CLIMBING HER TOWER by Elizabeth Black
Self-published in 2012 on Amazon and Smashwords
Chapter One
The warmth of the sun glowed on Rapunzel’s face as she stood before her window, awaiting Mother’s instructions. As she braided her long, golden hair, she gazed at the vast expanse of meadow far below her, the rolling hills going on and on for many miles. Far off in the distance, she saw a centaur – the same centaur she’d seen only days earlier. He had been watching her for several weeks, and she, curious to know who he was, could not resist her fantasies about him. He visited her in her dreams, enticing and arousing her in ways she did not know or understand but savored. When would he find the courage to step forward and address her directly?
The creature drew closer to her tower until she had a better look at him. His torso dressed in a frock coat that could not hide his muscular build. Strong flanks that must have carried him a great distance glistened in the sun from the sweat of exertion. Four well-formed, sinewy legs supported a firm body and manly chest and arms that begged to embrace her from far below. She felt a strange stirring in her loins as she stared at the beautiful creature. Who was he? Where did he come from?
“Let down your hair.” Mother stood by her side, seeing nothing unusual in the distance. Relieved her fantasy was not revealed, Rapunzel coiled her hair around the hook at the base of her window and tossed her braid outside, never once removing her gaze from her centaur. She hoisted her hair a yard at a time, struggling with the weight and her own fatigue as more of it fell out the window. She double-checked the coils wrapped around the hook to make sure they held fast. I’d better be careful that my hair is held firmly in place or I’ll go sailing out the window with it. As her mother climbed down her tresses, Rapunzel watched in amazement as the centaur’s torso separated itself from its strong body and on two legs, walked across the meadow to get a better look at her.
Ah, he is but a man on a horse. How could she be so stupid? There was no such thing as centaurs. They existed only in the myths Mother read to her each day, since Rapunzel couldn’t read herself. Mother didn’t allow her to learn to read, since she preferred to keep the girl a girl and not allow her to grow into a woman, even though summer had passed her by twenty-two times already.
She watched as the man approached her tower, associating his presence with the pain she felt from Mother’s weight on her hair as she climbed downward, nearly yanking her braid from her head. The hook on her window couldn’t relieve her of the pain of Mother’s weight. The ache in her scalp mimicked the ache in her loins she felt for him as the two of them stared at each other. Charcoal colored hair fell in long waves from his head to rest on his shoulders. Clean-shaven, his boyish face sported a longing expression as he stared at her. The frock coat could not hide his broad shoulders and massive chest. Once again, she felt that strange tingling between her legs and, although it felt pleasant, she feared what it meant since it was unknown to her.
Once Mother reached the ground, Rapunzel hoisted up her braid, the heaviness never beating her slim frame, yet her gaze never left sight of the beautiful man she saw draw closer and closer to her tower. Mother did not see him, to Rapunzel’s relief. She knew Mother would not approve of a strange man paying undue attention to her. What drew him to her? He must have heard her singing as she played the spinet for Mother in her daily concert. She stood at her window, peering at him with great interest, hoping he would come closer to her tower without Mother seeing him.
Instead, he leapt onto his horse and rode out of her line of vision. Disappointed, she occupied herself with tending to her herbs and her fuchsia plants hanging from her window. The sun moved behind her tower as the day grew into night, and she lit a candle to cast light in her room as she picked up her lute to entertain herself. She sang a song she had created herself.
He’s on my mind both day and night,
I love that man with all my heart.
His gentle touch, his tender voice,
Tear my soul apart.
When he holds me I feel no pain,
For he loves me true.
Storms subside and all is calm.
Without him I am blue.
If only I knew him outside my dreams.
If he were flesh and blood.
I’d sweep him up in my arms
And never let him go.
Night’s torment bring him to me.
Across land and sea.
Bring my love into my arms.
And us forever be.
Stars shined in the sky when she heard, “Let down your hair!” Why would Mother come to visit her late at night? She visited only during the day. Always a good girl who did what she was told, she coiled her hair around the hook and struggled once again with the braid, feeling the weight as Mother climbed her tresses. She seemed heavier than usual this evening, maybe because Rapunzel was tired.
When a tall, strapping man climbed through her window, she drew back in both fear and … something else. Her skin tingled and her heart raced, but she didn’t know why. What kind of effect did this man she recognized from the meadow earlier that day have on her?
“Please don’t be afraid,” he said. “I heard your beautiful voice and I needed to see you up close. You’re more beautiful here in front of me than you are from a distance.”
So he heard me sing… She wondered if he was a god like Zeus (Mother read to her about Zeus), and would he take her by force the way the manly Zeus had taken women in the Greek myths? Despite her confusion, she felt a rush of heat course through her body and her skin rose in goose bumps of excitement at the mere presence of him. His smell was intoxicating – of oiled leather and sweat – and she inhaled deeply to immerse herself in his scent. Her entire body tingled in anticipation of what he might do to her, and she realized with a bit of alarm that she wanted him in her tower, alone, to be at his mercy.
