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

[sundayfish]

The king breaks away from the cluster of murmuring guards.

"Who are you?" he asks the two of them, mostly Rapunzel.

[powershines]

Rapunzel finds herself completely unable to reply.

[hisowninvention]

"I'm Rolan, and this is Rapunzel, and I'm pretty sure she's your daughter, your majesty."

[powershines]

"H-hi."

[sundayfish]

"Where - how?"

[hisowninvention]

"I found her locked in a tower in the deep woods. She's been raised there her whole life by a woman named Gothel who lied to her about her name, her birthday, and who her parents are. But I guessed who she might be, and I invited her to come to the city with me and find out for sure, and now here we are."

[sundayfish]

"Mm."

[powershines]

"I - can I - can we come in - I'm worried she's going to find me again."

[sundayfish]

King Cearl motions to the guards. They open the doors.

[hisowninvention]

Okay, in they go, then.

[sundayfish]

Closely flanked by guards, in they go.

[powershines]

Rapunzel is still clinging to Rolan's arm.

[hisowninvention]

Yes, yes she is. That is fine by Rolan. She can cling all she wants.

[sundayfish]

"We swept the woods. How far out is deep?" asks Cearl.

[powershines]

"W-we walked here in a day and a half."

[hisowninvention]

"It's just shy of the Orimere border," says Rolan. "Maybe another half a day's walk. And it's not a big tower; you can't really see it until you're a stone's throw away."

[powershines]

"And she knows magic plants. She might have had something growing around when the search was going on. I don't know, I don't remember."

[sundayfish]

Now they are in the palace, still with guards around.

"You do look," Cearl murmurs, "very much like Ranae, and the hair..."

[hisowninvention]

"You could sing the song," murmurs Rolan. "If you want."

[powershines]

"Oh - yeah - there's a song and then it - glows -"

Rapunzel runs through the song, softly.

[sundayfish]

[hisowninvention]

"The glowing is what tipped me off," Rolan contributes. "That and the fact that it healed me of two broken legs."

[sundayfish]

"You prefer 'Rapunzel'?"

[powershines]

"I'm used to it - Claribel is a nice name but I haven't ever been called it that I remember."

[sundayfish]

"It'll have to do for public occasions, if you can put up with it, but we don't have to call you that if you'd rather. Going to have to tell Ranae and - get word out for everyone else."