Author's Notes:
Not much to say, but sorry for taking forever to publish this chapter. I had it half-written months ago, but got distracted with graduation, moving, work, and applying for graduate programs.
I miss the good old days when my only responsibility was eating and sleep. Oh to be a baby again!
Tangled: The Series:
A Speculative Continuation
Part II: The Path in the Shadows
Chapter 14: Promise of Protection
Eugene watched as Rapunzel scratched herself in annoyance. She wouldn't complain, but he could tell she disliked the rough material of the clothing they had bought. Wool in the summer was not a pleasant combination.
He leaned forward, whispering. "Uncomfortable?"
Rapunzel paused. "Is it really as dangerous as you say?"
Eugene's eyes narrowed. They were heading into the Kingdom of Budveis, east of Equis. "I've never been there personally. It's the poorest of the Seven Kingdoms—"
"So, there was nothing for you to steal?" Cassandra jibbed.
"Even in poor countries there are things to steal! No, I didn't go there because I valued my life! That kingdom is notoriously corrupt and if I were to be caught, I wouldn't be surprised if I would meet some grisly end before I even stood trial!"
Eugene watched as Rapunzel swallowed deeply. He could tell that she wanted nothing more than to turn in the opposite direction and head to another kingdom; however, with the rocks as their guide, she had no choice but to follow them. Eugene looked down at his own unfashionable clothing. They'd all changed their clothing in an attempt to avoid unwanted attention as they neared Budveis.
They continued their journey in silence; a sense of foreboding looming over them. Out of the corner of Eugene's eye, he could spot the dark shape of the spikes jutting from the ground a couple of meters away. Suddenly, he spotted a flash of sunlight, blinding him briefly. When the light had disappeared, Eugene noticed several pairs of eyes hidden within the foliage. It didn't take long for him to connect those eyes to the bright light. Concealed expertly in the brush was armor that at certain angles reflected the brilliant sunrays, betraying their location.
Voice low, Cassandra broke the silence. "Don't say anything, but we're surrounded by soldiers."
"Are you sure?" Rapunzel whispered.
"She's right. I saw them just now. They're hiding themselves in the bushes."
Maximus and Fidella snorted nervously, but continued moving forward. Pascal crawled out of Rapunzel's satchel and climbed up to her shoulder. He turned himself into a dark shade of brown, the same as her dress.
Eugene placed his arm around Rapunzel reassuringly. "Everything is going to be okay. Just don't mention you're a princess or that we're from Corona. They have no reason to harm us."
"HALT!"
The horses froze in place. An entire battalion of soldiers clad in green armored uniforms, stood before them, pointing their sharp spears in their direction. Feeling Rapunzel stiffen underneath his arm, Eugene pulled her in closer to him. To their left, Eugene cold just barely tell that Cassandra's hand was placed on her rapier concealed under her cloak.
One of the men astride a horse and glaring at the trio, spoke. "You are trespassing upon the lands of our noble leader, King Rudolf! State your business or you will be arrested!"
Eugene quickly took action. He'd heard that King Rudolf was a superstitious ruler and any hint of the occult would attract his attention, unwanted or not. If they said they were following the rocks, he believed they would be hauled before the monarch and harshly punished for their silence.
"Oh! We didn't realize that this is King Rudolf's land. We were just travelling to visit family and must have taken a wrong turn at the fork. We'll just turn back and take the right path." He beckoned casually at the flattened road behind them.
The leader's eyes only narrowed. "I highly doubt that. We don't have travelers around these parts."
"Well, we wouldn't be travelling in these parts if we'd taken the correct path."
Gaze turning from Eugene to focus on the horses, the man continued. "Those are some fine horses. I can imagine it must have been difficult for people as impoverished as you to purchase beasts of such high quality."
Maximus snorted angrily alongside a furious Fidella, their riders struggling to keep them from charging the soldiers. Eugene knew that a breaking point was fast approaching. His attempt to ease the soldiers and get away had failed. Plus, what the soldier had said was true, their magnificent horses didn't match their poor apparel. Years of experience running from soldiers had taught Eugene to be well aware of all the options available to him. His mind began racing through every recourse, evaluating priorities, possibilities, and likelihoods.
The guards are interested in the horses. We could bribe them with the horses and hope that they let us go.
No! These aren't moral men! If we bribe them, they'll just take the horses and arrest us for trying to corrupt the military!
If we cause a scuffle, we can leave Max and Fidella and make a run for it. Rapunzel was determined to follow these rocks. We can't turn around without finding answers!
So, we just leave Max and Fidella in the hands of corrupt officials? How is this a good idea?
They can take care of themselves. They'll escape and meet up with us later!
This plan has too many variables.
It'll be fine! The guards will focus on the horses and we'll slip away. I think they care more for them then they do for us.
