A/N: I can't believe I made you guys wait so long for this! I just kept on refining this chapter and nitpicking every little thing to death, as I do. I'm trying to work on that, haha. I just want to make sure that the story is enjoyable and worth reading :) Forgive the length of this one as well...I thought about shortening it into two separate chapters but I figured you guys might appreciate a longer chapter after waiting so long.

Without further ado, here you go! :)

Chapter 4

Flynn's POV

Flynn strolled down the empty streets, the darkness nearly obscuring the cobbled roads save for the starlit sky and evenly spaced lamp posts. The marble mansion was but a speck in the distance while he walked, and he found his mind drifting to the young woman from the party. It would be an understatement to say how astonished Flynn was that he wanted to trust the words of a stranger, particularly one who was part of a social class he so loathed. She was rather persistent, willingly striking a deal with a thief and betting on him fulfilling her wishes. Strangely enough, he'd found himself admiring Rapunzel's confidence and how she'd carried herself despite the nervous tremor in her voice. And of course, she was objectively attractive, what with her petite curves and startling green eyes, framed by golden blonde hair. He wouldn't dare to admit that the initial moment he'd set eyes on her that day in the town, his heart had stuttered in his chest for a split moment.

Shortly after their second encounter, he'd remembered another reason why he'd come to the party: to pickpocket as many drunken folks as he could manage. He wasn't fond of going to bed with a growling stomach, even if the feeling had become painfully familiar over the years. Flynn's crafty fingers had pilfered three small pouches of gold pieces before he left the party, satisfied with his bounty. The weight of the gold and all that it promised far outweighed the regret in every circumstance. If stealing a few coins meant he and his partner in crime Lance enjoyed full stomachs, the price on his head was well worth it. Besides, the womanizer in him enjoyed the intrigue he drew from young ladies.

It hadn't been the easiest task to change out of the clothes he'd stolen and into his previous outfit, especially when the cold night air pierced exposed areas of his skin. Luckily, the tall hedges behind the mansion provided plenty of cover, and he managed to dart away without a soul noticing he'd disappeared.

It was strange, however, that he felt oddly bothered by Rapunzel's outward disgust at his actions. Normally, he couldn't care less for the opinions of others, but hers was different. He wished she saw him in a more flattering light, as if he wanted to please her. And that would not do, not when it had been years since the aloof Flynn Rider listened to what people thought of him.

Flynn rubbed at his temples, internally berating himself for unconsciously granting Rapunzel's image to occupy his thoughts. She was merely a means to an end, he reminded himself, and as long as he got what he wanted in the end, he would gladly play along with her childish whims. It would be easy to take advantage of a naive girl like Rapunzel, and a plan began to form in his mind. Flynn would take every opportunity to convince her to return home and finally leave him alone. He'd lived his whole life dodging jail and the law, with his only ally Lance by his side. There was no reason he should heed her wish, and yet the small part of him that he often repressed, felt a twinge of shame for already plotting to be rid of her.

He had been so preoccupied in deep thought that he hadn't noticed his feet had carried him to the edge of the forest. The oak trees stood tall before him, their murky silhouettes stretching towards the night sky. Most people would turn the other way in fear of what might await them in its mysterious depths, but not Flynn Rider. He merely appreciated the constellation of stars above before continuing on his way, his eyes adjusting slightly to the shadows.

It wasn't long before he noticed a pinprick of light in the distance. It was faint initially, but as he drew closer, the light grew in size. Leaves crunched underneath his leather boots as he approached the illuminating source. Fortunately, he and Lance had been on the run for so long that whenever one of them returned from a late night heist, the other would leave a lit torch securely fastened at an angle on a nearby tree to guide them to their hideout. Moments later, Flynn carefully untied the torch and gripped the rough handle with the fire's glow to lead the way.

He gradually came upon a clearing among the towering trees, where a humble cabin stood. It was constructed from varying sizes of branches and logs, and the thatched roof offered extra protection from the rain.

