A/N: Woo-hoo! I updated w/ two chapters at once! Actually, it was a
mistake. I was writing both of 'em at the same time, trying to figure which
one to post first. Then both of them were done. So I posted both! Enter
s'more princes!
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Aurora POV
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The earliest rays of rose petal sunlight fell upon my face. I held my eyelids together, enjoying the warming sensation. I could feel Rapunzel's warm arm slapped across my chest, but it seemed lighter than usual under that godly ray of light.
And then I opened my eyes. Rapunzel and I had to share a bed, since Lady Malifice claimed there was not room enough for each of us to have our own. I flung my comrade's arm off of me and sat up. Rapunzel groaned slightly, shifting. I sniffed irritably at the sweaty residue her arm's presence had left across my nightshift.
"You're washing this," I snapped, placing my bare feet against the frigid stone of the castle floor. Rapunzel only snorted. She was an unconquerable snorer. I batted her arm playfully and grinned. "I get the bath first," I claimed, and she immediately opened her eyes. "No you don't," She whined, 'It's my turn."
"Not if I get there first," I challenged, leaping towards the door. She screeched and flung back the covers, racing after me. "Oh, you little-" I only laughed.
***
Two hours later, both Rapunzel and I were dressed and bathed. Of course I had caved, and allowed her to go first. What else was I going to do? My only motive was getting the lazy slug out of bed.
I was braiding her somewhat damp hair. The snarled mess ran far past her ankles, and she was always threatening to chop it off, claiming such a lengthy mane was an insult to her new roots. I listened to her prattle, running my fingers gently through the worst tangles, and then adding the new detangled hair to her braid.
She was wearing the green dress I had finished yesterday, and if I do say so myself, it complimented her form PERFECTLY. She looked gorgeous. I loved the feel of her auburn hair. It was so thick and wavy, so unlike my own thin, straight hair.
I was in a pale pink gown, and had a thin golden circlet round my head. I was still a princess to someone, and I would act that way.
"Mayhap we can go pick flowers today," I suggested merrily, "And then we can braid the poppies into your hair." Rapunzel nodded. "That would be splendid," she replied.
So we asked Lady Malifice as politely as we could. She nodded. Her headache was too vexing for her to concern herself with us.
We plowed out into that meadow as fast as we could. No need to wait for her to change her mind.
The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. A few young lords were out hawking, but we knew them to be dolts and sexists, so we kept far away from them. Rapunzel chose tiny white flowers for her hair, and I set them into the braid and one dangled ever so nicely from a stray hair on her left side, that I glanced over the imperfection. We were laughing and giggling as she stuck blue flowers in my hair, when a stranger rode up beside us.
He was, I must admit, quite handsome. He had dark hair that ran almost to his shoulders, and deep brown eyes. When he smiled down at us, the green flecks in those eyes were highlighted nicely. Beside him was another young man, but he was no stranger. He was the youngest son of a neighboring king, the Prince Tarrant. Tarrant was not particularly handsome, but he was the bravest and most honorable of all knights in this kingdom and beyond. I adored him.
Tarrant was the first of our two visitors off of his horse. He bowed politely to Rapunzel, taking her hand in his own and kissing it. She replied with a friendly curtsy. He nodded and then came to me. My heart fluttered within me as he bent double over. Rapunzel peered at him, and then looked at me. She nodded roguishly. I rolled my eyes at her. He took my hand in his own and kissed it. "Such perfect hands, my lady," he whispered. I blushed furiously for some reason, unbeknownst to me. I thanked him quietly, and warned him not to say such things in the presence of Lady Malifice, as she would surely give him one of her famed screeching lectures.
"If you would but murmur in the background," he told me, "all her corrections should be drowned out." I smiled. "Ah, but one so noble as you could surely undergo that small torture," I replied.
