Varian of the Northern Isles

Caged

Varian's POV
I watched as the guards lead Balia away. She did not bow to the king or make any move to show any sign of sorrow. I turned to my father and asked him what would happen to her.
     "Her? I don't know, she'll probably be sent back to the northern isles."
     I nodded my head and walked up to Rapunzel. She greeted me with a friendly hug and took me outside the throne room to talk to me.
     "So! Are you working on anything new!? Any new inventions or new elements?!" she asked, her eyes wide with excitement. I grinned.
     "Actually, I was just working on a machine that can heat food in seconds using super concentrated sunlight. I was testing it out at my house but I blew up on me."
     Rapunzel's eyes widened slightly and I winced," that's what exploded and destroyed our door."
     "Did you bring it with you?" she asked. I nodded and showed her the machine, now covered with a tarp for safe travel. Cassandra and Eugene walked over to see what was going on. They began to poke and prod at it and I watched in mild amusement. Suddenly the machine began to shake and steam shot out of the panels I was not so certain would hold. With a loud explosion, the machine blew apart, bits of debris sent flying in all directions.
     "Rapunzel!!!" Eugene shouted and pulled her to the ground. I ducked as a steaming lump of metal brushed past my ear. I hissed in pain and only dared look up after everything had quieted down.
     "WHAT WAS THAT?! VARIAN, I SWEAR IF THAT WAS YOU-"
     My father stormed out of the castle. He was livid and I winced when I saw Rapunzel being helped up by Eugene. Cassandra eyed me warily as if at any moment I could explode too.
     "Dad! It was an accident! My machine-"
     "YOU AND YOUR GODDAMN MACHINES!!! IT'S ALWAYS YOU!!!" He roared, his words stinging with each syllable," The Princess was nearly killed by you! Do you realize how much trouble you would be in if you had hurt her?! YOU KNOW WHAT?! THIS IS IT! I am forbidding you from doing alchemy ever again!!! You are becoming too much of a danger to yourself and others and I can't keep having your bad decisions reflecting on me!!!"
     "But Dad, Please. I can help people if you just give me a chance! This was an accident, but I can make things better!!! I'll clean everything up, but I can make things better for everone!"
     "No, Varian! You've done enough! Just... ugh," he sighed and waved a dismissive hand in my face,"go home and make sure you throw out everything alchemy related thing in your room or in our house. If I ever catch you using alchemy again, you will cease to be my son!"
     He turned away from me, taking all my breath with him. No no no nonononononono! I couldn't lose or father but, my knowledge and experiments could not be in vain and I knew I could help people. He just had to give me the right chance. Rapunzel came over to me and tried to treasure me that she wasn't hurt but I stormed away, furiously wiping away the hot tears slipping down my face. I knew exactly where I was headed: the palace dungeons.

Balia's POV
I had drifted in and out of sleep for the past few minutes doing nothing but waiting. The chains around my wrists were cold and I could do nothing but sit with the thoughts in my head. Two light pairs of footsteps alerted me to my guests. It was the princess and her lady in waiting. I raised an eyebrow in their direction as they approached.
     Rapunzel walked right up to the bars between us. She opened her mouth as if to speak but closed it. I yawned and the short haired person next to her spoke up.
     "My name is Cassandra. This Princess Rapunzel. We had some questions to ask you," she stated plainly. I got to my feet and stretched my arms above my head.
     "Well, ask away my friends," I said," I was truthful in what I said earlier. I have no intention of hurting anyone and am merely extending a job offer."
     "Why would you come all this way just for one person? The Northern Isles has caused Corona too much trouble for us to take your words for their face value," Cassandra stated as she idly twirled a blade between her fingers I could have sworn wasn't there before.
     "Princess, what do you believe about me?" I turned my attention to the princess who still had not said a word to me. She bit her lip uncertain.
"Is it true? The history between my kingdom and yours? Are you all really monsters?"
"Princess, I can not vouch for the rest of my people, atleast not at this moment, but I for one and no monster. I suppose I was a bit rude to you all this evening but getting knocked out tends to put a person into a slightly bad mood," I paused and let a small smirk cross my lips,"I truly wish no harm for you for what is what is worth and even though I cannot tell who or what I am now, I hope to see you again in the future."
Cassandra and Rapunzel seemed considerably taken back by my honesty and didn't flinch away from me as I stepped closer to the bars. I walked as far over to them as I could, the chains pulling tightly on my wrists. Rapunzel didn't say anything but offered me a hesitant smile which I returned. The pair left with a lot to think about. I had sat back down on the floor but got back up when I heard a distant explosion and muffled shouting. I couldn't make out the words or who was arguing but I could tell it was getting intense. I craned my neck to look out the barred window, but I wasn't tall enough. I huffed and plopped myself down once again for what ever would come next. The door to the prison flew open and I heard the sound of guards arguing with a person on the other side. When the shouting died down a new figure stood in front of me.
"Varian?"
His eyes were red and puffy from crying but he walked right up to me and despite his hitching breath spoke with determination.
"You said you had a job opening for me. Tell me more about it."