Flynn was a mere few feet from the door when it seemingly opened of its own accord―until a familiar head poked around the corner.

"You're late."

"So what?" Flynn rolled his eyes, reaching into the satchel at his hip for the gold pouches. "I got what I needed, and why would you care if I'm late?"

"You've been gone for nearly three hours. How did it take you so long to steal just a few pieces?"

"Relax, Lance. I'm back now, aren't I?" He waltzed through the doorway with confidence, a cocky smirk on his lips when he tossed the pouches onto an oak table in the center of the room, layered with deep grooves and scratches from years of use. A handful of gold coins poured from the pouches, causing his friend's dark eyes to widen.

Lance stared at the coins as they caught the light of the torch in Flynn's hand, which he placed in a sconce secured to the wall.

"That is way more than a few pieces," Lance whispered, picking up a stray coin and examining it between his sturdy fingers. "These will last us for months."

"What can I say? I'm the best at what I do." He replied, sitting down comfortably onto a couch covered in discolored fabric patches. The only other objects in the main room, besides the couch and table, was a little stove with only two cast iron pans and a jagged knife carved from stone lying on the counter. In the corner was a tiny fireplace lined with bricks and laden with flaming blocks of wood. Flynn closed his eyes, enjoying the heat emanating from the fire.

"You still didn't answer my question."

Flynn cracked an eye open. "What question?"

"Why it took you hours to steal all of this. You never like wasting time on these jobs."

A moment passed, and before he could reply, Lance spoke once more.

"Let me guess: there was some random beautiful girl at the ball, and you couldn't resist laying your charms on her."

Flynn laughed, running a hand through his hair. "I cannot deny the ladies what they want."

"You know I like to flirt just as much as you, but there's a time and place for it. What if you'd been caught?"

"As if," he scoffed, meeting his friend's stern gaze. "I had the perfect disguise."

Lance wanted to believe him, and yet there was something wrong about his demeanor. He seemed nervous, from the way he shifted on the couch and folded his arms across his chest. Lance had known him since they were scrawny teenagers living in the orphanage, and he had come to read Flynn's body language well.

"Tell me, who was it?"

Flynn blinked, attempting to keep his voice level. "Who?"

"The one who found you out. I need to know if he or she will be a future problem."

"What makes you think―"

"Really?" Lance replied in a deadpan tone, raising a bushy brow. "Then why are you so nervous?"

The men stared each other down for a moment, before Flynn finally conceded and recounted events from a fortnight ago, leading up to the ball. When he had finished his story, Lance sighed heavily and ran a hand across his bald scalp.

"I don't like saying this...but I think you have to do what she says."

Flynn rolled his eyes, shaking his head at his friend. "And why should I listen to some silly girl?"

"Because if what you say about her is true, then her influence could ruin us. She's clearly in a high social standing, and her word against yours may land us both in jail, again. I won't go back there, Flynn."

It wasn't often Lance openly showed fear; only in heists gone wrong would he grow panicked. Otherwise, he kept up his charismatic facade with relative ease. The law was not kind to men like them, and each imprisonment was worse than the last. Some stretched on for days, while others proceeded for weeks with merciless punishments, and both had scars to prove it. Flynn inwardly shuddered at the thought; it didn't matter to him if he suffered, but he knew we wouldn't be able to withstand being helpless in stopping Lance's agony. He would do anything to protect his friend, regardless of what happened to him.

"Fine, but I'm only doing this to help ourselves." Flynn stood from the couch, heading towards his friend and stopping to look him in the eye. "Once she sees what the world is really like, I'll be off the hook in no time."

