This Chapter's song: youtube at .com/watch?v=L94w0cMlXfI
Disclaimer: I don't own Tangled or any of its components, which are property of Disney. I also do not own any of the songs I base mine off of, which are property of Disney. (Other than the songs from "Anastasia", which are property of Fox)
The night reminded her so much of her night of lanterns with Eugene. The brilliants spots of light provided by the stars and the fireflies, the ambiance, the peace; it was refreshing. Crickets sang songs around her, using a wonderful melody. The flowers and plants that circled her position provided sweet smells. It was wonderful.
Rapunzel basked in the environment from her spot on a garden bench. She had come out before bed to take time to reflect. With how fast the days seemed to be passing by, it made her somewhat miss her tower. It was a prison that was dreadfully dull, but it was slower, calmer, and gave her time to think. Here, everything moved so quickly that she felt she barely had time to breathe.
"Mind if I join you?" a King inquired from behind her. Rapunzel turned to see her father there, smiling warmly.
"Of course not." Rapunzel said enthusiastically, glad to have the company (Eugene already asleep, Pascal having gone off to catch bugs). The King took a seat next to her on the stone bench, the two facing out towards the sky.
"I just love coming out here to relax sometimes. Such a soothing place." the King explained. "You needed time to think as well?" the King guessed.
Rapunzel nodded. "Everything's happening so fast. How do you stand it?"
"Well, it does take some getting used to, I guess. It can be very hard times. I just get by knowing moments like this are made possible by what I do." the King answered with some arrogance.
"What do you mean?" Rapunzel asked, smiling.
"It is the duty of the royal family to try and keep order, no matter how hard that may be. In doing that duty, peace is maintained. And in peace, I am able to watch the night with my wonderful daughter by my side." the King grinned down at her. Rapunzel beamed, and the King went on. "So, I was wondering if you'd tell me more about Eugene."
This, of course, got the King treated to a long ramble, which he grudgingly submitted himself too to try and understand the man a bit more. "I can see you are quite taken with him," the King decided to try to use it to his advantage. "Tell me; do you wish to marry him?"
"What does 'marry' mean?" Rapunzel asked innocently.
The King was stricken at the question. Rapunzel was so bright and energetic, it often made him not appreciate just how bad her previous life had been. It was evident that the term was not taught to her in her tower, and it had not yet come up in her princess lessons. It reminded the King yet again of how much and how little Rapunzel had grown up without him. The King tried to gather himself, giving Rapunzel a sad smile.
"When two people love each other very much, the man will ask the woman to marry him. If the woman accepts, they will be bonded forevermore. It is something that couples who wish to be together forever will do. I, myself, am married to your mother." the King explained.
Rapunzel's eyes shined. "Of course I want to marry him! I would get married with him tomorrow! Oh, but I guess it's too busy tomorrow. The day after tomorrow? Can a girl ask the guy?" Rapunzel had no doubts about her heart; there was no one besides Eugene she would ever want to be with, and she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life.
The King could not help but chuckle. He wanted to explain marriage more, but could not bring himself to speak of the darker realities of marriage when Rapunzel seemed so happy. "No, dear, the man has to ask the woman. I think it's best you wait a while to get married. Getting married is usually a very long and complicated affair." The King did want his daughter to wed, but not that soon. He had just gotten his daughter back; he did not want to give her away quite yet.
Rapunzel pouted. "That's no fair."
"Patience can be quite rewarding." the King reassured her. The King acted on a sudden impulse at the though of how little time he had spent raising his Rapunzel. "Now, I was wondering if you might be interested in your old man telling you a story."
"A story?" Rapunzel's eyes widened.
The King nodded. "It's about a princess...a princess a lot like you actually. And how she and the vary daring, dashing, knight save the kingdom from invaders." It was an old story his own father used to tell him a child; a story the King had fallen in love with. He had hoped to tell it to all his children someday. The opportunity had been missed with Rapunzel, but now the King sought to make up for last time.
