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Mother Knows Best

Chapter 7: A Storm In Summer

Summary:

Where Cassandra says good-byes and realizes that life is more than the sum of all its parts, Rapunzel gets into literature of dubious nature, and Arianna proves indeed that mother knows best.

Notes:

Beta: Cyn, who sat with me through this despite my incessant whining and crying and moments of crippling ego-collapse and writer-monologue at 3AM. None of this would have been possible without Cyn. All hail.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

As the investigations progressed and concluded, the delegations of dignitaries began to trickle away in numbers, until the Captain could fully claim a full night’s sleep again and things slowly settled into the old slog of normalcy. 

Lance and Eugene, having narrowly escaped punishment for enabling Rapunzel’s near catastrophic stunt, volunteered with the guard and rode for Vardaros, following the moneytrail of the hired assailants with all the skills of two expert criminals. The city was brittle with tension for a few weeks, with a curfew, and the constables in red visible at all hours in the streets. The king resumed his duties while the spymaster worked in the shadows, interrogating the captives with no intention of hurry, and slowly, the nature of the plan emerged.

Kill the royal couple, and put the half-wit recluse princess on the throne. 

Cassandra’s blood had run cold like a splash of ice against her guts when she heard the confession retold to her father. For the murder to happen during a summit meant to strengthen the kingdom’s naval position had to be symbolic. She knew King Frederic’s maritime ambitions had opposition, but this, this was vile . An unready and heartbroken queen would have thrown Corona into chaos. The damage to Rapunzel would have been irreparable.

Their young princess was many things; kind and gentle and a bundle of fireworks, but she was not ready.

The Captain went through the castle’s security detail and admitted it needed reorganisation, maybe in need of more subterfuge than tight-sticking personal guards who stood out as much as the royals themselves. Cassandra was, after all, a rather well-known face after her victory in the arena. Children flocked to her in town, eager to see the Sword of Corona and trailed in her shadow like a flock of ducklings, and Rapunzel would gleefully note that she did not seem to hate it.

And so, after extensive negotiations with Arianna, she was permitted to terminate her position only when the last of the guests had left. This would conveniently start at the same time as Rapunzel’s punishment while Cassandra and her father came up with a new security rotation. Ironically, Rapunzel could hardly seem to wait.

In all honesty, Cassandra felt rather chipper about it too. Being kissed was nice.

This brought her and a downright beaming princess to the docks on the last day of High Summer as the Alsvinder prepared to make for the sea. Rúna, who never missed a woman’s moods, was fast to pick this up and choose, of course, to attribute this to the wrong end.

“Ah, I see.” She said thoughtfully as she looked at Rapunzel’s bright, bouncy form as Cassandra followed her up the gangplank. “Well done, Cassandra.”

“Do I even dare to ask?” She said flatly, knowing what was coming.

“I should be the one asking. I mean, to be able to make a woman glow like that? I salute your labours and their satisfying result.” The blonde princess commented with admiration, wagging her brows. Cassandra rolled her eyes but had the dignity to blush. “Thought out of curiosity, did you have a change of… preferences? I mean, she’s tiny. I thought you prefered to be the one to be ah--”

“Do not finish that sentence.” She snapped in embarrassment. “Please.

“--rolled and lovingly controlled-”

“Runi!”

“--bended and delightfully tended-" 

“Oh gods.”

“--pleased and... Shall I go on?” She asked, showing teeth in a familiar smirk.

“Would you stop rhyming, you dolt?” Cassandra shoved her in blustering outrage. It was, however, ire mixed with a good amount of affection. Rúna had never been one for jealousy, and she had stared point-blank into Rapunzel’s golden transformation and not uttered a single word. Her only given reaction was an odd sense of respect which the younger princess basked in. Rapunzel on the other hand, acknowledged that Rúna had protected her with her own life. A steady understanding seemed to have passed between them and their rivalry simmered down to a balance, of sorts.

And as demanding as the blonde could be, Rúna was never unreasonable. Never disrespectful. Cassandra’s final answer had no doubt disappointed her deeply, but as with a great many things, she took it with grace and thoughtful restraint. Only fools would fight the course of winds and a warrior of Ingvar did not rage at family.

She pushed past the blonde in irritation and strode up to the main mast with a dagger drawn. Then, with a decisive stroke and a chest full of complicated feelings, she crossed her name diagonally from the windtorn, leathery wood. She counted the other names; diagonal for the landbound, and crossed for the dead, each mast a story of those who had sailed beneath its white cloth. Cassandra brushed splinters from her carving, finding some of former shipmates who had left to take on other trades. They had carved their names when they first boarded as half-grown children, and now that journey was at its end.

A flash of regret crossed Rúna’s face when she turned around, their eyes met and she knew then that something large had changed irrefutably. Destiny had played its cards and she, in turn, had chosen. 

The crew dispersed, a few saluted her departure as befitting a Honoured until only she and its captain remained. They looked to each other in loaded silence, their shared history sinking between them like a stone.

“This is it then.” Rúna said slowly, her eyes wispy as they looked over the harbour.

“Aye, here our paths divide.” Cassandra replied wistfully. The Ingvarri looked over the bulwark at the waiting Rapunzel and gave the younger girl a wave.

“You sure know how to pick them.” The blonde nodded towards the brunette. “I’m sure you’ve realized, but that one’s gonna be queen.” 

Cassandra smiled wryly. “A fact I have duly noticed, and worry about daily.” 

“Hmm.” The other’s tune was grave. Rúna crossed her arms as she picked through words carefully. “I say this out of worry, Cassandra. I know you don't fear battle, but there are reasons I stay away from my mother’s court despite it’s comforts. Politics, and the games the nobles play can be just as low and dirty as a blue-knuckled fistfight, and magic-girl there doesn’t have the best support among the Coronan nobility.”

“The Queen is hoping that will amend with time. We do have time, still.” She agreed. It was a source of great worry for both Arianna and the king. No monarch could truly rule without the powerful, and Rapunzel’s reign would hardly be different.

