“I said I’m not the sidekick” Cindy blew a dark gold curl off her forehead; she hated being underestimated more than anything. “Just because Snow’s taller than me doesn’t automatically mean she’s the leader. We are 50/50 with everything. There’s no boss you know, we’re equals.’’
“Thank you for clarifying that for me, Miss Vanholston.” The teacher said with a malice laced smile. “In that case I assume you won’t mind accompanying her this evening to The Lonesome Forest with today’s lesson.”
Cindy’s face fell; Snow looked confused, and some boys snickered in the back.
“Excuse me, Miss Hollyhock? Why am I taking the lesson to The Lonesome Forest?” Snow inquired as politely as she could, considering the fact that being sent to The Lonesome Forest was somewhat like taking a long walk off a short plank. The punishment certainly didn’t fit the crime; she really hated, cold dark forests.
“Penance.” said the teacher with a smile. “Our newest student is stricken with Hoglas disease and can’t leave her tower for class. As penance, you and Miss Vanholston will bring and explain the day’s lessons; you will continue to do so until I say further.”
Snow had never heard of Hoglas disease, she hoped it wasn’t catchy and it certainly didn’t sound good.
“Miss Hollyhock?” Snow questioned again. “What exactly is Hoglas disease?”
“Excuse me?” Turin’s one and only teacher had never found herself questioned so closely by a student before; she didn’t like it. She glared at the offending student...in this case, Snow. This glare might have frozen another student immediately, but they hadn’t been brought up in Castle White. They hadn’t stood face to face with her stepmother, the Queen of Rylak.
“Hoglas disease. I have never heard of it.” Snow repeated in a strong, level voice. “I am concerned that it might be communicable.”
Flustered and irritated, the teacher began to shuffle her papers again. “Why it’s a, it causes, it has...Miss Rutherford, I have been assured it is not communicable, and if you have any medical questions I suggest you direct them to Dr. Rutherford, we are already behind on today’s lesson. I’m sure you can all understand why you will be kept later this afternoon to make up for this unnecessary delay.”
The room was suddenly filled with groans, which were immediately silenced by a dark look in the furious teacher’s eye.
“Just one more question, please?” Snow pressed. “What is the new student’s name?”
“Rapunzel. Her name is Rapunzel Goethal.”
~~*~~
Saying there were actual roads through the Lonesome Forest would be an overstatement. Paths, very overgrown paths would be far more accurate. Even though the sun shone bright in the afternoon sky, the glorious rays could hardly penetrate the densely overgrown foliage. “How aptly named” Snow idly thought as she took in the dark and mysterious forest. Carefully the girls picked their way through the dimly lit path, Snow in her knee high white boots and Cindy in her fragile silver sandals. Needless to say, the going was slow...very slow.
Only the most eccentric, would make their home anywhere near The Lonesome Forest, and few ventured beyond the point where the sun failed. The depth of the forest was said to be home to trolls, vampires and various non-unionized fairies and witches; and if the legends were true, sleeping dryads rested deep within the dark and silent trees. Dryads are the spirits of the trees, they had long since stopped dancing in the moonlight. Ancient texts told stories of great celebrations in the forests, magical nights inspired by the dryads sheer joy of life; dryads had always been Snow’s favorite mythological creature. She loved daydreaming about those beautiful dancing dryads, their long hair and arms swaying so ethereally and gracefully as they moved. She could almost imagine joining hands and being caught up in the dance as well. She sighed softly to herself as she let her mind wander. It was all just fantasy now, the legends stated that the dryads had been hunted almost to extinction; earlier humans had believed that if they could cut the dryad down in her home tree¸ her magic could be absorbed. It was false, and thousands of dryads were sacrificed according to the stories. Whatever dryads had escaped the massacre had retreated to The Lonesome Forest, where it is believed they eternally sleep, or as some stories go, turned in to vengeful spirits tormenting any who disturb that sleep. Regardless, they no longer befriended humans, if they ever had.
