A.N. Sorry for posting this chapter so late. I have two papers due next week so I can't promise any immediate updates though I do hope to have more out soon. For now, I hope you enjoy this first chapter of their journey.
Thank you to everyone who has continued to review and support my little endeavour. I appreciate your words of inspirational cheer.
Big thanks to Wheels4theOneTrueGoddess (it is the same Vincent), Liliththestormgoddess (I hope this is worth the wait), lamentedfyre (love the name and thank you), Gingery Good Wampi (more as wanted), and Elizabeth (hope it lives up to expectations).
And now, read on…
Chapter Fifteen:
Things did not start off as smoothly as Eugene had hoped. There were a number of factors that played into this. For one, Vincent refused to push the horses past a slow gallop, worried that their energy would be drained from them too quickly. Though his reasoning made sense, it angered Eugene to realize that this would greatly slow their progress. They had little time as it was already.
The second deterrent occurred hardly an hour outside Corona while traversing down a rather rugged ravine. Among the damp rocks, one of the steeds—a chestnut mare—lost its footing and tumbled down the way. Though both horse and rider—a young guard known as Eilos—were not seriously injured, the steed had fallen victim to a thrown shoe while Eilos suffered from a nasty cut along his forehead. They'd wasted precious time considering what should be done about it. Unwilling to send the two off on their own, Vincent had let loose another guard to accompany them to a nearby village where they could be taken care of. And just like that, their group had been whittled down to just six.
Thirdly, the choice to descend into the ravine had been a poor one on their part and they found it a difficult task to make it out, worrying over the horses as they struggled to get a grip on the craggy terrain. Forced to dismount—save for Rapunzel—they had attempted to lead the horses up the path, guiding them to safety. In the end, they succeeded, though not without a few scrapes and bruises.
The last point of hindrance came later in the day. They had not gotten as far as they should have. After the ordeal in the ravine, they had chosen to circumvent the particularly boggy areas of the forest and with the downed dam—a painful place of remembrance—proving impossible to pass through, it was a miracle that they were even this far. Still, it frustrated Eugene that darkness would find them only a few hours outside of Corona.
Crossing into a rather dense area of the forest, they were called to a halt by a boisterous voice.
"Halt ye who pass! You've come to my realm now. You must pay for your safe passage."
Vincent eagerly drew his sword. He was in no mood to suffer fools. "Come face us coward if you wish to receive your due."
Eugene could only smile with sly knowing, his anxiety momentarily dissipating as the voice rang with familiarity. From the shadows of the trees, a large form came forth, breaking through the thicket. As Hook Hand came into sight, Rapunzel began to laugh, prompting Eugene to do the same. "Quite an entrance."
"It's to keep you sharp," Hook Hand explained as he eyed the band before him. "Hello, Rapunzel," he called out to the girl, giving a quick bow. "What are you doing fraternizing with this lost?"
Vincent interjected before Rapunzel could hope to respond. "We're on a precious mission and you will do well to move from the path." He ordered Maximus forward, but the horse did not move, angling his head in Eugene's direction, waiting for him to provide his own judgement.
Hook Hand too was staring intently at the pair above their own white steed, ignoring Vincent and his complaints. "Anything I can help with?"
Eugene shook his head, but before he could voice his negation, Rapunzel turned to him with wide eyes. "Maybe we could get some of the thugs to help us," she suggested eagerly, not taking care to keep her voice down. "We can't be too far off from the Snuggly Duckling."
"Only a few feet," Hook Hand piped up. "I think that's a mighty fine idea, princess."
Eugene did not think the same. Ignoring the thug's sudden willingness, he tried to persuade Rapunzel otherwise. "We don't have time and we're too many already. We're wasting time just standing here." He looked to Vincent for help, knowing that—despite the past—their purpose now was the same.
"Rider's right," he said grimly, spitting out the words as if they tasted vile in his mouth. "This will not do. We must continue your highness."
