Chapter 20

I Will Follow You, Will You Follow Me

A letter from Danielle arrived and I tore it open. I had been anxiously awaiting any word from her since I last wrote. What I saw in front of me was a surprise. I read the letter through.

My Dearest Thomas,

First, let me ask how you are doing? We here on Charon are doing well. My parents and I were devastated to learn of Ethan Carver's death while dueling with one Marcus Pinter not too long ago, I believe it was last Saturday. Sadly, he was defending the honor of another lady friend of his, Miss Melanie Harrison, who was engaged to marry Marcus.

Why were they devastated? I can almost hear you ask the question in my mind. Not as his death, I can assure you of that, but because of his infidelity and the way I had been cast aside like someone's old garments. I think he had girls many girls in every port, not just on Corona and Charon, but in all Four Kingdoms.

And so, without even a prompt from me (well maybe a tiny one) they have broken the engagement and I can marry anyone of my choosing.

And you know who that is.

They will not object. I know this. Come at any time and do it quickly for I miss you very much. We will marry here on Charon and return to carry on your father's business.

Come and follow me. My address is enclosed and a ferry ticket are enclosed. Just ask for King's residence and the horse carriages will know exactly where to take you.

Until we meet again.

Your love,

Danielle

I put the letter down and stared into the bedroom fireplace watching the flames rise higher and higher.

Could I trust her? Was she telling the truth? I held up the two tickets.

Well, there was only one way to find out, wasn't there?

XXXXX

"It's all over between us Eric," Rapunzel said, as Eric sat down on the bed.

Eric was shocked and a little frightened.

"What do you mean, Rapunzel? Are you talking about my management or me?"

Rapunzel stared at him. "I mean both, Eric." I want out of the music business. I just want a normal life, like all other girls my age."

Eric smiled and shook his head. "You're anything but normal, Rapunzel."

"Whatever, Eric, but I can't make this work anymore."

Eric frowned. He stared at her. "Where will you go and what will you do?"

Rapunzel smiled and shrugged. "I was thinking of just painting, getting to know my inner self, you know. I just need to sort things out, that's all. And right now, I need to do it alone."

"I guess you want to find your real family?"

Rapunzel stared at him. "My mother was Greta. She loved me, raised me and taught me to be me. I still love her, Eric, despite all her faults. If I do find my real family, it will take me a good long time to accept them. And I'll have lots of questions to ask, so I hope they'll be patient with me. Meantime, I haven't the slightest idea who they are. Right now, I just want to be by myself. That shouldn't be so difficult, now should it?"

Eric was still in shock. "We've been together for a long time, Rapunzel, since we were kids. I don't know how I can get along without you."

Rapunzel shook her head. "Well, you're going to have to learn. Besides, from what I've heard and read, you've got plenty of company."

Eric's eye's narrowed. "What the heck does that mean?" He shook his head. "You can't believe every thing you read, gorgeous. You should know that. Remember how much crap was written about you?"

"I've seen you and Donna, Eric, and it's before I came back here. There's also Ellen McCloud, Cathy Brandis and someone that's a stranger to me. I know you're going to tell me that the stranger is a new client, but I just don't buy that crap anymore. You've used it one to many times to suit me."

Eric shook his head. "You really think that I've been fooling around with all these other women?"

Rapunzel shot him an angry look. "I was TOLD you were fooling around with other women."

Eric laughed. "Come on Rapunzel. Who told you that? Who could possibly…"

She shook her head. "I really can't tell you, Eric and I really don't want to continue this any longer. I just want you out of my life, that's all."

"So you can start seeing Eugene Fitzherbert? Some guy who thinks he's some kind of swashbuckling, romantic hero? You know, Rapunzel, you can do better than that."

Rapunzel was angry now and trying not to raise her voice. "Look, Eric, I've had a bad day, a really bad day. It's not very often that you get to see the woman who raised and cared for you disappear in front of your eyes like that. No matter how much she lied to me, she was still my mother."

She took a breath, then continued.

"Now I'm tired and I need to lie down for a second, then I"ll go out there and make my statement. Is that okay with you? And you remember something. What I do with or without Eugene Fitzherbert is my business, not yours. Now, get out."

She turned her back on him and opened up her door. She turned around to face him.

"Well?"

He looked down at her hand. The ring was still in her palm.

"You still have the ring."

Rapunzel looked down at her hand. She opened it. There was the diamond.

"Oh sorry," she said, extending her arm. "Here you go. Now I really wish that you'd leave so I can…"

Eric had brought his lips to hers, but she pulled away.

"Eric please,"

"Don't do this, Rapunzel. You know I still love you, I really can't live…"

"Well, you're going to have to try," another voice popped up and then Eugene appeared in the frame of the open door. "Get out, Eric. You heard the lady. Get out now."

"And what happens if I don't?"

Eugene smiled and pointed outside. "I've got the police and the private investigators here. They can do plenty. Don't get me angry, Eric, I'm angry enough for the all of us. Now, get out."

Eric gave a last look around. He looked as if he was going to cry. "Keep the ring or sell it, Rapunzel. I don't need it. " He looked up at Eugene. "You're one lucky man, Rider," he said. "You're getting a wonderful woman here. Don't you ever hurt her or I"ll…"

Eugene shook his head. "Get out, Eric, Just get out of here."

Eric gave a last look at Rapunzel and Eugene. Then he turned and with tears in eyes, he walked out.

Eugene watched him disappear. Once he did, he took her in his arms.