Rose ran up to Quirin with a panicked look on her face.

"Rosie? What's wrong?" Quirin quickly drew her into his arms.

"Th-they know, Quirin! My brother is sending his troops here right now!" Rose informed as she hugged him tight.

"What? But how did they find you? I thought I was the only one who knew and I definitely didn't rat you out." Quirin wrapped his arms around her tight.

"I-I don't know, but I have to leave," Rose said and Quirin quickly shook his head.

"No! No, there has to be another way! Please!" Quirin panicked, afraid that he would never get to see her again. "I can't leave my post. I'll protect you. Just don't leave me, please."

"I'm sorry, Quirin. I'll come back one day. Please don't give up on me. I love you so much." Rose rested her forehead on his as tears trickled down her cheeks.

Quirin felt a pit in his stomach. "I love you too, Ulla. I will always love you. I promise that I'll wait for you to come back to me. I will never take another. You have my word."

Rose smiled when he used her birth name. "I wish I could stay. I will find a way to send word once I'm safe."

Quirin kissed her gently and caressed her cheek. He pulled back and held her close. "Please stay with me at least until the morning."

"Okay," Rose murmured before she kissed him once again.

🧪

"Me? How?" Varian asked quickly as he looked at Carmen in shock.

"With the Queen's Pearl," Carmen explained.

"Which queen? My sister? Queen Elsa of Arendelle? Queen Layla of Neserdnia?" Aqua questioned immediately. "I could definitely talk with whoever this queen is."

"Well, believe it or not, you may be the only one who can talk to the queen, my dear," Carmen said to Aqua and Lucia huffed.

"Get to the point, mama. We don't have all day," Lucia said quickly.

"You never let me have any fun," Carmen grumbled before she walked inside. "Come."

They all followed into the living room, sitting down while Carmen looked at the two Coronans.

"The Queen's Pearl belonged to Queen Esperanza, but she gave it to Queen Aquata of Atlantis," Carmen explained.

"But Atlantis is only a myth." Varian shook his head in disbelief.

"So is the Ever Realm, and yet, you're looking to go there. The Enchanted Forest is a myth, but your beloved is from there. Ahtohallan is a myth, but your darling princess has been hearing its call," Carmen said with a grin.

"H-how did you know I was hearing a call? And how do you know that I'm from the Enchanted Forest?" Aqua asked shakily.

"I'm a sorceress, my dear. I know all sorts of things, like I know that you can't use the Queen's Pearl to get to the Ever Realm until Varian learns to control his magic," Carmen explained as she leaned back.

"Then help me. Please. Help me control my magic," Varian begged as he stood up.

"Oh, darling, you already have a wonderful teacher who is always by your side," Carmen replied, motioning to Aquaria. "I can teach you how to use your powers, yes. But you need to look no further than your love to help you control it."

"Do you want anything in return?" Varian asked quickly.

"Darling, please, I'm not Rumplestiltskin. I don't need a price. I only ask that you try your best to free our kingdom," Carmen said as she stood up.

"Deal," Varian agreed as he held out a hand.

Carmen shook his hand. "Deal."

🧪

Varian groaned as he shut the door behind him. He trudged over to the balcony and Aqua turned to him.

"How did it go?" Aqua asked as her gaze followed him.

Varian leaned against the railing of the balcony beside Aquaria, looking out at the ocean. "I'm exhausted, but I started to learn somethings. This is gonna take longer than I thought..."

"You can do it, Varian. I know that you can," Aqua said as she looked at Varian with a smile, leaning her back against the railing.

"How are you even sure that I can do this?" Varian asked as he looked down.

Aquaria put her hand over his on the railing and she kissed his cheek gently. "Because you are so much more capable than you know. I know that you can do this."

"My entire life I've been trying to prove that science could explain everything. That... that magic wasn't real, but now I can't even explain myself." Varian gripped the railing tight as he clenched his eyes shut. "I can't even explain the girl I love."

"Is that such a bad thing?" Aqua asked softly with a small frown. "Not being able to explain me?"

"Not at all. It just makes you even more interesting. All the more special," Varian murmured as he turned his hand over that was under Aqua's. "Turn around."

Aquaria listened and turned around to face the ocean.

Varian moved behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Look at the sky."

Aqua looked up and Varian put his other hand over hers on the balcony. He raised his index and middle finger, closing his eyes.

The stars started to move and Aquaria gasped as they started to form words.

I LOVE YOU

Aqua smiled as she laughed lightly. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Varian, that's incredible," she breathed as she watched the stars return to their rightful positions in the night sky.

