"How much longer?" Lady Caine growled at one of her escorts, the desert heat was already testing her mood while the others sought shade from the dunes.
"Soon. Just another day away. Once the sun goes down, we'll make haste through the night and enter the borders. Everyone will be too preoccupied with the arrival of Princess Rapunzel to notice any of you. And once we're there, you will have your revenge."
Now that was something she wanted to hear. Revenge. While everyone was fawning over King Fredric and his precious daughter, none dared to stand up to their incompetence either out of blind loyalty or fear. But not Lady Caine. Ever since Mother Gothel had kidnapped the infant princess, King Fredric had directed all his anger towards the criminals of Corona through a crackdown on crime. A biased system as the king was judge and juror with the same outcomes: exile in prison or death. It was Lady Caine who realized how unjust the crown was when her father was taken away from her all because he was a simple thief. And rather than aid the families he hurt, King Fredric turned a blind eye and merely claimed it would set an example for others.
For years, there was nothing Lady Caine dreamed of but revenge against the nobility who all were the same. Ignorant, selfish, and cruel to those who they consider as undesirable. At first, she blamed Rapunzel for all of this, but everything was Mother Gothel who started it all and with her gone, it was Fredric who made the decision. And what better way to have her revenge than to take away the king's daughter who was returned to Corona after eighteen years. He took her father and thus, Caine will take his daughter
The opportunity had come at last. After so many failures, now the tide was in her favor. A small group of five had come to Corona following the mysterious visitors that arrived with invitations for the royal family. They too were Safirians, but they were dissatisfied with the one who called herself "the Empress". Claiming that she was merely an usurper to the crown after killing their ruler and the prince Samson, despite his strengths, was a weakling who didn't dare challenge her. Pathetic. But what did it have to do with Caine? Simple. There was power that Lady Caine could use to have her revenge and destroy the royal family of Corona as Rapunzel would be weak in Safira. The heat would slow her down and without the Sundrop's powers, it would be easy for Lady Caine to end her. In return, the Safirians will take over their own kingdom and reform it after the Empress and her family are disposed of.
The sun began to set upon the horizon and Lady Caine was quick to whip her crew into shape and mount their horses. Those who were too weak or tired would be left behind if they didn't follow through. Just one more day.
While their journey was long and harsh underneath the sun, Eugene was far more concerned about things ever since they left Corona. In the beginning, he had gone from riding Maximus alongside the guards, with an occasional break to rest in the caravan while Rapunzel rode along outside, to just being set inside for the rest of the trip. The weather had gotten to him and a few others, but that was nothing a little break from the sun couldn't fix. It wasn't uncommon with the temperatures rising and falling drastically.
The Safiians were unsure of what to call him as Eugene is technically the prince-consort to the future Queen Rapunzel, but there were times where consorts were dubbed kings whether they shared equal power to the crown or not. In the end, Eugene still settled with "prince" after all he was heir to the Dark Kingdom. The arrangement before the two had been more romantic rather than political even before either had found out they were royalty.
Even with the old stories of how Eugene was once the infamous "Flyn Rider", and along with Lance Strongbow, had faced wild adventures were shared by the other Safirians who grow up outside of the desert. Before their happily ever after, Eugene and Rapunzel were pulled into even more exciting adventures, along with dying several times along the way. There were many happy memories amongst the friends from their activities within and outside Corona, but there were also some hardships. Things that were far more interesting than just Eugene using a common book as his former identity and would prefer to move past it once and for all.
Oftentimes, Eugene's mind would drift off to wonder about the Dark Kingdom and how his father was fairing along with the remaining members of the Brotherhood, Adira and Hector, who chose to stay with the king. The good news was that old inhabitants of the Dark Kingdom were returning home now that the Moonstone was gone and were rebuilding as the land was becoming fertile little by little. While he would've liked to say goodbye in person, Eugene thought it was for the best that he sent a letter to his father, King Edmund, as the older man would've been very adamant on wanting to come along even if told no. At times, Eugene did pity his father and did his best to be patient with him and not everything was so bad as they had their moments together. It also gave him a new perspective. Sure there was no secret that Eugene, like anyone else, had been worried about growing older and his dashing good looks, but there was also fear. With his father acting a little "off", after being isolated from the outside for so long and even struggling a bit to keep his thoughts to himself, Eugene had noticed that there were times where Edmund was becoming a tad too forgetful. More than usual. And that also worried him
Perhaps upon their return, Eugene would visit Edmund a little more. Despite their different circumstances, Eugene began to question things about himself and his future. Would he eventually grow to be senile like his father? When the time comes, wouldn't he want to be comforted by his own family once his mind begins to slip? No. Right now, Eugene couldn't focus so much on a future that may or may not even happen and even then there wasn't anything he could do about it but enjoy his life to the fullest. The life with Rapunzel, forever, on their own happily ever after.
