Soli Deo gloria
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled.
"Eugene!" Rapunzel called excitedly. "Hurry up!" The princess, dressed in her cloak and winter wear, was paced outside next to Maximus, who was in his bells and whistles outfit. Pascal sat on his saddle, bundled in his coat and breathing in his paws to keep them warm, occasionally turning back to the castle with a look to see if the ex-thief was going to show up any time soon.
"I'm coming! Wait a minute," Eugene called. Rapunzel, Maximus, and Pascal turned to each other and stifled a laugh as Pascal crawled onto Rapunzel, for Eugene did look comical jumping up and down on the snow covered yard, trying to yank on his boot.
He finally was able to pull on the boot, nearly slipping under his own feet. Stumbling to regain his balance, he walked over to the three and placed an arm around Maximus' neck for support.
"I'm here," he pointed out. He cupped his hands together and Rapunzel gingerly stepped on them, careful to watch her balance. He lifted her up and she boarded the back of the white horse. Why get out the sleigh again when you can go riding on the coolest horse in the kingdom? And best of all, Maximus enjoyed every minute of it. They were his two favorite people and chameleon. One to pick on, one to hug, and one to laugh with.
Eugene carefully boarded Maximus, wary of the fact the horse might pull something. They had an interesting relationship. Grabbing the reins, he felt Rapunzel wrap her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his shoulder. He could feel himself grow warm at her touch.
With a slight "Giddy up!" Maximus picked up his hooves and raced on through town, Rapunzel screeching excitedly. Pascal managed to crawl on her head to hold on to her hat. Bounding through the streets and over the bridge and the paths, Maximus slowed down to a trot when the oh so familiar structure of the Snuggly Duckling came into view.
The leaning-into-a-tree pub was decorated quite festively. Gunther had probably employed all the other thugs into helping him. All the shutters had big fat read bows on them, as did the hitching posts. The Snuggly Duckling sign with their famous duckling on it was covered in snow so that you could only see the beak of the duckling (Rapunzel didn't know if Gunther wanted it like that or not).
The tree and roof were all covered in snow, and a wreath was \on the front door. Boughs of holly lined the tops of the windows. The snowflakes that were delicately falling added to the Christmas atmosphere.
"Ahh, the Snuggly Duckling—quaint place, perfect for you," Eugene smiled. Pascal gave him a look.
"Yes, charming," Rapunzel laughed, and before Eugene could so much as get a word out, she leapt off Maximus's back and raced down the snowy path to the front door. Eugene gasped and groaned as he leapt down as well. Clasping Maximus' reins, he and the horse exchanged a look before they made their way to the front door.
Rapunzel bounded inside, she and Pascal giggling, of course, and Eugene could hear many cheers of, "Your Highness!" He smiled to himself and led Maximus over to where all the other horses were. He tied Maximus's reins to the hitching post and patted the horse on the back.
"See ya in a bit, Max," he said, Maximus's happy neighs behind him as he opened the front door. He peeked his head inside; nobody seemed to notice him, for practically all of them surrounded Rapunzel, who was eagerly wishing them season's greetings. Eugene didn't mind. He might have been a show-off once in his life, but he didn't exactly like being the center of attention in this big crowd.
He merely shrugged and stepped all the way inside, closing the door behind him. Turning to the interior of the Duckling, he let out a low whistle. Gunther had gone big this year.
More big and red bows covered the railing of the stairs. The rim of the dartboard was covered with strings of popcorn and cranberries. The various candles in the room had wreaths of green around their bottoms, and there was a Christmas tree, decked out in ornaments and candles, right next to the bar.
At the fireplace was a stack of ready-cut wood tied together in a green ribbon. The brown mantle had all but disappeared under several large and interestingly made stockings, each bearing the names of the various thugs. The barrels on the stage were painted red and green, and the piano had a big book on it, most likely full of Christmas songs.
Eugene ran a hand through his hair and took a bar stool seat at the Snuggly Duckling's bar. Hook Hand, after chatting away like a bird with the enthusiastic princess, noticed the ex-thief and walked behind the counter. Stealing a rag from the pile sitting behind him, he spat on his hook and started to wipe away at it.
"So, do you like the place?" Hook Hand wondered.
Eugene nodded and said, "It looks nice. Gunther did a pretty good job."
"Yeah, and he had lots of help, me included. You don't want to know how long it took to get that there tree in here," Hook Hand said, pointing to the pine tree that was, like the tree the pub was against, leaning."Can I get you a drink?"
"Oh, sure, what do ya got?" Eugene asked.
"We have coffee, eggnog (spiked, just to let you know; make sure you don't let the princess get near it), wassail, and cocoa," Hook Hand listed off the top of his one hand.
