Eugene fell. Rapunzel watched helplessly. "Noooo!" She screamed out loud. The movement and sheer force of her panic jolted her awake back at the palace. She was in the midst of labor, and she struggled to catch a breath. Her mother, her handmaids, midwives and the doctor all circled her around her smiling to see she was awake. "Rapunzel you're awake!" Her mother rejoiced, but the vision that Rapunzel had just seen, still played out in her mind. Was it real? Or just a dream? It seemed real. She had to know. "Eugene!" She gulped. "Where is Eugene?"

The women exchanged looks not sure what to tell her. "Where is he?" She demanded. Her mother stroked her daughter's forehead. "He is out fighting." She told her honestly. 'No.' Rapunzel thought. 'It couldn't be.' What she had just seen could not have been real. "Where? Where is he fighting?" She probed, swallowing. "Out on Mt. Saison, where we went to star gaze." The queen responded. Rapunzel's heart sunk and her mouth tasted dry, but her body was carrying on in labor. She yelped both in grief and physical pain. "Rapunzel! Rapunzel!" The queen and all her attendants seemed to say at once. "It's alright dear. He'll make it out ok. For now, you have to push! It's almost time to meet the twins!" Pain pushed her forward and tears streamed down her face. Even in labor, the disease was still punishing her, and she felt herself slipping away.

Earlier in the cave, before Eugene fell, after Varian, Madam Estrada, Faith and the others squeezed into the crevice one at a time, they could hear Lord Humphert's voice and Eugene's voice sparring clearly, along with the clanging of their swords. At first, they were afraid because it sounded like the duel was just inches away from them. Yet when they looked out though they saw two shadowy forms fencing several yards away from them. The morning light from the wider open back of the cave, lit onto to the two fighting figures, but hardly any light came from the townspeople's side of the cave. The consequence was that it cast the two fighting men in shadow, dark outlines projecting elongated figures, extending way out from the point of their conflict.

They were struck silent by the violent and confounding scene, stunned as they tried to work out why the sound was incongruent with the distance. Was it their ears or eyes tricking them? Could the fighting men hear them just as well? Varian and the townspeople at first didn't know what to do. It seemed that the men might be vaguely aware of their presence, but should they stay hidden and silent, or try to rush Lord Humphert and stop the fight? Without any weaponry themselves, it was hard to know. Suddenly Eugene's voice called out louder and clearer than it had been before. "You know, maybe we should call this a draw?" They heard him ask Phineas. "We really shouldn't be in here! It's way too dangerous! Someone could get hurt!" Varian thought that was meant for them.

The two dueling men obviously heard them, Lord Humphert was trying to turn around to look, but it looked like the prince- consort trying to do everything he could to stop that from happening. Finally, he turned a bit too forward, and Phineas slashed at his arm. Everyone gasped, but it was covered by Eugene's cry of pain. Varian wasn't sure if Eugene did that on purpose or not, but it was obvious both men were headed towards the back entrance of the cave, where Varian had seen the sheer drop before.

Lord Humphert's strokes were becoming broader and more confident, while Eugene was stepping back each time, even when he had the opportunity to step forward, leading the lord away from the crevice, away from them. It was obvious what was going to happen. Varian was going to anticipate it. He had to! He pointed a finger at the townspeople in order to show them he was headed out. He didn't know if the danger outside had passed, but he didn't hear anything outside, and if the balloon was intact, it was their best chance. Eugene was right, it was too dangerous in here, and trying to keep them safe was affecting his fighting.

Just like entering, only one person could exit at a time. As he was about to head out, they all heard Lord Humphert whisper "Maybe I can dispatch you, just like I did the tailor." They stood in their places. They didn't know how, but they heard him whisper those words as if he had been right next to him, and not several feet away. He was giving a confession! They all held their breath. Next, they heard Eugene ask, "Did you kill the tailor then?" huffing as he spoke.

"No," Phineas said quietly, "I just trapped him." Then louder as if he were trying to throw his voice back, Phineas shouted. "Just like I am going to trap you!" It made an echo off the walls. Faith pointed as she saw Lord Humphert's hand briefly reach down low out of Eugene's sight, from the long shadows that cast, it was apparent to them that the lord using his hand to discreetly beckon them to come close. He was mistaking them for his lackeys!

