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Cass stared at what was left of the tower. It wasn’t much. There were a few pieces of brick and wood scattered around, but it no longer resembled a tower so much as ruins. It was where Rapunzel grew up. Where Gothel died. Cass had only been in the tower once, before it was destroyed. Didn’t have much chance to look around. Now that she was standing here she wondered. What happened with her mother? Rapunzel said she wasn't pushed out a window, and no matter how horrible Gothel was, Cass wanted to know how she died. There wasn't a way for her to find out without asking Rapunzel or Eugene. She couldn't do that after what happened. That didn't stop her curiosity.
All that remained were destroyed pieces. It was easier to see all of the pieces now that the black rocks were gone. The remains of huge murals that used to adorn the walls. Fabric that used to be curtains and bed sheets. Hair spread out over almost everything. She wanders through the ruins looking at her best friends destroyed home. The hurt on her face when it was torn down. She wanted answers. All she sees are ghosts of memories she can’t understand without an interpreter. Something shines in her eyes and she holds up a hand trying to see what. Glancing in the direction she sees something there. She has to climb over a piece of stone to reach it, and when she lands on the other side something crunches under her feet. The remains of a mirror. Most of the pieces are no more than specks of dust with a few slightly larger pieces. What reflected in her eyes was the largest piece. It was still too small to be of any use. That didn’t stop her from picking it up. As soon as her hand touches the glass a swirl of wind picks up. Light is reflecting off it resembling a million tiny diamonds. Cass pulls out her sword prepared for anything. When the swirl drops she’s standing in the tower. She’s holding the piece of glass in her hand. Looking through it she see’s where she was originally standing, but looking around she sees the tower and Gothel.
“You want me to be the bad guy? Well now I’m the bad guy,” Cass watches in horror as Gothel steps on Rapunzel’s hair yanking it backwards and causing her to fall. Before her friend can recover Gothel is chaining her across the wrists. Rapunzel struggles, but Gothel yanks the chain. Her friend tries to pull away, but Gothel drags her across the floor and Cass sees Rapunzel’s wrists become red from struggling. The leash attached to the cuffs is attached to the wall, and Cass watches in horror as Rapunzel stops. She flinches when Gothel pats her head.
“That wasn’t so difficult. Now sit there and be good while I grab our stuff,”
“You are a horrible person. Nothing you do will change that,” Gothel stops turning around, and grabs Rapunzel's face. Her nails dig into the skin.
“I raised you, and provided for you, you ungrateful child,” She throws Rapunzel’s head to the side, and moves to the window. She sees something, because she turns back to Rapunzel smiling. “Look, he’s not even stupid enough to stay away,”
“Eugene?” Rapunzel’s voice sounds so hopeful, and it breaks Cass’s heart. Gothel produces a piece of fabric. Rapunzel pulls and tries to argue, but Gothel gets it around her head and tied, gagging her.
“Don’t want you warning him.” While Gothel moves around putting stuff in a bag Rapunzel’s eyes never leave the window of the tower. Cass knows this is a memory, but watching her best friend tied up hurts. It wasn’t right for Rapunzel to be anything but free.
“Rapunzel?” Eugene, “Rapunzel let down your hair,” Cass rushes to the window watching as Eugene starts to climb the tower. Hair is thrown through her and she turns to Gothel slinking into the shadows with a knife. Rapunzel is struggling pulling against her chains. Cass watches as Eugene climbs up having no idea what was waiting for him. Eugene makes it to the top relieved.
“Rapunzel, I never thought I’d see you again,” He catches sight of Rapunzel, and before he could react Gothel was stabbing him. Cass rushed forward as though she could help, but when she tried to grab him her hands went through. She gripped the piece of the mirror tighter. She knew Eugene was okay. She even knew he had died, but hearing him casually mention it was a lot different from seeing it. Watching her mother ruthlessly kill someone.
“Look what you’ve done Rapunzel. Oh don’t worry our secret will die with him,” Gothel blamed Rapunzel. Made her think that she was the reason Eugene died. As though she was the one to stab him. Gothel made her way to Rapunzel and started pulling her towards the stairs of the tower. Rapunzel fought here every step of the way. Pascal was kicked across the room. Cass tried to catch him, but he just fell to a heap on the floor.
“Enough already. Stop fighting me,” Rapunzel is finally able to loosen her gag enough to speak.
“No. I won’t stop for every minute for the rest of my life I will fight. I will never stop trying to get away from you. But, if you let me save him. I will go with you,” He eyes are drawn to Eugene as he protests. The pain on his face, as he tries to reach Rapunzel. Cass stumbles back a step at the sight before her. At the living nightmare. She was so jealous she didn’t realize she had nothing to be jealous of. Her father loved and cared deeply for her. Enough to retire from the guard. He was proud of her. This was manipulative and cruel. She stumbled into the wall behind her wanting to hide from the sight.
“I’ll never run. I’ll never try to escape. Just let me heal him, and you and I will be together forever just like you want. Everything will be the way it was. I promise, just like you want. Just let me heal him,” She was sacrificing her freedom. Her adventure to save him. Cass knew how much it meant to her. Knew how much her promises meant.
“No,” She wanted to make it stop. Tell Rapunzel not to do it. Not to make that promise. It was already done though.
Rapunzel made her way over to heal Eugene, and Cass figured this is how it would go. Rapunzel would heal him, and together they would stand up against Gothel. Cass was brought up short at Eugene’s protest. At him pushing away Rapunzel’s hair begging her not to do it. Cass knew he was loyal, but to give up his life for Rapunzel’s freedom? That was unexpected. Eugene mumbles something Cass can’t hear and she realizes what he’s doing only a second before he does it. She’s enraptured with what she’s seeing. This is not how she thought it happened. She thought he was healed before he cut her hair. That he did it so Rapunzel wouldn’t be able to keep her promise. He was willing to give up his life for her. In that moment Cass felt so much respect for him. Even though it would have benefited him to take the deal or risk defeating her after he was healed. He made sure Rapunzel had no reason to stay with Gothel. She watched Rapunzel’s and Gothel’s horror as the hair lost its power. Gothel was in a fit of rage as she grew old. Cass watched as she rushed around the room only to trip.
Gothel tripped. That’s how she died. Rapunzel even reached for her. After everything. She tripped. Rapunzel and Eugene were talking in the corner as Cass looked out the window to the empty cloak below. Rapunzel had nothing to do with Gothel’s death. There was nothing she could have done. All of a sudden a bright light filled the room. The power of the sundrop. Eugene was healed. Cass wasn’t sure what happened, but she was glad he was okay. She let’s go of the mirror and is back in the ruins of the tower. She was so wrong. Gothel was horrible, and she had a family. She had a family who didn’t give up on her even after she almost killed them. She needed this time away, but this was a good start. It was good to remember she was not alone, and she had the world to lose.