Chapter 1: Varian in the Dungeon

Down in the dungeon basement, Rapunzel walked past all the cells, with the Captain of the Guards on her left, and Cassandra on the right. The floor felt cold against her bare feet, and the air was cool. It could be the draft, or it could be inside of her, she wasn't sure. The only thing she was certain of was that she was uncomfortable.

When she decided at breakfast with her parents and Eugene, the last meal she'd have with them for a long time, that she would give him one more try before going, her parents hadn't tried to stop her, but they had looked at her with skeptic eyes.

"Rapunzel, I will not stop you if you want to try, but I must warn you." her father had begun. "He'll probably not be in the mood for... reconciling."

"He's still too angry to listen to reason." her mother said. "It's not likely you'll get any reason out of him either."

"I know, but I can't just give him up like that!"

Eugene had been aquwardly silent when Varian was mentioned, but when she gave him a questioning look, he quicky swallowed his food and spoke. "You just... do what you need to do, Blondie. The rest of us will finish the preperations so we can just head off."

It wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, but at the same time she reslized how dificult this had to be for everyone. So she finished her meal and rose from her seat.

"But you're not going by yourself, Rapunzel." her father said.

"Fine." she said shortly.

They had to pass two doors before they came to the cell. As she closed in, she almost felt like she was being squeezed, just like the time in the vault where she and Varian had almost been squeezed alive by one of the booby traps. Whenever she thought back on that day, when he still appeared normal, she wondered what she could have done different. If there was anything she could have done to prevent any more damage. If there could have been something... Anything... She should have...

She felt the guilt wreck her inside out, but weren't able to put words on it. Even thought she knew the truth.

They approached the last door, and the Csptsin unlocked it, and she hesitsted to stepp forward. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to do this, you know." Cassandra said.

Her words only made her straighten up and take a deep breath. "Yes, I have to!" As the Captain opened the door, she stepped forward, more determinant than ever. Cassandra looked at her father, who in turn put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you up to this, my dear?"

The look Cassandra got on her face was so stern and hard that if she could freeze with her gray eyes, she would have. "Sure, dad!" she said and started walking after her Princess.

When they approached the cell, they heard a soft croon, and were greeted by Ruddiger. The little raccoon crawled to the bars and looked up on her. She kneeled down and gave him a pat on his head. "Hi Ruddiger. How are you? Poor thing, you shouldn't be here." she said softly.

The little animal crooned back with sad eyes and turned back to look at his master, as if telling in his own way 'I'm more worried about him!' Rapunzel looked up, and her smile faded.

He was a frightening sight. The cell was so dark that his hair went one with the wall, one would think the figure was headless if it wasn't for the pale skin barely visible underneath it, visible because of the flaming toartch on the wall outside. Both his feet were chained to a heavy iron ball, that he used as a seat. He sat with his arms in chains that were stuck in the wall above him, but were long enough for him to move.

Oh, Varian. I never wanted this.

"Is it really necessary to chain him this heavy?" Rapunzel asked the Captain as she rose.

"He's shown tendency to be a little... violent towards those who handle him." the Captain explained.

"Handle him?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"To be honest, Princess, he refuse to cooperate about anything, he becomes wild and hotheaded. So the only way we can interfere with him is simply to go hard on him. And he has tried to escape when we open, so we simply have to do it this way."

Rapunzel sighed and decided to pull it no further. "Wery well. Open the door."

The Captain obayed, and found the key to the cell door. Cassandra made an atepmt to follow, but Rapunzel held her hand up, stopping her. The lady-in-waiting seemed to object, but Rapunzel gave her a stern look that surprised her. The Captain put a hand on her shoulder and when she looked at him, he gave her a look that indicated that she shouldn't object.

So Rapunzel went in by herself. With slow steps, making sure not to make any rough movements. She felt like she was walking past a wild beast, but she wasn't gonna let herself off guard like that. She stopped about three feet away from him. Ruddiger appeared by his side, patting on his knee. "Hi Varian."

There was no sound from him, but she could barely see him tighten his gloved fists, and almost felt the tense spread in the room.

"We're leaving now." When she got no response, she continued. "My father told me the same thing you concluded with; that there is a connection between me and the... rocks. So now, we're... going to find out just what that connection... is." she tried to smile, but the chained figure showed as much reaction as a statue. "Hopefully, when we find it, we'll also be able to find out how to... perhaps... free him. "

His eyes all of a sudden responded. He looked slightly up, his blue eyes barely visible under his mop of hair, glaring at her, and his mouth showed sign of turning into a frown. It was a frightening sight. Had this really been the same sweet boy she once met and liked so much?

Rapunzel sighed. "Look, I had hoped that before we went off, we could try to... talk things through."

Still no words. Has he really lost all sense? Is he still there?

"Look... If we could have done things different, I would gladly do that. But the way things are now... You've put yourself in quite a difficult situation here, you must see that yourself."

His fists tightened harder, and she heard the shackles rattle.

"But I want you to know that I never wanted this, Varian. I never meant to hurt you. I wish you would believe me when I say how sorry I am."

When there was still no respond, she sighed and made an attempt to turn and walk out.

"You waited till NOW to tell me that? Sorry?!"

His sudden respond almost startled her, and she turned back to see him facing her, his wild blue eyes half visible under his hair, but full of rage. "First of all; you waited too long! AGAIN! And second..." He rose up, making Ruddiger take a step back. "You think just saying sorry is gonna fix everything? Cause it won't! Words can never fix what you've ruined or broken! NEVER! It's just words, you hear me?! WORDS!"

Rapunzel barely managed to step back in time when he suddenly threw himself towards her as he screamed the last word. The chains stopped him of course, but it was almost like his rage escaped him and threatened to get on her. The Captain and his daughter were on place right after, he grabbing the prisoners arms, dragging him towards the wall so hard that he lost his breath, and she grabbing Rapunzel by her hand to pull her out.

"No!" Rapunzel cried out as she saw how hard the Captain held him, and how he lost his breath by hitting the wall. "That wasn't nessesary! Varian!"

"Come on, Rapunzel." Cassandra said with the coldest voice Rapunzel had ever heard. "He just ain't worth it!" Her friend's words actually shocked Rapunzel, but she didn't know what to reply as her lady-in-waiting led her away from Varian's cell.

Rapunzel felt numb when they finally reached the top of the stairs. The sudden light made her cover her eyes, and it took a moment before she got used to it. By the door, the King greeted the two ladies.

"Ah, here you are. How did... Rapunzel?" Fredric asked as he saw the face of his daughter. "What is the matter?"

"Rapunzel?" Cassandra said, noticing the tear stained face of her Princess.

First now Rapunzel became aware that she was crying. A little confused, she sniffled, and looked up at her father's concerned blue eyes. "Oh dad..." She let a sob escape as she threw herself into her father's safe arms.