reunion

Reunion

As I arrived at the towering castle gates, the guards recognized me instantly. With swift bows and murmured greetings, they opened the grand iron doors, and I stepped into the vast corridor beyond.

My footsteps echoed through the marble halls as I approached the throne room. Just as I neared, the doors at the opposite end creaked open. The king and queen emerged in haste, eyes wide with urgency—until they froze mid-step.

Their gaze shifted, not to me, but to someone behind me. Their expressions collapsed into something raw and wordless.

I turned.

Rapunzel sat quietly atop the Rumblehorn, golden hair catching the sunlight like threads of starlight. But it wasn't the hair that struck me. It was her face. Her features mirrored the queen's so closely that it was almost uncanny. If not for the difference in age and the cascade of golden locks, they could've been mistaken for sisters.

And then it hit me.

The girl with magic hair. A witch. A tower. A stolen princess. It wasn't just a dream or some fractured memory—it was Rapunzel, the fairy tale. A story I'd once watched in another life, with a family I could barely remember now.

Ding.

A soft chime echoed in my mind. A system notification.

I dismissed it. Not now.

The queen took a hesitant step forward, tears already pooling in her eyes. "R-Rapunzel?" she breathed, her voice trembling. "Is that… is that you?"

Rapunzel blinked in surprise, instinctively leaning away. "I… do we know each other?"

The queen covered her mouth with a shaking hand as sobs overtook her. The king placed a steadying hand on her back, trying to keep her from falling apart entirely.

Flynn and Maximus stood nearby, watching silently, clearly unsure what to make of the situation. Rapunzel turned to me, her brow furrowed with confusion.

I sighed and walked toward her. Gently, I lifted her down from the Rumblehorn's back. She didn't resist, only stared at me, bewildered.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice a blend of fear and rising panic. "Why is everyone acting so weird?"

I met her gaze, tired and a little annoyed. "Do I really need to spell it out for you? Are you really that clueless?"

She huffed, folding her arms. "I'm not clueless. You're just not explaining anything."

I let out another sigh, quieter this time. "Fine. I'll make it quick."

I turned her toward the grieving pair in royal garb. "That's King Frederic and Queen Arianna… your biological parents. The tiara I helped you find? It belonged to a lost princess. A baby who was kidnapped from her crib by a witch."

I paused, watching her face.

"You're that princess, Rapunzel."

Her eyes widened. "W-what…? No. No, that's not possible. Mother would never lie to me. She—she raised me. She loves me."

I shook my head. "That woman wasn't your mother. She was your captor. She took you for your magic hair and raised you in isolation so she could use you. Your real parents… are standing right in front of you."

Rapunzel's lip trembled. She took a step back, then another. Her whole world was tilting, unraveling. She turned as if to flee.

But I caught her before she could take more than a few steps, gently pulling her into my arms. She struggled, fists pounding lightly against my chest, tears streaming down her face.

"I—I don't understand!" she sobbed. "Why would she—why would anyone—?!"

I held her tighter. "Because some people only see others as tools. Not everyone who raises you loves you. And not everyone who loves you had the chance to raise you."

She didn't respond, just cried harder. The queen took a tentative step forward, tears silently falling, arms reaching but not quite daring to embrace.

I exhaled

"…This is why I hate comforting people," I muttered under my breath.

But my grip didn't loosen.

I reached into my inventory and pulled out the small jar of golden honey. The moment I uncorked the lid, the sweet aroma wafted into the air. Rapunzel's steps faltered. Her tear-streaked face tilted upward as she caught the scent, her nose twitching faintly. She stopped entirely when her eyes locked onto the jar, shimmering with wonder.

She sniffled once more, then wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand as I gently set her down.

The king and queen, still frozen near the throne, exchanged puzzled glances.

"Uhm… are you okay?" the king asked, his voice unsteady, unsure.

Rapunzel turned toward them. Her voice caught in her throat, but she managed a small nod.

The queen, trembling, took a hesitant step forward, then another, until she was close enough to wrap her daughter in a cautious embrace. Rapunzel didn't flinch or pull away. Her arms slowly rose and clung to the queen as the king stepped forward, folding both of them into his embrace. Tears flowed freely, theirs and hers, mingling as the family clung to each other—fragile and whole again.

I stepped back, giving them space. This was their moment, not mine.

Without a word, I turned and walked away, Maximus' heavy hooves clacking on the stone floor behind me, the Rumblehorn snorting gently as it lumbered along, and Flynn trailing with a quiet nod of gratitude.

As we exited the grand gates of the castle, the weight of the world returned.

My generals approached from the courtyard—Viggo at the front, with the others close behind. They bowed low, armor glinting under the sun.

But their formality didn't mask the tension in the air. I studied their grim faces.

"Speak," I said sharply, sensing their hesitation.

Viggo glanced at the others before stepping forward. "Lord Erik," he said with calm precision, "I recommend we remain here for at least a month."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why?"

"The men are exhausted. Weeks at sea, storm after storm… morale is low, tempers short. If they were forced into battle now, I fear it would end poorly." His tone remained level, but firm.

I considered it. He was right, even if I didn't like it.

"Fine," I said curtly. "One month. No more. After that, they better be ready—or they'll be replaced."

Relief washed over their faces. They bowed again. "Thank you for your generosity, my lord," they said in unison.

I turned to Nala. "Find me tomorrow morning. I have a task for you."

She nodded. "Yes, my lord."

I gestured to Flynn. "Take this man with you. Train him properly."

"Yes, sir," she said, signaling to another soldier as Flynn hurried to keep up, Maximus plodding beside him like a loyal shadow.

Once they were out of sight, I called for the system.

A soft chime echoed in my mind.

[Legendary Hidden Quest Complete]

Title: Save Princess Rapunzel and Reunite Her With Her Parents

Rewards: +50 Tickets, +1,000,000 System Points

I exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing at the text floating before me.

A smirk tugged at my lips.

"Well," I muttered under my breath, "maybe I should go save a few more princesses."