24 Once Upon a Time 3: After the Tale of the Tower

(Last part of Gothel and Rapunzel Story)

Six years later...

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair!"

As Gothel shouted that, a long golden hair fell down from the small window of the high tower.

Gothel climbed up.

"Welcome back Gothel! I have already prepared our dinner for tonight." Rapunzel said enthusiastically.

"Nicely done my child."

"Here take your seat!" Rapunzel offered Gothel a chair as soon as they arrived at the dining area. She hummed happily as she sat next to her.

After offering their prayers they began eating.

Gothel couldn't help the feeling that this child was acting strange these past days and really awfully cheerful sometimes like today.

It had been six years since the accident. Gothel was busy hunting down Diana this whole time. That's why she could only spend now a little time with Rapunzel. It is mostly only during the nighttime or sometimes a few days.

Gothel can't still track them down. As if they also vanished completely after the incident. 'My parents, the survivors of that kingdom, and Rapunzel. I could really feel that something huge is behind with all of this. Especially that bureau...'

"Gothel! Are you listening to me?"

"Ah yes please continue how you find your paint brush that got stuck."

"And so yeah, While I am painting today, I can't find my paint brush...' Rapunzel continued talking.

'This is enough for me now. As long as this girl is safe, I would not be afraid to deal with anything or anyone.'

But the next day, as they were talking, her darling daughter had a slip of tongue. Gothel found out that Rapunzel was seeing a man! She dared lied to her after all she had done!

"I just wanted to be free! And live with the man I love! I am so sick of being imprisoned here in this tower! I wanted to see and enjoy being outside!" Rapunzel screamed as she cried.

'Free? You wanted to be free? Don't you know that the outside is much cruel than this place?' But Gothel didn't bother explaining this. It would be useless since she saw how determined this child's eyes are. This girl would not listen to whatever she will speak of.

Gothel grabbed a scissor and cut off Rapunzel hair. Then she sent her away to the same forest where her parents teleported her a very long time ago.

The magical forest where there is no night and always daytime.

'Start from there my child. If you survived that place then just maybe you would be able to survive the real outside world too'. Gothel thought.

She holds firmly the long chop-up golden hair in her hands.

'I finally cut off the seal of your forgotten memories. Though it would take some time before your memories came back completely. But I hope you will be prepared at that time now.' Gothel thought with a sad smile on her face.

"Now let's deal with the despicable man who seduced my innocent daughter."

And the next day the same happenings that occurred in the fairy tale commence.

"You will not be able to see Rapunzel again, she's gone already!" Gothel shouted as she observed what this young man would do next.

Instead of attacking her like she thought that he will do. She saw the frustration and despair that formed in the man's face.

"If Rapunzel is gone. I couldn't live anymore." Then the next thing he does greatly surprised Gothel.

'He jumps out of the tower!?'

With her magic, she immediately slowed the fall of the man. But it is too sudden, that it is too late for her to prevent the man from getting his eyes caught up in some thorns. Completely blinding him. But at least his still alive.

"Did this guy really loved my daughter to kill himself like that?" Gothel pondered as she glanced at the man trying to run away after the fall.

---------------------

One year later...

In the middle of the forest with only eternal day there is a beautiful flower field. In the center of it is a small hut and a scream of a woman can be heard.

"Push more! I could see the head of your child now." A huntress whom Rapunzel befriend in this forest is helping her with her delivery.

"ARF! ARF!" Gothel who disguise herself as a dog shows her encouragement by barking.

And after more than three hours.

"Uwahhh! Uwahhh!"

Rapunzel gave birth to a beautiful twin. A girl with dark hair. And a boy with golden hair the same as Rapunzel.

"My children. I want to hold them" Rapunzel said. The huntress who was finished cleaning the twin and now wrapped up in some clothes gave the babies to Rapunzel.

"They both so lovely. You little ones would be called Lucea and Lucas." Rapunzel said as she embraced her two children.

"ARF! ARF!" Gothel was also happy seeing her grandchildren.

