Rapunzel practically exploded, the pure energy of true love sending her flying through the palace halls and to the castle library. She began to pull books from the shelf, scanning the first few pages or so, and then tossing it over her shoulder haphazardly, attracting quite a scene – the library, unlike many other parts of the castle, was mostly open to public access, and a nightgown-clad princess throwing books around like pillows wasn't something you saw every day.
For last week's lesson on Coronan Law, Rapunzel had been obligated to read through a thick book on the judicial system, bound in worn red silk with gold lettering. Ah, there it was! Rapunzel leapt from high on the ladder, ignoring the few gasps that came due to her rowdy and rambunctious behavior, and plopped down where she landed, her gauzy pajamas puddling around her.
Skipping the introduction, Rapunzel went straight to the table of contents. Crime classification? No…punishment systems? Maybe. Wait! There it was!
She frantically flipped through the ancient parchment, the air flow from fast page-turning whooshing the musty smell of the book into her face. She didn't mind, though; once Rapunzel had reached the chapter titled "Redemptions", a quick scan-through confirmed her theories, and nothing else mattered anymore.
The princess pulled the Coronan flag that Eugene had bought her – the first thing he'd ever given to her, besides the opportunity of a lifetime – out of her dress pocket (she always carried it, no matter where she went; of course, that's excluding the bath) and put it on the page to mark its place. She then slammed the book shut with a giddy grin, still receiving some odd looks, and heavy book in tow, Rapunzel raced back the way she'd come, taking off again to find her parents.
-x-
After much searching around, Rapunzel found the King and Queen in the sitting-room of their apartment reading. She'd burst in, kicking the swinging doors open since the book was heavy enough for her that it needed to be carried with both hands. Out of breath, she rasped to her surprised parents, "I know how to save Eugene!"
Rapunzel was like a pot boiling over, but her mother and father exchanged weary glances that went unnoticed by their excited daughter. Queen Josephine set her book down on the side table and gave a graceful sigh, clasping her hands together. "Rapunzel, dear," she soothed, coming closer, "I'm sorry, but your father and I told you; what's done is done. The trial-"
The princess cut in – now was not the time to be exemplary in her manners. Now was the time to save true love! "-needs to be reschedueled!" she interrupted, thrusting the massive mahogany volume at her mother and opening it to the marked page, and her hands shook with ecstasy at her findings. "I found some hard evidence that the Court's verdict was wrong. Look!"
By now, King Harold stood beside his wife, and he gently took the book from Rapunzel and turning it around to read the page she pointed out, brushing aside the flag. "'After full repentance, the convicted may or may not be relinquished of his/her records, depending upon the verdict arrived by the current King and the Royal Court of Corona'." The King looked up. "Rapunzel, dear, we know all this; they said-"
"Keep reading," she interrupted, crossing her arms determinedly. Her father couldn't suppress a small smile, and he returned to reading. "However, if he/she performs an outstanding deed of chivalry for a noble cause, his/her criminal records may be retracted, so long as they perform a two-year duty for the royal family. In the case which the convicted is a male, he shall serve as a knight or guard in the Royal Guard Alliance for a period of two years; in which case the convicted is a female, she shall serve as a housekeeper or handmaid for three years'."
Rapunzel bounced with excitement, her shorn brown locks bobbing. "So you see? Eugene brought me back to where I belong, and that's pretty chivalrous, don't you think? He can be a knight, or a guard! Or something! There's still hope…"
Her voice faded at the skeptical expressions on her parents' faces. With an anguished sigh, the princess tugged the book gently from her father's grasp, laying the purple flag over her shoulder. She hugged the volume to her chest, close to her heart. "Please," she begged them, her voice cracking at the endnote. "This is my only chance of saving Eugene."
King Harold broke first. "Alright," he sighed doubtfully, taking his wife's hand. "We'll try it. I'll call the jury members back for another trial in three days. Now, I'm not making any promises-"
Rapunzel stopped her father by dropping the book and throwing her arms around him, laughing for what seemed like the first time in a while, her eyes filling up with happy tears. "Thank you, Papa!" she cried. He returned the embrace, and after that, Rapunzel kissed her mother and ran off again to tell Eugene the good news.
Queen Josephine laid her head on her husband's arm, stroking his large hand. "Oh, Harold," she whispered with motherly concern. "I hope this all works out."
He kissed the top of her head, right in front of her crown. "Me too, Phina," he sighed gustily, staring out the open door. "Me too."