Rapunzel
Two hours later...
I stood atop the Rumblehorn, gazing down at the secluded tower nestled within a ring of stone. With my heightened senses, I could hear faint voices drifting up from below. I leaned forward slightly, issuing a silent command to the dragon beneath me. The creature growled low, then descended, wings stirring the wind as we neared a narrow window.
Suddenly, the voices inside went silent.
I leapt from the Rumblehorn and slipped through the window soundlessly. Inside, the air was dim and smelled faintly of flowers and dust. My gaze fell instantly on a man tied to a chair, bound not by rope, but by long strands of golden hair. My eyes narrowed. He was the same man from the wanted posters—Flynn Rider.
Of course, I had already noticed the person lurking in my blind spot. But their presence was unthreatening, so I ignored them.
Until they attacked.
A clang rang out as a cast-iron pan slammed into the back of my head. The metal warped around my skull, bending unnaturally from the force. I didn't flinch.
Flynn's jaw dropped.
I slowly turned to face my attacker—a young woman, now frozen in fear, her mouth slightly open, eyes wide. I could sense her panic, feel the spike of adrenaline rising in her chest. She began to retreat, each step bringing her closer to the corner of the room.
She was terrified. As she should be.
At six foot seven, built like a seasoned warrior, my muscles strained subtly against my dark, travel-worn clothing. I exuded presence—deliberate, calm, and dangerous.
I walked toward her slowly, my eyes narrowing as I reached out and took hold of the glowing golden strands that bound Flynn.
The sensation was strange.
"Hmm. Magic hair. What an odd thing," I murmured, fingers trailing along its length.
"M-Mother was right," she stammered, tears brimming in her eyes. "People from the outside are evil… and they want my hair."
I gently let the strands fall from my fingers.
"You misunderstand. Your hair is… curious, yes, but I have no interest in taking it."
Her expression faltered.
I turned my gaze back to Flynn Rider, who was watching the exchange silently, his brow furrowed in both confusion and caution.
"You. Flynn Rider," I said, voice hardening. "You've taken something that belongs to my people. Where is it?"
He tried to deflect with a smirk. "What could I possibly have taken from someone as… impressive as you?"
I stepped closer. "Don't play games. I'm talking about the tiara—the Tiara of the Princess of Corona."
The color drained from his face. "I… don't have it anymore."
My eyes narrowed further. "Then where is it?"
I let a small sliver of my aura leak out—just enough to make him sweat.
He clamped his mouth shut, eyes flicking sideways. He wasn't going to talk, but his gaze gave him away.
I followed his line of sight.
Back to her.
"You," I said, turning fully to the girl. "Where is the tiara?"
"I—I have it," she admitted, her voice small.
"Where is it now?" I asked, stepping forward again.
She hesitated, then met my gaze with more defiance than I expected. "I won't tell you… unless you do something for me."
I sighed. "And what is it you want?"
"I want to leave this tower," she said, eyes lighting up with hope. "And see the lantern festival."
I frowned. "Then why haven't you left already?"
"B-Because… I've never left this place," she replied, glancing at the window. "I don't know what's out there. But you… you're strong. I want someone like you to protect me while I see the world."
I looked at her for a long moment. The fear had not entirely vanished from her eyes—but there was something more behind it now.
Curiosity. Determination.
"…Fine," I said at last.
Her eyes widened.
"But if you're lying about the tiara," I added, voice low and sharp, "I will know. And I will come back."
She nodded quickly. "I'm not lying. I promise."
Flynn let out a long breath. "Well, this is turning out to be more interesting than I thought."
I turned my back to them both and looked out the window at the waiting Rumblehorn.
"Alright, let's go," I said, my voice firm but calm.
She nodded and carefully untied the rope securing her to Flynn.
I paused, eyeing her long golden hair that trailed nearly to the floor. "But before we go, you need to cut your hair. It'll get in the way during flight."
Her eyes flashed with something between fear and defiance. "Impossible."
"Why not?" I asked, already guessing the answer.
"Because if I cut it," she said slowly, "the magic will disappear."
I sighed, rubbing my temple. Of course it would. "Fine. Keep it. Just… stay close. And you too, Flynn Rider."
Without another word, I wrapped one arm around her waist and carried her toward the window. The cold wind rushed in as I whistled, and the beat of massive wings approached.
A dark shape rose from the shadows below—the Rumblehorn. It hovered just outside the tower, snorting smoke through its nostrils. I leapt, landing smoothly on its broad back with her still in my grasp.
"Whoa!" she cried, gripping my arm tightly as the dragon began to descend. Her eyes sparkled with wonder. "This is awesome! What kind of lizard is this? It looks so cool!"
The Rumblehorn growled low in its throat, clearly offended.
I chuckled. "Not a lizard. A dragon."
Her eyes widened. "Like… the fire-breathing kind? From the old stories?"
"Exactly."
She laughed, half in disbelief. "By the way, I'm Rapunzel. And this little guy is Pascal." She tilted her shoulder, and a tiny green chameleon peeked out, blinking slowly at me.
My brows furrowed. Rapunzel… That name. It stirred something deep, like a half-forgotten dream. I shook my head. And her face it's similar to the queen of corona. Probably just a coincidence.
"I'm Erik Horrendous Haddock. But you can call me Erik," I replied, keeping my tone light.
"Wow. That's a long name," she said with a grin, as if savoring every syllable.
