Rapunzel was sitting at her mirror, with a bundle of hair in her lap, she brushed and brushed. She felt him it her room. "Hello Dearie." He sounded genuinely happy.

"Did you need something DarkOne?" She said bored with him, and absorbed in her task.

"You haven't guessed my name in such a long time. Have you given up?"

"Has it been a long time?" She was confused, and stopped her brushing to turn to him.

"At least 3 weeks."

"Huh? Didn't feel like such a long time. No DarkOne, I have no guesses today."

"Have you even left this tower since we made that deal?"

"Are you sick of me living here?" She laughed.

"You barely live at all." He sneered.

"I will make my guess when I am good and ready." she went back to her brushing.

"Come now Rapunzel. Do something."

"No I think I will stay here. Maybe tomorrow." she smiled to him. "Yes, come back tomorrow. Then we will walk about the castle." He could not believe his ears.

"What? I am far too busy to come back here on your whims." He started to walk out of the tower.

"See you tomorrow."

"No! No, you will not see me tomorrow." He called out frustrated with her.

However the next day the DarkOne entered the tower and walked into Rapunzel's room. There he found her sleeping in her bed soundly. He walked to the bed he leaned over her to get a good look at her sleeping face. The DarkOne admired Rapunzel for a moment, but his trance was broken when she spoke. "Get out DarkOne." She said annoyed at his presence.

"How did you know it was me?"

"We're the only two in this castle." she stated sleepy. "There are no servants for you to send for me. And you don't have a habit of letting prisoners wander the castle."

"Right, right. Get ready Rapunzel."

"For what?"

"After much consideration I have decided to take up your request."

"You're sending my tower back?" She smiled and had joy.

"No." he said smiling at her ridiculous question. "I have decided to take you on a walk about the castle."

"I told you to come tomorrow. You're here early."

"It is tomorrow Dearie. I am right on time."

"Oh. Well I suppose we can go now. Do you want some breakfast?"

"I have already eaten. But I suppose we can go down to the dining room."

"Sounds lovely. Lets go." Rapunzel got out of bed and walked to the trap door, where they both descended down the stairs.

"Are you wearing that?" he asked as they passed through the tower's new golden door.

"Well you only asked me to breakfast, not a Ball."

"I didn't ask you to anything you ditsy tower girl." he snapped at her.

"This is what I have DarkOne. I will not conjure another dress just to please you."

"Then allow me." he smiled as he moved his hand over his version of her. Rapunzel was overtaken by purple smoke and went it faded she found herself in a blue maid gown, with a white apron.

"I am not the maid. If this is how you see me, I will just march right back into that tower, and you can just eat by yourself." She crossed her arms angry with him.

"Now now, don't get flustered." he reasoned and took hold of Rapunzel's arm. " I thought you might entertain yourself swiping about the castle, maybe straightening up a couple tables."

"You listen to me!" she was almost at a shout, and pulled her arm away from him. "I am not your maid, or slave, or prisoner." her voice was low and threatening. "I am not your mistress, keeper, or queen. I don't know what we are but we ..." she gestured between them "are on equal footing. We need an understanding."

"Do you have any idea who you are talking to?" He said irritated.

"No." She took a step forward and leaned toward his face. "Why don't you tell me?" she mocked.

"Stay in your rags, if that's what pleases you." He moved his hand again, and the purple smoke appeared and faded as it did before, and Rapunzel's night gown was returned.

"I think I'll eat alone."

"Whys that?"

"Mother said not to dine with strangers." She walked away from the DarkOne and wandered the castle looking for the kitchen. She finally found it, when she walked through the doors she found the DarkOne holding a tray of porridge and a glass of milk.

"Breakfast?" He asked delighted she has found the correct room.

"Not dinner?"

"You were only wandering an hour." He walked passed her and into the dining room. It had two chairs at a very long table, and the DarkOne walked to the far side of the table and set the tray down.

"Really? Felt like a week." she followed him.

"Tell me Dearie. Do you even know what those words mean?" he asked as he pulled the chair out for her.

"What words sir?" She sat and began her meal, that was to her surprise very good.

" A week, an hour, the tomorrows? Do you know what they mean?"

"I don't have a very good conception of time." She pulled her hair over her shoulder, away from the imp. "I never change so its hard for me to know when things pass."

"So you don't have any idea how old you are?"

"Older than you I'm sure." she smiled at him. "I use to be able to recognize time by hair length, but I can't see the end anymore." she had a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Rapunzel why are you still in your tower?"

"Because you castle is too massive for me."

"No. I mean you could have left a long time ago. You never did. Why would you stay?" He was very curious about this and hoped inwardly it would reveal something about Rapunzel he could use.

"Would you like to hear a story DarkOne?" She asked teasing.

"Why yes! I would." He giggled and jumped and purple smoke swirled around them both and this time they appeared in the library, his spinning wheel waiting for him, and a large plush throne. "Sit! Tell me a tale Rapunzel." He took his stool and began spinning. Rapunzel sat upon the comfortable throne, and began her tale for the little devil before her.

"Once upon a time, there was an old sickly witch who had wished and wished every night for someone to save her from her timely death. One night a clumsy fairy spilled precious pixie dust on to a simple flower, and the witch found the flower and knew it would save her life. She at first potted the flower and kept it in her home. There she sang to the flower and it glowed and she grew younger and healthy. This went on for long while until she had the idea that if she could make a tea from the flower she might stop aging all together, and maybe healthy forever.

So she had made her tea with her hopes high. As she drank her first cup, she felt healthier with every sip. She poured more, and more, until the pot she did empty. Time past and she became aware that she was pregnant. She knew this child she was baring came from the flower she had consumed. Anytime she felt ill she would sing the special song to her unborn child and became healthy again. When the child was born the witch was delighted to have a daughter. She quickly realized that she did not possess the power of the flower, her daughter had it now. To keep her youth the witch sang the song to her daughter and brushed her hair. This kept her young and healthy.

To keep the two of them safe the witch used her magic to conjure a magical tower where they then lived for years and years happily." Rapunzel stopped the story. The DarkOne didn't appear to be listening and her voice was tired. She closed her eyes and rested.

"Have you put yourself to sleep Dearie?"

"You don't care about this silly story. I'm going back to my tower."

"No I was listening. Tell me more." He was almost a whining child.

"Its a dumb story. You've heard it before."

"Yes but if you return to the tower you will not be seen again for a month."

"So soon?" She smiled joyfully.

"Months are no soon silly girl."

"Fetch me when you have need of me sir DarkOne." With that she walked away to back to her tower where she occupied herself singing and cleaning her beloved tower, and did not rest until she finished her tasks.