DISCLAIMER - I don't own anything except for my OCs.
[A guy with a big imagination] - I'm glad you like what I've started with. I've got more in store coming this way. It's just a matter of making sure it's all where it needs to be. Also, if you like that I've added Rusotti and Agent Coulson, then you might like who I added in the final chapter of "The Rider's Tangled Journey" and my version of "Tangled Ever After", if you haven't already noticed them.
Chapter 02 - Happily Ever After After All
"Speech"
"Singing"
"Thoughts"
On their way to the castle(Rapunzel, Eugene, and the guards walking on horseback while Jonah and Helena are on the motorcycle at a steady pace), Jonah and Helena catch up with their friends. Rapunzel gets overjoyed upon hearing about Jonah and Helena's relationship beginning with their duet, which was a reprisal of Rapunzel and Eugene's duet back when the lanterns were launched on her 18th birthday, and their first kiss as the princess(officially or otherwise) coos, "Aww, that is so romantic!"
"Ha-ha! Jonah, I knew you had it in you!" Eugene comments with a mild hearty laugh, causing the other couple to both blush.
As soon as both couples, the captain and his men cross the bridge, a young ravenette woman in a maid-like attire who's approximately 4 years older than Rapunzel, has pale skin, grayish brown eyes, curled neck-length raven-black hair in a pixie cut, and a no-nonsense attitude notices them coming up. Though she may have some idea who Jonah is, she's not familiar with Helena.
As both couples dismount, the handmaiden walks toward them, getting Rapunzel's attention in the process.
"Cassandra, this is Jonah Payne, my friend that I told you about." Rapunzel starts introducing her American friends to her local friend/lady-in-waiting in excitement. "And this is the love of Jonah's life, Helena Williams."
"Ser Jonah Payne, I'm honored to officially meet you." Cassandra greets them with respect for the biker before doing the same with Helena, "And to you, as well, Ms. Williams. Welcome to Corona."
"Thanks, Cassandra." Jonah responds as he offers his right hand to shake, which Cassandra takes wholeheartedly as Helena says, "Thank you."
"Strong grip you've got." Jonah compliments, noticing the strength in Cassandra's hand.
"Thanks." Cass responds as they break up the handshake and shakes Helena's hand before pointing out, "Look, I'd love to get to know more about you two, but right now, we've got to get ready for the Welcoming Ceremony."
"Right." Rapunzel says before turning to Eugene. "I'll see you at the ceremony."
"Deal." Eugene accepts wholeheartedly as he and the princess take each other's hands, "I love you, darling."
"I love you, too." Rapunzel responds as she leans forward to kiss her rogue boyfriend, only to be pulled away by Cassandra before lip contact could be made.
"Come on, you two." Cassandra gestures for Jonah and Helena to follow along, leaving Eugene disgruntled from Cassandra pulling the princess away. Max does give the ex-thief a peck on the cheek to make him feel better, much to Eugene's annoyance and Samson's amusement as the latter snickers at the sight.
Before anything else can happen, Jonah's Yamaha starts up on its own, puts its own kickstand back up, and moves forward, much to everyone but Samson's shock.
As Jonah, Helena, and Rapunzel walk through the village on their way to the castle with Cassandra leading the way, the people are preparing for the coronation; hanging up flags, setting posters up onto any free wall, and so on.
"So, sunshine." Jonah speaks up, which gets Rapunzel's attention before asking, "How's life been treating you since we last saw each other?"
Then, music starts playing out of thin air, which slightly surprises Helena(if Jonah didn't tell her about the musical magic from his 1st adventure in the kingdom during their reunion, she would've been fully shocked).
"Well..." Rapunzel starts before she continues in song, "This is life after Happily Ever After..."
"God, I actually kinda miss this." Jonah remarks in his head.
"...and it's all just as sweet as the stories say." Rapunzel continues gleefully. "I feel wild, free, as light as can be, and ready to explore with nothing at all standing in my way."
"True, there are certain customs I have to follow..." Rapunzel sings as they approach the people of Corona.
"Curtsy." Cass reminds Rapunzel when they notice a woman curtsy to the princess before the latter returns the curtsy with grace and respect.
"That means you should bow, too, champion." Cassandra advises Jonah before he lightly returns the bow to the people with the same respect Rapunzel is showing.
"Several small obligations I can't avoid." Rapunzel continues her song as a little girl offers flowers to the princess before she takes one acceptingly from the bundle and puts it in her short brown hair happily. Jonah and Helena couldn't help but smile at that sight.
"Princess, the time." Cass reminds Rapunzel as she pulls her away from the little girl, due to the tight schedule they have to keep.
"A few rules — well, more than a few — commitments by the score."
Rapunzel, Cass, and the foreign couple are now in one of the castle halls when they come across Mrs. Crowley, one of the castle servants, gives a deadpanned look as she points behind the younger group, making them turn to see a trail of barefoot dirt footprints that Rapunzel made by accident.
The princess nervously smiles and waves at the elderly maid before Cass puts her hands on Rapunzel's shoulders and leads her forward.
"Aside from all that, though, I'm overjoyed!"
