Rescuing Rapunzel (The Princess Chronicles Book 3)

by Tarrah Montgomery

  With my feet on the floor, I looked at the red bloom spreading down my side just below my corset, staining my shift crimson.

  “Now look what you’ve done,” the captain tsked, his tone low and sinister. “Why can’t women learn to sit and do what they’re told?”

  He reached out to touch me, but I flinched away. “Don’t be frightened,” he purred. “I’m the only one who can protect you now. Do not be so unwise as to make me your enemy.”

  “You’re the one who accomplished that,” I spat, wanting to smack the sneer right off the captain’s lips.

  The corner of his mouth lifted in a one-sided grin, reminding me of Maddox’s guarded smile. My chest constricted at the reminder of the kind boy I had come to care about. I straightened my shoulders and firmly said, “Take me to my father. He’ll give you all the money you want.”

  The captain threw back his head and laughed. “This isn’t about money.” He laughed again, a brittle sound like breaking glass. “Your father owes me something far greater than money.”

  “What’s greater than money?” I asked angrily.

  The captain gave a wide smile. “The kingdom.”

  “The kingdom?” I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion.

  “Yes, my dear.” He reached out again, and I froze as he stroked my cheek. “You see, Rapunzel, when your father married your mother, I should have become king.”

  “What does my mother have to do with it?”

  “Everything,” The captain’s eyes shifted madly. He paused for effect. “I am your father’s stepbrother.”

  His words slithered down my spine like a snake. Not wanting to believe him, I shook my head.

  He leaned close, so his voice vibrated against my ear. “I’m your uncle.”

  Chapter 21

  A Happy Memory of Snow’s Childhood

  Punz and I had rehearsed all day, preparing to perform our dance for the royal subjects who arrived early for the ball that evening. My parents even joined the king and queen on the royal dais to watch our performance.

  As Punz and I walked out onto the center of the floor, wearing pink dresses made for us by order of the queen, the room rustled with spectators. My stomach did a flip-flop. In my imagination, we hadn’t performed our dance for such a large audience.

  Punz grasped my hand and squeezed it. “Are you ready?”

  I took a big breath. “Yes, are you?”

  She nodded. We looked at the orchestra to give them the signal. As music filled the air, my cousin and I began our dance. My parents beamed at each other and at Punz and me, and the king and queen smiled as well. I giggled when I forgot one step, but I pushed on, feeling the magic of the song.

  Nothing could erase that memory from my brain. I would hold onto it forever.

  Another Rescue Mission

  }Snow White}

  I wondered if Punz still danced. I missed our performances together. Ever since she left the castle, I never dwelt on that long, lost passion. I hoped she still held onto that talent, though. She was always the most beautiful dancer.

  “So, your name is really Snow White, huh?” Eddy asked, bringing me out of my reverie.

  We had been walking along the trail away from Sherwood Manor for about half an hour. No guards lurked anywhere in the house when we got there, and we couldn’t find a carriage or any horses in the stables. The place had been deserted. So, my small group of boys and I had to walk the long way to the castle for help.

  Things rustled and squeaked in the darkness, but luckily, Hansel and Gretel knew which direction to go. Their houses were along the way, and we planned to stop there for provisions.

  To answer Eddy’s rhetorical question, I simply nodded.

  “And Rapunzel is your cousin?”

  “Yes, but we don’t look anything alike,” I said. “She’s beautiful, and I’m the ‘other’ princess.”

  “Why do you do that?” he asked, with an edge to his voice.

  “Do what?”

  “Undervalue yourself like that?”

  “It’s the truth,” I said. “She’s the rightful heir to the kingdom. And beautiful, smart, and kind. I was just the replacement.”

  “If you stood in front of a mirror and asked who was the fairest, I’m sure you both would win in your own different ways.”

  Touched by Eddy’s compliment, I didn’t know what to say. I always felt like I was runner-up to my cousin. My parents always told me I was beautiful, but they were supposed to say that out of love for me. This was the first time someone else suggested it. I knew Eddy was only being kind, but it still meant a lot to me.

