Chapter 17
5 years ago
A fifteen-year-old Rapunzel warily peers around herself as she walks through the castle's armory.
The stonework building is connected to the rest of the castle, though the doors open up into the grand courtyard nestled within the castle walls. Outside is a vast field of lush green grass and stone pathing cutting through the garden.
The ceiling of the armory contains various wooden beams that cross overhead and reach down to the floor. The bright afternoon sunlight beams through the arched stone windows, and the wooden double doors that had been left wide open.
The walls are lined with racks displaying every weapon imaginable – swords, maces, halberds, and shields – anything a guard may need while on duty. Sets of Corona's official armour is displayed on stands and hung along the walls. In the back of the building is a large workbench littered with various handheld tools, next to the sharpening wheel and blacksmith's anvil.
Rapunzel steps further inward with her sword in hand, dressed in a corset tunic and a pair of brown trousers. Her golden hair is tied in a long braid trailing down her spine, with strands falling on either side of her face.
As she rounds the corner inside the armory, she immediately finds who she'd been looking for – Cassandra.
She's sitting on a crate with her back turned to Rapunzel. Her shoulders are hunched over, and her lowered gaze is focused on what she's doing. A glistening sword lays across her lap as Cass repeatedly runs a sharpening stone along the blade of it.
Cass doesn't turn around. She doesn't seem to notice the other girl in the room, and all that can be heard is the consistent ringing of the blade as she continues to sharpen it with deep concentration.
Rapunzel stops upon noticing her, a distance away. Then with a devious smirk, she regrips the handle of her sword in both hands and quietly approaches the other girl.
She stops just a few steps behind Cass, careful not to make a sound.
Rapunzel slowly raises her weapon across her shoulder, then moves to swing it down.
Not even a second later, Cass springs to her feet and swipes her blade against Rapunzel's, their swords ringing out as they collide in mid air.
The princess' weapon clatters to the floor. Next thing Rapunzel knows, Cass is grabbing her by the wrist and twisting her arm behind her back much more forcefully than she'd expected.
"Ow! Ow—ow, okay, okay, you win!" Rapunzel squeals, wincing in pain.
Cass holds Rapunzel's arm in that position for a second longer, just for satisfaction, before finally releasing her.
Rapunzel exhales with relief, grabbing her own wrist and examining it for any wounds. She mutters to herself for forgetting how strong Cassandra is.
Cass chuckles, looking overly pleased with herself, "Sorry, princess. You're gonna have to try a lot harder than that if you wanna beat me." In a teasing sing-song voice, Cass saunters away from Rapunzel, unbothered. That was too easy.
"I just lost my footing, okay?" Rapunzel pouts.
"Mhm. Sure you did."
"I'm getting better," the princess insists.
Cassandra grips one of the thick wooden posts connecting the floor to the ceiling, swinging herself around it. Her sword is held limply in the other hand. She pokes her head out from behind the post, peering at Rapunzel. "If you mean better than when you were ten, then yes."
Now that both girls are learning how to swordfight, they'd somehow conjured an ongoing competition between the two of them of who can catch the other one off guard the most. Only rule is they both have to be armed, so when Rapunzel had found Cass sharpening her sword, she'd thought it to be the perfect opportunity.
Of course, Cass is winning by a longshot. She always does. Which gives Rapunzel all the more reason to try and change that.
Considering how amusing it all is for Cassandra, she appreciates the princess' determination. She isn't one to give up so easily. Neither of them is, which makes this all the more difficult.
The main reason Rapunzel had convinced her mother to even let her learn how to fight in the first place is because Cass has been doing it since she was eight. Her father had put that responsibility on her at a young age, what with her being the Captain's daughter and all.
The two girls had convinced themselves it would be useful for them to learn how to defend themselves for when they become adventurers out in the world one day. Though, that had merely been a childhood dream of theirs.
But ever since they were little, Rapunzel always admired how strong Cassandra was. With Cass being a few years older, the princess has always looked up to the other girl. Now that they are teenagers, it's become more competitive than anything.
Rapunzel crosses her arms. "To be fair, I'm not the one training to be a guard, which means I have a disadvantage."
"All the more reason for you to catch up to me," Cass steps out from behind the post, wandering past Rapunzel and toward the doors that lead out into the courtyard.
Rapunzel only glares at her, annoyed.
As soon as Cass' back is turned, Rapunzel snatches her sword from the ground, raises it, and swings it toward the other girl once more.
Cass whips around, halting Rapunzel's weapon with her own blade once again. They freeze in that position, swords crossed between their faces.
"See what I mean?" Cass quips with a smirk. There's a teasing glint in her eyes as she says it. She's having too much fun with this.
Rapunzel lowers her weapon in defeat, stepping away. She raises her chin confidently. A determined, challenging tone reaches her voice. "Okay, then. What do you say we settle this right now? In the training yard. You and me."
Cassandra cackles amusedly at that. "All right. You're on, princess," she sizes up the other girl playfully, before turning her back again and continuing toward the doors. "We're overdue for a lesson, anyway."