Rapunzel fell to contemplative silence, and as she did, Eugene knew that she would not withdraw her suggestion. Falling to a soft whisper, she confided to Eugene. "It won't take long and what's a few more men when we've lost two already. They're strong and trustworthy. We might need their help when facing an obstacle later. I would feel better if we did."
He wanted to say no; he should have refused. But her logic was compelling, her eyes even more so. "A small detour then," he declared half-heartedly.
Grumbling antagonistically, Vincent forced Maximus around the group to bring him face to face with Eugene. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Rapunzel's right," he responded, trying to remain calm while Vincent's eyes threw daggers. "We might need more help and, besides, these men know the forest than us all. They could prove to be helpful in guiding us through. It won't take long and we'll be off again no slower than before. It's what Rapunzel wants."
Vincent's tongue was held as Rapunzel's persuasive gaze fell imploringly on Vincent. The guard could not refuse her either, and signed resignedly before agreeing.
The group followed Hook Hand at a quick pace. The thug seemed to walk with great speed as if taking care to respect their time limit. Keeping stride with him, Eugene told Hook Hand of their purpose. Hearing of the fate that had befallen Rapunzel he made a great promise to ensure she reach the fountain in time without injury.
Mumbling a thank you, Rapunzel leaned over the horse to place a kiss on his bald head just as the Snuggly Duckling came into view.
While Vincent, Devon and the guards waited outside, Eugene and Rapunzel followed Hook Hand into the familiar establishment. There, they were met with warm greetings of welcome by all those present.
It took longer for them to choose from the number then Eugene had anticipated. As the minutes flew by, Eugene grew ever more anxious, hoping to be gone from this place as soon as possible. There were many more miles that he wanted to go before having to stop for the night.
In the end, four chose to accompany them: Hook Hand, Big Nose, Vladimir and Attila. Large blokes, Eugene grinned with hope. Their sizes could very possibly prove invaluable in the near future. Their formidable statures should be enough to ward off any possible foes. Glad with this done, it was time to go.
The guards seemed slightly intimidated as the sight of these men, their mouths gaping open. Vincent bristled in anger while Devon only whistled, impressed.
"Well, you hardly have need for us with men such as these," the young lord claimed.
"My thoughts exactly," Eugene replied, wishing again that the blonde-haired boy had not volunteered for this mission.
Their group then complete, the band took off once more, the thugs lumbering at pace with the horses' quick strides.
D E S T I N I E S E N T W I N E D
Rapunzel could tell that Eugene was agitated. He would not admit to the truth of it, even when she asked him in quiet confidence, but ever since their brief pause as the Snuggly Duckling, he'd become sullenly pensive. She knew the reason for it too, knew that it was something weighing down on everyone's mind.
The sun setting quickly in the distance was a sign that their travels were nearing an end, for today at least. Night was nearly upon them, but they were not nearly as far from Corona as they should have been at this point. They had quickened their pace, but even then they'd found themselves scrambling through a rather thick undergrowth. This had caused them great pain with Vincent grumbling and Eugene remaining in dark silence.
She was tired. Exhaustion was settling upon her, but she did not say the like to Eugene. For almost an hour, she'd felt the tiredness rising through her. As the pastel colours of the sky grew dark, she began to long for sleep, fighting the urge to fall to dreams.
Eugene was more perceptive that she had given him credit for, and soon came to recognize the signs of a drifting traveler. "You're getting tired." It was a statement, not a question, his voice gentle and worn with care.
She shook her head. "I can keep going," she assured him, hopeful that the lie would stick. "Night's not here quite yet."
"But almost," Eugene mused aloud. Turning to their companions, he raised his voice. "I think we should stop soon. We haven't gotten far, but if we sleep early, then we can start even earlier tomorrow. If we reach the base of the mountains before next eve, I'll be content."
