A/N: Oh hey everyone! How are we? I know it's been a while.

That last chapter got double the reviews of all the others! I truly wasn't expecting that. Thanks!

We're finally getting to the chapters I've been most excited to write! I am so pumped to see new followers out there and hear new voices! Welcome to the Clan fam ;-)

And of course, thank you all for the continued feedback. I'm always shocked when I see some of you are still reading. It makes my day every time! And thank you guest for watching my youtube vid! I definitely had to get to work finishing this chapter after seeing that! Onward~

26. Heart and head

"God…" muttered Vlad as Flynn staggered down the path, Rapunzel in his arms, wrapped in the oversized long coat.

"She's alive!" called Flynn, as the men hurried to his aid.

Charley looked over the pair in shock. Flynn was covered in layers of dirt and blood. His hair was a disheveled mess and he looked desperately in need of sleep. All though, he himself seemed unware of his aliments as he stared worriedly down to Rapunzel.

She appeared to be in better shape than Flynn, even as she lay unconscious. Her only physical harm seemed to be an ugly bruise that begun to form on her cheek. The sickly purple tone stood out harshly from her fair features.

"She's… she's alive," Flynn repeated, gently laying her to the ground and kneeling before her. "She has to be!"

"Is… is she breathing, son?" asked Vlad.

Flynn looked up to him, suddenly horrified by the thought.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, yet no words came, his emotions forbidding language.

The men glanced back to Rapunzel. Her face, as pale as a polished pearl, seemed to be asleep in restful serenity. Flynn had known something was not right when she suddenly fell limp against him on the path. And then, when he turned to rouse her, he was taken back by the feeling of her ice cold skin.

"She… she passed out on the way here. She was so cold…," he choked out the words before shaking his head.

Vlad kneeled before the pair, placing a hand at the base of her throat. He waited for a tense moment before sighing in relief.

"Aye, there's a heartbeat. Though, it ain't the strongest one…"

Flynn felt as though he had been stabbed as he worriedly ran a hand through his hair.

Just then, a thought came to him.

"That night I fainted on the trail, how was it she brought me back?"

Vlad looked to Charley, "Whiskey!" he demanded before Charley dashed off to get the flask.

Flynn propped Rapunzel over his lap, "And she needs warmth, her wool kilt!" he called to Charley.

"I'll start a fire," said Vlad before starting off to collect adequate wood. Though, Flynn stopped him.

"I don't think we can stay here. Those men can't be far off my path."

Vlad furrowed his brow.

"Who's to say she will make it any further?"

"I'll say," barked Flynn sternly, holding her tighter. "Why did I risk everything for, if not to save her?!"

Vlad stepped closer to Flynn, "Aye, and I risked my arse, too! Don't think you're some lonely white knight!"

"Where were you then when I entered his tent?!" he cried, his voice shaking. "Where were you when I saw him over her, her dress torn apart?!"

Vlad frowned, looking away as Flynn's face contorted in sorrow.

Flynn quickly repressed his emotions as he hung his head lower, just over Rapunzel's.

He felt anger towards her for running off, though, he still encountered a fair amount of guilt for leaving her in the first place.

Flynn quickly pushed thoughts of punishment and resentment from his mind. His own emotions had nothing to do with putting all the effort he could muster into saving her life. He roughly wiped his eyes with his forearm and glanced up to see Charley handing him the flask.

"She, em, poured et in yer cut t'at night," clarified the young man.

Flynn took the flask, eyeing it in his grasp.

"Why did she do that?"

Charley shrugged, "eh wurked, didna et?"

Flynn looked away from the bottle in defeat. He tried to think like her, but no ideas seemed to come to mind. What would she do with her endless herbal remedies and knowledge on ailments? He was clueless and felt as though he had failed her.

"Well," began Charley again, "she doesna have any open woonds… but t'e drink sh' warm hur, aye?"

Flynn shook his head absent mindedly. Charley took the initiative, seeing that Flynn was too shaken. He kneeled down and took the flask from him.

Flynn nodded to him before he carefully raised the flask to her mouth. Charley poured the amber liquid past her slightly open lips.

Suddenly, her body convulsed and she began to cough and gag on the drink.

Flynn helped her to sit up as her eyes abruptly blinked open.

"Rapunzel!" he cried as she coughed into his shirt.

After a moment of violently coughing, she blinked taking in her surroundings. Still in a haze, she realized she was wrapped in a man's arms. Without hesitating, she pulled back from Flynn in fear.

Flynn looked to her oddly as her large eyes met his.

"Rapunzel, you're safe now," he said reaching out for her hand.

