A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this and it's long too, hope you guys like it. Enjoy!
P.s. I own nothing
The Rules: Chap 3
Rapunzel's POV
"YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER!" Mother bellowed angrily. Her face was as red as a rose beside her charcoal black hair, but her expression was one of furiousness and annoyance. She then marched toward her room, stomping her feet against the floor loudly to let off some excess anger. "EVER!" she added before slamming the door.
I stood completely still in the middle of the living room bewildered at her response, not making a sound as I breathed in heavily to calm myself and choked back tears threatening to escape. Mother had just yelled at me; she's never yelled at me before. She's raised her voice on a few occasions but never like this. And the emptiness of the tower seemed to make the booming cry even louder and echo against the thick circulars walls of the room. The echo had faded after a second or two, but I could still hear those dreadful words repeatedly ringing, and ringing, and ringing in my head like a never ending bell. 'You are never leaving this tower. . .ever.' It was that last word that made something break inside me; that ghastly word ev-. . .I didn't dare finish that word, for it had broken my hopes, my dreams, my happiness. . .and my very soul. They were just pieces now, crumbling little pieces left of a pie that wasn't whole anymore. There was almost a kind of hatred behind those words, as if she feared something outside that was worse than ruffians or thugs or poison ivy. But how could it have come to this?
Everything was going fine, just fine until I popped the question of seeing the lights and going outside. After I pulled Mother up, she walked in calmly and pulled back the hood of her cloak, revealing her curly black web of hair.
"Welcome home, Mother." I said excitedly, unable to suppress a smile from coming across my lips.
"Oh Rapunzel," she said slightly exhausted. "I've had such a rough day flower. Facing all the horrors of the outside just to get you the supplies you need, ugh. You have no idea how lucky you are to stay in this tower." She finished before placing a basket of food and new paints on the kitchen table.
'Yeah, I'm truly blessed.' I thought. Ok, it was now or never. I'm going to ask her. I am a strong, confident woman. Strong, confident, and grown up. "Um, listen Mother there's something I want to-"
"Rapunzel, Mama's feeling a little down, would you sing for me flower?" she interrupted, ignoring me as if I'd said nothing.
I hesitated for a second. Maybe if I sang for her she'd be more open about going outside. The thought made me a bit more hopeful and I answered "Oh, of course Mother."
I quickly grabbed her chair and moved it into the room then rushed back, grabbed the footstool for myself along with my hairbrush, placed a bundle of my hair in her lap, handed her the brush and quickly sat down in record time. Believe me, it's even more tiring than it sounds but I was running high on the anticipation of asking my question.
"Flower gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine." I sang it so fast Mother had to tell me to wait as if singing too fast would ruin the magic. It wouldn't of course but when I finished she looked like she was about to grill me for not listening. But I turned around on my stool and spoke before she could.
"So Mother, as I was saying, there's something I want to ask you."
She had kept a disinterested face on but raised a brow slowly. "And what would that be?" her tone was kinda hard to place; there was a weird mix of curiosity and annoyance in it. Curious was good, though it wasn't much to work with.
"Well," I began looking downward and moved a few strands of hair back. "It's just that. . .I um. . .I want, uh. . ." Was it me or was the air getting thinner? Oh God, I was mumbling. Not good.
Mother snickered and rolled her eyes, "Rapunzel stop mumbling, you know how I hate the mumbling. Speak up and look at me when you say something." I could tell her annoyance was outweighing her curiosity now.
'So much for strong and confident. JUST SAY IT! What's there to lose?' I yelled at myself mentally. So I took a deep breath and blurted out loudly "I wanna see the floating lights!" I had a wide smile on like I was a child that just got a piece of candy.
Finally. I finally said it.
But Mother didn't look too happy with my birthday wish; her whole body froze in response, and her metallic gray eyes were steely cold, borderline scary, as if she were starring daggers at me. "You what?" she asked. It was a semi-sweet tone, but behind it was very, very dangerous feeling.
My smile and excitement quickly faded and was replaced with a frown and a nervous fear. "The floating lights." I repeated, shrinking in on myself beneath her terrifying gaze. "My birthday's in a couple days and I was. . .I was thinking we could go see them. . .um, outside?" I finished sheepishly with a shrug.
She continued staring at me for a few more seconds until she stood up from her seat, and very plainly said "No." before walking away.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." She added quickly. "You are not going outside."
I stood up in shock and said in utter disbelief, "What?"
"Rapunzel, I said no, end of discussion."
"But. . .but Mother, it's my birthday and I'm turning 18 in days. I'm practically and adult!" I argued.
"Rapunzel! Enough! We're through talking about this." She replied firmly.
"This isn't fair!" I yelled at her. It was the first time I've ever done that, but I didn't feel proud of myself for it.
Because that's when she shouted at me.
I sank to my knees on the floor at the thought of what just happened. Then Pascal appeared next to me, colored in a depressing blue that matched my mood perfectly. He looked up at me with his large sad eyes and rested his head against my leg. I petted the top of his head instinctively. "She's never going to let me leave." I said softly, a single tear escaping from my eyelids.