At first, he believed that Rapunzel accepting the invitation to Safira was a bold move as she claimed that as future queen, it would be best that she would go to solidify royal affairs that brought pride to everyone's heart. Between them, Rapunzel confided to Eugene that the mess in Corona from Zhan Tiri was also starting to weigh down her spirits and he felt that this chance of leaving would possibly help give Rapunzel a new perspective of how to get the kingdom to work together. Not that Eugene can blame her as the stress of dealing with constant arguments and setbacks were affecting everyone. It was still a proud thing to see her take such an action and act maturely for the responsibilities for when Rapunzel is crowned as queen. Later on, these feelings were dampened a bit as she told him about what Demanitus, or now Vigor, had predicted as soon as the Safirians arrived along with vague information Rapunzel was able to get from Samson and Tamaa which made things too much to want to deal with. Still, as loyal as ever, Eugene went along because he had faith in Rapunzel and kept the knowledge she shared between them to not worry the others. But to see his beloved so anxious and worried about the unpredictable outcome in meeting the Empress Sinclair, it had also made Eugene anxious and in no doubt, the others would be quick to take notice of this.
It was Eugene who was aiding the other guards and taking care of Maximus who wound up finding Shorty stowed away in Nigel's caravan. They had even done all they could to prevent the old man from sneaking aboard after what happened the last time they left Corona. And yet, there he was, claiming that he was able to sleep for the duration of the journey because it was still three more months of winter. The Safirian captain, Niraj, was not at all pleased at this, but Eugene was able to assure him that while Shorty could be a nuisance at times, he was a harmless one at that.
With nothing much else to do, Eugene laid on his bed staring at the ceiling while everyone else was either resting or doing something that would keep their minds off the long journey. Maybe this won't be so bad. They had been through worse and who knows, maybe everyone was worrying about nothing.
The Jewel of Safira is the key.
With luck, maybe a key to peace.
"Why so glum chum?" Shorty climbed up upon Eugene's bed.
"I'm not glum. Just tired." Even as good-natured as he can be, Eugene felt his own patience being tested mainly from the weather and the sudden sickness. Honestly, how anyone could enjoy living under this blistering heat was a mystery to him and the humidity would do a lot to ruin someone's daily skin routine. It wasn't any better as before he could send Shorty away, the old man placed a yam on Eugene's chest and merely fell asleep on the other side.
After what felt like eternity, the caravans had paused.
The sudden cease of movement had alerted mostly everyone who stayed inside the safety of their carriage as the guards would usually come to knock on the doors as a signal to prepare their eyes for the burning light.
"What's going on?" Rapunzel asked as the tarp to the windows were lifted.
"See for yourself, your majesty." One of the guards directed her attention to what all the excitement was about. A massive mountain range and then the caravans were on the move again which piqued curiosity as they entered through the mountain pass and deeper into the labyrinth of jagged walls. Scaling higher through the ledges until finally, the people were able to see what lay below them was something completely new. Hidden by the mountain range was a crater, several craters, that even the Dark Kingdom paled in comparison. Those who didn't know the location would be easily deterred away from the rocky terrain and desert as just nothing. Yet, here it was. Green. Lush greenery in the center of a sea of sand and protected by the elements around it. A massive oasis.
"Friends! Companions! And special guests." Niraj's voice has broken the silence. "Welcome to Safira!"
Believing that they had enough to gawk at, Niraj ordered the caravans to move and downhill they disappeared between the rocks that turned into rising cliffs, a well concealed entrance from the outside. Peeking out of their caravan, the gang had bombarded the guards with questions as their journey had finally come to an end, only to groan in almost unison as they were hit with a wave of intense humidity once they entered the dense jungles at the bottom of the hill. No one could agree what was worse, the heat or the humidity, but were assured by Niraj that the spring season is far more favorable compared to the summer. As a fussy parent to his children, and guardian to Varian, while making sure that Shorty was kept under watch, Lance stressed that presentation was always important especially to royalty and poured some leftover water into a basin to have the teens wash their faces.
"Well sunshine. What do you think?" Eugene smiled at Rapunzel as he looked outside the window beside her and held her hand.
"It's beautiful. Nothing like Corona." She grinned as her eyes took in the scenery of flora and animals that were quick to make themselves scarce from the trail as the caravans made their way through the maze of trees. They arrived at the inner crater and the entrance was guarded by a large gate where guards posted stalked around the caravans for anything suspicious before allowing them to enter. The true oasis itself was the kingdom which looked vastly different from the wilds outside as it wasn't as densely protected by trees with hills that were decorated with tall grass. Over the horizon, there was farmland all over as they continued down the road to a second wall where they were greeted by a siren call as the gates opened to reveal a massive city, larger than Vardaros yet the population almost equal, as people emerged from their homes and businesses to witness the arrivals of the newcomers. All cheering and giving applause as they followed the caravan until they had finally reached the end to their final destination. The carriages which belonged to their tagalong travel companions were catered too as Safirian guards instructed them to follow a different path while the royals were escorted through the large crooked gate which separated the nobility from the commoners and into the last ring led upwards to the castle.
"Man, that's a lot of uphill." Varian commented.
"Do you think people get tired of walking all the way up?" Catalina added.
"I know I would." Keira answered.
Finally, after so long, they reached the entrance of the castle which was even ground for the caravan trains to line up with the royals being the first to be greeted as an elder woman was waiting for them at the stairs of the castle entrance.
"You don't think that's her, do you? The Empress?" Eugene whispered to Rapunzel.
"Of course not. If Sinclair was gone for seventeen years, before I was born, that means she's probably about your age." Rapunzel replied before putting on a happy face as Eugene counted his fingers before accepting the answer with a shrug. "Still. Let's get ready to meet our hosts."
