Cassandra's Betrayal Rewritten

Going Home

Rapunzel wiped away the tears streaming down her face, her voice trembling with emotion. "I feel like such a fool. I trusted her, Eugene. I thought she was helping us."

"Hey, it's okay," Eugene murmured softly. "You're not a fool sunshine. We all trusted her."

"You're right I guess... but I left Cass behind, and now she's gone. She's alive and yet, I feel as if she was still dead."

"We'll find out what's going on with Cassandra, I promise. We'll get her back."

"I'd do anything to get her back Eugene, but that look in her eyes... that wasn't the Cass I know. She was angry, and not how she normally is. It was like another side of her."

"Like you said, something has conflicted her judgement. I'm sure we can fix that."

"I just... I hope you're right honey." She buried her head in his arms.

"I hope so too." He murmured. Stress washed over his face as he looked at Rapunzel. He didn't know if he believed what he was saying.

A few minutes passed. The entire time Rapunzel stayed curled up against Eugene.

"Uh, guys," Lance broke the silence. "Sorry to break the moment, but there's something flying towards the castle... really fast!"

"What?!" Rapunzel shot up and ran out the grand entrance gate. In the distance she could see a hot air balloon. There was someone inside, but she couldn't quite tell who.

"Everyone, it's a hot air balloon. I don't know who sent it or who's inside, so be ready in case it's an attack."

The group all got their feet, and came outside. Lance and Eugene got into fighting stance, while Edmund held his axe at the ready.

The balloon came crashing down, causing them to backup. It created a cloud of dust, blinding each group member. When it did clear, no one was standing inside the basket. Rapunzel cautiously peered inside, hair in hand. Ulf popped out, surprising her. The rest of the party lowered their guards and walked over to the basket. In his hand he held a scroll, stamped with the Corona seal. Rapunzel hurriedly grabbed the scroll and unraveled it, nervous of what news the letter contained; she couldn't deal with any more upsetting news.

"What is it Blondie?"

"It's from my parents... they want us home at once. I think... I think something's happened."

"What do you mean? What's happened?" Eugene snatched the letter from her hands.

"It doesn't say. It just says they need us."

"Could it be a trick? I mean who wouldn't specify the issue when they need you?"

"No, it can't be. My parents signed it and everything. And, it looks exactly like my dad's handwriting. I think something is actually wrong back home."

"Well then let's get going! Come on Lance." Eugene and Lance jumped into the basket, swiftly followed by Edmund.

"Uh, Dad, are you coming with us back to the kingdom?"

"Well why not Son? There isn't a Moonstone to protect anymore, so I have a lot more free time!" He turned away from Eugene and began speaking to himself. "And this way, I have more free time to make up for all the years I missed with him! Yes, this will work out perfectly!"

Eugene stared at his father for a moment. "Alright Dad, yea... that works... I guess." He turned to Rapunzel. "You coming Blondie?"

She had been staring out at the bridge Cassandra had destroyed. "Hm... oh, yea. I'll be there in a moment."

"We'll get her back. I swear we will."

"Mhm..." she snapped out of her trance. "Sorry, I'm coming now." Rapunzel jogged to the balloon and jumped over its side. "Forget the Cass thing... we need to focus on whatever is happening in the kingdom."

"Okay Blondie... but I'm here to talk if you need to."

"Maybe later, I could use this distraction."

And so, the balloon flew away, headed towards Corona. The journey would take about a week, allowing the group to grow more anxious as to what trouble lay ahead in the kingdom.

Meanwhile, Cassandra had made it just outside of The Dark Kingdom's borders, back in the forest she had originally travelled through. Her goal was to make it back to Corona in a few days, even if it seemed impossible on foot.

"Hey Cassandra," the Ghost Girl appeared. "You wont make it to Corona in a few days at this rate. You need to find a faster way."

"Well it's not like I have access to a horse or caravan at this moment."

"But what if you did?"

"Yea, okay. Where would I even find one in the middle of the forest?"

"All you need to do is look..." and the girl evaporated.

"What do you mean, LOOK?! It's not like a carriage will just magically fall out of the sky!" She rolled her eyes. "HELLO?"

Cassandra continued walking, kicking a pebble as she went. "You can't rely on anyone." She murmured.

As she pushed a branch out of her face, she noticed exactly what she was looking for. In the middle of a small clearing stood a dainty caravan, complete with a horse. A campfire was burning nearby, but there was no one to claim it.

"It may have not fallen out of the sky, but it's here."

She proceeded carefully to the horse, trying to see if anyone was nearby. When her search concluded that the place was empty, she unlatched the horse from its reigns and climbed on. As she did this, she noticed the Corona crest on its saddle.

"My luck keeps getting better! To Corona!"

The horse stayed in its place and looked at Cassandra. After a moment, it decided to start trotting towards the next path, but not before the caravan door swung open, revealing a Coronan royal guard.

"From the order of Corona, get off that animal at once!"

"Okay officer." Cassandra slowly got down, with her hands in the air. "Sorry for the disturbance, but I just need to get to the kingdom, that's all." Her voice was somewhat whiny, somewhat sarcastic.

"Ma'am, you cannot just steal from royal guards. I don't care where you wanna go, it's just not allowed."

"Well then I guess I'm going to need to break some rules." She sneered, and drew her hands in a fighting pose, kicking the guard down at the same time. She put her hands over the ground, trying to get new rocks to form.

"Come on! This worked just a moment ago!"

But nothing grew and the guard got up.

"You are under arrest for assaulting a Coronan royal gu-" Cassandra punched him in the face before he could finish his sentence. She continued her attack with more throws of her fists, finishing with a kick to his stomach. The man flew to the floor, allowing time for her to jump onto the horse.

"Come on buddy, we have to get out of her quick!"

Without hesitation, the horse galloped down the path to the kingdom, faster than Cassandra had ever gone before. At this rate, she'd be in the kingdom within the next two days.