Guess who is awfully sorry to have been on a hiatus and left you on a cliffhanger ?...

I'm baaaaaack, and I hope some of you are still there and still happy to read more about Varian's emotional journey ! I've been missing the little guy, and been missing writing and interacting with you guys, but sometimes life takes us astray... I'm saying that in a good way too, but I promised you an ending, and also I really want to tell the whole story (you may even get... 2 endings! Yup, you read that right !)

Anyway, I hope you'll forgive me for not having been there lately, and that you are all doing well, despite the circumstances, Civod and all...

Oh, and there's one character I know you are eager to hear of again... Let me know in the comments !

CHAPTER 98

Varian kept his glassy eyes cast to the floor, as he dragged his feet along the thick carpets. The ceiling had never looked higher, the narrow hallways emptier. Even though he knew this day would come, the teen felt like he was just stuck inside a nightmare, living something that could not be real, a situation that could not be happening to him. He was barely aware of the Captain of the guards steadily marching in front of him, and even less conscious of Phil and Alden's presence on his heels.

He missed Arianne so much. He knew she would be sitting in Court, next to the King, resuming her role as Queen. He didn't even get to see her much before the trial, since she was still recovering from her pneumonia. The thought didn't help his tortured insides that were already contorting painfully through a type of fear he had never known before.

The small party made it to the Court room, which was actually the throne room that had many purposes, metamorphosing under the Royals' will from a dazzling party venue to an austere hearing study for unhappy subjects, or to the grim place for trials and convictions it would be today.

Varian gave a start as he realized he was facing the side door. An unbidden, familiar feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, cold and harsh, just like his father had been, at the very same place, some months ago. An eternity.

"That's enough, Varian !"

Quirin's booming, stern voice still resonated in Varian's ears, like the roar of an angry beast, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Come to think of it, their relationship had kept plummeting since that day. Not that it was great before that, but it had noticeably become worse and worse. Until they had that final argument, unable to understand each other one more time, drawing a merciless last drift between them.

And then, the amber took Varian's father away, and with him, his last chance to patch things up with his Dad.

"Varian ?"

The boy's glazed look hovered for a moment before connecting with reality again, and blue-steel eyes meet green.

"Are you with me, buddy ?"

Phil was kneeling in front of him, his hand on his shoulder, like he always did when he wanted to bring Varian's attention back.

Varian blinked a few times, his senses awakening to his surroundings. He became abruptly aware of the concerned face of his friend, the smell of the polished suits the guards were wearing, and the constant rumble of multiple, unfamiliar voices behind the doors that led to the Court room.

He breathed shakily.

"So this is it, I guess…" he whispered, trying to put on a brave attitude, but his voice shook nonetheless. Varian had never been comfortable with being around a lot of people, let alone being the center of attention. It reminded him too much of the many times the whole village was collectively mad at him after yet another invention failure.

Phil nodded sympathetically and squeezed the boy's shoulder lightly, words failing him.

The Captain grabbed the handles, each in his strong hands, and in one, large swing, the tall doors opened, freeing a gush of sunlight that blinded Varian's eyes. At the same time, all the voices died down, and instead, Varian could feel their looks, heavier than the chains hanging from his wrists, weighing down his small frame.

Yeah, no doubt that the fourteen-year-old traitor of Old Corona was a curiosity, a sight to behold. Still, did the whole kingdom have to come to the trial ? How was he supposed to step in there, right in front of that hostile crowd ?

Varian felt a gentle hand on his upper back, from Alden, he guessed. His cue to move forward and walk into the lion's den. As his sight came back to normal, the teen couldn't help himself and turned his head to his left to take a glance from under his bangs. What his eyes met made him break into a cold sweat.

The vast room was full to the brim. And on each face, a frown, a scowl, scornful eyes, or tight jaws. A woman even held her child tighter against her breast, shielding protectively the infant's face away from the dangerous criminal that was passing by them.

Varian didn't get the chance to spot the familiar faces of old and wise Remyus, the rough-around-the-edges-yet-kind Ethel and sweet little Elora, who were sitting in the audience. The former two were discreetly holding hands, supporting each other as they hoped and prayed for the boy to be all right, while the young maiden was internally cursing the people blocking the view in front of her. But Varian missed their reassuring faces as he quickly looked away from the anger of the crowd, unable to take it any longer.

