Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Tangled movie or television series. I only own my original characters and any concepts I add to the story.
Anyway, onward we go.
Out in town, a young boy was posting flyers for the upcoming coronation. A black rat with red eyes squeaked from around the corner, eyeing the boy before ducking behind his sack of flyers. It snatched one of the rolled-up flyers while his back was turned, then ran into a nearby sewer grate, careful not to get the announcement wet. The rat scurried through the tunnel and approached a room full of treasure. An ornate desk with a comfortable chair faced the wall, where a portrait of King Frederic hung. The only light in the chamber came from a single five-piece candelabra. A man stood in the shadows, watching the rat enter the room. The rat climbed onto the desk before stopping in front of the chair. A feminine arm adorned with a skull and roses tattoo reached out to the rat, which released the flyer into her open palm with a rat-like bow.
"Lady Caine," the man approached her. "What is it?"
The woman studied the announcement for a moment before speaking. "Time to pay our respects to our beloved royals..." She set the poster ablaze with one of the candles, reducing it to ashes.
(Back at the Castle)
Derek sighed as he gazed out the window. He could already see a few carriages crossing the bridge. Soon, it would be time for him to greet the arriving guests. He had been doing this since he was eleven, so he was pretty experienced. But Rapunzel? He would have to be there to prevent her from making little mistakes.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in."
Alexander entered, bowing to the prince. "It's time for you to be in the courtyard."
Derek nodded—there was no sense in delaying this any longer. After changing, he took his place downstairs at the entrance with the rest of his family.
The courtyard was filled with Corona nobles attending the celebration. Trumpets sounded as carriages of all different designs rolled through the gates, carrying other nobles from neighboring lands. Derek stood between Rapunzel and Alex behind King Frederic, while Cassandra stood behind Queen Arianna.
Rapunzel was dressed in a fancy pink and white dress, complemented by a matching necklace and pink earrings, and her hair was neatly brushed. Pascal, always supportive, was sitting on her shoulder, behaving perfectly. Derek donned his crown and an outfit similar to Eugene's. It was a fine imperial purple tailcoat with a black vest over a white shirt, cobalt blue pants, and tall, black dress boots. His hair was styled back in a ponytail secured with gel.
"We're good at making people feel welcome. This is completely doable… ish," Rapunzel told herself, glancing nervously at her parents.
"Just follow my lead, Sis," Derek whispered. "You'll be fine."
Rapunzel nodded, smiling at the reassurance. She looked at the crowd gathered in the courtyard, spotting Eugene and Kathy in the group. When their eyes met, the older ex-theif began waving enthusiastically to her. Rapunzel started to wave back when Derek stopped her with a subtle shake of his head.
"Oh. Right," she whispered. "Thanks."
"Sure," he replied, smiling at the foster siblings. "Also, Pascal might want to disappear when the guests start arriving. I know some of the noblewomen will scream if they see him. That's why Sapphire is still in my room." Pascal saluted the prince and climbed behind Rapunzel's shoulder, ready to turn invisible at a moment's notice.
Trumpets played as more carriages arrived in the courtyard. The teens looked back to the front, and Rapunzel took a deep breath to swallow her fears. The first carriage pulled up in front of them as the presiding footman announced the occupant.
"Your Highness, I present Dame Elizabeth Van Hoskins of Rochester."
"Curtsy," Derek reminded her quietly as the noblewoman approached.
Rapunzel gave a polite curtsy while Derek bowed. "Welcome to Corona, Dame Elizabeth Van Hoskins!"
The woman smiled politely and performed her own curtsy before going inside. Derek gave Rapunzel a quick thumbs-up.
"I present Lieutenant Commander General James Rutherford-Carver III."
Rapunzel curtsied and smiled. "Welcome to Corona!"
The man looked the teen royals up and down, then bowed at the waist before walking on.
"You're doing great," Derek whispered to her. Rapunzel beamed, even blushing a little at the praise. All she ever got from Gothel were jabs and insults, which she called joking.
"I present the Duchess of Quintonia." A makeup-covered woman in a fancy pink dress and a tall, white powdered wig appeared before them, fanning herself with a judgmental expression.
Derek blinked twice at her, raising an eyebrow. Looking at this woman, he could already tell she was snobby and rude—everything he hated about interacting with the high-class citizens of Corona. However, what was odd was that he didn't recognize the name of her homeland at all. He had studied all the kingdoms around Corona and couldn't recall any land called Quintonia. There was also the matter of her not giving her name. Everyone else had provided their full name and title; this woman simply called herself 'the Duchess.' Looking at Alex, Derek could tell he was thinking the same thing.
