EVIL AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't want to write an evil author's note! Anyway, shoutout to Jake Nickleby. The Little Four undertones starts here. The Little Four is to be composed of the braiding sisters in Tangled, Sophie from RotG, triplets from Brave, and a child from HtTYD. Also, touches of Frozen will be included in this story.
Beware!
This chapter was made when I was feeling very murderous.
It was not a good idea to write at that time.
This is living proof...
Chapter Eight: Princess Rapunzel
"I've got a dream. And even a nightmare."
"You've got to listen to me! He's coming!"
A Viking boy's desperate cries filled the surrounding area as the royal soldiers brutally wrestled him to the ground. He groaned under all their combined weight. Angry bruises started forming on his skin. The dragon growled and tried to fire a plasma blast, but two men snapped its jaw shut with an iron muzzle, while pulling the leash tightly to control the beast. The dragon reared its head, but the royal horse Maximus trotted out of nowhere and neighed in its face. The two then entered an intense staring contest.
Princess Rapunzel witnessed all these as she came running out of the doors, curiosity and…a bit of sympathy…overcoming her fear. Vikings, she thought. Is the boy a spy? Is he here to destroy our kingdom?
"Rapunzel!" Prince Eugene approached her as he gasped for breath. "What's happening here? And who's that scruffy fishbone?"
"He's a Viking," Rapunzel answered, still transfixed as the events played out.
"Let me guess…from the Snuggly Duckling?" Eugene inquired, scratching his head. "He looks foreign…that one-WOAH!"
An arrow whizzed past Eugene's collar and pinning him on a nearby wall. A few inches more…and it would have certainly pierced his Adam's apple (which will probably be the cause of some splattered, crimson blood that will forever taint the facade of the castle plus the gaping hole on the prince's highly-vulnerable neck-but let's not dwell on that.)
The soldiers suddenly froze like statues, completely forgetting what they were supposed to be doing.
"EUGENE!" Rapunzel cried, running towards him.
"AWL OF YOU!" an accented, commanding female voice spoke out. A hooded figure came out from the shadows, her bow and arrow pointed directly at Eugene's heart. "STAY BAHCK…OR AH WILL SHOOT!"
In their horror, the soldiers scrambled away from the bounded Viking, leaving him on the filthy ground. Rapunzel frowned at the figure. She quickly put herself between Eugene and the weapon, glaring at the woman, whom painfully reminded her of Gothel.
"Who are you?" she asked slowly, squinting. "We'll give you everything you want. Gold? Jewels? Treasures?" She waved her hands, and she gestured to the arrow. "As long as you leave my prince and the kingdom alone and intact-"
"Ah don't need yer jewels, Princess Rapunzel," the hooded woman snapped. "Ah need yer help."
"I…wait," Rapunzel faltered. Her lovely face scrunched up in confusion. "You're not a thief, are you?"
"Does she look like one?" the Viking coughed up, heaving dry breaths. He cracked a small smile, although his upper lip is bleeding. "I told her that she looks like a sexy grim reaper, and she promptly left me at the gates of your kingdom."
"Shut up, Hiccop, and let me handle dis," the hooded woman snarled. "Before Ah answer your question, princess, Ah need yer reassurance that yah will acknowledge our presence nicely."
"I…" the brunette wavered. This people just assaulted her beloved prince. Could she trust them? Her eyes drifted to the boy who is struggling to get up despite from the obvious pain. Then, she glanced at the dangerous dragon, who is attempting to smash its muzzle to pieces. "I…er...just a moment please…"
Turning her head exactly 45 degrees so that her eyes would not leave the trained arrow, she whispered to Eugene, "What should I do?"
"I say you treat this people to tea, give them a warm bath and dance ballroom with the boy," Eugene deadpanned.
"You're right!" Rapunzel smiled.
"Wha-?" Eugene's jaw dropped. "I was being sarcastic!"
"I know," the princess said. "The thing is…I am afraid. I need some time to…um…think."
Clearing her throat, Rapunzel faced the figure bravely once more. "Whoever you are, I promise that no harm will befall on you unless you harmed anyone." Her voice quivered. "T-tell me who you are…and we c-can discuss your needs with the king a-and queen."
"Is that so?" The figure finally lowered her bow and pulled back her hood, revealing a mass of curly red hair. "Perhaps mah face will be enough for yah tah recognize me."
Rapunzel was shocked. The one in front of her was no ordinary person. Nor thief.
"Princess Merida!" she exclaimed. Her mind became blank as she tried to register her status. Thoughts like 'Friend! Is that really you?' and 'You scared me. Was that really necessary?' and even the classic 'This is my kingdom! You have no power over me here…MWAHAHAHA!" sliced through her head. Instead, she blurted out, "What are you doing with a Viking?"
