After hearing from some readers, I'm going to leave the pairings as they are in the story. Besides, Seven Kingdoms is mentioned in the story, and I'm a Varigo shipper. I will probably not make a Seven Kingdoms continuation of this story, but maybe I'll add something in the epilogue.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Tangled. I only own this story idea.
The following day, after breakfast, Rapunzel and Varian met their parents again at the King's study to discuss the particulars for Varian's room.
"So, what do we need to do for Varian's room?" Rapunzel asked.
"Well, he'll need spare clothes for when he stays, so we'll need to go to the tailor to get his measurements and have him pick out the style he prefers," King Frederic explained. "He'll also need other essentials, and he can bring anything he wishes to bring over from Old Corona, such as books or supplies."
"Speaking of supplies, how are we going to set up a lab?" She asked.
"We'll start looking for a good space once we get his room worked out," Queen Arianna said. "Besides, Varian would know what's needed better than we would."
"Does that sound like a plan, Varian?" Rapunzel looked at Varian.
"Sounds good." Varian nodded.
"Great! Now, I would like to stay and help, but Eugene and I made plans to help out the local orphanage today." Rapunzel said as she got up.
"That's alright. I have to get back and make the goo bombs for the Royal Guard. I can pack a bag to stay the night, and we can start setting up my spot tomorrow." Varian said, standing up as well. "That is if Dad's ready to go home?"
"Yes, I believe we've accomplished what we wanted here." Quirin stood up. "Your Majesties, Princess, we will see you again soon."
"Very soon," Rapunzel assured Varian with a smile. He nodded with his own smile, and they all headed for the door, with the King and Queen also standing up.
"Feel free to come by if you need any advice or just want to hang out," Varian said as he walked with Rapunzel.
She nodded. "Good luck making all those goo bombs. I bet it'll be a lot of work."
"Not really, it's actually very simple," Varian said, then explained how the compound worked, how long it took to make it, and how many bombs he could create with one batch. Rapunzel listened to him talk with a soft smile, their parents exchanging pleased looks at how well they got along.
(Outside)
"Maybe when you come back with the bombs, we can pick out which room you'll want?" Rapunzel suggested as she saw them to the cart.
"Sounds good!" Varian grinned.
"Blondie!" Eugene greeted them as he walked over to them. "Leaving so soon, Hairstripe?"
"Just for a bit. I have to go home and make goo bombs for the Royal Guard." Varian chirped.
"Got 'cha. Rapunzel, you ready to go?" Eugene turned to her.
"Mmhm." She nodded. "Let's go help those orphans!"
She waved to Varian as they walked off, and Eugene moved to take her other hand in his. "So, Varian told me about the talk last night. It's gonna be nice having the kid around more."
"Definitely." She smiled. "There's going to be a lot of things we need to do for it, though."
"True." Eugene nodded. "But in the meantime, let's go help those orphans!"
(Sometime later in town)
Two little boys jumped into a puddle and played around as Eugene and Rapunzel stood beside a covered wagon and gathered donations.
"Help support Corona's orphans!" Rapunzel called. "Because every donation brings a smile to the face of a child in need!" She smiled brightly as a woman brought over a toy horse. "Right, Eugene?" She looked at her boyfriend as she accepted the toy.
"That's right, Blondie," Eugene chirped as he put a sack over his shoulder. "This cause is dear to my heart." He put the bag on the cart as the two boys ran by. "Many orphans go hungry, while others…" He looked up and paused as his cheerful tone faltered. A tall, hooded, shadowy figure in the crowd was staring at him. "… resort to a life of crime." Eugene watched as the figure turned and went to another part of the crowd with a swish of his cloak.
Shorty was nosing around the bags and climbed into one unnoticed as Eugene picked up a different one. "Hmm…" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously as the man reappeared in the crowd, still staring with a barely visible grin.
"Eugene? Is everything okay?" Rapunzel asked, getting his attention.
"Huh?" He glanced at her. "Yeah…" He looked back and saw that the mysterious stranger had disappeared. "Yeah. Sure."
(After that)
Once they had gathered all the donations, the couple rode to the orphanage to drop everything off. The Princess jumped out of the wagon while Eugene stepped down from the front, looking around for any followers. If that guy was watching them earlier, he could've followed them…
"Everyone was so generous," Rapunzel smiled happily at the donations. "Look at all these clothes and toys and…" She was looking through them when she gripped something unusual. "A beard?" She questioned, getting Eugene's attention as a hand took it back from her. "Oh!"
