- Roused

- Chapter 025

~ Introductions -

The royal families find Rapunzel and Aurora still leaning on the tree in the garden. Aurora was resting after all that talking; her eyes closed and her head against the tree. Queen Leah went in alone and kneeled, all that time praying came in handy now, not far from the pair. She waited, oh so patiently, trying to send her love to her daughter.

Aurora was holding Rapunzel's hand and after a squeeze opened her eyes. After a long time trying to remember, she said, "Hello, Mom." She said in a way that made it sound like a formal title. She was still afraid of the queen and her crown, so many stories had princesses being hurt by queens, she hadn't dared trust the food the queen gave her.

"Hello, Aurora." Queen Leah could see in her daughter's face that there was no recognition of that name, and some fear; that hurt the mom a little bit. "Would you like to go back to your cottage and get your things?"

A tiny spark of hope flared in Briar Rose's eyes and then faded to fear, "Will fairies be there?" she asked tentatively.

"No, you'll be going with Rapunzel and some of her friends."

The tiny spark of hope came back, but concern too, "Friends?"

Briar Rose was feeling that she would be safe if she could get back to the forest, she hadn't been allowed to go through the gate. She would be safe even without her aunts, she knew the animals and plants and weather, she would be safe even if she was alone, and she would never have to go to the Scary Place again. She would never leave the forest again, she would be safe.

"Yes, I'll introduce you. Margaret!" Queen Leah turned slightly and called. Margaret came in, "You remember her, yes; she brought you the food."

Briar Rose studied her face; working on focusing close and after a time said politely, "Hello, Margaret. Thank you for the food."

"You're welcome, princess. I'll be with you to make sure you have food and to take care of other things," Margaret said gently and then she withdrew.

"Gabriel! This is Gabriel, he and the others will be there to protect you and Rapunzel, if any goons show up."

"Hello, Princess Aurora."

"Hello, Gabriel," she said after a moment of studying his round face.

"I can juggle, do you know what juggling is?"

"No."

"May I show you?"

After a moments consideration, "Yes, please."

Gabriel pulls three brightly colored balls from his pants and begins to juggle them. It was a good trick to have to entertain children and was excellent at building hand-eye coordination. He was also skilled at juggling and throwing knives, and he could juggle his three swords, all the Lock Guard could do that, but that might scare the princess. After a couple of minutes he caught all the balls.

"Did you enjoy that?"

"Yes, thank you."

He retreated and slowly James came in next. He was Eugene's bodyguard most of the time. Rapunzel liked him, his muttonchops were so interesting to look at. Eugene said he's been a big help with the firsts they've been doing. He had come from a big family and they had a pair of twins boys. They were so cute. She loved holding them. She had even learned about breastfeeding because of them. That looked so interesting. She wanted to marry Eugene, now that she knew about marriage, but she knew that they needed to deal with more of her snakes first and to get to know her parents. How could she marry someone if she couldn't tell them she loved them?

Mark was the final member of her bodyguard to be introduced to Aurora. Mark and Margaret were such a good couple. When they were relieved of duty at the end of the day she would dash over to him and give him a kiss and they would walk off hand in hand. Rapunzel could truly see the love they had for each other.

Mark was so solid and professional. It was almost a challenge to make him smile at least once during the day. From the first day she had returned and was introduced to her staff, she knew that as serious as Mark and Margaret were, they had a playful side and making them laugh or smile was something she just wanted to do for them. They didn't have to be so serious all of the time.

But Rapunzel knew they cared for her so much. It scared her a little that they were ready to give their lives to protect her. She hoped it would never come to that. She would rather do that for them. They were such good people. It humbled her so much to think that people would do that for her. She had tender feelings for them.

Queen Leah left them alone again. She heard Rapunzel ask, "Would you tell me about your cottage?"

"Aurora definitely likes the idea of going back to the cottage, but she seemed scared of the fairies now or something. The introductions went smoothly," reported Queen Leah to the others in the hallway.

"Good, we'll use them again during dinner, which should help get her used to them. But otherwise dinner should be just us. We'll give her a few minutes and then have Rapunzel introduce us, so she isn't surprised. This might feel slow, but it will be going faster over time," replied Queen Rebecca.

"Yes, it's almost like trying to comfort a frightened colt during a thunderstorm," said King Stefan.

Queen Leah goes back into the garden and waits patiently. After those introductions and a short talk with Rapunzel, Aurora had tired and was resting her head on Rapunzel's lap. After her daughter acknowledged her, she said, "Rapunzel's parents would like to meet you. Are your ready to met them?"

Briar Rose looked up at Rapunzel and after an encouraging nod, said, "Yes, I think so," and sat up.

