Rapunzel And Eugene Quotes

“Flynn was leaning against the side of the house, legs crossed, an ironic smile on his face. He must have been up for a while; he had obviously taken pains to wash his face and neck and arms (at least; that was just all Rapunzel could see) and straighten his hair so it was parted dashingly to one side. She wondered, for a moment, whose comb he had borrowed, or if he had his own stashed away somewhere like his knives.
He was stupidly, ridiculously handsome.
Even with the stupid, ridiculously fake smile on his face.
Not at all the worst thing to wake up to.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“Moths, large and white and fluttering in a manner just a little too bat-like, came out of hiding to revel in this unexpected dismissal of day. So too did fireflies: Rapunzel squealed in delight when, like tiny candles, they twinkled in slow, unhurried loops around grass.
"Is this your mother's magic?" she shrieked, clawing at Gina's arm. " ARE THOSE FAIRIES ?"
"No, those are lightning bugs, Princess," Flynn said with a sigh. "In-sects. Whose butts glow."
"Right. I'm an idiot," Rapunzel said, trying to get one to land on her. "Because in real life, fairies aren't real but witches are."
"Touché," he said good-naturedly, with a bow.
Rapunzel felt her chest flutter.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“An orphan who was kept as a prisoner in a tower with plague signs to keep away?" Gina gently teased. "Seems like a lot of work. Nahh, I bet you're a princess of some sort."
Rapunzel stared at her. Then she began guffawing: big, hearty barks of laughter.
"She doesn't sound like one," Flynn observed.
"She wears a pretty dress like one," Gina pointed out.
"Your skin is creamy and perfect," Flynn said. "I mean, um, I guess."
"You have a crown," Gina said.
"It's not my crown," Rapunzel shouted, still laughing. "I grew up in two rooms... not a giant castle. I don't have any servants, or ladies-in-waiting..."
"... or crowns you didn't steal," Flynn added.
"... or a white horse, or velvet capes, or a scepter..."
"You do have that magnificent hair, though," Flynn pointed out. "I mean, just look at it. It looks fancy and expensive and royal. A normal person, even a lord or lady, couldn't manage locks half that long. Even if it ever came in silver, which seems reeealllly unlikely."
He leaned forward to get a better look, and at first Rapunzel did nothing, suddenly aware of his closeness. Whatever he said about her skin, Flynn's was also clear, healthy, and peachy. He had a little bit of hair on his chin (not a full beard like she had seen in pictures), a tiny feathery thing that she kind of wanted to touch.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“He caught her staring at him and gave her a sly look.
"Super impressed with being with a real live criminal, huh?" he asked, smiling with surprisingly nice white teeth.
"I'm super impressed with anyone who can fight and knows these woods and the world so well. I guess Gina does, too."
"Yes, Gina." He frowned. "She's kind of a weirdo. Nice weirdo, mind you. But very, very odd."
A flurry of thoughts winged their way through Rapunzel's head like a confused flock of birds on a late summer test flight. She couldn't separate the different feathered things out.
She was also puzzled by the look on Flynn's face: he raised his eyebrows and sort of gazed at her, turning his head so it was a little sideways. He smiled so that his lips stretched wide at the corners but remained partially closed over his teeth.
Obviously it was some sort of expression Gothel didn't make but that other people commonly used.
So she tried to copy him.
"What are you doing?" Flynn asked.
"I 'on't ow," Rapunzel responded, keeping her lips in the same half position. "'at are oo oing?"
"Okay, you're kind of a weirdo, too. No wonder you two get along so well," Flynn said, shaking his head and dropping the look. "Usually the smolder works on all the ladies."
"Oh, you were trying to..." Rapunzel began to giggle. Books #27 and #28 were tales of knights and damsels and adventures--- with more than a touch of romance.
Flynn looked offended.
"No, please try again!" Rapuunzel begged.
"Oh, the mood's gone. Forget it," he said, rolling his eyes. But he smiled-- a real smile this time, a natural one.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“Somehow you grew up, maintained a crazy amount of self-discipline... and managed to stay sane. I don't know how you're so constantly upbeat and cheery considering the hand life dealt you. You must be a truly amazing person.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“The chèvre's real good this time, Ma. What's the herb?" Gina asked.
"Wild amaranth tips-- seaseep. Your old friend Karl picked it for me from the Fenton."
Flynn grinned at Rapunzel over their meal. Get a load of them, he seemed to say, cocking his head at the two women.
Rapunzel smiled back, honey dripping out the side of her mouth.
He reached over without thinking and dabbed it off with his finger.
They both froze, looking at each other.
Then Flynn coughed and went back to eating.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“If it's any consolation, I used my fantastic powers to turn things different colors today," she said with a smile. "Well, one color. Black."
"Very goth. And hey, more than I could do." He looked down at her trailing silver hair. "This is a much better look for you, by the way. Neoromantic. And... not actually deadly, I take it?"
