earlier that night when the warmth started to turn stifling.

When his hand brushed up against something cold, he grasped at it, relieved to feel the familiar weight of his goggles in his palm. Pressing his forehead to the metal was nice for a few seconds before the heat started to transfer over.

Varian would never admit to the whine that escaped his lips, nor would he acknowledge the squeak of surprise when he felt a furry body crawl onto his chest.

Ruddiger pressed his cold, wet nose to Varian’s neck, chittering with concern.

“I’m fine.” Varian tried to rasp, but it sounded more like ‘mmphin’ than actual words.

The raccoon clearly didn’t believe him, seeing as he pulled away and leapt to the floor. The thud and the scratch of claws on wood told Varian everything he needed to know. Ruddiger was going to wake someone up, and that brought a wave of relief and anxiety.

He didn’t need to bother someone, he could grin and bear it for the rest of the night. It was easier this way. Besides, everyone else needed their rest.

Varian blinked and suddenly light was flooding the caravan. He let out a pitiful moan of despair as the brightness pierced his eyes.

He blinked again and there was Eugene pulling himself up onto the bunk bed with Ruddiger on his shoulder. The raccoon looked frazzled - was that a cucumber stuck to his fur? - and the man even more so.

The pounding in his skull worsened, and Varian threw an arm over his eyes to block out the light.

“Hey, hey.” Eugene’s voice sounded muffled, like he was speaking through a wall. “Can you look at me?”

Gentle hands pulled his arm away from his face, and he felt a pair of small paws join the effort.

When he peeled open his eyes, he spotted Ruddiger sitting on his haunches. He was curled into himself, worry evident in his stature.

Eugene placed the back of his hand on his forehead, eyes widening at the temperature.

His vision swam, and he saw double. How lucky was he to have the Flynn Rider and Eugene Fitzherbert? Varian leaned into the coolness of the hand, letting out a relieved sigh. “Flynn?”

Both men froze, taking in what he said. “Yeah, kid. It’s me.”

Varian hummed, content for the first time in a while. “Where’s dad?” He slurred, grabbing the hand that tried to retreat.

There was a long pause. “He’s not here right now.”

What?

“What?” Was Varian’s shaky response, tears rising unbidden.

“Hey, don’t worry, he’ll be back soon.” Flynn and Eugene’s voice shook a little, both of them looking unsure.

Varian was quiet for a moment. “Liar.” He whispered, voice hoarse. His father hardly spared him time unless the harvest was over, and even then, Corona didn’t exactly get much snowfall. Crops were growing almost year-round.

He rolled over onto his side, curling up as shivers wracked his body. A blanket was placed over his shoulders, and he felt fur brush his face as Ruddiger buried himself in his arms.

There was a quick but harsh exchange between two people, their voices muffled and indistinct. After some time, he was coaxed into laying on his back and a damp rag was placed on his forehead. Varian didn’t realize he was getting warm again, so the coolness of the cloth was welcomed with a sigh.

He drifted for a while, his thoughts scattered and unable to form a cohesive sentence.

Eventually he fell into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

Varian was sick of constant pins and needles feeling, but what annoyed him more was the Princess’s determination to ‘save’ Vardaros.

She had already tried to hype up the people - at least, that’s what he gleaned from her complaints - and convince Captain Quaid to come out of retirement! It was truly a shocker that neither of her ideas worked.

Sure, Varian’s alchemical experiments usually didn’t work either, but at least he knew how to read the room. While the same couldn’t be said for the Varian from a few months ago, Varian could admit he learned from his mistakes.

And despite everything, Varian somehow got roped into being Lance’s evil sidekick to… inspire Quaid.

His nerves were on fire and he was miserable. Can I go home?

“AAAAH!” Shorty wailed. “I am in mortal peril! Someone do something!”

Lance, all dressed up in a cloak, stood menacingly with Varian by his side. Varian himself was donned with an oversized black trenchcoat and a bandanna over his nose and mouth. He was missing his goggles, those were taken from him the night previous when he kept snarking back at everyone - aside from Shorty and Lance, who weren’t involved in the discussion.

This little stunt was how he could ‘earn them back’. Eugh.

“Stand and deliver!” Lance called, drawing his sword.

Again, Varian just stood there with a scowl. His disdain for Shorty was personal, but it was outweighed by his hatred of the Princess, who stood off to the side with a wide smile.

“I am standing.” Shorty slurred.

“Give me thine coin purse oh bearded homunculus!”

“Hand over the bag and you won't get hurt.” Varian said impassively, the lack of enthusiasm making him sound like Vex - the girl from Vardaros that Rapunzel keeps on paying. Honestly, it was about time she started compensating people for their time, he really should’ve made her pay up when she and Cassandra sought out his knowledge.

“Oh no! A hold up! In broad daylight? What can we do?” Vex was a terrible actor, but she was admittedly putting more effort into her role than Varian. “Oh look, Captain Quaid!”

There was a gasp from the people who started to gather around, and the Captain himself looked rather unsettled by the sudden attention.