“That will depend on what she brings to the table.” Rúna replied pragmatically. “Nothing’s ever free in the game, and few things come as costly as power. I watched my older siblings toss their names around like children and learned enough to want no part. Most of my kin do not have the privilege to walk away like me.” There was a quiet, festering pain to her words. Cassandra knew she meant her two oldest siblings and the political rivalry that had torn the first and secondborn’s relationship apart.

She nodded mutely and grimaced, acutely aware of her own limitations. Her legacy as the captain’s daughter would hardly buy Rapunzel support, and her name carried neither land nor riches. How would she be worthy of her one day, when the glory of her victory became a burden of past deeds? A navy officer's rank would be a place to start, but so much work remained.

“Just take heed, storm-eyes. And know this; whoever wants her on the throne right now is no friend of Corona.” 

Cassandra studied Rúna’s strong, concerned face. “I’ll be careful.” She promised. The blonde hmm-ed in response.

A loud call from the second mate drew attention on deck as a large net of supplies was loaded onboard. The port crane swung their way, creaking like broken timber. The ship’s girl rode the cargo net with a pearl of laughter as the older sailors grunted and swatted at her head. She jumped down, reported the contents to Siru who was overseeing the work, her loose, ginger pony-tail whipping about her head. Cassandra took notice of a tattoo around the girl’s wrist, marking her as a thrall. She frowned but did not comment. Ten years at sea would set a thrall free, and it was no longer her business how Rúna conducted her crew.

“Hey.” 

The princess reached for her hip and loosened one of her two swords, pulling it and its scabbard free with a sinewy snap. She remained dignified when holding it between them, addressing it with no awkwardness or break in composure. Words turned into cotton as Cassandra focused on the weapon in front of her and recalled how Rúna had always been better at good-byes.

It was a fine piece of smithwork, beautiful in its simple, sturdy way of the north. The scabbard was made of darkened deer-hide with patterns of waves and details in silver. The guard was short, like Ingvarri swords were, with a long, steady grip taped carefully with shark skin. She pulled out the blade, admiring its cold, slightly blue-tinted steel and the runes inscribed into its neck. 

“It’s named Vyssja, to send them to a gentle death.” The princess explained. “I had it made when I left home, determined to not go back until every wench in port knew a song to my name, but-” Rúna paused breathlessly, her mouth thinning to a tense line before she let the weapon go into Cassandra’s hands. “It's yours. Take it, and I fight with you as we were meant to. You are and will always be my battle-sister, now and forever.”

Something ached in her throat and there was suddenly hot iron in her chest.

How odd, Cassandra thought, that my eyes are burning.

She did not look away as the fire trickled down her left cheek, and her hands did not shake when she unfastened the leathers of her own belt, though the clasps to her primary felt unusually wooden. She held it forth, blinking rapidly to cover for her embarrassing sentimentality.

Hers was nothing of beauty. It was a sword, forged by Xavier from Coronan blacksteel for a girl about to journey to far away lands, commissioned by a worried father to be reliable and pragmatic and the best of its kind. It was as much part of her as an extended limb and her flank felt weak without its weight.

She handed the sword to Rúna, who waited expectantly, and raised a brow when the other showed no sign of comprehension.

“Well?” The warrior asked amusedly. “Does it have a name?”

Cassandra blinked at this oversight, feeling a bit stupid.  

“Um, not really, I just call it ‘my sword’.”

Rúna barked out a laughter, having fully expected something like this. “Of course you did, that is so very like you. Very well then, ‘Cassandra’s Sword ’ it is and she and I shall get along nicely. This way you shall be with me no matter where I go.”

“Always, Runi.” She replied heavily. “I am yours. Blood of my blood.”

“The tides guide us both.”

Let the winds be swift, the deeps be kind, and our journeys join again.” They said in unison.

That was it. Neither of them had any more to say.

The last of the supplies and freshwater was carried aboard. A tired looking dockmaster was starting to give the Ingvarri dirty looks as he strode along the beach, flipping through a pocket-sized ledger. Siru signalled the crew to their stations, and they both knew it was time. Rúna walked her to the gangplank, side by side.

She set one foot atop the creaky wood. Rapunzel was waiting just below, humming and sketching into a book she had brought along. Then, in the blink of a moment, Cassandra turned to stand in front of the blonde warrior for one last time, appreciating all her cunning brashness and everything she was. She closed the distance before Rúna had the time to react and pressed their lips together-

--and she saw a life, a life-- of her crossing the Eastmost Sea, into the Chanhen archipelago and charting under a starlit sky, she saw glory and herself walking onto the beaches of new, unknown lands and the touch of warm blonde hair in the night, she saw a hall of stone and wood, a lit hearth and the pitter-patter of children’s feet-

And she let it go.

Rúna did not speak because sometimes words ceased to have meaning. All Cassandra could hear was Rapunzel making indignant noises behind her. She gave the Ingvarri princess a final squeeze before marching down the plank. The warrior looked a bit dazed but recovered quickly. The order to set sails was called and the sailors raised their oars, pushing the ship away.

The blonde shot a last smirk at the visibly fuming Rapunzel.

“Crown princess of Corona,” She called, loud and smug for all to hear. “I leave my pathfinder with you, and I hold you to care for her with devotion. Should I ever hear a whiff of mistreatment or unhappiness from her however, you do well to remember that I have a ship and it is fast and she will always have a place onboard.”

She waved and made a semi-rude gesture as the ship gathered speed. Rapunzel stood up straight and returned the gesture proudly, likely having no clue of what the insult meant. Cassandra just stared at the exchange tiredly and raised a hand in farewell.  

They sat at the pier for quite some time after, as morning turned to noon and the Alsvinder left the great crescent of Crownhaven Bay, raising its sail out of the Teeth as the wind lifted its prow to speed. Rapunzel sat beside her, quietly and with the sides of their knees touching. To Cassandra’s relief, the princess did not seem angry or triumphant, but had reverted to the companionable peace they commonly shared. She made no comments as she watched the swordswoman brood, her hand atop the other’s.