Rapunzel moved a little closer, already drawn in by her father's words. "I want to hear it!" she said excitedly. Her mother had never told her a story like that before. Mother always told sad stories, stories about how awful the world was. But this story sounded much better!
"Well, it starts with our hero, riding on a white horse through the forest..."
"And the newly crowned King took his bride's hand, as their daughter rode into the sunset."
Rapunzel, who had moved to rest her head on her father's upper arm over the course of the story, had tears in her eyes. "That,"she sniffled, "was amazing. Can you tell it again?" Rapunzel asked sweetly.
"I'd love to, but it's getting late. How about I tell it to you tomorrow night?"
Rapunzel frowned slightly, but realized how right she was when she couldn't help a yawn that rose through her. "Okay. Hey, Dad?"
"Yes, Rapunzel?"
Rapunzel wrapped her arms around the warm body of her father. "I love you."
The King wrapped a big arm around the petite form of her daughter, tears unashamedly running from his eyes. "I love you too, Rapunzel. I can't tell you how happy I am to have you back."
"You can't be serious about this, your highness!"
"I am very serious about this."
"But this...if you do this, millions will die!"
"You don't understand, Vincent."
"I understand perfectly well! I understand you're nothing but a selfish, arrogant, bastardy-"
"Remember who is King here!" Vincent paused mid insult, as he remembered just how outmatched he was. The guards in the room looked rather menacing after he stopped to take in their presence.
"You said that you would let me use the flower after to help heal others beside the Queen." Vincent reminded, grinding his teeth together.
"That was before you showed you did not know how to use the flower, and before I came to the realize the complete power of this flower."
"Please, sire. Please. Just...just give me more time with the flower, I'm sure I could find a way to make it work without destroying it." Vincent requested, trying to hide the blazing rage in his voice and change his tactics. It was clear shouting was not going to get him anywhere with the King.
"My wife doesn't have more time, Vincent. Besides that, it doesn't belong in this world. It needs to be destroyed." the King stated monotonously.
"How can you say that about something that could save so many lives!" Vincent shouted, passion breaking through his walls of control. "It's so wonderful, so powerful, so heavenly. How could you want-"
"Exactly," the King interrupted. "Too wonderful. Too powerful. Too heavenly. It can not be allowed to exist. It would be a tempest unlike anything ever seen." the King argued.
Vincent shook like an earthquake in his emotion. "You...you can't! I finally found our dream!" Fiery drops of water leaked out of the doctor's eyes. "You would have never have found that flower without me! The Queen would have had absolutely no hope without me! And this, this is how you repay me?"
"I am forever indebted to you for what you've done, Vincent." the King said sincerely. "But your passion blinds you to the truth of things. The world isn't perfect; things just won't always work out like they should. This conversation is over. My decision is final. Guards, please escort him to his room, and keep him there for the night." the King turned to re-enter the Queen's chamber and save her life.
"Damn you!" Vincent yelled as the guards roughly grabbed him, dragging the struggling man back to his room. They threw the crumbling man inside, depositing him onto the cold stone floor. They slammed the door shut, closing in Vincent with nothing but darkness.
Vincent wailed and cried. He felt agony as their dream was annihilated, boiled in the waters of hell, fed to save the wife and child of a demon. "Maria...I'm sorry. So sorry. I have failed you. I have failed the world." Vincent sobbed.
Vincent awoke from his dream to the sounds of horns blazing, drums beating, people shouting. The evident happiness of the world outside made Vincent want to puke in his half-asleep state. How could the world be so happy when their one hope was gone?
But it's not gone anymore Vincent reminded himself, getting up on the morning of coronation day. Despite how the King tried, the flower had managed to survive in the princess to be celebrated today. Vincent had stayed, kept his job, and waited in hopes of finding another flower or some other way to accomplish his goals. That time was now, with the return of the lost princess. And this time, that King was not going to stop him from using the flower to rid the world of disease. Vincent swept out of the room, moving to take his place in the day's festivities.
