Entangled

A long time ago, there's this beautiful village called Corona, which means a Crown. It is a part of the Seven Kingdoms. Peace and harmony were maintained at the kingdom with the help of their ruler, King Frederic and Queen Arianna. Such a beautiful place to live in. Isn't it?

Everyone lived a ravishing life. The villagers earn enough money to sustain their daily lives, food are enough for everyone then each and everyone is doing their own part for the kingdom to prosper but they lack one thing for now, an heir or heiress for the kingdom.

Years had passed and finally, the blessing they've been waiting for, arrived. The Queen is now bearing a child. The kingdom is in joy for the new member of the family, until the fifth month of being pregnant.

The Queen fell ill, making the kingdom worry as well for the lives of their queen and their next leader are at risk. The king searched for a cure for his queen's illness until he heard a urban legend about a miracle plant or something they call as a "Sundrop Flower."

It is said to be kept safe for some of the people who knows about this, abuses it's power. They say it can heal any wounds. The King, not wanting to waste any time, asked his guards to look for the flower immediately. And retrieve it fast to cure the Queen.

A day has passed and the guards were able to get the last sundrop flower they could acquire. They immediately took it and made the cure, which miraculously cured the Queen and their heiress. Yes, the gender has been known already, and the kingdom was festive once again.

But nothing comes without a price right? They took something they didn't own. Months after giving birth to their princess, an old lady came by the castle, looking for the princess. She saw her glowing hair, shining under the moonlight and she did her song, the old lady turned into a young lady.

The flower haven't lost it's power, instead, it transferred to the kingdom's princess. The lady held a part of the princess hair then cut it but the color changed into a dark shade of brown, like a wilthered flower. The lady thought that she can't lose her hair, thus, it made her take the princess to her tower for herself.

The princess grew up with the lady very well. She knew that it's her mother all along and avoided asking questions about his father. She sings this song every once in a while to keep the lady young, which something the princess understood as she grew up. Her hair brings youth, that's all she knows. And each time she sings the song, her mother reminds her on how cruel the world outside is. It made her scared but curious on how things worked outside the tower.

---

Routine has been the same everyday. She'll use her hair to help her mother to go out of the tower. She'll do some cleaning then do her paintings, which varies on the side she's painting on. One side has all these bright lights she sees each year on her birthday and all the things she loves, including her healing incantation, the one that makes her mother young.

The other side is dark. Wiltered trees, wild animals, moonlight. stars and just dark things. It has some words that she doesn't know where it came from. It's like her hands have a mind of their own. Symbols and phrases are seen on both sides. She wondered what it meant but she let it there, hoping she'll know what it is.

Her days started the usual but she's hoping to see the lights tonight since it's her day today. But the time kept passing slowly until something happened. A stranger barged in and as soon as the man got in, a frying pan hit his head, making him sleep for a while, as Rapunzel would call it.

A wise lady she is and tied the man on a chair, making him puzzled as he woke up with a headache. "What was that for?" The man asked when Rapunzel still held the frying pan and looked af him. "What are you doing here? And who are you?" She asked and held the pan tighter, acting like she'll hit him again.

"No! Don't. Please. Just.. free me. I'm sorry for trespassing." He said as he pleaded. "Who are you?" Rapunzel said as she looked closely to the man in front of him. "Flynn Rider. Please let me go. I'll help you with what you want." He looked around and saw the lanterns on the paintings. "Want to go there? I'll take you there! It's more beautiful upclose." He said as he tried to persuade the lady.

Rapunzel, as excited as she is when she heard what the man said, quickly looked at the lanterns and a smile was seen on her face. "How sure I am that you'll bring me there?" She took the crown that she got from the man's bag. "I'll keep this until we get there. Understood? Bring me back here after the lanterns and I'll free you." She said as she looked at the lanterns again, forgetting her mother's reminders about the world beyond the tower.

But she thought that it's her birthday, 18th birthday to be exact. And she feels like she's missing a lot on her life. The man broke her fantasies when he quickly agreed and nodded to her idea. "Take you to the lanterns, get you back here safe. I promise. Just don't break it."

The lady didn't think twice and took a bag, her lizard pet and the crown with her. She didn't forget the frying pan she uses as a weapon. Very helpful indeed. She almost went down when she looked at the man, who's still tied on his seat. "Oh sorry." She chuckled as she untied the rope. "No nasty tricks or I'll make you sleep again. Understood?" She said and the man just nodded and scratches the back of his neck.

He went down first, using Rapunzel's very long hair before she came after him. She hasn't done it before and accidentally fell on Flynn, making her laugh. "I'm sorry." She smiled as Flynn helped her to stand up and lead the way.

The walk from the tower to the village was long, making them both hungry as they arrived. She saw some food being sold at the streets. "Get me those." Rapunzel said as she was starving, her stomach grumbling as she held it. Flynn had no choice but to buy it for her, making the lady blush as soon as she got the food. She quickly ate it, making her burn her tongue. The man quickly handed over some water to help her. They continued to eat as the lady enjoyed the afternoon with him.

She looked around as everything is new to her, except for that sun symbol that she has been seeing around, just like the one on her paintings. Maybe staying would give her answers but she knew she had to come back to her mother.

Some kids tripped on her hair and offered to braid her long hair. They placed some beautiful flowers on it as they finished braiding it. "Thank you!" She said as she saw how beautiful her hair became after what the kids did.

Night went quicker than expected. Flynn guided her to the river. "What are we doing here?" She asked as she helped him prepare the boat. "You'll see why I chose this place instead." He stood on the boad then offered his hand to the lady, helping her seat across him.

The night was beautiful. Clear skies, enough to see the stars light up the sky. Flynn paddled to the clear part of the river and showed Rapunzel some lanterns he secretly bought as he handed it over to her. "Let's light it up. But make your wish first I do that."

