Chapter 4: Leave The Past Behind
Hello again guys! So, I've been incredibly busy with school, hence the long wait. I'm sorry I took longer to post this chapter, but I barely have time to write anymore *sigh*. But, here's a long chapter for you to compensate for the long wait.
Anyway, I want to thank all of those who left a review, I really appreciate each and every one of them, so thank you so much!
Disclaimer: nope, don't own anything but the plot.
Just grab my hand and don't ever drop it, my love.
They are the hunters, we are the foxes, and we run.
Baby, I know places we won't be found (...)
Cause I, I know places we can hide.
~I Know Places
The sun was shining brightly that day over the kingdom of Corona, and although the dense vegetation and the tall branches of the leafy trees sometimes made it hard for the sunlight to filter through them, that was not an issue over one particular clearing.
The grandiose tower rose majestically right in the middle of the valley, its tip barely visible against the clear, cloudless sky. The view was the perfect example of a picturesque scenery, one would think it actually looked somewhat cozy.
But to a certain someone, it was anything but that.
The chirping chameleon sneaked out from behind the empty pot resting over the windowsill, carefully pressing its little back against the clay flowerpot. Chest heaving and eyes wide, the tiny reptile changed the color of its own scales to match the flowerpot's design, snickering as it did so, as if it had suddenly managed to turn itself invisible, and therefore, impossible to be found.
Not a minute had passed before a sneaky golden lock of hair curled carefully around the chameleon's tail, lifting the tiny reptile upside down in the air.
"Gotcha!" Rapunzel smiled brightly at Pascal's startled squeal. She chuckled amusedly as she lowered her friend to the base of the windowsill, uncurling her long blonde lock of hair from Pascal's tail. "Okay, that was twenty out of twenty three. Wanna play twenty three out forty five?" She eyed Pascal hopefully, although she knew what her friend's response would be.
Just as she had predicted, Pascal's eyes narrowed as he shot her a blank stare, clearly indicating her that their impromptu session of hide and seek had reached its long overdue end. Rapunzel sighed tiredly as she sat herself over the windowsill, her mouth twisting in a thoughtful frown.
"Okay, so what do you wanna do now?" Pascal smiled mischievously, pointing his tail towards the vast clearing bellow. He wanted to go outside and escape the tower, probably just as much as she wanted to. She considered the idea only for a second before dismissing it completely.
"Yeah... I think not." She sighed regretfully as Pascal shot her an inquisitive stare. She knew what he wanted to say. They could make it, they could easily escape the tower and leave all of this ridiculous idea behind, try to return to the palace on their own and forget about her insane deal, and Flynn Rider, and this whole horrible experience. So why did she insist on staying?
"You know Flynn wouldn't like it if he found us wandering outside the tower. It's better if we stay on his good side, otherwise he will refuse to help us." Pascal's brow furrowed as he dedicated her a particularly amusing glare, sticking his tongue out as if to demonstrate just how much this whole idea annoyed him.
She couldn't really blame him, she wasn't enjoying this part of the plan either. Flynn had insisted on waiting until things settled a bit back in the town. The whole kingdom would be looking for her, and with the guards searching every last corner of Corona in hopes of finding her, it would be ten times more difficult for them to escape undetected. She had reluctantly agreed, although she hated the idea of making her parents worry for longer than she had initially predicted.
But it had already been four days since her kidnapping and Flynn wasn't showing any signs of wanting to leave Corona any time soon. In fact, he wasn't even showing himself much. He would leave the tower before she woke up, and usually came back late at night. She didn't know if he was usually short-tempered, or if it was just her mere presence that annoyed him, but whenever she tried to start a conversation with him, or inquired about when they would be leaving, he either answered curtly, or made a snarky remark before leaving.
If she didn't know any better, she would say he was trying his best to avoid her.
And once again it was entirely her fault. He was clearly more than a bit annoyed that she had frustrated his initial plan and was making him waste his time guiding her around. In other circumstances, she would have felt guilty, but she tried to suppress the feeling reminding herself that this was his own fault just as much as hers. If he hadn't tried to steal her crown and decided to kidnap her, this wouldn't be happening.
In fact, this entire fiasco was all his fault, so he really had no right to be annoyed with her in the first place. She was only taking advantage of her own unfortunate situation.
She sighed once more, making a mental note to ask Flynn about their plan as soon as he decided to come back. She lifted Pascal's tiny body in her hands, gently scratching his head as she attempted a halfhearted smile. "Don't be mad Pascal. We are going to have a lot of fun once we get to leave Corona, you'll see."
They would be free, for the first time ever they would be completely free. No judging stares, no tutors telling her how she should act or dress, no council members whispering behind her back, and especially, no one planning her future life as they arranged her marriage with a complete stranger.
She had to enjoy her freedom while it lasted.
Pascal squeaked inquiringly. He must had noticed the nostalgic hint in her eyes. Rapunzel looked down, smiling sadly as she gently pressed her index finger against Pascal's little head. "How about we go find out more about the books we found?"
The tiny reptile shook his head vehemently, squeaking loudly in protest.
Rapunzel giggled at her friend's reluctance. Pascal hadn't quite liked the idea of further exploring the contents of those mysterious books that had led her to unleashing the secrets of her magical hair. She still didn't know exactly what the powers entailed, but she was more than willing to find out.
"C'mon Pascal. Where's your sense of adventure?"
She turned her back to the window and the sunny scenery bellow, and guided Pascal toward the confinements of the tower, while the little reptile squeaked loudly in protest.
Maybe they could entertain themselves some more, long enough until Flynn decided to show up again.
Rapunzel carefully trailed the piece of charcoal across the paper, her tongue sticking out in concentration as she finished the last touches of her newest sketch. She'd found some spare parchment and broken pieces of charcoal somewhere in the depths of some drawers a few days ago, and had decided to entertain herself with drawing using what little materials she had at her disposition.
The deem light provided by the candle she'd ignited once the darkness had fallen upon the tower was little, casting ominous shadows around the somewhat deserted room, making it difficult for her to see the details of her sketch quite as clearly as she would've liked.
She was on the verge of finishing her drawing when Pascal suddenly snapped to attention, his head turning carefully toward the room's entrance as he pointed at it with his tail.
Rapunzel sat the piece of charcoal down carefully over the desk's surface, straightening in her seat as she acknowledged Pascal's silent squeak. The little chameleon climbed down from his position on the desk and landed swiftly on the floor below, advancing rapidly toward the red velvet curtain granting the room some privacy.
She followed Pascal, carefully opening the curtain and exiting the bedroom. That's when she heard it; the sound of light footsteps barely audible from within the depths of the tower's base. She retreated a step back, hiding most of her body behind the red curtain.
Rapunzel watched as Pascal climbed down the stairs as fast as his little legs would carry him. Just a dark spot barely visible in the darkness engulfing the tower. Her gaze turned toward the trapdoor hidden within the floor below, and she wasn't surprised when it opened a moment later.
Flynn emerged through the new opening, closing the trapdoor behind him as quietly as possible. He probably thought that she was already asleep, and was trying to avoid making any sound so she wouldn't wake up. If her theories were correct, he wasn't doing it out of consideration, more like he was trying to avoid interacting with her for as long as possible.
She watched silently as he removed his new satchel - since the one he had previously owned was currently hidden within the depths of the tower- and placed it over the kitchen table.
With a heavy sigh, he lowered himself over one of the worn out chairs, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. Rapunzel frowned as she watched a telltale dark spot swiftly making its way towards said chair. She pressed her lips together to refrain herself from gasping as she realized what exactly were Pascal's intentions. The tiny chameleon climbed quickly over the legs of the chair, perching himself carefully over Flynn's shoulder.
Before she could do anything to stop him, Pascal stuck his sticky tongue out.
"Gah!"
Rapunzel winced as Flynn's startled yelp echoed around the tower's walls.
"Stop. Doing. That!" He exclaimed through gritted teeth as he rubbed his abused ear against his shoulder.
She decided it was about time she showed herself, after all she had been waiting up for him to come back. There were many things they needed to discuss.
