Authors note: Slight change of perspective going down in this chapter along with some…er…well yeah anyway warning you now for what lies ahead.

CH.10: Road to Kelvin Keep part 2

"Alright that is far enough!" The booming voice seems to echo off the walls of the path up ahead and Varian immediately recognizes the voice with dread.

"I know that voice…he was the one that roughed me up." Varian kept on guard as he couldn't shake the feeling they were surrounded…but maybe he was just being paraonoid.

"Huh…must be one of Anthony's lackeys. Keep close kid…we don't want to get…oof." Varian hears an attack land on Eugene, either that or he stubbed his toe. Hearing his body roll past him he imagines that is the female who attacked, given how they hadn't heard her approach.

"You know you'd be rather cute…if not for your nose. And you sweetie…still can't see huh?" Varian stiffened at how she called him 'sweetie' not something to perk up over.

"Hey…this nose happens to be one of a kind. And if you two would just let us pass by…I will forget I even heard that comment." Eugene picks himself up and Varian can hear the guy getting closer…he was not one to mess with.

"Heh…think we are letting you anywhere near Kelvin, think again. Anthony is set for a very important date…one that cannot be interrupted. This is as far as you go." He cracks his knuckles and the hair on the back of Varian's neck stands on end. Perhaps it was part instinct or part luck but he dives for the ground just as his massive fists swing overhead. Kicking out with his leg he hears the larger man groan and he hopes that Eugene manages to hear him.

"Eugene…if you can hear me make a break for it. I will hold them here." He figured Eugene would be the better man for the job stopping the wedding over him.

"No way kid…I had my journey and got the girl…it is your turn now. Don't worry…I got this." Varian hesitated and the guy picks him up then throws him along the path.

"I'll give you a head start…shouldn't be too hard to catch one blind as a bat. This won't take long." He moves on and Varian knows he should stay and fight…but…if he was going to stop this wedding he needed to get going.

"You'd better have this…cause I can't do this alone Eugene." Varian can barely make out the road ahead but reaching out he just goes along with the wall hoping that it will lead him to Kelvin Keep.

"Wrong move taking the both of us on." Eugene saw that, he really did…but he was just the supporting man in this tale…and he was ok with that.

"Oh I am sure I will regret this…very much. You seem to fail to see that I am not without my ways." Eugene flashed a smile and even did a smolder at the female.

"I would be flattered…but…you just aren't my type." She then aims a kick at him sending him along the ground.

"Right…bet you are more musclehead's type and all. I get it…won't make that mistake again." Seems his smolder had fallen short since he went straight and non-thief like.

"Actually she passed on me as well. I don't think you quite understand the meaning behind-." He says or begins to say but the female cuts him off.

"If he hasn't figured it out now there is no point in spelling it out for him. So, Eugene is it…what is so special about this kid? What makes him worth putting your life on the line?" She readies her weapon but doesn't move on him.

"That kid has more heart than anyone I have ever met. He is in love with a girl and even blind and knowing his chances he still goes after her to stop her from marrying the wrong guy. He isn't the type of guy who thinks of a girl as property or someone to take her away from all she loves and cares…he wants her to be happy. Yeah…so…to answer your question I would put my life on the line time and again if it will give him a shot at true happiness."

Eugene watches the two as they exchange looks. Perhaps his word had meaning, perhaps they might see that Anthony isn't all he is cracked up to be. The guy moves towards him then unleashes a few attacks on him. Eugene feels his breath taken from him and he tries to block the attacks but his face winds up bruised and beaten as he coughs up blood as he is struck again and again.

Rolling his body along the next attack he is sent to the ground as he braces himself, his breath labored. The chill didn't help any and without a weapon how was he to stand against them? Wait…didn't he have..?

"Much fun as this is…we do have somewhere to be." The bigger guy says. He goes to pull him by the back of his head and he laughs.

"Do you always have to talk so tough? I get it, muscles and everything…but I bet there is a softie somewhere deep inside, am I right?" Eugene smiles past the blood lining his lip. This guy did not hold back and each strike he delivered caused his face a mesh of hurt. Honestly he and not been in this bad of shape since Mother Gothel did him in with that knife.

"Go on and chase after the kid…I got this." The guy says. He stares down at him and he glowers but it is kind of hard doing with one functioning eye.