Rapunzel's wish is simple. "Happiness" she muttered softly before looking at Flynn, who prepared to let the lantern fly but as soon as he lit up a match, the spark flew to his pants and started a fire. He quickly jumped off the boat but winced as he felt the water touch his burnt skin.

She quickly helped him back on the boat and her lantern fell on the river. She wrapped her hair on the man's exposed skin then started singing her healing incantation.

"Flower, gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine

Heal what has been hurt
Change the Fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine"

And as soon as she removed her hair, the burnt skin went back to normal, which caught the man off guard. "It's okay. I just.. it's a thank you for today. At least I get to see the light upclose." She smiled and the man quickly kissed her. It was magical, as Rapunzel would say it but for the man, it's just an act to let her stay by his side.

You read it right. "Immortality. She'll give me immortality." The man thought before he pulled away. "Let's get you back to the tower?" She almost forgot that she needed to come back to her mother but nodded as she knew that she'll worry about her. "Right. How about you? Can you stay there with me?" She hopefully asked the man which the man agreed to. Who wouldn't ask for immortality right? And the crown is still with her.

---

The walk back to the tower was quiet. For Rapunzel, she knew she'll be in trouble for going out and moreover, for bringing a man with her. For Flynn, well, he's thinking on how to get her to stay with him more. For an unexplainable reason, he seems to take interest on the girl but not because of love, but of greed.

When they arrived at the castle, they saw the door open, which made Rapunzel's heart race. "Mother." She muttered as she ran towards the castle, forgetting about the man she's with. The man followed the lady, bringing her hair with him.

"Rapunzel! Where did you go?" Her mother hugged her, but same thing as the man, she's just worried that she'll age, that's why she took care of Rapunzel for long. The man immediately arrived at the tower and her mother quickly pulled her away from him. "Who is this man? I told you, people outside are dangerous."

Flynn walked across them and looked at Rapunzel, who quickly defended the man. "He's Flynn! And he's nice. He helped me until we get back home." Her mother pushed Rapunzel to the bed and quickly ran then stabbed Flynn, which had him laying on the cold floor. Rapunzel gasped and ran to him then hugged him. "No!! No!"

Her mother chuckled and looked at Rapunzel. "You trust him too much. He'll hurt you. Only I can take care of you, Rapunzel." She said as she sat on the bed. "Not even your parents can give you a better life. Castle? Money? What about it?"

Rapunzel looked at her and yelled. "Are you really my mother? Just tell me the truth. Please." She pleaded as her mother laughed hard. "You're not my child, Idiot. I took you from the castle. You're the missing princess everyone has been looking around. And yes those fucking lanterns are for you!" Rapunzel was so mad but she knew she has to do something to Flynn.

"Let me save him and I'll never go out of the tower. I promise." She said, which her mother agreed to immediately but as soon as Flynn heard it, he cut her hair using the knife that was stabbed to him.

She screamed as she saw her blonde hair turned into a hazelnut. Her mother screamed as well, making her twist and turn as she slowly became old again. She moved closer to the window and fell off but turned into a dust before she reached the floor.

She tried to wrap her newly cut hair to Flynn's wound then sang her song. "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine.." she kept singing and singing until she cried as Flynn loosen his hold on her.

Tears fell on Flynn's face as she sobbed hard. "I love you." She muttered, when she slowly felt warm on her cheek. A hand? She wondered and looked at Flynn who's staring at him. She smiled and pecked his lips before helping him sit. "Let's bring you back to where you belong. Castle?" Flynn smiled and offered his hand as he stood up.

Flynn was feeling elated. "A princess. More money and perhaps, power for us." He still showed his smile as he pulled her up and made their way back to the castle. The moment the king and queen saw her, the maternal instincts came crashing in and pulled her for a hug. Rapunzel offered her hand to Flynn and pulled him for a hug.

And they lived happily ever after, if that's what you think. But a lot of things happened after they got married.

They had offsprings, a girl and a boy. The girl had her blonde hair and the boy had the hazelnut ones. And yes, they have acquired the power of the sundrop flower, although Rapunzel has the strongest one. But their offsprings kept getting sick on their first year that Rapunzel wasn't able to save her parents from aging and died, making her and Flynn to take over the kingdom.

Flynn, on the other hand, became patient with everything until he reached where he was right now. Greedy as he may be, he changed ways around the kingdom. Rapunzel was too busy taking care of their offspring and didn't notice everything that happened to the kingdom until the time when Rapunzel accidentally went to the hall and saw a man got killed by one of their soldiers.

She ran and tried to help the man but no luck, her tears won't fall already. She looked at Flynn angrily as she screamed at him. "What do you think you were doing?" He chuckled and slapped Rapunzel. "After five years, I got here. Don't interrupt what I am doing. I am the king now. And you're just a stepping stone to get here so thank you."

He went back to his seat and their kids went to the hall. They saw how their parents fought. They were about to run towards them when they saw Rapunzel floating as her eyes went black and she started chanting some words.

"Wither and decay
End this destiny
Break these earthly chains
And set the spirit free
The spirit free"

As she kept repeating it, everyone on the hall find it hard to breath, especially Flynn, since he's been the target for this one. She kept chanting it as her anger arises until she was able to calm down because she saw Flynn not breathing anymore. She smiled as she saw him. "You meanie. You deserve it." She chuckled but when she turned around, she found their kids not breathing as well.

"No!! No!!" She dragged her feet to her offsprings and hugged them. She tried to sing again for their healing but no luck for anything. She even teared up but nothing happened for it. Hurt from betrayal and losing her offsprings made her runaway from the castle and went back the tower, isolating herself to not hurt anyone anymore.

"Bring back what once was mine.. what once was mine."