Chapter 20

When Rapunzel flickers open her eyes, she sees a glistening chandelier hanging above her.

She sees deep purple and gold patterns intricately embedded into the ceiling that is so far away. She feels the softness of a pillow beneath her head and the warmth of blankets over her body.

It takes her a few moments to realize that she is in her bedroom. It feels normal, like she should be waking up here as she does every day, then she remembers running through the woods and approaching Eugene's caravan hoping to find him there.

Then everything went black.

How did she get here?

Rapunzel's mind is a jumble as she attempts to piece together what happened, but she can't remember. There was someone there with her, but she didn't see who it was. Was it Eugene? Her father?

She bolts upright in her bed, peering around herself as she tries to figure out whether she is dreaming.

It's dark outside. She can see the deep blue color of the sky through her balcony window, and she suddenly wonders what time it is.

Her bedroom lights are on, and she notices illuminated boats sailing into the harbor far below the castle. The village still seems to be alive, so it can't be too late at night. How long was she asleep for?

This isn't right.

Rapunzel flicks the blanket off her lap and jumps out of bed. She rushes toward her bedroom door, but when she yanks on the handle, it doesn't budge. She pulls and pulls with desperation as if the door will magically open the more she tries.

No, no, no, no, no…

Why is it locked? What's happening?

She raises a hand to her head as she feels herself becoming dizzy, thinking she stood up too fast. Her head is throbbing now. Her heart begins to pound as the realization dawns on her that she is trapped in here, and she has no idea why or where Eugene is or who brought her here.

Rapunzel's breath quickens as panic begins to nestle in her stomach. She's so confused that it all makes her hyperventilate and the tears well in her eyes before she can stop them.

She paces away from the door, running her hands through her hair as she attempts to calm herself down.

She was going to leave. She had been so close – so close to getting everything she ever wanted.

Just when Rapunzel thought she would never have to come back here again, she finds herself in the last place she wants to be, only this time, she is actually imprisoned. It makes her feel sick. None of this was supposed to happen.

After she thought she had seen so much of the world, there's something about being back in the castle now that seems eerie. It reminds her of a time where she felt so lost and depressed. The loneliness left her crying herself to sleep on multiple nights since she was a child. She'd thought she'd never have to feel that way again – she had hoped.

Being back here now, after everything, it just feels so wrong.

Moments later, the handle of the door begins to jangle and Rapunzel whips around toward it, snapped out of her thoughts.

The door clicks, before swinging open.

Her father is standing in the doorway, his burly fingers still gripping the handle. He freezes when he meets her eyes, as if he hadn't expected to find her standing there. Then he bursts toward her with a relieved smile on his face, "Rapunzel!"

"Dad," Rapunzel breathes in shock. She isn't certain whether she is happy to see him but the relief of finding someone else here in whatever nightmare this is makes her feel slightly less crazy. "What—"

Frederic grips the girl by the arms, frantically checking her over as if making sure she is really there. He cups his hands around her face then tilts her chin up with his fingertips. "Oh, thank goodness you're awake! We were so worried about you. We didn't know when you would wake up or if you ever would!"

"Wh-what happened?" she stares up at him, numb to his touch.

A darkness flickers over the king's eyes, his smile forming into a scowl. "It was that thief, Flynn Rider." He spits out the name as if it tastes bad on his mouth. "He kidnapped you!"

Rapunzel feels her blood run cold. "What?"

"When we learned you were missing, we sent out a search party. Then my guards found him with you in the woods and…" Frederic bows his head as he exhales, as if the memory is too painful to comprehend. "I thought he had killed you… Thank heavens we found you in time!"

"Wait—wait, wh-what are you talking about?" Rapunzel can hardly breathe from what she is hearing.

"I don't know what he did to you but you're safe now." Frederic pulls his daughter into a tight embrace, stroking her hair. "I'm never going to let anyone get their hands on you again."

Rapunzel roughly shoves him away, "He didn't kidnap me! I chose to go with him."