"Welcome to Corona, Duchess!" Rapunzel curtsied, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. "Can I just say I love your hair! I used to have really 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, snapping her fan shut impatiently to point at her. "You'd think you'd know that."
Derek's eyes narrowed at the woman as she opened her fan again. Seriously, what did these nobles expect from her?! She had only been back six months! That wasn't enough time to learn everything, much less what tacky fashions were going around among the upper class.
"Uh… still, nice to meet you," Rapunzel said awkwardly, giggling sheepishly.
The Duchess glanced at her before directing her attention downward. "Sadly, not nice enough to wear shoes, I'm afraid," she said condescendingly at the sight of Rapunzel's bare feet, giggling with a smirk. "Really, you'd think your own brother would have taught you better by now. I suppose you're simply a lost cause."
"Excuse me, Your Grace?" Derek spoke up, surprising them. He looked at the Duchess angrily and spoke with a firm, commanding tone. "If you're done insulting my sister, please move along before we decide you're not high enough in status to be in our presence."
The Duchess gasped before huffing indignantly, looking slightly rigid as she walked away. Derek watched her like a hawk as she left. Oh, he would look into this.
Pascal glared after the woman before glancing at Rapunzel with concern. The princess was looking toward the ground sadly, her newfound confidence shattered. Queen Arianna placed a gentle hand on her shoulder with a matching smile. Rapunzel managed to smile slightly before looking at the males in her family.
"Sorry," she whispered, frowning.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Sis," Derek replied kindly. "Don't let her bother you." She smiled at him and brightened, ready for the next carriage.
To Rapunzel's surprise, the next carriage was one from the castle. Derek grinned happily as the footman approached the door. "I present Mayor Sir Quirin Halvorsen of Old Corona and his son, Varian." A man emerged from the carriage accompanied by a young boy, both dressed smartly in dark shades of blue and black. The adult was a tall, strong-looking man who seemed to be around the king's age. His son, a blue-eyed boy with black hair, was about Derek's age, maybe slightly younger. Judging by his hairpin, she suspected his hair usually covered at least part of his freckled face.
"Derek!" The boy waved to the prince cheerfully.
"Varian!" Derek ran forward, meeting the other halfway in a hug. While Rapunzel and Eugene were confused, Katherine, Alex, Cass, Arianna, and Quirin smiled fondly at their interaction. King Frederic watched them with slight concern, but it went unnoticed.
"I was worried you weren't gonna come," Derek said as they pulled apart.
"And miss a chance to hang out with my best friend?" Varian responded. "Never."
"I'm sure you boys will find time to spend together this weekend," Quirin responded to them. "Now, we should probably head inside so the next carriage can approach."
"Oh, right!" Remembering the ceremony, Derek backtracked to his spot with his family while father and son approached to bow formally.
"Oh, uh, welcome!" Rapunzel came out of her confusion, curtsying while Derek bowed, smile still on his face. "Welcome to Corona."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Quirin smiled kindly.
"I'm looking forward to your coronation, Princess," Varian smiled before his father led him inside.
Rapunzel couldn't help but smile slightly as they left. It was nice to meet them after dealing with the Duchess. She then whispered to her brother, "Friend of yours?"
"Yup," Derek nodded. "I'll tell you more later." They then schooled themselves for the next carriage.
(Later that day)
The rest of the greetings passed quickly after that, and the sun was setting by the time the last guest was announced. Knowing that Rapunzel wanted some space after that, Derek took his leave and retired to his bedroom, with Alex and Kathy following him. They had just settled into the room when Varian joined them.
"Well, that went well," Kat said casually, dropping onto the bed with Sapphire beside her. "I mean, aside from Duchess Big Hair."
"Who?" Varian asked, sitting on the chaise at the foot of the bed.
"The Duchess of Quintonia," Derek explained, sitting in his reading chair while Alexander stood at attention nearby. "You and your dad showed up just after her. By the way, did anyone catch her name?"
"No. Why, was it funny?" Kathy asked.
"He means she didn't have one," Alex explained. "Which is a little strange now that I think about it. Everyone else gave their full names and titles. She's just called 'The Duchess.'"
"There's also the matter of her kingdom. Part of my studies involves knowing the names of the kingdoms Corona works with," Derek added. "And I've never once heard of Quintonia. All the guests are the same ones who attended my coronation, and I didn't recognize this woman."