She quickly made her way down the stairs as Flynn rose from the chair he had been occupying a few seconds ago, his eyes clearly searching the floor in the hopes of finding the little reptile who had dared to stick his tongue in his ear, again.
"I see you finally decided to come back." Rapunzel commented offhandedly, leaning down to allow Pascal - who had raced across the room towards her in order to escape Flynn's meticulously searching eyes - to climb onto her open palm.
Flynn's back had been turned to her, but as soon as her voice echoed around the room his shoulders tensed up as he whirled around to face her.
His scowl deepened as his eyes landed on Pascal, happily perched on her shoulder. "Mind telling your frog to stop sticking his tongue in my ear?"
"Chameleon." She corrected, her lips pursed as she petted Pascal's head, more out of defiance than anything else.
"Nuance." Flynn rolled his eyes in annoyance, crossing his arms over his chest in a nonchalant gesture. "I thought you were already asleep."
She raised a curious eyebrow as her eyes trailed across his features, trying to read his blank expression. So her assumptions were correct. He was arriving late on purpose so he wouldn't have to face her when he came back.
How clever of him.
"I got distracted." She shrugged dismissively, not wanting to admit that she had stayed up on purpose to wait for him. "I was drawing, and I guess I lost track of time."
He didn't seem to care about her activities though, she hadn't even finished talking when he turned around once more and started making his way toward the kitchen table. Assuming that he was getting ready to retreat to his room and leave her to her own devices once more, she decided now was as good a time as any to bring up the subject that had been nagging her for the whole day.
"So..." Rapunzel took a casual step toward him, hoping her tone appeared nonchalant enough. "I've been thinking..."
"Now, that can't be good." He replied snidely, not even bothering to turn around and acknowledge her properly. She tried not to be too annoyed by his snarky comment.
"I've been thinking," she repeated, stressing every word. "and I want to talk to you about the future plans."
"What about them?"
Rapunzel let out an exasperated sigh through her nose. "Well, for starters, when exactly are we leaving? It's already been four days and, unlike you, I have been trapped inside this tower since you decided it would be a good idea to kidnap me."
"And I have never regretted a decision more than I do now." Flynn muttered under his breath, leaning his back against the table in a casual stance.
An indignant frown settled over Rapunzel's brow. "I don't even know where you've been going all this time, or what you have been doing."
"I don't think that's any of your business."
Her scowl deepened. "It is when your plans affect me!"
It was Flynn's turn to frown at her insistence. "Well, what do you think I've been doing, wasting my time playing around?" His usually aloof eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. "If you must know, I've been traveling around listening for rumors about the guards' activities and the latest news that come from the town."
"And...?" She raised a curious eyebrow, her mild annoyance evaporating at the mention of some news coming from the town.
Flynn shrugged noncommittally. "I've heard some interesting gossip in the local taverns." He inspected his nails as he continued, as if the conversation wasn't interesting enough for him. "Apparently, rumor has it that the guards have almost given up on looking for you in the kingdom. They assume that you've already been taken outside of Corona. Ironic how they're not that far from the truth."
There was a disturbing feeling deep inside her stomach. She didn't know whether to be elated or disappointed that they had already lessened their inspections to find her.
"So they already gave up." She muttered absentmindedly, more to herself than to him.
Flynn regarded her carefully for a second before he answered. "Not exactly. I assume the patrolling rounds will be less meticulous. That should give us the perfect chance to sneak away undetected."
"So, to answer your first question; we're actually leaving tomorrow."
Her head snapped back to him in an instant, her eyes widening with a mixture of surprise and disbelief. "Really?"
"Yup." He turned around and picked up the satchel he had left over the table. "Pack whatever you need Blondie, it's gonna be a long trip."
A hint of excitement was slowly bubbling inside her, replacing her previous doubts and uncertainty. "You heard that, Pascal? We're finally leaving!" A soft giggle escaped her lips at the thought of finally getting to leave her provisional prison. She had been waiting for so long, and now... now her dreams might come true. "Oh, it's going to be so exciting! Aren't you happy?"
Rapunzel was so wrapped up in her own elation, she forgot about the situation regarding her temporary freedom. Drowned by the excitement bubbling up inside her, she dismissed everything else around her. And that included Flynn, who was none too happy about this whole situation.
Pascal squeaked cheerfully as she held him in her palms, both of them gushing about their upcoming new adventure. "Oh, I know! It's gonna be great, and we'll be able to see a lot of new places and travel around and discover new things, just like we've been dreaming!" She bounced on her feet excitedly as Pascal chirped in reply.
"Yeah, well, pardon me if I don't join in your celebrations." Flynn's dry tone made her excited smile falter in her face. "I'd actually like to go to bed, so if you'll excuse me..." He waved a hand at them, indicating them to move aside, as they were conveniently blocking the staircase.
Rolling her eyes childishly, she stepped aside, leaving the space free for him to leave if he so pleased.
"That's okay, you weren't invited to join us anyway." She muttered under her breath as he passed by, a mischievous smirk settling on her lips.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." She smiled innocently at him, and if she hadn't known any better, she could've sworn she saw a hint of an amused smile pulling at the corners of his lips for just a second before he vanished up the stairs, leaving her alone to ponder over the news about their impending voyage.
The next day, Rapunzel woke up at the crack of dawn. She had barely been able to sleep in her excitement, and instead stayed awake thinking about the million possibilities that this new experience in her life would bring.
She packed only what would be absolutely necessary, some old garments that had probably belonged to the previous owner of the tower, and of course the trusty frying pan she had decided to keep for her own safety.
The dress she had been wearing since that fateful day she'd been taken away from the palace was completely ruined. Torn in places and stained with soil and dirt. She'd been working on fixing one of the old dresses she had found in the wardrobe to fit her correctly, but her efforts were futile.
Apparently the woman who had previously inhabited the tower had been far more voluptuous than she could ever hope to be. The dress fell loose in her petite frame, the neckline barely covering her modest chest and the tip of the dress managed to cover her whole feet. Of course, she would've needed to remake the whole piece of clothing for it to fit her correctly. She would never have that hourglass figure needed to make the dress cling to the body in just the right places, nor did she actually care. In fact, she still felt far too uncomfortable in her new outfit even after attempting to fix the old gown.
After cutting, sewing and adjusting the loose parts to make them fit, the final result was an outdated, weird-looking gown, the neckline falling too low for her comfort - although nothing compared to how it had initially been- and the waist too loose for it to look even remotely right over her thin figure.
Rapunzel frowned at her reflection on the mirror, fidgeting under her new garments and adjusting the still slightly revealing cleavage in an attempt to make it stay a bit higher on her chest.
Shrugging in defeat, she pulled out a worn-out cloak from the wardrobe, adjusting it over her shoulders and successfully covering most of her ridiculous attire. She extended a hand to allow Pascal to climb over her arm and settle over her shoulder, then she exited the bedroom.
She busied herself with packing enough food to last them three days while she waited for Flynn to come out of his bedroom and join them. Just as she had predicted, it wasn't long before his voice startled her a bit from behind.
"I thought I'd told you to pack only what was absolutely necessary."
Rapunzel paused in her packing process to shoot him a blank look over her shoulder. "I do believe food is absolutely necessary."
Flynn raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "That much food is necessary? Really?"
"Well, we never know how long it'll be before we have the chance to eat again." She shrugged dismissively and resumed her previous activity.
"We won't take more than a day and a half to get to th- what are you wearing...?" Flynn's slightly miffed expression instantly changed to one of bewilderment as soon as she turned around to face him. She didn't miss how his wide eyes lingered just a second longer over her cleavage.
Fidgeting slightly under his scrutinizing stare, she adjusted the cloak to cover her whole frame and hide herself from prying eyes. "My dress was almost torn to pieces, I couldn't wear it any longer." There was a defensive hint in her voice that made Flynn avert his eyes for a moment. "I tried to fix one of the old dresses I found in the wardrobe to fit me a bit more properly, but this is the best I could do."
