Chapter Text
"Rapunzel!" Cassandra cried as her friend let out a blood curdling scream. The warrior dived after her. The freezing air whipped her face while she desperately tried to fall faster to reach the princess. "Take my hand!"
Rapunzel stretched out her hand to her despite the wind rushing through their ears. Fear consumed the brunette so much that she hardly noticed the glow that emanated off her hair.
Faster and faster the two fell. Cassandra's hand was mere inches from Rapunzel's fingers now, but the crashing waves below drew closer with each second.
Just as the two friends locked hands, the glow over Rapunzel's hair grew so bright that it blinded them.
Rapunzel shut her eyes, waiting for the chilling smack of the ocean.
That's when she felt a weight over her head. Her free hand grasped a familiar texture, and her body was suddenly jolted to the right.
Both Cassandra and Rapunzel let out a yelp by the sudden stop. Rapunzel dared to open her eyes again. Cassandra had her arms wrapped around her torso while her own arm was tucked underneath her handmaiden's armpit.
The duo let out weary breaths, spotting the crashing waves only a few yards below them now.
"How did we--" Cassandra started before her gaze turned upward. "HOLY--"
Her friend's words were drowned out by Rapunzel's own scream when she saw the mountain of golden hair that cascaded down the rocky wall and rested in the princess's tight grip. She squinted her gaze to find that the end of her locks had tangled itself around a thick branch poking out from the wall.
"What-- I-- My hair!?" Rapunzel sputtered loudly, shifting her body from the shock. The movement, though, caused the branch to let out a cracking sound.
"Careful!" Cassandra pleaded. Pascal, who managed to still keep himself secure on the princess's shoulder yelped at the sight as well before falling onto his back, as if he fainted.
Before Rapunzel could say anything else, a neigh echoed from above. She looked up to find Maximus and Fidella staring at the duo from over the ledge.
"Max! Fidella!" Rapunzel spat. She searched around. The sudden appearance of her long hair would have to wait. The branch was not going to last long.
"There!" Cassandra announced. Rapunzel craned her neck to the left to find a beach only a few yards away from them. "We'll just drop into the water and swim over there."
"Uh, I can't swim, Cass!" Rapunzel spat with growing fright. The tree branch above made another snapping sound, causing the duo to fall slightly.
"It's okay, Raps. Try to swing as close to the beach as you can. I'll help you to shore. Trust me," Cassandra said looking right up at the princess. Rapunzel stared at her friend's determined gaze. Her assurance calmed her nerves, at least for a little bit.
"Okay... Okay, I trust you-- AH!" Rapunzel cried when the branch cracked again, jerking the duo.
"Now, Raps!" Cassandra spat. Rapunzel nodded and placed her feet up against the rocky wall.
"Hang on, everyone!" the princess called out before pushing off as hard as she could towards the beach.
The branch above snapped. The girls and Pascal screamed. The wind rushed through their bodies before they plunged into the freezing waves with a loud splash!
...
Deep blue ocean water crashed against the sandy beach in the dead of night.
The sight would be perfectly peaceful aside from the gasping from the two girls when their heads reached the surface.
Rapunzel panicked as the waves smashed against the back of her head, drenching her long and winding hair. She spotted the beach up head and attempted to move towards it, but she could feel herself sinking back under.
That's when she felt an arm hook itself over her back and latch onto her upper arm.
"I've got you, Raps," Cassandra said while spitting out water. The princess looked to find her handmaiden. Strands of her short black hair stuck to her cheeks as she kept her focus up ahead. "Follow my lead. Kick your legs and push your arm out like this."
While her vision was obstructed by the blonde locks over her face and the rushing water, Rapunzel obeyed and just started kicking.
It took much longer than either of them wanted to reach the shore. When they drew close enough, Maximus and Fidella arrived on the beach to help. The white steed spotted a chunk of the yellow hair. He and Fidella grabbed hold and started pulling.
Cassandra let go of her friend when the two reached the sand. The two panted as they slowly crawled across the shore before letting their drenched bodies collapse. Pascal fell from the princess's shoulder and face planted in the sand with a sigh. Maximus and Fidella stepped closer to nudge their riders, huffing with obvious concern.
After remaining still for a couple of minutes, Rapunzel found the strength to sit up. Her racing heart began to settle, and her muscles ached, but her mind still whirled when her eyes landed on the several feet of blonde hair that spread out across the sand. She grabbed a chunk of it to hold in her hands, just to make sure she was seeing this right.
Her hair was back. Her hair... was back.
"What the heck happened up there?" Cassandra asked after she sat up as well.
Rapunzel was at a loss for words. A part of her wondered if this was just some twisted joke or strange dream. She was half expecting Gothel to pop up out of nowhere and try to take her back to the tower.
Finally processing her friend's words, Rapunzel turned towards her. "I... I just put my hand on one of those black rocks, it was glowing, and then there was that explosion, or whatever it was."
Silence carried on between them. Neither of them knew what to possibly say next. Rapunzel just focused back on her long hair, staring at what felt like a piece of nostalgia that made her insides sink.
"Rapunzel... Raps, we gotta head back. It'll be morning soon."
Her friend's words felt distant, but the lighter sky above managed to pull the princess out of her thoughts. Her muscles tensed even more at the fact that they were a pretty far distance from the castle.
"Right, right! We gotta go," Rapunzel said quickly while she scooped up Pascal and pushed herself up off the ground. Her knees buckled, but Maximus moved closer to support her.
Once both women were mounted back onto their horses, their steeds sped off fast back to Corona.
What they failed to see after they disappeared, though, was movement from the ledge above. More black rocks sprouted out of the dirt, and every one of them rotated, all pointing in the same direction north of the rocky ledge.
...
After sneaking back over the wall, crossing the river by boat, and taking the underground tunnels to reenter the castle, the two friends separated to head back to their respective rooms to change.
It was difficult for Rapunzel to sneak around patrolling guards, especially with the large pile of hair clutched in her arms.
Luckily, Maximus was way ahead of her and planned accordingly. The horse marched through the halls with his head held high. He huffed towards any guards that drew too close to the hiding princess and moved them along in the opposite direction.
Rapunzel smiled, whispering her gratitude to the noble steed, and rushed quickly to her chambers, pulling open the large door and swiftly shutting it behind her. She had to be careful, though, for chunks of her hair that trailed behind was almost caught between the doors.
...
Once the princess got herself in some dry attire, she collapsed onto her bed. Rapunzel breathed heavily into her warm sheets, wishing she could ignore her hair and ignore all the consequences that came with it once her parents discovered its return.
Despite her exhaustion, her racing thoughts refused to let her eyes close. Rapunzel then shot back up when a knock came to her door. She scrambled across her blankets and attempted to tuck her pile of locks behind her bed in a weak attempt to hide her drastic change in hair.
"Raps, it's just me," Cassandra called out. With her nerves still shot, Rapunzel was thankful to hear the sound of her friend. She rushed over to the door and opened it slightly. Cassandra, now wearing her handmaiden uniform, rushed inside and shut the door behind her.
"What am I going to do? How am I going to explain this!?" Rapunzel spat once she had someone to dump her rambling thoughts to. She held up chunks of her golden locks for emphasis.
"It's okay. We can just cut it. Nobody will ever have to find out," Cassandra said in a hushed tone before walking over to the princess's desk and snatching a pair of scissors.
Rapunzel watched the tool in her friend's hand for a moment. Instead of being filled with relief, she hesitated.
Did she want to cut her hair?
Yes, a part of her wishes she wasn't given this painful reminder of the past, having back the entire reason of why she lost eighteen years of her life trapped inside a tiny tower.
But, this was her hair. The long beautiful locks that she was blessed with at birth. The very hair that had the power to heal anyone with a simple song.
What if someone she loved got injured or ill, and she carelessly threw away the chance to save them simply because she was afraid of getting in trouble with her parents?
