This is gonna be a pretty long story. My first multi-chapter. It should be about 20 chapters or so, but we'll see how things go. Rapunzel should pop up in the next chapter (:
Read and enjoy! (And leave reviews. Reviews are awesome)
Disclaimer: I don't own Tangled, but I swoon over them at every possible opportunity. And I own quite a bit of merchandise.
Prologue
Mrs Darly was a plump woman with lush curves, soft eyes, and a generous heart. Being one of Corona's social workers, she had seen many cases, but cases such as these always made her heart hurt. It was never easy to thrust a child into the system, but there was so little that could be done.
Eugene Fitzherbert had been abandoned at birth. She felt a dull ache in her chest as she gazed upon the infant dozing in one of the many cots in the adoption ward. How parents could do such a thing was beyond her. Surely they felt a little pity for this child? Love? He was after all, their very own flesh and blood. Surely that should mean something.
The sharp end of her pencil snapped.
She sniffed sadly and stroked the tuft of soft brown hair that fell across his forehead. He had a nice nose, she decided. Sharp and stubborn. She smiled affectionately- he resembled her own little boy in a way. Suddenly, the boy's eyes opened. He gazed up at her curiously, not crying, but staring unabashedly. Mrs Darly found herself staring back. There was something magnetic about the dark brown eyes- she couldn't pull herself away. Little Eugene was a good-looking boy, there was no mistaking that. He reached out for her fingers and squeezed her index finger.
And Mrs Darly was sold.
Chapter 1
Flynn did not like doing what he was currently doing. It seemed like an awful lot of work for a little inherited doohickey. The thrill of it was quite exciting, but the constant niggling that what he was doing was wrong annoyed him. But he'd learnt to brush off conscience a long time ago, and it was getting boring, after doing it for almost ten years.
One last job, he reminded himself. One last job, and I'm out of this forever. Off to my own private little island.
The lighting in this room was terrible. The décor was pretty decent in here, but it was so dark that one would always have their senses at the ready. But he supposed that it was the point. At a pub like the Duckling, one needed to be on one's toes. The owner of the Duckling was a pretty shady person himself.
He laid down his cards and suavely grinned at the man sitting opposite. This was in the bag. He'd gamble that little trinket into his hands and get out of here.
The fellow opposite was a large man, and his knuckles were enormous. Good for cracking skulls, Flynn thought morbidly.
Flynn had to admit, Mr Crystal was an intimidating fellow. It was no wonder that he was very much feared in Corona City's underworld. He had dark, cold eyes that seemed to hiss murder. But Flynn Rider was not afraid of anything. He was undefeated at cards. Actually, he was pretty much undefeated at everything. Except pie eating, perhaps.
Mr Crystal looked unimpressed. Then again, Flynn thought with a sigh, perhaps his face was just arranged that way.
Mr Crystal laid down his cards, and Flynn decided that Mr Crystal was sharper than he was giving him credit for. Quite a lot sharper. Flynn inwardly groaned. His chances of getting defeated suddenly seemed the closest they'd ever been. He wanted to feel sorry for himself, but there wasn't time for that now. Maybe later.
Perhaps they'd better attempt this again another time. There was still time. Mr Crystal was only leaving at the end of the month. They could haggle over this shiny thing again next week- or they could get another guy to try a different tactic, and split it three ways. Flynn baulked at the idea, but money was money, no matter the amount.
And this was supposed to be your last job.
'Bud? I hope you planned dinner,' he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.
We may have to cut this little party short. Let's get out of here.
Flynn's accomplice surprised him by coming forward, picking up his cards and shuffling them, his mouth in a frown but his eyes guilty.
'Bud?' Flynn gasped. The dreadful truth began to dawn on him. It couldn't be.
Bud Darly shot him a defiant look, fisting a hand in his sandy hair.
'You were gonna split 60-30. Mr Crystal here, he's being much more generous,' his lip trembled a little, 'and he's offering me a deal-' he swallowed painfully, 'I could not refuse.'
Flynn shook his head in disbelief. He could not believe this. He did not want to believe it. Bud Darly was his brother.
Mr Crystal's features contorted into what seemed like a smile for him, and he gestured to one of his guards, 'Stabbington, lead Mr Rider out. And if he doesn't cooperate, don't hesitate to shoot him.'
The tall, burly guard pulled Flynn by the shoulder out, and Flynn sent one last penetrating stare at the man whom he had always called brother.
Good ol' Bud betray him? He would have never guessed. Bud Darly looked away, unable to meet his gaze. What could Mr Crystal have offered him that was so un-refusable?
Stabbington roughly nudged him out the door, and the eye that wasn't covered with an eye patch eyed him with disdain. Stabbington crossed his arms and gave him a look of unadulterated dislike.
'Your own brother betrayed you. Even my own brother would never do that. What kind of scum-'
Flynn pulled as hard a punch he could muster into Stabbington's uncovered eye. Stabbington yelled with pain, and reached for his gun.
It was supposed to be his very last job.
But Flynn Rider was already running away as fast as he could.
Stabbington watched Rider run, his eye stinging but his hand still firmly on his gun. Rider was running out of Corona, into the forest. Stabbington laughed. Hopefully, they wouldn't see his sorry ass for a long time yet.
