The stage is set

It was perfectly silent in the room as everyone stared at each other and back again trying to pierce together what exactly had just happened. The coronation had gone down without a hitch and then came a brief after party, before the main event. Where Elsa, the newly crowned queen, would walk down the boulevard of her city formally introducing herself to her people ending in fireworks and a big feast. But all of that was saved for later on at night. In the meantime armed with pastries and champagne, deals and politicking was taking place. Usually it was a wedding or a funeral that brought together this many nobles, but any event like this was taken advantage of regardless with many betrovals and trade deals signed in between polite applause and congradulations given every time Queen Elsa walked by.

Neither Eugene or Rapunzel were particularly good at it. Eugene was a smooth talker and was proud of the fact he could charm the pants of even the most snobbish and crabby ladies, even if he couldn’t do those kinds of activities anymore as a married man. But he had a bit of a temper and sarcastic edge that didn’t mix well with many of the pompous brats littering the halls. He also didn’t have the formal education to know the names and heraldry of all the various houses or why exactly it was so important that this person had three or four last names. Rapunzel was an absolute sweetheart. Even the most cold hearted bastards couldn't help but warm up to someone as unflinchingly honest and good as she was. But she was very clumsy, loud, and equally as uneducated as her husband in courtly intrigue.

Yet somehow together they made it work. Eugene was the brash and proud challenger to anyone who would besmirch Rapunzel's honor. While Rapunzel was the peace keeper, the one you could approach and laugh with. Rapunzel’s clumsiness was smoothed over by Eugene’s suave. Eugene’s acidic wit was soothed over by Rapunzel’s charm. They were two parts of a whole that made each one better. They were also hopelessly, stupidly in love, and where it be anyone else their flirting and affection would be sickly sweet yet somehow they made it work. Elsa didn’t have that. She was cold, ironically so looking back, yet painfully awkward and unsure of herself. Constantly bouncing back and forth between scathing and obnoxiously apologetic for a million unseen slights. Wanting to be seen as strong, but utterly lacking even the ability to fake it.

Eugene and Rapunzel hadn’t even met the girl and they already wanted to give her a hug. She was alone and so painfully in over her head. They didn’t get the chance though. Between the crowds forming around Elsa everywhere she went and their own politicking that needed to be done, after all both of them would be crowned king or queen some time in the future and this was a great opportunity to establish themselves and meet many of their peers, the chance to talk never came. They instead got interrupted by a very familiar figure, calling herself Princess Ana and her husband who she had apparently just met earlier that morning. An argument insured. Ana accuses Elsa of keeping herself locked away. Elsa yells at her sister to see sense and that love doesn’t happen in a day, unable or unwilling to admit that this was about escaping her sister and nothing about love. Until the climax. A misplaced step escalates into ice magic covering the floor with long needle like icicles and a painfully cold fog to set the stage.

“Well, that was a cluster…” Before Eugene could even finish that sentence, he could feel the burn of a disappointed glare from his wife. So he let out a cough to cover the curse he would’ve used and then a wistful sigh that contrasted with the pandemonium around him as he stared out at the jagged lines of ice that cut through the dance floor. “We didn’t even get to introduce ourselves yet.”

“Eugene, you promised me you would swear less. We’re going to be parents soon.” Rapunzel complained, lightly swatting him on the behind as restitution. Eugene tried to ignore the flutter in his throat at his wife's words. It didn’t matter they were still trying. It didn’t matter that they haven’t even had one yet, or the fact she was only eighteen. They were going to be parents and they were going to have at least twelve, the years locked away giving her plenty of time to imagine and dream up all the names and personalities for a large loving family to surround herself with.

“You have to admit this is extraordinary circumstances. Besides, I thought you liked my roguish charm.” Eugene teased, raising his eyebrows and smiling in such a way that always made her knees go weak, and he knew it.

“I would prefer if our future sons had less of that when they grow up,” Rapunel teased back fiercely, earning a deliciously annoyed look from her husband that promised to show her the error of her words later, which she unfortunately had to interrupt with something much more somber. “But right now I think we need less lovable thieves and more prince charming to save the day.”