That was it. Madam Estrada knew what she was going to do. She made a signal to the others, to creep quietly along the darker sides of the cave with her, along where the stalagmites were. This area of the cave was bumpy. It would take them longer to get to Lord Humphert and Eugene then if they took the smoother center path they were fighting on, but if he was trying to take the prince- consort by surprise, he would get a surprise coming himself. To their dismay Varian didn't follow them. He pointed to himself and then to the crevice, signing he was going to exit instead.

Madam Estrada and the others made it clear to him by their refusal to move, that they were staying in the cave. She made a fist pump motion and pointed at the dueling men to signify that she was going to try to take Phineas by surprise with the others. Varian again pointed to himself, shook his head and turned to the exit, waving good-bye. They waved back in small motions in case Lord Humphert was watching. They thought Varian was still taking a huge risk going outside when he didn't know who was waiting for him out there, or if his balloon was even still able to fly.

During this time, Lord Humphert was making more and more confessions and the fight was getting more intense. They saw Lord Humphert lunge at Eugene's throat twice, just narrowly missing him. They almost forgot to move, as they stood in rapt attention, as Humphert confessed that he trapped his own son, that Wolfgang had started the fire, and that he made up the story about Wolfgang perishing in it. The revelation hardened their conviction. An angry look came over their faces. They had to stop him! Letting Lord Phineas know they were there could put them in danger, but maybe if they rushed him, they could stop him before he had a chance to do anything. Madam Estrada and the others tried slipping around the sides of the cave to reach them, but it was too treacherous. Without good grip, they had to grab onto stalagmites to keep from falling. They didn't get much farther than their original spot.

The lord had pushed Eugene all the way to the other mouth of the cave, he was teetering on the edge. Why didn't he just jump out to safely on ground below? Then they found out why. Lord Humphert taunted him, and the last thing they heard him say was, "The escape artist has no escape! Either meet my sword or fall to your death!" Apparently, the other exit led nowhere but down! There was a breathless moment that hung in time, as if the captain was fighting for his life one last time. He lunged forward with Lord Humphert's sword crisscrossed at his throat, but the lord was able to push him outward. The prince- consort was forced to step out and they didn't see him anywhere. Did he die? Lord Humphert laughed cruelly, triumphantly. The prince- consort's sword clattered to the floor of the cave, its owner lost. Captain Fitzherbert had fallen.

They hung their heads in grief, shame and anger. They knew the truth now, but they were too late to do anything about it. Or were they? Faith poked Uncle Monty on the shoulder, requesting that he hand her something. Uncle Monty complied. Lord Phineas Humphert was so engrossed now by his triumph, thoroughly enjoying the fall of his opponent, that they felt like they could rush at him from the center clear path of the cave. He turned around to see them, but because of distance, shadows and their quick movements towards him, their forms were blurred. That and he was still squinting his eyes in laughter, his ego stroked. He thought it was his troops bounding forward to congratulate him in his victory. By the time they got close enough where he could see them more clearly, his smile fled in horror as he recognized the hordes of townspeople. "Men! GET THEM!" He growled to his absentee forces, in panic and urgency. No one appeared at the mouth of the cave. In desperation, he raised his sword and charged at them, prepared to take one of them hostage, or slaughter them all, whichever came easiest. Faith gave him a whopping face of frying pan, before he could get to them, throwing at him with all her might. Turned out she had a good arm.

It knocked Phineas clean out.

"Good shot Faith!" Madam Estrada glowed. Faith nodded, shy again and handed the frying pan to Uncle Monty, the only one who had the foresight to bring a blunt instrument with them. "Uncle Monty!" Madam Estrada turned to him. She just thought of something. "You're a baker. Why do you have a frying pan?"

Uncle Monty shrugged. "I've got to eat something other than cupcakes too sometimes you know."

Madam Estrada raised her eyebrows and chuckled softly, but it was cut short by a large shadow covering the entrance of the cave, that loomed over them. What could that be? Now that they had knocked Phineas out it was tempting to be relieved, but they still didn't know what was happening outside and Varian hadn't returned. Could this be another enemy?

The Balloon and the Needle

Minutes earlier, Varian, exited the cave as quietly as he could, look around cautiously for any enemies still lurking about. If his ears were serving him well, which now he wasn't sure about after the cave, all the forces were far away now. He snuck over to his balloon and was able to take the time to check his balloon more thoroughly. It was a miracle, but it looked it be intact! The flame still burned brightly, it looked like it was hanging on by a thread from takeoff as only one of the two ropes were still tied down to keep it from flying off again. He hadn't tempered it down in the hurry to see what was going on earlier, a misstep that could have cost him dearly under different circumstances, but now he was glad for it.

