A/N: Continuation of the previous chapter. (Chapter 9)
"Eugene, Rapunzel - the King and Queen request your presence in their meeting room." Conli poked his head into the library door and announced.
"Okay...?" Rapunzel stood, setting her book carefully down on her chair. Eugene stood as well, and they went to the opposite end of the castle, where the meeting room was at.
Her parents were bent over a letter - the same letter that the captain of the guards had delivered himself two days ago.
"Mother?" Rapunzel asked, looking between her parents curiously. "What's wrong?"
Her parents set the letter down and her father took off his spectacles, which he only wore when reading. "Sit, both of you, please." he motioned to the chairs lining the long table. They sat, and her parents did as well.
"We called you in here to discuss official business with both of you," her mother started, glancing towards her husband.
"We just got word that two weeks ago, Queen Elinor and King Fergus of clan Dun'Broch, the King and Queen of Scotland, have been murdered at the hands of the kingdom of Al'vae. A trained assassin infiltrated the castle and murdered them. Their seventeen year old daughter, Merida, has taken over rule of the country. Because we are allies with Scotland, she is requesting backup from our militia to form an attack on Al'vae in retaliation. They do not have enough warriors to defend their country."
Rapunzel gasped. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have both of your parents die and be the queen of an entire country at the age of seventeen. She was nineteen and wouldn't be able to do it! "Will our country get attacked as well?"
"We won't know. You see, with wars, you can't just plan it out. You don't know what the other side is going to do. From now on, if you or Eugene leave the castle, you will have two escorts with you, who will protect you at all times. Eugene, your employer will be notified that you will be unable to attend work until after the war."
"But I can still go to work," he scoffed. "Nobody's gonna mess with me. I'm not royalty."
"You may as well be. Everyone knows the face of the man who brought our daughter home. The country of Al'vae is not stupid by any means. Neither us nor Scotland are on the best of terms with them due to some cunning trade frauds, among other things. They rival Weselton in their ability to pull the wool over your eyes. A trained assassin could be hired and kill you without you even knowing it was coming. That is how Elinor and Fergus were killed - they came in under the alias of a dignitary from Denmark. Another possibility is that they would follow you back from work and break into the castle, killing you and - or Rapunzel." the King said firmly.
Eugene swallowed. "Okay. Point made."
"What about all your meetings and stuff?" Rapunzel asked.
"We will not be accepting anyone from any other country into ours. Our guards will meet incoming ships and inspect them. The only outsiders we will accept will be Merida and her three brothers," the Queen explained.
"How many will be deployed?"
"We have decided and picked out fifty soldiers, who will be shipping out in two days' time. We will see how the war goes, and may send more out if need be." the King said.
"Who's eligible to go?" Eugene asked. As a kid, he'd always wanted to fight in a war, but now that he had a family of sorts, now that he knew Rapunzel...he was secretly terrified that he'd be sent out.
"Any able-bodied man." the King said shortly.
"Will you have to go?" Rapunzel asked her father, not even wondering if Eugene would be sent out.
"No. I am the commander of any moves, and shipments, anything that is contributed to the war. I send more soldiers out, I give the order to pull them back home. Everything. Because of this, I will stay in the kingdom," the King reassured her.