Summary: Six months after the events of 'heart of stone', Princess Rapunzel is determined to find out more about who she is and where her powers come from. However, when her abilities are flipped from healing to hurting, cursed to destroy everything she touches, she realizes her appointed knight Cassandra, the person she loves most, is also the one she is destined to kill. (Sequel to 'heart of stone' - Princess Rapunzel/Knight Cassandra AU)
A/N: Here it is, the long-awaited sequel to 'heart of stone'! If you haven't read my story 'heart of stone' yet, please do so before you read this one as none of it will make sense if you don't.
For those that have read it: I've spent months planning this, stumping myself, giving up, changing the story, thinking tirelessly about how to make it what I want it to be. I almost ended up scrapping it entirely. But I've finally finished planning it in its entirety, and I'm so excited to finally share what I have been secretly working on for the past few months.
It's going to be long, much longer than the first, and we'll see a few familiar faces. Basically, a lot of shit is about to happen, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you all think.
Warnings: violence, killing, blood, gay angst
Enjoy!
heart of gold
Chapter 1
The shadows of a misty purple sky draw King Edmund into an empty trance.
His gloved fingers absently scratch at the railing of the balcony before him. His wrinkled eyes are fixed on the seemingly endless black rocks ahead protruding through a layer of fog, among a field of jagged stones stretching beneath the castle. It goes on for miles toward the distant horizon, seemingly endless.
The air is crisp and silent around him, the many years he has spent in a solitude like this somehow both comforting and dire all at once. A whistling breeze sends the black feathers of his cloak ruffling, his long brown hair flowing past his broad and muscular shoulders. A deep violet sheen glimmers across his black crown, reflecting the colour of the sky.
"Your Majesty!"
The frantic shuffling of footsteps stepping out onto the castle's balcony somewhere behind the king does nothing to cause him to turn over his shoulder, nor does the familiar voice that follows. His gaze only remains where it fell, as if he hadn't heard a thing at all.
"It's the stone. It's begun to glow."
Immediately, Edmund lifts his chin. Because he knows what this means - that somewhere out there, the sunstone has awakened, after a twenty-year long sleep, as they all knew it would some day. Where that sunstone may be, or why, or how, he doesn't know. All he knows is that this is a moment they have all been anticipating for years.
After a moment, his stunned expression shifts into one of determination, his heavy brow falling low over his dark brown eyes. Then he turns abruptly and his feet spring into action, brushing directly past the guard standing in the doorway.
The burly king's raven cape flows behind him as he strides through the maze of black marble corridors, to a particular room within the castle, to the very place that has been kept a secret from the world for decades.
He pushes open the set of towering double doors, stepping into a vast chamber.
Inside, the walls and ceiling are made up entirely of large rocks shaped like pointed black icicles, identical to the ones littering the castle grounds. Before him is a narrow bridge, lengthening across an enormous chasm below. At the end of the bridge, in the centre of the room is a round platform made of rock, with a pedestal on top. Hovering above it, as if by magic, is a small, oval-shaped aquamarine stone, glimmering beneath an icy blue ray of light.
For so long, the stone had dimmed, much like this place had too. Twenty years have passed since the last time King Edmund had seen it so bright, with so much life and colour and beauty. He'd almost forgotten what it used to look like, before it ever begun to lose its power.
Now, it glows as bright as this kingdom once was.
Still, looking at it now brings a slight snarl to his upper lip, because never would Edmund have believed that such a beautiful thing could somehow bring so much destruction. He remembers what it did to his wife, his people, his kingdom. It's why this place is nothing but ash now. Why these walls have never been so empty and quiet. Why he has lost everything, all because of that stone.
Yet somehow, despite what it has done, Edmund can't seem to look away from it.
The way it shimmers and glows beneath the blue light captivates him into complete stillness. Then with his mouth agape, eyes wide and fixed ahead, he slowly walks across the narrow bridge and onto the suspended rock platform. The chasm below is a black abyss beneath his feet.
It's almost as if somehow, the sight of it alone is just drawing him toward it, luring him closer to its light.
As the king stops directly in front of the pedestal, he almost doesn't realize what he's doing, or even how he got here. The stone is right in front of him now. It's as if he's lost complete control of his body and his mind as he slowly reaches his arm up, stretching his fingertips toward the glowing object before him.
The glow of the stone is so bright it seems to swallow his fingers whole as his hand draws closer.
