A/N: Sorry guys, I know it's been longer than usual, it's been a busy week for me, no thanks to school so it seemed kinda off to me when I reread it but maybe it's just me. Enjoy!

P.s. I do not own Tangled, but I do own an ipod-4 with all my ideas for this story on it, and no I will not show it to you ;)

Chap 7

Rapunzel's POV

The dark, is not very high on my list of things I like (a list far too long by any standard), but that was all I could see. Engulfed around me was this eerie, almost unnatural blackness closing in on me making me feel small, claustrophobic, and most of all, terrified. I haven't been afraid of the dark since I was 7, but certainly was now. I wanted to sink down and wrap myself in my arms as if that would shield me from it, but my body wouldn't move. It was as if the darkness was binding me, but in the background, there was a noise. A light, playful noise I recognized all too well; splashing. The sound of a river, and from what I could tell, it was very close to where I am.

Suddenly, the darkness withdrew and I could see everything around me more clearly. I was still surrounded by the color black but it was a relief from the crushing claustrophobic sense I felt before. Then I saw it.

A river no doubt, but unlike one I have ever seen before. There was sand around the banks, but it was black as well, like ash from a volcano. The river itself was disgusting; it was polluted with any random object you could imagine. I saw jewelry, swords, dolls, musical instruments, dresses, anything and everything was following the rivers' current to who knows where. But it was the next thing I saw in the river that made my blood run cold.

A simple boat, and in that boat was a tall man in a dark grey cloak; his head hooded, back facing me, and he had an oar in his hands, a ferryman I guessed, navigating the boat. But that's not who I was focusing on. Another man in a blue vest, white shirt, with brown hair was sitting up straight, hands on his lap, and head looking forward. I glanced at the man's face for only a second, and I gasped in shock. His hazel brown eyes were glassy, empty, and cold. Sweat was covering his forehead, but still, I recognized him immediately. Sitting in the boat was Eugene in the same clothes I first met him in, but the right side of his shirt and vest was stained red. Red with blood.

What is he doing here? More importantly, what is he doing in that boat with a strange man? He shouldn't be here….we shouldn't be here, that much is clear. I need to get us out of here.

"Eugene!" I called. He didn't answer, not so much as a glance toward me. "Eugene!" I screamed louder. Still no response, and the boat was almost in front of me now, soon it would be out of sight; lost in the darkness.

My breathing was heavy and uneven, there was a painful, gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of my stomach that made me want to puke, and my eyes were watery as I tried running towards it. We had to get out of here and I wasn't leaving without him, but as soon as I reached the edge of the water, my arms where holding me back and I sunk to my knees on the cold, black sand. I couldn't move again, I looked to see what was stopping me; my wrists were chained.

I struggled against them to no avail and that only made them tighten around my wrists, leaving marks and cutting off blood to my hands. I was sobbing loudly and uncontrollably, I was gasping for air when I tried choking back my tears. He was leaving me, I couldn't let Eugene leave now; at least not like this. It was a long shot but I didn't know what else to do at the moment.

"YOU PROMISED!" I shouted before sinking down lower in grief, still crying.

I looked up, hoping with every fiber of my being I'd get a reaction, any reaction. I did….but not from Eugene. The ferryman stopped the boat directly in front of me and turned to face me, as if he just now heard my calls. His hood was still covering his face, but I saw him look down at me and shake his head slowly like he felt sorry for me. I straightened up and stared at him as he looked away and whispered just two words, in a shrilly but clearly masculine voice, "Not yet."

With a wave of his hand, I felt dizzy and tired; my eyes were beginning to close but then…

I opened them again but I was in my room now. No boat, no darkness, no Eugene.

It was just a nightmare, my worst nightmare. Eugene had broken his promise; he left me alone in the dark, chained, and crying my eyes out. It was worse than when he left me after the lanterns, even worse than when he died.

I needed to see him, to feel him, just to reassure myself he's still here. It might sound desperate but it's the only way to calm myself.

