Meanwhile, on the mainland

About ten miles from the coast and the bridge that led onto the island kingdom of Corona, a tall tower stood over the forest, having been built as a watchtower a few decades ago before it was redecorated and used as the hideout for Mother Gothel for when she kept Rapunzel here for her hair. It had actually been a good home, despite the windows being almost seventy feet above the ground and the main entrance to the tower being sealed up.

Now, however, with Mother Gothel dead, it was abandoned. It did not look that way though. The wood around the tower roof and windows still stood and the inside of the tower was still decorated just as it had been, though dust was still gathering on the furniture left and the floor. Give it another few years or so and it would be covered in dust as if it had been abandoned for centuries, which it likely would do unless it was either destroyed by a natural disaster or used by man or bought and used by someone else. Whatever lay ahead of the building, fate would have to decide what to do with it.

Near the clearing the tower was in, the bushes and leaves on the trees rustled slightly as a gentle breeze blew over them. Silence hung in the air as the night droned on towards the next day, the little part of the moon and the stars high above gazing down from space at the Earth as if keeping watch over it until the sun came.

Then, out of the bushes came a light glow that steadily grew brighter and brighter as it moved towards the tower, hovering about six feet off the ground. It flickered several times, giving the impression that it looked like a fire had started. Wait though. If it was a fire, then why was it only in a small glow rather than emanating from the entire forest and why was there no smoke bellowing out into the sky?

Oh, someone was carrying a lantern that was why. A figure dressed in a large cloak with a black hood was sitting on a horse, also explaining why it was hovering above the ground. The horse trotted towards the tower, the figure pulling back on the reins, making the horse come to a halt a few metres from the tower.

"Good boy," the figure said deeply to the creature, patting it and climbing down onto the ground.

Using the lantern to guide the way, he walked over to the tower, stopping on a spot that was just below the window as if feeling the presence of someone there. If he had known about the struggle that had taken place in the tower some time ago, he would realise he was standing on the very spot where Gothel had turned to dust as she fell to the ground. He looked up at the window from under his black hood at the window as if wondering how he was going to get up there.

However, after a few moments, he just moved on from below the window around the edge of the tower, heading towards a small curved stone partially buried in the ground near the tower in a small patch of grass just next to the trees. When he reached the stone, he knelt down and moved his hand with the lantern nearer to it, reading the writing that had been engraved onto the front of the stone.

My Mother Gothel

Thanks for looking after me

RIP

The man gave a slight 'humph' and placed the lantern on the ground next to him.

"RIP," he muttered to himself. "I'll soon sort that out," he added as he reached under his cloak with his other hand.

Moments later, the air around the clearing suddenly glowed bright orange, surpassing the light emanating from the sky high above. It lasted for a few seconds before suddenly stopping as if someone had flicked a switch and shut off the light. The man climbed back onto his horse and resumed his journey.

His destination: the kingdom of Corona.