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]

"I don't want to get arrested either. I will try not to get arrested. But the reason we were going for the boats was to avoid exactly the thing that just happened, and she'll only have more time to warn the Royal Guard about me if we go looking for one. And - I don't know - I want you to see the king and queen as fast as possible so there's less time for more of that," he gestures vaguely back the way they came, "to happen in. I don't know if that's strictly reasonable but it's how I feel."

[powershines]

"Okay. Bridge."

[hisowninvention]

"Bridge," he agrees.

They reach a stream. He stops to have a wash, as planned, which involves rinsing the blood off his face and hands and then pulling a folded shirt out of his bag to change into. There. Now he doesn't have any more blood on him anywhere. The slightly splattered shirt gets rolled up with the slightly splattered parts on the inside and then stuffed in the bag.

[powershines]

Rapunzel doesn't comment.

Or watch while he's changing shirts.

[hisowninvention]

He seems to feel slightly better afterward. 'Slightly better' still doesn't mean 'good', however.

[powershines]

Yeah, she's not thrilled either.

Walk. Walk. Walk.

[hisowninvention]

Walk, walk, walk.



And there's the bridge, visible as they emerge from the forest.

It's very pretty. So is the island city on the other end, and the glimmering lake in between.

[powershines]

Rapunzel is, for just a moment, startled out of her low mood by the sheer beauty and unfamiliarity of the city.

[hisowninvention]

Rolan smiles a little.

"I really love this place," he murmurs.

[powershines]

"It's beautiful," breathes Rapunzel.

[hisowninvention]

"I'm glad you like it."

[powershines]

Rapunzel walks a bit closer to him as they approach the bridge, almost as though she'd like to be hugging his arm, but she doesn't ask.

[hisowninvention]

Well, they can just walk close together, then.

No one bothers them on the bridge.

[powershines]

Rapunzel is clearly still unnerved by large groups of people, but she keeps walking and sticks close by Rolan.

[hisowninvention]

After the initial crowd around the city side of the bridge, he leads her up the hill on a route that avoids busy areas.



They're crossing a small square with a little fountain in the centre when a little girl, one of a group of five, spots Rapunzel. She stares with big round eyes and tugs on her friend's sleeve, and then all of them are staring in amazement, and the first one runs up and says shyly, "Miss you have so much hair!"

Rolan can't help grinning.

[powershines]

"Yeah. I have a lot of hair."

[hisowninvention]

"It's so pretty, miss!" says the little girl. "Do you braid it? I just did mine!" She proudly displays her two small braids, one on either side, each of which comes down just past the local shoulder.

Rolan continues to grin.

[powershines]

"I can't braid my own hair anymore. It got much too long for me to do."

[hisowninvention]

...The little girl looks back at her friends, then up at Rapunzel again, then bites her lip.

Rolan decides to help out.

"Do you and your friends want to help braid my friend's hair? Rapunzel, what do you think? It's bound to make it easier to carry." And it will be tremendously cute.

[powershines]

"Suuuure. As long as they only braid it and don't try to - trim it or anything."

[hisowninvention]

The little girl nods vigorously and summons her friends, all of whom are very excited about this prospect. Rolan is just as pleased as they are.

[powershines]

Rapunzel holds still and lets them work.

[hisowninvention]

And soon Rapunzel's hair is extremely braided. It doesn't even touch the ground anymore. (Rolan occasionally has to pick a girl up to facilitate them reaching high enough, but he doesn't interfere beyond that.)

The girls have also seen fit to include multitudes of flowers.

"Aww, it's lovely," says Rolan.

"It's the prettiest hair in the world," asserts the first little girl.

"I think you might be right," says Rolan.

[powershines]

"Thank you."

[hisowninvention]

"You're welcome, miss!" says the girl. The others echo her in chorus. One of them adds, "Happy princess's birthday!"

...Rolan giggles.