What feels like cold solid glass barely contacts his finger, then a blinding flash of white light causes Edmund to stagger backward.
He squeezes his eyes shut. An arm up comes up to shield his face from the unexpected brightness. Through the disorientation, his eyes squint open again.
There's a low rumbling beneath his boots, and he peers downward with a gasp.
A web of dark roots begin to emerge from the chasm below, slowly stretching and snaking over the edges of the suspended platform he's standing on. Pebbles and shards of rocks rain from the quaking ceiling, becoming more violent by the second. The aquamarine glow of the room drowns in sudden darkness. The dead roots slither toward his boots, wrapping around his ankles, crawling up his body.
Edmund begins to scream.
By the time the guards rush into the chamber, the king has already vanished.
With an absent mind, Willow scrubs away at the pile of dishes in the kitchen sink before her, having just finished the dinner she'd cooked for herself.
The motions are routine to her after living alone for so many years. The sloshing of water between her hands and the occasional clanging of pots and silverware seems to go right through her ears, just like every other night.
Through the frosted window above the sink are the snowy rooftops of neighbouring houses, wooden and quaint much like her own, nestled at the bottom of the hill. Thin snowflakes float softly to the ground. The deep blue sky looming over the village of Fairview has fully darkened now, the sun having just finished its descent beneath the horizon.
The fireplace crackles faintly somewhere in the next room, encasing Willow in warmth despite the weather outside. It causes the house to smell faintly of burning firewood.
A soft knock at the door snaps her out of her thoughtless trance. She peers over her shoulder toward it. She hadn't expected any visitors.
She unties the apron around her waist, draping it over a hook on the wall as she swiftly brushes past. Every possible scenario of who might be knocking at this time of the evening flashes through her mind as she begins her stride toward the door, ultimately coming to no conclusion.
However, as she swings it open and a rush of cold air suddenly crashes against her, the faces that meet her on her doorstep are not at all the ones she'd expected to find. In fact, it takes her a few seconds to even comprehend who she is looking at, and she wonders if she may be imagining it.
Those it's been years, Willow immediately recognizes the figure's chocolate waves of hair trailing over slender shoulders. She recognizes those piercing green eyes that remind Willow so much of her sister, peering up at her from beneath her dark hooded cloak, with nothing but the dim lantern hanging above the front porch to illuminate her facial features.
"Rapunzel…?" Willow blinks in surprise.
Then Willow peers over at the second girl standing next to her niece, her face also shadowed by a hooded cloak.
Though she's grown a couple inches since the last time they'd seen each other, Willow recognizes her too. The various weapons she wears would give it away, if it weren't for the dark curls that have somehow remained just as disheveled as when she were a child.
Willow's heart clenches at the sight. "Cassandra?" she glances between them both, gaping, "Is it really you?"
Their weary eyes appear to have been losing sleep, as if they may succumb to it at any moment. Their shoulders fall too, as if standing weighs them down. They definitely don't appear to be their normal selves. Not to mention the pink tones of their noses and cheeks, no doubt from the frosty air nipping away at them for who knows how long.
Despite all of it, Rapunzel's lips tug into a relieved smirk, and a puff of cold air escapes them as she breathes with relief, "Hi, Aunt Willow."
Suddenly, Willow finds herself so overwhelmed with pure confusion, worry, and happiness all at once, but before any of them knows it, she's swept them both up into a tight embrace, wrapping one arm around each of them.
They both stumble back slightly from the suddenness of it, or maybe that's just from their exhaustion. But Willow is so ecstatic that she doesn't realize they haven't smiled.
"Oh, I've missed you so much!" Willow exclaims, allowing herself to bask in the feeling of holding them close. She pulls away again. Her palms cup Rapunzel's jaw, eyes darting frantically between them both, "Look at you both. So grown up. But—what on earth are you two doing here? So far from home and in this cold! I mean, of course, I'm happy to see you, it's been so long. But I wasn't expecting…" She cranes her neck to peer behind them, finding nobody else with them aside from Cassandra's horse.
Corona is miles from Fairview. It must have taken them months to get here on horseback. And Rapunzel has never been seen outside of the kingdom without her parents. Especially not this far from it.
Suddenly Willow wonders – what could have possibly gone wrong for them to have come here? "Are you alone? Is everything all right at home?" she asks worriedly.
Rapunzel and Cassandra share a glance, now reminded of what they'd rather forget. Somehow, the air becomes even colder.
