Work Text:
"Alright, this is it," fifteen year-old Rapunzel told Pascal. "Today, we are standing up to Mother. And tonight," she looked up at the open window out into the sky. "Tonight we are seeing the floating lights." She booped Pascal on the nose, and he nuzzled back into her hand.
"Rapunzel!" Mother shouted. "Let down your hair!"
Her jovial sing-song voice sent a shiver up Rapunzel's spine. Pascal looked at her and Rapunzel dug down and found her strength.
"No," Rapunzel yelled out the window.
An uneasy silence filled the canyon before Mother's vile voice broke the silence.
"I think I misheard you dear. Come let down your hair so you can sing for Mommy."
"No!" Rapunzel shouted, courage rushing through her veins. "I'm not letting down my hair, and I'm not letting you touch it again!"
Silence echoed throughout the canyon. Then she heard footsteps. She ran and looked out the window: Mother was gone.
"We did it Pascal!" Rapunzel squealed as she hugged her best and only friend. "Now come on. Let's pack so we can see the lights!"
Rapunzel raced up the stairs on barefeet, her some sixty feet of hair trailing behind her. She was putting food and blankets into a basket, when she felt something pulling on her hair. At first she thought it was caught on something, but the pull grew tighter and tighter, until she was tugged away from her dresser. She struggled against the force tugging, almost yanking on her hair. She was on the brink of tears when the tugging finally stopped.
"So you thought you could defy me Pet?" Mother scolded from behind, her death grip still on Rapunzel's hair.
"Mother?" Rapunzel asked the wall, unable to turn around. "How- how did you get up here?"
"Oh, a mother has her ways."
Rapunzel shivered as she felt cold hands running through her precious hair.
"Before your hair was long enough, I had to find some way up and out of the tower. Did you think I climbed the walls like some wanted thief?" Mother scoffed.
Rapunzel shrank down as Mother's hand caressed her head. She felt a cold, acrid breath whisper into her left ear.
"Don't you ever, try that again Pet." The grip on Rapunzel's hair tightened, making her bend backwards. "You are not leaving this tower. Ever."
Mother yanked on Rapunzel's hair and she crashed into the floor. Her head spun as tears filled her eyes. She choked back her sobs and solemnly replied, "yes Mother."
Mother crouched in front of her and grabbed her chin. "You know I don't like it when you make me be the bad guy."
She yanked away her hand and stood up.
"Wash up for dinner," Mother called out over her shoulder. "If you hurry, I might even leave you some!"
Rapunzel quickly stood and ran up the stairs to her room. She went straight to her bed, and cried herself to sleep.