~Chapter 1~
Rapunzel had always been a spunky young woman always finding new creative ways to pass the time inside her home in the tower. Her father was unknown to her, but she had a mother who cared about her safety over anything else. She often found herself reading through countless books to learn about the world, but as far as she could tell, it was nothing more than fiction. If Rapunzel ever asked her mother questions about the world outside the tower, her mother simply told her everything outside was a dangerous place. Rapunzel accepted these facts and set aside her curiosity, but it never fully went away. Her mother would take some trips outside the tower using her long blonde hair as a way to descend from the tower. Rapunzel would always ask herself: If the outside world is so dangerous, why could she go out, but not me?
Rapunzel
Today I woke up feeling bright-eyed with a wide grin on my face. My only friend in the world snoozed peacefully beside me on an extra pillow. A small chameleon who I saved from a snake six years ago by smashing the snake with a frying pan. I had to admit I found frying pans pretty handy outside of cooking. I named the chameleon, Pascal. When mother went on long journeys, I was always glad to not be alone.
"Hey Pascal!" I greeted rubbing the top of his head with my index finger.
His little eyes fluttered open as the reptile stretched out his legs a bit and woke up.
"You know what today is?"
The chameleon nodded excitedly as I offered my hand out to him to put him up on my shoulder. I climbed out of bed and walked over to the kitchen and started to whisk some ingredients together. Once everything was combined, I scooped my concoction into a small glass dish and put it in the oven. After five minutes, I then pulled out my mini cake that Pascal and I frosted and decorated. As I smoothed the sides of the cake, I glanced over at Pascal who was sitting on the counter looking eager to have a job or do something.
"Hey, can you get the candles?"
He nodded excitedly and opened up the nearby drawer. There were only three that he could find, but that didn't matter to me as I plunged them into my freshly baked cake with glee. For my birthday this year, I only wished to ask for one thing and was nervous of how mother would take it. She was already out this morning as I already checked mother's bedroom finding it vacant.
"Guess we're waiting to light these candles, Pascal." I shrugged, "How about a game?"
The chameleon nodded his agreement as I brainstormed several options.
"Charades? Though that's one only you can act out." I reasoned.
Pascal shook his head in disagreement.
"Chess?"
He disagreed again.
"Someone is picky today, it is my birthday." I smirked, "Hide and seek?"
Pascal nodded his approval, both of us feeling relieved we finally agreed on something.
"Let's play until mother gets home, it'll pass the time. You hide first, Pascal."
I began counting to fifty as Pascal scampered off. The first time we ever played, the time was set to a hundred and after that one game, we decided that fifty was a better number. Pascal was an expert at this game as he could hide in places I for one could not and it always took me longer to find him. Even though that was true, I won at least eighty percent of the rounds. Round one I found him in the cookie jar in the kitchen. He made himself brown like a cookie, but gave himself away as he opened his eyes peeking to see if I had noticed him. On my first turn Pascal found me under my mother's bed and I had to brush dust off my purple dress after that one. Soon ten and then fifteen rounds passed us by and it was a wonderful start to my birthday with my best friend. On Pascal's turn, I shortened the countdown time to twenty seconds just to make it interesting. As the time ran out, I paced over to the center of the room trying to see if I could spot anything. I walked over to the open window of the tower peering outside on the wooden sill of the drop below. He wouldn't hide outside the tower, right? I thought. There was no time and he knew I couldn't look there.
Suddenly I heard a noise coming from the left flower pot on the sill. I stuck my head out further and saw Pascal's tail sticking just over the side of the pot even though he colored himself to help disguise. I walked away playing like I didn't notice.
"Pascal?" I called out innocently backing away from the window, "Are you cheating?"
I heard a slight snicker as I popped my head back outside thrusting the end of my hair around Pascal pulling him toward me, scaring him.
"Gotcha." I laughed.
As Pascal caught his breath, he looked grumpy with a furrowed brow like any sore loser to any game.
"We can play something else now. What do you want to do?" I asked.
His face perked up immediately as he directed his tail down toward the grassy meadow below the tower.
