So have you guys heard the news? We'll get a Tangled animated TV show in 2017! *squeals happily* Of course we still have to wait two more years but who cares, I've waited long enough.

Anyway, I'm happy to tell you that we're almost there, we're almost reaching the end of this story. Just two more chapters plus the epilogue. Can you believe it? I certainly can't. So I'll just shut up now and let you read.

Warning: angsty chapter ahead, I do believe this is the darkest part of the entire story, so grab a box of tissues because this will be an emotionally draining thing to read.

Disclaimer: if I owned Tangled we'd get a sequel instead of a TV show, but okay...

Good girls hopeful they'll be and lonely will wait.

We had a beautiful, magic, love there

What a sad, beautiful, tragic love affair.

- Sad Beautiful Tragic by Taylor Swift

The cold, crispy night was tainted with the strong smell of smoke in the air. What had started as a beautiful summer evening had turned into a torturous night, the previously starlit sky had darkened with ominous clouds, which wouldn't have been all that strange if they hadn't been a clear sign of the ashes and smoke leaking into the sky.

The Captain of the Guards had definitely seen better days. He'd be more concerned about the desperate cries of the citizens of Corona and the flames invading the village if he didn't have more pressing matters at hand.

With a firm cry he ordered the party of guards at his command to go faster. Venturing into the dark forest with nothing more than a few torches to illuminate the area was probably not the best idea, but they had no other option at the moment. If they didn't find the princess and his newlywed husband before the darned witch got her clutches on them, they wouldn't hear the end of it.

The darkness of the night seemed impenetrable, the hint of pine wood was now overshadowed by the smell of smoke penetrating the air. The Captain pulled on the reins of his stallion - not for the first time wishing he was riding a more efficient horse like Maximus instead - and slowed into a trot. His dark eyes darted over the shadows overflowing the entire forest.

The silence of the night was only broken by the distant cries and frenetic activity back in the village, but in the vastness of the woods it was only a faint, macabre echo. He strained his ears, waiting for any sign or sound that would hint him to the whereabouts of the princess and Rider, but the sound of crushing leaves under the horses' hooves was the only thing audible.

He distinctly remembered a similar night, almost twenty years ago. Their pursuit was the same, but the results of their chase were fruitless. He hoped this time would be different. If they returned to the palace empty-handed again, the king would surely have their heads.

The sound of a blood-curdling scream resonating in the distance instantly snapped him out of his thoughts. He urged his horse forward, breaking into a gallop as the whole party followed behind him, trying to follow the sound of the distressed cries. They were distinctly female.

The branches and vines made the path difficult to follow, especially when the light of their torches wasn't enough to break the darkness ahead. A cold familiar voice was added to the desperate cries - they were getting closer.

With the heels of his boot digging into the horse's sides, he urged him to go faster, but the dense woods wouldn't allow it. They couldn't afford to lose the princess again.

After a few moments that to the Captain seemed like hours, the silence returned, only broken by the chirping crickets and the crushing leaves beneath him.

"We're losing the track, Sir."

"You don't say!" Snapped the Captain sarcastically, wishing there would be any other trace to follow.

As if answering his pleadings, the sound of a horse's furious neighing was heard a few miles ahead. They sprinted towards the sound, the noise getting louder and louder the closer they got. The Captain tugged at the reins, giving a sharp turn to the left, and instantly froze on his tracks.

The light of the torches was enough to illuminate the small area. The sight that met them wasn't comforting at all. A huge white stallion struggled against the ropes tying him to a sturdy tree trunk, huffing and neighing, he desperately pulled on the ropes trying in vain to break free.

He would've recognized that horse anywhere.

"Maximus?" Aware that his voice came out more confused than it ought, the Captain cleared his throat loudly, successfully gaining the attention of the struggling horse.

Maximus' furious tugging ceased, his head snapping to attention as he looked at the Captain with a wild gaze. As soon as he recognized the man, his huffing turned a bit more whining. He seemed to be nodding towards something out of the Captain's sight.

Perplexed by the situation, the Captain dismounted his own horse, carefully stepping towards the white stallion, his hand raised in a calming gesture.

That's when he finally noticed the reason for Maximus' desperate struggles.

"What-" he was cut off by his own surprise. Lying in a crumpled state, his back resting against a tree, was the body of a certain man the Captain was not exactly fond of.

"Rider?" His gruff confused question was only answered by a faint groan - too weak for his liking.

The Captain carefully knelt next to the young man's body, quickly inspecting for a possible injury that would explain Rider's crumpled state. He didn't have to search for long.

His limp hand was covering part of his abdomen, but it wasn't enough to hide the alarming trail of blood staining the man's previously white vest. The Captain's throat closed up despite himself, and biting back a surprised gasp, he carefully lifted the younger man's arm, uncovering the injury below.

A feeling akin to dread settled on the pit of his stomach.

"Someone hand me a clean cloth, quick!"

While the rustling sound of the guard's movements echoed behind him, his searching eyes tried to survey the gravity of the wound before him.

His eyes instantly snapped back to Rider's face at the sound of his weak coughing, and relief washed over him at the sight of his - although twisted in a pained grimace - still somewhat clean face. As long as he didn't start coughing up blood, they could still handle this.

"Here, Sir." One of the guards handed him a clean piece of cloth, and he instantly pressed it gingerly against Rider's bleeding injury, careful not to press too hard against the gaping wound. Being the Captain of the Royal Guard, he'd seen his fair share of injuries, and he had treated enough to know what he was doing. Nevertheless, it didn't make the situation at hand any less worrisome. He knew a stab to the gut was often times mortal if it wasn't treated properly. And Rider definitely needed immediate attention.

The most pressing matter was to stop the bleeding though. It wouldn't do to take him back to the village if he bled out on the way there.

"Someone help me lie him down!" He ordered, and a few guards scrambled to his side, carefully helping him lift Rider's limp body and lie him straight on the ground. The rest of the guards occupied themselves in freeing a still struggling Maximus from the ropes tying him down.