Vincent did not stop as he pondered the suggestion with uncertainty. He relented only as he perceived Rapunzel's nodding head. "There's a small clearing not far from here. We can settle there."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
With added vigour, the group continued on, reaching the patch within the half hour. Dismounting, Eugene helped Rapunzel down. Her legs trembled slightly upon the ground and she stumbled into Eugene's arms. He held fast to her as their eyes came to meet in sudden union. His hand upon her back rested there in comfortable belonging, lifting her up. Her stomach churned and for a moment she forgot the others around her. Reaching out, she pressed a hand to his cheek, cupping it softly, while the other clung to his arm. Eugene too seemed momentarily lost as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips.
"Ahem!"
Rapunzel nearly fell again as they were called apart by Vincent's jarring voice. Glancing at the others, she could see the guards averting their gazes sheepishly. The thugs meanwhile were grinning broadly in excitement, their eyes aglow. Devon alone held an expression of wonderment, the amazement in his eyes just a little unsettling.
Eugene pulled her up once more before quickly releasing her. "Sorry," he mumbled as he created a distance between them.
She watched him with wishful eyes, but was held back by Vincent's sudden appearance at her side. "Why don't you rest here, princess," he offered, throwing a blanket over a nearby rock, "while we tend to the horses and prepare camp?"
"I've been sitting for too long, Vincent," she explained gently, aware then of a dark look in his eyes as he turned to face Eugene. There was something terribly wrong between the two men, something she could not yet understanding, something she was not sure she even wanted to.
Maximus came to stand beside her as she watched the men in their business. She leaned against his powerful frame, one hand stroking the side of his face. He whinnied in appreciation, rubbing his face against her cheek.
"I'm glad you came, Maximus," she told him gently.
He neighed in response as Pascal clambered up to her shoulder, looking at her expectantly.
"Of course I'm glad you came too, Pascal," she assured the chameleon, her smile wearied and lacking its normal heart.
Pascal and Maximus shared a quick glance of concern, one that did not go unnoticed by Rapunzel though she feigned pretence that she had not. Words left unsaid they stood in companionable silence, watching the others.
Rapunzel's gaze remained—for the most part—fixated on Eugene as he toiled away at erecting a tent. He seemed extremely capable in such a task, deftly hitching the canvas over the poles already hammered into the ground. Noticing her watching, he glanced in her direction and lent her a rueful smile before continuing in his chore.
"Is everything alright, Rapunzel?" Devon appeared before her, cutting off her view of Eugene. It irritated her ever so slightly, though she resigned the sensation as Devon's kind persona won her over.
"Yes, it is, thank you," she replied generously. "And thank you for coming."
"I would have been remiss to see you part so suddenly," he spoke in a flattering manner, his tone richly deep. "I want to be of help to you in whatever way possible."
Rapunzel nodded. "You've been nothing but a help." She and Devon had only shared one conversation together, though it had lasted an entire afternoon during which she had described her own past with precise detail. Devon had yet to share any of his stories with her. She decided to pursue the topic as she waited. "Your parents must miss you terribly."
"Not at all," Devon countered, his smile losing its lustre. "My life has been a series of long sojourns to neighbouring counties. I have visited Corona a great number of times before, though this is the first time I find myself in such stimulating company." He gestured primarily at the gathered thugs. "My parents possess a great fortune, though it is nothing when held in comparison to your parents. I've lived my life meeting people of similar wealth and sometimes even wealthier circumstances than that of my parents. From a young age I was thrown into society to gain recognition."
"Why?" Rapunzel questioned; her own knowledge on this subject vastly limited. She was intrigued by the description he presented her with
"Because such is the way of nobility." The response he granted her sounded grave. "We marry for wealth, and to protect our fortunes, not for love. We live among people like ourselves and forego any mingling with the likes of peasants and thieves."
His last word seemed an attack, and she glanced uneasily towards Eugene. He was watching Devon's back with damning eyes. "It's strange. It sounds cruel, to marry for anything but love." What little she knew of marriage came from a series of plays by a man named William Shakespeare, particularly Romeo and Juliet, a story of forbidden love that still made her heart ache. Was that what she had with Eugene?
