Eugene watched as Rapunzel leaned as far over the boat as she could without toppling into the water, eyes widening to comical proportions as she sighted the first glowing lantern. He smirked to himself, wondering what it was about this girl that drew him in, causing him to lower the walls he'd so carefully built to keep people out.

Rapunzel incited feelings in him that he'd never felt before. He found himself softening around her, letting her see past the cocky exterior that had taken him years to perfect.

Currently, Eugene's entire focus was on Blondie, the girl with the long hair that glowed when she sang. Idly, he wondered again whether he'd now have superhuman strength in the hand that had been cut, and then healed by Rapunzel's magic hair.

They'd been on quite the adventure since he'd agreed to accompany Rapunzel while she satisfied her deep-rooted desire to see the floating lights in person. They'd encountered loveable thugs; been chased down a hidden passage by palace guards; battled his former partners-in-crime, as well as a horse and the previously mentioned palace guards; been trapped in a cave and almost drowned; and now, they had reached the climax of their journey.

Eugene withdrew two lanterns of his own that he'd purchased at the market that afternoon, smiling tenderly at Rapunzel as she revealed his satchel to him. Eugene realized, though, that the lost princess's crown, and having enough money to buy an island all for himself, didn't matter anymore. Only Rapunzel did, the girl who'd captured the thief's heart.

As he released his lantern at the same time as Rapunzel, he took her hands in his and promised himself that somehow, someway, he'd convince her to come with him and leave behind her mother, a woman who had a seemingly sick and twisted nature, if the stories she'd told Rapunzel growing up were any indication.

It was only later—as Eugene lay dying in Rapunzel's lap—that he acknowledged a subconscious vow he'd made: to protect Rapunzel, the girl he loved, at any cost, even if it meant dying for her.

Though he would have preferred to have known beforehand about the healing powers of her tears, that didn't lessen his sacrifice in anyone's eyes, and he was hailed as the savior of Corona, for he'd returned their princess to them at great personal risk to himself.

Eugene and Rapunzel would always live happily-ever-after, very much in love, and Eugene would remain enchanted by Rapunzel 'til the day he died—this time, for good.