Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

     The rain was coming fast, heavy. Hoofprints squelched in the mud, clacking against the odd rock in the path. 

     Quirin kept his hold on their cargo tight, ducking so his cloak protected it from the rain. 

     “Don’t do that.”

     “Hm?” 

     Adira sat opposite him in their little carriage, a knowing look on her face. Hector was out cold beside her. 

     “Get attached.” She nodded her head to what he was holding. “The next town this thing stops in, we’re leaving him.”

     Quirin glanced at the child in his arms, lips tugging in a frown. The baby wasn’t quite a year old. He’d said his first word just a couple weeks ago, earning laughs and smiles from their once merrier company. 

     “It’s what’s best,” she sighed, looking away. Hector let out a snore, head falling onto her shoulder. 

     “Of course,” he said, gaze still glued to the small face. “After all, the moonstone ruins everything it touches.”

     Adira didn’t comment. Quirin brushed a hand through the boy’s hair, relishing in the peace it brought him. 

     Perhaps, out of the influence of that wretched stone, he could have something like this. 

     Maybe he could have his own family, with the woman he’d promised to meet when this was over. 

      Wouldn’t that be something?

     It was wet. The rain had seeped into the ground, turning dirt into mud and making the entire forest floor a disaster waiting to happen. They were all clustered inside the caravan, waiting out the storm. 

     Varian stared at Eugene, able to make out the marks on his face even in the dimly lit room.

      Drip drip drip

     A splash of water landed on his nose and he flinched, glancing up at the ceiling. It was leaking. 

      Not like he was surprised. He was shocked this thing was still in one piece at all. 

     His gaze flicked back to Eugene. The man had an arm around his girlfriend, chin rested against her head. Rapunzel was fast asleep, fully leaned into him. Eugene wasn’t asleep, but he wasn’t entirely aware either. He’d been staring at a spot on the floor for at least ten minutes. 

     Varian ran a hand through Ruddiger’s fur, curling up in his chair. He’d tried to read a book, but…

     Well, he hadn’t really been able to pay attention. 

     The full moon was on the horizon again. Technically, he supposed it was always on the horizon. He was just… more anxious about it than usual? It always put him on edge, but now it was more of a dreading feeling. He didn’t like what it brought out in him. Didn’t like the emotions, the anger.

     The lack of control. 

     He’d spent months as a wolf. Being himself still felt weird sometimes, like he wasn’t quite right. The idea of being forced into another shape again was scary. 

     Which was stupid! He’d been like this for more than a year now. He’d gotten used to it, he’d started to feel more comfortable. 

     And now everything just felt wrong. 

     He stared at his hands. His nails were short, some of them chipped and scratchy. They were normal, harmless. 

     Eugene was living proof they weren’t. 

     “Looks like the storm’s starting to clear up,” Cass observed, hand pressed against the window. The woman had been watching the sky for a while now, waiting for their opening. They were all pretty antsy. 

     After all, they were less than a day’s travel from the Dark Kingdom. 

     Cass glanced back, catching Varian’s gaze. She offered a small smile. 

     “We’ll be able to set out once it’s done,” she assured him, as though that was what was on his mind. And it was! He was excited to finally get to their destination. It had been so long. They’d gone through so much to get here. And this… this was going to help them find the end to the black rocks. He’d be able to help his village, and all of Corona. 

     Finally, all of his work would be for something. 

     He offered a hesitant smile in return. 

     “I should probably grab my things,” he admitted, pushing himself up from the wall. Lance stretched from where he’d been sitting. 

     “I can help-“

     “No.” He managed a genuine smile, rolling his eyes. “We don’t need you blowing us up. This thing’s already a wreck.”

     “There’s no guarantee I’d blow anything up,” Lance countered, but he sat right back down. Varian crossed the space, opening the box he kept his supplies in. 

     All he really had were goo bombs. He’d need to stop in the first town after this to get more ingredients. 

     “What do you think we’ll find?”

     “Hm?” Varian glanced up, finding Cass crouched down beside him. Her hand was rested on the hilt of her sword, thumb brushing up and down the handle. 

     “We’ve sacrificed a lot to get here,” she explained, reading his mind. “What if it’s not the answer we’re looking for?”

     He stared into the box. 

     “Well,” he said, mechanically reaching in and grabbing the goo bombs. “Maybe it’ll tell us where that answer is.”

     “And if it doesn’t?”

     “Dunno.” He shrugged, stuffing them into a satchel. “I mean, either way it’s cool. This place is my ancestral home. It’s where my dad grew up.”

     “Didn’t he also leave it? In a hurry?”

     “He had to.” Varian shut the box, standing and slinging the satchel over his shoulder. “Something about the king. His final wish. Yada yada.” His brow pinched. “He didn’t tell me much about it, but when does he ever? He likes his secrets.”

     “I thought he told you everything you needed to know.”

     “He told me everything he thought I needed to know.” He sighed, pushing it from his mind. “It’s fine. That stuff’s in the past, anyways. Now we’re here. We’ll… figure it out.”

     Cass watched him for a moment, frowning. She was always a little too observant for his liking. But the woman stood, humming, and ruffled his hair in that irritating big sibling way they’d all picked up on. 

     “I have every confidence we will,” she decided. “After all, we have your brains at our disposal.”

     “And your brute force,” Lance piped up. Varian’s shoulders tensed, but Cass brushed the man’s comment off without even noticing. 

     “Nah, he’s the smarts in this operation.” She jabbed a thumb at herself. “I’m the brute force.”

     “You sure you could handle a fight like that?”

     In a swift movement, Cass procured a knife from her belt, sending it flying. It landed inches from Lance’s head. The man shrieked, and Rapunzel woke with a yelp. 

     “I think I stand a chance,” she hummed. She walked over, tore the blade from the wall, and looked out the window again. “Rain’s letting up. We should get ready.”

     “Hm?”

     “We’re gonna start moving again, Sunshine,” Eugene said softly. He brushed a hand through her hair. “You wanna rest a little longer?”

     Rapunzel hadn’t been getting much sleep, lately. Varian knew, because he never slept either. 

     “No,” she said, shaking her head. She carefully climbed up out of his lap, smoothing out her skirt. “I’m fine. We can go.”

     “Maybe we should send a group ahead first,” Cass suggested, watching her friend worriedly. “I can take Varian-“

     “I’m perfectly capable,” the princess interrupted, shooting the woman a cold look. She grabbed her frying pan from the table, sliding it into the small holster on her hip. “We’ll all go. It’s my responsibility, after all.”

     “Right,” Cass said, lips pressed in a thin line. Rapunzel walked over, mimicking her earlier position and looking out the window. 

     “We should be able to make it by nightfall,” she observed, brushing her hands back through her hair. She clipped it into place, making sure it wouldn’t get stuck in the mud. 

     She looked up and met Varian’s gaze, then quickly looked away. 

      She hates you. Look at what you did to her boyfriend. 

     “Well, isn’t this exciting?” Eugene chimed in, flashing a bright smile. “We’re at the end of the road. The climax of our epic tale. This’d be the exciting chapter in the book.” He winked at Varian, and the boy managed a breathy laugh. 

     “Yeah.” He lifted the flap of his bag, checking his things again. Hopefully, this would be enough if they ran into any trouble. He had the sword on his hip, too. He had means of defense. 

      He didn’t have to resort to other methods. 

     Ruddiger climbed up onto his shoulders, curling around his neck, and Varian shot them a quick thumbs up. Rapunzel nodded, not meeting his eyes, and pushed the door open. 

     He winced when she stepped outside, hearing the squishy sound of her bare feet in the mud. He could only imagine how that might feel. Gross. 

     They filed out after that, Lance bringing up the rear and closing the door behind them. Cass pulled the knife from her belt again, digging it into the first tree they passed. Then, as they started to walk, she repeated the action with every tree, marking the way back to the caravan. 

     “Excited?”

     Varian’s shoulders tensed. 

     “I suppose that would be an apt term.”

     “This is where your dad grew up,” Eugene recalled, walking uncomfortably close. “I’m sure he’s told you lots of stories about it.”

