Revenge\\Regret

Part 1: Prison

2 and a half weeks.

That's how long it had been since Rapunzel left. It was the same day as her birthday. The lanterns were visible from the prison cells at the castle's base. Some floacted so close, you could touch them if you really wanted to. Varian didn't.

He sat in the barred window, trying to catch a glimpse of the princess leaving. Corona was his home, but recently everything about it made him sick. The fact that they could all celebrate defeating a fourteen year old child, knowing that he'd been orphaned and betrayed.

He had spent the last hour or so in that window occasionally rubbing his shoulder. He had a bruise from when two Corona guards had so rudely thrown him inside his empty cell and left to say bye to Rapunzel.

                                          ***

In the past two and a half weeks, Varian had refused to talk to anyone. He didn't eat much of what he was brought and just starred out the window. On the wall in front of him he scratched pictures and words into the wall with a rock. He spent all of his time trying to figure out three things.

1. How to get out of prison.
2. How to get his dad out of the amber.
3. What to do after that.

When he wasn't looking outside he looked at the wall, not being able to find anymore answers.

"Hmm," Varian threw the rock he'd been using as a pencil to the ground, "Ruddiger, this doesn't make any sense!" His raccoon, previously laying on the floor, jumped when the rock hit the ground. He looked up at his owner. His face was red and tears looked like they were about to pour out his eyes.

"Ugh, if the sundrop's power doesn't shatter the amber, what possibly could?" Nothing currently made sense to Varian, which only stressed him out more.

"Varian?" A voice said. A voice Varian knew too well. Queen Ariana's. This would make the third time she's come to try and talk to him. But she was the last person he wanted to talk to right now.

The queen went into his cell every time she visited, this time bringing his dinner. She sat it on one of the incredibly uncomfortable beds and sat down beside it. When Varian didn't look at her, she sighed and stood up, picking up the food as well.

"Varian, I know you want to let all of Corona know your angry but starving to death isn't going to help, you have to eat at some point." She walked over the the window and sat the tray on the windowsill at Varian's feet. "I know your not going to talk to me, but I just thought you should know I have assigned multiple guards to work on freeing your father." Ariana waited for a minute, hoping for a reply she knew wasn't going to come, then turned around to leave.

"You know its not going to work." Varian said quietly. He almost surprised himself by talking, but didn't let it show.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if Rapunzel couldn't free him, what makes you think a bunch of guards can ?" Varian tried not to raise his voice, but found it difficult to control his anger.

"I know chances of it working are slim, but I thought you could take comfort in knowing we're trying."

"Take comfort? How do I take comfort in that? If you haven't noticed, you and your little kingdom are too late!" Varian gave up on trying to stay calm and turned towards the queen. "How can I take comfort in anything when everything has already gone wrong. There is nothing good left in this world for me."

Ariana's face was a mixture of shock and sympathy. Before she could say anything Varian turned back around and said, "I don't want to talk to you, or anyone, until my father has been freed."

"Very well just, eat your food." Ariana was almost out the metal doorway when she turned back around. "Varian, everything's going to be okay. I promise."

"Tch. Where have I heard that before?" Ariana sighed again at the response and left. Varian looked out the corner of his eye to make sure she was gone, then turned around towards Ruddiger.

"What? You don't actually think she wants to help me, do you?" Ruddiger just looked at him. Varian picked up an apple from the food tray and tossed it to his raccoon. Ruddiger chittered and bit into his apple. "I'm not dumb enough to believe that anyone in this stupid kingdom cares about anyone but themselves."

Varian sniffed as tears began to roll down his face. Ruddiger climbed up into Varian's arms once he noticed. "Heh, at least you care about me." He said quietly, followed by a yawn. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

                                              ***

Varian awoke to Ariana in his cell. When he opened his eyes, he almost fell out the windowsill from surprise.

"Good Morning, Varian." She said cheerfully.

"What are you doing here?" Varian rubbed his eyes as he talked so they could adjust to the light.

"I brought you breakfast." She had a bowl of grits that was still steaming hot.

"Why?" A part of Varian felt like she'd poisoned it, but knew that probably wasn't true. Probably.

"Listen, Varian, I'm going to be honest with you-"

Varian interrupted her by scoffing and saying "That must be a first for your family."

"Listen, Rapunzel wants to help you, but she's not here. She wanted the king to find someone that will help you. The thing is, he doesn't have interest in help you. He doesn't believe there is good in you. But I do. I mean your fourteen, how bad can you be?"

"Don't underestimate me, your Highness."

Ariana sighed and walked towards him. "I'm not. But if Rapunzel believes in you then so do I." She smiled softly and held the bowl out to Varian. Despite the anger her smile gave him, he took the bowl. Ruddiger climbed onto his lap to smell it.

"Rapunzel believes in everyone. That doesn't say anything about me." Varian looked down at his food as steam warmed his face. The anger inside him started dissolving into something that wasn't quite sad, but not happy either.

Ariana bent down so she could look at his face. "No, but... I see it myself." She smiled bigger. All previous hate that he felt a second ago had disappeared to almost nothing. He looked from his food to her face. He found himself getting angry again, not at her, but himself. After all that they've done to him and he starting feeling... guilty. No.

He squeezed his eyes closed for a second and turned around towards the window. "You're hallucinating." He said. Ariana stood up behind him and giggled. Varian worried she could tell how he felt. Like she could read his mind.

"You sure are stubborn." Ariana walked out the cell and a guard locked it. Once she was on the other side she said, "I'll see you later Varian." And left.

                                                ***

The day passed like it normally did. Twice, a guard would come to bring him a meal and return in about half an hour to collect the dishes, only to find barely any food gone. Varian found sleeping a waste of time considering everything he had to figure out and had no intention on sleeping two nights in a row. But after his emotionally morning, he eventually fell asleep again.