A Rough Visit // Leonardo and Gothel

Obscure nobody. Well, he would certainly be surprised to hear that she was actually marrying a royal. No, she couldn’t tell him, she would only want to further hurt them and he would think that she was just using him for his wealth and power like everyone else thought. 

“Yes, it’s all I want.” she assured. “I’m offering a peaceful solution that will give you satisfaction, take it or leave it. I would not willingly give myself to be publicly shamed unless it’s to protect the ones I love, and in this case, it’s my fiance. The deal is that you get to have your fun torturing me and then you will let me leave and not seek out my fiance or have him hurt. That is the offer I’m making. Amusement and revenge at my expense. Do you want that or not?”

‘Amusement and revenge at her expense’, was that what he wanted? 

To drag her out in front of the city, proclaim who she was and then restrain her and have rotten food thrown at her, to be spit upon, slapped and spanked. Was that what he wanted?

To watch her squirm and shake in fear, to hear her weep and wail as others shared in the vengeance.  Was that what he wanted.

His anger wanted to rip out her throat with his teeth, but she was actually granting him a chance to hurt her to protect another.

His heart just wanted the things vengeance could never bring back. 

What did he want?

“Do you know what I want? I want to hear my daughter’s first word. I want to see her first steps. I want to feel her spit up drip down my back in the middle of the night. I want to see the joy on her face when she opens her Christmas presents. I want to see her blow out her candles on her birthday cake. I want to kneel by her bed when she was sick. I want to dancer with her standing on my feet. I want to teach her how to play catch. I want to feel her fingers around my finger as we walk through the city. I want to see her grow up.”

He sighed and let go of her.

“But I can’t. You have those memories and nothing I can do to you would take them from you and give them to me. I hate you because you have those memories. Shaming you, even torturing you might be fun, but would not be a good memory. “

He got off of her and held out a hand. 

“I’m sorry. You are not the kind of person I expected you to be.”

A Rough Visit // Leonardo and Gothel

Leonardo wasn’t sure what he was hearing. His eyes narrowed. 

Was she truly offering herself to him, offering her deepest secret, her greatest weakness to appease him?

He could feel her pulse flutter under his fingers around her throat. He could see the fear and desperation in her eyes. He could clearly see the whites of her eyes. 

“No, scarring you will do nothing. Scars heal. Scars even fade, eventually though the scars are reminders while they last. But it is the scars on the inside that take the longest too heal.”

She was offering her own pain to save her fiancé? She was supposed to offer wealth, power, magic to save herself. 

She was the bad one. She was the kidnapper. She deserved to be punished! He was taking his justice on her. That was his right. 

He was raging inside himself. It was his right to destroy her life like she destroyed his family’s life!But she had been judged and pardoned by his daughter. By the person with even more right then he. 

“Are you offering me your eternal suffering if I spare your life so your fiancé can continue living a normal life with you by his side and not telling him of what you’ve done to this family for nearly two decades?”

But everything was suddenly feeling wrong.

Gothel wasn’t begging for her own life but another’s. Why was she doing that? She was the selfish monster. Monsters weren’t able to do that. Were they?

“What secret of yours is worth that?”

“If eternal suffering is what you want, then so be it. But today, you can give me one day of immense, brutal suffering, and then you will let me go. And then if you want me to come back for more, fine. And I’ve told my fiance what I’ve done. I’ve asked him for forgiveness. He hated me for a long time, but we overcame it.” she breathed, pressing herself against the wall. 

She was nervous, fearful that he wouldn’t accept the deal. 

“It’s a secret that’s fairly obvious when you realize it.” Gothel explained. “I absolutely love my appearance. My appearance is part of the entire reason all of this happened. When I was in Corona last, the villagers rallied mobs to deface me, cover me in food, tar, oil, paint, mud, whatever they could find. I’m sure they would be happy to rally together again at the order of their King. It had been absolute torture for me, more painful than any stab or beating I could suffer from, because it wasn’t my physical body that was feeling the most pain, it was my pride. My pride took a beating and you can give it another one, only you can make it worse, extend it out, really make me look like an absolute wreck and break my pride and break my spirit. And I will sit back and allow it, as long as you you’ll let me go at the end of the day and as long as you don’t hurt my fiance.” she promised. 

