A Cassarian Story
Varian always knew that he cared for Cassandra. But he didn't realize how much until she was gone.
Six long years after Cassandra leaves Corona, she finally returns. Varian is overjoyed, but she comes bearing terrible news. A stran...
Varian's father is trapped. Incased. Gone. It's his nightmare coming true all over again.
"You... You can't be serious," Eugene responds to Cassandra, his face expressing a mixture of anger and dismay.
"When have you ever known me to not be serious, especially about something like this?" Cassandra says.
Varian drops his fork. It clatters to the table, as his heartbeat pulses louder in his ears. His head is spinning. His breathing is beginning to quicken into a shallow wheezing. He feels as if the room is about to collapse in on him.
He has to get out of here. Now.
"I... I need some air," he says quickly, hopping up from his chair and rushing out of the room.
"Varian!" He barely registers Rapunzel's voice calling after him.
He doesn't know where to go, just that he needs to go somewhere. Anywhere. He winds through the castle halls aimlessly, past his lab and his room. He finally drops to the floor and leans against the wall, exhausted. Tears begin to flow, and it feels like hours have passed before he realizes where his wandering led him.
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"Varian?"
Recognizing the unexpected voice addressing him, Varian instinctively hops up off the floor. "King Frederic, sir..." Despite his best effort, his voice catches in his throat.
Frederic takes in the sight before him. "Is there any particular reason you are sitting in front of my bedroom door, young man?"
Varian glances behind him, realizing that he is, indeed, outside of the former king and queen's chambers. "Uh... I can honestly say, sir, that I have no idea."
Frederic raises an eyebrow, but his expression is still sympathetic. "Please, son. Call me Fred."
Varian nods respectfully, but he knows that he will never be casual enough with the former king to call him this. If he is being honest with himself, he has never completely forgiven Frederic for the way he treated him. Tossing him in jail and forgetting all about him, despite promising Rapunzel to get him the help he needed. Varian was a child, lost and misguided. He needed someone to direct him and assist him back onto the right path, not cage him up like an animal.
But, the royal family allows Varian to work and live here. So he will continue to show Frederic the needed respect.
Varian steps aside to let Frederic into his room, but the older man doesn't move. He continues to regard Varian with an uncertain gaze.
