For her entire life, Rapunzel had only ever known her mother and Pascal, holding the belief that the outside world was a dangerous place, filled with horrible, selfish people. Yet so far, Rapunzel hadn't seen such a world. Even as she stood between the white stallion, Maximus, and Eugene, who had reluctantly extended a hand out in front of him, she wondered if the picture her mother had painted in her mind was a true reflection of everything that resided outside of her tower.
The lanterns were to be released that evening and Rapunzel was determined not to miss her chance to see them exactly for what they were; considering how far she had come, waiting another year was no longer an option. With her hands clasped politely behind her back she swayed between the opposing sides before her, wearing a hopeful expression.
"And it's also my birthday," Rapunzel mumbled out of the corner of her smile. "Just so you know."
During her adventure, she had found she could positively influence others with her words and Eugene himself had been impressed with the way she had handled the ruffians at the bar. The ability came naturally to her, as if she were born to lead others. Now that she had won the affections of Maximus also, she felt confident that she had convinced him and Eugene enough to remain civil until her dream was fulfilled.
Their discord was centred on the treasure in Eugene's satchel. She had perceived enough to gather that Eugene had stolen from the kingdom and, although Maximus was only seeking justice by chasing the thief, she also understood that Eugene was not a villain. In the past day, Rapunzel had seen and learnt so much and her most valuable lesson of all was that the world was not so black and white, but rather shades of every colour in between. Eugene had a dream. Even though his means of achieving it were at the detriment of others, did that lessen the value of its importance? For hadn't fulfilling her own dream been at the expense of her mother's happiness?
Rapunzel had been dreaming about seeing the lanterns her entire life; she couldn't allow the dispute that someone else's dream had caused hold her back. The treasure had nothing to do with her and so she couldn't justify whose side deserved to prevail. And if Eugene, as her mother had warned, still only cared for his plunder despite all they had been through, then nor should she care about his fate once their adventure was over.
The moment Maximus shook on the deal with Eugene – both of them glaring at the other with hard, squinted eyes – the tolling of bells echoed in the distance. They entranced Rapunzel, like a hypnotic voice that called for her, beckoning her to come forth. The more she thought about the moment she would finally reach the kingdom, the more her heart felt complete, as if she wasn't making her first visit, but returning after an incredibly long time.
"Oof!"
As she turned and blinked out of her daze, Rapunzel saw Eugene on the floor, wheezing as he tried to pull his boot back on. There had been a gleeful whinny from Maximus, but now his head was turned and his expression full of innocence. Coming over to Eugene, Rapunzel grabbed onto his hand with two of hers and hauled him to his feet. She stumbled back in her efforts and both Eugene and Maximus went to catch her fall: the thief's hand tucked around her waist and the horse's teeth clamped onto her hair. Once she was steady, the pair froze and glared at each other again.
"Uh, thank you," Rapunzel said with a bemused tone as she carefully pulled the golden strands from Maximus' mouth and then went to loosen Eugene's grip. His head turned to the contact his hand had made with her body and he quickly withdrew it to his side. Rapunzel noticed a confliction in his eyes before they swiftly averted to the forest behind her.
Clearing his throat, Eugene said, "We should make a move; we don't want to be late to celebrate your big day now, do we?" As he stepped forward to lead the way, Maximus snorted in disagreement. Before he could amplify his protest, Rapunzel stood in his path and pressed a hand to his furry lips. He looked at her with large, puzzled eyes and cocked his head to one side.
"Wait here," she whispered. Checking that Eugene was still walking ahead, she hurried to the tree stump where his satchel hid and lifted it in her arms. As she returned to Maximus, his eyes widened in recognition and his nostrils flared.
"I need you to look after this," she murmured, tucking the satchel under his saddle. The horse's lips stretched over his teeth as he made to bite at the strap. "Please," Rapunzel asked firmly, holding his muzzle between her hands. "You made a deal."
Maximus exhaled hot air from his nostrils and nodded once.
"Thank you." Rapunzel knew that she was taking a risk by placing Eugene's treasure in the possession of his opposition, but she hadn't another option. Regardless of her heart, her mind advised her not to trust Eugene - not yet.
"Blondie, let's go!" Eugene was some distance ahead of them and he seemed to swagger with greater arrogance than before. From over his shoulder, he added, "And you should think about putting your dog on a leash."
There was a deafening whinny as Maximus galloped in front of Eugene.
"What now?" he cried in exasperation, his path blocked by the infuriated stallion.
Maximus stamped his front hoof on the ground.
"Eugene," Rapunzel moaned playfully as she ran over to him. She touched his arm lightly and raised an eyebrow. "You said you'd behave."
