Soli Deo gloria

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled. Hey, you guys, ONLY TWO DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS! Just thought I should let you know, for I'm not sure that all my very subtle hints and reminders were able to convey that. Oh, in Corona, it's Christmas morning . . . PRESENTS!

Catherine woke straight up; her back stiffened and her face went white. William beside her followed her manner, facing her with a face that was shocked and surprised, very different from his usually calm demeanor.

"What was that screaming?" Catherine asked him, alarmed beyond belief. Without another word, they both bolted from their bed and ran out the door, dragging their quickly grabbed bathrobes behind them.

The halls were unusually quiet and calm (very rare for a Christmas morning in Corona), making Catherine feel on edge as she ran on ahead. The royal followed the other as they raced through the castle's many corridors, zig-zagging their way to Rapunzel's room, the first place where they hoped to find their daughter.

"Rapunzel?" Catherine yelled as William fumbled with the door knob. She shouted her name again as he managed to flung the door open. Catherine quickly looked about the room and saw her daughter and her green friend standing by the bed, each covering their mouths with their hands.

Catherine lost no time racing to her daughter's side and wrapped her in her arms, her hands stroking her small back, motherly instinct taking over. What happened to her precious girl, the one she only had for a few months now?

"Rapunzel, what—what was that screaming? Are you all right? Are you hurt?" Catherine asked hurriedly as she backed away to examine her, her hands still holding Rapunzel in a hug.

"Was there someone else in this room? Were you attacked?" William asked just as quickly, surrounding his favorite two women protectively.

Rapunzel squirmed uncomfortably and blushed. She turned to the ground to look at Pascal for help, but he merely shot her a sheepish face and blended into the color of the floor and crawled away.

"Well," she said slowly, giggling a little bit, "I wasn't attacked and I don't hurt at all. Pascal and I were just actually saying Merry Christmas to each other. Really loudly."

Catherine exhaled and turned to William, and while his visage was quite stern, the firm wrinkles on his face sticking out and his lips turned into a frown, she could detect a little twinkle in his deep eyes.

"Rapunzel," Catherine sighed and said firmly, placing her hands on the small teen's shoulders, "you cannot go and scream like that. You woke both your father and I up and we were scared half to dead that something had happened to you."

The sheepish smile on Rapunzel's face melted as she sighed and said, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you both up or alarm you or anything. I was just being excited and decided that yelling would help, I guess?"

Catherine smiled and pulled Rapunzel close to her again. "It's okay, dear. Just don't do it again," Catherine pulled apart again to look at Rapunzel's face, "okay?"

Rapunzel smiled. "Okay."

It was at that moment several guards from their night positions, helmets falling over their heads and backs sagging from not sleeping, and Eugene burst into the room, all armed and ready with frying pans. They all stopped and stared at the small royal family. A wave of embarrassment came over them and they all sheepishly let their frying pans down.

"Did I miss something?" Eugene asked, his hair rumpled and his face a mixture of worry and confusion.

Catherine looked over her daughter's head and smiled. "No, not much."

William and Catherine returned to their bedroom, relieved and rumpled, and managed to pull on their nice and normal clothes that would do well for Christmas morning. Eugene, after hugging Rapunzel and stroking her hair while quietly scolding her for scaring everybody, went to go get dressed in something more appropriate.

Rapunzel really didn't get why everyone had been so scared about her screaming, "Merry Christmas!" Was it her tone of voice or her volume that made everyone come running into her room? I'm not really sure, she thought as she slipped on a dark and deep green dress with white trimmed sleeves and collar. Pascal stood by on her bedside table, ready when she was.

After pulling a hairbrush through her reluctant hair, ("Ouch!"), Rapunzel slipped on a pair of slippers and grabbing Pascal, ran out the door.

The servants were now all walking through the halls, carrying thing and talking and chatting, wishing season's greetings and dodging the little princess, who almost seemed to be skating around them, avoiding them all and quite kindly leaving them all in one piece.

She slipped into the dining room. The table was covered with a white tablecloth and red bows, with crystal and glass goblets lining the inside circle of it. Rapunzel knew that her mother and father would want to eat breakfast first, but she kept glancing behind her back at the parlor door.

Her parents and Eugene soon showed up. They calmly took their seats, Rapunzel watching them, shaking in her seat, wondering how they could be so calm. HOW COULD THEY BE SO CALM?