"Ah can fill yah in on da details," Merida answered her, grabbing Rapunzel's shoulders. "But wi must hurry…the enemy is at da door."
"But the Viking," Rapunzel said, eyeing the boy. "I am sorry to say that…he is not allowed to enter the palace. In fact…" She swallowed her tongue. "According to the law book, any Viking trespassing Corona will be branded with death."
It was as if she dropped a time bomb. Silence filled the yard as no one objected to that statement.
"I am still pretty much alive," the Viking offered weakly.
"S'pare him!" Merida hissed, gesturing to the boy. "He means noe harm."
"I…I can't, even if I wanted to," Rapunzel mumbled sadly. "My parents will not be happy."
"Don't yah have a judiciary in dis place?" Merida nearly screamed. "At least let him stand trial!"
"Hey! Don't you dare speak to my girl like that," Eugene threatened. Another arrow appeared above his head, cutting off some hair strands. He sighed as he watched them fall. "I give up."
Princess Rapunzel scrutinized the Viking boy. Hiccup…was that his name? He does look like a scruffy fishbone, barely giving the impression of being a blood-loving murderer. He doesn't seem dangerous. No. It was the dragon that unnerved her. The snarling monster. Black as death.
"Promise me that he keeps that dragon under control…" Rapunzel started. "…and we will decide his fate."
"Done," Merida said, grabbing Rapunzel's hand and shaking it vigorously, much to her surprise.
"V-very well then," Rapunzel said, once she regained her composure. "Let us continue this at court."
Traumatic.
That was the only adjective Rapunzel could think of when Merida relayed to her the whole story as they are waiting outside for the jury to call them in. She grabbed her hair when she heard of the apocalyptic Red Death. She nearly vomited when she found out about the fall of North, the Santa Claus. Her complexion grew pale as terror mounted in her after hearing of Pitch Black. It didn't help when they told her that she may be the next target of nightmares. Merida told her all in very, very graphic descriptions. But…what really sparked her interest was Hiccup's story: about the exile of the Vikings to the land of who-knows-where, Berk.
"On a scale of 1 tah 100," Merida said to her. "Haw much chance do Hiccup have in getting out of dis alive?"
"I say," Hiccup interrupted, staring out of the large stained glass windows where he could see his dragon playing rival with Maximus. "If you were to ask me, I would say a…hmmm….0.54% chance of survival, with 99.46% window of uncertainty."
"Ah wasn't asking yah, idiot," Merida snapped.
"His assumptions are correct…unfortunately," Rapunzel confirmed. "Down to the last decimal, even."
"GREAT!" Merida drawled, slouching. She covered her eyes with a hand. "Ah'm surrounded by nerds."
"And here I was thinking that you were worried over me," Hiccup facepalmed.
"You two seem real hotheaded," Rapunzel noted.
"When you have zero sleep, things like that happen," Hiccup said tiredly. "Anyway, why are they taking so long to judge me?"
"They should call us in any second now," Rapunzel said.
The door creaked as a familiar, petite servant presented herself to them. Rapunzel recognized her immediately.
"Toothiana!" she cried, attempting to smile. "Are we allowed to enter?"
"Of course," Toothiana chirped happily, tugging at her sleeves as if she was trying to hide any sight of her skin. "This way…please."
Rapunzel despised the courtroom.
Of all the rooms in the capacious palace, there was really no fathoming the depths of her hatred for this place. It reminded her too much of Mother Gothel, whenever snobby widows appear attempting to claim money from their rich, dead husbands. Or whenever a poor child is being fought for when divorce is involved. She couldn't stomach any of those sad events. Her fearless friend Merida, however, was the exact opposite.
Merida DunBroch, although basking in the glory of her tomboyish un-princess-y attitude, knew her way around trials. She taught Hiccup to plead not guilty. She served as his unofficial lawyer, strutting around trying to gain sympathy from the judge, the king and the queen.
Rapunzel glanced at her royal mother, whose face was ever expressionless. She tried to still her shaking hands.
"REALLY?!" Merida boomed when she finally snapped due to the lack of positive response, jolting everyone. "What kind of judges are yah? Yah all seem intent on killing Hiccup. Why do Ah even bother arguing with yah?"
The jury started muttering amongst themselves. Eyebrows were raised like flags in honor of Merida. Snarling, she tightened her fists and awaited their answer.
"Princess Merida," the queen began calmly, after the senseless humming had died down. "You have no idea what those barbarians did to us a long, long time ago, have you? Haven't you been paying attention to your lessons?"
"All Ah know is that we are here to clear his name," Merida answered exasperatedly.
"My tribe's name," Hiccup inserted.
"My dear," the queen pressed on, as she steepled her fingers. "The Vikings are the reason why I became very sick."
"You may not have noticed, your highness…but we were exiled," Hiccup tried. "How could we be the reason why you were ill?"
