Chapter 13: The Smolder

As Rapunzel's birthday drew close, she was feeling less enthusiastic about it due to the fact that she wouldn't be graduating in May. So she talked to Quasimodo about it over the computer while Mother Gothel wasn't looking, and all he had to say was to give Gothel the benefit of the doubt. However, Quasimodo did reveal he had started hanging out with the girl who helped him during the Festival of Fools. Her name was Esmeralda and she was Romani, whom Quasimodo's guardian Frollo believed were evil.

"Sounds like Frollo's a bigot," Rapunzel typed. "You shouldn't listen to him."

"I know, but he's the closest thing I have to a parent after my mother died," Quasimodo replied.

Before Rapunzel could reply, she heard footsteps. Realizing it was someone scaling the tower, she grabbed a frying pan from the kitchen and pressed her back against the wall near the window. As the steps got closer, her body tensed up and she held the frying pan in a defensive position.

Through the window tumbled a person wearing a turquoise hoodie and tan sweatpants. They then noticed Rapunzel's long hair trailing in front of them and along the rafters. Cursing herself, Rapunzel advanced upon them and hit them on the back of the head with the frying pan before they could touch her hair. When they didn't get up, Rapunzel lowered her frying pan and turned the person over. It was a teenage boy with dark hair and a goatee wearing a turquoise T-shirt under the hoodie over a white shirt.

"Maybe if I showed this person to Mother Gothel, it'll prove to her that I'm more than capable of leaving this tower to go see the lights," Rapunzel figured.

Picking the boy up, she stuffed him in a nearby closet and then examined the leather bag he was carrying. Inside it was a golden crown with inlaid diamonds and rubies, which fascinated Rapunzel. She then heard Gothel call her name and put the crown back in the bag tossing it underneath the stairs.

"Let down your hair, dear!" Gothel cried. "I'm waiting!"

Obediently, Rapunzel let her hair fall to the ground pulling Gothel up into the tower.

"Thank you," Gothel said as she stepped in. "Though you took longer to respond than usual."

Rapunzel hesitated to answer. "Well, I—

"If you're going to ask me abut taking you to see these lights you mentioned, then forget it," Gothel interrupted.

"You mean…you're not taking me?" Rapunzel's eyes widened. "But why? I have—

"I'm aware that you're doing fine in school and have gotten physically stronger," Gothel interrupted again. "Yet I can't help but worry about your safety. There are not nice people out in the world, who might try to take you away from me. But if you're here in the tower, I'll always know where you are and feel better about it. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes, Mother Gothel," Rapunzel said reluctantly.

With a worried brow, Gothel walked up to Rapunzel and rubbed her hand against Rapunzel's cheek. "Now, my little flower, is there something I could get for your birthday?"

Thinking for a moment, Rapunzel answered, "I guess I would like sea shells from the ocean."

Gothel's eyes widened. "It'll take me at least two days to get there on foot. I might not make it back in time for—

"Please," Rapunzel begged. "If you go today, I'm sure you'll get back on my birthday which would be great."

After a pause, Gothel nodded. "Very well, I shall leave today. Just make sure to take care of yourself, don't skip out on schoolwork, and don't answer to any strangers that might come around here. Though the latter is unlikely, given how isolated we are, you never know."

Rapunzel briefly glanced at the closet, and then she smiled. "Don't worry, Mother Gothel, I'll be all right."

###

Later that day, Gothel left the tower and Rapunzel opened the closet causing the boy to fall onto the floor. This naturally woke him up, but Rapunzel had the frying pan in hand.

"Who are you and why did you come to my tower?" Rapunzel demanded, trying to sound threatening like Gothel.

The boy rubbed his head and looked up at Rapunzel. "What the—?

"Just answer the question!" Rapunzel thrust the frying pan in the boy's face.

"Okay, take it easy," the boy insisted. "I'm Flynn Rider, and I came to your tower for…shelter."

Unsure of whether to believe him, Rapunzel asked, "Then what's the deal with the crown?"

This caused the boy Flynn to wince. "You know where it is?"

"I do, but I'm not telling you where I hid it."

"Come on, you can trust me," Flynn insisted as he got up. "I mean, what're you doing in this tower anyway?"

"It's my home," Rapunzel stated.

"And do you ever go out?"

"No."

"Why?"

"My Mother won't let me."

"Well, that seems cruel. If you want, I could take you away from this place."

Flynn then puckered his lips and squinted his eyes. Rapunzel gave Flynn a confused look, which made him return his face to normal.

"Huh, you're the first girl I've met who has resisted the Smolder," Flynn remarked.

"The Smolder?" Rapunzel repeated.

"It's how I, um…"

"Attract girls?"

"Yes—I mean, no!"

"So you're a flirt and a thief."

"No, I'm not a thief. What makes you think that?"

"The crown looked pretty expensive, and you don't look very rich based on your clothes."

"Looks can be deceiving."

Rapunzel looked doubtful.

"Look, even if I am a thief it'll do you no good to keep that crown around. So why don't you give it to me and let me deal with it properly."

"Not if you agree to take me to see the lights!" As soon as she said this, Rapunzel looked down in embarrassment.

Flynn blinked. "The lights?"

"They appear over the city, beyond this valley," Rapunzel explained, then she stared directly at Flynn. "If you agree to take me to them in three days' time, I'll give the crown back to you."

"Really? That's it?"

"You can take it or leave it."

Sighing, Flynn replied. "All right, I'll take you to the city to see the lights."

End of Chapter 13