"It is, but that's life. We deal with such truths." He paused reflectively. "I have a sister, younger than myself, perhaps a year older than you. This past year she was married to a man ten years her senior because his wealth was superior to our own, he could offer her security and the match was deemed favourable by both families. She has no feelings for him, and he likes her no more than the dogs that follow in his stride. It was her duty to enter into marriage. One day, it will be yours."
Pascal squeaked angrily upon her shoulder, but she made no attempt to silence him. There was something foreboding about that last statement. She was saved the pain of providing a response when Eugene intervened suddenly. "The tent's ready for you."
"Thank you," she whispered; her gratitude deeper than the ability to rest her tired limbs. She bid Devon a good evening and well wishes for pleasant sleep.
He returned the gestured, pressing her hand to his lips. "Gentle dreams be yours."
She bid Max goodnight too before allowing Eugene to steer her to the canvas where she would rest her head for the night.
A thicket of blankets lined the floor where she would sleep, two pillows stacked for her head.
"It won't be the most comfortable, but it'll have to do," Eugene apologized.
She threw her arms around him. "It's perfect, thank you." She placed a kiss on his cheek before crawling inside. There was some warmth to be found within and she sighed contentedly, suddenly aware of the chill of the outside air. "Are you coming in?"
He shook his head, trying to fight a smile, as he knelt at the opening. "No, I can't. I'll wake you in the morning. Is there anything you need? Are you hungry?"
She assured him there was nothing else she needed, that she had eaten enough on the road and then fell to contemplative silence. A truth had fallen upon her during the course of their journey. She told it to Eugene now. "It's close."
He nodded knowingly. "I didn't want to say, but I did notice. Does it bother you?"
"No. I actually want to see it." Her prison for eighteen years, the tower had also been her home. Feeling its presence near she wished to look upon it, to show it how she had changed within a week, and to see if it had changed too. "Is that wrong?"
Eugene did not respond immediately as Vincent called for him. Shouting back a wish for 'just a moment', he returned his gaze to Rapunzel. "I don't think it is. Maybe we'll stop on our way back."
"That would be nice."
Vincent called again and Eugene sighed heavily. "I should go. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," she whispered longing as his form disappeared. Falling back upon her makeshift bed, she expected sleep to claim her quickly. It did not.
D E S T I N I E S E N T W I N E D
The decision had been made that two men would stand guard for two hours at a time. They were an uneven nine, and so Lord Devon was elected to sit out though he protested the fact. It was Vincent's fervent insistence that finally persuaded him. Eugene would not have minded the chance to rest, but he did not argue as each man was paired with a thug. Eugene and Hook Hand were chosen to take the second shift following Vincent and Attila.
He could not sleep those first two hours as he waited for his shift to begin. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of tomorrow's trek and a desperate urge to increase their pace. He relished in the moment when the switch was made despite Vincent kicking him roughly in the leg.
"Your turn," the man grumbled, the lines under his eyes calling out his own weariness.
Eugene stood quickly, feeling the soreness of his body from lying on the cool ground. He glanced towards Rapunzel's tent, hoping she was at least far away from the worries of the day. He would learn only later that she was not.
"Anything out of the ordinary?"
Vincent shook his head, giving only a monosyllabic reply. "No."
"Vincent…"
The guard gave him no chance to speak as he stormed away in silent anger. Eugene watched him go. There were reparations to be made here, a task he had little hope of achieving in the next few days. How could he ever make amends for the mistake he had made?
Hook Hand was waiting for him on an upturned branch facing eastwards. Eugene sat down beside him, taking sentry over the west.
"So, how's living in the palace?" Hook Hand enquired as the first few minutes of their shift passed painfully slow.
"Not so great," Eugene admitted. "I feel like a pariah most of the time. Vincent hates my guts and I'm pretty sure the king would prefer to see Rapunzel courted by his lordship than by someone like me."
Hook Hand grimaced sympathetically. "At least she loves you."
Eugene was not so optimistic. "Who knows how long that will last," he said with sudden dark brooding, thinking on Vincent's threat, though he made no mention of it to Hook Hand. "After we've saved her, she'll be met by a variety of gentlemen who can offer her the world. I'm nothing compared to them. I keep thinking that I'm not good enough for her. And it certainly doesn't help that Vincent despises me."