The Captain patted the younger man's cheeks, maybe a bit more forcefully than necessary. "C'mon Rider, you gotta work with me, you hear me? You have to stay awake!"

Rider's eyes barely opened, but his pained groan at least indicated that he was conscious. He seemed to be struggling for breath, and he coughed weakly a few times before his voice finally worked.

"R-Ra-Rapunzel..." He rasped before his eyes fell shut again, his head lolling to the side. The Captain huffed, slapping his cheeks once more in a poor attempt to keep him awake, while another guard fulfilled the duty of keeping pressure on the wound to attempt to stop the bleeding. It didn't seem to be working.

"C'mon Rider, wake up!" This time his eyelids fluttered open long enough to focus on the Captain's face. His brow furrowed and he groaned once more, whether out of pain or aggravation the Captain couldn't tell.

"We have to get him back to the palace as soon as possible!" The Captain snapped, already thinking of how they would possibly carry him safely back to the palace without aggravating the injury.

Rider grunted, muttering something unintelligible as he tried to get the attention of the Captain. "No... You gotta..." He coughed and instantly winced in pain. "You gotta find her..."

If the situation had been any different, the Captain would've sworn he was imagining Rider's almost pleading gaze. "Where is she?"

He was sure the younger man was mustering all of his remaining energy just to roll his eyes at him. "Ho-how am I supposed to know?" He fixed the older man a withering glare before his eyes scrunched shut in pain. "S-she has her... Y-you gotta..." He gasped once more, seeming to be struggling for words. "You gotta find her before... Before she takes her..."

That was the last he said before his head lolled back once more, seemingly unconscious. The Captain pursed his lips, looking around him as if somehow he would find the princess hiding within the shadows of the trees.

"Right. You three" he stood up with a grunt and pointed to the first three men closest to Rider's limp body, including the guard pressing the now bloodstained cloth carefully over Rider's wound. "Lift him up, you'll carry him back to the palace."

"Uh... I don't think he's going to make it all the way back to the palace, Sir." The young guard attempting to stop Rider's bleeding pointed out hesitantly. "The bleeding won't stop. He'll bleed out before we make it there."

The Captain suppressed a groan. He didn't have time for this. But of course, Rider always seemed to find a way to make his work even more difficult.

"Alright, we'll split up." He pointed to the group of guards who had successfully freed Maximus. "This group will come with me. We have to keep searching for the princess."

"Conley!" He called out. The young guard stepped nervously towards the Captain.

"Y-Yes, Sir?" The Captain hoped he was only imagining the younger guard's trembling from head to toes.

"You're going to be in charge of the second party."

Conley's blue eyes widened almost comically. "M-Me, Sir?!"

"Yes, you." The Captain answered roughly. "Or is there another Conley here?"

The man in question shivered under the Captain's condescending stare. "N-no, Sir. But I-I don't-"

"You're going to make sure Rider makes it back to the village alive." The Captain cut off. "The first thing that needs to be done is stabilize the wound. We need to stop the bleeding and clean the wound, or else it will get infected."

Conley nodded shakily. "He won't make it back to the palace like this. As soon as you get to the village you go get help. Get him to the first physician you can get your hands on, I don't care who they are as long as they know what they're doing. Understood?"

The Captain fixed the small group of guards with a hard stare. They all nodded quickly in response. "Right, well what are you waiting for? Get him out of here!"

He instructed them on the way they should carry the injured man without disturbing the wound any more than absolutely necessary. Three guards were appointed to the job. One lifting his legs, the other one lifting his torso - one hand still applying slight pressure to the wound in order to stop the bleeding. The third one securing his shoulders and head. Between the three men they managed to carry Rider in a somewhat completely straight position.

The Captain silently thanked the stars that they were not that far away from the village. It wouldn't take them long to get there, hopefully it would be enough to keep Rider alive until they managed to get help.

He watched the guards carefully leave towards the village, but stopped Conley before he could make it too far away. "I don't think I need to remind you how important this particular mission is, do I Conley?" The Captain's hard stare made the younger man quiver in his place. "Rider has to make it back to the palace alive, got it? Unless you want to be the one to tell the princess that she's a widow before she could even get to enjoy her honeymoon."

"N-no, Sir- I-I mean yes, Sir" Conley stuttered pathetically, giving a shaky salute. The Captain resisted the urge to facepalm himself, sighing roughly in annoyance. He watched Conley disappear behind the shadows of the night, silently praying that the young guard wouldn't screw up this time.

"Right. Gentlemen, we have a princess to find. Now move!" He cried firmly, watching as the guards scrambled back towards their horses, preparing themselves to search the woods once more.

With a firm stride he carefully approached his previous loyal companion, reaching a hand out to pat Maximus' snout in a friendly gesture.

"Ready to get back on the job again, Maximus?"

The white stallion neighed enthusiastically giving what seemed like a determined nod. The Captain smiled triumphantly, before mounting the horse's back. And for the first time in a long time, he felt in sync with his searching companion.

"Right, let's find the princess!"

And they were off with a firm snap of the reins.

To say that the kingdom of Corona was in a state of chaos would be an understatement. The burning flames seemed to consume everything within their path, and the unnatural heat was ten times more devastating than natural fire, and much more difficult to appease.

The citizens of Corona worked together to control the fire consuming the village. Buckets after buckets of water were poured over the leaking flames, people helping each other treat the injured and rescue the ones who were unfortunate enough to get trapped within the inferno.

Chaos broke all over the kingdom.

After what seemed like hours, that to the Queen felt like an eternity, the Royal Guards had managed to appease the burning flames that had invaded the palace of Corona. Fortunately, the fire seemed to have only damaged what was the courtyard and part of the vestibule and left side of the castle. She felt part of the weight that had settled over her chest since the beginning of the nightmarish events disappear when she was informed that there had been no casualties concerning the royal guests.

