Wasn't Love, Blondie

by little princess 15

AU: Flynn wanted to steal the princess' crown, he never planned for the Princess herself to tag along. One thing is for certain; no one messes with Flynn Rider, and he wasn't going to let this girl start now. He had to find a way to get rid of her, and losing his heart along the way wasn't an option. Of course, that was easier said than done.

23. Gleam and Glow

Chapter 23: Gleam and Glow

I know I lied again but listen, at least this time it wasn't 84 years and this is the third longest chapter in this fic so, I'd say a win is a win. 'Kay, time to wrap it up babes! Thank you all as always for the support this fic has received. Finally we're mostly done and I couldn't be more thankful to you, my dear readers. I hope you enjoy this one last ginormous chapter!

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Don't you worry your pretty little mind

People throw rocks at things that shine

But they can't take what's ours

The stakes are high

The waters rough

But this love is ours

~Ours

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The wispy atmosphere surrounding the small cottage suddenly plunged into an unsettling cold that seeped into Eugene's bones, an uncomfortable chill creeping down his spine like icy droplets of water. The stillness of their little bubble of solitude abruptly interrupted by the dry leaves crunching beneath heavy footsteps slowly approaching.

The thing is, all that time there had been a nagging feeling at the back of his mind clinging to the corners of his consciousness throughout his brief moments of lucidity when he wasn't lost in an induced dreamless sleep.

Dread.

Like he'd been expecting their brief moment of tranquility to shatter like an ancient and delicate porcelain vase, its pieces flying jagged and irreparably broken just like his peace of mind.

It felt almost like the fulfillment of a grim promise. Like the Reaper himself had come to collect the debt of a soul still owed. His mind shouted at him, mocking and knowing. I told you so.

Eugene wasn't even halfway up when he felt that feeling lurching up his throat and simultaneously pressing uncomfortably into his stomach. Pure, unadulterated fear all over again. Rapunzel stood exposed a few paces away from him, frozen on the spot as her wide green eyes looked ahead with evident trepidation and Eugene could only think to himself; not again, please not again.

Not now, not ever.

But the footsteps didn't stop, heavy and loud in the quiet of the dead forest and Eugene could only come to stand by Rapunzel's side as the fog cleared enough around the figure approaching to reveal his features.

The heaviness in his stomach only grew at the sight.

The man was impossibly big in every sense of the word, his frame imposing and dangerous-looking. Eugene thought —with no small amount of horror— that he was quite literally built like a bear. His wide shoulders were obscured by a large fur cloak, which only made him look even bigger. His dark hair fell in messy waves a little past his shoulders, full mustache resting over thin lips. His brow was set in an intimidating frown, and his eyes…

His eyes seemed oddly familiar.

And if the imposing physique of the stranger and his intense stare weren't enough, hearing his own name in the gruff voice of said man made Eugene feel like his soul was leaving his body all over again.

"Eugene?"

The stranger approached, slower now, and Eugene startled at the odd familiarity with which the man addressed him, like he knew exactly who he was and what he wanted with Eugene despite the fact he was darn sure they'd never met before. Perhaps even more worrisome was the fact that this complete stranger knew his real name. If it had been someone looking for Flynn Rider, he would be more certain of the intentions of said person. Flynn had his fair amount of enemies as it was.

But only a few people knew of Eugene Fitzherbert's existence, and only Cassandra and Lance knew of his whereabouts.

In his frazzled state, Eugene couldn't help but think of this stranger's appearance and his unsettling resemblance to a certain Dark King, and the knot in his stomach tightened, just like the hand he discretely curled around Cassandra's dagger hidden in his pocket —he'd been quite reluctant to part with it even in his sleep since the horrid day he'd first needed it.

"Eugene… is that you?"

Eugene didn't answer. His eyes never left the strange man but he moved a step back, his body shielding Rapunzel's petite frame behind him as much as he could. He felt like prey trying to remain still and blend into the landscape in hopes of escaping its hunter.

As if that could possibly help them at this point.

"Please, I mean no harm." The man raised a single arm in a calming gesture, as though trying not to startle a frightened animal. "I just want to talk."

"Who are you?" Eugene willed his voice not to shake as he stared firmly ahead. "How did you find me?"

"Adira, she gave me a general location." The man replied waving a hand. Adira's name rang a slightly comforting tune in Eugene's chest. "But I had Hamuel's help to track you here."

The man pointed ahead toward the low branch of a tree where a crow rested, a shrill caw leaving its snapping beak as it flapped his dark wings, beaded eyes staring right into Eugene's soul.

Eugene briefly wondered when the world had turned upside down and people were now keeping unconventional animal companions that seemed to understand human language with uncanny ability, but he had no time to ponder on this bizarre fact before the stranger stepped alarmingly closer.

"I believe Adira told you about me." The man ventured, a strange glint in his brown eyes. "My name is Edmund. I am your father."

Hearing that felt like swallowing a lemon, sour and bitter in an unpleasant way, making a shiver run down his spine.

"I have no father." The words tumbled past Eugene's lips on instinct, unbridled and laced with the years-long spite that he'd always associated with that particular word.

Edmund flinched, like his words were poison. Like it hurt to hear.

It was unfair, probably. It certainly was in Rapunzel's eyes, he could practically hear the disapproval in her voice as she muttered his name with scandalized dismay and scolded him with a pointed swat on his arm.

She took a step forward and out of the shield of his taller frame, for some reason completely disregarding caution now that the stranger had identified himself. Like that was reason enough to trust Edmund.

As Edmund's eyes scrutinized her, Eugene was momentarily glad that Rapunzel had opted for a comfortably loose dress that morning, the soft cotton fabric big enough around her frame to disguise the small bump of her belly. At little over 14 weeks, her baby bump could still pass for Rapunzel having just put on a bit of weight if her outfits were sufficiently baggy. And as the tall man's eyes swept Rapunzel with curiosity he did not seem to notice anything particular about her.

Eugene suppressed a sigh of relief. He was certainly not ready for the questions that would surely follow had he noticed.

"Hi! Uh… your… Highness?" Rapunzel waved awkwardly, unsure of how to regard the imposing man. "I'm Rapunzel, nice to meet you."

"Just Edmund is fine." The tall man waved a carefree hand, lips twitching in an almost friendly smile, although his eyes still tried to seek Eugene behind her. "Are you Eugene's wife?"

It was almost amusing at this point, the amount of times someone had made that assumption.

Rapunzel's smile faltered just slightly as she sputtered. "Oh! Uh, not exactly… we are… he's… I'm—"

His lover, his girlfriend, his partner, the woman he'd like to marry, the love of his life?

What were they exactly? It was absurd that he'd never really stopped to think about it, their relationship had simply trascended into something beyond words. He hadn't even proposed, yet he knew as well as she did that there could never be someone else for them, that they would spend the rest of their lives together.

It irked him that it was Edmund of all people the one to raise the question.

Rapunzel quickly recovered with a cough, smile now awkward as she extended her hand toward the cottage behind them. "I was just going ask if you'd like to come inside. I'm sure it would be more comfortable to talk there."

Edmund's thick eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Oh, uhm… it's not really polite to come visit unannounced…" he muttered almost to himself, and Eugene took that moment of his distraction to shoot Rapunzel an incredulous look. They didn't even know the man!

Rapunzel only gave him an apologetic shrug.

Before they could continue their silent argument Edmund spoke again.

"That would be lovely, thank you, Rapunzel." His dark eyes swept back toward Eugene, wide and almost mournful. "I would just like a moment of your time, just to talk."

Eugene's lips pressed into a thin line. He really had no desire nor energy for this conversation. He was not at all comfortable with Edmund's presence, with the reminder of his origins, the always looming presence of that godforsaken kingdom and everything that had to do with it. But he supposed it would be unfair not to listen to his side of the story. After all, Adira had already paved the path to Eugene's understanding, he could give Edmund the chance to explain himself if nothing else.

With a reluctant sigh, Eugene relented. "Fine, let's go inside."

Eugene let Rapunzel lead the way, his shoulders tense in nervous anticipation. From his perch on Rapunzel's shoulder, Pascal gave him a gesture that resembled an encouraging thumbs up, which was entirely weird considering the reptile had no thumbs at all. It did make his lips twitch up though.

Once they entered, Rapunzel fussed with the almost flat cushions over a ratty bench that could almost pass for a couch in the sitting room, trying to fluff them into something more presentable. The small area right next to the tiny kitchen had nothing more than the bench, an old coffee table and a rickety armchair. Eugene tried not to think about the fact they had never used these old furniture as Rapunzel invited Edmund over to sit.

He was only marginally relieved when the old bench proved sturdy enough to withstand Edmund's enormous complexion. Perhaps if it had caved under his weight the man would have left in an indignant huff and Eugene wouldn't have to deal with this conversation.

There was a moment of tense silence in which none of them spoke. And then Rapunzel cleared her throat.

"Would you like something to drink?" She offered with a polite smile. Edmund regarded her with curiosity, blinking owlishly before he accepted with a nod

"Some tea would be nice, thank you."

"I'll make it." Eugene blurted out, perhaps a little too quickly. Rapunzel raised a thin eyebrow.

"It's okay, Eugene. I can do it."

"Nono, I insist. Don't worry about it, I'll be right back."

Eugene didn't wait for a response before he turned toward the kitchen, not even caring that it was very evident he was trying to flee… whatever this was. It felt stifling, the presence of Edmund in this tiny cottage that was not really a home, and Eugene had always hated the feeling of being cornered.

It was instinct at this point. The urge to escape. Run, run, run and never look back. He'd done it his entire life. It was a never ending cycle. Run from his feelings, run from the law, run from the heartache that came with being utterly unwanted, run and hide behind a mask that was not really himself, keep fleeing, keep shrouded, and if he stopped and faced what he left behind there was no telling how he would inevitably perish.

Once upon a time he'd loved the thrill of the chase. Now it was just exhausting.

But it had always been easier to hide.

The kitchen wasn't even really separated from the sitting room, so it was not like he could really escape. He busied himself with the pewter pot Rapunzel used for her infusions and remembered he didn't even stop to ask Edmund what his preferred flavor was. Somehow the information seemed trivial now. Tea was just a pretense for making this talk last longer than strictly necessary.

He settled for mint, if anything it would at least help settle his nervous stomach.

As Eugene brought out the necessary tea herbs, he could hear Rapunzel's attempts at small talk. He felt a bit guilty for leaving her to deal with the fake pleasantries.

"So, did you have a pleasant journey here?" Rapunzel's delicate voice drifted like a soft melody.

Edmund's was rough and rattling in comparison. "Oh no, it was absolutely dreadful. Traveling across these places is always a hassle. Rocks and spikes everywhere you go."

"Oh… that's terrible." She returned a bit unsure. "We heard from Adira that you were a bit in poor health? I hope you are feeling better."

