DISCLAIMER: It's mine, ALL mine!!!!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
Author's Note: Thanks to ALL of my reviewers! It really makes me happy to receive reviews (critical or otherwise) and encourages me to write more and better! To singinstrawberri: I really appreciate your reviews in particular. Please don't stop!
Chapter Twelve
Rapunzel's POV
The inner forest was dark and cool. The mossy floor was carpeted with red, gold and green leaves, shades and patterns far more brilliant than any exotic rugs from the orient. Our feet made soft shuffling noises as we moved about, stepping quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping forces that had permitted us sanctuary amongst the timber.
Oak trees, yards thick, seemed older than time and I felt that if I listened closely, that I might hear the words of some forgotten language they were whispering amongst themselves, concerning our intrusion. It was a strange sensation, this feeling of being watched, whispered about, and I couldn't help but shiver a little as I glanced upwards into the place where the branches and darkness mixed together into and indistinguishable pattern and became one.
All around us were the sounds of the falling rain and their quiet pitter- patter, coupled with the occasional rumble of thunder. But they were far removed from this place, and within these walls of trees we could not be touched by the devil of a storm that raged on outside.
Christian settled himself on the ground and tugged my hand a little to bring me to the forest floor with him. As he did, the air about us dazzled a bit from a flash of lightening and the deep growl of a thunderclap was heard high above the ceiling of our sanctum. I snuggled a bit closer to Christian and allowed him to wrap his warm arms around me, as though warding off the tempest.
"Christian?" I asked quietly.
"Yes, Rapunzel?"
"Tell me about your parents."
Christian paused for a moment and then said, "Why do you want to know about them?"
"Every day we go walking through the meadow and you show me the beautiful things Mother Nature has created. You know so much and always have something to remark...but for all your talk...all your knowledge of the world that you have given me...you have never spoken of your family."
Christian's POV
"There isn't much to say. I have a mother and a father. They love me I suppose...I don't know...they're just kind of ...there, I guess. Really I just try to stay out of the castle as much as possible."
"Why? Don't you want to be with them?"
I frowned a little. What kind of stupid question was that?
"Well, they're my parents, you know..."
"Actually, I wouldn't."
Oops.
"Oh," I stuttered, "I-I forgot. I'm sorry."
Rapunzel shrugged and flicked at a pebble. "It's no big deal. It just seems that you would want to be with them, that's all. It must be nice having them in your home, whenever you want them."
Now I really felt bad. Another rumble of thunder shook the treetops and Rapunzel shivered in my arms. Actually thinking about it...what humans had the girl ever known except Agrona and myself? She lived alone in her tower with only her lovely singing voice for company.
"My father is a good man. He is a just king and loves his people."
"What is his name?"
"Edric. My mother is the more talkative of the two. She's also sort of overprotective."
"Why is that?"
"Well," I said slowly, "When I was born, well...it was a difficult birth. You see my mother has always been a rather petite woman. My father's counselors were actually very concerned that because of her size that she might never bear a child. That's why I am named 'Christian'. My mother bestowed that name upon my because of the faith that brought her through my birth."
"When were you born?"
"The fifth of June, seventeen years ago."
Rapunzel turned her head and gave me a quizzical look. "Strange, that's my birthday too. How peculiar."
"Odd."
We stared at each other for a minute and then she continued, "And what is your mother called?"
"Rhainnon."
"But if your parents are good people...why do you never speak of your home?"
She was a persistent little thing. "Look, it's not as great as it seems. I mean, yes, my parents are wonderful people but they do have a kingdom to manage. And part of that responsibility is to keep the monarchy alive and running. Sadly enough, my being an only child has them worried about continuing generations. They are scared stiff that something's going to happen to me and the monarchy will die. So now they're after me to get married, and at the moment the bride they have picked out is a preening princess who looks like a donkey and speaks with a nasal twang. I can't stand her."
Rapunzel looked uncomfortable and glanced away. "I'm sorry."
I sighed and gave her a squeeze. "It's not your fault."
"Well," she chuckled halfheartedly, "We're both in a fix. I have the opposite problem. Agrona's dead set against my marrying anybody."
Rapunzel's POV
Christian smiled a bit and then asked, "Does she, uh, suspect anything about us?" he faltered, "I mean, about us...meeting...out here?" He looked slightly uncomfortable.
"No, I don't think so."
"Good."
Suddenly I sat up. Something was wrong.
"What is is?" Christian asked.
I couldn't tell precisely...it was so quiet that...quiet. The sound of rain was gone. "I think it has stopped raining."
Christian stood and held out his hands to help me up. He tilted his face towards the canopy and listened. "I think you're right."
"Can we go then?"
"Yes. Besides, I have something to show you."
Christian reached out to untie Philip from the oak tree, and I dusted my skirts off. "What is it?"
Swinging himself up onto the horse Christian said, "You'll have to wait and see. It's a surprise."
I gave an exasperated sigh and he held out a hand to help my up onto Philip's back. Once safely secure we turned around and began to trek into the light.
