Chapter 3: Explanations and Terrible News

Hello again! I´m here with another chapter yaaayy! First of all I want to thank to all the ones that had reviewed. You are incredible! And, as always, thanks to the ones that had read my story and that had added it to their favorites and alerts.

In this chapter as I said before, you´re going to find out what´s going to happen with Eugene, what crime did he supposedly have done and what will Rapunzel do to help him. This is also the longest chapter I´ve written, I hope I don´t get you all bored. Well let´s get on with the story!

Review replies:

Lulabell143: yes this is my first story ever. I haven´t done something like this and I´m glad you like my story. Also I think that if you like tangled you should do your own story. I´m sure it would be good. Thanks for your review!

An unknown foreign Beauty: thanks for your wonderful review! I´m glad you liked it. And yes, I´ve seen your story. I think it´s probably a really beautiful story but sadly I haven´t read it yet. I´m actually afraid of reading it… (what a dumb reason…) I´m really sentimental and I think that if I read it I´m going to cry like a baby. But I´ll try to read it even so. Thanks again and also thanks for your advice.

Disclaimer: I don´t own tangled.

*Edit: editing this thing is almost painful but here we go...

Flynn Rider was not only known for his infamous thefts, but also by the fact that not a single guard in the kingdom could catch him, no matter how hard they tried. He was an unpredictable blur of activity, sneaky and stealthy, never being caught off guard. Much to the Captain's annoyance, Rider was always a step ahead; predicting their moves and fleeing the place before they even had caught a glimpse of him.

Therefore, it had come as a shock to Eugene that he had been taken completely by surprise. Never in his wildest dreams would he have predicted this unfortunate turn of events. He could not comprehend what had happened in the course of the last ten minutes. One moment he was walking peacefully holding hands with Rapunzel without a single care in the world, and the next he was being shoved to the ground and handcuffed without a single explanation.

In the past, he would've been more concerned by the fact that they'd actually been able to catch him, but his main concern at the moment was figuring out exactly why he was being arrested now.

The situation would have been laughable in another time.

Flynn had always been proud of his always successful thefts. Not only did he made it a point to be recognized whenever he committed one of his infamous crimes, but he also liked to brag about his increasingly dangerous escapades. No wonder he was known all over Corona as the most wanted and dangerous criminal in the kingdom. Of course, he liked to add fuel to the rumors of him apparently being a dangerous man. He wouldn't exactly call himself dangerous, but better let people believe he was, made the job easier and his reputation more outstanding.

Therefore, Flynn never forgot a crime he ever committed, he kept them all in memory like fond treasured triumphs, the base of his success. The only problem now was that, as far as he was concerned, he hadn't committed one of his infamous thefts since his greatest performance (a.k.a: the theft of the Lost Princess' Tiara). Heck, he would know! He would be bragging about it by now, he wouldn't have been so blatantly oblivious, strolling peacefully through the village like he didn't have a single concern in the world.

Of course, the stolen jar of cookies that remained hidden under his bed, or that one time he decided to steal the Captain's sword while he had a chat with the King about the kingdom's security problems didn't exactly count as grandiose crimes, did they? It couldn't be that bad for the guards to practically drag him to the King and throw him in the dungeons as soon as they had the chance. No, it had to be something else. But for the first time in his life, he was innocent of whatever crime he was being accused of.

He was not exactly glad about that certain fact. Had he been guilty, he would already be planning his grand escape, not even caring about who or what he left behind. But now things were different. He was trying to clean his name, trying to prove himself worthy to court the princess of Corona, he was trying to change for the better. This wasn't exactly helping his already precarious situation.

How was he going to prove his innocence? His word wasn't worth anything with a reputation like his preceding him.

Finally, after a long walk through the kingdom -which Eugene barely noticed as he was too lost in thought to even care about where they were taking him- they made it to the palace's courtyard. They passed through the grandly ornate oak double doors that marked the entrance to Corona's Palace and entered the main hall. The spacious, meticulously decorated room, with its pristine white marble walls and its spotless floors, was strangely intimidating under these particular circumstances.

The grand marble double stairs rested grandiosely in the far end of the main hall, where a surprised Queen and a slightly concerned King stood, beholding the scene with bewildered eyes.

"What is the meaning of this, Captain?" The King's deep voice resonated throughout the room.

"Need I remind you that Mr. Fitzherbert has been pardoned of all his crimes?" Asked the Queen, her regal stance didn't do anything to soften her sharp stare. "Because I thought we'd made that clear."