"It's… kind of a long story," Rapunzel decides to say.
"We have a lot to catch you up on," says Cassandra, her tone unreadable.
"Oh," Willow's expression falls, noticing their unexpected glumness. She wants to ask what exactly they mean, then she remembers that they are currently standing out in the cold and in the dark, when it looks like the last place either of them want to be right now. They must be absolutely freezing.
"Oh, what am I doing?" Muttering to herself, Willow scurries back into the house and beneath the warmth of the yellow light emitting through the door, gesturing for them to follow. "Come in. Come. Warm yourselves up. I'll put the kettle on."
A few minutes later, Cassandra and Rapunzel settle at the square table in the centre of Willow's cluttered kitchen, both pulling woolen blankets around their shoulders, clothes still damp from the falling snow.
Willow is shuffling at the kitchen counter nearby with her back turned, preparing two mugs of steaming tea. All that can be heard is the trickling sound of pouring liquid. The house smells faintly of herbs and smoke.
Then Willow turns, carefully placing both drinks on the table. But Rapunzel and Cassandra's hands don't emerge from beneath their blankets, nor do they say a word, their eyes rather staring blankly through the steaming liquid placed before them as if they aren't really there at all.
Their cheeks and fingertips are still numb, though it's nothing they haven't been forced to grow used to. The warmth and security of being inside is comforting to them.
"If I'd have known you'd be coming, I would have been better prepared. I would have had dinner ready for you and everything." Willow takes a seat at the table across from them, also cradling a steaming mug of tea between her palms.
Though she'd never had children of her own, she always possessed her own parental instincts, in a way that reminds Rapunzel so much of her mother.
"Now, don't tell me you travelled all the way out here by yourselves," Willow's voice holds nothing but concern for their wellbeing.
Rapunzel shares a glance with Cassandra seated next to her.
A silence fills the room. There's the question of who is going to speak first, and what exactly they are going to say. They hadn't exactly planned how this was going to go.
But Cassandra thinks it might be best if Rapunzel is the one to tell her. Willow is her aunt, after all. Cass was never as close to Willow as she was with Arianna, not like Rapunzel is.
"We don't know how to tell you this," Rapunzel says quietly.
Willow glances expectantly between them both, her voice still holding that glint of enthusiasm as it always does, "Tell me what?"
Rapunzel purses her lips. She looks to Cassandra again, and she's not sure why. Seeking comfort, maybe. A sense of reassurance. But she remembers this was inevitable. So, the princess sighs softly, locking eyes with her aunt across the table, "Corona is gone."
Willow's mouth slowly drops into a frown, her brows creasing slightly in confusion, "What?"
"About four months ago… There was a raid," Rapunzel explains slowly. "Bandits. They attacked the village one night, broke into the castle. They set fire to the houses. There were explosions… They were killing people."
Her gaze drifts downward along with her mind, recalling the very images that have haunted her dreams ever since they happened.
She still sees it all – the fire, the blurry silhouettes of frightened villagers darting past her on the streets. She hears their screams, the children crying. She sees the very same people she was meant to protect, as their future queen, their bodies littering the roads. The people who are now dead, while she's still alive, left with nothing but the memories of it.
Sometimes, Rapunzel wonders which is worse.
Her stomach is twisted. Her heartbeat pounds in her chest just from saying it out loud. Though she's already had months to process it, it doesn't make saying it any easier. Because neither her nor Cassandra have spoken of it since. Not to anyone. Not even to each other. Not any more than they needed to.
"We made it out alive, but… mom and dad…" Tears prickle in Rapunzel's eyes. Her breath hitches as she chokes back a sob. A hand comes up to cover her mouth.
Cassandra places her palm on Rapunzel's thigh, beneath the table. Figuring the princess doesn't want to continue, Cass looks to Willow then. She swallows, her voice remaining soft, "I… tried to save them, but I was too late."
The look of pure defeat and horror on Willow's face is heartbreaking. Like she can't believe what she's hearing. Like her entire world has just shattered right before her eyes. Rapunzel is not sure she's ever seen her aunt without a smile on her face, not like she does right now.
"Arianna…" the woman's voice comes out in a weak whisper, eyes darting back and forth across the table in deep thought, all while welling with tears that glisten beneath the dim light.
"I'm so sorry," continues Cassandra, hating every moment of this. Because all she sees anymore is the woman who raised her cradled in her own arms, with tears streaming down Arianna's pale cheeks, and a pool of crimson blood beneath her. Staining Cassandra's hands red. Burrowing beneath her fingernails for days afterwards.
