5 days earlier.

King Wilhelm was seated at the head of the white marble table, idly stroking his greying beard while admiring the picturesque view through the colonnades of the veranda. The timely sun was illuminating the lustrous emerald forests that lay along the brink of a wide glistening sea that enclose around his prosperous Corona where every slate-covered rooftop reflected the sunlight with a dazzling gleam.

He discreetly smiled to himself as he stole one last glance at his flourishing kingdom before reverting his full attention back onto his wife, who still waiting for an answer.

"I just don't see the harm in waiting a few extra days!"

The queen sighed loudly as she placed her teacup back down on the fine porcelain saucer with a clang. She knew he would be like this. They've been having this conversation for months on end, and each time she brings it up he would act as if it were news to him. "Wilhelm, it's her birthday next week. Wouldn't you say we put off the subject long enough?"

"Camellia, she's still just a child-

"She's almost eighteen!" The queen interjected. "And may I remind you that's a whole two years older than when-"

"I don't care, she's still too young." He muttered stubbornly, finishing off his last swig of tea.

The queen let out another deep breath, picking her next words carefully. After all, the sole reason why they were arranging this was purely in their daughter's absolute best interest. They wouldn't have even considered it otherwise.

And truth-be-told, the queen wasn't too fond of thinking about all the new responsibilities their daughter would gain, the duties she must fulfil, her obligations to the kingdom, and living up everyone's expectations… it was nerve wrecking just to think about. Ever since that night, their daughter has lived a rather… unusual lifestyle compared to most princesses her age. It would be too much pressure for her to handle. She couldn't possibly do this by herself!

The Queen leaned forward and placed a comfortingly hand on her husband's. Their only daughter was growing up and there was no changing it. And while the queen has learned to accept it, the king still saw her as the same eight year old girl who would always place him in the seat of honour at one of her late night tea parties.

"Wilhelm, we have to tell her. Even if she doesn't understand it at first; she will come to see it is for the best. I just need you to see it too." Her earnest green eyes were pleading him to co-operate.

He sighed dramatically and hung his head in defeat. "Alright, fine. We'll tell her today."

"Thank you." The queen smiled gratefully at him before relaxing back onto her chair.

"Although why we just can't wait until after the gala is beyond me."

"Wilhelm I told you, we can't keep putting it off until last-

"I'm here. I'm here." Called out the svelte young princess, bounding into view while sporting a light and flowing ocean blue gown with gold lacings tied down the front.

Without waiting for assistance the princess Rapunzel pulled out her own chair and sat down opposite her mother while tucking betraying strands of loose blond hair back into her braid that snaked down her neck to the small of her back.

"Sorry I'm late again but I got em… distracted on my way down."

Her parents exchanged certain looks at that excuse, knowing their daughter all too well. "Distracted, ay?" The king entangled his fingers. "Well if that's what they're calling it nowadays then it appears you still have some 'distraction' on your chin dear." He said with some amusement as he gestured to a tell-tale blot of purple paint that marked her below the lip.

"Oh! She exclaimed as a faint blush crept on her cheeks. "I thought I got it all." She fumbled with her handkerchief, dipping it into her glass of water before dabbing it gently on her stained chin.

Her mother raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Weren't you supposed to be in your tutor classes all morning?"

"Uh huh" She beamed proudly. "I finished them early. So I decided to start off a new project"- She inspected her purple tainted handkerchief- "As you can see."

The queen chuckled and shook her ahead amused at the thought. Would that be the third time this month? She silently wondered, counting the occasions in her head. King Wilhelm on the other hand gave out a full belly laugh as he raised his glass to toast her with pride. He relished the thought of his sweet little Rapunzel showing up that pompous stuffed shirt of a tutor, Master Graham. It brought him back to his own youth where he recalled using more devious tactics than wit to aggravate his tutors. "She's a chip of the old block."

"Perhaps if it continues I shall take it to master Graham to provide her with more advanced assignments." Camellia teased.

At that moment, three white clad servers came into view and presented their highnesses with their meal as they grandly uncovered the silver lids. Then after asking if there was any more requirements, the King gave them a dismissive flick of the wrist and they all departed back to the kitchen.

