Post 1:
Another day on the road. Rapunzel woke up and stretched, looked around, and wasn't quite sure what was different. She felt… off. She brushed it off as best she could and woke up Pascal to get ready for the day.
Her lady's maid, personal guard, and most importantly, her best friend, was already outside running a patrol around their camp like she did every morning. Rapunzel had dismissed Cassandra from her lady's maid duties while they were on the road. She knew how to do everything herself from when she was all alone in her tower. In fact, she rather enjoyed the opportunity to do things for herself again.
As she pinned the last bit of her hair back, she nodded to Pascal, "Ready for the day little guy?"
The chameleon nodded his head and took his place on her shoulder. She stepped outside and saw Hookfoot, shorty, and Lance all laying about while Eugene cooked breakfast.
She knew that smell. Eugene must be making pancakes, his breakfast specialty, and while she usually loved every bite of them, the smell turned her stomach over.
"Good Morning Sunshine!" he kissed her head and shoved Lance to get his feet off the table while he set her plate down in front of her. "I made my specialty - Pancakes!"
"MMMM these smell delicious" she smiled at him trying to hide the fact that the sickly sweet smell she usually loved was making her nauseous.
Once everyone was served and seated they all started eating. Casandra hated to admit it but she really did love Eugene's pancakes and had already eaten hers before everyone had finished
"Hey Raps - are you not going to eat those?" she nodded to the barely to touched pancakes on the princess' plate
"Here, please have them, Cass." she pushed them her way instinctively holding her stomach hoping it would make the queasy feeling go away.
"Are you feeling okay Princess? You love pancakes! Especially my pancakes because I make the BEST pancakes," he stopped rambling and looked at her concerned. "You are not sick are you?"
"Me? Sick? No. I have NEVER been sick" She dodged his hand that was going to check her temperature, getting up and walking away. "I am just excited to get on our way today!"
Rapunzel started cleaning things up and whispered to Pascal, "I can't be sick right? I have never been sick before ever. I am just off…today" Pascal nodded along agreeing with her but when he looked around he saw both Casandra and Eugene looking at her and talking.
An hour or so later they were on the move. Rapunzel had gone inside the caravan. She really hated this feeling this way. She was sick to her stomach and the bumpy road made her gag with every lurch.
"Pascal I think I am going to walk for a bit" She shivered reaching for the door. Pascal lept from her shoulder onto the cloak she had hanging by the door. "Great idea buddy!" She smiled and pulled it around her before stepping off the moving caravan carefully and walked up by Maximus and Fidella waving at Cass and Eugene.
"Hey, Blondie!" Eugene waved back but went back to focusing on driving the caravan. Cass sat next to him sharpening her Halberg and nodded her way. "It's the warmest its been in weeks and she has a cloak on at noon?" he muttered quietly to her.
Rapunzel shivered while she walked. She didn't understand why she was so cold and why there were two roads below her feet when there should only have been one.
"Ya know I was thinking about what she said earlier. About never having been sick before," Cass didn't look at him while she spoke, "She was locked in a tower her entire life, and even at the castle, she wasn't really out much either. She probably never has been sick before. This means she has never built up an immune system to anything, and now we are out here in this big world with her, and she's bound to pick something up eventually.
"I don't often say this, but ya know I think you are on to something here. She probably doesn't even know what being sick feels like and she is always healing or taking care of other people. Maybe I should go che-" Eugene cut short watching his girl faint in the road.
Cass yanked on the emergency brake and Max reared up on his hind legs to keep from trampling the princess. Eugene jumped from where he sat and pulled her safely into his arms.
"Hey, what gives! Why did you stop that hard you launched me off my bunk!" Hookfoot poked his head out of the hatch in the roof.
"Not now Hookfoot! Rapunzel? Sweetheart, please wake up." He cradled her close and brushed the hair from her face. " She's burning up!"
