mother knows best

[powershines]

Rapunzel doesn't sleep well, and she does wind up wrapped up in her hair overnight like a golden-cocooned butterfly. She's still dozing fitfully when the sun comes up.

Comments

[powershines]

Rapunzel hugs her hair bundle tighter and moves a little closer to him.

[alicornucopia]

Why, look.

It's Rolan's old friends.

They have large blunt weapons and vengeful expressions.

"You can step back from the girl, now," suggests one, "less you want her to get hurt."

[hisowninvention]

"...Are you sure we can't solve this with diplomacy?" he tries, stepping away from Rapunzel but not so far away that he couldn't get between her and the brothers if necessary. "I could give you the crown and we could call it quits. How did you even find me? Not that I don't have a guess..."

[alicornucopia]

"Fine," suggests the other, "toss it thisaway."

[hisowninvention]

"Fine," he says, "toss those clubs thataway first."

[alicornucopia]

"Think we'll hang onto 'em," says #2.

"Got some reason to mistrust you, if you recall," says #1.

[hisowninvention]

He rolls his eyes. "Look at me, do you really think you'd need them if I tried something? It's for my peace of mind."

[alicornucopia]

"Don't have to look like much to stab us in the back when we get what we came for," says #1.

[hisowninvention]

"To be perfectly honest with you, I don't ever plan on getting any closer to you than this for the rest of my life if I can help it. So you drop your weapons, I'll give you the crown, you can go away, and everyone stays happy. Unless of course you're planning to stab me in the back after you get what you came for."

[alicornucopia]

"Crown's not all we're here for," says #1.

"And we don't welch on our deals," says #2.

[powershines]

[hisowninvention]

"I thought it might be something like that," says Rolan. "I really, really hate violence, have I mentioned that to anyone here? No? Well, I do. Are you sure you don't just want the crown? It's a very nice crown."

[powershines]

"If she sent you - I don't want to go back with her. If that matters."

[alicornucopia]

"Crown, girl, and if we get those no need for anybody to get hurt," says #2. "Since you hate violence so much."

[hisowninvention]

"She did just say she doesn't want to go back," says Rolan. "And as much as I hate violence, I hate letting my friends get kidnapped a lot more." He tosses his bag off to the side, away from both Rapunzel and the brothers; it slides down a slope and out of sight. "There goes your crown."

[alicornucopia]

"Guess we'll have to go get it after we've dealt with you, since you're fixing to make trouble," says #1.

#2 hefts his club.

[hisowninvention]

"I hate doing this, I hate doing this, I hate doing this," he mutters.

He... maybe doesn't sound as afraid as he should.

[powershines]

"They could really hurt you. They don't want to hurt me," murmurs Rapunzel.

[alicornucopia]

The brothers start to approach Rolan. They look rather like they expect him to turn tail and run at some point.

[hisowninvention]

"They could really hurt me," he agrees. "Could kill me, even. But that's my risk to take. And I'd rather you didn't get kidnapped."

[powershines]

"I - I can't help -"

[alicornucopia]

Closer, closer.

[hisowninvention]

"It's okay," he says. "It's okay."

Funny thing, he's still not running. He can't hope to win this fight, can he? Surely that would be ridiculous. Two against one, and either one of the pair so much bigger and stronger than he is, and wielding large clubs against his empty hands.

[alicornucopia]

Well, if they're at all concerned by his bravado that doesn't stop #1 from swinging a club at his head.

[powershines]

Rapunzel yelps and shields her eyes.