My Name is Rapunzel

by K. C. Hilton

  My Name is Rapunzel

  Published by K.C. Hilton

  © 2013 by Katrina Chilton

  LCCN 2013919148

  First Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to my awesome husband. You are my best friend and my true love. You have always been my fairy tale.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  PART ONE

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  PART TWO

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-one

  Chapter Forty-two

  Discussion Questions

  Author's Notes

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Awards

  PROLOGUE

  I peered out my window, waiting for the right moment. There. The sun dropped below the horizon, casting the castle grounds into darkness.

  Now!

  I tied the corners of my blanket together into a knot then slung the makeshift sack over my shoulder. I scurried to the door. Looking back was not an option.

  I had thirty minutes, maximum. That's all I had between the setting of the sun and when the dragon would expect to see the candlelight flicker in my window, my daily assurance to him of my presence in the castle. If he didn’t see that glow from my tower…

  I pushed the door open with my shoulder, careful to move slowly enough that it wouldn't squeak. Rousing Gretta's suspicion certainly wouldn't help matters. If I got caught by the dragon, she had as much to lose as I did.

  I placed my tiptoes on one stone step at a time as I skipped down the spiral staircase—light as a feather.

  Hurry. Hurry. I recited my plan. Get as far away as possible. As quickly as possible. Through the gardens, around back past the Cavanaugh’s cabin. Then what?

  Maybe I needed a better plan. Why hadn’t I thought this through? What if he came after me? I’d never tried to escape before. The first time in almost one hundred years. How far would he chase me? To the ends of the earth, no doubt. It would not take that far.

  I practically flew down through the foyer and past the dining room. I arrived at the Hall of Horrors and turned right. It was all I could do to not run to the end of the hallway and burst through the door to the garden, but I knew noise would give me away. My only hope was that the dragon was resting on the other side of the castle, waiting for my face to appear in the window or for light to shine from my tower. But how long would he wait? A better planner would have kept him waiting once a week or thereabouts to get him accustomed to a varied schedule. He might not have liked it, but at least he’d not have been surprised.

  I creaked open the door to the stairs that lead to the garden and out of the castle walls. I swiftly made my way down the stairs. Just don't fall. What ever you do, don’t fall, I instructed myself with each step down the tiny stairway. Finally, I hit ground level and opened the door.

  Run! It was like my feet were cemented to the stone cobbles that made up the garden walkway. Run! I sped through the garden as swiftly as my legs would carry me past the pond and waterfall and beyond the roses to the surrounding hedge.

  The departure from the castle had taken longer than I'd expected. I should have practiced. Why, in heaven’s name, hadn’t I practiced?

  I gathered my skirts in one clenched fist and reached the other back to hold my pack steady as I ran. I willed my legs to pump faster than they had ever carried me before. I ran toward the open fields beyond the castle grounds. If I could make it to the other side of the expanse where I could take cover among the trees, I should be okay. At least there I had a chance.

  Stars filled the sky and the moon took its place among them, a beacon declaring my absence to the dragon. I was running out of time.

  My lungs burned in my chest as I forced my body to run faster. Come on, Rapunzel. This is your only chance.

  There was a day, over a century ago, when my legs wouldn't budge to make their escape. Now, today, they could move, but likely, they weren’t fast enough.

  I let go of my pack, and then I pumped my arms to help with speed. My burden bumped on my back.

  Thu-Thump. Thu-Thump.

  My lungs were on fire.

  Maybe I should just drop the sack and run on empty-handed. I shook my shoulders and let it fall from my arms and slide to the earth. The bundle bounced across the valley into the ravine. No matter. With it, I'd be caught. Without it, at least I stood a chance.

  Come on, Rapunzel. Run!

  I pumped my legs and swung my arms with each stride. Faster.

  A wolf howled as the full moon took her rightful place in the night sky.

  Time's up.

  I could see the tree line yards away, beckoning me to safety. If I could just get among the trees and hide until the beast gave up his search.

  A roar filled the valley. The castle shook. The earth quaked. It was all over.

  What had I been thinking? Of course he wouldn't let me escape.

  PART ONE

  CHAPTER ONE

  1763

  “Yes, I'll marry you, Henry. Yes!” The tiny squeal escaped my lips. If only I could remain the proper, reserved young lady I was brought up to be, but the excitement was too much. Engaged? At eighteen? To the man of my dreams? A future king, no less? How could I possibly stand still and remain poised as mother would have expected? I bounced on my toes and slung my arms around Henry's neck, pulling his towering form level with mine.

  “Oh, Rapunzel.” Henry's voice groaned as his hands sought comfort on the sides of my face. He gazed into my eyes with such fervor I could nearly feel it with every passing beat of my heart. We were dangerously close, nearly one entity, as we would be for the rest of our lives.