“I- are you- what happens now?” The princess started but trailed off, unsure of how to address the changes of the recent weeks. The wind swept russet locks across her face, streaks of blonde dancing like wisps. Cassandra brushed them aside to properly see her with the new sword clasped tightly in her lap.

“Well, starting from tomorrow, I am no longer your guard.” She said conversationally, eyes sliding to the speck of white sail at sea. “Oh, and you will be grounded.”

“That’s not really what I meant.”

“I know.” Cassandra reassured with a smile, squeezing the princess’s hand. “I’m signing up for the officer’s academy first thing tomorrow. The new semester starts in two months." 

"If… if that's what you want then I don't think I get to stop you. No one really does when I think about it." Rapunzel said factually but with some sadness. “I shall miss you during the weekdays.”

"I kind of feared that you or the queen would ask me to stay, and it would make me buckle in the end." She grimaced. “So thanks, for not asking.”

"Would you really?"

"Unhappily, yes. I am my father's daughter." Cassandra said ruefully, patting the pommel of her sword. "But in the end, the choice was always mine and my responsibility. I am still a subject to my King and so I need to find means to make my skills useful. This is more about me than you or the Queen. I am at peace with it.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” The princess’s brows pinched in anxiety and she looked a little ashamed.

The swordswoman nudged her. “What’s wrong?”

“... I just feel silly. I was actually worried until the very end, that Rúna might just knock you over the head and sail away, like a kidnapping! And just leave me standing like a fool.” 

Cassandra laughed and tried to imagine it. “That would be like her. She did carry a noblewoman off into the woods once because she couldn’t dance with her.”

“What, why?” Rapunzel asked puzzled.

“To ask her again privately, perhaps? The woman was married you see, and we were in her clan hold.”

“But how would they dance in the woods?” 

Cassandra shot the princess a meaningful look. Rapunzel reddened a bit when she understood the implications.

Oh! ” She blinked, and swatted at the dark-haired girl who hid her amusement poorly. “Don’t tease me! I’m doing my best with all these euphemisms.”

So she kissed her instead, first on the nose and then at the corner of her mouth, soft pecks against sun-stained freckles. Rapunzel looked dazzled until her mind caught up and just leaned into it happily. They had done their outmost to be discreet since the infirmary, hugs and kisses were easy enough to hide, but standing guard while the princess bathed had become a slow, appreciated form of torture and Cassandra couldn’t wait for her contract to be over. Neither could Rapunzel, who was terrible at being a sneak and didn’t even try to divert her stares. 

“That was very nice.” The princess breathed excitedly and pulled a little closer. “Hey Cass, you know how a new day starts at the first hour? Like, legally?”

“Mmm.” Cassandra agreed non-committedly. “I am familiar with the concept.”

“So that means your contract expires at midnight, right?” She could see the gears turning in Rapunzel’s head, her eyes narrowing as whatever ideas she had came into shape. 

“I suppose.” She chuckled.

Rapunzel nodded and suddenly looked shy, she kicked with her feet over the water, earlobes reddening something furiously. “That means you will no longer get into trouble if we’re together, you know, um, for real. ” 

Indeed .” 

“Would you leave your door unlocked tonight then, for me?” Rapunzel asked gently, her voice as light as a feather.

Cassandra choked on air. She stared at the younger girl, suddenly acutely aware of her speeding heart and slow breath. The waves lapped against the pier and the sea seemed more distinct in its colours and acrid smell of sulphur and kelp. A young child ran along the wharf chasing seagulls. She focused on the freckles on the other’s face and slightly chapped lips. Rapunzel’s hand tightened around her own.

“Cass?” She sounded nervous. “You don’t have to, it’s not a--”

“N- no, it’s fine.” Cassandra replied hastily, mouth suddenly dry “I will, the door I mean. It will be open. Please come, I- I will- yeah.” 

“Are you... sure?”

“I am.” She took a deep, steadying breath. “You just caught me off guard.”

“Because you know, if we’re going to be a thing, you’re allowed to refuse my advances.”

“Your advances, huh.” Cassandra parroted in disbelief, massaging her temples. The princess had with little doubt studied another pink-and-cheesy novel from the romance aisle, and cared little or did not recognize the involved archetypes. “Funny, I thought I would be the one to- never mind, it’s not important. Nothing ever goes like I think it will so why even bother.”

Rapunzel studied her inquisitively like she often did when Cassandra wasn’t making much sense. “Well I’m the princess , and you’re my fair maiden.”

“But I have a sword.” Cassandra pointed out needlessly, feeling her pride crumble a bit. “I don’t think that’s how the stereotype goes.”

“Does it matter?” And that was an honest and good question.

In the face of such overwhelming evidence, the swordswoman buckled and kissed her lady again.

Rapunzel perked up, her shoulders squared in triumph and Cassandra could almost visualize the other making a small fistpump. She wondered how her own expression looked like then. The princess stood up from the grey stone, stretched and pulled the other with her. The sunlight caught in her back and alighted her frame in gold and blue, and for the briefest of moments, Cassandra saw the Queen Rapunzel one day would become; a spirit of joyful compassion, beautiful and vibrant. 

They stood and the moment passed as Rapunzel began to drag her towards vendors selling iced fruit and baked clams. She followed and her doubts were forgotten.

***

The hearth was a roaring crackle when she was finally done with the fire. 

Cassandra had spent the evening in her room, anxiously tidying up, tossing laundry into the basket and stuffing an assortment of knives and weapons into her wardrobe. She dusted whatever furniture that was left and set out to sweep and light the fireplace as the evening chill fell, caring obsessively about every detail until there were no further things to do. The pleasant smell of cedar and smoky beech filled the room while she paced restlessly and kept giving her door furtive glances. A fidgety bath in the servants’ quarters and a fresh set of clothes did nothing to calm her frayed nerves, and she spent the next half an hour fretting over the choice of a simple tunic and shorts.

