Chapter 4

The halls were quiet. Too quiet. It was bad enough slipping through the corridors at night undetected, but without her brothers' snoring there was nothing that could be counted on for background noise. Well, so much more the challenge! Leora gathered her long skirt so she wouldn't make noise walking up the stairs. She had gotten rather good at sneaking around the guards and considered it a proud skill since it was her father who had taught her. Her father. She wasn't 'allowed' in this wing during the day - and much less at night. She and all of her siblings had been banned from the north wing while their father was ill. It was frightening her - and not just her, either. The little ones didn't understand, especially not Estelle, and despite everything that mamma said, the maids always said something different when they thought no one was listening. Leora didn't remember a time before when her father was so ill that they needed to be kept away and kept quiet. But why should she or Eugene be included in e exile? It wasn't as if they didn't know better then to run screaming through the hall or play hide-and-seek in their parent's bedroom. She was thirteen - practically a grown woman. Besides, their mother had brought them up to see him almost every day as it was. She didn't like not being able to see her father at will like she always had. He was always there - always there for everyone. She had often heard the servants cursing about that; giving out the good bread to the orphans or some scrawny tradesman or even worse the beggars that still came around. She had even been scolded by one of the maids that very day because her father was ill - and her chief complaint had been that he'd been caring for orphans. What a crime! Besides that, the young princess was in her cycle, and her cycles were horrible. Her back and head ached and she felt like throwing up or fainting through more then half of it. Sure she wasn't a baby any more, but he always at least said something to help her feel better. On her worst days he had been known to just pull her onto his lap and sing to her like she was a baby again. She stopped, waiting for a guard to go by, and wondered if she should keep going. This was so selfish! His footsteps receded and Leora leapt forward, almost racing to the door and slipping inside. It was dark in the antechamber of her parent's suite and that meant she could clearly see the crack in the door across the room. She hesitated at the door for a moment before gathering enough courage to touch the handle.
"Come in, Leora." She heard her father's voice say. She gasped loudly in surprise, her hands flying away from it making almost enough noise for the guards to come swallowed hard. How had he known she was there? She cracked the door open just slightly, enough for her face to be seen only a little by the candle's glow. "Come on, princess." He whispered, holding his hand out. "Quietly. I think your mother is asleep." Looking across the bed she could see her mother was asleep - and snoring. How very un-lady like. "You're not feeling well." He whispered with understanding. Leora could see that he was in pain, his every word ragged because of his swollen throat. Leora felt her own throat briefly, tears stinging in her eyes, thinking how much it had hurt for two days. Two days! Her father had been smiling through it for a ten days. She shook her head. "But daddy, you're ill." She whimpered, trying to stop her lip from quavering. The way that the maids talked had scared her more than she would admit to. She wanted as much time with him as she could have. Still, she was being horribly selfish. "I should go back to bed. I'm sorry." "You get over right now, Leora Jean Fitzherbert!" Eugene demanded with a stern smile. The princess sighed and stumbled forward over her robe, her bright childish smile lighting her face as she ran to be cuddled by her daddy again. She knew he wouldn't smell the same, though; musky and manly. Doctors always had strange smells around him, smells that she hated because it took part of him away from her. She hadn't been on her parent's bed in ages, and it felt strange clambering up on it again. Eugene smiled and wrapped his arms around her. He was almost unbearably warm. She wondered how she had felt so cold when she was ill if her skin had been this warm. He hadn't had much time for any of them individually then. Little Estelle had the most attention, but none of them begrudged her because she couldn't understand why she had felt so bad. Leora merely found it unfair that she had to be sick the week before her course - miserable for two weeks. If she had been able to eat anything for supper she would have been on the verge of losing it. "Any worse than normal, honey?" He whispered. Leora coughed hearing how thick his throat sounded. Suddenly she hated herself again for having come.

"No - yes, daddy." She whispered with tears falling out of her eyes onto her night gown. "Daddy, you are going to get well, aren't you?" She gasped. Eugene didn't say anything. He was rubbing her back and stroking her hair like she was a baby. "Daddy?" She gasped.

