Chapter 4: The Alchemist's New Clothes
Now that the Saporian crisis was averted, things in Corona were starting to get back to normal. Well, more-or-less. The king and queen were currently out of action due to the Wand of Oblivium. So Rapunzel assumed the role as acting queen until her parents recovered from their amnesia, if they recovered that is. The mysterious effects of the magical Saporian object were tricky to overcome. And then, there was the matter of helping young Varian recover from Andrew abusing him, physically and mentally.
Just today, she and Eugene had taken the boy to the medical wing to assess the contusions he sustained from Andrew's maltreatment. One nurse with chestnut brown hair gently looked him all while not trying to aggravate his discolorations. Meanwhile, Varian trembled uncomfortably under her careful touch.
"This is somewhat startling." the nurse declared. "He has so many lacerations, his entire body almost is black and blue. I'm surprised Varian's still able to walk. Not to mention he's frighteningly skinny."
"So what do you suggest, ma'am?" Rapunzel asked.
"I think I would be best for Varian to hold off on extensive physical activities until he recovers from this." the nurse deduced before handing Eugene a bottle. "I also recommend applying this ointment on his bruises. That should help mitigate the flaring of his lacerations. Have him apply it twice a day in the morning and at bedtime. And if you ever run out, I'll have another bottle ready for you."
"Thank you so much, nurse-" the princess began.
"Call me Miss Swan, Your Highness." she told her.
"Quick question." Eugene butted in. "What do we do about the psychological implications from 'he who shall remain nameless?'"
He purposefully left out Andrew's name so that Varian didn't go into an anxiety attack.
"Unfortunately, I don't have a background in psychology." Miss Swan answered. "All I can say is for you two to be what Varian truly needs. The poor thing has suffered from something no child should ever have to go through."
She didn't have to tell Rapunzel twice. It still twisted her stomach to think about the boy's ordeal at the hands of a maniacal grown man.
"While we're talking about what the kid needs, I believe a mandatory breakfast is in order." her boyfriend proclaimed. "To the gazebo!"
Later that morning; Varian, Rapunzel, Eugene, and Lance indulged in a wide spread of breakfast foods. It was like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Varian however was a little hesitant about digging in, fearing that his meal could be laced with a sedative.
"Stop thinking like that!" he scolded himself. "Andrew's not here! You don't have to worry about that anymore!"
The dark prince noticed that the boy was barely touching his food and worry began to bubble inside him.
"C'mon kid, you gotta eat something." he told him. "Some protein and vitamins can do a body good, especially in your case."
"I-I'm just making sure there isn't any s-s-sleeping draught in the food or water." the teen stuttered.
"Why would anyone put that in your food?" Lance asked before coming to a conclusion. "Did Andrew used to do that to you?"
"I-I-I-If I was lucky enough to eat." Varian answered shyly.
The princess and two men exchanged horrified glances with one another. Hearing that was definitely unsettling.
"Well, I can assure you. You're meal is 100% free of any kind of drug." Rapunzel guaranteed.
The young alchemist then experimentally sampled a bite of his pancake and took a swig of water. To his relief, he couldn't taste anything out of the ordinary. It tasted exactly just how food and water should taste. So Varian happily enjoyed the rest of his meal. His friends couldn't hold back their satisfaction. It was definitely a good first step in the right direction.
As the child continued eating, the princess confidently announced, "Well guys, we've got a big day ahead of us. With my parents out of commission, I'm ready to assume the role of ruler and get this kingdom up and running again."
"Are you sure you're okay with that responsibility?" Varian swallowed. He knew the last time Rapunzel was in charge of Corona, it led her making some regrettably hasty decisions.
"Of course I'm sure." she cheerfully responded. "I've gotten a lot more confidence since the last time I was acting queen."
"And she's gonna to prove it during today's meeting." Eugene added, kissing his girlfriend's hand.
The alchemist smiled a little bit. If the princess was confident in her ability to be acting queen again, then he can believe in her too.
Later in the war room, the quartet were with Nigel discussing the major problems happening in Corona as of late. Probably most notably, the absence of the Captain of the Royal Guard.
