“No!” I screamed. I rushed over to Lark. Kneeling next to him, I pulled his head onto my lap. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. With shaking hands, I removed the dagger. “Lark!” I gasped, tears spilling from my eyes.
He gave me a weak smile and said between ragged breaths, “Rapunzel.”
Maddox stalked toward the captain. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done.”
The captain took a couple steps back in retreat. “You wouldn’t kill someone without a weapon, would you?”
“You’ve got a weapon,” Maddox motioned toward the knife still stuck in his leg.
The captain pulled the blade from his thigh, shouting in pain. He ran at Maddox like a mad bull, aiming the weapon straight at the boy’s heart.
Maddox moved to the side, avoiding the captain’s lunge.
As the captain moved past, Maddox wrapped his arm around the captain’s neck, holding him in place. “Now you’ll never hurt anyone ever again,” Maddox said. He drew his knife across the captain’s throat, killing him.
I averted my eyes, not wanting to see the life leave the man’s eyes. Even though he would have killed more innocent people and stolen me away and maybe murdered Snow and me, I couldn’t watch him gasp his last breath.
Maddox ran to Lark. He knelt down next to me and grabbed his brother’s hand. I rested my fingers on Maddox’s. “Are you all right?” I asked him.
He couldn’t meet my eyes. “I had to do it,” he said.
I squeezed his hand, wanting him to know I’d be there for him if he needed me.
Maddox eyed the blood seeping from the front of Lark’s shirt. He took off his own and bunched it up to put pressure against his brother’s bleeding wound. “We’re going to take you home, Lark. Aunt Em is going to take care of you.”
“I . . . I’m dying,” Lark said, a gurgling sound coming from his mouth.
“No, you’re not,” Maddox argued. “We’re going to get you to a hospital.”
Lark shook his head. “Tell Aunt Em I love her.”
My eyes flooded with tears, much like the ones dripping down Maddox’s cheeks.
“Hang in there, Lark. You can’t die,” Maddox cried.
Lark’s smile seemed frail, as if, even now, he was slipping into the next world. “Be . . . happy,” he said, reminding me of his personal motto. It made my tears come even faster.
I couldn’t help but smile at Lark’s usual request. His smiles would haunt me for the rest of my life. Any time when I felt the weight of the world crushing the life from me, his smile would be my lighthouse. Gratitude swept through me at the bright influence he had been to me. I wouldn’t let discouragement get me down any more; instead, I would use his happy example to carry me through, even in the bad times.
His gaze drifted to Maddox. “Take . . . care . . . of . . . her,” he said.
Maddox glanced at me, a sad smile on his face. “I’ll protect Rapunzel with my life, just like you did.”
Lark’s eyes rolled back and with a short gasp, he stopped breathing. His head grew heavy in my lap. I cried into Maddox’s shoulder, feeling the shudders take him as well. My own tears were nothing to the anguish I felt for Maddox and his brothers.
This boy, Lark, who didn’t know me before a week ago, had been like a brother to me. He died the greatest reason of all, sacrificing himself to save another.
I let myself mourn the loss of my sweet friend, but my saddened heart soon grew heavy with proud determination to not let his death be wasted. Of course, his memory would always be a sad pain in my soul, but I was going to live a life worthy of his sacrifice. He always told me to be happy, and I would take his optimism and be the best and happiest future queen I could be.
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I stood and faced the remaining men. The pirates had stopped their fighting long ago and stood in one small group with Maddox’s remaining brothers pointing their knives at them. Without their captain, the pirates stared at me, waiting to hear what their punishment would be.
The wind tossed my hair as I looked at every one of them. “There will be no more fighting today. You can either join us or go to prison.”
I spoke with such authority that it surprised me. As I waited for their decision, I never wavered from the intense stare with which I kept them pinned.
Then, silently, Bash, holding onto his wounded side, dropped to one knee, bowing his head, acknowledging me as his leader. I felt humbled by his honorable example, since he wasn’t from Fenmore Falls, but I saw its benefit when his brothers and then a couple pirates did the same. Soon, all of the buccaneers took a knee, giving me their consent to be on my side.
