Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sound of the drill hitting amber is deafening. It pierced Varian’s ears painfully, the sound eerily similar to metal upon metal, though he barely noticed. His focus laid solely on the space ahead of him, watching the tip of the drill pressing harshly against the amber. He finally had everything secured. Every step accounted for, every play calculated. He’d gotten the princess here in a position where she’d been forced to cooperate, to listen; coerced to go along with what he knew was his father’s only hope. Isolating her and the king as his army was forced to deal with the machines he’d constructed overnight. The process had been grueling and tedious but it had been worth it. He was going to get his father back. His plan was going to work. 

It had too. 

He repeated the mantra in his head over and over, as he pressed his finger deeper into the button on the drill. 

This would work. 

He wasn’t wrong. He’d free his father.

Behind him, he could briefly register a pained cry from Rapunzel along with a soft thud behind him, but his concentration was too deep to pull him away, he had to make this work. His father was relying on him. He needed him back.  

Just one more-

He felt a wild panic twisting in his chest as he watched nothing happen. The amber wasn’t cracking. It wasn’t even chipping. Hysteria started to creep into the corners of his mind, yelling out an anguished cry while drawing the drill back to press it further into the honey-bright amber.

The sound of the drill screeched through the air with a righteous fury as he slammed it into his fathers' prison.

 “Work please work” Varian pleaded through gritted teeth, tears brewing in his eyes. The hysteria becomes stronger at the image of the amber continuing to gleam despite the pressure of the drill. 

Why wasn’t it working? The amber should’ve shattered by now! His dad should’ve been free at this point, arms open wide. 

Yet the amber stood, a solid monolith of his failure, refusing to  crack or move. His chest felt  as if it’s about to cave in on itself. He wasn’t wrong. He couldn’t have been. He did everything right! Why wasn't it working!

Tears finally fell.

Wet hot tears crept their way outside of his goggles and rolled loosely down his cheeks as manic breaths seized his body. His grip on the button of the drill  is so tight,he’s almost afraid it’ll break. Just as he’s about to stop the drill and run to the amber he finds himself enveloped in light.

The princess's hair was suddenly aglow.  Varian could barely hear Rapunzel let out a painful cry as the light became brighter, the sound of her yell was joined by the rush of wind sweeping around his lab. The velocity of it almost brought him back to the vortex his machine had made at the Science Expo.  The wind in the lab rippled the air around him and ruffled his hair as it waved in and around his face. Varian found himself letting out a small gasp having to raise his hands in front of his eyes against the blinding light.  Finally forced to close his eyes altogether or risk being blinded as the light somehow grew even brighter. 

Then just as quick as it had appeared it was gone. 

Varian slowly opened his eyes, heart pounding,blinking spots out of his vision, struggling to adjust his eyes back to the dim atmosphere of his lab.

“Rapunzel!” Varian could hear the king yell out as he struggled against the pink goo at his feet in vain, reaching his arm out towards where his daughter lay in a crumpled heap on the floor.

The king rounded his attention to Varian glaring daggers towards him, “You need to stop this, you're killing her!” He snarled, hand gripping the hilt of his sword.

Varian scoffed, rolling his eyes at the demand, irritation bubbling to the surface as his eyes finally adjusted.It didn’t seem to matter how many times he explained it to the king,it just wouldn’t get through his thick skull. The old man was as dense as a brick wall. The king was so used to being the only one in charge that he didn’t even realize that he was in absolutely no place to bark out orders. Least of all to him.

Varian began to Turn, sneering, “Your Majesty you are re-“. Varian’s retort was cut off sharply by the sound of cracking. 

Varian whipped around eyes wide, the sound increasing. The king already forgotten in his mind as he felt hope skyrocketing his pulse in his ears. The sound was loud and hollow, almost mimicking the sound of ice splintering. Varian watched in elation as a crack grew its way along the center of the crystal amber. Cracks started to emerge slowly from the center, not unlike a spider weaving its web. One by one the cracks spread outward, shards covering the once pristine surface  of the amber prison. 

Varian stood in awe. His mind raced as he choked out a laugh, the cracks continuing to grow.

He hadn’t been wrong!

He hadn’t failed his father!

He won!

The sounds stopped. 

The alchemist sucked in a shaky breath watching the amber with hope-filled eyes, as the lab was filled with a deafening silence.

The web snapped.

 Chucks And slivers of amber rained down on the floor. Varian let out a startled cry, raising his arms over his head and ducking slightly to protect himself from the shards of amber tumbling in the air. 

When the sounds of amber pelting the floor subsided, he slowly lowered his arms and lifted his head.

All he could do was stare.

There was his father, laying flat on his back, surrounded by the remains of his former prison.

He was free. He wasn’t surrounded by the glow of amber.  He wasn’t trapped.  He wasn’t frozen in time anymore.

He had done it.

He had freed his father.

Chapter Text

Varian slowly took a step toward his father. After all this time, after countless experiments, tests, and trials, it felt surreal.

Days and nights spent alone, the silence always a constant reminder of his father’s fate. Plagues of sleepless nights, tossing and turning for hours with the image of his father reaching for him burned into the backs of his eyelids until he would eventually give up on the hopes of sleep. Returning to his lab to throw himself back into whatever desperate test or lab he’d left off on. A routine of infinite experiments and trials, all fueled by exhausted and angered desperation; his new normal- but it had all paid off.

All The desperate ploys, the risks he’d had to take. It had all been worth it. He did it. His father was free.  The boy was beyond ready to  run and leap into his father’s open and welcoming arms…but there was one problem. 

He wasn’t moving.

Why isn’t he moving?

The question echoed in Varian’s brain, drowning out all other thoughts, carefully stepping closer to his father laying in the pile of crumbled amber on the floor. The question made his previously overjoyed state begin to falter.

Behind him, Varian could vaguely hear whispered yelling and the sound of a sword hitting a chain. But those sounds were far away, he could barely hear anything over the pounding of his chest echoing loudly in his ears. 

When he at last made it to his father’s side, he knelt carefully, and removed his goggles from his eyes, setting them atop their normal resting place in his mess of black hair to get a better look at his father’s condition.

The sight of the man outside of the amber made the alchemist want to cry with relief, a weight lifted off his chest at the revelation that at least he had gotten his father free and out of the grasp of whatever the solution had done. Regardless of if his father was moving, he could see and touch his father without a barrier. But seeing his father continuing to sleep peacefully without any hint of waking……

The weight begins to shift back into its previous density upon his chest.

“Dad?” He whispered tentatively, placing a gloved hand lightly on his fathers’ shoulder. The weight becomes heavier when he gets no response

Varian finds himself frowning as he tries to ignore the growing pit inside him. He attempted to increase the forced grip on his fathers’ shoulder, shaking it a little rougher as he called out for his father again, only to be met with more silence. He felt panicked confusion beginning to muddle his thoughts at the failed attempts to rouse his dad when a terrifying concept floods his brain all at once sending ice water into his veins. 

Is he dead?

No. No. No! He can't be.

His father was just asleep.

Right?

Then why isn’t he waking up?

Varian bites back a strangled cry. The uneasy feeling exploding in his stomach. 

“Dad!” he yells, frantically grabbing both of his fathers' shoulders shaking him aggressively.His father’s only responce being his head rolling to the side.Tears spring into his eyes as a sob crawls its way up his throat. 

No, this was not happening!

He did not go through all this just to lose him.

He was just asleep .

He couldn’t be-..

He squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his teeth as he struggled to clear his head. No, he was alive. He had to be. He would be. His father’s presence wasn’t gone forever. His father was not just a memory.

Varian took a breath, steeling himself. He had to know what he was dealing with. More importantly, he had to make sure his dad was alive and that he wasn’t-

He couldn’t find it in himself to think the word again. He closed his eyes for a moment, readying himself.

You have nothing to worry about. He's fine. He chides to himself harshly.

However, it does little to lift the weight off his chest or ease the summersaults occupying his stomach. Blowing out a shaky sigh, he gently moved his fathers head to the side, placing gloved fingers against his neck searching for a pulse.­ As his fingers pressed against his sleeping father’s neck, he realized that his father was radiating heat., he sighed in relief.

He was alive.

The summersaults spinning his stomach slowed, but he could barely feel his pulse between the rubber of his glove. He bit his lip in irritation, yanking the glove off his hand and stuffing it in the pocket of his apron. With a now unobstructed hand, he began to lower his hand to his fathers’ neck and then found himself hesitating.

He was scared, terrified. What if he was right and he couldn’t find a pulse again? what if-

“Varian?”

His whole body stiffened at the sound of his name coming out of the princess’s mouth. Varian clenched his fists, the nails in his ungloved hand dug into his skin so hard he was sure they’d leave marks and suddenly the fear and dread were replaced by white-hot rage. It was all he could see, chest heaving in silent fury.

“What Princess?” He sneered putting as much hostility into the words as he could without turning, taking his eyes off of his father. Varian placed a clenched fist inside his apron,groping around for the glove he had just tossed inside.

“Varian, your drill, the amber, my hair did it-“ Rapunzel paused, her voice soft in the quiet of the lab, the only noise coming from the battle continuing outside the home. “Did it work?” She finished her voice somehow even softer, gentle as if she was talking to a wounded animal.

Varian’s teeth gnashed together in his mouth, a tight ball of rage coiled in the pit of his gut. He felt his fingernails dig deeper into his palm, surely drawing blood but he could barely register the pain.  Varian slowly stood up, turning around to face the princess, anger still seething steadily throughout his entire body. He sees her lying in a heap on the ground, hair billowing out around her in every direction, tangled in limbs, obscuring a vast part of the lab floor, covering her face like a curtain. Rapunzel stared at him, eyes wide and shiny with unshed tears. Varian found himself surprised to see both the king and queen kneeling on the ground on either side of her, not where he had left them. His eyes searched the room finding his answer for their movement, a sword lying discarded beside a broken shackle. Varian shook his head slightly, their escape wasn’t his priority right now.

The princess stared up at him, waiting for him to respond as he rose to his feet silently, a  scowl meeting her shiny eyes. Rapunzel at last breaks her eyes away, looking behind him and craning her head to get a glimpse of Quirin, still unconscious lying in a pile of his shattered prison. Varian suddenly finds himself feeling protective, instinctively moving to block her view of his father. At the sight of his movement closer, the king began to stand, a low growl of warning escaping his throat. Rapunzel flinches from his advance but recovers quickly, pulling on her father's arm before he can completely make it to his feet.

“Dad stop, it’s okay,” Rapunzel whispered softly to her father, turning her head to gaze at The King with pleading eyes. The King hesitated, staring darkly at Varian before retreating to his position on the floor, placing a protective hand on Rapunzel's shoulder.

Varian scoffs and rolls his eyes at the gesture. Annoyance flickered back and forth in his chest; 

How ironic that the princesses father was alive and able, ready to protect her.

“Why do you suddenly care, Princess ?” He growled at her, the  title leaving his mouth as a hiss, fists unclenching and clenching again in his apron pocket.

“Varian I always cared, I ju-“

Varian barked out a laugh cutting her off as he stepped closer, blinding hot rage making his vision blurred as he knelt to the princess's level only feet away from her. “You just what Rapunzel?” he sneered. “You ‘accidentally’ threw me out in a raging blizzard?” Varian stood up to pace the room, angrily counting the list of her missteps off his fingers as his voice grew louder, filling the lab with his venom. “You ‘ cared’ but just happened to throw away the welfare of your kingdom, pretending the rocks weren’t destroying everything in their path including my HOME ? You ‘ care’ but just decided that my begging for your help was not worth your time? You ‘ cared ’ but didn’t even check in to see WHY I was begging for your help?” He hissed, waving his arm to his fathers’ body for emphasis as Rapunzel stared up at him with wide eyes.

“Varian, I swear I didn’t- “

“Don’t you dare say you ‘ didn’t know ’ when you had the chance to listen and you just IGNORED me.”” Varian barked out not even needing to hear the rest of her excuse to know what she’d sputter out. The same thing he’d heard time, and time again. When he sat perched on a rowboat at a dock. watching Her eyes widen as she told him with watering emerald eyes that she had no idea. That if only she had known. Having to keep up his ruse at the moment he’d given her a nervous smile, said he’d understood. But he had known it was all an act on the princess's part. Pretending to play the concerned friend role, like always.

 He watches Rapunzel stare up at him, holding back the urge to roll his eyes at the sight of her tear-stained face. He scoffs and brings his hands to his head running his hands through knotted hair as he paces the room. He has to think. This entire conversation was distracting him from his one and only priority.

 His father.

He hadn’t planned on this. Yes, his theory was right. His plan worked, Rapunzel's hair had shattered the amber, but he hadn’t planned on his father not waking up when it happened.

He lets out a grunted cry, his pacing increasing. 

Think. Think. Think! . He screamed to himself.

“Varian please listen , all of this wrong,” Varian stopped, stunned to find the queen leering at him with piercing eyes. “We want to help you, we want to help your father ,” the queen insisted, quietly looking past Varian to the form of his  father. “But this isn’t the way. Your father wouldn’t want you doing this Varian please .” 

The alchemist was almost taken aback by the sincerity shining brightly in her eyes. However, he doesn’t find himself too surprised to see the queen trying to spout preachings to him. That’s all she’d been trying to do since she’d woken up in his lab. Imploring him to- think about what he was doing , and, was this truly the right thing to do . She’d been so adamant about trying to change his mind that he’d had to threaten her multiple times in a multitude of ways before she’d eventually given up, having to accept the fact that this boy was in no condition to be bargained with. 

Varian found himself even more surprised when the words seemed to ring in his ears. He found himself hesitating. 

Would his father be ashamed if he knew what he had done? The people he hurt? The lengths he had gone to free him? 

He shifted his focus from the Queen to Rapunzel, who looked up at him with tears streaming down her face. The King glaring daggers at him, Varian felt the hesitation dissolve instantaneously, his rage coming back full force.

No, it had to be this way. The king would never allow him to be free, not after what he had done. For all he knew, Rapunzel's hair was still the key to waking up his father. He still had to figure out what his next move was and  he couldn’t do that with them interrogating him.

He huffed out a breath, walking to his station against the stone wall, quickly grabbing around and searching for a specific vial. He grinned to himself triumphantly upon finding it. He had prepped the vial just in case before the Princess and King arrived. The gas in the ball steamed a dull green as he rolled it around in his palm, heating it.

“Varian please! you have to listen,” Varian scoffed at the Princess’s crocodile tears as he willed his vial to heat up faster, rolling it aggressively between his fingers.

 “Actually Princess,” Varian snapped at her and grinned to himself as the vial finally turned a bright green. He turned around hiding the orb in his clenched fist as he turned  “I really don’t,”” as he turned to face her, Varian was surprised to see The Princess finally standing, her parents behind her. The sight made him uneasy, but the cool glass of the ball reminded him that he was still in control, soothing his nerves. 

Varian forced himself to step closer to the royals.

“All of this happened when you came back,” Varian said heatedly, stopping less than a foot away from the Princess, pointing an accusatory finger towards her.“The rocks, the destruction ,everything! all of this because of you .” He hissed through gritted teeth Rapunzel flinched,  green eyes continuing to water.

Such an actress, Varian almost rolled his eyes at her emotional charade. The princess was always one for dramatics.

“You can't possibly blame all of this on her,” The King snarled at him. “She wasn’t the one who forced you to tamper with dangerous rocks. She didn’t force you to trap your father, did she?” The King stared down at him with sharp eyes.

Rage exploded in his chest, seething, red hot anger pulsing through his blood. If the king had not ignored the problem with the rocks, maybe he wouldn’t have had to go that far., but he did. Because the king had been so hard set about protecting his daughter from something he had no control over, his town and his only family had paid the price. 

If he was going down, he was taking the people truly responsible with him.

“Oh don’t worry ‘ Your Majesty’ you are definitely part of the problem as well.” He laughed bitterly, glaring, teeth clenched., “But I'm sorry to say I really can’t chat for long.  I have other, more important matters to attend to.” He said, opening his palm, the orb rolling lazily in his palm.

Rapunzel gasped as the ball in his palm caught her attention, “Varian what is th-“but she didn’t get to finish.

Varian slammed the ball at The Royal's feet, the sound of shattering glass filling the room. Varian leaped back, covering his nose with his shirt, holding his breath as the same gas he had used on The Queen less than a day ago filled the room. He held his breath as long as he could, running to the opposite side of the room, waiting for the gas to disperse. Finally, when he could hold his breath no longer, he bent over coughing heavily as he sucked fresh air back into his lungs. He stood back up and wiped at watery eyes, cautiously he made his way back to where the royals had just been standing.

He gleamed in satisfaction when he saw the three of them tangled together in a heap on the ground,asleep. 

Good, he could finally focus on his father. Varian averted his gaze from The Royals to the body in the pile of amber, biting his lip as he knelt to his father's side.

Now, he just had to figure out where to start.

Chapter Text

The silence of the lab rang loudly in Varian’s ears as he studied his father’s face from where he sat, perched on the ground. His hands hovering above the man’s sleeping chest. 

The boy was aware of what he needed to do next.Varian however, was trying to prolong the task as much as he justifiably can, but he knew he had to do it. Yet, he still found himself unable to move. Varian’s mind spirals with countless possibilities of every worst-case scenario. 

His father waking, realizing what Varian had done, saying he would have prefered to stay trapped if that is what it took to free him.

His father, awake, conscious, yet unable to move; trapped in a new prison, his mind. 

His father's pulse , weak under his fingers. His breathing becoming irregular before ceasing altogeth-

The alchemist pushed the morbid pictures out of his head as best he could. 

He could still hear his dad breathing.

He still seemed fine… at least at first glance.

Varian bit his lip again, tasting metal as he continued to let the seconds stretch on until he finally bit the bullet. Steeling himself to reach down to his father's neck with a trembling hand. Ungloved fingers brushed against the underside of his fathers’ head. Varian sucked in a breath as his fingers danced across the man’s skin struggling to locate a rhythmic pulse, he felt his own chest tighten, his breath hitching with every second that passed, tightening the already thick ball in his chest.

Finally, he finds it, a soft but strong and steady beating in his neck.

Varian heaved a relieved sigh, letting his head collapse into his hands. Resting squarely on his father's rising and falling chest, his stomach uncoiled slightly. His father was fine.

 For now. 

The ever-present pressure on his chest wouldn’t budge until his father was actually awake.  A million questions pressed against his brain as he let his head drop. 

Why would the princess’s hair shatter the amber, only to keep his father asleep? Was there something keeping his father asleep? If so, what was it? Would he eventually wake up on his own now that he was outside the amber? How long would that take? Will he have to help him wake up? How? What if he never woke up? 

The last question sent his heart into his stomach, bile rising in his throat as he laid there. Varian soaked in the comforting sound of his father's breathing and familiar scent. His scent. The smell of home. Something he hadn’t realized he’d missed until it was washing over him. 

No, he wouldn’t let that happen. If his father couldn’t wake up on his own, he’d just have to find a way to do it himself.

Varian found himself pulled out of his head by a low chittering sound.

The alchemist lifted his head from the crooks of his arms, blinking in surprise. There perched atop his fathers’ chest, cocking his head sat a twitching Ruddiger. His tail swished rapidly behind him with what Varian could swear is a concerned expression etched into his face. Varian let out a small laugh as the raccoon leapt deftly from his spot atop the sleeping Quirin, and crawled his way on top of the boy’s head, small claws grabbing at his mess of inky hair as he made his way to drape his body across Varian's neck.

“Hey, buddy.” The boy said softly, letting out another light laugh as he ran his ungloved hand through the raccoon's dense fur. The movement immediately calms him, “I missed you, where’d you go huh?”

Of course, he only gets more chittering in response.

Varian slowly got back up to his feet, releasing a shaky breath, he began pacing. He slipped his glove back on his hand, muttering to himself. His steps were quick,manic as he played through potential theories and scenarios, tossing them around in his mind. There was always a possibility that his father just hadn’t woken yet. That he eventually would, given time. If that were the case, if there was nothing keeping him asleep, Varian should be able to mix up a serum or even a quick invention. Something that could wake up even the heaviest of sleepers

Yes, he could do that. 

He just needed to make something strong, maybe a chemical? Or a- 

He stops pacing, his eyes lighting up. Smelling salts . 

Of course, how obvious! He thinks to himself with a snort, briskly making his way over to his workstation. Colorful vials, beakers, books, and countless tools he had used to prepare for his earlier plans, lay strewn all across his desk. He pursed his lips at the sight. He really needed to start organizing more efficiently. 

Varian brushed the thought off for now, he was far too busy, he could clean when the world slowed down. He shoved the mess aside, searching for the salts, stepping back with an irritated scowl when he came up empty.  

Where could they be? He always kept them here in case he needed to stop a fainting spell from approaching he never mov-

He palmed his forehead with a disgruntled groan. 

The Queen.

Varian used the salts on her yesterday when he panicked. He had been afraid he had given her too high a dose after she’d remained asleep for just shy of 9 hours. He’d only taken a handful at first but when that hadn’t worked, he’d gone back and just stuck the jar under her nose . It had unfortunately worked a little bit too well. When The Queen had woken up she immediately swept out a kick, catching him in the knee, and off guard. Resulting in both him and the jar crashing to the ground. Varian had managed to scoop up a good amount of the salts back into a different tube, not even bothering to search for a majority of them. He didn’t see them as especially important at the time.  So now, not only did he only have a glass barely half full, but they would hardly be as effective as they should be. Once they hit the oxygen in the air, they lose part of the chemicals that make them strong meaning….

“They’re useless,” Varian groaned aloud, raising a hand to rub at his temple at the now familiar feeling of a stress-induced headache.

Ruddiger continued to chitter on his shoulders as the alchemist rubbed at his skull. He racked his brain, trying to knit together recipes that could potentially work.  

Tons of vastly different schemes ran through his head. Each idea weighing heavily on his heart as he ran through every pro and con of every plan. Heaving out a bitter sigh, as he realized that every solution seems to have the same common negative, each will take hours, time he didn’t have.

He glanced at the bodies of the Royal family, sleeping soundly on the ground in his peripheral vision. He knew the gas he had just given them would last a while, but not long enough to run through all of the tests he could potentially need, especially if he wanted to run more tests on the princess’s hair. The connection to her hair and the rocks was even more evident to him now,  if none of the tests he ran through worked, he would definitely need Rapunzel here. But for now, he needed to pick his most promising theory and go with it.

Hope he was right.

The Alchemist sucked in a breath through clenched teeth, determination grinding its way into his stomach. 

One idea stood out, tall against the others. The one that he had the best shot of doing effectively, in the shortest amount of time.

 He had to recreate the smelling salts. 

He narrowed his eyes,  licked his dry lips, and marched over to his workspace. To recreate it, he’d need a base to work off of. He swept his eyes over the aging books mounted on his desk, his eyes landing on a recipe book. The same one he’d used to alter Xavier's mood tonic. 

He quickly pulled the book toward him,flipping through the pages rapidly, scanning each page for a simple base that could easily modify. His tongue  sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he focused, his eyebrows set deep against his eyes as he concentrated 

The faint groan of his front door didn’t alarm him,  he was too engrossed in his work to register the noise he was  all too familiar with. The same noise he would hear as his father  got home from work, while his son would be doing various experiments down in their cellar.The sound that Varian found comfort in, knowing that he wasn’t alone anymore.

He shouldn’t be hearing that sound. 

Varian’s head snapped up, whipping to the sound of footsteps walking towards the cellar.

“Rapunzel?”

Varian groaned in annoyance at the sound of the princess’s boyfriends voice echoing through his home. He bit back a million curses as he quickly scanned the room, searching for a place to hide. Unfortunately, there weren't many options. 

Varian bit back a scream, quickly grabbing his backup sleep gasses, stuffing it in his apron pocket as he picked up his wooden chair; the chair he normally sat  on during his time spent scribbling notes late into the night. As quietly as he could, he set it to the far edge of his work table. The Alchemist  proceeded to crawl under the table, slightly pushing aside heavy boxes filled to the brim with unused gears and parts . Pressing himself flat against the wall, losing Ruddiger in the process, watching him climb down his neck and run to the window . He immediately missed his presence but shook his head, he’d come back, he always did.

The stones were cool pressed against his back as he hid. He let the shadows of his lab hide him, the chair obstructing him; the only way he could be seen is if he was unlucky enough that Eugene pulled the chair back, or if he happened to guess he was hiding there. 

Although with the way his luck was going today, he wouldn’t be surprised if  that happened.

“Rapunzel?” Eugene's voice was louder now, ringing out from the top of the cellar stairs. 

Varian pressed himself as flat as he could against the stone wall, trying to still his breathing while also trying to desperately piece together just how Eugene had managed to get inside. He shouldn’t have been able to. Varian rigged all entrances to his house before tThe King and his army arrived  so this exact scenario wouldn’t happen. He rolled his eyes in agitation. Of course, out of everyone, it was the Princess’s boyfriend that  got past his traps. He only felt his anger well up even more as he sat,silently fuming,  now he had to deal with Eugene before continuing to help his father.

He heard steps descending the stairs, the boy held his breath.

The steps still once they reach the bottom. The alchemist focused on quieting his breath, taking breaths in and out of his nose, his pulse racing in his ears, so loud he was almost sure he couldn’t be the only one to hear it. Fearing that Eugene would find his hiding spot, clued into his location by his own treacherous heart. He had to be careful about this, he couldn’t let Eugene know he was here. The element of surprise would be his only advantage if he wanted to deal with Eugene efficiently.

“Rapunzel?” The call is softer this time, concern and panic evident in the man's voice.

Varian watched brown shoes inch into his line of sight as the man explored the room, holding a sword tightly in front of him as he walked. Varian stared at the shoes, observing the only part of the man he could see from his hidden spot. The brown leather of the boots were covered in dirt and… was that…ash? His eyes trailed up slightly to see more ash covering his pants. He felt a sliver of satisfaction creep into his chest, positive that he was the reason why Eugene’s usually overly polished appearance was in disarray,

He watched Eugene’s steps freeze, a cry escaping the man’s lips, Varian watched his boots leap across the room in the direction of the unconscious princess. 

“Rapunzel!” Eugene cried in concern. From his spot under the table, Varian could barely make out the man pulling the princess's sleeping form into his arms, discarding his sword beside him with a loud clang. “Sunshine, wake up please!” Eugene pleaded, his voice thick with emotion as he cradled Rapunzel's head softly in his arms.

 Varian bit back a scoff from his hiding place.

Yeah good luck with that, he thought snidely, remembering how long the Queen had slept when he’d doused her the first time. That gas would keep her asleep for a long while. A feeling of pride managed to mix inside him, despite his anxiety.

He watched Eugene continue to sob out desperate pleas for his girlfriend to wake, but Varian couldn't seem to feel anything besides an impatient hum beginning to rub at the corner of his mind.

This pitiful display of affection and desperation was taking away the finite amount of time he needed to help his father. Varian all but wanted to race out from the table, sphere in hand. He wanted to put this meddling boyfriend to sleep next to his girlfriend.  He wanted to take care of the problem right then and now, but he knew had to play this carefully. So he reigned himself back in, biding his time. He couldn’t risk doing anything drastic. 

He bit his lip in concentration as he studied Eugene as best he could with his obstructed view. Even if he ran out now while Eugene was distracted, the man was still well over halfway across the lab. Varian had to be within arm’s reach for the gas to react instantaneously. There was too high a chance that Eugene would see him before he could reach the man,  leaving Eugene with plenty of time to try and stop him. The man was bigger, stronger, and wielded a weapon. If it came to a physical alteration, Varian wasn’t confident that he could win.

 It was too risky.

He’d have to wait him out. 

Based on the fact that no one else had ventured in after the man's sudden arrival, it was safe to assume that his trap had taken care of any other potential problems. Eugene was the only one he had to deal with. Varian just had to handle this one small setback, there should be no more surprises after this.  He narrowed his eyes at his obstacle from beneath the table.  

As quietly as he could, the boy slipped off his right glove and stashed it in his apron, he searched around the space, wrapping his fingers against the cool glass of the vial containing the gas he had just stashed inside. Varian wrapped his fist around the ball, not daring to bring it  outside the safety of his apron, afraid the dull light would shine in the darkness of his lab, giving his location away. The alchemist's fingers tightened themselves around the ball, beginning to warm it with the heat of his palm. 

He watched Eugene cup his hands around the princesses’ cheeks. He could feel the man's desperation from here. Varian glanced down into the pocket of his apron, watching the substance bubble inside the glass. He glanced back up and watched Eugene gently lower the princess back to the ground, stand up, then pace the lab. Varian could see the inside of the man's head reeling, debating on staying by his girlfriend's side, or leaving to go find the only person who he thought could wake her.

Varian knew what choice he’ll eventually make, because it’s really the only choice he could make. He heard the man let out a frustrated yell, his pace increasing speed. The boy fiddled with the orb in his pocket, any second now Eugene will turn to run upstairs and tear apart the house looking for him. Once he did, Varian could catch him by surprise using the sleeping gas.  He prepared himself, clutching the ball tightly inside his apron pocket, watching the man snatch up his sword and turn around, taking a step towards the stairs. Varian readied himself, leaning forward, ready to run out from his spot. Ready to strike.

A moan catches the man’s attention, he stops, running back to the princess and away from the hidden viper that was ready to strike

Varian screamed in his head, he had been so close. He threw himself back against the wall, so lost in frustration that he almost didn't notice what caught Eugenes' attention.A small, airy voice cuts through the silence. Varian’s head snapped up in shock.

“Eugene?” Rapunzel's voice is soft but it seemed to fill the entire room as Varian stared, jaw-dropped. “What- what are you doing here? What happened?” The princess lifts a hand to her head, eyes squeezed shut, tight against what Varian could only assume was a pounding headache.

Varian watched in pure astonishment, craning his neck from his spot, squinting his eyes, struggling to make out what he could of the princess in the gloom of his lab. This shouldn’t be possible, he thinks , mind reeling, eyebrows bunching up in confusion, dumbfounded at how Rapunzel could possibly be awake right now. The Queen had slept for nine hours and Rapunzel had woken up in just under one.

Eugene breathed out a light laugh, brushing aside Rapunzel's hair as he cradled her in his lap. “I should be asking you the same thing.” He said, propping her up with her head lying on his chest. “I barely managed to get in here. We finally finished fighting those attoma whatever” Automatons Varian corrected him silently in his head, despite his reeling thoughts as the man continued talking. “When we got to the doors, as soon as they opened these glass things fell out of nowhere and knocked everyone out, I only managed to make it past because of my roguishly fast moves,” Eugene explained waving an arm above his head for emphasis. Earning a giggle from Rapunzel while Varian rolled his eyes from under the table, suppressing the urge to gag.

Varian listens through half-focused ears as the princess rushes through a detailed speech to Eugene, filling him in on the events in the lab that had happened prior to his sudden arrival. Varian shook his head in disbelief. 

None of this made sense to him. Eugene's explanation of how he got here was vague, irking at him. What does that even mean he was fast enough to avoid the gasses he’d rigged? However, he found the explanation more annoying than truly concerning, unlike the new issue that was now slapping him in the face. 

The princess' apparent immunity to the sleeping gas.

He continued to watch her, impeded that she was already, seemingly, back to normal. How could she be awake? It had taken him days to get the measures and ingredients right, along with a painstakingly thorough amount of research to ensure it would act quickly and effectively. He’d even accidentally gassed himself once in the process of making it, even with it being a smaller dose, he had still woken up 4 hours later, a headache drilling into his skull. That was half the dose, he’d given the princess and her parents. Besides the bewilderment and heavy irritation, he couldn’t help the overwhelming scientific curiosity of it filling his brain.

 He was pulled out of his thoughts with the sound of raised voices, still hushed but heated, The alchemist raised an eyebrow in amusement when he realized Rapunzel and Eugene had started arguing quietly amongst themselves. He quickly tuned back into their conversation with intrigue as the couple gesture wildly at each other.

“Eugene I’m sorry, but no, I can’t leave. I have to find him, I have to talk to him.”

Eugene ran a hand down his face, sighing heavily, “Rapunzel I know you think the kid you used to know is still in there but-“He paused, the silence in the lab deafening as he sucked in another breath. “Rapunzel, he could've killed you ! Not even on accident, he knew he could've killed you, and-” the man stopped, drawing in a shaky breath. “Sunshine, I don’t ever want to be afraid of losing you again.” His voice was soft, heavy with pure grief.

“Eugene.” Rapunzel called softly “I know, I understand, but look I'm alright, I was scared too but…” The princess paused for a moment, the air went still. Varian turns his head back to stare at the princess's silhouette in the darkness.. Rapunzel's voice once again fills the air, her words laced with regret. “I have to find him, Eugene. He's just lost and scared and part of that is my fault. He was right, I should’ve come here sooner to help. He was my friend, and maybe if I had ....” She trailed off, leaving the thought hanging in the air.

“Rapunzel, none of this is your fault,” Eugene argued gently.

The alchemist silently scoffed and rolls his eyes at the response.

Yeah right

Rapunzel pushes herself off Eugene to sit by herself, leaving their hands still conjoined “Maybe not all of it, but part of it at least. I have to make this right, Eugene.”

“Blondie I'm all for you making this right if that’s really what you feel you have to do but- He almost killed you, he almost killed your mom ! He’s clearly dangerous,” The man said, speaking quickly causing his words to blur together, “Who knows what he’ll do if you try and talk to him,right now. The best option is to try when he’s not as much of a threat.”

“You mean when he’s in a cell?” The princess asked harshly.

The question rang heavy in the air, Varian’s gut twirling at the accusation.

“Blondie, I didn’t mean- “

“Eugene, you out of anyone should know people can change. That people deserve a second chance!” Rapunzel pleaded,  standing up, rocking back and forth on her heels. “He’s just as scared and lost as you were Eugene, we just have to help him see the light.”

A heavy silence filled the room, broken by the former thief as he sighed heavily, nodding his head as he rises to pull her into an embrace, his voice layered with worry and grief “You're right Sunshine, I just- I Don’t want him to hurt you more than he already has.”

Varian could hear the smile in the princess's voice as she spoke, watching her melt into his embrace from behind the chair. “Don’t worry Eugene, he's still in there we just have to help him see that.”

The alchemist glanced down at the ball in his apron. It was activated. He needed to act soon. He had a feeling they’d be vacating the room soon to look for him, but he needed to speed this up.  He turned his head around, searching in his surroundings for anything that would improve his odds . He inwardly groaned when nothing stood out to him. The vials were mostly empty. His tools were behind the intertwined couple, along with a majority of his creations that could be used offensively. The shards of amber near him were not the right shape to use as an impromptu weapon. It was hopeless, nothing- , 

The old worn boxes he’d pushed aside to make room for himself in the cramped space sat next to him…

Overflowing with gadgets. 

Perfect.

He reached a gloved hand into the box closest to him, silently closing the hand over a round jar and lifted it out. He didn’t particularly like breaking his things, but if he threw the jar just right towards the stairs once the pair moved to investigate, their backs would be facing him, making his plan significantly easier. He raised the jar high beside his head, ready to launch it. The substance in the jar moved, catching his eye. He faltered, frowning as he lowered the jar to his eye level, studying the contents. 

He stifled a gasp, eyes wide.

The jar was filled with smelling salts!

He gaped at the jar, the sight of it alone sent cautious enthusiasm throughout his body. This could do it. This could potentially wake his dad. He really wasn’t sure how there was a second jar of the salts when he could only recall having one, but he found it hard to focus on anything other than the fact that he could be minutes away from actually speaking to his father. The elation he felt at the idea was so debilitating that he didn’t even notice his foot was slipping until it hit the leg of the wooden chair sending a resounding scrape bouncing off the stone walls.

The couple turned, staring at his hiding spot as he cursed silently to himself. They hadn’t spotted him yet, but they would soon. Panic filled his chest as his eyes flickered wildly at Eugene and Rapunzel’s slowly approaching forms. Looks like he had no choice but to go with his original plan. He quickly set the jar down as quietly as he could and scooted closer to the chair.

Just before the couple reached the table, Varian kicked out the chair, sending it flying into Eugene's chest. The ex thief let out a startled yell, falling back into Rapunzel, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Varian stumbled as quickly as he could to his feet, almost tripping over his legs in the process. He fumbled for the ball in his apron, letting out a frustrated cry when his hand came up empty. He scanned the room, searching for the activated orb. The second he took to find it felt like an eternity.

Where was it?

Where did it go?!

There! By the stairs. 

He inwardly cursed himself for his clumsiness, he really needed to get this under control.

The alchemist saw movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned to see Eugene and the princess much closer than he was comfortable with.

“Varian, please, we just want to talk,” The princess said, looking at him with wide piercing eyes, her palms held out in front of her in a placating gesture.

The alchemist glanced over to Eugene, the older man was studying him skeptically, cautiously, sword clenched tightly in a white-knuckle grip.

He bit his lip, eyeing the space between himself and the couple. He snuck a glance at his sphere, Visible but out of reach. 

His obstacles had their backs to the stairs, his vial lying several feet behind them. To get to it, he’d have to make it past them. 

He screamed inwardly, his odds are not looking good here. The less space there was between him and the orb, the better. He took a step closer to the couple, crossing his arms across his chest as he did so. 

Rapunzel flinched back slightly at the sudden approach, startled by the boy she was consoling, actually moving towards her. Eugene’s eyes narrowed, his posture stiffening. feet shifting subtly, ready to defend himself if needed. 

They saw him as a threat?

Fine.

“You wanna talk? So, talk.” Varian challenged, crafting a bored expression on his face, restraining the urge to glance at the gas, to reveal the card up his sleeve.

