Chapter Text
It was early morning by the time Varian had hobbled back to Old Corona. The exhaustion weighed him down, kept him from thinking of anything but continual motion. He slunk in through one of the many holes in the wooden exterior of his home, and clammered towards his work bench. Too tired to be hopeful, he scanned the room for any sign that Ruddiger had been here in his body. But his things sat undisturbed, the copper pot still glinting in the early morning sun from the same place he had left it over a day ago.
Twenty-four hours.
That’s how long the failsafe should have given him. It was well past a full day now, and he should be back in his own body. He should be making his move on the princess, ready to save his father’s life.
Instead he was trapped in the worst predicament of his life. No materials to make a new potion, and nobody to give it to if he could. Stuck couldn’t begin to cover it. Like everything else he’d ever tried; a colossal failure.
His mind flashed to Cassandra and Eugene. The one part of his plan that had gone as he’d expected pinched him with guilt. Had he trapped the two of them as each other forever? Had his incompetence undone their lives too?
He couldn’t think of anyone less happy to wake up as each other than Rapunzel’s closest friends, which, of course, had been the intention. The chaos it would create giving him enough time to steal the princess away without anyone noticing. Now, he’d sentenced Cassie to life as her least favorite person. And his father would never escape.
Varian felt dizzy. The length of his journey and the weight of his guilt pulled him to the ground. He closed his eyes, the need for sleep calling out to his small form, encasing him in an iron-like grip.
Rapunzel.
As his mind gave way to the hold of sleep, it spat forth one last thought. The princess’ face burned in his mind.
This is all her fault.
-
A gentle knock at the door broke through her dizzy panic.
“...Cassandra?”
The princess’ soft voice cleaved through her heart. Cass swallowed and sat up. Of course they’d check her room first. She might as well have gone to the king himself.
Hello your majesty! Just to let you know, I tricked your daughter into kissing me last night! Please send me to the convent of your choosing!
“Cass? Are you in there? I- I just want to talk…”
Stupid, stupid…
She sighed. Not knowing what else she could do, she stood slowly and stumbled to the door. Checking the shadows underneath the gap, relief washed over her. The princess was alone. Steadying her breath as an attempt at composure, she opened the door.
Rapunzel looked like a mess. Her face was torn up with worry and her hands were knotted. Her blonde hair, normally delicately braided, had been tied up haphazardly, presumably a rushed job after Cass had fled the room. Her bare feet rocked from side to side, arches tensed.
She was trying to speak but seemed unable to commit to a strategy. Opening and closing her mouth a few times, she finally settled for courtesy.
“Can I come in?”
Cass appreciated the question. It raised the option of saying no, slamming the door in the future queen’s face, and hiding in her armory. Instead, she gave a stiff nod and walked back to her bed. Rapunzel followed tepidly, stopping short of her side.
A stilted silence filled the room and sat heavy. Cass studied the fabric pattern of her sheets, unable to meet Rapunzel’s gaze. A long minute ticked by, until she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Where’s Eugene?” she said, not looking up.
Rapunzel flashed a cheeky smile.
“Don’t you mean Cassandra?”
Cass didn’t laugh. Rapunzel’s smile dropped and she took a few steps forward, reaching out her hand before hesitating and pulling it back to her side.
“He’s upset, Cass,” she finally answered, “he wanted us both to come down here but I asked him to give us some time to talk first. He went back to Xavier’s to see if he’d found anything else.”
Cass nodded again. Eugene was mad, because of course he was. He had just been handed proof of all his worst suspicions about Rapunzel’s lady-in-waiting. All the sarcastic banter, biting remarks, any attempt to undercut him was now prized evidence in his case to get rid of her. He was probably furious.
Or thrilled.
“I think he’ll feel better after he cools off. And, after we figure out how to get you two back to normal. He’s scared,” Rapunzel smiled gently, “he really misses being himself. That probably doesn’t surprise you.”
Cass found herself grinning before the guilt hit again.
“Rapunzel, I-” she hesitated, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I lied to you. Eugene was right, this is all my fault. I didn't let him tell you what was going on.”
Rapunzel’s smile faded, her face folding up in thought, tension building in her small frame. Cass’ anxiety bubbled inside her.
Here it comes.
“What is it, Rapunzel?”
The princess stared at her, before sighing and unclenching her hands.
“Did you get any sleep last night?”
