The Miracle

A/N: In this chapter; Eugene's destiny is finally revealed…

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 Sixteen: The Destiny Revealed

Rapunzel and Eugene stood there, motionless, surrounded by the close knit group. As they looked around they saw the smiling faces of those who had come to love the pair as if they were their own. They truly basked in the feelings of love, adoration, and belonging emanating from the various couples that surrounded them. The first couple; William and Catherine who, with each passing day, had come to love the savior of their daughter as if he was their own flesh and blood. The second couple; Rupert Junior and Amanda who, with their growing rapport with their contemporaries, had also come to love both Rapunzel and Eugene as siblings would. The third couple, naturally, Keith and Kimberly Fitzherbert; who had, on the day of their resurrection, found the happiness and joy that Eugene brought to those that he came in contact with so overwhelming as to be indescribable. The other couples, and Becky and the two visiting crown princesses, also looked on in awe of the obvious love and affection that Eugene felt for Rapunzel and that Rapunzel felt for Eugene.

"Remember, Eugene, to relax and allow the feelings to flow." Mistress Cassiopeia softly stated to a still tense Eugene.

"Feelings to flow?" Eugene asked, confused.

"You will know when it begins. In the meantime, empty your mind of errant thoughts, Eugene."

"Yes, Mistress."

As Eugene further relaxed, emptied his mind of errant thoughts and closed his eyes, he found that he could sense those around him as easily as one could see with their eyes. He easily made out the combined and happily surging purple aura of the smiling and winking Rupert and Amanda. He also easily made out the combined and happily surging aquamarine aura of William and Catherine as they waited with baited breath for what was sure to occur. Finally, he could sense an energy beginning to funnel through him that matched that felt when he saved little Isabella.

Rapunzel, having emptied her mind as well, was absolutely shocked as she too saw that she could see with her eyes closed. Nothing in her previous experiences prepared her for what was to come. She easily sensed the combined aquamarine aura of Andrew and Annabella as they stood closely behind her. She also saw in her mind's eye Rupert Senior and Annalisa as they too waited for what was to occur, the story of the meeting of their son and Amanda suddenly so prevalent in their recollections. Finally, she too could sense an energy beginning to funnel through her as well as it seemed to bring life to an as yet invisible orb held within her and Eugene's hands.

"Remember, let go your inhibitions…" Mistress Cassiopeia softly remarked to the young couple.

"Yes, Mistress." The pair softly replied, not breaking their concentration on the other.

As Eugene and Rapunzel released their fears and inhibitions, gained their composure and with it a firmer control, they soon found that they could begin to sense the other. The tendrils of passive energy; knowing that their mate was so near gained in intensity as they sought out the other. The reaction of the marine blue aura of Eugene and the emerald green aura of Rapunzel was to leave all, not just in the small group but also in all of Corona, shocked beyond belief.

William and Catherine, fondly remembering the linking of Rupert and Amanda and its apparent transparency were the first to gasp at the sight the soon appeared before them. The audible gasp, coming to the attention of the select group, but not Eugene and Rapunzel as they concentrated only upon the other, drew their gaze to the space between them.

As they watched in utter amazement, a faint glow began to form in the tiny space between the young pair's hands.

"Good, good." Mistress Cassiopeia happily said as she saw the beginning of the cementing of the link between Avandell and Corona; the preordained link that was to leave Sonnen 3 in general and Io in particular free from pestilence and sorrow for tens of hundreds of generations to come.

The group, already amazed by the faint glow now seemingly cradled in the hands of the couple soon felt a faint breeze beginning to blow. At first they thought it was coming from off shore as it was the time of day when the cooling trade winds rushed in to supplant the warm updrafts caused by the uneven surface heating of Sonnen 3 by its host star.

As they looked closer, however, they noted three things that began to freak out each and every one of them, Mistress Cassiopeia included. First, they noted that the breeze, growing stronger with each passing moment, seemed to be originating, not from off shore, but from the now very visible and rapidly growing and glowing orb now apparently firmly held in the hands of Eugene and Rapunzel. The strength of the breeze grew in direct proportion to the growth of the orb. Second, they noted that Rapunzel's now blonde locks had begun to glow as they were lifted up by the breeze. Finally, they noted with a shock that Eugene's normally brown hair had also begun to faintly glow as it too was lifted up by the wind.

"What is going on?" The crown princesses, Stephanie and Chelsea, shockingly asked. They made no effort to hide their utter amazement at the sight before them.

"I honestly cannot say." Mistress Cassiopeia replied. She too was shocked by this as she had not had any inkling of what would occur when Eugene and Rapunzel cemented their preordained link with the other.

Eugene and Rapunzel, completely oblivious to the conversations occurring around them, turned their attention to the other, and brought their auras into firm contact with the other. As their auras firmly linked with the other, not only did the golden orb held between them suddenly brighten and enlarge exponentially as it began to levitate above the young couple, but they soon found an unknown emptiness was suddenly and perfectly filled by the love and adoration of the other.