Rapunzel stared at him for a moment, her mouth opening and closing like a fish, gaping at him. seemingly startled to have gotten this far. She just talked big talk about getting through to him, yet when he stood before her, she was at a loss for words. It isn’t until Eugene placed a hand on her shoulder that she seemed to finally collect her thoughts, taking a deep breath before she dared to meet the alchemists' eyes.

 “Varian I'm so, so sorry, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I didn’t really even know some of the things that were happening. My dad wouldn’t even let me talk about the rocks. I had no idea they were becoming such an issue and then when I did find out….“ Rapunzel stopped, diverting her eyes to stare at her now clasped hands, before lifting her gaze back to Varian with pained eyes, and shaky voice.

“When you told me, I just tried to pretend that it wasn’t there. I was so scared to find out that it could possibly be connected to me ” She paused, her voice cracking on the last word. She struggled to clear her throat before continuing, “But I should’ve tried to help more, I should’ve tried to help you more. I just should’ve been a better friend and I'm -“ She paused again, now a blubbering mess as she unclasps her hands and wraps her arms around herself, like it was the sole thing holding her together,“I’m so sorry ”

Varian watched the princess collapse in on herself with weary eyes. He tried to read her face for any sign of a façade, a sign that she was just saying this to mess with him, to trick him Make him believe she truly cares when she hadn’t even spared him a thought over the last months.

 He can’t really figure out what he believes, trying to wrangle his thoughts into something coherent while the princess continued to sob. Her harrowed cries ricocheting off the stone walls, Varian's conflicted eyes watched Eugene wrap an arm around her shoulder, the other hand preoccupied with clutching his sword. The princess’ boyfriend took a moment to console his girlfriend before shifting his attention back to the boy watching them.

“Look kid, we want to help you and your dad, really we do but to do that we need the king and queen awake and alive ,” Eugene stated, speaking to him with an almost pity-like expression that made Varian’s insides twist in annoyance. 

“We can take your dad to the castle,” Eugene proposed, “we can have the royal medics look him over and find a way to help him. We’ll find a way to wake him up I promise.”

The alchemist felt his breathing stop. The phrase ringing loudly in his ears. 

“I promise,” The Princess’ sickeningly sweet voice echoed around Eugene’s baritone.

Images begin rapidly flashing behind his eyes. Sobbing, begging the princess for help. Her bright green eyes dull as she looked down at him with uneasiness. Being dragged away. Bruises forming on his wrists by the guard's tight grip. Being tossed back in the storm, like trash. Clothes wet. Cold. Shivering. Mind and Brain hollow. Devastation. returning to his lab to find his father’s fate sealed. No one to turn to. Alone. Abandoned by his so-called “friend”.

The  irritation he’d been harboring since the very moment the princess had woken up-

exploded.

Rapunzel had stopped crying. Her head also jerking up at the phrase. The chain that used to tie them together, a broken link, being yanked even further apart. He watched, his vision tinted red with fury. Conflicted emotions flashed all across the princess's face in less than a second. 

Realization, fear guilt . She pulled her arms up to her chest, nervous, as her breathing hitched. green eyes glued on to him. Eugen glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, seemingly confused by the pair's sudden change in demeanor, unaware of how he just cut the wrong wire on the ticking time bomb in front of him. 

The boy took another step toward them, closing the gap more as he scoffed.

“Do you promise Eugene?” He said through gritted teeth, tone cold as ice. “Well, I hate to break it to you but I wouldn’t trust my father's life in any royal's hands let alone a medic under the control of your father Princess” He sneers emphasizing the word by pointing a gloved finger at the kings still body, hissing the word royals as if it were an insult.

“Varian-”

He heard the princess's voice distantly in his ears, but he wasn’t listening. His ears were too busy spewing out metaphorical smoke. The ringing in his ears reached an all-time high as he glanced at his vial lying discarded behind the pair. 

He was so close! Another few steps and he could make a run for it. He glanced back up, only to be met with Eugene staring at him. Confusion flashing across his face as he turned behind him, eyes landing on Varian’s escape plan.

He bit back a yell and dived for it before the man had a chance to comprehend what he was looking at. But the teen only makes it three steps past them before he feels something wrap around his foot, and pull. He was yanked flat off his feet,  the wind knocked out of him. He gasped and turned to see a lasso of golden hair wrapped around his ankle. He grunted in annoyance, kicking his foot rapidly, struggling to get his foot loose.

“Eugene, we can’t let him get that vial! That’s the same gas he used on me and my parents!” The princess yelled, tugging her makeshift lasso tighter on his foot.  Eugene nodded and immediately lept into action, running past him.

Varian stopped fighting to get free, instead digging a gloved hand into his apron, rapidly searching for anything to throw at him. His hand closed around another circle-like vial. 

Please work.

He threw it blindly, the ball landing at Eugene's feet. It filled the air with popping bubbles before pooling and dissolving into a puddle at the man's feet, harmless. 

A bath bomb seriously, that’s all he had ? 

He almost groaned out loud, but Eugene's startled yell suddenly filled the room, the floor becoming slippery. He was unable to stop himself, his racing momentum leading to his current downfall, the former thief slipped.Ending up sprawled several feet away from the alchemist's vial, his head smacking against the ground with a loud thud in the process.

“Eugene!” Rapunzel cried the grip on his foot going slack, as she ran across the room to her boyfriend.

Varian took advantage of her distraction, yanking his foot free and stumbling to his vial… only to slip in his own bath bomb. 

Why did that have to be all he had?

He landed roughly against the stairs, his head colliding with the stone wall, smashing his teeth together in his mouth. Tears automatically sprung in his eyes that he tried to blink away. The boy winced at the pain as he waited for his vision to stop spinning, fighting to get his bearings before quickly surveying where he’d landed through teary vision. He almost sobbed in relief when he saw he’d crashed directly next to the vial. He quickly grabbed his solution, once again hiding it in an enclosed fist. 

He looked up to see Rapunzel with her back to him, across from where the boy had crashed, leaning over Eugene, fussing over his injury.

Good, she was distracted. Eugene was hurt.

He could work with this.

Varian stood up slowly, creeping as quietly as he could to where the couple lay on the ground.

“Blondie, I'm fine really,” Eugene grunted out, his eyes squeezing shut against an invisible pain.

Rapunzel tuts, her fingers gently turning his head from side to side,  inspecting him for any visible injuries.

“Look sunshine, we really have more pressing matters on our hands right now than me, maybe , having a minor concussion.” Eugene said, groaning softly as he sat up, eyes still shut tight as he spoke “Where’d the kid go?”

“He’s right-” Varian watched, freezing from behind the princess as she turned her head slightly to stare at the stonewall he had just been knocked into moments ago. Her breathing stilled as she sucked in a breath, turning her attention back to Eugene. “He was just there I don’t- “

Varian, as silently as he could, raised his gloved hand containing the sleeping gas, only to be met with Eugene staring widely at him.

The two stared at each other for a moment, the silence thick.The impromptu staring contest broken when Rapunzel noticed Eugene's stare, causing her to turn around, gasping softly, eyes immediately drifting to the vial in the alchemist's raised hand. The couple watched, frozen. waiting with baited breath for him to drop the glass. 

 Varian screamed at himself to do it, to drop the glass, to put them under while he helped his father, but his hand wouldn’t move. His fingers felt as if they were made of stone, tears of frustration poke out of the corners of his eyes. 

Why can’t he do it?

The princess, sensing his hesitation, slowly got to her feet, taking a small step towards him, a hand out in front of her as if she was approaching a crazed animal. “Varian, please put it down.” She uttered softly, meeting his wild stare with cautious eyes.

Varian let out an involuntary cry as she approached “Stay back!” he yelled, holding his arm with the gas in front of him.He took a step back, his foot catching on a chunk of amber lying behind him. He let out a yelp, crashing to the floor with a thud, landing heavily on his back, as air left his lungs,

And there was that stupid clumsiness again.

Varian watched from the floor as the vial soared through the air, landing with a crash at the princess’ feet. He almost forgot to hold his breath during all the commotion, remembering at the last second as he scrambled to his feet, raising his shirt to cover his nose, waiting for the gas to clear.

He once again held his breath until he was red in the face, gasping for air once he was sure the gas had cleared. Varian saw the princess and Eugene sleeping peacefully on the floor, down and out. He tried to ignore the rock in his stomach at the sight,  his gaze drifting back to his father.

The smelling salts!

He ran quickly to his workstation, reaching hastily under the table to snatch the jar of smelling salts from where he’d been forced to discard them. He set the jar on top of the yellowing pages that littered his table. Unscrewing the lid of the jar with anxious fingers, he tilted it to the side to dump a large handful of the crystals into the palm of his ungloved hand. He didn’t bother to screw the lid of the jar back on, rushing to his father's side, placing his palm eagerly under his father's nose. He stared at his father's face, waiting for any sign of him beginning to wake. Any moment his father’s eyes would flutter open. He would smile and thank Varian for freeing him. Any second now… 

 Nothing. 

His eyes didn’t open, he didn’t stir, and his eyes didn’t even twitch under his eyelids, much less open.

“NO!” Varian yelled, shoving the smelling salts closer to his father’s nose in a desperate attempt to make them work. 

To no avail. 

He let out another strangled cry, jumping back to his feet, racing back to the jar. He dumped out almost the entire container into his palm in agonizing desperation, he ran back to his father's side, shoving the larger dose of chemicals under the man’s nose again .  

“Work! ” He shouted angrily. His voice echoing off the walls as tears once again pour out of his eyes and onto his father's chest

His father didn’t wake.

Varian jumped to his feet with a pained shout, throwing the smelling salts against the wall. The salts bounced off the floor and stone as he buried his head into his hands, gripping clumps of his hair, tugging tightly against his skull. The nail of his ungloved hand dug sharply at his scalp, but he didn't care. 

He had failed. 

Even after everything… he’d failed. 

His breaths came in short hiccups as pure panic ravaged him. 

The smelling salt would've worked if anything natural was keeping his father asleep. So if the crystals failed it meant… 

Varian let out another angry cry, tears falling freely down his face. He didn’t even bother trying to stop them. Hopelessness devoured the corners of his mind like a virus, it consumed everything. It was all he could see, all he could hear, all he could feel. He grabbed one of the many beakers off his table, heaving it against the wall, the instrument shattering into sharp pieces on impact. He choked out another sob, glass now scattering the floor like diamonds. 

He had no idea what was keeping his dad asleep, even worse, he had no idea how to wake him up.

Varian leaned against his lab wall, sliding down it until he sat flatly against the floor. He brought his knees close to his chest, burying his head in his arms and sobbed.

His father wasn’t waking up.

He did all of this…

…for nothing.

Chapter Text

Even after his tears stop flowing, after his breaths stop shaking, Varian didn't move from his spot against the cool wall.

He was completely and utterly drained, hopelessness lay heavy on his chest as he felt the familiar feeling of desperation crawling in his skin like angry ants. Painful memories of mistakes he’ll never be able to make up for, played silently in the back of his head.

His father had to explain to the townspeople why their fields had been burnt, crops destroyed due to one of his son's various failed inventions, a guilt-ridden Varian watching from behind his father, using him as a shield from the wrath of their neighbors.. The image of him sat at their kitchen table eating in tense silence, Varian struggling not to apologize for the millionth time for another experiment gone wrong. His father, eventually, returning home from time spent in countless meetings and councils only to be met with a hole carved into their basement wall that would take well over 2 months to completely repair.

For the past 14 years, all he’d longed to do was create gadgets, projects, and inventions to help the townspeople, to help his father. He would draw up plans of an invention, mind whirring with excitement at the prospect of proving to his father that he could do…anything right. Varian remembered the rush of putting it together after drawing up plans and outlines for days, his body trembling with excitement as he would finally be able to bring weeks worth of planning to fruition… Until it would abruptly go south.

Explosions,spills, and property damage would devastate whoever was unlucky enough to be near him.. But he wouldn’t give up, he would just move on to the next idea. The thrill of the next project formed the delusional hope that the next one would work.

There was always a “next time.”

Next time, he wouldn't forget a cooling mechanism. Next time, he would triple check his math. Next time, he would use higher quality materials. Next time, he would ensure all the screws were tight.

Next time… he would show everyone he wasn’t just a child. He could help. He could change the way they lived for the better.

But somehow, he always managed to screw it up.

Whether it was destroying houses in a beautiful blue explosion when he was testing his pyrotechnics, or creating a pest control that ended up killing the town's plants rather than insects.

His father had always taken the brunt of their anger.

Quirin would tell his son to go home while he would explain to the town why they would be short on crops for the upcoming harvest. He tried to shield him as best he could from the rumors he’d hear or the glares his son would get when venturing out into town.

But Varian knew.

He knew what the town thought of him and his father. Poor Quirin and his destructive son. The failure of a sun, always leaving messes for his father to clean up.

So, when the rocks had appeared and started destroying everything, including his town, he’d seen it as a plan—a perfect plan to win the townspeople back and show his father he could be better. Make him proud to see him as a son, not a disaster waiting to happen. His chest ached from the thought. Getting rid of the rocks, his magnum opus to earning his father’s pride. The key to making his father proud of him. To show his father he wasn’t just a naïve child.

Was the very thing that took his father away from him.

A lump formed in his throat as he watched his father from where he sat. The idea of never getting to make it up to him twists his gut into knots. He’d already failed his dad too many times, in far too many ways. The thought made him swallow thickly and grit his teeth.

He had to wake up his father.

He would make It up to him.

No matter what the cost was.

He turned and lifted his head when a low humming noise filled the room, paired with the sound of tile cracking. Irritation flashed in his chest as he recognized the sound of another rock sprouting from the ground in his lab. He was all too familiar with the sound by now, with the rocks sprouting in endless waves all across his town and home. The alchemist watched the rock grow in size right next to the head of the sleeping princess. A blue light radiating off the base of the rock, inches away from her as she lay asleep, breathing softly, unaware of her hair glowing a steady yellow in reaction to the proximity of the sedimentary infestation.

The sight of her hair glowing brightly next to the source of his calamity, sent his blood boiling. It was so clear that whatever was going on with these rocks was connected to the princess, there should never have been a debate.

She was the reason they were growing, and she was the reason his life had been destroyed in the process.

His gaze drifted back to his father, his anger grew hotter and hotter, replacing the hollow feeling in his chest as he felt his throat tightening. He narrowed his eyes to slits as he watched her from across the room, determination hardening in his chest.

He was going to get his father back.

If he had to cross over more lines?

Then fine.,

He had nothing left to lose.

His mind began to whirl, a plan piecing itself together in his head. He finally stood, carefully avoiding the shards of broken glass covering the floor from his recent outburst as he stepped closer to where the princess lay.

He knew he had to act quickly, his gas didn’t work as effectively on the princess, meaning she’d be waking up any minute now. As carefully as he could, the alchemist slid Rapunzel's upper body away from the glowing rock without moving her away entirely, making sure not to let her hair make contact with the rock. He was unsure what would happen if it did, but he had a feeling it would not be good for him. Once he was certain her hair wouldn’t accidentally brush against the sharp stone, he hooked his elbows under her arms, dragging her as best he could to the center of the room, breathing heavily as sweat began to gleam on his brow from the effort. She wasn’t entirely too heavy, but without his father there to forcefully remind him to eat and sleep, he had lost weight and muscle.

While he never had much of either to begin with, he'd noticed his clothes seemed to hang off him more loosely than they used to, he would get out of breath easier than before. Now, he would get winded from walking too quickly up the stairs in the cellar, feeling dizzy or lightheaded once he’d reach the top.

He dragged the princess across the lab, sweeping chunks of cracked amber out of the way as he neared the center. Once he was satisfied with her placement, he lowered her completely to the ground and began scanning his lab, the wooden chair lying on the ground catching his eye as he quickly pulled it from its spot on the ground from where it ended up after the brief skirmish with Eugene..

He placed the chair in the center of the room, right next to the sleeping princess. Once the chair was where he wanted it,he bent down to heave her limp body into the chair. It took him several tries to place her in the chair without her falling over, her hair making it more difficult than it should’ve. The effort leaving him hunched over,hands on his knees, panting lightly for breath. Another reminder of his falling physique, but he had finally managed to position her in a just-right position.

He then realized with an annoyed huff, he didn’t have anything to restrain her.

He had rope of course and even an extra pair of shackles, but he had moved all of his extra supplies that he thought he had no use for upstairs, only taking what he knew he’d need for the queen, to make room for the much-needed space to make his automatons.

He eyed the stairs wearily, not wanting to leave the room and risk the princess waking up in the seconds he was gone, but also aware that he needed his supplies. He chewed the inside of his cheek in concentration, his eyes wandering the room, hovering over the king's body. He narrowed his eyes and walked quickly to the kings' side, kneeling to move aside his coat.

Knowing him, the king would’ve been convinced that he would be able to arrest him on the spot.

His suspicions are rewarded as his hands slip into one of the coat’s lined pockets, a thrill sparks in him as his hands close on a single pair of metallic shackles. He almost laughs at the predictability.

Varian stood to rush back to the princess. He pulled her arms behind the chair, clicking the confiscated cuffs securely into place.

He walked back around to the front of the chair, seeing the princess's eyebrow twitch. A sign she’d be awakening soon. He didn’t have much time left, but he had just one more thing to do.

He made his way over to his workstation, picking up various colored vials in search of one in particular. A purple solution in a cylindrical-like test tube, packed near the back of his table. It rested next to his other trials of experiments he was still tinkering with before getting just right. 

He grabbed the test tube, popped off the cork, and positioned himself next to the princess. He’d have to ensure that the princess was telling him everything she knew, that she wasn’t keeping back anything from him. 

Her head was slumped over to the side, hair sticking to several portions of her face, wet with sweat, as she slept. Varian saw perspiration beading heavily on her forehead, as her eyebrows furrow. The princess was lost in whatever her dream was showing her. 

He gently placed a gloved hand under her chin and tilted her head back. 

Whether she liked it or not, Rapunzel was going to tell the truth.

                                                                                                      *

 Rapunzel was painting. Golden yellows from her brush danced across the dark landscape. Her brush glossed over the canvas as the sun beamed brightly in her room, engulfing her in soft warmth.  She hummed non-coherently, not paying attention to what she was painting, finding herself lost in the comfort of rhythmic brushstrokes. She dropped the paintbrush and turned her head when the door to her room cracked open, Eugene's voice filled the room.

“Hey, sunshine, I thought I’d see what you’re up to. Funnily enough, the captain does not like people pointing out flaws in his coaching method. Who knew?” Eugene said with mock annoyance, throwing up his hands in a nonchalant gesture as he threw himself lightly on her bed.

Rapunzel smiled as she abandoned her painting, finding herself happy for the distraction. She walked over to stand over Eugene who was fiddling with an imaginary speck of dust on his vest.

“Eugene,” Rapunzel chastised, waving a finger in the air as she playfully scorned him. “Do you really think it’s the best idea to be critiquing the man in charge of guard assignments?”

“Oh, c’mon blondie,” Eugene retorted, sitting up with a laugh. “It's not my fault if the captain has no idea on how to actually draw up a real plan of attack. Plus, I mean- what’s the worst he’s gonna do? Have Stan or Pete follow me around all day?” He ended the sentence with a snort.

Rapunzel's smile faltered at his response. 

“Eugene what do you mean plan of attack?”

But he doesn’t seem to hear her, instead standing up from her bed and whistling as he walks over to where her canvas stood propped up, facing her window.

“You were painting? Another masterpiece I’m sure,” he said, turning his head to grin at her over his shoulder as he approached her canvas “Of course nothing could ever top this masterpiece,” he said teasingly, gesturing to his face. “But if anything ever comes close, it's definitely your paintings. Huh blondie?”

Rapunzel grimaced, a sudden headache pounding at the base of her skull. She found herself unable to respond to Eugene for a moment. Her stomach started to twist into a knot, the colors in her room suddenly too bright for her eyes, like the colors in a child’s drawing, off center and choppy

Rapunzel’s momentary haze was broken when she heard Eugene let out a low whistle.

“I gotta say this is a real departure from your normal work,” Eugene called out, staring at the picture intently. Rapunzel frowned, trying to erase the odd thought from her head, her headache growing stronger with each step as she joined Eugene's side by her canvas.

The princess stared at the painting as she reached it, her blood running cold

 She had been unknowingly painting the rocks.

All over the canvas, sharp, black rocks aimed towards the sky. The sight increased the uncomfortable feeling inside her. She squinted her eyes, leaning closer to the canvas. She could barely make out a figure near the center of the painting. It wore a purple dress, a long thread of blonde hair streaming behind it.

She had painted herself among the crystals. 

In the painting, the rocks closest to her were flattening themselves like stepping stones. leading her towards… what?

Rapunzel squeezed her eyes shut against the pounding in her head, her headache intensifying. Images rapidly began flashing behind her eyes.

A flash of orange glowing amber.

Black rocks illuminated blue by her hair.

An ancient scroll, text yellowed with age, a picture of the sundrop flower sketched elegantly in the corner. 

Each image is more painful than the last. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes. The images and pain spontaneously stop, leaving her breathless. She opened her eyes to find herself on the floor, reeling with vertigo. Eugene knelt next to her, calling her name in concern.

“Rapunzel, what’s happening? Are you alright?” Eugene cupped her cheek, wiping away a stray tear that she hadn't even known had fallen, watching her wearily as she placed her own hand over his, squeezing tightly.

Rapunzel gave him a strained smile, breathing heavily as she sat up. She nodded her head slightly, “I’m fine Eugene it’s just-“ She paused to look briefly around her room, the same uneasy feeling stirring in her stomach at the bright colors, “Doesn’t this feel off to you?” She questioned, turning back to see Eugene studying her.

“Sunshine, are you really feeling ok? Maybe we should- “

“Eugene what did you mean when you said the captain was going over plans of attack?”

Eugene didn't answer her, meeting her eyes with an apprehensive stare.

 The feeling in Rapunzel’s stomach tightens.

“Eugene, seriously what’s going-?”

Rapunzel barely got the sentence out when a rock swiftly burst through the ground, punching through the middle of her painting, impaling it.

Rapunzel yelled out a cry of alarm, leaping backward as her headache came back full force, slamming her head once again with images of rocks and amber. She stumbled against the wall from the brute of it, clutching her head and whimpering softly until the images finally faded. She breathed a sigh of relief, opening her eyes only to see she was no longer in her room.

Rapunzel stood alone in an open field, every inch covered with black rocks.

 “Eugene!” She called loudly, her voice bouncing off the rocks in an echo, panic swelling in her chest. 

Where had he gone? Where had her room gone? How had she gotten here?

Rapunzel felt another whimper crawling up her throat when she heard a low humming. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a light blue radiating around her. She jerked back, away from the rock she just realized she’d been leaning on.

Rapunzel began to pant heavily, turning around in a circle as she searched for a way out. The rocks surrounded her, blocking off any chance of escape. She felt panic  clawing its way inside her chest. Claustrophobia strummed at the edge of her mind as more and more rocks  sprouted there was little space  around her. Rapunzel was trapped in a pointed, black, coffin of rocks. She tried to gasp in air, but it felt like her throat was closing. Her pulse skyrocketed as more and more rocks burst from the ground, eyes darting around the growing rocks, frantically searching for anything that could save her as the next rock grows dangerously close to her. Rapunzel had to force herself against the black rock behind her or risk getting impaled. She watched from the rock as more continued to sprout, each spike larger than the next. What little grass had been in the field was now almost completely gone, the only safe haven lay at her feet. 

She sobbed and closed her eyes, waiting for  the inevitable. 

She was going to die.

When all at once, it stops.

The air is silent besides her panicked breathing. Relief flooded her body as she began to relax, the rocks directly in front of her began lowering themselves. They flattened into a paved path. 

Just like her painting. 

Her eyes gazed down wearily at the road. Fear gripped her in a vice-like grip as the air around her crackled with electricity. 

She felt a pull towards the path like a magnet, pushing her forward. The rocks closest to her glowed a radioactive blue that grew even brighter as she took a step hesitantly towards the path, her eyes scanning the air around her. She didn’t know why, but she just knew she had to do this. 

She had to take the step forward.

Rapunzel sucked in a tight breath and braced herself. 

She lowered her foot to the first paved stone and-

                                                                                                         *

The first thing Rapunzel noticed when she wakes up is a terrible taste in her mouth. The taste is strong and bitter, reminding her of the deceiving taste of plain vanilla. (Something she had found out the hard way when first learning to bake in the tower with no one to warn her about the taste of the sweet-smelling syrup.) 

Not only that, but the headache she’d felt in her dream seemed to remain as a pounding call to reality. Each beat of her pulse sent pain through the temple of her head. She winced against the thuds, going to raise a hand to her temple when she felt something sharp pulling at her wrists, stopping her. 

She opened her eyes in confusion, struggling to place exactly where she was when a rush of memories began to bombard her. 

Her mom.

Her hair. 

The amber.

Varian.

She pulled her wrists roughly again, feeling sharp metal dig into her skin and a metallic sound filled the air when she did so. Her gaze swept the room, dread spun around in her chest, her eyes falling on Eugene who lay several feet away, asleep. 

She suddenly heard her pulse roaring in her ears, she squeezed her eyes tight, fighting back images of her in the tower.

In chains watching. Gothel standing over Eugene.A knife in her hand. She’s helpless to do anything but watch. His pain. She couldn’t do anything. She couldn’t stop her. She couldn’t save him. She-

Rapunzel breathed heavily in and out of her nose trying to calm herself down when she heard light footsteps approaching from behind the chair she was restrained to.

“Welcome back, princess,” Varian said drily, walking into her line of sight before coming to a stop in front of her.

Rapunzel winced at the volume of the word. Even his voice speaking at a normal level, sent knives through her head, blurring her vision dizzying her with pain. Through her blurred vision, she could see him studying her with intrigued eyes. 

It was a look she’d seen many times before. Something she’d picked up on over the past year when she’d seen him enthralled with a project or mission. The face he made when he first agreed to help her, the look springing in his eyes as he ran test after test on her new hair, absolutely fascinated with her hair's capabilities. When he had figured out how to pull the lever on his machine at the Science Expo, turning to yell over his shoulder and the swirling vortex, instructions on how to stop the exploding machine. The same look when they’d battled the Automatons underneath the vault the last time. 

That expression was a ghost of the past, it was a glimpse of the boy she used to call her friend. The boy she missed so deeply. 

Back then the expression had been one she found amusing. A trait she’d loved about him. That showed he had found himself captivated with an idea or mission. Now watching from her seat restrained it sent a chill down her spine as he watched her in silence, the look twinkling in his eyes before he finally spoke.

“How’s your head Rapunzel?”

“It’s terrible, it's pounding so hard I can barely think.” The words rush out of her without even thinking. The force of her speaking left a blinding pain in her head and she gasped. Blinking in surprise, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Varian’s lips quirked up slightly at the reaction, seeming amused at her response.

The alchemist waved a hand dismissively in the air, leaning against a table behind him “It’s a side effect of the gas it’ll go away in time”

“Varian” She managed to get out despite the throbbing pain in her head “What’s going on why did I- “

He held up his hand to cut her off. A smile continuing to pull at his lips. “Sorry, no offense Rapunzel but I’d really prefer to be the one asking the questions.” He sees the bewildered expression appearing on her when he gives her a humorless laugh. “Relax princess, it's nothing that won’t wear off… eventually. Besides, I just wanna talk. I only gave you something that’ll help you respond a little more…… honestly.” the words left his mouth casually as he reached down into the pocket of his apron, pulling out a tube filled halfway with a glowing purple liquid. She felt her stomach drop and the color drain from her face, recognizing the color of the solution instantly.

She knows Varian can see the recognition in her eyes as he watched her open and close her mouth, failing to speak.

“You- you drugged me?” disbelief clouded her face, as she tried to ignore the thudding in her head.

Varian tuts, giving her a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes as he pockets the tube again,“Don’t think of it like drugging. Think of it like…” he trailed off for a moment, his eyes drifting before snapping back to her as he gave her another unfriendly grin.” Think of it like I'm removing all obstacles from us having a truly open and honest conversation, huh?”

She stared at him in shock, the dread in her stomach rising at the unfriendly look in his eyes.

Varian scoffed, his ingenuine smile dropping at her reaction “Please relax Rapunzel” He said rolling his eyes “We’re just gonna have a little chat alright? I’m not gonna hurt you or your parents or Eugene. Just as long as you answer my questions without a fuss no one gets hurt hm? Besides” he grinned, stepping closer to her, lowering himself to her level and meeting her eyes “What's a little chat between f riends ?” He held her gaze for a few seconds, a cold look in his eyes glinting before he stepped back, returning to his position leaning against the table.

Rapunzel's mind reels. What could he possibly think she knew that he didn’t? She was just as confused about these rocks as he was and this hair was different than the hair she’d grown up with. She still didn’t understand whatever magic was possessing it now.

Rapunzel took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Alright, then Varian you want to talk about what? My- my hair? The rocks? I mean you know I still don’t understand what’s happening. I'm still trying to figure this out-” 

Varian barked out a laugh. The sound sent bolts of pain through her head.

“And your entire kingdom has been paying the price. Everything those rocks have destroyed, every person forced out of their home. My father. All prices paid at your expense.” The cool facade he’d been wearing was chipping, clips of anger slipping through his tone, but suddenly Rapunzel didn’t care, she could feel her own anger rising.

“You think it was my choice to ignore the rocks? You think I wanted any of this to happen?” Rapunzel bit back, unsure if the burning in her gut was attributed to the abrupt agitation or the serum flowing through her. “All those people, all those families …” She felt herself trail off, the anger disappearing, a rush of sadness taking its place.

Varian’s expression didn’t change, an intense glare still focused on her. 

Rapunzel gritted her teeth, pushing through her guilt to focus on the matter at hand.

She pointedly lifted her head to meet his eyes “Varian, I know you're angry. I know that you’re hurt and I know you blame me for it, but you have to understand that what you're doing is wrong .” She pleaded, pulling at the cuffs for emphasis. “I want to help. You don’t have to do this.”

For a split second she thought she saw his eyes soften, a flash of what could’ve been regret appearing, but she didn’t have any time to determine if it had been real or a trick of the light, Varian’s glare hardened, any trace of guilt wiped away.

Rapunzel held back a flinch when he stepped closer.

“I think we’re a bit beyond what's right, but what isn’t right.” he said plainly, his tone containing a dangerously sharp edge “isThe fact that these rocks can and only do respond to you and your hair,  and whatever is causing that reaction must have something to do with what’s keeping my father asleep.” 

His eyes moved to look past her, landing over her shoulder, an unreadable expression brushing quickly across his face, disappearing entirely before she could attempt to place it.

“And- you think I know something you don’t.” Rapunzel breathed quietly, the realization hanging over her like an unstable weight.

Varian’s lack of reaction when he turned back to her was all the confirmation she needed. A wave of nausea now joined the pounding in her head. The slow building, panicked dread was hitting her. The metal was painfully biting into her wrists at an awkward angle, she felt like there was barely air to breathe in the room, every breath hurt, lungs pressing harshly against her ribcage. Eugene was unconscious,hurt again because of her, and now her parents- 

It was all becoming too much. 

Through hazy eyes, she saw Varian shrug, backing up to once again lean, casually against the wooden table behind him.

“I have to be sure,” He said evenly, watching her distress with clear amusement.

Rapunzel attempted to use what little air in her lungs remained, “Varian, please listen -”

“No you listen.” Varian snapped hotly, the amused look melting off his face, replaced with seething anger. “What I’ve done is Nothing short of what you deserve. I’m only doing what I have to. ”

“You're hurting people!” Rapunzel cried.

“And you haven’t?” Varian shouted back.

“I have.” The words expelled out of her, ripped through her throat without thinking. Rapunzel gasped, stunned. Varian’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by her involuntary honest reaction. 

The pair fell into a deafening silence.

Rapunzel sat up dizzily, heat flushing in her cheeks, tears welling in her eyes that she begged not to fall. The Princess was at a loss for words, a million apologies and excuses running through her brain all at once, each one slipping away before she could truly grasp it. Her eyes shifted back to Eugene asleep on the floor, the same guilt rising as her own admission rings through her head. 

“I- I didn’t-’ Rapunzel’s shaky voice cuts through the silence, stumbling to make a coherent sentence.

Varian had recovered much quicker, rolling his eyes. “As much as I would love to hear your excuses princess, ” he scoffed, “we’re  kind of on a time crunch here, so you’ll have to save it for later.”

And with that, Varian stood completely, beginning to pace back and forth in front of her, muttering to himself, a gloved hand crossed across his apron while the other rested on his chin. 

Nervous eyes followed him as he paced. Rapunzel felt a sickening dread building up in her chest, she knew what his next step was going to be. Varian was going to grill her, to make her break, to force her into admitting…something?

She wasn’t even sure she had the information that Varian was looking for.  She found herself afraid of what would happen should she tell him something he didn’t like. The thought made her already loud pulse grow into a pounding in her ears

 Varian finally came to a stop in his pacing.

“What caused your hair to grow back?” He questioned, turning to give her his full attention.

“Cassandra snuck me out of the castle where she showed me the black rocks. As soon as I touched it, my hair grew back,” The answer shot out of her like a cannon. Like someone else was in control of her voice and digging through her mind to provide the response. The sensation of it left her lightheaded, blinking away spots in her vision.

She found herself more confused than disoriented though. 

The question stuck out as odd to her. 

What was the point of asking questions he already knew the answer to? Woul-

Her thought is cut off when she hears another question barked at her

“How did you find out your hair was unbreakable?”

Once again, she heard her voice ticking off an answer to him, like a string was tied to her throat and someone was pulling at it, digging her voice out of her.

The integration continued for almost an hour.

Varian shouted out random questions rapid fire, never giving her any time to breathe or collect her thoughts. Some questions were random, asking what her favorite color was, what her favorite book was, and where she wanted to travel. While the rest of the questions revolved entirely around the rocks and her hair. He asked if she knew what the rocks were made of,if she learned about them at any time during her childhood through books in the tower, if she heard word of black rocks sprouting in other lands or kingdoms. if she noticed any similarities between her current hair and the hair she had grown up with?

The sharp contrast of the questions along with the quantity made her head spin. 

She could tell he was trying to throw her off. Trying to trick her into confessing whatever it is he wanted her to confess. With every question, she felt her headache grinding against her skull more and more. She felt trapped in a cat-and-mouse game that any wrong word from her would set him off into a fury. 

Trying to refuse the questions made it even worse.

The few times she tried to stop answering to catch her breath, she felt the serum begin to itch inside of her: burning.  Only resting when she finally spat out an answer.

She found herself growing exhausted as the alchemist piled on more and more questions. Each one sent a spike through her forehead when she responded. 

However, she could see that she's not the only one getting frustrated. She could see Varian growing impatient, his tone growing more agitated, his cool façade cracking as she continued to only recite information already known to him.

After Rapunzel cited another response to what’s probably the hundredth question, Varian’s cool resolve finally crumbled completely .He threw his hands in the air with an aggravated yell.

“This is useless! there has to be something you’re not telling me,” He snapped at her desperation trickling into his words, lacing her with an accusatorial stare.

“Varian, I'm telling you, I don’t know anything.” She pleaded, continuing to wince at her pounding headache.

Varian continued to glare. The silence in the room was louder than she could bear. The lack of questions that she had been longing for in the past hour, vanished.

 A foreboding dread sat heavily on her chest.

“Varian- “She tried to speak, but he cut her off.

“Quiet!” He snapped loudly, his tone harsh, making her flinch.

She closed her mouth, her pulse slamming in her ears.

He began to pace again, talking out loud in rushed sentences as she watched, unsure if his words were directed at her or himself as he talked, “This doesn’t make sense why would the rocks lay dormant all these years waiting for her to show up and then start growing? Why were those rocks even there in the first place?” 

Rapunzel's breath hitched at the last question, her gaze drifting to where her father lay asleep on the floor as Varian continued to rant to himself, walking in frantic steps.

The realization hit her like a frying pan.

She did know something he didn't.

Her mind drifted back to the conversation she had with her father before they had left to save the queen. She felt panic stirring in her at the thought.

The alchemist fell suddenly silent.

She looked up to see him staring at her, recollection spreading across his features as she met his stare with panicked eyes. 

He knew. 

Varian took a small step toward her raising an eyebrow “ Rapunzel? ” He questioned her name in a sing-song-like voice, clicking his tongue before continuing “Are you not telling me something?”

The princess bit her tongue, struggling to stop herself from answering the question. The taste of copper filled her mouth as she felt the itching feeling beginning to agitate her throat. She fought the urge as best she could, suddenly terrified of giving the information she knew to him. She had no idea how he’d react, he was clearly not in the best state of mind right now. She wasn’t sure if this would be enough to send him over the edge.

Flashes of her mother shackled, him pouring the amber across her eyes. Afraid that if those were planned instances of anger what he would do in an unplanned burst of rage. She felt a lump growing larger in her throat, feeling the itching begin to burn like a small fire. The feeling sent ripples of pain inside her. Varian can easily see the discomfort on her face, a small grin pulling at the edges of his mouth, stepping closer, only a foot away from the chair now as he tsked, shaking his head in mock disapproval.

“C’mon now princess friends don’t keep secrets now do they ?”

Rapunzel squeezed her eyes shut breathing, deep through her nose at the discomfort turning more painful. She shoved down the urge pulling inside her to speak

“Rapunzel it's really an easy question” Varian’s voice rang cruelly in her ears, the burning in her chest making it difficult to breathe. “What. Do. You. Know?”

The princess finally relented, the burning in her chest too much to bear, as she let her words echo through the tense atmosphere of the lab. 