Rapunzel rolled her eyes. I knew that the way I flirted with Tarrant was almost as bad as the way that Tarrant flirted with me. "Who is your guest, Tar Rat?" Rapunzel snapped. She and Tarrant had obviously known each other since childhood. They competed fiercely in every event, especially wits. Tarrant blushed only slightly at her statement, though his ears reddened considerably. He hated her annoying nicknames. "His name is Dante. He comes from my kingdom, and is the son of a lord." Dante appeared quite uncomfortable.
"Come now, Tarrant," he said, dismounting, "My rank is of no consequence." Rapunzel could not resist.
"Not in comparison to your stench," she snapped. She liked to get the formalities over with quickly. But Dante, it appears, seemed to be just as quick. "And I suppose it is your goal to die a cantankerous spinster who will mock my wife for choosing me?" He seemed to catch himself at the last moment, because he clutched a hand to his mouth.
"My - I - please do not - I---" But Rapunzel flung back her head and laughed benevolently. Dante's chin dropped. "You are the first male who had the gumption to retort, even if was not a good go at it!" she cried. Dante raised an eloquent eyebrow.
"Pardon?"
"Do it again. Insult me."
Dante shifted uncomfortably, and then met her eyes. "You are unusually rude."
"And you are unusually hideous."
"I am surprised I have not turned to stone from the sight of you."
"Bah! It is because I am so horrified by your appearance that any affect I may have had on you has dissipated!"
"Fool!"
"Simpleton!"
"Imbecile!"
"Pig!"
Suddenly, Dante laughed. Rapunzel smiled at him. And then she turned to peer at Tarrant. "If Dante does not mind, may I take him to the trail through the woods?" she asked, "It is every visitor's favorite aspect of our land."
I grinned to myself. Rapunzel was an adept fibber. The trail through the woods was actually the most romantic spot in the kingdom, NOT the most popular. So, Rapunzel liked this foreign darkness. Well, more Tarrant for me, I suppose.
Dante shrugged. "I am only here for a few days. I suppose I should see the best of this kingdom," he commented, staring at Tarrant. His friend smiled. "Go ahead, then. I shall stay here with Aurora, if she permits me." He raised one fine eyebrow, smiling wryly. Well, my answer was obvious.
"Of course you may, Tarrant," I said delicately, forcing my voice to show very little enthusiasm, when, in fact, I was ecstatic. He grinned boyishly at me, and that innocent expression, with its mature beauty, was SO endearing. My heart melted.
Charming, perfect, gorgeous, chivalrous, brave, humorous, compassionate, strong and young - my Tarrant was the pinnacle of male existence.
I almost kissed him. The impulse to embrace him was remarkably intense. I leaned forward, my eyes and mind intent on that smile. And then Dante's horse nickered.
Both Tarrant and I looked bashfully away from each other. A slight blush spread across his face as he turned his eyes to Dante. "Are you leaving?" he asked. Rapunzel put her arms on her hips. "Honestly, Tarrant!" she sighed, "I do need a horse, my friend." She gestured at his own steed. Tarrant blew on his long bangs. "Go ahead, madam," he cried, flailing long arms at the beast. "Please do not encourage it in matters of disobedience, as is your custom."
Rapunzel squealed uncharacteristically and leaped onto the horse. "Thank you a million times, dear companion!" she cried, and then turned to Dante. "Race you to the edge of the woods."
Dante's lip twisted wryly, lifting upward. "If my obvious victory can be called a race. More a conquering, you understand."
Rapunzel kicked her own mount into action, and whizzing past him, knocked him from the saddle. Dante cried out, arms thrashing through the air, as he fell. Rapunzel giggled madly, calling insults as she whizzed towards the forest. In spite of Dante's confusion, my composed Tarrant grabbed the bridle and quickly calmed the horse with his smooth voice.
Dante was soon up again, hair astray and sticking up. But his eyes had a new resilience in them. Rapunzel laughed mockingly once more as she rocketed towards the wood. Her friend leaped into the saddle. "I am coming, dearest enemy!" he cried, kicking the animal into motion.
