Tower Of Thorns

by Laura Greenwood

  "You may."

  He rises to his full height and then leads me onto the floor. The song the musicians are currently playing ends, which means we're just in time to start a new one. I don't want to think about how much money the academy spends on events like this. Especially when they happen once a month. Then again, Grimm's student body is mostly made up of nobles and royalty, they're used to this lifestyle and come to expect it. Well, it's true for most of them. I suspect I'm not the only one who comes from a less experienced background.

  I part ways with Gavin and take up my position in the line of girls opposite the line he's part of. I recognise the formation of the dance, though one thing that confuses me is how everyone knows which one we're supposed to be doing to begin with. When the music begins to play, I let my dancing lessons take over. I'm paired with Gavin, but the dance involves more people, and soon everyone is moving energetically in a dance full of elegant hops and lots of twirling.

  My gown brushes against those of the girls next to me, the different colours forming a stunning tableau to anyone watching from the sides. My smile is even wider than before. Until I came here, I never realised what a joy dancing like this is. With only Mother at home, I never got a chance to do it. Thankfully, the academy teaches dance as part of the curriculum, and students advance based on skill. As a quick study, I moved from the beginner's class into a more advanced one quickly.

  After what feels like an age, the dance brings me into Gavin's arms. My smile is echoed on his face, and the two of us skip down a tunnel made from other students. Once we reach the end, we split back into our lines and reach up to make another part of the arch with our arms as the next couple dances down.

  The dance comes to a close, and the various partners bow and curtsy to one another. Some of them get ready for another dance, others move off into the rest of the room to get a drink, or to go back to their friends. Not everyone comes with a partner like Gavin and I have, and they only dance when they're asked to.

  "Rapunzel," Ella says.

  I turn and find myself face to face with her. "Is everything all right?" I haven't seen her in a couple of days, and given that almost everyone here has something to do with a prophecy, it's always good to check.

  "Yes." She smiles reassuringly at me. I love your dress. It's stunning."

  A blush rises to my cheeks. "Oh, thank you." I pick up handfuls of the red silk for no real reason. "I made it myself."

  Her eyes widen. "You did?"

  I nod. "We didn't have any dressmakers near where I grew up, so I learned to do it myself." Technically not a lie. Mother wouldn't have let me spend the money on dresses even if we did.

  "Will you teach me how?" she asks. "I can pay you..."

  "You don't need to pay me," I say quickly, not wanting to take on that role. "But I can teach you."

  Excitement dances in her eyes. "Thank you, I really appreciate it."

  One of the boys from my politics class comes up and taps her on the arm.

  "I'm sorry, I have to go," she says.

  "That's all right. We can talk about it later?" I offer.

  "Thank you. I look forward to it." Ella beams at me, truly excited at the prospect of learning to make her own clothes. It's amazing what some of the students here truly want. She waves goodbye, then disappears off with her date for the evening.

  "Who knew a Duke's daughter would want to learn to sew," Gavin murmurs in my ear, his breath tickling my skin.

  A soft laugh escapes me. "You'd be surprised what the people around here want to do."

  "You're right there. But right now, why don't you come out into the gardens with me?"

  I give a fake gasp. "Are you going to try and take advantage of me out there?" I tease.

  "Only if you want me to."

  I slip my hand through the crook of his elbow, and he draws me out of the ballroom and down the front steps of the academy. The moonlight illuminates the pebbled paths that run across the academy grounds. It's a beautiful night, made even more so by the light strains of music coming from the ballroom.

  We walk in silence, neither of us needing to say anything to enjoy the other's company. I don't know what the other courtships at the academy are like, but this is perfect for me. Being with Gavin is easy and comfortable. He makes me feel like I can be the woman I want to be despite the way Mother brings me down. Coming to Grimm Academy, and meeting him, are the two things that have changed my life for the better.

  Gavin stops walking, pulling me around gently so I'm facing him. His face is drawn into a serious look, filling me with concern.

