My heart beating faster, I got up from the table. The librarian was nowhere to be seen, and I preferred things that way, since this wasn’t an issue I cared to investigate with a stranger around.
Pushing back any sort of hesitation, I made my way through the numerous aisles. The library was huge, and with every step I took, I became more and more nervous, but also more convinced that I needed to do this.
I was looking for the anatomy section, but I ran into something else first, rows and rows of shelves dedicated to romance literature. I remembered the ballad Medwin had gifted me with. It had mostly been a sweet tale, the passion of the main characters consummated behind closed doors. But perhaps if I looked closely, I’d be able to find something different.
I soon found that, with the quantity of volumes available, it was a fool’s errand to look for a particular one by myself. I persevered, but as more and more time passed, I finally surrendered the battle. Even if there was content like I had in mind here, I wouldn’t be able to detect it through a simple browsing. I’d have to read each book, one by one, which was next to impossible.
Kneeling on the floor, I heaved a sigh. Perhaps I would have been better off in the anatomy section, after all, but now that I’d started looking here, something else just seemed wrong. Many of the titles I’d seen sounded very nice and promising, something I’d enjoy reading even on my free time. I just wouldn’t be satisfied until I found the answers to my questions.
Frustrated tears pooled at the corner of my eyes. By rights, I shouldn’t even have had to go on this quest. I shouldn’t have had any problems with knowing something as basic as my own gender. Medwin and Magda had no reason to lie to me, so I could easily just trust them. I was so stupid for not being able to do so. How could Medwin even like me and show such patience? When was I going to stop hiding behind my past and take my life in my own hands?
As I thought this, I felt magic stir inside me, ready to obey my wishes. I tried to push it back, not wanting to cause an accident in the library. To a certain extent, I managed, but my hair still broke free of the knot I’d tied it in and climbed on top of the shelf I was in front of, much like a vine. It knocked a book from the upper section straight at my feet, then settled down to be normal, motionless hair once more. Grumbling under my breath, I made a mental note to find a way to control the damn thing. Truly, I was surprised Medwin hadn’t run in the other direction, given all the trouble it got us it. Not to mention that it could get very creepy.
For the moment, I took advantage of the hint my magic had given me and picked up the fallen book. As I started to browse through the pages, it soon became apparent that it was no regular romance story. In fact, it didn’t seem to be a novel at all, but more like an encyclopedia, perhaps one that had been accidentally placed here. Explicit images detailed all manners of sexual intercourse, both between men and women, and for same-sex couples.
My face flamed and my hands trembled as I scanned the images. I shouldn’t be doing this. Any decent maiden would be able to tell me that this was very, very wrong. But I simply couldn’t look away. I sat there, taking in image after image. The first section, about heterosexual intercourse, was sexy, but didn’t inspire particularly intense desire within me, although I did find myself drawn to the male of the images. Thanks to the detailed explanations, I could understand everything that was going on, both for the male and the female participant. However, I could also clearly see that the woman had parts I didn’t.
The section dedicated to intercourse between two females also clearly illustrated that fact, although it didn’t arouse me in the slightest. Finally, I reached the last section of the book, dedicated to sex between two men. Fire exploded through me from the very first image I saw. The picture in question showed one of the men thrusting his erect member—his penis—into the nether channel of his partner, while reaching for the second man’s hard shaft. I could so easily imagine myself and Medwin imitating the act.
With a whimper, I reached under my robes and found my member hard. All right. That settled it. I was a man.
For whatever reason, the realization came as a shock. I clutched my chest, fearing that my heart would stop right then and there. Why had my father lied to me? Had he wanted a daughter and been unsatisfied with having a son? Did he deem me that inadequate?
I was torn between that ache and the need to experience Medwin’s touch, to have him caress me and take me, exactly like in the picture. My vision blurred from tears, but I stubbornly continue to flip the pages, drunk on the passion my own imagination fed into my mind.
“What are you reading?” a familiar voice suddenly asked.
I yelped as Medwin’s words snapped me out of my enthralled trance. I’d completely missed his approach. As I looked up at my handsome prince, I guiltily snapped the book shut. “Nothing,” I replied automatically. I was supposed to be learning more about my magic. Goddess, what would Medwin think if he realized what I’d actually focused on?
Medwin had been smiling, but his pleasant expression melted into a concerned frown when he saw me. “Rapunzel? What is it? Why are you crying?”
I struggled to control my still falling tears, feeling stupid and childish for being unable to keep my emotions in check. “It’s…”
“Please don’t say it’s nothing again when I can clearly see that’s not the case,” Medwin told me as he knelt by my side. “I don’t expect you to trust me just like that, but at least tell me how I can help.”
His kindness was almost more than I could bear. Dropping the book, I lunged at him and hugged him tightly, burying my face in his chest. Medwin held me close, petting my hair, whispering soothing murmurs. The magic I channeled through my long locks responded to his touch, and so, I gradually started to calm down. At last, I pulled away from his embrace and wiped my eyes. “I trust you very much, Medwin,” I told him. “I just feel very stupid right now.”
Medwin’s frown grew even fiercer. “What would possibly make you think that?”