All of this resulted in her sitting on her bed and staring nervously into space while sharpening her favourite dagger, taking solace in the sound of whetstone against metal until she realized how alarming that might look. No weapons then. Rapunzel wasn’t Ingvarri and would not find blades particularly affectionate. Putting those away and growing more tense by the hour, she grabbed one of her navigator journals and decided to read, letting her own carefully documented words be a distraction.

Gods, why was this so hard? 

Cassandra wasn’t a dunce by far. Harbor towns had well-deserved reputations because sailors made them so. She had enough experience to not completely fall apart at the mercies of lovely women, or so she used to believe. This woman in particular however, seemed destined to break her expectations. 

In summary, Rapunzel made Cassandra nervous.

The twelfth hour was called as she was flipping heedlessly through her sketches of the Jornskaag coast. She barely heard the cat-pawed steps of bare feet as her door opened and Rapunzel slipped in. The princess was dressed in a light, sparsely decorated nightgown and wrapped in a lavender shawl. She entered with a candle in hand and remained in the door for a few seconds as if struck, taking her lounging, frozen form in. Then, she shut the door close quietly and pushed down the hatch.

Cassandra swallowed as Rapunzel walked slowly to her desk and put the candle down, she extinguished the flame then brushed her shawl off tense shoulders to fold it neatly across a chair; she did this with slightly shaky hands and her eyes never leaving Cassandra’s, and it struck the older girl how the princess must be nervous too. The brunette paused where she stood, face blank and unsure of how to proceed, wringing her hands timidly.

Putting her journal aside, Cassandra rearranged herself to a comfortable, cross-legged position and patted to the space beside her. Rapunzel needed no further encouragement as she visibly relaxed and all but sprinted across the floor, bounced the last two steps before ignoring her suggestion and dropped herself onto the taller girl’s lap. It was only practiced experience of catching the other girl in hugs that guided Cassandra’s momentum and stopped them from toppling over. 

A pair of familiar arms came around her waist and she felt her chest swell as Rapunzel burrowed herself against her shoulder, tucking herself neatly into what was fast becoming the princess’s favourite spot. Cassandra felt the air being squeezed out of her pleasantly. Both jostled to get comfortable, giggling along the way. Her own hands wandered over the gentle shapes of scapulas, trailing down the small dips of the spine to the low of Rapunzel’s back. She took a deep, languish breath, and buried her face into warm hair, letting her previous tension fade like mist.

“Cass?” 

“Mmh?” She mumbled.

“I would like to be kissed now.” Rapunzel breathed, biting her lip. “Please .”

And so she did, following the command of her infuriating lady with no more duty to stop her. She kissed her like she always meant to do, soft and hot and breathy, seeking permission as she gently probed against the other’s lips. Rapunzel let out a small whimper as she buried a fist into Cassandra’s raven hair, pulling her head slightly back as she let the other follow. Heat rose through her body, tingling and chafing at her every nerve. Her hands dipped gently around Rapunzel’s waist as she pulled her in, pressing their bodies together in tender abandon as she kissed the princess with her whole body and leaving little to doubt.   

Rapunzel held her in place with a hand at the back of her head when they broke apart, the princess clearly gasping while Cassandra tried her damndest for control. She shuddered, drunk in the other’s smell and skin and the primal effect of a woman’s body against her own.

Wow .” Rapunzel whispered.

“Agreed.” Cassandra said and did not have time to comment further as the princess pushed back and initiated a second kiss. For a long while, there was only the sound of ruffling clothes and breathless sighs. Gentle, curious fingers slipped beneath layers of linen and danced along the ridge of her ribs. Rapunzel broke away when Cassandra pulled at the rems which held her gown together, running fingers between the gaps of exposed skin. She was clearly appreciative, but skittish.

“Is this ok?” Cassandra spoke softly. The princess nodded quickly but suddenly looked incredibly shy. “Raps, we don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”

“No no, it’s just... Well it’s embarrassing.” 

“I doubt it can be, considering where your hands are.” She joked. Rapunzel pinched her in revenge.

“I… might have read some stuff from the adult section of the library, because I thought- well, to be prepared.” The younger girl squeaked in stutters. “And it just made me more confused.”

Cassandra’s eyes bulged. She should definitely have burned those while she had the chance.

“But all the books were about a man and a woman! The only volume I could find involving two women was a triangle thingy, and there was still a man during the- the- um, well, important parts! I couldn’t make sense of the descriptions at all.” Rapunzel complained with a frown.

“Oh gods, Raps.” She snickered into the other’s hair. 

“Actually, the writing in general was pretty puzzling. How would lips even ‘crash’ into each other, Cass? Doesn’t that hurt?” There was confusion in her face.

“Oh gods, Raps.” Laughter rose like bubbles through her chest. The mental image of Rapunzel perched on her reading shelf while nose-deep in smut was just too much. Somehow, her reaction put the princess at peace.

"It's a bit ridiculous isn't it?" Rapunzel commented while snuggling closer, shoulders taut and slightly hunched over. She fidgeted in the taller girl’s lap, as if she suddenly wanted to shrink into herself. “I just didn’t want to look stupid. It’s not like you would think that but-” Her voice went quiet as she searched for words. “For the longest time, I was told only how silly I was or that I wasn’t much to look at. I know you don’t think that, but sometimes it's hard to trust myself and be sure. You can be a bit prickly but it's never in a bad way, and you always mean the kind things you say and that is such a relief to know.”

Oh.

Cassandra turned cold as she could guess who had caused such self-deprecation and decided she would have none of it. Sometimes, destiny just had to be retold.

“I... I think the world of you, of all of you and all the time, even when we disagree. In every aspect and regard.” She said honestly, to which Rapunzel only nodded. 

“I know. I love you, Cass.”

The words were sweet and violent, and she understood why the other made her ache. She was hardly a great poet when it came to the delicate matters of love, but surely its mystery must start with the self so one might know the nature of the heart to be shared? Cassandra thought of the many people who had touched her life, of the love they had loved and in turn passed on to her so she might one day share with another. 

And the answer came to her effortlessly.