As she spoke of this, it was obvious of how afraid she was. Gothel was trembling, her eyes unable to look at the King’s face as she spoke this, for it was humiliating to even think about or say, let alone offer herself up for it. 

Leonardo felt the pulse in her throat pound against his fingers. He felt her diaphragm flutter under his belly. He could see the paleness of her cheeks. She was not looking at him but he could easily see her terror as the muscles around her eyes and above her cheeks quivered. 

No, she had to be lying. The fear had to be an act. She had had hundreds of years to practice doing anything.

That secret was so pathetic and inane. Of course it was obvious that she wanted to be petty. Why else steal their daughter with the magic hair? Why else would she hide for hundreds of years?

Why, indeed? 

A low growl rumbled in his chest. Why did this not make sense!? 

She had magic that kept her young for hundreds of years and all she used it for was to keep herself pretty. With that kind of power she could have founded a kingdom. Raised an unstoppable army. Could have reigned from the rivers to the seas. 

That made no sense. Did she have no ambition? No desire for power? lt didn’t seem to fit his understanding of her. He has his advisors had worked hard to try and understand the motives of the kidnapper even changing it when no ransom demand came. 

This had not been a political kidnapping. All she used this incredible power for was to keep herself young and beautiful!? She was too savvy to be that naive. 

“You’re telling me, that you would willingly let me place you in the stocks and call forth the entire kingdom to deface you before the world. You would let me recall you at any time to do it again and again and again. Just so long as I let you go to your precious little fiancé to play being the dutiful little wife to some obscure nobody!?”

He was confused and frustrated. He adjusted his grip on her throat to force her to look at him.

“Is that all you want? What kind of fool do you think I am?”

A Rough Visit // Leonardo and Gothel

kingofsunshine

He had gone mad. Absolutely mad. Sure, egging him on hadn’t helped. She squirmed in his grasp, glaring at him, so angry she could spit. 

“Are you that ill witted? I have a potion that heals scars– if a scar heals on your body, does it make you look thirty years younger? No, no it doesn’t, the scar simply heals. It’s merely a potion that heals minor scarring.” she hissed. 

She didn’t know what she could possibly do. She just wanted him to get his rage out so that he could leave her alone, and more importantly, let his rage out at her, instead of at Theodore if the two happened across each other and it was revealed who he was marrying. Which, probably, it would be revealed to the important kingdoms, since Luxembourg was a glorious kingdom, allied with many, and many royal families would be invited to the wedding. If Rapunzel’s family was among the many, the King would find out and she knew what could happen.

Gothel needed to protect him. She needed to protect their life together, their happiness. But she knew he wouldn’t understand or care, so she would have to convince him in another way. She couldn’t plea for her life or for Theodore’s. 

When she thought of what she hated most, an idea came to her mind. She would despise it, she would suffer immensely, she would be utterly humiliated and shamed, but perhaps it would ensure her safety and Theodore’s.

“Listen, please,” she muttered, breathing heavily. “Putting scars on me will do nothing. They hurt and they scar me, but I can heal them before anyone sees. But I will tell you what will make me suffer, what will leave a lasting effect that will haunt my very dreams. I will tell you, on one condition. I want to leave Corona safely after you’ve done it and I want no harm to come to my fiance or his life. Promise me that and I will tell you one of my absolute worst fears. ”

She was willing to do anything to ensure she and Theodore’s safety. She had to. She had worked too hard to rise from nothing. Yes, it was selfish, yes, she would suffer, but her suffering would be worth being able to return home. By the looks of it, if she didn’t strike this deal, he would keep her here and scar her again and again and again. 

“I promise. What I can tell you will be the key to my suffering. You will see me broken, my pride at my least, and it will most likely bring you amusement.”

Leonardo wasn’t sure what he was hearing. His eyes narrowed. 

Was she truly offering herself to him, offering her deepest secret, her greatest weakness to appease him?

He could feel her pulse flutter under his fingers around her throat. He could see the fear and desperation in her eyes. He could clearly see the whites of her eyes. 

“No, scarring you will do nothing. Scars heal. Scars even fade, eventually though the scars are reminders while they last. But it is the scars on the inside that take the longest too heal.”

She was offering her own pain to save her fiancé? She was supposed to offer wealth, power, magic to save herself. 

She was the bad one. She was the kidnapper. She deserved to be punished! He was taking his justice on her. That was his right. 