At least that would save them some serious political problems.

They still couldn't tell the extent of the damage that had been caused to the village, though.

She busied herself helping in whatever she could manage. First directing the royal guests, nobles and dignitaries to a safe part of the palace, away from the chaos and the still prominent smell of smoke and ashes. She assigned each guest to a temporary room within the undamaged part of the castle, making sure the maids provided the nobles with whatever they asked for to keep them somewhat pleased until she and her husband could take better control of the situation.

The King meanwhile directed another party of guards to aid the villagers with the flames still burning through the town.

There was no telling how many injured and deceased the burning inferno had left on its wake, but the King and Queen made sure to open the palace's doors and provide with shelter, food and medical attention to the most needed people. The royal physician would be working the whole night, treating the injured and helping the ones who had suffered from smoke inhalation.

Now that everything was settling into a less panicked hubbub and the atmosphere was no longer one of alarm - now replaced by a panorama of depressive devastation - the Queen's nerves spiraled out of control once again.

As she surveyed the damaged kingdom from the safety of the King's office, a feeling of dread settled over her stomach, making her wring her hands nervously and bite her lips in apprehension.

It was just a matter of minutes before she started pacing nervously from one end of the room to the other, her green eyes sweeping from the devastating sight of the kingdom to the seemingly intact darkness of the woods beyond the stone bridge.

That was her daughter's last destination.

"Catherine, dear, would you stop the pacing? It's making me dizzy."

The Queen jumped slightly at the deep sound of her husband's voice. She whirled around to face him, her previously nervous eyes hardening a little. "Well, I'm sorry if it's bothering you, but it helps with my nerves."

The King heaved out an exhausted sigh. "She will be okay, she's with Eugene after all." A shadow settled over her husband's aging face, his wrinkles appeared more prominent now than they had been that very same morning. "He wouldn't let anything bad happen to her."

She wasn't sure if he was trying to convince himself more than her.

The Queen resumed her pacing. "But she's still out there hunting them down!" Her normally collected demeanor crumpled at the thought. "What if she caught up with them? You know Eugene can't do much against her and the Stabbingtons."

Her husband opened his mouth, ready to retort but he was suddenly cut off by the distant sound of startled cries coming from the village below.

The Queen instantly turned her attention back to the huge window overlooking the kingdom, her face almost pressed against the glass in an attempt to see what was happening below.

"What is going on?"

"I can't tell..." She muttered, trying in vain to make out the scene below her. A huge crowd was gathered just at the entrance of the courtyard, making it difficult to see. The distinct golden glint of shining metal was the only thing that revealed the small group of royal guards hardly making their way through the prominent crowd blocking their way.

"Some guards are coming." She informed her husband, her brow furrowing slightly at the sight before her. She could only catch a glimpse of a simple wooden stretcher and the faint shadow of a body. "They seem to be bringing someone injured with them."

This time her heart didn't jump to her throat, like it had done the first few times. They had brought enough injured people to be examined by the royal physician during the curse of the night. This wouldn't be the first nor the last one. Nevertheless, it didn't make the situation any less painful. Her heart clenched at the thought of her people being injured and dying all because of that wicked woman.

She averted her gaze, choosing to sit on a small coach in the far end of the room instead. Her fingers twisted in the fabric of her dress, wrinkling and smoothing the soft silk in a systematic way as her eyes fixed on the dark night sky outside.

A few minutes passed, but for her time seemed to be moving in slow motion. She was still writhing her hands nervously when the door to the King's office bursted open. She started at the sound, bolting to her feet as she focused on the page standing before her.

"Your Majesties, your presence is required in the vestibule. It's urgent." The young man bowed his head slightly.

"What happened?" The Queen asked, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. "Is it my daughter? Have they found her?"

The younger man averted his eyes, shifting nervously on his feet.

"What is it?" She prodded, stepping closer to the young servant.

"It's... your daughter's husband, Your Majesty." The page avoided her concerned gaze. "They've found him."

She knew something had gone terribly wrong as soon as she had heard the news. With her stomach knotted in nerves and trembling legs, she swiftly made her way down the hallways, trying not to sprint into a run and constantly looking back over her shoulder to hurry at her husband's slower pace.

It hadn't taken long for them to make it to the vestibule, but she couldn't have prepared herself for the sight that greeted her.

Her heart sank to her feet as soon as she laid eyes on her son-in-law. Her hand went to cover her mouth, but that didn't prevent the horrified gasp that escaped her.

"What happened?" It was her husband's deep voice that asked the question that had been hanging in the back of her throat since the moment the servant delivered the news. And she was glad he had been the one who asked, because she didn't trust her voice not to break as soon as she spoke.

"We found him injured in the woods, Your Highness." A young guard answered dutifully. "We believe he was attacked just minutes before we found him."

She wasn't sure if her knees would give out at any moment, but she still took a shaky step forward, a trembling hand reaching for the limp body lying over the stretcher.

Her eyes swept over the young man's unconscious body, taking in his frail state. He had been stripped from his wedding attire, his torso now tightly wrapped up in bandages, which failed to hide the spot of dark blood staining the white cloth over the right side of his lower abdomen. His face was unnaturally pale, his eyebrows scrunched up in pain. She didn't want to look at the purplish bruise spreading over his ribs and across his chest, instead her eyes settled over the imprinted purpling marks surrounding the skin of his neck, a thin cut barely visible over it.

"He needs immediate attention, we have strict orders to take him to the royal physician as soon as possible."

The King's voice raised over the panicked voices and shouts that filtered from outside. "Take him to the infirmary wing, now! And you," he pointed to another guard. "Go find Dr. Greem, tell him it's an emergency and he is needed in the infirmary wing as soon as possible."

The guard nodded and sprinted out of the room. Meanwhile the other three made a move to lift the wooden stretcher carrying Eugene's battered body.

"Wait!" The words tumbled past her lips without her even realizing it. The Queen's green eyes met one of the guard's gaze, and she willed her voice not to waver when she spoke next. "My daughter...?"