"Oh you're funny, you know mother would freak out, but-"
My voice trailed off as I looked out across the horizon feeling my curious spirit awaken as it usually did. Though my curiosity was always satiated by diving into a good book, I knew at some point that wouldn't be enough. I gazed upon the nearby wall where I had painted a mural. This was only one of many I had covered the walls with over the years. This mural was one that reflected the biggest desire I've ever had in my life. Sitting beneath the floating lights in the sky. Up until a couple of years ago, I believed them to be large stars, but they only appeared on one day each year. My birthday. Coincidence, maybe, but I couldn't help but believe there was something special about these lights. Soon I heard a voice calling out to me from outside the tower.
"Hide yourself, Pascal, you can't let her see you." I urged.
Pascal colored himself to blend with the nearby wall as I ran to the window.
"Rapunzel, what's taking so long?"
"Coming mother," I said, peering down at her.
I quickly lassoed my hair through the small hook above my head outside the window dropping the end down to mother. She always relied on my hair to get up the tower. She put a loop around her foot giving me a nod to begin pulling her up. There had to have been another way up the tower since how could she come up when I was young? Though I tried to look for a secondary entrance and never could find one. One of the more interesting mysteries about the tower.
As mother came into the window, she pulled down her black, hooded cloak smiling at me.
"Welcome back, mother." I greeted.
"Hello Rapunzel, how are you doing today?" She asked.
"Fine," I nodded,
Mother glanced over at the counter seeing the mini cake I baked.
"What's that? Did you burn something?"
"Does it look burnt?" I joked.
"What are the candles for?"
"For today of course, you know, my birthday."
"No, couldn't be," Mother reasoned, "We just celebrated that."
"Yeah, last year." I muttered.
Mother rolled her eyes pinching the bridge of her nose in mock annoyance.
"Rapunzel, what have I told you about the mumbling?"
"Right, I'm sorry. Well, it is my birthday mother and-"
"Rapunzel, hold up." She interrupted, "I'm feeling tired. Sing for me and then we can talk."
I nodded, grabbing a brush for her quickly. If I didn't ask soon, I'd burst from the eager anticipation. Mother walked over to her plush, velvet-cushioned chair as I put the brush in her hands. I put a section of my hair in her hands quickly as I began to sing though in a fast tempo.
"Flower gleam and glow. Let your power shine-"
"Wait, hold on." Mother urged.
"Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine-" I continued.
I felt mother stroke the brush across my hair and I watched as her countenance changed, looking better instantly.
"My goodness, Rapunzel. What's with you today?"
"I want to tell you my birthday wish."
"Very well, what is it?" She replied, looking at me curiously.
I lost my nerve for a second until I saw Pascal urge me on from the wall.
"I wanna see the floating lights!" I blurted out.
Mother looked at me almost in a flash of anger, but then her face softened.
"Rapunzel, you see the stars every night."
"No mother, stars are constant and I've charted them. These lights only appear once a year and that day is today."
Mother walked over to the kitchen table and sat down pinching the bridge of her nose.
"How many times must we go over this, Rapunzel? It's unsafe outside the tower."
"And yet you go out." I challenged.
Mother glared at me. I was never one to talk back, but I was a bit eager to have my way today.
"You know what to expect outside these walls, can't you take me to the floating lights? I know I'm safe with you."
"Enough!" Mother shouted, "You're not leaving this tower. How clearer can I make it, Rapunzel?"
I recoiled, biting my lip feeling instant regret.
"Now look what you did, you've made me the bad guy. You know I don't like to be this way, but you've forced my hand."
She was clearly furious at my request, but nonetheless, I had to try and ask her. Mother left the living room climbing up the stairs to her bedroom and slammed the door shut. Pascal rejoined me hopping off the wall and climbing his way up to my shoulder. He looked at me nervously as we awaited her return, constantly making me feel as though I was walking on eggshells.
"That went better than I expected." I reasoned, though I still didn't get the answer I wanted. Instead she shamed me for even trying to ask. I grabbed some matches out from the kitchen drawer and finally lit the candles in the mini cake I made earlier. As soon as they lit, I blew them out, but not before making another wish and it was the same one I'd wished for years. I wish for the opportunity to leave the tower. I sliced the cake in half for Pascal and I. Mother didn't like sweets, so I didn't leave any aside. As Pascal and I ate our fill, I heard the door turn upstairs. Pascal hid again behind some cooking books on the counter as mother rejoined me coming downstairs again.
