Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Tangled; I only own this story idea.
Rapunzel, Eugene, and the guards had just returned to the city. The horses slowed to a walk when they crossed the bridge, entering the Capital of Corona.
This is life after happily ever after
Everyone in town was decorating the city for the coronation ceremony. Event announcements were posted on the walls for anyone who didn't know. Kids played with the flag banners as they were hung, and adults watched them fondly while guards passed by on patrol. One woman hung a lantern with the sun symbol by her window.
And it's all just as sweet as the stories say
Cassandra was pacing around impatiently in front of the city gates. When she looked up, her eyes widened when she saw the princess and Eugene enter the Capital.
I feel wild, free, as light as can be
And ready to explore
Eugene dismounted from Maximus and helped Rapunzel do the same. Once off the horses, Rapunzel and Eugene were about to attempt another kiss when Cass walked over. She gently grabbed Rapunzel's wrist and pulled her away, much to Eugene's dismay. Eugene watched them go with annoyance, knowing the woman did that on purpose. Maximus kissed the former thief on the cheek, causing him to wipe it in disgust.
With nothing at all standing in my way
Cass led Rapunzel through town, and the Royal Guard followed behind. Citizens along the road would bow and curtsy to the Princess.
True, there are certain customs I have to follow
"Curtsy," Cass whispered to the inexperienced princess, who did as told.
Several small obligations I can't avoid
A little girl held out a bouquet to Rapunzel. The Princess smiled as she kneeled, plucking one of the flowers to put it in her hair. "Princess, the time." Cass bent down beside her before dragging Rapunzel away, the Princess waving to the little girl as she left.
A few rules, too
Well, more than a few
Commitments by the score
Once back at the castle, Cass pulled out a to-do list and reviewed what they needed to do before the ceremony. While walking through the halls, the two women abruptly stopped in front of Old Lady Crowley, the head maid. Crowley pointed disdainfully behind them, revealing the muddy footprints Rapunzel tracked all over the carpet. The Princess waved sheepishly as Cassandra pushed her along, leaving the older woman to clean up the mess.
Aside from all that, though, I'm overjoyed
As she was escorted down the hallway to her room, they met with three maids, a mother and two daughters. They started pampering and fussing over Rapunzel's appearance. "This way, Princess," Cass guided her.
And sure, there are corsets and buckles and bows
Walking along, the maids put makeup on Rapunzel and adjusted her corset… A little too tightly. She felt like she would suffocate as the youngest maid, Faith, pulled on her corset strings.
Plus, all those names to recall
"Jane?" Rapunzel guessed, pointing to the maid brushing her hair.
"Ethel," She reminded her, looking annoyed that she didn't remember.
"Right!"
Still, I can hardly complain, I suppose
Pascal was getting irritated with all the commotion around his friend, squeaking in protest when he got a face full of powder.
This is happily ever after, after all
When they reached Rapunzel's bedroom, Cassandra turned around and stared in disbelief at the messy scene as the maids continued to fuss with the Princess. She also saw how uncomfortable Rapunzel was with the pampering.
"That's enough," she assured the servants sharply, shooing them away. "I'll take it from here." They returned to their duties, leaving Rapunzel and Cass alone. "How you holding up?" She asked the Princess as she redid her corset ties.
"Busy," Rapunzel laughed awkwardly, brushing her hair aside. "But, busy is good."
"I'm glad you think so, Raps, 'cause this welcoming ceremony is just the beginning," Cassandra reminded her before holding up Rapunzel's arms to adjust her sleeves. "Tomorrow's the festival, followed by the Royal Banquet, and that's all before the actual coronation on Sunday." She turned the Princess around to fix her corset before glancing down. "Oh, come on. Really?" Cass frowned when she saw Rapunzel's hiked-up dress and bare feet. "Look, Rapunzel, I know this princess thing is new to you," Cassandra said, kneeling to pull her skirt back down to cover her ankles so that her feet weren't as noticeable. "But you've gotta at least try to act the part."
