Varian shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, trying to protect Ruddiger as much as he could. He could have hit himself. He'd noticed the chillier weather, but he hadn't thought much of it. He was so homesick that the slight chill felt like a relief from the constant heat. He'd always preferred to be just a little cold than a little hot. Varian should have paid attention though. As much as he liked the cold, he knew that it could get dangerous if one wasn't prepared for it.
Varian knew the signs of things getting too cold, but he'd let himself get distracted. He hadn't noticed just how bad the snow and cold was getting until the storm had started picking up. He should have already been in shelter by the time he got up to look for it.
Varian knew the simplest and smartest thing to do was to go into town and look for shelter there, but he didn't dare to. Would anybody actually let a strange child bunker down with them for the evening, without compensation? And even if they let Varian stay, what if they kicked Ruddiger out?
Varian just didn't know enough about people to be able to predict their behavior, and he didn't like the uncertainty. He would much rather take his chances in the cold on his own. He could easily find a cave.
Varian's instincts told him to hurry through the storm to get out of it as quickly as possible, but he thought he remembered Hector telling him once that excessive exercise could be dangerous in the cold. Varian couldn't remember just why, and he was infuriated by it. He hated doing anything when he didn't know the reason behind it.
Still, Varian decided to take his time, even if just because running in the snow didn't sound like a lot of fun.
Varian wandered for far longer than he thought he should. Once or twice he almost forgot whether he was looking for a cave or a village. He knew he had to get out of the cold, but what was the best way of doing that? And he knew that his wet clothes were just making him colder, and that he needed to get out of the cold, but he didn't know whether or not he needed to find shelter first. Would it be better if he took off his shirt? He wouldn't have as much protection from the cold, but he wouldn't have the chill latch onto his wet shirt either.
Varian stumbled over his own feet and tripped to the ground. Despite the soft snow, Varian hit the ground hard. He groaned and curled in on himself. The snow was cold, but it was deep enough that if he ducked down enough he could find some relief from the wind.
Varian wondered if he should try to make a shelter out of snow. It would still be cold, but he might be able to trap enough heat to be able to warm up.
Ruddiger chirped frantically and pulled on Varian's arm. He didn't seem to like the thought of the boy stopping. Varian didn't want to move, but he knew that Ruddiger was probably right. He forced himself to his feet with a whimper and tried to ignore the shake in his legs.
"D-do you know where we're going?" Varian asked Ruddiger, though he wouldn't complain if he heard that girl's voice again. Varian didn't like the voice in his nightmares very much, but she had been helpful so far. She's told Varian where to find Eugene. Maybe she knew where shelter was. Unfortunately, if she knew anything, she didn't bother to share it with him. Varian was on his own.
Ruddiger whined sadly and nuzzled close to Varian. A long minute later the raccoon perked up and looked intently ahead. The snow was too thick for Varian to see anything, and he noticed in alarm that it was a lot darker than he thought it should be. When had the sun set, and how had it happened without him noticing it? He'd been out here the whole time.
Ruddiger chattered anxiously and bit Varian's ear. The boy yelped and gave his raccoon a betrayed look. "What was that for?"
Ruddiger whined and gestured towards where he had looked earlier. It was then that Varian heard something. Maybe it was because the storm was carrying the sound away from him, or he lacked so much focus that everything was hard to pay attention to, but it took him a long time to recognize that the sound wasn't just the howling of the wind or a wild animal. Somebody was shouting.
Varian didn't know what they were saying, but he didn't really care. He had never been so happy to hear someone, even if that somebody was a complete stranger. Varian may not like people, but if someone was out here maybe there was shelter nearby too. Maybe they would take pity on a poor, cold, child.
Not that Varian wanted to be seen as a child. He was a warrior and a scientist. If it meant getting out of the cold though, Varian was willing to tolerate someone underestimating him.
Varian stumbled through the snow, towards the shouting. He felt like he should be calling out to them as well, but he felt like he didn't have the breath to spare to say anything, let alone shout it. Instead Varian just kept moving towards the shouting. He felt a rush of terror when the shouting seemed to get further away. They were moving away from him.