“Before we came here tonight, my father told me that when my mom got sick, before he found the sun drop flower, he was warned by someone that if he took the flower, he would be awakening an even greater darkness” Rapunzel braced herself, gritting her teeth as tears form in the corner of her eyes before continuing, “And the person who warned him was…. It was your father Varian. It was Quirin that warned my dad.” 

The room fell eerily silent when the princess finished speaking, her body sagging from the instant relief of the truth being out in the open. The only sound filling the room is her soft and quiet panting as she tries to regain her composure.

After several seconds of silence, the princess finally looked up to see Varian gawking at her. Rage and shock building behind his eyes. She found her gut twisting when she saw traces of betrayal shining along with them.

“My father warned him?” Anger raged like tidal waves in Varian’s eyes, his words trembling with a choked fury, sentences running together “And he still- he still did it? He knew it would happen… He knew what WAS happening. But my da- how-how could he have known? Why wouldn’t he te--?” He pinched the bridge of his nose, an irritated whine rising from his throat.

Rapunzel tore her eyes away from him, a swarm of mixed emotions battling in her chest. All of this seemed to be happening because of her and her hair. 

It was because of her that her father had sought out the flower. It was because of her that Cassandra snuck her out and brought her to the rocks. It was because of her that the rocks were destroying countless homes and people's lives.  It was because of her that Varian even began to take notice of the odd occurrences tied to the rocks, leading to his father’s state, and what would twist him into the person she barely recognizes now. 

All this pain and destruction because of her and her hair.

She turned her gaze back to Varian, realizing he had once again gone silent, watching as the glazed look in his eyes finally cleared, she felt her stomach churn, unsure of what he would do next. She knew the knowledge she had just given to him was reeling his mind right now. 

She didn’t know if she could ever really forgive her father completely for what he’d done, as a king, it was and would always be the wrong choice, but she understood where his desire to do anything to save his family had come from. A father who would release an ancient darkness. All to save the only people he couldn’t bear the thought to live without. All to end up putting the fate he so desperately avoided on the people in their kingdom. Her mind drifted to Quirin at the thought as more guilt built stronger inside her. All to end up putting that fate on her friend.

She could see a look of determination was now standing in the alchemist, and she found herself surprised to see him simply fix a beady stare at her. Pointing a finger at her before slowly saying “Don’t. Move.” As he pivoted sharply on his heel and walked behind her his footsteps faded, as she struggled to crane her neck confusion exploding in her as she tried and failed to look behind her.

“Wha- what are you- where are you going?” She calls over her shoulder as she hears footsteps climbing stairs.

“Don’t Move!” Is the only response she gets called over a shoulder before she hears a door close, leaving behind a deafening echo that rang in her ears.  

She was alone, only her own racing thoughts to keep her company.

Oh Suns.

Chapter Text

Rapunzel felt hollow. The second the door had slammed from behind; a fleeting numbness settled over her. staring blankly ahead, flashes of Varian's rage filled eyes pulled at her.

You shouldn’t have told him.

Look what you did. 

Who knows what he’s going to do now? To Eugene. To your family?

You could’ve held out, 

Why didn’t you? 

Rapunzel inadvertently flinched at the harsh chides, the numbness beginning to burn through her stomach. 

“No,” She muttered to herself, shaking her head against the pounding. “He had a right to know.” Even if his method of getting the information from her was………undeniably wrong, and even if she could feel the numbing slipping into an ice cold dread, it wasn’t something her or her father had a right to hide….. right?

Rapunzel glanced at her father from across the room. Stomach coiling. Neither of them should’ve been hiding things from each other or their kingdom. Secrets only drive people apart; hurt them.

The knot grew tighter. The princess winced against the memory of Eugene’s well intentioned promise to Varian. She had seen the back and forth flickering behind the alchemist's eyes before the word had been spoken, the trepidation. But unbeknownst to Eugene he had pulled at a still fresh wound between her and Varian.

That night during the storm plagued her just as much as the rocks did. Varian’s sobbing voice as he was dragged away would fill her ears in the middle of the night, as she would try and fail to block it out.

“You Promised!”

The remembrance was always a stake in her heart, a permanent whisper that never left.

Eugene had sensed that something was bothering her and tried to get her to share with him, but she could only get herself to open up so much. After much coaxing, she had eventually caved in and shared most of what was troubling her but she just couldn’t bring herself to talk about her broken vow. Promises had meant the world to her in the tower. She had discovered them through a book she’d read when she was small and immediately was enthralled with the premise of such strong ideation bonding people through just one simple phrase. She had instantly sworn that she’d always hold promises sacred; that she would never throw away such a strong symbol of compassion….

But she had.

She’d broken her promise to Varian, and it had eaten at her. She tried to ignore it. Foolishly thought that if the alchemist hadn’t reached out to her again, he was fine. Even though her gut always told her otherwise, constantly twisted in knots when the memory of her broken promise would resurface, every time a hot iron against her chest. Afraid that if she did tell Eugene about her failed oath, it would be a hammer in her coffin. Lamenting the fact that she had thrown away something that she used to hold so dearly. That if she told him, it would break her completely So the Princess let her fear win and she didn’t. Not after the vault. Not after Varian kidnapped her mother. Even now she’s not sure if she wants Eugene to know how much she’d failed herself. How much she’d failed Varian.

But Still, after everything Varian had done, she just knew that boy she had been friends with was still in there somewhere. The Princess had seen the slight hesitation right before he’d tripped and dropped the sleeping gas that had doused her and Eugene. In that moment Rapunzel had known he wasn’t lost for good. She knew she could get him back to the light. If she could only find a way to reach him. She just had no idea how…

Rapunzel lifted her head to see the people she cared about the most in their deep sleep, a rush of fire suddenly flooded inside her. That didn’t matter. She wouldn’t give up. She would save her family, and most importantly The Princess would stop at nothing to get her friend back.

She pulled at the cuffs binding her wrist. Her former despair was now gone as Rapunzel focused her newfound resolve on getting out of the shackles that encased her wrists. The Princess found herself regretting not allowing Eugene to show her how to pick locks, the several times he’d offered she’d declined every time, not thinking it was a skill she wanted to learn. Boy did she regret that now. Rapunzel mentally scorned herself and swore she’d let Eugene teach her his tricks after this was done with. But for now, she’d have to make do with what she had.

Rapunzel shifted the wrist of her right hand, tugging it up and at an angle to make her hand as narrow as possible, but the cuffs were tight and didn’t allow much room to move. it cut into her hand sharply, scraping her wrist and leaving the Princess hissing through her teeth at the sensation. She tried to ignore the pain and continued pulling, squeezing her eyes shut and taking shallow breaths, twisting her wrist back and forth, fighting back whimpers, as the metal pulled at her skin roughly, cutting into her like a blade. Rapunzel only stopped when she began to feel warm drops trickling down her fingers. Biting her Tongue, she felt angry, pained tears forming in the corners of her eyes, when a flash of blinking colors caught her attention, pulling her away from her impossible task.

Rapunzel turned her head to stare at the table Varian had been leaning on during her interrogation to see Pascal flashing from his normal shade of deep green to a bright and luscious yellow. Her eyes lit up at the sight of her friend and she instantly beamed a smile at him.

“Pascal! You're okay!” She excitedly whispered in his direction. A small weight lifted off her at the relief that at least her friend was free and unharmed, evidently managing to escape from the cage she had seen Varian lock him in.

The lizard chirped, nodding his head at her. Rapunzel let out a relieved sigh, happy she wasn’t completely alone anymore, and better yet, she now had a friend who- unlike her-was free to roam the room.

“Pascal, did you see where he put the key to the handcuffs?” She asked quickly in a hushed voice, her eyes darting to the direction the alchemist had left the room in.

The lizard let out a low chirp nodding his head and pointing a claw over her head with sad eyes. The princess immediately knew what he meant.

“He took the key with him.” She said disappointedly, letting out a tired sigh as her friend nodded, confirming her statement.

She wasn’t all too surprised. If anything, these past few days had shown her that Varian was smart. His moves were always thought out strategically and with care. However, she still couldn’t help the crash of defeat at the realization that she was stuck down here with no idea what the alchemist was up to, and no way to free herself.

Pascal let out another small concerned chirp, and the princess raised her eyes to his giving him a small smile.

“It’s ok Pascal I just-“She stopped mid-sentence, the items on the table in front of her catching her attention. Specifically, the pink balls resting near the back. The Princess recognized them instantly. An idea that she really wasn’t sure would wind up working, weighed back and forth in her head, but Rapunzel knew she had to take what she could get.

“Pascal, do you see those pink balls behind you?”

The chameleon turned around, nodding his head and chirping when he went back to face his friend.

“Great, do you think you could grab one of them and hide it for now? I’ll send a signal to you if I need you to use it. But for now, just hide it Pascal, okay?”

Her friend nodded and raised his claw to his head in a small salute, running to the back of the table and grabbing one of the balls in his claws as he crawled through the room. Placing the pink bomb in the princess's blue bag that had been discarded and thrown to the side.

Rapunzel let herself feel a small glimmer of hope. At least she had something to her advantage, though she knew she wouldn’t use it unless she absolutely had to. The princess knew that the bomb wasn’t painful and wouldn’t cause harm to the boy if she resorted to using it but… she just really didn’t want to do it. Not only that but now she’d have to pray that the alchemist wouldn’t notice one of his pink bombs missing. If he did, who knows what he’d do to her? Let alone, Pascal. Rapunzel fought back the dark thought and tried to look optimistically. She had an advantage even if it was a really small one it was still there.

Who knows, maybe by the time Varian eventually came back down here he’d have calmed down enough to where she could actually try and talk to him. The Princess clings onto that prospect with everything she has left, watching Pascal climb onto her lap and raise a tiny claw; brandishing a bobby pin that she’s sure he found in her bag. A smile tugs at her lips at the sight of him holding it so triumphantly.

“What do you have there?” Rapunzel asked teasingly.

He chirped louder in response and shook the pin in his grip harder until it finally clicked in Rapunzel’s head, her eyes widening in excitement.

“To try and pick the lock? Pascal, you’re a genius!” Her words oozed with admiration for her friend as he nodded his head excitedly up and down beaming at the princess’s praise for him.

Pascal stuck the bobby pin in his mouth. Leaping from Rapunzel’s lap to the wooden chair. Scurrying down the back of it. she felt him land swiftly on the cuffs. the shackles shifted, rattling slightly as Pascal worked the pin around the metal. The Princess waited nervously, her ears straining for any sound of the alchemist returning to the room. Anxiety was sweeping inside her, a storm of butterflies that went into a frenzy when she heard a loud crash above her head. She stifled a yelp at the burst of sound immediately going rigid as she and Pascal both froze, waiting in tense silence for the sound of the alchemist returning, but it never came.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Relaxing ever so slightly, she felt Pascal return to his task, the shackles beginning to rattle lightly again as he worked. After the crash, the only sounds she heard were the occasional footsteps moving around above her head. Though even those smaller sounds would still instantly set her on edge, the princess's eyes immediately drifted towards the door, heart lurching in her throat at the idea of Varian entering and catching Pascal out and free.

After a few more minutes of nerve-breaking silence, she heard Pascal let out several defeated chirps, feeling him leap off the shackles and back into her lap. A look of despair shone heavily in his eyes, still clutching the pin in his tiny claw.

Rapunzel gave him a weary smile “It’s alright Pascal, why don’t you give me the pin and I’ll try okay?”

The lizard gave a nod before retreating to the handcuffs. The Princess felt him slip the bobby pin between her fingers. Rapunzel had almost no idea how to pick locks, so she was going off what little knowledge she did have through occasional snippets of Eugene mentioning the mechanisms. The Princess knew there was a gear inside, that if you could angle something just right in the shackles it would release and spring them open. The problem was Rapunzel didn’t know how to find the gear and would have to do this blindly.

Rapunzel pushed the pin forward to what she hoped was the center of the cuffs, wiggling the pin and feeling it brush against the chain in the center. The princess grimaced a bit, the angle of the cuffs biting into her wrist where she’d already pulled the skin raw, but ignored it best she could. Rapunzel moved the pins angle more to the left, towards the direction of the keyhole, and stifled a triumphant cry when she felt the pin slip in the hole in the center, she cautiously moved the object in a clockwise motion trying to feel where a release mechanism could be, but the circular movements in the metal on her already torn wrist was blurring her focus. The sharp cuffs digging into already broken skin drew more blood and much more pain. Making her already uneasy grip falter.

Rapunzel stopped twisting the pin for a moment to try and readjust her grip, only for it to slip out of her fingers and to the ground. She scowled to herself, while Pascal leapt to the ground, fetching the pin and returning to the princess's restraints. Sliding the object back in her grip. She gave him a small grateful smile when he retreated to his spot on her shoulder and went back to fiddling with the lock.

The Princess switched hands this time, hoping that even if it were her nondominant hand, the lack of pain would be enough to make the process of picking the lock easier. She once again felt for the center of the cuffs, successfully moving the pin back into the center hole and making the same circle-like motions. Rapunzel moved it as slowly as she could, feeling for any change in the pins' movements, but even with no pain and a steadier grip, the angles were just too awkward. She couldn’t see if it was truly doing anything and could barely feel what the pin was doing in the cuffs or if she was even doing it correctly.

Rapunzel chewed her lip nervously

This was going to take a while.

                                                                                                              *

Varian closed the door roughly behind him, seething with anger and uncertainty. The princess’s words rang through his head on a constant loop.

“It was your father Varian. It was Quirin that warned my dad"

Varian leans against the back of the door to collect himself. He couldn’t believe it. His father had known something. Even worse he’d intentionally kept whatever it was he knew from him. Varian slammed his eyes shut with a strangled cry. The fact that his father still hadn’t trusted him to know whatever it was he had been guarding all this time, stabbed at his gut like a poker, a lump forming in his throat. He had to know what his father was keeping from him.

Varian pried open his eyes to the sight of a closed door, his father’s room. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to venture into his dad's room more than a handful of times. The last time Varian had gotten restless and searched the room he’d found the graphitic hidden in a drawer by his father’s bed; piled underneath loose papers and pens. So, he knew that any hope of finding answers would have to be searched for in the now vacant chamber, and just like the last time he’d gone through his room; a heavy swarm of guilt-ridden nerves flushed through him. It felt intrusive to his father who was usually so reserved and closed off, even to his own son. He knew it would upset his dad, maybe even anger him, to hear of his boy rummaging through his things. But again, just like before; he pushed through his conscience and moved towards the door.

Varian walked with cautious steps, stopping to rest a tentative hand on the door handle. The door seemed to loom over him as he took a breath and softly pushed down on the knob stepping nervously into the empty quarters.

The room was just as his father had left it- minus the nightstand which still held the loosely placed drawer that the alchemist had forgotten to close, too enthralled with his find to remember something so trivial. An empty bed stood in the center of the room. Tightly made with a pillow leaning against the headboard, fluffy and round without anyone there to indent upon it. Solid wood bookcases lined part of the walls in the room, filled with journals and novels that Varian had already read twice over. The room was painstakingly clean and organized, the complete opposite of the boys' chaotic and unkept quarters. Which he was once again taken aback by while he silently scanned over the room his stare instinctively falling on the portrait hung beside the only window in the room.

Varian walked to the painting an ache pulsing inside him at the sight. He stopped less than a foot away from the portrait -a large wooden chest blocking the rest of the path- to stare in longing at the image of his father next to a woman doused in bright auburn hair- His mother-, cradling a squirming dark-haired baby. . He had next to no memory of his mother just a few blurred moments of remembrance from before she’d died, but he knew he’d loved her. More than anything. A sad smile tugged at him from the feeling. He reached a gloved hand out and brushed it gingerly against the portrait. 

“Don’t worry Dad I’ll figure this out.” He says, looking up to meet his father’s unseeing eyes through the painting.

Varian held the absent gaze for a second longer like he was expecting a response, before finally tearing his eyes away to rest on the large wooden chest that had been dragged half hazardly under the portrait. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to search through it the last time he was in here, it had felt too intrusive then but now…..

Varian lowered himself to his knees, the chest now at eye level and reached out a hand, hesitating briefly to raise his eyes back to the picture; meeting his father’s downturned gaze. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the idea of his father watching him do this, twisting his already guilty conscience. He shook his head forcing away the idea, but the feeling remained even when he fixed his attention back on the wooden trunk.

“Sorry Dad” He muttered under his breath, lifting the lid of the closed case

The chest was filled to the brim with dusty relics. The first of the artifacts to grab the alchemist's attention was an odd-looking metallic helmet that he lifted out with a light grunt. The helmet was relatively light but still held some weight to it. Varian brushed his glove against the top of the armor noting the strange drawing that decorated the metal. A circle was imprinted on the sheet with three slash-like marks impeding the circle, all different lengths. He held the helmet out in front of him quizzically. Making a mental note of the strange icon before setting it aside to more closely examine later.

The alchemist turned back to the crate noting next the large burlap sack that was taking up a vast majority of the space inside the old wood. He wrapped his hands around the top of the bag going to yank it out of the space only to underestimate the weight of the sack severely and instead knocked the weight to the front of the box, tilting over the chest. Varian leaped back narrowly avoiding crushing his foot when the trunk flopped forward with a crash, spilling its contents onto the stone floor. The loud boom of noise made him cringe but he recovered quickly, scolding himself for not being more careful; he lowered himself back to the ground to see the top half of the sack lying partially on the stone floor. He eyed the bag as if expecting it to grow fangs and bite him, chewing on his cheek when he at last, stood up and grabbed the helm of the bag, dragging it completely out of the trunk with much effort, gasping lightly for breath once he’d completely heaved it out of the box.

Varian bent down, untying the knot closing the burlap together, and peeking inside. The alchemist arched an eyebrow startled to see what looked like a large suit of armor, made from the same material as the helmet he had put aside.

Why did his father have this?

Varian lifted the chest plate out of the sack wiping away dust that now covered the once-pristine sheet of metal. Even with the grime that had collected on the armor over time, he could still partly see his reflection staring at him. Faded blue eyes with dark bags looked back at him, even visible beneath the bangs falling over his forehead, several strands stuck to his forehead with dirt and sweat, His cheeks looked hollow and sunken, and he looked pale, had he always been that pale?… He flicked his eyes away unsettled at the sight; setting the armor aside for now.

He fought to make sense of the odd item in his mind. His father was a farmer what could he possibly need armor for? He’d never seen his father hurt the vermin that would occasionally loiter in his gardens let alone a person. Did his father even know how to wield a weapon? Why would he keep all this a secret from him? What did that strange symbol embedded in the helmet mean?

The questions whizz through his brain in a whirlwind, and he has a feeling that the rest of the items in the chest will only give him more questions than answers. Varian mentally braced himself looking around at the items. He couldn’t deny that the sight of old pages and ancient objects did spark a bit of excitement in him, lying untouched in abundance littering the ground around him. In any other circumstance, he would’ve been thrilled at all the raw material to dig through, for now, however, he had to sort through these in the quickest way possible.

The alchemist began forming small separate piles as he sorted through the artifacts. The process was tedious and took longer than he would’ve liked, especially knowing he’d left Rapunzel alone- but restrained- in his lab, nonetheless organizing the trunks' contents made sifting through his finds much easier. By the time he finished, he had three moderately sized piles in front of him. The first heap consisted of what Varian thought would be the most valuable tools he could look through to find any kind of explanation. He was so desperate for answers he’d take almost anything at this point. The pile mainly consisted of yellowed loose pages with light calligraphy scattered across the crinkled pages. The stack also included a thick leather-bound journal he’d found at the very bottom of the trunk, pushed in the very back and almost camouflaged to the wood.

The second mound consisted mainly of objects Varian either wasn’t too sure what their purpose was- like a rusty glass bottle filled with tiny orange pebbles- Or they were simply old relics – such as an old-looking spear with the same circle embedded in the head- that he would have to observe later. The third and final bundle was what he named the ‘wild stack’. It was a heavy mix of papers that he wasn’t sure would end up being helpful or not. Most of the pages in the assemblage were drawings of items he didn’t know or recognize, some of them with such bizarre linework the alchemist wasn’t even sure if they were objects. A select few of the papers had small rows of script lining the surface, detailing a vague description of the abnormal-looking items scratched upon the paper, though most only had light sketchings drawn roughly across the pages with little to no text decorating the yellowing sheets.

Beside the odd-looking pictures, the only other items he’d sorted into the stack were a handful of intricate and beautifully drawn maps, the sight of them alone took his breath away. The scrolls were made out of thick canvas, tinted with color from their time hidden away in the trunk. Despite their age, the canvas still held strong and sturdy under his tight grip. The drawn-out etchings of trees and land and castles remained untarnished; even the tiny script was still bold and legible, despite the worn-out look of the other papers hidden in the chest that had succumbed to their age.

Varian had thumbed through a few, nothing unusual standing out to him. Tossing the maps into the pile, his gaze had fell on one scroll in particular, feeling a magnetic pull to the paper. The alchemist reached out his hand, grabbing the largest map in the pile. It was rolled up tightly in a black coarse thread, ,he untied it gently, taking care not to accidentally crease the canvas. The thread slipped to the ground, the paper unrolling open with a flourish. The boy sucked in a breath at the art decorating the paper. It was by far the most elaborate of all the previous ones he’d seen. The others had mainly been guides to kingdoms based on the titles, such as the Equis and Koto scrolls he’d glanced over. This one however, was too large only to be a kingdom, it had too much land and area for it to be that isolated. It sketched out large forests and etchings of scattered towns, each drawn out in painstaking detail. Pockets of lakes, narrow rivers engraved in portions of the scroll. The rivers splashed with ripples of movement, giving the impression of moving water. Labels bombarded the map, too many to look at, it was hard to focus on just one alone. However, one in particular immediately grabbed his attention the second his eyes laid on it.

In the top right-hand corner of the scroll, black rocks tainted the page, their dark colors stark in contrast to the light airy colors that covered the rest of the art. The stones were isolated, nothing seemed to surround them, like the rest of the scroll knew of the danger of coming too close to their isolated corner, the rocks toppled over each other to form what almost looked like someone's failed interpretation of a castle. The sight of it unnerved him even, even though it was only a drawing. Varian peered at the marking naming the heap of black rocks.

The Dark Kingdom?

The alchemist scoffed lightly at the title A little on the nose, isn’t it?

Varian squinted looking closer at the text. The handwriting on this particular map was also different from the previous ones. It was more slanted, more curved than the other scripts' more sloped, upright look. He felt a strange feeling that the handwriting was eerily familiar.

He froze; his eyes widening to saucers when he realized it was his father's calligraphy strewn about the canvas.

Had his father made this map?

Varian lowered the map from his eye level to his lap, turning to look at the picture of his father again, Bewilderment prominent on the alchemist's features. What did all of this mean? Why did his dad make this map? What had he been hiding? He stared at the familiar image of his father's face, each question leaving a swarm of confusion and disbelief in its place.

Varian and his father had never been extremely close. Not as close as he would’ve liked, but he had still felt as though he and his dad had an open, honest relationship. Varian tried his hardest not to lie or keep things from his father, and up until recently, he would’ve said the same thing about his dad.

Yet again, he had been proven wrong.

Just as before, Varian felt a sharp pang in his gut, the familiar hurt pooling in his chest. His father hadn’t just been keeping one or two measly secrets from him, this looked like an entire life! A whole section of his father’s past that he purposely kept from him. Not even entrusting his own son with the knowledge

The image of his father blurred, hot tears in his eyes. Varian tore his stare away, dropping the map to wipe angrily at his eyes.

His father hadn’t trusted him, fine.

He’d just have to make it up to him. He would show him he wasn’t the naïve child he’d seen before. He’d grown up. He’d changed. After he found a way to wake up his father, he’ll prove himself. He’d become the son his father always wanted and not-.

He stares down at his gloved hands clenching them with narrowed eyes

Not who he used to be.

Varian snatched up the map from his lap, rolling it up tightly, not bothering to tie it with the thread. He set the map back down in the pile with the other scrolls and canvases. Switching his attention to his priority stack, he pursed his lips at all the information he was going to have to sift through. The thought left excited butterflies through him, but it still made him nervous. The gas wouldn’t last forever, and Rapunzel wasn’t even asleep. Even though he had cuffed her, she had adamantly proved herself to be able to get out of tricky situations. The longer he left her unwatched, the higher the chance of her somehow freeing herself was. He sighed, pressing the palms of his gloved hands against his eyes. But he had little to no idea what he was dealing with, the only lead he had was the enormous pile in front of him. There was really nothing he could do except hope for the best.

Varian grabbed what he figured would be the most promising of the items in the mound, closing his hand around the thick leather bound book he’d found hidden in the chest. Varian set the journal in his lap, the leather was cracked and dried with age. His grip on the book was awkward and heavy, the journal large enough that it took both hands to maneuver it while he inspected it. He noticed the item had nothing on the front or back as he turned it around. The only decoration on the leather, the same strange circular symbol he’d seen previously on multiple items in the chest. It lay on the book’s spine at the very top of the edge, less than two inches wide, in ink so dark he almost hadn’t seen the now familiar-looking icon.

Varian lowered the journal down to his lap, opening the cover, an odor of dust and age lofting through the air, his nose scrunched at the strong scent, even though it was a familiar one he didn’t mind. Most of the books he read tended to have the very same smell. He flicked to the first page of the book. The sheet lined with his father's handwriting covering half of the page in what looked like a private entry for a diary or journal.

Varian hesitated when his eyes landed on the paper. His father obviously wouldn’t want him reading what could be his private thoughts. The alchemist felt his cheeks flush with heat, ashamed at the prospect of invading his father’s privacy to this extent, but he’d come this far…Varian stared through unfocused eyes at the paper, arguing momentarily with himself before resigning to the entry. He’d only read a few, he had to see if this contained anything vital to his father’s state he bargained with himself.

Varian focused on his breathing, trying to ignore the thick guilt slamming the back of his mind, tuning it out as best he could, he began to read.

“The moonstone is becoming unstable, dangerous. I've tried to tell Edmund but he won’t see it, not completely like I have. He said he understood the dangers, that he has them under control.

He’s wrong.

Small black rocks have begun sprouting on the outskirts of the kingdom. They’re a product of the moonstones' power, but the king insists we can stop the stones' effects before they get out of hand.

I’ve always had complete faith in the king….. but I fear for my wife and the family we have on the way

I’m not sure I can keep my allegiance if this becomes more dangerous, I will put my family before the crown.

My allyship has never been something I questioned, I hope it doesn’t come to this.”

Varian burned holes into the page. His dad was part of an allegiance? Or had been? He’d seen the rocks before? He knew what the rocks were? It was stated there in the entry word-for-word

They were “a product of the moonstones power.”

What the hell was the moonstone?

The boy hastily turned to the next section, hungry for more. The previous guilty state of mind quickly washed away by intense curiosity and a hint of betrayal.

“ I have a private council with the king later today.

Normally I wouldn’t meet with the king without Adira or Hector present, but I have to confess my concerns about my allegiance, I don’t want them to witness my weakness.

It has been weeks since I brought up my concerns to the king, and it’s only been getting worse

The rocks have been getting larger and growing exponentially. It’s only a matter of time before they begin endangering lives and homes.

I believe in our king and community but something must be done

If these rocks continue their growth, it won’t be long before our kingdom is flooded with grief and pain.”

The entry ended, a feeling of uneasy anger swept through Varian's body.

His father was describing the same thing that had been happening in Corona. His father had been through this before, and had kept his insight from Varian. Varian's mind flashed back to the meeting his father had attended with the king before the storm. When he’d heard his dad lying. Why would his father not tell anyone?

“Before he found the sundrop flower, he was warned by someone that if he took the flower, he would be awakening an even greater darkness”

Rapunzel's words spring into his ears, his fist clenching.

No, his father had warned the king, and just like now, The KIng didn’t listen. The KIng ignored his father then, so Quirin must have figured he’d do the same now. Varian shot a glare at the door in the direction of the cellar, more resentment for the king building in his chest.

He turned back to the journal.

This time he didn’t thumb to the next paper, instead choosing to flip through the pages. All appeared to be the same, journal writings. Some included drawings of rocks or a stone, Varian’s eyes skimmed through a few of the paragraphs, though most consisted of more encounters with the rocks growing or causing damage. He made it through a third of the way into the book when one of the drawings stopped his fingers from their speedy turning. At the bottom of the paper, it showed a rough sketch of the sundrop flower. He’d recognize the unique shape of the plant anywhere now, having spent so much time studying the graphitic he’d found hidden away. Varian felt cautious excitement bubbling in his gut, moving his eyes over the words beside it eagerly.

“The king has officially ordered an evacuation of The Dark Kingdom.

Edmund’s plan to destroy the opal failed devastatingly and forced the kingdom into a darkness I’m not sure it can recover from.

While the kingdom prepares for the evacuation, Adira insists that if we could find a mythical sun drop flower, it would undo all the devastation done by the moonstone and destroy it completely.

I’m not sure if I'm convinced about listening to old wives' tales. All the children in the kingdom were told the tale of the sun and moon drop. Of the two longing to be together and searching for one another until they would be reunited.

It could be plausible but I can’t imagine how near impossible it would be to put all our trust in finding a mythical ancient flower.

For now, all my focus must lay on aiding the evacuation and helping my king, we can dream of fairy tales later.”

Varian felt the air get stuck in his lungs, throat almost closing at the immediate frenzy his brain went into after reading the entry.

There could be a way to stop the rocks. The solution he’d been searching for, for months The rocks that had taken his entire life away. Had caused him all this pain and devastation, if he stopped the rocks, if what the women his father had mentioned so often in his journal said was true…

It could be the thing that woke up his dad.

Varian’s eyes re-read that same line again for confirmation.

it would undo all the devastation done by the moonstone and destroy it completely.

it would undo all the destruction

That had to include his father.

Why wouldn’t it? It made complete sense in his mind, the solution had been a reaction to the black rocks. The same rocks that were apparently a product of this magical moonstone he’d never heard of until now. A moonstone that could be neutralized with the sundrop.

Rapunzel.

All he had to do was bring the princess to the moonstone, once she made contact with the opal, the reaction would wake his father and undo the destruction she had caused in the process.

Simple.

Varian even knew where the moonstone lay now. His father had written down the name, he recognized it instantly. He jumped up, the book sliding out of his lap with a resounding thud while he ran to the scrolls, he had pushed aside earlier, easily finding the largest of the bunch. Varian grabbed the map eagerly unrolling the canvas once again to stare at the large topple of rocks.

The Dark Kingdom.

The same name from his father's journal.

Varian’s eyes glazed greedily over the rest of the map., flickering wildly over the tracks and paths that would have to be traversed to make it to his newfound destination. The map was spectacularly detailed so Varian knew he wouldn’t have an issue marking and scouting a possible trail to the land The only problem was based on the area they’d need to cover; this looked like it would be a months-long trip, maybe even a year.

Varian paused, staring blankly at the map for a moment, his idea finally hitting him full force.

If he did this, if he chose to follow through with his appealingly half-baked spontaneous plan, Varian would be putting the entire plausibility of it working on the words of a woman he’d never even met. Even in the journal his own father had noted that he wasn't sure it would work.

And that was only the forethought behind his potential plan, that didn’t include the Unpredictable conditions, terrain, and weather. Gathering supplies, the act of the travel itself. All things Varian wasn’t familiar with.

He had never been the outdoorsy type, the longest road trip he’d been on was when his father had attempted to take them on a fishing trip about a year ago, only lasting 5 hours before the alchemist had tripped over a fallen tree stump and sprained his wrist, ending the excursion before it’d even begun.

Varian’s lip quirked up slightly at the memory, remembering the concern his father had shown at his injury, and how his usually soft-spoken, quiet father had talked all the way back to their town in an attempt to distract Varian from the pain of his injury. Even though Varian had felt terrible about ruining their trip and had apologized to his father profusely, Quirin never showed any impatience or annoyance, only insisted that his son rest and not push himself with his projects until the sprain healed. (Which was like asking him not to breathe air, but that was beside the point).

The fondness of the memory hurt, salt poured into a bleeding, open wound that would never close unless he did something. He couldn’t just sit here and wait for a solid, more true lead to appear. For all Varian knew, that would never happen, if this was the closest thing he had to a plan then so be it. He could make it work.

He would make it work.

Chapter Text

Rapunzel forced herself to bite back a shout of frustration, the pin fumbling out of her grip, landing on the lab's stone floor, yet again.  

Her and Pascal had been trading turns with moving the object back and forth in the shackles for what Rapunzel assumed was about an hour now, give or take. She couldn’t be certain of how long it had been, but if she turned her head just right she could make out part of the moon in the window, setting lower and lower in the horizon. The sky now a midnight blue versus the pitch black it had been when The alchemist had left the room.

Normally Rapunzel prided herself on her patience when learning a new hobby or skill, especially if the skill or act was something she knew little about, and picking locks was definitely something she was ‘new’ at to say the least. But everytime she fumbled her grip or failed to insert the object in the right hole in the shackles, Rapunzel could feel her chest tighten, hot irritation building inside her that she would try and fight through, which was getting more and more difficult to do when every passing second was a brutal reminder that Varian could walk back in at any second.

The princess shoved her increasing anxiety aside for the moment, turning her head slightly, shooting a nervous smile to her friend who was watching her with wide worried eyes from his spot on her shoulder.

“Alright Pascal, you up for another try?” Rapunzel asked him quietly, trying to make her voice sound cheerful and optimistic despite the current rush of defeat coursing through her,

The chameleon eyed Rapunzel with concern for a moment. She knew he could see through her facade, having practically grown up with Pascal, he had seen it in action almost daily when she was in the tower. Making her even more grateful when he simply gave her another squeak, hopping off her shoulder, to the ground, retrieving the fallen pin.

The second Pascal was out of sight Rapunzel let her head dip forward towards her chest, eyes already burning with tears that she barely managed to keep from spilling over. Rapunzel’s situation hit her harshly. She was beyond exhausted, beyond scared. She was terrified. She was afraid for her family, for Eugene, for Pascal, even a little bit for herself.

It was finally eating into her earlier determination, twisting it into raw panic. Raounzel’s mind began to race through any other idea she could potentially switch her attention to, the metal binding her wrists slightly shaking with Pascal's attempts to unlock the cuffs.

Rapunzel's eyes drifted around the room wildly, desperation weighing heavily in her. Maybe she should just tell Pascal to hide, so that when Varian returned he could potentially search for a way to find help?  Maybe she could send Pascak out to see what the alchemist was up to? She could attempt to draft out a speech in her head, of what she could say to the alchemist to try and placate him enough to release her? She could-

A clicking sound filled the air, accompanied with the light sound of metal against stone, and suddenly Rapunzel couldn’t feel the pull of sharp metal on skin anymore.

Rapunzel let out a startled gasp, pulling her arms in front of her, a sob of relief escaping her lips. The princess barely managed to stop from collapsing in on herself at her renewed ability to move her wrists and arms freely, even if her wrists were now a nasty sight of soon to be bruised skin, with dried and fresh copper lining her wrists like a disturbed bracelet, though she knew from experience that the wound wasn’t serious and merely superficial. It didn’t truly worry her,

Rapunzel stood up excitedly from the chair, spinning around to bend over, she lowered her hand out expectantly to Pascal. The Lizard let out several happy chirps and eagerly leaped into his friend's outstretched hand.

“Pascal you did it!” Rapunzel squealed in as hushed a whisper she could manage, kissing the top of Pascal's head “I knew you could do it! Oh thank you Pascal!”

The lizard jumped up and down lightly in her palm at the adoration, before finally pausing his celebration to catch Rapunzel’s eye and glance meaningfully towards the cellar door.

Rapunzel pursed her lips, nodding at Pascal “ I know you’re right, we need to focus.”  She said amending.

The princess set her gaze on the door at the top of the stairs, considering all the options she had. She could leave and try to get help but-. Rapunzel's eyes flicked back to her parents and Eugen asleep on the ground. The princess didn’t think she could bring herself to leave them, so that was out of the question. 

Rapunzel chewed on the inside of her cheek, she could find Varian and try to talk to him, but every time she had tried getting through to him it’d failed spectacularly. 

Rapunzel started pacing, fingers fiddling with loose strands of hair that had fallen in front of her face. She could do this; she just had to think of a plan that would save everyone. Wake up Eugene and her parents, while helping bring Varian back, easy right?

Rapunzel nodded her head absently at the thought, barely noticing the squeak of panic Pascal let out from beside her ear.

The princess glanced at Pascal in confusion, lifting her eyes to where he was pointing a frantic claw to see the door handle above the cellar stairs start to turn.

Rapunzel’s stare widened in alarm, leaping to stand against the wall making up the stone stairs, pressing herself flat against the wall. She heard the door open and she reached out a hand, silently gripping a section of her hair tightly. Looks like she was gonna have to go with plan B.

                                                                                                    *

Varian anxiously walked back and forth in front of the loose piles laid out before him. One arm crossed across his chest, gripping the now rolled-up map, the other resting thoughtfully under his chin.

He would have to convince Rapunzel to come with him of her own volition. Varian had thought of every possible way he could potentially force the princess to go, but it would be far too difficult and unpredictable to keep anyone under constant supervision and restraint for such a long period of time and travel, let alone someone as strong willed as Rapunzel.

No, the journey was going to be hard enough without having to drag the princess kicking and screaming. Varian would have to find a way to get Rapunzel to want to go herself.

The alchemist's eyes drifted to the large window in his fathers room. Outside he could see black rocks obliterating the ground, tearing through dirt and grass, even wood. By now there seemed to be more rocks than ground. Varian studied what he could see of the rocks from where he stood, a few rocks sprouting up in the distance, far from the window and appearing more like glowing sticks against the skyline as they sprouted. 

