Chapter 19: When They Return

Warning: Being Bitten and Dragged by a horse

I woke up the next morning to water dripping on my forehead. I opened my eyes to see a white horse with a blonde mane wearing a brown, leather saddle. "I hope you are here to apologize." I told him. He grabbed my brown boot and dragged me. I screamed. Rapunzel woke up. She grabbed me, slipping me out of my boot.

"No, bad horse!" She scolded. The horse, Maximus, frowned. I hugged him.

"You know that even though I left, I still love you, right?" I questioned. He nuzzled me. I smiled. "Should we go to the festival?" I questioned. Rapunzel and Maximus nodded. We began to walk towards Corona.

We arrived in Corona five minutes later. The baker was selling cupcakes at his booth in the street. People were dancing and making chalk art in town square. Some people were also selling flags, dolls, and other souvenirs along the sides of town square in wooden booths.

"Come to the festival, lads and lasses"

A short boy with tan skin, brown hair, and green eyes wearing a yellow shirt and brown shorts sang as he walked into the town square square.

"Come and be merry, my dears"

Frederic sang as he walked into the town square.

"Come as we honor the missing queen and princess"

Cassandra, who was wearing a blue dress, sang as she walked into the town square.

"Gone from us all of these years"

Eugene, who was wearing a green suit, Arnaldo, who was wearing a red suit, Captain, Friedbog, Cassandra who was wearing a blue dress, Monty, Old Lady Crowley, Quririn, Ulla, a boy with tan skin, freckles, black hair with a blue streak in it, wearing brown goggles in it, blue eyes, and a blue suit, a girl with tan skin, freckles, red hair in long ponytails, green eyes, wearing a pink dress, a girl tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, wearing a black dress, and the rest of the town ran into the town square.

"Buy a sweet pastry in loving memory"

Monty sang as he held out a sliver tray of yellow pastries with white icing on them.

"Purchase a flower balloon"

The girl with tan skin, freckles, red hair in long ponytails, green eyes, wearing a pink dress, sang as she held up a yellow balloon in the shape of a flower.

"Wave a bright flag for our missing princess"

The girl with tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, wearing a black dress sang as she waved a Coronan flag.

"May they return to us soon"

Everyone sang.

"All of these years we've been fondly awaiting then"

Friedbog sang.

"Certain that somewhere they surely must roam"

Monty sang.

"So, on her birthday we keep celebrating them"

The girl with tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, wearing a black dress sang,

"Hoping they'll hear and come home."

Everybody sung.

"When they return the eldest one be lovely and fair like you"

Ulla told me as she cupped my cheek.

"Thanks!"

I told her.

"If it's this year, the younger one will be eighteen years old"

Cassandra sang as she took Rapunzel's hands and spun.

"Me too!"

Rapunzel exclaimed.

"The younger one would be pretty with long, golden hair like you"

The girl with tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, wearing a black dress sang as she stroked Rapunzel's hair.

"When they return to the fold

People will be singing, the bells will be ringing"

Everyone sang as the kids rang brass bells.

"Lighting the way on the day they return

And if they are near us, perhaps they will hear us

And come when she sees how her kingdom still yearns"

Everybody sang.

"When they return, I will welcome them in again"

Frederic sang.

"When they return, why, how happy we'll be

When they return and their rein can begin again

Joyously

But, til they come

We'll wave flags and beat drums"

Everyone sang. Me, Rapunzel, Friedbog, Cassandra, Ulla, a girl with tan skin, freckles, red hair in long ponytails, green eyes, wearing a pink dress, a girl tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, wearing a black dress, grabbed purple flags with yellow suns on them attached to brown, wooden poles and spun around. Frederic, Eugene, Arnaldo, Captain, Quririn, Quririn, and the boy with tan skin, freckles, black hair with a blue streak in it, wearing brown goggles in it, blue eyes, and a blue suit played brown drums with white, cloth tops with tan mallets with big, tan balls at the end of them.

"Then we'll pray for that day

For the day when they return"

Everybody knelt down and folded their hands.

"Banners will be flying, the people are crying"

Everyone sang. Me, Rapunzel, Friedbog, Cassandra, Ulla, a girl with tan skin, freckles, red hair in long ponytails, green eyes, wearing a pink dress, a girl tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, wearing a black dress, grabbed purple flags with yellow suns on them attached to brown, wooden poles and spun around.

"Shouting out 'Hooray!' on the day they return"

Everybody threw their hands in the air.

"We will come to greet them, so eager to meet them"

Everyone gathered around me and Rapunzel.

"And show them how brightly them memory still burns"

Everybody scattered away from us.

"And their poor family, how long they have wept for them'

Rapunzel sang as she looked at the ceramic mural of me and Frederic holding baby Rapunzel on the palace wall.

"Marking each birthday with joy and with tears"

I sang, Rapunzel put her hand on my shoulder.

"Hoping they'll come for the crowns they have kept for them

All these years"

Me, Rapunzel, Friedbog, Cassandra, Ulla, a girl with tan skin, freckles, red hair in long ponytails, green eyes, wearing a pink dress, a girl tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, wearing a black dress sang. Eugene had Rapunzel's golden tiara on top of this head. "He's a piece of work." Rapunzel whispered in my ear. I just giggled.

"And this is why, as her birthday drawn nigh

We'll sing songs and light lanterns and hope they'll come by"

Frederic, Eugene, Arnaldo, Captain, Quririn, and the boy with tan skin, freckles, black hair with a blue streak in it, wearing brown goggles in it, blue eyes, and a blue suit sang.

"And they'll join in a dance and then maybe perchance

They will see how loved they'll be"

Me and Rapunzel took each other's hands and spun around. Cassandra and Arnaldo waltzed. Friedbog and Captain waltzed. Ulla and Quririn waltzed. The girl with tan skin, freckles, red hair in long ponytails, green eyes, wearing a pink dress and the boy with tan skin, freckles, black hair with a blue streak in it, wearing brown goggles in it, blue eyes, and a blue suit waltzed.

"When they return"

Everyone stopped in the middle of town square. Suddenly, I heard a strong, male voice announce: "To the boats!". Everyone rushed to the docks.