Chapter 3-Lessons

After the party, things settled down in the palace and Lottie was able to live in a new normal. She did all her usual princess activities, and she had meals with her sister and Rider. But over the next couple days, Lottie avoided Rider whenever possible. She still didn't particularly want to be around him. But that actually wasn't too difficult because she had many teas, luncheons and other royal functions. They were all terribly boring (like they always were really), but she thought that maybe it was better than pretending to like Rider. All those commitments made it rather easy to not see him, and she was slightly grateful. She still didn't know what to do about him, and was glad she had more time to figure it out.

Yet all that ended the day Mama came to Lottie, asking her to spend an afternoon with Rapunzel and "Eugene."

Lottie wasn't too excited at the possibility, but she never could say no to her mother.

So she went.

At Rapunzel's suggestion, they took a picnic lunch to the lake. They walked around for a bit before sitting down because "the lake was the too beautiful and they had to explore!"

That was Rapunzel's opinion, of course. Lottie would have been okay with sitting down, burying her toes in the grass, and reading a book instead. Yet she still went with Rapunzel and Rider, and she lagged behind them slightly. She heard them talking and laughing with each other, almost as if they were the only two people present. She felt exactly like a third wheel, like an unwelcome intruder on a private party, and it was the most uncomfortable feeling in the world. Now why had Mama wanted her to go? It's not like she could bond with her sister when she was talking to Rider the entire time! She sighed heavily, and continued to trudge after them.

After Rapunzel felt like she'd seen enough, they sat down and unpacked their lunch. While they ate, Rapunzel kept up a bubbly stream of conversation, and she often would drop something positive about "Eugene" right in the middle or tell her something that they'd have in common. For instance, Rapunzel would ask her if she liked books and she'd answer yes, and then she'd say something like "Eugene likes to read too! Don't you, Eugene?"

He had the grace to look embarrassed. "Yeah," he'd say, and then Rapunzel would start chatting again.

Lottie knew exactly what she was trying to do- talk up Rider so she'd start liking him. She wasn't sure it was working. Did Rapunzel think she'd change her mind that easily?

She hadn't, not in the slightest, but she still decided to be kind. It's what a princess did, after all. "So how do you like living here, Rapunzel?" she asked.

Rapunzel smiled. "I like it! I'm so happy to be with you, Mama, and Papa." She nudged Eugene, who was sitting close to her. "And Eugene, of course."

Rider grinned at her. "Of course. I mean, where you be without me, Blondie?"

Blondie? Why did her call her that? Rapunzel didn't have blonde hair! But she realized she did have blonde hair as a baby. She wondered what had happened to it….

Rapunzel gazed at him tenderly. "I don't know…."

They were looking at each other that way again. Ugh, she had to stop this. If she heard any more of this romantic nonsense, she'd either start crying or screaming. She wasn't entirely sure which one. Thank God she'd spent many Princess lessons practicing how to hide her feelings so she'd be ready for a moment like this. "And Eugene…" She tried not to wrinkle her nose as she called him that. "What about you?"

They both looked at her again now, but she noticed that they blinked several times, like they'd maybe forgotten she was there. Wonderful. She thought she'd forgotten her invisibility cloak today. "Oh," he said finally. "It's….nice."

Nice? Nice? He was living in the palace, not the dungeon! Couldn't he think of a better adjective than that with all that famed wit of his? "Don't you find your accommodations adequate?"

He blinked in surprise. "Oh, of course, Princess," he said hastily. "My room is amazing. It's probably the nicest one I've ever been in. Your parents were very kind to let me stay here."

True. So true. Her parents were much more gracious than she'd ever be. "Well, Mama and Papa are very generous people."

"Lottie," Rapunzel said suddenly. "Don't you think that Eugene should call you Lottie like the rest of us instead of Princess? It is so formal…" She looked at Lottie, with pleading eyes.

Of course "Princess" was formal. That's the way she liked it, and part of her coolness to him. Yet how could she deny her sister when she looked at her like that? "All right, sweetie," she said, shocked that she'd called Rapunzel by an endearment and even more shocked that she was giving in. "He can call me Lottie like you."

Rapunzel squealed and hugged her. "You're the best sister ever!" Lottie put her arms around her and patted her back awkwardly. She wasn't sure that she was the "best sister ever", but she was pleased that Rapunzel was happy. She was such a magnetic person that when she was happy, it was so hard not to be yourself.

And Rapunzel was a very happy person. Throughout the entire afternoon, she didn't think she'd seen anything other than a smile on her face. Rider acted a little less whimsy than Rapunzel was, but he seemed so very glad to her too. Maybe he was just rejoicing the fact that he was not in jail. She would be, if she were him.

