The first thing Rapunzel thought of when her eyes slowly opened was Jack. Her blurred surroundings gradually swam into focus and she realised she was in a dank, gloomy cave and her entire body was trembling uncontrollably.
"Rapunzel! You're awake!" It was Jack. His voice sounded choked, as if he'd been incredibly worried, but now it was filled with relief. As he saw Rapunzel slowly awaken he reached forward suddenly, placing his hands on hers. He couldn't help it, he so desperately wanted to comfort her. However, a second later, a melancholy, sinking feeling spread through Jack's chest. In that moment he had forgotten about his powers, and how his skin was always cold as snow. Sorrowfully, Jack let go of Rapunzel's hands, feeling his heart sting a little as he did so. He told himself he couldn't hold her hand, he couldn’t hold anyone’s hand, his skin was too cold. Rapunzel wouldn’t want to hold hands with a boy who’s skin felt like ice. He just had to accept it.
A pulse of happiness flowed through Jack’s veins as he heard Rapunzel say his name, “Jack?” She sleepily mumbled. “What’s going on? Where are we?” She shifted herself into a sitting position and leaned towards Jack, nervously looking into his striking blue eyes, like two shining moons.
“Don’t worry Rapunzel, we’re in some sort of cave, we’re safe for now, but I think Pitch Black must be somewhere nearby.” Jack explained in a hushed voice. “Listen Rapunzel, I want you to know I’m sorry I left you earlier on. When I left you, Merida and Hiccup in the woods earlier I had gone to investigate, I thought I’d heard some noises coming from the trees. It turned out to be Pitch Black’s dark night horses, they galloped right past me, I tried to stop them, I tried to call out to warn you three but it was too late. I’m sorry.”
Jack was looking down. His hands were placed awkwardly and stiffly in front of him as if he didn’t know what to do with them, when really all he wanted to do was reach out for Rapunzel’s hands and hold them. If only he didn’t have ice cold skin he would be able to, he thought to himself.
“Jack, you don’t need to say sorry!” Rapunzel said with a small smile. “I knew you wouldn’t have left us. I trust you” She smiled at Jack. In the dim light most of the features on Rapunzel’s face were shadowed, but her big gleaming eyes and golden locks that framed her face caught what little light there was and made Jack think she looked like some sort of angel.
Then she spoke again, snapping Jack away from his thoughts. “How did we get here anyway? And who’s Pitch Black?” Rapunzel questioned, her eyes traced all of the features on Jack’s face, searching for an answer, and in this moment she couldn’t help but notice how mesmerising this boy in front of her was.
“There’s a lot to tell, I don’t really know where to begin,” He took a deep breath, and then carried on, Rapunzel all the while listened intently and never tore her eyes away from Jack’s face. “Pitch Black is someone who wants to take over the world with darkness and destroy good dreams.” He explained carefully, “Those horse creatures that attacked us earlier, they were from Pitch Black. When they attacked us, I don’t know, we must have all been knocked unconscious and separated from each other, when I woke up I went searching and then found you here.” Jack’s words sent a gentle, quiet echo around the cave which sent a shiver down his own spine. “Pitch Black wants to destroy us because he knows that you, me, Merida and Hiccup are the only ones who can defeat him and save everyone from his darkness.”
Jack then stared into Rapunzel’s eyes, waiting for her to say something, but she seemed totally and completely speechless. “I know it’s a lot to take in Rapunzel, and what I’ve said might seem really hard to believe but-“
“I believe you.” Rapunzel said with certainty. She then reached out and took Jack’s hands in hers, she began to shake a little, but it was nothing to do with the cold, it was just that she had never experienced this feeling with anyone before.
Nervously, Jack gulped, looking down at their interlocked hands, he never wanted to let go. “Don’t you mind the cold?”
Rapunzel smiled and replied, “I can’t even feel it.”
All she could feel was a warmth inside her from butterflies fluttering frantically in her stomach. Suddenly, all of what Jack had just told her didn’t even seem scary anymore.
“Why are us four the only ones who can defeat Pitch Black?” She questioned, and Jack told her everything that the Witch of the Dark Woods had told him, about how himself, Rapunzel, Merida and Hiccup were all born under a Star of one of the four seasons and how they all had a special gift. He explained that they only had until midnight tonight to defeat Pitch Black, before the four stars align in the sky and Pitch’s power is at it’s highest.
Rapunzel listened to his every word, and then the two of them got up and left the cave in search of Merida and Hiccup. Jack noticed in Rapunzel great determination and he could tell that she trusted him. When Jack explained to Rapunzel how her gift was the gift of light and healing she seemed so surprised and could hardly believe it. She had said how she never thought there was anything special about herself. Jack on the other hand disagreed with this, and could clearly see that everything single thing about Rapunzel was special. He did not, however, say this out loud.
The two of them ambled along through the outside, listening to the harmonious songs of birds and crickets that graced the night air, with only the light of the crystalline stars and moon in the sky above to guide their way.
Jack noticed that although excited, there was still some sentiment of sorrow that had touched Rapunzel’s thoughts. “Are you okay?” He asked her gently as they walked along.
She smiled, but her beautiful eyes were burdened with weariness. Fiddling with a lock of her golden hair she replied, “It’s just that… well, I’ve been dreaming about this night for my entire life. I’d never left my tower in my whole life, until tonight. I’d always thought that when I left I would discover so many amazing things out here! But.. so far, I just feel scared.”
She looked up at Jack and with misery he could see shining tear drops were brimming in Rapunzel’s jewel-like eyes. “I never imagined it to be like this. I mean, I’ve seen some amazing stuff! I got to ride on a dragon! And for the first time in my life I’ve made some friends!” She smiled warmly, a smile which Jack thought could make flowers grow, and could make sun shine appear on a rainy day. “But..” She went on, “All these scary things have happened too, and now there’s Pitch Black, someone who wants to destroy us? I don’t know, I just… maybe I should never have left my tower.”
She spoke in a small voice and looked to Jack like a beautiful shrunken rose. “Rapunzel,” Jack began, her name tasted like loveliness on his lips. “Please don’t be afraid. I am going to do everything I can to save you.” He spoke softly, but with determination. “We can defeat Pitch Black and we will.” He grinned a stunning smile, one that could enchant anyone who saw it.
“And I want you to know,” He said, lifting his hand up to the side of Rapunzel’s face and placing it softly against her hair. “It isn’t all bad out here. Once tonight is over I want to show you things. There are so many things in the world to see that I know you’ll love. I want to show you the good and the happy things in life,” He said, “That is, if you’ll let me.”
