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Rapunzel directs a small smile at her royal tutor before closing the door to the library softly behind her. A heavy sigh escapes the Princess of Corona's lips as she withstands the urge to slide her back down the wall to collapse in a puddle on the floor. Today's lessons on all of the diplomatic expectations of a member of the royal family had Rapunzel's head spinning with all the names and relations of other country's ruling families. Secondly, the sheer amount of cultural specificities the lost princess will have to learn is staggering to her. Who knew the world was such a vast place with so many different customs and rules? Her sparse three book library provided by Gothel surely gave no mention of this fact. Although Rapunzel was used to rising early, having started her day earlier than 7 AM in the tower during those years trapped with Mother Gothel, the full day of schooling from the castle tutor has left Rapunzel feeling weary. The information dumped on Rapunzel's head also left her with a splitting headache. She would rather learn from Queen Arianna and King Frederic, her beloved parents, with their near bottomless wealth of kindness and patience for their only child. However, the King and Queen were dealing with a rather important tour of the country's fields prior to harvest in order to determine which regions may have enough crops to export and if there are any regions that will need supplementation for the upcoming harsh winter. Despite their efforts to teach the newly returned princess, the king and queen did not quite believe Rapunzel ready for a visit of such importance so quickly. All Rapunzel wants is to change into a soft nightgown, climb into bed with Pascal, and fall asleep wrapped in the purple quilt Rapunzel and Queen Arianna made together during Rapunzel's first weeks at the castle when speaking to her parents did not come as easily due to the lack of social interaction in her formative years. As soon as Rapunzel turns to head for her bed chambers, a pair of heavy, quick footsteps begins heading towards the Princess' location. Rapunzel runs a hand through her short brown hair, closing her green eyes tightly as a sigh, softer this time, leaves her mouth.
"Who could that---?" she mumbles under her breath, thinking that her royal duties had already concluded for the day.
Surely, the tutor didn't think she was going to work through the night....
"Rapunzel!" a familiar voice calls, echoing off the walls of the hallway.
"Eugene!" Rapunzel sweetly says, releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding as strong arms encircle her waist from behind.
"Hi, sweetheart," Eugene responds, that husky tone of voice present as he presses his chin to the top of Rapunzel's head, wrapping his girlfriend tightly in his muscled arms.
"Am I glad to see you!" the now brunette Princess smiles widely, spinning around to press her chest against Eugene's, her heart rate slowing to match his heart's beat.
"Bad day?" the former thief inquires, moving one of his hands to cup Rapunzel's left cheek.
"Just extremely long," Rapunzel groans, her green eyes shining with mirth as she locks her emerald gaze to Eugene's soft brown one.
"What was today's lesson? Curtseying in front of nobles? How to tax the citizens fairly and not extort them? Which silverware to use at one of the fancy dinners your parents are likely to host for visiting dignitaries?" Flynn smirks, knowing that due to Rapunzel's sheltered upbringing in the tower for the first eighteen years of her life that there is much the Princess has to learn.
"Even worse."
"What could possibly be worse than learning about taxes?"
"Politics," Rapunzel announces, tiredly wiping at her green eyes as a yawn overtakes her lips.
"Ouch, I stand corrected," Eugene softly laughs, pressing a gentle kiss to Rapunzel's forehead, his one hand still pressed to her cheek and his other snaking around her waist in comfort and protection. "That does sound grueling," he sympathizes, his heart thundering in his chest as Rapunzel snuggles in closer to his chest, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling his face closer to her own.
Without so much as a word passing between the two of them, Eugene drops his lips down to Rapunzel's, capturing her plump pink lips between his own, his right hand moving to cradle the back of Rapunzel's head. With his left hand, he begins to stroke comforting circles on Rapunzel's hip, making the former lost Princess of Corona happily sigh into her former thief's mouth. Eugene responds by deepening the kiss, barely able to restrain himself from scooping Rapunzel into his arms and wrapping her legs around his hips. Eventually, the need to break apart for air comes and Rapunzel is left breathing heavily, her emerald eyes narrowing with desire. She lets out an indignant squeak when Eugene backs away, grasping her hand in his own before walking down the long hallway. In the opposite direction of her bedchambers she so desires, no less.
"Eugene! Where are we going?" she inquires, a small laugh overtaking her voice as Eugene practically drags her through the corridor, very obviously a man on a mission.
"Come on, I got a surprise for you," Eugene softly says, excitement making its way to his features, that signature crooked smile playing at the corner of his lips.
When Eugene opens the door to the washroom, it truly takes the brunette princess by surprise. She honestly cannot say that she had been expecting this particular destination. The sight that greets her eyes is one of immense comfort and she can tell that Eugene Fitzherbert poured his entire heart of love into this surprise he planned for her. There are no fewer than twenty lavender scented candles lighting the washroom, a tub filled near to the brim with steaming hot water, and the fluffiest towel Rapunzel has ever seen draped on a chair next to the tub. Further, there is a lotion sitting atop the small table, which Rapunzel can see the label denotes it was maximized for stress relief, no doubt courtesy of one of the local shopkeepers outside of the palace.