"Because…" the king replied angrily. "…your kind cursed us."
"We would never do that," Hiccup declared boldly. "Call us savages! Call us barbaric. But please don't ever accuse us of witchcraft. We don't swish wands around yelling Avada Kedavra, you know?"
A knock on the door echoed in the room. All heads turned as Toothiana peeked her head in.
"Excuse me," she said. "But I would like to present some…citizens who can help with this case."
The judge blinked. He turned to the king for his permission. Rapunzel held her breath as her father thought about it. Exhaling, she defrosted when the king gestured for Toothiana to let the citizens in. If these people can help Hiccup, they might stand a chance. A big if…
Toothiana stepped aside, revealing four sisters with different heights. All were wearing the same yellow dress, and each has a unique braid as a trademark hairstyle. Rapunzel grew concerned when she realized who they were.
They were the braiding sisters who braided her long hair when she first entered Corona. The ones whom Eugene asked help from to keep her crowning glory organized with flowers.
"But…" the judge gaped. "They're children!"
"SERIOUSLY?" Merida shouted, eye bags popping out. "Are yah blind? They're obviously youngsters or did their appearance deceive yah too mach that yah can't decipher oldie from young, damnit."
"Merida," Hiccup pleaded. "Steady on."
"Anyway, as I was saying," Toothiana continued daintily. "These children shall tell you that Hiccup is good, and is no way evil. Go on."
The eldest stepped forward shyly. One long braid trailed down her back. She gazed up at them all with soft, sparkling eyes. "The Viking was clumsy…" she said softly. "…but since he came, he did not break any laws. In fact, he was actually pretty helpful to the villagers. When my youngest sister cried a while ago because her favorite snow globe was missing, Hiccup offered his hair for us to braid."
"Please tell any other story of my amazing deeds other than that," Hiccup grumbled, banging his head on the podium.
One by one, evidence of Hiccup's innocence was proven. Rapunzel gave a thumbs-up sign to Toothiana. Merida, for once, started to relax.
"And so, your soldiers messed everything up when they dragged Hiccup to the palace," the youngest finally concluded. "The end."
"Hiccup's innocence is proven then," the judge approved. Hiccup was filled with a sense of relief.
"However," the judge pushed on, raising a finger. "His tribe is still guilty of their past crimes. So, their deeds fall heavily on your head. I, therefore, charge you as guilty. Your punishment: death by axe."
"What?" Hiccup stood up in utter horror.
"No." Merida disagreed, clutching her bow. "Wha' are yah playing at?"
But the decision was final. The judge slammed his gavel down and declared the case closed. Rapunzel stared at the two friends as they comforted each other, compassion evident on her face. She went to her mother.
Tapping her mom's shoulder, she whispered, "Mom, please. Can't you do anything?"
"I am sorry, child," the queen said mournfully. "But he must pay."
"But he's innocent! Just forgive him, please."
The queen shook her head. Rapunzel's vision blurred. Her heart was ripping itself to shreds. Such a young, harmless boy…
"Guards!" she heard the king yell. "Arrest the Viking."
"No!" Merida cried, shielding Hiccup. Tears were forming at the corners of her eyes. "Don't touch him! Don't. Yah. Dare."
"Leave him to us, princess," the head guard demanded. "You are outnumbered ten to one. You lack arrows and even weapons useful in close combat. Give us the boy."
Rapunzel bit her lip. She must think of something. Anything. Any loophole at all…
"Oh dear," Toothiana muttered beside her. "Looks like the two shared a deeper connection than most friends have."
"What did you say?" Rapunzel snapped her neck towards her, as gears turned rapidly in her head.
"Nothing," Toothiana shrugged, tugging at the hem of her uniform. "It's just that…it isn't everyday that Princess Merida finds a boy whose presence she can tolerate, right? At least, that's what I heard."
Rapunzel watched as the head soldier pushed Merida to the side. She winced as she felt, rather than heard, the slam of Merida's body onto the hard marble floor.
She didn't know what took over her. She had no idea what she really did next. All she knew was that she can't bear to end things like this.
"STOP!"
The words were out of the bag before she can even prevent them from spilling out. Everyone looked at her, suddenly giving her their full attention. Rapunzel hardened her features, and tried to remember her lessons.
Rule No. 1. To be a queen, you must assume command.
"I have…" she stated. "…an OBJECTION!"
"Dear, please," the queen beseeched her.
"I am sorry," Rapunzel continued. "But everyone should know…that this decision of persecuting the Viking will lead to very drastic effects."
"How so?" the judge challenged.
Rapunzel chuckled, thoughts randomly forming in her brain. "Isn't it obvious? When someone dies today, not only will certain bonds be broken, but also hearts."
"Where are you going with this?" one of the braiding sisters asked.
"Where am I going with this?" she asked to herself. "Nothing really. I just want you all to know that this is a bad chess move."