Varian hummed in thought. "You think something's off about her?"
"I do. There are too many questions about her story not to consider that she could be fake," Derek concluded. "I don't know her intentions, but they can't be good."
"I agree," Alexander nodded. "If she is fake, no one takes an alias to sneak into a coronation just to see it."
"So, what's the plan?" Kathy asked. "Poke around until this woman's story falls apart?"
"Basically, yes," Derek answered. "We can check the royal library. The maps are always up to date. If Quintonia does exist, we'll know for sure."
"You won't have much time," Alex reminded him. "Remember? Tomorrow morning?"
Derek thought for a minute before groaning. "Oh, right. Rapunzel wanted to take me to the festival in town." It's not that he didn't want to spend time with his sisters, but if this mysterious duchess was a threat, they needed to stay ahead of it.
"And here I was hoping we could do that together," Varian added, getting an apologetic smile from Derek.
"You go have fun, Der," Kat said, slipping off her heels. "And I know Alex has chores to do before the banquet, so Varian and I can do the poking."
"You can read a map?" Alexander smirked at her.
"… Now that just plain hurt," she deadpanned.
"They do have the most free time out of all of us," Derek pointed out before turning to the ex-thief. "Just be sure to put back anything you use, okay? I don't want to raise any alarms until we have proof. Ask Mr. Rivers to help you. He should be around, and I trust him to keep a secret."
"Yes, sir," Varian saluted.
"Want us to search her room too?" Kathy asked.
"No way!" Alexander shot down. "The Captain still doesn't like you; don't give him a reason to lock you up!"
Derek thought for a minute. "See if Faith could help us."
"Faith?" Varian asked.
"The maid?" Kathy and Alex clarified, looking at the prince questioningly.
"Part of her chores is cleaning the guest rooms. If she's assigned to the Duchess's room, she could look around without raising suspicion."
"I don't know…." Alex had his doubts.
"It couldn't hurt to ask," Kathy shrugged. "What do you want her looking for?"
"Tell her to make notes of anything she thinks doesn't belong," Derek explained.
"Like what?"
"She'll know it when she sees it."
"That's not much to go on," Varian said uncertainly.
"Well, we don't have much to go on in the first place, so that's to be expected," The former thief shrugged.
"Either way, we better get ready for bed," Derek said, looking out the window at the setting sun. "No point in facing tomorrow tired."
"Agreed," Alexander nodded.
"Then, I'm off," Kathy declared, leaving the room with her boots in hand. "Night, guys."
"Good night, Kathy," Derek said as she left.
"I should get going, too," Varian added, taking his leave. "See you later, Derek."
"Later, Varian," Once he was gone, the prince turned to Alex. "Now, please, get me out of this suit."
His equerry chuckled. "As you wish, Your Highness."
(Meanwhile)
Evening had fallen as Rapunzel sat alone in a gondola by the docks. She needed to unwind away from people after a long day as a princess. She stared tiredly at her reflection in the dark water when Eugene approached from behind.
"Well, that wasn't so bad. I mean, aside from Duchess Big Hair." He laughed, but his girlfriend only responded with a strained chuckle. Eugene hopped into the boat next to her with a sympathetic smile. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah, great." She smiled, but it looked forced. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Eugene noticed her hesitance and looked concerned. Something was bothering her, and it wasn't about what had happened earlier. Seeing that Eugene didn't believe her, Rapunzel sighed deeply before opening up.
"It's just… Eugene, is all this everything you dreamed it would be?"
He smiled at her, reaching out to take her hand as she replied with a small smile. "Rapunzel, you are my dream. So, as long as you're with me, that answer's always going to be 'yes.'" He assured her before frowning. "Why? Don't you feel the same way?"
"No," she looked away before stammering, "Ye-Yes! I mean, of course I do! I love you with all my heart, Eugene." Despite her proclamations, she still heaved a depressed sigh.
"Look, I know this has gotta be weird. No one's expecting you to take it all in overnight," Eugene said softly. "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, my sister, each other." He took her hands before asking, "What else could you possibly want?"
She sighed before smiling at him, shaking her head. "Nothing." The couple leaned in to share a kiss. Closing their eyes, they were inches away from each other–
"Time to go!"
Cassandra leaned in suddenly, startling Eugene and causing him to fall out of the boat. She straightened up as Rapunzel looked over the side in concern. Eugene soon resurfaced, clinging to the gondola as he coughed up water.