Cass raised an eyebrow. Not the question she thought the princess was stuck on. Turning it over in her mind, she finally decided that at this point, some honesty couldn’t hurt.
“No, I guess I didn’t,” she paused, “I- I haven’t been sleeping well at all recently.”
“What do you mean?”
Cass sighed sheepishly, “I mean, I haven’t been sleeping… at all.”
“What?” Rapunzel rushed to her side. “Cass, how long has this been going on?”
She braced herself for the onslaught of worry. “About a month or so...”
“A month? You haven’t been sleeping for a month?”
She let go of any attempts to underplay her exhaustion; just nodding and allowing Rapunzel to take her hand.
“Cass, that’s terrible for you. I knew it was bad, but I didn’t know…”
Cass stared down at their interlaced hands, momentarily distracted by the touch. How easily Eugene’s hands fit into the princess’ - how natural it felt. Rapunzel’s expression softened.
“Does it… does it have to do with the nightmares you’ve been having?”
What was Rapunzel doing? She’d expected her to demand answers about her underlying intentions, why she’d kept the bodyswap from her, and about… the kiss. Now they were just talking about Cassandra. And her sleeping problems.
“...yes... but Raps, it’s really nothing you need to worry about.”
“Yes, it is!” She was indignant. “I told you - or, well, I thought it was Eugene - but I told you that I overheard you talking in your sleep! You were Cassandra-Eugene at the time,” she paused, momentarily distracted, “or would it be Eugene-Cassandra…?”
“Okay, yes! ‘Dream you’ is involved with the nightmares but that doesn’t mean the real you has to be.”
“Why not? If ‘dream me’ is doing something bad, maybe I can stop it from out here!”
“‘Dream you’ isn’t doing anything bad, it’s just-”
“Then what am I doing?”
“Raps...” Cass let out a frustrated sigh and her eyes drifted back to Rapunzel’s face. The princess looked so earnest, so eager to help, to fix her.
“Look, Rapunzel… I’m supposed to protect you. I know! I know, ” she said, silencing Rapunzel’s protests, “I know you can protect yourself. I know I’m just your lady-in-waiting, but it doesn’t matter. If anything bad ever happened to you - it would be my fault. And I would never forgive myself.”
Rapunzel chewed her lip but stayed quiet, so Cass quickly continued.
“I think… I think because all of these crazy things keep happening to us,” she quickly gestured down, “including… this, my mind can’t turn it off at night. Even when I know you’re safe in your bed, my dreams cook up new horrible ways for you to get hurt, or lost, or worse.” She took a deep breath, trying to keep her mind away from that place, “So, I guess… I’d rather stay awake... than have to lose you over and over again.”
Cass knew it wasn’t the whole story, specifically leaving out the other side of her dreams, where it wasn’t Rapunzel in danger. But the princess seemed to understand, looking back at her with a sympathetic frown.
“That sounds awful,” she said softly.
Cass shrugged, “It hasn’t been a walk in the park.”
A subtle smile flashed across the princess’ face. “It’s also kind of sweet.”
Blood rushed to Cass’ cheeks. She coughed and her eyes returned to the linen pattern on her bed. Rapunzel wasn’t paying close attention, thankfully, her eyes lighting up.
“Hey… if you’re having these nightmares because you’re scared something bad is going to happen to me… Maybe you should just come sleep in my room!”
Now it was Cass’ turn to look worried.
“Rapunzel, I really don’t think that’s a good idea-"
“It’ll be fun! Like a sleepover!” She was picking up steam now, her enthusiastic chirping already more than Cass could hope to slow. “You know, I’ve never really had one before… and then if you start having nightmares, I can wake you up and you’ll be able to see that I’m completely safe. We could do it tonight!”
She stopped short and looked at Cass apologetically, “Well, maybe not tonight… My parents probably wouldn’t be very happy about Eugene sleeping in my bed.” Her face clouded over. “Oh my gosh, Eugene! Do you think he’s back from Xavier’s yet? He was in the worst mood after you left, maybe we should-”
“If my mood is bad, it’s being the dragon lady rubbing off on me!”
It would never feel any less weird to watch her own body saunter into the room. Cass swallowed hard and turned her eyes to the floor. If Eugene got back to the palace so quickly, there’s no way Xavier had what they were looking for. Rapunzel stood hopefully.
“Any luck?”
