Title: In the Eyes of the Beholder

Rating: K

Warnings: None really.

Spoilers: The end of the movie, sort of.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by the company that controls Tangled. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended

Author Notes: Just an idea that I had that popped in while I was reading various Tangled fanfics. Sort of a different version of Eugene's escape from prison and Rapunzel's return. Told in the POV of the King. I also wanted to try a different style of writing by trying to do this in first-person POV.

Twenty-five paces. It was exactly twenty-five paces from the window of the sitting room to the door and back. And I must have covered that distance at least a hundred times by now. Every dozen or so trips, I paused to look out the window at the cloud studded sky.

"You haven't given up already, have you?" The soft voice of my wife asked. I turned to see her in the same position she had been in since we had retired to this room. Sitting in her favourite chair with a book open on her lap. Hilde hadn't even looked up when she had spoken. Instead her attention was so focused on the pages in front of her one would think she was trying to bore a hole through them just by staring.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She glanced up out of the corner of her eye and raised a slender brow right back at me. "You are attempting to wear a hole in the carpet with your pacing, dear. Second-guessing?"

I merely shrugged. "Possibly. It's hard not to. And don't try to tell me you aren't worried either, my love. You haven't turned a single page in that book since you sat down." As if just to prove me wrong, she immediately flipped the page. The wrong way however. It was hard not to smirk at that. We knew each other's quirks all too well after over twenty years of marriage. My mind turned back to the events of just a few hours ago. "It is hard not to. I mean we're pinning what might be our last hopes and dreams on Flynn Rider of all people. And only because he said a name."

This was not how neither of us would have liked to spend the day after The Lantern Ceremony. Attending an execution. The one for the most wanted thief in my Kingdom. It just seemed wrong to be holding it the day after what would have been my daughter's 18th birthday. The Captain of the Guards had been adamantly against just letting Rider stew in gaol for a few days though. He had insisted that after so much time chasing after the man, he should be hanged for his crimes as soon as possible just to prevent the chance of him escaping.

I glanced over at Hilde, knowing that she had an even greater dislike for these sorts of things than I did. We both thought there had to be a better way to handle criminals. Normally the Queen's presence wouldn't be required, but this was the execution of the man who had stolen our missing daughter's crown. As such, both of us needed to witness it. I reached over and took her hand. She looked at me and tried to give a tremulous smile.

At that moment a great commotion went up at the entranceway from the gaol. The crowd that had gathered to watch this spectacle (for even an execution was considered a great event) all craned their collective necks to see. Hilde and I had the better vantage point due to our place on the viewing stands. What we could see was a knot of six, no eight, no ten soldiers all struggling to keep a hold of Flynn Rider as he fought them.

It wasn't unusual for a condemned prisoner to fight while being taken to the gallows. Most did to some extent, but not like Rider was. It was like he was a man possessed. There was also another difference besides the number of guards needed to keep him contained. Most prisoners would be screaming obscenities at the soldiers or the crowd or even myself. Rider wasn't.

"Wait, wait, wait! You don't understand! She's in danger! I have to save her! Let me go!" Rider was yelling. "I have to save Rapunzel, just let me go!"

In that moment, as my wife's hand tightened in my own, it felt like the world flipped over on its axis.

"Her name." Hilde pointed out as she looked up from her book. While we hadn't released our daughter's name to the public, we had had little hope that whoever had kidnapped her would continue to use that name for her.

"We don't know that." I replied back. "What if it's just a coincidence? What if…"

Now my wife met my eyes with a look I knew all too well. One that says I am being utter ridiculous. "We can what if ourselves to death. We have already been doing that for the last eighteen years. What are you really worried about, Leopold?"

I took a deep breath and turned back to the window. "I'm not really sure. I'm wondering if the Captain was right. That all these years of waiting and hoping for her return has driven me mad."

"The good Captain has a rather biased opinion on the subject of Flynn Rider, my dear." Hilde said with a soft chuckle. Then her tone turned serious. "Besides, you saw something in that young man's eyes. Something that made you trust in him."

She was right of course. We both knew it because she had seen the same thing I had.

I was on my feet before I even realised it. "Guards! Hold!" I shouted, making nearly every head turn up in my direction. I barely noticed as I made my way hurriedly down from the viewing platform and over to the still struggling knot of guards. Hilde was right behind me. All the guards not currently struggling with Rider stood at attention at our approach.

The Captain of the Guards hurried over to us. "Sire, pay no attention to Rider's rantings. My men have everything all under control…" I cut off the rest of his words with a sharp look and went over to where the guards finally managed to pin Flynn Rider to the ground.

"What did you just say?" I asked, managing to keep my tone as even as possible.

Flynn looked up, his hair in his eyes. He hesitated for the barest of moments. "Just let me go." There was desperation in his voice as he answered.

I had to admit that he did technically answer my question, but that wasn't what I wanted him to confirm. So I clarified things. "That name you said. What was that name?"

