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“I thought, since… We couldn’t dance at the party, we could dance together now?”
…
Cassandra was always aware of where the princess was. It was a natural duty of any Royal Guard, but more-so, the princess’s handmaiden. Rapunzel, as spritely as she was, had taken some time getting used to—in the first days, Cass had had more than a few scares of the princess slipping away from her. That was fortunately unnoticed by the King. These days, the insufferable meetings and greetings were, finally, trickling to an end. Though Corona, Cass thought, could do with fifty less nonsensical “holidays.”
Tonight was a more standard affair, a seasonal feast to celebrate the Kingdom’s good fortune in trade, where four or five prominent dignitaries from neighboring lands took port in Corona’s harbor.
In this very moment, Rapunzel was on the far end of the ballroom, this, Cassandra knew for certain. The young girl was by the hors d’oeuvres, helping herself to another cup of punch while being chatted up by Eugene. Cassandra was stationed at an optimal point in the room—as Rapunzel was to be whisked away most all the night, she did not want to garner suspicion by being glued to Rapunzel’s side, but rather, guard from afar.
There was some relief in this. Having been with her all day, Cass privately reveled in the quiet she had now in merely observing the party, though like a hawk, and the princess a kitten.
Rapunzel was laughing. The sound was infectious, and the circle of people nearby turned to her, see how her face glowed with joy. The corner of Cassandra’s lip quivered, but she remained stoic, arms held gently behind her back, ever aware of the dagger in her boot, hidden beneath her skirts. It could only take a few seconds for any one of these bachelors to take Rapunzel’s arm and pull her away to make Cassandra spring. Oh, she knew Eugene was no boxer; she’d had a few toying matches with him and he would always end clutching those limp wrists.
As if on cue, a young man did reach out for Rapunzel’s hand. Cassandra tensed, noting again the exits, feeling that rush to move. The man clasped it and made a gentle bow. Eugene “tried”—Cass thought with a hidden laugh—to introduce himself as someone of matching status, but of course, they were not engaged; Rapunzel had rejected his public proposal, and that news had spread faster than the news of her fresh locks of blonde. The man—a prince, surely, was making a joke, one that had Rapunzel look to Eugene and Eugene to hold his hands up and shrug. The princess was then led to the dance floor.
The crowd shifted in response; now that the princess danced, many more were to follow. One spindly young man approached Cass’s peripherals, and she said “NO,” before he even finished the question.
It went without saying that Rapunzel was a talented dancer. She’d had years of practice, she’d told Cass, teaching herself in the Tower. She could lead on her own; she would improvise, and that took the prince by surprise, which had Cass’s thin line of a mouth break, at last, into a smile. She was her own person, a flame, not made to bend to anyone or anything.
At this, Cassandra the Handmaiden caught herself staring. As she was passed from one party guest to the next, Rapunzel seemed only to grow more delighted. A blush was rising in her chest to her rosy cheeks. Her bosom was beginning to rise and fall from all of the movement, but she didn’t seem tired.
An angel, Cass thought—the word sprung up in her mind and took her by surprise, and for a moment her eyes darted to and fro, as though she had spoken it aloud—but no, of course she hadn’t—were people looking at her? Could they read her thoughts?
She put the back of her hand to her cheek, to calm the blush that had risen across her pale face.
Cass shifted her gaze briefly to Eugene, who was in mid-pour from a produced flask into his goblet of punch. He saw her looking and waved the flask with a grin. Cassandra gave a too-enthusiastic thumbs-up and rolled her eyes.
“Cassandra! There you are!”
The touch that followed may as well have been a bolt of lightning.
“I was wondering where you were. Come on, let’s dance together!”
It was the princess, who had broken from her line of humoring guests to find her. She had taken her arm and was clinging to it like an excited child.
“I—uh—“
“Oh, come on, it’ll be fun! Just one song…”
People were watching. Why should the princess choose a handmaiden over any of the fine company here?