"Indeed, Your Majesty." The Captain bowed his head slightly, averting his gaze from the Queen's calculative eyes. His glare sharpened though, as his eyes landed on Eugene instead. "However, as I so keenly warned before, we should've never trusted this good-for-nothing criminal. It seems that Rider here just couldn't resist himself and decided to return to his old ways."

Eugene's eyes narrowed as the Captain's face flashed with a contemptuous sneer. "As I've always said; once a criminal, always a criminal."

"As much as I hate to disappoint you, Cap, I'm afraid this time your judgement is quite misguided. I fail to see what my crime was."

The Captain bristled at Eugene's snarky remark. "Why do I find that hard to believe?" His scornful glare would've already incinerated the younger man if it had been possible. "You know perfectly well what you did, so drop the act now. Your fake innocence won't get you anywhere."

Eugene's mouth opened indignantly. But his annoyed reply was cut off by the King's thundering voice.

"He might know Captain, but we don't. Care to explain what this man is being accused of?"

"The Stabbington brothers escaped prison this morning." Informed the Captain with a disdainful glower. "The guards who were in watch duty were severely injured."

A feeling akin to dread settled over Eugene, like ice-cold water dripping into his back. If the Stabbingtons had indeed escaped prison, it wouldn't be long before they were looking for him. Revenge was their speciality, and they tended to use dreadfully painful methods to punish those who dared turn against them.

The Captain's derisive voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "And who is the only prisoner that has ever managed to escape the gallows successfully just minutes before his execution?"

His withering glare could've made any other man squirm uncomfortably, but Eugene was more than used to his menacing stare. He was more preoccupied by the thought of the Stabbington Brothers running rampant around the kingdom while the Captain and his minions wasted time interrogating him instead of searching for the fugitives.

The King raised an skeptic eyebrow, his expression blank but his eyes hid just the slightest hint of concern. The Captain pressed on.

"And you have to remember, Your Highness, that the Stabbingtons were this man's partners in crime." His voice was dripping with contempt as he regarded Eugene with an unpleasant twist of his mouth. "Who else would have helped them escape?"

Eugene's mouth opened, ready to defend himself against the Captain's accusations, but his annoyed reply died in his throat as another voice echoed through the main hall.

"He hasn't done anything!"

Rapunzel's cheeks were flushed with exertion, her brown hair slightly disheveled, her chest heaving with every breath she took. She paused for a moment, panting a little as she tried to regain her breath before she spoke again.

In Eugene's opinion, she looked adorably flustered now that she had noticed she had successfully gained the attention of every person present in the room.

"I-I can prove he is innocent." She stuttered, averting her gaze for a second before taking a deep breath, as if to brace herself, and meeting the Captain's stare with a determined glint in her eyes.

"I've been with Eugene the whole day. I personally went to wake him up to go to the village together. There's absolutely no way he could've done that."

"So…" the King turned to address the Captain, "What do you have to say about this, Captain?"

"I'm sorry Your Highness, but there's no other proof that confirms Rider's innocence." Although the man's sneer disappeared, his contemptuous stare was still present on his face. "The evidence that the Princess provides is simply not enough to drop the charges against him."

"Are you implying that my daughter's word is not reliable?" The King raised a questioning eyebrow, his expression blank but his tone sharp.

"I would never suggest such a thing, Your Majesty. But, with all due respect..." The Captain regarded Rapunzel for a moment, a condescending glint glimmered in his eyes. "I have enough reasons to believe your daughter might be slightly influenced by this criminal."

The King's eyebrows raised in surprise, and the Queen frowned reproachfully. "What are you insinuating, Captain?"

"It wouldn't be the first time Rider convinced someone to cover for his crimes." The Captain huffed. "After all, his reputation is well known all around Corona."

Eugene scowled. He knew Rapunzel wouldn't understand or even notice the Captain's derisive insinuation, but everyone else present knew perfectly well what the Captain was implying. It wouldn't be the first time Flynn Rider seduced a woman in order to avoid a difficult situation. He had been helped more than enough times by daring barmaids or the occasional young maiden looking for an adventure that would lure them out of their tedious routine.

The idea of him doing the same to the naïve princess wouldn't be all that surprising.

However, he seemed to be underestimating Rapunzel. Her previous determined stare turned cold, her jaw set and her eyes narrowed. She spoke with a biting tone Eugene had never heard her use before.

"I'm not lying just to cover for him, if that's what you're trying to say, Captain." Her icy stare didn't falter as she regarded the older man carefully. "Contrary to your belief, I am not that persuadable."

"But if my word is not enough for you, Captain, you can go interrogate every person in the village who saw us together then."

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry but we do not have time to interrogate every single villager in the kingdom on behalf of proving the innocence of a man who has committed enough crimes to warrant him a sentence to death."

