Golden Braids and Dragon Blades: Steampunk Rapunzel

Chapter 7: Promises, Promises

I tapped my fingers on the book sitting on the table as I ruminated on his words. There were others out there like me. Others who carried the Pendragon line. Why hadn’t Mother ever told me that?

“The dragon bloods you mentioned…you said they have powers?” I asked.

“Yes. And not ones they generally use for good.”

I looked up at Estrid. Were there other dragon callers like me? Maybe not the evil men this dragon hunter was mentioning, but others? Maybe there was someone who could wake the other dragon egg. “And you’ve never seen one of them before?” I asked, pointing to the dragons.

“No one has. They don’t exist. Except, you know, the fact they are right there. Them and you.”

“Me?”

“Right. A female Pendragon. I mean, you aren’t supposed to exist either. The bloodline carries on, but only males exhibit the gifts from Mordred. Never the women. But your eyes…remarkable.”

Mordred? I frowned.

A moment later, the air shivered, and Wink reappeared. She paused a moment to shake the rain off her wings then looked from me to Ewan. She opened her snout and began heaving another breath of pink air.

“No. Wait,” I called to her.

Confused, the dragon flew back to me, alighting on my shoulder. I set my hand on her head.

“You’re cold and wet,” I told her, pulling off my shawl and wrapping it gently around her wings. “Did you find her?”

The dragon clicked affirmatively.

“Is she coming?”

More clicks.

Holding the dragon against me, I rose. “Well, now we have a problem,” I told Ewan.

“How so?”

“Well, maybe you didn’t come here to kill me, but someone is coming who will most definitely kill you.”

At that, he stood.

Estrid readied her flame ball, but I motioned for her to wait.

“No getting up, remember?” I told him.

“I remember, but whoever is coming… That’s a problem. I’m a man of the law, not a ruffian or thief. I’m not going to sit idly by and wait for someone to come murder me,” he said then dipped into his vest, pulling out—albeit slowly—a pistol. “Easy,” he told Estrid, holding the weapon loosely in one hand, raising the other in surrender. “Look, if I wanted to do anything, I could have. Rule number one of holding a prisoner: always check them for weapons.”

“Well, you’re my first.”

Ewan smirked. The expression on his face, and the fact my witty comeback made him smile, brought a blush to my cheeks.

“Okay,” he said, slipping the pistol back into his vest. “May I make a proposal?”

“I’m listening.”

“I leave,” he said, pointing to the cave entrance. “Forget I ever saw you. Forget about this place and your unusual pets. And you,” he said, pointing to me, “let me go before whatever bad thing on its way arrives.”

“How do I know you won’t tell anyone about us?”

“Well, first, no one in their right mind would believe me. And second, you have my word as a gentleman and as an agent of Her Majesty’s Red Cape Society—Pellinore Division.”

I looked at him. He had such an earnest expression on his face. In truth, I didn’t know what to do. He could return here with a battalion of soldiers and take me and my dragons prisoner. After all, he’d already told me he tracked my kind. Well, not my kind exactly, but others with blood like me.

“I can see you’re thinking it over. Prudence. That’s good. Don’t just trust anyone. But you have my word,” Ewan said.

“What’s your word to me? I know nothing about you.”

“Rapunzel, you might be a dragon blood, but you are nothing like the others I’ve seen. You are a true Pendragon. You carry the blood of our Once and Future King. And for the first time in my life, I see in you what the old stories always whispered to be true. The royal blood of Arthur lives on. Pellinores hunt their Questing Beasts, but we are also loyal to the King of Camelot…and his true heirs. You have my word.”

My stomach shook. Mother would be here soon. I had to do something. “Your word,” I whispered.

“My word.”

“You will never come back here. And you will never tell anyone about me.”

“I promise.”

“Then go,” I said, tilting my head toward the cave entrance.

He rose, casting a careful glance at Estrid, then came close to me. Close up, I could see his eyes were not just brown but were the color of honey, a warm gold and chestnut combination. My stomach quaked.

“Can I have that?” he asked, pointing to his badge.

I shook my head. “No. That’s mine. Dragons horde treasure, remember? Just be glad I’m letting you leave.”

“Are you calling me a treasure?”

I smirked. “Just go.”

“What about that?” he asked, pointing to the fragment of Excalibur.

“Definitely not.”

“Okay. I’ll go, but I don’t fly well. Have a ladder?”

Setting Wink down, I went to the cave entrance. I unpinned my long locks. I then wound my braid around the hook in the wall and motioned to him.

“Okay. That’s different. Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Not at all. Goodbye, Ewan.”

Gently grabbing my braid, he nodded to me once more then began to lower himself from the cave. I watched as he rappelled down the face of the seawall. The tide below had receded just a little, allowing him to get to his waiting boat more easily. I cast a glance out at the water. The gray of dawn had faded, and the first rosy glows of the sunrise shimmered on the horizon. When he was finally on the beach, I began pulling my long braid back up. Wading out to his boat, he climbed inside and began to row. Standing at the entrance to the cave, I watched him go. He was a good distance away when he called out to me.

“Rapunzel?”

Holding onto the hook I used for my hair, I pushed the ivy aside and leaned out to see better.

“Rule number two of keeping prisoners: always watch for sleight of hand. Sorry,” he called with a wave then went back to rowing once more.

Scowling, I turned and went back inside. Sitting on the table were the broken pieces of his device and his badge, but the shard of Excalibur was gone.