From up above, upon one of the towers in the castle, a figure watched the guests down below as they left the caravans to stretch their legs and narrowed their eyes at them before stepping away.
"Make sure to bring my advisor and brother to my chambers once our guests are catered too. I have business to discuss with them."
"Yes, your majesty." A guard bowed and left to carry their task.
One by one they left their caravans as Tamaa and Samson had taken their place to stand beside the elder woman to quickly chat with each other as the others were quick to present themselves properly before leaving their carriages. Behind them, the caravans were unhinged from one another and Maximus was free to walk beside the group to stand proud as Rapunzel praised him for a job well done. All ready to be properly acquainted.
"Your majesties, it is an honor and privilege to be in your presence." The elder woman spoke with an eerie smile. "I am known as Marjani, a personal servant to our Empress Sinclair and an official of the royal court. I, along with our staff, have been tasked to cater to your needs and if you have any questions. Please, feel free to ask and we shall be happy to provide service to you. We welcome you, King Trevor of Equis and royal princess Rapunzel of Corona to our home..."
Her voice trailed off a bit as she narrowed her eyes at the other surprise guest yet still smiled. "And we welcome, our dear Minerva. My goodness, it has been such a long time since we've last seen one another."
At that, Minerva bared her teeth at Marjani, a silent discontent and animosity between the two was apparent as a young man in her party placed his hand upon Minerva's shoulder, subtly trying to call her attention. There was such an air of tension thicker than the humidity and heat.
"Umm. Hi?" Rapunzel raised her hand a bit and was a little taken aback at how quickly Marjani snapped her head towards her direction with a sweet grin. "As the royal princess of Corona and representative of my kingdom, when can we meet the Empress?"
"Yes, normally a leader of a land would normally be the first to greet their guests." Trevor commented which gave Rapunzel a bit of confidence. While she wished to remain polite, being her senior, Trevor already had his own shameless expectations of how things should be done.
"The Empress has tasked us to cater to your needs while you rest from your long journey." Marjani responded. "Only once after you are in high spirits and are presentable, you'll be able to meet her when she is available."
"When she is available?" Trevor responded back with an unamused look on his face, clearly not won over by the elder woman's politeness.
"Yes." Marjani answered. "Unfortunately, her duties are never done, but she has made special orders and arrangements to make sure all of you are comfortable. You will not have to worry about anything."
With a clap of her hand, there were other servants that came forward and bowed to the group, gesturing to them to enter the castle. One of the servants came to take Maximus away to the stables and reassured Rapunzel that a horse in this land would require special attention and if anything, he deserved it. At times, there was no one else who worked harder to keep everything in check like Maximus and even along their journey, he made sure to keep an eye out for anything that could slow them down.
Everyone was far more relieved as they entered the castle as the mosaic windows were able to deter the heat of the sun and left open to allow a cool breeze to flow through the rooms. Various banners of Safirian symbols, tapestries, and paintings decorated the walls along with many valuable looking items that were placed on long tables and bouquets of unique flowers decorating the hallways. Passing into the upstairs hallways to their destination on the third floor and King Trevor was led away to his own personal room, reassured that they would all meet together much later. Farther down the hall and around the corner, Rapunzel and her group were taken to a large door where a pair of guards were standing by and opened the doors for them to reveal a luxurious room.
Another large arched mosaic window had greeted them and brought a light into the room and stone walls were decorated with hanging plants. On the opposite sides of the room, there were two balconies that held shelves of plants and treasures and a few decorative books along with a total of eight doors; four on top and four down below. In the center, there was a large round table where two other servants were carefully arranging a centerpiece of flowers along with plates and dishes of food before taking notice of their company and proceeded to leave the room. Everyone took to exploring the rooms and each was nearly identical in regards to decoration, with the exception that three had twin beds and the rest were larger beds, along with a personal bathroom for each. A guard had knocked on the door to inform them that their belongings would be brought down from the caravans and carried to their rooms. Rather than have their hosts do all the work, Eugene along with Lance and Nigel had gone with the guard to help direct which belongings would go into which rooms.
In a quick scramble, Varian, Keira, and Catalina were already in a rush to determine which was the perfect room for them as Shorty in his "charming" way had already made one of the chairs his bed and fell asleep. It seemed that no matter where he would go, the old man was comfy where he rested his head. Once rooms were established, the three men along with the guards had brought in the luggage and placed them in the rooms where they belonged. Once the gang had unpacked their belongings to make themselves comfortable, they entered the privacy of their rooms for a well deserved rest.
Peeking out of her room, Rapunzel saw that the coast was clear and had carefully moved towards the main door to look outside. To her surprise there were guards positions to protect their guests and one had looked down once hearing the door open and smiled kindly at Rapunzel. Did all Safirians have sharp canines?
"Is there anything I can do for you, your highness?"
"Well... I was wondering if I can meet with the empress now."
"I shall go to bring your message to Empress Sinclair. You should rest, it's not uncommon for people to collapse from the journey across the desert, even when they think they're well."
"Oh, thank you."
With a nod, the guard was off and her associate gestured for Rapunzel to return inside. Despite this, part of Rapunzel was hoping to sneak out to do a little investigation for herself, but decided against it. From what she saw, the entire castle was heavily guarded along with servants and staff who were quickly carrying on their tasks. And maybe it was for the best, after all, the last thing she needed to do was cause trouble. Moving to sit and draw in her journal the different flora from the room until there was a knock on the door. With a grin Rapunzel moved to open the door and came face to face with Tamaa, greeting him with eagerness.
