So! Another story for a completely different fandom! This is my first Arrow fic - it's completely Olicity and obviously AU. I was watching Tangled for the fiftieth time and suddenly inspiration struck. It's taken me a while to actually get this one typed up, since I've been struggling through AP exams and catching up on work I missed while I was out sick, but now it's finally done and I couldn't wait to post it. I love both the movie and the TV show, so I hope I do the two justice. I've made quite a few changes to the original Tangled storyline, some minor and some major, but I'm still attempting to preserve the integrity of the movie. In the end, this is a mesh of the two, and I wanted to change a few aspects and make the story my own so it would be more interesting, not simply a retelling of the movie with different characters.

Also, I probably won't be able to do much with this in the way of posting new chapters until school ends, as I'm about to be swamped with makeup work and end-of-year prep, but I DO intend to continue this - at least, if you guys want me to. That's why I'm going ahead and posting this; I want to see if there's anybody interested in this. I'll probably continue it no matter what, simply because I love to write and I want to finish it.

So, without further ado, here's the first chapter of Tangled Arrows.

Disclaimer: I own neither Tangled nor Arrow. Tangled belongs to Disney - and I think he plotline of the Rapunzel story belongs to the Brothers Grimm - and Arrow belongs to DC and The CW. I am merely playing in the proverbial sandbox.


Tangled Arrows
~ Chapter 1 ~

This… is the story of how I died.

But don't worry, it's actually a pretty happy story, and truthfully it's not even mine.

Instead, it's about a girl. A girl named… Felicity.

And it starts… with the sun.

Once upon a time – because isn't that how all good stories begin? – a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens. And from this small drop of sunlight, there grew a magic golden flower. This flower had the ability to heal the sick and injured, to rid a person of sickness and mend any wound.

Centuries passed, and a hop, skip, and a boat ride away there grew a kingdom – the Kingdom of Starling. The kingdom was ruled by a beloved king and queen, Edward and Rebecca Smoak. Kind, honest, and loyal until the end, they were loved by all. Peace reigned, crops flourished, and everyone lived in harmony. Everything was perfect – well, almost everything.

You see, the king and queen had everything they could ever want, except for one thing – a baby. More than anything, Edward and Rebecca wanted a child to call their own, to love and care for and raise. But for years, they lived in disappointment, for they never succeeded in conceiving.

Until…


Cracking open the thick wooden door, Edward Smoak peered into the library and located his wife reading by the fireplace. Sucking in a deep breath to steady his nerves, he made his way over to her, the creaking of the floor boards under his polished boots echoing loudly in his ears. His palms began to sweat and his pulse quickened the closer he got, physical manifestations of the anxiety and worry that swirled within him.

"Did the doctor tell you why you've been feeling so sick during your appointment, Rebecca?" the king asked hesitantly, taking a seat on the couch beside his wife and examining her face for any signs of pain or queasiness.

The tired woman closed the book she had been reading and met his gaze. "Yes he did, dear. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Well? What did he say?" he asked anxiously, hoping that nothing serious was ailing the woman he loved. She had been sick for weeks, and though she protested he had eventually grown so worried that he called the royal doctor and asked him to come take a look at her.

"Edward, darling," the queen began, a radiant smile lighting up her face. "I'm pregnant."

King Edward – a tall, regal man that never backed down from anything and inspired the respect and awe of many with his presence alone – was speechless. His mouth literally dropped open, his eyes opened wide in shock, and no matter how hard he tried he found himself incapable of expressing the extreme wonder and joy that he felt in that moment.

His wife laughed and laid a hand on his cheek, knowing that his shock was born not out of discontent with the situation, but pure happiness. After all, when they doctor had given her the news, her reaction had been much the same, just with the addition of tears streaming down her cheeks. She had wanted to run and tell her husband immediately, but refrained because she knew he was in an important meeting with a few of his advisors. For years they had tried to conceive, wanting nothing more than a child to call their own, but so far they'd had no luck. This turn of events was more than welcomed by both husband and wife; it was just difficult to take it in and believe it after so long.