Maddox came up next to me, slipped his hand into mine and squeezed it. “You did it, Princess,” he said.
I squeezed back, “No, we did it.”
Still holding my hand, he joined his brothers and the pirates, and knelt on the ground before me. “Your Highness.”
A swelling of pride burned within me. This is what I was born for, and I would be forever grateful for the seven brothers from Idaho who helped me and taught me not to be afraid of my truly royal blood, no matter where my lineage came from.
I was Rapunzel, daughter of the king and queen of Fenmore Falls, and no one could change that.
I was done hiding.
Chapter 25
Snow White
by the Brothers Grimm
Then he said to the dwarfs, “Let me have the coffin, I will give you whatever you want for it.”
But the dwarfs answered, “We will not part with it for all the gold in the world.”
Then he said, “Let me have it as a gift, for I cannot live without seeing Snow White. I will honor and prize her as my dearest possession.”
As he spoke in this way the good dwarfs took pity upon him, and gave him the coffin. And now the king’s son had it carried away by his servants on their shoulders. And it happened that they stumbled over a tree-stump, and with the shock the poisonous piece of apple which Snow White had bitten off came out of her throat. And before long she opened her eyes, lifted up the lid of the coffin, sat up, and was once more alive.
“Oh, heavens, where am I?” she cried.
The king’s son, full of joy, said, “You are with me.” And he told her what had happened, and said, “I love you more than everything in the world, come with me to my father’s palace, you shall be my wife.”
Saying Goodbye
}Snow White}
I’ve never liked farewells. They remind us that this moment in our lives will never happen again, whether it be good or bad.
I clung to Aunt Em in a big hug, feeling the truth—that her departure meant I would never see her again. She and her niece, Dorothy, arrived at the castle a few days ago, along with Dorothy’s two friends, Alice and Wendy. When the king sent soldiers through the magic door to see if her nephews went back to Idaho with Rapunzel, Aunt Em packed her suitcase and came to Fenmore Falls herself to see if she could help. Dorothy, Alice, and Wendy came along to also, lend a hand. The three girls were astounded to find out they would be visiting a real-live castle.
Thankfully, we no longer needed their offered assistance when Maddox came back to the castle with Rapunzel later that same day. Aunt Em’s visit turned instead into a sad farewell to her once-cheerful nephew, Lark. We had a ceremony honoring him and his sacrifice. I knew he and my cousin, Punz, had grown to be close friends over our short visit to Idaho. Even though I hadn’t possessed the same connection to him that she did, he had always been nice to me and I would miss his ever-present smile.
Our mourning eventually turned it into a merry celebration of Lark’s life and for the joyful reunion of my cousin with her parents. We had a big feast and also a ball to thank our new friends for their help and protection.
Now, at the celebratory ball and on the eve of our Idaho friends return home, I considered all of the recent events and the people who had entered into my life. I would never again enjoy the company of these same friends who had help
ed me more than they could ever imagine. Life would be different, and I didn’t know how to enclose it in my heart. Just thinking of Eddy going back through the door and leaving me here alone felt like a thorn in my chest.
When I first passed through the magic door and found myself in Idaho, I was a scared and timid girl, unsure of myself and of my worth. I went with the flow and even pretended to be in love with someone who didn’t actually care about me. Through my recent trials, I grew stronger and knew I could be the best person I could be, whether it was the future queen, a princess, or just a sixteen-year-old teenager trying to make her way through this life.
“Don’t be sad,” Aunt Em said in my ear. “Be happy that it happened.” We stood off to the side of the ballroom, away from the rest of the dancers who swirled across the floor. The poisoned apple had taken a toll on my health, and I didn’t want to exert myself too much. Even though my strength improved each day, I was far from being back to normal.
“Lark would be glad you said that,” I remarked.
