My Name is Rapunzel

by K. C. Hilton

  The man said nothing.

  I took a few steps toward him, then a few more. I was close to him now. I could reach out with Father's rifle and touch his back. Still he didn’t move a muscle.

  “What's your name?” I asked in a calmer tone.

  The man slumped his shoulders then shook his head. He wasn't going to tell me. I took another step forward. I could hear him breathing. “Please, tell me your name.”

  “I can not,” he whispered.

  “Why not?” I closed one eye and readjusted my grip on the gun.

  “I just can not. I am sorry to have bothered you. It will not happen again.” There was sadness in his voice. He put his hands in his pockets then started walking away.

  “Wait!” I yelled then jogged to catch up with him. I didn't stop behind him. No, I was going to stop directly in front of him. I would make him stop. I had the gun.

  When I approached he stopped moving and covered his face with both hands. “Go away! Do not look at me! Just leave me alone.” He held his head down.

  “What's wrong with you?” I asked. Why was he covering his face? Leprosy was out of the question. His hands looked fine. “Look at me,” I said.

  For a man who had watched me from the hillside for I don't know how long, a man who approached a dragon-guarded castle in the black of night, he sure seemed scared of something.

  “I'm not leaving until you tell me why you're here and what your name is.” I could be stubborn, too. I wasn't some young innocent girl anymore. Looks were deceiving.

  Was he crying? The whimpers were unmistakable. I dared to lower the rifle and step closer to him.

  “What’s wrong? Let me help you.” I reached forward and touched one of his hands. He jumped and pulled his hand away like he’d been shocked with electricity. But, still, he kept his face covered.

  “Do not touch me!” He moaned through the hands over his face. “Leave me alone.”

  “Look, you're the one who came walking up to my home. Remember? Let me help you.” I tried to reassure him by placing the gun on the ground. If this was some kind of trick to disarm me, then it was well played.

  “Nobody can help me.” He stepped away. “Please, just leave me alone. I am sorry I ever came.”

  “Fine. But this is your last chance, because I'm leaving tomorrow, for good. So you won't see me anymore.”

  His breathing stilled. Or maybe stopped.

  How long should I wait? At least I tried. What more could I do, remove his hands by force? There must be a good reason for him not to look at me. “I'll leave then.” I picked up my gun and walked away.

  “I am sorry. Please, wait.”

  I stopped, but didn't turn around. “What do you want with me?” I began to turn.

  He gripped my shoulders and stopped me.

  My fingers tightened on my gun. I could knock him out with it if I had to.

  “Please, do not turn around. Do not look at me. Please.”

  Why did he not want me to look at him? What was he hiding?

  “All right. I won't look at you. Are you going to answer my questions?”

  “Why are you leaving? Where will you go?”

  Now, he was supposed to be answering my questions, not the other way around, but I'd play along for a bit.

  “There's nothing for me here and never has been. It's time for a change,” I said.

  “Where will you go?”

  “What's with all the questions? Look, I don't know who you are or even your name.” I didn't have to tell him anything. He was the one trespassing.

  “You know who I am. I've loved you since the day I saw you.” He slid one hand to the side of my arm.

  What nerve! “You don't even know me! How could you say that?”

  “I would have had a happy life, having you as my wife,” he whispered.

  Was this some sort of game? How would he know the words so similar to those I recited to myself every night as I drifted off to sleep and every morning as I awakened? Only one person had ever said those words to me. It couldn't be. It wasn't possible!

  I pulled away from his grip and spun around. Before I could see his face, he covered it with his hands and cowered away from me.

  “Do not look at me!” he yelled.

  I reached out and touched his hair. He didn't jerk away from me this time.

  “Henry?” I whispered.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  “Henry! Is it you?”

  “Yes, it is me.”

  I grabbed his wrists and tried to remove his hands from his face. He only held them tighter and resisted me. “Why will you not look at me? If it's truly you, then show yourself!”

  “Stop! You can not look at my face.”

