The Miracle

A/N: In this chapter some concerned Coronian citizens begin to learn of Eugene's encounter. What will they make of it and will they be able to help him before it is too late?

A/N#2: This story "kind of" follows my other stories, so you might recognize a few of my OCs here that are still awaiting their full development there… I am also providing this spoiler alert. That said; I hope not to spoil things too much.

A/N#3: This is my own tear transference story. I hope you enjoy it. And, oh yes, I do not own Tangled or its primary characters, though I do own mine and the idea…

Chapter Two: The Visitation Revealed, Part One

Eugene stood alone with his thoughts on the lantern balcony. As he stood there, leaning against the same railing that overlooked the beautiful city and its outlying areas, he let out a pitying sigh of despair.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Eugene muttered to himself and no one in particular. "How can I be the only hope for the kingdom? I am not anything miraculous. I am just Eugene, the new dream of Rapunzel. I am not a wizard, or a magician or anything like that! Who was that spectral woman?"

"A Wizard? A magician? Spectral woman?" Amanda, slowly walking towards an obviously quite anxious royal suitor, asked herself as she tried to understand the torrent of confused thought spewing from the usually calm and collected Eugene Fitzherbert. She could not begin to fathom what was troubling him, but was determined to help he who had done so much to make her the woman she was today.

The despondent and melancholy Eugene, alone in his thoughts, was not initially aware, however that four individuals, aware of the deepening black circles under his eyes that signified a great loss of sleep and the sudden bagginess of his clothes that signified a loss in appetite and unexpected weight loss that had begun to display itself not even nine days previous, had become quite worried. At first, the concerned audience of William, Catherine, Rupert, and Amanda attributed his despondency to the current absence of the crown princess as she traveled, with Maximus as her escort and Pascal as her companion, to the surrounding kingdoms of Estrella and Constella to meet with the other princesses as they wished to make up for lost time in getting acquainted with the newly restored Coronian crown princess. Unfortunately, it was not quite that simple as Amanda was to realize as she slowly walked up behind the troubled boyfriend of Rapunzel.

"Hey, Amanda." Eugene softly called out to the raven haired young woman, his gaze never leaving the sight of the Azul Sea, rippled as it was with beautiful white streaks as the wind gently blew over its broad surface.

"Eugene!" Amanda replied in shock as Eugene had not even moved an inch towards her yet knew that she was there.

"I am sorry, Amanda. I didn't mean to startle you. I can also tell that William, Catherine, and Rupert are there too, aren't they?" Eugene replied, an unknown weariness in his voice that none of the three had heard before, yet had them all equally concerned for his wellbeing.

"Why yes, Eugene. We are all concerned about you. What is wrong? It seems a whole lot more serious than the fact that you miss Rapunzel."

"I wish it was as simple as being miserable without my emerald eyed beauty to spend every possible waking moment with. Sadly, it is much more serious and I am at a loss what to do about it. But, I would rather not talk here. Palace and village grapevines, don't you know…"

"I sure do, Eugene. They are quite adept at getting the story wrong most of the time, although I do remember once when they actually got it right. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was early one summer evening…" Amanda unavoidably giggled as she replied; smiling as she fondly remembered its impact on her life not even four years earlier and related to Eugene the tale of her engagement to Rupert.

Four years previous…

… when; after sharing a wonderful dinner together, Rupert, the plan in his head and his determination never stronger, invited an unsuspecting, but ever hopeful, Amanda for a walk; knowing the time had finally arrived. Contained in his pocket was a small square velvet lined box. A box containing a very special ring; a ring he had purchased over four months previous and, most remarkably, managed to keep secret from both the village and palace grapevines. It was indeed true that a little subterfuge did indeed go a very long way; along with the innocent 'suggestion' to the particular store keeper that he had never seen him in his quaint, yet very adequate establishment.

As they did most days, he was walking hand in hand with her around the compound enjoying both the surge of energy from the intertwining of their fingers; their individual red and blue auras merging into a singular purple one, not that anyone could see it but them; and the small talk they usually made. He tentatively, as they turned towards their destination, began his spontaneous proposal, his carefully crafted script all but forgotten; the proposal to wed the woman who was the source of all his happiness.

"Amanda?" Rupert shyly began, uncommonly tentative from the fear of making some sort of dreadful misstep.

"Yes, Rupert?" She quickly replied, perplexed by his sudden shyness, yet hopeful.

"You know, Mandy; we have become all but inseparable as in the last three years we tackled all assigned tasks with our usual zeal and dedication as well as enjoying our time off immensely and, well…"

"…yes, Rupe?" The ever hopeful Amanda answered; tears beginning to form in her eyes, though not yet falling. She uttered a silent prayer that he was about to ask her the question she had so longed to hear from the man she had shared every single moment with over the past three years. The man she had known since the day in the alleyway was meant to be with her. The man she had fallen in total and absolute love with.

The sun, still just barely peaking over the western wall of the compound on its way down that beautiful early summer evening cast a reddish-gold glow upon the Royal Courtyard as she and Rupert reached their favorite place in the entire Royal Compound; the centrally located Gazebo that was the source of many fond memories. Upon reaching it – and remarkably and quite blissfully unaware of the many tens of pairs of eyes upon them, possibly staring out of every window facing the courtyard, and in intense anticipation of what everyone knew was about to occur as the village and palace grapevine had been hinting at for three months – he gently stopped her, took both her hands in his, turned her to face him, smiled, and got down on one knee. Amanda; completely surprised by his actions, the tears swimming in her eyes beginning to fall in two silver rivulets down her cheeks; eagerly awaited his next words.