  "Is everything all right?" I ask.

  He nods. "It's perfect. You're perfect."

  I glance away, unsure how to deal with the compliment. "Thank you," I murmur.

  "I want to kiss you," he blurts.

  I snap my gaze back up. Honestly, anticipation, and nerves war for dominance in his eyes.

  "Then why don't you?" I ask.

  "It's not something I want to do without your permission."

  My heart skips a beat. I couldn't have found anyone better.

  "What about our prophecies?" Even though I don't want to, I feel like I have to ask. It's the responsible thing to do.

  Gavin chuckles. "I'm far too in love to worry about a kiss making it worse."

  "You're what?"

  "In love. With you, in case that wasn't clear," he teases.

  "I love you too," I whisper. "No matter how dangerous that is.

  He doesn't wait another moment. He tugs me closer, then presses his lips against mine. I lean into him, enjoying the kiss far more than I should. I don't think I can ever capture how perfect this moment is when I tell people about it. The moonlight, the music, and the sensation of safety, everything makes this into everything I've ever experienced before.

  We may be playing with fire by falling in love, but that isn't going to stop us.

  Chapter Seven

  The knock on my door surprises me. Despite her enthusiasm at the ball, I half expected Ella to not be interested in learning to make dresses once day broke again. Even so, I'd gotten some of the materials we'd need and arranged them on the small table by the fire in my room, along with a pot of tea. The maids must think I'm particularly popular at the moment with the amount I've been ordering for other people.

  "Come in," I call.

  The door creaks. "Am I early?" Ella asks.

  I shake my head. "Perfectly on time. There are some tea and cakes here. The maids on my floor make good ones."

  "Oh, good. The ones on my floor are awful. They over sweeten them, then use too much lemon to fix it." She winces at the thought. I don't blame her, those cakes don't sound good at all.

  "Why don't you come in and sit down, we can talk first?" I suggest, a little nervous at the prospect. I shouldn't be. We're friends, even if we haven't spent much alone time together yet. I suppose that's about to change.

  Ella shuts the door behind her and comes into my room, taking one of the chairs. "Your room is so much nicer than mine," she observes.

  I smile. Almost everyone who has ever seen it comments on that. Not that it's many people. Just her and Gavin, really. "Mother did something to get them to agree to this room. Though I'm not sure what." I sit on the other chair facing her, feeling surprisingly relaxed around someone I barely know.

  "Probably something to do with your prophecy," Ella says. "They'll bend over backwards when they think there's a prophecy student involved."

  I smile weakly. If that's true, then I definitely shouldn't have this room. If anything, it encourages my prophecy rather than avoids it. Not that I'm going to tell Ella that. I don't know her well enough to be confiding in her about things like that.

  "It's one of the reasons I'm here," she continues without waiting for me to say anything. I'm glad for that, I'm clueless about what she wants to hear. "My prophecy involves not having a dress to wear, and being given one. I want to avoid that."

  Ah. Now it makes sense. I nod.
"Being able to make your own should probably stop that," I agree. "How long have you got?"

  "I'm not sure," she admits. "I haven't seen any of the signs that my prophecy has begun, but all I can think about every time one of the balls comes around is if this is the one. I love dancing, and fashion, but it's making me wonder if I should avoid going."

  "You don't want to do that," I agree. "You should be able to live your life without the threat of a prophecy."

  "Exactly!" She sighs, then picks up the teapot and pours.

  Huh. That's not what I expect her to do. She's so far above me in the social hierarchy, I thought she'd assume I'm the one who is going to serve her. Instead, she's treating me, and my skill, with respect. A thread of guilt goes through me at having been so judgmental towards her. I should be more careful in the future, it isn't fair.

  She pushes one of the cups towards me.

  "Thank you."

  "Do you normally do this?" she asks.

  I cock my head to the side in confusion. "Do what?"