"Hi!"
"Hi!" He responded with the same energy. "May I come in?"
"Of course!"
Entering the room, Tamaa was happy to see the others were already up and about and no doubt anxious to leave their room. "Greetings everyone. How are we all feeling?"
"A little spoiled." Eugene answered. "What are these beds made out of?"
"It's like sleeping on a cloud!" Lance spoke up as he rested on a lounge chair looking through pictures in a book.
"We greatly appreciate all that's done for us." Rapunzel spoke.
"I am glad to hear that." Tamaa smiled. "And with the sunset coming-"
"Sunset? Already?"
"Oh, there is nothing to worry about, princess. We have all traveled a very long way to arrive in the homeland. Besides, when the sun goes down, the kingdom truly comes alive. Many of our businesses are open during the night hours in comparison to the days and it will be the perfect opportunity to meet the citizens. And the fact you were all so well rested will please Sinclair greatly that you are comfortable and content in her kingdom."
"And when will we meet with the empress?" Nigel spoke up.
Tamaa smiled at him, similar to how Marjani did. "Momentarily, Sinclair is preoccupied with some important business in regards to her extended family and she will be quick to greet you all personally once her duties are complete."
"...You don't often refer to her as the empress much, do you?"
"We were close in our childhood and I have those special privileges being family and all. Sometimes it's just a slip of the tongue. Everyone is also still adjusting. Speaking of which. Our laws here are different compared to your home and I am here to inform you of them."
"Great! We'd love to hear them." Eugene smiled.
"Fantastic. First, there are curfews in Safira and they must be taken seriously between all citizens and guests. You are required to stay indoors during the morning hours unless wearing the appropriate clothing. I emphasize that this is no joke as even our own people can fall victim under the sun if they are careless. Luckily, there are garments selected for you and once the morning comes, the other staff will aid you in dressing if you request to head outside. Second, if you wish to exit the kingdom walls, always stay close to the trails and there must always be an escort. And it is wise to stay away from the jungle, especially the trees painted in yellow or red markers."
"Why?"
"Centuries ago during the early years of our kingdom, there had been a severe and grave sickness that plagued the land deep within the jungle. And just as fast as it arrived, it disappeared. We have yet to understand how and why it happened and thus, sections of the jungle are completely forbidden to everyone. If you are found to have entered the jungle, you will never be allowed to leave Safira nor enter the kingdom walls again."
"Never?"
"Never. There is no way around it and the people will not hesitate to turn completely hostile should they learn of anyone venturing into the Forbidden Jungle, even to their own friends and family. They will do whatever it takes to prevent the sickness from spreading again, it's far too great of a risk. Which concludes our talk in regards to animals. Your horse and chameleon companion are not uncommon sights here, however your other beasts must be kept always with you under close supervision. The beasts of Safira will not hesitate to take the opportunity in seeking an easy meal. Another reason why you must stay on the trails at all times and be alert."
"We understand."
Good! You don't need to worry so much about language barriers as we have been used to travelers and merchants that it's practically commonly spoken amongst us. If there is anything that you wish to purchase, merely present one of these." Tamaa held up a single coin with the head of a boar with three tusks on it in the front and a Safirian crest on the back. "Each of you will be given these tokens to pay at a vendor and in turn the merchant will be able to convert these for the exact price of the items you've purchased."
"When do we eat?" Keira interrupted from over the balcony while Catalina was looking through a book from one of the shelves.
"AHEM!" Lance gave a look at Keira and she rolled her eyes at him.
"When do we eat, please."
"A banquet has been made for all of you in the royal garden." Tamaa smiled. "If you're all ready, I will be happy to escort you."
"I think I can speak for everyone that we're all ready for a meal." Eugene stood up to put his hand on Rapunzel's shoulder.
"Wonderful. Please. Follow me."
The promise of food and refreshments was able to get Lance, who was carrying Hamuel on his shoulder, Keira and Catalina, Varian with Ruddiger riding his shoulders, and Shorty following the royal advisor along with some small talk, all while Eugene, Rapunzel, and Nigel trailed behind a bit.
"Something on your mind?" Rapunzel asked Nigel, taking notice of the look on his face as he looked around the halls.
"Yes. It's about the other guests. The extended family of the empress. And the way they were received by Madame Marjani along with the princess."
"Oh. Yeah. Maybe we can ask her about it after a meal. I'm a little curious about what's going to happen to all the people that came with us."
"Even then, it's probably not any of our business and we shouldn't get nosy about it until we know the full story." Eugene interjected. "After all, we're guests to learn more about this place while also attending a coronation. Let's try to have a little fun."
Through the halls of the castle, Rapunzel and her companions, along with King Trevor and his own guards accompanying them, were escorted to the ballroom and marveled at the decorations and chandeliers above them. The walls were painted with wild beasts and dancing figures, while the purple and gold curtains were pulled back so that everyone could see the lights of the garden outside. Up above, the windows were also made of stained glass which would no doubt light the room in beautiful colors during the day. Moving through the glass doors, there were also servants in a hurry to wander in and out while performing their duties as a few others were setting bowls with strang herbs inside before lighting them on fire. When asked about them, the smoke of the herbs were said to ward off any insects that would be attracted to the lights.