"Oh please!" Eugene scoffed, already tired of the Captain's patronizing responses. "What proofs do you have to frame me of the Stabbington's escape anyway?"

"Unfortunately for you, Rider, you have a rather long list of crimes that provides enough evidence to consider you a suspect." Replied the Captain, his voice gruff and scornful. "Not to mention your partnership with the Stabbingtons in the theft of the Princess' crown."

"You cannot just frame him based on that!" Exclaimed Rapunzel, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed with indignation

"Enough!" The King's deep voice boomed, effectively silencing the banter between both parties.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his weary eyes as he sighed exasperatedly. "Wether Mr. Fitzherbert is guilty or not, Captain, you and your men should be looking for the Stabbingtons right now before they decide to leave the kingdom, if they haven't already."

The Captain opened his mouth, ready to retort, but the King spoke again effectively cutting him off. "I'll be the one to determine if Mr. Fitzherbert is guilty and if so, declare the punishment he is to be given for his crime."

Eugene's slight relief disappeared as soon as it arrived. He could deal with the Captain alright, but he wasn't so sure about the King. One wrong move and he would lose the trust that the King and Queen had so graciously bestowed upon him. And he couldn't afford that.

"James?" the King's booming voice echoed around the main hall. Just a few moments later a short, plump man came rushing inside.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" the man bowed respectfully.

"Prepare a meeting with the members of the council. Tell them it's urgent."

"As you wish, Your Highness." The man replied before bowing once more and leaving.

"Now Captain, you may go." Dismissed the King. "Send all your men to search for the Stabbingtons; that is a priority. We will discuss this later. You should have been more careful considering they were the most dangerous criminals in the kingdom."

"My apologies, Your Highness, I can assure you this will not happen again." The Captain bowed.

"It better not. Now go."

"What are we going to do with Rider?" asked one of the guards still restraining Eugene.

The King waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Let him go for now. There is not enough evidence to press charges against him."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." With one last bow, the guards left, following the Captain outside the main doors, leaving Eugene free of the handcuffs restraining his hands.

He rubbed his wrist carefully, wincing slightly as he touched the raw skin. His arms were sore from being held back and restrained for so long and he was sure there were going to be bruises left from the guards' strong grip on his shoulders and biceps.

He felt a small hand rest on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

His eyes met Rapunzel's concerned gaze. "I'm fine. Just a few bruises, but I've been worse." He smiled reassuringly, hoping to ease her conscience. But Rapunzel's eyes remained clouded with worry.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Rapunzel finally spoke again. "Mother, Father, you do believe us, right?" she asked approaching her parents carefully. Her eyes were hopeful, but her voice was tainted with doubt.

Eugene knew she still had troubles regarding her parents. She was usually bubbly and happy around them, but her smiles often hid her wariness and uncertainty. He knew that after what happened with Gothel she would always find it hard to trust someone again. It was both painful and heartbreaking to see her struggle every day not to cringe whenever her father's booming voice raised cheerfully as he spoke or whenever her mother tenderly patted her cheek.

Rapunzel bit her lips nervously, averting her gaze before speaking again, as if afraid of her parents' response. "Eugene is innocent. He hasn't done anything, I'm sure of it. Please, you have to believe me."

Her pleading stare made his heart squeeze painfully in his chest.

"We believe you, Rapunzel." The Queen smiled tenderly, her soft voice now soothing and warm.

"But we have to prove that Mr. Fitzherbert isn't guilty." Continued the King. "That's why I have to discuss this with the council members. Without their approval we can't declare him innocent or blameful for the escape of the Stabbingtons."

"Why don't you both go to rest? You must have had a tough day." Said the Queen kindly. "I'll send someone to each of your rooms with your dinner."

"Thanks Mother." Replied Rapunzel quietly. She gave her mother a good night kiss and hugged her father briefly before heading upstairs.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Eugene bowed before following Rapunzel up the stairs.

They walked to Rapunzel's bedroom without saying a word, both too lost in thought to voice their actual concerns. Eugene knew that his situation was a bit more delicate than the King was letting on. If the council members didn't deem him innocent, he could say goodbye not only to his freedom, but to a future with Rapunzel too.

Rapunzel seemed to be thinking something similar. She worried her lower lip between her teeth like she often did when she was nervous, and there was a faint line between her eyebrows that betrayed her concern. Eugene suppressed the urge to smooth it away.

It was not until they reached the princess' bedroom that she finally turned to face him.

"Do you think they'll believe us?" asked Rapunzel, her usually cheerful eyes tainted with worry. He would do anything to take away her concern. She didn't need to worry about him.

