Chapter 18

From the Tales of Flynnagan Rider

The Truth about Everything

I didn't waste too much time gloating over my triumph over Ethan Carver. I took Max from his stall, saddled him and jumped on and made for the King's mansion. Of course it was Clarence who answered the door. I asked about Danielle, but he explained that her parents had gone to Charon to straighten out what I had done. After all, Ethan's parents were their partners and I might have ruined a great treaty. I was about to turn away, but Clarence stopped me and mentioned something that I never expected to hear.

Danielle hadn't gone with them, not yet anyway. She was expected to leave though in a week's time, if they weren't back yet. But if I had my way, she would be leaving with me as my wife. I had a lot of explaining to do, but I was hoping to convince her parents to accept me. After all, they had to have realized that by now, Ethan was not good news.

Ethan, by the way, had disappeared. No one knew where he had gone, no one at all. Delia also went missing and it was suspected that the two hooked up and eloped.

In the meantime, I had to find Danielle. Clarence mentioned that she might be down by the stables getting ready to ride. I decided to go down there and join her, maybe we'd be able to do a little riding together as we had done last time. We'd ride over to the waterfall and that's where I'd propose to her, hey, it just might even be today, although I didn't have a ring.

I was so sure she'd accept me, after all, she did tell met that she loved me and I had believed her.

Only when I had finally bumped into her, it had been a different story.

I had upset her parents she explained. The Carvers didn't want to have anything to do with the King's and wanted them to pull out of their deal for a united family store. They were going over to see if they could still salvage their relationship and save the merger. I asked if it would make a difference if I came along, but she glared at me and asked if I was kidding. I told her no, not at all. I told her that I would do anything if she would just marry me and let me love her for the rest of our lives. She looked up at me then, with a little smile, but shook her head and answered no.

But she added, as she mounted her horse, love would always find a way, especially if that love was true. She'd talk to her parents when they returned, which she was sure they would.

They would understand that she loved him. She'd guarantee it.

But for now, we'd have to be separate until she talked with them

And I did abide by her wishes. I was sure she was correct.

XXXX

Gothel touched the clasp and was about to open when she heard sirens in the distance. It sounded like a police car. When the heck did they ever hear the police cars way up here, on the hill.

Until she saw three police cars stop in front of the mansion. Then she panicked. Why were they here, she asked herself, this isn't right. This isn't happening, the necklace was supposed to work, it had after all these years, what made it stop now.

She frowned and her anger grew as she watched all three police cars open up their doors and close them just as quickly. Their first stop however, was the Winnebago.

She turned to Rapunzel who was staring out the window at the lights. She hadn't turned around at all to face her. How long would it take before they came up the walk and took her out of the house to question her. She'd have to admit everything, her age, where she came from and the fact that she really wasn't Rapunzel's mother. The darn necklace had stopped working. What the heck was she going to do now?

She panicked as she grabbed the necklace again. She tried for the clasp but it wouldn't open. "Stupid necklace," she said as she tugged at the clasp. It was stuck, it wouldn't open.

Giving up, she finally pulled her hands away. It wasn't going to open up, was it? She was beginning to think it was designed never to come off. Once you put it on that was it, wasn't it? Maybe there was a curse after all.

She moved to join Rapunzel at the window, but found that she was greatly weakened and could hardly walk. She managed a few steps, but she had to hang on the kitchen chair to steady herself.

She wondered why this was happening all of sudden until she caught sight of something on the floor.

It was the necklace. It had fallen off.

The police were finished in the Winnebago and had closed the door. They were starting up the walk with the Stabbingtons in tow.

"Mother," Rapunzel said, turning to face her. "They're coming up the walk, maybe we'd better.."

She stopped as she watched Greta's transformation from young woman to old to ancient.

"No," Greta whispered as she watched her skin begin to wrinkle. Her hands were turning white and bony; her hair white as snow. "NO."

And Greta Gothel, the only mother that Rapunzel had ever known, disappeared before her very eyes.

Her scream split the night air. It was so loud that everyone heard it. Eugene and Eric heard it in the garden and came running. The police heard it and ran into the house to find out what was happening.

The only thing that they found was a very distraught Rapunzel clutching a necklace in her right hand.

Eugene ran over, scooped her up and held her in his arms.

"It's okay, Rapunzel, everything will be alright."

And he let her cry for as long as she wanted.