"Thank you!" Shorty popped up. "Just what I was looking for."
Eugene took him out of the bag just as a shadow ran by the alley. "Uh oh…" He cringed as he put the older man down to walk away. "Okay, Princess, let's get you back to the castle." He started ushering her away as the same man from the crowd watched them, Rapunzel glancing nervously over her shoulder since she was now aware of the stranger.
"Oh, wha–who is that?" Rapunzel asked as they walked down a side street.
"You know, I don't know, and something tells me we shouldn't stop to ask."
They stopped short when they saw the guy standing in front of them, blocking their way. Turning around to go back, the guy somehow stepped out in front of them at that end, too. The couple ran down another path with the mysterious stranger in hot pursuit.
Eugene pulled Rapunzel along by the hand as he glanced up to see the man running along the roofs beside them, that grin still on his mostly concealed face. He focused his attention back to the front, only for them to stop short at a wall.
"Ugh, dead end," Rapunzel said.
"Rapunzel, that vase, now!" Eugene told her, pointing to a large vase. She ran to it while Eugene raised his fists for a fight.
Seconds later, their pursuer dropped to the ground in front of him and approached him slowly. Eugene gritted his teeth as the other raised his fists… before he started laughing. "Got 'cha, Rider."
He raised a confused brow as the man threw back his hood, revealing a dark-skinned man with no hair and black facial hair. "Man, you should've seen your–" He was cut off when he was hit from behind, falling to the ground to reveal a smirking Rapunzel behind him, holding a vase.
"Bam! Ha ha! Follow that, buddy!" Rapunzel smiled proudly. "Hmph."
"You know I meant hide in the vase, right?" Eugene asked.
"Ohh…" The man groaned in pain, causing the couple to look at him.
"Princess Rapunzel, meet Lance Strongbow," The former thief gestured to the man.
"How ya doin'?" Lance replied, still in pain.
(Later that night)
After getting him back to the castle, Lance recovered within a few hours and was now regaling them with stories about his criminal adventures.
"So, there I was, Princess. Angry warlord to my left, ferocious dire wolves to my right," He told his audience, Cass standing behind him with her arms crossed in disapproval. "Gold coins in my hand, and where's my faithful partner, Flynn Rider?" He gestured to Eugene, standing beside Rapunzel's chair. "Turns out this warlord had these twin daughters who were–"
Eugene's eyes widened at this part. "Who were on vacation far, far away," He finished for him, embarrassed.
"Oh, come on, Eugene. I may have grown up in a tower, but give a little credit." Rapunzel chuckled in amusement while Pascal gave the former thief a side-eye.
"Pray tell," Cass said as Lance fiddled with the decorative pieces on the shelf. "How did two fine, upstanding citizens, such as yourselves, manage to find each other?" She stepped closer to Lance, who swiped the pieces off the fireplace as he backed away.
"Oh, we go way back," Eugene answered, pushing Lance along as he returned the stolen things. "All the way to the orphanage."
"Yeah. We looked out for each other when no one else would," Lance chuckled at his old friend, patting Eugene's chest. "In fact, you could say we're the closest thing either of us ever had to a family." He wrapped his arm around Eugene with a smile, which the other returned with a slightly nervous one.
"Aw, you guys!" Rapunzel said fondly, though the lizard looked skeptical.
"So, Lance Strongbow," Cass said his name subtly, eyeing him just as Eugene noticed something gold in Lance's shirt. "If you guys are so tight, where have you been all these years?" Eugene quickly put the piece and ducked away from Cassandra as she approached him.
"Where have I been? More like, where haven't I been?" He chuckled cockily, making Cass roll her eyes.
"You were in prison, weren't you?" Cassandra asked suspiciously.
"Mostly, yes," Lance pointed at her. "But you know, right now, I'm not thinkin' about where I've been." He wrapped an arm around Cassandra as she crossed her arms with a distrustful expression. "I'm thinking about where I'm headed."
"Ha ha, yes! That's the attitude!" Rapunzel encouraged, Pascal squeaking happily.
"And right now, I'm headed to the bathroom," Lance walked out the door past Stan and Pete, who had been standing guard the whole time.
"Oh. Still the attitude," Rapunzel smiled after him, but Cass still looked skeptical of the whole thing. She cleared her throat to the guards, and Pete nodded subtly before following him.
"Oh, come on! Lance is my friend!" Eugene protested, hands on his hips.
