The Golden Braid

by Melanie Dickerson

  “Oh, my dear. Sit down on the stool. You can put the last touches on the sweet cakes while we serve the rest of the food.”

  Rapunzel started to sit down, but then straightened. “No. I will not let that”—what had Sir Gerek called him?—“that piece of rancid dog meat make me afraid.” She took the platter out of Cristobel’s hands, turned on her heel, and marched back to the Great Hall.

  She glared until she caught Balthasar’s eye, then did her best to snarl, actually curling her lip, while mentally calling him cur, swine, lout, and evil knavish imp, and vowing silently, I’ve got a new knife, and this time I won’t be aiming for your arm.

  Balthasar’s evil smile faltered. He stopped chewing and his mouth went slack.

  Rapunzel laid the platter on the table and stalked out.

  Thanks be to God, Lady Margaretha had managed to escape the castle the first day of Lord Claybrook’s treachery. That night Rapunzel slept in the tiny room between Lady Rose’s chamber and her older daughters’ room. Lady Rose and Lady Kirstyn, who was only two years younger than Margaretha, were anxious for Margaretha’s safety, even though they were grateful she was not there, at Claybrook’s mercy.

  After Gothel’s shocking revelations, Rapunzel managed to speak to Frau Adelheit and tell her everything Gothel had said about how she had taken Rapunzel—Elsebeth—when she was three. With all the turmoil, Rapunzel decided it was not the right time to tell Lady Rose, and she and Frau Adelheit agreed that she was safer if she went on with her servant duties for now.

  Lord Claybrook allowed everything to go on as usual—except that he didn’t always allow Lady Rose and the family to leave the solar to eat their meals in the Great Hall. Rapunzel was still allowed to attend Lady Rose and her daughters two evenings per week.

  She had cared for Lady Rose and her daughters that evening. She cherished every moment, holding the knowledge of her identity close to her heart as she brushed their hair and helped them undress.

  As she lay in bed, purposely pushing away all thoughts of Gothel, her mind went to Sir Gerek and whether he could truly be content to marry the widow, Lady Lankouwen. Instead of thinking about that, she should be praying for his safety and his success in finding Duke Wilhelm.

  She felt for the books Sir Gerek had loaned her. Perhaps tomorrow night she would ask Lady Rose if she could have a candle. She held them to her heart and closed her eyes, conjuring the image of Sir Gerek when he gave them to her. But she had to stop thinking about him since he would soon be married.

  How strange it was that Hagenheim had seemed like the safest, kindest place on earth only a week ago, and now, with Claybrook having taken over, it seemed the most precarious.

  She did her best to close her mind to all thoughts of fear and danger and concentrate instead on her prayers. After her more formal prayers, she asked God to take care of everyone she cared about—her precious mother, Lady Rose, Sir Gerek, Cristobel, the rest of the maidservants, and all of Duke Wilhelm’s—her—family. She even prayed for Gothel, asking God to change her heart. And thank you for keeping me safe from Balthasar. You have kept me safe before, and I believe you will keep me safe again. As she finished her prayer, she closed her eyes, feeling more peaceful than she had in a week, and fell asleep.

  A week had passed since Lord Claybrook took over the castle. The maidservants never saw any of Duke Wilhelm’s knights or guards. They must all have been killed or locked in the dungeon—besides Sir Gerek and the ones who had gone with Duke Wilhelm.

  Rapunzel rarely went anywhere, even the privy, without another maidservant with her. But as Rapunzel was leaving the Great Hall, heading back to the kitchen after serving some food, Gothel came around the corner and grabbed her arm. “So, where is your Sir Gerek?” she asked. “He has deserted you, hasn’t he?”

  Rapunzel bit back the retort that bubbled to her lips. “I have to get to the kitchen.” She tried to dodge Gothel, but at that same moment, Sir Reginald came out of the Great Hall and came to stand beside Gothel. He put his arm around her shoulders and looked down at Rapunzel.

  “Is this her? Is this Rapunzel?” he asked. He stared at her, even turning her slightly so she faced the torch on the wall, as if to get a better look at her. He pierced her with bold brown eyes. His face was dark and his hair streaked with gray. This was the man to whom Gothel had given her heart and her loyalty.

