A Handmaiden's return
Chapter 4
7 Years ago:
It was night at the kingdom of Corona, every family was resting at their respectful homes and the same can be said for the royal family. Rapunzel and Eugene had just finished another successful meeting with the council, it has been a year since King Frederic and Queen Arianna had retired from the throne and gave the mantle to Rapunzel and her husband.
Rapunzel was now resting on the living room where she watched Eden and Ian sword-fighting using, of course, wooden swords. Eden was obviously better than her brother, she had a fighter's spirit as Cap had said. The old Captain of the guards still visited them, he always brought letters from Cassandra, and Eden was always excited to hear from her favorite aunt.
Right now, Eden won another swordfight by tackling her brother to the ground.
"I have told you many times Ian! The number one rule of comebacks is…"
"Turn your enemy's strength into their weakness" Rapunzel finished, Eden turned to face her mother with a bright smile on her face she ran to hug her.
"Mommy! Mommy! Did you see that?" Eden jumped on Rapunzel excitedly, the girl might have a fighter's spirit like her aunt, but still had the same excitement as her mother. Rapunzel laughed as she picked her daughter up in her arms,
"I did, and I am proud but got easier with your brother, he is still only 6 years old," Rapunzel told her daughter.
"Mommy, when can I get a real sword? I want to become a warrior, like Aunt Cassie" Eden confessed her dream to her mother, Rapunzel smiled at the mention of her old friend, her sister.
"When your father agrees to give you one, after all, he is the Captain" Rapunzel replied.
"Speaking of which" As if on cue, Eugene entered the room, he had a sword on his back.
"Daddy!" Ian tackled his father who was taken by surprise.
"Hello to you too, little man" Eugene laughed as his son practically tackled him to the ground. He heard two familiar giggled.
"Eugene" Rapunzel smiled brightly at her husband.
"Dad!" Eden exclaimed excitedly, Rapunzel put Eden down so she could run to him.
"And here's my favorite girl," Eugene said as he was tackled by Eden to the ground, now he had both of his kids on top of him. Rapunzel giggled.
"Blondie!" Eugene exclaimed when he saw his wife, the kids let him got up they watched as their parents embraced each other, Eden rolled her eyes disgusted while Ian was excited.
"Mooooooooom can you do that in private?" Eden whined, she felt uncomfortable when others kissed next to her, especially her parents.
"You know, Eden reminds me of someone…." Eugene commented,
"Cass?" Rapunzel questioned him playfully
"Yup, she didn't like those either"
"No, I am pretty sure it was you who she didn't like" Rapunzel playfully replied
"Hey!" Eugene pretended to be annoyed
"Speaking of which… Dragon-lady has a letter for you" Eugene gave his wife a letter
"Cassandra wrote back?!" Rapunzel questioned excitedly, she and Cass had kept in touch but Cass wasn't always answering back and it was normal since Cassandra was busy in Arendelle.
"Aunt Cassie wrote back?" Eden exclaimed, she was always excited to hear from Cassandra after all, she was her favorite aunt even if she had never met her after all the stories Rapunzel and Eugene had shared to her and Ian, Eden looked up to her, not even the Moonstone part didn't stop her from admiring Cassandra.
Rapunzel opened the letter quietly, since this time It was only meant for her, if Cassandra sent messages for the whole family to read then she would sent Owl but this was more…. formal
Eugene noticed that Rapunzel's smile fell as she read the letter, he knew that something was wrong.
"Blondie, is everything alright?"
"No, Eugene can I talk to you, in private?" Rapunzel asked her husband who nodded.
"Alright kids, time to go to bed" Eugene announced, Eden and Ian whined
"Aww, but I want to know what Aunt Cassie sent us" Eden complained as Eugene picked her and Ian up Ian sat on his shoulder.
"Sorry Eden, this is for mommy only"
Once Eugene placed Eden and Ian on their beds he went back to his wife who had a worried look on her face.
"What's wrong sunshine?"
"It's Arendelle, they are at war with Weselton and Southern Isles, Cassandra is going to lead the battle," Rapunzel told him her voice was trembling.
"Hey blondie, relax this is Cass we are talking about, she is going to be fine, if an ancient demon couldn't stop her then I don't think anything will"
"It's just, I have this bad feeling on my gut, like something bad will happen to her" Rapunzel admitted, Eugene hugged his wife for comfort.
