Chapter Text
She had such dainty little hands, and such a delicate step; Rapunzel took in the sight of the princess, trembling and pale-white.
“Oh, you poor thing!” she gasped out, startling the poor dear. She was by the Princess’s side before the girl could even stammer out one word.
It was the middle of the night, and Rapunzel’s father and mother stood watching their daughter embrace the runaway princess. Eugene stood off to the side, watching with concern, but obviously not comfortable rushing into the comforting part.
“You’re Princess Snow White of Bavaria,” Rapunzel’s Father said softly, looking to the guards and nodding, as though thanking them for thinking to bring the richly-dressed stranger to him, even at this hour of the night. “What are you doing in Coronia’s lands?”
Snow White hugged Rapunzel back almost hesitantly, like she hadn’t been hugged in a long time. However, she seemed to relax and stop her trembling in Rapunzel’s arms. “I’m afraid the Queen Grimhelde wants my life, though I cannot understand why.”
“Your life? But you’re a child!” Rapunzel gasped, feeling all the more sorry for Snow White. She held her tightly, like the little sister she’d never had.
The King and Queen exchanged glances, mostly of a wondering look, as though they could not fathom wanting to take a child’s life. “I have heard things of your stepmother the Queen in recent years,” the King said, almost as if he didn’t want to believe they were true. “ Rumors of black magic, your disappearance from public life…”
“I was a scullery maid,” Snow White said softly, and she was soft in Rapunzel’s arms.
Rapunzel could only stare. She hadn’t known she was a princess long, but she had never supposed a princess could be put to work as a lowly servant in that way. And if the callouses she could feel on Snow White’s hands were anything to go by, she was worked hard.
By now, Rapunzel knew her father had a soft spot for children; for almost anyone in need, to be honest. There was a reason he was a beloved king. She looked to him with pleading eyes, saying, “Father, she can stay here, can’t she? The Queen doesn’t have to know…”
The King sighed, and nodded. “She may stay. I don’t see that there’s anywhere else she could go.”
Rapunzel squeezed Snow White, saying, “You’re staying with us! Come on, I’ll get you set up in a room next to mine; the rooms are enormous here, you’re going to like it!” She took Snow White’s hand in hers to lead her off.
“Thank you,” Snow White said, giving a curtsy with her free hand to the King. “I don’t know what would have happened to me, out there in the woods, without your men and your help.”
The King nodded, and watched as Rapunzel led Snow White out with somewhat sad eyes. The Queen took his hand, shaking her head and murmuring, “The poor child…”
Rapunzel barely heard them before she had Snow White into another hallway, leading to the rooms near hers. Eugene followed shortly behind, and as they arrived in front of a linen cabinet, he hefted out pillows, saying,
“So, this Queen Grimhelde… is she insane or something?”
“I don’t know. I only know she hates me,” Snow White said, instinctively helping with the linens. If it had been another time, Rapunzel might have asked the servants to help, but they were there and she was more of a hands on person anyway.
Rapunzel wanted to squeeze away the hurt in the young girl, but she didn’t want to scare her. So instead, she piled her arms up with blankets, saying, “Well, it doesn’t matter, because you’re safe here. My family won’t be anything but kind to you, I promise.”
Snow White smiled a bit, saying, “I have heard of your parents’ kindness; they are well-known as great rulers.” She smiled a bit wider, as though reassuring Rapunzel, “I am sure you are every bit as kind.”
Eugene laughed, saying, “She’s got a heart that’s almost too big for her.” His eyes met hers, and he smiled charmingly.
Rapunzel grinned back, getting the urge to kiss him, but deciding not to in front of Snow White. Instead, she nudged him affectionately, and then headed towards the room. “This way, everyone!”
They got Snow White installed, and she fell dead asleep shortly after. Her flight must have drained her, and Rapunzel couldn’t blame her. It must have been terrifying, she thought.
Eugene took her hand, and led her back to their room. “Looks like now you’ve got a new friend,” he said, smiling.
“She’s so young; I hope she’s all right,” Rapunzel fretted. She’d almost wanted to set her up in their room, but she didn’t think Eugene would be comfortable with that. “I mean, how could anyone want to kill her?”
Eugene sighed, saying, “There are some bad people out there; you should know that.”
“I do,” Rapunzel said, almost reluctantly thinking back to the Stabbington brothers and Gothel, her fake mother. She’d had her own brush with evil, and she cuddled close to Eugene on their bed thinking on it.
He kissed her forehead, saying, “Let’s go to sleep. Big day tomorrow, right?”
Rapunzel smiled at him, then got snuggled up under the covers. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Eugene said, getting under the covers. She loved the way he said ‘I love you’; it wasn’t flippant, simply a reply to what she said. He meant every word, and he used them with a force that seemed to wrap around her and hold her tight, like an embrace.
It was with his body heat next to her that she fell asleep, and she wouldn’t have had it any other way.