"Rapunzel, I really think I should go with you," said Eugene for the millionth time.
I clipped my black cloak together and put the hood up. I sighed and turned to look at him. "I'll be fine Eugene. I really think I'm supposed to do this alone."
He sighed and nodded. We both walked to the stables. The stable boy had Maximus all ready for me to ride to the Soothsayer. She lived deep in the woods. Deeper than where my tower is. But I knew I would be safe. I was going with the finest guard in the Kingdom…Maximus.
He whinnied gleefully when he saw me.
"Hey boy," I said and stroked his neck. He nudged me lovingly and I laughed a little.
"Hey Max," greeted Eugene.
Maximus snorted and rolled his eyes at Eugene.
"Oh come on Max, I thought all of that was behind us," he said and crossed his arms.
I heard a small squeak and saw Paskel rushing over to us. I smiled and let him jump onto my hand. He smiled and I put him on my shoulder.
"Are you ready?" asked Eugene and he took my hands.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
"Okay…I will wait until nightfall…if you haven't come back by then, I will gather search parties and we will look for you," he said.
"I'll be fine. Nothing can get past Max," I said and smiled at both Eugene and Maximus.
Maximus stood taller and smiled for effect.
I laughed and looked back at Eugene.
He pushed my hair away from my face and leaned in to kiss me. It was brief but it still had that spark and magic in it.
When we broke apart I noticed that Paskel had turned a deep red.
"Please be careful."
"I will."
I turned away and got into Maximus' saddle. I gripped his reins and looked down at Eugene.
"Take care of her Max," he said and patted Maximus' stomach.
Maximus snorted and whinnied.
Eugene gave me one last worried look then Maximus took off.
It was raining again, but it was only a light mist. We rode over the bridge and into the forest.
Maximus ran for a good mile before he slowed down to a trot and eventually a walk.
"Ok, we just have to see the soothsayer and then everything will be fine…right?" I asked Paskel.
He looked at me for a moment then shrugged his little green shoulders.
"Right…well, we should be there soon."
The Soothayer lived in a small log cabin alone. She was younger than most would think. She's also not creepy…in fact she's the opposite. She attended my wedding wearing a very pretty blue gown with her grayish brown hair in waves over her shoulders. She's a very sweet old woman but very wise.
Maximus was alert at all times. He would look back at me every so often to make sure I was still there. His ears would twitch at the smallest sound and sometimes he would pick up speed only to slow down again. It was easier for him to guard while taking slower steps.
After about two hours we finally came to the clearing where the Soothsayer lived. Her cottage was small and old looking but it had a beautiful garden around it and looked inviting.
After Maximus stopped, I dismounted and pet his muzzle. "I'll just be inside. I don't know how long this will take," I told him.
He nudged me and Paskel ran down my arm and onto Maximus' face and up to his head. "You staying here then?" I asked him.
Paskel nodded and smiled.
I turned to the cottage and took a deep breath. I walked up to the cottage and before I could knock, the door opened and the Soothsayer smiled.
"Welcome Rapunzel, I have been expecting you," she said and moved aside so that I could come in. The Soothsayer was wearing a simple brown dress and her long hair was braided.
I looked back at Max then walked inside.
"Alright Rapunzel, what can I do for you?" asked the Soothsayer.
"Shouldn't you already know that?" I asked her.
"Yes, you keep having nightmares and you saw the Witch that took you." The Soothsayer walked over to the stove where a tea kettle started to whistle.
"Please, can you help me?" I asked her.
The Soothsayer took out a tin cup then looked at me, "Would you like some tea?"
"Yes please," I said.
"Please, sit my dear," she said and gestured to the table.
I sat on the chair and tapped my fingernails impatiently on the wood.
"Oh, Rapunzel, be patient," said the Soothayer and she poured the hot water into the two tin cups.
I stopped tapping and started to bounce my knee.
I watched as she put tea leaves into the cups and then added some sugar and cream into both mine and hers. She must have already known how I like my tea.
She brought the cups over and smiled. She sat across from me and sipped her tea.
"Please, Soothsayer. I need help. I feel like I'm losing my mind here," I said.
"Oh hush now Rapunzel and drink your tea. You are not losing your mind. Now…tell me about your dreams."
"Well, it starts that day in the tower when Eugene was almost killed and Mother Gothel almost took me away forever."
The Soothsayer nodded and closed her eyes.
"Then, I convince her to let me heal Eugene and she lets me. He cuts off my hair and Mother Gothel dies. Well, you know how I always said that my tear had a small amount of the Sun Flower and that healed him. Well…in my dreams it doesn't and he's gone…forever," I explained.
The Soothsayer continued to nod.
"Then yesterday…something strange happened. I went back to my tower and Mother Gothel was there but she wasn't. I saw her, and I know I wasn't sleeping."
The Soothsayer opened her eyes and squinted at me. "Give me your hands child," she said and out her hands onto the table.
I hesitated then put my hands in hers. She took a deep breath then closed her eyes and concentrated. I stared at her questioningly.
Suddenly her brow furrowed and something shot up my arm and into my head.
I gasped and looked at the Soothsayer. Only this wasn't the Soothsayer…it was Mother Gothel. She gripped my arms and smiled devilishly.
"No, let go of me!" I yelled.
"Rapunzel…don't think you can get rid of me that easy," said Mother Gothel and her grip on my arms tightened. "After all…Mother knows best!" she yelled and I looked down and noticed that it wasn't my arms she was gripping anymore…it was my hair. My long blonde hair.
"No! I won't let you use it!" I yelled.
