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]

[powershines]

Now she is sort of snuggle-leaning on him.

"Do I just say I don't want to hug her if she tries - or before she tries - or - what?"

[hisowninvention]

"...hmm. I know how to handle that kind of thing, I'm not sure I know how to say how to handle that kind of thing."

[powershines]

"That's going to make it a lot harder for me to take your advice."

[hisowninvention]

"Yeah. There's - a lot more to it than the parts that can be done or described using words. But I think, under the circumstances, if she tries to hug you you can say you don't want to or shake your head or move away, and that should cover it."

[powershines]

"Okay."

[hisowninvention]

[kindestgarden]

The queen appears on her husband's arm, anxious and hopeful and not apparently inclined to try to hug Rapunzel right away.

"Claribel?" she asks waveringly.

[powershines]

"I-I think so. But I haven't been called that."

[hisowninvention]

[kindestgarden]

"Right - Cearl said - Rapunzel?"

[powershines]

"Yeah."

[kindestgarden]

Their majesties take seats opposite Rapunzel and her companion. "I'm so sorry we never found you," murmurs Ranae. "We looked, we looked. Have - have you been okay?"

[powershines]

"If I'd tried to answer that question - two days ago not knowing what I know now - I would've said yes. It was - fine day to day. But I didn't meet anyone but Gothel and she was lying to me."

[hisowninvention]

Rolan decides to start holding Rapunzel's hand. This seems like a positive contribution.

[powershines]

It is. She squeezes his hand.

"But I had - you know, food and a roof over my head and books and things to do with my time."

[kindestgarden]

"Things like...?"

[powershines]

"I don't know how good I am at any of it compared to anybody else, because there was no one to compare with, but I - sing, I play the piccolo, I had a couple of other instruments at home - I would really like it if I could get some of my things back, especially my old notebooks - I did a lot of craft projects. I cooked."

[hisowninvention]

"Really good muffins," murmurs Rolan.

[powershines]

"Rolan likes my muffins. So maybe I'm even a good cook."

[sundayfish]

"We can send some people out to the tower and collect anything you want," says Cearl. "I think I'd rather you didn't stray far from the palace until Gothel's been brought in, and keep some guards with you if you do."

[powershines]

Rapunzel nods. "Some - some people attacked us in the woods and Rolan won and - I healed the one I could heal. They're in the woods still. Someone should probably get them."

[hisowninvention]

"I can give directions to both," offers Rolan. "Particularly if you have a good map of the forest, but even if you don't."

[sundayfish]

"That'll be useful. We've got maps, but if we missed the tower seventeen years ago, suppose I can't vouch for how good they are."

[hisowninvention]

He shrugs. "Well, the best one you have, then. But short version - the two men we left in the woods are southeast, about an hour's walk into the forest, north of the road to Orimere. The tower is just about due east of the city, close to the border into northern Orimere where there's a million streams going our way and a million ravines going theirs and no river to speak of anymore."