"Trust me, Cassandra, I know how important this is to my dad," Rapunzel smiled, lightly touching a portrait of Frederic.
(At the same time)
"As you've requested, Your Majesty," The Captain of the Guard said as he placed a miniature plastic guard on a model of Corona. "We've doubled security at both the main gates and the south towers."
"Good," Frederic nodded in approval. "We have guests from all over the world. I want them to know that they are safe."
To the King's joy, his old friend, Sir Quirin, would be attending the celebration. They only saw each other for business these days, and he'd been trying to get Quirin to come to events in the city for years. Frederic wondered if he should ask his friend if he would assist with any trouble were it to happen. Being a former knight, he knew that Quirin would never stand by if there were danger. Especially not since he was bringing his son along.
"Everything for my little girl's coronation must be absolutely…." He said as he walked out the door and went to Rapunzel's room. He opened the doors to find Cass adjusting Rapunzel's dress again. "Perfect."
"Hi, Dad." Rapunzel greeted him, smiling.
"And now that, at last, you are here in my arms…" He smiled softly, Cass stepping aside as he approached his daughter. Rapunzel threw her arms around her father, holding each other tightly. "I won't permit you to fall.~" He pulled back to look at his daughter. "I must protect you from all the world's harms," He stroked her hair gently before taking her hands in his reassuringly. "We'll live happily ever after, after all.~ Now, as Princess, you're not only representing yourself and the family," he explained, walking over to close the balcony window. "but all of Corona."
"Don't worry, Dad. I won't let you down," She assured him hopefully, rubbing her arm nervously before fiddling with her hair. "But while we're on the whole princess coronation thingy, I mean, 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," King Frederic assured her, kissing her forehead. "After all, your friend seems to be getting on just fine."
(Elsewhere in the Castle)
While Frederic spoke with his daughter, Eugene was hanging out at the Royal Spa, getting himself dolled up for the ceremony. He was currently checking over his appearance in the mirror, dressed in a new forest-green tail-suit and trying on a black hat with a white feather.
"Ooh-hoo-hoo! Hartmut, my man, this hat ties the whole outfit together!" He praised the tailor, who silently giggled instead of agreeing with him. Eugene then dramatically tossed the hat aside as he began talking with his friends from the Snuggly Duckling who had stopped by. "Now, I know what you're all thinking," He said as he sprayed on some cologne before tossing it to Shorty, who did the same. "'Why is Eugene in such a good mood today?' I mean, what gives?"
"Now that we're living splendidly,~" he sang, looking over Big Nose as the thug ate the cucumbers from his spa treatment. "Our dreams fulfilled extendedly.~" He shaved the shaving cream off Attila's helmet, who hummed in approval. "Why leave things open-endedly for Rapunzel and moi?~" the former thief summed up as he handed Vladimir ceramic bride and groom unicorns, who then had them kiss.
"Tonight, I'll hand this rose to her.~" Eugene plucked a rose from a nearby vase and handed it to Shorty as he spun the old thug around on a dress mannequin. "Kneel down and then propose to her." He slid down on one knee in front of Big Nose, Ulf, and Maximus, cupping something in his hands. "And give this ring I chose to her!~" He opened a small box to show off a beautiful gold ring with a small diamond in the center.
"Nice," Big Nose approved as Ulf swooned.
"Life's gonna feel like strawberry sherbert," Eugene sang as he danced around with Max. "Once she is Mrs. Eugene Fitzherbert.~" The thugs and Maximus glared at him, not approving of his wording. "Okay, not great, but how about this?" He jumped on a couch in the room as Shorty swung by in his cupid outfit, scattering rose petals. "Once she is Princess Eugene Fitzherbert~!" Maximus walked over to Eugene, smiling in full support as his former nemesis leaned on him with a grin. "And what better day to propose to a princess than at her coronation?"
Back with Rapunzel, once her father and Cassandra left, she threw open her balcony window and looked out at the sky. "This is life after happily ever after," She sang along with Eugene. "And our story has finally reached its end.~"
"Settling down here.~" Eugene hopped into a chair.
