Reunion at Sea

Downtime

"So, what do you think?" Rapunzel asked eagerly.

Donella looked up from the scroll she'd had shoved into her hands. "...Why are you asking me?"

"Because Quirin never hides anything from him anymore and I want it to be a surprise for Varian. And, well, I figure you might know what he might like or not like of these ideas." Rapunzel said enthusiastically.

"You would be better off asking Gothel or Clyde. I haven't seen him since the night I told him his mother was dead, remember?" She rolled up the scroll and handed it back. "Besides, I hear that Gothel loves to spoil him with surprises, so she'd be the best option. Now I have to get back to work."

"Oh...okay." Rapunzel nodded. "You will be attending, though, right?"

"Yes, of course." Donella waved her off and walked away.

"Right...ask Gothel." Rapunzel sighed and walked down the hall.

After proving her allegiance, and with Varian's insistence, Gothel had been allowed to wander around certain parts of the castle that were open to non-royals, and she had been most often seen haunting the hallway that led to the dungeons, near Varian's room and lab.

And, as she thought, the ghostly woman was lingering by the door to his lab, where the Brotherhood were all positioned inside, though Cassandra was inside working with Varian and all the people with him. Donella had arrived before Rapunzel and was showing Anna how to correctly fit two pieces together.

"I've never had a head for engineering." Gothel admitted, and Rapunzel looked at her with surprise. "Alchemy, that's easy, but engineering...it's not something I've ever been able to figure out. In fact, it went over the heads of most of us, whenever Regulus and Zhan Tiri would talk about it. I never understood it when Demanitus tried to teach me, either."

Rapunzel giggled a bit. "Well...it's not hard. I mean, I figured it out."

"Yes, but you've always been more...creative than I am." Gothel shrugged.

"Why don't you go inside?" Rapunzel asked.

"There's far too many people in there already and I would have to shift form to handle anything." Gothel looked at her. "And you? Are you here to help?"

"Aaactually," Rapunzel started to fuss with her hair nervously, "I'm here to find you. I want to talk to you about something, uh...secret."

Gothel looked surprised, but nodded. "Alright."

Rapunzel smiled and turned to go and Gothel drifted after her. They headed for Rapunzel's room and she hesitated outside the door, even when Rapunzel beckoned her in. "Come on, I wanted somewhere really private." She said, and Gothel looked around before floating into the room. Rapunzel closed the door and walked over to sit on her bed. "Come and sit down."

She floated over and sat down on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped in her lap in a strange show of vulnerability that Rapunzel was still getting used to.

"What did you want to talk with me about so secretly?" She asked, looking at her.

Rapunzel smiled and pulled out the scroll she'd shown Donella. "Varian's birthday is coming up, and I want to surprise him with a party. Which of these ideas do you think he'd go for?"

Gothel looked at the list thoughtfully. "Well, while he may be a young man, he is not a child and...some of these ideas may insult him. I know he likes plays, but he is very judgmental about them and unless you pick some decent actors, he will get up onto the stage and play the offended role himself. He can and will one-man-act the entire play."