Flynn went out the window and started climbing down, I instantly recognized the thumping sound from before, but now I could see its source. Flynn had two long sticks with sharpened ends and feathers. I was unsure what they were but he used them to help himself get down the tower efficiently. I almost considered telling him that he could just use my hair to get down but it was nice to have someone not do that for once, it made me feel like I was more than just a replacement for a ladder. Besides, he was more than half way down already.

"You comin' Blondie?" he yelled up to me.

Gripping my hair where it looped through the hook I peered down past my toes and the window sill to the ground below. Suddenly it looked so much farther down then before, and yet it was so close. All it would take would be one step, and I would be there. If I did this now there was no turning back, mother could find out and there is a very good chance I may be inclined to not return. I bit that thought back, no matter how amazing the outside world ended up being, I had to at least say goodbye.

I took one tentative step forward and looked down below me even farther, gripping onto my hair and using it for support as I leaned out to get a better look.

"Look at the world so close, and I'm half way to it," I murmured looking down below me in awe. "Look at it all so big do I even dare."

I looked back to my painting now widely displayed for all to see, the lanterns shining brightly above my head, "look at me there at last I just have to do it," "should I?" I wondered aloud, "No." "Here I go."

I turned to the sill and Pascal crawled onto my shoulder tying himself a support out of my hair around his tiny little green waist, I realized that this wasn't only about me; it was also his chance to go outside. Pascal looked at me with his big adorable brown eyes and gave me a thumbs up, I smiled at him. I took a deep breath making sure I had everything I needed, as a last minute thought I reached back and grabbed the frying pan.

Carefully I threw the end of my hair out the window the long golden locks trailing like a falling star's tail. Breathing in slowly I bent my knees and I jumped.

It was most definitely the most amazing feeling I had ever had, it felt like flying. I zoomed past Flynn climbing down the wall, he ducked barely missing being hit by me, I didn't look back to apologize, I was moving too quickly. I was soaring down spinning in circles like I was on a rope swing going down fast towards the ground. I laughed aloud at the incredible sensation. The whole world became a blur except for the small patch of grass beneath me that was rapidly approaching. I was so close. At the last second I tightened my grip stopping my toes from reaching the grass.

I looked down at the grass which was so foreign to me; I had never seen anything like it before. It looked like tiny little green baby hairs growing out of the ground. It was dotted with small baby flowers that hadn't become anything big yet but were still just as beautiful.

I contemplated climbing back up, it would be exceedingly hard but at least it would mean I hadn't done anything wrong. Yet, as I looked down I saw in that one patch of grass what I was missing, there was so much beauty in this one step, and I could have that with every step I took if I just let go.

Tentatively I reached my toe down settling my foot into the grass. The texture of the grass between my toes was wonderful, it was cool and soft yet it tickled just a little bit. Laughing I let go of my hair and brought my other foot down wiggling my toes to enhance the sensation.

Suddenly I wondered what it would feel like to just lie down in the grass. I fell onto my knees giggling when t tickled my legs.

"Just smell the grass, the dirt just like I dreamed they'd be," I sang sliding onto my back relishing the moment. The sky at its apex was a colour of blue I had never seen before, so light it was almost white and yet a pure blue. I spun onto my stomach still not being able to believe the amazing things I was seeing. There was a flower in front of me made up of lots of little white fluffs, a small breeze came and blew the fluffs away.

"Just feel that summer breeze the ways its calling me." I sang my smile stretching to fill my whole face. I leapt to my feet running with the wind through the grass my bare feet feeling every step. I gasped as my feet came in contact with something wet and cool. I looked down, I was standing in a strip of water, I realized it was a pond.

"For like the first time ever," I sang my passion and hope and excitement falling off me in waves, "I'm completely free."

I knelt down and scooped the water up throwing it in a spray over my head.

"I could go running," I realized turning to leave the valley, "and racing, dancing and chasing, and leaping and bounding, hair flying heart pounding" I ran faster than I ever had passing through the tunnel that I had so often seen mother go through.

"And splashing, and really feeling," I exited the cave into a whole new world of sounds and sights, "that's when my life begins" I threw my arms out as I slowly spun in a circle taking in the world around me.

The trees were so much bigger and there was no sound of water falling from a waterfall, instead you could hear the wind and animals chattering about.

"I can't believe I did this!" I exclaimed, truly happy for once in my life. "I can't believe I did this," my voice dropped worry entering my tone. "I can't believe I did this!" I shouted to the heavens jumping up and down at my own rebellion.

