The Miracle
A/N: For those of you who have read "Favorite Things," by 9r7g5h you might recognize my plot bunny. I give full credit for the idea to her and recommend her stories!
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 Seventeen: The Savior of Corona, His Amazing Tale; Part 1
Eugene and Rapunzel came up for air after about 10 minutes of the most passionate kiss any of the group had ever witnessed. The young pair kept their eyes closed, their foreheads and noses touching as they both simultaneously gestured for Becky to join them. She looked up at the two pairs of smiling grandparents, William and Catherine and Kimberly and Keith, before running over to join the tender embrace as they both bent down on one knee to bring them to her level.
"Mommy! Daddy!" The ecstatic little Becky happily cried out as she embraced and was embraced by the pair.
"Mmmmm…" The three sighed as they hugged each other.
They knelt there for about another five to ten minutes before the ever patient Mistress Cassiopeia gently coughed to get their attention.
"Yes, Mistress?" Eugene asked, as he and Rapunzel stood and gently hugged Becky as she stood between them.
"So, Eugene, I am sure that you can now quite easily see that you are indeed and most definitely the antithesis of Flynn Rider. That said, I think I can say without fear of contradiction that it is finally time for you to learn how you actually and quite bravely serviced the better good of Io in general and Corona in particular even as Flynn Rider. You are indeed of noble birth as your name implies."
"I… What?!" Eugene asked, quite surprised at this. He felt that as self-centered and selfish as he had once been that there was no way possible that he ever could have done anything that helped anyone but him.
"Oh, yes. This is why we are so very, very proud of you, son." Kimberly and Keith replied as they looked at Eugene with wonderment and awe as they vividly remembered the bravery and skill of their son as he thwarted a madman.
"King William?" Mistress Cassiopeia prompted.
"Yes, Mistress?"
"Would you like to tell our young hero here how he prevented a war? Single handedly, I might add?"
"Prevented a war?!" Rapunzel asked. She had not begun her tutored Corona history classes yet, and also looked upon Eugene in absolute awe, as did the crown princesses Stephanie and Chelsea, as well as Rupert and Amanda.
The King looked shocked at first by the revelation of what was, even five years later, still a closely guarded secret. His look transformed into one of quiet contentment as he thought back over five years previous; to a summer day very similar to the one they were currently enjoying.
"The closest Corona had come to war in ten generations occurred about five years ago. It was a wonderful late summer day when Samuel, our faithful courier and most capable spy, I might add, rushed in with dreadful news." King William said as he began the tale that was to leave all even more flabbergasted than even now.
Five Years Previous…
King William was busy reviewing army readiness and other status reports with Samantha Fassmann, the ever capable Seneschal, when he was interrupted by Samuel, recently returned from his most recent scouting mission; the target, the non-descript Olvassia Empire; one that was rumored to be plotting war on its neighbors; rumors that were to be found quite true. He had found that the empire was indeed arming itself and equipping a masterful yet unloyal army of mercenaries who served the highest bidder. This army, while imposing on the outside, had a serious flaw, one to be exploited within the next several days.
"Please pardon the interruption…" Samuel blurted out; exhausted by his run from the front of the palace where he had left his brave and sure footed horse, Hercules.
"Wow! Talk about the feeling of déjà vu." King William muttered as he thought back twenty years.
"Déjà vu?" Samantha asked; unaware of the previous danger to Corona.
"Yes, Samantha. I will tell you about it later. If you please, Samuel?" William asked as he recovered from the shock and nodded to Samantha.
"My liege, I bring news that will alarm you. It is also, however, but a means to an end."
"What is that evil emperor of Olvassia plotting now?" William nonchalantly asked, drawing quite the surprised look from Samantha. She was not aware, even as the Seneschal, of the events of over 20 years previous; events that transformed an unsure Crown Prince into the ever confident king of Corona.
"They are amassing a mighty army of over 15,000 soldiers. Its size and configuration is such that it could easily overwhelm us."
"I see. What do you recommend?" William calmly asked, maintaining his cool as his reputation demanded.
"I know it may seem risky, but I recommend that we do nothing."
"Nothing?!" William and Samantha asked; the looks of shock very evident on their faces.
"Yes, your highness. I recommend that we do nothing for I now know that Emperor Olvasa's supposed invincible army has a fatal weakness that my sources say will soon be exploited."
"A fatal weakness? Your sources? Soon to be exploited?"
"Yes, my sources have told me of an individual who seems to be out to strike him where it will hurt him the most."
"Hurt him the most?"
"He has an inexhaustible money supply; yet, one that will soon be apparently destroyed."
"Destroyed? By whom and to what end?"
"Yes, the creator of the imperial money supply is quite fragile and that its theft by Flynn Rider will soon cause his overthrow."
"Flynn Rider?!"
The present…
"His overthrow?!" The group excitedly shouted.
"His overthrow which, I might add, occurred five years ago next month. Do you remember these events Eugene?" King William asked as he grinned at the look of absolute discomfort currently gracing the face of the future Prince Consort.
"Um…" Eugene blushingly stuttered as he took in the looks of absolute awe from all present.
"Eugene! What happened? Why did you never tell of this tale?" Rapunzel asked as she hugged and kissed the cheek of her boyfriend.
