Hey there folks! So… this is the final chapter.

….Oooooof PART ONE!

This chapter felt like a natural ending for this portion of the story, and so Lost Cause will conclude here. However, Varian's story is not yet finished and so a continuation is already in the works.

I sincerely hope all of you enjoy this conclusion.

When the sun at last disappeared, Varian decided he would try to sleep. He tossed and turned, he adjusted his blanket and pillow… all to no avail.

Defeated, Varian sat up on his cot, and pushed himself into the corner. He wrapped his blanket around his shoulders, trying to fend off the shivering, and brought his forehead to his knees. Varian assumed that by now, he would be accustomed to the temperature, but feeling unable to get warm never stops bothering someone.

Varian looked up when he heard the footsteps of a guard's steel toed boots. But… that wasn't all. The sound of heels clicking against stone rang through the echoey corridor alongside the boots. Now that was odd.

Varian's heart lurched when he saw the outline of a petite figure. A woman. Soon, she was close enough to be identified as Queen Arianna. Any other time, Varian would be shrinking himself away, but that was not the case tonight. Not when he saw who else the Queen and the Guard, Phillip, had with them.

"Ruddiger!" Varian expelled, standing up from his cot too fast for someone who had fainted just a couple of hours ago.

Ruddiger was squirming in the Queen's arms, itching to get back to Varian, just as Varian was itching to get back to Ruddiger. Queen Ariana chuckled at the friendly animal. "Alright, alright! Off you go." she said, letting the racoon down.

Ruddiger ran directly to the cell. Varian kneeled on the other side of the bars, his hands reaching through to make contact with his pet again after being seperated for much too long. Ruddiger pawed at the bars, and attempted unsuccessfully to stick his head between them. Varian scratched behind his ears through the bars, feeling choked up over the reunion. Varian was really glad to have him back. He needed him.

A short while later, the Queen and the Guard reached the cell. Varian wasn't sure how to behave with the Queen. Did he bow? He hadn't bowed when he had kidnapped her… He did now, though. Standing up, the chain at his ankle clattering, Varian grasped his hands together awkwardly, and bowed his head.

Somewhat thankfully, he did not have to stand there wondering how long to hold the position, because Phillip demanded immediately that Varian turn and place his hands against the back wall.

Varian looked at Ruddiger again, and then obeyed the order.

As soon as the guard had the barred door opened wide enough, Ruddiger was through, and purring into Varian's ankles. Varian expected to hear the door click and lock shut again right away, but it hadn't. He glanced over, hands still pressed against the wall and saw none other than the Queen herself stride on in.

Phillip also began to enter, but Arianna put out a hand to stop him. "Thank you Phillip. Please leave us for a while." she said in a way that was kind and polite, but authoritative.

Phillip looked uneasy. "Are you sure, your highness? Perhaps I should shackle his wrists." he said, again taking a step toward Varian.

The Queen put out her hand again. "No, that won't be necessary. Thank you, Phillip." she said, dismissively.

"Your Highness-" he started.

"Phillip please do as I ask." Queen Ariana said, still keeping her tone calm and kind.

The guard sighed, and stepped out of the cell. He closed over the door but neglected to lock it while the Queen was inside. "I won't be far, your Highness." he said, bowing, before he turned on his heel and strode away down the corridor.

The Queen waited until he was a few metres gone before she turned to Varian.

Varian still stood, with his hands, that appeared to be trembling, pressed against the stone wall, his eyes pointed at her feet.

She smiled sadly. "You can relax Varian, it's okay." she said

Varian slowly lowered his hands to his sides, but still did not meet her eye. Ruddiger jumped up onto Varian's cot and then from there he scurried up the boy's body to his shoulder, where he made himself comfortable.

The Queen huffed a little laugh. "He certainly missed you! But don't worry, I took good care of him." she said.

Now Varian looked up.

Ariana grimaced when the moonlight illuminated his young face, and she saw how bruised he had become.

Varian met her eyes, but looked away quickly. He did this again back and forth a few times while he said "He- he was with you?"

The Queen took a slow step toward the skittish boy and was pleased when he didn't flinch or move away. "Of course, we wouldn't just toss him to the streets, you know. And it was nice to have some company with Rapunzel being gone and all." she said.

