(Warning: Long Chapter Again.)

×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
Chapter 20 -
Saving Rapunzel
×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

Four guards are leading a struggling Eugene and sounded very panicked. Like the panic you never thought he'd had. One where he was greatly worried for someone.

You ran up and almost said his real name, so you had to say the other, “Flynn!”

Eugene's scared eyes meet your concerned ones, “(____)! You have to help!” He groans when one of the guards shoves his head.

“Hey! Don't hurt him!” You stood in front of them and they glare. “Please, you have to let him go at least for awhile. I'll watch him.”

It was actually the one guard that hated you for some reason as he spoke, “We can not let you do that, Lady (____). This is very serious and he might try to kidnap you again.” They continued to walk and you followed.

“(____), you have to help her. Don't worry about me! They've got her, she's the lo-” Eugene is punched so he could be quiet.

One of the guards stop you, gently pulling you so the others take Eugene to the slammer. You felt a bit pathetic when you let him get dragged away. “Please tell me, he's just going to sit in prison?”

The guard sighs softly, “Until morning, yes. Lady (____) whatever you're going to do, be careful. Pete and Stan trust you, so will I and most of us guards. Though you should know we have to follow orders too.”

You teared, but held it back. They were going to execute Eugene tomorrow morning and Rapunzel’s in danger. You thank the guard, “Thank you. Tell Cass or the Queen that I'll be back late.”

You run toward the bridge and pant, wishing you had faster transportation. A panic neigh and heavy hooves stop in front of you. “Max!” He nods for you to get on and you climb on with difficulty. “To the Snuggly Duckling, we don't have much time!”

Max neighs, taking off fast and you held onto the reins tightly with your hair blowing back. Knowing the thugs, they were probably camping out near the Snuggly Duckling since they watch the lanterns too.

“The thug tried to run from the headless royal guard! It's glowing phantom eyes flickering like flames and the horse as white as marshmallows!” The thugs listen to Attila’s storytelling since it was his turn for a scary story. “He looked back and it was gone! Suddenly it was in front of him aaaaand-” Attila swishes his stick with roasted marshmallows, “-OFF WITH HIS HEAD!”

Just then, you and Max jumped over the bushes and Max neighed to get their attention. It didn't help that your glasses reflected a flaming glow from their campfire.

They all screamed and cling to each other. Ulf fainted and Shorty charges at you two, trying to bite on Max’s leg.

Max pushes him away and you hop down, “Guys! I need your help!”

At your tone of voice, Vladimir stood up and walked over, “(____). What's wrong?” By now all the thugs are serious.

“I need help breaking Flynn out of prison.”

They all glance between each other before grinning widely. “When do we start?”

You all set up a plan and tell everyone who will be where. “(____), make sure you stick close to Shorty and Attila.” Hook-Hand said.

You salute and by the time we all knew what to do, it was time to go for Eugene as you take an iron pan. All of you stealthily sneak in and you got the liberty to place a ceramic unicorn in the hallway the Captain will take Eugene down.

You're waiting by the door of that hallway with Attila and Shorty. You peek around the door after hearing footsteps and see Eugene so you give Attila a thumbs up. He slams the door close with two other slams behind it.

“What's this?! Open up!” The Cap bangs on the door and Shorty gets up on Attila's metalhead, sliding open the small barred window.

“What's the password?” He closes it.

“What?”

Shorty opens it, “Nope.” He closes it again.

“OPEN THIS DOOR!” Cap yells in annoyance.

You try not to giggle at Shorty’s face of confusion as he slides it open, “Not even close!”

He gets down after closing it and grins proudly, “My job here is done.” He walks off.

“YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS! ONE!....TWO!” Cap says three hesitantly, “Three?”

Attila helps you sit on his shoulders and you hand him the pan. He opens the door when the Captain has his back to us. You grimace as the pan bangs loudly, “Why do I have a feeling Rapunzel did that to Eugene?”

Eugene grins, “Frying pans. Who knew right?” He looks to you and has a thankful look.

You smile then jump at the door being rammed in and guards start flooding in. Vlad opens the door that leads to the outside and runs. You hang on tight as Attila runs, pulling Eugene behind.

Once outside, Hook-Hand is there waiting and Attila gently puts you down. More guards are coming. They must really like Eugene.

“Head down.”

“Head down.”

“Arms in.”

“Arms in.”

You see Eugene is going to launched up to Max.

“Knees apart?”

“Knees- wait, knees apart?”

You step away when Vlad is above the two wheeled cart and he jumps, yelling in excitement.

“Wh-why do I have to have my knees apart? AHHH!”

Eugene flies up and now it was your turn. Luckily, you tried this once before. You held down a fearful yell and felt yourself fly up, so you close your eyes.

