Twisted Destiny

Time

Rapunzel paced in her bedroom, sighing heavily. Varian seemed to be content to just know why her father did what he did, but Rapunzel wanted him to actually make amends for it. She cared about both of them too much to just leave things as they were, but what could she do? She couldn't even patch up her own broken relationship, how could she even start to make things better between Varian and her father?

She heard a knock at her door and looked over. "Uhm, yes?"

The door opened and she gasped, seeing her father stepping inside. "Dad." She greeted, stopping her pacing.

He walked over to her. "...Rapunzel. I imagine you are...disgusted with me. Arianna is very upset, told me to sleep in my office for the next...month." He gave a helpless shrug, then sighed and walked past her to stand on her balcony.

Rapunzel walked over to join him, recalling when she had come to his room to speak to him after her mother had been taken by Varian a year ago. "Dad...what was my grandfather like?"

His expression was grim, and he looked out towards the horizon, towards Old Corona. "You are lucky to have never known him. He was cruel and would have had Varian locked up long before you were sent that kite. You would have never known what happened to your young friend, and he'd have been locked away underground...forever."

"So..." Rapunzel sat on the railing. "Why didn't you do that? Why did you give him a chance to contact me, if you feared him so much?"

"Because I...I felt guilty. I had to keep up the lies to protect the people, but this was my friend's son. The son of the woman that saved your life. I couldn't..." He knelt down next to her. "Rapunzel, I wronged him, so much. I wronged everyone, because I was too ashamed of ignoring Quirin's warnings and taking the Sundrop Flower, of not guarding the monument better, of letting things get so far. I was the cause of the Kingdom's misery, but I couldn't admit it. And Varian...he'd already gained such a reputation, he was...an easy scapegoat, especially once his father was trapped in the amber."

He hung his head, leaning against the railing. "But, I never should have done that to him. And he had every right to kill me, but he wouldn't do it. He had me at his mercy, he could have easily gotten rid of me, but he didn't. He instead installed himself as my advisor and...was actually a really good one. This may surprise you, but he might be a good option for Nigel's successor, for when you are Queen."

Rapunzel smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

"He kept the Saporians from being too harsh on the people, he kept up trade agreements, he could've destroyed Corona in several different ways, let the Saporians have the run of the place more than they did, but he didn't. And Andrew...for whatever reason, the man listened to him. They grew very close in prison, relying on each other to be strong. I was bitter and spiteful and cruel and resorted to my father's methods to try to...to break Varian, but still he wouldn't break. He has his mother's wit and his father's mental fortitude and a mind the likes of which has never been seen since Lord Demanitus walked among us." King Frederic closed his eyes in shame. "And I tried to ruin him. I tried to break him. He will be a great ally to you, Rapunzel. I only hope I can one day make up for all that I have done to him."

She looked towards the horizon, then smiled a bit, looking at him. "Do you...want to stay the night here? Might be more comfortable than your office."

"I shouldn't." He stood up. "A father shouldn't share a bed with his daughter."

"Varian and Andrew share a bed all the time, there's nothing wrong with it." Rapunzel got up. "And the bed is plenty big enough."

"No, no. I need to accept Arianna's punishment for me with grace and sleep in my office." He headed for the door. "Good talk, though."