Tangled Spin-off Part 3
The wind blew
the grass danced
and the trees waved.
The brook laughed
the birds sang
it was a perfect day
through and through.
Rapunzel sighed as she closed the book, and looked out the window at the blue sky. As many things as she could find to do up here in the tower, she wanted to be out there. She wanted to feel the grass through her feet and smell the rich dirt. She didn't want to just read about it. And so she told her mother. She often asked to go outside, but the response was always the same.
"It is not safe, my flower when you're older. You know I love you and want you to be safe." Gothel would say.
"Okay, I know... I love you more." Rapunzel would respond.
"I love you most." Gothel would say back, and that ended it. On one particular occasion, Gothel stepped out of her routine.
"Why must you keep on asking?" Gothel said, slightly irritated.
"My poem books all say the outside is really nice, and I want to go there!"
"Your poems are wrong, they find beauty in everything, even the dark things. They make up beauty to fill their own desires and sadness. Outside is still not safe."
"But," Rapunzel said.
"When you are older, child!" Gothel practically shouted, and put a hand to her face.
"I'm sorry mother." Rapunzel said tentatively. She put her hair on her mother's hand and began to sing. Singing their special song always made mother happy. She now understood why. Her hair was magic and helped her mother feel better.
"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse bring back what once was mine, what once was mine." Gothel visibly relaxed.
"Now, my flower, how about we tidy up the kitchen?" Gothel said. Rapunzel knew that when she said we, what Gothel meant was, that Rapunzel does all the work. She thought about bringing it up, but Gothel had just calmed down. She didn't want an upset Mother twice in one day. If she caused too much trouble she would be put in the dungeon, and left there for a few days, with little to no food, and no fun. It had been a while since she had been in the dungeon. She had been careful not to upset her mother. Rapunzel had read about different parents in her books, and there was only one parent who locked their daughter in a dungeon, and that was an evil king. But Mother said that the books were often wrong. Mother knew best, and wouldn't do anything to really hurt her. The dungeon was a punishment if she did something wrong. Mother knows best.
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Raisa loved these days outside with her family. Her parents always made time for her and Ryan, but these days were set aside just for them. A whole day together. They were going on a picnic. They would ride out on horses, and find a good spot for lunch. These days were even more special now because she had schooling when she wanted to be outside. Mom said that school was important and sometimes she liked what she was learning, like dancing, arithmetic, and even politics. She didn't really like the dinner etiquette though, she didn't even get to eat food! All she got to do was pick up whatever utensil was called out. But mom said it was necessary, and mom knows everything.
Raisa had also begun to help her mother in her queenly duties. She learned that it was a lot more than just signing papers. She would go out and watch her mother give speeches, read at the orphanage, and open up a new library.
An odd thing happened at the library once. There was a boy there, about a year younger than her. He listened intensely to the adventure stories and loved the stories of Flynn Rider, an explorer. One day the boy up to the queen, very boldly.
"Your highness?" he began. "I love that book so much, may I have it?" The queen smiled at him.
"what's your name child?"
"Eugene."
"Well, Eugene, I will let you have it if you promise to take good care of it." The boy rocked back and forth on his heels.
"Of course, I will!" She handed the book to him and he ran off, a big smile on his face. He had never owned anything before!