"How's that water feeling, Fitzherbert?" Cass asked, crossing her arms with a smug look.
Eugene gasped heavily. "Dark… and icy… Just like you."
Cassandra chuckled before looking at the princess. "Come on, Rapunzel, it's time to head in. You don't want to be exhausted for tomorrow. Alexander is already getting your brother ready for bed."
"Right! My morning off with Derek!" Rapunzel recalled as she helped Eugene back into the boat. She brushed his hair out of his face before kissing his forehead. "Sorry."
His shoulders slumped as Rapunzel climbed onto the docks to leave. Cassandra smiled at Rapunzel before smirking at Eugene while she watched him wring out his hair. She then turned to follow the princess.
"Man, she scares me," Eugene muttered, glancing over to ensure she didn't hear him.
(Back at the castle)
The young prince was alone with his raccoon once Alex finished helping him change. He wore a dark purple pajama set with darker pants, and his hair hung loose from his usual ponytail. Sitting on his bed, he was reading a book with Sapphire curled up beside him when there was a knock on the door. "Come in."
Rapunzel opened the door. "Rapunzel, what's going on?"
"I… wanted to talk to you," said the princess.
"Okay…"
Rapunzel rubbed her arm before walking over to her brother. She seemed to have something on her mind, so Derek set his book aside. "What are you reading?" Rapunzel asked.
"A mystery book Mom recommended."
"Oh."
"Now, what's up, Sis?"
"Um… Derek, do you get…" Rapunzel sighed, feeling drained. "Do you ever get tired of teaching me this stuff…?"
"No, Sis," Derek answered. He may have had doubts, but they had to remember that Rapunzel was still getting used to things. She had been through a lot over the past two decades and had spent the last six months trying to assimilate into a new normal. Honestly, both of them had been doing that. The circumstances were just different. "You just need more time to adjust, that's all. It's only been six months. I tried to tell Dad it was too soon for a coronation, but apparently, the advisors wanted you to be crowned as soon as possible."
"So, you're not mad at me?" the princess asked hopefully.
"No!" Derek gasped, scooting closer to her to take her hand, prompting her to look at him. "Sis, I could never be angry with you."
Rapunzel smiled softly and hugged him, surprising the boy. "I missed you, Der…" Despite having known her brother briefly, it felt wonderful to have someone to talk to about these kinds of things.
The young prince hesitated before hugging her back. "… I missed you, too," he whispered, smiling.
(With Kathy)
After receiving her marching orders for tomorrow, Katherine returned to her room to prepare for bed. Kathy's room was similar to Eugene's. It had the same furniture and layout: a bed, a fireplace, an armoire, and a chest, among other items. She had her own guitar leaning against the wall, a pair of ice skates hanging on a hook near the door, and a few books she had taken from the library left on her side table. One corner of the room appeared dedicated to sewing or dressmaking, as it was a dressmaker's dummy, several rolls of fabric, and various accessories meant to add extra flair. Katherine had changed into her nightwear, a sleeveless violet nightgown with white trim. The collar had white frilled edges and a light blue decorative bow. Her hair was freed from its braid, making it wavier than usual, and she had removed all her makeup.
Kathy climbed onto her bed with a tired sigh before picking up a journal adorned with gem patterns, stars, and musical notes. As she began writing about her day, she smiled when she heard a 'yip' as her pet fox, Ash, joined her on the bed. Ash was a male dark silver fox with the usual white markings, yellow eyes, and a gray nose. He wore a light blue and purple rhinestone collar that Katherine had made herself, ensuring the castle staff wouldn't think he was a nuisance.
"Hey, Ash," she greeted him as he curled beside her. "I guess you had a day all to yourself, huh?"
Ash squeaked in response before a knock at the door caught their attention. "Come in!"
"Hey, Little Sister!" Eugene entered with flair.
"… What happened to you?" Kathy and Ash blinked as they noticed that he was wet.
"The Dragon Lady happened." The older man groaned as he dropped down at the foot of her bed.
"Oh, Cass." Kathy rolled her eyes, knowing who he was referring to. "She didn't push you, did she?"
"She may as well have. She looked that pleased about it."
Katherine sighed tiredly, but she was sympathetic toward her brother. It was no surprise that Cass didn't like Eugene at all. She constantly interrupted him and Rapunzel during their alone time and always made witty remarks or insults. Consequently, Eugene didn't like her either. "Give it time, Gene," she advised, setting her diary aside. "Cass didn't like me either when I first moved in."
