Eugene, the King and the Queen meet for dinner Friday night. Rapunzel has begged out of the dinner, not wanting to be in the way. She wants alone time even though all she's had is alone time. It really is quite the production to attempt to keep everyone's spirits light. When she broke down in front of Eugene yesterday she could sense how uncomfortable it was for him. She knows he loves her and wants the best for her, but her pain is his pain. So if she doesn't show her pain…
The Queen starts dinner conversation off on a serious note. "Eugene. Rapunzel needs to have a child."
The room falls silent – the servants placing the food in front of the royal family freeze, wondering if the Queen has forgotten they are there. The King shoots his wife a confused look.
"But she's so sick. Having a child will kill her for sure." Eugene puts his worst fears out there.
"No, you don't understand. I think this is the only way to save her. I've been thinking a lot about this and I think….I think the magic is in you. And you need to give her back her magic. She once saved your life with her tear. I now believe you can save my daughter by impregnating her." The Queen's logic made sense in her mind. No one else in the room seemed to understand, though.
"And what if it doesn't work?"
"If it doesn't work, then at least we did everything we could. And we will have a beautiful baby that will look just like her mother."
Eugene can't contain his anger. For the first time in his life, he shouts at his mother-in-law. "You aren't interested in whether the magic will heal her! All you care about is a baby to continue the royal line! How dare you use your daughter like that?" He throws his napkin on the table as he stands and turns away in disgust. Almost to the door, he whirls around to hurl one more insult at them. "I'm taking her home!"
The King tries to stop him "But what of the 'appointment' scheduled for tomorrow? I really think it's important for you to be here for that."
Eugene is torn. How is it that in two days he has gone from feeling so much closer to the Queen to now feeling his allegiance lay with the King? And this baby magic plan was clearly the Queen's idea only, not the King's. He didn't deserve to be punished for her foolish intentions.
"I will stay. But Sunday morning we will be out of here"
"Please, Eugene." The Queen begs. "Please don't take her away from us again. And please consider this. Talk to Rapunzel about it. But I truly believe it will work!" Her voice cracks and she buries her face in her hands, elbows on the table.
The King works his way around the table to comfort his wife. He doesn't believe it will work – thinks the whole notion of magic is nonsense. He hugs her to himself as she continues to cry. He loves his wife dearly and hates the thought that their precious child will be taken from them yet again. The hurt is almost too much to bear.
Eugene joins his wife in bed. He spent the last two hours walking round and round the castle contemplating his next step. He wants to tell his wife about her mother's notion. But what if she agrees with her? There is no way this plan has any merit….or does it? The indecision is making him crazy - time to sleep on it.
Rapunzel stirs slightly when she feels her husband pull her close into his embrace. He kisses her hair softly, sweetly murmuring, "Oh my love"
"Eugene, I had…I had an idea today." Rapunzel's voice shakes as she tries to get the words out. "Please hear me out before you say anything."
Eugene agrees quietly, wondering what she had thought of this time. She was known for her plans, her dreams, her schemes. And he usually followed along. Whatever new thing she wanted to try now he was sure he would go along with it. He wasn't in the habit of telling his wife no and her being sick added a whole new level to his desire to please her.
"So, think about this. The drop of sun fell to grow the flower. The flower made the tea that saved my mother's life and my own life. I then had magic hair that glowed when I sang as well as healed and kept Mother Gothel young." She paused at this point, wondering why she still insisted on calling her 'Mother Gothel'. "So then my tear healed you but as we both know that doesn't work anymore. So I was thinking you now have the magic. It's in you. And you need to give it back to me because I really don't want to be blind anymore. I want to be able to get out of this bed and walk without falling. I want to wake up without headaches. I want to paint again. I want…I want to get better. And to get better I really think I have to get pregnant." There! The words were out. She heaves a sigh of relief.
"Rapunzel, have you been talking to your mother?"
This is his response to my request? She wonders. "No, why?"
"This is the same idea she pitched to me at dinner. This idea is the reason I've been out in the cold walking around for two hours! I just can't seem to get over this feeling that instead of healing you it will kill you. I don't want you to die. I love you too much to lose you."
Rapunzel's grin widens across her face. If her mom had the same idea, it must be right! She knows that he will agree to this. He first has to get all his objections out of the way, but he will agree. She settles down in his arms and chooses not to respond. They can discuss it in the morning, for the moment she will let him mull over her words as they drift off to sleep.
By Saturday morning Eugene has calmed down and agrees to abandon his plan to leave on Sunday. What he doesn't share with his wife's parents at breakfast is the fact that he didn't even tell her about his plan to leave. He also doesn't share that Rapunzel had the very same idea as the Queen. They take his apology well and nothing more is mentioned of it.