Eugene finished his internal argument and sat upright in the saddle, his right hand finding Rapunzel's and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"They are quite the fine catch, aren't they? We found them abandoned a few days back. Something must have happened to their previous owners." Eugene continued to speak in his charming fashion. "I'll tell you what. Since you're so interested in these horses, my friends and I would be willing to sell them to you for a decent price."
As expected the captain broke into laughter, quickly followed by his subordinates. "You think we'd be paying trash like you for them? You're trespassing upon Budveis lands and so you are property of King Rudolf."
Eugene felt Rapunzel tense up in front of him. Beside them Cassandra was on the verge of attacking the men. The tension palpable, Eugene knew that once someone moved, all havoc would break loose. He was determined to be that someone.
He dismounted to Rapunzel and Cassandra surprise. Extending his hand to the princess, he helped her off Maximus's back. "We don't want any trouble. We'll give you the horses and be on our merry way." Ignoring the puzzled looks from the soldiers, he took Maximus' reigns in his hands and slowly approached the captain. With each step, he whispered instructions to the white stallion.
"What do you think you're doing?" Cassandra hissed. "We can't just hand over our horses to them!"
Eugene turned to look at the angry woman. "Don't worry, we'll be fine!" His cheery intonation remained strictly to his mouth, failing to reach his eyes which were uncharacteristically serious.
Cassandra peered in his brown eyes suspiciously. With a sigh, she relented and slipped off Fidella before handing the reigns to Eugene and planting herself beside a worried Rapunzel. Eugene continued to approach the wary guards; their captain following Eugene with narrow eyes.
When Eugene was less than two meters from them, the captain raised his hand and two men to his left darted out to take the horses from him. Eugene handed them the reigns politely and backed away both of his arms raised over his head. Max and Fidella were being led to the back of the soldiers, while Eugene carefully retreated to Rapunzel and Cassandra.
"Thank you for your cooperation, but I'm afraid that we can't just let you go on your "merry way". As I said earlier, you have trespassed upon King Rudolf's lands and—"
CLANG!
The captain fell forward, unable to finish his sentence. Behind him, a furious Maximus stood with Rapunzel's signature cast iron frying pan clenched in between his teeth. The guards stared at the stallion confused as to what had happened to their leader. Soon Maximus and Fidella were charging wildly through the ranks, distracting the soldiers from their human targets.
"Hurry! We've got to make it through!" Eugene whispered as he pulled Rapunzel and Cassandra away from the commotion and in the direction the rocks had been leading them.
Realizing that all was going according to plan, Cassandra wrenched her hand out of Eugene's grip and unsheathed her sword. There weren't any soldiers in their path, but she dived to the side upon hearing a warning whistle. Two arrows pierced a tree right where her head had been a moment prior. Eugene glanced in the direction of the skirmish and spotted a couple of soldiers that had seen their escape and had diverted their attention to them. Having missed, they were starting to pursue, when one of them put his hand out halting them.
"No point pursing them. Where they're going, they'll wish they had come with us!"
Eugene didn't have time to consider his words before the men were out of sight, lost in the wild brush of the forest.
Rapunzel, Cassandra, and Eugene continued to flee through the trees. They were heavily outnumbered, even though Maximus could easily handle a dozen soldiers on his own. After what seemed like an eternity, they stumbled out of the forest and fell down. Breathing heavily, the three of them lay there taking deep gulps of air, while their beating hearts slowed. Eugene was still exhausted, but he managed to sit up and take a look at their surroundings. The land before them was unnervingly still. A small village was visible in the distance, but the surrounding fields were barren. He looked down at the dirt beneath them; it was dry with large cracks breaking up the earth, resembling a snakeskin. It was apparent that it hadn't rained in quite some time.
They stood up and brushed the dust from their clothing. While Cassandra helped pull twigs and leaves from Rapunzel's hair, Eugene listened carefully to hear whether or not they had been followed. They hadn't.
"Was that your plan, Fitzherbert? We could have died!" Cassandra glared at Eugene.
"Well, it was sort of my plan. I didn't intend for those guards to shoot at us, but all's well that ends well, right?"
"But what about Max and Fidella? They're fighting all those soldiers by themselves!" Rapunzel pulled her hood over her head, concealing her blonde hair.
Eugene took her hand in his and gazed reassuringly into her green eyes. "Don't worry about them. They were only to serve as a distraction for us to run off, before making off themselves. Besides, you're selling Max short. He can easily sort out those guys back there!"
Rapunzel nodded her head, but he could tell that she was still worried. In truth, ever since they had met Khutulun, Rapunzel had been different. She'd been far more reserved than before, choosing to silently observe her friends, instead of actively participating in their bickering. It was beginning to concern Eugene.
"The rocks appear to be heading over to the village over there." Cassandra said, while rearranging her cloak.