“Exactly.” She smoothed my hair. “He would be happy to see you healthy and home with your family.”
“Thank you, Aunt Em.” I smiled the bravest smile I could muster. “Thank you for everything.”
“It was my pleasure.” She slid her hand down my arm and squeezed my fingers. “You were a great example to my niece, even before she knew you were a princess.”
I looked out at the dancers and saw where Aunt Em was looking. Dorothy danced with Hansel amid the couples on the dance floor. She laughed at something he said and let him twirl her in a circle. Her curly red hair had been beautifully pinned high on her head, and she wore a lovely light-blue ball gown. She cut a beautiful figure.
“Thank you for helping her see her potential,” Aunt Em said.
I gave her a questioning look. “I really didn’t do anything.”
“I’ve always told Dorothy she was beautiful, but when you told her, she actually believed it,” explained Aunt Em. “To her, you were everything she wanted to be, and it astonished her that you would think she was the one who was beautiful.”
“But she is,” I said.
“The difference is, now she believes it, too.” Aunt Em smiled thoughtfully, playing with a curl near her cheek.
I looked back at the young, red-headed girl and felt my spirits lift. If helping one girl discover her inner beauty was all I accomplished in my life, I would feel successful. I wished I could help other younger people like her.
The orchestra stopped playing as the song came to an end, and the couples retreated from the center of the floor.
I saw Eddy walking toward me, and my heart pitter-pattered at the prospect of a dance invitation. Since his aunt and siblings had arrived at the castle days ago, Eddy and I hadn’t had any opportunity to be alone. I hadn’t even thanked him for rushing me to the castle and saving my life after I took a bite of that poison apple.
A hush fell over the crowd, and I looked to see what everyone was looking at. My mother approached through the crowds of people like a ship and its wake. We were all astonished, for my mother rarely left her royal chair up on the dais during a ball.
Besides greeting our guests from Idaho when they first arrived, my mother had spent the rest of the time behind closed doors with my uncle, the king, helping with the interrogation to see if any other offenders lurked among the members of court who associated with the king’s step-brother and his wife, Lady Hannah. Thankfully, they had found no other links.
My mother approached me and the older woman at my side. “My sweet Snow. How I’ve missed you. I’m so glad your adventures have left you unscathed. I never would have forgiven myself if you had come to harm.” She turned to Aunt Em. “Emily.” She kissed Aunt Em on the cheek. “Thank you for taking care of my daughter. I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you, too, dear friend,” Aunt Em said.
“How do you know each other?” I asked my mother, who seemed as if she embraced a long-lost relative.
“Emily and I used to be old school friends,” my mother said.
“Here in Fenmore Falls?” I asked, wondering why Aunt Em hadn’t mentioned it.
“No, back in Idaho,” said my mother, surprising me again.
“You’re from Idaho, too? What is it about the magical land of Idaho that sends young girls to this land?” I had trouble wrapping my head around finding out that Rapunzel’s mom was from that strange land. I didn’t even bother to wonder if one of my parents hailed from there as well.
“Yes,” my mother said. “I haven’t been back since I married your father.” She then grabbed both of Aunt Em’s shoulders. “For that, I’m sorry. I wish I could have visited you more often.”
“It was safer that way,” Aunt Em said. “We didn’t know how real the threat from the king’s brother could be.”
I hadn’t noticed Eddy was next to me until his arm brushed mine. I turned to see his watchful eyes studying me. “How are you feeling tonight?” he asked. “Do you need to sit down to rest?”
Grateful for his caring, strong presence, I placed my hand in his. I took pleasure in his surprise at my public gesture. “I don’t know. I might need you to catch me if I faint.” I winked, letting him know I was teasing.
“I’d gladly catch you any time you fall.”
Be still, my heart.
“Theresa!” my mother exclaimed.
I turned around at the mention of the person who had started this whole domino of events when she kidnapped Rapunzel, and then me a couple of weeks ago. A shiver ran up my spine.
