Rob X Punzel ~ Forty-Seven!

She was surprised when her eyes reopened, but frankly she was surprised the incessant, stinging pain traveling through her hadn't woken her up earlier. Goldie opened her eyes, eliciting a shout from a pair of attendants who’d been noting every twitch she made.

“-Highness! She awakens!”

Moments later, a familiar face, one Goldie wouldn't mind becoming more familiar with, filled her vision. Roburt gently reached out, caressing one of the only pain-free patches of skin on her face. “Gol… Rebecca. I'm so glad you woke up.” 

“What happened after she was sent away?” The young woman pursed her lips as she realized she would have to get used to going by her actual name again. “Gah. Years of training myself to respond to ‘Goldie’… wasted.”

The prince gave her a moment, but Becca didn't say anything more; instead learning of the tiny silver lining her grievous wounds provided—blushing wasn’t visible. 

After a few breaths, he answered her question. “We were unable to move you, as when we tried to cut your hair away enough for us to do so, it levitated anyone who tried and dangled them over the hole in the floor as a warning. You've only been asleep for a few hours, but we managed to get you to drink some healing potions. The only thing is… is…”

A deep breath followed before he pushed forward with his bad news. “While your internal wounds seem to have been healed, we don't have anything that can fix the damage the Witch's energy inflicted on you. The alchemy guild refused our requests for a salve which could treat you, and… I'm sorry to say, by now the damage is likely permanent.” 

“Is that all?” Goldie let out a sigh of relief, much to his consternation. “But she's gone, and your father remains healthy? He didn't relapse?”

“Why are you worried for him right now?” Roburt’s words came out half-choked, “We failed you yet again. You saved us, and through your actions, you saved the kingdom as a whole. Yet we couldn't even offer you a simple curative. I can't… I don't understand why you are so willing to calmly accept the sacrifice of yourself like this.”

Becca grinned as widely as she was able, the skin of her face pulling tight. “It's not so bad. Don't worry, I've had worse.” 

“I sincerely doubt that.”

“Rob. What matters to me is that a person who cares about the good of their people is once more in charge of the laws. The institutions are so broken right now that they may need to be purged before they can be replaced, but even that much would never have happened under Brutehilda.” The damaged young lady lifted her hand, swiping at the air.

Roburt, mistaking the gesture as seeking comfort, reached out and grasped the outstretched limb. “Rebecca, even after all you have done, I still have one more thing I must ask of you.”

She narrowed her eyes at his tone, lips pressing in a firm line as she readied herself for the man to beg her to let him be rid of her. His face came closer. “This may seem selfish of me, but I must still make the request. Please, don't let the false queen’s horrifying nature drive you away. If you would do me the honor of marrying me, it would truly make this the best day of my life… so far.” 

“You're joking.” Becca barked out a laugh at his crestfallen expression. “But why? You're free! The queen and her game are no more, no one would hold you to her demands. Especially not when…”

Her words trailed off as she pulled her hand back and waved at her cursed and corroded skin. Robert’s eyes went hard, his expression firming as he vehemently shook his head in the negative. “All I see when I look at you is a soul unafraid to sacrifice everything for the sake of others, no matter the cost. Everything I have seen of you tells me you are the one for me. If you are not worthy of being my queen, then there is not a single person in this world who is.”

“Mmm.” Becca relaxed her hand in his grip, gently reaching up and pulling free of him, even as she smiled as warmly as possible. “I knew I liked you a lot. Give me a minute, will you?”

“I'll do anything you ask, unless that request is to give you up,” he fervently promised, though he took a step away to allow her some breathing room. “But I understand you may need a moment to think this over.”

Her hand twitched and danced in the air, and Goldie let out a sigh of relief when she saw no gray text among her skill modifiers. Upon clenching her fingers into a fist, she splayed them, releasing a burst of Perfect rejuvenation into her body. 

The small hill of hair she was lying on shifted, the ends of it fading into glimmering motes of light before pouring into her body. Hundreds, thousands of sparks of golden luminescence covered every inch of her, before slowly fading away to reveal unmarred skin beneath. “Whoa… that's a lot prettier when I'm conscious to see it. Seems faster, as well. Probably because it only needed to fix me skin-deep this time? That and a few broken bones, not a spear-shaped hole?”

“You're healed!” Roburt gasped excitedly, turning to shout at one of the nearby attendants. “Somebody get to my father and tell him to cancel all negotiations with the alchemists this instant! We will be offering them not one single concession. Explain what happened, and get him over here. I’ll need-”

He looked back at Becca, who was now sitting up, and finished his demand almost shyly. “I’ll need his authority as the king for the system to witness my marriage… if my princess will have me. I want no politics nor bureaucracy to interfere.” 

“I suppose you'll do. I've always wanted a trophy husband, and I did already win you,” she teased gently as she struggled to her feet, the immense weight of the mountain of hair making it nearly impossible. “Would be a real shame not to accept such a princely prize.”

A short while later, the king made an appearance, and as soon as he was made aware of the situation, he joyfully grasped their hands and spoke a few simple lines. “I've seen everything I need to be happy with this union. You have my blessing. Would you like to be wed?”