  “This is my Rapunzel, the daughter I told you about.”

  Sir Reginald may have been a handsome man in his youth, but the sun and age had turned his skin to brown leather. There was also a hardness in his eyes. What had Gothel told him? Had she admitted that Rapunzel was a Gerstenberg? Or had she told him the same lie she had told Rapunzel, that Rapunzel had been abandoned on her doorstep, or the other story, that she’d found her in her garden in the rapunzel patch?

  He studied her face, and Rapunzel suddenly wondered if he suspected Rapunzel might be his own daughter.

  He finally spoke. “Gothel has brought us the weapons we needed from the wagon Balthasar was bringing to us. She is as valuable as any soldier in the fight against the Gerstenbergs.”

  Sir Reginald smiled down at Gothel, and Rapunzel’s stomach felt sick.

  “She has also been helping us by going into Hagenheim and finding out what the townspeople know and if they would help Duke Wilhelm if he were to be attacked.”

  “May I go now?” Rapunzel clenched her teeth to keep from saying anything.

  “If your mother has nothing more to say, then you may.” Sir Reginald bowed, sweeping his hand behind him.

  “This woman is not my mother,” Rapunzel said and strode past them, praying for God to intervene and save Hagenheim from the evil likes of Gothel and Sir Reginald.

  After three and a half days of hard riding, Gerek found Duke Wilhelm, who was on a quest to capture the brigands who had been terrorizing the north road to Hagenheim. Valten and a few of his knights and trained soldiers were with him.

  When Gerek told the duke and Valten what was happening in Hagenheim, they did not delay, but turned their horses toward home.

  At night, they stopped to get a few hours of sleep and to let the horses rest. Duke Wilhelm said, “We’ll likely be outnumbered. No doubt Claybrook will have enlisted his uncle’s help, the Earl of Keiterhafen, who will have sent all his knights and soldiers to join with Claybrook’s men. We will have to raise an army from the people of Hagenheim.” Duke Wilhelm made the statement as if it were as easy as building a fire or saddling a horse.

  The people of the Hagenheim region were loyal to Duke Wilhelm, but they were not fighting men. If Claybrook had been able to close the town gates and keep people from leaving, Duke Wilhelm would have only farmers, woodcutters, and the few knights and soldiers he had brought with him when he attacked Lord Claybrook’s highly trained soldiers. Still, they’d be fighting for Duke Wilhelm and for their own lives, and that should be enough to embolden and motivate them.

  Gerek only had a few hours to sleep before they would be off again at sunrise. He stretched out by the fire, turning his back to the flickering flames, but kept his eyes open while he prayed. There seemed to be so much to pray for, so much danger ahead of him, and yet he found himself praying first and last for Rapunzel’s safety.

  Word went through the kitchen late the next evening that Lady Margaretha had been caught. She’d been brought back to Hagenheim by Lord Claybrook’s men.

  Rapunzel’s heart sank. “When did she return?”

  “Just an hour ago, the stable boy said.”

  What would happen to her now? Would Claybrook force Margaretha to say vows and then force himself on her? If he wanted to hurt Duke Wilhelm, that would be a good way to do it.

  “Keep your eyes and ears open,” Rapunzel said to her fellow maidservants, “for ways we might be able to help Lady Margaretha escape again.”

  They nodded, but doubt clouded their faces.

  It was not Rapunzel’s day to help Lady Rose, but since Britta had never returned after Claybrook
took over, she asked Cook if she could be excused from her kitchen duties to see if she would be allowed to wait on her.

  She slipped an extra knife in the leather sheath at her belt, hoping for an opportunity to sneak it to Lady Margaretha. She seemed a feisty enough person to be able to put a knife to good use.

  Walking quickly through the corridor, her hand rested on her thigh where her two knives were concealed. She looked from left to right and back again, but did not see Balthasar. Hurrying up the stairs, she encountered a guard at the top.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m Lady Rose’s maid. She needs me to help her—”

  “Not tonight.”

  “But the maidservants are supposed to go about their regular duties.”

  “Not tonight. Captain Reginald’s orders. No one is supposed to visit the family.”

  “I’m not visiting. I’m serving.”