Tarrant rolled his eyes at me. "Ah, the native rituals," he muttered. I giggled. I had been in love with him since childhood. When I was nine years old, my sister and her friends had cornered me in a hall, and were abashing me horridly with their comments. I was near tears. Tarrant had come upon the scene, and immediately, he had so insulted my sister on the matter of her morality and conduct that his father had thrashed him upon hearing of it from my tattling beast of an older sibling. I had idolized him since that day he had so bravely taken his thrashing, making not a sound throughout its entirety. And during the adult's ball, when we were supposed to stay out of the way, he had danced out on the balcony with me, away from their gaze, despite my clumsiness. He had been my hero, my protector. And for once, I got something my sister didn't.
He smiled at me. "I am sorry you have lost your kingdom," he said quietly, taking my hands in his own. I shrugged, watching the grass instead of his angelic face. "It is of no consequence. I was not to have gained a thing by it. It was my sister's by right." I met his crystal eyes once more. "It is she to whom you should offer condolences."
His eyes deepened with hurt. "Why are you so cold, Aurora?" he asked. "This formality - what have I done that you behave so?"
My eyes watered. "You have done nothing, Tarrant! I swear! I - it is only so long since I have been able to speak candidly with someone - besides Rapunzel, of course." Tarrant still did not trust my word. I must admit, it was hardly eloquent. It sounded like a half-wit boldfaced lie.
"Really, Tarrant! I just - " Before I could stop myself, the words were out. "I just missed you so much, so HORRIBLY much, and I didn't know if you would think it presumptuous of me to be friendly!" That was horrible. "I'm sorry!" Definitely not my usual Tarrant conversation. I was ruining it! No! No! No!
He started, flinching as if I had struck him. "Please, Aurora," he asked quietly, "Please do not lie to make me feel better."
"No -Tarrant - I am telling the -"
With uncharacteristic rudeness, he bowed curtly to me. "I apologize for infringing upon your valuable time, my lady. I must go to greet the king." And then he turned his back to me, leaving me to myself, in a green field that had suddenly become grey.
*** *** *** *** ***
*** *** *** *** ***
Aurora POV
*** *** *** *** ***
The earliest rays of rose petal sunlight fell upon my face. I held my eyelids together, enjoying the warming sensation. I could feel Rapunzel's warm arm slapped across my chest, but it seemed lighter than usual under that godly ray of light.
And then I opened my eyes. Rapunzel and I had to share a bed, since Lady Malifice claimed there was not room enough for each of us to have our own. I flung my comrade's arm off of me and sat up. Rapunzel groaned slightly, shifting. I sniffed irritably at the sweaty residue her arm's presence had left across my nightshift.
"You're washing this," I snapped, placing my bare feet against the frigid stone of the castle floor. Rapunzel only snorted. She was an unconquerable snorer. I batted her arm playfully and grinned. "I get the bath first," I claimed, and she immediately opened her eyes. "No you don't," She whined, 'It's my turn."
"Not if I get there first," I challenged, leaping towards the door. She screeched and flung back the covers, racing after me. "Oh, you little-" I only laughed.
***
Two hours later, both Rapunzel and I were dressed and bathed. Of course I had caved, and allowed her to go first. What else was I going to do? My only motive was getting the lazy slug out of bed.
I was braiding her somewhat damp hair. The snarled mess ran far past her ankles, and she was always threatening to chop it off, claiming such a lengthy mane was an insult to her new roots. I listened to her prattle, running my fingers gently through the worst tangles, and then adding the new detangled hair to her braid.
She was wearing the green dress I had finished yesterday, and if I do say so myself, it complimented her form PERFECTLY. She looked gorgeous. I loved the feel of her auburn hair. It was so thick and wavy, so unlike my own thin, straight hair.
I was in a pale pink gown, and had a thin golden circlet round my head. I was still a princess to someone, and I would act that way.
