Chapter Text
I clung to the ladder tightly as I made my way down, rung by wooden rung, into the underground caves that held the water heaters I had created for the kingdom of Corona. As my first attempt with these about four years ago wasn't so successful (I mean, I ended up blowing up the village, woops), my dad had decided to make me check on them daily, which, at times, was albeit slightly annoying.
Pulling my goggles down over my eyes, I used a dropper to let three drops of my compound, Flynnolyum, slip into the water and instantly heat it up. I gave a satisfied smile, closing the small cabinet that my father had built in the caves to store the compound.
Back up the ladder I went, popping out in the small shed where the trap door was hidden. The door swung open after my push and flooded the shed with a golden light.
I had never seen Old Corona look so amazing. After two years of absolute, non-stop construction per demand of Rapunzel, it was looking better than new, after all the hell that I had put it through.
I still cringed every time I thought of the reason Old Corona needed to be rebuilt, but throughout the years, I had learned to put those days behind myself, and focus on the here and now. With that realization came some sort of peace and predictability to my life, but despite that, I still had this almost nagging feeling deep in my chest that there was something that I was missing in my story, something important and exciting. It nearly felt like that one time when I had forgotten that there was something that I wanted to do, and then I just couldn't seem to remember it for the life of me.
As I strolled back into my house, hands in my vest pockets, I was bombarded with the bitter and sweet smell of nostalgic apple pie, reminding me slightly of my mom's old apple cookies that my dad used to make before it became too hard for him to make her special family recipe.
“Son, how were the caves?” He questioned, sliding a piece of pie on a plate across the wooden table.
“Oh, they were fine. Nothing out of place, nothing exciting… At all,” My gaze drifted around the room with slight melancholy. “Dad, do you ever feel like our lives have turned into a series of just one boring event after the other?” I asked
“I mean, maybe, but I am completely fine with the slowness, but you have, always, been one more for the discovery,” He gave a slight chuckle as I twirled the fork that was on the plate though my fingers with a heavy sigh. “Well,” He sighed, scratching his head, “There might be something that could…provide you with something fun to do while you wait for a new idea.” He walked into the other room, and my mind drifted towards my most recent idea for an invention that I just couldn't figure out how to execute. It was something of a condensed chemical compound that could be used to clean the streets. Being the royal scientist allowed me to create the inventions that I had thought up, with an extensive budget for only the best materials, but the inventions and creations were more, well, domestic and less ‘scientific discoveries’.
My father returned from his bedroom, where he had been rifling around, with a green leather notebook, embossed with a golden design on the front.
"Varian," He started, trying to find the words. "This was your mother's journal. Her research partner brought it to me after they left on the mission that she eventually died on.” My breath hitched as he passed the journal over to me from across the table.
Eighteen years, and I hadn’t seen this? Was my first thought, as I flipped open the cover, only to find another golden embossing, this time of a message that read,
Ulla,
My dear research partner. I hope we can continue our scientific excursions, with me providing the funding and you providing the necessary planning.
To many more years,
Don
“Dad, who is this, Don? I mean, obviously her research partner, but-”
“Donella. I never really liked her. She was always so shifty. Sometimes she would disappear on your mom for weeks on end, and other times she would just show back up and expect to jump back in right where they left off. But, besides that, take a look at the rest of the journal when you have free time.” He looked across the table at me with a wistful smile. I eagerly, and carefully handled the notebook, hoping for something that could provide me some sort of insight into my mom’s life. Needless to say, I dove right in.
***
I sat at my desk, which was cluttered with a variety of my scientific artefacts. I flipped through entry after entry of my mother’s journal for the next few days, relishing in her gorgeous, loopy writing.
I had never really known my mom, as she left on the mission and died about a year after I was born, which was, obviously, long before I could remember. My dad had also never really been one to share any details of her, despite how much I asked when I was a young child.
The stack of pages left in the notebook got thinner and thinner, with every word that I read, and an ache began to grow in my heart again when I realized that there wouldn’t be too many entries of her words left to read. As I was close to reaching the end of the notebook, something in the pages shifted. They were more worn, more full of writing, more manic, and had something more of a magical quality to them. My eyes gazed across the entry that started on these pages, my anxiety and excitement increasing as I read.
