Blearily, emerald eyes fluttered open and shut again immediately when the sunlight blurred their vision. Rapunzel blinked a few more times before she finally kept her eyes open, focusing on the large clouds instead of the sunlight. Her stamina was back, but her legs were cramped and she had no desire to leave.
The heat was frying her as the sun gazed at the entire area. She lay down into the tall grass and closed her eyes as she stretched her arms out, pretending that she was back in Corona. For a moment, it almost felt like she was in her bed, but the thought of Eugene not being by her side brought her spirits down.
A smile appeared on her face as Pascal crawled onto her chest and she heard Olaf laughing about something. She wished that they were in the garden in Corona or Arendelle just like they should be. A smile faded away from her when reality hit her. When she saw that it was morning, she began to wonder how long they had been sleeping after having run for such a long time.
"Rapunzel, look!" Olaf effused.
Rapunzel rose from the ground and watched as Olaf blew a dandelion, causing her to chuckle. She felt Pascal crawl on her lap and heard him squeak. She smiled as she peered down at her oldest friend, petting him, and peered back up at Olaf.
As Rapunzel surveyed the area, she saw that there were at least three paper birches with a red robin sitting on one branch and sparrows flying close by. The bright sun embraced over the tall grass with dandelions and the cool breeze blew at the grass, sending the dandelion fuzz to float in the air.
"Rapunzel?" Olaf questioned, wobbling over to her. Rapunzel's eyes focused on him as she held Pascal on her lap. "Do you know how long we were running last night?"
Rapunzel sighed as her stiff legs reminded her of everything that occurred. "I don't know," she answered. The last thing she remembered was that she, Olaf, and Pascal decided to take a fifteen-minute break before running off again. They must've been so worn out that they ended up dozing off for the rest of the night. "We ran for a long time and I still feel exhausted."
"Do you think we got away from them?"
Rapunzel turned back in the direction that they'd run from night. It was safe to say that they were far away from the guards for now, but it could change at any moment. "We have a good distance between them for now." She peered down at Pascal who chattered to her. "I'm not sure, Pascal but I think we're far away from them. They're still looking for us, but they don't know where we are." She stroked his head gently as Pascal chattered to her. "I hope not. We just have to make the best of it."
Rapunzel lifted her head as Olaf released the flower before it disappeared into the grass. "What are we going to do now?" he asked, leaning his head towards her. "Do we have to run again?"
"We'll rest here for a few more minutes before we leave," Rapunzel replied sweetly. She wished that they could stay here all day, but she knew that it was impossible because of her predicament with the law. "We won't be running, but we can't be very slow. We'll just have to keep our eye out for any guards. For now, let's just sit back and enjoy the moment. It is beautiful around here."
Olaf sat down beside Rapunzel in the tall grass and she smiled at him. He didn't deserve to be in this mess with her. Same with Pascal. The worst part was she doesn't have a clue as to how this all had happened. They had just arrived in town, wandered around to find her cousin, and then out of nowhere, she was being arrested for murder.
"Wow!" Oaf exclaimed. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt her friend tap on her shoulder. "Rapunzel, you have got to see this!"
"What is it, Olaf?"
"Look!"
Rapunzel turned in the direction the snowman was pointing at and her jaw dropped when she saw that there was a cocoon hanging on a tall piece of grass. The trio slowly smiled as the cocoon was ripping in the middle like something was just about to come out. A red butterfly pushed its way out of the cocoon, flew over to the trio, and landed on Olaf's nose. Olaf's smile grew wide open as he gawked at the butterfly. Shortly after, the butterfly flew off of his nose, and Rapunzel, Olaf, and Pascal watched it fly in the opposite direction in the bright sunlight.
"Rapunzel, did you see that?" Olaf asked, excitedly.
Rapunzel smiled down at him. "Of course I did, Olaf! That was incredible!"
"That was a pretty butterfly, too!"
"I couldn't agree with you more," Rapunzel chirped. "That's the first time I ever saw a butterfly hatch out of its cocoon."
"Can we tell Anna and Elsa about it when we get back?"
"Sure, we can!" Rapunzel's smile faded away when she remembered that they were far away from them. "We just have to find them first."
She noticed that Olaf's smile faded away as well. This had to be the first time that he'd been separated from her cousins. "I hope they're doing okay."
Rapunzel gently placed her hand on Olaf's shoulder. "Don't worry, Olaf," she reassured. "I'm sure they're doing fine. Elsa probably found Lord Graham and they are coming up with a plan to stop the assassin. Then they'll head to Arendelle, figure out a way to help us, and then, they'll tell Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, Maximus, and Sven when they get back."
"What do you think they're doing in Belliville?" Olaf wondered.
"They're probably exploring the country this very minute." Rapunzel smiled. "I'm sure Eugene is showing them around Belliville and Anna and Kristoff are making sure that Baron Rupert isn't getting him in any trouble."
"Let's hope that Baron Rupert isn't being a big bully to Kristoff and Eugene!" Olaf spoke, shortly before he spotted another dandelion and plucked it.
"Anna won't let that happen," Rapunzel laughed. "She'll teach him a lesson!"
The trio laughed with each other, forgetting about all of their troubles. For a moment, they just sat in the grass, enjoying the atmosphere around them until the soft breeze tapped on Rapunzel's shoulder, and she realized that their break was up by now.
"Well, guys," she said, rising from the ground. She placed Pascal on her shoulder, smiling at him and Olaf. "We should get going before anyone shows up."
After two hours passed, they had just gone down a hill when Rapunzel heard the sound of ripples nearby.
"Hey, that's a stream!" Olaf exclaimed, racing over to the stream. For a moment, he stared at his reflection before turning to Rapunzel. "Are we going to go swimming?"
Rapunzel peered down at him with a smile as she came to a halt right in front of the stream. Pascal crawled down her arm. "I wish we could, Olaf. We can, however, get a drink."
"Okay!" Olaf beamed. His smile faded when he peered down at the stream and back at his twig arms. "Uh, Rapunzel, how could I get a drink from here? We don't have any cups with us?" He turned to Rapunzel with eyebrows furrowed. "Or do we have any?"
"Here, I'll show you, Olaf," Rapunzel giggled, bending down on her knees.
She cupped her hands, quickly dunked them in the flowing water, and glanced at the water in her cupped hands as she lifted them from the stream. Rapunzel brought her hands to her lips and sipped the water, feeling some of it running down her chin and neck.
When Rapunzel finished drinking, she smiled when she saw that Pascal had already started lapping from the stream. She glanced over to Olaf and said, "Now you try."
Olaf nodded at her with a large smile. "Right away, Rapunzel!"
The snowman plopped down on the ground and cupped his twig hands. When he placed them in the stream, the water ran through his hands right when he tried to lift them. Olaf tried this multiple times but still, the result was the same.
"Here, let me help you," Rapunzel said.
Rapunzel scooted closer to Olaf and dunked her hands in the stream again. When she lifted them, she brought her hands closer to Olaf and allowed him to drink from her hands.
After Olaf finished, he turned to her, smiling. "Thank you! I didn't know that we could drink like that! Did you teach yourself that?"
"I learned it from Eugene," Rapunzel explained, reflecting on the second day that they traveled in the caravan all those years ago. "He taught me when we were following the black rocks with Cassandra, Lance, Hook Foot, Shorty, Maximus, and Fidella."
Olaf attempted to use his hands to carry water from the stream again but once again, it didn't work. "I wonder how I could make it work? It doesn't seem to work for me."
"It takes practice, Olaf. It was hard for me too." Rapunzel heard Pascal chattered to her and she turned to him. "I remember that too, Pascal," she chuckled. "Cass threw a fit about it."
Rapunzel removed her shoes and couldn't have been any happier to be barefoot again. She only wore them because Elsa, being a perfectionist, had insisted that she had to look presentable to Lord Graham. Without warning, she felt a spray of water hit her shoulder and she turned to see Olaf laughing. She grinned at him as she ducked her hand in the water. She threw her hand forward, splashing the water at Olaf, causing the three of them to laugh.
"That was fun!" Olaf crowed, waving his hands in the air. "Can we do that when we get to the next stream?"
"Sure, we can!" Rapunzel laughed. Her laughter ended when she remembered that they were here because of her run from the law. "We just have to make sure that there aren't any guards around."