The rocks had been growing farther out more recently than not. Like they realized how much they'd torn through his town and were satisfied with the destruction enough to begin moving towards their next target. Towards who they had been aiming for since the beginning. The castle. Rapunzel.

Usually the reminder sent a spike of anger through his chest, raw and unfiltered. This time the sight washed over him in a calming wave. Varians eyes lit up, dark with nothing but intention. 

He knew how to convince Rapunzel.

Varian stuffed the rolled up map in his apron pocket, hesitating briefly, he also bent down to pick up his father's journal, cradling it to his chest with both hands. Varian knew bringing the book wasn't necessary, but the journal brought him comfort, like a version of his father was beside him in all this.

The alchemist briskly made his way out of his fathers room and approached the cellar door, resting one hand on the doorknob the other, clutching the journal in a tight grip. Varian sucked in a breath, bracing himself for the rocky waves he was going to have to force himself into.

Clenching his teeth, he pushed the door forward, entering the cellar.

The second Varian goes to descend the stairs, his steps instantly still. Eyes practically bulging out of his head, heart stopping completely. 

Rapunzel was gone

The chair he’d left her in sat empty, a pair of shackles lay discarded behind it, the rest of the lab vacant.

Varian felt a panicked yell building up in his throat. His eyes flashing around the room desperately for any sign he was wrong. Searching for evidence that the princess hadn’t escaped, that she was still in the cellar, but the room was still and silent.

He ripped at a section of his bangs harshly with his free hand, his breaths coming in fast and in rapid succession.

How could he have been so stupid?

He never should’ve left her alone down here for so long! 

He had even left the door unlocked like an amateur! 

At that point, he might as well have handed Rapunzel the keys to the handcuffs himself! “Sure go ahead Princess I’ll even leave the door open for you!” 

What an Idiot.

If the princess was gone, she definitely would have gone back to the castle for help by now. Who knows how long ago that was, she could be back any minute now, ready to arrest him. There was no way Varian could help his father from a cell. 

What was he THINKING?!

“No, no, no” The alchemist choked to himself, running down the stairs to his father.

All of this for nothing, for Rapunzel to escape because of his poor planning. For him to never be able to see his father agai-

As soon as he stepped foot on the ground, Varian saw something rush toward him from his peripheral. Wrapping around him before the alchemist could even blink, pinning his arms securely to his side and his father’s journal slipping from his grip, hitting the stone with a solid thud.

Varian let out a startled yelp, almost stumbling to the ground, barely managing to keep his feet under him from the sudden lack of mobility.

The alchemist looked down at the rope lassoed around his torso. 

No…rope doesn’t come in this shade of yellow. This wasn’t rope it was-

“It’s over, Varian.”

Hair.

The alchemist finally connected the dots, looking over to see Rapunzel, gripping her makeshift rope taut.

Varian barely managed to keep the instant relief of seeing the princess here and not on her way to the castle off his face. He slapped on a light scowl at the last second, covering his urge to smile.

The princesses eyes were pure fire, eyebrows set deep against her face in determination. Varian noticed a thin ring of red covering both her wrists. The alchemist also noticed the sight of blood, his stomach churning and vision starting to swim. He quickly averted his eyes away from the sight, back to the eyes of the angry princess. 

Now would not be the best time to faint.

“I thought I told you not to move,” Varian said drily, leveling her glare with a raised eyebrow.

Rapunzel shot out a laugh, “Sorry, I must’ve misheard.I thought you said ‘please move’.” 

Varian, in fact did not think she misheard, considering he’d said it twice, he most certainly didn’t say please. He let the retort die on his lips, he would let her have her incorrect retelling of previous events. For now, he had more pressing matters than a petty comment.

The alchemist narrowed his eyes at the blonde royal.

“Look Rapunzel, as much as I appreciate your… warm welcome-“ he paused, pulling against the hair pinning his arms to demonstrate, before continuing, allowing a light tone of irritation to coat his words. “But I just came down here to talk, okay?”

The princess didn’t ease up on her stance, however he saw a flicker of surprise brush across her face.

Rapunzel didn’t speak for a moment, staring at him with searching eyes. 

“You want to talk?” She finally said slowly, suspicion heavy in her tone.

Varian gave her a curt nod, “I want to talk,” he repeated, keeping his expression purposefully unreadable.

The room fell into a thick silence as Rapunzel continued to study him. Varian could see the heavy debate behind her eyes, confusion furrowing her eyebrows, fear making her eyes sharp. She didn't know if she could trust him or not. After all, he certainly hadn’t earned any right to her trust. Less than an hour ago he’d drugged her and handcuffed her to a chair.

For all intents and purposes, he had proved himself to be highly untrustworthy.

Yet, he still saw that annoying spark of hope wavering behind the conflicting emotions in Rapunzel’s eyes. A hope that should have been shattered to pieces, way beyond repair, was still there, lingering in short flashes.The alchemist almost would’ve been touched that the princess could still manage to find faith in him, if the boy didn’t find it so utterly irritating, Nevertheless, this had been what he was hoping for, Rapunzel still showing that he could work his way around the very much earned reservations she had towards him.

Varian let a few more moments of the tense silence pass until his need to urge things along got the better of him, pushing to quicken the women’s obvious internal debate.

“Rapunzel, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I really do only want to talk, I-“ Varian stopped, swallowing thickly, turning his head downward to glare at the top of his boots.

He knew he had to tell Rapunzel about what he’d found. There was no other way to convince her to go, but Varian still didn’t like it. It felt like he was betraying his father, airing out his dirty laundry. Sharing his secrets  to someone who most certainly didn’t deserve to know. 

But Varian needed the princess.

He needed the sundrop.

The alchemist clenched his fists against his pinned arms, Varian could feel the princess’ eyes on him when he spoke.

“I found something,” Varian grits out through a clenched jaw, the words leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.

The princess’ eyebrows raised, almost reaching her hairline. Green eyes brimming in the same mix of distrust and fear. However, now there was another, stronger, prominent emotion thrown in. 

Curiosity.

Rapunzel threw a quick glance to his fathers journal, seeming to notice the book now that he’d admitted to his discovery.The alchemist bristled at the sight, lifting up his foot to rest on the cover of the leather book, snatching Rapunzel’s attention back to him.

“How did- what did you find?” The princess questioned, words coming out quickly, like she was afraid if she didn’t speak fast enough, he wouldn’t reveal what he knew. 

Varian held back a grin. This had been exactly what he was hoping for. Rapunzel’s undying curious nature.

He had her.

“If you let me go I’ll show you.”

Rapunzel watched him skeptically, “How do I know you’re not lying, that you’re not going to try something as soon as I let you go.” She challenged.

The alchemist pursed his lips. It was a fair question in all honesty, though he still felt offended by being accused of lying. He’d manipulated her, sure, bent the truth a little to get what he’d wanted out of her, but he’d never outright lied.

Rapunzel certainly couldn’t say that much.

“I’m not lying,” he snapped hotly.

Rapunzel recoiled ,the unease in her features heightening, her grip on her hair tightened.

The alchemist quickly lowered his head slightly, trying his best at a regretful demeanor. “Please, princess I- I’m not lying,” Varian said, hating how his voice had a begging edge to it, “I need you to believe me. What I found… It- Its connected to you, it always has been, and I think I found out why, just- give me a chance, please” he forced a softness into his words, a tone that sounded benign and foreign to his ears after so many days of speaking with unfiltered anger.

The hair wrapped around him loosened ever so slightly, not enough to give him a chance to escape, but enough to see he’d truly surprised Rapunzel. Just enough to show that the princess was lowering her guard.

“You found out how it’s connected…it’s connected to me?” Varian raised his eyes back to Rapunzel, startled to see her eyes swimming in fear, not the same kind he’d seen when he’d poured the amber next to the queen, not the look when he’d stolen the flower in the vault, this was a whole different type of fear. One he couldn’t quite read.

Varian nodded his head silently to the women, Rapunzel's breath hitching loudly at the confirmation. She squeezed her eyes shut, seeming to compose herself 

“And- If I let you go, you’re not going to hurt anyone? You won’t hurt anyone.” Rapunzel didn’t say it as a threat, but a plea.

Varian nodded his head slowly, “I just need to talk to you, Princess”

Rapunzel still looked uncertain, her eyes skirting away from him to the opposite of the lab where he knew the King and Queen, with the newer addition of Eugene, lay asleep. When the woman returned her focus to Varian, the previous  fear he’d seen in spades, was replaced entirely with that same burning fire.

“And” She added, “you’ll wake up my parents, and Eugene” Her voice now containing a noticeable sharp edge to it.

Varian immediately wanted to argue back, refusing the order. If convincing Rapunzel to listen to him was hard, convincing the king or even Eugene to listen would be impossible. The only way he could talk to Rapunzel was if she wasn’t being bombarded by people insisting they couldn’t trust him.

Would they be wrong to say that? 

No. 

Their valid reservations didn’t matter, waking them up would be a death sentence for his father, and he’d be damned for his dad’s lifeline to be cut off by the very people who had threatened it in the first place. He also knew that Rapunzel would not let up on the condition, and he was nothing if not adaptable.

The alchemist sent a glare in the princess’ direction, “Fine, but not until after I’ve talked to you”

Rapunzel shook her head, staring him down.  “No, if you want to talk, wake them up.” 

Varian scoffed and rolled his eyes “Okay princess imagine I do wake up your parents or Eugene. Do you really think they’re actually gonna listen to a word I say? Or even let you? They won’t.” He argued bitterly 

“How do you know if you don’t give them a chance?” 

“I gave everyone a chance to listen to me.” Varian snapped, “Including you princess, no one did, and if I wake them up now the first thing your father will do is throw me in a cell.” 

The truth of the last sentence rang hollow in his ears. The idea of him being tossed in a cell, not knowing what would become of his father, not being able to help him was terrifying, it made his pulse race and his stomach lurch. He fought to keep the panic from his face, masking it with equally intense anger.

Rapunzel’s gaze softened “Varian, I would never let that happen. I-” 

The alchemist cut her off with a sharp  laugh

“Oh yeah Rapunzel, do you promise?”

The princess looked as if she’d been slapped, the  pain etched in every line on her face. Varian felt satisfaction brew in his chest at the sight, allowing himself to wallow in the triumph of truly getting under her skin.

Rapunzel drew in a shaky breath, her eyes now carrying a light film of tears.

“Varian, Please.”  It came out as a whisper, tinged with pain and guilt. “Please just-”

“I told you Rapunzel, I’ll wake them up, after I’ve talked to you.” Varian stated, voice firm, leaving little room for debate. “That’s my deal.” 

The princess watched him wearily for a few moments until the hair pinning his arms went slack, Rapunzel released the grip on her makeshift rope, hair slipping from the alchemist's torso to gather in harmless tendrils at his feet.

“Okay,” Rapunzel said softly, “talk. I- I trust you.”

Varian was stunned to see the honesty in the women’s words shining in her eyes. It still didn’t make sense to him, how she could even begin to trust him. It almost made him sick to think about.

He harshly shoved the unease away, looking up at Rapunzel who met his eyes,expectantly. 

He nodded his head. “Alright then, let’s uh- yeah, over here,” Varian moved to walk to his work table leaning against the stone in his lab. He could hear Rapunzel behind him, following suit. 

His steps faltered when he remembered his empty hands. 

His father’s journal.

“Gah, uh one second.” He turned around to a startled Rapunzel who he quickly pushed past, making his way to the discarded book on the ground.

He bent to pick up the journal, seeing Rapunzel looking curiously at him through the corner of his eye, when something seemed to catch her attention, turning to stare at the work table. Varian frowned, going to stand until a glint of light stopped him.

The copper tinged handcuffs lay abandoned and open, only a mere foot away from where he stood. Varian risked a glance at the princess, her attention still preoccupied. He quickly snatched up the book, stuffing the red colored shackles into his apron pocket.

Just in case.

                                                                                                         *

Rapunzel watched Varian rush over to the large book that’d fumbled out of his hands after she’d surprised him, intrigued by what made him seem so panicked the second he’d remembered it. She opened her mouth to ask, when a chirp cut off the question before it’d even reached the air.

She turned to the table, Pascal had jumped off her neck, where he’d stayed hidden throughout the entire conversation with Varian, onto the table. He looked at her with evident concern. 

“Pascal it’ll be fine” Rapunzel murmured, keeping her voice down. “Please, just-“

“Who are you talking to?”

Rapunzel tensed, panic swelling, she plastered on an all too wide smile and turned back around to see Varian observing her suspiciously.

“Oh, no one!” She forced out an awkward sounding laugh. “Just talking to myself, you know how- oh!” 

Varian made it to the table in less then three steps, pushing Rapunzel aside, while setting the large book down on the table in front of them. Pascal, out in the open, tried changing into a light brown but wasn’t fast enough.The alchemist spotted him easily.

Varian gaped at the lizard “Gah, Pascal? What are you doi- You escaped too?” The boy threw his hands in the air in exasperation. 

“Does anyone stay where I put them? Unbelievable, I mean seriously, even a CHAMELEO-“ 

Varian's eyes widened, stepping back from the table to face Rapunzel. 

“Is this how you got out?” He sputtered, staring in disbelief at the two of them.

“Yes.” 

The truth serum took force once again, Rapunzel spat the answer out before she had a chance to stop it. The princess bit her lip in irritation, the serum had begun to wear off during her conversation earlier, if she focused hard enough she could restrain herself from answering, and  the burning in her gut would fade after a few moments, but only if she focused.

Clearly, she wasn’t exactly focused at the moment.

The alchemist gawked. “Are you serious? What- how?”

Rapunzel glanced nervously at Pascal, giving the boy a meek smile. “Uhhhh…”

“Hold on, hold on.” Varian interrupted holding up a hand, "He didn't pick the lock…did he?” 

Rapunzel hesitated.

“you’re joking,” The alchemist said incredulously, looking between the both of them.

Rapunzel gave a small shrug.

“Oh my- you’re not joking” Varian breathed, turning to stare dumbfounded at Pascal.

The alchemist bent down to the chameleon's eye level, Pascal instantly shank back against the scrutinizing glare.

“Fascinating,” he muttered “I mean the fine motor skills required to pick a lock- it should be impossible-“

Rapunzel cleared her throat loudly “Um didn’t you want to show me what you found?” 

The alchemist reluctantly turned his attention away from a very anxious looking Pascal to face her.

“Right,” He mumbled, face flushing a light red as he stood up to his full height.

Rapunzel eyed the large leather book he’d set on the table, expecting the boy to begin flipping through the contents. She was surprised however to see him slip a gloved hand inside his apron pocket and pull out a rolled up yellowed canvas.

Varian shoved papers and tools, cluttering wood out of the way, unrolling the large canvas onto the table. The paper was large, taking up a vast majority of the space. Rapunzel moved closer to the table, now almost shoulder to shoulder with the alchemist.

The sight of what lay on the canvas took her breath away. Beautiful artwork that she couldn’t even dream of recreating lay drawn out eloquently across the paper, her eyes flickered over small words detailing the paper, sucking in air at the revelation that it was a map, a gigantic one at that.

“What- what is this?” Rapunzel gasped, unable to take her eyes away from the canvas.

Rapunzel saw Varian turn to her from her peripheral, raising an unimpressed eyebrow “it’s a map.”

The princess felt heat rush into her cheeks. Right stupid question.

Rapunzel forced out another laugh. “Yeah, um what's it a  map to?”

The alchemist turned back to the paper, a hand coming to rest under his chin while he spoke. “I’m not sure if it’s only aimed to take its user to one specific destination or not, there’s so many different territories, that it could just be a chart to guide the designated user around the area with ease.” He mused.

Varian shook his head lightly “but that’s not why the maps important. The boy lowered a gloved hand to point at a corner of the map. “Do you recognize these?”

Rapunzel frowned, squinting at the paper, eyes widening at the sight of black rocks swarming the corner.

“Are those-“

“The rocks.” Varian confirmed, nodding grimly at her.

“But- how could they be there, where is there?” Rapunzel’s mind reeled at the countless questions her brain spouted out at her, struggling to make her thoughts coherent.

The alchemist once again had that amused look glinting in his eyes, seemingly enjoying the shock in her response.

“  The Dark Kingdom,” Varian said, nodding his head towards the map, arms now crossed against  his chest.

Rapunzel blinked “what?”

Varian rolled his eyes, his tone condescending “you asked where is there, The Dark Kingdom. That’s what’s there.”

Rapunzel shifted her gaze back to  the picture in the corner, unbothered by the alchemist's obvious irritation with her.

The Dark Kingdom? The name seemed like an odd choice for a kingdom to her, like it was asking to be cursed.

Varian voice abruptly cut through her thoughts

“And that’s where we need to go.”

Rapunzel’s head shot up, jerking around to see Varian watching her expectantly. 

“What?” She could barely manage to get the word out, her head spinning.

Varian tilted his chin up “ You have to go to The Dark Kingdom, it’s the only way to stop the rocks.” 

Rapunzel blinked stupidly, trying to wrap her brain around what the alchemist had just stated,

She shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. “How- how can you know that? What are you saying?”

“I found a legend, alright” Varian snapped.

Rapunzel slammed her eyes shut, her headache beginning to return in dull thuds “Varian what are you talking about, what legend?”

“The legend behind your hair”

“The legend of the Sandrop?” Rapunzel pulled at a section of her hair anxiously, frowning , “But it’s not a story it’s-“

The alchemist shook his head “Before they found the Sandrop it was just a story princess. Your father just became so desperate, that he fought to see the truth in it, and was right.”

Rapunzel felt an uneasy flutter in her stomach “But what does the legend have to do with the rocks?” She asked quietly, afraid of what the answer would be.

Varian blew out a long breath before going to speak. “ The legend goes that the sun and moon were lovers, that before there was day and night there was simply both. People could choose the side that suited their needs for the time being, able to venture to either side as much as they liked. That was until the moon longed to be too close to the sun, it moved closer and closer to the point that the sun was burning the moon. Afraid that the sun would lose the moon forever she chose to separate them. One ruling the sky during the day, the other at night, after the two were separated they were so devastated that they both shed a tear the sun drop, and moon drop”

Rapunzel lowered her eyes to the ground. “That’s terrible.” She whispered.

“That’s not it.” Varian said persisting with the legend.

“After the drops fell they took different forms, the Sandrop turned into a flower, the embodiment of pure and light. Born only to bring health and youth to whoever sought it. The moon drop turned into an opal. A moonstone born with its only objective being to reconnect with the Sundrop, the last link to her lost love”

Rapunzel’s mind spun, how had she never heard this before? 

“Rapunzel don’t you get it? The rocks, they’re a part of the moonstone. They’ve been looking for you this entire time.” Varian pressed.

The princesses stomach churned a feeling of nausea creeping through her. “But how can we know that for sure? I don’t-“

“Princess it says in the legend the moonstone will do whatever it takes to find the Sundrop. Using whatever way it can to get to it, not only the rocks. it said it can create visions, strange dreams, you’ve had those too haven’t you.” He didn’t say it as a question, staring at her searchingly, like he knew what the answer was.

Rapunzel felt the color drain from her face. All those intense dreams she’d been having  about the rocks. They weren’t only dreams they were visions.

Panic ripped through her. No, it wasn’t true this wasn’t happening. Varian was lying he had to be, because if he wasn’t that’d mean she’d truly be responsible for all the destruction done to all her people’s lives, be responsible for everything that's happened here tonight, even worse…. She’d still be responsible for what happened if she didn’t do something.

“Rapunzel.” Varian waved a hand sporadically in front of her face “Do you understand what I’m saying?” 

She shook her head “No, you’re wrong it’s-“

“I’m not wrong and you know it.” The alchemist pushed. “The only way you can save Corona is by going to the Dark Kingdom and reconnecting with the moonstone.”

Rapunzel tugged at her bangs, her chest felt as if it were about to cave in on itself. “No I can’t just leave my kingdom, my family. There has to be another way I can’t-“

“Princess if you don’t do this, there won’t be a Corona for long, the rocks won’t stop, they're already making their way to the castle, if you really care about your kingdom, this is the only way.” 

The woman pressed her fist against her mouth, the alchemist's truth in what he said was painful. She didn’t want to leave her kingdom, her home, the home she had just been returned to. Where her parents and her friends were always a constant comfort.

But if she didn’t go she’d be putting a death sentence on that same home she loved so much.

Rapunzel set her jaw, opening her eyes slowly “ and what if you are right?” She relented.

“Then we have to leave as soon as possible.” Varian said bluntly

The princess looked at him uncertainly “we? But why would-“

“You’re going to need me.” The boy interjected, snatching the map off the table, rolling the canvas tightly back up. “You have no idea what kind of problems you could face with the rocks, and I’m the only one who’s been studying them.” 

Varian stuffed the paper back into his apron pocket. “I’m also the only one with a map.” He added helpfully.

Rapunzel chewed the inside of her cheek nervously. Of course Varian made a solid argument as to why he should join her , but she didn’t understand  why  he would want to come. Even if he wasn’t outright attacking her at the moment, he didn’t seem thrilled to be in her company, now he wanted to travel with her to an unknown kingdom, based on information from a lost legend?

Varian seemed to sense her confusion. Raising a hand to rub at the back of his neck, mumbling .” If I go with you, I thought maybe I’d come across something that might help my-“ He stopped a red heat covering his cheeks, turning his head to the side, but not before Rapunzel saw the flash of pain cross his face.

The princess felt her heart crack, breaking for the boy in front of her who wanted nothing more than to get his father back. She knitted her hands together anxiously, she had already abandoned him once, the least she could do was make up for it now,

“Okay” Rapunzel said, giving him a curt nod. “We’ll go, after we wake up my father, I can arrange everything with him back at the castle, it shouldn’t take long, maybe a few day--”

The alchemist shook his head quickly.”No way princess, we don’t have that kind of time.”

Rapunzel frowned, “Well Varian, a trip that long isn’t exactly something we can expedite overnight. We need food, money, water, supplies-”

“Then we can get those and leave ” he argued back, impatience wearing heavy in his tone.

“Gathering those is the least of our problems.” Rapunzel fired back. “How easy do you think convincing my father will be? He’s not exactly going to be thrilled at the idea of me leaving right now, it’s going to take time to-”

“Corona doesn’t have time Rapunzel, we need to leave now.”

The princess threw her hands in the air growing frustrated. “What do you want me to do, Varian? Leave my entire home and family right this second because you say so? Well, I hate to break it to you but even if I wanted to I can’t go  anywhere, not without my father’s permission.”

The alchemist scoffed. “Your father’s permission sure didn’t matter when you helped me steal the flower, did it, princess” A light smirk played across his face when he spoke, sending Rapunzel’s blood ablaze.

She glared daggers at him. “I was only doing what i thought I had to do-”

“For Corona right?” Varian finished for her, rolling his eyes. “And how is this any different? You know your father isn’t going to agree to you leaving the city, let alone with me.”

“Maybe not alone, but if I have Eugene or Cass-“

“No, they wouldn’t agree to it either and you know it.” 

Rapunzel sighed, “Varian even if I did drop everything and left right now, do you honestly think my father wouldn’t send anyone after me?”

“I don’t know, just leave a note or something.” Varian grumbled.

Rapunzel raised an eyebrow and the alchemist groaned aloud, rubbing a gloved finger at his temple.

“Varian the best thing to do is wake up everyone now so we can head to the castle and start planning to leave before the end of the week. That's only three days from now,” The princess urged “It’ll be plenty of time for me to convince everyone that the trip is necessary and for you to join us.” 

The alchemist barked out a humorless laugh. “Great, and where would I be during these three days? ” he asked. “Oh I know!” Varian clapped his hands together, an artificial cheerfulness in his voice. “Maybe they’ll let us get bunk beds !”

Rapunzel grimanced. “Varian-”

“Face it Rapunzel, the second I step foot outside your father will have me in handcuffs faster than you can blink,” He snapped.

She shook her head, “I’ll talk to him ok? You’re going with us, I won’t let them put you in a cell,”

“Well it’s not really entirely up to you now is it?” He said bitterly

The princess winced. “I’ll do what I can. I’ll figure it out, just-” 

“And what am I supposed to do Rapunzel, let your father throw me in a cell, and have faith that you’ll come back and get me?” He choked out a laugh. “Yeah, right. Out of sight out of mind huh princess.”

“No, it’s not like that-“

“Really? It’s not like that.” The alchemist’s voice rose slightly, irritation beginning to morph into anger as he cut her off. “The rocks, your connection to them. My father. They all have one thing in common don’t they? All things you ran from. All things that were only happening because of you, and yet you still hid away, that’s all you do princess. You hide and hope someone else will solve the problem, even though YOU'RE the reason it’s happening in the first place.” 

Varian was practically shaking with anger, his face now a burnt scarlet, eyes pelting her with a stare filled with such intense hatred she almost flinched. Rapunzel had to force herself not to step back when the boy moved closer, now standing only a foot apart from each other.

“My entire life was destroyed, all for the simple mistake of trusting you.” The alchemist hissed at her, jabbing a gloved finger towards her chest, “and you want me to trust that you wouldn’t leave me to rot away in a cell, while you go around pretending you’re not leaving a trail of destruction behind you longer than your hair.” 

Rapunzel’s chest tightened, she didn’t know what to say, tears building slowly in the back of her eyes that she struggled to contain. Guilt tore at her insides like shattered glass, sharp and brutal making it hard to form any kind of response. 

Rapunzel opened her mouth to try and say anything. Anything that could ease the hate filled tension in the room, but the dull headache that had been building in the back of her head erupted in a painful fury. Knives pulsed in and behind her eyes, slashing through her vision, the room spun.

She fought back a cry of pain, stumbling and catching herself on the wooden table beside her. 

Rapunzel could barely make out the sound of a raised voice, muffled by the sound of drums slamming together in her ears. She couldn’t piece together what the voice was saying to her, the sound disjointed and fragmented over the sudden paralyzing pain.

She slammed her eyes shut when the thudding somehow multiplied, making it feel like her head was about to split in two, relying entirely on the table to hold her up. Images now joining the spasms flashing across her closed eyelids. 

Black rocks lowering themselves to form a tattered road. A shining blue opal suspended in a cracked and webbed cage. A golden flower perched on a hill, petals illuminating the darkness surrounding it.

Each picture only lasted a second, flashing rapidly with agonizing succession. She curled her fingers into her scalp, a strangled yell leaving her as the images increased their speed, meshing together, until they finally stopped, the pain vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

Rapunzel opened her eyes slowly, her vision still spinning enough to churn her stomach, blinking in surprise when she was greeted to the sight of an out of focus Varian staring down at her with evident amusement, a gray cracked ceiling above him. 

When did she get on the floor?

She saw the alchemists mouth open, hearing the sound of muffled words, unable to make it out over her still ringing ears. Rapunzel shook her head slightly, cautiously sitting up, being mindful of the way the lab was still twirling through her eyes.

“…….rincess, hellooo?”

Varian finally came into focus, he was waving a hand up and down in front of her eyes, bent over to reach her height from where she sat, the spinning room finally slowing, her ears returning back to normal.

She shook her head again.

“What?”

The alchemist stood back up, frowning.

“Your hair was glowing.”

Rapunzel frowned herself, looking at the hair scattered around her, piled in coils and very non-glowing.

“What?” She said again.

The boy rolled his eyes, groaning, he bent down to wave a hand in front of her face again “hellooooo, can you hear-“

She raised her arm to bat away the hand, scowling.

“Yes, I can hear you. What do you mean my hair was glowing, when?”

The alchemist snatched his hand back glaring at her. “ I mean your hair was glowing, what else would I mean.” He snapped “when you fell, it started, I don’t know.” He threw a hand in the air. “flashing.”

“Flashing?” She echoed.

“Yes, like a-“ he stopped, his eyes flickering to the ground. The boy pointed to the hair covering the ground around her. “Like that.”

She turned to where he gestured, her previously dull and lifeless hair now exuding a light heat and pulsing with golden light. The pair fell into a brief silence both captivated at the glowing hair.

Varian was the first to react, stepping closer to her, his eyes glued to the glowing locks. 

“How is that-“

A rock shot up from the ground between the pair, barely missing the alchemist who leaped back, shouting out. Rapunzel mirrored his reaction, scrambling to her feet and stumbling away from the sharp crystal.

The two locked eyes from where they stood, the rock separating them. 

“What- they’ve never done that before.” Varian breathed out, his eyes drifting away from hers to the stone. “They grow, but they don’t- shoot up like that! How-“ he stopped, moving his flabbergasted stare to the princess.

Rapunzel didn’t respond. Her previous dream flooding her mind, the unnerving similarities icing her blood.

Another rock sprouted, directly next to her this time, missing her sleeve by centimeters. She choked out a shout , jumping away In time to hear the alchemist yell across from her. 

Rapunzel looked across to see Varian jump out of the way from his own rock sprouting behind him. Then another sprung up several feet away from him, and another in front of the stairs, and suddenly they were shooting up from everywhere, no warning, only the sound of stone cracking and a rock instantly appearing in its place.

“What’s happening! Why are they doing that!” The boy yelled, leaping from spot to spot to avoid the sharp tips of dangerously close rocks.

“I- I don’t know!” Rapunzel shouted back, jerking to the side when a rock sprouted directly to her side, tearing through a layer of her skirt. “I’ve only seen them act like this once, back at my tower!” 

“You mean this has happened before?” He sounded somewhat angry, like she had planned this happening, his tone accusatory.

“Only because I touched the rocks.” Rapunzel called back, her breath coming in short gasps, the rocks continuing their unrelenting growth,

“Well how did you stop it then!” The alchemist replied back loudly, his own breathing sounding labored and heavy, while he narrowly missed a rock tearing through his arm.

“I didn’t! My hair touched them and they- chased us, just started growing like this until the entire tower was destroyed!”

“Well you need to try something or we’re gonna get impaled” Varian shot back at her.

Rapunzel looked wildly around the room at the growing rocks, panic gnawing at her. Varian was right, at this rate there’d be more rocks than floor in no time, even worse her parents and Eugene were still unconscious, unable to move from the rocks piercing the floor in unpredictable patterns.

She could tell the boy in front of her was thinking the same thing, his head turning to look at where Quirin lay near the center of the room, rocks sprouting up around his still body.

“You need to touch the rocks Rapunzel!” Varian shouted at her, sounding certain.

“Wha- but I just told you! The last time I did, it almost killed us!” She barely missed a rock snagging her hair, scooping up an armful of her still glowing locks “how can-” she cut herself off when she heard a pained cry come from his direction, turning to see the alchemist clutching his forearm, a thin line of blood trailing down it

“Varian! Are you-“

“If that’s what started it last time, maybe it’ll stop it now!” Varian cut her off, through grit teeth. “Besides, I can’t imagine it getting worse, can you!” 

Rapunzel looked at the rock closest to her wearily, she didn’t even have to move to attempt to touch one of the rocks, only reach out an arm, she lifted a  hand gripping a section of hair tightly to brush against the rock, heart pounding. 

Right before her hand touched the stone she heard the alchemist yell out in alarm.

“Rudigger!”

The princess raised her head to see Varian running towards his raccoon who had suddenly appeared, cowering against the stairs.

Rapunzel’s heart stopped when she saw the cracks forming at the ground in front of the animal,

“Varian, Watch out!” She shouted, unable to throw out a section of her hair to stop him before he reached the raccoon, the rocks blocking every possible angle.

But the warning didn’t reach him in time. He was already reaching to grab his friend when the rock burst through the ground beside him, embedding itself directly into the boy's leg.

Varian screamed. The yell coated in an absolute pure agony that turned Rapunzel’s blood cold.

She made her decision.

Rapunzel grabbed the rock closest to her, wrapping hair around the tip of the stone in a blur of movement. The reaction was instant. The crystal surface shining a radiant blue that brightened into a blinding white, sparks of electricity shot out, stinging her hand, still holding the strands of glowing hair to stone.

The light expanded, stretching out to join the next rock, then the next, then another, until every rock in the vicinity was bathed in an illuminating white light. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight, unease crawling through her skin. 

The rock still clutched in her grip began to pulse beneath her fingers, flooding her with a magnetic spark that sent shivers through her entire body, tingling trails of fire, flaring in bursts that she could only think to call pure magic.

The rocks surrounding her began to shift, twisting to lean their sharp edge towards the princess, who stood in the center of the circle, vibrating with a surge of burning painful energy. She closed her eyes, pushing past the pain, focusing entirely on the rock between her fingers and shoved the sparks through her hand.

The rocks surrounding her began to lower, retreating back into the ground.

Rapunzel couldn’t say why, but she could sense the rocks as they lowered, she could tell which ones were still standing and which ones weren’t, even with her eyes screwed shut, like the rocks were a part of herself, She thought past the unnerving sensation, continuing to put all her focus on the rocks lowering around her.

One by one, rocks disappeared from sight, sinking back into the floor, the only evidence of them ever being there, the cracks remaining in their place. The rock beneath her hand began to burn, an unbearable heat that began to spread through her entire body, she clenched her jaw, not allowing herself to release the stone, not until this was done.

There were only a handful of rocks left, one of them being the one still lodged in Varian's leg. She focused on that one, pushing all her energy into the sole rock. It began to retreat, another tormented scream ripping the air as it did.

Rapunzel’s eyes shot open, now able to see the alchemist without a field of rocks between them. He stumbled with a strangled sob to lean against the wall, clutching his freed leg, Staring at the princess, dumbfounded.

“You can control them.” Varian gasped out through uneven breaths, silent pained tears ran down his cheeks, eyes brimming with raw anger.

Rapunzel didn’t respond, unsure of whether or not she could truly deny the statement. 

Varian’s angered stare dissolved after a moment, the pain from his injury overpowering his rage seemingly for the time being. The alchemists leaned his head back against the wall. Screwing his eyes shut, he pressed a gloved fist against his mouth, muffling a cry. 

Rapunzel's own stomach lurched at the sight of his torn leg. Even from this distance the damage was obvious. Dark red staining the bottom of his pants, ripped skin.

“Varian” Rapunzel called tentatively “Your leg-” She stopped, not sure what to say.

The alchemist opened his eyes, he didn’t respond to her, but she could see the fear in him when he seemed to brace himself to glance down at his injury. The second his eyes fell on it, he collapsed to the ground, unmoving.

The princess’s heart jolted. She went to run over to the boy, but the second her hand left the rock it felt like her entire body was empty, every drop of energy sucked away leaving nothing in its place. Black spots began filling her vision, her head feeling all too light. Before she could catch herself she was on the ground, dizzy with exhaustion.

Rapunzel fought to force her eyes open, her eyelids becoming heavier, but the most she could manage was a slit of sight. She wanted to call out again to Varian, see if he was awake, if he was alright, but her voice was stuck in her throat, the thought of trying to yell out adding to the immovable wave of exhaustion.

She almost gave in, letting her eyes close completely, about to welcome the wave of quiet darkness, until a door slammed open and sounds of  shouts and footsteps running downstairs reached her half listening ears.

“Rapunzel!”

The princess knew she recognized the voice once it rang out, but she didn’t have the energy to place who it belonged to, only recognizing it enough to know she was happy that whosoever voice had yelled out was now here.

“Over there! Go check on the King and Queen! Go, go!” The voice was authoritative, speaking in a rushed urgency, and becoming louder as it seemed to approach her, but she still couldn’t find it in her to try and piece together what was happening, she just wanted to sleep, just for a minute, let her collect-

A hand roughly shook her shoulder, another lightly slapped her cheek “Rapunzel! Wake up! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

The princess found just enough energy to groan, turning her head to the side to try and force the hand away.

The voice seemed to let out a sigh of relief, a light laugh coming out after “Oh no, you’re not getting off the hook that easy Raps.”

Rapunzel recognized the voice now. Finally forcing her eyes open to see a relieved-looking set of hazel green eyes searching over hers.

“Cass?” She mumbled out, still severely disoriented at whatever was going on around her.

Cassandra gave her a grin, nodding her head “Hey Raps, thought I’d check in on you, I was in the neighborhood and everything.” She said teasingly, moving to crouch down beside where Rapunzel lay on the floor.

The princess found it in herself to smile lightly at the joke, her mouth quirking slightly, seeing Cassandra still moving her eyes all over her, checking for visible injuries.

“I’m fine Cass, don't worry.” She managed to bumble out, the words feeling clumsy on her tongue, the pull of sleep still utterly debilitating.

The women’s good-natured grin sobered, her expression turned serious, looking at her uncertainty

“Rapunzel what happened?”

The thought of explaining anything right now hurt her head. She wanted to melt into a void, sleep forever, but the concern in her friend's eyes was enough to continue fighting the darkness building in the corners of her eyes.

Rapunzel shook her head, not even knowing where to start, when a pained yell cut off her train of thought. Both women turned to see two guards hauling Varian to his feet, the alchemist jerking away to lean against the wall, his face contorted in absolute anguish, one of the guards held him steady, a hand gripping his shoulder, the other guard clicking a pair of cuffs into place, securing the boys hands. Rudigger ran in circles between the alchemist's legs, chittering wildly.

“Wait, stop! He’s hurt!” Rapunzel managed to yell out, struggling to sit up, Cassandra shot her an incredulous look, speedily reaching a hand out to support the princess's back.

The two guards stopped in surprise, both sharing a look, glancing down at the boy's leg, then shifting to glance at the princess, appearing very unsure of what to do.

Varian shifted his attention to lace Rapunzel with another hard glare, his face still scrunched in obvious pain, but still managing to hold onto his hateful feelings toward her.

“Take him back gently” Cassandra ordered out to the guards, the woman's eyes flickering to Rapunzel’s out of the corner of her eyes.

The guards nodded, prodding the alchemist to limp forward, Rudigger managed to leap into the alchemist's arms, who cried out from the added weight, but didn’t seem to mind, his arms tightening around the animal, as he was forced up the stairs.