With their destination finally in sight, the girls began to pick up the pace, and within minutes found themselves standing directly in front of a dark stone house. The dark, narrow tower seemed even taller up close. The house, situated in a small clearing in the dreary forest, appeared sinister without the help of green grass or colourful flowers to add warmth or personality. Snow followed the dusty path to the dark, rounded door with Cindy just a step behind, but before she could knock, the door swung open revealing a bent, dour looking woman.
Quickly Snow recovered her manners. “Good day Madame.” She said curtsying gracefully. “My name is Snowy and this is Cindy. We have brought...” She hunted for the new girl’s name.
“Rapunzel.” Inserted Cindy, who had no intention of curtsying.
“Rapunzel’s lesson from school today.” Snow finished. Uneasily she smiled up in to the woman’s disagreeable face. The woman took the girls in one by one. The effect was that of being inspected and dissected; there was no warmth to be found anywhere in the woman’s face. Snow’s bright smile wilted somewhat.
“I am Mother Goethal. You will find Rapunzel at the top of the stairs. Explain your lessons and mind that you don’t dawdle.” The raspy voice informed them with great reluctance; and with one thin and gnarled finger she pointed to the staircase.
The dark stairs went round and round, higher and higher, seemingly forever. Cobwebs grew between the stairs in the gloom and it appeared that nothing had seen a broom in years. Finally the girls reached the top of the dark, dusty staircase. The rounded door was shut in front of them, so Snow grasped the large brass knocker and rapped politely three times.
The girls turned to look at each other slowly as the rapping sound echoed off of the walls eerily; Cindy stepped in as close to Snow as she could.
Nothing.
“Hello? I have your lessons...” Snow trailed off, unsure what else to say. She looked at Cindy for assistance, Cindy who was never at a loss for words. Cindy was very helpful, she shrugged; she didn’t want to be there at all. They waited for another minute in the dark and dreary stairwell. Snow knocked again.
Still nothing.
“Just leave it outside the door. We’re leaving; this place is way too creepy.” Decided Cindy with apparent relief. “Come on, we can still make it to Prince Leonardo’s Fan Club Meeting.”
Snow placed the books on the step outside the door and both girls gratefully turned to leave.
“Come in.” Barely audible, the voice floated out from behind the door. Snow hesitated; Cindy sighed and shook her head.
Cautiously Snow opened the creaky door, nodding for Cindy to go in.
“Na ah. I’m just the sidekick.” Whispered Cindy giving Snow a little shove forward. “You’re the leader.”
“Oh, now I’m the leader.” Snow whispered back as she took a tentative step in to the room.
“What, you’re taller.”
The room was round, and made entirely of stone; the only light came from the window directly across from the door. A bed, a wardrobe and a chair were the only furniture to be seen.
A tall young girl stood off to the side, hiding half in the shadows. Dressed in a simple floor length black dress, she seemed ghost-like. Silently, and without expression, she regarded the girls, you could feel her fear. Long platinum hair poured over her shoulders and down to the floor, it flowed across to the chair and coiled in front of the wardrobe.
“Oh. My. God.” Cindy breathed as she clutched at Snow’s cape.
Slowly Snow held up the lesson. “My name is Snowy, and this is my friend, Cindy.” She said slowly, indicating her sma
ll friend. “We were sent with your lesson.”
Rapunzel stared blankly at the girls.
“You know, from school?” Snow added carefully.
Rapunzel stepped out from the shadow. As the light hit her face, Snow was struck by how sad she looked; it shadowed her eyes, fringed with an abundance of black lashes, they were as dark as her hair was light. Her mouth, so perfectly red on her beautiful heart shaped pale face, looked as if it had forgotten how to smile. She was utterly beautiful, in an ethereally remote way. Snow was at a loss for words, and apparently so was Cindy, which was really quite rare.
“Why do you stare at me?” Rapunzel asked in a breathy voice full of fear and self consciousness, one pale hand fluttered helplessly by her slender throat.
Instantly Snow was ashamed. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn't mean to, I was just-”
“It’s your hair.” Interjected Cindy. “I have never seen anything so beautiful! How do you get it so shiny? How do you move around? How do you brush it?”
