Four weeks later, their day had finally come. Though Rapunzel’s family called her Elsebeth and she was getting used to that name and liking it quite well, she did not mind that Sir Gerek still called her Rapunzel. And the way he said her name when they were alone made her heart turn inside out. He was still occasionally the grouchy frowner he was when she first met him. But they had both changed, and she felt no doubts or hesitancy about becoming his wife.
Cristobel was with Rapunzel as she came down the stairs of Keiterhafen Castle in her wedding gown and veil. Gerek took the steps two at a time to meet her in the middle.
He took her hand. “You are so beautiful.”
“I know you like my hair down,” she whispered, for his ears only.
“I do.” He leaned down to kiss her temple before they joined the rest of her family at the bottom.
After a few moments of checking to make sure everyone was there—Duke Wilhelm and Lady Rose, her brothers, Valten, Steffan, Wolfgang, and Toby, and her sisters, Kirstyn and Adela, and Valten’s wife, Gisela, and their baby girl—they departed the castle through the Great Hall.
Gerek held her hand as they walked. How her life had changed since she came to Hagenheim. The peasant girl who had longed to know how to read so she could write down her songs, who had always lived in small villages and felt like an outsider, who had believed her parents didn’t want her, who had been completely controlled by the woman she called Mother and told she should never trust men or let them hear her sing . . . that girl was now a woman with a large, loving family, the daughter of a duke, and the soon-to-be wife of Sir Gerek, the new lord of Keiterhafen.
Rapunzel’s fortunes had reversed, and so had Gerek’s, for now he had her love—and an entire region, with men to command and a castle and town to protect.
She gazed up at him as they neared the church, and he winked at her. “Will you dance with me tonight at our wedding feast?”
“Of course.”
“You aren’t to dance with anyone else. I want you all to myself tonight.”
“That should not be a problem.”
They approached the door of the cathedral where the priest stood. As they began to agree with the priest, as he spoke to them of their duty to each other, she kept glancing at the reverent look on Gerek’s face. Truly, he had become what she had initially thought him to be, that day on the road to Hagenheim when he had saved her from the two men attacking them—her knight and defender. And in spite of the evil that had been done to them, God had restored their hope, and their faith, in love.
Acknowledgments
from The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest
I WANT TO thank everyone who has helped me with this book, starting with my wonderful agent, Natasha Kern. Thanks for pushing me to come up with the best possible stories with plots that hold together, and for always being willing to give advice and help. Besides helping me with proposals and so many other things, you are simply the most savvy and courageous defibrillator of stalled-out dreams I know.
I owe so much to Becky Monds for helping me whip this book into shape! You saw exactly what needed to be fixed, tweaked, and changed in the characters and the plot, and I am more grateful to you for that than I can say. I am happier with this book than I could have ever been without your expert insight! Thank you.
I want to thank Julee Schwarzburg for her meticulous line-editing expertise. Thanks so much for all the help! It is much stronger for all your work, and I learned a lot from you.
I want to thank my first readers and critiquers: Carol Moncado and Katie Clark, who made me feel good about the early draft. And thanks to Carol, Suzy, Regina, Grace, Faith, and Joe for being willing to let me bounce plot ideas off you. You guys are the best!
I want to thank those who are always willing to pray for me and encourage me, especially Regina Carbulon, Suzy Parish, Jessica Bates, Karma Malone, and Ken and Dene Finley. Thank you so much! I don’t know how I would do this without your prayers.
I want to thank Daisy Hutton and Jason Short for seeing potential in me and being the impetus for this series of medieval fairy tales for adults, and Daisy for making it happen so quickly. I thank God for you and all the people at Thomas Nelson who do the work to make sure my book is well received. May God bless you for it!
Lastly, I want to thank my awesome readers who write me the sweetest messages through Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail. You are my inspiration! I love you all.
from The Beautiful Pretender
I WANT TO thank my extremely supportive, hardworking, and wise agent, Natasha Kern, and my fabulously talented, thorough, and otherwise wonderful editors, Becky Monds and Julee Schwarzburg. I am very thankful for everyone at Thomas Nelson who works hard to help make my books as successful as possible.
I also want to express my heartfelt appreciation to all my friends and readers who encourage me with their positive reviews and by spreading the word about my books. I truly couldn’t keep writing without you.
