Here is the next chapter! :) I want to thank Ashlierthw and BroadwayFanGirl91 for reviewing and suggesting names, it was really helpful :) . I hope you will enjoy this chapter! :D

Chapter 2: The Guests' Arrival

The next morning there was a big hustle and bustle in the palace. Servants and maiden were completing their last tasks, cleaning and decorating the last rooms.

Rapunzel, who had sneaked out of her room early that morning to observe everything, was gazing at every decoration in admiration.

"Oh my gosh this place looks even more amazing than usual," she mumbled to Pascal who was sitting on her shoulder sleepily.

After she was done examining everything, she quickly returned to her room to get herself ready for breakfast.

Meanwhile, Eugene was laying on his bed, already dressed and trying to prepare himself mentally for today's big event. In his mind, he was playing every possibility how this day could run over and over but only the worst-case scenario stuck in his head.

"I'm soo dead," he moaned in frustration.

Soon after breakfast the first guests arrived.

To Eugene's relief, Duke Harold and Duchess Mildred were from a distant kingdom so he was pretty sure that they didn't know anything about his past. Plus, both of the elderly royals seemed a bit senile, though they seemed very nice, actually.

Soon after greeting them, the next guests arrived. This time, it was the royal family of the

neighboring kingdom. King William and Queen Evelyn had two children – 9-year old Juliet and 6-year old Henry. Maybe because of the pessimistic mode Eugene was in- he couldn't help himself but have the impression that the king wasn't exactly 'happy' when he greeted Eugene but over all, he was being just as polite to Eugene as to Rapunzel's family. Of course, right after greeting Juliet and Henry, Rapunzel and the children we're already fooling around; the kids we're especially interested in Pascal who was changing into various bright colors. But before Rapunzel and the children could have any more fun, the next guests were already arriving and a maid was going to show King -put in name- and his family their accommodation. So the kids and Rapunzel had to part and Rapunzel was returning to Eugene's side, slightly pouting.

"It is so frustrating that I don't have enough time to get to know everyone properly," Rapunzel sighed, disappointed.

"I'm sure you get your chance to get to know everyone at lunch," Eugene assured her.

His statement filled the princess with hope.

"You're right," she agreed, putting on her smile again to meet the new guests, King Marius and Queen Emma.

An hour later the hosts were still outside, welcoming each guest.

Eugene was bowing absently towards guest no.89 (he had given up on trying to remember the names of everyone by guest no.55) and even Rapunzel was less enthusiastic than she had been in the beginning (though she tried very hard not to show it).

When guest no.89 was shown his room, Eugene couldn't help but ask Rapunzel in a low voice: "How many people did your parents invite exactly?"

But instead of receiving any further details, Rapunzel simply shrugged and whispered an "I have no idea" back.

The Queen, who had noticed the whispering between her daughter and Eugene, smiled and calmed both of them by saying that there was only one more family to come.

Relieved, Eugene let out a small sigh.

Right after that a carriage was making its way into the courtyard.

"Ah, that are our good friends, King Charles, his wife Vanessa and their children, Claire and Rudolph," Rapunzel's father announced.

Then the carriage door opened and a young and an older man and two women -obviously mother and daughter- climbed out of the carriage. The Prince and the Princess looked like they were as old as Rapunzel and Eugene. Immediately, the new guests were welcomed by Rapunzel's parents in a manner that showed that they had known each other for quite a while.

Eugene was bowing politely towards King Charles, when he observed that Prince Rudolph guy enthusiastically greeting Rapunzel (and it was definitely too enthusiastically for Eugene's liking). To make matters worse, he heard that stuck-up prince complimenting her! Eugene did his best not to walk up to that guy and point out that Rapunzel already had a boyfriend (of course he would stay calm and polite, or at least try to be). Instead, he simply stayed where he was, clenching his teeth when he had to 'welcome' that guy that also looked down on him quite arrogantly. And somehow Eugene got that feeling that the ball wouldn't go by as trouble-free as expected.