Chapter Eight

Rapunzel, had rested later the next morning. She couldn't stop thinking about Eugene, every minute. She saw him the other day, it wrenched her strong heart. She was trying to figure out a plan to help him; help him to get out of that house. But nothing worked. He just turned her down.

She wanted to tell her father. He could punish the bad for their behavior. After all, He was the King! Her mother was her second choice. She always gave her advice or said anything to calm her daughter down. But Eugene, he won't do anything. He'll just stay.

She close her eyes again as the moon was leaving and stars faded in the light of the sky.

But she saw him...well she heard him. She can tell by the shaky breath. It was loud and it howled around her. He whispered to her in the shadows.

"Help me." She searched in the dark, pushing through nothing. She tried, but she didn't see him, there was no light. His breathing paced with fear, like the winds through her ears, wailing. "Help me." She couldn't help, she was blind. He screamed on last time. "HELP ME!"

Rapunzel sat up, breathing had clench the fear that surrounded her. Her brown locks were knotted in her face, her body sweated, sending chills throughout her. Nerves tickled her fingertips and toes, leaving her numb. She could move, so she laid back, sinking into her mattress, staring at the plain ceiling, brighten by the sun rays of the morning.

Her eyes shot at the door as it suddenly was knocked upon. She didn't wait until she told the other figure on the other side that it was open. She didn't look ahead., finding her maid standing across.

"Good morning, Princess." She walks to the curtains, flying them open, letting the bright light shine in; beaming Rapunzel's pale face, glowing her. "I'm surprise to see you still in bed." The young woman faced her. Rapunzel didn't move. Her eyes squinted at the wall, clenching on to her sheets, sweat teared down her ghostly face. "Oh my dear." She placed her warm hand on her cool skin. "Are you feeling alright? Are you ill?"

"N-no" She stuttered. "I'm okay." She sat up, trying to gain feeling in her limbs again.

"Do you want to get up?"

She shook her head. "I must. I want some fresh air."

"Do you want me to open the doors to the outside."

"No thank you. I'm fine...just fine." She swung her legs around her bedside. Moving her hair out of her face.

"Are you sure, Your Majesty?"

"Yes" She walked to her changing curtain, where her navy blue dress hung over from. "I don't need help getting dress today. I will be wearing this" She said, picking her dress off the divider from her and her maid.

"My dear, that hasn't been washed in days." She striped the damped sheets from her bed, facing the thick paper-like material, waiting for Rapunzel to reply.

"I'm aware, but it's my favorite. But I mustn't wait any longer to go out. I'll let you wash when I return."

"Very well, would like anything else before I leave?"

Rapunzel stop short from putting her dirty dress on, as it hung around her waist. Eugene came to her mind again. "Y-Yes, actually a small basket of bread and fruit would be nice. " She Pulls one of her sleeves on, then the other. "I'll be planning to have a picnic during my walk, today."

She steps out from behind the divider, braiding her hair. She looks at her reflection one more time, hearing. "Alright then, I'll have it ready for you when you're down." She didn't say a word as her maid nodded, exiting her room. Rapunzel picked up her cloak and looks around, to see if there could of been anything else to bring but she left, with only the black cloak in her arms. She didn't care if her parents tried to stop her, she will leave this castle before anyone can.

She was in bare feet, sliding through the tiled floors, skipping down the stairs by two. She reaches the main floor, where she then collied with her father.

"Rapunzel?" He scolded. He looked at his daughter. He stared at her feet and sighed. "Look at you."

She kissed her father. "Morning Father." She went passed him, but the worst came. He halted her.

"Where are you going?"

"A walk. I just want to be alone." She began to walk backwards, keeping he eyes on her father.

"Does this have to with yesterday, It's not-"

"I'm sorry, but I must go. " She bit her tounge, turning around.

"Rapun-" She ran off before he could finish. He sighed. His little princess was different, and she wasn't going to change.

Down the other halls, Rapunzel thanked for her basket and went outside, putting on her boots, lacing them up and made her way to the woods. She wanted to get there, to see Eugene again, without a problem. He lingered in her mind.

Eugene.

She was worrying about him. He might be asleep. Maybe his uncle is upstairs, now he's scared. Maybe he is being beaten, torturing him to the core. He heart raced. Maybe he's hurt, or dying, Maybe she'll be late. All these thoughts formed a storm in her mind, making her lightheaded. But her heart beated normally again, seeing the house in the distance.

As she got to the structure. She looks at the window. OF course she didn't expect him waiting at the window. She held her breath, going to the other side where the door was of course, unlocked. She went to the stairs as she entered. She didn't hear a voice. She went up. She climbed each step with a caution, just in case. She was almost to the top, until she saw what was ahead of her. The wooden door, opened.