But it could be that he….did somehow have feelings for her sister. He treated her with such kindness and gentleness, and he even picked a small bouquet of flowers for her. It was, she thought, the way she believed a man should treat the woman he loves.

Maybe….maybe she'd been wrong about him. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

And after that day, her heart opened up to him just a crack.

XxXxXxXx

One afternoon a few days later, Mama found her in her sitting room, taking a rare moment to read a book. "Lottie," Mama said after greeting her. "How much extra time do you have?"

"A little," she answered. "Why?" If Mama insisted she spend more time with Lord Howard's son, Theodore, she thought she'd scream. He was just as condescending as his father was, and she couldn't stand him. Maybe she could come up with some kind of excuse, like she needed more time to practice her curtsies. Blast. That was a sorry excuse for an….excuse, she thought. There was no chance she'd wiggle out of it now.

But Mama said nothing about Theodore (or Theobore, as she called him privately). "I was wondering if maybe you could help Rapunzel with her lessons," she said. "You know…show her the basics of being a Princess?"

Mentally, she went through her schedule. It'd be rather tight to add in lessons a few times a week., but she didn't want to say no to her mother. She was the person who never said no. It was just who she was-the "yes" princess. "I-…."

At her hesitation, Mama jumped in. "If you don't have time, it's all right. I'll ask Lady Howard instead."

She wrinkled her nose at the name. Much like her husband, Lady Howard was loud, pretentious, and condescending. And a bore, just like her son. She couldn't let her sweet sister be taught by her; she'd be miserable and probably wouldn't learn a bloody thing. "No," she said quickly. "It's all right. I'll make time for her." She skimmed her weekly schedule. "How about Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 3?"

Mama smiled widely and she knew she hadn't really wanted Lady Howard to do the lessons. She was probably relieved that Lottie had agreed. "Wonderful. Can you start tomorrow?"

Tomorrow was Wednesday. "Yes, I think so." She'd have to spend the rest of the afternoon getting ready, but what else was there to do? It's not like she'd miss the Tuesday tea with Lady Howard and her niece, Mildred, that much. "But I'll have to skip the tea, which I so hate to do." Actually she was thrilled. There was nothing she hated more than that stupid tea. Lady Howard would constantly talk about how important she and her husband were, and Mildred would talk about how important she wished she was. Afterward, she always spent at least an hour with a cold cloth on her forehead because of her massive headache.

"Don't worry," Mama said with an amused smile. "I'll make your excuses."

"Thank you, Mama," she said gratefully.

"No, thank you, sweetie," she said. "You're amazing to do this."

"It'll be good," Lottie said truthfully. "I'll get to know my sister better."

Mama smiled, and quietly left the room. With her thoughts now on the lessons, she pulled out a piece of paper and began to write:

Top Ten Princess Rules

1. Don't forget that being a princess is a real job. It had duties and obligations just like any other.

2. Always act with poise and decorum. Remember, everyone is watching you.

3. Refrain from discussing controversial things like politics, religion, or current events at royal functions.

4. Refrain from talking extensively with the palace servants.

5. However, treat everyone with grace and kindness.

6. Make sure to always look perfect when seen in public. A princess is the paramount of perfection.

7. A princess must be able to control her temper and emotions. Do not display intense feelings in public.

8. Act with diplomacy with foreigners. Remember, small words can cause big wars.

9. Attempt, if possible, to marry someone of royal blood. Royal marriages bring royal alliances which brings peace to Corona.

10. A princess is always prompt.

XxXxXxXx

After dinner that night, Mama assured Lottie that Rapunzel knew that she was supposed to see her for her lessons. So, the next day, precisely at 3pm, Lottie waited for Rapunzel in the library where they were supposed to meet. Yet there was no sign of her. There was also no sign of her at 3:05, 3:10 or 3:15 either. Well, he now knew exactly what her sister's first lesson was going to be. Rule #10-a princess is always prompt.

Finally, at exactly 3:28, Rapunzel came in with a big grin. "Hi, Lottie! How are you? Did you have a nice day? I did, but these lessons are so-…:"

She interrupted her. "Rapunzel," she said calmly. "Do you know what time it is?"

Rapunzel glanced up at the clock. "It's 3:30."

"Exactly," she said. "I asked you to meet me here at 3."

The smile vanished off her face. "I'm so sorry, Lottie," she said bashfully. "I guess I just lost track of time. I'll be on time next time, I promise."

At her heartfelt apology, Lottie softened. "That's all right, Rapunzel. Just make sure it doesn't happen again. Princesses need to be prompt."

"I will."

"Good. Okay, Rapunzel," she said. "So I wanted to begin with some princess basics that you should know. The first thing I wanted to tell you is that…." Her voice trailed off as she noticed her sister gazing out the window. "Rapunzel, are you listening to me?"