Olaf's smile faded away and he was silent for a few minutes before he finally spoke. "Rapunzel? What are we going to do for food?"
Rapunzel brought her wet hand to her mouth. "Gosh, I haven't even thought about that." She peered down at her pocket. "I brought money with me, but we can't go back to the city."
How would she know that it would be safe for her to find a market without anyone recognizing her? It would be difficult to waltz into a market without getting into trouble. She didn't want to steal anything. It was already bad enough that she was wanted for murder; she did not need to add more crimes to her name.
"I don't know what we're going to do," Rapunzel answered. "But we do need to get supplies, and most of all, we need to get out of this country."
"How do we do that?" Olaf asked.
Rapunzel sighed and placed her hand on her temple. "I don't know, Olaf. I don't know what we're going to do."
Within seconds, a sound of something halting on a nearby road was heard, causing Rapunzel, Olaf, and Pascal to peer in the same direction. It had come from a road nearby surrounded by a cornfield on each side.
Olaf glanced to Rapunzel. "What was that?"
Shortly after, Rapunzel allowed Pascal back onto her shoulder and peered at Olaf. "We'll see what it is. Stay close to me, Olaf."
As they went further onto the path, they noticed that there was a cart ahead of them and could hear faint voices nearby. Rapunzel could tell that they were both men.
"Who could that be?" Rapunzel wondered, her eyebrows furrowed.
"Let's go talk to them!" Olaf exclaimed.
"No, Olaf!" Fortunately, Rapunzel was able to grab his arm before he could dart away. "We can't just run over to them."
"Why not?"
"We don't know who they are. They could be some of the guards."
For a few minutes, they remained still, listening to the voices until Rapunzel signaled Olaf to follow her. The news about her was quite recent, so it was possible that they had yet to hear about her yet. Maybe she could ask them where they were. As they got closer, Rapunzel saw that there was a middle-aged man and a well-built young man sitting in a large cart, having a conversation with each other.
Rapunzel peered down at Pascal and there was no denying that her best friend knew what she was thinking. Regardless, whatever choice she would make would put her, Olaf, and Pascal at risk, and no matter what, there was the possibility that the guards could show up at any time.
Rapunzel stared at the two men one last time before she glanced over her shoulder to Olaf. "Alright, Olaf," she began, "stay behind me and do exactly as I say."
"What are you going to do?" Olaf asked.
Rapunzel bent down to the snowman with her hands resting on her knees. "They're not from the law so I am going to ask them where we are," she answered. "Maybe they'll tell us where we're at?"
After she quietly inhaled, Rapunzel gestured for Olaf to stay behind her as she slowly walked closer to the cart, listening to the two men's conversation. She hoped that she was making the right choice. She would just have to act natural when she approached them and leave after they gave her an answer.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the hard sound of a horse trotting nearby. She slowly turned and gasped when she saw guards approaching the cart, drawing the attention of the two men. She quickly grabbed Olaf and frantically surveyed the area for any places to hide until she saw the cornfield. Without hesitation, she and Olaf drove right into the field and crouched down.
Rapunzel watched as the guards slid off their horses and stalked over to the two men. Her heart thudded as she realized that these guards were the same ones who had tried to arrest her the previous night.
"How may I help you?" the olderman asked, coming over to one of the guards.
The first guard crossed his arms as he came to a halt. "Have any of you seen Princess Rapunzel?" he inquired. "She's being charged for murder and evading arrest."
Rapunzel bit her lips as she heard the middle-aged man gasp. She was horrified that they thought that she would do a thing like that.
"The Princess of Corona killed someone?" the olderman questioned. The guard nodded at him. "I can't believe it!"
The young man crossed his arms and went over to the guard. "Are you sure that it was the Princess?"
The guard nodded. "I am positive. We have a witness who confirmed it."
A chill crept down Rapunzel's spine. Her heart was heating up, and she felt so anxious that she could vomit right on the spot. She couldn't handle listening to them thinking that she was a murderess.
"Are there wanted posters of her yet?" the middle-aged man quizzed. "I have never seen her before."
"There will be," the second guard confirmed.
"Could you tell me what she looks like?" the middle-aged man inquired.
Rapunzel's heart sank when she listened to the guard tell him about what she looked like. Had that description been sent around town yet? Were the guards also saying that she had been seen with a snowman? Either way, would the town start a hunt for her once they were aware of her appearance?
"Doesn't she have long magical blonde hair?" the olderman asked.
"I don't think that she does now, Uncle Joe," the young man answered. "I know that she used to."
"Well, when we saw her last night," the guard began, "she had short brown hair."
Rapunzel's eyes widened as she realized that her hair was now a different color than what the guards had seen. She'd forgotten that she hadn't taken the potion until after she, Olaf, and Pascal got away from the guards. Since her hair was now blonde, maybe it could help her.
"We'll let you know if we see anything," Joe spoke. The guard nodded and Joe turned back to the young man. "Well, Henry, let's get to the market. We have a long day ahead of us."
Rapunzel's mouth dropped and knew that they had finally found a place to go to get their supplies. That market was far from the city, but it was going to be risky since the two men now knew what she looked like. The guards could be going there, or if any of the customers recognized her they could turn her in. No matter what, Rapunzel knew that they needed to take the first chance they had at getting supplies.
Cautiously, Rapunzel peeked out from the cornfield, watching as the cart was just about to leave when another round of trotting towards them. Her heart sank when she watched a new group of guards enter the area.
One of the two guards went over to the newcomers and said, "We just asked those two gentlemen about the Princess and they've seen no sign of her."
The head guard came forward with his hands behind his back. "Alright. Just to be safe, we are going look for her in the cornfield. She could be hiding in there."
No! Rapunzel's blood drained from her face and her mind was whirling. It was only a matter of time before she would be discovered and she had no idea how she would escape.
Olaf peered over to the guards before he turned to Rapunzel with a grin. "I have an idea; I'll distract them while you run."
As much as Olaf was trying to be helpful, Rapunzel couldn't risk having Olaf separate from her and Pascal. They'd gotten separated from Elsa already and couldn't risk their party splitting even more. Olaf was just about to dart towards the guards when Rapunzel grabbed him. "No, you stay with me, Olaf. It was very generous of you, but we need to stay together."
"How will we get out of here?"
Rapunzel ran her fingers through her newly blonde pixie, her eyes surveying the area while the conversation between the guards continued. "We'll think of something," she answered unsurely.
As the conversation grew louder, Rapunzel wished that Eugene or Lance was here with them. If they were there with them, they would use their street smarts to lead them out of here.
Olaf walked backward as Rapunzel continued to listen to the guards' conversation. She heard him bump into something and immediately turned in his direction. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw that Olaf was about to scream but fortunately, she was able to clasp his mouth just in time, followed by her soothing the snowman.
After checking for anyone approaching, Rapunzel peered up to see what had frightened him and found three tall scarecrows standing by them. One had an old dress with a white apron. The second one had a jacket, a scarf, and overalls, and the last one had a blue sweater with buttoned sleeves, a straw hat, and blue trousers. She tilted her head as she observed the scarecrows' outfits and after a long minute in rumination, she and Pascal grinned at one another.
Rapunzel quietly rose to her feet and gestured for Olaf to remain quiet as she slunk over towards the scarecrows. She stopped when she reached the last one and listened for any sign of someone approaching. After a minute of silence, Rapunzel removed the straw hat and bulky sweater and slowly approached Olaf and slid the sweater on him.
Olaf smiled at the sweater as Rapunzel placed the straw hat on him. The oversized sweater covered his entire body and the hat only left his nose and mouth visible. Olaf smiled at the hat and peered at Rapunzel. "I love it! What are these?"
"Those are our disguises." Rapunzel smiled, strolling over to the other two scarecrows while Pascal crawled over to her left shoulder. "Just like Elsa."
"And you with Monty?" Olaf smiled.
Rapunzel nodded. "That right, Olaf." She unbuttoned the jacket and tossed it over her right shoulder. She removed the scarf, pulled down the dress, and took off one of the hats. She went over to Olaf and gently placed Pascal on her shoulders. Rapunzel went further into the cornfield, carrying the dress, scarf, and boots, as she glanced over to Olaf and Pascal. "You two stay there and wait for me. Keep an eye out for anyone approaching."