She couldn't finish her question, but she knew the guard had understood. His gaze suddenly turned apologetic, and the slight hope that she had managed to keep left her as soon as he spoke.

"She was nowhere to be found, Your Majesty. I'm sorry." He averted his eyes, pity clouding his stare. "But the Captain went with a search party to find her, they're still looking for her."

That was little console for her mind, and she watched helplessly as they carried Eugene away, their shadows disappearing behind a corner.

That had been the last she saw of her son-in-law. Now she paced restlessly outside the infirmary wing while her husband watched from a distance, his stance rigid and his weary eyes following her every move. She tried to conceal the panic slowly raising deep in her chest.

Something must had gone terribly wrong. She knew Rapunzel wouldn't leave Eugene injured in the woods even if her own life was being threatened, and she knew Eugene would willingly give his own life to protect her daughter. And that was apparently what had happened.

"She found them." Her voice came out distant and haunted, just barely a faint whisper loud enough for the King to hear. "She found them and Eugene must have tried to protect her, so she tried to get rid of him and now..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence as her heart clenched and her stomach lurched.

"Now she has Rapunzel again."

King Edward didn't need to argue, she could tell he was thinking the same. There was no other explanation. And now her son-in-law was most likely battling between life and death just on the other side of that door.

"Do you think he will make it?" Asked Queen Catherine, her voice wavering just slightly.

King Edward sighed heavily, his eyes searching the room. "Dr. Greem is the best healer in the kingdom. He is in good hands."

"That doesn't mean he will be able to save him." Reasoned the Queen, her hands trembling as she laced her fingers together. "He looked pretty bad when they brought him."

Her stomach churned as the image of Eugene, pale and unconscious lying over the wooden stretcher filled her mind. She didn't even want to think about what had happened to him back in the woods. She didn't want to think about what would happen if he didn't make it alive.

Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest, and she realized that she was not only hurting for her daughter. If Eugene died, Rapunzel wouldn't be the only one who suffered his loss.

Over the course of the last year and a half that they had spent together, the King and Queen had come to get to know Eugene in a deeper level. If someone had told her a few years ago that she would come to appreciate the most wanted thief in the kingdom - Flynn Rider- she would've thought them crazy.

As it was, Eugene was naturally charming. His cocky attitude and snarky remarks didn't quite gained him the sympathy of the council members or the Royal guards, but to the King and Queen his sometimes arrogant persona was only a mask he managed to carry around to hide his true personality.

He couldn't hide his love for Rapunzel, though. Not even if he tried. It was obvious to anyone who payed attention. His eyes lit up whenever Rapunzel was around, it wasn't hard to see the devotion present in his face when he looked at the young princess. The Queen knew, since the moment she saw them interact with each other, that Eugene was exactly what her daughter needed.

Surprisingly enough, she discovered that the young ex-thief was actually quite kind when he wanted to. And contrary to popular belief, he was also incredibly sweet and selfless. Of course that wasn't a facet of his personality he was too eager to show. But the Queen saw it, every time he was with Rapunzel. He managed to make her laugh on days she wouldn't even smile, he was patient and understanding, and there was a hint of tenderness he reserved only for Rapunzel.

And to the Queen's own surprise, he not only managed to steal the young princess' heart, but also gained himself a special spot in the Queen's heart as well. She had considered him a part of the family since she had welcomed him with open arms and a grateful smile, but she hadn't realized just how fond she had grown of the young man until now.

She tried to swallow the lump in her throat as she considered the whole situation. She didn't know if she could handle the loss of the man she had grown to love and appreciate like the son she never had on top of the disappearance of her own daughter. The fear and worry were slowly overcoming her, threatening to break her and make her crumble to her knees in a fit of hysterical angst.

But she needed to be strong, for her kingdom and for her daughter. She couldn't let herself loose hope.

Just as she was resuming her pacing back and forth outside the infirmary wing, the doors to the room bursted open, and she snapped her head up, whirling around to face the short man emerging from within the room.

Her heart leapt to her throat as she approached him urgently. "Dr. Greem, how is he?"

King Edward came to stand next to her, his face an almost perfect blank mask but his eyes betrayed his worry.

The royal physician sighed heavily, taking his rounded spectacles off to rub his eyes tiredly. "We did the best we could, Your Majesty."

"Is he...?" The Queen trailed off, her eyes slowly clouding with unshed tears.

"He's still alive, for now." Dr. Greem answered tiredly. The King and Queen couldn't hide their relief, both letting out a breath they didn't even know they were holding.

"It was a good idea that the guards decided to get him to another healer before they brought him here." Continued the royal physician. "They managed to somewhat control the hemorrhage and clean the wound, which is what has ultimately kept him alive for this long."

"How is he doing now?"

"Not good, I'm afraid. Fortunately the wound was not as deep as it seemed, at least it doesn't seem to have punctured any vital organs. But he still lost a lot of blood on the way." The healer paused on his explanation, rubbing his forehead tiredly. "He was also badly beaten. He seems to have a few fractured ribs and a serious bruise on the neck, which is a sign that someone attempted to strangle him."

The Queen's hands flew to her mouth, her chest tightening at the thought. "I have already thoroughly cleaned and sutured the wound, but given its location there's still a high risk of infection."

"Is he going to be okay?" This time it was the King who asked, a slightly hard edge to his voice betrayed his concern.

The royal physician hesitated before answering. "It's hard to tell for now. The thing is, he lost a lot of blood before they managed to control the bleeding, and infection is even more mortal than the wound itself. If it gets infected, there's little I can do to save him."

"He will be lucky if he survives the night." He finished with a slight twist of his mouth. The Queen's throat closed up, her heart heavy with worry.

"What else can we do?" She asked, desperate to find a way to guarantee Eugene's safety.

"There's nothing else we can do but wait. But I must warn you, Your Majesty; I'm afraid he won't be able to make it."