"Well..., um..., I guess..." He lightly shook his head to clear his thoughts before continuing. "Here goes. Amanda, you are everything to me. From the day we met in that alleyway I knew that there was something very special about you…"

Amanda giggled at this, even more tears swimming in her bright blue eyes, waiting their turn to fall, as she eagerly waited for him to continue.

"…these feelings only grew and grew as we spent every possible moment together; the feelings of being so in tune with you something I have realized I cannot live without. When we link our minds together I feel a wholeness I never thought possible and cannot imagine being absent from my life. You are the very reason I am so happy and feel so complete. You are the source of the feelings of absolute wonder that fill me every day. I never want this feeling to end. Amanda, I love you more than anything else in this world."

"Oh, Rupe…"

"So…," Rupert finished, as he fished through his pocket and gracefully brought out the box, opened the lid, and revealed the elegant yet simple multifaceted blue diamond solitaire as he held it before her; "…will you; Amanda, ever the light of my life; continue to be such, forever, and marry me?"

"Oh my God! It is finally happening! Amanda! Please! Say yes!" Every servant and palace staffer whispered to themselves as they easily heard Rupert's question; yet, still shocked that the grapevine had actually gotten it right.

Amanda, rendered speechless for one quick moment as her mind processed his question, suddenly let out a world shattering squeal. A squeal heard throughout the Royal Compound as well as the village. The very sound of Amanda's loud and happy squeal sent the palace staffers running from the windows laughing and crying in absolute joy, before, realizing that they might miss the best part, running back to keep watching as the scene unfolded. Amanda's squeal was loud enough to draw the attention of not only those in the Royal Compound, but also those nearer parts of the village; the pitch of the squeal that many recognized. The loud squeal; the source of which everyone was sure, absent any confirmation via either the palace or the village grapevines; that sent the village callers quietly calling out the happy news of a new engagement.

She remained motionless for one additional brief moment, before; with her blue aura glowing even brighter than Rupert ever thought possible and with even more tears tumbling down her cheeks; squealing yet again and tackling an unsuspecting Rupert to the ground and smothering him with some of the most passionate kisses ever, shouting over and over again the word, 'yes.'

"YES!" The impromptu audience quietly called out.

Her joy totally indescribable as she not quite so patiently waited for Rupert to place the ring on her finger, a perfect fit; drawing more than one amused look from those few attendants lucky enough to have seen the entire episode; as well as coming to the attention of a certain couple.

William and Catherine – both reading and lightly conversing in the Royal Study while enjoying their afternoon tea, the windows facing the ocean and a certain courtyard strategically open to allow what little breeze flowing from off shore to enter – suddenly jolted their heads up at the sound of Amanda's joy, as well as her multiple 'yeses.'

Catherine, the first to break the silence, involuntarily asked. "What was that?"

William—ever chuckling, knowing what was supposed to occur that day as Rupert had talked to him about it just the day previous – remarked, with a level of sarcasm exceeding easily even that seen in Amanda on her better days; "I would say that SOMEBODY finally popped the question! And, naturally of course, that she said yes."

Catherine, her emerald green eyes wide at the realization of the fulfillment of the dream that Amanda had only that morning talked to her about and suddenly knowing why Will had chosen the Royal Study instead of the Royal Library for their light reading and afternoon tea, exclaimed. "WOW! So this is why we took our afternoon tea here! Anyway, it is about time, don't you think? I guess this means it is time for planning a state wedding?"

"I would say so, Kat. As the aide to the queen and second in command of the Royal Guard, both Amanda and Rupert play an important enough role within our small kingdom to warrant such an honor." Will replied with a broad smile gracing his handsome features, as they both stood, arms around the other, to look out the window at the happy couple still locked in a tender embrace and still passionately kissing, their massively powerful purple aura invisible to all, soon followed with; "I wonder if she'll let me walk her down the aisle?"

The following day, as a brightly smiling Amanda left her quarters, a happy bounce in her step, the guard standing at his post by the front door cheerfully said, "Good morning Miss Amanda, it is a most glorious day, and may I give you my heartfelt congratulations!"

Amanda, perplexed by this, simply replied, "Good morning, indeed it is, and thank you."

As she walked further, more and more people seemed to be going out of their way, to the point of being very obvious in their detours, to wish her a very good morning and to offer their congratulations as well. Needless to say Amanda was getting her first, unscheduled, lesson in the ways of the palace grapevine.

The present…

"…it was the most amazing thing I had ever been a party to, and even today brings both a smile and a frown to my face." Amanda concluded as she looked over to her surrogate dad.

"Oh, Amanda, that is what worries me the most, the fact that if this story got out wrong, it could cause untold damage, in more ways than one. I will regret, probably for the rest of my life that I was not there for you. So, do you know of a place where we can be assured of absolute privacy?" Eugene – his belief confirmed that he was correct in his assumption – asked with an unknown desperation in his voice.

"It is alright, Eugene. You know you will always hold a special place in my heart. You have more than made up for your absence from our wedding. And, yes; I actually do know of such a spot, Eugene. It is both very close by and quite remote." Amanda replied as she gestured to the others to come closer.

William and Catherine, with Rupert bringing up the rear, and feeling quite the sense of déjà vu, both tenderly wrapped their arms around the despondent Eugene as they led him through the winding corridors of the palace, the Royal Garden, and out to the shoreline, and a certain rock outcropping gently washed by the surf…

A/N#4: Please Review…