The dragon lifted Eugene into the air by the neck. He studied his contorted face for a moment as Eugene struggled futilely to pry the dragon's fingers off his throat before he plucked a pair of spectacles off the table, put them on and peered closer. He ripped a sheet of paper off the cave wall, looked at it and then back at Eugene. "Oh, it's you alright." He declared. He read from the sheet. "Wanted. Flynn Rider. Thief and pompous self-centered braggart."
"Hey!" Protested Eugene.
"Yup. Pompous. It fits." The dragon declared. He continued reading. "Wanted for robbing banks, stealing the crown jewels, betraying his accomplices, cheating poorly at cards, and robbing over twenty pawnshops just like mine."
"Wait!" Eugene objected. "I was pardoned by the King."
The dragon grinned and showed his teeth. "But we aren't in his kingdom are we?"
"Uh, no." Eugene admitted as he watched those sharp incisors move up and down. He was getting sick to his stomach.
"Good. Glad we agree." Smoke came pouring out from between his jaws as he looked down at Maximus who had a hoof planted firmly on the snake's neck. "Do you have anything to say in his defense?"
Maximus considered and then slowly shook his head. "Hey." Eugene protested weakly. "I thought we were friends."
"Oh you are friends."" The dragon replied. "Only a true friend knows us as we really are."
Maximus sagely nodded his head.
The dragon looked closely at Eugene. "You're not dumb enough to come here on your own if you knew I ran a pawnshop. So somebody set you up, knowing how I feel about thieves. Was it this member of the Sisterhood?" He gestured at the snake.
"He just happened along." Eugene protested. "The wizard Murhurder sent us." Maximus nodded.
There was a spurt of flame and with a curse the dragon dropped Eugene who landed on his butt. "That son of a witch. He already has one. He stole a Sun Stone from me."
"Wait. He already had one?" Eugene protested as he rubbed his butt. "Then why did he send us here?"
The dragon looked at Maximus. "Is he always this slow on the uptake?" Maximus nodded vigorously.
The King was pacing furiously, gesturing as he walked in a circle beside Rapunzel's bed. His wife sat on the bed holding her daughter's hand with tears in her eyes which also reflected her joy at seeing her daughter awake. "I can't believe this." The King protested. "The wizard has been our friend for twenty years."
"Twenty five, dear." His wife reminded him.
"Twenty? Twenty five? What difference does it make?" He exclaimed as he threw his hands into the air. "He saved you. He saved our daughter."
Mother Gothel stood there in her Missrel form which she'd reassumed. Her ability to use magic which the Sisterhood had suppressed was returning, but so slowly. She could feel the tingling as her ability to do magic returned. Twenty years ago she had used it to walk unseen like a ghost through the castle and then to fly from the upstairs window with Ray in her arms. But even if it returned completely she would still be no match for the wizard.
"I'm sorry, your majesty." She said without glancing at the four soldiers who surrounded her. This was not going as well as she had hoped. "But my magic shows that he is the source of your daughter's illness just as I am sure he was the source of your wife's illness twenty years ago. He wants to recreate that birth here and then take your granddaughter and use her as the new light bearer."
"So you say." Growled the King. "Let's hear what the wizard has to say." He turned to one of his soldiers. "Get him."
"No, Daddy." Rapunsel protested. "Listen to her. She's telling the truth."
The King rounded on her. "Why should I believe anything she says? Elves have their own agendas and besides I can tell when you're lying. She's not even an elf, is she?"
Rapunsel sighed. "I'm sorry I'm such a poor liar. I guess it's the goodness still inside me. It's time, Mother." The elf swallowed and nodded
The Queen looked over in surprise at the elf. "Rapunzel, why are you calling an elf, Mother?"
"Because she's my godmother and raised me with love as if I was her own child in the tower in the woods to keep me out of the wizard's hands. Mother Gothel reveal yourself, please." She held out her hand.
Mother Gothel came forward and took Rapunzel's hand in her own. "Are you sure, Ray?"
Rapunzel smiled. "I'm sure."
Mother Gothel nodded and slowly let the disguise drop and stood there revealed for all to see.
"This? This is your source of slander? This is your kidnapper!" The King shouted. "Arrest her."
"Daddy!" Rapunzel protested. "She saved my life."
"It's too bad your life is going to endure just long enough to birth my slave." A commanding voice growled.
They all turned to see the wizard standing there with an orange glow surrounding him. A black dragon sat on his shoulder, grinning evilly.
"Murherder, my old friend, what is the meaning of this?" The King beseeched him. "We just caught the witch who kidnapped my daughter."
"And I thank you for that, old friend." The wizard said with an evil smile. "Let's get this over with." He cracked his knuckles sending sparks flying.
"Stop him!" Yelled the Queen at the four soldiers while the King stood there frozen in disbelief. The soldiers pulled their swords and charged the wizard.
