A/N: Welcome aboard new and returning readers! I feel bad for not at all giving any thanks or shout outs in the previous chapter because holy crap you all left me some pretty awesome reviews! I'm still just excited anyone even decided to read this. Thank you all so much! Your reviews and thoughts are very important to me! You have offered me wonderful inspiration to keep at this. Any who, this intro is too long… Back to what matters. Enjoy xx


7. Blood and bone


Rapunzel looked out her window to the sky. It reminded her of an infected wound she once mended. The diseased result of a dirty bar brawl cut.

It was purple, yellow, rippled, and oozing with rain in the far off distance.

She could hear the wind whipping through the trees and sensed the electricity in the air.

If some sort of wedding were to happen today, it had better happen fast.

She sat alone in her room, once Rosemary and Madam Crawley had finished with her tedious marriage apparel, she had requested a moment to herself.

She had quickly scavenged a piece of paper, ink, and pen. She hovered the writing implement over the blank sheet, her mind suddenly equally as absent.

Rapunzel knew the roads outside of Amberwick were rattled with dangers. She knew there was some chance, large or no, of never returning. It never scared her, not until she as suddenly faced this reality. Flynn's words weren't far from her mind either.

She hadn't spoken to him since their meeting in the wood. His doubts about her still echoed in her ear; "Do you know what would happen to us if we are caught? What would happen to you?"

If she weren't to return, she needed to have her family at the brothel know the truth. The complete truth… one she herself found desperately impossible to believe.

She knew only her father and Vlad could read. Come to think of it, Flynn must have been passible at the skill, as well. If she wrote down some sort of legally acceptable will - one last fraught whisper or a testament to her existence as a person - they were the only two who could decipher her message.

With this small bit of confidentiality, she put the ink to the parchment and out spilled everything. How the marriage was false and how she knew of the crown. It didn't take her long to quickly jot down everything. She knew whoever were to read it would have a slew of questions, there could be not way around it. At least, even it brought pain and confusion, they would know.

She carefully rolled it up when finished and secured it with a piece of string.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. She somehow knew instantly what it was in relation to.

After shoving he paper under her bed in a concealed chest, she called out for whoever stood behind the door.

"Come, quick!" said Rosemary's excited shrill, "Your father is demanding we start early!"

Rapunzel's heart leapt to her throat.


Flynn kissed Mina tenderly on the hand as she smiled to him pleased. Her red hair was in a ratted mess as she sat up in her bed.

"You won't forget, will you?" she asked as slid away from her and sat up to find his boots. He had been in the process of getting dressed when she kept willing him back to where she lay, bear beneath the sheets of her bed.

"Not a chance," he said with a wink sitting on the edge of the bed.

She cocked her heard watching him, "I suppose… there isn't any changing your mind?"

He laughed lacing up his trousers, "I already told you, Red, it's not my choice."

"But it can be," she assured him, slinking closer like a python ready to squeeze the air out of its victim.

He tried not to make eye contact with her. She'd always been a hard woman to shake, forever seeming to have an incurable apatite. Yet, Flynn was growing weary of her antics. The wedding was mere hours away. He also worried for his what she was capable if he told her he truly did want to marry Rapunzel. Of course, tender feelings had nothing to do with the matter, but he couldn't tell Mina about the crown. Half the county would know by sunset.

Her arms reached around him and he made an uncomfortable laugh, "Red, I can't turn back now."

"No…?" she whimpered.

"No."

She paused for a moment, smiling though his back was to her.

"Then let's go forward," she breathily whispered, her lips brushing his ear.

"What?"

"Run away with me. Forget this sorry village. Forget Angus, this brothel, and all about that blonde shrimp."

Flynn stared wide-eyed to the ground. She frowned at his awkwardly long pause.

"Rider… don't - don't you love me?"

"Woah!" he cried getting up, causing her to nearly fall from the bed.

Love. There was a concept practically surreal to the forlorn thief.

She sat back, her head reeling in confusion.

Shit. Fuck. Goddamn. This is how it ends. This is the story of how I died. Thought Flynn as he backed up to her window.

Yet, she didn't reach for her pistol she always kept at arm's length, nor her concealed dagger under the mattress, or the hellfire she could raise with one smirk to Satan. Mina only looked sadly down to sheets she sat tangled in and began to cry.

In all the years he had known her, he'd never seen her portray an emotion that wasn't considered damnable by the Pope.

That was when her door swung open to reveal the giddy, young, Rosemary.

"The wedding is starting early! Come quick—" and in her next breath, her excitement halted. Her and Flynn locked eyes for what felt like hours.

Oh for fuck's sake.

Suddenly, Flynn was the one to break the silence.

