Chapter 4
Rapunzel whips the reigns of her horse. "Come on, Fidella," she sniffles through her tears. Mud kicks up behind them as they ride out of the castle's empty stables and into the night.
Fidella gallops as fast as she can as rain pelts from above, Rapunzel's hair and dress already soaking wet from the storm.
The streets of the city are practically empty as Rapunzel rides down the cobblestone path late at night, thankful that no one is there to see her crying. Puddles splash onto the hem of her pink dress as Fidella sprints across Corona's bridge and into the dark forest.
Rapunzel's heart is racing, and her hands are still shaking from the argument she'd had with her parents just minutes before. It has left her feeling weak and defeated, and all she'd wanted to do was run.
She can't believe this is happening. In just three months she is being forced to marry someone that she doesn't even know, and the worst part of it all is that she has no choice. There is nothing she can do that will take this away, and she realizes that helplessness is the worst feeling in the world.
Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, it did. It feels like her entire life she has been drowning and no one can ever hear her scream. It feels like she can't breathe. She is trapped in a prison, suffocating, with no way out.
Rapunzel breathes in the smell of the rain and closes her eyes as the wind pushes her hair back. She isn't sure she ever wants to go back to the castle after what just happened, so Rapunzel rides until the chill of the night air makes her skin feel numb.
She isn't sure how much time has passed until she finds herself so deep in the forest that she finally feels safe from the eyes of the guards. They never patrol this far away from the kingdom, and she finds herself retreating here when she most wants to be alone.
Rapunzel pulls on the reigns when she hears running water from somewhere within the thick forest. They slow to a leisure walk.
She guides Fidella around the brush and into a clearing, recognizing the crisp sound of a waterfall.
The storm has mostly subsided by now, with the clouds still dark and only a few stray raindrops falling from above. The refreshing smell makes her want to stay forever and she wishes she were able to come out here more often.
With her jaw open, Rapunzel admires the grassy cliffside nestled within the forest, and the towering waterfall on the other side of it. The view is absolutely breathtaking. Rapunzel dismounts her horse and finds herself becoming drawn toward it. She pulls the hood of her cloak over her head as a breeze rushes by.
Rapunzel steps slowly through the mud, not minding the feeling of it squelching between her toes. She walks onto the hill, stopping at the edge of the cliff. When she looks down, she sees a flowing stream far below, crashing against the rocks of the shore.
She can feel the spray of the waterfall hitting her face, and she closes her eyes to feel it against her skin. It's freezing, but it sends a thrill through her spine that she swears she hasn't felt in years. It makes her sob and Rapunzel isn't even sure why.
In this moment, Rapunzel wants nothing more than to sense the water crash against her fingertips, in hopes that she can feel something, anything. But it's too far across the cliff for her to reach it. She stretches her arms out beside her anyway, closing her eyes as she loses herself in this feeling of pure bliss.
She wants to fly. If only she had wings, she could leave this place behind for good and fly wherever she wanted to. No one could tell her what to do and she'd always be happy. She could be whoever she wanted to be. She could stay out here alone forever and ever. Everything would fall into place. Everything would be a dream that she'd never have to wake up from again.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Rapunzel's eyes flicker open at the unexpected voice behind her, her thoughts suddenly silenced.
For a moment, she isn't sure whether she'd imagined it, and all she does is stand there in confusion, staring at the waterfall.
Finally, she turns over her shoulder, snapped out of her own daydream.
There's a figure standing at the bottom of the shallow hill, crossing his arms, and staring at her with a raised eyebrow. She recognizes him immediately, and the realization that he had been watching her makes her heart skip a beat.
Flynn Rider.
Suddenly it is uncomfortably quiet.
Rapunzel blinks with a confused expression on her face. "Oh. It's you again." She sniffles, sounding far from enthused. She stiffens her posture and attempts to mask the fact that she had just been crying, but her voice still comes out cracking, "Are you following me or something?" She mostly says it to seem tougher than she feels right now.
If Flynn had noticed, he doesn't mention it. "Not unless you're following me."
Rapunzel turns away from him to wipe her tears. She hadn't expected anyone to find her out here, and she definitely isn't in the mood to talk to anyone. He couldn't have run into her at a worse time.
"Are you gonna get down from there or…?" he asks after a while, his voice trailing.
Rapunzel scoffs, suddenly realizing what this must look like. "I'm not gonna jump."
"Looked like you were."
"Well, I'm not," she repeats firmly.
Flynn raises his hands, yielding, "All right. Whatever you say."
Rapunzel looks up at the waterfall, murmuring quietly, "I just… wanted to feel something, I guess."
Flynn nods, appearing unconvinced. "Uh huh. I see."
Rapunzel sighs. She doesn't even have the energy to figure out whether he is mocking her or not. She faces him completely, suddenly annoyed. "What are you even doing out here? Isn't there something you should be stealing right now?"
Flynn saunters toward her, observing his own fingernails. "Well, I was just out for a stroll, minding my own business when I couldn't help but notice the mysterious girl standing on the edge of a cliff in the middle of the woods. And let's just say my curiosity got the better of me. But hey, if you say you weren't gonna jump, then you weren't gonna jump."
"I wasn't," insists Rapunzel sternly. She shakes her head, feeling stupid for even allowing herself to be caught out here. She's just lucky it wasn't one of the guards. "You know, I shouldn't even be talking to you right now. You're a criminal."
"So?"
"So. I could get in serious trouble for associating with you."
"Afraid it's already too late for that, Blondie," points out Flynn.
"Don't call me that."
