Rescuing Rapunzel (The Princess Chronicles Book 3)

by Tarrah Montgomery

  Before we begin our training sessions, which is the only time I get to go outside, they always let me sit on a bench near the garden to enjoy the fresh air for a few minutes. I take lots of deep breaths and bask in the sun (at least as much as possible while wearing a mask). All too soon, I have to return to my room in the tower. And then it’s just what I can see from the arrow slit. Here in the tower, it is hot in the summer, and cold in the winter, and the rain comes in if it’s coming down at the wrong angle.

  There are two children who often sneak into the gardens to spy and play. They like to hide in the woods and watch me as I practice with my trainer. They have no idea who I am, since I am always wearing my mask. They are so different in their features; I have to assume they are friends and not siblings.

  Each time I see them, the boy grows a little braver and creeps closer, while the girl stays behind the farthest tree next to the pond. One time I tried to make eye contact with the boy, but he was shy and pulled back to hide with his friend. I love watching them, choosing not to expose their hiding place so one of my guards won’t ask them to leave.

  Then, it’s back inside my room in the tall tower to practice my dance routines and combat skills. Maybe, today, I’ll start learning Russian. It should take me a couple of weeks. Or perhaps, I’ll learn to make baked Alaska or baklava or maybe take up tatting. Or I could design a clockwork dog or write my memoirs.

  When the days are slow, which they always are, my mind quickly goes back to my memories of home. Snow, you’re the person I miss the most. Of course I miss my parents terribly, but you’re the person I spent most of my time with. I don’t have one memory without you in it. We were always together, through thick and thin.

  I hope you’re doing well and that you’re happy. Maybe by now you’ve found a boy to love. My heart aches, knowing I won’t get to share that excitement of first love with you.

  Lately, I’ve been working on a ballet I used to do with you, Snow. Do you remember the dance the two of us liked to perform for our parents before they had to go to a celebration ball in the castle? Remember how long we worked on it? I think I’ve got it perfected.

  Over the solitary years in the tower, that little dance has evolved into a full-fledged performance. I inserted more steps to the essential outline of the routine, and then I continued to add until the dance is more like a play of some sort. I titled it “Winter’s Snow” and dedicated it to you, Snow. I often wonder if I will ever get the chance to show it to you.

  When times are the hardest and dancing isn’t enough to soothe my heartache, I cry into my pillow and sometimes scream into my blanket. It’s hard to be strong all of the time. To get by, I try to focus on just one day at a time and not think about how long I may be in the tower.

  I had some bad news today when I was outside for my weekly training session. In the garden, I overheard a couple of servants talking about the king’s frail health and about how everyone in the kingdom is worried that he may not have long to live.

  Snow, I’m worried. Will I ever get to see my father again?

  It might be time for me to try to escape again. I can’t risk not seeing my father again. I’ve spent too many years without him as it is.

  Let the planning begin.

  Love,

  Punz

  Chapter 5

  Snow White

  by the Brothers Grimm

  But now the poor child was all alone in the great forest, and so terrified that she looked at all the leaves on the trees and did not know what to do. Then she began to run, and ran over sharp stones and through thorns, and the wild beasts ran past her, but did her no harm.

  She ran as long as her feet would go until it was almost evening, then she saw a little cottage and went into it to rest herself.

  Everything in the cottage was small, but neater and cleaner than can be told. There was a table on which was a white cover, and seven little plates, and on each plate a little spoon, moreover, there were seven little knives and forks, and seven little mugs. Against the wall stood seven little beds side by side, and covered with snow-white counterpanes.

  Little Snow White was so hungry and thirsty that she ate some vegetables and bread from each plate and drank a drop of wine out of each mug, for she did not wish to take all from one only. Then, as she was so tired, she laid herself down on one of the little beds, but none of them suited her, one was too long, another too short, but at last she found that the seventh one was right, and so she remained in it, said a prayer and went to sleep.