     “Not really.”

     “Oh.” Eugene laughed awkwardly, but recovered. “What about your aunt and uncle?”

     That also didn’t seem to be the right question, because the man cursed under his breath. But before he could backtrack, Varian nodded slowly. 

     “Yeah, actually.” One hand rested on the strap of his bag. “My uncle did. He told me about how my parents met.” He looked up, peering through the trees. He could see the castle through the branches. “It was at a ball, inside the castle we’re going to.”

     Eugene whistled. 

     “Really?”

     “Yeah. Aunt Adira wasn’t really a story teller. She didn’t like to dwell in the past.” He frowned. “I mean, she never kept things from me though. She answered any question I asked, and I mean any. She didn’t like secrets. But Uncle Hector was the one with the stories.” 

     “He sounds a lot cooler than the guy that ran us off that cliff.”

     “He was a lot cooler,” Varian said wistfully. It still hurt, thinking about his aunt and uncle. Part of him hoped this was still some misunderstanding, that they were still out there. But then, he’d have hurt Eugene over nothing. And if they were alive, where had they been all those months? Why hadn’t they rescued them?

     He shook his head, brushing a hand through Ruddiger’s fur. The raccoon nuzzled closer, pressing his nose against his neck and tickling him. 

     “I used to wish I had a castle,” Eugene admitted, following his gaze. “Now I live in one.”

     “True.”

     “If things had been different, you probably would’ve grown up here, huh?”

     Varian considered the question. Technically, no. Time was an intricate outline, where even the tiniest detail could change everything. If his dad hadn’t left, there was a possibility he wouldn’t exist. Maybe his parents wouldn’t have ended up together. Maybe, through sheer coincidence, they would’ve had another kid instead of him. 

     Or maybe he would’ve grown up in a castle. He could’ve had his aunt and uncle his whole life. Would he have known the others? Rapunzel was a princess- maybe she would’ve visited. Eugene probably would’ve still rescued her, so maybe the two of them would’ve visited together. Maybe Cass would’ve tagged along. 

     “I guess, maybe,” he said, shrugging. 

     “Growing up in a castle would be cool,” Eugene decided. He held a branch away from their heads, smirking when Varian almost walked into it. “Not used to being normal sized, gremlin?”

     “Have you seen my dad?” Varian joked, elbowing him carefully. “Either I was going to end up really tall, or I was gonna be stuck at 5 feet forever.”

     “Maybe it’s just the werewolf thing,” Eugene suggested. “Maybe without it, you’d still be a shrimp.”

     “I doubt it,” Varian argued, because he didn’t like that idea at all. He didn’t want to think about the ways the curse might influence his form when he wasn’t changed. This was supposed to be his normal. He was still him. 

     “You’ll never pass me up though, obviously,” Eugene continued, waving a dismissive hand. “You’re younger.”

     “That’s not how-“

     “Shhhhhh.” Eugene held a finger to the boy’s lips, cutting him off. “You’re the designated little brother. You have to be the small one.”

     “I-“

     “Oh shit.”

     Both of them came to a halt, turning their attention forward again. Lance was standing ahead, hands on his hips. 

     There was a large ravine between them and the castle. 

     “Oh.” Eugene laughed nervously, leaving his side to inspect the situation with his friend. “I don’t think we planned for this.”

     “There’s an old trolley on that wire,” Cass observed, pointing across the chasm. “But it’s all the way over there, in the middle of the damn thing.”

     “We can figure out another way,” Varian said quickly, looking around. Maybe, they could figure something out using the trees, but that would take too long…

     “Watch out!” Rapunzel called, unclipping her hair. The group barely had a moment to react before she lassoed the trolley, looping her hair around her hands to get a better grip. She pulled, digging her heels into the ground. 

     “Hang on,” Eugene said, and both he and Lance grabbed onto her. 

     Varian glanced up, noticing the pulley attached to a nearby post. It had a lever. 

      Clever. 

     He wandered over, ignoring the grunts of his friends as they tried to get the rusty contraption to move. He rested his hand over the lever, giving it an experimental nudge. 

     “It’s working!”

     He glanced over his shoulder. The trolley was moving, but it was agonizingly slow. 

     He pushed the lever the rest of the way, and it lurched to life. Rapunzel nearly fell on top of the boys, and they all laughed triumphantly. 

     He lifted his hand when the trolley was against the ledge, smirking. 

     “Varian c’mon, we got it to move!”

     “That’s great!”

     He didn’t really need to contradict them, anyways. 

Chapter Text

     The castle was huge. 

     And Varian had never felt so small. 

     “Damn, kid,” Lance said, hands on his hips as he gazed up at it. “That’s one hell of a house.”

     “Yeah,” Varian breathed, hands gripping the strap of his bag. “It’s definitely… something.”

     “Well, nobody’s home, so we’re free to explore,” Lance added, inching his way closer to the front steps. “And since it’s been abandoned for a while, I’m sure souvenirs wouldn’t be a problem.”

     “We’re here for a solution to the rocks,” Cass drawled, shooting him a look. “The only shiny thing you should look for is the Moonstone.”

     “Since we don’t know where it is, we should probably split up into groups,” Rapunzel decided, turning to Eugene. “I-“

     “I call Varian!” The man said cheerfully, slinging an arm around the teen’s shoulders. Varian jumped, startled, and Rapunzel’s face fell. 

     “I’ll gladly come with, Princess,” Lance offered, tipping an invisible hat. Cass grabbed his arm, giving him a pointed look. 

     “And I’ll be with you two, then. Gotta keep an eye on the children.”

     “I’m fine,” Rapunzel interjected, glancing between the two as they started to bicker. “Pascal has my back. You can keep an eye on each other.” The lizard chirped, previously overlooked on her shoulder, and she patted his head with a smile. 

     “By that logic, Ruddiger and I should be fine,” Varian piped up, moving to escape Eugene’s hold, but the man didn’t let him. 

     “Oh no you don’t,” he warned, a playful smile on his face. “Rapunzel’s an adult. You? Not so much. Besides, aren’t you up for some Team Awesome exploring?”

     “I-“

     “Great!” Ruddiger hissed as Eugene steered him forward, smile persistent as ever. The others followed, trailing up the long, crumbling stairs. Lance cut ahead to shove the door open, and then they were all just standing there, staring at the wide entry hall. 

     “Certainly feels like a dark kingdom,” Cass muttered, staring up at the scowling faces on the walls. Every painting had some frowning monarch in it, each depicted with the moonstone behind them. Below the paintings stood statues, far outnumbering them. 

     Varian shuddered. Some of them had his father’s eyes. 

     “C’mon, bud,” Eugene said softly, following his gaze. “Let’s take this hall.”

     “Mmhmm.”

     The arm around his shoulders disappeared after a few seconds, once Eugene was confident he wouldn’t run off. The man was walking slower than him, gazing at the intimidating figures lining the wall. Varian frowned, glancing between him and one particular statue. 

     If he didn’t know better, he’d almost say they had similar faces. 

     “So,” Eugene said, glancing back at him. He didn’t look nearly as spooked as Varian. “Weird place, huh? Imagine raising a kid here.”

     “Yeah.” Varian looked away, turning his attention back to the less than cheerful decorations. “Lots of weapons lying around.”

     “Did your dad have weapons around the house when you were younger?”

     “No?” Varian turned back to him. “Why do you keep asking?”

     “Hey, I’m just curious.” Eugene shrugged. “Your dad seems cool. I mean, he was a knight for a whole other kingdom. Doesn’t that interest you?”

     “Of course it does,” Varian huffed. “That’s why I’m pissed he never told me about any of it until he almost lost me.”

     Eugene didn’t respond, looking like he could tell he’d said the wrong thing. Varian’s anger quickly withered. 

     “It doesn’t matter,” he mumbled, rubbing his arm. “I mean, I found out anyways. Even the things he omitted when he claimed he was telling the whole story. I mean, he never mentioned his siblings.”

     “He didn’t?”

     “I just-“ Varian sighed. “It’s frustrating. Finding out about the life you could have lived if people hadn’t lied to you. I could’ve known them my whole life.”

