Well I know it's been ages but I have RL and then it first makes me not want to retreat into a fandom-world but then it gets too real and I REALLY need to retreat into a fandom world. Also I'm obsessed with the BBC Sherlock suddenly. YAY FOR OBSESSIONS.
Flynn Wanted
~15~
The King paces along a wall of thick iron bars while his wife stands against them, reaching through to clutch urgently at her daughter, running fingers across her face and through her hair, checking that she is real, unharmed and returned. The Princess seems untroubled by the cell in which she is imprisoned, and repeatedly claims to be fine and well, but the shock to her parents is a too strong to be so easily assuaged.
Though the Queen fusses and frets, the King does not speak for some time, musing carefully over his first words – the other occupants of the cell know they will be important.
"Well," he remarks at last, "this scene did not play out as I imagined it." There follows a moment of silence, in which neither the princess, her suitor, nor the unnamed young man accompanying them knows what to say.
"I... I can explain!" Rapunzel bursts suddenly, exploding with noise so suddenly her mother actually startles, drawing back her hands in surprise. "See, father," she continues, "what happened is that-"
"Let me explain," Eugene interrupts brashly, speaking straight over Rapunzel. "This is, uh, my buddy Francis. Well he's more of a... he's kinda like my... point is, he's not really a part of this," he babbles, right up until the point that he himself is interrupted.
"That's not true!" Francis chimes in with near-perfect timing, joining the others at the front of the cell, his freckled face jammed between bars in a somewhat unsettling fashion. "Don't listen to Eugene, I can explain everything, Your Highness!" he rushes. All three then try to say something at once, and it comes out as a jabbered wave – one which the King silences with one large palm raised high.
"Enough," he decrees, and they go mum. "To... simplify things, how about I ask the questions, and only the person addressed may answer. Does that seem tolerable?"
"... Yessir," comes a unified mumble from the occupants of the cell. With things a little more straightened out, the King turns his attention first and foremost to his daughter. He withdraws from an inside pocked a folded piece of paper, soft and faded from being read over many times.
"Are these words you left us true, child?" he inquires levelly. "Did you run away from home?" Through a wince, Rapunzel nods.
"I'm so sorry," she murmurs. "I just wanted to find Eugene, I was so worried... and... and I-"
"Shh," he hushes, but then the King is quiet for a moment, a long thoughtful breath emptying his chest. "We thought that there could be no greater pain than losing our child," he begins, turning to his wife and reaching for her, closing thick fingers around her arm as she lays her palm on top comfortingly. "This was not so," he continues. "To lose you again was worse."
Rapunzel looks as though she may cry, and Eugene's frustration is intolerable, he can't stand to see her unhappy, but he cannot defy the King, or his reasons. He knows how he would take it in their situation, and the opposing forces feel like they could pull him apart.
"Father, I... I'll never..." Rapunzel starts in a small, crushed voice; a voice of defeat and concession. Dread drops in Eugene's stomach, because he cannot see her broken, not like she almost was by Gothel. Before he is able to speak, though, the King interrupts.
"Stop, and listen well," he cuts in, no register of anger in his voice, but a deep and powerful authority. "If you promise to us that you will never run away again," he begins, and Eugene's throat tightens more, the words frighteningly reminiscent of ones spoken before, but the King continues unhesitatingly. "If you will promise this, in return, you have our consent to leave the castle whenever you wish."
"R-really?" Rapunzel says disbelievingly, and relief washes through Eugene. "You really mean... whenever I want? As many times as I want?"
"Only let us know that you plan to go," he replies. The King steps forwards and rests a finger under his daughter's chin through the bars, tilting her head up to look at him. "Will you promise?" Rapunzel squeezes her eyes shut and nods silently, two small words passing from her lips.
"I promise," she murmurs, and the deed is set.
"Good," the King replies. "Then I promise too." He leans forwards and presses a kiss against her forehead, then turns to his wife and nods. "Now, Eugene," he suddenly announces. "It is quite the fuss you've caused for us of recent."
"Uhh, I can explain?" he says weakly, more out of instinct than anything else. "Well... kinda."
"I would appreciate it," the King carries on oblivious to anything he's said, "if you didn't worry my daughter and give her cause to run away from home. You must be aware she would follow you to the ends of the world, so I would take that fact into consideration next time you depart on an adventure." Eugene turns to look at Rapunzel, who shrugs and bobs her head in confirmation.
"Uh, yes sir," he says awkwardly. "I'll... try?"
"See to it that you do," the King returns, and then without further questioning – much to Eugene and Rapunzel's surprise – he turns his attentions onto Francis. "Now, young man," he starts austerely. "I expect you have much to tell me." Francis sighs and looks down to the floor.
