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Since the beginning of the eclipse, Rapunzel had felt a terrible ache settle in her bones - she had felt weighed down, her power flickering, and everything in her body was protesting against something she couldn't identify. But she didn't stop, she couldn't stop, because she needed to save her kingdom and she needed to save Cassandra, even if it was kicking and screaming. She fought, and she ignored the pain as much as possible, until it wasn't an option anymore. Rapunzel fell to her knees at the same time Cassandra surrounded her with black rocks.
"I helped you find your power within," her best friend announced darkly, something grim and dark in her eyes, "it's only right I take it out."
Around Rapunzel, the air started shimmering with power and, before she could wonder what would happen, an awful pain tore through her body, setting each and every of her nerve alight. Rapunzel thought she screamed but she couldn't be sure, because her head was buzzing and her vision was white.
Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Rapunzel panted, tears in her eyes, her throat raw.
"I- Raps-" Cassandra stammered and, if Rapunzel had even been able to raise her head, she would have seen her take a step back, horrified at the suffering she was causing - it was one thing to want revenge, another entirely to see your best friend writhe in pain on the ground. For the first time since she was encased in amber, Cassandra hesitated...
Which was more than enough for Zhan Tiri to seize the opportunity and jump on Cassandra, stealing the moonstone from her chest while cackling.
"Thank you for your service, Cassandra," the little girl smiled condescendingly - or what she thought that was, but her smile was too wide as she turned towards a still downed Rapunzel, even if the black rocks had disappeared. "Your turn, sundrop."
As Cassandra did a minute ago, Zhan Tiri waived her hands and Rapunzel's body shone again as the Princess screamed, her very essence being wrenched from her. Cassandra tried to get up, but she was still too weak and she could only observe with growing horror as every ounce of energy seemed to be drained from Rapunzel, her face becoming paler and paler.
"As you see, my dear Cassandra, you were quite lucky," announced Zhan Tiri cheerfully, ignoring the panicked yells from Cassandra and the weakening whimpers from Rapunzel, "taking the stone from you barely meant anything, in the end. It's not like you were actually important in the grand scheme of things. For the sundrop, however… Well, some casualties are inevitable, wouldn't you say?"
Rapunzel was quiet now, lying motionless on the ground as the golden strands of light danced together until it formed another stone - the sundrop. Her hair was brown, the pain had been smoothed out of her face but she- she-
"Finally," growled Zhan Tiri, going about her victory or something, but Cassandra didn't hear any of it- couldn't see any of it, barely noticed the tentacled monster the little girl became, didn't even breathe because she couldn't. Because she couldn't, anymore. She called Rapunzel's name quietly, trying to move feebly in her direction, but Zhan Tiri stuck her in a golden cage of rocks. It didn't matter, anyway - she could make her way to Rapunzel all she wanted, but she wouldn't change what just happened.
Her best friend was dead, and it was her fault.
As Eugene led the attack against Zhan Tiri, he couldn't shake the terrifying feeling in his chest that something was wrong. Something more than the god awful creature in front of his eyes, more than seeing his friends being hurt while trying to protect Corona, more than the dread he had felt all day. He tried to ignore it, because he was Captain of the Guard and it fell on his shoulders to guide the others as best as he could, but his head was screaming at him and he knew that he needed to go to Rapunzel. Now.
Which is why he charged straight at Zhan Tiri when nothing else worked, and got caught by a tentacle almost immediately to his great disgust. Zhan Tiri laughed, and started climbing the Castle's tower, to survey what had essentially become a battlefield. Eugene was ready to quip something at her- it- that thing, when he caught a glimpse of Rapunzel's bedroom with the corner of his eyes.
More precisely, Rapunzel's prone body.
Eugene could never describe the cold feeling that settled in his chest, the panic that raised like a tidal wave and destroyed everything in its wake. He needed to get to her, now, he needed-
Zhan Tiri threw him high in the air and he fell painfully on the side of Rapunzel's balcony, gripping the railing tightly as he tried not to fall to his death as a bonus. He was still too far away from her, but was already heaving himself up and scrambled to his feet once it was done. The demon wasn't paying attention to him anymore and he was going to use it to his advantage; he'd wake up Rapunzel, because she was only unconscious, she had to be and then… Then everything would be fine, because she was fine, she would wake up, she would, she had to. Eugene couldn't begin to imagine a world where she didn't.
