Forget-Me-Not (Varian x Reader)

Chapter 27- New Saporia

:-:Six Months Later:-:

I fidget with Varian's bandanna while I wait for Xavier to return. It had become a nervous habit of mine because it reminded me of Varian whenever I touched it. The piece of fabric brought me a small sense of comfort, as though a little part of him was always with me.

A lot has changed in the past few months. For one, I had been living in Xavier's secret bunker underneath his blacksmith shop with the rest of the resistance ever since I had escaped the palace. It was a small group of Coronians who were brave enough to defy orders from the king: Xavier, uncle Monty, Ulf, Big Nose, and a few other stragglers, so they welcomed me with open arms. The resistance had become a second family to me.

The pub thugs had taken over Cassandra's role of training me in self-defense, and before long I had become a skilled fighter. Xavier was so proud of my progress that he made me a weapon of my own: a beautiful hand-carved bow and a leather quiver full of arrows. The bow was created from the strongest wood found in Corona, so it could not only shoot arrows but also block oncoming attacks from swords and other blades. I had even etched music notes into its surface, inspired by ruthless Ruth's club.

Xavier taught me how to properly aim and shoot. With him as my mentor, I not only became an archer, but I also came to see him as a good friend. I loved listening to his legends and stories around the fire late into the night, and he always had a way of raising my spirits when I was feeling down.

I hadn't seen Varian since he helped me escape a few months ago. I worry about him constantly; I knew the risks he was taking by working undercover for the Saporians.

Lately, every day is filled with worry. I worry for my parents, the resistance, Rapunzel, and most of all, Varian. The anxiety has taken over my body, and the longer the Saporians are in charge, the worse it gets. Each day gets harder; I've even begun to get panic attacks. I long for Varian's comforting embrace and Rapunzel's words of encouragement, but I can't reach either of them.

I look down at the bandana in my hands and pull my hair into a high ponytail, securing it with the piece of fabric.

After months of planning and hundreds of letters to Varian, our team had finally concluded that the only way to take our kingdom back was with Rapunzel. We were trying our best, but it's no secret that Rapunzel can rally people together better than anyone. The number of resistance fighters was small, but it was becoming even more so as people were ordered by the king to mine for crystals.
Ulf had volunteered to take a balloon and follow the rocks until he found Rapunzel, and he had already been gone a month. We were all worried sick about him, and his absence only added to my stress.

Only two things helped to calm my nerves. The first was the letters from Varian. The second was singing. My songs not only lifted my spirits, but they seemed to infuse the rest of the resistance with hope. It filled me with great pride to know that my musical talent could fill so many people with joy.

I catch myself softly humming and tapping my black boot on the stone floor in an attempt to keep a beat. I quickly stop so I don't wake the others. It was late into the night and I was the only one whose eyes were still open. I would normally try to get some sleep, but I couldn't seem to get my mind off of Varian and Xavier. Even though Ruddiger and Dandelion were the ones who carried letters back and forth, it was still a huge risk for Xavier to be out after dark. The Saporians had established a strict curfew to keep troublemakers off the street at night, and those who defied their orders were severely punished. I shudder at the thought of sweet Xavier, a man who was like a big soft marshmallow, getting thrown in a cold cell...or worse.