"Ah, yes. Terrible business back home. I lost an arm, almost died." Edmund said, as if he were just discussing the weather. His tone wasn't exactly curt but his conversation —if it could be called that— felt stilted and clipped, and gave little to work with.

Rapunzel kept trying nonetheless, if a little uncomfortably. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope everything is alright back at your home, though."

"Not exactly. Things have been dire for quite some time but these past weeks have been even more awful than ever before. Everything is in shambles." Edmund said, delivering a bleak answer for the third time in a row like it was nothing.

If the situation had been different he'd have laughed at Rapunzel's evident loss for words. This was not usually the way with idle but polite conversation. It was clear Edmund was either unused or unable to have a normal, meaningless chat.

Rapunzel floundered a bit before she recovered, muttering her condolences. And as Eugene filled the pot with fresh water and set it over the stove to boil he chanced a glance back towards the sitting room. Their conversation died down after that, drifting into an awkward silence, but Eugene took the chance to furtively examine Edmund further.

He wondered at the stark differences between them. It was difficult to reconcile the man sitting a few paces away with the unclear image he had in his head of a father he had never met. Not that Eugene had ever really had a clear picture of how he imagined his father to be like. He'd never really given much thought about his appearance save for the fact he always pictured a snobby, high-handed nobleman too selfish to care about the son he'd sired. The son he'd rejected without a second thought.

But, as it turns out, none of what Eugene had thought he knew about his absent father was real.

Edmund didn't appear imperious and detached like his king brother, instead he seemed oddly awkward, like he was unused to company and didn't quite grasp certain social queues. To be honest, father and son could not be more different. Eugene could hardly see anything of himself in the man sitting in the other room.

Edmund was broad-built, his presence filling the room with a frame that seemed larger than life, imposing and slightly intimidating. Eugene's slim body and athletic physique looked almost small in comparison. And even though Eugene was relatively tall, Edmund still towered over him like a large oak tree, his face set in a semi-permanent frown, his facial hair and large nose giving him the appearance of someone who was constantly in a bleak mood. Edmund was all awkward energy where Eugene was usually all charm. He was gruff bluntness where Eugene was smooth charisma.

Perhaps one of the few resemblances Eugene could find was their similar coloring. They had the same dark hair, similar shade of skin, although that may have more to do with Eugene's recent brush with Moonshade. Edmund looked pale and sickly like he'd not been exposed to sunlight in ages, whereas Eugene usually bore a healthy tan on his sun-kissed cheeks. Their only stark similarity though, was their eyes. Same shape, same rich brown color, same look he saw reflected in the mirror every morning.

As he sprinkled the tea leaves into the now boiling water and let them sit, Eugene couldn't help but think that, overall, he probably resembled his late mother more than his living father. He couldn't be sure, there was very little he could still remember about her, her memory now lost to be mostly a faint feeling of incomprehensible abandonment.

A feeling that he had not allowed himself to dwell on in what seemed like a lifetime, not when more than two decades had passed since he lost her.

Eugene shook his head, trying to get rid of the uncomfortable heaviness in his chest.

A few minutes passed before he deemed the tea ready, the warm liquid now a translucent yellowish color. There was nothing stalling him anymore, so with a weary sigh he served three mugs and carefully carried them back to the sitting room.

Rapunzel's shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly once her eyes found his, relieved to see him back to put an end to the uncomfortable silence. Eugene passed one mug to Rapunzel, who was sitting on the armchair, he put the other one on the coffee table in front of Edmund, and settled for leaning against the wall on the far corner of the room right next to the tiny window casting some misty light into the otherwise gloomy room.

He could feel Edmund's eyes flitting over him, his gaze curious, drinking him in in careful detail. Eugene wondered if he arrived to the same conclusions he had moments before. They were as similar as a fern to a cactus.

Edmund cleared his throat a bit awkwardly, mustache bristling with his pursing lips. "I wanted to apologize for… everything that happened, but especially for what happened a few weeks ago."

Eugene could feel it like ice dripping down his back; the memories of that day rushing toward the forefront of his mind like a devastating avalanche threatening to bury him in the horrors of that day. He could almost feel his muscles cramping again, the agonizing spasms, the pain in his wound and the even worse one in his heart as he heard Rapunzel's pleads like phantom echoes in the wind.

Edmund was none the wiser to his tumultuous thoughts, he continued like he couldn't tell anything from Eugene's carefully blank expression. "Hector and Adira informed me of what transpired that day and everything before that. What my brother did…" he trailed off like he couldn't quite find the words. "What he did is unforgivable. I know it will never be enough to atone for his sins, but rest assured he has been dealt with."

Eugene's fingers tightened around the warm mug in his hands. "Oh, well that's a new one. People like him rarely ever face any consequences."

Common people, people who had nothing of consequence behind their names, people like Eugene would always be judged ten times harsher than people like King Harold; powerful and wealthy and influential. Even for lesser sins. He knew it all too well.

Edmund swallowed uncomfortably, brown eyes trailing down toward his boots. "The Board of Nobles, our council, was informed about the actions my brother attempted to take against the Moonstone. He was deemed unfit to keep ruling and a threat to the safety of our already fractured kingdom. He was forced to abdicate, give up his title and privileges."

"Will that be his only punishment?" Rapunzel asked, her voice quiet and eery. There was a spark of something behind her eyes that Eugene had never seen before, something fierce and furious. She wasn't a resentful person by nature —in fact her heart was usually too soft and forgiving for her own good perhaps— but he suspected his brief death had shaken something deep inside her very core.

Edmund shifted in his seat. "He will be tried for treason. Although I do not expect him to face the punishment that would be dealt to anyone below his former rank."

Rapunzel's brows furrowed. "How will that stop him from trying something harsh again?"

"I will make sure of that myself." Edmund's eyes sparked with the same glint of righteous anger reflected in her gaze. "Regardless of the outcome of his sentence, he will be banished to a remote location where he will spend locked up for the rest of his days if I have a say in the matter."

But then his shoulders sagged, like he bore the weight of the world upon his shoulders. "Even that will not be enough to amend the damage he's done, I know. But I don't have the heart to sentence my own brother to death. That would be the sentence he would've surely faced had he not been a former king."

There was an air of defeat and profound regret about him that had the hardened walls around Eugene's heart crack slightly. But when Edmund's brown eyes found his, he felt them build back up to the high heavens.

"I don't have the words to express how sorry I am, Eugene." Edmund's gaze was soulful and pleading as he looked at him. "And even if I did they would probably never be enough, but… I can give you this instead."

Edmund reached into his fur cloak and then extended a hand towards Eugene, a thick scroll now grasped in his large hand.

Eugene eyed the procured item carefully, aware of the dubious look on his face. He didn't move a muscle, and Edmund reached further insistently.

"Take it, please. It's yours to do with as you please."

Eugene hesitated for a moment, but then finally obliged, taking the proffered scroll with evident distrust. "What is this?"

He set the mug he'd had in his hand on the windowsill next to him and proceeded to untie the elegant string keeping the scroll tightly bound. Eugene would never admit his fingers trembled slightly as he unfurled the piece of parchment.

"As natural next in line to the throne of Erebos, the council has named me King. And as King I have every right to give you that." Edmund said, and as Eugene's eyes trailed the elaborate swirling letters inked on the thick parchment he felt his heart skip a beat. "It's an oficial document recognizing your legitimization as my rightful son, a Prince of the Dark Kingdom, and my heir apparent."

The Dark Kingdom's sigil was printed over the top of the document, and right at the very bottom, the King's signet marked the legitimacy of the paper, at its side a blank line where Eugene's signature was all that was missing to make it all oficial. Eugene felt his throat close up, heart now thundering wildly in his chest and palms sweaty as he tried to make sense of what he was hearing.

"I-I… uhm… I don't…"

"The title comes with added benefits." Edmund continued. "A pardon of sorts."

Eugene's eyes snapped back towards Edmund, a question at the tip of his tongue that he didn't get to phrase before the older man answered.

"Yes, I know about your criminal record." Edmund nodded, but there was not a trace of judgment in his gaze. "This can grant you a clean slate, if that is what you want."

Eugene faintly recalled the words of the former Dark King, his cruel uncle, dangling the benefits of a similar offer he'd made what felt like a lifetime ago. A pardon, immunity, the chance to start over now with a powerful title to his name. But at what cost?

There was always a catch and this could not possibly be the exception.

"I know this cannot make up for the fact that I was absent from your life this whole time." Edmund said, interrupting Eugene's train of thought, his voice deep and thick. "But I hope it can be a start. You would've never led that life if I had not been a gullible fool, the least I can do is make amends however I can."

Eugene considered the man before him carefully; the deep lines etched on his face, the sallow cheeks, the purple circles under his eyes, and those eyes… heavy with something like regret.

Eugene swallowed the strange lump in his throat that had no right to be there, averting his gaze.

"My past crimes are not your fault. I chose that path all on my own." Eugene muttered.

"But if I had been there, if I had not been too much of a coward…" Edmund trailed off, a heavy hand coming to rest across his face. "I believed my brother's lies over the love I had for your mother. If I'd had the courage to face her myself… to hear the truth from her own mouth…"

There was a heavy pause only interrupted by the sound of the wind rustling dead leaves outside. Eugene didn't dare say a word, but he didn't have to wait long before Edmund continued, voice thick and unsteady.

"I couldn't. I couldn't bear to hear her confirm what my brother had told me. It was easier to let her go. If I had only known—" Edmund's deep voice cut off with a broken kind of sigh, his eyes particularly shiny, pain evident in the deep lines across his forehead. "I loved your mother, Eugene, I did. Enough to be willing to give up everything for her. Enough to be left utterly broken when she disappeared, when she left without a goodbye. But you have to know, if I had known about your existence at all…"

Brown eyes met brown eyes, and Edmund swallowed thickly, like he was bracing himself for a fight. Or perhaps for rejection. "You should have been raised with us. You should've had a family who could have loved you unconditionally and I should have been there for you both. I should have fought harder, for this, for us. It's all my fault. I don't expect you to forgive me but I hope I can at least convince you that my absence in your life was not out of indifference. I am so sorry you were forced to grow the way you did."

It was getting increasingly harder to swallow past the growing tightness in Eugene's throat, the dam threatening to break at any minute to let go a flood of emotions he was not yet ready to face. There was a particularly raw feeling constricting his chest that made it painful to even breathe.

Because wasn't this a terrible irony? Were all the men in his family meant to be such spectacular idiots when in love? It almost made him shudder, to see the similarities between Edmund's words and what Eugene himself had almost done. How close the story had been to repeating itself.

Not too long ago he'd dismissed Adira's insistence on Edmund's noble feelings, not even three months ago he'd insisted to her that if you love someone you fought to be with them against all odds. But that was so hypocritical of him, wasn't it?

Had he not given up on his own feelings before he'd even known he had them? Had he not left Rapunzel without an explanation and made her believe he'd exchanged her freedom for a jewelled crown? Had he not been just as coward, running from his feelings when he'd been utterly resigned to lose her?

