Alternative universe of how Varian and Judy met after SotS. Song doesn't belong to me.
It been nearly months since anyone last seen Rapunzel after the battle, almost a year in fact. The kingdom of Corona is doing their to get use to the quietness, used to be comfortable with the princess's present. But she must follow her destiny and stop the rocks. King Frederic thought that hiding the truth about the rocks can keep his kingdom safe, but he couldn't stop his own free sprited daughter in the castle after being locked up for eighteen years away from her own family, she was still new the the world out and still have to make her own life too. And from the way she defend herself against Varian proves she can take care of herself.
Speaking of Varian, he been living with the royal family, trying to get him help. He sat on the guest room's bed, arms crossed and pouting. He is still mad at them for turning their backs on him when he try to ask for help, and they are trying to tell him that his father will be freed and all is be sorted out in the end. He doesn't believe them. He still blame them and Rapunzel for everything that happened to him.
A knock is heard through the door. Behind, he hear the queen's voice. "Varian? Are you in there?" She ask politely.
Varian rolled his eyes. "Yeah! Still here!" He yelled.
"Well, I'm taking a stroll to see how the people are doing since Rapunzel last visit." Arianna told him. "And I was thinking if you like to join me. You been outside since last month, figure you can use some sun." She paused for a moment. "So, like to come?"
Varian could care less of those villagers, they all treated him like the villain he turn himself into. All thanks to Niguel and his rumors that is spread around Corona. But the more he think too much, the more he is about to give in, he hadn't been outside since his last community service. Maybe some fresh air can clean his mind.
So he let out a sigh and answer her. "Yeah, sure. Let me get ready first." He said. He jumped off and grab his goggles and gloves, put on them their rightful position.
Rudiger climb up and landed on Varian's shoulder, getting comfy as the texture of his fur bring comfort to Varian. Out of all the creature, Rudiger remain loyal to Varian, he been his only comfort since the storm and even when being turn into a ginat raccoon monster isn't the most pleasent way to help Varian, at least nobody got hurt badly except the royal captain.
He open the door and find Arianna holding a basket in her hands while standing before the doorway. She smile at him, trying to be kind like a mother she is. She place her hand on his shoulder and the two walk down the hallway.
Outside of the kingdom, villagers are talking to each other, buying the sales and handing their jobs. They didn't talk about the black rock incident and about Varian as well, knowing how harsh gossip can be and can be chaotic when not handle with care. Monty fix the damage of his shop with Attria and trying to make it look new.
With Arianna and Varian, while she is greeting her subject with care and kindness, Varian just cross his arms and look away from the others. He only came out cause the queen ask him to. This is pointless to him and to his situations.
Then the sound of music playing reaches his ears. His attention quickly turn from annoyance to curiousity. He left the queen's side and follow the music. Who can be playing music here around this huge kingdom? Strangely the music is coming from a huge crowd of villagers surrounding whoever is playing. He look for a way to get through, squeezing in and shucking in his weight to past through, till a last he made it to the end.
Near the fountain is a group of grown up musicians playing instruments, creating fun music that amazed the crowd. Umong the grown ups is a teenage girl that looks to be in Varian's age, playing a tambourine while singing. "It happens every now and then. I hear the words I need to hear. Coming from the tiny speakers, that I've shoved into my ears." Her voice sounds beautiful, sweet and heavenly. "The crickets setting the tempo. The wind dancing across my skin. Reminding me of conversations, Summer night when I stayed in." The girl have skin that is pale peach color with rosy color dusted on her cheeks, her eyes are pale blue to some they look like crystals, her lips are pale pink that looks so soft and kissable, her hair is long in a ponytail in brown color but she have blue bangs that sweep on her right face. She wore an off shoulder tunic with a brown was it corest, a brown belt, blue pants that look baggy, boots with ropes wrap on them and wear a lapis lazuli necklace.
"Back home, before I moved. Back home, before I got here. Back home with the people who loved me my fifteen years." The girl singed while the grown ups play in sync. "My heart is split. Between home and here. I'm cut in half. Two beds, to lives, and I live in in between my porch back at home and this strange new world I knit. My Heart is split."
