Hooray for things getting more interesting in this chapter! And hooray for me for updating! :) And I promise, you'll still get an update tomorrow! :) Even though school starts back. :(

Sorry for a lack of Eugene recently. He'll be back soon, I promise. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Tangled or Narnia, even though my friend and I went to Narnia yesterday and I was crowned a Queen of Narnia because I fell in love with Edmund and my friend fell in love with Caspian. So now I'm Queen. Ha. :)

Chapter V – Rapunzel Breaks a Promise

Rapunzel's eyes flickered open from her uneasy sleep. She and Gothel had been living in this cave for at least three weeks. Gothel had left the day before to go get food and water and other necessities from a nearby town. Rapunzel knew that she would be gone for at least two days because Gothel had made the trip before. It was a little less than a day there, and a little less than a day back. The only thing keeping Rapunzel in the cave was her promise that she wouldn't run away.

"Oh, my," Rapunzel said to herself. "I had the strangest dream." She was speaking out loud to herself, carefully testing her voice. She struggled to remember the dream. "I was in this forest and I was running as fast as I could. Then, a deep voice said, 'Fear not, child, for I am with you.' It was the same voice that I've heard before…And then a great Lion appeared. He frightened me, but then I felt safe and warm. The Lion told me that I needed to leave Gothel and go to where I truly belong."

If Pascal had been here, Rapunzel knew that he would give her a look that said, "No, duh. I've only been telling you this for the last six weeks."

"Oh, I should, Pascal," she said to the non-existent Pascal. "I've never broken a promise before…but I know that I can't keep this or I could die and I would never see Eugene again!" She was silent for a few moments, thinking. "I guess that's it then. I'm leaving."

Rapunzel quickly gathered her hair. She took another deep breath as she mentally prepared herself to break a promise for the first time. And then Rapunzel took off. Branches and pebbles scratched the soles of her bare feet, but she didn't care. Rapunzel ran and ran and ran.

After what seemed like, and probably was, hours of running, Rapunzel reached the edge of the forest. In front of her lay a field, a river, and on the other side of a drawbridge, a small village and a path leading to a huge, gleaming, white palace. She couldn't help but notice that the layout was somewhat similar to the village and castle in Corona.

Rapunzel ran into the village, looking for anyone who might help her. She didn't even know where she was. The town was not unlike the town she had visited with Eugene, except this one seemed less festive and less lively.

She looked around frantically until she saw a kind-looking man coming out of a book shop. He had curly, light brown hair and was wearing no shirt, but was wearing a red scarf. As Rapunzel approached the man, she noticed that he was not human at all—he had small horns coming out of his head, and goat legs, and hooves for feet!

"Excuse me, sir," she said, trying not to drop all of her hair. "I need some help."

"Oh, my," he said, "You have quite a lot of hair."

"I'm Rapunzel," she said. "I was kidnapped and I don't know where I am, and—"

He interrupted her, saying, "You're a Daughter of Eve! How did you get to Narnia?"

"I was kidnapped," Rapunzel repeated. "I must speak with someone so I can find my way home."

"I shall take you to Cair Paravel, where you will be able to see King Edmund or Queen Susan. King Peter and Queen Lucy are gone, you see. By the way, my name is Tumnus."

"Thank you, Mr. Tumnus," Rapunzel said, wiping the tears from her eyes. The two walked through the town and then walked along the path and through an orchard to the beautiful castle. When they passed some guards, Mr. Tumnus merely said, "She's with me," and on they went.

A few minutes passed as they walked through the castle before Mr. Tumnus said, "I must leave you here because I have errands to run, but this centaur, General Oreius, will take you to King Edmund or Queen Susan. I hope to see you again, Rapunzel."

"And you, Mr. Tumnus," Rapunzel said. She was nervous because of the centaur, but followed him nonetheless. Eventually, they reached two double doors that led into the throne room.

Oreius opened the doors and Rapunzel looked through to see a majestic chamber with four white thrones upon a marble dais. "It seems that both King Edmund and Queen Susan are here today." He entered the room and loudly, called, "Your majesties! There is a girl here who says that she must speak with you immediately!"

