Chapter 22
The next morning
King Frederic stares pointedly ahead as he is escorted by guards into the town square. His demeanor is calm and composed. His expression is nearly emotionless, and he doesn't say a word as Rapunzel and Arianna follow behind him in an orderly line.
The king takes a seat amongst his throne, with his wife and daughter on either side of him. The three are seated at the top of a short staircase that looks out at the town square below.
The two guards then step aside, and stand positioned on either side of the royal family with their halberds in hand. Another row of guards stands a distance behind them.
Over the heads of the gathering crowd below, the sight of the gallows and the hangman's noose in the distance makes Rapunzel uneasy.
It's positioned in the centre of the clearing, with an audience of Corona citizens gathered all around the square. They shuffle and chatter quietly amongst themselves as they wait for the execution to begin.
She closes her eyes, exhaling slowly to calm her nerves.
Rapunzel can't remember the last time she had seen so many people gathered at once. There hasn't been a public execution like this in years. With the most excitement the village has seen since then, they wouldn't dare miss the long-awaited death of the notorious Flynn Rider.
The king has ordered the highest security for this specific occasion. Dozens of royal guards are positioned within the crowd. They stand along the cobblestone roads, outside the various shops and houses that neighbor the square.
The morning sun is beaming, and it makes it difficult for Rapunzel to breathe in the layered dress she is wearing. Despite the heat, her handmaidens had dressed her in white laced gloves, stockings, and an assortment of colored flowers in her curled golden hair.
She'd never favored royal fashion but being forced to dress up for Eugene's own hanging feels utterly wrong to her. Everything about this is wrong, and not being able to do anything about it leaves her anxious and practically writhing in her seat.
Frederic hasn't spoken to her since he had locked her in her room the night before. She hadn't slept a wink since he'd left – not with the anticipation of today. All night, the anxiety made her feel sick and it nestles heavily in her stomach still.
Even if Rapunzel did try to stop this, she would be defenseless against all of them. She is completely aware of her father sitting directly next to her as well as the number of royal guards. She can't do a thing, not on her own – which is why Cassandra is her only hope.
Rapunzel refuses to let herself believe that it is too late. Cass said she would be back as soon as she could, and Rapunzel trusts her more than anyone. So, she holds onto every last drop of hope that they can somehow make it out of this because she convinces herself it is all she has left.
Cass is still out there, and Eugene is still alive.
She'll be here. She has to be. Just a little bit longer.
Finally, after what feels like hours of waiting, everyone comes to attention when Eugene is walked into view, accompanied by two guards who hold him by each arm.
A chorus of gasps and disapproving shouts breaks out among the crowd as they watch the thief be marched toward his death in silence. Some of them begin to cheer with excitement at the sight of him, hooting and pumping their fists impatiently.
Rapunzel inhales sharply.
His hands are chained in front of him, and his cheekbone harbors a deep purple bruise. Dried blood cakes his nose and looks like it's been smeared across his split lip.
He isn't struggling or trying to get away. His usual confident posture has been replaced with a lowered head and heavy shoulders. He looks weak and broken. Rapunzel has never seen him look so defeated. It makes her heart clench painfully as she wonders what on earth they did to him.
The guards slowly march him up the wooden stairs and onto the platform. The executioner follows behind them, with a muscular frame and a black fabric draped over his face.
As Eugene stands up on the platform for everyone to see, the audience only continues to shout and holler at him from below. Whether their noises are from anger or excitement, Rapunzel doesn't know. She assumes it to be both.
She feels her father tense up next to her at the rowdy scene unfolding before them. The king clenches his fists atop the armrests of his throne, his heavy brows creasing over his eyes. He raises his chin with a satisfied glint in his eyes.
As one of the guards loops the noose around Eugene's neck, Frederic leans next to Rapunzel and lowers his voice, "Do not interfere."
She doesn't look over at him. All she does is stare at Eugene in the distance as those words echo in her head. It makes her sick. It makes her rage and panic all at once.
