The Moon Calls

36

"I got the wind in my hair
And a fire within,
'Cause there's something beginning.
I got a mystery to solve and excitement to spare!"

Rapunzel sang as she brushed her hair with Donella's, Cassandra's and Pascal's help.

"That beautiful breeze blowing through,
I'm ready to follow it who knows where.
I'll get there, I swear,
With the wind in my hair!"

"Do you have to sing this every morning when you wake up?" Donella asked as she and Cassandra braided her hair for her.

"It gets me pumped for the day!" Rapunzel said eagerly.

"Every morning?" Donella looked exasperated and Cassandra chuckled.

"Well, she's been doing it every morning up to now. I don't think she's going to stop any time soon." She said as she calmly braided with all the practiced precision of a lady-in-waiting.

"I bet the boys don't have to deal with this." Donella muttered.

--

"She's singing again, isn't she?" Hugo said into the pillow he'd pulled over his ears.

"Maybe we should tell her that she's being a lovely rooster." Lance said as he got out of bed.

"Up with the sun, that's my sister." Varian said, yawning.

"Well, at least it gives me plenty of time to do my beauty routine." Eugene said, looking into a mirror as he applies different creams and lotions.

"You don't need those."Varian shook his head.

"You tell me that every day and it's nice of you but not true." Eugene said as he continued.

Varian shook his head and got up. "Well, since I'm up I may as well do some practice with the rocks." He said as he got out clean clothes from his luggage.

"Sounds like she's done. Why don't we just sleep longer?" Hugo asked.

They heard the door open and close on the girls' side and Varian sighed. "Too late. They're getting breakfast started."

"Man..." Hugo sat up and combed his fingers through his hair before he hopped down off the bed and went to his luggage.

They heard a knock at the door. "We're up." Varian assured them. "We're getting ready for the day."

"Okay, good! I was about to wake you!" Rapunzel said cheerfully.

"She already did." Hugo grumbled.

"Did she do this back at the castle?" Lance asked Varian.

"Every day, without fail, since her hair grew out." Varian sighed.

"That explains why you're so resigned to it." Hugo remarked, going behind a curtain to change.

"Mmhm." Varian nodded. "You get used to it after a while."

"We've been out on the road for a few months now. When is 'a while'?" Lance asked.

Eugene laughed.

They finished getting changed and then went out to join the women outside. "Good morning, beautiful!" Eugene said, walking over and kissing Rapunzel.

"Yeah, beautiful. Beautiful hair, beautiful singing." Hugo said dryly.

"Oh, you guys heard that?" She asked, blushing a bit.

"Every morning!" Hugo said brightly. "It's a beautiful way to wake up at the crack of dawn, Princess!"

Donella walked over and pulled him off to the side by his ear. "Ow, ow, ow, ow." He whined.