"I do, Your Highness," he starts humbly.
"First things first, I would beg your name."
"Well, my name is Francis..." the boy says quietly, "but, you may know me as... Flynn Rider."
"No!" Eugene cuts in, but the King bolts him with a stern look that silences him, Eugene tenses against the cell bars, his knuckles blanching and his teeth ground hard together. Rapunzel's hand closes around his wrist, and then she pushes up on her toes, bringing her mouth to his ear.
"It'll be okay," she whispers. "Please, Eugene. Just trust them." He knows that he has little other option, and reluctantly backs away from the front of the cell.
As Eugene slumps to the floor and buries his face in his hands, Francis tells the story of how he ran away from his own home to take up the name of Flynn Rider, how he set out to revive the criminal legend. He explains that he never meant to hurt anyone, that he was caught trying to escape by the Judge and panicked, that he is sorry for causing him harm. His narrative runs in circles, going over how wrong he had been about Eugene, about Rapunzel, and he apologises more time than anyone cares to count.
"Enough," the King says at last. "I think that we have heard all we need to." He sighs and crosses his arms, and then from his robe pulls out a set of keys. "Eugene, Rapunzel, you may come out," he announces; Rapunzel gets up ready to leave, but Eugene doesn't move, even though she tugs on his arm, a little confused.
"What about Francis?" the once-thief asks without moving, no waver to his voice.
"Eugene, it's fine-" Francis begins, but he won't budge.
"What will happen to him?" he insists again, and the King meets Eugene's eyes; he marvels for a moment that this man ever managed to hold up an appearance of being unattached, uncaring, or even remotely like the Flynn Rider his Guards told him about. There was nothing Eugene Fitzherbert wouldn't do for the people he cared about, and he was completely incapable of hiding it – sometimes in spite of his best efforts.
"He must remain here, for now," the King explains calmly. "I intend to invite Judge Gable to face his true attacker. I am sure he would also like to hear your story," he tells Francis directly, and the boy's face pales. "The Judge is a fair and understanding man," he reassures the frightened prisoner. "I will leave it to him to decide what shall be done."
"What? That's outrageous!" Eugene interjects, jumping to his feet and slamming up to the bars. "You're going to let the guy he beat up decide his punishment? That's- that's!"
"Control your temper, Eugene," the King says sternly, no trace of anger in his voice; Eugene cowers all the same, realising that he has just shouted at his own monarch.
"It's okay, Eugene," Francis says firmly, coming up beside his friend-come-family. "You don't need to protect me this time. It was my mistake, I'll pay for it."
"But I-" Eugene starts to protest, but Francis shakes his head and Eugene senses that he can't be argued with; he knows a thing or two about stubborn streaks.
"He'll be fine," Rapunzel assures Eugene quietly. "Right... dad?" The King nods.
"The Judge is a wise and fair man," he remarks. "But, if it will lend comfort, I assure you that if he comes over with a sudden, uncharacteristic streak of bloodlust, I will personally intervene." While Eugene doesn't appreciate the joking tone of the King's suggestion, he can accept the deal at least.
"Okay," he sighs reluctantly, and the King passes the keys to his wife, who meets them at the cell door and lets Eugene and her daughter through, enfolding the latter in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry, mom," Rapunzel mumbles into her mother's shoulder, wrapped up tightly and trying not to tear up too much. "I'm so, so sorry."
"Shh," the Queen coos, and over Rapunzel's back meets Eugene's eyes. "Thank you," she says quietly, "for keeping her safe."
"I, uh... she doesn't really," he starts muttering, but then heaves yet another sigh. "No problem." He could point out Rapunzel keeps him safe just as many times as he does her, but the morning has been eventful enough, so long explanations can wait for another time. He glances back to Francis, who is leaning against the back wall of his now lonely cell; the boy still can't hide his emotions, because his worry rings clear as a bell.
"Hey," Eugene starts, and he looks up. "I'll stay, if you want." Francis waves a hand dismissively.
"I'm twenty, Eugene, not twelve," he murmurs. "I'll manage. But... just tell Auntie. She'll probably go worrying when I don't come back."
"Worrying? Her?" he mocks.
"Oh, she worries all right," Francis replies. "She just hides it well." It occurs to Eugene that Francis has had twice the time with Aya as he has, and must know her that much better. "Just tell her, okay?"
"Sure, you got it," he answers. "I'll come back, too. Soon as I can." Francis nods and attempts to smile, but it's a weak attempt; Eugene wishes there were something more he could do to help him, but short of reverting to criminal enterprises – which isn't exactly a direction he's planning on taking his life in – there's little he can do. He feels helpless and useless, and Rapunzel must notice because her hands close around one of his.
