A/N: Yay! Final chapter, everyone! I'm a bit sad to see this end, I have to admit. But I'm excited to start something new!
And OH. My. GOODNESS! Have yall seen the new poster for the Tangled short? I just about died when I saw it. Literally. It took every ounce of self-control I had not to scream wildly and dance around like a fangirl. So, sitting there and giggling like a fangirl had to suffice. But I got to the screaming wildly part later, when I danced around exclaiming, "They're getting married! They're getting married! They're getting married! And I get to watch it! In spring 2012! They're getting married!"
Ahem, anyways. Okay, as you most likely noticed from the rant above about how excited I am, it makes sense that Disney should just let me have Tangled since I love it so much, right? Yeah. Disney is just doesn't have any logic.
Rapunzel couldn't decide if it had been the fastest or longest week and a half of her life. It seemed like so long ago Eugene had first climbed up her tower, but at the same time, Rapunzel couldn't imagine it being a whole week and a half ago. Either way, one thing was for sure: It had been the best week and a half of her life. At the beginning of it, she'd met Eugene, he'd reluctantly taken her to see the lights, and he'd died, came back to life and returned her. The second part consisted of the announcement to the kingdom of her return and the week-long celebration that followed. And now, she was sitting with Eugene in the castle library's window seat, contemplating the past week and a half.
I said remember this moment, in the back of my mind
The time we stood with our shaking hands
Rapunzel knew the day her return was announced to the kingdom that she'd forever remember that day – and the few days before it. She remembered how nervous she was, how scared she was that they wouldn't like her, or that she wouldn't know how to rule a kingdom someday.
The crowds in stands went wild
But they'd loved her. Rapunzel was as excited and relieved as the rest of the kingdom. She couldn't believe how everything had worked out.
We were the Kings and the Queens
And they read off our names
Rapunzel loved how it felt when her father proclaimed her name – Princess Rapunzel Aubrianna of Corona – and knowing who she was. She was the King and Queen of Corona's daughter – the Princess of Corona. Which meant that someday, she'd be the Queen of Corona, though for now, she was just the princess.
And secretly, she hoped that Eugene would be her prince.
The night you danced like you knew our lives
Would never be the same
Rapunzel knew the "night" a few days ago when they'd danced around the campfire would be one of her favorite memories of her return. True, it wasn't incredible dancing or anything (hence the fact they fell twice), but it didn't matter. They knew they might not have the opportunity to do this again, that their lives would never be the same once Rapunzel was brought back, so they had to make the most of right now.
You held your head like a hero
On a history book page
Rapunzel couldn't help but think sometimes when she saw Eugene that he looked like the heroes from the books they'd read at the library together (in fact, she'd pointed it out to him at the time).
And to her, he was a hero.
He knew more about the world than she did and willingly taught her about it. He took her to see the lights. He saved her from captivity. He died for her. He brought her back to her parents, disregarding the fact he'd probably be killed.
And Rapunzel couldn't imagine anything more heroic than that.
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age
It was a strange feeling. It was as if the first eighteen years of her life were coming to a close, and a new chapter of her life was beginning as a princess. But she liked it.
You know when Rapunzel left her tower and she started singing about how her life had begun?
Well, she'd realized something since then.
Her life had begun – but she hadn't been living it to the fullest extent. Until now.
Long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
I said remember this feeling
I passed the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there
On the side-lines wishing for right now
Not long after her return, Rapunzel began showing off her artwork on the back of the Flynn Rider wanted posters and painting the castle walls. When she painted or drew her days in her tower, she loved to sit back and think of how far she'd come since then – only a few days ago, really. She'd been wishing and dreaming to see those lights, wondering when her life would begin, and longing for freedom.
Now, she'd seen the lights, she knew her life had begun, and she was free. Not to mention that she was the Lost Princess and she had Eugene by her side.
We are the Kings and the Queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When Eugene came back with Rapunzel, surprisingly, he was well received by the kingdom and regarded as a hero by most, instead of a thief, which he'd been only days ago. He traded those thieving days of Flynn Rider to be with her, the princess.
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town
And the cynics were outraged
Screaming this is absurd
Rapunzel's father had mentioned how against Eugene some of his advisers and guards were when he'd given a brief account of his meeting with the men.
Cause for a moment a band of thieves
In ripped up jeans got to rule the world
They didn't want to think of Eugene – formerly best thief in the kingdom, Flynn Rider – as a hero. They thought they should be the ones called heroes, after all that time trying to chase him down. And they couldn't possibly imagine how the princess could care for the man, much less possibly marry him someday. How could they let their kingdom be partially ruled by a thief?