This wasn't Gothel she was facing anymore. That witch was gone. Rapunzel had no reason to rid herself of this second chance when her main source of strife was out of the picture now.
"Wait!" Rapunzel called out when Cassandra drew closer. The handmaiden stopped, watching her friend with a puzzled look. "I... I don't want to cut it."
"What? Raps, you-- Your parents will be furious!"
"Cass, I can't just throw this hair away. What if it has the power to heal again? I can't give that up again just because my parents might be mad at me. They'll get over it."
"It's not just that. I could get into trouble. After a stunt like this? My dad will send me to a convent, Rapunzel. A convent! We'll never see each other again," the handmaiden emphasized loudly. Panic filled her features.
Rapunzel frowned at the thought. "Well, I'll just make sure to tell them that it was all me. I've been away for eighteen years, Cass, and my boyfriend used to be a notorious thief. I'm sure they'll believe that I could sneak out of the castle without anyone seeing me," Rapunzel replied with a wide smirk.
Cassandra sighed, massaging the space between her eyebrows. "This is a bad idea..."
Rapunzel, though, stepped forward. She placed a hand on the handmaiden's shoulder, pulling her focus back. "I'm not going to let that happen to you, Cass. I promise... And when I promise something, I--"
"You never break your promise," Cass replied with an eye roll. Rapunzel, though, placed both her hands on her friend's shoulder, so she couldn't look away.
A stern look fell over the princess. "Ever!"
"Raps, promise all you want, but you can't stop our parents from doing what they want," Cassandra stated before pulling away and walking over to set the scissors back down.
Rapunzel cast her gaze to the ground, dwelling on her friend's words.
Then a knock came from the door.
"Rapunzel? May I come in?" the voice of the queen asked.
The two girls froze. The turning of the door handle creaked, shooting the duo into action. Cassandra was faster. She pressed her body against the door and nearly smacked her highness in the face.
Queen Arianna let out a grunt before the door handle twisted up and down. "Rapunzel? I just wanted to talk to you for a moment."
"Sorry mom! I--Uh, I'm changing right now," Rapunzel stated quickly.
"Oh, well, I can wait, sweetie."
Panic pumped through Rapunzel's veins.
"Actually, it might be a while. I-I'm just... having a hard time deciding what to wear for the banquet today, you know?" Rapunzel admitted, letting out a weak chuckle.
Cassandra's gaze dulled, but Rapunzel shooed her judgement away with a dismissive hand.
Silence grew from behind the door long enough that Cassandra almost relaxed.
"Rapunzel... I know you don't want to see me," Arianna finally spoke.
The princess tensed. Before she could ask for clarity, her mother continued. "You have every right to be angry with me, but your father and I never intended to hurt or deceive you... We never wanted to make you feel trapped again. We just want to... I wanted to keep you from heartbreak."
Rapunzel drew closer towards the door. As Cassandra stepped away, Rapunzel moved her ear up to the door to ensure no words were muffled. "Heartbreak?" Rapunzel muttered.
"Sweetie, I've made so many mistakes when I was young. I left my family, my home, to explore the world because I had no idea what I even wanted to do with myself. I adored the adventures, and I even became close with this very charming duke. He too had no idea what he wanted in his life and tried to succeed at everything. I had thought what we had was love..." Arianna trailed off. A heavy sigh escaped from the other side. "But I learned too late that he just wanted another prize for his collection. I almost didn't escape until my sister found me and sneaked me back home."
Rapunzel's chest began to ache. She placed a hand against the wood, wishing she could thrust it open and meet her mother's gaze.
"You... You never told me about all this before," the princess muttered to herself, but it was still loud enough to hear.
"Because it's not something I'd rather talk about. It's part of the reason why I learned more about sword fighting and combat in my later years. If I was going to face the outside world again, then I would be sure to be ready for it," Arianna continued with a low tone.
Rapunzel's throat constricted. "Mom..."
"I'm not saying Eugene will treat you the same way, but hearing the stories about how sheltered you were, I just didn't want you to face the same disappointment I had when finding that first love."
Rapunzel opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't know quite what to say. Her mind was still dwelling on this new story. One thought, though, continued to shift through her mind:
But don't I still have a right to make my own mistakes?
Before Rapunzel could say another word, the queen spoke again, "You are strong, Rapunzel. You have already faced more hardship in your young life than some face in a lifetime. I forget that sometimes... I love you, sweetheart."
Rapunzel could hear the queen releasing her grip on the door handle. The young lady rested her head against the door with a deep breath. "I love you too, mom."
With a pause, Arianna returned with a warm tone, "I'll see you at the banquet. Rest up."
The queen's footsteps echoed down the empty hall, leaving a quiet Rapunzel to blink away the tears still welling up in her gaze.
Cassandra watched the princess for a moment, casting her gaze to the ground. She tried her best not to listen to the queen's words, but she found it nearly impossible with the fear of discovery still jabbing the inside of her head.
Finally, after a moment, Cassandra looked back up towards her friend. "You okay?"
A heavy sigh escaped Rapunzel's lips. "Yeah, yeah... I'm okay..." After another long pause, the princess turned to face her handmaiden. "But I really rather not deal with both my parents and all the guests finding out about my hair. You think there might be a way to hide it until after my coronation tomorrow?"
Cassandra pursed her lips, dwelling on the question. She scanned over the princess's long locks while her mind racked for any plausible solution. "Well, we definitely have time to braid it all. Pinning it up would be the difficult part." The handmaiden cringed at the thought of how much weight would be on the young lady's head. "With the right powdered wig, though, it should be doable. You just gotta practice balancing it all on your head."
Rapunzel then scoffed with a smile. "Easy peasy. Those princess lessons made me balance several books on top of my head just to make sure I kept my back straight."
"Yeah, but did the books weigh more than 70 feet worth of hair piled on top of your head?" Cassandra argued, raising a brow.
When the princess's confidence faltered, Cassandra couldn't help but smirk. "Alright, your majesty. We better get started. We're already burning daylight."
...
The clock was ticking. The sun moved across the sky as the palace staff prepared for the royal banquet. Tables were placed within the ball room. Each was long and rectangular, positioned into one giant square, so all the guests faced each other. While the kitchen steamed with hot dishes and silverware clanked against the table clothes, Lady Caine remained still in her room.
She adjusted the wig back over her short brown locks before she turned to gaze at herself in the mirror, checking that her makeup was right.
One of her goons, the one she had planted as a royal guard, was currently standing just down the hall, waiting for her signal to begin with the plan.
Her gaze cast down towards her hands. They were shaking, but it wasn't from fear. Adrenaline was inching itself throughout the young woman's body, making her jittery. She couldn't help but grin at how close her plans were finally coming into fruition.
She had been planning revenge on Corona's royals for as long as she could remember, and with their precious princess coming home, she found it right to finally take action.
They were going to pay. They were going to pay for what they did to her father.
Lady Caine inhaled slowly, calming her racing pulse. She couldn't slip up now. She had to keep her composure for just a little bit longer.
A loud caw broke the crook out of her thoughts. She shifted her focus towards the still open window to find the beady-eyed raven from the previous night glaring right at her.
The Queen of Thieves scowled at the feathery rat, reminding her of the one unknown variable in her plan. She walked over to the creature and glared right back.
"Tell your master that he better be ready. We will be starting soon," Lady Caine said with full disdain.
The raven squawked at Lady Caine once again before flying away into the dusty pink skin above.
A knock then came from the door.
"Duchess Penelope? I've come to inform you that the banquet will begin in just a few minutes. Would you like me to escort you to the ball room?" a regular guard requested. Lady Caine turned. The corners of her mouth twitched with another smile.
"Yes, of course! You are more gracious," she said with her pitched voice. The Queen of Thieves headed over to the door. She gripped its handle before practically throwing it open due to the excitement clawing through every inch of her muscles.