"Yeah. Well, whatever." Flynn shook his head as if to get rid of a particularly unpleasant thought and waved a dismissive hand in her direction. "Take out all that food from the satchel, it'll only slow us down if we have the need to escape from the guards."
"But what will we eat then?"
"We'll get some food on the way." He shrugged nonchalantly.
Rapunzel raised a disapproving eyebrow. "You mean we'll steal some food on our way?"
To his credit, Flynn looked just the slightest bit offended. "I do have money of my own, I'll have you know."
"Which comes from stealing, I suppose?" She thought she shouldn't be feeling slightly pleased with the idea of annoying him just a bit more.
She couldn't help herself, though.
"What are you, the Captain of the Guards? What's it to you anyway?" She thought his slightly defensive frown was more than a bit amusing.
Rapunzel suppressed a giggle as she unpacked the food she had previously put in the satchel. "Fine, fine, I don't care. As long as you don't kill us from starvation, I won't ask where your money comes from." She pursed her lips against a smirk as Flynn scoffed behind her.
"Okay, enough chatting, we're leaving now. The sooner we get there, the sooner we'll return and then we both can forget this whole thing ever happened." He made his way toward the center of the room, opened the trapdoor and disappeared below it, leaving it open for her to follow.
She closed the satchel and swung the strap over her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she chanced a look at Pascal.
"You ready?" Her chameleon friend nodded firmly in reply. She took a step closer to the trapdoor and then stopped. Her stomach was a knot of nerves and her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest.
She could still go back on her word right? She could tell Flynn to forget this whole thing, to send the ransom note and let her parents pay for her rescue. She could go back home safe and sound.
Surprisingly enough, she felt somewhat safe hidden behind the walls of the abandoned tower. Flynn left her alone for the majority of the time, and she was free to do whatever she pleased as long as she stayed inside. Outside in the unknown world, there could be any sort of danger, plus she would have to endure Flynn's presence every waking moment. Anything could happen during that trip, and every single thing she did affected her reputation and her family's honor
Was it all really worth it just for the chance to have a taste of what life outside the palace felt like?
"You coming, Blondie?" Flynn's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
She sighed nervously and stepped closer toward the trapdoor. "Okay... Here goes nothing."
In all honesty, Flynn wasn't surprised when the start of their journey didn't go according to plan. He already knew the young woman he was dealing with was far from what he would normally expect from royalty, he knew she was a bit... special, one would even call her weird judging by the pet frog she kept with her at all times and with whom she liked to converse. What he hadn't been expecting was for her to show even more signs of... her possible mental instability.
It had all started since the moment they'd left the clearing hidden by the vine curtain. At first she'd been slightly hesitant to leave the tower behind, then she had proceeded to chat excitedly with her weird frog about their impending journey. Rapunzel had skipped all the way to the tunnel that lead to the valley's exit, there was a cheerful bounce in her step and an elated grin on her face. She was a whirlwind of excitement and happiness.
The moment they'd passed through the vine curtain though, her cheerful spree ended, and was replaced by a wide-eyed look on her face.
Everything went downhill from then on.
"I can't believe I'm doing this..." She muttered under her breath, her eyes widening in disbelief. "I can't believe I'm doing this." The hints of a smile were beginning to pull at the corners her lips, and Flynn didn't know whether to feel slightly annoyed or concerned.
"I can't believe I'm doing this!" She let out an excited whoop as she jumped gleefully in circles. If Flynn didn't know any better, he'd say she was beginning to lose her mind.
Oh, if he'd only known...
Suddenly her excitement seemed to die out like an extinguished flame. Rapunzel rested her fisted hands over her temples as her eyes widened once more. "My parents will be so disappointed."
That's when the princess decided that it was a good time to have an emotional breakdown.
"Well, that's okay. I mean, what they don't know won't kill them, right?" She asked no one in particular as she held a water lily in her hands, as if they had the time to spare admiring a particularly good looking pond.
They hadn't even walked that far when she'd stopped inside a cave to lament herself once more. "Oh my gosh, this will kill them."
He couldn't quite disagree. If the King and Queen found out about their daughter's plan, they'd surely have a stroke.
Surprisingly enough, the sudden drop in her mood was short-lived. A few moments later she was running around through piles of fallen leaves, taking great delight in spreading them around in a splash of green. "This is so fun!"
He was more than a bit surprised by her abrupt mood-swings. Her excited giggles only lasted for a short while, and before he knew it, she had climbed over a tree and was resting her forehead against the trunk while she moaned in regret. "I am a horrible daughter. I'm going back."
He almost cheered loudly and imitated her excited bounces. He would gladly take her back personally if it was necessary.
But of course, the heavens weren't going to be merciful with him.
"I am never going back!" The princess laughed gleefully. Flynn supposed this was some kind of punishment sent to him from above to make him pay for all his wrong deeds. And oh, how he was beginning to regret every single one of them.
Rapunzel somersaulted and let herself tumble down a small hill, letting her impossibly long strands of hair curl around her and envelop her entire frame completely. Perhaps, if he hadn't been so perplexed and slightly annoyed by her bipolar behavior he would have actually found it adorable when she cheered excitedly and stuck her hands out of the strands of golden hair curled around her.
He dismissed the thought before it had even finished forming in his head.
He wasn't surprised when a few minutes later, Rapunzel decided to drop face down over a field of overgrown flowers, her guilty conscience turning on her again. "I am a despicable human being."
Yes, he could agree with that. Did he really deserve to go through this kind of torture? Guess it was his own fault for kidnapping a crazy princess.
And once more, her saddened mood didn't last long before she was swinging from the branches of an enormous tree, using her hair as a rope and cheering as if she had never been or felt this free in her entire life. Flynn almost pitied the thought.
"Whoohoo! Best. Day. Ever!"
Despite the fact that she had been going through her weird, almost bipolar mood-swings since the moment they'd left the tower, Flynn nearly panicked when she sat down a few minutes later and started sobbing uncontrollably.
Well, that was certainly a new one. His distress didn't last long though, and was soon replaced by a mix of exasperation and resignation.
He wasn't a babysitter, he didn't have the need to be consoling a distraught, emotionally unstable princess.
He approached her half-heartedly at first, with the sole intention of urging her to resume their long journey, when a genius idea stroke him.
She was clearly feeling incredibly guilty about her decision to make this journey and fool everyone around her, making her parents, and the entire kingdom worry beyond belief.
And she was absolutely right, that was a particularly selfish decision to make, wasn't it? But what if he could fix it? He had the perfect way to do it. He could guilt-trip her into going back to the palace. He could convince her to forget about this ridiculous idea and return home. That would be best for all, he would actually be doing her a favor.
Hell, the whole kingdom could be in debt with him for convincing their weirdly rebellious princess to go back home.
Not to mention that he would get rid of her sooner than he had expected.
Flynn came to stand right next to her, then cleared his throat dramatically for good measure. When she didn't seem to notice him, he squatted down to her level.
"You know, I can't help but notice you seem a little at war with yourself here."
Her soft sobs stopped, and she lifted her face from behind her palms to shoot him a confused look. "What?"
"Now, I'm only picking up bits and pieces of course," he waved a dismissive hand as he stood up. "I understand you feel guilty about going through with your plan, lying to everyone, disappointing your parents, defrauding your entire kingdom, I mean this is serious stuff!"
Her puffy eyes regarded him with a hint of panic. Perfect, this would work just fine. "But let me ease your conscience; this is part of growing up. A little rebellion, a little adventure, that's fun, healthy even!" He exclaimed with an utterly fake, lighthearted tone, suppressing a disgusted grimace as he carelessly waved his hand over his shoulder to get rid of the frog that had suddenly appeared there.
He was glad Rapunzel hadn't noticed the small exchange. She wiped her nose as she looked at him carefully at first, a small hesitant smile beginning to form in her lips. "You think?"
"I know. You're way overthinking this, trust me." He reassured adamantly, hopefully firmly enough to make it seem believable. Now, time to deliver the blow. "Do your parents deserve it? No. Will this break their heart and crush their soul? Of course! But you just got to do it."