"Rapunzel." He didn't even hesitate that time. "Look, I know I am a bad man and deserve everything that's coming to me. I know I deserve to hang, but she is in danger. That old hag set her up. Please, just let me go to her." As he spoke I was caught by the look in his brown eyes and was almost surprised by what I saw there. It is often said that eyes are the window to the soul. If that was the case, I had expected to not see the depth of emotion in Flynn Rider's. There was fear there, but not of his own pending death. There was desperation and frantic worry, but again not for his own sake. And buried deep behind all there was a degree of love for this girl with the same name as my long lost daughter that I would not have expected. "PLEASE!" Rider's voice almost broke on that last word.

"That is enough out of you." The Captain stepped forward and raised a foot to deliver a kick to Rider. The young man on the ground didn't even flinch away from the impending blow, only stared up at me.

Now it was my turn not to hesitate. "Captain!" I barked warningly. It was like the very air stood still. No one moved except the Captain who slowly turned to face me. "Let him up."

He stared at me for a long moment, his mouth gaping like a fish out of water. "B-b-but Sire!..." the man stuttered in protest.

"Who is King here?" I asked in a deadly tone. "Now let him up."

The other guards looked back and forth between their captain and me. Even Rider was looking at me with utter confusion. Finally they hauled the young man back onto his feet.

Without looking away from the Captain, I held out my hand. "The keys."

The man actually squawked in protest, but I had made it perfectly clear by my tone that I would not accept anything other than compliance. Grudgingly, the Captain handed over the keys to Rider's chains. I took the few steps over to Flynn Rider.

I could give the man this much. He did not cower or otherwise show fear at my approach. Whether that was from bravado or simply shock, was anyone's guess. Personally, judging by the thoroughly confused look on his face, I suspected the latter. That look was even more pronounced when I unlocked the shackles binding his hands. The metal clanked on the ground between our feet.

Rider turned his head a little to give me a sidelong look as he rubbed his wrists. "Why?" he asked.

Before I could answer, Hilde came up to my elbow and spoke first. "You know where she is." To anyone else it might have sounded like a question, but it wasn't.

The young man looked blankly at my wife as if just noticing she stood at my side. Then he blinked and his eyes widened.

He knows. I thought.

"Do you think he realized the truth?" Hilde asked after a moment of silence. "Do you thing he suspects this girl could possibly be who we think she is?"

"There is no doubt in my mind. He figured it out the moment he looked at you, my love." I replied.

I could see the wheels turning in Rider's head as he stared at Hilde. I could see the moment when what must have been dozens of bits of information gleaned over who knows how long suddenly fell into place. Rider glanced at me and then back at Hilde. Slowly he nodded. "I do."

I nodded as well as Hilde clutched at my arm. "Then go. It sounds like you don't have much time to waste." The look he gave us was grateful and humble all at once.

"Thank you." He said, grabbing my hands and shaking them. "Thank you!" That said, Flynn Rider turned on his heel to leave at a run. Before he got more than two steps, however, there was a loud equine challenge. Maximus came charging in through the gates, followed by a rag-tag group of thugs. The apparent rescue party came to a surprised halt just in front of Rider, who appeared to be just as surprised.

He looked from horse to thugs and back before addressing the animal. "Max? You brought them here?"

The white horse nodded as one of the thugs spoke up. He jerked his hook at Maximus and said, "He told us that the blonde missy was in trouble and we needed to come rescue you to help her. Though," he looked Flynn Rider up and down, and then eyed Hilde, myself, and the silently watching crowd, "seems to be, you ain't needing our help this time."

"No, but I appreciate the thought, guys." Rider told the hook-handed man. "Thank you. I mean it. Let's go Max." With that, he vaulted into the horse's saddle. Behind me, I could hear the Captain give another strangled squawk, either from the thief's commandeering of his horse or the fact that Maximus was letting him do it without protest. Maximus whinnied eagerly as Rider got into place and then reared a little, pivoting on his hind hooves.

"Flynn Rider." I called out. He and Maximus paused to look at me. At that moment I wasn't sure why I had called out to him. It was obvious from what I had witnessed that it was important that he not be delayed. I felt I had to say something. But what? Should I warn him what would happen should he betray this trust I was putting in him? That seemed boorish. Should I wish him luck? No, that felt like it would put a jinx on things. Finally I said, "Just… bring her home. Please."

Flynn Rider gave a smile, a truly reassuring one. "The name's Eugen Fitzherbert, your Majesty. And I will. I promise!" With that, he snapped the reins and Maximus took off at a gallop back out the gates.

All I and Hilde could do was watch the pair left and pray.

That had all been hours ago. The Captain of the Guard had been furious about Rider's escape, though technically I had released him. He, of course, wanted to go after the thief, but I had ordered him to remain in the palace. In fact, he was under strict orders to not leave the premises.

The thugs had been questioned. They confirmed that a girl with blonde hair had indeed been to their pub, the Snuggly Duckling. And that she had come and left in Flynn Rider's company. It appeared that this girl had befriended these men. So much so that they had been willing to risk their freedom just to break Rider out of prison. As a thank you for their information, I left orders with my guards that the men would be allowed to depart unmolested.