“To be honest, I didn’t quite make it to Xavier’s...”
Cass turned her head in surprise. Rapunzel started to ask what had happened but Eugene dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
“Just… follow me. There’s something you both need to see.”
Without another word he had turned and was out the door. Cass exchanged a confused look with Rapunzel before hurrying after herself.
Maybe all the time he’s spending as me is rubbing off… she thought as they struggled to keep up with Eugene’s brisk pace. He led them through the narrow hallways that made up the lower floors of the palace, exchanging nods with the guards and turning away quickly from a passageway from which the gruff voice of Mrs. Crowley rumbled through.
“No linens today…” Cass muttered as they finally broke onto the open green of Corona proper. Looking around, she realized where Eugene was taking them.
“The stables? Are we going far?” she asked him.
Eugene’s face was grim. “Not exactly.”
He led them to the entrance. Cass’ mind returned to the last time her and Eugene had been in this stable together. She shook the thought away, and was about to slide the door open before Eugene stepped in front her.
“Now before I show this to you,” he said, frantic, “just… don’t freak out? I don’t want to scare him…”
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Rapunzel’s baffled expression. Eugene nodded and wrenched the stable doors open. Rapunzel let out a scream before clamping her hands over her mouth. Cass’ just gaped.
Varian was tied up in the middle of the barn. A makeshift gag kept him from speaking, but even so, she doubted his ability to communicate calmly. His eyes were wild, spit dribbling from either side of his mouth in an awful, foaming mess. His clothes were torn and filthy - she could smell him from across the room. Fresh, red scratches ran up and down his arms, like he’d been tearing at his own skin. As they stared at him from across the stables, he let out a muffled hiss and rolled on the dirt floor, desperately straining against the rope tying him down.
“V- Varian?” Rapunzel took a hesitant step inside, “What’s going on? Are you alright?”
He let out a loud bark, sending the princess back out the door into Cass’ grip. Tucking the three of them inside, Cass put her arm around Rapunzel and turned to Eugene, eyes wide.
“What’s going on, Fitzherbert?”
He sighed. “I don’t really know. I’d barely made it to town when I saw him. A couple of guards had him in cuffs, but he was already… like this. Struggling, bitting, and barking like an animal. I talked them into letting him come with me, saying we knew him and it must be something involving alchemy. I admit, Cassandra,” giving her a reluctant smile, “I was glad to be you at the time. You gotta start teaching me some of your exercises, ‘cause I handled him pretty easily back to the stables, tied him up, and came to get you two.”
Cass returned the smile despite the circumstances. Maybe he wasn’t so mad at her after all. Rapunzel kept looking at Varian in horror.
“What… what happened to him?”
“That… I have no idea.” Eugene admitted, plopping himself down on a bale of hay. “I just thought it was too much of a coincidence to see him in town acting like… well, obviously not himself! I mean, wasn’t the last time you saw him during the snowstorm?”
Cass nodded aimlessly, remembering. He’d been so frightened and upset in that moment, begging Rapunzel to go out into the worst blizzard in a century to help his father. Sheepishly, she realized in all the chaos of the past month, they still hadn’t been out to Old Corona to see what was wrong. Now, he shows up in Corona proper but this… wasn’t Varian. It reminded her more of some wild animal, caught in a trap.
“Do- do you think whatever happened to him will happen to you too?” Rapunzel was shaking with worry, the excess panic of the day catching up to her. “Oh god, is this gonna happen all over the kingdom? What are we going to tell my dad?!”
Cass caught a glimpse of something in Varian’s jacket, a glint of sunlight bouncing off glass as he thrashed on the dirt floor. Her eyes widening, she took a few cautious steps.
Eugene grabbed her wrist, holding her back. “Woahhh there, Flynn Rider, I know I got him up here but the kid’s dangerous. I’m not letting you mess up my perfect face.”
“He’s got something on him,” she shook off his grip and continued to creep towards Varian, “something in his jacket. Maybe it has to do with how he ended up like this.”
As she drew near, Varian stopped struggling and glanced intently up at her with something close to recognition. She gently removed his jacket, her eyes welling up at the smell radiating from it. Quickly stepping away, she turned out the pockets and began fervently combing through the lining. Rapunzel and Eugene slid up behind her as she pulled out two small glass tubes, one bright green and the other a dark blue. She held them up triumphantly, reading aloud the note haphazardly pinned to the cork.