  When it was quite dark the owners of the cottage came back. They were seven dwarfs who dug and delved in the mountains for ore. They lit their seven candles, and as it was now light within the cottage they saw that someone had been there, for everything was not in the same order in which they had left it.

  Failed Mission

  }Snow White}

  My head pounded and my back ached. I sat up and realized my bed of straw was in a horse stall.

  The last thing I remembered before someone hit me on the head was a lit tower. Then everything had gone dark. I touched my head and winced at the good-sized bump.

  How could I be so stupid? Why did I believe Theresa was taking me on a a rescue mission to save my cousin? Now I've been kidnapped too.

  Grasping the sideboards of the stall for support, I slowly stood. My vision went dark and I held onto the rough wood beneath my fingers until the fogginess passed.

  There were several horses in the stable, each in its own stall. I recognized neither the horses nor the barn, which had a higher pitched roof than the ones at the castle.

  I reached out to the horse in the nearest stall. He nuzzled my hand, and I leaned my check against his. “I think I might be in trouble.”

  The horse grunted softly.

  “I need to figure out what to do,” I said. “Can you tell me where I am?” If only horses could talk, I thought in despair.

  I patted the animal again, then pulled my cloak tightly around myself and walked to the barn door. After peering out to make sure Theresa or her accomplices weren’t lurking nearby, I stepped outside.

  I stood in a valley where I could see for miles and miles. A few trees dotted the farmland, spreading as far as the eye could see. The landscape was much different than in Fenmore Falls, where trees were so dense farmers had to plow around them.

  A brown brick home stood about fifty yards from the stable. I hurried over and quietly knocked two times. While I waited, I glanced around nervously, preparing to run if necessary. When nobody came to the door, I knocked a little louder. The house remained quiet. I thought about borrowing one of the horses to get home, but I didn’t know where the castle was.

  I knocked again. No one answered, so I turned the doorknob and pushed it open a few inches to peek inside. “Hello,” I called.

  Silence greeted me. Two armchairs sat next to a fireplace, Their plump cushions looked soft and inviting, and I couldn't resist sinking into one of the chairs.

  My eyelids soon grew heavy as I melted into the comfy chair. I’ll just sleep for a few moments, I told myself.

  Sometime later, a hand shook me awake and a voice said, “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

  Standing in front of me were seven oddly dressed boys wearing really weird hats. The boys looked to be about my age. Each one gave me an interrogating stare that made me squirm.

  “Pardon me.” I sat up and pulled my cloak closer. “I’m only looking for my way home.”

  “It looks like you were sleeping in our house,” said the boy who had shaken me awake. His brown eyes and dark hair peeked out from beneath his hat. He scowled deeper than the others, and he was playing with a pocketknife.

  “Calm down, little brother,” said another boy, who came to stand by my interrogator. “Let’s find out her story. Maybe she’s lost.”

  “Whatever,” mumbled the scowling boy. He turned on his heel and marched to the other side of the room, where he used his small knife to pick at his fingernails
.

  The new boy took my hand in his and gave me a soft smile. “Forgive my brother Maddox. He’s not used to strangers in our house.”

  “He’s not used to anyone, period,” piped in one of the others. Two or three of the boys snickered in response.

  I tried to withdraw my hand, but my new greeter gently squeezed it and said, “My name is Edison, but you can call me Eddy. What’s your name?”

  “Sn . . . Sara.” I pretended to have forgotten. “I think it’s Sara.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Sara?”

  I nodded.

  “Well, it is good to meet you, Sara,” Eddy said. “We’re the Atwood brothers.”

  “Pleased to meet you.” I glanced around at the other boys.

  “You’ve already met Maddox, the grumpy middle child.” Eddy tipped his head toward the boy in the corner. “I’m the oldest, followed by the twins, Sunny and Sanders. Then there’s Lark, Sebastian, and Dude.”

  As Eddy recited their names, each boy gave a nod or a smile. Under their watchful stares, I pulled my cloak even tighter.