Eugene wondered briefly what would have happened if Rapunzel hadn't been stubborn enough for the both of them. If she hadn't fought to get back to him.

She could have easily given up on him and whatever had just begun to grow between them when he'd left. It would have been far easier to resent him, to forget he'd even existed in her life. She could have married her high prince, the one her parents approved of, and pretend Eugene was little more than a blemish in her past. A mistake. She could've passed the baby she carried in her womb for her husband's and Eugene would have never been the wiser. He would've never known the child she bore was his.

He could have been just as clueless as Edmund had been all these years, unaware he had a child out there in the world growing up without their father in their life.

The mere thought of such a possibility made bile rise up in his throat and his blood run cold.

Eugene chanced a look at Edmund again, but his estranged father was no longer looking at him, instead his eyes were fixed on the window next to him with a distant and mournful gaze. Evidently his mind was elsewhere now, perhaps years back in a time when he could've done something to change his own life, something that might have saved the woman he loved and the child he never got to meet. The child who was an adult now who no longer needed him.

For the first time, perhaps ever, Eugene's long lasting resentment morphed into something different, like melting steel burning deep inside his core, something achingly close to pity, and terrifyingly close to relatability.

He wondered what he would've done if he'd been in Edmund's place, if he'd gone back to Corona to find Rapunzel already married and accepted such fate. If he'd discovered the existence of his own child twenty odd years later and found a grown man who had nothing but indifference to feel for a father he'd never met.

Eugene felt his own heart tear at the idea, and he cleared his throat to dislodge the uncomfortable feeling wedged there.

The sudden noise made Edmund's gaze snap back toward him, wide and unsure.

"You only believed the words of a brother that was not supposed to betray you in the first place. I cannot really fault you for that." Eugene murmured, voice raw and barely more than a whisper. There was a hint of hope hidden in the depths of Edmund's brown eyes.

"You don't have my forgiveness," that hope clouded instantly to be replaced with hurt at Eugene's words. But Eugene was not yet finished. "Quite frankly, I don't think you need it. I can't forgive you something that was not really your fault. But what you do have is my understanding."

He watched Edmund take a tentative breath, like he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. A moment passed, and then the tension dropped from his broad shoulders with a sigh of evident relief.

"Thank you."

Eugene could now acknowledge the brightness in Edmund's eyes was due to unshed tears. Whether out of pain, regret or gratitude he couldn't quite tell. He rose from the uncomfortable couch and took a tentative step towards the corner where Eugene still stood.

"I know I've already lost priceless years not being your father." He said, a touch of nervousness in his words. "But I would love to be a part of your life from now on, if you'd let me."

This time, Eugene tried to fight his first instinct to run, to shut him out and say something sarcastically callous to keep him at arms length. It wasn't easy, nor was it comfortable, and he wasn't sure he was exactly thrilled with the prospect.

But he could try. They could try. Perhaps now he could get used to the idea of finally having a family of his own.

"I think that can be arranged, Edmund."

The older man's face cleared instantly, his mouth twisting into something almost like a smile.

"You can call me Dad, if you'd like." Edmund said, still hesitant in his quiet relief. "We can go back home, to Erebos, finally be a family like we were meant to be."

Despite the soft-spoken words, Eugene suppressed the urge to recoil at the idea. There was nothing he would like less than going back to the Dark Kingdom. As for the other part…

"I… I don't think I'm ready for that just yet." Eugene said, resisting the urge to fidget with the scroll that still seemed to burn a hole in his hand.

The disappointment in Edmund's face was a fleeting shadow, one moment there and then gone. "Yes, of course, I understand." He nodded once, shifting on the balls of his feet a bit awkwardly. "Regardless, if you're ever ready, you will always have a place to call home there if you so choose."

Eugene nodded mutely, not sure how to make words materialize in his tongue once more to make the situation any less awkward. But Edmund seemed satisfied with their progress so far. The impossibly large man regarded Eugene with a mixture of pride and nostalgia, drinking in his sight like he was trying to commit every detail to memory. Eugene lifted the hand still tightly wrapped around the scroll containing a title he wasn't sure he neither wanted nor deserved.

"Here, I'm sorry. I don't think I can accept this if I have no plans to return to your kingdom." Eugene said softly, reaching towards Edmund to pass him the document. He could not very well be a prince to a kingdom he was not planning to go back to anytime soon.

Edmund extended his hand, but instead of taking the scroll, his large hand wrapped around Eugene's, fingers closing in a fist over Eugene's own to tighten his grip around the rolled up parchment. "No, keep it. Sign it, please. There's nothing there that is not already true." He leveled Eugene with a deep, meaningful stare. "You are my son, and that makes you a prince, but I will not force you to stay. Do with it what you will. It only means you have a father and a place to go back to whenever you decide to."

It almost made Eugene panic, the telltale prickling behind his eyelids. He hadn't quite realized how much he'd needed those very words back in his lonely days in the orphanage. But to the boy who still lived in the very back of his mind, poor orphan Eugene Fitzherbert, they felt like a balm upon his abandoned soul.

"Thank you." Eugene's voice was a rough mutter as he spoke, but he didn't pull away.

He didn't think he imagined the proud glint in Rapunzel's eyes as she observed silently from her spot on her own chair, a soft smile playing on her lips.

---

"What do you mean a prince? Like what kind of prince?" Cassandra's voice fluttered in the tiny space of the kitchen where she helped Rapunzel cut onions for a soup they'd have for supper. The smell of them lately turned her stomach, so Cassandra had kindly taken over the preparations along with Eugene, who busied himself with peeling some potatoes.

Edmund had left hours before, insisting that he had to go back to the Dark Kingdom to oversee his own duties. He left reluctantly, but with a parting promise to keep in touch via Hamuel, and not without a somewhat awkward pat on Eugene's back.

Cassandra had come to visit not too long after that, and Rapunzel had wasted little time in informing her friend of the news with an excited glimmer in her eyes. Eugene suspected she was happier on his behalf for the fact he had finally made peace with his father rather than the added bonus that he now apparently had a title to his name, but that last one was the detail that Cassandra had latched on.

Now the handmaiden was shooting Eugene a skeptical look while Rapunzel bounded toward them with an excited spring in her step, the scroll bearing Eugene's name clutched in her hand.

"The legitimate kind." She said with a sing-song voice, waving the scroll in her hand right at Cassandra's face.

Cassandra raised a curious eyebrow, wiping her hands with an old rag before snatching the scroll from Rapunzel's outstretched hand and opening it to inspect it. Her olive green eyes immediately bulged as she read, a choked gasp escaping her lips.

"Y-you're the son of a king?!" Cassandra exclaimed, mouth gaping. "And his heir to the throne!"

She turned to face him, now looking at him like he'd grown a second head. Her reaction wasn't exactly surprising considering she'd only known bits and pieces about his suspicious origins from what little she'd overheard from Adira. Still it made Eugene's lips twitch in amusement.

"Trust me, I'm as surprised as you are by this turn of events." Eugene shrugged one shoulder. "But yes, you're looking at a prince now, so I'd suggest showing me more respect from now on."

"Well, aren't you the luckiest man on earth?" Cassandra drawled with a roll of her eyes. She inspected the document more thoroughly, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Will you have to go back there now that you are heir to his whole kingdom?"

"To be honest, I don't think I'll really be taking any thrones… like ever." Eugene said, trying to avoid thinking about that particularly daunting prospect. "I told him I had no intentions to go back but he insisted I take it, so…" He trailed off with a shrug. What was the point of making him heir to the throne of the Dark Kingdom if he knew nothing about the place and had little interest in ever returning? Would he have to officially renounce his birthright at some point? Abdicate? Would that strip him from the benefits of this newly acquired title?

Cassandra didn't seem particularly concerned about this. She suddenly whirled around to face Rapunzel, a smile tugging at her lips. "You know what this means, right?"

Rapunzel blinked, looking a bit taken aback. "That he finally has a father who selflessly cares about him?"

"No!" Cassandra waved off impatiently, then backtracked. "Well, yes but that's not what I meant." She grabbed Rapunzel's shoulders with something amazingly close to giddiness. "It means we can finally go back home!"

Rapunzel's soft smile froze on her face. "How do you mean?"

"Well, Eugene has a very important document in his possession now that apparently grants him the protection of his kingdom." Cassandra waved said document with emphasis. "Which means he cannot be prosecuted for his past crimes unless they want to risk political consequences from the Dark Kingdom. It means he can go back to Corona as a somewhat free man!"

Rapunzel's face remained impassive, but Eugene noticed her eyes brimmed with uncertainty. Cassandra continued, ignoring Rapunzel's skepticism.

"It also means there would be nothing to stop you two from being able to marry."

That did grant a reaction from both of them. Eugene's steady movements faltered and he almost dropped the knife he'd been using to peel the potato in his hand. Meanwhile Rapunzel's eyes widened with dawning realization.

"Think about it, Raps. The law dictates you can only marry someone of high nobility." Cassandra recited as though they'd gone over those same laws already at some point in the past. "Well Eugene is a nobleman now. And not just any noble, he's a Crown Prince!"

Rapunzel shook her head, face still clouded in disbelief. "The Royal Council and my parents would still have to approve of the choice. They would never…"

"I'd say that ship has sailed." Cassandra waved a dismissive hand. "I mean there's a bun already baking in the oven, if you know what I mean. What are they gonna do? It's too late to have any other option."

Well, that was certainly one way to put it. Eugene could see her point. Even if they didn't approve of him marrying Rapunzel, it was already too late to marry her off to someone else. However, that didn't mean they couldn't take a number of other choices.

Still… having a very important title now opened a number of possibilities that had not been there before.

His eyes met Rapunzel's across the room, hers clouded with doubt, but there was a very evident question hidden in the depths of her gaze.

Would he do it? Would he take that risk for her?

There was no doubt in Eugene's mind; there was no risk nor danger he wouldn't face to make her happy.

He gave her a single resolute nod, even as his heart stuttered with anxious anticipation. "Your call, Blondie. Wherever you go I go."

Rapunzel hesitated for a moment. Eugene could almost see the cogs turning in her head, trying to assess every possibility, every chance that this might turn out horribly wrong. After a moment of tense silence, she finally looked back at Cassandra, her face set in fierce determination.

"Alright," she took a shuddering breath, as though bracing herself for battle, but her eyes were firm and resolute. "Let's go back home."

Eugene didn't think he'd ever seen Cassandra smile quite so eagerly.

---

Shadows were not particularly Rapunzel's favorite places to linger. Ever since that harrowing day in the depths of the half-dead woods in a faraway land where she'd almost lost Eugene, the darkness was far more terrifying than it had ever been before, hiding within the horrors that her mind still concocted at will, a distorted image of her worst memories.

Nevertheless, shadows were where she clung to now to make herself blend and disappear as best she could.