“I know that you probably have servants that could do this for you now that you’re a Princess and all, but…” Eugene begins, nervously scratching the back of his neck as he glances shyly up at Rapunzel.
“Eugene,” Rapunzel softly says, wanting to thank the man who saved her life for also creating a perfect evening after a stressful and hard day of learning.
“I’ve been sorta wanting to find something special I could do for you since the last outing that we went on because you’ve been so busy, especially this past month learning how to be a future ruler,” Eugene continues, not even acknowledging that his love had even spoken before he continues to ramble.
Rapunzel has a soft smile on her lips, having never truly heard Eugene ramble like this since the day that she healed his hand with her magic glowing blonde hair.
“Eugene,” she tries to break through his rambling again, with the same minimal success.
“And I might not be any good at this because, well, you might say that I’ve never really had cause to do this before, so…” he laughs at his own expense because although he was excellent in romancing the ladies, let's just say he never had to plan ideas for keeping them around.
He had been a wandering thief, after all. Commitments were not something he ever agreed to, not before Rapunzel. After Rapunzel, everything had...
“Eugene!” Rapunzel practically shouts, coming up beside Eugene and grasping one of his larger hands in her own, effectively stopping her lover mid-ramble.
“Something the matter?” he inquires, brown eyes filled with both fear of inadequacy and pure love and devotion for the spirited young woman in front of him.
“I know it’ll be wonderful. The fact that you even thought to do this for me means more than you know,” Rapunzel smiles, squeezing his hand gently in her own before she stands on her tiptoes and presses a small, sweet kiss to Eugene's cheek.
“Oh,” Eugene softly says, his brain short-circuiting from the sudden kiss from the princess. “Well, I, uh, ha,” he continues, truly at a loss for words, which is rather unlike the man who used to call himself Flynn Rider not all that long ago. “You’re welcome, Rapunzel. It’s my honor, always,” Eugene assures, knowing that he would do just about anything to make his Princess smile if it's within his ability to. "I hope you enjoy your soaking bath after such a long, hard day."
The tenderness of the moment, with Rapunzel gazing up at Eugene like he hung the stars themselves, leads Eugene to scoop her up in his arms. Ensuring that the door to the washroom is locked first, lest the Princess of Corona be caught in a compromising position with a man of such common birth and an orphan no less, Eugene allows himself to give into the urge of holding Rapunzel as close as physically possible to himself. Although they have never interacted in this way before, Rapunzel instinctively knows to wrap her legs around Eugene's waist, her thighs squeezing against Eugene's hips as he works to settle Rapunzel against him, their hips meeting and their chests touching, the silk of her purple dress tickling against the small expanse of bare skin that peeks through his white shirt. Eugene hungrily presses his mouth against Rapunzel's, eliciting a surprised gasp from the princess' lips as she was not expecting the certain rush of contact that came with being held in Eugene's arms. She wonders if this is what it could have been like when he came to rescue her from the tower the day after her birthday had he not almost....
"That mind of yours is wandering again, sunshine," Eugene whispers huskily against her ear before pressing a kiss below her earlobe, shocking Rapunzel's nervous system.
"Sorry," she breathlessly whispers back, readjusting herself to where her pelvis brushes against Eugene's navel, even through the thick material of her dress.
"Don't apologize, just turn all your attention back to me and on relaxing," the former thief directs.
He sets Rapunzel back on the ground while continuing to kiss the Princess of Corona's lips and neck, stopping himself before he pushes Rapunzel any further, respecting both her newness to relationships and her status as the heir to the throne. With one last kiss, Eugene points at the steaming bathtub, preparing to see himself out where Rapunzel can enjoy the steaming water to help relax her tense muscles and to help relieve her splitting headache. Rapunzel understands and comes to the side of the tub, giving the lotion a sniff before humming her approval of the scent Eugene chose.
“Will you be here when I get out?” Rapunzel inquires, such innocence in her tone that Eugene has to remind himself that Rapunzel cannot possibly see the impropriety of her request since she was formerly living in the tower with just Gothel and Pascal.
“No! No, no, no, no, no!” Eugene practically shouts, waving his hands wildly around as he scoots backwards and opens the lock on the bath chamber's door. “Your father would absolutely have me executed for seeing you in a nightgown or worse before we get married, Blondie,” he continues, fear shining in his brown eyes at the thoughts of what punishments King Frederic could rightfully impose on the former thief, despite it being known that the princess has chosen to court him despite many protests from the royal advisors.
“So, why don’t we?” Rapunzel gently asks, her voice soft and sensual in a way that Eugene knows would assuredly bring him to his knees if ever she were to give the word.
“Why don’t we what?” Eugene questions, confusion as to what Rapunzel could be referring to coming to mind, as he was still thinking very much of all the ways and locations King Frederic could have him disposed of.
