2023 Issue 5 Sept/Oct Focus - Mid-South Magazine

“Come sit with me, or is this earthly moss not good
enough for your majesty?” Rapunzel teased. The lady
cracked a small smile. Rapunzel gently pulled her down
by the hand and the lady settled, resting beside her.
“Name’s Rapunzel, I’m guessing yours is Aphrodite?” She
smiled at the lady, the lady in turn tucked her head on
Rapunzel’s shoulder.
“You flatter me, but no, my name is Briar Rose. My friends
call me Rosie.” “Could I be your friend?” Rapunzel asked,
embarrassingly quickly.
“You may.”
Something warm settled in Rapunzel’s chest, Rosie was a
pleasant weight at her side. “Now, what’s a precious thing
like you doing in these dark and dangerous woods?” She
pried. “I could ask you the same thing,” Rosie replied.
Rapunzel blushed at the implication that she could be
precious, no one considered her that before. “If you really
must know I’m cursed. I live here in the night realms, I can
enter others' dreams and you happen to be dreaming
of a forest. So technically, it is your fault I'm here,” Rosie
explained. “Now,” she continued, “What are you doing in
a forest?”
Rapunzel was still trying to process the fact that Rosie
seemed to gloss over the severity of her curse and
eventually regained enough of her senses to tell her tale.
“I’m journeying to my home of Nettle,”
Rosie made a disgusted noise.
“What’s wrong with Nettle?” Rapunzel asked.
“I live in Nettle. Well, my body is there. It's a wretched
place with a wretched kind with no redeeming qualities
whatsoever.” The princess was worked up so Rapunzel
wrapped an arm around her to soothe her.
“I’m sure Nettle has some redeeming qualities,”
“Like what?” The princess huffed.
“I mean, you live there, don’t you?”
Rosie playfully slapped her arm.
“Oh, you are such a flirt.” Though Rosie enjoyed the
attention.
“When I get to Nettle, I’ll find you and help you break
your curse, how about that?” Rapunzel said, elated at her
brilliant idea.
Rosie suddenly stiffened, “Oh, I don’t know about that,”
“Why? Do you doubt my abilities?” Rapunzel asked,
teasing once again. After an uncomfortably long pause
the princess whispered, “No… you are quite charming,”
The world seemed to shift on its axis, Rapunzel became
disoriented and it was increasingly difficult for her to see.
“What’s happening?” She panicked.
“You're ok. You’re just waking up.” Rosie said, getting
up from Repunzel’s hold. “When will I see you again?”
Rapunzel asked frantically, this couldn’t be their only
meeting. “In your dreams,” Rosie faded behind the trees
and with that Rapunzel awoke. She was now determined
to get home and find Rosie.
Read the rest of the story on focuslgbt.com.
Elaina Nicholas (she/her) is a queer senior in high school. She spends
much of her time in her school’s theater department. When she isn’t
bringing life to the stage she enjoys other creative pursuits such as
playwriting and art. She spent this past summer at SCAD taking
creative writing and illustration classes.
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30 Go! | Sept+Oct 2023 | focuslgbt.com