The air was heavy with the smell of damp earth, the promise of rain lingering in the humid breeze. There was a crispy feel to it, but after weeks spent in a forgotten land up north where the sun never did seem to shine, the weather felt far more merciful here. The summer storms were clearly giving way to the biting chills of the beginning of fall as the warmer season waned, but Corona had always been warm and sunny for the majority of the year. A welcome change in Rapunzel's opinion.

The journey back to her homeland had been as tiring as it had been uneventful. For once she was grateful that no more adventures had lingered in the corner, waiting to surprise. Rapunzel was done with exciting exploits, she'd had more than enough to last her a lifetime.

Now, as they followed the path Eugene set ahead, careful to avoid unwanted attention, she concentrated as best she could in making as little noise as possible. She'd spent enough time with Eugene to learn from his stealth, mimicking the way his footsteps fell with little to no noise, but concealing their group of three plus a big horse was far more difficult than when they'd been traveling just the two of them.

At least Pascal was no issue at all.

Luckily for all, night had long since fallen over Corona, plunging the meandering streets in darkness that was easier to navigate in secret. Ironic, that the Crown Princess had to return to her own kingdom sneaking like a wanted thief.

Well, she'd chosen to associate with one.

It wasn't long before they reached the imposing gates of the Palace's courtyard, the towering, intricate bars raising tall and almost disappearing into the dark sky, marking the entrance of the gilded cage that had once been her home.

Rapunzel felt a shiver run down her spine. She took a shuddering breath, trying to calm her jittery nerves.

They had a plan. They'd gone over the plan countless times. She had Cassandra and Maximus to help her and Eugene was not a helpless fool.

Still, what were the three of them compared to the countless guards waiting inside?

No matter. She would not let Eugene face the gallows, of that she would make sure.

As they crept closer, Rapunzel briefly wondered how she had been so easily convinced this was the best course of action. Eugene could've slipped inside the Palace undetected, he'd done it before in broad daylight, he could do it again much more easily now that they had the cover of night. He'd already studied the layout of the grand castle before, he could've found her later after she'd talked with her parents. At least then they could avoid the inevitable ordeal of the guards trying to arrest him on sight.

But she had to reluctantly agree with Cassandra's reasoning. If Eugene was going to prove he was a changed man, he could not very well make his introduction by sneaking inside private property like a wanted criminal. So, a grand entrance was their only choice, it seemed.

As they approached, moving swiftly like fleeting shadows, she heard the distinct sound of shifting armor and warning murmurs. Rapunzel wasn't the least bit surprised when two palace guards suddenly materialized before them, emerging from the darkness as abruptly as their little group had appeared within the perimeters of the Palace.

The two palace guards carried lanterns with them but were not close enough to illuminate more than their gourp's dark silhouettes, shrouded as they were in heavy cloaks. Still, Rapunzel could clearly make out the dangerous suspicion in their faces.

"Who goes there?"

"Good evening, gentlemen." Rapunzel made sure her voice carried across the dark space with acute sureness and authority, even as her heart stuttered in her chest.

"I will have to ask you to leave." One of the guards answered, the warning in his gruff voice clear. "You're trespassing, this is a restricted area."

"I want an audience with the King and Queen." Rapunzel stepped closer, she could feel Eugene and Cassandra following behind. "Please, it's a rather delicate matter."

That seemed to catch the guards by surprise. They turned to look at each other, their baffled disbelief quickly morphing into mockery.

"And who might be asking for such a thing?"

She stilled herself, willing her voice to steady as she stepped into the lantern's faint light.

"Princess Rapunzel."

It took the guards a moment of stunned silence before they stepped even closer, lanterns shining into her face to reveal the identity hiding beneath the cover of her hood. Rapunzel knew she looked different from the young princess they had last seen. Her long blonde hair now gone and replaced by dark brown locks, shadows under her eyes, skin as pale as a ghost, fuller frame and freckles almost completely faded now. But she knew there was no mistaking her, her resemblance to the Queen was so stark it was almost uncanny. No matter how much she might have changed, she was still unmistakably her mother's daughter.

No sooner had the light illuminated her eyes than the guards were opening the gates and sounding the signal to announce her miraculous return.

If life were merciful, that might have been the end of it all.

Rapunzel no longer had that naïve hope. She was done believing in fate or destiny. Whatever happened next, whatever life she might forge moving forward was entirely up to herself. It was her own choice, and no one would ever take away her agency again. She would mark her own path and paint her own future, even if the odds were stacked against her.

And stacked against her they were. As soon as they entered the Palace Courtyard, a swarm of guards came to receive the odd party, inspect their princess for any sign of injury and assure the newcomers were as inoffensive as they appeared.

Which, as expected, immediately led to Eugene being detained as soon as the guards removed his own cloak, coupled with various shouts of incredulity and alarm. She'd been prepared for that of course. Was expecting it, even. It still didn't make it any easier to stomach. Even with Cassandra and Maximus flanking him on both sides, and Rapunzel standing firmly in front of him, the guards were relentless, pressing forward until they had Eugene on his knees, hands pushed behind his back. He offered no resistance, went down without a struggle, but Rapunzel could still see how much it irked him to have to be so tame about it. She could read the tension in the tightness of his jaw and the stiffness of his shoulders.

That Eugene didn't put up a fight didn't mean the rest of them hadn't either. Neither Rapunzel, nor Cassandra and Maximus offered the same mellow attitude, which certainly made the guards' job quite difficult. After all, they couldn't very well fight their own Princess or the Captain of the Guards' daughter, both of whom adamantly refused to step aside to let them remove Eugene and take him to the dungeons.

The ruckus proved to be enough of a problem to require the presence of the very same Captain of the Guards, who didn't seem the least bit pleased by this turn of events. His face appeared equal parts relieved and dismayed to see his daughter back in Corona however involved in quite the unbecoming display. It was clear he didn't approve of his daughter's alliances, and his admonishing glare was enough to make Cassandra wilt slightly.

"Cassandra, what is the meaning of this?" His gruff voice carried enough authority to make even Rapunzel feel slightly admonished.

Nevertheless she stepped forward, back straight and head held high, the perfect picture of a regal princess she'd never quite felt like. "She was only following my orders, Captain. If there is a problem, it should be addressed with me."

The Captain's glare diminished only slightly as he turned to her. "Your Highness," he bowed with reluctant deference. "Glad as I am to see you back, I have to ask; are you aware of the company you're keeping? The man you just brought into the Palace?"

"I am," Rapunzel lifted her chin, gaze defiant. "And he comes with me. I need to speak with my parents."

The Captain bristled. "He needs to be arrested and taken to prison, immediately."

"He can't." Rapunzel took a step forward, hand extended towards the Captain, the scroll bearing Eugene's title firmly grasped in her fingers. "This is his, you can look for yourself."

There was a brief moment of hesitation before the Captain took the scroll from her hands, thick brows furrowing as he inspected. "This is for an 'HRH Eugene Fitzherbert, Prince of Erebos'"

"That is his true identity." Rapunzel nodded.

The Captain let out a huffing laugh. "Is that what he told you?" His voice dripped with derision as his eyes snapped toward Eugene. "I'm sorry to inform, but this man is Flynn Rider, a sorry thief and quite the infamous criminal. He's a wanted man, dead or alive. I believe a rather hefty reward is offered for his capture, in fact."

"That reward is an insult, we both know I'm worth double what you're offering, Captain." Eugene drawled, a mocking smirk firmly in place. Rapunzel bit back a grimace.

"Silence!" The Captain hissed.

"He is Eugene Fitzherbert." Rapunzel intervened, before the Captain decided he'd had enough of Eugene's snark. Stepping closer, she willed every ounce of authority she might have to plead his case. "Please, we have ways to prove it's legitimate. Let him go at once and take us to my parents. This is a rather delicate matter."

The Captain hesitated, clearly weighing his options; removing a stubborn princess that would not be swayed or let the King himself deal with this ordeal. Rapunzel could see his resolve crack with a faint sense of satisfaction.

"I cannot let him go, I'm afraid. He has an arrest warrant and that matter can only be addressed by the King." The Captain said gruffly. "I will, however, take you to him. Their Majesties will want to know that you have returned anyway."

Rapunzel gave a single firm nod. "Eugene comes with me, though."

The Captain gave her a long, intense look, assessing her resolve. It must have proved strong, for he pursed his lips and heaved a displeased sigh but finally relented.

"Stan, Pete, take care of him." He motioned for two guards, who came forward and procured a pair of handcuffs to secure around Eugene's wrists.

Eugene gave no more attitude than a petulant eye roll.

"Are the cuffs really necessary?" Rapunzel questioned with a frown. Deep down she knew Eugene could get out of them in a matter of seconds under normal circumstances, however seeing his wrists bound the same way they had been that day they'd been captured by the Dark Guards made her skin crawl.

The Captain's only answer was a deadpan stare. He gestured for them to follow behind him, and Rapunzel had no more choice but to reluctantly accept their less than ideal circumstances.

They were led through dark, spacious corridors and grand staircases that Rapunzel could map on memory alone, her feet already knowing the path they were taking until they stopped inside the imposing Throne Room. At this hour of the night, the large windows provided no illumination, and the warm light of the magnificent candelabras hanging from the roof was not bright enough to shed light to every corner, making the room look gloomy and intimidating. The throne sat empty at the end of the large hall.

They couldn't have waited more than a few minutes before the sound of urgent footsteps echoed across the walls, and the large, double doors bursted open once more to reveal none other than the frazzled-looking King and Queen of Corona.

They were not wearing their usually regal, impeccable attire, clearly having been called upon at an hour when they should have been getting ready for bed. Rapunzel didn't recall a time where her parents had stepped into this room with no crown upon their heads, but the lack of formality and their simple, comfortable clothes made it easy to forget they were the King and Queen.

Before her, she could only see her mom and dad, wide-eyed and shocked and so very relieved the sight almost made her weep.

Time seemed to stop as the three of them stared at each other in silent wonder. A blink. And suddenly Rapunzel was engulfed in her mother's warm embrace, so tight yet so soft and so familiar she felt tears spring from her eyes, unbidden.

"Oh, Rapunzel, my darling girl." The Queen's voice was thick with tears of her own, her soft hand cradling the back of her head and her arms tightened around her. "We have been so worried."

Rapunzel buried her face in the crook of her mother's neck, inhaling her familiar scent, she bit her lip to stifle a sob. It had been so long, so long since she'd felt this warm embrace, she hadn't realized just how much she'd missed it until now. Hadn't realized how much she'd feared she would never get to experience it again.

"I'm so sorry, Mom." Rapunzel murmured, shame suddenly taking a stranglehold of her heart.

The Queen drew back, tender gaze avidly inspecting her face, as though she couldn't believe her daughter was finally back home, safe and sound. Her eyes widened as she finally registered the change in her appearance. The heavy hood of her cloak had fallen back with the force of her mother's embrace, and now there was nothing hiding her unrecognizable new look.