"I really do love you, Aquaria. More than anything," Varian said as she turned in his grasp to face him. "Well, other than my parents and Ruddiger. Not that I love them more than you. I love them the same as-"

Aqua pressed her lips to his gently with a smile. When she pulled away, she held his cheeks gently. "I love you too."

Varian breathed deeply as he fought off the exhaustion. "I'm so glad that you're here with me. Without you, I... I don't know what I would do. I-I know it's too soon, but I want to marry you, Aqua. I want to give you a family one day. Not now, but I really want all of it to be with you in the future."

Aqua noticed the tears in his eyes and she gently pushed his bangs out of the way. "Then why are you upset?"

"Because I don't want to lose you, Aqua. I don't want you to find someone better a-and never come back to me," Varian admitted as he looked down.

"Varian, you know that I would never, and I mean never, ever, leave you. Why are you worried about this now? If your jealous of someone, trust me, you don't have to be," Aquaria assured as she caressed his cheek gently.

"No, no, I'm not jealous of anyone, I promise. I just... with us coming here and then going to the Ever Realm... I don't want you to find someone else on the way... I know it's stupid and that you love me. I'm not so worried about you leaving as-"

"You think you're going to mess up again," Aqua cut in softly.

"I hurt you once and I almost lost you forever. It was all my fault and I... I don't want to mess up again. I don't want to be the reason I lose you." Varian cried softly as he buried his face into her shoulder.

"Oh, Varian... there is nothing you could do to make me leave you," Aqua said gently as she held him close.

"What if I-I killed someone or-or hurt someone badly?" Varian asked shakily.

"Then we would talk it out. I know that you would never do anything like that. The real you. The Varian that I love." Aqua made him look at her before she kissed him again.

Varian kissed her back and her arms looped around his neck. He picked her up carefully, sitting her on the railing.

Aquaria hooked her legs around his waist and smiled as she tangled her fingers in his hair.

"I love you so much," Varian murmured after pulling away only slightly.

"I love you so much more," Aqua whispered back before she noticed him falter. "Oh, Var, you need to sleep."

"Yeah, I'm gonna agree with you on that. Sleep sounds amazing," Varian replied and Aqua got off the railing.

"Come on. Get changed and I'll be waiting," Aquaria said softly, kissing his lips quickly before she went inside their room.

Varian couldn't help but smile as he followed her in, excited for the day they had planned. Just the two of them.

💧

Aquaria's eyes fluttered open and she snuggled closer to the warmth of Varian.

Varian hummed softly as he held Aqua close, nuzzling his face into her neck. "Morning, bluebell."

"Morning, freckles. How did you sleep?" Aqua asked gently as she brought her hand up, trailing her fingers through his soft locks.

"I had a really strange dream. You and me were in this strange place. There were these jaguar creatures flying around. I think I remember you saying Valle... um..." Varian tried to remember the dream.

"Vallestrella," Aqua said softly to which Varian lifted his head.

"Yeah, you told me you heard that in a dream once. You were sick. I remember that I found you looking for it in a book when I was working on setting up the Rooster," Varian said, smiling at the memory.

"You were so mad at Lance when it blew up." Aqua laughed and Varian couldn't help but join in.

"Remember when my dad walked in on us while you were washing my hair. I was so embarrassed when he thought we were, you know, getting it on, but it was actually pretty funny," Varian remembered and Aqua nodded with a bright smile.

"Or the time Eugene glued your boots to the ground," Aqua recalled and they both laughed.

Varian's smile widened when he gently ran the backs of his fingers down her cheeks. "You are so beautiful when you smile."

"Oh, stop it. Isn't Eugene supposed to be the flirty suave one?" Aqua blushed as she nudged him gently.

"I just want you to know how beautiful you are," Varian murmured before he kissed her forehead gently.

"I know. I'm irresistible," Aqua replied with a cheeky smile.

"Oh, so that's how you wanna play it then." Varian chuckled and tickled her sides.

Aqua squealed as she started to squirm. "Ah! Varian! Stop!"

Varian loved the sound of her laughter as he kept her in his grasp, ceasing his tickles. He instead pulled her on top of him.

Aqua breathed and smiled as she lied on top of her boyfriend. She loved him so much and couldn't wait to spend the whole day with him like they had planned.

Varian pulled her into a kiss and she immediately returned it. He ran his fingers though her hair, cupping her cheek with his other hand.

Aqua pulled back after a moment and she laid her head on Varian's chest. "I love you, Varian."

"I love you too, Aquaria," Varian replied as he rubbed her back gently.

They stayed in bed, having the best time together. They were together and that's all that they needed.

No power.

No riches.

No money.

Just each other.