Rescuing Rapunzel (The Princess Chronicles Book 3) Read online

  Punz giggled at me. “I’m glad you remembered our signal from all those years ago. Doing that little play together really paid off.”

  I chuckled and hugged her. “We make a fabulous team.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Maddox was at Punz’s side. “You never cease to amaze me,” he told her.

  She ducked her blushing face. “Thank you.”

  “May I have the next dance?” he asked.

  “Certainly.”

  I gave Punz’s hand a squeeze before she left and watched her blissfully follow Maddox onto the floor.

  “You both are pretty amazing,” Eddy said. Thankfully, after the boys had helped the guards take care of the witch’s pirates, Eddy had returned to my side. He immediately grabbed my hand and threaded his fingers with mine.

  My only response was a smile. I don’t think I could’ve felt any happier at that moment.

  Aunt Em and my mother were still standing nearby, and Theresa approached. “My sister has a son. His name is Rumpelstiltskin,” she stated. “He’s my nephew, and I don’t want him to be raised in the shadow of what his parents have done.” She bowed her head and asked, “Can his identity and connection be hidden from the kingdom?”

  My mother glanced at the king on his throne. Even though she knew protocol dictated she needed permission from her husband’s brother, the king, she gave her consent anyway. “Very well.”

  “Thank you, Your Highness.” Theresa bowed her head.

  “It’s the least we can do to say thank you in return,” my mother said with a gentle smile.

  “My nephew and I will leave the kingdom tonight. I have a friend with whom we can live whose home is far away from the castle,” Theresa said.

  “You should say goodbye to Rapunzel,” my mother suggested.

  “No, it would be too difficult,” Theresa said as she gazed tenderly at my cousin, Punz, dancing on the ballroom floor with Maddox. “Will you give her this letter?” she asked, handing my mother a folded piece of paper.

  “Certainly,” my mother said, taking the note with her gloved hand and holding it close to her side.

  Theresa curtsied and said, “Farewell, Your Highness.” She looked at Aunt Em, “Goodbye, Emily.” She then smiled tenderly at me. “I wish the best of happiness to you and Rapunzel.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled in return, putting all my feelings about missing her into it.

  “Goodbye, Theresa,” both Aunt Em and my mother said.

  Aunt Em added, “Good luck.”

  Theresa nodded and left the room. How amazing to think she worked so hard and dedicated her life to fix the mistakes made by her sister. But also how odd that she hadn’t ever told Punz the “Why” of it all. Perhaps if she had, Punz would never have felt the need to leave the tower in such a manner. She might have known Theresa truly meant well. I hoped Theresa found happiness in her service and in the raising of her nephew.

  “Well,” Aunt Em spoke, “it’s been fun, but it’ll be nice to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night. How about you, Edison?”

  The dreaded weight of impending sadness fell on me like a load of old bricks at the mention of their departure. As if Eddy sensed my trepidation, he squeezed my hand. “It’s going to be hard to leave.”

  My mother glanced down at our joined hands and gave me a knowing smile. “I’m sure it’s going to be difficult for you too, isn’t it, Snow?”

  I cast my eyes down, already knowing she knew my answer. Still, I didn’t want her to see how difficult it really would be to let him go. I couldn’t let her see the sadness that already threatened tears. It was hard enough to keep it together as a princess should, without having to hide it from my mother.

  She pulled my free hand so I would step closer to her. “I think you should go with them and spend some time in Idaho for a little while,” she said.

  Taking a minute to realize what my mother said, my head shot up. “What?” I asked.

  Her grin puffed out her soft pink cheeks. “You’ve had so much pressure these last ten years with the responsibilities of the kingdom. Now that Rapunzel is back, I think it’s time for you to take a break.”

  Is she serious?

  “Take some time to have fun as a teenager for a change,” she said.

  It was my turn to smile wide. I threw my arms around my mother in a very un-ladylike hug and said, “Thank you, Mom.”