He was raging inside himself. It was his right to destroy her life like she destroyed his family’s life!But she had been judged and pardoned by his daughter. By the person with even more right then he. 

“Are you offering me your eternal suffering if I spare your life so your fiancé can continue living a normal life with you by his side and not telling him of what you’ve done to this family for nearly two decades?”

But everything was suddenly feeling wrong.

Gothel wasn’t begging for her own life but another’s. Why was she doing that? She was the selfish monster. Monsters weren’t able to do that. Were they?

“What secret of yours is worth that?”

     Marina sucked in her lips, biting them as she watched the scene unfold before her. Her husband was stern and forceful…kingly one might say. She had not seen this side of him in a very long time. And though he might have scared the britches off of the two ladies and men, his tone did not scare Marina in the least. Actually she was relieved to see a glimpse of his old self again. A glimpse that was rarely ever shown.

     Doing all she could not to laugh, she gave the three trouble makers a stern look as well they the couple passed them by to enter into the ballroom.

     The queen felt the same burst of heat, emitting from the dance floor. Lifting her hand she waved it over her face, acting as if it were a fan. “Yes it is rather warm. I shall place my blame on the amount of people here…even though it is now minus three.”, she stated, glancing over her shoulder to look back at the girls and boy. “I must say I was rather impressed with how you handle that. I feel as though I would have lost my head. I am grateful you are here to balance me out.”, she chuckled, squeezing Leonardo’s arm gently. 

     “Now then, shall we continue our dance or share our first drink together in years?”

Leonardo grinned, but made it a point not to look back, he did not what them to think his might relent too quickly, though he was sure they would attempt to sneak off. 

“I wouldn’t want them to do anything their parents might not approve of.”

He wasn’t sure of whose children they were, and he knew there were a few nobles with less then savory reputations about the capital. He knew what he wanted to do with his wife and that feeling was making him feel possessive at the moment. The ball was a good excuse for being close for a while.

“But we should not concern ourselves with them for now. We have more important things to deal with. Like dancing.”

He put a hand on her waist and held out his other hand in invitation. He felt so wonderful, but he knew he had to be careful. Maybe one glass of wine. He needed to be in control, how he had reacted to the interruption concerned him. He was edging toward reckless, but he was feeling so energized and passionate. It would be best to use some of that energy on dancing. Drinking would make him unwary and he needed to be more aware of himself and those around him. He needed to be careful

A Rough Visit // Leonardo and Gothel

Her calm enraged Leonardo even more then weeping and begging would have. He wanted to shove her through the marble tiles of the floor. To feel her throat collapse in his grip. Her hot blood oozing across the floor. His breathe came in hot pants.

She was right. Killing her would let her escape, and hurting an innocent and particularly their own daughter just to hurt the kidnapper would be beyond wrong. 

He levered himself up, pressing his hand against her throat, so he could see her eyes…look her in the eyes. He saw calmness there but he wanted something else. He wanted fear in those eyes. Not just any fear, but mortal terror. Something she would always remember. 

As he moved his other hand he felt a shard of the teacup still looped around his finger. He thumbed it, it was fine china and was certainly sharp enough for the amount of cutting he needed. The edge didn’t need to stay sharp long. 

He calmed somewhat, then placed the sharp tip of the shard on her forehead.

“Do to you? I’m sure we can think of something…” 

He traced over her eye and down her cheek, the edge leaving a faint red scratch around the features of her face that he traced around. 

He followed the beating pulse in her neck, across the indentation of her clavicle and down between her breasts.

“…suitable.”

Gasping, Gothel stared at him hard. She had been thrown through a whirlwind of shock when he began etching a scar into her skin with fine china. Surprisingly, that was something that had never been done to her before.

She huffed, glaring at him with piercing eyes, especially as the china tip found its way between her breasts.

“You fucking…” She was so in shock that she couldn’t even think of a suitable word to call him. A crazed laugh escaped her lips. “Well, it’s not as if you’ve accomplished much, now have you?” she sneered, her tone biting. “Surely you realize I can use magic to heal scars? A simple potion and it will be gone. Bravo, really.”

It wasn’t that bad, she realized, despite how shocking and a painful it had been. She remembered when the mobs tied her up and taunted her, tortured her by throwing mud and food at her, which had been severely humiliating. Gothel hoped to never endure something like that again and it almost made the witch feel grateful that the King had only drawn a scar into her skin.

