See? I promised it wouldn't take me a year to update! :D
So this story is finally starting to move in the direction I want it to, thought I'm sorry to say it will yet again be placed on the back burner for a little while. I participate in NaNoWriMo every year with my best friend, and that comes first...so I apologize in advance! I'm also working on a story for a dear friend of mine for her Christmas gift, and you'll probably see it up on the site before too long. :)
Anyway, here you go! Happy Election Day! GO VOTE!
CHAPTER SONG: "Some Nights" by Fun.
Disclaimer: Still not mine, though I strive for it everyday...sadly, it has yet to happen.
Smoke & Mirrors
A "Tangled" fanfiction
by doodlegirll
...oOo...
Eugene slowly brought the steaming cup of hot herbal tea to his lips, and sipped it lightly, wrapping his hands around the warm mug as he swallowed and studied the royal family before him. It had been many long hours since the events in the kingdom, and immediately following, the entire royal family had been ushered into a carriage and brought back to the castle. The King had called together the royal council, and now they awaited their collective arrivals, though night had fallen and it was becoming late.
Rapunzel, her own cup of tea abandoned, paced back and forth along the length of the library in front of the warm fireplace, where the four of them now gathered, wringing her hands. The King gazed out the window at the scene below, where guards patrolled the area, their weapons poised and ready for battle should the need arise, his blue eyes steely and alert. The Queen sat quietly in the corner, her hands folded calmly in her lap as she, too, studied the silence that reverberated between them.
"Well…" Eugene said, finally unable to bear the silence any longer. "Today was…interesting."
"Interesting?!" Rapunzel cried. "You almost got killed, Eugene!"
Eugene flashed a grin at her. "When does a day go by when I don't almost get killed?"
"That's not funny, Eugene." Rapunzel said, her green eyes serious. "This is serious."
"I do agree with Rapunzel, dear." Queen Anwen said to the Prince Consort. "Gallows humor is hardly befitting of such a situation as this."
Eugene saw Rapunzel wince slightly at the use of the word 'gallows,' and he wondered vaguely if the assassination attempt was the only thing bothering her at that particular moment...
King Leander stepped away from his spot at the window and approached the chair next to Eugene, where he sat down and held his hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Daddy?" Rapunzel said. "Are you alright?"
The King sighed, and looked up at his worried daughter's face. "Quite alright, dearest." He assured her. "I am merely contemplating my options at this very moment."
The Queen got up from her seat and crossed over to where her husband sat.
"Once the council arrives, we'll be able to decide where to go from here." She said softly, placing a comforting hand on King Leander's arm. "Do not worry yourself sick."
"Who would have done this?!" Rapunzel said, the anger evident in her usually spirited voice. "And why did they do it?"
"Rapunzel." Eugene whispered. "You know why."
"No, I don't! Today was going so well, and everyone seemed so happy! Why would someone want to kill you, Eugene?"
Eugene shrugged. "I guess not everyone was as happy as we thought, Blondie." He said simply. He cracked another grin at her. "I'm actually sort of flattered."
"This isn't funny, Eugene!" Rapunzel cried, throwing her hands into the air. Eugene held his hands up, palms out, as a sign of surrender and apology. "Not even a little bit! So stop trying to joke about it! You could have died, and I want to know why."
Queen Anwen hugged her daughter close. "We all, do, darling." She said. "Just calm down. It's all going to be alright. Eugene is safe here."
Rapunzel seemed to relax a bit in her mother's arms, allowing herself to hug her tightly.
"I'm scared, Mama." She whispered. "I'm really really scared."
The Queen stroked the girl's hair soothingly. "It's alright, dear. It's perfectly acceptable for you to be afraid."
King Leander's mustache twitched as he thoughtfully gazed at the scene before him, before finally opening his mouth to speak.
"I am going to speak to the Captain." He said. "I believe I may have a possible solution for our problem."
Queen Anwen nodded. "Shall I join you?"
"Yes, I believe that would be a good idea." The King agreed. He turned to Eugene and Rapunzel. "Why don't the two of you go to bed? Today has been quite the long day, and I believe a good night's rest will do us all a bit of good. Guards are being posted outside of both of your rooms tonight, but especially yours, Eugene." He looked at the ex-thief. "The Captain has also posted two guards outside on your balcony, for added precaution."
"Thank you, Leander." Eugene said, nodding.
"But – " Rapunzel started to protest, but her father silenced her with a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Your mother and I will be in to say goodnight as soon as we're through speaking with the Captain." He promised. "Go on to bed now. We won't be long."
Rapunzel nodded. "Alright, Daddy."
The King smiled and kissed the top of her head, and then he and his wife left the library.
Rapunzel watched them leave, chewing her bottom lip nervously. Eugene, sensing her discomfort, walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.
"C'mon, Blondie." He whispered in her ear. "I'll walk you to your room."
He took her hand, and the two of them walked to the door and down the hallway. They came to Rapunzel's bedroom, and the two of them stepped inside. Rapunzel retreated into her closet to change into her nightgown while Eugene waited patiently by the door.
