"When Legends Rise" Drabbles

by shy_fangirl

Summary:

This is for drabbles for my Frozen/Tangled crossover fic, "When Legends Rise."

Chapter 1: Attempted Apologies [New Dream | Eugene/Rapunzel]

Summary:

After Rapunzel apologizes to Varian for abandoning and neglecting him for the three months after the blizzard, and Varian refuses to accept her apology, Eugene comforts Rapunzel.

Notes:

I will be going by production order for the season 1 episodes of Tangled: The Series, which is why I'm writing the drabble the way I am. This is also set within season 2 of "When Legends Rise" (which I am really excited to write!).

Eugene knocked on the heavy wooden door of Varian's lab, Rapunzel by his side, holding his right hand in her left. The teal blue rosemaling had been quite beautiful to look at, and Rapunzel lightly traced over one of the designs with her right index finger. Her golden hair was tied back into its usual braid, and she had the bag Cassandra had given her when the two women had first met slung across her chest. The couple had been waiting for a few minutes now for someone to respond to Eugene's knocking, and he'd wondered very briefly if Varian wasn't in his lab when a piece of parchment appeared by his boots. Eugene picked up the paper and read: "Who is it?"

"Whose handwriting?" Rapunzel asked Eugene softly.

"Kristoff's," answered Eugene, showing Rapunzel the note.

Rapunzel nodded, a twinge of sadness in her eyes. Eugene knew it must've been killing her for Kristoff to not talk to her, but he wasn't talking to anyone. Eugene and Rapunzel had traveled to Arendelle to speak with Varian about what he'd done for Corona, but they'd never gotten a chance to do so because Varian had been hyper focused on finding Kristoff, who'd been missing for a month and a half at the time the couple made it to the Norwegian kingdom. At first, when they heard that Kristoff was an ice harvester by trade, Rapunzel asked if Kristoff had just been delayed on a trip. Varian had sent her a harsh glare and pointed out that Kristoff wouldn't be gone for so long without sending any notice about when he'd be back. Arendelle's princess, Anna Oldenburg, had been ready to tear Rapunzel a new one and would have done so if Arendelle's queen, Elsa Oldenburg, hadn't placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. When the rescue mission Anna and Varian had come up with had been successful, and Kristoff was returned home, they'd discovered that the ice harvester had gone mute and (according to the asshole currently locked up in the dungeon) had been mute for a month and a half at the time of the rescue mission. No one had any idea of what Kristoff had gone through for three months, and until Kristoff felt ready to talk about it, they were all in the dark.

"I wonder what happened to him," murmured Rapunzel.

"I do, too," said Eugene. He cleared his throat and answered, "It's Eugene and Rapunzel!"

More silence in the lab. Rapunzel and Eugene stood there awkwardly as they waited for someone to open the door. The door opened, and Eugene spotted Ruddiger staring at them from his perch on Kristoff's broad shoulders. The couple were let into the lab, and Eugene looked around for Varian while Rapunzel gazed at all that the lab held. The various beakers were full of colorful alchemical solutions, the flames created dancing shadows all over the walls, and the armchairs positioned by the fireplace had a table set between them that was covered with books on various subjects. The window let in just enough light to brighten up the room without the rays being too overpowering. Kristoff remained by one of the tables, making sure the chemicals in the beaker didn't begin to react too harshly to the heat from the flames.

"Hi, Kristoff!" Rapunzel greeted the blond man enthusiastically, waving at him.

Kristoff only nodded in her direction, keeping one hand at his side. Something he'd found out about the ice harvester had been that he always kept a dagger in his boot just in case he needed it. Ever since he was returned home, he kept it tied on his sash for easier access. Queen Elsa and Princess Anna didn't see anything wrong with Kristoff's actions, and neither did Varian, so Eugene and Rapunzel never questioned it.

"Where's Varian?" asked Rapunzel.

Kristoff nodded towards a second level in the lab, which one could access by climbing up a ladder. They heard the clinking of glass beakers and shuffling of papers, which meant the alchemist was indeed up there. Rapunzel cleared her throat and called out, "Varian!"