  “So, you never had amnesia?” he asked. “You lied to us.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know where I was or who you were. At first, I didn’t know who I could trust. Then Aunt Em said it would be better not to tell everyone. As you can see, I’m pretty justified in taking precautions.”

  “You could’ve told me,” Eddy said, sounding hurt.

  “I know, I’m sorry.” I truly was. He had treated me kindly since the moment he found me in his home, and we had become good friends. I felt heavy-hearted about deceiving him.

  “No more secrets, okay?” he said. “I want to help you, so you’ve got to tell me the truth.” He tipped his head to look me straight in the eyes.

  Warmed at the idea of someone watching out for me, I replied, “All right.”

  Hansel and Gretel veered off the main road, letting us know we neared their homes. Hansel’s house was dark and quiet—except for snoring. We stayed outside and all took turns getting a drink from the well. Hansel brought out some bread for us while we rested.

  The dawn’s light peeked over the horizon as we sat leaning up against the stone wall of the well. In my peripheral vision, a boy approached. He looked to be the same age as Hansel. “Who are you? Why are you here?” he shouted.

  “Peter!” Hansel said. “Quiet, you’ll wake up everyone.”

  “Oh, sorry, Hank, I didn’t see you,” the boy replied. “I thought these people were hanging around, waiting to rob your house.”

  “That’s all right, Pete,” Hansel said.

  We had all stood when the boy neared, and now I bowed my head and gave a small curtsy as I was always used to doing. His eyes grew wide as he looked at me. “Are you the princess?”

  “Yes, it’s nice to meet you.”

  “Hank, why is the princess at your house? And what about all these other people?”

  “They’re here to help rescue Rapunzel.”

  “Princess Rapunzel?” he said in awe. “Is she alive?”

  Hansel nodded.

  “I always knew she was still alive,” Peter said.

  Me too, buddy.

  “Where are you going?” he said eagerly. “Can I go with you?”

  “We don’t need your help, Pete. We’re going to go ask for help from the king.”

  “The more aid we can get, the better,” Gretel piped in. She had been standing by the well but stepped closer when the boy arrived. Her cheeks were a cheery red, and she smiled in the direction of the newcomer. “Hi, Peter.”

  “You’re letting Gretel help?” he exclaimed. “She’s a girl!”

  I watched as her smile slid from her face. “I can do anything you can do, Peter!”

  “Whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “Hank, you have to let me come with you. My dad’s got a load of chores for me to do today, and I can get out of them if you let me come with you.”

  “Fine,” Hansel said.

  A bit of light returned to Gretel’s eyes.

  “We should all take a bathroom break before we head out again,” Maddox suggested to the group. “Boys over here, and girls can use the outhouse.”

  Gretel whispered in my ear, “I have to run over to my house really quick. It’s just past those trees; I’ll be right back.”

  “All right,” I said. She sprinted off.

  Alone for a moment, I walked to the outhouse. My circle of friends had certainly changed in the sp
an of a week. The seven brothers who didn’t hesitate to volunteer in this crazy search with no clues warmed my heart. Especially the oldest brother.

  Reining in my feelings for Eddy got harder every time he showed his caring, courageous heart. His kindness was almost foreign to me, compared to my boyfriend’s condescending treatment, with his excuse that he was trying to “help” me. In fact, when I compared Aleck’s actions with Eddy’s, there was actually no real comparison. Eddy outclassed Aleck in every way.

  Come to think of it, I hadn’t thought about Aleck in a long time. How refreshing. My mind had been too occupied.

  Hearing footsteps, I turned to see a woman in a cloak. Her hood cast a deep shadow over her face. “Hello, my dear,” she said very quietly. “Don’t be frightened. I mean you no harm.”

  “Who are you?” I asked, poising myself to scream for help.

  “I’m a lonely traveler.”

  “You’re alone? Do you need some food or water? We have some over there.” I pointed to the other side of the house.

