Eugene urged Max to gallop faster through the forest, expertly dodging the trees and brush that attempted to slap his face. That he had ever affiliated with the Stabbington brothers was now his biggest regret in life. Yes, he had double crossed them with the crown, but they in turn had taken the most valuable thing away from him – Rapunzel.
Just thinking her name made him wish this horse had wings. "Faster, faster" he yelled. Finally he could see the clearing where he needed to be. He hoped finding the opening again would be easy. He searched for the hidden grass with an intense urgency. It had to be close by! It took several minutes of searching, but there it was! He popped through the cave and ran towards the imposing tower. Unsure of what he would find when he got to the top, he quietly began climbing with the arrows – same as the first time. Silently, he made his way to the top. He could hear Rapunzel arguing with her mother as he got closer. Correction - not with her mother, with her captor. By this time Eugene had figured out Rapunzel's true identity and he was here to take her back to the castle, even if that meant a hanging for him. He wanted Rapunzel away from this wicked villain who had held her prisoner for almost eighteen years, no matter the cost to him.
"Rapunzel, be reasonable. We've had a wonderful life, so full and rich. Now I'm just asking you to go away with me and we'll start over somewhere new. And if you want, I'll even let you go outside once or twice a week to get your feet dirty, play in the water, wade through the grass." The pleading voice of Mother Gothel made Eugene feel like perhaps she was finally losing her fierce grip on Rapunzel.
"No! I want to go home to my real Mother and Father. Don't you know how much they miss me? Those lanterns going up every year for me! That has to mean…"
"Oh Rapunzel! Stop being so foolish. They're just doing that to make their kingdom feel better. If they really wanted you, they'd have searched high and low and found you by now. We're not THAT difficult to find." Mother Gothel interrupted Rapunzel's speech with a monologue of her own. "We'll go wherever you want. You've been reading about that Florin place – perhaps you want to go there? That could be a lot of fun. Maybe we'll live in a cave this time? We'll set up a new home and since we'll be so far from Corona we won't have to worry about hiding so well. Oh Rapunzel, you know how much Mommy loves you and just wants to protect you from the evil world."
That lilt in her voice made Rapunzel realize that it was all a lie. If Rapunzel went with her now she would never have a chance at a normal life, never have a chance to be with someone as amazing as Eugene. And she wanted that love, craved it more than anything in her life. She knew it was too late for her and Eugene, after all he was probably being hanged as they spoke. The pain from knowing he was dying was literally tearing her apart inside. But she knew that Eugene would want her to go back. And maybe, if she escaped quickly enough she'd have a chance to say goodbye – even if it was at his funeral.
"I want to go now. Please just let me go. You have already taken so much from me. My family, my home, my title, even my name! And now you've taken…" Rapunzel could no longer hold back the tears. The pain is evident in her voice. "You've taken Eugene from me. I loved him! I finally knew what true love was and I know he loved me, too. And if you hadn't tricked those other men into sending him away, he'd be with me right now instead of hanging from the gallows!"
Eugene couldn't hang on to the edge eavesdropping any longer. Not only was it killing his arms, but it was destroying his soul for him to let Rapunzel continue to think of him as being dead or dying.
He hauled his body up and through the window in a flash. He noted the surprise in both of the women's eyes. Rapunzel's bright eyes full of joy, delight and love. Mother Gothel's clouded eyes full of hatred, revenge and pure evil.
"Rider! What are you doing here?" Gothel cursed under her breath and grabbed Rapunzel by her hair, putting a dagger to her side. "Don't move another inch or the girl dies!"
"Eugene!" Rapunzel finally finds her voice and calls out, equal parts fear and adoration. "I'm the lost princess and she won't let me go home!"
"Easy now." Eugene tries to settle the tense atmosphere. "No need to do anything hasty." He quickly formulates an idea in his head. If he can get the wicked woman to trust him and allow him to 'help' then there's a chance of everyone going free with no bloodshed. He honestly doesn't believe she would kill Rapunzel because she obviously needs her to stay alive. But he does believe there are fates worse than death that she will inflict on Rapunzel if he isn't able to rescue her.
"What you going to do, Rider? Bargain with me for her life? Because there is nothing you can give me that is worth more than my daughter." She practically spat the word out of her mouth. That motherly affection wasn't present didn't surprise either of the other occupants of the room. But that the thought of Rapunzel as her daughter was vile? That was a bit of a shock to Rapunzel who all these years had considered this woman her mother. She had truly believed she had loved her. And just because she now knew that wasn't true, it didn't take away the pain of rejection she was now facing.