"Hey, she'll be fine, besides I am pretty sure Queen Anna will make sure that Cass will be safe, she is not a fan of war just like you" Eugene reminded her
"And who knows, maybe after the war she decides to pay a visit"
"I hope so Eugene… I really hope so"
7 YEARS LATER:
Eden was outside on the open staring at the dark sky, she had left the base shortly after she found out her dad was alive and her Aunt found out what happened to the kingdom. Hot tears streamed down Eden's face as she remembered the past, how happy they were, her amazing relationship with her mother… Eden's thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone sitting next to her, Eden turned on her left and saw Aunt Cass.
"Hey" Cassandra greeted her nephew who just turned her gaze on the ground again.
"Hi" Eden awkwardly replied, almost instinctively Cassandra placed one hand on Eden's shoulder and pulled her close for comfort, Eden didn't react she just buried her face on her Aunt's shoulder who stroked her back for comfort.
"I'm worried about mom…" Eden admitted, Cassandra pulled her closer
"I'm sure your mother is fine"
"No you don't understand, before I left me and she had a fight, and I said some things to her that I didn't mean, I-I-I'm scared that she won't forgive me" Eden cried, Cassandra stroked her back, she knew exactly how Eden felt, she had been there.
"Hey, Eden look at me" Cassandra touched her nephew's cheek the two were staring at each other.
"A long time ago, I thought the same thing, I thought that after everything I've done to your mother, she wouldn't forgive me, I was scared" Cassandra admitted as she remembered her days when she had betrayed Rapunzel for the moonstone and wanted to destroy the kingdom.
"You w-were scared? But you're the bravest and strongest person my mother knows" Eden wondered, Cassandra giggled, did Raps really believed that?
"Eden, being brave and strong it doesn't mean I don't get scared" Cassandra admitted
"It doesn't?"
"I am scared too… Being scared is normal, it's an emotion"
"W-What are you afraid of?" Eden asked her Aunt.
"Back then… When I found out that I was working for that ancient demon, I wanted to make amends with your mother… I was scared, that she wouldn't accept me back that she wouldn't forgive me, I was scared that she and the kingdom will shove me away but I never gave them the chance…"
"Your mother, never gave up on me, even when I had given up on myself, she is the most amazing person I know, and I am sure, that the will have forgiven you, you're her daughter" Cassandra finished, Eden smiled, that's all she needed to hear.
"So, a little birdy told me that you want to join the guard" Cassandra playfully said as she nudged her nephew
"W-what who told you that?" Eden wondered she knew very well who. Cassandra revealed two wooden swords and gave one to Eden who smiled brightly,
"Come on, show me what you got," Cassandra told her nephew who picked up her sword, the two were on their fighting stances,
Eden charged at Cass who dodged her attacks easily, the two were fighting for an hour, Eugene was watching them and smiled, this was Eden's dream, to meet her Aunt and learn from her.
Cassandra easily defeated Eden or that's what she thought, Eden fell on the ground but before Cassandra could do anything Eden acted quickly and used Cass's strength to take her down surprising her Aunt who was now on the ground and Eden stood up.
"Whoa, nice moves kid" Cassandra complimented her,
"I see you know the number one rule of Comebacks"
"Turn your enemy's strength…" Eden smiled at her Aunt as she helped her got up.
"Into his weakness" Cassandra finished, the two girls laughed as they walked back to the base, Eden was sharing her interests to Cass who smiled that girl reminded herself when she was on her age.
Once Eden went to sleep Cass turned to face Eugene who had a smile on his face
"I see that you two got along" He pointed out, Cassandra rolled her eyes pretending that she was annoyed
"This was her dream you know… Well next to the whole guard thing"
"She's looking up to you, she always did, even when Rapunzel told her about the moonstone thing…. I thought that she wouldn't like you after that but…. Eden actually thought you were pretty cool on that armor" Eugene continued, Cassandra smiled and to think that fifteen years ago she thought that she would always be overshadowed and no one would look up to her and would always choose Rapunzel over her…. Yet here she was, a Lieutenant of Arendelle, the kingdom saw her as their hero and her best friend's daughter was looking up to her…
"You've raised her well Fitzherbert" Cassandra complimented him
"Nah, to be fair, I didn't do much, that was blondie's work" Eugene admitted
"I am pretty sure she will disagree with that"
"True, speaking of which, Cass you have to come with me," Eugene told her,
"What's wrong?"
"It is time to get blondie back and only you can do that"
Boom another chapter is done! I know it is short, but trust me, from now on the chapters will be 3k+ words long hehehe so stay tuned! Megan is out!