"This way, everyone." Cassandra tells them as she continues to lead on while the princess gets her face powdered, her hair brushed and her corset tightened.
"And sure, there are corsets and buckles and bows. Plus all those names to recall."
"Jane?" Rapunzel guesses one of the maids' names.
"Ethel" Ethel corrects.
Rapunzel continues while feeling a little overwhelmed, which the other couple can't help but feel pity for her being practically smothered by the maids.
"Still I can hardly complain, I suppose — this is happily ever after after all."
Jonah was about to break it up himself, but as soon as Cassandra notices what's going on, she leaps into action.
"That's enough!" Cass instructs the other maids as she closes in and breaks it up. "I'll take it from here."
"We'll see you at the ceremony." Cassandra says to Jonah and Helena before the other servants begin to lead them to different rooms as Cass informs the couple, "The other servants will lead you to your respective rooms to get ready."
"Ok." Jonah accepts as Helena nods before the latter informs Rapunzel, "We'll see you at the ceremony, princess."
Rapunzel accepts with a nod and a smile as she waves to her friends.
"How are you holding up?" Cassandra asks.
"Busy." Rapunzel puts it lightly while putting on a brave face. "But, busy's good."
"I'm glad you think so, Raps, because this Welcoming Ceremony is just the beginning." Cass warns before listing as she straightens up her dress, "Tomorrow's the festival, followed by the royal banquet, and that's all before the actual coronation on Sunday."
Rapunzel can't help but worry about all that pressure she's about to be under this weekend.
After almost 5 minutes in his guestroom, Jonah emerges from behind wearing a Coronan bodyguard uniform jacket which has purple highlights and shoulder straps that have three gold studs each with a gold ring rope that is wrapped around the suit jacket's right armpit and shoulder pad, gray ankle-long pants with black leather straps that flank the outside of the thighs also with three gold studs on each strap that reaches down to the knee, dark brown leather boots that reach up to 3 inches below the knees, a leather waist wrap that reaches from the mid-abdomen to the hips and is also wrapped by a leather belt, leather vambraces with steel studs and gray gloves. Though the biker doesn't feel like the uniform is him, at least it's tactical.
About 2 seconds after that, Helena walks out from her guestroom in a Coronan cranach gown that's mainly dark ocean-blue with white highlights, a collared vest with a gold top that covers from her waist to about 2-3 inches below her collarbone, and her hair tied into a bun at the base of her head. Needless to say, Jonah is in awe of how beautiful she is right now.
As they gaze lovingly into each other's eyes, the servants leave to give them a little privacy.
Jonah - So, this is life after Happily Ever After, something I never thought I could possibly achieve
Helena - With our dreams coming true, and us never letting each other go, I think we both deserve this reprieve
Jonah - And now, at last, we're together and with love in our hearts
Helena - And, around yours, you've torn down that awful wall
Both - As we live our dreams, our love shall play no small part
Helena - Now that's happily ever after after all
"Do you think that Rapunzel might be a little overwhelmed by all of this, Jonah?" Helena asks her boyfriend with concern for how the princess is handling the coronation weekend so far.
"I'm pretty sure she is, Helena." Jonah answers. "Though, I do feel that if you were to ask her that directly, she'll just put on her brave face and say she's fine. I mean, come on, she's only known this life for 3 months now. I'm pretty sure I would somewhat be a little overwhelmed by this life."
"I hope she catches a break soon." Helena says, which Jonah responds in agreement, "Me too, babe. Me too."
"Look, Rapunzel, I know this whole princess thing is new to you, but you gotta at least try to act the part." Cassandra tells her friend as she continues to help get her ready for the ceremony.
"Trust me, Cassandra, I know how important this is to my dad." Rapunzel acknowledges as she turns her head to a portrait of her father.
"As you've requested, your majesty, have guards at both the main gates and the south towers." The captain informs King Frederick while placing a soldier figurine in front of a miniature model of the kingdom.
"Good, Captain. Very good." The king compliments before he inquires, "And the champion?"
"Came in an hour ago, sire." The captain assures. "He and his plus 1 are here and just finished preparing for the ceremony."
"Excellent!" King Frederick says before pointing out as he leaves to check on his daughter, "We have guests coming in from almost all over the world. I want them to know that they're safe. The fact that Ser Jonah is here makes this all the more grand. Everything for my little girl's coronation weekend must be absolutely..."
"...perfect."
"Hi, dad." Rapunzel greets her father when he opens her bedroom door.
"And now that, at last, you are here in my arms..." Frederick sings as he walks toward his daughter before embracing her in a gentle bear hug. "...I won't permit you to fall. I must protect you from all the world's harms. We'll live happily ever after after all."
"Now, as princess, you are not only representing yourself and the family, but all of Corona." Frederick explains to his daughter as he walks toward the window before closing it.
"Don't worry, Dad. I won't let you down." Rapunzel reassures her father before requesting a little nervously, "Since we're on the princess coronation subject; all these royal activities are great, but do you think I might be able to catch a little downtime soon?"
