Rider's Ransom

Princess Rapunzel of Corona has been kidnapped. A note is left on her bed; her ransom. Miles away from the Kingdom, a young princess learns that perhaps her captor, Flynn Rider, isn't as bad as he makes himself seem.

.xx.

Rapunzel woke, groggy and unsure whether last night was a dream or not. Her head was pounding, and she couldn't help but feel the nasty crick in her neck. Moving her neck to the left, then right, she attempted to release the muscle of its strain before realizing where exactly she was.

Or where she wasn't.

Her eyes widened. So it wasn't a… a…

She shrieked, "FLYNN!"

Almost immediately, he bounded into her room, his eyes wide. "What? What's wrong? Is something attacking—OOMPH!" He fell backwards when she threw her pillow at him. Recovering from the unexpected blow, he glared at her.

"What was that for?"

"For kidnapping me," She threw the covers off of her, "take me home!"

He sighed, "I swear, we went over this last night. Fine," he stood up straight and put his hands on his hips, "let's go over it again. Rapunzel says: take me home! Flynn says: Never, mu-ha-ha!" He mocked an evil laugh and Rapunzel raised an eyebrow at him. Pascal shook his head in disbelief.

"Then Rapunzel says: take me home, or else! And Flynn says: Or else what? And then Rapunzel realises that her threat was empty and she has no back up so she decides, in utmost glee, to follow Flynn into his tower of wonder and wait patiently until her parents send word of the ransom. There, jog your memory?" He dodged when she threw her second pillow at him.

"This is how you repay me? I give you a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in and—oh no," his eyes widened, "oh no, no, no, no, no!" He ran to her and sat down on the bed beside her. "Don't cry, please? I can't take tears—nooo, don't let them spill! Dammit! You, frog!" He pointed at Pascal who raised his eyebrows (or where his eyebrows should have been, if he were human). "Make her stop crying!"

Pascal shook his head, universal sign of nuh-uh. Flynn turned back to Rapunzel. "Oh come on, Princess. I'm not that bad!"

"Yes you are!" She wailed and he was stumped. "And Pascal's a chameleon!"

Flynn deadpanned. "… we're in the middle of a sobbing crises and you have the mind to point out your lumpy leaf is a chameleon?"

"His name is Pascal!" Rapunzel whirled onto Flynn, her tears disappearing. "And what do you hope to accomplish from this? How much is my ransom?"

He looked smug. "A million gold coin—" and paused when she had a look of disbelief.

"What? Too much?"

She smacked him. "You think I'm only worth a million gold coins?"

His eyes widened. "You mean, I could've asked for more? OW!" He rubbed his arm where she punched him again. "That hurt, you know. You sure pack a punch for a damsel in distress."

"I am NOT in distress." She countered. "I am just extremely angry that my captor here thinks my parents will hesitate to pay one million gold coins for me. Honestly," she shook her head, "if I were a kidnapper, I'd ask for way more when I'm about to kidnap the heir to the throne."

Flynn glared at her. "Yeah, remind me next time to ask for ten million gold coins, alright?"

She smacked him again. "There won't be a next time, Rider."

"Of course, of course, pardon my misconception. Anyway," he got off of the bed, "you hungry?"

She gave him an incredulous look. "Come again?"

"I asked are you hungry? I was making break—oh crap!" Whirling around, he bounded out of her room and hurried down the stairs. Rapunzel and Pascal exchanged glances before she followed wherever Flynn disappeared to. To her amusement –and surprise- he was trying to blow out a fire that had started over his frying pan.

"STUPID EGGS! STOP BEING ON FIRE ALREADY!" Grabbing a pitcher of water, he threw it at his stove and made the fire evaporate into a hiss of smoke, and his eggs disintegrate into a pile of ashes. He looked defeated.

Rapunzel looked at Pascal. "Is he really…?" and Pascal nodded. They both turned back to their captor.

"He is, isn't he?"

Holding up the frying pan, Flynn turned back to Rapunzel. "I was hoping to give you eggs and toast for breakfast but um… my eggs turned into ash so… any suggestions on what we can eat?"