After a few minutes, Rapunzel returned in her disguise. The hat covered her blonde pixie and her face was barely recognizable. The boots didn't fit her feet, but she still was able to walk in them just fine. Olaf and Pascal turned to her right when she came to a halt behind them.
"You look great, Rapunzel!" Olaf smiled.
Rapunzel smiled lightly as she lay her hand out to Pascal and let him crawl on it. Afterward, she gently placed him back on her shoulder. She peered down at Olaf and asked, "Did anyone notice anything?"
Olaf shook his head. "Nope."
"Did they leave or are they still out there?"
"I think they're still here."
Rapunzel slowly crept over towards the cornfields and quietly moved some fields from her vision. She saw that some of the guards had just gone into the cornfield but Joe and Henry were still there in their cart and the head guard and the two guards from earlier were still there. She arched an eyebrow when she noticed the cart had a blanket in the back.
Since Joe and Henry were heading to the market, she, Olaf, and Pascal could sneak into the cart, hide under the blanket, and when they reached the market, they could quickly sneak out of the cart. Then they could get the supplies that they needed and leave before any guards came. First, they would need to get into the cart.
As Rapunzel took a step back, she felt something underneath her left boot and her eyes fell upon a small flint on the ground. She quietly gestured for Olaf to come over towards her. After he obeyed, she peered down at him.
"Stay close to me," she whispered. "And be very careful."
Cautiously, Rapunzel bent down and picked up the flint. She let out a deep breath before she raised her arm back and released the flint in the left direction of the road, creating a loud thud. The guards, Henry, and Joe turned in that direction.
While the two guards ran over to investigate with the head guard, Joe, and Henry following behind them, Rapunzel and Olaf quickly crept over to the cart. Rapunzel lifted the blanket, helped Olaf and Pascal into the cart, and told them not to jump out of the cart when it moved regardless. Right when she was about to climb on to the cart, she heard the head guard tell Joe and Henry to leave because the guard would take care of it. The head guard then went into the fields after the two guards.
When Rapunzel heard them approaching the cart, she crouched down and quietly tossed the blanket over Olaf and Pascal. Before she had a chance to climb onto the cart, it pushed forward, causing her to gasp as she watched Olaf and Pascal peek out from under the blanket.
Normally, Rapunzel would've screamed out but before she had a chance, she heard footsteps coming closer and she raced back into the cornfield. Through the fields, she watched in horror as the cart went forward on the road, taking Olaf and Pascal with it. She must get to them before it's too late. Pascal could hide but what about Olaf? All she could do was try to chase after the cart. Unfortunately, she could hear the guards approaching and she was torn between two choices which could result in an unfortunate end either way.
The first choice would be to run after the cart, however, the noise that she would make in the fields could give her away to the guards. The second choice would be to stay in the cornfield and wait for the guards to leave, but she would waste too much time and the cart would be too far from her.
Without hesitation, Rapunzel darted forward, rushing past the rustling of the fields. Her legs were burning and her heart was thuddingly forcing her to race faster to the cart. Footsteps raced into the fields behind her, but she ignored them and kept running.
Her heart exploded when she fell forward on the ground and rolled down a large hill. Rapunzel felt the fields brush against her as she continued to tumble down. When she finally reached the bottom, Rapunzel remained still for a few minutes, trying to get her strength back until she finally dared to raise to her feet.
Before she could run, she heard footsteps rushing over to her.
"What happened?" one voice questioned. Rapunzel slowly crept backward away from the area, biting her lip. "Did you find anything?"
"I thought that I saw someone in here," another voice mentioned. Rapunzel glanced over her shoulder and saw that there was a road next to the cornfield. She slowly turned and started to head towards it. "What about you?"
"I didn't but Rufus did," the first voice confessed. Rapunzel paused in fear. She was pushing herself to move towards the road but for some reason, she remained frozen. "He just found a blue sleeveless dress in the fields nearby! He thinks that Princess Rapunzel must be close by."
Rapunzel quickly clasped her mouth, covering her shriek before it could be heard. How had she not thought it through?! This could not be happening. She had just got separated from Olaf and Pascal and now, the guards had found traces of her.
Rapunzel surveyed the area and peered back at the road. There was nowhere for her to hide and Olaf and Pascal were getting farther away. She knew that she couldn't stay in the cornfield, but she still could get caught if she ran out into that road. How would she know if there were any guards standing right outside the field? But if she stayed, the guards could run into her.
A new pair of footsteps rushed over to the two voices. Rapunzel slowly crept over towards the road and kept her eyes out for anyone approaching. "Some of the scarecrow's clothes are missing and Robert just said that he found shoes by the stream."
That was the last straw for Rapunzel. She quietly slid out of the field and stepped onto the road. Without looking back, Rapunzel raced forward on the road, hoping to get away from the guards and to find Olaf and Pascal.
Eventually, Rapunzel ended up in a large meadow surrounded by trees and houses. She was relieved that she was away from the cornfield, but she needed to get to Olaf and Pascal before anything happened. She didn't want to think about what would happen if they got caught in the back of that cart.
Rapunzel's heart sank when she saw that there was a two-way split way. "Now which way do I go?"
It was possible that neither of the paths would take her to the market and then Olaf and Pascal would be lost to her. There weren't even any signs nearby and she doesn't know the name of the market. She wished that there was something that could help her.
All of a sudden, a loud bang was heard, followed by the sound of a man cursing on the right-hand path. Rapunzel's eyes widened and right before she rushed over to him, she froze. Who was that? Was it a guard? Was it a stranger? Regardless, should she go on that path? Maybe she could at least ask the person if they knew where the market was and then she could get back to her friends. Rapunzel raced his way.
After a minute, Rapunzel was approaching a cart. At first, she smiled thinking that it was the same cart that Olaf and Pascal were on until she saw that it was much larger. It was so large that there could be an actual room in there. A chestnut horse was leading it.
There were tons of instruments lying all over the ground and Rapunzel could see the back of a tall, slim man with a blue cape. She could hear him muttering under his breath about something.
"Excuse me?" Rapunzel asked.
As soon the man turned, Rapunzel recognized him and regretted approaching him. It was the same man that gave the street performance in the city and made that one man invisible. He'd been in the city last night so he'd probably heard about her. Suddenly, Rapunzel remembered that she was in her disguise. Maybe he wouldn't recognize her.
"Can I help you, miss?" Before Rapunzel had a chance to ask him about the market, the man paused and stared at her with a cocked eyebrow. "Have I seen you before?"
Rapunzel felt her heart beating, but she kept a calm demeanor and shook her head. "I don't think you have. Where would you know me from? Why would you think that?"
The man was deep in thought for a few moments before he shook his head. "I just thought that you might've come and seen me from one of my shows. Of course, I've been performing for so many years that it all starts to blend. But just the other night, I remember that a certain girl with almost the same likeness as you donated money into my hat."
This couldn't be good. Rapunzel laughed and shook her head. "Oh really? I had no idea that there was a girl who looked like me. Strange things really do happen, right Mr…?"
The man placed his hands on his hips "Oh, let me introduce myself. My name is Professor Oceanus Pearl."
"Wait, you're a professor? I thought you just said that you perform shows?"
"Yes," Professor Pearl answered. "I am a professor at the University of Peckville and I am also a wizard. Whenever school's not in session, I always perform as an illusionist and travel from town to town performing my shows."
"You're a wizard?"
"Wizards and witches are more common than you think, miss," Professor Pearl commented. "Now what was it that you needed my help with?"
"Oh, right," Rapunzel chuckled. "I am looking for a market and I was wondering if you could give me directions to one nearby."
"I have seen a market further down on this path," Professor Pearl responded. "You just have to keep walking on this path until you see a sign that says 'BRETTMAN'S MARKET'. It would take you an hour to get there on foot."
"An hour?!" Rapunzel exclaimed. She remembered who she was talking to and quickly shook her head. "I mean an hour? I don't think I could walk that long." What am I saying? I need to get there now. Who knows what could be happening to Olaf and Pascal? Do I even know if this is the same market that those two men were going to?
"If you want," Professor Pearl began, "you could ride with me and then I could drop you off."
