Chapter Eight
"They knew?" Jack demanded, confused. I nodded and looked around his workshop, the irritation returning. I was sitting on an upturned steel bucket that carried water. Jack paused from hammering a sword into shape and his eyes went to me. "Why didn't they tell you?"
I shrugged and my hands fumbled with my bodice laces. Jack grunted, unsatisfied with my nonchalant response, and said, "Hugh and Lena are coming over today."
"Fawn too?" I asked and Jack looked up at me to smile.
"Fawn too." Jack confirmed and he set his hammer down. He left his crafting table and pulled an empty bucket, putting it upside down and setting on it. "Want to talk about it? You've got that look in your eye."
"What look?" I asked, turning to him.
Jack shrugged. "The look when you're angry, like you could cut someone."
"I could."
"I know." Jack said. "That's what makes it scary."
I smiled, slightly cheered up, and then Fawn exploded in the house. She grinned at me, blue eyes shining. "Goldie!" She cried and yanked me off the bucket. She pulled me in a hug and then said, disapprovingly, "You're lighter. Are you eating?"
"Yes." I said, confused at her question. I turned when I smelled the familiar fragrances of Lena and Hugh. They both smelled of wood but Lena smelled like wet flowers while Hugh smelled of pine.
Hugh's dark brown eyes sparkled when he looked at me. "Hey, Goldie." He said and brushed black hair from his eyes.
Lena beamed at me, hazel eyes warm, and then she cried. "What's this secret you never told us?"
I gave Fawn an accusing glance. She hadn't told them herself but she had hinted to it. Fawn shrugged at me, sheepish, and I began to explain.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Hugh asked, his deep voice making me feel nostalgic. The five of us were always together, or it'd be me, Jack, and Fawn while Lena and Hugh were together. Growing up had made us all close, but some closer than others. Lena was hoping for a proposal that Jack told me was coming within a few weeks. We were all around the same age but Lena was the youngest, younger than Fawn, a cheerful sixteen. Hugh was the oldest of us, a few months older than seventeen year old Jack.
I looked at my friends and felt sad. All these years they could have helped me. "I didn't have the right words."
Lena sighed, "Aw." She understood what I meant. I had been wanting to but I didn't know how. She looked around at our somber faces and she hopped off her own bucket. "Let's go! Get up!"
"Go where?" Jack asked, looking exhausted from where he was sitting. Lena ignored him and continued bouncing up and down. Like Fawn, she easily pulled me off my bucket and eyed me critically. I nodded, unsure why they thought I was light, and Lena ignored Jack.
He looked at Lena and finally scowled. "Elena," she looked at him sharply, narrowing her hazel eyes. Jack backtracked. "Lena," he said, emphasis on her nickname. "Where would we go?"
"I don't know." Lena said absently. Her hazel eyes went to Jack's blue ones. "Maybe a tavern?"
"No." Jack shot it down, frowning. I nodded at Jack's refusal, eyeing Lena skeptically. She was still too young to drink. Jack was eighteen and I didn't know if he drank, but even still, Lena was delicate.
"A walk?" Lena suggested.
"That's better." Jack said and smiling in amusement at Hugh, he led the way out of his house and into the square. I relaxed at the cool breeze blowing on my face and looked at my friends, confused to see them looking at me.
"What?"
Hugh smiled wryly. "Lead the way, Princess."
I shrugged nonchalantly, uncomfortable, and then I spotted a vendor selling frosted cupcakes. Lena followed my gaze and squeaked. "I want some!"
"Want some what?" Jack asked and I frowned as my hand dug around in my pocket. I didn't have any coins with me.
"Cupcakes." I sighed and Jack's eyes lit up.
"The princess has no currency with her?" He asked and Hugh started laughing. "That's a shame."
"You don't have any either." Fawn eyed her older brother and Jack shook his head.
"I just got paid today." He said and led the way to the cupcakes. "I'm buying. What kind?"
Lena spoke for us all. "Surprise me!"
Hugh called after Jack. "Buy me one too!"
Jack turned around, smiling. "Of course, Hugh, we can't leave you out."
Jack's Point of View
Jack handed the vendor the coins. "Thank you," he said when the vendor handed him the cupcakes. Jack turned his head, seeing his friends walk further into the square. They love making me find them, he thought fondly.