"Of course they will Blondie." He smiled reassuringly, trying to muster his usual confident air and carefree attitude. He was slowly realizing that after finally going back to being Eugene, canalizing Flynn's suave personality was not as easy as it used to. "They don't have any proofs to frame me of the Stabbingtons' escape anyway."

He wished he could believe himself. He wished his words were as soothing to him as they were to Rapunzel, but he knew better than to believe them. Life somehow always found the way to throw the worst at him. He should've known it was too good to be true. His happiness couldn't last that long, could it? It never had after all. But Rapunzel didn't need to know that.

"Yes, you're right. They can't possibly blame you without any proofs." She frowned thoughtfully. "But who could've done it then?"

Hell if he knew...

"That's what I've been thinking about. It must've been someone really skillful. It's nearly impossible to escape the dungeons by yourself, so they couldn't have done it alone." And whoever managed to break the twins free must have had a damn good reason to do so. He didn't know what troubled him more, the twins or the mysterious person who had helped them escape.

Eugene had always had a tendency to avoid any kind of drama. He usually ran from his problems until they managed to catch up on him or until they were big enough for him to have to deal with them himself. So that was exactly what he expected to do in this particular situation.

"Well, it's been an awfully long day Blondie. We'll talk about this tomorrow, okay?" He rubbed her arm tenderly. "Now you have to rest, tomorrow is probably gonna be a long day."

He leaned forward and kissed her softly, her hand coming to rest on his cheek as she kissed him back, her lips pulling into a smile.

"Goodnight, Blondie." He whispered against her lips, his nose rubbing tenderly against hers.

Rapunzel's smile widened. "You should probably stop calling me that. I'm not blonde anymore remember?"

"Sorry, the name's stuck. Get used to it." He chuckled, running his hand through her soft, cropped brown locks before parting away.

"Sweet dreams, Eugene." She laughed before disappearing behind her bedroom door.

The castle of Corona was an immaculate structure indeed. Of course, that was to be expected. The royal family couldn't have anything less than the perfectly decorated hallways, spotless marble floors and pristine walls. Everything within the palace was kept in perfect order, neat and elegant as it should be. Well, everything except for the King's office.

Of course the room wasn't any less elaborate and elegant than the rest of the palace, with its huge imposing fireplace, the floor-length window overlooking the entire kingdom on the right side of the room, and the vast bookshelf containing the King's personal collection of books and encyclopedias. The furniture and ornamentation was exquisite, everything was set to provide and air of wealthiness and elegance worthy of a king. Unfortunately the state of disarray in which King Edward kept his office definitely tampered the intended gracefulness the room should've provided.

Books laid opened and dismissed all around the floor, stacks of papers and unopened letters littered the spacious wooden desk, maps and other important documents were kept in an untidy pile on another small table in the far corner of the room, all of which failed to concern the king of Corona in this particular moment.

No, he had much more pressing matters to deal with.

The fire cracking and sputtering in the fireplace was the only sound breaking the peaceful quiet reigning over the King's office. He sat behind his unkept desk pondering the events of the day, a deep frown creasing his forehead.

It was no secret that the rulers of Corona were loved and respected by their subjects, and there was a good reason behind their loyalty. King Edward was known for many things, but first and foremost for being a righteous man and compassionate ruler, a task that wouldn't come off easily. When ruling one had to be fair and just, otherwise the kingdom would revolt, demanding justice and fair treatment.

Therefore, it wouldn't seem fair to most pardoning the most wanted criminal in the kingdom of all his crimes and inviting him to stay in the palace as a special guest for as long as he deemed necessary.

It didn't seem fair to the King sentencing the same man to death after he had returned to him the most precious thing in his life. Flynn Rider had returned them their happiness, their most prized treasure, their long lost daughter -how could he sentence that man to a life in prison or fulfill his death sentence when he had been the reason why his daughter had returned safe and sound?

He simply couldn't.

Much less when his beloved daughter seemed to be very attached to said man. But convincing the council members of this was far more difficult than one would think. After much discussion, they had all agreed in redeeming Flynn Rider of all his crimes and clearing his name as a sign of gratitude for rescuing and returning the lost princess of Corona.

And as a special petition from the princess, the King had reluctantly allowed for his stance in the castle as long as Rider deemed appropriate.

Much to his surprise, he hadn't regretted that decision.

The King and Queen never really heard the full story of their daughter's rescue. Rapunzel's emotional state was still too fragile after her traumatic experience, and removing painful memories was something neither the King nor his wife wanted to inflict upon their daughter. They listened patiently as Rapunzel vaguely explained her situation and the story behind her rescue, clearly leaving out as many details as possible. They didn't prod, and allowed their daughter to say as much as she felt comfortable with divulging.

