Siblings of Corona B2:Life In the Castle

Chapter 8

As everyone looked at Caine, the fake guards grabbed the highest nobles.

"Release my guests immediately!" Fredric fumed.

"What's the matter, Fred? Am I ruining your little girl's perfect day?" Caine chuckled.

"Caine?" Rapunzel asked. "I don't understand..."

"Of course you wouldn't, Rapunzel. But try to follow along. This is all your fault," Caine hissed, walking towards them. She had taken off her dress before hand.

"What?" Rapunzel was speechless.

"You see, after your untimely disappearance, your father locked up every criminal in the kingdom, including a simple petty thief. My father... I saw him thrown into a cage and hauled off like some animal, never to be seen again. So, I thought I'd come back and return the favor," Caine explained as a carriage was being backed into the throne room.

"Load 'em up, boys," Caine ordered cooly. The ruffians obeyed. "Your turn, Your Majesty," Caine smirked. They capture both Fredric and Arianna, locking them in the prison carriage. "Oh, come now, you didn't think we'd leave our prized pig in the pen, did you?" She chuckled.

"Mom? Dad?"

"Rapunzel, stay back."

"But...

"No. There's nothing you can do. As your father and your king, I command you to stay put," Fredric continued.

Varian shook himself out of he shock, stepping forward. A sword was immediately pointed at his chest. "Don't play hero, little boy," the ruffian taunted. Varian whimpered and stepped back. Cassandra set her hands on his shoulders to reassure him, glaring at the man.

Eugene looked at Rapunzel. She nods at him. Lance slowly moves his hand towards his sword as Cassandra sized up the man in front of her and Varian.

"Sorry, Dad," Rapunzel began as she kicked off her shoes. "I can't stay put." With that, she ripped off her wig.

"Rapunzel!" Fredric gasped.

"That's my girl!" Eugene smiles.

"Let them go!" Rapunzel demanded.

"It's amazing what you can hide under those wigs, isn't it, Princess," Caine chuckled. "Come on, let's move out!"

The carriage began to roll away, but Rapunzel used her hair to whip it around the handle. With a hard pull, the door to the carriage came off.

"Ugh, now you're just making me angry," the former lady in waiting hissed.

"Good, 'cause cause we're just getting started." Rapunzel took a fighting stance as the nobles and royals left the carriage.

"Get those people back here, now!" Caine ordered.

"Rapunzel, your hair!" Fredric began.

"I know, we'll talk about it later. Please get somewhere safe and take care of Mom," Rapunzel said as she dashed into the fray.

"Rapunzel!"

"That's our cue!" Eugene announced to Lance. The latter smashed his fist into Pocket's face.

"Ooh! That felt good!" Lance smiled at his partner.

Varian let Cassandra use him as leverage as she swung out at the Ruffian in front of them, kicking the large man in the gut. "Varian, go find Arianna and stay with her," Cassandra instructed.

"But I can help!"

"Now!"

Varian clenched his fists. That was the last straw. He was not some helpless child in need of rescuing. He was just as capable as anyone else in the room. He would not just leave it them this time.

A ruffian was advancing towards the subjects, but Rapunzel whipped her hair around his wrist.

"Leave them alone!" Rapunzel slammed him onto the ground.

"So, you sure you can handle yourself?" Eugene teased as him and Cassandra became back to back.

"Oh, I'll manage," Cassandra smirked. "Caine's mine!" She dashed off, running towards her once was friend. The former lady in waiting saw her coming and kicked Cass off her feet. She pinned the latter down.

"Stop!" Varian demanded, holding up a pink ball.

"Aw... cute. Kid, you're going to need more than-" Caine was cut off as Cassandra kicked her off. Varian threw the ball, sticking the woman's boot in its pink goo. "What?!"

"Varian, didn't I tell you to-"

"Would you listen?" Varian huffed.

Cassandra took this into consideration. "Fine." Varian's face lit up, finally, Cass was beginning to see.

Rapunzel noticed a frying pan on the carriage. She grabbed it and immediately put it into action by knocking out a ruffian that was about to attack Eugene.

"Thanks, blondie!" He laughed. "Haha! Now this feels good."

Soon, all the ruffians were taken out. Varian turned around. "Where's Caine?" Her boot was still in the goop, but she was missing. He had one job! Varian immediately began chid himself for not thinking that through.

The door came crashing open as Max used his hooves to come charging in.

All of the guests cheered and applauded the five. Arianna ran over to them, immediately grabbing Rapunzel, Cassandra and Varian into a hug. Rapunzel smiled, but the smile left when she saw her father's frown.

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"So I'm trying to understand this. You snuck out last night went beyond the walls of Corona, where you touched a mysterious rock, that somehow caused your hair to return?" Fredric asked.

"Yes..." Rapunzel nodded.

"And you acted alone?" Fredric raised a brow. Varian and Cassandra glanced down at their feet, but Rapunzel spoke before they had a chance to.

"Look, I know you're angry, but can't you see? I'm okay! I'm more than okay, I-" Rapunzel began.

The king cut her off. "Rapunzel. There's something I need to tell you. I love you. The night you were taken, a part of me died, the best part of me. For 18 long and agonizing years I swore that if somehow, someway, by some miracle the fates decided to show mercy and return you to me, I would never let anything happen to you again. And now that this has returned, the very reason you were snatched away from me in the first place, I'm afraid I'm left with no choice, sweetheart. As of tonight, I'm forced to exercise my martial right as king to forbid you from leaving the walls of this kingdom without my consent." He put her crown in her hands.

"Father!" Rapunzel protested.

"And know this... This is the last we will speak of mystical rocks or magic of any kind to anyone. Including the both of you. Is that understood?"

Cassandra said nothing. Varian wrung his hands and nodded slightly.

"And," Fredric continued. "No experimenting on it either."

Varian looked up at him. "But how will we know-"

"What I said is final," the king towered over the boy.

Varian looked down. "Yes, sir."

"There is so much more to us than you think." Rapunzel wiped away a tear before running out of the room.

Arianna had been entering the room when her daughter burst out crying, running down the hall. Surprised, Arianna looked back into the throne room where Varian was biting his lip, rubbing his arm.

"Please, try to understand," Fredric sighed.

"I have to say that's going to be hard to convince me," Cassandra hissed. She grabbed her brother's hand and lead him out of the room past Arianna. The woman looked at her husband, wondering what he had done.