They had never seen hair like it before. They couldn't begin to imagine how long it truly was, it seemed to stretch on forever, gloriously silver blonde. Tentatively Rapunzel touched her own hair. Her smile was slow, as if her mouth was unaccustomed to the motion, and as it touched her rosy lips she cautiously looked up towards the girls; hope shining in her dark eyes.
“It truly is beautiful.” Snow affirmed. Magical it seemed, the cascades of silvery blonde hair that flowed across the room; you could almost believe it was magic. Hair like that, you just knew would feel like the finest silk if you were to touch it.
Cindy looked on in confusion. “Seriously, hasn’t anyone ever told you that before?”
“I don’t remember meeting anyone.”
~~*~~
Walking home that evening, the term ‘The Lonesome Forest’ seemed to have taken on new meaning. The dark silence of the forest seemed fitting and proper, allowing both of the girls to consider all they had just learned. Years had passed since Rapunzel had met another soul. Until today; until they arrived. How lonely she must be, they couldn’t even begin to imagine. Once she had gotten past her initial unease, she had hung on their every word, apparently fascinated by their very presence; taking in every movement, every expression like a sponge. They both felt sorry when they left her, but their reassurance that they would return the next day had brought another tentative smile to the remote young girl’s face.
One more very important thing happened without their knowledge that sunny afternoon in the forest, both of the girls made a subconscious pledge to befriend and help the lonely girl in the tower. This decision would change the course of their lives.
~~*~~
She was close. He could smell it, lifting his nose up towards the dazzling moon he inhaled deeply, revelling in the rich scent of her. It flooded his brain and instantly he relaxed. If there was a Heaven, he believed it would be full of her perfect scent. Or perhaps She herself would be present. He banished the thought instantly as his pulse began to race. No, this was enough. If he could only see her and smell her.... This would be enough.
Silence.
He froze as she made her way down the path. Crouched down in amongst the brambles, in the dusty half light that barely infiltrated the base of The Lonesome Forest, he knew she would not see him. She never did. She traveled this way perhaps twice a week, each time with a basket held tightly in her slender hands. Each time he watched her. Watched over her, he corrected himself. Because he would have laid down his life for her from the first moment he had caught her scent.
She stopped, mere feet away from him. He froze. She looked up at the moon, so perfectly set in the sky and a smile crept over her lovely features. He watched her smile lighting up her face and he felt his heart would explode. Unbeknownst to her, she was among a very select group of beings who had nothing to fear in this dark and dangerous forest. He had vowed to protect her from everything and anything that would threaten her in all of the Kingdom of Lonstas. Even from himself.
Such was the love of a werewolf.
Chapter 3
Annette and Juliette Del Grotta, the twin daughters of Madame Morgada Del Grotta, had never thought much of Cinderella Vanholston. In fact they were mortified and distraught when their mother, The Madame, was noted in the company of Caspian Vanholston III...frequently. It was not a lack of money that put the twin girls off you see, the Vanholston’s certainly had no lack of such; it was the lack of Aristocracy. You see for all of Caspian’s swashbuckling good looks, generosity with money, and that general air of good humour that always seemed to surrounded him, he had not a single drop of Aristocratic blood. This meant that Cinderella, his one and only daughter, was also found wanting. Now, had they thought to make their misgivings known to Miss Vanholston they might have found a valued ally. Instead two increasingly hostile camps were formed.
The Del Grotta girls were identical twins, each inheriting the dark auburn hair and steel grey eyes from their mother. Although they were widely considered to be pretty girls, they might have been considered beautiful if they had not let bitterness harden their hearts, this bitterness and occasional malice twisted their features very unbecomingly. It was bitterness and irritation that the twins felt in their hearts that Monday afternoon, so it was bitterness and irritation that showed on their faces as they watched Cindy and Snow leave the classroom.
“The ugly step-sisters are watching us.” Cindy nudged Snow. “I think I hate them.”
“Seriously Cindy! You don’t hate anyone; it isn’t very nice you know.” Snow almost laughed at the thought.