Despite their improving relationship, Eugene has no doubts that if the king gave the word that Maximus, moody stallion that he is, would cart Eugene off to his execution personally if the horse thought Rapunzel was in any danger.
“Get married,” she suggests, a soft smile on her lips as her emerald eyes give Eugene a pleading look, one she has been perfecting over the past six months once she learned what effect it has on Eugene.
“Rapunzel, honey, we’ve been through this,” Eugene reminds, thinking of at least ten conversations he has had with Rapunzel regarding this very topic in less than six months of knowing the young woman before him.
He cards one hand through his brown hair, inhaling sharply through his nose at the thought of having this conversation another time. He hopes that this is not the time that Rapunzel determines it is not worth it to continue asking Eugene, the former thief and penniless orphan, to marry her.
“Remind me again because I think it’s beyond silly when clearly we love one another,” Rapunzel challenges, setting her hands on her hips and looking for all the world like a stern ruler set to dole out the punishment a thief like him would deserve.
“Darling, you’re newly eighteen years old for one,” he begins, one of the top reasons he gives her, as he has heard negative comments made about what a twenty-three year old former philanderer would possibly want with the eighteen year old Princess of Corona, chief among them coming from the Captain of the Guard himself. “For another, you’re still very much learning to be a part of everyday society after being secluded in a tower for eighteen years, how to be Princess of Corona, no less! Plus, there’s your parents to consider. You’re still getting to truly know them and they you. Besides, they don’t know me very well yet, either, despite knowing I’m the one who helped bring you back to the castle and the man you love,” Eugene continues, rehashing the same information that he has explained more times than he would have ever liked to with the love of his life, his new dream.
“What else is there to know? You are the man I love and the one who saved me from a life I hadn’t even realized was slowly chipping away at me,” Rapunzel emphatically reminds, her bottom lip pouting out as it does when she believes Eugene to be stubborn.
(But she'd never know that Eugene thinks the same about her whenever that pouted lip appears.)
“And I don’t think anything I can ever do will repay you for that, not in the way I really want to. Until we get married and I can be your wife, standing beside you every day in every way...” she continues, tugging nervously at the hem of her dress, a nervous habit Eugene has noticed she devolves into, especially when troubled with her newfound royal duties.
“You do that plenty now, Rapunzel, even without us being married,” Eugene assures, grasping her hands in his own to prevent Rapunzel from tugging at her dress or letting her nerves get the better of her.
“Eugene Fitzherbert, you know that is not even close to the same thing!” Rapunzel practically explodes, a laugh escaping her lips at the sheer calmness Eugene took with that statement.
She had hoped to get him to break down and just agree to marry her where those visiting nobles and dignitaries can stop begging her parents to arrange a marriage between her and their less appealing sons! Why would she ever want them when she could have a man as handsome, dashing, and thoughtful as Eugene Fitzherbert? Gah, she wished that those outside of these castle walls could just understand that she loves this man and this man only.
“Okay, so it might have been a little tease at your expense, but it’s absolutely still true!" Eugene chuckles, his smolder coming to rest on his face as he softly kisses Rapunzel's cheek and pulls the princess into his eager arms. “But, one day, when we’re both ready, and if I can secure your father’s blessing, I will marry you,” he promises, sweeping one of his hands through Rapunzel's shortened brown hair, twirling that darker strand Mother Gothel cut when Rapunzel was but an infant all those years ago. “If you’ll have me, that is,” Eugene whispers, pressing his chin to the top of Rapunzel's head, enveloping her smaller body with his muscular one as if shielding her from an unseen storm.
“Eugene, in what universe could I exist where I wouldn’t want you?” Rapunzel whispers back, squeezing her arms tightly around Eugene's back, holding him as tightly and reverently as she did when she saved him from death in the tower when he sacrificed himself to save her from a future of captivity.
Eugene doesn't dignify that with a response, truly hoping that the response is "None", but being too afraid to ask due to the intrusive thoughts he has had when he hears the snide comments made about him behind Rapunzel's back.
He takes a step back out of respect for the fact that they are, in fact, still in the bathing chambers with the door unlocked and he wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression of him if a servant happens to come to check on the Princess.
“Enjoy your bath, gorgeous. You deserve a chance to relax.”
“Goodnight, Eugene,” Rapunzel sweetly says, placing a dainty kiss to Eugene's cheek, thoroughly enamored with the man before her and grateful he would go to such lengths so that she could enjoy a relaxing night after a hard day of learning to rule.
“Goodnight, Rapunzel,” Eugene returns, returning the kiss but he chooses to place the kiss on Rapunzel's lips, both of them humming contentedly in bliss.
“See you in the morning?”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than by your side,” he assures.
“I love you."
“I love you, too, Rapunzel. Now, enjoy that bath I worked so hard on before the water gets cold, beautiful.”
“I will,” she says as Eugene slips from the bathing chambers, locking the door behind himself as he exits.