It was always shut, not opened. She proceed, trying to not make a sound. But if his uncle was in there, she wanted to end it. At least stop it. She slowly entered. The room was exactly the same. Her eyes looked at the wooden post, where Eugene was left asleep. Except, Eugene wasn't asleep. In-fact, He wasn't there.

No!

She circled around the small room, he wasn't there. She saw the sheet hanging from the small corner, She looked behind it. Empty. This room, This house, was empty. With nothing, and no one here. He wasn't here, Eugene was gone.

Her voice stuttered. "E-Eugene?" Her voice raised as she franticly looked around again. "Eugene!" no answer, there couldn't be. But gasped at the wide opened door. Then it hit her.

His uncle took him. Now he's gone, taking Eugene with him...

"No. No, No, No." She ran her fingers through her hair. Her heart pounded against her chest. As if it was about to burst. No air was coming in or out. She should of stayed with him, watched him for the night, but she left him. And now she's alone.

She hung her head with guilt. No moving from the place she stood. She had to find him. But she still stood still, tears streamed down her face. There was no one there to comfort her, no one to help her.

But someone did clasped their hand over her mouth. Rapunzel's screams were muffled as she was dragged behind the tear sheet curtain. She tried to scratch the hand, but it refused to release as the other grasped her waist. She now struggled to escape, but she could.

"Shhhh" She heard. She screamed again, until she was pinned to the wall, her eyes focused on the figure in front of her. "Shhhh." They placed a slim finger to their lips. Their amber eyes met her emerald ones, filled with plead. "It's me...It's me." She stopped screaming, looking at their face, their hands now rested on her shoulders.

"Eugene." She breathed. More tears came out. "Oh my God." She embraced him as she sobbed, "I-I hate you."

He didn't understand. Why did Rapunzel hate him? He didn't mean for this to go to far. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. This wasn't his plan. "I-I-I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around her trembling body. He felt guilty for causing this. Rapunzel broke their embrace, cupping his face.

"Where in the hell were you. You didn't respond to me. I-I thought you were, I thought he - " She broke down again.

"R-Rapunzel, I can explain." she cried. "My Uncle left. He didn't hurt me since yesterday when you came. He thinks I ran away."

She looks at him. "W-What do you mean by that?"

"I was hiding. So when he came up here and didn't find me, he left and won't return until I'm found."

"Hiding? W-Where?" He took her hand, leading her to a corner in the dark space. He goes on his knees, picking up a loose floor board, showing a hold in the floors. "What is this?"

"I've been hiding there. I been working on that for years."

"You have been hiding in there?" She repeated.

"You want to see it?" He hops in the area, holding his arms out. "Watch you step." She sits down, sliding in. He caught her fall and they were close to one another. It was hard to separate from their own space. "S-Sorry, it's small, it was made for just me, but see." He gestures the whole space around them. "This is where I been staying, I finished it this morning and-"

"But-But..." She could understand it. "This doesn't make sense"

"He thinks I had left the house. But I was here the whole time and - "

"Eugene! When he finds you - If he finds you, What will he do?"

He hung his head. "Making sure I don't breathe again. I know what will happen but I'm not letting him hurt me anymore. After what happened yesterday, with him and you here...I realized that I had to continue that plan."

She shook her head. "You don't have to hide Eugene, You can come with me."

"NO!" He raised his voice, realizing it, he lowered. "I can't." He stepped on a block of wood, getting out of his hideaway, helping Rapunzel out. She sat aside him, with their feet dangling on the edge. "I'm not ready to leave."

"Why?"

"It's not that easy Rapunzel."

"What if he finds you?"

He gave a soft chuckle. "I doubt it. He walked and stepped right above me, not once he was suspicious. He doesn't think I'm that smart enough."

"Well, right now you are smart." She pats his back. "But you're stupid for not telling me."

"Again, I'm sorry for that." He reached for her hand, tightly holding it.

"I forgive you." she said.

"Do you hate me?"

"Hate you? Why would I hate you?"

"You said so, not to long ago."

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I could never hate you."

"O-Oh." he lowered his head.

She gave a small smile, tightly returning the grip. "When will you leave?"

Eugene shrugged. "I don't know. But I can handle this."

Rapunzel nodded, standing up. Eugene looks at her before she left. He bit his lip before she came back with a basket and sitting back down. She pulls something out that was circular, with the colors of fresh leaves. They hung off of their own thin branch. She took one off, giving it to him. He looks at them. They were soft, smooth. He watches Rapunzel put one in her mouth and he copies her. They sour liquid srouted out of the treat, making his mouth burn. He bit the insides of his cheeks to stop the sour shock.

