A Mother's Wisdom
The Queen just wanted to offer some advice, but Rapunzel is done with having her life controlled by other women. Teen-rebellion and coming to terms with abuse.
"Rapunzel, can I talk to you for a moment?" The Queen asked from her daughter's doorway, where she had been watching the young woman paint.
Rapunzel turned and smiled at the sight of her mother. It was odd, getting used to the brunette being her mother, but deep down Rapunzel could sense what it is that her relationship with Gothel had always been missing.
"Of course." Rapunzel put down her paintbrush, hung up her apron, and moved to the seating area that had come with her bowers. The Queen sat down across from her.
"I am worried about how quickly you and Eugene are planning to get married. I think it would be better to wait awhile." The Queen started softly, looking Rapunzel in the eye.
"But I love him!"
"Dear, you have only known him for a short while, during which time you have had tremendous emotional strain, and he has rescued you. I think the wedding should be pushed off for a few more years, that way when the flames dim you know the embers are still warm."
"Are you suggesting that I wait till I am an old maid before I get married?"
"Do not be foolish, darling. A few years will not make any difference."
"You were younger than I am when you had me."
"That was under completely different circumstances. Your father and I were arranged to be married, we never had to worry about actually liking one another, just getting along. Love is something that has to be nurtured; it does not just appear out of thin air."
"For me it did!"
"Child, it is likely the hormones and the passion talking. Listen to me; I think that since I am wiser I would know . . ."
"Know best, is that it?" Rapunzel asked, standing and turning away from her mother. "I am sorry, but I've already had one woman try to control my life. And look! She did not, in fact, know what was best for me."
The Queen stood, and grabbing Rapunzel by the shoulders, turning the young woman to face her. "Look at me child. Am I Gothel? Do I look like her?" Rapunzel shook her head. "Do I, on most days, act like her?" Another shake. "Do I, in any way, force you to my will?"
Rapunzel, who had been fighting back tears since the beginning of the questioning, burst out crying and threw herself into her mother's arms. "No, I am sorry. Please don't hate me or send me away."
"Oh, child." The Queen let her long fingers comb Rapunzel's short hair, her heart breaking at the fear in her child's voice. "I am not angry with you, and I could never hate you. For better or for worse, you are my daughter and I will always love you. I just do not want you to end up unhappy because you and Eugene cannot work out any problems you may have."
"Does it have to be years though?"
"I suppose not. When you can think rationally about why you want to marry him, I will give you my blessing." The queen gently tilted Rapunzel's head up to look into her eyes. "I will even make your father give his blessing, though Eugene might still suffer a few threats to his person."
Rapunzel laughed at that, wiping her tears away with the back of her hands. "He will also have to look out for the people from the Snuggly Duckling."
The Queen chuckled with her daughters. "And the palace guards."
"And Pascal!" Now the room was echoing with the laughter of the two women.
"Hey, Rapunzel," Eugene Fizherbert stood at the door, peering in. Seeing the two women, the older of which sending him a glare, Eugene decided to make a hasty retreat. "You know what; I'll see you at dinnertime. Have fun with your mother. Majesty." Bowing lowly to The Queen, Eugene took off down the hallway.
"I dare say that things will never be the same again." The Queen said, turning back to her daughter. "Come, we should go have lunch with your father." Linking her arms with her daughter, the Queen started guiding Rapunzel through the corridors, opposite of the way Eugene went.
"Will you tell me about the first time you and dad met?" Rapunzel asked, wishing it were not the first time she was asking for such an important story in her life.
"Certainly, it is quite the tale. Back when we were but children, I learned that my future husband was going to come visit our family. I had never seen him, but I was more interested in learning how he would treat those beneath him, so I convinced my maid to trade places with me for the day. Little did I know your father had the same idea . . ."
Notes and such:
I am more of a drabbler more than anything else, so emotions and scene are not slow enough. Please remember that when judging on how realistic it is.
When listening to "Mother Knows Best", I thought, what would happen if the Queen tried to tell Rapunzel that he knew best? Thus, this happened.
The story at the end is actually based off a play I found in one of my mother's old English textbooks. A prince and a princess trade places with their servants, and meet each other on equal ground. The name of the play, if I remember correctly, is Ugly Duckling because the Princess is suppose to be ugly to all but her true love.
I do not own Tangled, the characters therein, or even the idea of Rapunzel. I am not in anyway affiliated with Disney, except for being one of the thousands of girls hoodwinked by them. All I own (truly) are pencils, textbooks, and my tea. Everything else, including my cups, can be repossessed by someone, if they so chose to do so.