Rapunzel didn't know whether to be relieved or anxious. She didn't want to walk on foot, but she had just met this wizard and he'd been suspicious of her from the start. "Are you sure? I don't want to cause you to—"
"It's alright," Professor Pearl replied, nodding his head. "I was on my way down that path anyway."
Rapunzel felt a sense of relief. "Oh, thank you so much, Professor Pearl!"
"We just need to get out on the road first," Professor Pearl sighed, glancing over his shoulder. Rapunzel saw that he was glaring over at the instruments lying all over the ground.
"Oh, let me help you with that," Rapunzel chirped, racing over to the instruments. That must've been what that bang earlier had been. When she stopped in front of the instruments, she saw that there was a violin, a flute, a Bb trumpet, a C trumpet, a piccolo trumpet, a French horn, and a bassoon. "Professor, you can play all of the instruments?"
"Of course, I can," Professor Pearl responded. "With my magic. I know how to play them really well."
Rapunzel smiled at the instruments and back at the professor. "Really? Can you show me?"
Professor Pearl nodded and turned to the instruments. "Performers, rise!"
All at once, the instruments slowly floated in midair, causing Rapunzel's eyes to widen. She stared at them in awe as Professor Pearl approached them.
"Performers," he ordered. "I command you to perform. And a one. And a two. And a three!"
The instruments all began to play a very uplifting and catchy tune. Rapunzel had never seen anything like this and smiled. She couldn't help but be impressed and wished that Olaf and Pascal were with her. Heck, she wished that her entire family and all of her friends were with her.
As soon as the instruments ended their song, Rapunzel gave an applause. "Bravo! That was incredible, Professor!"
The professor turned to her with a grin. "Not as incredible as what you're about to see next." He turned back to his instruments. "Performers, I command you to become one and perform! And a one. And a two. And a three!"
All of a sudden, the instruments all floated towards each other. As Rapunzel stood in awe, the instruments all merged into a brand-new instrument that had yet to be invented. A soft, gentle, and strong tune played out of the instrument and carried out over the atmosphere. The sounds of the instruments all merged. Rapunzel was amazed by the beauty of the sound and the appearance of the instrument.
When the instrument finished, it split apart and all of the instruments floated in the air. Rapunzel went crazy and clapped her hands. "That was amazing!"
"Thank you." Professor Pearl smiled.
Rapunzel's smile faded when she saw that there weren't any instrument cases on the ground. "How did they all end up on the ground? Why aren't they in their cases?"
"I don't put them in their cases," Professor Pearl answered.
Rapunzel arched her eyebrow. "How do you put them away then?"
Professor Pearl delved into his pocket and pulled out a small change bag, causing Rapunzel to drop her jaw. "I have my way." He grinned. He then turned to his instruments and sighed. "I just hope that they won't be too stubborn as usual." He stood up straight and took a step forward. "Performers! I command you to turn in!"
Instead, the instruments flew around in the air, causing Rapunzel to giggle. She stopped when she saw Professor Pearl groaning in frustration.
"Stop!" he ordered, forcing the instruments to stop in mid-air. "You all had your fun. Now turn in this very minute!"
The instruments flew all over the place again, this time playing their beats. As Professor Pearl tried to scold them, one of the trumpets snuck up behind him and blew right in his ear.
Professor Pearl chased after his instruments. "Come back!"
The instruments ignored their master and continued to fly all over the air, playing their tunes louder. Rapunzel knew that she had to help him somehow. Her eyes widened when she saw that there was a wooden guitar laying on the ground across from a stump. She lifted the guitar, went over to the stump and stepped on it. Fortunately, she still remembered the lyrics to Ruthless Ruth's song. She slowly began to pluck the strings, creating an uplifting tune, and allowed the lyrics to come out of her mouth.
As Rapunzel performed on the guitar, the instruments paused in midair and turned to her. She knew that deep down in her heart that Ruth would be happy that she was again playing her song. The more Rapunzel played and sang, the calmer that the instruments became.
When Rapunzel finished performing Ruth's song, the instruments remained still in the air, allowing Professor Pearl to seize his opportunity. After he expressed his appreciation to Rapunzel, he calmly went over to his instruments with the opened change bag in his hand. "Now, performers," he began, "would you please all turn in?"
As the instruments floated close to the bag, they each decreased in size in the air. By the time, they were closer to the bag, they were as small as a crumb. The instruments slowed down and dove down into the bag.
"Professor, that was amazing!" Rapunzel praised. "How did you do that?"
Professor Pearl closed his change bag and turned to her. "Years of practice. I have to use my magic to train my instruments."
Rapunzel remembered the guitar that she held in her arms and brought it to him. "Excuse me," she began, "why was this guitar on the ground? Wouldn't you be using it as part of your band?"
"For me to use my magic to play the instruments," Professor Pearl answered. "I would have to learn the notes on the instruments. I have yet to learn how to use a guitar. So far, I'm not quite pleased with it."
"I hope you do find some use for it," she smiled. "It is a beautiful guitar."
"I suppose I'll figure out what to do with it," Professor Pearl sighed. He started to head towards the wagon with Rapunzel following behind him. "Now, we have to drop you off at the market."
Professor Pearl opened the door, allowing Rapunzel to step inside the cart. When she entered, she smiled at the little place. The inside seemed larger than what it really was; there even were bookshelves standing in front of the red walls. In the middle, there was a small table with a red tablecloth and a crystal ball, and there was another door on the right side of the wall.
Rapunzel heard a whistling trill from her left and a pigeon landed on the table.
"Oh, that's so cute!" Rapunzel bubbled, staring at the pigeon. "Is that your pet?"
Professor Pearl nodded at her. "This is Homer."
His answer was followed by Homer's cooing as he walked on the table and ruffled his feathers, causing Rapunzel to giggle. She had seen pictures of pigeons before, but she had never been close to one in Corona.
Rapunzel heard the door shut behind her and right when she glanced over her shoulders, footsteps went to the front of the cart. Shortly after, she felt the cart move forward on the bumpy road. She turned her head just in time to see Homer fly off the table and onto one of the chairs, bringing a smile to her face. She peered around the room as she slowly went closer to the table.
When Rapunzel halted, she peered down at the crystal ball and lay her hand on the top of it.
Rapunzel sat down in the opposite chair across from Homer and watched the pigeon fly back on the table. When he landed, he began cooing again. She giggled and her eyes searched around the room again. The place brought back memories of Madame Canardist's cart and reading room.
The cart rode further along the road while Olaf and Pascal remained under the blanket. Both were still worried about Rapunzel for they had no idea how much farther they were ahead of her.
"What are we going to do, Pascal?" Olaf asked a little too loudly.
Pascal hopped on to Olaf's chest and gently closed his mouth with his little hands. He knew that Olaf meant no harm, but he was liable to get both of them into trouble. It was bad enough that Rapunzel was left behind and the last thing they needed was to get caught on the way to the market.
"Good idea," Olaf whispered with a smile. "We need to be quiet. But how is Rapunzel going to find us? Will she catch up with us in time?"
As much as Pascal wished that Rapunzel would catch up with them, he knew that it would be impossible. He might not know how much farther they were to the market, but they were on a cart and Rapunzel was on foot; therefore they would arrive there before she would. It was even a possibility that Rapunzel had been taken into custody.
Pascal's eyes darted all over the cart, desperately searching for something that they could use to stop it. His eyes widened when he saw a barrel in the middle of the back of the cart. Maybe they could use that as a diversion and then Joe and Henry would be forced to stop, allowing Pascal and Olaf to escape and run back to Rapunzel.
Pascal's tail pointed towards the barrel and Olaf peered over to it. Pascal crawled over to it and gestured with his tail for Olaf to push it. The snowman nodded with a smile and crawled on his belly over to the barrel. Olaf pressed his twig arms against the barrel with all of his might. Soon after, the barrel flipped out of the cart, and Olaf and Pascal quickly hid back under the blanket as they heard it smash onto the ground. They heard Joe cursed and the cart immediately came to a halt.
Joe hopped off his seat and went over to the smashed barrel, shaking his head. "You can't be serious."
Pascal and Olaf slowly slithered to the edge of the cart. Olaf smiled. "This is fun!"
Pascal crawled over to the side of the cart and turned brown as soon as he got on the top. He saw that Joe towering over the smashed barrel, shaking his head and that Henry was about to head over to him. He turned back and saw that Olaf had just slid off the back of the cart and raced onto a path on the right. He went around a corner and disappeared from view.
