I've noticed a pattern with fan fiction. After the second chapter I usually die right after and take forever to update. Trying to change that.

Six agonizing months of 'yes, Eugene, you died. Can you please finally get over it?' later and he found he was actually settling in quite nicely. There was a lot of hounding by the palace guards, and a general assumption that, if he were with Rapunzel more than half the time he wouldn't think of stealing anything. Well, barring the whole trauma of dying and taking a ridiculous amount of time getting over it (in fact, would it be considered ridiculous? It felt ridiculous to him), Eugene had other things in mind that had nothing to do with stealing.

He knew how the whole shindig went: lost princess returns home, starts new life of royalty, and then is faced with all the lessons prepping her up to rule the country. He was a bit weary at first, remembering her panicked state when she took her first steps out of that tower, but fortunately she was so happy the first day she started her royal lessons.

That's when Eugene met the royal advisor. Snooty, a perfectionist, and a pain in the royal ass. On a single day, Eugene could count fifteen different things the advisor would call him out on if it so much as resembled distracting Rapunzel during her studies. This died down after a while, but Eugene would always catch the advisor giving him a warning look.

Eugene was allowed to keep her company during her lessons. He would watch as she balanced a book on her head to practice her poise, stay with her as she poured over countless books for history and geography. He would bring Rapunzel her food when it was time. The instructors either greeted him happily, as thanks for finding their lost princess, or disapproval. That he found understandable, but at least in the six months he was there they came to accept him. Some even used him as a partner for Rapunzel, like in her dance lessons or her etiquette lessons. Seeing him dance to ball music was a bit of a joke at first, but more as a funny idea over tormenting him or suggestively telling him 'this isn't your world. You don't belong here'. But it was Rapunzel's own dedication to teach him some of the things she learned that everyone finally saw how happy she was to be with him.

At the end of the second week Rapunzel broke down like he initially expected, except it was because she was overcome with joy.

"Everyone's so nice to me, Eugene, and you're really sweet for putting up with all of this," she said to him shyly. They were in the garden, her shoes discarded on the grass. Pascal had taken to sleeping inside them when Rapunzel wasn't using them. She leaned against his shoulder as he wiped the tears off of her face. He'd find himself absent-mindedly stroking her cheek, as she would look at him. He was beginning to feel more of her now, he noted.

"It's a princess's duty," he said, proudly. She gave him a peck on the cheek. He was nervous whenever she wanted to display her affection in public, but she caught on fast on how uneasy that would make him feel and so she resolved to doing that in moments like that. The royal advisor, who seemed to have a nose for finding out where they were hiding, would always trounce their moments of privacy, often stating that Rapunzel was late for her next lesson.

Now that it was winter they were in the drawing room, and Rapunzel spent her breaks doing the things she wanted to do but never found time to do outside of her studies. She was given plentiful art supplies after the king found out about her love of painting. She was finishing up her portrait of Eugene, and he was eager to see the finished product.

"Okay! I'm done!" she said. He jumped at her voice suddenly breaking the silence in the room. He caught Pascal smiling at him as the little chameleon's tail pointed at the portrait. Eugene went to Rapunzel's side and gave it a good look.

He was stunned. Her ability to capture real life in an image without asking him so much as to stand still was incredible. She'd painted him climbing the tower using her long-gone magical hair. She drew him greeting her as he reached the window of her tower, and she was beaming at the sight of him.

"This is beautiful," he said in a hushed voice. "It's amazing, Rapunzel."

"Sorry it took so long," she said, shyly, running a hand through her short hair. "There were so many paints to choose from I didn't know what to start with."

"Oh, it's fine—it's amazing how fast you can get a painting done, though," he said. He remembered the festival on her birthday six month ago, how she worked with the chalk on the cobblestone of the main square. The mural had washed away, but it was one of the first things she'd reproduced by painting it on the ceiling of her bedroom as soon as she got the new paints from the king. That was done in less then a day.

The door opened and in walked the royal advisor. He gave her a curt bow and a nod of acknowledgement to Eugene.