“Your highness, I—“
Rapunzel was tugging her now, starting to lead her to the floor.
“I can’t, Rapunzel—“
“Oh, sure you can, I’ll teach you—!”
“NO, Rapunzel. YOU. Can’t.” She snapped her arm away. “You can’t dance with me.”
Rapunzel’s chest was still heaving. “Why… why not?”
Cassandra’s back stiffened, she regained her icy composure. “The princess can’t dance with her lady-in-waiting at a ball. It’s… not proper.”
At those last words, she felt herself fight a stammer, because she saw in that moment how Rapunzel’s shoulders fell.
“O-oh.” Her hand was still risen in mid-air, fingers outstretched toward Cass. “I didn’t know, that…”
“Ah—FINALLY!”
His voice was like a blaring horn between them. Eugene swept in, taking Rapunzel by the waist.
“Well Blondie, I never thought you’d stop!”
“Fitzherbert.” Cass’s stare was death. But Rapunzel was back to giggling.
“Eugene! It’s just princess duties,” she put her hands on his chest. “You know you can dance with me anytime!”
Cassandra blinked—a weight dropped within her chest, and her head bowed to follow.
“I’ll… leave you two to it, then.”
She took a half-step back, releasing the princess to her beloved.
“Hey CassAndra, hold this for me, would’ja?”
The goblet was thrust in her face, splashing onto her skirt. She wanted to snarl. But she took it. Rapunzel’s lips parted to say something to her, but they were off in the next second, swept into the sea of dancers.
Cass suddenly wished he’d given her the flask, instead.
- - -
Their walk back to the princess’s chambers was a mostly quiet one—Rapunzel was sleepy, but still in good spirits about the evening. She seemed to have forgotten about their little stint in the ballroom. Cass listened; she offered her usual joking remarks, but felt distant, out of space.
In the bedroom, Cassandra busied herself with starting the fire, ensuring Rapunzel wouldn’t catch chill in the night. As the flames crackled to life, she found solace in them, losing herself momentarily to the calm they induced. She didn’t notice the quiet, or the shuffling of drawers.
A gentle, tiny tune began to play.
Cassandra rose and turned.
Rapunzel was standing across the room, in her hands a delicately carved music box, bearing Corona’s seal. The lid was open; atop the platform, a ceramic sun and moon spun, reflected in its little tessellated mirror.
“I thought, since…” Rapunzel tucked her hair behind her ear; bit her lip. “We couldn’t dance at the party, we could dance together now?”
Cassandra stood stoic a moment more, looking from the little box to the princess. Rapunzel smiled, sheepish, brows creased, and Cassandra recognized that expression at once—the fear of being berated, denied, mocked—how she had said it was like in the Tower.
“I’m sorry… it’s stupid, and silly—“
“—No,” Cass interrupted. “No… Don’t be sorry.”
The handmaiden softened. She bowed her head and removed her bonnet, shaking free her short dark bush of hair. Casting the article aside, she approached Rapunzel, the music box trilling sweetly between them, and the princess would see with relief that she was smiling.
“I’d love to.”
Rapunzel let out a peal of glee and threw her arms around Cass. Cass allowed herself a breathy chuckle—not like she could stop it—and returned the embrace, daring to rest her cheek atop Rapunzel’s head.
“Heh—woah now, don’t drop it.”
She took the music box from the princess gently, winding it as she walked to place it on the sewing table.
The little tune started up again— a lullaby waltz of sorts, strangely familiar to her. She made a grand bow, like a nobleman.
Rapunzel was beaming, she giggled and curtsied deep in response. Her shoulders were raised and she still clutched her skirt when she stood—and, like an excited puppy, ran up to Cassandra to take her hand.
Cassandra put her arm around Rapunzel’s back, her fingers deftly feeling the laces of her bodice she herself had so carefully tied.
“Ready?” Cassandra asked, and Rapunzel nodded, cheeks aglow.