"As you all know, with the Captain still missing in action; Corona's active line of defense has been wearing thin." Nigel explained. "Without a stable leadership in our guard, criminal activity in our streets will increase tenfold."
"I graciously volunteer to assume the role of acting captain, seeing as no one else has been jumping at chance." Eugene spoke out boldly.
"Not so fast." Lance jumped in smugly. "There wouldn't happen to be a slot open for co-captain, would there?"
"And I would like to take the liberty to initiate programs of patching up the throne room and rebuild Old Corona." Rapunzel added.
"I-I-I can write a l-letter to my father asking to jump-start the program for you." Varian offered timidly as he tugged one of his sleeves.
"Thank you, Varian. That's very sweet of you." the princess smiled kindly. "And if it's not too much trouble, I may need your help to restore my parents' memories. The last time the Wand of Oblivium was used on me, there was a recipe for a counter potion. But without the booklet, we'll have to get a little creative."
"Y-you can count me, Rapunzel." the boy nodded.
"With all due respect, Your Highness; do you really think you should entrust the boy with that responsibility?" Nigel asked Rapunzel. "After all, he is the one who erased the king and queen's memories in the first place."
"Nigel, Varian didn't use the wand on my parents; the Saporians did." the sundrop argued. "We talked about that during his pardon."
"But he was aligned with the terrorists; was he not?" the royal advisor criticized. "For all we know, he could still be loyal to them."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Now Rapunzel was just getting mad.
"Yeah, what makes you think Varian hasn't gone straight?" Eugene rebuked in the kid's defense.
Poor Varian shrunk in on himself as his heart started racing.
"It could be a ruse to gain your trust while he secretly plots your demise. Perhaps, it would be smart not to take any chances." the lanky man glared sharply at the shaking child.
"H-hey! I have changed!" Varian shouted, having enough of being stuck in the middle.
"You dare have the audacity to talk back to me?" Nigel scrutinized him.
The teen cowered as he backed away from the rude man's icy gaze.
"See here, brat." the royal advisor sneered. "You may have been officially pardoned for your crimes, but don't think I've forgotten what you did. How the princess managed to easily forgive you is beyond me. There's no way a pathetic thing like you deserves a fresh start after what you've done. And everyone in the kingdom knows it."
Varian could feel himself getting smaller and he was hyperventilating as Nigel's words sank into his brain. Luckily, his friends caught him going into a panic attack and jumped into action.
"That is enough, Nigel!" Rapunzel baked on a regal voice. The royal advisor stopped cold in his tracks. "Guys, get Varian out of here."
Eugene and Lance complied as they led the kid out of the war room while instructing him to take slow deep breaths. Rapunzel stayed behind, her scowl pointed at Nigel. As he was being extricated from the situation, Varian could hear an argument ensue between the princess and her royal advisor.
"The kingdom will never be safe with that parasite roaming free!" Nigel's nasally voice bellowed.
"Stop picking on Varian, Nigel!" Rapunzel's voice snapped back.
"That boy is dangerous and beyond redemption! The sooner you come to terms with that, the better off Corona will be!" the former's voice rang out.
The whole time, the boy was sniveling at Nigel's harsh words while Eugene and Lance did their best to console him.
Back in Varian's room, the young alchemist sat on his bed with his head hanging low. Lance and Eugene were close by thinking bitterly about what had just went down. That was when Rapunzel burst in, her maternal nature flooding her system.
"Varian!" she cried, immediately giving Varian a comforting hug. "Oh sweetie, I am so sorry about Nigel. His behavior towards you was unacceptable."
"N-N-No, it's fine. I d-deserved it anyway." the boy said in defense. "Nigel has always thought lowly of me."
"I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that he must've given you a lot of grief when you were incarcerated." Eugene predicted.
"Heh, that would be putting it mildly." the alchemist answered with a hint of sass, but hugged himself from how that came out.
"Kid, Nigel's always been close-minded about a lot of things." the dark prince told him. "It took him the longest time to stop seeing me as a thief. Personally, I think he has that cravat of his on too tight."