"Well, do you hear that?" he began feigning excitement, "I'm late for my own wedding," he swiftly opened the window and looked down before glancing back to Mina as tears wistfully fell from her cheeks. He sighed, "There are times like this I really wish you were on the second floor," he said before jumping out and landing to the ground a few feet below.

Mina glanced to Rosemary and wordlessly cursed the girl with every expletive she knew. The young woman hastily made her leave.


Rapunzel walked down the steps and was met with several gushing responses. Everyone from the barkeep to the cooks and workingwomen looked up to her with proud, gleaming, eyes. She did look lovely with her hair cascading down her back mingled with lavender wild flowers and yellow daisies. She was radiant and her shy smile made the room glow.

At the end of the steps Madam Crawley awaited with a cloak.

"In case it rains," she said before throwing it over her shoulders. "And for a dramatic reveal," she added with a smirk.

Rapunzel looked to her with worried eyes.

"Have you seen Flynn around?" she questioned.

The older woman frowned, "Not since this morning. But no worries, he's most likely off with one of the men. Who knows what strange rituals bachelors this days go through before jumping the broom."

The ladies laughed in agreement.

Rapunzel smiled to the crowd and noticed Rosemary who had just wandered back out from the first story bedrooms. Odd, she noted. The girl looked as white as a phantom. She continued to watch as Mina rushed up behind her and grabbed her by the arm. There looked to be fire in her eyes as she verbally berated the girl.

It wasn't such an out of place sight to see, one had to walk on eggshells not to upset that fiery temptress. Rapunzel often did everything in her power to avoid the woman.

After Mina left Rosemary, still enraged, the younger girl glanced up and met eyes with the bride to be.

Her eyes grew wide when she looked Rapunzel. It was then she knew something was certainly wrong.

Well, whatever the drama was, it would have to wait.


Flynn found himself in the stables where his trusty horse stood in his borrowed stable. He was a white stead (also borrowed) named Maximus. The animal's ears perked at his master's hurried arrival.

"Not now, mate," said Flynn rushing to one of the many sacks that hung from the horse. The stead doubled as a caravan for Flynn, and was where he stored his possessions.

He grabbed for one burlap sack he knew held the clothes he had in mind for the occasion. In the next moment, he was ripping off the garments that currently hung loosely to his body. "No time to chat, I'm afraid."

The horse shook its head and neighed, seemingly in disapproval. Flynn eyed him knowingly.

"Don't start with me. I already have this blasted village against me."

In a whirlwind, he secured his fresh tunic, breeches, stockings, garter, leather boots, and, kerchief. He completed his elaborate attire with a dark coat that elegantly flared at the waist and stopped at the knee.

He swept his hair back and threw on his usual black beplumed wide brimmed hat and stopped for a brief moment to catch a breath.

The world was spinning again, he noted. It reminded of something rather important. He reached back into his worn trousers and pulled the shining ring from his pocket.

He examined it for moment.

No matter what happened, from this point on, his life would be somewhat different than it had been before. Either; Angus would kill him, Mina would castrate him, or Rapunzel would lie to him.

Yet still… there was still that one, small, quickly dimming, gleam of hope.

He reached into another loose bag that hung from the horse's strappings.

Flynn produced a small worn book. The pages water damaged. The cover faded.

Still, through the years of wear, he could make out the title. It alone was enough to remind him of the promise he gave a little girl.

His rough fingers grazed over the gold lettering;

The Tales of Flynnigan Rider: Swashbuckling Rogue.


Rapunzel was suddenly signaled to come outside.

"Right foot forward," Madam reminded her as she stepped out of the brothel. An old superstition she complied with out of the respect she had for her dear nanny.

Then, outside under the bleak skies, she was met with a small commotion.

She saw her father waving his hands heatedly before a small, older, man.

"Thes es tha tradition af mah kin!" he yelled.

"I'll do my best," the smaller man's thin shaky voice answered.

"You'll do et properly! En I'll see tew et!"

Her eyes wandered to two unruly haired ginger boys standing near Angus. A pair of brothers she had encountered then and again, though they had grown a considerable amount since she saw them last. They were Travor and Charley, Angus's young nephews visiting from the village over. They had his height and wily limbs, the only obvious difference being their red hair.

Then, she looked to Flynn who seemed wildly preoccupied, taking in the scene the same way she did. Little did she knew, he had only just arrived on the scene, as well.

She looked away coolly as if she hadn't yet seen him.

They sky was still dark, she noted, thunder could be heard in the far distance swiftly rolling closer. Though, the sky was an interesting hue of green that she thought were more beautiful than its usual blue coloring.

Flynn glanced her way just as Madam had stepped forward to help her remove the cloak she had on.