He saw real fear in those eyes. She tried to dismiss it but she was afraid. She had kidnapped his daughter to keep herself young and beautiful forever. He finally knew her weakness, the thing the could use to crush her, to finally bring justice down on her head. 

He smiled, a feral smile.

And with that magic potion, he could do it over and over again until he and his family were satisfied completely. He could beat her face to a pulp and she could heal herself. He could burn her with hot pokers and heal it away. Melt it with acid and heal it away. Flay the skin right off and heal it away. 

He could take his time and enjoy it. And she would always end up pretty in the end.

His heart began to beat faster, the level of viciousness he was seeing in himself was scaring him. 

There was also the question of why. 

She had the flower for centuries, and all she had done was stay young and beautiful.

If she had a potion to heal scars away why steal his daughter?

He frowned. 

“If you have a potion to heal yourself, why would you need to kidnap my daughter?”

Leonardo chuckled as they turned through the garden. 

“Indeed I missed evening like this. There were times when I missed even the most boring guest.”

He grimaced, “Well, maybe not the Minster of Eels. He is a bit much.”

He slowed their dance considerably and looked her in the eye. “Every night I slept under a bush or haystack, I missed you. I missed your warmth. I missed your love. I missed your faith in my unworthy soul. You are a great queen, you kept going when all seemed lost. For that, I am so very thankful.”

There was applause from the ballroom as the song ended. 

“Ah, never mind silly old me. I guess we should go make that grand entrance you were talking about?”

     Marina seemed to lose her breath at his words. They replayed in her head as if they were background music to her memories. As clear as day she could see their first meeting, their wedding day, the birth of their daughter….Her memories seemed to go on and on. Through the good and bad he had stuck by her side no matter what and she him. When she thought he was dead she believed her whole world had ended. That she herself had died. And yet here he was. Safe in her arms once more.

     She would never take a moment or memory with him for granted ever again.

     “Leonardo I…”

     She was cut off by the thunderous applause coming from the ballroom. Her king quickly changed the subject, wanting to finally go inside and enjoy the splendors their daughter had provided. 

     “Of course dear king.”, she smiled warmly, linking arms with him, leading Leonardo to the door, only to have it opened by a man with a woman on either side, giggling furiously. This sight caused Marina herself to chuckle a little. “Let us hope those three do not cause some sort of riot. I do not want this nigh to be ruined by anything.”

The rapt look on his wife’s face made him redden. He hadn’t even had any wine yet but he felt so heady. The sights and sounds of the ball reminded him of their younger years that felt like a lifetime ago. It was a lifetime, he was a different man. And now after what his daughter had done to him he was different again. What would the quiet life be like?

Taking his wife’s arm he smiled as she lead him to the door. 

And they were almost run over by a man with two giggling young women on his arms.

This fired off many things within the king: firstly, he moved in front of his wife to protect her. Secondly, he was annoyed that they were impeding their entrance to the grand hall. Fourthly, he noticed on a primal level how low cut the girl’s dresses were cut, and they were young enough to be his daughter. Fifthly, he knew what they were up to. Sixthly, not on his watch!

He put on a scowl. And not just a scowl but scowl with a healthy dollop of malice. 

The boy was brought up short and gulped as he noticed the king and his attitude. 

One of the girls gave an audible “eep.”

“Don’t.” Leonardo growled and the color left the boy’s face.

The three leapt aside, and bowed and curtsied deeply. 

“Stay.” he declared. He would deal with them later. Even if they left their’s and his mood had been shattered. 

Then escorted his wife into the ball, as they passed through the doors he took a breathe to center himself and leave that incident behind. A wave of heat enveloped them as they entered.

“It’s quite warm in here.” He said, trying to change the subject. 

A Rough Visit // Leonardo and Gothel

Leonardo stared across the coffee table at the woman that had stolen his little girl.

He gripped the tea cup in his hands. How dare she? Who did she think she was?  

He kicked the low coffee table across the marble floor to distract her.

Lunging forward he grabbed the witch by the throat. Flipping the chair backwards he lifted her and slammed her into the floor.

He came down on top of her, one knee across her hips and the other on top of her hand.

“I am the king Everyone listens to me. Who is to say ought against me? Who would speak for you? Who would deny me justice for taking my daughter?

He panted onto her lips as his eyes bored into her own.