"I suppose you never had a grape." Eugene continue to have his sour face on nodding 'no'. "They are a little sour."

"Sweet." He corrected as he swallowed.

"You like them?"

He gave a smile, nodding as he popped another grape in his mouth. Rapunzel reaches back into her basket, finding a canteen of water and bread...again. "These are for you too."

"No, t-that's okay." He pointed to the grapes. "These are enough."

"You have to eat. Especially if you will be here for a while." She begged. She could see his face. Kind, friendly, smooth. But she could see the bone that structured his fragile face. "It'll make you stronger."

Eugene didn't look at her, but she could see that he was agreeing her. "Thank you...Again."

She kept quiet as she let him eat. She looked at his protecting hideaway. How long can he do this? She can not watch him age as he just hides under the floors. But could he last? He'll lose his mind, that haunted her. She doesn't want anything to happen to him, but why won't he let her help?

"Are you still mad?"

"Hm?" She snapped her head, forgetting her thoughts as she faced Eugene. "No. No, I'm not mad at you."

"No. N-Not me. Y-your parents."

Her memories scattered. Angry. Why was she mad at them again? Oh yes, betrothal, parties, not her things. Yep, she wasn't happy about that. "Yeah. I am" She said, but her voice wasn't agreeing with her answer.

"So...y-you're staying?" He asked. He was curious, but he wanted her to stay.

"Um..." She can't. His heart frowned. "I can stay a little longer."

He tilted his head. "Y-You can?"

"Why not?" She saw a big smile grow back on his worried face. She loved that smile, it completed him, it kept his broken body together.

There was still light in his life. He just doesn't know that she is the ray from the heavens that sent her to his way to keep him whole...

...oOo...

Darkness came, it was late. Late that the whole kingdom was silent. Rapunzel was still wide awake and she couldn't sleep. Nothing helped with her thoughts in her mind, banging against her forehead. That pain wouldn't let her sleep. Her haunted fears giggled, keeping her up. She laid on her stomach, to her back, right side, left side, There was not a comfortable spot for her to relax.

She images Eugene hours before. She remembers him saying,

"Could you tell me a story."

It was all he wanted to listen to, Just her telling those stories throughout her childhood. He just want to imagine that world he was unaware of, and she told him. They laid on the weak wooden floor as she spoke away. He enjoyed all of them, and each made him smile. She wanted that to last. They stayed silent for a while, but he broke the silence.

"Do you ever feel alone?" He asked

"Yes." was her answer.

Rapunzel knew she wasn't like the other that she lived around with. She would play with the children in the village years ago, but she would never close to any. They all just admire her royalty status. The girls would love her silky, clean, bright dresses and the boys would be polite, respecting her but they would never go near her, thinking that she shouldn't be playing in the dirt in the fields. She couldn't even be around the girls in her social class. They were either to young or to old. They wanted to just admire themselves while she preferred to hide in the woods, climbing the trees. She was different and when she stayed around the men, they opposed her strength in exploring and holding a sword.

But she didn't care that she was different, she was okay with it. But she was sometimes alone, she had to hard time being excepted without arguing. And it was Eugene who didn't care about that. He found her unique. He found himself odd.

Rapunzel didn't believe that. He was a gentleman and smart. He objected that immediately. Rapunzel was surprised that he actually knew a lot and spoke well. He only said that he gets the words from growing up but also from his uncle, surprisingly. He could understand the words by the way he listened to his tone. He could clarify them sometimes. Still, Rapunzel didn't believe that he was odd. Eugene doesn't think she's odd either.

They were both just lost children.

Rapunzel stayed with him, until it was time fore her to return to the kingdom for supper. She didn't want her parents to wait. As many times she had apologize that she had to go, she had felt the feeling of guilt. She saw his expression change completely after she said "I think it's time for me to go now". He looked down and his sweet smile faded as his lip uncurled, leaving it to frown. She regretted it after she left. She wished that she could stay. Throughout the night, she thought about Eugene. all alone, crammed in that small space, shaking in fear. She hated to leave him like that.

Now, she hid in the dark as she laid on the wooden floor, letting the cold, evening breeze surround her. She didn't care. She just wanted to keep him company.

...oOo...

It was late. The orange light, glowing behind the trees from above begin to disappear to the other side unlike where it is in the morning, letting the blue sky become pitch black. He was still able to see what was on the outside in the dark, but he hid his face away from the window, not wanting to be seen by familiar faces if they returned tonight. Especially his Uncle.

He wrapped his arms around himself. It was cool out there. He then decided that it was best to go to sleep. It was the second night he would sleeping under the floors, he might as well begin to get used to it. After taking one more glance outside, he began to walk away from the window. All of the sudden, he stopped. He saw something that made him stand so still.