He waited for the immeasurable guilt to sink in... and there it was, just like he had predicted. He honestly thought he deserved a well-earned pat in the back.
"Break their heart?"
"In half."
"Crush their soul?" She looked incredibly distressed as she clutched a strand of hair in her fingers.
"Like a grape." He even gave himself the luxury to demonstrate it, crushing a real grape in between his fingers. If she hadn't blackmailed him and defied him at his own game, he would have considered feeling guilty. But alas, this was for the best.
"They would be heartbroken, you're right!" Flynn helped her to her feet as she tightened her fist around her hair.
"I am, aren't I? Oh, bother!" He rested his hand over his heart in a fake gesture of regret and utter sadness. He supposed he was way overacting this, but she didn't seem to be noticing.
Sighing dramatically, he continued with his act. "All right, I can't believe I'm saying this but... I'm letting you out of the deal."
"What?!"
"That's right! But don't thank me." He said as he retrieved her things. "Let's just turn around and get you home. Here's your pan, here's your frog." He shoved them both into her arms and before she could protest, he started leading her forward. "We'll go back to the tower, I get back my satchel, you can get back home, enjoy your royal life full of wealth and luxury for the rest of your life and voilà! We part ways as unlikely friends."
He supposed he should've predicted she wasn't going to fall for that, she wasn't actually naïve.
Before they could move two steps further, she shoved him forcefully off her. "No! You don't understand, I am leaving the kingdom and you can't stop me."
Flynn wasn't usually a short-tempered guy. In fact, most of the time he was quite an easygoing fellow. But this was slowly killing his patience in the most excruciating way possible. "Oh, c'mon! What is it gonna take for me to get my satchel back!?"
Her eyes narrowed dangerously, and for a moment he didn't know if he would end up regretting angering the young princess. "I will use this." She pointed her frying pan at him just like she had done that first night in the tower. "We had a deal Flynn and I swear you will never get your satchel back unless you take me out of Corona and then bring me back home safe and sound."
A frown of his own settled over his brow, the slight annoyance that had been bubbling deep inside him instantly transformed into downright anger. "Why, why do you even want to get out of Corona just to end up going back in the end?" That was an honest to god doubt he had been pondering since she proposed her ridiculous deal. "You have literally everything a sane girl would ever desire, hell, you have everything any person would ever want, so why do you want to leave it all behind so desperately?"
Her green eyes widened ever so slightly before lowering to the ground. "Y-you, you wouldn't understand."
He heaved an exasperated sigh. "Of course I wouldn't understand. The insignificant thief would never be able to understand the struggles of royal life, right?" He knew he was being incredibly cynical in every sense of the word, but he had a damn good reason to be more than a bit irritated with this situation.
She frowned indignantly, and her blazing eyes turned to glare at him once more. "No, you wouldn't understand my struggles, as petty as you think they are. You'll never have to go through the same thing." She crossed her arms over her chest, her glare intensifying as she went on. "You'll never know what it is like to long for a life you cannot have, you'll never understand what it feels like when your life is being controlled by anyone but you, you'll never get it because you don't struggle for freedom, you've always had it!"
"You have the freedom to do whatever you please and go wherever you want to go, you don't have to live under the custody of thousands of eyes spying on you and judging your every move. You'll never understand what it is to live like that, you'll never understand that kind of struggle because you've never had to go through it!"
He was rendered speechless just for a moment, his eyes widening in disbelief. Was this girl serious? Her words rang deep in his ears, and for some reason, they fell uncomfortably too close to home. She'd manage to turn his irritation into rage.
"Oh I don't understand your struggle, do I?" His voice came out rough and low, and she took a hesitant step back from him, although her glare didn't lessen. "As if I have always lived a perfect life. Let me tell you a thing or two about a simple commoner's life, Princess." He spit the word out disdainfully and took a step forward, towering over her and making her intense glare falter slightly. "Because really, you should be the one feeling grateful that you were born into royalty. You've never had to go through the struggles of real life."
"Have you ever had to worry about having enough money to sustain yourself? Have you ever had to go to sleep, shivering under a single worn out blanket in the middle of winter, wondering if you would have a roof to sleep under the next night, or if you would even get to eat at all the following day?" His eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched her own widen, whether it was out of fear or surprise he didn't know, nor did he actually care. "Have you ever had to worry about not dying out of starvation or frostbite, or getting yourself a real job to be able to live somewhat safe under a simple roof and with just barely enough food to eat? Have you ever had to go through the struggles of real life?"
She took a frightened step back as he slowly closed the distance between them, too enraged to even consider that he was actually scaring her quite a bit. "Well I have news for you Princess, that's the life of a commoner. Is that really the life you've been longing for?" He laughed snidely, his voice bitter and devoid of any sympathy. "You know nothing about real life, or what we have to go through and our own problems. So don't you dare come here and tell me I don't know anything about struggle. I can in fact teach you a thing or two about living an unhappy life."
He whirled around and started walking away, not stopping to look if she was actually following him.
Rapunzel stood there speechless, eyes wide and chest heaving with every unsteady breath she took. After a few moments she seemed to regain her voice. "F-Flynn...? I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Save it, Princess. I don't need empty apologies."
"They're not empty apologies! I really mean it, I'm so-"
"Whatever, let's keep going. We already wasted enough time." Flynn kept walking without turning back to acknowledge her, and she silently followed behind.
He sighed heavily and rubbed his hand against his face. He cursed the day he decided to steal the Princess' crown, and the moment he decided it would be best to kidnap her than to let her rat him out.
He could already tell this was going to be an uncomfortably long journey. One he was definitely not looking forward to complete.
They walked silently through the dense woods for what felt like ages to her. Maybe if she could strike up any kind of conversation with her reluctant companion, time would seem to go by a lot quicker.
But Rapunzel knew she had screwed up. She had screwed up big time, and nothing she was trying to do to make up for her big mistake seemed to be working.
She had learned a new thing about Flynn, though. He was unbelievably obstinate. She had accidentally offended him beyond belief, and now nothing she was trying to do to amend the damage done seemed to be working in her favor. She had tried apologizing more than a dozen times, and every time she started, he would always interrupt her and dismiss her heartfelt attempts.
She had given up a few hours ago, and instead decided to start over as if nothing had happened.
That hadn't quite worked in her favor either.
So now here they were, silently crossing the woods, and Flynn wouldn't even turn to look at her. Not even to glare in her direction out of the corner of his eye.
Rapunzel didn't know which was actually worse, his snarky remarks, his spontaneous outrage or his silent treatment. The three of them annoyed her quite a bit, but she supposed she could endure the former two with relatively little complain. But him giving her the cold shoulder was something she knew was entirely her own fault, and it made her feel even guiltier than she had already been feeling.
She turned to look at Pascal, who wasn't of much help considering he was intent on glaring thoroughly at the back of Flynn's neck as if he could burn a whole in his head. Her little chameleon friend wasn't fond of Flynn shouting at her, regardless of the situation. She supposed she would have to keep an eye on him before he decided to stick his tongue in Flynn's ear again as punishment.
"So..." She commented nonchalantly, skipping ahead to fall into step with him. "How long is it going to take us to get there?"
"As long as it needs to take us."
Her hopeful expression fell as she regarded him carefully. His face was - as often- a blank mask almost impossible to read, but she could tell by his short answer that he was still annoyed with her. Rapunzel sighed regretfully.
"Aren't you hungry? I'm starving. Maybe we should stop to find some food." He merely shrugged in response.
She rolled her eyes, tired of his short replies. "Look Flynn, I really am sorry for what I said earlier. I swear I never meant to offend you, I was just..." She trailed off, looking for the right words to express her frustration and her honest remorse. This time, Flynn actually regarded her expectantly out of the corner of his eyes. "I don't know, it was dumb of me to assume you didn't know the struggles of wanting something desperately but knowing that you can't have it."