"Year upon year.~"
"Contended and secure.~" The former thief took a bite of cake while Big Nose, Ulf, and Shorty enjoyed some munchies.
"With dozens of duties we'll have to tend.~" Rapunzel looked around her room, eyes falling on some of her birthday lanterns on the ceiling as the duet resumed.
"And now that we've gotten the dream that we chose. Now that we're in for the haul.~" Eugene pulled out the ring and smiled at it. "Now our adventures can come to a close," Rapunzel spun her globe as Eugene put the ring away. "Living happily ever after, after all.~"
Rapunzel looked at the mural she'd painted on her wall, depicting her life from the flower until her return. "Now that I've gotten the dream that I chose…." She lightly touched the part where she was reunited with her family before looking around the room. "Why does my world feel so… small?~" She walked over to her vanity table, where her crown sat on a pillow.
"If this is it…." Rapunzel moved to pick up her tiara but wavered at the last minute. "And it is… I suppose…~" She looked in the mirror as her doubts and fears emerged. "Is this happily ever after… after all?~ … Okay, no pressure. Just introducing myself to the most important people in the world," she said, giving herself a pep talk as she brushed back a strand of hair. "Representing my mom, dad… and the entire kingdom." She looked horrified for a second before taking a deep breath and trying to smile confidently. "We got this…."
(Back in Old Corona)
The carriage arrived just as the father and son were finished getting ready. Quirin had put on his formals, and Varian was wearing a similar outfit in his size, a fancy dark blue and black suit with boots and gloves. Quirin had pinned Varian's hair back and tucked his streak out of sight.
"Are you ready?" He asked his son, cupping his cheek. Varian nodded eagerly before they left the manor. The driver opened the door, and they got in before heading out.
Quirin sighed, looking towards the city in the distance. He hoped this wasn't a mistake…
(In the Castle Courtyard)
The courtyard was full of nobles from Corona attending the celebration. Trumpets played as carriages came through the gates, carrying other nobles from neighboring lands.
Rapunzel stood between her parents and before the castle doors. The Princess wore a fancy pink and white dress with a matching necklace, pink earrings, and neatly brushed hair. Pascal, ever the supportive one, was sitting on her shoulder on his best behavior.
"We're good at making people feel welcome. This is completely doable… ish." Rapunzel told herself, glancing at her parents nervously.
The Princess glanced towards the crowd gathered in the courtyard, spotting Eugene in the group. When their eyes met, he began waving enthusiastically to her. Rapunzel waved back eagerly but stopped when her father cleared his throat and awkwardly moved back to position.
Trumpets played again as more carriages came into the courtyard. Rapunzel took a deep breath as the first carriage pulled up before the Royal Family.
"Your Highness, I present Dame Elizabeth Van Hoskins of Rochester." The footman announced as he opened the door for an older noblewoman in a fancy red dress and hat. As soon as the woman stepped up to Rapunzel, the Princess ran forward and engulfed her in a bear hug, catching everyone off-guard.
"Get in here!" she chirped, Cass and Eugene cringing at her bear-hugging the woman. "So nice to meet you." She let go of her, and the woman slumped to her knees. Rapunzel felt a bit guilty and fixed her hat but didn't touch her dress. Pascal shrugged at the stunned woman. She looked at King Frederic, the man smiling back sheepishly. Dame Van Hoskins walked away to go inside, Rapunzel obliviously waving after her. Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder and brought her back to them.
"Uhm, perhaps you should refrain from the bearhugs, sweetheart." Her father murmured.
"Oh!" Rapunzel gasped in realization. "No bear hugs. Gotcha. Sorry."
"I present Lieutenant Commander General James Rutherford-Carver the Third." The following guest was a man about her father's age in a military uniform with several medals.
Rapunzel let out a sigh before trying to be playful. "Phew. That's kind of a mouthful. Is it okay if I just call you 'Jimmy'?"
"I'd prefer you didn't." The man walked away from her.