"He thumped me in the stomach!" exclaimed Eugene, thrusting both arms at Maximus, who had narrowed his eyes into two onyx slits.
Pascal, who was sat on Rapunzel's shoulder, croaked wearily.
"As entertaining as this is," Eugene began, lifting a foot to walk around Maximus, "We are on a tight schedu –" He stopped when Maximus sidestepped with him.
"I think we should let Max lead the way," Rapunzel said brightly.
"Max?" Eugene questioned disapprovingly under his breath and Rapunzel eyes cut sideways to him warningly. The stallion's ears pricked up in interest and she smiled secretly. As she went over to stroke his snout, she continued, "We need someone brave and strong to protect us in this forest and guide us to the kingdom."
Maximus instantly stood up straight, his chest puffed and his face set with determination.
"What do you say?" asked Rapunzel with an encouraging grin. To her relief, Maximus nodded firmly and Pascal, rising on his hind legs, offered him a salute.
When the stallion had started to march ahead, Rapunzel followed with Eugene flanking her.
"Are you kidding me?" he hissed quietly so that Maximus couldn't here. "Brave and strong?" He gestured emphatically to himself.
"Oh, don't be so silly," murmured Rapunzel. "Perhaps if you learned to put what really matters before your pride –"
"Excuse me?"
As they walked, Rapunzel bit her lip to hide her smirk. "Are you jealous, Eugene Fitzherbert?"
"Of a horse?" When she raised an eyebrow at him he scoffed haughtily. "Blondie, come on. I don't get jealous. I have nothing to be jealous of."
Rapunzel could have accepted his answer with a shrug, even though she doubted his denial. Yet her mother's words remained stubborn at the forefront of her mind, chewing away at every other thought she tried to distract herself with.
"Well, I've never been a thief before but I think being one has something to do with jealousy."
There was an apprehensive pause before Eugene released a defeated sigh. "Maybe you're right," he muttered dismally and he snuck a cautious glance at Maximus. "But, listen, I told you why I do what I do and why..." His eyes cut briefly to the stallion again and he lowered his voice, "Why I stole that crown. And I know what I said before I left that tower but now... now I don't know if..."
His hesitation caused Rapunzel to look up at him, her eyes wide with a brightened hope that Eugene would say the words she wanted to hear: that he wasn't still here solely for his satchel; that their adventure wasn't over once the lanterns had floated away. Now that she had seen what the world could offer, it would be impossible to return to normality. And it was because of this that Rapunzel needed to know Eugene was still here for more than one reason.
His eyes studied hers for a moment, the depths of his pupils holding emotions which he kept stubbornly concealed. "... I - I don't know whether we're keeping the deal fair if I'm not the one guiding. I take you to see the lanterns; you give me back my satchel. That was the deal."
At first, Rapunzel could only respond with slow, confused blinks until it dawned on her that her wishes had been imprudent; Eugene risked his life for his dream, nothing (and no one) else. His dream mattered more than anything and that included her.
"Oh," she murmured with a false smile. Her footsteps were careful along the thinning grass and stones. "No, the deal remains fair."
"Right. Wonderful."
Before Rapunzel could wonder how long the thick silence which followed would last for, they were interrupted by the appearance of an old man intersecting their path. He was unusually small and Rapunzel realised they had already met him at The Snuggly Duckling. He staggered in front of them on thin, wobbly legs, wearing nothing but white underwear and angel wings strapped onto his back.
"Dreams... dreams... it's ah... t-tunnel o' dreams..." He hiccupped before swinging a heavy foot around so that he faced them. He jumped upon seeing the two bodies before him and stumbled unsteadily back as if he thought the ground was shaking. Before he could fall, Maximus had galloped over and lifted the tiny man by his wings.
His eyelids drooped as he tried forming coherent sentences. "Don't ask me." He spoke with a lisp and drool dripped onto his long, white beard. "Don't know nothing."
Giving Eugene an uncertain glance, Rapunzel asked softly, "Are you lost?"
"The ol' witchy lady," the old man blurted out and he hiccupped again. "Sh-she made me talk."
Rapunzel gasped and she wasn't aware her hand had clutched onto Eugene's until his fingers gave it a supportive squeeze.
"Old witchy lady?" Eugene questioned and Maximus raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What did you say?"
With a sleazy smile the old man burbled, "My, my... she was a beautiful lady."
"Come on, cut to the chase…"
"Nothing. I don't know nothing." The old man, still suspended in the air, crossed his arms clumsily.
Rapunzel felt Eugene's hand tighten around hers and she realised it was him now who was holding onto her.
"Can you at least tell us where this… witchy lady is?" asked Eugene, his expression weary from the lack of sensible responses.
