It's Monday again. While I do like this little chapter and feel the set up is necessary, I'm really looking forward to next week when Varian is well enough to leave the house and things will start kicking up from there. Thanks again for all your support so far.
Content warning: Lying, manipulating, grieving, victim blaming and past abuse.
Chapter 6
King in Check
Gabriel sighed as he entered Varian's room and found it unoccupied. While it was important the boy felt free enough to move around he still had some things to discuss with him. His reveal had gone as well as could be expected. He was indeed intrigued by the idea of a power that could bring his father back to him but he was skeptical and a little reluctant to start another war with a powerful maiden. Gabriel gave him some time to think it over. Varian was getting better everyday but using a Miraculous while sick or injured could make his illness worse. Better to wait until he was strong enough before trying it again.
He hoped the boy would be in the kitchen getting a snack, the doctor said frequent smaller meals were better for his system. He was quickly finding out that the boy tended to get distracted or hyper focused on things and neglect his need. This was a habit Gabriel was trying to correct. After not finding him in the kitchen he knew there was only one place the boy would go. Varian was probably in the library again researching all the wondrous things about the modern world. He supposed he was fortunate that the child was a quick study and eager to learn as much as he could. He couldn't keep him a secret forever and he was going to need to be prepared if they had any chance at defeating Ladybug.
When he entered the Library he found he was half right. Varian was in a winged backed chair surrounded by large piles of books and blankets. It seems he made himself a little nest. He was also taking advantage of the portable peg board and folding maps Gabrial had given him for his studies. He'd pinned the map to the board and had made a large number of notes in red ink.
"Good morning Varian." The boy jumped and moved as if to hide the extra books he had taken. "While I was hoping you'd still be resting, it's good to see you've taken an interest in educating yourself about the modern world." He looked up surprised as if he was caught stealing a cookie and then told to take another one.
"You are?" Varian asked, almost hopeful.
"Of course, education is one of the most important things in a young person's life." Even so the boy seemed susceptible. "Was that not the case where you came from?"
"Of course it was…to a point." He sighed, stroking the book in his lap. "Most people in my village can read and write but were mostly taught at home. Only the rich can afford tutors for their children. Even then the universities only accept the best."
"Given what I've seen, you should have no trouble getting accepted."
"My family's not poor but we were not exactly rich either. I grew up on a farm and kids of farmers are expected to work the field when they're old enough. My mom was a brilliant Alchemist but she died when I was young. I only had her books and notes to guide me. My Dad taught me for a while but soon I was asking questions he didn't know the answers to. I had to study mostly on my own. The town had a library but nothing close to this." He gestured to the large room almost as big as his whole house.
"What area are you currently focusing on, if I may ask?" Varian was quiet for a moment.
"I've actually been trying to determine if I really was in another world or somehow got knocked into the future." He pulled down the map and laid it on the table.
"Now some countries exist both back home and here like Italy, China, England and of course France." He said pointing to the countries circled in blue. "But there are some countries that only seem to exist where I'm from. Ingvar, Sapporia, the Dark Kingdom." He was now pointing to parts of the map circled in red where other countries now resided like how the Dark Kingdom was part of Russia. "My own kingdom, Corona." He pointed to a blank spot on the map just off the coast of Germany. "Doesn't even exist here."
"Have you considered changes to Geography? Borders and names do change over time."
"I thought that might be the case however, " he pulled out several history books pointing to time lines and older maps. "None of these countries were mentioned at all. And while I wouldn't put it past Frederic to literally sink Corona into the sea, there's just no proof it was ever here." He closed the book in frustration.
"Looks like I really am in an entirely different world. Another spectacular failure for Varian." He slumped in his chair looking away from the maps.
"This was hardly an error on your part. Ladybug was the one who's carelessness trapped you here." Varian glanced back but was still frowning. "Be that as it may, it may be for the better that you came here. I hate to imagine what would have become of you with no one there to help when you were so sick."
Varian closed his eyes remembering being all alone in his prison cell. He wondered if his new cellmate would have helped him for a price, the guards would happily let him rot. Gabriel also wanted something from him but at least he still felt like he had a choice, for now at least. He figured he had until he was well again before he had to decide. Both Gabriel and Ruddiger were in agreement he was not to use the Miraculous until he was well again anyway. He was grateful for the time to mull it over but it all came down to one thing. Would this miracle really work? Could its magic extend to his world like the portal did? He needed more information but other than the book he didn't have much to go on.
Gabriel could see the boy was lost in thought. Contemplating more things then he could count. He decided that perhaps Varian could use a little entertainment to lighten his mood.
"We have some time before supper. Would you be interested in a little game?" Varian perked up hearing this. It had been ages since he'd played anything with another person. Most people didn't want anything to do with him, never mind play with him. And this was before he attacked the royal family.
"What did you have in mind?" He said quietly, not wanting to show his building excitement.
