Back again! I can't believe I actually remember to update on Mondays. It's an incredible privledge for all you readers.
I would like to give a special shout out to some reviewers. I was being rather whiney in my last authors note, but you were all so supportive and caring. It warmed my heart immensely. First goes to BrittneyluvsChrist, who was all over this story like ugly on an ape. :) Thanks for that. Umbre0n is next on my list: Thanks for the positive feedback! TheVampireChickWithNoFangz, you are amazing. Enough said. Your reviews got me out of bed in the morning. :D Lissa Salvatore, you're pretty awesome too. :D
Now, you all deserve an extra long chapter for your support. Enjoy!
I swear when I grow up I won't just buy you a rose
I will buy the flower shop, and you will never be lonely
For even if the sun stops waking up over the fields
I will not leave, I will not leave 'til it's on time
So just take my hand, you know that I will never leave your side
"Blondie!" I called, looking briefly in a passing room before moving on. "Rapunzel!" I yelled again, listening carefully for a response or any indication of her whereabouts. I had a surprise for her, for our one year anniversary, and yet I hadn't seen her since breakfast that morning. It was just starting to worry me.
"Rapun- oh!" I halted quickly, seeing her father right in front of me.
The man was intimidating, that was for sure, but in the past year we've seen eye to eye on many subjects, which lead to our mutual respect for one another. But I don't think he appreciated the way I was summoning Rapunzel, if his scowl was anything to go by.
"Mr. Fitzherbert," He greeted calmly, while I winced. We were definitely on a first name basis, so the formalities meant I was in trouble. "If you're done with your rambunctious behavior, may I suggest looking for Rapunzel in the library? It's a much quieter setting there." The implication was clear. Shut my damn mouth.
I winced again, apologies already spilling out of my mouth.
"No need. Just see to her." He dismissed me as he walked past me, hands clasped behind his back. I watched him for a minute, admiring the confidence and absolute power the man strolled with before taking his advice and heading toward the castle library. It wasn't uncommon for Rapunzel to pass days in the library, reading everything she felt she missed out on in the first eighteen years of her life. I smiled at her endurance as I turned the corner that led me to the massive wooden doors of the library.
Taking a breath, I quickly straightened my vest and pushed my hair back before pushing the doors open. Looking around, I immediately knew that she was in her nook of the library, the one near the fire place, giant window, and the fiction novels. The one that I had found and claimed and she had stolen from me with her feminine willies.
I took my time going over there, trying to figure out how I was going to get her to come to town with me without her becoming too suspicious. It was going to be difficult due to her natural curiosity, but I prided myself in my smooth talking.
When I came across her reading space, I watched her for a minute, thanking fate and destiny for bringing me to her tower a year ago. She was contorted in an arm chair, almost indecently by the way her dress rode up her legs. One leg was over an armrest, bouncing slightly in an irregular pattern, while the other stretched up the back of the chair. Her brown hair, which had stayed at a short length, looked comical as she read upside down. The book was held in front of her face, keeping me hidden while I took in the rest of her surroundings. There was a stack of books near the chair, teetering slightly. A tray with the makings for tea had been completely ignored for the cup hadn't even been turned over. This was typical of Rapunzel when she went on a reading rampage. She often forgot to take care of herself in light of all her new knowledge.
I cleared my throat, stepping forward as she relaxed her arms, holding the book while she let it drop against the floor. Her eyebrows screwed in confusion before her expression cleared into a smile when she realized it was me.
"Eugene!" she exclaimed, twisting gracefully so she was kneeling on the arm chair. I walked up to her, wrapping her in my arms briefly before pulling away. I nodded toward the stack of books, smiling.
"Been busy?" I asked lightly, enjoying the way she never kept her hands to herself, her fingertips running along my jaw. She only nodded, seemingly lost in her thoughts.
"I have a surprise for you." I tried again.
That got a reaction.
"You didn't have to do that." She said, but her smile still brightened along with her curiosity in her eyes at the prospect.
"I know, but I wanted to do something for our anniversary." I murmured. As soon as I said that though, she was pulling away from me, her eyes wide with what looked like embarrassment.
"What's wrong, Blondie?" I asked, surprised at her reaction. I knew she had forgotten, but it didn't bother me the slightest. I had barely remembered myself, so I wasn't going to hold it against her.
"Oh my...I'm so sorry, Eugene. I completely forgot, I didn't even realise that's why you were here...I'm sorry." Her voice broke how it did when she was on the verge of tears. I looked at her, alarmed to see that indeed tears were in her eyes.
