A/N: I thought about waiting to share this story until I'd finished with my Frozen fanfiction (it's called Mending a Broken Heart if any of you want to check it out), but I couldn't resist sharing at least the first chapter of my new Tangled story. It's set within the Regency Era and will feature plenty of romance, humor, and a couple characters from TS will make an appearance :) I hope you like this, and please let me know what you think of it! Enjoy :)
Chapter 1
Rapunzel's POV
Her paintbrush glided smoothly on the canvas' rough surface, each color blending seamlessly into another. The afternoon sunlight shone through the windows of the studio and caught on the golden hair of the young woman sitting on the polished wooden stool. The room in which she worked had become a sort of organized chaos, with countless easel paintings scattered about the space and dirtied rags lying at her feet. Stacks of books sat neatly on the window sills while the art supplies next to them had been shoved haphazardly into stained glass jars. Adjusting the folds in her skirt, the girl leaned back slightly, examining her painting thus far. As she studied the strokes she had just created to her picnic scene, a shrill voice called her name.
"Rapunzel, where are you? I want to be on time for our appointment with the seamstress."
Her emerald green eyes widened in surprise. She'd become so absorbed in her work that she'd completely forgotten about her plans for the day.
"Coming, Mother!"
Just as she slid off her stool, her mother emerged in the doorway. A disapproving frown had taken residence on her red lips as she looked at the young girl, glancing from the paint smears on her apron to the pigment staining her pink skirts. Rapunzel's heart sank in her chest as she prepared for a scolding. She knew her mother valued proper appearances at all times, and clearly Rapunzel's appearance was lacking greatly. Compared to Gothel, who wore elegant silk gowns and tasteful feathers protruding from her curled hairdos, Rapunzel looked like a mess.
"I'm sorry, Mother. I just―"
Her mother held up a hand to silence her daughter, pinching the skin between her perfectly plucked brows in frustration. "My flower, why did you choose today to be so unpresentable? I thought I'd reminded you plenty of times about our trip."
"I know you did." Rapunzel hung her head, averting her gaze to the marble floor. "I apologize for my forgetfulness. It won't happen again."
"I should hope not." Her mother paused for a moment before speaking once more. "I'll have the maid grab a shawl for you to cover up that horrid stain. Wait for me outside, and for the love of all that is proper, wear your shoes." With that, her mother turned away abruptly, her footsteps echoing down the marbled hallway.
Rapunzel sighed, untying the apron from her waist and snatching up the pair of boots she'd tossed aside. Though she much preferred to be barefoot, as shoes had the uncomfortable habit of squeezing her toes, she did as she was told. As long as she appeased her mother, she'd be given opportunities to leave the stuffy confines of their mansion and breathe in the outdoor air.
After all, Mother knows best.
The young woman smiled in contentment, listening to the birds chirping merrily among the trees, flying between lengthy branches and landing onto park benches. Rapunzel had long since drowned out the voice of her mother gushing about the new dressmaker they were seeing and instead focused on relishing the sights before her. She watched families gather beneath the towering trees as they ate their picnic lunches and called after their rambunctious children, who laughed at the scoldings of their parents. A pair of women in particular caught Rapunzel's eye as she watched the people of the town bustling about from the seat in her open carriage. They wore coiffed hairdos and twirled their elegant parasols, gossiping amongst each other and linking arms as they strolled alongside the grass. Rapunzel watched from afar as they passed a pair of well dressed gentlemen, who tipped their tall hats towards the young women. This greeting resulted in both women erupting into giggles, covering their mouths with gloved fingertips.
Somewhat intrigued by the flirtatious interaction, Rapunzel absently wondered what it might feel like to be noticed in that manner by a gentleman. Her mother forbade her to court, insisting no man was good enough for her "precious flower," but Rapunzel knew her mother's overprotective nature was the true reason she'd never been allowed to converse with a man, let alone look at one.
Rapunzel's train of thought was distracted by the tightness of her boots. In that moment, she desperately wished she could unlace her boots and let her toes curl in the grass. The bonnet she wore atop her head could barely contain her nest of blonde locks, and the ribbon tied neatly underneath her chin felt as though it was choking her. No matter how badly Rapunzel wanted to abandon proprietary, she knew better than to upset the woman beside her.
"...trust me, my flower, this new dressmaker is far more skilled than our last one. She was such an embarrassment!" Her mother exclaimed dramatically, closing her decorative fan with a definitive snap. Rapunzel barely noticed her mother had stopped speaking, and was now regarding her daughter with a raised brow.
"Are you alright?"
Rapunzel's head jerked up from her palm where it had been resting moments before. "Hm?"