He had no weapon and not much hand-to-hand fighting experience, so he did not know if he would have been much help in the cave. He thought it was a brave decision for the townspeople to stay there, but as for him, it was time an escape was provided. He decided not to temper down the balloon first. Tempering it down and then back up again might take too much time. He quickly untied the remaining rope, gripped it tightly to keep the balloon from totally flying off without him, and scrambled up in it before it floated too far up. One of his hands lost their grip, and for a split second he dangled on the rope, sickeningly close to falling. He swung his body as much as he could to get a better grip with his other hand again. He barely managed it, but he regained his grip and climbed inside of the balloon's basket. He was taking off, leaving the mountaintop below! He let out a holler in victory! From here he could still see the two armies clashing, now all the way down at the foothills of the mountain. He thought he saw someone else too, but he had to be mistaken.

It was nice to be free of the mountaintop, in the air again, but he wanted to take a sharp right. He was going to have to navigate this as precisely as he could. With the hot air balloon at the mercy of winds, it was difficult, but he had to try. He had to let the flame down a little to go right, and it worked! It was floating around the mountain! He thought with triumph that it was going where he wanted to go! He got to the other side of the mountain just along the cliff edge. He would have to be careful not to run into anything. Now he had to just raise it up a bit. He turned up the flame. It started to levitate upward. This was great! This was fantastic! This was- There was a sudden jolt. Had he run into the cliff face?

No, it was a tree! An extended tree branch from a very tall tree had punctured his balloon. "Are you kidding me?" Expulsed Varian. The balloon had survived high cold windstorm blasts, random bats, and now it was bested by a tree? Luckily, the puncture wasn't that large, and the tree branch partially plugged the gap. The air was escaping ever so slowly. Still, he was going to have to try to go up there to mend it if he didn't want to fall a long way down.

Before he could even start to figure out how he was going to get up there, he heard another loud thunk, this time it made his balloon bow in a little. 'Seriously, what is it now?' Varian looked up impatiently. The thunk cast a shadow and was sliding down naturally towards the branch that stuck into the balloon. He recognized that shadow. The shadow grunted as it rolled and slid.

"Eugene!" Varian called.

"Hey kid," The self-assured voice called back. "Thanks for picking me up! I don't know why you're here, but I'm glad you are!"

Varian had seen the perilous exit that Eugene was headed for during the sword fight. The distraction Eugene was trying to make by drawing the lord further and further towards the exit, could mean a nasty fall if things didn't turn around soon. He also knew that townspeople wanted to take matters into their own hands and gang up on the lord, but if it didn't work out for them, he'd need to provide an escape for them too!

At the end of the sword fight, when Eugene looked out of the cave, as he teetered along its edge, he saw Varian's balloon rising to meet him. It was still some feet down, and with his left arm partially injured, affecting his grip, it looked like catching it would be a long shot, but he was going to try. He knew if Varian was somehow able to make it out the cave and fly his balloon out to the other side of the mountain, the Humphert men were nowhere near, so the townspeople were safe. Phineas pushed him out of the cave, and after falling a few feet, he smacked right into the balloon. It was stuck! It was tilted slightly on a thin upper tree branch that had caught it.

Momentum forced him to slide down towards the branch, and he gripped it to hold on to it with everything he had. He was spread eagled, belly down and stayed like that for a split second, at the right edge of the rounded top of the balloon. Then the branch snapped. Some of the twigs fell down to Varian, some of the flew upward and out, but the hole was totally unplugged now. "Oh no! Eugene!" Varian shouted. Rapunzel's husband was going to fall after all!

The balloon started leaking out air with a mournful whooshing sound, rippling a little at the source of the gap. Eugene grabbed at the branch that was no longer there, and incidentally gripped the cloth instead, luckily, but quite accidentally, closing up the hole. Everything happened in moments. The balloon, now free to move upward, jutted up, the upward push against the air, pinned Eugene down, helping maintain his balance just in time. It wouldn't last long, however. The danger wasn't over. Eugene wouldn't be able to keep his balance or grip forever.

The balloon rose to the view of the back entrance of the cave. Varian quickly tempered the flame down in an attempt to keep the balloon going up too far. With difficulty, he turned the flame up and down to slowly buoy it into one place. He turned the flame up when it went too far down and turned the flame down when it went too far up. Maybe Eugene could leap off and onto the cave's edge.