His authority as a sovereign invoked the system, and time held still for Rebecca as a wall of text filled her mind.

Codex Arcane Ledger is responding to your request to become married to Crown Prince Roburt Standhaft!

Scanning…. Assessing… you are not being coerced or forced into making this choice. 

You are at least at the age for marriage for your kingdom. No skills or foreign substances are impairing your choices or altering your thoughts. Even so…

Please think through this choice carefully. The effects of a system-witnessed marriage cannot be undone. Whom you marry matters greatly, as your highest unlocked skill in your most potent unlocked class will be combined with theirs to make a Conjoined Skill. 

You may only ever have a single Conjoined Skill. It will increase in potency in a similar manner to your other skills, but will require the presence of your marriage partner to do so, unless they have died in a manner unrelated to you. Killing them or having them killed will forever halt the increase in skill level of your skill. 

The system cannot be deceived.

If you choose not to continue this marriage witnessing and feel you may be in danger because of it, you will be instantly transported to a different Class Shrine with your safety guaranteed by the system for 24 hours.

With this knowledge, and with a clear understanding of your own thoughts, do you wish to marry Crown Prince Roburt Standhaft?

“Should we wait until I unlock a more advanced skill?” Rebecca questioned anxiously as she looked over to the man she was a single word away from marrying. “Wouldn't it be better for you to-”

“Even now, you’re thinking of others,” the prince gently poked at her, the warmth in his eyes removing any sting that could be found in his words. “I'm not getting married for power, Rebecca. To my great surprise and delight, I'm doing it… for love.” 

She felt her heart melt, and a brilliant smile spread across her face as she vigorously nodded in agreement. “Then… I do.”

Marriage witnessed! Congratulations on this immensely important, irreversible choice! Generating Conjoined Skill.

Conjoined Skill: Crown Sorcerer. Level 1/10.

Heavy is the hair which cushions the crown, for when it is braided for war, the fates of nations are perm-anantly altered. Upon activation, choose a modifier from an artifact you control. Increase the effect of the modifier by [100skill level] percent. As the crown sorcerer, your power is best when it is not used. For each second this skill is not used, increase the initial modifier of this skill with by [.001skill level]. For each hour, [.01skill level]. For each day, [.1skill level]. For each month, [1skill level]. For each year, [10skill level]. Each time this skill is used, the additional multipliers return to zero.

When in close proximity to your conjoined partner, each single increment of the multipliers counts as two for the purposes of casting only.

Requirements for Skill increase: Do not use this skill for 30 consecutive days. Once this skill has reached Perfection, you will gain system rewards instead of further levels for not using this skill.

Special modifier applied: You have been granted a modifier ‘Damsel of Distress’. 

Against seemingly insurmountable odds, you transformed a set of skills or circumstances which nearly guaranteed failure or even death into a foundation for success with far-reaching and profound effects. By taking your fate into your own hands, you have broken free of the Codex Arcane Ledger’s predicted outcome for your life. 

Effect: When in the presence of another ‘Damsel of Distress’, you will be able to recognize each other as kindred spirits and [Minimally] share the benefits of your skills, if so desired, while in range. This will increase in potency with the skill it was acquired in tandem with.

“By the system…” Goldie let out a long, slow breath as she recognized the unutterable power she could bring to bear if she had the patience to wait long enough. It was enough to topple nations or change the destiny of a kingdom… at least a single time in her life. She definitely would, someday. Rebecca Punzel was nothing if not patient. 

“Mythical?” Her new husband’s exclamation came out as a strangled yelp. “How did I earn a-”

“Oh, right. About that.” Even as Goldie spoke, she felt the binding oath placed on her heart shift, loosen, and float free. A bright, golden ‘X’ appeared in the air in front of her chest, shrinking as the golden color of the system leached out of it, leaving behind only a pearlescent character, which floated to her left cheek and shimmered with an ethereal light—indicating a sworn promise having been fulfilled. A true mark of honor. 

She tried to explain once more, only for a golden ‘X’ to join the pearlescent one on the same cheek, the mark of someone in a system-witnessed marriage.

“Anything else, system?” Becca playfully snarked before pulling her new husband into a tight embrace. “Finally, finally I can discuss my skills with anyone I so desire. Yes, Mythical. In fact… all of my skills so far are Mythical.”

“Yet there you were, not thirty seconds ago, worried I would be disappointed in the potency of our Conjoined Skill,” Roburt stated with a disbelieving laugh. “Then, there's only one last mystery-”

“No, I demand to be seen this very instant, and I will not be denied!” The door into the secondary throne room was thrown open, and the alchemist who had chased Rebecca all the way to the gates of the tower stormed into the room. “Walking out of a meeting with me with no explanation? How dare you treat an ambassador from the… from… well, abyss.” 

“Indeed,” King Frieden stated with no small amount of heat in his voice as the alchemist looked around the room absolutely filled to the brim with golden hair with an expression that was two parts despair, one part greed. “I see you recognize the trademark ability of my new daughter-in-law, Princess Rebecca.”

