Summary: Varian meets the King and Queen after they lost their memories. He didn't pull the trigger himself, but he might as well could have.

I can bring tears to your eyes, resurrect the dead, make you smile, and reverse time - What am I?

As soon, as Varian opened the door his heart stopped.

The candle between his fingers flickered. Up and down the flame went, mockingly painting even deeper shadows in the scarcely lit room. Varian barely noticed. His eyes were firmly fixed on the person in front. This was a mistake, he thought with rising panic. He shouldn't have come, never been here in the first place. He should have never... All of a sudden the walls felt too close, creeping up on him, almost suffocating and always cold. He was trapped again and there was no way out. It was too much. Varian wanted to run - to run and hide in the darkest corner of the kingdom. It took every ounce of strength he possessed to step back, hands shaking and knees weak. Still, he wasn't able to look away. Should he say something?

"Who are you?" the King asked.

What? Varian turned his attention towards him. His gaze immediately caught by the golden emblem on his chest.

Somebody moved.

"Oh your majesty, don't you remember Varian, your most trusted adviser?" Andrew appeared from behind. With a voice smooth as silk, he gently pushed Varian forward.

The King examined the boy.

"Varian," he tested the name on his tongue. "Uhm, of course, I do," Frederic replied, dragging the words out as if he himself wasn't so sure.

Varian's eyes returned to Queen Arianna. A frown was on her face as she sized the young alchemist up. Confusion filled her usually calm features. He watched as she desperately tried to remember the answer to a riddle she had long forgotten. Something dark and vicious began to grow inside him. Then he realized.

"Clementine…"

Shame and guilt started to form a tight knot in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't look at her anymore.

"Andrew a word please."

They excused themselves to talk in private, leaving King and Queen behind.

"What is this all about?" He hardly managed to repress his anger.

"Well, I thought it would be nice to kick off your little passion project," Andrew grinned. "Didn't you want a chemical that erases memories? Let's see it as a first step," The Separatist put a heavy hand on Varian's shoulder. "With the King under control, we can get all the materials you need for your experiments. After that comes the rest of Corona. Isn't that what you wanted?"

He sounded so pleased with himself it made Varian sick.

"Well yes… but-,"

- but not like this. Never like that. He hadn't thought - hadn't meant... Varian wasn't sure. Logically it all made sense. The pieces fit perfectly, but why did it feel so wrong? This was not right.

Andrew raised his brow suspiciously. "But what?" He pressed on while tightening his grip on him.

Just like this, their difference in size and height was painfully brought to the boy's attention.

"Next time you better inform me beforehand," Varian continued with ice in his voice. He clenched his fists and stood his ground, but didn't shove the older man's hand off. There was no turning back now.

"Sure thing kiddo." His former cell-mate let go and ruffled Varian's hair instead.