Abducted

An Unknown Foreign Beauty

Chapter 7- Flower gleam and glow

"Eugene!" Rapunzel screamed. She shook him hard, even resorted to slap his face, but it was of no use. Her finger moved to his lips, where there was no warm breath, although a moment ago he was panting. She placed her ear on the place of his chest where his heart used to beat. Instead, she found silence. His heart had failed. His suffering heart couldn't take the burden of the guilt and sickness anymore. And, she was only shaking his lifeless form.

"Eugene, no…" She clasped her hands over her mouth. She didn't want this. Even a day ago she wanted him to go away, but she never ever wanted him to die. It was pitch black outside. The wild animals were howling, the owls were hooting and she was alone in the deep jungle, helpless. Suddenly she began to realize how afraid she was. She always thought herself strong but she wasn't.

"Eugene." Her voice was ragged; still she hoped that he would hear her. But no, he remained unresponsive. Her eyes trained his face- so pale and lifeless. The moonlight created a strange pattern upon his face, making him more mysterious than he already was, reminding her horrible truth. She wanted to cry her heart out. But crying wouldn't do any good. It couldn't heal him either. But she just couldn't let him die.

Determination flashed in her eyes. She took Eugene's head in her lap; her slender fingers stroked his hair lovingly. A strange pain was constricting her chest; she could hardly breathe. She was alone, all alone. In the middle of the night, no one in the earth was as damaged as she was. But she couldn't lose him before she could tell him about her true feelings.

She couldn't let this happen. NEVER.

She gently settled him on the floor and slowly wrapped her hair around his body. Her hair worked on the people she had true feelings for. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Flower gleam and glow,"

It must happen. She gathered all the concentration in her mind. She loved him yes.. She did…always. It was him who made her to jump off a cliff, or to run in the wilderness alone. All of a sudden she found the truth she was tending inside her. She loved him.

She loved him from the moment she saw him climbing down from the golden carriage fourteen years ago. The baby princess was clinging to her mother's leg, peeping through the elaborate veil of her gown. Then she saw his face, smiling mischievously.

"I like to meet the princess of Corona." She heard him saying to her mother "But she isn't interested in me."

"Let your power shine…"

The hair was glowing but still too faint. It needed to glow brighter. Her trembling fingers moved along his strong jaw line, she could remember the way he spoke on the day of their first meeting.

"Ah, my dear." Queen Anne patted the older prince's shoulder "She is just too shy."

"Oh!" she heard a big sigh ripping his throat "I guess…." His footstep was fading. Rapunzel was very much glad to be free from that weird boy.

"Come out dear." Her mother called her "He is gone."

Assured, the baby princess let a sigh to escape, and was about to take a step out of her hiding spot. Even before Rapunzel could make the move, someone moved abruptly from behind, and an instant later a she found herself face to face with him.

"So, princess." Her captor said, plastering a huge victorious grin upon his face "At last we met. I'm Eugene, Eugene Fitzherbert." He jerked her out of her mother's shelter, "What's your name?"

Instead of telling her name, she pushed him hard and ran away.

She wanted to hear his voice again, asking for her name.

"Make the clock reverse…

Bring back what once was mine."

She wanted those moments back. The warm golden light radiating from her glowing hair began filling the dark cave while she was singing, her voice reached the highest octave, she poured her emotions to bring him back. She didn't need to say it out loud- the tears welling up from her big green eyes said it all. As the song ended, she opened her eyes and leaned to his motionless body. She untangled him from her hair, desperately searching for any sign of success. Agonizing moments passed while she was almost giving up the hope. Just then, he moved a little and gave a small cough.

"Eugene!" she whispered, almost unheard. Then she did something that she never did before. She flung herself at him, throwing her arms around him, whispering his name again and again. She brushed the brown locks away from his face, feeling the pulse drumming against her fingers at his neck. His eyelashes flattered. 'Blondie." Eugene whispered as her eyes met him "Sorry, about this. The fever is just… I'm alright."

'Your heart stopped." She busted out, tears streaming down her face. She nested her head in the crook of his neck "Eugene, I'm…"

She felt Eugene's arms gently moving around her body, still too hesitated to touch her. She knew what was going inside his head, she knew the reason of his hesitation but she didn't care. She clung to him as if he was her final lifeline, tried to suppress all the awful sounds coming from her mouth that happened when she sobbed.

"Blondie." She felt his hands touching her back, cautiously "Why did you saved me again?"

Rapunzel didn't move but stayed in the safe nest of his wide chest. "Because, I love you."

"No." he gasped and his arms slipped off her shoulder "Don't even think about that Rapunzel."

Shocked, the princess untangled herself from him and looked into his chocolate pool. His face was riddled with various kinds of emotions, one overlapping another, she couldn't even read them. "Why Eugene?" her voice was pained. She just got him back but…In the answer, he looked away. "We should move on." He said quietly.

In the morning, the little team got ready for their next journey. Eugene helped the princess to mount Maximus, then took his seat behind her. None of them talked since the morning. Rapunzel tried to read Eugene's mind, but surprisingly he continued avoiding her eyes.

'Eugene." At last Rapunzel decided to break the ice first "I've not gotten my answer yet.'

Eugene was thinking something else. His head snapped with her question 'Ah…" his eyes were distant "Did you ask me something, Blondie?"

A sigh escaped from Rapunzel's lips as she looked at his clueless face. But she was determined. She fixed her gaze on his face. "Do you love me, Eugene?"
The sun was rising higher. Strangely the temperature wasn't rising much. Still a few drops of sweats began appearing on Eugene's lips as he looked at the stubborn princess's face. Didn't she know how to give up?