She tried to step toward him but her hair held her in place. She turned to her braid and yanked it bit by bit up the tower. The lovely man came to her side, dragging her heavy tresses up the tower and helping her untangle them from the hook until she stood before him, hair free, piled in a mountain at her feet.
“May I touch you? You seem too heavenly to be real.” His strong hand alighted on her shoulder, sending ripples of pleasure up and down her arm. What was happening to her? Why was her heart racing so quickly that she couldn’t catch her breath? Why did the mere touch of this man make her jump? What would it be like to feel his clean-shaven cheek or – better yet – place one small hand on his massive chest to feel the beat of his heart?
He rubbed her blouse at the hem. “What’s this made of? It’s very soft.”
“My hair. I knit clothing from my hair to pass the time.” Taking a chance, she placed her palm against his chest and felt the rise and fall of his rapid breathing. “Who are you?”
“I’m Richard, Prince of Norwich, the ruler of this land. I’ve seen your tower before but I had never seen you in it. What’s your name? Why are you here?”
“My name is Rapunzel. I live here.”
“Such a lovely name… Don’t you want to leave, to see the world around you? There’s an entire town behind your tower.”
Surprised, she thought the meadow surrounded her tower for many miles, isolating her in her loneliness. “So that’s why I hear engines and smell food cooking but I can’t figure out where it’s coming from.”
He took her in his arms, and she didn’t fight his embrace. His grip around her body was firm yet gentle, and she buried her face in his long, charcoal hair. “Let me take you away from here.”
Did she want to leave? She felt safe in her tower but she yearned to run in the long meadow grass far from it, or feel the wind blow through her hair as she rode behind him on his horse. Yes, I want to go, but how? Mother will never let me leave here.
“Take me away with you,” she said.
“Yes, I shall take you far from this tower. How long have you lived here?”
“My whole life.”
“But why? Who would keep you imprisoned here?”
“My mother, but I’m not imprisoned. She’s protecting me.”
“From what? There is nothing in the world to be afraid of. Quite the opposite. I want to show you the world, my fair one. But first, I must touch you.” He brushed her long hair out of her eyes. “May I?”
“Touch me where?”
“Here.” He lowered his face until his lips brushed against hers, like a breeze through the heather in the meadow. Never before kissed by a man, she froze in both fear and arousal, alert to his touch but unable to move. His lips traveled from hers to her cheek, her chin, and her neck, and upon reaching her throat, she gasped with excitement. Yes, she wanted to feel his lips upon her skin, his hands upon her body. Why had Mother kept her in this tower, away from the world? What was out there that scared Mother so?
His gentle touch aroused more goose bumps on her sensitive skin, eager for teasing and the feel of his wet tongue on her warm flesh. His mouth sucked on her skin, bringing forth a gasp of breath from her in both alarm and excitement. She wrapped her arms around his back, slowly at first, and then with more urgency. He felt rugged and manly, qualities she had only heard about but never before experienced.
Her first man pressed his firm lips against the pulse in her throat, and she felt the stubble on his jaw against her tender skin. So this is what a man feels like! So strong and firm, hard yet gentle all at once. Her head spun with the fever of his kisses against her throat and she stretched her head back to give him more room. Heart racing in her chest, she felt the pulsing sinews on his back through his frock coat and then, with trepidation, moved her shaking hands to his broad chest, palms exploring every inch of his luscious body. Strong arms, ripped with muscles, wrapped around her body and held her so tightly he nearly lifted her from the floor.
Stars spun before her eyes and she felt light-headed with arousal and excitement. His hands pressed against her delicate back with such force, she feared he would snap her in two. His touch stirred deep emotions in her that she both feared and relished; she wanted to give her will over to her arousal and to his desire. Her head spun in the throes of his stimulating kiss as his lips traveled from her throat to her waiting mouth. He crushed his lips against hers, taking her breath away, and her head spun in ecstasy.
As he parted her lips with his own he slipped in his tongue. At first alarmed, since she had never heard of such a kiss, she struggled against him; but in his tight grip, she was helpless to escape. His tongue explored her mouth, brushing against her teeth, and she gave into his amorous moves. He tasted of brandy and tobacco, a heady combination. Dizzy with the thrill of his touch, she pulled her head away from him when he released her pouting mouth; but she was eager to taste more of him.
“You feel so beautiful,” he whispered in her ear as his lips pressed against her jaw. “May I lift your skirts? I want to see your legs.”
Once again, she nodded without speaking. She wanted to feel his hands upon her body. She’d watched him from her tower for days now, enamored of his curiosity, wondering what he looked like. She knew him from a distance, and now he was up close, touching her, arousing her. He lifted her skirts and moaned in delight at what he saw.
“You don’t shave your legs.”
“Shave?” She had no idea what he was talking about.
“Yes – remove the hair from your legs.”
“Why would I do that?”
He laughed, a good-natured sound that warmed her heart. “Good question. There’s no real reason to shave. I happen to like hairless women, though. Makes me wonder if you’re hairy all the way up.” Before she could protest, he lifted her skirts until they bunched at her waist. Not the least bit offended or frightened, although unsure why, she allowed him to explore her beneath her skirts. The air in the tower felt cool on her bare skin, yet she felt strangely warm, especially in that moist and tender area between her legs. She laughed as he ran his hands along her thighs, tickling her.