"I thought kidnapee's were supposed to eat stale bread and moldy cheese…"

Flynn snorted. "You really don't have faith in me." He put the pan back down on the stove. "I said I would never hurt you, even though I kidnapped you. Now, because it's your fault that our eggs burned, you need to figure out what we're gonna eat."

"MY fault?" She flew down the stairs and jabbed him in the chest. "How is it my fault?"

Flynn rolled his eyes. "FLYNN!" He mocked Rapunzel. "SAVE ME! I DON'T KNOW WHERE I—OW, stop hitting me!"

"Well stop kidnapping me!"

"I kidnapped you only once!"

"That's once too many!"

A loud grumble was heard and all three heads –Flynn, Rapunzel, and Pascal- turned to Flynn's stomach. He blushed in embarrassment. "Well… may we continue this wonderful argument after I've filled my stomach?" He looked up at Rapunzel hopefully. "I only know how to make eggs so it'd be… quite the treat if you made us something edible?"

Glaring at him, Rapunzel swiftly moved into the kitchen area of the tower. Of course she didn't like being couped up in the godforsaken place but she didn't want to starve either. If her captor was giving her the option of making breakfast, then fine. So be it. She'd make breakfast. She was really glad, at that point, that she watched the Castle Chef cook on many occasions.

Opening the fridge, she saw a few ingredients that may prove to make an excellent meal. Doing her thing, she dominated the kitchen as Flynn watched in awe. Pascal hopped off of Rapunzel's head and perched on Flynn's shoulder. He looked down at the chameleon. "She's good, isn't she?"

Pascal nodded, despite the situation. Flynn looked back up to see her moving left – then right – then chopping something. And then frying something.

And then some.

His mouth began watering and his stomach began grumbling even louder. Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, voila, "Breakfast is served." Rapunzel had a smug expression on her face when she saw Flynn ogle what she made. He looked back up to Rapunzel.

"You, dear Princess, are the most amazing person in the whole wide world."

She rolled her eyes and set the plates on the table. "Tell me something I don't know. Now, let's eat and discuss what we're doing today- Oh! I have a suggestion, how about take me home."

Flynn snorted. He got up off of the crate he was sitting on and sat across Rapunzel at the table. Pascal was sitting on the middle of the table with a small pile of food, just for himself. "I have a better idea, let's not."

"Oh come on, Flynn," she groaned, "I'll convince my parents to give you the million gold you're after and drop the charges on you."

"How about you get your stupid castle artiste to draw my nose right." He jabbed a finger to his face. "Does this look like and elongated tendril with a pimple on it?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want me to answer that after you forcibly took me out of my natural habitat, only to bring me to this cramped little space you call home?"

Flynn thought about it. "Actually… You have a good point, Princess."

"Thank you," she leaned back in her seat, "so when do I go home?"

"You are not! Geez, woman," he threw his fork down, "let's get something straight: you aren't going home, I'm not an evil menacing monster that's gonna keep you trapped in this dingy little place I call home," her eyes widened but he continued, "we'll still have fun. I'll take you places, places you've never seen before. Everything will be fun, fine, and dandy until we hear word for the ransom. As soon as I get my ransom, I'll plop you on Max and send you on your merry little way home. But," he crossed his arms, "I'll watch from afar to make sure you make it home and nobody else has kidnapped you in the process. Sound fair?"

"I don't like it." She whined.

"Well live with it," he smirked, "I'm offering you a great deal, you know? Most kidnappers I know keep their kidnapee's in a little prison cell. You're lucky I like brunettes," he winked at her and she threw a piece of egg at him. Flynn laughed.

Rapunzel exhaled sharply. She knew he had a point; most kidnappers didn't offer what he was offering. He didn't seem like an evil villain that would cut her up into little pieces as soon as he got the ransom—but then again, maybe it was all just a game for him. Maybe he was like that. But what could she do? What was she capable of?

