Chapter 8
The tavern bedroom falls into silence as Rapunzel and Cassandra prepare themselves for the day ahead, late the next morning.
The dark and thunderous rainstorm of yesterday has turned to a cloudy yet bright sky, beaming sunlight through the window of their room. Birds are faintly chirping from outside. Residual raindrops are dripping from the rooftop above their window. The other tavern patrons can be heard shuffling downstairs, fainting conversing as they too begin their morning.
Cassandra pulls her boots on, then retrieves her cloak and fastens it around her shoulders, the garment now completely dry of rainwater.
As Rapunzel does the same, she can't help but glance over at Cassandra, who is currently too preoccupied with her own self to notice Rapunzel's lingering eyes.
They haven't spoken since Cass had rushed out of the room in a flustered state the night before, shortly after… whatever had happened between them last night.
They'd both been exhausted, with Rapunzel is such an emotional state at the time that it doesn't even feel like it had been real to either of them.
It all still lingers in the back of Cassandra's mind as she faces the wall to collect her weapons from on top of the dresser.
She can still feel the way Rapunzel had nuzzled her nose into Cassandra's neck as they fell asleep, the way she'd sobbed in Cassandra's arms after waking up screaming from a nightmare, blaming herself for her parents' deaths. She remembers Rapunzel saying she was scared, and that she didn't know what she would do without Cass. Cassandra had promised her that she wouldn't leave, then Rapunzel had kissed her, and it all became a blur.
It had been so brief and sudden, Cassandra wasn't even certain what had happened or how any of it had come to be, or what may have compelled Rapunzel to do it. Even now, Cassandra can't make sense of it. She'd just been so taken aback by it at the time that the only thing she was able to think of doing was leaving.
She'd only been downstairs afterwards for what had felt like ten minutes, before realizing that it had been entirely stupid of her to leave Rapunzel in their room alone unattended in the middle of the night.
She'd then found no choice but to return upstairs, as much as she had dreaded facing Rapunzel again. However, when she had, the girl had already fallen back asleep.
Cass had been thankful for that, considering the last thing she'd wanted was to suffer the awkwardness of explaining why she had run out of the room like that.
She begins equipping her sword and her knife to her belt, busying herself with her hands and forcing the memories of last night aside. Though, she's suddenly more aware of Rapunzel's presence in the room than she would otherwise be.
"I'm sorry about last night," Rapunzel breaks the silence as she stands at the opposite end of the room, staring at Cassandra's backside.
Cass freezes momentarily, her eyes lifting to meet the blank wall in front of her. Her heart seems to skip a beat at the mere mention of it.
Then she looks down again and continues fiddling with her belt, unsure how to respond to that.
She wonders what part about last night Rapunzel is referring to. Is she apologizing for breaking down crying, or sorry for kissing her? A part of Cass doesn't want to know.
"I shouldn't have done that," continues Rapunzel. "I don't know what came over me. I was just really—"
"It's fine." There's an abrupt silence as Cassandra's fingers momentarily clench into a fist. Then she grabs her quiver of arrows from the surface in front of her and hastily hooks it around her torso. She does the same with her bow, a determined tone reaching her voice. "Let's just focus on getting to Fairview." She makes a deliberate effort to avoid eye contact with Rapunzel as she turns around again. "Do you have everything?"
Though her only current possessions are the clothes that she wears, Rapunzel glances around the room anyway, scanning for anything she may have missed. "Uh… yeah."
"Then let's go." Never slowing her stride, Cassandra makes for the door without another word.
After a quick breakfast at the tavern, they take whatever leftover food Cassandra can afford and stuff it into Max's saddlebags for the journey. Then they waste no time in continuing their path through the forests leading out of town.
As the village of Nightwood fades behind them into a mere speck in the distance, the morning air is heavy with the lingering scent and humidity of last night's rainstorm. The grass is still glistening and wet, with the leaves of the trees overhead shedding its residual raindrops. The sun hides behind a canvas of light gray clouds, thin and shadowed.