Rapunzel's POV

The coarseness of the tree bark pressed behind her back, the gentle breeze rustling her hair, the sun shining on her freckled cheeks―every sensation served to ease her worries and motivated her to sweep her paintbrush across the textured pages of her sketchbook. Every now and then, Pascal chirped on her shoulder and nuzzled his nose against her hair, silently asking for attention. Happy to oblige, Rapunzel gently scratched the top of his small head, while still keeping her eyes focused on her painting. Cassandra stood nearby, practicing her sword fighting with the only opponent being an innocent oak tree. Donned in striped tights and a long nut brown tunic, her attire was certainly not suited for a lady in waiting, let alone her interest in fighting. Alas, Rapunzel never objected to Cass' preference for pants over skirts, or her love of the sword. She rather thought the trousers allowed for her friend to fight far more effectively, without the often cumbersome nature of dresses. It had taken much persuasion on Gothel's part to allow Cass to be trained by an expert swordsman, which involved bribery with the promise of being given ample compensation.

As Cass jabbed her weapon into the air, the blade glinted brilliantly from the sun's light dappling through the treetops above. Spring blossoms bloomed on the branches, some petals falling to the ground in a graceful arc. The way she handled the sword made Rapunzel vaguely wonder if Cass' true calling was to be a guard stationed at a palace, or perhaps a knight fighting battles in far off nations. Her prowess was impressive, and she deserved a chance to prove herself.

Despite Cass' strong stamina, it wasn't difficult to spot the sheen of sweat collecting on her forehead. Dark coils clung to her neck as she parried, swinging her sword with calculated movements and slashing thin marks into the tree in front of her.

Setting her sketchbook aside, Rapunzel stood from her perch and stretched her stiff limbs, lifting her arms high above her head.

"Cass," she called, "you've been practicing for over an hour. I think it's time for a break."

Cass slipped her sword back into its scabbard, which was attached to the leather belt wrapped around her hips. "Perhaps you're right. Shall I escort you inside?"

No matter how often Rapunzel asserted to Cassandra that there was no need to be formal, that particular habit seemed hard to let go. Perchance over time, she would forgo the urge for such formalities, though considering where their relationship started a few months ago, Rapunzel knew they'd made good progress.

"Yes, please. I'm starving," Rapunzel groaned, stooping over briefly to pick up her sketchbook from the ground. "I could eat a horse!"

Cass mustered a rare smile. "Hah, I'd like—"

"Hey there, Blondie!"

In a flash, Cass had spanned the grassy landscape in a few quick strides and whipped her sword directly at the stranger's neck, eyeing him with a withering gaze. Except, this man was no stranger to Rapunzel. He was Flynn Rider, the one she'd struck a bargain with. She was somewhat confused as to how he found her place of residence within a day, then again, he was a thief who'd probably had to learn fast the layout of the city during his various escapades.

"Who are you?" Cass demanded, her voice laced with venom. "I suggest you answer quickly, or else I will take you down where you stand."

Rapunzel stood frozen in her spot, temporarily bewildered before she found her voice. "Cass, wait!"

Worrying for what her friend might do, Rapunzel wasted no time in running down the gentle slope and coming to stand by Cass' side, her sketchbook clutched in her arms. Flynn's gaze darted towards her, silently pleading for an intervention. Rapunzel absently noted he wore a similar outfit from their first encounter, except his pants were a light tan color and hung loosely on his legs, much to her relief. And his leather boots were scuffed, the material peeling at the toe of the shoe, and yet they were suitably rugged just like him. Unfortunately, his slightly oversized white blouse stayed the same, and still left her a teasing view of his chest.

This is not the time to be distracted!

"I can handle this, Raps," Cass replied testily, her gaze remaining locked on her victim. "My job is to protect you from ruffians like him."

"And I'm saying that he's of no threat to me, because―"

"Wait, I've seen you before. You're that criminal, Flynn Rider. The one with a sizable bounty on his head."

He shrugged, appearing nonplussed by Cass' intimidation. "So what if I am?"

There was a beat of silence, in which Cass' green eyes widened considerably, before narrowing into slits. "What business do you have with Rapunzel?"

"We came to an agreement of sorts." Flynn stated plainly, a wry smile on his lips. "Didn't we, Blondie?"

At this, Cass whipped her head around to face Rapunzel, and she discovered her tongue had gone bone dry.

A myriad of emotions crossed Cass' features before she settled on looking rather incredulous. "He's the most wanted man in the entire city, Raps! We should report him."