  The youngest one, Dude, rushed toward me when Eddy called his name. But before Dude could shake my hand, he tripped and fell.

  While several of the brothers laughed at his clumsiness, I reached out to help him. “I’m glad to meet you, Dude.”

  With a wide smile, he was definitely the friendliest of the brothers. “Glad to meet you, too,” he told me.

  “Are you really all brothers?” I asked, thinking they were very close in age.

  “Yes, all seven of us,” Eddy answered. “We’re all a year or less apart. And we have an eleven-year-old baby sister.”

  “Your poor mother,” I thought out loud. then immediately covered my mouth. “I’m so sorry,” I mumbled through my fingers. “I didn’t mean that.”

  Eddy laughed out loud. “Don’t apologize. Yes, our mother had her hands full with us boys.” His smile disappeared. “She passed away a few years ago. We live with her sister Emily now.”

  Other than Maddox, who still played with his knife in the corner, the boys stood in reverent reflection, each bowing his head in respect.

  “I’m so sorry about your mother,” I said softly.

  “It’s all right,” Eddy replied. “At least our happy memories of her will last forever.”

  “Where did you live before you moved in with your aunt?”

  “We lived in Blackfoot before we moved here to Shelley,” Eddy said.

  Blackfoot? Shelley? Huh?

  “Tell her some of us were already living here before Mom died, to help Aunt Em with the farm,” said one of the brothers.

  Eddy muttered something, but I missed it.

  “Where did you say you moved from?” I asked, even though I knew I’d be just as confused as the first time he told me.

  “Blackfoot,” he said with a raised eyebrow. “Is that where you’re from?”

  I shook my head. “No, I’ve never heard of that place.”

  His eyes went wide. “You’ve never heard of Blackfoot?”

  The other brothers’ mouths dropped open.

  “Well, I’ve heard of it,” I lied. “I just meant that I’ve never been there.”

  “You haven’t been to Blackfoot?” Eddy asked with even more surprise.

  Oh dear. I’m digging myself into a bigger hole. I shrugged instead of answering and making it worse.

  “Where do you live?” he asked.

  Rubbing the lump on the back of my head, I suddenly got a brilliant idea. “Actually I can’t remember.”

  Eddy reached back to feel the swelling lump. “Did you fall and hit your head?”

  I nodded. “My horse bucked me off, and I don’t remember anything after that.”

  “She’s lying,” Maddox grumbled from the corner.

  With a sigh, I let tears well up in my eyes and roll down my cheeks. Rapunzel always said I was the actor in our family. Nobody could trick a cupcake from the cook faster than I could.

  “I’m sorry to inconvenience you,” I whimpered. “I don’t know where I am, and I don’t know what to do.”

  Eddy patted my back. “It’s going to be okay. You can stay here until we figure out where your home is.”

  “Oh brother,” groaned Maddox.

  I sniffled loudly. “If you could just show me a nearby inn, I won’t bother you anymore.”

  “Nonsense,” Eddy said. “It’s no trouble at all. Besides, Aunt Em would skin us alive if she found out we didn’t help a damsel in distress.”

  “You can have my bed,” said Dude, still standing close by.

  The other brothers laughed. “I’m sure you’d like that,” one of them said.

  Dude scowled in confusion.

  “Don’t worry,” I said to him. “That was nice of you to offer, but I’m fine sleeping here in this armchair.”

  “I’m sure Aunt Em will want you to sleep in her room,” Eddy said. “You probably don’t want to be alone in a house with seven brothers.”

  My face grew hot. It was very improper to speak of such things out loud.

  Eddy must’ve noticed my embarrassment, because he said, “That’s not what I meant. You’re safe in this house, I promise.”

  “Thank you.” I tipped my head toward him. “Truly, thank you for helping me.”

  “It’s no problem at all.” He turned to his brothers. “Sanders, run and tell Aunt Em about our guest. The rest of you get back to your chores.”

  As the brothers headed out the door, all except Maddox turned and smiled at me. At least most of the brothers seemed nice.

