Mother Gothel had had a hard day. It had started with a quick visit to the pub near the markets, because she had been so dehydrated. The bartender scoffed at her when she only wanted water, and had rudely pointed out his job was to serve people liquor.
Then, a man from the bar started hitting on her. She was well used to these advancements; Look at me, I'm gorgeous. Occasionally, she might tease them, get them to buy her drinks, and then laugh as she left as they stared after her, their wallets now empty. Even more rarely, they hired a room at the pub, and spent the night together. Women had needs too after all.
However, this time, she had no patience for this man. She had tried vainly to dismiss him, but he had been persistent. He even tried following her after she left. She led him through a detour in the forest, and then ditched him. Would serve him right if he ended up lost for hours.
At the markets finally, she had discovered that they had run out of rosemary, which she needed for dinner that night. She thought darkly that she might have made it there in time had it not been for that irritating man.
All in all, it had not been a good day.
She arrived home, in her magnificent tower, and used the secret passage at the base to let herself in.
Immediately, she was engulfed in a mass of blonde hair. Rapunzel hugged her mother around the middle tightly, shoulders shaking with her crying.
"Rapunzel?" said Gothel delicately. "What's wrong?"
"I'm dying!" her daughter managed to choke out between sobs. "I'm bleeding in my underwear, and my hair won't fix it!" She buried her face yet again into her mother's chest.
Ah Gothel thought. Puberty strikes. She started mentally counting the years. Rapunzel would be about thirteen years old wouldn't she? Was that the age girls started having a period? Her own had been maybe a century ago, so the details were a little hazy.
"Calm down Rapunzel," she said, perhaps a little more sharply than she intended. She tried to take on a softer tone. "Go get a rag from the upstairs cupboard, and put it in your underwear. Then come back down here and we'll have a talk."
Rapunzel came back downstairs, eyes still red and puffy, but her cheeks were dry, which Gothel supposed was a good sign. She was waddling slightly, trying to get used to the uncomfortable feeling of the rags. Gothel motioned she should sit on the chair opposite her at the table.
Rapunzel sat down and looked at her expectantly. Gothel had no idea how to start this conversation. It was one she had certainly never had before.
"Well, first of all…" she cleared her throat. "You are not dying."
Rapunzel sniffed. "But, the blood…"
Gothel decided there was no way to sugar coat this. She had to be direct and to the point. "That's called a period. It's perfectly natural."
"Bleeding is natural?" Rapunzel mumbled. Gothel hated it when she mumbled, but decided to continue on as if she hadn't said anything.
"When you get older, your body starts to change."
"Change how?"
Gothel hesitated. How did the body change? She could not recall all the ways. "You'll change so you look like me. A woman's body." That should be enough detail for now. "Your period is part of that. You'll bleed once a month for many years. It's important to change the rags and keep them clean. Do you understand flower?"
A small smile graced Rapunzel's lips. She liked it when her mother called her that. "Yes Mother."
Gothel stood up, and brushed herself off. "Well, now that you understand-…"
"Wait," said Rapunzel. "Why does my body have to change?"
"It's all part of growing up," replied Gothel gently. "You're becoming a woman."
"Why does it change like that though?"
The first answer that Gothel thought of, sex appeal, was not one she much felt like sharing. "Oh you know," she offered quickly. "To have babies and such."
"Babies?"
Uh oh.
She hadn't meant to say it. She looked at Rapunzel, who looked slightly confused.
"That's what…that's what I was once right?" she asked. "Before I grew into a child?"
Gothel nodded, but stayed silent.
"Where do babies come from?"
The question she had been dreading. Gothel thought quickly. She still might be able to save this. She sat back down.
"Well darling," she started, taking one of Rapunzel's dainty little hands. "When a girl is all grown up, into a woman, she has to decide whether or not she wants a baby. If she wants to be a mother, she must pray, very, very hard to the angels."
"Angels?"
"Yes, the angels. If the angels decide the woman is worthy, a shower of golden sparkles will fall on the woman, and then she will be with child."
"That's how I was born?" Rapunzel enquired. "You prayed for me?"
"The hardest I've ever prayed for anything," said Gothel. "I love you very much dear." She leaned over and gave Rapunzel a kiss on the head.
"I love you more."
"I love you most."
Very Short. I apologise. I'd love a review, but please don't tell me what age people start puberty. I started at 11 or 12, I have a friend who was 10, and I think my sister may have been almost 14.
Right, so hope you guys had a Merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, A Crazy Kwanzaa, a wonderful Winter Solstice, or a delightful whatever it is you did this December. Happy New year!