"Flower, gleam, and glow," she started to chant. She wasn't even singing it this time. She said it through gritted teeth and she yanked my hair closer and closer to her.
I tried to struggle but the pain was unbearable.
"Let your power shine," laughed the Witch. Soon my face was directly in front of hers and she raised a dagger. "Make the clock reverse. Bring. Back. What. Once. Was. Mine."
"No!" I screamed as she brought the dagger down.
Suddenly I was released and I fell backwards off of the chair and I was breathing heavily and sweating again.
The Soothsayer was standing with a hand over her heart and she had her eyes wide looking right at me.
"Oh, Rapunzel. It is awful," said the Soothsayer. "This is all a message. Something bad is going to happen not only to you and Eugene, but the entire Kingdom. But only you can stop it."
"What? What are you saying?" I asked and scrambled up off of the floor and I looked into the Soothsayer's eyes.
The Soothsayer rushed up to me and took my hands. "You must get your powers back Rapunzel."
"How? That flower was the only one," I said.
She released my hands and opened the back cabin door. I slowly followed her trying to make sense of things.
"Follow me," said the Soothsayer and she took my hand.
I pulled my hood on my cloak back up and walked out of the door. Maximus saw me and trotted over.
We all followed the Soothsayer out of the clearing and even deeper into the forest.
"There were three drops from the sun that fell to Earth and created three flowers," said the Soothsayer as we walked through the trees. "The Witch found one. I found one other and the third is still missing or someone has found it but has not told anyone about it."
"Wait, there are more flowers?" I asked.
"Yes."
"But, how would I even get the powers?" I asked. "When my mother drank the nectar her hair didn't turn blonde and magical."
"The reason why that happened was because the nectar went straight to you. She was pregnant with you so you took to the nectar. Because you are not with child the nectar should only affect you," she explained.
I nodded.
We reached a small cave and the Soothsayer ducked into it. I followed but when Maximus tried to he got stuck. He whinnied.
I spun around and frowned. "Sorry Max, you are just going to have to wait here."
Maximus narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
"I'll be fine Max," I said.
Paskel jumped off of Maximus' head and onto my shoulder. He gave Max a wink and then Max rolled his eyes and backed out of the cave.
"Rapunzel, hurry," said the Soothsayer.
I turned and followed the Soothsayer.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"There is a clearing at the other end of the cave. That is where the flower is and where I have hidden it."
As we walked I tried to wrap my head around what was happening. I pushed my hood back and ran a hand through my short brown hair. Eugene said he liked brunettes. Will he not like me when I'm blonde again? Will my hair stay short or will I have super long hair. Will I ever be a brunette again? What did the Soothsayer mean? My hair could only cure people…how was that going to save Eugene and the Kingdom? Was the plague going to happen…just like mother Gothel warned me about? Well…then again she also thought men had pointy teeth.
We entered the clearing and in the center was a small bush. The Soothsayer walked over to the bush and carefully picked it up.
There was the flower. I had never seen it before. It was gold and seemed to glow. Its petals looked so delicate and really it took my breath away.
I slowly walked up to it and knelt down in front of it. My eyes widened and I felt that the flower was drawing me to it.
Rapunzel.
I looked up and looked at the Soothsayer. She was watching me. "Did you say something?" I asked her.
She shook her head. "The flower is speaking to you. Listen to it."
I looked back at the flower and it started pulsing with light.
Rapunzel…you are the only one worthy of me…of us. You must use me to protect those you love and those who need you.
"Why? What's going to happen?" I asked.
Someone is going to try to take revenge on the Kingdom. Everyone is in danger.
"Who?" I asked.
I cannot tell you. You must figure this out on your own. Now…you must sing the song.
"No, I can't. I won't be like that Witch I won't," I said and backed up from the flower a little.
You won't. The Witch sang the song to make my sister make her younger, stronger. If you sing the song with good intentions in your heart, my nectar will come forth and you must drink it.
I stared at the flower then looked up at the Soothsayer.
She nodded solemnly.
I took a deep breath and let it out, "O-ok. Ok."
I knelt closer to the flower and I could smell its warm scent. I closed my eyes and started to sing.
Flower gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine.
Human has been hurt
Change the fates designed
Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine
What once was mine.
I opened my eyes and the flower was glowing brightly and a small pool of nectar was in the center of the flower.
The Soothsayer knelt down and carefully picked the flower. Despite the fact that it was picked, it still glowed.
"Hurry Rapunzel, you must drink all of the nectar," said the Soothsayer and she handed me the flower.
I took the flower and stared at the golden liquid. This was it. No turning back now. I pressed the flower to my lips and the liquid ran down the petals and into my mouth. It tasted warm and sweet.
The nectar was gone and the flower shriveled up and turned into gold dust in my hands.
I sat completely still for a couple of seconds before the pain began. It started in my stomach then traveled up to my head.
I grabbed my head and yelled out with the pain.
"Rapunzel," said the Soothsayer.
I looked at her and her face morphed into Mother Gothel's.
"Mother. Knows. Best," she said and laughed wickedly.
"No!" I screamed and it felt like my head was going to explode.
"Hush my pet, someone will hear you," said the Witch and she knelt down next to me. "Look at that your hair is already returning to its beautiful form."
I had tears in my eyes from the pain.
"Oh Rapunzel don't be so dramatic. It isn't that bad," she said and laid me down on her lap.
I tried to struggle away but she held me firmly.
"Hush now my dear…it is time for sleep," she said.
I started to black out and the witch's face was getting foggy. I fought to stay conscious but it wasn't long before I completely blacked out to the sound of the Witch singing the song.