GLIMMER AND DECAY [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 23

THEY SHARED OTHER THINGS aside from their names, like how Rapunzel liked painting on the walls, baking, and cooking. And how Flynn enjoys lazing around, doing nothing while he daydreams of a life for himself.

"If you don't mind me asking, blondie," Flynn started, his eyes falling on the necklace dangling around her thin neck. "Where'd you get that necklace?"

He knew exactly what the pendant was made of, and he wanted to know how she got her hands on it. It wasn't because of his stealing habits, but that necklace was dangerous.

Rapunzel tilted her head as she glanced at the necklace she was wearing then she looked at him while holding the pendant, not seeing how it was glowing at her touch.

"My mother gave this to me."

'So she was indeed a witch. I thought they were only exaggerating about the woman who kidnapped the princess.' Flynn smiled at her. 'Surely, they'll do something about the necklace once I bring her back, yes?'

Rapunzel had noticed it during their journey at the market, but somehow, she was sure that the man was in love with her. It was in the books she read; how can they be wrong?

As she debated this in her head, the mosaic in front of them caught her attention. She didn't notice this earlier, maybe because she was too focused talking with Eugene.

Her green eyes traced what she called a painting on the glass window of the church. It was a family of three that had dark-colored hair. What piqued her attention was their green eyes. And as much as she could remember, the people she met today, even Eugene, didn't have green eyes.

"Who are they?" She mumbled. It was meant to be a question for herself, but due to her distracted state, she blurted it out, making him hear it.

"They're the royal family of Corona and the current people that ruled this kingdom. Do you know them?" Oddly enough, Eugene's voice sounded hopeful for her.

She glanced back at Eugene and there was that glint in his eyes that she couldn't understand. Rapunzel shook her head.

"No. It's my first time seeing them," she answered, then looked back at the picturesque image of the family in front of her.

Was it because they looked happy? Or because they resembled her green eyes? Her hair had the same dark brown shade like the woman in the painting when she tried to cut the ends of her hair a few days ago.

As if a puzzle made to fit together, Rapunzel was starting to believe that she was part of this royal family that Eugene spoke of. She wasn't dumb like what her mother said, she was just a bit slow because of the things she hadn't experienced yet.

Flynn Rider felt worried when Rapunzel suddenly became quiet. She was holding her necklace's pendant firmly as she stared at the mosaic in front of her.

"Blondie?" He called her with a nickname that might get her attention since she wasn't responding when he called her name.

As if she snapped back from her thoughts, Rapunzel looked surprised when she heard the nickname given to her by him.

"Oh. What was it?" She asked, her cheeks in a shade of bright red. It was the first time she had heard a different name given to her, beside that flower nickname her mother loved.

Flynn chuckled softly. "I was going to ask your reason for going to the capital. Is there something you wanted to see or something you were looking for?"

He wanted to know if she already knew about her bloodline or if she was visiting purely and would leave right after. He couldn't really ask a direct question like "How did you escape the witch?" because she might make a run for it and hide back to where she was kept.

Flynn Rider watched as Rapunzel's eyes glistened with excitement, and he, too, felt it. His smile grew wider as he watched her speak.

"I wanted to see the floating lights!" She exclaimed. "It's that time of the year again, where they release the lights at night and. . ." Rapunzel trailed off as she busied herself while she grabbed something from her sling bag.

Her green eyes couldn't be brighter as she showed him the painting she made about the floating lights. "I wanted to see this! And I want to know why it was being released every night on my birthday."

And Flynn Rider knew then and there that he found the right princess they were looking for.

"I'll take you there. We can see the floating lights together," Flynn said as he looked at the painting she had drawn on a thick parchment paper.

It was not like any other artwork he had seen. The one she made just explodes with so much loneliness. And he wanted it to be framed just for him to look at every night, so he could still remember her even if they parted ways.

The sun was about to set and the people were starting to gather at the foot of the castle. Flynn grabbed Rapunzel's hand and they went to the stall for renting boats.

"Hold this while I get us a boat. The scenery will be better at the water," Flynn said as he handed her his satchel, then left her at a bench near the stall.

She smiled widely as she watched him disappear from the crowd. Rapunzel stayed on the bench and waited for him. Various thoughts came across her mind as she watched the sun sets.

"Should I ask him if he likes me?" She whispered to herself, her voice filled with excitement.

"Oh, dearie."

Her dreamy thoughts of love disappeared when her mother sat beside her. It was the first time she had ever spoken to her in the last few days she was silent. Rapunzel held the satchel closer to her chest. She knew that her mother would mock her, but she'll definitely prove her wrong.

"Do you think he likes you? You of all people?" Her voice rang to her ears. "You must be out of your mind. Why don't you stop this and go home now? I'm feeling lonely at the tower."

"No. I'll stay here until I see the floating lights," she was firm with what she wanted and that made her mother laugh even more.

"Alright. Go on. You'll see how I'm right, and how you're always wrong." Her mother ridiculed her. "And how he'll leave you the moment he gets what he wants from you. Just like everybody else."

Rapunzel gritted her teeth as her mother smirked at her. "I'll prove you wrong, mother."

But her mother only laughed at her attempt of courage. "I have already proven my point, my dear," her voice sounded poisonous as she pointed at the ground.

Rapunzel's gaze darted to the spot where her mother was pointing at. She couldn't be more surprised to see a half folded paper where a portrait of her as a young child was drawn.

"Oh, no. . ." She gasped, her heart stuck on her throat as she examined the portrait she was holding. Her tears welled in her eyes.

There was the seal of the royal family she saw earlier. Rapunzel let out a laugh, a bitter and painful laugh.

Her mother was right. She was right all along. Why did she even think, even for once, that the man was in love with her? Why was she always so easy to play with?

Rapunzel was still in the midst of digesting the truth when a man wearing a royal guards uniform approached her.

"Young lady," the man said, but Rapunzel was too busy with her own pain that she ignored him. "I need you to come with me to the royal palace," he added, finally piquing her attention.

The palace where her real parents lived. The parents that abandoned her as a child.

'I should finally greet them,' she thought as she wiped off the tears on her cheeks.

She left the satchel that Eugene handed to her on the bench and her portrait sitting on top of it. Rapunzel followed the royal guard to the palace. Her mind was still adrift with the betrayal she felt, and her necklace glowed even brighter around her neck.