"Mother would be so furious," I realized worried suddenly at her opinion. I started walking mulling over my thoughts, I didn't really notice when Flynn caught up to me, I was too distraught to care. I reached a pond, which I have to mention was absolutely gorgeous, its surface clear and blue.

"But that's ok," I muttered down to my hands which were cupping one of the blooms that were floating on the surface, "What she doesn't know won't kill her, right?"

I continued on past the pond into a cave. I looked around me, every shadow appeared to be a new danger. I thought of my mother and how she always worried about those sorts of things...

I fell to my knees terrified, "Oh my gosh, this would kill her!" I sobbed terrified.

My fright soon left me as a fresh wind with a new scent I had never experienced before entered the cave. I ran out suddenly my pace picked up as I began to fall/run down the hill.

"This is so fun" I yelled running past Flynn my arms in the air just taking in my surroundings. I kicked up a pile of leaves giggling at the textures against my toes. I slowed down after I stubbed my toe hopping up and down on one foot. I strolled around just taking it in.

I spotted a hazelnut tree and paused, mother had offered to make me hazelnut soup today, and instead of thanking her I had lied to her and run away. I scaled the tree loving the feeling and hating myself for loving it. I leaned my head against its rough trunk, "I, am a horrible daughter," I mumbled my heart breaking. "I'm going back." I dropped out of the tree and walked down past Flynn.

That's when I saw a small flower growing on its side I righted it, but it just flopped down again, I giggled, and tried to fix it again but still it flopped over. I stood up and then flopped down like it did. I decided to keep going, maybe I was over reacting.

Running down the path I tried something I hadn't done since I was little, mother had called them cartwheels and said they were meant for those who belonged in the circus. I think she had meant it as a negative but at the time that had just seemed like a plus to me.

I cart wheeled down a hill laughing my head off, "I am never going back!" I rejoiced laughing and laughing, finally falling over and rolling up in my hair, I giggled wiggling my toes. Sitting up I untangled myself from my hair and stretched. I was constantly looking round me, taking it all in. The trees, the air, the animals. It was truly amazing.

My thoughts soured for a moment as I entered a clearing filled with tall lush grass that reached just below my knees, mother had hid this all from me. I fell onto my knees and then my elbows propping myself up in the field. It would take a terrible person to do this to me.

I froze guilt entering my belly, what was I thinking? This was mother I was talking about, the woman who would sing to me, made me hazelnut soup, brought me fresh paint when I didn't even ask, and who, no matter what, loved me.

I fell onto my face close to tears, "I am a despicable human being." I moaned in self loathing.

Flynn sat beside me obviously bored out of his mind, a thought occurred to me. Flynn wasn't locked away in a tower, so why did I need to be. Mother wouldn't know, I was fine, what did I have to worry about?

Regaining my smile I hopped up and jogged on the spot shaking away my worries and doubts. Flynn just glanced up at me his arms crossed, I think, if I recall properly his arms had been crossed for the last twenty minutes. I ran up to him and tugged them down smiling. He glared at me and recrossed them. I raised one eye brow and began to walk away, then I dashed back and pulled them down again, he seemed unimpressed.

"Stop it Blondie." He muttered.

I frowned at him,

"It's Rapunzel." I said emphasizing my name to him.

He tilted his head to the side and then nodded once.

I walked away and started running again, I missed the feeling of falling from the tower. This feeling of running was similar but not the same.

I looked around me searching for a low enough branch. Spying one I grabbed my hair and threw it towards the branch pulling tight.

I swung through the air looping around and around the tree laughing my head off. It was like I was a bird, No, I was a bird.

I noticed Flynn still had his arms crossed. I slowed down dragging my feet into the ground. It occurred to me that the reason Flynn was so moody was that he was judging me. I swallowed. I mean, he obviously knew a lot about the outside world, maybe he thought I was being silly. What if he was right, I walked towards a set or rocks that looked like a decent place to sit down. I practically fell down onto the rocks wrapping my arms around my legs and tucking my head in. I couldn't hold it back anymore, I started to cry.

Gods, I had no idea what I was doing. I was being an idiot. I had taken advantage of Flynn, he probably hates me. Mother would hate me too once she realized what I had done, it would tear our relationship apart and I couldn't ask Pascal to leave this all and come back to the tower. What had I done? By the end of this I would be all alone.