Varian's breath got caught in his throat and he was horrified to feel tears gather in his eyes. No, no, he couldn't cry. He was already cold, he couldn't afford to have his face get wet and attract even more of the cold.
Ruddiger gave Varian an alarmed look before he jumped away from him and started running ahead. If Varian wasn't so upset and worried he would have found humor in the way that Ruddiger was leaping through the snow, looking more like a clumsy rabbit than a raccoon.
"W-wait," Ruddiger said breathlessly. He tried to rush after his companion, but the deep snow wasn't the best terrain for rushing. Varian tripped again, and as he hit the ground it felt like everything he'd been trying to keep in broke free.
Varian yelped in surprise, which quickly turned into a short sob that he couldn't stop once he started. Varian sniffled and gasped as he ducked down and tried to make himself as small as possible. He wished that everything would just stop.
Varian sat there and cried, letting all of his pent-up emotions out. He cried about everything that had been going wrong this whole time. He wanted Ruddiger at his side again. He wanted Horace to come and make things right, apologize for ever leaving him. He wanted his dad to gather him into his strong arms and hold him close, just like he used to when Varian was young. He just wanted to be safe.
Varian flinched when he felt someone touch his shoulder. He whined and shied away, but the grip didn't leave.
"Oh, kid," A gentle voice said. Varian knew that he recognized that voice, he just couldn't place it at that moment. It reminded him of safety though, so Varian found himself relaxing in their grip. When they lifted him up and held him close to their chest, he didn't resist at all.
"Hang on, Varian." The source of safety said. "Let's get you out of the cold."
Varian muttered in agreement. Getting out of the storm sounded really nice. He buried his face in their chest. He finally felt safe enough to let his tears fall freely. The person holding him didn't say a word about him crying. They just tightened their grip on him and pulled him closer.
"You're okay," They said quietly, and he believed them. "You're going to be alright."
Varian closed his eyes and let himself begin to doze off. He heard Ruddiger chatter at him comfortingly. Varian didn't know when his raccoon had come back to him, but he was glad he was back. He didn't want to be alone anymore.
Varian didn't truly fall asleep, but he dozed enough that it felt like no time had passed at all before he was carried into a drafty building. It was still cold, but it was dry, and Varian was glad for it.
The boy blinked as he was set down in front of an unlit fireplace. He didn't resist at all as his clothes were pulled off of him, only to be replaced with a heavy cloak that was several sizes too big for him. Varian looked around his surroundings. Wherever they were, it was roomy. The stone walls and chill reminded Varian of home.
"W-where are we?" Varian asked.
"The old abandoned castle in Old Corona." The one who had found Varian said. They were kneeling in front of the fireplace and trying to get a fire going. Varian turned his curious gaze to them. He recognized the man, but it took him a long moment to place the face.
"L-Lance?" Varian stared at the man in near awe. "You...you're back." Varian knew he shouldn't be surprised to see Lance, but he really was. Sure, Lance had always come back from his trips to the capital, but it had been snowing this time. Varian wouldn't have been surprised if Lance had retreated into the castle until the storm cleared.
"Of course I'm back," Lance said as he got the fire going. He pulled off Varian's boots and socks and made sure the boy's feet were wrapped up in the warm cloak. "I'm sorry I took so long. The snow is just as hard to travel through as I remember it being."
"Wh-why'd you come back?" Varian asked. "Why not wait?"
Lance gave him a small, sad smile. "I couldn't just leave you out there on your own. The second the storm got bad, I was on my way back to you."
Varian's chest twisted up in a sudden sense of overwhelmness. "You...you braved the cold for me?"
"And I would do it again." Lance said. He handed Varian a canteen that was just a little warm. The boy took it, glad to have something to warm his hands. "Someone has to have your back." There was something odd in the way he said that. His tone implied that he was unhappy about something, or someone.
Varian shifted uncomfortably. "How's Horace doing?" He had meant to distract Lance from whatever was bothering him, but instead the man's expression darkened.
"He's fine." Lance said.