“I just…I realized I’m a man,” I replied.
Even to my own ears, those words sounded pretty ridiculous. In my heart, I’d always known something was wrong with what my father was claiming, but I’d been too afraid to face it, to accept it.
“Oh, Rapunzel.” Medwin’s fingers brushed over my cheeks, and I instinctively leaned into the caress. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here and I let you struggle with this on your own. But what exactly triggered this discovery? I thought you were only going to look over those books on magic.”
He reached for the fallen book, and I froze, remembering exactly what I’d been looking at when Medwin had arrived. I wanted to stop him, but I didn’t get the chance. The moment he looked at the cover of the book, he went very still. “Where did you find this?” he asked, his voice strikingly husky.
My face burning with embarrassment, I curled away from him into a tight ball. “I’m sorry. I was looking for some answers, and my magic knocked that tome off the shelves.”
Medwin must have noticed my mortification, because he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed my temple. “This is nothing to be ashamed about,” he whispered in my ear. “If you read it, tell me, what did you think?”
At his words, the memory of the images I’d seen in the book flashed through my mind. I clutched Medwin’s arm, wanting to share my feelings with him, but unable to do so. After all, even if I admitted my own desires to myself, how could I tell them to Medwin? Then again, how could I not?
Taking a deep breath, I faced Medwin and said, “I…I liked them. I thought…I thought we could do something like that together.”
Medwin’s eyes burned me as he scanned my face. It was just like that time, in the grove, when I’d felt his hands on my bare legs. Only, now, he didn’t pull away. Instead, he abandoned the book and pulled me in his lap. “Rapunzel, don’t tease me with what I can’t have. I’ve been trying not to push you, but there’s only so much I can take. If we go on like this, I won’t be able to hold back
.”
The position allowed me to feel his hard dick nestled against my bottom. Even if a part of me still shied away from even discussing such things, I pushed back my hesitations and doubts and said, “You don’t have to hold back.”
“Do you even know what you’re saying, Rapunzel?” Medwin inquired softly. “Do you understand what you’re telling me to do?”
“I understand,” I replied, amazed when I managed not to stutter. “I want to be with you, Medwin. I want you to teach me everything there is to know about me, my magic, my body. I know I can trust you with this.”
My handsome prince released an anguished noise, and for a few moments, I actually thought I’d placed too much of a burden on him. Instead, he suddenly crushed his lips to mine, his arms tightening around my waist so much I had trouble breathing. Or maybe it was his touch that made me breathless. Either way, at first, I found myself unable to respond. I wanted to kiss him back, to touch Medwin the way the images had shown me, but instead, I just lay there, frozen in his embrace.
It was my first kiss, and for all my bravado, I had trouble even processing it. Much to my dismay, because of my failure, Medwin pulled away. I cursed my own impossibly shy nature and struggled to come up with an apology, with an explanation.
As it turned out, I needn’t have worried. Medwin just caressed my cheek, then brushed his fingers over my lips. “Open your mouth, Rapunzel,” he murmured in my ear. “It’s all right. I’ll take care of you.”
I shivered in his arms and nodded. I would have liked to tell him something seductive, or at the very least, to find a way to express my feelings for him. The only thing I could say, though, was one single word, “Medwin…”
Fortunately, it was enough. Medwin pressed his lips to mine one more time. This time, the kiss was gentler, the passion hiding behind it tamed. I regretted the fact that even now, Medwin felt like he had to control his impulses where I was concerned. But in the end, I knew nothing about this. I could only follow his lead.
Like he had told me, I opened my mouth and granted him entrance. With a grunt of approval, Medwin thrust his tongue into my wet cavern. Instead of dwelling on my surprise and lack of experience, I surrendered to his exploration and did my best to respond.
As I hesitantly tangled my tongue with his, Medwin groaned. He stabbed one hand into my hair, while the other roamed over my body frantically, sliding under my clothes. The garments I’d worn today resembled my Merlinian ones in that they were more like robes than anything else. I still wasn’t very comfortable with Arthurian fashion, and the idea of normal pants was kind of alien to me. I’d have to get used to it eventually, but for now, my robes were really practical, since they gave Medwin easy access to my nether regions.
Even as Medwin lifted the bottoms of my garments, he never once gave any sign of freeing me from our kiss. He was holding me captive by his hold on my hair, and I had no intention to complain. He really did have a fetish with the damn thing, although in that moment, I couldn’t say I particularly minded. When his other hand slipped into my undergarments, though, I began to feel a little light-headed. How could I have ever doubted my true gender? My body responded to Medwin’s touch so perfectly that even if I’d had any remaining reservations, I would have known the truth then.
As Medwin brushed his thumb over the leaking tip of my penis, I could only cling to him and helplessly writhe in his embrace. I’d never felt such pleasure in my entire life. The few times I’d dared to touch myself in that area, I’d felt strangely wary and confused. There was no such confusion now. For the first time since I could remember, my mind was clear of all questions.
I was so close to something momentous. I could feel it approach, burning in my testicles. My magic flared hotter and brighter, until I could no longer even hope to keep it in check.