Finally outside, it was a grand marvel of the garden even with the sun setting as the top of the stairs overlooked the wall of the castle to be greeted with a large lake. It would be much easier to see upon closer inspection as tall decorative fences separated the garden from a short drop onto the earth and marsh below. To their left were several trees and their foliage were so densely clumped together that it looked as if it was a little jungle in the backyard with a flower bed surrounding it. It was a little hard to see, but there was an old gate door that must've led to the outside of the wall and into the actual jungle itself, possibly even down to the lake as well. On the right side, at the top of the stairs was a small pond with a statue of a frog, or perhaps a toad, with wings feeding the water through its mouth. It turns out the smaller pond fed a much larger pond below, right at the bottom of the stairs, by a waterfall appearance which held floating candles and lily pads, with a few small fish that swam around without a care in the world
As the others headed downstairs, Rapunzel stayed back as she took notice of Varian furrowing his brows as he stared at the lake. "Something wrong?"
"Hm? Oh! Nothing. Just staring at the lake," He smiled at her before continuing with his observation. "I'm guessing that's where the water comes from, but it doesn't look very large enough to feed the entire kingdom, unless the previous drought they told us about is still having a lingering effect. Maybe when we get the chance, I can talk with the Empress about introducing new water transportation, like what we did in Corona."
"That's a great idea, Varian! I'm impressed."
"So am I." A voice came from behind them and they greeted Niraj as he stood beside Varian. "You're half-right about the lake. It's not meant for providing the kingdom with water as we have other reserves. This lake is merely a place for select fishermen and for the wild beasts, but we're always eager to hear any ideas that can aid in transporting resources to the people. I'm sure Empress Sinclair will be willing to hear your ideas."
"Really?"
"Of course, you two already have something in common. I think the thing is called alchemy? She has some items and books on the matter."
At that Varian's smile grew wider as he beamed at the thought of sharing all sorts of ideas and inventions with a fellow alchemist. It brought a smile to Rapunzel's face to hear that someone out there had the same interest as Varian and if all things go well, maybe this would be a good start in creating an alliance. After all, Rapunzel was happy to claim that Varian had come a long way from when they first met and deserved good recognition, eager to refer as his reference if they were able to help. With a bow, Niraj excused himself from the two, claiming that he had other things to take care of as he was merely relieving a few stubborn guards from their duties.
Farther down the stairs was a large stone bridge for decoration and across it was a tent canopy where a large banquet table was set with various food items and servants had poured drinks for the dinner guests as hanging lanterns kept the area lit, all while musicians were turning their instruments to provide ambiance.
It appeared that the Lady Minerva and her family were already settled in their seats, patiently awaiting for the other guests to arrive and Eugene had caught the older woman giving a glare at them before her attention was drawn back to Tamaa. The royal advisor introduced them to guests that will be joining them as the family stood to bow their heads at the guests, except for Minerva.
The head of the family was Minerva's son, Arthur, who sat at the head of the table with his wife, Diane, who was comfortable by his left side and held an infant in her arms. On Arthur's right side, there was a young boy who merely looked up from his meal as the adults stood to greet the strangers before continuing to eat. And beside him were older twin sisters who looked to be the same age as Keira and Catalina.
Once all formalities were done, Tamaa showed the gang to their seats as Arthur and Diane spoke to Minerva, possibly scolding the proud woman for her rudeness but she didn't care to listen as she picked at her food. Whatever it was they were talking about, Eugene made a mental note to keep an eye on them just in case they caused trouble for the others as he took notice of Rapunzel and Varian just arriving.
Together, Rapunzel and Varian headed down to join the others who were already settling in their seats as the table gave enough distance from the other party. Serving themselves from the trays of meats, vegetables, fish, and fruits along with other side dishes while beverages were served in cups of gold. Tugging at Rapunzel's hair, Pascal brought her attention towards Maximus who was being led by a servant towards the others.
"Wow Max! Looking good!" She welcomed Max as he proudly flaunted the makeover given to him by the Safirians as his mane and tail were braided with a few flowers and tied off with ribbons. The horseshoes were replaced with a lighter material so that he wouldn't tire easily from being weighed down by the desert sands and shined like gold.
Making himself comfortable at the head of the table on the far left side, King Trevor had offered a seat for Rapunzel to sit beside him as a sign of good grace to forget their past conflicts. Pulling up a chair, Eugene sat beside Rapunzel and next to him was Nigel, followed by Maximus who made it a personal mission to keep an eye on Shorty, especially in the presence of company. On the other side of King Trevor, Lance sat down and made a little fuss of making sure Keira and Catalina wore napkin bibs despite their protests and even telling Varian to sit up straight and do the same as Lance caught him snickering. In response, Ruddiger patted Varian's hair and brushed it to the side in an attempt to help make him look presentable. There was a bit of awkwardness and silence amongst the table as the music played and the guests ate their fill of food as they awaited whoever would be the first to strike up a conversation.
Finally a voice came, but not from the table. It was Marjani, dressed in long emerald garments as she greeted them all with a bow and smile.
"Welcome your majesties and friends! I hope you are enjoying yourselves tonight."
Standing up to better present herself, Rapunze smiled. "Oh we are! I believe I speak for all of us when I thank you for opening your home to us and that the food is absolutely delicious." Her compliments were backed up with friendly expressions from the other guests. Even those from Minerva's party, except for the older woman, who voiced their praises and thanks.