Slowly, they began to dance, Cassandra following the perfect form, guiding Rapunzel in calculated squares around the room. The song was quiet, and so, they wordlessly felt the need to move softly, though when Cassandra spun Rapunzel out, she giggled.
“I thought you didn’t like being led,” Cassandra mused.
“Well, it’s different when you do it, Cass—!” Rapunzel averted her eyes, “—Sandra. Cass-Sandra.”
“It’s okay, your highness. You can call me Cass.”
Rapunzel bit her lip and nodded. “Okay. Cass!”
“Nice to be away from all of those people, huh?” Cass continued.
“I don’t mind it too much, the princess stuff is a little overwhelming, though…”
“One day at a time,” she smiled. “You’re doing great.”
“You really think so?” Rapunzel sighed. “Well, that’s a relief. Most times I don’t feel it… I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Cass bit her lip. “If anything, I should. I shouldn’t have been so harsh to you earlier. It’s just… If people at the ball saw us together—I mean—the princess dancing with her lady-in-waiting—“
“I wouldn’t mind if they did,” Rapunzel replied, “you’re important to me. I’m not ashamed of that.”
Cassandra’s grip on Rapunzel’s waist tightened slightly. Her lips parted to refute, but she did not have the heart to.
They both fell quiet, waltzing slowly about the room, Cass keeping her gallant stride and noble grip on Rapunzel as though she were the most precious thing on Earth. And, she was, wasn’t she?
Rapunzel was gazing up at her, and, despite all attempts to keep a level head, Cass felt herself grow warmer.
What felt like too soon, their little song came to an end.
“Cass…” Rapunzel still held her hand tight.
Cass lowered her gaze to the princess, and was met with a rush of butterflies that fought to erupt from her lips. “Rapunzel…”
A knock on the door.
Their heads snapped to the sound. Cassandra instinctively fell away from her, rushing to the music box and closing it.
“Darling, it’s me… May I come in?”
It was the Queen. Cass relaxed at once. Though, she held the back of her hand to her flushed cheek, for the second time that night.
Rapunzel tucked her hair behind her ears and cleared her throat. “Yes, come in!”
Queen Arianna always held herself with a warm, welcoming grace; Cassandra did not remember her mother, but she knew she should be so lucky as to have a mother like Arianna. She clasped her bonnet at her chest and bowed her head.
“Oh, hello, Cassandra,” the Queen crooned before continuing. “I just wanted to see what you thought of the party, sweetheart.” Then, a gentle gesture to the both of them. “I’m glad to see you two getting along.”
“Yes, we were just dancing—!”
She crossed to her daughter, taking her hand, caressing her cheek. At once Cassandra restored her position as a bystander, a shadow.
Arianna perked amongst their conversation. “Oh, were you listening to this?” She gently picked up the music box. “la danse du soleil et de la lune, it’s one of your father and my’s favorite love songs.”
She wound it thrice and set it back down. Cassandra at once felt her heart hit her throat. A… love song?
“Do you feel well, Cassandra?” Having been lost in her thoughts, Cassandra hadn’t realized how utterly stiff she had become, nor how tightly she was clasping her bonnet. Arianna drifted to her and raised the back of an elegant hand to her forehead; cheek. Cassandra felt like she could perish. “You feel warm. You’re not catching ill, are you, dear?”
“No, your—your majesty. It… must have been the dancing.” She cleared her throat. “I’m fine.” That was good enough of a cue as any, and she stepped away from the two of them.
“I’ll bid you good night… your majesty. Your highness.” Cass bowed once more and started for the door.
Rapunzel held out her hand, gently clasping Cass’s wrist. “Oh, Cass—“
Cass stopped. As she met Rapunzel’s eyes, she saw the relief, the gratitude. And in the Queen’s, she saw an undeniable understanding.
“Thank you.”
Cass smiled. “Anytime, Raps.”
She closed the door.
fin