Chapter 28

Cassandra stares blankly at her reflection in the mirror.

The walls of the canvas tent encase her in shadows and silence. The small makeshift abode isn't much, but it's left a roof over her head, and she's called it home for the past few weeks.

There's grass at her feet, and a single cot in the corner. The blanket has been rolled up neatly, stacked on top of a single pillow. There's a small dresser next to it, with all of the drawers emptied. There's a lantern on the surface that hasn't been lit, and an oval full-length mirror that Cassandra can't seem to find herself looking away from.

Forcing herself out of her thoughts, she reaches for the leather bag next to her. She hooks the strap around her torso, the bag resting against her hip. She clips her weapon holster around herself next. Her sword rings out as she reaches behind herself to slide her blade into it, the handle protruding from behind her shoulder. Then she grabs her black cloak, draping it around herself and clasping it in front of her collarbones.

There are soft voices and shuffling outside her tent. The sun has recently risen, with the sounds of the guards' camp having already burst to life in the early hours of the morning.

Instead of her usual uniform and armour, she's dressed in a forest green jacket, black trousers, boots, and leather gloves. Her hair is loose and resting on her shoulders, the usual stray curl falling in front of her face.

Her eyes appear tired, having hardly slept the night before. Her muscles are still sore, and there's a nervous feeling nestling in her stomach.

Cassandra takes a deep, steady breath, hoping to will it away. With one last look at herself, she turns around and pulls back the flap of her tent.

The warm orange rays of the morning sun nearly blind her as she steps outside. The camp is almost empty of guards now, most of them having already ventured out on their daily patrols. A few of them are still walking back and forth in front of her vision, equipping weapons, or preparing their horses for the day.

Birds chirp and dart between the trees overhead as Cassandra slowly makes her way through the maze of tents.

Soon enough, she finds her father at the opposite end of the camp. He's standing where the palace horses are usually hitched, grazing along a wooden fence.

He's wearing his usual golden chest plate and red-feathered captain's helmet, with a sword holstered to his hip. He has his back turned to her, and is currently giving orders to a group of guards. His authoritative voice is distant beneath the shuffling.

The sight of him alone makes Cassandra's heart skip a beat. Her stomach is filling with dread now, but she continues to walk toward him.

"Dad?" she calls out.

He turns around to face her, his hands planted on his hips. A surprised expression appears on his face, his tone of voice instantly softening, "Cassandra."

The guards have already mounted their horses by the time she approaches him. They begin to trot away behind him, the sound of their hooves gradually fading along the path.

Clearly, he hadn't expected to see her still here. He shoots her a confused look, noticing her clothes and the fact that she isn't wearing her uniform like everybody else.

She had disappeared from camp after their conversation the night before. Nobody was sure where she had gone, or if she ever left. He'd expected her to be accompanied by two particular fugitives the next time he saw her, but clearly, she is still empty handed. He assumes that's what this is about.

"Is there… something you would like to tell me?" he asks expectantly.

It's suddenly silent within the camp. Everyone has left now, leaving the two of them alone in silence.

"There is," she confirms.

Cassandra's heart is pounding in her chest. Even just looking at him has proven to be difficult, because she knows what he's thinking, and what he wants to hear.

The captain raises an eyebrow as he stares down at her, waiting for her to continue. "Well?"

"I, uh…" Cassandra looks away, absentmindedly rubbing her arm.

She isn't sure how to say this, but she can't keep prolonging it.

After a hesitant moment, Cassandra meets eyes with him again. She raises her chin and stands tall, just like she has always been taught to do. "I quit."

A silence falls between them as the captain only stares back at her.

"I don't want to be a guard anymore," she states with confidence.

Her father's eyebrows are creased over his eyes. His mouth is agape as he finds himself completely speechless, as if he isn't even comprehending what she's saying.