"Your next lesson is about to commence, your highness," he said.

"Oh, right!" Rapunzel jumped up, laughing. "Wow, time flies by. Come on, Pascal. See you at dinner, Eugene." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, which sent chills down his spine and made him jump a little. He searched the royal advisor's face for a sign of disapproval, but found that the royal advisor just smiled at the princess as she exited the room. His expressions slipped back to a serious one, if not a bit bored, in Eugene's opinion.

"Well, I guess I better clear this stuff up," said Eugene, a bit uncomfortable with being in the same room as the advisor with nothing to do between them.

"Don't bother. The maid-servants will deal with the clean up," said the advisor in a dull, bored voice. "The queen is expecting you." Eugene remained still.

"Are you sure she's looking for me?" he asked sheepishly. The advisor rolled his eyes.

"Are there any other Eugene Fitzherberts in this palace or on this island?"

"… No…" Eugene felt stupid.

"Then follow me, Master Fitzherbert." They were barely out of the room before Eugene finally registered what the royal advisor just called him.

"Whoa, wait, 'master'? Are you sure about that?" He watched the old advisor shrug.

"Might as well get used to it. You'll be sticking around for a long time."

The royal advisor sounded very suggestive when he said that and it sent a pang of worry throughout Eugene's mind. Not that he would want to leave—he wouldn't. What that would do to Rapunzel if he said he was going to leave here… Eugene didn't want to think about it. But there was something in the back of his mind that just kept nagging at him. That no matter how many times he tried to ignore it he knew it was still there.

He looked up when the royal advisor coughed. They stood before large oak doors with intricately designed carvings across the woodwork. The doorknobs were shaped like the sun, and made of gold. The royal advisor knocked.

"Please remember to bow to the queen and address her formally. You can at least manage that, can't you?" The royal advisor raised a skeptical eyebrow at him, at which Eugene responded with an over-confident scoff.

"Oh sure," he said with a wry smile. Try as he might, Eugene couldn't believe himself as much as he could convince the royal advisor.

The royal advisor knocked on the door gently, pronouncing loudly that Master Eugene Fitzherbert is here, as Her Majesty has requested. He heard her soft voice say, "Enter", after which the royal advisor opened the door and nudged his head towards the inside. Eugene nearly forgot to move.

"Your Majesty," he said, giving a stiff bow. Eugene saw that she was facing away from the door, her back to him, as she stood by the lit fireplace of her study. He saw a sheet of parchment in her hands. A letter, perhaps, and she read it intensely. She only moved after the royal advisor closed the door.

"You can refrain from formal greetings when it's just any other day in the palace, Eugene," she said, turning to him and smiling. "At least for me, I find it very out of character."

"Oh," stuttered Eugene. The queen moved from the fireplace, with the letter still in her hand and folded neatly. She held it close to her bosom and it would be a lie to say that Eugene wasn't the least bit interested in it. The queen sat in her chair, holding out a hand for Eugene to sit in one of the chairs before her desk.

"Everything is going fine for you, Eugene?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh—yeah, totally."

"Adjusting nicely to the palace life?"

"Uh huh."

"I hope it isn't too dull compared to how you've lived your life as a rogue…"

Eugene was beginning to suggest this was as awkward for the queen as it was awkward for him. She was distracted, constantly eyeing the letter, which she now placed on her desk. Occasionally she would tap it with a finger and sigh deeply. He cleared his throat, trying to make himself sound as polite as possible.

"Was there something you needed me for in particular?"

"Right, yes, down to business," said the queen, hastily. She put the letter inside one of her books as an attempt to remove a distraction, but clearly she couldn't make up her mind. She sighed again and pulled the letter back out and just placed it in front of her. Eugene studied her expressions. She pursed her lips in the same way Rapunzel did, even crossing her arms in the same way when Rapunzel would think about where to move an object or what to paint, sketch, or design. Or which book to read. They were definitely mother and daughter.

At last the queen just sighed and placed the letter right before Eugene, which he was confused about. What would he do with a letter that was meant for the queen?