She glanced down to his arm, slowly remembering the events that had transpired.

"Where is he?" she demanded to Flynn who could only blink to her in confusion.

"Where is he?" she repeated with deep despair.

Flynn was bitterly reminded of the man he saw the night before. That vicious man, straddling himself between her legs, as she laid back in a mess of tatters and skirts.

It sent a jolt of rage through him. It was a powerfully foreign sensation, feeling such rage on the behalf of another person.

"He's far away. Where he'll stay," he added sincerely.

She shook her head, "N-no, he's coming for me. She warned me! He knows where we are!"

Flynn narrowed his brow in worry. The tone of her voice was low and desperate, it sounded nothing like the Rapunzel he had come to know. Also, he noticed how she was still shivering.

"How would he know where we are? Come now, you need to rest-" he said gently, about to help her up when she refused to move.

"Because I told him!" she cried, in a frantic yell. "Flynn, he tricked me, and he made me confess where we are and where we'll being heading!"

Flynn looked up to Vlad who looked back to him wordlessly.

"What?" he said back to her.

She took a moment to gather her thoughts. She had not eaten or drank in hours, nor had her mind stopped racing for a second. And, she was desperately cold. She assumed it could only be the effect of shock.

"I… I…" her mind started to go blank as the world slowly dimmed. The only thing keeping her from fainting again was Flynn's strong grasp on her arm.

"Rapunzel!" he called, "Rapunzel, you must calm yourself. Talk to us!"

She blinked looking to him. His worried face suddenly becoming clearer with each shut of her eye. She took a breath and nodded, finding it a bit surprising she had not told herself to calm first. Though, the idea of seeing Caldon again inspired a fear that pushed common sense from her mind.

"What did you tell them, exactly?" asked Vlad gently.

Rapunzel felt a deep sense of cowardice at having to confess her mistake.

"That we'd be going to port within the next few days."

Vlad turned away from her and Charley glanced to the ground.

Flynn narrowed his brow, knowing all too well the devilish trickery the man possessed.

Rapunzel felt tears sting her eyes as she stared to the ground, too ashamed to look up.

"He… he tricked me, he used Rosemary…"

"Listen," said Flynn, taking her by the shoulders, "whatever he did, it doesn't matter."

She looked up to him, her bruise glaring him in the eye. It caused his blood to boil, to him, it was a revolting as a smirk from the Captain himself.

"What- what did he do to you?" Flynn asked carefully.

She looked away with a frown, "Things my father would have murdered him in cold blood for…"

Flynn appeared horrified as she coldly looked away. He studied her for a long moment.

"Did he-"

"No," she answered quickly, looking back to him. "But he might as well have."

Flynn felt a surge of annoyance toward her chilling reaction. Though, he was relieved apparently nothing too traumatizing had happened to her.

"You don't understand what a relief it is to hear that."

She looked to him, "I imagine it's much like my relief to not experience it."

"And did he do this?" he asked raising his hand to the mark on her cheek.

She nodded, touching it mindlessly.

"Aye," she answered before making a small smirk, "I think I may have given him one just as bad."

Flynn stared into the mark as his thumb carefully ran over it.

Charley walked to her side and handed her the woolen blanket. She took it and thanked him, then noticed something was off.

"Where is Travor and Will?"

Flynn looked to Vlad and Trevor as they exchanged glances of their own.

"They left," spoke Vlad bluntly, "Will said something of other business he wished to attend to."

"Business," Flynn laughed dryly. "And did they not first want to see us return safely?"

"They didna t'hink ye woul," said Charley.

Rapunzel watched Flynn carefully as he shook his head and rose to his feet, heading to Maximus.

"He souldna be takin that too well, shall he?" asked Trevor.

"Nay," said Vlad.

"Blondie!" Flynn called as he stood beside his horse, fusing with the trappings.

She looked to him begrudgingly and was about to try to fumble to her feet when Charley quickly held out a helping hand.

She thanked him and found her way to Flynn's side as he pulled a spare tunic from a sack.

As she watched him attend to his belongings, her mind wandered to what Caldon had told her of Flynn's questionable past. She could not help but to raise her concern.

"He… he told me he knew you," she began timidly. He glanced to her, suddenly seeming distant.

"Who did?"

She narrowed her brow, "That wicked man with the scar on his face."

Flynn stiffened his jaw.

"And…? What else did that pig say of me?" he asked nonchalantly. She eyed him, sensing he was deliberately acting uncaring.

Though, she made no comment on it. Her mind was far too exhausted to think back on the unfortunate events.

He was about to tug off his vest when a dark stain caught her eye. And then, she looked closer to see the matter had splattered a pattern across most his clothes.

