Perilous Fates

3: Dark Kingdom

"Your highness, wake up," a soft male voice stated and tapped the sleeping prince's shoulder.

The dark brown haired man let out a groan, "5 more minutes, Blondie."

Gray furrowed his eyebrows. Since when did the prince called him Blondie?

"Prince Horace, you need to wake up," he stated.

Eugene slowly opened his eyes. "Since when did you call me —" he stopped, his eyes popping out at the unfamiliar man in front of him. "Who are you?"

His eyes examined the room. It was extravagant but this is not his room.

"Where am I?" He demanded and sat up.

Gray gave him a look of confusion, "You are in your room at the Dark Kingdom, Prince Horace." He leaned down and placed a hand on his forehead. "You're temperature is fine. It doesn't seem like you have a fever. Are you alright? You're acting weird today. Perhaps, you would like me to fetch the Royal Healer for you?" He suggested.

"I—" he was lost for words. "How did I managed to get here in the Dark Kingdom?"

"Why, whatever do you mean by that?" His eyes narrowed. "This is where you live. This is your home."

"My home?" Eugene laughed. "No, no. Corona is my home. In fact, I know that this is a prank." He crossed his arms. "You can tell whoever put you up to this to stop it. And oh — please stop calling me Horace. I hate it. My name is Eugene."

Gray gave him a look of disbelief. "What are you talking about?" He took a step back. "I really need to get the Royal Healer. It seemed like you're really not feeling well today." He stared at him like he was some possessed lunatic. Gray turned his back and ran towards the door.

"Wait—" too late. The door was already shut.

It was now Eugene's turn to be confused. What just happened? He knows what a prank is when he see one and this doesn't seem like it. This seemed so crazy — too crazy. Even more crazy than when they drink that potion that let out the oposite of their personalities — even more crazy than Cassandra agreeing that he have good looks.

His eyes roamed around. Everything is so fancy, it was everything he once dreamed about – but not anymore. This is not his home. Home is where the love of his life, Rapunzel, is.

Rapunzel.

He quickly stood up. "I need to find Rapunzel," he whispered to himself.

He doesn't know where she is right now but all he knew is that he needs to find her and make sure that she's safe.

He went out of his room. He's not used on seeing the castle hallways this lively — well, more lively than when he first arrived.

He took a turn and bumped into someone. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I wasn't —"

"It's alright, your highness," a soft melodic voice cuts him off.

Eugene stared at the woman in front of him. "I'm sorry but have we met before?"

The woman nodded. "I think yes, your highness. I'm one of the cook's assistant after all."

Eugene shook his head. "No. I think I've seen you somewhere before and I'm pretty sure that it's not in here — considering my circumstances."

The male racked his mind, trying to figure out where he met or saw the woman before. His eyes widened in realization.

"A-are you Varian's mother?" He managed to ask.

"Yes!" The lady answered with a warm smile. "I didn't know that the prince actually know my son!"

Eugene was lost for words. He knows that Varian's mother died when he was a kid. How could this be? What's happening?

Varian's mother bowed her head, "I better go now." She smiled and continued to walk.

He stood there, frozen, like his feet were glued to the ground. His mind still processing what just happened.

Did he just met a dead person? It can't be a dead person since she looked pretty much alive, right? But Varian told him that his mother was dead. Their family portrait was always there at his lab.

Can it be that he's going crazy? Is he that old already? It can't be! He's not old yet, right? He doesn't have a white beard like Shorty. Is his hair turning wh—

He was brought back to reality when someone bumped into him.

"I'm sorry," the man said.

"I-it's okay," Eugene managed to answer and stared at the person who bumped into him.

Brown eyes met blue.

"Eugene?"

"Varian?"