That's when he heard it.
"Wither and decay," Zhan Tiri incanted and immediately, Eugene felt like the world lost its colours. He faltered, his energy waving with each words. "End this destiny," it continued, making him fall to his knees, a hand going protectively to his tingling side, right where Gothel had once stabbed him. His breaths were short and laboured, but he kept trying to move forward, even if he had to crawl, because he needed to go to Rapunzel. "Break this earthly chains" and Eugene begged to be able to do the same, to be freed from the heaviness on his shoulders, grounding him against his will far away for the woman he loved, from his dream, from Rapunzel. He coughed, spots dancing in his vision, and nearly fell down on his face but kept going. "And set the spirit free." The world was grey, cold and numb and Eugene knew, if he just could get to Rapunzel, he could make everything better. She just had to wake up, open her eyes, and he had faith in her so she could do it. She could do anything. He didn't know when he had started lying down, but the picture of Rapunzel smiling was clear in his mind, so, despite his trembling, he got back to his knees.
"The spirit free," Zhan Tiri finished, knocking the wind out of Eugene's lungs and sending him back down, his vision swimming, Rapunzel so close and yet so far away. He was on the balcony, a few feet away from where the demon had set him down, but he couldn't see inside yet, he couldn't see her. Right now, he couldn't see anything, really, and he could barely hear the evil laugh on his right. He wanted to get to Rapunzel, but his forces had left him and even raising his fingers seemed to be an herculean task. His side was burning now, an old ache waking anew, but he couldn't bring himself to care about it.
Not now. Not when he couldn't get to Rapunzel. He needed to save her, because she was his everything and she couldn't- he needed to save her. If he could just manage a few more inches, one after the other after the other, until he made his way to her; if he could just be stronger, if he could just- he needed to- Rapunzel.
His side burnt, a white hot pain making him gasp before being immediately soothed. A warm and familiar glow enveloped Eugene and his eyes widened as he saw the golden hue covering his body right to his fingertips. Fingertips that he could move, suddenly, and he gasped a second time, scrambling to his feet and ignoring the vertigo that made him sway. The golden light disappeared, lingering only a few more seconds in the form of a flower, right above his old stab wound. The sundrop - or what remained of it, what ended up in him thanks to Rapunzel's tears - had saved him. She had saved him, again.
And now, he needed to save her.
He ran towards the gigantic opening left in place of the windows, happy that the demon was too giddy celebrating its victory to check if it was really over. He turned so sharply he nearly skidded past, but nothing could stop him and, in no time, he slid on his knees to Rapunzel's side.
"Sunshine," he breathed, his hand going hesitantly to her head that was turned to the other side as he ignored the dread building up in his stomach, "c'mon Blondie, you…" his words trailed out and Eugene felt like he was choking.
Her face was pale, ghostly pale, only highlighted by her now brown hair framing her face as it was strewn everywhere. It looked like she was sleeping, no trace of pain or emotion lingering on her face. She was cold.
"No," Eugene whispered, putting her head on his lap as he lowered his body, trying subconsciously to shield her. "No, no," he repeated, unable to take in the stillness of her chest or the unnatural tint of her lips and her fingers. "Sunshine," he begged brokenly, as he tried to convince himself that it was a nightmare, that she wouldn't- she couldn't- He tightened his grip around her, pushing his forehead against Rapunzel's in a desperate attempt to rouse her. A little noise at his feet made him open his eyes, and his gaze landed on Pascal, the chameleon grey and crying, holding in his little hands a strand of Rapunzel hair.
Eugene broke.