Gabriel walked over to one of the shelves and opened a small cabinet on the bottom and pulled out what looked like a small case. He opened the case to reveal a glass board and several finely carved game pieces. Varian's eyes lit up. "A chess set?" The man nodded.
"Do you know how to play?" He did indeed. So Gabriel set the board up on the table and pulled up a chair. "Now before we begin I must ask you to do one thing." Varian looked up curiously. "You must give it your all. Whether in life, work, education or personal goals, you must give it everything you've got. To do less would be an insult."
Varian looked at the board and back to Gabriel. He did love playing chess; it let him think on his feat and he relished the challenge. But there weren't many people to play with back at home. He would play with his father from time to time but after beating the man over and over he started to feel bad, like he was rubbing his victories in his Dad's face. He let him win a few times but his Dad knew. There was that disappointed look on his face once more. They stopped playing after that.
"Alright then," he sat up to access the board easier. "I insist you do the same." Gabriel smiled and gestured to the board.
"Black or white." Varian thought for a moment before answering.
"Black." Gabriel raised an eyebrow but arranged the board and made the first move. There was another reason he wanted to play this game with Varian. You can learn a lot about a person by observing how they played. What strategy they used, how many moves could they plan ahead and how much would they be willing to sacrifice for victory. Even the choice, 'black or white' told him something about the young man sitting in front of him. White always moves first so for many it was a strategic advantage. But when facing an unknown opponent, allowing them to make the first move could give you some insight and allow you to plan out a counter attack. He was eager to see what this young man could really do.
After several turns and Varian making some…interesting moves Gabriel decided to revisit the topic they had been dancing around.
"So, have you given any thought to my offer?" Varian hesitated, in his move and in his answer.
"I'm just not sure I want to be playing around with magic again." He said moving his rook. "Science has rules and logic. It's easy for me to understand and learn. But magic…every time I think I have a grasp on how it works it decides to change the rules and throw it back in my face." Gabriel took his time before responding and making his own move.
"Magic has its own set of rules as well as limits and like science we are constantly learning more and adapting as we go."
"But I can't even understand the magic of my own world and this one seems like an entirely new form altogether." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I mean no offense but…have you tried giving an Akuma the power to heal. There's got to be tons of people who would gladly be an Akuma willingly if it meant helping their loved ones as well." Gabriel paused as a dark look crossed his face and Varian wondered if he went too far.
"That was the first thing I tried when Emilie…" he had to fight to control his anger. The anger was directed at himself for being so foolish but he didn't want to frighten the boy. "The Akuma's power is only temporary. If the host is freed…it only made things worse." Varian didn't feel pity, only empathy for the man who had taken him in. He knew exactly what it felt like to try and help only for things to go horribly wrong.
"When the black rocks came and were forcing us from our homes nobody did anything to stop them. My Dad's answer was to move and avoid the problem but I knew better." he said bitterly. "He told me to stay away but I knew better. I was so sure I could fix things. I was excited when I'd finally gotten a reaction but then…" Varian had to fight to keep the tears at bay. "It got out of control and my Dad got caught in the crossfire. He was encased in amber and just like the rocks it was unbreakable.
"I tried everything I could with science and Alchemy but nothing worked. I tried stealing the Sundrop thinking it's magic would work, nothing. I tried kidnapping the Queen so I could get the Sundrop's host to release him, NOTHING!"
He didn't mean to shout, but he needed to let that out. All his frustrations and failure wrapped in good intentions finally let out in the open.
But now that he had, what now? He never intended to let a virtual stranger know his past. The atrocity he committed, and for what? A father still imprisoned by his own hands and his own imprisonment as a result of his actions. Gabriel wasn't a fool; he'd seen the state he was in, seen the scars. And they don't just let you walk away after you've kidnapped a Queen.
He would be kicked out now, he was sure of it. He'd foolishly revealed what a monster he was and- Suddenly he felt a light touch on his hand. Gabriel was looking at but not in horror or disgust as he expected, but with empathy. He had forgotten for a moment that this was a man who lost his wife and was doing everything in his power to bring her back. No matter what the cost.
"I knew the Peacock Miraculous was damaged when I let Emilie use it. I saw her getting weaker but she insisted she was fine. I convinced myself she was as well. I should have taken it away, I should have told her to stop. But I was so sure everything would be alright until one day…
There were no words spoken, there was no need. Each knew how the other felt and for Varian it was like someone was pulling him up from the water when everyone else would be happy to let him drown. He didn't realize how much he needed this. A sympathetic ear with no judgment. Someone was finally hearing him after so long. And for the first time in a long time he didn't feel alone.
The quiet moment lasted for some time before a soft beeping noise alerted Gabriel it was supper time. While he wished they could have finished the game, Varian couldn't afford to skip meals and his host did not allow food or drinks in his library. After a small protest from the boy Varian was sent back to his room to eat and rest. He promised they could finish the game later and the library was open to him whenever he wished.
