Twisted Webs | Once Upon a Time

ii. On a Journey

Enchanted Forest. Before the Curse

THREE YEARS HAD done little to convince Rapunzel that in the walls of the castle was where she truly belonged and she was more anxious than ever to just escape. Go. Anywhere her heart desired. It had taken all that time to convince her parents of that though, they had been very reluctant to let her go having spent so little time with her but they soon realised that keeping Rapunzel in the castle wasn't doing much to help her

So they had to let her go 

It was terrifying leaving behind the life she had built for herself and some part of her knew she didn't have to. She could turn around right now and slip back into the comfortable life she had grown accustomed to and she knew her parents would welcome her back with open arms but she also knew that it wouldn't fix anything and she'd still feel like a stranger in her own skin 

Eugene

That single thought made her almost turn back, she knew he would let her into his arms -- and into his heart and never let her go. However, this was something she had to do and she had to go at it alone meaning that no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't go and lean on him. Eugene had already done enough of that and this was something she had to figure out for herself 

It was only going to be a few weeks 

She could manage a few weeks

With that thought, the ring that had rested on her finger now rested on a chain around her neck and balanced between her breastbone. Her fingers twitched as she reached up for it and rolled it between her fingers, how was it possible that she already missed him terribly? Even though she wasn't officially off castle grounds yet 

A split-second decision had her changing directions again but it wasn't to the castle gates -- It was to the stables. A place that Eugene often brought her -- or she brought herself when she was feeling overwhelmed and there were too many things about being a princess that she couldn't possibly be expected to fit in her head but had to anyway. 

For the good of the kingdom. 

When she entered the stable, a horse's head already turned to her and snorted softly and an equally soft laugh escaped Rapunzel's mouth as she made her way over to Maximus and scratched the end of his nose "You know I'll miss you too but this is something I have to do, to find out who I am and when I'm back I'll bring you plenty of apples. How does that sound, my good boy?"

The horse snorted again and she chuckled, placing her forehead on Maximus's nose. Every year her bond with the horse just got stronger and stronger and it hurt her heart a bit to be leaving him but just like she had to keep reminding herself, she would be back in a few weeks

She could handle a few weeks

The tower was just on the edge of the kingdom surrounded by dense and thick forest, she could use a horse to get part way there but would have to walk the rest of way because it was so dangerous around there. It was possible that Gothel had even used a spell or two to make it even more dangerous if Rapunzel was to somehow escape or if someone had the mad idea to try and rescue her 

Once again her mind floated back to her fiance, who had climbed the tower in a desperate attempt to escape the criminals that he had double-crossed in order to get his hands on her crown, he had little thought that when he did that, he would change his life forever and Rapunzel had no idea that knocking him out with her frying pan would be one of the best things she had ever done

At nights when everything is quiet and dull and neither could find it within themselves to fall asleep. Eugene would cuddle her close and whisper in her ear his beginnings and praise Rapunzel for finding him somehow when he was lost and pulling him out of the dark 

His story goes like this -- or at least the parts that Rapunzel knows

As he was once called; Flynn became one of the most infamous thieves in all of Corona, making enemies at nearly every port. He would also plunder regions well beyond Corona, such as other neighbouring kingdoms. Once even grappling for a magic bean and going to Agrabah.

Being drawn in more and more by his new ambition and becoming more and more aloof from the people around him, Flynn sought a solitary life of money and freedom, far away from his troubles and then met a Baron and started a tentative alliance with him. During their alliance, Flynn developed a relationship with the Baron's daughter. The two were eventually engaged, but Flynn created a bitter enemy in his employer when he left Stalyan at the altar.

( Shame on you Eugene, she had told him when she heard that story to which he had a wisecrack about even if he hadn't done that it wouldn't have worked out anyway because she wasn't Rapunzel. While she knew he was using it as a distraction, she couldn't help but admit she melted just a little )

Rapunzel shook her head, clearing herself of the thoughts. Her blonde hair escapes the confines of the shawl and she shrugs it back on pulling it tighter and more upright to hide as much hair as possible because her hair was quite obviously the most striking thing about her, especially since a few years back it had been restored back to it's former golden though it was shorter than it once was it had retained its healing properties 

With one look at the stables and one last look at Maximus, she left the stables and went toward the gates of the castle where a horse was waiting for her and a pack of everything she could need for the next few days with it. Her boots rubbed against the leather of the stirrups  as she mounted and a guard came to check her girth and made sure nothing was amiss before saluting her and sending her on her way

* * * * * 

She had left Corona hours ago, now it was nothing more than a dot on the maps of Kingdoms and her faded memories. Her feet were hurting and her bottom was sore. The sun had started to set in the sky and oil lights lit up the dirt path that the horse was walking down, it had slowed down to a walk now, Rapunzel keeping a tight grip on the reigns in order to keep the horse under control. 

She had seen little to no one on her journey 

Fortunately, she had spotted a tavern -- well at least signs for a tavern -- a little way down the road and quickly got the horse to move a little faster. Anxious to get off the horse and collapse onto one of the beds at the inn 

When Rapunzel arrived at the tavern, she dismounted the horse. Handing over a few gold coins to a stable hand in order to look after the horse, her hands going around her shawl and cloak in order to make sure her hair wasn't showing as she disappeared into the throng of people already mingling in the tavern, being virtually invisible and just like any other commoner 

"Did you hear about the Evil Queen's curse, I heard from the grapevine that it's going to be cast soon" Rapunzel overheard even though the woman was whispering, the tavern was small enough and the tables were cramped that privacy was something of a luxury 

"It's all balderdash! No person is that powerful"

"You have heard of the Dark One haven't you missy? Skin as scaly as a crocodile and eyes as yellow as a mystic flower. Surely you have heard rumours of his power and yet you still believe that nobody is that powerful" 

"You are not a seer, you know nothing"

"I do not have to be a seer in order to use my head. It is simple--"

"Science has no place in this land, if you want to use Science go find another land"

Eventually, their little argument tales off as Rapunzel moves forward and on, but her blood turned frigid in her veins. She hasn't heard much of the Evil Queen since her return to Corona as her parents and those working at the castle had worked hard in order to protect her from hearing such things and about the darkness that plagued half of the Kingdoms in Enchanted Forest 

One thing is for sure: The Evil Queen was not to be trifled with 

"I'll have a room for the night please" Rapunzel spoke, placing three golden coins on the bar as she looked at the barkeep.