"I'm so glad to hear you are all content." Marjani beamed at hearing the words of content. "Not only has our beloved Empress instructed the chefs to plan this remarkable feast to make you feel more comfortable, she has also aided in preparing the desert course."
"She aided in the dessert course?" King Trevor looked questionly.
"Oh of course! Empress Sinclair is very eager to please her subjects and guests to establish trust amongst everyone. She has also introduced new crops and recipes which saved many lives in Safira as we waited out the winter-"
"Enough of this." A voice interrupted and all eyes fell upon Lady Marjani. Speaking for everyone to hear and listen to the words she had to say, ignoring her son's pleas to sit down. "I grow tired of this waiting. Where is the child who sits upon my throne?"
Slowly sitting back down, Rapunzel and the others watched the exchange. The children were confused about what was going on while the adults were silent in their disapproval over the rudeness especially from a member of the royal family. And yet, the smile didn't leave Marjani's face and her eyes narrowed at Minerva as if trying to make the other woman back down.
"Your throne?" Her voice was dripping with rotten honey as if trying to hold back her temper and intentions of swiftly putting the rude woman in her place. "From what I remember, Minerva, the throne of Safira no longer belongs to you ever since your father disowned you, even threatening to abdicate the throne which disgraced the royal family and made way for your brother to take the throne. If anything, most of what happened here was because of you."
At that, Minerva's cheeks were red with embarrassment as the truth was revealed for everyone to hear and even the servants paused what they were doing in silent shock. As the exchange continued, King Trevor and Lance continued to subtly eat and drink while watching the crude entertainment of some secrets now being made public, especially to outsiders as Marjani continued.
"And yet, this Sinclair that everyone is in love with has not appeared to welcome her guests?"
"The Empress has important things to take care of and tasked us to escort our guests to their rooms to freshen up and take a rest from their long journey so that they may be in higher spirits. It's called common courtesy, Minerva. The only reason why you are here is because the Empress had recently learned of your existence and requested that your son's family be welcomed home with open arms because of their heritage. Not you. You should know that your place in Safira is beneath the Empress."
"My place is on that throne as the first born of the king, long before my usurping brother was born and far longer than that child was even a single thought! My son and his children are the rightful rulers of this land and I will fight for what is ours!"
"Do NOT involve us in this mess!" Minerva's son spoke up, shaking in fury, as he directed his anger at his mother. "You sound as if you would rather risk the lives of my family instead of your own just to settle some petty squabble! We know nothing of this land, my children knew nothing of all of this, and yet here you are trying to sign our death sentence! We are here to support the coronation of my cousin, a family member who I recently learnt of, but I am not here to start a fight when it involves the safety of my family. You shame us in front of the other guests here!"
"Listen to your son, Minerva. It seems that he has more sense than you do. Or did you decide to come home only to start a war?" Marjani spoke calmly.
"I am not the only one who has the right to the throne." Minerva continued as her son threw up his arms in frustration. "And where are her siblings? How do we know this isn't a usurper who had gotten rid of all legitimate heirs after killing my brother? And what of that beast of she calls a brother-"
"Don't bring Samson into this!" Marjani's smile turned into a frown as she walked over to stare down Marjani. "The others are long gone now. Dead because of his cruel selfishness while Sinclair was once the last born and lived in exile before returning home. Samson had enough sense to step down and bow before Sinclair as she took her rightful place. Regardless of your poor reasons of entitlement, the people have spoken. They choose to follow Sinclair and that is where their loyalties will lie! You are no longer a princess, let alone a lady of the court, and your time has come to an end. Throughout the years, you've had all the time in the world to return and deal with the Tyrant, but instead you hid like a coward. We all thought Sinclair was dead and yet she lived to gather an army and won! It is she who liberated the kingdom and earned her place as the true ruler of Safira! Once the coronation is over, Sinclair will be properly crowned and unless you wish to challenge her for the throne, I suggest you stand down or else the Empress will make sure to put you in your place as nothing but a fool!"
There was an awkward silence amongst the others as they witnessed the argument unfold. Once it ended, the guests at the table exchanged glances at one another. Uncertain if it was their place to speak up to try and change the subject or perhaps to excuse themselves in hopes of returning to their chambers.
While there was a drama show to watch, the group hadn't taken notice of a pair of glowing eyes stalking behind them until they heard a growling noise. Without warning, a dark green blur lunged forward from behind the guests at the table, latching onto a roasted boar between Varian and Keira as they jumped away from being mistaken for the intended target, quickly dragging it away quickly before the others had any time to react. Once the shock had worn off, the group were able to see through the lanterns at what had assaulted the banquet. Crouching before them was a large green lizard with a face that appeared human-like as it tried to get a better hole onto the boar before it's golden eyes adjusted to the light and stared back at them. Curling itself in a protective stance and growling, daring them to come closer. Absentmindedly, Rapunzel had reached to her side to grab a hold of her hair, but she was pulled back into reality as she didn't have her golden locks to aid in her attempts of grappling items. And yet, despite what appeared dangerous, the Safirians musicians and guards didn't show much reaction other than annoyance at the creature as the guards carefully moved closer to deal with the matter.
