Everyone Deserves A Second Chance, Even You (Ongoing)

Chapter 5 Freedom

A creaking sound of metal scraping against metal awake Varian from his sleep. It was late in the morining and the sun was shining brightly, yet almost unseen from Varian's now familliar cell.

The creaking sound stopped and slowly Varian's cell door was being opened. There stood the captain of the guard holding the door open. "Varian, your punishment is over you are free to go" he spoke. Varian slowly stepped outside of his cell. This was real! He had often dreamed of this moment and it was finally there. Ruddiger climbed on Varian's shoulder. Outside of the dungeon stood a guard who gave Varian bhis belongings back.

His protective gloves, his leather apron with the few tubes in it and his light staff. Varian took a deep breath as he stepped into soft light again after 4 years of imprisonment, just a few weeks after his eighteenth birthday. He had grown more than he realised, he wondered if he would recognize himself once he reached home.

But Varian couldn't care less. He let himself bathe in the sunlight that beamed through the castle's windows. It was the best feeling ever. He couldn't wait to go outside, but of course running there was impossible, since he was being escorted by two guards.

Once outside he breathed in the fresh air. He walked in the sunlight and listened to the sounds of the people walking in the streets. He smiled as he made way to home to his lab in Old Corona. "Varian!" A bright voice screamed. Varian turned and saw princess Rapunzel run up to him followed by Eugene and Cassandra.

She gave him an unexpected bear hug and he let it happen. He was free and couldn't care less. "You're finally free yay" she screamed happily. Varian smiled softly. "Are you going back to Old Corona?" Eugene asked. "Yes I am" Varian answered. "Oh good I brought you a little something for when you get hungry!" Rapunzel beamed and handed him a bag filled with food and drinks. "Thank you Princess Rapunzel."

"Just call me Rapunzel, we are friends!" "Were" Varian pouted. "Well I'll gladly be your friend again if you let me?" Varian smiled. "I'd like that."
He hoisted the bag over his shoulder. "I have to get going if I want to get home by nightfall" Varian said. "Don't explode anything as soon as you arrive" Eugene teased. Varian chuckled lightly. "I'll try my best." Cassandra smiled softly. "Be careful on the road kid." "I'm not a kid anymore Cassandra" Varian spoke softly.

"Well you still look like one" Cassandra tried to tease. "Eventhough I'm taller than you now" Varian said with a sad yet teasing tone of voice. It was quiet for a moment no one knew what to say. Varian broke the silence. "Well gotta go goodbye." "Bye Varian!" Rapunzel exlaimed. Varian smiled a bitter smile as he went on his way to Old Corona.

Once he arrived home he opened his door to see a huge mess. He sighed and grabbed a broom sweeping the dust outside. The amber with his father in it was gone. The king had told him that the amber broke one day and his dad had not made it. Varian remembered that he cried all day that day. He could never make his father proud ever again. He had slowly made peace with it and hoped now that he could make other people around him proud, people that he had wronged. He would try his best to make it up to them and make them proud.

Varian slowly started up his old devices checking if they still worked. Gladly they did, though some needed some oil. In the corner of his room he found the machine that had made Cassandrium.  He put it up right and noticed that it needed a lot of repairing. He didn't feel like working on it right now, but he kept in mind that it had impressed Cassandra all those years ago and might impress her again.

He started up the fireplace to get an old green-purple mixture boiling. He then went to collect all his test tubes that weren't broken and sweeped up the rest of the mess slowly cleaning his old lab.

King Fredric looked from his balcony to the green-purple smoke rising from Old Corona. It worried him. "What's wrong dear?" Queen Arianna asked. "I don't trust that kid. He immidiatly started doing alchemy again as soon as he came back home and I don't trust it" the king explained. "Perhaps I should lock him up again..." "No dear you can't, you just gave him back his freedom" Arianna said. "I know, but what should I do then?" "Let him be for now and perhaps you can later put him in a position where you can keep an eye on him without imprisoning him" the queen explained.

"He is very smart and could be useful." "That is true" King Fredric muttered. "Give it some time. Besides he will come back sooner than we think, he has unfinished business here." "Unfinished business?" The king asked worried. Queen Arianna chuckled. "With Lady Cassandra." "You really believe so huh?" Arianna nodded. "Fine, I'll listen to your advice then and give the kid some time" King Fredric decided. "Good choice" Queen Arianna said and gave her husband a chaste kiss.