Frederic glares blankly down at her, frozen. "What did you say?"

"He would never do that to me! There—there has to be some sort of mistake," insists Rapunzel.

"You know this man?" Frederic's voice booms with anger. "Rapunzel, he tried to hurt you!"

"No… no, he couldn't," Rapunzel shakes her head, her breath quickening with panic once more. There's no way it is true. Eugene would never do something like that to anyone… would he? When she speaks again, her voice is quiet and broken, "He was kind to me… He liked me."

"Liked you?" Fredric fumes, his eyebrows pressed low over his eyes.

Rapunzel flinches as he towers over her.

"He's a criminal, Rapunzel! He only wants you for your riches, or worse! As if the crown wasn't enough," the man looks away, muttering. He turns pointedly to Rapunzel again, raising his voice, "Whatever that man told you is a lie! He has gotten inside your head."

"No!" Rapunzel shouts sternly. "I don't believe you!" Her voice cracks as she feels herself beginning to cry.

"He threatened our family! Many years ago," continues the king. "I have every reason to believe that he intends to do the same again."

"What? When?"

"You were just a girl. You were too naive to know any better. Even now, you haven't learned," he badgers disapprovingly. "Why would a thief ever like you, Rapunzel?"

The princess' eyes widen in realization as she recalls that day she had first seen one of Flynn Rider's wanted posters.

Rapunzel and her mother had been attacked by bandits when she was hardly a teenager, and Flynn Rider was among them. She hadn't seen him, but she'd overheard her father putting out a bounty for his head later that day.

It was so long ago. All of it had been a blur to her, like a memory from a dream.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you leaving the castle," Frederic rants, his eyes boiling with rage. "Men like that have only bad intentions, and I will not - under any circumstance - let that happen again."

"What did you do to him?" Rapunzel asks warily, afraid of the answer.

The king glowers as he states proudly, "Flynn Rider has been arrested for the kidnapping of the princess. He will be hanged tomorrow morning in the square for all of Corona to see." It sounds as if the man had been waiting his entire life to say those words, and it couldn't feel more satisfying on his tongue.

Rapunzel feels her heart shatter. "No…" Her breath hitches as the tears reach her eyes again. Her shoulders deflate and it feels like the entire world had just crumbled around her, weighing her down until she can no longer breathe.

"His notoriety in this kingdom will finally end, and after that, you will never leave this castle again," demands the king.

"No," Rapunzel begins to sob. She follows her father as he storms back toward the door, his face emotionless, "Dad, please, you're making a mistake—"

Frederic only continues walking, "You will stay here where you're safe until morning."

"Don't do this," Rapunzel weeps, her voice quivering. She grabs his burly arm as she screams with more rage and desperation than she has ever felt, "Please, just listen to me for once!"

Frederic whips around to face her, roughly shoving her away. He swings his arm so hard that Rapunzel is knocked to the ground.

She grunts as she hits the floor.

Frederic freezes in shock, eyes wide as he stares down at his daughter in silence. He hadn't meant for that to happen. Rapunzel knows it, and there's instant regret in his fiery eyes at what he'd just done.

All Rapunzel does is stare up at him. She looks terrified.

He opens his mouth to apologize, to say something – anything, then he closes his lips again. He takes a steady breath, jaw rigid and fists clenched at his side.

When he steps toward her, Rapunzel shrinks in fear. She has seen her father angry many times before, but never has she truly feared what he might do to her as she does in this moment.

As Frederic speaks again, his voice is low, but it still holds all the malice it had before, "You will stay here. That is an order. I will not risk anyone finding you again." With that, he turns and marches back toward the door.

Rapunzel scurries to her feet after him.

Before she can reach it, the door slams shut in her face.

The lock clicks from the other side, but she repeatedly pulls on the handle as hard as she can muster. "Let me out! Please!" She slams her hands against the door desperately, but it doesn't budge.

Her father has already walked away.

The room goes silent, and she realizes that she is now completely alone.