...
Rapunzel stood in the hallway, taking in slow breaths. She and Cassandra had spent most of the day twisting and tying her enormous hair. They secured the large braid on top of her head before placing the eye sore of an even bigger powdered wig over it.
The princess sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her face held a tint of powder to match the wig, making it look like she had gotten flour on her cheeks. Oh, how she wished she were baking right now instead of here. Cassandra stood behind her, folding up the collar of her dress, so any loose strands of the blonde hair would not be seen in the back. The handmaiden exhaled loudly before wiping her brow.
"Okay, well, that's as good as it's going to get."
"And you're sure no one can see it?" Rapunzel asked, biting the bottom of her lip.
"Positive. Just remember what we practiced. Back straight, and small steps. Don't take too many turns or else you'll go tipping," Cassandra said while moving around the many large layers of the dress. "I'm not liking that we're using your coronation gown for this banquet, but that wig would stick out twice as much if you wore anything else."
"I look ridiculous either way..." Rapunzel muttered. She was about ready to rub off the bright red lipstick that coated her mouth.
"Well, you won't be the only clown in there wearing all this, so you'll fit right in," Cassandra teased, making the princess roll her eyes. As the handmaiden straightened the folds of her friend's dress, Rapunzel smiled at her.
"Thank you again... for doing all this for me, Cass."
"It's not a problem, Raps. Besides, hiding the hair means there's less chance I'll get in trouble too, so really this is benefiting both of us," Cassandra said while returning the smile. Rapunzel watched as her lady-in-waiting stood straight again before glancing to her right at the closed doors.
"I would hug you right now if both this wig and dress weren't so constricting," Rapunzel admitted, refusing to move anything besides her mouth.
"Oh, well, good for me then. I can do without the bear hugs," Cassandra said casually while commotion grew behind the doors. She then turned back to look at the princess. "Alright, it's time. You've got this." She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.
Rapunzel tensed before taking a quick breath of air. She took slow steps towards the door before Cassandra moved over to open it for her.
The ballroom was decorated similarly to the night before, yet the floor was covered by long tables with purple cloths draped over them. All of the other guests were already seated at their respective seats, watching the waiters strolling around the room with trays of food. Thankfully, Rapunzel used one of the side doors, so her walk towards her seat was rather short. Yet, when she came into view, all eyes fell to her.
Rapunzel's postured straightened even further, but the sudden jerk almost made her lose her balance. She panicked, nearly sliding to her right before repositioning the heavy tower on top of her head. She kept her focus ahead, but she couldn't help but notice the guests in the room. Some began to whisper to each other, likely about the rather lavish outfit she was wearing and how it didn't fit much with the setting. Rapunzel's shoulders sank before she corrected herself due to almost losing her balance once again.
When she made it to her seat in between the king and queen, the eyes began to drift back to the food, and conversations started up once again. Yet, she did manage to spot Prince William still looking her way. He carried a look of confusion as well from the princess's appearance, but when the two met each other's gazes, he quickly cast his focus to his plate as if he didn't want to be visible to her at the moment.
Rapunzel gained a tired look as she focused ahead. Too many things were busying her mind now to worry about the awkward moment the two shared the evening prior.
"Rapunzel?"
The princess snapped out of her thoughts and looked to her left to see her father. He raised a brow at her appearance.
"Isn't that your coronation gown?" he asked quietly while the waiters passed by to deliver the first course to him.
Rapunzel's throat felt dry. She was hoping he wouldn't ask. Despite the looks she was receiving, there were definitely others in the room with big wigs and even larger dresses. Couldn't people just not examine every little thing she did for five seconds!?
"Uh, yeah... Just thought I'd get used to it. The wig and gown are pretty heavy. I'd hate to slip during my coronation tomorrow, you know?" Rapunzel started with a weak smile.
The king watched his daughter's nervous features before his stony demeanor melted. He returned the smile and patted his daughter on the shoulder.
"You look lovely, sweetheart," he said, making Rapunzel's twisted insides ease ever so slightly. Her shoulders relaxed before she copied his expression.
Was she still mad at her parents? Yes, they lied to both her and supposedly Eugene, causing all this drama and hurt that could have been avoided if they had just trusted her more.
After hearing her mother's story, though, and seeing the kindness return in her father's eyes made the young princess relax. When the waiter delivered her meal, she looked down at the steaming broth and bread before her. Despite the tightness of her corset, she was rather famished. Rapunzel smiled before grabbing one of her many forks.
For right now, she'll choose to be at peace, praying that the difficult conversations yet to come will be easier than she thought.
...
That's when she heard it. The loud banging sound that shook the entire ball room, causing several yelps among the guests.
"Everyone, stay where you are!"
"We're taking over your little dinner party!"
Voices shouted among the screams as Rapunzel and her parents stood up. Her body tensed when she saw guards pointing their halberds at the guests.
No, wait, they weren't guards. Upon closer look, Rapunzel could see the greasy hair and crooked smiles over their faces. These weren't palace guards. None of them were.
Rapunzel's hands curled into fists when the impostors grabbed the royals and dignitaries, shoving them against the wall.
"What is the meaning of this!?" King Fredric's voice boomed. A rather large man then appeared behind her father, and Rapunzel gasped.
"Dad!" she screamed before her father's head was slammed against the table by the stranger's tattooed knuckles. Rapunzel could feel the hands of her mother, pulling her back from the scene.
"Fredric!" Arianna shouted in horror. The king grunted from the sudden blow before stomping on the larger man's foot. The thug cried as the king swung his body around and went for the ceremonious blade that was hooked at his belt.
That's when another loud bang shot through the air.
"Don't even think about it, your majesty," a voice said.
Rapunzel looked to her right. A woman stood only a few feet away from the king, pistol in hand. Her brown hair was tied messily into a bun. She held a sword in her other hand while she stood smugly in a pair of trousers and loose top. It was then that Rapunzel noticed the powdered wig and pink gown that had been tossed to the ground beneath the young lady. Upon proper inspection, Rapunzel spotted the familiarity in her features.
"Duchess Penelope?" Rapunzel guessed, baffled at the drastic change in appearance. The woman sneered at her question before a chuckle escaped from deep inside her.
"Oh, honey, I'm no duchess."
The large thug then grabbed a hold of Fredric's shoulder and shoved him forward. The king nearly stumbled from the force but caught himself in time.
"Dad!" Rapunzel spat again, stepping forward. She then heard a yelp from behind. The princess whipped around, nearly toppling the wig from her head. Another fake guard had grabbed a hold of her mother's arm. Arianna grabbed the bowl of soup from her plate and threw the hot broth right in the man's face. The thug shouted as his skin burned. His grip on the queen fell away in favor of tending to his eyes. Rapunzel searched the table for a weapon as well, but she stopped when the pistol's barrel now pointed at her.
"Enough! If you make any more trouble, then I'll make sure to stain this floor with your blood!" the woman spat before two more thugs came up from behind Rapunzel and the queen. Arianna was pulled to join the other guests while Rapunzel was yanked to the center with the king. The princess spotted Cassandra, who was on her knees as well, with the rest. Her gaze was hard. The handmaiden scanned the criminals around her with calculating coldness.
The former duchess waltzed over to Rapunzel's side, and that's when the princess spotted the wide grin over her face. The crook turned, so all three of them were facing the guests that were cramped together as if they were an audience for performance.
"Attention, attention, royals and dignitaries alike. You may be wondering what is going on here? Well, don't worry. You all are merely spectators, witnessing his majesty finally face the consequences of his actions."
"What do you want? Who are you people?" King Fredric spat with a clear scowl.
"Oh, of course you have no idea who we are. We are just petty thieves and crooks within your kingdom, your majesty," the woman explained, keeping her pistol pointed towards the king. "I am, who many would call, the Queen of Thieves. Lady Caine, if you want to shrug off the title."
