Eugene watched helplessly as Rapunzel was dragged down the stairs by Gothel, he begged and pleaded for Gothel to let her go. He heaved against the chains that were binding him to the staircase with all his strength, but the chains didn't break. His mind raced as he tried to think of another way to get free, another way to stop this from happening. "I love you Rapunzel!" he called out. His heart broke at the thought that it may be last chance he would get to say it to her.

"I love you too Eugene" she called back. He could hear her voice breaking as she said it, she was crying.

"I'll come for you; I won't stop looking until I find you." He called, hearing the desperation in his own voice.

Gothel pulled Rapunzel to her and hissed. "If he tries to follow us I will kill him the first chance I get, tell him not to if you want him to live."

"Don't follow me Eugene, it's not safe, I'll be ok." Rapunzel called as Gothel yanked on the chain locked around Rapunzel's wrists. She had a feeling she had not convinced anyone with what she had said but she really did mean it. She hated the thought of Eugene getting hurt trying to help her and as devastating as it was she would rather they be apart and have him safe than risk his life trying to save her.

"I don't care, I'll find you, and I'll bring an entire army with me if I have to. I will find you!" He called; he could hear their footsteps getting further and further away as they descended the tower. And then she was gone, he was alone. He tried to peer out the window to see if he could see them leaving the secret entrance but the chains that bound him to the staircase banister held him too far away. Taking a deep breath he looked around the room, looking for something he could use to beak his chains. 'C'mon Eugene, think, just think about it for a minute' he talked to himself, trying to slow the chaos of adrenaline and heartbreak that was coursing through his veins. He couldn't let Rapunzel be taken away and hidden for another sixteen years, he'd only just found her and there was no way he was about to give her up. His eyes landed on the fireplace or more importantly the stand next to the fireplace holding the tools needed for stoking a fire, long metal pokers, perfect for prying chains apart. But it was well out of his reach. He wriggled, squirmed and stretched in every way he could to try and get closer to them but nothing worked. He pulled off his boot and made aim, if he could get the boot to bounce off the wall and hit the stand at the right angle, he might be able to knock them in his direction.

"Please, please, please..." he muttered and then threw the boot. It hit the wall but bounced in the wrong direction. "Gah!" he shouted in frustration and grabbed his other boot.

"C'mon, Eugene, you can do this." He spoke out loud as he took aim. He held his breath and threw. It hit the wall, it bounced and it landed next to the stand. "No!" He cried. Frustration bubbled up inside him and he kicked the stairs he was chained too, searing pain shot through his foot. Not the smartest idea to go kicking things when you're not wearing boots he thought as he grabbed his foot and rocked back and forth while he waited for the pain to ease. It hurt even more than when Max had stood on it the other day. "Wait" He said turning to the window. "Max!" He shouted. "Max, are you still down there?" He heard a high pitched whinny in reply. "Oh buddy, that good news!" he called back. "Listen, Rapunzel's in trouble, you've got to help her, try and follow her scent, find out where she's headed." An affirmative whinny rang out and Eugene could hear hoof beats charging into the distance. He spirits renewed, he pulled at his chains, and he noticed a slight movement in the banister as he did. He grabbed the wooden pillar and with all his might began to push and then pull it, side to side, again and again, until slowly it began to give. He continued to do it, for almost an hour he didn't stop, his hands were raw, his muscles ached and sweat drenched his body, but it was moving, he was getting closer to being free. After another twenty minutes of pushing and pulling, fatigue was clawing at his body, he stopped to take a few deep breaths and try and regain some strength. Looking around the room he saw the many paintings Rapunzel had created on the walls, he noticed the one of her gazing up at the 'floating lights'. It gave him the final push he needed and he returned to the task at hand, with a final burst of strength he grabbed the pillar and threw his body against it, he heard a creek, and then a snap and it broke free of the step. He and the pillar fell to the floor and in a loud crash and there they stayed for a few long moments, he was free, his hands were still bound but he was free of the tower. He rushed to the kitchen and picked up a jug of water, pouring it down his parched throat; he slumped against the counter and let his breathing come back to normal. The only food left in the tower was a couple of bruised apples; which he devoured in seconds. He then grabbed his boots, pulled them on, raced down the steps and out into the night.

Rapunzel choked back tears as she was pulled along behind Gothel, her wrists were raw from the hand cuffs binding them and she shivered as the night air began to bite at her bare feet and arms.

"Enough whining Rapunzel, it's pathetic." Gothel snapped at her as she tugged the chain connecting them. Rapunzel stumbled and blinked back the tears; she didn't need Gothel to be any crueller to her than she already was. "You brought all of this on yourself, and now I have to try and find us a new place to live, do you know how hard that is going to be for me?"

Rapunzel didn't reply, she couldn't speak without crying and the devastation weighing her down was unbearable. Pascal was holding on tightly to her hair and whimpering occasionally, she was glad to at least have him with her. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew it would be far away from the castle and the tower. As she trudged through the forest she wondered if Eugene was ok, if he had escaped the tower yet, she guessed that given he was a thief, he would have found a way out of the chains by now. Or at least she hoped he had.

"Ouch!" she cried as she stepped on a sharp stick, it had cut her foot.

"What now Rapunzel?" Gothel turned to scowl at her in annoyance.

"N...Nothing, it was nothing." Rapunzel replied, too afraid to cause any more 'problems' for Gothel.

"Then stop making so much noise, it's giving me a headache." She sighed and continued walking. Rapunzel stumbled and began limping after her, biting her tongue to keep herself from crying out in pain. They trudged on for another hour, the air was cooling rapidly and Rapunzel's arms and legs were beginning to go numb, her stomach rumbled in hunger and she was feeling feint as exhaustion began to set in.

"We'll stop here for the night." Gothel announced. There was a small clearing by a river with an overhanging boulder providing some shelter. Gothel fastened Rapunzel's chains around a tree. "There is a town not too far from here, I'll go and get some food, if you're lucky I may bring some back for you." Rapunzel nodded in understanding. "And if I hear so much as a peep from you, any kind of call for help, you will regret it." Gothel threatened then turned and left the clearing. Rapunzel was, in every meaning of the word, alone. She laid her head in her hands and cried.

Maximus frantically circled back and forth on the far side of a river. He had followed Rapunzel's trail for a few miles before it came to this river but now, no matter how hard he tried, he could not pick it up again. He paced back and forth, snorting in frustration, he was not on official kingdom business but he had grown so fond of the girl he would do anything to find her. It had grown dark and he found himself in a predicament, should he go back to the castle or go back to Eugene the thief and see if they could find her together. The choice was clear, he must find Rapunzel, she was so sweet and kind and even if it meant teaming up with Eugene again, he would do it. He waded into the river and out the other side then headed back to the tower at a gallop.