     Eugene frowned, watching him carefully. 

     “Listen, Varian, I- I’m sorry. I know what you mean. Not even just lies, but not knowing the truth? It’s hard. Especially when someone decides to withhold that truth.” He rested a gentle hand on his good shoulder. “Kid, I want you to know that I’d never do that to you. You can trust me.”

     “Thanks.”

     “And I know you’re too old and too cool for Flynn Rider now,” he continued, shaking his head with a soft laugh. “But you can count on me. I’ve got your back. If you end up having one of those difficult conversations with your old man, I’ll be there for you.”

     Varian softened, glancing back at his friend. He really wasn’t that much shorter than him anymore. 

     “I appreciate it,” he admitted. “I really do. And I-“ He smiled. “I’ll never be too old or too cool for my hero.”

     Eugene’s brow pinched, face unreadable for a moment, before it shifted into a bright smile. He moved his hand so he could ruffle his hair, beaming. 

     “I’m glad to hear it, bud.”

     “Wh- hey.” Varian ducked out of the way, squeaking indignantly. Eugene just followed the motion, laughing as the boy whined and dodged. 

     And he hadn’t meant to knock him over! But Varian tripped over the edge of his coat and fell sideways, knocking into a closed door and accidentally opening it. He landed on his back halfway into the room, groaning. 

     “Shit! Shit!” Eugene leaned in the doorway, grimacing. “Sorry!”

     “You’re fine,” Varian huffed, blinking up at him. He glanced around, tipping his head back and staring into the upside down room. “Where are we?”

     “Looks like a bedroom.”

     “Probably won’t find the Moonstone in here.”

     “No.” Eugene pursed his lips, peering at the contents of the room. “But looking around couldn’t hurt.”

     “Huh?”

     Eugene stepped over him, stumbling awkwardly into the room. He’d already wandered further inside by the time Varian moved to stand. Ruddiger licked his cheek, crawling into his lap when he sat up. Varian brushed a hand through his fur, watching Eugene over his shoulder. 

     There was a crib in the corner of the room. 

      She died years ago, soon after their son was born.

     “The prince.”

     “Hm?” Eugene looked up, halfway through checking a drawer. Varian climbed up to his feet, raccoon perched on his shoulders. 

     “This is the prince’s room,” he explained, glancing around. There were children’s toys scattered about, some sitting on shelves while others were torn apart on the floor. He carefully stepped over one, picking another up off the shelf. “The king and queen had a son.”

     “What happened to all those people, anyways?”

     “The queen died.” Varian turned the small stuffy over in his hands, brushing his thumbs through the soft fur. It was hardly used- a bit sad, considering how old it was. It was like it had never gotten any love. “Dunno about the king and their son. Uncle Hector never told me.”

     “This place is starting to feel really sad,” Eugene admitted, one hand on the small crib. It was untouched, unlike the rest of the room that seemed like it had been torn apart. There was a teddy bear sitting inside. 

     Varian hummed, noticing a book on one of the shelves. It was cracked open. He shuffled over, eyeing the floor cautiously as he approached. Were those tufts of fur?

     He rested a hand against the open page, scanning it. 

Quirin-

     He blinked. Oh. This was a journal. It mentioned his dad. 

Quirin called me a fool today. He says I’ve been wasting my efforts. What he doesn’t understand is that I’m doing this for us. For my friends, and my wife. My people. The Moonstone has plagued us for far too long, and no weapon can destroy it. It’s time we looked beyond for a solution. 

     It was the king’s journal. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing that Eugene was still looking around, and looked back down. He flipped a couple pages. 

My efforts are unsuccessful, so far. Quirin and Adira nearly had my head. I… may have been a bit hasty. But it was just my arm! I have another. They have to understand that there is always failure before progress. The more we mess up, the closer we get to finding the answer. 

     He snorted, covering it up when Eugene gave him a funny look. He could remember so many times where the same thing happened with him and his dad. Sure, he’d never lost any appendages, but he knew he’d caused at least a few gray hairs. 

     He flipped it again, curious. Maybe this could give them an idea of what to do with the Moonstone. If the king wasn’t here to help them, maybe he could help them through this. 

I’ve turned to the darker arts. I haven’t told the others- they’d never agree. Even Hector would tell me off. But time grows more essential. Rowena’s with child. I want more than this for them. I will not raise my son or daughter in these conditions.

     Varian’s heart dropped. He knew where this was going. He knew all too well. He could relate- he’d done the same when he decided he’d had enough of the rocks. People did crazy things for the people they loved. He’d done it for his father. The old king had done it for his son. 

     Another page. It didn’t look like there were many after it. 

My son was born today. Rowena’s feeling great. Everything’s fantastic, except that I haven’t made any progress. I’ve failed my boy. Even now, we keep him inside this room so the blasted stone can’t touch him. Quirin’s suggested we leave, start over somewhere else. I won’t give up so easily. 

     He flipped the page. It was the last one. The handwriting was more erratic, less legible. 

We’ve sent the people away. All that is left is my family. Quirin, Adira, and Hector refuse to leave us behind, and Rowena’s put far too much faith in me. She wants to raise our son in his ancestral home. And we will. I’ve found something that might work. I just hope they can forgive me. I hope, if something happens to me, Eugene will be okay. 

I just want the best for him. 

     Varian blinked. Then blinked again. 

      What?

     “Hey Varian, look at this.”

     Varian jolted, spinning around on his heels. Eugene, completely oblivious to what he’d been reading, was staring up at a painting on the wall. It was weirdly reminiscent of the one hanging in Varian’s home, the one painting he had of his mother. 

     It was the king, queen, and their son. 

     And god, the king looked so much like Eugene. 

     “Kinda creepy,” the man said uneasily, clearly also making the connection, although he didn’t have all the information Varian did. He touched his own face, staring into those deep brown eyes. 

     Varian heard something scratch across the smooth floor. Now that he was paying attention, he could hear breathing. It was low, traveling in and out of large lungs. Another scratch, probably against the wall. 

     “Eugene,” he hissed, tense. “We- we should leave.”

     “What?” He glanced at him, breaking away from the trance the painting seemed to have put him in. “What’s wrong?”

     “It’s- you’re-“ He licked his lips, lowering his voice. “Something else is in here.”

     “I don’t-“ He seemed to realize what he meant, because he cut his own sentence off. Of course Varian would be able to hear better than him. It was his whole thing. 

     “We need to get out of here,” he whispered more urgently, nudging his head towards the door. Eugene nodded, making his way over carefully while Varian watched the darker areas of the room. 

     Something shifted, and yellow eyes pierced through the shadows. 

     “MOVE!”

     Eugene ran out the door and Varian moved to follow, but something nearly slammed into him. Claws scraped across the floor, making a horrible noise. Eugene grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room, nearly picking him up in his panic. 

     “What the hell is that thing?!”

     “Noquestionsjustmove,” Varian rushed out, pushing him. They both started off down the hall, just as something tore the door off its hinges. Ruddiger squealed at the sound, and Varian’s grip tightened on Eugene’s hand. He chanced a look over his shoulder. 

     There was a bear chasing them. It was huge, with glowing yellow eyes. 

     It only had one arm. 

      Oh sweet cheese and crackers. 

     He was suddenly stuffed into another room, one hand clamped over his mouth. He almost yelped, before remembering what was happening. Eugene’s frightened face was in his peripherals, gaze glued to the closed door. Varian strained his ears, listening for their pursuer. 

     Nothing came. 

     “It’s gone,” he breathed, slumping into Eugene. The man let out a shaky sigh, moving his hand. 

     “I don’t like this place anymore,” the man groaned, rubbing at his face. 

     Varian swallowed, head still reeling with new information. 

     “Me neither.”

Chapter Text

     They’d been in the small room for a couple minutes now, both still trying to gather their wits. Eugene had his ear pressed to the door, trying to gauge the location of the thing that had attacked them, while Varian just sat on the floor with his back to the wall. 

     He was trying very hard not to freak out, and thus far wasn’t doing the best job. 

     Why did his uncles always almost kill him when he met them?

