Chapter 11
"Well, what do we do now?" Gabriel asked as they followed Rapunzel and the twins inside the castle. "He's already gotten inside."
"We've got to try and stop them," Michael said, wondering the same thing.
"How?" Gabe asked. "We're still in invisibility mode."
Mike looked back at him. "We can change that, remember? We can be anyone we want to be, right?"
Gabe brightened. "You've got a point there, brother. I suppose we can become guardsmen and arrest Flynn Rider."
Michael frowned at his brother and shook his head. "On what charge?" he asked. "We just have to wait it out. We can detain it a bit. The Stabbingtons are doing all the dirty work, we know that. All we can do now is wait. We've already warned the Royal family. They've got it all under control. Right now we just have to wait and watch."
Gabe nodded. Yep, it was he who relayed the news into the King's mind, making him believe it was his idea all along. Gabe just didn't realize that the women would come up with it first. That could have very well have been Mike's doing.
"Guardsmen, then?" he asked.
Mike nodded. "We can't do it here, not in the middle of the castle where everyone can see us. The barracks would be a better idea. This way no one will suspect and we can keep and eye on royals until after the ball. We just have to get the right man."
Gabe nodded. Everything was well in hand. This was sure to impress Elvira, especially if he was the one who took charge. He wasn't going to let Mike get away with it, not this time.
XXXXX
Rapunzel led the boys on a wild goose chase, depositing them in the audience chamber. It was Rider who was interested in speaking with her in private. All he wanted was to get his hands on the Princess.
She searched out the real Megan and sent her down to the chamber as planned. Then she spoke with her parents and went to her rooms so that she would dress as befitting a princess. She wasn't sure how they were going to get the twins, she recognized them right away. Those wanted posters didn't lie.
"Megan?" Rapunzel turned around.
"You're supposed to be in the audience…" she said, whirling around so quickly she almost lost her balance. But there was no one there, no one at all. Was she hearing things? She might be losing it, seemed like that the way it was all day long.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she entered her bedchamber only to hear the voice again, but this time it was a woman calling to her.
And she used her real name.
"Don't worry, Rapunzel. I'm taking care of Fitz. Everything will right as rain tomorrow night to attend the ball. Be prepared for him as there will be two of them. You will know exactly which one is which."
Rapunzel frowned. "I already know which one is which. I have to let him touch me, we have to rid Corona of Gothel's surviving descendant before they get rid of us."
It took a few minutes before the woman spoke again. "You'll know, Rapunzel. Do what you have to and trust yourself. You will know."
And then she was gone or the voice was at least.
She took the gown off her bed and slipped it over her head. One of her other Ladies attended her, Cora by name, and hooked up the back.
"Thanks, Cora," Rapunzel said, as she headed for the door, but Cora stopped her. She motioned to the back way out.
"There's someone out there, Princess. I think he's waiting for you, slip out this way."
Rapunzel kissed Cora on the cheek and headed out the wandered through the rooms until she figured she was far enough away. She slipped out her rooms unnoticed, then hurried down the hallway.
XXXXX
"What are you doing in the Princess' rooms?" The Guardsman asked, "You should be in the Audience chamber. You're not supposed to walking around the castle unattended."
"We were told that everything would be set up; that everything was taken care of," Sideburns answered, looking confused. "You were supposed to be expecting us."
"Yes, we were," the other Guardsman moved in to grab Eye Patch, "that's exactly why we're here. Now come along peacefully. We'll escort you right back to the Audience Chamber. Everything will be fine. The King and Queen should be there now and we know that the Princess is on her way."
"So just sit tight," the first Guardsman asked. "By the way, aren't you two supposed to be bodyguards? Is there a body here we don't know about?"
Sideburns stared at Eye Patch as they were escorted down the hallway back to the Audience Chamber. Sideburns could see that his brother was as angry as he was. How were they going to blend in if everyone knew what they were up to? This clearly was not what he expected.
Sideburns was pretty angry and he would get his revenge later, probably during the ball. Yes, embarrassing Rider in front of everyone would be the best way. He simply was not going to let Rider get away with all this.
Not if he and Eye Patch could help it.