A first sob made its way out of his throat, uncontrolled, and then his whole face scrunched in agony and Eugene cried. His shoulders were shaking painfully with the effort to keep himself silent, because he couldn't bear to beg Rapunzel to wake up when he knew she wouldn't be able to. Eugene cried, and for the first time in his life he didn't care about how ugly he looked or who could see him, because Rapunzel couldn't - Rapunzel was dead and it hurt so bad that he would have thought he had died with her, if he didn't know better. Dying had been a way less painful experience. Eugene cried, his throat tight, his face puffy and hurting, his legs numb under his weight but his hand still carefully brushing Rapunzel hair back from her face. He cried, his body a mess, but he couldn't not be careful around Rapunzel, so he held back the tremors and held her instead, his forehead to hers as he wished that he could return her tear back - he would die once again if it meant she could live, because she was his sun and the most perfect woman on Earth and he couldn't… She couldn't…
Another sob broke his self imposed silence, but none of his tears managed to bring her back, and he had never wished to have magical powers as much as he did today. He had never felt so worthless than now, as he was faced by his inability to save the only thing he wanted to save. So Eugene cried silently, holding her and pretending that she was holding him in return, that his shaking was her shaking too, that he'd open his eyes to see the concern in hers if he just held her a tad longer.
Rapunzel was never so still, even in her sleep. Eugene knew that, could feel it, wouldn't be able to ignore it forever - but, for a while, he tried. And failed.
After a eternity, Eugene caught his breath. He kept his eyes closed, face buried between Rapunzel's neck and shoulder, tears still streaming down his eyes, but around him the castle trembled and echoes of Zhan Tiri's demonic voice made its way to his ears.
An image of Rapunzel popped through his mind, bright and determined green eyes boring into his, ready to defend her kingdom against everything that came her way. Eugene scrunched his eyes tighter, hoping that the stars bursting against his eyelids could bring back the light in his world, but it was too late. Carefully, he raised his head above Rapunzel's, and opened his eyes.
She was still calm and peaceful, if only in appearance. A drop fell on her cheek, then another, but Eugene erased them with his thumb. The shock of white from his Captain gloves were a welcome sign - beside duty, he was also selfishly thankful that he couldn't feel the iciness of her skin more than he already was.
"I-" he tried, his voice barely a whisper and breaking immediately. More tears gathered in his eyes and fell, but he felt almost detached from the process. "I'll save Corona," he croaked, because that was what she would have wanted above all. "I promise," he added as an afterthought, more to force himself than to reassure her, because she always believed in him, no matter what. "Then I'll come back."
For what, he wasn't sure. Or maybe he was - because he knew, already, what he was without her, and that was nothing he wanted to live for. He'll come back, he had whispered, perhaps not to her body, but to her soul, one way or another, because he had to believe they would find each other again. But that part, he didn't say - he wasn't sure Rapunzel would have approved of it.
Despite his words, he couldn't bring himself to put Rapunzel back on the ground. It felt like his body was on fire, tense and painful and unable to relent his grip of her, or maybe it was his mind, himself that couldn't let go of his dream. His tears were still falling. His lungs were still straining.
"Eugene?" a voice whispered behind him, and he recognised Cassandra immediately, despite the uncharacteristic emotion in her voice.
He didn't startle. Didn't even whip his head in surprise, or tighten his grip around Rapunzel. Distantly, he wondered if he should be angry at her and yell, but he didn't think he could muster the energy. Rapunzel was dead. The sentence echoed in his mind, erasing everything that might have held any importance in the past. If he could feel a tiny flicker of emotion beside despair, he might have hated Cassandra - but for now, nothing mattered beside the cold of his sunshine's skin, the cold of his heart deprived of his guiding star. It took everything out of him to tear his gaze from Rapunzel's frozen face to land it on Cassandra's puffy one.
She must have seen his breakdown, but he didn't care about that either. There was still an heavy weight in his arms, and he didn't think he would ever be able to shake it off.
Cassandra looked small now, without the moonstone or the confidence she always exuded. She looked small and defeated and, idly, Eugene wondered what he must look like - could the world see how heartbroken he was? Could anything translate his loss? Rapunzel would have understood, certainly; she could read him like an open book. She wasn't there, though. All that was left was Cassandra's trembling form, Pascal's sorrow, and Eugene's… emptiness. And a body, a pale copy of the most important woman in his world that he couldn't stop holding onto.