"Yes." He answered. "I won't leave you alone." there was a space of silence. Leora, for a strange moment did not quite know whether she's could believe him. Not because she didn't want it! But he had sounded unsure. Very unsure, and Leora let out an unintentional sob. "What happened today?" He asked her suddenly, apparently liking the silence less than she did. "I heard your mother shouting." Leora sighed and snuggled her head further into her father's burning chest. "Leora?" He was using that voice on her. The one that said, 'tell it now'. The young princess gave a ragged sigh.
"Joanna was scolding me because you're ill."
"Well - what has that to do with you? I didn't catch it from you children."
"No." She answered with her lips trembling. "That's why she was screaming at me. Because you went to the orphanage and contracted the fever from them. She said they weren't worth all that. But she doesn't know any if them!" She sobbed at last, trying to keep quiet so as not to wake her mother.
"She was screaming at you!?" Eugene gasped hoarsely, pulling her away to see her face. "I didn't hear -"
"Oh, she didn't dare scream up here." Leora sniffled. "I was in the kitchen, and she saw me taking some chocolate and she started with that."
"She knows that you're allowed to take chocolate when you wish! You've never been one to sneak things! But than why was your mother outside the room?"
"I, uh - I started crying and ran up stairs." She explained haltingly as she started sniffling again, "Daddy, I didn't know that she was going to follow me! I wasn't supposed to be up here, I know, Dad, but I didn't think about it! I was just running to my room, I didn't know that it was locked until I got there, though. She caught up with me and started scolding me for being up here when Mama came and saved me from her."
"I'll have to speak with her about this." Eugene sighed angrily.
"No, daddy. Mama discharged her. She sent her away."
"Goodness." Eugene gasped, trying to decide whether Rapunzel had been too harsh in her actions. "But this isn't the first time that she's attacked one of you. Of course Eugene is not usually completely innocent, but that doesn't excuse her actions. Also, your mother is going through more than many of the people know." He sighed, gripping Leora's arm as a tear slid own his cheek. His poor Rapunzel. More than the younger children knew as well. Leora only knew about the little brother or sister that her mother had lost because she had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even for her the thought was difficult to grasp. First the baby, and now her father was fighting death again.
"Because mama lost the baby." She whispered, starting to cry again. Eugene swallowed - or tried to swallow the lump in his throat. His swollen muscles refused and forced him to cough. Leora fell back off of his lap with no idea what she could do as her father struggled for breath. She started for her mother, but Eugene grabbed her arm with his free hand, shaking his head as he gradually forced his body to stop. He sighed, but it sounded more like a groan. Rapunzel moaned in her sleep, shifting in her chair. She would have been mortified at not waking up to that. "Are you alright, daddy?" She whispered. Eugene nodded, his eyebrows creasing down in pain while he leaned back, trying to breath easier. Leora sat beside him and held his hand up to her cheek while her tears fell down his arm. "No one understands that you're sad about loosing the baby too, do they?" Eugene smiled sadly and shook his head.
" I don't know, dear." He whispered.
"They don't." She insisted with angry tears touching the corners of her eyes. "None of them. The serving staff, the gentry, the lords - none of them! Daddy, mama told me not to say, but I have to."
"Say what? What are you talking about?"
"Some people are blaming you for the baby dying. They keep saying if you were home more, if you weren't always going off-"
"Leora, that isn't so and you know it."
"But why then, daddy? Can't you tell me so I can stop them?" She sobbed. Eugene sighed and held her head against his chest, stroking her golden hair. It looked so much like Rapunzel's had before he cut it. Rapunzel had never sung the incarnation around her - of course she had never cut her hair either, so no one knew for sure if perhaps Leora had the same gift. It would be used wrongly, and they all knew it. The thought of trying to save himself never even dawned on him, though he wondered maybe if it could have saved the baby.
