Varian had been terrified to be locked in Corona's dungeon. It really wasn't too bad though. Yes, he was going to start freaking out if he thought about staying in a cell for the foreseeable future, but taking it just one hour at a time was something he thought he could manage. Yes, it had taken him a few hours to get used to it, but now he thought he was doing okay.
Varian was mostly scared of being alone. He didn't have the Brotherhood, he didn't have Horace, he didn't even have Ruddiger, who had been his constant companion for so long. He wanted to blame Horace for all of it, but Varian knew that at least some of his loneliness was his own fault. He had chosen to leave home, and he was the one who had pushed Ruddiger away. It still hurt though.
But Varian had only been alone for a few hours. Lance had talked his way into being locked deeper in the dungeons than he deserved, all so that Varian wouldn't be alone. The boy thought that his friend deserved better than to be stuck with him, but he still really appreciated it. Lance's presence was enough for Varian to hope that everything would work out.
In the meantime, waiting wasn't too bad. Yes, the cell was small, his arm hurt, he felt like the pain in his chest that had been there since Horace had run off on him had gotten so strong that it felt like he was dying, and Varian was sure that it was only a matter of time before the guards tried to do something really bad against him. But hey, at least he wasn't by himself, so Varian told himself he'd been through worse.
Varian was exhausted and he knew he should sleep, but he couldn't bring himself to rest. He may have Lance here, but he was still surrounded by enemies. Varian knew better than to let his guard down. Lance had fallen asleep a few hours ago. They had both curled up on the ground, which was only just barely more uncomfortable than the so-called beds in the cell. It had been Lance's idea for them to sleep on the ground, so that they could reach each other. Lance didn't seem to trust the guards any more than Varian did, and he wanted the boy as close to him as possible, so he could at least try to protect him if the guards tried anything.
Lance had tried to convince him to sleep, but even if Varian wanted to he didn't know if he could. He couldn't stop thinking about Horace. He wondered what he was doing right now. Despite knowing better, a small part of Varian hoped that Horace would stand by his word. That he would recognize that Varian had been about to agree to his proposition and let the queen go.
Would Horace try to get Varian out? Before they had gotten to the Great Tree Varian had been sure that the answer was yes. Horace was protective of him. He would never let anything happen to him. The whole reason why Horace had been trying to get him to conform to society was because he hadn't wanted Varian to get into this exact kind of trouble.
Now, Varian wasn't so sure what Horace would do. He liked to think that his prince would come to his aid, but he wasn't holding his breath. Had Varian finally taken things too far? Would Horace cut his losses and leave him where he was? Was Horace worried about him, or was he glad to not have somebody pestering him so much? Varian wished he knew. At the same time though, he was afraid to know the truth. If Horace hated him, or worse, felt indifferent towards him, he didn't want to know.
This was why Varian tried to convince himself that the dungeon wasn't so bad. Horace seemed to have a good thing going with the princess of Corona, and Varian doubted that he would ruin that for his sake. So chance's were that Horace wouldn't come down here for a visit. As long as he didn't see Horace, Varian wouldn't know just how much he hated him, and he could just pretend that everything was fine.
There was a surprisingly gentle knocking against the cell's bars. The sound itself was aggressive, but Varian knew that there were only threats on the other side of the bars. He jolted upright with a gasp and turned to see the Captain of the Guard. Varian relaxed ever so slightly. Most of the guards seemed like bad news, but the captain seemed to be the exception. Varian could tell that he took his job seriously, but he was also the only guard that treated Varian like he was a real person, not just a prisoner.
"Calm down, kid," The captain knelt, bringing himself to Varian's eyelevel. It looked like he was the only guard watching them at the moment. Varian wasn't going to complain about that. "Are you having a hard time sleeping?"
Varian raised an eyebrow at him and frowned. "I've probably ruined my life, I'm never going to see my dad again, and my best friend probably hates me. Were you expecting me to sleep?"
The captain sighed. "I would like to tell you that your life isn't over, but Corona takes the conviction of criminals very seriously, and the king really isn't happy with you."
Varian groaned and leaned back. "I can't really blame him. I'd be mad if somebody came in and tried to steal my family from me." Varian chuckled darkly. "Why do you think I did this in the first place?"
The captain frowned. "You feel like somebody stole your family?" The captain's eyes were sympathetic. "Strongbow told me that you were taken from your dad. Who took you?"
"Nobody took me." Varian said. "I left. Horace...Eugene ran away. I was just trying to bring him home, but he liked Corona too much."
The captain nodded. "So Eugene took you from your dad, and you think that Corona took Eugene from you."
"...Yeah." Varian pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. "I-I probably took things too far. I never wanted anybody to get hurt."