Varian watch them while keeping his distance from the rest. He listen to the girl singing, she does have a nice singing voice he had to admit. "As sudden as the onset of winter. As natural as the trail mix they all eat." The woman with short dirty blonde hair vocalize with the teenager. "This untamed and icy place I live. Has swept me off my size five feet." The girl dance ballet style while she tap on her tamborene and sing. " I read non-stop to quell the absence. I drink too much, I fall in love too fast. Obsessively collecting sings and details, nothing's gone but nothing's lasting" the girl and the woman sing the last verse, till the girl sing her part.
"Back home, before I moved. Back home, before I got here. Back home with the people who loved me my fifteen years." "So the two sing together while the crowd clapped along the song. " I'm split. Between home and here. I'm cut in half. Two beds, two lives and I live in between my porch back at home and this strange new world I knit. My heart is split."
Varian have his arms crossed, watching still while Rudiger seems to enjoy this. "My heart is split. I'm home but I'm still here. I'm cut in half. Two beds. Two lives, and I live in between my porch back at home and this strange new world I knit." Popping behind the dancing girl is a little swan that begin to dance with her. "My heart is split. I'm home but I'm still here. I'm cut in half. Two beds, two lives and I live in between my porch back at home and this strange new world I knit. My heart is split."
The girl stopped dancing, but she contuied to sing to the crowd. Varian keep watching her, unable to take his eyes off of her. "my heart is split. It happen ever now and then. I hear the words I need to hear. Coming from the tiny speakers. That I've shoved into my ears." She stopped singing.
The crowd aroud clapped loud and begin throwing coins at a hat near them. The girl bow, laughing with joy in her. The swan by her side bow too, causing a few giggles from the crowd as well at how cute the swan is. Soon the hat is overfilled with coins.
A tall man with brown hair pick up the hat and bowed. "Thank you all for coming and listening." He announced to them. "Please give another round of appluae to our little angel, Judy." He gesture to Judy who smile shyly and sweetly that can melt any hearts, hearing a loud round of appluae to her. Soon after, they started leaving off and going back to their daily routine, all but Varian who seems to be staring at Judy still.
Judy pick up the swan and place her on top of her head who quack and ruffles her feathers to get comfortable. Judy let out a giggle. "Judy, we are off to off to buy food for tonight's supper. Can you watch over our insterments till we get back?" The same woman voice is heard and asking Judy as they are about to head off and away from her.
"Sure can Ma!" Judy nodded with an excited grin, to the woman who is her mother. She watch them walking away. Judy sat on the edge of the fountain, pulling out a book from her bag and write down.
What she doesn't know is that Varian quietly sneak up and walk on the fountain edge and look over her shoulder, watching her write on her book which seems to be a book for writing music sheets. This girl must be a musician as well. Make sense since she can sing lovely as well as she can play lovely too. He caught a few glance at her too, sure she is pretty, but she could be like the others that heard only of what he've done and treat him bad as well too. On the other hand, he never seen her or her family before too. So there can be a chance that they will believe the ones that fought against him more than listening to him more.
While he was too busy thinking, the edge started to get wet and he started slipping and fall down at Judy, who got push down and both fell on the ground with a yell from Judy. Rudiger and the swan whines and cover their eyes.
Judy push Varian away from her, looking mad and glare at him. "The heck!?" She yell at him. "Why were you over my shoulder?! Are you trying to sneak up on me?!"
Varian groan, rubbing his head and glance up at Judy, who is glaring dagger at him. Which only made him more madder. "Hey, I was only curious! No need to yell at me!" He yelled at her.
"I have every right to yell at you!" She yelled back. "What are you?! Some kind of stalker?!"
"What?! No!" Varian would be blushing right now if they weren't having this aurgument. "I saw you singing and I got curious! Geez, no need to act like it's a big deal." He finish with a roll of his eyes.
Judy face didn't look amused by his sassiness. She doesn't understand what is his deal and all. "It is if you came to me out of nowhere." She said, not wanting to be defected by this stranger. "Look, I don't want any trouble. Me and my family came to Corona to relex for a while and performing infront of a large crowd is challenging if that place called Old Corona didn't have those funny looking black rocks." She finished.
Varian blinked. "Wait, did you say old Corona?" He ask her.
"Uh..yeah? Why?" She ask with a raised eyebrow,
"Cause that's my home there." He added. Looking down. "They destoryed everything my dad work on and now he is locked up."
