Reunion at Sea

Mother

–

"So, how are you really feeling?" Clyde asked as he blocked Cassandra's sword with his own. "You didn't really say anything about it at the time, but I'm wondering if it's really hit you yet?"

Cassandra laughed bitterly. "Which part? That mother is still around, as a ghost, and has been helping us in secret, or that you knew and didn't tell me?!" She slashed at him and he blocked it again.

"It was better that you didn't know, at the time. She didn't want anyone else to know, and honestly she didn't even intend to tell us. She only got involved in the battle because of Lucas targeting Varian." He dodged another strike. "According to her, she was 'asleep' until Lucas and Ruddiger woke her up fighting over her grave."

"Are you telling me that they were loud enough to...wake the dead?" Cassandra smirked and Clyde chuckled.

"Yes, that would be a good way to put it." He nodded.

She chuckled, then sighed. "To answer your question...I don't know how to feel. I haven't told my dads yet, and Varian is telling Rapunzel, which I'm going to guess—"

"Didn't go well." Varian walked over to her with a sigh. "She's...upset."

"Yeah, understandable." Cassandra said, stepping back as Varian went to Clyde and clung to him. Clyde held him in a gentle embrace and stroked his hair. "You want me to leave you two alone?"

Varian nodded. "It's been a long night...I'd like to rest."

–

By the next morning, news of Gothel still being around, as a ghost, and being an ally against the Disciples spread quickly through the Kingdom, with mixed feelings from all who heard it. On the one hand, people wanted to get her sealed away like all the other Disciples but, on the other, everyone knew well the value of having an ally against this new threat, even if they were an enemy before.

Ultimately, the choice to trust her laid with Rapunzel, who was currently having tea with her mother as they silently mulled over this decision.

When Rapunzel had gone to her mother after finding out from Varian about Gothel still being around, she had been devastated. She'd insisted on Rapunzel sleeping in her room with her, held her close as she cried in fear of her being taken from her again. Now, they were both calmer in the light of day, and they could think over the new developments.

Pete was now a werewolf, thanks to being bit by Catalina during the previous Full Moon, and had been recruited by the Disciple named Melina, the one that could control animals and had prompted them to change all of their animals into humans to prevent her from doing so. Pete was also bitter about the takeover, didn't like Varian or Rapunzel, really, and was an avid supporter of her father and his iron fist.

While they lost Pete, they had also found out that they had had an ally for quite some time, who had helped them fight the Disciple Jester and put herself firmly on her side and put herself in danger as a result. Rapunzel should feel grateful about that. But, that ally was Gothel, her kidnapper for eighteen years, who had taken her and used her for her hair. And now her healing power was back, she might do it again. However, Varian had assured her that, with Gothel now being dead, she wasn't going to age either, and certainly wouldn't be using the Sundrop's power to keep herself young.

That may be true, but had he forgotten that the Sundrop was capable of bringing back the dead? Then again, her own body was dust. Would it even work on her current...er...state?

And her motives aside, it was...difficult for Rapunzel to simply forgive her and let her back into her life. She prided herself on her capacity to forgive, but this woman had hurt more than just her. She had driven Rapunzel's father insane, made her mother cry and plead for her daughter's return for eighteen years. She had made her cry just last night in fear of losing her again.