She pulled Rapunzel down and laid beside her, letting the closeness be their balm. To her pleasant surprise, the princess rolled herself on top, bare legs settling easily on the sides of the taller girl’s hips as she swayed in this new balance. The sight alone made Cassandra tremble. With her heartbeat climbing to a crescendo in her throat, and fingertips trailing paths along the curves of knees, thighs and finally slipping beneath soft satin cloth, Cassandra gave Rapunzel all she had to give. They didn't say much for some time and ceased altogether when clothes finally slipped off. If Rapunzel was her undoing, then she was happily undone.

Hours later, at mid-dawn, when the sky had shed its nightcloak for the burn of orange and red, Cassandra awoke to the sight of Rapunzel sitting beside her gazing peacefully outside. She sat with knees pulled in beneath a sweet chin and arms loosely wound around herself like a ball of yarn, equally graceful as graceless. The light danced along her skin, against her neck and shoulders, by the shapes of breast and ribs and the arc of her waist, and set everything it touched on fire.

“The sunrise is so pretty from your room.” The princess smiled when she noticed her scrutiny, pointing to the world outside.

“Yeah.” She agreed without looking away. “It really is.”

***

A few weeks went by and the great oaks of the castle proper showed the first signs of yellow in their tips when the captain knocked on Cassandra’s door one lazy afternoon. 

She pulled out a chair and cleaned some space on her crowded table, pushed aside a plate with a half-eaten sandwich and some waxed scrolls as her father strode in, followed by an elderly woman carrying a bag and several bundles of expensive-looking cloth. Gustav gave her slightly messy abode a critical look. He was dressed in his formals with his rank insignia pinned to shoulders and chest without a speck out of place, looking every part of his station as the King's man. Stern, sleepless eyes studied the piles of academy issued books on her desk, before he cleared his throat and turned to his companion.

“Cassandra, this is madame Colletreux.” He gestured between them as she bowed, unsure of what this visit entailed. “Madame, meet my daughter.”

“She’s not nearly as tall as they say.” The woman chuckled and beckoned her to come closer as she rolled out tape, chalk and squissors. “Come on then, girl. I don’t have all day.”

“Sir?” She looked at him, puzzled.

“It’s for your uniform.” He sounded tired, his mind no doubt preoccupied, but there was an undertone of real pride when he looked her over. “I made some time in my schedule and thought we could do this together.”

The seamstress clucked her tongue and spared no time to drape a tapestry of navy blue cloth over her shoulder, chalk and tape in hand. Another bundle in black followed and was pinned around her waist. Cassandra spent the next half hour being prodded and turned at her behest.

“She’ll need a few sets, summer and winter casuals, a coat, a few shirts and a formal attire. And oiled boots.” The woman droned as her father mostly watched, adding practical suggestions occasionally for adjustments in his typical thoughtful way. Few men in the castle had been in uniform as long as the Captain of the guard and his advice did not come without weight.

Cassandra swallowed the lump in her throat as she was handed a spare uniform to try on. It was one size too large and made for someone with longer arms, but the image of herself in the mirror gave her pause. Dark-blue, tightly weaved linen hung comfortably over her shoulders and gathered snugly around her waist with a black sash; belts were on top, chafing slightly against the double-breasted front with silver buttons, a junior officer’s insignia shone above the heart. She looked good- different, compared to her Ingvarri clothes and it was like seeing the culmination of a childhood dream. Juvenile excitement bubbled in her stomach and she felt her lips tipping into a full-edged grin.

Her father came up beside her. A steady hand gripped her shoulder as they looked into the mirror at the future ahead.

“I always thought you would be wearing red.” He mused, voice breaking as if the emotions it vesseled were tools in which he had little practice. 

“I hoped we could wait with that timeless rivalry until I’ve at least set foot inside the academy.” She said with some humour.

“A careless assumption.” He chuckled deeply. “But nevertheless. I thought so because you hounded me constantly about it as a child, and I thought it was ill-advised at first because of the dangers, but you persisted so I let you have a sword.” He paused contemplatively. “And look at you now. Shows what a man knows about raising daughters.”

“You did good, dad.” She answered without hesitation. In her mind she was a child again, carried in his arms from an empty home with a broken heart, she was a girl again, and hugged as he patiently explained why Arianna never joined them for dinner, and she was a teenager again, sword drawn and limbs burning as he sent her crashing to the ground. “You did more than most.” 

His face opened up, and for one moment it seemed like he wanted to add something to say but settled for a firm squeeze around her shoulder. 

She did not need words to see the pride in his eyes.  

Later, when the dining halls closed and the first lanterns were lit across the city below, she met up with Rapunzel at the far end of the palace garden. The secluded overlook was hard to find even for experienced castle staff, protected by a marble balustrade overgrown with vines and wisterias. The princess had set up her canvas at the end of the terrace, hoping to catch the city falling asleep. She lit up when the swordswoman emerged from the hedges, finally done with her day. 

They passed time as Rapunzel painted, talking about mundane, enjoyable things. Cassandra told her about the incoming uniforms and regretted it instantly as the princess begged her to model, utilizing every pout in her fastly growing arsenal to get her will. Predictably, Cassandra folded like a house of cards. 

“That is not fair.” She grumped at the resolve-destroying puppy-eyes before her in despair.

“But Cass, what would you have me look at when you’re away at school? A handsome drawing of you looking your best might help me through some lonely nights.” Rapunzel argued coyly. “I guess I could go and get some of the recent Moonlit Phantomer books instead. Who knew there were so many books involving relationships between women in the adult section? All I needed to do was to ask.”

Cassandra felt the vestiges of a migraine rise and narrowed her eyes at her all to smug-looking girlfriend. “This is an obvious trap. There’s nothing that stops you from buying those even if I agree.”  

“Oh ye of so little faith.”

“Don’t start, you would totally do both.” Cassandra retorted but paused suddenly at the naked possibility presented. “Wait, was that your plan all along? What are you going to do with that painting?” 