"What is that? Are you hurt?" she asked walking in front of him.

He glanced down before recalling the moment from yesterday. The fight had happened so quickly, and with such sudden intensity, he wondered if it had happened at all.

"I – I ran into some thieves. They jumped us."

She looked up to him at a loss, "And that's their blood?"

"I did what I had to do…"

He stepped away and she was left staring to the others who waited holding the reigns of their horses.

Caldon's words came back to her, and his violent accusations. Also, the crimes Flynn's own wanted poster proudly boasted.

He narrowed his brow and looked back to her, "I was attacked. It was me or him…"

She nodded "I need to rest, for a m-moment," she said before taking a step and practically falling over. He quickly reached to catch her before she collapsed onto him.

"Rapunzel!" he said looking down to her, "Rapunzel, what can I do for you?"

She seemed to wander in and out of a daze as he picked her up into his arms.

"Why did you make me drink that a-awful whiskey…?" she murmured.

He looked to her, "I was trying to think like you."

She closed her eyes, "smelling salts," she moaned. "I would have done smelling salts."

Flynn looked back to the men as she wavered in and out of alertness.

"Vlad," he called urgently, "what can we do?"

Vlad looked to Flynn, the man he once considered a lowly, self-serving, criminal was suddenly a husband with his beloved wife in his arms, looking to him for help.

"We'll make for Coleridge."

Flynn blinked, "Coleridge? No! Surely there must be a closer village."

Vlad looked to him oddly, "No, it is the closest."

"What about second closest?"

Vlad eyed him, "There wouldn't be someone you are avoiding in Coleridge, would there?"

"Someone?!" Flynn scoffed, placing Rapunzel on Maximus as she drowsily helped. "I wouldn't say that. It's more like many, multiple, men and women."

"We need supplies and she needs food that hasn't been dried. It's either Coleridge or the end of noose, the choice is yours."

"Barrow?" asked Flynn jumping onto Maximus with Rapunzel in front of him.

"Coleridge!" Vlad called back taking to his own horse with Trevor.

Flynn frowned as he looked forward down the path.

He glanced back down to the top of Rapunzel's head.

What had he done for her? What more was he willing to do?

He felt odd as he suddenly realized he knew nothing of love. And, he lamented the fact he had only his bare hands to protect her with when he yearned for an army.

Rapunzel could only relentlessly live through the past gruesome hours, as she weaved in and out of sleep. She'd been through the shock and assault. Practically seen her worst nightmares come to life. And now, she had to face the strangest part of trauma; forgiveness.

Flynn had already sworn to himself to forgive her any foolish mistakes. She was young and naive to the world of careless men and cutthroat low lives. And yet, he found a great deal of resentment toward her as she wistfully sat before him, riding along the muddy trail.

She almost perished. She was almost ruined for a decent marriage. She almost left him for good.

He could find no one else to blame but herself. Even if he did once wonder if he or Trevor were at fault. Yet, as far as he could understand, she was the one who decided to wander off. She wasn't some simple woman. She was smart. And she must have known the consequences.

So what could he do to remedy the situation? Did she deserve punishment like a child? Well, she certainly would not go off again if he could only have the courage to take his belt to her back.

Alas, he never did have the stomach to harm women. Not after the events he bore witness to before…

Rapunzel herself had not said a word in hours. What was there to say, after all?

As they traveled well into the next day, all she could seem to do was sit in the cold air and wonder when they would stop next.

The silence between her and Flynn had grown to a tangible tension. She had learned through their travels that not speaking often caused more harm than saying exactly what they wanted. All though, she had no words to say even if she wanted to talk.

Her pain could not be adequately put into neat sentences.

And, unbeknownst to her, Flynn had translated her icy quietness as bitterness toward him.

What had Caldon said to her? Had he told her… No. He would not allow his mind to wander.

Finally, just before sunset the next day, the now smaller party found a space to rest beside a river.

The men took the chance to splash fresh water on their faces as Rapunzel sat on Maximus and eyed the road mindlessly, her blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

She had never felt such numbness. She swore, she would not have even felt a bullet piece her heart.

"You'd think she'd be more grateful," said Flynn to Vlad as they conjugated at the water.

Vlad shook his head, "She's hurt. Nothing like a scrape though. I'm afraid this will be harder to heal."

"How do I do it, then?" he asked. "What do I have to do?"

Vlad could only look to him.

"I've known her, her whole life," he began before stopping himself, "well, most of it. But you, you must know her even better."

"And how is that? We've hardly spent a month together."

"Because God gave you that right when you were wed."