"I know, I know," Rapunzel ran a hand across her scalp, pulling her hair back as she tried to think of how to diffuse the situation. "But, don't hurt him. Please?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because I need to keep my end of the deal."

Cass' jaw worked as she stared at Rapunzel. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she took in a shuddering breath, "that I promised I wouldn't turn him in. And in exchange for his freedom, he's meant to accompany me around the city. Let me see the world."

"When did this happen?"

Flynn had been an unwilling spectator in watching the tense conversation between the two women, and looked as though he wanted to interject once again. "We bumped into each other at the masquerade ball, and that's where we made our deal."

Cass stared at Flynn, then back at Rapunzel, with an unreadable expression on her face. Rapunzel could hardly stand Cass' disappointment any more than her mother's. She was well aware of what she'd done, but her growing need to see the world outside the mansion crushed the tiny kernel of guilt nestling in her gut. Besides, what her mother didn't know wouldn't kill her, right? It wasn't probable they'd see Mother before nightfall, as she'd left early in the morning to buy the latest fashion accessories. They'd be gone and back before Gothel had the chance to notice something amiss.

Finally, Cass released a sigh filled with resignation and dropped her sword back to her side. "Knowing how stubborn you can be about things you set your mind to, it's pointless to persuade you not to go. However, I have one condition if you are to set out on this 'self discovery' journey."

"Thank you, Cass!" Rapunzel cried out in joy, squeezing her friend's free arm. "Whatever it is, I already agree."

"Good, because my condition is that I must come with you."

Mouth agape, Flynn looked at Cass as though she was the last person on earth he'd want to tag along. "What?"

"Oh, this'll be so much fun!" Rapunzel didn't seem to care about Flynn's lack of enthusiasm, bringing her hands up to her cheeks in her excitement.

"But she tried to threaten me!" Flynn protested, gesturing towards Cass with indignation. Rapunzel rolled her eyes playfully, ignoring his discomfort and clapping her hands together.

"I'm sure you two will get along just fine. Now, where do we start?"

Oh, how wrong Rapunzel had been about Flynn and Cass getting along. After they'd gathered supplies to last a full day and agreed to begin their little adventure in the heart of the city, the trio set on their way. To Rapunzel's misfortune, her eagerness was vastly dampened by Flynn and Cass' constant bickering. She'd hopefully assumed they'd eventually grow tired of arguing, but they wouldn't stop casting glares or poking spiteful jabs at one another. And everything seemed to quickly spiral downward from there.

The city was larger and more grand than Rapunzel could have ever imagined. Intricate structures rose high into the sky, designed with countless windows, marble columns and stone statues of heroic figures carved into the facades of the architecture. Every detail of the statues blew Rapunzel's breath away, from the texture of the hair to the muscle definition of their limbs, each facet of the artwork as life-like as possible. Numerous shops and bakeries lined the cobbled streets, the enticing scent of baked goods wafting into Rapunzel's nostrils. People bustled about throughout the plaza and carriages drawn by horses with shining coats trotted down the main pathway. The fashion itself appeared far more colorful and exquisite than that of her town. The women touched the rims of hats adorned with velvety ribbons and soft flowers, and the men's polished shoes caught the sunlight. There was so much to see that Rapunzel could hardly decide where to explore.

Unluckily for her, she'd needed to force herself to ignore the bickering exchange happening a few feet behind her. Her escorts had been quarreling for ages, and did not tire for one moment. She couldn't imagine how they were not exhausted by this point, nor bothered by the staring they were attracting; alas, they persisted in their battle of words.

Up ahead, Rapunzel spotted a library with large display windows featuring books of all shapes and sizes. Her heart leapt into her throat at the possibility of touching one of these novels, of feeling the smooth pages beneath her fingertips. She just had to see the shop for herself, and yet the trouble was finding a way to interrupt their squabbles, if only for a brief time in order to present her suggestion. Releasing an exasperated sigh, Rapunzel prepared herself to turn around and attempt to ease the tension. Cass and Flynn were in the middle of another heated debate, and she wasn't sure how she'd be able to wedge a word in.