"I'll have an eggnog, then," Eugene decided. Hook Hand nodded and shouted, causing Eugene to cringe and cover his ears, "Cookie! An eggnog, over here!"
Cookie's antler topped helmet jingled when he nodded and poured a cup from the pitcher beside him. He walked through the crowd and gave it to Hook Hand before turning back to his kitchen stove. He had a big pot full of wassail he was keeping warm, and he had to keep an eye on Atilla's mint cupcakes.
"Here ya go," Hook Hand slid the mug across the counter.
Eugene took a swig and wheezed. Putting down the mug, he thumped his chest. "How much brandy's in that?"
"Rum, actually," Hook Hand was quick to point out. "A lot, I guess? Cookie has his own recipe."
Eugene nodded, tears coming to his eyes. He turned when Rapunzel bounced onto the seat next to him and said excitedly, "Isn't this great, Eugene?" She quickly took notice of his drink and his screwed face and asked, "Are you going to drink that?"
Eugene quickly guided the drink closer to him. "Yes, yes I am, and don't you even try to sneak a taste!"
"Why not?" Rapunzel wondered curiously. Eugene sighed as he wheezed. How was the best way to say this? You can't have any because you already have too much energy and the last thing I want your parents to know is that I got you drunk?
"Because it's mine," he answered lamely, mentally slapping himself for not coming up with something better.
"Can I get my own?" Rapunzel asked eagerly.
"No."
Rapunzel folded her arms, "Why not?"
Eugene answered suavely, "Because you'll like the cocoa much more."
"How do you know that?" Rapunzel wondered. Her answer was supplied by Hook Hand sending a mug of cocoa her way. It landed with a THUD! with another little mug following it. Pascal gasped in delight and crawled down her shoulder. He went up to the smaller mug and wrapped his hands around it, absorbing the rich heat and inhaling deeply. He sighed contentedly and lapped up the cocoa.
Rapunzel and Eugene watched him with amusement. Rapunzel took a little sip of her drink and remarked, "Pascal's been eating a lot of sweets lately. I think I need to start watching what he eats. Hook Hand," she called over to the man, "no more cocoa for Pascal."
"He's getting fat!" Eugene yelled.
Rapunzel turned to him with a scowl and said defensively, "He is not!"
"Is too!" Eugene retorted calmly as he slowly took another sip of his eggnog, now wary of the alcoholic content.
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
Hook Hand, bored of their never ending conversation, rolled his eyes at them and walked over to the stage. The knife he held in his hand sailed across the room, missing everyone and slamming into the hat of the nerd who played the accordion, Ned. The lad nervously started to play his instrument, causing everyone to stop laughing and chatting and turn to look at him.
"I'd say, in the spirit of the Christmas season, that we should sing some Christmas carols!" Hook Hand announced. This aroused several mighty cheers from the Pub Thugs and Rapunzel, who lifted her mug into the air in a whoop. Setting it down, she squealed as she caught her skirts and ran to the stage; sitting on its edge, she clasped her hands together.
Hook Hand took a seat on the piano stool and tested a couple of the ivory keys, hitting a few notes. He smiled his toothy smile at Rapunzel, who smiled warmly back, and reached for the old book on the piano's top. He handed it tenderly to Rapunzel and said, "Choose the first Christmas carol."
Rapunzel's smile grew bigger at the thought of Christmas carols. She had only known one her whole time at the tower, and it was "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear." Gothel had decided that that was the only Christmas carol that didn't reveal too much of the outside world to her little curious charge.
Now looking down at the precious hymn book, she held it gently to herself as if it was a tiny child. It was filled with wondrous songs she had never known, so many that she had no idea how'd she choose. She decided to just flip through it and pick one that sounded nice to her.
Rapunzel carefully picked through the worn and tattered pages. This must have been at the Snuggly Duckling a long time. She finally spied one that seemed to be especially interesting. True love was involved.
Keeping the pages open, she handed it to Hook Hand, who nodded and smiled at her choice. Balancing the book, he lifted up his hands and brought them down with show, breaking into skillfully played music. The other thugs and Eugene recognized the tune immediately as Hook Hand started them off, "On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me—"
The Pub Thugs, arms wrapped around each others' shoulders in good spirit, sang, "A partridge in a pear tree!" Eugene sat back in his chair and sipped his drink, smiling at his princess who looked over Hook Hand's shoulder, singing along as well. Pascal, having drunk all of his cocoa, stood up and started to clap along to the music.
As they sang along, Rapunzel could hardly sing from the smile on her face. She kept glancing from the sheet of lyrics to Eugene, who made her blush every time she looked at him.
