A/N: I know, I know...another chapter with not much...sorry, guys! Please review anyway, and I'll try to update...yup yup! Oh...and about the chapters bein too short...well, ya see, originally I had less chapters, and some of these chapters were combined, but then I changed the story DRASTICALLY, and then I liked it better the other way, SO...yeah...i just never put the chapters back together...I'll try to update more often...=o)...thanx to my reviewees Chein and hemlock! ta-ta for now, kids! ~Jenny the chica~
Chapter Ten: In Which Gretchen and Tobin Meet Again...
Exactly at five, I heard a voice calling, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down thy hair."
I ran over to the balcony and did so, as I watched Tobin quickly climb up. We walked into my single room, and ate dinner, which he said he had skipped in order to spend as much time as he could with me, together there. After that, we talked as late as we had the night before, and I realized how sheltered I was as he told me about the world outside my tower.
All too soon, it was time for Tobin to go. We both knew that he had too, for if he stayed too late, he might pass Mother as she walked to my tower. I hated to see him go, and he said that he hated to leave me, so it made me look forward to tomorrow night, when he said he would come next.
Just before he began to climb down, he kissed me again, and left me standing there a good while after he disappeared into the night.
Tobin confused me. I knew that he was royalty and "experienced," I suppose, in dealing with women as he had told me different stories of maidens, mostly the daughters of other kings and queens, who had come to his kingdom, trying to become his queen, and all the assorted things that had gone wrong while they were there. Tobin was very good at making me laugh. He said that my laugh sounded like "tinkling bells, soft, sweet, and melodious." He also liked to complement me, which I would say was "just flattery," although he would deny it with his laughing smile.
Hard as I tried, I could not get Tobin off my mind. I finally told myself that we were "close friends" and went to sleep, but I knew that my heart hadn't gotten the message.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mother continued to come every morning, and Tobin came every evening. The more Tobin came, the closer we got. Our friendship grew, and we told each other everything. I would read to him parts of what Mother wrote to me in my book, and he would tell me all of what was happening in court, in the city, and around the world, even asking my advice for some of the court matters!
One day, Tobin told me that he had to go to the city of Pursdyea, a few hundred miles from here, for a few days. That week without him was terribly hard for me, and I was so glad when he came back. We were both astounded by how much pain and agony our short separation had caused both of us, for Tobin told me that he had longed for me every minute he was gone.
We both realized soon after this that our "friendship" was much more than a friendship. We were confused, but we steadily tried to work through the uncertainty together.
One night, just as he left, Tobin turned to me and said, "Gretchen, I have a surprise for you. But...you'll have to wait until tomorrow evening to find out what it is."
Knowing Tobin as well as I did now, I didn't try to beg him to tell me early, for I knew that there was no way he would bend. I just smiled and told him, "All right, then. I'll be waiting until tomorrow."
He kissed me, for it had become his habit before he left, and I kissed him back, as I had been doing ever since I got over the shock of the first few nights. He then slid down, jumped on his horse, and rode away, leaving me curious with anticipation for his secret, which would not be revealed until tomorrow.
Chapter Ten: In Which Gretchen and Tobin Meet Again...
Exactly at five, I heard a voice calling, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down thy hair."
I ran over to the balcony and did so, as I watched Tobin quickly climb up. We walked into my single room, and ate dinner, which he said he had skipped in order to spend as much time as he could with me, together there. After that, we talked as late as we had the night before, and I realized how sheltered I was as he told me about the world outside my tower.
All too soon, it was time for Tobin to go. We both knew that he had too, for if he stayed too late, he might pass Mother as she walked to my tower. I hated to see him go, and he said that he hated to leave me, so it made me look forward to tomorrow night, when he said he would come next.
Just before he began to climb down, he kissed me again, and left me standing there a good while after he disappeared into the night.
Tobin confused me. I knew that he was royalty and "experienced," I suppose, in dealing with women as he had told me different stories of maidens, mostly the daughters of other kings and queens, who had come to his kingdom, trying to become his queen, and all the assorted things that had gone wrong while they were there. Tobin was very good at making me laugh. He said that my laugh sounded like "tinkling bells, soft, sweet, and melodious." He also liked to complement me, which I would say was "just flattery," although he would deny it with his laughing smile.
Hard as I tried, I could not get Tobin off my mind. I finally told myself that we were "close friends" and went to sleep, but I knew that my heart hadn't gotten the message.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mother continued to come every morning, and Tobin came every evening. The more Tobin came, the closer we got. Our friendship grew, and we told each other everything. I would read to him parts of what Mother wrote to me in my book, and he would tell me all of what was happening in court, in the city, and around the world, even asking my advice for some of the court matters!
One day, Tobin told me that he had to go to the city of Pursdyea, a few hundred miles from here, for a few days. That week without him was terribly hard for me, and I was so glad when he came back. We were both astounded by how much pain and agony our short separation had caused both of us, for Tobin told me that he had longed for me every minute he was gone.
We both realized soon after this that our "friendship" was much more than a friendship. We were confused, but we steadily tried to work through the uncertainty together.
One night, just as he left, Tobin turned to me and said, "Gretchen, I have a surprise for you. But...you'll have to wait until tomorrow evening to find out what it is."
Knowing Tobin as well as I did now, I didn't try to beg him to tell me early, for I knew that there was no way he would bend. I just smiled and told him, "All right, then. I'll be waiting until tomorrow."
He kissed me, for it had become his habit before he left, and I kissed him back, as I had been doing ever since I got over the shock of the first few nights. He then slid down, jumped on his horse, and rode away, leaving me curious with anticipation for his secret, which would not be revealed until tomorrow.
