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]

"Yeah, probably not. After the festival, I guess."

[powershines]

"Yeah. It's so strange though."

[hisowninvention]

"Sorry. ...Maybe not completely sorry. Slightly sorry?"

[powershines]

"What, why?"

[hisowninvention]

"Well, on the one hand, I keep smiling at you and giving you weird inexplicable feelings that you don't have time to figure out yet. On the other hand, you don't seem to be entirely complaining about the feelings, just somewhat about their characteristic of being weird and inexplicable. And I like smiling at you."

[powershines]

"Frankly I'm not even sure how much figuring I'm going to be able to do with what I have. Maybe I don't have the vocabulary for whatever it is even if I figure out all its parts."

[hisowninvention]

"I'll try to help if you want, but - as far as I can guess what the weird and inexplicable feelings might be, which isn't all that far in the first place, I don't have much of a vocabulary for them either. I could say 'I think maybe you like me' and that's about as precise as it gets."

[powershines]

"I already knew I liked you."

[hisowninvention]

"Yeah. See? Not nearly precise enough to be useful." Also he is Definitely Smiling now. "I'm glad you like me," he adds.

[powershines]

"I'm glad I like you too."

[hisowninvention]

[powershines]

Rapunzel leans on him.

"Thank you for being here for me."

[hisowninvention]

He hugs her. "I'm glad I can help. I want to keep being here for you for as long as you want me to."

[powershines]

"I think even after I am more comfortable with my - parents, I will probably still want you around."

[hisowninvention]

[powershines]

"You just keep doing that, it's getting to the point where it's just funny. All I'm doing is existing and having a conversation and you keep smiling at me like I'm - I don't even know."

[hisowninvention]

"Like I love you," he supplies. "That's how I'm smiling at you. And you did just say you're still going to want me around after you're comfortable with your parents, I think that's a smile-worthy occasion even on top of you just existing and being inherently delightful."

[powershines]

Rapunzel giggles. And squirms a little and hugs him.

[hisowninvention]

He hugs back. Hugs are extra delightful.

[powershines]

Mmm-hm.

And here is some kind of messenger, knocking at the open doorframe. "Princess. It's nearly time to release the first lantern," he says. "If you would follow me, please."

"Oh - okay," says the princess. And she extricates herself and follows the messenger, and the guards follow her.

[hisowninvention]

Rolan comes along too.

[powershines]

The guards close ranks around the door to the balcony - Rolan may go so far and no farther if he doesn't want to cause a scene.

Rapunzel steps out to join her parents.

There is audible murmuring - even from this distance - from the crowd with their own lit and ready lanterns below.

[sundayfish]

"People of Corona," calls Cearl, and the crowd quiets. "After eighteen years, at long last, after waiting that has been nearly as hard on you as it has on myself and my wife - home again, Princess Claribel!"

[powershines]

On impulse, Rapunzel sings a low note, barely opening her mouth, just enough to light up her hair.

The crowd goes insane.

She accepts her lantern from Ranae, feels it trying to rise out of her hands - and raises it over her head and lets it go into the night sky.

Thousands more follow it up, the crowd still screaming with excitement.

She sings her note until she runs out of breath and lets her hair dim.

[hisowninvention]

Rolan declines to cause any scenes. He's happy just to watch from behind the balcony.