Varian found what he was looking for, passing down the object in question to Kristoff, who handled it carefully. Varian climbed down from the second level, landing on his feet. "What's going on?" he asked Rapunzel and Eugene, not wasting any time.

"Rapunzel has something she'd like to say," said Eugene, placing his hands on Rapunzel's shoulders.

Rapunzel took a breath and began, "My kingdom needed me. I couldn't do anything about the amber, and I had to stay. I never meant to break my promise to you, Varian. We were friends."

Varian scoffed. "What about after the blizzard, Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel hesitated.

"I understand why you turned me away during the blizzard. You had to save the kingdom. You did what you had to. After the blizzard, however?"

"I thought you were fine."

"Just because I never reached out. Gods, I thought you were smarter than that."

"Varian," scolded Eugene.

Varian sent him a look that read "shut up." Eugene did as he was told. "Because I knew about the black rocks, because I knew how dangerous they were, because I posed a threat to your father not wanting his daughter to feel bad, he sent masked guards--his own men--after me. At his orders, they hunted me down, tried to take my piece of a scroll that was my personal property, and probably would have arrested me if they ever caught me. I lived with my father's corpse for three months because I didn't know whether he was alive or dead. Your father would have sent me to the hangman's noose if he had his way. You being able to control the black rocks during our final fight only proved what I believed: You were connected to the rocks! You proved me right!"

Rapunzel didn't know what to say in response. Eugene opened his mouth to say something, but Kristoff sent him a glare. Okay, Kristoff is intimidating. He could probably kill me by shrugging those shoulders of his, thought Eugene, thinking better about speaking.

"You stole my personal property when you went on your trip to Celimene. You would have left me to rot in the dungeons because your father never would have helped me. He never would have tried to free my father. It's because of Kristoff and Arendelle that I wasn't recruited into a terrorist organization or killed. You can try to apologize all you fucking want, Rapunzel, but I don't accept your apology, I don't forgive you, and I never will."

Rapunzel opened her mouth to talk, but Varian raised a hand to indicate that he wasn't finished speaking. "The only times you seem to give a shit about me is when you need something from me. What do you need? Someone to do almost all the research on the black rocks? Continue translating something that is my personal property?"

"We need you to translate the Demanitus scroll," said Rapunzel, handing Varian the scroll.

Varian took the scroll. "I'll do this for you, but you're not getting the original scroll back."

"What? Varian, we need that scroll."

"No, all you need are the incantations. The incantations will go on different pieces of parchment, which I will give to you. I'll be keeping the scroll since part of the scroll contains my personal property. Now, leave my lab. Please."

"Kid ... " Eugene attempted to calm Varian down.

"Varian said for you two to leave."

The lab had been quiet enough for everyone to hear Kristoff talk. Varian sent Kristoff a gentle smile while Rapunzel and Eugene were both stunned. The couple listened and left the lab, not shutting the door completely yet, as Varian began speaking to Kristoff.

"I'm proud of you."

Neither Eugene nor Rapunzel heard any response from Kristoff, which meant that he was back to being mute.

"One step forward and two steps back. That's okay. It's still progress."

Eugene shut the door, and he and Rapunzel headed back to their room. Rapunzel flopped onto the bed.

"You okay, sunshine?" Eugene asked Rapunzel.

"The first words Kristoff ever says to us, and it's to tell us to leave Varian's lab."

Eugene sat beside Rapunzel. "Varian will forgive us, and Kristoff might grow to trust us."

Rapunzel looked up at him, smiling softly. She sat up and hugged him, Eugene hugging her back.

Chapter 2: I'm Not Leaving Him Behind [Elsa & Varian]

Summary:

Varian calls Elsa out for leaving Kristoff behind in the Enchanted Forest.

Notes:

Sunshine: This takes place in season three of "When Legends Rise," and I was rewatching Frozen 2, and the moment Kristoff is left behind pissed me off, which prompted me to write this.