"Oh, please." The wizard scoffed. He gestured and four mice ran squeaking around the floor. With another gesture the King was thrown back against the wall and as he slumped he turned into a toad.
The wizard smiled at the surprised toad. "I like you much better this way. I'll see you get lots of yummy earthworms." The toad made barfing motions.
The wizard turned to the Queen and at a gesture she became a little yapping lap dog. "Suits you." The wizard said with an evil grin. He turned to Mother Gothel who was standing in front of Ray to shield her. "Now it's your turn and Rapunzel is next. I'll make her my slave."
Mother Gothel snarled. "You'll hurt her over my dead body."
"That can be arranged." He gestured again.
The spell struck Mother Gothel and she stiffened in pain as her features contorted. "Mother!" Rapunzel screamed.
Mother Gothel grimaced and then hurled her own spell at the surprised wizard, staggering him backwards. His return spell crashed into her, causing her to cry out in pain as her features began to flow like molten metal.
"You'll make a great cockroach." The wizard chortled.
"No." Rapunzel flopped across the bed and grabbed Mother Gothel's hand. A yellow glow sprang up between their fingers and Mother Gothel's features flowed back together again.
Rapunzel didn't know it but she still had a little bit of the Flower's power which she unknowingly activated under stress to heal those she loved. That was why she'd been able to save Eugene and she was now saving her godmother. It unfortunately could not prevent the Yellow Death from claiming her.
The wizard grinned maliciously as a flaming sword appeared in his hands. "I'll cut that bond right at the wrist." He declared. "You don't need hands to give birth, Princess."
"No!" Mother Gothel broke free of Rapunzel. "Don't hurt her. Kill me instead."
"Glad to oblige. You're dead, little witch." He swung back the sword as Mother Gothel braced for her second death.
"I think not." A voice roared and a large black-scaled hand plunged through the window behind the wizard and seized him by the waist. He was twisted around to face a very irate dragon.
"Drin." He gasped.
"Yes, Drin, you son of a witch!" The dragon roared. "You owe me for one Sun Stone. You're three years late with payment and with penalties and compounded interest you owe me." He paused as he calculated before he grinned at the cringing wizard. "A lot. Now what do you have to trade to me for your rotten little life?"
"I'll give you my little black dragon." The wizard offered. He'd tried to cast a spell but he found the dragon was too powerful and immune to his magic.
"Hey!" The little dragon shouted but he was ignored.
Eugene came in the door followed by Maximus. "I just broke into his lab!" He shouted. "Guess what? He has three vials of the Sun Flower potion." He waved a vial with a familiar glow of light in it. "This one's ours along with the Sun Stone." He showed the yellow stone gleaming on his ring finger.
The dragon grinned. "Here's the deal, snake breath. In exchange for your debt you forfeit every other magical item and potion you own to me. Agreed?" When the wizard didn't answer he shook him so hard that he rattled like a dry gourd filled with beads. "Agreed?"
"Agreed." The wizard gasped out as his eyes rolled in their sockets. "Now let me go."
"We're not done yet." The dragon roared. "The penalty for stealing from my pawn shop is ten years as a cooing little dove." He rammed a spell lozenge down the surprised wizard's throat. He let go and as the wizard fell he turned into a cooing grey dove.
He looked up in fear as his little black dragon flapped towards him. "Some friend." The little dragon roared. "I want dove for dinner." He licked his chops.
With a coo of terror the dove flapped out the window with the little black dragon in hot pursuit. "I like him better already." Drin declared. He gestured with a wand and everyone was restored to normal.
Eugene took Rapunzel's hand. "I got the Flower essence and the Sun Stone. I did good."
Rapunsel frowned. "With the wizard gone who can make the potion now?"
"Oops." Eugene looked around the room and every one of the humans shook their heads. "I guess I didn't do so good after all."
Mother Gothel said. "I can't but I think I know someone who can." She stepped forward to face the dragon who frowned at her from the window. "You're a dragon who does magic and so I suspect you know how to make the potion to defeat the Yellow Death, do you not?"
The dragon grinned. "That I do." He smiled hungrily over at the King. "How much in your treasury, kingy?" And the haggling began. When it was done Drin had his retirement fund.
As a result of course Rapunzel was saved and a month later gave birth to a healthy daughter with golden glowing hair. Mother Gothel was there to assist with the birth at Rapunzel's insistence.
Later Mother Gothel watched as Eugene leaned over Rapunzel's shoulder and the two made nonsense sounds to amuse the giggling baby whom they'd decided to call Schein. She sighed. Let them have their happiness for the moment as in five years she'd have to help Schein prepare for the change and the Sisterhood and the wizard were still out there, but for now let the happiness of the moment be sufficient.
She smiled as Ray gestured for her to come over and she joined them in cooing at the baby.
To be continued? Of course.