010 — MOTHER KNOWS BEST

Rapunzel watched as Freya, Rebekah and Hayley stood over Jackson who was laid out on the table they were recently sat at, Flynn had been ordered to go with Klaus as he wanted to keep an eye on him. She didn't know how she managed to get here, a part of her wanted to run back to the safety of her tower where nothing could touch her and she was left alone in her own solidarity, but she also knows that maybe the best thing to ever happen to her was Flynn climbing her tower and showing her a small part of the world. She had learned more these past two days then she had centuries spent in that tower and she's not sure she could ever go back to living the same life she once had.

She was afraid of what her Mother would do when she finally caught up to her knowing that letting Rapunzel stay with Flynn wasn't an act of kindness but her Mother waiting it out to see when Rapunzel would screw it all up and end up running back to her, but she wasn't going to let that happen. Even in the situation she has now found herself in where her whole body is telling her to go back to her Mother all she has to do is take one look at Flynn and know that she doesn't need that anymore. She can be her own rock, she just needed someone else to make her realize that.

She was also stuck in her thoughts about the Mikaelsons and their relation to her Mother as if she heard correctly and their Aunt Dahlia is the same woman as her Mother than she is related to this family but then if she is it begs the question, what does she want with the child? And why did she never tell Rapunzel she had living relatives.

Rapunzel was pulled out of her thoughts when Freya started to explain how it was going to work.

Freya traced an infinity symbol into Jackson's bare chest using the burned end of a sage stick. "By doing this, we should be able to trace Dahlia's signature all the way back to the source of her power. But, I'll need to dig deep."

She then looks up at Rapunzel. "If I may channel you, your connection to Dahlia will be useful. Rebekah I will need your help too."

Rapunzel felt slightly uncomfortable at the mention of her Mother but nodded her head nonetheless.

Hayley looked down at Jackson in concern. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" She asked him.

Jackson just let out a nervous laugh. "Piece of cake!" He replied as Hayley sighed and looked over at the girls.

Rebekah took one of Rapunzel's hands as Freya took the other holding them over Jackson's body as they began to chant the spell.

"Inveniere potencia reparon malifica. Inveniere potencia reparon malifica."

As they chanted Jackson's back arched painfully as he groaned in agony. After a moment, Rebekah looks up at the two witches and sees a vision of Dahlia standing behind them, holding a hand to their shoulders. Startled, she immediately lets go, though Freya assumes it's because of the pain they are causing Jackson.

"Rebekah, we need to continue." Freya says to Rebekah gently as Rebekah stares down at her hands in fright.

"I..."

Hayley looks concerned as her eyes move between the three witches in confusion. "What is it?" She asks.

Rebekah looks at Freya before her eyes shift slightly to Rapunzel. "You. You're the reason Dahlia is able to cast such powerful spells, both of you."

Freya looks alarmed and begins the shake her head in disagreement as Rapunzel looks betrayed by the news, surely her Mother wouldn't use her and not tell her.

"She's channeling you!" Rebekah told Freya who still looks shocked at the revelation. Hayley turns to Freya feeling bretrayed.

"All this time, you've been helping her!" She yells at Freya who shakes her head desperately, upset at their accusation.

"I had no idea!" Freya began pacing the room. "She must have found me." She walks over to Rebekah to try and argue her suspicions.

"She wants to use you against me!" She tried to get Rebekah to listen but Hayley lunges for Freya and shoves her back.

"Get away from my husband." She growls defensively.

Rebekah was quick to jump between them. "Stop!" She outs a comforting hand on Freya's shoulder. "Freya, I want to trust you, I do. But, you said it yourself— you're bonded to Dahlia. I'm sorry, but it's better that you go. Both of you, please." She asked Freya looking over at Rapunzel and giving her an apologetic smile not wanting to kick the girl out but it was best for Hope.

Freya looked hurt but made no move to fight them on it, she placed a gentle hand on Rapunzel's back as she guided her out of the compound.

☆☆☆

Freya and Rapunzel silently walked the streets of New Orleans, Rapunzel didn't know where Freya was going but followed the woman anyway. "I'm sorry you got kicked out, it's probably all my fault." She apologized causing Freya to look down at her.

Freya smiled slightly. "It's not your fault. They're just being cautious, even if you weren't there I wouldn't of been able to stay. Dahlia still has a hold over me I guess." She shrugged trying to not make the girl feel bad.

"Are you sure that my Mother is the same person as your Aunt? I mean wouldn't she of told me that I had other family around, it doesn't make any sense."

Freya fell silent for a moment not quite knowing what to tell the girl. "Do you know who your Father is?" She asked, but Rapunzel shook her head looking puzzled at her question.

"No, Mother told me he died before I was born. I never met him...why?"

Freya took a deep breath not knowing whether she wanted to be the one to tell the girl the truth. "I've known Dahlia since I was little, she took me from my Mother for a promise my Mother had no right in making for her children and future generations. Every first born Mikaelson has been promised to Dahlia that's why she's after Klaus' child and I know you might think this doesn't have anything to do with you but...Dahlia can't have children."

"What are you saying?" Rapunzel asked confused although in the back of her mind she knew what she was saying.

"Are you sure Dahlia is even your Mother?"

Before Rapunzel could even try and digest that information suddenly all of the locals and tourists on the streets stopped in their tracks and turned towards them. They both become unnerved as they look around at the scene, Freya spots a young woman who's eyes have turned white indicating that Dahlia was watching her.

"No." Freya said in alarm quickly grabbing Rapunzel's arm and running the other way, but before they could get anywhere Dahlia appeared in front of Freya who was quick to shove Rapunzel behind her not knowing what Dahlia was like with the girl.