And, almost like a staged theatrical show, the sun leaked out from behind a black cloud and glittering rays seemed to shine from above just for her.

Rapunzel's indifferent eyes fell to the ground as the cloak was completely pulled away. Flynn blinked, trying to comprehend what he was seeing.

"Et es our fam'ly tradition tew 'ave tha ceremony outside!" She heard her father bellow to the nervous questionable holy man. "Come rain er snew er plague!"

Cupid swatted at Angus to stop his yelling. He fell quiet as he got a glance back at the sight of his daughter.

Suddenly, all eyes were on her, she shyly looked up to meet the gaze of Flynn. He was oblivious to the parting of the clouds. To him, the scenes had been illuminated only by her presence. And he didn't understand a moment of it.

"Well then," began Angus clearing his throat, "Et's gewd fer you ta both show up fer tha rest 'o us."

Rapunzel averted her gaze again as she took to Flynn's side before the assumed priest.

"Don't worry," he whispered leaning closer to her, "he'll shut up after a drunk or two."

"No," she said with a laugh that didn't reach her eyes, "that's when the singing will start."

Her smiled and he took her hand. Her eyes darted up nervously to meet his.

"Last chance," He said quietly as Angus bartered over the final details of the ceremony. "We could still… walk away."

She shook her head feeling, she felt as though she was staring her fears straight in the eye.

"Mine," She whispered reminding him of the reason she was standing there, of her treachery.

They looked to the priest who nervously looked back to them.

"Go right ahead," said Angus before walking back to where the other onlookers stood.

There was a crisp moment of silence as the priest opened a small worn bible.

Flynn felt his stomach turn, but he stood with a regal stiffness. His calm and noble appearance made Rapunzel wonder if he had the capacity to feel fear, or if he simply faced every fear of his with unwavering confidence.

He still held tightly to her hand though, and she was beginning to feel her's become clammier by the passing moment.

"We are gathered here today for the holy union of these two young souls; Flynnigan Rider and Rapunzel Donnchadh of the Muireadhach kin."

The wind howled by ruffling the pages of the book the once clergyman held. Rapunzel's long waves blew around losing a couple of flowers to the wind.

"In the name of the spirit of God, that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, will ye take each other to ye hand, ye heart, and ye spirit, to be ye chosen pair. To desire ye and be desired by ye, to possess ye, and be possessed by ye, without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of God's love for ye."

They both glanced to the man wondering if it were a rhetorical question or not.

"Flynnigan Ryder," said the priest causing Flynn to nearly fall over, "repeat after I;

I vow you the first cut of my meat, the first sip of my wine."

Flynn slightly gawked to Rapunzel before reciting the words back to her, only a bit more hurried.

"From this day it shall only your name I cry out in the night…"

"From this day it shall only your name I cry out in the night," he echoed.

"Ye are blood of my blood, and bone of my bone…"

Flynn hesitated but repeated the man.

"You are blood of my blood. And bone of my bone."

"I give ye my body… that we two might be one…"

"I give you my body, that we two might be one."

"I give ye my spirit, 'til our Life shall be done…"

"I give you my spirit until our life shall be done."

"Above and beyond this, I will cherish and honor you through this life
and into the next…"

"Above and beyond this… I will cherish and honor you through this life
and into the next."

"My blood is yours. My bones are yours. My heart is yours…"

"My blood is yours. My bones are yours. My heart is yours."

They went through the motions. It was a wearisome and nerve wracking process. The whole while, they could only hear their heartbeats pounding in their ears.

Rapunzel could only stare to Flynn as he made such bold face lies. She prayed, if there were some unseen all-powerful source, that it would send a strike of lightning down and send her to an early grave.

Flynn hadn't been expecting such words. Scottie had urged the priest to recite a traditional marriage as he remembered it. The phrases happened to be a mosh up of two separate vows. The results were frightening expressions Flynn had never dreamed of saying to another person.

Rapunzel carefully recited the same words after the stand-in priest. It was mighty difficult, but she kept her eyes one his the entire while. After each sentence, she made a quick inner statement, declaring she did not mean what she was saying. Somehow it made the next words easier to say.

"With this ring I thee wed…"

Flynn produced the shining circle from his pocket. Rapunzel's lips parted slightly at the sight. He took her hand and pushed the ring down her finger.

"Now," began the priest, relief lifting from his shoulders, "without further ado, you my kiss the bride."

Rapunzel stood frozen. She'd put no thought into this part of the ceremony. But in the next moment Flynn had clasped the back of her head and leaned over, his soft lips meeting gently with her in an affectionate kiss. She closed her eyes and wondered for a moment if lightning had indeed just struck her.