"I know this is all new, but you'll adjust." The king says understandingly before kissing his daughter's forehead. "After all, your boyfriend seems to be getting along just fine."
"Whoo-hoo! Helmut, my man, this hat ties the whole outfit together!" Eugene compliments Helmut as he looks into the mirror before pointing out, "Now, I know what you all might be thinking. 'Why is Eugene in such a good mood, today?' 'I mean, what gives?' "
"Now that we're living splendidly..." Eugene starts singing as walks by Big-Nose, who's relaxing with cucumber slices over his eyes.
"... our dreams fulfilled extendedly..."
He gives Atilla the Bun's helmet a clean shave, which he likes.
"...why leave things open-endedly for Rapunzel and moi?"
He hands Vladimir two ceramic unicorns in a bridal gown and groom tux respectively before the thug touches their noses together.
"Soon, I'll hand this rose to her. Kneel down, and then, propose to her. And give this ring I chose to her!" Then, on one knee, Eugene shows the gold band diamond ring to Dante, Big-Nose, and Ulf.
"Nice!" Dante compliments, to which Big-Nose agrees with a nod before Ulf mimes a faint.
Eugene sings confidently as he, Max, and Samson side to side, "Life's gonna be like strawberry sherbert once she is Mrs. Eugene Fitzberbert!"
Everyone disapproves of that last part as they glare their disapproval at Eugene. Even Samson growls at that.
"Ok, not great." Eugene admits, quickly realizing his mistake, before correcting it, "But how about this? Once she is Princess Eugene Fitzberbert!"
"And what better way to propose to a princess than at her coronation?" Eugene asks rhetorically with his arms wrapped around the respective necks of Maximus and Samson before the latter barks in agreement.
Dante, on the other hand, can't help but silently question the ex-thief's timing. After all, it's only been 3 months since Rapunzel's return to her real family after the 1st 18 years of her life and she may already be under enough pressure with her coronation as it is.
"This is life after Happily Ever After!" Rapunzel, Eugene, Jonah, and Helena sing simultaneously in their respective locations. "And our story has finally reached its end."
"Settling down here..." Eugene sings as he takes a seat before looking at the engagement ring in thought.
"...year upon year..." Rapunzel sings.
"...content and secure..." Helena sings as she leans back into Jonah's arms before he sings, "...with several duties which we'll have to tend."
"Now that we've gotten the dream that we chose!" They all sing simultaneously again. "Now that we're in for the haul!"
"Now our adventures can come to a close, living happily ever after after all."
Eugene looks at the ring a second longer before closing the box, feeling so sure about what he wants.
"I hope things go smoothly for you and the princess this weekend, Fitzberbert." Dante says in his head, still thinking that the rogue might be getting ahead of himself.
"Now that I've gotten the dream that I chose..." Rapunzel continues as she sadly walks from her globe to her mirror with her tiara in front of it. "... why does my world feel so small? If this is it, and it is, I suppose. Is this happily ever after after all?"
"Ok, no pressure. Just introducing myself to some of the most important people in the world." Rapunzel says out loud in an attempt to convince herself with a smile that there's no trouble. "Representing my mom, dad, and the entire kingdom. We got this. Besides, Jonah's here, and he's with the woman he loves. This weekend is going to be perfect."
Back in the village, a poster boy pastes a copy of the coronation weekend poster onto a free wall with a sack full of copies behind him.
Unbeknownst to him, a rat sneaks a rolled poster out of the sack before making its way into a sewer drain. The rodent crawls through the sewers until it enters an underground layer. There's not much light in the layer, save for a few lit candles and an opening in the ceiling letting in some daylight. All that light shows is the room that seems to be set up as an office with a knee-high pedestal with a desk that comes with a large chair, a gold-framed chalkboard, and a large portrait of the king. The rat climbs up the pedestal until it's on the surface of the desk.
Then, a left hand in a fingerless glove reaches for the parchment, only showing a tattoo of 2 roses with a skull between them on her upper arm, and takes the notice from the rat before reading it silently.
"What is it, Lady Caine?" The weasel-like man asks the woman from in front of her desk with the back of her chair facing him.
"Pocket, it's time to pay our respects to our beloved royals." Caine announces with venomous intent as she takes a lit candle to light the Coronation notice on fire. Whatever her intentions are, they're clearly not good. However, Pocket is having doubts.
"What about the champion, this Jonah Payne?" He asks nervously.
"What about him?" Lady Caine asks in an uncaring and callous tone.
"They say he has powers." The henchman informs. "That he's an immovable spirit from the depths of Hell. A demon."
"I'm not passing this opportunity up over superstitious rumors." Caine retorts in anger, not intimidated by what Pocket just told her before she advises, or rather warns, him, "Now, if you're gonna lose your nerve over them, then get out. Otherwise, pull yourself together and recruit as many lowlives as you can. What we're about to do is gonna require a lot of helping hands."
Ok. I finally got this chapter done. It's not great. I'm pretty sure I still have a few kinks to work out. But, after a couple of months of either not being on this or struggling to get the right stuff down, I've decided to compromise and did what I believe had to be done.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and I'll see you next time.
1-3-23 (8-6-23)