  “No, my dear.” She held up a bright-red apple. “I offer a different kind of food to those who are in need.”

  “An apple?”

  “Not just any apple,” she replied. “A magic apple.”

  I huffed. “Those don’t exist.”

  “Yes, they do. This is truly an enchanted apple.”

  “Are you a magic worker?” My cousin and I had read a history book of Fenmore Falls that talked about people in ancient times claiming to be “magic workers.” No one I knew had ever met one, so I figured it was just a rumor.

  “It will make someone fall in love with you,” she said, almost in a hum. Instantly my mind went to Eddy.

  Don’t be ridiculous! I told myself.

  I turned to walk away.

  “Wait!” the woman shouted in a panic. “Take it with you.”

  She ran up to me and thrust the apple into my hand. She wasn’t as old as I first assumed, perhaps my mother’s age. “Please, just take it, and if you ever feel the yearning for something, take a bite and your wishes will come true.”

  I stared down at the bright-red apple in my hand. Would it be offensive if I didn’t accept the gift, even if it was laced with a woman’s craziness?

  Without an answer, she tucked my fingers around the apple and said, “There’s no harm in trying.” And then she turned with a flurry of her cape and sped off into the woods.

  As I watched her disappear behind the dense wall of evergreens, a sense of familiarity with the woman struck me. A small part of her seemed to nudge a memory into the forefront of my mind. It was her beautiful green eyes. I only saw them for a second when she curled my fingers around the apple and then spun away, but I was pretty sure I had seen those green eyes before. I couldn’t quite catch the tail of the memory, but I knew it was important.

  Eddy glanced in my direction when I walked back to the other side of the house to meet up with the group. When he saw me, his shoulders sighed in relief.

  “What?” I asked when I stepped next to him.

  “I was worried because Gretel came back alone, and I didn’t see you.”

  How sweet. I didn’t even know he noticed.

  Since he cared for my safety and wanted to help me, I probably should have told him about the strange woman who gave me the apple. However, he would probably think I was being silly to worry about such nonsense. There really was no reason to trouble myself about an old woman and an apple, was there?

  What would I wish for if the apple truly had magical powers and could grant my every wish? I looked up at Eddy’s face and stumbled. Would I really wish for someone like Eddy to love me for me and not try to change me like Aleck did?

  If I had a real enchanted apple in my hands right that moment, would I be able to make a wish like that? Or would I be too scared to do it? What if it took his agency away? Would I rather lock him into a relationship with me and know he was mine, or would I rather he choose me on his own?

  “Are you okay?” Eddy stepped close to my shoulder so only we could hear our conversation. “I was worried about you.”

  “I promise, Edison, I’m okay.”

  “In some ways, you’re a lot like Lindsey,” he said.

  The sweet connection with Eddy I had felt only a moment ago blew away at the mention of his crush back in Idaho. I looked down at the dirt to hide my frustration.

  “She’s independent just like you and sometimes won’t admit when she needs help.”

  I‘m not like Lindsey, I thought to myself. Well…at least I don’t think I am.

  “She presents a hard exterior, but deep down she is vulnerable just like the rest of us.”

  Even though I hated being compared to Lindsey, I had to wonder if I was similar in the way I acted. Back at the castle, I didn’t have many friends. My lady’s maids were friendly enough, and Aleck pretended to care, but I didn’t have any true friendships.

  Because I’m the royal heir, people always cozy up to me and give me false praise by the buckets, but I’ve come to realize it’s pretty meaningless. Real friends are hard to come by

  Having Eddy standing so close to me and having the so-called enchanted apple in my hand, I wondered what it would feel like to have someone actually care for me. His conversation about Lindsey reminded me of my sad relationship with Aleck. That thought was all it took for me to throw caution to the wind and eat the apple.

  I held the shiny, red fruit up to my lips and silently said, “I wish Edison Atwood would fall madly in love with me.” I knew it was a silly wish, but besides saving Rapunzel it was my heart’s desire.