  Tears soaked my cheeks. I wanted to see the face I had only seen in my dreams for the past 250 years. I wanted him to hold me in his arms and tell me he loved me. I’d tortured myself and believed Henry was dead, but now he stood in front of me, and wouldn’t even look at me.

  “If I see your face, then I will change.”

  I shook my head, not willing to believe that anything could come between me and my Henry. If he was here after this many years, then we were meant to be together. And we would be.

  John. What about John? All this time Henry had been here, he could have reached out to me. He could have kept me from falling in love with John. But was I even in love? Or was John just convenient? Someone who was here. The only one who was here.

  Oh, why hadn't Henry spoken up sooner? Did he have doubts?

  “I need to see you. Please. Move your hands.” I pulled on his fingers that pressed over his eyes. “I don't understand. Tell me what's wrong.” I needed to see his face. I wanted to hold him. I wanted to kiss him. “I thought you were dead. After all these years, I find out you're alive, and you won't even look at me!”

  It was a miracle he was alive. Everything came rushing through my mind about that horrible night—all the details, the yelling and screaming and Henry being gone when I woke up on the ground. It was too much to bear. Why had Henry left me alone? Why had he not told me he was alive? My muffled cries turned into wailing, and Henry just stood there, slumped over and covering his face.

  “I am sorry, Rapunzel,” Henry whispered in my ear.

  “Wait.” I stopped crying and glared at him. “How is it possible you're alive? The witch killed you!” I needed answers and I wanted them now. “Why did you wait all these years to tell me you're alive? Why?”

  How was it possible to be so happy and so angry at the same time? My Henry was alive and standing in front of me. I wanted to reach out and touch him, but first I had to know. The anger had overpowered my joy. “You left me alone!”

  “I never left you, Rapunzel. I have always been with you, watching you.”

  “Was that you on the hillside watching me?” I asked. If it had been him all this time, then it was true. He’d betrayed me. He left me in the clutches of the dragon when we clearly could have broken free. Together.

  “Yes, that was me.”

  “Then why didn't you come to me and tell me you were alive? We could've been together. I don't understand any of this!” Did he not love me enough to actually be with me?

  “I could not.”

  That was it? That was his explanation? “Are you going to tell me more?” I asked. Henry never used to be like this, this secretive. What had happened to him? I feared I might lose my mind if I didn’t find out.

  “If I see your face I will change into a dreadful creature, and I do not want you to see me like that.” Henry sighed with despair.

  “What do you mean? What sort of creature?” I took a few steps back. Was he a werewolf? I took a few more steps back.

  “It does not matter! You said you were leaving tomorrow. I assume you are leaving with that man?” Henry asked firmly. “And what about the witch? Are you taking her along too?”

  “Henry!” I was shocked. “I'm not going to leave now that I know you're alive. Why would I? I love you,”
I said softly. I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. “I would never leave you.”

  “What about that man? The one I saw you kiss? He climbed into your tower.” His shoulders dropped a few inches. “Do you love him?” His voice was a whisper.

  “Of course not. I don't love him. I have only ever loved you. Yes, it's true. I was going to leave. I mean, I wanted to love him, to be loved. I wanted to leave.” Sobs shook my body. “I thought you were dead and there was nothing for me here. He found a way for me to leave this place and finally be free to live. But now I'm not. I won't leave you.” I reached for him.

  I traced across the back of the hands over his face. “If you can't look at me, then keep your eyes closed and remove your hands. I want to see your face. I've missed it so much.”

  He slowly lowered his hands and scrunched his eyes tighter still.

  I stared for 250 years. At least it felt like that long. I found every crease and crevasse I’d memorized so many years ago and dreamed of every day since. I traced them with my eyes and imagined the feel of my lips on his. It was him. It was truly Henry, standing in front of me. He looked the same as I remembered him. He hadn't aged one day. He was beautiful. “Kiss me.”

  Henry leaned his beautiful face down, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled me close and without looking at me, his lips found mine.