"Rapunzel, come here." She said.
Timidly I walked toward her preparing for another outburst or argument. Her gaze locked with me as she grabbed a black cloak off the hook on the nearby wall.
"For your birthday, my flower," She said, throwing the cloak around my shoulders, "I'll allow you to leave home, but just this once."
I squealed in delight, throwing my arms around my mother, surprised that after so much begging, my patience was finally rewarded. She patted my head and slid her hands to my shoulders.
"I have strict rules that you must obey, Rapunzel, without exception."
"Alright, easy enough. Let's hear them."
It wasn't as easy as I predicted. My cloak was to always be worn with the hood up. She reminded me that people are cruel and that I shouldn't talk to anyone.
"You are to remain by my side for the whole of this trip. I'll take you to see the floating lights and we'll come straight home." Mother said as she finished relaying her instructions.
"Great, then let's go."
"You must pack. It's quite the journey. Are you sure you're up for it?"
Still trying to sway me to stay.
"If you can, I can. Besides, isn't going on a journey more enjoyable with someone to share it with?"
"It's faster alone." Mother insisted. "Once you're finished packing, I'll see if I can do something about your hair to hide it from people we may potentially come across."
Mother excused herself upstairs briefly and tossed down a large basket for us. I snatched whatever food I could from our cupboards mostly cheese, bread, and fruit. Enough for a day's journey. Once I filled the basket, mother took it and moved to the window. I latched my hair onto the hook above the window as mother snatched the end of my hair hooking it around her foot. As I slowly lowered her down outside the tower, my heart began to race. I wasn't sure if it was excitement or dread. Everything outside this tower was foreign, but there wasn't anyone I'd rather experience it with than my mother who always protected me. Once mother was safely down she waved to me as I nodded. I grabbed Pascal who crawled to the window pane once mother was out of sight below and I put him on my shoulder.
"Don't let her see you," I warned.
Pascal nodded as I looked back one more time into my home of the tower. I know I was thrilled to leave and escape the routine, but it was time for me to experience those floating lights. Pascal gripped my shoulder as I held onto my hair leaping out the window. For a moment I felt like I was flying and the wind hit my eyes making them water. Though I slowed down as I reached the bottom pausing to stare nervously at the green stuff at my feet.
"It's grass, Rapunzel. Safe and soft." Mother told me.
As my feet touched the stuff, I was amazed at the feeling it evoked between my toes even tickling me a little bit. Mother wasted no time and started to pull back my hair. It didn't hurt has she yanked and pulled this way and that. She ended up twisting my hair in and around itself and tying three bits of rope around my locks to keep them in place. By the time she was done my hair felt thick and heavy and the length only reached down to the small of my back, which would be concealed by the cloak anyway.
"Whew, that was a task." Mother said, wiping her brow.
"Too bad it can't be cut shorter and still keep its power."
"Don't even joke about that, Rapunzel! It is a gift and my job is to protect it no matter what from the vicious and cruel world that I know is outside this tower. People are selfish and they will go to any lengths to get what they want."
"I know, mother," I mumbled.
"Ah, ah, what have I said about the mumbling?"
I cleared my throat.
"Thank you for tending to my hair so thoughtfully. This journey will be easier without the drag of it."
"All is well, flower." She said patting my head. "Are you ready?" She asked gesturing towards the woods ahead. I nodded as she pulled up my hood for me. Mother led the way forward and seemed distracted and focused with every step. As we parted the surrounding area of the tower, she told me to stop as she pulled back some ivy and went ahead. She left me alone for maybe a minute before returning and giving me permission to follow again. As I reached out and pulled back the ivy to walk through, I took in a breath at the grandeur of the world around me. The only scope of my surroundings was just outside the tower, so this dense forest was huge to my eye. I could feel Pascal moving in circles on my shoulder, probably just about excited as I was.
"Stay behind me Rapunzel," Mother said nervously, "You never know what may be lurking in these woods."
"Surely it can't be that bad since you travel through these woods all the time."
She snapped back her gaze at me sharply.
"It's so we can live comfortably in the tower." She replied, "It's for your protection, dear."
