“I know what you’re here for,” Rapunzel continued, brandishing her pan, “and I’m not afraid of you.”
“What?” Flynn answered, confused by it all. Who was this young woman with the hair that seemed to fill the room?
“Who are you and how did you find me?” Rapunzel asked him.
Flynn hesitated, and Rapunzel raised her pan. “Okay, okay, all right,” he said quickly, not wanting to be hit on the head again.
Flynn was now getting a better view of this young woman. She had striking green eyes, and her hair, though excessive, was a beautiful shining gold. She was beautiful. But what did she want from him?
Flynn tried to be charming. “I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say ... ? Hi.” Flynn raised an eyebrow and gave Rapunzel a devilish grin. “The name’s Flynn Rider. How’s your day going?”
Rapunzel had no idea what the man was trying to do, but he looked really weird. Maybe he was insane! “Who else knows my location, Flynn Rider?” Rapunzel demanded. She needed to know everything before she proceeded with her plan.
Flynn sighed. “I was ... in a situation, gallivanting through the forest. I came across your tower, and —” Flynn stopped short, filled with alarm. “Where is my satchel?”
“I’ve hidden it somewhere you’ll never find it,” Rapunzel said confidently.
But it only took about two seconds, during which he surveyed the room and glanced at Rapunzel, for Flynn to say: “It’s in that pot, isn’t it?”
How did he know? Rapunzel raised the pan. BANG! She hit him again. Rapunzel looked at the unconscious man and wondered if maybe she had overreacted just a bit. That pan seemed to be a very good weapon for knocking out ruffians. Quickly, she looked around to hide the satchel again, somewhere really good this time. She lifted a loose board in the stairs and stashed the satchel underneath.
A few minutes later, Pascal flicked his tongue into Flynn’s ear again and Flynn woke with a jump. “Would you stop that!” Flynn yelled, squirming.
Rapunzel just smiled and said, “Now it’s hidden where you’ll never find it.”
She paced around him, wrapping him ever more tightly in her long hair. She was definitely feeling more confident, knowing the power of the pan. “So, what do you want with my hair? To cut it?” she asked accusingly.” To sell it?”
“No! Listen, the only thing I want to do with your hair is get out of it,” Flynn said. “Literally.”
“Wait. You don’t want my hair?” Rapunzel asked in disbelief. Mother Gothel had always said that everyone would want to steal it.
“Why on earth would I want your hair?” Flynn asked. “Look, I was being chased, I saw a tower, and I climbed it. End of story.”
Rapunzel eyed him. If he didn’t want her hair, then she could trust him! Bracing herself, she got ready to take the next step in her plan.
“Okay, Flynn Rider,” she said finally. “I’m prepared to offer you a deal.”
“Deal?” Flynn said, willing to listen.
“Look this way,” she told him. Rapunzel headed toward the fireplace, her hair still wrapped around Flynn. His chair twirled like a spinning top.
“Do you know what these are?” she asked, stepping up on the mantel above the fireplace. She pulled back the curtain, revealing the mural of the floating lights.
Flynn nodded. “You mean the lantern thing they do for the Princess?”
“Lanterns?” Rapunzel gasped quietly. “I knew they weren’t stars!”
“我知道你為什么來這兒,”樂佩揮舞著平底鍋繼續(xù)說道,“而我不怕你?!?
“什么?”費林回答道,對這一切迷惑不解。這個年輕的姑娘是誰?她的頭發(fā)似乎鋪滿了整個房間。
“你是誰?你是怎么找到我的?”樂佩問他。
費林猶豫不決,樂佩揚起了平底鍋?!昂昧耍昧?,行了?!彼w快地說,不想再被打頭。
費林現(xiàn)在能看清這個年輕的姑娘了。她有一雙引人注目的綠眼睛,極長的頭發(fā)閃著金色的光澤。她很美。但她想從他這兒得到什么?
費林試圖讓自己看起來魅力十足?!拔也恢滥闶钦l,也不知道是怎么找到你的,但是我想說……嗨!”費林挑起一邊的眉毛,對樂佩咧嘴壞笑了一下,“我叫費林·雷德。你今天過得怎么樣?”
樂佩不知道這名男子想干什么,但他看起來確實很奇怪。他說不定是個神經(jīng)病!“還有誰知道我在這兒,費林·雷德?”樂佩質(zhì)問道。她要對一切了如指掌之后再實行自己的計劃。
費林嘆了口氣?!拔以谏掷锵构洌龅搅恕稽c狀況。我無意間發(fā)現(xiàn)了這座塔,就——”費林突然住口,警覺起來,“我的背包呢?”
“我藏在了你永遠也找不到的地方。”樂佩自信地說。
但是費林只用了約兩秒鐘掃視了房間,瞥了眼樂佩,便說:“在那個壺里,對不對?”
他怎么會知道?樂佩舉起平底鍋。!她又打了他一下。樂佩看著這名失去知覺的男子,想著自己是不是有點反應(yīng)過激。那個平底鍋似乎是痛打惡棍的好武器。她四下看了看,很快把背包又藏了起來,這次肯定是個絕佳的地方。她撬起樓梯上的一塊木板,把背包塞到下面。
幾分鐘后,帕斯考又把舌頭伸進費林的耳朵里,費林一個激靈醒了過來?!皠e再那樣了!”費林扭動著大叫。
樂佩微笑著說:“現(xiàn)在我把它藏在你永遠也找不到的地方?!?
她繞著他踱步,把他更緊地裹在她的長發(fā)里。見識到平底鍋的威力之后,她感覺更自信了?!澳敲矗阋业念^發(fā)做什么?剪掉它?”她責難道,“賣了它?”
“不!聽著,我唯一想對你頭發(fā)做的事,就是擺脫它,”費林說,“我說真的?!?
“等一下,你不想要我的頭發(fā)?”樂佩難以置信地問。高瑟媽媽一直說人人都想要偷她的頭發(fā)。
“我為什么要你的頭發(fā)?”費林問,“聽著,有人追我,我看到了一座塔,就爬了上來。就這樣?!?
樂佩緊盯著他。如果他不要她的頭發(fā),那她就可以信任他!她情緒振奮,已經(jīng)準備好實行下一步計劃。
“好吧,費林·雷德,”她終于說,“我打算和你做個交易?!?
“交易?”費林問,愿意洗耳恭聽。
“看這邊。”她對他說。樂佩走向壁爐,她的頭發(fā)依舊捆著費林。他的椅子像只陀螺一樣轉(zhuǎn)著圈。
“你知道這些是什么嗎?”她爬上壁爐上方的架子問道。她拉開簾子,露出畫著天燈的壁畫。
費林點了點頭,說道:“你是指他們?yōu)楣鞣诺奶鞜???
“天燈?”樂佩輕輕吸了口氣,“我就知道那不是星星!”