“Goldie? The thief?” The man sputtered in apoplectic rage. “No, that doesn't matter… you don't know what you're dealing with here. This isn't hair, it's-”

“A magical artifact, yes.” Goldie happily interjected, pleased that she could finally share details of her skills without fear, now that her oath was out of the way. “One that can substitute for any one ingredient in any alchemical creation up to the Legendary rank. Also yes, we now have a warehouse’s worth of it ready to be used.” 

“By our alchemists,” the king smoothly took over, motioning for his guards to surround the twitching intruder as he realized the value of the strands around them—ten times their weight in gold, at the very least. “Or, should I say, alchemists who have sworn oaths to better this kingdom of Schutzschild. I can't imagine it would be difficult to raise a veritable army of alchemists under our banner to the maximum their class skills would allow.” 

“That's not it at all!” the infuriated man bellowed at the king before shoving a finger in Rebecca's direction. “Before the system came to be, there was a creature which swam through the unformed cosmos. As the system formed, it drained the power from that creature and locked away its constituent parts. Yet, one piece has ever eluded and defied the system, a parasite that brings chaos wherever it roams, vanishing and choosing a new host whenever its previous host dies. That's not hair, Your Highness… it's a tail!” 

“A tail as old as time!”

A heavy silence overtook the room, and the king merely stared at the man, seemingly bored, even as the words resonated in Becca’s mind. As much as she hated to admit it, what he’d said lined up quite well with her experiences. King Frieden lifted his hands in a ‘so what’ gesture. “I suppose I should thank you for sharing your myths and superstitions with us? Now… do you have anything useful to say?”

The alchemist's thoughts were displayed clearly on his twisting face. Rage, contemplation, calculation, resignation… then acceptance. Finally, he bowed stiffly, speaking to the king with his face parallel to the floor. “Your Highness, gracious king of Schutzschild. Please pardon my previous brazenness; I can't imagine what overtook me. Upon leaving this room, I shall race back to the guild and do my utmost to have them re-sign the charter-”

“No, don't be in such a rush,” King Frieden softly hummed in pleasure as he walked over and escorted the alchemist from the room. “I do believe we will be drawing up a new charter with many fresh and exciting new clauses.”

“I'd like to add,” Becca called out just before they exited, causing the duo to turn back to her. “You will never see so much as a split end to use in your concoctions until I have your oath that you will return all of my friends in pristine condition immediately and never seek to harm them or use them against me in the future.”

Gnashing his teeth, the man bowed ever so slightly to her. “I suppose I have no reason to disagree, princess. As long as I am not excluded from this opportunity to perfect my skills… I pinky swear it.”

There was a flash of gold which coated his hands, then the men left the room. 

Left alone in the room, the newlyweds looked at each other, their enthusiastic beaming replacing any need for words. Goldie grabbed Rob and allowed herself to fall backward into a soft cushion of hair, snuggling up to her new husband for the first time. “Oh! Before I forget, you said there was another mystery to solve?”

“Hmm? Oh. Yes… I had nearly forgotten after the interruption.” Roburt trailed a finger down the inseam of his left arm. “Typically, your name would have changed to become Rebecca Standhaft in your status. I'm going to assume it didn't, as my name changed instead. All of my knowledge of the system tells me the only way that should have happened was if I married up in social strata, but… perhaps it is because you have Mythical skills?”

“It must be.” Becca gently shrugged. “I grew up in an orphanage. Besides, what social strata is above being the prince of the kingdom?” 

“There are three, in fact.” Goldie hadn't been expecting that answer, and she listened attentively as he held up one finger after another. “Sovereign. In my case, eventually I will be a king and move up the social strata. As you are my queen, both of us will gain another skill, known as a ‘Sovereign’ skill. While that's not a secret, as everyone knows the rulers of the country have more power than anyone else, it also isn't common knowledge because it simply doesn't matter to almost anyone.”

The prince held up a second finger. “The next social strata up is Emperor or Empress. As far as I'm aware, this also comes with an additional skill slot. I'll likely never know for certain, unless for some unhappy reason we need to face one of them in combat.”

“You said ‘we’.” Becca happily giggled, feeling warm at the casual confirmation that her abilities were no longer considered anywhere near useless. Snuggling in even closer to her new husband, she prodded him to finish his explanation as he merely chuckled in delight at the affection. 

“The last one, at least that I know of, is a Dynastic Empire. There is only one of them in the three continents, perhaps in the world… though there may be more across the slithering sea. Who could possibly know for certain?” Goldie poked him in the side as he got off track, his explanation turning into rambling. “Right! The difference between the last two is simply a measure of power. Rumor has it that ‘god-emperor’— bah, what am I saying? He’s no deity—Emperor Koozkoo and all of his ancestors have only Mythical skills. It allowed them to completely dominate their continent over the last millennia.”

“Huh. Neat.” Becca’s attention drifted to the rock-hard muscles his fingers were trailing along. “So… you took my name, huh? What did it end up as?”

“Shortened the first part of it and took your last name whole cloth.” He grinned and shifted his half-seated position to bow at her. “Allow me to introduce myself. According to the system, my name is officially…”

“Rob Punzel.”