“No, I hate’em.” Cindy assured her as she held her ridiculously over-sized, hot pink and silver bag close to her body. “They never smile, they’re ugly and they have the worst fashion sense.” That being a crime of unimaginable proportions coming from Cindy.
“They never smile at you, they are definitely not...ugly, and...okay they do have really boring fashion sense, you got me there.” And they did. Greys, browns, dark blues, sweaters and skirts. It was expensive, yet utterly dull un-inspired fashion...a cardinal sin in Cindy’s eyes.
“Oh, and they aren’t your step-sisters...yet; but I heard a little rumour last night that-”.
At that Cindy swung the bag at her. “I don’t even know whose side you’re on anymore.” And then the implications of the term “step-sisters” struck her. “Oh my God! That would be the worst possible thing that could ever happen to me! I will jump in the river if that happens! We will engage in sabotage! Never surrender!” Clutching her chest, Cindy gasped for air.
It was quite humorous, Snow mused, watching Cindy in her little hot pink tunic and leggings, she’d caught her golden curls up in a circlet of daisies piled high on top of her head. She looked adorable; but she was clutching her heart, gasping for air and rolling her eyes like a two hundred year old crone whose number has just been called. Bingo was really big with the crones in Turin.
“Baba Yaga at bingo last Thursday!” Snow joked, playfully pointing at her friend. “That was an impression, wasn’t it? You are really good. I think you should abandon designing and join the dramatic arts!”
“You are a terrible person.” Cindy sniffed.
“Maybe.” Conceded Snow. “But just think how much better in comparison you will look standing next to them in Family Pictures. And that actually hurt, you’ve been guarding your ugly old bag all day, what’s inside?”
And that’s all it took. Cindy had been bursting at the seams all day with some secret, having to do with her hot pink bag, which she had kept close to her body at all times. She indicated that Snow should follow her off to the side of the school house. With great curiosity, Snow did just that.
Slowly, Cindy unravelled a very long rope ladder. She looked up at Snow expectantly, excitement rolling off of her in waves, her electric green eyes shimmering with mischief. Snow took a long look at the rope, she had no idea what could have brought forth this level of excitement, and Cindy was fairl
y dancing with glee. It was just some rope as far as she could tell.
“You want we should hang someone?” She finally asked with a sceptical look across her face.
“It’s for Rapunzel you dope!” Cindy explained in complete exasperation. “I worked on it all weekend. I think it should be just about long enough, but if not we’ll improvise! And my bag is neither ugly nor old, it is completely fashion forward.”
“Whatever you say.” Snow shook her head, she could never keep up. “You are up to some nefarious deed again aren’t you, you know, the type that ends up with us getting caught, scolded and grounded?”
Sighing dramatically, Cindy nodded in happy agreement. “I’m going to break her out.”
“You’re going to break her out? And go where? You can’t break her out she has Hoglas disease, what if she gets sick? What if The Mother Goethal finds out.” She shivered at the mere thought. With her raspy voice and knowing eyes, the bent old woman managed to make the girls feel skittish and guilty every time they arrived with the Lesson.
“She seems fine to me. We’re dropping the ladder off this afternoon. We’ll come back for her tonight.” Cindy informed her confidently. “Trust me.”
So it was “we” plan. Snow shook her head. They were going to get in to so much trouble.
The idea had been planted that Friday when Cindy had brought along the latest issue of “The Lonstasian Eye”, a very popular tabloid magazine. Rapunzel had seized it immediately enchanted with the stories and pictures of people and places she had never seen; and likely never would. Perhaps it was when the lonely girl had innocently asked what grass felt like beneath bare feet. Perhaps it was the picture of Rapunzel leaning out the window of her tower wistfully, as she watched the girls begin their walk back through the forest. But whatever the reason, the girls had left with heavy hearts that Friday.
So they were going to break her out. Cindy just loved to make plans.
~~*~~
The trip through The Lonesome Forest that evening was very quick, even with the heavy bags and cloaks Cindy had outfitted them with. Maybe they were becoming more familiar with the path, maybe it was the threat of trolls and other such night dwellers, but much of it would most likely be the cause of the sensible walking boots Snow had insisted they wear. They made good time.