Rapunzel continued to stare out the window for at least thirty seconds before finally meeting her eyes. Then she blinked several times. "Oh, I'm sorry, Lottie," she apologized. "What were you saying? I was thinking about how cute Eugene is when he-…."

Eugene! She nearly growled in frustration, but she masked it with a tight smile. "I understand." Not really! "But I really need you to pay attention here. This is all very important."

Rapunzel straightened up in her seat and looked attentive. "Right," she said. "I'm focused now."

"Good," she said. "So the first thing you need to understand is that most people think that being a princess means that you live in a palace, wear fancy gowns, and marry a prince. But it's not as simple as that. It's a real job, and there are certain rules you need to follow." She watched Rapunzel's expression carefully. She didn't think she'd be too "anti-rule" but who knows what nonsense Rider could be putting in her head.

"Okay…." she said.

"And so I have two things for you to help," she said, sticking them on the table. "A list of my top ten 'Princess Rules' and Lady Emily Palamoor's Book of Etiquette."

Rapunzel took them hesitantly. "A book of etiquette?" Her nose wrinkled, which actually expressed Lottie's opinion on the subject perfectly. She personally thought that most of the royal etiquette was incredibly stupid and pointless too, but she was obligated to teach it.

"I know exactly what you mean, sweetie," she said. "But unfortunately it's just all part of the job. Promise me you'll read it though. Okay?"

She nodded, and a serious expression crossed her face. Lottie didn't know her happy sister could look like that "Yes, I promise. And I never, ever break my promises."

"Excellent," she said. "So, we're ready for our first lesson of the day: greetings."

Rapunzel beamed, and her sober look quickly left. "Oh, wonderful! I love meeting new people! Everyone in Corona is so nice."

She found herself smiling at her enthusiasm. Maybe this might be fun. "Good. So when you meet someone new, how would you greet them?"

She appeared to think a minute, and then smiled. "Hi," she said with a wave. "I'm Rapunzel!"

Lottie smiled in spite of herself. She was completely off, but there was just something so adorable about her sister. "Not quite," she said tactfully. "Since you're a princess, it's necessary to have a little bit more formality. Usually, you extend your hand and say something like 'so and so, it's a pleasure to meet you'".

Rapunzel's face was serious. "I see," she said soberly. "I think I can do that."

"I'm sure you can," she said kindly. She had Rapunzel practice a few greetings, and once she was sure she understood it, she taught her curtsies, including the "royal curtsy." Rapunzel picked them up fast like she thought she would, but the "royal curtsy" took her a while to learn. That wasn't necessarily unexpected. This curtsy began from a stand, and continued until you were on the floor, with your face buried in your skirt. It had taken Lottie months to master it. After she thought Rapunzel had learned it fairly well, she ended the lesson. Rapunzel fairly flew out of the room, saying something about meeting Eugene.

Once she left, Lottie sighed. Her sister was wonderful, but this was going to be a lot of work.

XxXxXxXx

For the most part, Rapunzel decided, she enjoyed her new life in the palace. She sometimes had nightmares about the tower, but Eugene always comforted her when they happened so they didn't spoil life here too much. She liked being with her family, and she loved being with Eugene and spending all her time with him. But that haed changed the day Mama came to her and said that she had to have lessons in being a princess. She'd have them all day, almost every day. She wasn't particularly thrilled about it, but there wasn't much she could do. Eugene understood, and told her they just wanted to teach her what they felt she needed to know to be the best princess she could be. So, a few days after the party, she started her lessons and between her session of history, politics, and "princess" etiquette taught by her sister, it seemed to take forever.

But when she was finally free, Rapunzel met Eugene outside in the garden. "Hi Eugene," she greeted him.

He smiled warmly at her. "Hey you! How was it?"

"You mean my lessons?" she asked and he nodded. "Most of them were kind of boring."

"And the one with….your sister?" he asked hesitantly.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "It wasn't too bad. But all this etiquette sure is silly, Eugene! Like did you know you can't just wave hello when you meet someone new?"

He made a face of horror. "No!"

"Yes!" she said. "And if I have to meet someone who's…like, you know, royal, I have to curtsy like this." She stood up, and demonstrated. Gracefully, she performed the same curtsy all the way to the ground that Lottie had shown her.

She looked up at him. He was staring at her with wide and incredulous eyes. "Wow," he said finally. "That's some…curtsy."

She got up and sat next to him again. "I know! Lottie made me practice it at least ten times before she said it was okay."

At the mention of Lottie, he frowned slightly. "What do you…think of Lottie?" he asked her hesitantly.