The Rumblehorn touched down in a small clearing below. I jumped off, gently setting Rapunzel down beside me. Then I turned back to the dragon, giving a short nod. "Go get Flynn."
The dragon huffed and soared back into the sky with a thunderous beat of its wings.
We stood in silence for a few moments. Rapunzel looked around, wide-eyed at the towering trees and strange glowing plants that lined the edges of the clearing.
"It's beautiful out here," she murmured.
I nodded. "It is. But don't let the beauty fool you. This continent hides more danger than peace."
A moment later, the Rumblehorn descended once more with Flynn clinging tightly to its saddle, looking a little greener than usual. He dismounted with a grunt.
"I'm not made for this," he muttered. "Flying beasts, a girl stuck in a tower… I was just looking for treasure."
I smirked. "Well, now you're leading us. You know more about this land than I do. Where do we go from here?"
Flynn exhaled and looked toward the horizon. The sky had begun to lighten with the first hints of dawn.
"There's an old path east of here," he said. "It leads through the Whispering Woods… then to the edge of the kingdom."
I nodded. "Then that's where we go. Stay alert."
A Few Hours Later
"Woohoo!" Rapunzel cheered, twirling under the open sky, hair whipping around her like a golden ribbon of joy.
I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. This might just be the longest day of my life.
She was a walking storm of emotions. One second she was euphoric, marveling at a flower or a frog, the next she was curled into herself, muttering guilt-ridden confessions.
"I'm the worst," she mumbled now, sitting cross-legged in the grass, eyes cast down. "How could I betray my mother like that…?"
Tch.
A vein throbbed at my temple.
"Would you stop that already?" I snapped, louder than intended.
"Y-Yelp!" she squeaked, nearly leaping out of her skin. "I'm sorry," she whispered, blinking away tears that shimmered like glass.
I pinched the bridge of my nose again. Great. She's crying.
"Tch. Let's just move on. What else do you want to do?" I asked, trying to rein in my irritation.
"Well… the lantern festival," she said hesitantly. "That's the main reason I left the tower. I've dreamed of seeing it my whole life."
Another sigh escaped me, less annoyed this time. "Fine. Flynn Rider, lead the way to the kingdom."
"Okay," he replied with an easy grin.
But I didn't follow right away. My ears caught a faint rustle, and my body stilled, instincts flaring. My eyes narrowed toward a dense patch of shrubbery.
The others noticed and turned to follow my gaze.
Rustle… rustle…
The bush trembled.
Then, in one swift bound, a horse leapt out. Pristine white coat, regal posture—and eyes that gleamed with intelligence. It locked eyes with Flynn, snorted, and charged.
"Maximus," Flynn groaned, barely dodging a flying hoof.
Rapunzel squealed and scrambled behind me, climbing onto my back like a panicked cat. I frowned, but let her stay there.
The clash that followed was absurd. Flynn ducked and weaved, but the horse was relentless, slamming him down and pinning him with a hoof on his chest.
"Stop," I said, my voice low but firm.
The horse froze, muscles tense. It turned to me, head tilting slightly, eyes scanning mine.
"You're quite intelligent, aren't you?" I said with a faint smirk.
"Neigh," it replied, lifting its head proudly.
Rapunzel peeked out from behind me, wonder lighting her face. "Is that… a horse?" she asked in awe.
"Yes," I replied dryly.
"Wow…" she whispered, sliding off my back and approaching with reverence. She reached out slowly, and the horse lowered its head, meeting her hand with surprising gentleness.
"This is the best day of my life," she murmured.
I watched the exchange in silence, a rare smile tugging at the corner of my lips.
But then—something caught my nose. A metallic scent.
Blood.
My eyes dropped to the ground. Red patches stained the grass, trailing to Rapunzel's bare feet.
I walked forward and stopped behind her.
She turned, startled by the shadow that fell over her. "Huh?"
Without a word, I scooped her up and carried her to a fallen log. I set her down, knelt, and took her foot gently into my hand.
"Tch… Why didn't you tell anyone you were bleeding?" I asked, voice sharp.
"I… I don't know what 'bleeding' is," she said, fidgeting with her fingers. "I felt something, but I was just… too happy. I didn't want to stop."
I stared at her. "How could you not know what this is? Have you lived under a rock?"
She flinched. "I… I've never been outside. Ever. I've always been in the tower. Mother never let me leave."
Tears rolled down her cheeks, hot and silent.
"You idiot," I muttered, anger rising. "Is a person like that really a mother?"
"Hicc… Hicc… Don't say that!" she cried. "Mother was right! The outside world is dangerous! People are cruel!"
"You—!" I stopped myself. My hands trembled. I breathed out slowly.
This woman… she's been locked away her entire life.
I said nothing more. Instead, I reached into my satchel and pulled out herbs and bandages. I worked in silence, wrapping her wounds. She winced at the sting of the salve but didn't pull away.
When I finished, I looked up. Her tears had stopped. She was just… watching me.
I stood and gently lifted her once more, calling for Rumblehorn. The dragon landed with a thud of wind and earth. I hoisted Rapunzel onto his back.
System. Get me a pair of shoes that fit her.
Confirmed, Host. Item delivered to inventory.
I pulled them out and slipped them on her feet. She looked at them in amazement, then tried to dismount—but I stopped her with a glare.
"You're staying up there. Your feet need time to heal."
She blinked, then nodded quickly, lips pressed in a small smile.
….