"Mmmmmm…." The pair happily sighed as they basked in the wonderment of the feeling. The two couples of William and Catherine and Rupert and Amanda involuntarily smiled as they fondly remembered the link forged between the younger couple over seven years previous. A link preordained from before time itself.

Seven Years Previous…

Amanda was still in shock over the events of the past couple days. Firstly; her unlikely rescue of the noblewoman, her introduction to Rupert and her surprising reaction to him, and the subsequent introduction to the Royal Family. Secondly; her unexpected entry into the Royal Couple's secret service as the covert protector of the queen. And, finally, the remarkable conversation she had just had with Queen Catherine.

She was, quite understandably, not really paying attention to her surroundings, outside of what she could see with her eyes, as she respectfully followed the queen towards the palace from the Royal Garden; her destination, the private Royal Dining Room. She still lacked a firm control of her gift though and, feeling no need to make any sweeps of her surroundings for any threats or understanding how she could always be one with the universe, made no conscious effort to discern or identify those who might be closest to her. Thus, she missed an important clue as to who was joining them for lunch. She so longed to spend more time with Rupert, her infatuation with him growing into something more, but resigned herself to possibly not seeing him until much later in the evening.

The dining room, being in a more private area of the palace and about twenty-five by forty feet or so, was served by three doors; two were used by the Royals depending on where they were coming from, while the third was used by the kitchen staff and other servants as they served the various meals. The two entrances, adorned with beautiful wood doors amply decorated with the golden sun symbol of Corona, stood on opposite sides of the room; the first, allowing entry from the Royal Garden and other outside locations; the second, allowing entry from the wing of the palace with the King's private study.

Amanda, about two paces behind her queen, was about to quickly step forward to open the door for Catherine and follow her into the room when the queen suddenly stopped just shy of the closed door, gently and lightly grasping and holding Amanda's arm to stop her just short of the door. Amanda was at first perplexed by this action taken by Catherine; but soon realized that there must be a very good reason for this action, and patiently waited for the queen to speak.

"Amanda," the queen began to gently ask as the tower clock began to toll the mid day hour of twelve in the distant village square, her motive as yet perfectly masked from Amanda, should she have cared to try to deduce it; "Could you please do something for me, before we enter?"

Amanda replied almost immediately, "Of course, your highness; I would be more than happy to."

"Reach out with your feelings and tell me who might be near; and if you can form any kind of link with them."

"Yes, of course, your highness;" a somewhat surprised Amanda said, although already beginning to calm her mind so that she would be more receptive to the ebbs and flows of the universe as they surged through her.

Meanwhile; Rupert, still in awe of the amazing girl named Amanda, and having also finished his conversation with William and equally in shock from his promotion to second lieutenant so soon into his service as well as the planned formation of a new unit with himself as commander, was not really paying attention to his surroundings either as he followed the king through the winding corridors of the palace, or his ultimate destination, the private dining room. He too, overwhelmed by sensory overload, missed the important and obvious clues of who would be joining him for lunch. He; like the smitten Amanda, also longing to spend time with her; was balefully resigned to hopefully spend time with her later that evening as his infatuation with her also grew into something more. He, too, was about to step forward to reach out to open the dining room door for his king, when William similarly stopped him, his plan also indecipherable. The currently closed door positioned opposite from the one the queen was standing by with the very subject of his thoughts and affections, Amanda. Confused by this, Rupert respectfully asked, "Is there a problem your highness?"

"Oh, of course not, my lad." William assured him, his poker face well in place as he too heard the tower clock begin to toll the mid-day hour of twelve in the distant village square; this, the pre-determined signal. "There is just something I would like you to try first."

"Ok, your highness."

William then asked Rupert. "Could you please reach out with your feelings and tell me who might be near and if you can link with them?"

"Why yes I could; your highness." The similarly surprised Rupert replied, though not fully comprehending the request.

Rupert and Amanda, so smitten with and completely unaware of the proximity of the other, calmed their turbulent thoughts; thoughts that centered on their growing feelings of affection for the other, cleared their minds, and began to reach out, seeing who they could discern. As they began their search, they could each discern the Royal they were currently paired with as they were standing the closest. Rupert made out the glowing blue aura of the king as easily as Amanda made out the similarly glowing emerald green aura of the queen. As their minds further cleared with each passing moment the picture forming in their two minds grew larger and clearer.

The two half-spheres of energy – one royal blue and the other ruby red, with them at the center – steadily, yet slowly, pushed out from each respective teenager, getting ever closer to the other. As they continued their spread, first to five feet and then to 10 feet out from them, small tendrils of active energy began to form ahead of the sphere's now quickly advancing front edge. These tendrils' movement away from the main body was driven by the energy pull of the other. Just as the opposite poles of a magnet are unerringly drawn towards each other; so too was it with the enveloping energy spheres of Amanda and Rupert, their need to converge and merge now unstoppable.