His stare stayed on her for a few seconds before falling back to the path ahead. "I guess I was just scared, and confused and frustrated with myself and the whole situation." Her gaze lowered to the ground as she kicked a pebble out of the way. "I'm torn in between doing what is right and following my heart. I wanted to have a little taste of what it would be like to forget about my responsibilities, and my reputation, and what people would say. I wanted to forget that I was a princess, if only for a little while."
Flynn's hard stare slowly softened as she spoke, and she could tell that, miraculously, she was actually getting him to listen to her for once.
She bit her lip anxiously, considering if it was really worth it to be completely honest with him. "Is it really that selfish of me to want a little freedom? Am I a horrible person?"
Flynn seemed surprised with her anguished question. His step faltered slightly as he regarded her carefully with calculating eyes. Rapunzel fought the urge to clutch a strand of hair in between her fists. Surprisingly enough she wanted, no, she needed an honest answer from him. Anything to tell her that her actions weren't quite as nefarious and monstrous as her mind was making them seem.
They stayed silent for a few moments, her waiting with baited breath and him seemingly considering her question.
After a while, he finally shrugged. "I suppose I'm not quite the right person to answer that kind of question." He answered, a bitter smile pulling at the corners of his lips. "After all, I'm not exactly the most honest, selfless man out there, am I?"
She chuckled halfheartedly. "No, I suppose you're not."
"But, if you want my honest opinion; if I were you, I'd do exactly the same."
"Is that supposed to be comforting?" She asked lightly, just a hint of worry hiding behind her teasing tone.
Flynn smirked. "Nope. But I've rarely ever regretted a decision I've made." He frowned slightly and added as an afterthought, "Well, that is until I found you, of course."
"Ha. Ha." She rolled her eyes playfully, deep down actually considering his answer. They both chuckled amusedly, slightly bewildered by this sudden lighthearted moment.
After a while, Rapunzel decided to break the somewhat comfortable silence. "So... Am I forgiven then?"
"For your indiscretion?" Flynn raised a teasing eyebrow, his mischievous smirk confirming that he was no longer annoyed with her. "Hmm... Still thinking about it."
"Oh c'mon, I already forgave you for kidnapping me." She smiled innocently, the same smile that had gotten her out of trouble with her tutors time and time again. "I'd say we're even."
"Pfft, hardly!" He scoffed. "Me kidnapping you presented you with this unique opportunity that you seem intent on taking advantage of. If anything I'm the one suffering and paying the consequences here!"
"Well, then you should've thought twice before kidnapping me. That is hardly my fault at all."
"Well then congratulations. Point for you, Your Majesty, I actually learned my lesson." Flynn rolled his eyes before bowing mockingly before her.
This time, he managed to elicit an unrestrained laugh from her. As soon as the sound of her laughter came out of her mouth she rested a hand over her lips, as if she could catch the treacherous sound and return it to its rightful place. Flynn seemed just as surprised - if not more- as her by this turn of events. He had the decency not to comment though, and resumed their previous walk as if nothing had even happened in the first place.
They walked in comfortable silence for a while, as the sun began its slow descent across the blue sky. Rapunzel was really in need of something to eat though, and she was beginning to regret not bringing the food she had initially packed for their trip.
"Seriously, how far are we from getting there? I'm starving!" She moaned, her stomach growling loudly as if to prove her words.
"Hadn't you packed enough food to last a lifetime?"
A feeling of dread settled in her stomach. "You told me to unpack it because it would only get in the way!"
"Oh, right."
"We are not going to stop for food, are we?" She sighed heavily, already knowing the answer.
Flynn shrugged dismissively, rummaging in his satchel in search for something. It wasn't long before he pulled out a bright red apple that appeared far too appealing for her starving stomach.
"Here. Take it, I packed it just before we left the tower."
Rapunzel extended a hesitant hand to accept his offering. "But isn't it for you? Aren't you hungry too? We could share the apple, I don't mind."
Suddenly Flynn stopped abruptly in his tracks, making her stumble and almost crash into him in the process.
"Whoa, okay, you don't want to share, I get it-"
"Shh." Flynn held up a hand, signaling her to shut up. His eyes narrowed as he inspected the perimeter surrounding them. She tried to do the same, tried to detect whatever it was that had captured his attention. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary though.
"What is it? Is there someth-... Mph!"
"Shh!" He covered her mouth with his hand, muffling her startled squeak. Rapunzel narrowed her eyes in annoyance, struggling against his light grip until she lifted his hand from her mouth.
"I hate it when you do that." She muttered as quietly as possible as Flynn rolled his eyes, grasping her arm tightly in his hand and guiding her towards an enormous, thick bush.
They hid stealthily behind the leafy plant, the holes in between the thin branches leaving some of the path visible for them. Flynn held up a finger and pressed it against his lips in a silent gesture for her to keep quiet. That's when she finally heard it;
the sound of hooves stomping furiously against the ground, and the telltale clang of metal crashing against metal.
The Royal Guards.
They were approaching fast, and her heart started beating a frantic staccato against her ribcage.
If they found them it would all be over before it had even started.
Her panicked eyes turned back toward Flynn, but he was not paying attention to her. His light brown eyes widened in dismay, focusing on something in particular across the path they had come through.
She followed his gaze and felt her heart drop to her feet at the sight of her seventy feet of golden tresses sprawled all over the pathway.
She could see the shadow of the guards approaching in the distance.
Rapunzel immediately set on gathering whatever she could of her thick strands of hair in her arms, frantically pulling them toward the bush without actually coming out of her hiding spot. Her efforts were futile though, she could already hear the guards approaching closer and closer to their improvised lair.
She crawled just a few inches forward, unfortunately exposing herself to the exterior. Pulling as fast as she could manage, she gathered whatever she could from her hair. It was impossible, there was still too much out there, and the guards were close already.
Flynn pulled at the strands that were already hidden behind the bush, gathering as much as his arms could carry in an attempt to help her bring the golden locks exposed closer to the bush.
It wasn't enough. The guards were too close, if she didn't hide now, they would spot her. Flynn seemed to be thinking similarly. Just at the last moment, he enveloped his arms around her shoulders and pushed her body backwards, successfully hiding her behind the bush just in time as the guards were passing through their hiding spot.
Fortunately for both of them, what little locks of hair were left exposed in the open had come with her with the force of Flynn's sudden pull. She tried to contain her unsteady breathing as the guards passed impossibly slowly through the pathway, Flynn's arms tightening around her shoulders as if he was expecting her to suddenly jump out from behind the bush in a last-minute moment of regret.
They both waited tensely for what felt like ages, until the guards disappeared along the pathway, their voices fading in the distance as they continued on their way.
Rapunzel sighed heavily, slumping against Flynn's strong chest as relief washed over her like a wave crashing into the shoreline. She felt Flynn's arms relax and his grip around her shoulders lessen.
That's when she noticed something wasn't quite right...
"Uh, Flynn...?"
"Hmm?"
"...Get your hands off me."
"Oh, right." He jumped to his feet in an instant, absentmindedly dusting the dirt off his pants as he carefully regarded the path they had been following, and the spot where the guards had disappeared.
"I thought you said there would be less guards patrolling and searching through the woods." She commented as she dusted the dirt off her ancient cloak, coming to stand next to him.
"And we are lucky I was right. They weren't patrolling, they didn't even stop along the path." His brow furrowed slightly. "Those guards were headed toward MistHaven."
"Corona's borderline." She muttered under her breath, realization dawning on her. "And let me guess, we are headed there too." She suppressed a grimace as the pieces started falling into place in her head.
"Yup, that port is our only way out." He rubbed the back of his head tiredly. "It's the biggest around the kingdom, as you probably already know, meaning every merchant vessel arrives and leaves from there. I was hoping that would give us some cover and we'd be able to smuggle you out of the kingdom more easily."
"The guards will surely be patrolling the harbor day in and day out in hopes of stopping your kidnapper from taking you out of the kingdom." Flynn sighed exasperatedly. "And if I'm not mistaken, there'll only be more guards heading toward there, and they'll be crossing exactly the same path. Perfect!"