"All right, I won't. Cassandra," he corrects himself, annunciating every syllable of the name just to satisfy her. "I do, however, have one question for you. Now… my limited understanding of the female mind leads me to believe that you are in some sort of distress." He paces in front of her, stroking his chin in thought, "And I can't help but wonder what exactly happened at wherever you came from that would lead you here, in the rain, completely alone and…" he glances down at her feet, pointing a finger at them, "…apparently not wearing shoes, for that matter."
Rapunzel ponders that, figuring he has a good reason to wonder all of that. She hugs her arms as she once again recalls the argument she'd had with her parents earlier. "I… I ran away from home."
"And where exactly is home?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm never going back there," she concludes confidently.
"And I suppose the kingdom's emblem on your horse's saddle has nothing to do with it?"
Rapunzel glances over at Fidella standing a few feet away, chewing on the grass and not paying them any mind.
Flynn chuckles at her reaction, "What, you one of the princess' servants or something?" It was meant to be a joke, but his smile fades when he notices Rapunzel's serious expression. He observes her for a moment, piecing it all together. "No, because you're…. the princess… of course you are!" he beams, surprising himself with his own words. He had thought that golden hair looked familiar, and the fact that she isn't saying anything only confirms his suspicions. Flynn laughs again, planting his hands on his hips. "I gotta admit, I did not see that one coming."
"You can't tell anyone about this, okay?" Rapunzel suddenly jabs a finger in his face, completely serious. "Swear to me. Nobody can know that I was here or that I talked to you."
Flynn raises his hands, leaning away from her, "Whoa, slow down there, Blondie." He must say he is amused by the fact that she thinks she can intimidate him. "Now, who exactly would I tell?"
Rapunzel only glares up at him with heavy brows, her eyes threatening.
She's already at bad enough terms with her father after today. Who knows what the king will do when he discovers that she has once again left the castle and has now revealed her identity to an outsider - who happens to be Flynn Rider of all people.
"Okay, how about this," Flynn proposes, "I won't turn you in if you don't turn me in. Deal?"
Rapunzel takes a step away from him, "Why would I do that?"
"Uh… maybe because the entire royal guard plus the king who I guess would be your father wants me dead? You do know I stole your crown, right?"
Rapunzel scoffs, wandering away from him, "Trust me. My life is better without it."
Flynn stares after her backside, her reaction far from what he had expected. "I'm sorry, come again?"
She contemplates explaining, then ultimately shakes her head. "Nothing."
"Wait, wait, wait… Let me get this straight," Flynn waves his hands around, "You knew who I was this entire time, and you didn't mention anything about me stealing your crown? You could've had me arrested! Or is this some sort of trick to get me arrested?" He squints at her suspiciously.
Truthfully, Rapunzel has no intention or desire to arrest him, even though she has all the power to. Considering the circumstances, she isn't very far away from becoming just as much of a runaway as he is. The king wants control over both of them. Somehow, Rapunzel finds them more alike than it seems.
"I don't know… I just…" Rapunzel stutters, "I've read about you before. And I guess I've just… always wondered what it would be like to be an outlaw."
"Oh, I get it now. You felt sorry for me, didn't you?" A satisfied smirk appears on Flynn's face as he plants his hands on his hips. "Yeah, I have that affect on women."
Rapunzel scoffs again, shaking her head. She brushes past him, aiming to leave. "You're unbelievable."
"Yeah, I get that a lot too," Flynn boasts proudly.
They both turn their heads at the sound of a female voice calling out in the distance.
"Rapunzel? Rapunzel, are you out here?"
As the princess peers through the thick forest, her eye catches a familiar figure wandering around among the trees. Her glistening sword is borne in her gloved hand, hanging at her side.
"Hide!" Rapunzel grabs the collar of Flynn's vest and yanks him behind a tree trunk.
She presses her back against it as Flynn stumbles after her. They end up facing one another, standing basically toe to toe as he plants his hand against the tree above her shoulder.
Flynn pokes his head out from behind it, peering in the distance.
Within the brush, he sees a young woman with short dark hair, disheveled curls framing her pale face. She's wearing a black cloak identical to the princess', draped overtop her brown tunic and striped trousers. A buckled belt hangs around her slim waist. She wears heavy boots and dark leather gloves that reach her elbows.
"Who's that?" Flynn whispers.
Rapunzel sighs in annoyance, peeking at the girl over her shoulder. "My lady-in-waiting." She faces Flynn in front of her again, keeping her voice hushed. "Okay. Here's the thing, Flynn Rider. I'm gonna walk out there in just a second and you're gonna stay right here and not say a word. Then we're gonna pretend that none of this ever happened, okay?" With that, she steps confidentally out from behind the tree, before turning to face him again. "And stop following me."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Blondie," he crosses his arms, letting her walk away.
"There you are!" Cassandra exclaims once she notices Rapunzel emerging from the trees. She sheaths her sword and rushes toward the princess in a panic. "What on earth are you doing out here? You're gonna freeze!" She frantically grabs the other girl by the shoulders upon noticing her wet hair and muddy dress.
Rapunzel doesn't say anything and instead lets Cassandra guide her away.
"Come on. Let's get you back to the castle. We'll talk about it when we're inside," she continues.
Cassandra hoists herself up onto Fidella's saddle, swinging her leg over the side. She grabs the reigns and holds down her hand to Rapunzel.
The princess takes it in silence, climbing up after her and positioning herself on the back of the horse. She wraps her arms around Cassandra's waist in front of her.
As Cassandra lightly whips the reigns and they begin to leave, Rapunzel peers over her shoulder in the direction she had left Flynn.
Though a part of her had somehow hoped to see him there, he's already disappeared.