#tangled nigel

A Tangled Fanfic

Prompts 171-175

“Castle Life, Part II”

171. Practice

The Housekeeper is Mrs. Crowley to her face, Hortense to her (few) friends, Old Lady Crowley to everyone else. The Steward (not a Castellan, that's for the other cities in Corona) is Nigel to his superiors, Mr. Nigel to the staff, Eddie when he loses at poker and takes a forfeit. The Captain of the Guards is Captain or Sir to most people, Cap to Mr. Fitzherbert, and Dad to Cassandra (and apparently her pet owl too). If he has a last name, or even a first name, nobody bothers with it. Nobody can see him as anything but the Captain, and that's how it's always been.

Cook is always Cook. She prefers it that way.

(They gave up trying to pronounce either of her names round about the thirtieth try. Some of the younger servants take a go at it, every once in a while. Only three people have managed it so far, and one of them only speaks in Horse.)

Nigel: He poisoned our water supply, burned our crops, and delivered a plague onto our houses!

Corona citizens: He did?!

I actually remembered Nigel’s fear from Be Very Afraid, 1 because ive watched it many times, and 2 because it seemed especially odd to me. It wasn’t some silly, fear-ified version of his job like it was for most people. It was really strange and random, but also much more realistic and concrete. But at the time I laughed at it being just random.

Now, not only do I love them for putting it in an earlier episode for foreshadowing, i love how it shows how Tangled isn’t afraid to explore its side characters. Nigel isn’t a character who is essential to the plot, they didn’t have to give him an interesting backstory, even for one episode. But something so simple as a couple lines of backstory can add so much to a character. I feel like I like and understand Nigel so much more after just that little piece of backstory.

Like it even makes more sense of his strong opinions in QfaD. Back then, I knew he was just doing his job, but also, as a Varian fan, thought he was rather unsympathetic towards Varian. Now I understand it wasn’t only tied to his job, he’s actually watched a village get destroyed because of one person’s unwillingness to listen to reason: himself. Because he was sympathetic before, and it cost him his village. He isn’t going to let Rapunzel endanger a whole kingdom for the sake of one boy, like he did back then.

Jealousy

“So it’s official. As of today, you’re my royal engineer.” Rapunzel announced brightly.

Most of the court clapped. Nigel folded his hands in front of him and scowled. “Royal Engineer. What even is that?” he scoffed. Varian heard him and was about to say something in anger, when Rapunzel stopped him.

“Varian. Nigel. Why don’t you two come with me to someplace more private. I think you need to talk.” Rapunzel said.

Nigel and Varian both followed her, although Nigel refused to look at Varian even when they were in the hallway and away from prying eyes.

“Boys, talk it out.” Rapunzel instructed. “Varian, you start.”

“With pleasure. Nigel, what is your problem with me?!” Varian demanded.

“You erased the King and Queen’s memory and usurped my position!” Nigel pointed out.

“Well you had Stan and Pete throw me out into a blizzard! I could have died!” Varian shot back.

“If only...” Nigel muttered.

“What was that?” Varian hissed.

“I’m sure Nigel meant to say ‘if only we had treated him with more kindness that day.’” Rapunzel hastily interjected.

“I suppose.” Nigel said, without much enthusiasm.

“This is a good start. You two just need to open up to each other more. Varian, why don’t you tell him about the red rocks?” Rapunzel suggested.

Varian was nervous. “Wh-what’s to know? You and I stopped them by working together.” Varian stammered.

“Varian.” Rapunzel said with gentle firmness.

“...Fine. They show you your greatest fears and mine… was seeing my dad trapped... and everyone saying it was all my fault.” Varian mumbled.

“It was your fault.” Nigel remarked.

“...I know.” Varian agreed, looking miserable.

That surprised Nigel. He had expected the boy to disagree vehemently. But instead, Varian was standing there, shoulders slumped, tears about to fall from his eyes, looking as if the pain from that day was still fresh. Perhaps Nigel had misjudged him. He certainly seemed as remorseful as Rapunzel always claimed he was, but how could Nigel ever fully trust a boy who had nearly taken over the kingdom twice before the age of 16?

“And now you, Nigel. Tell Varian what the red rocks showed you.” Rapunzel prompted.

“Your Highness, I don’t see what that has to do with anything.” Nigel tried to wriggle out of it.

“Nigel.” Rapunzel said, a bit more forcefully than she had urged Varian.

Nigel hesitated. Could he really admit to this, this troublemaker, the only thing that scared him more than dragons? “Mine was the kingdom in danger, and I could do nothing because… I’m useless.” Nigel murmured.

“But you’re not useless. You know that, right?” Varian told him.

“Then why has Rapunzel never consulted me the way her parents did?” Nigel demanded.

“Maybe because, she’s not her parents? Everyone has different leadership styles and Rapunzel’s  style is caring, caring about everyone in Corona. Just because she doesn’t come asking for your opinion all the time doesn’t me she won’t listen if you approach her. You just have to be honest with Rapunzel and, and trust that she’ll help you. She always does.” Varian insisted.

Rapunzel smiled. “Aww, Varian!” she gave him a big hug.

Nigel thought it over. “I guess that’s… true. I never really thought of it that way. Rapunzel is… a different sort of ruler. Not a bad different, of course your Highness. I would never dream of criticizing you!” Nigel demurred.

“Why not? If I’ve done something you don’t like, you have every right to tell me about it.” Rapunzel replied.

“Well, in that case, I don’t agree with your giving that… “Nigel paused as if searching for the right word. “...impudent teenager such an important position.” he finished.

“Your objection is noted, but my decision stands. Varian is my Royal Engineer.” Rapunzel declared. “And while you don’t agree with my decision now, I think given time, you will see the merits of it. Varian’s a good boy… you just have to trust him.”

Trust was a hard thing for Nigel to give, and Rapunzel was right that he wasn’t ready to do so. But perhaps one day he would be.

The End

Pictures are either giftarts, my own arts or made with Picrew.

First we have Emelie Vogel and her servant Poppy Trail. Emelie is the niece of the Kings advisor Nigel, her servant Poppy looks so much like her that sometimes she has to dress up and take her place to do the boring stuff that miss Vogel despises.

Next up is a pair of recent OCs I made, they're gay and they have a semi-tragic backstory, Saffron (orange hair)and Hawkeye. Hawkeye is an old aquantence of Hector, around tennyears older than him though.

And OBOY here's a messed up family. Tzipporah, a seer and healer, canonly, she is from a people called Calderi that sadlybwas not liked by a Zkingdom called Aurelia (they are scum). Hundreds of years ago, Caldera was taken down by Aurelia and many of it's people fled. Fast forward to semi-current timeline and Tzipporah met a man that she fell in love with, however he was an Aurelian and didn't show his true nature until it almost was too late. She trapped his soul into her journal that she always kept.

They had a son, Salazar. Sadly Tzipporah at one point had to go on a journey and left him at his 'aunts', he was very young at that point. When she didn't come back the aunts decided to leave him at an orphanage and it just got worse from there. Salazar discovered that he had mystical healing powers which the caretakers exploated of course, it took a bad turn on him and even worse, he was eventually persued by a demon in his dreams, causing him to drain the lifeforce of his best friend. Fleeing in panic he ended up in Corona, where he lived in an old mill in the woods, far from people, studying magic in his own. A couple of years later he went on a mission to find the Four Elemental Stones, that would free the demon that was attached to him (that being his father but he doesn't know that). And so he eventually met Hector and Oleander (@xenomorphics OC)

After a little quarrel, they ended up being his new parents. (This is my second main RP that I always go-to)