Maplepunzel, Part 2

Three days later, Maple was sitting at the window, practicing her songs with Eugenia. “Hi, Eugenia.” The plump gold bird with the gray wings balanced on her finger, looking up at her with bright, dark eyes. “Got any new songs for me?”

Her brown eyes lit up as Eugenia twittered, rubbing her round head against her finger. “Yeah, that’s a nice one.” Maple leaned out the window, singing her own words to Eugenia’s melody. “Where’d ya learn this one? You’ve brought me so many nice songs, but I’ve never heard this one before.” She trilled along with the bird, liking how her voice echoed in the trees. The wind carried it, letting it caress the wildflowers and blow through the green trees. 

Eugenia heard the ruffle of griffin wings first. She stopped singing, cocked her head, and let out one soft tweet. “Aw, heck.” Maple made a face. “You hear Pavla? But I’m not done with my song yet! And I wish she wouldn’t bring the griffin. That thing is scary. The eagle beak n’ lion’s body tends to make the other animals in the woods run for the hills.”

The little yellow bird fluttered to her shoulder and trilled in her ear. “We can finish later? You say you saw two men in the woods?” Eugenia nodded, her trills becoming longer. “Scott an’ another guy? A cute one?” Maple grinned. “Must be Scott’s surprise. I like it already.” She winced as the flapping wings and griffin screech became louder. “You’d better get outta here, Eugenia. You know how Pavla feels about animals who ain’t her monsters.”

Eugenia soared out the window, Maple watching her the whole time. “She’s so lucky.” She leaned on her elbow, staring absently out the window. “She can fly wherever she wants, sing whatever she wants. And me? I’m stuck here, tryin’ to turn people into toads. Pavla ain’t never gonna let me outta here!” Leaning against the window, she sang again, but this time, the notes were sadder, full of longing and sorrow. 

Her mind was so focused on her song and Scott’s “surprise,” she didn’t even hear the sound of the griffin’s squawk or human feet on the ground. “Maple!” A familiar snort and Berlania accent finally got her attention. “Maple, child, send down your hair, so I may climb that copper stair.”

Pavla shimmied ever so slowly up her shining copper tresses. “Good afternoon, pretty one.” Her own immaculate auburn tresses were pulled into elaborate curls, her exotic almond-shaped brown eyes highlighted by thick, fluttering eyelashes and cheekbones sharp enough to cut steel. She always dressed in the height of fashion, sporting a cobalt blue gown with black ribbon trim and an enormous standing tulle collar. “See the lovely things I brought for you today?” She showed her the pale green gown with the frilly stomacher, piled with soft yellow lace and ribbons. “A brand new dress, and ribbons for your hair.”

“Isn’t it a bit…much?” Maple picked up the sleeve, with its wide gossamer ruffles, between her fingers. “You could make three dresses outta this!”

“Not for a princess of Berlania.” Her fingers went to Maple’s temples, rubbing gently as she breathed softly in her ear. “You will wear the dress. It suits you. I need you to dress well. I have a suitor for you. One of my most prominent officials is intrigued by your beauty and demure nature. I’m in the process of giving him your hand in marriage.”

“But,” Maple tried to protest, even as the fog moved in, “I don’t know him!” She pulled back, but Pavla gently nudged her against the wall.

“You don’t need to. You’ll make a fine couple.” She leaned closer, the sharp fingernails stroking deeply into her throat. “After I corrupt those useless light powers of yours, you will rule by my side as the heir to Berlania. Now,” she whispered, “what are you saying about your beautiful new dress?”

“I was…sayin’ somethin?” Maple blinked through that fog that crowded her mind. The thick black mist suffocated every thought she’d had, every song she wanted to sing.  “What was I sayin’?” Her voice was so soft, she could just barely hear it. “I was thinkin’...”

“Shh, child.” Pavla’s fingers moved up Maple’s neck, massaging her scalp. “Quiet. You don’t need to think. Let your guardian think for you. You just need to let me dress you. You’ll look lovely in that gown. You’ll wear it when I take you to Berlania to meet your betrothed.”

She only nodded as Pavla turned her around and roughly unlaced her peasant dress. “Yes, Pavla.”

Maple had no memory of anything that happened after that. Most of the afternoon was lost in a haze of black, misty fog. She knew Pavla did stuff her into that tight green gown. She had to lace her bosoms within an inch of their lives to get her into it, but she did wear it. Pavla insisted on her softly performing her newest ditty, a sad ballad of a queen who was to have wed a prince, but she was a fool and the prince never came. 

The sun was just setting when Pavla shimmied down her hair, promising to return next week. She had to talk to her generals who were returning to the front. The prince of Wenneria, who was the head of their armies, had been strangely absent these past few weeks. No one could find him. His brother, who had also been a commander, had disappeared months before. 

