Castles Made of Sand
Chapter 1
Eugene opens his eyes.
What? Where am I? What just happened?
He tries to get his bearings. So, it seems he is crouched on the floor. Why? There is a large wooden wall just in front of him upon which he can see a few big barrels most likely filled with an alcoholic drink that he could use right about now. To his right he can see more shelves of glasses and beverages. So, he's in a pub? On the floor just beside him is a not exactly well-hidden trap door with a faded duck illustrated on it.
Duck?
The Snuggly Ducking? I'm in the Snuggly Ducking? How did I get here? Where was I before? Why am I crouching underneath the bar? This feels familiar...
He places his hands on the floor to push himself up when two small hands reach out from behind him and tug him down. He turns left and finds his face just millimetres away from the biggest and most beautiful eyes in the Kingdom.
'Shhhhh! What are you doing? Stay down!' She whispers.
He takes her cue and keeps his voice down. 'Rapunzel? What's going on? How'd we end up here?'
'I don't know! I don't remember!'
'Well why are we hiding?'
She frowns at him as if he's crazy. 'Just listen.'
He finally pays attention to the sounds coming from the other side of the bar. There is, amongst all the voices of the pub thugs, one voice that stands out.
'Where's Rider? Where is He? I know he's here somewhere. Find him, Turn the place upside down!'
It's the Captain of the Guards. Ugh when was he going to stop calling him that already? But something about this bothers Eugene. This whole situation gave him a feeling of déjà vu.
Suddenly a silver hook appears in front of his face. Hook-hand looks down at them and subtly nods his head towards the trapdoor.
And then it made sense. Oh, so we travelled back in time, then? By this point, Eugene was unphased by the impossibility of this concept. After seeing magic hair and coming back from the dead and magic snowstorms and future-predicting monkeys and evil mirror people and someone as wonderful and joyous as Rapunzel somehow liking someone as cold and mean as Cassandra, nothing really surprised him anymore. He closes his eyes as tries to think of the last thing he can remember before appearing here. Well they were on the road. Oh, and they were at that stupid house with too many doors! He couldn't remember what led to them getting here. He remembers an age-rewinding top so maybe there was a time rewinding door or something.
He turns back to Rapunzel and clutches her shoulders, 'Wait so just for some confirmation, we went back in time?'
'Umm duh! Did you just work that out?' She quietly mocks, shoving his hands off her and crawling towards their escape route. Huh. She's spending way too much time with Cassandra.
The both of them gather around the tunnel entrance with Hook-hand on their hands and knees. Eugene notices that the other thugs get louder and more boisterous in an effort to distract the guards. I can't believe I disliked these guys back then! What sports.
Hook-hand smiles and whispers, 'Go! Live your dream!'
Rapunzel for the first time since they magically appeared here gives Eugene a small knowing smirk as if daring him to give the same reply his gave last time. He chuckles and reaches across the giant thug to squeeze her hand. 'Don't worry Hook we do.'
Rapunzel's smile slightly falters at the statement, but Eugene does not notice as in that moment an idea comes to him.
'What are we doing Blondie! We can just tell them who you are right now! They'll take us to the palace, and we can skip all the fighting and drowning and you know me dying and stuff! Then we can plan what to do to get back!'
This time Eugene does notice the change in her expression. He knows that look. That's the same look he got from her when he went on a business trip with the King and came back with a moustache. That's her infamous 'Eugene, have you lost it?' face.
'What are you-? No! what? Look, let's just do what we did last time! We know that works!' She hisses back before turning towards Hook-hand, planting a kiss on his cheek and starting to crawl into the tunnel.
'Come on Rapunzel! What's the worst that'll happen! They'll arrest me. You can talk them out it! The king might be hard to convince but your mum would believe you!' She turns back to face him and just continues to just stare at him in a way that makes him want to actually check that he hasn't magically grown back that facial hair. 'Come on Blondie. Trust me.'
Just then they hear the slam of a door opening and the captain's voice, 'Maximus!'
Max! This is perfect! He won't arrest me!
Eugene get up confidently and clears his throat. 'Gentlemen!'
Everyone in the room whip their heads around to look at him. They are aghast.
He finds it hilarious.
'Now I know you are all wondering why I, the notoriously wanted Flynn Rider should reveal myself to you this fine day!'
Silence.
Eugene jumps onto the top of the bar and smiles down at them with his hands on his hips. 'Well I am in fact not who you think! I am Eugene Fitzherbert and here to back up my story I would like to present to you the, drumroll please, The Lost Princess!'
He flamboyantly gestures behind him all the while enjoying his audience's surprised expressions. 'Come on out, Honey!' Eugene beams and turns to see his hand pointing to a confused looking Hook-hand. Behind the large man is a closed trap door and there's no sign of Rapunzel. She was gone.
She left me?
Shit.
'How dare you joke around about the Princess like that, Rider! First you steal her crown and then mock her disappearance. How low will you stoop? The Captain rages.
'Wait! Wait Max! Tell him! Tell him who I am!' That's when Eugene notices how the horse is standing. Ready to charge. Oh. Max never came into the House of Yesterday's Tomorrow. So, this is the old Max.
On cue with his thoughts Maximus charges towards him and knocks him down from the bar. Several guards jog up to him and cuff his hands while the Captain grins down at him. 'I have been waiting for this moment for a long time Rider.'
Eugene looks around desperately for support. Surely someone would help him! Big Nose? Attila? Vlad? They all stand by and watch, unmoved. He sees the Stabbington brothers. Well, they won't be any help. And then he sees him.
'SHORTY!'
The little bearded man wobbles towards Eugene. 'Yes Sir!'
'Shorty tell them who I am! Tell them about Rapunzel!'
'yeeeaaaahhhppp! Thaaat'ssss the prinnncessssssses huszzzband right there Officerrrr!'
Eugene would have slapped a palm to his face if they weren't both tied up. 'Well no that's slightly inaccurate I'm her boyfriend but listen to him! He will tell you everything!'
The Captain and Max look at the bearded man in disgust as he rolls around on the floor mumbling about the time he ate dog food. 'Stop playing games Rider. You and your partners are going to the palace prison. And then you will pay for your crimes.'
Eugene struggles against the guards as they drag him out of the pub. Pleading for someone to help him. In his struggle to break away from the strong hands on him he doesn't notice a woman in a long dark cloak watching him thoughtfully from the side of the building as he is taken away.
Author's Note:
Confused? Me too!
Don't worry the next chapter will clear things up a bit..