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Post by Storyteller on Sept 18, 2013 7:26:56 GMT -8
Rapunzel's TowerLocated in the kingdom of Corona.
Events occurring 4 years before Dark Curse
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Christian Fry / Prince Eric
Slightly Addicted
Out there... I imagine that's where one could find out who they truly were. That's freedom.
Posts: 101
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Post by Christian Fry / Prince Eric on Sept 18, 2013 10:17:37 GMT -8
He sat at the edge of the clearing for what felt like an eternity. There was a lone tower sitting at its center. "Its there Eric" the man said to himself. He was a young gentleman, adorned in worn but fine clothing of a practical nature. A man of some status yet he continued to hide just exactly what that was from those who did not know him. His face was considered handsome though a hint of scruff covered his jaw coupled with a somewhat troubled look in his eye. "It's a safe bet that sitting here for another hour isn't going to change that fact." He had taken to talking to himself lately, a side effect of the strain of this most recent venture. And it wasn't the first time he had questioned what lay before his eyes.
"My Lord! It seems we have-" Eric snapped a glance back at his approaching first mate. "For heaven's sake Grimsby, I told you to stop calling me that." he said while returning his gaze to the prize. "I'm your captain and nothing more." He waited for some rebuttal and when none came he continued. "Gather up the men and have them meet me in the clearing... if you would please. It doesn't seem like anyone is home, yet I can not see a way in either. At least not from this vantage point." Grimsby merely nodded and turned to go. "Yes Captain." And off he went as Eric stood from his hiding place. Keeping his eyes on the windows above the Captain left the cover of the trees but kept his ears tuned for any sign of an ambush. When he reached the base without incident, he started his search for a door while his men slowly trickled out to join him.
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Post by Lily/Rapunzel on Sept 22, 2013 10:36:55 GMT -8
The forest was quiet as Rapunzel made her way through the trees. Every once in a while, she would reach a large pool of sunlight that had broken through the leafy canopy above and she fought the urge to stop Maximus and bask in its glow. There wasn't much time for that. Her destination was well away from the castle in Corona. At least two and a half days on foot, even when one wasn't being pursued by royal guards or murderous criminals. Only a day and a half when one was on horseback, like she was. She was nearly there but she knew that her parents and Eugene would be missing her by now.
An uncomfortable sense of guilt settled into her heart as she thought of the worry she was causing them and she absently scratched the area behind Maximus' ear. They couldn't know where she had gone. At least, not until she returned. Father and Mother would have insisted on sending a ward to accompany her. They always did when she made journeys outside the village walls. It had taken a good amount of pleading and a promise from Eugene to watch over her just to gain some privacy during outings in the market. Rapunzel couldn't blame them for their over protectiveness though. She still saw the way their eyes lit up in the morning when they knew that it wasn't all a dream and that their lost princess really had returned to them. She couldn't bear to think of the pain she caused now, sneaking out during the night like she had. Even the note she left would do little to quell the worry once their daughter vanished during the night again.
The thought struck a nerve and she glanced down to make sure that the bouquet of wild flowers she had picked earlier was still secured in the saddle bag. It was and Rapunzel couldn't help but smile a bit at Pascal, who had fallen asleep amongst the petals. The chameleon had turned an interesting shade of pink, blending into the flower he was lounging on. Those flowers were the whole purpose of her secret trip. It didn't seem possible that so much time had passed since Gothel- the woman who she had known as her mother for her whole life- had fallen from the tower window.
"The woman who used me for my whole life," she reminded herself as the vine hidden entrance to the grove came into view. It still amazed her that Eugene had ever found her tower at all. Fate, she had once mused to him. He had just laughed and replied that he made his own fate. How hurt would he be when he realized that she was gone? Part of her wished that she had told him of her plan to bring the flowers to Gothel's final resting place on this anniversary but she knew, try as he might, that he would never understand the connection she still felt to Gothel. Even after everything she had done, she was still the woman who raised her. Rapunzel couldn't forget that. This was a goodbye that she needed to make alone. Well, mostly. She gave a small smile to the chameleon at her side and a pat to Maximus after she dismounted. They made good traveling companions.
"You stay here, Maximus. I won't be long." The horse whinnied his understanding and nuzzled her chin. She helped Pascal, now awake, climb onto her shoulder and picked up the wildflowers. This was it.
As Rapunzel pushed through the vine-veiled entrance of the grove, she was struck by how little it had changed. Still surrounded by tall cliffs of solid rock with a waterfall at the back feeding a stream that ran forward to the other side. Pockets of trees and brush were scattered throughout. Then there was the tower, standing proud and strong with a man standing at its base. Wait. A man? Rapunzel's breath caught when she saw that she wasn't alone. There was only one reason someone would have been determined enough to find the secret tower. And that reason had been stupid enough to come back all by herself just in time.
