Man, I really hate breaking promises. I'm sorry again. I got busy with lots of things. I had to study for EOC, write a poem for graduation, finish a final project, get ready for the North Carolina trip, and so much more. Luckily, I'm officially out of school *Yipee!* and on summer vacation until August so now I can catch up. Anyways, I'm here with another chapter of "Lost Memories"! Now we are back in the present and in this chapter, Katherine attempts to tell Eugene the truth and also, you might be surprised by the end of the chapter. Because I happen to have a surprise ending for this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to Tangled; it all belongs to Disney (except the OC's in the story).
Chapter 11
Katherine came back to reality as she shook her head and rubbed her eyes. She couldn't believe it.
The kind man who had took her in, Eugene Fitzherbert, was actually her nephew, her sister's son, Eugene. She then knew what she had to do. She had to tell him about her being related to him. But how would he react?
Would he not believe her?
Would he kick her out of the palace for "lying" to him?
Would he throw her in jail?
Would he freak out?
Would he be mad at her?
She did not know, but there was only one way to find out.
She then walked down a few hallways and reached Rapunzel and Eugene's bedroom. She knew where their bedroom was thanks to Elizabeth and Peter. She saw that the door was slightly open and looked inside to see if Eugene was there, and yet he was there, reading a book. She backed up a bit so he wouldn't see her at first then cleared her throat as she prepared to go into the room. She was then interrupted by Eugene.
"Ms. Katherine, even though I can't see you right now, I still know you're there," explained Eugene, not taking one eye off his book. Katherine then went back into the hallway and blushed wildly. "It's okay, you can come in anyways," chuckled Eugene. Katherine came in after hearing that.
"Eugene," addressed Katherine.
"Yes Ms. Katherine, is there something wrong?" asked Eugene.
"Oh yes, I just need to ask you a few questions and tell you a few things," she explained.
"Sure, what is it?" asked Eugene.
"But before I can start, I need to tell you somewhere farther away from here," explained Katherine.
"Sure, whatever you want Ms. Katherine, just say where," Eugene replied as he led her out of the room.
XXXXX
Katherine decided to first talk about it in town. Typically at the moment, her and her nephew (who didn't know was her nephew yet) were walking down the bustling streets of Corona. Eugene asked if Katherine was hungry and Katherine said she was a little and they decided to stop by the bakery.
"Just out of curiosity, what is it that you wanted to ask me?" asked Eugene while they were waiting in line.
"I'll start asking you when we get our food," explained Katherine as she tried to think of a way to tell Eugene as she was surprised by the guy behind the counter.
He was different from what she thought the guy who ran the bakery would be. His face was covered by some kind of helmet with horns, he had a cupcake tattoo on his upper arm, and his clothes could be compared to Viking's clothing.
Katherine almost started freaking out, but Eugene calmed her down before she even started to scream.
"Who…who…who's that?" Katherine panted.
"Him? Oh, that's Attila, he runs the bakery here," explained Eugene.
"Oh," sighed Katherine who didn't know if she should calm down or not.
"Don't worry. Attila friendly…" said Attila who's voice echoed through the helmet.
"Sorry, she's new here," chuckled Eugene.
"Well, if it isn't Rider! How are you and the princess? You're not cheating on her are you, with that woman?" chuckled Attila as he said the last thing seriously like he was going to beat Eugene to a pulp if he found out Eugene was cheating on Rapunzel.
"Rapunzel and I are fine and no, I'm not cheating on Rapunzel with this woman. She happens to be a woman Rapunzel saw the other day in Corona and I'm just showing her around as a friend," explained Eugene.
"Oh, well tell the princess Attila says 'hi'," replied Attila as he chuckled a bit, "Now what can I get you?"
XXXXX
After the conversation with Attila, Katherine and Eugene sat down at one of the tables in the bakery. Eugene ordered two chocolate cupcakes with strawberry icing and a cherry on top. Katherine at first was reluctant with trying the cupcakes but when Eugene explained to her about Attila and how he makes the best cupcakes in all of Corona, Katherine took a bite and was delighted by the taste and ended up eating her cupcake up faster than Eugene.
"Now, what is it that you wanted to ask me?" asked Eugene.
"I was just curious by what your past was like," sighed Katherine.
"Sorry Ms. Katherine, I don't really do back story, but I'll give you a few details when you ask about that," explained Eugene who was reluctant because he hated talking about his past because it was too depressing.
"Well, I do remember Rapunzel talking about at dinner how your mother died, I was curious about what she died of?" asked Katherine.
"She um…died of scarlet fever when I was about six," stammered Eugene as he remembered that awful dream he had last night with him remembering his mother's death.
"Oh…well, I'm sorry to hear that. What happened to your father?" asked Katherine.