Jack held the tray of cupcakes with both hands and began to make his way after them when someone tapped him on his shoulder. Jack stopped walking and turned to his left.
The man was handsome and Jack blinked at him. "Can I help you?"
The man shook his head and gestured to the rest of the square. "Do you know Princess?" He said and his light brown, almost hazel, eyes gazed at Jack, waiting patiently for his response.
Jack blinked and nodded. "Yes. I'm one of her friends." Jack eyed the man up and down. He was wearing an emerald green vest and a long sleeved cotton shirt; the sleeves were rolled up and under his dark cream pants, he wore bucket top boots.
Jack tipped his head to the side. "Who are you? I haven't seen you around here."
The man smiled. "I'm her fiancé. Has she told you?"
A rush of shock and happiness made Jack grin. "No!" Jack exclaimed and he grinned. "You're Rapunzel's fiancé?" His eyes went to where they had gone, where Rapunzel was. "Why didn't she tell me that?" Jack looked back at the man. "I'm going to kill her."
The man crossed his arms, looking playfully stern. "No, you won't."
"Of course I won't!" Jack cried and then he looked at him. "When did you ask her?"
"A few months ago." He answered. "Right after winter."
"That was wise." Jack said happily. "She loves the day after the snow falls. She's odd," Jack said and then added quickly, "but lovely too. She's lovely. You'll love her." A thought made him ask, "Do you love her?"
The man seemed taken aback by his question and Jack went on. "Rapunzel will need a lot of love. You're lucky to have her. . ." Wistfulness made Jack look at the handsome stranger. "I wish I knew more about you. She used to tell me everything until . . ." Until she was cursed.
Jack eyed the handsome fellow with dark brown hair that fell by his eyes in neat flops. "What's your name?"
"Flynn Rider." He said and Jack nodded.
"Nice to meet you," Jack said and ruefully added, "I'd shake your hand but, well. . ." Jack's eyes found the tray of cupcakes he was holding.
Flynn shrugged and asked, "Do you know where she is? I need to ask her something."
"Well," Jack said, thinking to his task of tracking down Rapunzel and thier friends. "They went down that way."
"They?" Flynn asked.
"Ourr friends. Hugh and Elena and my sister, Fawn." Jack specified. "I'm sure Rapunzel talks about us nonstop."
Flynn nodded absently and his light brown eyes peered at Jack. "Thanks. . .?" Flynn's voice trailed off and he arched an eyebrow.
"Jack." Jack said his name and suddenly he felt the warm afternoon sun and it made him smile. "Come on," he offered, "I'll take you to her."
Flynn shook his head, surprising Jack. "That's fine, thanks. I'll find her later. It's not urgent."
"If you're sure." Jack said and nodded to Flynn. "See you around."
"Yup." Flynn said and turned his head away. Jack stopped him and called.
"Are we invited to the wedding?"
Flynn turned back, eyes aglow with something odd. "You sure are!"
Jack smiled and began to walk, blending into the crowd.
He had to find Rapunzel and demand why she hadn't told him such good news.
Rapunzel's Point of View
"Why didn't you tell me you're engaged?" Fawn cried and I looked up from my cupcake.
"What?" I asked, frosting on my upper lip. I licked it off nervously when I saw Hugh and Lena dance over to the table. We were sitting outside of a tavern that decorated the area around its entrance with wooden tables and chairs. It was called The Shining Trout. "Who told you that?"
"Jack did." Lena said when she reached us. "Why don't you tell us things like that?"
I was confused. "I'm not engaged."
"Yes, you are," Jack said, his blue eyes sparkling. He was happy for me. "Don't deny it."
"But I'm not." I said again and something in my voice made my friends pause. Their smiles faded and they looked confused.
Jack looked the most puzzled. "That's not what Flynn told me."
"Who?" I cried and Jack shrugged.
"He said he was your fiancé." Jack said and then he groaned, sitting down. "The guys always said I was gullible." He looked disheartened. "So you're not engaged? I was ecstatic when he told me."
"No," I said, "I'm not." I tried to lighten the mood by laughing softly. "Sorry, Jack."
"It's okay." Jack said and took a bite of his cupcake. He looked at me and then at the crowd, confusion darkening his blue irises. "Who was he then?" Lena and Hugh looked bummed and gave each other somber glances. Fawn sighed and bit into her cupcake without much enthusiasm.
I shrugged, refusing to let it worry me.
"I don't know."