Part of Varian knew he had done many wrong things, way worse than he ever thought himself capable of, horrible deeds he was still very ashamed of. And deep down, he caved in, convinced he deserved every bit of this humiliation. But on the other hand, something in him just made him want to hide away, or scream, or both. He couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling of how unfair all of this was, how frustrating it felt that everyone saw him as a monster. He never wanted anything but his father back, and not only back from the amber. He wanted his father back in his life, by his side, loving and caring, just like everything was before his mother passed away.

No. No, he couldn't just roll over and die, he decided, literally or not. Not until he took every chance to make it right.

But he wasn't quite confident if he could turn the tide at this point. Nor how he could make them hear him. Whatever the outcome, this was his last chance and he had to try. After all, if Arianna was able to bring out that side of him, why couldn't he ?

His heart swelling with hope renewed, Varian looked to his right, and his heart sank when his eyes couldn't rest on the person he was hoping to see, Arianna. Up on the dais the thrones were empty and even the Queen's, which was smaller that the King's, looked far too big for a human being to sit on.

Varian looked at his feet instead, until his attention was caught by a huge symbol of the Sun of Corona painted on the floor ahead of him, right in the middle of the front aisle he was walking. It seemed to serve as a sort of visual separation between the empty royal thrones and the busy benches for the people. At the back of the sun, slightly ahead of the benches, was standing a rostrum surrounded by waist-high bars, except for an opening at the back. Varian's throat tightened and he found it hard to swallow. He knew they would put him there in a minute, on full display while his actions and guilt would be exposed for all to hear. Varian felt like he was going to be sick and he fought back the tears that welled up in his eyes, biting his tongue in the process.

Unexpectedly, he was stopped by the Captain of the Guards who came to a halt. He had no clue why, but he was grateful for the reprieve, however short-lived it might be. The protocol must be to wait for their Majesties, Varian thought.

Instead, the opposite side doors opened, very much like they did for Varian earlier, and three more guards stepped inside. Varian's body tensed before his brain could even name the lanky figure they were escorting.

No, it can't be, he repeated to himself, his heart pounding in his chest as the rest of his body was frozen in his tracks.

Nigel.

Varian stood there mouth agape, under the shock of the sight of his former abuser. It was like somebody had hit him in his chest with full force. Nigel, the man responsible for sending the Stabbington Brothers into his cell to give him a beating, the man who tried to poison him while he was still recovering and almost choked him to death was right in front of him.

As Nigel came closer, Varian realized that there was something different about the man. He had been stripped of his long coat, wearing only the sleeveless waistcoat over a rather tatty shirt and some unruly locks had escaped his usually neat catogan, but there was more than that. Sure, he was holding his head high and his back too straight as usual, but his pace was uneven as he staggered along, like he no longer knew how to walk. His hands were bound by shackles in front of him, just like Varian's. He looked like he had just been dragged out of a cell he would have been cramped in for weeks.

And then it hit Varian. Nigel must have been locked away since his murder attempt.

A mixture of feelings he couldn't name rose inside of Varian. He found the difference of treatment deeply unfair, somehow, but he couldn't pinpoint why.

He didn't have time to dwell on it as trumpets rang. Fate could be so ironic : once enemies, Nigel and him obviously were both about to endure their trial at the hands of the King.

A chamberlain, with his chin exaggeratedly high up in the air, announced :

"Please staaaaand for His Maaaaajesty, the King Frederic of Coronaaaaa !"

As one, the crowd rose to their feet, and the guards around Varian turned on their heels so they faced the thrones. Curiosity taking the best of him, Varian did the same to watch.

Behind the large curtains next to the thrones, a back door opened and the ruler of the sun Kingdom appeared. He was wearing his usual, formal attire, with that heavy golden chain across his chest and the sturdy crown on his head. Varian had to wonder, did the man ever wear anything more casual ?

Without any prompt, every man and woman in the audience bowed respectfully and silently as the King made his way to stand in front of his throne, the one furthest away from Varian. The guards saluted ceremoniously in perfect sync. The Captain of the Guard was the first one to break that harmony to press his large hand on Varian's shoulder, motioning him to bow down. There was so much strength and determination that the teen found himself forced to comply, his knee hitting the floor abruptly while his hands searched for balance despite the metal cuffs. Boiling with rage, Varian tried to look up at the Captain, but his eyes rested on Nigel instead, and the man was already kneeling on the floor, his eyes down. Varian clenched his teeth and decided to relent.

"Her Maaaaajesty, Queen Ariaaaaaanna of Coronaaaaa !", the chamberlain bellowed again.