"Kid, Varian, I think you're the one that got the most hurt." The captain said. "Can I see your hand?" Varian flinched and stiffened. He grasped ast his wrist protectively. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just need to see if it'll heal alright on its own, or if I should bring down a medic."
Varian hesitated before he crawled closer to the bars and held out his wrist. The captain gently took off the makeshift brace that Lance had set up. Varian grimaced as the captain examined his wrist more thoroughly than Lance had.
"It's definitely broken." The captain said. "I think it might be best if it's seen by a professional. It might heal fine on its own, but trust me, you don't want a broken bone to heal in the wrong position."
"I know." Varian said. When he was young Hector had broken his ankle because he had taken a bad fall from the Great Tree. He'd left it alone for his remaining time guarding the Great Tree, and by the time he had returned to the Dark Kingdom his ankle had healed in the completely wrong position. Varian's dad had been the one who had to rebreak his foot to properly set it, and Varian, concerned and curious as ever, had insisted on being there when it happened. Hearing Hector scream in pain had been absolutely terrifying for a little kid.
"I'll talk to the castle's physician tomorrow." The captain said.
"Would the king approve?" Varian said in a bitter tone that hid his slight fear.
"Don't worry about the king." The captain said. "The prisoners in these dungeons are in my care. Their well-being is up to me. If I think you need medical care, you'll get it."
Varian sighed in relief. "Thank you." He didn't know what he'd done to get in the captain's favor, but he was glad for it.
The captain gave him a small smile as he put Lance's bracers back on. "You're not the only prisoner who has had a hard time sleeping. We have some simple herbs that have been able to help some people sleep. I can have someone fetch some for you."
"I'm fine." Varian said. He wasn't in the mood for sleeping. Besides, Varian didn't trust most of the guards. For all he knew, they would try to poison him. He would only accept herbs if they came from the captain himself.
The captain stood up. "If you insist on not sleeping, do you want to see a visitor? I told him to wait until morning, but he insists on seeing you."
Varian frowned slightly. "A visitor? Who?"
"The prince consort himself." The captain said. "Eugene, or Horace, as I believe you called him." Varian's chest twisted up painfully and he felt his breath get caught in his throat. Horace was here? He'd come down to see him? No, that...that couldn't be true. Though a part of him had wanted to talk to Horace and find out just where they stood, he was scared. Was Horace just going to tell him that he wanted nothing to do with him? Varian didn't dare hope that Horace came offering forgiveness. Surely the prince would need more than just a few hours to truly forgive Varian for everything he'd done.
Varian swallowed thickly. The cell suddenly felt far too small. There was nowhere to escape to. No more hiding in the hidden hallways of an abandoned castle to avoid his prince. If Horace wanted to talk to him, he would. It was odd how much Varian was dreading this conversation when all he'd wanted for he didn't even know how long was to have a proper tak with Horace.
The captain gave him a concerned look. "I don't know if I'll be able to persuade him to leave. However, Eugene did want me to tell you that he has a furry little friend with him as well. A raccoon."
Varian felt a spark of hope. "Ruddiger? He has Ruddiger?" Despite himself, Varian felt tears gather in his eyes. He had been really worried about the raccoon. He'd seemed okay when Varian had seen him, but he'd really started to worry about what would become of him. He didn't know whether the people of Corona would hurt Ruddiger for attacking the castle and aiding and abetting the kidnapping of the queen. Varian didn't think that animals could be convicted of crimes, but he had no idea how things worked in Corona.
"I-I'll see him." Varian said. "But only because I want Ruddiger."
The captain chuckled slightly. "I'll be sure to let him know." The man stepped away from the cell. They're just in the stairway. I'll be out of your sight for a moment, but I'll still be able to see you, so don't try anything."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Varian said. He watched as the captain walked away. As soon as he was out of sight Varian crawled back to Lance and began to nudge him. "Lance, I need you to wake up. Please." Varian didn't think he could deal with Horace on his own. He felt bad waking Lance up when the man was probably tired, but he didn't know what else to do.
Lance moaned and shifted, making his chains rattle. Lance grimaced and squinted his eyes open. "Kid?" His voice was groggy and barely understandable. "Wha's goin' on?"
"Varian!" Both Lance and Varian jumped when they heard Horace call out to him. Varian bit his lip and drew back towards the back of the cell. He felt a rush of fear, which he hated. He had no reason to be afraid of his prince.
Lance furrowed his brow and sat up. He still looked half asleep, but that didn't stop him from reaching out and taking Varian's hand. The man scooted closer to the bars, acting as a buffer between Varian and any threat that might come for him.
Horace was standing outside their cell. As soon as Varian met his gaze Horace gave him a pained smile. He knelt on the ground. Horace reached a hand out to Varian, who couldn't help but flinch. Horace looked pained, but he pulled his hand back.
Okay, I probably deserve that." Horace said. He lifted his hand to his shoulder and pet the raccoon sitting there. Varian blinked and leaned forward slightly.