After her father slowly said a prayer (an extra long one too—it was Christmas after all), Rapunzel and Pascal both scarfed down their food, causing the King and Queen to exchange strange looks. The other three more sane people at the table had barely gotten through their food when Rapunzel stood up, Pascal on her shoulder, and ran, grabbing Eugene's hand and causing him to stumble as she dragged him out the door.

William and Catherine watched after them before looking back at each other.

"I think it's time for presents," William said slowly, shoving his chair back.

"Agreed," Catherine smiled as she reached out and grabbed his arm and started to run to the door, William stumbling and clutching her hand hurriedly. In the midst of all her grabbing and running, the older man was able to grab the ruff of Pascal's neck, causing the chameleon to squeal as his toast fell out of his hands.

Together, they ran after the two, and caught up with them at the parlor. Rapunzel giggled excitedly as Eugene caught his breath, hands on his knees. Catherine let go of her husband's hand and opened the white door, leading the way to the warm Christmas tree.

All the candles on the Christmas tree were alight and shining, casting light on the presents below it. All the misshaped packages were wrapped up in various different kinds of paper, ribbons and bows placed artfully on top of each one.

Catherine and William exchanged a smile as she and Rapunzel stooped down next to the gifts while the King and ex-thief sat down on the chairs.

The fire in the fireplace cast a warm light on the already glowing faces of the two royal women. Together, they handed out various gifts for each other. Rapunzel dashed at her presents, throwing paper here and there while shrieking excitedly and yelling thank yous as she hugged the packages to herself.

The King and Queen and Eugene were a bit more calm in opening their presents, but Pascal was a bit more like the young princess. He would carefully take off the ribbon and fold it neatly before attacking the present mercilessly, tugging with his teeth and claws.

Soon the entire rug was covered in brightly colored paper. The Queen sat on the armrest of the chair William sat in, and Rapunzel was on the loveseat next to Eugene, snuggling in his shoulder. The stockings were all taken down and emptied. Rapunzel squealed excitedly at the oranges, hazelnuts (she so loved hazelnuts), and bracelets that fell out of the over-sized sock, but the gift that she found the most unusual and interesting was a wooden doll.

Her mother said it was a nutcracker, a thick toy soldier who would crack nuts. Rapunzel decided to test this idea out by taking one of her own smooth hazelnuts and trying it out. To her delight, the nutcracker split the shell, releasing the nut into her palm. The young princess giggled excitedly. Soon a small pile of hazelnut shells became apparent on the lap of her dress. Seeing as the shells were falling on him, Eugene decided that this was the best time to give her her present.

He climbed off the loveseat and went over to the Christmas tree, settling down amongst the wrappings. With a curious look, Rapunzel followed him and sat down on Pascal's bunch of neatly stacked ribbons, much to his chagrin. Rapunzel watched as Eugene's hand shifted around the pile until it came upon a small rectangular package. Bringing it out into the light, he handed it to her and said, "Merry Christmas, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel smiled warmly and addressed the box, shaking it lightly to see if she could guess what was inside. Then she unwrapped the package, peeling away the paper and ribbon to reveal a brown box. She took off the top and looked inside, and smiled brightly at Eugene.

In the box were five little glass jars, each full of gold-colored paint. The color of the paint was just the shade of her used-to-be-golden-hair and all the little jars were carved—indeed by a master, for the craftsmanship was impeccable.

"Oh, Eugene," she breathed, "it's perfect."

"I got them from one of the traders at the port, and, and he said that they were made out of golden and white shells," Eugene pointed out excitedly.

Rapunzel grinned at him and gently wrapped her arms around him for a quick hug. He smiled into her shoulder before she backed up and said, "I have something for you too."

He watched as she found his gift under the stuff. It was a large box with a blue-purple colored paper wrapped around it. He tore off the paper revealing yet another brown box. Boxes were used a lot here in the castle. He took off the top and smirked happily. He reached inside and drew out a brown satchel, a near replica of his old one, wherever that one may be—only this one didn't have a patch in the corner.

Rapunzel giggled as she straightened up, cupped her hand to his ear and whispered, "Merry Christmas, Eugene."

Was that too short or just right? There shall be the twelfth chapter after this, practically an epilogue. Merry Christmas, please leave a review!