The Dark King

Rings and Necklaces

 Eugene had barely slept that night. So many things were running through his mind, the danger he'd put his friend into. The fact he suddenly had a fiancé and had to organize a ball, and whatever punishment Hector was making up in his twisted mind.

As he walked down the hallways, he spotted an unfamiliar silhouette walking in the same direction. It took him a moment to realize it was Varian. He'd known the boy had been in the group from Corona, and it had confused him why he was there with them, but he'd been trying to deal with a situation with Rapunzel and the huge diplomatic mess they seemed to be heading for, so he'd pushed it to the back of the mind.

"Varian?"

The teen turned, though he had changed Eugene knew it was him. That flash in his hair was too distinctive for it to be anybody else.

"Hi Eugene, it's good to see you again."

He paused, looking at him, he was still a boy, somehow in his mind he'd thought he'd be a man now, and he had thought of him sometimes. When he'd been a teen Varian had followed him around, his little buddy. In his awkward and spotty stage, the toddler had seen him as the coolest person on the planet. He'd seen Varian grow into a quick kid, always thinking, always planning... experimenting. Then he'd gone. On the day it had happened, they'd had plans. Eugene had promised Varian he'd help him with his sword practice, he had never been a natural and Quirin, well... he'd never stated his disappointment, but he'd never hidden it from his face. Eugene knew that look from Quirin well, so he'd wanted to help, yet when he'd gone to Quirin's apartments to meet Varian, Quirin had quietly told Eugene that Varian had gone away to stay with family.

"So... is that where you've been the court of Corona?"

"Not the court, the valley."

"With family?"

"With Rapunzel, I..." Varian hesitated. "Hector dousn't know."

"You can trust me."

"I was under the care of King Fredrick, but I barely saw him. I lived with his Captain of the guards and Cassandra... oh that's Rapunzel's ladies' maid, the uh... one with the dark hair and pretty eyes... I mean green, green eye, not that they're not pretty but..."

"So, are you back for good?" Eugene asked.

"I uh... my Dad said that we'll talk over the next few days.

"Are you and your Dad, okay? I mean, it was so weird when you got sent away. So sudden."

"Yeah. Yeah, it was really good to see him. We spent a lot of time talking last night."

"I'm glad." Eugene said clapping him on the shoulder.

Varian looked to the side.

"Can I ask you something? It's important."

"Sure Kid."

"What do you think of Rapunzel?"

"That's important?"

"Well... to me."

"Why?"

"Because there's a chance that I'm staying here now, and I want to know if Rapunzel and... her lady's maid will be staying here."

"No, I don't think any of us want that. She's obnoxious and entitled."

"HEY! Don't talk about the Princess that way!"

Eugene backed slightly away from the sudden outburst of anger. Varian himself went quiet and shied away a little.

"She's not like that. "He finally said.