~ Rapunzel Goes Home (extended edition)

~ Chapter 053

~ Little Rapunzel Snaps Her Spine


Mother Gothel's eyes popped open, looking into the darkness that filled the night wrapped tower. She had been asleep in her bed in the nook under the stairs, it gave her easy access to the bathroom.

Had she heard something or was it just a dream? She heard nothing but silence.

Why was her heart pounding? The window was locked for the night, the tower was safe and secure, wasn't it?

Then she hears a sound that tears into the heart of any human, the weak whimper of a child in the extremes of pain.

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel, are you okay?" Gothel calls.

"Mom-my," came a weak reply; it was close, not upstairs.

Gothel peered into the darkness, there was moonlight, but the shutters were closed, she flung back the blanket and lit a candle. She turned and her heart froze.

There at the bottom of the stairs was little 5-year-old Rapunzel laying in a heap, a tangled pile of hair, limbs and lavender nightie. One leg trailed up the stairs still wrapped in long, golden hair. Her great green eyes filled with pain and tears.

Gothel flew across the room and knelt next to her flower.

"What happened, flower?"

"Mommy, I needed to go potty, but I fell down. Mommy, it hurts." Tears were streaming down her face.

"I know, pet. What did I tell you about going out of your room when it's dark?" Patting her head. She had to learn to obey.

"Mommy, I'm hurting, but I can't feel my legs."

Gothel's hand froze as it stroked Rapunzel's hair. In all her centuries of life, she had seen this happen several times. Usually they died right away, but sometimes, just sometimes they lived for months and once even years, but they just couldn't stand or walk anymore.

She knew that Rapunzel's hair could heal even this, but if she didn't heal her she would never be able to leave and she would have to stay here forever.

"Mama, I heed herts?" came in a soft, slurred voice. Rapunzel's big, beautiful green eyes rolled back in her head and she began to spasm uncontrollably.

"Oh, no, flower? Pet! RAPUNZEL!" Gothel gathered Rapunzel into her arms and began to sing as fast as she could, as she raced Death himself:

"Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine…"


~ End of Chapter 053

Listen to the audiobook on

tumblr: bstormhands

Subscribe to the audiobook podcast at

iTunes: balun-stormhands

Author's Note: Gothel has a cold heart, doesn't she?