Most nights I'd dream of leaping from my window, sprouting wings, floating to the ground, and exploring the world below. When I woke up, I'd touch my back to feel the wings, praying they were still there. But this was not a time to daydream. I opened the crumpled sheet of paper with trembling hands and saw Mother’s perfect handwriting in neat black ink.
‘We have secured Rapunzel’s replacement.
The ceremony will take place as planned.’
I frowned. What did Mother mean by “replacement?”
“Rapunzel!” Ade called through the door. “Your ceremony is starting soon.”
“One minute,” I called back. Another message was scribbled in the corner of the paper in messy, unfamiliar handwriting
‘The stables.
The red caravan.
Run.
Now.’
I looked out of my tower window at the stables near the city gates. Was Marius trying to sneak me out of the city?
I could hear a key rattling in my doorknob, so I placed Prince Marius’s note under my pillow. My bedroom door flew open, and Mother stood beside her guards with a key in hand. She twisted her raged expression into feigned concern.
“Rapunzel, I was worried sick! Why aren't you at your party?”
“I wasn't feeling well. This corset is too tight.” I pulled at my corset.
“Well, you are in luck, you don’t need it for your ceremony,” she said, walking over to me and fixing my hair. “No need to wear a corset with your robe.”
“Robe?” I questioned.
“Why yes, it’s customary to wear a robe to your ceremony. You'd usually change right before the ceremony, but since you are already in your room, how about you put it on now.” She turned to Rowan. “Be a dear and fetch Rapunzel her robe.”
He bowed and stole a quick glance at me before he scurried off to do mother’s bidding. When he returned with the robe, I saw that it was a ghostly white, and made with the finest silk and lace. It wasn't as flashy as my ball gown, but gold thread embroidered ancient symbols into the silk. I recognized some of the faint markings as a language that I'd only seen in mages’ spell books.
“You didn’t tell me about this part of the ceremony,” I said.
She nodded. “Yes, well, there's a lot of things about the ceremony you don’t know. You’ll find out as you go.”
“Did you wear a robe?”
Mother tilted her head in confusion.
“At your ceremony. Did you wear one?” I asked again.
“Oh, Rapunzel, that was 500 years ago! I don't remember all the details.” She dismissed my question with a swipe of her hand, then grinned. “I remember what came next. After the party, the dinner, and the ceremony, I fell asleep with the knowledge that tomorrow I'd be queen. I remember putting on my crown for the first time. And most of all, selecting my king. I knew I'd help lead this Kingdom to greatness, the same as you will.”
I tried to read Rowan's expression as he handed me the gown, but though his face was pointed towards mine his eyes seemed to look past me. Through me.
I put the gown on my bed, then followed my mother's gaze to my hands. They were trembling.
“I’m sorry,” my voice cracked as I spoke. “I didn’t want to show any weakness on the day I was to become queen, but I’m a little scared. I’m not accustomed to being around so many people. I came up to my tower to catch my breath.”
Mother pulled part of my hair over my ear. “You’ve always been a brave girl. I know you can do this. The ceremony will start after dinner. Hurry down,” she said as my sister, Rachel, joined her at my bedroom door, cradling something large in her arms.
At first, I thought Rachel was carrying a doll, though at the age of fourteen I hadn't seen her play with one in years. It cooed and lifted an arm. My heart swelled with excitement. I ran over to take a look. I hadn't seen a baby since Rachel was one, but when I took a closer look I gasped in shock. This baby had brown skin and sharp ears like mine. Could we have the same father?
“Isn't she cute!” Rachel smiled at me, but my mind flashed back to the words on the note.
We have secured Rapunzel’s replacement.
“She looks like me.” I watched Mother’s face for answers. “What kingdom is she from?”
“She’s from our kingdom now,” my sister interrupted. “She’s going to stay here with us.”
“Why?” I asked, still watching my mother. “Does she have the same father as me?”