Cassandra came by and felt her forehead as well. " We need to cool her down. I think there is a stream nearby, it will have cooler water than what we have stored here. I'll go get some." She said grabbing a bucket and taking off.
"Max we will be staying here through the night. Can you pull us off the road, please?" Eugene said as he carried his girl back inside the caravan.
Once inside he sat down holding Rapunzel across his lap. "Lance can you get me some cloth and some water, please." He pulled the cloak off Rapunzel wanting her to cool down. Then he checked her head for bumps from when she fell.
"She got sick really fast" Lance noted handing his friend the wet rag.
Eugene nodded. Rapunzel still hadn't woken up and he was worried. " I uh, Lance, can you go to our side or outside and help set up camp. I am going to get her into her nightgown."
"You sure you don't need help with that?" Lance quipped but quickly shut up seeing the angry glare on Eugene's face. " got it. got it." he said going outside.
He laid his sweetheart down on the sofa and pet her hair back and sat the folded damp rag on her forehead. He walked over to her dresser and pulled out the pale blue nightgown she usually liked to wear to bed.
He wasn't really supposed to have seen her in her nightgown ever. It's not really proper for a Princess, especially with a former thief, but he had seen her in it and loved seeing her in it. She always looked beautiful, and well innocently sexy to him, in it.
He smiled thinking of when he had seen her sneaking around the castle in it trying to explore. Or when he would come by early in the morning or late at night to be the first and last person to see and kiss her. The anxiousness set in more when he remembered how he saved her from falling onto her balcony when her hair had literally stood on end from her nightmare and suspended her.
Then it hit him. All this time he had seen her in this nightgown and now he was the one going to help her into it. He knew this wasn't the time to think about such things but he couldn't help but blush. He quickly sobered up from his thoughts when he looked at the small girl laying down clearly unwell. He walked over, pulled her onto his lap, and started to pull the lace from her corset, and then her skirts.
She started to stir, shivering cold and curling in closer to him trying to steal his warmth. "Brrrrr"
"Shhhh blondie, I got you. He stood up supporting her and quickly got her nightgown over her head and arms letting it fall down. He bit his lip as we fixed it so it was all the way down past her knees trying to steal glances but then hating himself for it. "Come on, let's get you into bed now."
He carried her up to her bunk as Cass walked in with the bucket of cold water. She paused seeing the clothes on the floor and looked up, relieved that she was clothed. "You changed the princess?" she said sternly arching a brow.
"Y-yes… she looked uncomfortable and she needs fewer layers so we can break this fever." He said calmly but the blush in his cheeks told Cass everything she needed to know. Eugene was embarrassed about it which meant he didn't do it for his own entertainment.
She nodded dipping the rag in the cold water then handing it to Eugene, "How is she?"
Eugene dabbed the cool water onto her face and neck and arms. "Shes coming too, but I am worried."
"N-no I'm so c-c-cold." the small girls week voice said. Her eyes stayed closed as she shifted weekly away from the damp rag.
"Raps it's okay. Eugene and I are going to get you feeling better in no time, but that starts with dropping your temperature down."
She calmed, lulling back to sleep as Eugene stroked her hair. "Do we have anything she can eat? Ya know sick food? Like uhh hmm," He really didn't know what food you made to take care of someone. He had been sick but he never was taken care of in the orphanage and then as Flynn Rider, he would never be caught dead sick, so he often took care of himself but that meant his routine never changed.
"Soup." she offered "I am making chicken soup for her."
"Ah yes, soup" He nodded then glanced back down at the blond-haired girl who had moved her head to lay in his lap.
"I'll be back in a bit. You got her?" She knew he did but had to ask anyway, not looking back to see him nod as she went to join the others and get dinner started.
Eugene leaned down and kissed her forehead, before dipping the rag back into the cool water and dabbing it along Rapunzel's exposed skin. She looked so small in his lap. He wanted to make sure she was taken care of like he never was. He thought about how she probably had never had someone care for her like this. Sick or not Gothel was anything but nurturing.
