Fractured Fairytale: Ch 1 Rapunzel, Part 2

Responses to comments:
DUH: shhh I wonder how many people don't figure it out, besides the fun part is watching Arthur try to work it out.

Chapter one: Rapunzel, part 2

They woke late the next morning, packed up camp and rode down the path to Rapunzel. The tower stood high above the forest; its red brick walls gleaming in the morning sunshine the lower part of the tower obscured by thick trees and a stone fence. "Ready?" Arthur asked. Gwen nodded. They rode to the gates of the tower. On the gates was written a simple warning 'Beware, Dragon'.

"I don't like the sound of dragons" Gwen said.
"Don't worry" Arthur said pushing open the gates. "There won't be a drag-" At that moment something flew out the gates and pulled Gwen off her horse. Arthur jumped back onto Duke and rode off after her following the sound of carnage. He didn't get a clear view until he rode into a swamp.

Gwen was clutched in the claws of a giant red dragon. It was covered in red scales and was roughly the size of a house. Gwen found the breath to yell at Arthur, "What were you about to say about dragons!" Arthur was busy gaping at it. The dragon opened its jaws and expelled a burst of fire right at Arthur. He ducked and the fire missed, but half of his hair was burnt off.

The fire brought Arthur back to the present. He drew his sword and charged at the dragon swinging his sword. He cut at its leg and dodged another burst of flames. He glanced up at Gwen who looked, rather annoyed. Arthur lunged at the clawed leg holding Gwen. The sword stuck in the leg the dragon howled in pain and dropped Gwen into the swamp. It clawed at the sword until it came out.

Arthur ran to Gwen. She stood up and Arthur winced. Swamp mud covered most of her body. He didn't have time to say anything before Gwen knocked him over as the dragon sent another blast of fire at them. "Nasty piece of work isn't he" Arthur said wiping mud off his face.
"So how do we kill it?" Gwen asked watching the circling dragon.
"Stab it in the heart" Arthur said pushing her to the ground again as fire burnt the air above their heads. "We need to get closer" Gwen said standing up again.
"We need a lance" Arthur said pulling a clump of leaves out of Gwen's hair.

Arthur pulled Gwen up and grabbed his sword out of the mud. They ran to the shelter of a small clump trees and thorns. A burst of fire from the dragon set the trees on fire. Arthur hacked his way through the thick thorns as fast as he could. "He's coming back" Gwen said. "Arthur he's really clo-" Arthur pulled Gwen through the thorns, she got covered in tiny stinging cuts and landed on a stump. The thorns burst into flames. Gwen rolled around in the mud to extinguish a fire on her dress. Arthur turned to a tree and begun hacking at a large branch with his sword.

Another fireball hit the thorns. "Gwen quick help me" Arthur said she turned and saw him hanging from the branch. "We need to break it off" Gwen jumped and grabbed hold of the branch Arthur pulled her up. "Ready set, Jump" He said. They jumped and the branch broke off with a snap. Arthur and Gwen ended up falling into a patch of thorns.

Arthur hurriedly sharpened the end of the branch with his sword. The thorns disintegrated under another fireball from the dragon. "Arthur whatever you're going to do, do it now" Gwen said as the dragon turned and flew right at them. "Arthur!" Arthur hurled his crudely made spear and dropped Gwen into the mud.

She struggled up and spat out a mouthful of mud. The Dragon's head was right in front of her. She screamed and jumped backwards right into Arthur. They struggled up again. "Lucky throw" Gwen said. They dragged themselves back through the swamp and found Duke waiting patiently chewing on some grass. Arthur and Gwen climbed into the saddle and promptly slid off. They leaned on Duke all the way back to Rapunzel's tower. Artemis was grazing at the wide open gate. Gwen switched to leaning on Artemis as they walked through the gates and up to the tower.

"Oh Rapunzel" Arthur called. Rapunzel stuck her head over the balcony.
"Oh a brave, um... knight has come to rescue me" She said looking down at her mud covered rescuers. "What do I do now?" Arthur asked.
"Inform her you're actually a bog monster come to devour her bones" Gwen suggested
"But she could be my love Guinevere"
"Trust me she isn't" Gwen said. "And why do you always call her your love?" Arthur sighed.
"She is my love; we wrote to each other for years, I am in love with her, for she is everything that represents glamor, etiquette, kindness, and queenly charm."

"You are so deluded" Gwen muttered. Arthur ignored her and called to Rapunzel,
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair" Rapunzel dropped her hair, the end of which hit Gwen on the head. Gwen crumpled to the ground. Arthur helped her up. "How do I get down?" Rapunzel asked. "Tell her to cut off her hair and use it as a rope." Gwen said rubbing the top of her head. Arthur relayed this to Rapunzel who did so. Then Rapunzel said, "I'm scared of heights, you'll have to come get me"
"She can't be serious" Gwen muttered
"Are you my love Guinevere?" Arthur asked. There was a pause.
"Get me down and I'll tell you" Rapunzel replied. Arthur sighed and started climbing her hair.

At the balcony Rapunzel was waiting. She flung her arms around him. "My hero" She said. Arthur threw her over his shoulder and abseiled back down the tower with her screaming the whole way. He dropped Rapunzel in the dirt and asked "Are you my love Guinevere?" Rapunzel looked from Arthur to Gwen who was leaning against Duke. "No" she said and shoved Gwen over. She swung herself into Duke's saddle and rode off on him. Arthur stood stunned for a minute. Gwen pulled herself up again by Artemis' reins. "Rapunzel's a, a-" Arthur stuttered.
"The word is bitch" Gwen said.
---
Comments of all kinds are welcome.