Remembering the argument with her father the night before, she knows that's an order. Still, a fire flickers within her and it makes her body go rigid at the reality of what is happening.
A guard marches into the centre of the platform. He stops in front of Eugene, holding a scroll in his gloved hands. He unfolds the parchment as he reads, "Flynn Rider! You have hereby been convicted for your wilful commission of crime against the crown!"
The audience settles at the booming voice shouting over them and echoing within the square.
"These unlawful crimes are to be cited herewith: piracy, pilfering, brigandage, looting, poaching, smuggling, the thievery of the royal crown, and above all, the kidnapping of Princess Rapunzel of Corona. For these crimes, you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead."
Rapunzel's breath quickens nervously. Her hands are beginning to shake now and all she can do is stare expectantly at Eugene's face just wishing that he would look up at her.
Come on, Cassandra… Where are you?
The guard lowers the scroll, and steps formally aside. The executioner walks up to the wooden lever protruding from the platform.
The audience begins to shout and cheer again.
Any second now, Rapunzel expects Eugene to make some sort of great escape. She wants him to run and fight, or make a stupid joke like he always does, or do anything but stand there and let this happen. But he doesn't. He looks beat, like he's accepted his death before it's even happened.
The executioner places his gloved hand on the lever.
Suddenly, all the hope she had been clinging onto disappears as she realizes in a panic that Eugene is not planning an escape. He's going to die, and she has no choice but to witness all of it.
Rapunzel holds her breath.
Just before the man pulls back the lever, his body jerks as an arrow impales the centre of his chest.
He freezes, and the audience gasps in shock.
After a moment, a strangled noise emits from the executioner's throat. He slowly falls to his knees before plummeting lifelessly down onto the platform.
The entire village stares deathly silent at his dead body laying motionless.
Then before anyone knows it, a horde of bandits are charging into the square with weapons in their hands and everyone falls into disarray. Chaos breaks out in an instant as the sound of clanging swords rings out among the crowd, the citizens fleeing and screaming in a panic.
The princess peers through the running figures with wide eyes, noticing Cassandra darting across the square with her sword in hand.
Rapunzel beams at the sight of her in the distance, and an excited grin forms on her face.
Instantly, Rapunzel bolts to her feet and pulls the cutlass out of the holster of the guard standing next to her. She kicks him square in the back and he falls forward down the steps before he can even process what's happened.
The next thing anyone knows, she is running and pushing her way through the crowd with determination and a thrill that makes her heart pound.
"Rapunzel! Come back here!" She ignores the shouts of her father calling out to her from afar as she disappears into the clamor.
Meanwhile, Cassandra sprints towards the gallows and up the rickety wooden steps toward Eugene.
The guards instantly take a swing at her at the top of the stairs, but she dodges and knocks one of them out with her blade. She grunts as she whips around to kick the other one off the platform, who lands with a short scream and a thud below.
Cassandra wastes no time in running toward Eugene as people fight and shout below them. She pulls a copper key out of her cloak pocket and frantically unlocks his shackles.
"She better be right about you after all this," Cass mutters as the chains fall at his feet. She cuts the rope above his head with her blade, and Eugene quickly throws the noose to the ground.
"Flynn! Catch!"
Eugene peers down to find Lance running by, chucking a sword up at him.
He catches the handle effortlessly, chuckling with a wide grin, "He-hey, look who decided to join the party!" Eugene exclaims with his arms out.
"Where ya been?" Lance jokes, shouting over all the noise and sword fighting a guard at the same time.
"Eh, you know. Just staying out of trouble as always," Eugene comments casually.
Eugene and Cassandra snap their heads around when three more royal guards come racing up the stairs behind them, wearing angry scowls with their swords bared.
They stalk toward them slowly, leaving the two completely cornered.
Cassandra raises her sword.
She ducks out of the way as one of them swings at her, however the guard's cutlass nearly hits Eugene in the process, and he stumbles back in surprise.