"Listen, Cass―"

"It's Cassandra to you."

"Fine, Cass-and-ra, Flynn drawled, each syllable intentionally mean-spirited. "You volunteered to tag along, even though I was against this from the start."

Cass' lips pursed into a tight frown. "I won't allow Rapunzel to be alone with someone as untrustworthy as you. Your opinion doesn't matter!"

"Oh?" Flynn placed a hand over his heart in mock indignation. "It hurts how little you think of me."

Maybe now is my chance?

Rapunzel pointed a finger down the street. "I noticed a bookstore up ahead and I thought―"

She may as well have never spoken, for the two plowed on with their irritating behavior. They were steadily getting on her nerves, and she did not think she could withstand it any longer.

"And you expect me to think highly of you? Rapunzel and I are risking our necks being seen around the likes of you, and who's to say someone won't recognize who you are?"

Flynn dismissed the notion with a shake of his head. "Have you seen the way that damned poster artist draws my nose? It's awful."

"I think it's rather humorous," Cass grinned sardonically, evidently enjoying the shock in Flynn's expression. "Somebody has to knock down that inflated ego of yours."

"Excuse me?!"

At long last, Rapunzel came to the conclusion that she'd had enough of their fighting. "Please, for the love of heaven, shut your traps and let me have some peace! I can barely hear myself think."

They both immediately closed their mouths, their saucer-eyed gazes fixed on her. Cassandra looked astounded at Rapunzel's uncommon display of annoyance, while Flynn appeared mildly impressed.

"We're going to the bookstore and I don't care what either of you have to say about it." With that final declaration, she spun around and marched towards the building in mind.

Piles of books surrounded Rapunzel's feet as she knelt on the woolen rug laid on the oak floors, studying the lettering of the covers and admiring the illustrations decorated with gold leaf accents. There were so many fairy tales abounding with high adventure and romance; it was impossible to pick only one novel to read. However, one tome in particular managed to snag her attention. Leaning over her collection of books, she snatched it from one of the lower bookshelves and placed it on the floor with a loud thud, wincing at the sound. All the same, her hands eagerly opened the book undeterred and she soon discovered pages overflowing with detailed spreads of maps and paragraphs of information. There were names of countries she'd never heard before, like the kingdom of Arendelle and the flourishing nation of Denmark. It was astounding to think that there was an entire world out there that Rapunzel had never seen, that there could be people with different tongues and customs. It was all quite thrilling, and she could hardly contain her elation about learning such wonderful things. Every image captivated her more than the last, and she'd become so engrossed in her reading that she hadn't noticed Flynn kneeling down beside her.

"I see you're enjoying the maps."

Rapunzel jolted, her head snapping up to meet his eyes. "Oh, yes I am."

She gave a shy smile, averting her gaze back to the pages. She ran a finger along the drawings, her brain soaking in the material like a sponge.

"There's just so much to learn," she breathed, adjusting her position so that she was sitting crossed legged. "But I'm sure you've seen all these places before."

Flynn chuckled, leaning towards the map. Rapunzel found she quite liked the sound of his laugh. "Not all of them, but I could show you the ones I have visited."

"Please do." Rapunzel's eyes lit up at the prospect of hearing his stories of far off places.

His expression was that of amusement as he pointed to a country shaped like a boot, his finger pressing into the paper. "I've been to Italy before. They're well known for their love of art. And this one here―" Flynn indicated to another country on the bottom left which resembled a thick, misshapen mushroom with the word Spain written across it― "had the most delicious food I've ever tasted."

"Wow." Rapunzel stared at the pages, imagining what it must've been like for him to travel through the seas, feeling the salty spray of the ocean on his face. And to experience the weather of different lands, to breathe in air filled with exotic spices and be among bustling towns. Her heart ached at the knowledge that she'd never be able to see such places, for as long as she was under her mother's tutelage, she would only be able to view them in her dreams.

