The Mistaken Marriage

Chapter One

Rapunzel ran out into the back terrace, her face was red and she was throwing an uncommon fit.
She huffed as she tugged her dress so she could sit down and be angry.
"Hey Punzie, what's wrong?" Jack, a palace worker, and Rapunzel's best friend asked her.
"I'm mad!" she shouted.
"Yeah, no kidding." Jack snorted.
Rapunzel glared at him, "You wanna know why I'm mad?"
"No, not really."
Rapunzel rolled her eyes and continued, "I just overheard mommy talking to daddy about me getting in an arranged marriage!" she fussed.
Jack shook his head, "I don't know what half of those words mean."
"They are making me marry someone I don't know to benefit our kingdom." she pouted.
Jack put down the shears he was holding and taunted his little friend, "Haha! I'm not getting married 'cause it's gross."
"Marriage is not gross! Besides, with your household funds, you'll probably be married off to someone who your household can benefit from along with them prospering off of you."
"What?"
"You'll be forced into a marriage because you're poor and need stuff." Rapunzel explained.
"No, that's stupid. I dont want to get married to some girl. Girls are gross."
"Well I would suggest finding a male but I'm not sure anyone would approve of that." Rapunzel teased.
"Huh?"
"You're not very smart." she commented.
Jack ignored her comment and continued working, "Punzie, I just had like the coolest most smartest idea in the whole universe ever."
"I doubt that but do go on." she acknowledged, standing up and wiping the dirt off of her favorite dress.
Jack raised an eyebrow and shook his head, "Okay, well what if we both get married!"
"That's absolutely preposterous. Why would you ever suggest something like that?"
"What-Nevermind. Just hear me out." Jack dropped the shears and began gesturing with his hand as he spoke, "See, if we were to get married to each other then you wouldn't have to marry someone you don't know. And you're like the least gross girl I've met so I would be fine with it."
"Well Jack you truly are quite the romantic but-" Rapunzel paused. She couldn't find a flaw in the boy's logic. Granted: she was a five-year-old, "Actually... wait... I think you're right. Yes, yes let's do that."
Jack felt proud being as Rapunzel never went along with any of his ideas.
"Okay, we'll need a plan. We have to find a marriage certificate already signed by a priest. Steal it. Sign our names on it and sneak it into the records." she explained.
"What?"
Rapunzel groaned, "We steal a paper, write out names on it and return it."
"That's it? Marriage is easy."
"I propose one of us be the distraction while the other one gets the paper."
"Can't you just talk in English?" Jack whined.
Rapunzel huffed, "One of us be's all cute and the other steals the paper."
Jack agreed, "Alright, when do we do this?"
"Now, I suppose. Mommy thinks I'm studying so I should be free, another hour and you don't really do your job as it is."
Jack slowly nodded, "Okay, I understood the word 'now' and I'm just gonna pretend I knew the rest. Okay? Let's go!"

The two children ran to the main chapel in the kingdom.
It was the closest to the palace and had the best view.
They came to a compromise that Jack would distract them and Rapunzel would steal the paper.
This was made because Jack obviously wouldn't know what sheet to grab while Rapunzel had at least a general idea. Coupled with the fact she was able to read.
The two had lucked out. The priest was preparing for a wedding later today and the signed paper was lying on the desk.
Rapunzel grabbed it and nudged her head for Jack to follow her out.
Jack quickly dropped his arms and told the couple he had to use the bathroom.
When the two met outside they ran back to the palace nearly out of breath.
"I've never... ran... so much... in my life..." Rapunzel admitted.
"I... bet I... could keep going..." Jack lied.
Rapunzel shut her eyes as she silently chuckled, "Looks like... it..."
She clenched her gut and put the paper down.
"We... need a pen... but... so far." she told, raising her arm in the direction of the castle.
"Not... it..." Jack responded as he fell to the floor pretending to faint.
"Funny." Rapunzel sneered.
She slowly walked into the palace, returning with an extra sheet of paper, two quills, and ink.
"What's all that stuff for?"
"Well, you don't know how to spell." she bluntly stated. "So after I sign my name I'm teaching you step by step for yours and you will rewrite it on our certificate."
Jack nodded and watched as Rapunzel signed her name so elegantly.
She then took the blank paper and wrote the letter 'J', "Okay, write this on that line." she pointed.
It was sloppily copied but after doing to Jack felt more confident, "Is that it? This was so easy."
"No genius, you're name is Jackson Overland, we have like fourteen other letters left."
"You really think I'm a genius?" Jack asked innocently.
Rapunzel narrowed her eyebrows at him, "I- whatever helps you sleep at night, bud."
Jack smiled and rewrote all the other thing Rapunzel did.
"Now we're done. We just need to sneak this back into the church."

They did. And the contract was almost instantly forgotten.
Eventually, Jack stopped coming to work. Rapunzel was a tad distraught but figured it was for the best. She always figured he just moved away.
Which he did.

"Do you love him?"
Rapunzel narrowed her eyebrows and looked down. Does she love him? She kind of has to, doesn't she? It was for the kingdom, "Uhm... Yes... Yes, I do love Prince Eugene."
Queen Arianna clasped her hands together, "Splendid! We shall have the wedding tomorrow! Yes it is short notice but the florist has just received a fresh batch of lilies, you're favorite! This wedding is going to be wonderful. Our kingdom will finally prosper. I'll get Eugene and we can head to the priest ASAP."
"Yay?" Rapunzel celebrated unsurely.

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't marry the two of you." the priest admitted.