     “Coast is clear,” Eugene said finally, stepping away from the door. He ran his hands back through his hair, exhaling sharply through his teeth. His next move was to sit down next to Varian, leaning close without breaching his personal space. “You okay?”

      No. 

     “Eh.”

     “Understandable.” Eugene laughed awkwardly. “We were just chased by some monster.”

      Yeah. Your freaking dad. 

     “Eugene,” he began, voice coming out squeaky and quiet. He huffed, rubbing at his face. 

     His hands were shaking. 

     “Woah, hey.” Eugene took his hands carefully, holding them up between them. He squeezed, giving him an encouraging smile. “It’s okay, bud.”

     Varian whined, struggling to come up with any words. He tried to focus on the warmth of Eugene’s hands. His scent was familiar: expensive cologne, hair gel, and the musk of missing showers for a bit too long. He also smelled like fear.

     “It’s okay,” he said softly, shuffling closer. “You’re okay.”

     “I’m not,” he managed finally, gesturing frantically with his hands. “Eugene, that-“ How did he tell him? Did he tell him? Or was this the sort of thing you let stay buried in the creepy castle?

     “No rush, Goggles, but…” Eugene grimaced. “That thing’s still out there somewhere. We should probably go warn the others.”

      Then they’d just kill it, or it would kill them. And it would be the same song and dance as all those months ago, when people wanted to get rid of him.

     “I can’t.” He shook his head, hands flapping like he was trying to shake something off of them. “He’s huge, and- and I’d just be a fucking hypocrite-“

     “Woah woah woah, he?” Something in his friend’s eyes shifted. “What do you know that I don’t?”

     Varian just shook his head again, skin crawling. 

     “Hey, listen.” Eugene’s sturdy hand rested on his shoulder, providing a grounding presence. He blinked, looking up at him. “If you know something. If that’s- if that’s somebody. I’d really appreciate it if you tell me.”

     “The king,” he managed, making a conscious effort of slowing his breathing. “It’s the king. He… cursed himself, trying to get rid of the moonstone.”

     Silence. Eugene’s face fell, eyes growing sad. Because that was the same damn thing he’d done, hadn’t he? Cursing himself to try and get rid of the rocks. 

      Look where that had gotten the both of them. 

     “The king,” he parroted, thoughtful. “He was a friend of your dad’s, wasn’t he?”

     “Y-yeah.”

     “Then he can’t have been too awful a guy.” He squeezed his shoulder, giving him an encouraging smile. “We’ll help him however we can, okay?”

     “I don’t-“ Varian took a deep breath, letting it hiss through his teeth. “I don’t want anybody else to get hurt.”

     “We won’t. Lance and the girls can handle themselves, remember? The people on this trip were hand-picked for their skills.” He winked. “Including you.”

     “Yeah.” He smiled hesitantly. “I guess.”

     “Don’t sell yourself short, bud. You never cease to impress me. That, and you’re a pretty great friend.”

     The smile turned a little more real.

     “Thanks.”

     There was a roar, echoing from somewhere inside the castle. He could see the way Eugene stiffened. 

      He could help. He could actually do something. 

     His stupid curse didn’t have to be for nothing. 

     “Hey.” He grabbed Eugene’s hand before he could stand. “I’ll distract him, okay? Make sure everybody else is safe. I can keep him busy, maybe immobilize him until we find a solution.”

     “I don’t-“

     “Eugene.” His lips were drawn in a thin line. “I’m not a little kid anymore.”

     The man hesitated. It was so obvious that he hated the idea, that he wanted to shut it down fast, but he didn’t. He sighed, helping the teen up onto his feet. 

     “If you die, I’m gonna kill you.”

     He turned to open the door. 

     “And!”

     He glanced back at him again. Varian bit his lip, fresh secrets sitting on the tip of his tongue.  

     “You’ve… always been more like family,” he decided on instead, shoulders sagging a little. Eugene watched him for a moment, like he was waiting for there to be more. 

     Like he was waiting for the confirmation of something. 

     “Like an older cousin, or something,” he added lamely, shooting him an awkward thumbs up. 

     Eugene chuckled, giving him a weird look. 

     “Oddly specific,” he hummed, looking away again. “I always thought of it as more of a brother thing.”

     With that, he opened the door. 

     Varian hardly had a moment to react before he found himself following, wrist trapped in Eugene’s grip. They just stood there for a moment, listening to try and gauge which direction they needed to go in. Shouts came from their left, and then they were off skidding down the halls, barely able to stay upright with how slippery the floors were. 

      Why the hell were they made of the rocks? Whose idea was that?? Terrible design flaw. 

     They nearly ran right into Cass. 

     The woman whirled around, sword at the ready, and Eugene had to duck out of the way to avoid getting stabbed. 

     “Cass!” Varian cried, holding up his hands. “It’s okay! We’re us.”

     “Why didn’t your dad mention there was a fucking demon bear?” She hissed through clenched teeth. “That thing nearly took Lance’s head off!”

     “Luckily, there was no hair to be shaved,” the man added, peeking out from behind a suit of armor. Cass just rolled her eyes, lowering her weapon. 

     “Look,” Eugene huffed. “That thing? The old king. He’s cursed. So we should probably avoid murder if at all possible.”

     “You’ve got to be kidding.”

     “I am not.”

     “Where is he?” Varian interrupted, unbothered by the bickering. Cass looked up, about to answer, before he quickly shushed her. He strained his ears. 

     “Why ask if you’re just gonna cut me off-“

     “Let the kid do his thing.”

     Varian took a deep breath, remembering what his aunt had taught him about tracking. Follow the scent, look for disturbances in the scenery…

     He supposed all the knocked over statues were a start. 

     He took off running in the same direction. 

     Eugene grabbed Cass by the shoulders, forcing her to listen to him. 

     “I need you to make sure Rapunzel’s okay. No matter what, prioritize her, alright? Even if that thing’s about to tear me to shreds.”

     “Well that’s not hard.” She held up her hand before he could get too offended, smirking. “Kidding. Don’t die, Fitzherbert. I’ve just started to tolerate you.”

     “Likewise.” He patted her shoulder, shooting her a quick smile before taking off behind Varian. Cass grabbed Lance by the sleeve before following, dragging him along. 

     The teen had just caught up with the creature, and he was already starting to regret his whole plan. It was just there, roaming about like it owned the place (and he supposed it did). Rapunzel wasn’t anywhere to be seen, which meant she was safe. 

     Yellow eyes lifted, meeting his gaze. 

      Great. 

     “Okay.” He took a deep breath, trying not to spiral again. “Okay! Hi, uh- Your Highness. I think I’m your nephew. I mean, I am your nephew, you technically married into my family, so we’re not blood or anything, but who cares?”

     The bear snarled, lips drawn back over long, sharp fangs. 

     “Maybe you do!” He laughed awkwardly. “Ehem. Point is, I get it! We all have days where we feel like turning into huge beasts, sometimes literally-“ He let out a heavy sigh. “You don’t have to hurt anybody. Trust me, I’ve been there.” He held his hand out hesitantly. “We just wanna help. You want to get rid of the Moonstone, right? So do we!”

     Footsteps padded across the smooth floor. He turned towards the sound, and met a pair of green eyes. 

     “Varian?”

     Something slammed into him, knocking him onto his back and stealing the breath from his lungs. He wheezed- oh, that wasn’t good for his ribs- and blinked to try and clear his vision. The cursed king was on top of him, his one front paw pinning him down by his chest. 

     “VARIAN!”

     “Rapunzel!” 

     There were more footsteps, and then there were more hushed conversations as they followed the plan and tried to get everybody away. He looked up for a second, seeing Rapunzel struggling against Cass’s grip to try and reach him. 

     Hot breath blew his bangs back out of his face. He coughed, wrinkling his nose. 

     “I don’t even want to know what that smell is,” he groaned, letting his head flop back. The bear growled, claws tearing into the material of his shirt. 

     He growled in response. He wrapped both hands around the paw on his chest, letting his claws grow out and dig into the furry skin. This seemed to surprise it more than anything, and the paw lifted, before slamming back down and stealing his breath once again. Varian choked, stars dancing in his vision. 

