Thawed (Jackunzel) - COMPLETED

Chapter IV

A/N: As you are reading this, I would like you to know that it's June 9th, 4:03 AM here (the time & date I was writing this anyway). And I haven't gone to sleep yet! It's the third time this week. I think I'm having insomnia. Idk. My eye bags are covering my eyes. As if being Asian with slanting eyes isn't enough. XD

Anyway, here's the fourth chapter. Enjoy!

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"Stomach in, chin up! And for the umpteenth time," I felt a rough push on my back. "no slouching! " As you can see, I am in the middle of my "Princess Lessons". Mother Gothel - what my instructor wants to be called - is currently fussing at my "terrible" posture. It's not that bad, my posture I mean; my shoulders were a bit hunched and not really that noticeable. Like I said, unnecessary fussing.

She's currently saying something to me, but my mind kept drifting to one pale-faced, blue-eyed guy named--- "Rapunzel!" Mother Gothel screeched, making me cringe. If somebody who knew nothing about this household see this, they would definitely think that this is completely wrong. You don't yell at princesses, especially when you're only a castle staff. But what can I do? She's my father's good friend, she's basically next to family.

"I wish this would finish sooner." I mumbled, causing Mother Gothel to glare daggers at me.

"Princess," she said pointedly, "what did I say about the mumbling?" she spat the word mumbling and a little bit of spit in my face.

"A princess never mumbles." I answered quite robotically. That satisfied her, for now.

"Now, what was I saying?" she leaned on the table I was using. "Ah," she twirled - quite gracefully, I'm not going to lie - and sat on the chair across the table, in front of me. "You my dear, are going to a party a couple of weeks from now. So I expect you to be able to act like a proper princess by then. And by that I mean, no sliding on the halls, no climbing to anything that can be dangerous to climb on, no painting with your tongue out, and most of all, no using your hair as a rope!"

What?! I wanted to lash out at her, but instead I calmed myself and spoke in a way a princess should: stoic. "What ever do you mean by that, Mother Gothel? What is the party all about?"

My statement made her eyes twikle. She clasped my hands and squeezed it in a motherly way. I love this side of her. It makes up from all the screeching and nagging and fussing, which to be honest, is quite annoying. "Oh you're going to an engagement party dear." she smiled warmly at me.

An engagement party? Even though I have a bad feeling about this, I still asked, "Whose engagement party?"

She paused for a minute, obviously thinking if she's going to say it or not. I secretly held my breath. Please not Jack's, please not Jack's, oh gods please not Jack's...

She sighed and beamed at me. "It's yours!"

Whew! It's a good thi-- wait...

"What?!"

~

I stomped my way to my father's private office. I can almost hear Mother Gothel screeching, "Princess! Walk gracefully!" Well, to hell with grace! I am beyond furious right now.

"What?!" I almost screamed out the word. Me? Engaged?!

"Yes!" Mother Gothel said excitedly. Then she sensed my shock and anger. "Now, now princess, it is only fitting that you marry this gentleman. He's charming, courteous, and has known you for almost a decade!"

I leaned back on the chair and twirled a lock of hair in my left hand - a habit of mine when I'm thinking.

A decade? Does that mean... that I'm... going to marry... Jack? Being engaged isn't so bad after all!

With that, I leaned back on the table again and looked at Mother Gothel. "Okay, I'll agree to it." I tried not to sound too enthusiastic. Let me remind you, the keyword is: tried.

Mothel Gothel beamed at me once again - she's beaming a lot today, I noticed - and got up from the chair and hugged me. "Oh I'm so happy! You and Eugene are perfect for each other! Ooh! I'm going to tell this to your father right away!" she then turned and got out of the room, leaving me shocked at what she said.

No nonononono... I am definitely sure she said Jack's name wrong. It took me a while - 10 minutes at most - before telling myself that I will marry Eugene.

Eugene... Oh gods, I'm marrying Eugene!

I opened the door harshly, not minding if it caused splinters on the beautiful mahogany wood. "Father?" I said, crossing my arms over my chest, strain definitely evident in my voice, "I believe you have something ro say to me."

I watched him as he looked up from a pile of papers to look at me and then raised his left eyebrow. I felt my own eyebrow raise as well. We did that for a full minute before father broke the silence. "Gothie said you were excited about the whole engagement."

I am... until I knew that it was Eugene I was going to marry. That's what I wanted to say, but I chose to hold my tongue and let my father speak.

"I presume that this is not the case?" I moved my head 'no'. "Do you hate me for doing this?"

I let my arms down and walked towards his work table with a small smile on my face. "I don't hate you father, and I never will. It's just that, you did this without my knowledge. I didn't like that."

After a moment of silence, he asked, well more like stated, "You love someone else."

"Yes."

He sighed, "I knew this would happen, this is inevitable. Alright, I will cancel the engagement provided that you must choose a husband on your birthday, which is in three months time. Understood?"

I grinned, "Yes." I went around the huge table and hugged him, "I love you Father. You're the best king and father a girl could ever wish for."

He chuckled at that. "Yes, that I am."

~

I was in my art studio painting still life when Eugene burst in.

"Rapunzel! Have you heard?"

I didn't turn to look at him because I know what he's talking about. "Yes." I said, then cried.

I have a valid reason to be like this. After all, Jack is gone.

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Shirayuki © . All Rights Reserved . 2014

DATE WRITTEN: June 9 - August 16, 2014

(I have a bad case of writer's block.)