I got out of bed, not even bothering to change out of my silver nightgown, and was about to head out the door, when I just realized it was much too bright in here to be early morning. Before I could convince myself otherwise, I took a peak at the grandfather clock in my room; it was a quarter past 11, I'd overslept and etiquette class starts in less than an hour. I had to make quick work of finding Eugene before then.

!#$%^&*()

Eugene's POV

Note to self: Whenever there's an uncomfortable silence between you and a king, its best not to start off a conversation with something stupid like "So…how's your day goin?" The following will result: you will look like an idiot and get a skeptical or confused stare.

Surprisingly though, he softened after that and his mouth was curling up into a small grin. "It's been far too long since anyone's asked me that." He said deeply and still grinning.

We weren't walking to anywhere in particular, it's one of those 'more-about-the-journey-than-the-destination' type walk but somehow, by utter coincidence, I found myself back in the gardens again. Occasionally, a servant or guard who walked past us would avert their eyes and bow respectively than continue with their duties. I admit, it felt good being respected like that, even though it was directed at the king and not me.

"You have a good heart, Eugene. Don't forget that." The king said. His head held high, shoulders out, and hands behind his back. He literally radiated a sense of royalty and wealth, with just his posture and dark purple robes. And to get a compliment like that from the king is no small feat, believe me.

"It was one of the reasons my wife and I agreed to let you stay with her." He continued wistfully but also sadly. There it was again; that sad, aging look from a man expecting the worst. I noticed it in when I was in his study and during our walk. "It will serve you well when the time comes." Oh boy, this doesn't sound good.

"Your highness," I said softly, thinking about what he meant by 'when the time comes' which is a definite sign of bad news. "Where are you going with this exactly?"

The king stopped walking and sighed, his posture faded as he rubbed the bridge of his nose as if he were trying to collect himself before answering me. The king looked…tired, maybe even a bit exhausted. After a few awkward seconds of silence, he regained his composure and continued walking.

"It isn't easy being a king, you know. There are meeting to be attended, decisions to be made, responsibilities to be looked after, and they're all so fragile." Then in a sterner voice he continued, "People forget that a king is only just a man, a man with a family to look after as well."

"I understand your highness." I replied, not really knowing what to add that could be useful.

He raised his eyebrows at me, "Do you?" he questioned skeptically. I wasn't really that sure now.

"What I'm trying to say Eugene is, sometimes what we want to do isn't always the same as what we need to do, understand now?" he said slowly.

It made sense, yeah. But still, where was he going with this? "What are you getting at, your highness?" I asked curiously.

He sighed, "One day, you will be a prince of Corona, and soon after that you will be king. Carrying all our pride, and the responsibilities that come with power. I had the fortune of knowing that from birth, but you don't.

My eyes widened and I gulped in fear, I was going to be a king. I didn't know the first thing about being one, and truthfully, I didn't trust myself with all that power.

"Yo-your highness…." I trailed off in shock, how do I put this delicately…"I wouldn't make a good king, I'd have no idea what to do!" I argued squeamishly. Yeah, I was real delicate there.

He nodded slowly, saying with all seriousness, "And that is what we're trying to teach you. One way or the other, be it etiquette or conscription, you will learn how." Then looks down like he's saddened, almost pained maybe. I knew by his expressions he was leaving out something, something critical. I should ask him.

"Your majesty, what is it you really want to tell me?"

He sighed and looked away, taking his time to find an acceptable answer. Then he looked back at me with a face of dead seriousness and gripped my shoulders tightly. "I didn't want to tell you this because I knew it would affect your decision. I didn't want to pressure you to do something you didn't have to do, but you need to know…" suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I saw a blur of silver from behind the king, coming closer. But I didn't dare look away from his face; this was too serious to miss.

"Eugene…I'm dying, and a war is brewing."

A/N: mwwahaha. I know, I know. I'm evil cuz of this cliffhanger but guess what?

REVIEWS = FASTER UPDATES

:O Shocking, I know.