“You think it’s a curse or a magical lineage of some kind?” Eugene sighed, as he reached out and tore off the tip of one of the many icicles Elsa left when she made her escape. It felt and looked like normal ice wasn’t too sharp or cold, but he noticed immediately that it wasn’t melting as fast as normal ice and that was already becoming a problem as the various party goers crowded around the frozen entrance and couldn’t get out.

“I’m leaning towards a bloodline, it’s too powerful.” Rapunzel whispered mostly to herself as she stared wide-eyed around the room. Her magic was gone, sealed away to save her husband's life and kill Gothel, with nothing left but mere sparks compared to the raging bonfire before. Still she had some informal training, just the scraps Gothel accidentally told her along with the few books she was able to get her hands on afterward. But Rapunzel was determined, loved learning, and most importantly refused to ever be that weak and helpless again and over time was able to turn all that into something much bigger. Except nothing like that compared to what she was feeling right now as she stretched her senses out, trying to find the source.

“Most people don’t give extraordinary powers to someone they don’t like. It also helps clear up some of the rumors about her grandfather as well.” Eugene mused. He never thought the cold blooded reputation the aforementioned grandfather had earned in his conquering and warmongering was actually quite literal.

“You saw how Elsa was trying to avoid physical contact with anyone. She can’t control it. She’s scared.” Rapunzel whimpered looking over at her husband for support. They didn’t know Elsa. They really weren’t family considering neither of them ever actually met Rapunzel’s aunt, and Elsa’s mother, who’s also been dead for many years at this point. They didn’t need to risk life and limb to go save her. But a young girl was scared and lonely, and that was all it took for Rapunzel to be ready to jump into the fire to save her.

“Thankfully she has two amazing cousins, who both have quite the experience in dealing with magical problems, here to save the day.” Eugene reassured, pulling his wife close and giving her a tight squeeze that brought her back. Not for the first time that week, he cursed Mother Gothel and the scars she left behind.

“You go, I need to stay.” Rapunzel exclaimed, suddenly pushing away from him, giving Eugene an almost apology as she desperately explained.

“Look around, people are panicking, you have diplomats and nobles here who look ready to call a crusade. We need someone to stay and provide temporary rulership before it spirals out of control.” Rapunzel made sure to add that last part with no small amount of venom pointed at the duke of Weaseltown as he already had a crowd gathering he was preaching to like a minister making sure to stand on his tiptoes to look bigger.

“And unfortunately while you're my husband, I’m directly related to the queen. They’ll trust me more.” Rapunzel finished with a nervous smile, that Eugene couldn’t figure out if it was pointed at him or herself. Neither of them had gone on an adventure by themselves since the big one. In fact neither of them had spent more than a day or two apart since then, but it seemed they didn’t have a choice this time.

“And a foreign future king commanding soldiers looks a lot like a coup.” Eugene rubs the bridge of his nose in annoyance, voicing a concern Rapunzel didn’t even think of. He always was the more cynical one. He also knew that while Rapunzel was allowed to be queen and rule someday, more and more people were looking at him to step up for leadership and ignoring her role. His gender was more important than the fact that several moons ago he was a common bandit, and for an untested queen no one has even seen before this night, let alone the accusations of witchery, it was a recipe for disaster.

“Why did we have to become so responsible?” Eugene asked out loud sarcastically, reaching out to squeeze his wife’s hand, savoring the warmth and knowing he’ll miss it.

“Go save the princess. You’re pretty good at that.” Rapunzel giggled, laying a soft reassuring kiss on his lips.

“It’s a queen and I’m going to find the little sister first,” Eugene yelled back as he already took off running, heavy boots clacking against the floor as with a running vault he jumps over the impromptu ice sculpture blocking the exit to the astonishment of the crowd around it. “See if she has any idea what’s going on or where Elsa went.”

”If she’s just as foolhardy as me, she’ll probably want to tag along.” Rapunzel called out unsure if her husband heard her, as he disappeared behind the crowds before she called her personal guards over and started commanding them to connect with Arrendale guards and show her towards their commander.