"Ruddiger." Varian gave the raccoon a watery smile. Ruddiger chattered anxiously and reached towards Varian. He didn't move off of Horace's shoulder though. It took a moment, but Varian noticed the small, slightly bloody bandage on Ruddiger's paw. He was hurt.
"Ruddiger," Varian hurried back to the bars so quickly that he ended up tugging too hard on his short chain. He would have ended up tripping if Lance, who was still holding his hand, hadn't steadied him. Varian bit his lip to keep himself from sobbing as he reached desperately for his raccoon. He wanted so badly to get to Ruddiger that he reached with his injured hand.
Horace carefully picked up Ruddiger and set him down on his lap, within reach of Varian. The raccoon sniffed Varian's hand, whined, and licked it. The boy sniffled and pet Ruddiger as much as he could manage. It didn't matter that he had seen the raccoon just earlier that day, he had missed him, and had been so scared for him.
Horace stared at his hand in quiet horror. "I-Is your hand going to be okay? Does it hurt? Have you seen a doctor?"
"I'll see one tomorrow." Varian said quietly. "And yeah, it hurts. That's what happens when your girlfriend slams my hand against a rock and keeps it in a grip so strong that I break my wrist trying to get away."
Horace took in a shuddered breath. There was a subtle look of fury in his eyes that Varian would have missed if he didn't know his prince so well. Varian was terrified for a moment that Horace was mad at him for his dry comment.
"I'll be having words with Rapunzel about that." Horace said stiffly. It sounded like he was mad at Rapunzel, which was surprising. Varian had heard nothing but good words about Rapunzel from Horace. This tone was one that he had heard very few times from the prince. He couldn't help but think of the way that Horace had been when Varian had first been initiated into the Brotherhood.
Varian barely remembered that time, just a few flashes here and there, but he didn't think he would ever forget the protective anger that the prince showed for his sake. The fact that tone was coming out now, and against his girlfriend of all people, it was enough to make Varian falter in his caution.
"Are you...mad at her?" Varian asked, just to be sure.
"Of course I'm mad at her." Horace said, like it was obvious. "She hurt you. I know she didn't try to, or at least I'm seriously hoping she didn't, but that doesn't make it okay.
Varian squeezed Lance's hand. "Are you mad at me?"
Horace sighed. "I feel like I should be, but I'm not. I'm mostly just worried. And guilty." He grimaced and looked at the ground. "I-I've been treating you horribly this past year, haven't I?"
Varian felt like he forgot to breathe. "A-a year? We've been gone for a whole year?" That meant that he wasn't fourteen years old, he was fifteen. He had spent one fifteenth of his life all by himself, away from his dad. Oh, by the moon, he was going to be sick. "I-I haven't seen my dad for...for…" Varian's voice broke into a sudden harsh sob.
"I'm sorry." Horace said. He sounded genuinely heartbroken. "I'm trying to make things right. I've already sent Nelovko with a letter back home. You can ask Ruddiger if you don't believe me." The raccoon nodded and nuzzled gently against Varian's hand. The boy just sobbed a little harder. His dad, the Brotherhood, would come. The Brotherhood would drag Horace home, and his dad would fix everything.
Lance rubbed his hand comfortingly. Varian held onto him like he was a lifeline.
"I know I can't make up for everything I've done." Horace said tightly. "But I'm going to try, I promise."
"I-I'm so t-tired of your promises." Varian sniffed. Horace's face fell.
"I know." He said quietly. "You have no reason to trust me right now. I'm going to do my best to earn your trust back, and even if I never get there I'm not going to stop keeping an eye on you. Never again."
"I want to believe you." Varian said, and he meant it. He wanted nothing more than to know that Horace was on his side again, but he didn't just throw away his trust blindly. He based his beliefs on evidence, and all evidence pointed to Horace being too flighty to be trusted. "But I can't. I just...I can't."
"I know." Horace gave him a small pained smile. "I understand." Horace let go of Ruddiger, letting the raccoon crawl through the bars. Ruddiger curled up against Varian, who held him tight. He swore that he wasn't going to let Ruddiger go again.
"I know I'm probably the last person that you want to see, but I'm going to keep coming down to see you, just to make sure you're being treated okay." Horace eyed his face, and Varian wondered just how bad his eye and nose looked. He could feel the bruise over his eye, and he wasn't sure if he had wiped away all of the dried blood from the bloody nose he'd been given when he'd fought against the guard.
"This," Horace gestured at his face. "This can't happen again."
"I'm not going to let it." Lance said, speaking up for the first time since Horace had arrived. "What do you think I'm doing here?"
Horace stared at Lance for a long moment. There was an odd look in his eyes. There was pain, regret, understanding, and just a little bit of jealousy all in that one look.
