Behind His Eyes

Chapter 8: The Final Lesson

I do not own Tangled the Series, the characters, or the picture. Thank you. 

A quick heads up: this is the longest chapter so far, so be prepared! It took a lot of effort to write, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I hope you enjoy! 

Also, 200 reads!?!?!? You guys are amazing!

~SophieRose

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Two Months Ago

The moon was beautiful in Varian's eyes. He wasn't sure exactly why he took so much comfort in it. Perhaps it was because it was his only light at night. It was a reminder that there was an outside world, and for some unknown reason, it gave him hope that he would escape one day. It was almost comedic that every person in the world, no matter how young or old, whether they were royal or a peasant, or if they had done evil or good, they all shared the moon. They all could experience it's mysteriousness and heavenly light as it stunningly filled the night sky. 

Varian sometimes felt as though the moon could express emotions, or rather, reflect his own. Was that how others felt when they stared at it in wonder? When Varian was angry or upset, he felt as though the moon's shade had transformed from a bright white to a darker shadowy color. The difference was so insignificant, Varian guessed it was his imagination at work, but other times, the moon felt like a person. The most prominent example would of the night that Varian had cried silently into his pillow, trying not to wake Andrew. It was the following day after his second "lesson." Without Ruddiger's presence, Varian had never felt more alone in his life. Consumed with grief, the alchemist could not stop his free-flowing tears from raining down his pale, cold cheeks. During that horrible night, the moon's light seemed to change it's shade altogether. Instead of a white or yellowish light, the moon appeared a consoling light blue. It felt as though it was mothering him and trying to provide the boy some solace. 

Welcoming this presence, Varian allowed himself to feel comforted. It had been so long since he had been cared for. He couldn't remember the last time his father had done so. It was in that moment, when Varian realized this, that he felt truly broken.

But tonight was a different night all together. 

It was two months since Ruddiger was taken away from the boy, and he could not allow himself to believe his best and only friend was gone. Andrew had even noticed the boys change in demeanor; he no longer chatted with his cellmate. Varian became very closed off and was constantly lost in thought. 

During this night, the moon was shimmering a unique yellow light. The rare shade seemed familiar, and Varian puzzled over when he had last seen it. Laying on his back, with his hands clasped on his abdomen, the alchemist stared less at the ceiling and more at the light illuminating it. After some time, Varian's eyes began to droop as sleep began to pick and prod at his tired body. The boy had been working hard to gain muscles, and his soreness was directly related to his daily exercises. He was also receiving growing pains. The boy was slightly taller. He had measured himself sometime when he arrived at this cell and since then he had grown; however, despite this growth spurt, the boy was far too small. Andrew didn't quite tower over him, but he was still quite a ways taller. Varian understood he would unfortunately never reach his father's impressive height, but he was confident with his new building muscles which were starting to be noticeable. 

The alchemist's mind started to drift, until he heard some kind of movement in his cell. He suspected that it was Andrew. Maybe he was dreaming again. Suddenly, Varian felt a very strong grasp on his throat and a hand press over his mouth, tight enough to prevent free airflow. The alchemist's bright blue eyes opened hastily, and the boy could feel his heart skip a beat as he gaped at the elongated face, inches away from his own.