AN-Hi! So I wanted to start one of these for Tangled. The way it'll go is you, the reader, can send me a review/PM for a word and I write a one-shot for it! I've always loved these kind of fics. Disclaimer and enjoy!
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The cramped, enclosed space of the shoe was uncomfortable, and even more so-new. The back of her heel felt unstable as she took a tentative step forward. Even with her hands out to her side to get balanced, Rapunzel couldn't help but feel like she was going to topple over at any moment. Her etiquette trainer, Maria, shook her head in disappointment.
"No, no, no! Princess, you can't have your hands out when you're walking in heels! You need to walk confidently, head up, eyes forward. Like this-"
Maria walked over to the carpeted runway and demonstrated for Rapunzel in a confident manner. "Now you try."
Rapunzel nodded and took a deep breath. She could do confident.
Her new first step was longer and stable. She managed more than a quarter of the way down the runway before her foot tripped over her other heel. Rapunzel stumbled and couldn't catch herself in time, colliding with the floor, landing on her knees. The Royal crown rolled itself onto the wooden floor. The sound echoed off the walls.
The servants in the room froze and the attention was turned on the princess. Heat rose to Rapunzel's cheeks and her emerald eyes were glued to the fallen crown.
In a moment, servants were rushing to Rapunzel's aid, some inspecting the beloved crown for damage and others helping Rapunzel to her feet. While being helped up, Rapunzel's foot stepped backwards on her dress skirts when she was being lifted up.
The ripped skirts showed from underneath some of the top skirts, making the dress look awkward and broken.
Maria sighed impatiently and annoyed. "I think a break is in order. We'll pick this up after lunch, Princess Rapunzel." She exited the room with a frustrated air around her. Servants followed her cue out and Rapunzel was handed the crown.
As everyone cleared the room, Rapunzel looked at the crown in her hands. How could she have let this thing touch the floor with her carelessness in the manner that it did?
She sank to the ground and the pain in her feet was now noticeable. Placing the crown besides her, she yanked off the heels. Her feet soaked in the cool air and she flexed her cramped toes.
Why did heels, or any shoes for that matter, have to be so…difficult and constricting? Today, they had caused her more trouble than she had wanted.
Rapunzel then looked at her bare feet. Having no shoes on made her feet feel free. She could feel the grass, the dirt, the pavement beneath her toes.
Why couldn't Maria see that she just wasn't good with shoes?
"What's the matter?" a familiar voice asked from near the door. Rapunzel looked up. Eugene stood from the doorway, a concerned look on his face.
"I messed up. Big time."
His footsteps came closer. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, crouched down in front of her.
Rapunzel looked up at him with big, embarrassed eyes. "I tripped and ripped my dress, Maria's mad at me…and I dropped the crown."
Eugene's eyebrows rose. "You did?"
"Yes…All because of heels." Rapunzel wrung her hands in her lap and glanced at the heels on the floor.
Eugene's lips began to form a smile of laughter. She looked up at him to see his smile. "Eugene! It's not funny!"
He finally chuckled and said, "I know. Sorry, it's just I can't believe they tried putting shoes on you. I know you like being barefoot more."
Rapunzel smiled at how Eugene knew her like that. But that still didn't fix the problem at hand- how to conquer heels.
"Maria said we'd continue after lunch. I don't know what I'm going to do."
Eugene smiled for second time that day. He had an idea.
"Meet me back here in ten minutes. Change, go do whatever, but meet me back here. Okay?"
Rapunzel looked at him skeptically as he helped her to her feet. He placed the crown back on her head, handed her the heels, and guided her towards the door.
"Remember ten minutes."
Rapunzel couldn't fathom what Eugene had in mind. Changing her dress and determined to be on time, Rapunzel headed back to the room.
When she got there, boots and heels lay on the floor in front of her. "Eugene, what-?"
"This is my plan. I believe in order for you to get used to heels, or shoes in general, you have to wear them. With the help of some servants, I've managed to gather some shoes to help you. So, these are riding boots-they have a low heel, something that's easy to get used to. Here."
He handed her the polished brown boots. She put them on, wiggling her toes through. Normally, she didn't wear riding boots when she rode Max, but at least the boots felt roomier than the heels.
"Alright. Blondie, if you could please walk down the carpet," Eugene instructed.
Rapunzel walked with ease down one end and back the other.
"Eugene, what's the point of this?" she asked.
"It's going to help. Trust me," he said, handing her a new set of shoes-heels with a kitten heel, as the maids called it.
These shoes were somewhat like the boots; the heel wasn't so high. She managed to walk, again with ease.
"Good, good. Turn."
"What?"
"Turn around."
Rapunzel had no problems turning around and even spinning. "Eugene, we only have fifteen minutes," she pointed out.
"Just enough time to do the final test. Put these on." He handed her an identical pair of heels she had on earlier. This would be the tiebreaker.
Come on Rapunzel, how hard could this be? Just the same as the other two she thought.
The only sound in the room was the cautious first step back in the torturous heels. Another step forward and another. Each was slow until she reached the end of the carpet. The sense of accomplishment flooded Rapunzel's mind. She was lost in thought until Eugene's calling brought her out.
"Blondie? You can come back now!"
Rapunzel spun around on the ball of her foot, happily. On the way back, she took as long of a stride the heels would let her, all with a smile on her face toward Eugene. A smile formed on his face as she exclaimed, "Eugene, I can do it! Your plan worked! Thank you!"
He twirled her around in the air and their laughter filled the room. A loud knocking interrupted them.
"Sorry to interrupt, Princess, but it's time to finish your lesson," Maria stated, striding into the room.
Eugene set Rapunzel down, scooped up all the shoes, and backed away towards the wall. Maria raised an eyebrow at him. She didn't like the fact that Eugene was a former thief that was invited to stay in the castle.
"Oh, he can stay," Rapunzel said when she noticed the brief stare-off between the two.
"Alright princess. Please if you could, walk down the carpet and back," she instructed. "Without falling," she added to herself.
Taking a deep breath, Rapunzel walked down the carpet in a steady manner, not tripping, stumbling, or wobbling down. She turned on her heel and went back the same way, stopping in front of Maria.
"Very good, Princess. Very good indeed. Look like someone's been practicing," Maria said, highly amused. "Lessons are done for today."
She exited the room, leaving Eugene and Rapunzel smiling at each other.
"Thank you, Eugene. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to do it."
"I try," he joked, then added, "Come on, let's go find a place to put these," indicating to the pairs of shoes in his arms.
The two got maids to put them away, and made plans to meet up for lunch after Rapunzel went back to her room to take the heels off. Sitting on her royal bed, Rapunzel removed them, only for pain to endure after.
Her feet were swollen, achy, and had marks from where the shoes dug into her and all she could do was stare at them until Eugene came to collect her.
"Blondie? Are you okay?" he asked, standing in front of her. She looked up at him.
"Maybe I'll stick to being barefoot."
…
AN-I hope you all liked that! I don't know why it was so long, so I guess the length of these will vary. Please review!