The ball was in full swing, with people whirling around in fancy gowns and suits, all rejoicing about Corona's lost princess being finally found. The king and queen had invited royal families, dukes and duchesses from all around, all of them eager and itching to meet Rapunzel.
Perhaps some were even a little bit too eager. The prince of Lunora, for example. The king, whose real name turned out to be Jonathon, had cut in while Rapunzel was dancing with Eugene, insisting that she dance with Prince Michael. As much as he tried to hide it, it was clear to both Rapunzel and Eugene that the king was desperately trying to aid Rapunzel in finding someone new, not to mention better suited, to marry.
It had been ages since Rapunzel had gone off with Prince Ever-So-Blond, and Eugene was starting to worry. He'd been scanning the ballroom for what felt like hours for the princess, only to finally come to the conclusion that she just wasn't here.
"Yes, thank you," he said when one of the servants offered him another flute of champagne, taking it gratefully and sipping at the bubbly beverage as he began to worry more and more. Finally, he decided to approach the king.
"Your majesty," he said, boldly, clearing his throat. The king turned and raised an eyebrow, glancing at Eugene, who was decked out in a white suit with a gold waistcoat and spangles.
"Yes, Eugene?" he asked, politely excusing himself with a conversation with the duke of Whitfalls.
"You haven't seen Rapunzel, have you?" he asked, and the king grinned.
"Lost track of her, have you, boy?"
"No… no, I just haven't seen her since she went to dance with that prince guy from that kingdom place…"
"You mean Michael? Oh, don't worry; I sure he simply charmed her, and they decided to go for a walk."
Eugene's eyes narrowed as the king walked away. How could he be so calm about this? Maybe it was because he didn't know just how innocent Rapunzel really was. She still had no idea about the intentions most men would have toward her; the intentions even he had toward her, deep down.
Of course, he would never act on them. Rapunzel still had a lot to learn, and a lot of growing up to do before she could even think about doing anything obscene.
But other guys? Them, he wasn't so sure about. This was why he had to find her. Now.
Throwing open the door to the courtyard outside of the ballroom, Eugene's hazel eyes flicked quickly around the area, listening for any sign of Rapunzel.
"Rapunzel? Rapunzel! Are you out here?"
Listening more closely, he heard a squeal over in the maze of tall flowering shrubs and ran forward, dashing toward the sound.
"Rapunzel!"
Bursting into the center of the maze, with its numerous stone benches and extravagant marble fountain, Eugene froze.
"Rapunzel…?"
The young girl appeared to be alone, but she was sitting in the fountain, splashing and giggling like a maniac.
"Eugene!" she squealed with excitement when she saw him, flopping down on her back in the shallow water, her golden ball gown clinging to her small body, entirely soaked through. "Look, Eugene! I can swim, just like a fish!"
Eugene frowned and took a few steps closer, the small expanse of space illuminated by the pale, silver rays of the moon. "Rapunzel, what are you doing? You're going to get sick in there; it's cold out tonight."
"Sick? Noooooo, I'd never get sick! I have my magic hair to make me… all… hey!" Frowning slightly, she sat up in the water and looked around, her green eyes wide. "Where's my hair?!"
His frown deepening, Eugene moved closer to the fountain. "Rapunzel, stop it-"
"My hair is gone-!"
In an attempt to turn around and look behind her for her hair, Rapunzel had gotten tangled up in her skirts and fell backward, her head slipping under the water, struggling to sit up again. Dashing forward, Eugene grabbed her under the arms and hauled her up into a sitting position, frowning as she coughed, pushing her wet brown hair out of her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded as she coughed, and Eugene had been moving to help her out of the water when the sound of a voice made him stop.
"Hey, Punzie, I got us more drinks… What the hell…?"
Eugene's head snapped around and his eyes narrowed when they locked on the blonde youth, roughly the same age as him, holding two flutes of champagne. He was wearing a silver, silk suit and a white waistcoat, and looked perplexed when he saw Eugene with Rapunzel.
"What's going on here? Did you push her in?"
Glaring daggers, Eugene got to his feet. "You got her drunk?"
"Drunk, is she? Well, it certainly isn't my fault the girl can't hold her alcohol. After all, I would have thought being kidnapped by a wanted convict would have at least aided her in learning to drink-"
The prince grunted when he was tackled to the ground, hissing and groaning as punch after punch was thrown at him.
"What did you think you were going to do to her? Huh? Do you have any idea how innocent she is?"
Glaring up at Eugene as blood streamed from his nose, the prince spat out, "She didn't seem too innocent when my tongue was in her mouth-!"
His eyes flaring, Eugene punched him straight in the jaw, getting to his feet and glaring down at him. "Filthy scum…" he spat, moving across the cobblestone and scooping Rapunzel up out of the water, frowning at how heavy she was with the weight of the soaked skirts, carrying her back into the maze of shrubs, kicking Prince Michaelscum along the way.
Rapunzel nuzzled her head against Eugene's shoulder, a small groan falling from her lips, making him pause and duck into the shadows as he exited the maze, not wanting to be seen by anyone passing by the French doors in the ballroom.
"What's the matter, Blondie?" he asked softly, and his question was answered when she wretched, vomiting into the grass beside them. Sighing, Eugene crouched down and gently rubbed her back, holding her up so she wouldn't fall forward.
"Easy, Blondie… I've got ya…"
Rapunzel whimpered once she was finished, and Eugene picked her up again, circling around the side of the castle to one of the other entrances, walking in and quickly heading up the stairs so no one would see them; the last thing she needed on her big night was for everyone's first impression of her to be that she was a lush.
Pushing open the door to her lavish bedroom, he carried her over to the white canopy bed, pausing when he realized she was still dressed in her soaked clothes. She couldn't sleep in them; she could fall sick, and he could lose her to some awful illness…
Frowning a bit down at the groggy girl in his arms, he sighed with internal conflict. He could always just strip her down and help her into a nightdress; it wasn't as if he hadn't done so with other women before.
But then there was the fact that… well, that it was Rapunzel. He didn't want to undress her, simply for the reason that it didn't feel right. There was her innocence, which would be completely dashed once he saw her indecently. He couldn't do that to her. Sighing, he sat her down on the bed and poked his head into the hall, flagging one of the maids over and asking if she would help Rapunzel into some dry night clothes, thanking her when she said that she would, and stepping out into the hall as the door shut behind him.
He waited a few moments until the door opened again, walking into the room as the maid left, sitting on the edge of Rapunzel's bed and gazing down at the pale girl, who stared up at him from beneath the blankets with an upset expression.
"I don't feel good, Eugene…"
Sighing, he brushed her damp hair out of her eyes. "Too much alcohol tends to do that, Blondie. You've got to drink it in moderation."
She groaned and buried her face in her pillow and he pulled his hand back. "Sleep, okay? You're going to feel horrible in the morning; escape it for as long as you can."
She was out like a light before he had even finished speaking, and he shook his head, standing up and closing her gold curtains. Tomorrow would certainly be interesting for everyone.
Rapunzel's first hangover.