~*~Rapunzel~*~
I wake up, and saw Martha opening up the frills for me. "Good morning your majesty." She greeted me. "Good morning Martha. Did you just wake me up?" I asked her and she nodded politely. "You're 5 minutes behind schedule. And your parents are requesting me to wake you up early so you can start on with your schedule." She answers, and I grunted and I hide under the comforter. "I don't want to follow the schedule! I just want to sit down, read a book and drink a cup of tea, that's all!" I exclaimed. "I'm sorry, but rules are rules, princess." I showed myslef and sighed. "My life is purely rotten." I said and got myself out of my bed.
"Martha, I want eggs for breakfast."
"There's already food downstairs your highness."
I go out my bedroom, walk down the palace staircase and went to the kitchen. I saw my mother, eating and reading a newspaper. "Good morning mother." I greeted her and sit on one of the chairs. "Rapunzel, why are you not in your robe? Exposing your night gown is deepy unacceptable. It's also disrespectful to the food." She said, glancing at me. "Well, I'm just gonna eat, I'm not going outside either." I told her and grabbed a toast. "Didn't you forget? During Tuesdays, we go visit the town." She said. "How could I forget such a thing? Oh yes, you and dad go to the town without me on Tuesdays. You do your business with the villagers there, and I just sit here, left alone with my book collection." I said, and eat the toast. I drank a cup of tea and announced myself finished.
I go upstairs again, to take a bath and prepare myself to go to the town. Actually, by just thinking about it, it seems a bit boring. I wonder what'll happen, but like the authors say in my books, 'you'll never know what will happen until you get there'. I dress up simple-looking, so that the villagers will never know I'm the princess. But, who am I kidding? They would never know because they had never seen me before.
"Rapunzel, hurry up! We're late."
"Late for what? The town visit?"
Mother nodded. "Yes, of course." She approached me and put a clip on my hair. "There, now you look beautiful." She said and walked towards my father. "Dad, are we taking the carriage?" I asked him. "Of course, my dear! How else would we get down to that rocky road? By walking? I don't think so." He said. "No, but-ouch! My stomach's aching!" I exclaimed. "What now?" Mother said. "I think I can't come with you to the visit. As much as I want to, but my stomach needs to relax." I reasoned. "Okay then. We'll go. Martha! Take care of Rapunzel." Mother exclaimed as they go out the palace door and rides in the carriage. As the doors close, the carriage starts to go.
"Come your highness."
"No, Martha. I think the pain's gone."
I said smiling. "What do you mean? Playing pretend huh? Just to scavenge your books." She said and I immediately shook my head. "I'd still go visit the town. But, disguised as one of the villagers. I want to look over them, and see what's happening down hill. I don't want of them to recognize I'm the princess even though I haven't seen any of them before. I'll leave my tiara my for now." I told her. "But, what would your parents do if they knew you're not here?" She asked me. "I'll be back as fast as I can. I won't let them scold you for my mistakes. Bye Martha, stay safe!" I told her and ran outside the palace doors. "Shouldn't I be the one to say that?" She asked me. I run to the stables to get a horse and move down hill. I raced with the wind and got to the town safely.
It wasn't as I imagined before. I imagined fancy people, living fancier lifestyles, but no. They have simple clothes, simple food, and simple houses. I feel as if us, the royal family, took all the riches these people should have had. I want to help them all. Oh, I've been such a fool. I gaze upon this people, and how awful they're doing. But, no matter how awful it is, they have fun. Children play in the streets, neighbors talk to each other, families smile as they walk on the streets. It's the exact opposite of my life. I have all the riches in the world and yet, I'm still not happy. I left my horse at the local town stables, to explore the town more efficiently.
Everything's purely amazing! The people wore different clothes, and they look pretty much free. I do wish I live here, where I can make my own choices, my own schedule, and I can marry whoever I want. "Bread! Bread!" Someone lept shouting. God, it also smells so delicious! I ran to where that smell was from. I closed my eyes and kept running, cause it semlls so good!!! I suddenly bumped someone. "Ack!" I opened my eyes, and I ran into the bread seller and knocked him off. "Oh, I'm very, very sorry!" I apologized. "What's wrong with you-" He cut himself off, and I realized he looked at me, mesmerized.
"You're the-"
"No, I am not!"
The bread seller chuckled. "You're the candy maker's daughter just across the street, aren't you?" He said. "No-well, yes! Yes I am. I'm very sorry to have knocked you off while you were selling bread." I again apologized to the bread seller. "May I talk to you somewhere in private? I would like to talk to you more." He requested. "What? I'm sorry, but I have somewhere else to attend to!" He shrugged, and dragged me off elsewhere. "Hey, where are you taking me?!? Guards!" I exclaimed, letting go of his grasp. He finally let me go.
"What's your problem?"
"I've never seen the princess up close."