  She returned the hug, ignoring the stunned replies from the crowd, and patted my back. “I’m so proud of you, Snow. You’ve done so much good in your life.”

  “I don’t know about that,” I said. If I didn’t watch it, I’d be crying after all. Only now they’d be at least partially tears of happiness.

  She stood back to look at me, the moisture swimming in her own eyes. “You are the most beautiful girl I know, inside and out. Everyone looks up to you and wants to be like you.”

  Wrapping around me like a soft cloak, the compliment made me smile.

  “At times it may seem burdensome, this fame and attention that follows us everywhere we go. But you can use that attention to be an example to everyone around you.” My mother cupped my cheek in her hand. “And, my dear, don’t fall in love with Idaho just because you’ve fallen in love with a boy.”

  My cheeks felt like they would scorch her hand. “Mom!” I exclaimed, fearful that Eddy heard what she said.

  She chuckled. “Don’t worry. Your father and I like him. Use this time to get to know him. Make certain he’s truly the man of your dreams. Because Happily Ever After is a very long time.”

  “Mom!” I said, feeling the heat of my embarrassment crawl to the back of my neck.

  She laughed again, a very uncharacteristic action for any member of the royal family to do in public, which was partly why it also made me giggle. Our spectators smiled as well.

  “I love you,” she said, kissing my cheek.

  “I love you, too.” I threw my arms around my mother in another hug. I didn’t care. She was my mother and I loved her dearly. And now she would let me go out into the wide world of Idaho to seek my fortune. Or my sweetheart. I gave her an extra squeeze for just in case, then let her go.

  She moved to Eddy, who sketched a low bow, his ears and neck a bright scarlet. “Take care of my baby girl, young man. She’s the only daughter I have, and I would like her back in one happy piece.”

  “Yes, ma’am . . . Your Majesty,” he stumbled. “I mean, Your Highness.”

  He looked to me for help, but I just smiled. He was even more cute when he was flustered.

  My mother returned to her seat on the dais near my father, who had fallen asleep and snored loudly.

  Eddy took my hand, intertwining our fingers. “What did she mean?” he asked.

  “I’m coming home with you to Idaho,” I said calmly, barely holding in a shriek.

  His eyebrows arched. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “You’re coming with us tomorrow?”

  I nodded.

  Eddy wrapped both arms around my waist and swung me in a circle. I held onto his neck and squealed in delight.

  When he placed my feet safely back to the ground, and the room stopped spinning, all the people seemed to disappear. I couldn’t look away when he gazed longingly into my eyes. I watched his face inch closer, and my eyes fell to his mouth.

  Is he going to kiss me?

  He confirmed my answer when his mouth neared mine and finally touched my waiting lips. I closed my eyes and sighed in gratitude that I had saved my first kiss for Eddy instead of wasting it on Aleck. Bliss filled me and splashed over, causing me to laugh with joy.

  Eddy shuddered with the same emotion, breaking away just long enough to whisper, “This isn’t the first time I’ve kissed you.”

  I tilted my head in confusion, and then I realized the faint touch of his soft lips meeting mine had been a recollection and not a dream as I was unconscious from the poisoned apple. “You kissed me while I was sleeping?” I said, as I remembered.


  His cheeks grew a light shade of red. “Yes. I was afraid I would lose you, and I didn’t want to live my whole life regretting not kissing you.”

  “I’ve wanted you to kiss me ever since you defended me from that awful girl, Lindsey, at the raspberry garden,” I admitted.

  “Really? You’ve liked me since then?” he said in surprise.

  It was my turn to blush in embarrassment.

  Eddy caressed my cheeks with his thumbs. “I think I’ve wanted to kiss you since the first time I saw you - sleeping on our living room sofa.”

  “Is that true?” I asked, remembering that moment of sheer terror when I woke up to seven strangers.

  “I didn’t want to admit it, because it was too unbelievable to fall in love at first sight,” he said. “But it’s the truth. That’s what happened, at least with me.”