Judy's own face turn from annoyance to concern and worried. It must be hard to handle this without someone to look after you in your needs. She would have go through the same thing if anything happens to her, even when they can be very overprotective and get on her nerves as well. "Oh...I'm sorry to hear that." She said, her voice gone soft.
"I don't need your pity." He said. "Nobody around really took pity on me anyway."
"Well, let me be the first to." She added. She stand up, pull her hand out for him. "I'm Judy Potts." She said.
He glance to her, then to her hand as if she is expecting a handshake from him. So he took it. "I'm Varian." He announced.
Then she pull him up from the ground and have him steady. "Varian huh?" She smiled. "It's a pretty handsome name ya got there.'
Varian blushed, he rub the back of his neck. No one ever said his name is handsome before. He started to feel like the same goofy, dorky kid he was before this rock incident took place months ago, and this girl is trying to befriend him? Something is really fishy here. He had to check to be sure she isn't left in the dark too long.
"I'm..I'm flatter, but I am not the kind you're suppose to be with." He told her.
"And why not may I ask?" She question him.
Varian inhaled in and out. "Cause...I've done really bad things in my life." He said.
Judy tilt her head, very confused. "Bad things?" She ask him. "But you don't look like the one to have a bad bone."
Varian blinked. Is she serious? She believe he isn't the bad guy? This girl is more strange than she looks. "It's a long story and...I don't know if I should." He admited to her.
"I got all the time till my parents get back." She told him. "So no rush."
With a sigh, he told Judy of what he have done and what his crime almost got him to. She listen to his tale, looking so shocked and sad at the same time. She really feel bad now, not for him and his father, but for what this action have causes. After he have finished, he stare at her, hoping to hear a nasty feedback from her. But instead of a look of remorse, it's a look of real pity.
"I...I'm so sorry to hear that." She said sadly. "Must be so tough and lonely to cause this change on you."
He is shocked and surprised at the same time. She isn't mad at him?! And she isn't gonna say he is a dangerous person too!? Does she know what she is getting herself into!? But he is villain! And she should hate him, but only took great pity on him!? "You're...not gonna...agree with them?" He ask her.
"Well, there is always a different side to this event. And with this princess away, it's hard to go on who's side." She admit. "And beside, it's not like you can do harm to anymore right now. I would have go through the same if something happens to my family too." She let out a soft smile. "You are not a villain, you're a kid like me. And you just need help from those that are trying to get you back on your feet."
Varian have his jaws dropped and his eyes widen. She is really strange. "I...I..." He tried to think of something to argue with her.
"Nice try silly." She laughed. "But you're not gonna change my mind and that's that."
"Judy! We're back!" The sound of her family's voice reach her ears. Judy turn her head and see them coming this way with bags of grocery's.
"Hey Vary, I like you to meet my-" she turn around, only to find him gone and out of sight. She look confused. "Varian? Vary?!" She call out.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. She look up and see Murlock looking at her. "Who are you talking to?" He ask her.
"Oh. Uh...I thought I was talking to someone, but guess he left to go somewhere." She said.
"Well, time to go. We got to make plans for our next show." He said, grabbing his lute.
Judy sighed in defect. She turn around again, hoping Varian will show his face. But he is nowhere to be seen. So she took her tambourine from the ground, pick up the swan and place her on her head and follow her family as they headed to the old inn.
Over by the building, Varian peck out and watch her leaving with her family till she is out of his sight. He couldn't understand why she didn't see him as a villain like all does, or why she would think he is like her. He is nothing like her at all, he almost hurt others while she look like she wouldn't hurt a fly. She could get her leave in a lot of trouble if she is close by him.
"Varian!" Arianna found him as she rush with her skirt up and holding the basket of flowers. "There you are. I've been looking for you!" She said worry like.
"I...I kinda wanna get away from all this." He said, looking away. "Can...Can we go back to the castle, please?"
She nodded, understanding. She took his hand and hold it while she and him head back to the castle, pasting the villagers. She glance at Varian. "While on my time, I heard a lovely voice and watch a couple musicians playing." She said. "They have a way of brighten our days, and the girl is so cute." She added. "Hopefully we get to see them again."
"yeah...same here." Varian let out a nervous chuckle. Sure that girl is strange, but at least she is the first person other than the king and queen to ever show him a true act of pity. Maybe meeting her was a good chance.