The townspeople inside the cave came to investigate the shadow that just obscured the sunlight. It was Varian's balloon! They thought they could just make out a white gloved hand, and an injured arm, dressed in Corona's red guard's uniform, wrapping around the left side. Did they get a glimpse of brown hair on the right side of the balloon?

"Captain? Captain?" They asked. Was it him? He poked his head up in response as far as he could. The balloon lowered a little so they could see Eugene's face. "Hello!" he called back.

"Captain you're alive!" They exulted, cheering. "For now." He gulped. "I would wave, but I am literally clinging on to dear life here!" He stammered in fear and exasperation. The balloon slowly raised again a little. "Eugene!" Varian called. "Can you jump off? Get to the cave?"

"I'm on the wrong side!" He shouted back. The cave was way over on the left. "And besides if I let go kid, what happens to you?"

Varian thought. Now that he was free of the tree, if Eugene was able to get off, he might be able to descend even with the hole. The balloon would be wobbly and a little harder to control, but it would still descend. However, he knew the passageway he had taken up here was really narrow. If he didn't have absolute control, he'd likely crash into the cliff face or another tree. It would be better if the hole was mended. He was frank with Eugene. "That hole is pretty small, if I can only mend it in time, I might be ok."

"But how are you going to even get up here to do that?" Eugene asked. He turned his head as much as he could to the townspeople. "Maybe the Guard and the Snuggly Duck people can help. Anyway, you all can get them?"

They looked at each other not knowing where the Royal Guard was, and hoping Varian knew. Varian answered for them. "They're not at the top of the mountain anymore, Eugene. They are way down at the western foot of the mountain!" He explained, sharing what he had seen when he flew over to the east side of the mountain to catch Eugene. "They were fighting with the Lundars and Humphert forces."

"Oh," managed Eugene. Seeing the townspeople were safe, he thought his men must have come in, to dispatch Phineas and save them. He didn't have time to work out his confusion.

He almost slipped again. "Boy, we could sure use about seventy feet of hair right now!" He winced as he had to move his left arm forward again to keep himself from sliding off the balloon. "Or a healing incantation would be nice!"

"Eugene, that's it! You're a genius!"

"I am?"

"Yes!" Varian exclaimed. "We don't have seventy feet of hair, but we do have a rope! Two ropes actually!" There was one on the left and one on the right. He used them to tie the balloon down before and after flight. "I can throw one up to you, and you use it to come down. You think you can catch it ok?"

Eugene grinned. "Pshaw after years of swinging from Rapunzel's hair? Yeah, I could!" He thought a moment. "But do you have a plan for mending this thing?"

"Well, the size of the hole is smaller than a man's hand. I saw that the tree branch ripped some of the cloth out. I think we need something kind of elastic to make sure it stretches over it…what could we use?" He brainstormed out loud. He looked down and saw his hands, covered as always by his industrial size black gloves. He took one off. "Maybe something like this! My glove! But I don't know how I'm going attach it! And can you use the rope to yank me up there?"

"Not with this arm I can't!" Eugene admitted, frowning, referring to his injured left arm. It was his only free arm since the right arm was gripping the hole.

"I have a better idea!" Madam Estrada suddenly interrupted. "Why don't you lasso the left rope to Eugene since his right hand is holding the hole, and the right rope to me. I will tie the right rope around me and then you could wrangle me onto the top of the balloon, or I could jump to it. Then I could mend the balloon myself! What is a seamstress for?" The gap between the balloon and the back entrance of the cave was a few inches, but still, with the drop below, the endeavor would be perilous if anything went wrong. They argued with her not to do it. Madam Estrada was ever insistent, saying they needed a seamstress for that kind of job. "I'll jump over there whether you let me or not! Just toss over the rope so I have something to grab onto!" She stated with finality.

Varian reluctantly gave in and tried to lasso the left rope over to Eugene like he had seen Rapunzel do with her hair. It worked! Eugene caught it and wrapped it around his left hand. It steadied him a little. Now it was time to toss the right rope to Madam Estrada. Varian tried and tried, but it wasn't reaching. It was on the opposite side of the cave. With the hole and Eugene struggling to maintain his grip and balance, they were running out of time!

With the inches of distance between the cave and the top of the balloon, Madam Estrada thought she might try to jump freely without the rope. Without telling Varian or Eugene what she was thinking, she got to the cave's edge and the dizzying distance down made her sick. She tried to rally herself to try to take a running leap but found that she could not. "I'm so sorry this is not working out!" She said, wringing her hands. "Please allow me ma'am." A quiet voice said behind her.

