Chapter 5


"Name and business, please," a gruff, unenthused voice says from the other side of the small opening in the wooden door.

Rapunzel ducks her head to peer through it as she sits atop her horse, gripping the reigns loosely.

She sees the wrinkled face of an old man wearing a hood over his eyes, staring at her expectantly.

The heavy downpour obscures her vision, and she squints to keep the rainwater from falling in her eyes. The darkness of the night doesn't much help either, the only light coming from the lantern hanging next to the door of the town wall.

"Uh… Cassandra," responds Rapunzel, practically shouting over the noise of the pelting rain. "I'm looking for someone. Flynn Rider?"

"Ha!" The gatekeeper cackles, as if hearing a joke, though Rapunzel is completely serious. "The day Flynn Rider steps into this town is the day I quit drinking." He shakes his head, annoyed, then raises his hand to close the shutter. "Stop wasting my time, girl."

"Wait!" she says.

The man freezes, the shutter only half closed.

Rapunzel realizes she should've expected him to say something like that. "At least let me stay until the storm passes," she asks, hopeful. "Please."

Rapunzel doesn't even want to think about potentially staying out here alone for an entire night. Though, something tells her he'll let her through. She's learned that being a small, innocent-looking young girl has its advantages - and disadvantages.

The man observes her for a moment, as if searching for a reason to say no.

Despite Rapunzel appearing as non-threatening as possible, he doesn't look like he trusts her in the slightest, but ultimately grumbles in defeat.

"All right, fine. But no funny business," he decides.

Rapunzel hears the frantic rustling of the door being unlocked on the other side. It creaks loudly as it swings open in front of her.

"There's an inn up the road." The gatekeeper gestures to somewhere behind him. "Five pieces a night."

"Thank you," Rapunzel says.

She lightly kicks the side of her horse. It's hooves trot as it walks through the doors and into town.

Rapunzel hears the gate heavily swing closed behind her.

The dirt road is completely empty, glistening with puddles that dance from the rain. Small wooden buildings line the street on either side, the road curving ahead.

The villagers are all presumably sleeping in their homes and taking shelter, though some of the windows of the buildings are still illuminated, despite the late hour of the night.

Two days have passed since Rapunzel last saw Eugene. She'd thought they'd find each other by now, but she hasn't seen or heard a word about him since he'd drawn those thugs away from her during their scuffle with them in the forest.

Thankfully, he'd taught her how to survive in the wilderness years ago. She manages just as fine on her own without him, but a part of her is beginning to become worried he'll never find her again, even though he always finds her. She just hopes he's okay, wherever he is.

If Eugene isn't in this town, hopefully someone here will be able to help her find him.

As Rapunzel rides down the street, she notices a sign hanging outside one of the buildings, rattling and swaying in the wind. It reads 'The Mystic Mermaid' with the image of a fishtail above it, wrapped around the words.

She hears the muffled sound of laughter and shouting coming from inside, yellow light glowing through the windows.

She peers further down the street again, wondering where this inn is that the gatekeeper had mentioned.

Well, she figures she'll try her luck in here first, if there's people inside. The inn can wait until later.

She just hopes she won't run into anyone from the royal guard, or Cassandra, now that she's learned they are searching for her in the area. Rapunzel will just have to be extra careful.

She dismounts her horse, tying the reigns to a post just outside the tavern.

It's much warmer inside, and louder too, but she instantly feels better from not having to be out in that weather anymore once she steps through the door. The smell of ale brings a comforting feeling to her somehow.

The tavern is dimly lit, with various wooden tables and chairs lining the cramped room. Some are filled with rowdy men holding frothing tankards, while others enjoy a quiet meal and pleasant chatter.

A bar is positioned on the far wall that is lined with large kegs. A bright fireplace is crackling, huge deer antlers pinned on the wall above it. Barmaids are weaving through the tables handing out tankards to people who don't give them a second glance.

There doesn't appear to be any royal guards inside, so Rapunzel hesitantly walks further in.

It isn't entirely full, considering how late it is, but full enough to make Rapunzel feel awkward and out of place with the number of intimidating looking people here. Or maybe that's just because Eugene isn't with her for once.

Rapunzel notices a particularly full table further in the tavern, with a group of men seated around it as they laugh and drink.