"Well, uh, welcome all the same, then!" She said, trying to smooth things over before sighing again.
"I present the Duchess of Quintonia." The Duchess appeared before her, fanning herself with a judgemental expression. She was a make-up-covered woman in a fancy pink dress with a tall, white powdered wig.
"Wow, can I just say that I love your hair!" Rapunzel complimented, brushing a bang behind her ear. "I used to have long hair, too–"
"This is a hand-woven coiffure, weft from the finest silk and Vacuna fabrics. It designates high social status." The Duchess interrupted her impatiently, snapping her fan shut to point at the Princess. "You'd think you'd know that." She huffed before fanning herself again.
"Uh… still, nice to meet you," Rapunzel giggled sheepishly.
The Duchess glanced at her before directing her attention to the ground. "Sadly, not nice enough to wear shoes, I'm afraid." She commented on Rapunzel's bare feet. Pascal's eyes widened at the insult as she giggled, walking away with a condescending smirk. "Really."
The chameleon glared at the woman before turning to Rapunzel. The Princess looked towards the ground sadly, feeling self-conscious about her blunders.
Queen Arianna placed a gentle hand on Rapunzel's shoulder. Rapunzel managed to smile slightly before looking at her father. "Sorry," she whispered, frowning.
The next carriage rolled up, and everyone moved back into position, schooling their expressions. To Rapunzel's surprise, it looked like one of the carriages from Corona Castle, the same as the driver. The footman hopped down from the front to open the door.
"I present Mayor Sir Quirin Ruddiger of Old Corona and his son, Varian." He opened the door, and Rapunzel watched as a man stepped out, accompanied by a young boy nicely dressed in dark shades of blue and black. The adult was a tall, strong-looking man who looked around her father's age. His son, a blue-eyed boy with black hair, looked a little younger than her, definitely in his teens. Judging by his hairpin, she could guess that his hair was usually at least somewhat concealing his freckled face.
They both bowed, and she gave a curtsy, blushing a bit. "Uhm, welcome! Welcome to Corona!"
"Thank you, Your Highness." The man smiled kindly.
"I'm looking forward to your coronation, Princess." The boy smiled before his father led him inside.
Rapunzel couldn't help but smile slightly as they left. It was nice meeting them after dealing with the Duchess.
(Inside)
Upon entering the castle, Varian and his father were shown to one of the fancy guest rooms. Around sunset, Quirin left the room to talk to the king after the welcoming ceremony.
Varian sighed contentedly as he watched the sun go down and give the heavens to the moon. He would admit he didn't like sitting around doing nothing. He always needed to be productive. Right now, though, everything was so peaceful and beautiful that he began reconsidering his stance.
"So worth the wait…" He said to himself. "But where do I go from here?" He was happy he finally met the Princess but had to approach this carefully. As much as he wanted to understand his powers, he didn't want to freak out Rapunzel.
Either way, he knew he wouldn't get any farther with that right now. So, he decided to walk around. He wasn't tired yet and was in the mood for a snack. Getting up, Varian snuck out of the room as night fell on Corona.
(A short time later)
Varian smiled as he walked around, enjoying the cool evening air. He was always more comfortable and alert at night, and he figured it was probably because of his powers, having concluded they were connected to the moon in a way.
Though the shops were all closing, Varian had still managed to get some candy from Monty's Sweet Shoppe. He wandered around, waving to the guards, who simply nodded back, recognizing him from the castle. One was even nice enough to inform him they would be locking up the castle soon, so he should start heading back.
Near the gondola docks, Varian stopped when he heard voices speaking and approached the sound curiously. He got on top of one of the buildings and looked over the side. He saw the Princess sitting in one of the boats with a man. They sounded like they were having a discussion.
"… Eugene, is all this everything you dreamed it would be?" Rapunzel was asking.
"Rapunzel, you are my dream," the man said. Varian recognized his voice as the same man who had nearly run him over that morning. "So, as long as you're with me, that answer's always going to be 'yes.' Why? Don't you feel the same way?"