"It's harmless," she said with a smile. "At least until the new moon. And even then, I have to be actually focusing and directing it to cause harm. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel... comfortable with it now. No more tying it up!"
Flynn smiled and for a moment looked like he was going to reach for her hair, now that it wasn't dangerous. His hand rose and floated in the air halfway between him and her... and then he quickly used it to slick his own hair back out of his face.
"Yeah. My hair can do things, too. But it's kind of dramatic and you have to ask nicely, sometimes with a little gel.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“Gothel had told her that cutting her hair would kill her. The Goodwife said that was nonsense; it would only affect her powers, if anything at all. And come to think of it, Rapunzel did lose the occasional hair when it caught on something, or when she was combing it out. The dead hairs turned a dull brown, and it used to panic her when she was little. Did it take a day off her life? A month? A year?
She thoughtfully wrapped a lock of hair around her fingers. Biting her lip, she brought the shears up....
"Rapunzel? What are you doing? No!"
Flynn had quietly come in (and had paused at the door, preparing to say something theatrical) but immediately dropped all playing. He ran over and grabbed her hands, holding them away from her.
"What... oh," Rapunzel said, confused and taking a moment to figure out what he was doing. "You thought I was going to hurt myself. You didn't hear what the Goodwife said? Cutting my hair won't kill me."
"Oh. No, I did not hear that," Flynn said, collapsing against the edge of the workbench. But he didn't let go of her right hand. "Maybe when the group learns something important like that, you could let me in on it? You know, keep me in the loop?"
"Sorry," she said, a little chagrined. "I guess this looked really bad, didn't it?"
"You have no idea, Rapunzel, I... I think I died a little when I saw that."
He opened his mouth, trying to say something else.
Was he going to go into full funny Flynn Rider mode? Or was he actually going to say something serious?
Rapunzel could hardly breathe, waiting to see.
And then he kissed her.
It wasn't like the night before, when there was a pause and a feeling of expectation. He took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. With desperation, maybe as if she really had almost died.
Rapunzel shivered-- and for the slightest moment panicked that it was her magic activating. But it wasn't...
When he stopped, she reached up and touched his lips gently. She didn't want the moment to end.
"I don't want to lose you," he whispered. "But if I have to... I'd rather it be to your happy ending than to..."
"Brigands and mercenaries, or a hair-related death, I know. You do care, Flynn Rider!”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“Rapunzel, I'm not anything heroic or wonderful or whatever you thought," he said sadly. "I'm a sneak thief mostly out for my own good. The rest of it's a lie. My name isn't even Flynn Rider."
"Um, what?"
Of all the many things she thought he might say, this was not one of them.
"My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert. At least, that was what was on record at the orphanage."
There might have been a glint from inside a guard's helmet at that, as if he couldn't help sniggering a little.
Rapunzel's jaw actually fell open.
"Eugene?" she asked.
"Yes."
"And doesn't Fitz mean--"
"Yes, it does," he interrupted in annoyance. "But who knows if that's really my family name, or a real name, or whatever. I think of myself as Flynn Rider. Daring hero, escape artist, adventurer extraordinaire... Eugene is someone who wastes away in an orphanage, who nobody wants. Eugene eats porridge once or twice a day, maybe, and wears the old clothes that bigger kids grew out of a generation ago."
"I like Eugene," Rapunzel protested, patting his hand. "I like it better than Flynn. It sounds more... real. Like who you really are."
"Thanks," he muttered.
"No, really! Eugene doesn't abandon his friends. Eugene makes snarky remarks... and then hangs around witchy goat farms to see how he can help. Eugene pauses his wild, adventurous life to make sure the people around him get their happy endings. Eugene gives crowns back to their rightful owners."
"Eugene winds up drained of his blood in a castle ruled by a demonic she-beast," Flynn said, looking up to gauge his captors' possibly violent response. They didn't move. "Flynn Rider is somewhere off riding into the sunset--"
"Without his princess," Rapunzel interrupted, hands on hips.
Flynn smiled sadly at her.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“If they accept me, they accept all of us. If they reject me, I'm going to burden you until you figure out what to do with me."
"I would give all the stolen crowns in the world for you to burden me," Flynn said--- giving his old, devilish smile at the end.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine

“After Gina left, the princess walked the rose garden by herself, feeling melancholy and moody. She wondered about the ends of things, and if happily ever afters ever lasted.
That's how Flynn found her. Sensing her mood, he took her by the hand and pulled her over to the little bench by the apple trees.
"What are we doing?" Rapunzel asked curiously.
"I think you need a break from princessing," Flynn said. "Besides, it's after eight. Wayyyyy past time for reading."
He held up a book whose cover he had replaced with one he made; it said Book #38.
Rapunzel, overwhelmed by how much he understood and loved her, reached up and kissed him fully on the lips.
Reading would have to wait until later.”
― Liz Braswell, What Once Was Mine