Some more canon divergence because I live for the angst. takes place in an alternate Once A Handmaiden.

"Please Cass. I've always seen you as a sis-"

"Save it Fitzherbert." Cassandra snapped. She leveled her sword at him, fully intending to run him through. But, as she thrust her sword at him, Varian pushed him out of the way, taking the blow.

Cass pulled her sword back and dropped it in shock.

Varian fell to his knees, clutching at the new wound in his abdomen. Eugene caught him before he could hit the ground. He desperately tried to staunch the bloodflow but to no avail. Tears streamed down his face as he watched his little brother die.

"Eugene." Varian gasped out, clutching his hand. He was trying to hold on. Trying to stay conscious. Trying to stay alive but he was very quickly losing that battle.

"Varian, please. Please try to hang on. I'm going to get you out of here. I'm going to get you help." Eugene started to pick him up but Varian stopped him.

"No." His voice was barely above a whisper. "No. Please... just... just, tell my dad-"

"Hey." Eugene gripped his hand tightly. "You're going to be okay."

Varian shook his head. "No, I'm not. Eugene. Just tell my dad. Tell everyone that I love them. And... and that I'm sorry."

"Please kid. Please don't go. Just hang on." This time Eugene actually picked him up and started carrying him out of the destroyed remains of Corona. He looked at Cass once to see her in complete shock. He took that as his cue to leave.


"Just hang on Varian. I'm going to get you help. We're gonna go see your dad. You've gotta hang on just a little longer."

"Mom?"

His voice was so quiet Eugene had barely even heard him.

"No, kid. Don't do that. Come on! I've got you. You're going to be fine."

"It's okay." He whispered. Eugene looked down to see the light in his eyes slowly going out. "I think I'm ready."


Eugene burst through the doors of the Snuggly Duckling with Varian completely limp in his arms. The kid had died only moments before they entered the tavern. If only he'd gotten there faster. He could've gotten Varian help. He could've saved him.

Quirin startled at the sight of Varian lifeless in Eugene's arms. He stumbled forward, taking his son from Eugene. Tears welled in his eyes as reality slapped him in the face.

"What happened?"

Eugene leaned against the doorway, looking completely horrified. "Cassandra."

They heard collective gasps from the crowd.

"Why?" Quirin whispered, brushing hair away from Varian's pale face. "Why would she do this?"

He gently touched the stab wound in his son's stomach.

"It was meant for me." Eugene said. He sat down hard on the floor, pulling at his hair. "She meant to kill me. Varian pushed me out of the way. He saved my life."

And lost his in the process.

The thought hung in the air.

Quirin cried, holding his son close. He'd lost the only family he had left. First his wife and now, his son.

"I'm so sorry. I tried to get here. I could've saved him if I'd been faster."

They heard a tiny gasp from behind them.

They turned to see Catalina holding a hand over her mouth as she stared in horror.

"Cassandra did this?" The redhead asked. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she reached out a shaking hand to touch him.

Eugene nodded, placing a hand over hers. He didn't know what to tell her. Varian had been like a brother to her and Angry.

Lance and Angry came over to say goodbye.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to catch you this time." Lance whispered.

Angry was gently holding onto Varian's shoulder, as if hoping he would wake up. "I'm sorry I never got to say goodbye."

Both girls held onto eachother. They'd just lost their brother.

Eugene didn't know how to deal with his grief. He'd just lost one of the most important people in his life. Varian had been more than just a friend to him. He'd been a brother, a teammate... he was the other half of Team Awesome. And now that other half was gone.

"What about Rapunzel?" Catalina suddenly asked.

Eugene stiffened. What about Rapunzel? She was going to be absolutely devastated when she found out. Losing Varian on top of losing her kingdom is just the thing Eugene suspected of pushing her over the edge. Cassandra was about to have a war on her hands.

"She's going to find out when she wakes up." Angry told her sister softly.


Rapunzel woke fifteen minutes later to find Eugene sitting quietly by her bedside. His face had dried tears stains and his eyes were red. Most likely from crying. But what had he been crying about?

"Eugene?"

He looked at her but didn't smile. She saw absolute and complete heartbreak and grief in his eyes.

"Hey, Sunshine."

"Eugene, what's wrong?"

He sighed shakily and looked down. "Something horrible happened. Cassandra..." He grit his teeth. "She..."

"She what? What did she do?"

He took in a deep breath. "After you were K.O'ed she... she tried to kill me."

Rapunzel gasped. "She... why?"

"I don't know."

"What happened?"

Another deep breath. "Varian pushed me out of the way. He saved my life."

"Then what?"

Eugene grit his teeth again. This was so hard to say. Would she even believe Cass was capable of something so evil?

"Varian took the blow. He traded his life for mine. He's gone."

"No."

"I'm sorry. I tried to save him."

"No."

"Rapunzel-"

She didn't listen as she shot up from the bed. She sped across the floor into the next room to see everyone looking stricken with grief.

Quirin was a complete mess and Edmund was trying to comfort him. Angry and Catalina were staring off into the distance while Ruddiger sat on the table, solemnly resting his head on Varian's goggles.

"Where is he?" She breathed out. Eugene appeared next to her.

"They moved him to a different room." He explained quietly. "If you really want to see him one last time, I'm right here."

She squeezed his hand. "Please. I have to."

He nodded and led her to a room she'd never been in before. He slowly opened the door to reveal, Varian laying on a bed. He looked so small and fragile, his face was pale and had taken on an ashy gray color.

Rapunzel held back a sob as she knelt next to him. "I'm so sorry, Varian. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you today. Maybe if I'd been there I could've-"

Eugene put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Blondie. There isn't anything anyone could've done for him."

She looked at him. He was completely shattered. The princess realized just how hard it must've been for Eugene to carry him here. For Varian to die in his arms when he was so close to getting help.

She cried into his jacket and he held her close. After a long while she pulled back, sniffling and wiping away a tear.

"Cassandra is going to pay for what she's done."