Rapunzel tapped her foot, looking both indignant and amused at the taller girl who was blushing up a storm. If there was a kernel of truth to that statement, she was most certainly not sorry for being found out. The princess stalked closer and backed Cassandra into the marble fence, she threw her arms around her and tipped her head up for a kiss.

“Well, I won’t be able to do this-” She said and kissed her again for emphasis. “So I must find some other means for comfort, and I do love painting you. Would you deny me this, really?” 

Cassandra sighed and shook her head, knowing when the battle was lost. She caught the shorter girl around the waist for no other reason than how nice it felt. Rapunzel squealed and leaned into her, happy like a clam and twice as clingy. 

All seemed at peace, until someone cleared their throat loudly.

They flew apart and whipped around, nearly knocking Rapunzel’s canvas to the ground in their hurry. And of course, there was only one other person in the castle who could truly out-sneak Cassandra.

Mom?

“Hello Rapunzel.” Arianna stepped out completely from the greenery with casual ease, looking around the place in curious recognition. “My, Cassie, doesn’t this bring back memories? I don’t think I’ve been here since you were twelve.” 

The queen’s face was a mask of loaded amusement as she eyed them from one to the other. The swordswoman’s alarm ebbed when she recognized the woman’s tone, it was the voice she always took whenever Cassandra got caught climbing roofs. Rapunzel however, did not possess the wisdom of such insight and was going into full, stuttering panic.

“Oh heeey mom, I- I didn’t know you c- came around here! Nice place huh?” The princess tried, hands on her hips and with an obvious faux-grin plastered on her face. “Cass wanted to show me the flowers here, because they’re so um, m- much bigger?”

“Did she now?”

Cassandra rolled her eyes.

“I think the cat is out of the bag, Raps.” She said wryly. It took Rapunzel a few seconds to remember the proverbial expression but tensed up after she did, her mouth straightening into a thin line. Cassandra turned to Arianna who looked uncharacteristically pleased with herself. “... you do not look surprised, your majesty.”

“I have eyes, Cassandra, and ears, and you were never really good at hiding your affections.” The queen replied lightly. “And I mean that as a good thing, dear.”

“I can explain!” Rapunzel whimpered. “We were going to tell you! But I had to prepare, I mean read up on the laws, well, it’s complicated- we just needed a little more time, I promise.” 

Arianna looked to her daughter with interest and Cassandra thought she saw a hint of parental pride in the deep-set, intelligent eyes. Rapunzel would sometimes forget that the queen kept  account of her academic prowess with weekly updates from her tutors, just like she once had done with Cassandra. This meant Arianna had a decent guess to what her daughter had been researching in class. The princess fumed anxiously as she looked to the older woman, her whole body stiff in trepidation.

“You wanted to look up the legal ramifications of you taking a consort, and the required stipulations before breaking it to me and your father. A wise choice, if you had exercised the needed discretion.” Arianna clarified for her. “Luckily, both men involved are as dense as pudding in regard to this sort of matter. You have plenty of time to prepare.”

“You... don’t mind?”

“As a concept? No. But there are official and traditional details that need to be observed to spare you from future misunderstandings. Being with royalty can be a taxing, overwhelming thing, and it will likely get worse when Rapunzel steps into her official duties as heir apparent in a couple of years.” Arianna explained. “Nobles with eligible sons, and a few daughters, will protest over an opportunity lost followed by the younger children of foreign royalty. It is advantageous if all of us here are in agreement before we are beset by other proposals.”

Cassandra panicked a little at where the conversation was going. “Wait, isn’t that taking it a bit too far?” 

“Mom, we’ve only just started going out!” Rapunzel pressed between thin lips. “That sounds really serious.”

“I’m saying I just walked in on you, which means others can too, and you need to be prepared for the consequences. I am not against the both of you taking a shine to each other.” Arianna explained factually with a grin. “And honesty Rapunzel, I thought you would be more excited about fighting for Cassie. Isn’t this your new thing?”

“Politics are scarier than swords.” Rapunzel mumbled and looked at her feet. 

“But the pen is mightier still. And I will be here for you.” Arianna said, cupping her daughter's face lovingly. Her expression was an image of empathy as her touch dispelled some of the justified dread. They hugged before the queen turned to her other child, which made Cassandra freeze. “Rapunzel, would you be a dear and fetch some tea and biscuits for us. We will wait for you here.”

The princess’s face broke down in relief as she nodded briskly. “I’m so glad you approve mom, it means the world to me.” She gave Cassandra’s hand a reassuring squeeze before hurrying away.

The silence in the wake of her bare feet was thick enough to cut with a dull knife.

You.” Arianna laughed.

Cassandra let out a long sigh and had the grace to look bashful. She rubbed the back of her neck and glanced up at the queen who seemed to be having the time of her life. Arianna’s eyes sparkled in well-controlled mischief, the gentle crow feet at her eyes taut in glee as she signaled for Cassandra to step closer. 

“Me.” She said with a deflated tune.

“I feel like it’s my parental prerogative to be nosy. Should I scold you for corrupting her, or Rapunzel for not keeping her hands off you, my dear? I am torn.”

“I didn’t intend for this to happen, if that helps.”

“Very few do. We don’t get to choose who we love, Cassandra. That’s both a blessing and a curse.” Arianna put a hand on her arm, the other rested firmly atop the gnarly vine-covered marble. “The fact that you’re not skulking around is a good sign. It means you’re serious.”

“I don’t skulk-”

“The shieldmaker used to have this pretty apprentice when you were about fifteen years old. I remember you breaking twelve shields in a month, which is remarkable considering you don’t use them.” 

Cassandra fell quiet really quick. Part of her destiny seemed to be to never get the last word when faced with der Sonne women. She considered the queen’s earlier words, frowning.

“You really don’t disapprove… at all?” She asked tentatively, uncertain of how the older woman would take her following words. “I do understand that I am hardly considered eligible in the grand scheme of things.”

The face Arianna made was equal part solemnity and understanding. Neither of them were stupid and knew what this could entail. The queen however, seemed adamant and full of faith.