Landing behind Eugene, you open your eyes to see Max giving Eugene an unamused expression. “(____)! Thank you so-”

“Not now, Eugene.”

He smiles sheepishly, “Yeah. You're right, we should go.” Just then, guards came from the door behind you and you cling to Eugene as arrows are being shot at you three.

Max ran and Eugene began to worry, while you just shut your eyes.

“Max. Max! MAX! AHHHHH!”

You hear Max land on a roof and jump again before running on solid ground. Finally you look and you're running through town. Eugene sounded very angry about something.

“Alright, Max. Let's see how fast you can run.”

Max goes faster and you never thought you'd go this fast while running. Not long, you're going across the bridge, down the road, into the forest, and go through a vine covered opening. Why was everything so dark all of a sudden? Dark clouds had formed above and the wind began to pick up.

Eugene hops off and goes up to the…..tower. That lady. You started to get a feeling that something bad was going to happen. Quickly, you cover Eugene's mouth and shush him. He tries to protest but you glare harshly.

Silently, you gestured Max to hide then for some reason you felt like there was another entrance. Eugene follows you and you two went up some stairs before it turned to a ladder up.  

You went up first and peeked over the floor a bit. Rapunzel is chained and her mouth is covered as she glares at who she called mother. The woman had her back turned away since she was looking down on Rapunzel.

“This is what you get for leaving the tower, My Flower. We will be leaving and that Rider should be dead by now.”

Rapunzel eyes widen with tears about to form while shaking her head. You quietly make your way over and finally jump onto the woman's back. She screams and tries to throw you off.

“Eugene! Help Rapunzel!”

He makes his way over to her. You're slammed into the stone wall and you groan, letting go. Gothel. That's her name, that's the name that came to your mind. You look up and Gothel stares in horror, “You….”

“YOU!!! YOU'RE NOT TAKING MY FLOWER AWAY FROM ME!” She screams and holds up a dagger.

Your eyes widen at the weapon and roll out of the way as she swipes. You had no idea what she was talking about. How did she even know you? Was she confusing you with someone else?

She comes right at you and you try to hold her hand up that had the dagger. Gothel was tired of this and shoved you. Your head hit the stone floor and a high pitch noise rung on your ears. Everything was blurry and a blurred body falls next to you.

“Eugene!!!” Rapunzel yells in despair.

You're grabbed by the hair and now an arm harshly goes around your neck. Something sharp is against your neck.

“Now look what you done, Rapunzel. Our secret will die with them and as for us and we're going where no one will find you EVER again.” The dagger painful pokes your neck. “So enough already and stop fighting me!”

Pascal jumps onto Gothel’s hand, but she flings him into a wall.

“Pascal!” Rapunzel bites her lip and lets out a cracked voice, “No! I won't stop for every minute for the rest of my life!”

Eugene painful holds his stomach and you realize he had stepped in the way when you were down.

“i will fight and I will never stop trying to get away from you.” Rapunzel glances at Eugene and glares with a sense of courage, “But if you let me save him and let her go, I will go with you.”

Eugene groans, “N-No….No, Rapunzel….”

“I'll never run, I'll never try to escape. Just let me save him. We can be together, forever.” Rapunzel begs. “Just like you want, just like the way it was. I promise. Just let me heal him.”

Gothel is unamused but agrees, “Fine.” She points to the chains, “Chain him. In case he gets any ideas of following us.”

Rapunzel goes to help Eugene. A hand grabs your chin harshly and you're facing Gothel. Her eyes examine your face before smirking, “Oh darling, you don't remember? Oh this is just bittersweet.” She gets close, “And just so…. Easy.”

You hear something that sounded like a loud prick through fabric. That didn't bother you, but you start to notice her hands to wrinkly.

Gothel’s eyes widen and she yells in fear, “No, no, no, NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?” She runs over to grab the pile of blonde hair which quickly turned brunette. She drops it and runs over to you, shaking your shoulders.

“HELP ME! Bring it back! HELP ME!”

You scream in fright from how skeletal she became and you didn't have to shove her away hard as she stumbled backwards.

You groan, feeling pain in your side and touch it.

“No,no,no,no,no! Eugene. Look at me, look at me, I'm right here.”

Red painted your hand and you glance over to see Rapunzel holding Eugene close.

“Don't go! Stay with me Eugene!” She sounded like she was going to cry as she places his hand on he head. “Flower gleam and glow, let your p-p-powers shine….” She sobs softly.

You felt dizzy and your body fell to the floor. Pascal come over to you, squeaking in panic and looks at you sadly. You turn on your back to gaze up the ceiling. Stars and the Moon, your eyes stay on the painting.

Varian. Your body began to feel like it was drifting, like it flowing before you see nothing.