Still chuckling, she spoke, trying to break her husband out of his shocked stupor. "Eddy, dear, say something."

Edward blinked, delight spreading across his face and his eyes shining. "You're sure? I'm not dreaming, am I? You're really… We're really…"

"Yes, I'm sure. I had the doctor run multiple tests just to make sure," Rebecca reassured him in her soft, lilting voice.

Suddenly, Rebecca found herself in the arms of her husband and spinning in circles, his elated laughter ringing in her ears. "We're going to have a baby! A child, one of our own. Oh, Becca, can you believe it?!" It dawned on him that he was spinning around his pregnant wife, and he promptly though better of it and set her down, instead hugging her carefully to his chest. "Our daughter is going to be the best, the most beautiful girl in the kingdom – in the whole world. She'll never want for anything; I'll make sure of it."

"Daughter? How do you know that baby is going to be a girl?" Rebecca laughed, tilting her head back to look up at him.

"I just do. Call it a father's intuition," Edward replied, loving the way the word 'father' rolled off his tongue. By the way his wife's eyes welled up, so did she. Bending down to brush a kiss across her forehead, the king whispered, "Darling, you've made me the happiest man in the world."


After that, everything was perfect. All the people of Starling were ecstatic, overjoyed for their king and queen. A nursery was set up, baby goods were bought, and the castle was abuzz with excitement. Everyone was eager to do something to prepare for the coming prince or princess. Edward remained adamant that the baby was a girl, much to his wife's amusement. For her part, Rebecca maintained that she would be happy no matter what, as long as the baby was healthy.

And they were exactly that – happy.

But then, Rebecca fell sick. Really sick.

Nothing the royal doctor tried could cure her – nothing any of the doctors they called in could cure her. They were running out of time, and people started getting desperate. And when people get desperate, that's usually when they start looking for a miracle.

Or, in this case, a magic golden flower.


"Leave no stone unturned, no valley unexplored," King Edward commanded, letting his gaze roam over the soldiers assembled. "I want that flower found, no matter what."

"Yes, sir," replied the captain, Quentin Lance. "We'll bring it back for you as soon as possible."

"Thank you," Edward said gratefully, clasping the man's shoulder and giving him a desperate look.

Captain Lance nodded, returning the gesture, before calling out orders to his troops. The same thought resonated within the mind of every man present:

They had to find that flower.

And, after several stressful days of searching, they finally did. Quentin himself carefully removed it from the rocky soil of the cliff it resided on, making sure to keep all of its roots intact, and repotted it for the voyage back to Starling. He personally delivered it to King Edward, who in turn gave it to the doctor. The golden flower was detached from its stem and steeped in water. The resulting broth was administered to the ailing queen, and the kingdom held its breath. It was a shame, they thought, to destroy the life of such a beautiful and helpful flower, but everyone agreed that if it saved Queen Rebecca, then it was worth it.


The magic of the golden flower healed Queen Rebecca, and a few months later, a beautiful baby girl – a princess was born. She had her mother's radiant smile and lilting voice, her father's nose and affinity for laughter, luminous blue-green eyes, and luscious golden hair. Everyone who met her couldn't help but love her.

They named her Felicity – 'father's joy.'

In celebration of her birth, they lit a lantern and launched it into the sky.

And, of course, they threw a party.


"Edward!" a jovial voice called out, ringing in the large courtroom where the surprise baby shower was taking place.

"Robert! I'm so glad you could make it!" the king replied, clasping his friend's shoulder and pulling him in for a hug.

Close friends since birth, Robert Queen and Edward Smoak were an inseparable duo and loyal beyond compare to each other. Officially, Robert was Edward's senior advisor, but in reality they were more like brothers, and Rebecca was close friends with Robert's wife, Moira. They helped each other, gave each other advice… and celebrated the birth of children together. The Queens had been blessed with a son five years ago, and while admittedly jealous the king and queen had still been ecstatic for their friends. And now that Edward and Rebecca had finally been granted that same joy, the trio was eager to celebrate with them.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Robert replied. "Moira and I couldn't be happier for you and Rebecca."