Cassandra sighed with a smile. "You're right." She then pointed to Stan. "Stan, go with Pete." Stan followed after the two.
"Hey, hey, Lance might not be the straightest arrow in the quiver, but he's our guest." Eugene crossed his arms over his chest. "He's a good guy, and we don't need to shadow him."
"Yeah. I agree." Rapunzel spoke up. "Lance is Eugene's oldest friend. He wouldn't take advantage of that."
"Well, I don't trust the guy. I don't know what he's up to, but whatever it is, I don't like it," Cassandra said sternly, gritting her teeth slightly.
"Are you two fighting again?" They all looked over to see Varian at the door, looking annoyed while holding some books under his arm and a bag by his feet.
"Back so soon, kid?" Eugene asked.
"We came to bring the first shipment of goo bombs." Varian shrugged. "Figured the sooner, the better."
"Varian, you should be asleep." Rapunzel got up and walked over to him. "Who came with you?"
"Dad. He's delivering the bombs." He yawned a bit. "Oh, sorry."
She giggled. "You don't need to overwork yourself."
"Have you eaten dinner?" Cassandra walked over to join them.
"Yeah, Dad made sure. Though, I wouldn't mind dessert before bed." Varian grinned hopefully.
"Of course, we'll get you something sweet," Rapunzel assured him before noticing his luggage. "What are those books for?"
"Oh, they're some old kids' books I outgrew and science books for beginners," Varian said, holding them out to her. "I figured the kids at the orphanage might like them."
"Oh, Varian, that's so sweet," Rapunzel smiled as she took the donations. "We'll drop them off in the morning."
"Let's go find a guest room for you and your dad to spend the night," Cass said, leading the way as Varian picked up his bag.
Eugene smiled as they left, secretly grateful for the distraction. With the others busy, he decided to check on his old friend.
(A short time later)
Lance was suddenly slammed against a wall by his collar. "Okay, Lance, what are you up to?" Eugene hissed, making sure they weren't overheard.
"Up to? Me?" Lance asked innocently as Eugene let go of him. "You think I would call the way down–uh, see–it w–" He stuttered about while Eugene stared at him with unimpressed eyes. "… Okay, I need help with a job." He finally admitted, smiling at his friend.
"You want my help with a job?" Eugene hissed in disbelief.
"Well, not a 'job,'" Lance quoted. "A job. It's simple, victimless, like taking candy from a baby~. And as previously established, I just spent a little time in the clink. While there, I shared a cell with this guy. His name was Calvin. Or was it Clarence? Something like that, but I called him Oldie. See, account of–"
"He's old," The former thief interrupted knowingly. "I got it."
"Yeah! So, old Oldie tells me about a job he pulled way back when. He hid the loot in this cave system beneath Corona and was gonna get it back when the heat cooled off. But it never did. So it just sat there, forgotten, for years. Now, Oldie's gonna be in jail for the rest of his natural life. So, he tells me, 'You should get it for yourself.'"
Eugene clapped as Lance held the map Oldie gave him while he was in prison. "Great story. Could've used a bit more conflict, but the use of props added a nice touch." He commented before giving him a doubtful look.
"I'm serious," Lance insisted as he started to walk away. "It's just sitting there! And I need your help to go get it."
"I'm sorry, but you can count me out," Eugene turned back to him, crossing his arms. "My days as a thief are behind me."
"I don't need a thief," Lance placed a hand on his shoulder. "I need a friend. Come on, Flynn!" He playfully punched his arm.
"Eugene," He corrected him.
"'Eugene?'" Lance recoiled back in surprise before laughing. "Talk about your throwback. You got your break, a huge break," He went on, swiping a few more things from the table beside them. "All I'm asking for is a little help getting my own. Please? Come on, buddy."
Eugene took a moment to think about it, letting out a long sigh. "Well, I guess it is a victimless crime…"
"It don't come less victimful," Lance leaned in towards him, smiling with big, blinking eyes.
"… Fine," Eugene gave in. "I'll help you, but you have to promise not a word to anyone, especially Cassandra!" He said firmly, Lance nodding with a broad grin before his former partner left. "And honestly, put those back." Lance sagged and unloaded all the valuables he stole on the table (which was more than Eugene knew) before smirking a little at Eugene.
Neither man knew their conversation was overheard by a certain alchemist hiding around the corner. Varian pursed his lips nervously, his moon sense telling him something wasn't right.
Honestly, I didn't think I would finish this chapter today, yet I did. I'll see you next time for the rest of The Return of Strongbow.