Chapter 2: Prince charmless
It had been one week since Rapunzel was forced to break up with her Eugene and she was still completely devastated. In fact, she hadn't really left the bed the entire week, she was just too heartbroken and spent all the time crying, sleeping restlessly and having nightmares. One nightmare was really horrible.
She dreamed that she was running through the castle towards her parents. But when her father turned around, he wasn't her father, but Gothel instead! Rapunzel stepped back horrified while Gothel walked towards her with her bloodstained dagger. Then suddenly she saw Flynn coming to help her through the window. Gothel immediately took her dagger and stabbed him!
Then Rapunzel woke up, screaming and hyperventilated. Pascal woke up and ran to her, looking at her worriedly. Rapunzel breathed heavily and held her head.
"Oh, nothing, Pascal. Just…just another nightmare." She sighed and fell back onto her bed, looking at her hair. "Oh, this is all your fault! I never wanted you back! In fact, I never wanted you at all! Oh, if you hadn't grown back, I might have had a chance to get my dad to change the law, but now…Oh!" She covered her face. Pascal hugged her. "Oh, it hurts so much!" She started to cry and took her hair. "Oh, can't you at least try to heal my broken heart? Oh, but no! You can't even do that anymore! You're nothing but trouble and I can't even cut you off anymore! Oh!" She cried and covered her face, wiping away tears. She took out a picture of Flynn, crying and hugged the picture. "Oh, Pascal! I miss him so much! It hurts me so much to be just friends with him! Oh, well! But I can't stay in bed forever! I have been feeling sorry for myself all week, it's time to…move on! Oh! But I can't! I can't move on! How can I move on from the love of my life?" She cried again. Pascal looked at her sadly. Rapunzel wiped away her tears and sighed heavily. "Oh, being sad is no use! It won't bring him back to me! Only dad could. But he is so stubborn and so unfair! Oh, that stupid law!" She groaned and wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh, perhaps I will feel better after breakfast!" She sighed and took Pascal, then she went to the breakfast room with a sad look on her face where her parents were having breakfast.
"Oh, good morning, honey!" Her mother greeted her.
"Morning, sweetheart." Her father said.
Rapunzel sat down angrily and sighed. "Hi."
"Oh, sweetie, I know it's hard, but things will get better, I promise!" The queen took her hand.
"Yes, just give it some time and you'll forget him in no time!" The king said.
Rapunzel stared at him indignantly. "Forget him? I could never forget him! He was my true love!"
"Now don't exaggerate, dear! There are also other young men out there, you know!"
"What? There's no one like him!"Rapunzel said indignantly and angrily.
"Well, speaking of which, there's someone we'd like you to meet!"
"Huh?"
"Michael?"
Michael, the royal advisor arrived. "Of course!" He cleared his throat. "Presenting Prince Lars of the northern kingdom!" He stepped aside and a young man came into the light. He smiled at Rapunzel, then bowed down.
"My pleasure, your majesties!" He stood up and looked at Rapunzel. "Oh, my!" He took her hand and kissed it. She stared at him confusedly. "What a beauty! And with such beautiful, pretty blonde hair!" Rapunzel raised an eyebrow. "Just tell me one thing, flower! Did it hurt when you fell from the sky?"
"What? I never fell from the sky!" Rapunzel answered confusedly and annoyed.
"Really? But you look like an angel!"
"Oh, my! What a gentleman!" Her father seemed really impressed.
"Ugh! Seriously! That sounds like the most generic pick-up line!" Rapunzel crossed her arms. "Yes, I have heard about those!"
"Well, princess Rapunzel. It's still an honour to meet you. I am Prince Lars…"
"Of the northern kingdom! Yeah, I have ears, you know!"
"Rapunzel, please! Mind your manners!" Frederic said sharply.
"Well, I don't want to! What are you doing here?" She asked Lars.
"Well, my beauty with the long golden hair, I travelled here as soon as I heard about you. I just had to see this angel in person."
"Ugh! And what do you want from me?"
"Well, princess, I have always been very fond of your kingdom, it really is a magnificent place, just as amazing as mine. And I think a union between our kingdoms would be a marvellous idea, don't you agree?"
Frederic was thrilled. "Oh, really! What a grandiose idea!"
Rapunzel stared at Lars and widened her eyes. "What do you mean by union?" She asked, scared.