"H-how long...?" Her voice broke before finishing the question, a tear slowly trailing down her cheek.

"I can't be sure, a few days at most if he doesn't catch infection." The healer said, an apologetic glint in his eyes. "But it would be a miracle if he manages to pull through that without any further complications."

"Is there a chance he could survive at all?" The King asked.

"I don't- he may have a chance if the wound heals fast enough. You see, the longer the wound takes to heal, the higher the risk of infection." Dr. Greem explained. "But I'm afraid the chances are little to none, Your Highness."

"There must be something else we can do! Anything!" She couldn't let him die. If Eugene didn't survive Rapunzel wouldn't be able to take it.

"I have already done everything I can to keep him alive, Your Majesty." The royal physician sighed. He paused for a second, a thoughtful look crossing his features as he rubbed his chin. "Although..."

"What? What is it?"

The healer hesitated before answering. "There... might be another option... But..." He trailed off, shaking his head slightly as if to discard the absurd thought.

The Queen pressed on. "What is it? We would do anything."

"It's too risky- I wouldn't advice to try it, Your Majesty. Plus I can't guarantee it to be successful." Dr. Greem warned carefully.

"What are you talking about?" The King urged.

The royal physician regarded them carefully for a few seconds before finally answering. "There may be a way to accelerate Mr. Fitzherbert's healing process."

"H-how?" The Queen's heart raced at the possibility.

"There is a flower, a special flower. It is rumored to have exceptional healing properties." The healer explained.

"Like... Like the one that healed my wife?" Asked King Edward, a slight frown on his face.

"Not exactly." The healer pointed out. "That flower had special powers, a sort of magic within. Certainly a unique specimen. However, the one I am talking about has no magic properties, although its healing components are rumored to be incredibly powerful. The concoction of the oil extract from this flower's petals combined with other healing herbs has been rumored to have demonstrated incredible results in the healing process of deep wounds, helping it scar faster than normal, and successfully preventing infection in most cases."

"It is an incredibly rare plant. Datura, most commonly known as the Moon Flower, for this particular species only blooms at night." The royal physician explained. "I must remind you, your Majesties, that its healing properties are mostly based on rumors. I have no actual evidence of its results. Granted it is quite famous and commonly used in the southern kingdoms."

"The magical flower that saved my life was said to be only a legend." Said the Queen, a desperate edge in her voice. "I've seen enough to know nothing is completely impossible. If you could use the flower's ointment-"

"That's the problem, your Highness." The healer cut off. "The Moon Flower only grows in the southern islands. The closest we have is the Kingdom of Talmaritia. We do not have time to ask for a shipment of Daturas. By the time they come it would already be too late."

The speck of hope beginning to grow in the Queen's heart instantly died out. But what if... "If we can't bring them here... maybe we could take him there?" She mused.

"That was the risk I was talking about. It wouldn't be advisable to move the patient while he's in such a delicate state. There is quite a high probability that he won't survive the journey. The risk of infection would increase considerably if he were to travel by sea."

"The journey to Talmaritia is only a few day's time, two at the most." Considered the Queen, her mind going a mile per hour. "If he stays here, he probably won't make it more than three days. But if he goes... If he makes it through the journey..."

"The possibility of that is very low, your highness." The royal physician pointed out.

"But so are his chances of surviving anyway if he stays." She countered, already considering the idea. They needed to try, they couldn't just let him die.

There was a moment of silence before the healer heaved out a weary sigh. "I'll let you consider it for a while, but if we are going to move him it needs to be done as soon as possible. You have the last word, Your Majesties." The royal physician bowed his head slightly before retiring, leaving the couple alone in the hallway, a heavy silence lingering between them.

"Catherine...?" King Edward stretched out his hand reaching for his wife, but she ignored his questioning glance and stepped forward. Her hands shook as she pushed the double doors to the infirmary wing open, stepping into the dimly lit room.

The smell of some strong herbs and blood still lingered in the air. The Queen stepped closer to the bed in the middle of the room, where her son-in-law's body lied, unconscious and battered. His face still appeared alarmingly pale, but the pained grimace had disappeared, replaced by a disturbingly blank expression. His torso and chest were tightly wrapped in bandages, successfully hiding the bruises and wounds beneath the linen fabric. In the darkness of the room, it was easy to pretend he was submerged in a deep sleep.

She'd like to believe that was the case. Upon closer inspection, she noticed his chest slightly rising with every breath he took, but his breathing was shallow and faint. He looked too fragile, too weak. It was hard to believe this was the same man that had stood up to that horrible witch just mere hours before, standing tall and defiant, not a single hint of fear in his face even if his eyes betrayed his concern.

A tear slipped down the Queen's cheek, her lips trembling in her effort to control her restrained sobs. She knew it now, she could feel it in her chest. He wouldn't make it, not if he stayed. He was way too pale, far too weak. It was a miracle they had been able to keep him alive for this long, but how much time did they still have before his body finally succumbed?

What would Rapunzel do when she came home to the news that her newlywed husband had passed away in her absence. The grieve would overtake her, that was for sure.

"Catherine... You can't be suggesting..." The King's deep voice rasped somewhere behind her. But she had already made up her mind, there was no other way... They had to.

"What other choice do we have?" She sighed before turning to face her husband. Now that they were alone, King Edward had finally let slip his mask of almost indifferent silence. She knew that frown, she could detect the worry hiding in his eyes, the way his mouth pursed just slightly. He was just as worried as her.

"You heard the healer, it is too risky."

"If he stays he will die anyway." She snapped, her voice strong despite her grief. "Look at him! You think he will make it more than a few days?"

"What if they find Rapunzel? What if she comes back home in time? You know she could heal him." The King tried to reason with her, and for a moment the Queen allowed herself to consider the possibility. But she dismissed the thought as soon as it came.