"Rapunzel," I started, quickly manoeuvring us so we sat in the chair together, her sitting on my lap. "It's okay, I know, but I'm not upset. So you don't have to be." She only looked at me, her lower lip sticking out slightly. "I don't blame you, there are a bit more important things going on in your life right now."
"But that's still no excuse for me forgetting."
I shrugged.
"I think it's a perfectly reasonable excuse. But now, we can celebrate it together, since we both are aware that it's today."
"But I forgot, just because I was caught up in a book! Doesn't that frustrate you? Doesn't it get on your nerves?!"
"I don't understand Rapunzel." I started slowly, carefully. "Why would that bother me?" My precautions were a waste, for in the next instant she scrambled off my lap to start pacing in front of the chair.
"That my mind is so far gone that I can't even remember the anniversary of one of the most important dates of my life!" Her hands moved expressively as I watched her presentation in silence. "After everything you've done for me Eugene, and I still can't keep facts that are relevant to us in order!" She started running a hand through her hair roughly, a replacement habit to fiddling with a piece of her longer hair. "Ask me anything about the history of Corona and I can riddle off important occasions without even thinking about it, but when I have to remember the day that I finally had all my dreams come true after eighteen years of waiting, I'm left completely blank! It's unfair to you, Eugene! I don't know how you manage to put up with all of my...inconsistencies, but it has to be a trying affair."
"Rapunzel, I didn't fall in love with your sense of order and regularity. I fell in love with your curiosity and courage. And if that means week-long reading sessions, that's okay with me."
"But that's not what you were expecting was it!?"
"Actually, based on the time we spent at the book store on your eighteenth -"
She continued like I hadn't spoken.
"No! It wasn't! And I see how the other ladies of the castle look at you, and they are all eligible and pretty..." she finally stopped moving to face me, setting her shoulders and swallowing hard. "If you feel like you'd rather find someone that was more interesting, I'd wish you all the best and happiness."
I was stunned. That's what she's been stewing on this whole time? I could tell it pained her to say that, the way her voice sounded shaky and how the tears that had left during her rant had reappeared. I couldn't believe that she was so selfless about the whole ordeal. She was giving me an out that I didn't need nor did want, even if that put her emotional state in ruins. She did it for my happiness and well being, even though it killed her to do it. Honestly, it was tearing me apart that I lead her to believe I wanted out of the relationship. Thinking about it, I should have known that her wonderful imagination would lead to this extreme conclusion. To leave her because she liked to read or forgot the date was outrageous. I didn't have a life without Rapunzel, ever since she tied me up with her hair and forced me to act as her guide.
It took me a minute to process all of this, and realize that I would have to put all of her worries at ease. I kept my eyes on her as pushed myself out of the arm chair, staying at her eye level. She refused to meet my eyes though, looking at the ground with her arms folded tightly in front of her chest. I tilted her chin up, losing myself in the rich green of her irises, looking carefully for the emotion I wanted.
"Do you want me to leave Rapunzel?" I asked, searching her eyes.
"If you want to, I won't stop you-"
"That's not what I asked." I cut her off, waiting for her reply.
She looked in my eyes with fervor, while I watched the conflict in hers. I watched the battle, satisfied when her selfishness won.
"No." She whispered.
"Then I don't want to leave."
I held her eyes a bit longer, hoping that sincerity was apparent in mine.
She nodded slowly before wrapping her arms around my neck and burrowing her face in my neck. I shivered slightly as her breath tickled my skin, but smiled all the same.
"I'm glad that's settled then." I mumbled in her ear. She pulled back, bringing a hand to rest on my face gently.
"I still feel rotten for forgetting." She smiled uncertainly, traces of doubt still in her eyes.
"Well, let's go see the surprise, and then I'll let you know if there's any way you can redeem yourself afterwards." I told her, smirking at her. She quickly got the idea I was implying before rolling her eyes and removing her hand to take one of mine. She allowed me to lead her out of the nook, the library, and eventually the castle grounds towards the town.
"Where are you taking me?" she wondered aloud as we strolled along, smiling at the happy townsfolk.
"You'll see."
When we approached our destination, I stopped us both, tossing a coin to a vendor selling scarves to the side of us. Rapunzel and the vendor looked at me in curiosity.
"I'll return it, but just for insurance" I said to the happy man behind the counter. I'm sure he didn't mind business from the princess of Corona.
"Now Blondie," I said, moving behind her while I carefully folded the scarf. When it was in a long strip, wide enough to cover her doll eyes, I tied it around her head, careful to not catch her hair in the knot. "I would ask you to close your eyes, but since you're a chronic cheater, I'm taking extra precautions."
