Forget-Me-Not (Varian x Reader)

Chapter 26- Red Bandanna

The cold and damp air of the dungeon engulfs me like a wave crashing on the seashore. I shiver. I'm not quite sure if it's from the sudden drop in temperature or if it's my nerves. My kingdom was being taken over and I couldn't do anything about it. I was helpless. Again.

I think about my parents and our fight. I've never fought like that with them. Before Rapunzel showed up, I would always keep my mouth shut and go along with whatever my parents told me. Now I'm speaking my mind and standing up for what I believe in. A chuckle almost escapes my lips. You're such a bad influence Raps.

Guilt floods my conscience. My parent's minds were erased. Will they really not remember a thing? All of the good times we had together...those moments were wiped. Their last memory of their daughter before they were spelled was her yelling at them. My eyes become misty at the thought and I scold myself. No! Do not let anyone see you cry. You are not weak!

I grunt as the man who had captured me roughly shoves me into a cell. I fall to the chilly stone floor with a thud.

As the man locks the cell door, he glares at me. "Don't cause any trouble if you know what's good for you."

As he stomps away I pull myself off the floor and sit on the bench. I hug my legs to my chest and examine my now scraped knees. I take a deep breath and look out the small dungeon window. The stars twinkle down at me from the night sky.

Please come home soon, Rapunzel.

:-:-:-:

It's been several days since the kingdom was taken over when I see a familiar alchemist approach my cell.

I've tried to banish Varian from my thoughts because it was his fault we were in this mess, but I couldn't banish him from reality. Especially not when I was the one behind bars.

"Don't you have a kingdom to govern with your new 'friends?'" I say, lacing my voice with venom.

"What? N-No!" Varian shakes his hands. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key. "I can help you but I need you to trust me."

I cross my arms over my chest. "Yeah, because trusting you did me a whole lot of good last time." I sarcastically say.

"(Yn), we don't have much time." Varian unlocks the cell door and opens it. He holds out his gloved hand to me. "Do you trust me?"

Despite my better judgment, I take it. Not that I had any better options. "Okay."

Varian slightly smiles. "Do you have your silver key?" He urgently asks, already leading me down the dungeon hall.

I clutch the key hanging around my neck. "I have it. Why?"

Varian looks back at me. "That's your ticket out of here. If I can get you back to your bedroom, you can sneak out unnoticed."

"Of course!!" I smile, feeling a sliver of hope for escape. "That's perfect, Var!"

A small blush creeps across his cheeks and he quickly looks forward. "Y-You used my nickname."

I haven't even realized I called him "Var." My cheeks turn pink and I scold myself. I'm supposed to be mad at him. I quickly change the subject. "I don't get you. First, you try to take over the kingdom, then you try to redeem yourself, then you team up with a bunch of Saporian anarchists, and now you're helping me escape. What's up with you?"

Varian stops and lowers his voice. "I never teamed up with the Saporians."

I scoff. "I saw you take over with them. I'm not blind."

"I know what it looked like, but I'm really not on their side. I've been going undercover." Varian smirks at me. "I'm only working with them to gather information so the resistance and I can take them down from the inside out."