I widened my eyes. "How do you know I'm the princess?" I asked him. "First off, I'm Jack. And, look at your face. Fresh as a daisy, properly washed. Also your clothes are newly sown I guess." I shrugged. "Don't tell anyone about me visiting town. I should have been with my parents but, I just went here for my own desire. I never knew the town's this...complicated." I told him. "What's complicated about the town? It's unimaginable." He said, admiring his hometown. "Of course, it's where you grew up. I grew up in a castle, never wanting what I had. They're always forcing me to do the things I don't want to do." I said. "I won't tell anybody about your visit. But, can I make a deal with you?" He asked. "What?" He showed me a basket full of bread. "I sell these for a living. And it's hard selling these days since lots wouldn't like bread now right?" Hmm, true but, what is he implying? "You want me to buy all of those? Sure then!" I said. "You got it all wrong. I wouldn't want you to buy all of my bread, I don't want your money." He said. Wow, he really must be a persevered man.
"What do you want?"
"My sister's and mom's dream to come true."
I smiled at him. "If it involves my presence, I'd be glad to do it." He smiled, and dragged me away again. What's wrong with him, dragging people? When we arrived, he knocked on a door. "Wait." He told me. "Emma! I'm home!" He exclaimed. The door opened, and revealed a girl with brown hair about 11-12 years old maybe? "Home already?! It's only past noon!" The girl exclaimed, and I just might well call her Emma. "Well, don't you like it that I'm home earlier than before? And, I've brought a visitor, for you!" He exclaimed, and Emma peeked outside the door. He gasped when he saw me.
"Jack! Is she your lady?"
"Gosh, Em! No, she's not my lady."
I chuckled. "Well, if you want to see it that way, then yes." I joked. "You're very pretty! I want to be like you!" She exclaimed and I smiled. "Trust me, it's harder than you think." I told her. "Come inside! Mom's sleeping for awhile." The girl grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the house. It reeks, and there are cobwebs on every corner. The roof is leaking, and their house sure does consume tons of space. "Wow, what a nice house." I complimented their home, even though I would rate it a 5 over 10.
"Make yourself at home while you can- what's your name?"
"Rapunzel. Might as well you forgot?"
I tried to patch up his line since Emma would realize I'm a stranger Jack met somewhere and brought me to their home without even knowing my name. "Oh yes, Rapunzel. I'd call you Punzie, Punzel, or Punz. Or wait, maybe Zel?" I laughed. "None of those, thank you. Well, Punzie might suit it!" I said. "Rapunzel's your name? Funny, that's the princess's name!" Emma exclaimed, and I gulped. "Yes, actually, when Princess Rapunzel was born, my parents decide that I should also be called Rapunzel because it suits me better." I said, to escape the fast sequence. "Hey, Emma, why don't you go to your room for a second? Punzie and I'll be talking about something." Emma nodded, and went to her room and closed the door.
"Well, you're good at the 'Punzie' thing."
"What. Was. That?!?!?!"
Jack suddenly exclaimed. "What 'that'!?? I just said some story to Emma so she wouldn't be freaking out." I said. "That's the point! I want her to know you're Princess Rapunzel because it's her dream. Well, partly her dream." Jack said. "What partly?" I asked him. "Emma only wanted to live in the castle so we can rise from our suffering. You see, my dad's dead, and my mom's anemic." He said. I am truly broken by what he said. "In that case, her dream would come true if I buy all of your bread supply for 20, 000 euros." I made my stand. "What do you think of our family, some cheapskate who'd immediately agree on that price?" Jack complained. "I-I'm sorry. What do you want me to do?" I asked him. "Be the ruler we need." He said. "I'm not yet ready, okay? Mom wouldn't let me because she thinks that my mind's still on books, and not the political society." I said, my head bowed down. I felt Jack touch my head, so I raise it up, and his face was clearly near mine.
"I'm sorry. But, you have to go."
"I can still stay! For Emma!"
Jack shook his head slowly. "No, you can't. It's getting late and I bet your parents are heading back to the castle." He said, and I remembered Martha so suddenly. What will my parents do to her if they got there first? "Thanks for the kind hospitality Jack. I'll never forget you!" I said, and then ran out of their house and went to the stables. I took my horse and went back to the castle. When I arrived, my parents were still not there. Thank the heavens.
"Martha!"
"Yes, your highness?"
I smiled. "I just had the most amazing time in the town. I'd like to go there again tomorrow. Schedule my time." I told her. "But, your parents should approve of the schedule! You can't follow it without their sign of approval." I grunted. "Stupid schedules! Well then, I just have to force them." I said and went up the palace staircase, and straight to my room. I picked a book from my colection and started off with the chapter. The book was 'The Princess and the Pauper'. Well, here goes nothing.
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Did you like that chapter? Well, I did.