I wasn't trying to argue, but mother snapped back at me as if I were being defiant. We made our way through thick trees and underbrush for at least a few hours judging by how the sun moved in the sky. Storm clouds were encompassing the sky as I looked up from the breaks in trees. It didn't take long before I felt the pitter-patter of rain falling on my head. The trees did make for a decent natural umbrella. I really wanted to sing or at least strike up a conversation, but any extra noise, mother promptly hushed me. She was afraid of those we may come across in the forest, but some reason I wasn't afraid. Mother was with me, so there was no reason to fear. I couldn't deny that every time I heard a rustle or any new noise from our surroundings, I would draw closer to mother and freeze. Though every time it was always just small animals crossing our path. Deer, rabbits, and even a badger. I had read about these creatures in books and seen pictures, so their real-life counterparts were fascinating to me. We passed a large oak tree and there were some posters hung up on them. The page read: WANTED: By the officers of Corona. Though the face was unrecognizable because it had been slashed by a blade. Mother ripped off the remains of the poster and looked at me.
"See Rapunzel, these are the people we avoid."
"It says 'wanted' right? It's kind to know that someone wants to put up posters in order to find someone."
Mother held back a chuckle.
"Whoever this person is, my dear, they're clearly a criminal. Being wanted is not a desirable thing."
There's a concept that made no sense to me. Isn't it human nature to feel love and acceptance from those around them? I let those thoughts drift as we kept moving. Hearing the rain was pleasant to my ears as I closed my eyes tilting my head towards the sky. In my distraction, I ran into mother as she stopped suddenly.
"Sorry, mother." I apologized.
"Shh, shh." She whispered.
I followed her gaze peering ahead of us and I saw nothing, but I felt something beneath trembling. It was subtle and as I looked up at mother, she grabbed my arm yanking me over to a nearby oak tree. She leaned over the side of the tree peering at someone or something coming. The thundering noise grew louder and mother barely looked, but our curiosities were solved as a group of men on horseback thundered by us. It was actually a relief to me knowing it was just a group of horses and not something worse from the depths of my imagination. I read too many books for my imagination to run wild. The men more helmets and armor speeding by us with all haste. Once we were in the clear and the men had passed, I breathed a sigh of relief as mother remained calm.
"Mother, who were they?"
"Those are but some of the men who seek your power, Rapunzel."
"Healing isn't a bad thing, maybe I could help a doctor secretly like being a nurse and helping to heal his patients who are sick."
Mother looked at me curiously frowning, but then laughed.
"My word, Rapunzel. You sound so ridiculous. How did you get an imbecilic idea like that in your head?"
Her comment stung, but that was typical. Mother often stomped on my feelings with little regard for them.
"F-From my books."
"Sounds like I should give you more chores." Mother reasoned, "Those books give you ridiculous ideas about the world. These ideas aren't reality, so they best be forgotten. Is that understood?"
Her harsh words were like a sucker punch to the gut and Pascal rubbed his head against my neck for comfort. Mother resumed her focus on our traveling and grew quiet again as we pulled out from under the tree getting wet again. I wasn't surprised we didn't pass by anyone within the boundary of this forest, but part of me wished I could see more people, not that mother would let me talk to them in any case. The rain wasn't letting up and had grown into a torrential downpour. Our cloaks were soaked, but at least my hair wasn't drenched because otherwise, it would be heavier for me. Mother hated the rain trying to convince me to turn around and give up the venture any moment she could. She led me to a small cave alcove hidden behind a grouping of trees that were oddly shaped concealing the cave. It would dark soon and mother had us stop to dry off and maybe attempt to wait out the rain.
"This is foolish, Rapunzel. We'll catch a cold out here or worse. These things you wish to see just aren't worth that."
"Aside from the rain, it's been fine." I nodded determinedly. "I want to see this through, for my birthday."
Mother frowned, I rarely disagreed with her, but today was a rare exception. Mother wrung out some excess water from her cloak and then fastened it around her neck again.
"I'm going to scout ahead. You stay put, dear. I'll be right back."
It's not like I wasn't used to being alone even at the tower. Mother constantly came and went. Though out here I was exposed and more nervous with her leaving me. Mother threw up her hood again and vanished out of sight. Once I was alone, I held my hand out for Pascal to come down off my shoulder so he could roam a bit freely. At least I wasn't completely alone.