Rapunzel bit her lip nervously. "What are we gonna do now?"
Flynn seemed to ponder this for a few moments. His eyebrows suddenly lifted as a new idea apparently stroke him. "Are you hungry? I know just the right place to stop to eat."
She shot him a blank stare. Was he actually serious? She had been complaining about being hungry for the past half hour! "And where would that be?"
"Oh, don't you worry. You'll know it when you smell it." He smiled brightly, something that she was beginning to find naturally disconcerting, and took her by the arm, leading the way with a much more enthusiastic spring in his step.
She seriously hoped her suspicions were wrong and he wasn't actually plotting something again to get rid of her.
"I know it must be somewhere here..." Flynn muttered under his breath, his finger tapping against his chin as he looked carefully around. His eyes suddenly lit up as a bright smile grazed his features. "Ah, there it is! 'The Heart of Tartarus'"
"T-The what?!" Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as her gaze fell upon the dilapidated building. Standing somewhat tall and dark, the old inn seemed to rise enigmatically and totally out of nowhere in the middle of the woods.
Flynn seemed utterly amused by her reaction. "You'll find the name is quite fitting. The lowest scum of the kingdom gathers here often enough." He put his arm around her shoulder as he led her forward. "You know, thieves, ruffians, thugs, criminals of all sorts, they often reunite here to plot their villainous plans, gather and exchange secret information, or simply seek refuge for the night."
The more they approached the dark tavern, the more the name seemed fitting. The entire building seemed to be built out of ebony, providing the impossibly dark color of its walls. The windows were dusty and shady, making it almost impossible to see through or catch a glimpse toward its dark interior.
All in all, the old inn seemed like something brought out of a horror story.
"Why on earth would you bring me here, then!" She dug the heel of her shoes into the dirt, trying and failing to stop walking forward, but Flynn was insistent on pulling her along.
"Because, Princess, if we want to seek passage outside Corona, it will have to be illegal." He raised an eyebrow, a crooked smirk settling over his lips. "Plus, we'll have to have ears and eyes everywhere in order to know what the guards are planning and where they will be. What a better place to get all that than here?"
He stopped a short distance before the tavern, coming to stand right before her and resting both hands over her shoulders. "Now, listen carefully. No matter what happens or what you hear inside that place, you'll let me do all the talking, and you're going to stay completely silent, okay?" His gaze fell intense upon hers as he pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, hiding her hair and the majority of her face completely under the dark fabric.
"No one has to know who you are, Blondie. That is crucial. If anyone were to find out, they wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of the situation." Her eyes widened in distress and her heart skipped a beat inside her chest. "Don't forget this place is called that for a reason; it is infested with all sorts of criminals who wouldn't hesitate to get their filthy hands on a prize as lucrative as you."
"No matter what happens, you are not to speak a word, got it?"
Rapunzel hesitated only for a moment before nodding reluctantly. Flynn's answering bright smile seemed disconcerting beyond belief. His features suddenly depicted nothing but a pleasant satisfaction, as if this wasn't a dire situation and should be treated as such.
He payed her no mind as he guided her once more toward the looming tavern, his arm resting lightly over her shoulder. She considered telling him that she could walk on her own, and she didn't need his arm around her shoulder to guide her.
The moment he opened the door to the tavern, the words died down in her throat.
Flynn hadn't been lying, the inn was bursting with ruffians and all kinds of mysterious looking people. The place was slightly crowded, although not too much as to make the tavern seem overfilled. The faint light that the single candelabra in the room provided made the place appear darker and looming.
She supposed the faint shadows casted all over the place granted a weird sense of privacy, but it only made the tavern seem shadier than what she had been expecting.
She walked silently side by side with Flynn as he guided her through rows of haphazardly accommodated tables, his expression blank and nonchalant, a somewhat pleasant smirk gracing his lips.
He strutted in as if he owned the place, overflowing confidence and maybe even slight arrogance, his head held high and his eyes firmly set on the bar at the far end of the room, completely disregarding the dirty looks and suspicious glances he was getting from the patrons.
Everyone turned to look at them as they made their way across the tavern. Rapunzel felt slightly paranoid as she avoided their menacing stares. Unlike Flynn, she kept her head low and her eyes fixed upon the dirty, sticky floor, huddling closer to Flynn's side - much to her chagrin - as they approached the bar before them.
Flynn settled himself over an empty barstool in front of the bar and patted the one next to him in a silent command for her to follow. The moment they both sat down, everyone resumed their previous activities, a silent murmur filling the room as if nothing had interrupted their mysterious, hushed conversations.
Rapunzel swallowed a relieved sigh.
"Well, well, well, if it ain't Flynn Rider!"
A sturdy, mean-looking man made his way from behind the bar, approaching them with a peculiar gait in his step. The malicious grin hiding behind his thick beard made Rapunzel bite her lips in distress.
Flynn smiled pleasantly, as if he had been expecting the man to approach them since the moment they'd entered the tavern. "Gustav! Long time no see."
"Indeed, it has been a long time." The enormous man stopped right before them, his prominent belly wiggling as he chortled sinisterly. "What have ye been up to these days? The last time I saw yer sorry face here ye were plotting something with the Stabbingtons." He spoke with a peculiar, somewhat faded accent Rapunzel couldn't quite pinpoint.
"Oh nothing interesting, you know, here and there doing some jobs, hiding from the guards, the usual stuff." Flynn shrugged nonchalantly.
The burly bartender lifted a thick eyebrow, his expression clearly skeptical. "How curious. It's not like ye to keep unnoticed. Usually whenever ye come strutting in my tavern, yer bragging about yer latest achievement."
"What can I say, a man needs his rest once in a while."
"I bet..."
Rapunzel could tell that this man was set on interrogating Flynn about his latest activities, and something told her he wouldn't relent until he managed to get something out of the young thief.
Flynn seemed to have realized this since the moment the man had shown up, and she was surprised that he wasn't showing the slightest sign of worry. His face was a perfect mask of cool indifference and his usual nonchalance.
However, this time he tried to stir the conversation away from such prodding questions. "How about you bring us some drinks and then we can talk. I bet there is much to discuss."
"Aye, there is much to talk about." This time, the bartender's stare settled on her, his dark eyes narrowing as he examined her carefully. For some reason, she felt as if his intense glare could look right through the shadow that her cloak provided across her face, and he knew exactly who she was and what she was hiding.
She fidgeted uncomfortably on her seat.
"I see ye decided to bring some company." Gustav's lips curled into a disgusting smirk. "Who's yer new wench?"
Rapunzel's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She let out an indignant gasp, ready to defend her own honor and give this burly man a piece of her mind, however Flynn jumped in before she got the chance to utter a single word.
"I wouldn't call her that if I were you." His pleasant smirk had disappeared, and although his tone seemed relaxed and unthreatening, the look in his eyes was dead serious. She couldn't tell if his lips were pursing against an amused smile or a disgusted frown, but she assumed it was the former. After all, he seemed to be great at keeping up appearances.
Gustav's thick eyebrows lifted in surprise, an amused smirk settling on his lips. "Don't tell me ye've got a soft spot for her?"
Flynn snorted in response. "Oh, believe me, that's not the case at all."
Gustav rolled his eyes and turned around, fetching some tankards and filling them with ale from the enormous barrels stacked against the wall.
He set the mugs down before them, the contents of the overflowing tankards spilling across the wooden surface of the bar. Flynn didn't waste time in taking a large gulp from his mug, not even wincing at the bitter flavor.
Rapunzel glanced carefully at her own tankard, examining the dark liquid inside as if it was poison. She pursed her lips and pushed it aside.
"Ye know, I've heard some interesting rumors concerning ye, Rider." Gustav commented, taking a swig from his own mug
"Have you?" Flynn raised a curious eyebrow, the corner of his lips lifting into a crooked smirk. "Well, go on then, what has been said about me?"
"I suppose ye've heard about the kidnapping of the Princess of Corona in yer unexpected absence?"