"Thank you for saving my life." all he could manage to say. "That's not my answer. And you've thanked me before." Her gaze was so piercing; he doubted if she could see through his clothes.

"You shouldn't rush into this relationship, Blondie. You know how it will end."

"I don't care."

"But I do care. I can't live if something happens to you."

"Eugene.." Rapunzel looked at him, pained. She couldn't believe this.

All he wanted a nook to escape. He shouldn't love her. Why he was feeling this? Where were Flynn Rider and his rock hard personality? Why did this girl make him to feel so much like Eugene again and again? He needed to get out of this. He couldn't drag her into his already ruined life. She had no idea how dangerous he was. He needed an excuse. But those teary eyes were breaking his heart. He really hated this. He really did. But else could he do? But wait. What was that?

"Look out." He said, quickly holding Rapunzel's head in the crook of his neck. He took Maximus's rein and pulled it harder. An arrow flew over their shoulders and lodged itself into a nearby tree.
"What happened?" Rapunzel's voice trembled as Maximus picked up his full speed. "The bandits." Eugene said, shielding her from their sight. More and more arrows began to fly towards them, missed them for an inch. Now they could also see the followers. One with a hook instead of his hand raised his bow and aimed the arrow…"Eugene.. Look out." Rapunzel clutched Eugene's shirt and he pulled Maximus's rein harder.

Hookhand's arrow hit the stallion's hindquarters making the horse's body to jerk with pain, and sent the couple reeling on the ground together. And they found themselves lying at the feet of the bandit's.

()()()

"Isn't the girl with the magic hair?" one of the bandits with a big mustache and horned cap asked.

"Yes, she is." The leader, Hookhand approached closer, nudging the end of her loose hair lying on the ground. Rapunzel clutched Eugene's shirt, as if he was her final lifeline. Unconsciously Eugene held her protectively, looked at her face, and smiled as if he could take the whole matter.

"Don't dare to touch her." He said to the men.

His words made the men to burst into laughter. Rapunzel exactly knew why, because when one of the bandits advancing toward them had finally came face to face with Eugene, and suddenly Rapunzel realized that the bandit who was talking to Eugene was three heads taller than him. He was huge. He didn't take off his helmet when he leaned forward to see her face.

"Didn't you try to trade this girl to us last night?" The huge man with helmet asked. His bow was engraved with the name- Vladimir.

"Umm, no," Eugene answered, pale to the very lips "And this girl has no magic hair."

"Yeah." Rapunzel joined him, faking the innocence "I'm not that girl. You are making mistake."

"It's them alright," another man, shorter, but just as huge answered.

"No, no not us." Both Rapunzel and Eugene cut him off in the midsentence "You are…"

"Alright prove then," The Hookhand ordered his men. "Get the boy and slit his throat. Let's see if her hair heals or not."

"Eugene…What we goanna do now?" she whispered, panicked, not really fond of the idea of seeing him injured again.

'I don't know, really." Eugene admitted "Actually all I can think of running." Just then he realized how stupid he sounded- running away from this bandits! Sure it was the worst plan ever. But they had no other choice. They needed to reach Maximus by any means. Rapunzel agreed. Her eyes caught a small nook just behind the little man with angel wings.

"What a great idea." Rapunzel smiled innocently at Hookhand, signaling Eugene to make his move. "What do you think, Eugene?" She smiled.

"Sure, great one." Eugene smiled and slipped his leg tactfully between the man's legs, knocking him onto his face. The man landed on the ground with an awfully silly look on his face. 'Wha…" All of a sudden the bandits startled with the winged man's collapse. Their eyes moved toward him while Eugene and Rapunzel took the chance. They ran.

'Look." The sound of their feet on the dry ground made the crowd to stir behind them. They made a mad dash to the right; the clatter of the swords suddenly blasted their ears. The bandits had finally realized their plan. They turned to the other way; actually there was no way, only to be blocked off by another bunch of bandits. A few me scrambled for Rapunzel, yanked her away from Eugene, and Shorty had Eugene cornered before he could reach for her. Another (Who's bow is showing the name Attila) caught her by her hair and swung her to face him, his fingers digging cruelly into her scalp."Tell the truth or...' He hissed "That boy will die."

She followed his eyes only to find Eugene caught by five more bandits, and Hookhand's sword was ready to slit his throat. The scene was so sickening that made her almost nauseas.

Eugene looked in horror as Attila shook her hard, asking for the truth. He knew that she was willing to sacrifice herself for him. He gazed into her eyes; where there was a deep sadness veiled her beautiful green orbs. Flynn Rider told her not to jump into the relationship, but Eugene knew she would. She loved him, always. She was his girl. He couldn't lose his girl again.

He knew he was falling for her again but it was the destiny. Then the man, who caught Rapunzel, was threatening her for the second time and Hookhand's sword was cutting through his skin letting his blood flow from the wound. And he knew the sight of his blood would bring nothing good. He wished to get his own sword right now and fight, but fighting with all the five men three times bigger than him was almost impossible.

Or he would have to lose Rapunzel. It was worse than the pain in his throat.

"Please leave her!" Eugene screamed desperately knowing it was of no use. Right in time Rapunzel managed to throw up over Attila.

"How dare you?" Hookhand yelled to his captive. His sword was cutting deeper into his skin.

"Because, she is my wife and…" Eugene's voice was hoarse; his heart was pounding against his ribs like a drum.

"She is pregnant." He screamed with all his might and everybody startled.

Even Rapunzel.

Worst chapter ever! Gah! I'm totally disappointed.

I'm getting tired with the errors. If you find them out, point them out with correction, so that I can correct them. Writing in a foreign language is so hard.

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