Lousy Little Pest! | Sequel to Gothel's Greatest Gift

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Gothel was cleaning Cassandra's cut that she had gotten when Gothel had, in a fit of rage, thrown a glass vase against the wall. Cassandra had just missed the kill zone, but her little arm didn't.

"Now, remember, Cassandra, how did you get this cut?"

"I fell while playing in the garden," Cassandra rehearsed.

"Good job, my love. And how did you get this bruise?"

"I fell while playing on the swings".

"That's right, darling. And how about this scar?"

"That's a birthmark".

"Well done, Cassandra!" Mother Gothel hugged her daughter tight, not wanting her to slip up in front of the king and queen.

"Are you excited to go to the castle?" Gothel asked. Cassandra had never been to the castle, or anywhere other than her cottage, for that matter, so she was beyond excited!"

"Yes, mama!" Cassandra jumped for joy.

"We're going to meet the king and queen, and maybe you'll get to meet Princess Rapunzel!"
"The baby princess?" Cassandra had never met a baby before, but she loved playing with and holding her baby dolls. She knew she would take great care of the newborn princess.

"Yes, and if you remember all your lines, keep your sleeves and makeup on, and don't pout, we might get to stay in the castle forever! Mommy won't have to leave you anymore!"

"Yay!" Cassandra cheered. She couldn't wait to have her mother with her all the time, and she knew that, in time, she and the newborn princess would become the best of friends.

–

"Thanks a lot, Princess!" one of the townspeople grumbled in response to her standing up to Weasel.

"Yeah, beat it, ya clod!" another one shouted.

"You're not wanted here!" a third townsperson cried.

"Vardaros is no place for heroes," Vex told Rapunzel, much to Rapunzel's dismay. She felt terrible for making things worse for Vardaros, but she couldn't have done nothing! When someone needs help, Rapunzel physically can't not help them. It's just who she is.

"Look, I'm all for helping the little guy, but say we fight Weasel when he gets back, we can't stay here, and beat him up forever," Eugene reasoned with Rapunzel, trying to change her mind about helping Vardaros.

"Though, pummeling that guy is kind of satisfying, Eugene is right," Cassandra agreed.

"You can't help someone who doesn't want to help themselves".

"Yeah, and I believe an ancient lord's treasure still has our names on it!" Eugene added, receiving a judgmental glare from Cassandra. She still wasn't pleased that Eugene was along for the ride.

"You know, I keep hearing how great this city used to be," Rapunzel reminded her friends. "Well, greatness does not go away. It may get beaten down, or hide itself from fear or doubt, but it does not go away," she pointed out, trying to sound inspirational.

"You, of all people, should know that sometimes, all that's needed to get the best of what's inside of you, is a little help," she was mostly talking to Eugene and Cassandra at this point, but the message was still universal. "So, I say, we go out there, go door to door, if we have to, and rally these people to take a stand. Because if we can inspire one person, just one person, then the battle is half won!" Rapunzel was so sure that with her empathy, Cassandra's strength, and Eugene's charm, they could inspire the people to take a stand against Weasel and take Vardaros back. While Eugene and Cassandra weren't inspired themselves, they knew it was Rapunzel's call, as it always was, so they went out to inspire people about something they weren't even inspired by. This obviously didn't work.