“Mind swap!” She grinned at her two partners. “Look at this; one says mind swap, and the other says truth serum!”
“What?” Eugene grabbed the bottle from her, intently studying the small pin. “Holy… I guess Varian graduated up from sticky goo…” He began uncorking the bottle, almost getting it open before Rapunzel’s hands shot forward and grabbed it. Cass turned, clocking her pale face and shaking hands.
“Eugene, what are you doing?” Rapunzel said, her voice quaking, “This stuff could be dangerous, and we have no idea what it does-”
“What do you mean, we don’t know?” he turned on her, disgruntled, “It says what it does right there at the top - mind swap!”
He grabbed the bottle back and gestured to Cass, “ We’ve been through hell the past twelve hours. Varian showing up out of his head with this in his pocket is enough evidence for me.”
“But what if that is exactly what made him like this?!” The princess wasn’t giving up. “What if he tried to swap back and it didn’t work or it… erased his mind entirely? I’m not letting you drink some random potion-”
As they continued squabbling over the bottle, Cass’ attention had drifted back towards Varian. He studied the trio with an intense fascination, pulling against the rope with a pained expression. It was almost as if… he recognized them. She started running through the possibilities; Was some part of Varian still present, fighting against whatever had happened to him? Or was this thing… Varian’s body but mind swapped with something that knew them, something that would recognize his friends.
“Cass!”
Eugene’s voice cut through her concentration. She wheeled around.
“Cass, come on! You’re on my side, right?”
“Sorry, Fitzherbert, even when I’m you - that’s not happening.” She gave him an apologetic smile, “But… I think I may have figured out our Varian situation…”
She turned back towards him, crouching low and offered in her best… animal-friendly voice:
“Ruddiger?”
The change was immediate. A wide grin spread across Varian’s face and he assumed a seated posture. If he’d had one, a tail would be wagging. Cass turned back to her friends, victorious.
“That stuff didn’t wipe his brain! The dumb kid must have swapped himself with his pet raccoon.” Cass frowned at the idea. She’d had a rough day, but if she was right, Varian had almost definitely had a worse one. She hadn’t parted on good terms with the young alchemist during their last encounter - but he was a good kid and she hoped against hope nothing bad had happened to him.
Eugene nodded slowly as he finished putting the pieces together. “Ruddiger must’ve run off with the potion after they swapped, and Varian’s been stuck in his body!” he shook his head, “Poor kid, didn’t think it could get worse than being Cass and ra but-”
“What do we do now?” Color was starting to return to Rapunzel’s face, “We don’t even know where Varian is!”
Cass’ eyes jumped back to the bottle. Grinning, she plucked it from Eugene’s hands and uncorked it in one smooth motion.
“Now,” she held up her prize, “I think it’s time to get reacquainted with ourselves.”
She took a small swig of the remaining ink-ish fluid. Honestly, she had no idea how much was necessary but felt reassured it was the correct amount when the same kick-back from the night before slammed into her, forcing her down to her knees. Grimacing, she handed the bottle to Eugene.
“Here’s to you, Cassandra ,” she forced a smile through the pain, “and may I never again wake up to your stupid goatee.” Eugene rolled his eyes but followed suit, snapping over like a shot as the elixir wracked his body. He gave her a pained glare.
“And to think I- I was just starting to get the hang of playing y- you,” he got out between shaky breaths, “the trick is j- just to bear your fangs and hiss anytime my natural charm comes out. F- folks don’t b- bat an eye.”
He tossed the remaining ounce of potion to Rapunzel. As Cass fell to her side and she felt her consciousness fading, she glanced up to the princess, white as a sheet.
“R- Raps, give th- the rest to Ru- Ruddiger... ” she stammered, catching Rapunzel’s nervous nod just as her vision turned black.
-
Rapunzel shook as she inched towards the currently docile Varian. He looked at her curiously, while casting beady glances back at her two currently unconscious friends. She waved the bottle in his face, her words cut up by sharp breaths.
“O- okay Ruddiger, you gotta drink this up, it’s for your own good.”
He eyed her warily but allowed the princess to open his mouth and - from a distance - she poured the remaining dark liquid inside. Thankfully, he swallowed it down, but immediately commenced violently hacking and straining at the rope. Rapunzel jumped back, letting out a small yelp.
She was scared .
