A/N: I'm back! Sorry for not updating this in so long. Life got busy and I just forgot about it for a while, but I never abandoned it. I've been doing lots of thinking and planning for what's to come in this story, but I'm hoping to update more regularly now. At the moment, we're looking at about 20 chapters still left to go (potentially more). I think it's gonna be a long one, so there is lots of good stuff coming your way! :)

Chapter 13

Cassandra and Eugene step outside of Varian's lab, into the breeze and below the gray afternoon sky.

Eugene places the tear-shaped vial of purple liquid into the satchel wrapped around his torso – the neutralizing particle, or… whatever Varian had called it. Whatever it is, the alchemist seems to believe it will bring Rapunzel's memories back. Eugene can't say he's familiar with this kind of stuff, he just hopes the kid is right.

Convincing Rapunzel to drink it might be a challenge, considering she wanted nothing to do with Eugene the last time they met. He hopes she won't try to kill him again once he finds her. He realizes now how threatening it must have looked for her when he'd broken into that cabin with a sword in hand.

From what Cassandra had told him, it didn't seem like Rapunzel was too fond of her either.

Though, Eugene supposes he'll deal with that when the time comes. Right now, all he needs to focus on is finding her first.

"So, any leads on how to find this Donovan guy?" he asks Cassandra as they stand on the small stone porch outside the lab doors.

"All I know about him is that he's from Ashford," she says, crossing her arms. "Which is miles away from here. He must have tracked Rapunzel down somehow and came all the way out here just to find her."

Eugene resists a disgusted scoff just from hearing that. The mere thought of it irks him. "I can't imagine why. I mean, what does he hope to achieve by kidnapping her and erasing her memories? What, does he still wanna marry her or something?"

"Your answer is just as good as mine."

"So, you've never met him?" he raises an eyebrow.

"Nope. And neither did Rapunzel. If Varian's description of him is all we have to go off of, I'd say that's a better start than nothing," says Cass, looking away in thought. An idea comes to mind. "That vial. You said you found it in some cabin?"

"Yeah," Eugene runs a hand through his hair as he turns away from her, walking down the steps with determination. "I'm heading back there. Now that we know who did it, there must be something I missed. Something that would tell us where he was going or… what he's planning to do."

Cassandra follows him. "Great. Then there's no time to waste." When she catches up to him at the bottom of the staircase, she confidently brushes past him and continues walking.

He stops to shoot a peculiar look at her backside, before following her. "You know, forgive me for asking, but… why are you coming with me, anyway? Shouldn't you be reporting back to your guard friends right about now?"

They walk along the winding gravel path trailing back from Varian's lab. They cross the stone bridge that arches over the flowing river below, directing them back into the forest.

"They think I'm out searching for Rapunzel. Which… I am." Cass realizes that rescuing a kidnapped memory-wiped princess with a wanted thief isn't far from what the other guards believe her to be doing anyway. So really, she isn't doing anything wrong.

The guards' camp is positioned not far North of here, which is where Cass has been staying since they'd arrived. They're most likely all out patrolling the area right now, but her father trusts her to be out here alone. He wouldn't have entrusted this mission to her if he wasn't. Cass isn't worried.

"Right, but… weren't you specifically sent here to kill me? And turn her in?" asks Eugene.

"Yes," she says in a monotone voice without looking back at him.

"But you're not?" Eugene perplexes, hoping he's getting all of this correctly.

Cassandra doesn't respond, only continues staring forward as they walk further into the trees. Eugene can't see her face from behind her, but her silence tells him enough.

"Got it. Makes total sense," he quips in a lively voice, pretending to understand, "Hey, you're doing fantastic at your job, by the way."

Cassandra bares the sword from her hip, using it to cut down the leaves and branches in her path. "I'm doing my duty. I was ordered to find Rapunzel and that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

"And then what? You'll send her back to Corona?"

"Rapunzel and I aren't friends anymore," insists Cass bitterly. "That was a long time ago. And keeping you alive may be the only lead I have to finding her."

"And what will happen if the royal guard finds out you're travelling with the enemy now and not killing me?" Eugene wonders.

Cass whips around to face him, their faces much closer now, "Do you always ask this many questions, or do you just love listening to yourself talk?" she snaps, glowering at him. She turns and continues walking, muttering quietly to herself, "Seriously, I don't know what Rapunzel sees in you." With more annoyance than necessary, she slashes another branch in her path, green leaves falling at her feet.

Eugene strokes his chin in thought as he stands there, unfazed, "Well, come to think of it, I do love listening to myself talk. Not to mention, I also happen to be devilishly handsome."

Cassandra rolls her eyes. She resists the urge to puke and chooses to ignore that comment. "Look, if you don't want my help, I'm sure you'll do just fine finding Rapunzel on your own. You two have been inseparable for the past two years, haven't you? Not that I care what happens to her anyway."

"Well, I wouldn't say inseparable, but… Okay, okay, I think we got off on the wrong foot here." Eugene jogs after her as he realizes how far away she's gotten. For such a small woman, she really is quite fast. He attempts to keep up. "I'm just saying, I don't want any guards showing up because you decided to go against your word. I have enough problems already."

"I'm not going against my word," she retorts.

"Um… I'm pretty sure you are," Eugene gestures to himself as if it is obvious, "Hello? I'm still alive! In case you haven't noticed."

"I'm beginning to rethink ever being the cause of that."

"Wow, you're just… you're just a ray of sunshine, aren't you?" Eugene crosses his arms, his tone unamused, "I can see why you and Rapunzel were so close," he says sarcastically. The two women couldn't be more opposite.

Cassandra turns to face him again, causing him to halt in his tracks. This time, she points the tip of her sword just below his chin, her voice lowering as she says, "You do know I have the power to arrest you now, right?"

"But you won't," he chimes, shooting her a challenging look down the length of her blade. Her threats don't scare him.

Eugene notices the flicker of tension across Cass' face at that, eyes widening slightly along with the sharp inhale in her chest. Though she's suddenly at a loss for words, Eugene knows his statement affects her.

"Aha! There it is!" He points a finger at her, satisfied with the fact that he is able to see through her so easily, "See? Why did you agree to this mission if you don't even want to be doing it in the first place?" he asks, genuinely wanting to know.

Cassandra's weapon remains raised at him, her stern expressing unfaltering. "You've got your reasons for finding Rapunzel and I've got mine. Let's just leave it at that. All right?"

With that, Cass sheathes her sword, turns away, and continues walking through the forest.

Eugene only watches her get further away from him. After a moment, he raises his hands in defeat. "Fine. Leaving it at that." He follows her in silence.