  The warmth of his breath collided with the wintry nature of night in soft, white puffs that formed clouds around my face. His fingertips trailed across my cheek and then my lips, hinting at what was sure to come next. Would he kiss me? Surely, this occasion demanded a kiss.

  Oh, no. I’d not be able to stall our first kiss a moment longer. I longed for a sneeze, a coughing episode, perhaps even a swooping bird to distrac
t us from the heated moment that would soon claim my virgin lips.

  I held my breath and bit my lower lip. Maybe, just maybe, Henry wouldn't want to marry me after we shared the intimacy of a kiss. Especially once he knew I had yet to discover that bliss in my life. He would be horrified to know that no man had ever before found me worthy of affection.

  Should I tell him? What if he laughed? What if he thought I was pathetic in my innocence? He might assume that since no one else had taken an interest in me, there must be something wrong with me. Would he run from me, chased into the forest ahead by an unseen tormenter?

  I saw only deep longing in his rich brown eyes as he leaned in toward me. The sweet smell of mulled cider danced on his breath. What should I do? Squeeze my lips together? Part them in invitation? Was there a strategy or certain rules to follow? If I kissed him and he pulled away from me, rejected me, I'd surely die.

  He had to know.

  ***

  Oh, my sweet Rapunzel. I gazed into her beautiful blue eyes. So innocent. So tender. To think I’d be the only man who would ever touched that face.

  Dare I smile as she strained her timid mouth to reach mine? So desperate for that first kiss, yet so afraid.

  Desperation for a kiss was no strange feeling to me. I wanted it as badly as she. But savoring this moment was delectable…precious. It could never be reclaimed.

  Rapunzel’s shoulders trembled beneath my firm grip. A look of confusion passed across her face. If I waited too long, she’d think I had second thoughts. I drank in the sight of her full lips. When I’d first realized that I’d be the only man to ever touch those lips…I knew she had to be mine.

  A lifetime of kisses awaited us.

  I leaned my face closer and inhaled the flowery smell of her breath.

  She shifted her feet, much like a pent-up horse with the promise of a run. I must let my colt out of the stable.

  I looked into her eyes and offered a soft smile of promise. We faced many challenges, Rapunzel and I, but none of that mattered. We’d have to face them together, and we would. Happily. But what was it that made my parents so angry about our union? They promised to force me from the throne if I married her. Did they have the power? No, that was a question for the magistrates. I wouldn’t even think about that on this day. Nothing would deter me from marrying my love. Not a throne. Not a kingdom.

  I pressed my lips to hers. Shock bounced through my nerves as our skin touched.

  Neither life nor death would ever separate us.

  ***

  I opened my mouth to voice the words of my innocence—words I feared would cost me my true love—but before I could utter a single one to explain myself, I was silenced by the gentle crushing of his lips against mine. Like soft footsteps on rose petals. I closed my eyes and the sounds of the forest disappeared.

  Weightlessness. I could float away, past the clouds and beyond the moon. Why had I put this off for so long rather than allowing Henry to kiss me long ago? But maybe it would never before have been as sweet as it was in that moment, because this instant was perfect for love.

  Henry slowly pulled away, still cupping my face and savoring every second. He whispered, “A happy life is having you as my wife. If I die today, I'll die a happy man.”

  He still loved me. He didn’t recognize my inexperience. He didn’t cast me aside as unlovable or assume others had. How could I not have smiled at that?

  “Nothing could take this feeling from me, not now, not ever. I'll always remember this moment for as long as I live.” As if that wasn't enough to last a lifetime, he added, “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” my voice barely a whisper. “This is the best day of my life.” Tingling waves of joy flowed through my body. I could leap! I could dance! This was the best eighteenth birthday a girl could ever have.

  “Shall we leave then? Together?” Henry reached out a strong hand in expectation of my own.

  I nodded and slid my hand into his. If I spoke, my voice would surely crack with the mixture of joy and mystery I felt about the journey we faced. The sooner we left this place, putting distance between Henry's parents and us, the better off we'd be. We loved each other. Why would they want to keep us apart, anyway? What did they have against me? One day they’d come to see that I meant no harm to Henry or his future role as King.

  Henry bent down and picked up my bag then studied my face. “Are you sure about this? Leaving this way?”

  I gave a swift nod. “Yes, I'm positive.” I'd actually never been surer of anything in my life. Since the moment Father agreed that Henry could have my hand in marriage, I’d never wavered.

  The deep lines of concern washed from Henry's face, giving way to an expectant smile full of possibility and promise. Our grandest desires of a lifetime together were within our reach. As if a lifetime would be enough.

  I squeezed Henry's hand and tugged. “Let's go, my love.”

