Rapunztroll sighed, pacing back and forth, trying to work up the courage to ask her mother a very important question.

"This is it. This is a very big day, Pascal," she said to her little friend. "I'm finally going to do it. I'm going to ask her."
"RAPUNZTROLL! Let down your ha-air!" she suddenly heard from outside.

"It's time," Rapunztroll whispered determinedly. "Come on, Pascal. Don't let her see you."

Pascal nodded, quickly running to hide in his usual spot.

"Rapunztroll... I'm not getting any younger down here!" the voice called up to her again. "Coming, mother!" the beautiful pink troll called back, running to the window.

Quickly, she threw her hair out the window, so that Mother Gothel could climb up it, and enter the secluded tower.

"Hi, mother. Welcome home, mother," Rapunztroll said, swaying back and forth, as she smiled wide, her hands behind her back.

"Oh, Rapunztroll. How you manage to do that every single day without fail... it looks absolutely exhausting, darling," Gothel said, walking past the young troll to put down her stuff.

     "It's nothing, really," Rapunztroll assured, turning around to face her mother.
"Then I don't know why it takes you so long," Mother Gothel chuckled in reply.

Rapunztroll frowned at her mother's comment, but Gothel just laughed at her frown.

"Oh, darling. I'm just teasing," she said playfully, pinching Rapunztroll's cheeks.
"Right... so... uh... mother. As you know, tomorrow is a very big day," the young troll said, pulling away slightly.

     "Rapunztroll... look at that mirror. You know what I see?" Gothel said suddenly, seeming to have not even heard her daughter's statement. "Wha... what?" Rapunztroll asked, confused by the question.

"I see a strong, confident, beautiful young lady," Gothel continued. Rapunztroll smiled at the statement, but then Gothel continued, her smile instantly fading away. "Oh look... you're there too!"

She looked at her daughter, noticing her frown.

"I'm just teasing," she said sternly. "Stop taking everything so seriously."

Rapunztroll took a deep breath, finally continuing her question.

"Okay... so mother. As I was saying, tomorrow is.."
"Flower..." Gothel interrupted. "Mother's feeling a little run down. Would you sing for me, dear? Then we'll talk."
"OH! Of course, mother."

She ran off grabbing a little stool to sit on, along with her brush.

Quickly, she shoved the brush into her mother's hand, sitting down on the stool, as she began to sing very quickly.

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

Gothel, confused by the speed, began to brush her glowing hair, struggling to keep up with the song.

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

Instead of healing Gothel, the hair zapped her with a surge of electricity.

"Rapunztroll!" Gothel shrieked out, dropping the brush in shock.

"So, mother..." Rapunztroll continued. "Earlier I was saying tomorrow's a pretty big day, and you didn't really respond, so I'm just going to tell you what it is." She paused doing a drum role with her fingers and the windowsill. "It's my birthday! TADA!"

Gothel looked at her, confused for a moment, and then chuckled, shaking her head slightly.

"No, no, no. That can't be right. I distinctly remember. Your birthday was last year." "That's the funny thing about birthdays, mother. They're kind of an annual thing..." She took a deep breath, gathering up her courage before continuing. "Mother... I'm turning twenty one tomorrow... And I wanted to ask... what I really want for this birthday..."

Her mother nodded, and then Rapunztroll continued, feeling a little nervous.

"Actually... what I've wanted for quite a few birthdays now..."
"Rapunztroll... please, stop with the mumbling," Gothel interrupted. "You know how I feel about the mumbling. Blah, blah, blah, blah. It's very annoying."

"Oh... sorry mother. But... what I want for my birthday... what I really want..."
"Get on with it, darling. I haven't got an eternity, you know. Oh wait... yes I do." She chuckled at her own joke.

"I want to see the floating lights," Rapunztroll finally blurted out.
"What?" Gothel asked softly, her eyes widening in shock, as she turned to look at her daughter.

"Well I was hoping you would take me to see the floating lights," Rapunztroll said, smiling innocently. "Oh... you mean the stars," Gothel said, a small smile forming on her face.

"That's the thing... I've charted stars and they're always constant. But these... they appear every year on my birthday, Mother. Only on my birthday. And I can't help but feel that they're... they're meant for me."

Gothel's smile faded, as she began to get a little irritated.

"I need to see them, Mother. And not just from my window. In person. I have to know what they are."

There was a small pause... a moment where there was nothing but silence...

"Mother?" Rapunztroll finally said after what felt like hours of compleat and utter silence. "Did you hear me?"

"So... you want to go outside?" Gothel finally said in a soft voice.
"Well... well yeah," Rapunztroll said, nodding.

"Why?"
"Well... I just..."
"Look at you. As fragile as a flower. Still a little sapling, just a sprout. You know why we stay up in this tower."
"I know, but..."
"That's right... to keep you safe, and sound, my little flower."

Rapunztroll frowned, lowering her head, as her ears drooped down.

"Guess I always knew this day was coming," Gothel said softly. "Knew that soon you'd want to leave the nest. Soon, but not yet."
"But..."
"Shhh... trust me my pet," Gothel said, stroking her daughter's hair gently. "Mother knows best."

She turned away from her, beginning to sing.

"Mother knows best. Listen to your mother. It's a scary world out there. Mother knows best," Gothel sang.

"One way or another. Something will go wrong. I swear. Ruffians, thugs, poison Ivy, quicksand. Cannibals and snakes, the plague. Also large bugs, men with pointy teeth. And stop, no more, you'll just upset me," Gothel continued to sing.

She walked back over to Rapunztroll, hugging her comfortingly, as if protecting her.

"Mother's right here. Mother will protect you. Darling here's what I suggest. Skip the drama, stay with Mama. MAMA!! Knows best!"
"But mother... I..."

"Mother knows best. Take it from your mumsy. On your own, you won't survive. Sloppy underdressed, immature, clumsy. Please... they'll eat you up alive."
"Well... I don't know about that..."
"Gullible, nave, positively grubby. Ditzy and a bit, well, hmm vague."
"Hey!"

"Plus I believe, getting kinda chubby." Rapunztroll crossed her arms, not appreciating the way her mother was describing her.

"I'm just saying. 'Cause I wuv you. Mother understands. Mother's here to help you. All I have is one request." She stopped singing, walking back over to her daughter with a serious face.

"Rapunztroll?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't ever ask to leave this tower again." Rapunztroll sighed at her mother's request, looking away sadly. "Yes, mother..."

"Ahh, yes. I love you very much, flower."
"I love you more," Rapunztroll replied softly, smiling just a bit to hide her sadness.

"I love you most," Gothel said, beginning to sing again. "Don't forget it. You'll regret it. Mother... knows... best."

"I'll see you in a bit, my flower," Gothel said with a smile, as she used Rapunztroll's hair to descend the tower. "I'll be here," Rapunztroll said with a fake smile.

Her mother disappeared from sight, Rapunztroll's smile instantly fading.

"Where else would I be..."