Tangled After The Series - There's No Such Thing As 'The End'

Chapter 1: Return to Corona

-- June, quarter to nine in the morning --

The sun bobbed in the sky just above the highest tower of Corona Castle. The Castle sat on the top of a mountain, on the island that housed the Kingdom Capital. A lake so vast that you couldn't stand on any point around it and see the other side surrounded it, glittering in the morning sun, broken only by the bridge that connected Corona City to the mainland and its smaller villages including Old Corona. A woman observed this serene picture from the shadows of the forest facing the Castle. Her cloak flapped freely in the wind, like wings ready to carry her into the sky, her longer, raven hair billowing around her face.

Her smile had grown with each step she took through the familiar forest and now she sighed blissfully. She lifted her arm ready for a small owl to land on it. "We're home," the young woman breathed, gripping her horse's reins tighter.

It had been just over five years since Cassandra had left the kingdom of Corona to find her destiny. In the past years, Cassandra had travelled all across the continent. Had seen many places, met many people and learned a lot. And besides all that, she realised where she belonged and who she was meant to be with. Years came and went, she arrived at kingdoms then left them and yet nothing seemed to call her like the thoughts of her family. A small part of her was always longing for Corona after a couple of years but the swordswoman ignored it. However, a few months ago, that longing had become impossible to neglect.

Absent mindedly, Cassandra fingered the purple stone on her blue and purple beaded necklace, she had worn it nearly every day out there, it reminded her of one person in particular. Her horse turned her head to look up at Cassandra. "What?" Fidella gave her a look as if to say, "Why are you hesitating?"

Cassandra sighed, "I should've said something to him before I left, I wish I had. I just hope that he forgives me. That they all do." Fidella gave her leg a reassuring nudge with her nose. "You're right," Cassandra said, "I won't know if I never find out, let's go."

During her time away from Corona, Cassandra had never once forgotten to send Rapunzel postcards from every country she set foot in. She would also send along a long letter in which she told Rapunzel everything. What the place was like, what she did there and what she'd experienced. Also, how she was feeling – roughly, Cassandra hadn't changed that much, come on.

Rapunzel would keep every single letter and post card, collecting them and waiting with great excitement for the next one to come. When Cassandra told her Princess that she would be in one place for a while, Rapunzel sent a letter back with a drawing. Eugene of course knew of every single post card and letter. Cassandra didn't forget to ask after her other friends and Rapunzel never forgot to mention them. And surprisingly, Eugene was one of those that the swordswoman considered a 'friend'. As Eugene once said, herself and the new Captain of the Guard were like annoying siblings to each other – they drove each other crazy but they still cared for each other.

It was this connection to her friends that Cassandra treasured most. Writing to Rapunzel about the kingdom was her favourite part of visiting and receiving letters from her Princess excited her more than when she arrived somewhere new. Eventually, that was what made Cassandra realise she was ready to go home.

      However, little did her friends in Corona know, Cassandra had returned home and was heading into the city.

*~*~*

She chose to keep to the back streets to avoid attention from the people. As had reached the Corona Wall signalling the Kingdom's border, Cassandra had pulled her travelling cloak's hood over her head so she wouldn't be spotted. Even these years later, Cassandra knew that the citizens wouldn't have forgotten what she had done and honestly, she was afraid of them being openly hostile. At the Castle wall, the swordswoman kept a hand on her hood, keeping it pulled low over her face. Cassandra arrived at the doors to the castle and knocked, she shook off her fears and at the thought of her friends being so close after all this time couldn't keep her smile off her face. Pete answered the door.