Now or Never TC1 (Big Four/RotBTD)

Chapter 21

Jack's POV:

I catch up to Hic and Goldie, and we agree that they should wait to tell me the full story until we get to DunBroch and get settled. I'm terrified to hear the story.

How bad did I screw up?

After another hour or two of flight, we reach DunBroch. I could've gotten there in 10 minutes, but Painful can't fly as fast as I can, so I slowed my pace to stay with the others.

As we land, we send Hic in first to talk to the royal family.

Not only does he know how to give speeches- well, not very well, but better than us- but he's also met Merida's parents before.

After an excruciatingly long 2 hours, he comes back out, followed by the solemn king and the bawling queen.

I'm blaming myself for what happened to Mer because I was bringing winter at the time, even though I couldn't have helped even if I was there. I know that, but I'm still beating myself up.

The queen, however, is blaming herself for causing Mer to run away in the first place. It isn't her fault anymore than it's mine, but we're still gonna blame ourselves.

No one beside me is mad at me, which is probably a good thing. Everyone's really sad though, and I'm dying not knowing exactly what happened.

Finally, we are given two rooms, one for me and Hic to share and one for Goldie. They're side by side, which is very convenient.

Goldie's is painted partially yellow, and the other part was left as bare stone. It suits her.

Ours is olive green with some exposed wood and some exposed stone.

Ours suits Hic perfectly, but not me. I can't stand it. It was a really nice thought, but I think I'll be sleeping on the roof. Not that I'm gonna go to sleep again; I really don't want another nightmare.

After Hic lays out his trunk full of papers and gizmos, we head over to Goldie's room. We find her digging through her closet, which is filled with dresses.

"Look at these! Queen Eleanor said that I could have any that I want! Apparently they're all Mer's old dresses that she never wore," she rambles to us.

Me and Hic glance at one another and roll our eyes.

"Rapunzel, Jack probably wants to know what happened," Hic says gently. She immediately sobers and nods. She leads us over to her queen sized bed and motions for us to sit down.

"First of all, you need to know that there's nothing that anyone could have done about it." I nod, even though I'll never accept that.

"Let's go to the beginning. The morning that you disappeared is when it all started..."

After about 3 hours of discussion and explaining, we all bid one another goodnight and go to bed.

I don't put myself to sleep this time. I just lay there and stare up at the stars.

What happened to Merida?

Rapunzel's POV:

The boys have both gone to sleep. Now's my chance.

I sneak out of my room and wander around the castle. Eventually, I find Merida's room.

I go inside and jump. Queen Eleanor appears to have cried herself to sleep on the side of the bed. As long as I don't wake her up, I should be fine.

I slowly, quietly go through every drawer. Through her closet.
I check under the furniture. In her clothes. I even check in her mattress, almost waking the queen.