This past year has been busy, to put it mildly, but I have loved writing and polishing this story so much. I relate so much to the journey of a poor girl who wonders if she deserves to be respected, the girl who feels blessed and highly favored from a very high place, and eventually accepts that God has made her worthy of love. He lavishes love on us, whether we realize it or not, and though there isn’t much about Avelina’s spiritual journey in this story, I like to think she grows to realize just how much God loves her, and draws a deep confidence from that love, apart from her own performance or the love of the people in her life. Human love often disappoints us, but God’s love is faithful and endures forever.
from The Golden Braid
First, I have to thank my wonderful editor, Becky Monds, for all her help in getting this book ready and in the best possible form. Becky is like a coach or personal trainer. Without her, you know you could not have achieved your full potential. Thanks, Becky, for asking the tough questions and making me do the hard work! You have a great mind for what would improve a story.
I also want to thank my line editor, Natalie Hanemann, for whipping and shaping and smoothing, and for all your input. The book is much better for it!
I want to thank Terry Bell for suggesting the idea for my Rapunzel heroine’s identity. It had never occurred to me before she mentioned it on Facebook. At first I dismissed the idea, but it stuck in my mind and I quickly began to see the potential of it and how it would work into a Rapunzel retelling. I knew you had given me the perfect idea for a great heroine. Thanks, Terry! I’m so thankful for your friendship.
I want to thank those who pray for me and encourage me often, like Regina Carbulon and Linda Bailey and Sue Williams. Also, Karma Malone, Reta Broadwater, Ken and Dene Finley, Bonita Story, Dan and Katrina Doty, Debbie Lynne Costello, Mary Freeman, Kathy Bone, and any others I am missing or don’t even know about. You are appreciated.
For the greatest cheerleaders an author ever had, Rachel Miller and Donna Mynatt, and the best website guru, Rachel. Thank you!
Also, my family members who support me and even help me brainstorm—Joe Dickerson, Grace Dickerson, and Faith Dickerson. I love you.
I want to thank my critique partner and friend, Katie Clark, for whom I am so grateful, as well as Adriana Gwyn, who has been my go-to expert on all things German language. Thanks for helping me with the pronunciations!
I thank God for you all!
Discussion Questions
from The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest
1. Do you think Odette is justified in shooting the margrave’s deer illegally in order to feed the poor? Why or why not? What about her background has led her to become a poacher?
2. What do you think of Odette’s criteria for the man she should marry? What about Rutger’s criteria for the man Odette should marry? Did you understand why she felt obligated to marry someone who could help feed the children?
3. What do you think of hunting animals for food? If you had lived in the 1300s, do you think your ideas abou
t hunting would have been different? How has a modern lifestyle influenced people’s thoughts about hunting?
4. How did the fact that Odette and Jorgen were both orphans and had gone hungry as children influence how they felt about the poor? What was Anna’s point when she said to Odette, “You’re not responsible for every single person in Thornbeck”? Was it healthy or unhealthy for Odette to feel so responsible for feeding the poor and to go about it the way she did?
5. What do you think of Odette’s and Jorgen’s efforts to help Kathryn when she was working at the brothel? What caused her to go back to The Red House?
6. Is it possible to be too loyal or to be loyal to the wrong people? Who or what were Jorgen and Odette loyal to? How did their loyalties influence their behaviors?
7. Did you blame Jorgen for kissing the look-alike woman at the ball? How would you have felt if you were Odette?
8. What was Jorgen’s reaction to shooting Odette? How would you have felt if you were Jorgen? If you were Odette? Would you have found it easy to forgive?
9. What was Brother Philip’s attitude toward women? How do you think men’s attitudes toward women have changed over the centuries?
10. What were Jorgen’s and Odette’s attitudes toward the Bible? Do you think Odette treasured the Bible more because it was scarce and she could only read it when she could borrow portions of it from someone else? Does this change the way you think about owning a Bible?
11. Do you think the margrave’s judgments and punishments against Odette and Rutger were just? What was your favorite action taken by the margrave?
12. Did you like the parallels in this story to the Swan Lake story? What were the similarities to “Robin Hood”?
13. If not for Jorgen, do you think Odette would have married Mathis? Would Mathis have made a good husband? Why or why not?
