Rise and unite - the piano duet [COMPLETED]

Chapter 7: Rise and unite

"The only way out is through it."

Rapunzel entered the snuggly Duckling with renewed confidence.

"I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. This is the biggest challenge this kingdom has ever faced."

Eugene nudged Varian. "No offense, Varian."

Varian shrugged and smiled brightly. It felt so good to be loved again.

Time now to fight, let's turn our losing streak around...

Rapunzel started to sing to the crowd, but Varian saw that she glanced at him for a split second. And he understood what she was saying. She really needed support to rally the townsfolk. Now or never. 

Varian's felt his stomach turn. He had never played for anyone other than Rapunzel. And these people weren't the friendly pub thugs... 

Even though they hadn't done anything to him since Rapunzel had defended him a few months ago, and some had even been nice to him at times, he still avoided them as much as he could. Here in the inn that had proved quite impossible. For the past few days, he had mostly sat in the corner by the fireplace with Lance, Kiera and Catalina, blending into the shadows to avoid being seen. So far, it had worked.

Varian wasn't shy. He had never been used to being around large groups of people, but it had never really bothered him. He knew that in time he would even feel comfortable around the citizens of Corona. So why was playing the piano so different?

Because he couldn't fail. Science was the only thing people had known him for. And it had failed so often, everyone was used to that. Music was a side of Varian that almost no one knew about, he couldn't mess that up too. He started to feel nauseous, and the room started to spin around him as the tension in his stomach increased. He wasn't ready. Varian noticed that he'd started hyperventilating too, and forced himself to take slow breaths. This was bigger than him. People's lives were at stake.

So Varian ignored the knot in his stomach, and stepped onto the stage.

~***~

Rapunzel and Varian sat side by side behind the piano and smiled at eachother for a moment, a smile that said everything.

We've got this.

~***~