"Mayhap we can go pick flowers today," I suggested merrily, "And then we can braid the poppies into your hair." Rapunzel nodded. "That would be splendid," she replied.
So we asked Lady Malifice as politely as we could. She nodded. Her headache was too vexing for her to concern herself with us.
We plowed out into that meadow as fast as we could. No need to wait for her to change her mind.
The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. A few young lords were out hawking, but we knew them to be dolts and sexists, so we kept far away from them. Rapunzel chose tiny white flowers for her hair, and I set them into the braid and one dangled ever so nicely from a stray hair on her left side, that I glanced over the imperfection. We were laughing and giggling as she stuck blue flowers in my hair, when a stranger rode up beside us.
He was, I must admit, quite handsome. He had dark hair that ran almost to his shoulders, and deep brown eyes. When he smiled down at us, the green flecks in those eyes were highlighted nicely. Beside him was another young man, but he was no stranger. He was the youngest son of a neighboring king, the Prince Tarrant. Tarrant was not particularly handsome, but he was the bravest and most honorable of all knights in this kingdom and beyond. I adored him.
Tarrant was the first of our two visitors off of his horse. He bowed politely to Rapunzel, taking her hand in his own and kissing it. She replied with a friendly curtsy. He nodded and then came to me. My heart fluttered within me as he bent double over. Rapunzel peered at him, and then looked at me. She nodded roguishly. I rolled my eyes at her. He took my hand in his own and kissed it. "Such perfect hands, my lady," he whispered. I blushed furiously for some reason, unbeknownst to me. I thanked him quietly, and warned him not to say such things in the presence of Lady Malifice, as she would surely give him one of her famed screeching lectures.
"If you would but murmur in the background," he told me, "all her corrections should be drowned out." I smiled. "Ah, but one so noble as you could surely undergo that small torture," I replied.
Rapunzel rolled her eyes. I knew that the way I flirted with Tarrant was almost as bad as the way that Tarrant flirted with me. "Who is your guest, Tar Rat?" Rapunzel snapped. She and Tarrant had obviously known each other since childhood. They competed fiercely in every event, especially wits. Tarrant blushed only slightly at her statement, though his ears reddened considerably. He hated her annoying nicknames. "His name is Dante. He comes from my kingdom, and is the son of a lord." Dante appeared quite uncomfortable.
"Come now, Tarrant," he said, dismounting, "My rank is of no consequence." Rapunzel could not resist.
"Not in comparison to your stench," she snapped. She liked to get the formalities over with quickly. But Dante, it appears, seemed to be just as quick. "And I suppose it is your goal to die a cantankerous spinster who will mock my wife for choosing me?" He seemed to catch himself at the last moment, because he clutched a hand to his mouth.
"My - I - please do not - I---" But Rapunzel flung back her head and laughed benevolently. Dante's chin dropped. "You are the first male who had the gumption to retort, even if was not a good go at it!" she cried. Dante raised an eloquent eyebrow.
"Pardon?"
"Do it again. Insult me."
Dante shifted uncomfortably, and then met her eyes. "You are unusually rude."
"And you are unusually hideous."
"I am surprised I have not turned to stone from the sight of you."
"Bah! It is because I am so horrified by your appearance that any affect I may have had on you has dissipated!"
"Fool!"
"Simpleton!"
"Imbecile!"
"Pig!"
Suddenly, Dante laughed. Rapunzel smiled at him. And then she turned to peer at Tarrant. "If Dante does not mind, may I take him to the trail through the woods?" she asked, "It is every visitor's favorite aspect of our land."
I grinned to myself. Rapunzel was an adept fibber. The trail through the woods was actually the most romantic spot in the kingdom, NOT the most popular. So, Rapunzel liked this foreign darkness. Well, more Tarrant for me, I suppose.
Dante shrugged. "I am only here for a few days. I suppose I should see the best of this kingdom," he commented, staring at Tarrant. His friend smiled. "Go ahead, then. I shall stay here with Aurora, if she permits me." He raised one fine eyebrow, smiling wryly. Well, my answer was obvious.
