The Wolf's Den

Path 2: Ryland, Chapter 3

        When Ryland stepped through the open door, she was met with long, tangled hair and a cheerful smile, studying the stone tower and the hairs stuck in the corners. "Uh... Hello? I was led here so Mr. Wolfe didn't find someone breaking the rules on my behalf. And you are...?"

        "Me? Rapunzel, silly! I was hoping for some company, my mother doesn't often come by and my prince, well... He promised to return to me soon, so I've been waiting since. I mean, he'll come back, he promised but he knows about my mother being... Well... And, really, he loves my singing voice. Don't tell the witch, my mother, that is, that I've had a man here, and we've... Well, we've agreed to marry! It's so exciting, I'm just waiting to be free from here is all. It's too high to jump to the ground safely and all. We're so high up, you and me."

        "Oh, I'm... I'm Ryland, I'm looking for my companions. Have you seen a blonde with long hair and a brunette with braids? And... I suppose so, but aren't you supposed to keep the rules your mother gave you sacred? I mean, you being this high up, men are to be avoided, yeah? They're not always great, and he could be lying."

        "I haven't seen them, I'm sorry, but I'll be on the look out and tell 'em you're searching for them." After a pause, Rapunzel's eyes widened. "Lying? My prince? Never. We made a vow to marry as soon as I'm free, and... Well, we talked about having a family, and we've already done something really mature, so..."

        With a smile slightly, Ryland looked around her, finding a sign on the wall for Rapunzel's 'Rules to Live by.' The first rule was to keep the balance, but wasn't that to be expected? After all, neutral stand points were good, rather good actually. You needed some neutral stand points to keep the balance beam level. Lady Justice did that, too, now that she thought of it, and the woman above the Old Bailey, right? "Your rules... That first one is about keeping a balance, what does that even mean?"

        In response, Rapunzel shrugged. "Oh, those? Those, well... I think it means to always keep balanced at what you do and not... Ruin the good and the bad too much, not to skew it too much? I'm not sure, to be honest. My mother just told me to read the rules, not follow them. Besides, what can I really do here in this tower? I'm too high above the ground, I always have been since I was worn."

        "Is there any way out? I don't want to backtrack." However, I can get you down, as there's no other doors out outside my tower. There's a hallway down there, and I can get you down if you climb down my hair. Mother and my prince do, so you should be able to, too, right?"

        "I suppose, are you positive it won't hurt you?"

        "Of course I am! Go, before Mother gets here. She won't like you."

        As Ryland climbed down, she found herself in a new hallway, different but similar, longer and far brighter, gulping nervously. Going down the hallway, she watched the hair be brought back up hastily, biting back a yelp when she heard footsteps behind her.