"Rapunzel, your hair! W-what happened?" The Queen ran her elegant fingers through the fine brown tresses, worry creasing the corners of her eyes.

"It's a long story." Rapunzel sighed. She saw the way her mother's eyes traveled from her face down her body, pausing midway. The cloak still did a good job in hiding it, but Rapunzel knew her mother must have still felt it; the bump of her stomach pressing against her as she embraced her.

"It's true, then." The Queen muttered almost to herself. It shouldn't have been an utter shock, the letter Rapunzel had left behind explained the basics of her absence.

It unnerved her that she couldn't read her mother's feelings in her expression. Rapunzel didn't have much time to inspect it anyway, as her mother's arms wrapped around her once more, this time more delicately. Like she was something soft and fragile.

This time she couldn't hold back a silent sob.

"Hush, dear, we will figure it out." The Queen whispered in her ear.

Her mother didn't hate her for what she'd done, didn't seem disappointed or upset. In her embrace Rapunzel could only sense love.

It gave her enough courage to lift her head from its place on her mother's shoulder and face her father this time.

King Frederic watched the scene unfold before him with stoic poise, but his eyes… his eyes had always been far more expressive than the rest of him. Now, in the warm light of the candles, his blue eyes glistened with tears, a deep crease on his forehead the only sign of his pensive mood. Rapunzel wasn't sure what exactly he saw in her gaze, but as her eyes met his, her father's mouth lifted into the softest of smiles.

He wasted no more time in going to them, poise and grace forgotten as he wrapped his large frame around the both of them, engulfing both women in a protective embrace.

In the warmth of her parents' loving hug, Rapunzel felt like she could finally breathe easily. They stayed like that, basking in each other's presence for what felt like an eternity, though in reality it might have been just a few minutes. A single moment of sacred peace. And then they drew back as one, however reluctantly, to face the sour reality of their current predicament.

Her father's eyes swept the room, as though he was just now becoming aware of his surroundings and the people present in there. His gaze landed on Eugene, handcuffed and flanked by the two palace guards the Captain had called, and his face immediately hardened.

"Captain," the King stepped forward, regal and dignified once more, he didn't need a crown to command the attention and respect of the entire room. "Is this the man responsible for the kidnapping of my daughter?"

Rapunzel felt her heart skip a beat. To his credit, Eugene remained mostly unaffected. He'd always carried himself with an air of arrogant confidence that sometimes verged on insolence, but under her father's icy glare, Rapunzel could see the way his Addam's apple bobbed as he visibly swallowed. He was not as calm as his laidback mask might suggest.

Rapunzel took a hasty step towards her father. "No, he didn't kidnap me, not really. I left on my own." She bit her lip in an effort to stop it from quivering as the King's cool gaze snapped back to her. "I alone am responsible for this mess. And I'm prepared to face the consequences."

"Rapunzel…" a strange frown creased her father's features.

"I need to explain everything. I need to speak with you both." Her eyes traveled across the vast room and over the people already gathered there, and added in a quiet voice; "Privately."

King Frederic regarded her carefully for a moment, before giving a resigned nod. He instructed every present guard and staff member that had entered the Throne Room to leave save for the Captain and his Royal Advisor, Nigel, who'd come behind her parents when they'd entered the room. She would've preferred for her parents to be the only witnesses to the story she was about to divulge, but the presence of the Royal Advisor was her father's wont, and the Captain could not leave if she wanted both Eugene and Cassandra present in this conversation.

Nobody else would ever know the full details of what Rapunzel revealed inside that room. And so without further preamble, she launched into the story she had planned and practiced over and over until the words came almost from memory. A revised and shortened version of the events that had changed her life forever from the moment she'd met Eugene. Of course, the full truth could never be known, but some details were unavoidable, and her story remained mostly true. There was no point in denying that Eugene had sneaked into the Palace with the intent to steal her crown. The Stabbingtons had probably already been thoroughly interrogated and most likely had revealed that information anyway.

So, Flynn Rider had indeed barged into her rooms to steal her crown and found instead a stubborn princess hellbent on escaping her overly sheltered life. That she'd struck a deal with a thief was true. That the prize she offered was her own crown in exchange for his help was not a lie. And if she did alter the order of events to make it seem like he'd never taken her out of the Palace without her consent, like she'd planned it all from the very beginning… well that was a detail nobody need find out.

On and on Rapunzel talked, spinning the tale of her adventures and woes over the past months like carefully weaved threads upon a spool, crafted to appeal to her parents' empathy, to plead her case when the time came. It wasn't pretty, not a fairytale-like recreation of a forbidden love, of a princess falling in love with a wanted thief and the whimsical details of their blossoming affections. No, it was raw and tragic and as bittersweet and hurtful as it had actually been. It was the slow coming trust of an unexpected ally, the doubt of a fragile friendship. It was the bonds that grew strong as steel when they saved each other's life time and again. It was the ever present string of fate tying them together, tangling between their souls and pulling close until they inevitably crashed upon each other. It was betrayal and uncertainty and the pain of knowing they were not destined to be together. It was commitment and purpose that drove Rapunzel to find him again, despite all odds.

It was an infinite, unshakable love that made Eugene give up his own life in exchange of her freedom.

Rapunzel's throat closed up, unable to keep going when she revealed that particular detail. Through the blur of her tears and the ringing in her ears she heard Cassandra clear her throat, speaking for the first time since they'd returned to the Palace.

"It's true." She said, conviction in her voice. "I was there, I saw it all with my own eyes." Then she turned to face the Captain, her gaze unwavering and firm. "I would not vouch for a man I did not trust, or found unworthy of a second chance."

Rapunzel could see Eugene's gaze softening at Cassandra's words, as the handmaiden herself bore the intensity of her father's stare resolutely, like she was trying to convince the Captain of the truth behind her statement. If Rapunzel had not been so anxious she might have found the situation endearing. It was a testament of how far they'd come, from despising the other's guts to having each other's back. Cassandra and Eugene may never completely see eye to eye, but there was no denying the respect they've found for each other.

The Captain of the Guards finally relented with an unconvinced sigh, but made his way toward the King, hand extended to pass him the scroll Rapunzel had given him moments before.

Rapunzel continued, explaining the secrets of Eugene's parentage as her father examined the scroll with careful eyes. King Frederic said nothing at all, expression unreadable as he passed the scroll to his Royal Advisor to examine more thoroughly.

The room was filled with a tense silence once Rapunzel finished. Queen Arainna's eyes were bright with tears, but Rapunzel could not be sure if they came from sympathy or disappointment. Her father, on the other hand, was as inscrutable as he ever was when donning his role of King.

Nigel, the Royal Advisor, finally broke the uneasy atmosphere with a suspicious hum. "Looks authentic enough, but then again it could be a really elaborate forgery. Wouldn't put it past him." He said with a disdainful side-eye.

"It is legitimate." Rapunzel insisted. "You can test his signature and the royal sigil. Look for his records in the orphanage he grew up in. You can even send a letter to King Edmund himself, see that it's true!"

"Certainly will." The King muttered as he gave Nigel a nod, as if to communicate that they would indeed have the scroll tested with experts to corroborate its authenticity.

Then, finally, his eyes found Rapunzel again, pinning her with an intense stare she could not quite read.

"I do not know what can be done about this." He said, his tone even if a bit careful. Rapunzel felt herself deflate.

"Please." She almost whispered, acutely aware of the tears threatening to spill past her eyelashes. "I wouldn't be here without him. He saved my life, he died for me."

Surely that must count for something. Surely her parents could grant him mercy for returning their daughter to them safe and sound. What greater proof could there be of his genuine love than giving his life for hers? What greater sacrifice could he have made to prove himself worthy?

Now, as her father looked at her she could detect a hint of something akin to pity in his blue eyes. "And one good deed, or several, do not erase a lifetime of crime. The law does not work that way Rapunzel, you know that."

She knew. And yet she'd hoped, like a fool once again, that perhaps things might be different.

Rapunzel jutted her chin, firm and unrelenting despite the trepidation hiding in the wild beat of her heart, looking her father straight in the eye. "Then my crime will be to love him despite all of his."

Rapunzel knew the meaning was clear. She would stand by Eugene's side no matter the outcome, she would protect him no matter the cost. The hint of resignation in her father's eyes let her know he realized this too.

"Ridiculous!" Nigel said, the distaste evident in his eyes and the frown upon his lips. "It is enough of a scandal that the Crown Princess is expecting when she's not even engaged yet!"

King Frederic fixed the Royal Advisor with a cold stare. "Nigel, please, that is not the subject presently being discussed."

Nigel gave a deferential nod, but his eyes didn't lose their glint of judgment.

Rapunzel saw her mother's delicate hand slip over King Frederic's shoulder and give a discreet squeeze. Meanwhile, he gestured toward the scroll still clasped in Nigel's careful hands.

"That will grant him certain leeway should it prove to be legitimate." Her father explained, his gaze softening into a hint of reassurance. "He will not face the gallows, or prison time. However a full pardon is still something I cannot guarantee."

Rapunzel blinked, the question clear in her eyes. That Eugene wouldn't die at the noose like he would've done had they come without a title to protect him was a small relief. But what could his sentence be?

"I cannot make a decision on my own in this matter, granting him a full pardon without the counsel of our institutions would be as good as tyranny in the face of our laws. This will need the intervention of the Royal Council and the High Court." Her father said, face grim. "I must warn you, banishment is the most likely outcome for his sentence."

She could feel the hope that had stubbornly carried her here dissipate like smoke in the air. Eugene's sentence would mean her own exile in that case, and she knew her parents were well aware of it, if their shared look was any indication of their own concern.

"Nigel, please summon the Royal Council for an audience tomorrow morning, as a matter of utmost importance." The King requested. "And secrecy. Nobody is to know a word about what was discussed in this room." He added firmly.

There were no reassuring words left to be said, no empty promises or false hope. Rapunzel could see it in her father's forlorn stare, if it were solely up to him, perhaps he might have spared Eugene already. If the decision was up to the Royal Council's final judgment, however…

Her parents looked at her as though they'd already lost her all over again. That alone was answer enough to her fears.

---

"Preposterous!"

"The height of all dishonor!"

"Of all the disgraceful, wretched things…"

"Gentlemen, that is quite enough!" King Frederic's firm voice halted the cacophony of outraged cries coming from the men gathered around the room.

The spacious Meeting Room where the Royal Council normally held court seemed stuffy and small with all the people present in this particular audience. Twelve members constituted the Royal Council, all cold, pompous men from the most prestigious noble families of Corona, of course, because the archaic laws that still ruled her kingdom willed it so. Three judges conformed the High Court. All of them, with their old-fashioned views and selfish disdain for anyone not belonging to their prestigious noble circle were to decide Rapunzel's fate.