I didn’t even realize what was happening until a loud crash sounded next to me. Medwin and I broke apart, just in time to watch all the shelves around us start to fall. My hair seemed to have pushed the first one. As the book stacks collapsed onto the one in front of it, the contact triggered a domino effect that spread all throughout this area of the large library.
By the time I broke out of my stupor, at least ten shelves had collapsed. Medwin freed me from his embrace and rushed to try to stop it. I had no idea what he’d planned to do, but seeing him act snapped me out of my trance. My horror at the idea of all the priceless volumes that could be lost finally allowed me to focus my magic. I willed the next shelf to remain in place. Much to my shock, it actually worked. Even when the previous one fell on top of it, my target remained stable. I winced as the blow recoiled into me.
Medwin shot me a look, obviously realizing I must have been the reason why that shelf hadn’t fallen. When he saw I was holding my own, he started lifting the fallen racks. I didn’t move, but I helped using my magic. It became harder for the ones my hair’s length couldn’t reach, but I managed nonetheless.
Rushed footsteps alerted me to the approach of other people. The librarian entered my field of sight, followed by a few guards. “What happened?” the old man asked as he took in the disaster area.
“Prince Medwin, are you all right?” one guard inquired.
“Perfectly fine,” Medwin answered, looking completely unruffled. “It was just a little accident, but Rapunzel and I succeeded to contain it.”
If the Arthurians realized I’d been the cause of the accident in the first place, they didn’t say it. Then again, the shelves were massive, so they likely thought I couldn’t have moved it unless I’d actively attempted to do so. The librarian did give me a narrow-eyed look, as if he suspected something, but made no comment, instead starting to gather the fallen books.
I barely managed to suppress my wince and quickly bound my hair back. Right now, my magic was no longer necessary, and in fact would only make things worse. I wanted to help, but I wasn’t sure where to even start. All the books had been placed in particular spots, and some of them must have been damaged in the accident.
As I mused over this, Medwin took my hand and dragged me away from the scene. “Are you all right?” he asked me, gazing straight into my eyes.
How could he worry about me at a time like this? “The books…” I whispered.
“They will be fine,” Medwin replied. “The really rare or fragile tomes aren’t kept here just in case situations like this happen. Besides, you kept it from going too far. It was an accident, but nothing too serious.”
Books were such a precious thing. The last thing I wanted was to destroy them. I glanced around us at the fallen shelves and moaned, completely disheartened. “That’s it. I’m chopping it off.”
Medwin helped me to my feet and said, “I won’t tell you not to do it again if it bothers you so much. But wouldn’t it be better to understand why this keeps happening? If you’re using your hair as a conduit for your magic, cutting it might make things worse, right?”
He was right, although I suspected he also had an ulterior motive for not wanting me to get rid of the damn thing. Either way, I couldn’t refuse him. The fact of the matter was that I liked it when Medwin touched my hair, too much to give it up.
My handsome prince must have noticed my dilemma. He picked me up in his arms and said, “I’m taking you to get some rest. We can start working on the magic thing later. Now, you have to recuperate.”
I relaxed in his embrace and placed my head on his shoulder. He done this exact same thing after I’d panicked in the palace gardens after his aborted wedding. Had it been less than a week ago? It was so strange. I felt like an entirely different person now. Many things had changed, and Medwin and I had gotten to know each other much better. But Medwin’s protectiveness and affection toward me remained the same.
In a way, I guessed I had always known, from the very moment I’d seen him, that it would be like this between us. He was a special person in that he kept me safe while still managing to tear apart the shell that separated me from the rest of the world. Even if it w
asn’t easy for me, even if sometimes it seemed painful, he guided me through the path I needed to follow and he was there for me every step of the way.
I wasn’t like those beautiful princesses who waited in their towers to be rescued by the dashing prince. For them, the challenge was over once their loved ones defeated the dragon, the ogre, or whoever else kept them from leaving in the first place. For me, my challenge had just begun. I might not have to face ogres, but my fears and uncertainties were far stronger foes. And yet, as long as I had Medwin by my side, I trusted that I could work my way through everything.
Because I knew this, because I knew he was and would always be the one for me, I said, “I don’t want to rest. Take me to your room, Medwin.”
I didn’t have to explain what I meant by those words. Medwin’s breath caught and his heart started to race. Or was that my heart? I couldn’t really tell the difference between us. He had touched me intimately in the library, but even before that, I’d felt him so close to my soul. I wanted us to take that final step, in a place where nothing could intervene, where my hair wouldn’t accidentally knock over a bee hive, a shelf of books, or a waiter carrying trays of food.
Apparently, Medwin agreed, because he asked nothing else. He just kept walking, leaving the library and heading toward his quarters. And when we finally entered his room, I knew that, starting today, everything was going to change.
Chapter Six:
In Which the Maiden Stops Being So Maidenly
When I’d first started my quest to earn Rapunzel’s trust and improve our relationship, I had expected it would take a while for him to fully accept me as a potential lover. He hadn’t been in the slightest bit ready to accept his sexuality, and I’d done my best to get used to that, even if I desired him more than anything in my entire life. I had created elaborate plans to make him more comfortable with me, so that, eventually, sometime in the near future, we could be together in every way.
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