He had not meant to say that, though his frustration on the point was grave, and Hook Hand was not blind to the truth of it. "And why does he hate you so much?"
The truth was not an answer Eugene wanted to give, but the thought of telling another human being seemed suddenly the best way of relieving some of his burden. "Because I killed his daughter."
A silence fell over them as Hook Hand considered his words. He was judging him, and suddenly Eugene wished he had not spoken so candidly.
"It was an accident, though?" Hook Hand's eyes were not rife with disgust as Eugene had anticipated. They perceived him instead in sharp trust. "You didn't mean to?"
"No, I even went back to try…there was a fire. I had lit a candle and it must have fallen and caught and the girl…I thought she was alive…I…" He found himself incapable of continuing in this manner. "Vincent won't hear a word of it," he finished solemnly.
"And Rapunzel doesn't know?"
Eugene shook his head. "Not yet, but I will tell her after all this, before he can."
They said nothing more on the subject, Hook Hand realizing the gravity of the matter, and they fell to unsettling silence. It held for most of their shift until a loud cracking sound echoed from the right.
Eugene stood up, his attention rapt as he reached for his weapon of choice—a frying pan. He gripped it tightly while Hook Hand reached for his axe. They moved forward, pursuing the sound that had now died on the wind.
As they broke through the undergrowth they found nothing to report on. Determined it had been a passing animal they returned to their posts to wait out the rest of the hour. As they did, Eugene threw one glance at Rapunzel's tent glad to see that nothing was out of order, though his stomach churned with some worry.
The next guard, a heavier man named Drewler, stood with Big Nose as Hook Hand and Eugene settled to sleep through what little was left of the night
Sitting in the cold grass, Eugene glanced again at Rapunzel's tent, still unable to shake the feeling in his gut. Slowly, he crept to the opening and knelt down to peer inside.
She was gone.
D E S T I N I E S E N T W I N E D
It took her longer than she had thought to reach the fern covered alcove that had long separated her tower from the rest of the world. Standing before it, her heart hammered anxiously in her chest. She did not know why she felt as she did, could not understand the clamminess of her palms as she pushed aside the falling vegetation and entered the dark passage. There was nothing to fear here. It had taken an escaping thief to find her when eighteen years had been spent roaming the forest in desperate attempt to find her. There could be no one there, secluded from the world as it was. And yet she could feel a presence here, a dark one that beckoned to her, that had been beckoning for her since she'd approached its walls.
Gothel?
The tower rose up before her, its sight a welcomed one that relieved the pressure of her heart, dispelling her sense of uncertainty. Here was home. She had not wanted to admit it to Eugene, but during her week at the palace she had come to experience feelings of an unpleasant nature that she had never known here. Many times she had wondered if her life would have been simpler if she had never sought to escape the boredom of her days, though the happiness meeting Eugene and her parents had been stronger than anything she'd ever felt here. Life was better now, but a small part of her still missed this place, still wished for the simplicity of the time.
Placing a hand upon the cold brick, a shiver raced up her spine. She could still feel Gothel here, like an unsettled spirit, but it did not attack her with malevolence. It was just there as a reminder of the life she had led, a reminder that there was no such thing as a perfect world.
"I'm dying," she whispered to the unmoving stone. Her heart was heavy with the thought. Today, it had sunk on her with absolute clarity that she was fading away. She could feel it in a way she had not before, and it terrified her.
It offered her no reply or condolences as its form remained still even in the blowing wind.
She sighed resignedly, letting her back slide against it, settling into the grass at is base. She did not know what she had expected to find here. Whatever it was, she had not found it. But she had no energy to return and she believed that she would sleep here better than she would have in the camp.
Her head rested back against the cold brick, and her eyes closed to the world, hoping that sleep would come.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed before her, the grass giving way to the added weight. Her eyes shot open in unexpected fear, only for relief to flood through her as she recognized Eugene.