It seemed like all the awful things that had happened in the past twelve hours had suddenly caught up to her and left a frightened kid in her place. She just didn’t understand why . Her friends hopefully would be back to normal after a few minutes. They could get Varian back to Old Corona, maybe a little less angry with her now that she’d saved his butt from life as a raccoon.
But despite knowing this not-so-fun adventure would finally be over, worry still nipped at her mind. The image of Cass-as-Eugene rushing out of the room, the pain in her eyes during their confrontation, their semi-fight from last night.
“Well, she’s not!”
She’d been unable to broach the subject after finding Cass in her room, so sunken and gray. She only wanted to help her friend - help her through whatever pain she was experiencing, any obstacles that stood in her way. She knew it wasn’t always easy to be Rapunzel’s lady-in-waiting when her aspirations lay elsewhere but this felt… different.
How could Rapunzel help her, if she was the source of Cass’... heartache?
She giggled at the thought, despite everything. The idea of Cass feeling moony over anyone was ridiculous, least of all her . Cass had always seemed too strong, too proud for crushes.
And besides… with Rapunzel? Cass was her best friend, her confidant, her future Captain of the Guard, while Rapunzel reigned as Queen. But the cold feeling in her gut returned as she thought back to their kiss. There had been… something ferocious about the person she thought was Eugene in that moment. A fire absent from their normal affectionate pecks.
And if Cass really did feel that way, what would that mean for their friendship? Would Cass not want to be her friend anymore? Could you even be friends with someone who wanted… more?
Groaning from her rear broke her quiet contemplation and she whipped around.
“Cass! Eugene!” She was already on the ground next to them, holding Cass’ hand as she lightly embraced her boyfriend. They both looked as badly dazed and pained as they had the night before. Rapunzel searched for some recognition in their eyes.
“Are…. are you back to being yourselves…?” She asked hopefully. “Eugene? Is that you in there?” She held her breath as he slowly sat up, groaning and holding his head.
“Blondie, remind me to never attend boring nobles dinners with you ever again?”
She let out a choked laugh, tears falling as she pulled him into the tightest hug his currently fragile condition could allow. After several increasingly desperate protests from Eugene about his ability to breath, she turned to Cass. She had already propped herself up and looked back at Rapunzel with a pained half-smile.
“It’s me, Raps, it’s me. I’m okay.”
Rapunzel took her hand and squeezed it. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything, letting a silent moment pass instead. Cass looked strained and tired but she looked like herself again and that made all the difference in the world. Looking into her friend’s eyes, she felt an internal click .
No matter what happened, she wasn’t going to lose her. Not today. Not ever.
“Uhm… guys?”
Eugene pointed their attention to the back of the barn. Rapunzel glanced back and felt relief quickly twist to confusion.
“Varian?”
He was already on his feet, eyes darting back and forth, a look of pure panic and something like rage plastered across his face. She stood up again and took a single, ginger step.
“Varian, don’t worry, you’re okay now,” she reached out her hand. “I’m so sorry for… whatever happened but-”
“No, you’re not.”
She took a step back, giving her friends a confused glance. The alchemist looked positively furious with... them ? Eugene seemed just as baffled, but Cass tried to strand, steadying herself against the stable door.
“Varian…” she muttered through gritted teeth, “what were you doing with that potion?”
His eyes flickered across Cassandra before narrowing back down on the princess. For a second, Rapunzel could swear a smirk danced across his face
“You’re not sorry yet,” he reached into his pocket, “but you will be.”
Rapunzel leapt forward but it was too late. A flash of light, and smoke was everywhere. Coughing, grasping at the air in front of her, she tried to locate Varian in the chaos but by the time the room had cleared, he was gone.
The doors of the stable burst open, and she was running down the hill scanning the horizon for any trace of him, yelling his name. Eugene and Cass hobbled out after her, leaning against one another. An uncomfortable silence settled on the three friends.
After a moment, Eugene let out a strained yell, “You’re welcome! ”
Rapunzel felt dread retching up inside of her.
“We need to go to Old Corona.”
Two sighs wheezed out from behind her. She smiled and turned to her friends, who were looking determined but considerably bent out of shape.
“After we get you two fixed up.”
-
The rest of the day passed with surprisingly little fanfare. Cass made a point of stopping by Crowley’s quarters, apologizing for her less than tactful request for the day off. Crowley had given a stiff nod coupled with a harumph, which felt like forgiveness enough. It probably meant double duty during the coming weekend, but she could handle that. Better than being fired or thrown in jail.