The princess still wanted to argue about the handcuffs and what “taking him back” meant, but her heavy tiredness was weighing inside, stronger and stronger.

“Cass-“ she mumbled, feeling herself starting to slip into the waiting quiet.

“Rapunzel! Wait, hold on!”  The women scrambled to lower her to the ground, moving to her side at lightning speed.

“Cass, promise me you’ll make sure he’s ok” Rapunzel mumbled out, her eyes drooping closed.

“Who? Fitzherbert? He-he’s fine just asleep I think. He’s breathin-“

Rapunzel shook her head “No, Eugene’s fine, just sleep-“ she slurred out. “Varian, you can’t let m dad put him in jail, needs to go with us.” She mumbled, 

Even with her eyes closed she could see Cassandra’s expression. Disbelief surely consuming the green in her eyes.

“ What? Raps, what are you talking about go where?”

“Tell you later,” she told her through a fumbling tongue. “Just promise you make sure he’s ok.”

Cassandra sputtered, sharp protests in every word “You can’t be serious. He- he’s dangerous! You’re hurt because of him! We can’t-“

“Promise me, Cassandra.” Rapunzel put all her energy into the demand. The woman went silent for a moment before she heard her release a heavy sigh.

“I promise” 

The princess would’ve smiled if she had the ability, but she was already slipping from reality, Cassandra’s cries of concern drowned out by the dull sound of silence and quiet washing over her.

Chapter Text

“Well, you're fine, just a minor concussion.”

The older, brown haired nurse who’d been studying Eugene for the past few minutes, finally seemed content with her diagnosis. She took a pencil out of the apron covering her purple and gold pinstriped uniform to scribble aggressively on a notepad.

Eugene watched impatiently from the small cot he’d woken up in. His legs swung over the side of the bed, fingers fidgeting restlessly with a loose thread on the cuff of his sleeve.

Eugene was desperate to leave the stuffy infirmary, he needed to find Rapunzel. 

He had to make sure she was alright.  

Every worst case scenario was running through his head from the second he woke up to an uneasy feeling plaguing the confines of his mind, unable to be soothed since the nurse couldn’t provide any information on what had happened or where the princess was. Her cluelessness increased the knot twisting in his gut. It definitely didn’t help that on top of the overwhelming desire to find out where Rapunzel was and if she was okay- he really hated clinics.

He loathed the smell of the sanitary equipment. The scent filling his nose nade nim nauseous. He hated nurses with sickly sweet smiles.he hated how this nurse in particular, seemed to view him as an infected limb she wanted to cut off. 

Eugene practically leapt to his feet when the nurse pocketed her notepad, doing his best to ignore the wave of dizziness and accompanying nausea from the sudden movement (it was pretty easy for him to shrug off considering he’d had way worse concussions before).

Eugene blew out a breath, giving the nurse the biggest smile he could muster.

“Ok great! Thanks for your help, I’ll just go ahead and get out of your hair-“

Eugene went to move around the nurse, but she quickly sidestepped him, blocking off his escape.

“Yes, you’re free to go.” The woman said, frowning slightly “but I was told to inform you that you have someone waiting, she’s just outside.” She motioned with her head, jerking it to the direction of the only viable exit.

He stopped struggling to move around her, tilting his head. 

“What? Who?”

The nurse's frown was replaced by a scowl. “I don’t know. You think I have the time to interview every person who comes in here?” She snapped, rolling her eyes at Eugene who raised up his palms placatingly. ”Now if you excuse me” The woman huffed, turning on her heel.

“Talk about bad bedside manner.” Eugene mumbled to himself as he watched her storm off, briefly feeling sorry for whichever unfortunate patient she was hurrying off to.

He turned his attention back to the door, beginning to make his way across the infirmary, cautious optimism slipping through the knot in his stomach. 

Someone was waiting on him. The nurse had said “she”…Who else could it be besides Rapunzel? He certainly couldn’t think of anyone else who would care enough to check on him.

If she had come to see him, that meant she was alright. It meant he could put all terrifying thoughts of her being hurt (or worse) to rest. It meant this awful weight on his chest would lift and he could breathe again. 

He eagerly pushed open the door and stepped into one of the many large hallways that snaked their way through the castle. Eugene’s eyes scanned the mostly vacant hallway, heart sinking, the corridor appeared null and void of a blonde haired princess. A pair of maids walked slowly down the hall, hunching together as they whispered through giggles, a pair of guards lounged against the wall opposite him, talking casually, and just to his right was…Cassandra?

Eugene stared, an air of surprise sifting through him. Cassandra hadn’t seen him yet, her back faced him, thoroughly engaged in a conversation with what looked like another nurse. 

Eugene watched the interaction silently, frozen. Of all people, why was Cassandra here checking on him? Sure they were civil, almost borderline friends, but it still felt off. If she was here waiting for him with no sign of Rapunzel in sight-.

The uneasy feeling in his chest began to swell.

Eugene moved forward, going to interrupt the pair. During his approach he caught the tail end of whatever the nurse had been saying.

“……needs to stay watched, infection is-“ 

The nurse stopped the second she caught sight of Eugene, pointing him with an unamused expression. 

Eugen stopped, standing to the side in between them. Cassandra turned, a mix of surprise and- panic? Eugene frowned, taking a mental note of the odd reaction to think about later. 

He cleared his throat awkwardly, caught off guard by both women’s reactions. 

“Um, hey there I-“

The nurse sighed, turning back to face Cassandra, completely ignoring the man beside her.

“I really should be getting back. I'll let you know if anything changes.” The nurse went to leave, casting Eugene a short glare before walking away.

Eugene blinked. Seriously? Did every nurse here have a personal issue with him?

“Enjoy your nap Fitzherbert?”

Eugene looked back to Cassandra, her arms crossed over her chest, managing to look both irritated and amused simultaneously.

The man scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“Oh yeah, it was great. Truly relaxing thanks for asking,” Eugene stepped towards the wall, now close enough to  casually lean against it, shooting a grin at the handmaiden “Even better when I found out I had a very concerned visitor” he raised an eyebrow, Cassandra’s face flushed.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Fitzherbert” Cassandra said drily, scowling, “ I’m only here for information. I need to know-“ 

“You need to know?” Eugene sputtered. “Um I’m sorry but I’ve only been awake for maybe thirty minutes, and no one’s telling me anything! I don’t know where Rapunzel is or if she’s okay, I don't know how long I was asleep! I don't know what happened with the kid! I don’t even know how we got back here! I mean seriously If anyone needs to know anything it’s me!”

The usual amusement he got from pushing Cassandra’s buttons was short-lived. He was on edge, and Cassandra being the first person he was actually able to talk to was definitely not helping anything.

An awkward silence fell over the two. Each waiting for the other to speak until Cassandra sighed, uncrossing her arms.

“We got back to the castle a few hours ago and Rapunzel-“ Cassandra paused, seemingly debating with herself before opening her mouth to speak again “she’s in her room.” She stated plainly

“She’s ok? She’s not hurt?” Eugene asked rapidly. Pushing off the wall to watch Cassandra's response, not caring how desperate or anxious he looked in the process.

Cassandra’s eyes flicked away, her jaw setting. “She’s not hurt.” 

Eugene frowned, unease twirling his gut. “Really? She’s okay? She’s not injured? Or-“

“I told you. She’s not hurt, Eugene, ok?” Cassandra snapped, this time meeting his eyes pointedly.

Eugene ignored the sharp tone, letting a relieved weight lift off his chest. Rapunzel was fine. He was still a bit confused about her absence, but he was sure it was nothing to fuss over, she was safe and unharmed which was really all he had been truly concerned of.

“Ok great,” Eugene grinned. “Then you can explain to me what happened on the way.” He spun on his heel, ready to walk off.

“Hold it right there, Fitzherbert.” Cassandra called after him, halting him in his tracks.

He grit his teeth, turning around to see the handmaiden staring defiantly.

“We aren’t going anywhere until you tell me what happened.”

Eugene noticed the regular agitation he normally felt when dealing with Cassandra bubbling to the surface, fighting the urge to glare.

“Are you serious? This can’t wait literally five minutes?” He snapped.

Cassandra didn’t respond, glaring silently.

Eugene groaned “I don’t know what to tell you, alright? I barely saw anything! I went down there, Rapunzel had just woken up from that same thing rigged at the door-“

“The one you set off.” Cassandra cut in, shooting him a scowl.

Eugene huffed, “Yewh, right like that was my fault.”

“Of course it was! I told you to wait! I said we should do a perimeter check before we barge in, but nooo, you never listen-“

“I'm sorry, that I didn’t want to waste time when Rapunzel could’ve needed help!” He shot back,“Besides, why does this even matter? Rapunzel must have already told you all this.”

Cassandra went rigid, immediately averting her eyes. 

Eugene’s eyebrows knit together, that all too familiar feeling of unease stirring in the pit of his stomach.

“She did tell you… right?” He asked, not even registering his voice as it rose. 

His stomach dropped completely when Cassandra still fell silent

“Cass, what aren’t you telling me?” He said quietly.

Cassandra finally met his eyes, the defeat in them shooting his nerves into a frenzy, 

“No she’s fine- “ he choked out a laugh “she has to be she’s-“

He stopped, locking eyes with Cassandra, her eyes narrowing, 

“Eugene-“

He ran. 

Eugene sprinted his way down numerous corridors and hallways, running past startled maids and guards. 

The former thief didn't need any directions on how to navigate the palace. He’d learned and memorized the entire layout of the castle the first day he’d arrived with Rapunzel (if he was being honest, he would say it was before then, when he had been preparing to steal the crown. It was living here with Rapunzel that solidified the layout in his memory).It wasn’t long before he was skidding to a halt directly outside Rapunzel’s room, barely avoiding a collision with Stan and Pete standing on either side of the door.

“Hey guys,” Eugene said quickly, “how are you? Good? Great, Look I need to see Rapunzel, it's urgent.” 

Stan and Pete both exchanged nervous glances.

“Sorry Eugene, strict orders. No one’s allowed in or out without permission.” Pete said, shifting awkwardly on his feet.

Eugene opened his mouth to argue, but before he could even get a word in, another voice rang out.

“It’s fine. Let him in.” 

All three turned to see Cassandra joining the men crowding the door. Stan and Pete hesitated, seeming unsure with the order.

“He already knows, there’s no point,” Cassandra said stiffly,

he could vaguely hear Pete responding back - or was it Stan? He didn’t know, his pulse was too loud in his ears for him to make out anything.  His eyes were locked on the door in front of him, the only barrier still left. 

Eugene couldn’t wait any longer, if he did his heart might explode. He went to push past both guards, but suddenly he didn’t have to. Cassandra had evidently won, Pete and Stan shifting to the side, leaving the door unblocked.

Eugene didn’t wait for any more confirmation, he was already pushing open the door to the room, any other noises continuing to drown in the air. 

Rapunzel’s room was the same. Nothing out of place, drawings still scrawled over walls, different paints and brushes strewn lazily around the room, even the pictures she’d drawn of Varian and the rocks were still taped to the wall from where she’d been describing her plaguing dreams only a few days prior. Though it felt so much longer. 

Like it was a lifetime ago.

Eugene's eyes flashed through the room, skidding to a halt on the large  and clearly occupied canopy. He didn’t even register that his feet were moving until he was already across the room, suddenly at the princesses bedside.

Rapunzel was positioned flat on her back near the edge of the bed, eyes moving rapidly beneath closed eyelids, arms resting across her stomach, which he could see rising and falling steadily with soft breathing.

He just about collapsed with relief. She was here, alive, and mostly unharmed. Eugene’s eye’s  shifted to the white cloth bandages wrapped cleanly over both her wrists and the large tear through her skirt.

Clearly he had missed quite a bit.

Eugene gently cupped her cheek,, taking notice of the heat seeming to radiate off the sleeping princess as he knelt to her eye level.

“Rapunzel?” He called her name softly, watching her intently.

In the next few seconds two things happened. Rapunzel’s cheek went from an unnaturally warm heat to almost a burning fire, Eugene nearly cried out from the intensity, yanking his hand away and curling it against his vest, at the same time Rapunzel’s hair erupted in a blazing yellow, shining brightly against the dark purple of her comforter.

Eugene watched in awe, hair glowing a near blinding gold, before more movement caught his attention. Rapunzel’s eyebrows were drawing together, nose scrunching through closed eyes. The action threw his heart into his throat.

“Rapunzel!” He called louder, moving to reach forward again, already having forgotten the consequences of doing so, only to be intercepted. Cassandra jumped in front of him pushing him back

“What are you doing?” Eugene hissed, angling himself to still have sight of Rapunzel, “she was waking-“

“ No she wasn’t, and You’re only going to make it worse” Cassandra spat at him, maneuvering both of them to the end of the canopy. 

“What? I saw it! She was-“

“Just shut up and look.” Cassandra snapped, turning pointedly.

Eugene went to continue arguing, but the steady light engrossing Rapunzel's hair began to swell, snatching his attention back, easily. The heat that had previously only seemed like an odd occurrence was now pulsing off Rapunzel. Even standing a good distance away he could feel the heat swarming around her. He could feel it in the way the air thickened just slightly, his brow and forehead forming small beads of sweat that he barely took notice of.

Eugene’s gut twisted wildly when Rapunzzels eyebrows shifted down even further, her face contorting as if she were fighting waves of invisible pain.  It took everything in him not to run back to her side, watching in panic as her face twisted, her hair continuing to flare intense heat and light. 

Then it stopped, like a switch had been flipped, the locks blinked out, Rapunzel's eyebrows relaxed, face smoothing over, back into the comfortable relaxation of sleep.

For a moment Eugene could only stare blankly ahead. The sudden stillness of the room whiplashing his eyes. He only recovered when he realized Cassandra had already moved, now back at Rapunzel’s bedside

“I’m sorry, what ?” Eugene sputtered, going to meet the handmaiden who already had the back of her hand pressed against the princesses forehead.

“That’s what’s been happening ever since we came back.” Cassandra said flatly, not moving her eyes from her task. “She won’t wake up, and anyone who tries to help-” Her hand dropped off Rapunzel, balling into a fist at her side. “It only gets worse.”

Eugene's stomach fluttered “Worse? How could it get worse? What’s going on?

Cassandra grimaced, “ It’s like she’s running some kind of…. Fever ” the handmaiden said in exasperation, a hand moving to bury itself in the dark tangles of her hair. “It doesn’t matter what we do. It won't go down and it’s only getting higher.“ Cassandra shot him a short look “Plus every time anyone tries to wake her up that happens and spikes the fever even more.” 

Eugene shook his head, heart leaping into his throat. “No, that doesn’t make sense. She was fine . I mean we both got-” he stiffened, going silent as a swarm of blood chilling realizations went through him. 

They both got knocked out by the gas.

The same one that Rapunzel was barely affected by.

She would have woken up.

He hadn’t.

Rapunzel had been alone. 

Alone against a kid who hadn’t even given a second thought about potentially killing her, hadn’t even blinked. 

Something had happened down there. The bandages, the torn dress………

A slow anger built up in his gut.“What did he do?” He said lowly.

Cassandra frowned,“I don’t-”

“ Hairstripe . He must have done something. What else could it be?” He began to pace frantically, the feelkng welling in the pit of his stomach “I mean there’s no other explanation.”

“Eugene-”

“They did arrest him, right? Didn’t they?”

“Yes, but-”

Eugene wasn’t listening; he was already making a beeline for the door. He came to an abrupt halt, scowling as Cassandra jumped in front of him.

“Where do you think you're going?” Cassandra hissed. The two now almost nose to nose.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m going to find out what’s happening to Rapunzel.” Eugene cut back heatedly, hot anger muddling out any other thoughts.

“And what’s your plan?” Cassandra prodded, tome mocking “Barge in there and interrogate him? Ask if he’ll pretty please wake her up?”

Eugene glared, bristling. “I’ll do what I have to. If I talk-“

Cassandra threw her arms in the air, shouting in frustration “What do you think they’ve been doing Eugene. What do you think the King has been doing? They’ve been trying to get Varian to say anything for hours now and nothing. He’s refusing to talk. Do you really think, out of anyone he’d talk to you ?”

Eugene’s blood was practically boiling over at this point, “I don’t care what he has or hasn’t said.” He grit out, voice shaking lightly “he did something and I’m-“

Cassandra cut him off with a scoff “And you’ll what? You’ll be able to get something out of him? You’ll figure it out? You’ll save the day?” she hissed out a dry laugh “ Isn’t that just typical Fitzherbert,” she said with flourish, prodding a finger against his chest “It’s always about you isn't it? You never stop and think-”

Eugene slapped her arm away, seething “What’s there to think about?” He shouted, “Rapunzel needs help and I’m going to find out how.”

“What Rapunzel needs is for us to be smart about this. You can’t just run in headfirst without thinking!” Cassandra yelled back.

Eugene angrily brushed past her, knocking into her without even bothering with a response. He stormed off towards the door.

“You don’t even know where Varian is!” Cassandra shouted to him.

Eugene laughed bitterly. “I’m sure he won’t be hard to find.” He called over his shoulder, hand reaching towards the door.

“He’s in the infirmary.” 

Eugene’s hand paused over the doorknob, raising an eyebrow, he looked over his shoulder to the handmaiden, her arms crossed against her chest with narrow eyes.

“With an injured leg that he claims Rapunzel gave him. Its the only thing he’s said.” Cassandra said shortly.

Eugene’s eyes flickered over to the bed, brow furrowed, “He said- Rapunzel ? She wouldn’t do that.” He spoke in disbelief.

Cassandra shook her head, heaving a sigh  “That’s what he’s saying”

The man’s gut twisted, “What and you believe him?” He snapped, turning his back on the door to glare accusatively at Cassandra.

She huffed, “What? No, of course not. That’s my point, Eugene . He has no reason to tell the truth. Even if you went down there and got him to talk, what’s to say he’ll even say anything worth believing. Varian has no motivation to tell us anything, he hates us.” 

“Yeah? Well maybe that’s a risk I'm willing to take Cassandra. ” Eugene shot back “It’s better than sitting here doing nothing!”

“I’m not saying we do nothing! I’m saying we should wait-”

“ Wait ? For what? “For them to say they still can’t get half pint to talk? For them to say they still don’t know what’s going on?” He threw an arm towards the direction of the bed, shouting “For Rapunzel to get worse! ”

“I know this might be hard for you to hear, but maybe we don’t have any other options.” Cassandra snapped “You think I l ike this? Don’t you think I tried going in there to talk to Varian? Tried talking my father into letting me speak with him?” Cassandra let out something that barely resembled a laugh,. "The only thing I got, was put in charge of updating them on Rapunzel’s fever and giving word if you knew anything once you’d woken up, but surprise, surprise Fitzherbert, you’re just as useless as ever.” She glared.

“I’m useless?” He choked out dumbfounded, “At least I’m trying! You GAH-” 

Eugene exclaimed, repulsed, instantly bringing his shoulder to his ear and cursing as Pascal released his tongue, the lizard jumped off his shoulder, back to the ground, chirping loudly.

Cassandra openly snorted, and Eugene did his best to compose himself quickly. Disregarding the chirps, he scowled at the lizard.

“Are you serious frog? Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something?” He shot at the chameleon.

Pascal changed into a ruby red, shaking a claw furiously towards the end of the canopy, squeaking in what Eugene could only guess was anger.

“What? You’re mad” Eugene said indignantly. 

Pascal stopped his frantic movements to glower at the two of them, the red deepening.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. “He thinks we aren’t focusing, don’t you Pascal?”

The lizard's color lightened to a burnt pink, Pascal bounced across the room jumping onto the bed and settling on Rapunzel’s head, waving both claws above his head in show.

Eugene groaned, pressing the heel of his palm against his eyes, stars exploding in colorful bursts that reminded him all too much of Rapunzel.

Leave it to a frog to get him back on track.

“Look, Cass.” He grit out, lowering his hands to meet her eyes, the woman looking at him with clear disdain, “Rapunzel doesn’t have time, and I’m not gonna waste what little she might have arguing with you . I’m talking to him now. So you can either come with me, or don’t, but you can’t stop me.”

Cassandra scoffed, “Oh really?” She laughed leaning forward “I could have an entire squad of guards, ready and waiting for you. before you even make it down the hall.” 

“Then do it.” Eugene challenged, stone faced. “ You won’t, and you know how i know?” He leaned forward, matching her stance. “Because you know Rapunzel needs help, and if there’s any chance that kid maniac down there will tell us what he did  and how to fix it then I’m going to take that chance, and so will you.”

Cassandra met his gaze defiantly, silently glaring until another chirp from Pascal tore her eyes away to glance at where the reptile stood atop a nest of blonde hair. 

Cassandra’s eyes instantly softened, a decision flashing through her face. 

She turned back to Eugene, pursing her lips with hardened eyes.

“Fine, but only because there’s no way you could get in there by yourself” She said bitterly, “andI so I can be there when you realize how stupid of an idea this is,” she slipped past him to the door.

“I’d expect nothing less.” Eugene said drily, going to turn when another chirp caught his attention. 

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Pascal had managed to creep on his shoulder, the lizard's chest puffed out as he motioned a forward gesture.

Eugene looked at the lizard wearily for a brief second. As much as he understood the reptile's feeling of wanting to go, he knew if anything happened to Pascal, Rapunzel would be devastated, while he was pretty sure Varian wouldn’t be a threat to the lizard…….

Eugene gave the lizard a small laugh, reaching to pick him off his shoulder, placing him in the palm of his hand he held up the reptile to his eye level.

“Sorry frog, but I really think you should stay here.”

The chameleon chirped rapidly, Eugene raising up a hand to placate him.

“Not that I wouldn’t love you there of course, but what if Rapunzel wakes up while we’re gone? You don’t want her to wake up alone do you?” 

The lizard shrank back slightly, looking nervously past his shoulder to the occupied bed.

Eugene gave him a small smile.

“It’s alright frog, we’ll be back, you go ahead and make sure she’s alright while we’re gone ok?” 

Pascal hesitated for a moment more before nodding. Eugene lowered his hand to the ground, the lizard hopping back to his position on the bed.

Pascal gave the man a mock salute from his spot, Eugene gave him a grin before turning back around to see Cassettes waiting expectantly at the door, cocking an eyebrow.

Eugene blew out a breath, moving to meet the handmaiden.

Hang in there blondie, we're coming.

                                                                                                       *

Cold air whipped in and around Rapunzel’s face as she ran, stinging her eyes and sending chills through her sweat soaked skin. She could feel herself tiring out, lungs burning and breaths coming in tight gasps that shook her chest from the exertion, but she couldn't stop. 

She stumbled, ducking under a tree branch, unable to stop the sharp ends from snagging a portion of her hair, feeling a section of the beads containing her braid snap open, hair now split free. She turned, raising a hand to her head in alarm while she ran, but not daring to try and stop to reign her hair back in. 

Rapunzel forced herself forward, breathing heavily; she twisted through several outlying trees and branches that curved together in thickets before her, scrambling to move through them as more leaves and sticks tugged at her skin and hair. She slapped at loose branches, earning several scratches across her palm and arms for the efforts until she was forced to a stop when her head was abruptly yanked back. Rapunzel cried out sharply, twisting her neck to see a large section of her hair entangled in the thicket of sticks.

Rapunzel quickly reached her hand out, pulling desperately at the hair clinging to interwoven branches, fingers scrambling to untangle the knots. 

Rapunzel froze when movement in the distance caught her eyes, body going rigid. The princesses eyes flickered wildly, struggling to make out anything against the blinding darkness, ears straining for any sound of the movement approaching.

After a few moments of excruciating silence she finally forced herself to return to her task, eyes shifting between the branch and the darkness beyond it until the hair finally gave away, slipping free back into place.

She let out a sigh of relief just as the crack of a branch rang out. Her head snapped towards the direction of the noise, eyes widening in panic.

Everything in Rapunzel told her to run. Her skin crawled furiously, tensing, she braced herself in the darkness, when another sound broke through the roaring silence.

“Rapunzel!”

The princess released a choked sob, relief flooding her body. 

“Eugene?” She cried, stumbling in a frantic circle, struggling to determine which direction his voice had come from.

While she spun she heard the shout again, louder this time.

“ Rapunzel !”

She shouted frustratedly, the direction of his voice still unclear.

“ Eugene ! I’m here! Where are you?” She yelled, moving blindly, pushing aside branches , vaguely aware that she wasn’t sure if she was going backwards or forwards at this point.

She tried to ignore the rising dread in her gut when she’s met with only silence, pushing herself to be hopeful, clinging onto the relief of having heard Eugene’s voice.

“Eugene!” Rapunzel called again, voice shaking, she forced herself to a stop, focusing every muscle and nerve into listening for the man’s voice.

She held her breath, waiting for a response, when her head spontaneously exploded in a blinding pain. It felt as if someone had just slammed a brick against her forehead,  doubling her over instantly.

Familiar voices that she couldn’t make out swarmed her ears, melding in with the rush of pain, the two almost interchangeable. 

Rapunzel fought to make out what they said, but was unable to decipher anything, the echo just giving the impression of words  and the action of focusing only intensified the agonizing hammer in her forehead.

Rapunzel could feel herself beginning to tilt forward, the pangs disorienting her. She frantically reached out a hand blindly, catching herself at the last second on a smooth surface.

As soon as her hand made contact with the surface the pain stopped, the murmurs in her head vanishing completely. Rapunzel gasped in a lungful of air,  lifting her head up to see a light blue radiating around the surface of her hand.

Her eyes locked on the fluorescent blue, meeting her own terrified gaze through the crystal's smooth reflection. An unexplainable surge of fear coursed through her, rooting her to the spot. 

Then the light blinked out, shrouding her back in darkness. Rapunzel jerked her hand back, tripping over her feet in her haste to scramble away from the rock. whatever spell that had washed over her now doused out. 

She gasped uneven breaths, eyes still locked on the sharp rock. The same debilitating fear was still lingering, covering her skin in goosebumps that had nothing to do with the chilled air.

She could feel her stomach churning, instincts telling her to run.

She listened.

Rapunzel whipped around tearing her way through more of the same sticks and branches without looking back, terrified of what she’d see if she did.

                                                                                                             *

“I sure hope you have a plan, Fitzherbert,” Cassandra said lowly, eyes cautiously sweeping the hallway they were currently walking down. ”The kid is under lock and key, the only people allowed in that room is my father or the king, that's it. ”

“Oh don’t you worry.” Eugene said, shooting her a cocky grin, “If you do so recall, locks happen to be my specialty-“

Eugene stopped, stifling an irritated groan, He turned back to see Cassandra halted in her tracks, her arms now crossed with balled fists against her chest.

“That’s it? That’s your plan? Pick the lock?”

Eugene bristled, “I mean sure it’s not the most creative plan, but have you seen the guards here? Throw a shiny coin, pick the lock, boom we’re in.”

Cassandra pinched the bridge of her nose, slamming her eyes shut as if fighting against a headache. “I’m sorry, I meant we should come up with a plan that won’t get us caught.” She said slowly, over enunciating her words like she was speaking to a child.

Eugene scowled, “My plan is perfectly fine, thank you very much.”

“Oh really? So you know how you’re going to get out after you get in? You have a backup plan for when your idiotic coin idea doesn’t distract them long enough? You’re prepared for if the king just so happens to already be in there or with the guards?”

Eugene faltered, shifting on his feet, “Alright so it’s not my best plan.” He admitted begrudgingly, “but like you have anything better.” 

Cassandra hesitated, casting a sidelong glance towards the end of the corridor, eyebrows furrowing in thought, until her eyes sparked, turning back to face Eugene.

“Actually I do.” She gestured towards the corner they’d been nearing, “the rooms just around there. According to that clock over there, there’s going to be a shift change in ....” Cassandra squinted, twisting her head to look past Eugene’s shoulder, “Six minutes. Normally there’s a thirty second gap between shift changes, but starting in the evening they usually end up being short handed, meaning that thirty second gap becomes sixty, and luckily for us, it looks like that first shift is coming up.”

Eugene glanced out the windows lining the hall, now noticing the first wisps of pink and orange tinting the sky. 

“Alright,” Eugene mused, once again meeting Cassandra’s serious gaze “I could have that lock picked easily in under thirty, no problem, but how do we make sure that Hairstripe doesn’t have any ‘visitors’ before we get in.”

“If the king or my dad is in there they’ll only have one guard,  he’ll be positioned near the end of the hall away from the door. If no one’s in there, two guards close to the door.”

Eugene nodded, “okay then. Let’s go see what we’re dealing with” 

Cassandra returned the nod, the pair closing the distance between the corner.

Once they’d reached the end Eugene pressed his back flat against the wall, Cassandra doing the same beside him, Eugene braced himself, nerves fluttering like angry moths in his stomach, praying that for once, things could be just slightly in his favor.

The man clenched his jaw, glancing at Cassandra out of the side of his eye, the woman giving him another curt mod.

Eugene sucked in a breath, carefully poking his head out from behind the corner. 

Two guards stood on either sides of a wooden door, one casually leaned against the wall, talking quietly with the other guard standing opposite him, both completely clueless to the pairs of eyes watching intently.

Eugene grinned to himself, ducking back behind the protection of the wall, Cassandra following suit.

“Looks like-“

Eugene slammed his mouth shut at the harsh glare Cassandra shot towards him, raising a finger aggressively to her lips, she motioned down the hall, walking away without checking to see if he’d follow.

He held his tongue against the many retorts he could throw her way, rolling his eyes to himself while he followed behind.

And people said he didn’t grow.

Once Cassandra seemed satisfied they were out of earshot she stopped, Looking at the man in front of her 

“Once they leave, you’ll pick the lock, get in ,get out,  that’s it Fitzherbert You hear me? No games.” She said sharply, eyes narrowing.

Eugene raised an eyebrow, “You're not going? I thought the whole point of you coming was-“

She shook her head, cutting him off, “We need someone out here to make sure  no one else goes in there, plus you’re going to need someone to let you know when your opening to leave is.” She sighed annoyedly “and as much as I don’t trust you…” she said  shooting him a pointed look “I trust that you’ll do what it takes to help Raps” 

Eugene gasped, raising a hand to wipe away imaginary tears, the other hovering above his chest. “Did you hear that? She trusts me,” he said with feigned emotion.

Cassandra swatted his hand down, “ No I didn’t say that,” she growled, “and don’t make me regret helping you do this.” 

Eugene raised a hand in the air dismissively “Relax Cass, I’ll be in and out, nobody will be one the wiser.” 

Cassandra grunted, casting another nervous glance down the hall, “Look there’s something else you should know.”

Eugene frowned, noting the change in demeanor as the women continued.

“I was barely able to talk with Rapunzel before she passed out, but one of the things she did say was that Varian needed to go somewhere…. With us” 

Eugene’s eyes widened, disbelieving “what?”

Casandra nodded, having seemingly anticipated the reaction. 

“Where? No idea. But when they searched Varian  they found a map.” Cassandra leaned closer despite the lack of people in the corridor, dropping her voice to nearly a whisper. “Whatever’s on that map the king doesn’t want anyone seeing, he personally took it himself and hid it in his study..”

Eugene let out an irritated whine, pinching his eyes closed,while he  struggled to wrap his brain around the strong influx of new information. 

“And why would the King have so much interest in a random map?” 

“Obviously because it’s not just a random map.” Cassandra rushed out, “It has to be what Raps was talking about. It’s the only thing that makes sense.” She paused, her tone intensified when she continued “That map could be connected to what’s going on with Rapunzel.”

Eugene looked at her skeptically, “You really think some old map is the thing doing all that to Rapunzel?”

“ No ,” Cassandra said, looking about ready to tear the man in two, “I’m saying that there’s something on that map that the king doesn’t want anyone seeing, and Varian knows what’s on it.”

The pieces clicked together in Eugene’s mind, throwing Cassandra a resolved look. “Got it, I’ll see if i can find anything out.” 

Cassandra pulled back, visibly relaxing ever so slightly, she craned her neck, looking over his shoulder “two minutes,” she said quietly, casting a glance to the corner's edge. “Once you’re in there, I’ll send a signal when you have an opening to leave,”

“How will I know what the signal is?” Eugene pressed.

Cassandra’s eyes drifted to the window, pursing her lips. “I’ll figure it out, but you’ll know it when you see it.” She snapped her attention back to him, eyes narrowing, “and seriously Eugene as soon as you see that signal, get out, I’m going directly against orders to do this, and I can’t afford getting caught, you hear me?” She snapped, tone sharp.

Eugene raised a hand in the air dismissively, unbothered “ Believe me Cass this is hardly my first break in, I know the rules.” 

Cassandra rolled her eyes irritably, shaking her head and began making her way towards the rounding corner, “Let’s just get this over with” she muttered under her breath.

                                                                                                           *

Hobbs stood anxiously outside the king's door, waiting for entrance.

Normally he’s anything but nervous. He’d been captain of the guard for decades at this point and it was routine- ritual to have weekly meetings and discussions with the monarch. In fact, most of the time he would look forward to them. He took pride in his job and the King was usually an enjoyable man to converse with. 

The two men often briefly discussing lively matters, alongside security or work.  In recent years he had even grown to respect the king even more as a fellow father, and respectable man.

It’s why Hobbs was so on edge now. 

In all his time as captain he had always seen to it that the kingdom would be prepared for anything, especially after the princesses initial abduction. But this last attack was something he never could’ve predicted. 

The overwhelming level of hate- directed towards the royal family no less. The precision, the thought, and the fact that it came from a child .

And because of he and his men’s unpreparedness, the entire royal family had paid the price.

It twisted his gut bitterly, guilt waving around him with every breath he took. 

It was why he had insisted that he help the king in getting the child to talk. Despite the protests of his injury from the courtyard, it was his obligation to at least attempt to make something of his mistakes right.

Cassandra had of course insisted she could take his place, but he didn’t want her anywhere near that kid. 

He didn’t regret his decision to let her lead the initial assault in Old Corona and after hearing how successful it was -before Fitzherbert had set off a rigged trap- he couldn’t have been prouder. 

That didn’t change the fact that the kid had still done heavy damage to a large amount of his men, and sent the princess into some sort of coma.

But the facts didn’t make the twinge of guilt any less painful when he’d seen his daughter mask her obvious hurt at the denial. Which was why when she’d insisted the kid be kept in a private infirmary instead of a cell while his injury healed Hobbs hadn’t argued. 

The concern from his daughter had briefly confused him, especially considering he was aware of how close his daughter and the princess had become over this past year, and while he wouldn’t say Cassandra was un sympathetic….. she definitely had her view on what people deserved.

Luckily for him though Hobbs was able to convince the king rather easily, ensuring that there would be plenty of security and restraint. The king had agreed after both men had seen the kid's torn up leg that the boy himself had openly claimed the princess gave him.

It was the only thing the captain and the king had been able to get out of him since they arrived back in the early morning, and it was clearly a lie. Hobbs of course wouldn’t say he knew the princess personally, but he knew enough about her from the few interactions he’d had with her, along with castle gossip, and stories from his daughter to know that violence was never her playing card.

After only a few spaced out sessions with the King present, the king had become irritable about the lack of information regarding his daughter's condition and the fact that the only thing they’d been able to get out of the child was a blatant lie only added to the king's agitation.

The king had told the captain he’d reached his limit and would be coming up with another tactic on how to help his daughter.

Hobbs had been told to run through two more rounds with the boy then report back to the king while he came up with another plan. 

The captain fought the urge to pace, dreading the king's reaction when he’d have to disappoint the monarch with the same report of the kid refusing to talk.

He tried to distract himself by observing clouds of purple and red moving slowly across an orange sky, beginning to obscure the setting sun.

He’s almost too successful with his distraction, starting when the door to the study is swiftly opened, the King crowding the doorway.

The caption recovered instantaneously, bowing his head slightly “Sir.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting Captain.” The king said, holding up a hand to put him at ease. 

Hobbs relaxed his stance despite the nerves still flooding him, giving the king a curt nod. “Of course, it’s no problem your majesty” the response comes automatically, a practiced dance that both men are well versed in by now.

The King steps to the side giving Hobbs his silent invitation inside the room.

The captain walks through the doorway, automatically making his way to the large wooden desk pushed to the side of the large chamber, already too familiar with the large bookcases and shelves lining the room to be impressed with the fine art and first editions of books or glass. That covered the room.

Hobbs took a seat on the red velvet lined chair. hearing the soft click of a door closing. Seconds later the king is in front of him, settling into his own chair.

“Is there anything new to report?” The king asked, getting straight to the point, tone holding the slightest bit of edge to it.

Hobbs had to dig his nails into the skin of his palm to keep from fidgeting, meeting the king's eyes he gave a single shake of his head. “I’m sorry sir but nothing has changed, the kid is continuing his refusal to talk.” 

The captain saw the immediate flash of frustration meld its way onto the man’s face, before he covered it for a more neutral expression, “Don’t worry captain, it’s not your fault.” The King said plainly, seeming to take the time to ensure his voice was void of emotion,”in fact that’s why I’m glad you’re here,”

Hobbs raised an eyebrow “Sir?

The monarch nodded his head, “Yes, just a bit ago I sent for Eugene, he should be here any minute now and when he is I want to go through exactly what he saw while he was down there with Rapunzel,”

The captain cleared his throat, “No offense of course your majesty, but Cassandra was assigned to inform us if Fitzherbert knew anything and we’ve heard nothing, what are the odds that he knows anything?”

The King folded his hands nearly in front of him on the desk, “I only want to confirm what Eugene does or doesn’t know, with that boy refusing to talk, I want to exhaust every possible lead.”