Tucking a napkin under his chin, King Wilhelm rubbed his hand together like delighted child about to unwrap a Christmas present. I mean come on, who doesn't love Chef Maurice's butternut and cinnamon soup? But before his spoon could even touch the heavenly liquid, the queen gave him a stern look and discreetly tilted her head towards their daughter.

Slumping his shoulders discouragingly, he reluctantly nodded to allow his wife to take the lead.

Unobvious to the gestures passed between her parents, Rapunzel eyed them both peculiarly, wondering what the causes of them were. Whatever it was, she had no doubt that it involved her (it always involved her). Small knots formed in her stomach as her mother leaned in toward her and gently said, "Rapunzel, sweetheart, there's something your father and I need to talk to you about." Her assumption was correct.

"Did I do something?" She asked, replaying the day's events in her head. She couldn't recall being up to any major mischief today or at least not enough to receive such serious faces from both parents. Did they find out about the incident in the kitchen last week? She doubted it, thinking back on how well she cleaned it all up... unless Chef Maurice ratted her out.

Traitor.

"Oh no nothing like that, it's just that… well… in a couple weeks, after your birthday that is, you'll be put into some extra classes-

"I thought I was doing well in my tutor classes."

"Oh you are, but these aren't for tutoring you. There for repairing you."

"Preparing?" Rapunzel echoed, staring at her mother as if she had just spoken the word in Japanese. She turned her focus towards her father hoping for some form of interpretation. "For what?"

"For becoming queen dear." He said in such a simple tone as if the answer was clearly written on her soup.

"Oh." Her face relaxed but the anxiety that lay in her green eyes remained.

"They're not so bad." The queen insisted reassuringly. "I took them myself of course and they're just to help you on how to act in the company of various diplomats, how you would settle certain disputes, create strategies that will benefit the kingdom, and certain meetings you'll have attend- along with your father and I of course."

"Well, I-

"And there's another matter that we… your father needs to talk to you about." Camellia said almost painfully, taking the coward's way out and handing the torch to her husband. "Wilhelm?"

But as the king registered the words from across the table, his eyes shot up with alarm as if he just put his hand to the furnace.

"I'm not telling her!"

"Well I already told her the first part."

"How was I supposed to know we were taking this in turns?"

"Wilhelm, will you please just-"

"Would SOMEONE please just tell me what else is there!" Rapunzel intercepted, putting an end to her parent's infernal game of hot potato.

Yielding to his wife's wishes, Wilhelm placed a comforting hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Well sunbeam, your mother feels…

*A harsh cough from other end of the table*

"Your mother and I feel that because of your situation and you're… He hesitated to find the right words- involuntary lack of experience; we feel that it might be best if you didn't take on all these new responsibilities alone."

"What do you mean not alone?" Would her parents continue ruling beside her? She'd be alright with that; preferred it actually.

The king opened his mouth a couple of times before blanking on the straightforward answer. Perhaps a different approach would work better. "Well, what I'm trying to say is that… you know when… it's kind of like-

"An arranged marriage." The queen intervened unable to beat around the bush any longer. She braced herself for the princess's reaction but there was none. Rapunzel's expression was impassive; it was as if the words never left of the queen's mouth. Their daughter merely stared down at her meal. The once utterly delicious butternut and cinnamon soup now had as much appeal to her as sewerage.

It was an hour after the brunch fiasco when Rapunzel found herself wandering towards the royal stables. She just needed some time to herself. To calmly reflect the matter in hand (or in this case, rant about it to a certain horse). As soon as she dismissed the stable boy, Rapunzel made a beeline toward the last stall to the left where a gold plaque with the name 'Maximus' hung on the wooden gate.