"There you are, after all these centuries. Hello my Freya." Dahlia spoke in a cool tone.

Freya looked up at Dahlia she didn't want the woman to see how frightened she was of her but she knew that she would be able to sense it anyway. "Dahlia..."

Dahlia raised a hand and Freya held her breath not knowing what she was going to do but she simply waved her hand and the rest of the townspeople simply returned to their business.

"How conveying that I find you here, mere footsteps from that which is owed to me." Dahlia began to circle her in a predatory manner, as Rapunzel quickly moved blending in with the crowd so that her Mother didn't spot her, she had never seen this side of her before and wondered if this is what he's been doing all this time when she's been out of the tower.

"Let me guess— did you make a promise to your wretched siblings? Together we'll fight the wicked witch, side by side?" Dahlia laughed wickedly. "Tell me darling, how did they respond to your overtures? Did they welcome you with open arms and weep tears of joy at your miraculous return? Hmm?" Dahlia taunted her knowing where to hit.

Freya was close to tears. "What are you going to do to me?"

"You always were a selfish, ungrateful child. For centuries, I fed you, clothed you, and cared for you. Granted you powers beyond anything you could have ever dreamed. And still, you yearn for more! Keats wishing for another life, never satisfied." Dahlia said to Freya but Rapunzel felt like it applied to her too, she was always stuck in her tower wishing for a life of freedom where she could do whatever she liked but was always told it was too dangerous for her and now she's here she's not sure what she should of been afraid of. Has her Mother really been feeding her lies this entire time.

As Rapunzel was stuck in her thoughts Dahlia thrusted a hand towards Freya clenching into a fist as Freya grabbed her head in pain doubling over as Dahkia gave her an aneurism.

Freya whimpered at the pain falling to her knees and she cried out.

"Soon enough, you will beg for me to bring you back into my home." She laughed dramatically and raises her first, putting Freya in a telekinetic choke-hold and forcing her to stand.

"Stop!" Rapunzel cried out rushing in between Freya and her Mother. "Please, stop."

"Oh." Dahlia looked between Freya and Rapunzel. "It's seems you two have met." She sneered and opened her hand releasing Freya of her hold as Freya gasped for air.

"Mother, please." Dahlia was quick to turn to Rapunzel she would of thought the girl would of figured it out by now but it seems as though she hadn't.

Dahlia looked down at Freya who was still trying to gain her breathing back. She quickly snatched Rapunzel's wrist dragging her away.

"Wait, Let go of me, you're hurting me." Rapunzel whined as she tried to get out of Dahlias vice grip. Dahlia however, ignored the girl as she kept walking forwards, they were now into the woods as she was dragging Rapunzel behind her.

"We're going home now Rapunzel. Stop whining." She demanded.

"No." Rapunzel refused as she stopped in her tracks forcing Dahlia to stop walking.

"No?" Dahlia turned to Rapunzel quirking an eyebrow, the girl had never defied her before.

Rapunzel took a deep breath, knowing that what she said next would not be taken well but she had had this gut feeling all day and Freya's words earlier which were now repeating themselves in her head was going to make her go crazy if she didn't voice them. "Did I mumble Mother? Or should I even call you that?"

A dark look overcame Dahlia's features before she quickly hid it with a smile. "Rapunzel please, do you even hear yourself? you're being delusional. All this excitement in one day has gotten to you, come now let's get you home."

Rapunzel didn't take a second to think before placing her hand on the side of Dahlia's head before gasping as she entered her mind. She saw flashes of memories from how Freya came to be in Dahlia's care to Rapunzel's own upbringing but what shocked her was one of Dahlia helping Freya birth Rapunzel whilst she was still unconscious from the poison that she had taken and then another where she tells Freya that the baby didn't survive but instead took Rapunzel and hid her away.

"It was you, it was all you— Is that why you've kept me hidden away all this time? I could of had a family—"

Dahlia held Rapunzel firmly in place. "I'm your family, no one else. You're mine. They're not your family, they didn't even want you. I'm the one who cared for you, brought you up. I could have easily let you die a stillborn but I didn't, I'm your Mother I'm the one who cares for you, no one else, nobody else would do what I've done, everything I did was to protect you."

"What you've done! You took me away from my family, locked me up and fed me lies. You've been using me this whole time, this isn't for me. You've been doing it for you." Rapunzel yelled at her in frustration she walked a few steps away from Dahlia.
"I spent my entire life hiding from people who would be using me from my power—

"Rapunzel!" Dahlia tried to get her to calm down.

—When I should of been hiding from you!" Rapunzel pointed a finger at her.

Dahlia chuckled. "Where will you go? He won't be there for you, none of them will."

"No, you are wrong about the world and you are wrong about me, and I will never let you use my powers again." Rapunzel caught Dahlia's wrist which was about to grab Rapunzel, she turned away from Dahlia which she should of known was a mistake and started to walk in the opposite direction.

Dahlia expression darkened. "Want me to be the bad guy? Fine, now I'm the bad guy." Dahlia muttered to herself as she walked up behind Rapunzel and swiftly jabbed a needle into her neck.

Rapunzel fell into Dahlia's arms. "I'm sorry my flower, but you're not going anywhere. You're much too powerful."

yay I updated and this chapter is longer I think!
hope you guys are still enjoying this, it's getting more into the originals now and she knows!! Freya doesn't know that she's her Mother yet but she has suspicions.
maybe a sort of Flynn POV chapter next??
please vote, comment, share, follow ♥️♥️