"Wow!" Rapunzel jumped for joy at the sight of their destination. "There it is!" She brushed back her short brown hair from her eyes, and straightened out her light pink gown. "How do I look, Eugene? Am I too messy? Too formal? Not formal enough? I just don't want to embarrass our Kingdom!"

Eugene stood beside her, wearing his formal indigo shirt, dark grey pants and black boots, his brown hair neatly combed. "You look beautiful, Rapunzel. Everyone in the Kingdom will be watching your every step with envy."

"Oh, Eugene," Rapunzel blushed, "please, now you're the one embarrassing me!"

"Well, no matter," he smiled a toothy grin, "we're docking now."

"Finally!"

The large boat carrying them in docked safely and without so much as a wave. As the wooden ramp smacked down onto the dry land, a tall, slightly plump man with orange hair wearing formal servant clothing held hid gloved hand out of Rapunzel to take.

"Your Highness, I am honoured to be in your presence. On behalf of the soon to be Queen, I welcome you to the Kingdom of Arendelle!"

Rapunzel accepted the man's hand, and let him guide her onto the stony path that led to the courtyard outside of the castle, where a small market was taking place and decorations were being put up. "The gates to the castle will open up soon, so in the meantime, please enjoy the company of our other guests as well as the scenery of our vast fiord."

Eugene walked over and breathed in the fresh air. "Wonderful! I think I'm going to like it here." He pat the servant on the back. "Thank you, good sir!"

The servant bowed and paced away to help the rest of the guests out of the boats. Rapunzel took everything in. "...This is amazing. I've never been outside of our Kingdom before, even while in the tower." She looked up to see flags everywhere, each with the outline of the royal sister's heads. "Mother told me about my cousins. From what I've heard, Anna sounds like a lot of fun!"

"What about Elsa? Have you heard anything about her?"

Rapunzel thought back to her mother's conversations. "She never said much about Elsa, the older sister. She seemed to be a quiet, polite girl who spent a lot of time alone. Other than that, I know nothing."

Eugene also remembered the conversations he and Rapunzel's mother had."To think – three years ago today, the King and Queen passed away, their boat capsizing during a freak storm out at sea."

"My mother's brother..."

Eugene gripped Rapunzel's shoulders. "You mother wouldn't want us sulking about during your cousins' Coronation, Rapunzel. Let's honour their memory by honouring their eldest during the biggest time of her life."

Rapunzel nodded. "You're right. Come on, let' s head head out to the castle – the gates will be opening soon!" Grabbing Eugene's hand she dragged him past a blonde man feeding his reindeer, and a strange old man talking aloud to himself.

They came to the long, beige brick bridge that led to the gates of the castle. "The water," Rapunzel pointed out to the fiord, "it's so crystal clear!" She watched as tiny fish swam by, their scales shimmering in the sunlight. "I love summer."

For the next few minutes, Eugene watched as Rapunzel picked out her favourite fish, naming some of them and wondering where they came from. She's so beautiful when she's just...thinking...and breathing...and thinking...did I just repeat myself?

"Attention, everyone!"

From in front of the gates, the servant from before called out. "I'm pleased to announce that the gates will now be opening! Please enter and seat yourselves in the Cathedral inside while the Princess prepares herself for the crowning!"

Cheers rang up. "This is so exciting!" Rapunzel giggled. "I can't wait to finally see my cousins in real life! After twenty-one years, I'm going to at last talk to family outside of the Kingdom!"

Together they walked up the bridge as the gates opened up.

"Say, Eugene asked, "could that be one of your cousins now?"

From between the still opening gates, a young girl in a black bodice and green skirt ran out. She appeared to be happily singing away. So she really IS related to Rapunzel.

The young girl popped up in front of them. "He there! I'm Anna, well, Princess Anna, but Anna will do just fine! Glad to meet you!" With that she twirled off, continuing to sing her heart out.

"...Yup," Eugene answered his own question, "she's your cousin, alright."

Rapunzel grinned. "She was my cousin! I got to talk to my real life cousin! Oh, how I wish Pascal was here!"

"Well, I wouldn't say you two talked. More like she sang about finding love and you managed to get a good look at her...kind of."

"Let's leave her be," Rapunzel gestured to the castle, ignoring Eugene's comment,"she's busy right now. I'll talk to her more later. Right now we have to find out seats in the Cathedral – my cousin is being crowned, and we're going to support her the whole way!"

As Rapunzel skipped into the inner courtyard, Eugene let himself think back to the day they headed off from the Kingdom.

"We have to care for the Kingdom here," the Queen told him as Rapunzel was saying goodbye to her father, "and since my brother and sister-in-law gave their lives trying to come to Rapunzel's wedding, we have to support their daughter in any way we can."

"We'll do the very best we can to show our support, you Highness."

"Thank you, Eugene, and...please be careful."

"We will, don't you worry."

"No, I mean...I never told Rapunzel this, but..." the Queen sighed, "my brother told me once that he had a reason for keeping his daughters locked away in the castle. Something about Elsa being..gifted. I don't want you to fear her or think badly of her, but...do take care. I could never learn what "gift" he was talking about."

"A "gift", huh?" Eugene smirked. "The poor Queen, worrying so much about her family. I understand her concern, but...how bad can one "gifted" daughter be? Nothing can go wrong!"