Chapter 1

Beginnings

Six years later

As the sun shone bright over the kingdom of Corona, six year old Logan Overland sat ontop of the tree outside his house whilst drawing in his sketchbook. He had drawn quite a lot of things just by sitting on this tall branch. Like a mockingjay and a couple of leaves.

Deciding he'd had enough of doodling today, he then placed the sketchbook in his pocket and from the other brought out an apple and bit into it, chewing carelessly. A little piece got stuck in the gap between his two front teeth and he groaned before licking it off as he swung his legs. He leaned back against the tree trunk and gazed out into the sunset. When his mother would buy paints, he would paint the sunset on the side of the house. So that he'd always have something beautiful to look at whilst he would draw.

Finishing the last bite of his apple he then threw it before whiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He then blinked when he heard a voice.

"Ow! Logan!"

He carefully held onto the trunk and broke into laughter seeing who it was.

"Oops, sorry, Gwen! Didn't see you there!"

She pouted up at him angrily with her big dark night blue eyes and ruby red lips. Her long black hair was a mess (As usual) and she tried to salvage it by putting it into two pigtails.

Logan then frowned slightly before leaning his head down closer and grinned in a cheeky way. "What's with the dress? You look like a girl!"

At that her eyes widened and she stomped her foot on the ground in anger. "Girl or not, I can still beat you!" She then brought her face up to the sky and stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed doing the exact same to her.

"Logan!"

He jumped at the screeching voice and quickly grabbed onto the branch underneath him. He looked over at the house soon recognising the voice of his mother.

"What on Earth are you doing?! I told you not to go up there anymore!" She was holding a basket of clothing ready to hang up to dry and her waist long blonde hair was down today (Flawless as always.)

Gwen crossed her arms and gave him a BUSTED smirk. He rolled his eyes before giving her a small wave.

"Come on, Mom! I'm fi-!"

He was interrupted when he leaned too far back and waved his arms around as he began to lose his balance and Rapunzel gasped dropping her basket.

"LOGAN!"

Gwen screamed covering her eyes as he fell back from the tree and yelled. He closed his eyes tightly and what he expected to be hard rock ground was in fact something else. He felt someone wrap the arms around him just as he was about to hit the ground and then they fell back with him making a OOMF sound.

He was curled up in a ball then slowly opened his eyes and looked up to see Jack groaning in pain as he tried to lift his head. Both of them covered in dirt.

"Dad!" He yelled before rolling off him having only scraped his knee a little. He then kneeled down beside his father his with his eyes still closed then broke in a soft chuckle.

"Pretty sure your mother told you to quit it with the tree climbing there, pal." He then opened one eye and smirked then Logan laughed before wrapping his arms around his neck in a tight hug and Jack patted his back slowly trying to sit up, only to wince slightly in pain but he disguised it well with laughter.

"Logan!" Rapunzel screamed as she came running towards them and he shared a uh oh look with Jack before looking back at her. She'd kneeled down to the ground and wrapped her arms around him tightly almost chocking the life out of him as she panted.

"Oh thank God! You're not hurt, are you?" She asked whilst examining his face and stroking back his long brown hair to check for bruises on his head.

"Mom, I'm okay."

She looked at his knee with the slight cut and sighed rubbing her eyes in exhaustion.

"Honestly, it's like you are trying to give me a heart attack, Logan Gabriel Overland!"

Both Jack and Logan raised their eyebrows at that. It was rarely that she used his whole name but whenever she did, it emant she was really angry.

He pressed his lips together in a hard line turning to look at Jack with Help me eyes but he simply replied by giving him a Sorry, you're on your own shrug.

He gulped before standing up and walking up to his mother then kneeled down in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Mommy?" He tried then she rose a brow at him and he bit his lip. "I'm sorry...I'll never do it again, I promise."

He gleamed slightly giving him a questioning look and he leaned in giving her cheek a soft kiss. Unable to stay anymore mad at him she rolled her eyes and smiled whilst shaking her head and hugging him tightly.

"You are such a handful, kiddo."

Logan smiled and kissed her cheek again. "I love you, mom."

"Yeah, yeah..." She patted his shoulder and he let go of her then she got up whiping the mud from her apron.

"Just look at your knee." She shook her head placing her hands on her hips before turning her head around and smiling.

"Oh, Gwendolyn! I didn't see you there, sweet heart."

She smiled back at her giving her a small wave then Logan helped Jack back up. Fixing his back he then sighed in relief before walking up to them.

"So," He began whilst wrapping an arm around Rapunzel's shoulder. "What brings you here today Miss Onceler?"

"Oh right! My mom wanted to know if the paintings for the dress were ready!"

Rapunzel thought for a moment before realization hit her and she nodded. "Of course! I'll got get them right away!" She gave Jack a playfull kiss on the cheek before running back inside the house.

She came back out and handed her a stack of papers wrapped around in cloth and string. Gwen took it and smiled at her. "Thank you."

Rapunzel returned her smile then Jack spoke. "It's getting pretty late, I could walk you home if you want?"

Just when Gwen was about to talk, Logan stepped in. "It's okay, I'll walk her." He said casually. Jack raised his brows then looked down at Rapunzel who shook her head. "No way, look how late it's getting!"

Logan shrugged. "Which is why I should walk her home. I'll be quick, I promise." He suggested hopefully and Rapunzel gave him a stern look before sighing in defeat and crossing her arms. "Fine, but you are running back home, Mister! Understood?"

He smiled in victory before nodding and Jack gave him a smirk.

"Come on, race ya!" He nudged at Gwen's arm and she grinned at him before the two began running down the road.