But Cassandra doesn't cry like she did that night. In fact, a part of her feels numb to it all as she slowly explains to Willow, "She told me to bring Rapunzel here, and that… you would look after her." She glances at Rapunzel's tear-stained face next to her, who is currently avoiding either of their eyes. "We've spent the last four months surviving on the road, just trying to get here. We had no where else to go."
Willow's mind is a clouded jumble, Cassandra's words seeming to soar right through it.
As this information simmers between them all, the realization that the two greatest treasures in her sister's life had been suffering for so long, and Willow never even had a clue. She realizes what a relief it must be for them, arriving here at last, after all that they had endured. And now, it seems they are the only family that they have left of each other.
In so little time, everything has changed. And now there's no coming back from any of it.
"We—" Cassandra hesitates, a part of her feeling guilty for asking this of the poor woman, especially after the news she'd just received, "We were hoping we could maybe stay a while."
The possibility of Willow saying 'no' prickles at the back of her mind. Where would they go if not here? How much longer would they survive out there on their own, with nothing but each other? Cassandra doesn't doubt her own survival skills, but bringing Rapunzel back out there after everything that happened would be a death sentence. With everyone that had wanted her. And wanted Cassandra dead.
But the thought of denying them a safe place to call home never even crosses Willow's mind. Because it is only natural that her sister's daughters are her responsibility now, and she wouldn't want it any other way.
However, the lump in Willow's throat is suffocating and she's pressing her lips together so hard that she can hardly choke out a sound. So she nods – frantically, with tears streaming silently down her cheeks. "Of course," she whispers. Cassandra doesn't even have to ask.
After that, none of them are sure what to say anymore.
Then Rapunzel's chair scrapes along the hardwood as she rises from it with more haste than she'd meant to. She steps toward her aunt, reaching a hand toward her shoulder.
Willow stands too. She quickly pulls Rapunzel into a tight embrace, weeping softly into her hair.
6 months later
Cassandra cups Rapunzel's face in her hands as she kisses her with an underlying fire.
Rapunzel grips onto the edge of the dresser behind herself as Cassandra pushes her further against it, their bodies pressing closer together. Cassandra's lips move from her mouth to her jaw, planting pecks that trail below Rapunzel's ear and down her neck.
The sun had gone down hours ago. The house is silent considering the late hour of night. Aunt Willow in the next room has long ago fallen asleep along with the rest of the village, though Cassandra and Rapunzel remain entirely awake. Their bedroom is dimly lit with a flickering lantern, its glowing flame casting dark shadows that dance across the walls.
There's an eagerness behind it all, a franticness in their motions, both of them having craved this from each other for countless years, now no longer holding back. Still, there's a gentleness and a deep care for one another at the same time, having loved each other for just as long, trusting the other in a way that they've never trusted another person before.
Rapunzel naturally lifts her chin to allow Cassandra better access to her neck, breathing softly at the euphoric feeling of it. It makes her head feel like it's swaying, sending her into a blissful trance.
She rises onto her toes, attempting to lift herself up onto the surface of the dresser.
Breaking apart for a moment, Cassandra takes that as a sign to hook her arms beneath Rapunzel's thighs, helping lift her up onto it.
She stands between Rapunzel knees now, the princess' thighs falling off the edge of the dresser and hovering around Cassandra's hips.
Cass lifts her chin to reach Rapunzel's lips, who is now angled above her. Their chests are pressed together, unable to get any closer. They can feel the other's breath on their faces, their hearts beating as one.
Cassandra scrambles to reach for the skirt of Rapunzel's dress, hastily lifting the fabric up above her knees. She snakes her hands along Rapunzel's bare thighs, under her skirt, slowly inching upward. Her one hand stops just before it reaches between her legs, wanting to touch her, silently asking to go further.
Cassandra breaks apart for a moment to murmur against Rapunzel's lips, "Is this okay?"
"Mhm," Rapunzel mumbles before cupping Cassandra's face, pulling her back into a kiss.
Cassandra pulls away again, wanting to make sure that Rapunzel is listening, and not just saying that, "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Rapunzel breathes. She reaches for Cassandra's wrist lingering on her thigh, pulling her hand closer, "I want you to…"
So, Cassandra lets Rapunzel guide her hand between her legs – though Cassandra is timid about it, a part of her hesitating having never done this with her before. There's a nervous feeling settling in both of their stomachs, one that's also exhilarating and exciting all at once, because Cassandra doesn't want to pressure her.