"Eugene, I…"
"Save it," he said, his voice plain and empty.
Rapunzel would have wanted to know. Rapunzel would have been angry at Eugene for ignoring Cassandra's feelings, or not attempting to reach out to her. If he was still able to hope, he'd hope she woke up to tell him off, but she didn't.
The ground shook under their feet.
"Zhan Tiri needs to be stopped," Eugene announced as his eyes went back to Rapunzel's face. He caressed her cheek tenderly before setting her down and getting up unsteadily, as Pascal scurried on her stomach and settled here, as if to guard her. Eugene would have smiled, but he couldn't. Getting up and leaving her was the hardest thing he ever did in his life, like his body was tearing itself apart. He left his heart with her down here. He left his centre of gravity, left his warmth, left everything with her but his duty to the people of Corona. She was his everything, anyway - she already owned most of him. He brushed the last tears out of his eyes, choosing to revel in the numbness and the cold emptiness in his chest as long as it helped him function.
"I'll help," Cassandra answered, her arms going around herself. As she met Eugene's bleak eyes, she added, "I have a fragment of the moonstone from back when- that's… not important. But I have it."
She extended her arm out of the golden cage she was in and, between her fingers, Eugene could effectively see the blue shard of the stone that caused them so much problems. He made his way to Cassandra, pulling at the yellow rocks surrounding her without much success.
"Can't use it?" He asked succinctly.
"I- I probably shouldn't-"
"You know how to use it," he answered, his mind a million miles away from here - it was as if he wasn't really seeing Cassandra. Not as the friend betrayed him, in any case, but only as an asset that could be exploited. He needed to defeat Zhan Tiri, one way or another, so he could go back to Rapunzel's side, one way or another.
In any other circumstances, Cassandra would have argued, but she didn't and Eugene didn't dwell on her feelings. He didn't dwell on anything. His mind switched to his Captain mind, and it felt easier, in a way - easier to have Corona's destiny in his hands than Rapunzel's blood on them. Eugene was guilty, the Captain wasn't yet.
As she put the fragment back where the stone had been, Cassandra's hair and eyes flickered blue electric, her still red-rimmed eyes contrasting sharply with it. With a movement of her wrist, a rock surged from the ground and exploded her cage in many more pieces that was necessary. Her gaze strayed towards Rapunzel's body, but Eugene couldn't allow himself the same thing, because he didn't know how long he could hold onto his sanity otherwise. Thus, he saw first how the blue flickered off, before returning.
"Time limit," he said, full sentences not needed when Cassandra got a glimpse of his grim determination. They nodded to each other, and went to take down Zhan Tiri.
If one asked Eugene about his fight against Zhan Tiri, he wasn't sure he would be able to describe it in any way. He and Cassandra worked together to bring the demon down, and, at some point, he realised that they needed the sundrop and the moonstone to make contact - when Zhan Tiri's arms had gotten close to each other, sparks had started to fly and Eugene was certain the combination of the two would be destructive enough. Cassandra struggled to contain the demon, her black rocks seemingly fraying and fragile against its raw power. In the end, they ended up both on Rapunzel's balcony once again, Eugene holding the arm containing the sundrop as Cassandra held the other, with the rocks pushing to keep Zhan Tiri's arms splayed open.
Eugene struggled to pull the hand even further away, struggled to ignore the so familiar glow of energy it emitted, struggled to act as if he didn't know who was still and would always be lying down in the bedroom behind him. He pulled and pulled, his muscles screaming at him as the demonic hand was pushing to be let free.
"So what?" Zhan Tiri laughed. "You intend to keep me here forever?"
Eugene grunted and took another step back, before meeting Cassandra's eyes across of him. Her hair would flicker soon, and the black rocks would break easily - which is what they wanted.
Eugene nodded. They let go and Zhan Tiri, who was straining to get its hands back, smashed them in front of its eyes with a yell.
The world burst with colours and Eugene was thrown back violently by a wave of energy. He closed his eyes, and couldn't even manage to feel anything when the demon's screams tapered out.