"He um…got drunk and uh…got in an argument and left my mother and I when I was only a newborn…" sighed Eugene.
"Well, what happened after that?" asked Katherine.
"When my mother had died, we didn't know where I should go. There was thought of sending me to my father's, but I refused because I thought he didn't care about my mother and I even said, 'Why would I want to live with the man who killed my mother?' when I found that out. My mother's friend, who had taken care of me while my mother was sick, couldn't care for me because she had to care for her husband, Jerry, who couldn't work because of a hunting accident. Also, there was thought of sending me to my aunt's, but she lived so far away and they couldn't send a child at my age all by himself, so the only other option was the orphanage," explained Eugene as he sighed.
"That's sad…" sighed Katherine, "What was it like at the orphanage?"
"It was mostly terrible. It was crowded and I had to sleep on the floor plenty of times. I would often get teased by the older orphans for being too skinny and too young. The conditions were horrible. In the summer, it was always hot and we thought most of us would die from the heat. In the winter, it was always freezing and making all of us vulnerable to diseases. We didn't have enough money for medicine and some of the orphans died from them. We almost never had food to eat or water to drink or blankets to keep us warm. I was happy to leave the orphanage at sixteen because I couldn't stand it any longer…" explained Eugene.
"That's even sadder…in fact, I think my heart just broke from that," sighed Katherine as she wiped some tears from her eyes before they could spill over. "Were there any happy times?"
"Well yes, there were some happy times. I remember when I read to the younger kids, The Tales of Flynnigan Rider," explained Eugene.
"The Tales of Flynnigan Rider? I got that book for my nephew, but never gave it to him. I wanted to give it to him for his seventh birthday when he already knew how to read, but he disappeared after my sister's death," explained Katherine.
"Speaking of your nephew, have you found out who he is?" asked Eugene.
"Well, yes…yes I have," sighed Katherine.
"Aren't you going to tell me who it is?" asked Eugene confused by why Katherine didn't say who her nephew was.
"I will, but just not here," she sighed.
"So…where do you want to go?" asked Eugene even more confused.
"I don't know, let's just walk until we find a spot," sighed Katherine.
"Whatever you say Ms. Katherine," Eugene sighed, "Whatever you say."
They both started to walk out when a man dropped a pot of cream in front of them.
"Oh, I'm so sorry miss and your Highness," stuttered the man. This made Katherine wince because it reminded her of who was with her that she needed to tell her secret to.
"It's okay, and you don't need to call me 'Your Highness'," smiled Eugene as he helped the man pick up the pieces of the broken pot of cream. Katherine smiled by Eugene being so generous.
"Are you okay? I didn't get any cream on you, did I?" asked the man as he felt Katherine's skirt until he found her pocket.
"No, and I hope you don't get in trouble for dropping that pot," replied Katherine.
"I hope not either, anyways, thanks for helping me," smiled the man as he passed Katherine and Eugene as the two left.
However, they were unaware of the man putting an object in Katherine's pocket as he passed her and the man smiling wickedly.
XXXXX
Katherine and Eugene ended up wandering through the kingdom until they left the front gates and entered the forest.
So many memories, thought Eugene as he entered the forest.
He remembered the many times he entered the forest to run away from the guards after a theft…
He remembered the time he stopped along the beach and leaving Rapunzel there unknowing that he was entering a trap set by Mother Gothel and the Stabbingtons…
He even remembered the time he rode through the forest on Maximus' back all the way to Rapunzel's tower unknowing of the horrible and fatal events that happened there when he got to the tower.
Katherine bit her lip nervously as she found a spacious area away from everything. She found two big rocks and sat down on one rock and signaled Eugene to sit on the other. Eugene, who was curious by why Katherine chose this place, reluctantly sat down on the other rock.
"Look Ms. Katherine, I believe we went far enough on the walking, and are you going to tell me who your nephew is?" explained Eugene.
Katherine sighed.
It was time.
Time to tell him the truth about them.
Time to let it all out.
"Eugene, there is something I have to ask you," replied Katherine.
"What is it?" asked Eugene.
"Can you promise me not to freak out when I tell you who my nephew is?" asked Katherine.
Just how did she know I have a habit of freaking out over certain things? Eugene thought for a moment before he sighed.
"I promise, now what? Who is he?" asked Eugene who was tired of the suspense.
"Well, you see Eugene, my nephew is…" started Katherine before she was interrupted.
"YOU!" someone exclaimed. The two turned around and saw a man.
The man was clearly a soldier, but not one from Corona. Eugene recognized the man to be the Captain of the Guard from Leonia, a kingdom he robbed in the past.
He had a serious face and Eugene knew he was ten times stricter and meaner than the Captain of the Guard he knew in Corona. Eugene and Katherine gulped when they saw two other soldiers behind him.