“Do you understand what you did to this kingdom?”

“Do you understand what you did to my wife?”

“Do you understand what you did to me?”

He moved his lips to her ear, his nose tangled in her hair.

“Do you understand what I want to do to you?”

She was surprised, sure, when he lunged for her. She didn’t show resistance, nor did she show fear. She didn’t fear death as much as she used to.

The only thing she would be worried about is leaving Theodore behind, but then again, he did deserve someone better than her. Perhaps if she were dead, he would find someone better and then his family would finally leave him alone about how bad Gothel was for him.

She had winced when she was forced o the ground and from there, she was quiet, only her heavy breaths being heard.

“I understand all of that… except the last thing. You want to hurt me, that much is obvious. Yet not with physical pain. Like you said, we can handle it. I’ve handled it for hundreds of years. Killing me would only put me out of my misery. You wouldn’t hurt an innocent person to cause me pain. So what shall you do then, to hurt me? That, I don’t understand.”Her words were softly spoken, calm. Perhaps she thought that the King wouldn’t figure out how to truly hurt her, to strike the second thing she loved most. She was sure he wouldn’t hurt the first –Rapunzel and Theodore. They were safe, at least.

How could she have peace in her heart? 

How dare she be at peace!

He wanted her in torment! In fear!

He was panting with exertion but all he was doing was holding her down. Pining her with his body, a hand on her throat. Tears were in his eyes from hate and rage and frustration.

“Understand? Understand this! That I hate you! I hate you with all my heart! I want your heart in my fist; to drink your blood! I hate what you did to my kingdom! My wife! My daughter! I hate that she was never my little girl! She won’t even use her real name! I hate that she loved you. I hate...I hate that you were a good mother to her.”

He rolled off of her and curled up with his back on the overturned sofa.

I hate that I’ll never know if I would have been a good father.

     Taking the hem of her skirt, Marina lifted it into her hand as to not let the bottom of her dress drag the ground, while her husband twirled her around the courtyard.

     She had to raise an eyebrow though. Wasn’t his knee acting up before? Perhaps it had healed in the time she was ill.

     Brushing these thoughts to the side, she listened to Leonardo’s compliment, hanging her head in childish embarrassment. “If only I could express a compliment as eloquently as you can.”, she smiled, lifting her head to gaze into his sky blue eyes. “I suppose all I can offer is a simple gracious thank you and a small speech about how after all this time, you never cease to amaze me my dear king.”

     Her steps were quick and light, keeping up with his long strides. It took years for her to get that right. Even at their wedding, she felt as though she would fall against him. A downside to being tall she supposed. Now, it seemed, she was a natural.

     “Have you missed evenings like this? Dancing the night away with guests who come from far and wide to either delight or bore you?”

Leonardo chuckled as they turned through the garden. 

“Indeed I missed evening like this. There were times when I missed even the most boring guest.”

He grimaced, “Well, maybe not the Minster of Eels. He is a bit much.”

He slowed their dance considerably and looked her in the eye. “Every night I slept under a bush or haystack, I missed you. I missed your warmth. I missed your love. I missed your faith in my unworthy soul. You are a great queen, you kept going when all seemed lost. For that, I am so very thankful.”

There was applause from the ballroom as the song ended. 

“Ah, never mind silly old me. I guess we should go make that grand entrance you were talking about?”

     Marina was so entranced with the twirling dancers on the ballroom floor, that she didn’t even realize Leonardo had placed his arm around her waist until he pulled her into a half spin, exclaiming that they should dance.

     A high pitched laughter escaped her lips, as her eyes closed tight, thinking about her husband’s sense of humor. She was relieved to get another glimpse of reassurance that it had not left him.

     “And not make our grand entrance into the ball? Who are you and what have you done with my king?”, she teased, smirking as she did.

     As if on cue, the song ended and the orchestra started quickly up again into another waltz. The queen pulled herself back to show a curtsy to her partner, extending her hand and silently asking for a dance.

“That ball is for our amazing daughter and the people, they can wait just a little bit longer. This ball is for just us. To be... just us, like we were, oh so long ago.” Leonardo said as he cupped her fingers in his hand and bowed properly over them, signaling his acceptance of the invitation to the new dance.

He stood up straight and extended their arms to one side while taking her waist in his hand. He could feel her dress flow around his legs. He could smell her freshly washed hair and her perfume.