  Did he say love? My heart swelled with happiness.

  He slid his hands behind my back, and my own hands found their way up his chest and behind his neck. This time, as he kissed me, I returned the favor with pleasure. As he kissed me deeper and longer, my love surged through our embrace. Such sweetness! I could hardly take it in. I’d never felt anything like it before. Aleck was a pail, stunted thing in comparison and I kicked him firmly to the curb, never to be thought of again. I only thought of Eddy. He filled my heart to the top.

  I thought being a princess in Fenmore Falls was the perfect life. I had everything I wanted. When I got lost in Idaho, I chased the fairy tale of coming back to the castle before I realized I was actually living a fairytale.

  I didn’t want the perfect life of a princess anymore. I knew I’d trade it all for something real, where I didn’t have to pretend. I knew inside my heart I was the one to determine my perfect life, no matter where I was.

  Before tonight, the thought of having to say goodbye to Eddy had filled me with dread, almost as much as facing the wicked witch had. But now that I knew I was going with him to Idaho, having to say goodbye to my perfect life in Fenmore Falls wouldn’t be so difficult.

  Perhaps living on a farm, where I could continue my new enchanted story, would be my perfect life.

  Who knows?

  Chapter 26

  Dear Rapunzel,

  There’s so much I want to say, but there are too many things with no explanation. Most of all, I wanted to say I’m sorry for locking you in solitude. I only wanted to protect you, and I didn’t know who else could be trusted.

  You were given a very difficult circumstance in life, and you endured it well. I’m so proud of the woman you have become. Your parents are so proud of you, as am I.

  I hope one day you can forgive me for keeping you away from your family. Someday I hope you look at our relationship with fondness instead of malice.

  Keep dancing. Keep fighting. Don’t ever give up. You were meant to rule the kingdom.

  Yours truly,

  Theresa

  Finally Home

  }Rapunzel}

  My sweet cousin Snow, still weak from the apple poisoning, would be sitting on the sidelines at the ball, watching the action. But when she asked if she and I could dance one dance, I suggested the one we had performed at the castle when we were only six years old. I had practiced the dance over and over in my tower ever since. And after only a few practices all these years later, Snow remembered all of the steps.

  We were the same, she and I. She was my other half. One might laugh at that thought, but I’d often thought of us as two parts of a whole princess.

  So, we presented our short dance to our parents and the people of the court toward the end of the ball. My chest swelled at being home and being able to finish a sweet memory I had always held onto when I was in the tower.

  After we did the short routine, I continued to perform by myself to show my rendition of the added steps I had choreographed. I titled the dance, Winter’s Snow, in dedication to my cousin.Choreographing those steps had kept me sane on those long days by myself. It felt calming to finally perform the dance for others, as a release of all that built up anguish.

  When I finished, a silence settled among the crowd and then an eruption of applause. Warmth filled me at the satisfaction of finally being able to share the steps with all of those people I loved. I took a deep breath, feeling a great sense of fulfillment wash over me. That chapter in my life had come to an end and I could finally close the book.

  “You need to teach me those new steps,” Snow said after the applause had died down.

  I noticed the way her posture starting to crumble. I linked my arm with hers and said, “Let’s go sit down so you can rest.”

  We started walking toward the dais where there were seats for the royal family. “No, not over there,” she said. “Take me to stand by Eddy.”

  I inwardly smiled at Snow’s attraction for Aunt Em’s oldest nephew. The thought filled me with warmth.

  “You looked so beautiful and happy out there dancing,” she said as we walked to where Eddy sat waiting.

  “I am happy.”

  “Good.”

  “There will always be a sadness about Lark’s death, but I’m trying to honor his memory and be more like him, finding joy in life, even when the trials and obstacles come.”

  “We can all learn from his example,” Snow agreed. “We’re the only ones who can decide to be cheerful or let our challenges get us down.”