August 23, 1871
Leaving today with Don to start the Trials of the Seven Kingdoms. Not too much is known about them right now, but Don and I hope to uncover their secrets and reach the eternal reward of Knowledge at the end. My heart almost aches for us to reach the end of these trials, so that I can share the knowledge with my one-year-old son, Varian. I have done extensive research and found out what I possibly could about the trials in order to be prepared. The trials test the seven essential alchemical techniques that any good alchemist must know how to complete. They also test on a more mental aspect to see if you have the strength within to gain the Eternal Prize.
Bayangor: The Fire Kingdom
The fire kingdom’s trial revolves around Calcination, fitting, as you must transform something and fight your demons within. This is a humbling process that will require your best knowledge and wit.
Neserdnia - The Water Kingdom
The water kingdom’s trial tests your ability of Dissolution. As Neserdnia is something of a coastal town, the dissolution trial should be easy. But rumors of Neserdnia having sirens could prove difficult and dangerous.
Koto - The Air Kingdom
Separation is what will be tested in the majestic Air Kingdom of Koto. The trial takes place in the Koto palace, which is hard to get into unless you have an invitation to one of their parties. You must achieve peak clarity in mind and physical properties in order to complete this hallowed trial.
Equis - The Earth Kingdom
Tested in this trial is Conjunction, a forced marriage between elements. There are multiple options in the trial, and you can only pass if you pick the right one on the first try.
The Dark Kingdom
The Dark Kingdom was named after its trial name, and fitting enough, it is related to death. Fermentation, specifically. Death and rebirth is the trial. Trust is also a crucial element in completing this trial.
Ingvarr - The Iron Kingdom
Donella’s hometown is full of bustling socialites and a dark undercity. Distillation is the essential alchemy lesson in Ingvarr. It has something of a twist, though, that I couldn’t exactly find out. Power is an essential element of this trial and will allow you to achieve your ultimate goal.
Corona - The Sun Kingdom
Coagulation, or rather solidification, is the test of the glorious Sun Kingdom. It is the ultimate test to put together everything you have learned in order to achieve the ultimate goal.
I am as prepared as I can be, and as anxious as ever. I hope to return to share the knowledge and experiences that I have gained with my family.
But she didn’t return. I didn’t even know if she completed the trials. Somehow, an adventure had just fallen into my lap, easier than it was to heat water with Flynnolium. It felt right. The drowsiness of boring everyday life was gone, and the enticing excitement of alchemical trials in other kingdoms was almost intoxicating, as my mother had put it.
“Dad!” I called, and he came walking into my lab from the other room.
“What is it, son?” He questioned, as he bent down to my desk height, his hand on my shoulder. I slid the journal over to his line of sigh, where I noticed his eyes scanning the page.
“And…?” He asked, glancing over at me once he finished reading the page, his tone slightly worried.
“I think that this is my chance! This is my way to get out of the boring, and normal routine, and get out there. Experience the world, and maybe meet new people, and learn new things!” My dad gave a slight smile as he glanced down at my smiling and passionate face, which was finally ready for adventure.
“While it is ultimately your decision, as you are eighteen, you have my full support, as long as Rapunzel approves your time off from work.”
“Really? Thank you, Dad!” I practically jumped up on him in a hug. “I promise, I will return with some new info on what happened to mom, and I will return with the ‘ultimate prize’”
“Oh, son, no need to promise those things, just your safety.”
“Of course,” I nodded with a smile in return. “I'm going to go talk with Rapunzel about the whole thing, then I'll be back.”
“Yes, you do so,” I could have sworn I heard a little bit of sorrow in his voice as I shut the door and made my way to the palace.
***
The palace hadn't changed at all in the reconstruction after the defeat of Zhan-Tiri, so it was always a welcoming and familiar sight to my eyes. I brushed back a streak of my unruly black hair and clutched my mother's journal close to my chest as I walked into the courtyard, freer than I had ever been in this kingdom before. I noticed that Stan and Pete stood at the large entrance doors to the palace, waving upon my arrival.
