After the Happily Ever After

Episode One: Rapunzel Cont'd

While the prince and his beautiful bride, as well as their two young sons, were living simply and peacefully in the desert outside of the kingdom but, there was trouble brewing. Back in the kingdom, where the prince grew up, there was a huge dilemma. It was up to the king to find a new heir but with his new wife long dead they could not conceive a new one. The king could not turn to the kingdom for they were not worthy of such a title. So, the king looked to his knights, his ever so brave knights to see if they would aid him in finding his only son. "Oh king our dear king, do you really expect us to go through such misery and woe? For we all know of the terrors that lie in the dungeon of sand. No one will survive. Not your own loyal knights, not the prince, nor his new bride." said one in fear and cowardice. The rest of the knights agreed. No one would dare enter that dangerous dungeon made of sand and dust.

The king felt powerless even in his grand position if his brave, strong, and loyal knights cowered at this simple task, why would anyone else volunteer their life to find his son? However, the king, as well as his loyal knights, were unknowingly being watched by a figure in a ragged cloak whose speech was equivalent to a hyena's screeching and piercing laugh. "His bride you say? Pray tell, does the woman happen to be living in the desert which is only a week's walk from the kingdom?"

"Who is speaking!?" said the king in a powerful and booming voice. The woman refused to reveal herself. For if she did so she would be burned for her crimes. "I am only a humble old woman sir. You see, word spreads quite quickly through this kingdom and since I am very kind I might be able to help..." The king laughed loudly, "Help? An old woman thinks that she, by herself can travel to the dungeon made of sand and bring back my son and his wife without harming a hair on his head!? How preposterous!" The Knights joined in the king's laughter filling the whole room with loud, booming laughter all aimed at the old woman. The king's arrogance caused the woman's calm manner to boil into a rage. But then she remembered, she had to keep calm or her plan for revenge will never come together. In order to conceal her identity, she laughed alongside the men. "Oh don't be daft your majesty for your knights can help you with this..." The old woman pulled out some rampion from her garden. This was no ordinary rampion, it was enchanted with a spell that would allow the knights to be able to go without food and water for thirty-one days.

The king took one look at the vegetable and turned his nose to the heavens in disgust. "Rampion? Are you trying to make a fool out of me?" The old woman held out the vegetable to the king and his knights. "This is no ordinary rampion, your majesty, this is enchanted with a spell to assist your knights on their journey." The king, in full disbelief, would have made the old hag leave by now if it were not for his desperation. "Very well, if your magic rampion really works then you would be perfectly fine accompanying my two best knights." The old woman smirked under her rags, "Why of course my lord I would be honored." The knights were shocked. "M-my lord is you sure-" The king spoke, "Great, you will leave at sunrise I will provide you all with horses. I wish you the best of luck on your journey, bring my son home."

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Around a week later, the prince was returning from a hunting trip, about to go back to his new wife and children when suddenly he heard a strange, unusual noise. It was a familiar sound, it was the sound of singing. It was a woman's voice, from what the prince could tell she was very beautiful. He decided to pursue the mysterious girl leaving his caught deer behind. As he moved toward the sound he could see a figure in a brown cloak that looked like a woman. "Oh my beautiful mistress please, turn around so I may see your face." the prince begged. The woman only let down her hood revealing beautiful, long, bright red curls while keeping her back to him. Before the prince could touch her she ran, singing a sweet song. Desperate to look at her face, the prince chased after her once again. His lust caused him to fall off a cliff landing with a branch piercing his heart. He gained what he wished for, he saw her face but it was not beautiful like he imagined but hideous, it was the face of the witch that blinded him.

Meanwhile, the knights had just arrived at Rapunzel's cottage. The witch had offered to tie up the horses as the knights informed Rapunzel of the state of the kingdom. In return, she explained how her husband is on a hunting trip and should be returning in a few days. After she finished speaking, Rapunzel's two sons came into the cottage. One spoke to his mother excited, "Mother, Father is back!" Rapunzel smiled at the thought of her husband back. "Well, where is he then?" The other pulled at her arm. "Outside! Outside!" Rapunzel and the two knights, lead by her children discovered the dead deer lying close to the house. The knights stepped in front of Rapunzel and her children, "Do not worry princess, we will find your husband and bring him to you" said one before they took off tracking the footprints the prince had left behind. It did not take long for the two nights to come upon a frightening sight. There, at the bottom of the small cliff lay the prince. His arms were dangling off the branch that pierced his heart like a doll. The knights were overcome with fear that if the king found out about this they would be hanged. Both climbed down to the bottom of the cliff and pulled the enormous branch out of the now still statue of what was once the prince. The knights walked for a few hours trying to find a river when they reached the edge of a waterfall. One of the brave knights gently laid the prince's lifeless body into the water allowing him to drift away. The knights bowed in respect as he floated away to sleep for eternity.

In the kingdom, the witch was able to return before the other two knights. She ran to the throne with an urgent message for the king. "Your majesty, something terrible has happened that I must warn you about your knights..." The king was intrigued now his head was turned to her. "What do you wish to tell me about my loyal and brave knights?" "Y-your majesty I am so sorry but...the knights, your knights have killed your son." The king's eyes widen in shock. "My knights? Surely you must be mistaken what did the man look like." The witch described him perfectly to the king. Tears had started to fall from the king's old blue eyes. This sadness soon turned to boiling rage. "They will be executed for this!" the king exclaimed. Hearing this caused the witch to smirk under her cloak. "Over course my lord, they should be punished. I also see that there is no longer an heir and just as I have helped you before, I can help you again but for a price." The king, overcome with emotion and worry quickly agreed. "Of course what you have for me?" The witch stepped forward holding out a carrot. "Eat this." The king looked at the carrot and took one bite.

A few seconds after, the king could feel himself changing his hair became blonde, his wrinkles were gone, he became skinnier and taller. Once he looked into the mirror he could no longer see himself but his son. The king could not stop staring at his new form it was like he was in a trance. The finally looked away when five beings entered the throne room. The witch was gone. The figures he could see clearly were his son's wife that he loved so much and his two grandchildren and well as the two knights that killed his son. The king's rage returned as he gave the order for them to be executed for the murder of the king. The knights were escorted out to be executed never to be seen again.

Then, the king looked back at Rapunzel, she was truly beautiful. He walked over to her and they embraced, her face glowing with joy. They let go of each other and the king spoke, "My love, I must live here and take care of my people. You can live here too, where we can be properly married you can be queen and our children and our children's children will rule for generations. Please, please say you will stay with me and be my queen..." Rapunzel smiles and looks at her king "Yes my dearest, of course, I will we all will." A week later, they were married and he became king again. They almost lived happily ever after until the "new" king went on a hunting trip with his sons a few days after. When they traveled deep into the forest, the boys got separated and one of the twins was lost in the woods. No one could find him. No matter how hard they tried. They would never find the boy, but she did because all magic comes with a price.

What price would you be willing to pay?