Rapunzel's forehead falls against the door. She squeezes her eyes shut. A choked whimper escapes her throat, her palms laying flat against it.

She slowly falls to her knees, and the princess sobs with her back against the door until she has no tears left to cry.

An hour later, Rapunzel is kneeling in front of the door to her bedroom, jiggling a hair pin inside the keyhole.

Her tears have dried completely now. Her cheek stings. Her head is throbbing, and her eyes are begging for sleep, but there is deep concentration on her face as she ignores how exhausted her body feels. She refuses to sleep until she gets this door open.

The hairpin snaps, and she groans frustratingly.

Rapunzel throws it aside and grabs another one from the pile next to her on the floor, wasting no time in jamming the new one into the handle.

She does this repeatedly until she finally hears a muffled voice coming from the other side of the door.

"Raps?"

The princess snaps her gaze up at it, then bolts to her feet instantly. "Cass?" she asks, wondering if she had just imagined that. It feels like it's been so long since she heard a friendly voice. After a moment, a beaming smile reaches her lips. "Cass! Oh my god, it's you! I'm so happy to hear your voice!" She practically jumps with joy. "Can you open the door? The lock won't turn."

"I'm sorry, Rapunzel. Your father ordered me not to."

"My father doesn't know what he's talking about. He's making a mistake!" insists Rapunzel.

"Listen…" Cass begins quietly. Her muffled voice is glum and hopeless. Rapunzel doesn't usually hear her sounding so serious. It worries her. "I know you really liked Flynn… but he tried to hurt you. You need to accept that."

"No… no, he didn't," presses Rapunzel, becoming frustrated that she can't see Cassandra's face as much as she needs to right now. Why does everyone keep telling her that? "Can—can you please just open the door?"

"I can't," she repeats. "Even if I wanted to, I don't have the key."

Rapunzel lets her forehead fall against the door. She closes her eyes while exhaling slowly to herself.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," says Cass.

A flash of anger flickers over Rapunzel's face, "I'm not okay." She knows what Cassandra is thinking, but Rapunzel is not in denial. And she's not crazy – no matter how much everyone is making her feel like it right now. "There's been a misunderstanding. He would never do something like this. There has to be something we're missing or—or somebody else that wanted to hurt him."

There's a silence on the other side of the door, and Rapunzel wonders if Cassandra even heard her. Finally, her muffled voice speaks up again with intrigue, "…You think someone framed him?"

"Yes," Rapunzel decides with confidence. It's the only explanation she can think of. She presses her hands against the door, suddenly determined. "Cass. I don't know what's going on, but I need you to listen to me. I know you have already done so much for me, but they are going to kill him tomorrow and I can't let that happen. So I'm begging you, please just do this one more favour for me, okay?"

Rapunzel's heart pounds as she waits impatiently for a response. Finally, Cassandra says simply, "Okay."

The corners of the princess' lips lift into an excited smile. "Head to the waterfall outside of town. Go east along the trail and walk through the willow tree at the top of the cliff. Find Lance. Tell him Flynn is in trouble and that Cassandra sent you."

"Cassandra?"

"I'll explain later," Rapunzel promises. "We don't have much time." More silence stretches between them as Cassandra ponders the entire plan. "Cass? Are you there?"

"Yeah," she responds, "I'm here."

"Can you do it?"

After a moment, Rapunzel hears her sigh.

"I'll try to be back as soon as I can."

Rapunzel grins widely, wishing more than anything she could scoop her into a hug right now. "Oh, thank you, thank you! I owe you one, Cass."

"You better," agrees Cassandra smugly. Even though she can't see it, Rapunzel knows there's a smirk on her face when she says it.

With that, the princess listens as the other girl's footsteps race down the hallway of the castle, gradually fading into nothing. The room goes silent, and Rapunzel is alone once again.

Now all she has to do is wait.

Rapunzel takes a long, deep breath in an attempt to calm her heartrate. If this plan works, everything is going to be okay.

She just hopes that Cassandra can find Lance before it's too late.