Another oneshot as Flynn. Goodness-y gracious for being a straight teen girl I'm strangely comfortable writing as men. And Flynn is just so full of character I'm just eating him UP! and he's delicious too, fyi. XD

Of course I do not own Tangled or it's characters.

Of Libraries and Lost Princesses

Not that, he'd ever admit to it; he'd always liked to read. Of course, books were hard to come by at the orphanage as the number of literate children was few and far between. And so there was a stage in the young Eugene Fitzherbert's life when finding a new book was like stumbling on the richest jewels in the world.

Of course then Eugene discovered real jewels and the art of thieving – but that was another story entirely.

And in that story, Eugene, now Flynn, had never again found the time or inclination to read for quite some time. He'd convinced himself it had been a useless pastime – and when that failed, that he would have plenty of that free time when he was rich. That if anything, could keep him going.

So, it was strange to be in a situation where he was in the Kingdom, not running for his life, nor planning to steal anything. And even stranger that this calm in his life had taken him to a library.

Rapunzel, of course, had dragged him in the little shop. He would have missed it, actually. Hole in the wall kind of place, only the smallest sign in one window proclaimed it for what it was. In Flynn's opinion there were SO many other things the newly freed girl could be seeing in her single day of adventuring. But she'd grabbed hold of his hand, as her green eyes caught sight of the sign he'd overlooked.

"Eugene! Oh, Eugene! Look! Look! A Library! I've never seen so many books!" She was peering in the old glass as though trying to count them all.

He laughed, shaking his head at her, all whilst trying to remember the last time he'd actually read. He couldn't. So, his face completely composed, he pushed the door open, "You'll see 'em better if you go in, Blondie."

She sent an impish smile his way and practically danced into the small shop to the tiny ring of the bell on the door. He smirked, crossing his arms casually, and watched her total awe as she picked up a book read the title, and put it back, to go instantly to another, and another, and another. Some she'd page through, her eyes getting wider with each page as if somehow letting her brilliant green eyes absorb all the information in a single second. She looked up at him again and absolutely beamed. His smirk grew and he just shook his head at her. She laughed a little and disappeared into another row of books. He wondered how long they'd be there.

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and Flynn was instantly alert. Looking away from where Rapunzel had disappeared he met the eyes of an older man, quite clearly the librarian. Large and well-dressed, and appearing certainly well off he was the kind of person Flynn didn't like. Yet he had kind eyes that were curious and not speculative… the kind of person he wouldn't bring himself to rob. He tried to think of something casual and natural to say.

But the man spoke first, "Your girl is very lively." He commented, sounding like he was trying to hide amusement.

He shrugged, a little, "Yeah, well, sh-" He blinked a couple times, "That is, we're just uh… companions… uh traveling together. It's her first time in the Kingdom and yeah." Well, THAT got away from him. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

The librarian chuckled, a grin spreading behind his graying beard. "Understood, Mr…" He trailed off.

"R- Fitzherbert." He replied, quickly. Awkward to introduce himself as such but just because this man hadn't recognized him off the bat – which was lucky to begin with – didn't mean he shouldn't watch himself. "Eugene Fitzherbert."

"Eugene!" Rapunzel called from the back of the place, as if on cue, "Eugene! I found a MAP!" She sounded beyond delighted. He struggled not to laugh.

"Great Goldie! We can buy those outside!"

"But Eugene, this is beyond the kingdom! This is- is- a GLOBE!" She said the new word with excitement. He could hear her flipping through pages with unparalleled speed. He hoped that book stayed in tact.

The librarian was watching Eugene during the exchange, the curiosity growing, "A bit sheltered, is she?"

"You have NO idea."

"Well, the pair of you chose a good day to make your first visit."

Flynn nodded as though he understood, though he didn't really. The festival, the lanterns, as well as this Lost Princess herself, were a bit foreign to him as well. "Riiight, so… what is the story about this dead princess day, exactly?"

"LOST." The man corrected, an almost protective tightness in his voice, "The Lost Princess."

"Yeahh," He drawled, refraining from wondering aloud how a girl 'missing' that long could really still be thought alive, "Pretty new here myself, if I'm honest. So, care to enlighten?" He glanced where Rapunzel was, and heard her soft whisper reading some gibberish of words either to herself or her frog.

He shrugged a little, "Not very much to tell, before the Princess was a year old she was taken away by an old witch – no one knows where she took her or why, though there are theories."

"Such as?" He asked, dully. Ah, people loved conspiracies, didn't they?

"Well, the queen was sick y'see, before the baby was born, and the people they found an antidote. One that may have been guarded by this woman – and vengeful for the loss of her magic the woman stole the princess in payment."

Flynn nodded again. Truthfully, he believed none of that, but quite enjoying listening. The drama in the older man's voice brought him back to how he used to be, telling the stories of his hero to the younger children in that same sort of attention-grabbing, awe-inspiring sort of way. He'd forgotten how much he'd enjoyed doing so… and how much he missed it then.

Rapunzel skipped up to him again at this point, "Um, hey, Eugene, when you can I have a TON of books I want to show you." She spared the other man a small, shy smile. He returned it warmly.

"Sure thing, Goldie." He said, kindly.

"Okay!" She chirped, and with that skipped back to her aisle, completely absorbed with the new-ness of this.

The librarian chuckled, "Not often people are that excited about books." He said.

"Don't let it go to your head," Flynn laughed with him, "She's like this about everything."

On cue, she let out a little gasp, "Eugene! Come HERE!" She giggled.

"Ah, I should probably see what she's found." He gave the man a genuine smile, "Thanks for the um… answers."

"Not a problem, Mr. Fitzherbert. Enjoy the festival."

"I believe I will." He said, gravely, before adding one more curious question, "Why are you so certain that the princess was taken outside the kingdom? She could be being raised here without knowing who she is."

He just laughed, almost as though at a child's silly question, "Well, that's what the lanterns are for, after all. To call the princess back. If she were here, she'd have felt that call. If she were here, we would certainly know by now."

Reasonable enough, Flynn thought. And with another shrug and thanks he disappeared into the shelves to continue story-time with his lively and lantern obsessed companion.