As they walked through the woods into the village, Logan scratched the back of his head before glancing over at Gwen who was looking down at the road as if she were thinking about something. He frowned wondering what it could be. Usually she was extremely talkative, like so much that it would take a miracle to shut her up but today she was acting weird. In fact, she'd been acting weird all week and it was really getting on his nerves. He'd never really gathered up the courage to ask her until now.

"Gwen."

Hearing him, her head shot up and she blinked facing him, her cheeks sunburnt from the earlier heat.

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently, blinking again as if she had no idea what he was talking about. He gathered she didn't realise her behaviour and so he tried again.

"You've been acting weird all week. You hardly come round anymore and you're always so quiet." He said surprised that he considered the last part a bad thing. "What's up with you?"

She studied him for a moment with a look of guilt before hugging her arms and looking down at her walking feet. His frown deepened and he leaned in then after a long moment of silence she sighed and closed her eyes.

"I'm leaving, Logan..."

At that he stopped and stood there completely frozen. Hearing his footsteps stop she then came to a halt and turned around to see him staring at her.

"What?" He said almost in a whisper.

She rolled her eyes before looking down. "Come on, you heard."

"W-what do you mean, you're leaving?!"

"I mean, I'm going away with my parents! Away from Corona..."

Logan was taken aback. Above all, Gwen was his best friend. They had been since they were both 3 years old. Gwen's parents, Mavis and Timothy were close friends with Jack and Rapunzel and they lived only a walk through the woods away. And now she was leaving...what?

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know..."

"How could you not know?"

"I just don't, okay?!" She snapped and his face softened into a sad one. She sighed shaking her head. "My mom was offered a job in the new kingdom...it pays much better than in here. And it could also help my dad with his business too." It seemed as if it pained her to say it but Logan knew she was probably right. The taxes here in Corona were poor that Rapunzel even had two jobs. Gwen's dad was a wool binder whilst her mom made the finest dresses in all the land. It was no surprise that someone had offered her a job. The woman had stiching of a Godess.

Logan looked down at the ground and placed his hands in his pockets before kicking the dirt.

"So when are you leaving?"

"The day after tomorrow..." She mumbled.

He tensed slightly. "When are you coming back?"

When there was no answer he then lifted her head to see that she was watching him sadly and he already knew the answer. This was all too hard to believe. His best friend was leaving for good.

He thought for a moment then took in a deep breath before walking up to her and she blinked curious as to what he was going to do. When he finally reached her she watched him wide eyed and then he stuck his hand out o her.

She stared at it for a moment before bringing her stare to him. "What are you do-?"

"Promise this isn't goodbye." He interrupted and her lips parted in surprise.

"Logan..."

"Promise." He said raising his brows in a serious expression and she bit down on her lip before looking down at his hand again. His finger tips were still slightly black from the chalk of his drawings.

He huffed in annoyance and she then brought out her hand to his and he took her wrist and she gasped. She looked at him whilst he pulled out a needle from his pocket and before she knew it he had pricked her finger.

She yelped then brought back her hand and glared at him. "What are you doing?!"

"Making a bond." He said simply before pricking his own finger and hissing slightly. She frowned and he pointed his finger at her expecting her to do the same. She didn't know exactly what he was trying to do and she rose a brow at him before slowly bringing her hand forward.

When their fingers finally touched they both winced slightly from the sting but Logan took in a deep breath and spoke. "Do you, Gwendolyn Serena Onceler vow that we will someday meet again?"

At that she giggled slightly knowing he was putting on a silly voice to cheer her up and she nodded before clearing her throat. "I vow that we will see each other again...someday." He smirked and they kept their fingers locked sharing a smile before hearing a familiar voice from afar.

"Gwen!"

She turned her head and smile brightened when she saw her father wave down the road on the way to town. He then then waved at Logan who smiled and returned the gesture.

They then unlocked their fingers and placed them in their mouths licking away the blood. She giggled looking down at hers and his smile softened as he watched her.

"Gwen, come on!"

"Coming, papa!" She yelled back in response before looking back at Logan and they shared a long hug before she nudged his shoulder and giggled then running back to Timothy.

He watched as her father picked her up and spun her around then both waved at him and he smirked waving back. They then disappeared into the forest and Logan sighed before looking over at the setting sun.

"Oops..." He then turned around and ran back home.

That night he lay there in his bed as his mother tucked him in and he closed his eyes listening to her sing. Every night since he was a baby she would sing a sweet lullaby to him. Rapunzel had a voice so beautiful you'd mistake it for a siren. Every year in festivals she would sing for everyone and they adored her voice. Though she only sang the best for her husband and her son.

"Deep in the heart of darkness sparks

A dream of light

Surrounded by hopelessness

He finds the will to fight

Just wait

Though wide he may roam

Always

A hero comes home

He goes where no one has gone

But always

A hero comes home"

She hummed the rest of the song sweetly before placing a soft kiss on his forehead and whispering. "Good night, my love." She then walked out of his room and hearing the door close his eyes flew open and he sat up on his bed, reaching under his pillow as he brought out his sketch book and opened it to the back pages. He smiled when he saw his sketches of his dragons. He always had a fascination for those creatures and God knows where he got it from. Though everyone always told him they didn't exist anymore, that they were extinct. But there was about Logan. He saw the world not as it was but how it could be.

He leaned back against the wall and brought his pencil out and let his mind wonder on the paper.

Okay so this was just a little inside glimpse at Logan's childhood so that you could understand more about his character before the real journey begins. And another thing, just to clear it out for anyone who got confused. Gwen is the daughter of Mavis and Onceler except I made Onceler their last name and so his first name as you can see is Timothy. But anyway, things pick up at the next chapter so there's something to look forward to. Thanx guys.

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