“Thank goodness you just happen to be here!” Vex grabbed the man by the arm and dragged him over towards Lance and Varian.

Lance had Shorty by the ankles, and Varian made it look like he was looking through Shorty’s pockets - but it was difficult seeing as Lance was shaking the man.

Abruptly, Lance dropped him, and Varian had to jump out of the way to avoid Shorty.

“Does thou think that thou can defeat me?!” Lance continued on with the ridiculous accent, drawing his sword- wait when did he put that away? “Tis to laugh!” He then chucked to himself, stroking his mustache.

Lance then began to dance strangely as he approached Quaid, almost like he was mocking the man. The Captain was giving him a weird look. Varian hated that he might have to save Lance and this… performance.

He really wished he had a smoke bomb right now, it would make everything look so much more dramatic.

Their swords met with a clash, the sound reverberating in his skull. Varian supposed he was still getting over the sickness that plagued him a few days prior. He was almost certain it was because of the antivenom, too.

“Hey everyone! Look at this!” Vex shouted.

It wasn’t long before Lance was disarmed, the sword landing right at Varian’s feet. Lance was dramatically crying out about his defeat, which earned him a few strange looks. Ugh. Varian would have to save this.

“Excuse my partner, he’s a little out of sorts right now.” Varian spit out, gripping the sword with both his hands. They shook, and the pain was a dull ache compared to the feeling of flames licking at his abdomen.

Despite his disguise, Quaid seemed to recognize him, his eyes glancing towards his hair before making eye contact with him again. The Captain’s face spasmed, various emotions showing for a moment, before he schooled it.

Despite the strain it put on his body, he leapt forward, bringing the sword up to meet Quaid’s. The Captain parried each blow with ease, so Varian tried a little harder.

He wasn’t experienced with a sword whatsoever, only knowledgeable enough to vaguely know how to hold one, so it wasn’t a surprise to quickly find himself disarmed and on the ground like Lance. He was bound quickly and efficiently, and Quaid was distracted enough for Lance to escape and remove his disguise.

Varian grunted when he hit the ground, gritting his teeth to keep himself from shouting. Why did he agree to this again? Oh, right, because his personal belongings were stolen from him.

“Lets make some noise for Quaid!” Vex cheered, and several of the surrounding people joined in, chanting his name.

“You saved me! My life flashed before my eyes!” Shorty hugged the Captain’s leg. “You know I used to be a doctor?”

Quaid looked unnerved by Shorty - honestly, who wasn’t? - before looking up to smile at the people around him.

He felt someone drag him out of sight and cut his ropes, allowing him to breathe easier. Unsurprisingly his disguise he was wearing was discarded and he was placed in handcuffs - normal around-the-wrist type of handcuffs.

Varian was hauled to his feet, and he got to witness Quaid walk off to deal with another issue with a smile on his face.

“I knew it! All he needed was a little push!” Rapunzel cheered, turning to Vex. “Now watch, hope is contagious!”

Varian frowned. He supposed if the town gained some sort of mob-mentality, then the ‘hope’ could be considered ‘contagious’.

As the group followed Quaid around, Varian watched as people began to pay more attention to the Captain, most quickly offering their support as he stopped crime after crime. And by the time they settled down for dinner outside of Quaid’s house, Varian’s feet were sore and his body buzzed with lingering pain. He was just relieved to be sitting down again.

“To Quaid!” Eugene cheered, grinning widely.

Everyone at the table, sans the Captain himself and Varian, raised their mugs to clink them together. He really didn’t understand why he was out here, wasn’t it risky? Even Quaid was shooting him unreadable looks, noticing how the others didn’t bat an eye at him still being in cuffs.

“Oh, I nearly forgot-” Rapunzel smiled, reaching into her bag. “I made you something.”

She passed Quaid a small object wrapped in cloth, which he pulled away to reveal a new pin, except this one had a bee of all things on it.

“I noticed your old one has seen better days.” Rapunzel continued.

“I suppose you’re gonna throw this thing out?” Vex tapped the old pin, frowning.

“Well,” Quaid reached to take it off, “it occurs to me that every respectable sheriff needs a deputy.” He clipped the pin to her shirt, much to Vex’s surprise.

She blinked a few times, a small smile ghosting her face before she closed off again. “I- well. It’s okay, I guess.”

“To a new Vardaros!” Rapunzel lifted her cup, earning cheers from around the table.

Lance pushed one towards Varian, who took it with caution.

Varian took a sip of his drink, instantly regretting it when he tasted something wrong. He turned and spit out what was in his mouth - which went straight into Maximus’ face, much to the horse’s disgust.

He coughed, looking into the cup to see- “Bee pheromones?!” He hacked up another cough. “Why is this sitting in a mug?!” He then whirled around to glare at Lance. “Why did you give me a cup of bee pheromones?”

Lance threw his hands up in a ‘I’m innocent’ motion.

Max slowly turned in fear as the sound of buzzing grew louder, the bees exiting their nest to seek out whatever they were smelling.