"I know that Rapunzel's safety is the most important thing to both of us." Eugene soothed, becoming Flynn Rider with his smooth talk and charismatic personality. He had been able to fast-talk his way out of many dangerous situations in his life. It was as though he had been training for this moment his entire life. "Please, just let me help you get her safely somewhere else. I can protect you. The soldiers are already out in force in the forest searching for her." He lied. In reality they were out searching – just not for Rapunzel.
"How do they know about her?" Mother Gothel's eyes flashed with sudden anger with a hint of fear.
"The Stabbington Brothers. They told the guards all about the girl with the special hair and the lady who was willing to bargain her life." Eugene continued to pile lie upon lie. "And the guards somehow put it all together and they know you have the lost princess. They're smarter than you think, those guards. I heard them all talking about it this morning. That's how I was able to escape. They left too few guards back at the palace to assist in my hanging and they sent everyone else out in force, including as many of the citizens who were willing to go. And believe me, that was a lot. As much as everyone enjoys the lantern ceremony yearly, they really do wish for the princess to come home. With all those people searching, someone is bound to find this place." Eugene paused to let his words sink in.
Mother Gothel stopped, let her guard and the dagger down for a minute while she thought "So they're coming here? We've got to get out of here now! Rider, you're in charge of getting us out of here safely. And let me be clear about this, if anything happens to her, you will rue the day you ever came here. Understood?"
Eugene gulped – he only hoped his plan would work. Whether it would depended on how the next 20 minutes or so went.
Mother Gothel insisted Eugene go down first. If she was to be affiliated with him, he would have to prove himself trustworthy. She didn't trust what he would do if she were to go down first. They all three managed to make it out of the tower the typical way – using her hair as an elevator of sorts – and then regrouped at the bottom of the tower.
"Eugene, please tell me it's all going to be okay" Rapunzel whispered in his ear in a single moment they had to themselves while Mother Gothel eyed the area around the tower with suspicion. "Please get me home safe."
He squeezed her hand, an unspoken promise, but it was enough for that moment. They both knew that no matter what happened next, they would be okay.
They began walking towards the opening, Eugene in the front and Rapunzel and Mother Gothel bringing up the rear. Eugene didn't know where Pascal was at the moment, but knew he had to be around somewhere, probably hitching a ride in Rapunzel's hair. They reached the small cave that leads to the outside. Eugene peeked out and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. This could either be advantageous to him or a disadvantage. He wanted Mother Gothel to believe they were being searched for but he also didn't want to be caught. What a conundrum!
"It's safe for now, quick, let's ride!" He motioned for the girls to follow him out into the clearing and gestured towards Max. "The horse will take us. How about if you ride, madam, and Rapunzel and I will walk?" Eugene didn't expect her to take him up on the offer, but hoped. He knew if she would that there worries would be over. Max wouldn't let him down.
"You know, I just might do that. I am getting a bit tired." She sighed, hating to admit that her age didn't lend to energy for long. It had been over 24 hours now since Rapunzel had sung to her and she seemed to increasingly need the magic more and more these days. She wondered how much longer she could really keep going.
"Okay, Max, take good care of her." Eugene patted the horse on the nose, knowing full well that the horse understood what he wasn't saying.
The moment she was settled on the horse, Max took off. He galloped faster and faster and before Gothel could even scream, he was out of earshot.
Rapunzel looked stunned. Where was Max taking her? And did this mean they were free? Free to go back to the castle? Free from ever being under that evil woman's bondage again? She turned to Eugene with all these questions written on her face.
"Rapunzel, you're safe now. Max will take her straight to the palace guards. They'll know what to do with her. The Stabbington brothers will identify her as the one who had you and the one they were affiliated with in turning me in. It will all be okay by the time we get to the palace, I'm sure of it! Now, ready to get walking?"
Rapunzel smiled up at Eugene, her hero "You're coming with me?" she asked incredulously.
"Of course! I love you and I never want to leave your side again." He wrapped his arms around her as he declared his loyalty and intentions.
She tipped her head up intent on kissing him. His head lowered, their lips now only centimeters apart, but he stopped. "Just to be clear here, I'm planning on kissing you now." He teased, his breath hot against her skin.
"Just to be clear" she teased back "I hope you never stop."