I pushed open the doors and made my way through the extensive hallways that filled the castle, towards the throne room where I knew she had to be.
Rapunzel’s parents had officially ‘retired’ from their King and Queen positions and moved out to a gorgeous island. Since that time, Rapunzel and Eugene had taken over, in a slightly unofficial manner. I opened the door to the throne room, where I had been many times before, to find Rapunzel and Eugene sitting on the thrones.
“Hey! Hairstripe! Long time no see!” Eugene greeted me with a smile, and I returned the gesture, walking closer.
“Varian! It's so good to see you!” Rapunzel had stood up from the throne and embraced me in a hug, which I returned. “So, what brings you by?”
“Well, I was just seeing if I could get some time off…”
“Of course! How long, exactly?” Rapunzel questioned, returning to the throne.
“Well, I don't exactly know…You see, my dad gave me my mom's old journal the other day, and I've sort of been reading through it…” I rolled my hand over a couple of times and then placed it in my pocket. “And I learned about the trials of the seven kingdoms, which is seven trials for the, well, seven kingdoms, obviously.” I gave a little scoff at myself, “They are all alchemy based, and well, I was hoping I could get some time off to go off and complete them?” I explained, looking at her expression, which was practically bursting with joy.
“Oh my goodness! I have been waiting for this day to come!”
“What day?” Eugene asked, glancing over at his wife.
“The day that Varian gets to go off, and see the world! Of course, you can have time off! Take all that you need! Oh my gosh, this is so exciting!” She practically gushed with every word that came out of her mouth. “Oh, I can't wait to see what you discover along the way! Like new friends, and maybe some alchemy thing that none of us will understand, or maybe even love,” She ended, wiggling her eyebrows up and down, and scooching close to me.
“Yeah, I don't think that one’s gonna happen…” I rolled my eyes at her hint, and slightly pushed her away at all her attempted hinting, and meddling, as it just wasn’t something that was currently on the radar.
“Oh!” She caught my attention again with her exclamation, then continued, “I actually have something that might give you a little bit of help on your journey. Come with me!” And with that, she pulled me along by the arm and down through the halls.
***
The royal vault.
The last time that I was in the royal vault, I betrayed her.
My anxiety started to flare up, spreading a feeling of intense dread all throughout my body. I stood a little frozen as she pulled the key from her pocket and inserted it into the door.
“Oh, Varian, I trust you now, everything will be ok.” She looked back at me with a reassuring smile, but I still felt the ever looming regret from four years ago. I followed her, tentatively, as she shut the doors behind us.
She seemed to know exactly where to go and found her way towards a bookcase that was along the wall. Hundreds of rare books were stacked upon it, and she reached her hand out, almost instinctively reaching out for a specific book that, unbeknownst to me, was not a book, but rather a door handle. There was a slight click as the bookcase slid backwards, revealing a small room, with four ornate sconces, two on each side of the room. Rapunzel turned the little dial on each of them, filling the room with a warm glow like the sun.
Now that light had flooded the room, I could see that the floor had broken tiles, laid out in an almost mosaic on the floor, and the walls were covered in a deep wine purple fabric. In the middle of the small room was a large pedestal that was tilted like a podium for someone to speak at. Rapunzel grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer, as I had been lurking a little behind, apprehensively. As I surveyed what was laid out on the pedestal, I noticed that it was a large map of the expanse that was the Seven Kingdoms and the Dark Kingdom.
The map was old and weathered, but the drawings were still up to date, with the forests and the opening in the Corona dividing wall.
“This is the oldest map of the Seven Kingdoms, and it is magical. It updates with every landscape change, and I desperately wish I had known about it when I was off on my journey. I found this room last year when I was going through the rare books and have visited it at least once a month since. It’s so fun to just study it, and see how it changes.” She rolled it up and handed it to me. I was slightly taken aback and surprised that she would allow me to have that. “I want you to have this for your journey. It’s a say, memento, from home. I want your time on the road to be the best experience for you, as I know you deserve everything, and more,” She wrapped me in a hug, and I returned the gesture, map in my hand.
“Thank you so much for everything, Rapunzel, I mean it.”
“As always, anytime,”