  “What’s the difficulty here?” Sir Reginald appeared on the stairs behind Rapunzel.

  “Sir Reginald, I simply want to do my usual service for Lady Rose.” She purposely didn’t add, “and her daughters,” knowing Margaretha’s presence must be what was causing their extra caution.

  “No one, not even servants, are allowed with them tonight. And you can tell the cook they’ll be taking their evening meal in the solar.”

  Not seeing any point in arguing with the man, Rapunzel turned to go. Perhaps she could find a way to slip the knife to Lady Rose when they brought them their food.

  She was almost to the bottom of the steps when she noticed someone blocking the corridor. In the flickering light of the wall torch, at the bottom of the steps, stood the man with the strange smile, Balthasar.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Rapunzel froze, only four steps away from him. His eyes shone black. His smile bespoke evil pleasure at finding her alone.

  She took a step backward, up to the next step, two steps. Then she turned around and ran back up. “Sir Reginald!”

  When she turned to look over her shoulder, she ran into something solid.

  Sir Reginald grabbed her by the arms. His dark brows were low, and there was a deep crease between his eyes. He shook her, making her head fall back and then sling forward. “I don’t have time for—”

  “That man at the bottom of the stairs. He’s waiting to do me harm.”

  Sir Reginald suddenly took hold of her wrist and, without a word, started down the stairs, pulling her behind. Balthasar was still standing at the bottom.

  “Get away from there,” Sir Reginald barked.

  Balthasar’s smile turned angry. He hesitated a few moments, then skulked down the corridor.

  Sir Reginald pulled Rapunzel the rest of the way down the stairs and glared down at her. “Get back to the kitchen and don’t be roaming around the castle, or something bad will happen to you. And it will be your own fault.”

  Rapunzel’s breath came fast and she clenched her fists. She wanted to tell him she was not responsible for that man’s evil, and she was not to blame for Claybrook’s despicable choice to release wicked men from the dungeon to terrorize good people. Instead, she glared up at him and said, “You disgust me.” Then she spun on her heel and walked back to the kitchen.

  When she reached the kitchen door, she flung it open.

  “Did you see Lady Rose? Were you able to give her the knife?” Cristobel asked softly. All the maidservants were looking at her.

  Rapunzel was still breathing hard, her knees trembling. “I was not even allowed to see Lady Rose.”

  Their shoulders slumped as they went back to their work.

  The next day Lady Rose and even Lady Margaretha and Lady Kirstyn were seated on the dais in the Great Hall for the midday meal. Claybrook sat at the head of the table in Duke Wilhelm’s place like a puffed up bullfrog. Claybrook had let the squires and pages out of the knights’ quarters where he had been keeping them. They were serving now, so Rapunzel and the other maidservants stayed in the kitchen, supplying the boys with platters of food.

  The gossip was that Claybrook would force Margaretha to marry him tonight at vespers. The duke’s oldest daughter—Rapunzel’s own sister—would be married to that evil man by nightfall, and he was demanding a big feast for after the wedding.

  As Rapunzel added the cherry sauce to the roast pheasant, she suddenly had an idea.

  Rapunzel whispered her idea to Cristobel, who nodded with an excited glint in her eye. “Let us do it.”

  Rapunzel dribbled the dark red cherry sauce across her fingers and onto a cloth, soaking it through. Then she whispered her plan to Cook, who gave them permission to abandon their work.

  She and Cristobel left the kitchen. As soon as she saw the guard outside the door, Rapunzel cried out, then moaned, tensing her face as if she were in great pain. She held her left hand with her right, with the cherry-stained towel wrapped around it.

  The guard’s brow rose high as Cristobel cried, “She just chopped her fingers! I think she may have chopped one of them off. Oh, please let me take her to see Frau Lena at the healer’s chamber.”

  Rapunzel kept up a constant moaning and gasping.

  The guard looked a bit pale and waved his arm. “Go on, then. Go.”

  Cristobel took Rapunzel by the elbow and walked quickly around the side of the castle toward the southwest tower where they would find Frau Lena in her chamber.

  Rapunzel kept up the moaning and crying out as they passed another guard until they reached Frau Lena’s door and went inside and closed the door behind them.

  The chamber looked empty. “Frau Lena, are you here?”