It was something. White. In the distance and moving closer, he saw a white cloth waving in the shadows of the night. it looked eerie to him, as it was slowly, calmly strolling along the side of the ruin structure of his home. It was to dark to see this mysterious thing. Eugene could no longer see it as it was now impossible to watch it wander away from the house. That was strange. A strange creature indeed. He didn't know what it was. He continued to stand there. But, a chill was sent through his body. But it wasn't the wind and the air that enter through the broken window, it was the squeak of a door coming from the downstairs.

It was in the house.

His heart was now pounding and his skin was tighten as goosebumps were covering his arms. His breath was shaky. Who was it? Do they know he was here, hiding? Did they work with his Uncle? They have to be. They were after him, they found him. He was now in trouble. He knew If he had the chance, he'll go run and hide - That's exactly what he did. He backed away, going behind the sheet, walking to the floorboard and pulled it up.

He heard footsteps. He didn't want to face the soul that was getting closer to finding him. He was about to climb into his hide-away, until he heard the door slowly opening. It was trying not to let the hinges creak of sound. He sucked his breath, afraid to even breathe. He had to think of something, he didn't want them to take him away. He had to protect himself, at least to live another day.

He reached into his boot, pulling out a folded, worn, cloth. He removed the cloth, revealing the knife he had. He gripped tightly on the handle and kept it on his side. His fingers were twitching, hesitating about this moment. But he heard the footsteps now in front of him. They were now behind the sheet. He rose the dagger.

"Eugene?" It spoke, as it curiously whispered his name. That voice was familiar. 'It', was Rapunzel.

"R-Rapunzel?" He lowered his defense, putting it aside. He reached out, but Rapunzel pushed the material that separated them before he could. He couldn't really see her. He did see a dark cloth over her shoulders, her brown hair was still braided and her dress was the white that was flowing outside. He never saw her in another color before. It was so bright, same with the smile she was giving him, letting his pulse pacing normally and able to catch his breath.

"I'm so sorry. It's late. I-I know. I-"

"You startled me, Rapunzel. W-What are you doing here? I-I thought you were..." He trailed off, forgetting everything he was fearing about.

"I felt bad leaving you. A-And I was worried."

"I told you that you didn't have to worry."

"I just couldn't sleep. Without the thought. I wanted to see you again."

"I-It's dark out there. How did you find your way here?"

Rapunzel shrugged. "Fate?" She sighed. "I snuck out after supper. I wanted to make sure that it was safe to come back." there was a long pause. "A-anyway. I was wondering if you want any company for the night?"

He raised a brow. "Y-You...You want to stay?"

"If you want me to." she offered. He felt his stomach flutter, feeling somewhat anxious. She wanted to stay. Here. Here, in this crummy old, no good house instead of where she supposed to be.

He gave a small smile. "C-Could you?" He placed a hand on one of her shoulders. "I-I mean, it's too dark and I don't want you to be alone - I don't want you to walk back out there."

She smiled back at him. "I will be gladly to stay."

He looked at her eyes and bit his bottom lip, looking away, staring at the open floor. He guided her there. He went in first and helped her as well...

Now, time has passed. He felt safe than ever. He didn't worry as much as before. He peeked over, slightly looking across form him. There, Rapunzel was asleep, having trouble with her positions as she slept. He felt bad about her being trapped in the tight space. It wasn't good for her, it look uncomfortable. She was now in a fetal position, silently breathing. He mimicked her breathing. Slowly inhale, slowly exhale. Soon, he felt his eyelids beginning to dropped. He wasn't worried about anything at the moment. Rapunzel was there, with the company he needed. That what made him for once...happy.

*peeks out* Hi I'm Back

Okaaay so where am I?

...Oh that's right. *Hands out frying pans* You all have a chance to hit me, *Puts on bubble wrap helmet* I'm so sorry, I've been late. Life has been putting me on a different path of Fanfics and stuff. I'm officially not working on Frozen stuff. Big Hero 6 is out to get me with feels, so three Fanfics are at work now, along with me with "Twisted". I am literally sneaky writing in my classes, jotting ideas for upcoming chapters and yeah.

But I am desperate to keep on a good schedule because you guys are the best, your friendly reviews always make my day, encouraging me to continue. If it weren't for them, I would be trapped in school, and board at home with a static, blurry, uncreative mind. SO again I appreciate to all who read this story. *Smiles*

Anyway, Thank you all for who are reading this chapter. You guys are awesome. And please leave me a comment. There are precious treasures that make me happy. Thank you again, and I'll update as soon as I can.

*Smiles*~DreamGirll :)