Ravishing Rapunzel (Passion-Filled Fairy Tales, #6)(29)

His words warmed her heart. She blushed as she looked over to the loop. “We should go out,” she said.

He nodded, and she watched as he removed a thick length of rope, tied one end to the iron loop, and threw the other end out the window. “I’ll go first,” he said. “To show you how it’s done. The key is to hold onto the rope and let your feet walk down the side of the tower. It’s important to hold on tight, but if you should fall, I’ll be at the bottom to catch you.”

“Wouldn’t I crush you if I fell?”

Bradyn laughed. “Nah,” he said with a grin. “I believe in magic when it’s convenient.”

Rapunzel playfully slapped his shoulder. And then he climbed down the rope. She watched him carefully, the way his hands gripped the rope, whitening at the edges, one hand holding deathly tight, the other, releasing and moving lower on the rope, then swapping, the way his feet rappelled down the curved tower wall. She wondered if her soft-bottomed slippers would be sturdy enough, for the climb down as well as the outside. Though, she realized it didn’t matter. She was going down regardless.

With Bradyn safely at the bottom, she grabbed the rope and held on tight. Looking down and seeing how far it was, a wave of panic gripped her and she imagined she might fall straight to the ground, killing both Bradyn in herself. An urge to go back inside hit, but then she heard Bradyn call. “It’s alright, my love. You won’t fall. Just hold on tight with one hand, loosen the other, and slowly come down. You’ll be with me soon.”

She’d be with him soon. Those words were the lifeline she needed to move. With him, she could do anything.

She climbed down slowly, and it felt interminable. By the time Bradyn wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to the ground, her hands burned and she felt weak at the knees. It had been a dizzying experience, and doubt crept in that maybe she’d been wrong about her mother, that maybe she was going to be very sick indeed.

“It’s alright, Rapunzel,” he said. “You’re alright.”

She took in a deep breath. Good heavens, the air was lovely down here. It was late spring, so very warm. And everything was in such bloom. She could smell the honeysuckle much stronger than when she stuck her head out the tower window. “It’s lovely,” she said, her toes digging into the ground. It was such a different feel from the wood floors of the tower.

“Yes, it is,” Bradyn said. “Let me show you.”

And with that, he grabbed her hand and towed her from the clearing to the forest. Once inside, they were surrounded by trees, and though Bradyn wanted to go quickly, to take her to some location that he thought she’d like, Rapunzel slowed at everything. She stopped and touched the bark of trees. Paused to watch squirrels and foxes and rabbits and anything that didn’t fly. She’d seen enough birds in her life in the tower. She stopped to look at insects, ladybugs and termites and spiders. She wanted to see all.

It took them almost two hours to get to the spot Bradyn wanted to show her, and she was almost sorry she’d dawdled. It was breathtaking. A little stream that had a small waterfall flowed through the forest. There was a bank aside this flow of water, leaving a clear area for them to walk. A couple of boulders were nestled at the water’s edge. Bradyn sat on one and patted the spot next to him for Rapunzel. “What do you think?”

“It’s lovely,” she said. “It’s really, really lovely.”

He smiled and nodded, scooping her hand into his as he watched the water. “I thought you’d like it here. I’ve seen deer come up and drink the water. If you’re pretty still, they don’t run away. You can watch them.”

“Deer,” she said with enthusiasm. “That’s wonderful.” Rapunzel looked up at the beautiful blue sky, the sun high above their heads. “How did you find this place?”

“I didn’t want to be late to meet you. I wanted to be available as soon as your mother left, so I’d usually come early, but explore the nearby woods. When I found this gem, I knew you’d love it.”

Rapunzel nodded. “You know me well,” she said.

He shook his head. “Not as well as I would like,” he said. “Or maybe better than I’ve ever known another living soul.”

He chuckled, but Rapunzel felt quite confused. “You’re not making much sense, Bradyn,” she teased. “Perhaps the fresh air makes you ill.”

“No,” he laughed. “I’m not ill. But it’s how I feel. I feel like you are the only person I know, the only person I truly understand or want to understand, yet I still feel like I could spend a lifetime with you talking to you and getting to know more about you each day.”

She grinned. “Ah, I understand now,” she admitted. “Would you think I’m odd if I said I felt the same way? Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve felt as if I was somehow meant to know you, as if it were written in the heavens that we were to meet. All those years ago, and again recently.”

“I think we were meant to meet, Rapunzel,” he said. “I think we were meant to be together.”

As he spoke the words, she knew in her heart that they were correct. She nodded.

Just then, across the banks, they saw a deer step out of the woods. The doe was with her young fawn, and the two of them walked over the stream’s edge and began to drink. Rapunzel and Bradyn watched quietly.