Varian had hidden behind a boulder, same as Anna, as they concealed themselves so the Earth giants wouldn't spot them. The earth beneath their feet shook with every step the giant took, and Varian held his breath. His heart pounded quickly in his chest, praying to Lady Nur that his hair stripe didn't glow, and red rocks sprouted out of the ground due to his fear. Anna spotted Elsa moving from her spot behind a tree and scoffed, moving to where she grabbed onto Elsa's wrist, giving her a look. Elsa knelt down to where the sisters could talk quietly.

"Please tell me you are not about to follow them," whispered Anna.

"What if I can settle them like I did the wind and fire?" Elsa asked, gazing up at the giant.

"Or what if they can crush you before you get the chance?" Anna asked. "Remember, the goal is to find the voice, find the truth, and get us home."

Varian's eyes darted out, searching for a familiar head of dirty-blond hair. He didn't spot Kristoff anywhere, and he couldn't see Sven either. His anxiety spiked, and he had to tell himself to breathe in and out slowly. His hair stripe began to glow, and the ground beneath him rumbled as if a meteorite spike wanted to sprout up like a flower. In for four seconds, hold for seven, and out for eight. He followed this mantra, and the bright blue in his hair faded. He stood up, brushing dirt off his knees, going to meet up with Anna and Elsa. Olaf approached the sisters as well, Bruni the fire spirit lying on his head.

"Hey, guys, that was close!" Olaf exclaimed as Bruni leaped into Elsa's hand.

Elsa held her hand out for Bruni to land in. "I know. The giants sensed me. They may come back here. I don't want to put anyone at risk again," she said. "And you're right, Anna. We've got to find the voice. We're going now." Elsa placed her hand on Anna's shoulder as she began to walk from the Northuldra camp.

"Okay, we're going," said Anna. "Let me just-" She looked around the camp, unable to find Kristoff anywhere. "Wait, where are Kristoff and Sven?" she asked out loud.

Varian couldn't tell her that Kristoff had been trying to propose to her since even before they embarked on this journey, so he kept his mouth shut when she looked at him for an answer. All he did was shrug his shoulders, giving her a silent "I don't know."

"Oh, yeah, I think they took off with that Ryder guy and a bunch of reindeer," answered Olaf.

"They left?" Anna questioned. Olaf nodded. "Just left without saying anything?" she asked, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Who knows the ways of men?" Olaf mused, walking towards Elsa.

"If it'll make you feel better, Anna, we can go look for him," said Varian, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Anna smiled up at him, feeling steady in how calm he was. "How are you so calm?"

"Kristoff helped me find a way to stay calm in situations like this, remember?"

"I know." Anna and Varian looked at Elsa.

The queen was holding Olaf's hand, giving them an "it's me or him" look. Varian did his best to not hurt Anna as he clenched his hand into a fist, his anger at how Elsa's impatience was putting everyone at risk despite her saying she didn't want to put anyone at risk. Anna seemed conflicted, however, between joining Elsa as they kept going north or going to search for her boyfriend and his reindeer.

Black rocks sprouted out of the group, trapping Elsa's feet like vine tendrils, before the queen could even take a step moving north.

"What are you doing, Varian?" Elsa asked him, sending him a stern look.

Varian sent her a harsh glare. "Are you that impatient that you're perfectly willing to leave Kristoff out there when there are earth giants roaming this forest? Kristoff knows the woods, but he doesn't know this place like he does the forests in Arendelle."

"We have a mission to complete. We don't have time for this," said Elsa.

"I never heard Pabbie say that the truth has a time limit attached to it," snapped Varian. "Putting your own sister in the position where she needs to choose between her boyfriend or her sister? That's low."

"I'm not putting her in that position," said Elsa. "We don't have time for this, Varian. We need to go."

"You can go. I'm not leaving him behind."

Olaf snuck a glance at Anna, not liking the tension between the queen and the alchemist. Anna looked at Varian.

"We both made our promises," she said to him. "You'll keep yours, and I'll keep mine. Go find Kristoff. We'll meet up later."

Varian's glare softened when he looked at his sister in all but blood. "Okay." Varian waved his hand and removed the rocks from Elsa's feet, going to find his brother. Anna went to join Elsa and Olaf, wondering if she made the right choice.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 7 of Drabbles
• Part 2 of "When Legends Rise" | Frozen/Tangled Crossover