Pascal had just started racing towards the path after Olaf when a jar went down on him and he was trapped inside. He turned to see that Joe's hand was wrapped around the jar.
"I do not allow wild animals into my cart," he sneered.
Henry rushed over to him. "Don't hurt him, Uncle Joe! He's just a little fellow."
Joe flipped the jar over and Pascal fell to the bottom of the jar. Before the chameleon had a chance to run towards the opening of the jar, Joe slammed a lid on it and turned it in clockwise.
"You know that pet shop in the middle path on the three-way spilt?" he asked. After Henry nodded, Joe placed the jar in his arms. "We will take him there."
"Actually, I can walk from here," Henry spoke. "I'll just meet you at the market after I take him there."
"Are you sure, Henry?"
Olaf raced further, laughing until he saw that Pascal wasn't on him. He paused and searched around, but there was no sign of him.
"Pascal?" Olaf spotted a bush nearby and peeked inside. "Where are you?"
Olaf peered around the area for Pascal, calling out his name. Where could he be? Was he hiding somewhere? He hoped that he wasn't too far. He turned back and raced further on the path back to the cart.
"Pascal!" he called.
Olaf passed by trees and bushes until he finally turned the corner and, without thinking, raced over to the cart. Olaf went to the back of the cart and peeked inside to look for Pascal.
"Pascal!"
Footsteps went over to him and halted. "Where did you come from?"
Olaf turned and gulped when he saw that Joe was towering over him. "N-Nowhere," he stammered, taking a step back. "I was just looking for someone."
"What is your name?" Joe inquired.
"Olaf," Olaf answered. He turned around for any sign of Pascal. "Pascal! Where are you?"
"Is something the matter, Uncle Joe?" Henry's voice called from far off.
Joe and Olaf turned to Henry who was further away from them. Henry's head glanced over his shoulders and he was holding something in his arms but Olaf couldn't see what it was.
"This guy just got lost," Joe responded. "He told me that his name is Olaf. You go on and I'll take him to the market."
Olaf's eyes widened. He couldn't go to the market without Rapunzel and Pascal. "I can't go there! I need to find—"
Joe wrapped a comforting arm around Olaf's shoulder and gently ushered him to the front of the cart. "Don't worry, lad. I'll help you out."
"But—"
"Everything will be alright," Joe comforted. He and Olaf climbed onto the cart while Henry stalked away from them.
Rapunzel glanced over her shoulder when she heard the door open behind her. Professor Pearl closed the door behind him and went over to the shelf. He removed the lid off a jar and went over to the table. He held his hand out to Homer and his palm was full of bread crumbs. Rapunzel giggled as she watched the pigeon bend down and pick at the crumbs.
"Do you ever have Homer with you when you perform your shows?" Rapunzel questioned, petting Homer.
"I did once," Professor Pearl answered. "I had intended to keep him with me all times, but it didn't work out the way I planned. When I arrived in Vassar, I had decided to have Homer perform in one of my acts. However, he was overwhelmed by the large crowd and tried to escape. That was when I learned that he doesn't like being surrounded by a crowd full of strangers so I allow him to stay in my wagon during my shows. Homer likes being in my classroom when I give my lessons to my students."
"I bet your students love him," Rapunzel commented. She picked a crumb from Professor Pearl's palm and gave it to Homer. "Professor, I hope that you don't mind me asking. What made you so interested in teaching?"
Professor Pearl left the table and went over to a bowl where he washed his hands. As he began drying his hands with a towel, he turned in Rapunzel's direction. "It all started when I was a young lad. My widowed mother tutored me and taught me every single lesson that ever existed including magic. We always took care of each other. She had been suffering from a chest cold for a while and told me that she would no longer be teaching me for she knew that I was old enough to provide for myself. Before she passed on, she told me that with my intelligence, talents, and magical abilities, I could make a difference in the world. My mother was my inspiration for teaching."
"That is a very good reason," Rapunzel commented, her eyes dimming. The talk of the professor's mother made her wish that her real mother and father had been involved in her childhood. "She sounds like she was a very special person. I wish that I could have met her."
Professor Pearl smiled at her, but his smile changed into a frown when he saw that Homer had started climbing on top of the crystal ball. "Homer," he warned, nicely but firmly. The pigeon turned to him, cooing. "You know better. You're not supposed to use my crystal ball as a tree."
The pigeon cooed and stepped off the crystal ball. He then proceeded to fly over to the shelf and start cooing again. Rapunzel chuckled until her eyes locked on the crystal ball with a curious gaze.
"How often do you do readings, Professor?"
Professor Pearl slowly approached the table. "Very occasionally. I would even perform them on my students at the university. If you want, I could give you a reading."
"Really?" asked Rapunzel. The thought of being given a reading sounded exciting, but she would have to be careful. She was unsure if he would know that she was in trouble with the law. "What would you tell me?"
Professor Pearl took out a seat across from her and sat down in front of the crystal ball. "Anything that you seek to know."
There were so many things that were on Rapunzel's mind. Who framed her? Where were Olaf and Pascal? Did Elsa find help and returned to Arendelle? How were Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, Sven, and Maximus doing? Had her parents and Corona found out about her running from the law? She wished that she could ask him any of those questions but she couldn't afford to risk him turning her in. She could, however, try to see what would happen to her.
"Can you tell me about my future?"
"Certainly," Professor Pearl answered. When he placed his hands on the crystal ball, Rapunzel leaned her head forward and her eyes locked down on it. "Now, let's see what's in the crystal ball."
The room grew dim and silent all around, causing Rapunzel's eyes to dart around the area. She froze when she saw that Professor Pearl's eyes were bloodshot and the pupils were bright white. Shortly after, the crystal ball glowed in the dark with colors matching the professor's eyes. Through the crystal ball, Rapunzel could see a fog-like figure moving inside. Her eyes darted to Professor Pearl and then back to the crystal ball.
After a long moment, the lights in the room returned. Professor Pearl blinked before his eyes went back to normal and the lights and fog in the crystal ball went away. The professor shook his head and placed his left hand on his temple.
"Are you alright?" Rapunzel asked. If only her hair were still magic, she could heal him. "Do you want me to get you anything?"
"I'm fine," Professor Pearl reassured, moving his hand off his temple. "I am unharmed. I just have seen a glimpse of the future."
Had he just seen what will happen to her in the future? Rapunzel was determined to find out. "Professor, what did you see?"
Professor Pearl removed his right hand from the crystal ball. By the look in his eyes, Rapunzel had a feeling that it had been a strong event. "In the future, you will bear witness to the seeker soaring above the great full moon."
That was nowhere even close to what Rapunzel was expecting to hear. If she had written an entire book or a book series of what she'd thought Professor Pearl would tell her, this would not even be in the first drafts. A stirring of curiosity rose within her. Deep down, Rapunzel knew that it was more than seeing something or someone fly over the moon and that it was describing a major event.
"What's a seeker?"
Before Professor Pearl had a chance to answer her, they heard the sound of his horse neighing followed by new trotting coming towards the cart. Professor Pearl rose from his seat, went over to the door, and he pulled the door open. He left the room, shutting the door behind him. Rapunzel remained in her seat as she glanced over to the crystal ball, wondering about this seeker. Was it someone powerful? Good? Evil? Did it have something to do with Lord Demantius or even Zhan Tiri? Maybe even the enchanted forest? Or her hair?
The cart and the trotting came to a halt and she heard Professor Pearl left his seat at the front of the cart before walking over to someone. Rapunzel turned to the door with her eyes wide as a deep, raspy voice was heard just outside.
"Excuse me, sir?" Rapunzel's heart started to pound. "Have you seen Princess Rapunzel?"
"Of Corona?" Professor Pearl probed. Everything was silent for a brief second. "I don't believe that I have, but a long time ago, I did meet her mother and her aunts."
Rapunzel stared at the door with widened eyes, feeling a tingling in her hands and legs. He had met her mother and aunts? How had they met and how did they know each other? She didn't remember hearing about Professor Pearl and she doubted Anna and Elsa did either.
"Why do you ask?" Professor Pearl questioned.
"She's wanted for homicide and evading arrest," the voice stated. "We are looking for her."
