Chapter 4

Immediately I was thrown into the furious claws of the wind. Maximus hadn't let me finish my thought before he began rushing over to the bridge.

"Gah!" I yelped, barely holding on.

I could hear a quiet snicker coming from the horse as I regained my strength and latched on. He tried to pull a fast one on me!

"Alright, Max!" I yelled, now over the bridge and entering the forest. Reminds me of the old days, I thought to myself. Just for the fun of it, something came to mind. My grip was back and the wind felt ever so graceful as it flew through my hair. I felt the warm gust of air brush against my face. I hadn't gone riding in weeks, and I forgot how fun it was.

"Let's see how fast you can run!"

To my surprise, the Horse obliged with a faint neigh and nod of approval. He began to pick up speed and I felt my grip loosening, but not to the point of concern.

My eyes focused on the upcoming road ahead. Before we both knew it, a branch had slumped over right on the pathpath. "Max!" I yelled, leaning for the thick leather rope attached to try to signal him to jump, but the horse instinctively jumped over the branch with ease before I was even able to come close. I wiped a grid of sweat off my forehead as we approached our destination.

Old Corona.

The winds had chilled a bit as Max slowed down near the gate. This place wasn't like anything I imagined it'd be.

"You sure this is it?" I asked Max, as he nodded in approval. He was walking now over a small bridge that led into the open area.

"Really, huh." I whispered, beginning to remove my gear from his pouch on the side. This was Old Corona.

I looked around at the nearby townhouses and noticed a large windmill in the distance. It looked old, worn down, like it had been there for years. Farmland was everywhere, countless people out there working in the fields. There weren't many animals nearby, but I noticed a few locked in some stables. Surrounding the town was a large, cobblestone wall that towered almost every house in sight. No one appeared to have noticed his arrival yet.

I pulled out an apple, and threw it in Max's direction. The Horse looked at me, confusedly.

"What?"

His stare locked on me, he motioned his eyes towards that fresh, bright red apple that had dropped in front of him.

"It's a courtesy for the ride."

He raised his right eyebrow slowly.

"I picked it, fresh from a tree. You have my word." I saluted the mighty stallion.

Hesitantly, he reached down and grabbed the apple, enjoying every single bite of its sweetness.

I picked that alright, straight from the dining room I thought to myself. Hope the horse won't mind.

I walked around, hearing the quiet chit-chatter between the townsfolk. Before long, a few of them caught my gaze, some staring, others quickly turning away. I heard whispers between a few of them as I walked around, observing the scenery that was Old Corona.

"Run, it's Flynn Rider!"

I jerked around immediately to see a young lady positioned on a porch, pointing straight into my direction. Max looked up from his delicious treat, a look of confusion as he observed the surroundings. Things might get ugly.

"Wha-" I mumbled under my breath. My eyes ran across the sight of more and more people now pointing my way. The commotion grew and a crowd slowly came together. It wasn't long before the commotion of the townsfolk outweighed that of my own thoughts.

"Hold on, hold on!" I yelled, as a few of the townsmen approached me with pitchforks. Maximus began to approach, ever so slowly. He was taking his time.

"What's the meaning of this?" The men stopped, looking back towards one. I followed them and saw a man who rivaled the size of the King. He approached the group, holding a pitchfork in one hand and a dirty old rag in the other.

"What's going on, here, mister." he asked me. He had hazelnut eyes, fierce, and his body showed signs of ache and tear. An older gentleman, not old enough to be an elder but definitely in his mid to late forties. Probably the guy in charge around these parts of town.

"Sir, I was instructed by the Captain of the Royal Guard to come down here and help with security for the evening."

"Dan's got a convict doing his work for him now," he grumbled under his breath as he looked towards the side.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Don't tell me these guys hadn't heard abo-

And just like that, he pulled out one of my old Wanted posters from behind his back.

"Gosh, I forgot how awful they were at depicting faces." I couldn't help myself. Even after all this time it was still so disrespectful how they couldn't capture the full beauty of the smol-

"So you are him." His look now stern, stubborn. Maximus stood there behind the crowd, taking in the commotion but remaining hesitant to intervene. The crowd let out an audible gasp, as a few of them turned away in horror.

"Look, buddy, there's been a mixup-"

"How so? From my eyes, I see a convict attempting to impersonate a royal guard."

"A convict? Sir, you've got this all wrong." Mistakenly, I grabbed the poster from his left hand. "If you could just give me a moment to sort this all ou-"

He grabbed my shirt and tugged me in. I felt the brash iron push against my neck as I struggled to get my breaths out.

"I'll give you two minutes to try to justify your actions before I bring you in myself."

Man, how was I going to get out of this one?

He let me go and I felt the relief of fresh air entering my windpipe. I gulped, let out a cough before lifting my head.

"Look, sir-"

"It's Quirin."

"Alright, then-" I paused just for a brief moment to collect my thoughts. "Quirin, this is all just a big understanding. I see what the poster says," I looked towards it as it rested in my hands, rustled now after the confrontation.

"I… this was me, yes. Keyword: was," I saw more and more townspeople gasp in shock. "But but but but but, it's not me anymore. I haven't gone by Flynn Rider in months. I'm Eugene now, Eugene Fitzherbert." Truthfully, I still hated this name but Rapunzel loved it and you know how I feel about that girl.

"After I rescued the princess-"

Quirin's eyes lit up. "That was you?" he asked.

Hold up, no one told the folks down here about the handsome, charming, lovely son of a gun that brought their princess back home? That's blasphemy!

"Yeah, no one told y'all?" I asked. The town folks looked around at each other, asking others if they knew the same thing. The chit-chatter had begun to grow once again.

"Quiet," Quirin said, signaling his fellow neighbors. "Why should we believe you?"

Quick, how can I prove my innocence. Think. Fitzherbert. Think deep.

"Max, tell him that I'm not lying!" I yelled over to the horse. His eyebrows rose.

Quirin turned, looking now at the mighty steed. "Maximus, say it ain't so!" He approached the horse with open arms and the gesture was returned happily.

"Er, what now," I mustered under my breath. I approached the two.

"Max, you know this guy?"

He joyfully nodded as Quirin brushed his long, white-locked hair.

"Alright, then tell him I'm innocent."

Quirin turned back to Max. "Maximus, is what he's saying true?"

Max reaaalllyyy felt like screwing Eugene over. Finally, he could make up for all those times he had escaped his trail, all those times he got away with theft and stolen items…

"Buddy, please." With a final look of desperation, I called out to the horse that once accompanied me in saving the princess.

He sighed, rolling his eyes. In the most distasteful look, he nodded his sign of approval towards Quirin.

"That'll be it then." he grumbled, plopping his pitchfork down in the ground.

Huh, that's all it took. The approval of a horse.

"I trust Maximus with my life, and I believe his every word." The man actually started to show some compassion, it felt like.

"Rider,-

"Fitzherbert, it's Fitzherbert." He gave me a stare for the ages.

"Fitzherbert, you're welcome to stay as long as you need."

The group of townspeople continued their stare before Quirin approached them all as one big group. Phew, that was close.

He turned back around one final time before yelling off to his friend. "Max, keep an eye on him for us. And you, Herbert-" I heard a few laughs in the far back. "Keep your poster."

The horse gladly nodded in approval and I let out a gigantic breath of relief. So much had happened and it was only 2 P.M.