     He felt a rib pop. He cried out, tears gathering suddenly on his lower lashes.

     “Hey!”

     The pressure on his chest lessened. He sagged into the floor, finally able to get a proper breath in, and turned toward the voice. 

     Eugene was standing a few feet away, sword held out in front of him. 

     The beast stepped away from Varian completely, turning its attention toward the young man instead. Eugene stepped back slowly, hands gripping the hilt of the sword so tightly he felt it might break. 

     “Don’t you hurt him,” he warned, forcing the shake out of his voice. “I don’t care if you’re- you’re a man, or anybody. Nobody hurts Varian and gets away with it.”

     The creature took another step closer, and he stepped back again. It was at least twice his height, and much bigger than he’d ever be able to handle. 

     But he wasn’t just going to leave Varian, no matter what the boy said. 

     The bear snarled again, raising a paw to swipe at him, and-

     And the hit didn’t come. It howled in pain, stumbling forward, and he hurried out of the way. A familiar gray shape was latched onto it, teeth digging into the skin of its back. 

     Varian stayed latched on even as the beast stood again, trying to shake him off. He dug his claws into its shoulders in an attempt to stabilize himself, letting his teeth sink in deeper. It yowled, grabbing at him with its one arm, but he didn’t budge. 

     He stayed on right up until it slammed its back into the wall, squishing him. His grip slipped, and then a paw was pinning him to the wall instead, long fangs inches from his face. He growled and snapped his teeth, clawing at the offending arm, but it was like it didn’t even feel it. It brought its paw back, then pushed, hitting his head against the wall. 

     Then again, and again. 

     “Stop it! STOP IT!”

     Pleas fell on deaf ears. Varian felt his head spin, vision blurring all over again. The paw left and he fell to the floor, and then claws were sinking into his shoulder, lifting him up like a rag doll. 

     “DAD!”

     He was dropped again. 

     The bear froze, glowing yellow eyes flickering in the moonlight. It looked up, meeting Eugene’s terrified face. 

     The man swallowed, holding his hands up to show he wasn’t holding the sword anymore. 

     “That’s what this is, right?” He huffed, scared out of his wits. “Varian’s really bad at being subtle, and- well, it would be a freaky coincidence if I just so happened to look a lot like some king that vanished around the time I was born.”

     It crawled closer, forgetting its previous target. Varian stayed limp on the floor, back to the small, frail shape of a battered child. 

     “If I’m wrong and this doesn’t work, I guess I earned this,” he chuckled, trailing off awkwardly. “Just- just don’t hurt him anymore.”

     Closer. He squeezed his eyes shut. 

     “…son?”

     His eyes snapped open. In the place of the terrifying beast from moments before, there stood an old man. He had long graying brown hair, with a mustache and scruffy beard to match. There was blood leaking from several tears in his shirt- a simple nightshirt, like he’d been heading to bed. 

     Eugene could only stare. The man stared back, a million emotions playing over his face. But as he opened his mouth again, Eugene heard a weak cough from the other side of the hall. 

      Varian. 

     So he abandoned his long lost father (holy shit) and he ran to his friend. The boy was curled up on his side, one arm wrapped around his torso. 

     “Shit,” he hissed, shaking hands hovering over the teen. Varian just blinked up at him. 

     “Don’t worry bout me,” he hummed, a bit delirious. “Knowing my track record, I’ll be fine and dandy in, like, an hour.”

     “Uh-huh. When you’re not on death’s doorstep, I’m gonna smack you.”

     “Maybe more than an hour, maybe a few days…”

     Eugene laughed, surprising himself with the sound. The laughter slowly dissolved into something more like silent cries, and he scooped Varian up into his arms. The boy rested his head against his shoulder, gazing past him. 

     “Guess you figured that out,” he whispered, no doubt watching the king who still only seemed half aware of what was going on. 

     “Mmhmm,” was the whimpered response. Varian sagged into him, raising a hand in an attempt to pat his back. 

     He patted his hip instead. 

     “Don’t worry,” he said lazily. “I won’t be too bad a cousin.”

Chapter Text

     For the first time in two and a half decades, a fireplace was lit in the castle. It wasn’t very grand, hardly enough to keep away the haunting chill of the halls, but the group was huddled around it anyways. It was silent, if not because of the currently resting alchemist then certainly because of the unexpected addition to the group. 

     King Edmund was seated closest to the fire, a ratty old cape draped over his shoulders like a blanket. 

     Eugene was staying as far from him as he could while still sticking close to the fire. Varian was leaned up against him, eyes fluttering every once in a while but mostly staying shut. Ruddiger was perched on his shoulders, tail tickling Eugene’s ear. True to his word, he’d already started to recover, but he was still left groggy and drained. Might have been the head trauma. 

     Cass was the one that was closer to the old king, her hand rested against the hilt of her sword. She was watching him carefully, as though he’d change back into a bear in the blink of an eye. 

     And maybe he would. They didn’t know. They had no clue what they were dealing with right now. All they knew was that, apparently, he was Eugene’s dad. 

     “Do you remember anything?” Rapunzel asked carefully, perched on an old chair they’d dragged over. “About what happened to you, or where everyone went?”

     Edmund stared into the flames. He hadn’t said much of anything since earlier, after the no doubt startling realization that his son was a fully grown adult. He had his hand against his chin, fingers stroking his beard.  

     “It was my fault,” he said eventually, not removing his gaze from the fire. “I brought this upon myself. Upon my family.” He seemed distant. “I was only trying to rid us of this damned plague.”

     “The moonstone?”

     “My forefathers sought to protect it, but I wanted it gone. I didn’t…” He hesitated, gaze dropping to the floor. “I didn’t want to raise my son in its shadow.”

     Eugene shifted, wrapping an arm around Varian. The boy snorted, fidgeting in his sleep, but he settled in his friend’s warm hold. 

     “Your Highness…” Rapunzel clasped her hands together, glancing about the group. “I think we can help. You see, things have changed since then. The Sundrop was used to heal my mother, and I have its powers. I can put a stop to this.”

     A baited breath was held amongst the group. King Edmund looked up, meeting her eyes for the first time. 

     “No.”

     Silence. Several of them looked away. Rapunzel just stared, almost thinking she’d misheard him. 

     “Sir, I can end this. I can get rid of it!”

     “Absolutely not.” He shook his head, resolute. “That stone’s caused too much harm. I won’t let it do anything else.”

     “Exactly! I can do that! Believe me, I know how much it’s hurt people. There are- are these rocks in Corona, like the ones that make the castle. They’re hurting livestock, destroying whole villages.” Her gaze flicked to Varian, before returning to the tired old man before her. “With all due respect, Your Majesty-“

     “Edmund is fine.”

     “-you can’t just expect me to do nothing!”

     Edmund stood, and Rapunzel flinched. Cass stood as well, grip tightening on her sword, but when the man made no more move towards the princess, she backed off. Edmund just watched the young woman, seeming sad. 

     “I knew your parents,” he admitted. “Frederic was a dear friend. Arianna and my wife used to have tea.” His face only grew more sad. “You remind me more of your mother than your father. Frederic’s always been hesitant to do what needs to be done. He never liked taking risks.” He shook his head. “But I’d side with him on this. No risk should come at your child’s life.”

     “You don’t understand,” she insisted. “This is my destiny. This is- is what I can do to help my people! I have to do this.”

     “Destiny isn’t real.” The old king sat back down, pulling the cloak further over himself. “We make our own choices. I used to think I would be the king to save my kingdom. Now, it doesn’t exist anymore.” He returned his gaze to the fire. “I won’t take you to the moonstone, princess. I won’t have it taking anything else from the people I love.”

     Eugene looked up, meeting Rapunzel’s gaze. There was something vulnerable in his eyes. He was still reeling from all of this, still in shock, but…

     But if she didn’t know better, she’d say he agreed with his father. 

     Of course, he didn’t say so. Eugene didn’t like to argue with her. He’d cemented himself as her number one supporter, always having her back. So even as he stared at her with a clear look of devastation, like the idea of something happening to her would actually break him, he didn’t say a word. He just continued to watch her, hoping she’d come to the same conclusion. 