"The Queen of Thieves?" Rapunzel dared to ask, making all eyes look at her. Lady Caine's eyelids fell slightly, staring at the princess as if she were a lost puppy.
"Yes, darling... Your father may have cracked down on crime ever since your disappearance, but I've found my way through the shadows, building an army of my own. All of us here have faced hardship and loss before we became criminals. We were given unfair chances while the rest of the people in this kingdom looked down on us," Lady Caine explained as she drew closer to Rapunzel. Her amusement then faded and replaced with a flash of hatred. "And because of your disappearance 18 years ago, the king made sure to throw anyone who made the slightest offense against the law in jail. That included my father, who had only stolen food to feed his starving daughter." The boiling fury in the young lady's tone deepened while her grip on the pistol shook. "He died in a cold cell while his little girl wandered the streets all alone."
Rapunzel's narrowed gaze broke from the woman's words. Her brow knitted when she noticed the slightest glisten of tears in Lady Caine's eyes. The crook blinked them away quickly before inhaling to calm her shaking body.
"And then... you came back... With your arm around a thief of all people. A thief who was supposed to be hanged for stealing your crown, and what did your father do?" Lady Caine asked before shifting her rage back onto the king. Fredric's gaze remained stern, glaring at the enraged criminal before him. "He let him live within his castle! All for merely being a delivery boy! While my father withered away in a jail cell, Flynn Rider got the royal treatment all because he was the arm candy of daddy's little girl!"
"Enough! You made your point!" Fredric shouted, but a blade was then pointed to his neck. Rapunzel flinched at how quickly Lady Caine had positioned her sword.
"You have no room to make demands, your majesty. Most of your guards are locked away in the dungeons, and the rest won't be able to get through those doors in time," Lady Caine muttered. Rapunzel cast her gaze towards the front entrance and spotted the halberd resting through the handles. The large thug from before then gripped Fredric's shoulders and shoved him to his knees. Rapunzel held out her hands to him, but Lady Caine pushed her back with her pistol.
The princess held up her hands. "I'm sorry about your father. What happened to him was beyond cruel and unjust..." Rapunzel said with sadness consuming her. "But please, don't hurt my dad. There has to be another way we can sort this out--"
"There is nothing to sort out! My father is gone! I'm never getting him back!" Lady Caine screamed, making Rapunzel crumble. The princess's heart broke from the young woman's words. Rapunzel lowered her hands and cast her gaze to the ground.
"You're right... There's nothing that could make up for that. You have every right to be furious. I can't imagine how I would feel if I was in your shoes," Rapunzel muttered as she pulled her arms up to hug herself. She then looked back up to meet Caine's eyes. "But I do know what it feels like to have your world ripped from you... to have someone you love die right before your eyes." Rapunzel stepped forward despite the weapon aimed at her. Confusion filtered through Lady Caine's features, searching for a hint of deception, but she was surprised to find genuine grief and pain fall over the little princess's eyes.
Lady Caine lowered the barrel of the gun ever so slightly as Rapunzel approached her. She tried to reach for the crook's shoulder--
--But there was a shift. Lady Caine's gaze hardened while a crazed grin flew over her cheeks. She tightened the grip on her pistol and positioned it back at the princess. Rapunzel's eyes widened when she saw the amusement bleeding through her burning fury.
"Sorry, princess, I can't be that easily swayed... Too bad, though... I would have killed you myself, but somebody has already claimed that honor."
Before Rapunzel could question her, she felt a presence behind her. She turned ever so slightly, and what she saw made her heart sink into her stomach.
A man towered over her, cloaked in a dark hood. What terrified the princess, though, was the glowing eyes that stared her down with such intensity. He stood still. Rapunzel almost thought he wasn't breathing until he spoke.
"Sun Drop..." he muttered. Rapunzel tensed at the words. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat had closed up. Her body trembled at the dark force before her. He lifted his arm, and a blade suddenly shot out from his leather glove. His green gaze suddenly flashed with murderous intent. "Your time on this earth is over!" his voice boomed, chilling Rapunzel to her core.
"No! It's me you want! Don't touch her!" Fredric cried out, but the thug behind him kept his body still. Lady Caine waltzed over to the king with pure joy.
"Ah, sorry, your majesty. This guy only wants your daughter's head. Don't worry, I'll make sure you'll live long enough to witness her demise," Lady Caine said in a low tone, grinning from ear to ear.
Rapunzel began to back away from the approaching force. With so much fabric wrapped around her waist and the footwear, it wasn't long before the princess tumbled, landing on her back with a thud. Her wig fell to her side, pulling her pinned braid with it. Several strands of her blonde hair cascaded down her back and laid on the floor with her.
The sight of her hair seemed to infuriate the green-eyed man even more. He drew closer to the princess with his blade raised.
Rapunzel continued to back away while her heart beat flooded her ears.
She had to do something. She couldn't just sit here. Her family and friends were in danger.
Rapunzel swallowed hard as she stared at the bloodthirsty force towering over her, ready to deliver a final blow. Through her trembling form, Rapunzel's fists tightened until her knuckles turned white.
Move, Rapunzel. Move... MOVE!
The princess rolled when the blade came crashing down, missing her head by an inch. Rapunzel kicked off her heels and went for the clips on her skirt. She tossed off several of the dress's layers, allowing her to stand up once again.
The green-eyed man's blade slid across the ground before he twisted his head to where Rapunzel went. The princess searched for any sign of a weapon until her gaze landed on a cart in the back corner. It was abandoned by one of the staff members, displaying used dishes from the kitchen including... a frying pan.
Rapunzel took one last glance at the man. He had lowered his hood, so his black braids and pale skin became visible to her. With swift movement, the princess raced across the ballroom towards the cart. The green-eyed man gave chase, grabbing a chunk of her long locks that had nearly fallen completely from its braid.
Rapunzel let out a yelp when she felt a hard yank on her hair. She cried out, planting her bare feet against the floor and gripping her own hair to keep from being flung to the floor. She pulled against the green-eyed man's force and inched her fingers ever closer towards the frying pan, feeling the cold texture on the tips of her fingers.
When the man gave one forceful yank with both hands, Rapunzel screamed when she was pulled towards him in an instant. He then raised his blade once more before swinging back down on the princess's neck.
That's when steel struck against iron. The man's gaze widened when he saw the frying pan that Rapunzel held up to block his blow. He could see the smug smile fall over the princess, causing him to seethe with fury.
Before he could press his blade further against the pan, though, a loud crackling sound pulled his attention away. Several of the fake guards yelped when sparking flames and smoke filled the area around the guests.
...
These criminals weren't a problem for Cassandra. Honestly, she could easily take down most of the thugs guarding her and the guests. The idiots didn't even bother restraining her. She guessed that when they saw her in a servant's dress, they automatically assumed there was nothing to her.
Oh, they were going to regret that...
Cassandra had spent her time during Lady Caine's monologue forming a plan while carefully reaching for the dagger still tucked inside her boot. Pascal chirped on her shoulder. She could see the look of terror in the little reptilian's eyes for the princess. Cassandra nodded to him as she continued formulating a strategy.
Her plans were interrupted, though, when that hooded man came in. He appeared so suddenly behind Rapunzel that the handmaiden didn't even have time to warn her.
The way the guy carried himself, even possessing a well-crafted sword that just shot out from his glove like that. Cassandra knew this guy was going to be a problem.
She had to move fast. Although most of the guards were distracted from watching Rapunzel squirm, she couldn't promise she could get to every criminal without one of them harming the royals, especially Lady Caine with her pistol.
"We're doomed! So doomed!" A rather loud whisper came from her right. Cassandra was the closest to the back of the group with Queen Arianna and the youthful guests that Rapunzel had spoken with the night prior. One of the duke's sons, Adrian, had been the one who spoke, and he was already hyperventilating.
