The Big Four - One Life

Chapter 5 - Escape

When Rapunzel woke up it was still dark, but she felt Jack's arms still holding her tight against his chest. She smiled to herself and snuggled closer, pretending she was still asleep. Only when she heard him yawn and felt him stretch did she look up at him.

"Hello Jack."

"I'd say 'good morning' but I don't think that's the most accurate in this scenario," he said with a sleepy grin. His happy expression changed to confusion the moment he came to his senses and realised exactly what was not happening. "Why aren't we moving?"

Rapunzel darted to the window. It had steamed up so she wiped it clear with her velvet sleeve; she peered out into the night but saw nothing. Nothing, until the fire shot through the dark.

A huge creature that looked oddly familiar from the books she'd read with Jack was breathing fire viciously, aiming directly at the horses drawing the carriages which reared in fear and fled to the forests nearby. That wasn't the only thing notable though. The main thing that caught the princess's attention was that the creature itself was on fire, from the head to the tail. Plus, there was a group of about twenty other ones, all of similar looks, making their way towards them. She screamed in terror and Jack lept up.

"My parents!"

They kicked the door of the carriage open and ran to the king and queen's private compartment. It was totally empty. Jack took her by the shoulders. They could already feel the heat of the fires attacking their skin and they knew Rapunzel's carriage must have been hit. Smoke was beginning to circle them ominously.

"Rapunzel, we have to go!"

"But, Mother, Father -"

"Rapunzel, there's no time, we have to get you out of here!" She gulped and nodded; Jack grabbed her by the waist and he shot into the sky, leaving the burning wreckage of the royal party behind them. As they flew higher and higher, a deep voice resonated through the trees and hit them like a mallet.

"I'll be back for you, flower girl. You can join your parents. They're waiting for you with me. Ice boy can't protect you forever."

Rapunzel clung to Jack tightly, burying her face into his chest and he wrapped his free arm around her, holding her as firmly as he could. He took her a safe distance away, well, what he believed to be as safe as possible. There wasn't much time left for them.

They landed in a forest clearing which was cool, dark and calm. Jack settled the princess down on a fallen log and held both her hands in his. She hung onto them as if they would root her to the earth.

"Where did you say you were going to visit? It might be the only safe place for us now. They could help us!"

"The," she stammered, "the castle of Dunbroch. In Scotland."

Jack thought for a moment. It shouldn't take them long to fly there, they'd be there in a matter of minutes; being a guardian did have its perks in that sense. But then he remembered something quite important.

"The Scots don't believe in me."

"We'll sort that when it comes to it," Rapunzel said weakly, "but we need to get to Dunbroch. The sooner the better." He nodded and opened his arms to her, seeing her emotions ready to snap. Tears breaking free at last, she threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder, crying desperately. Huge sobs that coursed through her whole body made her shake against him and Jack held her tight against his lean chest.

He wanted to kiss her then. He really, truly wanted to, but he knew the moment was wrong; he didn't want her to think he was taking advantage of her in this state. For he liked her a lot. So much he thought it must be unhealthy. Anyway, what could come of it? He was a guardian. He was immortal. How can a spirit ever spend their life with someone who'd grow old and die? How would he live, knowing that the one person he might have had a chance with had died long ago and he'd never see her again?

He'd never wanted to be able to be a mortal so much.

Notes: This chapter had to be slightly shorter otherwise it wouldn't work.