"Tell us why," the judge implored her, crossing his arms.
"Yes, do tell us," the queen said.
"Because," the princess of Corona emphasized, a foolproof loophole coming to life as she pointed at Hiccup. "You will be killing the Princess Merida DunBroch's fiance."
Shocked faces. Falling jaws. Swords dropping. Nothing could compare to the disgusted faces of Hiccup and Merida though, even as they stared at each other dumbly. Rapunzel knew she had pushed the right buttons. She widened her eyes at a horrified Merida, giving her the signal to play along.
Reacting at once, Merida held a hand dramatically to her forehead (although Rapunzel could swear that she saw Merida's lips mouth 'I am going to kill yah for dis' as she did it). "Oh, darling. Ah am afraid dat dis would be your farewell. Ah would dream nite an' day for wat could've been a beautiful wedding."
"Sweet honeycakes," Hiccup forced out, rolling his eyes at the sheer stupidity of their actions. "Even as I am chopped to pieces by the evil thing called an axe, my last thoughts would be of you. I hope that you would find someone as awesome as me to be your future husband."
The soldiers and judges were visibly wavering. Their words of 'love' pursued in moving their sympathies.
"Please kill mi!" Merida howled, bending her neck near a guard's sword. "Ah couldn't bear tah see mah beloved die."
"No!" Hiccup cried, gesturing to the both of them. "Kill us together. It would be heaven if you'd do so!"
"All right, all right!" the head judge finally snapped, wiping tears away from his cheeks. "I change my verdict. There was no harm done on the kingdom anyway. I am lifting the crimes of the Vikings from Hiccup Haddock's head, sparing him from death. I am, however, not yet getting any confirmation from the king and queen that the Vikings are forgiven. Case is really dismissed."
It's better than nothing, Rapunzel reasoned. Her two friends smiled at her. No words came out, but their eyes had the word 'thanks' printed on them.
"Everything was going great until you butted in, Rapunzel," Eugene drawled as he suddenly stepped out from behind a tapestry.
Surprised, Rapunzel scrambled back with Toothiana and the sisters beside her. "Eugene-?"
"It's Flynn Rider to you, brunette," Eugene snarled in a voice as thick as darkness. His black eyes knifed through her soul. He walked in a maniacal way.
"Are you scared, Rapunzel?" the sickly, sweet voice emanated from her mother. A laugh gurgled from her throat.
"Rapunzel!" Merida warned. "It's him!"
Rapunzel felt Toothiana shift.
"Pitch Black!" Toothiana said as she ripped off her uniform. Rapunzel panicked and accidentally hit the wall when she saw the weirdness in front of her. Toothiana was covered in colorful feathers, with gossamer wings sprouting from her back. With a spurt of life, the wings flapped rapidly and lifted her petite body from the floor.
"Toothiana…" Rapunzel gasped. "You're…a fairy?"
"No time to explain!" the fairy told her as she held a braiding sister's hand.
"Rapunzel, we need to get out of here!" Hiccup called out, staring at the seemingly possessed soldiers, who advanced towards them.
"What is happening?" she choked.
"Poor, poor Punzie," the king crooned at her, his black eyes shining sadistically. "Alone in that tower for almost eighteen years. Such a beautiful nightmare…to be alone in a place you called home!"
CRASH!
The walls of the palace all fell down. Rapunzel, Merida, Hiccup, Toothiana and the four sisters all huddled together as a black haze covered the land.
"No!" Rapunzel reached onto anything solid. As rocks swirled around them, the king and queen grinned simultaneously before disintegrating into dust. "Mom! Dad!"
A hand held her arm firmly.
"Rapunzel," Merida met her eyes. "Wi must go."
Reluctantly, she allowed herself to be pushed away by her friends. She couldn't see nor hear anything. The dust storm made it hard to make out objects. The blood roaring in her ears consumed her sense of hearing. Once in every while, she would see some villagers. However, as she tried to save them, they would vanish before her into smoke. She saw toddlers running around…only to be blown away by the wind. Gone.
A snapping sound echoed above them, and a pillar began to fall.
Kill me, she thought. Death is better.
But the pillar never flattened them. Hiccup whistled as loudly as he could, and a plasma blast destroyed the structure. Hooves accompanied the blast. The next moment…Rapunzel found herself sitting on Maximus. Pascal was also on the horse's head
"Max," she whispered as she laid her head on his mane. "You're still here. Pascal…I need to sleep."
She awoke when they shook her. She had never been so tired in her entire life. She broke down when they were at the bridge leading to Corona.
They tried to comfort her, but nothing could help her right now.
"Leave me, alone," Rapunzel growled. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
She broke down at the very same place where she first gushed about the beauty of Corona. But in front of her…
…was just a barren wasteland.
An abandoned home.
For there was no more Corona.
He took it all away.