He watched her sleep and continued in his efforts to cool her down until Cassandra brought three steaming bowls of soup that smelled delicious to him.
Post 2:
Eugene helped Rapunzel sit up and leaned her back against his chest. Ha hated how miserable she looked if he could take her sickness himself he would. He kissed her forehead, "You need to eat a little something."
Cass stayed standing on the bunks ladder and held the spoon to the princess' lips, frowning when Rapunzel turned her head away, "Please Raps, just a few bites. You need to eat to keep your strength up." Rapunzel nodded slightly than took the spoonful of warm broth.
"Atta girl" Cass said, getting her to eat a few more bites. Rapunzel couldn't take anymore she shook her head when Cass brought her up another spoonful.
Eugene nodded to Casandra, " Good enough for me, for now." He pet her hair back softly wanting to comfort her before laying her back down on her pillow. He gently scotted around her and climbed down to eat with Cass at the table below her bunk.
Cass ate her soup in silence, not used to making polite chit chat with anyone, but especially not with her best friend's boyfriend.
"Your soup is good Cass." He offered trying to break the silence
"Thanks, it's my dads recipe."
The rest of their meal was spent quietly listening to Repunzel's breathing unttil the heard her stir, " E-Eugene?" She groaned, "I don't feel so good"
Recognizing the greenish tint to her face and grabbing a bucket. He quickly got up next to her and helped her sit up before she threw up. He pulled her hair back making sure it was not going to get dirty and rubbed small circles on her back.
Cass covered her mouth, "I - uh I'll be outside!" bolting from the door.
"Hmph, who knew Miss Tough Girl couldn't stand a bit of vomit." he smirked trying to make light of it in his usual fashion.
Rapunzel didn't pay attention to it. She felt horrible not just being sick but she felt bad that everyone was taking care of her, that she threw up Cass' soup and she ran outside, she didn't even understand why she felt so gags quickly changed into sobs, "I- I-I'm s-s-sorry"
"Oh, oh no, Blondie, shhh don't cry" He wiped her face and pulled her into his chest, "Why are you apologizing? You don't have any reason to apologize"
"B-but you have to take care of me, and I am slowing us down, and I upset Cass, a-and I shouldn't be a burden to you!" She sobbed wrapping her arms around herself.
Gothel. If that woman hadn't already died Eugene could kill her for the psychological trauma Rapunzel had to deal with. He understood it, every orphan child who was never adopted had some kind of his own trauma, but that was him, and this was her.
"Hey, Sunshine, I am always going to take care of you, even when you don't need me too, and we are on this adventure with no timeline, I promise Cass isn't upset, she just was going to be sick too, not everyone can handle seeing or hearing other people get sick to their stomachs, and you are never a burden to me. Ever." he rocked her slowly in his arms.
Rapunzel cried into his chest. She desperately wanted to belive him but she felt it was still her fault, when she started to calm he leaned her head back and smiled at her gently. "Wait right here, okay? Im going to get rid of this, put some Pajamas on and get you some water." he kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back." He quickly scotted down the latter taking the bucket outside to dump.
"How is her royal highness?" Lanze bellowed from the fire place.
"Sick. Sick and upset." he sighed.
"What did you do to upset her?" Cass said snarkily but underneath it was genuine concern.
"Nothing. Leftover side effects of Gothel's warm motherly nature." he snorted. " She was worried she upset you, and felt guilty for us needed to take care of her, and slowing us down today."
Cass nodded. There it was underneath that hopelessly positive exterior was a world of pain. Clearly the positivity was a shield of some kind, at least to some extent. "I will keep watch tonight Fitzherbert."