"The last time our daughter went missing she was gone for eighteen years." She scowled, her eyes ablaze and her jaw set firm. She couldn't let her hopes up, she couldn't let her resolve break. "We can't just wait until a miracle happens, we have to do something!"

"And what if he dies on the way to Talmaritia? What if he only gets worse?" The King's deep blue eyes bore into hers, his stare pleading. "You said it yourself, he's too weak already."

The Queen closed her eyes. "We have to at least try." She whispered. "Rapunzel would never forgive us if we didn't do anything else to save him. We have to take the risk."

Her husband didn't look the slightest bit convinced. His eyes drifted to the injured man lying on the bed beside her, his gaze softening just slightly. With a frown, he let out a heavy sigh.

"What if Rapunzel comes back and he's still gone? What are we going to tell her?"

The Queen turned her back to him. "That we did what needed to be done." She didn't want her daughter to suffer any more than she already had. She desperately hoped with all her heart that Eugene would be strong enough to survive the sail to Talmaritia. That her decision wouldn't deliberately end his life. It was their last hope, that Moon Flower was the only chance they had to save him, and she would take it no matter what.

She took a step closer to the bed, reaching out a shaking hand to stroke Eugene's brown hair, gently brushing it back from his face.

"You need to be strong for her." She whispered, her voice barely audible for anyone to hear. "She needs you now more than ever, you can't leave her now."

He had a whole life ahead of him. Fate couldn't be that cruel to take him away now that he had just married. She needed to hold onto that last bit of hope, she needed to believe that this was for the better.

Holding back her tears she pressed a gentle kiss to the young man's forehead, the gesture felt too much like a goodbye.

With one last sigh she stepped back, turning around to face her husband once more. "Edward, please tell the royal physician that we have made our decision. Eugene will leave in the first boat headed to Talmaritia, at the crack of dawn"

She had lost count of the time she had spent in the darkness, her knees growing stiff and her throat raw after screaming for so long. It could've been hours, maybe even days. She didn't know and she had stopped caring somewhere along the way. Her eyes felt dry and swollen, she had no more tears to shed anymore. She wished her heart would understand that the pain was going to kill her if it didn't stop soon.

The tender skin around her wrists and ankles had been scrapped raw until they bled after pulling for God knows how long against the shackles trapping her to the stone walls. Only a pale silvery streak of moonlight filtered through the tiny window on the top of the adjacent wall, illuminating the stained and torn silky fabric of her wedding gown. She averted her gaze, the offending cloth only a reminder of everything that had been so cruelly taken away from her.

She pressed her knees against her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs in a poor attempt to console herself. As if she could hold herself together before the crumbling pieces of her heart finally came apart. She didn't close her eyes, every time she made that mistake the image of Eugene's face crumpling in agony as Gothel's deadly dagger pierced his skin assaulted her mind, and her own heart screamed in pain as if she was the one who had been stabbed.

The sound of the rickety door creaking made her jump slightly, her head snapping towards the entrance of her lonely prison. The door's hinges groaned as someone pulled it open, an enormous shadow stepping into the dark room, the moonlight barely illuminating the glint of red in a pair of heads.

She averted her gaze the moment she recognized her captors. The redhead twins closed the door behind them with a loud thud, their yellowing teeth glinting in the moonlight as they shared identical malicious grins. Rapunzel pressed herself back against the wall, wishing she could blend and disappear within the stone as the twins took a step toward her.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." Chuckled the twin with the prominent scar. "Such a pitiful state for such a pretty thing, don't you think?"

They approached her cautiously, like wolves circling their prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. She shivered under their menacing stares, determined not to look up and give away her fear.

"Rider was definitely a lucky bastard." The man rasped as he regarded her carefully. She could feel their eyes boring into her. "Always the opportunist, that slimy rat he was. No wonder he decided to woo none other than the princess of Corona herself."

The twin with the eyepatch grinned sardonically. "A wise choice, I'll give him that. Not only would he live like a king for the rest of his life, but he would also have quite the pretty body to warm his bed at night."

She flinched at their dark chuckles, their presence looming over her like a storm in the distance, ready to destroy everything in its path. She still didn't look up, even when she could feel the heat of their bodies almost too close for her comfort.

Rapunzel's heart squeezed painfully at the mention of her beloved. The way they talked about him neither surprised her nor enraged her, she was way past that stage, the echo of his name only bringing a painful ache deep in her chest.

"Isn't it tragic though, that he didn't get to enjoy his beautiful wife?" Their husky voices made her stomach clench and her heart hammer against her ribcage, the urge to scream and run growing with each word they uttered. "I wonder..." One of them sneered, reaching a hand out to lightly touch her hair. She flinched away, pressing herself back against the wall. "Did he even get to touch her at all, to enjoy her body while he had the chance?"

Their dark laughter echoed in the empty room, making it seem more thunderous and menacing. In other circumstances she would've blushed furiously at their insinuations, but something in their voice made her chest squeeze unpleasantly.

"Oh, but not to worry," the other twin sneered, his eyes blazing dangerously. "We'll gladly do it for him."

Her head finally snapped up so quickly her neck almost hurt. Rapunzel's eyes narrowed, her gaze ablaze, not betraying the fear growing inside her as she struggled against the shackles restraining her wrists.

"Don't you dare touch me!" She hissed, her voice low and dangerous. She would put up a fight if she had to, she would fight tooth and nail before she let them lay a finger on her.

The twins chuckled darkly, dismissing her almost feral snarl with a lecherous sneer. "You're under no condition to make demands, princess."

"No she's not, but if you so much a lay a finger on her I will make sure you both miss your hands dearly in the morning."

The cold voice made Rapunzel's insides freeze. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or irate by her conveniently timed presence. Gothel's shadow lingered in the doorway, her glinting silvery eyes shining like the moonlight, however her cold stare offered no comfort, instead conveying danger and fear wherever her gaze settled.

The Stabbington twins instantly withdrew their reaching hands, taking a cautious step backwards. The slight trepidation was evident in their eyes but their scowls betrayed nothing but irritation.