"No–Ye–Yes!" Rapunzel responded, nodding. "I mean, of course, I do! I love you with all my heart, Eugene."
Yeah, she loves you, Varian deduced with a frown. It's this new life she's been given she's struggling with.
"Look, I know this has gotta be weird. No one's expecting you to take it all in overnight," Eugene said. "But believe me, I've been all around the world, and it doesn't get any better than this. This–This castle, our friends, your family, each other. What else could you possibly want?"
She was silent for a bit before shaking her head. "Nothing."
Varian moved further into the shadows as a woman dressed in blue and white approached the couple. Just as they started to kiss, she leaned over and said loudly, "Time to go!" Eugene was so startled he ended up taking a dip in the water.
Varian put his hand over his mouth to smother his laughter. He felt bad for the guy, but it was still pretty funny.
The man pulled himself back up to cling to the boat's edge, coughing out water. The woman chuckled. "How's that water feeling, Fitzherbert?"
He gasped heavily. "Dark… and icy… just like you."
The woman then turned her attention to the Princess. "Come on, Rapunzel, it's time to head in. You don't wanna be exhausted for tomorrow."
On that note, Varian noticed how late it was. His father must have noticed he was gone by now… which meant he was in trouble when he got back, Varian realized with a cringe.
"Right! My morning off!" Rapunzel remembered as she helped Eugene back into the boat. She kissed his forehead. "Sorry." His shoulders slumped as Rapunzel climbed onto the docks.
Cassandra smiled at the Princess before smirking at Eugene as she watched him wring out his hair. She then turned to follow Rapunzel as the former thief glared after her. "Man, she scares me," Eugene muttered.
Taking his leave, Varian jumped off the roof and began returning to the castle. Just as he rounded the corner, though, he stopped short when something purple and blue entered his field of vision. "Whoa!" Rapunzel gasped as she stopped short. "Sorry!"
"Entirely my fault, Your Highness," Varian apologized, bowing slightly.
"'Your Highness?'" The Princess blinked before realizing who he was. "Oh, wait, I remember you. You're Varian, right?"
"That's me." He nodded.
"It's nice to see you again," She smiled before asking, "What are you doing out here?"
"I came to town to get a snack from the candy shop," Varian explained, holding up his bag of treats. "I was about to head back when I heard voices and a splash, so I came to see what happened."
"Oh, that," Rapunzel looked to see Eugene approaching them. "Yeah, Eugene just fell out of the boat we were sitting in."
"Come on, Young Master," The lady in blue said. "I'll escort you back to the castle."
"Thank you," Varian nodded gratefully. "Hey, if we run into my dad, could I say I was with you guys? He'll freak if he finds out I was out here this late by myself."
"Sure, kid, we'll be your alibis," Eugene said. "Let it be known, Eugene Fitzherbert is no snitch."
Varian and Rapunzel giggled a little as they returned to the castle.
(The Next Day)
Suffice it to say that Quirin was not happy Varian snuck out last night while he was away. However, with Rapunzel, Eugene, and Cassandra (the lady in blue) backing him up, he didn't get in too much trouble.
The following day, Varian had breakfast with his father and settled in to draw before the banquet. He was halfway through a sketch of the Princess when one of the castle servants knocked on the door. They informed them that Varian had been invited to accompany the Princess on her outing into town, and well, you don't turn down an invitation like that.
Varian went to the courtyard to meet the princess and the guards who would escort them. He arrived first, and Rapunzel joined him shortly after he arrived. "Alright, let's get going, then!" Rapunzel chirped, walking up to him.
"Thanks for inviting me," Varian said.
"Well, it was actually my parents' idea," The Princess admitted sheepishly. "But I thought it would be fun to make a new friend." Varian just smiled at her as they walked together.
The guards suddenly surrounded them closely in a circle. The younger teen glanced around, annoyed, before schooling his expression into a nervous one. "Could you ask them to give us some more space?" He whispered to the Princess. "I get nervous when I feel trapped."