Rapunzel felt her heart rate quicken at the mention of her, she inhaled deeply in a poor attempt to calm her frantic nerves.
Flynn seemed completely unfazed by the question. "I have, yes. The whole kingdom is moving heaven and earth trying to find her." He took another large gulp of his ale, crossing his arms over his chest in a carefree gesture. "It was quite the scandal, indeed."
"Aye, it was." The burly man chuckled darkly. "The little bastard who had the balls to do such a thing was either too clever or a complete idiot."
"I bet he's regretting it now..." Flynn muttered under his breath. Rapunzel kicked his shin under the table.
"The entire kingdom is searching for the kidnaper. Did ye know there's a high prize over his head?" Gustav raised his thick eyebrows, his greedy expression made Rapunzel's stomach twist unpleasantly.
Flynn, however, wasn't showing any signs of being the slightest bit worried about this development. "I'd say that's a bit useless considering nobody actually knows the identity of this man."
"I suppose yer right." Gustav regarded him carefully for a moment. "Ye wouldn't happen to know who this mysterious man is, would ye?"
Oh god, he knew. The bartender knew, he had to know. Or at least he suspected it. Why else would he be interrogating Flynn about this particular subject?
Flynn snorted derisively. "How would I know? Believe me, if I had any idea, I would've already ratted him out and I'd be happily enjoying the money of the reward now."
Gustav shrugged his burly shoulders, his expression still slightly skeptical. "I don't know. Told ye there've been rumors." He inspected his tankard and downed what was left of his drink. "People have been saying it could've been ye."
This time Rapunzel could tell Flynn almost choked on his drink. "Me?! Why would it be me?"
"Ye tell me, Rider." He set his mug down a bit more forcefully than necessary and leaned in across the bar to look at Flynn directly in the face. "Ye know more than anyone that yer considered the best thief in the entire kingdom. Who else could've pulled out something like that, and escaped to tell the tale?"
Flynn leaned away from Gustav's scrutinizing stare, frowning slightly in annoyance. "C'mon Gustav, that's ridiculous. Do you honestly think I'd be parading around the kingdom without a single concern if I had the Princess with me? I would've gotten the hell away from Corona the first chance I'd got."
This seemed to make the enormous man reconsider his accusation, however his doubtful frown remained.
"I've heard that the Stabbingtons were involved in the whole thing."
This seemed to have finally gotten a reaction out of Flynn. His previously non-expressive eyes widened ever so slightly, although Gustav didn't seem perceptive enough to notice. "Oh, really?"
"They escaped the guards, however, and now are on the run hiding somewhere in the woods."
"How can you tell they are not the ones who kidnapped the Princess?"
"They wouldn't have been able to escape fast enough while carrying a young woman on their backs, now would they?"
Flynn hid his smirk behind the rim of his tankard as he took a large swig of his drink. "Point taken."
"Now that we've discussed that special matter..." Gustav scowled menacingly. "Why are ye really here, Rider? Yer not just here under a pretense, so what is it ye want?"
Flynn set his mug down carefully. "Well, I may not have kidnapped the Princess, but I'm still the most wanted - well second most wanted now- thief in the kingdom." He shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest in an uninterested gesture. "I'm still in hiding and apparently, the idiot who kidnapped the Princess has just made it even harder for me."
"I was traveling through the forest, but the guards have been patrolling every last corner of the Kingdom in search for the Princess." Flynn's features took on a more serious expression, his eyes firmly set over Gustav's narrowed ones. "I need a place to stay for the night."
Rapunzel's stomach twisted anxiously. She was hoping they wouldn't be spending the night in this shady inn.
Gustav raised a thick eyebrow. "And what makes ye think I'll let ye stay here?"
"Oh, please, your entire tavern is overcrowded with criminals. You cannot possibly tell me my presence will make a difference." Flynn scoffed. "I have enough money to pay you for the stay."
"The guards are offering a very tempting reward for yer capture, did ye know that?" The burly man's lips twisted into a sinister grin.
Flynn's eyebrows furrowed into an exasperated scowl. "Yes, I am aware of that." He muttered through gritted teeth, his patience clearly wearing thin.
"I do believe that increases quite a bit the prize for yer stay, Rider."
Flynn pursed his lips and pulled out a small pouch from his satchel, tossing it over the bar for Gustav to catch.
"Will that be enough to shut your mouth?"
The bartender examined the contents of the pouch with critical eyes. "Depends..."
"On what?" Flynn almost growled, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Gustav threw him a menacing stare, his bear-like complexion appearing even more threatening than before. "If I find out the rumors I've been hearing are in fact true, ye can bet yer sorry arse I'll be getting ye myself to the guards. I don't want any unnecessary troubles in my tavern, and if yer presence leads the guards here to inspect the inn, I'll be kicking ye out without a second thought."
"Are we clear, Rider?"
"Couldn't have made it clearer, Gustav." He threw him a mocking grin as the bartender grunted grumpily in response. "By the way, could you maybe bring us the house special? We're starving."
With a miffed harrumph, Gustav made his way toward the back of the tavern, disappearing behind a dark wooden door.
There was a moment of silence as Rapunzel regarded him with wide eyes.
"How could to do that?"
"Hmm?"
"How could you lie to him like that without even battling an eyelash!" She exclaimed in a hushed voice, completely in awe with the situation. "You almost made me believe you."
"Well, I'm a thief, Blondie. We're experts on treachery and deceive." He shrugged dismissively, a satisfied smirk on his face.
She didn't know whether to feel impressed or slightly scared. If he could lie so easily to a man like Gustav, he could lie to her any time he felt like it as well, and she wouldn't even notice it.
Like she'd thought before, Flynn Rider was a dangerous man. She had to remind herself not to trust him at all.
The bartender returned with two bowls in his hand, which he promptly set before them with a little more force than what was absolutely necessary. He slammed a single key next to Flynn's bowl, and disappeared without saying a single word.
Rapunzel examined carefully the contents of the bowl, pursing her lips slightly at the mysterious-looking broth. She couldn't tell exactly what was floating around the soup, and quite frankly she was afraid to ask.
"What's this?" She stirred a spoon around it, not wanting to think about the thickness of the suspicious-looking dish.
Flynn seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as he appeared to be repressing a grimace while he took a spoonful to his mouth. "About the only edible thing they serve in this godforsaken tavern."
He swallowed, apparently not affected by the taste, and pointed his spoon toward her own bowl. "Eat up, Blondie. Like you said before, we don't know when we will get the chance to eat again."
She inhaled deeply as she took a taste of the broth, surprised to find out it wasn't even half bad. Or maybe she really was starving, who knows.
They ate silently, too engrossed in their own thoughts to even acknowledge the other. After a while, Rapunzel finally spoke again.
"You know, the meal was actually not that bad." She set the spoon down carefully, probably too elegantly for a girl eating in a tavern full of drunken thugs. "Although I am a bit thirsty."
"You haven't even touched your drink."
"I can't possibly drink that!" She was sure her widened eyes made her look a little too scandalized by the suggestion.
Flynn rolled his eyes. "What? Not a drink for a respectable lady?" He smirked mockingly. "Would you prefer some tea, or maybe some red wine, your majesty?"
"Don't call me that!" She muttered through gritted teeth.
Flynn chuckled amusedly. "I thought that was exactly why you wanted to do this whole thing in the first place. Didn't you want to be free to do whatever you wanted to do without anyone judging you?"
She averted her eyes, suddenly too interested in her tankard still overfilled with ale.
"Well, now's the perfect moment. No one here knows who you are, and it's not even a rare occurrence to see a woman drinking in a tavern like this."
She considered his words for a moment, and then quickly took a small sip of the alcoholic drink before she could regret her decision.
She screwed her eyes shut at the strong taste, gagging slightly as the alcohol seemed to be burning down her throat. Her eyes watered as she coughed, trying to get rid of the horrid bitter taste in her mouth.
Flynn actually laughed at her reaction. "You'll get used to the taste eventually."
"Are you kidding?! I'm not drinking that thing ever again!" She squeaked through her coughs, gingerly pushing away the tankard.