  It was home. The very kiss I had been dreaming about had come to life again then turned into a fervor I had only dreamed about. How could I make it last our lifetime?

  We slowly pulled apart and my lips felt swollen. Henry wrapped his arms around me and settled his chin on the top of my head. “I am sorry, Rapunzel. I have missed you so much,” Henry whispered then held me a little tighter. “I love you.”

  I felt safe in his arms again. “I love you, too.” I looked up at him. Before I could look away, we locked eyes.

  Henry shoved me back, and I fell to the ground. What had I done? No!

  He ran.

  With each step his body morphed into something inhuman. First his legs, then his arms—they became black as night with green iridescent scales. Then his back extended into a tail with a serpent’s end. His body grew to the size of four wagons.

  Henry was the dragon?

  Henry was the dragon.

  All this time? I sank to my knees and clutched the earth. No!

  Henry roared and lifted his dragon face to the moon. His wings spread and he began to rise. Within seconds, he was gone into the clouds.

  I fell to the ground and buried my face in my hands as sobs overtook my body. If only I could die.

  “Rapunzel! Rapunzel!” Gretta yelled from the castle. “What are you doing out there? You know you're not supposed to be out after dark. The dragon, remember?”

  The familiar roar bellowed from the sky.

  Henry. He must have heard Gretta.

  Another roar accompanied the sound of rushing air as he swooped down and flew toward the castle with a speed I’d never witnessed before. Streaks of fire lit up the night and streaked toward Gretta like arrows.

  Henry wanted her dead and now he had his chance.

  I heard Gretta scream, then the dragon roared so loud I had to cover my ears.

  I sat there in the grass and watched Henry fly through the air and circle the castle. He was taunting her. He wanted her dead, and he wanted me back in the tower where I would be safe.

  The dragon wouldn't hurt me. He loved me and I loved him. Henry flew toward me and landed about thirty feet away from where I stood. I crept toward him.

  “I won't hurt you.” I whispered then reached out and touched him—the dragon.

  He was beautiful and I loved him.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  “Rapunzel!” Gretta’s shrill voice called out to me as I walked up the steps to the tower. “Rapunzel, stop right there!”

  “What do you want?” I spoke through gritted teeth. How dare she even say my name? All these years, I thought Henry was dead, but he wasn't. Gretta put a curse on him and it kept us apart. Henry had been kept in an even harsher prison that I had for all those many, long years.

  “You know the rules! You're not supposed to be outside after dark. The dragon could kill you!” Gretta's weakness revealed itself in her anger. Or was she just scared? She had come close to feeling the wrath of the dragon.

  “The dragon won't hurt me. He protects me.” I raised my voice this time. Why did I let her get to me like that? I could go away with Henry and live in his cave. It wouldn't matter if he were a dragon. I loved him and wanted to be with him. Man or beast. “Just leave me alone, Gretta.” I raced toward the tower.

  “I forbid you to go outside after dark!” Gretta's voice echoed up the stairway.

  “You can't tell me what to do!” I yelled back at her, and continued upward. Ignoring her would be the best option from that point on. I had nothing more to say to her.

  “You're going to ruin everything, you spoiled brat. I'll have to do things my way from now on.” Gretta yelled. Her words were nothing but empty threats. What could she possibly do? Kill me? If she did, she would die. Sentence me to an eternity alone? Oh, she’d already done that. There was nothing she could do to upset me tonight. Henry was alive, and I would find a way to be with him in any form. Nothing, not even Gretta, could stop me.

  When I reached the tower all I could think about was Henry being alive. It was a miracle. Gretta might have cursed him, but I would rather him be alive and a dragon, than to be lost forever. Rummaging through my things, I wanted to pack and leave this place immediately. I wanted to be with Henry. Oh, how I wished I’d had more time to talk to him. We needed to figure this out. Why had I not listened to him? I should never have forced him to look at me. I was stupid! Maybe he could wear a blindfold when he was with me. Anything so we could be together.

