The door creaked open. "Excuse me, but I have come to escort you to your room."

"My room?"  Varian slowly stood up, confused.  He walked towards the door.  "But I thought-"

"Oh, what? That “Once this door closes it will not open again”? I know.  Dragon Lady gets so dramatic."

Varian looked around the room once he opened the door completely.  He still saw no one.  He felt something tug at his pants.  He looked down.

"HeIIo, Goggles.  Down here."

Varian leapt back with a startled shout.  He kicked the candlestick on accident.

"Oof! Why are you are very strong?" Eugene grunted as he picked himself up after slamming against the wall.

"Sorry," Varian apologized as he picked him up. "This is a great quality! What are you?"

"Look, kid.  I may look like an object, but I am a living being.  Please be careful.  You don't want to scratch my freshly polished surface."

"Sorry... how can you talk?  How were you made?"

"Oh, the same way as you."

"Huh?"

"Uhh... nevermind.  A discussion for later.  Sorry, you first impression of me is kind of startling."

"Why would I be startled? I’m talking to a candle!  People think I'm crazy talking to animals, now I'm talking to candles.  Well done, Varian.  You're locked up for half an hour and you've already cracked!"

"Candelabra, please.  Big difference, but consider me at your service. The castle is your home now... apparently... so feel free to go
anywhere you like. Except the west wing."

"Why? What’s in the west wing?"

"Oh, nothing... Storage space... That’s it.  Totally not making that up either... This way, to the east wing."

Varian walked up the stairs, holding the candelabra and supposedly new friend.

"Watch your step, s’il vous plaît!" Eugene warned as Varian almost slipped on one of the stairs.

Finally the reached the east wing. "Welcome to your new home."

"Oh, my gosh!" Varian exclaimed.  "It's huge and beautiful!"

"Dragon lady wanted you to have the finest room in the castle."

"Oh, dear. We were not expecting guests already," a feather duster exclaimed.

"Don’t worry, Sunshine.  It looks just fine," Eugene assured.

"Is everything here alive?" Varian set the candelabra down.  He looked at a hairbrush and leaned closer.  "Hello. What’s your name?"

Eugene and the feather duster laughed.  "No," she said.  "That's an ordinary brush."

"Oh..." His cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"No, worries, we see why'd you'd be confused.  I'm Rapunzel," the feather duster said.

"And I am Eugene."

"I'm Varian..."

"What is it do you like to do?  Do you like to paint?  I can bring you some art supplies to be at the ready, or maybe..."

"I'm an alchemist.  I like to invent, and you know... I do like to draw so paper, pens and pencils will be nice to have hand... I like to read..."

"Oh, lucky you.  We have the biggest library.  Next to the king himself, that is," Eugene announced.

"You have a library?"  Varian asked in awe.

"We sure do!  I'm sure Cass will let you once she gets in a better mood.  Maybe not ask tonight," Rapunzel exclaimed.

"Who's Cass?"

"Oh, she was the first one you met.  Dragon lady."

"Oh," Varian's eyes darkened.

"Look, kid.  I know she's hard to get along with, but-"

"Don't call me that."

"Huh?"

"Don't call me kid.  I'm an adult."

"Really?  You look sixteen," Eugene said.  Rapunzel passed him a look.

"I get that a lot, but I'm nineteen.  I gotta stop being called kid somewhere.  Well, since I have a new life here, minus well start now."

"Makes since, goggles."

"He gives almost everyone a nickname," Rapunzel said.

"So I've noticed."