The three of them took off towards the faint collection of homes in the distance.
Nearing the settlement, Eugene noticed immediately that something was wrong. There was an eerie silence that lay over the village, punctuated only by an occasional cough or cry. As they passed through the unpaved streets they began to come across people, but unlike the friendly inhabitants of Corona or the bustling crowds of Himmel, these residents trudged about with sunken eyes that were devoid of light.
Eugene looked carefully at Rapunzel to see how she was holding up. He found her staring in shock after a young boy who was tugging his little sister, both of their bellies were swollen from a lack of food.
When the children had disappeared, Rapunzel turned to face Eugene. "What is wrong with this place?" Her eyes glistened.
Eugene turned away from the princess, his eyes downcast. His normally cheery disposition replaced with a somber one. "Not every kingdom is as well off as Corona. In fact, Corona stands out as a shining jewel compared to most the world." He glanced up at Rapunzel sadly. "Best not to say who you are, Blondie."
Rapunzel's eyes still wide in horror, the trio wandered through the streets not knowing where they were going but unwilling to stop and soak in the miserable spectacle surrounding them.
Out of the corner of her eye, Cassandra spotted two lone figures following them. Ducking behind crates and make-shift tents, they clearly did not want the group to know that they were being followed. She silently laid her fingers over the hilt of her sword in preparation for another confrontation.
They turned into a narrow-abandoned street. Cassandra motioned for Eugene to protect Rapunzel while she raised her blade to face their stalkers. Surprised, Rapunzel's eyes widened in alarm when Eugene pushed her behind him. They listened carefully for the secretive duo, but not a sound was heard other than the occasional cough from a sick villager.
They continued to wait: nothing.
Cassandra shifted herself forward to peer around the corner. The street was just as they had left it, without a sign of their followers.
"Ouch!"
Spinning around, Cassandra spotted Eugene rubbing the top of his head in irritation. Rapunzel had awoken from her daze and dropped to the ground, picking up the rock that had knocked Eugene on the crown.
Not a rock, a comb!
"Eugene isn't this your comb?"
Eugene stared at the comb in Rapunzel's hand. It had a curved handle and carved in elegant script was none other than his infamous pseudonym, Flynn Rider. The gears in his head began spinning out of control.
"What? I mean yeah that's my comb, but what is it doing here of all places? I last gave it too—"
Two small blurs fell upon the puzzled group. Cassandra went to pull out her sword, but to her alarm, her scabbard was empty. Looking up, she found that the comb had been snatched out of Eugene's hand and Rapunzel's hood had been pulled back revealing her golden locks. In front of them were two girls with mischievous grins, playfully swinging their stolen items before their faces.
"Angry! Red!" Eugene cried out in surprise and joy.
The two delinquent girls giggled, Red shyly returning to Cassandra her weapon. While the girls had always been small, Eugene noticed that their clothing seemed to hang loosely from their frames. Despite their cheeky grins, they too must have been experiencing the same level of misfortune as the poor residents of the village.
"Long time no see, Eugene!" Angry teased. "Imagine the trouble we could have caused if we had actually been trying to rob you!" She shook her head in shame. "You really have gotten rusty."
Rapunzel and Cassandra chuckled while Eugene stood affronted. Before he could begin his rebuttal, Rapunzel stepped in and knelt to meet the girls' eye level.
"Oh, how I've missed the two of you!" She smiled warmly.
Red returned the smile with her own shy one as Angry replied, "We've missed you guys too!"
The joyful reunion was soured when Cassandra spoke. "How did the two of you end of in a place like this? I don't think there is anything you could even think to steal from this place."
"Hey! We haven't stolen a thing since we left Corona! We decided to turn over a new leaf and make something honest of ourselves."
Eugene eyed them skeptically. "And that brought you here?"
Angry refused to meet his eyes. "Well, this is where we're from. Might as well start here in Sterben."
"But this place is so—"
"You can blame the king for that!" Angry spat, living up to her name. "This place could prosper, but with taxes, unfair punishments, and who knows what other criminal activities he allows, nobody here has the willpower or the strength to fight back."
Cassandra leaned against the stone walls. "So, you intend to incite a rebellion, at your age?"
"Where's Lance?" Everyone was startled by Red's question. Her soft voice quivering.
The trio recognized the change in subject but decided to go where the girls wanted. They were obviously hiding something.
"Good ole' Lance is working at the Snuggly Duckling as their newest chef!" Eugene bellowed in his most bombastic tone. "They needed an upgrade from their usual fare." He winked at Red.
"Is he making cupcakes?"
"Loads of them!"
"Savory pies?"
"Too many to count!"
"If only I could have a taste!"
