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

[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."

[sundayfish]

Cearl motions to a guard, who runs off and comes back with a halfway decent map.

[powershines]

"The door to the tower was bricked over years ago. Gothel used to get in and out from the top window via, um, my hair. I - she must have got in somehow when she came home early and I wasn't there, because she read my notebook. Maybe she climbed or had some kind of magic plant that would do it, fast climbing ivy or something?"

[sundayfish]

"We'll send people to the tower with tools to get past the bricks, then, can't assume she'd leave it climbable for anyone else - and the ones to the fellows in the forest ready to make an arrest, and we'll make sure there's plenty here to look after you -" Cearl motions to another guard. "Going to be double shifts for a while, and bring in some of the reserves." The guard nods and goes.

[hisowninvention]

With the help of the map, Rolan makes his directions more precise.

[sundayfish]

And with more precise directions, Cearl delegates the tasks to which these directions are germane.

And then sits back down and regards his daughter.

"Your friend staying for a while?"

[powershines]

"He said he would."

[hisowninvention]

He nods.

[sundayfish]

"Right. Cl- Rapunzel, your room's still - your room, but it hasn't been really updated, you'd probably be more comfortable in a guest suite to start. We can put you next to each other."

[powershines]

"Okay. Thank you."

[hisowninvention]

"Thanks," echoes Rolan.

[powershines]

"Should I be expecting to do anything about the - lantern ceremony or anything else soonish like that?"

[sundayfish]

"If you're up for it," says Cearl, "we could announce you're back from the balcony before the lanterns go up, and you could release ours."