"Send her in, General," King Edmund called.

Oreius stepped aside and said, "Good luck," as Rapunzel walked into the throne room and down the aisle toward the four thrones. She allowed her hair to trail behind her because, frankly, her arms were tired of carrying the weight of seventy feet of hair.

"Who are you?" the Queen asked. Rapunzel studied the Queen and the King. Both were pale with very dark brown hair. The Queen had striking blue eyes and the King's were grey. They both looked regal, majestic, and commanding, but had a twinkle of cunning and adventure in their eyes.

"I am Rapunzel," she said bravely. "I was kidnapped by an old woman as a baby and locked in a tower for eighteen years. Fortunately, I was rescued by Flynn Rider, well, his real name is Eugene, but—"

"Wait," Queen Susan interrupted, "Flynn Rider? As in the thief Flynn Rider?"

"You know him?" both young women asked at the same time.

"Yes," Queen Susan answered. "I would love to wring his neck with my bare hands, right now, if I could."

"So would everybody else in the world, I think. Except for me. And Pascal. No, including Pascal. They don't like each other very much…How do you know him?"

King Edmund laughed and said, "That's another story. Continue please."

"Well, Eugene rescued me and took me to see the floating lanterns, but Moth—Gothel found us, took me home and had Eugene arrested. Eugene escaped and came to save me. Gothel stabbed him fatally, but I convinced her to allow me to save him if I promised to never run away again. Of course, I had to break that promise, but it took a lot of courage and heart…"

"How did you save him?" King Edmund asked.

"I have magic hair that glows when I sing," Rapunzel said simply. "I'll show you." She closed her eyes and began to sing, "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine…Heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design, save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine…what once was mine…" As she sang, Edmund and Susan gasped at the sight of the golden hair glowing iridescently.

"Wow," both monarchs exclaimed.

"But I forgot the most important part," Rapunzel explained. "I'm the lost princess of Corona."

Edmund and Susan were shocked. They nervously exchanged a glance. Susan looked down at the letter that rested in her lap. She was kidnapped as a baby and they haven't seen her since…Her name was Helene.

"High King Peter and Queen Lucy are in Corona right now," Queen Susan said. "How do you know?"

"I didn't know until I left my tower, but I have vague memories of my real parents and the nursery in the castle."

"We will have to write to Pete and Lu immediately," Edmund said to Susan.

"You do that while I take Rapunzel to wash, change, and get something to eat. And send a servant to fill the tub in the room two from mine with warm water." She stood, as did Edmund, and approached Rapunzel. Edmund left via a side door, but Susan smiled at Rapunzel and said, "Come, we will take care of—oh, my." Susan had just noticed the hair. "I didn't realize it was that long…"

"I get that a lot," Rapunzel said, smiling. "It used to creep me out, but now I'm just used to it, I guess."

"If that's fine with you," Susan said. They walked through the grand corridors, with Susan pointing out pieces of architecture and art and tapestries and such. Rapunzel just wanted to know how she wasn't getting lost. "Do you have any siblings, Princess Helene?"

Rapunzel stared at Queen Susan. "My name's Rapunzel."

"But I thought the lost princess' name was Helene."

"It may be, but I am Rapunzel. I'm sorry, but that's my name."

Susan looked taken aback, but quickly recovered and said, "I apologize, Princess Rapunzel. Again, do you have any siblings?"

"No," Rapunzel said. "And, I'm sorry again, but could you please not call me 'Princess' unless you have to? I'm just not used to it, and I don't really want the title just yet."

"If that's how you feel, Rapunzel," Susan said. "And you can just call me Susan unless we're surrounded by people other than my family and our friends."

"Thank you, Susan," Rapunzel said softly.

"I'll take you to a spare bedroom that's near mine. It's a little small, but—"

"Trust me," Rapunzel said, "Nothing is too small if you've been trapped in a tower your entire life."

Susan laughed along with Rapunzel, but Rapunzel's first words made her think back to the conversation she had with Aslan weeks before. "Trust me," he had said. Aslan had spoken of dark forces. Rapunzel could not be part of them could she? In her heart, Susan felt that she could trust Rapunzel. It seemed like the blonde was so fragile!

