I heard the glass slice through my hair and soon my golden hair turned brown.
"Eugene wha-," I gasped and ran my hands through my now short brown hair.
"No!" yelled my mother…or the woman I had thought was my mother.
I watched as she tried to grab at the gold that was left in my hair but it all turned brown all the same. Her face became pale white and so did her hair. "What have you done? What have you done!" she screamed. Her face started to sink inside of her and she grabbed at her cloak and yelled.
I saw Paskel pull my hair and she tripped and tumbled out of the tower window. She screamed all the way down.
"Mother!" I yelled. Then I realized that…she wasn't my mother. I was free.
I looked back at Eugene dying in front of me. I grabbed him in my arms. "No, no, no Eugene. Look at me," I said and swept his hair out of his face.
He coughed weakly.
"Look at me pleae, stay with me," I said desperately and my eyes filled with tears. I placed his hand on my head and tried to sing the song. "Flower gleam and glow…let your power shine make the clock reverse bring back what once was mine," I willed my hair to work. But nothing happened.
"Rapunzel," Eugene said weakly.
"What?" I asked him.
"You were my new dream," he whispered.
I laughed a little and clutched his hand. "And you were mine."
He smiled then breathed his last and I stared at him in shock then I let go of his hand and brought his face closer to me.
"Human has been hurt," I started to sing softly. My voice cracked and I stroked his cheek. "Change the fates designed. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine," I leaned forward and I couldn't see his face very well due to the tears in my eyes. "What once was mine," I spoke and sobbed. I felt a tear roll down my cheek and hit Eugene's pale cheek.
This was where the tear was supposed to heal him. But in my nightmares it didn't.
"No!" I screamed.
I jolted awake breathing heavily.
"Rapunzel? What is it?" asked Eugene. He touched my arm and I ran my hands through my short brown hair.
"Nothing. It was only a nightmare," I said and looked down at him and smiled.
"Again? Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. Worry creased in his eyebrow.
I shook my head and kissed his forehead.
It has been a year since that day in the tower. Eugene and I were happily married and my mother and father both ruled the Kingdom of Corona. Eugene and I were next in line for the throne.
Over the past few months I would have a reoccurring nightmare of that day in the tower. Everything replayed out in front of me and Eugene would die but my tear wouldn't bring him back to life and he was gone forever.
I decided to ignore my nightmares. But I couldn't help the gut feeling in my stomach that something was wrong.
I got out of bed and walked over to my closet. My wardrobe was full of many elegant and beautiful dresses. But my favorite was my purple one so I took it out and looked at Eugene who was smiling at my decision.
"That one is my favorite," he said.
I smiled and nodded, "Mine too."
Eugene got out of bed and he still took my breath away. He slept shirtless but did wear pants. Even so, he was just as attractive. He walked over to me and took me in his arms.
I smiled at him and looked into his soft brown eyes. He leaned forward and kissed me. I kissed him back and put my arms around his neck.
We heard a knock on the door and we quickly pulled apart.
"Uh, come in," I scrambled to say.
A servant walked in and widened her eyes. "Oh, beggin' your pardon majesties," she said and curtsied.
"No worries," I said and turned back to my purple dress.
"Princess Rapunzel, your parents need you. It's urgent. It's…It's the King," said the servant girl softly.
My eyes widened and I looked at Eugene.
He quickly grabbed a shirt and put it on and the servant rushed over and helped me out of my white nightdress and into my purple dress.
She wasn't even done tying the corset before I took off pulling Eugene behind me.
"Princess your shoes!" yelled the servant.
I ignored her and ran barefoot down the hallway.
There were servants surrounding my parents' chambers.
One saw me and Eugene coming. "Let the Princess through," he said and the servants created a path.
I stopped in front of the open door. My mother knelt next to my father's side. He was lying in the bed looking pale as a ghost.
I breathed heavily and slowly walked towards my father's deathbed.
My mother stood when she saw me and her green eyes were full of tears. She walked towards me with open arms.
I let go of Eugene's hand and walked into her arms. I felt her tears splash onto my shoulder and I stroked her hair.
"Rapunzel," said my father in a strained and croaky voice. He held out his hand.
"Father," I said and released my mother and walked quickly over to him. I took his pale hand in mine and knelt next to him where my mother was earlier.
He looked at me and smiled weakly. "I don't think I'm going to pull through this time my daughter."
I felt my eyes brim with tears.
I had gotten to know my father more and more throughout the year. I had never had a father figure so it was an adventure for the both of us. He made me laugh and smile and I did the same with him. I guess he took my absence the worst because my mother told me that he was very depressed and would not stop looking for me.
He was old and had gotten sick often in the last couple of months. I figured that this was it. He wasn't going to live through this one.
"Will you sing to me Rapunzel?" asked my father.
I smiled sadly at him and nodded. I closed my eyes and sang my healing song.
Flower gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine.
Human has been hurt
Change the fates design
Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine.
What once was mine.
When I opened my eyes again. My father was dead. I had never wished to have my healing powers back more since Eugene almost died.