"You sure you're ready, Blondie?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." Rapunzel answered Eugene nervously, pent up, pacing in the hallway in front of the doorway to her people. They were alone, for the moment, awaiting the arrival of the rest of the royal congregation that would be apart of the ceremony.
"You might want to slow down there. Don't want to wear a hole in the floor." Eugene joked from his spot against a pillar.
Rapunzel stopped mid-walk, sighing. "What if I mess up?"
"You seemed to enthusiastic about things yesterday." Eugene noted.
"But...now it's here and everything is getting so complicated, and I feel like I look ridiculous and I don't want to disappoint anyone and what if they don't like you or or Maximus or..."
Eugene was there, suddenly, hands on her shoulders. He was becoming more practiced at what to do when Rapunzel was ranting. "Breathe." Eugene encouraged.
Rapunzel took a deep breath, letting some of the stress disperse in the wind she created as her lungs puffed out.
"It's going to be fine. All you got to do is go out there, look beautiful, which you already do I might add," Eugene stated sincerely, eyes roaming down her modest royal dress, colored golden to match the sun. "Say a few words, wave, get a crown put on your head and presto! You're done." Eugene finished.
"But what about you?" Rapunzel protested.
"All I have to do it stand to the side and look good, which I think you'll attest that I do." Flynn shined through for a moment. Rapunzel giggled. "We don't have to do much. It'll be fine, really." Eugene was half trying to convince himself, feeling a bit uncertain as to how the masses would react to his presence there.
"Thank you, Eugene." Rapunzel beamed at him. He always seemed to know what to say to ease her hyperactive heart. Yet, he always seemed to know how to speed it up as well. The pair's eyes met in a swirling of green and brown, trees and ground, and their faces inclined towards each other slowly.
The doors at the end of the hall slammed open, as the rest of the royal family walked in. Rapunzel and Eugene jumped apart, startled. The King and Queen largely showed no response to it, but Roseanne grew visibly agitated.
"It's time." the King announced. Rapunzel and Eugene nodded, and joined the procession, on to meet the army of civilians ahead.
The earth seemed to shake back and forth under the might of the words and movement of the people of Corona. Electricity sparked everywhere, charged by the excitement. The people swarmed like buzzing bees towards Corona castle, where the lost princess would be revealed. People danced, shoved, and sang their way through the masses. It was blissful chaos.
"Ready Lawrence?" asked a fellow crier colleague, dressed in a golden robe, as all the criers were on this day.
"You know it." Lawrence grinned from ear to ear. These days were the ones he lived for; days where everyone would listen to his call, days where joyous news consumed the people, days where he would get to take charge.
Lawrence and his fellows was directly in front of the castle balcony where the princess would be revealed. A line of guards was set up to prevent the crowd from getting too close to the royals, or to prevent any attempts to climb up and mob them. A wooden platform, placed directly in front of the balcony, had been created specifically for Lawrence and the other criers to orate and introduce the rulers of Corona, with a full band arranged next to it.
Lawrence and ten other town criers walked up the steps of the tall platform, to the massive cheers of the crowd waiting outside the line of guards. People began to snap to attention at the beginning of the celebration. Once the choir was lined up, Lawrence in the very center, they broke out into a song, accompanied by the royal band:
Come one, come all!
Leave your place, clean up the mess,
All come here from east to west!
Come one, come all!
Close the churches, wake from rest
Today all must look their best,
Come and meet the lost prince...
sess! Lawrence finished the last syllable on his own, stepping forward and outstretching his arms as confetti and streamers began to rain down on the townspeople. The mass of people seemed to swell as more civilians were lured in by the crier's call.
Lawrence, wanting to get more invested in the crowd, jumped down from his spot and barged through the line of guards. The crowd shifted to accommodate him, not wanting his words to get lost in the masses. Lawrence continued on solo, dancing and twirling with his words:
Here's the day, we'll throw a party here in town
Here's the day, we'll turn Corona upside down Lawrence did a handstand, walking down the street for a short while before flipping back up.
