To Save A Lost Friend (Tangled Fanfiction)

6

Rapunzel looked around as they rode into the dark night. The wind blew in her hair, and she would have smiled if it wasn't for this situation. Behind her, rode the group of thugs, all silent as they followed on their own horses.

Rapunzel felt her heart thunder in her chest. She was scared, for Varian. She didn't know how he was being treated, probably awful. He was a victim after all. She couldn't stop the rising fear in her throat as they rode on.

Eugene pulled on Max's reins, and he skidded to a halt. They were outside some sort of town, North of Corona. Rapunzel knew that after they left Corona, they were traveling blind. There were tens, hundreds of towns and kingdoms outside of the borders, and this might not even be the right one.

A man, one who looked rather sketchy, opened the gates leading into the town. Max walked in, and things fell silent. The town was eerie, too quiet, so quiet it felt abandoned. The only sound was the sound of yelling coming from the town's building up ahead. The doors of the building opened, and men walked out.

One had a figure in his arms. Rapunzel squinted to get a better look, frowning. She suddenly gasped, noticing the guard, and the figure in his arms. Varian.

She nudged Eugene and pointed to the guard, who quickly whisked the limp boy away, carrying him to another building, one that was heavily guarded, like a prison almost. Eugene grunted and remained silent. Rapunzel knew why, he didn't want to alert anyone.

They all watched as the townsfolk poured out of the building, muttering to themselves as they walked back to their homes. Rapunzel caught a few conversations, clenching her fists extremely tightly to keep herself from interfering.

"That boy is a monster," one woman muttered to her husband, who nodded in agreement, "I think he should be burned tonight, not on Moon's Day."

This particular conversation sent Rapunzel into a confused spiral. "Moon's Day?" she thought, tapping her chin.

One man walked past, and she hopped off Max, approaching him despite Eugene's protests. "Excuse me, sir," she said, getting his attention, "What's Moon's Day?"

The man huffed and turned to her, towering over her, "It's a celebration of the moon, where the townsfolk gather around a fire..."

Rapunzel zoned out. He didn't need to finish. She knew, the fire, would be the fire that the Moon Child perished in. The one Varian burned in. Her heart pounded, and her ears popped. She faked and smile and nodded, "Thank You, sir..."

The man nodded, and went back to walking to his destination. Rapunzel turned around, her eyes full of fear as they met Eugene's. She jogged over, a nauseous feeling rising in her throat, "We need to get Varian. Now." she said sternly, her voice cracking and shaking.

Eugene raised a confused eyebrow, but nodded without argument, "Okay, what's your plan?" he asked.

Rapunzel thought for a minute, "Cassandra and I will enter through the back, while you and the pub thugs create a distraction." she thought out loud, tapping her chin. Eugene frowned, rolling his eyes, "How come I'm always the distraction?" he asked, his tone holding the slight hint of annoyance.

Rapunzel smirked, "Because you're really good at it," she said, smiling at him, before walking past to talk to the others about the plan. Eugene shrugged with a smile, wiggling his brows, "yeah, I  guess I am," he muttered before turning to meet with the others.

"So, we just go in now?" Cass asked, her eyebrows raised, "Won't they be expecting our arrival?" Rapunzel frowned, thinking. Cassandra was right, they would be expecting them, so they had to take caution. Lance spoke up, "Of course they'll be expecting us. Varian's our friend, is he not?" he asked, then mumbled, "Or, he was at least..."