10 January 2024

As you can see, though, I decided to have a very different sort of Rapunzel. I couldn’t convince myself that the more badass version wouldn’t have left on her own years ago, no matter what excuses I made. Even if such excuses would work in real life, if I can’t believe it, how will I convince my readers to buy into it

Yes, Rapunzel had figured out the truth of her real family several years ago, now. She’d thought about leaving the Tower to go and meet them. Once, she’d even snuck out and gotten as far as the nearby village.

As soon as she’d arrived at the fringes, however, she froze up. There were so many people. Each of them had their own dreams, feelings, hurts, worries, goals. How was Rapunzel supposed to talk to any of them? What was she supposed to say? Mother Gathel, as well-meaning as she was, could be a lot all by herself. How was Rapunzel supposed to handle a whole town’s worth of people?

So she ran back. And any time Rapunzel so much as thought about leaving, she’d panic and decide it wasn’t so bad staying in the Tower, anyway.

Not that it would matter much at this point. She only had a [few weeks] left to live, anyway. It seemed almost cruel to go meet them now, when she’d just be taken away again so soon.

Rapunzel shook the morose thoughts from her head and focused on her painting. Queen Hannah always seemed to have a kind and gentle face; it soothed Rapunzel’s soul as she got lost trying to recreate it. She was so focused, in fact, that at first she didn’t notice the Tower’s warning.