Reunion at Sea

Warped

King Frederic looked around in confusion at the hilly landscape in front of him. Wasn't he entering a cave? He gasped as he heard the door shut behind him and turned to see Lucas standing next to the door as it vanished. "Lucas, what--the door?!"

"Forgive my deception, Your Majesty, but I needed to lure you away from the Captain. You see, he is likely to side with his daughter, and she has made some...concerning decisions while on that little trip." He walked past him, his armor changing into a white shirt with gray pants, a blue vest covering most of his torso. "You see, while on my vacation I dropped by my old home and, well, that's where I met...them." He waved his hand and the landscape changed to the inside of a hollow tree. He realized with a start that he was looking at Rapunzel and her group - and they had Varian with them.

"What?" He hissed. "How is this possible?!"

"I can only show you what I personally know. However, I have a friend that can show you more." He motioned for him to follow as the image disappeared and another door appeared. "Come along."

King Frederic paused. "Can I trust you?"

"You've trusted me up until now." Lucas opened the door and motioned for him to enter. "Or would you rather remain in the dark?"

King Frederic gasped as the landscape vanished, leaving him in pitch-black darkness, with a light shining from the door Lucas had opened being the only source of light.

He walked forward and looked at him. "Alright. I trust you." He walked through and Lucas stepped through after him, closing the door behind him.

This time he found himself in a barren landscape. He looked around, but couldn't see any sign of anyone but them. "So, where is this friend you mentioned?" He asked.

"Hello."

He gasped and turned towards the source of a girl's voice. She giggled a bit at his reaction and Lucas chuckled. "Who...who are you?"

"A friend." She floated up to look Frederic in the face. "Or, at least, I'd like to be."

King Frederic stared at her in disbelief, then shook his head. "Lucas tells me that you can tell me how that...that child is with my daughter."

"Oh yes." She cooed, then waved her hand. The barren landscape changed and he gasped, seeing that he was now floating in the air above an ocean. "It's alright." She assured him. "We are simply observers in an event that has already come to pass." She motioned for him to follow and flew down towards what looked like the Coronan Prison Barge.

Lucas took King Frederic's hand and they flew down together, the King letting his Guard guide him.

They stopped next to the girl and saw that the place had been overrun by criminals. Eugene and Maximus were captured and Varian was kneeling in front of Eugene as he sat on the floor of the deck, surrounded by criminals.

"You may as well eat the rest." Varian said cheerfully. "So, Eugene, where is Princess Rapunzel going?"

Eugene looked horrified, disconcerted, then in pain.

"He can't resist forever." Varian assured them. "They always tell."

"Truth serum." King Frederic scowled. "How did he get that on there?"

"Alright, guys, no need for us all to hang around." Lady Caine smiled. "Varian and Andrew will tell us everything they find out. Let's get ready to intercept that ferry."

"Probably with his little partner-in-crime's help." Lucas said, directing his attention to Varian's ever-faithful raccoon.

"No, don't, Rapunzel's on there!" Eugene blurted out.