"I know you entrusted this mission onto me," Cassandra continues. "And I know… you want me to take on your role as captain one day. Because I'm your only child, and because I know that upholding the kingdom is really important to you." She lowers her chin, taking a breath. A determination suddenly overcomes her voice. "But I am done killing myself over it because of what you expect of me."

Cassandra hadn't planned what was she was going to say. Not entirely. But after so many years of burying all of this inside, she finds herself pouring her heart out faster than her father can even react.

"You trained me… for my entire life. I realize now that I was only going along with it because I was trying to make you happy. Fighting is the one thing that I am good at, and it made me feel good knowing that you were proud of me for that. And for a long time, I actually convinced myself that being a guard was what I wanted too, but I didn't." Her voice raises at the end of her sentence, frustratingly.

A lump forms in her throat just from having to relive all of these feelings – when all she had done until now was force herself to forget them.

It's quiet again for a few moments as Cassandra stares down at her own feet. Her voice breaks as she finally admits, "I just… wanted you to love me."

She can't even look up at him anymore. She doesn't want to see the disappointment that she knows is just staring back at her, watching her crumble to pieces and be more vulnerable than she has ever allowed herself to be.

Cass has never said any of this out loud before, not to anyone. But it's overwhelming how much of a relief it is letting it all pour out now.

She told herself she wouldn't cry. But the tears are already streaming out of her eyes, faster and faster until she's sobbing uncontrollably, blubbering words that she isn't even sure make sense anymore.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't wanna lose you. And I thought that bringing Rapunzel back would fix everything but I—I can't do that either because she's my best friend, and she's happy now, and I can't lose her either, but I was just so afraid of disappointing you because that's all I've ever been to you—"

Cassandra's sentence is cut off when her father suddenly embraces her.

He tightly wraps his arms around her small, quivering frame, and rests his cheek on top of her hair.

"Oh, Cassandra…" he murmurs gently, letting his eyelids fall closed. "It's okay."

Suddenly, Cassandra doesn't know what to do as she finds her face buried against her father's chest. She feels his arms wrapping around her in a way that makes her feel like a little girl again – like she's safe and protected. It's a feeling that she didn't know she had missed so much until now.

And all she does is close her eyes, breathing heavily against him with tears wet on her face.

But Cassandra doesn't understand. Why is he hugging her?

"You're not…" she sniffles, "You're not mad?"

"Of course not." After a moment, he pulls away from her. His hands grip her by the shoulders as he dips his head down to meet her gaze. "Look at me."

She does, eyes glistening and peering shamefully beneath her wet eyelashes. Her cheeks and nose have turned a deep shade of pink.

"I've always been proud of you. And I always will be, whether you're a guard or not," he tells her. "I know I've been really hard on you. But I only did that because I know just how strong you are. It's one of the things I admire most about you."

He hooks a finger beneath her chin when she looks away, urging her to meet his eyes again.

"I entrusted this mission onto you because it's my job, and because I wanted you to succeed at yours. I realize now that I should've just stopped and asked you what you wanted." He sighs softly, shaking his head as he reflects on it all. "I was too caught up in the image of the kingdom, and my title as captain, that I never realized what that must have been like for you. I thought being a guard was what you wanted too, but clearly I was wrong. I'm so sorry that you never felt comfortable enough to tell me."

For a while, Cassandra only peers up at him, her words caught in her throat.

A part of her can't believe she is hearing this. She had expected him to yell, or walk away, or do anything but what he is doing now. Instead, she realizes that all those years she had spent worrying about what he thought of her was completely pointless.

He smiles at her fondly, in an attempt to ease her mind. It breaks his heart to see her like this. "There's no need to look so sad."

That makes Cassandra sob again. It's a relieved, yet suffocating sob that may even sound like a laugh. She grins brokenly, realizing how ridiculous all of this is. And suddenly, she is six years old again, running into her father's arms and crying after she had fallen and scraped her knee.

He had told her the same thing then, too. Only this time, the context is a little different.

Finally, Cassandra steps away from him. She sniffles, somewhat composing herself once more.