Before Madam Estrada or anyone could say anything, Faith was running to take the jump. She didn't stop. Faith took the leap. She flew into the air and landed on the balloon, sliding to her knees. She grabbed the rope that was wrapped around Eugene's hand. She was light, so the top of the balloon barely lost shape, but she still had to tug on the rope hung on Eugene's hand to pull herself toward him. When she landed the balloon bowed in a little and he was able to use the rope to pull his knees up underneath him a little. Eugene didn't have much time to be shocked, as he sweated in pain to help pull her up. Thankfully, she didn't have far to go until she reached the puncture in the balloon.

"Whew! Didn't see that coming, did you Varian?" Eugene called down to the boy, referring to Faith's leap and landing. He thanked the girl herself.

"Yeah!" Varian said excitedly. "I mean no! I am just happy she made it!" He explained.

"So Varian, no pressure buddy," Eugene began, grimacing with both the effort it took to help Faith, hold on to the hole, and keep his balance, "but how are you going to get the glove up here to mend this thing?" Eugene asked.

"I got you covered!" Varian said. He tied his glove to the rope on the right side of the balloon and prepared to lasso it over to the top.

"I'm sending the glove over to the top with the other rope. I think it can reach that far. Ready Faith?" He asked. Varian remembered the comely seamstress' assistant from when she had ridden horseback with him to get the doctor months ago. He found himself admiring her bravery, even though she seemed quite shy.

"Yes!" She called back. Varian felt her shout was even shy and sweet. He flung the glove as hard as he could trying to get just the right torque to go over the top. It landed a little south of Faith, but she was able to lean down and just nab it before it slid down again. She untied it and held the rope in one hand and the free glove victoriously in her other.

"Before you let that rope go, tie it to yourself Faith." Varian suggested up to her from his position down below in the balloon's carriage. She tied it to her waist.

"Ok! So how do we do this?" Eugene inquired.

Faith pulled out a big needle and coarse thread. She still had it from Madam Estrada's earlier demonstration to the townspeople in the plaza. "Ok," Faith told Eugene, suddenly taking charge. "So I need you to only partially uncover the gap while I sew the glove to part of the hole. When I am done with one part, grab the part of the glove that is stitched in, then move the part of your hand still covering the gap a little more, so I can sew that part, and so on, until the whole thing is covered."

"Got it." Acknowledged Eugene. The rope wrapped in his left hand was helping him keep his balance so hopefully the more he let go, the more he could rely on the rope to keep himself from falling. Varian for his part was impressed. He couldn't see Eugene or Faith but heard the exchange at the top of the balloon. He knew a tear like that, though small, would take some skill to fix it, especially to fix a balloon with a glove! It had to be someone who had a precise eye for detail. The seamstress' assistant went about her work quickly. Eugene concentrated on not sliding off completely.

Faith, on her knees at the center of the balloon had better positioning and the rope tied around her waist kept her steady. Finally, Eugene had to let go of too much of the gap and was slipping down the balloon in a free fall. He hurriedly grabbed the rope in his left hand with his right to get a better grip. He was sliding down rapidly, grappling with the rope to try to maintain control of where he slid. At the last minute, as his legs dangled over the side of the balloon, he swung them inward and landed with a thump inside the balloon's carriage. He landed in a partial heap, the balloon rocking a little bit at the newfound weight.

Faith had already finished sewing the puncture with the glove, but the rocking motion of the balloon was tossing her forward off the balloon. "Oh no! Faith!" Varian called. She fell off, but the rope was still tied around her waist. Varian caught her and pulled her into the balloon's basket just before she fell past it. "Thank you!" The little seamstress' apprentice breathed out relieved, hanging on to her cream-colored cap. "You're welcome." Varian blushed. She didn't notice as she busied herself untying the rope from her waist.

Eugene was still trying to get up in the balloon's basket and find his footing. The balloon, all mended, was rising again. "The way the winds are going, I'm not sure if I can land on the same spot, we arrived here to give you a ride down." Varian confessed to the townspeople still in the cave. He offered the townspeople a ride down if they could all jump into his balloon from the cave. "We could use the ropes to pull you in again now that we've tested that out." He proposed.

"No thank you! We'll walk down instead!" They all said at once. "Alright, suit yourselves." Varian shrugged. "Ready to land?" He asked Eugene and Faith. Faith nodded.

"That's an understatement!" Eugene answered. "Let me tell you kid, heights and I don't mix!" He panted, still not believing he was alive. Then before Varian let down the balloon, he hollered over, "Wait! What about Phineas? What happened to him?"

