This might be the shortest chapter of the whole story, but… what the heck! The story's almost done.
Back in London, Rapunzel entered Daphne's room and found her and Elroy sleeping by the window.
With a gentle chuckle, Rapunzel carried Elroy to his room and tucked him in.
"It's so good to be home" Rapunzel whispered to herself, then she looked out her own bedroom window and Flynn popped up.
"Hello, Eugene" she smiled.
"Hello, Rapunzel lady" Flynn greeted back.
"So your adventures are over."
"Oh, no. To live... To live would be an awfully big adventure."
Then Flynn bowed to Rapunzel, knowing he may not see her again for a while.
"You sure you don't wanna come, Blondie?" he asked with a sad smile. "And stay forever?"
Rapunzel wanted to due to the war, but she remembered this exchange when she was very little.
"I'm sorry, I have grown up and I'm a married woman" Rapunzel replied. "But this will always belongs to you."
She placed a gentle kiss on Flynn's cheek, causing him to glow pink with excitement and bolt into the air.
"Flynn!" Rapunzel called out. "You won't forget me, will you?"
"Me? Forget? Never" smirked the young boy.
"Will you come back?"
"Only to hear stories... about me. Goodbye, Blondie"
Then, he and Twilight took off.
Daphne had been watching them from the hallway and sighed.
"I'll always believe in you, Flynn Pan" she said.
A light shined in the room, Daphne turned to see Twilight standing before her.
"Twilight" gasped Daphne in awe.
"I knew you do believe in fairies" Twilight smiled warmly.
"I do. I mean it."
"Yes, I know. I knew that if you said you didn't during your frustration back in Never Land, I wouldn't have become this. Do you know that place between sleep and awake... where you still remember dreaming? That's where we'll always love you; Flynn Pan, the Boys, Sisu, the Northuldra and me. That's where we'll be waiting."
Twilight then vanished into thin air, leaving a pile of pixie dust.
Daphne took the pixie dust and safely placed it into a pouch. Before she could go to bed, she felt something hard.
She checked the pockets of her jacket and found a dragon gem piece she took, still glowing bright.
"Thank you, Sisu" whispered Daphne, before placing the gem on her nightstand and fell asleep.
The family slept well that night.
Early the next morning, Daphne and Elroy quickly ate breakfast and packed everything they needed before they head out for the morning train.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Maybe it's Dad" Elroy said excitedly. "He's probably come back home!"
Daphne was enthusiastic of the thought and hoped that her little brother was right, though she knew realistically the war has lasted for a long time.
Rapunzel immediately went to the door, opened it to Destin Mattias.
He was a soldier who fights alongside his people who were with the good side, fighting against the enemy. During the war, only one and a half million black people went to war, fighting in the Pacific, Mediterranean, and European war zones.
"May I help you?" Rapunzel asked.
"I've come to personally inform you about the news of your husband, John Smith."
"What? What happened to him?"
Mattias only shook his head and uttered a soft "I'm sorry."
Rapunzel gasped in horror/shock and ran to the other room, sobbing.
Daphne knew what it was and she couldn't believe what she heard. Her father was gone.
Elroy was horrified of the news, then he and his sister ran up the stairs.
In her room, Rapunzel was sobbing like there was no tomorrow.
Daphne and Elroy entered the room, sharing her upset look.
"Mom?" they asked together.
"I'm sorry, children" said their mother tearfully.
The family then held each other in a tight embrace. Unknown to them, Flynn and Twilight were watching, sad to their friends hurt.
Twilight then had an idea and flew off.
To be continued…
One more chapter to go!