Nothing except to play along. Play along until she had a way to escape and then run—yes, that's what she'd do. She straightened her posture and looked him in his eyes.

"Fine. You have my cooperation."

"You think you're smart," he snorted, "you can't run away. And even if you do, you have no idea where we are."

"ARE YOU A MIND READER?"

"Nope, I can just call bluffs and you walked right into that."

She paused. "… darnit!"

Flynn threw his head back and laughed heartily. Rapunzel pouted and continued to glare at her captor. As much as she didn't want to admit it at that moment in time, she did find him dashing- just as she did at the Corona Marketplace the previous day. Plus, he had a nice laugh.

But she still didn't like him.

At all.

"Tell you what, Princess," he composed himself, "for making me breakfast, I'll take you to the top of the waterfall up there." He pointed outside of the window. "I hope you can swim…"

"I can swim, I just don't have clothes to change into after I'm done swimming."

Flynn grinned. "You don't. But I do. You can wear my clothes, we'll go to a nearby marketplace, and buy you some clothes. If you promise to behave and not run away, I'll take you, otherwise you'll stay here and I'll go do some shopping for you."

She glowered at him. "Seriously? That's like dangling a piece of meat in front of a starving man and yanking it away as soon as he could taste it."

"Exactly. Hey, you make amazing analogies."

"FLYNN!"

"Sorry! I have to compliment talent when I see it."

She rubbed her temples. "I don't know whether I should be afraid of you, or hit you."

"I think I'm afraid of you," he admitted, "you really do hit hard. I'd rather you be afraid of me—please don't hit me anymore."

Rapunzel stared at him for a long time. She looked down at Pascal who had taken the shade of the table. Sharing a connection, Rapunzel saw Pascal nod and her expression softened slightly. Pascal was right, it was best to do what he said. She didn't know what he was capable of, and listening to his commands would be the smartest thing to do. Besides, she didn't know what type of marketplace he was going to take her to- if it was good, or bad.

"Alright. Fine. I'll do what you say."

"You don't have to sound sad about it," he mumbled, "I promise we'll have fun."

Her eyebrows furrowed together. "Who are you? You aren't like the captors I hear about. Why aren't you mean and threatening to kill me?"

Fynn chuckled. "I can't even hurt a fly. Life is too precious to destroy—let's just say that I've accomplished every banditry act in the book except kidnap a princess. So, I'm just fulfilling one of my life's wishes."

She was expressionless. "Really?"

"Yep."

"Seriously?"

"Yes'sir!"

"You are really something else."

"And that's how I like it," grinning, Flynn stood up. "Come on, Princess, a waterfall awaits!"

She shared a look with Pascal and shrugged. "Oh well, let's go dive off of a cliff, Pascal." And her chameleon scurried up her arm and perched on top of her head. Standing up, she took one last gulp of water and followed the staircase that Flynn had gone down.

.xx.

"This is really high, Flynn." She murmured as she looked down the cliff. They had gone around and on top via a secret path so that potential passing guards wouldn't see them, and Rapunzel had been following Flynn as closely as she could. At certain times, he had told her to go on ahead because the road would be rocky and she had the possibility of falling backwards. He wanted to be there to catch her.

If she wasn't his captive, she would've thought it was sweet. But, alas, she was and he wasn't sweet. He was just Flynn.

Flynn Rider, the man who was wanted, dead or alive.

And her captor.

"My life sucks," she had mumbled to Pascal who, much to Rapunzel's displeasure, nodded in agreement.

"This is the height of excitement!" He roared. His voice echoed in the valley beneath them. Rapunzel shivered; both from excitement and the cold. Flynn tilted his head to look over at the woman beside him. "I'll go first?" He offered.

She was taken back. "Aren't you afraid I'd run away?"

"Nah," he tossed his hand in the air, "I trust you. Besides, do you even know where to go if you ran away?"

He winked at her before diving off of the cliff and into the river beneath them. Rapunzel looked over at Pascal. "He gives me a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, and food to eat." Pascal watched her. "Would it be wise to run away and potentially be eaten by wild animals? Or trust him –limitedly, of course- with my life. He did say that he'd hand me over when the ransom comes."