"I-is he coming?" Varian asked, though he didn't dare to hope. Horace had probably found yet another reason to stay in Corona. It was obvious that he wasn't doing this from a sense of duty anymore. Horace's motivation was solely his desire to live his life anywhere that wasn't the Dark Kingdom.
Lance stiffened. "I-I'm afraid not, kiddo." Lance said. His voice was strained. "He wanted to come, but there was something else that he thought was more important."
Varian sighed and took a small sip from the canteen. He was surprised to taste kissel. The taste itself was okay, but the familiar flavor was almost bitter on Varian's tongue, just because of what it reminded him of, and who had probably helped Lance get his hands on this.
He should be used to this disappointment, but it still stung deep. Varian knew this might not mean much, but as a cold wind blew through one of the drafty windows Varian almost swore that he could hear an echo in the wind, repeating a phrase that had been on his mind since he'd woken up from his nap earlier that day.
"I have friends, real friends, for the first time in my life"
Varian took in a shuddered breath and looked at Lance, who was watching him cautiously. "Hey, did...did Horace say…" Varian broke off. He didn't really want to repeat the words. He told himself that Lance wouldn't know anything, but mostly he didn't dare to ask because he was scared of what answer he would find.
But he had to know. He had to know whether or not this fight was worth it.
Varian took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Did he say that he had real friends for the first time in his life?"
Lance froze and gave Varian a stunned look. That almost guilty expression was enough to confirm Varian's deepest fears. The boy shuddered and wrapped the cloak tighter around his shoulders. His chest tightened painfully. He felt like he could either break into tears or start screaming furiously.
He was tired of crying over Horace. Especially since the man apparently didn't see Varian as a real friend. It hurt so much, but Varian buried that pain deep down, hiding it under layer after layer of fury. As Hector liked to say, anger could be used as a powerful weapon, while hurt just made someone vulnerable and weak.
Varian glared at the ground as he felt his anger build. He could put that to use to finally bring Horace home. Varian had been holding back so far because he didn't want to upset his friend and make Horace do something that he didn't want to do, but none of that mattered anymore. Horace didn't see him as a friend, so there was no reason for Varian to try so hard to stay on his good side.
As a member of the Brotherhood, it was Varian's job to bring their wayward prince home, and now he had no reason to hold back. He could put everything he had into bringing his prince home, and he would succeed, no matter what it took.
"Kid?" Lance scooted closer to him. "Are you okay? You got a kinda scary look on your face for a second there."
"I'm fine." Varian said, and he didn't even think that he was lying. He was through with waiting. He was taking control back into his own hands. He may end up making Horace make him, but at least the prince would be home, and right now as a member of the brotherhood that was Varian's top priority.
Lance didn't look like he believed him. "Well, if you need some help and there's something I can do, just give me the word."
Varian would love some help. A plan was already starting to hatch in his mind, but it was risky. Varian wouldn't blame Lance for not wanting anything to do with it. Still, Varian decided that he could at least ask.
"I might know how to get Horace to agree to come home." Varian said quietly. He told Lance the thought that was starting to build. To his credit, the man didn't shut him down immediately or run in the other direction, he just gave Varian a concerned look.
"It might work." Lance said slowly, carefully. He was quiet for a long moment before he sighed and pulled Varian close, enveloping him in a warm, protective embrace. "Look, I have enough experience with the cold to know that it can be really hard to think clearly. If you're still set on this idea when you're not freezing, we'll think about it, okay?"
Varian nodded tiredly as he closed his eyes and curled up close to Lance, who held him close. Varian could almost pretend that he was back home with his dad.
His chest was still hurting because of Horace, but he was able to pretend it wasn't there by thinking instead about his growing plan. He had a goal and an idea, and that was enough to keep his mind running strong enough to distract him from the hurt. If there was anything that Varian was good at, it was planning and scheming.
With his ideas building in his head, Varian settled down into as peaceful a sleep as he could manage, considering the circumstances.
Eugene hadn't been too excited to see snow in Corona, but when the blizzard really hit, ruining everything, he thought that if he never saw snow again it would be far too soon. That storm had ruined everything.
