Princess and the Pauper (Jackunzel)

Chapter 3: Another Visit

-Jack-

I'm selling bread again today for my family. I want to make them proud. Many people pass by, but none of them seems to care. It's been a day since Princess Rapunzel's visit and Emma wishes to have her back here again. I do hope so too. She'll be our only help. I kept shouting 'bread', but of course none would take a turn just to buy bread. Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder, and I look back just to see who it is. It was a woman.

"Excuse me boy, can I buy bread?"

"Yes, of course madame!"

Finally! Someone who understands my pain and now buys a bread from me. "How much is it?" She asked. "5 euros each madame." I answered. "Oh then, I'm gonna buy it all." She said. Did she just come down from heaven?!?!? "Thank you so much madame!" She gave me 50 euros in exchange for the basket of bread then she left. I smiled down at the 50 euros and put it in my pocket. At last, something to buy for dinner.

I went to the marketplace and went to the 'easy-cook' place. I bought 1/4 pork meat that only cost 50 euros. I paid for it, and then went home with a big grin on my face. "Emma, I'm home!" I exclaimed, and Emma opened the door. "Hurry Jack! Come inside!" She said and grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the house. "Surprise!" Princess Rapunzel was there. "Oh, your highness! You came to visit us huh." I said. "I convinced my parents for me to visit the town to make-up for yesterday, with Martha this time." She said. "You went here yesterday. What could you possibly make it up for?" I asked her. "I lied to them. That my stomach's aching so that I can go to a different direction as them. I wanted to visit by myself." She said. "Anyways, I brought pork meat. A kind woman bought all of the bread I was selling!" I exclaimed. "Just gonna light up the stove." I said.

"Finally! Not bread anymore! I'm starting to hate bread and jam."

"Well, this is the day you've been waiting for! Hurry and wake mom."

Emma went to mom's room and woke her up. "Am I a bother to your house? I mean, it's really awkward you know. How you're the only family I attend to, and not the others." Princess Rapunzel said. "Well, one thing I must confess. Can I call you without the title? It's kind of weird." I told her. "Well, yes of course! Who told you to address me as a princess in your own house?" She said. She actually has a point. But, it's disrespect if I call her just by her name. Well, she didn't forbid me not to either.

"What is it Emma? Why do you keep on babbling about a princess?"

"Hello, ma'm."

My mom widened her eyes the moment she saw Rapunzel. "Why are you here, your highness? I mean, I apologize for our house, it's messy and-" Rapunzel cut her off. "I don't mind at all! I've been here yesterday, but too bad you were resting. Your son, Jack offered me to go here because you wanted to see me. And, your daughter, Emma, is really playful!" She exclaimed. "Oh, then it's alright?" Mom asked. "A hundred percent ma'm. And, is it alright if I eat with you?" Rapunzel asked her. "Yes! Eating with a royal is our dream come true!" First time I've seen mom smile again. I feel really happy right now.

"Come on, let's sit and wait for Jack to cook the pork meat he promised."

"Jack brought pork meat?"

Emma nodded. "Yes! A woman bought all of his bread for 50 euros! Imagine that, mom!" She exclaimed. My mom grew happier. I cooked the pork on a pan, and lit the stove with matches. It cooked for 10 minutes, and the smell it made just filled up my nose. I served it on a plate. "Wait! Let's pray first!" I said as I sit down on my chair next to Rapunzel. "Good Lord, thank you for our meal, thank you for sending that kind woman to me as I sold all of my bread. She made our dinner happier and help us be happy everytime. Amen." I said. "Wow, you still pray before starting supper. We never pray as a family in the castle. Sometimes I eat alone." Rapunzel said, frowning. "But now, you won't." I said, and she smiled. "Come on, let's eat!" We sliced the pork meat and distributed it each. As we were done, there were still few remaining. "Okay! Let's save it for tomorrow evening as well." I said, and put it in a contianer to prevent spoilage.

