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]

[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.

[hisowninvention]

Well, that will save Rapunzel the sight of #1 getting stabbed in the gut, and of Rolan taking a glancing blow on the shoulder from that club as he ducks under it to try to get behind #2 with the knife he had formerly concealed in his sleeve. He's not big and brawny, but he is fast and he is not fucking around.

[alicornucopia]

Well, now they're pissed off. Really pissed off, pretty good at working together, moderately experienced at shrugging off injuries to keep fighting -

[hisowninvention]

- still going to lose.

It's close. If he was just half a second slower, a few times - but he isn't. He does have to block #2's club with his left arm, which suffers extensive damage in the process, but in the next moment he hits #2 very hard in the jaw with the hilt of his knife. Now both brothers are on the ground, #1 having gone down just beforehand.

He checks pulses. #2 is merely very unconscious. #1 is very dead. With how he was bleeding before he fell over, Rolan isn't surprised.

"Rapunzel?" he says hoarsely, looking back at her. "Are you okay?"

[powershines]

"Is it over?" she squeaks, still hiding her face.

[hisowninvention]

"Yeah. One guy's dead, the other one's knocked out, I broke my arm and I'm going to cry because I hate doing this," he says, the last words trailing off into sobs.

[powershines]

Rapunzel peeks between her fingers, whimpering. "I - I can fix your - your arm -"

[hisowninvention]

He steps over #1's club to get to her, holding out his left arm, which is pretty badly off. He is having trouble speaking, because of the crying.

[powershines]

Rapunzel drapes her hair over his shoulder carefully, and sniffles and then controls her voice well enough to sing softly. Unlike last time when she was rushing, pianissimo, from several stories up, he can hear the words this time:

"Flower, gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine

Heal what has been hurt
Change the Fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine

What once was mine."

Hair: glows. Arm: heals.

[hisowninvention]

"Thanks," he manages. Now he can sit down and cover his face with his hands and cry. So he'll just be doing that.

[powershines]

Rapunzel sits too. Rapunzel cries too.