  “Thank you for always having faith that I was still alive.” I had already thanked her before, but I wanted her to know how she had kept me focused and positive in my solitude. “I thought about you every day I was in the tower, you know. You were always with me, even when I was all alone.”

  “You’ll always have me,” Snow said, her eyes glistening.

  I laid my hand on my heart. “No matter where you are or where I am, you’ll stay right here in my heart.”

  Snow also put her hand on her heart. “Always.”

  I bent and whispered, “Even when you’re in Idaho, you’ll still be here with me.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Who told you I was going to Idaho?”

  “Your mother, a few minutes before we performed our dance.”

  She tilted her head down. “You must think I am being ridiculous to chase a silly dream.”

  “No, I admire you for following your heart.” I sighed. “I’m not going to lie and say I’m not going to miss you, though.”

  “I’m sorry, Punz.” she said. “I should stay here with you for a while.”

  “No! I would hate myself for delaying your happiness.”

  “Come and visit me,” she suggested. “I’m sure everyone would be glad to see you.”

  I fought the urge to search for Maddox in the crowd. He had been strangely aloof all evening, except for the one time he had asked me to dance, and I wondered if he would be glad or disappointed to see me if I returned to Idaho to visit everyone.

  “I’d like that,” I said, knowing I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to see Snow and everyone else again.

  “Bring Hansel and Gretel, too,” she said. “It looks like Dorothy has formed an attachment to Hansel and it might be hard to convince her to leave tomorrow morning.”

  We both looked at the young couple still dancing on the floor. They had danced together for the better part of the evening. Hansel also looked like he’d have a hard time telling the farm girl goodbye.

  Next to the cute couple danced another pair of young sweethearts. Gretel danced with Hansel’s friend, Peter. During our battle with the pirates, it was obvious the boy felt responsible for Gretel and protected her throughout the fight. Now, on the dance floor, she only needed protection from losing her heart. By the way they both stared into each other’s eyes, I was pretty sure it was too late. Gretel had already fallen in love with her knight.

  How blessedly sweet, I sighed.

  I felt someone brush the back of my arm. “Can I ask for the next dance?” Maddox asked. He was quiet and unsure, and the friendly comrade side of him seemed missing. />
  Saddened by the change in him, I smiled at Snow and asked, “Are you all right if I leave you here?” She was only a few steps away from the chairs, and I could already see Eddy coming to assist her.

  “Go, dance. I’ll be fine.”

  I timidly put my hand in Maddox’s and followed him out onto the dance floor.

  Once there, he tenderly placed his hand at my waist and carefully lifted my hand so we could begin the dance. Both of my wrists were wrapped until the injuries healed. I had decided that when I looked at the scars those wounds would leave, I would focus on remembering how my happy ending had come about.

  “We’re leaving to go back to Idaho in the morning,” he said.

  “I know.”

  This wasn’t new information. What does he want me to say?

  We danced in silence for several seconds.

  “Ask me to stay,” he blurted out.

  My feet stopped their movement. I stared at the buttons on his shirt and slowly lifted my gaze to his.

  “Ask me to stay, and I will,” he said.

  “You’d stay for me?” I asked, not wanting to believe he would sacrifice everything for me.

  “I know I’m not a prince or anything, and I don’t have anything to offer; but, I’ll stay if you want me to.”

  “I can’t ask you to do that,” I said, shaking my head.

  “Do you want me to stay?” Despair filled his voice.

  “Of course I want you to stay, but I would never ask you to leave your family.” I put my hand on his cheek. “I lived without my family for ten years, and I’d never wish that on anybody.”

  “I’d still be able to visit my family, even if I lived here,” he said. He put both hands on my waist and pulled me close to him. “I love you,” he whispered.

  He loves me? My heart jumped.

  “I love you, too,” I said even before I knew I spoke it. My mind seemed to have already made up the answer before I had the chance to think about it.

  “I don’t have anything else to give you, besides my devotion. I’m just a boy from Idaho who loves a princess named Rapunzel.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a shy grin.