"Here we are," Susan said as they approached a large door. She turned the handle and pushed the door open. "My room is two doors down, but this will be yours. I don't think it's been used in centuries, but it's cleaned regularly. Why don't you wash while I go get some clothes out of my room and Lucy's room? I'm not sure which might fit better. Lucy's almost as tall as me and you seem a little shorter…I'll be right back."

Rapunzel found another door into the bathroom. There was already water in the tub, so Rapunzel went behind the changing screen and took off her dress. She had been wearing it for so long! Rapunzel slid into the warm water and grabbed the soap. She began scrubbing her body to get six weeks' worth of dirt and grime off. Then Rapunzel turned to her hair. She had seen a brush in the bedroom, so she had brought it into the bathroom with her. Rapunzel brushed through her hair as she washed it. It took forever and a day. These were the times when Rapunzel wished she had no hair, or at least less of it than she did.

"Rapunzel?" Susan's voice called. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the tub," Rapunzel called back.

"Still?"

"Well, I do have seventy feet of hair to wash."

"Oh, right. I'd forgotten. Well, I'll be out here waiting when you're finished."

Rapunzel hurried and washed her hair as fast as she could, but still thoroughly. After all, she hadn't taken a bath in six weeks, unless swimming in a couple of rivers counts. She finished in about twenty minutes, and then pulled herself out of the tub. Her hair was so heavy when it was wet! Rapunzel dried herself off with a towel and then wrapped herself in a robe. She attempted to wring her hair out over the tub, but still got water all over the cold, marble floor.

Rapunzel tried drying her hair in a towel some more, but her hair was still wet when she finished. Giving up with a sigh, Rapunzel walked back into the bedroom, allowing her hair to trail behind her. "Oh, dear," Susan said. "Why don't I braid your hair for you? It might make it a little easier to move around."

"Some little girls did that for me once. It made a big difference," Rapunzel said. "But there were four of them and only one of you. Will you be able to do it?"

"Of course," Susan replied. "I'm probably the best at braiding hair in all of Narnia." Susan got to work immediately, allowing Rapunzel to sit cross-legged on the bed with her back facing the edge so her hair could fall onto the floor without hitting the edge. The girls made small talk as Susan worked at braiding some of the hair into little braids. "So how old are you, Rapunzel?"

"My eighteenth birthday was a few weeks ago. And you?"

"I'm twenty. My older brother, High King Peter, is twenty-one, Edmund is eighteen, and Lucy is sixteen." Susan was slowly trying to pull all the hair into a braid that wouldn't hit the floor.

"If you don't mind me asking," said Rapunzel, "how did you meet Eugene, I mean, Flynn Rider?"

"Oh," Susan laughed. "It's a long story, but I suppose we have time. Lucy and Peter were in Tashbaan visiting the Tisroc and Prince Rabadash, and Edmund was visiting the giants up in Harfang. I was left here to take care of business in Narnia. I don't like to travel much, you see. Well, this man came to the castle and said that he was Lord Flynn Rider of the Trollicking Islands. I had never heard of these islands, and they weren't in any books, so I believed him. Since he claimed to be a lord, I didn't even have any problems allowing him to stay in the palace. When Edmund came home, things changed—" There was a knock on the door, and Susan called, "Just a minute! I'll have to finish telling you tonight. I'll come in after dinner and we can talk. Just a minute! There. I've finished. Pick a dress and put it on."

Susan walked to the door and saw Edmund standing there. "Can I come in?" he asked.

The Gentle Queen turned around to look at Rapunzel, who had gotten up and was twirling around, enjoying the freedom her ankle-length hair allowed her. "Princess Rapunzel isn't decent." Susan stepped out into the hall and shut the door. "Yes?"

"I was just wondering how things were going."

"They're well. We'll see you at dinner."

"But—"

"Goodbye, Edmund," Susan said and then walked inside.

"Who was it?" Rapunzel asked.

"My brother, King Edmund. He was checking up on you," Susan said disdainfully. It would seem that Edmund was beginning to like Rapunzel, and even though Susan knew, Edmund probably didn't.