Flynn had nothing to say, the man always knew how to silence him. He also humored the thought of Vlad thinking he had known Rapunzel intimately as a husband should.

Vlad carried on, "She dove to the dirt to drag you back from hell. I think you can kindly do the same for her."

Flynn shook his head in confusion, "This is different."

"And how?"

"She's a woman! And I can't read her mind."

"Woman," laughed Vlad, "you will learn, Flynn. She may have the heart but you have the head."

Flynn had nothing more to say as he glanced back to Rapunzel.

"The boy and I will be back shorty. We must go ahead and see if this road leads through the hills..."

Flynn frowned, "Is that wise? To separate again?"

Vlad eyed him, "That is what you will tell her. We'll be back shortly." He glanced to her then back to Flynn, "How long should it take, exactly?"

Flynn's lips parted slightly, "How long should what take, exactly?"

"I don't mean to shock your virginal ears, lad. But you need to inspire her… if you catch my drift."

Flynn blinked to the man.

"What?!" he cried in shock.

"What do you mean what?" asked Vlad. "She's your woman. You need to distract her from these feelings of woe!"

"O-of course, I know what you mean but…"

"But what?"

"But out here?" Flynn said trying to come up with an excuse, "With dirt? And leaves? Come on, have some decorum!"

Vlad narrowed his brow and took a step closer to Flynn. He stared him down for a long moment as Flynn tried to pull his best poker face. Though, he appeared considerably more like a whore in confession.

"Leaves?" Vlad questioned as Flynn swore sweat had collected at his brow.

Flynn looked to him nervously, "I mean, sure, I suppose we could, you know, clear a small patch of land just over there - I think I see a decent spot, actually! Oh, sure… that's just… um… Listen you're really making this uncomfortable for me."

"Oh? Flynn Ryder is uncomfortable talking about his escapades? There's a ruddy first."

"Well, she's my wife," he clumsily pointed out, "I must protect her honor."

"Right," he said before turning away, giving Flynn a chance to breathe.

"Well, do whatever it is you must. We won't be far."

"Is that supposed to, how do you say, inspire me?"

Vlad smiled back to him before informing Charley of his plan and quickly wandering off.

Of course, before he did leave he made sure to give a final nod to Flynn who quickly nodded back.

"You fucking bastard," Flynn muttered with a forced smile.

He looked to Rapunzel who sat so silently alone.

For a brief and fantastical moment he wondered if they would.

If there was something growing for him inside her that would not cause her to repugnantly push him aside.

She had kissed him before had she not? And, her being hardly more than a child, a kiss must have meant something akin to the most intimate pleasure. Did it not?

He shook the thoughts from his head. He could hardly remember a time a girl caused him such panic. He wanted her to want him, all while fearing she really did.

And still, never had he felt more of an attraction toward a woman. Not even the lustiest girl in the Ugly Duckling would satisfy him again. Not after he had met that strange little lass with the green eyes.

He made his way beside her and awkwardly stared for a moment.

"Vlad and Trevor have traveled ahead…" he finally spoke. "To see if the path leads through the hills."

She glanced over her shoulder to him.

"Don't you mean Vlad and Charley?"

Flynn blinked, "Yes, of course. They are twins, after all." He laughed hoping to conjure a smile with her, yet she only looked away. "They sort of… look similar."

She said nothing and he decided to step in front of her.

Having no choice, her eyes laid upon his handsome face. He still looked rough around the edges, though, at least his clothes were not covered in some stranger's blood.

She shuddered at thought…

"Vlad is worried about you… and me… I'm worried too," he was sure to add.

She looked back to him but coolly looked away again.

"Maybe if you told me something, let me into your world, I could help you?" he offered.

She pondered if that were true. Yet, when she wished to speak, something quickly hushed her. Perhaps the thought of brining to mind that man.

Flynn stepped closer to her and spoke softer, "Please, it doesn't have to be about… that."

"Then… what?" she quietly asked.

He shrugged looking over her form hidden beneath the wool.

"Anything you want, really," he said, a hand daring to caress her thigh.

She pulled back from him, eyeing him as if he had lost his mind.

"What?" he asked.

She huffed and threw herself off the steed. He followed her as she stormed toward the river.

"Hey!" he called to her. "I didn't mean to offend you, I only thought we've grown close over these days…"

"You only forgot our plan!" she insisted turning to him. "That, or you've left your mind back at that barbarian's camp!"

"Oh come now! The plan, pfft! We both know that's long forgotten."

She narrowed her brow, "It is not! We're still carrying on, are we not?"

"If you call this carrying on!" he said, gesturing to her.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean this is no way to live. Or die for that matter!"