Certainly the knowledge of her healing abilities had come as a shock for both parents. For many years they had questioned why someone would kidnap their baby other than demanding a ransom or other political confrontations. But after months had passed and the months became years without any knowledge of their daughter's fate, they had simply been left with the same painful doubt -why would they keep their daughter away from them?

Finally they had the answer, and it was as heartbreaking as it was enraging. How could someone be that selfish, that heartless, to keep their daughter away and raise her as their own just so they could stay young forever?

Rapunzel had kept her story brief, but the King had the strong suspicion that 'risking his life to safe hers'was a huge understatement for what Eugene had apparently done for Rapunzel, if the tears welling in Rapunzel's eyes were any indicator

And how could he keep the ex-thief away when his daughter was so obviously smitten with him? Neither Eugene nor Rapunzel had said anything regarding the nature of their relationship, but it was pretty apparent by how they looked at each other; they were far more than just good friends.

Flynn Rider would certainly not be the King's first choice for a suitor, but his daughter was never as cheerful as she was whenever the young man was around. It didn't take a genius to notice the devotion hiding behind Eugene's carefree demeanor -the way he looked at his daughter was all King Edward could ask for in a potential suitor- plus he had obviously been willing to risk his life to protect his daughter's, so how could he oppose to their relationship?

Again, he couldn't.

He couldn't deny Rapunzel the love and happiness she deserved. And as long as his daughter was happy, he could care less whoever she chose worthy of her love, even if it was the former most wanted criminal in Corona.

Of course he had been wary of said choice at first, but it didn't take long to warm up to the young man. Eugene possessed an uncanny ability to charm his way into a person's goodwill. King Edward wasn't sure if it was his charming -albeit sometimes cheeky- attitude or his patience and devotion towards his daughter, but before long he had gained the trust of both the King and Queen. Behind his carefree spirit and sarcastic demeanor, there was a good man willing to change completely for Rapunzel, and that was something hard to find in a man trying to court a princess.

No, King Edward didn't regret his decision to trust Eugene.

Therefore, he couldn't understand why Eugene would even consider helping the Stabbington brothers escape prison. The mere suggestion was ludicrous.

He was so lost in thought he didn't notice Queen Catherine enter his office.

The Queen of Corona was as graceful as she was kind. Between the two of them they balanced their kingdom between justice and compassion. The Queen's gracious heart and selflessness was something that granted her the love and respect from all her subjects. Giving second chances was simply embedded in her nature. Therefore, she had been the first one to accept Eugene as something other than a thief. She had offered him her gratitude, a shelter, and her utter trust and acceptance. She had not only been the one to offer him a place to stay, but had also welcomed him into the family with open arms and a grateful smile.

She would also be the first one to defend him if she had to.

"Edward" the Queen's soft voice seemed to echo in the peaceful silence of the night. The King jumped slightly, his tired eyes meeting his wife's concerned stare.

"Catherine. I didn't hear you coming."

"What did James told you?" asked the Queen as she approached her husband's desk.

"We're having a meeting with the council tomorrow morning" the King rubbed his temples tiredly, his eyes closing briefly with an exhausted sigh.

"With the council?" The Queen's eyes widened with worry. "That can't be good at all. You know how they are, it took us hours to convince them of pardoning Eugene of his crimes."

The Queen's nervous pacing did nothing to appease her concern. "This is exactly what they were expecting to happen. One little mistake on his part and he would be back in the dungeons. This is the chance they were waiting for and now they are not going to rest until he's proven guilty!"

"I know, I know, Catherine." The King sighed tiredly. "But we cannot just declare him innocent without issuing a trial and consulting it with the council, you know that."

"What are we going to tell Rapunzel and Eugene?" The worry was clearly apparent in the Queen's emerald orbs. "If we can't prove his innocence..."

She trailed off, but the King knew exactly what she wanted to say. If they failed to prove his innocence, there was little they could do to prevent Eugene from being sentenced to life in prison. And that would certainly take a toll on Rapunzel. He didn't even want to think about it.

"We're going to have to wait until tomorrow." It was useless to discuss it now. He tried not to think about the consequences of the trial going wrong. They were the authority, but they couldn't do much against the council. And those men were not easily convinced.

So… what do you think? Sadly I have bad news for you…. :( I´m starting exams and I´ll be a little busy this week and the next, so probably the next chapter it´s going to take longer to be posted. But I´ll try to update as soon as possible.

Hope you liked it and please review.

*Edit: I think that was the last time I updated quickly, after that one it took me months... sorry *smiles awkwardly*