  "Talk to your clients before you do anything else," she says.

  "I don't have any clients." Where has she got that from? I don't think I've ever given off the impression I do.

  "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought with the skills you had, you'll have made dresses for others to supplement the allowance your parents give you, my step-mother is strict about the amount I spend every month. I assume most of the other parents are too."

  "Oh." I think about it for a moment. "I've honestly never thought about it."

  "You haven't? I'd be making dresses all the time if I had your skill."

  I chuckle. "Don't you mean when you have my skill?"

  She smiles, but shakes her head. "Somehow I doubt a few lessons are going to take me up to your level. But it would be nice to be able to make alterations myself to make old things look new."

  "You really want to learn how to sew and make dresses?" I double-check.

  "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

  "Most people don't see it as the kind of work nobles should be doing." I shrug. It's not important to me if she's offended by that, though I suspect she won't be. Even from the conversation we're having, she seems like the genuine kind of person.

  "Then they can go to tailors and seamstresses. But I want to be able to do things they can't. Not just for me, but for my friends too."

  Ah. I understand now. It's not about being able to save money, or being able to make her own. This is about something both simpler, and more complicated. She loves fashion, and wants to be at the cutting edge of it without having the budget to back it up. That's something I can understand. While I don't pay much attention to what's in style, I do like seeing what the other girls are wearing and seeing how I can make it my own. I want to have my own style and use it to flatter the way I look. It seems like Ella may be cut from the same cloth.

  She pushes her short curly hair behind an ear. "So, where do we start?"

  "Will you hate it if I say at the beginning?" I joke.

  A small laugh escapes her. "Definitely not. The only way to become the best is to start there. I'm guessing the beginning is the fabrics?"

  I nod. "Kind of. There are other things we need to cover too. The kinds of stitch, the threads to use, and things like that. But knowing which fabrics are good and which should only be used for rags is definitely a good start."

  "They've been trying to sell some particularly shoddy bolts of cloth at the market recently," she says.

  I wince at the thought. "I've never been," I admit. "Mother has some fabric delivered to me once a month."

  "Do you like her selections?" Ella asks.

  "Definitely not," I say with a wry smile. "But I get one of the maids to swap it for colours and fabrics I prefer."

  "Why don't you come down to the market with me and my friends next week? You can have a look at them there."

  "That would be a good way to teach you," I say to myself.

  Ella laughs again, a beautiful sound that I'm sure a lot of people would call tinkling. "I didn't mean as a lesson. I meant so you could pick some out for yourself."

  Oh. Wow. It hasn't crossed my mind that she may make offers like this. "I'm sorry, I can't. I don't have enough of an allowance for that."

  "Then I can get you a bolt. You can call it a gift, or a payment for the lessons you're giving me, whichever makes you feel better about accepting it."

  I want to say no. Kind of. It's a very generous offer, and it feels like too much. But at the same time, I want to go and see what the market has to offer, and the thought of using a fabric I've picked myself thrills me. "Thank you, I'd love that."

  "Oh good, you're not going to argue with me, then?" She almost bounces up and down on her seat, as if pleased I've accepted her gift.

  "I thought about it."

  "But fashion won out?" she says with a conspiratorial wink.

  More laughter bubbles out of me. I certainly never expected to become friends with someone like Ella, but from the way the two of us are getting along now, I suspect that's where we're heading. Especially given our shared interest.

  "Doesn't it always?" I counter.

  "Only when it isn't up against people," Ella says seriously. "Then it always loses."

  And with that, I know our friendship is a sure thing. I love making dresses and having them look good, but if I have to pick between that, and Gavin, I'll always pick him. And if she's of the same mind, then I can see us getting along just fine.

  Chapter Eight

  "I have to go," Gavin says, still standing by the doorway and not doing anything to actually leave.

  "I know," I admit. "But I want you to stay longer so badly."

