Gothel has Geroscophobia, the fear of growing old.

When I was younger, I always looked up to my mother. She was absolutely beautiful. Curly black hair, shining green eyes, red lips, rosy cheeks, and a luminous glow that surrounded her. My favourite moments with her were when she would style my curly hair infront of the mirror. She would tell me how beautiful I was. Her beautiful flower. It was like this until I turned the age of Fifteen.

My mother's work schedule seemed to heighten, working busy days and nights. My mother was the Queen's Maid in Waiting, a very important job. I didn't work much. The servant's children mostly stayed in the kitchen, or picked flowers for centerpieces. I didn't see much of my mother, not until she started growing ill.

As time went on so did my mother's sickness, she became bedridden. Everyday, I went to sit beside her as she got weaker and weaker, older and older. Her once black curls turned into thin anf brittle grey strands. Her once green eyes had become sunken and dull. Her once luminous glow was now completely faded. Her once smooth face replaced with wrinkles.

Each day I visited, the more anxious I got. The most beautiful woman in the world was fading away in looks, and in health. One day, she sat me down and told me a story in her raspy voice.

"My dear flower, do you remember the story I told you? When you were young?"

"No."

"The one about the special flower. That's just a fairytale?"

She coughed quite harshly.

"Oh, but it is not a fairytale. Do you know why I called you flower? It is because of that magical plant. So beautiful, so special. This flower can cure anything from a tiny cold to bringing someone back to life."

"Beauty."

I blurted out.

"What?"

"Can it fix beauty?"

"Beauty fades, flower. What did I tell you when you were younger?"

"Thebeautyontheoutsidefadesbutthebeautyontheinsidewillremainifyouletit."

I very quickly replied.

"But will it fix it?"

"I suppose, but don't chase after something that won't stay, flower."

She said, coughing to the side. I abruptly stood up.

"I'll find it! I'll bring it back to you. You'll be healthy and beautiful again! You'll be so beautiful that Snow White would be jealous! Just give me a few days! You'll have everything you want again!"

I said, running out the door.

"All I want is to spend my last days with you."

She sighed to herself. I didn't hear her words, as I was already down the hall.

3 days passed and I couldn't find this flower. I searched the entire castle grounds. I looked through every nook and cranny. I knew exactly what I was looking for, but it just wasn't there. I was defeated walking back to my mother's room.

"Where is it mother? I looked around every inch of this kingdom! I looked through every flower in the gardens, in every bush! You have to tell me where it is!"

She didn't move, she didn't even acknowledge my prescense.

"Mother?"

I nudged her.

"Wake up."

I shook her this time.

"Wake up, Mother!"

I started shaking her more violently.

"Mother!!"

I screamed, which alerted the other servants. They all came flooding inside. There were gasps and sobs heard around the room. I didn't go to her funeral. They would try to make her pretty by painting her face, which would only make her look worse in my eyes. My mother didn't ever need make-up, and I didn't want to see her ugly. Several years passed, and I worked along the other servants. I could see the age start to take effect on them. It give me the worst of anxieties. Every second, I was checking the mirror, and I would sigh in relief as there were no signs of aging.

One day, I woke up and took a look in the mirror. I screamed, horrified. It was like I grew 10 years over night! I had grey hairs, my eyes were sunken in. I had crows feet! I fell back, I started hyperventilating. I couldn't control my breathing. My heart was pounding so hard I believed it was going to burst through my chest. I couldn't let people see me like this! But, I couldn't just hide. I remembered that my mother had a cloak she wore when we would explore in the woods.

I ran into the closet and stopped. I haven't looked at these things in years. I pulled out some of the boxes, pulling out pictures and smiling as the flashbacks danced around my head. My aging head. The intrusive thought had me panicking again. I hurriedly looked through the boxes. A few minutes into my search, I found the cloak and put it on. I looked in the mirror and smiled. Darkness. Nothing could be seen. While putting the boxes up, a picture fell. I picked it up. It was a black and white picture of my mother holding me as a baby. A note was written on the bottom.

l will never leave you, my flower. I will always love you, no matter what.

That was it! The flower from my mother's stories was sure to fix me! The kingdom had a secret library. The only problem with that was it was forbidden. Filled with ancient texts that they didn't just want anyone getting into.