Following another hiccup, the old man rubbed the beard on his chin, which appeared to be stained with the alcohol he had been consuming. He screwed up his mouth and scrunched his eyes shut as if he was seriously contemplating before he dropped his arms and plastered a dopey grin on his face. "Sorry. Don't know nothing."
Eugene, letting go of Rapunzel's hand, grabbed onto one of the straps around the old man's shoulder in a tight fist and his lazy eyelids suddenly widened fearfully.
"I-I-I think I saw her… last night… with th-three... no... no two..."
"Two what?"
"Big guys... same... e-eye patch."
The fear her mother had instilled in Rapunzel for 18 years had suddenly intensified. Her heart beat furiously and her stomach plummeted at a sickening speed when she realised that she'd forgotten her frying pan.
The old man gave an almighty hiccup before his eyes closed completely and his head slumped.
After a frightened squeak from Pascal, Rapunzel whispered, "Is he..."
"Dead?" Eugene finished, releasing his hold on the strap. "No, but he's had one drink too many. You," Eugene said pointing at Maximus, "Put him behind that bush. We need to get moving."
"My mother..." As Rapunzel carefully stroked the curtain of hair at her shoulder, she looked up at Eugene through her eyelashes; her lips shook. "My mother could be out there. What if the witch and the ruffians find her?"
"They're not looking for her; they're looking for me."
"But I... I don't understand."
Eugene ran a distressed hand through his hair. "The two guys - they helped me to get the crown and I ran off without them."
Maximus glared at Eugene in accusation, his mouth snarling around the wings clenched between his teeth.
And although Rapunzel hated herself for doing it, she forced herself to lie. "But we don't have it... the crown."
"I know but they don't know that." He spoke quickly as if he feared their conversation was losing them seconds that were precious. "So we need to get to these lanterns, get back to the tower, get my satchel so then I can -" He stopped abruptly and for another foolish moment, Rapunzel believed he had changed his mind about leaving later. But then his eyes flickered uncomfortably to Maximus and the hope was ripped from her once more.
"Okay," she said bravely, holding her head high.
Once the old man had been laid carefully behind a bush with large, sheltering leaves, they continued their journey. This time, Pascal had took charge in ordering Maximus to lead and Eugene to follow alongside him and Rapunzel.
Whether it was to brighten her spirits or simply pass the time, Eugene spoke about the kingdom with the Rapunzel. With each word he used to describe, she made another adjustment to the mental painting she had in her mind that her mother had created. The earlier fear in her heart had now been replaced with an impatient excitement and it only strengthened the closer they came to their destination.
As the sun rose higher in the sky to mark the end of the morning, the trees became sparser and the grass greener, richer.
For a short while, Rapunzel had been walking with Pascal in her cupped hands and she chatted away to him excitedly, discussing all the things they wanted to do before the lanterns were lit that evening.
When Eugene spoke again, his voice was gentle. "Blondie, look up."
Lifting her head, her eyes widened in awe as she at last beheld the bridge which lead to the kingdom. It was longer and far grander than Rapunzel had first thought when she surveyed it from the treetop, rising up to the middle before descending to the main entrance - a majestic curve over the sea. Stone walls followed the impressive walkway on each side and at the front of the bridge were two large pillars. On the right one, Rapunzel noticed a plaque and she wandered towards it so that she could run her fingers over the engraved letters.
"Willkommen in Corona," she murmured to herself and the familiar feeling that she had been here before rippled avidly through her body. She shook her head and smiled to herself; they had only been dreams. Conscious that Eugene was watching her, she looked back shyly. Although she didn't need his permission to proceed, she wanted confirmation that this wasn't another dream; she needed something to know that this time it was real.
Upon turning around, however, she discovered both Eugene and Maximus were tangled together on the floor, his thigh in the horse's mouth whilst he yanked on a dusty hoof. They both froze when Rapunzel cleared her throat and they smiled guiltily. Eugene clambered to his feet and brushed off the dirt from his clothes. As he walked tentatively over, Maximus trotted parallel with him, his expression wary.
"What are you waiting for, Blondie?" Eugene asked, gesturing to the bridge before them.
Rapunzel wrapped an arm around the pillar, fearing she might fall if she let go. "Am I dreaming?"
"That's an interesting question," Eugene said, leaning against the stone surface with her, "One I've been asking myself since you first hit me with your frying pan."
Rapunzel giggled. "What did you decide?"
"That I'm still trying to work out."
Rapunzel rested her head against the pillar. "I don't want it to end."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Eugene said and he chuckled at his own joke.
Bringing her arm tentatively back to her side, Rapunzel inhaled deeply in an attempt to settle her internal trepidation. "Okay. Let's do this. Are you ready?"
Eugene gestured to the bridge. "Après vous."