More importantly, all of them were to decide Eugene's future in Corona. And from the judging and utterly contemptuous glares they shot his way, his chances of walking out of this room a free man were slim to none.

The King and Queen, seated at the head of the large table, did not look any happier with the way this meeting was progressing. King Frederic's blue eyes turned icy as he surveyed the room with cool authority, daring anyone to say another word. Rapunzel's father was not usually an intimidating man, but when the situation called for a firm hand, the King's demeanor could turn stony in a matter of seconds.

"We are gathered here to try to come up with the best solution that would grant the least amount of damage." The King's deep voice seemed to resonate across the walls. "Not to parrot any displeasure with the present situation."

"The best solution," said one of the councilmen, gesturing toward a silent Eugene sitting in the very corner of the room right next to the Captain. "Would be to fit this criminal for the noose immediately!"

A chorus of agreement resonated, and Rapunzel fought the urge to bristle.

Nigel cleared his throat rather uncomfortably. "I'm afraid that would not be advised. Upon thorough examination, it turns out Mr. Flynn Rider here is indeed His Royal Highness Eugene Fitzherbert, Prince of Erebos. We cannot possibly sentence a Crown Prince to death and risk political repercussions."

"Prison then!" Lord Singh cried, beady eyes alight with contempt. "He is still a criminal, a lowlife!"

"That, unfortunately, does not diminish his legitimate title." Nigel responded, a bit apologetic. "Since he is a royal prince, I would not advice any risky move that could perhaps harm him, as it would antagonize us to his own kingdom."

"Banishment," spoke Lord FritzLambert. "We get rid of the problem without causing any harm to his Royal Highness." The way he said the words with mocking derision made Rapunzel's blood boil. "We are entitled to allow and forbid any foreigner from entering our land. That should not risk any political repercussions."

"What about his bastard child?" Asked Lord Everard, his tone flat and devoid of the others' contempt despite his callous words.

"Excuse me?!" Immediately, Rapunzel felt the spark of indignation already brewing inside her flare with acute intensity.

She could see Eugene's impassive mask break to reveal a dangerous glower at the lord's words. But the man in question simply raised an unbothered eyebrow.

"With all due respect, Your Highness, I am merely stating a fact." Lord Everard said offhandedly, and then turned his eyes toward the rest of the men gathered around the grand table. "His banishment will not fix the main problem at hand, it will still leave us with an unmarried yet pregnant Crown Princess."

"This could have been helped had she married the Prince of Cygnus like it was intended!" Lord Bingham sputtered in indignation, face almost purple with repressed anger.

"There are still many ways to deal with that particular problem." Another lord suggested. "There are no rumors yet. Once the child comes it will have to be dealt with discretely. Nobody ought to even know that there ever was a child borne to the Princess of Corona before she was suitably married."

A cold, horrifying chill went down Rapunzel's spine, and she instantly placed a protective hand over the slight swell of her belly. The conversation she'd had with Cassandra what seemed like ages ago when she first confessed her pregnancy floated to the forefront of her mind. They would take away her baby if it meant keeping her pristine image intact.

Before she could even protest, her father's voice boomed with unwavering certainty. "Absolutely not. Out of the question!"

"But—"

"I will not hear another word about that suggestion."

"Your Majesty, please," one of the Lords piped up. "You cannot possibly be considering that she keep an illegitimate child as her firstborn!"

"There is no need for that to be the case if she marries the father of said child."

A scandalized hush settled over the room for a moment, before pandemonium broke once again, the outraged cries gaining in intensity.

"Are you suggesting that we allow this-this… scum to pollute the prestigious lineage of our nobility by joining the Royal Family?!"

"It is not to be borne!"

Rapunzel had had enough. She would not sit quietly and let them speak and disparage as they saw fit. With an abrupt movement that drew the attention of the room as she stood up, palms planting against the wooden table with a small thud.

"Enough!" Her voice carried the same authority as her father's as her eyes swept the room. She tried not to cower under the councilmen's disapproving glares as she lifted her head and squared her shoulders. "I understand the consequences of my actions, and how dire the situation is. But I will not give up my baby, nor will I be forced into another engagement I do not approve of, no matter the consequences. If I am forced to renounce my title and give up the throne because of this… then so be it."

Another unnerving silence stretched between every person present as they considered her words. She could feel her parent's worried stares, the glint of pride hidden in Eugene's eyes, the judging disapproval in the councilmen's glares, but she did not sway.

After a moment that seemed like ages to her, a low murmur arose as the members of the Council turned to each other to discuss this new possibility.

"It wouldn't be the worst option, she clearly holds no value for this kingdom's sacred traditions and ancient laws."

"I would say we can find a much better suited heir to replace her."

"If the Princess would sooner give up the throne than the spawn of a criminal, then that should tell us just how much she cares for the kingdom."

Rapunzel tried not to react to the Council's jabs to her honor, even as her chest swelled with indignation. She knew in her heart how much she cared about Corona, let them say whatever they wished. As long as her baby was kept out of their greedy, heartless plans, she would bear any sacrifice that was needed.

"Princess Rapunzel is the only heir to the throne, her family line ends with her." Lord Hansen spoke up, less sure than the others. "Replacing her as the next in line would mean the end of House Der Sonne at the throne."

A somber prospect indeed. Her family's ancestry and its hold of the throne of Corona was ancient, spanning more than a century. The other members of the Council seemed to reluctantly ponder the implications of such a monumental change with equal caution.

"A change this drastic in the Royal Family would certainly have unwanted repercussions." Warned Lord Everard in the same flat tone he'd used before. "Changes in ruling dynasties have been known to cause political instability. Wars between noble houses for a claim to the throne and civil unrest usually follow. Look at what happened to Temaritia."

Everyone knew the tragedy that befell the insular kingdom after their last king perished without an offspring to inherit. The noble families soon called claim to the vacated throne and waged war for their right to it when there were no agreements as to who might succeed the late king. The wars lasted years, ravaging the kingdom to their very last resources. The townsfolk held an uprising, tired of the royal feuds and the highborns' unending conflicts. Finally the kingdom fell, and its territory split, the many islands conforming it never to be unified again, now ruled under their very own politics. Its fate remained a tale of caution for the remaining Seven Kingdoms.

"Besides," Continued Lord Everard, "For better or worse, Princess Rapunzel seems to enjoy a rather prominent popularity with the townsfolk, and the Royal Family is well beloved by everyone. Removing her from the line of succession would certainly prove an unpopular decision to the people of Corona. Our Kingdom is currently prosperous, the most powerful and influential of all the Seven Kingdoms. I would not advise risking that stability."

The rest of the council members seemed to consider this with displeased grumbles. Rapunzel couldn't believe she might be getting a chance, however slim, to sway their unwavering will. But, she supposed, if anything was going to change their mind was a threat to their very comfortable lavish lifestyle.

Before she could ponder the fact any further, her mother's delicate voice drifted across the room like a breeze of fresh air among the outdated opinions of stuffy old men.

The Queen cleared her throat. "If I may, My Lords, the answer to our predicament seems fairly simple, if not at all ideal." She let her words sink in before she continued, unbothered by the councilmen's scrutinizing stares. "The law clearly states the Princess can only marry a member of high nobility, preferably selected by the Royal Council and approved by the King. Well, Eugene Fitzherbert here does seem to meet the basic criteria necessary. He is the son of a king, by law there is no reason why he could not marry her."

"He was a thief!"

"He is utterly unsuitable!"

"Well, maybe under normal circumstances he would be. But is it really the worst option now?" Queen Arianna insisted, eyes hard and serious. "Will you really risk unprecedented political changes and the fall of a dynasty because of supposed honor and tradition?"

The stunned silence that followed unnerved Rapunzel. It wasn't an appeased kind of reaction, more one of calculating assessment. Like the councilmen were measuring just how far her parents were willing to bend for their rebellious daughter.

The tension could be cut with a knife. Across the room, her eyes met Eugene's, and she could see in the set of his jaw that he did not believe this would come out in their favor any more than she did.

Finally, her father spoke once more. "If his reputation remains the problem, there are actions we can take to mend it. After all, the truth is what we make it, isn't it, gentlemen?" His icy blue stare settled over the Council with silent disapproval, almost making the council members squirm in their seats. "How many times have we had to cover for members of every single one of your families, yourselves included, how many times have we swept indecorous behavior and sordid actions under the rug to protect your prestigious reputations?"

For the first time since she had been kidnapped Rapunzel witnessed the complete hypocrisy permanently present in the nobility of her own kingdom. This was precisely the reason Eugene had been so hateful of highborns when she'd first met him, so quick to judge them all as selfish snobs. And he'd been right, hadn't he? All of these men preaching honor and dignity and decorum… and all of them and their families had secrets of their own they'd rather not divulge. How many of them had perhaps fated their own with the same life Eugene had suffered? The illegitimate son of a nobleman forever scorned by his own family.

The only difference in her case was that she was a woman, and she carried the evidence of her misconduct with her, which to the eyes of the Royal Council would soon become an unsuitable future heir to the throne of Corona.

If she was ever given the chance to be Queen, the first thing she would promote a change in would be the dominant male population in the Royal Council.

"How do we know we can trust a man like Flynn Rider?" Lord Howe questioned, shrewdly eyeing Eugene like he expected the younger man to disappear with every single valuable object in their possession by the time this meeting was done.

The King's own eyes settled over Eugene with a contemplative frown. "I will be the judge of that."

The councilmen said nothing more. It was clear the argument had reached its peak and now that everyone had said their piece it was time to decide. With a firm command, King Frederic allowed the Royal Council and the High Court some time to discuss the matter at hand and come to a conclusion. The minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness, and Rapunzel was quite certain that hours had passed before the High Court announced their verdict.

"Upon thorough examination of new evidence provided to us about Flynn Rider's legitimate identity and the actions he allegedly took to protect the life and safety of Princess Rapunzel," one of the judges stated, all serious formality. "We have decided to grant a full pardon for His Royal Highness Eugene Fitzherbert, provided he abstains from any illicit activities for the rest of his residency in the Kingdom of Corona. Failure to commit to these terms will result in his immediate imprisonment and further actions that will need to be discussed with authorities of his own kingdom."

Rapunzel felt her shoulders sag in instant relief, her heart finally beating without the constant threat of jumping out of her chest at any given moment. She fought the urge to grin as she looked over at Eugene, who seemed to be suppressing a smile of his own, but there was no denying the light of hope shining through his warm brown eyes.

Rapunzel was not unaware of the snide glances the judges threw at Eugene. Clearly their hand had been forced and the only mercy they had granted him was coerced by circumstance rather than their conviction, but she couldn't find it in herself to care at the moment. The worst of her fears were quelled, and that was all that mattered.

Not everything was settled though. Her father called upon the Royal Council to vote on their next ruling. All those in favor of allowing Eugene to marry Rapunzel and for her to remain next in line to the throne.