"Oh, don't worry!" Madam Estrada explained. "We're taking care of it!"

Uncle Monty was standing over Phineas with his frying pan, ready to knock him out again, just in case he came to. Eugene's eyes widened. There was just no underestimating a frying pan. He caught sight of his sword. "Hey, can you toss that thing over to me?" He asked Madam Estrada, nodding to it. "Carefully!" He added. He didn't want the balloon to puncture again. Madam Estrada tossed his sword safely over to him, and then put her hands on hips. "And I'll do you one better!" She declared. She grabbed Lord Humphert's sword and carefully tossed it over the cliff's edge so as not to hit the balloon. Eugene watched it fly down. It would have made a nasty fall for either one of them. Eugene was a bit scattered after everything, but he realized something. "Well wait a minute! It's not that I'm not impressed. I am! You all can really handle yourselves, but I have my doubts about you all travelling all the way down the mountain with the unconscious leader of the revolt!"

"As well you should Captain!" A growling hostile voice responded. It wasn't one of the townspeople.

Warriors three

It was difficult to see where the figure was, it sounded like it was right next to the townspeople, but they couldn't rely on sound for figuring out location in there. By sight though, the figure had just entered and was moving ever nearer. The man spat onto the floor of the cave. "You have really sunk to a new low, letting the townspeople take care of your dirty work for you!"

"He did nothing of the sort!" Madam Estrada defended, trembling all the same. They wouldn't be able to knock this new threat out by surprise with a frying pan. He could likely see them a lot better than they could see him. "Captain Fitzherbert didn't even know we were coming! We didn't even know we'd wind up in here! I think he almost lost his life trying to save us! He's injured!" Then Madam Estrada clapped a hand over her mouth. She realized she had said too much.

"Oh, is he? It should be easy to kill you all then and rescue Lord Humphert!" Vrott, frustrated with the men who had clambered up the mountain with him again when they fled from the werewolf, gave up on trying to follow them to convince them to climb back up. He took matters into his own hands and climbed up on his own. He knew he alone would not be the overwhelming force Phineas originally planned for to trap Eugene, but two could surely ensure one! Vrott strode menacingly towards the unarmed townspeople.

"Vrott leave them alone!" Eugene demanded. In the balloon, he was tying the rope back around his waist to try to help himself jump back into the cave. Jumping off would rock the balloon, and he wasn't sure if Varian could keep it buoyed in one place with the flame like he had been. He didn't even know with his arm injured if he would be able to pull himself over the lip of the cave once he jumped off. He just had to do something, and fast. This day seemed to never end.

He looked at Varian. "Hang on kid, Faith!" He said, warning them to hang on as he prepared to leap, when he heard another voice at the other end of the cave. "Hey Vrott! Why don't you pick on someone with a sword!"

It was Armon! The young man had seen Vrott escape the main battle and followed him up here. "Armon!" Eugene called astounded. Respect for the rookie welled up in him, but he didn't think the guard, still green in experience could handle Vrott. Vrott laughed, the derisive sound echoing in the cave again. "You think you can handle me boy?"

"Maybe he can't alone, but we can!" A familiar female voice rang out.

"Cassandra! Adira!" Everyone but Vrott exclaimed. They didn't know how they were here, but there the two female warriors stood, armed and ready to fight. Rapunzel's best friend and former handmaiden, Cassandra was in her armor. Her dark wavy hair cropped at shoulder length.

Her hazel green eyes engaged them quickly before she walked over to Armon to gage the situation. "You're new." She noted to the recruit. Armon nodded, stammering at first. He had heard legends of her fighting skills. The warrior Adira came into clearer view, as she surpassed the flittering shadows of the cave. Her Lundar white hair was braided up and around her shoulder, dressed in a gray leather hide dress trimmed with fur and yellow hems. Red sleeves met white protective cuffs protecting her wrists. She wore black pants and fur lined black boots. Half of her face was painted with red war paint, highlighting steely coal black eyes. She was part of King Edmund's inner circle of warriors from the Dark Kingdom, but she had been off on a mysterious quest with Cassandra. Now, somehow, they were both here.

Eugene blurted out to the two women, "I've never been happier to see you! What are you doing here?"

"Well, hello to you too Fitzherbert!" Cassandra retorted dryly. "We travelled to Corona after I got Rapunzel's letter and then your letter. Then I saw this rookie slip in here."

"Cassandra, Vrott is trying to attack the townspeople to free Lord Humphert. Young Armon's with us!"