Technically speaking, Max was the captain of the guard's horse but to Rapunzel he was her most faithful companion.
Ever since she was a little girl the young princess would often sneak a visit whenever she could to the stables, with an apple in tow, and talk about her daily hijinks while brushing Max's white-blond mane or scattering hay around with a pitch fork. They had servants for this of course, but Rapunzel was never known for holding still whenever she was in one of her chatty moods. She always felt she could talk to Max about just about anything because not only was the horse an avid listener but also an exceptional secret keeper. And with no one else around to talk to but her parents and pompous tutors, Rapunzel figured she was in desperate need of an actual friend, and if her choices were between a horse and her childhood dolls… she leaned more towards the option with an actual beating heart.

However today was not the day for idle chit chat.

As soon as she closed the gate behind her Rapunzel grabbed a pitchfork and started stabbing the stack of hay as if it were personal and all those problems she had bottled up from brunch just seemed to pour out of her like a pitcher of water.

Max arched an eyebrow at this as he chewed on some grain, vaguely disappointed today's outburst was not accompanied with an apple.

"And before I can even digest the whole 'Queen training' thing, let alone my soup, they drop another one on me! An arranged marriage, Max! Can you believe that? Apparently there's this law that if I haven't found a 'suitor' of my own before I turn eighteen I basically give my parents full reign on who I should spend the rest of my life with."

It's true. As soon as everyone had finally dispatched from the table, Rapunzel dashed straight for the royal library to check out this so called law that everyone had apparently forgot to inform her of up till now, and sure enough in section 5 paragraph 1 written in black and white: If the heir of the throne has not chosen a suitor of their own accord before the heir's eighteenth year than the current reigning sovereigns may have the obligation to choose on behalf of their successor.

"I mean are they kidding me? How in the world do they propose I meet someone for myself if they never let me leave the castle to begin with!?" She huffed a little louder than intended.

Max whinnied at her words disapprovingly.

"I know, I know." She said and ceased her affliction on the hay stack. Being reprimanded by a horse. Maybe this whole arrange marriage wasn't the lowest point of her day. "I know it's not their fault, but… Urrgh, don't I get some ranting rights in a situation like this. I mean I did kinda see the rest of my life flash before in less time then I takes my father to finish a bowl of butternut and cinnamon soup."

Max neighed his rebuttal and she knew exactly what he meant.

I mean it wasn't like her parents were some tyrannical dictators who would force her down the aisle at sword point and marry her off to one of those dastardly villains she once read about in books. You know the walking clichés with a gold tooth and thin moustache that they would twirl around a finger and laugh maliciously at nothing in particular. No her parents were renowned for their kindness and consideration. Throughout the remainder of the meal they did nothing but coddled and reassured her that she will have the utmost final say and how there was absolutely no rush to go husband hunting any time soon. "Don't worry your mother and I are still as strong and healthy as ever. No one will be inheriting any throne any time in the near future. We just want to be assured that when the time does come about, that you are happy and content with someone who will look after for you." And to make sure that the kingdom doesn't fall into destitution; Rapunzel thought, hearing perfectly what her parents were not saying.

"I'm aware I'm blowing this way out of proportion it's just… I just. Humph, I'm just not ready for this." She said, sliding down against the wall until her knees where folded before her chest. "And it's not just the marriage thing that's getting to me. In less than a couple of weeks I'll be eighteen and that will be it. I'll have to grow up and… be like my mother, take on new responsibilities and duties for the sake of the kingdom. My… kingdom."

Her breathe turned shallow as the knot in her stomach hiked its way up to her throat. Her kingdom. Soon she will be the people's Queen. She will be the one held responsible for the well-being of hundreds or even thousands of lives she's never even met.

Never even granted the opportunity to meet.

"I'm just not ready for this. I don't think it matters how much classes they put me through. I can't be the one to rule this kingdom." At that moment, she felt complete ashamed of herself for uttering those words out loud.

"Why is this only dawning on me now? I'm the princess. The sole heir. This should not be news to me."

Because up till now I've been living the blissful life of comfort in the sanctity of a castle. A life where my biggest worry of the day was- 'what colour I should paint my latest project today.'

Upon seeing the distressed expression, Max nudged her shoulder in an attempt to offer some form of comfort. But what more could a horse do? Her eyes were positively glistening from the tears she was fighting back.

