Thanks for your reviews ! It's Always nice to know how people care about the story, their characters and what may happen !
Arkham, I didn't know about Batman the animated series, nor that there were similarities, thanks, that's good to know !
L, wow, so many ideas ! Bear with me, Varian is not done yet ! Siha Rephic is right, a lot of clay pots are needed !
alejg, thanks, no I'm no psychologist, I'm just a nerd when it gets to this stuff I guess. Also because Varian is a character that is very special to me.
Oh and I am working on fanart for this chapter, WIP, soon to be on tumblr !
Ok, here we go !
Chapter 49
Frederick always knew that he married a strong-headed woman.
That's what made him fall in love with her from the start. Arianna was passionate about everything she would undertake. And it was clear that, once her mind was set, there was no stopping her. Her eccentric younger sister, Willow, often teased her about it, and her last visit was no exception.
Now Arianna was more settled, of course. Wiser. Queen duties would do that to you. And she was sensible enough to adapt and take action for the greater good rather than for her own benefit.
It hadn't always been the case, though. There was a time when Arianna was desperate to prove herself. As a first-born child, she was expected to make a good marriage, end of story. With her future set up for her, the young girl very early on decided that she wanted to be loved for herself. It didn't matter if she had to go to extreme lengths sometimes, go on crazy adventure and sometimes risk her life more than necessary, just to impress her busy parents.
Indeed, that was the woman he loved. So, when the King saw an endless line of townspeople each carrying a clay pot to the castle earlier that day, he was only half surprised. He had also learned that, aside from his own personal feelings toward the young alchemist, they both wanted to help him somehow, and he fully expected Arianna to be as passionate and committed to that mission as she had ever been.
His curiosity taking the best of him, he decided to discreetly watch from his balcony, as his beloved wife held out the metal bar to the boy in front of her. How ironic, he thought, as he stepped outside his bedroom to tread the stone floor from which his precious daughter was snatched from him, to watch if they could fix a child who had lost the only parent he had.
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Varian stiffed up, his breath hitching even though he was trying not to let it show. He knew he was supposed to respond somehow, but he was completely frozen, unable to say a word or to move an inch. The air was thick, hot on that summer afternoon, and Varian tried to convince himself it was the reason why he started sweating.
Phil saw the teen's distress and was almost as bewildered as Varian after the Queen's emotional display. Unsure how to react to help him, he just took a step forward to stand next to the trembling boy and laid a hand on his shoulder.
Arianna spoke up, breaking the silence.
"I am perfectly aware of what I'm asking of you, Varian. And I can't make you do it. But know this : if you decide to give it a try, you won't be alone. I'll be by your side, and so will Phil," she commented with a nod toward the guard she knew had managed to find a crack in Varian's armour. Phil wasn't sure he wanted to agree with this, but did he have a choice ? Obviously not.
"And why would I ?, came Varian's shaky voice, barely above a whisper. "What makes you think that breaking stupid clay pots will fix anything ?". He was holding his head low, hiding his eyes under his bangs. In his head, all he could see was the image of his Dad, still trapped in amber, and that little game of hers was not going to shatter it and free him, he was sure of that. But he just couldn't say it out loud, no, he couldn't say a word about his father because he felt he would lose it completely if he did.
"Because I believe you need to let out those feelings that have been gnawing at you for far too long. Because I want to help you, Varian."
"Why ?" he said coldly as he lifted his head but kept looking away. "Oh, right, I know why, because you promised the Princess you would do so," he managed, anger and contempt back on his young face.
"Varian," Arianna said with a slightly stern tone to get his full attention, "do you trust me ?"
Varian didn't reply and broke away from Phil's hand, visibly upset but back in his shell again. He took a few steps past the Queen, ignoring the metal bar. Ruddiger scurried after him as the boy gazed at the display of the disparate clay pots all over the garden, his gloved hands clenched into fists.
