My Dream: Chapter One
Dreaming in Eternal Sleep
Sonata: Hi everyone! Taking a little break from "The Ghost" to write out a few plot bunnies~
Only Disclaimer: I'm only saying this once, I don't own Tangled, or any of the fairy tales mentioned in this fanfiction.
Sixteen year old Rapunzel danced around her tower, sweeping as she went. This was her normal routine, one that she would be done with by 7:15. After that, she would move on to some painting, playing with her chameleon Pascal, and most likely more drawing. She almost never grew tired of it- almost.
She sometimes grew curious about the outside world, and the things that could happen out there. Naturally her mind would wander, making thoughts grow in her inquisitive head. Her mother noticed this and decided to invest in some books so that she wouldn't be too curious much longer.
Mother Gothel went to the tower one day, her basket in tow. In her basket were some books she had found in town. They weren't in the best condition, but they were what she could afford. She knew Rapunzel would once again be content once she had these to read, but Gothel had to make sure the girl knew that these were naught but fantasies. She didn't want her thinking that the outside world was less dangerous than she had made her think after all.
"Rapunzel, let down your hair!" Gothel called up to the girl.
Rapunzel heard her mother's voice and ran to the window, and her hair came flowing down. She threaded her hair through the hook, and she felt her mother tug on her hair. She was ready to be pulled up. She pulled on her hair, and grunted as she brought her mother up to the tower room. When her mother arrived at the window, Rapunzel nearly let out a sigh of relief, but stopped herself. She didn't want to be rude, so instead she said, "Welcome home, mother." with an out-of-breath voice.
"Thank you, dear." Gothel smiled and said, "Oh, I'm so tired from the walk. Would you sing for me, Rapunzel?" She put her hand to her forehead for emphasis on her words.
"Of course, Mother!" Rapunzel guided her mother over to the chair, and Gothel sat down in the plush seat, placing her basket next to it, and Rapunzel sat on the tiny, wooden stool. Rapunzel gingerly handed Gothel the hairbrush, and her mother started brushing her hair.
"Thank you, dear. Would you please sing?" Gothel could feel the wrinkles and spots beginning to form on her arms and face. She wanted them gone.
"Oh! Of course!" Rapunzel cleared her throat and sang, "Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine." Rapunzel's hair glowed as the magic traveled down its path to Gothel. "Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design, save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine, what once was mine." She finished and smiled at her mother.
Gothel nodded and said, "Thank you, Rapunzel. Now, I have a surprise for you." She took the basket from its place on the floor and handed Rapunzel a book. "Surprise!"
Rapunzel's eyes widened with glee. "Thank you, Mother!" She read the title on the cover, and it said, Snow White. She wondered at the name- it didn't sound like any of the other books her mother brought her. "Mother, what is this about?" She asked.
"It's a fairy tale darling- fantasy, nothing real in it." Gothel explained as she went to the mirror. She examined her reflection, searching for any sign of impurity.
Rapunzel was even more confused. Why would her mother bring her a book full of lies? "I'm sorry Mother, I thought you didn't like me reading false things?" She inquired hesitantly.
Gothel was taken-aback. How dare she be so ingrateful! She turned to scold her, but she saw Rapunzel's genuinely confused expression. She then sighed and said, "They're widely enjoyed by young girls. They're a nice way to pass time, and I suppose they stir up your imagination." She thought for a moment on a better way to explain, then said, "They do tell a little bit about the outside world, though it's not entirely true. Now, enough explanations! Mother's feeling run-down, and she's going to sleep." With that, Gothel left Rapunzel sitting on her stool and walked to her room.
Even with her mother's explanation, Rapunzel felt hesitant about reading something untrue. She shook her head and decided that she should read it if her mother went to the trouble of getting it for her. She held the book to her chest and walked up the stairs to her own room.
The vibrantly painted room greeted her warmly as the sun began to shine through her window. She smiled as she lay down on her stomach on her bed. She laid the book in front of her, and stared at the emerald green book.
The title was scribed in gold ink, and the spine was rather worn from repeated use. The book itself was thin, and pages were fewer than what she normally read. She frowned and wondered why anyone would enjoy reading lies, but she sighed and decided that she should see for herself. She gingerly took the front cover into her hand and opened it. The title of the book greeted her once again, and her eyes traveled down to the beginning of the story. She saw the words, "Once upon a time," and she was soon enraptured by this new story.
Time flew by as Rapunzel tore through her new book. She was captivated by the touching story. A young princess, with a heart more beautiful than any other girl, was the object of an evil sorceress's envy, and that nearly resulted in her demise. This poor princess dreamt of nothing more than falling in love some day, but the sorceress wanted her heart for her own, and ordered a huntsman to take it from Snow White and give it to her. Snow White escaped from her plan because the huntsman, seeing Snow White's unwavering kindness and beauty, showed her mercy. He let her go.
She ran from the field and into a dark forest, with many horrors. She was distraught, but once morning came she saw that all was well and that her mind was playing tricks on her. She befriended the forest animals and they led her to a little cottage where she met seven little men. She earned her place in their hearts, and they all cared for her like a sister.
Happiness for Snow White didn't last long. The queen had known that the huntsman had failed, and ordered him to be executed. She then took matters into her own hands and transformed herself into a haggard old woman. Disguised, she visited Snow White at the cottage while the dwarves were away in the mines. She offered Snow White a poisoned apple, saying that it would grant her any wish. Snow White, delighted, took the apple and made her wish. She bit into the apple, and she instantly fell to the ground, dead. The sorceress was ecstatic! There was no longer anyone more beautiful than she!
Later the dwarves returned and found Snow White dead on the ground. They all wept for they had loved her dearly. They mourned, and in honor of her, they created for her a glass coffin where her dead body could be preserved in all its beauty forever.
Rapunzel felt tears form in her eyes. Though she had only been reading the story for a short time, she felt sad for the loss of a character she had grown to love. But she read on, seeing that the story wasn't quite over.
As the dwarves stayed near Snow White's coffin to guard it, a stranger- a prince, came. He saw the beautiful Snow White, lying in the glass coffin. He fell in love with her upon seeing her. He approached, opened the coffin, and kissed her.
Rapunzel's eyes widened. He... kissed... a dead person? Why? Because he loved her? How? She knew her mother loved her, but she wouldn't kiss her corpse.
Snow White's eyes opened and she sat up, coughing out the apple. She saw the prince who had awoken her, and smiled. She fell in love with him as well. The dwarves soon saw that she woke up, and rejoiced. The queen, however, was enraged. She took a bite of one of her poison apples and killed herself.
Snow White and her prince fell deeper in love each day, and soon married and lived happily ever after.
Rapunzel smiled at the ending. Sure, it was rather morbid that the queen had wanted to eat Snow White's heart, and that she ended up killing herself in the end, but Rapunzel had enjoyed it. But she did wonder, why was the love that Snow White and the prince shared different from Rapunzel's love for her mother? She'd heard of marriage, and it's something that a man and a woman do, but men were horrible creatures, weren't they? So why would anyone marry one of them? Also, was Snow White possibly still alive while in the coffin? If so, what did she dream about? Nevertheless, Rapunzel wanted to read another fairy tale.
Sonata: Hey! So, please comment and tell me what you think! :) I'm also open to constructive criticism!