"THIEF! GET THEM!" ordered the Captain as the two other soldiers ran towards Katherine and Eugene. The two, who were afraid of what might happen to them, ran off quickly.
The two ran as fast as they could until Katherine stopped because her skirt got caught on a real low-hanging branch. Eugene, who was worried about Katherine, got to the branch and got her loose from it, but unfortunately it was too late. The guards caught up to them along with two more guards as the four guards grabbed hold of Katherine and Eugene and brought the two down to their knees in front of the Captain of the Guard from Leonia.
"So, you think you could get away with a thing like that? Well, I think not!" spat the Captain as he slowly circled the two like a vulture. "Now, one of you is guilty of stealing Queen Josephine's necklace," he explained.
"I didn't take the necklace! I haven't been in Leonia for years!" exclaimed Eugene.
"It was not you Rider; King Robert made it clear that you were no longer a wanted criminal after hearing your king," explained the Captain. Eugene scowled at the Captain and if looks could kill, Eugene's look could've killed the Captain faster than the Plague. "It was HER!" exclaimed the Captain as he pointed his sword to Katherine.
Katherine gasped horrified by what she was just accused and was infuriated at the Captain.
"I am NOT a thief!" Katherine screamed, "I never took ANYTHING in my life!"
"Then check her pocket!" commanded the Captain. One of the soldiers dug through Katherine's pocket and pulled out the stolen item. The item was an emerald necklace.
The emeralds were so beautiful, there was even a rumor that the emeralds on the necklace once belonged to Queen Cleopatra of Egypt before she commited suicide. There were many emeralds lining the necklace along with some diamonds. It was truly worth a fortune just to have it. Eugene even once thought of stealing it and using it to buy an island during his thieving days, but decided not to because he knew that the crown of the Lost Princess of Corona was even more valuable than any necklace.
Katherine did not know what to say. She knew she didn't steal it, but she didn't know how it got into her pocket.
"I…I…I…" stammered Katherine.
"'I, I, I,' is not going to cut it!" snapped the Captain coolly. "Men, arrest her!"
Eugene was surprised by this, but he was smart. He knew someone framed her and he was not about to have her get arrested for something she didn't do.
"Leave her alone! She's innocent!" exclaimed Eugene furiously. He managed to break free from the guard's grip and tried to stop the guards from taking Katherine.
Katherine gasped when she saw Eugene defending her and trying to stop this. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to last that long.
"Men, stop him!" barked the Captain.
The soldiers then grabbed Eugene as one of them hit Eugene hard in the stomach. Eugene groaned in pain because right where the guard punched him was where a fatal accident had happened years ago.
"Eugene!" exclaimed Katherine.
Eugene could feel pain throughout his body as he clutched his right side. The guards then lifted Eugene as the guards looked at the Captain as the cruel Captain nodded for them to do so.
"Eugene!" exclaimed Katherine again afraid of what might happen to her nephew.
Eugene, who was weak from what the guards did, looked up at Katherine as his vision slowly started to blur. Katherine knew she had to tell Eugene so she decided this was the moment he should know.
"Eugene! I'm your aunt!" she yelled with no regret, but before Eugene could react, one of the soldiers knocked Eugene out cold.
"NO!" she screamed when she saw what the guards had done to him.
"That's quite enough! Take her away!" exclaimed the Captain as the men started forcing Katherine away from Eugene.
"Eugene! You're my nephew! Your mother's my sister, Miranda! Please remember! I am your AUNT!" called Katherine as she was led away.
"Men! Gag her!" ordered the Captain as the men took a piece of cloth and tied it around Katherine's mouth. She sighed and sadly walked as the soldiers forced her forward with her having the most depressed look on her face.
Sorry for the cliffhanger! I just thought it would be interesting if Katherine got into something troublesome and Eugene, Rapunzel, and the others will have to save her. Also, this maybe the last time you see the Captain of the Leonia Guard in this story, but I'm still not sure if I should include him in the story sometime again, and those of you who are curious, the Captain of the Leonia Guard and the man who stuffed the necklace in Katherine's pocket are not the real villain in this story. However, he will definitely show up in the next chapter and you will learn about his evil little plot. Also (I know, I have a lot of also's), I hope you liked the little moment with one of the thugs. I thought it would be funny to inculde one of the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling.
Review Replies:
Wheels4TheOneTrueGod: Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to watch out for that.
BroadwayFanGirl91: I'm glad you like it and I'm glad you suggested it even though you didn't know what it was.
kittyhawk09: I'm glad you like the plot so far.
GleamofAiedail: It's okay, and I feel bad for her too. She seems to get ignored and forgot about a lot.
So other than that, Adios for now!