(Warning: Singing Ahead, Long Chapter)

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Chapter 26 -
Before Ever After
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Six months. A lot can happen between long periods of time.

Rapunzel spent time with her mother and father, plus Eugene since he was her boyfriend. Cassandra was still trying to get onto the royal guards, but Oliver/Captain kept saying to finish her Lady-In-Waiting Duties first. The one event that would be going is Rapunzel’s Coronation to officially become Princess of Corona.

One week Cassandra tried to show Rapunzel how to dress especially with shoes, but no luck and decided to try again later.

For you, it's been slightly rough. Apparently, you couldn't go out of the kingdom AGAIN since everytime you crossed the bridge, a guards stop you.

During the first month that happened, you noticed someone had caught a raccoon. The one that always bugged Varian. Of course, you saved him and he purred, staying close to you for awhile.

That gave you an opportunity to have the raccoon take letters to Varian. He was smart and just so friendly and adorable.

Varian never knew how your letters got into his lab, they were just sitting there on the table and when he wrote his letters, it would be gone without a trace.

This went on until two months and you wondered why Varian stopped writing, plus the raccoon didn't come back either. You were worried this whole time, so you always talked it out with Xavier.

Sure there's Rapunzel, Cassandra, and Queen Arianna, but you wanted someone who wouldn't react too much about this.

You're sitting crossed legged out on the balcony of your room, the breeze gently blowing through your hair. Eugene and Rapunzel were out playing cat and mouse with a few Royal Guards, including Captain.

The scenery looked very amazing from here, though it couldn't compare to when you and Varian were on Solaris. You sigh lightly, then look down at the town and you felt like you've done this before, but possibly from a different perspective?

Anyhow, today was the Welcoming Ceremony then tomorrow was the Coronation. To be honest, you hated welcoming other royals or dukes, whatever you want to call them. Because some of them are kind of…..ill-mannered. Though there were nice ones too from all over the world.

You barely spot Eugene and Rapunzel coming from the tree covered road, so you took a breath and stood up. "This is her life after happily ever after." Gently, you closed the balcony doors and began to get ready. "And it's all just as sweet as the stories say."

The brush runs through your hair, huffing as your hair sticks up wildly, "She feels wild, free, as light as can be. She's ready to explore." You finally have your hair decent and walk out of your room, "With nothing at all standing in her way."

Freidborg was in the King and Queen's room, helping Arianna get ready as you pass quietly, "True, there are certain customs she has to follow. Several small obligations she can't avoid."

You turn a corner to see Lady Crowley having a deeper scold face after pointing to Rapunzel's mud tracks. "A few rules, too - well, more than a few. Commitments by the score." Rapunzel smiles sheepishly and waves in apology to Ms. Crowley as Cass pulls Rapunzel toward you.

Rapunzel grins happily once she sees you and you smile, following beside her. "Aside from all that though she's overjoyed."

You move next to Cassandra as maids surround Rapunzel, fixing her up as she walks. "And sure there are corsets and buckles and bows." Rapunzel sings, but grunts when the small maid tightens her corset. "Plus all those names to recall."

"Jane?" Rapunzel points out a maid and you whisper to her, "Ethel." Rapunzel grimaces, "Right. Still I can hardly complain I suppose." You laugh when the maid powders Pascal's face.

"This is happily ever after, after all." Rapunzel sang, then coughs when the power is fluffed on her face and you tap Cassandra. She glares slightly, walking in a superior posture with her hands behind her back, "That's enough. I'll take it from here." Cass helps Rapunzel fix her corset better.

"How are you holding up?" You ask.

Rapunzel chuckles a bit, putting her hair behind her ear, "Busy, but busy's good."

Cassandra smirks, "I'm glad you think so, Raps. Because this Welcoming Ceremony is just the beginning." Of course, she would say that. To you, Rapunzel looked worn out.

"Tomorrow's the festival, followed by the royal banquet and that's all before the actual coronation."

You blink in surprise and Rapunzel's eyes widen because that is actually a lot more stuff to do than you thought.

"Oooh, come on. Really?" Cass says to Rapunzel's bare feet and pulls on her dress to try to cover them, "Look Rapunzel, I know this Princess thing is new to you...."

You smile to encourage Rapunzel, "Just try to act the part. If you're up for it." Cass shakes her head at you and you shrug.

"Trust me guys, I know how important this is to my dad."

We walk to her room just as King Frederick opened the doors and he smiles tenderly, singing softly, "And now that at last you are here in my arms. I won't permit you to fall." He gently holds his daughters face, "I must protect you from all the world's harms. We'll live happily ever after, after all."

"(_____), please go check on Rapunzel's FRIEND and your ruffian friends. You are the only one who can keep them in line in the castle." Frederick said and you nod, walking out toward the dressing rooms.

