Rapunzel's Homecoming 1

Rapunzel's Homecoming Chapter 1 - Rapunzel and the Nightmare
===

"no, No, NOOOO" Came the screams from Rapunzels room near dawn. Swords out, the six guards burst into the room the three doors crashing open. Eyes scanning the room for threats.

The chambermaid rushed straight to the princess, who was thrashing about in the bed. Quickly determining that there was nothing threatening her in the bed, she gripped the sleeping princess and shook her, "M'lady, Princess, Princess Rapunzel. You are home. You are safe!"

"Wa, wa, wa" Rapunzel's eyes flew open, filled with fear, looking wildly around the unfamiliar room and strange people with swords, she was pulling away burrowing backwards into her fish embroidered pillows just as the king and queen came rushing in.

"Rapunzel, are you okay? I'm here for you, mama's here, papa's here." The queen said as she slid next to the bed, gripping her shoulders, as the chambermaid moved quickly and quietly aside. Rapunzel found the face that looked so much like hers floating in front of her. Her lungs panting, she gripped the arms of the person holding her, Rapunzel found the face that looked so much like hers floating in front of her. Someone she knew, some one important to her, her mother, her real mother.

With the wail of a brokenhearted child is flung her arms around her real mother. "Oh, mama!"  she sobbed clinging to her real mother with all her soul.
The king had moved to the other side of the bed and knelt down, thinking, well that was faster then I thought, and wrapped them both in his protective embrace.
Vaguely he saw the guards lower their swords and move back to their positions, "There, there, you're safe, we love you," he said in his deep comforting voice.

Eugene slid past the door in his socks, running so quickly he didn't make the turn. "Rapunzel, are you okay?"
Soon Rapunzel's sobbing eased and her breathing slowed. Pascal had walked up and nuzzled her side. "It was a nightmare, wasn't it?" Eugene sat down by her feet.
Rapunzel nodded, wiping her eyes.
"You're safe here. You won't be taken again." said the Queen.
"It wasn't about being taken. It was everything being taken from me, Mother turning to dust, Eugene was rotting, the tower was crumbling, even the stars were going out. I couldn't do anything to help. It was so terrible."

"It was only a nightmare, it wasn't real. It's okay. You're safe with us."
Rapunzel nodded and began to relax.

The king and queen adjusted themselves on the bed, just then the chambermaid came back in with a pot of tea and some bread, butter and a variety of jams.
The chambermaid curtsied."I brought some chamomile tea and some things for breakfast, my lady."
"Ah yes, that would be very good, thank you." The tea should help calm her daughter thought the Queen.

They moved to the small table for breakfast, just as the sun peaked over the horizon. Pascal snagged some grapes turning green and purple in turn which fascinated the King. Rapunzel was enjoying the grapes too. She had never had any fruit other then apples and the new flavors delighted her. The bread was much sweeter and whiter and fluffier then what she made back at the tower and was a little jealous of the baker.
The ate quietly but stayed close to each other. Then the women shooed out the men so they could dress Rapunzel and the queen.

Eugene went back to the Green bedroom. It was obvious why it was called the green bedroom. It was all shades of green with some gold paint highlights here and there. It was't bad really, almost like sleeping in the forest only without the roots and rocks sticking into his back. His clothes were missing but he found some laid out for him to wear. They fit well enough. Flynn Rider wouldn't have liked them, too fancy and not well fitted, not like there had been time to tailor the clothes for him.

Eugene was resigned to his fate. He had made bad decisions in his life, he knew that. They had seemed like the best way to get the things he wanted most, but none of that mattered to him any more only Rapunzel mattered. For her he needed to be the best person he could be.
She deserved so much more then what he could give her. To start that, he needed to make things right with the King.

He was also going to need time to speak with Rapunzel. He had had no idea what that leap of faith had meant to her. He knew she had hesitated, no one jumps from a height like that without some pause. She had never trusted Gothel that way yet somehow she had trusted him. It humbled him and tore at his heart. At the time he just wanted to save her so she could still get him the crown. But now, now he could never let her down, no matter the cost.

Eugene finished pulling on his boots, they had left them though they had been cleaned. He thanked the butler and walked back to Rapunzel's room.

Eugene was standing outside Rapunzel's door waiting as they finished dressing. Flynn was never one much for standing and waiting. Right now running felt like a good solution, but it wasn't the right solution and he was determined to do the right thing. Rapunzel deserved nothing less from him.

The King came out of his room with his seneschal and saw him. The Kings face became grim. Eugene's stomach lurched into his liver. Flynn Rider had faced down brutal thugs outnumbering him 15 to one, but right now he felt completely outclassed.

A chambermaid came out and said that the Queen and Princess were ready to receive them now, just as the King reached them. The King went in first.

Eugene followed. He saw another maid kneeling behind Rapunzel closing up a sewing box, Flynn Rider appreciated the view of that fine bosom, but Eugene's eyes sought only Rapunzel. She was in a blue dress that reminded him of the ocean on a stormy day.

===
Author's Note: This is one of the first scenes I created once I started writing, even before I found fanfiction.net. Imagine my surprise when I found how common nightmares are for Rapunzel out here. But she does seem to attract them.
+++