There was a tense pause as the Royal Council meditated one last time their final decision. None of them looked particularly happy with either outcome. Most of them, Rapunzel was sure, were only voting in favor of what suited their own needs best. But eventually, after much consideration, their final vote was revealed as they either raised reluctant hands or abstained from giving their favorable vote.

Six hands raised. Six votes in her favor. The other half still firmly set upon their ways, completely adamant to the idea of allowing someone like Eugene into Corona's nobility.

Ideally, Rapunzel should have needed the unanimous decision of the Royal Council. But a stalemate wasn't precisely the worst outcome all things considered.

It could only mean one thing.

"As always, Your Majesty," Lord Everard said, his tone not quite simpering but close enough to be almost mocking. "You have the final say in this matter."

King Frederic remained silent for what felt like the longest time, eyes pensive as he considered the situation. It was clear the Royal Council did not approve. Going against their will would not be advised under normal circumstances. And yet…

The King thanked both the Royal Council and the High Court for their time and dismissed them, declaring this audience concluded. "Before I make my final decision, I would like a word with Mr. Fitzherbert. In private."

Rapunzel felt a telltale churning in her stomach, nerves rapidly taking a hold of her chest. She met Eugene's eyes from a distance, and though she could see the way he tried to hide his own anxiousness, he gave her a reassuring nod.

He would be fine. They would be fine. If her father needed a little more convincing she had no doubt that Eugene would get him there. The worst was already over. And if worse came to worst, at least he was a free man after all. They would make it work, no matter what.

As Rapunzel reluctantly left the room, with her mother's silent reassuring presence behind her, she felt the first glimmers of hope reigniting within her, like embers in a previously dying fire.

All's well that ends well, she supposed. As long as he was safe, she could face off any obstacle thrown their way.

---

The deafening silence that enveloped the room as the last person left through the huge doors was unsettling enough, but what truly unnerved Eugene was the still calmness on the King's demeanor as he regarded him with assessing interest.

He was keenly aware that the following conversation would be his one and only chance to prove himself worthy of Rapunzel, to prove to her father that he was more than the opportunistic, jumped-up criminal that the Royal Council thought him to be. But as his eyes locked with the King's penetrating stare, Eugene couldn't help but wonder if there really was anything to convince the King of. If Rapunzel's father hadn't already made up his mind and this was only a pretense to convince Rapunzel that they'd tried everything in their hands and still it hadn't been enough. After all, who would want to grant their daughter's hand in marriage to a thief like him?

"I have to be honest with you, young man. You have put me in a very difficult position." King Frederic said, blue eyes still set firmly over Eugene.

Eugene didn't know what to respond to that, so he remained silent.

"If I approve of this marriage, not only would I be going against the wishes of my council, but also my own judgement." The King continued, an undertone of defeat filtering in his words. "You are certainly not who I would've expected my Rapunzel to marry."

That did sting a bit, but was Eugene really surprised? Of course he wasn't the perfect model for a suitor, anyone with a functioning brain would be wary of that choice.

"So, let us speak frankly, shall we?" King Frederic fixed him with a hard stare, the hint of resignation he'd let slip momentarily disappeared in an instant, replaced by an unreadable mask. "Do you love my daughter?"

The question rattled in his head with irritating insistence. It irked him a little that he'd have to discuss his feelings with a complete stranger, when it had taken him quite literally dying to admit it out loud to Rapunzel herself. But seeing as this complete stranger was Rapunzel's father and the man who could singlehandedly put an end to their relationship, Eugene answered nonetheless.

"I have already proved that to her, and that's all that really matters to me. But yes, if you must know. More than my own life."

"More than the crown upon her head?"

"Sir?" Eugene lifted an eyebrow, feeling slightly affronted at the insinuation.

"I am no fool, Eugene. And I don't believe my daughter is either. But she does have a tender heart, and a certain penchant for seeing the very best in people, even when they may not deserve it." The King lifted an eyebrow of his own. "So I ask again. Do you love her more than her title?"

"I have no interest in her status. I would marry her with or without a crown on her head." Eugene answered honestly, hoping his voice didn't betray his swelling indignation.

King Frederic leaned back in his chair, gaze turning almost contemplative as he tilted his head. "And if I were to forbid it?"

An uncomfortable feeling knotted in Eugene's stomach. Rapunzel's father didn't look like a cruel man, but right now he seemed almost like a cat toying with his prey before delivering the final killing blow. Nevertheless, Eugene continued unfazed.

"Then you may do as you wish. But know that Rapunzel will also do as she wishes." Eugene replied, knowing full well he was treading dangerous territory, but if frankness is what the King demanded then frankness is what he would get. "You may forbid it, you may even marry her off to another man of your approval, but that will not stop me from seeing her. You must know, not even death has kept me apart from her. This would hardly make a difference."

A shadow of something flitted over the King's face, too fast for Eugene to assess it. And then…

"What is your price then, Eugene?"

"Excuse me?"

Resentment coiled in his stomach like a venomous viper ready to strike, and this time he was sure he could not keep his indignation from showing in his voice.

"It would certainly be easier for as all if you were to be removed from the picture." King Frederic continued with an air of almost nonchalance, like he was merely discussing the weather. "I can offer you a rather large sum if you wish, worth much more than the crown she initially promised you. It would grant you a lavish lifestyle, that's for sure, almost as luxurious as the one you would have as Prince Consort."

"You are offering to pay me to leave Rapunzel?" It wasn't so much a question rather than a baffled statement. The King merely pinned Eugene to his seat with those assessing eyes of his, like he was daring Eugene to answer.

The tightly coiled irritation inside him flared with alarming intensity, a taut cord ready to snap. How could Rapunzel's own father try to sabotage his daughter's wishes like this? How could he have listened to her pleads and tearful words and still wish for his daughter to suffer the heartbreak of a lost love? It was with sudden clarity that Eugene realized there was no difference between kings when the men in power had no soul left in them to care. King Frederic and his own uncle, King Harold, were not that different, both willing to hurt the people they claimed to love most if it meant keeping their good image.

Well, Eugene would never be a pawn in some royal game.

"You would not be the first king to try to buy me. Nor will you be the first I will reject." Eugene answered carefully, aware of the low hint of contempt in his own voice. "No amount of money will ever make me leave Rapunzel or my child. Not all the riches in the world are worth even half the love I have for her. So you can keep your money, I have no need for it." His mouth curled with unmasked disdain, not caring one bit if he was being disrespectful to the reigning monarch in front of him. "Allow it, or don't, it is all the same to me. I will remain by her side regardless, as long as she will have me."

There was a moment of tension in which Eugene was almost sure King Frederic would call his guards and order his immediate arrest, his blue eyes blazing with some spark Eugene couldn't quite place.

And then, to his utter bewilderment, the King's thin lips curled in the barest hint of a smile.

"Very well. That is all I needed to hear." The King clapped his hands together, and that mask of cool indifference lifted from his face with jarring abruptness, his previously intense eyes twinkling with evident satisfaction. "I will be happy to welcome you to the family, then, son."

"I… um…" Eugene fumbled for words, quite embarrassingly so, still reeling from the sudden change in mood of this bizarre conversation.

King Frederic looked at him with amusement, smile growing behind his thick beard, and all at once Eugene recognized the astute spark that had been present in the King's face during their conversation. This had been a test, just not the one Eugene had been expecting. And judging by the King's demeanor, he had passed with flying colors.

"I must tell you, though, the path you have ahead will not be an easy one." The King warned, suddenly serious once more. "You will have to face the scorn of high society, the rumors that will follow. Not to mention I do expect you to fulfill the duties that behoove to any Royal Consort, and attend the lessons necessary to educate you on the proper conducts befitting the husband of the future Queen. Are you prepared to endure all of that for her?"

It was a challenge, Eugene recognized, that the King presented him for Eugene to take or leave. But he had already taken a poisoned blade for Rapunzel, had already knocked on death's door and accepted his untimely demise for her. What were a few scorning stares and the wrath of high nobility in comparison? He would die all over again just to see her happy, and if she decided happiness lay by his side, then he would bear the disapproval of the entire world with barely a complaint.

His answer was easy; a single, unwavering truth.

"Yes."

The King gave him a single nod, the glimmer of approval etched clearly on his face.

"I will be happy to announce that not only do you have my consent to marry my daughter, but more importantly you have my blessing."

A gift that, Eugene knew, he would spend the rest of his life trying to honor.

---

For years to come, the hasty marriage between the Princess of Corona and former thief Flynn Rider turned lost prince Eugene Fitzherbert would be the most discussed gossip between the people of Corona. The circumstances leading up to the unlikely union, shrouded as they were in permanent secrecy, would forever remain a mystery. But that would not stop the whispers and rumors, growing in far-fetched fantasy until their tale became almost a myth, an uncommon love story between a kidnapped princess and her dashing rogue rescuer, almost a fairytale.

The reality was far removed from those fantasy-laden stories, of course. But people always liked to embellish what they could not see. And what they could see was the undeniable love between the new royal couple.

But before that, before the approval of the townsfolk and the love stories whispered in the streets after every public appearance there was the uncertainty and the struggles that were kept hidden behind closed doors.

The truth was what Rapunzel experienced now, protected from the rush of the outside inside her rooms in the Palace.

The Royal Wedding should have been a grand affair, full of pomp and opulence and big enough to grant the visit of royalty and dignitaries from all over the world. Instead, her wedding would be a hastily arranged ceremony, small and discreet with only a few select guests present to witness the union. Rapunzel found she preferred it that way, she did not need the entire world present to speak the vows she'd already whispered to Eugene in the darkness and privacy of their own shared moments. She was his and he was hers, forever, and as long as they both knew it, everything else was a mere formality.

But even mere formalities within royalty were fancy affairs, and so Rapunzel had been swept into the flurry of activities that accompanied the preparations for the wedding. It seemed like every hour of every day was spent in one thing or other, and between endless dress fitting sessions and selection of menu and the color scheme of flower arrangements and countless other things that apparently needed her input, Rapunzel felt like she hadn't had a moment to herself in ages.

At least she was glad that this time she had enough liberty to come and go from the Palace's grounds as she pleased, even if it was just to get a little breath of fresh air to clear her head, a fifteen minute walk along the streets of Corona with the company of Cassandra and a loose fitting shawl to cover her frame —people would find out about the baby eventually but for now it was best to keep it to themselves as long as possible. It had been a matter of much debate but the outcome was something for which Rapunzel was immensely grateful.

Shortly after she'd returned, Rapunzel had had a long overdue conversation with her parents. Many apologies and tears were shared as both parties recognized their mistakes. It was wrong of her to have left the way she did, she knew that now. Just as it was wrong of her parents to have kept her so sheltered in an effort to keep her safe, that her life had felt more like a prison. But that had never erased the unconditional love shared between them. A love that drove them to promise to do better in the future. Never again would Rapunzel be trapped inside the Palace with little to no options to leave, and never again would she take such drastic actions to correct her dissatisfaction with a situation before externalizing her feelings.