I also left orders that when Flynn Rider, or Eugene Fitzherbert if that was his real identity, returned he and anyone with him were to be brought to the Grand Balcony. And that Hilde and I were to be informed the moment they arrived.

"You know, I think…" I paused as I contemplated they garden beyond the window; seeing it, but not really seeing it. "I thing that even if she isn't our daughter, I will allow this… Eugene Fitzherbert… his life. He is a changed man and no longer the thief we knew."

I could see Hilde smile in approval in the reflection of the window glass. "I think you should, Leo. He deserves a second chance." She turned back to her book. "And if she is our daughter?"

I linked my hands behind my back. "Then you and I will be having an outlaw for an in-law." I couldn't help but chuckle as Hilde rolled her eyes.

"You and your horrible puns." She mock-complained.

The two of us fell into silence again, returning to our own thoughts. It didn't last long as the sound of running footsteps could be heard in the hallway. The double doors to the room were flung open. My wife and I both looked towards the doorway. One of the guards stood there with a peculiar expression on his face. Like he couldn't believe what he had seen, but didn't dare disbelieve it either.

I turned away from the window and Hilde slowly stood from her chair, her book clutched in her hands.

The guard nodded, unable to form words.

Hilde's book hit the tiled floor with a thud as she flew out the door. I was right behind her. Servants and nobles stared at us as we ran through the halls of the castle. It had to have been an odd sight for them as kings and queens were not supposed to ever run for any reason. Not that it mattered to us at that moment.

It wasn't long before we reached the great doors that lead to the Grand Balcony. Hilde and I paused at the same time to look at each other. I'm sure my expression mirrored my wife's. Her thoughts were probably the same as mine as well.

Is this the end of eighteen years of waiting and searching?

The answer to that question lay just beyond that set of doors.

Taking a deep breath, I put both hands on the leaves of the door and pushed them open. They swung open with very little sound. And there on the other side, standing in the niche where my wife and I set off the First Lantern every year, was a young couple holding hands. The bond between the two clearly evident by the way they were leaning into each other. They both turned at the sound of the door opening.

Flynn Rider's tall figure was of hardly any notice at the sight of the girl, young woman really, who stood barefoot next to him in a pale lavender dress. The first thing I felt was disappointment, for instead of blonde, this girl had short choppy brown hair. Our daughter had been born a blonde and the information from the Snuggly Duckling thugs indicated that this mystery girl of Rider's was a blonde as well. So who was this one?

Rider slipped his hand from the girl's and set a hand to her shoulder to nudge her forward. As she stepped away from his side, an odd expression came over her pretty heart-shaped face. It was hopeful and fearful. As if she wasn't at all confident about this meeting.

Very slowly, Hilde went down the few steps from the doorway. I followed a few paces behind her as she drew closer to the girl. As my wife hesitantly reached out a hand to touch the girl's chin, I glanced over at Rider for an explanation.

But the former thief only had eyes for this girl. He was focused so entirely on her as if she were a lodestone and he a compass needle. I looked back to the girl again.

Hilde stared into this young girl's face for what seemed like a very long time, searching for something in her eyes that could prove whether or not this brown-haired girl was the same as our daughter. After an eternity (or a heartbeat) my wife released a tiny sob of relief as she cupped the girl's cheek. The girl's expression changed as well, the anxiety and fear vanishing as she broke into a tearfully relieved smile. And in that moment the two of them threw their arms around each other in a tight embrace.

I could not deny that I still harboured a bit of doubt as I came up behind them. Despite my conviction earlier to the contrary, there was still a chance this was the wrong girl. We might have all been mistaken. But then she lifted her head from Hilde's shoulder to look at me with very familiar tear-filled emerald green eyes.

And I knew.

This was my daughter!

Chortling happily, I circled around my wife to join her in embracing this girl, our Rapunzel, returned home. Overcome with the joy of our reunion, the three of us dropped to our knees right there on the balcony, Royal Dignity be damned.

This was the moment Hilde and I had been waiting on for the last eighteen years. A giant hole that had been in our lives and hearts was finally filled. There were millions of questions I wanted to ask, but at that moment I just wanted to savour having my little girl back in my arms again. I'm sure Hilde felt the same.

But we had left someone out of our reunion. The Someone who had made it all possible. Well, my wife did not leave him out for very long. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of her lifting her head from on top of Rapunzel's to look up at Flynn Rider, or rather Eugene Fitzherbert. And knowing just the kind of plucky woman my wife was (though I suspect he had no clue), I knew exactly what she planned the moment she held out her hand to the young man.

So I moved my arm out of the way at the same moment that she pulled him into our group hug. He landed next to me and I put my arm around his shoulders. I could feel the young man tense up. I could only imagine what was going through his mind. Here he was, the most wanted thief (former) in the kingdom, now joining in on the family reunion of the Royal Family.

I squeezed his shoulder lightly in reassurance and spoke softly so that only he would hear. "Thank you."

He looked at me for a moment, relaxed, and gave a slight smile. "You're welcome, sir." Carefully he threaded his arms around my daughter in a way that proved my prediction right.

"And welcome to the family." I replied.