"Most of the time we don't know the reason, sweet. I - I don't know that we'll ever know the reason why they leave even before they come." Eugene shifted, leaning back on the bed, his eyes drooping from weariness. He hadn't been ill for even a week. This did not bode well with him. Still, he sighed, stroking his daughter's hair. "I remember my mother telling me, when I was quite little, that maybe they were just too perfect. Maybe the were already perfect, ready for heaven, ready to just watch over us. But I wonder if they can miss us, just a little, you know?" He gasped, holding Leora even tighter. Leora felt hot tears that weren't hers falling on her hand. They didn't know. None of them knew what her father was feeling. And Flynn was right. They were jealous because they were not as good as her father. She wrapped her hands around his neck - oh but his skin was burning! - and kissed him.
"It's alright daddy. I'm here." She sobbed. Eugene coughed slightly, and she knew that he was smiling. He pulled her away, holding her hands and looking into her eyes.
"Yes, you are." He whispered. His face and lashes were still wet, but he smiled and held her face in his hands. "And you are special and beautiful, and I am so, so proud of you. In all my dreams, I never could have thought you would be my daughter." Leora smiled widely, unable to reply. What does one say to that? "How will I ever leave you?" He whispered to himself.
"What - what are you saying, daddy?" She gasped, the smile quickly fleeing her lips. Eugene drew a shallow, shaky breath, not holding her gaze the entire time, as if he were ashamed to. He didn't want to say it. He didn't want to think about it, and he never said anything about it to Rapunzel. Never. He couldn't. He just couldn't do that to her. Leora was old enough. He hated himself, but he could tell her. Eugene already knew, perhaps he should never have told him - but they had to be strong, and they would be stronger together.
"Leora," he sighed, "it's just - this illness. I'm so tired."
"Daddy?"
"Leora, I may die." He whispered, turning his head as if in shame.
"No. No, papa." She gasped.
"I don't want to. I don't want to leave you!" He gasped. "God knows I don't! But I will always be here for you. Always. Do you understand?"
"Yes, papa." She sobbed, falling on his chest again and weeping.
"Oh God, I don't to leave them." She heard her father whisper. Leora just clung to him, sobbing because her heart was breaking. He couldn't die, he just couldn't! If there was anything that she could do she would find a way.
"But - you'll stay with us if you can, right? You'll get well, promise."
"I can't promise." He whispered, his arms falling weakly around her instead of wrapped tight like that always were before. For his strength to be so far gone - no. He couldn't. He could beat this illness. He would. He had to see his sons become men. He had too walk his daughter's down the aisle, to give them away - a thought that ma de his throat catch. Leora would be coming of that age all too soon. This scarlet fever couldn't be the hardest thing he had fought through, could it?
After a few minutes he turned his face to her and let out a something of a chuckle. "Hey, this isn't making you feel better at all, is it?" Leora sat up, sobbing a laugh while she wiped her eyes with her hands.
"No, I suppose it isn't." She sniffled, smiling. "Well, it does a little."
"Good." He whispered, brushing her hair away from her dark eyes. He kissed her forehead and held her close for a few seconds. "You should get back to bed, honey." He whispered. Leora nodded, rubbing her nose before kissing him back. "I need you to stay, daddy." She whispered. "I need you to keep mama away from the frying pans when I have suitors." She laughed. Eugene chuckled quietly, his smile pale and weak by now.
"Yes, baby." He whispered, caressing her cheek, remembering how scared he had been the day she was born; scared that he wouldn't have her or Rapunzel anymore. He had cradled her next to his heart just the moment after to keep her from freezing in the cold and he wanted to do that now, he wanted to shield her from the cold of evil, and pain and death. He knew what she felt. He had to fight for her. "Now get back to bed. And don't let the guards catch you!" He joked. Leora turned with a mischievous smile - a perfect blend of his and Rapunzel's smile. Man, she was devious!
"I can't believe that after all we've been through together; you don't trust me?" She winked, quoting her father. Eugene shook his head and laughed. "Good night, sweetheart." He whispered as she closed the door. Minutes passed without any noise from the guards. Yes, she did her father proud.

Thanks for reading so far. I have no idea why the program would not let me edit, but from what I can see it'll be bone solid block - no indents for paragraphs :/ It seriously erased all of my 'tabs' and wouldn't let me fix it, so; sorry about that.