"Don't take what he said to heart, Varian." his girlfriend comforted the child. "None of that is even true."
"But what if he is right?" Varian asked. "I'm n-n-not the bad guy anymore, but nobody's ever going to b-b-believe that. I mean, I-I wouldn't put it past the majority of Corona to hold a grudge against me."
"Well if everyone in Corona held grudges, we wouldn't be seen as heroes in the eyes of this kingdom today." Lance told him proudly, an arm looped around Eugene.
"You and Eugene never committed the crimes that I have." the alchemist argued as the pace in his voice accelerated. "Petty theft is one thing, but I sent automatons to a-a-attack people. I k-k-kidnapped the queen. I even fed the castle staff cookies laced with t-t-truth serum. I feel like everybody's just going to see me as a terrorist forever like the Saporians. L-L-Like Andrew."
"Varian, breathe." Eugene instructed calmly as Varian did his breathing exercise. "Look, nobody in Corona sees anyone as one thing forever. Eventually, they'll see you as the kind, smart kid that we see you as."
Lance and Rapunzel nodded in agreement, smiling sadly at their young friend.
"So what do I have to do?" the boy inquired, tugging at his sleeve. "How do I make everyone see that I'm... not the bad guy anymore?"
"I'm not sure, but in the meantime; let's figure out a way to get my parents' memories back." the princess replied. "And I know a good place to start looking for answers."
She and Varian made their way to the double doors that led into the royal library. The young alchemist was awestruck by high shelves with books as far as the eye could see, his eyes sparkling with wonder.
"This is incredible!" he gasped. "The quantity of books in here is magnificent! Such a wide array of information and research material!"
Rapunzel couldn't help but giggle at the child's enthusiasm.
"I'm surprised you've never been in here before." she commented.
"Oh, A-A-Andrew always kept me out." Varian explained, his optimism faltering. "He said he d-didn't want my head getting any b-bigger than it already was."
"Nonsense." the sundrop scoffed at the thought. "You can come here whenever you want from now on."
"Thank you, Rapunzel. Really." the teen said, his smile coming back. "Alright, let's get cracking."
A couple hours went by and the freckled pair combed over every shelf looking for books that could helpful. Meanwhile, Pascal pushed aside the ones that were deemed unnecessary. Varian and Rapunzel eventually narrowed down to reference guides on psychology, mental illnesses, medicine, and natural cures. The alchemist wrote down notes as he and the princess skimmed through the pages of the books in front of them. The dim oil lamps are their only source of light until Eugene and Lance opened the double doors and walked inside.
"So how are you two bookworms coming along?" the dark prince asked with a smile.
"Well, I've been cross-referencing a book on amnesia with another book on food that helps enhance memory. And I think I may be able to construct a formula that will work similar to the counter potion for the Wand of Oblivium." Varian explained, analytically. "All I need is the right amount of thiamine, antioxidants, Omega 3, and Vitamin B to concoct a solution that boosts memory."
"Wow. That's a lot of big words that I don't know the meaning of." Eugene stated nearly speechless.
"Berries have a lot of antioxidants." Rapunzel said to the child who grinned at her brilliance. "We can find plenty of them in the kitchen."
"Now you're speaking my language." Lance beamed, his interest piqued. "I'm down for raiding the pantry myself."
"Uh, before we take an impromptu snack break, someone came to visit you, Goggles." his best friend told the kid.
"Is it Dad?" Varian guessed quickly.
"Not quite. He had something important to do, but he did drop off someone else you might want to see." Eugene answered.
Right on his cue, a familiar raccoon traipsed from behind his legs. The little creature beamed when he saw his little alchemist.
"Ruddiger!" the boy cried, racing to scoop up his furry friend and ignoring his aching body. Tears of joy flooded his eyes as he buried his face in the animal's fur. "I thought I'd never see you again! I've missed you so much!"
"Yeah, your dad thought that it wouldn't be right for you to be without your little buddy here." Lance explained to him.
"And experience has taught me that having an animal companion is critical for emotional healing." Eugene inputted.
But just then, Nigel walked by the open library doors and saw the reunion between the boy and his raccoon. To say that he was disgusted by the sight would be an understatement.