"Oh, okay." Rapunzel nodded and looked at one of the guards. "Guys, you're a little too close. It's making Varian uncomfortable."
The guards exchanged glances before giving them a little more space.
"Thank you," Varian whispered, smiling at Rapunzel when he noticed Pascal looking at him. "You have a chameleon on your shoulder again."
"Oh, would you like to see him?" She took Pascal off her shoulder and handed him over to the teenager. "This is Pascal. He's my best friend. We were in the tower together."
"Nice to meet you, Pascal." He smiled fondly, gently stroking the lizard. Pascal chirped happily, enjoying the attention.
"You like animals?" Rapunzel asked.
"I do," He nodded, handing Pascal back to the Princess. "Dad won't let me have a pet, though. He says I'm messy enough without one."
"Yeah. My… kidnapper didn't approve of pets either."
They made small talk about their likes and dislikes until they reached the center of town, where the festival was being held. When they arrived, a trumpet sounded, causing everyone to turn to their princess and her friend. "The Princess, Rapunzel, will spend her day about town!"
Rapunzel took Varian's hand before eagerly stepping forward, only to be squished between two guards. The Princess cleared her throat to get their attention, giving them a look before nodding to Varian. Disgruntled, they backed up a bit as they walked through town.
Rapunzel waved cheerfully to the townspeople they passed, who bowed or curtsied in return. The local butcher made the mistake of waving his cleaver, causing him to be tackled by a guard and making the teens cringe.
Varian's expression darkened briefly at the incident, but it was so brief that Rapunzel missed it. Pascal saw it, though, and looked at the teen strangely. That kind of face did not belong on a fourteen-year-old.
People started reaching out, hoping to shake hands with Rapunzel. When a guard moved forward to intervene, Varian let out an uncomfortable whine, making him back up. Rapunzel smiled and happily took each person's hand as she passed by, Varian keeping himself as a shield between her and the guards.
Next, they stopped to watch a group of street performers. One act was a fire-eater juggling torches and breathing flames in front of the teens.
Rapunzel was so engrossed in the performance that she overlooked one of the guards reaching for a bucket of water. Varian, however, noticed the man before whispering something to the chameleon. Pascal saluted him before turning invisible. Suddenly, the guard appeared to trip over his feet and fell over just as he was about to throw the bucket at the performer, causing it to splash onto his head.
"Wow, what an amazing performance!" Rapunzel said in awe, having not noticed what happened until she looked to the side. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?! What happened?!"
"I don't know…" Varian said, acting like he hadn't masterminded an assault on a guard. Pascal reappeared on the village boy's shoulder. The teen held up his fist, which Pascal knocked his claw against. "Let's move on, shall we?" Varian suggested as another guard helped the drenched one up.
As they continued to explore the festival, they soon came across four little girls doing a braid train by the fountain. One of them waved to Rapunzel, who recognized her as one of the red-headed sisters who braided her hair when she first visited the Kingdom. The Princess was overjoyed to see the four sisters again and ran over excitedly.
A guard moved to stop her when Varian decided to drop the act and put his foot down. "Seriously, do you all trust the people that little?" He asked, moving in front of the guard to stare him down. "They're kids! Not only that, she seems to know them! Leave her alone, and let her breathe! It's not like she will shatter the moment she touches the hands of a commoner!" Not waiting for a response, Varian walked over to join the girls.
"… If I didn't know better, I'd say he had something to do with the bucket incident." The guard muttered to one of the others as they watched the teen leave.
"What can we do? Arrest him for letting the Princess have fun?" Another guard whispered.
After that, the guards let Rapunzel greet her subjects, but they watched closely for any sign of danger. She shook hands and hugged people eagerly.
While Rapunzel cooed over a baby, Varian took a couple of cupcakes a local woman offered them. "Don't think we don't see what you've been doing, young man." The woman said, smiling at Varian as he took a bite of his cupcake.
"I don't know what you mean. I'm just a boy accompanying the Princess on her outing." He said innocently with a wink before giving Rapunzel her cupcake.