"Eugene," she pleads. "It will be okay, I promise." He turns to her, letting himself be swallowed by her eyes for a moment, then dropping his gaze.
"I can't help it," he murmurs. "My experience with the law hasn't been all good."
"Well, it'll be different this time," she insists, and starts to walk him towards the door. It's late in the day, so the Judge will not visit until tomorrow, leaving a whole unsettling night to waste before Eugene can feel fully at ease. With one last look back to Francis – who rolls his eyes and actually shoos Eugene onwards, beginning to be embarrassed – Eugene relents at last, and lets himself be led out of the prison.
However, no sooner has he set a foot across the threshold, when a metallic clattering grates in his ears and a shiny, moustached figure looms around the corner.
"Your Majesty!" the Captain of the Guard bellows at full volume. "FLYNN RIDER IS ESCAPING!" Both Rapunzel and Eugene turn, expecting with horrified faces to see Francis making a run for it, but the Captain frantically pushes Rapunzel away from Eugene and then punches him in the face.
"Ow!" Eugene squawks, slamming into the wall and clutching his jaw. He's just considering whether to dodge the Captain's continuing attacks or retaliate, when Rapunzel suddenly leaps onto his back from behind, twisting her arms and legs around him like a human strait-jacket.
"Stop that!" she shrieks, pummelling her fists furiously against his helmet, and the Captain stumbles off-balance. "Eugene is innocent!" The Captain staggers, almost falling over with her still clinging to him, so Eugene grabs the man, ostensibly trying to help; however, the Captain obviously takes this gesture as an attack, and things only get worse from there.
By the time the King and Queen have heard the racket and raced back to the scene of the fight, Eugene has managed to wrap his arms around Rapunzel's waist and pull her off the Captain, though her legs still flail as she kicks crossly.
"He was- he was! He was!" she babbles furiously. "He! – Eugene! Put me down!"
"Flynn Rider, Your Highness!" the Captain stutters with a comparable anger. The King and Queen look around.
"Where?" the King asks, and the Captain slowly turns to Eugene, who offers him a smug grin, still gripping a now-slack princess.
"I thought..." he breathes, and forgets to close his jaw, which hangs open flapping pointlessly.
"While your enthusiasm for the purposes of justice is impressive," remarks the King dryly. "I would think that you ought reconsider the 'fight first, ask questions later' method of inquiry, Captain."
"I... I... my apologies, Your Highness."
"Is it me you should be apologising to?" the King points out, and the Captain does nothing short of glare at Eugene.
"But Rid- Fitzherbert," he forces. "This man broke into my home, my wife and I saw him there with our own eyes!"
"Ah yes, I recall. You are clearly owed an explanation," the King muses, and steps away from the Queen, parting with a thoughtful brush of her shoulder. "Would you go with Eugene and Rapunzel, dear?" he asks. "I shall sit and straighten things out with Reginald." The Queen nods, and extends a hand to Rapunzel, who in turn looks at Eugene – but he is instead fixated intensely on the Captain.
"...Reginald?" he echoes with a Flynn Rider-worthy smirk. "Reginald?"
"Shut up," the Captain retaliates, but he fails to hide his embarrassment as well as he would like to. "And you're hardly one to talk – Eugene." Before accompanying Rapunzel and the Queen to the residential wing of the palace for a rest and well-deserved wash – he probably smells worrying like the colour brown right now – Eugene strolls up to the Captain and extends an open palm.
"Pot, nice to meet you," he lilts with a sly grin. "I'm kettle."
"This isn't funny, Rider," the Captain bites, and shoots a glance at the King, urging him to break up the situation. Unfortunately the smile on the monarch's face seems to betray he is actually enjoying it.
"You know, Reggie, I feel we may be able to bond over this," Eugene continues. "Share our burdens, as two awkwardly-named men in a world of..."
"Rider!"
"-Fitzherbert, actually," he corrects infuriatingly.
"Fiztrider... I mean, -whatever, look, if you ever refer to me as 'Reggie' again I swear on my honour as a guard I will hang you from the castle walls."
"Hey now!" Eugene rushes, putting up his hands in innocent play, pleased to catch Rapunzel giggling out of the corner of his eye. "I didn't realise you were so touchy about it, Reg... I mean," he is about to carry on, until Rapunzel cannot repress a burst of laughter any longer and lets out a hysterical shriek, then claps her hands guiltily over her own mouth. Eugene is sniggering when he feels a hand drop softly on his shoulder, and turns to find the Queen's eyes on him.
"Eugene," she says seriously, "leave the poor man be."
Poor Reginald. I mean the Captain. I mean Reginald. Because that is clearly his name.
THIS FIC IS LIKE ALMOST OVER NEARLY NOW. Omgeeeeee!