Chapter 1

The first thing Mother Gothel noticed as she climbed out of the stairwell was her 3' 9'' daughter launch herself at her as she stood.

"Mommy!" shrieked the delighted child, "Where'd you go today?"

Seemingly just noticing that Gothel was soaked, she released her hold on her waist. Glancing at the floor, she noticed the slowly growing pool of water.

"And how come you're all wet?" she added as an afterthought.

Mother Gothel really didn't want to do this right now. All she wanted to do was change her dress and curl up by the fire. But instead, as she removed her cloak, she replied "I went to town for some things and on my way back it started raining."

Gothel was trying to control her shivering, as she didn't want Rapunzel to see her so weak.

"Mommy! Come look at my new painting!" Rapunzel exclaimed as grabbed her mother by the hand and dragged her over to the wall. It was indeed a wonderful painting. It depicted Rapunzel and Mother Gothel holding hands and smiling. As she stood admiring the painting, Mother Gothel felt a sneeze sneaking up on her. She quickly turned her head and sneezed into her elbow. After the sneeze, she looked back at a very confused Rapunzel.

"What was that noise Mommy?"

"What noise darling?"

"That weird noise you just made," said Rapunzel as she stepped closer.

"It was nothing. Now, what else did you do today?"

As Rapunzel rambled on and on about the paintings she had made and the new doll she was making, Mother Gothel inched her way over to the fire. Just as she was about to sit down, Rapunzel squealed in delight. Gothel looked over just in time to see Rapunzel pull a very wet picture book from her basket. Of course, it was ruined, but this didn't seem to bother Rapunzel.

"Is this mine?" squealed the delighted child.

"Of course. You've been such a good girl lately I thought you deserved something special,"

Rapunzel immediately ran over and hugged her mother around the waist, crying a chorus of thank you's the whole time. At the sudden introduction of warmth on Gothel's extremely cold skin, she lost momentary control and shivered. Rapunzel immediately withdrew from her and looked at her strangely.

"What's the matter Mommy?"

Gothel had to think quickly. She had two options. She could either use this experience as a lesson to teach Rapunzel why the world was horrible, or she could have Rapunzel sing the incantation and heal her. Of course, the former meant being miserable for several days, but Gothel eventually decided to use it as a lesson. So she replied: "I don't feel well Rapunzel,"

"What do you mean?"

"I just don't feel normal,"

"I still don't understand," said Rapunzel.

"You will," said Gothel with a sneeze.

"There! That noise! What is it?"

"That, Rapunzel, is a sneeze,"

"Oh,"

Gothel sighed as the shivers racked her body once again. She tried to remember the last time she had been sick, to no avail.

"Mommy?"

"What Rapunzel?" Gothel sighed.

"Um," said Rapunzel as she grabbed her mother's hand, "Maybe you should change your dress. I mean-" she stared when she saw Gothel's questioning gaze, "It's really wet. And you look cold."

'I have to give her credit,' Gothel thought as she allowed Rapunzel to drag her toward her room, 'She at least knows enough to make me change my dress.' Rapunzel patiently sat on Gothel's bed as she changed. She always loved to watch her mother get dressed. She was so, what was the word? Oh, curvy. Yes, curvy described her perfectly. Her mother was so pretty. How Rapunzel longed to look like her when she grew older!

Meanwhile, Gothel had selected one of her heavier dresses, for she was still cold. She was wella ware of how much Rapunzel wanted to look like her. After all, she had told her so several times. So she permitted the child to stay as she changed. Her new dress wasn't her usual red, but a medium forest green that complemented her eyes. It was quite outdated, but for a day in front of the fire, it would do.

"Come Rapunzel, I'm through here,"

"Okay!" exclaimed Rapunzel as she hopped off the bed.

Walking into the main room, Gothel stoked the fire until it blazed brightly. Rapunzel couldn't help but notice how much slower her mother seemed to be today. She thought it especially odd when she curled up in her chair in front of the fire with her favorite quilt. This was the quilt Mother Gothel had made herself years before for bitter days and nights such as today. Rapunzel vaguely remembered a time when she was extremely small and they had no firewood. Her mother had dressed her in her warmest dresses and they snuggled in bed under that quilt to keep warm.

Curiously, she wandered to her mother's side. Her mother appeared to be asleep, and Rapunzel yawned quietly. She wondered if there was enough room on her mother's lap for her. Very gently, so asa not to wake her mother, Rapunzel lifted the edge of the quilt and slowly climbed onto her mother's lap, replacing it as she went. She was almost settled when her mother stirred.

Gothel blinked sleepily down at Rapunzel. She was met with a hopeful and pleading gaze from lime green eyes. She smiled gently at the child, and nodded her head ever so slightly, indicating Rapunzel could stay. She was rewarded with a brilliant smile and Rapunzel snuggling closer to her frame. In response, she wrapped an arm around the toddler's waist. As she was drifting back off to sleep, she heard Rapunzel say 'I love you'. She didn't get the chance to reply 'I love you most' before she fell asleep.

Rapunzel was quite surprised to find the area under the quilt to be quite warm. She was almost comfortable when she felt her mother stir. Quickly, she looked up at her with a pleading gaze. She was slightly surprised that her mother let her stay, but she was happy just the same. She wasted no time in getting comfortable. Rapunzel smiled as she felt her mother's arm slide protectively and affectionately around her middle.

"I love you," she said.

Getting no answer, she raised her eyes to look at her mother. She found she had already drifted off to sleep. She also noticed a light blush on her mother's face, but thought nothing of it. Yawning, again, she rested her head on her mother's chest and fell asleep.

And this is how the afternoon passed. Any passerby who climbed the tower would have seen the peaceful picture of mother and daughter asleep by the fire. Nothing more, nothing less.