~ Rapunzel Goes Home (extended edition)
~ Chapter 036
~ Eugene and the Captain of the Guard
The Captain of the Palace Guard, Charles Forester, had finally gotten back to the palace. He knew he had missed some big announcement yesterday, and it must have been a very big deal as the people were still dancing in the streets; that had been very odd. He'd go to his office right after reporting to the King to catch up.
Escorting the Stabbington brothers had been a lot of fun, he smirked. It had even cleared up his headache. He was feeling pretty good today.
He was walking down the cream colored corridor to the King's study, his mud splattered boots thudding on smooth marble tile, much as he enjoyed being Captain of the Guard; being out in the forest was more fun, and now he had to report to the King as quickly as possible, he didn't want to let down his king.
There was a lot going on right now, and he desperately wanted to find Rider. He had been in the palace, again! Hiding behind a false princess, did Flynn's vileness know no lower bound, then everything went crazy as it was the real Lost Princess.
Last he heard Rider was gone, again!
The man had gone from significant nuisance to Corona's second most wanted criminal in a matter of days. As Captain he generally didn't have to deal with thieves, but stealing the Crown of the Lost Princess from right under the noses of his guards had been too much!
Seeing the King standing in front of the empty pedestal, a few quiet tears running into his beard, waving him off after he had apologized. He had never felt more a failure in his entire life. He would have rather have the King run him through with his own sword then disappoint him ever again.
He had personally led the chase, and he had almost got him when Rider had knocked him off Maximus and disappeared. How did that Rider keep doing that?
He had continued on foot, linking up with the men he had left with the Stabbington brothers. Then he had gotten a tip that Rider was at the Snuggly Duckling and Maximus had shown them the passage. Maximus was a great horse, the best he'd ever had.
He had gotten separated from Max again, after the dam broke, and was hoping he'd made it, the rest of his men had, but it had taken time to find them all, hopefully he'd make it back to the palace soon. They hadn't gotten back to the palace until after the lantern ceremony. Then he learned Conli had lost the Stabbington brothers, was nothing going right in the kingdom anymore? He was putting Conli on Kitchen Police duty and have him muck out the stables for few months when Max brought them in himself. What a great horse!
Loosing that fight with Rider was embarrassing as well, how had he done that with only a frying pan?
That blonde girl with that hair, she must be his new accomplice. He gotten a pretty good look at her, he'd go to the sketch artist later today to make up some wanted posters. She'd be easy to find, even if Rider wasn't.
That Rider!
They had had him! Captured on the docks with the crown and he personally was making sure he faced the gallows and what happens? A prison break! Rider had escaped again, on his own horse again! The gall of that thief!
However, they had captured the whole Snuggly Duckling gang, which mollified him somewhat. He had sent all the men and horses he could spare to follow the trail.
But he had to do something about that Rider!
"Escorting" the Stabbington brothers had been satisfying, and as the King himself had asked him to deal with them, he did. Had been glad too, really. Having them get away after having captured them was an insult and not to be tolerated. Then it had been revealed that they were kidnappers. He could not abide kidnappers, the King had been far more merciful then he would have been.
The King came out of his study and seeing him, smiled and hailed him, "Good morning Captain, how did that little adventure of yours work out?"
"Quite satisfactorily, your Majesty," he boomed with a grin, feeling like he had finally done something good for the King.
Just then Eugene came out of the King's study. The captain's eyes flicked to him and then back to the King. He opened his mouth, to recount what had happened, when his memory nudged him. The Captain of the Palace Guard looked back.
"Rider? RIDER!" he shouted, drawing his curved saber and striding around the King.
Eugene, who was preoccupied, looked up and saw the Captain coming toward him, sword drawn, shouting his old name, he got ready to bolt.
The King grabbed his Captain's sword wrist and bellowed, "Captain! Stand down! Eugene! Stay!"
Everyone stopped.
The Captain looked at his King, but kept glancing back at Eugene. "But, sire, do you know who this man is?"
"Yes, Captain, I do! I said, Stand Down!" the King said commandingly. The captain lowered his sword. Eugene wanted to relax, but he wasn't there yet. The King released the Captain's wrist and he sheathed his sword, though he looked as though he would gladly pull it out again.
"But, sire…" began the Captain of the Guard, torn between wanting to obey his king and capturing Flynn Rider.
"I know, you've been chasing Flynn Rider rather intensely the last few days, but this man is no longer Flynn Rider. This is Eugene Fitzherbert, the man that Flynn Rider could never hope to match. He died saving my daughter's freedom and he didn't even know that she was the Lost Princess at the time, she was just a girl in trouble that needed to be rescued. Do you think Flynn Rider would do that?"
"Um, no sire." The Captain was still gazing at Eugene.
"Flynn Rider died, that is enough. Eugene Fitzherbert is not the same man. It is over! Did I not make myself clear yesterday!"
The captain gave his king a look, "I wasn't here yesterday; remember? You sent me and my men off to encourage the Stabbington brothers on their run. I just got back"
The king cocked his head. "Oh, right. I was wondering what was taking so long, things have been moving so fast lately."
"Very well sire, do you still want a report on the Stabbington Brothers?"
"Yes, I was just looking for you about that."
Eugene felt the situation had calmed down enough to get a little closer but made sure to stand on the off side of the Captain. "So what happened to them? I didn't see them leave the prison yesterday, and I don't fancy keeping an eye out for them for the rest of my life."
The Captain looked at Eugene, and then to the King, who nodded, wanting the same answer about them.
"Oh, they left the prison alright, a little earlier then the other prisoners. The King gave them a simple choice: die right there or make a run for the border. They went for a run. The king put quite the price on their heads and let some men and I "escort" them to make sure they didn't stop. They actually did run the whole way. You were right sire, you can make it to the border before sundown."
"Ah, so they taste freedom then." said the King, feeling melancholy about their making it. Eugene started to look worried.
"Well, I don't know about freedom, but they did taste dirt." The Captain said with a straight face.
"Dirt?" The King and Eugene said together, confused.
"They did make it to the border just as the sun set and as they passed the border marker they fell face down; they were dead. We buried them on the other side, just so they could be free. I sent an apology to King Stefan for the border violation."
"That was very nice of you, Captain. Good work. Very good." The King said, smiling, his mind at ease. Eugene relaxed too. Captain Forester's heart swelled with pride.
"Many things have happened since you left, go talk to the seneschal, it will take some time to bring you up to speed. I've got to meet some people and spend time with my daughter" the King smiled.
The Captain of the Guard hadn't seen the King smile in a very long time and that made him happy too. He'd do his best for the king.
"I'll get right on it, sire. Thank you."
~ End of Chapter 036
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Author's Note: I've been keeping Eugene and the Captain of the Guard apart this whole time and they finally meet, what great timing. Things are happening fast and keeping up with it all can be a big problem; keeping all the characters and timing straight. I don't expect them to be friends anytime soon, but at least they aren't going to be trying to play cops and robbers all the time.
The Captain of the Guard comes off as a hothead in the movie. But really it may be that, at this time, his frustration level must be off the charts.
I'm not sure exactly what happens to the Captain of the Guard after the movie, we don't see him at the celebration, it almost looks like Max has taken his place but that is just silly even for a Disney movie. I think he continues on in his position, with Max as more of a co-captain. Sorry, Max but you're still a horse and you have certain limitations. He's just having a hard time with Flynn ending up as a Prince.