  I was too excited to go to bed, so I went to the window and scanned the sky for Henry. He was out there, somewhere, watching me, like he always did. I stood there for what felt like hours, then sleep overcame me and I found my way to the bed. I would surely have a happy dream that night.

  “I love you, Henry.” I hugged my pillow as I drifted off.

  ***

  I stretched my arms over my head and yawned. It had been a long time since I slept through the night without a nightmare. It would be a wonderful day. A day of decisions. Empowerment. If only I could see the future and know for sure what the right move was. Any wrong step…

  I got ready as fast as I could. I had to go to the mailbox and wait for Henry to appear on the hillside. I might not be able to touch him from that distance, but I could at least see him. Maybe I could go to him, as long as he kept his eyes closed or averted. We’d have to make an agreement on how that could work. My heartbeat sped up as I considered the possibilities.

  I stuffed a handkerchief in my pocket, just in case. I didn’t want him to accidentally look at me. I wanted to spend every moment with him that I could. We needed a plan.

  I gathered a few things so I’d never have to return to this tower again. I wanted to be with Henry and nothing would stop me.

  Wait a minute. Why did I need to leave? This was my home. It was time for Gretta to leave. Henry could live here with me and we would be happy together. We didn’t need to run away. We were home.

  I couldn’t wait to tell Henry.

  I rushed down the steps and entered the kitchen. The aroma of coffee and bacon pelted me. Gretta kept her back to me.

  “Happy birthday, Rapunzel.” Gretta’s voice was low and gravelly.

  How could I have forgotten my own birthday?

  “Thank you.” I kept a wide berth around her as I reached for a biscuit. I couldn’t put it off any longer. I had to tell her. “Gretta, it’s time for you to leave. I no longer have need of your services. Pack your things and be gone by the time I return.” There, I said it.

  Gretta laughed.

  Has she lost her mind? What was so funny? “This isn’t a laughing matter, Gretta. It’s ti
me for you to leave. I no longer want you living here. This is my home.”

  “I promised your father I would take care of you, so I won’t be leaving. This is my home, too.” Gretta faced me, her jaw set with determination.

  “No. This is my home, and it’s time for you to leave.” I spoke in even tones.

  “I’m not going anywhere, dear, and you can’t make me.” Gretta laughed again. “Besides, where would I go?”

  “I don’t care where you go. I want you gone.” The heat rose from my chest, up my neck, and made it to my ears.

  Gretta had returned to her work at the stove. She seemed unfazed by my eviction notice.

  “Fine, then I’ll leave.” I made my way to the other side of the kitchen. I needed to get out of there. I needed to talk to Henry. We would figure something out.

  “You’ll not be going anywhere, Rapunzel.” If her voice hadn’t been so calm and self-assured, I might not have taken the bait. But something in her tone chilled me.

  “What are you talking about? I can leave if I want to. You can’t stop me.” I just wanted to find Henry and wrap my arms around him.

  “I believe I can.” Gretta hobbled to the window and looked out on the field. “What about that precious dragon of yours—or should I say, Henry?”

  Just as I suspected. “You knew the dragon was Henry all along? Why didn’t you tell me?” I wanted to strangle her.

  “Of course I knew, my dear. I was there.” Gretta said, then cocked an eyebrow and laughed. “Don’t you remember? Now, do as I say or something awful might happen to your precious Henry. The dragon in him loves the smell of my brew. What would happen if it were accidentally poisoned? Kind of ironic that it would take a brew that heals people—keeps them young forever—to kill either you or him.”

  “You wouldn’t dare!” I yelled again.

  “Oh, but I would,” Gretta said. “We had a deal, remember?”

  Maybe once and for all I could get some answers. “Why me? Why did the deal have to be with me?”

  Gretta shook her head. “I never understood why your father tried so hard to keep your ancestry a secret. I should think he’d be proud that your great, great grandfather was an illustrious sorcerer. He loved his wife so much that he tried to sustain her youth forever. Problem was, something went wrong. The qualities of youth and beauty were passed on to new generations, through the females, but not to her. She died in childbirth not even a full year later.”