mother knows best

[powershines]

Rapunzel doesn't sleep well, and she does wind up wrapped up in her hair overnight like a golden-cocooned butterfly. She's still dozing fitfully when the sun comes up.

Comments

[hisowninvention]

At which point Rolan wakes up.

He looks at Rapunzel to see how asleep she is, determines the answer is 'somewhat', and contemplates whether to wake her up or let her sleep a little longer. The definition of an early start will not be stretched if they're out of here anytime in the next hour.

[powershines]

She rolls over, adding another loop of hair somewhere in the ankle region.

[hisowninvention]

It's really quite adorable.

Okay, he'll give her five more minutes, and if she's not awake by then he's waking her up so she won't be alarmed when he goes to fetch breakfast.

[powershines]

She's rubbing her eyes groggily by then.

[hisowninvention]

"Good morning," says Rolan. "I'm thinking of going and getting breakfast. It'll probably be decent bread and mediocre stew. Should I bring some back for you?"

[powershines]

"Yes please."

[hisowninvention]

"All right then. See you in a bit."

He goes to get breakfast.

[powershines]

Rapunzel gets herself out of her hair and does her best to straighten it out without as much space as she usually has to spread it around.

[hisowninvention]

Rolan comes back! He has Rapunzel's breakfast. It is indeed bread and stew. The bread is decent, the stew mediocre.

[powershines]

Rapunzel combines bread and stew, and adds a bit of cheese from her packed bag to see if that improves the stew. It's okay. She is quiet.

[hisowninvention]

"Ready to go?" he asks, when her bread and stew adventure is complete.

[powershines]

"Yeah, I suppose."

[hisowninvention]

"...Want another hug?"

[powershines]

"Yeah."

[hisowninvention]

Hug.

[powershines]

Hug. No crying today, apparently.

[hisowninvention]

Okay.

He combs his hair, which takes all of five seconds, and picks up his bag and the room key and leads her out. The place is much quieter this morning - just one of the bunch from last night, sitting in a corner, and the innkeeper in his customary spot.

"Morning, Vlad," says Rolan as they pass within five feet or so of the man in the corner. Vlad smiles at them.

[powershines]

She remembers that name; this was the fellow who loaned out his portrait of the - her mother.

(Probably. Probably her mother. Uncertainty is so uncomfortable and she keeps forgetting to have any, but she can't abandon it completely yet.)

She smiles a little tentatively at Vlad.

[hisowninvention]

Vlad gives her a little tiny wave with one hand. Or as little and tiny as a wave can be from a hand that big.

And then Rolan exchanges greetings with the innkeeper, and hands back the key, and accepts an extra slice of bread for the road, and out they go.

[powershines]

Rapunzel continues to be quiet on the walk.

[hisowninvention]

Rolan is also quiet.

But, when he gets hungry again a little while later - "I think I'll have that bread now, do you want any?"

[powershines]

"No, I'm not hungry."

[hisowninvention]

"All right."

He nibbles while he walks.

[powershines]

Rapunzel looks at scenery.

"What's it like in the city?"

[hisowninvention]

"Lots of buildings, on a hill, on an island, in a lake, across a huge stone bridge. With the palace on top of it all. You'll get a good look at it when we get closer. I think it's pretty. And there'll be people all over the place, just walking around."