Rapunzel crawled out of bed at a whopping nine o'clock, still tired. And her ankle was still hurt, but it wasn't as bad as it had been. She made herself presentable and walked to the sitting-room, ditching the idea of breakfast. Cold eggs and tea did not sound appealing to her at all. Her parents were both there.
Gulping, she masked her uneven gait as best as she could, plastering a smile across her face.
"Good morning, darling. You're late waking up," the King commented.
"Oh...late night thinking," she laughed. "I was hoping to talk to you guys about...you know...tradition."
"You're deciding to accept Aberdeen's proposal?" her mother asked.
She lowered herself into a chair, making sure her skirt hid the bandage around her ankle. "No," she shook her head.
Her mother sighed, clearly irritated with her. "Rapunzel, then what is there to talk about?"
"I want to tell you exactly why I have a problem with tradition-"
"No. We're not going over this again," she rubbed her forehead and snapped. "You must."
"Mother," she swallowed, glancing at Pascal, who was on the arm of the chair. He puffed out his chest, giving her a look of bravery. "I don't want to because I've spent the first eighteen years of my life only loved for my hair. I don't want to spend a lifetime waking up to someone who only loves me for my title and the financial gain I bring to their country."
"You would learn to love them."
"And you're okay with sending me off to be the wife of someone clearly abusive, like Edward?"
Her mother paused. "He wasn't abusive."
"What's your-"
"Rapunzel, you're going with tradition, and that's that. I don't care to hear excuses-"
"No. Mother, they're not excuses. Don't you even care the least bit?"
"This has nothing to do with if I care or not. This is what you're going to do; what's law."
"You're the Queen!" Rapunzel gestured. "And he's the King! You could change the law!"
"But we won't," the Queen shook her head firmly. "You've got to marry sooner or later."
Rapunzel's eyes clouded. Just like she'd expected, her parents didn't care to listen. The King stood up and left.
"You're no better than Gothel," she whispered hoarsely, "only you're trying to force me away."
"Rapunzel, we're not forcing-"
"Oh, yes you are!" she wanted to jump up and start pacing the room, but her injury would show. "Just yesterday, you were so certain I'd marry a man I just met three hours before...you were so certain that you had my belongings packed and-and Eugene sent off!"
Her mother tried to prove her case against it, but couldn't find a legitimate counterargument. She only said, "Well...you had better straighten up before next Wednesday. A fourth suitor is coming."
"You've got to call them off, mother! Please," she looked pleadingly at her mother. "Please...don't make me."
"And you will accept his proposal, Rapunzel. You will."
She was shaking. Whether she was shaking from anger or fear, she didn't know. She silently stood up, walking away. "If you're so desperate to get rid of me, then maybe I'll just go." she said it in a low voice, which her mother took as defeat and acceptance.
Instead of fleeing promptly to Eugene, she made a pitstop to her father's office.
"Father, can I ask you something?"
He nodded, setting his papers down. "What's your question?"
"Is it a directly written law that a royal must marry another royal?" she asked, trying to sound innocent.
He sat back in his chair, squinting his eyes as he thought. "It's tradition, but it's not a written law. Why, a Prince from France married a peasant girl, years ago. Princess Belle, you remember her?"
Rapunzel nodded. "Then why is Mother so bent on this...this whole thing?"
"She expects it of you. Of course, many countries have been clamoring for us to allow you to be married off...due to your famous former title as lost princess. Your return certainly garnered plenty of attention," he chuckled.
"Okay," she nodded. "And...this is just something I've been really curious about for the past few months, but I might as well ask while I'm asking, right?"
He nodded, smiling. "Ask anything."
"How does the marriage process go for a royal and a normal citizen, as compared to a royal and another royal?"
"Oh," the King scratched his chin, "the royal and royal weddings are very grandiose, very formal...you know. A royal and a citizen may be quieter and can be officiated by churches other than the bishop of the church chosen by the Prince."
Rapunzel nodded again. "Okay. Thank you, father."
"You're welcome. Before you go, darling?"
She paused, her hand on the doorknob. A moment of pure terror passed through her. "Yes?"
"Please try to understand your mother's motives as not animosity, but instead just a mother's love. Okay?"
She nodded, gulping. It sure didn't feel like love. "Yes, father."
"Oh - one last thing."
"Mmhmm?"
"Were you in my office last night? A few of my papers were amiss, and the note with Eugene's address just happens to be missing."
"O-oh! I...ah, I was looking for some ink. I'm sorry, I must've knocked the note down or something," she lied. She felt terrible lying.
"Ah-hah. What're you writing? I see there's some paper folded up in your dress pocket," he gestured.
With horror, Rapunzel glanced down to see the outline of the wad of paper in her pocket. "A...letter. I'm writing Eugene a letter."
"Please do not remain in contact with him, Rapunzel. And if he is the cause of all this uproar over tradition, I will have him hanged as aiding in a plot against the royal family."
That was it.
"Okay, fine - I went to him last night. You know why I did? Because no one around here will listen to me! Nobody understands! What's so dreadful about him, anyway? Because he's a citizen, and not a bloody royal? He's changed his ways - he's changed them for me! He's so much better than the filthy princes that want to take me away, anyway! And-and-I swear to you, Father, if you have him arrested and killed for talking to me, I hope I die. I hope I-I get arrested as an accomplice and hanged!" she said it with a biting sureness, her eyes blazing with rage.
"Rapunzel-" he stood up, but she turned on her heel. Her ankle smarted, and she grabbed her skirt, yanking it up enough to show him her bandage.
"I messed up my ankle last night climbing out my window. You know who was there to help me? Eugene, once more. He's such a dreadful individual that he wrapped my injury and carried me partway home. Maybe you two are the dreadful individuals," she spat, storming off and ignoring the pain in her ankle.
"Rapunzel, wait. Rapunzel!"
She didn't listen to her father rushing along behind her. She left for the royal stable, swinging herself up bareback on Maximus. "C'mon, buddy. We're leaving, but we've gotta see Eugene first. Be sure and be quick; don't stop for my parents."