They're dressed in rags and caked with dirt, equipped with various weapons strapped across their backs, though Rapunzel fits in pretty well with them considering her appearance.

Well, they certainly look like the kind of people Eugene would get mixed up with. Or would at least know about him, hopefully.

She sighs as she eyes the lively tavern, hoping she won't regret this later.

"Excuse me… Hi," Rapunzel waves awkwardly, approaching their table and using the friendliest voice possible. Not that she doesn't naturally do that anyway.

They all turn to look up at her with confused expressions on their bearded faces, their laughter instantly dying down.

"I hate to interrupt your drinking here. I just have one quick question for you." She pulls out the rolled-up parchment from Eugene's satchel draped across her torso. "Have any of you seen this man in the past couple days?"

She presents to them one of Flynn Rider's wanted posters that she had easily found pinned to a tree in the nearby forest.

They all look to the poster silently, then up at Rapunzel, before the entire table bursts into maniacal laughter.

Rapunzel only stares at them with a confused expression, wondering what's so funny.

"What, you think we're stupid?" one of them snickers, his voice gravelly. "Why would we tell you where he is?"

"Yeah!" another one agrees, presumably drunk by the way he shouts much louder than necessary. "What's a girl like you gonna do with all that reward money, anyway?"

"Look, I don't want any trouble…" begins Rapunzel, forcing a smile, "And I'm asking you nicely here, then I'll be on my way. Have you seen him or not?"

The group shares curious glances with each other as a silence falls among the table, debating what to say to that.

"No," The first man grumbles again, suddenly serious. "Ain't nobody's seen Flynn Rider in months… Last I heard he was dead." He raises his tankard to his lips, taking a swig from it carelessly.

Rapunzel watches him slam the mug down onto the table, the rest of them also returning their focus to their drinks and indicating that the conversation is over.

"Great," she mutters quietly. "Thank you." She turns on her heel, though it doesn't seem any of them even heard her.

Of course, Rapunzel knows he isn't dead. Rumors about Flynn Rider spread like wildfire, and after asking around the rest of the tavern, it seems everyone has a different opinion on his whereabouts – and life status, which doesn't help at all.

After a while of no luck, Rapunzel plops herself down at a small empty table nestled in a quieter corner of the tavern.

Well, back to square one.

She sighs heavily while absentmindedly watching everyone, dropping her chin in her hand.

A barmaid brushes past her, placing a full tankard of ale down in front of her without a word.

Confused, Rapunzel stares after her as she walks away, then looks down at the drink peculiarly.

Feeling entirely hopeless and at a loss of what to do next, she takes a sip of it despite never liking the taste.

She winces at it. All it does is remind her of Eugene.

A minute later, Rapunzel looks up when she notices a figure sitting down in the chair opposite her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She stares up at him, not recognizing the man at all.

"Um… hi?" she says, wondering if he'd sat at the wrong table somehow.

He looks to be about her age, maybe a few years older. He's wearing a black leather coat over his loose white tunic. His features are sharp, with stubble peppering his jawline. His short red hair is perfectly swept to one side, making him appear the most presentable man in the entire tavern, probably.

"Don't mind those blokes. They aren't any kind of decent sober either," he gestures toward the table she had approached earlier.

Rapunzel blinks at him, briefly glancing over her shoulder at the rowdy group. Their laughter can be heard in the distance.

She looks back at him again.

His smirk bothers her somehow, and she doesn't return it despite what he probably expects. Or maybe she's just fed up with this entire night and needs to get away from all these drunk men as soon as possible.

She supposes he looks kind of charming, at least she imagines other people could think so.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Rapunzel asks, unimpressed.

"No. Not yet, anyway," he shrugs, before glancing around himself cautiously.

Rapunzel can only wonder what on earth that means.

He rests his arms over the table, leaning across it secretively. "I think I know where to find Flynn Rider."

Rapunzel immediately perks up with intrigue, suddenly forgetting her initial impression of him. "You do? Really?"

"I can tell you where to look for him," he peers around again, lowering his voice, "Just… not here."

"Why not?" she asks.

"You think you're the only one in this tavern looking for him?" he says. "The whole town's out for that reward. Trust me, it's probably best no one else hears it."

Well, Rapunzel supposes that makes sense, though something about this seems odd somehow.

"You're the girl he's travelling with, right?" the man continues. "He was looking for you too."