Deciding to take a break, they found a spot by the fountain to rest and enjoy their treats.
As they relaxed, something caught Rapunzel's eye. She saw a wanted poster on the nearby notice board that stuck out from the others. Instead of seeing the criminal's face, the picture just showed a person whose head and face were covered by a hood and mask. Only their eyes were shown. There was no way to tell what gender this person was, let alone how old they were or what they looked like. The person was called The Moonlight Phantom, and he was wanted alive.
"'The Moonlight Phantom?'"
Hearing the name, Varian followed her gaze and saw the poster. "Man, the King's really taking that legend seriously…." He muttered, though secretly his heart was racing. "Clearly, the Guard has nothing better to do than chase ghosts…."
"What do you mean?" Rapunzel asked.
"Don't worry about it, Princess," Varian turned to her, smiling. "It would take too long to explain, and our time together is growing short. It's almost noon."
"Already?" She asked, checking for herself. "And my parents want me home for lunch with them…"
"Well," The boy said, getting up. "Let's see what else we can do before we go back."
"Okay!" She smiled before following him, the earlier conversation forgotten.
(Later)
After their time at the festival and following lunch with her parents, Rapunzel returned to her room to unwind with tea. She'd invited Varian to join her, but he said he had plans with his father.
As she sat on the chaise at the end of her bed, Rapunzel felt conflicted about the day. Despite having fun, some things were… nagging at her.
"Let me guess. Big day on the town wasn't all you hoped it'd be?" Cass asked, setting the teacups on the vanity as Rapunzel was pulled from her thoughts.
"No, no, it was great! We had fun!" Rapunzel reassured her before sighing. "It's just the legion of guards that had to come with us."
Pascal blew a raspberry with a thumbs down.
"Uh-huh, I get it," Cass placed a hand on her hip.
"I just wish my dad would let me get out and see the real world." Rapunzel huffed as she started pacing.
"You know, if you really wanted, I could get you in and out of here before anyone even knew we were gone," Cassandra offered as she opened the balcony window.
Pascal chirped in excitement, agreeing with the idea.
"Uh, you mean sneak me out?" Rapunzel asked, a little unsure despite her grin.
"Exactly," Cass walked over to her. "What you do when no one's looking is your business." She said, giving the Princess a playful poke.
Rapunzel looked thoughtful when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. "The Royal Banquet is ready to receive the Princess now!"
"Cheer up, Raps. Hey, maybe your dad got someone to chew your food for ya." Cass said teasingly as she went to get Rapunzel's fancy dress. Rapunzel and Pascal frowned annoyedly, not appreciating the joke.
The Princess sighed tiredly before sitting on her bed. Thinking about her day again, her mind wandered to the part where she and Varian were relaxing with cupcakes. She then remembered something they had seen during that time…
"Hey, Cass?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know about the Moonlight Phantom?"
Cassandra paused abruptly before turning to the Princess in surprise. "How do you know about that?"
"I saw a wanted poster of him in town."
"Wow…" Cass breathed, getting over her shock. "They're really going through with that…"
"Through with what?" Rapunzel asked.
Her friend sighed, trying to figure out her words before speaking again. "I don't know much about the Moonlight Phantom. What I do know is that he mostly only appears at night and always keeps his head and face covered."
"Is he dangerous?" The Princess asked hesitantly.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. That's how little is known about this guy. Everything else is a matter of opinion, and opinions vary depending on who you talk to. Some say he's a good guy, others believe he's a threat, and others say he doesn't exist, that he's just an urban legend that sprouted up a couple of years ago."
"Well, what do you think about him?"
"I… I don't know," Cassandra admitted. "There's not enough information for me to go on, but both of our dads think he's enough of a problem that he needs to be caught."
"Oh…"
"Anyway, let's not talk about this anymore. We still need to get you ready for the banquet," Cass said, getting back to work.
Rapunzel honestly wanted to know more, but she knew Cass was right. Hopefully, the banquet will go better than the welcome ceremony…