The captain went to respond but a hollow knock on the door cut off his reply, the door cracked open slightly and the royal advisor's voice filled the room.

“Pardon me for interrupting your majesty.” Nigel said politely, pushing the door open.

The king gave a dismissive shake, motioning with his hand, “it’s quite alright Nigel, is something wrong?”

Nigel cleared his throat, closing the door behind him and walking over to both the seated men

“I went to retrieve Fitzherbert as you requested your majesty but it appears he’s nowhere to be found.”

The captain frowned looking back to the king, the man’s eyebrows furrowing . “He wasn’t in the infirmary?”

The advisor shook his head, “The nurse who treated him said she released him less than an hour ago.”

The captain's stomach sank, an unpleasant gut feeling flaring.

“And no one’s seen him?” The king asked sharply.

Nigel pursed his lips, “The only reports was a few maids who saw him running through the halls, along with the guards outside the princesses room, they said he left the room not too long ago.”

The king raised a hand tiredly to rub at his temple, “and he was alone?”

Nigel cast a quick glance over to Hobbs before answering “No your majesty, both reports said he was accompanied by the princesses handmaiden.”

Hobbs immediately went rigid, averting the king's eyes. His gut lurched.

“I see.” The monarch said stiffly.

“Your majesty,” the Captain blurted before he could stop himself. “I can send some of my men to find them. It shouldn’t take-“

The king held up a hand silencing Hobbs.

“That’s quite alright captain.” He said evenly, throwing a look to the door, eyes narrowing. “I think I already have a pretty good idea as to where they might be.”

                                                                                                       *

Eugene slipped his pin into the lock, fingers moving with rapid and expert precision that could only come with years of time and practice. 

This particular lock he recognized from a handful of old heists, a well protected, expensive lock that would stump even the most experienced thief.

Good thing he was a retired one then.

Eugene had it open in thirty seconds. 

Eugene gripped the doorknob with a steady hand, shooting Cassandra a thumbs up from where she watched behind the corner, before slipping silently through the door

The first thing Eugene was greeted to was a near blinding darkness obscuring the room, he blinked rapidly, struggling to adjust his eyes to the lower lighting.

The only source of illumination came from a small candle on the edge of a miniature wooden nightstand, and an unimpressive window above the only other piece of furniture in the room. 

A simple and uncomfortable looking bed, its only occupant lay partially on his side. A blanket that looked as if it’d been bunched up and thrown to the side was tossed near the edge of the bed.

The second Eugene’s eyes fell on the shadow of the sleeping kid he felt hot rage welling back up. He clenched his fists at his side, glaring daggers through the darkness, composing himself briefly.

He could do this.

This was for Rapunzel.

Rapunzel. 

The women he loved.

Rapunzel.

He let the thoughts of the princess flow through his brain, dulling the anger enough to where he could now look at the bed without wanting to throttle the child.

He allowed himself one more composing breath, then silently made his way to the cots bedside.

Even in the low lighting Eugene could see the kid looked like hell. His cheeks had several streaks of what could have been oil or grime scattered across them. Dark hair was matted to his forehead through sweat that Eugene could see still heavily beading on his forehead and down his neck. There was a small bandage wrapped across one of his forearms, and a much larger one wrapped thickly around his left leg, and on his right ankle a silver shackle attached his leg to the wooden post of the bed.

The man almost felt bad for him.

Almost.

Eugene watched the kids chest hitch, eyelid twitching slightly. He stifled a scoff. 

Great, and he was pretending to be asleep, very poorly at that.

“You can drop the act, kid. I know you’re awake.” Eugene said dryly.

Varians breathing stilled altogether, seemingly debating whether or not to continue with his act, ultimately appearing to give in.

Varian cracked open one of his eyes, scowling “Oh great” he mumbled “I was wondering when they were gonna send one of you guys in here.” 

“Yeah, well today's your lucky day” Eugene cut towards him, “because word on the street is you were the last one to see Rapunzel before she fell asleep and didn’t wake up.”

Varian rolled his eyes, “Wow, did you figure that one out all by yourself, detective?”

Eugene pushed down the immediate anger, gritting his teeth “Listen Hairstripe, it’s really in your best interest-“

Varian barked out a laugh, “ My interest? ”” He pushed himself into an awkward sitting position glaring through a clenched jaw. “Oh please like any of this would be for my best interest , if I tell you what I know I’ll get to go free? I’ll get a special prize? The only interest I’d have to tell you anything would be if I felt bad for any of you. and why would I ? Because someone you care about deeply is asleep- trapped and you can’t help them? Because you’d do anything to save them?” Varians sneered “Sorry Eugene, but you’ll have to figure it out on your own.”

Eugene’s fist clenched at his side. “So what? You’re just gonna sit here and pout while you accuse Rapunzel of things she’d never do!” He hissed at the boy, throwing a gesture to his bandaged leg.

Varian scoffed, “It’s not an accusation if it’s really what happened now is it?”

Eugene could feel his vision turning red, struggling not to launch himself at the pre-teen “you really expect anyone to believe Rapunzel did that?” Eugene said slowly, words soaked in raw anger.

Varian matched his glare “Doesn’t matter what you want to believe it’s what happened. Now I’d really appreciate it if you and your over-greased hair would leave before It ends up making me sick.” He grumbled, lowering himself into a less awkward position on the bed.

Eugene dropped a humorless laugh, “Yeah nice try half pint, I’m not leaving until you tell me what you did and how to fix-“

“What I did?” Varian snapped hotly, shoving himself onto his elbows. “Ha, you can accuse me all you want Eugene but as flattered as I am that all of you are convinced that I did it, I didn’t.” He said with a tone of nothing but pure frustration.

Eugene blinked, taken aback by the response, he’d been expecting a denial but not one that sounded almost sincere.

Eugene shook his head disbelieving, “If you didn’t do it then why the silence? You haven’t said a word to anyone the whole day because you’re innocent ?” He said skeptically.

“If I denied it would anyone have believed me?” Varian shot bitterly, “No, you all want someone to blame.”

Eugene raised an eyebrow, “Then why don’t you tell me what really happened and I’ll decide whether or not to believe you.”

Varians immediately soured, rolling onto his side as best he could with one injured and one restrained leg.

Eugene huffed, “Seriously, you’re not going to say anything…. Nothing?”

The man glared at the kids back, met with only silence.

Eugene turned to leave, frustration and anger worked into every fiber of his being, until the image of Rapunzel sick and burning up flooded his brain. 

Eugene set his jaw.

He had to do this.

“How about this for motivation?” Eugene said harshly, turning back to face the bed, slicing through the stillness of the room “I know that somehow you convinced Rapunzel to go with you somewhere. Where or why? I have no idea, but I have a feeling that this little trip of yours is something you care about.”

Eugene saw his dart hit its target. Varians body tensed. 

“I also know that Rapunzel is the only person in this entire kingdom right now who would willingly fight to help you after everything you did. “ Eugene said pointedly, “And if she doesn’t wakes up, I think you’ll find out that’s more than true the hard way.” 

Eugene waits for a response, sighing when the silence continues to stretch on. 

Well, no one could say he didn’t try.

He once again goes to leave when Varians voice breaks the air, stopping Eugene in his tracks.

“If I were to know something and told you, would you help Rapunzel in convincing everyone to let me leave Corona with her?” 

Eugene turned, staring in surprise at the kids back, the request was honestly the last thing he would’ve expected, the question almost child-like.

Eugene brushed off his brief startle, sighing,”I don’t know kid, I mean less than ten hours ago you almost killed us.” He paused, momentarily debating with himself before shaking his head, “but if you do end up helping Rapunzel I personally won’t say anything against you should that discussion come up, deal?”

The room is thick with quiet until Varian pushes himself back into his awkward seated position, giving Eugene a single nod. 

The former thief breathed a sigh of relief, 

Varian relaxed slightly onto the backs of his elbow, shooting Eugene an unreadable expression. “It was the rocks.”

Eugene frowned, “What was?”

Varian rolled his eyes, “Everything, they just started shooting up from the ground out of nowhere back at my lab before-“

“Hold on, just bursting from wherever? Super fast and super dangerous?”

Varian glared at the interruption but nodded, 

Eugene raked a hand through his hair, perplexed, “That happened to us not even three days ago back at-“

“Rapunzel’s tower, yeah I know but the point is-“

“Is that what happened to your leg? The rocks” Eugene cut in again, the alchemist groaning. 

“Yes! Okay? Now I’m trying-“

“Ha! So I was right it wasn’t Rapunzel!” Eugene cried triumphantly, pointing a finger at him.

Varians eye twitched, the teen speaking through grit teeth. “ Weren’t you just begging me to talk ? If you would let me finish I can tell you why I said that.”

Eugene glowered but gave an encouraging nod.

Varian shot him a dirty look before going to speak again, “Once the rocks started sprouting or whatever, one of them got me. Rapunzel ended up grabbing one of the stones, and after she did all the rocks… responded to her.”

Eugene looked unimpressed, “Yeah I mean that’s kinda their thing isn’t it?”

“No, they literally responded, she was controlling them.” Varian snapped, “Rocks that had been in my lab for months, disappeared with a flick of her wrist.” 

“Controlling them?” Eugene echoed, looking unsure.

“Yeah, and the rocks must’ve been what caused her to pass out initially in the first place.” He said matter of factly.

“So you’re saying the rocks could be what’s keeping her asleep?” Eugene asked slowly.

Varian shrugged, “Could be.”

“Alright..” Eugene said, giving the boy a side glance, “So how do we wake her up.”

Varian sighed annoyedly, “What are all the symptoms?” 

Eugene thought back to Rapunzel’s room, “Ummm let’s see, Cass said she’s had a spiked fever that’s only rising, if anyone tries to wake her up her hair goes berserk, glowing and almost giving off its own heat, and you know the just not waking up in general thing.” He added helpfully.

Varians eyebrows furrowed in thought, glancing back to Eugene, “Is the fever isolated only to her head? How hot is it?”

Eugene struggled to remember if Rapunzel had been radiating heat anywhere other than her head. “No, Ithink it’s just her head,” he confirmed decidedly “she was sweating, though only above the neck, but I mean she was really hot, like touched an open flame hot.” He said, unconsciously rubbing the section of his hand that had brushed against Rapunzel.

Varian went silent, staring absently in front of him as his mind whirred.

Eugene watched anxiously, waiting when a flash of movement caught his eye.

He looked towards the single window outlooking the room and felt himself instantly stiffen. Perched outside the glass was Cassandra’s owl staring into the room.

The signal.

Eugene cursed silently, Varian breaking his silence simultaneously.

“That’s it! I got it!” Varian said excitedly, 

Eugene's eyes snapped back to the boy, immediately capturing his attention. “So?” Eugene pressed urgently, glancing nervously at the window where the bird continued to hover.

“It’s actually pretty obvious when you think about it.” Varian said blabbering, “I mean what with the rocks and the-“ 

“Ok kid, I get it. You thought about it, but I’m gonna need you to skip to the part where you tell me how to help Rapunzel.”

Varian bristled, sending him a short look, “You need to take Rapunzel outside Coronas walls.”

Eugene looked at him in confusion, “What? How is that going to-“

“The rocks are keeping her asleep because they think she’s still running from them.” Varian said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “After she made contact with them, you guys took her back to the castle, away from the rocks, but they can’t tell the difference. It’s why her fever is  only isolated to her head. She must somehow be stuck in some kind of permanent vision from the rocks.” Varian hummed, his tone fascinated. 

“So you’re saying that if we take Rapunzel past Coronas walls, it’ll wake her up?”

Varian shrugged. “Theoretically, yes. But there’s no telling if the reaction would be instantaneous or not, it could take time.”

“But that’ll do it? She’ll wake up?”

Varian nodded. “Yes I believe so.”

Eugene let out an anxious breath, “Alright kid, I appreciate it, but now I’ve really got-“ his sentence is cut off by the sound of the doorknob turning.

Eugene and Varians head whipped to the door, both going rigid as the door was pushed open, the doorway now crowded with the bodies of two guards and the King.

Eugene could distantly see Casandra standing behind one of the guards, glaring harshly at him from a distance.

Yeah, this seemed more like his luck.

Chapter Text

It was impossible for Rapunzel to determine how long she’d been fumbling through the dark foliage at this point.

Every second, every minute seemed to drag itself longer than it should, digging its heels into her skin unnaturally. She’d been moving through the landscape for what felt like ages by now and nothing had seemed to change.

Every tree looked the same. Their sticks and branches always snagging and scratching her in the same spots. They’d manage to hide just right in the darkness where she wouldn’t see them until they’d scrape against already caught skin. 

No signs of life in a completely barren landscape. She hadn’t caught sightings of rabbits or squirrels. Not even the honey bees or regular insects she’d see frequenting the many lush trees or fields throughout Corona. 

The only glimpse of life she’d encountered had been the shout she’d heard from Eugene what felt like forever ago.

It twisted her chest just remembering the cry, how she had pushed herself into wrecking any and all areas for the man. Searching for an agonizingly long period of time after her encounter with the rock.

The thought of finding him and being able to curl herself into his embrace. That traversing the landscape would be all the less terrifying as long as she could face it with Eugene.

But she never found him.

Rapunzel had fought through weary exhaustion to examine every bush or tree surrounding her. Yelling her voice hoarse, only stopping when her shouts began cracking or catching halfway through.

And with a heavy heart she’d eventually had to accept the fact that he wasn’t there. That there was no evidence or sign of anyone occupying the habitat besides herself. It had torn her in half to admit defeat but there was no denying it.

She was alone. 

Alone in a forest that made her skin crawl. Alone amongst trees and paths that seemed all too static and poised to feel real. Alone in a place that sent whispers through her mind, murmuring to her that everything about the woods felt wrong , unnatural.

You can’t find him, so go. You have to keep moving.

Rapunzel couldn’t say why the thought had popped up but she knew it was right, she just did. A feeling in the pit of her stomach that curdled the deeper she went. An instinct that told her She couldn’t afford stopping. She couldn’t risk pausing to catch her breath, and she had to continue pushing forward.

So she did. Despite the pain of rough terrain on bare feet, she continued. She continued despite scratches and tears through her sleeves and skirt, the urge to curl into the backs of any tree and sleep; she ignored the pain, refusing to stop.

It was because of the overexertion that things began slipping from her mind. Exhaustion led to her stumbling more frequently, not catching sight of roots until they were already tripping her balance. More thorns or splinters were catching her hands, strained eyes failing to signal her brain in time to brush them away. 

Rapunzel knew it was only a matter of time before she slipped up entirely. That’s why she wasn’t at all surprised when she inevitably felt her foot hook at the bottom of a particularly large root, toppling to the ground with a sharp cry, and just barely managing to stop her head from connecting with the forest floor, catching herself at the last second with her forearms.

The impact of the fall slammed through her, sharp needles against skin as she landed ungracefully on sticks and grass. She stifled a groan, dizzily lifting her head to suck in a breath.

It took all her willpower not to slip entirely to the ground and collapse against the floor of the woods. Just the thought of doing so made her want to sob. The energy throughout her body all but spent.

You can do this, have to keep- keep going, keep moving. Just a little longer.

Rapunzel gritted her teeth, breathing heavily through her nose,  pushing herself to stand. She leaned against a tree beside her, allowing herself  a moment to breathe. Surely almost concussing herself qualified the time emitted to ensure nothing was broken.

She squints down at her skirt, reaching down to pinch the material between her fingers. Rapunzel’s eyes flirt throughout the surface of the dress, noting that she hadn’t done much more damage besides adding a new stain or two of dirt. 

She sighed, dropping the silk and raising her arms to eye level. She couldn’t make out much in the darkness, instead, opting to run a hand carefully down each arm. Rapunzel winced when her fingers caught on a slash of cut skin above her right wrist,  thumb coming away wet with a dark liquid

The princess grimaced, going to lower her arm when a flash of moonlight caught pale skin giving her pause. She frowned, raising her arm. The area is mostly untouched besides the small nick she’d already felt. Small drops of red dotting the surface of her skin. 

Though that isn’t where her eyes are drawn, She caught herself staring intently at the edge of her hand, eyes instinctively landing on the line of skin where her wrist met palm. Before she knows what she’s doing her other arm is raised beside it, side by side.

Rapunzel’s focus shifted from wrist to wrist, staring at unmarked skin, her stomach churning . A feeling of wrongness pulled at her. A jaunting thought echoing solely in her head.

This isn’t right.

Rapunzel’s vision flashed, a line of copper sliced across the edge of her wrists, matched with splashes of purple bruising. Her breath hitched tightly, staring at the newly appeared marks. 

No they weren’t new- were they? She was supposed to have these…. Where-

Rapunzel’s eyes slammed shut, a high pitched ringing sprung in her ears, suddenly more than thankful for the strong bark pressed against her side, the tree now the sole thing supporting her, a wave of lightheadedness rushing through her.

The princess squeezed her eyes against the whine, a chorus of voices melted into the ringing, roaring through the slamming of her pulse.

You’re running out of time.

You have to do this.

“ Rapunzel !” Was that Eugene?

Stop being afraid.

“Corona doesn’t have time.” Varian.

Face your destiny

Open your eyes .

Rapunzel’s eyes shot open, she was doubled over panting heavily, the ringing fading away with every beat of her heart. 

She stayed where she was, letting the sound of labored breathing flay throughout the still forest, mind reeling, her previous fatigued state gone, replaced with a racing pulse and spinning head.

The whisper in the back of her mind that had been telling her there was something wrong about the landscape she was stumbling through was turning into a siren in her head, a feeling of fear beginning to surface in cold tendrils, curling into her chest. Anxious tremors making their way through her skin under its surface. 

The image of her wrist lined in blood painted itself behind her eyes.

Her previously blank wrist.

Something was…wrong those marks should be there….. Right?

The thought made her head pound. The image behind her eyes shifted out of focus. sending a shard of pain through her skull that she fought to keep her eyes open against.

She couldn’t for the life of her remember what the marks were from, but her gut told her it was right. If she looked at her hand the cut should be there.

She braced herself, slowly lifting her wrist back to her face 

Her own, blank skin stared back at her.

***

After Eugene had been dragged from Varians room, The Monarch hadn’t even given him a chance to get any sort of word in, assigning a guard to ‘escort’ both him and Cassandra to the throne room, saying he would meet them there, shoving them on their way before Eugene could even put together an articulate argument.

It was infuriating. The fact that he had been able to get Varian to talk ( in your face Cassandra ), that he knew how to help Rapunzel. If the King would just stop and listen for once they could’ve skipped this whole ‘back and forth’ deal, but the man had only taken the time to shoot the both of them a disappointed glare. Like he had caught a naughty child with their hand in a cookie jar.

Wasting time while Rapunzel laid there, trapped in- what had the kid said? Some kind of inescapable dream? Whatever it was, he had a feeling she wasn’t dealing with sunshine and rainbows in there, and the longer she stayed stuck….. 

Rapunzel’s face contorted in pain as he watched from the end of her bed flashed behind his eyes, heart clenching. 

he had a feeling it couldn’t be good for her.

The frustration was settling under his skin, burying itself in his gut tightly. By the time they reach the throne room he’s practically bursting with anxious energy. 

The guard who had been leading them stopped just short of the doors, stepping to the side without a word. Watching the pair in front of him expectantly.

Eugene had been ‘escorted’ by enough guards to easily interpret the silent cue. He moved towards the room, pushing on the already cracked open door and slipping inside, feeling Cassandra follow suit behind him.

The former thief’s eyes flickered throughout the empty room. The hall was dim. The only light came from a few lit torches hung near the back, and large glass windows lining the walls, small slivers of sunlight cut through setting clouds just enough to cast moving shadows along the edges of floors and walls.

Seeing the throne room so empty when it was usually anything but, blossomed a feeling of unease, taking in his surroundings with a heightened awareness.

Eugene’s head darted towards the entrance at the sound of a click , amplified through hollow ceilings. The room now sealed off. He felt a familiar rush of butterflies swish inside him, old instincts flaring to life at being boxed in. He crossed his arms, pressing his fingers into the worn fabric of his sleeves, using the minute movements to attempt calming his jitters.

He only turned back at the noise of a throat being cleared, jerking his attention back to the front of the hall. 

Cassandra was leveling him with a sharp furious glare. She held herself stiffly, radiating nothing but intense anger. The two only separated by a few feet. 

Eugene felt a combination of surprised irritation spring to the surface at the look. A defensive spark igniting in his gut at the accusation slamming behind the anger in her eyes.

There was a brief second of silence, the air in the room becoming thick with a crackling anticipation until Cassandra broke it, throwing a balled fist towards the sky.

“ Maker above , you really can’t even handle one simple instruction can you?” She snarled at him, an open mix of rage and condescension, “You only had to listen to one-” She threw her hand towards him, lifting a finger to emphasize her point,  ‘ one rule. And you couldn’t even do that .”

Eugene’s temper flared,  

“Yeah? Well what about you huh?” Eugene shot back heatley, not even hesitating on rising to the bait.”Miss, ‘ I'll stop anyone from getting in there .’” 

Cassandra’s glare was seething, “I can’t exactly stop The King from going wherever he wants.” She said through her teeth, throwing a hand towards the door behind him. “That signal was your out, the one you clearly ignored .”

In the back of his head Eugene could hear a little voice saying it was childish to waste time arguing. Chiding him to cut the argument short by telling the handmaiden that even with the slip up, he’d still found out how to help the princess, but he couldn’t deny the thrill of putting all his angered energy to use. 

Besides, he hadn't started it.

Eugene uncrossed his arms to jab his finger against his chest, huffing “It’s not my fault your stupid signal decided to show up at the absolute worst possible moment! ”  

Cassandra bit out something in between a laugh and a scoff, “Oh of course , even signals have to cater to your needs, is that right?”

The man felt his throat tighten a bitter anger swirling, “What-”

“I know this might sound like a foreign concept to you,” She cut him off sharply, stalking closer,, “but sometimes you can’t just do things for yourself. Actions have consequences ” 

“ Of course I know that! ” Eugene couldn’t stop the rise of volume in his voice, too engrossed in defending himself to register the change. “But we both knew there were risks-”

“Which was why we agreed on the signal!” Cassandra shouted over him. “If you had left once you’d seen it like we’d planned this wouldn’t be happening.” She paused to pointedly meet his eyes. Her expression swimming in unreadable emotions. “But I guess that's what I get for thinking I could trust a thief. ” 

Eugene gawked, jaw dropping.

Oh he was so gonna lose it  

“Are you serious?” He yelled, disbelief pitching the words,”That doesn’t even- Suns, you're kidding me.” 

A beautifully in sync intertwining of irritation and rage blossomed, but even with the forefront frustration he couldn’t shake the slivers of confusion he could feel joining. The man could barely recall seeing the handmaiden that fired up about anything.

Sure he had expected an argument when they’d reached the room, but the way Cass was talking was much more intense. She wasn’t annoyed, she was furious . 

The confusion only added fuel to the flame inside him, conflicting raging emotions in his chest climaxed. Words stumbling over each other in a battle to form an articulate thought before he finally settled on a simple enough one 

“ What’s your problem?”

Hazel eyes flashed in surprise, hardening simultaneously. “I don’t have a problem. You-”

“No, you do have a problem so what is it?” He interjected angrily, “What? you think it should’ve been you in there?”

“No-”

“You think you could’ve come up with something better?”

“ No -”

“You think you could’ve found it out faster? You wouldn’t have gotten caught?”

“ NO ! I’m-”

“Then what is it?” Eugene yelled back. “We had to do it. Rapunzel needed us. Rapunzel needs help. Rapunzel -”

“Is eventually going to wake up and when she does, now- because of this, I won’t be here! ’

Cassandra’s shout echoed throughout the quiet room like a foghorn, her voice lingering in the air between them.

Eugene stared at the women in bewilderment, anger faltering.

The handmaiden looked just as surprised, appearing as though she wanted to rip the words back from existence. Her face paling considerably, anger washed away in a heartbeat. She turned, averting her eyes from the man to stare at a fixed point in front of her.

“Cass- what are you talking about?” He said slowly, eyes trained on the women searchingly “Why wouldn’t you-”. He cut himself short, the answer slamming into his face like a brick wall.

The morning of Rapunzel’s birthday, 

Finding out the king had read through his daughter's journal. 

Finding out Cass’s fear of the king learning just how much she had been involved with his daughter’s hair returning being more than justified.

She was talking about-

“The convent?” 

Cassandra’s eyes narrowed at the word, but other than that she remained painstakingly still. Her usual poker face slipped back into place.

Eugene’s gut clenched, twisting in guilt.

No wonder Cass had been so adamant on not getting caught. She was already on thin ice and she’d still risked herself to help Rapunzel. To help him .

“Cass, we don’t know that’ll happen.” Eugene said softly, watching the handmaiden ball one of her hands into a white knuckled fist at her side. 

“But we don’t know it won’t.” Cassandra replied stiffly, keeping her gaze expertly fixed on the space in front of her.

“It won’t!” He snapped, spark rising, “You didn’t even do anything! If anything I made you do it! He can’t-“

“ Stop it Eugene .” She interjected hotly, whirling around to face him, features hard. “It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing you can do. So just stop .” 

He shook his head going to argue when the creak of a door opening floods the room. 

Both heads turn, the entrance now housing new occupants.

The King had arrived.

***

Suns, was he really this stupid?

It was the only thought running through Varian’s mind, standing stiffly between the same two guards who had dragged him out of his small cot, a fire laced heartbeat continuously pumping through the lower half of his calf, mirroring the steady thuds burning his chest. 

Had he really folded at the first empty deal thrown his way? He’d spent the entire day playing mute. Evading questions, talking. Ensuring he wouldn’t let even a word slip, and Eugene had pulled the information out of him without even breaking a sweat. A few sugar coated lies from the man’s lips and he’d caved faster than a child giving in to a sweet tooth.

The realization made his stomach clench, a knot of twisting anger.

Watching Eugene being pulled from the room immediately after Varian had told him what he wanted to hear flashed tauntingly behind his eyes.

And he’d fallen for it.

He’d letten himself be deluded into thinking there was any real sincerity behind the man’s words, seeing an imaginary earnesty in the man's eyes.

It had been a ploy. A calculated ruse he knew he should've seen through. 

These past few months had shown, proven that he could only count on himself. He couldn’t depend on his kingdom or princesses or so called ‘friends’. When things got dirty he would be shoved to the side and discarded, forgotten until it was convenient to be remembered.

Every assurance, every promise was nothing more than empty words; ends to a mean.

This was just another reminder.

A scowl tugged the corners of his mouth, shifting his line of sight to include the King where he stood. back facing him. A good distance away and engaged in an inaudible discussion with the snooty looking advisor he remembered vividly from the night of the storm. The only other guard who’d been hurling questions at him throughout the day lingered close by, not involved directly but giving the occasional nod or shake of his head at whatever The King was relaying.

He could feel an anxiety starting to stir in the pit of his stomach, a low spinning that teetered on the edge of dread.

Varian knew what would happen next.

The King had no reason to keep playing housekeeper with him. No need to give the boy a quiet room or ‘cushioned bed’. They’d gotten what they wanted from him. The information that Varian had been all but delighted to originally withhold from the man was now out in the open 

So what if he’d been impaled by a rock under the control of Corona’s very own princess . Varian was sure The King had a nice cozy cell waiting with his name on it.

Why else would they have dragged him out of the room in the first place, making him stand on a painfully unstable leg, sandwiched between two random guards, whose grip on both sides of his arms might as well be made of iron.

The assurance was bitter and painful, leaving a sour taste in the back of his throat that turned nauseating when whatever words were being exchanged between The King's circle finally reached a close. The alchemist, straining his ears was able to catch the last bits and pieces of the monarchs cutting voice, 

“....Done here, meet….. Throne….ensure………attend.” 

The circle broke, each of the men stepping back in a manner that seemed practiced. Varian fought to maintain a resolved composure. (Which probably would have worked a lot better if his leg would stop shooting random slabs of pain,). But it didn’t appear that whatever stance he took would matter. The King was already making his exit, 

Varian watched The Monarch take his leave, a spring of irritated surprise flirting at not even an acknowledgement until the King paused, stopping just short of turning the corner.

The man turned, glancing to his advisor as if going to speak when his eyes abruptly shifted and landed on the alchemist.

The two locked eyes. 

Maybe this could've been Varian’s chance. His opportunity to try and earn some desperate sort of favor from The King. Shout a half hearted apology, convey some clumsy attempt at regret. Even if the heat pulsing under his skin was a sharp contrast to even inklings of guilt, he should be grasping at anything that would make things lean in his favor. 

The idea is there. A voice shouting at him in the back of his head to think, to be smart. 

But then he sees the same emotions wavering in the man’s own eyes. A disgusted anger, trivial and bright. It was a condensation that immediately diluted the notion, like it was never there.

He’d spent the whole day with those same eyes analyzing him like he was nothing more than a broken tool that refused to work. Looking for breaks and cracks that would push him into releasing what The King wanted to hear.

Varian’s chest flares all at once, a stubbornness he knew his father would chastise him for if he was there, rearing its fangs in an instant.  

He’d rather spend the rest of his life rotting away in a cell, than have to even pretend he felt a single drop of remorse or shame for what he had done. 

Because he didn’t . 

It was a fact as plain as the sky above was blue. The truth was, he’d do everything he’d done and more if it would have saved his father. And that was something he couldn’t find it in himself to be ashamed of.

So he didn’t let himself flinch or wither under the man’s brief glare. Instead he let his eyes hold the contact, pulling the edges of his lips upwards in a mocking sneer.

The king’s sole, outward reaction was the slight dip of his brow, eyes momentarily flashing. But forever a diplomat, he turned, disregarding the bait to Varian’s disappointment.  He met the eyes of his advisor who, unlike The King, had  not sheltered his expression, shooting a dark look Varian’s way until the monarch caught his eye again.

“Nigel, I’m sure you can handle this.” The King said clearly, meeting his advisors eyes expectantly.

Varian watched ‘ Nigel’ tip his head forwards, an uneasiness spotlighting the nerves in the boy's stomach at the exchange and what it could mean. Surely moving him to a cell wouldn’t require the work of three guards and some royal snob, right?

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Nigel said simply, Interrupting his thought with an all too nasally accent that wormed its way into Varian’s ears in a way that made his head want to explode.

The King turned, glancing over to the guard, raising an eyebrow when he addressed him.

“And I assume there won’t be any more issues, captain?” The sentence was phrased as a question, but even Varian could hear the unspoken demand in the man’s tone. 

The alchemist's stomach continued to churn, watching the captain give a curt nod, grunting out an “Of course, your majesty.” that seemed to satisfy the monarch. 

The King, not bothering to glance back at the boy a second time, dutifully took his leave. The sound of retreating footsteps echoed softly in the air around them.

Varian felt his pulse jump, seeing both sets of eyes turn to him. The assurance that he would be thrown in a cell and forgotten now seemed less like a certainty and more like a notion. A sudden blood chilling realization that he had no control over what was going to happen to him. floored him, stealing the air from his lungs so fast that he almost forgot how to breathe.

He struggled to keep the expression on his face neutral, grappling with himself to keep any signs of panic or fear from showing, Nigel and the captain both rapidly approaching.

You're not afraid. You’re not afraid. You’re not afraid. You’re NOT.

And if he repeated it enough times, he wouldn’t be. 

Varian swallowed thickly, bracing himself for whatever fate The King decided suited him. Because even if he was scared ( Which he wasn't) he would be prepared by not showing a single trace of fear or shame, glaring towards the approaching men.

You’re not afraid.

***

Eugene had spent the majority of his life spinning words and tricky situations into his favor. 

It was a skill that had gotten him out of plenty of tight spots in the past. Sweet talked his way through Inns with nothing but an apple and a whole lot of charm. Convinced a man who had witnessed the thief switching hands during an intense round of cards to keep the secret between them, a favor among ‘friends’. It was an art he was well versed in to the least.

Surely, he could talk the both of them out of this. 

The thought hung in the back of his head, on the tip of his tongue and begging to be tested. Eugene’s eyes tracked The King's painfully indecipherable expression as it moved back and forth, over him and Cassandra. Occasionally risking a glance to see if Nigels expression would give away any sort of clue, but it was twisted in its usual mix of boredom and irritation. Nothing helpful.

Eugene brushed the nerves of the unreadable expressions to the side.

He didn’t even need to spin the situation in their favor, did he?

The King would understand once Eugene told him what he’d found. 

That it would help Rapunzel in the long run.

He just had to get it out.

Wait for the right opening to tell him-

“Cassandra,” Eugene's eyes snapped to The Monarch, the man breaking his silence with a deceptively calm tone that twirled Eugene’s stomach, “I was under the impression that you were assigned to simply gather information and report back should you find it. Is that correct? ” 

Cassandra, to Eugene's credit, didn't appear nervous at all. She dipped her head slightly giving a curt nod when she responded “Yes, Your Majesty.” The only sign of nerves was the white pressed into the backs of her knuckles in front of her.

“And would I be incorrect to assume helping someone break into a criminals room was not part of that assignment?”

Despite the poise Cassandra held herself with, Eugene still saw the flush of red to her cheeks when she answered.

“No, Your Majesty.”

The King seemed content with the response, twisting Eugene’s gut with guilt and irritation at the condescension of the exchange. He almost burst out with the information he’d found that second, the words building in the back of his throat.

I found out what you couldn’t in under ten minutes, eat that!

Then The Monarch turned, rounding on him next and the taunt died on the edge of existence.

“And you, son. What were you thinking?” His tone sounded more disappointed directed towards him, like he had truly expected better, “There was a reason that boy was off limits. He's dangerous and clearly unstable. Either one of you, or my men could’ve gotten hurt from what you did.”

Eugene felt a heat rise, opening his mouth more than ready to defend himself, but the man raised his hand, shooting him a clear look before speaking again.

“While I understand that both of you,” The King pointedly glanced at each of them,” are concerned about Rapunzel, this was not the way to handle it. You both went deliberately behind my back, putting not only yourself but others at risk.”

Eugene’s impatience flared at the accusations, attempting to blurt out his find “But, Your Majesty-”

“No, If either of you had concerns they should have been addressed to me or Nigel. Neither of you should have attempted solving this yourselves.”

“ Your Majesty -”

“I’m sorry Eugene but what’s done is done.” The King said plainly, a ruling clearly set in his mind, “The two of you are free to go, but both of you are on thin ice. If I hear any word that either one of you is caught trying to engage with that boy again I will reevaluate my decision. Is that clear?”

Eugene's throat closed in on itself at the clear dismissal. Cassandra was already tipping her head forward again, doting out another polite response that he couldn’t find it in himself to cite out.

However relieved he was at the fact that he hadn’t been torn to shreds or been forced to watch Cass get condemned again , the relief was matched with equally rising panic.

He had to tell him.

“Your Majesty-”

“Is that clear son?”

“Yes- but”

The King shook his head, irritated, “There should be no buts this is-”

Maker above forget the opening

“ Sir! I know how to help Rapunzel!”

***

Varian glared up at Nigel and the captain, both men coming to a stop in front of him.

The advisor narrowed his eyes, the edge of his lip curling in an open show of distaste that Varian sneered back at. A split second of satisfaction sparking at the flicker of irritation that crossed the man's face. A triumph that was ultimately halted in its tracks when the captain's voice snatched both eyes over to the man.

“Bravoski, Ceiter. You’re relieved for the night. Leave him here and return to your normal posts in the morning.” 

The grip on his left side faltered just slightly. 

‘Captain, are you sure? We-”

“ That's an order. ”

Even with the sharp tone the guards hesitated for a split second. Their grasp continuing its bruisingly sturdy hold on his arms until his left side was all at once released, his right arm freed in the following second.

There’s brief sounds of scuffles and then he’s watching the retreating forms of guards, their heads bent together in a conjoined confusion. The men both whisper and turn to glance back at him until they reach the corner, out of sight.

Then it’s only him and the men in front of him.

For a gut reason he couldn’t put his finger on, the realization made Varian’s heart beat a little faster. The absence of hands on his arms didn’t matter, he was still trapped.

You’re not afraid.

For a split second he thinks about running. It's a laughably absurd idea considering he couldn't lean any amount of weight onto his leg without it buckling, let alone stand on it ,but the thought passes nonetheless, eyes flickering over the men’s shoulders down the empty corridor

“Don’t even think about it boy.” Nigel said shortly, nodding his head at the captain, who Varian hadn’t even realized was advancing on him. 

The alchemist’s instincts kicked in before he could stop to think better of it. The need to put as much space between him and the approaching man overpowering his caution. His leg seemed to move by itself, going to step back and in the process managing to trip over the ground behind him.

All of his weight was suddenly slammed onto his injured leg, feeling his knee give out beneath it.

Fire wrapped around him in an instant.

He might have cried out, might have screamed, he had no idea. No clue what sound he was making or how there now seemed to be a pair of hands on him. There was no sense of awareness because his entire world was suddenly locked on pain .

It filled his head, every thought muted and muffled by the overwhelming sensation. He could feel it blurring the edges of his already watered eyes, dulling his consciousness.

He was going to pass out.

Varian recognized the feeling all too well, a sick sort of relief flooding him that if he accepted it, the pain would go away. Even if it was just for a brief few seconds or minutes he could escape from it. 

That alone was enough to let the fuzz sweep easily through his brain. He could still hear voices around him but they were indistinguishable from the sound of blood roaring through his ears and he didn’t mind that. The voices were growing farther anyways.

Varian could feel the last of his senses falling away, until all at once he was harshly yanked back into the present by Something cold and wet. It slapped his face, popping his eyes open and sending him into a coughing fit, struggling to breathe through streams of liquid running down his face.

He went to wipe away the moisture but something dug into the skin on his wrists, pinning them in place securely behind his back. 

