#frozenintangledweek

“Mother, why is this guest list so long?” Hilde groaned.  “We don’t even know any of these people.”

“You know this isn’t really about you-” Rapunzel began.

“It’s about Corona,” Henry finished for her.  

“You’ll be eighteen in a month, you both know what’s expected of you.”

“I know I’ll be expected to keep Henry from disappearing,” Hilde laughed.

“So, have all the invitations been sent out?” Henry asked.

“Yes, and most of them will be coming, or at least sending someone.”

The sunlight played through the leaves of the trees overhead as Rapunzel and Eugene sat back on the blanket and enjoyed the warm breeze, fingers entwined, listening to the noise of their children’s seventh birthday party.  

Hilde ran toward them, looking cross.  “Where is Henry?” she demanded.

“What do you mean?” Rapunzel asked.

“He was playing in the woods with Karl and Lars, but they came back already, and I want cake!”

"They need names now,” Rapunzel said smiling up at Eugene.  They sat together on the bed, happy and exhausted with the two babies who still seemed unreal, yet here they were.  

“Henry.”

“That was fast,” she laughed.

“I like the name.  Any ideas for the girl?”

She looked toward the window for a moment.  “Clothilde.”

“What’s that?”

“One of the books I read growing up… the Epic of St. Clothilde.  It was rather old, with beautiful hand-painted pictures.  I have no idea where the book came from. I’ve never seen any copies.”

Love is an open door.  Rapunzel wondered what that even meant.  Locking a door was control. Control she had lacked for so much of her life. She wanted to see people, she craved company, but sometimes, only sometimes, it was good to be alone, and to be sure she would remain alone until she was ready.

For the first time in forever, Rapunzel and Eugene were on a trip simply to enjoy themselves.  Their honeymoon?  That had been entirely too short, and that was three years ago already. A coronation was always a nice excuse for traveling, and they’d heard all about the beauty of the fjords.