One Thousand Words of Pride

The Sorceress on the High Mountain (she/they)

I don't know what it should mean, but in the heart of Europe there sits a lonely maiden on a rock overlooking the river Rhine. Preoccupied with herself, she pretends not to notice the many ships traveling past on the water below.

In stark contrast to her indifference, virtually all their crews and captains stare up at the fair girl in awe. Astonished by her radiating elegance, they pay little to no attention to the world around them; least of all the various hazards threatening their vessels.

It seems she doesn't acknowledge the boats and freighters running aground on sandbanks, or crashing into each other. But they do, and they proceed to sink by the dozens, taking many a sailor to an early and watery grave. Her headcount easily reaches three figures before noon, even if she arguably only indirectly caused the demise of these foolish men.

She couldn't possibly concern herself with their doom, as she spends all her time and energy on getting her hair in order with a wooden brush. The wind isn't making her task any easier, instead relentlessly sending it into twists and knots most painful to unravel.

"Ow, ow, ow! Stupid!"

Whispered under her breath, the curses are quickly lost with the wind. They would never reach the sailors hundreds of feet below her. They might grow less spellbound if they heard what unrefined phrases she feels obliged to share, but even that is doubtful at best.

"Who am I kidding."

She stands up with a sigh and turns her back on the river. The moment she's out of sight from below, all boat traffic resumes as usual. As the girl heads into a nearby forest, she whips out her phone, skipping through her contacts in search of her favorite hairdresser.

All this hair needs to go, she believes. All of it. She won't need to retain more than an inch or two. Especially seeing how her girlfriend has enough hair for the both of them, really.

This renowned artisan's name begins with a Z, so she takes her time making it all the way down the list. Before she can even reach his info, her phone buzzes and interrupts the search. Without thinking, she accepts the call and lifts the thin device to her ear.

"This Loreley? Oh. Oh, hey dad."

"Hi baby girl, how's it going?" The voice rings through a bout of static. Who knows what backwater town he is calling her from. "Just finished my shift, and I figured I'd give you a call."

"I'm good. Just tried combing my hair again, but it's a nightmare with all this wind."

"Oh, no. You haven't been sitting on that rock again, have you? I told you it's bad for my shipping business! Besides, what if you tripped and fell?"

"I'm being careful, don't worry about me. And nothing happened, pinky promise."

"Well, alright."

She doesn't mind showing her impatience. Loreley knows perfectly well her father didn't just call to check up on her hair. He's beating around the bush, avoiding the elephant in the room. She wonders whether she should ease him into it somehow.

"How..." he finally starts, hesitant at first. "How'd the surgery go?"

There's a pause on the other end of the line, and she can tell he's trying to add something. Maybe a quick joke to relieve the tension. Loreley gives him a moment, absentmindedly stroking her chest that is now completely flat for the first time in over a decade.

"Everything went as planned, dad," she says, and this time she can't suppress a grin. "It's the reason I'm feeling so great right now. I'm finally not looking all ladylike anymore."

"More like a dude?"

"No, not really. I'm just...l don't know. I'm just me, you know? For the first time ever."

"If you say so. Uh...I was wondering if you'd like to come visit sometime. Your mother and me, we haven't seen you in a while. I was thinking maybe...this weekend, or the next?"

"I'll see what I can do," Loreley mumbles. She's a good distance from the rock by now, and her house is almost in range. "I still have my group meetings to go to."

"Group meetings?"

"The support group. We talked about this."

"Oh, yeah, that group. Sure. Are you home now?"

"Going there, why?"

"Uh, you know your girlfriend is always welcome with us, too. Right?"

"She has a name," Loreley says with a groan. "And I'm sure Rapunzel would be delighted to come visit. This pandemic's had us locked in the house since forever. And you know how she gets when stuck in one building for too long."

"Oh! Yes, yes. Of course."

She snorts.

"I have to go, dad. Good talk, though. I'll let you know when we find a good day for us to visit."

"That's great. I'll see you then."

"Right. Love you."

Sliding the phone into her pocket, Loreley feels like she forgot about something. She can't remember what it was. Brushing off a cute bird that was about to land on her shoulder, she unlocks the front door and steps inside. Mother nature may be most serene, but as long as her representatives keep crapping all over the carpet, she's decided they're best left outside.

"I'm home!" she calls out, and her voice reverberates along the black-and-white building's medieval walls. It takes a moment before Rapunzel comes marching out of the living room, a quarter mile worth of hair following in her footsteps.

"Hey, honey," she greets her with a smile.

"Hey," Loreley says. "I just got a call from my dad. He wants us to come visit sometime."

"Does he now?" Rapunzel raises a brow. "Where were you, anyway? You didn't leave a note."

"I had my phone with me the whole time, come on. Besides, I was just up on the rock, causing some property damage."

"Property damage?"

"With the boats, and all."

Rapunzel rolls her eyes.

"You're incorrigible."

And then they kissed.