After Varian helped Joel close up the bar, he left the pub. He stopped when he stepped outside, because he realized that his foot was on a poster. It was a bounty for a lost prince. He looked younger and more innocent, given the last they saw him was some time ago. He had grown, his shoulders broadened out. Although he looked like a stick, he was surprisingly 'abnormally' strong.
"Well, I don't suppose you're the answer to my question are you?" he asked himself. Think that bounty hunter is after me? Wouldn't pit it past her. It seems like her game from what I've heard about her..." Varian picked up the poster and slid it through the crack in the door. Joel would get the message if he wasn't there in the morning.
He wasn't worried about Joel ever turning him in to Fredric. He was one of the few people who knew who Varian really was, and he didn't care. As long as Varian did his work, the man didn't mind. Joel wasn't a man who wanted fame and fortune. Bartending was his life, and for some people, like Joel, the simple life was more than what they wanted.
Varian made his way to his hut. If he was going to be tracked down by a bounty hunter, he wanted to be prepared. As long as she didn't jump him before he made it back-
As soon as the thought came, someone kicked him the back.
"Damn! You're quiet!" he hissed, kicking his leg out. He swept Cassandra out from under the leg and she fell backwards. Probably hadn't thought he could kick that hard. If she had thought Varian was going to be an easy prey, she was screwed.
"Shit!" she cursed under her breath.
Before she had time to move, Varian was on top of her in spite of his limp leg. He quickly tried pinning her arms down. Unfortunately, Cassandra was stronger and shoved him off. A little too easily for Varian's pride not to go unhurt. Now the tides were reversed and she had rolled on top of him, pinning him down. He could feel her hot breath down his neck.
This triggered his PTSD. Memories of the Baron pinning him down, the man's breath running down his neck. Although Cassandra had no sexual intentions, it didn't matter. The memories were still fresh and caused Varian to act out in panic rather than rationally. He squirmed kicked and did anything to get her off.
"Stop fighting!" Cassandra demanded.
There was a fat chance in that. Varian finally realized he could use his knees. He calculated for a moment before kneeing her in the gut. Her pressure lessened as her body naturally retracted from the sudden pain. It was enough for Varian to push her off.
This time, he threw her safety to the wind and wrapped his arm around her neck into a choke hold. He wasn't going to kill her, he just wanted her to pass out so he could get away. Unfortunately, this action caused him to get an elbow in his face, causing him to say a more vulgar curse than earlier. Eugene would not approve. He could only imagine what his mom would say and Rapunzel would have stared at him utter shock. However, he didn't have time to think about that.
Cassandra threw a punch at him, but he caight her wrist. "We're not getting anywhere!"
She gritted her teeth in response to Varian, pulling her wrist free. Varian passed her an annoyed look and doged her next attack. He tried to give her an uppercut on her chin, but she dodged that. Cassandra jumped to the side, hitting him om the back of his head. Varian stumbled forward, falling unconscious to the ground.
The woman panted and stared at the victem. "My god, I wasn't expecting him to be a full fledged fighter. Shit, the incident in the bar was a warning to me as well... I have him now, so I guess it doesn't matter."