"Of course you may, Tarrant," I said delicately, forcing my voice to show very little enthusiasm, when, in fact, I was ecstatic. He grinned boyishly at me, and that innocent expression, with its mature beauty, was SO endearing. My heart melted.
Charming, perfect, gorgeous, chivalrous, brave, humorous, compassionate, strong and young - my Tarrant was the pinnacle of male existence.
I almost kissed him. The impulse to embrace him was remarkably intense. I leaned forward, my eyes and mind intent on that smile. And then Dante's horse nickered.
Both Tarrant and I looked bashfully away from each other. A slight blush spread across his face as he turned his eyes to Dante. "Are you leaving?" he asked. Rapunzel put her arms on her hips. "Honestly, Tarrant!" she sighed, "I do need a horse, my friend." She gestured at his own steed. Tarrant blew on his long bangs. "Go ahead, madam," he cried, flailing long arms at the beast. "Please do not encourage it in matters of disobedience, as is your custom."
Rapunzel squealed uncharacteristically and leaped onto the horse. "Thank you a million times, dear companion!" she cried, and then turned to Dante. "Race you to the edge of the woods."
Dante's lip twisted wryly, lifting upward. "If my obvious victory can be called a race. More a conquering, you understand."
Rapunzel kicked her own mount into action, and whizzing past him, knocked him from the saddle. Dante cried out, arms thrashing through the air, as he fell. Rapunzel giggled madly, calling insults as she whizzed towards the forest. In spite of Dante's confusion, my composed Tarrant grabbed the bridle and quickly calmed the horse with his smooth voice.
Dante was soon up again, hair astray and sticking up. But his eyes had a new resilience in them. Rapunzel laughed mockingly once more as she rocketed towards the wood. Her friend leaped into the saddle. "I am coming, dearest enemy!" he cried, kicking the animal into motion.
Tarrant rolled his eyes at me. "Ah, the native rituals," he muttered. I giggled. I had been in love with him since childhood. When I was nine years old, my sister and her friends had cornered me in a hall, and were abashing me horridly with their comments. I was near tears. Tarrant had come upon the scene, and immediately, he had so insulted my sister on the matter of her morality and conduct that his father had thrashed him upon hearing of it from my tattling beast of an older sibling. I had idolized him since that day he had so bravely taken his thrashing, making not a sound throughout its entirety. And during the adult's ball, when we were supposed to stay out of the way, he had danced out on the balcony with me, away from their gaze, despite my clumsiness. He had been my hero, my protector. And for once, I got something my sister didn't.
He smiled at me. "I am sorry you have lost your kingdom," he said quietly, taking my hands in his own. I shrugged, watching the grass instead of his angelic face. "It is of no consequence. I was not to have gained a thing by it. It was my sister's by right." I met his crystal eyes once more. "It is she to whom you should offer condolences."
His eyes deepened with hurt. "Why are you so cold, Aurora?" he asked. "This formality - what have I done that you behave so?"
My eyes watered. "You have done nothing, Tarrant! I swear! I - it is only so long since I have been able to speak candidly with someone - besides Rapunzel, of course." Tarrant still did not trust my word. I must admit, it was hardly eloquent. It sounded like a half-wit boldfaced lie.
"Really, Tarrant! I just - " Before I could stop myself, the words were out. "I just missed you so much, so HORRIBLY much, and I didn't know if you would think it presumptuous of me to be friendly!" That was horrible. "I'm sorry!" Definitely not my usual Tarrant conversation. I was ruining it! No! No! No!
He started, flinching as if I had struck him. "Please, Aurora," he asked quietly, "Please do not lie to make me feel better."
"No -Tarrant - I am telling the -"
With uncharacteristic rudeness, he bowed curtly to me. "I apologize for infringing upon your valuable time, my lady. I must go to greet the king." And then he turned his back to me, leaving me to myself, in a green field that had suddenly become grey.
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