“Rapunzel, we don’t have time for this. You are late to your ceremony.” There was a challenge in her ice-blue eyes. “I need you to start behaving like a queen. Get dressed. Come down. Address your people.”
I felt conflicted. Maybe Marius was wrong, or worse, maybe he was trying to sneak me away for selfish reasons. My mom worked hard to shield me from my enemies, but maybe one had found his way inside.
“I will,” I promised. “Let me change.”
As the door finally shut, I let out a sigh. It felt nice to take off my corset, but I left my garter intact. I found the tiniest blade I could, not much larger than my index finger, and tucked it sheathed inside my garter. I didn’t own any proper weapons, but this was better than nothing. Then I slipped on the robe and grimaced when I saw that it was translucent. It left little to the imagination, and my blade was noticeable.
I untwisted my hair and let my long locs crown my face like a lion's mane, my cursed ears were visible and proud. I removed the small blade from my thigh and hid it twisted in my long, thick coily hair.
I questioned whether I should trust Marius or mother, but a queen didn’t run from her kingdom. I didn’t know who my enemy was, but I was ready to fight.
***
When I walked into the dining hall, with my big hair out and pointy ears visible, the crowd finally looked at me instead of my feet. I found my place at the table, across from my mother. A big fat ham sat between us. There were six people on each side of the rectangular table, with my mother and me at each end.
“Rapunzel, what did you do to your hair?” Mother snapped. She knew this was how it looked more often than not.
“I let it down.” My tone was light as I looked around the room.
Representatives from all three kingdoms were here: kings, queens, princes, and high lords. Marius sat to the right of mother, and was the only man to not stare at my hair or ears. He looked down, his hands fidgeting with a napkin on the table until he finally placed them in his lap.
My mother and I were the only women in the room, and I thought about the fact that when I selected my king he’d be the first King that The Studer Kingdom had in 500 years. Even though we were a matriarchy, I felt pressure to choose a perfect match.
“I like it out,” a man from the Akalik Kingdom said. “I can see her ears.” But his honey-brown eyes looked dark and greedy as he said it, his voice mocking.
At that moment the big, heavy, wooden dining room doors swung open and a priest and two mages came in.
I glanced at my mother, who smiled sweetly at the mages as they started chanting in an ancient language that neither of us could understand. As they spoke, the gold thread on my gown started to glow. I caught Marius watching me again.
“Run,” he mouthed before turning to watch at the mages with mother.
The ham sat untouched as a server passed out wine to all of the guests, skipping over me.
If it were any other day, if I hadn't just been given proof that my mother was planning to replace me, I'd have jokingly asked if I was old enough to drink yet. My throat was parched, and wine would have been nice. But at that moment, I felt too terrified to speak.
The priest carried me a drink in a tall golden goblet, holding his arm outstretched as he took it to me, as if he was afraid the drink might explode. Dragons with beady red eyes and detailed scales were carved into the gold. The dragons reminded me of the hilt of Marius’ katana.
When the priest placed it before me on the table, I looked at the blood red liquid and gulped.
Why was my drink separated from the rest? Was this a normal part of the ceremony? The mages stopped chanting. They stood at the doorway, next to the priest and my two guards.
My mother offered me an encouraging smile. Her eyes were alight with excitement as she stood to make a toast.
“Rapunzel has the power to grant the Three Kingdoms another 500 years of peace and prosperity. Drink to the wisdom of the Bahkiah Kingdom, to the strength of the Akalik kingdom, and to the eternal reign of the Studer Kingdom!” mother said. “We offer blessings to Rapunzel as she leads us to greatness!”
They lifted their glasses off the table, and after a second of hesitation I did the same. Marius' eyes were wide with concern, and my mother’s grin was eager. She gave me a slight nod, encouraging me to take a sip.
I looked around the table. Whenever my eyes met one of the men's gazes, they looked away. Marius was fidgeting in his chair now, and his father was staring at him now. I could all but see his father nudging him under the table.
“Drink Rapunzel,” mother insisted.
“Rowan,” I said instead.