Here's the day, where at last our princess gets crowned! Lawrence took a small, fake tiara from a pocket in his robe and put it atop a small girls head to emphasize his point.
You could say it's Topsy Turvy Day!
It's the day, our spirits will shine their brightest! Lawrence grabbed one of the many lit lanterns from a member of the crowd. Though it was daytime and they offered no lighting effect, people carried them as symbols for the princess. Lawrence swung the lantern around, releasing it into the sky.
It's the day, we bow from weak to mightiest! Lawrence pointed at a small, scrawny man standing next to a tall, buff one, both which bowed as Lawrence passed.
Ev'rythin's gone Topsy Turvy thanks to our princess! Lawrence yanked out one of the remaining caricatures of Rapunzel, displaying it to the crowd.
Topsy Turvy! The crowd chorused with Lawrence.
Ev'rything is upsy-daisy! Lawrence, now doing a cartwheel, went on as the crowd went wild around him, everyone dancing, doing tricks, or acting silly.
Topsy Turvy! The crowd roared again.
Ev'ryone is acting crazy Lawrence gestured to the insane mass of bodies around him.
Our princess will shine like our sun's rays! And then gestured up towards the sun, shining brightly down on the Kingdom that worshiped it.
We will play, it's Topsy Turvy Day!
"They sure are getting pretty wild out there." Eugene observed, peeking very slightly out of the double doors.
"It's only natural." a chilling voice spoke from behind the procession. Vincent walked in, doctor's bag at his side, looking rather gloomy.
"I don't believe I summoned your presence here, Vincent." the King noted coldly.
"I am merely doing what my duty requires, your highness," Vincent said with malice. "Injuries often occur during times of such excitement. I am just making myself available if something unfortunate were to happen." And observing the flower for any signs of power. All the excitement, and the injuries that will occur...could be an excellent opportunity Vincent rambled to himself mentally.
The rest of the family looked oddly between the two, before the King ended the converse. "Very well."
"It's almost time for out part." the Queen spoke up, changing the track of the conversation. "You remember how it's going to work, Rapunzel?"
Rapunzel nodded. "I walk out there first, you'll all be right there with me, and I say my practiced speech. Then father crowns me."
"Good, dear." the Queen stepped next to Rapunzel, taking her hand and squeezing it soothingly. "Places, everyone. Here we go."
Topsy Turvy! The crowd went on.
Blow the horns and beat those big drums! The band gladly obeyed the request of the chorusing crowd.
Topsy Turvy!
Love is born as our lost one comes
Walking out strong and triumphantlay!
Lawrence, who now found himself back behind the line of guards, went on solo:
Come on folks, prove that you're loyal
Absolutely no one will foil
Our fun for our new royal today!
The energy of the crowd grew more timid as the instrument became softer and the doors of the balcony began to open. Lawrence continued:
Come one, come all! Come one, Come all!
Hurry, hurry, stop unrest!
We'll see her, I do not jest!
See the finest girl address,
you all here, yes you'll be blessed!
Time to see our found princess!
The crowd gasped as the doors opened to reveal the woman they were all waiting for. Rapunzel stepped forward, head tilted town, walking with some reluctance. Roseanne was to Rapunzel's right, the Queen to Rapunzel's left, with the King and Eugene trailing behind. Vincent stayed back, watching from the shadows.
Rapunzel's eyes feasted upon the seemingly endless masses of people. Everyone was watching and judging her. The gravity of expectation came down full force; Rapunzel thought she was getting crushed. She had a severe "deer in headlights moment". She couldn't do this. There was no way she could possibly please these people. Shameful tears tried to escape from the prisons of her eyes. She just wished she could...
