Owls and Flowers

Eight year old Cassandra and the Captain of the Coronian Guard were sword fighting in the backyard of the palace. The girl giggled. The Captain smiled. Suddenly, Freiborg came quickly walking out of the palace. "Is everything okay? Besides The Queen and heir dying and two people betraying us this week?" Captain questioned. "Two…? Whatever. And by the way, the way you said that makes it sound like they're dead. But, I need Cassie." Freiborg announced with her hands on her hips. "Okay!" Cassandra replied as she ran into the castle towards the sickroom.

Cassandra pulled on her new boots. Her adopted father came into the room. "Are you ready for this?" He questioned. "I've played in that forest almost every day for eight years." She replied as she got the last boot on. "I'll be fine.". She swung her backpack around her shoulder. She smiled. "We will stand." Her father said. "Again" She finished. "Corona will rise once more.". She snuck past her father. She walked up to the door in front of them.

She twisted the doorknob and slipped into the room. It was lit just by a single lamp. She heard someone stirr. "It's just me, Cassandra." She whispered. Another lamp was lit. Now she could make out The King. Frederic's deep blue eyes looked worried and overstrained. "I thought you were headed out already!" He explained. "I came to check on her, first. I promise I'll head out soon." She replied. "You scared the gebees out of me." He mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. The lamped shown on a pale, sleeping girl's face. "I think she's asleep. Wake her up so she isn't asking for you all night while you're out.". Cassandra shook her awake, gently. Arianna's eyes sort of opened. She looked at the toys next to her. There was a stuffed chalmeion, horse, and an angel. She had finished them just before the accident a week ago. Cassandra's new mother had put them in the bed when she was inconsolably crying an hour ago to try to calm her down. She looked around. "Hey Ari, I'm going back to my old place to get you some medicine. I'll be back in a bit. Please stay with us." Cassandra plead. Arianna's color drained eyes looked at her. That was enough to tell her that she understood. Cassandra kissed her burning forehead. She also kissed her enlarged stomach. She felt something kick. "You hang in there." She said with a smile on her face as she slipped out the door.

Quirin can't tell us what to do to survive. He has no say over The King's personal decisions. He has a say in nothing except himself and Old Corona. Bitter thoughts filled her head as she rode her (and Arianna's) horse, Fiedella into her old property. She wiped her eyes as soon as she dismounted. Early that night, Quirin had told them not to take the Sundrop. She was so tired of people manipulating her like her mother. She pulled out her sword as she heard something in the bushes. "Hello Cassandra, I thought I would never see you again." She heard a familiar voice say.

She turned around to see her mother. "Fancy seeing you here." She said through her teeth. "What's bring you back? Did they you treat you poorly at the palace?" Gothel questioned. "They treat me wonderful. King Frederic treats me better than you treated me, as if I'm his own princess.".

"Princess Cassandra, that rolls of the tongue quite nicely. I'm so happy for you,...". "Just because I live in the palace with The King doesn't mean life is easy. By striking Arianna in the heart with a black rock you have Corona on the brink of extinction.".

"Oh, mournful day. The great Queen Arianna of Corona has fallen without producing an heir. Oh no! But, our king needs another queen. Ladies are auditioning at the palace for the role of queen. I wish I knew someone who is as beautiful as a queen… Hum. I wish I could serve my kingdom. Oh wait! I know someone… Me!". Cassandra felt herself go a very obviously shade of red. "NO! I didn't come here to get you for that! The Queen is still alive. But, barely. We needed the flower.".

"NEVER!".

She form a black rock in her hand. Cassandra dodged it. She put her sword out. Gothel ran away. "Oh! And I also learned how to use a sword.". "That'll show her." She mumbled.

Cassandra uprooted the flower. When she uprooted it, black spike rose up out of the ground. She put it on Fiedella. "Ok, Quirin, next time you're trying warn us of something, try not to sound like you're trying to kill someone while you're at it." She mumbled as she started running. Just then, she heard a peep.

Cassandra looked around. Her eyes darted down to the ground at an owl

chick. "Where's your momma?" She questioned. The little owl chick peeped and looked at a nearby tree. Cassandra went over to it. There was an upside down nest. She flipped it over. There was a dead owl inside it. She immediately flipped it back over. She remembered that her mother had thrown a black rock that way. She immediately thought of Arianna. The thought of what would happen if she didn't get back to the kingdom in time made her sick to her stomach. "Let's go home." She announced as she picked up the baby owl and got on Fiedella. She took the reins and Fiedella headed back to the kingdom.

Cassandra arrived at the palace. She quickly dismounted and ran up the stairs. King Frederic met her at the door. "Am I too late?!" She questioned as she slipped through the door. "You were only gone for a third of an hour!" Frederic reassured her. "Oh! That was fast!" She realized as she stopped. The owl chick peeped from inside of her bag. She quickly put her hand on her bag. "What's inside the bag?" Frederic questioned. "Why the flower, of course!" Cassandra explained. The chick peeped again. "The flower peeps? That's not what Xavier said.". Frederic lifted off the cover of the bag. The owl chick flew out. The King and Cassandra both fell on their rear ends. The owl chick flew back in the bag. The King and Cassandra both started giggling. "Can I keep it?" Cassandra questioned through her giggles. "Talk to your folks." Frederic told her as he got up. He picked her up.

They went inside of the room. Cassandra took the owl and the flower out of the satchel. The owl chick was asleep. "Aww," Freborg cooed as Cassandra set it on the table. "I think Gothel struck it's mama with a black rock and killed her." Cassandra explained. "Can I keep it?". "I think that you have shown us that you have enough love and responsibility to take care of not only humans this week, but animals as well." Freborg explained as she put the flower in a bowl of hot water to boil. "And we were going to take us to Uncle Monty's sweet shop to reward you, but, I mean, that was a very brave and selfless thing you did, so, I could let you do both." Freborg explained as she handed the bowl to Frederic. Frederic lifted Arianna's pale head and Cassandra and Freborg held her cold hands as she drank it down.

The next afternoon Cassandra, Freborg, Arianna, the baby owl, and the baby princess, Rapunzel walked into Uncle Monty's sweet shop. "Hello, little ladies. Arianna, glad you're alive. And who's joining us?" Monty questioned. "This is Rapunzel and Owl." Cassandra explained.

"I like the name Rapunzel, very majestic. But, Owl, is that short for Owline or Owlina or something like that? Because I know very few girls with that name.".

"MONTY!"

That night, Arianna and Cassandra woke up to mysterious footsteps. They got up and saw Gothel. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?".