Note: This is my first story here, Please review! Bear with me for English is not my native language.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Disney.


There, this is it. Now she has arrived to the royal castle and her plan is going to be carried out. She would never have to do these "night trips" to the magical golden flower- it would be home with her. Well, not exactly the flower, but the girl whose hair has its power which would help her staying beautiful and young.

Gothel stopped the flowing thoughts for a moment, to take a deep breathe and relax. Is she ready for that? Taking care of a child is not an easy mission. She would have to take care of her in the full sense of the word: helping her falling asleep, perhaps reading her stories if it would be needed; making her food- breakfast, lunch and supper, until she's ready enough to cook them on her own; teaching her about the world, answering to her many questions, and, most important of all, being her loving mother.

"What am I thinking? She's not even my child. How can I love the child of other people?", but she didn't have any choice. If she wanted to stay beautiful and young, she had to take the child. When people stay together for a long time they develop love. This girl wouldn't be that bad if Gothel would educate her in her way. And Gothel was alone too. Maybe this girl would bright Gothel's gloomy and lonely life.

XXX

"Why can't I go outside?" The little child asked her recurrent question.

Gothel felt a slight pinch in her heart. She didn't know if it was for being afraid to lose her young-being or the child.

"The outside world is a dangerous place, filled with horrible, selfish people. You must stay here, where you're safe. Do you understand, flower?"

The young girl responded as usual: "Yes, mommy".

Gothel has taught Rapunzel that mother knows best. With the time, Gothel has learnt to share her life with another person, a girl to whom Gothel was everything she had. She has bathed and nursed the girl, and changed the girl's clothes. She was her mother.

To protect the child, Gothel has forbidden her to leave the tower. Gothel had thought that Rapunzel has understood it's a scary world out there: full of ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand, cannibals and snakes, and don't even mention the plague.

But probably the day has come. Rapunzel wanted to go outside. She was leaving the nest. All these years they have spent together were coming to an end. Gothel hasn't forgotten the reason why she took the child originally, but as a final motherly treat, she went to bring Rapunzel a birthday present: paint made from the white shells. The trip lasts three days, and that may provide a time for thinking, time for getting ready to say goodbye, forever. Gothel gave Rapunzel a kiss.

"I'll be back in three days' time" Gothel said as she got out and down the tower. "I love you very much, dear".

The girl responded: "I love you more".

Gothel replied: "I love you most".