Roseanne grabbed Rapunzel's hands. Rapunzel looked down at her little sister. Roseanne's expression said I'm here for you. Rapunzel regained her confidence; her family were still supporting her. Pascal, who had been hiding behind her hair, crawled up to her shoulder and puffed out his chest as if to say "Pascal, the awesome, is ready!"
Rapunzel closed her eyes to compose herself, and when she opened them she was the eldest princess of Corona. She continued her march to the delight of the crowd, walking with the elegance of a royal. She made it to the very edge of the balcony, overlooking the quieting Kingdom.
"Thank you!" Rapunzel yelled out with a voice of power, her speech being well practiced. Her words echoed loudly, carrying through the crowd. "Thank you all for welcoming me so warmly." She paused to allow the people to cheer even more welcome. "I...I am honored to be able to stand here today." Rapunzel tried to gather herself. The prepared generic words (made by Mrs. Gibbs) started to leave her. At the edge of the storm, her heart began take over her vocal cords.
"I know I've been...away for a long time. Too long. But, I'm learning how to make up for lost time. I've been learning a lot, actually, a lot of things I missed. I've...learned how to make a campfire. I've learned how to eat a royal table. I've learned how to ride a horse. I've even learned how to wear shoes!"
Rapunzel went on like this, relaying all these things she had been taught to the crowd. Though each was significant to her, they seemed rather trivial to the people below.
"That poor thing..."
"What is she talking about?"
"I have no idea."
"She's rather peculiar, isn't she?"
The crowd silenced again when Rapunzel bellowed out "I've learned what love really is!" A pause, as Rapunzel's eyes flashed towards the loving and supportive family behind her, and then to her best friend on her shoulder. "And I've learned how wonderful this Kingdom really can be. And I've learned what it takes to be a princess. And I've realized...I'm not really a princess."
Soft murmuring began during Rapunzel's pause, but she pressed on. "I haven't learned enough to be called a princess. And I'm a lot of things a princess isn't supposed to be; I'm silly, and I like getting messy, I'm ditzy, I'm clumsy, naive, I mumble..." Rapunzel trailed off for a moment. Eugene was about to step forward and console her, seeing Gothel shrouding her thoughts again. The King reached an arm out and stopped him, however, knowing Rapunzel had to fight through this on her own.
"But, despite all of that, people seem to want me to be their princess. It honors me. Everyone's support...it's incredible. And because of that, even though I don't think I deserve any of this, I'll be a princess. I haven't learned enough yet, but I promise each and every day I'll learn something new. I'll learn from my family, my friends, and all of you people out there. And maybe, just maybe, I hope I'll be able to teach you all something new too. Thank you, everyone." Rapunzel paused and waved, conveying that she was finished.
The crowd was stunned. They had never heard a speech anything like that. It was so eccentric, so weird, so not confident. But it was also heartfelt, sincere, true, and promising. It wasn't a speech made by a royal; it was a speech made by a citizen of Corona. A speech made by one of their own.
Four little red haired little girls began to clap slowly. They soon picked up in energy, clapping more strongly. When the shock of the speech didn't wear off on the adults quickly enough, one of the girls shouted "Come on! You're supposed to start clapping now that we started!" The crowd around the four girls laughed, and slowly the entire mass of people joined the girls in applauding Rapunzel's speech. Cheers and whistles rang loudly, as the adoration of Rapunzel increased yet again.
Rapunzel was now the stunned one, so amazed that the people had received her speech that well. She had just been speaking from the heart; she didn't expect to be well received. She just said what she felt was right.
The King stepped forward from the family, lifting Rapunzel's tiara high up into the air. The very same tiara that had, in many ways, began the chaotic series of events that led to this moment. Upon seeing the tiara be raised, the music started up again, a cue having been made. Lawrence began to sing, leading the choir:
Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for!
Here it is, you know exactly what's in store!
Now's the time we smile until our mouths get sore,
Now the time we crown our found princess!
So, watch that face that's royal and so beauteous! Eugene sent a glare down at Lawrence, sensing a flirtatious tone in the lyrics, a glare Lawrence delightfully missed.