The horse freaked out, bucking wildly and trampling over the table, making a mess out of everything. Varian ducked his head, clutching the cup of pheromones like a lifeline. He could use this, never had he ever experimented with pheromones before. Perhaps he could sneak this back into the caravan?

When Max eventually fled into the woods, bees chasing after him, everyone slowly rose back up to take in the damage. Varian grabbed a different empty cup and left the one with pheromones by his feet.

“Nice going.” Cassandra bit out, sending Varian a cold look.

He scowled, slamming the empty mug on the table. “It’s not my fault someone gave me-”

There was a strange noise from Quaid, and when they turned, they found him holding the disguise Lance and him wore earlier. Well... Varian supposed the cat was out of the bag.

“That cloak, it's the same one that blasted crook in the town wore…” Quaid murmured. He silently observed the trenchcoat and bandana with a frown on his face.

“No, no-” Lance cut it. “It isn’t a cloak, it’s a towel, I was going swimming!” He was a terrible liar.

The coins fell out of the purse next.

“Vex, did you…” Quaid trailed off, a hurt expression appearing briefly on his face. “You never believed, did you.”

Vex looked a little nervous. “Captain, it’s not what it looks like.”

“You staged the whole thing.” He whispered, putting the pieces together.

Varian actually felt bad for the man, being tricked and fooled is one thing, but being tricked and fooled by people you thought you could trust? It stings.

“I think you all best leave.” Quaid turned his back to the group, walking towards his door.

“Sorry, Captain.” Rapunzel started. Varian could already hear all the lies and excuses she was cooking up. “I just thought that-”

“Now!” Quaid slammed the door.

“You said you gave up on the city because no one wanted to fight for Vardaros, well you just made a deputy, and she’s ready to fight. Are you going to let her fight alone?” Rapunzel pleaded through the wood.

They stood there for a few moments, waiting for some form of a reply.

“Sorry, Blondie.” Eugene wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I don’t think he’s coming out any time soon.” He walked away with her, presumably to comfort her.

Vex turned away, looking at the coins on the ground with shame.

And that was the final nail in the coffin, wasn’t it?

As Varian watched the others pack up their scattered belongings, he got an idea. He could talk to Quaid.

I can’t believe this crossed my mind, what am I? A Princess with a guilt complex the size of the sun? He scowled at the thought.

Slipping away, Varian took the mug of bee pheromones with him and knocked lightly on the door. It was tricky seeing as he was in handcuffs, but he managed. He fidgeted with the cup as he waited, watching the pheromones sloshing around.

To his surprise, Quaid eased the door open, eyeing him suspiciously.

The Captain gave him a once-over, heaved a sigh, and opened the door. He stepped aside, letting Varian in.

Honestly he thought he’d have to resort to yelling through the door like Rapunzel.

Silently walking in, he cast a glance over his shoulder to make sure the others hadn’t noticed where he’d gone. Should he have told someone what he was up to? Yes. Would he? No.

The door closed behind Varian with a click of finality. And when Quaid went to a chair, he chose to sit himself down across from him.

He wasn’t exactly sure where to start…

“They were looking for me, you know?” Varian toyed with his fingers. “I would’ve escaped Vardaros had I not been caught by you.”

There was a pause. “What happened to you, kid?”

That wasn’t the response he was expecting. He must’ve made a noise of some kind, because Quaid continued.

“Your father stayed in Vardaros for a while, around twenty-or-so years ago.” He looked up from the table. “He’d travelled far from his homeland, and he was looking for a new place to settle. Vardaros wasn’t what he was looking for, so after some time, he left.” He fixed Varian with an unreadable look. “We kept in contact after that. He wrote to me about Corona, how he met his wife… about you.”

Varian scrunched up his face. “Why didn’t he tell me about you, then?”

A pained look crossed Quaid’s face for a moment. “He didn’t share much with me, even after knowing him for years. But I would’ve thought he’d talk to you.”

“I know.” Varian grumbled. “I thought the same.” He had to blink away tears that burned his eyes, he wasn’t here to throw himself a pity party.

They sat in silence for a moment.

“I know you and Lance were trying to inspire me earlier today,” Quaid started, “but in the end, it doesn’t even matter. It wasn’t real.” He took a deep breath. “Their belief wasn’t real.” He whispered.

“But everything after that was real.” And while Varian knew it still stung to know that people didn’t believe in you from the beginning, sometimes, that’s what makes it all the sweeter when you succeed. Sort of. “Lance and I only got the ball rolling, everything else you did, all the good you did, that was all real.”

Quaid didn’t respond for a moment, and Varian sensed that the conversation was over. He stood up, stretching a little and grabbing the cup.

But before he could take a step, Quaid removed the mug from his hands and replaced it with a corked vial filled with bee pheromones. Varian shot him a confused look, but the man just gave him a sad smile.

“I believe that you can still do good with your alchemy.” Quaid patted his shoulder, guiding him to the door. “You just have to choose to.”

Varian pocketed the vial, careful to hide it. He had a hunch the Captain was talking to more than just Varian, like he was trying to encourage them both to believe in themselves.

He could appreciate the effort.

Varian smiled as the door shut behind him.