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Mando stood just outside the cavern passageway. Unknown to him at the time, calling said entrance a pocket earlier was not entirely inaccurate. He took it all in. It almost seemed like a dream or a mirage.
The rough stone of the mountain rose up on all sides. The sun sat high in the sky. It heated the metal of his armor and chased away any shadows, illuminating the strange oasis he stood in. The gentle sounds of running water and chirps of birds filtered through his helmet.
The tower dominated the space, framed by a sparkling waterfall, which drained to the stream on his right. A small field opened up on his left, shaded by trees covered in drooping pink leaves. The area, as a whole, didn't seem very large.
The tower rose up like a hollow tube lined with stone. Windows lined the cylindrical top, which balanced on the tubelike structure.
Mando came to the conclusion that either no one lived there or they weren't concerned by his presence. The latter seemed unlikely based on the nature of the place, though its more likely that if someone lived there, they haven't spotted him yet.
Undiscript noise whispered from the cavern.
He glanced over his shoulder, then back at the tower. No good options yet again, though one would satisfy his curiosity.
Why hide a tower in the middle of a rough forest and in a mountain no less?
Mando started toward the tower. His eyes took in the details of the tower as his stride brought him closer.
The wood frames around the windows became clearer. Grandiose detail had been carved in the wood. The grain discolored with age and wear. One of the largest windows faced the worn trail from the cavern to the tower. A path, but no door. Another peculiarity. The window had a deep ledge prutruded from its base. Vegatation crawled along the base of the tower and up, trailing onto the roof.
Mando pressed a hand to the cool stone of the towers base and looked up. No visible door at ground level, though there might be one buried under the greenery he supposed. He had two problems with that thought. A buried door meant it probably never got used and that would indicate another way in. Up.
He eyed the windows. He took the vibroblade off his belt and stabbed the wall with one smooth motion. The blade went through the morter between two stones easy enough. He pulled down with all his weight on the blade. It held. He glanced up again.
A quick climb if he kept moving. He reached down and grabbed the other vibroblade out of the sheath in his boot.
Mando was halfway up the wall when his thoughts drifted. Most of him trying to ignore the throbbing of his injured hand. He pondered the purpose of a tower with no entry/exit. Likely to keep something out or in.
His foot caught one of the vines, which served as a surprisingly strong foothold. It held his weight with little strain.
The wood window ledge came into view, level with his eyes. He shifted and kept climbing up parallel to the window. He stepped with quiet movements onto the far edge of the ledge. His body just out of sight.
As Mando scaled the tower, a woman inside of it sighed as she swep the floors for what seemed like the thousandth time. Eighteen years old shouldn't feel so long, but as Rapunzel stood there on her birthday, she couldn't help but wonder when her life would really begin.
Her day started like so many others. She got up with the sun, then cleaned, cooked, re-read the books on her datapad, and brushed her hair.
Her hair.
The reason she had to stay in the tower to begin with. Mother Gothel always said people were after her hair and we had to protect it and me. Her hair, which could never ever be cut. Even the brief mention when she was very little turned her mother into something... something almost scary.
Rapunzel dumped out the basically empty dust pan. Her hair loose and dragging behind her. She looked over at her only friend. A green chameleon named Pascal. "What should we do now, Pascal? Maybe hide and seek?"
Pascal made a face at the suggestion.
She sat on the edge of her bed. Her eyes seeing, but not really looking, at the room she's been in as long as she could remember.
Windows, stained with brilliant colors, let in the bright light from outside. It caused the wood to gleam. A small kitchen sat off to her right, a fresh pie resting on the stove. Rafters filled the air and rose to the roof. The walls covered in paintings, her paintings.
Pascal lounged on the largest window ledge. The sun baking into his skin. His eyes half closed with boredom.
Rapunzel had conflicting thoughts about her argument earlier with Mother. Mother said no to going to see the floating lights. Again. Rapunzel looked up at her painted walls, at the numerous depictions of the lights. They came every year on her birthday, tonight in fact. One hand trailed softly through her hair. Her eyes distant and glazed with longing. She was scared of leaving, but how long would she be expected to stay here?
Pascal tilted his head as he looked at his friend. His body slumped in sympathy. The strangely sentient lizard heard the armored man outside moments ago.
He perked up.
Maybe, just maybe, this is when her life would begin. He glanced over at the man with sharp teeth that Mother Gothel drew on the floor.
He slowly turned red. Or maybe not.