A loud roar from the direction of the lake was enough to distract the others for the creature to dart away in the same direction as Rapunzel climbed onto Max to give chase. "Come on! Let's go get him!" With that, the two were off before the others could react and the Safirians had even tried to call Rapunzel to cease her chase. Out of a quick sprint, the creature had taken a mighty leap over the decorative fence and disappeared below with a thud on all fours and it slid down the rocky hill terrain until leaping into the shallow marshes towards the lake and halted at the edge to see if it was still being pursued by the others. With no way over the fence at risk of injury, Rapunzel had jumped off Max to get a better look from the gate and as if waiting for her gaze to fall upon it, the creature, even with the prize in its jaws, gave a cute head tilt and a cheeky grin at Rapunzel before slipping in the water. From what she was able to see in the dark, there was the back of a much larger creature that dove after the smaller one and the ripples in the water became placid.
"RAPUNZEL!"
At the sound of Eugene calling out to her in a panic, Rapunzel turned to face him as he ran up to her, followed by a few guards. Seeing him, Rapunzel blushed a bit in embarrassment after realizing what she had just done as her impulsive nature had gotten the better of her. This wasn't like before when they traveled to the Dark Kingdom. It was Rapunzel's position to represent her kingdom and gain respect from the Empress of Safira as a leader and valuable ally, but all that could've been ruined because of her actions. What would she have done if she did come up to the creature and it attacked? It wasn't as if Rapunzel still had her golden hair to grapple or whip it against anything as a way to defend herself and the others. And the thought of the larger beast in the water waiting for the smaller one brought a shiver through her body. Mentally, Rapunzel prepared her apology to Eugene as he stood tall and tried not to be upset with her, especially in front of their hosts.
"Rapunzel, honey, you can't just run off like that after some sort of animal!"
"I know!" She shrunk a bit as she caught the worry in Eugene's eyes. "I don't know what came over me. I guess I thought maybe I could help save the dinner, but after realizing what I just did..I don't have anything to say other than I'm sorry for just acting out like that."
With a sigh, Eugene pulled her into a tight embrace as the other guards looked over the wall and gate, speaking with one another, before returning to bring Rapunzel and Eugene back to the banquet table. There was a large part of her that wanted to disappear and hide in her room after the stunt she pulled as a few stared and others helped clean up the mess. Aiding a few of the servants was Minerva's son as his wife and children were escorted safely back into the castle and would no doubt stay there until confident enough to return when the danger was gone. The girls, Varian, and Lance were also helping as best they could before going up to Rapunzel and Eugene to ask what happened. Not one to leave free food to go to waste, Shorty did his own help of collecting food and putting it in a plate before making himself comfortable to eat. Upon being informed of what happened, Niraj rushed to oversee if anyone was hurt and took the full brunt of King Trevor's vocal outrage at how this attack could seriously affect the status of Equis and Safira being allies. It didn't help much as Minerva was louder than Trevor and clearly Niraj was more impatient at her compared to the king of Equis.
Seeing that Niraj was about to lose patience as Trevor and Minerva continued to talk over each other, Rapunzel walked up to try and break the tension.
"Okay enough! What happened is over now and the good news is that we're all alright. Isn't that a good thing we should focus on?"
"Well..." Trevor pondered a bit. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am glad I didn't bring my Trevor Jr and Lucille to this place as it's clearly far more dangerous than I thought. Regardless, I will be very vocal about this outrage to the Empress when we meet her and I expect her to do something about it!"
With a sigh and a promise of an explanation, Niraj had Rapunzel and her group along with Minerva escorted back into the castle as the servants were guarded and aided in their clean up before they too decided to retire for the night. Back inside, everyone was seated around a large dining table with Niraj, Marjani, and Tamaa offering apologies to their guests along with drinks to settle their nerves.
Once comfortable, Rapunzel and her companions had awaited for the answers they had encountered and it was Tamaa who spoke up. "That was a river dragon and her offspring, Lugzak..."
"A dragon?" Nigel spoke up as the color drained from his face. From what they were able to see, these dragons were certainly different compared to what they had faced in Corona. Guessing from the size of the one in the lake, Rapunzel figured they were also much bigger along with a more reptilian look rather than a large cute and fluffy creature with wings.
"Lugzak? You named it?" Eugene spoke up.
"No...the mother did." Niraj answered.
"Wait wait wait… so they can talk? I don't get it. How could a place dominated by a vast desert and limited water sources even have river dragons in the first place?" Varian was next to voice his thoughts.
"Yes...Well some of them do, the rest just ignore us. Except for Lugzak who's becoming a real nuisance as of late and we promise that he will be dealt with properly." Tamaa spoke up. "In order to find more water to feed the land, ancient Safirians had ventured deep into the mountains or dug up man-made water sources. Once they found what they were looking for, water was redirected outside and into the out that there were many caves and tunnels which we assume that the dragons are able to navigate within and outside the kingdom. We don't know what else lies within the mountains and that's a secret the dragons will keep to themselves."
"And you're just content with leaving those beasts roaming around?" King Trevor was next to voice his opinion.
"Yes." Marjani explained. "Safira has been home to the dragons for many generations, even before the kingdom was founded and we've rarely had incidents like this before as our hunters were careful to mark which territories should be avoided. We apologize and are greatly embarrassed as the dragons normally prefer to stay away from our farmlands and keep to themselves. With the end of the drought and the rains returning, this may have prompted the dragons to become more active and seek out any food sources available. We've had troubles with that particular hatchling and he must've been attracted to the smell and snuck in through the garden wall as its mother awaited outside."