Varian could have said something snarky about how he could have used some company too, but that wasn't the part of her sentence to catch his attention. "Rap- uh- the Princess is gone? Gone where?" he sputtered, intrigued.

Realizing he probably was not allowed to ask that, he quickly added "Or, uh- nevermind. Sorry." and looked down again, still undeniably curious as to where Rapunzel had gone.

The Queen shook her head slowly and took another step forward. "Do you mind if I sit?" she asked, gesturing to Varian's cot.

Varian quickly nodded. He was surprised she even felt the need to ask. Afterall, this was her palace, her dungeon, so technically, her cot. He supposed she was just being courteous.

She sat primly on the edge of the cot, and smoothed her skirts.

Varian felt awkward now, so he sat on the floor, his back against the wall and his arms wrapped around his knees. Ruddiger relocated himself to nuzzle underneath his boy's knees.

The Queen began to explain. "Rapunzel, Eugene, Cassandra, and a couple more friends of theirs headed out of Corona the day after you got here. They're looking for answers about the black rocks."

Varian felt relieved to hear this. They weren't at his trial because they were out of town, not because they despised him! Well, he considered, they could still despise him… But they were off to learn about the rocks! Maybe they would discover something that can destroy them and it would destroy the amber too! They might be able to help- no. No! They can't help Dad. Nobody can. Dad is… gone.

Varian's spiraling train of thoughts was cut off when the Queen spoke again.

"They've written you letters." she said, producing three rolled up pieces of parchment from a well hidden pocket in her dress.

Varian's eyes grew wide and his posture straightened. When she offered them to him, he took them with a noticeably shaky hand.

He opened the first one.

"Hey Pipsqueak,

Sooooo, how's jail? Sorry, sorry, insensitive, I know. But that's kind of my thing! Anyway, I'm trying to keep this short and sweet, so, Blondie told me about what happened to your Dad, and I guess that means you were alone for a good while. I've been there kid. That kind of thing can really mess with people. So I just wanted you to know that I don't totally blame you. I mean I don't totally trust you either, but come on! You almost killed my girlfriend! Buuuut I'm sure I can get past that too. Anyway, I hope you're holding up alright.

- Eugene (Flynn) Fitzherbert (Rider)

P.S, If you're going to be evil, and maybe this is just me, but I think you should try and bulk up a little. Those twigs for arms are just ...not threatening.

Varian smiled, and gave a small chuckle. His heart felt full. Eugene had gone through a lot as a kid, Varian had heard. Maybe when they get back he could talk to him about… stuff. Varian pushed away the thought for now and unrolled the next letter.

Hi Kid,

As much as I want to sucker punch the daylights out of you for the shit you pulled, when Raps told me why you pulled it, it made it hard to be pissed at you. Don't get me wrong, it does not make it okay, but I get that you were hurting, and I'm really sorry you had to go through that. However, if you try something like that again, I WILL kick your little ass into next week.

Rapunzel's been getting letters from her mother and she sent a list of everything they are trying to charge you with. When I saw you might get in trouble because I got hurt (I'm fine) (No thanks to you) I wrote back right away and told them to drop that one. I know you didn't mean for all of that to happen the way it did. Are you doing okay, kid? If you need me to write to my Dad, I will.

Hope to hear back from you.

- Cassandra

Varian did not take any of Cassandra's harsh words to heart. For Cass, they're heartfelt.

Varian now unrolled the last letter, which he correctly assumed would be from Rapunzel.

Varian,

I need you to know that I am not upset with you. I hope you aren't upset with me anymore, because I really am sorry for not helping you during that storm, and I'm even more sorry for not checking on you after. I am still trying to get the hang of this. And not just the Princess stuff, having friends and relationships, responsibilities, freedom. It's all new. And now, there's even more new! We are out in the middle of anywhere, following the rocks. I'm going to figure these things out and we are going to fix Old Corona. Lucky we have Owl to keep flying these letters back and forth.

My Mom told me that my Dad has been pretty stubborn about your case. He was scared, Varian, and he probably still is. Mom promised me that while I am away, she's got your back. If you need anything, just ask her. My parents have agreed to do what they can to help you, so please, just try. You are the smartest person I have ever met, and no, I haven't met a whole lot of people, but everyone else agrees with me too. You can use that to do so much good. You're no lost cause, Varian. I believe in that with all of my heart.

