Eleven: The End
I steered Max straight for the vines that led to Rapunzel's hidden tower. He galloped through them and we rounded the corner, seeing the tower immediately, just as I had the first time. My heart was pounding in my chest as Max raced straight for the tower. I jumped off and yelled up, feeling every hair on my body stand on end.
"Rapunzel?! Rapunzel, let down your hair!" I cried as loud as I could. I was without my knives or daggers. Nothing was happening. I gripped the stones on the side of the tower and started to climb. My mind and heart were racing.
A noise above me made me stop and look up. For a moment there was nothing. Then, a rush of golden hair came falling past me. I couldn't stop myself from smiling as I grabbed on and started to climb.
"Rapunzel!" I said as I climbed through the window. "I thought I'd never see you again!" I looked up as I stepped into the room and my heart dropped into my stomach. Rapunzel's hands were tied behind her and chained to the wall. White fabric was tied around her mouth and gagging her. She cried out a muffled cry from where she sat, crumpled on the floor.
I didn't have time to react before the hot pain of being stabbed ripped through my side. I fell to my knees, grabbing my stomach. Hot blood soaked through my shirt immediately and wet my hands.
"Now, look what you've done, Rapunzel." A voice above me said. "Oh, don't worry, dear. Our secret will die with him." She stepped over me but I barely felt it over the pain that seeped into every muscle. I could hear her shoes stepping on glass as she crossed the room. "And as for us? Huh." The chain that was restraining Rapunzel clinked. "We are going where no one will ever find you again." Rapunzel's cries were muffled. "Rapunzel, really! Enough already! Stop fighting me!"
I opened my eyes a little to see Rapunzel struggling against a woman who was holding the chain and standing next to a hole in the floor.
"No!" Rapunzel shouted, getting the gag off of her mouth. She was gasping and still struggling against the chain. "I won't stop for every minute of the rest of my life I will fight! I will never stop trying to get away from you! But…" No! "If you let me save him, I will go with you."
My insides turned. "No! No, Rapunzel!" My hands were slick with my own blood and my voice was only coming out as a whispered groan.
"I'll never run, I'll never try to escape. Just let me heal him and you and I will be together forever. Just like you want. Everything will be the way it was. I promise. Just like you want. Just let me heal him." She pleaded, ignoring my protests.
Rapunzel was made to turn around and stay where she was while the woman unchained her. I coughed and tasted blood in my mouth. The tall woman in the red dress walked over to me and pulled me over to the staircase where she wrapped the chain around the railing before putting the shackles on my wrists.
"In case you get any ideas about following us." She hissed, throwing my arm back at me. I coughed again, grabbing my side.
"Eu- Eugene!" Rapunzel ran over to me, her hands immediately going to my face to move my hair out of my eyes. I winced. Everything hurt no matter how gentle her hands were. She pulled my fingers away from my blood soaked clothes.
"Oh. I'm so sorry. Everything is going to be okay, though." The pain showed in her eyes as she looked from my face to my wound. I was dying.
"No, Rapunzel." I pushed her hand away that was now holding some of her hair.
"I promise. You just have to trust me." She said, trying again to push her hair toward my bleeding side.
"No!" I groaned, trying to push her away again. "I can't let you do this."
"And I can't let you die." She whispered sadly.
"But if you do this…" I struggled against the pain and the taste of blood in my mouth. "Then you will die."
"Hey… It's going to be alright." She whispered, her soft small hand on my cheek. There was no point in arguing. She wasn't going to listen. With one hand I tried to push myself to keep myself upright. My hand landed on a sharp piece of glass. She opened her mouth to start singing.
"Rapunzel, wait." She stopped and opened her eyes. I reached up one of my hands to brush her hair away from her face and grabbed it all just behind her hair before bringing my other hand up with the glass and cutting through all of it. My energy was spent. I collapsed against the railing I was chained to and dropped the glass.
"Eugene! Wha-" I couldn't open my eyes. I'd saved her. That was enough. Sounds became muffled. The pain in my side had eased. She's going to be okay.
"Nonono! Eugene?" Her voice sounded far away. I barely felt her hands on my face. I coughed and this time I could barely taste the blood that leaked into my mouth. "No! Look at me! Look at me! I'm right here! Stay with me, Eugene!" Everything was getting farther and farther away. Her beautiful voice rose as she attempted to sing the song. It's okay. I don't feel the pain. It's going to be alright.
"Rapunzel." I opened my eyes to see her. Her golden hair was gone, replaced by short brown hair. Her beautiful green eyes were filled with tears.
"What?"
"You were my new dream." I said, mustering up the rest of my strength to tell her. Her lip trembled for a moment in a sad smile.
"You were mine." She whispered back.
I love you. All of the pain receded and every sound died away.