Not wanting to show her dismay, Rapunzel shook herself from her reverie and waved to another country, one that was called Germany with an inky rendition of a palace called Corona.

"Have you been there?"

A softness Rapunzel had yet to see from Flynn briefly flashed across his face. "They have the most beautiful lantern festival, held once a year around summertime."

"What's it like?"

"It's hard to describe, but I'll try." He spared a glance at her to find her face cupped in her hands, eagerly waiting for him to continue, and couldn't help but pull his lips into a smile. "It starts with just a couple lanterns being released into the sky, but then hundreds of them follow suit, covering the stars with their golden light. There's nothing like it."

"It sounds extraordinary."

They locked gazes for what seemed like eons, lost in each other's eyes. Rapunzel admired the way his dark lashes framed his mischievous brown eyes, and it felt as though he was oh so close to seeing right through her. The question 'will you take me to see the floating lights?' was on the tip of her tongue, nearly spilling from her mouth before Cassandra's voice snatched away the opportune moment, and thereby breaking the spell.

"We should find somewhere to eat for lunch before we head back."

Flynn broke his gaze away from Rapunzel, giving her the chance to compose herself and addressing Cassandra with an irked slant to his mouth.

"Can't you see she's busy?"

Cass placed her hands on her hips, dodging the question. "I'm sure she's hungry, right Raps?"

"Well, I―"

She didn't have the chance to finish her thought before Flynn interrupted.

"Shouldn't you let her decide when she's done reading?"

"Rider, I wasn't trying to tell her to do anything. How dare I put forward ideas of any kind!" Cass' words dripped with sarcasm as she levelled him with a hard stare.

Flynn opened his mouth to retort when Rapunzel swiftly shut him down, standing up briskly and heading towards the door.

"Lunch sounds perfect, Cass."

And so Cass and Flynn had no choice but to follow the young teen back into the hectic throng of the city.

Cass' POV

"Raps, which one sounds good to you?" Cassandra turned to her friend, waiting for her opinion on the matter. The trio were deciding on where to stop for lunch; on the tables situated around a nearby bakery or sit by a fountain in a more secluded area. If it were up to her, Flynn would not be allowed to even sit near them, let alone with Rapunzel.

It was becoming increasingly transparent that Rapunzel's little crush was growing, and this fact did not sit well with Cass. She'd have to find a way to discourage it, but for now, she had other pressing issues. For example, the untamed hair was not ideal for travel. It had already been stepped on twice by passerby, and though Rapunzel tried to mask her wincing, Cass knew something needed to be done. They'd been forced to stand against the wall of a fabric shop, trying to stay out of the way of all the moving bodies.

Rapunzel bit her lip thoughtfully. "I think the fountain would be nice."

"But won't your hair get wet?" Flynn asked, gesticulating pointedly to the pile of blonde locks by her feet. "There has to be some way to get all of this under control."

"I can handle it," Cass replied, kneeling and gathering up Rapunzel's tresses between her fingers. "A simple braid should do."

Rapunzel gave a grateful smile, lowering herself to the ground and tucking her bare feet underneath her legs. Cass had tried insisting to the girl to put on some shoes before they departed, but it had been to no avail. From the day they met, it became clear to Cass that Rapunzel detested shoes, and often went without them.

Her fingers weaved the strands of hair above and under each other, each motion fluid and practiced. In no time, Rapunzel's hair had been formed into a braided hairdo. Cass leaned back and examined her work, seemingly satisfied with the result.

"There, it's done. You shouldn't have a problem with anybody tugging at your hair."

Rapunzel glanced over her shoulder at her hair, and gave a delighted gasp before leaping from the ground. She twirled in a quick circle, admiring the braid while her light green skirts brushed against her ankles.

"Ah, I love it!" She grinned happily, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "It'll be so much easier to walk around."

Cass laughed softly, about to respond when she noticed an odd expression cross Flynn's features. A sincere smile took residence on his lips as he studied Rapunzel, and the look in his eyes...it almost seemed like one of wonder. And yet, the emotion disappeared as briskly as it had come, replaced by his usual arrogant smirk.

