Ravishing Rapunzel (Passion-Filled Fairy Tales, #6)
Rosetta Bloom
Foreword
The story of Rapunzel is old and memorable. The original, as recounted by the brothers Grimm, is short. The basic elements of the tale are a wife, who wants rapunzel to eat from an enchantress’ garden, and a husband who steals it for her. When the enchantress, Dame Gothel, learns that the husband has been stealing her prized plant, she allows him to keep taking it in exchange for the child his wife bears. Fearful, the husband agrees, hoping to weasel out of it later. Only, no such luck, as Dame Gothel takes the babe, names it Rapunzel, and flees. Years later, a prince discovers Rapunzel, climbs up to her, and the two have a torrid affair. Mother Gothel realizes the deception, cuts off Rapunzel’s hair, and casts her out. Mother Gothel tosses down the cut off braid for the prince to climb up and tells him that he’ll never find Rapunzel. The prince falls into brambles and is blinded. He wanders for years before finally finding Rapunzel, who has given birth to twins.
This tale is a little different. Our wife craved rapunzel, but it was the husband who craved it more, as you’ll see in the prologue. As a point of interest, rapunzel is an alternate name for campanula rapunculus, also known as rampion. It was once very common in Europe. The plant grew lovely violet flowers when it was in bloom. Generally, people ate the rapunzel leaves in salads, similar to the way people use spinach today.
As a second point of interest, in my version of the story, I reference the concept of bad air making people sick (miasma). While this may sound odd to us today, belief in miasma was common throughout history. The concept dates back to ancient China and was extremely popular in 19th century England. For many years, English scholars in the miasma camp believed it was the cause of disease, and fought vigorously with those who suggested germs caused disease. Obviously, germ theory won out, but not without a pitched battle. I thought it would be fun to ground the characters with some beliefs that were actually popular historically, even though it’s a fairy tale.
As always, I hope you enjoy this fairy tale. May your love remain in bloom,
Rosetta
Prologue
Eldon was spent. He lay there next to his wife, their naked bodies curled around each other after a long session of lovemaking.
Rosalind’s delicate fingers ran through the hair on his chest. “You were truly magnificent,” she cooed in his ear, her soft breath sending tingles through him.
“As were you, my love,” he said, planting a kiss on her ruby-red lips.
Her hand traveled through his chest hair, down his abdomen, over his muscles, taut from the daily labor of a farmer, down to his manhood, which rested lazily on his abdomen after their tryst.
“I want you again,” she whispered.
He tried not to grimace. This had been their fourth time today. He loved his wife, and he’d loved her free-wheeling carnal desires from the moment they were first together. But, since she’d become with child, she’d ratcheted things up beyond measure. Twice a day wasn’t enough. Neither was four times, nor five, nor six. He couldn’t keep up with this pace. Not if he wanted to feed her, too. He needed to ready his fields, till the soil.
He took her hand in his own, raising it from his abdomen and bringing it to his lips, where he planted a kiss on her fingers. “My love, I must farm today, or we shall starve,” he said.
She frowned and breathed out. He wondered, momentarily, if he should go for another round. She was delicious now. Everything about her appealed to him, especially the small roundness of her belly. He knew it would grow as the baby did, and he imagined that would be appealing, too. He grinned as he looked down at her, his beautiful bride with golden hair, a shapely body, and the loveliest green eyes he’d ever seen. He should have known the moment he met her that he would be a slave to her whims.
But he hadn’t known. He’d only known that she was beautiful and she wanted him, and he’d have done anything she asked. Only, today he needed to farm. “I must go to work now,” he said.
She frowned but nodded. Eldon stood, dressed, and made his way out of the house to begin his farming duties. It was already midday, and he was way behind. They’d have nothing if he continued like this, in bed all day, pleasuring his insatiable wife.
He tilled his land, and planted seeds, and was busy pulling at the few weeds that had cropped up when a woman dressed in a green cloak walked toward him, waving. She smiled and stopped a few feet away. “Hello,” she called.
Eldon stopped his work. He realized she’d come from the neighbor’s house and he knew immediately he must not offend her.
The neighbor woman was rumored to be an enchantress and lived with a high wall surrounding much of her property. He’d seen this woman, always in the green cloak, come in and out of the enchantress’s home on several occasions. They were clearly good friends, and Eldon did not want her to tell the enchantress he’d been rude to her. “How goes it, milady?” he said with a smile.
“Well,” she said, pursing her lips and crunching her eyebrows. “I suppose there’s no way to be delicate about it." She looked toward the little cottage Eldon lived at with his wife. “I can’t help but have noticed your wife’s pregnancy has made her quite amorous.”
Eldon raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
The woman in the cloak was prettier than he’d expected, but matronly looking and wide in the hips. She smiled. “’Tis nothing to be ‘shamed of, my dear. We all came about from such activity. But, I imagine with her wanting so much from you that you have little time to work. Almost every time I look out my sister's window, I see you're not out here doing your work."