"Suck it up! I know this is terrifying, but it's not like we're the ones with a crazed man ready to chop our heads off," Nuru shushed.
"Nuru's right... We have to do something," William muttered with intensity. He kept his attention towards Rapunzel, but Cassandra could see the trembling of his hands as he gripped his pant leg.
"Are you crazy!? They'll kill us if we interfere," Adrian spat through shaky breath.
Charles, who sat beside him, placed a hand on his shoulder, snapping the taller teen's attention onto him. "We can't just sit here and watch her die..."
Adrian wanted to argue, but his mouth just laid open. He soon dipped his head to the floor, biting back a soft whimper.
"We need a distraction," Cassandra finally said, pulling both the youths and Arianna's attention towards her. "I can take most of these guys out, but I'll need cover and a distraction, so I can get a hold of Lady Caine's pistol."
"You?! How are you--" Adrian closed his mouth tight when he spotted the dagger's hilt peaking out on the top of her boot.
"I'll cover you," Arianna whispered, and most of the youths nodded in agreement.
"And I can create the distraction," Mei said. Cassandra turned to the quiet young woman. She smirked before pulling out small packs from the folds of her gown. The handmaiden's eyes widened when she realized they were a type of explosive.
"You have explosives on you!?" Nuru whispered before the group shushed her. Adrian looked like he was about ready to faint.
"They're just firecrackers. I tend to keep them on me for emergencies like this," Mei explained with a casual shrug.
"Impressive," William mumbled. Cassandra smiled towards the princess, but she was alerted by a loud cry. The handmaiden looked up to find the cloaked man gripping Rapunzel's hair as she tried to reach for a frying pan on the cart.
"We have to act now. You have something to light them with?" Cassandra asked. With a swift nod, Mei pulled out a match. She struck it against the bottom of her heel before lighting each pack of firecrackers.
In one swift movement, Cassandra and the others readied themselves. As the cloaked man yanked Rapunzel towards him, Cassandra and Mei tossed the firecrackers on opposite ends of the crowd, aiming right for the criminals.
That's when a loud popping sound exploded through the air, causing screams to belt out mostly from the men in guard attire. At once, Cassandra jumped to her feet with Arianna right behind her.
The handmaiden's hair was loose and wild while she charged forward with a dagger in hand. Arianna grasped a candle holder and swung the long metal pole like its use was always meant to be a weapon. The two swiped the fake guards off their feet quickly, and very few clashed weapons with them for long, since they were so startled with the firecrackers. William and Mei got to their feet and grabbed the nearest object like Arianna. Nuru and Charles even grabbed a hold of one of the tables and tipped it over, causing it to crash into a few of the thugs.
With a nod between Arianna and Cassandra, the handmaiden raced off after her target while the youthful guests aided the queen in taking down the remaining criminals.
On her shoulder, Cassandra spotted her friend's chameleon, who looked ready for battle. "Pascal, go help Rapunzel!" She lifted her arm, so the little creature could get a running start. He saluted her before jumping forward and soaring right towards the tower of blonde hair.
...
Rapunzel was back on her feet as she gripped her frying pan with newfound determination. Her hair scattered all over the floor between her and the green-eyed man. The two held their gazes while they began to circle each other. Rapunzel watched the man carefully. The large tufts of white fur on his collar matched that of a lion's mane. Between that and the seething rage in his glowing gaze, it made him appear more animal than man.
"Who are you? Why did you call me Sun Drop?" Rapunzel asked. Her mind couldn't help but wonder if he might know something about her sudden return of magical hair. The stranger continued to glare at her like a piece of scum. After a minute of silence, she almost thought he didn't hear her at all.
The man then charged forward. Rapunzel attempted to block the blow with her pan, but his force was so strong that her body went flying. She tumbled across the ballroom floor. Her arm smacked against marble, making her muffle a scream.
"I am Hector. I am a member of the Brotherhood, sworn to protect the royal family of Lunar and slay any and all that pose a threat against the kingdom," the man spoke in a low tone. Rapunzel almost didn't hear him. She sat up slowly, wincing from the shooting pain. She held her arm before grasping the handle of her frying pan once again.
"The Lunar Kingdom? I've heard of it... but I don't know anything about that place. How could I pose a threat?" Rapunzel pleaded, desperately wanting an explanation for all this madness.
"Don't act innocent! You plan to rip the power from my homeland and destroy everything we've built! YOU are our Bringer of Doom, Sun Drop!" Hector roared. Each word scorched the air worse the last. He lowered his stance, preparing to charge once again.
A chirp from Pascal, though, distracted the man. Hector glanced to his right. The tiny chameleon resided on his shoulder, growling angrily at the man.
To Rapunzel's surprise, Hector stood up straight again and acknowledged the reptile fully.
"Step away, little chameleon. This battle will be dangerous," he spoke with complete seriousness in his tone.
Rapunzel stared at the sight, mouth agape. She would have giggled if her body wasn't still trembling with terror. She took this opportunity, though, to stand and grab hold of her long locks. She threw the end of it forward, wrapping it around the man's ankle.
Hector pulled his attention away from Pascal long enough to notice the princess's actions. He attempted to grab the hair to cut it, but the chameleon shot out his tongue right in the man's face before scurrying away. Hector jumped from the sudden attack. He lost his footing for merely a second, but it was long enough for Rapunzel to give one firm yank, pulling the green-eyed man off his feet. He smacked his head against the cold floor and was sent tumbling towards the center of all the chaos.
At the same time, Lady Caine was startled by the sudden revolution before her eyes. She aimed her pistol at the first rioting royal she saw before a sudden weight pushed her to the ground.
The king had jumped up and tackled Lady Caine. Her pistol went flying across the marble floor. She grunted in anger, shooting her elbow right into the king's nose before he could grasp onto her sword. The king held his bleeding nose. He tried to chase after the thief, but he was blocked by other criminals. Caine then raced for her other weapon until a new opponent stood in her way.
Cassandra came bursting in and immediately clashed with the Queen of Thieves. The two threw their blades, dealing swift blows to catch the other off balance. Any time Caine drew too close towards her pistol, the handmaiden would shove her back. Lady Caine cursed at the obstacle in front of her, slashing her blade with harder and harder strikes, but her opponent kept on strong.
"Why are you even doing this!? What have the royals ever done for you?" Caine spat.
"A lot, actually... Can't seem to shake off this annoyingly optimistic princess no matter what I do either," Cassandra laughed with a wide grin before kicking her opponent in the gut. Lady Caine crumbled to her knees as the handmaiden raced for the pistol. The Queen of Thieves, though, dove across the floor and latched onto the handle immediately following Cassandra. The two sprang to their feet and tussled for the weapon. Lady Caine reached for the trigger, but Cassandra forced the barrel upward before--
BANG!
Another shot fired through the ballroom. The bullet, though, had struck the chandelier above. The crystals jingled. The cords snapped. The enormous chandelier came crashing down.
Everyone raced for cover. Everyone except Hector, who had just managed to sit up when the chandelier plummeted right on top of him, shattering its crystals into billions of pieces.
Rapunzel gasped at the sight in horror. Her skin paled while her body froze. She attempted to take a few steps forward until a loud slam came from behind.
The princess turned towards the main entrance. The gigantic doors were flung open, breaking the halberd that held them in place. The Captain of the Guard, Maximus, and several other guards rushed in and stormed the scene.
"Nobody move! You criminals are under arrest by the authority of the Coronan Crown!" the Captain shouted with fury while Maximus neighed angrily in approval.
"Captain! Max!" Rapunzel spat with relief melting away some of her horror. The white steed rushed to her side, checking her over for any injuries. Rapunzel let out a shaky breath while petting his snout. "I'm okay... I'm okay."