"What, do you want me to burn it?" he said, eyes darting to the fireplace. He was joking, but the queen looked like she believed he was being serious, until her face relaxed and it clicked for her.

"As nice as that would be," she said, "it's an official letter from the kingdom of Gemma…" As soon as she said Gemma she looked up at him, just in time to see his face falter. He looked down at the letter, feeling at the base of the folded parchment the wax seal of Gemma. The kingdom of Gemma…

Eugene grew up in Corona, but he would always pay attention to Gemma. He was never happy hearing about the royal family in Gemma, and whenever he heard the name of 'Queen Mildred' he wouldn't be happy for the rest of the day. She was a foul, greedy woman, who was conniving and manipulative…

"Eugene?"

He looked up to see the queen looking at him with worry. She gave him a comforting smile. He gave her a smile too, with her presence and the room reminding him that this was not one of those days. That those days were long gone now.

"Sorry," he said, still smiling. "Continue."

"As you know, our relationship with Gemma has been very strained ever since Rapunzel's sixteenth year missing. Since we share a border with them, the king and I realize we have to make amends before it gets too strained. We sent a letter of apology to them a day after you brought Rapunzel home. The response was, to say the least, typical of Queen Mildred."

"Let me guess," said Eugene loudly, realizing almost immediately that Flynn Rider's careless and obnoxious demeanor had come back as soon as Mildred's name was mentioned. Hastily he added, "if I may," and waited for the queen's nod of approval before he would go on. He didn't make an effort to make himself sound any less irritated and sarcastic. And despite the sarcasm, he was being serious. "Queen Mildred decides that, hey, look Rapunzel's home so why not have her and the prince hang out sometime if you want to repair kingdom relations. And knowing her she'll push to have the prince propose to Rapunzel, which he wouldn't mind doing, and you're having more than just a 'little concern' over that woman's intentions."

He was surprised when the queen laughed, and it was the kind of laugh that people did when they couldn't agree more with what he said. All he knew was he was really stepping out of line with the harsh character analysis and completely lack of disregard for respect, even though he was talking with the queen of Corona and not Queen Mildred of Gemma. Then a thought came to him.

"Did you do research on me when I came with Rapunzel?" he asked, a little weary. The queen gave a sad, truthful smile.

"It's one of the reasons your execution was called off," she said. "The execution papers were documented for a man named 'Flynn Rider', but there were no official documents saying you were legally Flynn Rider. And, fortunately, there was no real Flynn Rider so the officials couldn't pin impersonation on you." Eugene was about to open his mouth, that there was an incident where he had to impersonate an English tutor, but then he realized the queen meant they couldn't pin Eugene with the crime of impersonating anyone by the name of Flynn Rider since Flynn Rider didn't exist in the first place.

"They tried to make it so that you used it as an alias, but there was no doubt you reassumed life as Eugene Fitzherbert," she raised an eyebrow at him, as if tempting him to say otherwise. Eugene shrugged smugly, observing his nails.

"What does Eugene Fitzherbert have that Flynn Rider doesn't? As far as Flynn knew, I was the scary dark secret he kept jammed at the back of his closet." He smiled when the queen laughed again.

"That's why I'm confident that I can trust you with this," said the queen. "You can read the letter if you wish, before you go. Just keep in mind you'll only have six months to prepare, so do the best you can in that time." Eugene's smile faltered.

"Six months for what?"

"You're escorting Rapunzel. We can't decline, otherwise we'd really be straining the relationship and that might mean Gemma would take more extreme precautions in expanding their border."

"You don't mean—?"

"Yes, I do mean so. It's ideal that Rapunzel didn't have to deal with any sort of warfare, if we can avoid it."

"I see what you mean." Eugene didn't want Rapunzel's innocent worldview shattered because of warring states. The fact that people fought over something like the border would confuse and upset her.

A thought occurred to Eugene, the words of the royal advisor echoing in his mind. He was going to be hanging around for a very long time. Did that mean…

"Are you all expecting me to marry Rapunzel?" The question came out so fast he couldn't help but blush as he covered his mouth, as if trying to recapture the words and make it so that they were never spoken. The queen laughed again, and it was the kind of girlish giggle that made him nervous.

