Rapunzel

My body started to wake at the sound of footsteps and the russling of trees and bushes nearby. I didn't move fast at first, assuming it was Cass walking about, but then I notice her fast asleep beside me...

Thats what made me shoot up.

I sat up straight, looking between Cass's sleeping figure and the trees and bushes around us, feeling my heart rate increasing as the noises got louder, got closer.

"Cass? Cass?" I gently shook her in hopes she'd wake up, but I got no response. I felt bad for trying to wake her and finally got up to investigate myself.
I grabbed my frying pan from beside me, creeped around to Cass and carefully tried to lift her head off of my hair, laying her carefully down onto the grass, and then approached the fire, that was still just about burning, with a decent sized stick I'd found and lit it, creating a torch so I could spot the culprit easier.

In my head, I was hoping for it to be another one of those bunnies, or really any kind of animal that I could fairly easily get rid off. But then I heard them laugh...

Animals can't laugh now can they?

I forcefully point my frying pan in front of me, aiming it at the sound, but it seems to keep moving around.

"Oh Rapunzel, now why would you ever point that thing at me?" A honeyed voice says from inside the darkness.

It's strange... I know who's there... But I don't quite recognise the voice anymore...

"M- Mother?"

She then steps out into my torches light, holding some kind of lantern of her own. I drop my stick, that had just about burnt out, and she races over and engulfs me in a tight hug.

"Oh rapunzel I'm so glad I found you!" She pratically cries into my hair, stroking through it with her fingers. "When I realised you weren't home I really started to panic! You had me worried sick!" I'm quick to hug her back, as some way of apoligising, but it feels different...

... I feel different...

Maybe it was what she said before I left, or the things I've learnt about the world today, or the way she speaks to me through my hair, or maybe it's because her voice just doesn't sound right...
But all I know that somethings off, something had changed.

"I'm- I'm sorry... But-"
"Right. now let's get you out of here right away." She barely took the time to look at me properly.
"But mother I-"
"Come on now Rapunzel, it's dark and dangerous out here for you."
"But I- please just listen a second-!"
"the tower is far child, we can make it there in no time if we-" She tugged on my arm, pulling me in the direction she came from, but I planted my feet into the earth, snapped and snatched away my arm.

"No!"

Ok so I can't exactly explain what made me act out, but it felt good when I did... For a minute... At least.
What did feel good was seeing her facial expression change the minute I refused an order from her. It twisted and turned into something that just didn't look right to me, morphing into something you'd expect to see in a nightmare. Her eyes started to bore into mine.

"What did you just say?"

"No..." my voice and posture fell weaker under her new look, as if it removed the confidence I once had all in a matter of seconds.
"No?" I hear some manic laugh follow her voice, everything glanced with disbelief.

I tried my best to stand my ground.

"Since when did you get so difficult? So defient? What gives you the right to defy me?" I choose my words carefully, realising that I can't mess this up, nor make this any worse. But then again-

-can this get any worse?

"I just... I just like it out here. The world is beautiful! Sure it has it's negatives, but there are so many positives too! And I really don't want to keep hiding... I even made a friend-" The minute I let the words go, I regretted it. Her eyes shot open, staring ahead with something like terror, but also anger. A lot... Of anger... But I'd already started, so I let myself finish. "-And I... And I think she likes me... For me! She's been good to me..."
"Let me guess? This dagger is hers then?" she quickly tosses me the dagger I'd taken of Cassandra when I found her, it bounced on the ground and feel at my feet. I swallowed a strange lump I felt at the back of my throat and picked it up.
"Yeah..."
"so you think a girl who showed up with a dagger likes you? For you? Please Rapunzel. This is what I'm talking about, your too neieve to be out here." I stare at my reflection in the blade, my hair seemingly flickering, showing it's bright golden light briefly. But then I turn around, catching a glimpse of Cass, still sleeping soundly where I left her... Where she lead with me despite not wanting too...

"She doesn't even care about my hair... She's had-" I start, but couldn't finish, feeling my words starting to fill my throat.
"She's only here for that. You doesn't care about you, nor would she care if she woke up with you gone. Now toss her the knife and leave with me right now Rapunzel." her voice makes it sound like there's no debating this anymore. I grip onto the daggers handle tighter.

Yes, Cass only left with me so she could get this back... But I don't feel like that's true anymore... And when I look at all the chances she could have hurt me, she- didn't... Yes, she pushed me into the water, but she jumped after me without another thought the minute she realised. And at the bar... She was going to let me go in alone until she realised, then she put herself in danger to save me...

My head is spinning with all of today's events and nothing is making any sense!

"I can't- I'm not leaving her..." I mumble down to the floor, dropping my hands down to my sides. I force myself to stand tall, to stand straight, but my legs start shaking the minute she steps closer.
"I'm sorry. What?"
"I'm not leaving with you! You can't make me anymore! I'm staying with her and I'm going to see those lanterns! And I'll prove too you that she's a good person!" I raise my volume in hopes it hides my fear, and I think it works.
S

he gradually creeps closer too me, without a single word, grabs ahold of my wrist and forces me forward.

I wince at the pain of her nails starting to dig into my skin.

"Fine. You stay out here with your little friend and go see those stupid lanterns. But I want you to know that the minute that girl gets her dagger and leaves you, that I'm not going to be there to catch you when you fall. You'll be alone, cold and vulnerable, but you'll deserve it." Her voice is nothing more that a harsh whisper, a threatening curse. She then throws me to the dirt, forcing me to fall backwards and watch her walk away.

I want to cry, to run after her like a scared little child, but I just can't. I know I'm right and no matter how much my inner child wants to run, I know I'm ok. That this is where I should be.

And honestly... I'm also just in shock... Scared at whatever horror I just witnessed.

"Raps...? Are you ok...?" A sleepy voice asks from behind me. I stay sitting down, but twist the top half of my body to look at her. She's rubbing her eyes and leaning back on her hands, a puzzled expression plastered on her tired face...

I smile softly in her direction, push myself up off the ground, hide her dagger in my pocket and walk back over to her.

"I'm... Ok. I just- had a nightmare..." I know I don't sound like I'm telling the truth, but I'm to tired to fake it. I wrap my arms around myself and lay next to her, facing the opposite way to her face.
"Oh... Ok, well... Uh- did you want any-" I press my body up against myself, curling myself up as much as possible, causing me to almost shake, and squeeze my eyes shut.

"No... No I'm ok... Thank you, though..." I can feel her confusion from behind me, but she lays back down anyway.

I expect her to just fall right back asleep, leaving me sitting in my sorrow till morning, but then I felt an arm drape over my body...

... I felt... Her arm... Wrap itself around... Me...

And she didn't pull away...

She continued to hold me close, clearly with no intentions of moving any time soon, causing me to let go of myself and struggle to not start crying. But the tears were sweet, thankful, rather than pained...

It's weird... Not having to hold myself for once...