The Beginning of the End- Chapter 1

It was a dark and stormy night. Gothel Whethersby went about her business as usual. Every day was the same; wake up, forage for food in the nearest kingdom without being recognized then go to the magic flower to receive her youth. But tonight was different somehow. Normally the townspeople never ventured far from the kingdom at night. She had heard that the Queen was pregnant and very ill and she knew there were rumors about the magic flower but she had gone at least a hundred years or so without any trouble so why should tonight be different? She crept quietly to the spot where the flower laid and sang the special song she had learned from her mother

Flower Gleam and Glow

Let your Power Shine

Make the Clock Reverse,

Bring back what once was mine,

What once was mine.

Instantly, the flower's magic made her appear twenty years younger if not more. Filled with relief that the magic still worked, she covered the flower with the protection cage she made and went back home. Unfortunately, she knocked the cage over as she rushed away, leaving the fragile flower exposed for the Knights to find. And find it they did. Afraid for the flower's safety, Gothel returned to the spot the next morning to find that the flower had been taken. Immediately, she began to panic? How was she supposed to live? It wasn't about being young forever anymore, that hope was long gone after she had discovered that the magic came with a price. It was simply to live until tomorrow. She ran to town to listen for any news on the flowers location. Careful to remain hidden, as she was aging by the second, she was able to hear several people gossip about how the Queen had responded well to the flowers treatment and would be giving birth any day now. Gothel began to form a plan. She would wait in the forest that was close or even risk her identity by staying close by in a rented room (she would need all the energy she could get) and then after the child was born, she would sneak into the castle and sing to the child, hoping the magic would still work. If her plan failed, she would surly die. Luckily she didn't have to wait long, the princess was born the very next day. To make sure her plan worked, Gothel waited two more days before sneaking into the castle. Amazingly, the child's room was not well guarded. Gothel managed to sneak in without any trouble at all. To her surprise, the child already had a full head of hair. "Okay. New plan," She thought, " I can cut some of the hair and use it forever" She pulled a pair of scissors from her bag and began to sing the song.

Flower Gleam and Glow

Let your power shine

Make the clock rever-

She gasped loudly as the scissors made contact with the hair and cause it to turn brown and lose its power. Surely she couldn't take the baby with her right? Where would she put it? Then she remembered her mother's tower deep in the forest. It was a perfect location and no one would ever find her there. But was she ready for this kind of responsibility again? When she was younger she had almost had a child of her own and she was ready then. Why not now? After all, the King and Queen could always make another one. She had made up her mind. She refused to give up living and she certainly couldn't keep sneaking into the child's room every night. So she snatched the child up and hopped out the window.