Page 37 of Zel
Zel had rarely heard himself spoken of in such a way. When he thought, it was with I’s. When others spoke to him, it was with his name. It was only in overhearing other people talk about him that he had to hear he’s and she’s. And usually, just she’s.
But perhaps neither sounded right.
“I am fairly certain Rapunzel has only ever dallied with Rudy,” Sophie said—which was correct.
“Then I imagine Rapunzel will live as a woman.”
“Gregor,” Sophie chided. “That is hardly definitive evidence.”
“I know. I just rarely think of Rapunzel as a son. He’s my daughter!” Gregor laughed. “Sheis. Goodness, this is difficult when we do not have the one person here who can tell us which is right. And it’s all our doing, not Rapunzel’s choice at all.” Anymirth between them dwindled as the last coin for the guild was set aside. “Our dear child has had to sacrifice so much. We have too, but… Oh, I hate this, Soph. I hate that our child must pay for our mistake.”
“My mistake,” Sophie muttered.
“Don’t start that again. There’s no guarantee the sorcerer wouldn’t have caught us before we scaled back over that wall, even if we hadn’t gone up the tower first. Eating that lettuce might have been what saved us and Rapunzel. I wouldn’t trade any of our sacrifices if it meant our babe would never be born.” He reached across the front counter where Sophie had been doing the counting and took her hands.
“Neither would I,” she agreed.
“I just wish Rapunzel was free to live as whoever and whatever he or she wishes to be. I wish that for us too. Can you imagine if it all actually goes to plan, the full plan, and we take over the guild? Nobody is loyal to Lothar. They only fear him. We could run things so much better.”
“It still surprises me how much I want that, when once I wanted a life for us outside the guild,” Sophie mused. ”Though I’m fairly certain other members will still fear us if we take over using the sorcerer’s magic.”
“Only at first! We’ll earn their loyalty until they learn they needn’t fear us at all.”
Sophie brought Gregor’s hands to her lips and kissed both sets of knuckles. “I hope for that future too. Soon. Rapunzel will not fail.”
“Rapunzel will not fail,” Gregor repeated. He helped Sophie sweep all the coins for the guild into a separate bag that they would bring to the communal coffers, like they did every night. “What’s this?” he asked of a piece of parchment resting beside the till.
“A recalculation of yesterday’s sales,” Sophie explained. “You were short.”
“I was?” Gregor studied the parchment. “This isn’t your handwriting.”
“Rudy did it, when he was helping me restock earlier. He noticed the discrepancy.”
“That boy,” Gregor said with fondness. “He's been here nearly every day. Still trying to earn Rapunzel's favor?”
“I don't think that’s it precisely,” Sophie countered. “Well, heis, but he made me promise to not say anything about all he's been doing for us. I think he simply sees it as right to aid us, because like him, we are without our Rapunzel.”
Oh Rudy. He always had been more selfless than the average pickpocket. Zel missed him. Other than Zel’s parents, Rudy had been his only constant, even without counting their physical dalliances. For so long Zel had wished he could love Rudy the way Rudy loved him, but dear as Rudy was to him and always would be, he couldn't wish for that any longer, not after knowing Ulrich. Not after knowing what truly wanting someone felt like.
Gregor sighed, seemingly lost in thought.
“What?” Sophie asked.
“Whether Rapunzel lives as a he or she, if it’s a man our child chooses to marry, we’ll never be grandparents. Does that ever bother you? I’m not saying it bothers me, but—”
“It doesn’t bother me,” Sophie said, “because it isn't a parent's place to want grandchildren. It's a parent's place to want their child to live freely and happily, better than they did, whether that includes grandchildren or not, and regardless of whatever it does include. Besides, just because Rapunzel might not father a child and cannot birth one doesn't mean grandchildren are out of the question. We were orphans after all.”
Gregor looked over at Sophie with pure adoration.
“What now?” She chuckled.
“How did I get so lucky as to have a woman as wonderful as you in my life?”
“As I recall, I pursued you, and you were wise enough to let me catch you.”
“Too true.”
They kissed, an act taken as easily as breathing. They loved each other as if no other choice had ever entered their minds.