14. How did this verse come true for Odette: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose”?
from The Beautiful Pretender
1. What was Lord Thornbeck’s greatest fear about getting married? How does the pressure from the king, sending a list of ladies he wishes him to choose from, increase this fear? How does Jorgen’s suggestion of the two-week party help?
2. What was Avelina’s greatest fear in going to Thornbeck Castle? Did she believe she would be able to accomplish what Lord Plimmwald was asking of her?
3. What did Avelina request from Lord Plimmwald for accomplishing this task, and what did her request tell you about her?
4. What would you ask for if you were Avelina?
5. How did it make Avelina feel, once she arrived at Thornbeck, to have important people ask to hear her opinion?
6. Why did Avelina’s strong opinions about love and marriage and a margrave’s wife’s duties cause Lord Thornbeck to feel attracted to her, especially after he said he didn’t want a wife with strong opinions?
7. What did Avelina confess she felt about Dorothea being born a noble while Avelina was born a peasant?
8. What were Avelina’s conflicting feelings as she tried to step back and make Lord Thornbeck fall in love with Magdalen?
9. What do you think would have happened if Avelina had simply told Lord Thornbeck the truth from the beginning? How might things have been different?
10. Do you understand how Lord Thornbeck might have been confused as to how Avelina felt about him? And how she might have misunderstood his feelings for her?
11. At the end, the king intervened and, to a great extent, reversed his earlier mandate ordering the margrave to marry a nobleman’s daughter. How much of the ending was due to the king’s whims, how much to Magdalen’s intervention, and how much to Avelina’s own initiative and bravery?
12. What do you think Avelina and Reinhart learned about the worth of individuals, no matter their social status? What painful circumstances from their pasts did Avelina and Reinhart have to overcome in order to truly love each other and live happily ever after?
from The Golden Braid
1. Do you think Rapunzel made good use of her time in all the small villages where she lived with her mother, learning various skills?
2. Can you imagine not being able to read and how it would feel to want to learn? Rapunzel cleaned rooms at the monastery in exchange for reading lessons. Would you be willing to do the same if it was your only chance to learn to read?
3. How was Sir Gerek different from the other men Rapunzel had known in the villages where she’d lived?
4. Why was Rapunzel so frightened and suspicious of men? Would you have felt the same way if you had had Gothel as a mother? Who or what has influenced your opinions and impressions of the opposite sex?
5. Why was Sir Gerek so opposed to teaching Rapunzel to read? Did you think he was arrogant? Or just grouchy?
6. Why did Sir Gerek not want to marry a peasant? Do you think he had a good reason for wanting to marry someone wealthy?
7. Why did Rapunzel want to get a job in town?
8. Why do you think Gothel told Rapunzel it was “indecent” to show her hair and forced her to cover it? Are there any parallels to “rules” people followed through history? Can you think of any parallels to certain “rules” of propriety some people follow today?
9. Do you think Rapunzel was justified in leaving Gothel without telling her she was leaving or where she was going? At what age should a young woman be able to make her own decisions and live on her own?
10. What happened when Balthasar broke through the door and threatened Rapunzel? Do you think God would forgive her for killing Balthasar? Why?
11. When Rapunzel was trapped in the tower, what did she say about who she would—and wouldn’t—sing for, and why? How do you keep hope alive when you’ve prayed for something a long time but still have not received it?
12. Do you understand why Rapunzel forgave Gothel in the end? What did she say was her reason? Do you think Gerek forgave his brother Mennek for how he treated him when they were boys? Have you ever forgiven someone who hurt you very deeply?
OTHER BOOKS BY MELANIE DICKERSON
THE MEDIEVAL FAIRY TALE NOVELS
The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest
The Beautiful Pretender
YOUNG ADULT
The Healer’s Apprentice
The Merchant’s Daughter
The Fairest Beauty
The Captive Maiden
The Princess Spy
The Golden Braid
The Silent Songbird
The Noble Servant (available May 2017)
About the Author
Melanie Dickerson is a two-time Christy Award finalist and author of The Healer’s Apprentice, winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award for Best First Book in 2010, and The Merchant’s Daughter, winner of the 2012 Carol Award. She spends her time writing romantic medieval stories at her home near Huntsville, Alabama, where she lives with her husband and two daughters.
Website: www.MelanieDickerson.com
Twitter: @melanieauthor
Facebook: MelanieDickersonBooks
Melanie Dickerson, A Melanie Dickerson Collection
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