"Well, a union between our kingdoms through a marriage between us, of course." He took her hand, but she quickly pulled it back, staring at him, in shock.
"What?" She asked shocked and indignantly.
"Well, we are both of marriageable age and our kingdoms are…"
"No!" Rapunzel screamed.
"Rapunzel!" The king started.
Rapunzel angrily yelled at her father: "No! I can't believe this! First, you force me to break up with my true love and now you want to force me to marry a stranger? I can't believe it! You're unbelievable!"
"Oh, honey, we are not forcing you! I just thought you and Lars could get to know each other a little…"
"No! Never!" She screamed.
"Rapunzel! Not so loud!"
"I don't care how loud I am! You can forget it!" She angrily turned towards Lars. "I'm very sorry, prince Lars! But no! Never! I could never marry you! My heart belongs to another!"
"Oh, yes, I heard about your little affair with that thief. He's still wanted in our kingdom, just so you know! But I think you have misunderstood, my beauty. I'm not asking you to love me, I'm just asking you to marry me."
"Excuse me?" She asked indignantly.
"Well, love and marriage are two completely different things, don't you know? We royals marry for the good of our kingdoms and not because we are in love. I mean, well, sometimes there is also love between us if we're lucky, but that usually comes after. "
Rapunzel shook her head. "Forget it! I won't marry someone I don't love!"
"Well, I just arrived here. It could still happen…"
"No, it can't!" She shouted.
"Well, if we spend some time together, I'm sure…"
"No!" She shouted again.
"Rapunzel, that's it!" Frederic said.
"Send him away!" She yelled at her father.
"I'll do no such thing, my daughter. Prince Lars is our guest, and he is welcome here at any time."
"No!"
"Yes! And we had planned to give him a little ball to welcome him."
"Oh, your majesty, you shouldn't have!" Lars said.
"Oh, I should have! Rapunzel, if you need a dance partner…"
"No, I don't even know what a ball is."
"It's a party where people dance and…" Her mother explained.
"Oh, forget it! I'm not dancing with him!" Rapunzel started to leave the room.
"Rapunzel, how about you show our guest around in our kingdom?" The king asked.
"No! And I can't believe you're trying to set me up with this guy! Don't you care about my feelings at all?"
"I just want you to get to know him a little bit. You know, consider other options than…"
"Dad, you are unbelievable! I just want Him, no one else! Deal with it!"
"Rapunzel…"
"If you want me to marry, just change the law, dad!"
"I can't change the law in a kingdom as traditional as Corona. And besides, it would be best for the whole kingdom if you married a prince!"
"No! I won't! And that's final!" Rapunzel screamed, then she turned around and ran away.
"Rapunzel!"
"Leave her, Frederic!" Ariana said. Frederic sighed and sat down again.
"Your majesties, allow me." Lars said and ran after Rapunzel.
Meanwhile, the pub thugs were celebrating at the snuggly duckling when the door opened and Flynn came in with a heartbroken look.
"Hi, boys." He sighed sadly.
Vladimir sighed. "Hey, Rider! Nice of you to join us again after a whole week of feeling sorry for yourself!" Flynn sighed sadly again.
"Why so glum, Flynn?" Big Nose asked.
"Let's just say, my dreams have been shattered!" Flynn sighed.
"Oh, you mean because you and the princess…oh, that's tough!"
"Yeah, sorry you got dumped!" Vladimir said.
"I wasn't dumped. We broke up because of the law. Neither of us wanted to…"
"Well, that's bad but look on the bright side!" Big Nose said.
"How can there be a bright side?" Flynn asked angrily.
"Well, at least it's working out pretty well for me! Me and Ellie are so in love with one another! I think I'm going to propose soon!"
Flynn stared at him angrily. "You are so mean!" He turned around and sighed. "Look guys, I could really use some help! I gotta pay my rent somehow, my landlord's getting impatient. But no matter where I apply, I'm always turned down with the excuse that no one can trust a former thief." He sighed. "So, I was hoping you might have a job for me here perhaps?" The pub thugs stared at him, then laughed.
"What do you think this is? A charity event?"
"Come on, lads! Don't you need some help running this place? Someone to cook or take orders?"
Vladimir laughed. "Well! We might have an opening for a dishwasher!"
Flynn sighed. "Alright. I'm really desperate. When can I start?" They all laughed at him.