After Rapunzel had been assured that - yes, they would both be fine in a few hours, and no, there was no need for her to hang around them like a watchdog - the princess had reluctantly egressed to attend to her abandoned royal duties for the day. She’d promised them both that it would only take a couple of hours, before giving Eugene a quick peck on the cheek, and Cass a particularly powerful bear-hug.
And like that, she was back in her room. In her own room, in her own body. Even looking in her less-than-pristine vanity almost brought tears to her eyes. Cass wasn’t typically concerned in the least with her appearance but seeing that mop of raven hair atop her slim but strong frame made her glow with pride.
Did I actually get away with it?
In the quiet of the evening, it seemed possible. Eugene hadn’t said a word about the swap since it ended, except to remind Cass of just how superior his form is, and show her the proper way to style her hair. Rapunzel too, had seemed fully relaxed back into her normal self; keeping the two from each other’s throats, and side-eyeing Cass when Eugene’s boasts grew unbearable.
Maybe this would just roll off her back, another wacky adventure for the princess’ journal. In a couple of months, no one would even remember the fiery kiss between Rapunzel and her body-swapped handmaiden.
No one but you.
The voice nagged in the back of her mind. She tried to push it down by polishing her broadsword (Fitzherbert wasn’t wrong - it did calm her!) and giving Owl as much love as the poor bird deserved, neglected as he was last night.
You’ll remember that kiss for as long as you live.
She pushed the cloth forcefully over her blade, gritting her teeth. If Rapunzel and Eugene seemed okay to move on from this week’s adventure, couldn’t she do the same? Pretend it was all for the ruse, maybe bring it up years down the line, after the princess and Fitzherbert were married, and laugh at the absurdity of it all?
‘Cass,’ Rapunzel would laugh, ‘remember when you kissed me? And Eugene thought you had fallen in love?’
A lump had lodged itself in her throat and seemed determined to stay there.
-
It was around nine o’ clock when Rapunzel showed up at her door.
She stood in the hallway, already in pajamas, and looked at Cass expectantly.
“Are you ready?”
“Ready for what?” She raised her eyebrows at the princess, baffled.
“Don’t tell me you forgot!” she said in mock exasperation, “...our sleepover?”
Cass’ face flushed. “Oh… Raps, I didn’t think that was tonight, uhm, but - listen I’m not even that tired, why don’t we try next-?”
Rapunzel was having none of it. “No buts! You haven’t slept in a month, no way you’re ‘not tired’.” She took Cassandra by the hand and started dragging her out of the door. “Unless that’s still Eugene inside there, you’re coming with me!”
And so she found herself in Rapunzel’s whale of a bed, nibbling on a midnight snack which had been smuggled in from the kitchen, wearing one of her frilly nightgowns. The princess had insisted, saying there was nothing in the Seven Kingdoms more conducive to a good night’s sleep.
They’d snacked and talked about nothing for a little while, discussing Rapunzel’s upcoming birthday celebration. Cass recounted some of the more unpleasant aspects of being in Fitzherbert’s body to Rapunzel’s snorts and gasps. They danced around the idea of telling the King about their misadventure, Cass gratefully agreeing when Rapunzel proposed keeping it to themselves.
They settled into a serious tone when the topic of Varian came up, deciding to travel to Old Corona this weekend to work out whatever had happened. Rapunzel looked miserably guilty when his father’s condition came up, falling into Cass’ arms. She held the princess tight, gently running her hands through her hair.
It was nice, Cass thought to herself. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been avoiding Rapunzel until this moment, scared of encouraging the nightmares. But she missed the feeling of their two bodies pressed against each other, even just to comfort, to console.
As the night went on, they settled into a comfortable silence. Rapunzel laid next to her drawing something, and Cass pretended not to notice the intensity with which she studied her face. They weren’t touching, but they were close enough that she still felt her warmth in the bed next to her.
She drew silently for what felt like hours before the dam broke.
“Cass?”
“Mhm?”
“Can I ask you something?”
Cass hunched herself up on her elbows and looked over at the princess. Rapunzel had put her journal down and was looking at her, hands fidgeting in the soft candlelight. She felt her stomach tighten.
“Shoot.”