Rapunzel rides atop Maximus' saddle, draping both of her legs over one side. She wears the hood of her cloak over her head, her long brown hair flowing out from underneath it. Cassandra walks alongside Max, holding his reigns in one hand and guiding both him and the princess forward. Rapunzel's body sways along with the rhythmic sound of his hooves thudding against the forest floor, and the soft rattling of the metal clasps of his bridle.
There's a biting chill in the air that causes Rapunzel to shiver.
All the while, Cassandra finds her mind inevitably trailing back to the events of last night despite her continuous efforts to shove it aside.
But with the excruciating silence and the dreadful amount of time they have on their hands, she replays the image of Rapunzel kissing her in her head for what feels like the hundredth time since it happened, as if it will somehow convince herself that it had been real. As if it would give her the answers as to why Rapunzel may have done it. As if there is even a point in trying to figure it out.
Cassandra tells herself it didn't mean anything. Rapunzel has been through a living nightmare since they left Corona. She's scared and confused, and overly emotional. Clearly, the girl hadn't been in the best state of mind last night. Who knows what kind of horrors she'd been dreaming about before her own screams had woken her up. She'd been hysterical, in fact, which is why it makes sense that she would behave differently than what is otherwise normal for her.
She's dealing with the loss of both of her parents right now, not to mention her entire kingdom, and probably just needed someone to comfort her. It just so happens that the only person who had been in the room at the time was Cass. So, Rapunzel had used Cassandra as a way to cope with her loneliness.
Rapunzel had said it herself - she didn't want to sleep alone. Somehow, Cassandra doubts it had anything to do with her, but rather the fact that Rapunzel simply has nobody else.
And Cassandra had reacted like such an idiot. Becoming so suddenly awestruck like that was the worst feeling in the world to her. It had left her vulnerable and out of control, in a way that she never has been before. She'd rather not make herself feel that way again by bringing any attention to it.
Rapunzel already apologized for kissing her, anyway. She said she shouldn't have done it, which means she regrets doing it in the first place. So, they both agree it was stupid and should never have happened.
Therefore, there's no reason to dwell on it.
As they walk, the unspoken tension from the tavern earlier remains between them.
The foolish side of Rapunzel wonders if apologizing again may make things less awkward between them, then she remembers how quick Cassandra had been to shut her down the first time.
She knows better than to push Cassandra like that. She'll react defensively. She always does. It'll only make things worse between them.
So, Rapunzel opts not to say anything about it either, though they're both silently thinking of the same thing.
Rapunzel decides to steer her own mind elsewhere. "Do you really think everything will be okay once we get to Fairview?"
Cassandra realizes she never said that, though maybe she had made it seem that way when she'd told Rapunzel that going there was their best chance.
Of course, Cass can't be sure that the bandits won't find Rapunzel in Fairview either. It would take a certain amount of determination for the bandits to follow them all the way out there, but Cassandra can't afford to underestimate anybody.
Whoever these people are seem to be more than capable and are most likely hunting them down as they speak, but Rapunzel will be a lot better off in Fairview than anywhere else.
The village is miles away, secluded deep within the mountains. It has food, shelter, security, not to mention Rapunzel's closest family member that Cassandra knows will do anything for Rapunzel.
Growing up, Cassandra had met Willow a few times at various family gatherings and royal celebrations. She remembers when they were hardly teenagers, Willow had treated Cassandra as just as much of her own niece as Rapunzel was.
Cassandra isn't trusting of most people, but if there's anyone that she knows can take good care of Rapunzel, if ever something were to happen to Cassandra, it would be Willow.
She doesn't say that though, in fear of frightening Rapunzel even more than she already is. Just last night Rapunzel had told her how scared she was of the bandits hurting Cass, though Cassandra doubts she would ever allow that to happen.
