Chapter 1: The stars

"Mother what are those lights in the sky?" Little Rapunzel asked. Her eyes were filled with wonder as she marveled at the stars. "They are called stars, my Flower" Gothel answered back as she was cooking dinner.

Rapunzel looked out the window for a while longer. She didn't realize it, but she was getting closer to falling out the window. "Get down from there, or at least back away. You're going to fall. " Rapunzel looked down. Her mother was right. She was so close to falling out. All she cared about was the stars. They were so beautiful. She wondered why she had never noticed them before.

"Can I touch the stars, mother?" She was still looking out the window, but now she stretched out her left arm in an attempt to touch one. She caught herself before she fell out. Gothel's heart skipped a beat. Her precious flower was surely going to fall to her death if she did not stop her. "Rapunzel get down from that window now, or I'll have to close it!" she snapped.

The sad Rapunzel got down from the window. She walked over to the table, and sat in her chair. She was a little sad. She laid her head down on the table. "And no you can't touch the stars. They are farther away than the sun." Gothel answered this time with a softer tone.

Rapunzel was 5 at the time. She was just starting to remember details about certain days, and the new things she discovered. We was always wanting to learn something new, and was full of questions. Gothel on the other hand was not so pleased with her new discoveries. The constant questions annoyed and worried her. She didn't want Rapunzel to know about what was outside the little tower. She knew soon she would have to distract her with some new activities soon. Curiosity of the outside world was not a good thing for her flower as far as she was concerned.

They ate dinner in quiet. Both thinking their own thoughts. Their thoughts were much different from each other's. Rapunzel was thinking about all there was to do and learn, Gothel on the other hand was thinking of a way to stop her from wondering about the outside world ... perhaps a safer distraction for her young and curious mind. Then she thought of the perfect way to distract her flower.

"Next week this day it will be your 6 birthday" Gothel tried to sound as sweet as she could. Rapunzel had a look of puzzlement and confusion. Then the question came "what is that?" "Every year you have what is called a birthday. It's a day to celebrate the day you were born. There is cake, and if you are good I might have a surprise for you that day. " Gothel waited for the response. Of course it did t take long "I love surprises...and cake! But really surprises! " the little girl was bouncing up and down. Gothel knew she should've waited a little longer to tell her. She set her elbows up on the table, and she put her hands over her forehead. She could feel a headache coming on.

Rapunzel stopped and noticed something was wrong. She went over and tugged on her mothers dress. "Yes, Flower?" Gothel looked at the child with tired eyes. "Why are you sad" No matter how much Gothel despised the child at times, she couldn't help not liking her emerald eyes that were just perfectly oversized for her face. Of course Gothel personally thought to herself that her own complexion was much more beautiful than Rapunzel's.

"I'm just so tired. How about we brush your hair. Then it will be time for bed. " Rapunzel never enjoyed going to bed, but she was an obedient little girl. With a sigh she said "Yes, mother. "

Gothel stood up and went over to her chair by the fireplace. Rapunzel followed her. She took her stool and sat by Gothel. Rapunzel put her elbows on her knees, and her hands on her cheeks. Gothel started to brush Rapunzel's hair. "Come on Flower. Don't be sad. Tomorrow you can wake up, and discover new things."

Rapunzel sighed, and started singing the song she sang every night:

Flower gleam and glow

Let your power shine

Make the clock reverse

Bring what once was mine.

Heal what has been hurt

Change the face design

Save what has been lost

Bring back what once was mine

What once was mine.

Gothel took a deep breath in. Her gray hair and wrinkles vanished. She was young once again. Rapunzel turned to face her mother when the song was finished.

"Goodnight my Flower. I love you" Gothel said holding the child's hair in her hands. "I love you more. " she replied. "I love you most." Gothel kissed her hair, and sent her off to her room.

Rapunzel climbed into bed. 'Why does she never let me explore, and get out of the tower'. The young girl was quite intelligent, but little did she know of the struggle that was to come in the next 15 years of her life.