Chapter 8
6 years ago
"What is the issue, captain?" King Frederic asks as he perches on his throne.
The Captain of the Guard is standing at the opposite end of the throne room, in front of the grand double doors that lead back into the hallway of the castle. His hands are held regally behind his back, chin raised attentively.
Queen Arianna is seated to the king's right. The young princess is on his left, not yet a teenager.
Rapunzel's throne is enormous compared to her small frame, for she doesn't quite fit into it yet. It's her first time sitting in it. At least, officially – if she isn't counting all those times her and Cassandra would play around in this very room when they were younger. If they didn't get caught, that is.
"A thief, Your Majesty," the captain announces.
Suddenly uneasy, Frederic glances over to Rapunzel seated next to him. He then looks to Arianna, who gives him a reassuring nod.
The king looks to the captain once more. "Bring him in."
Rapunzel's parents had agreed it to be beneficial she start to become more involved with royal matters, now that she is twelve years of age. Rapunzel didn't have much say in the matter. She supposes it would be good for her too because that's what everyone tells her, so she goes along with it. Though, being so young, she doesn't fully understand the extent of what this means for her.
They'd thought today to be a good time for her to start witnessing how things are run in the castle. They want her to observe the king and queen so that she can learn how to become an eventual ruler one day.
Today, they are dealing with general matters around the kingdom. Multiple citizens and business owners are getting a chance to speak to the king directly, to discuss any concerns or changes they think may benefit the economy.
Rapunzel finds it all rather boring, and she finds her mind trailing away more often than not. However, her head had perked up when the Captain of the Guard had entered the throne room unexpectedly, claiming there to be an urgent matter that needs to be dealt with immediately.
With a nod from the captain, the doors burst open and two royal guards enter the throne room behind him.
They each walk on either side of a young boy whose hands are restrained behind his back, both men gripping one of his arms. He isn't struggling, but rather letting them escort him down the narrow rug lengthening down the room.
Rapunzel inhales sharply.
When they reach the bottom of the short staircase leading up to the thrones, one of the guards shoves a boot into the back of his leg.
The boy falls to his knees in front of the king, grunting softly. He doesn't look up, and instead stares hard at the ground in front of him.
"He was stealing food from the village," reports one of the guards disapprovingly. "The shop owner found him and called for help. Apparently, it isn't the first time he's been caught sniffing around there." As he describes it, his voice is like venom, lacking all sense of sympathy.
Frederic closely observes the boy in front of him as he listens to all of this.
Both guards are restraining him beneath their gloved hands, pushing him harder into the floor. His hands are clasped behind his back, presumably with handcuffs, and one of the guards is gripping the back of his neck.
He looks to be a young teenager, maybe a couple years older than Rapunzel. He wears a filthy tunic that loosely hangs off his slim frame. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, appearing browner than the white color it presumably used to be. His scruffy dark hair falls over his broken, tired eyes. Dirt cakes his face and black soot covers his hands, burrowing into his fingernails. His scrawny arms appear weak, as if he hasn't eaten in days.
Rapunzel can't help but feel heartbroken just from looking at him. The fact that he seems so close in age to her makes her stomach twist.
"What's your name, boy?" Frederic's deep, authoritative voice breaks the silence.
He doesn't respond as everyone in the room waits for an answer, and Frederic wonders if he'd even heard what was asked.
"It's… it's Flynn," he says.
"Are your parents aware of your whereabouts?" asks the king.
The boy only continues to stare down at his own knees in silence.
Frederic raises a peculiar eyebrow. "Have you any parents?"
The boy swallows.
For the first time since he had entered the room, he warily raises his chin. His eyes meet the king's for just a moment, but he hadn't been aware there were two other pairs of eyes focused on him too – the queen… and the princess.
Rapunzel sits with poise in her throne, though her feet hardly reach the ground. She wears white lace gloves and a pale purple gown lined with violet ribbons. A glistening golden crown sits atop her head – blonde curls draping over her slender shoulders.
Accidentally, the boy locks eyes with her for just a moment before he quickly lowers his head again. "No, sir."
"What should we do with him, Your Majesty?" asks one of the guards.
Rapunzel looks to her father worriedly.
Frederic continues to observe the boy at his feet, stroking his beard in thought.
"If I may," interjects the captain from the guards' side. "Theft is a crime punishable by arrest—"
"I know the law," Frederic raises a dismissive hand.
The captain takes a step back respectfully, lowering his head.
It would be so easy for the king to arrest this boy, or worse. Rapunzel expects him to, though she hopes he won't.
How could anyone punish someone just for being hungry? She bites her tongue though, knowing her place beneath her father. Instead, she waits in silent anticipation along with the rest of the room.
Finally, the king speaks again. "I can sympathize with your reasoning for what you have done, boy. As I'm sure you know, there are laws in this kingdom that not even an orphan can stand above."
Flynn shamefully peers up at him with a frown.
"However, you are young. And you are daring, I'll give you that. You remind me much of my daughter."
Rapunzel shrinks. Flynn resists looking over at her.
"And lucky for you, I am feeling rather generous today. Which is why I have decided to let you off with a warning," decides Frederic with a level tone.
Flynn exhales with relief, and so does the princess.
Frederic addresses the Captain of the Guard. "Captain. See to it that this boy does not get into any more trouble on my streets." Then he glares down at Flynn once more, his voice threatening, "If my guards catch you again, we will have a bigger problem on our hands, and you will have to answer to me. Is that understood?"
"Y-yes… Your Majesty," agrees Flynn in a small voice.
"Good." Frederic takes one last look at the boy before nodding at the two guards that restrain him. "Escort him back to the village."
"Yes, sir," they echo each other.
With that, they roughly pull Flynn to his feet, and march him back out the doors.