Soon they got around to the twelfth verse.
"On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve drummers drummin'!" sang Hook Hand.
"Eleven pipers pipin'!" rang out Big Nose, holding the hand of his new girlfriend, Erica.
"Ten lords a-leapin'!" Vladimir yelled.
"Nine ladies dancin'!" Cupid sang in a nasally voice.
"Eight maids a-milkin'!" Rapunzel added.
"Seven swans a-swimmin'!" Tor sang.
"Six geese a-layin'!" Gunther shouted.
"Five gold rings!" they all turned to see Eugene adding on. Rapunzel smiled harder. He could be so . . . Eugene sometimes. Scratch that. All the time.
"Four calling birds!" Atilla added loudly as he took out his cupcakes.
"Three French hens!" Bruiser and Killer added together.
"Two turtle doves!" Fang raised up two little dove puppets he had made himself.
They all joined together as they sang the finale, "And a partridge in a pear treeee!" Rapunzel gasped and inhaled deeply; that took a lot out of her. The other songs they started to sing were easier on her throat.
They all merrily sang, "Deck the Halls", "We Wish You A Merry Christmas", "Joy to the World", "Emmanuel", and "Jingle Bells", eating Atilla's cooled and frosted cupcakes in between lyrics. The sun was starting to set as torrents of snow grew thicker. Hook Hand took the book and flipped through it a moment before giving it back to Rapunzel, asking, "Do you think you can sing this song?"
Rapunzel took the book and examined the music sheet carefully. The song was called, "Oh, Holy Night." She had learned to read music while she was in her tower (for one must learn how to play guitar) and she could tell that this needed some very strong vocal cords. She gingerly touched her throat at the sound of it. What if her singing was high-pitched and squeaky, ringing in people's ears? Oh, that would be horrible, especially for Pascal. He had such tiny ears, and she didn't want to damage them.
She handed it back to him, whispering, "I don't think I can do it."
"Of course you can," Hook Hand said confidently.
"Rephrase: I'll break everybody's ears," Rapunzel said.
Hook Hand smiled at her. "Your Highness, you'll do great. Besides, it's either you or me and I sure as heck am not going to do it."
Rapunzel smiled at his reasoning. "All right then." He nodded and placed the book back on the stand and started to play the tune. The chattering that the thugs had been doing quieted as Rapunzel stood up straight and reading the music and following the tune, sang, "Oh, holy night. The stars are brightly shining, it is the night of our dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world, in sin and error pining, 'til He appeared and the soul felt its worth."
The atmosphere in the room grew from being that of a pub to that of a sober cathedral. All who sast immediately stood up, all ears perked at the sound of her voice, sweet and clear. Eugene and Pascal looked from each other to the singing princess. She sang a lot, of course, but this, this seemed to make her more . . . alive, if you could somehow be more alive than Rapunzel.
Rapunzel sucked in a quick breath and continued, "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices for yonder brings, a new and glorious morn!" Her voice went from her regular voice to that of an opera singer. "Falllllll, on your kneeees, oh hear, the angels' voices, oh nightttttttt, divine! Ohhhh, night, when Christ was born."
It started with a sniff from Vladimir, who in turn started Big Nose off. Before she could finish "the angels' voices," she had everyone in the Snuggly Duckling, except for herself, sniffling. Big Nose blew his nose in his handkerchief while Erica patted him on the shoulder. Ulf wiped away imaginary tears, though they seemed to be all too real. Vladimir started to nearly sob as several of the others started to wipe at their eyes.
Pascal's eyes gleamed and Eugene blew his nose with a handkerchief from his pocket, his eyes never straying from her.
Goodness, did he love her.
The suspense built as Rapunzel sucked in another breath and sang with all her might, "Oh, nightttttttttt, divinnnnneeeeeeeeeeee! Oh, night, oh night divine." Her hands rose to the air as her chest puffed up. It didn't seem for possible for such a small girl to be able to emit such a sound, but it was deemed possible as she shook the rafters. The last note ended and her hands fell.
The entire Duckling exploded into a world of applause. Men clapped wildly and occasionally lett one of their fingers go up to their eyes to wipe away at them. Pascal stood up on his hind legs, his paws starting to smart from his clapping, but he didn't stop.
Eugene got up from his seat and went over to the stage. Rapunzel gulped in breath as he went behind her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her up, and she asked, out of breath, "How did I do?"
He smiled and said, "Perfect."
Man, I wish I could find a video of Mandy Moore singing Oh, Holy Night. Wouldn't that be the coolest thing? The songs mentioned were not made until after the time Tangled was set in, but do I care? No, not really. I hope you liked it, and please review!
