Chapter 2: Splitting Ends

Normal POV

A shadowy figure came into the nursery through the window that evening. Both babies were asleep in their cradles, the figure tried not to wake them. Ah, the daughters of the flower, if this didn't revive her, what would? He zigzagged through both cradles, examining the children. Which one should he take? After all, the parents wouldn't miss her. He stepped on a creaky floorboard and woke one of the babies. She began wailing, the wails of one soon became both as they screeched for their parents. He had to think fast, and then he began to sing in his baritone like voice.

"Fall asleep, to never-ending dreams and hope you never wake, sleeping pills, just doses away, that's all you need for peace, sweet dreams, dear soul, just minutes left now let the darkness creep in heavy eyes and empty minds, dear soul, just fall asleep. Stop crying and rest no need for pain, no one can hurt you here, just a few doses and close your eyes," he sang.

Only one of the babies stopped crying, he decided that's the one he'd take. The other didn't cease she got louder and louder. He could hear doors flying open, and footsteps coming his way. He needed to get out quick, as if he was never there. He picked up the silent child and went out the way he came in.

The doors flew open and in rushed Rapunzel and Eugene. They ran to the cradle that held Zephyr, the crying child. Rapunzel picked her up and held her close. The windows were open, and Eugene turned to close them, as he did, he noticed that Misère was missing.

"Rapunzel!" he cried. "Misère, she's gone!" Rapunzel turned and looked at the empty cradle.

"Where could she have gone, they aren't even a day old!" Rapunzel said. Both parents stared out the open window. Someone had taken her. Eugene put both hands on the forearms of his wife.

"I'll go after the kidnapper, you get the guards; we must get the whole village to search!" he said. With that he jumped out the window and began jumping from roof to roof, searching for his daughter's kidnapper. Rapunzel took Zephyr and ran out of the nursery; she began ringing the bell at the top of the tower near her room, trying to wake the village.

The cloaked man had escaped the village, but the panic of his deed had just begun. He ran through the forest to his predestined escape route. This child would become his own; and until her potential unfolded, she would never see the village again.

-0o0-

Flynn's POV

I never knew how much having someone taken from you could hurt. We searched for months on end for our child, but she was no-where to be found. We kept guards in every room that Zephyr was in. We chose not to keep her in a tower because that had happened once, and we loved her too much to make her suffer.

Rapunzel never spent a minute away from the window that Misère's kidnapper escaped through. She was downcast. No, she was more than downcast. She was devastated. To have a child taken is the worst feeling either of us have ever felt. It hurt more than me dying. I joined her by the window from time to time. She sang her song constantly; bring back what once was mine, before sobbing uncontrollably. And every minute that she did, I was there to hold her. I was there to hold them both, like a good husband and father. But I couldn't help but think that Misère was safe, wherever she was… she was safe. Or at least I hoped so.

Rapunzel's POV

Zephyr grew quickly into Eugene's image. She was beautiful, with his eyes and hair with streaks of blonde shimmering throughout, my nose, his mouth, my smile… she was adventurous at a very young age. I would brush her hair every night by the window, staring out and wondering if that would be the night that Misère returned home. But to my dismay, she never returned. Eugene and I decided the day Zephyr turned four that Misère no longer existed, and that she was an only child.

"Hey Blondie," Eugene's voice rang out one evening as I did my daily brushing of Zephyr's hair. I turned only my head and gave him a smile while still running the brush through my daughter's hair.

"Daddy!" Zephyr said excitedly. Eugene came over and sat down in front of her and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"How's my big girl?" he asked her.

"Mommy's brushing my hair!" she said. Eugene looked up at me and smiled.

"I can see that sweetie she's doing a nice job isn't she?" he asked.

"She is! I love it when mommy brushes my hair and sings the light song to me!"

"The light song, what's that?" Eugene asked. I took it upon myself to explain.

"The song we sang the day they… I mean, she was born," I said. Eugene nodded.

"Daddy, can you sing your song for me? Mommy says both of you sang the light song when I was born and I stopped crying!" Zephyr said. I smiled at her.

"Maybe later Zephyr," I told her, getting up. Zephyr's tiny hand reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Promise?" she asked. Eugene bit his lip; she had gained the smoulder from him. If there's one thing I knew from our ten years of marriage, he could never resist her smoulder.

"I promise," Eugene told her, kissing her forehead. I set the brush down on the table next to Zephyr's bed.

"Okay Zephyr, you're all done, go play for a while," I told her. Zephyr nodded and ran out of the room. I stood up and Eugene was quick to sit in my place, beckoning me to sit on his lap. I sat down and we kissed for what felt like hours.

"You haven't kissed me like that in nearly five years," I told him with a laugh. He laughed back.

"You're my Blondie, can't I just kiss you for a while and we can be all lovey dovey?" he asked. I laughed.

"I guess we can, for now… but maybe not in our daughter's bedroom," I said. Eugene gave me a confused look.

"I meant we just… we could go lay down in our room and kiss and tell each other how much we love and adore each other…" Eugene said.

"I love you, Eugene Fitzherbert," I said with an ear to ear grin.

"I love you more my beautiful Blondie," he said.

"I love you most…" I said. I remembered who I used to say that to… and I shuddered. Eugene looked at me.

"What's wrong Rapunzel?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just… need to go lie down for a while," I said almost robotically. I got off his lap and made my way out of the room.

As soon I was sure that I was alone, on my bed with the door locked, I began sobbing again. I sobbed for the life I had… and I sobbed for my child who I would never see again.

"Flower… gleam and glow…" I muttered in between my tears. I got off the bed and went over to the window. "Let your power shine… make the clock reverse… bring back what once was m-m-m-m…" I didn't even have the energy to finish the line before beginning to sob again. There was a knock on the door. I heard the handle shake… no doubt, Eugene.

"Rapunzel are you okay? Rapunzel, let me in? Come on, let me in please?" he begged. I turned and sat against the wall. He was probably doing the smoulder face again… no doubt, he was.

"No, I just want to be alone," I said. I heard a click and the doors swung open.

"I have got to hide that key better…" I said. Eugene closed the doors and re-locked them, and then he made his way over to me. He slid down next to me and I gave him a look.

"What's wrong, Blondie?" he asked. I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Nothing… I'm just fine…" I said. He crossed his arms over his chest, putting his hands into his armpits and sighing.

"You're thinking about Misère again aren't you?" he asked.

"Eugene, I can't pretend that she doesn't exist! We've been lying to Zephyr about her sister for her entire life… you and I both know that she is not an only child…" I said.

"You're right, you're right," Eugene said. "I've had the same feeling for a while now. But I don't know what to do about it…" We sat in utter silence for a while.

"I say we tell her on her 16th birthday…" I said suddenly. Eugene gazed down at me. He sat upright against the wall again.

"I agree… we should," he said. He kissed my forehead and let it linger. "I have to go sing to Zephyr. Because I never, ever break a promise… ever." He said. I nodded and smiled at him.

"I love you, Eugene," I said.

"I love you too, Rapunzel…" he said. As soon as the door shut again, I climbed up onto the cushioned windowsill and stared out the window at the stars.

"I love you Misere… wherever you may be…" I muttered. I got off the windowsill and closed the curtains.

-0o0-

Note From Mrs. Naara: From now on I'm going to try to make these chapters longer. Thanks to reviewers. Again, I don't own Tangled, it's characters, or the music involved. Please REVIEW!