“And yet she made her choice. Not many get to do that when raised within a palace, you know, too little exposure to people beyond our parents’ walls and most never bother at all.” She mused. “Rapunzel’s circumstances are a rare exception and she doesn’t exactly do well with walls. She will walk this path if she has to, mine and Frederic’s approval be damned, but you must meet her halfway for this to work. It has to be both of you, or none.” Arianna continued and her voice was steel. 

Cassandra swallowed hard. “I will not disappoint her.” She promised.

The queen nodded, then furrowed her brows critically. “And don’t sell yourself so short, Cassie. You don’t get to decide if you’re good enough for her, but I do hope you keep trying for as long as you are together. Naturally, the same goes for Rapunzel. You’re both worthy of each other as I’m in a position to know, so stop this nonsense.” 

“Wise words. I will reflect on them.” A small smile crossed her lips.

Mother knows best, as the saying goes. I try my best, dear.” Arianna’s hand came to rest atop hers. The wind picked up and it felt as warm as the presence of the woman beside her, and in that moment Cassandra could see where Rapunzel had gotten her boundless spirit. “Truth is we rarely do. A mother is only human as she tries to understand the needs of a child. You’ll do well to remember that when it's your time.”

Cassandra nodded mutely, she balked a little at the mention of future children and a life that seemed a million years away. Her worries however, were not entirely dissipated. 

“The noble houses will talk.”

“The noble houses can stuff it or hang.” The queen huffed indignantly. “I will not barter with the happiness of my children. And that is final.”

Her words went like a hot spear through Cassandra which manifested in a wet, rattling choke. She refused to sob in Arianna’s presence, but to be called- to hear the queen say it ... The air felt painful as she shoved down what they both knew, into the weight which had no name between them. The older woman looked at her sympathetically.

“You’ve called me it twice, you know.” Arianna’s words were deliberately slow and wistful. “First when you were five years old, and when you got sick with a fever at six. I treasure the memories.”

“I-- I’m- ”

“Come Cassie, if Rapunzel gets her will you’ll eventually be able to say it in public, but right now there’s only the two of us here. And you’re no longer an uptight teenager with something to prove.” 

She looked helplessly at Arianna, the memories of a dark study and gentle arms holding her small body danced in her mind, foggy but heavy with pain. Thank you felt pitifully inadequate and would only earn herself a scolding, because it was never gratitude that gave Arianna such joy. Theirs was not a balance of convenience but something far deeper, and so after all these years, Cassandra found her courage and spoke.

Cassandra called Arianna mother for the third time when she was twenty-three years old. Rapunzel arrived shortly after carrying a basket of tea and cakes, and stopped short when she saw the two women she loved standing together with tears in their eyes. They looked so happy. Her mother in particular looked radiant like the summer’s end. Behind them, the sun dipped into the horizon and a million gems broke over the darkening sea. They gestured towards her and she went to them, stepping into a hug which held all she knew to be family. And that, Rapunzel thought, was worth fighting for.

***

 

Epilogue: Between Everywhere and Nowhere At All 

 

-2 years later-

The signs of late spring were long behind them when Cassandra emerged from her cabin to the deck. The night had seen them through gusts of hard winds from the west, and she thought morosely of the extra calculations needed to correct their course. The Eversun Coast had shrunk to a narrow flat of land behind them as the royal brig Nassau cut through tall, frothy waves towards the northern sea lane where they would join up with a joint Ingvarri and Coronan patrol fleet. 

It was barely past morning and she could already feel trickles of sweat down her back as the sun sheared from above. The day was going to be a swelter. Luckily, she had changed out of her uniform and settled for a loose, plain shirt and jerkin, leaving her royal navigator’s badge hanging from her neck. She greeted a few of the sailors as she made her way to the mast and began the long climb towards the crow’s nest. The roping was different from her last ship and she took care to find good footing, placing bare feet steadily against tightly wound rope. A cabin boy greeted her on top, seated on the floor and scribbling onto a few pieces of paper, his cap and shirt askew.

“Ho, lieutenant.” He nodded, stuttering over the title.

“Ho, Jani.” She replied, heaving herself feet-first into the nest. “What do you have there?”

The boy grinned, his uneven teeth flashing. “A letter. For a girl in Friedeport.”

“That so?” She smiled easily and unpacked her own satchel of sextant, notebook, compass and spyglass to ready herself for work. A sudden brisk wave to the hull side sent them careening starboard, both boy and navigator swore as the dip abated. When she looked up again, the last speckle of land had vanished and all she could see was the open sea. The wind was fair today and the ship would make good speed. 

The passage was a good three weeks to Mittnehavn and then another six across the lane. It would be close to midsummer when they finally saw Coronan waters again. The summer markets would be in full swing and the city brimming with tradesfolk. Her father was probably already dividing his men to shore up the city guard while mother hosted yearly reviews with the guilds. It was a busy time of the year, and Rapunzel would be in a summer dress with lilacs in her hair. 

They had said their good-byes two nights ago and Cassandra was yet to shake the vision of the princess asleep amidst rumpled sheets. In the morning, after rousing slowly, Cassandra had let Rapunzel help her dress into uniform, leaving her swords for last which were expertly fastened by artful, lingering hands. Breakfast had been a quiet affair and far too quickly, it was over. They had parted by the second gate and the trail of green eyes followed her until she was steady at sea. She hoped the day would be kind to Rapunzel in her work to aid the King. 

Jani stumbled up to stand beside her, his youthful face open in wonder at the adventure ahead.

“Do you think we will see the Ice Witch of Arendelle?” He asked excitedly. “They say she rides across the North Sea on a steed of silver.”

“Wouldn’t that make for a grand tale to bring home.” Cassandra laughed and lifted her spyglass to the eye. She looked to the love and home behind her, and ahead towards the horizon she was yet to breach, and in the middle of everywhere and nowhere at all, she found herself at peace. 

 

***

“Love does not consist of gazing at each other,

but in looking outward together in the same direction.”