"Were you even listening?" The older woman's eyes narrowed as she took in the girl's absent expression. Gothel huffed indignantly, realizing her daughter had been, in fact, daydreaming during the entire duration of their ride thus far.
She promptly rolled her eyes, bringing a slender hand to her face. "Rapunzel, what did I tell you about that terrible habit of yours? Get your head out of the clouds, dear."
"Yes, Mother." Rapunzel stared down at her lap, mentally chastising herself. She began fidgeting with her hands, twisting them in the folds of her skirts and desperately wishing she'd brought along her sketchbook. Drawing in her little leather-bound book always gave her ease of mind, especially on trips like these. She didn't often attend outings or social events without her mother's permission, causing her to be rather socially-inept. If she wanted fresh air, she had to be escorted to their large backyard by her lady-in-waiting, a serious woman by the name of Cassandra. Initially, it had been difficult for Rapunzel to try and befriend her, when Cassandra's lips rarely lifted into a smile and her olive green eyes regarded Rapunzel as somewhat of an oddity. Luckily, the two eventually became close friends, and Rapunzel discovered she enjoyed Cassandra's dry humor and natural ease with a sword. Despite Gothel's insistence that women should exercise propriety at all times, she had the lady-in-waiting train in the art of sword fighting, should any "ruffians" try to steal Rapunzel in the dead of night.
A sudden jolt of the carriage forced Rapunzel from her previous musings as it came to an abrupt halt, sending dirt clouds into the air. The coachman pulled on the horses' reins as the animal pawed at the ground, snorting impatiently.
He twisted around in his seat to speak to Gothel. "We have arrived, madam."
"Finally!" Gothel groaned impatiently, waiting for him to help her down from the carriage. A moment later, the older man was by her side, his wrinkled fingers carefully grasping Gothel's hand as she climbed down. Once Rapunzel had been assisted, her mother linked her arm through the crook of the young girl's elbow and dragged her, albeit unwillingly, inside the shop.
Rapunzel and her mother spent the next couple hours trying on different dresses, from elaborate ball gowns to simpler, flowing dresses. Rapunzel had been poked and prodded countless times by the seamstress, her measuring tape wrapping quickly around every part of her petite frame. The shop was fairly spacious, with sparkling glass windows and female mannequins wearing gowns of every color and design reflecting the current fashion. She'd been staring listlessly out the window, her feet shifting on the wooden stool she was standing on..
"Keep still, child!" The dressmaker, Miss Victoria, demanded, her brown eyes narrowing with impatience. Her thick black hair had been tied into a severe bun, and the dark green dress she wore had a long skirt which reached her ankles. "I need to ensure I've made the correct adjustments."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Rapunzel started, blinking away the glazed look from her green eyes and finally noticing her gown thus far. The outfit consisted of airy puffed sleeves, delicate lace alongside the swooping neckline, a high waistline, and a flowing skirt with an embroidered hem. The lavender satin shimmered in the afternoon sunlight, and she found herself mesmerized by the soft color. "It's absolutely beautiful. I love it," Rapunzel sighed, mentally capturing every neat stitch and pinned flowers on her sleeves.
The dressmaker stared at her for a moment, apparently bewildered by Rapunzel's kind comments. It wasn't common for high class women to express appreciation, let alone an apology.
Finally, she gave a reply. "I'm pleased to hear you think so highly of it."
Rapunzel smiled, her mind wandering to the upcoming ball once more. She hoped she might appear attractive enough to be noticed not as some naïve girl, but as a young woman. Despite her mother's warnings about the apparent dangers of men, she couldn't help but secretly desire to be admired by one.
"How do you like your dress, madam?" Miss Victoria addressed her inquiry to Gothel, who was blatantly admiring her reflection in the opposite mirror. She wore a crimson red gown with a long skirt, the hem accentuated by double hem ruffles. The bottoms of her puffed sleeves had been decorated with strips of gold fabric, perfectly complimenting the rich color of her gown.
She spared one last glance at herself in the mirror, seemingly satisfied with how she'd adjusted her raven curls to frame her cheekbones, before answering the dressmaker. "We'll buy them both."
"Excellent," Miss Victoria exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I'll have your orders ready within the week."
"Thank you so much," Rapunzel said sincerely, stepping down from the stool. She turned to face the older woman and extended her palm for a handshake. The dressmaker stared at it in confusion for a moment, before clasping the girl's hand.
Gothel, on the other hand, had already stepped behind a changing screen and was slipping into her previous gown. When she spoke, her voice had an impatient undertone to it.
"Get changed, my flower. We must make haste."
"Yes, mother." Rapunzel released Miss Victoria's hand, moving to change back once more into her outfit from that morning.
What do you think so far? Please leave a review if you'd like :) Your input would be wonderfully appreciated!