They've kissed this way a few times before, and have been sleeping next to each other every night for almost a year now, but nothing more. And she knows that Rapunzel has most definitely never done anything like this before with anyone.
Cassandra, on the other hand - she'd lost her virginity at fifteen, to one of the male knights her age that she'd been training with at the time. Mostly, she'd done it because a part of her felt pressured to. Another part just wanted to get it over with, say that she'd done it. She wanted to be like all the other guys, because maybe then they might've actually treated her like one. Being the only girl in training had its disadvantages. And being that young, it was easy to make stupid choices.
When Cassandra got a few years older, as a fresh knight who had just turned eighteen, the guys had dragged her out to various taverns and brothels within the town of Corona on a few occasions, to celebrate their newfound knighthood, or sometimes for no reason at all other than to drink.
Though that had been years ago, and it all seems a blur to her now, she'd experimented with girls then too, with much thanks to whatever alcohol had been in her system at the time. It hadn't been a big deal to her, or to anybody. It was normal, because all the other knights did it too, all being around the same age. And in their eyes, you practically weren't considered a true knight otherwise.
Maybe she'd just gone along with it because she wanted to feel something. Maybe it cured her numbness, at least for the night. Or maybe it did the opposite and only numbed her further. She'd let herself lose control, despite never wanting to. It made her forget for a little bit - mostly about Rapunzel, and whatever pain that came along with the thought of her. Because Cassandra never thought her princess could ever love her back.
But now, this is entirely different. This isn't just an experiment or a drunken mistake or a case of being pressured by other people. This is Rapunzel – the girl that Cassandra knows more than she knows her own self, inside and out.
She knows everything about her. She has for her entire life. They grew up together, have been practically inseparable since they were toddlers. They've been through so much – have experienced unspeakable things together. They've gone through hell and back, and somehow remain alongside each other still after it is all over. This is the girl that Cassandra loves and trusts more than anyone in the entire world, which is what makes this so damn terrifying, because the last thing she wants to do is mess it up somehow.
But Rapunzel doesn't believe that she ever could. She's Cassandra, her Cassandra - the girl that has dedicated her entire life to protecting Rapunzel, taking care of her, loving her. Which is why Rapunzel isn't so terrified, but rather more comfortable than anything, knowing that Cassandra would never hurt her, and that she would do anything for her. She trusts Cassandra with her life. It's why Rapunzel finds herself wanting this with her so badly as Cassandra takes Rapunzel's invite to move her hand between the princess' legs.
Rapunzel gasps at the feeling of it, her jaw opening in an uncontrollable way.
Cassandra watches her reaction closely – searching for any signs that Rapunzel may be uncomfortable, that she should stop. But she doesn't find any. So, Cass starts to move her hand - slowly, timidly, afraid to cross a line or overstep any boundaries.
But Cassandra doesn't want to stop either. Instead, she seems to release a breath too along with Rapunzel, just from the exhilaration of it all, and seeing Rapunzel react to her like that, in a way that Cassandra has only ever seen in her dreams.
Cassandra's own jaw falls open as her hand starts to develop a rhythm, mimicking Rapunzel's expression. She leans closer, her face just inches away from Rapunzel's as she whispers, "Just tell me when to stop."
Rapunzel's eyes fall closed, sighing. She tilts her head back slightly, her stomach fluttering at the blissful feeling of whatever Cassandra is doing to her. She's never felt anything like it. Never experienced this with anyone before, therefore not really knowing how it all works. All she knows is that it feels good, and she doesn't want it to end.
"I don't want you to," she breathes.
Something about the way she says it makes Cassandra melt, having never heard Rapunzel talk like that before, but not entirely knowing how badly she had wanted to hear that particular tone in her voice until now.
With a newfound hunger, and a desperation that hadn't been there before, Cassandra presses her lips against Rapunzel's again.
Rapunzel's hands cup Cassandra's jaw, wrapping around her neck, digging through her hair and tangling within her curls. Her own skirt is hiked up to her hips now. She lifts her knee, hovering it around the other girl's waist.
As Cassandra's hand starts to move quicker, she dips her head down into the princess' shoulder once more, her lips brushing along the skin of Rapunzel's neck. She places her opposite palm on the surface of the dresser behind Rapunzel, leaning forward into her, causing Rapunzel to lean further back.
