Lousy Little Pest! | Sequel to Gothel's Greatest Gift

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Mother Gothel was sulking on the couch, as she usually did after Cassandra had been acting out.

"Mama?"

Gothel didn't reply.

"Mama?" Cassandra asked again. Gothel still didn't acknowledge her.

"Mama!" Cassandra finally shouted while hitting Gothel's knee repeatedly.

This got Gothel's attention real quick.

"Cassandra! What is wrong with you?" Gothel hissed at the three-year-old.

"Don't you know that people don't like it when you hit them?" she roared, as she began viciously hitting at the toddler's knee.

"Do you like that? How do you think it feels when you do it to me?"

"No, Mama," Cassandra sobbed, trying to hold back her tears.

"Stop crying over a bruised knee! Now what do you have to say to yourself?"

"I'm sorry, Mama," Cassandra sobbed uncontrollably at this point, against Gothel's wishes.

"I told you to stop crying!"

Cassandra tried to hold in her tears, but they were too much for her bear. She continued to cry, concealing her face from the woman who was supposed to love her.

"Go to your room!"

Cassandra cowered to her little corner in the closet, where she buried her face into her knees. She stayed in that corner for the rest of the night.

–

"Rapunzel?" Cassandra asked her sister, who was off in her own little world.

"Rapunzel?" Cassandra asked again. Rapunzel still didn't answer.

"Rapunzel!" she shouted, not meaning to raise her voice so much.

"What, Cass?" Rapunzel finally replied.

"Sorry I yelled, I don't know what came over me," Cassandra admitted sheepishly.

"That's okay," Rapunzel replied. "What was it you wanted to say?"

"Honestly, now I can't remember. And to think I yelled at you to get your attention. What is wrong with me?" Cassandra put her knuckle up to her face in distress and agony.

"Hey, Cass. It's okay," Rapunzel sympathized with an angry Cassandra, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I know you're probably stressed about this whole, adventure thing-y we have going on, especially since it started because of Gothel and her letter to you".

"You're probably right," Cassandra agreed, shrugging her shoulders with her head still hanging low.

"Plus, you have a lot going on outside of this trip, like training to become a royal guard!"

"That's true", Cassandra confessed, trying to let go of her rage. She took a few deep breaths while Rapunzel consoled her.

"So don't worry about it. Let's just go back to the caravan and relax for a little while. Eugene can start looking for clues on his own, and we'll join him when you're ready. Okay?"

Cassandra took another deep breath before looking back up at Rapunzel. "Okay".

-

As Eugene began his search in the run-down city he once loved, he noticed a little girl, who looked to be around fourteen, approaching him.

"Hey! You're friends with those two annoying princesses, aren't you?"

"Hey, hey, hey, easy! Those two princesses happen to be my close friends. Well, one of them, anyway".

"Well, they're in trouble. You better come with me". Eugene wasn't sure if he should trust this girl, but he was worried for the princesses' sake, so he followed her.

"Where are they?" Eugene asked when the girl finally stopped.

"How should I know? Some guy just gave me a sliver of gold to get you to come down here".

Now Eugene knew he was in trouble.

"Hello, Rider," an old familiar voice called out from the shadows before revealing itself. Anthony the Weasel, or Weasel for short. The guy who betrayed Eugene and Lance all those years ago. Who knew being a thief could make you so many enemies?

"Anthony the Weasel!" Eugene greeted his old nemesis. "I knew it was you before I even turned around! Must be standing downwind," he sarcastically winced at the weasel-like man.

"An old friend would like to do some catching up with you," Weasel informed Eugene sinisterly while tapping his fingers against one another.

Eugene knew this could only end badly. Where were the princesses when you needed them?

-

"Isn't this nice?" Rapunzel asked Cassandra while washing her hair.

"I actually don't really like being pampered," Cassandra admitted, though Rapunzel knew this very well.

"Well, I'm going to change that. Who's to say we can't have a little TLC on a treasure hunt?"

The two girls laughed as Rapunzel pulled out the rosemary water.

"How's the water? Is it too cold?" Rapunzel wanted to make sure Cassandra was comfortable as she poured the lake water over her head.

"The water's fine, Raps. Thank you," Cassandra replied earnestly. She had to admit, while she was used to doing things for herself, there was a small part of her that kind of liked being taken care of. Only a small part, though.

"Oh, good," Rapunzel sighed with relief. It was fun taking care of Cassandra, especially since the girls grew up with the roles being reversed. Rapunzel could be a good caretaker too, you know. She may not have had a little sister who needed protection, but she could pamper a princess like nobody's business. Especially when that princess happened to be her sister.

"You know, it's been a while since Eugene left," Cassandra thought out loud.

"Yeah, I wonder what he's up to," Rapunzel agreed.

"Not that I miss him or anything, but do you think we should go out to look for him?"

"Yeah, but let's just finish your pampering session. We still need to apply the powder!"
Cassandra chuckled at Rapunzel's antics. "Whatever you say, Raps".

-

Eugene was met with one of the most intimidating people he had ever known, who just so happened to be his ex-fiancé's much-heftier-than-he-was dad.

"Baron!" Eugene chuckled nervously upon being greeted by the bigger, stronger, could-scare-your-pants-off man. "Long time, no see!"

The Baron was unamused with Eugene's words.

"I'm glad to see you've set up shop here in Vardaros now!" Eugene tried to add, much to the Baron's disapproval.

"In fact," he continued, "we were just admiring what you've done with the place!" Eugene realized his attempts at peace were getting him nowhere.

"If you'd like to keep your tongue, I suggest you stop moving it now," Weasel hissed at Eugene.

"Anthony, enough," the Baron reprimanded his henchman. "Quit playing games, Rider," he now turned to a fearful Eugene. "I've been waiting for this moment. It's time to make amends for what you did to my Stalyan".

"Oh, right! The Stalyan Incident!" Eugene remembered. "You really should let this whole Stalyan thing go. I mean, it's ancient history. Let's all just move on!"

"Let's not," a woman's voice came from behind.

Eugene knew who it was, but didn't want to look back. Still, he didn't have much of a choice but to confront his past.

"Hello, Stalyan".