"That was one time, and you weren't holding your cards up. It was impossible not to see your hand." She huffed. I smirked, knowing that would be her reaction.
"Nevertheless," I breathed as I finished the knot.
I stepped in front of her, taking both of her hands in mine. I lead her forward, looking behind me every few steps to avoid a collision.
"That's it, now we're coming up to a step..." she trusted me easily, listening attentively to my instructions. I knew that as soon as we crossed the threshold of the building, she would know where we are from her remaining senses, but it was still fun to keep it a surprise as long as possible.
The bell above the door rung gently, signalling our arrival.
I moved behind her once again to undo the knot, letting the blind slip away from her eyes. Her gasp was one I cherished, knowing that I did something right.
"It's surprising what the folk around here will help you with, especially when you say it's for the princess." She didn't answer, but moved closer to what I helped create for her.
The flower shop, which for today's purposes, was converted to have the floor bare of any stalls holding the plants. In the space the store provided was a collage of the most brightly coloured flowers, arranged to look like her tower, the lanterns, and even Pascal and Maximus. I left me and her out, because it was proven very difficult to make humans out of flowers. It was abstract but fit Rapunzel's taste perfectly.
I watched with pride as she walked around it, crouching in places to touch the petals, twisting her head this way and that to get the whole effect of the mosaic-like project.
"Eugene, it's incredible!" she said in a hushed tone, looking at me with a giant smile. "I can't believe you did this for me!"
I was surprised for the sudden attack, but caught her all the same, enveloping her in my arms as she nearly choked me with her tight hug. She eventually let go, but I held her close. Smiling at her, I told her the second part of the gift, if she chose to accept it.
"Now, flowers don't last forever, unfortunately, but I think I might have a solution. But you would have to do all the work."
She turned in my arms, leaning against me as we both looked at the assortment of flowers.
"What do you want me to do? Paint it?" she wondered aloud.
"Exactly."
"What?! But what about the store? They'll still want to sell other flowers! I can't interrupt their livelihoods for a bit of leisure."
"It's all taken care of. The owner was happy to allow you in here whenever you would like, but he suggests the morning when the light is the best." I didn't need to tell her that he was on a paid vacation by yours truly. "You can set up an easel, I'll help bring your paints here, and you can spend as long as you want. Though, there isn't too much time before the flowers wilt. But I'm sure you can do it."
She turned in my arms again, pulling at my lapels for me to bend down. Our noses touching, she grinned again.
"Thank you, Eugene, for the best anniversary present ever." Then she was kissing me just like in the tower after I died. I grinned before reciprocating, very happy, and very in love with the girl in my arms.
"Oh, and one more thing." I said, pulling away and leading her to the backroom of the flower shop. The yipping gave away the last surprise, and I heard Rapunzel squeal in delight.
"For you." I said, scooping up the puppy in my arms and turning around. "So you will never be lonely." Rapunzel was instantly taken to him, rubbing his soft fluffy ears and cooing. The dog reciprocated, giving her sloppy kisses with his tongue.
"What's its name?" she asked, still looking at the puppy rather than me.
"It's a he, and I thought you would like to name him."
"We should name him after something special in our life...one of the pub thugs perhaps?"
"Not Hookhand. That's a terrible name for a dog."
"Ulf?"
"No."
"Atilla?"
"The cupcake maker? Pass."
"We're not naming him Bruiser or Killer. He's too cute for a violent name."
"Fang?"
"No! He has little puppy teeth!"
"Vladimir." We said together, smiling in agreement.
"It's perfect." She said, petting the dog once again.
"We'll bring him back to the castle now, so he can get used to it."
Rapunzel stretched on her tippy toes to reach my lips, and I kissed her back. There was a bark between us and we broke apart laughing.
Rapunzel wanted to start the painting immediately, hoping to catch all the brilliant colours while they were still healthy and to introduce Vladimir to her parents. I grabbed a length of rope that I had been using as a leash, tying it around the puppy's neck gently. We set out back to the castle, but not before I returned the scarf to the merchant and told him to keep the coin. I smirked as I watched Rapunzel take off ahead of me. One day, I would be back to buy a scarf to be used for...different intentions, maybe for next year's anniversary.
Hope it makes up for the lousy chapters before. I mean, they had no meat on them. This was like a whale with all the blubber in it. :)
I would also like to say I won't be giving shout outs to reviews on every chapter, but hopefully it will be happen again as this story progresses. As always, review, but I won't feel too bad if you don't. I was spoiled with love before. :) But then again, this is a pretty great chapter, with lots of stuff going on... ;) Do as your please, I'll be leaving you now.
Love, Ella.