"I doubt we could be happier ourselves," Edward said with a smile, turning to watch his wife. The radiant glow she always seemed to have had doubled during her pregnancy, and as of yet had failed to diminish. Her eyes glowed and her face was constantly pulled into a smile, even when their daughter woke them up in the middle of the night.

Looking up from her conversation, Rebecca noticed her husband's adoring gaze and smiled, making her way over to him. "Hello, dear. And Robert! It's so good to see you," she greeted the pair.

"It's good to see you too, Rebecca," Robert replied.

"Where's Moira and Oliver?" Rebecca questioned.

"Oliver was fussing about the tux Moira made him wear, so she decided to wait outside for a bit until he calmed down. They should be coming soon…" Robert gave a cursory glance about the crowded room, pausing when he found the two he was searching for. "Ah! There they are!" he exclaimed, raising a hand and waving it in the air to gain his wife's attention.

Moira saw the gesture and wove her way through the throngs of people towards them, tugging a reluctant Oliver along by his hand. "There you are! You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find you in this place. You'd think something big had happened for all the people here," Moira teased upon reaching them, immediately dropping her son's hand in favor of pulling her friend into a hug. "How are you, Rebecca?" she asked when they broke apart.

"I couldn't be better," Rebecca replied honestly. "Still tired, yes, and having to get up at all hours of the night is bothersome, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. All I have to do is look at her, and it's all worth it."

Oliver, finally freed from his mother's grasp, launched himself into Edward's arms, shouting, "Uncle Eddy!"

"Hey there, buddy," Edward replied, swinging the boy in a circle. "Are you enjoying the party?"

"Well, the food's good, but Momma made me wear this itchy suit and there's a lot of people I don't know here. Uncle Eddy, why do they keep pinching my cheek?"

Edward laughed, reaching up to tweak that very cheek. "It's because you're so cute, Ollie."

Oliver swatted at the hand and pouted. "No I'm not! I'm han… hans… handsome! That's what Momma says."

"Well your mother is right," Edward replied, ruffling the boy's hair.

Grinning, Oliver looked around the room. "What's this party for, anyways? Is it somebody's birthday?"

"The party is for my daughter," Edward told him. "She was born a few weeks ago, and we're celebrating it. So yes, in a way it is somebody's birthday."

"It's a girl? Aw, man! But I told you to make it a boy! Me an' Tommy want someone to play with!" Oliver huffed, crossing his arms and sticking out his lower lip.

"I'm sorry, Ollie, but I couldn't control it. Besides, you can still play with her when she gets big enough," Edward consoled the boy in his arms, biting back a smile.

"Fine. I guess that'll be okay," Oliver relented with a very put-upon expression.

"Would you like to meet her?" Rebecca asked. The question was intended more for Moira and Robert, but it was Oliver who answered.

"Yeah!" He wriggled out of the king's arms and grabbed his hand. "C'mon Uncle Eddy, I wanna see her!" he said enthusiastically, pulling on the taller man's hand.

"Whoa, hold on there Ollie," Edward cautioned, tugging the boy back to his side and squatting to be on eye level with him.

"What's wrong? Aunt Becca said we could go see her," Oliver questioned, tilting his head to the side with a frown.

"And we can go see her. But you can't go running over there. She might be asleep, and if she is then we need to be quiet so we don't wake her up. Can you do that for me?"

Oliver nodded assuredly, his blonde locks swinging with the motion. "Uh-huh, I promise!"

"Alright. Then follow me," Edward said. He led the small group through the crowded room to a slightly raised dais at the front where an ornate cradle sat. A company of guards stood at alert behind it, keeping a careful watch out for any mischief. Their king and queen had finally been granted their dearest wish in the form of a beautiful, enchanting baby girl, and they weren't about to let anything happen to the little bundle of joy.

Upon reaching the cradle, Oliver stood up on his tiptoes and peered over the edge. Inside, dressed in a soft blue gown and swathed in soft blankets, lay a tiny, pinkish thing with a bit of yellow fluff on its head. Oliver had never seen a baby before, and he cocked his head, observing her with interest.