First came King Leonard, who did not have his crown on. He knelt near Queen Leah, and tried to look less imposing, but that didn't work too well, he was just too big.

"Hello, Aurora. I'm Rapunzel's papa; my name is Leonard. I'm glad to meet you. Is Rapunzel helping you?" He asked kindly in his deep voice.

Aurora thought his voice was comforting and gentle. He was so big, and had a beard like the stranger called dad. "Hello, Leonard. Yes, she is. Thank you for helping me," she said politely.

"You're welcome."

Then it was Queen Rebecca's turn, she also did not have a crown on. "Hello, Aurora, I'm Rapunzel's mama, Rebecca. Is Rapunzel helping you feel better?"

Aurora thought Rapunzel's eyes were very large and it was obvious that this was her mama, even if her hair was so much longer. "Hello, Rebecca. Yes, I feel a little better, thank you."

"I brought Rapunzel's friend, Pascal." Pascal came out from behind her neck and padded down her arm and into the grass. He looked up and gave a smile. Pascal squeaks in greeting.

"Hello, Pascal." Briar Rose said, she hadn't seen any lizards as food here, so thought he was safe from being eaten.

Briar Rose looks curiously at him, "I've never met anyone like you, before."

"He's a chameleon and he's very smart and he is really good at changing colors," explains Rapunzel.

Pascal changes and blends in with the grass. Briar Rose gets a curious look on her beautiful face. Pascal climbs onto the hem of Rapunzel's dress and blends in with that and then on the edge of Briar Rose's dress.

"How amazing." Briar Rose says in wonder.

The mother's exchange a look; it appears as though Pascal has distracted Aurora from her pain for a little while. So they get up and leave them alone.

Things with Aurora seemed to be going well, so the kings excused themselves to see to the war. King Stefan starts to bring King Leonard up to speed on what was happening.

A little later Margaret went back in and found out what Briar Rose liked to eat. Briar Rose, who has become more animated, describes a few of her favorite foods.

All of them are vegetable dishes, Rapunzel noticed, but she understood why.

They setup a dinner in a small dining room that was nearby, and cleared the halls. They would keep the number of new people "strangers" to a minimum as Aurora makes her transition.

After some quiet time in the garden, Rapunzel brought Briar Rose to the dining room, following Mark and the red-haired maid of Aurora's.

The hunched over way Aurora shuffled next to her, breaks Rapunzel's heart.

She had walked that way herself with the weight of Mother's lies on her shoulders. Hopefully, things will be better at her cottage and they could learn what weight Aurora carried on those slim shoulders.

From what her parents had told her she had expected Aurora to be much worse off, but it looked like she at least took care of herself. She looked a little pale, but maybe it was from how red her lips were. Her hair looked good, even if it was a little wind tossed.

Rapunzel didn't yet understand that Aurora had been doubly enchanted to be beautiful, by a fairy and a witch. She hadn't taken care of herself at all, her staff did what they could. But she would continue to look beautiful even as she lay dying, and even in death.

Briar Rose was apprehensive as she came to the door, squeezing Rapunzel's hand tight, but she looked around and saw that all the people were those she had met today and her parents, there were no other strangers for once.

Briar Rose and Rapunzel sat next to each other, holding hands, while Margaret and the red-haired maid served the families. Briar Rose was relieved that there were only fruits and vegetables to eat, not friends, and she began to relax. She was still so hungry. They ate quietly as Briar Rose began to be more relaxed.

Rapunzel did most of the talking to fill the quiet and make everyone feel more comfortable. She had noticed that people become uncomfortable if there is too much quiet around a table. Briar Rose listens intently.

Rapunzel talks of painting the walls of the tower and her room at the palace. Briar Rose opens herself slightly and says that she had painted the walls of the cottage, too. Plants and flowers mostly, it reminded her of springtime, her favorite time of year, but soon begins to tire and then yawns.

"Are you tired, dear? Let's take you to your room," says Aurora's Mom.

Briar Rose nods and takes Rapunzel's hand again. Aurora doesn't notice the non-verbal communications between the parents, having Queen Leah take the lead instead of a maid.

"I'll show you the way, dear," says Queen Leah rising. Rapunzel and Aurora stand up too and follow her out.

- End of Chapter 025

Author's Notes: Aurora meets Rapunzel's parents and staff and forms a plan of her own. Aurora isn't dumb just feeling trapped and she is seeing a way out, but it won't lead her to become the princess she can and needs to become. Pascal is just great here, trying to help. We see an error that Stefan and Leah are making, it isn't really big enough to be called a mistake, Aurora really needs a lot of personal attention right now but they've been handing off a lot of things to staff. It's just something they've always done and haven't thought about doing a different way.