You and Varian turned the corner, looking for your father, "He's probably still in the throne room." you said to yourself.

     Varian stared at you questioningly, "And where's the throne room exactly?" 

     You looked around, "Duh, it's right over....uh....there?" you answered unsure of yourself. "Or maybe it's...down stairs?" 

     Varian sighed, "(Y/n), you've lived here your whole life! How in the world do you not know your way around?"

     "I don't know? It's a huge castle, Varian. You don't wanna know how many times I got lost in here as a child." the two of you searched every door on that floor, finding everything but the throne room. 

     Varian, not looking where he was going, slammed face first into a body of armor. He looked up seeing a tall, muscular man with a black beard and dark skin. He wore a castle guards uniform and a charming smirk. "Hey kid, watch where you're going next time." the man said.

     Varian's face turned red from embarrassment. "Oh, yeah sorry!" he squeaked, "Um, could you actually help us? We got lost and need to find the throne room."

     "We? Like as in the royal we?" the man asked. At that moment you stepped out from behind Varian, scaring the living hell out of the guard. "HOLY SHHHHHHhh..sure! I can totally help you!"

     Varian and you followed the guy as he led you through the palace. You examined the man, his face unfamiliar to you. "Do I know you? I don't remember seeing you at the castle before..."

     The man coughed dramatically, "Well, do I  know you?" he asked pointing at you suspiciously.

     "I am the princess of Corona, you'd think a royal guard  would know that. Now...who are you ?" you glared. The guard was shook. How could a girl look so innocent but yet be so intimidating?

     The man laughed nervously, shoving the two teenagers through a door. "Well it's been nice chaperoning a clumsy kid and a moody princess, but I better get going!" he said rushing out of your sight.

     You were about to run after him until Varian stopped you, "Let him go (Y/n), if he's trouble then the guards will take care of him."  you looked towards the direction the man ran and sighed, following Varian into the throne room.

     Standing near his throne was the king. Nigel, the king's arrogant royal advisor was stood next to him. "Varian, (Y/n), back so soon?" your father asked curiously. 

     Varian stepped forward holding the paper the two of you found. "Your majesty, I think we've found a secret letter of sorts. It's ripped, but you can clearly tell that this has to do with the black rocks!"

     "We?" the king asked. You sighed, why was everyone asking whether or not you helped?

     "Yes dad, we found this in a secret room." you stated. 

     Your father's eyes scanned the piece of paper in Varian's hands. "How did you possibly find this? I thought that we-" your father was cut off by Nigel clearing his throat.

     "Princess, what your father is trying to say is that this could be any other normal drawing." the man said, his thick accent showing.

     "But sir, it's not!" Varian insisted. He walked towards the king pointing to the words on the paper, if you could even call them words. "This is an ancient language, I'm sure of it! If I have enough time I could figure out what these words mean!"

     Your father, stone faced said, "Varian, boy, I know you mean well but this proves nothing." at this point the king was more than irritated at the both of you.

     "Dad, if you'd listen to Varian you'd see that this could help save Corona! We found this in a hidden room inside the castle, there could be more hidden rooms we don't even know about! While Varian studies this language and the black rocks, I can go and-" you were cut off by the king.

     "(Y/n M/n (Middle name) L/n), I am not only your father but I am also your king and because of this I herby forbid you from meddling in the investigation of the black rocks!" the king's voice rang through the halls, you were pretty sure that the people in Old Corona could've heard him.

     "But dad I can help, I can do something important for the welfare of Corona!" you pleaded.

     Your father looked down at the two of you, "(Y/n) we are done here, those rocks are dangerous! From this point on we're no longer talking about these silly rocks!" Varian stood there awkwardly like a child watching his parents fight, "Varian," the king started again, "I expect you to hold my daughter accountable to these standards. No rocks," 

     Varian nodded, "I promise..."

      You turned to him and mumbled a faint, "Let's go..." the two of you walked out of the throne room, your father watching you as you left.

    When the doors closed the king let out a large sigh in defeat. "If only she knew, Nigel...if only she knew..."

-Meanwhile with ???, Eugene, Rapunzel, and Cassandra-

     "Raps, Eugene let a highly skilled thief inside the castle and you're OKAY with this?!" Cassandra yelled.

     "Cass, I know he used to be  a criminal but people can change!" Rapunzel smiled.

     The man overheard the girls' conversation adding in his own statement, "Ladies, y'know I'm standing over here, right? And also I have a name!"

     Cass ignored the man, "Yeah, yeah, whatever baldy."

     "Excuse me, but I'm not 'bald' I'm shaved. And for the last time my name is Lance! Seriously it's not that hard to remember!" the man complained. Lance Strongbow, Eugene's ex-thief friend. 

     "How'd you get past the guards?" Cassandra asked.

-dRaMAtIc fLaSHbAck-

     "Heyyy!" Lance shouted, "Flynn! Let me in!" 

