The Alchemist's Princess | Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure

Chapter XIV

Aquaria thought about what she liked most about Varian and tried to decide. In her eyes, everything about him was absolutely amazing.

"His heart. He's always trying to help everyone even when he keeps messing up. He never gives up on trying to better Old Corona. He's really smart too. He's the reason I fell in love with science. We're lab partners and he is so passionate about alchemy and the science of absolutely everything."

Monty listened as they mixed the cookie dough. He could really tell that she liked him more than she thought she did just by the look on her face and the way she spoke.

"He's so kind to everyone but I'm his only friend. All the other kids in Old Corona make fun of him, but they never even take the chance to get to know him. He's the best friend I could've ever asked for. He's so loving and whenever he's sad it breaks my heart. He is always trying to make his father proud of him, but he doesn't realize that his father is already so proud. Even though he makes mistakes, I know his father is always so proud of him. I know I'm always proud of him. He makes me so happy," she ranted with a soft sigh.

"When my Aunt Iduna and Uncle Agnarr passed away, he didn't push me. He gave me space, but let me know that he was there for me. If there is ever a time where I'm upset, he knows exactly how to cheer me up. I sang him a song when I was eight and it always helped him sleep so he learned it. He always sings it to me when I'm upset and I do the same for him. His voice is amazing." She thought about him singing to her and her smile grew.

"He sounds like he's something special," Monty said to her and she let out a little laugh as she nodded. "I'd like to meet him one day. He sounds like he deserves a special gift of free Monty cookies whenever he wants."

"I'm sure he'd like that. He only comes to Corona on my birthday though. I wish he could come more often, but I know that his dad is protective. He lost his mom when he was young so his dad doesn't let him come often because he's afraid. I completely understand it and I still get to go to Old Corona almost every day to see him," she explained and he hummed.

"Well, then on your fifteenth birthday I expect you to bring him here," Monty said with a smile and Aqua giggled.

"Of course. Oh, and he can be very stubborn. He likes to stay up working on his projects until he's passed out at his desk." Aquaria giggled as she thought about all the times she had tried to make Varian go to bed and he promised that he would, but she'd find him asleep in his lab the next day.

Monty chuckled and started rolling the cookie dough into balls. "Now he definitely sounds like a teenager," he joked.

They finished rolling the dough into balls and put them in the oven.

🧪

Varian was cleaning up his laboratory when he saw that his picture of him and Aquaria was missing.

He had picked everything up that had been on his desk since it had flown all over, but he couldn't find the picture.

"No! Where is it! It has to be here somewhere!" Varian didn't want to lose that picture.

He searched for hours and racked his memory, wondering if maybe he had taken it somewhere.

Quirin came in to check on Varian and found him frantically searching every nook and cranny of the lab.

"Varian? Is everything alright?"

"No! I-I lost my picture that Aqua drew of her and I! It was on my desk before the accident, but now I can't find it!" Varian kept searching.