Three
There was silence. Rapunzel was sitting alone on a low stool, her knees to her chest, waiting for her mother. The bedroom door was locked, like it always was when Gothel was out, and she was bored. All her paper was used up, so she had nothing to paint on, and her puzzle was completed sitting in the corner, a big girl 18 piece her mother had gotten her for her birthday this year. She wondered how long her mother would be and pulled out a sketching stick, running it on her finger and leaving a trail of black along her skin.
She stood up and stretched, her hair underfoot as she walked in endless circles around the room, looking up at the ceiling. There was a small window there, but she couldn't ever reach it, so she watched it sometimes, wondering if the wooden trap sealing it shut would ever magically fall open and she could see what was above her. She sat back down on her bed again, her legs to her chest, feeling very alone. She wondered if her mother was going to come home soon, because she was starting to feel a little hungry.
A creak was heard, and she jumped up, her eyes wide, wondering if it was her mother, or if something scarier had come to steal her away. She scurried under her bed, terrified, and peeked out from under the bed skirt. Her bedroom door made a loud click as it was unlocked, and she saw, with great relief, that her mother walked in, her basket full to the brim. "Mommy!" she cried, running over to the woman and hugging her around the waist. "I thought you were a monster."
Gothel stood stark still for a moment, unsure of what to do before she patted the young girl on her head, giving her a gentle smile. "Don't worry, dear," she said putting the basket down and taking Rapunzel up into her arms. "Mommy's here and won't let anything hurt you."
"I know Mommy," she replied with a smile, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Gothel kissed her forehead and put her back down on the floor, shaking her basket tantalizingly. "Mommy?" she asked, not daring to get her hopes up.
Gothel cooed, "Guess what I brought home?" She put the basket on the floor and allowed her daughter to rummage through it, squealing at each new find. She brought home parsnips, ingredients for apple pie, and a delicious fish dinner that Rapunzel had only tasted once because her mother felt the fish would be too rich for her sensitive young stomach. "Happy birthday, Rapunzel!"
"Thank you Mommy!" she shouted, jumping to her feet and running around the room, her hair flying behind her in a golden ribbon.
"But first!" she said, holding a finger up and catching Rapunzel on the forehead. "Mommy's going to teach you something." She took Rapunzel by the hand, and sat her before her on the bed, pulling a brush out. "Repeat after me, dear." Her bright green eyes were wide and curious, as her mother began to sing a song that she had heard traces of for as long as she could remember. "Flower gleam and glow."
"Flower gleam and glow."
Her hair began to shimmer and Gothel smiled. "Let your power shine."
"Let your power shine."
"Make the clocks reverse, bring back what once was mine."
"Make the clocks reverse, bring back what once was mine." Rapunzel's sweet young voice filled the room, and Gothel could feel herself grow younger by the moment, the veins in her hands vanishing, her hair turning onyx black again, the pains of old age no longer weary on her bones. Her skin was flawless, her face, perfect, and any signs of her true age, a number she knew was higher than any person to have ever existed, were no longer apparent.
"Can you remember that song, flower?" she asked sweetly, untangling the loose knots from her daughter's hair. She nodded vigorously, determined to please her mother, and kept her hands folded over her lap, repeating the words to herself so she would never forget.
AN: I was DETERMINED to get something written today, but Tumblr's been addicting and my brain has been completely uncooperative. I finally, at midnight sheesh, got this little tidbit out. Hope you enjoy it!