"Eugene, I forgot to mention. Last night the ruffians from the forest were brought in. Seems they had been terrorizing a small group of citizens in the forest – forcing them to provide food and clothing for their gang. We caught them threatening a family so the soldiers figured that was enough to arrest them on and brought them in. I would appreciate it if you would come with me after we finish here to talk with them." The King finishes the last bite of his eggs and picks up his toast after finishing his request.
"Of course, Sir. I'd be happy to help." Eugene's curiosity trumped any other feeling at that moment. He knew he should feel badly for the family in the forest, feel anger towards these outlaws, even feel fear for his wife's safety – but no, he was just curious as to what they could have possibly wanted from him and who they were.
The Queen excuses herself from the table "I believe I'll go check in on Rapunzel now, see if she's up for breakfast and some reading. I'll keep her company today, Eugene, so you can focus on the task at hand." She bends down to kiss her husband softly on the cheek, then quickly walks out of the breakfast room.
Rapunzel looks at the pillow in her hand, studies it. This decorative pillow had been her mother's first attempt at needlepoint when she was a young girl. The soft edges showed its years. This pillow had been a gift from the Queen to Rapunzel at her wedding – a special heirloom to be passed down through the years. But today, this pillow would pull her out of her prison and into a new world – hopefully a better place. Rapunzel places the pillow across her own face, holding it as tight as she can. Just a few more seconds, she hoped. A few more seconds and it will all be over. Darkness.
Rapunzel sucks in her breath as she once again wakes up from yet another terrifying dream. A knock at the door draws her attention, but she can't seem to even get the words 'Who is it?' out of her throat and into the air. Instead she just waits.
"Rapunzel, darling, are you ready to eat?"
The walk into the damp dungeon brings Eugene's thoughts back to several years ago when he was a prisoner here. He had been afraid for his life, but more so afraid for Rapunzel's life. And now, down here again, he felt that fear for his wife well up in his heart. But rather than feeling threatened by who in the outside world could hurt her, he was afraid of the inside world – her own body – turning on her and killing her.
"Rider. Finally!" Angry Voice One cries out from his cell. Across the hall, he can see two other men peering at him from their own cells.
"Hello, Marten. Long time no see. But my name is no longer Rider." Eugene doesn't offer his name – doesn't want this man to know it, but he also is tired of being called Rider. That's not who he is anymore.
The King steps back and watches the interaction. So he does know these men. But how? And what do they want?
Eugene turns to the other men. "Lunk, Artie, you been causing trouble, I hear?"
"Aww, Rider, we ain't done nothin'. They blamin' us for stuff we ain't did!" Lunk explains nothing, just shifts the blame. Same old Lunk.
Artie jumps in "Flynn, you've got to help us. We need to talk in private. Not where these people can hear us." He motions towards the guards. "Get them out of here. This is between me and you."
Eugene turns towards the King "How about giving us a minute, Sir? They're locked up and not going anywhere. They can't hurt me. Just let me see what they want. They obviously aren't going to talk in front of you or the guards."
The King agrees and ushers the others out the door at the end of the hallway.
"Okay guys, it's just us. What's going on?"
"Well first of all, you gotta get us out of here! You know us, we don't hurt anyone. Everything we do is mostly legal. And we don't hurt anyone!" Marten adamantly declares.
"Marten, just because you say you don't hurt anyone doesn't mean you don't threaten them. You can't tell someone you're going to hurt them, show them the knife you plan on using to hurt them and still walk away clean and clear. That's a crime."
"It is?" Lunk is truly shocked. He always figured that as long as no one really got hurt they weren't doing anything wrong.
"But anyway, Flynn, you gotta help us! We know you have that key. And we want it. We are prepared to cut you in on the deal. You don't have to lift a finger, other than getting us out and giving us the key, that is."
"Artie, I don't have the key." Eugene hisses then tries to settle down and explain calmly. "I got rid of that key a long time ago. Don't you remember? You and I had to trade the key in that deal 7 years ago for safe passage from Florin to Guilder. The Dread Pirate Roberts took us aboard his ship and delivered us, but in exchange we had to turn over that key – the one to the secret passage. If you need that key, you're going to have to barter with him for it."
Marten paused, considering what Flynn said. "Is this true? Artie, you assured me that Flynn had the key! We have been working here in Corona for a year based on the fact that we needed to find Flynn and the key! How could you have forgotten that?"
"Oh yeah. We did give that pirate dude that key. Huh. Well, what do you know? Guess we've got to head back to Guilder." Artie doesn't seem to feel remorse at his forgetful mistake.
Lunk smashes his face against the bars and yells "Artie! When we get outa here, I'm a gonna get you good for this!"
"Marten, Lunk, Artie – glad we could clear this up. Let's not meet like this ever again. Not good to see you again. Stay away from this castle and away from my family."
Eugene turns on his heels and marches off. He realizes with a start that his posture has much improved and he's starting to walk like a Royal. Funny how that happens. From thief to Prince Consort – who would have thought?