But it didn't matter. Because to Rapunzel, no matter what anyone else said, Eugene was a hero.
Her hero.
Long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid
Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
I was screaming long live the look on your face
Rapunzel smiled, thinking on she and Eugene's conversation about the looks on each other's faces at various moments of their adventure together. Like when she'd healed his hand with her hair, the smolder (she never had quite figured out what that was all about. She'd have to ask Eugene sometime), or, one of her favorites, his face when he took her hand and started singing with her on the boat.
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
Hold on to spinning around
Confetti falls to the ground
May these memories break our fall
Rapunzel wanted to hold on to all her memories - how Eugene had spun her around so many times after he'd come back to life that she couldn't count, how he'd pulled her under that tree and showed her the "confetti" that would fall to the ground-and when confetti actually did fall to the ground. And she knew they'd always stay with her, and make whatever was to come easier.
Will you take a moment, promise me this
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children some day
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
She needed Eugene to keep that promise he'd made to her. She couldn't bear the thought of him leaving, but if he had to, their adventure had to be passed on to someone else.
Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine
They had to know that dreams came true. They had to know that even after eighteen years, a lost princess could be returned – by a former thief, no less. They had to be encouraged that they could shine like those lanterns.
Long live the walls we crashed through
I had the time of my life with you
Long, long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid
Rapunzel wasn't going to be afraid of what might happen or what people might say. Because who cared? It didn't matter what anyone else thought.
Singing, long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
Rapunzel smiled. Fighting dragons. Moving mountains. Making magic. Escaping and cheating death. They'd done so much of that. But like she told Eugene, she had the time of her life doing it, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
I was screaming long live the look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
"Eugene? Thank you for saving me." Rapunzel spoke up sleepily. Eugene, being able to tell how tired she was, smiled.
"You're welcome, Blondie." He said softly as he put his arm around her and pulled her close.
Kissing her brown locks as she drifted off, he whispered, "You're worth it."
And it was true. He loved Rapunzel more than he ever imagined he could, and knew he'd do anything for her. He'd go back and die for her again if he had to. All those years at the orphanage, dreaming of being loved and loving someone, saving the Lost Princess (yes, he'd dreamed about heroically saving the Lost Princess, as other boys often did – but he never thought he'd actually do it)…they had been worth it. The wait was well worth it, because she was a princess worth waiting for.
Long live Princess Rapunzel.
Long live the magic they made and the mountains they moved.
Long live all their memories.
Maybe this moment in time wouldn't last forever. Maybe they wouldn't get to be together forever.
And if they didn't, that was okay. Because they'd always have their memories. And they always had these moments right now. No matter what, she would forever be his dream. He'd had the time of his life with her, and she with him, and it didn't matter what anyone else thought. Because one day, they'd be remembered, whether it be by only themselves or the whole kingdom.
Eugene smiled as he whispered the phrase he'd heard all week into Rapunzel's ear, "Long live Princess Rapunzel."
Because she was his life – his world. And as long as Rapunzel was alive, whether or not he was always with her, he knew he would be too.
A/N: And here we are! So that's the end. Well, okay, for now, anyway. I may come back later and do a little prologue that I had an idea for while I was looking over this...Maybe, we'll see.
But anyway, if yall have any ideas of what you'd like to see me write next, feel free to tell me! I'm thinking I'm going to write a story on Eugene and Punzie's first baby (remember how I said in an earlier chapter that the references to Taylor Swift Mine were for an upcoming story? This is it). What do yall think about that? I've got other ideas in my head, too. So I'd love to hear what yall think!
Aaaand, review replies!
Liz McCallus: Awww, thank you so much! Seriously, that made me feel so happy and inspired! You know how you were saying you were thinking about doing the whole Temporary Home Eugene's backstory thing? I could see you bringing that to life, I think it'd be really good! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
disneyisbeautiful: Haha, yeah, I thought that a frying pan being the reason he couldn't remember would fit with the movie more :) Hahaha, yeeeeees, I agree with you about the whole dream thing. She can't marry Pascal, and I agree, she can't marry some guy without a face (how would they kiss?), so that leaves Eugene, who just happens to have the most adorablest face on earth! And we get to SEEE them get married in Spring 2012! *squee!*
fryingpanninga107: Haha thank you! I'm glad you liked the explaination! Haha, oh, I love it when things like that happen. Happens to me alot...like the other day when I was shrieking about the Tangled short, and my sister walks into my room and gave me a look very similar to the one Eugene has on his face in the Snuggly Duckling during I've Got a Dream...
Wow, these have been long A/N's. But anyway! Make sure to review and tell me whatcha think!