"Why's she so tiny? And pink?" he asked in a whisper, careful not to wake her up.

"It's because she's only a few weeks old, Ollie. You looked like that when you were born too," Moira answered with a smile.

"I did?" Oliver questioned, returning his gaze to the baby in fascination.

Just then, Felicity stretched her little arms and gave a small yawn, blinking open her eyes and looking around at the new faces with curious interest. Oliver's breath caught when her big, bright blue eyes fixed themselves on him. She was silent for a moment, simply watching him watch her, and then a grin broke out on her face and she gurgled happily, reaching out for him. He leaned forward enough so that her tiny fist could grab ahold of a lock of his hair. Oliver winced slightly when she tugged on it, but instead of complaining or pulling away he reached up and coaxed her hand to wrap around his finger in place of his hair. Felicity complied happily, cooing and giggling as she looked up at him.

"Hey there, little girl," Oliver said in a soft tone he'd never used before. "My name's Oliver, and when you get bigger, you, me, an' Tommy're gonna be best friends, okay? Uncle Eddy says that you'll still play with us, even though you're a girl an' we're boys…"

Edward smiled, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist, and looked over at Robert. "They're getting along well, aren't they?" he commented lightly.

"I should say so," replied Robert. "I've never seen Ollie act like that before."

"And I haven't seen Felicity take to a stranger so quickly before," Edward said. The two shared a mischievous grin, both thinking the same thought.

"Whatever you two are planning, stop it right now. I don't trust that look," Rebecca warned them sternly.

"What look?" Edward asked, adopting an innocent expression for her. "Can't two good friends talk about how well their children are getting along?"

"Yes, they can. But you've got that look in your eyes, and I can tell that you're planning something. Spill," his wife commanded, leveling him with a hard look and crossing her arms beneath her chest.

"Oh, it's nothing really, dear. But say, sweetheart, what would you think about becoming officially related to the Queen family…?"

"Edward!"


And in that moment, everything was perfect.

But then that moment ended.


A soft creaking noise permeated the deep slumber Edward Smoak was enjoying, rousing him to a reluctant state of consciousness. Sighing silently, he rolled away from his wife and onto his back, glancing around the room in search of the disturbance.

What he saw made him bolt up in bed, a shout forming on his lips.

A figure in a dark cloak was perched in the wide open bay windows at the far side of the room, a small bundle in his arms.

"Guards!" Edward shouted, scrambling to untangle himself from the covers and racing across the room. "Guards! Help!"

The shouting disturbed the Felicity, who had previously been sleeping peacefully even in the arms of her kidnapper, and she wriggled in the tight blankets she'd been wrapped in and began to cry. The cloaked man cursed softly under his breath and turned away. Edward was only able to catch a glimpse of dark hair and ice blue eyes before, with a flourish of his cape –

The man was gone.

And his daughter – his precious, darling Felicity – was gone with him.


The kingdom searched and searched, but they could not find their lost princess. For deep within a forest, in a hidden tower, the kidnapper raised the child as his own.


"Why can't I go outside?" an adorable four-year-old asked, gazing into the fire as her father brushed her long, golden hair.

"The outside world is a dangerous place, full of horrible, selfish people. That's why you must stay here, where you're safe. Do you understand, my flower?"

"Yes, Daddy," the girl replied, turning to smile trustingly up at him before beginning to sing.

"Flower, gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine

What once was mine…"


But the walls of that tower could not hide everything, and Felicity was a curious child. Once a year, on the day her father called her birthday, Felicity would tiptoe across the tower, open the main window, and watch a million tiny lights appear as the sun went down, lighting the night sky with gold and sparking her interest.

For each year on her birthday, the king and queen released thousands of lanterns into the sky, in hope that one day…

Their lost princess would return.

~TBC~


So what did you guys think? Any guesses as to who the kidnapper is? Please let me know in a PM/ review. Any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or factual mishaps are all mine, and if you see any feel free to point them out. They improve my writing skills, making your reading even better!

Until next time!

~ FromTheAshesXx