On Trial

I Can't Do This Again

"You fired Eugene?!" Rapunzel yelled, when she met her father in the corridoor, later that evening.

"It's none of your concern, Rapunzel." Fredric replied, trying to walk away.

"None of my concern?! He is the love of my life! He died for me, he brought me home to you after eighteen years, why are you treating him like this? What is wrong with you, first Cass, now Eugene?!"

Fredric growled, turning to face his daughter.

"Stop sticking your nose in where it isn't wanted, Rapunzel!" He bellowed, "this is between Eugene and I!"

Rapunzel's mouth fell open a little, in shock, but she didn't stop.

"You fired him so he wouldn't be able to help out in Cassandra's trial, didn't you?!" She exclaimed. The words came out fast but loud. She was shaking with anger, seething through her gritted teeth.

Fredric's face darkened.

"Rapunzel, I love you, but I'm afraid, I'm left with no choice," he began, changing the subject, "as of tonight, I am forced to forbid you from leaving your bedroom, until Cassandra's trial is complete."

"What? No, you can't do this again!" Rapunzel argued, "you can't lock me up all over again! I need to be there for Cass, she needs me!"

"Rapunzel, I am your King!"

"Yes, and I am Cassandra's friend, I need to be there for her! She's really scared!"

"I don't care if she's scared, or not Rapunzel, that girl is a danger to us all and I can't believe that you and Eugene are showing her such passive empathy!"

Rapunzel snapped.

"Well, maybe because, we believe in something called, forgiveness!" She screamed.

"Well, maybe not everyone is forgivable!" Fredric roared.

Rapunzel bit her lip, with a scowl.

"Now, before I really lose my temper with you," Fredric breathed, "go to your room, immediately! I will not tell you again!"

Rapunzel held in a snarl of frustration as she stormed away.

She had to wonder if her father any better than Gothel... or even worse.

Arianna had been attending to her Queenly duties all day, so she hadn't been up to date on what had been happening . When Fredric told her, however, she was enraged.

"How could you do this, again?!" She cried, as they were getting ready for bed, "not to mention firing Eugene! What has got into you?!"

"Nothing, Arianna, I just thought it would be for the best."

"For who?!" His wife argued, pacing around the room.

The King shrugged, before putting his pyjama top over his head.

"For everyone. Eugene is not fit to be a Captain, if he acts that way towards a prisoner, and as for Rapunzel, well, she simply isn't safe around that dangerous, mess of a girl!"

"Cassandra isn't dangerous and she certainly isn't a mess! She needs her friends, she needs her dad, she needs support more than anything right now and you're trying to take that away from her!"

Fredric sighed.

"That girl doesn't deserve support, she deserves punishm-"

"HASN'T SHE BEEN PUNISHED ENOUGH?!!!!"

Arianna's shrieks could've woken the whole castle. She was bright red, her closed fists shaking with her wrath.

"She's been locked in a room, stuck in inhuman conditions and been tortured by the guards! What more do you want her to suffer through, Fredric?! She's terrified of you!"