  The red-haired healer emerged from the storage room at the other end of the chamber. She came quickly toward them, her eyes riveted on the bright-red cloth around Rapunzel’s hand.

  “Is anyone else here?” Rapunzel asked.

  “No, I am alone.”

  Rapunzel unwrapped the cloth around her hand. “I feigned an injury. Can we ask your help?”

  “Of course.” Frau Lena stepped closer.

  “We came to ask if you have any poisonous berries or leaves. I have an idea to sicken Lord Claybrook tonight so that he cannot harm Lady Margaretha and so that she can possibly escape again.”

  “Oh, ja. That is a good idea.” Frau Lena’s face lit up and she held a hand to her chin, her eyes gazing up at the ceiling. “Something that would sicken Lord Claybrook . . . I know!” She raised her finger as a smile broke out on her face. “Holly berries would make him vomit and feel very sick, and I happen to still have some left over from Christmas.” She turned toward the wall.

  Christmas decorations of holly branches, complete with the bright-red berries, lay on a shelf attached to the wall and around the window. She grabbed a branch and began picking the berries and putting them into a small pouch.

  “The berries don’t taste very good, but you could probably crush them and put them in his wine and he would never know.”

  “That is what I was thinking,” Rapunzel said. “Perhaps we could wait until he was half drunk and then poison his wine, when he won’t be as likely to notice the taste.”

  Cristobel and Rapunzel helped her pick all the berries off the holly branches decorating the healer’s chamber.

  “I wish I had enough to poison his entire guard, but still, it should be enough to make Lord Claybrook and several of his knights extremely sick.” When they were done picking the berries and putting them into the pouch, Frau Lena handed the pouch to Rapunzel.

  “Do you think it’s enough to kill him?”

  Frau Lena shrugged. “Probably not, which is a great pity.” She looked hard at Rapunzel’s hand. “Now, let’s get you bandaged up so you can serve tonight.”

  Frau Lena wrapped her uninjured hand until it was more than double its normal size. Then she talked to them for a while longer about various plants and berries and the effect they have. Finally, they thanked Frau Lena and Rapunzel tucked the pouch of holly berries in her skirt pocket and did her best to
look weak and tired as they made their way back to the kitchen.

  “Is she well?” the guard asked.

  “We had feared she would lose her finger,” Cristobel said, “but Frau Lena sewed it back on. I hope she will be well enough to help with the feast preparations.”

  “Don’t worry. I can work with only one hand,” Rapunzel said. “Frau Lena wrapped it up so I won’t get blood in the food.” She gave the guard a weak smile as they entered the kitchen and then shut the door.

  The other servants were already hard at work on the night’s feast—Claybrook and Margaretha’s wedding feast. Frau Lena had made Rapunzel’s bandage loose enough that she could slip it off and work just as hard and help prepare the feast. She simply had to make sure she didn’t forget to put it back on before she left the kitchen.

  Hour after hour they obeyed Cook’s frenzied orders as she worked to make a feast fit for the wedding of their beloved Lady Margaretha—even though it was a forced wedding to that fiend, Lord Claybrook. Nearly every minute Rapunzel was thinking about the holly berries in her pocket. She made silent pleas to God as she worked, for success, and also that those little berries could somehow help save her own sister from a terrible fate.

  Gerek’s body was weary after riding hard for days. But he was buoyed not only by the fact that they were now very close to Hagenheim and preparing to fight, but that they had been joined by Lady Rose’s nephew, the Duke of Marienberg, and all his knights and soldiers. Even though they would not need to recruit the local men to help them fight, many of them were coming voluntarily.

  Darkness was falling, but Duke Wilhelm and his men would not sleep tonight. The plan was to attack Claybrook and his men at dawn and take back the castle and the town.

  An Englishman named Colin le Wyse was there, along with his father, an English earl, and his men. Colin had also been at the castle the day Lord Claybrook had begun his take-over, and he and Margaretha had escaped together, intent on reaching Marienberg to bring the duke and his men back. But Margaretha had been captured and taken back to Hagenheim by Claybrook’s men, while Colin had gone on to Marienberg to secure the help of their allies. His courage and success in bringing the Marienberg forces would be perhaps the most important key to their victory over Claybrook.