Chapter 17~

Rapunzel

I followed the mysterious blue light into the next room though I don't remember making the conscientious choice in doing so. As the stone wall closed behind me, I was snapped out of my draw of the blue light urging me forward. Turning to bang on the wall as Eugene was left stranded on the other side. Though as I turned to face my surroundings in this new room, perhaps I was the one who was stranded.

"Hopefully there's a way out of this cave, Pascal," I muttered.

He crawled down my arm to my hand pointing his tail the way forward.

"I know, I won't know until I explore more." I turned back toward the stone entryway, "You think Eugene will be okay?"

Pascal nodded simply. I knew he was right, but I would feel responsible if something happened to him and I couldn't heal him. Summoning up my courage with Pascal perched on my shoulder, I took step after step as there was no way to go but forward. The pathway was straight and turned into a curve as the stone ceiling began to come down inch by inch. Soon I had to crawl through a long tunnel but could see the blue hue growing even more vibrant with each movement forward. A warmth hit my body as I came out on the other side of the tunnel and it was no longer stone, but a grassy sort of garden within this cavern. Green bushes and shrubs lined the left and right sides of the room. I was tempted to take off my boots in order to feel the soft grasses on my bare feet again, but I hesitated still unsure if this garden was truly real or my imagination. Pascal feasted on a dragonfly that flew overhead, so I know he saw all of this too. Lilies and roses were scattered throughout the room along with flowers I didn't even recognize. As I stepped forward, the grasses on the floor started to move. At first, I thought it was a trick of my eye, but after three more steps, The grasses fixed around my boots and I had to yank them free. Clearly, this place was imbued with some type of magic as I knew that since I first saw the blue light, but I don't think I was welcome here. Myself or anyone for that matter.

Around a slight corner into the room, the blue hue was coming off a flower separated from the rest, but it wasn't in bloom. It was completely closed up. I glanced up and there was a small opening in the ceiling just above the flower where I could see the sky. It was daybreak and the sun was out. Could that be why this flower was closed up?

"Guess we're waiting, Pascal," I said, "Maybe I can dig it out in the meantime."

I approached the flower even closer within a few feet when suddenly green roots shot up from the ground wrapping around my legs holding onto them tightly. I struggled to move as two more roots latched onto my wrists. As I wrestled, Pascal was trying to bite the root on my right wrist.

"Pascal, get to the flower!" I said.

He nodded, leaping off my hand, but a root caught him in midair.

"Pascal!" I cried, "Can you move?"

Struggling greatly, but he definitely couldn't break free. A bright light above the flower suddenly emerged as a floating entity appeared before us. An ethereal woman who seemed to be something out of a book. Her presence gave off a glow with a crown of flowers adorned around her head and long flowing hair. Her eyes were silver and they locked with mine and they terrified me. She had no mouth on her face, just her eyes, but what was more alarming was the fact that she spoke.

"You're a brave young maiden to have made it this far." The woman said, her tone was soft and yet I felt threatened.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am Renestris, Guardian of Luna Callima. A power that is too great for this world. I've long kept it hidden from greedy humans and yet here you are."

"I'm not greedy!" I snapped, "I'm here on behalf of my father who desires it."

"No good can come from a human taking this power. Calamity will come about make no mistake."

I started to wiggle my right wrist as I could tell that Pascal had managed to weaken the root. I'd have to time this carefully, but maybe Renestris could give me more answers before I could break free to get the flower back to my father.

"Surely a flower isn't all-powerful," I said, "What harm can Luna Callima do?" I asked.

"You are very well aware of the power of such blooms as you have a gift as well, young maiden."

"I don't understand."

"You were born with the power of Sol Lillitalus, which grants you the ability to heal."

Of course, she knew.

"And I've been able to help people with this power, so the surely the moon flower will-"

"Bring death." Renestris interrupted.

I bit my lip nervously as she spoke with an ominous tone.

"Be warned young maiden that the Luna Callima and Sol Lillitalus cannot coexist. One weakens the other. These powers should never come to pass otherwise you will lose yourself."

"Again, I don't understand."

"Heed my warning and leave." Renestris urged.

I couldn't let down my father. Just like my mother, I sought his approval and I wanted him to be proud of me. Renestris was using scare tactics. Soon moonlight shone through the opening in the ceiling as the bloom opened. The flower emitted a blue glow but was adorned with silver petals, the likes of which I had never seen. It was stunning and mesmerizing.

"Nightfall already?" I questioned.

"In this room, time does not flow as it should. You've already been inside here for hours." Renestris answered.

I could hear Eugene calling my name as it echoed through the halls. If the moon was back out, he would be here soon with that first door back open. I took this moment to break my right wrist free of the roots as I reached for Luna Callima desperately. Another root shot up from the ground trying to seize my wrist again, but I avoided it barely. Before another root immobilized me, I sunk my free hand into the soil below Luna Callima. To my surprise, it was soft and moist underneath and my hand easily dug through. Renestris retaliated by sending more roots and grasses pulling me to the ground, but in a final effort, I yanked Luna Callima from the ground.