"You promised us a reward. We've waited long enough as you asked, I think our payment is long overdue." The most outspoken one of the twins glowered in disdain.

Gothel's sneer glinted in the silvery light filtering through the small window. The shadows casting over her youthful face made her appear even more menacing and dangerous. "I promised you a monetary reward, she is not the price for you to claim."

"Well then, when will this monetary reward make its appearance? We've done everything you said and still haven't gained a thing in return!" Both Stabbingtons were getting worked up, their furious scowls and menacing stances would be a dangerous threat to anyone but the self-assured woman standing before them. As irritated as they were they wouldn't do anything against her if they valued their life.

Gothel was apparently thinking along the same lines. She strode gracefully inside the room, her eyes blazing dangerously. "Patience is a virtue boys, I do believe I've told you that before. And as for your reward," she looked them up and down, her calculative stare threatening. "don't you worry, you'll have it soon enough."

The pleasant fake smile plastered over her face instantly vanished to be replaced by a menacing scowl. "However, if you so much as dare lay a finger on her I swear I will make you suffer dearly for your mistake before I end your worthless lives. Did I make myself clear?"

The Stabbington brothers nodded meekly before brushing past her and exited the dark room. Rapunzel's chest heaved with a silent relieved sigh. She didn't allow herself to feel grateful towards the woman who had so cruelly taken everything she held dear and destroyed her happiness. She knew better by now, Gothel didn't do anything if it wasn't for her own benefit. However she couldn't help but wonder why she had stepped in and stopped the disgusting pair before they had the opportunity to abuse her.

Gothel eyed her carefully, as if determining if her precious possession hadn't suffered any damage. Before Rapunzel had time to muse over her own questions, Gothel whirled around, ready to leave her alone once more with nothing but the darkness enveloping her. A wave of panic seized her heart and made her throat close up.

"Wait!" She called out before she had time to stop herself. Her voice felt dry and hoarse after screaming for so long but that didn't prevent her pleading tone from showing. Gothel stopped just before reaching the door, hesitating for a moment before turning to face her.

Rapunzel swallowed. "Please, I need to know." She pushed herself to her knees, her gaze pleading as her eyes welled up with unshed tears. "I have to know... Is he...?"

She trailed off, the lump in her throat too large for her to swallow. But the question lingered in the air, the meaning behind it perfectly clear. She needed to know, she would cling to every last bit of hope if there was still a chance, however little it was, that he was still alive.

Gothel's brow furrowed, her lips pursed distastefully. "All you need to know, my flower, is that he will die anyway." She made a move to leave but Rapunzel's voice stopped her once more.

"Is he still alive?" Rapunzel waited with bated breath, watching Gothel carefully as the woman's hand lingered over the doorknob. "Please... I have a right to know..." She pleaded, disregarding the last bit of pride she still held, tears blurring her vision. After a moment of silence her patience finally snapped, anger swelling inside her at the injustice of it all. "You owe it to me, the least you can do is tell me if my husband is dead!"

Her voice echoed against the stone walls, the anger and desperation evident in her loud cry. Gothel instantly whirled around, however her previously indifferent expression had disappeared. Her eyes ablaze and her features taut and sharp, she glowered at Rapunzel, a deep disdain evident in her enraged scowl.

"Owe it to you?" She hissed, her voice a dangerous whisper. "Owe it to you?! I raised you like my own child. For eighteen years I took care of you as if you were my own daughter, I gave you shelter and protection, I gave you a place to call home, a warm bed to sleep at night and a descent meal every day. I gave you eighteen years of my life, taking care of you and protecting you from the world, and how did you repay me? By throwing me off the tower to my death! And I owe it to you?!"

Gothel's enraged screech made Rapunzel flinch, her pale cheeks turning red with anger. Rapunzel's growing despair clawed at her throat, her own anger flaring inside her at Gothel's tirade. "You never gave me a home, you imprisoned me for eighteen years tricking me into believing everything you said! You took away everything from me; my freedom, my life, my family, my whole happiness is now ruined because of you!" Her chest heaved angrily but she didn't relent.

Gothel's eyes narrowed into slits. "Well I wouldn't have had the need to do it if your family hadn't taken everything from me in the first place!" She cried, her face flushed with anger. "They took the only thing I ever held dear, the only thing I had left in the world. They didn't even ask before they ripped it apart, taking it away from me without so much as a glance. They selfishly destroyed it, all to save the life of their beloved queen and her unborn child!" She took a step towards her, her gaze wild as she gestured wildly. "All I ever did was to take back what rightfully belonged to me. All I wanted was my flower back, I deserved to have back what they stole away from me. I protected you and raised you, like a mother would take care of her child. I wasted eighteen years of my life trying to keep you safe. And all you did in return was send me to my death! I owe you absolutely nothing, if anything you owe me! You and your selfish parents that took the only thing I had left in the world and destroyed it."

Gothel's words felt like a slap in the face. The anger blazing inside her dissipated and morphed into an empty feeling of betrayal and bittersweet sadness. Suddenly everything made sense; the mother that always seemed to carry a burden on her shoulders, her exasperated sighs and derisive quips every time Rapunzel said or did something particularly foolish, her critics and condescending smiles followed by a faint spurt of tenderness and almost sweet pats on her hair or cheeks. What Rapunzel had confused with motherly love and sometimes slight exasperation was actually the facade of a woman carrying out a job that she absolutely despised. Despite her fake smiles and sometimes tender gestures, Gothel had always seen her as the reason why her happiness had been ripped away from her. She had always blamed Rapunzel for the loss of her precious treasure, always seen her as a reminder of her parents' 'selfishness'.

Deep inside her, Rapunzel had carried the hope that maybe Gothel had grown to at least appreciate her during the years they had spent together. After all, she had in fact raised her like her own child. But now Rapunzel could see she had been wrong all along. Gothel had never felt anything but resentment towards her. Her one and only love would always be the power of the healing flower.