     She stood there for a moment, staring back. 

     Varian stirred. 

     “Gene,” he grunted, rubbing tiredly at his face. His friend helped him sit up better, finally breaking the tense staring contest with his girlfriend in favor of helping his little cousin. He brushed the hairs out of his eyes, a soft look on his face. 

     “Hey, bud,” he greeted, smiling. “How’re you feeling?”

     “Less like shit,” Varian hummed, grimacing. Ruddiger moved so he was more evenly laid out across his shoulders, rubbing his face against his neck. He squinted at the fire, processing where they were, before his gaze flicked towards the king. The man had looked up when he’d started to move, but he’d quickly looked away once he was aware. Varian managed a weak wave. “Hey.”

     “Hello.” Reluctantly, the king looked back at him. He pointedly didn’t meet Eugene’s gaze, even as it bored into his head. “You’re Quirin’s son.”

     “Did they tell you?”

     “You look like your mother.”

     Varian laughed, surprising everyone including himself. 

     “Uncle Hector said the same thing,” he admitted, nose wrinkling with a sort of sad amusement. “He said it’s almost a perfect match.”

     “Not quite.” Edmund’s sharp eyes looked him over. “You remind me a great deal of Quirin when he was young. He was quite scrawny when he was young. Didn’t get to be the brawn of the Brotherhood until he was in his twenties.”

     Varian blinked, then laughed again. It trailed off with a slight wheeze, and he leaned into Eugene again. 

     “He didn’t mention that. Neither did my dad. Guess I’ll have to ask him about it.”

     “Varian.” The boy looked up, attention shifting to Rapunzel. The princess had been quiet for a moment, and she was shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. There was something off in her gaze when she looked at him. 

     “Yeah?”

     “Can I borrow you for a second?” She rubbed her arm. “Just a quick walk. I won’t keep you for too long, you need rest.”

     “Nah.” He stood, brushing Eugene off when the man grew concerned. “I’m all good. Up for walking, running- maybe not running but yeah! Let’s go!”

     He made his way over, looping an arm through hers and not quite catching the way she stiffened at the contact. The pair exited the room before anyone else could really comment, escaping into the empty hallway. 

     Rapunzel didn’t say anything at first, while Varian glanced back at the door they’d left through, sagging a little. 

     “Maybe we should have grabbed Cass and Lance,” he mumbled, brow pinching. “So Eugene can talk with his dad. But I don’t want him to feel trapped either.”

     “This is good.” Rapunzel smiled, showing more teeth than usual. “We haven’t really gotten to spend much time together, lately. We can leave them to it for a bit.”

     “Yeah.” 

     He followed after her as she picked a random direction, wandering through the long, winding halls. After a moment, their arms untangled, Varian’s falling to his side awkwardly as he finally picked up on the stiffness of his friend. He side-eyed her, hesitant to bring it up as he noticed the pinched look in her face. He… felt like he’d missed something. 

     “Oh!” He brightened, noticing something else. “Is that my bag?”

     “Yes!” Rapunzel reached to lift the satchel up over her head, holding it out for him. He accepted it gratefully, slinging it over his shoulder and feeling much better when he had his hand over the flap. Ruddiger moved so he was perched on the opposite shoulder, bapping Rapunzel with his tail. The princess smiled, patting his head. 

     “I’d worried I’d lost it,” he admitted, going to check the contents. “There’s lots of dangerous stuff in here, I can’t just leave it lying around…”

     He trailed off, noticing a slight heaviness in his chest. His steps faltered, pausing for a moment, and Rapunzel took notice. She stopped completely, watching him intently. 

     He pressed a hand to his chest, wincing. 

     “What’s wrong?”

     “Dunno,” he admitted. “Just… yeah. Probably something from earlier. I was thrown around a lot.”

     “Right.” Rapunzel bit her lip, looking around. They’d gotten to the end of the hallway, where they could either go right or left. Varian stared down the one hall, lips curled in a slight grimace. 

     Swallowing, Rapunzel turned to go down that one, and he followed without thought. 

     This happened a couple more times, not that he really read into it. The heaviness in his chest grew worse, like there was a weight dropping into the empty cavity. He could feel his bones growing heavy, limbs weary. But Rapunzel kept going. Her face was pinched again, half-nervous half-determined. He really wasn’t sure what she was thinking about, or what had happened before he’d woken up, but she seemed really torn up about it. 

    “We should probably go back.”

     They were standing in the middle of a circular room, one with two large doors on the other end. The whole place just screamed off limits, and those doors were filling him with a sense of dread. The scowling faces of his ancestors were staring at him from all angles, with huge, menacing statues placed about the room. But Rapunzel wasn’t looking at any of that. Her gaze was pinned on the doors. 

     “Rapunzel?” He fiddled with the strap of his bag. “We've been gone a while. They might be getting worried.”

     “We’ll go back in a minute,” was the clipped response, as she refused to meet his eyes. She crossed the room, making her way toward the door with one hand out of sight. He followed behind her, sharing a brief look with his raccoon. Rapunzel pushed the doors open, slipping in between them, and he went to follow. 

     They didn’t open. 

     His heartrate spiked. 

     “Rapunzel!” He cried, pushing on the doors again. They gave a little, but wouldn’t open, only swaying slightly at his touch like they were… 

     Stuck together. 

     He slammed his fists against the doors. 

     “RAPUNZEL!”

     “Stay out!” Her voice was muffled through the door, but it was clear as day even as his heart pounded in his ears. It was shaky, like she was trying not to cry. “Don’t come in here, it’ll hurt you!”

     “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” He grabbed the handles again, shaking them. “Please, Rapunzel. Just- just come out here. Do you have the dissolving solution? Let’s talk about this. Here, I- I can slip it under the door if you don’t.”

     “No.” He flinched, hands leaving the handles like he’d been burned. “I don’t need your help! This is- it’s my destiny. I’m the one that has to make everything right!”

     That only sent him further into a panic. This was about the moonstone. The thing that had caused all these problems in the first place. The thing that, apparently, hurt him just as badly as the decay incantation. 

     “I’m sorry!” She cried through the door. “I’m so sorry! But it was- Varian, everybody else just gave up. After everything we’ve been through, they weren’t going to find the stone. Edmund doesn’t want me to get rid of it.”

     “There’s probably a reason!” He insisted, pressing himself into the doors. If he peeked right between the doors, he could see the way she was still right on the other side, hesitant to go any further. The glow of the moonstone filled the room. “We can find another solution! We can figure out how it works, maybe run some tests-“

     “We don’t have any time! Varian, your village is dying. Our kingdom is dying! If we don’t do anything, we let down all those people! I let down all those people! And I won’t!” Her breath hitched. “This has caused so much suffering. You and your dad, your home. Your curse. And now Eugene! He never even got to meet his parents! He grew up all alone, all because of some stupid rock. My dad couldn’t do anything, but I can. I’m going to do something.”

     “No you aren’t!” He kicked at the door, and it gave a little more, like the sticky solution was stretching. “Rapunzel! Whatever they said, they’re right! It’s not your responsibility! Please just come out, you’re scaring me!”

     “I’m gonna make this right.”

     “NO!” He scooped Ruddiger off his shoulders, making sure he was out of the way and safe before he rammed his shoulder into the door. It shook, echoing through the hall, and he felt the ache it left behind in his whole upper arm. 

     “Just stay out there,” Rapunzel pleaded. “I can’t let you get hurt anymore. Not for me.”

     “Rapunzel, I swear if you don’t open this door-“

     “Varian please! This is my chance to make up for everything! It was my fault Cass lost her arm, and my fault you lost your aunt and uncle! For once in my goddamn life I just want to do something right!”

     “You did! You do!” He slammed into the doors again. “You’re my friend! That’s all I care about!”

     She didn’t respond again. He gritted his teeth, grabbing onto the handles. His teeth sharpened as he growled, pushing as hard as he could. Ruddiger scurried back and he pushed forward, desperate to break through. 

