Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm, 1812
Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child under the sun. When she was twelve years old, the enchantress shut her into a tower in the middle of a forest. The tower had neither stairs nor door, but near the top was a little window. When the enchantress wanted to go in, she placed herself beneath it and cried:
'Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair to me.'
Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when she heard the voice of the enchantress, she unfastened her braided tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of the window above, and then the hair fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed up by it.
♔
Chapter One
"Rapunzel, it's time to wake up." Mother said in monotone as she pulled back the curtains, letting in the bright sunlight.
"Good morning Mother."
It's the same routine every day: she comes into my bedroom, she opens the curtains and says the exact same thing. I can't complain, I mean, she is my mother but sometimes I wish she'd be a bit more exciting.
"What are your plans for the day Mother?" I sit up and rub the sleep out of my blue eyes. They're the exact opposite of my mother's chocolate brown ones but I assume they're the eyes of my father.
"I'm going into the village," she bends over to pick up a piece of my hair and grabs the hairbrush off my vanity. She begins to run the brush through my endless blonde hair. "And you're going to stay here."
"Yes Mother." I can't help but feel a little upset. "Do you have any other plans?"
"No, not at the moment."
"None at all?" I push.
"Rapunzel, what in the heavens are you hinting at?"
"It's just, well, today's my birthday. I'm 18 now and I was hoping I could-"
"You are not coming with me and that's final."
"But I've never been to the village."
"Rapunzel you're staying here." she doesn't even look up from my hair.
I've never been to the village and I don't even know why. Mother tells me it's because there's bad men there and she's just trying to protect me but I'm 18 now. I think I deserve a little freedom. I've lived in this tower my whole life and everyday is the same: wake up, brush my hair, read, sweep and dust, brush my hair, cook dinner for when Mother returns, read some more, brush my hair and go to sleep. Everyday for 18 years. That's 6 570 days, 157 680 hours, 9 460 800 minutes of the same thing.
"Will I ever see the village?"
"I'm only trying to protect you my darling. How about I get you some new books for your birthday?"
"Thank you, I'd like that." I send her a small smile not that she's even looking. She's still brushing my hair.
"Now," she sets the brush down and drops my hair to the floor. "I best be going. Happy birthday my darling, I love you." she places a small kiss on my cheek.
"I love you too."
"I'll see you tonight." she turns to leave but freezes in the doorway. "And Rapunzel? Don't even think about leaving."
"Yes Mother." she nods and leaves the room. I sigh and roll out of my bed. My bare feet hit the cold, stone floor and I'm careful not to step on my hair as I follow her to the balcony. Tripping over your own hair is not something fun to do.
"I'll see you later my dear." she strokes my cheek and sends me a small, tight smile.
I take my hair and swing it through the loop Mother installed at the top of the doorway. Mother takes ahold of my hair tightly and sends me one last small smile before she descends the hundred feet to the grass. When she hits the ground she gives a slight tug on my hair as code to pull it up which I then do.
When my hair is all back up I walk back into the tower and sigh.
The tower consists of my bedroom, Mother's bedroom, the kitchen and dining area, a small toilet room and, my favorite, the main room. The one with seven different chairs that are heavenly to read in. That's really all there is to this tower. There's also the balcony which I'm not supposed to go near but when you've never been outside it's quite nice.
I wait until I hear Mother's horse taking her off to the village before I dare step foot out onto the balcony.
When I do, a cool breeze hits me and tangles it's way all through my hair before it leaves me to myself. From this height I can see the whole forest. The way the willow trees fold onto one another. The way the sun hits the small pond over past the field of daisies growing wildly.
I lean my elbows on the stone railing and sigh. The grass is so green and so boring to most but one of my dreams is to just be able to touch it. To be able to smell it. Just to be able to say I've been outside this place.
I actually have been outside but that was years ago and even then I didn't get out much.
I walk back inside the tower and go into my room to get changed out of my night gown. Mother always makes me the most beautiful of dresses and here I am, in my pajamas. I pick out my favorite dress, the lavender one with the gold sash and bow, to wear. She made this dress a few months ago and I've been saving it just for my birthday.
I walk back out into the main room and go back out onto the balcony.
"Happy birthday to me." I mumble and watch the grass sway hundreds of feet beneath me. I see a butterfly flying against the wind to a great struggle and can't help but smile at the poor creature. I remember when I was young how I wanted to be a butterfly so I could be free. So I could fly wherever I felt was right. I could land on all the flowers I wanted and no one could say anything was wrong with it. Butterflies do land on flowers, right?
My thoughts of butterfly habits are interrupted quickly by the sound of a horse's hooves hitting the dirt path Mother uses to come and go. I duck inside the tower and pray that she didn't see me. I sit down in one of the chairs and grab the first book I see. I open it to a random page and every so often flip a page. 5 minutes pass and I still haven't heard her call up for me to let her in. Daringly, I stick my head back out the balcony to indeed see a horse but a white one instead of Mother's midnight black one. I let out the breath I hadn't even realized I was holding out and step out farther on the balcony.
The first thing I notice is that although the horse is alone, it's wearing a saddle. The closer I look though I see a young man emerging from the base of the tower. I gasp and immediately sink inside the safety of the shadows but can't help but watch. He says something to the horse who snorts and nudges him with it's head. The man laughs and gets up onto the horse's back. Still curious, I peek out a little farther over the edge of the balcony to see what will happen next. I crane my neck to see what's going on. Only problem is the second I look over the man looks up and meets my eyes.
I run back inside the tower and slam the doors to the balcony. I lean my back against it with one thing whirring through my mind.
He saw me.
♔
dun dun dunnnnnnn
this is my new niall story thing fic idk and i'm really looking forward to writing it!:)
and just so you guys know when it says brothers grimm 1812 at the top it means that's what i've copied out of the original story...
i've been dying to post the first chapter but i didn't want to yet but now i guess i want to but i'm not starting regular updates yet lol does that make any sense? this is basically just a sneak peak of what's coming aha
alright enjoyyyy!