My mother had the privelage to enter with the Queen, and she told me about the secret ways to get inside. She wasn't a traitor, but she knew I was curious about the secret stairways and tunnels of the castle. I used that knowledge to my advantage. It took days of scrolling, skimming, and examining to finally find a glimpse of what I was searching for. It was only a small segment which wrote,

"The Sundrop Flower. Once upon a time in the lands of Corona, a small drop of the sun fell from the Heavens. This caused a flower to sprout, giving healing abilities to anyone who finds it, and sings it's 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

What once was mine

The flower should release a pollen, if done correctly. Breath it in, and anything you desire will be cured."

I ripped the page out and put the book away, placing the peice of paper in my pocket. I ran out, but was pushed back by something. No, someone. The guard grabbed me by my arm harshly.

"You know you aren't suppose to be in here! This is only to be seen by trustees of the palace! You will sentenced to trial!"

To make it brief, the trial wasn't very long. I was no longer trusted and told to leave the palace at once, and never to return again. As the guards threw me out and left, I smirked and patted the peice of paper in my pocket. If they didn't trust me so much, why didn't they bother to pat me down? Especially if I went into a forbidden place? It was then time for my journey. I was going to find that flower!

It had been many years. Luckily, my mother taught me basic survival tips, but I wasn't getting any younger. My hair was now completely grey and brittle. My face had sunken in, wrinkles in every direction. My hands were wrinkly, littered with liver spots. I couldn't bare to look at myself. I didn't even know if I was getting anywhere closer to my treasure or not. I had searched so many areas, and not a trace of it.

I started to lose faith. My body was growing frail, it was starting to get harder to walk. I would have to take breaks to catch my breath. I didn't want to go out like this, so ungraceful like. I hobbled up a mountain and went to take a rest. I looked out past the neverending feilds, utterly defeated. My eye caught something, something that seemed to glow. I got up and slowly hobbled my way towards it.

"Please don't be some lost jewelry. Please don't be some lost jewelry."

I repeated this phrase over and over. I looked, frantically, praying and hoping. There in the green grass laid a gold chain, very valuable. It had hit the sun just right to make it shine from feet away.

I kicked it, and fell back into a bush. I groaned and turned around. I gasped in fright, as I was at an edge of a cliff. I slowly got up and something caught my eye, again. I got up, with some pain, and made my way to it. I saw something glow behind a couple of shrubs and foliage. I pushed them aside and there it was. I couldn't believe it! I collapsed to the ground and pulled out the peice of paper. The picture matched! I cried in pure joy. After, I collected myself, I sang the incantation. The flower glowed a little brighter with every word. As I said the last word, a golden dust blew and I breathed it in. When I exhaled, I felt amazing! I haven't felt that way since my youth. I ran to  the river beside me, where I could see my reflection. I could run? Maybe it worked! I looked at my reflection in the lake. I screamed and danced around when I saw my face. I was young and beautiful again!

I went back to the flower and smiled. As night came I saw that the flower glowed. It glowed too bright, for my liking. What if someone else saw it!? Over time, I was able to create a little makeshift bush cover to keep the glow hidden from the night. As I was working on that, I noticed that after a few days, I started losing my beauty again. I rushed back to the flower hoping it would still work, it did! This flower, this magic, was my muse.

Centuries passed, yes centuries! I was hundreds of years old, and that little flower kept me young and beautiful forever! As the magic was starting to ware, I went to do my usual ritual. But, this time was different. I heard voices from behind me and quickly covered my treasure. I grabbed my lantern, and hid. Unknowingly, hitting the cover while I ran away.

"We found it!"

That's what I heard. My heart was ramming against my chest, fear and anger running through me. I saw them cut my flower, and run off with it.

Word got around about the new "miracle Princess." I went with the people to see the new Princess. I had to hide behind my cloak, as the magic was starting to wear off. I didn't have to worry about being spotted. Everyone who ever knew me was now long gone. They showed the little girl, her hair was golden like the sun.

She was my flower!? Ideas flooded my mind. All I have to do is sneak through the hidden staircases, get a lock of her hair, and I'll be young and beautiful forever!