"Ugh!" he gagged, looking appalled. His presence surprised everyone in the room and not in a good way. "What is the meaning of this?! Get that repugnant creature out of the castle immediately!"
"Excuse me?" Varian said meekly.
"Do not make me repeat myself!" the royal advisor glowered at him.
"Come on, Nigel. Ruddiger isn't going to pose a problem around here." Rapunzel rolled her eyes in indignation.
"That statement didn't apply when that boy turned him into a monster on your birthday." Nigel fired back, keeping his glare pointed at the child.
Varian could feel himself his breath getting thinner and started getting nervous and dizzy. Feeling a panic attack coming on, he decided to leave the room saying, "I-I-I need some fresh air!"
He dashed into the hallway with Ruddiger right on his heels. The boy then sat down as he tried to catch his breath. Back in the library, he could hear a heated argument ensue between Nigel and his friends.
"Your Highness, I don't understand how you could possibly indulge in the boy's activities!" the royal advisor raised his voice at Rapunzel.
"Alright! This is getting ridiculous!" the princess retorted. "Varian does not need to be harassed by you right now!"
"Seriously. Do you even have the foggiest of what that kid has been through!?" Eugene jumped in equal rage.
"Maybe you should leave him alone instead badgering him all the time!" Lance added in suggestion.
"That child is a threat to everyone in this kingdom and if the king still had his memories, he would agree with me!" Nigel baked. "In fact if I had it my way, I would have Varian banished from Corona as swiftly as possible!"
Varian's eyes widened when he heard that and fled in a fit of tears before hearing the end of the squabble. Ruddiger was not too far behind.
"I have had enough of you giving Varian a hard time, Nigel." Rapunzel fumed in a maternal way. "He is graciously welcome in this castle. And if you can't accept that, then I impose that you do not engage with Varian whenever you're both in the same room from now on. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Your Highness." the skinny man complied in a defeated tone as he exited the library.
As soon as he was gone, the trio went to go check on Varian who they presumed would be waiting out in the hallway.
"Are you okay, Varian? I hope Nigel didn't ruffle your feathers-" the princess began, but then trailed off when she no sign of the boy. "Varian?"
A quick look around the area and there wasn't a trace of him in sight.
"Oh no! Where did he go?" the sundrop wondered, her friends looking equally concerned.
After searching the castle for Varian from top to bottom and coming up short; Rapunzel, Eugene, and Lance finally headed to the boy's bedroom in hopes of finding him there. Unfortunately, the room was empty.
"Another dead end." Lance sighed in disappointment.
"No. We are not giving up that easily." Rapunzel disagreed in refusal. "Look around. We might find a clue as to where he went."
Everyone scoured the room for any trace of something that Varian might've left behind. That was when Pascal found a folded piece of paper on the boy's pillow. He grabbed it with his tongue and gave to the person closest to him: Eugene.
"What have you got there, frog?" he asked, taking the paper to read what was written on it. And then, his heart dropped. "Uh, Sunshine? You're not gonna like the sound of this."
Rapunzel raced to his side to read the note as well:
Dear Rapunzel,
I'm sure you, Lance, and Eugene are probably wondering where I am. Well, I clearly know when I'm not wanted so Ruddiger and I have decided to stowaway on the last ferry out of Corona. I heard Nigel say that he wanted me banished so I'm just saving him the trouble. Obviously I can never show my face in Corona again, but maybe one of the other seven kingdoms will gladly accept me. I'm sorry for being such a letdown. Thank you so much for trying.
Love,
Varian
P.S. Be sure to tell Dad I love him.
There was a brief, eerie moment of silence as the cloud of dread hung in the air.
"I-I-I can't believe he ran away." the princess finally spoke. "I didn't think Nigel's heckling got to him that much. If only I had said something sooner."
Pascal nuzzled her cheek in comfort.
"If the kid's gonna stowaway on the ferry, he's probably at the shipyard already." Eugene said, racking his brains. "The last ferry doesn't leave port until five o'clock."
"It's 4:45 right now!" Lance brought up, looking at the clock.