Rapunzel was overwhelmed about everything that had happened. Running a kingdom was difficult in the first place, but especially when it was hit with a natural disaster like this. Eugene tried to support her through it, but it was really difficult when he had his own worries running through his mind.
Eugene had decided to help save Rapunzel's parents from the storm, and he tried to stand by that decision, but every second he was out there his mind was on Varian.
He knew that the kid was capable of taking care of himself, but that didn't mean that he put those capabilities into practice. Eugene couldn't count the number of times that Varian was so distracted with his science experiments that he almost hurt himself because he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. Varian had been getting a little better, and he was actually pretty good at it when he had somebody else there to remind him.
Eugene knew that there was a very real possibility that if Varian was alone, all the progress that he had made on his awareness would just disappear in an instant. Varian could have been caught in the storm and gotten hurt.
During the storm itself Eugene had been able to convince himself that Varian would be fine, but the day after, when he knew that Rapunzel's parents and the general kingdom of Corona were okay, he'd left the castle. It was still cold, and there was still a lot of snow on the ground, but Eugene didn't let that get to him. After a rushed explanation to Rapunzel as to where he was going, and making sure that Nelovko was settled in the stable so he could get the rest he deserved, he set out.
Eugene immediately made his way to the rendezvous spot that he'd set up with Varian all those months ago. It had been a while since he had seen Varian, but back when the boy had come to see him himself the boy would always remind him of where he could be found. It was Varian's way of saying that he trusted Eugene to meet up with him, and until now he had let him down.
Well, no more. Eugene didn't really want to leave Corona quite yet, but if Varian wanted to go, they would. Eugene would have to send Lance back to the castle to get Nelovko and hand a letter to Rapunzel that would explain everything. He would much rather say goodbye in person, but Eugene knew that if he did and Rapunzel showed even the smallest amount of disappointment or sadness then he would break and find another reason to stay, and he couldn't do that to Varian again.
Even though Eugene had been avoiding thinking about their meet-up spot, he knew exactly where he was going. He'd dedicated the location to his memory. So when Eugene got there, only to find an empty clearing, he knew that he had messed worse than he had thought.
He knew this was the right place. Even with the snow on the ground, Eugene could see signs that somebody had camped out here for a long amount of time. The ground was disturbed and the dirt packed in, like somebody had been walking constantly across it. Eugene could tell that Varian had been here thanks to the scratches all across the trees. The marks were too clean and yet unpredictable to have come from a wild animal. These were from Varian's dagger.
Eugene looked around, even though he knew that he wouldn't find Varian there. He should be relieved that Varian wasn't out in the cold and exposed to the elements, but all he could feel was dread. Maybe Varian had only left to find some shelter, but Eugene couldn't dismiss the feeling that there was something more to this. Varian wasn't here, and Eugene felt like he had missed his chance.
It seemed like Varian had given up on him, and Eugene couldn't blame him if that was the case. He'd dragged the kid through so much. In a way, he was relieved that the boy might have finally started standing up for himself and putting himself first. However,it felt weird. Eugene had been able to rely on Varian always being there, no matter what. He'd taken the kid for granted, and now when he was finally reaching out, the boy wasn't there.
Eugene hated not knowing where Varian was. Had he finally cut his losses and started the journey back to the Dark Kingdom? Had he gone to the castle to see Eugene and they had just missed each other? Had he just gone somewhere more sheltered to get out of the cold? Eugene didn't know, but he was going to find out.
Eugene turned and quickly made his way back to the capital. He still intended on giving Nelovko the rest he needed, but as soon as he was up for travel Eugene would send him out to look for Varian. In the meantime, he would begin packing and mentally preparing himself to leave, for real this time. As soon as he found Varian and made sure that things were okay between them, they would go home. Eugene had a lot to make up for, and while going home wouldn't fix everything at least it would be a start.
A/N: I have loved all of your heated comments about how much of a jerk Eugene is. I'm going to take it as a challenge to make him sympathetic and potentially redeemable in your eyes.
The next few chapters are going to be a lot of fun. I have been building them up in my mind for so long, so hopefully I can meet my own personal expectations.