Eugene flinched in realization. Here he was talking about mountains of delicious foods, when these girls probably hadn't had a proper meal in weeks. He wasn't alone. Out of the corner of his eye, Rapunzel was reaching into her satchel and pulling out what little food was on her person. A roll of bread, a wedge of cheese, and a rosy apple. Eugene quickly followed suit with Cassandra doing the same.
The children's eyes widened in shock and they leapt on the food, devouring the meager offering in haste.
While the ate, Rapunzel tentatively asked, "Why doesn't anyone have food here? Surely there must be farmers!"
In between bites, Angry responded. "Oh, there are, but something poisoned the crops and what little survived made everyone sick. Most people would have left, but again the king stopped anyone from leaving."
"WHY?"
"There was some story about preventing a plague from spreading, but I don't believe it. He's just that bad."
Angry returned to eating giving Red a chance to speak. "There are some people in the village who do have food, but they never share and are really mean."
"Really mean! We tried to steal from them, but—" Angry's voice slowed to a whisper before stopping.
"What do you mean?" Rapunzel inquired, but Angry and Red refused to answer, making it clear that there was no point attempting to continue the conversation at that point.
During their reunion, the sun had begun to set, casting dark shadows over their group. The two young girls led Rapunzel, Cassandra, and Eugene away from the village towards a small outcrop of stone. Snuggled within the stones was their makeshift camp. Considering their circumstances, it wasn't a surprise that many of the luxuries the three friends enjoyed were lacking, but it wasn't a miserable place either. A circular fire pit in the center of the camp provided considerable warmth when Eugene finished lighting the kindling and scraps of cloth haphazardly sewn provided the girls with additional protection from any wind that made its way into their rocky home.
It didn't take long for weariness to envelop Rapunzel and Cassandra. Soon the two of them and Red had fallen asleep underneath an overhanging, leaving Eugene and Angry to watch the red flames dance in the night air.
Eugene glanced over at Angry. Her eyes were staring intently at the smoke, but he could tell that wasn't what she was thinking about.
"We were ten when Lance and I started working for the Baron."
Angry didn't move, but it was clear she was listening.
"We were orphans with nothing to our names. We shared everything we owned. My clothes were hand-me-downs from older kids and so were my toys. In fact, the first thing I could really call my own was that comb." He chuckled painfully, waving at the wooden comb in Angry's hands. "I guess thinking back on it, I can't really say that belonged to me either.
"The Baron offered me a way out and I took it. Looking back on my experience, I realize that he didn't give me a way out. Everything I stole was for him. I left the Baron having only gained a criminal reputation."
Angry's eyes were closed, but she was biting her lips. Eugene watched her closely as he continued. "The Baron was full of empty promises that he snared me with." The tension thickened. "Is that what happened to you two?"
Again, Angry refused to respond; however, she was clearly affected by what he had said. Her back was turned to Eugene hiding her face from him, but from her quivering form, she was most likely crying.
"But I have to ask, if you two were so set on getting away, why would you return to Sterben?"
"We didn't."
Eugene waited patiently for Angry to continue. Her normally sarcastic tone had been replaced with an alarmingly fragile one.
"After we left Corona we were tracked down by more of the Baron's men. They brought us to the Baron and he thought it merciful to send us back to our home since we weren't interested in working for him anymore." Suddenly Angry swiveled around to face Eugene. Her dark eyes had large tears streaming from them. "And now we're going to die here!"
Eugene took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around the small girl, doing his best to comfort her.
"All we wanted was enough food to eat! But I became too greedy! I messed everything up and now Red's going to die because of me!"
Stroking her dull hair, Eugene spoke as tenderly as he could. "Do you remember how far Lance and I went to save you that first time months ago?" He pulled her in closer, letting her weep into his chest. "Lance may be back in Corona, but I'll do whatever I must to make sure you girls are safe. I promise."
His last words seemed to linger in the air as the young trouble girl cried herself to sleep in his protective embrace.
Additional Notes:
I was so happy to bring Red and Angry back, thought their situation isn't ideal. All that's missing is Lance!
Sterben mean dying or to die in German. It is a very depressing name for a very depressing place. I thought about Essen, which is associated with food (word), but there is actually a city called Essen, and I didn't want the connection.
Budveis comes from Budweis, which comes from Budweiser. I personally don't drink alcohol, but I'm aware of the Corona, Equis, Saporia, connection to different brands of the liquid. I simply decided to stick with the theme. In German, the English 'w' is pronounced more like an English 'v' (ex. Wernicke sounds like Vernicke; Wernicke's Area is also a part of the brain that controls speech comprehension and is named after Carl Wernicke, a German neurologist and psychiatrist.
I took King Rudolf's name from King Rudolf II, a controversial historical figure. Interestingly, Rudolf II was interested in and a great supporter of astrology and alchemy.
Thanks to everyone that kept asking whether I would continue this. I always meant to, but the occasional reminders made it so that I couldn't forget. I appreciate it!