So at least feeling trapped was not a problem she had to worry about for the time being. No, her current mood came more from being completely overwhelmed with the monumental task of planning a Royal Wedding in such short notice and the subsequent damage control her family would have to do to quell the rumors that would surely follow such a hasty engagement.

All in all, not the biggest problems she had faced up to date. Completely mundane and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Still, her anxieties would be far less bothersome if she had enough time to actually spend with Eugene.

Rapunzel had barely seen him in the last couple of days, busy as they both were with their respective duties. She missed him terribly during the day, of course, but it was at these times, in the privacy of her bedchamber, that his absence felt more acute. As she stared up at the ceiling, resting over the settee placed at the foot of her enormous bed, with Pascal peacefully snoozing over a pillow by her head, she couldn't help but wonder what he was doing, if he felt as out of his element as she did, if he missed her quite as much as she missed him. Even though they slept under the same roof, in the very same building, she felt like miles separated them once more.

An exaggeration on her part, though not entirely untrue. After all, he had been given a guest room at the opposite side of the Palace, as far away from Rapunzel's own rooms as he could possibly be. A ridiculous precaution in Rapunzel's opinion, seeing as that ship had sailed —in Cassandra's own eloquent words— but she wasn't about to point that out.

The sun was already setting behind Corona's horizon, the light that filtered through her wall-length windows painting her room in warm golden hues and making her eyelids feel heavy. She was about to succumb to exhaustion when a soft knock on her windowpane startled her.

She whirled around, already up and alert, only to see Eugene standing outside on her balcony.

He gave her a cheery wave as she approached, and Rapunzel shook her head, unable to suppress a fond smile.

"What are you doing here?" Rapunzel asked as soon as she opened the glass door that led to her balcony. She was surprised but utterly incapable of hiding her delight at seeing him.

"I feel like it's been ages since we've had a moment alone." Eugene sighed, leaning casually against the doorframe. "So I figured I'd pay you a visit."

"And sneaking into my room like a thief is the way to do it?" Rapunzel raised a teasing eyebrow. It didn't escape her notice that the last time she'd seen him standing there, was the day they first met.

"Well, old habits die hard." Eugene shrugged, the hint of a knowing smirk on his lips. "Besides, there's a guard patrolling the hallway outside my room because apparently I cannot be fully trusted just yet, so really it's not like I had many other options."

Rapunzel laughed, lightly grabbing his arm to pull him in. "Come on in before somebody sees you."

To her surprise, Eugene didn't budge.

"Actually, grab your cloak, we're going out."

"Out? Where?"

"Just trust me, Sunshine." Eugene ushered her outside. "And follow my lead."

And really, who was she if not a besotted fool who would follow him anywhere he wished? She didn't even ask further, and soon found herself sneaking outside the Palace with Eugene leading the way. They could have easily forgone the trouble and gone out through the front gate, it wasn't like they would necessarily be stopped —if they ignored the guards' disapproving frowns and the light chastising that would come from her parents later for exposing themselves to the public eye before the wedding. But Rapunzel thought this was much more exhilarating.

It was certainly a reminder of old times, if nothing else. And as they traveled down the streets of Corona, she felt the thrill of adventure reignite in her chest, making her heart flutter with excitement.

Dusk had already fallen over the kingdom by the time they finally made it to the docks, where a small boat was already awaiting them, just for the two of them. It didn't take Eugene long to row toward the middle of the grand lake that surrounded the small island that made up the capital of Corona.

From this point, Rapunzel could see the streets in the kingdom light up as night slowly fell upon them, the lovely sight one she hadn't been able to appreciate before. She let out a content sigh, her back rested comfortably against Eugene's firm chest, his arms snaking around her waist as his hands settled gently over the swell of her belly, thumb rubbing soothing circles against the fabric of her dress.

As she contemplated the lights of the kingdom reflecting over the rippling surface of the water, Rapunzel felt her heart swell with tender affection.

"So, what are we doing out here?" She asked after a moment of comfortable silence.

"Just proving that we can still sneak out and have our own little adventure, at least for a little while." She felt Eugene's chest rumble with the sound of his voice, and she snuggled closer, enjoying the warmth that surrounded her.

But there was an undercurrent of nervous energy simmering beneath his tense muscles, one she was perfectly aware of. It was alright, Rapunzel would let him come to her at his own time, she was sure Eugene would reveal whatever he was hiding eventually.

And he did, not long after. He removed one of his hands from its place on her stomach for just a moment, only to appear back in her line of vision, his open palm revealing a tiny little circular thing.

"What is that?" Rapunzel asked, turning back to face him and leaning forward to inspect the foreign object on his hand.

"Well, I've been trying to keep a clean slate and unfortunately, prince or not, I still don't have a coin to my name, so… this will have to do for now." Eugene said with an air of unaffected casualness that she immediately knew was fake.

Rapunzel took the little object in her own hand, examining it closely. Fresh green vines carefully interwoven together made a tiny circle, a pretty little buttercup bloom was perfectly placed right in the middle, she noticed the diameter of the entire thing was the exact size of her finger.

It was a ring. A flower ring.

"You'll be given a fine engagement ring and wedding bands grand enough to be suitable for a future Queen." Eugene rubbed the back of his neck in that telltale nervous gesture she found so endearing. "But I thought this would be more fitting in the mean time."

Rapunzel felt her breath catch in her throat, waiting for him to continue. This was a mere sentimentality of his part, she knew. Still, her heart threatened to burst out of her chest at the thought of a proposal coming from him.

"I have a feeling that, if the situation had been different you would've liked more time. And I'm sorry it has to be this way now." Eugene's brow furrowed slightly, self-consciousness seeping into his demeanor. Rapunzel had the sudden urge shush him with soft words and tender kisses.

Her perfect, considerate Eugene, always cognizant of her feelings even when she wasn't entirely sure how to describe what she was feeling herself. He was right, though. If life had been kinder, if their circumstances had been different, perhaps she would have waited. Rapunzel would've liked time to enjoy the beginnings of their romance without hurry, to uncover each other's secrets and learn each other's very soul without a deadline hanging over their heads. But the outcome would've been the same in the end, she was sure. In every universe, in every alternate reality that may have existed, her heart would still belong to him. Marriage was just an inevitability, one she wasn't in the least bit unhappy about.

She let Eugene continue, though, unwilling to interrupt even for a second.

"But I want you to know I will always be there for you, no matter what." His brown eyes found hers, shining with emotion and stealing her breath away. "You are my new dream. And I love you. Always. Here or on the other side of the world, in a cottage in the middle of nowhere or an old inn, an abandoned tower or a sinking ship, it makes no difference to me."

He took her hand in his, his large fingers almost engulfing her smaller palm. But his touch had long since been a comforting warmth, a tether to her soul.

"I would follow you to the ends of the world if you wished. I will be your guide in every adventure you want to embark on. If you will have me." Eugene took the flower ring from her, and Rapunzel extended her fingers, letting him slide the delicate ring over the fourth finger of her left hand.

A perfect fit.

Her lips pulled up into a teasing smile, even as her eyes welled with happy tears. "Hmm, would I still have to pay you with my crown?"

"I might require another form of payment." Eugene chuckled, lifting an eyebrow in that flirty way of his that always made her cheeks warm.

She shook her head with a small laugh.

"I love you, Eugene Fitzherbert. And you will always be my dream." Rapunzel lifted her hand to rest tenderly on his cheek, brushing her thumb over his skin in a soft caress. "No matter where we may go, you will always be my greatest adventure."

Eugene turned his head slightly, lips brushing over her wrist. "Is that a yes?"

"Hmm…" She tilted her head, stifling a giggle. "Nope."

He blinked, completely baffled. "What?"

"You never asked anything!"

Eugene rolled his eyes, but she could clearly see the smile he tried to hide. "Will you marry me?"

"I'll have to think about it."

"Oh really now?"

"I just don't think this is a good way to part as unlikely friends." Rapunzel couldn't hold back a small laugh this time as his mouth opened in mock indignation.

"Way to throw my own words back at me."

"You'll have to ask nicely." Rapunzel removed her hand from his face, leaning away slightly as she pretended to consider the terms of their new deal. "With a cupcake. Strawberry."

"And if I do all that will you say yes?" He didn't let her go much further, circling his arms around her waist and drawing her back towards him.

Rapunzel only gave him a noncommittal hum. "We'll see."

Despite Eugene's narrowed eyes, there was no hiding the amusement in his voice. "Well, tough luck, Sweetheart. You're stuck with me anyway."

"Fine." Rapunzel relented with a giggle as she let him press a kiss to her cheek. "Still want the cupcake though."

"Figures. You did always like to blackmail me…"

"Did not!"

"Absolutely you do, from the very beginning!" Eugene accused, his own laughter escaping as his lips found that tender spot between her shoulder and neck, muttering against her sensitive skin with mock disappointment. "You had your chance to redeem yourself, now this will have to be the story I'll tell our children when they ask how we got engaged."

"Oh?"

"After years and years of asking and asking and asking… I finally said yes."

"You finally said yes?"

"I have a bruised ego that will have to be repaired after your multiple rejections." Eugene pouted, placing a hand over his heart in an overdramatic gesture. "A man can only endure so much. So that's the way you will have to compensate."

"You are such a drama queen!" Rapunzel laughed, her heart felt like bursting with love for this ridiculous man.

"Meh, you like me anyway." Eugene waved off, his smile dazzling.

She couldn't agree more.

"Yes. Yes I do."

Rapunzel couldn't hold back anymore. She launched herself towards him, her lips crashing over his in an eager kiss as her hands snaked around his neck, pulling him impossibly closer. It surprised her, that every time she did this Eugene still reacted like the very first time, the air leaving his lungs in a stunned gasp, eyes widening in surprise before melting into her touch. She hoped he would never tire of it.

Distantly, in the very back of her mind, she marveled at her past self, how she doubted that he could have loved her at all. When Eugene looked at her like that, like she hung the moon and stars, there was no longer any doubt in her heart.

They wouldn't have a fairytale-like happily ever after, that stuff was only ever present in the storybooks she'd liked to read as a child. There were still a thousand and one obstacles they would have to face, but as long as they were together, Rapunzel felt like she could take on the entire universe.

Right now, in this safe bubble of happiness of their own creation, the world around them gleamed and glowed.

She wouldn't have it any other way.

---

*drops dead in exhaustion* Finally, after years and years of writing this story is mostly finished. We're just missing a teeny tiny epilogue which will be posted soon so stay tuned! As always, reviews are hugely appreciated, so let me know if you liked it. I would've never finished this without your constant support and lovely feedback so thank you all!

Ps. I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to let go of this little universe I've created over the years, so would anyone be interested in a short sequel of sorts? It would just be a compilation of little moments in their future, no huge plot just feels, so if anyone would like to read that let me know, I'm still debating whether to write it.