“I was… I was thinking about last night,” she said slowly, deliberately, “about… what happened.”
Cass felt like her throat might jump out of her mouth. She swallowed hard, and forced a laugh.
“Yeah, what a wild night! Can’t believe I tried to pretend I was Eugene, huh? That’ll make a great story someday...”
Rapunzel bit her lip. “...right… I was more thinking about… when you kissed me.”
Cass coughed. “Well, technically Raps, you kissed me first.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “I didn’t know it was you!” she squealed, pushing her shoulder.
Cass snorted, momentarily forgetting. Rapunzel’s laugh ran out and her face resumed its careful curiosity.
“I just mean… after you ran out of the room today… and with how you reacted last night to what Eugene said - he told me how upset you were - I guess... I just want to know if you have anything you need to tell me?”
No, no, no. This wasn’t happening now, not tonight, not when she thought it was over. Cass blinked a few times before shaking her head.
“Raps, it was all just a big misunderstanding-”
“I know, I know, you were just pretending, but still - if there’s something you have to say-”
“You know you can’t believe everything Fitzherbert says-”
“Cass!” Rapunzel pleaded, “Do you?”
Everything was still. Cass couldn’t bring herself to look away from Rapunzel’s eyes, so big they became mirrors, reflecting back every guilty twitch. The air became solid, unbreakable, any movement like trying to swim through solid stone.
Cass whispered. “I… I don’t know.”
Rapunzel leaned in. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I- I’m not used to having friends either, you know? Being close to people, having sleepovers - Obviously, all of this is new to you but… it’s new to me too.” She clutched her pillow to her chest, unable to stop incriminating herself. “I never expected to… care about you this much. To worry about you, to want to spend every day with you. When I started, it was just another job. Another excuse from my dad to keep me off the guard. But now...”
Bits of nightmare flashed in her mind. Rapunzel’s laugh turning cruel and callous. Guards swarming in like rats. Her father - broken, horrified -
A hand fell on her shoulder. Cass turned, blinking away tears. Rapunzel smiled back at her.
“Now?”
“...now, I don’t know.”
They sat quietly for a long time. Hot tears continued to roll down Cass’ cheeks. She hated hated hated anyone seeing her cry but every few minutes, Rapunzel would lean over, and with a gentle hand, wipe the drops from her face. Her touch felt like salve on broken skin, cool and soft.
Cass knew she had said enough - Rapunzel would believe her that all of this was simply misattributed friendship. She was in the clear.
But she couldn’t stop herself.
“What would you say if… Eugene was right about me? About how I feel when I’m... around you.”
Her heart hammered loud - a death toll. A few endless seconds passed by.
Rapunzel spoke in a calm voice. “I would tell you that it wouldn’t change anything. That I wouldn’t let it. That you’d still be my best friend. And that I’m never losing you.”
She was squeezing her hand now, a delicate pulse that echoed through Cassandra’s body.
“No matter what.”
Silence once again filled the room. Rapunzel, seemingly satisfied, gave her hand one more squeeze before extinguishing the candle on her bedside table. They were blanketed in darkness.
A voice itched through.
Is that enough?
-
She didn’t know when she had fallen asleep.
It had started like so many of her dreams. She was charging into the palace, wearing her handmaiden’s uniform, no broadsword, no dagger. Inside, fire twisted its way up purple bannisters, panicked civilians jumping from first story windows. She screamed Rapunzel’s name.
Her father’s men were nowhere, the enemy spread through every back passage. She ran until she was captured, fought and spit and bit until they brought her to the princess. Screaming, sobbing, she begged them to spare her life, to take hers instead. The men smiled with cruel indifference as they raised their hatchets.
She woke up to Rapunzel’s touch. The princess perched beside her, a hand gently stroking her side.
“Nightmare?” she whispered.
Cass nodded.
“What was it this time?”
“Army,” the sound came out hoarse, “invading the castle. They’d taken you prisoner and-“
Her voice broke. Rapunzel nodded.
The moonlight from the window helped her eyes adjust. Corona sang at them from below, endless choruses of city life reverberating through the room. Rapunzel continued to brush against her nightgown in a steady rhythm.
“I’m safe, Cass.”
The moonlight faded. All she could see was Rapuznel’s golden halo.
“I’m safe here with you.”
And for the first night in a month, Cass fell into a deep sleep. She didn’t wake til morning.