Rapunzel and Cassandra meet in the training yard outside just a few minutes later.
The tall, stone walls around the perimeter of the castle encase the wide-open field they're in completely. The air is warm, but neither of them mind the summer heat as the bright afternoon sun shines onto the stone pavement beneath their feet.
The yard consists of various targets, climbing walls and hurdles. The pointed towers composing the castle as well as the large stone arches leading back inside are positioned behind them.
This is where all the Corona guards train, as well as the princess and her lady-in-waiting. Thankfully, it's completely empty today, which leaves the two girls having the entire space to themselves.
They stand a distance away with each of their swords in hand, circling each other slowly. All that can be heard is their own footsteps as they cross one foot in front of the other in unison.
They observe the other's eyes with deep concentration, anticipating the other's next move.
Rapunzel lunges forward, jabbing her sword at the other girl. Cassandra counters her attack instantly, their blades colliding repeatedly and ringing out.
Rapunzel stumbles back. They continue to circle each other with their swords raised, each regaining their footing.
This time, Cassandra strikes first. Rapunzel dodges her attempts, ducking her head and lunging to the other side of her. Cass reaches behind her own back, their blades colliding behind herself before she whips around again.
They've been practicing like this for years. Cass knows how Rapunzel fights, and Rapunzel knows her habits too. Their moves are predictable, as well as their weaknesses, which only gives them more reason to try and surprise each other every time they do this.
Eventually, they find their lungs begging for air and a thin coat of sweat forms on each of their foreheads. Despite how exhausting it is, it's the most fun they can have living in a castle such as this.
With Rapunzel's princess duties, and Cassandra's endless training, it isn't often they find the time for such things anymore. It had been so much easier when they were kids. Though as teenagers, playing games like this still feels just the same as it did all those years ago. Only now, they use real swords instead of wooden ones.
Cass attempts a swing at Rapunzel once more. As their swords cross, Rapunzel forcefully swipes her blade against hers while sidestepping behind Cass at the same time. Cassandra's blade clatters to the ground from the force of it, suddenly misdirected.
She loses her footing just as Rapunzel kicks a boot into her leg. Cass grunts as she stumbles to the ground, with the princess diving down on top of her a moment later.
They freeze in that position, with Cassandra on her back, and Rapunzel kneeled over her, holding her blade directly against the other girl's throat.
Both of them are panting for breath. Though Cassandra looks beyond surprised at what just happened, the princess beams ecstatically.
"Aha! How's that for improvement?!" she exclaims, grinning from ear to ear at her accomplishment.
Cass only stares up at her for a stunned moment, genuinely surprised. Then she exhales and a relieved smirk forms on her face. "I gotta admit, Raps, that… wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."
Rapunzel loosens her grip on her sword, satisfied with herself. She lifts herself off the other girl, rising to a stand. "I'll take that as a compliment." She extends her hand down, her weapon held limply in the other.
Cassandra latches onto Rapunzel's wrist, allowing herself to be pulled to her feet.
As they both chuckle to themselves and brush the dust away from their clothes, they hear footsteps entering the training yard in the near distance, followed by a deep, authoritative voice.
"Afternoon, girls."
They turn to find Cassandra's father calmly approaching them from the castle. He's dressed in his usual red uniform and golden captain's helmet, glistening in the sunlight.
He stops in front of them and turns his attention toward Rapunzel, holding his hands behind his back. "I hate to interrupt, but the king requests the princess' presence in the throne room immediately."
Rapunzel glances over at Cass, pressing her lips together awkwardly. "I'll see you later," she tells her in a hushed voice. She nods at the captain respectfully, before hurrying off toward the castle.
Cassandra and her father are left alone in silence.
After a few moments, when Rapunzel is gone, he turns toward her formally.
His tone of voice is professional, addressing her as if she were merely one of his guards and not his own daughter. "Your fighting skills are impressive, Cassandra. Though, they are not nearly good enough."
Cassandra feels her heart sink at that, though she hides it well. She purses her lips, unsure what to say.
She assumes he had been watching her and Rapunzel earlier. It seems like he always does - always keeps a close eye on Cassandra specifically, even more so than his own guards.
"With further training, I have no doubt you'll make a fine guard one day. Maybe even the best this kingdom has ever seen." His eyes glisten down at her with pride. "Who knows? Perhaps one day you will take over my role of Captain of the Guard." He brushes a disheveled curl of hair behind her ear, his fingertips gently stroking the side of her face. "And when that day comes, you will make me very, very proud."
It's a speech Cassandra has heard many times, for as long as she can remember. He's drilled it into her head for the past ten years. Train harder. Become a guard. Take on her father's role as captain. Make him proud.
She's convinced herself it's what she needs to do – something she'd stopped wondering whether she ever even wanted a long time ago.
Cassandra forces a weak smile, just as she always does, before the captain turns away and begins walking back toward the castle.
As she's left standing there alone, Cass' expression drops completely. She stares at his backside in silence, reminding herself of one thing and one thing only.
She will make her father proud, if it is the last thing she does.