Eugene opened his eyes, and the sky above him was back to its vibrant blue, but he didn't care about that either. He tasted ashes in his mouth, his ears were buzzing and his entire body felt like it was vibrating with nerves. Shakily, he raised himself in a sitting position, his eyes immediately finding the glowing stone floating at the center of the balcony.
The stone was a beautiful mix of bright gold and electric blue; all around it, the air shimmered, changing itself at the contact of this bright and magical star.
Carefully, Eugene got on his knees, his eyes focused entirely on the stone as an idea slowly formed in his mind. His throat was dry, his blood pumping right to his head as he got on one foot, then the other, his movements soft as he barely let himself start to hope.
He was shaky and unstable, but one feet after the other, one breath after the other, one painful second after the other, he broke his life down to tiny fragments that he could manage - and he moved forward.
A hand sneaked its way to his wrist.
"Eugene-" Cassandra started quietly, stopping herself. He didn't say anything, and she hesitated. "Eugene, this is dangerous."
He didn't answer. His eyes pierced right through hers, before going behind her - he found Rapunzel's body without a thought, his sunshine still the North star of his world. She hadn't moved. She was still beautiful, still peaceful, still his everything. She was his sun, and he was the moon that couldn't survive without her light. Eugene's eyes went back to the stone.
"She wouldn't want you to die," Cassandra whispered, letting go of his arm anyway, because she already knew that she wouldn't be able to stop him.
"It's too late for that."
The answer was so soft and so raw, Cassandra wasn't sure that she really heard it, or if it was an echo from the wind. It didn't matter, in the end - Eugene turned back toward the stone and, straining against the pressure it emitted, he extended a hand. The orb of light around it pushed him back a few feet, but Eugene wouldn't give up - not when it was for Rapunzel. He walked toward it again, pushing against the pain and the fear that choked him, getting closer and closer and ignoring how his heart seemed ready to burst as he caught it, hugging it tightly in his palm.
His eyes found Rapunzel again. His hand was burning, but he didn't even notice the pain - he didn't notice the wind picking up around him, the golden strands and the blue lighting surrounding him, or the energy of the entire universe coursing through his veins. He only had eyes for her, the love of his life, the woman who had saved his and so many others', the best thing that ever happened to the world.
His sunshine. Rapunzel.
"Flower gleam and glow," he rasped, the words both familiar and foreign on his tongue as he thought back to the first time he heard them, around a campfire, back when his life had changed forever. Back when he became Eugene Fitzherbert again because, for the first time, someone liked him better than Flynn Rider. "Let your power shine," he continued, eyes wide open as he couldn't let Rapunzel out of his sight. "Make the clock reverse, Bring back what once was mine."
It felt like he was begging, his voice trembling as he recited the incantation. The circle of light extended beyond him, going slowly over Cassandra, trying to reach Rapunzel. His hand was burning. "Heal what has been hurt, Change the fates' design." Rapunzel's face was illuminated by the wave of energy and, faintly, Eugene thought he saw colours coming back to her cheeks. The tears he had kept at bay for so long gathered back in his eyes, but he wouldn't blink them away - couldn't bear to look away now. "Save what has been lost," he breathed...
Rapunzel opened her eyes.
Trembling, she looked around her, the too well-known song echoing through her head as her eyes met Eugene's and widened. Her heart was beating too fast suddenly, as she coughed his name and realised that the unbearable pain she felt earlier was gone. Cass called her name in awe, and, in any other circumstances, Rapunzel would have been overjoyed, but Eugene-
Eugene was glowing, in the middle of a magical sphere of light. Eugene was glowing, and Eugene was crying, silent tears making their way down his face, his mouth half-opened, his hand around something that he really shouldn't be touching.
Panicked, Rapunzel tried to scramble to her feet but was yanked backwards by her own now brown hair, stuck under something. She didn't even think; grabbing a nearby rock, she cut through it and got on her feet, before racing towards Eugene.
"Sunshine," he whispered brokenly, his voice full of something she never heard before as she strained to get to his side. His brown eyes left hers for a second, as he looked back under the balcony and, with a gasp, Rapunzel realised that all of her friends, her family, were laying on the ground.