Waiting for the beat he lead them into the waltz.

“I may be the king of a seafaring nation, and can helm a ship through the meanest hurricane, but I look into your eyes and I can barely keep  myself upright.”

     “With MY titles? What about yours? We would be standing at the top of the staircase for an hour before he is through with you.”, Marina laughed as well.

     Leading the king down a flight of stairs, she opened a side door which reveal the western courtyard. She could hear the echoing of voices and music beyond the stone walls. Walking a ways, she glanced into the windows of the ballroom, admiring what decorations she could see through the crowd of people before stopping at the door. 

     Even cracking it opened caused her ears to shatter, or at least that was how it felt. It was incredibly loud, which only heightened her excitement as she clung to Leonardo’s arm. “What shall we do first?”, she asked, trying to talk over the music.

He grinned as she lead them down the stairs. It was wondrous: the feeling of excitement, the music, the touch of his beloved’s hand.

The scent of the flowers in the courtyard enlivened him.

The heat, music and noise of the ball rolled over them as she cracked the door. 

“Do? Why it’s a ball...” He said in her ear, which brought him close to her, and was a grand excuse to put his arm around her and and swing her around into the empty courtyard. 

“The first thing we must do is dance!”

     Marina tugged on Leonardo’s arm gently to get him to stop walking as she rubbed her lips together in thought. He was right. This was their daughter’s big night, not theirs. All focus needed to be on her. 

     “Come. Let go through the side entrance rather than the front. We can slip in and out easily, seeing as however everyone’s eyes will be on the grand ballroom doors, not the side ones.”, she suggested, resuming their walk by tugging on his arm once more, leading him down a different hallway and a flight of stairs. 

     “I do hope there is a large turn out. I want Rapunzel’s hard work to pay off. We must make sure this night goes without any complications…..and no toes suffering in the process.”, she giggled, squeezing his arm in a teasing manner.

Leonardo gave a low laugh, “That also allows us to bypass that blowhard of a herald. He’d spend 10 minutes just on all your titles. Much better to sneak in and make sure things are running smoothly.”

     Marina couldn’t help but shake her head at his compliment. He always knew how to make her heart flutter with just a few simple words. 

     “Oh I do highly doubt that dear Leonardo. She has grown into a beautiful young lady. I am only trying to keep up with her.”, she chuckled under breath as she graciously took his arm, beginning the long walk down the hallway. 

     “It has been some time since you last danced. Have you been practicing? I know I certainly has. I think it has been almost a year since my last ball. At least, it feels like it.” She was actually excited for the evening. Something about a ball just brought a smile to her face. The music. Dancing. People. It was everything anyone could want in a night. “And I shall go ahead and forgive you for stepping on my toes since we both know it shall happen.”

Leonardo rolled his eyes a little, she put herself down so often. 

“My dear she has grown into looking just like you when you were that age, save the hair. You don’t need a mirror when she is around.”

As they walked side by side down the corridor, he frowned. He couldn’t remember exactly when the last ball he had gone to was. Before the war, there was one for the return of their daughter but had he actually gone to it or had he been readying to go to war?

Alas, he was not sure, but put on a brave, smiling face.

“You are most gracious, my queen to forgive my trespasses in advance. I will endeavor not to do any damage to your toes.”

There was music coming from just ahead. 

“We’d best time our entry so as not to disturb the ball too much. What do you thing?”

     Marina was just as late getting ready as Leonardo was.

     She was scrambling around her room, looking for her shoes and crystal circlet that went across her forehead. It seemed like ages since she had attended a royal ball. Let alone one that she did not plan herself. With all the happenings in Corona, it was difficult to even find the time. But somehow Rapunzel had.

     Finding what she had lost, she quickly finished dressing herself and looked into the mirror for a final glance and self approval before exiting the dressing room, finding Leonardo was just heading her way. 

     “I do apologize, I hope I have not kept you waiting long. You…” A light blush spread across her cheeks as she looked over him. “You look very handsome tonight.”

“You are as beautiful as ever.”

He let his eyes be dazzled by the glint of light off the crystal circlet across her forehead. It didn’t change the fact that she dazzled his heart every time anyway. He smiled as he saw her loveliness.

“You must be careful, this is Rapunzel’s ball and we don’t want you to out shine her.” He teased.

Then he held out his arm to escort her down the corridor.