Pascal seemed to be deep in thought.

"RAPUNZEL!"

She looked down and saw Flynn waving at her. "JUMP! THE WATER IS GREAT!"

Rapunzel stared at him for a moment longer before looking behind her.

Forest.

Nowhere to go.

She looked down at Flynn Rider floating in the water.

A person.

To, somewhat, take care of her.

The choice was in her hand and, whether she would regret it or not, she knew what the right choice was.

"IF I DROWN, I'LL COME BACK JUST TO HAUNT YOU!" She called down to Flynn before closing her eyes and jumping. Pascal was holding onto her short hair as she tore through the sky to the water beneath her. She hoped she made the right decision; she didn't get a totally bad vibe from Flynn so maybe, she had.

Made the right decision, that is.

The impact of the water was sharp and Rapunzel held her breath as she sank a few feet below the surface. Propelling forward, she broke the top of the water and inhaled deeply, laughing, even though she didn't want to. Opening her eyes, she saw a grinning Flynn watching her. "So? Fun jump?"

And, even though she didn't want to display her excitement, she did. "YES! I've never experienced something like that, ever!"

"Wanna go again?"

Her eyes widened. "Do I!"

Laughing, he swam to the edge of the water and Rapunzel followed him. He pulled himself out and held a hand out to her. Hesitantly, she took it and allowed him to help her pull herself out of the water. Letting go immediately, she ran her fingers through her hair and studied him. Pascal was on the ground, getting over the rush. If chameleons could talk, he'd be saying whoa…

"You trusted me." Her tone was almost accusatory. "Why." It was a demand, not a question.

He shrugged. "I knew, somewhere deep down, somehow, that you trust me. Even if you don't want to. I knew you'd never pick the unknown over somebody who, I hope, has kind of proved themselves to you. It was a whim, I guess."

She raised both eyebrows. "Flynn Rider, you definitely are something else."

"You know, I can get used to you saying that to me." He winked at her. "Come on, you know the pathway now, right?"

She nodded.

"Alright, race you to the top!" And he tore off, laughing. Rapunzel was stunned for a moment before a grin of her own spread across her face.

"YOU'LL REGRET CHALLENGING ME, RIDER!"

.xx.

"And now, we're both soaking wet, and I have no clothes, and I think Pascal is catching a cold." Rapunzel cradled her chameleon close to her chest. Flynn was lounging on a chair in the tower, still in his wet garments.

"Can frogs catch colds?"

She threw him a dirty glare. "Chameleon."

"Right. Right. Hey, if he turns blue, at least we know that he's breathing—get it? Get it? Ow!" He yanked backwards when she kicked his shin.

"Not funny, Rider."

He glared at her for a moment before stretching his legs out once more. "Fine, it wasn't funny. I'm sorry."

She stared at him. "You're forgiven."

Flynn stood up and stared sadly at the puddle beneath him. "This is gonna take a while to clean," and then shrugged and grinned. "Oh well. I'll grab us some dry clothes and a little blanket for Pascal. We'll go into town to get you some clothes."

"Corona Market?" She asked hopefully and he chuckled.

"Right, I may trust you, but not that much. We're gonna go somewhere else."

"Hey, I tried."

"You get a point for the effort."

She rolled her eyes and he, lazily, dragged himself up the stairs. Something hit her, as she stroked Pascal's tail. "Hey, Flynn?"

He looked down at her. "What?"

"Is that your bedroom?" She ushered to the room she woke up in that morning. He looked at the door and back down at her.

"Yeah, why?"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Where'd you sleep last night?"

A knowing look crossed his face. He brushed his wet bangs out of his eyes, a movement Rapunzel was getting used to. "On the sofa," he said nonchalantly, "I told you. I have respect and trust for you. A princess should not be reduced to sleeping on anything but a bed." And with a final wink, he disappeared into his room. She looked down at Pascal.

"Who is he?"

Flynn Rider had yet to cease in amazing her.

.xx.