The sun filters in through the rafters. Rapunzel stretched, a large grin occupied her face as she realized what day it is.
"Pascal! Today's the day!" She rushed down the stairs. "I'm going to ask her!"
She checked to make sure everything was ready. She quickly swept the floor again, making sure that all of her hair was hanging above. She raced over to the table, slightly adjusting a fork that was quite recently set there.
"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!" Mother Gothel sang from below the window.
"One moment!" She quickly flung her hair out the window, forgetting to check to make sure everything was perfect one last time. As she felt the hands grasping her hair, she realized her mistake.
A couple years ago, Rapunzel had the fortune of a very unfortunate peddler coming across the tower while it was raining. Mother Gothel had left the day before for her very long trip to get Rapunzel's present for her birthday, white paint that was only sold near the seashore.
Rapunzel remembered that day quite vividly. It was the day she had started to question everything her mother had told her. She had only a part of her hair outside of the window as she leaned against the window sill, smelling the refreshing scent of rain. She barely heard the words not even a whisper over the pounding rain.
"Excuse me!" The voice finally was heard, the peddler raised his hand in greeting when she looked down at him. "May I come and wait out this storm? I am a peddler and willing to trade something to spend a night here."
He must not be that bad of a person. He certainly wasn't a ruffian or a thug… perhaps he was a very intelligent barbarian? But she had to know for sure…
"Do you have pointy teeth?"
"What?! I do not have pointy teeth!" He sounded very offended. She swiftly let her hair down, wrapping it around the hook a couple times so that he wasn't yanking her out the window.
"Thank you Madame," The man had sighed and started wringing out his clothes and his hat. "I was quite worried that…" He had finally looked up at her. "That was your hair?" He said, his eyes trailing the golden threads out to where Rapunzel was reeling it back inside. "How can a mere child have hair as long as-" She peeled his lips back so that she could see as many teeth as she could.
"Sorry, just had to check. Mother says that there are cannibals out there, I had to be sure you weren't one of them." Rapunzel backed away, a smile finally gracing her face.
"Well, that's news to me. What other outra-" he cleared his throat. "Things have you learned about the outside world from your mother?"
"She's taught me alot. Like in the outside world, there's ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand, snakes, large bugs," Rapunzel shuddered at the images that popped up in her head. "And illnesses."
"Is that all?" Rapunzel nodded, blushing at how little she felt like she didn't know. "From what I can see, you need to get out more."
"But what about-" Rapunzel cut herself off. "Um… never mind," she mumbled, knowing that she had to keep her magical hair a secret.
"How have you not gotten annoyed with having that long of hair?"
"Mother doesn't want me to cut it," she responds slowly, making sure to omit the part about her hair having magical properties.
"And you're fine with that?"
"No! Yes…? It's difficult to explain." Rapunzel fiddled around with a strand of hair, hoping that he wouldn't venture further into the answer.
"So, let me get this straight. All you've done most of your life, is sit up in this tower reading, painting, and other complacent activities. And you are okay with this?" He strolls over to the bookshelf to see what books she had. "A cookbook, a beginner's mathematics book, and some books about how to craft candles and the like… How are you not bored? A thirteen year old girl-"
"I'm elev-twelve, actually…"
"A twelve year old girl would've been extremely bored by now." He quickly set his huge pack of wares in front of him. He shuffled the items around before pulling out a large book. "Ah, here we are. Consider this a gift from me to a girl who needs to get out of this tower." The young girl hesitantly reached out and took the proffered gift. "It's a collection of fairytales, most girls that are your age enjoy them."
And she did love them, more so than the book that inspired her to become an artist. Her favorite story of the collection though, was Cinderella. She was trapped in a place she once called home, doing all of the housework. She was able to escape, with a little magic,for a few hours.
"Rupunzel, I'm not getting any younger down here." Mother Gothel impatiently waited for Rapunzel to bring her up. She sighed while looking at her hidden secret.
"Okay Rapunzel, you only have one chance to do this without Mother finding out." She pulled her mother up slowly, slowly getting closer and closer to her favorite book. Almost there... got it. She snatched it up and slowly made her way back to the window, still trying to pull Mother Gothel up at the same time. She hid it in the pot near her window carefully, making sure the fabric she has for sewing covers it up.
"I brought new paints and a couple parchments. Happy Birthday!" Mother Gothel brought her into a tight hug, stroking her hair lovingly.
"Mother, I was wondering if..." Her voice curled into a whisper, not wanting to bring her dream to light.
"What is it?" Mother Gothel, pulled her back, studying her face.
"Can we... make some cookies?" He heart beat painfully against her chest.
"Of course we can my little flower! I can brush your hair as we wait for them to cook."
"Yes, that sounds nice." Her shoulders slumped, and she clung to the tears threatening to come out.
Yet another failed attempt. . Rapunzel watched the lights floating up in the sky, reaching her hand out to where they seemed to disappear into the midnight sky. She watched the last light flicker out of view and sighed. Pascal growled in frustration. The tears she had held back earlier returned to her eyes.
"Maybe next year Pascal." Rapunzel patted her best friend's head and walked back into the tower.
For twelve years, she has had to watch those lights, flicking away and out of existence. She just hoped that next year she would finally be able to see what they were.