Tangled

Chapter Three: The deal

(Y/N) had tied Steven to a chair with her hair. She hid in the shadows while Steven sat in the light, still unconscious. Groot got on his shoulder and started slapping him to try to get some sort of response from him. But there was nothing. Even poking didn't do anything. As a last resort, Groot stuck his finger in his ear. That woke Steven up. Safe to say he was confused about being tied up with hair and how there was so much of it.

"Struggling...struggling is pointless," (Y/N) jumped down from the scaffolding she was on, "I know why you're here. And I'm not afraid of you."

"What?" Steven asked confused.

(Y/N) came into the light, revealing herself to him, "Who are you, and how did you find me?"

Steven didn't know what to say. He's never even seen someone so beautiful.

"Who are you, and how did you find me?" (Y/N) asked again

Steven cleared his throat, "I know not who you are. Nor how I came to find you. But may I just say. Hi!" (Y/N) was a little confused, "How you doing? The names Doctor Strange. How's your day going, huh?"

"Who else knows my location, Doctor Strange?"

"All right, Blondie."

"(Y/N)."

"Gesundheit. Here's the thing. I was in a situation, Gallivanting through the forest. I can across your tower and... Ho, ho no, where is my satchel?" Steven asked suddenly realising his satchel is missing.

"I've hidden it, somewhere you'll never find it."

Steven sighed and looked around, "It's in the pot, isn't it?"

Clang!! Another hit from the frying pan. (Y/N) hid the satchel again. Groot stuck his finger in Steven's ear again making him wake up.

"Would you stop that?!" Steven asked as Groot jumped away.

"Now it's hidden where you'll never find it," (Y/N) said, "So, what do you want, with my hair? To cut it?"

"What?"

"Sell it?"

"No! Listen, the only thing I want to do with your hair, is to get out of it. Literally!"

"Wait, you don't want my hair?"

"Why on earth would I want your hair? Look, I was being chased, I saw a tower, I climbed it, end of story."

"You're, telling the truth?"

"YES!"

Groot went up to Steven to have a closer look at him. He and (Y/N) turned away for a moment to talk. (Y/N) explained to Groot that Steven could take her to the lights then have her back in the tower before Hela got back. That was her plan anyway and she hoped Steven would agree.

"Okay Doctor Strange, I'm prepared to offer you a deal," (Y/N) said.

"Deal?" Steven asked.

"Look this way," (Y/N) went over to her painting while turning Steven around in the chair and making him fall on his face, "do you know what these are?"

"You mean the lantern thing they do for the princess?"

"Lanterns... I knew they weren't stars. Well, tomorrow evening they will light the night sky, with these lanterns. You will act as my guide, Take me to these lanterns, and return me home safely. Then, and only then, will I return your satchel to you. That is my deal."

"Yeah," Steven turned himself over, "no can do. Unfortunately, the kingdom and I are not exactly, simpatico, at the moment. So I won't be taking you anywhere."

(Y/N) looked at Groot who just wanted to torture Steven until he took her.

"Something brought you here, Doctor Strange," (Y/N) pulled him back up, "Call it what you will, fate, destiny."

"A Cloak of Levitation," Steven said.

"So I have made the decision to trust you."

"A horrible decision, really."

"But trust me, when I tell you this," (Y/N) pulled him closer, "You can tear this tower apart, brick by brick. but without my help, you will never find your precious satchel."

Steven cleared his throat again, "let me just get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns. Bring you back home. and you'll give me back my satchel?"

"I promise. And when I promise something, I never ever break that promise. EVER!"

"All right, listen, I didn't want to have to want to do this, but you leave me no choice. Here comes the 'smolder'," he gave her the 'smolder' but she was unimpressed, "this is kind of an off day for me. This doesn't normally happen. Fine, I'll take you to see the lanterns."

"Really!" (Y/N) was so excited she dropped Steven, "Ooops."

"You broke my 'smolder'."

Steven was let go and he started to climb down the tower. (Y/N), however, was hesitating. Finally, she will be out of her tower to see the one thing she always wanted to see but what if Hela was right about the people?

'Look at the world, so close and I'm halfway to it. Look at it all, so big, do I even dare? Look at me, there at last, I just have to do it. Should I? No! Here I go!'

Groot tied himself to part of (Y/N)'s hair ready to leave the tower. (Y/N) threw down her hair before sliding down it like she's done multiple times before. But before she touched the ground, she stopped. Touching anything but stone will be a different experience for her. And all that's below her is grass and dirt. After a long hesitation, she put her feet on the soft grass, no longer afraid.

'Just smell the grass, the dirt, just like I dreamed they'd be. Just feel that summer breeze, the way it's calling me,' (Y/N) stood in a small pond, 'For like the first time ever, I'm completely free,' birds flew past so she ran after them to the exit she would always watch Hela leave through, 'I could go running and racing and dancing and chasing and leaping and bounding, hair flying, heart-pounding and splashing and reeling and finally feeling that's when my life begins!'