When did that happen?

A disoriented confusion sprung near the back of his head, but that wasn’t his main priority at the moment. 

He bent over, trying to breathe in lungfuls of air without the sharp burn of inhaling fluid, hoarsely choking out more painful coughs that racked his chest, and vaguely hearing voices that he couldn’t make out if they were speaking directly to him or not

Varian felt a set of hands reach his shoulders. He wanted to shrug off whoever it was but he was too busy gasping his lungs out to focus on the motion. It isn’t until his breathing stops burning that he realizes the hands were steadying him, ensuring his balance stayed in check while he heaved out all the drops from his system.

The gesture swirled around in his head as he struggled to regain all his bearings. It stuck out as strange to him to say the least, why they would care at all when it hit him.

They didn’t want him passing out.

The understanding made his gut coil . 

Out of the corner of his eye he could see a clear glass resting on a small table, empty. Drops of residue water trickling down the inside of the cup.

They wanted him awake. 

His chest heaved, staring at the glass angrily. Heavy pants from the aftermath of intense coughs still make the act of breathing difficult, bangs now plastered to his forehead and slanting through his vision. 

With his senses regained he felt the anger curdling, the feeling of the man’s grip locked on his shoulders now the only thing he could feel.

They wanted him awake so badly? Fine , then he wanted the hands glued to his back off of him. 

Varian all at once jerked his shoulder to the side aggressively, doing his best to ignore the sharp protests from his leg at the excessive movement. The palms grip faltered on him before repositioning themselves easily, pressure now increased, squeezing enough for Varian to notice.

“This will really be easier on all of us if you cooperate.” The captain's voice was hard and held a clear warning to it that fell flat on the alchemist's ears.

There was a chance that perhaps, If his leg wasn’t sending constant bolts of pain through his head, he would have been able to think rationally through the angry spark of defiance striking up at the sentence. But, unfortunately it was happening, and he let his stubbornness get the better of him.

Varian once more threw his shoulder against the hold, the man’s grasp thrown for barely a second before it returned,all the more intense.

The hand on his left shoulder pushed . Force intentionally added solely to his left side, unbalancing him and putting unaccounted for pressure to his leg. 

Tears automatically sprung in his eyes, having to clamp down on his tongue to stop from crying out. 

The pressure was there- and then gone, enough to secure the threat but not do any real damage- yet. The pain  leaves stars floating through his vision and beads of sweat, intertwining with the residue water coating his face. Dizzying him enough that when the captain speaks again his voice sounds fuzzy, like he’s underwater.

“ Are you going to cooperate? ”

Varian grits his teeth, chest heaving in and out as he struggles to catch his breath.

Through the side of his eye the alchemist could see Nigel standing to the side watching, arms crossed and face scrunched in a way that screamed impatience.

The boy narrowed his eyes. Despite the same little annoying voice ringing to stop being stupid he locks his mouth shut.

Cooperate for what? So he could get thrown into a cell faster? So that Nigel and the guard could go about their merry day, carefree?

No thanks. 

If his only way of retaliation was dragging this out for as long as possible, then that’s what he’d do.

You’re not afraid.

At his continued silence the captain's hold starts to shift again, intensifying on his left side. Not nearly as harsh as the last, but enough for Varian to bite his cheek against.

“Answer the question.”

The alchemist's chest flares, spitting out an answer through a clenched jaw.

“ No. ”

Nigel lets out his first sounds of annoyance since the scuffle, unfortunately moving closer. The man went to stand almost in arm's reach- if he’d had the ability to stretch out the limb. 

“ Clearly the boy is coherent.” The advisor growled, glaring at the child in front of him who scowled back in return, “That’s the only protocol we needed to adhere to. If he doesn’t want to cooperate then minimize it. ” He snapped, shifting to meet the eyes behind him, “We both have a schedule to keep.”

Nigel didn’t bother with waiting for a response, digging a hand inside the thin jacket he wore. His hand came out brandishing a tied up roll of paper that he untied nimbly, fingers slipping the thread back in the hidden pocket.

Varian watched the paper unroll from the advisor's fingertips. The anger he’d been using to blanket his fear was now faltering, gaze locked on the yellowed parchment.

The fight drained out of him, replaced with a dreading anxiety. The secure grip on his back was suddenly the last thing on his mind, thoughts spiraling around what could be written on the other side.

His eyes stayed on the page unmoving. 

You’re not afraid.

***

The King went still. Expression carefully blank as his eyes ran over Eugene's expression.

“What do you mean, Eugene?” The statement was said slowly, like the older man couldn’t comprehend what the words were saying.

Beside him, Eugene was discreetly aware of Cassandra looking all the more shocked, like she hadn’t even fathomed the possibility of him finding out anything. In any other situation Eugene would’ve had the decency to feel offended but right now he found himself too focused on battling his stumbling tongue.

“Rapunzel, she's not asleep- well, no technically she is- but it’s not that. She's stuck and we have to get her- um, unstuck -”

“Unstuck?” The King echoed skeptically.

“Yes, er kind of,” Eugene confirmed, not noticing the shared looks between the King and his advisor as he continued, words running a mile a minute  “but we have to bring her outside the walls of Corona to do that, by taking her there it’ll break whatever thing is keeping her like that.”

“Right,” The Monarch said, clear disbelieving in his tone that turned Eugene’s stomach on its side “And what is this thing ?”

Eugene swallowed thickly, trying to ignore the obvious doubtfulness  “It’s the rocks.” 

“The rocks.” The King said slowly, “The rocks that are miles away from the castle are the reason she’s sick.”

Eugene  flushed, bristiling “No Your Majesty, I told you! She's not sick. She’s-” suns what had the kid said exactly? “She’s, trapped or stuck or-” He threw a hand in the air frustratedly, “ I don’t know the kid explained it better than me, but she-”

The King raised a hand, silently cutting him off with a shake of his head. 

“And the boy told you this?” The question was spoken with an edge to it, Eugene's frustration beginning to poke through when he answered.

“Yes, but that’s not the point-”

“No, that is the point.” The Monarch's voice cut through his response like a blade, sharp and unforgiving. “I told you that going into that room was a mistake and this is exactly what I was talking about. That boy has caused this Kingdom and my family enough pain. I won’t stand for lies or stories he’s stirred up to mess with our heads.”

Eugene could feel his temper returning, voice raising,  “it’s not some lie! It’s what’s happening!”

“All day he’s refused talking, and suddenly he what? Had a change of heart?” The King snapped, voice rising to meet his, “That child sees this as nothing but some twisted game, a story made to play with us,”

Eugene flung a hand behind him, “Why would- Gah ” he shouted again frustratedly, hearing Nigel snap something at him about a tone that he ignored, “Your Majesty, who cares if Varian was the one who suggested it. We have no leads, no clues, no anything. Rapunzel needs help now, what's the worst that could hap-”

“ The worst that could happen is her getting worse on a hours-long trip outside of the capital, based on some lie from the same child who almost killed her!” The King lashed hostilely.

“So, you're just going to do nothing and hope she wakes up?" The man questioned, exasperated, “What’s the point of trying to get the kid to talk, if you were never going to believe him. ”

To Eugene’s surprise it wasn’t The Monarch who answered, but his advisor, the man’s voice all too hostile.

“That boy was granted numerous chances to not only speak on his own behalf, but to also admit fault and take responsibility. He decided not to.” Nigel sniffed, nose turning up “And- unfortunately for him, his time has run out”

The King sent his advisor a sharp look as soon as the words left his mouth. Nigel pursed his lips and glanced to the side, not managing to look bothered at his statement.

The sentence repeated uneasily in Eugene's head, pausing his argument to weigh what the advisor possibly could have meant. He raised his eyes back to The Monarch, frowning “What's that supposed to mean?”

The King sighed, shooting Nigel a side glare when he spoke, “What Nigel means is, the boy already received his sentence.”

The uneasiness curled into his chest.

“What? No trial? No council? No-”

“There’s no need.” The King said sharply, “He committed treason-”

“He's a kid !”

“He knew exactly what he was doing!” The Monarch snarled

Eugene felt a dread forming in the pit of his stomach, holding The King’s eyes he struggled to keep his voice even  “Your Majesty, what did you do?”

***

Varian steeled himself, bottling his fear and shoving it deep down.

Whatever that sheet of paper was going to throw at him, he could handle it. He wasn’t intimidated by some uptight snob who clearly didn’t see him as anything more than dirt on the bottom of his shoe. He’d been through hell these last few months, he could handle anything they threw at him.

The alchemist held his chin up, scowling as darkly as he could manage towards the advisor in front of him. 

When the man finally tore his eyes off the paper it was to momentarily run his eyes across the boy’s face. 

The once over lasts barely a second before the advisors  clearing his throat, beginning to read aloud straight from the scroll at his fingertips.

***

The King held Eugene’s eyes steadily, “I have no reason to explain myself, as King it’s my role to uphold the law to its full extent. For such egregious crimes there’s simply nothing I can do.”

***

Nigel's voice was sharp, every word slamming his eardrums like a knife. 

“Varian of Old Corona, son of Quirin.has been accused and found guilty of the following crimes-”

***

“What did you do?” Eugene shot out again.

***

“Theft, assault-”

Varian’s heart sped up at each listed word, beating roughly like it was a second away from bursting free of his ribcage. The resolve he’d been holding began wavering, that maybe he wasn’t prepared for the words on the paper. The large hall they stood in suddenly didn’t feel big enough. The air around him was hot- too hot

“kidnapping-”

***

The King narrowed his eyes, “I did my job.”

***

“Attempted murder, attempted regicide-”

***

“I only upheld the law.”

***

“Treason.” Nigel looked up from the paper, meeting the alchemist's eyes at his last listed crime.

***

“What did you sentence Your Majesty.” Eugene grit out, 

***

The captain's grip hardened on his shoulder, as if ensuring Varian wouldn’t try anything in the seconds between one word and the next.

Nigel’s stare ran over his. The man looking for some sort of reaction that the boy refused to give him, hardening his own expression like he wasn’t at all on edge for whatever the next words read out from the paper would entail.

The advisor glanced back at the paper, the pressure on Varians shoulder turning almost painful.

“For these crimes committed against the Kingdom of Corona, its citizens and the royal family, the following sentence will be carried out and enforced starting at dawn.”

***

The King raised his chin, “In Coronan law there’s only one verdict ruled out for attacks of this stature.”

***

You’re not afraid.

Varians clung onto the thought, stomach flaring in knots, breath catching in his throat. He uses every muster of energy to keep his poker face in place.

“The guilty party will be executed by way of hanging, hung from the neck until pronounced dead-“

Every word fell away after that, 

A cold hollowness wrapped around Varian’s body in a way that made everything around him seem to mute and dull. Nigel’s voice was still occupying the space around them, his mouth still moving, but the man might as well have been talking to the air. Varian had stopped listening, eyes glazing over. 

He was going to die.

He was going to be executed.

They weren't going to throw him in some empty cell and leave him there, forgotten.

They were going to kill him.

The thoughts blurred together in a dizzying storm, a stirring panic rising. it brewed his chest, uprooting a nausea that he was barely able to keep down. He breathed through his nose, letting the action chase down the bile in his throat, forcefully choking down the feelings with as much concentration he could muster, refusing to let them surface, 

No, he had to hold it together. He said he could handle it and he would- at least while he was standing in front of the people reading him his literal death sentence he would.

Varian had hardly lamented the decision in him when the hold on his shoulder slid off, shifting itself down to grab the crook of his left elbow. His eyes cleared, blinking to attention and finally noticing the hall was silent, the advisors voice no longer reciting the ruling. In fact the man had already turned around, Nigel taking quick strides down the corridor until he finally reached the corner, leaving the pair behind him.

The boy now completely alone with the captain.

The alchemist felt all the more sick to his stomach. Maybe he should’ve been listening to whatever Nigel had been reading.

Varian tensed feeling the man behind him come to his side, hand gripping his unbandaged arm. The captain stepped forward, tugging the child lightly with him. 

The motion wasn’t rough but it still almost made him stumble, slivers of static pain slashing through his leg, making his teeth gnash together in his mouth. The teen planted his feet, rooting himself to the spot.

“Listen kid, it's a long walk,” The captain said lowly, “ it’ll be easier on both of u s if you don’t fight it.”

Varian’s first instinct was to continue digging his heels into the ground and refuse to move. He had no idea where they were going or what the guard was talking about but he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it.

But that would also entail the action of straining his already tired and broken leg. The thought of having a repeat of the pressure on his shoulder from only minutes ago when he’d last tried to free himself wore through his resolve. 

He was just too exhausted to fight right now.

The captain tugs on his arm once more, and this time Varian shoots a glare to his side but limps forward.

Walking ends up being a long and tedious process. 

The alchemist takes slow labored steps forward, each accompanied by the guard beside him tugging him lightly along. The walk to the end of the corridor takes longer than it should have, seeming to stretch for miles. By the time they reach the corner, Varian is already drenched in sweat, his leg protesting loudly with every step forward.

The short walk already left him drained. He wants nothing more but to slide down the wall's edge and just sleep . He wants to close his eyes and open them up to see his father standing there smiling, arms open, telling his son that he would be okay.

He feels his cheeks heat at the image. 

It's a ridiculously childish thought, one that he knows has no way of happening and one that he hates having popped up in the first place. He hates how it leaves a warm feeling in his chest, leaving a lingering hope behind it, because he knows it’s not real .

What's real is the fact that now, he’s going to be dead in less than twelve hours. What's real is the pain in his leg as he’s forced around a castle in handcuffs. A castle that he’d been roaming the halls of freely only months ago. What's real is the fact that he doesn’t have time for daydreams when he needs to be focusing on making it wherever he’s being herded to before his leg gives out on him.

He knows what's real,and yet the thought leaves an ache inside him that burns the backs of his eyes. Varian stiffens, willing the burning to stop, clamping down on his tongue to gain control of himself. 

The captain continues to tug him around the corner and he lets himself be dragged along. Ignoring the dull ache as best he could and instead leveling all his attention on the movement of walking, using the pain from his leg to distract him from everything else. To ignore the heat pulsing lightly through glass windows, how he could feel its warmth. That he could see the sun setting across hilltops. That this would be the last time he’d see a sunset or maybe even see the sun period. 

No, he ignores all that, just one foot in front of the other.

***

“ You’re going to kill him? ” Eugene met the King’s eyes, the man completely unbothered at the horrified anger in his voice,  “Your Majesty, he's a kid! ” 

“There’s nothing I can do Eugene, it's the law.” The Monarch said stiffly, unmoved.

Eugene’s stomach knotted in a baffled coil. A flare of rage and confusion rousing at the fact a kid could be sentenced to death for- anything .

No matter how much he didn’t trust Varian, or how angry he was at him for the list of things he’d done, just to hurt Rapunzel alone…..he was still a kid. 

He didn’t deserve to die.

Beside him he could see Cass shooting pointed looks his way that he disregarded entirely. A disbelieving rage surfacing too intensely to think about who he was yelling at.

“This is insane ! You Can’t-”

“Eugene!”

His mouth snapped shut at the sudden rise in volume from The Ruler, the man shooting him a dark glare that ended up startlingly softening. The King held his head back strongly, folding his hands in front of him. 

“Can we have the room please?”

The atmosphere in the room tensed. Cass shoots Eugene an expression that he can’t read, and then she's bowing her head, politely turning.

Nigel doesn’t move for a moment, running his stare between The Monarch and former thief like he wanted to protest the order, but ultimately gives a short tip of his head and slips after the handmaiden. 

The room stays silent until a click from the door shutting behind them hits his ears.

Eugene watches the man in front of him sigh tiredly, meeting his eyes with a surprising amount of sympathy that made his gut twitch, “Eugene, son I understand this might be a-” The Monarch pauses as if searching for the right word, “Sensitive situation for you, considering that-”

“What?” Eugene interjected, laughing bitterly,“That I committed treason? That I was almost hanged?”

The King's eyes narrowed, hardening with resolve. " Yes, but as sensitive as this may be for you, I cannot disregard the law."

“But you have before haven't you? ” Eugene shot back, challenging, “what about the silent strikers? Angry, Red? They were kids too. They should’ve been in prison but you didn’t put them in a cell did you? You gave them a chance to change and they did!”

“Petty theft is hardly the same as treason” The King said, tone sharp.

“No it’s not, but he’s still a kid . Give him a chance. People can change! I changed!”

“And how many people will get hurt in the process?” The Monarch cut back, anger creeping into his calm demeanor, “Rapunzel already got hurt and I won’t risk her safety again.”

Eugene flung a hand in the air “Then put him in a cell! Keep him watched! You don’t have to kill him. “ The man watched The King’s stone face shift ever so slightly, a small trace of what could’ve been self doubt surfacing that Eugene clung to. “Sir, what Varian did was- wrong, I’m not saying it wasn't, I'm not saying he shouldn't be held accountable for what he did, but at least give him the chance to eventually make up for it!”

The Monarch went silent, eyes washing over like he was suddenly lost in a memory. When his expression finally cleared, Eugene was stunned to see a raw emotion wavering behind his eyes.

“I mourned my daughter for eighteen years.” The Ruler said softly, a pain worked into every syllable that caught Eugene completely off guard “Eighteen years spent not knowing if I'd ever see my child again, if she was even alive.” The Monarch's eyes moved to meet his, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly, “And then you returned her to us. You brought my life back, I had a reason to smile again, and it was wonderful and amazing.” The King broke the eye contact, smile dropping, “And only a year later I watched my daughter almost get ripped away from me all over again.” Eugene's stomach twisted as the tone intensified  “I watched my wife get kidnapped, I watched my daughter in pain, unable to do anything. I watched everything that boy did and dread everything i didn’t see”

“Your Majesty, I -”

“Do you know why I have my suspicions about the boy's involvement in Rapunzel's current state” The King said, disregarding the man as he reached a hand into a lined pocket inside his coat, 

Eugene’s eyes hovered at the motion, frowning at the uneasy feeling rising in his gut.

The Monarch pulled his hand out, an object Eugene couldn’t quite get the view of entangled in a closed fist.

“When the boy was brought here, he was searched-“ The Monarch opened his hand plainly, a pair of shackles dangled from his hand. Eugene’s stomach lurched at the sight of red covering the silver, curling in a horrified anger. “These were found on him, and the marks on Rapunzel were- consistent” 

Eugene stiffened, a different kind of rage blossoming in the pit of his stomach.

When he got his hands on that kid-

“Child or not, he knew exactly what he was doing. I understand that you, or others may feel the sentence is…… extreme but it’s the law, and as King- it’s my job to enforce it. “

Eugene watched the man pocket the cuffs again out of sight, mind blurring in a vapid anger.

It took everything in him not to turn around and walk out, suddenly all to content with the possibility of leaving the issue to rest. 

He wasn’t the one deciding the kids fate. Eugene had tried, hadn’t he? He had no control over this and it wasn’t his place to fight it, and the shock at the ruling had evaporated the second his eyes landed on the shackles. The image of Rapunzel’s bandaged wrists burning in front of his eyes. 

It wasn’t his problem after all. He hadn’t forced Varian into doing anything. The kid had made his own choices; he'd chosen the path he did. And even if Varian had ended up giving him information that could possibly help Rapunzel- he’d still hurt her in too many ways for that to make up for any of it.

The evidence was in front of him. The picture of Rapunzel back in chains and hurt again by someone she thought she’d trusted was enough to boil Eugene’s blood

And yet he couldn’t get his feet to move. He stood locked in place, gut churning at the fact he knew he couldn’t let the ruling stand. The little voice in the back of head screaming that even if he could find a way to look past the permanence of the sentence, there was one person who would’ve done anything in their power to stop it.

Rapunzel.

And she wasn’t here.

She wasn’t here to fight it, and he knew if she woke up and that kid was dead it would destroy her. Rapunzel would blame herself. She would let his fate eat her alive even though she’d had nothing to do with it.

It curdled Eugene's skin that he knew it didn’t matter what that crazed little maniac had done to her down there. She would be devastated. Her heart would break.

and that was the only reason he let his jaw clench, ready to push the argument further when he felt his brain freeze for a moment, locking itself on the man's statement, 

‘ He was searched’. 

Eugene’s mind began racing, Cassandra’s voice melding in from before and he could feel a shock spark at the pieces suddenly fitting together. 

He narrowed his eyes at The Monarch, raising an eyebrow “But that wasn’t the only thing you found on him, was it?.”

The King frowned, confusion flashing briefly“What-“

“You didn’t just find that, you found a map too didn’t you?” He said, keeping his tone sharp, accusatory “A map that no one else has seen except you and Varian.”

The Monarch's face went immediately blank, a mask of unreadability, “Whatever else was found on him is none of your concern.” he said stiffly. “And I don’t appreciate what you're implying.”

“Implying?” Eugene shot out a humorless laugh “I’m just pointing out the fact that the only other person who knows whats on that map. A kid, was just sentenced to hang!”

The King’s face remained poised, uncracked but his eyes burned with an intense heat when he spoke, “This discussion is over.” He said, voice low “My ruling stands. The boy’s sentence will be carried out by dawn, and he’s already been moved to censure there will be no more issues before then.” The man’s face hardened beneath his stone resolve “I mean what i said Eugene, I don’t want to hear any word from either of you messing with that boy or interfering with his sentence. Are we clear?”

Eugene held the contact, glaring silently before turning his back to The Ruler. A hot angry snake coiling his insides as he makes his exit.

Just when he reaches the door, hand touching the doorknob, he glances back. Giving the man one last chance to consider what he had just done.

“If you do this, you know she'll never forgive you.” Eugene said lowly, voice hosting a considerable edge

The Monarch's features dipped for a split second, a flicker of pain flashing through his eyes that he recovered from in expert speed. 

“It’s just something she’ll have to accept.” The King said, voice carefully drained of any emotion.

Eugene pushed the door open, resisting the urge to slam it shut behind him.

If The Monarch didn’t want to listen to him, fine. Then he was going to do everything in his power to wake up the only person he would.

***

Varian came to an abrupt stop when the Captain halted beside him, the pair landing in front of a single abandoned cell. 

The boy took in the unimpressive sight rapidly.

The area was small, small enough that the alchemist felt confident he could stretch out both arms and his fingertips would brush easily against the stone walls surrounding it. 

He could see a small window carved near the top of the outside wall, high enough to almost reach the ceiling of the jail. Three solid bars cut the view and sent broken streams of moonlight against the ground and the only other structure in the cell. A slab of rock protruding out of one of the walls. A thin pillow thrown near one of its edges and an even thinner blanket that looked like it could barely hold its place against an evening breeze strewed along the top.

The alchemist never would’ve thought the abysmal sight would spring up such a surge of relief. He had to suppress the urge to lunge for it, eyes hooked on the poor excuse of a bed sticking out of the wall. 

He wanted to cry just thinking of easing the weight off his leg, the pounding in his calf fuzzing out any other thought besides- get off me.

Varian hears the shuffle of keys and feels the hold on his arm lighten. The guard next to him focused on shifting through keys one handed. There’s sounds of muttered grunts of annoyance from the man until the shuffling finally reaches a stop. 

The Captain stepped forward, hand outstretched in front of him and pulled the alchemist with him. The movement sends yet another flash of pain through his leg smashing his teeth against the inside of his cheek to stop a pained sob. 

The man slips a key inside the lock, twisting it and opening the rusting door with a heavy creak..

The Captain releases his arm to quickly step behind him, putting a hand on his back to force him inside the cell. He’s pushed forward, fumbling to keep his balance with both arms restrained and the workability of only one leg. 

He manages to keep to his feet, fighting to keep his mind coherent through the fire in his calf. 

Varian almost jerks himself away instinctively when he feels hands landing on the metal binding him, until he realizes the man was releasing him. He heard the soft click of a lock springing and his wrists weee free again.

The alchemist pulled his hands in front of him dazedly, turning at the sound of the creak ricocheting again through the jail. 

The Captain stood on the other side of the barred door, turning the same key through the lock before sticking the ringful back in his pocket.

The guard glanced at him through the slits of the door, “We’ll have guards checking here every hour on the hour. In the morning you’ll be escorted to your sentence.” The man’s eyes lingered on him for only a moment and then he was walking away. The sound of a heavy door closing behind him was the only thing left behind.

Varian was alone.

***

Eugene made a beeline for Rapunzel’s room.

So help him if he had to drag The princess outside the walls of Corona himself he would. Maker above he would. He wasn’t going to let Rapunzel get crushed the second she woke up and heard what had happened in her absence. 

He wouldn’t let that happ- 

Eugene almost runs headfirst into Cassandra as he rounds the corner towards his girlfriend's room. Letting out a very manly and not at all high pitched yelp, that he covers with an awkward cough.

“Cass-“

She shushes him and shoves him behind the corner he’d been nearing. Glancing all around as if to ensure there was no way of being heard before she went to talk, keeping her voice soft.

“What’s the plan?”

Eugene watches the handmaiden's eyes lock on his with a determination and he feels a sudden, and out of place, rush of thankfulness for her.

He shakes his head, giving a quiet nervous laugh. “What if I told you I don’t have anything else besides the fact that we have to get Rapunzel out of the castle?”

Cassandra sighed, “I’d say we’re going to be cutting it really close considering that execution is only in twelve hours.”

Eugene winced, nodding “So we need a plan and fast and-“

Eugene glanced out of the corner of his eye, a pastry cart laying abandoned catching his attention. He stared at it, chest tightening in excitement as he felt his mind whirring, bits and pieces of a plan that might just work coming together in his head.

Eugene grinned meeting Cassandra’s eyes, the women staring at him quizzically.

“I don’t suppose you’ve seen Lance anywhere around here have you?”

***

Varian carefully lowered himself onto the mounted stone, being mindful not to jostle his leg too much as he shoved the blanket to the side and took its place in the center of the slab.

An instant relief flooded him, weight finally lifted from his calf. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing solely on the brief moment of alleviation from the pain, blocking out everything else.

For a few minutes,he did nothing but breathe. Pushing himself as far back against the wall as he could manage so he could tilt his head against the cool rock. He could feel the dampness from the stone pressing into him, the sensation raising slight goosebumps against his perspiration soaked skin. The temperature in the cell mirrored the rock's chill but at the moment he didn’t mind, every inch of him and his clothes drenched in sweat from the track around the castle.

The Captain hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said it was a long walk, made even longer by the slow pace he’d had to maintain to make it. When they’d started the sun had still been peeking through a colored sky, and by now he could see the sun had long since set. A black sky shrouding a majority of his cell in darkness.

Varian took a composing breath, opening his eyes to the dim lighting and watching the shadows flicker across the wall in front of him. He blinks when one of the shadows seems to separate itself from the others jumping. He frowned, disoriented at the movement when he heard a soft scrape not far from him, accompanied by the sound of short chitters.

His eyes widened, whipping his head towards the jail door and seeing none other than his raccoon standing perched outside the cell.

His chest soared, a smile ripping itself across his features. The alchemist was on his feet in under a second, the pain from his leg suddenly sidelined as he clumsily jumped from the bed and across the prison, kneeling by the bars and lowering himself into as much of a comfortable seating position he could manage.

“Rudigger! How did you get in here?” The boy whispered excitedly, reaching a hand through the bars to scratch the nape of his neck. The question raced through his mind but he didn’t care enough to truly think about it, so happy to see his friend that he could really care less if he ever found the answer.

The last time he’d seen him was when he’d first been loaded into the prison cart back in Old Corona. The alchemist had passed out from the overwhelming pain from his leg not long into the haul back and when he’d woken up he’d been alone. Locked in the room he’d just been dragged from, leg already wrapped and no raccoon in sight.

A concern for Rudigger had been lingering in the back of his mind all day and he was all too relieved to see him fine, and in one piece.

The animal leaned into his touch, chittering wildly and moving to press himself against the door, the alchemist's hand sliding off him in the process. The raccoon began sticking himself between the metal rods as best he could, wiggling his snout between the bars.

Varian’s heart clenched recognizing what his friend was trying to do.

The elation at seeing Rudigger faltered, a hurt sprouting alongside it. The teen took his hand, gently pushing the animal away before he could get himself hurt.

“Sorry buddy, you’re not getting in here.” He said softly, watching the raccoon tilt his head, his reflection staring sadly back at him from the enlarged pupils of the animal.

Rudigger looks back at him, like he was weighing the words and what they meant in his head. The animal breaks the contact darting to the bars where Varian sat opposite and curled himself into a heap against them. His heart cracked in two, understanding the gesture.

This was the closest they could get.

He swallowed a lump in his throat, stretching his hand out as much as the metal would allow and burying it in the animal's coarse fur. Varian could feel the raccoons breathing, chest rising and falling, vibrating slightly now that Rudigger felt the presence of his hand.

His chest ached, seeing his friend be so close and yet entirely out of reach, it hurt and it wasn’t fair.

Varian’s other fist curled into a ball beside him, a sudden overwhelming urge to hit something flooding him. 

He wanted to slam his hand against the bars blocking him from his friend. He wanted to scream and cry and shout about how un fair this was. That everything he’d done was because he’d had no other option. That it wasn’t his fault. None of it was.

And Varian was suddenly drowning in emotions. Every thought and feeling he’d shoved aside throughout the entire day was all at once swarming him. Eyes blurring with tears of anger, frustration, desperation, and everything. because this shouldn't be happening. 

he’d done everything right. 

He’d gotten his father freed. He’d proven Rapunzel was the one behind the destruction of his town. 

He’d won, but still ended up losing in all the ways that mattered.

His father was still trapped in a completely different way. Rapunzel had gotten away from everything with barely a scratch, while he’d gotten skewered. And now-

His eyes slammed shut, a lump the size of a rock lodging in the back of his throat. 

He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want any of this. He didn’t want, didn’t want, didn’t want-

The coolness of the cell abruptly stifled, the air around him spontaneously turning all too warm. Sweat re-formed on the base of his neck and it was thick and hot and he realized he couldn’t breathe through it. 

He couldn't breathe through the stuffy air or the ball of tightening emotions in his stomach, He couldn’t breathe through the realization that he was going to be hanged. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe.

Varian coughed hard , reaching his hands to his throat like it would help open it, but his lungs weren’t working. They weren’t opening, no air was getting through his throat. It felt like there was a weight slamming on his chest, pounding through his heart that was too loud, pumping through his ears. 

It hurt and it made breathing impossible. Why couldn't he breathe?  He was going to pass out. He needed it to stop, he just wanted air. There wasn’t enough air in here. They needed to let him out so he could breathe. 

He needed to tell them, but his voice was stuck. Why couldn’t he yell? Why couldn’t he make any noise? He could hear himself coughing and choking but that was the extent.

He tried to gasp in another breath but it didn’t work. Panic slurred his mind, he couldn’t think, he could only feel. Feel the dread taking over his body and mind, feel the way his brain was spasming. 

He wanted it to stop, he needed it to stop. 

Varian’s nails dug into the flesh of his palm drawing a sharp sting. He didn’t even realize he was doing it until he noticed his throat had loosened, like it was alleviated by the sensation.

He was able to gulp in slivers of air, burrowing his nails harder into the skin. Desperate for anything that would make the panic slip or weight lift.

The sharper the pain the more he felt his heart slowing, reverting to its normal rate versus the drumming and thudding. He could feel his throat opening again, he could finally breathe without it feeling like he was drowning. He could feel the chill in the air now, cool against his face that was damp with moisture from tears he hadn’t even realized spilled. 

A relief overwhelmed him that he could do something as simple as breathe again, sucking in air greedily as his awareness came back to him slowly, he could finally hear outside his own pulse and recognized the chitter from his raccoon outside the cell door.

He craned his neck to see Rudigger jumping back and forth in his own anxiety outside the door. The alchemist gave him a small smile that he was sure wasn't very reassuring. 

“It’s fine buddy, don’t worry” Varian noticed the crack and shake in his voice when he spoke, reaching a hand out while he said the words, stretching it between the rods and letting Rudigger run up to it and lean himself against it

Varian turned back and relaxed his neck to rest against the rods. He feels a haze creeping through his mind, a sudden heavy exhaustion that he finds himself unwilling to fight against. The raccoon had settled again, curling in on himself against the back of the rods with the boy's hand buried in his coat. 

There was a small part of him that still spiked with dread, telling him he was wasting what little time he had left alive on things as frivolous as sleep, but the thought of staying awake sent another type of fear he didn’t want to face right now.

So he let his eyes droop close and embraced the lull of sleep.

That same childish part in him cooing to him that maybe, when he woke up, everything would be okay again.

Chapter Text

The castle's kitchen was unnaturally still. Void of its usual hustle and bustle.from scrambling cooks or maids. The normally packed and rowdy area was quiet, shrouded in a darkness that was only broken from select scattered torches strewn throughout the room. 

In the dim lighting its only occupant paced back and forth anxiously in front of a door, throwing frustrated glances towards the clock mounted high beside its wooden entrance. 

Cassandra bored her eyes into the ticking dials, willing the hands to stop moving.

She could feel her restlessness itching, squirming like termites under her skin. 

Eugene and Lance should’ve been here ten minutes ago and they were still nowhere in sight. She stifled an irritated whine, ripping her eyes away from the ticking reminder. She should’ve known better than to go with one of Fitzherbert’s spontaneous ideas, they should’ve taken the risk and made sure the plan was airtight before they’d acted, damn the time restraint. 

Maker above if they were stupid enough to get caught-

The thought had barely passed through her head when the door in front of her softly cracked open. A swirl of relieved annoyance rushed her at the sight of Eugene’s head poking through the frame, eyes flickering throughout the room before landing on the handmaiden

“Clear? ” Eugene asked quickly, his voice unnaturally soft.

Cassandra gave a nod and his head pulled back, moving to push the door open for the waiting man behind him.

Lance briskly made his way through the entrance, wheeling a cloth covered pastry cart in front of him.The trolley's top was covered in brightly assorted pastries and breads, each resting beneath clear dome lids. velvet fabric covering all sides of the cart. 

Her eyes filtered away from the desserts at the sound of the door falling closed, Eugene now beside the cart with Lance, looking relieved while the other looked all the more amused, grinning at the women. She met his grin with a scowl, raising an eyebrow.

“You’re late.” She hissed, hurling another glance towards the minute hand.

“Sorry,” Eugene said, shooting a pointed look towards Lance, “We would’ve been here sooner but someone was having a little too much fun chatting up Stan and Pete.” 

The other man opened his mouth, obviously ready to shoot back a defensive comment but Cassandra cut off the retort before it could leave his mouth. They were already cutting it close.

“It doesn’t matter.” She said shortly, lowering her gaze to the lower half of the trolley "The important thing is it worked, right?”

Lance's grin returned, bigger this time. He wiggled his brows and bent down, Eugene shifting to the side to allow the man more room “Oh it worked all right,” Lance said musingly, lifting the bottom of the fabric,  “I believe someone ordered ‘ princess al la carte’ ” he said in a sing-song-like voice. The cloth pulled up and Cassandra’s chest heaved in relief. 

Rapunzel lay beneath the cart on her side, knees pulled slightly to her chest so that her legs wouldn’t have been able to peek out of the corners of the metal platform she’d been positioned on. 

Cassandra’s eyes automatically sweep over the womens face. Her features appeared deceitfully relaxed in that look of tranquil sleep, but at closer look she could see the heavy sweat plastering the princesses hair to her forehead, dampening her cheeks and skin. The low lighting shined against the surface of her skin, highlighting the way her eyebrows were pulling together, face scrunching and relaxing back and forth like she was in between batches of pain.

It  was a certain reminder of the fact that right now Rapunzel was at anything but peace and it turned her stomach.

“And no one saw you?” Cassandra asked, not moving her eyes off the Princess, “Stan and Pete-”

“Were distracted by a cart of pastries and a ver y unnecessary comparison of scone recipes.” Eugene responded unamusedly, giving his friend another sidelong glance. “But as far as anyone knows, she’s fast asleep in her room.” 

The ball of tension in her stomach loosened just slightly "Right, good." She said, finally forced to tear her eyes away from Rapunzel when Lance dropped the fabric.  She glanced over her shoulder. "Then let’s get going. The maid’s corridor is just through there—" She pointed towards the kitchen’s massive pantry. " Max and Fidela are waiting outside, ready. We should still have enough time."

“Great,” Eugene said, nodding when she turned back to face him. But his voice faltered. “Cass, I just... I wanted to say that I, uh- well-” He trailed off, his eyes not quite meeting hers. A frown tugged at Cassandra’s lips, stomach flipping at the sudden uncharacteristic seriousness running through his words, “I wanted to say that- uh, you don't have to do this”

Cassandra’s brows furrowed, an immediate confusion rising as Eugene struggled to find the right words,, the man now completely refusing to meet her eyes “You already helped, you did what you could here, and if you go and this doesn;t work, if Rapunzel doesn’t-” the man’s jaw clenched, shaking his head like he couldn’t even stomach the thought   "My point is, you don’t have to go down for this. I can take the fall this time, I’ll say it was just me.”

For a second Cassandra was at a loss for words, a wave of surprise swept over her at the branch extended to her.  It was a thoughtful, selfless and genuine offer, and she couldn’t have been more shocked to hear it come from Fitzherbert.

She blinked through the initial startle, the last minute option suddenly slamming through her ears and mind. 

It was the logical thing to do. She knew it was. But even as the thought passed she knew she couldn’t take it.

Despite the risk she would be posing to her status and even potentially her ability to see Rapunzel when this was done. The thought alone of leaving Rapunzel quite literally sent her stomach into her throat. To abandon her when the princess needed her most, when she was counting on her….

The image of the princesses eyes falling closed after finding her in Old Corona splayed itself behind her eyes, the subsequent promise she’d found herself agreeing to branded into her, heart clenching at the internal reminder,

And she knew she had to do it. 

