𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐰 | 𝐟𝐥𝐲𝐧𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫

(4)

Flynn takes off in a blur, and the twins are left guffawing in his dust.

"What?" He pats himself down, to no avail. "Rider!"

Said man takes a sharp turn, dashing between branches and jumping over limbs as the rumble of hooves stayed ever-present behind him.

"Retrieve that satchel!" The head guard ordered. "At any cost!"

"Yes, sir!" The other men responded. A similar exchange was held between the horses the men were riding on.

Crossbows were aimed and fired, the arrows hitting a fallen tree just as Rider slid underneath. He turned to look with a frown but quickly headed on his way again, the guards close behind. As Flynn jumped through a gap in some branches, the other horses stopped short of the foliage, but Maximus and his rider persisted.

"We got him now, Maximus." The white stallion neighed and pushed forward.

Flynn looked behind himself worriedly and grabbed onto a vine, swung around a tree, and knocked the head guard off his saddle. The thief landed in his place, and as he cheered at his successful escape, Maximus planted his hooves in the dirt and came to abrupt stop. He turned and sneered at the brunette.

Rider dug his heels into the horse's sides, but it would not budge. "Come on, fleabag! Forward!"

Maximus stared at the satchel and tried to grab it with his teeth, but Flynn moved it out of the way just in time. "No." The horse tried again. "No!" The two began to tussle, the frequent turning of the horse moving them forward as bites and pushes were exchanged. "Stop it! Stop it!" Maximus whined and Flynn gritted his teeth. "Give it to me! Give me that!"

The bag flew out of his hands and landed on the branch of a tree that jutted out from the cliffside. It slid down the branch, almost taunting the pair. They glanced at each other before making a run for it, obstructing each other's paths. Flynn jumped onto Maximus and the stallion shook him off. The man ended up bear-hugging the tree, risking a fatal fall, and the horse began slamming his hooves on the log, trying to pry the thief's fingers off but falling just behind each move of his hand.

Flynn grasped another branch and snatched the satchel, grinning. His face, and the horse's, fell when they heard snapping and cracking. The tree promptly broke off the edge of the cliff and the pair plummeted. As they fell, screaming, they hit a rock that broke the wood in two, and they fell different directions.

After Maximus had landed, he inhaled the grass deeply, trying to scout Flynn's scent. He trotted quickly, following the trail, and passed by an unassuming wall of ivy and a couple of rocks.

Rider peeked out from behind a boulder and adorned the leather bag. As he went to rest on the ivy wall, his hand fell through.

Maximus neighed in the distance, and hooves rushed his way.

Rider exclaimed as he pushed the ivy aside. He hid in the shadows of rocks as Maximus' shadow darkened the ivy. The horse snorted and kept moving. Flynn continued through what he thought was a cave, but ended up being a tunnel.

His eyes widened as his gaze fell upon the tower, sunlight hitting the purple roof just right, waterfall nearby, birds chirping. And, seemingly unoccupied.

As Maximus neighed in the distance, Flynn made his choice. He stuck arrows into the grout and climbed, albeit slowly. He reached the window, breathing heavily, and hopped inside to close the wood shutters. He took the bag off his shoulder and smirked as he pulled it open. "Alone at last."

Jarringly, a cast iron frying pan was slammed over his head, and he fell to the ground unconscious. Rapunzel cowered behind him.

You ran out from Rapunzel's bedroom, sword drawn. "Rapunzel?! Are you alright?" You rushed down the stairs to see what was happening. Your little sister squealed and ran behind you like a shy child. You asked, "What happened? How did he get in?"