Watch our girl, get crowned, our girl that's so gorgeous!
For that face, that's prettiest, will soon be our princess!
Oh!
Topsy Turvy! The crowd getting into the song again.
Everyone, forget your shyness! Lawrence encouraged.
Topsy Turvy!
Shout your love for our new highness!
Put your greatest features on display! The crowd sung, all their faces beaming. A few woman even tried to hurriedly apply make-up.
Love the girl of Topsy Turvy Day!
Rapunzel watched from above, absorbing the jubilant energy into her own mood. The King came up from behind her, tapping her on the shoulder, the tiara lifted above her in one hand. Rapunzel half inclined her head back, smiled, and then tried her best to be more stoic. She stood still, awaiting her crowning.
The King could not remember a time where things were so whole. His lost daughter was here, and though she thought otherwise, was truly becoming a wonderful princess. There were still the matter of Eugene, but under the optimism of the day, he felt that matter would soon resolve himself. His entire family was by his side, his whole Kingdom was joyous and peaceful, and things were looking so bright. He could never remember feeling so much PAIN!
The tiara slipped through his fingertips, twirling in the air, missing Rapunzel's head by an inch and crashing down to the stone floor of the balcony. The King tried to breathe, but his lungs seemed to be malfunctioning, taking far too little oxygen in. His legs were shaking, trying to give out on him, but the King remained strong. He looked directly down, trying to pinpoint the source of the inferno of agony. An arrow was sticking out of his chest.
A slight whistling in the air, and PAIN! SO MUCH PAIN! Was all that ran through the King's head. This new pain was centered around his right leg. This time, he couldn't keep his strength. He fell as the tiara did, crashing to the cold floor.
"Get down!" Eugene shouted, reaction time quicker than anybody's. He reached out and grabbed the hands of the Queen and Roseanne, yanking them downwards with a sharp tug, before running a few steps forward to reach Rapunzel, whom he lightly tacked to the ground. He could swear he felt another arrow whiz over his head.
The event that would shape the course of history happened only over a couple of seconds. The crowd was just beginning to realize that the entire royal family and the King had fallen. Eugene, the only one who spoke, did not shout loud enough for his voice to carry well.
Lawrence and his choir, who were preparing to start up again, did not have a good line of sight to the family above them. As such, they were left unaware of the King getting shot down when they went through they began the last part of their song:
Ev'rybody! Lawrence shouted.
Here's the day, we throw a party here in town! The choir sang.
Hail to the King! Lawrence spoke above them. He turned, wondering why the audience was not joining in. When he saw their distressed faces, he looked upwards towards the balcony. He was met with the sight of the royal family crouching for their lives and the King with an arrow sticking out of his chest.
Here's the day, we turn Corona upside down! The choir of criers continued, faces turned away from the King and still unaware of the tragic event that had just unfolded.
Oh, he's dying! Lawrence exclaimed.
Here's the day, our lost princess will wear her crown... The choir trailed off, looking upwards and finally seeing the horrifying sight.
Look, right up there! Lawrence pointed upwards towards the top of a nearby building. On a rooftop, someone in a cloak with a large bow was standing. The shadowy figure, realizing it had been spotted, began to flee, hopping across packed in rooftops.
What is this, on Topsy Turvy Day! The choir asked as they turned their heads to see the perpetrator.
He shot our King who was so fair! Lawrence yelled.
And come on guards, get that criminal who must die! The entire crowd began to bellow as everyone's eyes turned towards the fleeing criminal. The guards quickly mobilized, trying to fight through the crowd to begin a pursuit, a few running to get on horses. The people were all shouting angrily and pointing towards the figure.
Lawrence and his choir improvised new words for the final part of their tune:
Get that man, who our royals he did defy!
On this day, why did he drop in
To make our King's heart start stoppin'
Come on guards, get him, he went that way!
Go get that man who put the "top" in
Topsy turvy day!