The boy gave him a small tired smile before heading back to his room. Gabriel was still in the library slightly perturbed by the books left lying around but left them where they were. Varian was still recovering and after their conversation he seemed emotionally drained. Gabriel himself was a little drained as well. He normally didn't like talking about Emily; the pain it brought was almost crippling. It was easier to focus on a solution instead. But the boy understood.
Nathalie could sympathize and she understood to a degree but Varian actually knew what that pain felt like. Perhaps he needed that just as much as Varian. It was what drew him to the boy in the first place. While he was trying to gain the boy's trust he wasn't lying when he offered to share the wish with him. No reason they couldn't both get what they wanted.
As he went to pick up one of the blankets from Varian's little nest he saw the chessboard from Varian's angle and gasped. This whole time the boy had been leading him into a trap and he had completely missed it. Varian would win in only five moves. But he wasn't upset at the thought of losing, oh no. This only proved he was right about the boy. Shadow Moth and Ladybug had been playing this game for too long. It was time a new player was introduced to shake things up.
He would be patient. Once he convinced Varian to join him they could both finally get what they wanted. And nothing was going to get in their way.
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Theo stood outside the 'cursed' jail cell keeping watch as Nigel, the royal adviser inspected it. He was present when the Alchemist of old Corona vanished into a magical hole in the ground and he was still on edge about being here. Two of his fell guards who had also witnessed the strange occurrence had quit and the other was refusing dungeon duty.
The advisor had instructed them to keep quiet about the incident until he could properly inform the King. That was fine with Theo, he still couldn't fully comprehend what just happened. He had a hard enough time explaining what happened to the Captain.
Nigel was not happy that was obvious, he was still inspecting the cell as if looking for something. Whatever it was he wasn't finding it. Finally he turned around to address the lone guard brave enough to return to the cursed cell.
"Did the prisoner seem off when you arrived? Was there anything that stood out?" Theo thought for a moment.
"Well I'm not sure. I'm not usually assigned to this wing and I only saw him briefly before he disappeared." he frowned as a thought came to him. "He did seem rather skinny though." Nigel scoffed.
"The boy is just being petty. Refusing food as to insult the King's kind gesture and mercy." That seemed odd to the guard but the kid was supposed to be mad so he supposed that could be the case.
"Anything else?" Nigel asked, getting more and more impatient.
"Well…" he thought again. "He did look like he was a little roughed up." Once again Nigel assured him discipline was necessary when dealing with a crazed terrorist.
"Was there anything else, anything he did?" Theo once again described the scene to him exactly how he remembered it.
"Oh, I almost forgot, his pet raccoon jumped in after him with a pair of goggles in its mouth." The royal adviser actually face palmed.
"Never mind." He said as he instructed the guard to escort him out. "This was just an elaborate trick by the Alchemist of Old Corona. He used his pet to smuggle in supplies to put on an elaborate show to cover his escape." Theo raised his eyebrow.
"I don't know, the kid looked pretty scared." Nigel frowned.
"Just another clever trick. Regardless we'll be blocking off this wing of the dungeon in case the boy left any surprises behind." Theo was relieved to hear that. This place still made him nervous even if the Alchemist vanishing was just a trick. He wondered how the kid had pulled that off. A few of his friends had heard tales of Varian before he attacked the Royal family. They described him as reckless at best and dangerous at worst with his inventions wreaking havoc in his hometown.
Still it was a surprise to them that the boy would kill his own father and try to steal the Princess's magic for his experiments. It felt like he wasn't getting the whole story but he was at the battle in Old Corona and he saw first hand how vicious the boy could be.
He trusted the advisor to help the King make the right decisions to keep the kingdom safe. It was not a job he envied. He preferred following orders to making hard decisions like this.
When they exited the dungeon the advisor turned to him again.
"I shall be speaking to the king to inform him about what I've discovered. No doubt he'll want to inform the Princess and her entourage about the escape. You are to remain quiet about the incident until you are briefed. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. You are dismissed. Report back to the Captain and tell him I'll need to speak with him after I consult with the King." Theo nodded and started to make his way to the captain's office only to remember he was helping to secure the other terrorist Andrew in his new cell.
He turned back intending to wait for the captain only to see Nigel going into an unfamiliar room. He only saw him briefly but he did seem to be talking to someone.
"There's been a…complication." and then the door closed and he couldn't hear any more. He found it odd that he didn't go to the King's chamber but maybe the King wanted to meet with him in secret. Whatever the reason it wasn't his business he just followed orders like a good soldier.
Still he couldn't help but wonder what that green light was he saw in the room just before Nigel closed the door. He shrugged. Must have been a trick of the light.
To be continued…
Next time: Varian is finally well enough to meet Gabriel's son Adrian and explore this new world in the light of day. He meets new friends and confronts Ladybug again. A decision will finally be made.
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