You walk in on Eugene seeming to prance around in a very good mood. He was getting too use to this. "Now I know what you all are thinking-"

"Why is Eugene in such a good mood today?" You say, rolling your eyes playfully.
Eugene grins at you, "What gives? Oh I'll tell ya." He goes over to Big Nose who's getting a pedicure. "Now that we're living splendidly." He goes to over to shave Attila's helmet which you raise your brow at. "Our dreams fulfilled extendedly."

"Why leave things open endedly. For Rapunzel and moi?" Eugene gives Vladimir his unicorns and he makes them kiss. "Tonight I'll hand this rose to her!" He pulls a rose from a vase, giving it to Shorty. Shorty puts it in his mouth and Eugene spins him and since Shorty was on a sewing mannequin, it started spinning out of control.

Quickly you stop it as Eugene smiles softly at something in his hands, "Kneel down and then propose to her and give this ring I chose to her!"

Your eyes widen and turn to see Eugene showing Big Nose and Ulf who seem to really love it, especially when Ulf fainted.

"Life's gonna be like strawberry sherbet." Him and Max dance for a short while and slightly cringe at his next line, "Once she is Mrs Eugene Fitzherbert." Max glares at him. "Okay not great, but how about this?" He stands on the couch he tipped over, "Once she is Princess Eugene Fitzherbert!!!"

You facepalm when Shorty swings by with his cupid outfit, throwing rose petals. You finally gotten used to all this random things happening, it was almost like something from a cartoon. So you just went along with it.

You went out of the room, not wanting to see the outcome because there were lots of desserts brought in. You probably have to talk to Eugene later about the marriage, even if you didn't know much, you knew that getting married this soon might affect Rapunzel.

"This is their life after happily ever after. And their story might have finally reached its end." You sang, walking toward Rapunzel's room. "Settling down here, Year upon year, may seem content and secure. With dozens of duties they'll have to tend."

Your eyes examine the line of royalty paintings, "And now that they've gotten the dream that they chose. Now that they're in for the haul. Now our adventures can come to a close." You stop in front of Rapunzel's room, knowing something will happen, but don't know what. "This all just sounds like a happily beginning to us all.”

On the other side, you can hear Rapunzel having doubts about happily ever after. "Now that I've gotten the dream that I chose.....Why does my world feel so small? If this is it....And it is I suppose." She lets out a sigh, "Is this happily ever after, after all?"

You walk in, knocking slightly and Rapunzel turns to you, “Rapunzel?” She smiles a bit and turns back to her mirror,  “Hey (____).”

You smile softly, “Rapunzel, are you sure you're ready for all of this? I can see you're being thrown into this too fast and it's okay if you're not ready.”

Rapunzel takes a deep breath in, “There's no pressure if that's what you're trying to say.” She looks at herself, frowning slightly, “I'm just introducing myself to the most important of the world.” She smiles a bit unsure, “Representing my mom, dad, and the entire kingdom.”

You can tell she's going to be determined about this as she grins, “We've got this.”

Soon you were standing slightly behind King Frederick, spotting Eugene waving to Rapunzel and of course she waves back. Frederick clears his throat and she stops.

“Your Highness, I present Dame Elizabeth Van Hoskins of Rochester.”

Suddenly Rapunzel pulls Dame Van Hoskins into a very tight hug, actually you can hear the old woman's bones crack. That made you all grimace.

“Get in here! So nice to meet you!” Rapunzel happily fixes up the Dame’s clothes since she was still in shock. Pascal shrugs at the woman and she just walks to the side crowd after Frederick smiles nervously at her.

Arianna gently pulls Rapunzel back in place as Frederick spoke, “Perhaps you should refrain from the bear hug, Sweetheart.”

“Ah, no bear bugs, gotcha. Sorry.”

“I present, Lieutenant Commander General James Rutherford Carver III.”

You groan inwardly, whispering to yourself, “Not him again.” He was so serious and not the nice serious.

“That's kind of a mouthful, is it okay if I call you Jimmy?” That's exactly what you said when you first meet him and he says, “I prefer you didn't.”

Rapunzel is hesitant about all this now, “Well, uh, welcome all the same then!”

“I present, The Duchess of Quintonia.”

You raise a brow to look at the lady with the big hair and narrow your eyes slightly. Quintonia sounds like a fake place and you got a bad vibe from her.

“Still it's nice to meet you.” You snap out of it when Rapunzel speaks.

The Duchess hums, “Sadly, not nice to wear shoes, I'm afraid.” She chuckles at her then she raises a brow, smirking at you, “Hm, I see every high status should have a PET, I guess it's a forever trend. Really.” She laughs, walking away.

You stare after her, then glance away because that is much worse than being the entertainer. She was the last one, so you guess you can all go about your own business now.

There was a feeling that someone had their eyes on you and you turn to meet the Duchess’s eyes. You go to walk away, but she stands on front of you.

“The King's Pet. Oh just a foot shorter and you'd be a Japanese Spaniel.” She laughs, fanning herself.

You wanted to say something, but you held back and walked off.

She slams her fan closed, smiling mysteriously, “Oh this will be too easy.” She walks inside.