An Ice Cold Coronation (Frozen+Tangled Fanfiction)

Chapter Two: Welcome to Arendelle

Once we arrived in Arendelle, Rapunzel and I carried our luggage above deck, where a couple of crew members took it from us. Rapunzel went and thanked the captain, and then she and I started toward the inn, the crew members carrying our luggage trailing behind us.

I thought it was kind of weird that the queen-to-be hadn't invited her only living relatives to stay in the castle, but I'd sort of shrugged it off. Maybe she just wasn't much of a people person. I understood how that felt.

Once we arrived at the inn, I checked us in and paid for our room. Then the inn keeper led us all up to Rapunzel's and my room. The crew members carrying our luggage dropped it onto the ground. Rapunzel and I thanked them. They bowed and left the room. The inn keeper, who was still standing there, handed me our room key. Then he grinned and asked, "So, are the two of you attending the coronation of Princess Elsa?"

"Yes," Rapunzel answered with a smile. "In fact, I'm her cousin. This is my husband, Eugene."

"Oh, really? Are you royalty, as well?" Rapunzel nodded and replied, "I'm Rapunzel, the princess of Corona."

"Corona? Wow. You must've had a long journey here! Well, it's you're able to visit during such a happy occasion as this."

Rapunzel chuckled and said, "Oh, yes. We're so excited about the coronation."

"Actually, I was referring to the open gates of the castle. No one's been in or out of there in thirteen years."

That caught my attention. "Really? Why not?"

The inn keeper shook his head slowly and said, "No one knows. Rumor has it that one of the princesses went mad." Then he lowered his voice and added, "I heard she murdered one of the castle maids." Then he slowly backed out of the room, looking back and forth between us, and then shut the door.

Rapunzel and I looked at each other in worried silence for several moments. Then she finally said, "You don't think that rumor was true, do you?"

I chuckled nervously, and replied, "N-no. Of course it's not true. That inn keeper's probably just a lunatic. C'mon, why don't we go out and explore the kingdom? Just you and me. It hasn't been just us in a while, you know?"

Rapunzel's worried expression turned into a relieved one. "Yes, you're right. C'mon, sweetheart, let's go." Then she grabved my hand, opened the door, and pulled me out of the room.

Rapunzel and I began roaming the kingdom, hand in hand. It felt really nice to finally be off that stupid ship, constantly swaying back and forth and always feeling like you're about to vomit.

The kingdom was beautiful (though not quite as beautiful as Corona, I have to say), but what was even more beautiful was the smile on Rapunzel's face as she looked all around her, taking in every part of it. Seeing her so happy made me smile, too, and suddenly I felt better about the whole thing. After all, pretty soon we were going to meet Rapunzel's only living cousins. Just a year ago, she'd only just found her parents! Now, there were going to be even more family members for her to get to know and share stories with.

Of course, all those happy feelings weren't going to last long, but still, it was nice at the time.

Eventually, we both became hungry. So, we stopped at the market place to buy some food. While we were waiting in line to buy some apples, and tall young man with red hair and fancy clothes who was leading a horse by the reins came up to us and tapped me on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," he said politely, "but may I please step in front of you? My horse is in need of some food."

"Well, I'm sorry," I answered, "but you'll have to wait in line, just like us."

The man narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps you didn't know this, but I am a prince. Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, to be exact. So, I believe that is reason enough for you to let me in front of you."

"Actually," said Rapunzel, "if you're really a prince, then you should know already that cutting in line is very rude, and will take in upon yourself to kindly put other's needs above your own and wait your turn."

I smiled proudly at Rapunzel, while the man just huffed and marched off to the back of the line, his horse following.

"Nice job, honey," I whispered to Rapunzel. She just grinned and said, "He's lucky I didn't have my frying pan."

After buying some food and filling our stomachs, we continued exploring. We stopped at several shops, listened to some street performers play music, and then went to the docks to sit and talk as we looked out onto the sea.

"Why do you think no one has been in or out of the castle in so long?" Rapunzel asked.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "But at least everybody gets to go in to see the coronation tomorrow." I looked at her and smiled. "Are you excited?"

"Very. I can't wait to meet my cousins. Just think about it: a year ago, I had no family at all. Unless you count Gothel, which I don't. And now, here I am, with not only two parents, but two cousins. And, best of all, you." She took my hand and squeezed it.

I kissed her and said, "I'm really happy for you, honey."

"Thank you," she replied, beaming. Then the two of us looked back at the sea. As we sat there in silence, I let my mind wander a bit, trying to imagine what Rapunzel's cousins would be like.

Well, in less than twenty-four hours, I was going to find out.