  He chuckles, then leans in and strokes a strand of my dark hair away from my face. "I know the feeling. And if I could stay here all day, then, believe me, I would. I only wanted to drop off some of the baklava I got at one of the restaurants in town last night."

  I shake my head in bemusement. "That's an excuse, and we both know it."

  "Of course it is," he assures me. "I have no idea if you even like it, though it is delicious."

  "I'll take your word for it." I lean up and kiss him gently. "You taste a little of honey," I say once we break apart.

  "That's the baklava. I think you'll like it."

  My eyes light up at the thought. I love honey, it’s one of the things we always had when I was growing up.

  "But I really have to go. I have a jousting lesson in five minutes and I'm already going to be late." He grimaces, probably at the thought of jousting. He much prefers archery.

  "Go, don't get yourself into trouble."

  He pulls me to him again, then kisses me firmly. I make sure to end the kiss quickly, knowing that if we don't, he'll end up missing his class. And he's not the only one with commitments. I'm meeting Ella and her friends in the library soon. I'm not sure whether to be more excited or nervous about that one. It's taken her over a week to convince me to spend time in the academy with them, even though I had a nice time at the market already. It was a successful trip all around, especially as Ella mentioned the idea of me making dresses for the other girls here again. I'm starting to see some of the merit in the idea, especially if it means I can get better fabrics, and potentially little trinkets for Gavin.

  "I'm going to have to run, now," he murmurs against my lips.

  I chuckle. "You should. Go. Don't let me keep you."

  "You're such a distraction," he accuses, though his tone is light-hearted and I know there's nothing nasty about it.

  "I could say the same about you," I point out.

  He kisses me again, his smile coming through the gesture. But then he pulls away and leaves the room with one lingering glance.

  I shake my head and smile, almost wanting to dance around the room. I'm not sure when this feeling is going to fade, I hope never. He fills me with so much joy, and I don't want to lose the sensation.

  Instead of dwelling on his absence, I make my way over
to my storage chest and pull out the fabric Ella got me. The soft dark pink silk sits perfectly against my skin. It's going to make a beautiful dress, though I'm not sure if I should focus on making it into a gown for the next ball here, or a day dress for when I meet Gavin's parents. That's going to be a day I need to impress.

  The door creaks open, and I spin around, my heart beating with excitement in my chest. Has Gavin decided to skip jousting after all and spend the time with me? I'm sure Ella and her friends will understand why I'm late.

  It sinks again when the person makes their way into the room. Dread twists in my stomach as Mother's austere silhouette sweeps into the room. Her dark hair is swept into a severe bun at the back of her head, which is never a good sign. She only does that when she means business.

  Or when she wants to punish me.

  Does she know Gavin's been here? I thought I'd done everything in a way that wouldn't arouse suspicion, but perhaps it’s gotten back to her anyway? I swallow my nerves. She won't let me feel that weak. I refuse to accept it.

  "Rapunzel," she says. "I see your neckline hasn't improved."

  My eyes widen. Is she not going to tell me off about Gavin? Didn't she pass him in the hall? I'm not sure whether I'm relieved or not.

  "Mother. I wasn't expecting you." Normally, she sends a message ahead of her so I can get time away from my lessons to visit with her. As far as I know, none of the other students have visitors as often as I do. I'm not sure why that is, and it makes me a little uncomfortable at times.

  "I was passing."

  Huh. That's what she said last time as well.

  "I hope you weren't going to leave the room with that dress on," she says pointedly.

  "No, Mother. I was trying it on so I could check an alteration I was making for one of the girls here," I lie smoothly.

  She raises an eyebrow. "Why would you be doing that?" she asks.

  I try to suppress the urge to shift from side to side as she stares at me.

  "I'm struggling in one of my classes and this girl, Ella, offered to tutor me if I helped her to fix and change some clothing she needed making." I hope Mother doesn't want to check if it's true, but hopefully, Ella trusts me enough to lie if she asks her any of that.