Author's Note: Thanks to ALL of my reviewers! It really makes me happy to receive reviews (critical or otherwise) and encourages me to write more and better! To singinstrawberri: I really appreciate your reviews in particular. Please don't stop!
Chapter Twelve
Rapunzel's POV
The inner forest was dark and cool. The mossy floor was carpeted with red, gold and green leaves, shades and patterns far more brilliant than any exotic rugs from the orient. Our feet made soft shuffling noises as we moved about, stepping quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping forces that had permitted us sanctuary amongst the timber.
Oak trees, yards thick, seemed older than time and I felt that if I listened closely, that I might hear the words of some forgotten language they were whispering amongst themselves, concerning our intrusion. It was a strange sensation, this feeling of being watched, whispered about, and I couldn't help but shiver a little as I glanced upwards into the place where the branches and darkness mixed together into and indistinguishable pattern and became one.
All around us were the sounds of the falling rain and their quiet pitter- patter, coupled with the occasional rumble of thunder. But they were far removed from this place, and within these walls of trees we could not be touched by the devil of a storm that raged on outside.
Christian settled himself on the ground and tugged my hand a little to bring me to the forest floor with him. As he did, the air about us dazzled a bit from a flash of lightening and the deep growl of a thunderclap was heard high above the ceiling of our sanctum. I snuggled a bit closer to Christian and allowed him to wrap his warm arms around me, as though warding off the tempest.
"Christian?" I asked quietly.
"Yes, Rapunzel?"
"Tell me about your parents."
Christian paused for a moment and then said, "Why do you want to know about them?"
"Every day we go walking through the meadow and you show me the beautiful things Mother Nature has created. You know so much and always have something to remark...but for all your talk...all your knowledge of the world that you have given me...you have never spoken of your family."
Christian's POV
"There isn't much to say. I have a mother and a father. They love me I suppose...I don't know...they're just kind of ...there, I guess. Really I just try to stay out of the castle as much as possible."
"Why? Don't you want to be with them?"
I frowned a little. What kind of stupid question was that?
"Well, they're my parents, you know..."
"Actually, I wouldn't."
Oops.
"Oh," I stuttered, "I-I forgot. I'm sorry."
Rapunzel shrugged and flicked at a pebble. "It's no big deal. It just seems that you would want to be with them, that's all. It must be nice having them in your home, whenever you want them."
Now I really felt bad. Another rumble of thunder shook the treetops and Rapunzel shivered in my arms. Actually thinking about it...what humans had the girl ever known except Agrona and myself? She lived alone in her tower with only her lovely singing voice for company.
"My father is a good man. He is a just king and loves his people."
"What is his name?"
"Edric. My mother is the more talkative of the two. She's also sort of overprotective."
"Why is that?"
"Well," I said slowly, "When I was born, well...it was a difficult birth. You see my mother has always been a rather petite woman. My father's counselors were actually very concerned that because of her size that she might never bear a child. That's why I am named 'Christian'. My mother bestowed that name upon my because of the faith that brought her through my birth."
"When were you born?"
"The fifth of June, seventeen years ago."
Rapunzel turned her head and gave me a quizzical look. "Strange, that's my birthday too. How peculiar."
"Odd."
We stared at each other for a minute and then she continued, "And what is your mother called?"
"Rhainnon."
"But if your parents are good people...why do you never speak of your home?"
She was a persistent little thing. "Look, it's not as great as it seems. I mean, yes, my parents are wonderful people but they do have a kingdom to manage. And part of that responsibility is to keep the monarchy alive and running. Sadly enough, my being an only child has them worried about continuing generations. They are scared stiff that something's going to happen to me and the monarchy will die. So now they're after me to get married, and at the moment the bride they have picked out is a preening princess who looks like a donkey and speaks with a nasal twang. I can't stand her."
Rapunzel looked uncomfortable and glanced away. "I'm sorry."
I sighed and gave her a squeeze. "It's not your fault."
"Well," she chuckled halfheartedly, "We're both in a fix. I have the opposite problem. Agrona's dead set against my marrying anybody."
Rapunzel's POV
Christian smiled a bit and then asked, "Does she, uh, suspect anything about us?" he faltered, "I mean, about us...meeting...out here?" He looked slightly uncomfortable.
"No, I don't think so."
"Good."
Suddenly I sat up. Something was wrong.
"What is is?" Christian asked.
I couldn't tell precisely...it was so quiet that...quiet. The sound of rain was gone. "I think it has stopped raining."
Christian stood and held out his hands to help me up. He tilted his face towards the canopy and listened. "I think you're right."
"Can we go then?"
"Yes. Besides, I have something to show you."
Christian reached out to untie Philip from the oak tree, and I dusted my skirts off. "What is it?"
Swinging himself up onto the horse Christian said, "You'll have to wait and see. It's a surprise."
I gave an exasperated sigh and he held out a hand to help my up onto Philip's back. Once safely secure we turned around and began to trek into the light.