Maple vaguely watched her guardian shimmy down her tight braid. She was about to pull it back in when she heard the heavy clip-clop of horses’ hooves and a familiar tweet. “That’s strange,” she whispered. “Pavla don’t usually come back after she leaves for the night.” 

“Maple!” The voice that called her name didn’t really sound much like her guardian. “Maple, my child, let down your copper hair!” Another voice, slightly higher, whispered from behind a tree. “Oh yes! Maple, let down your hair, so I may climb your copper stair!”

“Um, Pavla,” Maple said softly, “how come you sound like you have a cold? That’s not your accent. That’s a bad attempt at a Transylvanian vampire.”

“What did you say, child?” called the nasal accent. “You really must learn to speak up! I can’t hear a word you say.” 

Maple winced at the strong tug on her braid. “You’re climbin’ a lot faster n’ you usually do, Pavla. Remember the thorns at the base of the tower! You’re always tellin’ me not to touch ‘em. They could put an eye out!”

“Child, I know the thorns are down there!” Now her guardian really didn’t sound like herself. For one thing, even at her clumsiest, Pavla never got that annoyed. For another thing, she sounded distinctly male. “Do you believe I’m incapable of watching where my extremities are moving at this second?”

Maple raised an eyebrow. “Um, no offense, Pavla, but I’ve never heard you use words that long before.”

“What is so unusual about my speech patterns?” Maple pulled back, her eyes wide in shock, as a balding head that definitely did not belong to Pavla peered over the stone blocks in the window. “Could you possibly aid me in entering your abode? I’m accustomed to riding into battles, not shimmying up sheer rock towers.” 

She grabbed his hands, finally dragging his full, lanky body through the window. “I’m immensely grateful to you, miss. My thighs ache, my digits are sore, and I received two bruises on my left knee banging them against that blasted Berlania rock.”

“You’re…you’re a man.” Maple moved slowly towards the hearth, with its array of heavy metal pans and copper pots hanging in a neat row over the fireplace. 

The guy who flopped over her window was tall and commanding, even with the wispy dark brown hair on top of his head and slightly thicker, wavier hair on the back. He was also sweating like an overworked messenger boy and breathing harder. She moved back, grabbing at the closest cast-iron frying pan.  “You’re an intruder. Pavla said she didn’t want intruders here.”

“No!” He quickly waved his hands. “Please miss, you may reshelve your weapon! Woodsman Sherwood said we would find a great surprise in this part of the woods, and certainly,” he gave her the shiest, gentlest peach smile, “you are a greater surprise than I could have dreamed of in a million years.” Maple loved his smile. It was so cute and boyish, it really made him seem softer somehow.

“Surprise? You’re my surprise?” Her voice remained so quiet, she could barely hear it. “Scott…” The black fog pushed, trying to crowd something important out. “Scotty…he told me about a surprise.” She shook her head, giving it a smack to clear out the fog. 

He was by far the best surprise she’d ever gotten. Tall, commanding, with glittering eyes that could pierce your soul. His broad shoulders beautifully filled out the navy blue uniform of the Wennaria Kingdom, with its ten brass buttons down the front and modest gold trim. Just the sight of him made her shake out her head and push away that pesky fog. As she came closer, he gave her a gentle little smile from his peach lips that softened his sharp cheekbones and forbidding hooked nose.

“I swear to you, miss, on my honor as the commander of the Wennaria Royal Army, I would never, ever harm an innocent female.” He dropped to his knees before her and gently took her hand, barely brushing his lips against her knuckles. 

“Sherwood boasted that you were the most beautiful and talented woman in the entire Black Woods. He’s known for his tall tales and bragging, but in this case, he spoke the utmost truth. You possess the loveliest voice I have ever had the privilege to hear. When you performed the Ballad of Lost Love, it brought tears to my eyes. I had to stop my horse Hamlet and listen.” 

“You really like my singin’?” Her voice got a little stronger as she gazed into those gorgeous eyes. “You think I have talent?”

“I think you have immense talent. You just require polish.” He managed to roll slowly to his knees, wincing a bit. “I believe that climb took more out of me than I first surmised.”

Maple hurried to the little box filled with ice. “Here,” she handed him a bag. “This might help your knee. And I have chilled tea. I made it when Pavla was here.” 

“I thank you, miss.” He settled down at the table, grunting as he placed the small brocade bag filled with ice over his knee. “May I ask what your name is?”

“Maple.” She managed a flirtatious grin, even as her legs wobbled and her increasingly strong voice shook. “Ya know, like the syrup? Maple Rapunzel. I was named for where Pavla found me in her garden. My parents were light magicians who abandoned me when they couldn’t keep me anymore.”

