Cassandra looked up at the sound of someone knocking on the door to the room Rapunzel had been moved to until the wall could be fixed in hers, she was supposed to be tidying it up while Rapunzel was at breakfast with her parents, but Rapunzel had already straightened the room before she left, including sweeping and dusting. "Who is it,"
"It's me," a voice that Cassandra had always found annoying called out, as a head poked through the open doorway, "I thought I could find you here," Eugene announced stepping into the room and closing the door behind him, "Dad's wondering where you are? We were supposed to have Breakfast with him, remember, he wanted to talk to us."
"Why does he want to talk to me?" Cassandra demanded, "I already know that since he was never married to my mother that I can't inherit the throne of the Dark Kingdom or anything like that," she explained, "Not that there is a throne to the Dark Kingdom to inherit."
"Look, Cass," Eugene plopped down on the bed, wrinkling the covers, "I understand that you're confused, I was confused too when I first met Dad, but once you get to know him you have to understand, he would never abandon one of his children without a very good excuse."
"I guess it isn't Father's fault Mother never told him that she was pregnant, and I can't really blame Father for leaving Mother if what Raps tells me about Mother is true. But Dad gave me a good childhood, he set me up for success in the future," Cassandra let out a sigh, "I betrayed my Dad once when I turned on you and Raps, I can't betray him a second time."
"I don't think wanting to get to know your father and brother is betraying your dad Cass."
"I don't need to know my brother," Cassandra said, smirking at Eugene who acted hurt, "I could do without him."
"Ouch that hurts, like right here," Eugene said pointing to his heart, "Come on, Dad was very specific, he wants both of us to come and see him."
"I can't," Cassandra insisted, "I'm working."
"Rapunzel went eighteen years without a Lady's Maid, I'm sure that Rapunzel can handle an hour without one."
...
King Edmund was in the stables when his son arrived, practically dragging a swearing Cassandra behind him, "What's up Dad?" Eugene asked, refusing to let go of Cassandra's hand.
"Let go," she growled yanking her hand out of his grip, "You got me here, didn't you?"
"Yes, but now you have to stay," Eugene insisted.
"I'm glad the two of you came," Edmund said, "I'm headed back to the Dark Kingdom."
"Why?" Cassandra asked, "It's just a pile of ruins."
"I can say the same about Corona," Edmund pointed out, "Look at how much they had repaired and rebuilt in the weeks since the eclipse. If you Coronians can do this we should be able to rebuild our kingdom."
"I'm sorry," Eugene said, "Did you just say 'We'?"
"Of course, If the Dark Kingdom is going to come back stronger than ever, it needs an heir to the throne."
"I can't," Eugene blurted out, "Dad, I'm needed here, with Rapunzel, and the other guards."
"Well, then Cassandra can be my heir."
"What, me?" Cassandra gasped, "What are you talking about, I'm not..."
"You are my daughter, therefore you are in line for the throne, no matter who your mother was.
'But... My dad, my job, Raps... You're asking me to give up everything I know."
"And offering you everything I have," Edmund pointed out, "I'll put off leaving until Tomorrow, give you time to think about it." He turned his attention to his oldest, "Both of you."
...
Cap leaned back against the wall of his barn, "Look, Cassandra, if you want to go with your father to the Dark Kingdom go ahead, I'm not going to hold you back.
"But Dad?" Cassandra asked, "What about you?"
Cap let out a sigh, "I'm a grown man Cassandra, I'll be fine, what matters is what you want."
Cassandra leaned against Fidella's stall, "I don't know, people aren't as forgiving as the Princess, leaving allows me to start over, a fresh start. But I'll have to leave you and Raps, and Lance."
"Lance?" Cap asked arching his eyebrow at his daughter, "I see, but if you go, you'll be named heir to the throne of The Dark Kingdom."
"If Eugene doesn't decide to come," Cassandra interrupted, "He's the firstborn."
"Honestly, I don't think your brother will leave Corona, he has a life here, and the Princess."
"I know that," Cassandra insisted, turning around to slam her good hand onto the gate of the stall, "I wanted to be noticed, heard, I wanted the attention Rapunzel got. Now I have the opportunity to get that, but can I really leave this life behind, a second time."
"You know," Cap straightened himself up, placing a hand on Cassandra's shoulder, "It doesn't matter where you go in life, you will always have a place with me."
"Thanks," Cassandra said, sighing heavily, as she moved to the door, "I better go talk to King Edmund."
...
The next morning dawned bright and sunny, as Cassandra found herself standing once more in front of Rapunzel's room, it was next on the schedule now that all the houses that had been damaged had been taken care of. This was it. She knocked before letting herself in.
Rapunzel and Eugene turned around to look at her taking in the traveling clothes she was wearing, "So you're going," Rapunzel said.
"It's time I find my own destiny and I think that going with Father might be the best option, besides, now I outrank you Eugene."