"Very well…make it clean and fast though." The female nods her head before she races off with her lithe figure. She'd be…nope…he was with Rapunzel and his girl chasing days were over.

"Heh…not really my style but circumstances the way they are might as well." Eugene takes this chance to pull away from him and he aims a few punches at him but winds up shaking his fist.

"Ok…I maybe a bit out of practice but give me some time…it should come back to me." Eugene tries again but the guy catches his arm and pulls it back and Eugene strains as his mouth is open in a silent guy scream.

"You talk too much…and…you have the option of either bleeding out lying in the snow buried for no one to find…or…I throw you off this cliff and you can have time to scream out your lungs. Which will it be?"

"Huh…you know back in my day as a thief such options were never given. Hmm, I may need to think on that a bit. Bleed out again alone or fly off a cliff…is there an option where you just leave me be?"

"Do not take too long." The guy furrows a brow. Eugene ponders a bit more though perhaps that was not the wisest decision on his part.

The guy continues with his grip on his arm and he bites his tongue and regrets doing that as he bleeds a bit more. "Er…point taken. Given how my body has already been busted and all…thrown from the cliff it is." Eugene is picked up over the guy's head and as they near the edge he looks down not really being able to see the bottom from this height.

Well Blondie, looks like this is it for me. I really am sorry for not telling you sooner about all this, yeah, if the me now told the past me about this he would be laughing and shaking his head at the impossibility of it all. I am a better man though because of you and for that I can never really repay you. I was hoping someday to marry you and for us to start our lives…maybe even have your father look at me not as a walking idiot but someone worthy of his daughter's hand. Cassandra isn't is as bad as I thought and Varian, the kid has guts truly worth of the tale of Flynn Rider, not me. I hope that Varian finds the same happiness that I found with you when he rescues Cassandra. Maybe it'll be Cassandra rescuing Varian, I'm not gender set on who does the rescuing. Anyway…least I met you Rapunzel…for now my life is complete.

Eugene then is thrown off the cliff and he braces himself for the after. Kind of hard imagining what that will be but all in all what an adventure…

Varian is scrambling along now as he can hear someone chasing after him. He had no idea what had befallen Eugene and he didn't wish to think much on it. His breathing was labored and he hears a twang of sort before he is launched forward with a pain shooting through his shoulder. Grunting as his body hit the ground hard he pushes up with one hand only to find a boot against his back.

"You made good ground…for being blind. Do you have any last words? I imagine your friend had quite a many before Bruno went and did your friend in…took his life and all. You know we at Kelvin Keep unlike those of Corona do not take prisoners."

Varian can feel her boot on him but also her hand twisting the arrow lodged in his shoulder. The pain was almost unbearable but he knew that if he let himself break down now he'd be wasting time and time was something he didn't have a lot of.

"Look, the girl I love is going to marry some jerk who is only using her for a title. So, if you do not let me go she will surely wind up miserable and unloved. You know Anthony's character…tell me if I am wrong."

Varian waits a beat but it is clear she is hesitating. Varian blinks a bit as he feels tears slipping down his face.

"Haven't you ever loved someone but that person didn't feel the same way you did? Cassandra does not love me…she may never love me but that will not stop me from fighting for her. All I am asking for is a chance to save her…and whatever comes after I am willing to accept it." Varian waits again wondering what is going on in that head of hers. He still had no idea how she looked but if he had to guess it would be confused.

"Very well Varian…perhaps this once I will take a prisoner. I do know what it feels like to love someone and not have their affection returned. You must really love this girl if you are willing to put up with all this." She hauls him up and he is grateful…though at the moment that arrow as not making things easy.

"I am. And Eugene…you were joking about the no prisoner part right?" Varian can sense her hesitancy as she pushes him along and he feels a pang of regret over bringing Eugene along. Rapunzel was going to kill him. That or banish him. As they proceed on he can hear a crow in the distance indicating they were close to Kelvin Keep…and closer to his destiny.

Authors note: Well…quite a turn of events am I right? Next chapter as Cassandra prepares for her wedding to Anthony…it'll be up to Varian to stop it, though he isn't quite clear on that yet. Question though that will have to waited on is…did Eugene fall or not, hmm, leave that to you the reader and answer will be revealed in a few chapters.