Reunion at Sea

Town Meeting

To be completely honest, Varian was feeling as nervous as before he did his presentation at the science expo. Xavier had just arrived to tell Rapunzel that everyone had gathered and was waiting, and so he was gathering up his notes with shaking hands.

"You okay?" Clyde asked gently.

"I just...they didn't care before. I went to town for help after you all evacuated, and they...they didn't care about me before, they all called for my blood, why would they care now? What if all...this...is for nothing?" He clutched at his shoulder.

Clyde sighed and gathered up the notes for him, gently tapping them all on the desk together to straighten them before he carefully used a hole punch on the edges of one side and used twine to keep them together. Then he handed the papers to Varian, who took them with nervous, shaking hands. "Come on." He said gently, leading him out of the lab.

"Do they know about him?" Rapunzel asked Xavier as Varian stepped out.

"Not yet." Xavier walked forward and pulled Varian into a hug. "It's going to be alright." He assured him. "You won't be alone this time."

Varian nodded, then looked at Rapunzel once the man stepped back. "Are...Are you ready?"

Rapunzel nodded. "I am. I think. Are you?"

"Heh...ready as I'll ever be." He nodded.

They headed for the door, and Varian glanced at Xavier. "So...no comment about my...appearance?"

"Hm...you've gotten taller." Xavier chuckled and walked outside.

"...Okay." Varian shrugged and then they walked out to get into a carriage, Varian pulling a black cloak on over his glowing body and hair to conceal himself.

Rapunzel smiled encouragingly at Varian as they watched everyone else get into a cart and then they were setting off for the Capital. He looked at the papers in his hands nervously, and gasped when he saw Rapunzel's hand close around his gently.

"It's going to be alright." Rapunzel assured him. "Mom is there already, and she'll make sure everything goes well."

"I'm just...I'm just scared that I'll screw up and get mad at them for suddenly caring after heartlessly throwing me aside without even getting my side of the story, just because the King said it happened."

Rapunzel moved to his side of the carriage and pulled him into a hug. "It's alright, We've got this."

He sighed and clutched at her sleeve a bit. "I wish I wasn't so afraid to trust that things will be alright..."

"It will be." She assured him. "It will be."

He closed his eyes. "I hope so."

--

The carriage and cart pulled to a stop outside a decided upon place and then Xavier showed them a secret way to get into the city and to his secret basement through the Herz Der Sonne tunnels. They stopped just outside the basement and he turned to Varian. "Are you ready for this?"

"Heh..." Varian swallowed nervously. "Let's...let's do this."

Rapunzel smiled and nodded. "Take us in, Xavier."

Xavier pushed against a stone and it opened up to let them into a large basement area, where a large crowd of people were gathered. Varian was still wearing his black cloak as he walked over with Rapunzel and the others to join Queen Arianna, who gave them an encouraging smile. Varian saw Eugene, Lance and Cassandra were here with Faith and the guys from the Snuggly Duckling, and there were a bunch of people that Varian knew by name but had never actually spoken to much before now.