Topsy turvy, Mad and crazy, upsy-daisy, topsy turvy day!
Meanwhile...
"Eugene, what..." Rapunzel began, but she cut herself off at the sight of her collapsed father. Her back having been turned, she did not realize what had just happened. "Father!" Rapunzel exclaimed as she fought out of Eugene's arms to shuffle over to him.
"Keep low! Someone's shooting at us!" Eugene warned, demonstrating his point by crawling as low to the ground as possible.
The collapsed family gathered around the wheezing King. They looked in horror at the worsening wounds. Rain drops leaked from the three womans' eyes.
"Daddy..." Roseanne whispered.
"It's...it's alright! I can fix this!" Rapunzel exclaimed softly, crouching over her father. "I just have to..."
"No..." the King managed. "Don't...I...forbid it."
"I...I can't let you die, dad." Rapunzel echoed.
"Honey..."the King's head turned towards his wife. "Please..."
"Your father..." the Queen was interrupted by her own sob. "Is...right dear. You can't use your powers to save him."
"But...but..."
"Move aside." A new voice shouted. The family turned to see a furious looking Vincent striding over. "This is a job for a doctor."
Vincent immediately knelt down next to the King and began to attack the areas around the arrows with ferocity. He pulled out a surgical knife and tried to carefully cut the clothing around them. The family just watched on, unsure what to do.
Vincent was battling greatly with himself. He had been hoping to see Rapunzel display the abilities he suspected she had, but the King had foiled him again. Still, Rapunzel had mostly confirmed his suspicions. Above all that, however, was how torn he was on helping the King. He despised the man more than anything in the world, and would not be sad to see him die. However, not lending his expertise to an injured person and just letting them die right in front of him went against everything he stood for as a doctor. Thus, with severe reluctance, he worked hard to try and save the King's life.
"He'll live. These arrows don't seem to go too deep. One is merely on a limb, and fortunately, this one in your chest seemed to just miss any vital organs. I'm going to have to remove the arrows to get any healing done, I'm afraid. It's going to be painful, but necessary." Vincent explained. A sigh of relief breathed through the sad family.
"Up there." Eugene spoke, now standing, as he gazed at a far off rooftop. He spotted the figure before anyone else did. He saw a flash of red, and knew instantly who it was. "No way..." Eugene trailed off. His awe was soon replaced by determination. "I'm going after the one who did this." Eugene spoke more clearly. His past was haunting him yet again. This was all his fault. Those arrows, which were likely intended for himself, were endangering the life of an innocent man. And those very easily could have hit Roseanne, or the Queen or even Rapunzel. He was not going to stand for that; he refused to risk their lives again by not taking care of his past.
"Eugene, wait!" Rapunzel sprung up, grabbing his arm.
"You can't stop me from-"
"Let me come with you." Rapunzel said with fierceness. If she was not allowed to use her powers to help her father, she was at least going to get the person who had shot him.
Eugene thought of protesting, but when he saw the beautiful blazing look on Rapunzel's face, he decided against it. He merely nodded, and the two began to sprint off.
"Get better dad! We'll get that person!" Rapunzel promised as they departed.
Roseanne, the Queen, the King, and Vincent were left there. The Queen stayed by her husband's side, holding his hand, just trying to help him through Vincent's treatment. Both she and the King knew there was no use in trying to stop that rebellious pair, and both felt too weak to even attempt to do so.
Roseanne looked on in longing. She wanted to help somehow, but her fear held her back. She didn't know about chasing dangerous criminals, or about how to adventure. Her princess lifestyle ensured that. Roseanne just remained by her father's side, trying to offer him comfort, about the only thing she felt she could do.
Author's Note: Ain't I a stinker?
Well, I'd like to hear guesses as to who our shadowy figure is (though I don't think it's hard to figure out), the huge and finally revealed Vincent vs King conflict, and how I did on Rapunzel's speech(which I found quite challenging).
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