This couldn't be happening again. She still had to find Olaf and Pascal.
"Would you mind if I check inside the cart?" the guard requested as footsteps came towards the door.
Rapunzel's heart stopped and her eyes surveyed the room for a place to hide. She got down on her knees and crawled under the table. She brought her knees to her chest and covered her mouth.
"You may check inside the cart," Professor Pearl answered, his voice rising loud enough for her to hear him. "You may help yourself."
After a few minutes, Rapunzel heard the door open and footsteps stepped inside. From underneath the table, she could see a pair of black boots. Her heart thudded and she closed her eyes, tears hanging in the corners. A sob was held back in the back of her throat. She remained still, waiting for the guard to lift the cloth where he would see her. Footsteps went in an unexpected direction and the door shut. Rapunzel's eyes flew open.
"Thank you for letting me check," the guard thanked, politely. "I hope you don't take this personally. This is just for safety measures. You never know if someone could be sheltering any fugitives."
"I understand," Professor Pearl said. "It's a dangerous world out there. You never know who or what you could run into. You could end up crossing paths of a ghost of your past."
Shortly after, Rapunzel heard the horse trot away from them and felt the cart move forward again. She slowly crawled out from underneath the table and went back to her seat. It was no surprise that Professor Pearl had let the guards search inside the cart, but he did give him permission in a loud, clear voice like he was alerting her or something.
A long, merciless while dragged on as Rapunzel remained in her seat inside the reading room. She had been sitting in her seat and was no longer under the table ever since the cart started moving again. Her hands clung to her arms and her head glanced over her shoulder as her eyes focused only on the door. She couldn't help but wonder if Professor Pearl knew that she was the one that the guards were searching for. He had never come back since the guards interrogated him.
Without a warning, Rapunzel felt the cart come to a stop, causing her heart to race. She bit her lip as she heard Professor Pearl climb out of his driver's seat and footsteps were coming over to the door. Rapunzel exhaled as she tried to force herself to think happy thoughts and remain calm.
Sunlight gazed in the cart as the professor pulled the door open. Professor Pearl peaked his head in the room and said, "This is your stop."
"Gosh, already?" Rapunzel asked, rising from her seat. She hadn't expected it to end so soon, but she couldn't help but be relieved. Being in the back of the cart after the interrogation had caused her enough anxiety. She smiled at Professor Pearl as she stepped out of the cart. "That was so kind of—" She paused as soon as she saw that they were in a field with nothing but a road in sight. "Um, where are we?"
"I am dropping you off at your stop," Professor Pearl replied. Rapunzel was just about to open her mouth when the professor pointed forward to a sign that said 'BRETTMEN'S MARKET' in the middle of a three-way split path. The sign was pointing to the left way. "There is a market along that path and you will be there in fifteen minutes."
Rapunzel entered further into the plain and glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Professor Pearl shut the door of the cart shortly before he started to head to the front seat of his cart.
"Why didn't you just drop me off at the market?
"I am needed in another place to perform my shows," Professor Pearl explained. "I just realized that the market was on a different path from where I am needed so I figured that I could just let you off here and then you could make way there."
Although Rapunzel wished that he would have dropped her off at her location, she was relieved at the same time. Being in that cart after the interrogation with the guards made her feel anxious.
"Thank you so much, Professor." Rapunzel smiled. "I hope you have a safe and successful performance! Goodbye!" She giggled when she saw Homer peeking out of the cart, cooing and moving his head around. She loved that pigeon. "And goodbye to you, Homer! Stay close by your owner, little guy!"
Professor Pearl bent down and held his arm out to his pet pigeon. Homer cooed as he climbed onto his owner's arm and the professor rose. He smiled at Homer before peering at Rapunzel. "Before we part ways, I have something that I think you should have."
Rapunzel tilted her head as she watched Professor Pearl reach back into his cart. Professor Pearl pulled out the wooden guitar, this time with a brown guitar strap.
"I figured since you were interested in this item," he added, "I may as well donate it to you."
"Professor Pearl, are you sure?" Rapunzel asked. "It's very generous of you, but I don't know if I could."
"I am certain," Professor Pearl answered, handing her the guitar. "You probably need it more than I do. It may come in handy for you." Rapunzel thanked him as he started to head to the front of the cart. "Well, my dear, goodbye!"
The wind calmed as Rapunzel held onto the guitar, watching Professor Pearl drive away. She couldn't help but wonder if he had realized that the guards had been after her. Could that be the real reason why he had dropped her off early? Within a short amount of time, Professor Pearl had given her so many unanswered questions.
Rapunzel turned as she placed the strap over her shoulder, holding the guitar closer to her back, and darted further down on the path. She was hoping that this was the right market and, most importantly if it was, she would be able to find Olaf and Pascal. She couldn't help but worry about them as she sprinted.
Oak trees guarded the long path on each side, their branches filled with leaves towering over Rapunzel. Her feet were hurting and she wanted to rest, but she had no intentions of stopping until she found Olaf and Pascal.
Rapunzel paused when she heard footsteps coming over towards her. She rushed over to the closest tree and slid behind it. She stood against it for a few minutes until she heard a familiar voice and carefully peeked out.
When she saw that Henry was stalking forward on the path with a jar in his arms, Rapunzel squinted her eyes. Henry then paused and brought the jar closer to his face.
"I'm sorry, little fellow," he spoke solemnly. "It's not my call. Uncle Joe just doesn't want any wild animals in his market." His hands went towards the bottom of the jar and Rapunzel gasped when she saw that Pascal was inside. He was at the top of the jar, struggling to push the lid off. "Don't worry, the pet shop will be—"
"NO!"
Rapunzel hastened to push herself from behind the tree and charged over to Henry. Pascal smiled with his mouth opened while Henry froze. As soon as her feet came to a stop, Rapunzel yanked the jar out of Henry's hands and removed the lid. Pascal leaped out of the jar and landed on her arm. Rapunzel sobbed as she gently brought him in her palms and held him to her face.
"Pascal!" she cried. "I'm here! Are you alright?" Pascal nodded, filling her with relief. "Oh, thank goodness!" She and Pascal turned to Henry with a glare. "Why would you do this to my best friend?"
"Look," Henry stated. "My Uncle Joe nor myself never had any intentions of harming him. We didn't know that he was yours."
"He still doesn't belong in a jar," Rapunzel said. "I've been with him my entire life. I don't know what I would do if I lost him. Pascal and I—"
"Oh, so that's Pascal!" Henry exclaimed. "That must be who Olaf was looking for!"
Rapunzel's eyes widened as she thought of Olaf. Why were they not together? Had Olaf run off somewhere? "Pascal," she asked, "where's Olaf?"
"Don't worry, miss," Henry reassured. Rapunzel and Pascal turned to him with a glare. "He's fine. He's at the market with my uncle."
"Brettmen's Market?"
"Yes, Uncle Joe is the owner," Henry confirmed.
Without warning, the wind blew Rapunzel's hat off, exposing her blonde pixie cut to Henry, but she quickly caught it. She bit her lip when she noticed that Henry was staring at her.
"You know, if you want," Henry began, "you and Pascal can come with me. I was on my way to the market to help my uncle."
After what almost had happened with Pascal, Rapunzel wished that she could refuse the offer, but that was where Olaf was at. She and Pascal both knew that the only way to avoid Henry was to not go to the market which they obviously couldn't do.
"Alright," Rapunzel sighed. "We'll give you another chance. You can take us there, but if you—"
"It'll be fine," Henry drawled. He gestured for Rapunzel and Pascal to follow him as he went forward on the path. "Nothing will happen. We will be there soon and you'll be reunited with Olaf in no time."
Shortly thereafter, Rapunzel and Pascal were following Henry towards a medium-sized wooden building, deserted in a small field void of trees and bushes. Once she saw the 'BRETTMAN'S MARKET' sign, she surveyed the area for Olaf, hoping that he would be nearby somewhere and that he wasn't getting into any trouble.
Henry noticed Rapunzel's quest after her friend and said, "I doubt you'll find your friend out here. If I were you, I would put Pascal in your pocket so my uncle won't try to throw him out. We'll find Olaf inside the market with my uncle. After you've been reunited, are you interested in buying anything?"