Rapunzel beams at hearing that.

So, Eugene is alive, despite what some people seem to think. Not that she'd ever doubted him. It's just nice to hear some sort of news about him after two days of absolutely nothing.

She wonders if Eugene met this guy before. Maybe Eugene was asking around for her too. That means he can't be too far from here, right? And how long ago was that?

Rapunzel almost lets the excitement get the best of her, but as she observes the man in front of her carefully, she wonders why he is telling her all this.

He may not even be telling the truth, for all she knows. If there's one thing she's learned about living on the road, it's that people will do anything to deceive others in order to get what they want.

"How do I know you're not just after him yourself?" Rapunzel tests him.

"If I were, I would have done it already," he shrugs. "Then there would be no sense in me telling you. Besides, I couldn't care less about the reward."

Rapunzel thinks about that for a moment, noticing how easily that answer came to him.

She thinks his intention may be to use her to get to Eugene, but if he already knows where he is, then he wouldn't need her for that. So that can't be it.

She could just walk out of here right now and continuing looking for Eugene herself, but she already knows the luck she's had with that so far.

If he is lying, then he's a very convincing actor.

"And how do I know you're not after me?" asks Rapunzel, figuring he has every reason to be considering he knows she's traveling with Eugene.

"I just saw you walk in. Couldn't help but overhear you asking around," he explains, before raising his hands up defensively. "Look, I'm just trying to help out. But if you don't trust me, I completely understand."

That's just it. Rapunzel doesn't trust him. At all.

Yet at the same time, maybe he is just an innocent man wanting to help her. That is what she came in here hoping to find, right?

If there is even the slight possibility of it, then she's willing to take that chance, for Eugene. He would do the same for her. He would do anything for her.

Rapunzel studies him for a while before finally asking, "Where can I meet you?"

"Look for the plume of smoke just East of here. In an hour," he says.

With that, the man rises from his chair and brushes past her. He disappears through the crowd of the tavern and into the street, leaving Rapunzel sitting alone.


The plume of smoke isn't the mere campfire that Rapunzel had thought it would be.

Instead, when she rides out from the brush of the forest, her eyes are met with a quaint wooden cabin nestled within the trees.

It isn't until now Rapunzel recognizes the smoke to be emitting from the stone chimney that protrudes from its pointed roof.

There's a dirt path that winds up to a small staircase and porch, leading to the front door. There are small glass windows around the front, with light emitting from inside, though the curtains have been drawn from the other side.

The cabin is small and simple. It could easily be missed if it weren't for the lights and smoke.

Every instinct in Rapunzel's mind is telling her to turn away, but she's already come all the way out here. It's too late to turn back now.

Besides, she may actually find the answers to Eugene's whereabouts in there. Maybe he was here before, looking for her.

The sword on Rapunzel's hip reassures her, and the knife she keeps hidden in her boot.

She'll do anything to get out of this downpour, anyway. It isn't raining as heavily as earlier, but she's still soaking wet and there's a cold breeze in the night air, added to how exhausted she is from riding around all day.

Being inside a warm house right now sounds beyond inviting. Even if she weren't aiming to meet somebody here, she'd probably still find herself wanting to find a way inside.

So, she dismounts her horse next to the porch under the awning, patting its snout comfortingly.

Rapunzel knocks on the front door and waits, hugging her own arms for warmth.

For a minute, she thinks no one will answer, despite the lights inside. The sound of the rain blocks out whatever noise may be coming from the other side of the door.

Finally, it swings open in front of her, and she finds herself facing the same man she had met in the tavern earlier in the night.

He doesn't appear eager or disappointed to find her, his expression rather emotionless and unreadable.

He steps aside, gesturing for her to enter as he frantically says, "Come in. It's horrible out there."

Rapunzel hesitates. She glances over her shoulder into the night, through the haze and the darkness. Unable to agree more, she steps through the door.

"Thanks," she tells him, mainly to break the silence and appear less awkward.

The sudden warmth and the roof now over her head brings Rapunzel immediate relief. The smell of something cooking also reminds her of how starving she is.

"Though, you seem to handle it well," he comments as he closes the door behind her, and it's suddenly a lot quieter inside. "Maybe I'm just used to living in here, where the fire's always lit."

Rapunzel flicks off her hood, her hair and clothes dripping wet.