"And have any of you thought of getting rid of them for the safety of the people?" Nigel commented.
"Out of the question." Marjani was stern in her response. "Our people have lived alongside the dragons without hostility and our laws forbid harming the dragons unless provoked. They are a sacred part of our culture and harming them will be faced with serious consequences. No one was hurt and our beast masters will be called upon to prevent any further incidents, and hopefully this will deter any other problems."
"Beast masters?" Catalina spoke up as she furrowed her brows.
"They are our elite force of hunters that focus on keeping our lands safe from the more dangerous animals found around the kingdom, deterring them from preying upon the farmlands and people in a more humane way. This is merely an unexpected accident and we can guarantee there will not be any other problems in the future." Tamaa assured the others with a smile.
"It is late. Not a good start for your first visit here, but rest assured that tomorrow will be a far better day." Marjani smiled in hopes that the others would take comfort in her words.
"And the Empress?" Rapunzel asked.
"She is being informed about this as we speak and will also take action herself in order to protect everyone in the kingdom. There is nothing for you to fear now."
At that, they all returned to their own rooms to prepare a much better rest. Who would have thought that their first day and night would be filled with overwhelming excitement along with the uncertainty that they would be able to rest. There was no doubt that Nigel would be awake for most of the night with the knowledge of the dragons within Safira which triggered some old memories and fears which made him feel uneasy. Even more so with the facts that the Safirians were so calm about what happened and had grown accustomed to such things.
In their room, Lance had tucked Keira and Catalina into their beds with goodnight kisses while also checking in on Varian and Ruddiger before heading to his own room. Despite their lives on the run and independence, the girls enjoyed having someone to rely on for love and security as Lance had stepped up from being a lovable scoundrel to a caring and doting father to them. It took time for them to become more adjusted as a family to where the girls became more comfortable from seeing Lance as a mischievous positive big brother to a more reliable father figure. And still he surprised many by proving himself to be responsible enough to care for the two girls as they were practically his own regardless of what people saw or claimed. Seeing that Shorty and Hamuel were comfortable sleeping on a lounge couch, Lance put a blanket over them as well before heading to his own room to finally rest. It was hard work to keep them all out of trouble, but at the end of the day, it was rewarding for him. Even Varian appreciated Lance's fatherly nature as he promised to keep an eye out on all of them throughout the journey and was determined to keep it. It was pleasant to have that sense of security as Varian began to miss Quirin and with old memories of being without his father for a year coming back, the young alchemist focused his thoughts on writing in a journal as Safira continued to intrigue him. With a yawn, Varian had closed his journal and finally went to make himself comfortable for sleep with Ruddiger resting on his chest.
With everyone preparing for bed or already asleep after an exhausting day and stressful night, Rapunzel and Eugene were awake in their bedrooms. There was an awkward silence between them as Pascal made himself comfortable in one of the potted plants while making a bed from the soft leaves to snuggle on. Given the information that Safirian days were filled with blistering heat and the nights were met with a dramatic temperature drop with an air of humidity, Eugene took extra precautions on washing his face to prevent his pores from clogging up. It was no secret that Rapunzel did lack a sense of social presentability and she didn't really focus too much on how people saw her, but she did admire the efforts that Eugene made to look good even during times of stress. Regardless, no matter what, Rapunzel was adamant that Eugene would always be handsome in her eyes. Despite this, the thoughts of what happened before still weighed heavily on her mind and with a sigh, she spoke up. "I'm sorry."
Eugene paused what he was doing and turned around to face her.
"About what happened at dinner." Rapunzel continued. "I shouldn't have rushed after the river dragon and I don't even know what would've happened if I caught up to it. When we went on our adventures, it was so easy to just whip my hair around and use a frying pan to fight. But this is a new place and what we were told about dragons are treated here. I could've ruined Corona's reputation and my own in Safira. What's worse is that I could've put you and everyone else in danger from my actions. I don't know what came over me and I shouldn't have been so quick to act out of impulse."
Once she was done, Eugene walked over to her and pulled Rapunzel into his arms in a tight embrace. "I don't hold it against you, sunshine. We're okay and nobody got hurt. And that's the important thing. You have this strong sense of wanting to help others and that's what I admire about you."
With a smile, Rapuznel rested her head on his chest but it soon faded. "But it still doesn't excuse the fact I nearly fought a dragon for a piece of food."
"Actually I would've expected that from Shorty." Eugene chuckled. "...That's not the only thing worrying you, is it?"
"No. It's about what Marjani and Minerva said. I can't believe they were ready to argue about such personal things in front of guests. Especially on our first night here."
"Truthfully, I don't know how things work around here. I'm more worried if we're going to be caught in the middle of a royal fight."
"There was something that Minerva was right out. Where is the Empress?"
"Maybe she's just busy and we arrived at a bad time. Even with our invitations, it's not like we've had trouble when planning special occasions."
"Yeah...I guess you're right."
"Hey, cheer up. Tomorrow is a new day and things will turn out better."
"...I am tired from all this excitement." Rapunzel looked up to him and stroked his face.
Together they made their way towards the bed and even with the uncomfortable weather were able to rest in each other's arms as sleep had finally won over.