"I gathered that all on my own Fitzherbert."

Vrott grunted in frustration drawing the attention back on him. "This changes nothing!" Vrott sputtered. "I will take down you all!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Eugene laughed, knowing how Cassandra and Adira fought.

They circled Vrott and between the three of them he didn't really have a chance. He was able to meet two of their swords with pivoting strokes, but he couldn't defend his back well and soon Adira was able to maneuver around him and kick his feet out from under him. Vrott hit his head hard on a stalagmite on his way down and was heavily stunned as he hit the floor. Cassandra put a sword to his throat. Eugene whistled. "I wouldn't want to be in that position." He winked.

Vrott, still unable to focus, and losing consciousness quickly, surrendered and Cassandra kicked his sword away. "We'll take it from here Fitzherbert."

"Well thanks, but uh… don't you need a ride down?" He asked.

"Oh, don't worry, we've got one. We've got one for everyone actually." She whistled and they heard a large rumbling, then Eugene heard several whinnies, one of them he knew well. "The horses!" The townspeople exclaimed gleefully.

None of the humans could have known it, but when Henry the guard was elicited to ride out to Mt. Saison, Maximus and the other royal horses, wouldn't stand to be left behind. Maximus was mad at Eugene for leaving them there in the first place, but the prince-consort explained the Royal Guard's mission was a secret this time. Horses would give them away. Then Maximus heard Henry exclaim "It's a trap!" after he read Friedborg's message, before taking off. At that, Maximus convinced the other horses to escape the stables with him and ride out!

It took them a while to all get out there. When they got to the foot of Mt. Saison, both sides of the battle paused in the middle of their fighting to look at the horses in shock. Maximus spotted Cassandra and her horse Fidella, discreetly headed up the mountain, with Adira on foot, and decided to follow her, calling to the other horses to follow. They followed Cassandra because she always knew where the true action was, the horse reasoned! The horses mysteriously passed by both armies, so they resumed their fighting. Now they were all here.

"Maximus! And the Calvary?!" Eugene shouted in joyful astonishment.

He asked. "How did you manage that?"

"Seems they followed us here on their own." She shrugged. "My guess is everyone knew you were being trapped up here."

"Great!" Eugene returned a bit sarcastically, petering back a bit. He didn't know if that was good or not. He hoped Lance was able to extract Wolfgang safely. He turned to Varian. "I think I need to get down there, Varian, and check up on things." He sighed, as he pursed his lips, his arm still throbbing. Varian gave a simple nod and complied by lowering the balloon. Faith, still riding with them, looked down, then out at Madam Estrada uncertainly, as if to ask her 'what next?'

"I'll meet you down there Faith, be careful!" Madam Estrada called out to her. "For Corona! For Rapunzel!" She chanted one last time. They heard what Madam Estrada said, but her voice was fading further into the distance. They started to descend.

Now that Lance and girls had taken the long trek to Mt. Saison and back down it in search of Varian, they weren't having any luck finding him. Lance knew better by now that he couldn't stop the girls from following him, but he was still careful about where he took them. Using Angry's innate sense of direction and her knowledge of shortcuts, they were able to move safely around the battle, out of sight and out of reach of all the fighting. They were able to look for Varian everywhere this way but saw no sign of him. They were about to give up when they saw Maximus leading the Calvary following Cassandra and Adira! What was going on? How were Cassandra and Adira here with Corona's Calvary?

Still a little shocked from that sight, Lance finally spotted Varian flying down on his balloon after all. He was riding down with Eugene! And it looked like some sort of handmaiden was with them too? He didn't understand how that happened. This day was getting weirder and weirder. 'At least everyone seems ok!' He thought. He looked around with surprise to see the girls, Wolfgang and Antonio all looking at him expectantly. "Alright girls," He took a breath, "Now that we know Varian is safe, it might be time to reveal ourselves." He readied them. "Everybody needs to see Wolfgang. Ok?"

As for Eugene, Faith and Varian, when they landed on west base of the mountain, they landed to a scene of chaos. It was chaos for the Humphert troops! Corona's forces were routing them!

The Snuggly Duck boys and Corona's royal guard cheered as they saw the group returning down from the mountain on the hot air balloon. "Hurray! Captain Fitzherbert is the victor!" They yelled. "And Varian's back!" Others called. "That means food!" Some of them yelled.

"Well technically," Varian started to say. Eugene held out a hand. "Don't worry about explaining it." He told him. "We'll sort it out later." He looked out as they made their final landing and leaped out of the basket. "Just enjoy the moment."