She narrowed her brow to him, "That was a chance we took. You knew that full well."

"But I didn't know Rapunzel, not really."

She paused, wondering what sort of double meaning he was getting at. Surely, it was not that he had developed feelings for her. Not after all the pain she has caused him…

"Listen," he began again, "for whatever reason, those bloody fools think we're in marriage bliss. They think it's my husbandly duty to help you."

She eyed him. "Oh?"

He nodded "They even think, for some reason, it would make you feel better out here if I were- if I were to love you."

She looked away. He spoke as if these weren't hypothetical circumstances. And it frightened her more than she could say.

She had been so close to losing him that day and she had never felt such terrifying pain.

What were to happen if she confessed she did indeed love him? If they were to know that exquisite happiness? It would only be a matter of time before it would shatter them both.

"Well then" she said coldly, "I suppose it's for the best that you don't."

He looked to her dumbfounded.

"Rapunzel," he said shaking his head, "I…"

She knew what he would say next. She turned away from him bitterly.

"How dare you, Flynn!" she cried. "After what happened to me, I don't even want to look on another man!"

"You don't mean that," he said grabbing her by the arm and turning her back to him.

She gasped and pushed against him but he refused to loosen his grip.

"You brute! Let me go!"

"No, I won't! I won't ever again."

"You're mad!"

"And you're a liar!"

"I am not a liar!" she growled back to him, hitting his chest.

"Then tell me the truth for once!"

"You bastard!"

"Tell me and I'll let you go! I won't ever bother you again!"

She frowned to him, giving up her fight for a moment.

"The truth is… I regret ever marrying you! I regret even meeting you! You spiteful, stupid, man!"

"Stupid?!" he cried, "Says the woman who walked straight into the lap of Captain Caldon!"

"Don't," she sneered to him in a warning.

"And what do I get? Not even a thank you! Just the cold soldier of her highness!"

"My hero!" she cried sarcastically.

"I gave you one order and you couldn't even listen! Not just once!"

Clearly, their mundane fight had taken a personal turn. Each was bent on hurting the other. Though, neither one believing their words could sting sharper, hurt more, or serve a better wound than the pain they had quietly been harboring beforehand. Part of them fully knew they did not mean what they said, and yet, they would scream it for all to hear.

"You don't understand," she retorted, on the brink of tears, "I heard her voice. She was singing. I had to help her if I could… Then I fell. It wasn't my fault!"

"Not your fault? Because of you, we're all in this mess! All of us! You put all our lives at risk! And for such a childish reason."

"Childish?" She cried. "She's my only friend!"

He shook his head, not convinced her actions were justified.

"You're only friend? Well your only friend had tried to lure me to bed the night of our marriage!"

And then, she was blinded by a moment of intense rage. The only thing she could feel fit to do was slap him hard across the face. Unfortunately, she had not foreseen her rage lasting longer than a moment.

She threw herself at Flynn and in the next moment, they found themselves entangled on the ground. Her, delivering every slap and punch she could. Thankfully for him, the strength she weakly mustered was not the most lethal.

"Blondie!" he cried holding her back, "Are you out of your mind?!"

She could only retort in screams as he pinned her to the ground.

They breathlessly looked to one another.

She wanted to knock him out, to beat him senseless. Tear him apart. And then sew him back together again.

Rapunzel lunged to hit him again but he held her back.

"What!?" he cried, "Is that what you want? My heart in your hands? Well take it! I'd rip out and throw it at your feet!"

"I don't want you or your heart! I never did! I hate that I was foolish enough to marry you!"

With that, he let go of her and sat back up. She pulled herself away from him and staggered to her feet.

She fully expected to feel a sense of satisfaction. To know she had hurt him like he had hurt her.
And yet, instead she only saw a broken man on his knees. His head hung low in grief.

She paused and stared back to him. The fairytale Flannigan Ryder. Her childhood hero. Her forbidden love. Her mortal husband.

It pained her, looking to the man who had saved her. Why had she thrown such words at him? Why was he always so stubborn?

She hesitantly walked closer and he made a small glance her way.

"Something terrible happened," he said lowly. "I don't want to handle it just as poorly."

She dropped to her knees in front of him.

"And I mean," he said looking to her, pain filling his eyes. "I'd rip out my own heart for you."

She stared to him, the consequences of all her hasty and selfish actions slapping her in the face. She was filled with regret, with sadness, with longing…

"Flynn… I'm…"

He looked away, seeming to rummage for something in his pocket.

She watched curiously as he revealed a long necklace with a pink crystal. It dangled and gleamed before he eyes.

"I do, Rapunzel," he said holding it out for her. "I love you."