     They finally gave, crashing open, and he stumbled forward. He barely caught himself, one hand supporting him against the floor, and he looked up. 

     A flash of blue exploded in front of him, sending him flying backward and right back out the doors. He landed hard, knocking the wind from his lungs. 

     Around him, the castle began to crumble. 

Chapter Text

     The first thing he registered was the way the floor shook beneath him. Cracking and crumbling noises echoed in the spacious room, rattling his very bones. He struggled to sit up, whole body trying to glue itself to the floor after that blast, but he had to make sure she was okay. If she wasn’t, if his worst fears had come true and he hadn’t been able to help her-

     A hand stopped him before he could move any further. 

     “Varian.” Cassandra’s frightened face appeared in his vision, and he realized she’d crouched next to him. She seemed out of breath, like she’d run the whole way here. 

     “Cass,” he said breathlessly, still frazzled and panicked. He moved again, trying to push past her, but her hand against his chest kept him in place. Her wide eyes flitted over his figure, searching him for injuries. 

     “We need to move,” she said urgently. “Can you stand?”

     “Can I- yeah, I can stand. But we-“

     “Eugene’s got it,” she said vaguely, cutting him off before his mind could wander. She moved her hand to grab his instead, pulling him up onto his feet. “This place is coming down on top of us. Lance is getting the king to safety.”

     “But Rapunzel-“

     “I’m getting you out of here.” Glancing over her shoulder and finding something that seemed to put her a bit at ease, she surprised him with a swift motion, scooping him up with her one arm and lifting him over her shoulder like he weighed nothing. He yelped, flailing, but she kept her grip as tight as she could. “Make this easy on me, okay?”

     “I can run for myself!” He cried, but he grabbed onto her as she started to run, heart leaping to his throat. Ruddiger hopped on as they ran past, and he held him tight in his arms, staring at the retreating chamber as they escaped down the hall. 

     The glowing energy of the moonstone had disappeared, and its pedestal had already fallen into the chasm below. 

     The second thing he noticed was that Eugene was running behind them. He had someone thrown over his shoulder, and closer examination proved that it was Rapunzel. The only reason he hesitated coming to the conclusion was because she… didn’t exactly look like Rapunzel. 

     Her hair had been cut and returned to the same brown as her mom’s. 

     He hardly had time to process this, as Cass finally dropped him and grabbed his arm instead, face pinched from overexerting herself. 

     “Just stick close,” she grunted, tugging for him to follow. And he did. He kept Ruddiger tucked under one arm and held onto her hand with the other, forcing himself to look ahead instead of peeking behind him. They approached the main doors, with them already thrown open as Lance waved frantically at them from the bottom of the stairs. Cass pushed him to run faster and he did, nearly tripping over his feet as they neared the exit. 

     Cass hurried down the stairs, hand slipping out of his, and he followed all the way to the bottom step. A sudden creaking noise made him turn, and he caught the crack in the archway holding up the doors. He reached into his bag, sifting through for the right alchemy ball, before pulling it out and throwing it as quickly as he could. It caught the debris before it could fall, keeping the doorway intact long enough for Eugene to follow after them. 

     Only moments after they were all out, the last pieces of the once great castle fell to the ground in a horrible cacophony of noises. They all just stood there, out of breath and still only just realizing what had happened. 

     From somewhere behind them, footsteps thumped against the remains of the pathway. Varian didn’t think anything of it until arms wrapped around him, lifting him off his feet. He yelped, head spinning at the sudden movement, but he hardly had a chance to do anything else. Someone was fretting over him, grabbing his face and trapping it in place. 

     His heart nearly stopped in his chest. 

     Adira was peering down at him, face riddled with worry. Behind her, Hector was practically bouncing on his heels, eager to do his own inspection. 

     And Varian-

     “No.”

     He twisted in her hold at the sound of Eugene’s voice, panic gripping his heart. Adira only held him tighter and he struggled, flailing against her arms. 

     He was stronger than last time he’d seen her. He broke free in a matter of seconds, stumbling before righting himself and hurrying over to his friends. The shock of seeing his aunt and uncle was nothing but sand beneath the waves threatening to pull him under at the sight of Rapunzel, motionless in Eugene’s arms. His cousin was clinging to her, struggling to hold back sobs as his frame trembled. Cass stood a few inches away, hand held over her mouth. 

     “No no no,” Eugene whispered. “No, please Rapunzel. Please. You-“ His voice cracked. “You promised you wouldn’t leave me.”

     Varian stood rooted to the ground, static blaring in his ears. He watched Eugene smooth Rapunzel’s hair back out of her eyes with shaking hands, watched him crumble as she didn’t react. 

     He watched as Lance gently pried his best friend’s hands away, somehow keeping his wits. He checked for a pulse as Eugene held himself back, biting his lip so hard that the skin reddened. 

     Something in Lance’s posture softened, and Varian felt his own stomach untwist. 

     “She has a pulse,” he confirmed. Eugene sobbed, clinging to Rapunzel again, and Lance didn’t interfere. He backed off with a weathered look, like he was decades older. 

     Varian didn’t even realize his legs had given out until his hands were against the cold rocky ground. He stared down at them, at the old burn scars from a clumsy kid who’d been spent his days holed up in a lab. 

     God, he wished he’d never left his lab. 

     On the backs of Hector’s bearcats, they made it back to Sylvia in a matter of hours. The old woman seemed surprised when they arrived, but she’d quickly ushered them inside when she caught sight of the princess. 

     That was hours ago. 

     Now, Varian sat by himself again. Everyone else was buzzing around like bees, unable to sit still for even a second. No one had even come looking for him, not that he’d gone very far. The roof of the house was easily accessible when one had claws at their disposal. 

     He was holding onto Ruddiger, face buried in his fur. The stress of the day had set alight a fire beneath his skin, one he’d be scratching at to break free if not for his friend’s fuzzy distraction. Even still, his foot bounced against the thatched roof, fingers digging deep into the fabric of his sleeves. 

     Rapunzel had almost died. 

     Rapunzel… still might die. 

     And he’d- she’d-

     She’d used him. And he’d been too stupid to stop it. 

     He’d been too stupid to save her. 

     “It’s my fault,” he whispered, fighting back tears for the dozenth time. “I- god. Why can’t I stop screwing up?”

     Ruddiger’s beady eyes stared up at him. Varian huffed out a shaky breath, rubbing at his eyes. 

     “They’d be better off if I’d just- I dunno.” He sighed, lifting Ruddiger up and readjusting his legs. “If Creighton would’ve aimed better.”

     No argument came. Ruddiger made a face, but he couldn’t really say anything to the contrary. The wind whistled through the trees, rustling the leaves. 

     Varian closed his eyes, breathing in through his nose. He could hear the others from inside the house. Their voices were soft and low, but he could make out the words like they were seated next to him. 

     “Is this the best idea? We don’t actually know this lady all that well. She could hurt her.”

     “She saved Varian, didn’t she? Took care of him, too.”

     “Yeah, and the kid’s been weird ever since. I don’t trust her.”

     “We don’t have much of a choice.”

     He opened his eyes, catching the shadows of their movement in the light cast out the windows. He rubbed at his face again, dissatisfied with the way his skin still itches with wrong, and climbed his way towards the outer wall he knew had the least amount of windows. He helped Ruddiger up onto his shoulders before hopping down, landing almost silently before hurrying into the surrounding trees. 

     He wasn’t running away! He just… needed some space so he could try and clear his head. 

     Ruddiger chittered away in his ear, glancing back at the retreating shape of the house. He ignored him, although he did raise a hand to stroke through his fur. 

     When he’d woken up the morning after his first transformation, all those months ago, he’d laid in the grass for what felt like hours. He’d wished the earth would swallow him whole, wished he’d never have to face anyone again. He’d never felt comfortable in his small, skinny body. When his dad was his dad, a mountain of a man with muscles to spare, he’d always felt like something about him was wrong. 

     But next to trees that towered over even the king himself, he’d never felt off. Everybody was smaller than the trees. Even now, after he’d hit his growth spurt and stood only inches shorter than Eugene, he still felt the same as he walked past them. 

