Ten-year-old Rapunzel was reading again. All she did now was read, it seemed. Mother was away a lot more now, but whenever she came back, she would bring a book for Rapunzel, which she read when Mother left again. This story was about a princess. The princess was beautiful, and she had a lovely dress and brothers and sisters. A handsome prince wanted to marry her.
"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!" called a voice from outside.
Rapunzel dropped the book and raced to the window. Mother was home! Rapunzel quickly hung her hair on the hook and threw it down.
Mother Gothel stepped into the loop at the bottom, and Rapunzel pulled her up. Soon, Mother reached the top, and she climbed in the window.
"What have you been up to while I was away?" asked Mother Gothel.
"Reading," said Rapunzel.
Mother Gothel looked in the mirror, then sat down on a chair. "Mother's feeling a little tired," she said.
Rapunzel smiled. "Flower, gleam and glow..." she sang.
Mother Gothel brushed her hair, which had grown very long. When she was done, she smiled. "Thank you, Flower."
Rapunzel grinned. Then she said, "I have a question."
"What's your question?" Mother asked.
"What is a princess?" asked Rapunzel.
Mother Gothel dropped the hairbrush she had been holding. "Where do you get that question?" she asked.
"Well, I was reading a book about a princess," said Rapunzel.
Mother Gothel seemed to relax. "A princess," she explained, "is a girl whose mother and father are the king and queen."
"What's a king and queen?" the curious child wondered.
Mother Gothel smiled. "A king and queen are two people who take care of their kingdom."
"Am I a princess?" Rapunzel asked.
For a split second, Mother Gothel's face looked absolutely terrified. But the expression disappeared, and Rapunzel wondered if she had only imagined it.
"No, Flower," said Mother. "You are just Rapunzel. But I love you."
"I love you more," responded Rapunzel.
"I love you most," Mother Gothel said, pulling Rapunzel into her arms. Rapunzel closed her eyes, smiling as Mother stroked her hair.
Rapunzel was hugging a mannequin that was in her room. She opened her eyes, and the memory became just a memory again. She tried to stroke her own hair, but there wasn't enough to stroke it like Mother had. Her eyes became watery, and tears threatened to fall. She sucked air in through her nose and composed herself. She didn't want to cry, not today.
Mother had lied, she knew that. Rapunzel was a princess. But… being a princess, it wasn't at all how Rapunzel had imagined. The pretty dresses she had loved seeing were actually pretty uncomfortable. And… she had never imagined being a princess without Mother.
Rapunzel sucked in a breath again. She was determined not to cry.
It would be easier if Mother was still alive, Rapunzel knew that. It would be different, she wouldn't be her mother anymore, but… at least Mother would be alive.
"I miss you most," whispered Rapunzel.
In that moment, she knew she had to do something. She opened her box of paints and took out the red. She pulled out the paintbrush and dipped it in before looking around the room. Her eyes fell upon the large curtain on the wall behind her bed. There was a wall behind it, and she was going to paint it.
Suddenly, the door burst open. Rapunzel quickly slammed the box of paints shut. What she had been about to do, she was sure the king and queen would not approve of.
"Hello, Rapunzel," she heard her father say.
Rapunzel put on a smile, though she didn't feel like smiling.
"What are you doing?" asked the king.
"Just thinking," replied Rapunzel.
The king smiled. "Ah. Rapunzel, always thinking."
"Do you have a question?" asked Rapunzel. She inwardly cringed. She had spoken too harshly. She hadn't meant to, but her feelings were going so crazy it had just slipped out.
The king raised his eyebrows. "Feeling sad?"
Rapunzel nodded.
"I'll leave you alone," the king replied. He left the room and shut the door quietly.
The tears came. She couldn't stop them anymore. Why did it have to be so hard without Mother? She closed her eyes. In the books she had read so often as a child, wishes could be granted. She squeezed her eyes shut. "I wish I was back in the tower with Mother," she whispered. Her eyes stayed closed for a long time, and when she finally opened them, she was disappointed to see that she was still in her room in the castle.