The Alchemist's Princess | Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure

Chapter VII

A couple of days later, a ship pulled up to Arendelle's docks.

Iduna saw the ship and took Aquaria out of the castle and down to the docks.

Frederic ran off the ship as soon as she saw Iduna with Aqua.

"Oh, my baby! We were so worried about you!" He scooped her up into his arms and almost started to cry. He turned to Iduna and smiled. "Thank you so much, Iduna. I don't know what I would've done if I lost her."

"I'm always here to help. Tell Arianna that I miss her," Iduna said and Frederic nodded.

"I will. I would stay longer but Arianna is worried so I must bring Aqua home. We will visit though. Tell Agnarr and your children that Arianna and I said hello and thank you. Goodbye, Iduna," Frederic said with a bright smile.

"Goodbye, Frederic. Goodbye, Aqua," Iduna waved and Aqua waved back, but she didn't want to leave.

When the shipped pulled away from the docks, Aqua started to cry a little.

"Darling, what's wrong?" Frederic looked at her with concern, having hoped she would be happy to see him.

"I don't wanna go home... I don't wanna be stuck in the palace... I don't have any friends now... I just wanted to play with Varian... he was my only friend but you took him away..." Aqua cried and she looked away from him.

"I didn't mean to take away your friend, sweetie. I didn't know why you had been sneaking out until your mother told me. I'm sorry that I never let you go to Old Corona. I just wanted to keep you safe. I promise that when we get home, you won't be stuck in the palace. You will be able to go to Old Corona as long as you have guards with you."

"I will make sure she is safe there as well," Quirin said as he walked over.

"Thank you, Quirin," Frederic said as he smiled.

"Really?" Aquaria asked excitedly.

"Yes, and everyone can still come to your birthday."

"Thank you, daddy! I love you!" She buried her face in his chest.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he said softly as he kept her close.

🧪

Varian was getting really worried that Aquaria would never come home and he would never see her again.

Queen Arianna was holding him after he started crying in his laboratory.

"What if she doesn't come back? W-what if I never see her again? I wanna play with her again... I-I need her help with alchemy..." Varian trembled and Arianna held him close.

"I'm sure that Frederic and your father have her. They went to Arendelle to see if she was there. I hope she is. I know Iduna will take good care of her," Arianna said softly, still worried out of her mind.

Quirin came in the laboratory and Arianna looked at him before Aqua walked into the room.

"We found her," he said and Arianna gasped, letting go of Varian as she ran to see her baby girl.

"Oh thank the stars! Don't ever do that again! We were so worried!" Arianna clutched Aquaria close, crying out of pure relief.

Varian ran over as well and joined the hug.

"I thought I'd never see you again! I missed you!" Varian cried as he hugged her.

"I'm sorry... I'll never leave like that ever again. I promise," Aqua said as she cried softly, hugging her mother and best friend.

"You can stay here for the night if it is alright with Quirin," Frederic said and Quirin nodded.

"I am perfectly fine with that. I'll make sure she is safe," he said and Arianna smiled.

"Okay, but please have her back by dinnertime tomorrow," Arianna requested.

"Will do, your majesty," Quirin agreed and Varian smiled brightly.

"Come on! I need your help on a machine!" Varian said and Aqua smiled.

"Alright! Bye, mom! Bye, dad! I love you!" She hugged them both quickly.

"Goodbye, sweetheart. See you tomorrow," Arianna said before leaving with her husband. "Are you sure you want to let her sleepover after we just got her back?" She asked with worry.

"I'm sure, darling. As much as I want to hold her close tonight, I know that she is much happier right now then if she went back with us."

"You're right," Arianna said with a smile.

💧

Two years later, Aqua was running through the forest as Varian chased her. He tagged her and she giggled.

"I let you catch me!"

"Oh yeah? Well then try to catch me!" Varian took off and Aqua ran after him before she tripped.

"Ah!" She fell to the ground and there was a squeak. She looked to see what she tripped over.

A little creature laid there and she gasped.

"Oh my! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" Aqua gently picked up the baby animal, thinking she had hurt it badly. It quickly started climbing all over her and she giggled.

"Aqua?! Where did you go!" Varian ran back after noticing she was no longer behind him. He gasped when he saw her on the ground. "Are you okay, Aqua?" He asked with worry.

"Yeah, I just tripped over this little one," Aqua smiled and Varian looked at the raccoon.

"It looks like a baby raccoon. It likes you," Varian commented, seeing that the kit had taken a liking to Aqua as she pet it gently.

"It's so cute!" She giggled as the little raccoon made a purring sound.

"Varian! Aquaria! Lunchtime!" Quirin called into the forest and Aqua smiled as the kit ran off to a tree.

"Coming, dad!" Varian called back as he helped Aqua up.

They ran back to his house for lunch and Quirin smiled.

"It's ham sandwiches today," he said and the two cheered.

"Yes! I love ham sandwiches!" Varian clapped happily.

"Alright then. Sit down, you two," Quirin said as he sat down.

As they ate lunch, Aquaria played footsies with Varian under the table and they were both giggling.

Quirin chuckled at their antics. He remembered the first time they ran off to play when Varian was almost two years old at Aquaria's first birthday party. He couldn't believe how much they had grown since then and they were still playing like they used to.

He never wanted to see them get older. This moment was precious to him.