"I'm glad that Varian at least has somebody to do for him what I was too cowardly to do." Horace said as he got to his feet, looking back to Varian. "I don't care how long it takes, I'm getting you out of here. I've already started talking to the king. He doesn't want to listen to a word I've said, but I think we've got the queen on our side, so at least we have that going for us."
Varian stared at Horace in disbelief. "The queen? But she...why would she...what?" It didn't make sense. The queen was the last person that Varian would expect to speak on his behalf.
"I was surprised too." Horace gave him a small smile. "She's worried about you. She thinks you're sick."
Varian grimaced. He was a lot of things, but sick wasn't one of them. "I'm fine."
"Varian, people who are fine don't hear voices in their head." Horace said quietly. "How long has this been a thing?"
Varian shifted uncomfortably. He had been doing his best to not question the voice. It had been quiet all evening, but now he thought he could feel the presence again. He didn't hear anything, but he could tell that there was something there.
"I-I first heard her in the Great Tree." Varian said. "After...after you left."
Horace paled slightly and looked alarmed. "You first heard the voice in the Great Tree? Are you sure?"
"I don't know." Varian said. "This voice, it's a lot like the voice I sometimes heard in my nightmares when I was really little."
Horace's alarmed expression became panicked. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, okay, that's...that's potentially not good."
"What's wrong?" Varian asked. He was starting to feel a little scared himself.
"Hopefully nothing." Horace said. He tried to reassure him, but Varian didn't believe it. Horace was scared. He leaned closer to the bars, clinging to them so tightly that his fingertips started to pale. "Varian, I need you to listen to me very carefully. I pro...I swear I'm not mad, but I need you to be honest with me. When you were in the tree, did you go anywhere near a spear? And did you touch it?"
"...Yes." Varian said. Horace made a pained sound and leaned back. "Horace, what's going on?"
"...Don't worry about it right now." Horace said. "It's a problem, a big problem, but let's just take care of one problem at a time. Once we get you out of here, we can deal with all of this."
"But what is it?" Varian didn't like being left in the dark. Especially not when this directly involved him. "Horace, you can't protect me by just not telling me what's going on." That was what had started this whole mess. Horace had kept secret just how desperate he was to get away from home, just because he didn't want to hurt Varian's feelings.
Horace scowled and there was anger in his eyes. "Trust me, I know. I swear, I'm going to kill Quirin about this." He sounded more like he was talking to himself more than Varian, but that didn't make the boy feel any less alarmed.
"What does my dad have to do with this?" Varian didn't have a good feeling about any of this.
"I'll tell you later." Horace said. "I really don't want to keep you in the dark. You have every right to know what's going on, but let's just worry about one thing at a time, okay?"
"...Fine." Varian pouted.
"I need you to do something for me." Horace said. "This voice you've been hearing, I don't know what she's been saying to you, but I need you to promise me that you won't listen to her anymore. I know you don't understand why, and you don't trust me right now, but at least trust me when I say this is important. Please, promise me."
Varian stared at Horace for a long moment before he nodded. "I-I'll try."
Horace relaxed. "Thank you." More than anything else, Horace's tense and relieved voice told Varian just how serious this whole thing was.
"I have some work to do." Horace took a step back. "It's more important than ever that we get you out of here." He looked at the captain. "Can he keep Ruddiger with him?"
"We don't normally allow pets in the dungeons," The captain said. "We'll have to chain him, just like any other prisoner, but if you let us do that then I don't see why he shouldn't be allowed to stay."
Varian looked at Ruddiger. He didn't want Ruddiger to be chained down like a wild dog, but he also wanted the raccoon's company. "It's your choice, buddy." Ruddiger chittered and nuzzled against Varian, who smiled. The raccoon wasn't going to leave him.
"I'll come check on you tomorrow." Horace said. "Please don't do anything to anger the guards. Just lie low."
Varian couldn't help but grin slightly. "That's what Lance and the captain have been telling me."
"Well, at least some people in Corona know what they're doing." Horace said. "You're going to be just fine, kid, I'm going to make sure of it." He nodded at Lance and the captain before turning and walking the other way.
Varian hated seeing him go. A part of him wanted to call out and stop him, but he held himself back. Horace had said that he would be back. Varian didn't completely trust him, but if he actually came back tomorrow then maybe he could begin to trust him again, at least a little bit.
If Horace could give him a second chance after he'd threatened the queen, and if the queen herself could offer Varian another chance, then maybe he could give Horace just a little trust...maybe. He wasn't going to let himself be fooled again, but Varian wanted his friend back. He was so tired of being on his own.
A/N: The captain feels out of character, but I admit, I have a soft spot for the captain having a soft spot for children. I imagine that if Varian was just two years older the captain would be treating him as harshly as any other criminal. As he's still just a kid though, the captain decides to take it easy on him.