  I closed my eyes, then opened them and took a big bite of the crisp apple. The burst of sweet juice squirted into my mouth and filled me with euphoria. It took me a few moments to chomp and munch.

  “Where did you get that apple?” Hansel asked as he marched toward me.

  The corners of his mouth pulled down in a frown. I didn’t think it was possible for a boy that young to show such fury. His outburst was oddly giving me a headache. I never got headaches, but I could feel one creeping across the front of my forehead.

  Eddy came to my defense and said, “Calm down, Hank. What’s going on?”

  “Snow, where did you get that apple?” Hansel tried to keep his temper down, but obviously something agitated him.

  “I got it from a woman I met on the trail to the outhouse,” I said, rubbing my temples to relieve the growing pressure of my headache.

  “You just now met a woman in the forest.” It was a statement, not a question, and it was his turn to try to control his temper.

  “She seemed nice and said she travels around to help others.” My headache decreased if I squinted my eyes a little.

  “Of course they all seem nice at first, Snow,” Hansel said, surprising me by using my given name instead of using my title of princess like he usually did. “These people promise they’ll grant your every wish. When the customer pays them money, then the ‘magic workers’ are gone and nothing comes from their expense.”

  “How did you know she was a ‘magic worker’?” I asked.

  “There are no apple trees around here that grow red apples. That one has been coated artificially.” Hansel pointed to the bitten fruit still in my hand. Now that I looked harder, the red goo that covered the apple looked a little off—too red and shiny. Something wriggled in the freshly bitten piece. I hurled it to the ground, and, shuddering, backed away.

  “I didn’t give her any money,” I said. “I offered her some of our food and then she gave me this enchanted apple.” I felt sick to my stomach from realizing the danger I could have been in when I was alone in the forest. In fact, it began to boil inside me, aching like I’d eaten a hive of angry bees. I felt like I was going to toss my cookies.

  “She didn’t ask for any money?” Hansel asked, confusion in his voice.

  I tried to shake my head, but it hurt terribly to move. “She didn’t ask for anything in return.” By that time, I cou
ld do hardly anything but moan and crouch over, holding my head and my stomach.

  “That makes me worried,” Hansel said. “I’ve never heard of a ‘magic maker’ giving something to someone with no strings attached. We should probably keep the apple somewhere safe to see if anything happens to it. It could be a poison apple.”

  “Wait, are you saying I just took a bite out of a poison apple?” I pushed past the pain that darkened my eyes and threatened to knock me out.

  I could hear myself shouting, but I couldn’t help it. I was in too much pain.

  Eddy pulled me close with his arm over my shoulders. He then put his other arm under my legs and swung me up into his arms, cradling me like a baby. It surprised and delighted me to be held so close. I just couldn’t enjoy it. I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck and took a deep breath, which ended in a moan.

  “Snow, how much did you eat?” Hansel asked, before he picked up the discarded apple that fell to the ground and looked for himself. “At least it’s only one bite, but I still don’t know how much time you have left.”

  “For what?” I mumbled against Eddy’s neck. I felt goosebumps crawl up his neck as my breath warmed across his skin.

  “We have to get you to the castle to get rid of the poison from your body,” Hansel said.

  As my mind closed down, I remembered the woman’s green eyes. They haunted me—they and the apple. Then it dawned on me. Harvest dance. She was there! She tried to feed us apples back then!

  “Edison,” I breathed, finding it hard to open my eyes or even talk because my body hurt.

  “Don’t talk, Snow. They found you a carriage so we can take you to the castle.”

  “Eddy,” I whispered again. “It’s important.”

  He bent to look me in the eye. “What is it?”

  “Rapunzel…I know who took her.”

  “Who?”

  “It was...the apple woman.” I was losing consciousness. All I could think of was the pain swirling in my stomach. “So...tired.”

  “Snow?” Eddy questioned, while shaking me a little.

  “Are you sure it’s the same woman?” Maddox had come closer where Eddy was holding me and joined our conversation. “Are you sure?” Maddox asked.