“Ah, you have quite a bush. Fascinating… and exciting! I haven’t seen hair on a woman’s pussy in many years.” He buried his face in her bush and she felt weak in the knees at his attention. Mouth so close to her burning core, she shivered where she stood, not sure why she felt so alert and nervous. Mother did not know a thing! In a sudden flash of erotic fantasy, she wanted to feel his tongue on her core the way he kissed her mouth. What would that feel like? She spread her legs to allow him easy access to her most sensitive area and he inhaled deeply, taking in her musky scent.
When he looked at her, she saw bald lust in his bright eyes. “I shall take you but I come unprepared. I want to take you away with me. Will you leave with me now?”
“How will I escape? I have no ladder or way to leave my tower.”
“Then what shall we do? I must have you!”
“Bring a skein of silk with you every night and I will weave a ladder. Once it’s finished I’ll escape with you.”
“Until tomorrow, then. I must leave now before I take you without you being properly prepped for me. I’m patient. I can wait.”
I can’t… “Yes, please come here tomorrow. I will be waiting for you.”
He climbed down the tower on her hair, disappearing into the warm night. She slept in fits and starts, feeling a pulling in her core that needed release; but she didn’t know what to do to alleviate her stimulated state. When she dreamt, she dreamt of his kiss along her throat and the feel of his hands against her thighs. Upon awakening, she found her mattress moist and her core throbbing with release she knew not how she obtained.
About Elizabeth Black
Elizabeth Black’s erotic fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), House Of Erotica (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. She also enjoys writing retellings of classic fairy tales, including her two self-published fairy tales “Trouble In Thigh High Boots” (Puss In Boots) and “Climbing Her Tower” (Rapunzel). An accomplished essayist, she was the sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine nuts4chic (U. K.). Her articles about sex, erotica, and relationships have appeared in Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet, CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama Magazine, and Circlet blog.
Blog and Web Site: http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/elizabethblack
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Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack
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Books by Elizabeth Black
Climbing Her Tower: A Naughty Fairy Tale (Erotic Rapunzel)
Genre: Erotic Fairy Tale Retelling
Rapunzel has never known life outside her tower. She has never felt the company of a human being other than Mother, and she has never been in close contact with a man—until Prince Richard of Norwich climbs into her tower one dark night and sweeps her off her feet. Prince Richard introduces Rapunzel to pleasures beyond her wildest dreams, and she wants more! In order to make her both his wife and his lover, Prince Richard needs to spirit her away from that tower, but Mother stands in his way. Prince Richard and Rapunzel begin a tantalizing and dangerous adventure in order to be together as one. And “let down your hair” takes on an entirely new meaning in their fevered embraces.
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Trouble In Thigh High Boots: A Naughty Fairy Tale (Erotic Puss In Boots)
Genre: Erotic Fairy Tale Retelling
Tita is a Puss In Boots with a little something extra. Being a magical creature, she shifts from a kitty into the form of an alluring, ginger-haired woman when the situation demands it. And what a situation she finds herself in! Her new master Dylan is a poor man who needs a boost in the world. Sly Tita uses her seductive wiles to pass him off to the villagers and the king as the Marquis of Carabas in order to help him gain his fortune. Her plan is not without its problems. Dylan’s malicious brother, Zane, lusts after Tita, and he wants her all to himself, but she refuses to succumb to his treachery. Being a cat first and foremost, she purrs in the arms of her many lovers but her heart belongs to only one man – the king. She hopes that in ensuring Dylan his lofty place in the world the king finds a place in his heart for her. Her life becomes an erotic adventure in reaching her goals.
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No Restraint
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Alex Craig accepts a new job at a high-end sex doll company called Babes. Babes’ dolls are high-end, expensive silicone love toys. Working at Babes is like working for a bacchanal. The company’s culture is all about decadence, enjoying the good life, exciting sex, and enticing food and drink. Alex meets Jackson Beale, one of the company’s vice-presidents. Jackson takes Alex on a new and exciting journey of carnal pleasure. He introduces her to new tactile and kinky pleasures, and she relishes her excitement. The world takes on an entirely new meaning and importance to Alex as she learns what she’s been missing in her life.
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An Unexpected Guest
Genre: Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance
Annie’s life is in crisis, and it’s time for a change. She is determined to liberate herself from the grip of her arrogant boyfriend and overbearing mother. For the first time in her life, she is going to follow her dreams and do something she truly wants for herself. Her dreams lead her to a picturesque Bed and Breakfast by the ocean that is rumored to be haunted. As she throws fear to the wind and opens up to life’s new possibilities, she meets Jason, whose long blond hair and cheeky attitude she cannot resist. Little does she know that there is more—or less—to Jason than meets the eye. Why does he seem so familiar? Has she met him in her past—or in her dreams? Why does he always seem to vanish when others appear? Can a man so perfect really exist, or is his existence all in her head and heart? Can the dead impersonate the living?
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