While some criminals tried to run for it, the real guards quickly tackled them to the ground, cuffing them and all the crooks that had fallen during the fight. The Captain raced over to his daughter, who was aiming the pistol at the Queen of Thieves. Two guards came over and cuffed Lady Caine.
The young woman thrashed against the restraints, cursing in boiling rage. "No. No! This isn't over! I'm going to make you all pay! You will burn in depths of hell with me you--Ack!" Lady Caine jerked when the butt of her pistol was smacked against the back of her head, courtesy of Cassandra. The thief slumped over, unconscious in the guards' arms now.
"That's enough of that," Cassandra said with a shake of her head. The Captain eyed his daughter who shrugged. "What? I'm not a guard."
Silence fell between the two for a moment as the Captain scanned over the handmaiden. "You're not injured, are you?"
"No... I'm fine," Cassandra said, glancing to her right. She handed the pistol to her father a second later.
"Good..." the Captain said as he turned to head towards his men, who all still were trying to wrangle in the criminals as well as aid any of the injured guests. The Captain stopped, though, to glance back at his daughter. "You did a good job, Cassandra."
The handmaiden gave a small smile in return, but she quickly looked away once her father headed back over to his men.
"Rapunzel!"
The princess turned from petting Max and was quickly enveloped in a tight embrace by her parents. Rapunzel returned the gesture, squeezing them as if they could slip out of her grip at any moment. When the family finally released each other, Rapunzel winced at the sight of her father. "Oh, dad... you're nose."
The king's nose was indeed bruised and still had a bit of blood dripping from the nostrils. He shook his head as if to dismiss the concern. "I'm alright, sweetheart," he said before pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket and holding it up to his nose.
"I'm so relieved that you're safe... and your hair?" the queen asked once she acknowledged the several feet of hair that scattered across the floor.
Rapunzel gave a small chuckle in response. "Yeah... That's uh... long story."
Fredric's gaze hardened when he focused on the hair too before turning to face the chandelier in the center. His family slowly followed after him while guards began moving the giant crystal decor. The Captain went to stand next to his majesty as they all waited to grab the violent figure below.
"Get him out of there. I want answers for--" The king stopped. His eyes widened when there was no body among the shattered crystals. All that was left was a bit of torn fabric caught by one of the chandelier's broken handles. Fury burned inside the king. "Where is he!? How could he have escaped! How did none of you see him?" he shouted towards the dumbfounded guards.
"We'll find him, your majesty. Search the grounds! Lock down the palace!" the Captain called out to his men.
"Find him at once! He needs to pay for what he did to my daughter!" Fredric spat with shaking fists.
"This is unacceptable, King Fredric!"
The Corona family turned their heads towards their guests. One of the dukes drew closer. He and several others carried deep scowls. "This was a blatant attack on all of us from another kingdom! And you let the crazed man get away!? I hope you plan on doing something about this!" the short, skinny man spat with a waved finger.
"Please, Duke of Weselton, I assure you I do not take this attack lightly and will be taking care of it personally. I will be sure to send word to the Lunar Kingdom and see what their king has to say about all this," Fredric said with a narrowed gaze of his own.
Arianna then moved away from Rapunzel and headed to her husband's side. "On behalf of Corona, we are deeply sorry for what you and your children were put through today. Until this threat is taken care of, we will be postponing the coronation until further notice. Please, for your own safety, we ask that we take you back to your rooms before your carriages arrive to take you home."
Murmurs fell over the entire ballroom. Many turned to stare at the princess, clearly curious about both the hair and the possible threat behind it.
Rapunzel moved her attention to the floor. Her body trembled from the sudden millions of eyes on her. But, most of all, she was upset that, yet again, everyone seemed to be placing all the focus on her.
Yes, that strange man was frightening, but was everyone forgetting about Lady Caine and the rest of the criminals that were threatening them? Lady Caine had her own agenda, her own vendetta against her family, which clearly had nothing to do with her hair.
Why wasn't anyone focused on that? Why didn't anyone seem to care about the deranged, yet heartbroken young woman that just wanted justice for her father? Why did nobody seem to care about how horrible Lady Caine's story was and the implications it brought about her father's rule? Why couldn't these royals just focus on something other than their own selves!
"Rapunzel?" the princess snapped out of her thoughts. She turned to see Cassandra standing by her side now. She placed a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder, allowing the princess to finally exhale.
She then heard a chirp. Rapunzel looked down to see Pascal, safe and sound, on her other shoulder. She smiled at the chameleon and petted his head. "Glad to see you okay, buddy."
Rapunzel's attention then drifted to the others in the room. The other youthful royals were busy being checked over by their parents, and seemingly, now forced to stay by their sides. Yet still, Nuru, Mei, and the others all sneaked warm smiles towards the princess. Little Nuru even gave a reassuring wave at the now blonde young lady before pointing towards her head to emphasize how much she adored the new look. Rapunzel held in a giggle before her eyes landed on William. The prince sent a pure look of relief before nodding towards her. Rapunzel returned the gesture with a nod of her own, signalling the return of peace between them.
"Rapunzel."
The princess was pulled towards the sound of her father. While her mother and the rest of the guards were busy guiding the guests out of the room and towards their quarters, King Fredric marched back over to the princess. Cassandra released her shoulder and stepped back a few feet at the presence of his majesty.
"I need you to head to your room at once, and you will be staying there until further notice."
"What? Dad, you can't--"
"I can, and I will! A man just came in and tried to kill you! A man who also called you the Sun Drop. With the return of this magic hair, which I will come ask more about later, I see that I need to ensure your safety even more so now until this threat of the Lunar Kingdom is settled."
"Dad, please! Let's just talk about this. Let me help find out what's going on and--"
"Out of the question! Guards! Take my daughter to her room, now!" the king ordered.
Rapunzel gasped when gloved hands latched onto her arms. Cassandra reached out towards the frightened princess, but she was held back by the Captain. The princess thrashed against the hold as she was dragged away by her bare heels. "Dad! Please! Don't lock me up! Don't! Please!" she cried. Her breathing quickened as she gasped for air. Tears streamed down her cheeks the further the bulky guards yanked her down the echoing hall.
...
It had taken a while before the world formed around Eugene once again, but it was a rather quick rush. He hardly had time to process anything when both his nostrils and mouth were flooded with water.
Eugene's eyes shot open. He felt a hand gripping the back of his head, keeping his face submerged in the cold liquid. When he jerked for freedom, the hand released him, and he sat up with a jolt. Eugene fell away from the small tub of water. He leaned forward, hacking and spitting at the marble beneath him.
Eugene's head was pounding. Granted, he has faced worse head trauma in the past, but he was beginning to wonder if he would start facing serious brain damage with so many blows to the head.
"Hey, pretty boy woke up."
"I was beginning to think the guy was dead," someone said to his left. After a few deep inhales, Eugene looked up. His blurry vision spotted several figures around him in the dimly lit room. Many were tall and beefy. Yellow teeth, tattooed arms, and burning gazes. All of these men and women towered over Eugene, watching his haggard breaths in amusement.
"Sorry to disappoint you, fellas, but I received harder hits from a princess," Eugene rasped before coughing once again. Memories started flooding back to him. Eugene looked around for any sign of Lance, but he couldn't spot him among the crowd. The former thief then grunted when a hand gripped his shirt collar and yanked him upward.
A muscular man with a scar over his eye sneered at Eugene. "You trying to insult us?" Eugene gagged when the man's stench flooded his senses.
"Just making a statement... Now, could you back up a bit because your breath is seriously about to make me hurl," Eugene spat while turning his face away.
This set the man off. He threw Eugene to the floor. The former thief had tried to catch himself, but he soon realized that his wrists were bounded behind his back. His side hit the ground once again, making him groan.
"That's enough, Lil' Tim."