"Well, Punzie, you have to remember that I was not the nicest person when I was Flynn Rider. I am deeply embarrassed by my pasts, which is why I do not really like doing backstory, and find it difficult to imagine myself back then as being good or having any good intentions."
"Well, I guess I can be yet another who can remind you that you are very special and kind hearted despite your past choices and that I am so very proud to be your girlfriend!" Rapunzel replied; her emerald green eyes as full of love and admiration for Eugene as to be unmistakable.
"Thanks, Blondie. I am lucky to be your boyfriend." Eugene replied as he blushed at her complement and the looks of amusement on everyone's faces.
"So, what happened?" Catherine asked, impatient to hear the tale.
"Well, Catherine, as William stated it was a wonderful summer day and I was in the back corner of the Witch's Cauldron, a very seedy tavern located right outside of the empire…"
Five Years Previous…
Flynn Rider was nursing a tankard of ale as he closely observed the comings and goings of this tavern. Located as it is right on the border between the empire and the civilized regions of Io it served as a brokerage house where information and goods were bartered for and traded. Flynn came here often to dispose of the more readily identifiable gold and other forms of non-negotiable currency that he relieved their previous owners of. It was so easy to take the insignificant trinkets and exchange them for untraceable gold coin. He did not, however, part with those so very unique and higher valued objects. He held on to them waiting for the proper time to dispose of them. Little did he know that he would retain them far longer than he expected.
"Flynn Rider?" The stranger asked.
"Who wants to know?" Flynn asked as he looked over the newcomer, wondering why such a nicely dressed individual was looking for him in perhaps the seediest of the seedy, yet knowing the stranger's identity and reason for seeking him.
"Who I am is not important, although I am quite certain that you already know my identity. What is important is that I require your services for the betterment of Io and that you will be paid handsomely."
"Why me?" Flynn asked, skeptical.
"You know why; and that you also know you will be quite successful." The stranger remarked as he effortlessly slid into the opposite side of the booth occupied by Flynn.
The Present…
"Who was the stranger, Eugene?" Rapunzel asked, intrigued so far by this tale.
"William, would you like to tell the group?" Eugene asked; a huge smirk on his face.
"Of course, Eugene. His name is Lord Marcus."
"Lord Marcus!?" Andrew and Annabella excitedly shouted as they looked at the look of pride on Mistress Cassiopeia's face.
"Yes, Lord Marcus." William confirmed.
"Who is he?" Rapunzel asked her father.
"He is the man, Cassiopeia's youngest brother actually, who has aided Corona for going on 25 years. He was with me during the Battle for the Midlands and he sought out the one that he knew had the power within him to succeed where others had failed."
"Others had failed?" Rapunzel asked her father.
"Yes. So many others had tried, failed, and died in the attempt to capture the prize that it was thought to be enchanted by evil spirits."
"Wow!" Rapunzel, Stephanie and Chelsea shouted.
"So, as I was saying, I was asked to take the supposed unreachable prize…" Eugene replied, continuing his epic tale.
Five Years Previous…
"Ok. I am in. What is the target?" Flynn asked in a soft whisper, quite intrigued by the challenge of it after all.
"In the highest tower of Emperor Olvasa's fortress palace is a very special animal; one that can lay eggs of pure gold." Lord Marcus whispered as he looked around the tavern to ensure that no one was paying them any mind.
"Eggs of gold? The Legend is true?" Flynn asked; his voice also a whisper, quite intrigued.
"Yes. The legend is true that there is a goose that can lay golden eggs. The emperor captured it about six or seven months ago and has had it laying eggs non-stop. He then crushes and smelts down these golden eggs into coins and other neutral forms of currency that he uses to pay for the armaments and the soldiers of fortune in his service. My sources also tell me that the goose is in ill health and needs to be saved. The loss of this goose will destroy him as he has no trade with other kingdoms and a negative balance of trade. This will cause his mercenary army to rise up against him and destroy his rule once and for all." Lord Marcus concluded in a whisper.
"What do you want me to do with this goose?"
"That, Flynn, is quite simple. I want you to steal it!"
"Steal it?!" Flynn shockingly whispered. He was barely able to keep undue and unwanted attention from him and his visitor.
"Yes. I want you to steal it and take it to this point." Lord Marcus replied as he pointed to an unremarkable area on the small map that he was carrying.
"Hmmm. What a trophy to add to my vast list of accomplishments. I can also see that your drop off is quite near to Corona near the Dark Forest. Ok; seems fair enough to me. What are the defenses that I will need to get through to reach the prize since I am pretty sure that I will not be able to waltz right in and ask nicely for them to give it to me?"
The present…
"Wait a minute!" Rapunzel interrupted, realizing something, or the lack of something.
"Yes?" Eugene replied with a smile; he already knew her question even before it was asked.
"Why have I not heard about the payment you were to receive?"
"Well, Punzie, I guess I was so interested in tackling the challenge of this fortress castle that the payment didn't matter to me that much."
"Awww; Eugene…"
"Anyway, as it turned out, the matter of payment actually never came up; ever."
"EVER?!" The group asked; they were understandably quite shocked by this revelation.
"Ever." Eugene replied. He went on with his tale…
Five Years Previous…
A/N #4: Sorry for the cliff hanger. Ran out of steam. Do not worry I have the conclusion in work.
A/N #5: Please review…