"Then we'd better get to that shipyard and fast! Come on!" Rapunzel proclaimed as the trio headed out.
At the shipyard, Varian was trying to be as discreet as possible with Ruddiger perched on his shoulders. Obviously the cargo wouldn't allow a teenager and his raccoon best friend to hitch a ride. But if it was leaving Corona, he was determined to take the chance.
"Come on, Ruddiger. There must be some other kingdom we can live in." the boy said as he crept through shipment crates. "If we just lay low, we'll be home free."
Meanwhile; Rapunzel, Eugene, and, Lance were mounted on Max and Fidella as they raced down the cobblestone streets to the shipyard.
"That ferry could leave port at any minute!" the princess declared in a determined voice. "We have to catch Varian before it's too late!"
She flicked the reins and Max increased with Fidella not far behind. Once the trio arrived at their destination, they went off to search for Varian in one direction while the horses scoped for the boy in the opposite way. Rapunzel and her friends even asked the ship hands if they may have seen the young alchemist.
Elsewhere, Varian was still looking for a way to hunker down on the ferry undetected. However, Ruddiger got sidetracked and broke away from his best friend in favor of food scraps.
"Excuse me? Have you seen a kid running around here? Short, has a blue hairstripe, wears goggles, possibly is carrying a cat with him?" Eugene asked a shipman, worry lacing his voice. That was when he heard a woman scream. You'd only hear a scream like that if someone came across a raccoon. "You know what? Never mind. I think I have a pretty good idea of where he might be."
And with that, he ran towards the scream.
"So much for keeping a low profile." Varian muttered as he and Ruddiger took off in a sprint.
If could still get on the ferry before it leaves, the people on deck will have no choice but to let him stay for the duration of the ride.
Just then, some ship hands came chasing after him and the child decided to climb on some poorly stacked crates to get out of reach of his pursuers. Unfortunately, Varian did not have good balance and started wobbling as he neared the top.
"Kid!" Eugene cried out.
A new burst of energy fueled him as he raced to the kid. One might've described it as a fatherly instinct. The dark prince knew that if Varian from the height he was at, he would get more hurt he already was. And as if by horrifying coincidence, the alchemist toppled off the crates screaming in terror. Luckily, Eugene reacted fast and caught him before he hit the boardwalk.
"Eugene?!" Varian said in surprise, panting. "What are you doing here?!"
"Well for one thing, saving you from aggravating your injuries." the dark prince answered as he set him down.
"Eugene!" his girlfriend exclaimed as she and his best friend rushed over. "Oh, thank goodness you found him!"
"Are you alright, kiddo?" Lance asked concern.
"Look, whatever you guys wanna say; don't bother." Varian said indifferently. "I knew what I was doing."
"Varian, please. Stay in Corona." Rapunzel begged, regardless of his recommendations not to.
"Why? So that Nigel can continue to browbeat me some more? I think I'll pass." the alchemist retorted. "What's the point of starting fresh if he can't let go with what I did?"
"Kid, it doesn't matter if Nigel or anyone doesn't believe that you deserve a fresh start." Eugene argued. "What matters is that Lance, Rapunzel, and I believe you do. Isn't that enough?"
"And besides, the princess already gave that bully a stern talking to so he doesn't give any more problems. Eugene and I will even make sure that he stays in line for your sake." Lance backed him up. "So what do you want to do right now, little buddy?"
"I-I think I want to go back to the castle." Varian answered with a shaky sigh.
Satisfied with that response, Eugene hoisted the kid onto Maximus where Rapunzel was already mounted. The dark prince then climbed on right behind him. At first, Lance thought it was odd that Varian wasn't joining him app atop Fidella. But, the boy was fortunately small enough for Max to carry three people on his saddle. The group then made their way back to the castle just as twilight was descending over the kingdom.
Rapunzel then led Varian into her bedroom while Eugene and Lance broke away saying that they had a surprise for him. He sat on the sundrop's bed and rested his chin on his hands.
"Rapunzel, I know that you believe in me and say that I deserve a second chance; but what about other people in Corona?" the teen asked. "I mean, you've proven that you're more than a princess. You're also a brave explorer who's seen the world and has an incredible power. But how do I prove I'm more than what others see?"