“I’m sorry about that, miss.” He managed to stand and bow deeply before her. “Prince Victor of Wennaria, Maple, currently on leave from the Wennaria Royal Armies.” 

She couldn’t help the huge grin on her face. This was better than she could have imagined! “You’re a prince? A real, honest-to-life prince? Just like in my storybooks? I ain’t never met a prince before. In fact, Scott’s the only human man I’ve ever met. Pavla always said she didn’t like men in the tower. She was afraid they’d de-floral me, or something.”

“I have no intention of de-flowering you, Maple.” Victor settled back down, rubbing his knee. “I merely wished to address the owner of that amazing voice.”

She poured the tart raspberry tea into two slightly chipped stoneware cups, then brought one to him and took the other for herself. “Cream? Sugar? Honey?”

“No thank you. I prefer my tea black.” 

“You do? Me too. I’d rather have cookies for sweet stuff.” Thank heavens she hadn’t eaten the entire plate of chocolate cookies! There were plenty to share.  “Here ya go. Got snacks, too. I made ‘em myself.”

When that little smile spread on his face again, her knees shook so much under all that satin and lace, she had to sit down. “Thank you, Maple.” He reached for one, biting into it. “This isn’t bad. A bit chewy. I don’t frequently have the opportunity to partake in sweets on the front.”

Maple leaned on her elbow, forgetting how Pavla always said that was bad manners. “So, if you’re a commander, what brings ya all the way out here? The battles are mostly in Berlania and Brittanica. Ain’t never seen no armies around here.” 

He sipped his fragrant, fruity tea. “I seek my younger brother, Prince Jeffery. Almost a year ago, his fiancee, Queen Hilary of Hope Springs, and my fiancee Princess Betty vanished, along with the entire kingdom, shortly after they were invaded by Berlania. He swore he would find her and bring her home, but that was seven months ago, and no one has heard hide, nor hair of him since. I had heard rumors that he was last seen in the Dark Woods.” 

“Gosh.” Maple put her hand on his. “I’m sorry about your brother. If I had a brother, I wouldn’t wanna lose him like that.” Her eyes drifted to the window. “Pavla may not be the nicest guardian, but she’s all I got.” She made a face when she remembered something else he said. “Your fiancee? That name sounds familiar.” 

Victor sighed. “It was an arranged engagement. She was beautiful and intelligent, but I spent very little time with her before she disappeared with her guardian Hilary. I was too busy on the front lines. I truly regret that I never really got to know her.” 

“That’s too bad. Scotty told me ‘bout her. He said she was a nice girl, real smart n’ pretty.” Her smaller hand squeezed his. “I’ve never been to Wennaria. Can you tell me more about it? Scotty says it’s a swell place. He’s been all over.” 

Maple barely noticed the sun disappearing behind the trees and the moon rising. She was too enthralled by Victor’s rich, beautiful voice telling her all about his kingdom. He spoke of the small but charming houses, of his kindly old father and sharp-as-a-tack mother, of their fertile fields of grain and iron works turning out pots and pans like the ones on Maple’s hearth. 

“That’s amazin’!” Maple couldn’t help her yawn as Victor told her about the beautiful old theater where ballets and opera played in downtown Wennaria City. “I ain’t been to a theater that size since I went to school in Yorkalia. Someday,” she stretched her arms from all that sitting, “I’m gonna be a great singer at a theater like that.”

“With your talent and ambition, I’m sure you will be.” He couldn’t help his own yawn. “Perhaps it’s time I returned home. Sherwood continues to await my descent, and my parents are also waiting.” He kissed her hand again. “I would be most delighted to visit you again tomorrow, Miss Maple Rapunzel.” 

Maple gulped. “Don’t get me wrong, I want ya to. I really like you! It’s just…” She nodded at the window. “Pavla usually comes durin’ the day, an’ I don’t think she’ll like me havin’ men up here, or anyone up here who ain’t her.”

“I’ll have to arrange it with Woodsman Sherwood, but I could visit you just as twilight descends and Pavla departs. We’ll be able to spend the evening talking over pastries and tea together.” He gave her that little smile that made her squeak and her knees shake. “I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend an evening.”

“Me either, Victor.” She dropped her hair down the window to Scott, who waited near the tower with the horses. “Just be careful, ok? Those vines ain’t down there ‘cause they look pretty. They’re sharper n’ razors. You fall on them, they’ll cut you to ribbons.” 

“I assure you, Maple, that I will show the utmost caution in my descent.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Until tomorrow, Miss Maple Rapunzel!”

“Until tomorrow, Prince Victor!” She knew she was blushing as she waved to him and Scott. Her face turned so hot, it glowed along with the flickering flames in the hearth. “See ya, boys!” She sat at the window and made sure Victor got down with no trouble, then watched them until they and their horses vanished into the inky black night.