While the tendrils of energy began to intertwine, yet not reacting with the other or letting its owner know who was present, the ever expanding semi-circle of energy being formed in each of their mind's eye soon allowed both Amanda and Rupert to easily discern the palace groundskeepers outside the palace. Their inexperience with their gift led them to use their physical vision primarily. As they stopped relying on their physical vision, instead focusing on what their mind's eye was sensing and turning their focus in towards the building, the auras similarly moved in towards the building; the tendrils interlocked more and more, ever more rapidly pulling the two auras together. This convergent action soon allowed them to discern more clearly not only their respective Royal, but also the dining room staff and kitchen help. Finally, as the tendrils finally pulled the leading edge of the two energy bubbles firmly to the other and finally linked them together, surging into the other and exploding into a massive singular purple aura, encompassing all…

"Oh…! Mmmmm…!" The young pair simultaneously exclaimed softly as the two auras finally and quite firmly combined and surged with a synergetic energy lacking from the previous day or even earlier that same morning. Neither of the two smitten teenagers noticed the amused look on their respective Royal's face, as they happily, yet unpretentiously, realized who they were supposed to be linking with.

As their control exponentially increased with each passing second, and the linked and the now quite bright, combined purple colored aura, invisible to all but them, grew ever stronger, brighter and more uniform in color, it supplanted their individual ones. The two teenagers found it easier to share their thoughts of affection for the other. The very thoughts they happily found that they shared; their shared thoughts they soon found themselves drowning in. They quickly, and now very easily, deepened their joined connection even further; the singular aura firmly intertwining Amanda's and Rupert's thoughts firmly together into a single entity, each soon becoming blissfully and totally unaware of anything and everything else as only the other existed. As if two halves of a single whole, Amanda and Rupert soon totally opened themselves up to the other, completely wishing the other to share their thoughts; basking in its wonder; never wanting it to end.

King William and Queen Catherine – seeing the idyllic look on the faces of their young charges, and hearing their wistful sighs of adoration, knowing true love when they saw it, and realizing how important such a relationship was to their new found roles – knew that they had indeed found the pair earlier ordained to come to their realm to create their dream organization and a whole lot more as the first part of the prophesy came true. They respectfully remained silent and ever patient, if not slightly amused, as the two young people, their eyes now closed and standing quite relaxed, deepened their connection and further explored their now firmly cemented link, though not yet speaking through their thoughts. The wonder the two young people felt at their connection so overwhelming to almost be scary; almost.

"So," the Royal pair finally asked their young charges nearly simultaneously as they lightly touched the young pair's arms, also almost simultaneously, after allowing them their connection for roughly 30 minutes of pure unbridled bliss, the clock tower tolling the 12:30 hour in the distance. "Who did you sense, did you feel a real connection with them, and how did it make you feel?"

"I sensed Amanda, your highness! I felt as if I was a whole person when joined to her mind; I felt so complete with her; as if a great, yet unknown, emptiness within me was finally and perfectly filled by her as if preordained from birth." Rupert happily sighed at the memory of it all; not seeing the happy look gracing the king's face.

"I felt Rupert, your highness. I most certainly did feel connected with him at the deepest level; making me feel as if a missing part of me was returned at long last. I also felt as if an unknown emptiness within me was tailored made only for him to fill; as if preordained from birth." Amanda, too, blissfully yet happily sighed; also not seeing the satisfied look gracing the queen's face.

"And, did you enjoy the feeling, and would you want it to continue?" The Royals expectantly asked, already knowing the answer as there was but one possible reply.

"Most definitely; I never knew anything could feel so wonderful…;" the young pair echoingly sighed, completely unaware of the smirks on the Royals faces; or that the royals had had some idea of what might have just occurred.

The Present…

"Blondie?" Eugene softly, yet hesitantly, asked through their now cemented link, Rapunzel's transformation making the old nickname relevant again.

"Yes, Genie?" Rapunzel giggled as she replied through their link as well. She somehow felt the apparent unease of Eugene and knew its source although she found it hard to believe that he would feel any doubts about her feelings of adoration for him.

"Have you ever felt something this wonderful?"

"No. Nor did I know such feelings truly existed."

"I never thought that two individuals could be so connected as we are now. I also never knew of this emptiness within me that is so perfectly filled by you."

"I too had no idea that such a connection was possible, nor of the emptiness within me that is tailored made for you and you alone to fill. I guess you can see why everyone is so happy that you are so perfect for me?"

"Yes, Punzie. I am beginning to understand the wisdom of Mistress Cassiopeia."