Words can't explain how much she appreciates him saying all of this. It feels like an enormous weight has just been lifted off her shoulders. But it isn't enough. She can't lie to him anymore, and she can't lie to herself.

"I'm leaving," she says.

His gaze softens. "What?"

Cassandra shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but… I'm not going back home. There's nothing left for me there."

She had told herself she was going to, whether her father approved of it or not. Because without the guard, and without a princess to attend to, she has no further purpose in that castle.

"It's time that I do something for myself," she realizes, "Not for anybody else."

Eugene had told her that, once beneath a sky full of stars, restless around a campfire. It seems the thief was good for something, after all.

Cass briefly peers over her shoulder. She gazes through the forest, and the clear sky beyond it. The sight of it sparks an excited flutter in her stomach. "Maybe me being out there in the world… is exactly what I need."

The captain watches her for a few moments, his chest tightening. It breaks him to realize that it has come to this, but he understands why. He presses his lips together, finding no reason to argue with her. "Are you certain?"

She smirks, "More than anything in my life."

There's a hopeful glint in Cassandra's eyes as he watches her talk about it – one that he hasn't seen on her in a long time. Even just seeing her smile after so many years makes him happier than he ever thought he could be. He realizes he can't be the one to take that hope away from her.

Though it pains him, the captain exhales, speaking gently, "If this is what you want, then I must let you go."

Cassandra's lips tug into a teary grin at that.

This time, she throws herself against him, wrapping her arms around his torso desperately. As she latches onto him tighter than she ever has before, she squeezes her eyes shut, with silent tears still rolling down her flushed cheeks.

"I love you… Cassandra," he croaks next to her ear, his own voice breaking. "More than anything in the world. Don't ever forget that."

"I love you too," she murmurs.

Eventually, when they pull apart again, the captain strokes his hand against the side of her face. They gaze at one another, before something occurs in his mind.

He steps away from her briefly, approaching the few horses that are hitched to the fence behind him. He unties one of the reigns, guiding a white stallion away from the others.

"Take Maximus," he says.

The horse is equipped with a leather bridle and saddle, decorated with Corona's golden emblem. He has a flowing white mane and swinging tail. His hooves trot softly against the gravel as he is walked out into the open.

The horse huffs gently, shaking his head out as they stop in front of Cass.

"He's served me well for many years." The captain strokes his gloved hand along Maximus' snout, admiring the animal proudly. He scratches him below the chin, causing him to whinny. "He's loyal, and strong. He'll be the best companion you could ask for."

The captain holds the reigns out to Cassandra, who only stares down at them in his hand.

He nods assuredly, noticing her hesitance. "You may need him more than I do." It's the least he can do for her, to help her on her journey.

Cass eyes the horse standing between them, briefly stroking her palm down the animal's snout. She peers over at her father once more, accepting the reigns, "Thank you." Not just for this, but for everything.

Cassandra hooks her boot into Max's stirrup, steadying herself. She hoists herself up onto the saddle, swinging her leg over it in one swift motion.

When she looks over her shoulder one last time, she sees her father grinning up at her, his eyes glistening with nothing but pride. But he doesn't speak, his words rather left unspoken.

"Goodbye, dad." With that, she whips the reigns, and Maximus takes off.

The smell of fresh, summer air blows against Cassandra's face as they disappear into the forest, pushing her hair behind her shoulders. Though the morning sun warms her skin, the wind sends an exhilarating shiver trailing up her spine as they begin to gain speed.

She whips the reigns again until their surroundings are darting past them in a green blur. Max's hooves are pounding loudly against the gravel now. Dirt is kicked up in a cloud behind them as they weave through endless trees and along the winding path.

Cassandra hasn't ridden like this in years. It leaves her heart pounding with excitement, because for the first time in a long time, she is content. Suddenly, she is overwhelmed with emotion once again.

She cries as she races toward the horizon, leading her toward a future of possibilities, to freedom, to Rapunzel.