Forget-Me-Not (Varian x Reader)

Chapter 21- Andrew

:-:Four Years Ago:-:

I smile with delight as I see the royal carriage transporting Varian and his father pull in front of the castle. As my father steps towards the royal carriage and greets Quirin and his son, I quickly hopped out of the window seat to meet Varian at the front doors. I could hardly wait to see my best (and technically only) friend again!

As they entered the palace, I run up to Varian and grinned. "Hey, Var!!" I greet.

Varian's sigh was the first signal to me that something was wrong. Usually, Varian was super excited for our visits, but today something seemed...off. I don't say anything else, and simply grab his hand and drag him to my bedroom. We sit down on my (fc) bedspread, and I look at Varian with sad eyes. "What's wrong?"

Varian crosses his arms and looks away. He sniffs as a couple of tears trickle down his freckled cheeks. "The village kids made fun of me again. They said nobody in their right mind would be friends with a dangerous freak like me."

I frown. "You can't let them get to you, Varian. They're a bunch of jerks. Besides, you have me. We're best friends!" I quickly hug him as though to prove my point.

The boy pushes out of my embrace. Varian takes off one of his black gloves and wipes the tears from his cheeks. "You're just my friend because I'm your only option."

I feel a bit taken aback. Technically Varian's words were true, but they also weren't. I genuinely enjoyed his company and I always thought that I would still be Varian's friend even if I was allowed out of the castle. "Varian..."

He cuts me off. "It's true!!"

"No, it's not!! I love spending time with you! You're sweet, considerate, and smart. Nobody in their right mind wouldn't want to be friends with you."

Varian shows the slightest smile. "You mean it?"

"Of course!! We'll always be best friends, regardless of whether or not I'm trapped in some stupid castle." I say.

Varian's blue eyes light up with joy. He extends his pinky out to me. "Promise?"

I hold out my own and we lock pinkies. "Promise."

:-:Present Day:-:

A lanky, brown-haired man wearing a fur vest sat on the bench across from Varians.

I scowl.

"Andrew."

The man glances over at me, and a devious smirk spreads across his cheeks. "Ah, princess (Yn). To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

I glare at him, knowing his polite demeanor was just an act. After he tried to steal Hertz Der Sonnes' journal about a year ago, everyone knew that Andrew was nothing but a petty thief.

"I'm not here to see you."

"Ah, I see." Andrew's eyes glance at me, and then at Varian. "You must be here to see your boyfriend then~"

My cheeks turn a bright shade of pink and I quickly turn away. "He is not my boyfriend."

Andrew chuckles. "My mistake, princess."

I ignore him and release Varian from his cell, dragging the alchemist out of the dungeon. As we enter palace halls, I turn to the boy. "Why in the world are you in the same cell as Andrew?"

Varian shrugs. "The guards moved him in with me last night. Something about running out of space for inmates?"

I sigh. "Okay, whatever Andrew tells you, don't believe it. That man lies and cheats his way through everything. He's a member of the Separatists of Saporia."

"Isn't that the group of Saporians who have it in for Corona?"

I nod. "Andrew almost got away with stealing one of the most valuable possessions in the land for who-knows-what. You can't trust him."

"(yn)?" Varian looks at me with worried eyes. "Andrew said something to me...he told me that this kingdom w-will never forgive me for what I've done."

I stop in my tracks. My blood was beginning to boil. I couldn't believe Andrew was saying such cruel things to Varian. Wasn't losing his father enough? "Varian...that isn't true-"

Varian cuts me off. "No! It is true!" He looks down at his hands. "Y-You can try and redeem me, but at the end of the day, the people of Corona will only see me as a dangerous criminal." His voice wavers. "How could anyone forgive me? I-I attacked their princess, destroyed Old Corona, heck, I kidnaped you, (yn)!" Varian looks at me with eyes filled with tears. "You should be scared of me, or mad, or...or-"

I quickly grab ahold of Varian's hands. "Varian, I forgive you."

I don't even process those words as they escape my lips. I think them over and realize something: It's the truth. I do forgive Varian. Even with all of his flaws and mistakes, Varian's apology allowed me to see him as my old friend again. I was finally ready to let go of the past.

A couple of stray tears leak out of Varian's blue eyes. "Y-You do?"

I nod. "Your apology gave me the strength to forgive you. I know Andrew's words seem true, but you have to believe me when I say that they aren't. It won't be easy, but I know that we can figure this out." I gently smile at Varian. "Together. Do you trust me?"

Varian grins and wipes a tear from his cheek. "Always."

:-:-:-:

I poke at my dinner with a fork, not feeling in the mood to eat mashed potatoes. I haven't been in the mood to eat at all with everything on my mind. Figuring out a way to help Varian, trying to stop Andrew from being manipulative, and worrying about Rapunzel, Cass, and my other friends while they were on a journey to who-knows-where was really taking its toll on my health.

"(Yn), is everything alright?" My mom asks, worry filling her emerald green eyes.

"I'm fine. My plate is just really full." I look down at my untouched dinner and slightly chuckle. "Literally and figuratively."

Dad smiles. "I know-"

The door to the dining room opens, and a messenger enters holding a floating lantern with the Coronian Crest painted on the side. I could easily recognize the lantern anywhere; it was one of the dozens of lanterns my parents sent out over the years for Rapunzel. I still have vivid memories of watching the king and queen outside of my bedroom window, sending lanterns into the night sky. I, obviously, was never allowed to participate in the ceremony, as it was too dangerous, so I would always handcraft my own lantern and release it into the sky once everyone else had let the wind carry theirs away. It had become a tradition of my own.

"Who could've sent us a lantern?" Dad asks nobody in particular.

The messenger grins and pulls a rolled-up scroll off of the lantern. "I think it's from the princess." He says, handing the scroll to the king.

Dad smiles brighter than I had seen him smile in a while. I couldn't blame him; I was elated to hear from my sister.

The excitement bubbles inside of me as my father opens the message and begins to read.

"I'm still sad to be so far from home, and there's nothing wrong with that. I can be independent, and see the world, and still miss home. That's just part of life; nobody can be happy all the time. If I'm sad, it's a reminder that I love my family. And when I miss you most, I'll have my friends to lean on.

Until I see you again, you are always in my heart.

Love,

Rapunzel"

As dad finishes reading the letter, he wipes a couple of tears from his eyes. I walk up to him and snatch the letter from his hand to read it myself.

I smile and hug the piece of paper close to my chest. Rapunzel's words really helped to lift my spirits, and give me the advice I needed. "When I miss you most, I'll have my friends to lean on." I couldn't help but feel that those words were written for me.