Theresa, who now wore a simple ball gown, curtsied in front of my mother and addressed her and Aunt Em. “Belle. Emily.”
Curious at her informal use of my mother’s name, I was even more astounded when my mother embraced the servant and began to cry. “Theresa, thank you for keeping our babies safe.”
Aunt Em stood back but smiled brightly. “If it wasn’t for your help, this could have ended badly so many years ago.”
“I couldn’t let my sister and brother-in-law get away with what they were planning to do,” Theresa replied.
Now that she said it, she and Hannah did have the same bright-green eyes.
“I had to do something,” Theresa said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t let you know it was me and tell you where I had hidden the princess. I couldn’t let my sister know I helped you, and I didn’t know how many people in the kingdom had joined them and stood willing to fight for them.”
“We understand,” my mother said. “All of the pirates have been detained, and they are cooperating with us.”
“What about my sister?” Theresa asked.
The massive doors crashed open, causing the chandeliers to tremble. “What about your sister?” asked a booming voice.
The witch, who had given me the poison apple, strode through the open doorway dressed in a scarlet silk gown and black cloak. “I’ve come to my coronation ball,” she said, marching the close distance to where we stood, followed by a handful of dirty pirates.
My mother held her hand to the two closest guards, signaling them to not intervene. Instead, they kept a close distance, prepared if needed to fight.
“Thank you, dear sister, for gathering everybody in one place for me,” the witch said. “The better to take them all out at once like the trash they are.”
She swept up to me, using her fan to tip my head up. “I thought I got rid of you, halfling. How often do I have to take out the same trash?”
Eddy stepped forward, but I held him back. I didn’t want him, or anyone else I loved, getting hurt.
The witch sneered. “That’s right. Don’t jump in unless you wish to die too, boy. I tried to do it the easy way, but no, Snow and her cousin had to make a big scene.”
“Hannah, enough is enough,” Theresa said firmly. “It’s over.”
The witch cackled. “Don’t tell me it’s over, Sis. It’s your fault I’ve lost everything.” She swept her hand
across the crowd. “It’s your fault I’ve lost my husband.”
Rapunzel came up next to me. I could tell she was getting ready for the fight of her life. She breathed like a freight train.
“Theresa, this all started because you had to go behind my back and save the princess. You’ve kept her hidden all these years, thinking you were protecting her. Now, the consequence is that it won’t only be Rapunzel who gets hurt. Everyone in the royal family will suffer for your deceit. This is something that should’ve been done long ago.”
A man swooped up behind Rapunzel and clenched her hands together behind her back. Before the castle guards or anyone else had a chance to react, another one pushed Eddy aside and tightly gripped my arms. The man, who had hold of me, towered over me and smelled of cow pies and sweat.
The tension in the room rolled like thunder with both me and Rapunzel detained. The witch, taking her opportunity of control, stalked around us both, leaving her fan beneath my chin for the longest time. She pursed her lips and tilted her head, taking our measure. “Two little pathetic princesses, too weak to rule. I’m going to lead this country to greatness. In fact, I’m expanding it. If any of your people are still alive, they’ll work in my fields and mines. I’d allow you to do that, but you’re too much trouble. No, you’ll have to go to eternal sleep, my dears.”
All that time, Punz must have been preparing. For at a wink from her, I ducked and she kicked Lady Hannah full in the face. Then I turned, yanked her fan forward, and caught her with my elbow as she tripped past, breaking the witch’s nose. She screamed and passed out, falling in a lump to the floor. Blood gushed everywhere. Guards came to drag her from the room, down to the dungeons.
The Atwood boys cornered the witch’s remaining henchmen and all were dragged to the dungeon to spend the rest of their lives in contemplation like the witch.
I had to say that felt really good, except for my elbow. I felt powerful for the first time in my life. I couldn’t believe I actually stomped on my fear enough to do something. I couldn’t stop grinning. And then it bloomed into full-blown laughter, ringing through the ballroom.
Rescuing Rapunzel (The Princess Chronicles Book 3) Page 17