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

 

***

Mother Knows Best

End

***



Additional Lore:

Rapunzel der Sonne I , also historically known as the Sunfire Queen , succeeded her father in her late twenties after the pacification of the Dread Moon incident. Her ascension was not without controversy, as many of the kingdom’s lords protested the impropriety and untraditional ways of both her education and choice of a spouse. She gained a clear majority in support however for her success at foreign diplomacy which secured Corona a great many advantages in an era of fast-paced change and discovery. She was also known as a dedicated patron of the arts and was known to be a skilled painter herself. Her gift of creativity was shared with her oldest child, who went on to found the Sol Institute of Art and Music, which became renowned and drew talents from all over the world. 

In regard to her family, it was a well known fact that the fastest way to be guaranteed a single-way ticket out of the castle was to voice any form of negative opinion in regard of the queen’s choice of a wife. A few statesmen learned this the harsh way of simply finding their belongings packed and ready at the castle gate with a royal messenger to relay their termination. However, it needs to be said that such comments were exceptionally rare as Cassandra der Sonne (married name) was a respected admiral and revered by many within the military for her campaigns. She rose to prominence during the incidents over the Arendelleni Sea and reached the rank of admiral after the battle of the Blackmoon. Her closest officers called her ‘Eight-Slices-Cass’, which still puzzles historians as to if this refers to her famed skills with a sword, or simply her personal way of eating apples.

It is also worth mentioning that the couple’s marriage held wide support among Corona’s populace, romanticized by folktales and songs alike. Several historical texts describe how the young princess Rapunzel would personally join the sailors’ families by the docks to welcome her beloved when her ship returned to harbour, only missing this opportunity twice through their long years together. This memory of the Sunfire Queen’s love for her admiral is immortalized in the painting ‘ A Promise by The Pier ’ by Lind Roodburg, and hangs in the Royal Galleria to this day. It portrays the scene of the couple’s reunion after the first battle of the Dread Moon and is praised for its dynamic brushwork, giving the princess’s run towards Cassandra a feeling of flight.

Vyssja means to lull or to dandle, usually done to young children to put them to sleep. Cassandra used this weapon as her primary through her military career until she hung her blades on the wall in old age. The weapon remained on display in the private apartment of the royal family for a great many years, as its lady ordered it to only ‘be claimed by the hands of a daring spirit matched to a kind and curious heart’. It remained a family treasure until it was gifted to one of her great grandchildren who asked to be sent to Ingvar to study the art of the northern sword.

Cassandra’s Sword became the official name of Rúna’s lifelong primary. It was well-used through many conflicts until broken during the The Sixthpoint War, in the fifth year of Queen Rapunzel’s rule, and the blade was taken back to Ingvar to be reforged. The Ingvarri iron used to strengthen the Coronan blacksteel gave the blade an uncanny blue tint and some came to believe the sword was inhabited by the spirit of a glacier fox. It was passed down later to Rúna Signesdottir’s second child, who in turn gifted it to a daughter of their own when they came of age to voyage upon the seas.

 

Author’s Notes

Things I would have done differently:

Chapter one and two should have been one single chapter, take and add a few segments. As I have previously mentioned, this was not meant to be a multipart story, and the initial pacing like structure suffered because of it. 

Making the story darker : This could have been done with a bit of work, with a few additional chapters. I never really went into why Cassandra went to Ingvarr to study, but a large part of the backstory I had in mind was in fact that Cass did have a lot of problems growing up in regard to the other castle kids. She was not ostracized, but clearly stuck out amidst the clearly hierarchical divided system of noble born children and kids of the castle staff. Neither group (nor their parents) were really comfortable about her privileged position of being Arianna’s ward. Ingvar was as much about her chosen path of education as it was about getting her away from the court during her formative years, because honestly, she deserved better. I’ve dropped hints of this along the way but didn’t really explore this branch of the story. For a longer story, I would also have liked to develop Rapunzel more and the oddities and psychological scars that come with growing up with very limited social exposure. Here I mostly used it for humour, which makes me feel like I owe her a story of her own.

 

General thoughts:

Mother Knows Best obviously refers to Arianna as a mother. On the contrary to the narcissistic song of Gothel doing self-praises in the movie, here, Arianna projects the opposite. She’s humble in her role and tries hard to be supportive, even when surprised. She listens and adjusts and wants happiness for them both. She is exactly what Cassandra needed and everything Rapunzel had hoped for. 

Rúna and Cassandra: These two would have been good for each other. This was very important to me, as I wanted Cassandra to have walked away from an equally good and meaningful life as the one she will have by staying with Rapunzel. Cassandra would have made a great adventurer and seafarer, and she would have retired a well-known cartographer. I would probably have made up some ridiculous pirate-ish nickname for her.

Rapunzel and Cassandra: These two will have one heck of a challenge ahead. There is little doubt in my mind that Cassandra would probably have had an easier life with Rúna, with no politics or court intrigues to worry about. I don’t ever see Cassandra becoming shrewd and cunning at playing this kind of games, but Rapunzel will be learning from the best (Arianna), and has literally zero cares about prestige or propriety. She was later named the Sunfire queen rather than Sunshine queen for good reasons.

The royal spymaster: Is actually Arianna. I never made a thing out of this, but I dropped that the spymaster is a she, and well, this is the reason the woman can out-sneak Cass. Had I made the story longer and this revelation been relevant to the plot, I would have put it in text.

Nicknames: The captain and Arianna call Cassandra ‘Cassie’, Rúna uses her full name (because she loves her name) or ‘storm-eyes’ while the classic moniker ‘Cass’ is Rapunzel exclusive.





Notes:

I feel more at peace because I gave Cass what I think she deserved. Though I also feel like I owe Raps a story of her own. *facepalm*

TIP: Don't skip the additional lore if you enjoyed this. You might find more than you bargained for in there :D.

I'm glad you guys enjoyed it!

Notes:

My beta: Did you make Cass into Assassin's Creed Kassandra?

Me, howling: YOU CANNOT STOP ME!!!