A/N - a departure from my usual style, but I was awake at 5:30am for the third time this week, my brain had to occupy its time with something, and this apparently is the result. Please read and review.
Tangled is officially out in cinemas in the UK today.
Rapunzel died in her sleep, aged 83, with Eugene's arms around her, just as they had been every night for sixty-five years. Eugene roused from his slumber, aware of her stillness, kissed her forehead, closed his eyes with a smile and went to join her.
Death greeted him warmly.
HELLO EUGENE, Death said. Rapunzel, standing beside the tall, black cloaked figure, smiled.
"It's almost as if you two are old friends," she said. As Eugene watched, Rapunzel seemed to grow younger, as the years were stripped away.
"We've nearly met a few times before now," Eugene said, feeling himself grow younger too.
"A few times?" Rapunzel was shocked.
THERE WERE SOME NOT VERY NEAR MISSES IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS, Death said. BUT THE FIRST TIME I CAME VERY CLOSE YOU WERE THERE TOO RAPUNZEL.
"The day before your eighteenth birthday," Eugene remembered. "The day we first met. We were running from my past, when the dam burst and then we were running for our lives."
"We ran into that cave and got trapped!" Rapunzel added, all the memories flooding back as she continued to return to her youth. Her appearance stopped as she approached about eighteen. Inside she had always remained that age, full of youthful curiosity and innocence. It seemed appropriate that at the moment her life ended, it returned to the moment her life began.
"That pillar blocked the entrance, but not the water," Eugene continued. "I cut the palm of my hand on a sharp rock, looking for a way out. And though I dived into the water twice, I couldn't see anything. It was no use."
They stood in silence for a few moments.
I WAS WATCHING YOU THEN, said Death, breaking the spell. IN THAT MOMENT YOU FELT ME APPROACHING, YOU BECAME YOURSELF AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS. YOU TOLD HER YOUR TRUE NAME.
"Someone might as well know," Eugene repeated what he had said at the time. "You know, up until that point my dream had been all about me. A private island, a disgusting amount of money and being alone. But that dream had never really included me dying alone. And suddenly, in that cave, it was important that someone was there with me. I didn't want to be alone any more."
Rapunzel reached out and took his hand. She turned to Death.
"But you didn't claim us then," she said.
NO, admitted Death. IT WASN'T TIME. I CAME MUCH CLOSER THE NEXT TIME, HOWEVER.
"The tower," said Eugene in a dull voice. "It hurt so much, but knowing that Rapunzel, that you were free, and safe, and alive, took that pain away. I didn't want to go, but I knew I had to. I was ready to face Death, but..." he turned to the dark cloak, "you didn't take my hand. I actually saw you that time, but you didn't take my hand."
Death shrugged.
I SEE ALL POSSIBLE FUTURES, AND I COULD SEE THERE WAS ONE IN WHICH I DID NOT NEED TO TAKE YOU WITH ME, he said. WITH RAPUNZEL'S HELP, HER TEARS AND HER LOVE, I CHOSE TO MAKE THAT FUTURE YOURS.
"How could you leave me?" Rapunzel said, tears filling her eyes as she remembered the sheer anguish at the thought of losing her love. Eugene held her close.
TWICE IN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS, said Death with what could have been a smirk. YOU KEPT MY INTEREST THAT DAY. BUT AT LEAST IT WAS A FEW YEARS BEFORE I PASSED YOUR WAY AGAIN.
Rapunzel gave a harsh little laugh.
"The plague," she said. "I never thought Dame Gothel's words would come back to haunt me like that, but it swept through the kingdom so quickly and caused such devastation."
"You had just given birth to Angharad, our eldest," Eugene said. "I was so afraid I'd lose you both, but in the end it was only me who got sick."
"There was no magic campanula," Rapunzel said. "And my magic hair was long gone. So few people were surviving the illness, I just had to hope Eugene would be one of them."
YOU ARE A CLEVER WOMAN, RAPUNZEL, said Death. YOU CERTAINLY HELPED HIS RECOVERY, WHETHER OR NOT YOU REALISED IT AT THE TIME.
"I began having nightmares that tiny little goblins were living in the sheets, blankets and rugs," Rapunzel said, blushing as she admitted what sounded, now, like a strange and embarrassing idea. "When I woke up, the dreams seemed so vivid I had the servants throw away anything that had had a goblin living in it."
AND BY DOING SO, YOU REMOVED THE BUGS AND CAUSE OF THE DISEASE, said Death. EUGENE RECOVERED AND I WAS DENIED AGAIN.
"And for another few years," Eugene said, with some satisfaction. Then his face fell. "Until the war."
"You shouldn't have gone," Rapunzel said. "You had three small children who depended on you and a kingdom that looked up to you. We had generals commanding the army. There was no need..."
"King Benedict was leading his troops," Eugene pointed out. "I had to do the same. It was... a morale thing."
I RODE BESIDE YOU THAT DAY, said Death. YOU WERE ALWAYS A TARGET.
"We won," Eugene said, although he did not sound proud of that fact. "The invasion was stopped and the kingdom was saved. And I came home."
"Yes," said Rapunzel. "After five years. Carys barely recognised you. And David wouldn't talk to you for a month."
Eugene looked sad, and Rapunzel felt bad for chastising him. He had felt so guilty when he returned from battle; he was much quieter and thoughtful, but his love for his wife, his children, his kingdom was never in doubt.
I HAVE NOT SOUGHT YOU OUT AGAIN, said Death. I HAD NO REASON TO EVEN LOOK FOR ANY MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY, UNTIL TODAY. RAPUNZEL AND EUGENE FITZHERBERT - THAT WAS YOUR LIFE. I ADMIT I AM CURIOUS - NOT THAT IT WOULD DO ANY GOOD AT THIS POINT, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?
"No," said Eugene. "I've led a good life – thanks to Rapunzel. We had three beautiful children, and grandchildren, and we saw our first great-grandchild last month. I have no regrets."
"Me either," said Rapunzel. "But now I'm curious. What happens next?"
YOU'LL FIND OUT, Death promised. AND IT WILL BE A GREAT ADVENTURE.
He stepped aside and motioned for them to follow. They held hands tightly and went together.