Am I just going to live out the rest of my life in a tower? Basically being a servant to my mother? Healing her, cooking for her, cleaning for her? And never being able to leave this. . .this cage? This prison? This trap?
No. Absolutely not. Mother may not have a life to live but I do; I'm going to see those lights.
And so, with my mind set on that, I stood up and climbed the staircase to my room so fast I startled Pascal, who looked a bit confused for a sec before following me up.
Inside my room, I grabbed three dresses from my closet, some paints and brushes, threw them on my bed cover, and knotted said bed cover into a makeshift bag.
Pascal scaled up the nightstand, watching me intently and still confused at what I was doing.
"Pascal, we're leaving. . .without Mother." I explained, not taking my eyes off packing. I didn't see his expression, but if I had to guess, his mouth probably dropped to the floor.
I then swung the blanket/bag over my shoulder, marched downstairs, and opened the window shutters to slide down. But then I thought. . .what am I doing? I'm going to the outside world filled with scary, horrible creatures and all I'm bringing is a bag of clothes and a chameleon? Leaving was already crazy and reckless in itself, but that would be suicide. I needed a weapon; something big, something tough, but what?
I went back to the kitchen and searched the drawers for anything I could use. Spoons? Yeah, right. Forks? Pointy, but too small. A frying pan? Hmmm. . .it's perfect!
My weapon at hand, my bag over my shoulder, and with Pascal at my side, I threw my hair onto the hook outside and looked back into the tower for the last time. This was my home, but not anymore. I feel no desire for a life in a tower. Have I ever had?
"Goodbye Mother." I said before sliding down to the green, grassy earth.
The Snuggly Duckling, Flynn Rider's POV
"Half a million pounds?" said Jack Stabbington (a.k.a Sideburns) in disbelief. His brother, Wade (a.k.a Eye patch), sat next to him on a bar stool, his mouth hung open, at one of the only pubs outside the capital city. "For the lost princess crown?" Jack finished.
I nodded, grinning like an idiot. It was actually one million but if I was gonna split the money between us, it was probably best they didn't know about the rest. Hey, half a mil is a huge amount of money though.
After my little chat with the clients, who by the way gave me just a week to accomplish my theft, I had to get started on my work. . .like, right away. And I was gonna need help, and a lot of it.
So it was only natural I call up the Stabbington Bros. the toughest, meanest thieves in Corona. In the 'hierarchy' as we in the criminal underworld like to call it, I was thief numero Uno. . .and the Stabbingtons were a close two and three behind. But they're actually not that bad, yes yes they're criminals, but so what? We had actually worked on quite a few jobs together over the years; they were the muscle and I was the stealth, and we had made good money together. They were one of the few people I trusted, not trusted trusted but it's as close as I'll ever get to. Except this job, was on a whole other level.
Jack shook his head before taking a swing of beer, "No way, Rider. This deal can't be legit. Nobody's got that kinda money that ain't royalty or close to it."
"It's legit Jack," I replied with a swing of my own, "And I don't think he's close to our royalty. Most likely a forgeiner, and he said whoever he's working for is very interested in it. I'd trade in my own good looks for that kinda gold."
He snickered. "As much as we'd love for you to lose your complexion Rider, you of all people should know what happened before. Six times some smug bastard's tried to steal that crown, and six times that bastard's wind up hanging by a rope the next day. It might not be worth it this time."
Oh, I knew the stories alright, I knew 'em well. The first two times were the closest, they had actually had the crown in hand before getting caught, and the four that followed died trying. They said that the crown is locked up underneath the palace, behind 6 inch thick metal walls, booby traps that'll slice you to pieces, animals that'll tear the flesh of a anything that moves, and more. It was a good story to tell and has been scaring off thieves for over five years, when the last attempt was made. The King of Corona has made it sure no one would dare to even try to take the last thing he has left of his daughter, the Lost Princess crown.
The royal family was a sad story, losing a child to kidnapping but I didn't give a damn. I lived and fought in a rundown, crappy orphanage my childhood and you don't see anyone weeping for me, not that I wanted them to.
"You're saying it's not worth it to earn enough money to disappear forever?" I challenged.
"You know I didn't say that, stop twisting my words." He challenged back.
I huffed, "Think about it, we keep doing the jobs we do, how far will it get us? Just enough to eat, drink, and enjoy ourselves for a few months. We do this job and leave the kingdom, our whole lives will be made." I then leaned in a little closer for dramatic effect, "We could go to wherever and be whoever we wanna be, and you're telling me a shot at that isn't worth it?"
Jack sighed conflicted and took another drink. He looked to his brother Wade, who offered a nod and a lopsided grin in response. Wade is a tough case, he's kind of a mute but no one really knows for sure, and if Jack knows he doesn't share. Point is he doesn't talk much but when he gives any kind of response, it gets to Jack.
He sighed again and looked back at me. "We're in."
I smirked and tapped my glass against his, "Pleasure doing business with ya, but I gotta run." I said finishing my drink and walking away.
A/N: So, what do ya think? Tell me in a REVIEW, ok?