"More or less, and it's partially the other reason why the king and I want you to escort her."

"So, barring my expertise in avoiding the worst kind of people you meet on a long journey, you also want me to go to… assert dominance over her?" As crazy as that idea sounded, he wouldn't mind if it meant dangling a prize before Mildred and her son. Not that Rapunzel was a prize to be owned by anyone, but he'd rather she didn't get cosy with the prince of Gemma, and Mildred was not an ideal mother in law.

"In a sense, yes." The queen stood up and went around the table to stand next to Eugene. He also stood, wondering if their meeting was ending. To his surprise the queen gave him a hug, patting his shoulders lightly. She was trying to comfort him. He was amazed. The queen must be very good at reading people, because he hadn't even realized how tense he was. "Remember what I said to you when we first met. Your world has changed as much and as fast as Rapunzel's did. Take it slow, but take it in stride. Have confidence. As for Rapunzel, just make sure she's ready for the rest of the world. So far, you're her world, and I would really hate to see what happens if you get a more… permanent end." Eugene gulped. That wasn't a threat. It was a warning. A warning to be safe on the journey and to beware Mildred. Mildred was a bigger threat than any bandit Eugene ever came across. If she found out that the queen intended to forestall any possible engagement between Rapunzel and the prince it could mean war.

"I won't disappoint you," Eugene said confidently. The queen sighed, relieved, and proceeded to tell him about his itinerary for the next six months. The main focus was Eugene taking up swordplay lessons so that he knew how to defend himself and Rapunzel from attackers on their journey. Etiquette was also involved; it was a delegation with another kingdom, so Eugene had to be on his best behaviour (and the queen understood it was going to be very, very hard considering the circumstances). She also made sure to remind him that, if he could help it, to not try and knick anything while he was there. But she spoke in a way where she was sure he wouldn't be able to make any promises. She mumbled something about small, miss-able trinkets being acceptable, but avoiding stealing would be okay. He was amused. The queen of Corona was vindictive. Well, Mildred deserved it, after all. She did try to suggest that Rapunzel was long dead.

At dinner the king was overjoyed that Eugene agreed to escort Rapunzel. He considered knighting Eugene, which he moderately refused, and they had a quick discussion about Gemma. Even the king was vindictive over the Gemma royalty suggesting Rapunzel was dead. Every now and then he would comment on a Gemma stereotype or two and laugh heartily before realizing he was speaking to Eugene in which he looked slightly apologetic. Eugene didn't take any offence.

"I see myself as a true Coronian, Your Majesty," said Eugene, and he loved the tingle of pride he felt when he said that. Rapunzel had just walked in, one of her classes running late. It was most likely Philosophy or Astronomy, both of which were taught by the same elderly and ditzy professor Rapunzel grew attached to. And the professor fawned over her like she was his own granddaughter. Eugene and the old professor got along well too. He learned about Eugene's death from Rapunzel, as she completely trusted him and thought him to be a very wise old man (well, he was a philosophy professor). He somehow saw a metaphor behind it, saying that it was most likely that Flynn Rider died that day and Eugene Fitzherbert was the one that was brought back. Eugene found it an interesting perspective, but he still felt a little at war with him self, to say the least.

Once Rapunzel was seated they explained to her the plans for the trip, and she needed reminding that they couldn't arrange it sooner since it was winter (which, Eugene, was just the cover story). They did tell her that Eugene was going to need the time to prepare since he will be escorting her to Gemma. Rapunzel understood Eugene's crash course in etiquette, but she didn't comprehend his need to learn swordplay.

"He's good with a frying pan," she said. The king and queen smiled at her.