"Can I visit here again tomorrow? I would really love it."

"And we would gladly accept your daily visits here now, Punzie!"

We all laughed. I washed the dishes in the sink, and I was surprised Rapunzel helped me wash. "Oops! No royal touchies on a dish." I said and she chuckled. "When mother and father were busy enough to spend time with me, I used to wash my own dish with Martha, our maid. I grew really close to her, since she took care of me since birth. Even though I live and grew up in the castle, I never experienced the fancy life, for I'm always spending time with maids and butlers. Don't think of me as a royal. I just have a title for people to look up to." Rapunzel told me and took the soaping side.

"So, what does it feels like living in the castle?"

"It's actually not what everybody think it feels like."

I watched her eyes. It's so depressing to look at. "You have to follow your schedules. 8-9 in the morning is teatime. You should be up by 7. And then, 10 in the morning, you should stroll around in the park. 12 noon, is lunch. Then, the rest of the afternoon are just activities you wouldn't want to do." She said, scrubbing the dishes. "I feel very sad about it. But, nonetheless, I can't escape this life. I'm the princess. I have duties, responsibilities, people to attend to. Meetings? Ugh. I just want to finish the book I'm currently reading now." She complained. "You read books?" I asked her. "Yes! I'm currently reading a new book from my collection. It's entitled 'The Princess and the Pauper'. I'm now on chapter 25! 15 more chapters to go." She said and I smiled. "I'm reading Moby Dick. Also, Jack and the Beanstalk." I said. "Have you ever realized to find a beanstalk?" She asked me. "No, we don't have cows to trade for beans." I jokingly said. "Point made." She said and we both laughed.

"There! Last plate done! You better get going."

"Are you trying to make me leave? And no. I still don't want to go."

She's so stubborn. "But you have to. You said you're with...your maid?" I told her. "Oh yes! Martha! Well, come on, I had an argeement with my parents. It's gonna be fine." She said. "Also, I want to celebrate my birthday here on the tenth." She said. Her birthday is on the tenth? It's just close to Emma's! "Why don't we have a double celebration! Emma's birthday is on the ninth." I said and she giggled. "Of course! On the ninth, we'll celebrate Emma's and my birthday. Because, I'm sure on the tenth the palace is gonna throw me a special birthday party, and invite royals from different kingdoms. Unfortunately by then, I'm gonna have to pick a husband." I made a disgusted face expression. "What's with that expression?" She asked me. "Being in your shoes surely reeks." I said. Imagine marrying someone you don't love! What kind of love would that be?

"Don't pick a husband."

"Why not? I mean, it's tradition, and as I said, I can't escape this life."

I feel she's gonna cry. But I won't let her to. That's what friends are for! "You know what? Down to hell with that tradition! You should be able to love someone freely. Just picking isn't fun. What if, who you picked is a womanizer? Or worse! Stupid!" She laughed. "I know that feeling! But, I don't know if I can convince my parents to stop that tradition. I'm turning 18 eventually, and I don't know how to feel now." She said, about to cry. I pulled her into a hug. "Stop it." I told her, but she immediately let it all out. "It's no fun being me!" She exclaimed, continue on crying. "Hush. It's gonna be okay." I told her, as she sobbed and wiped her tears away on my clothes. She pulled back. "I'm sorry about being so emotional. I have to pay for your dry-clean expenses." She said, sniffing. "Oh no! I don't dry clean. I wash my clothes myself." I said. "Oh...well then, tell Emma and to your mom I'll be going. Thank you again." She said, and then left the house.

"Ugh..."

I pulled a princess into a hug! What was I thinking?!? I just wanted to comfort her that's all. That's what friends do! Comfort each other. Now royal tears were spilled on my clothes. Great. All the royal tears would be gone when I wash it. I wouldn't want to make it smell, of course, all the smoke from outside clasped onto this polo. Whatever, I'm just gonna clean it up then.

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I want Jack to have the first feelings. HE SHOULD lol