My mother’s gaze narrowed, her lips forming a tight line.
“Y-yes, my Lady?” Rowan asked.
“Take a sip from my goblet first.”
He gasped and traded a concerned look with Ade, who looked away and held a deadpan expression.
“What?” Rowan asked, breathless.
“Rapunzel…” my mother said, but I interrupted her.
“Rowan’s job is to keep me safe at all times. He should be able to handle testing my wine.”
“That's not how the ceremony works,” my mother said through gritted teeth. “It’s tradition…”
“I’ll be queen tomorrow. I’ll make my own traditions.” I stood up from the table and carried my goblet over to Rowan. He looked at my mother.
“Do as she asks, Rowan,” my mother said with a sigh.
“But Your Highness...”
She slammed a fist on the table. “Do as she asks or I'll have Ade slit your throat right here and now.”
Rowan swiftly took the goblet, raising it to his lips with shaky palms. The red liquid splashed about, falling down his fingers, dropping to the clear marble floor. I could see sweat forming on his brow, all but dripping into the drink. He took the tiniest sip, then held his breath as he waited for my approval.
“More,” I said.
He glanced at mother again.
“Tomorrow I’ll be your queen,” I said. “You’ll need to get accustomed to taking direct orders from me.”
A tear slipped down his cheek as he took two big gulps of the wine. He handed the goblet back to me with trembling hands, but he was standing upright and seemed healthy. It looked like he was full of nerves rather than poison.
“Now can we please get on with the ceremony, Rapunzel?” my mother asked. “Quickly. You have guests here waiting.”
I carried what was left of my wine back to the table and took my seat, unsure of what to believe.
Maybe Marius had been lying to me all along. I sighed and lifted the goblet to my lips as my mother smiled in approval.
A large thump echoed through the room. I dropped my goblet when I saw that Rowan had fallen to the ground. He was clawing at his neck, ripping at his armor, and taking labored breaths. He coughed up blood and mucus as he whimpered on the floor. The people in the room looked alarmed, but not necessarily surprised. They looked to my mother for guidance, and gaped at me in fear.
I looked at my mother, wondering if she’d try to give some explanation. I didn’t want to believe that the woman who had raised me for eighteen years was trying to kill me—at a public dinner party no less. But she offered no explanation. Instead, she turned to Ade.
“Seize her,” my mother called, and the guard who had protected me my entire life, the one who’s been the closest thing I'd ever had to a father, lunged at me with his blade drawn.
***
Ade was strong, but I was quick. I pulled the blade from my hair and stabbed it in Ade’s gut, right beneath his breastplate. Blood gushed onto my white gown as he fell to my feet. If I paused and gave myself even a moment to think about what I’d just done I knew my heart would break. So I didn’t pause; I ran.
The mages tried to weaken me with spells as I pushed my way out of the dining hall. The priest dashed away from me as if I were a demon, not the blessed savior of the Kingdom they said I was a second ago.
I made my way out of the dining hall back to the grand hall. Dozens of guards were waiting at the palace exit with weapons ready, and I realized that my guards hadn't been hired to keep me safe, but rather to keep me prisoner. My tiny blade would be useless against their broadswords and war hammers, so rather than fighting my way through an army I raced up the spiral stairs. If I could just make it to the peace of my room, I could at least spend a few extra seconds alive. Maybe, just maybe, I’d find a way to escape from the window like I'd done in my dreams.
I could hear the army behind me, their loud graceless steps no match for my nimble ones. I resisted the effects of the mage's spells as I made it to the top of the staircase. Rachel stood in the hall outside my room, rocking my replacement to sleep. The baby played with my sisters long, blond hair. I wondered if my sister knew what was supposed to happen to me tonight. I considered grabbing her, or the baby, as collateral to barter for my life. But mother knew I'd never hurt Rachel, and the baby might be my own blood. The army was close behind me. I locked myself in my room, but I knew mother would have a key.