His vision clouded by his mop of hair, Varian didn't dare look up. All he could see from his kneeling position was the hem of her skirt, a full, purple one. Her favorite color, Varian knew.

She walked silently, greeted the audience with a slight nod of her head and sat on her throne, her hands folded on her lap. Frederic sat down as well, his hands on the armrests on each side. Everyone else in the room resumed their positions, and Varian shakily stood up, his lack of coordination betraying him again, and immediately searched for Arianna's eyes.

She was solemn and dignified as expected, but also fragile and pale, a painful reminder of the illness she contracted after tending to Varian when he was sick himself. Her soft, brown hair around her face contrasted with her colorless skin, making it look almost transparent. On top of her head, the golden crown rattled Varian, because she never wore it around him. With this royal symbol on her head, was she going to consider him differently ? Was she even the same person ?

Arianna finally looked down and planted her gaze in Varian's. Her face was calm and deeply serious, and Varian was left craving a smile that didn't come. He stopped breathing under the agony of uncertainty.

"The Royal Court is now in session. King Frederic presides."

Varian had never been quite able to understand why, in the only kingdom he knew at least, oh why would important decisions rest solely in the hands of the King. He remembered asking his father when he was very little, and Quirin had quickly dismissed his questions and comments with a "That's the way it is" that left no room for argument. Still… Even the Queen seemed as useful in Court as a lovely flower would be. A beautiful sight, but with no actual power. Varian even once dreamed that other people would join in discussions and debates, and they wouldn't even have to be royalty, nor even nobility. No, simple people like the ones in his village, let's say a dozen, give or take, men and women alike, so they could share a different insight. And it would only make sense, because their lives were so different from the King's. The system, as it was, only allowed room for one vision.

The shrill voice of the chamberlain jarred Varian out of his thoughts.

"Caaaaaaase number 1….. Hans, former guaaaard in the Royal Paaaalace, wanted for assault on a child within the castle waaaaalls, thus breaking at least three coronan laaaaws."

Varian winced at the word "child", but he knew better than to argue with the word choice.

"Thank you, Chamberlain," Frederic stepped in. "The man being nowhere to be found, let's not waste time on this. Let everyone in Corona be aware that the man is banished from Corona, and if seen within our boundaries, is to be arrested and locked up in the dungeon. Some wanted posters are being made as we speak. Captain ? Do we know anything of his name or where he came from ?"

The Captain straightened his back.

"There's not much that we know, Your Majesty. He apparently mentioned to a soldier one day that he came from the South, a small land from what he recalls, maybe an island."

Varian rolled his eyes. Couldn't their recruitment be more serious than this ?

Frederic brought his hand to his chin pensively, then added :

"Never mind that. Next case, Chamberlain."

"Caaaaaase number 2 : Nigel, his Maaaaajesty's former adviser."

At these words, two guards near Nigel seized one arm each and let him to the rostrum. Varian shuddered.

"Chaaaarged with attempted murder on the same child within the castle waaaaalls, thus breaking …."

"What ? That's all ?" Varian blurted out, surprising everyone.

Everything is the room was suddenly silent. The boy had broken a basic rule by calling out like that during a trial.

Luckily for Varian, eyes couldn't throw daggers, or he would have fallen dead already.

"What is it, Varian ?", the King asked, in a tone that sounded both cold and exasperated, and bordered on a growl.

The raven-haired teen stood there motionless for a second. Something unexpected was happening to him. True, the words passed his lips because he could stop himself. But now they were here, with everybody looking at him and listening to him, he knew he just had to go on. He wasn't quite sure himself why his face was not flushing hot with embarrassment, his legs not shaking with stress, his head not dipping between his shoulders in shyness. No, he wasn't afraid anymore.

He walked up to stand between the rostrum and the thrones, the chains of his cuffs clinking in response. Frederic and Arianna were both watching him intensely with wide eyes, with some irritation in the man's expression, utter astonishment in his wife's.

"Your Majesties… I know his actions happened in your castle, but I was the one to suffer in his hands. And you are going to sum up his charges and then sentence him, just like that ? Please… you don't seem to know everything that happened, and I… I want to hear what he has to say."

Varian whipped around to face Nigel who was opening his mouth to protest, but Varian didn't let him.

"I have that right."

His voice was calm and steady, like never before. Across him, Arianna started to shake, panicking in her head.

"Varian… What are you doing ?"