It's funny how life can change so quickly. You go along thinking that everything is fine and going well, and then the next moment you feel like the rug is pulled right from under you. Yes, I told Eugene that I couldn't marry him, at least not yet. And I could tell that he was hurt. Not that that was what I was going for. But I needed more time, it's all I could say to him when we got a moment alone. I told him I love him over and over and it was true more and more. He had become more than just my new dream, more than just my boyfriend. He was my everything. My reason to get up every day. Yes, there is more to life that just my life with Eugene as there is more to his life that just life with me. And I always knew and understood that. At least I thought I did.
It was a normal day, mostly. I could tell that something was up and not quite right with Eugene. He was himself, but not himself. It was almost as if he was trying to be normal, going on about how handsome he was (and oh so handsome), joking with Lance, calling Pascal a frog. Nothing completely out of the ordinary. But when he was with me, something was off. He was attentive like he always is, he was being sweet, like he always is. That wasn't unusual, so why did it feel off? Why did it feel like the sky was about to crash down on me? That my whole world was about to flip upside down?
Eugene and I had been through a lot. We'd been back from the dark kingdom for about six months now, and I felt we had grown closer to each other on our journey to the dark kingdom and even after returning home. He was my rock in dealing with the betrayal of Cass. I called her my best friend, but honest though she was one of my best friends, my true best friend (other than Pascal) was Eugene. Even before all that he and I had been through a lot, even his own death.
It was late in the evening and Eugene and I had walked down to the water. We stopped at the end of the dock. I looked over at him and he had a strange gaze on his face as he stared out over the water. "Eugene, are you okay?"
He didn't say anything. He just kept looking at the water. "Eugene…."
He slowly turned his head and looked at me. "I'm sorry Rapunzel."
"For what?" I asked.
"For everything that you've been through lately. I know it's been rough. And I've tried to be there for you…" He trailed off a bit.
"Eugene you have been there. You've been the one person I could count on through all I've been through." I said reaching for his hand. Normally he'd take my hand back. This time he didn't.
"Rapunzel, I know you had to go away, and I gladly went with you. And I'd follow you to the ends of the earth if you asked me to."
"But?" I inquired.
"But there are things that I've kept to myself, that I haven't even told Lance. And I want to keep it that way. But I feel that I need to leave the kingdom on my own for a while."
"What? Why?" I asked.
He again didn't say anything at first. In fact, he turned and looked back at the water. He took a deep breath but didn't say anything.
"I love you, Eugene." I said with tears running down my face.
Eugene looked at me again, put his hand up to my face and wiped the tears. "I know you do. And I love you too Rapunzel, so much. But there is something I need to do. I need to know. And as much as I love you, I need to know who I really am without you."
"You're Eugene Fitzherbert."
"Turns out, I may not be. Rapunzel, I know that you're going to plead to come with me on this journey. And I wish you could come…"
"I can."
"No, Rapunzel, You're the princess and your place is here. This you've already found out. Look I'm not saying that I'm going to be gone forever. I just need my own journey."
"I understand." I lied. I didn't understand. I could have gone on my self-finding journey without Eugene but I wanted him with me, because I knew that whoever I truly was I was with him as well as without him. But I didn't ever want to be without him. And now here he was telling me that he wanted to be without me. And all I could do was lie and tell him I understood.
Two days later Eugene left the castle and left me broken hearted. Broken hearted, hurt and wondering why he felt the need to do this without me. He told me two nights ago he loved me, but now even I began to wonder if I had been the only one who lied that night. Did Eugene really love me as he said he did? Did he really love being in Corona and in the castle as much as he said and called it his home? What was he going through that he felt he had to leave, and figure out alone?