Mother is Here

Brave

Cassandra approached the gauntlet with grace and patience, pausing only to speak to Wreck Marauder before she walked on. Rapunzel leaned forward a bit in her seat, and Eugene chuckled a bit as he looked at her. "It's thrilling, huh?"

"Yeah...but, I wish I was down there with her, supporting her." She sighed.

"Princess Rapunzel, you don't support her by drawing attention away from her." Ulla shook her head. "You support her by cheering her name from the stands."

"You can do this, Cassandra!" Varian called.

Rapunzel sighed. "I guess you're right. I just...when I think of supporting my friends, I think of being by their side, fighting together."

"But that's not what this event is." Eugene shook his head. "This isn't like the Contest of the Crowns. You and Cassandra wouldn't be working together, you'd be enemies."

Rapunzel nodded. "I know...but, I just wish I could go to her."

"She seems to be doing just fine." Clyde remarked as Cassandra swung and jumped around the swinging hammers to safely reach the other side.

"Yeah! You did it, Cass!" Rapunzel called to her.

Cassandra turned to them and waved again with a smile before she walked over to wait with the others. Shortly after, Wreck Marauder destroyed the Gauntlet by walking through it.

"How is this guy even allowed to compete?" Clyde asked.

"Intimidation?" Varian shrugged.

"Sounds about right." Quirin nodded.

"It's because he's amazing!" Eugene argued.

"You're really passionate about this, huh?" Rapunzel smiled at him.

"Look, the next one is starting soon!" Eugene said, pointing at the arena to get her to look at it again.

The next one was archery, something that Rapunzel hadn't really learned yet but Cassandra excelled at, with the contestants having to shoot targets on a rotating contraption. Cassandra fired off an arrow and then did a fist-pump as it hit the bullseye, but then the contraption was damaged by Wreck Marauder using a really big bow and arrow to fire at the targets.

"How is that allowed?" Soul asked.

"You wanna go over there and tell him he can't compete?" Clyde gestured to the large man.

"Nope." She shook her head.

"Yeah, he's incredible!" Eugene cheered.

"So is Cassandra." Rapunzel said, reminding him that they were here to cheer her on.

"How are you doing, Varian?" Ulla asked him.

"I'm okay!" He assured her. "No one's bleeding, so I'm okay!"

"What about the crowd, do you need to take a moment?" She asked.

"I'm okay, mom." He assured her.

–

Cassandra stood back and watched while the contraption was moved and then looked over at Rapunzel. She was glad she was here to watch her, it felt good having the full support of her friends. She was worried that this would be too much for Varian, but he seemed to be going okay. She looked forward as the announcer called for the next event, which was leaping over a high pole.

Cassandra managed it with ease, as did several others, but Hookfoot got caught on the pole with his hook and it took Wreck Marauder jumping over to shake him loose.