A/N: Again, many thanks to everyone who has reviewed/read/favourited/alerted!

Chapter 7

Breathless, Rapunzel flew into her house, skittering to a stop in front of a bewildered Eugene. He had been munching on some bread but now stood with his mouth half full and a comical expression on his face.

"Eugene! The Queen just commissioned me to paint a portrait of her!"

He nearly dropped the bread he was holding. "What?"

She took a deep breath. "" she said all in one breath.

Eugene eyed her. "How about you slow down. I didn't catch any of that."

"The Queen came to the market today and saw my paintings…and asked me to do one of her," Rapunzel said again, but slower.

Her husband's eyes lit up. "Rapunzel, that's amazing!" He pulled her into a hug and then kissed her on the lips. "Wow, a royal portrait!"

She squealed in her very Rapunzel-like way that Eugene thought was adorable. "I know! And Eugene," she breathed, gripping his hands, "I'm going to be paid for it! Enough, I'm sure!" It hadn't been long since Eugene had lost his job at the stables and was struggling to find other employment. Rapunzel felt that this would make up for it, and more.

The next morning Rapunzel, a nervous ball of energy, approached the imposing palace. She stared up at the towers, awestruck by their sheer height. Pulling her attention back to the doors, she approached a pair of guards standing on either side.

"Uh, I'm Rapunzel Fitzherbert," she said nervously. "I'm here to do a painting for the Queen…"

One of the guards nodded. "This way, please," he said and marched off into the castle. Rapunzel hurried to keep up.

Down hallways and through doors and several minutes later, the guard opened up a door that led into a large, open room with floor-to-ceiling windows all along one wall. Sitting by those windows was the Queen.

The guard bowed stiffly and announced "Rapunzel Fitzherbert, Your Majesty."

The queen smiled. "Thank you," she said, and the guard left.

Rapunzel quickly curtsied. "Good morning, Your Highness."

"Good morning, Ms. Fitzherbert. I trust your journey was pleasant?" the queen asked, gesturing for Rapunzel to sit on a chair across from her.

"Oh, yes, Your Majesty," Rapunzel replied as she settled down. "It's such a lovely day outside."

"Ah, there's our tea," the queen exclaimed as a maid entered the room carrying a tray. She set it down on the small table between the two chairs. "I thought we could have some tea before we began our portrait."

"A wonderful idea," Rapunzel smiled.

The queen took a sip, gazing at Rapunzel's left hand. "I see you are married?" she asked.

"Yes," Rapunzel beamed. "We've been married three months."

"My, newlyweds!" the queen exclaimed. "What's his name?"

"Eugene. He's the most wonderful man in the world." Rapunzel's eyes took on a far-off gleam.

Queen Marie smiled wistfully. "He sounds wonderful. You seem so young, Mrs. Fitzherbert," she commented as she poured herself another cup of tea.

Rapunzel blushed. "Oh, please, Your Majesty. Call me Rapunzel. I'm still not quite used to being addressed as Mrs. Fitzherbert." She tugged on a strand of hair. "And I'm nineteen. We got married the day after my birthday."

The queen felt a sudden pang of sadness. Anna Maria would have been nineteen. Instead, she cleared her throat and forced a smile on her face. "He sounds romantic."

"Oh, he is," the girl assured her. "He proposed to me in the boat under the lanterns, during the Festival." Her eyes lit up, remembering, and she played with her engagement ring. "And it was my birthday. We got married the next day."

The Queen placed her teacup back down on the table, empty. "Sounds like you found a very special man. I would hold on to him if I were you. Now, shall we begin, then?" Rapunzel enthusiastically agreed and began to pull out her paints and brushes.

It wasn't until an hour later that the Queen realized just why her heart refused to slow down when she looked at Rapunzel.

Rapunzel had said that her husband had proposed to her during the Festival, which was her birthday.

Rapunzel's birthday was the day of the Lantern Festival.

Anna Maria's birthday was that day too.