"I am so happy for you, Eugene. I always told you that you are of noble birth, as your name implies. You have made the last eight and a half weeks the best of my entire life."

"You, also, have made me so very happy and there is something I need to tell you, as I can know tell that the time has come…"

As they continued to relax even further and allowed the other deeper into their sub-conscious, the others could see the once small golden orb soon began to grow ever larger and ever brighter. It soon lifted up from the young pair's grasp and rose to about 275 feet above the young couple and grew in size to over 150 feet in diameter and in intensity such that it easily came to the attention of the palace staff as its light reflected off the innumerable windows of the palace.

"What is that?!" Amelia, the personal attendant to the queen asked as the glow of the brightly shining orb captured her attention.

"I cannot say." Alfred, the manservant to the king replied as he too took in the sight of the glowing orb.

"Hey! Is that Eugene and Rapunzel?" Amelia shockingly asked as she quite suddenly noted the young couple, illuminated as they were by the glowing orb. Rapunzel, since her return, had insisted on being called not by her title, but by her name; as did her savior and new dream.

"Why, yes! Yes it is! I did not realize that she was due home so soon. You know, I have heard that they are soul mates. Given the power of the drop of sunlight, do you suppose…?"

" … that this is where they finally tell the other how much they love the other? For never have I seen a couple more obviously in love than these two. I guess we will have to wait and see."

"See what?" Esmeralda, the queen's lady in waiting, curiously asked as she came upon the two palace staffers.

"That!" The two shockingly called out as they pointed out the one open window.

"Oh, my!" Esmeralda blurted out as she freaked out at the sight before her. Luckily, Alfred has very quick reflexes and was able to catch her before she crashed into the queen's armoire as she passed out.

"Good save…" Amelia softly remarked to Alfred.

"Why; thank you." He replied.

Meanwhile, down on the shore…

"… for what? What is it, Eugene?" The hopeful Rapunzel asked; she somehow knew what was to come as she had never felt closer to Eugene as she did at that moment.

"Well, Punzie, you know how we always talk about how we are the other's new dream, and, um…"

"Yes…?!" A slightly tearful Rapunzel prompted; her efforts to hide her impatience not quite successful.

"And, while I know the lies told to you the first 18 years of your life could tend to taint your worldview…"

"Eugene? Please! You can tell me!"

"Here goes; Rapunzel, the once Lost Princess of Corona; I, Eugene Fitzherbert of Avandell and the savior of said Lost Princess, love you! I love you with all my heart!"

"Oh, Eugene! You cannot imagine how long I have waited for this very moment! I, Rapunzel, the now recovered Crown Princess of Corona, love you, Eugene Fitzherbert of Avandell. I too love you with all my heart!"

"Mmmmmm…" The pair sighed as they floated into the others tender embrace; lost in the fulfillment of their new reality. The group, collectively, freaked out as the pair suddenly and spontaneously levitated and moved into the others arms, gently kissed the other and began glowing in a surreal aquamarine glow. As the glow grew in size it soon encompassed the entire group in a warm glow of absolute love and affection, bringing a few tears to everyone's eyes.

"Do you suppose…?" The ever romantic Rupert junior asked, breaking the silence.

" … that they just professed their love for the other?" A sentimental Amanda tearfully asked, ever so happy for her dear friend, Eugene.

"Um, yes?" Rupert replied, his impertinent phrase bringing a chuckle to the entire group; especially the two visiting crown princesses and little Becky.

The glowing orb quite suddenly changed colors from the faint golden color to a very bright aquamarine; an aquamarine that perfectly matched the now quite visible and combined aura of Rapunzel and Eugene. The orb suddenly grew out to over 30,000 feet in diameter and rose to over 250,000 feet in height as it fed on the love and affection of Eugene and Rapunzel. Its bright and warm aquamarine glow soon came to the attention of not only the entire Royal Kingdom of Corona-by-the-sea as it bathed the entire region in a warm and benign light, but all of Io. As the glow permeated all of Io, orphans from all over were shocked and happily amazed to see once deceased parents suddenly arrive to take them back home. The sick and infirm were also quite shocked to find they were quite suddenly healed and able to work again.

The citizenry of Io in general and Corona in particular, once easily startled, took in this new development with atypical aplomb. The somehow knew its source and realized that it was preordained. The royal couple of Corona, William and Catherine, once shocked into silence by the scene before them, finally found their voices as well.

"Did what I think happen; just happen?" The awestruck, yet very happy, Catherine asked as she took in the sight of her beloved daughter and her everything as they basked in the warm light.

"Yes. I believe it did." The similarly awestruck, yet also very happy, William replied.

"I do believe that Eugene is finally home…" The tearful Mistress Cassiopeia remarked to the similarly tearful Kimberly and Keith, Katelyn and Kevin, and Andrew and Annabella.

A/N #4: What happens next?

A/N #5: Please review…