  A cackle erupted from somewhere near the edge of the forest. I narrowed my eyes and scanned the area, searching for the source. Dark shadows of frightened creatures that had taken flight or scurried away to find shelter dotted the landscape. Where had that noise come from? What made that horrible sound?

  As the sound of fluttering wings cleared along with my thoughts, my eyes rested on the source of the shrill laugh. My knees buckled with dread. If only that laugh had belonged to another soul. Anyone else.

  The witch.

  There she stood at the other end of the clearing—my neighbor, Gretta—at the edge of the woods that should swallow her whole, but wouldn't. Her dark eyes glared a wicked promise. Why did she hate me so? What would she do? What could she do? The possibilities were endless.

  Henry’s grip tightened around my hand. What must he be thinking?

  What was the matter with me? I should feel more…oh, I don't know…fear? Instead, I felt disassociated from my self. Like I was floating above the scene watching it unfold beneath me. Somehow knowing what was coming, like I’d seen it all before in a dream, yet I was unable to look away.

  “How could you?” The shouted accusation hurled over the terrain as though carried on wings of fear.

  That chilling voice—the one I’d vowed to avoid many years ago. I should have run far away from her apparently. But maybe there was no such thing as far enough when trying to escape a witch.

  “I warned you, silly girl. I warned you never to leave me, Rapunzel. And now this? Marriage. The ultimate betrayal of our deal.” Gretta threw back her head and laughed, fiery-red waves of hair dancing like a fire against the forest backdrop behind her.

  Why did she care if I married Henry? I opened my mouth to call out my protest, but she silenced me with the point of her gnarled finger. “It's time our arrangement was satisfied. Don't you agree, my dear?”

  With a final, eerie cackle, the witch raised her hands above her shoulders, pointed them toward the sky, and chanted the sounds I’d heard through her windows all my life. The slow rhythm of her monotone non-words grew with each repetition, building to a climax I knew all too well. But I’d never seen what waited on the other side of the apex. I didn’t want to know.

  “Run!” Henry screamed, his eyes widening. He didn't realize it was futile. “Run!” He grabbed my arm and pulled, his gaze flitting from me to the witch and back again, frantic confusion darkening his eyes. “Why aren't you moving? Rapunzel, run!”

  The witch's chanting grew louder and louder as the moon shone a beam of light on her. The dark, starless sky began to churn and the whistling winds howled through the trees, echoing the witch's chants. A dark and haunting thunder roared in the distance, growing closer by the second. Broken branches, twigs and leaves flew through the air. This wasn't a midnight storm—it was a witch's brew.

  My racing heart pounded inside my chest, trying to burst free and make a run for it. If only it could. The thumping beat grew louder and louder until it throbbed in my ringing ears. Why couldn't I move? I pried my gaze off Gretta and turned to Henry. His eyes dance
d wild with fear as his body leaned away from the scene. His body strained to flee, but his love for me rooted him in place. His head whipped side to side as he searched the horizon for shelter and my face for understanding.

  I wanted nothing more than to run. I truly did. I hadn’t frozen in place because I didn't want to leave the nightmare behind, because I did. I wanted nothing more than to do exactly what Henry told me to do. Run! Go somewhere—anywhere, but that place. But still, I couldn't move.

  Henry grasped my shoulders, then yelled again, “Rapunzel, look at me!” His words cracked with desperation, “Run!” He tried shaking me out of my stupor, but it was to no avail.

  Why couldn’t I move? What was wrong with me?

  Henry tugged on my arm. “Rapunzel!” He pulled me after him for a few steps, but he’d never get very far that way. He dropped my arm and leaned forward, his hands on his knees, panting for air.

  Just go, Henry. Save yourself. I tried to shout, but my mouth wouldn't give way to sound. I was paralyzed. Was it with fear, or something else? The cackling witch at the tree line convinced me it was her doing.

  I heard Henry continue to shout for me to flee, but I didn't respond. I didn't move. I didn't run. I was frozen like a lifeless statue in a cold museum. With only the movement of my eyes, I pleaded with him to help me. A tear escaped one of my eyes then rolled down my cheek. That single tear managed to do what my heart and body could not. Escape.

  Fear, like unseen hands, gripped my lungs and tried to crush them slowly. My stomach churned and threatened to empty. Would we die here?

  The gentle chill of night had turned into a mid-winter's frost. Tiny bumps rose on my arms and the small hairs prickled to attention. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words remained trapped in my throat.

  I’d never actually considered my own death or in what manner life would end. Why would I? I was only eighteen. But now…was this how my life was going to end? It wasn't fair. I wasn’t supposed to die until I reached old age—an old shriveled woman with lots of children and grandchildren. But first I would have had to marry the love of my life, Henry. My prince. My true love.