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They were sprawled together, the three of them, across a high pile carpet in Queen Rapunzel's chambers. The chambers held a couch and chairs and a bed of course, all of the finest quality, but right now the carpet had everything they need. Cassandra's long-awaited return had been met with a flurry of activity and celebration that had left them all exhausted but content.
Cass rested her head on Eugene's thigh while she played with Rapunzel's hair. “So, Mister and Missus Fitzherbert, where do we go from here?”
Rapunzel giggled at that, a shimmering sound in these quiet chambers. They both went by Der Sonne now, but she knew when her prodigal best friend was teasing. “Why, nowhere! We stay like this forever, right on this carpet. I’m sure the staff can lay out little picnic blankets for us. We’ll deputize Max and Pascale to handle affairs of state. Varian can translate as needed, I’m sure. And then this moment here will never need to end.”
Cass felt more than heard as Eugene sighed contentedly. “You know Sunshine, I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
“Yeah, but…”, Cass hesitated. She wasn’t even certain herself what she was trying to express. “I love you guys, and I love this, but…”
They waited patiently while she collected her thoughts, Rapunzel’s fingers tracing idly along her leg.
“I guess what I mean is… you guys have a kingdom to run, right? And as much as I will always be your friend, to Corona I’m just the woman who nearly destroyed everything." A year ago there would have been bitterness in her voice as she said this, but now there was merely acceptance. "I’ve spent the last few years trying to do better and be better, but part of that is learning to be honest with myself. And that honesty is saying that, as much as I’d like to, I’ll just cause problems for you if I stay.”
Eugene stroked some hair from her face affectionately. “Y’know, you’ve said some brainless things to me over the years, but that one takes the cake. Did you forget what kingdom you were in, or who I was before? I was minutes away from the noose, and I have to admit, I deserved it. I’d hurt people. To the best of my knowledge I’m responsible for… let’s see… seven broken bones including two men who still walk with a limp… three families losing their livelihood and having to enter the poorhouse… eight women I lied to when I promised to stay with them forever…”
Rapunzel reached up to squeeze his hand in support.
“...and that’s not counting all the stolen property, or the power and influence I brought to the Baron, power that I knew he was using to harm even more people.”
Cass felt her heart in her throat. “Eugene, I… I didn’t know you kept track. I thought you just tried to pretend it never happened.”
“Oh I did, for a time. Easier that way. But after Lance came back and I returned Arianna’s ring to her, it really got me thinking, and I started asking around. And things got so busy for a while, but I never really forgot y’know? The families are out of the poorhouse now, we set them up with some nice little homes and tutors for the kids. And the guys with the limp got cushy jobs they can do sitting down. It doesn’t undo everything I did, but my point is, you’re in the same Corona that let me go straight from all that, to living in the palace and courting the princess. I don’t think there’s any other kingdom in the world that would be possible in.”
“You can ask Varian too”, Rapunzel added. “He can tell you a thing or two about forgiveness, on both sides.”
Cass closed her eyes. “But… even aside from that, you’re still a royal couple, and I’m still landless and title-less. I should never even have been a lady-in-waiting, I was never a lady of the court. What would I even do here?”
“Whatever you want”, Rapunzel replied, reaching up to take one of Cassandra’s hands in her own. “Corona has always been flexible about these things, especially since rebuilding after Zhan Tiri. If you want a quiet cottage we can have one built to your tastes. If you want an appointment to High Marshal, it’s yours. Cass, believe me when I say I could walk out tomorrow, give a speech about how we slew a demon together – in broad daylight, you’ll recall – and crown you queen by our side. Monty would grumble about it I’m sure, but crowds would cheer and Corona would have two queens and a king.”
Eugene chuckled. “Rapunzel, did you just propose to her?”
“I– oh dear, I didn’t mean to do it so suddenly, but I guess I just did? Is that okay?”
“Sunshine, we’ve talked about this before and you know I’ll always back your play. It’s Cass you should be asking.”
“Cass? Do you want this?”
Cass hummed to herself quietly. She’d fantasized about this before, more than once, but it had always seemed a distant fancy rather than an aspirational dream. Her times with Eugene and Rapunzel had always felt like stolen moments, an escape from the real world, rather than a place she truly belonged.
But…
Eugene was not the entitled man-child she had thought, all those years ago. Even then she’d known he meant well, and seen how devoted he was to Rapunzel, but he’d seemed both scatterbrained and egotistical. She’d seen how effortlessly skillful he could be, and it drove her mad that he was so haphazard about it.
Time had softened him though, perhaps dulling his skills but certainly dulling his egotism. He’d spent so long pretending to be a man worthy of Rapunzel that he’d become that very thing. That wouldn’t stop her from teasing him, but a life by his side was something she could be proud of.
And Rapunzel… through no fault of her own, Rapunzel still represented everything that gnawed at her soul. Even without the sundrop, it was hard not to look at her and feel unworthy. She’d been born into intense privilege, and in the process inherited a magical destiny above all others. And the worst part was, she was such a wonderful person that nobody even had to question if she deserved any of it. Rapunzel manifestly deserved the world. And Cassandra….
Cass remembered that little girl watching her mother cut the bridge and sever their ties forever. Cass remembered growing up with a man who tried his best, but who only understood duty and discipline. Cass remembered desperately trying to prove herself worthy, only for Rapunzel to effortlessly surpass her, sweeping the Challenge of the Brave with elegance and grace and humiliating all her hard work in the process. And Cass remembered the moonstone, and what that bitter pit of jealousy in her soul drove her to.
But she had finally had time, on her own, out from anyone's shadow. She could name that jealousy for what it was, and relinquish its power over her. She knew she was not a fairytale princess or an all-conquering warlord. Her mother had given her no mystical destiny, just trauma and insecurity. She was flawed and she was damaged, but she was human. She could choose her path for herself, one step at a time, and all she had to do was keep moving forward with the sun on her face.
Cassandra squeezed her love's hand in her own, and looked her in those gorgeous green eyes.
“I do.”