"No, what have you-" Renestris began to say, but then vanished a moment later.

The roots still bound me as I felt a wave of strange fatigue wash over me. Curiously inspecting the bloom in my hand, I reached out to touch a single petal. My body reacted instantly as I fell forward as the world around me faded.

When I came to, the first thing my blurry vision saw was Eugene looking down at me. He was shaking me awake anxiously. At first all I could hear were muddled words, but then I could make out him calling my name. A small green blur was jumping up and down on my chest and once I looked down at him, he crawled up toward my face nudging my chin. I slowly sat up glancing around the room. The warmth had gone away and vines that had once covered me had shriveled and died. Grasses and flowers were gone and I was surrounded by stone. Luna Callima was still safely tucked in my right arm shining bright and bold. Eugene offered me his hand to help me onto my feet.

"Easy, not all at once," He said.

Slowly I rose off the ground brushing off the remainder of the dead vines that once attacked me. Pieces fell to the ground as Pascal climbed onto my shoulder.

"Thanks, Flynn," I nodded with a smile.

He narrowed his eyes.

"Flynn?"

I bit my lip.

"Oh, you know what I meant." I said patting his shoulder, "Still getting used to it."

"So you going to tell me what happened in here?" He asked.

I shrugged.

"I followed the yellow glow that let me to this," I said, holding up the flower.

Narrowing his eyes again, he looked at me directly.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Fine," I nodded.

He didn't seem convinced.

"Well, we have what we came for. We best get back to your father."

"Yes," I agreed, "He must be waiting at Briarwell with my mother."

He grabbed my shoulder with one hand.

"Something happened to you here, didn't it?"

"I'm not sure what you mean,"

Going out of his way to avoid using his nearest hand, he took my hand with his pulling me along insisting to get back. I glanced down at the one hand he was avoiding and it was cut deep in several places with blood covering his palm.

"Something happened to you, I think is what you meant." I said, "Your hand."

He looked down at it shrugging.

"It's not a big deal, I've been pounding against a rock wall for hours after it closed behind you." He said.

"And you didn't think to stop?" I questioned.

Taking his good hand in mine, he gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Not when I thought that you could be in danger."

His tone was so kind and soft. My heart was beating fast within me. Pascal turned red on my shoulder.

"Let me heal you," I offered.

"Rapunzel, I'm fine. Let's just go." He urged.

I snatched his injured hand not wanting to waste time arguing. Wrapping my hair around his hand, I opened my mouth to sing as I closed my eyes.

"Flower gleam and-and…"

I opened my eyes nervously. How did that verse go? I grumbled under my breath feeling terribly embarrassed. He began to sing for me as my hair began to glow. Once he was healed, he thanked me and we made our way back out of the cavern. Heading back was harder as the obstacles were trickier. Climbing up walls and hopping various platforms across a deep chasm. He was patient with me talking me through each step. The cold hit me once we made it near the cave entrance. The only warmth I could feel was emanating off this strange silver flower. What was its purpose? A white horse marched up to us as I patted its snout. Walking by a campfire there were some barely burning embers just about out, but whoever lit it must have used it recently.

"Not far now, we just have to get across the chasm outside." He said.

Nearby a growl was heard as a beast strode into the cave. Thick, black fur covered its body with menacing yellow eyes that locked on me. My first instinct was to run, but Flynn took out a dagger hidden in his boot.

"Flynn, no, don't provoke it."

The creature lunged toward me, but Flynn moved between us in a defensive stance. I curled my body to cover the flower. Swiping it's claws at Flynn, managing contact on his side I felt nauseous at feeling the blood soak into his coat. The beast roared spooking the horse to run out of the cave. It ran into the cave circling around preparing to pounce me, but Flynn tackled it to the ground as he and the creature rolled across the dirt. I moved out of there way trying to look for some way to help him. In all the ruckus I few pebbles fell from the ceiling hitting my head. Rocks were coming loose near the mouth of the cave.

"Outside, now!" I cried.

The beast had managed to pin him again, but not before he swiped his dagger across the creature's snout drawing blood from a deep gash. It howled sharply as Flynn got his feet under the belly of the beast launching it airborne hitting the wall. This helped propel the rocks to start to wiggle free.

"Cave in, Flynn. Let's go."

He got up quickly despite his wounds and grabbed my hand as he leapt out of the cave as rocks came down sealing the entrance behind us with that beast trapped inside.

"You okay?' I asked.

"More or less," He replied.

The white horse was running around nearby before Flynn grabbed his reins to calm him down a bit. We both stopped to catch our breath and pat the horses' snout. Pascal hopped onto the head of the horse burying himself into the hair.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asked.

"Of course." I nodded.

"You keep calling me Flynn, even though you know my real name now. Why?"

"I have?"

He frowned.

"Guess it's good to not get used to doing so especially when around mixed company."

"Mixed company like who?"

