Rapunzel stood on her balcony and watched distant lights reflect on the underside of the low hanging clouds near the horizon. She couldn't discern the source of the lights as her field of view was obscured by the thick tangle of the Kalmeirian Forest.

"Still looking at those lights?" questioned a soft voice behind her.

The unexpected inquiry startled her, and the elbow of the arm she'd been leaning on slipped off the rail and almost caused her to lose her balance. After a momentary floundering, she stood up strait and pretended nothing had happened.

Standing a few feet away from was a woman in a long red dress trimmed in gold around the neckline. Her dark hair was a thick mane of small curls. There was no accusation in her large grey eyes, just the familiar warmth Rapunzel had known all her life.

"Sorry, Mother," Rapunzel told her.

"No need to be sorry," Mother dismissed, joining her at the balcony railing. "Things beyond our ability to see or understand always pique curiosity. Be aware, though, not all is safe outside this tower."

"I know," Rapunzel sighed heavily as the old discussion began again. "The world is dangerous and I need to stay where I can be protected."

"Don't take that tone with me," Mother chided. "I've been out there. You haven't."

"Exactly," Rapunzel pointed out. "I want to see what you have."

"You're not ready," Mother denied.

"When?" Rapunzel questioned, her tone turning it into a demand.

Mother crossed her arms and fixed her with a firm gaze.

Rapunzel changed her tone of voice to a more respectful one and asked again. "When may I go outside with you, Mother?"

Mother pursed her lips while considering it. She glanced at the distance lights, resting a hand on the railing and clicking her nails against the stone as she idly tapped her fingers.

"I'll look into it and let you know," Mother promised. "For now, off to bed with you."

"Goodnight, Mother," Rapunzel responded before heading off to her room.

***

The distant lights were still there hours later when Rapunzel, who had only appeared to be asleep, slipped back onto the balcony. She stared at the lights longingly. Making a decision, she pulled the first of many pins holding her golden hair in place.

Because of its considerable length, her hair had been twisted into numerous braids before being woven together and pinned in long loops hanging down to her ankles. She continued removing pins until she had the full length of two woven braids released. The woven strands of hair were so tightly bound, they were the equivalent of a rope, and Rapunzel intended to use them as such. Slipping the trailing end of the braid under the railing of the balcony, she let it drop to the ground below.

Having practiced her idea on smaller distances inside the tower home she'd lived in the past eighteen years, she felt confident it would work, but leaning over the railing and seeing the ground so far below, Rapunzel couldn't help having second thoughts. Looking again to the lights for a refresher of her determination, she wiped the sweat from the palms of her hands on her dress of forest green, and sat on the balcony, reaching down and taking hold of the woven braid she'd let down.

She pulled the hair up and wrapped it around her waist and twice across her torso in an X pattern before getting a firm hold with both hands on the braid still hanging down the side of the tower. Swinging her legs over the railing, she leaned out, testing. The golden loop around the stone railing held firm, easily supporting her weight. Shifting one hand on the braid, she got a new grip in a different position while holding firm with the opposing hand. She repeated the process with her other hand, working her way down the braid and allowing her weight to pull down and take up the slack she created.

Because of the way the hair was wrapped around her, it allowed her to use both her hands for working her way down the tower and not have to keep a hold on one end in order to prevent undo strain on her scalp. When she reached the halfway point, there was no more braid to use as it had only been long enough to reach the ground, and the loop over the railing had halved its overall length.

Rapunzel didn't need any additional length as a tree was nearby. Gently pushing off against the stone of the tower, she began to swing, gradually building momentum until she was within reach and landed a foothold on the branch she wanted. Tentatively putting her full weight on the branch, she tested it for stability before letting go of the end of the braid and taking hold of the end wrapped around her. A quick tug dragged enough of the woven hair over the rail; weight and momentum took over until the last of it had been pulled over and dropped down to her.

Repeating the process she'd performed above, she used the tree branch as an anchor point for a loop of her braid, descending quickly the remaining distance to the ground before pulling her hair free completely from the branch. Twisting her hair back into long loops, she pinned it securely behind her once more.

So pleased with her accomplishment of escaping the tower, she'd neglected to consider how she was going to get back in. Sparing not a moment to look back, Rapunzel headed straight for the distant lights she'd seen so many times.

Standing on the balcony, Mother watched her depart, her nails clicking on the stone rail as she considered what to do.