Summary: Quirin always had been reluctant to ask Varian about his time in the dungeons, luckily the kid from the fire kingdom did not share his hesitation.
"Wow, you went to prison?!" Yong exclaimed far too excited by Varian's admission. "How was it?" He asked with the sense of tact only a 12-year-old could get away with.
Old Corona's leader tensed and the pub went a tad quieter.
Had Quirin not been listening in on the conversation he might have missed the subtle changes around him, the way the king and queen averted their eyes, or how the former captain's grip clutched tighter around his drink while the guards shifted uneasily in their seats.
Yeah. Not the best topic for a relaxed evening with friends and family. Yet deep down, Quirin also wanted to know.
It wasn't that Varian was hiding things from him. He'd told him all about his deeds when trying to free him, and the mishaps with the Saporians, however… his time in the dungeons remained mostly a mystery, only mentioned in passing or brushed off in an accessory sentence.
Quirin himself hadn't had the courage to bring up the topic - afraid of the potential minefield. He wasn't sure he could handle it. The mental image of his son down there made his blood boil on the best of days. So he held his tongue, like everyone else. He hated it. Varian was not some dirty secret to be swept under the rug. Yet Quirin felt like just another person stepping on it and ignoring the filth underneath.
Lifting his own mug, he took a big gulp of his drink. He'll talk when he is ready, Quirin reminded himself. It sounded more and more like an excuse for his own feeble mind rather than being a real solution. Varian may never be ready to share -
"Hm, kinda boring I guess," Varian mused casually. "Lots of sitting around and thinking. Like being grounded just worse."
The kid from the fire kingdom made a disappointed face, pestering his idol for more information.
"Honestly, I don't remember much," Varian shrugged. A lot of the details were either lost or a little bit off - a thankful blur. There were snippets of conversation with Queen Arianna, the face of the captain, Ruddiger. And then there was Andrew. The memories of him and their prison break most clearly.
Yong looked worried and Varian smoothened his frown. He tousled the boy's hair.
"It doesn't matter anymore," he assured him with a smile.