Somewhere deep in her heart, the wound that Gothel's betrayal had left reopened. Because as much as she wanted to hate the woman before her, she couldn't force herself to despise her as much as she would've liked. Rapunzel had loved Gothel, she had loved her with all her heart, like a daughter would love her mother, and finding out the truth of her intentions had hurt her more than she'd like to admit. She had never wanted to see her die, she had never wished for anything bad to happen to her, despite all the damage and pain she had caused her. She would've liked to think Gothel had grown to love her just a little, she would've liked to forgive her for everything she had done. Because at some point, she had been her mother, the woman with whom she shared her dreams and hopes, the person who took care of her and comforted her in those dark nightmare-plagued nights. She would've liked to believe not all of that had been fake.

A lonely tear slipped past her eyelashes. "I-I never wanted things to end that way." Rapunzel whispered, her breath hitched in her throat as she spoke. "I never wanted you to die. I would change everything if I had the chance, I would give you back your flower if I could, because I..." Her lips trembled. "Because I loved you, mother." A sobbed escaped her as she pronounced the name she had refused to give her since she found out the truth, because it still hurt to think about how much she had done to her, how much she had taken away from her. "I loved you so very much..." And she had, because when she loved, she loved with all her heart. But Gothel had never hesitated before tearing it apart. She had trusted her, she had loved her, and Gothel betrayed her in the most cruel way.

The older woman's eyes widened slightly, her mouth hanging open in a vague gesture of astonishment at her confession. But her surprise didn't last long, and soon she had slipped back to that cool indifferent mask that betrayed no emotion. Gothel's crimson lips pursed thoughtfully, her cold grey eyes regarding her carefully before turning her back to her.

Rapunzel's voice broke as she spoke once more. "Please, tell me... I need to know if he's still alive!" She needed to know if holding onto that last bit of hope would hurt her more when she found out the truth. She needed to know and let the angst and despair clenching her heart go. If she had already lost him, at least she wanted to mourn his death in peace.

Gothel's stance stiffened, her back still turned to her. There was a moment of silence, and then her cold voice finally spoke, "Don't worry, flower. You'll have plenty of time to get over his death."

She never glanced back as she exited the room, leaving Rapunzel alone to suffer in the darkness of her empty prison. With her eyes clenched shut and her hands turned into fists, she finally collapsed to the floor, a broken sob escaping her lips as she let the tears run freely against her already tearstained cheeks.

She didn't know how to interpret Gothel's cruel response, but everything had finally collapsed over her, overwhelming her until her ragged sobs made it difficult for her to breathe. She couldn't allow herself to believe he was gone, she wouldn't allow herself to believe it until she had evidence. But her angst and the painful force squeezing her chest was too much for her to deal with. She couldn't cope with his loss.

He was the only thing anchoring her to the ground, the thought of him the only thing preventing her from drifting away into the sea of despair threatening to drown her. She couldn't lose him, she couldn't lose the light of her life, the only person in the world who understood her and comforted her in a way no one else could. Because if he was gone what was the point for her to stay? She couldn't live in a world where he wasn't around to make her laugh and envelop her in his strong arms. She couldn't live with the thought of never feeling his lips against hers or the warm feel of his skin against her hands.

Her nails dug into the skin of her palms, her sobs growing louder and harder. His name tumbled past her lips in a broken whisper, her heart clenching painfully in her chest as the image of his body crumpling to the ground assaulted her mind again.

Fate couldn't be that cruel to take him away from her just when they were finally married. She gasped for air as the lump in her throat threatened to suffocate her.

"Please... Don't go... Don't leave me..." She whispered, her voice swallowed by the darkness in her room. He couldn't leave her, he promised to stay with her no matter what. Because what would she do if she lost him? She would go to the end of the world with him, she would follow him wherever he wanted to go, even if it meant leaving her whole life behind her, because she loved him enough to give her own life in exchange of his. But if he died...

Only one thought crossed her mind, an anguished plea that she desperately wished would reach his ears. 'Don't go where I can't follow, Eugene.' Because if he died, then she would be left stranded in a world where she couldn't be happy anymore. She couldn't bare the thought of him gone.

And the worst part was that she hadn't even said goodbye. The last thing they had done was argue before she had said some hurtful things that she didn't mean and left him back in the darkness of the woods. If she hadn't been so foolish, if she hadn't been so reckless then maybe fate would have spared his life. Maybe she would've had the chance to tell him how much she loved him, how much he meant to her.

But she hadn't, and she was finding it hard to hold onto her hope when destiny was being so cruel and the darkness taunted her. Her fists pounded the hard ground defeatedly, her sobs still racking her body.

Her fears were overwhelming, the loss of everything she once held dear, and the idea that she would never get to have a future with the man she loved, the thought that he had been so cruelly taken away from her finally snapped her resolve. It all came to her at once with the force of a hurricane, taking the last bit of her sanity with it.

The tension building in her chest finally snapped, the thought of never knowing what happened to her beloved overcoming her, and the hollow left in her heart hurt way too much.

That night, in the darkness of the woods, an anguished wail broke the silence of the forest, echoing through the shadows of the trees. A scream so painfully raw even the darkest being would pity the owner of that tortured soul; the scream of someone mourning the loss of their love.

Sheesh that was painful to write. So, in a realistic story Eugene really should have to die from that mortal injury, in fact he should already be dead by now, there's no way he could survive that kind of wound. What do you think? Should I make this story a little bit more realistic or stick to the fantasy? *grins evilly*

Btw, interesting note: the flower that I mentioned in this story, Datura, is in fact known as moonflower! However it is actually poisonous and has absolutely no healing properties whatsoever, lol. I only borrowed its name for the sake of the story, if you're interested it is actually a very pretty flower.

Anyway I would really like to know what you think of this chapter, as always, your reviews are greatly appreciated. Any ideas of how this story will conclude? Leave a comment and let me know ;)