She remembered the echoes of his voice reciting an incantation she knew he didn't like and, even if Rapunzel woke up in a very different world than the one in which she closed her eyes, she had a pretty good guess of what happened.
Their eyes met as her hand covered Eugene's, his brown and heartbroken ones drowning into the hope hers contained. She tightened her grip, a warm and encouraging smile playing on her lips.
"Bring back what once was mine," he started again, her voice joining his, the power of the stone connecting them on every possible level. The energy grew greater, if it was even possible, and they both left the ground at the same time, their other hand going around the stone. "What once was mine," they kept going, the words not their own in a way that couldn't be explained, and they couldn't see anything but each other - anything but the power of the sundrop and the moonstone in each other's eyes.
"What once was mine," they repeated, straining against an energy they didn't know and couldn't understand, before its power grew to be too much and, in a synchronized movement, their souls united as one, they released it towards the sky.
They were both thrown back in opposite directions, Eugene hitting the ground for the umpteenth time today. He opened his eyes to the blue sky again, but he didn't see it as he immediately rushed to sit back up, watching with bated breath as Rapunzel woke up thanks to Pascal's intervention. She smiled and laughed that this was what it felt like, and Eugene felt like the weight that dragged him down finally dissipated.
"Rapunzel," he called as he ran to her.
She opened her arms without an ounce of hesitation and he threw himself into the biggest hug of his life, his arms shaking around her waist as he buried his head in the crook of her neck. He had cried there too, not so long ago, but now it was warm and moving with her breathing, and Eugene didn't think he could ever be happier. He felt so relieved that he thought he would start to float again soon, his head swimming with the overwhelming emotions.
Rapunzel squeezed back worriedly. She had never seen Eugene like this - never had him so openly sob on her shoulder, and tremble so hard with unconcealed terror. She hugged him tighter, whispering sweet nothings that she didn't think he heard above his own breathing, and promised herself that, whatever happened, she would never have to see him like this again.
"I'm sorry," he muttered after some time, his voice raspy.
"Oh, Eugene, no," she breathed, beyond sure that he had nothing to feel guilty of.
"No, I- I'm sorry for dying on you that one time," he laughed wetly, his voice muffled by her shoulder. "I didn't realise- god, that was the worst thing- I'm sorry," he repeated, unable to express exactly the terrible emptiness he felt.
"It's okay," Rapunzel whispered back, her own tears gathering in her eyes, "I'm sorry too."
They stayed in this position for what seemed to be hours, before Rapunzel raised her head again. She didn't let go of Eugene, couldn't even think of it, but she finally noticed that they were surrounded by the worried faces of her family and friends, all gathered in her bedroom. More importantly, off to the side but not too far away, was Cassandra.
In another life, where Eugene didn't sound so close to crumbling, Rapunzel would have gone to talk to her best friend - or, at least, she would have brought her in the hug, because she had finally saved her friend, she had finally reached her. Even now, there was a warm bubble of emotion forming in her chest as Cass smiled at her, unsure and sad, and Rapunzel knew that they would need to talk. But right now, nothing in the world could have made her let go of Eugene.
"Later," she mouthed to Cassandra silently, hoping that she could see every bit of love she was trying to convey in her eyes, because she was really happy to see her again, despite the circumstances.
"Later," Cassandra mouthed back gently, seeming relieved - and Rapunzel was, too, because she knew they had all the time in the world to figure this out. Together.
So Rapunzel smiled, closed her eyes again, and snuggled closer to Eugene as he held her tighter in response, not so much shaking now as he was unwilling to let her go, even with pins and needles in his legs. Her hair tickled his nose and he smiled. He'd have to tell her he had missed this haircut, if he ever found his voice again. Well, there was one thing he could always say:
"I love you so much, Rapunzel," he whispered.
"I love you too, Eugene," she answered warmly.
They kept hugging each other for a long while, the world having finally found its equilibrium now that they were back to each other's side.
Though it pales in comparison
To the overarching shadows
A speck of light can reignite the sun
And swallow darkness whole
Emphasis, Sleeping at Last