  Now to figure out where I am. One thing I knew for sure: I was farther away from the kingdom of Fenmore Falls than I had thought.

  And much more gullible.

  Chapter 6

  Rapunzel’s Last Memory of Snow White

  “Punz, don’t eat the cake,” Snow White shouted. “It’s green.”

  She was talking in her sleep. Again. I covered a giggle. I couldn’t wait to ask her later if she remembered having a nightmare about a green cake.

  I slid off of the bed, walked to the door that connected our bedchambers, and stepped inside her room.

  “Don’t eat it,” Snow yelled again.

  I climbed into her bed and put my arm around her. “Shh, it’s all right,” I whispered.

  She relaxed. “Don’t eat the cake.”

  “Shh,” I soothed.

  With one last sigh, she said, “I love you, Punz.”

  “I love you too.”

  I waited for her breathing to slow before I returned to my own bed.

  It was the last time I saw Snow.

  Making Contact

  Dear Snow,

  It was actually your childhood dream of eating a green cake that gave me the idea to sneak a green note to the two children in the garden. The note explained that I was the lost princess and where I could be found. I wanted the children to take the note to the castle.

  I waited anxiously for my release the next day to go outside and carry out my plan. Sadly, Saturday came and went, and I was still stuck in the tower. Another disappointing day passed, and then the entire weekend. Argh! How could I wait even longer? Now I felt like an animal trying to chew its way out of a locked cage.

  Finally, on Monday, on the dot of noon, my guardian unlocked my door, and because I couldn’t make my face believable, I skipped outside for my exercises, full of extra energy. The sun shone brightly. I only had a handful of minutes to enjoy it. Usually, I tried to walk as slowly as possible to soak up every precious second before I had to start my training, but this time I had a mission and I hurried to the garden bench and sat.

  I pulled the hidden folded green paper from my sleeve and carefully placed it in the tall grass behind the bench. As I hoped, the piece of paper blended in perfectly. I chanced a peek at the bush where the two children often hid. If they weren’t there and didn’t see me hide the note, all my planning would be wasted. I could barely see the top of the boy’s hea
d above a bush. I didn’t see the girl but was certain the boy had noticed what I did. Now, I just had to wait.

  Leaving the note for the children changed something inside of me. For so long I lived in fear of the unknown. The tower was my safety, but I couldn’t ignore the burning desire in my heart to return home. Surely after ten years there was no longer a threat to my life. But either way, I couldn’t hide and wait anymore. I needed to see my father.

  I gave one last glance to the children’s hiding spot and then stood to join my trainer for our exercises.

  Hopefully, I won’t have to write you anymore letters because I’ll be home soon and I can talk to you face to face.

  Love always,

  Punz

  Chapter 7

  Snow-White and Rose-Red

  in Classic Fairy Tales Retold, by Helen Cresswell

  One evening there came a knock at the door. The mother said, “Quick, Rose-Red, open the door. It must be a traveler seeking shelter.”

  But when Rose-Red opened the door, she saw not a man but a great black bear.

  Rose-Red screamed, the lamb bleated, the dove fluttered, and Snow-White hid under the bed. But the bear said, “Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm. I am half-frozen and only want to warm myself a little.”

  “Poor bear,” said the mother. “Lie down by the fire, but take care you do not burn your coat.”

  In a Place Called Idaho

  }Snow White}

  The brothers had only been gone a few minutes when I heard the front door open and a woman’s voice demanding, “Where is she?”

  “She’s sitting next to the hearth,” replied Sanders, the twin who had gone to find Aunt Em.

  The woman, who was probably around my mom’s age, hurried into the living room and marched up to me. “What is your name?”

  I sank farther down into the chair. “Sara.”

  “Where do you come from?” Her blue eyes bored into mine, making me squirm.

  “I . . . can’t remember,” I stammered.

  “Hmm.” She stepped away and pushed back a few strands of hair that had escaped her bun. “I hear you hit your head.”