"I thought I'd find you here. You had me worried."
Her expression transformed to one of guilt. "I wasn't running away. I couldn't sleep and I thought I would find some rest here."
"You should have told me," he chided her gently as he knelt down before her. "Instead of trying to distract us and then running off. I'm impressed actually."
She could not help her pleased smile. She had thrown the stone to create a noise. It had worked, drawing Eugene and Hook Hand away from their post just long enough for her to slip away unnoticed. "How did you realize I was gone?"
"I had a feeling something wasn't quite right," he told her, and took her hand then in his. "We should head back to camp, Rapunzel."
She shook her head firmly. "Not yet. Sit with me." Her hand fell upon the patch of grass to her right. "Please."
He relented after a brief pause, his body pressing against her own, their hands entangled as they sat for a few moments in pure silence.
"Do you miss living here?"
His question came quietly, fading easily on the wind.
She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Sometimes," she replied honestly. "But not much. I'm happy to be with you."
He pressed his lips to the top of her head. "This tower was supposed to be my hideout. Your crown was supposed to change my luck. Fate works in funny ways."
"I thought you were a monster the first time I saw you," Rapunzel told him as she reminisced on their first meeting, "but your teeth weren't pointy."
He laughed. "When I first saw all that hair…I thought you were crazy. Who ties a man up with their hair? And then you hit me with the frying man. Multiple times!"
Rapunzel laughed. "And you thought you could distract me with your ridiculous smoulder."
"Hey!" Eugene cried, feigning injury. "Don't attack the smoulder."
Rapunzel giggled even louder as she glanced up, her eyes meeting Eugene's. "I made you think it couldn't work on me, but I was lying. I thought you were the cutest man I'd ever seen."
"I was the first man you ever saw," Eugene reminded her, suddenly looking distraught. He forced a smile, but it faltered.
Frowning, Rapunzel leaned forward to place a kiss on his lips. A tender peck, she ran a hand through his thick locks of hair. "I still love you," she told him firmly. "No one can change that."
"You can't know that." There was a resigned tone in Eugene's voice
Distressed, Rapunzel pulled away. "Why are you saying that?" She was deeply bothered by the defeatist nature Eugene had assumed. "Is it because you don't trust me, because of Devon, or is it because you don't love me anymore?"
"Rapunzel." Eugene reached for her quickly, pulling her towards him as she attempted to back away. "You have to know that I love you more than anything. You have to." His eyes were pleading with her. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."
She consented as the feeling of his hands on her made her heart flutter with joy. Their lips collided as he wrapped her tight in a secure embrace, their bodies pressed together. He was cradling her with tender care, as if she was a fragile package. Her entire being felt aglow with passion as her hands became tangled in his hair, feeling as though the distance between them was still too great.
He moaned into her mouth as she slid against him. Carefully, he laid her on the floor, his torso lifted above hers as their kisses continued in fiery intent. She did not want this to end, this moment when there was nothing in the world but the two of them. The sky above them was dark, decked in glittering stars, but she did not notice as he became her sky, her stars, her world.
Too soon, he pulled away from her, grinning sheepishly. "I think…we should stop…" he panted heavily, his eyes reflecting some deep conflict she could not quite comprehend.
Frowning, she consented, allowing him to help her back up. Turning, she let her form sink into the contours of his torso, her head coming to rest on his shoulder, while he held to her fast. Her mind was empty of thoughts as happiness bloomed without interference in her drumming heart.
Blissfully content, she allowed sleep to conquer her, and as she slept, she dreamt only of Eugene.
A.N. So perhaps not so very exciting, but at least it's a happier ending than most have been lately. I had planned something a little less happy, but then decided to fit it into a later chapter—probably next one. If everything works out, this story will last only another nine chapters or so. It's so sad to think that it will end so soon, but I suppose you all think that it's about time :P
Please review to let me know what you think. I'm 11 reviews away from 150. Let's see if we can achieve such a ginormous task :D
Next chapter sees some real action, promise.