The princess thought for a few seconds and then proclaimed, "Let me show you something."
She pulled out a small, brown leather-bound book with colorful animals painted on the cover and placed on Varian's lap.
"My mother gave this journal just before my coronation. It tells of everything I've done and seen since I left the tower." Rapunzel explained.
The teen opened the book and of course, the page he first opened to was of Cassandra after she had stolen the Moonstone. The memory still unnerved the princess to this day. Varian could see the opal stone embedded over the warrior's heart, her body covered in black rock armor, and her electric blue hair. The illustration sent chills down his spine. His stomach churned as he recalled what it was like to be fueled by vengeance and rage.
The child then flipped the pages of the journal back to more lighthearted memories. Seeing the smiling faces and bright colors inside warmed his heart.
"I can't believe I've never seen this before. It's incredible!" Varian commented, grinning from ear to ear.
Rapunzel gave a flattered smile and then told him, "Flip to the back of the front cover."
The boy did so and found her mother's handwriting in the bottom-left corner.
"'Plus est en vous.'" he read the French words aloud.
"And do you know what that means?" asked the sundrop.
"'There is more in you.'"
"Exactly. There is more in you, Varian. You have so much good to offer the world. I know it. And in time, everyone else is going to know it too." She tenderly cupped Varian's cheek and the boy melted in her touch.
Just then, a knock came to the door and Eugene and Lance poked their heads in.
"Hey kiddo, we've got your surprise ready for just next door." the dark prince declared.
The young alchemist followed to the two men to his bedroom and displayed on a mannequin was a outfit that was just his size. It consisted of a burgundy vest with gold buttons, dark brown gloves, leather cuffs with tiny pressure gages, a light beige shirt, chocolate brown pants, a tan apron, and steel toed boots.
"What?" Varian gaped in astonishment.
"Well, Lance and I noticed you've been fussing with your sleeves a lot lately so we've decided that you could use a new outfit." Eugene explained.
"Go on, try it on. We'll give you some privacy." Lance encouraged before closing the doors.
The teen stood in place for about half a minute before approaching the outfit in disbelief.
About a few more minutes later, he opened the door and came out all clad in his brand new clothes. Lance and Eugene looked on with impressed expressions on their faces.
"Wow, I knew that would look great on you." Lance said.
"Yeah, you clean up good; kid." agreed Eugene.
"Heh, I f-feel like a whole new person." Varian smiled.
"Hey Varian." Rapunzel called the boy as she stepped into the hallway with her hands behind her back. "Since the guys already gave you a gift, I thought it would only be fair if I gave you one too."
She then revealed a dark brown backpack with many pockets just for him.
"Oh my gosh! Rapunzel, this is amazing!" Varian beamed, holding the backpack in his hands and looking inside. "Think of all the things I could carry in this: books, alchemical supplies, notes, beakers."
"Yeah, the possibilities are endless." the princess smiled as Eugene and Lance joined her.
"Thank you." the child said, pulling his bag on his shoulders. "And I don't just mean for the gifts. Thank you guys for showing me that I'm worth taking a chance on. It's comforting to know that I have people that I can trust to help me readjust to a life of freedom. I'd be lost without guys. I really would."
"And if there's ever anything else you need, you just let us know." Rapunzel replied, lovingly booping his nose as he giggled. "I know these past few days have been turbulent, but we will always be your side no matter what comes next."
"Now, what do you say we get some dinner before we hit the hay?" Lance proposed. "Because let me tell you, I have a hankering for some roast chicken."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Varian nodded as the group headed to the dining hall.
"You know, I just realized something; Eugene." Rapunzel whispered to Eugene. "I don't have any entries about Varian in my journal."
"Yeah, come to think of it; I noticed that too." her boyfriend replied.
"Well, that's gonna change very soon." the princess said back.
It was good to have Varian back. And now that he's viewed in such a positive light again, Rapunzel was going to make it her mission to include the young alchemist in all her new adventures and memories to come. And she was going to shower him with all the love she could give along the way.