"Just a few supplies," Rapunzel confirmed, peering down at Pascal. The supplies were the last thought on her mind. She was more concerned about finding Olaf and then getting out of this country. They still would need to come up with a plan to leave. "Then we'll be off on our merry way. So, Henry, how long have you been working here?"
"Five years ago, when I turned fifteen," Henry began, "I would help out my uncle and aunt every summer. This is my last week here before I leave and start my second year at the university." He turned his head to the building and sighed. "That's the first time anyone has ridden that swing in a while."
When Rapunzel glanced towards the building, she saw what he was talking about. Some stairs led to a porch with a wooden bench swing. It reminded her of when she was a child, she'd been frightened of swings because when she asked Gothel if she could get one for her sixth birthday, she was told that it would break and she would fall to her death.
On the swing, there was a small button lying near the left side by the chain and blue yarn attached to it. Pascal jumped off of Rapunzel's shoulder and onto the swing. He picked up the button and raised it over his head to show Rapunzel.
"Olaf," Rapunzel uttered. He must've been swinging on it earlier when one of his sleeves got stuck on the chain, so either he'd pulled himself free or Joe had cut the string, resulting in the button becoming loose. "He was here."
"Let's head inside the market," Henry declared, reaching for the door and glancing over at Rapunzel and Pascal. "We'll meet them in no ti—"
Out of nowhere, a sound of glass shattering was heard from inside and a second later, it was followed by an angry voice berating someone. In no time, Henry pulled the door open. Rapunzel picked up Pascal and let him in her pocket before she followed Henry into the market, pulling the guitar closer to her back.
Anyone could tell that the inside of the market was very organized, clean, and well taken care of. All of the food, clothes, and supplies are organized on the shelves and located in the category where they belonged. There were decorations all over the place with candles hanging from the ceiling, seals covering the wooden walls. They all had a unique style to them, which made Rapunzel wonder if they were souvenirs from other countries. Except for the candles, they had another thing in common; there was a 'DO NOT TOUCH' sign guarding them.
Olaf was towering over shattered pieces of what appeared to have been a decorated, blue and white vase with red stripes. Next to him was a tall vase stand with a 'DO NOT TOUCH' sign. Joe was towering over Olaf with an intense glare.
"You know better than to touch that!" Joe growled. "Do you have any idea how much that cost?!"
Olaf pointed at the sign. "But the sign said that I can touch this. It said—"
"It said that you were not allowed to touch that!" Joel fumed, forcing Olaf to jump and back away in fear. "Don't try to play smart with me! You knew that—"
"Excuse me," Olaf turned and smiled as Rapunzel stepped forward and explained, "It's not his fault. He's still learning how to read. He didn't mean to ruin your vase. I'm sure that we can work this out."
"She's right, Uncle Joe," Henry spoke. "Maybe we could—"
"You don't understand, miss," Joe retorted. "That vase was worth a fortune and it wasn't even from this country. It was from a special trip to Pittsford."
"Pittsford! I mean, Pittsford?" asked Rapunzel. Joe nodded. She remembered that once the Griffin had mentioned that their vases were unique and one of a kind, which would explain why they were so expensive and rare to be seen in other countries. Rapunzel placed a smile on her face. "Sir, can I make a suggestion?"
Joe raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"I have a friend who has a friend of a friend of their sister's friend lives in Pittsford," Rapunzel started. "They worked in that shop with the vases. I can pay you now and then I can write to my friend and a vase will be ordered to you."
For a few minutes, Rapunzel watched as Joe rubbed his chin, thinking over her pitch. Rapunzel knew how to handle this. Corona and Pittsford had been partners ever since the welcome banquet. When she got back home, she could contact the Griffin for one of the vases.
Finally, Joe looked back up at her. "How long would it take for the vase to arrive?"
"It would take a while," Rapunzel confirmed. She had no idea how long it would be before she got back to Corona or even Arendelle. She couldn't guarantee that the new vase would be here soon. "But I promise that you will get a new vase."
Again, Joe was deep in thought, rubbing his chin until he finally nodded and gestured for Rapunzel to follow him over to the counter. As Henry started to head over there as well, Rapunzel turned to Olaf and gestured for him to stay by her and not touch anything, which he obeyed. When Olaf asked about the guitar, she told him that she would tell him later.
It was all going to be a piece of cake. She would pay Joe back for the broken vase, gather supplies, and then all they would have to do is to come up with a plan to get out of this country.
When they halted at the counter, Rapunzel delved into her pocket, feeling her change bag. "How much was it in Pittsford?"
"Ninety gold pieces," Joe confirmed.
That was a lot of the money that she currently had with her. At least she would still have enough for supplies. Rapunzel took her change bag with the symbol of the sun on it and opened it. She poured the change on the counter, counted the money, and paid Joe. As Joe counted his money, he looked up to express his gratitude to Rapunzel until something caught his eye.
"What is this?" he inquired, pointing to the sun on the change bag. Rapunzel was just about to answer him when he exclaimed, "I know that sun! It represents Corona!"
"Yes." Rapunzel smiled. Suddenly her smile faded away as she felt a sick feeling in her stomach. "My friend is from Corona and she sent this to me for my birthday. Doesn't it look beautiful?"
Rapunzel chuckled nervously when Joe crossed his arms and stared at her. "You know, Pittsford is partners with Corona, and just today, some guards told me that the Princess of Corona murdered someone in the city the other night."
"Oh, I didn't know about that," Rapunzel stammered. "I didn't think that Princess Rapunzel would commit a crime."
"Oh, really," Joe queried, causing Rapunzel to gulp. "Plus, I've never met Princess Rapunzel before and I've never even seen any pictures of her. I have heard that a few times, she had magic blonde hair so I wonder—"
Without warning, Joe snatched the hat off of Rapunzel's head and his eyebrows rose. Rapunzel's heart stopped and she knew that this was the end.
"Henry, go get some guards," Joe ordered. "We are going to—"
Just then, Joe's eyes shut and he fell forward on the ground, revealing Henry standing in front of Rapunzel, with a small black bag in his hand. Rapunzel didn't know whether to be revealed or frightened or something else. She could not believe that Henry had just done that to his uncle.
"Henry?" Rapunzel puzzled, her hands cupping her face and Pascal peeking out of her pocket. "Did you—"
"He'll be fine," Henry reassured. "He's just asleep. I used a speck of a sleeping potion known as slumber powder."
"Where did you get that?"
Henry pointed to one section of the market in the back of a dark corner. On a tall narrow shelf, there were potions organized on it.
"Oh, so are you a wizard?" Olaf wondered. "Or do you have magic powers?"
"I just make potions," Henry answered. "I am a low-level potion distiller."
"What's that?" Olaf asked, tilting his head.
"I just explained it to you," Henry answered. "Potion distillers create magical potions. That's one of the majors that I am going to school for."
"I think you would like Varian." Rapunzel smiled. Pascal climbed out of her pocket and crawled up to her shoulder. "Even though he's more into alchemy."
"Yes, I know your friend, Varian," Henry answered. Rapunzel was just about to ask him how he knew Varian until he quickly opened his mouth again. "And I know what happened to you in the city last night."
Rapunzel shook her head and her heart thudded. She'd known that something like this would happen. How much misfortune must they endure in one day? "What are you planning?"
"Look," Henry stated. "This is not what it looks like. Yes, I know that you—"
"You're going to turn me in, aren't you?" Rapunzel inquired. Pascal turned to Henry with a glare. "It wasn't me! I didn't kill anybody!"
"She's telling the truth," Olaf said, stepping in front of Rapunzel. "I was with her. Please don't turn her in, please! Please don't—"
"Calm down," Henry interjected. "I know that it wasn't you!"
Rapunzel's eyes widened. "Oh, thank goodness! But how did you know that it wasn't me? Do you know who it was and how do you know who I am?"
"Honesty, I was not there so I have no idea who it was," Henry admitted. "But I know that you couldn't have done it because Cassandra told me about you."
"Wait, you know Cass?" Rapunzel inquired. It had been so long since she had last seen one of her best friends. "How do you know her?"
"A few years ago, she came to this country," Henry explained. "When I first met her, she wasn't open and she was cynical. Eventually, we got to know each other and she told me all about you, Corona, Zhan Tiri, and everything that has happened. Our city was holding our very own challenge of the brave and she came in first."
