Work Text:
Varian begged desperately. She said she'd help him! His dad NEEDS help! WHY DIDN'T SHE LISTEN!? He barely heard the princess call out not to hurt him. Varian cried as he was thrown out of the castle into the snow. He needed to get home... M-maybe his dad was only partially trapped in that amber and they could figure something out together with his achelemy. He made the chemical, maybe he can make some kind of antidote for it! Varian stood up, but quickly realized he was way too cold as he'd barely taken any time to warm up before approaching the princess. He shivered as he slowly attempted to walk home back to old Corona, but he only made it as far as the bridge into the capital before collapsing. He vaguely heard a familiar voice before everything went dark.
Eugene had just pulled up to the bridge when he noticed a figure walking across it. He called out for the horse to stop and slowly approached the figure. It was a person, clearly. The person collapsed into the snow. Eugene quickly ran over. Who in their right mind would be out here. He turned the figure over and recognized the kid- Varian... What in blazes was the kid doing out in a blizzard!? He should be safe at home in old Corona!
"Lance! Give me a hand, will ya?!" Lance quickly ran over and helped Eugene carry Varian to the coach. Where the King and Queen were wide eyed and quickly gave their jacket to the freezing child. "Poor kid."
"But what was he doing out in a blizzard?" Lance asked.
"I don't know," Eugene said firmly. "But we need to get him back to the castle, he's gonna freeze to death if we don't get him warmed up fast. Lance! Step on it!"
"Got it!" Lance hopped onto the front of the carriage and Eugene got into the carriage and also gave the freezing boy his coat. Luckily, they arrived at the palace just a few minutes after the blizzard finally stopped. Rapunzel's smile dropped when she saw the worried expressions on their faces. The king turned towards a servant-
"Get me a physician, NOW!"
"Yes, sire!"
"Dad, what's wrong?! Are you and mom and others ok?!" Rapunzel, oh how Eugene loved her concern for others. But now was NOT the time for idolizing his girlfriend.
"I will be fine, Rapunzel. Just a broke ankle, a few weeks and I'll recover, but I'm more worried about your friend," Her father replied, firmly.
"What friend? Lance?"
"No," Eugene and Lance carried Varian to the doctor's room. Eugene didn't hear the rest of the conversation, much more worried about the hypothermic 14 year old laying motionless on the metal table.
Rapunzel gasped as Varian was brought to the medical room. She saw he'd turned blue from the cold. Had... had the guards just thrown him out!? INTO THAT BLIZZARD!? She was angry- no- FURIOUS-
"GUARDS!!!" Rapunzel snapped. The guard stood at attention. "Who ordered that Varian be thrown out into the snow! My order as temporary queen was that he was to be UNHARMED, throwing him into a blizzard is the exact OPPOSITE of what I said to do!?"
"S-Sir Nigel, ordered i-it, Princess."
"Nigel?" Rapunzel took a breath, as her father spoke up. Nigel turned to them-
"Yes, sire?"
"Why did you throw a CHILD into a blizzard?!"
"He attacked Princess Rapunzel, any threat to the royals is not allowed within the castle walls."
"He didn't attack me!? He held my arms pleading with me to HELP him!? Which I didn't do because YOU told me not to!"
"Nigel," The King said, with an eerie calmness. "You expect me to believe a 14 year old kid ATTACKED my 18 year old daughter and actually could be considered a threat to her?"
"Well- uhm-" Nigel gulped.
"And now that child might DIE because of those ridiculous allegations?"
"I-"
"I trusted you to take care of things and help the people Nigel. You're dismissed."
"I-" Nigel sighed. "I understand, Sire."
"-And," Queen Arianna spoke up. "Will you put on trial for attempted murder of a minor." There was a gasp as the guards grabbed Nigel. "Nigel, your actions could have easily killed Varian and if that boy DOES die from the freezing temperatures. You will be facing murder charges, understand?"
"Y-yes, your majesty."
With Nigel taken away, the queen and princess went to check on Varian as the king was taken to have his foot casted. Rapunzel looked at the unconscious Varian with a massive amount of guilt. How could she let this happen. Varian was her FRIEND. IS her friend. If he dies she will be to blame too. Nigel may have told him to focus on the bigger picture and had been the one to order him to be thrown out of the safety and warmth of the castle, but she was acting queen, she could have easily dismissed Nigel orders and told the guards to keep Varian in the castle- at least to hear him out or until they found the machine to stop the blizzard. Now, he could die and it would be her fault
"Hey, sunshine?" Eugene said, as he sat next to her. "It's not your fault."
"What?"
"I know you and I know that look, you're blaming yourself for this, aren't you?"
"If I had order the guards to put him down or to at least keep Varian safe in the castle, this wouldn't have happened!"
"You were in a stressful situation where there really was no good option- especially with Nigel influencing your every choice. I never liked that guy, but the king trusted him so I didn't say anything. Right now, all that matters is that Varian wakes up."