Entangled In Plague

Written By: Commander Cody CC-2224

CHAPTER 1

Three Years Ago…

The streets of Corona's Capital City were in an alarming state of panic. Church bells and school bells and noisy town criers were sounding the general alarm. Soldiers of the King were hastily herding many of the city's inhabitants across the streets and out of the city. It seemed that something truly serious was going on that warranted people to be moved out of the city itself.

Around the city men and women were hastily packing only a handful of belongings portable enough to be carried for long journeys. People packed food, clothes, and other necessities that they could stuff in a few sacks and large woven baskets as possible before heading out of their houses.

Inside the royal palace Flynn Rider strode his way across one of the palace alcoves in a hurried manner on the way to Rapunzel's bedchamber. At that time he was still a royal Sergeant of the Guard. He obtained this royal occupation after the previous Guard Sergeant was killed in some sort of freak accident, and Flynn was duly requested by the King and Queen of Corona to take the place of the previous Guard Sergeant, a request to which he responded faithfully and without much reserve. Such a position was accompanied with fringe benefits; the most important of them being that it allowed him to be with his wife Rapunzel and his baby daughter Daphne.

This time, however, Flynn was summoned for an assignment in disarming a plague device situated in the middle of a town street in Corona. But first he had to make sure that his wife and baby daughter were safely out of the city before he got to work.

Meanwhile, inside the royal palace, the same atmosphere of statewide emergency hovered across its rooms. In her royal bedchamber, Rapunzel, assisted by a palace maid, was packing luggage on a king-sized bed when Flynn stepped into the room, unannounced. Her pet chameleon Pascal was examining individual dry goods canisters in a quizzical manner. Because of the catastrophic nature of the plague device, Rapunzel and baby Daphne had to evacuate the castle until Flynn could find a way to disarm it completely. Flynn decided to take a little time assisting Rapunzel while trying to say his goodbyes.

"That's about all you and Daphne need for the moment," said Flynn, plopping nonperishable dry goods on the bed. Very soon he took notice of the amount of clothes Rapunzel packed into a separate traveling trunk. Was she packing her entire armoire?

"Rapunzel, I don't think it's a good idea to take all that. You'll be burden with much…"

"Oh, come on, Flynn!" Rapunzel interrupted her husband in sheer exasperation. "You're not the one that has to nurse Daphne at the breast! When my gown gets wet in the middle, it starts getting pretty uncomfortable to wear the same clothes! Why, just the thought of it is…!" She couldn't think of anything else to say, so Rapunzel finished with an angry sigh.

"But you're not going to be gone from this palace for long…hopefully," Flynn desperately tried to assure his wife. "I know it may take quite a long time, but based on my past first experience with a device like that…even something like that wouldn't take a day."

Rapunzel cast a look at Flynn that indicated utter skepticism. "And if the device is not disarmed?" she asked him. "Flynn, if it goes off, the entire Capital City will be awash in contamination. Every piece of property in this vicinity will be unfit for use…" she looked down. "…Even my clothes. We've got to think long term in case the device goes off."

Flynn couldn't believe his wife could have that much concern about her armoire. "Rapunzel, everyone's property is at stake," he admonished her. "And to top that…everyone's lives…depending if they aren't too close to the center of the town…where it's suspected the device is planted."

But Flynn could tell that Rapunzel was pretty stressed – and worried – at this very moment. For her, the state of emergency in progress was far more than just a mere inconvenience of leaving the royal palace; it meant that Flynn would be deeply involved with putting an end to the terror that was plaguing Corona's Capital City right now, at this very minute, at the risk of his own life. She just couldn't bear the thought that she might lose her beloved Flynn any moment.

"I…I don't know, Flynn," said Rapunzel sadly. "The thought of losing you…it's just…"

"Painful, yes, I know," Flynn agreed. "But I am about the only capable, competent man in this city qualified for the disarmament job."

Both Rapunzel and Flynn clasped hands together. She buried her face in Flynn's arms. Flynn held her in his arms for quite a while before glancing at the traveling trunk.

"Rapunzel, what are you going to do with all these clothes?" he asked her gently.

Rapunzel hung her head. "Look, Flynn; it's not as if I'm asking for cosmetic products to be packed," she told him. "When it comes to situations like this…Daphne and I should be able to survive…adequately…on most of the bare necessities, provided there's ample amount. That includes clothes, too."

"But Rapunzel, excessive clothing, I'm afraid, shouldn't have to be on the list of bare necessities you'll be taking with you and Daphne on your evacuation trip," Flynn had to remind his pretty distressed wife. "Too much luggage will slow you down. And you and Daphne have to get out…fast."

"Well, Flynn…you of all people can afford to make such assumptions because you don't have to concern yourself much of the time with personal hygiene," she retorted.

At this point, Flynn decided to let Rapunzel have her way…for the time.

"Well…don't you pack too many clothes," Flynn told her. "Pack as much necessary consumable provisions for you and Daphne. As much as you can. Does no good to have many clothes and not enough for you and Daphne…and Pascal…to eat."

"Right, Flynn," agreed Rapunzel, nodding her head.

Flynn checked the bedroom clock. "It's about time," he said sadly. "I have to go." He kissed his beloved Rapunzel and baby daughter Daphne goodbye, and then gave Pascal a light pat on the head. "See you when it's over," he told her quietly before departing from the bedchamber.