This chapter has gone on longer than I intended it to. So I've split it up. There should be one more chapter after this and then the epilogue, so bear with me.

Chapter 25

From the Tales of Flynnagan Rider

Love is a Many Splendored Thing

We were married on May 4th 1774 at the King's beautiful house on the outskirts of Charon. It was a double wedding, my mother became Dr. Arthur Martin at mine and Danielle's urgings.

The reception was lovely. It was held in the King's Formal Gardens, situated in back of the sprawling estate. Refreshments and hors d' oeuvres were served in the small boathouse at the rear of the gardens overlooking the Red River.

Everyone had a grand time. Danielle's dowry included the deed to their splendid house in Corona and we were to live there for the rest of our days.

XXXXX

The small private plane landed an hour later at Charon Airport. Eugene looked around as he descended the stairway. The place was emptying out, apparently there had been quite a crowd the flight attendant informed him. Someone named Rapunzel Gothel had arrived not half an hour ago. She was whisked away in a limo with the plates FLINAGN2.

"You mean like that one over there?" Eugene said, pointing.

Sure enough, the black limo swerved into the parking lot and stopped.

Right in front of Eugene.

"Hop in, Mr. FItzherbert," the chauffeur said, getting out and opening the door.

"How did you know that I was here and more importantly, who are you guys?"

But before the chauffeur could answer, he found himself sitting in backseat and on his way to the King's cottage.

XXXXX

Rapunzel felt as if she was staring into a mirror again. The house, it was exactly like the one in Corona only this time it was Donna's mother who came to greet her.

"So you are Rapunzel Gothel. The photos in the papers and magazines don't do you justice."

Rapunzel smiled. "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. King. I could say the same about you. I saw the photos of your family in the foyer of the house in the park. I've always wanted to meet you after hearing Donna's description of…

She stopped and stared at the big portrait behind Barbara's head.

"I've seen her before at the house in the park in Corona," Rapunzel said, walking past Barbara and James. "Her name is…"

"Danielle King Rider," Barbara said, walking over to Rapunzel's side. "Lovely, isn't she? I guess you've noticed the resemblance."

"Yes," Rapunzel answered. "I have, but only in dreams .She calls to me and tells me that the large estate in Corona is mine. She even shows me around the house and calls me Danielle."

Barbara nodded. "Yes, Danielle King Rider is from James's side of the family. She and Thomas Flynn Rider started Flynn Rider and Associates. This house and the house in Corona are centuries old, Rapunzel. We are part of a very large family that goes back to the 1700's. The book, Tales of Flynnagan Rider was a large book that actually told two stories. Part One is a biography in Thomas's own words and Part Two are the fanciful children's tales about the swashbuckling Flynnagan Rider who goes off on various adventures."

Rapunzel nodded. "Yes, I was introduced to them when I was 9 years old. It was Eugene Fitzherbert who first told me about the book. I read it all the time, but I never got around to reading the children's story. And I didn't realize that Part One was his own life until I looked him up on the computer."

She turned back to the painting. "She must still haunt the place."

"Yes," Barbara said, "She has been waiting for a girl to be born who looked like her. There have only been sons in the King family. You and Donna were the only two females after Danielle's daughter was born. Donna was the first, but looked more like my side. When you were born, you were the spitting image of Danielle. That's why we named you for her."

Rapunzel turned to face Barbara. She was smiling at her. "Then you must be my…"

"Yes, Danielle," James piped up, walking over to stand beside his wife. "We're your real parents."

Rapunzel frowned and took a step backwards. "My name is Rapunzel Gothel. My mother is just disappeared into thin air just last night. I just ended my engagement to my boyfriend and walked out this morning on the man I love. I came here to get away from everything and now I'm told that you're my real parents?"

"Danielle, listen,"

"It's Rapunzel and it will always be Rapunzel. Now answer me this. If you knew about the resemblance and you knew I was missing, how come it took you this long to discover me."

"We've been looking for you for 18 years, Rapunzel," Barbara answered. "We went to the Stabbingtons to try to locate you, but it seemed that we hit a dead end. We didn't know where you were or what happened. People came forward to explain, but they just assumed the woman who took you was your real mother. What led us to open the case again was reading an article about you with your picture. That led us to open the case again, but this time we had leads where we had none the first time around."

"We were closing in on Greta Gothel," James continued, "but something happened to her that night. We didn't know exactly what. All we heard was that she disappeared right in front of your eyes and that you screamed loud enough for everyone to hear. Just before they closed the case for the second time, they informed us that you were coming to Charon for some much needed rest. And so we decided to intervene a bit. We want you to accept us, Danielle. We would like our daughter back."

XXXXX

Eugene looked out the window of the tiny boathouse. He was at the back of the estate, the part that used to be known as the Formal Gardens. Most of it was gone now, but you could still see the paths winding in and around the few trees and bushes that were left. It was still kept up, but it wasn't as grand as it once had been.

Or so he had heard.

The chauffeur had dropped him off here and told him to wait, that Rapunzel wouldn't be too much longer. In fact, the chauffeur had told him to walk the grounds and enjoy what was left of the gardens. It was a lovely warm day and told him to enjoy it.

And so he walked the paths and circled around the flowers and headed toward the river where he sat down and thought. Rapunzel was here, inside obviously, but he couldn't see her, not yet.

And so he waited.