Cass was seven when she finally asked her Dad about the lost princess.

She knew some things of course: (The term 'Lost' wasn't just a filler word, after all) she knew that the princess was gone- taken was a word she heard a lot surrounding her- but she didn't know how or why the princess was taken, or even by whom. She knew that they lit lanterns for her every year... and she knew that half the castle's staff thought the lost princess was dead.

Cass didn't even know what it was that brought her to ask that day. Maybe it was the fact that the princess's birthday was tomorrow and all the maids and guards had been whispering amongst themselves all morning. Maybe it was because this was the first year of celebrating that Cass realizes it wasn't really a celebration.

It was more of a memorial.

Nevertheless, there's a moment in between Dad's shifts where he and her were eating lunch when Cass blurted the question.

"Dad, what happened to the lost princess?" Dad froze, midpoint between blowing on his soup and eating it. His spoon fell back into the bowl and he coughed, wiping his face off with a napkin.

He gave a distant, almost angry look, and Cass immediately got the irrational notion that she'd done something wrong. "Sorry." She mumbled. Dad's eyes darted her way.

"No, Cass, honey, don't be." Dad wasn't very good with his emotions but at least he tried to make her feel better. "You don't need to apologize." He took a deep breath, rubbing at his neck. "That's just a… tough subject." He searched her face for a moment trying to find the words.

He'd always acted strange this time of year and that day was no exception. Dad had always been closed off but warm, stern- but kind, only this time of year, around the princess's birthday, he got more distant and frustrated. He said it was because they still haven't found her and that of course he wasn't angry with her, but sometimes Cass couldn't tell.

"Do you remember that day?" He asked eventually. Cass tried to think back, but found only walls her mind was putting up. She shook her head. Cass didn't know if dad looked sad or relieved.

Most likely it was a mixture of both.

"Well…" He motioned for her to scoot her chair closer. "The King and Queen had just had a baby- Princess Rapunzel," He started.

"I know that." Cass said, sitting up on her knees to be taller. Dad nodded.

"Yes, well, not long after… someone broke into the castle," The hand that wasn't wrapped around Cassandra clenched. "And took the princess." Cass frowned.

"But, who would want to steal a baby?" Baby's were gross and a hassle. One of the maids had recently had a baby and all it did was slobber over everything and sleep. So why anyone would purposefully want one of those was a mystery to her.

Dad took his time, as if trying to make sure he was saying the right words. "Well… We don't know for sure who took her," He admitted, voice strained. He moved a lock of short hair out of her eyes. "But we do know that it was a… very selfish woman. Who didn't appreciate what she had."

Cass mulled this over in her head for a bit. It still didn't make any sense to her, but maybe it wasn't supposed to. The castle staff always tossed around the word 'witch' when talking about the woman who took the princess, and so Cass didn't feel that bad about not understanding a witch's intentions because that must mean that she herself wasn't a witch.

"Oh." She replied. Another thing occurred to her, more rumors she'd heard, particularly from the other guards. "Dad?"

Dad gave her a tight smile. "Yes?"

"Do you think that Princess Rapunzel is dead?" That seemed to freeze him in his tracks. His grip on her tightened, knuckles turning white from clenching them so hard.

"Who told you that?"

"I heard some of the guards talking about it." Dad thought long and hard about an answer.

"I think… that we shouldn't lose hope," He said. "Which is why we light lanterns every year- so that she'll find her way back home." He pulled her into his lap. "Any more tough questions for your old man?" He teased. Cass giggled.

"Nope that's it." She put a finger to her chin in thought. "But you know what I'm gonna do now?"

"What?"

Cass jumped up and grabbed one of the wooden swords they gave to the new recruits, and held it up in the air.

"I'm gonna find the lost princess."

"All on your own, huh?" Dad laughed. Cass's face fell for a minute in thought before rising again. She waved the sword in the air again.

"We're gonna find the lost princess!"