Eugene froze. The gentle voice among the harsh crowd made the entire room go silent.
A pair of heels clicked against the floor. With his cheek still resting against the marble, Eugene watched as dusty boots backed away to make room for a pair of designer ones. The stiletto heels made it undeniable who stood in front of him now.
Eugene finally craned his neck to find deep blue eyes staring back at him. A sly smile slipped over the woman's glossy pink lips as she relished in Eugene's state.
"You know, I had dreamt about this reunion... I imagined your decapitated head on a platter, but this, I guess, will do," Stalyan said.
Eugene stared at her for a moment. While his expression carried bits of disgust, he couldn't help but slip into an all too familiar grin and raised brow when he heard her words.
"I'm flattered you still dream about me," he mocked. Stalyan rolled her eyes before she stepped away. With a snap of her fingers, one of the minions pulled Eugene to his feet. The former thief's legs wobbled from the sudden movement, but he kept himself leveled when that same minion shoved him forward.
Now at his full height, Eugene could make out the details of the room. It resembled a throne room, but it was half the size of the one in Corona. The ceiling was even lower with stone pillars to his right and left. A long red carpet cascaded across the floor, from the doors to a make-shift throne. The jeweled chair was likely stolen since its silver and red coloring hardly matched the more earthy tones on the walls.
"So, you're going solo now? Made your own group of lackeys, or did your dad find them for you?" Eugene asked with genuine curiosity. He followed Stalyan until she sat on her chair. The minion behind Eugene shoved him back down to his knees when he reached the step that raised both the chair and the second half of the room up slightly.
"Well, after what you did to me, I told my father that I needed to go out and make my own living. That's when I stumbled upon Scarlet Point. These quiet towns needed a bit of flare, and I was more than happy to be the one to give that to them," Stalyan said casually. She crossed her legs, leaning her elbow against the armrest with her cheek resting up against her knuckles. "And what do one of my scouts find in the outskirts but you, wallowing in a tavern about that little princess you managed to catch."
The humor in Eugene's demeanor faded. He then hardened his gaze. Stalyan couldn't help but chuckle at the change. "Oh, don't give me that look. Word's already spread about the thief who found the Lost Princess of Corona and scored himself a ticket into the palace. Oh, how so many would have killed to have your luck."
Eugene refused to respond. He let out a tired sigh, easing his hunched shoulders, before he focused back on the smirking woman.
"What do you want, Stalyan?" Eugene asked in a bitter tone that he was not used to hearing from himself.
"You know what I want, Flynn. I want you to follow through with the promise you made to me six years ago."
There was a pause. Eugene cast his gaze to the ground for a second before shaking his head.
"I can't do that."
"Yes. You can. You will." Stalyan stood up and walked closer.
"No, Stalyan, I'm not going to marry you. Look, I'm sorry I left you at the altar, but I--"
Eugene stopped when he was struck across the face. Stalyan's hand was still raised as she glared down at the former thief with chilling hatred.
Eugene leaned to the right while blood rushed to his stinging cheek. "Okay, okay... I deserved that..." he groaned before straightening himself once again.
"You agreed to marry me, Rider. We had been together since we were practically kids, and you vanished that night without even a word." Stalyan bent her knees until she was eye-level with Eugene. She grabbed his chin and pulled him forward to make sure she had his full attention. The former thief's hatred faltered when he spotted the slightest bit of hurt in the woman's eyes. "You broke my heart, Flynn. Do you know how it feels when someone toys with your heart?"
Any sympathy Eugene felt prior to that statement instantly vanished. The former thief's face twisted against her hold as if her touch irritated his skin. "I could take a guess. A snake such as yourself is pretty good at sinking her teeth into everything around her."
Eugene flinched when Stalyan's nails dug into his skin before she shoved his face away. He shook off the pain, though, and focused back on the auburn-haired woman. "Look... Stalyan, do whatever you want to me, but I can't go through with the marriage. There's someone--"
"Who? That princess? Oh, you've got to be joking, Rider!" Stalyan shouted quickly, throwing her hands up into the air before letting them fall to her hips. "What? Don't want to give up your pretty little rich girl? Feeling like a big man with that naive hermit?"
"Don't talk about her that way," Eugene said in a low tone. Stalyan then copied his narrowed gaze.
"Or what? You honestly expect me to believe that you care about her? That you give a single damn about anyone else but yourself?" Stalyan then smirked before she leaned forward. She muttered under her breath, "Is she that fun to mess around with?"
Without warning, Eugene shot up to his feet. He charged straight for the woman. All he could see was red.
The minions behind him snatched Eugene by the arms and yanked him back down to his knees. One of the heavier set thugs placed his beefy hands on Eugene's shoulders to keep him still.
Genuine surprise flashed over Stalyan's face for a split second before she composed herself. "You... actually care about her?"
Eugene thrashed under the thug's hold. "Of course I do! I love her!"
After a few silent beats, Eugene stopped fighting. His breathing slowed down while he replayed his words over and over again in his mind. "I love her..." he muttered. The realization dawned on him like the sun breaking through a horrendous storm. A bright smile soon grew over Eugene's cheeks. "She's my new dream."
"What?" Stalyan asked. Irritation and confusion filling her face.
Eugene blinked a few times, glancing to his side when he realized that he was thinking out loud. "Sorry, uh... different conversations there." He then shook off the awkward feeling and refocused himself. "My point, Stalyan, is that I'm not going to marry you, alright?"
Stalyan stayed silent. She lifted her chin, so her gaze was looking down even further at the former thief. Her lips, though, slowly curled upward. She then began to laugh, dipping forward while her hand clutched her stomach. Her minions joined in on the laughter, booming throughout the room. Eugene stared blankly and began to wonder if he had just missed a joke.
Finally, the laughter died down. Stalyan looked at Eugene now with a confident smirk. "I probably should have explained myself before. I made it sound like you had a choice," she admitted. Stalyan then went for the pouch that was secured on her belt, which hung loosely around her black skirt. Unbuttoning the top, she dug her hand inside before pulling out a twig.
Wait, no, not a twig. Eugene squinted at the object. Yes, it was made of slender wood, but the former thief spotted a pink gem that was encased in the center. Its surface seemed to glow against the torchlight in the room.
"That's uh... That's a cool stick," Eugene said with a forced smile. Stalyan, though, didn't look at him. She kept her focus on the object in her hand. She soon grinned wide when she gripped the handle, and the gem's glow grew brighter.
"You're going to make things right, Rider. You are going to marry me because I wish you that you didn't leave on our wedding night. I wish that you were back to being my charming fiancé and that we were together once again," Stalyan said before bending her knees. She cupped Eugene's chin with her fingers, tilting his head upward. He recoiled at the touch, but the minion behind him kept the back of his head in place. The tip of the stick was aimed right between Eugene's eyes. Stalyan's eyelids dipped as she stared at him now with almost a dreamy look. It was then that the former thief could finally see the hint of insanity in her eyes. "And I wish that you forget everything about that pathetic kingdom and their little princess..."
With every statement she made, the gem glowed more and more until it burned white. A pink aura then leaked out of the object, dancing around Stalyan's hand and slowly wrapping itself around Eugene. The former thief began to panic while wishing that his life wasn't being overrun by magical incident after magical incident.
Before Eugene could think of anything to do, the pink glow turned into a cloud of dust that quickly overwhelmed his vision, making everything around him go dark.
...
It was late into the evening. Corona's guards reached dead end after dead end with their search for the Lunar criminal. The royal guests were escorted to their carriages earlier that day and returned to their kingdoms safely, but fear still edged into the core of Corona.