     Maybe it was the isolation and the distance between him and anybody judgy. Maybe it was that feral part of him that preferred the woods to town anyways. 

     How much more peaceful had it been when he was just a wolf?

     He pushed the thought away. His friends were more important to him than anything else. They were family, in the same way that his dad was. He’d found an aunt and two uncles on this journey, and he’d found a cousin in one of his best friends. 

     If he’d died back in Corona, he wouldn’t have any of that. And despite his own raging thoughts, he knew that without him, they wouldn’t have made it to where they were now. His aunt and uncle wouldn’t have reconciled, Eugene wouldn’t have gotten his father back. His dad would have been all alone. 

     His dad… was all alone. And he hadn’t written back to him in months. 

     He blew out a breath, resting an arm against the nearest tree. Ruddiger chittered again, pawing anxiously at his cheek, and he sighed. 

     “I’m going back,” he assured him, waving a hand. “I just needed a second. Jeez, you’re so pushy, you know that?”

     Ruddiger swatted his ear and he rolled his eyes. 

      “You know what?” He huffed, lifting the raccoon up off his shoulders and setting him on the ground. “You’re walking back.”

     He started off before Ruddiger could react, picking his pace up a bit so he wouldn’t have the chance to climb back up. He heard an indignant chirp from behind him and ducked his head, poorly concealing his smile. 

     The smile had faded by the time he got back to the house, but he still felt lighter than before. He paused a moment at the door, hand hovering over the knob. 

     It was silent inside. 

     He glanced back over his shoulder. Ruddiger had caught up, but he was preoccupied with messing with the chickens. Varian decided to leave him to his fun and opened the door, wincing at the obnoxious noise it made. 

     Adira and Hector were standing guard when he entered. Hector softened at the sight of him, dropping his stoic demeanor for a sort of weathered relief. Adira remained tall and stern, looking him over as though he were a potential threat. 

     For some reason, it made him feel stronger. 

     “Of course,” she said, and her neutral face gave way to a smile. “You kids managed to destroy our ancestral home in a matter of minutes.”

     “It’s what we do best,” Varian admitted, attempting a joking smile. “We did bring your tree down in, like, a morning.”

     “And I still have nowhere to live,” Hector huffed, leaning against the wall. The attempted smile vanished and the man stood tall again, waving a hand. “Which is okay! I’m a wanderer. I’m not meant to stay in one place for too long, so you really did me a solid.”

     “And-“ Varian swallowed. “And you didn’t die, so that’s… something.”

     “You thought we died?”

     Adira leveled Hector with a look. He withered under it easily, looking away with a frown. 

     “I was badly injured,” Adira explained. “Hector had to stay behind to help me recover. By the time we’d started on the road, there wasn’t any trace of you. It had only been a few days, so we figured you had to be close by. We searched all the way from here back to Corona.”

     “And we weren’t there,” Varian finished, feeling like something had taken his lungs and squeezed the air out. 

     “So we returned to the Dark Kingdom,” she said, nodding. “In the hopes that you’d ended up there on your own.”

     “Which is a hell of a good coincidence,” Varian breathed, rubbing his arm. “It’s, uh- good to see you.”

     “I wish we could’ve reunited under better circumstances,” she hummed, smiling sadly. “I see you do take after your father. He was smaller than me until we hit 16.”

     “He’s still smaller than us,” Hector recalled, crossing his arms. “He just overcompensated by getting all beefed up.”

     “I’d advise you against doing that,” Adira added, nodding. “It wouldn’t be a good look for you. It isn’t really for him, if I’m being honest.”

     “It isn’t,” Hector agreed. “There’s a reason I always won most desirable of the Brotherhood. A shame. The ladies could look, but they could never touch.”

     Adira gave him another look. Despite the no doubt grim scene a room over, Varian felt his chest grow warm. 

     He’d missed his aunt and uncle an awful lot. 

     “Was Uncle Edmund included in the competition?” Varian piped up, hiding a mischievous smile. 

     “No,” Adira answered, cutting Hector off before he could. “They never wanted to include royalty in the runnings. Worried it’d cause an uproar of some sort. Otherwise, Hector wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

     Hector made a noise, scandalized, and Adira grinned. 

     Varian smiled, watching the pair bicker, but it was difficult to keep his mood up. His gaze strayed past them, lingering on the closed door to the spare bedroom. 

     Adira noticed, making some gesture that Hector immediately understood. They both backed away from the door. 

     “You know you’re welcome inside,” she assured him. And he hesitated, staring the door down like it might try and bite him, so she added, “They want you there.”

     He shifted from foot to foot, fiddling with his sleeves. After a tense moment, he let out a breath, walking forward. Hector leaned over to open the door for him. 

     When he walked in, Cass was seated in a chair by the door. She was slumped forward a bit, arm folded in her lap, but her eyes were open. She looked dreadfully tired. Eugene was by the bed in a chair of his own, sitting with his arms folded on the mattress and his head propped up between them. He was holding onto one of Rapunzel’s hands. 

     He exchanged a look with Cass as he entered. She nodded, lacking the energy to try a smile, and he nodded back. He found Eugene awake as well when he walked over, but he wasn’t aware enough to notice his presence. He was simply staring ahead, watching the gentle rising and falling of Rapunzel’s chest. Lance and the king were somewhere else, presumably getting some rest. 

     Carefully, Varian crossed around the bed and stood behind Eugene. He tapped him lightly on the shoulder, before resting his hand there. 

     “You should get some rest,” he whispered, hovering awkwardly over him. Eugene didn’t reply, but he did shake his head, making some muffled noise. 

     Varian looked up. Cass was watching them with a frown. When she noticed his attention on her, she shook her head as well. 

     He’s refusing to move. 

     Varian bit his lip. He leaned back down, squeezing Eugene’s shoulder. 

     “I’ll watch her. I-“ He swallowed, grip tightening. “I promise.”

     There was a beat of silence. For a moment, Varian worried he’d actually fallen asleep. But then he moved, slowly pulling his hand away from Rapunzel’s. His movements were long and lethargic, and Varian helped him when he went to stand. Eugene stared down at him with red-rimmed eyes and Varian pulled him closer, wrapping him in a hug. 

     His cousin/big brother/best friend melted into the hug, letting almost all his weight sag into it. Varian stood perfectly still, unbothered by the extra weight. 

     “I’ve got it,” he whispered, feeling his friend tremble in his arms. “I won’t let anything bad happen to her.” He added some pressure to the hug, careful not to squeeze too hard. “…brother’s honor.”

     Eugene shuddered. After another moment, he pulled away, rubbing at his eyes. Cass had made her way over and was ready to help him out. Eugene let her take his arm, shooting Varian a grateful look as he left. 

     While Cass was away, it was just him and Rapunzel. He sat down in Eugene’s chair, scooting it closer. She looked peaceful in the bed, dressed in one of Sylvia’s old nightgowns. Her short brown hair was fanned out against the pillow like a halo. 

     Her face was pale with tired bruises under her eyes, making her look sickly. When he hesitantly took her hand, the only warmth was what was left over from Eugene. 

     Still, he didn’t let go. He held on tight, trying to lend her some of his warmth. Her breathing continued on at a steady pace like she was just sleeping, but she didn’t react to his presence. 

     “I’m here,” he announced quietly, keeping her hand between both of his. “I’m not going anywhere, this time. And I-“ He glanced back at the door. Cass was still gone. “I’m sorry. I wish you could’ve been honest with me. I wish we could’ve figured out some better way to stop this mess- together. You said we were all a team.”

     She remained still, free hand folded over the bed sheets. He sighed, pressing his forehead to their hands. 

     “I’m not- I’m not mad at you. For using me to get the stone. I know why you did it. I know you didn’t want to hurt me.” He rubbed his thumbs back and forth, shoulders drooping. “I forgive you.”

     The moon shone through the window. Varian propped his elbows against the mattress, holding her hand between his and resting his chin against them. At some point, the door creaked with Cass’s arrival, but he didn’t look up. 

     He was going to keep his promise to Eugene if it killed him.