"But you won't even get the minimum wage for that, mate!"
"But it's a start at least." He sighed again, went behind the counter and took a plate, when Greno approached him.
"Well, of course you can do that, Rider. But if you need another income, I could offer you something."
"Like what?"
"Well, you know I love to cook, but…the boys here don't appreciate my meals!"
"Oh, come on!"
"You know you don't!" He turned to Flynn. "Well listen, how about you help me sell some of my homemade meals in the kingdom and I'll give you 30% of the money?" He took out wrapped meals and held them out to him.
"What do you want me to do? Go from door to door trying to sell people your food?"
"You got it!"
Flynn sighed. "Alright. Like I said, I am really desperate. And I could really use a distraction, so" He held out his hand. "you got yourself a deal!" They shook hands.
"Wonderful! You can start right away!" Flynn sighed again and picked up the food.
Meanwhile, Rapunzel was walking through the Townsquare. Lars followed her.
"Princess, wait!"
Rapunzel sighed angrily. "I don't want to! I'm not interested in you like I told you!"
"And as I told you; a marriage has nothing to do with love!"
"Ugh! I can't believe it! Maybe you can, but I could never marry someone I don't love! And I can't love anyone but…" Suddenly she saw Flynn on the town square, carrying some bags and looking around. She gasped, smiled longingly and sighed. He catched her eye and smiled longingly at her. Rapunzel waved awkwardly and he waved back. But then Lars noticed it and put his arm around Rapunzel, She angrily pushes him away and Flynn stared at them. "Stop it, Lars!"
"Oh, I'm awfully sorry, my pretty!" Lars took her hand, but she pulled it back angrily. Flynn narrowed his eyes and stared at Lars. Then he walked over to them.
"I told you…" Rapunzel started.
"Ahem!" Flynn cleared his throat. "Hello, Rapunzel. Aren't you going to introduce me to this… well, ugly dressed show off?" He stared at Lars furiously and crossed his arms. Lars smirked and crossed his arms as well.
Rapunzel stared at them both. "Oh, well, this is Prince Lars of the Northern kingdom. Lars, this is Eu…"
"Flynn Rider! It's Flynn Rider!" Flynn quickly said.
"You go by that name again?"
"It's my name!" He crossed his arms.
Rapunzel stared at him, then sighed. "Alright! This is 'Flynn Rider', my ex-boyfriend!"
"Ex-fiancé! And that ex is only because of the law!" He quickly added, then stared angrily at Lars. "Otherwise, we'd be happily married by now!"
"I don't think a royal wedding could be arranged in just one week. We'd still only be engaged!" Rapunzel said.
"Whatever!" He stared angrily at Lars who smirked.
"Well, what a coincidence that we all meet here." Lars said.
"It's a small kingdom! Of course, we would meet sometime!" Flynn answered angrily
"Well, would you look at that, princess! Your former fiancé and your future fiancé are both gathered here!"
Rapunzel stared at Lars, shocked and outraged. "Excuse me?"
Flynn also stared at him, shocked and outraged. "Yeah! Excuse me?"
Lars smirked. "Well, it is obvious that the princess and I will one day unite our kingdoms by…"
"By nothing! I told you no!" Rapunzel shouted angrily.
"Yes! She told you no! Now scram!" Flynn shouted furiously at Lars.
"Oh, but I can't! I'm taking the princess to my ball this evening!"
Rapunzel became shocked. "This evening already?"
"Of course, didn't your parents tell you, my beauty?" Lars took her hand, but Flynn pushed him away.
"Leave her alone! She said no!" He said angrily.
Lars grinned. "Oh, but I can't! She has to dance at the ball…"
"Then she will dance with me!" Flynn angrily pointed to his chest.
Rapunzel sighed. "Oh, I'd love to, but you know I can't, Eugene."
"Flynn! It's Flynn!"
"Wait, do you seriously only want to be called Flynn now?"
"Yes! That's my name! And you call someone by their name!"
"Does that mean you even want me to call you that now?"
"Yes, that's right!"
"But…"
"Well, princess, I think we should get back now! The ball starts in a few hours and we both want to look our best for our dance!" Lars said.
Flynn pointed his finger at him and yelled: "She will not dance with you! She said no! What kind of gentleman are you, prince charmless?"
"Couldn't you think of a better insult?"
"No, prince charmless suits you best! You are certainly no prince charming!"