As Eugene regains his footing, Cassandra swoops in from behind the guard and knocks him out with a blow to the back of the head.
Another guard steps up and Eugene clashes his cutlass against his, blocking every strike until the guard loses his footing and is thrown off the platform.
At the same time, Cassandra swings her blade at the third one with a grunt. He whips around from the force, his weapon clattering to the floor. Eugene knees him in the head as he is doubled over, knocking the final guard to the ground all within a manner of seconds.
With all three of them downed, Eugene and Cassandra share a surprised look with each other as if they can't believe they just did that.
Without wasting time, Cassandra leaps off the platform and Eugene follows suit.
They blend into the chaos breaking out in the village square, fighting alongside each other.
Most of the citizens have already fled the scene in a panic. Figures are darting in all directions while bandits and guards battle against one another. All that can be heard is the sound of swords clanging along with people shouting.
Eugene grunts as he knocks another guard to the ground with a heavy swing. He whips around just in time to clash swords with someone that he feels is behind him.
However, when he opens his eyes and peers through their crossed blades, he sees Rapunzel standing on the other side with wide eyes.
"Eugene!" she exclaims, lowering her weapon. She clearly hadn't expected to find him standing there either. There is so much going on around them that she didn't even realize he'd been behind her.
"Hi," he smirks breathlessly.
She almost smiles at him, before her eyes widen at something behind him and she shouts, "Look out!"
Eugene ducks just in time, dodging the swinging blade of the guard behind him.
They begin to battle as Rapunzel announces to him over the clamor, "Eugene! I'm sorry for what I said. I was just afraid—"
"Hey, blondie?" he interrupts, "You think we could talk about this when these guys aren't trying to kill us?!"
"I just wanted you to know!" she calls out to him as they swordfight alongside each other, "In case we don't make it out of this."
After a while, the loud sound of boots running along stone can be heard nearby. Bandits begin to flee as they notice the party of additional royal guards rushing toward the scene. More horrified screams can be heard within the crowd of citizens.
"We gotta get outta here," Cassandra tells Eugene and Rapunzel, a panic beneath her tone.
They all stop and stare at the army in the distance as various figures dart past them in the opposite direction. There are dozens of them coming now, leaving the bandits completely outnumbered.
Without wasting a moment, the three of them fight their way through the crowd as they begin to run.
They sprint across the square and down the cobblestone road of town, with shops and houses lining either side.
However, they don't get very far when Eugene, Cassandra, and Rapunzel find themselves bounding directly toward a dead end. There's nothing but a half stone wall in front of them, bordering them from the edge of the cliff.
They nearly bump into each other as they all slow to a stop at the end of the road, panting for breath.
The sound of running footsteps and rattling weapons is approaching quickly behind them, becoming louder by the second.
As they all peer over the edge, all they see is a frighteningly high drop down to the ocean. Waves crash against the protruding rocks at the bottom. There's no way they'd be able to survive the fall over the cliff.
When they all whip around, they find a horde of guards rushing around the corner and slowing to a stop. They all point their halberds and bayonets directly at them, forming a half circle around the trio.
They freeze, finding themselves with no where left to go and unable to do a thing.
Three guards run up to Rapunzel, Cassandra, and Eugene, clasping each of their hands behind their backs.
After a moment, the wall of guards disperses down the middle as a figure emerges from within.
King Frederic walks slowly through them all. His chin is held high, and his hands are clasped formally behind his back. There's an unsettling silence amongst everyone as the man stops in front of them, inhaling deeply.
Rapunzel shrinks immediately, wincing at the furious look on her father's face.
The fact that he's only standing there, unspeaking, makes it all so much worse.
Despite all three of them at his disposal, Frederic only seems to scowl at Rapunzel.
Without taking his eyes off her, he commands to the guards with a disturbingly level tone, "Take him to the dungeon."
A/N:
This entire story in a nutshell:
Frederic: "Rapunzel no"
Rapunzel: "Rapunzel YES"