Both of their heartrates are racing now, breath quickening against each other's lips. Overwhelmed with the sensation heightening between her legs, Rapunzel breaks away for a moment as an uncontrollable whimper escapes her throat.
"Shhh…" Cassandra's face is hovering so close to her own, eyes half-lidded.
She's fully aware of Willow sleeping in the next room, just on the other side of the wall. There isn't a lock on their bedroom door, and Willow has been known to barge into rooms with knocking. As much as Cassandra is enjoying this, the last thing she wants is for Rapunzel's aunt to hear them, and discover what Cass is doing to her niece right now.
Despite it, the possibility of getting caught is thrilling in a way. The thought of stopping lingers in the back of Cassandra's mind, wondering if maybe they shouldn't be doing this right now. But at the same time, she really, really doesn't want to.
Rapunzel bites her bottom lip in an attempt to stay quiet, though Cassandra is making that very difficult for her right now. She's also blatantly aware of her aunt in the other room yet she feels so good right now that she doesn't much care about the rest of the world in this moment, as if it is only her and Cassandra existing.
Rapunzel places her hands on the dresser behind her, because she feels that if she doesn't prop herself up somehow, she may actually collapse completely and fall over from the growing numbness in her legs. Her stomach is tightening, like she's losing control of her body.
She yelps again, louder this time, unable to keep it in.
Cassandra clamps a hand over Rapunzel's mouth, panicked at how loud that was, though her opposite hand between Rapunzel's legs doesn't slow. Because she knows Rapunzel is getting close, and she's enjoying this so much she doesn't want to stop now. She just hopes to god Willow can't hear this.
Cassandra's hand is moving faster. Rapunzel squeezes her eyes shut. She's breathing heavily against Cassandra's palm, her chest heaving for breath.
Cassandra feels Rapunzel's body starting to tense beneath her. She feels her legs squirming, wrapping around Cassandra's hips, no longer able to keep them still.
She's whimpering into Cassandra's hand, faster and faster, matching the quickening pace of her panting chest, rapidly rising and falling. Then suddenly, Rapunzel's head tilts back, her back arches, her toes curl. Her voice goes quiet though Cassandra presses her hand further against her mouth as Rapunzel thrashes briefly beneath her, her body reacting in an uncontrollable way. Rapunzel's legs are quivering as she lifts her knees, and Cassandra's hold on her seems to be the only thing keeping her upright.
Then the muscles of Rapunzel's body slowly relaxes, and Cassandra's hand finally comes to a stop.
The princess sighs heavily, lowering her legs, letting herself melt completely into a sudden pool of exhaustion.
When everything is still, and Cassandra is sure that Rapunzel isn't going to make any more noise, she slowly lowers her hand from the princess' mouth.
They're both panting now. The room is quiet once more. Cassandra's arm is a little sore, feeling weak and tired now along with Rapunzel. A thin coat of sweat covers the princess' forehead and her chest, both of their bodies now overwhelmed with heat.
Cassandra stays standing between Rapunzel's knees afterward, peering up at her with a hint of uncertainty glazing over her eyes – hoping that had been okay for Rapunzel, worried she may have done something wrong, seeking reassurance maybe. Hoping this hasn't ruined something between them forever. Wanting to tell her just how much Cassandra loves her, and how beautiful she looks right now.
Still catching her breath, Rapunzel raises a palm to Cassandra's cheek, and they watch each other for a moment, with words unspoken, just breathing into one another. She pulls Cassandra into a final kiss, one that is much softer and gentler this time.
Then Rapunzel tightly wraps her arms Cassandra's neck, and her knees around her hips - pulling her close, embracing her as tight as she possibly can.
Cassandra clutches her arms around Rapunzel's back just as firmly, digging her nose into Rapunzel's hair.
Rapunzel sighs over Cassandra's shoulder, also burrowing her nose into the crook of Cass' neck. There's a desperation behind it all, as if this were the first time they'd seen in each other in years, and they'd missed each other immensely. As if they're afraid of letting go.
With Rapunzel so tired now, she wants nothing more than to fall – to melt completely into Cassandra and the smell of her hair that reminds her so much of home. And she does.
They don't speak as they stay that way afterwards, holding each other well into the night.
A/N: I've made fanart for that last scene that I will link on my profile since I can't post links here.
I also have my two previous artworks I made for heart of stone on there, in case anyone would like to revisit them.