"I think things will be better there than they are out here," Cassandra chooses her words carefully so as not to worry the girl, knowing that Rapunzel asking that question is her way of seeking reassurance. "It's what's best for you," assures Cass.
Rapunzel doesn't realize she hadn't directly answered the question. "Because… Aunt Willow can help us, right?" She expectantly peers down at the other girl walking alongside the horse.
Cass stares ahead. It's yet another thing she can't be sure about, but it isn't a lie to agree that Rapunzel's aunt would do anything for her.
"Yeah," she says.
The thought of Willow potentially ending up just like the king and queen – dying for the princess - crawls in the back of Cassandra's mind. It isn't unlikely the bandits would target Willow too, if it were to lead them closer to Rapunzel. She just hopes it won't come to that.
"But I mean… what's gonna happen to you?" Rapunzel asks. "When we get there, you're gonna stay with me, right?"
Cassandra hadn't really thought about herself. All she's been thinking about this entire time is what's going to happen to Rapunzel, and how to keep her safe. But she remembers what Arianna had told her – that Willow would look after both of them in Fairview. Not that Cassandra needs anyone to look after her.
"I go wherever you go," says Cass. It's the way it's always been between them. As long as she's alive, she has no intention of leaving Rapunzel alone anywhere. Then she peers up at the princess perched atop Maximus' saddle, meeting eyes with her for maybe the first time that day. "Unless… you don't want me to stay?" There's a faint smirk on her lips as she says it.
The memory of them having a similar conversation the night before flashes in Rapunzel's mind. She chuckles softly, knowing that Cassandra is only teasing her about it now.
Suddenly, it's as if whatever tension that hung between them earlier has vanished, and Rapunzel actually smiles to herself for the first time in days.
As they continue to walk in silence, Cassandra reflects on everything Rapunzel had said as she'd cried – that all of this is her fault. The fall of Corona, the death of her parents… Then she remembers telling Rapunzel a similar thing when they had first found themselves stranded and alone outside of the kingdom.
She'd told Rapunzel that the bandits were after her, and that's why all of this happened in the first place. She hadn't meant to make Rapunzel feel guilty for something she can't control. Suddenly, she regrets saying any of it at all.
Still, apologizing is not something Cassandra has ever been good at.
"It's not your fault, you know," Cassandra forces herself to say something, despite her struggle. It makes her feel awkward, and she stares down at her boots as she speaks, "What happened… back at the kingdom. I know it's easy to blame yourself. For losing the people that you love."
Cassandra doesn't need to elaborate for Rapunzel to know what she is referring to. She remembers that day at the docks like it had happened yesterday, and how heartbroken Cassandra had become following her father's death.
Rapunzel never wanted to upset Cassandra by speaking about it, but this is the first time Cass has mentioned it in years, without being asked about it by somebody first. Rapunzel appreciates that more than words can say.
"But… you said they were after me," Rapunzel puzzles. "Why?"
"I don't know. But your mother seemed sure about it. Maybe she knew something we didn't."
The answer is just as much of a mystery to Cassandra, but the question has been on her mind for days. Maybe whoever stabbed the queen had told her something before she died. Maybe she overheard the bandits talking before Cassandra was ever able to reach her.
"Is it because I'm the princess?" ponders Rapunzel.
"I can't imagine why it wouldn't be," says Cass, staring forward.
"But they took everything," she points out. "If it's the kingdom or—or riches that they're after, then I have nothing to offer them."
Cassandra's first thought had been the same thing, but something tells her these bandits' intentions with Rapunzel may not be so simple. If they have no problem with murder and burning an entire kingdom to the ground, then there's nothing that they aren't capable of. Even if that means taking advantage of a princess, in whatever way that they please.
Cassandra isn't sure which is worse.
"Without my title as princess, I'm…. just a girl," Rapunzel realizes.
A dark unease settles in Cassandra's stomach as she says, "When it comes to men like that, sometimes that's the only reason they need."