CHAPTER 3

Rapunzel kneeled by the captain, but it was useless. The others were looking around but there was no sign of the archer. He would have warned the others by now anyway.

We gotta get out of here, Wilhelm signed.

"I know," Eugene nodded. "Let's go!"

As soon as they started crossing the bridge that leaded to the woods, they heard the crowd coming after them.

"Run! Come on!"

"They're gonna catch us!"

"No," he said. "The Duckling"

"What?"

"The secret passage to the Duckling. They'll never find us there. Let's go, quick!"

They ran for their lives. The invaders chase their steps all over the woods and they would have caught them no doubt if they hadn't found the entrance at the tree.

"Max won't fit," Rapunzel noticed.

"You'll have to go all the way around, boy" Eugene said, patting the horse's head. "We'll meet you at the tavern, ok?"

The animal whined and nodded. Wilhelm carried his brother, who was unconscious. The five of them quickly slide inside the tunnel. After a while of walking they came to a dead end. They stopped there, too tired to do anything.

"What is this? I thought this leaded to the Duckling"

This is where Jakob and I came out when you almost had us drowned, Wilhelm said. It seems the tunnel collapsed after that.

"Why didn't you tell us!"

I didn't know, you…!

"Ok!" Rapunzel interrupted them, "That doesn't matter anymore! What are we going to do?"

"We can hide. Come out late at night when they have stopped looking for us. Then we'll go to the Duckling by the long way. They'll help us there"

They sat down and laid their backs against the tunnel's wall. Daimhim approached to Jakob again and checked his wound. It was not bleeding anymore, but it seemed bad. She touched his forehead; he was running a fever, which meant the wound was infected already. Wilhelm watched, anxious. Daimhin turned to see him surprised.

"You're twins! I hadn't noticed"

Of course we're twins! Please!

"I forgot," Eugene said not very enthusiastically. "Daimhin, this is Wilhelm Stabbington and his brother Jakob"

"Daimhin Fogelman," she introduced herself.

They stayed there for hours, but for them they felt like days. Jakob was growing weaker and weaker. Eugene went to check and came back.

"I think it's safe now. I guess it's around midnight".

They stood up and walked back to finally get outside. The woods were cold and very dark; it was new moon. They solved they would camp there for the night and head for the pub before first light. Eugene started a nice fire and they all sat around it. Daimhin was cleaning Jakob's wound; she had his head lying down on her knee. Wilhelm observed him, desperate.

He's really bad, he said. He knew the only one who understood him was Eugene.

"What I don't understand…" he answered, "is why he did that. Why on earth would he save my life?"

"Because…" Jakob said with a fainted voice, "because…"

"He's awake!"

Wilhelm would have liked to talk to his brother, but he could only lay a hand on his arm to let him know he was there.

"Where are we?" he finally opened his eyes and murmured.

"In the woods," Eugene answered.

Jakob looked up to the girl in whose knee he was resting. He saw her bright hazel eyes and a warm smile.

"I'm Daimhin Fogelman," she said as he looked at her, puzzled.

"You pulled the arrow out"

"Yes"

"That hurt like hell"

"Sorry"

"I'm so tired," he closed his eyes again. "By the way, Rider: I did it because you saved our lives first"

"What?"

"We were going to be hanged. The knots were tied. You spoke to the king in our behalf, as you said. Didn't you?"

"Well, yes. I never expected you too… Thank you".

Jakob did not answer. He fell asleep almost immediately. Everybody was in silence. Eugene was holding Rapunzel in his arms; Wilhelm was completely absentminded; Daimhin was examining the arrow she had pull out of Jakob's shoulder. For some reason she had kept it all this time almost unconsciously.

"Blue feathered," she murmured. "You just don't see these everywhere"

Wilhelm turned to see her.

You know who these men are?

Eugene translated what he had asked. Daimhin looked at him, at Rapunzel and then at Wilhelm. She shook her head.

"No. It's nothing symbolical about them. It's just it is expensive to dry feathers of this color. My father has sold arrows like this. Actually…" she opened her eyes wide.

"What?"

"He sold some a week before we came here. This man came to see him. He wanted to buy a lot of weapons. I know nothing more because he made me leave them alone"

"Do you think…?" Rapunzel suggested.

"I don't think so. If Father would have known anything about this attack, he would have warned the king, I'm sure"

Suddenly Jakob started coughing. He was not breathing well; he opened his eyes without say anything and then he went unconscious.

"My God," Daimhin murmured. "I don't think he…"

What?

"I don't know, but I don't think he survives the night…"

No! NO! Wilhelm stood up and walked toward Rapunzel and Eugene, with tears rolling down his cheeks and moving his hands frantically.

You have to heal him! You have to heal him!

He grabbed Rapunzel by the arms and started shaking her.

Heal him! You heal him!

"Let her go!" Eugene pushed him away. "She cannot heal him! She has not her hair anymore!"

Wilhelm looked at him, then at the princess and then he fell on his knees and started crying silently. Eugene knew that the only thing the Stabbington brothers really cared about was each other.

"We'll take him to the Snuggly Duckling as soon as we can," Rapunzel tried to cheer him up. "Maybe he just needs to rest"

Daimhin fell asleep, she was exhausted. But the rest of them could not even close their eyes. Wilhelm had been crying for hours at his brother's side. Rapunzel and Eugene observed him.

"I never thought I'd see him like this," Eugene murmured. "It really gets to me"

"I have to help him. You know I can," the princess said.

"No! Rapunzel, no one must know you can still heal people"

"But he saved your life. He saved what I treasure most"

"You'd need to cry".

"I'll figure it out, think of something very sad, I guess. But I need you to keep the other away, give me some time"

Eugene stood up and cleared his throat.

"Hey, Stabbington! There's… this plant. Rapunzel thinks it may help to heal your brother. We gotta go find it"

Plant? What are you talking about? I swear, Rider, if you're mocking me…!

"I'm not," he said firmly. "You want to save him or not?"

He looked into Eugene's eyes. For once, he seemed to be serious. Wilhelm stood up and nodded.

"We'll be back soon"

Rapunzel waited until their steps could not be heard. Then she kneeled by Jakob Stabbington and star thinking how could she make herself cry.

In the meanwhile, Eugene was pretending to look among the bushes as Wilhelm held the lantern. At times he thought Eugene was just waisting his time, but something told him he should trust him for this once. Besides, what did he have to lose? After a while, they came back to the camp; Eugene was holding some leaves in his hand.

"I'm telling you; this is not basil. It's only… very alike"

Wilhelm stopped, shocked, when he saw his brother sat against a tree, awaken. Across the fireside, Rapunzel lied, pretending to be asleep.

"Oh, look! He's awake! Here," he hurried and placed the leaves over the man's shoulder.

"I feel fine," Jakob murmured and pushed him away.

Are you sure? But… how?

"The leaves. It must have been the plant," Eugene stated.

You're sure you are alright? Wilhelm took a look under the bandages. His eye opened wide when he found the wound was gone. Completely banished.

"What is it? What do I…? Oh! It can be!"

Wilhelm hugged his brother tight. He thought he would lose him.

"Good you're alright," Eugene said. "Now, excuse me. I'm very tired"

Eugene laid down by Rapunzel and murmured to her ear:

"How did you manage to cry?"

"I only imagined," she whispered back, "what would have happen if that arrow would have hit you"