"I think….," Rapunzel stopped and frowned thoughtfully. "I think she's nice, but she really wants me to follow all these princess rules."

"You don't think she's sort of….cold?" he said, with a certain….something in his tone that she was sure she understood.

Her sister who called her sweetie, cold? "No, I don't!" she exclaimed. "She might be serious, and quiet, but I don't think she's cold." The frown didn't leave his face, and she immediately grew concerned. "Why do you ask, Eugene?"

He blinked and shrugged. "No reason in particular! I was just wondering." He grinned at her. "Making conversation…"

"Huh," she said, thoughts of Lottie leaving her mind. Eugene was grinning, so he couldn't be too upset. "That's another thing I have to learn. The 'art' of conversation." She made quotation marks in the air. "Whatever that means. I mean, isn't talking just talking?"

"Not if you're a princess," was Eugene's answer.

She slumped and crossed her arms. "Naturally." She bit her lip in thought. "You know, Eugene, this whole princess thing isn't at all what I'd thought it would be. It's really hard! There's so many rules and I just know I'm going to break them all." She buried her face in her hands, just thinking about it. Lottie hadn't told her too many rules today, but she knew tons were to follow. And how could she keep track of every single one of them?

She felt his hand begin to stroke her back. "Well, you might break one here and there. But you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. You're learning, and I'm sure once you master it all, you'll be the best princess ever."

She peeked at him from between her hands. "You think?"

He grinned at her. "I know."

"I don't…," she said slowly and bit her lip in thought. "Lottie is really good at being a princess…"

"Of course she is," he said. "But she's had a lot more practice than you. You'll get there."

Despite his kind words, doubts still nagged at her. "I don't know. I'm not sure I can ever be her."

He tilted her chin up to look at him. "Hey…you don't have to be her," he said gently. "You just have to be the best Rapunzel you can be. Okay? Just be the best Rapunzel, and you won't ever let anyone down."

She nodded. "Yes."

"Good," he said. "And just so you know, you'll always be the perfect princess to me." He smiled at her again.

She found herself smiling back, and impulsively hugged him. Somehow knowing that made her feel so much better.

Now she believed that she really could do this, even if it would be really hard. And he'd be with her every step of the way.

XxXxXxXx

But just because she knew Eugene was with her didn't mean that being a princess grew any easier. Because it didn't. She spent most of her days in lessons, and she barely saw Eugene at all. Besides that, the more lessons she had the more she grew to dislike them. Some of the history and geography was okay, but the more etiquette she learned, the more she hated them and found them odious. Oh, it wasn't Lottie's fault; she made it as interesting as she could. She even gave her a book so she could write down all the rules. Sometimes it felt like she wrote down a new rule every other minute. And all of them were so counter-intuitive that she ranted about it whenever she did get to see Eugene.

One afternoon, she decided to show him her etiquette book. "All of these rules are just so stupid, Eugene," she said, flipping through the pages. "I mean, look at this one!"

He took the book from her and skimmed it with a serious face. Then abruptly it changed and he smirked at her. "You mean the one where Lottie told you not to talk about me obsessively at dinner?"

Her cheeks went hot. The first couple dinners here she had talked about him a lot, and Lottie had kindly told her that she might want to discuss something else sometimes. After that gentle rebuke, she had written it in her book, and tried not to, even if it was hard. "Um, no. I was actually referring to the other one," she said primly.

He glanced back down at her book. "Ah," he said. "Then it must be the one where she told you to not talk about fantastic I was at Flynn Rider?"

She huffed and snatched the book back. "Be serious, Eugene!" she said. "That's not what I wrote and you know it!" He did. What she had really written was Lottie says it is best if I don't mention Eugene's past as Flynn Rider. And he could see her point. It was just….so fun to tease her. "I mean this one!" She pointed to a certain place on her page.

He read it. "You mean the one about not talking about politics, current events, religion, or anything that could be considered controversial at state dinners?"

"Yes," she said. "It's so…..ridiculous! That leaves out pretty much everything except….like the weather." She sighed. "I mean, I like talking about the sun and stuff but it's so…boring!"

"I think that's the point, Rapunzel," he told her. "There's no chance a war could be started over a remark about the weather."

She crossed her arms again. "Huh. You'd be surprised, Eugene."

He had a feeling that continuing to discuss this wasn't going to help her any. "You know, I have a better idea than talking about your princess rules."

She still looked rather annoyed, but at least it wasn't aimed at him- and there were no frying pans lying around, so he thought he was safe. "And what's that, Eugene?"

"How about we go for a little walk, and you can pretend that you aren't a princess," he said.

She considered it. "Can I take off my shoes?"

"Of course," he assured her. "Deal?" He stood up and held out his hand to her.

She smiled and took it. "Deal."