Between the potential threat of the Lunar Kingdom and the princess's coronation postponed until further notice, many citizens have grown weary of war around the corner. The king has not made any official announcement, despite the rumors of the Lunar soldier spreading like wildfire throughout the kingdom in less than a day. King Fredric is still attempting to reach a message to the Lunar king to demand answers, but the kingdom is so far North that it would take months for any messenger to even reach the land by horseback. Still, the king persisted, locking himself inside the war room with his Captain of the Guard to make preparations in case such a threat as war might come their way.
While the guards were on high alert, marching through the castle's hallways, Cassandra strolled down the hall while pushing a cart. A white cloth draped over it while a silver plate of food with a lid rested on the top. She nodded towards the guards she passed as she made her way towards the princess's quarters. Two guards stood in front of the closed doors, but the handmaiden smiled when she recognized the well known duo immediately.
"Stan. Pete. Can I get through?" Cassandra asked in a nonchalant manner.
"Sorry, you know the king's orders. No one is allowed in or out of her highness's room after hours," Pete stated with his head held high.
"I know, but Rapunzel has had a long day. Don't you think she deserves a midnight snack with her best friend?" Cassandra furthered while lifting up the lid to show a plate of crackers and cheese.
"I'm sorry, Cassandra. Look, we don't like seeing the princess locked up like this either, but it's for her safety. Besides, we don't want to get into trouble with the king," Stan replied with a defeated shrug.
Cassandra frowned before setting the lid back down. She then eyed the two guards, her glare growing cold. "And you think whatever the king would have in store for you would be worse than whatever I come up with?" she asked while cracking her knuckles.
The two guards paled at the handmaiden's shift in demeanor before silently stepping away from the doors. Cassandra smiled at her success. She headed inside quickly with her cart and its squeaky wheels. Once she closed the door behind her, she immediately spotted the princess standing on the side of her bed while packing items away in a blue handbag. Cassandra noticed a change in her friend's attire too.
This new dress was slimmer and possessed more muted colors to blend better in the shadows. A belt was fastened around her waist with pockets to secure items, and her trusty frying pan was even hooked on the right. Rapunzel's locks were also braided loosely with a long string of beads to keep it secure. The amount of rations she was placing into her handbag indicated that she would be traveling for a while.
Instead of being surprised by the sight, Cassandra pulled the handmaiden dress over her head to reveal her adventure attire from the night before. She tossed away the uniform and then lifted up the white cloth on the cart to reveal a knapsack and a sheathed sword underneath.
"Are you all ready?" she asked while throwing the knapsack over her shoulders and securing the sword against her belt.
"Yes, I think so... Just not sure what I should leave behind," Rapunzel mumbled. She scanned over her room, mentally checking if there was anything she was forgetting. Pascal chirped from her shoulder, and she sighed with relief knowing her chameleon was still present.
"We'll be traveling on the road, so you'll want to pack light," Cassandra said, heading closer towards the princess.
Rapunzel let out a sigh. She glanced to her right to spot the note she left on her pillow. Her shoulders sagged at the sight.
"You know you don't have to do this. We can just find Eugene and then come right back."
"I know..." Rapunzel muttered. Her heart ached as she glanced over the walls again, taking notice of all her artwork and all her memories over the past six months: good and bad. Her gaze then hardened. "But I have to find my own way. I need to find out what I want to do with my life. Not just what others have been telling me." The princess threw the handbag over her shoulders and turned to face her handmaiden. "But you don't have to come with me."
"Are you kidding? Like I'm gonna let you go out alone while there's this crazy Lunar guy running around trying to kill you," Cassandra scoffed with a smirk. She then mellowed out and stepped closer to meet her best friend right in the eye. "Besides, I'd rather be out there where I can be myself too. I'm not changing my father's mind any time soon, so I'll take my chances for adventure with you."
Rapunzel's expression warmed at her friend's words. She then held her arms out wide with a pleading look.
Cassandra eyed the princess while lifting up two fingers. "Two seconds. That's all you get."
Rapunzel beamed with glee before wrapping her best friend in a giant bear hug, squeezing all the air out of the warrior's lungs.
"O-Okay, you can let go now," Cassandra pleaded. Rapunzel released her handmaiden, who gasped for air. "Seriously... H-How are you that strong?"
Rapunzel giggled at the question until a knock came from the door, evaporating the entire pleasant atmosphere.
"Rapunzel?" Arianna asked when she opened the door. The two ladies didn't even have time to hide or conceal their obvious luggage. The queen made direct eye contact with Rapunzel, and the princess's heart stopped.
The queen paused. She was halfway inside with her mouth open agape. Rapunzel's heart started up again, pounding in her ears. She glanced behind her mother and took notice of the guards that could turn around and witness their obvious departure any second.
Thankfully, Arianna did not inform the guards. She did not shout. She didn't even say a word. The queen calmly shut the door behind her and stared at her daughter. The silent staring contest lasted for what felt like hours until her majesty finally spoke.
"You're not coming back. Are you?" Arianna asked, taking a glance at the obvious note on her daughter's pillow case when she stepped forward. Her expression was still calm. There was no anger or judgement. Yet, Rapunzel's insides still twisted into knots when she noticed the tears glistening in the older woman's eyes.
Within seconds, Rapunzel rushed over and embraced her mother. Arianna copied her and placed a shaky hand against the back of Rapunzel's head, refusing to let go. "Please tell me there's a way I can convince you to stay."
A few tears rolled down Rapunzel's cheeks as she tightened her hug even further. "I won't be gone forever... I'll come back to visit."
"You know your father will have guards coming after you the second he knows you're gone, and with that horrible man looking for you. What if he finds you and--"
"Mom." Rapunzel lifted her head, so she could meet her mother's gaze. The princess's eyes still watered, yet she kept her tone even. "I'm not going to be kept in a tower anymore. I can handle myself. We can handle ourselves." Rapunzel turned to look back at Cassandra, who awkwardly stood over by the balcony window.
Arianna sniffled. She wiped away her tears and pulled something that was hidden within the folds of her dress. "I know. I would never want to put you through that again, which is why I brought you this."
Rapunzel looked back at her mother, releasing her to witness a small leather book in her hands. The princess took it and noticed a strap over the cover to keep its pages secure. Rapunzel undid the strap and flipped through to find the whole book was blank. "What's this?"
"It's a journal for you to jot down your adventures."
Rapunzel shot her gaze back up, staring at the queen in shock.
Arianna gave a warm smile in return. "I had one of my own when I was your age. There were many things I regretted when I left home... but there were many more that I adored."
Rapunzel looked back down at the journal and finally took notice of a message engraved on the inside of its cover. "Plus es on vuss?" she asked with a knitted brow.
"Plus est en vous. It means: There is more in you. It's time you choose your own path, Rapunzel," Arianna said before reaching out and swiping a stray tear down her daughter's cheek. More tears, though, quickly replaced it as the princess's insides warmed at the words. "Just know that no matter what, you will always have a place here. Understand? We would never not want you back here with us, whether you choose to be queen or not."
With a nod from Rapunzel, the two embraced one last time before the princess pulled away. She placed the journal in her handbag and went to go stand next to her handmaiden. Arianna held her head up before giving a small wave. "Take care of yourself and stay safe. I love you."
"I love you too, mom, and tell dad that I love him too," Rapunzel said with a bitter smile.
"I will... Take care of my daughter, Cassandra, and you stay safe as well," Arianna stated to the quiet warrior. Cassandra straightened herself when she was finally acknowledged. She gave a curt nod in response. "And if you find Eugene, tell him that we are sorry for how we handled everything."
"I will. Thank you, mom... for everything," Rapunzel said quietly. She glanced over at Cassandra before the two headed over to the balcony.
"Fidella and Max will be waiting for us on the other side of the bridge again... Are you sure you want to go down this way?" Cassandra asked with a raised brow. Her friend, though, was already undoing the beads that held up her long hair.
Rapunzel grinned at the warrior. She tied the end of her hair against one of the balusters and threw the rest over the side. "You want to get out of a tower? This is the best way to do it."