Rapunzel took his arm. "Please, Eugene…"
"It's Flynn!"
She sighed. "Alright, 'Flynn'! It's alright! I will not dance with him!"
"Sorry to disappoint you, my beauty but you have no choice! It's our right and royal duty to share the first dance together at this ball!"
"I don't care about royal duty! I will not…"
"Oh, you will, make no mistake about that!" Lars said. Flynn grabbed him by the shirt and clenched his fist.
"Do you want to have your nose broken; prince charmless?"
"Do you want to go to jail?"
"Now that's enough, you two!" Rapunzel came between them and pulled Flynn away. "Please, stop it, Eugene!"
"It's Flynn!"
"Ugh! Alright, then stop it, Flynn! And don't you have to get ready for your stupid ball, Prince Lars?"
"Of course, milady!" Lars bowed down. "I will pick you up at 6 pm!" He grinned. Flynn growled after him, while Rapunzel held him back. Then Lars left.
"Please, calm down! Or do you want to go to jail for assaulting a prince?"
"Oh, but this prince charmless just makes me so angry! He knows no boundaries!"
"Please! I will surely never willingly marry him or even dance with him! You don't have to be jealous, Eu…I mean, Flynn."
Flynn crossed his arms. "I'm not jealous!" Rapunzel stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Ok, maybe a little!" She still stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Ok, maybe a lot!" He sighed. "But how could I not be? You know how I feel about you!"
"And you know how I feel about you, but as long as my father refuses to change the law, I'm afraid there's no hope for us!"
He moaned. "Oh, that is so unfair!"
"I know but for now all we can do is hope!" She took his hands. "And don't worry. I could never love anyone else." She smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Neither could I!"
Rapunzel let go of his hands. "But we have to stop now, I…I really have to go to this ball, or else my father might kill me." She sighed and looked at him longingly. "I just wish I could…"
"Go to the ball with me? Well, why don't we?"
Rapunzel sighed. "Oh, Eu…uh, Flynn. You know we can't!"
"You said there's no law against being friends. So, let's just go as friends."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Of course!" He took her hands. "No one can stop us from that!"
She sighed. "Alright."
He smiled. "Okay, then I will pick you up at 5.30! Then prince charmless can go by himself!" Rapunzel laughed and nodded.
"See you tonight!" She smiled at him, then turned away and left. He stared after her.
Flynn sighed longingly. "Yeah, tonight."
When it was evening, he waited outside the gates with a bouquet of flowers. The door opened. He smiled but then stopped quickly when he saw Lars coming out with a bouquet of flowers.
"You? What are you doing here?"
Flynn crossed his arms. "I don't have to explain myself to you, prince charmless! I'm here for Rapunzel!"
"Well so am I!" Lars crossed his arms as well. They stared at each other furiously, when suddenly Rapunzel came out in a fancy dress, smiling. But her smile quickly fades as she saw both of them.
"Oh…you're both already here. Um…"
Flynn held out his bouquet to her. "Here, Rapunzel! A bouquet full of freshly picked flowers just for you!" Rapunzel took it and smiled.
"Oh, thank you!"
"Oh, how lovely, a bouquet full of freshly picked grass! Here you have a real bouquet full of freshly bought expensive red roses!" Lars handed his bouquet to her and she took it reluctantly.
"Oh, well thank you. They're both very nice. But…"
"Oh, I'm sure you're hungry." Flynn took out a muffin. "Here, a muffin you like best!"
"Pff! What's that compared to a huge box full of chocolate?" Lars took out a box of chocolates.
Rapunzel took both. "Boys, please…"
"Oh, I'm sure she'll only be thirsty from all that chocolate! Here!" Flynn took out a bottle. "A bottle full of fresh water!"
"Here!" Lars snapped and his servant came over with a plate. He took a glass from his servant. "A glass full of fresh apple juice!"
"Boys! Really!" Rapunzel refused to take either of the liquids.
"I…I…I'll carry her to the ball with my own hands!" Flynn picked her up and lifted her.
"Ah! Eugene, put me…"
"I'll take her there in a golden coach!" Lars snapped and a coach appeared. He smirked.
Flynn gasped and got angry. "Oh, a golden coach! Couldn't you think of anything more inconvenient, prince charmless?"