I'll see you when I get back to Corona, and I'll tell you everything that I find out.

Take care of yourself, you'll be okay.

Your friend,

- Rapunzel

Varian rolled the letter back up with tears in his eyes. They didn't hate him. They weren't even all that mad at him. Varian felt for the first time since before the storm, like he had someone in his corner. You're no lost cause Rapunzel had said. Those four words went against everything that Varian had been telling himself since his arrest. Those four words restored a sense of hope in him, after he had deemed himself hopeless. They wanted to help him? Well… Varian supposed it couldn't hurt to try.

The Queen noticed Varian's composure begin to crumble and crack, she hoped they were happy tears. "Are you alright, Varian?" she said quietly.

Varian nodded, and hastily wiped away the tears that had escaped.

The Queen scooched closer to him, and he buried his face in his knees.

"What is it?" she asked him with a motherly softness in her voice.

Varian lifted his face from his knees a little bit and shook his head, as if in disbelief. He looked up at the Queen, and his eyes shone with relief. "They- they don't hate me." he said, his voice cracking.

The Queen's shoulders relaxed. "Oh, sweetheart. Come here." she said, reaching out for him.

Ariana was not entirely sure what she expected, but she didn't expect him to come to her side so quickly.

When he sat down next to her, the Queen wrapped an arm around his shoulders and hugged him close into her left side. With her right hand, she combed her fingers through his thick hair, while Ruddiger curled close next to Varian's other side.

Varian had been starved of compassionate human touch for so long, that when it was offered to him he accepted with no hesitation.

The Queen rocked the two of them side to side slowly. "I'm fairly certain Rapunzel is incapable of hating anyone, and it seems she spreads that trait to others, too. You're a good person Varian. You just need some help. You are extremely smart, but sweetie, you're still just a boy. You didn't have the emotional maturity to deal with what happened to your father, what happened to you, and so you dealt with it the only way that you could make sense of. It wasn't right, people were hurt and potentially could have been hurt much worse. It caused damage, and it scared people." she started.

Varian tried to pull back from her now, uncomfortable with all that she was saying. The Queen didn't let him though.

She stopped swaying and backed away from him just enough to look down and meet his bright eyes, her hands resting on his shoulders. "Yes, Your actions were bad. But you are not. I'm on your side, Varian. You are going to come through this and feel okay again. I promise. I really, truly, promise." she finished, and hugged him closely again.

Varian let his head drop on the Queen's bosom, and that was when the dam broke. His frail body shook with sobs. He cried of his relief, he cried of his new-found hope, and his second chance. He cried for the friends he hadn't lost. He cried for the father that he had lost, but was never able to properly grieve. He cried from the love that radiated off the woman who held him right now.

The Queen had tears coming to her own eyes as she soothed the damaged child. One hand carding the boy's hair and the other rubbing his shaking shoulders. She shushed and rocked him for an undetermined amount of time, ignoring the first two times Phillip had come down the corridor to check on her.

By the third time, Varian's sobs had turned into quiet whimpers, and the shaking of his shoulders had turned into a steady rise and fall. With him calmed at last, she pulled back slightly and looked down at him to find him looking back, his eyes swollen and red rimmed.

"It's far too dark and cold down here and this bed is as hard as a rock. What do you say we get out of here? I've had one of the extra staff's chambers set up for you." said the Queen.

Varian's eyes widened and his lips twitched into a faint smile. He nodded, and the two of them rose from where they sat.

With the Queen's arm still wrapped around his shoulders and Ruddiger cradled in his arms, Varian stepped out of the confines of the cell on his unsteady feet for the last time.

You guys, thank you. Thank you so much for reading, for reviewing, and I truly hope you all come back for the continuation.

I will post a notice on this story as an additional chapter to ensure everyone following this story is notified when part two is up.

I also wanted to let you all know that I have another Tangled story in the works. An AU where Rapunzel and Cassandra got to grow up together, as sisters. It'll be angsty (because that is really my thing) and it'll be fluffy, and there will be a plot that just slightly deviates from the canon plot. If you're interested in reading that, give me a follow so you will be notified when it's up. If you have questions, ideas or suggestions about that story, or part one or two of Lost Cause, I would be happy to hear them!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Until next time, friends!