Flynn shrugged nonchalantly. "Fine then, more for me."
He seemed to down the drink in no time at all, and her eyes widened before narrowing disapprovingly. "Now is not the time to get drunk, Flynn!"
He scoffed. "Please, it takes much more than this to get me drunk."
She rolled her eyes, rising from her seat and smoothing out the skirt of her dress. "I'm tired. I'd like to go to my room now, if you don't mind."
Flynn set the tankard down with a thud, taking the key and replacing it with a few coins as payment for their simple meal.
"Let's go, then."
He guided her through the haphazardly accommodated rows of tables toward the corner of the room, where there was a set of stairs disappearing in the darkness ahead.
They made their way upstairs, making it to a dimly lit hallway where a set of doors each leading to a different room awaited them. Flynn took the lead, guiding her through the corridor with a certain hesitance in his step.
He stopped before one of the doors almost at the end of the hallway, introducing the key to the keyhole and jiggling it a few times before the old, rusty lock worked.
The room was completely engulfed in darkness when they stepped in, and Flynn rummaged through his satchel in search of flints to light up the worn out candles around the room.
Once the room was lit, she examined it curiously, her eyes sweeping across the simple and somewhat untidy place. The bed was little compared to the one she had occupied back in the tower, and there was a single old cabinet and a broken mirror above it hung on the wall.
It wasn't exactly the place she would choose to spend the night, but she supposed it would have to do for now.
She turned around, and her eyes widened as she saw Flynn closing the door behind her.
"What are you doing!" She squeaked, taking a step closer.
"Closing the door?" He answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I think you forgot something." She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling slightly invaded as she regarded him with a frown on her face. "You have to get out first before closing the door."
Flynn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, as if he couldn't quite comprehend what she was saying. Then his face cleared as realization dawned on him.
"Oh, you actually thought I'd payed for two rooms?"
Dread slowly crept its way across Rapunzel's chest. "Y-You didn't...?
"Of course not! A single room costed me almost all the money I had, you honestly think I'd pay for two rooms just for your comfort?"
Her heartbeat quickened at this disturbing revelation. "B-but... y-you can't... I mean... you can't stay in here!"
"Well, unless you'd want me to sleep outside, I don't see a problem with sharing a room." He replied, carelessly hanging his satchel over a hook on the wall.
"Well I do! It is extremely inappropriate, and scandalous, and you're crazy if you think I'll let you stay in my room!" A strange sense of panic settled deep in her stomach as a contemplative smirk graced Flynn's lips. He seemed like a predator that had just found the weak spot of its prey, and couldn't wait to use it against it.
"Oh, don't tell me you're actually worried about your reputation now." He closed the door carefully behind him, now hiding the room from prying eyes and curious ears. "Wasn't that just what you were avoiding to think about with your whole crazy idea?"
Rapunzel frowned indignantly. "Losing my reputation wasn't what I was trying to achieve!"
"Oho, I think you should've thought about that before, Blondie." His mocking smirk widened into a wicked smile. "I do believe you lost your good reputation the moment you decided to strike a deal with the most wanted criminal in the kingdom."
"Nobody knows about that Flynn, and no one has to find out, ever!" She muttered decisively, wringing her hands nervously as the repercussions of her foolish idea suddenly hit her like a slap in the face. "But the whole tavern saw us going upstairs together, can you imagine what people would say if they found out I shared a room with you?"
Flynn rolled his eyes. "And no one down there even knows who you are!" He threw his hands up in an exasperated gesture.
"I am not sharing a room with you, and that's final." She said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly.
"Fine then." Flynn shrugged, clearly not caring about her decision in the slightest. "Since I payed for this room, and I am the one guiding you around like your distressed nanny, and you can't go anywhere without me, I am going to stay right here, and you can sleep outside for all I care."
Her mouth dropped as she let out an affronted exclamation. "Y-y-you...! I-I... You are a... Ugh! I hate you!"
His answering smirk wasn't comforting at all. "You know, I find your reaction quite unusual." He took a step closer to her, his eyes sparkling dangerously. "Most women are usually overjoyed at the idea of sharing a room with me."
"I can't imagine why." She replied, standing her ground as Flynn's smirk suddenly turned -...was it flirty? - rather than teasing, his eyelids dropping and his voice suddenly lower and huskier than usual.
"Maybe you'd like to find out." Her eyes widened as she realized he was getting dangerously close now, and she shouldn't have felt that shiver running down her spine at his husky voice and that crooked smirk.
So she panicked. She gripped the handle of the frying pan she had been hiding under her cloak firmly in her hand as she took a step back, her eyes narrowing threateningly. "Flynn...? Don't take a step closer or I swear I'll-"
The sound of his carefree laughter interrupted her train of thought. "Relax, Blondie, I'm just teasing." He chuckled, his smirk morphing into a somewhat amused smile. "I wouldn't actually try anything with such a respectable lady like you."
She threw him a peeved look as her lips pursed in annoyance at his mocking tone.
"Look, you'll stay in the bed and I'll sleep on the floor. I won't even be close to you, what's the problem with that?"
"That you'll still be in the room, that's the problem!" She exclaimed, already dreading the whole situation.
Flynn let out a tired sigh. "Look, Blondie, I hate this situation probably more than you do. You wanted to get out of the kingdom, you forced me to take you and get involved in your crazy plan, now you have to deal with the consequences."
She averted her gaze indignantly as he went on. "You were so wrong if you thought living a life outside the palace would be full of comfort and luxuries. I won't be paying for two rooms in every inn we have to stay just so you feel more comfortable, so you better get used to the idea of sharing a room with me."
She considered his words for a moment, sighing regretfully as her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Fine, fine, you'll sleep on the floor and I'll stay on the bed." Her eyes narrowed not a moment later, as she pointed a finger to him. "But no funny business Rider, because I swear if I find you even remotely closer to my bed than you should be, I will rip your hands off myself."
He lifted his hands up in a sign of mocking surrender. "Oh, believe me I wouldn't dare."
"Good." Rapunzel turned his back to him, removing her cloak and hanging it over the back of a rickety chair next to the bed.
She almost went into cardiac arrest when she turned around to be met by the sight of Flynn removing his clothes.
"What are you doing?!"
He shot her a weird-out look, as if he had suddenly realized he had, in fact, kidnapped an insane woman. "Uh... taking off my vest...?"
She crossed her arms over her chest, her lips pursing in disapproval. "Oh, c'mon, you don't actually expect me to sleep with my boots and my vest, on, do you?" When she didn't answer he groaned in annoyance.
"Would you relax already, Blondie? I'm not going to do anything to you." His eyebrows furrowed indignantly. "Contrary to your belief, I'm not the kind of man to take advantage of an unwilling woman."
"Well you can't blame me for being suspicious, can you? You did kidnap me, after all."
"Fair enough."
She adjusted the covers of the bed, ready to climb on and hide herself from the world under the dusty blankets, but she couldn't help giving him one last warning. "I mean it Flynn, I don't want you any closer to my bed, or you'll force me to use my frying pan."
Flynn looked thoroughly tired of this whole conversation. "And you have my word; I won't get near you."
She threw him one last suspicious glance before climbing over the bed and settling herself comfortably under the covers.
"Not that I'd want to, anyway. I'm not interested." He added as an afterthought.
Rapunzel threw him a pillow that successfully hit him square in the face
He grinned cheekily in return. "Thanks, I actually needed one."
She grumbled under her breath as she settled more comfortably under the thick blankets, all the while wondering if enduring Flynn's exasperating presence was really worth it.
And no, she wouldn't be thinking at all about the way his shirt clung to his body in a totally unappealing way, of course. Not that she was even looking anyway.
Ugh... Of all the dumb ideas she had ever had, this was probably the worst.
So the adventure has just begun and these two just don't seem to get along. Any ideas of what might happen in the next chapter? Feel free to leave a comment or any suggestions.
You know I really appreciate your opinion, so don't hesitate to leave a review on your way out! Until next time :)