She’d made a promise to Rapunzel, and no matter how much it twisted her gut to do it. Even if she was gambling everything for a kid who had intentionally hurt everyone she cared about- she would do it. 

She would do whatever it took to uphold that promise for Rapunzel. 

Only for Rapunzel

She had to be there.

The woman lifted her chin, “What? And let you take all the credit when this works out? “ She shot the former thief a slight smirk,”Not a chance”

He gave a short laugh at that, shaking his head. “Had to give it a shot, didn’t I?” Eugene’s eyes shifted to meet hers, a strange mix of relief and mischief sparking in them. “Well then, I guess we better get going.”

***

As far as Eugene was concerned, the rest of the plan was straightforward.

Lance would stay behind to keep an eye on things. He’d be keeping watch on Rapunzel’s room,  ensuring her absence wouldn’t be discovered before they got back and more importantly, potentially stalling for them if needed. 

Cassandra had also thrown out last minute instructions towards him to dig through the Corona law book for ways to delay the execution should they need it, to which the man had grumbled something about not signing up for homework. But nevertheless Eugene had recognized the familiar underlying resolve in his friend's eyes.

Lance had always had a soft spot for kids, a trait that he wasn’t one to openly admit aloud but Eugene knew meant he could trust his friend to do what he could while they were gone. 

With Lance holding down his end here at the castle, he and Cassandra would bring Rapunzel to the edge of Corona and sneak her over the walls. By then it would be a matter of waiting for her to wake up and they’d be set.

Easy.

Though of course, realistically Eugene knew their luck based plans weren’t always- successful to say the least, and unfortunately this plan revolved a lot around luck. Especially if said plan involved going back to-

“ Old Corona? ” Eugene whispered. Cassandra turned around from her spot in the narrow passage they were working their way down to slight her eyes at the man. “You want to go back? Did you forget every excursion we’ve had there has ended with some kind of explosion or near death experience?” Eugene reminded her urgently, shifting his hold on Rapunzel who was asleep in his arms as they walked.

Him and Cassandra had wound up abandoning the pastry cart, Eugene instead opting to carry Rapunzel down the corridor, following closely behind Cassandra so she could shoot a warning should a wandering maid or guard be travelling down the passage at the odd time but thankfully so far the path had been entirely vacant. The only sound occupying the narrow passage was the sound of their hurried footsteps, and hushed voices. 

The lighting in the corridor was laughably low but Eugene didn’t need to see anything to know Cassandra was rolling her eyes, the action evident from her tone alone.

The handmaiden swiveled back to the front. “Old Corona is the fastest way to reach the outside walls without using the heavily guarded main bridge.” 

Eugene groaned annoyedly. “I’m just saying shouldn’t we be avoiding-” 

His complaint was shoved to the back of his throat when his chest and arms were suddenly awash in a burst of red hot heat. 

Rapunzel, in a second, abruptly matched the intensity of holding an open flame in his arms and he nearly dropped her from the ferocity. 

Catching himself at the last second before he could, Eugene managed to bite down against the cry in the back of his throat and rapidly come to a stop, leaning her against the wall of the corridor.

He vaguely noticed Cassandra pause her next step to slightly twist around. Her eyes quickly bounced back and forth between Rapunzel and him from where he knelt beside her. Though Eugene’s own attention was locked solely on the princess, unclenching and clenching his fists to shake off the still lingering pinpricks of pain.

“Eugene, we have to keep moving. What’s going on?” Cassandra said lowly, walking back to meet him at his stopped position by Rapunzel’s side.

He shook his head, not even bothering with a snarky retort, chest curling in on itself with a sick concern, “I don’t know, she just started burning. Like back in her room but- worse”

He didn’t move his eyes away from Rapunzel, only seeing Cassandra's brow furrow in either concern or confusion, (maybe both) from the corner of his eyes.

Then Rapunzel’s hair was all at once, erupting into that same golden fury, pulsing through the darkness of the passageway.

It was every bit as intense as before, made even worse by their now proximity. Eugene’s eyes instinctively slammed shut against the building light, the brightness managing to burn through closed lids. 

He heard a sharp intake of breath across from him that must’ve come from Cassandra as the air around them simultaneously thickened. The previously damp and chilled corridor was now an oven, unnaturally strong and thick, waves of heat sweltering around them, soaked into the air and just as inescapable as the somehow still growing light.

In a matter of seconds Eugene’s shirt was clinging to his chest and back with sweat.  His heart, a drum in his chest, thudding in his ears through his concern, swelling and twisting it into a rising panic.

The heat and light burned and burned and then-

Gone.

The corridor was plunged back into darkness.

Eugene felt a distant relief slice thinly through his panic, prying his eyes open and blinking furiously. The hallway's dull lighting seemed nonexistent after the assault of brightness and it took several agonizing seconds before he could finally see enough to make out Rapunzel’s form beside him.

Eugene automatically reached a hand out towards the princess, hesitating briefly when the memory of his burning hand floods his mind, but his worry overwhelmed his caution tenfold. He reached forward, gently cupping her cheek.

Once his skin met hers, the palm of his hand was greeted to an oozing intense warmth. A sticky heat that glazed against him, his chest tightening.

“You said those flashes or whatever make her fever worse right?” Eugene asked quietly, hand dropping off her.

He heard, rather than saw, Cassandra's approach. The sound of fabric rustling as she mirrored his crouch giving away her position in the darkness

“Yeah but they haven’t been sporadic like that.” Cassandra replied with confusion hovering in her tone..

Eugene glanced back towards Rapunzel, a frustration beginning to swarm its way over his anxiety.

“Well it looks like the rules have changed,” he said, a rock lodging itself in his stomach “Even if Varian is right, if the rocks are doing this, I don’t know how much higher of a fever she could take before-“ 

He clenched his fist beside him, a phantom burning lingering against the skin.

“We’re running out of time.” He muttered, heartbeat slamming in his ears. 

They needed her awake now .

He turned to see Cassandra observing him from opposite Rapunzel, an understanding scraped into the dip of her brow. He pursed his lips, glancing back towards Rapunzel.

“So uh, Old Corona you said?”

***

Rapunzel’s head was throbbing.

It felt like there was a drum beating against the inside of her skull, each of her steps accompanied with the bash of a stick against her forehead. 

A stabbing pain that had slowly built itself up not long after she’d- ( hallucinated? Imagined? Seen?) the lines of red pressed against her wrist.

An all too convenient time for a splitting headache to burrow itself in her, if there ever was one she supposed, bitterly. Like the last thing she needed right now was another obstacle to clearing her head. Because at some point not too long ago her gut feeling concerning the world surrounding her had changed from a hunch to a roaring fact.

She knew something was wrong. 

The forest ensnaring her couldn’t be natural. Not with the eerie sensation she’d been wearing like a second skin. Not with the complete and utter lack of life it was void of. 

No, for some reason she was the only one inhabiting the landscape and it was terrifyingly isolating. The feeling all too familiar in a way she tried not to let herself linger too much on, Instead pulling her mind away to focus on the most glaring problem.

She needed to figure out where she was, and more importantly- why she was there.

Rapunzel bristled at the thought as she pushed her way through yet another underbush, trying not to wince when a nearby branch momentarily found its way into her hair. The stick tugged against her scalp, sending those drums slamming into her skull. 

She grit her teeth at the sensation, shrugging it off best she could, but this time the increased tension in her head didn’t even out. The pounding increased, like her head had an entirely separate heartbeat, one beat of her heart keeping her alive, the other trying to kill her.

The pain was all of a sudden spiked, blinding, it made spots dance in front of her and spun her vision. She didn’t even see the root meeting her foot, only felt it connect and the consequent stumble that left her sliding down the edge of a tree.

Rapunzel screwed her eyes shut, praying for the pain to fade. Finding herself biting down against a cry when the hurt managed to magnify.

Pulse after pulse shot into her and she could suddenly feel coherent thoughts shooting like sparks of electricity through her brain.

You can’t stop.

Run,

You need to run.

No time.

Running out.

Her eyes squeezed against the silk of her dress, not even realizing she’d lowered her head until the material brushed against her. Loud words were swirling around and around in a nauseating circle because it wasn;t her . It was like someone else’s voice was being projected into her head, commands yelled at her. Every word is louder than the last and yanks that pull forward. 

RUN. RUN. RUN

Rapunzel felt tears burning behind closed lids, raising her hands to either side of her ears like it could somehow muffle the screaming voice in her head. Then the voice shifted, words stilled and replaced with a loud ringing. The noise was shrill, grinding and she knew she’d heard it before. The sound grating and grating until her brain finally supplied the word for her.

A drill .

She curled her fingers into her scalp at the noise digging through her head, willing anything to make it stop, an unexplainable rush of fear slicing her gut and then by some miracle the sound went still.

Rapunzel almost wanted to cry in relief, the resulting silence louder and more beautiful than anything she’d ever heard.

She cautiously opened her eyes, met to the sight of her bodice and skirt where her knees were still pulled up to her chest. 

She bit her lip, that unease still flickering inside her as she lifted her head.

She felt her heart stop.

Rapunzel was nose to nose with her reflection, wide eyes staring back at her from the surface of a glowing rock.

She froze for a second, her mind struggling briefly to grasp the sight of her own eyes looking back at her. until she found herself reaching forward. A hypnotic pull tugging her towards the crystal like a moth to a flame. She couldn’t resist.

Her finger slowly stretched itself forward, the surface of the stone shining brighter the closer she moved. 

Rapunzel brushed her hand against the stone and her world exploded.

Sparks shot across the stone from where her hand touched the rock, burning her skin and bathing the darkness in an illuminating blue light. 

At the same time a wave of energy sprung from the stone, surging into her and racing up her arm painfully, spreading itself through her in an instant. She wanted to cry out, opened her mouth too but she didn’t get the chance.

A shockwave burst out of the crystal, right smack into her body and slammed her head back into the trunk of the tree. Stars exploded in her eyes, and the last thing she felt herself think was how dim they seemed compared to the blinding light in front of her.

Then- nothing.

***

Not for the first time in his life Eugene was unceremoniously thankful for Max’s speed as they raced across the wooded landscape.

Trees passed by in a colored blur, an almost dizzying sight that could’ve churned any natural person's stomach, but the sensation didn’t even register for him. Not too long after they’d made it out of the capital his mind had stopped focusing on where they were and had instead fixed itself on the sole thing twisting his chest back and forth.

Rapunzel’s limp body pressed against him. 

Her head lay steadily leaned onto his chest as he managed to keep both her and him steady on the racing horse. Rapunzel’s legs positioned to dangle over the side with her upper body slanted against him, drenching him in her unnerving heat.

He could feel Her fever as though it was soaked into him, doused in sweat through the sticky night air and the heat from Rapunzel. She was well over feverish; she was a furnace, and he couldn’t get his mind to track anything else. 

The trees falling past him could’ve been made out of cotton candy and it wouldn't have even triggered a second glance for him. Eugene was only watching Rapunzel, like as long as he kept his eyes on her the fever would stutter and think twice before worsening. 

Eyes on her, she’ll be fine, eyes on her, eyes on her-

Max jostled to a stop and Eugene’s trance was broken, his head snapping up for the first time since the capital to glance disoriently ahead of him.  

The forest was dark, moonlight illuminating off select, scattered leaf fallen branches, and no amount of blinking brightened the area. In front of him. Entangled between large knotted trees he could just barely make out the silhouette of Cassandra sitting rigidly, holding a hand in the air above her. 

That probably wasn’t good.

“Cass,” he whispered, eyes flickering around him as he tried to sort out their sudden stop himself  what-“

She shushed him, curling her splayed palm into a fist. He recognized the universal signal to hold but that rushed urgency in his gut flared, twittering wildly, shifting and pulling at him. A soft gasp from Rapunzel set it into a fire.

Something was wrong. He should’ve been paying attention, should’ve been keeping track of where they were. He realized with a spin of dread he couldn’t even recall the last landmark he’d seen,Immediately mentally bashing himself, and- Suns, he was an idiot. What was wrong with him?

Eugene heard the in-between of a groan or whispered curse from Cassandra’s direction, 

“ Cass what is it?” He hissed through his teeth, having enough hindsight to at least keep his voice soft when his frustrated panic got the better of him.

Cassandra didn’t signal for him to quiet himself again (Thank the maker cause he surely would’ve lost it.). Instead she pulled on Fidella’s reins, twisting the horse around to meet where Max stood. Her brows were drawn in what looked like irratence when she faced him and for once he was mostly confident the feeling wasn’t directed at him.

“There’s a guard posted along the wall.” She murmured, her voice hard.

Eugene’s brows raised at the statement. 

They’d reached Old Corona already?

He craned his neck, twisting himself to squint over Cassandra’s shoulder. 

He couldn’t make out much in the blinding darkness, only making out whatever lines and shapes pale moonlight managed to catch onto. He saw edges of sharpened rocks, (of course), foliage scattered about and- would you look at that, the easily recognizable shapes of long abandoned houses.

Ding ding ding 

Old Corona it was.

Eugene ignored the immediate rush of surprise at how long he’d managed to disorient himself from his surroundings. He instead squinted his eyes further, straining to make out what he could over the tops of vacant homes.

He could see the shape of the wall behind the town. A Structure that was hard to miss from its size alone. A large gray mass looming over the evacuated village. His eyes ran alongside it, searching, searching, searching- there.

Eugene’s vision zeroed in on a glint of moonlight shining against stone. It bounced back against his eyes, bright enough that it could’ve been reflecting off shards of glass. Except he knew what was causing the distorted light. 

Armor.

Eugene stared in disbelief, dropping  his hold on the reins to run a hand through his hair frustratedly. He made sure to keep his voice low despite the fuming agitation in his tone. “But there's nothing here! Varians gone ! Why would they-“

Eugene faltered, heart dipping into his stomach. The events of the day ran silently through his head in a second, the answer slammed into his face.

“He sent them here just in case we tried anything.” He realized audibly, a shock turning his insides. 

Eugene swung his eyes back, towards Cassandra. Her face was set in a thin line, having seemingly already reached the same conclusion.

The immediate jolt faded and a cold rage took its place under his skin. 

The King could send as many guards as he wanted. He wasn’t going to be scared off by a man who was too scared to realize everything he was doing would only hurt Rapunzel. 

They were getting her over that wall and stopping that execution. End of story.

Eugene set his jaw determinedly, resolve unmoved. He nodded over Cassandra’s shoulder. “Then we’ll make sure we don’t get caught.” He said firmly, gripping the reins once again, the coarse leather digging into his skin.

Cassandra returned the nod, her own eyes burning when she twisted to point at an unviewable portion of the wall currently crowded by trees. 

“We can move along the outside, look for an opening that’s completely unguarded and hoist her over,  but we’ll have to be fast and quiet .” She emphasized the last word, shooting him a pointed look.

He rolled his eyes but felt a small trill of amusement spark at the usual bait. The feeling dulled the nerves raging his chest.

“I’ll be quiet if you can keep up.” He shot back taunting, 

Cassandra scoffed. “Did you forget? I’m in front Fitzherbert-“ 

She was cut off by Eugene urging Max forward, shooting past her and taking the lead. He heard Cassandra mutter a few very unladylike words towards him that made him suppress a laugh.

Rapunzel shifted suddenly in his arms and he immediately glanced back down. Her face was squeezed, pressed into a pained grimace and his humor died in an instant. He gripped Max's reins in one hand, the other shifting to wrap around Rapunzel as he scanned the front area cautiously.

We’re almost there sunshine, hold on .

***

Rapunzel opened her eyes to a swollen starless sky, squinting blearily against the remnants of sleep. For a second she couldn’t quite place where she was. The fog in her head overbearing until it abruptly cleared and she shot upright like a bullet, hot pins slicing through her arm at the movement.

The tree was gone. 

In fact every tree was gone.

Rapunzel sat in a grass field, the stalks long and overgrown, swaying in an invisible wind she couldn’t feel. Her heart slammed against her ribcage like an enraged animal, eyes rapidly bouncing around the new landscape while her mind tripped over itself. 

There was nothing but grass and sky as far as the eye could see, cool air sitting stiffly across her sweat soaked skin. It could've been tranquil, a scene out of a painting (one that she was certain she’d be drawing in the future if she could ever get back to Corona.) Except her mind couldn’t seem to grasp what it was looking at, spirals of confusion washing together like a whirlpool inside her head. 

The forest had vanished . But how ? All she had done was touch the rock and that alone couldn’t have brought her here but-.

Her stomach turned over itself. The sensation of thin hot lines trailing down her shoulder paralleling her shock.

It was impossible, there was no way. No possibility of - what? A stone bringing her out of an entire forest? But the same arm that had connected with the crystal continued tingling and a small part of her felt vertigo at the fact she didn’t find the thought impossible.

The thought twisted around and around in her head until-

“It’s nice isn’t it?”

Rapunzel visibly jumped at the sudden voice, feeling her shoulders reach her ears when she jerked her head around. Her eyes landed on the sole figure standing a mere foot behind where she sat.

She felt her eyes widen, nearly losing her voice when she recognized who she was looking at.

“ Varian ?”

And Rapunzel felt the name leave her mouth as more of a question than a revelation. A testament of-  was it really you? Because it initially looked like Varian but- it also didn’t.

He was wearing his clothes, teel patched shirt, frays still clung to the cuffs. Brown splattered apron with weathered boots, and the matching worn in goggles pushed to the top of his head to match. But his skin seemed too gray, like he was trapped in a permanent shadow that wouldn’t seem to give in. Not only that but the way he was standing seemed….. wrong.

When Rapunzel had first met Varian she had noticed he never seemed to sit still. He was constantly bouncing off the wall from place to place. Writing excitedly or snatching random objects, and if he wasn’t actively working he was always moving . Like he was physically incapable of standing motionless. Whether that be the bounce of a knee, or twitch of the rhythmically tapping finger- it was always something .

And right now he was standing completely still, setting her on edge despite the loose smile pulling the corners of his mouth. 

Rapunzel’s skin crawled at the sight, slowly forcing herself to her feet, as she felt all of a sudden incredibly vulnerable in the openness of the field. Fingers itching for the comfort of her frying pan.

His eyes ran over hers in the thick silence like he was expecting her to say something more until he took a step forward.

Rapunzel’s pulse jumped, gripping a section of her hair defensively, but his attention had drifted from her, eyes falling to the grass below her.

“I mean it’s so open here. Nothing lurking. Nothing hiding in the shadows. it’s- peacefu l……right?.” His voice seemed wrong as well, his cadence, the way he spoke. It was like an entirely different person was using his voice.

Rapunzel noticed he hadn’t answered her, the uneasy feeling rising inside her. She narrowed her eyes, forcing herself into feeling braver than she actually felt. 

She stepped in front of the figure, gripping that section of her hair so tightly she was sure her knuckles were white. At the motion his eyes shifted back to her, and Rapunzel immediately felt her breath hitch. 

His eyes were glowing , pupils minimized to barely a pinprick while the entirety of his eye was engulfed in a luminescent blue.

Her pulse roared in her ears, 

“You’re not Varian.” She breathed, a fist squeezing her chest.

Not Varians' mouth twitched further upwards like he was amused at her conclusion, giving her a slight shake of his head.

“No, I'm not.”

Rapunzel felt her blood run cold at the outright confirmation, her body going rigid. 

“Then who are you?” She asked demandingly, putting all her courage into the words.

The boy in front of her- was he even a boy? A person? - hummed, the sound raising the hairs on the back of her neck.

”I'm not exactly a who per say, more of a…..” Not Varian trailed off, brows bunching like he couldn’t quite articulate what he was thinking until the blue in his eyes evened, “more of a what .” He said casually, like he was stating something as normal as the weather. 

The rock in Rapunzel’s stomach hardened nauseatingly. She gripped her hair tighter, the force almost painful. “Then what are you?” She grit again, putting a harshness into her tone.

Not Varian either didn’t notice the edge in her voice or didn’t care. He grinned, stepping back and throwing his arms out wide. The gesture matched the usual excitement she’d seen from Varian in the past and it felt wrong seeing it in his body without his presence. Like she was watching him possessed. (The glowing eyes certainly didn’t help that feeling either.)

“Well I don’t have a name- or at least I don’t think I do , maybe I should give myself one .” He muttered the last part under his breath, the blue in his eyes dimming and then lighting back up when he continued, “but I’m here to help. Kind of like a guide…….. of sorts.”

“ A guide? ” She echoed tentatively. A wavering skepticism inadvertently seeped into her tone

Not Varian hummed, an air of continued amusement radiating from him when he spoke, “I understand your reluctance, Sundrop, but I can assure you, I’m here to help.”

Rapunzel glanced at him wearily. She wanted to believe she could trust in this ‘guide’. That she could have faith in kind words, but-

“How do I know that?” She challenged, inwardly wincing when her voice ended up sounding childish even to her own ears.

Not Varian tilted his head, apparently unbothered at the test in her voice “Well I suppose for starters I’m the one who got you out of that forest.” He smiled, “I sent the rock.”

Rapunzel’s eyes widened impossibly, her distrust all at once replaced with stunned disbelief.

“ The rock was you? ”

She wasn’t sure which she was more shocked by. The fact that a rock had in fact brought her here, or that a stranger with her friend's face had managed to send it themself.

He laughed, the sound airy and light “Of course it was! Though I do apologize for the wait, my power here is limited to say the least.” Not Varian shrugged, “But eventually I was able to slip past the wall blocking you. That doesn’t matter now though. “ he waved his hand like it meant nothing, “the important thing is you’re here now and we need to get going.”

Rapunzel blinked stupidly, uncomprehending. “I- what ? I don’t understand. What do you mean there was a wall blocking me? How could- we need to go somewhere?”

“I know you must have concerns Sundrop-“

“My name is Rapunzel.”

Not Varian didn’t acknowledge the interruption, continuing, “But none of your questions can be answered yet. Not until after we’ve seen what I’m meant to show you.”

“What? Why? I-“

“I can assure you, Sundrop-“

“ Rapunzel !”

“Hmm” Not Varian waved another hand disintreadly in the air towards her “I can promise once we return I’ll assist in many a explanation for whatever questions you have.”

Rapunzel stared uncertainty, chewing her cheek in thought.

She shouldn’t trust this guide, he spoke cryptically, he talked about powers. He was visually identical to Varian and gave no explanation as to why, and Rapunzel wasn’t sure if she could bring herself to let him lead her blindly.

Not Varian sighed at her obvious hesitation. Raising a brow he held out his hand “One of the questions I can answer for you when we return is how you can get home.”

Rapunzel’s heart skipped a beat, a vine twisting its way across her chest. Her eyes lingered on his outstretched hand, fingers twitching.

Her options splayed themselves out behind her eyes, or rather how limited they were, flashes of Eugene and her family flared tauntingly and she felt her doubts harden into a decision.

She grabbed his hand.

***

After a painfully careful amount of scouting they found a large section of wall that was- for the most part- unguarded. The nearest guard a quarter of a mile away, and as long as they were quiet and fast it wouldn’t be a problem.

“We’ll still have to be careful once we reach the other side, our voices could carry.” Cassandra said lowly, Fidella meeting where Max stood on the edge of the treeline.

Eugene gave a noise of affirmation, squinting ahead of them. “Looks like it’s a straight shot too, but it’s hard to make out much.” He shot a one sided grin towards Cassandra, knowing full well there was no chance she could see it. “ Hey , don’t cobra women have X-Ray vision? That sure would come in handy right now.” He said in a song- like voice.

Cassandra scoffed, “Yeah great time for jokes Fitzherbert-“

Eugene was sure she was continuing to quietly berate him but her voice glossed right through his ears, frowning when his eyes abruptly landed on a large mass just in front of the section of wall they had scouted. 

It was huge, dominating the shadows over the town, the outline distinctly familiar in an uncertain way. 

Eugene continued tuning out Cassandra, straining to make out more… and then he recognized it, A cold bitterness struck like the blunt of a match, the feeling rising surprisingly fast and surprisingly strong.

It was Varians' house, moonlight glinting off the remains of scattered bits and parts from smashed robots, making his realization unmistakable.

A rush of all too fresh memories suddenly burned like salt in a gaping wound- despite the fact he knew it was abandoned. That there was no longer any threat and it was nothing more but stone and wood, He was all at once seeing himself fighting for his life in the empty field.

He could see himself destroying machine after machine with no end in sight. He was feeling the intense terror that had overtaken him when he’d gotten inside only to find Rapunzel motionless on the floor. 

He subconsciously squeezed her closer at the memory.

It was an all too recent landmark for him to think about, his gut twisting in an angered dread. He wanted nothing more than to tear his eyes away from the visual reminder, but his brain didn’t let him. A tiny alarm bell sirened to him, perhaps the same thing that had attracted his attention in the first place.

Something was different. 

It was a gut feeling, something noticeable enough for his mind to flare but small enough that he had to tune back into his old instincts to determine.

Eugene racked his brain, struggling to figure out what the change could be, until several pieces clicked together in his head all at once,

“ He wasn’t lying. ” He realized under his breath.

“Eugene!”

He whipped his head towards Cassandra, her voice hadn’t raised above a whisper but it was sharp.

“What’s your deal? I’ve called you over a dozen times by now! We have to get moving.” She hissed, though Eugene detected an underlying concern in her tone.

He threw away his usual urge to snark back, an overeager optimism steadily rising in his chest.

“Cass! He wasn't lying!”

“What? Who wasn’t lying?”

“ Varian ,” Eugene whispered emphatically, “He was telling the truth! Look! No rocks!” He gestured forward, not remembering their lack of visual acuity.

There was a beat of silence, “You must’ve hit your head harder than we thought, Fitzherbert, “ Cassandra replied, voice unimpressed. “What in the maker are you talking about?”

Eugene frowned, confused for a moment before he realized his mistake. “What? No I didn’t mean all the rocks!” He said snappily, “just Varians' house! Look, remember that huge rock in the center? it’s gone! So is every rock around it.”

There was another beat of silence, this time broken by a sharp intake of breath from Cassandra’s direction. 

“How is that-“

“Cass, he told me it happened! Varian said Rapunzel did it! A bunch of rocks shot up and she was somehow able to control them!”

“What?”

“I know, but don’t you get what this means? It means Varian was telling the truth!”

Eugene waited excitedly for Cassandra to reach the same conclusion he had but she only grunted.

“I mean, sure, Varian telling the truth is…. Odd, but nothing to celebrate-“

Eugene groaned frustratedly, “ No , that’s not what I’m talking about! Cass, if he was telling the truth, it means the rocks have to be the reason behind all this!” It was hard to keep his voice quiet now, his excitement bleeding in his words “it means he wasn't lying period ! It means -“

“It means this should work.” Cassandra cut in, her own voice rising in a quiet optimism.

Eugene turned towards Cassandra’s silhouette, feeling her eyes meeting him even without the sight to confirm it. A sickening twine of hope entangled itself around his throat and he was suddenly urging Max forward, running out towards Coronas border with Cassandra hot on his tail.

***

Not Varian tugged Rapunzel alongside him, grip on her hand firm and leading while he walked them around in random sporadic circles throughout weaving grass.

“Uh didn’t you say we were leaving?” Rapunzel asked dizzyingly, struggling to anticipate the sudden stops and twists he pulled her through.

“Yes we are.” Not Varian replied back, tone distracted as he jerked her in yet another appearingly random direction, “but to do that we need- ah ha!” He stopped, releasing her hand and turning to grin at her triumphantly. “Here!”

Rapunzel’s arm dropped back into place by her side, glancing around to look at what made this spot so special but- it looked exactly the same as the rest. Billowed glass surrounding her, swaying in that phantom wind

She frowned, brows dipping in confusion, “What’s here?”

Not Varians eyes were crackling, sparking like lightning, “Our hole in the wall.”

Rapunzel stared at the field surrounding them uncertainly, “ I only see grass.” 

Not Varian laughed, “Not a physical one my dear.” Rapunzel winced, her cheeks burning as he went on, “You see, where we need to go requires an unusual form of travel, one that involves a few odds and ends stacking together perfectly.” His grin widened, taking a hand and trailing it along the top of the grass surrounding them, “this is one of those ends, where we’re standing right now is a weak spot in the magic binding us here.”

Rapunzel blinked. The explanation only sprung up a thousand more questions and the confusion must’ve shown easily on her face. 

Not Varians eyes dimmed a bit, smile softening. “Imagine it as a river.” He offered with a hum, flattening his hand horizontally in front of him “If we don’t move in the water the current would carry us, move us however it wants, but-“ he splayed his palm, gloved fingers pointing towards the sky, “if we stand the current still moves but we can resist it. Where we are now is the same as us resisting the current. The river moves all around the field but here is where it’s the weakest, this is where it’ll be the easiest to manipulate the water.”

Rapunzel blew out a breath nodding her head slowly, “So we need to move around the water in order to leave?”

Not Varian shrugged, “Unfortunately right now it’s more like- the river needs to let us leave.”

Rapunzel frowned, “but I thought you said-“

“Yes yes we can move around the water but for this river it’s impossibly wide, in order to get to the other side we need the tools to make that possible.”

Rapunzel let the words sink in for a moment, calculating, “You mean like a boat?”

Not Varians eyes crackled at the question, smile splitting ear to ear, “yes, exactly! Like a boat!” He nodded enthusiastically, “We can’t cross the river without it.”

Rapunzel chewed her cheek in thought. “So how do we get the boat?”

Not Varian lifted a shoulder “We can only wait and hope one floats by soon.”

With that he plopped down to the ground folding his legs beneath him. 

Rapunzel glanced around her hesitantly, as if expecting their discussed metaphorical boat to suddenly appear but after a moment of silence she found herself bending down to join him. Mind longing for the arrival of a nonexistent canoe.

***

Cassandra didn’t even bother with dismounting properly when they reached the wall. Fidella had barely reared to a stop when she swung her leg over to meet the other, landing smoothly on the ground and rushing to help Eugene.

He had already lowered Rapunzel to rest against the wall, turning around to likely dig through Max’s saddlebag for rope but Cassandra had already anticipated it. She was at Max’s side before Eugene had even completely turned, fingers curling around the unmistakable knot of rope. Cassandra pulled the coil free, wordlessly tossing it towards him. 

Eugene caught it swiftly, unraveling the bunch in expert speed, he threw an arm back and tossed the rope over the wall in one fell swoop.

They were a well oiled machine, each of their learned experiences (despite their difference of how it was gained) coming out rhythmically. For the first (and hopefully last) time Cassandra appreciated the effortlessness of their combined efforts, neither getting in the other's way as they secured everything in place.

Cassandra led Max forward, stopping him beside Eugene who was giving the rope a short once over. Once he seemed satisfied with the placement he glanced towards her, raising his eyebrow in silent communication.

Are you ready?

Cassandra nodded. 

Eugene shot her a grin that she could barely make out in the darkness and leapt back into action. Their silent understanding in action as she ran back around to where Rapunzel was laid against the wall.

Cassandra bent to lift Rapunzel, startled when she weighed twice what she’d expected her too. She grunted, exerting herself more than she’d anticipated, realizing with a slight amusement what the unaccounted for weight was contributed to. The seventy feet of hair braided down her back.

Cassandra felt a sudden surge of sympathy for Rapunzel’s neck, sweat beading on her forehead as she lifted herself to her feet with Rapunzel in her arms. She made her way quickly to Maxs side, watching Eugene slide his way onto the horse's saddle.

Cassandra waited expectantly as Eugene slowly shifted himself, pulling one foot up from the side to bend underneath him, finding his footing on top of the saddle. Then after a moment of stabilizing, lifted his other leg to join it. 

With an artful amount of balance that Cassandra would never admit was impressive he balanced himself to stand on the horse's saddle.

Eugene took a testing step forward to stand on the edge of the saddle. Then another and he was nearly solely on Max's back.  Another few teetering foot placements and he was almost on his neck. 

That was where he paused looking down at Cassandra and managing- with that damn balance- to squat down and hold out his arms. 

Cassandra shifted Rapunzel in her hold, moving the arm that had been supporting her back to push her more upwards, passing her off to Eugene. 

Her stomach twittered uneasily at the motion for a reason she couldn’t put her finger on, her arms feeling awkwardly empty while she watched Eugene shift himself further to the wall until he was entirely on Max’s snout.

Cassandra ignored the random spring of emotion, focusing herself on shifting to stand closer in case one of them fell last second. She craned her neck, squinting against the darkness, Eugene had draped Rapunzel across his shoulders, and with the added assistance of Max’s height he was already nearly to the top of the wall.

Cassandra saw Max push his head upwards, his riders lifted higher.  It looked like that was the final boost Eugene needed, able to grab hold of the wall's edge he hoisted both him and Rapunzel up and onto the wall.

***

Not Varian went still, tilting his head.

“Do you feel that?” 

Rapunzel glanced up from the glands of grass she’d been twirling between her fingers, pausing.  She watched the light spark flicker in his eyes and felt a shock whir through her when she realized she did feel something.

It was like there was a sudden electricity in the air, the atmosphere static. She looked down at her arm to see hairs rising, churning her stomach.

“What is that?” She whispered.

***

Cassandra and Max held the rope taught while Eugene used it to aid him down the opposite side of the wall. The rope shook, tugging against them until it ultimately went slack. 

The rope tugged against her twice in succession and Cassandra couldn’t help the relief swelling her chest.

They were over the wall.

***

“It’s our boat!” Not Varian said excitedly, jumping to his feet, sparks bright enough to jump out of his eyes. 

***

Cassandra landed gracefully on the other side of Coronas border, boots landing among weathered leaves and sticks that cracked under the pressure of her step as she walked to join Eugene.

He had Rapunzel propped against a fallen tree stump, staring so intently at her she was almost expecting some kind of combustion. (From him or her? Who knew,) 

Her eyes shifted from him to bounce quickly across the forest as she went to join him. It was eerie how different the area looked from the last time she’d jumped the wall with Rapunzel, her chest twisting at the memory.

Rocks dominated the ground now, spikes shooting up from bushes, dirt even the trunks of trees housed the occasional large crystal. There was still the look of standing trees and nature but it seemed even more off to see the rocks interwoven into the threads of the habitat, raising hairs on the back of her neck as she made her way to Eugene.

He didn’t acknowledge her when she met him. The two watched Rapunzel lay completely motionless, minus the rising and falling of her chest, until Eugene broke the silence.

“Hairstripe said it could take awhile.” 

His voice was strained, dipping at the end and she recognized the disappointment in it.

Eugene had obviously been hoping for an immediate reaction and she couldn’t deny there was a small part of her stomach that dropped at the fact there wasn’t, biting her own lip anxiously.

But if there was one thing she’d learned about magic this past year it was just how unpredictable it was. And with nothing more they could do they’d have to watch and hope this was the right call. For both Rapunzel’s and Varian’s sake.

Cassandra ignored the bitter twist her stomach gave at the last half of her thought, leaning against the tree closest to her to resign herself.

So they’d wait.

***

Rapunzel jumped to her feet, feeling the air continue to crackle around her, 

“The boat?” She echoed, twisting around as if expecting a physical one to materialize out of thin air “ it’s here?”

Not Varian’s eyes were fireworks when she turned back to face him, a smile plastered against his face. “Oh it’s here alright, and we need to get moving” he paused for a moment, smile dipping “But before we do-“ he sighed, folding his hands in front of him seriously in such an un-Varian-like gesture that it immediately set her on edge, even knowing full well it wasn’t her friend in front of her- (which still unnerved her to think about.)

“I must warn you sundrop that what I’m going to show you- it won’t be easy to see, but you must trust that doing this is what’s necessary for you and everyone.” His tone held its own edge to it, one that turned her stomach, “Do you understand?”

Rapunzel felt her heart drop into her stomach, a foreboding weight on her shoulders but she forced herself to nod, despite the nerves digging themselves painfully through her skin.

He gave her his own curt nod “Are you ready?”

No .

“Yes.”

Not Varian closed his eyes, scrunching his nose and when he opened them again  he shot her with what looked like an apologetic glance.

“Apologies sundrop but this may be uncomfortable for you.”

Rapunzel frowned but before she could even think about what that might mean he was at her side and grabbing her wrist.

***

Cassandra saw something move out of her peripheral. 

She twisted to the side, scanning the area around them. It took a second but she eventually found the culprit. A squirrel bouncing from tree to tree. 

Her eyes followed it as it ran closer, the animal going straight for the stump Rapunzel was leaning against, head twitching to the side as he approached.

The squirrel's tail swished loosely behind it, gaining more confidence the longer his path stayed uninterrupted, moving closer inch by inch. He was nearly touching Rapunzel’s skirt by now Cassandra realized with amusement, almost earning a laugh from her when the animal suddenly froze.

The squirrels tail went rigid behind it, head peeking up like it had caught sight of a predator, then it was darting away, his goal abandoned in a second.

Cassandra watched the animal sprint away with a frown, an uneasiness stirring at the sight, until the stillness of the forest was broken all at once by a rock springing up from the ground directly beside Rapunzel.

Cassandra leaped back, shoving down a startled cry that Eugene did a worse job of muting.

Neither of them had any time to comprehend what was happening before another one shot up on her other side then another in front. By the time they figured out what was going on there was no time, rocks were already circling Rapunzel’s body, enclosing her.

Cassandra’s heart slammed into her throat, leaping forward. She tried dodging between rocks, going for the gaps between growing spikes but everytime she reached a gap another crystal would shoot up to fill its place.

Cassandra could see Eugene trying the same opposite her, each of them going for the slits between rocks only to be intercepted before their fingertips could even graze her.

Cassandra and Eugene could only watch in horror as In a matter of seconds Rapunzel was completely surrounded by a dome of black rocks.