The last time he saw her like this was when he was still a mere colt in training and Rapunzel had wandered into his stall in the dead of night, far later then she was supposed to be out. She was five at that time. And it was then she found out about that night, about herself and why could never leave the castle. Ever. She cried herself to sleep in hay that night with Max lying beside her. Vowing to make sure nothing (and especially no one) will ever make his princess cry like this again.

But looking down at her now, he felt that today he may be off his game.

She looked up at him and stroked his nose. "Maybe they're right. Perhaps I should just marry someone else to do it all for me. A prince with more experience than I could ever gain. I'll just be the pretty face smiling and waving politely in the corner."

And with the prospect of such a bleak future ahead, something inside the princess snapped. Her anxiety now swiftly overthrown by pure unadulterated anger at the injustice of it all. This shouldn't be her fate. She had done nothing wrong! She never asked to be this way! Why should she being treated as a prisoner while the real culprit may still on the loose?

If it wasn't for that night…

And throughout her eighteen confined years Rapunzel must have asked herself that question a million times.
If that night hadn't of happened then I could've had a completely normal life (or at least as normal as a princess's life could be). If it wasn't for that night I could leave the castle any time I wanted to, actually visit other lands and kingdoms, go to festivals, and actually get the chance to meet someone for myself. If it wasn't for that night I could actually meet my people up in person and not just from the balcony.

Maybe if I'd actually gotten any one of those opportunities I wouldn't feel so Insecure about this whole queening business.

She stood up and shook her head, defeated and sighed. "If they only gave me one chance Max. Just one chance to do at least one of those things on my own. To do something outside of the castle. Even if it's tiny and stupidly insignificant, I just want to prove to them, and okay mainly myself, that there are in fact some things I can accomplish by myself and without mommy and daddy hovering over me worried that I may scrape my knee in the process.

"But I suppose it's too late for that now I mean how… "She was suddenly interrupted by girlish murmuring that was quickly approaching from just outside the stables. Holding her breath, Rapunzel stood as quietly as she could against the wall while carefully peeking out the window.

It was just the maids, she exhaled in relief.

"So anyway, that's when I heard about the new girl…"

"What new girl?" One of the maids asked the other.

"Well the new scullery maid of course. The one replacing Hilda. Heard she starts Friday and from France they say she from."

"French you say? Oh well la de da." The maid muttered while adjusting the laundry basket she held on her hip.

"Don't you start, we need all the help we can get round 'ere. Honestly, we got an entire castle to maintain and them royals only gots twelve maids on staff? Fishy if you ask me. I'm tellin ya ever since the princess was born-"

"Them royal like their privacy. Aint nothing strange bout that."

"Aye, 'suppose you're right Tilly. It's just that…"

"Just that what?"

"Oh never mind me." She waved her off dismissively. "Just thinkin out loud is all. Anyway, did ya hear Helens taken leave this week'nd for that festival yoke they do in Clovinia."

"The Kingdom cross the forest? Why she going to a festival all the way out there for?"

"She tells me she goes there every year to visit her sister and they see them fireworks together."

"They have fireworks there!?"

"Sure do and wait…" Rapunzel squinted as she saw the maid pull out a piece of brightly coloured paper that was severely creased into quarters. "Here, look everything's on this flyer. Helen dropped it on her way out the kitchen. Yep see: they got fireworks, dancing, a fair ground, traditional-

*Dong… Dong… Dong* Came the regular booming chime of the clock tower.

"Uh oh, breaks over. See ya round Martha. I'll tell ya bout it all later then. Right now them Rugs aint gonna beat themselves."

"Aye wouldn't that be a sight."

As soon as they parted ways, Rapunzel kept her eyes fixed on the spot where they both had stood… or more specifically, on the spot where Martha had dropped the flyer in her haste back to the castle.

Rapunzel bit her lip and turned back to Max who was already squaring his eyes at her suspiciously, as if he could read her thoughts like an open book.

She cleared her throat and feigned casualness. "Well I feel a lot better now. Good talk buddy." She gave him a quick pat on the nose before promptly exiting the stable before a wayward breeze carried the flyer away.

Her chance may have come sooner than expected.