He did trust her, deep inside. Or at least he wanted to. But every time he would allow himself to believe that she would be there for him, his fears came crawling back and squeezed his heart like claws. All the people he admired or cared for had betrayed him, one way or another. Flynn Rider, no Eugene on the very day they met. Cassandra at the Science Expo. Rapunzel after he came to her through the blizzard. Even his father... The boy's feelings had been trampled on, his heart literally quartered between the people he trusted most. The wounds were still raw, and he couldn't go through that again.
He hugged himself with one arm as he often did when under stress, his head sulking between his shoulders. He kept his back turned to Phil and the Queen as he tried to speak out his thoughts. Ruddiger nudged his head against his leg tentatively, but the boy, wrapped up in his pain, ignored his furry friend.
"I… don't know what to believe anymore," he said in a blank tone. "I'm tired of secrets and lies. Even my father…". He trailed off, his whole body tensing again. Tumbling upon him without a warning, the memory of the piece of purple glass made his heart skip a beat, as he realized he could very well use it to induce pain, physical pain to his body right there and then. Anything, any form of pain would be welcome if only it could distract his whole being from the excruciating agony of his heart.
Spinning around, he faced the Queen and stared at her, his cerulean blue eyes intense with rage as he shouted, fighting back tears he could feel coming :
"My own father came to the King and lied to his face ! How can I trust anybody after that ?"
Up there on the balcony, Frederic gasped. Suddenly, his thoughts reeled, back to the day of the snow storm as he distinctly remembered his old friend Quirin. He was the one who desperately tried to warn him about the consequences he would inflict upon Corona if he removed the Magic Flower to save his wife and unborn child, many years ago. Frederick chose to ignore the risks.
Frederick felt a pang of guilt in his heart. Not only because he was the reason why the rocks started to spread throughout the land, but also because he knew, oh yes he knew, thanks to Quirin, about the dire situation in old Corona. Now his friend was stuck in amber, alive or dead, no one knew. He, Frederick, could have –should have –done something about it, rather than let this disaster unfold in front of his eyes. Maybe then, that broken and angry child, down in the garden, wouldn't be standing there right now.
Arianna was staring intensely at the boy in front of her. She said nothing, stepped forward and once again held out the metal bar to Varian.
"So, which one ?" she asked.
"What ?" was all Varian could utter.
"Which one of these pots are you going to break, thinking of that moment ? I'm not here to answer your questions, Varian. All I ask is for you to choose a clay pot and smash it."
Phil was standing still, a respectful distance away. He started to see where the Queen was going with that. She wouldn't lecture Varian or pretend to know who is right and who is wrong. She only wanted him to let go of his emotions that had been consuming him for far too long and clouding his judgement.
The realization didn't stop him from being worried about Varian though. The boy was emotionally unstable, the incident in the library that occurred in the morning proved as much. Would he be strong enough to endure what looked like bringing an old house down before re-building it ?
As to mirror his thoughts, clouds started to gather in the sky above.
His goggles still sitting on top of his head, Varian drew a sharp breath. He was torn apart, one part of him screaming not to trust anyone, the other remembering the way she had taken care of him ever since his bad encounter with the Stabbington brothers. If only he could trust her, if he could allow himself to rely on her…
Like he was an automaton himself, Varian raised his arm and grabbed the end of the metal pole with his glove, his mind blank as too many painful memories invaded him again like a gigantic boulder rolling toward him. He ripped the cold tool out of the Queen's hand and in one swift motion, whipped his body around with a raw scream that didn't even sound like his own voice.
Metal met clay abruptly and the latter broke into pieces with a loud clutter that made all the birds resting in the nearby trees fly away as one.
Silence came, and only the teen's panting breaths could be heard. Once they quieted a little bit, he straightened, the metal pole in one hand, and turned to the Queen. A glance, and then a nod, were all that passed between them.
Feeling a knot tie up in his stomach, Varian forced himself to exhale and slid his goggles down onto his eyes.
