Child of the Moon.

~Chapter Twenty-Five~

Eugene's eyelids fluttered open. He groaned. The sun was only just starting to rise, meaning he'd only gotten around two or three hours of sleep. Then, he remembered what day it was.

Eugene immediately climbed out of bed. That was when he noticed that Rapunzel was gone. But before he could call her name, the door to the bedroom opened, and in walked Rapunzel.

Her hair was done up in the ankle-length braid-ish style that Rapunzel liked. She also found it the easiest and most practical way to wear her seventy feet of golden hair. She appeared to have bathed and put on her usual light makeup that she used to wear before the capital city of Corona fell. And, most surprising to Eugene, Rapunzel was fully clothed in a way that was not at all her style. She wore a simple set of black trousers and a tunic with golden trim, a golden-colored belt that carried a dagger, black gloves, and a piece across her chest and midriff that was made of thick, dark mahogany leather. It laced up the back like a corset and was also embroidered with gold.

"Hi," Rapunzel said with a weak smile, rubbing her arm. "I was just about to come get you."

"You're dressed," Eugene observed, putting on his boots.

"Of course I am. I know you know what day it is."

"I didn't know you'd be going with us."

"Eugene!" - Eugene went over to the clothing chest at the foot of the bed calmly while his girlfriend spoke. - "Of course I'm going! We've been over this! I can't just sit here and be useless anymore! Today's the day Eugene! I'm going to help lead my people. I'm they're princess, soon to be queen; that's my job.

"I'll be fine, Eugene. Hector taught me how to fight and defend myself, and I haven't forgotten. Elizabeth gave the all clear on my injuries. I'm in good health. She's the one who gave me these clothes! They're meant to help me move and keep me protected. That's what this is for!"

Rapunzel pointed insistently at the thick leather breastplate she wore. Eugene sighed, not standing up from where he knelt. He looked down at the cold wooden floor.

"And yet you still chose to not wear any shoes," he said with a humorless chuckle.

Rapunzel walked over to her boyfriend and knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I have to go with you," Rapunzel said gently. "I'm the Sundrop. I'm the counterpart to the Moonstone, to Cassandra. I'm the only person who can fix this for good."

"And if you die?" Eugene's voice cracked.

"Then everyone else will live."

Tears began to fall from Eugene's eyes. He took Rapunzel's hand in his and kissed it. She wrapped her arms around him, stroking his face and hair. The two stayed there for a while, trying to find what little comfort they could in the each other's loving presence. But the sun continued to rise, and they began to hear many nervous voices from downstairs. They parted, and Rapunzel helped Eugene into the clothing and armor of the Captain of the Guard. The attire had been kept away in the corner of the room since the first night of Eugene's arrival at the shepherd's home, but now he donned it again.

Rapunzel and Eugene joined hands as they left the room and walked down the stairs of the farmhouse. The first thing they saw were the many, many faces of their people. Elizabeth's sisters and her father were weaving through the large crowd, passing out water and leather pieces of armor. A few of the refugees were leather-workers and, with the help of the shepherds, had been able to whip up quite a few arm guards, leg guards, and breastplates (Though none were anywhere near as nice as Rapunzel's).

As Rapunzel and Eugene reached the middle of the staircase, the whole farmhouse suddenly grew very quiet. The eyes of the dozens of Coronans were all trained on them. They looked at them in wonder and even in adoration. Eugene's heart pounded as did Rapunzel's. They gripped each other's hand tightly, trying their hardest to keep their head up and their eyes on their people as they descended the rest of the way down the stairs. The people parted for them at the bottom of the stairs.