The Golden Braid (25 page)

Gerek managed to escape from Hagenheim with his horse, only having to knock one of Claybrook's guards unconscious. He would not have minded killing him, if it had come to that, but the man did not appear to be terribly skilled at battle.

Gerek rode hard. But every time he thought about leaving Rapunzel and the other men and women at Hagenheim, including Lady Rose and all of the duke's family, his chest tightened with guilt. Had he done the right thing?

If he had stayed, he could have helped his fellow knights and guards to fight Claybrook's men. But if they were defeated, Duke Wilhelm would come home to an ambush.

What would happen to poor Lady Margaretha? Claybrook would undoubtedly force the duke's oldest daughter to marry him in an attempt to make a stronger claim for Hagenheim. The poor girl.

And what about Rapunzel and the rest of the maidservants? Would Claybrook allow his guards to take advantage of them, as usually happened in these situations?

He urged his horse to go faster.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Rapunzel.” Cristobel caught Rapunzel's wrist as
they prepared to serve the midday meal to Claybrook and his men. “I just heard that Claybrook's guards released all Duke Wilhelm's prisoners from the dungeon.”

For a moment, Rapunzel just stared at Cristobel. “What? Why?” If all the prisoners were released from the dungeon . . .

“Claybrook said he would release them if they would fight with him against Duke Wilhelm's men.”

“That means . . .” The man who had attacked her, Balthasar, was free and possibly roaming Hagenheim Castle as a guard.

“Don't worry, Rapunzel. We won't let that man hurt you.”

“Thank you.” Her knees were trembling as she helped carry the food into the Great Hall.

Claybrook's men filled the tables. They were loud and unruly until Lord Claybrook stood and yelled, “My men will behave as noble knights, not as ruffians and cutthroats. I cannot hear myself think.” Lord Claybrook looked almost pouty as he plucked at his sleeves and plopped back down—in Duke Wilhelm's chair.

The men did grow quieter, she was thankful to see. As she set the platter of pork and stewed fruit on the table, she glanced at the next table and saw Balthasar grinning at her.

Her heart stuttered as she gave him stare for stare, then turned with a lift of her head and strode back to the kitchen.

“Was he there?” Cristobel asked her.

“Yes. He saw me too.” She wanted to pretend she was not frightened, but when she pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her fingers were shaking.

“Oh, my dear. Sit down on the stool. You can put the last touches on the sweet cakes while we serve the rest of the food.”

Rapunzel started to sit down, but then straightened. “No. I will not let that”—what had Sir Gerek called him?—“that piece of rancid dog meat make me afraid.” She took the platter out of Cristobel's hands, turned on her heel, and marched back to the Great Hall.

She glared until she caught Balthasar's eye, then did her best to snarl, actually curling her lip, while mentally calling him
cur
,
swine
,
lout
, and
evil knavish imp
, and vowing silently,
I've got a new knife, and this time I won't be aiming for your arm.

Balthasar's evil smile faltered. He stopped chewing and his mouth went slack.

Rapunzel laid the platter on the table and stalked out.

Thanks be to God, Lady Margaretha had managed to escape the castle the first day of Lord Claybrook's treachery. That night Rapunzel slept in the tiny room between Lady Rose's chamber and her older daughters' room. Lady Rose and Lady Kirstyn, who was only two years younger than Margaretha, were anxious for Margaretha's safety, even though they were grateful she was not there, at Claybrook's mercy.

After Gothel's shocking revelations, Rapunzel managed to speak to Frau Adelheit and tell her everything Gothel had said about how she had taken Rapunzel—Elsebeth—when she was three. With all the turmoil, Rapunzel decided it was not the right time to tell Lady Rose,
and she and Frau Adelheit agreed that she was safer if she went on with her servant duties for now.

Lord Claybrook allowed everything to go on as usual—except that he didn't always allow Lady Rose and the family to leave the solar to eat their meals in the Great Hall. Rapunzel was still allowed to attend Lady Rose and her daughters two evenings per week.

She had cared for Lady Rose and her daughters that evening. She cherished every moment, holding the knowledge of her identity close to her heart as she brushed their hair and helped them undress.

As she lay in bed, purposely pushing away all thoughts of Gothel, her mind went to Sir Gerek and whether he could truly be content to marry the widow, Lady Lankouwen. Instead of thinking about that, she should be praying for his safety and his success in finding Duke Wilhelm.

She felt for the books Sir Gerek had loaned her. Perhaps tomorrow night she would ask Lady Rose if she could have a candle. She held them to her heart and closed her eyes, conjuring the image of Sir Gerek when he gave them to her. But she had to stop thinking about him since he would soon be married.