     Eugene looked out his window seeing Lance swinging back and forth his leg tied to a tree branch. The ex-thief opened his window, "Lance?! What the fuck are you doing in a tree?!"

     "Language!" Lance yelled still dangling from the branch, "Geez, you inconsiderate fool, help me get down from here!"

     Eugene sighed, untying the rope from Lance's foot, "What are you doing back in Corona?!"

     Lance climbed through the window smirking, "What, I can't say hi to my best friend?"

     Then suddenly out of nowhere a dragon flew by destroying everything in sight. The fierce, yet handsome devil Lance Strongbow jumped into the air holding a sword and slashed the dragon into a million pieces!

-Present Time-

     "And then Eugene was all like-"

     "LANCE!" Cass yelled cutting him off, "We need the actual story!"

      "The first few parts were true!" Lance stated. Cassandra groaned as she rubbed her temples. "Fine, after Eugene let me enter the palace I may have...ahem...knocked out a guard and stole his armor."

     Eugene glared at him, "You knocked out who?!" at that moment the doors to the room opened revealing you and Varian.

     Lance ignored Eugene's question, saying, "Hey! It's the clumsy kid and moody princess!"

     Varian glanced at the stranger in front of you, "Wait...you're the weird guard I ran into earlier!"

     "Actually, my name's Lance, Lance Strongbow, and you two are?" the man asked holding out his hand for you to shake.

     You were reluctant, but shook it anyways,"I'm (Y/n), the moody princess you met." you said air-quoting 'moody princess'. You didn't exactly like being called 'moody' but you knew there was some truth to it. You could be a real bitch to deal with sometimes.

     "And I'm Varian!" the alchemist beside you cheered. 

     "This is a nice greeting and all, but what are you two doing here?" Eugene asked.

     "Right!" Varian said, grabbing the paper from his satchel. He placed it gently on the long, wooden table in the room. You and Varian explained the whole situation, all the way to when you found the secret room, to when you found the paper.

     Rapunzel's eyes lit up with curiosity, "If you found this in the castle then we should tell dad right? He should know where the rest of the pieces are."

     You shook your head, frowning, "We already told him, but he said that it meant nothing..."

     Lance scoffed, "Well then, he was lying." Everyone looked at him like he was crazy. Probably because he kind of was.

     "Wait, you understand this?" Varian asked, pointing to the language printed on the paper.

     "Oh no, I doubt anyone could read this chicken scratch," Lance said, "What I do know is where you can find the rest of the pieces." 

     Your sister stared at him intently, "Really? Where?"

     Lance smirked thinking of a way you could both get what you wanted, "I could tell you....but then you'd have to help me break into the king's treasury."

     Was this guy insane? No way in hell would you help someone rob your own father! But on the other hand, if you did help him you could possibly save everything and everyone in Corona. "How do we know you're not lying?" you asked.

     Lance thought about it, "You don't know, you'll just have to trust me." Rapunzel was about to say something until Eugene stopped her.

     "Blondie, I know you see the best in everyone but Lance? I've known him my whole life and personally I don't trust him!" Eugene huffed, not wanting Rapunzel to make a naïve decision.

     You scanned Lance, trying to guess what he was thinking, but no luck. You hated to admit it but Lance was right, you didn't know if he was lying, all you could do was hope he was telling the truth, "Fine Lance...I-I trust you." you hesitantly said.

     "(Y/n), y-you've gotta be kidding, right?!" Varian stuttered, "You can't trust him just like that! He's a thief!" Varian looked up at Eugene mumbling a small, "No offense,"

     Cassandra nodded in agreement, "We don't know if he's lying, (N/n) (Nickname),  we can't trust him,"

     They tried convincing you, but you're mind was already made up and now there was no going back, "Exactly, we don't know if he's telling the truth either! Guys, Varian said we only have a few months, maybe even weeks, until the black rocks hit Corona, we need to make a choice here! It's either the treasury or the kingdom's safety..." you explained.

      Rapunzel glanced at you then at your friends. She sighed, making her decision, "(Y/n)'s right, even if Lance is lying we can't pass up the opportunity to possibly find the rest of the pieces." you smiled, happy that your sister trusted your decision.

     Cassandra sighed, "Fine, if you two help him then I will too," she glared at Lance, "but I still don't trust you," 

     Lance laughed, "Didn't expect you to," 

     Eugene put a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder, "If Blondie trusts you...then I do too," you all stared at Varian waiting for his answer.

     Varian, still unsure about Lance, pulled you aside, "(Y/n), the king said the rocks are dangerous. I promised to keep you safe, you can't get hurt!" he frowned.

     "I won't! And anyway I'm not technically messing with the rocks, I'm just...helping out!" you stated. 

     Varian sighed, facing the rest of the group, "I'll help too, but Lance?" the man looked at the boy questioningly, "If you're lying your dead." he unthreateningly said. 

     Lance chuckled, ruffling Varian's hair causing the boy to quickly fix it, "So, onwards to the treasury?"

     Rapunzel grinned, "To the treasury!"