As she brushes the hair out of her eyes with her fingertips, she notices him looking at her expectantly.

"I don't mind it," she responds, unsure what else to say.

"Please, come in." He rushes toward the small kitchen further inside the house.

He begins fiddling with something on the counter, the sound of dishes clattering. It sounds like something is bubbling on the stove too.

Rapunzel only takes a few more steps inward, walking slowly as she observes the small space.

There are various pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, with a tiny round table and two chairs in the centre of the kitchen.

A tattered couch is positioned in front of the crackling fireplace, a deerskin rug spread across the wooden floor and sheer curtains draped over every window.

The entire space is cluttered with various flowerpots and trinkets, appearing like any ordinary house one might find in the woods.

She wonders if he lives here alone.

Rapunzel can't quite see around the corner at the end of the narrow hallway in the distance.

"Here," he walks back toward her with a teacup in his hand, being careful not to spill it. "Warm yourself up. Wouldn't want you catching your death after tonight."

Rapunzel takes it from him, finding no other choice.

She stares down at the steaming liquid, her hands instantly heating up from the warmth of it between her palms. The smell of ginger and herbs makes her think of home. She can't remember the last time she had tea.

For a moment, she forgets why she's even here, and the fire, food and warmth is all very tempting. Everything about this place is exactly what she needs right now, and a part of her wants nothing more than to pass out on that couch and sleep the storm away.

Still, she wonders why this person is being so nice to her and whether there is something more to it.

She looks up at him, attempting to read his expression as if it'll give her the answers.

"Go on," he encourages, sensing her hesitance. "You need it more than I do."

Rapunzel can't find herself arguing with that.

She takes a careful sip, the heat of it immediately soothing her, though she partially does it to appear polite.

He wanders away from her toward the living room, his back turned to her as he comments, "I'm surprised you've made it out this far, princess."

Rapunzel's expression flickers at that. Her heart stops for a moment at the sound of him calling her that, considering no one has called her that in two years.

Something about hearing it in his voice makes her cringe.

"you know who I am," Rapunzel realizes, her blood running cold. It's a statement rather than a question.

"Of course, I do." He turns around, casually taking a seat on the couch. He sits with his knees apart, leaning forward on his elbows.

"Word travels fast across the kingdoms. Most everyone knows about Flynn Rider's great escape… yet no one wonders who'd helped him do it," he peers across the room at her knowingly. "I wasn't sure I actually believed it."

A million questions rush into Rapunzel's mind, confused as to why he is telling her all this.

Then, a flash of anger appears on her face as she becomes frustrated.

She doesn't care what this man knows about her, or the fact that he's probably lonely out here and that's why he is trying to get her to stay, she just wants to find Eugene.

Rapunzel almost turns around and leaves, then a part of her thinks he may actually be keeping Eugene from her, for whatever reason, and she realizes that she can't leave now until she finds out.

"Where is he?" Rapunzel demands, impatient.

A glimpse of a satisfied, amused smirk appears on his lips as he admits, "I have no idea."

"Then what do you want from me?" Rapunzel asks, not entirely believing him. Nothing that comes out of this man's mouth sounds genuine, and there's no telling what he wants her to believe. "Did my father send you here? To take me back to Corona?"

It's the only explanation she can think of. Why else would he be after them?

The man stares at her for a moment, shaking his head disappointedly. "You have no idea who I am, do you?"

"No, I don't," Rapunzel fumes, annoyed at how mysterious he's being and the fact that none of this is making any sense. "So, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."

She turns on her heel and quickly makes for the door.

However, she slows to a stop when a sudden wave of dizziness washes over her.

Rapunzel sways to keep from stumbling, fearing she may actually faint. Her heart begins pounding in her chest.

Wanting nothing more than to get out of here, she ignores it, and reaches out to set the teacup on the shelf next to the door.

She freezes before putting it down, her entire body becoming weak.

The last thing she looks at is the steaming liquid in her hand before the cup completely slips through her fingers, her hand remaining in the same position.

Glass shatters loudly at her feet, rattling across the wooden floor, but Rapunzel is numb to the sound.

"Why don't you stay a while?" The man's voice says calmly as he walks up behind her, his footsteps practically booming. "It's awfully cold out there."

Rapunzel feels her eyes slowly close, the world turning black before she even knows what's happening.

He catches her before she can fall to the ground.