"I wish I was there to see her win." Rapunzel smiled. "Where is she? We could go to her and then she could help us."
"She would if she could," Henry answered. "But after the challenge of the brave, she needed to leave."
Before Rapunzel could ask Henry another question about Cassandra, Olaf wobbled over to him and asked, "How did you know that she's Rapunzel?"
Henry pointed at Pascal. "Cassandra told me about Rapunzel's friendship with Pascal so after the interrogation with the guards and when Rapunzel was reunited with Pascal, I figured that it was her. I'm still amazed by how you ended up in Mirahton."
Rapunzel had just started telling him what happened when she paused. "Mirahton? Isn't this The Northern Isles?"
"The Northern Isles?" Henry perplexed before shaking his head. "No, you're in Mirahton."
"I don't understand. We're in Mirahton?" When Henry nodded, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. There was no way that they ended up in this country. Rapunzel quickly glanced over to Olaf and Pascal who were both just as surprised as she was. "The dust portal must've dropped us off at the wrong place!" At least Elsa was still safe and she likely found Lord Graham by now. Maybe she even got back to Arendelle. "I don't believe it!"
"I don't know what happened but you must get out of here," Henry counseled. "You have to leave before my uncle wakes up or a guard comes."
"Wait, Henry," Rapunzel started, "you know that I didn't kill anyone. Maybe you could tell the guards and clear my name?"
"I would but I don't have any proof of your innocence," Henry admitted. "Now we must get you out of here. You still remember how to fly a hot air balloon?"
Rapunzel's smile appeared. "Yes, I loved flying those. I always feel like I'm in a giant lantern."
"Good," Henry said. "There is a hot balloon park a few miles from here. I could take you there, you could buy one, and leave this country."
"That's a good idea," Rapunzel agreed, holding her guitar close. "We'll just have to be quick and buy supplies then we'll be on our way."
"How much money do you have?"
Rapunzel peered into her change bag and back to Henry. "A hundred and twenty-five gold pieces. I have enough for it all." Her heart sank when Henry shook his head. "What do you mean?"
"The hot air balloons are very expensive," Henry explained. "They cost a hundred and ten gold pieces. You don't have enough for both the supplies and hot air balloon. You could've had enough if your friend didn't break the vase."
"I'm sorry," Olaf apologized, putting his head down in shame.
"It's not your fault, Olaf," Rapunzel demurred, patting his shoulder. "You can't help that you didn't know what it said."
"This is what we'll do," Henry clarified. "You could buy some supplies from this market. I recommend buying a basket and I have one other object in mind for you. My house is only a few minutes from here so I could take you there and I'll give you some food. I can't give you a lot, otherwise it'll be suspicious. Then I'll take you to the hot air balloon park, you can buy a hot air balloon, and get out of here."
"Are we going to walk there?" asked Olaf.
"No, I will take you in a cart," Henry declared. "When we get close to the park, I will drop you off."
"That sounds great!" Olaf exclaimed.
"Now, we must hurry," Henry said, gesturing for Rapunzel to follow him. "Rapunzel, come with me."
Within a few minutes, Henry helped Rapunzel pick out a basket and they went over to the counter. On their way there, Rapunzel saw that there were books. Since it would be a while before Olaf would be reunited with Anna and Elsa, maybe she could help him for now. Henry turned to her when Rapunzel dashed over to the books.
"What are you doing?"
"I think we should get one."
When Henry turned to Olaf, he realized her intentions and turned back to her, allowing her to buy the book. They went over to the counter and just when Rapunzel was about to pay for the basket and book, Henry bent down underneath and grabbed something.
"Buy this, you might need this," Henry said, rising to the counter.
In his hand was a frying pan, and it reminded Rapunzel of the one from her tower. After she paid for the book, basket, and frying pan, Henry led Rapunzel, Olaf, and Pascal to the cart. He ordered them to get in the back.
"Don't get out until I say so," he ordered, throwing a blanket over them.
When the cart stopped, Rapunzel heard Henry walk towards the back of the wagon before the blanket was taken off of them. As the trio followed Henry to the house, Rapunzel saw that the house was a beautiful three-story home in a large field with trees and a garden nearby. For a bit, Henry gathered some bread and vegetables and placed them in Rapunzel's basket. When they were finished, they went back to the cart and left.
Time had gone by so fast when the cart came to a halt. Footsteps were coming towards the back of the cart, and Henry removed the blanket.
"You can get out now," Henry said.
As the trio climbed out, Olaf stretched his arms out, yawning. "I'm glad I got to take a nap even if it was short."
"You can take a longer one in the hot air balloon." Henry smiled. He handed Olaf the blanket. "You can have this; you need it more than we do. We were going to donate it anyway."
Olaf smiled as he hugged the blanket. "It's so comfy. I am going to share it with Rapunzel and Pascal."
As Olaf wobbled away, talking and holding the blanket, Henry gestured for Rapunzel to have a word with him. Her guitar hung over her shoulder as she clutched the basket, and Pascal sat on her other shoulder.
"When you land in another country," Henry warned. "Whatever you do, lay low and do not get separated from each other. Try not to head into big cities and be careful who you trust. You got lucky with me. And make sure you don't let anyone know that you are wanted for murder. It's only a matter of time before the wanted posters are made and there'll be some who would use them to their advantage. Do you understand?"
A chill shivered down Rapunzel's spine as she nodded at Henry. She would listen to him.
"What are you going to do?" she asked. "I don't want you to get in trouble for helping me."
"Don't worry," Henry answered. "I'll come up with a story to save my skin."
Rapunzel smiled at him. "Thanks for everything."
"You're welcome," Henry smiled. "Good luck and be careful."
Rapunzel stood by and watched as Henry pulled his reins and left the area. She was grateful he'd helped them and hoped that he wasn't going to get in trouble.
"I really like him." Olaf smiled. "He was really nice."
Suddenly a sound of someone calling out something about a hot air balloon alerted them and the trio raced forward on the path. When they turned the corner, they saw that there was a large opened space with large hot air balloons in their sight. There weren't many customers nearby but there were some salesmen.
When Rapunzel, Olaf, and Pascal stopped at a blue hot air balloon, Olaf's mouth dropped and Rapunzel smiled. She was reminded of the adventures she'd had when she was flown in one years ago.
"Wow!" Olaf exclaimed. A salesman was walking over to them. When he stopped, Olaf turned to them. "Are you going to ride in a hot air balloon too?"
The salesmen smiled and shook his head before she turned to Rapunzel. "Is this the one you want, miss?" Rapunzel nodded at him with a smile. "That'll be a hundred and ten gold pieces."
As Rapunzel paid the salesmen, she thought about what they should do about money when they landed. She was certain that there was another way that they could get money without stealing.
The salesmen helped them into the hot air balloon and gave them instructions on flying one. When he was finished, he asked, "Any questions?"
"What if I get sick?" asked Olaf.
"You go over the edge," the salesmen answered.
"Go where?" Olaf asked.
The salesmen ignored him and looked to Rapunzel. "Whenever you're ready, pull the burner."
Rapunzel slowly pulled down the burner as she stared down at the ground. When the basket gently lifted, Rapunzel laid her head on the basket and watched everything grow smaller beneath her.
"Rapunzel!" She felt Olaf tapped on her. "Look!"
Rapunzel gasped as she lifted her head and remembered why she loved flying in hot air balloons in the first place. She smiled as the hot air balloon flew above the trees and she felt like everything was being pushed away from her. Rapunzel could feel the air in her face and she heard Olaf yelling in joy. Rapunzel placed her hands on the basket as the balloon floated above the clouds and further into the air. Down below, she could see every single valley beneath her.
"This is amazing!" Olaf yelled.
As Rapunzel placed her arms in the air, she was reminded of her past trips in a hot air balloon and when she and Pascal flew on Little Big Guy. She peered down at Pascal and smiled. This was a moment that she wanted to stay in.
"WHOO-HOO!" she hollered.
Rapunzel, Olaf, and Pascal laughed with joy as the hot air balloon floated in the air. Rapunzel and Pascal smiled at Olaf, knowing that this was his first time in one. While Olaf and Pascal were still enjoying the moment, Rapunzel's smile faded away, and remembered why they were traveling in one. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen to her now.