"Thanks, Cass" Eugene said as he went back inside and going into the guys part of the caravan to change into PJs. He grabbed a pair of flannel pants and grabbed a lighter button down shirt. After slipping into them and tossing his day clothes in a pile on his bed, he paused catching himself in the mirror. "Hey how ya doin?" he smirked at himself before his sheild broke. He was really nervous. He had never slept in the same bed as Rapunzel and he wasn't sure how he had pictured that moment to have happened eh just knew he wasn't prepared for it. He wasn't sleeping with her, he was literally going to sleep with her. This felt like true commitment, an established relationship, very husbandy. Something he desperately wanted to be with her.
Taking a deep breath he walked back over to her side and climbed back into bed with her. "Hey sweetheart, need anything before we call it a night?"
She gently shook her head no. She looked so fragile curled into a little ball facing away from him.
"Okay" he set a clean bucket with in reach if they needed it, he hung a flask of water off the rail of her bunk and grabbed the wet cloth from the water bucket ringing it out before replacing the one already on Rapunzel's head and blowing out the candle.
He was grateful the light was off because as he lifted the covers he felt his cheeks flush and his stomached felt like butterflies. He slipped into bed with her, curling around her body. He was a different kind of sick all together, love sick.
Rapunzel quickly snuggled back against him, wanting to steal his warms and feel him. She wouldn't admit it but she desperately wanted to feel loved and safe.
With Eugene's arms wrapped around she felt herself start to drift off to sleep."Night Eugene"
"Sleep well, Princess" he said kissing her head. He listened to the sound of her breathing until he too fell asleep.
Chapter 3:
Rapunzel was sitting on the floor of her tower shivering trying to keep the fireplace lit. The winter night air was freezing and if it had been a cloud in the sky there would be snow falling, but the night was crystal clear. Rapunzel desperately tried to keep her last log of firewood burning, keeping her and pascal close to it under the blankets.
In Gothels room, she had plenty of wood and the fire was sure to be blazing. Her mother shut and door every night to keep the warmth in her room not considering that Rpaunzel would be left to shiver all night.
Pascal, being a cold blooded animal was not looking good and desperately needed warmth. Rapunzel knew she would regret this but she ran to the door of her moms room and knocked on it loudly, "Mother! Mother! Please let me in!"
Pascal was dying in her hands and she couldn't do anything about it. Tears started falling down her face and she became more desperate.
"Mother please! Please! Let me in." The only heat she could feel were the tears falling down her cheeks as she cried knocking on the door. Her body was shaking from the cold and her sobs as she continued to beat on the door.
Gothel threw the door open and grabbed the scared girl by the wrists and shook her back and forth. "Rapunzel! Rapunzel!"
Eugene awoke from his dead sleep hearing the screams and the small fists beating against his chest. Cass and the rest of the team came running, "What is happening in here?"
Eugen gently gripped her wrists in one of his and shook her gently with his other, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, wake up Sunshine! It's only a nightmare."
Rapunzel's eyes opened slowly, hot tears still staining her cheeks. She looked around dazed and shivers pulling her arms around her once Eugene let go, " M-Mother? W-where did she go?"
Eugene frowned and felt her head, " Woah, okay, her fever is back and badder than ever."
Cass climbed up to check for herself, frowned and started thinking about what to do. The nearest town might have a doctor, but that was two days away if they traveled together, one if they only took the horses. She looked at Rapunzel and shook that thought away she was in no condition to ride a horse, even with someone. Going back to Carona would take weeks so that was out of the question.
"W-Where is Pascal?" Rapunzel cried. She didn't notice the small lizard on his perch watching her concerned.
Eugne took a deep breath to try to compose himself from the worry he was feeling, " Pascal is safe, hes okay, so are you Sweetheart."
"What about a cold bath, or swim in the river. That would cool her off!" Lance offered, "Remember, Eugene, at the orphanage that's what they would do with us when we were sick."
Eugene remembered. He remembered thinking it was tourture but now saw why it was necessary and nodded, "Good idea buddy."
Cass nodded in agreement. It was actually the best suggestion they had, effective and immediate, "I'll fill the tub with cold water." She smiled at Raps before tending to getting the tub ready.
