Where My Life Begins

by Alice Forshadow

Tangled AU. Shuri has never been outside her tower and desperately wants to see the floating lights released on her birthday every year. When Peter, a young member of a group of thieves, breaks into her tower looking to hide, she sees her chance to finally go outside and achive her dream, leading Peter and his band of robbers into an unexpected adventure.

1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

This story is the story on how Peter died.

A long time ago, back when kingdoms were ruled by kings and queens, a single drop of sun fell from the earth and blossomed into a single flower. This was no ordinary flower. It had extraordinary abilities.

And a young man found this flower could give him amazing powers. His name was Erik- a relative to a king and queen who envied the fact he never go to rule. And so he used this flower to give him powers that would make him invincible.

Elsewhere in the kingdom lead by king T'Chaka, his queen, Ramonda, fell ill. None of the doctors knew how to cure her. That was until T'Challa, while playing in the woods, found a young man singing to a flower and receiving powers as a result. Once the man left, 'T'Challa took the flower and ran to the castle, telling his father all about what he had seen. Although medics shrugged the idea off as a simple child's story, they were willing to try anything. Sure enough the flower healed the queen.

More joy was found after the queen's healing- she was pregnant and later gave birth to a little girl.

Yep. That's Shuri.

To celebrate their good fortune, the king, queen, and T'Challa lit a floating lantern and let it in the air.

The luck, however, was soon to run out. Envious and angry, Erik broke into the palace. At first, he only hoped to get a small lock of Shuri's hair in hopes it would have the same powers as the flower had. It did- but when he cut the lock of hair, he felt the magic fade out from it- and from him.

By the time guards arrived, Erik and Shuri vanished.

In a hidden area of the woods, Erik took Shuri and hid her in a tall tower, raising her as his own, and forbidding her to leave, telling her how terrifying the world was. Shuri obeyed her "older brother" and did what she was told.

The kingdom searched far and wide- but they could not find the missing princess. The royal family was heartbroken- all while the young T'Challa took the blame for his sister's disappearance and vowed to find and bring her home.

Every night on her birthday, T'Challa led the kingdom into lighting floating lanterns- in hopes that the princess would see them and come home