Varian shrugged, but smiled, helping Faith out of the balloon. Varian spotted his father, Quirin fighting among the crowd. He and the rest of the townspeople who hadn't flown up in the balloon, had grabbed weapons and joined in the fighting at the base.

"Dad!" He called.

"Hey son! How did it go? Smooth sailing, I hope?"

"Uh sure!" Varian said hesitantly, trying not to look up at the glove that patched up the balloon. Before Varian even had time to exit himself, suddenly they heard a stampede of hoofs. They looked up and saw Maximus leading the charge, returning along with Cassandra riding on Fidella.

Following them were the townspeople riding on the Royal Calvary, with Vrott and Phineas laid up in quite a stupor on one of the stallions. Eugene approached Cassandra to take custody of Vrott and Phineas.

"Hi Fitzherbert!" Cassandra greeted again. "So, I leave for a little under two years and you've got yourself a war on your hands? How did you let that happen?"

Eugene only laughed. She was here alright. "So, you got my letter? That's why you're here? I'm touched."

"No Fitzherbert, I told you, I got Rapunzel's letter first. She told me you were headed into battle. I travelled from so far away to get here; I must have missed the first battle. Then when I was closer to Corona, I got your letter about the duel. The people left in Corona's town square told me where you were fighting. Honestly, Fitzherbert of all things! Of all the harebrained ideas to agree to a duel! Why would you fight a duel when you and Rapunzel have all this support?" She waved around at everyone fighting for Corona. The loyal Royal Guard was here, as well as the Snuggly Duckling men, Quirin, Varian and the townspeople. It looked overwhelming.

"Hey! I had my reasons!" He dished back.

"Whatever they initially were, they couldn't have been good ones." She answered dryly.

Corona's forces had captured the majority of the Humpherts forces by now. The scrappy remnant of fighters for the Humpherts left uncaptured tried to flee into the forest. Yet they were met by quite a sight.

"Wolf! Wolf!" They shrieked in terror. Wolfgang and Antonio stood at the forest's edge. Everyone saw that Wolfgang was alive and well! And Antonio was not retired in Italy. Eugene thought that everyone was crying wolf because of seeing Wolfgang present there in the flesh, but behind them appeared a huge reddish werewolf. That had to be Red! He knew about the girl's werewolf powers. Confirming it, another little girl with short, straight, jet-black hair rode on her back, and Lance followed close behind them. "Red, Angry, Lance!" Eugene greeted overjoyed. "You made it!"

"Yup, got a little sidetracked there, but we're here!"

The enemy forces were trapped in on all sides. The Humphert's lies were unraveling right before them, so any hangers on lost heart. The tailor wasn't retired, Wolfgang was alive, Varian was present and promised the food was on its way, the trap for Eugene was torn asunder, the enemy leaders Vrott, Duke Lundar and Lord Humphert were all captured.

The rest of the fighters who weren't captured already, scattered every which way. There was only one more factor that had started this war that hadn't yet been resolved. When the fray finally thinned out, Henry the guard was finally able to see and get to Captain Fitzherbert. He smiled as he crumpled up Friedborg's message. There was no need for it now. "Captain Fitzherbert! Captain Fitzherbert!" Henry shouted vying to get his attention. Eugene was currently trying to mount Maximus to chase after those who had escaped. "Urgent news from the palace Captain!"

More urgent than this?" Eugene thought out loud. "What could be more urgent than…" His heart sunk. "Rapunzel!" He wanted to have faith that she was alright, but he saw the seriousness of Henry's gait towards him. 'No, not after all this.' He thought. "Henry please don't tell me-"

Henry could see where he was going with this. "No sir, no! She's giving birth! You must get to the palace as quick as you can!"

"What?!"

"Yes Captain!"

Eugene looked at the fleeing stragglers, but there was really only one place he wanted to be. Cassandra smiled the broadest smile he had ever seen her smile. "Go Fitzherbert, I and the others will take care of this!"

He hesitated, having to switch gears so fast.

"Captain," Henry chimed in, "I will personally get assistance from a few other guards to take those two back to the palace dungeons." He referred to Lord Humphert and Vrott.

Go!" Cassandra urged.

"You can count on us." Henry reassured.

He looked at them both and smiled a smile of thanks, speechless for once. He mounted Maximus without hesitation and took off. The men fighting for the king were told what to do, and why the captain was headed off. The princess was in labor! Everyone cheered as they watched Maximus gallop away.