"Thanks for the concern and the suggestion guys but I think it would be better if Cass and I got the Princess cooled off alone. Can you keep watch outside?"
Lance nodded and saluted his friend, loving the opportunities to hint at or tease him about being the next King of Corona. Hookfoot shrugged and followed him out dragging shorty with him.
"What are we watching again?" Shorty asked as the door shut behind them.
Rapunzel curled up hugging her pillow crying softly. Her body ached, her head hurt, and she was still cold and nauseous. Now she was confused, she realized she was having a nightmare, Eugene was here but it felt so real, and she was so afraid.
Eugene frowned, climbing down to help Cassandra get the tub filled with a barrel of cool water.
"Of all the perils I thought we might face on this adventure, this was not something I considered," He grunted, setting the barrel back down.
"I think we should make for the next city first thing in the morning. If she doesn't get better here at least we can be one step closer to a city." She said back
Running his hand through his hair then looking up at his girl he nodded in agreement. Eugene scooped her up off the bed and carried her over to the tub.
"Raps were going to-" Cass rolled her eyes.
Eugene imagined that warning her about the cold water would give Rapunzel reason to resit it, before Cass could finish that thought he sat her in the tub, nightgown and all.
Rapunzel hated it, She shivered and weakly tried to get up. Cass walked over and with one of them on either side of the tub the push Rapunzel back down, trying to ignore the tears coming down her face even harder.
"I know, I know, I am so sorry Sweetie, but you need this okay." He kissed her forehead.
Cass eyed him, "I'm not sure what kind of King you will make Fitzherbert, but you will at least make a good husband some day."
Eugne blushed slightly, tapping into Flynn's over confident personality to cover it up, "Oh Moi?" he gestured dramatically at himself and was met with an eye roll and the faintest hint of a smile.
They sat there watching the poor princess shiver, trying to comfort her gently with petting her hair or drying her tears and holding her hand. About an hour or so in she stopped shivering. Cass checked her temperature and smiled, "Finally." She pulled the drain letting the water out.
Eugene kissed her forehead, smiling as he pulled back. She was no longer hot. Regretting that thought instantly as the draining water left her nightgown clinging to her body like a second skin. He bit his lip feeling his blood boil, Not the time. Not the time. Not the time.
"Oh, I hope I didn't get you sick too." She stated still sounding quite weak.
Eugene was grateful for two things, Rapunzel was more aware of her surroundings, and still naive as ever. He reached in and picked her up, holding her against his chest, admiring her for a moment before Cass swooped in with a towel. Giving him a knowing look.
"Fitzsherbert, why don't you change out of those wet clothes too. I will help her" she commanded.
Nodding her walked quickly back to his side. Grateful for a moment alone to collect his thoughts. He grumbled to himself, "I think I need the cold shower now."
He pushed the thoughts away, changed quickly, and knocked to see if they were done.
"You can come in now." Cass said tucking Rapunzel back into bed, then climbing down and laying on her bed. They were both in their PJs now. Rapunzel in a deep purple satin night gown that ended above her knee, a surprise treat from cass to see how much she could use Raps' innocence as a tourture device for Fitszherbert. She herself wore soft black pants and a baggy shirt.
Eugene was disappointed to see Rapunzel in bed already without him, "O-oh, I guess I will go to sleep... in my room."
"N-No!" Rapunzel sat up then covered her mouth embarrassed at how fast she reacted. "Stay, in case I have another nightmare or get sick again. I am still not feeling well and you make me feel better." She smiled awkwardly at the bed.
"Well if you command your highness." He teased climbing into bed. He nodded to Cass who had an odd smirk on her face that he shrugged off.
When he pulled the sheets back to get in he knew just what Cass was smirking at. He rolled his eyes at himself and at the mischievous ladies maid and crawled into bed behind Rapunzel, holding her tight in his arms so she felt safe to sleep.