Finally, Rapunzel emerged, wearing her favorite nightgown, and quickly dove into her bed. Eugene chuckled lightly at her as she snuggled in, pulling the duvet up to her chin. Pascal snuggled in at her side, pulling a fold of the blanket over him neatly, and he closed his eyes, turning a content purple as he did so.
Eugene bent down and gently kissed Rapunzel on the forehead.
"Goodnight, Princess." He said. "I love you."
Rapunzel reached out from underneath her covers and grabbed his wrist.
"Eugene, please don't leave!" She said, her voice quiet and small.
Eugene blinked, and tenderly reached out a hand to caress her face.
"Hey, it's okay. Your parents will be in here in a few minutes." He said.
She shook her head. "Stay with me until they get here? Please?" She said. "I don't want to be alone."
"Alright." Eugene consented. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, okay?"
Rapunzel crawled from underneath her covers and hugged him around the midsection tightly.
"Thank you." She whispered.
Very carefully, Eugene climbed onto the bed, and she crawled into his lap. He covered her with the duvet, and put his arms around her securely. She snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I love you, Eugene." She said.
"I love you, too, Blondie." He said into her hair as he kissed the top of her head.
It wasn't long before her breathing deepened, and she fell asleep, safe in the arms of the man she loved most in the world. Eugene, however, knew that her parents would be there soon to bid her goodnight, and while innocent and comforting in nature, the last thing he wanted was for them to find them in this position. He very carefully swung his legs over the side of the bed and gently lowered Rapunzel onto the bed, placing her head on her pillow and tucking the blankets around her.
"Sleep tight, Rapunzel." Eugene whispered softly as he brushed a lock of unruly brown hair from her eyes. "Everything's going to be alright. I'm here."
The girl's mouth twitched into a slight smile as she slumbered peacefully, and he knew she had understood.
At that moment, a soft knock on the door drew his attention from the princess in front of him, and he turned to find the King and Queen peeking into their daughter's bedroom.
"She's asleep." Eugene whispered as they neared the bedside.
The Queen smiled at her daughter's sleeping form. "She's emotionally exhausted, the poor dear." She said. "Today was stressful for all of us, and I know she had been so optimistic that all would go as planned."
The King placed his hand on his wife's shoulder. "We all were." He said. He turned to look at Eugene. "We've spoken with the Captain, and many of the council members have arrived. It's going to be a long night of decisions and careful planning. You're welcome to join us, if you wish."
Eugene contemplated this for a moment.
"With all due respect, I think I'll stay here and make sure Rapunzel sleeps well." He said. "I don't want her to wake up in the middle of the night with a nightmare or something and be alone."
Queen Anwen smiled and nodded her blessing. "As you wish, dear." She said. She squeezed Eugene's arm in a silent thanks.
Eugene gave her a single nod, then cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Thank you…both of you. For today, I mean." He said.
"You're quiet welcome, my boy." King Leander replied. "It was our great pleasure to have the honor of hosting such a feast. You were welcomed warmly, and the assassination attempt aside, I believe it went as well as possible."
A guard stepped into the room. "Your Majesties, your presence is requested in the throne room. The council has gathered." He said, bowing as he did so.
"Yes, thank you, Baris." The King thanked the guard. "We'll only be a moment longer."
Baris nodded, and retreated back into the hallway.
Queen Anwen gave Eugene another motherly smile. "Thank you for staying with her tonight." She said as she, too, leant over to stroke Rapunzel's brunette hair lovingly. "I believe she's been having trouble sleeping lately, though she hasn't said it outright. I've noticed that she's had dark bags under her eyes on occasion, and her tutors have said that she has had a hard time concentrating on her lessons as of late, but they attributed it the stress of the upcoming debut as opposed to a lack of sleep." She sighed. "A mother always knows when her child is in pain."
She looked pointedly at Eugene when she said this, her gaze kind, and he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Come, dear." King Leander said. "We must meet with the council."
Queen Anwen nodded, and her husband placed his arm across her shoulders as they walked towards the door.
As they were about to exit, King Leander dared one last gaze over his shoulder.
"Protect her, Mr. Fitzherbert." He said quietly.
"I will." Eugene promised. "Always."
With that, Rapunzel's parents left, entrusting their daughter's slumbering safety to the Prince Consort.
Eugene sighed as he turned back to Rapunzel, and true to his thieving past, stole an unused pillow from the bed, allowing it to fall from his hands to the floor beneath his boots. He walked to the basin of water in the corner, and found a spare blanket in the cabinet underneath. Returning to Rapunzel's bedside, he settled himself on the floor, the hard, cold marble biting through the cotton of his shirt. It wasn't entirely uncomfortable; while it was no cloud, it was better than many of the various surfaces he had used as beds in the past, including the mound of hay he had been forced to utilize during his stay in prison.
Eventually, Eugene allowed himself to relax, and with the girl he loved sleeping serenely in the bed beside him, he fell asleep.
It was shorter, but the plot is evolving rapidly, and I promise the next chapter will be longer, and much more action packed. :)
Hope you enjoyed! Please review and tell me how you're liking it so far! I'm definitely open to suggestions! :D