Lars laughed. "And couldn't you think of anything more inconvenient than dragging her to the ball like a drudge?" They stared at each other, when Rapunzel jumped out of Flynn's arms.
"Boys! Enough!"
"Yeah, exactly! Enough! Can't you see she doesn't want to go to the ball with you?" Flynn said angrily.
"If you keep acting like this, I don't want to go with you either!"
Flynn stared at Rapunzel, hurt. "What?"
"I told you; you have nothing to worry about! Why do you have to constantly put up a fight and try to beat this guy?"
"Well…he's…he's provoking me!"
"I'm just trying to win over the princess!" Lars said.
"Stay away from my girl!" Flynn yelled angrily.
Lars smirked. "She's not your girl anymore!" Flynn growled at him and Rapunzel camebetween them.
"Ugh! Enough! You know what, boys? I'm not going to the ball with any of you!" She threw the bouquets and chocolates on the floor and ran off. They both stared after her.
Flynn worriedly called after her. "Rapunzel!"
"Well done, Rider! Now if you'll excuse me, I am still invited to the ball since it's being held to welcome me! But I'm afraid, you are no longer welcome! Oh!" Lars laughed, then rushed off. Flynn sighed and sat down on the stairs.
Rapunzel ran into the hall.
"Oh, there you are already, Rapunzel! Now the ball can start and look, there's Prince Lars!" Her father said. She turned around, and saw Lars coming towards her. She moaned.
"I think I promised you the first dance!"
"No! Stop! Enough!" Rapunzel screamed. The band stopped playing. Everyone stopped dancing and stared at her.
"Rapunzel…" Her father started angrily but she cut him off.
"No, this has to end now!" She raised her voice. "I have an announcement to make! I will never marry Prince Lars! I don't love him! I still love another!"
"Rapunzel!" The king shouted angrily.
"No! Enough, dad!" She turned to Lars. "Listen, your highness, Prince Lars, you're very nice and I'm sure your kingdom is just as nice, but I must decline your offer! I can't marry you! Never ever! I am not interested! And please, I'm asking you to accept that! You are still welcome to visit our kingdom anytime you want but please, stop trying to win me over! Please!"
Lars sighed annoyed. "Alright, princess! As you wish!"
Rapunzel sighed relieved. "Finally! And now please excuse me! I will not be dancing with anyone tonight! I'm just not into this whole ball thing! I still don't understand why they call it that! Please! Have fun but excuse me!" She bowed down in front of everyone and left. She went out the door, saw Flynn still sitting there and went to him. "Hey!"
He looked up. "Hey!" She sat down next to him. "Look, I'm sorry! It was wrong to act like that! And yes, I was terribly jealous. I admit that, and I know it was wrong!"
Rapunzel smiled at him. "Oh, Eugene Fitzherbert aka Flynn Rider! You have nothing to worry about! I just politely rejected Prince Lars and asked him to stop trying to win me over!"
"You did?" She nodded. "Oh, great! That guy was just not right for you!"
Rapunzel laughed. "I knew you would think that. But you know since I am a princess, I still have to welcome every prince to my kingdom. And he will also continue to visit."
"Oh!" He moaned and covered his face. "Alright, I promise I will work on my jealousy from now on!"
She smiled and took his hands. "Listen, Eugene or Flynn, you don't have to be jealous! You know you're the only one for me!"
He smiled widely and brushed her hair out of her face. "And you're the only one for me! And I will always love you!"
Rapunzel sighed in anguish. "And I will always love you, but…until that law is not changed, we can't be together!"
Flynn sighed torturedly and caressed her cheek. "I know! But I can't stop! I will just love you from afar!"
She took his hands. "Yes, that's a great idea! We really need to work on that! No one can see us like this! Right now, we're just friends, okay?"
He sighed. "Ok!"
"We'll just wait until they change the law already. And until then, we'll just see each other as friends. And don't worry, I'll turn down every suitor who isn't you!" They both laughed and she squeezed his hands. "Do you still want to go to the ball with me? As friends?"
Flynn sighed. "Yes!"
"Then let's go!" She pulled him along. They arrived at the ball. Frederic looked at them angrily. "Oh, don't worry, dad! We're just here as friends!"
"Yes! That's right! Do you want to dance next to each other? As friends?" Flynn asked.
"Sure!" She laughed and they danced side by side without touching. Frederic sighed and Ariana took his hands. Then they danced as well.
