Rapunzel, Rapunzel

Chapter 1 Two Thieves and a Baby

Chapter 1

Two Thieves and a Baby

As she did on any ordinary day, Gothel tended to her garden, watering her rampion and tearing out any unnecessary weeds. Gothel did not mind the routine, but the loneliness crept up on her, every so often. People in the nearby kingdom of Tiare were always quite wary of her, as she was a sorceress, but Gothel never attempted to harm or threaten any innocent civilians. She wished her younger sister would also act the same way.

Swiping the beads of sweat off her forehead and brushing her radiant red hair from her face, Gothel gazed up at her tower, tall and grey, surrounded by her garden of rampion. She was not entirely sure why she only grew this particular vegetable. Perhaps it was because it happened to be the only vegetable she was good at growing. Now, it seemed as though her rampion became her sole company. She used to see her sister, Rengonda, more often but lately she seemed to have found better ways of spending her time than coming for a visit. Gothel had no idea what her younger sibling was even up to these days. Part of her did not even want to know. On her last visit to Rengonda’s manor, she found her sister torturing some poor fellow for information on ways to stay youthful, that being her most recent obsession. Gothel desperately hoped she was past this by now.

As Gothel contemplated about her work she figured there was nothing else to be done today. If she watered her plants any more they would drown. She let out a sigh once she saw that the sun still blazed well above the horizon, as she knew she would have to find some other way to occupy her time until the moment came for sleep. She assumed she would have another peaceful yet dull night alone in her tower.

Just as Gothel started to walk around her around to the back door, she heard a loud stumble. Turning her head, she saw that a slender man with short blonde hair and blue eyes wearing ragged clothing had fallen into her garden, wrecking some of her vegetables.

As he rose to his feet and brushed the dirt off, Gothel rushed over to him, demanding, “Are you alright?”

“Oh yeah… just a fall.” The man grinned and turned his head around. “Oh good. I lost them.”

“Lost who?” Gothel asked, trying to conceal her annoyance towards him for ruining her garden. “Is someone after you?”

“Ah, its nothing big.” He casually waved his hand, and then put it on his hip as he tried to catch his breath.“Just a little misunderstanding. These men seem to think I stole something.”

Gothel raised her eyebrow, questioningly. “What do they think you stole?”

The queer man shrugged and dug around in his pocket. “Oh, just this loaf of bread and this key.”

“I see.” Gothel took a couple steps back. “So you are a thief.”

The man placed the items back in his pocket, and put both hands up, in defense, shaking his head furiously. “No, no! You must understand, my wife and I can barely afford a decent meal for just the two of us, and now we have a baby to feed as well. We must steal to survive.”

Gothel folded her arms. “And what about the key? Why did you take that?”

Once again, the man shrugged. “I don’t know. It was just sitting there by the bread. I’m not even sure what it opens.”

“Then why did you take it?” she inquired once again, confused.

Ignoring her last question, the strange thief began to have a look around the garden and asked her, “Do you live here alone?”

Gothel sighed as she replied, “Yes.”

The man placed his hands on his hips and commented, “That is quite a lot of vegetables for one person. Do you sell them?”