She wanted to hope she'd imagined it, and decided to brush it aside. After all, Flynn Rider was not a man who prided himself on romance, of all things.

"So now that the weirdly long hair is out of the way, let's go eat lunch!" Something about his body language, from the strained grin on his face to the stiff fists on his hips, still felt out of sorts, as though he'd been thrown by Rapunzel's altered appearance. Cass did not wish to dwell on it, even if his strange behavior disconcerted her.

The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, visibly settling between the peaks of distant hilltops. Subtle hues of coral pinks and vibrant oranges painted the atmosphere, tainting the once white clouds with its pigment and darkening the sky into a rich twilight blue. The little sunlight that was left had washed the rooftops of the town in a soft golden light, slowly receding into the shadows.

The walk back home was blissfully silent, much to Cass' repose. It was refreshing to be back in the town, away from the chatter and noise of the main city. She'd felt most aggravated by being made to spend time with Flynn, and as the day wore on, she'd played the part of a third wheel rather than a fellow companion.

Much to her eternal annoyance, Rapunzel enjoyed Flynn's company, and asked him a barrage of questions about where he'd traveled to and how long he'd been a thief. To the untrained ear, one would miss the almost imperceptible note of pain in his voice when he mentioned the amount of years he'd been on the run. He disregarded the emotional flux with a witty remark and a charming smile, for which Rapunzel was none the wiser to the truth.

The sound of Rapunzel unlocking the hatch of the elaborate gate on the path to the house brought Cass back to the present, where she realized their long walk had ended. The pair had been lucky that Gothel had been gone for a majority of the day running errands. On the other hand, Gothel had likely been back for a couple hours and would ask them where they'd been. Cass needed to think of an excuse, and the sooner she could concoct a believable story, the better.

"Why do you hate him?"

Rapunzel's voice had been so quiet that Cass nearly missed the inquiry. It wasn't one she wanted to answer at the late hour, especially when her feet ached from the journey. Alas, Cass knew better than to leave a question unanswered. Rapunzel was a curious young lady, and quite persistent when she wanted to be.

Cass sighed deeply. "Because he's not a man to be trusted."

"But what if I'm starting to?"

"If you're asking for my opinion, I'd say listen to your head more than your heart."

"Of course you would." Rapunzel stopped midway on the path, grasping one hand over her forearm. "I'd appreciate it if you at least tried to be kinder to him. I'm not saying you have to like him, per say."

"Yet...?"

"Less fighting would be a good start."

"Okay, but I'm only doing this for you," Cass conceded, offering an apologetic smile. Rapunzel returned the gesture, before skipping up the porch steps to the front door. Just as her hand moved to turn the knob, the door opened from the inside. Standing in the doorway was Mother Gothel, a lit candle in one hand and the other in a balled fist by her side. She'd been ready to retire for the evening, judging by the long nightgown and her precise curls tied back with a ribbon.

"Where did you go?! I've been worried sick, my flower!"

Rapunzel went rigid, her fingers moving to play with pieces of her hair. Cass sensed this was the moment to intervene.

Stepping forward, she adopted a poised posture, bowing her head ever so slightly.

"Ma'am, it was my idea to bring Rapunzel along. I thought she might be able to help me with the groceries."

"And where, pray tell, is the produce?"

Cass folded her hands. "We didn't find anything of quality that would be suited to your tastes. I plan to go back into town tomorrow."

Gothel studied Cass, her steady gaze trying to detect if the handmaiden was speaking the truth. Finally, the older woman nodded her assent, turning from the doorway. "Come now. It's getting late."

Releasing a pent-up breath, Cass grabbed Rapunzel's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze as she led her inside. They'd been fortunate to fool Gothel this once, but Cass knew her fibbing couldn't last long, not when it came to the hawk-like matriarch.

I hope this chapter wasn't too much of a drag, haha. If you enjoyed it, leave a review and let me know what you think of the story thus far :)