"Your father." He answered, "As I should never forget to call you Lady Alivia Conwyn around him."

I looked down at the silver flower in my hands distracted. My body felt strange ever since I woke up, but the cold wasn't doing me any favors.

"Time to go home." I nodded.

"Any thoughts on getting across the chasm we broke on the way here?" Flynn asked.

"We need the horse," I agreed.

"Maximus is quite heavy." Flynn replied.

I moved toward the edge looking over into the chasm below. It was nauseatingly deep. Flynn walked up next to me as I glanced at him.

"Maybe we can climb down and around?" I offered.

"That will take too long," He replied, "I have an idea."

Before he even tried to explain, Flynn tied the end of my hair around his waist tightly and ran full speed off the end of the cliff. I screamed his name thinking he was mad. As I saw him swinging below, I put together what he was trying to do. A human swing to get to the other side. It took him five tries to grasp ahold on the other side as his fingers continually slipped due to the frozen nature of the rocks. He stopped just a few inches from the top planting himself on a small ledge outcrop, untied my hair as I pulled it back to me.

"Now what?"

"Tie around Max and you jump like I did." Flynn yelled.

He was mad. Though I trusted him. Pascal hopped to my shoulder as I wrapped the end of my hair around the horse to counter weight. Nervously I leapt off the cliff screaming all the way down and then once my stomach caught up to me, I began to swing. The flower was safely in my hands still. Flynn was on the other side and urged me to keep swinging. Once we made it within arms reach, he grabbed onto me holding me close to him.

"I knew you could do it." He nodded, "Now it's a straight shot back to the ship."

"Wait what about Maximus?"

"He's already up top waiting for us." Flynn said simply.

"Huh?"

"That horse is a prized jumper, I've seen the things he's capable of at the manor."

"I'll never doubt a horses's skills again." I said.

Flynn had me climb up first and it was difficult with the flower in my hand, but I made it work. We untied my hair from Max as Flynn hopped in the saddle extending his hand to me to help me up as well. As I reached for his hand, a tremendous pain wrecked my head. High pitched and made me dizzy. The pain surged from my head to my toes as I began to scream dropping the flower in the snow and soon falling unconscious myself.

When I came to, I was being jostled from intense horseback riding. I groaned still feeling the pain within me, but it was less tense.

"Where's the flower?" I muttered.

"In Max's saddlebag. You okay?" Flynn said, from behind me in the saddle, "You really scared me, Blondie."

"I don't know what happened."

"I have an educated guess, but it won't matter as once you deliver it to your father, it shouldn't effect you."

"What shouldn't effect me?"

"The flower, Rapunzel! You shouldn't go near it."

"I felt fine up until a few minutes ago."

"You've been out for an hour," He snapped, "You're not fine. I bet the area around the cave was a barrier to its effects and once you came across the chasm, you felt those effects in full force. It's dangerous."

"You worry too much, it's just a flower."

"I don't want to argue," He whispered, "We're almost back at the cove, let me present it to your father."

"Okay, sure." I agreed.

The downward descent off the mountain cliffs went fast as Max slid much of the way. Eventually I spotted a ship and it looked quite big given the size of our party. Stopping once Max crossed the gangplank, Flynn dismounted quickly before helping me down. My legs felt wobbly as Pascal leapt off Max hiding himself behind my hood and hair. A tall gentlemen dawned in regal attire adorned with winter fur approached us. I blinked my eyes into clarity, but this man was a stranger to me. He came foward with outstretched arms toward me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to Flynn, "Who is-"

"My daughter," The man greeted giving me a tight hug, "You're back, Lady Alivia. Let me look at you." He said pulling away. His smile quickly faded as the man looked at me in fury.

"Did you fail to acquire Luna Callima?" He barked.

Before I could answer, Flynn stepped forward toward him.

"We have it, my lord, it's in the saddlebags." He said.

His anger softened, now seemingly pleased.

"Alivia, my dear. Will you present your father with this rare gift?"

Not wanting to summon more anger, I moved toward the saddlebags to fetch the flower. Flynn stepped in front of me.

"My Lord Conwyn, Lady Alivia is quite exhausted from the journey. I'll get the Luna Callima on her behalf." Flynn said.

"Nonsense, my daughter will do as her father asks. Alivia?" Conwyn said looking toward me. I didn't know what to do, my knees were knocking underneath all my winter garb.

"My Lord," Flynn tried again grabbing my hand.

"Silence Rider," Father growled, "Keep this up and you will lose my favor upon our return for your assistance in gaining the flower."

I put my hand on Flynn's shoulder as he hesitantly released me to approach the bags. The glow hit my eyes as I opened the flap. My hand reached for the stem and as my hand touched it, I felt as though my body was on fire. I pursed my lips to contain my agony, but Flynn's concerned face said it all. Quickly handing the bloom to my father, dropping it in his hands, he stared at the flower in awe before glancing up at me with a wide grin on his face.

"Well done, my daughter."