"Did she push you out of a boat, too?"
"No, she was more… forward. She would follow me around the castle, question me about everything I did, and called me Striker for about two months."
"Suddenly, I don't feel so bad." Eugene perked up a bit.
"Thanks, Bro," Katherine replied sarcastically.
Suddenly, Ash yipped, catching their attention as he padded over to Eugene. "Hello, who's this?" Eugene asked, sitting up.
"Oh, yeah, that's Ash." Katherine smiled, petting the fox. "I can't believe you've been here six months, and I haven't introduced you."
"Where'd you get him?"
"We met while I was with Derek on the mainland a few months after I arrived at the castle. I don't know what it was, but he took a shine to me and followed us around as we visited some friends. He came back with us to the city, and I figured he could stick around."
Eugene smiled, petting the fox's tail. "Thanks for looking after my sister, Ash. You're one cool fox."
Ash yipped again, a look of pride on his face. Katherine smiled at them before speaking again. "Now, as much as I love spending time with you, Gene, I'm tired, and there's another big day tomorrow."
"I get it. I'm going," the ex-thief said, kissing her on the forehead like he did when they were younger. "Good night, Kat."
"Night, Gene." The teen smiled as her brother-figure left the room, with Ash barking farewell.
(With Alex)
After leaving Derek, Alexander returned to his room in the servants' area. Like the others, Alex's room resembles Cassandra's, featuring the same layout and furniture. His wardrobe was his armory, containing a few swords, several shorter blades, a bow with a quiver full of arrows, and a sparring dummy alongside his clothes and uniforms. He had some wood-carving and carpentry tools on his desk, and a sewing basket rested on the ground beside it. A lasso was rolled up and hanging on a hook on the wall.
As Alex was changing into his sleepwear, which consisted of a light blue and white short-sleeve night shirt and blue pants, there was a knock at his door. "Come."
Cassandra opened the door, still dressed in her lady-in-waiting gown but without the veil. "Did you just sign out too?"
"I swear it takes half an hour to get out of that uniform," Alexander grumbled, turning to Cassandra. "What's up?"
"Do you have your assignments for tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I have my chore list." The teenager nodded. "I'll start on them after I help the Prince get ready for the day."
"Dad's already got a detail picked out for them when they head out."
"Which means there's going to be a battalion accompanying them on their outing," Alex muttered in annoyance.
"Orders from the King," Cass shrugged. "He wants to make sure Rapunzel and Derek are safe while they're in town."
"Don't be surprised when he and Derek get into a hissing match during the banquet," the younger male quipped, crossing his arms.
"Alex, we serve the castle, not criticize the King's parenting methods," Cassandra lectured sternly.
"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who has to handle the fallout," Alexander argued, moving to lie on his bed. Deep down, he knew Cassandra was right. As an equerry, Alexander should focus on his duties, care for the prince, and keep his opinions to himself. However, part of that involves looking out for Derek's well-being, including his emotional and mental health. Ever since Alex became Derek's equerry and having grown up with the younger teen, he had seen firsthand how bad things were between him and his father and the mental toll it had taken on the prince.
Cassandra sighed as she moved to sit on her friend's bed. Although she wasn't as close to Derek as she was to Alex, she was aware of the problems unfolding. While she understood her position on the matter, she couldn't deny that the king's methods were... extreme.
"Look, I know you're worried about Derek," she said, trying her best to be understanding. "And I understand that it's hard to look away from the problem when you want to do something about it."
Alexander glanced at her. "But this is how things are. We can't speak out against the King."
"Cass, you need to work on your pep talks. Maybe Raps can give you some tips."
"Very funny," Cass huffed before playfully hitting Alexander with a pillow from the floor, causing them both to laugh. "But seriously, even if there's not much we can do, I know Derek's lucky to have you as his equerry and friend. He knows you'll have his back when it matters and be there when he needs you."
Alexander gave a crooked smile and sat up a bit. "Not quite what I was looking for, but thanks, Cass."
"Happy to try," Cassandra replied before standing up. "Now, we better get to bed. We have a lot to do tomorrow before the banquet."
"Yeah. Good night, Cass."
"See you in the morning."
Alexander lay back down as the older woman closed the door behind her, blowing out the candle to get some sleep.
Finally, this chapter is done. Next, I'll post the new chapter I've written.