I can't take this anymore.

Rapunzel pulled on her hair and sighed. Mother just kept on getting heavier and heavier every day, or at least to Rapunzel. Heaving her up the tower was one of her least favorite chores. She was happy to do it for Mother though, and she tried to keep a smile on her face as Mother greeted and embraced her.

"Oh, how exhausted you look Rapunzel! Are you sure it's alright for you to pull me up? I'm afraid I don't have the strength I once had."

No. "Sure, whatever you want Mother." Her fake smile grew bigger.

"Thank you dear," Gothel said as she hugged her tighter, almost as if she's scared to let her go.

Rapunzel broke away. "So, Mother. I was wondering, you know-um-my birthday is in a couple weeks."

"I can't hear you, speak up."

"My birthday, I was sort of wondering-"

"You know how much I hate mumbling."

Rapunzel sighed and yelled, "MY BIRTHDAY IS IN 2 WEEKS AND I WAS WONDERING-"

Gothel instantly covered Rapunzel's mouth. "Shhh. You know you can't yell in the tower."

"Oh, right. We don't don't want to attract ruffians, thugs, or any other animals to the tower," Rapunzel recited what Gothel had told her dozens of times. "Got it."

"So, what about your birthday dear?"

"I was thinking, for my birthday instead of a present, I could go outside."

Gothel instanty frowned. "No. The outside world is a dangerous place full of-"

"I know that, but why. In the fairy tales I read when I were little, they always had a happy ending." Rapunzel knew she shouldn't bring this up, but when she was little Mother brought her a satchel full of books that she had collected. Most of them were nonfiction, covering subjects that Mother had started teaching her, but there was one book that caught her attention the most. A fairy tale book, which was filled with stories about royalty, magic and love. She read most of them in a day, and when Mother caught her reading the book she instantly took it away.

"Fairy tales are unrealistic. This is the real world Rapunzel. Nobody gets a happy ending. All men do is break your heart."

Rapunzel had read all but one story in the book, the very last one. She wasn't even able to read the title before Mother had taken it away. The thought that a prince could come and save her from the tower never crossed her mind until then. Although Rapunzel loved her Mother, she sort of hated the tower. It was small and dark, not the ideal place to spend your whole life in. Rapunzel tried to make the most if it but painting the walls and requesting furniture, but it only helped a little. The thought that a prince-or anyone-could save her from this place gave her hope.

Gothel just shoke her head in disgust. "Fairy tales are fiction. Someone with too much time on their hands wrote them. You can't believe them."

Rapunzel opened her mouth. She wanted to argue, but was afraid that she could get in even more trouble. "I'm sorry that I even brought it up. It-it was a stupid idea anyway." It wasn't, she really wanted it, even if only just to run around the tower a couple times and feel the grass on her feet.

"Oh, it's okay Rapunzel. It's just, safer here. Believe me, you'll understand one day."

Rapunzel just nodded and stared at her bare feet.

Just once.

Gothel made hazelnut soup, but to Rapunzel the food that she usually would like tasted bitter and too cold. Once Gothel left Rapunzel stayed silent, staring out the window until her Mother disappeared out of sight and whistled a three note tune. Normally, she wouldn't bother Clarisse this late, but she needed a friend. Even if that friend was a squirrel.

Clarisse scrambled out of the crack near the tower window. Rapunzel had found her at the beginning of winter hidden in the same crack when she was 16. Clarisse was just a baby, and half frozen to death. Rapunzel noticed she was still alive, so she took the poor baby inside and slowly nursed her back to full health. Gothel had no idea Clarisse existed. Rapunzel didn't want to lose her first friend so quickly, so she kept it a secret. Also, there was no telling of what Gothel would do to Clarisse.

"I'm so sorry. Were you sleeping?" Rapunzel asked.

Clarisse just gave her a look as if she was saying, Are you kidding me?

"Sorry. I just wanted someone to talk to."

Clarisse nodded.

"So, have you ever touched the ground before? Or were you born in the tower?"

Clarisse pointed to the crack.

"Oh."

Clarisse nodded and looked down at the ground, almost longingly.

"I want to go down too. But apparently, it's way safer up here for me. I'm not sure about squirrels."

Clarisse gave Rapunzel an offended look, which caused Rapunzel to giggle. "No offence."

Rapunzel watched as the sun sunk lower in the atmosphere, bathing the sky into a beautiful canvas filled with a mixture of oranges, pinks and purples. The sunset was Rapunzel's favorite time of the day. Everything seemed so peaceful and quiet, and for once Rapunzel felt that maybe being trapped up in a tower for this long wasn't so bad afterall.

Clarisse was dozing off on Rapunzel leg. Not wanting to leave and wake her up, Rapunzel started singing. Mother always said that singing made you happier. If that was the case, Rapunzel sung as much as possible. It didn't necessarily make her happier, but it gave her something to do when she couldn't talk to anyone.

I've got my mother's love,

I shouldn't ask for more,

I've got so many things,

I should be thankful for,

Yes, I have everything- except, I guess, a door,

Perhaps it's better that I stay in,

But tell me... when will my life begin?

Little did Rapunzel know, it would begin. That night, actually.

A/N: I was originally going to squish the next chapter in with this one but it didn't seem to work that well with the narritive. Sorry if it's too short.

Anyway, When Will My Life Begin (Reprise 1) Lyrics owned by Disney. Same with the Healing Incantation in the prologue.