How strange it was that Hagenheim had seemed like the safest, kindest place on earth only a week ago, and now, with Claybrook having taken over, it seemed the most precarious.

She did her best to close her mind to all thoughts of fear and danger and concentrate instead on her prayers. After her more formal prayers, she asked God to take care of everyone she cared about—her precious mother, Lady Rose, Sir Gerek, Cristobel, the rest of the maidservants, and all of Duke Wilhelm's—her—family. She even prayed for Gothel, asking God to change her heart.
And thank you for keeping me safe from Balthasar. You have kept me safe before, and I believe you will keep me safe again.
As she finished her prayer, she closed her eyes, feeling more peaceful than she had in a week, and fell asleep.

A week had passed since Lord Claybrook took over the castle. The maidservants never saw any of Duke Wilhelm's knights or guards. They must all have been killed or locked in the dungeon—besides Sir Gerek and the ones who had gone with Duke Wilhelm.

Rapunzel rarely went anywhere, even the privy, without another maidservant with her. But as Rapunzel was leaving the Great Hall, heading back to the kitchen after serving some food, Gothel came around the corner and grabbed her arm. “So, where is your Sir Gerek?” she asked. “He has deserted you, hasn't he?”

Rapunzel bit back the retort that bubbled to her lips. “I have to get to the kitchen.” She tried to dodge Gothel, but at that same moment, Sir Reginald came out of the Great Hall and came to stand beside Gothel. He put his arm around her shoulders and looked down at Rapunzel.

“Is this her? Is this Rapunzel?” he asked. He stared at her, even turning her slightly so she faced the torch on the wall, as if to get a better look at her. He pierced her with bold brown eyes. His face was dark and his hair streaked with gray. This was the man to whom Gothel had given her heart and her loyalty.

“This is my Rapunzel, the daughter I told you about.”

Sir Reginald may have been a handsome man in his youth, but the sun and age had turned his skin to brown leather. There was also a hardness in his eyes. What had Gothel told him? Had she admitted that Rapunzel was a Gerstenberg? Or had she told him the same lie she had told Rapunzel, that Rapunzel had been abandoned on her doorstep, or the other story, that she'd found her in her garden in the rapunzel patch?

He studied her face, and Rapunzel suddenly wondered if he suspected Rapunzel might be his own daughter.

He finally spoke. “Gothel has brought us the weapons we needed
from the wagon Balthasar was bringing to us. She is as valuable as any soldier in the fight against the Gerstenbergs.”

Sir Reginald smiled down at Gothel, and Rapunzel's stomach felt sick.

“She has also been helping us by going into Hagenheim and finding out what the townspeople know and if they would help Duke Wilhelm if he were to be attacked.”

“May I go now?” Rapunzel clenched her teeth to keep from saying anything.

“If your mother has nothing more to say, then you may.” Sir Reginald bowed, sweeping his hand behind him.

“This woman is not my mother,” Rapunzel said and strode past them, praying for God to intervene and save Hagenheim from the evil likes of Gothel and Sir Reginald.

After three and a half days of hard riding, Gerek found Duke Wilhelm, who was on a quest to capture the brigands who had been terrorizing the north road to Hagenheim. Valten and a few of his knights and trained soldiers were with him.

When Gerek told the duke and Valten what was happening in Hagenheim, they did not delay, but turned their horses toward home.

At night, they stopped to get a few hours of sleep and to let the horses rest. Duke Wilhelm said, “We'll likely be outnumbered. No doubt Claybrook will have enlisted his uncle's help, the Earl of Keiterhafen, who will have sent all his knights and soldiers to join with Claybrook's men. We will have to raise an army from the people of Hagenheim.” Duke Wilhelm made the statement as if it were as easy as building a fire or saddling a horse.

The people of the Hagenheim region were loyal to Duke Wilhelm,
but they were not fighting men. If Claybrook had been able to close the town gates and keep people from leaving, Duke Wilhelm would have only farmers, woodcutters, and the few knights and soldiers he had brought with him when he attacked Lord Claybrook's highly trained soldiers. Still, they'd be fighting for Duke Wilhelm and for their own lives, and that should be enough to embolden and motivate them.

Gerek only had a few hours to sleep before they would be off again at sunrise. He stretched out by the fire, turning his back to the flickering flames, but kept his eyes open while he prayed. There seemed to be so much to pray for, so much danger ahead of him, and yet he found himself praying first and last for Rapunzel's safety.