I was raised to die today. All eighteen years of my life led to this moment; the moment the only family that I ever knew would betray me.
I glanced out my window to the town below. The people looked like insects from up here. I studied the castle to see if there was any possible way to climb down. I remembered my dreams of growing wings and talking off in flight. It would take a miracle to stay alive today.
I could hear the click of a key in my door as it swung open, and I could feel the mages weakening me. The gold thread on my gown was glowing black. My body felt heavy, like weights were attached to my limbs.
I willed myself back towards the tower window, glanced down the 200-foot drop, and decided I wanted to die on my own terms. Right as Abe pointed his sword at my throat, I leapt from my window to see if I could make my dreams come true.
***
I didn’t sprout wings, but what happened was just as magical. My body drifted to the ground as if I were a feather. My heart raced with aw and excitement as the sea breeze teased my hair as I made my way down.
What type of sorcery was this?
I glanced up to see if a mage was helping to slow my fall. I looked towards my window and saw my mother looking down at me. A guard stood beside her aiming his bow and firing an arrow at me. I caught his arrow and smiled at Mother as I drifted to the world below.
The tips of my toes touched the ground first, and my heels followed. I’d never been outside the palace before, and I wanted to take it all in—the sun felt brighter and warmer than it ever felt from my room and the Kingdom looked so full of possibilities. But I didn’t have the luxury to explore. The second I was free; I took off running.
I wondered if I could blend in with the townsfolk and live the rest of my life as a common girl, but my ears were a tell-tale sign that I was different. I found my way to the stables and peeked inside. The horses were twice as beautiful as they’d looked from my tower, but they were three times smellier than I’d imagined.
I leapt into the back of a red caravan, grateful for a curtain to hide behind. As I caught my breath, pain shot through my legs and my arms. I gasped for air as I took in my surroundings. The shipments, food, and supplies were in boxes and under blankets. I knew the guards searching the city would kill me on sight if they found me, but there were plenty of places here to hide.
I briefly wondered how the townspeople would respond to the news that their princess was murdered, before I realized even that aspect of my
life had been a farce.
The townspeople didn’t know of my existence because Mother had never intended for me to be queen; that title would probably go to Rachel one day.
“Don’t scream,” an unfamiliar voice said from behind me. Before I could think of a reply rough hands grabbed me and pulled me down, covering my mouth with cloth to muffle my scream. A strange scent filled my nose and made my head woozy. Suddenly, I was falling again, slipping away from the known world. My body grew weak as my mind fell into darkness.
***
“Did you see a baby?” a voice called through the darkness.
“She’s out cold,” another voice said.
“I saw her eyes blink,” the first voice insisted. He had an odd accent that I couldn't place. “She’s waking up.”
Was I waking up? I willed my heavy eyes to open and looked into the warm, brown eyes of a boy of about fourteen years. His long locs were pulled back from his face, revealing the point of his ears.
“Did you see a baby?” he asked again.
The tree I was pressed against was uncomfortable. Despite my pounding head, I tried to sit up straight. But my arms were met with resistance when I tried to push myself up.
I glanced over my shoulder. A sailor's rope tied my wrists to a tree, but I didn’t see the sailors, or boats, or sea that I'd watched from my tower window. The Kingdom was long gone, and I was in some type of makeshift settlement. The ground was covered in sandy brown dust, and the sun’s rays were hotter than I’d ever imagined they could be.
The caravan I’d hidden in was nearby, but so were hundreds of others. Could this be some type of town for nomads?
“Let me go.” My voice was weaker than I wanted it to sound. A girl with red hair and freckles walked to the boy's side. She looked about my age and wore loose fitting, wrinkled, dirty clothing.
She grinned. “Hello, Rapunzel.”
I looked around and saw people from all three kingdoms in this community, but they weren’t like any of the people I’d met before. They were thin, and their skin was covered in scars. The children played in the dirt with no shoes.
Once Upon A Dystopia: An Anthology of Twisted Fairy Tales and Fractured Folklore Page 6