"Rapunzel, remember how I was winning with a frying pan and just as quickly started losing? And then the reservoir broke and we nearly drowned, until you used your magic hair to light the dark water-filled cave to save the day," pointed out Eugene. "And there are bandits and thugs out there that aren't as snugly and soft as the ones from the Snugly Duckling pub," he added. He took a pause, finding he had trouble swallowing. "Best to avoid the nasty ones, though." He took a drink from his goblet and noticed, as he put it down, that everyone had shared glances and were all looking at him. Even Pascal, who patted him gently and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"I think I see what you mean, Mother," said Rapunzel. She was also looking sympathetic. Eugene felt a lump in his stomach and his face growing hot.

"Eugene," Rapunzel started slowly, reaching a hand out to him. He jumped at her touch, ignoring the best he can that it was still not as warm as it should be, regardless of how much colder the palace had been since winter started. "I know it can be a bit scary, but we're trying to help you overcome it."

"Overcome what? Are you…" It clicked. "Oh! The thing with the sharp knives, swords, and daggers and the fact that I died after getting stabbed? Oh that—that's nothing! Really, guys, I'm fine. I mean, let's talk about something else—like this chicken, very tasty. Kudos to the chef, he's as brilliant as ever… why do you all keep staring at me?" By the end of his rambling his voice became very small and quiet. He groaned. "I'm fine." They left that topic alone for the rest of dinner.

He knew they had nothing but good intentions for him, but it was a problem he couldn't keep ignoring forever. Knives, needles, and scissors were fine, but he had no idea how he would react to holding a sword. Eugene knew he would feel a pang of empathy for whoever it is that he skewered. Before turning in for the night he paced his room, wondering how he was going to face whoever it was the queen and king chose to teach him how to fight effectively with a sword. He remembered Rapunzel defending him over dinner. She was right in some ways. Eugene could handle himself. But could he manage to take care of both him and Rapunzel?

He flopped onto his bed, messing up his hair in frustration. He was over-thinking things, surely. There was no need for all this freaking out!

"Don't freak out, okay?" echoed Rapunzel's voice, and suddenly they were back in the forest after managing to escape from the flooded cave.

"Right, let's not freak out…" Eugene took a deep breath. He heard something fall to the floor, looking up to realize it was Queen Mildred's letter, which he kept on the inside of his vest and forgetting about it until now. He picked it up, unfolding it and smoothing it out. He contemplated on reading it, wondering if it would manage to take his mind off of any inherent phobia he had, or if the letter would just make him angry. He decided to read it anyway. Eugene lit a candle, placing it on the night stand next to his bed.

Eugene immediately regretted his choice, because despite the amount of loathing whenever Mildred would faun over her son, it was near the end that all kinds of hate and anger were blown out of Eugene, leaving him feeling nothing but worry. And the worst kind of worry, too. The kind of worry that would mean many sleepless nights and hair pulling. He read the line again, just to be sure that it was real.

It was.

He refolded the letter and made sure to return it to the queen in the morning, not that it would make it seem like he never saw it in the first place. The queen! Why didn't she say anything? She couldn't think… but who else? After all, she didn't know everything about him. Birth certificates and records of his time at the orphanage weren't enough. She didn't know who it was Mildred was referring to.

'I do hope that you'll send Princess Rapunzel over to see us soon! I really wish Bastion would be taken to her, as I fear his attention has turned to bandit-snatching. A particular bandit, you might say. I do wonder how you and your husband manage crime in Corona. Here in Gemma we've found ourselves with an infestation of sorts. A notorious thief, a quick spinner of lies—master of deceit! I'm sure you've heard of him, a devilish man who goes by the name of Flynn Rider!'

He had no other choice. Phobia be damned—he had to go! He blew out the candle and buried himself under the blankets, trying to get himself to sleep. It took a while, but a mantra formed in his mind, and thinking it kept him calm enough that he started to feel drowsy. He was going to bust this 'Flynn Rider' and he was going to make sure this 'Flynn' wouldn't try anything like this again. Because everything is as it should be, he was where he was meant to be. But this 'Flynn' was going to ruin it if left doing what 'Flynn' does best. Running around in Gemma… doing whatever…

Eugene had to face the facts. He had no choice now. Gemma… he's coming home.

Had to rewrite this a lot. Dunno about you, but I need to know what I'm writing before getting down to it. This chapter drove me nuts!