Cassandra's Betrayal Rewritten

Confrontation

Cassandra entered the grand doors of the castle, her heart racing with anticipation and her mind focused on her agenda. As she walked through the halls, she saw familiar faces—servants, guards, and other members of the court. The reactions were mixed; some looked surprised, others cautious, but overall, there was an air of confusion and uncertainty as they laid eyes on her.

She glanced around, observing everything—every detail, every corridor, every room, committing it all to memory. Her plan required precision, and she intended to execute it flawlessly.

As she approached the main chamber, guarded by two knights standing firm at the door, her heartbeat quickened. She took a deep breath and plastered a sorrowful expression on her face, conjuring tears to add depth to her act. Once at the door, her stress slowed down, seeing the two guards were Stan and Pete.

"Please, I must speak to the King and Queen at once." Cassandra pleaded with a quiver in her voice.

The two exchanged a glance, a bit taken aback by Cassandra's sudden appearance and urgent request. They hesitated but nodded, opening the doors to the chamber.

Cassandra entered the room, trying to keep her composure. The King and Queen were seated on their thrones, looking concerned yet hopeful at the unexpected visitor. The chamberlain and a few advisors stood close by.

"Cassandra? Is that you?" The king inquired. Suddenly, his expression changed. "What are you doing here?" His voice stern but laced with concern.

"Your Majesties," Cassandra began, her voice trembling with feigned distress. "I bring terrible news."

The Queen leaned forward, her expression shifting to a mixture of worry and confusion. "Cassandra, honey, what's happened? Where is Rapunzel?"

Cassandra lowered her gaze, suppressing a smile as her plan unraveled just as she envisioned. "It's... it's about Rapunzel. She... she's... gone."

The room fell silent, the gravity of Cassandra's words hanging in the air like a heavy veil. Gasps echoed around the chamber, and Rapunzel's parents stood up in shock. All eyes were on the distressed girl.

"Gone? What do you mean... gone?" Rapunzel's mother's voice shook, filled with disbelief.

"I... I'm sorry, you're Highness. It was all my fault," Cassandra continued, the fabricated sorrow dripping from her every word. "We followed the rocks, just like we had planned, to the Dark Kingdom, and I failed to protect her. She... she didn't make it."

Rapunzel's parents were stricken with grief, their faces adorned with sorrow and despair. The King, torn between the sorrow and fury, took a step forward, his eyes fixed on Cassandra.

"How could you let this happen?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy silence.

"I tried, Your Majesty. I tried everything," Cassandra replied, weaving her tale of deceit. "The danger was too great. I couldn't save her."

The Queen's eyes brimmed with tears, her heart aching for the supposed tragedy that Cassandra had brought before them. "Cassandra," she placed a hand on her shoulder. "What exactly happened in the... the Dark Kingdom? Why did the rocks take you there?"

Cassandra hesitated, weaving a web of half-truths and fabrications to sustain her narrative. "I... I can't. It's too painful to relive."

"Honey... please try. We need to know what happened. And how all of this..." she curled a piece of Cassandra's bright blue hair in her finger. "How all of this happened."

"What did you do?!" The King demanded, his voice booming through the chamber.

The queen turned to her husband and shot a disapproving glance. "Frederic! Give her time."