Rapunzel and Pascal shared a wary look as she slowly began to back towards the opening in the rocks. Once they were back on Maximus, it wouldn't be hard to flee before she was even noticed. But the sound of approaching voices halted her retreat. A keen feeling of panic worked its way into her mind. It wasn't lost on her that her only route of escape was now gone. Still unseen by the man in the grove, Rapunzel did the only thing she could. As quietly as possible, she tumbled and slid down the deep bank of the stream. The water was low enough for her to press against the earthen side without splashing in it and she prayed that no one would think to look down there. She felt Pascal shake on her shoulder and she reached up to gently run her finger down his back.
"It's okay. We'll get out of this." she promised softly. As more footsteps entered the grove though, she hoped that she could make good on that promise.
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Christian Fry / Prince Eric
Slightly Addicted
Out there... I imagine that's where one could find out who they truly were. That's freedom.
Posts: 101
|
Post by Christian Fry / Prince Eric on Oct 2, 2013 17:47:06 GMT -8
With a sudden feeling like he was being watched Eric turned from his inspection to look back the way he had come. When he saw no one there, he shrugged it off as his men began approaching. The crew swept over the tower and discovered an entrance, a small door once expertly hidden behind a pile of rocks, now slightly off its hinges.
“Search the upper floors, if you find her bring her to me swiftly. We have lingered too long and must return with all haste. Time is not with us.” Eric turned to look back towards the entrance of the little valley. “I fear it will be fruitless.” he said to himself. The young man walked towards the edge of the green, away from the tower, to look down into the water as it snaked its way past.
He was about to lower himself down for a drink when he saw something in the water. A reflection? The water was shallow but swift and before he could tell if it was his own, a call reluctantly turned him around and back to the tower. Two men emerged with a chest. “Cap’ we loaded everything worth taking, you might want to see this.” They set it down and Eric glanced in as his men lifted the lid. His brow creased as he looked over the contents, that which he could see. Was that what he thought it was? He turned back to face the assembly. “Back to the ship. Tomorrow we will investigate the capitol and if that fails we sail with or without the lass.” With a grim expression he slammed the chest shut.
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Post by Lily/Rapunzel on Oct 30, 2013 20:01:02 GMT -8
"Search the upper floors, if you find her bring her to me swiftly. We have lingered too long and must return with all haste. Time is not with us."
Though she had suspected, the confirmation that this search was for her made her breath catch. What could they want with her now? Her hair was gone and with it the magic that it had contained. Or was it? Neither she nor Eugene had questioned the tear that saved his life. But if even they did not know whether the magic was still there or not how could this band of would-be abductors? Suddenly footsteps were hastening their way towards her and the man she saw by the tower came into view. He didn't seem to see her. Bad luck that he had decided at that moment to get a drink of water.
As the young man leaned ever so much closer to her hiding spot, Rapunzel feared that her heart was pounding so loud that he would be able to hear it. But still, she held out hope and shrunk back as far as she possibly could. The seconds seemed as if they were hours, everything moving in slow motion as the man reached down towards the stream. And then he stopped and Rapunzel immediately realized her error. The reflection in the water. There was no way to hide that. Just when it looked like she would have to make an attempt to run for the opening in the wall, one of the others called him away.
“Cap’ we loaded everything worth taking, you might want to see this.”
Immediately Rapunzel's curiosity was peaked. Apparently Pascal's was too. Before Rapunzel could stop him, he had climbed from her shoulder and up over the bank of the stream. Cautiously she raised herself just high enough to peer over the bank. The captain, as the other man had called him, was no longer paying attention to the stream. Instead his gaze was fixed steadily on a chest that Rapunzel vaguely recognized from the tower. A chest that Pascal was currently climbing. Rapunzel shook her head quickly as the chameleon caught her eye but he ignored her and continued on his quest to find out what had fascinated the men so. When he reached the top, his eyes grew large and he looked back over at his friend still ducked beneath the earthen edge. Whatever was in there, it was big.
“Back to the ship. Tomorrow we will investigate the capitol and if that fails we sail with or without the lass.”
Without warning the captain slammed the lid of the chest shut, knocking the small reptile inside in the process. Rapunzel gasped and fought back the urge to cry out as the men carried it, and Pascal, away. As the last of the men- pirates, Rapunzel surmised from their dress- left the grotto, she knew what she had to do. And after only a slight moment of hesitation, she left her hiding spot and began following the crew back to their ship.
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