Time passed then the twins finally became two years old. That's the time Rapunzel and the man she loved reunited again.

'Ah! I clearly forgot about this one. I'm glad his still alive.' Gothel thought as she saw the man.

Yep. The prince traveled and suffered blindly almost two years in many places because Gothel simply forgot about him. 'Cause if she remembers him, hmm. She doesn't really know what would happened whether she would help him or not.'

Gothel watched the dramatic reunion with the two and how Rapunzel's powers manifested again as she healed the prince's eyes.

And you probably know what happened next. The prince brought Rapunzel and the twins back to his kingdom and everyone greatly accepted them and celebrated.

And many years later. The prince was crowned as the new king and Rapunzel as his queen. They live with much prosperity and happiness.

But the pursuers of Rapunzel appeared again. It is in the form of another kingdom with Diana forming an alliance with the king there, by marriage.

That time too, Rapunzel's memories completely came back now. So she knew who this woman is and her intentions too. At the same time feel regretful for everything she had done to Gothel which she has never seen again since when she left the tower.

A war emerged as Rapunzel refused to do Diana's biddings.

Rapunzel's husband, King Albert is almost gone now for a year after the match for war. And this made her greatly worried. And not only that, her kids is having a high fever now for almost a week. She contacted every physician in the kingdom to check out her children. But they all say the same thing that the highnesses got a strange disease and they were doing everything they can to look for the cure.

Her healing powers could not work too on them. Since in the first place, her powers were not healing but time reversal in only a near specific of time.

Rapunzel also contacted the children's grandfather but it is reported to her that his excellency is not feeling well too.

"Albert just what am I supposed to do? Why are you not coming back yet? How is the war? Our children are sick." Rapunzel where so conflicted right now.

And one person suddenly comes to her mind.

"Mother Gothel, please help me." She said as a tear fell on her cheek and hugged her sick children.

All of the sudden, the children started convulsing. Seeing this, Rapunzel's heart beat faster.

"Guards! Quickly called the physicians!"

The physicians arrived immediately and check the kids. They began to panic.

"Quickly! Their vital signs are dropping!" They did so many things to the children. And Rapunzel watched them, praying that her children will be alright.

But moments later. The physicians look down dejectedly.

"My children! How are they?!" Rapunzel said as she shook off one of the physicians.

"Your majesty..." The leader is having a hard time to speak but he musters his courage and opens his mouth.

"I'm sorry your majesty. But they are gone now."

Something shattered in Rapunzel's world as she heard those words.

"Gone? No. It can't be!" Rapunzel went to her twins and shook them off.

"Lucea! Lucas! Don't scare your mom like this!"

But there is no response to them.

"No! I can't believe this! Mother Gothel help us! Please save my children!" Rapunzel screamed and screamed with endless tears falling from her eyes but she got no answers.

"Please, my children save them..." She finally said as she collapsed on the floor.

"Your majesty!" The servants went to assist her. 

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(Rapunzel POV)

[Ding!]

'Rapunzel'

'Rapunzel'

Who is calling me?

'I thought your story was supposed to end happily but what's this?' Multiple voices said with mockery.

"What are you saying?!" Rapunzel opened her eyes but the only thing she saw is pure darkness and in front of her is a small orb of shimmering light.

"Do you wish to save your children, your husband, and your kingdom?" The voice spoke from the orb again.

"I could save them?"

"Yes. You are. If you accept this contract with us then your children, your husband, and the people in your kingdom would live happily forever."

"Then I will accept the contract."

"Oh. You don't even want to know the exchange we want for this?" The voice said with a hint of amusement.

"Even if I sold my life or my soul as long as it will keep my children alive, I would do anything for them."

"Then the deal has been made. And don't worry, we don't need your life or your soul. You just need to do what the contract says."

[Ding!]

[Welcome!]

[A New Mission Zone has been established]

[Mission of the Long Golden-Haired Princess has created.]

[You are now selected as the host for this quest! Congratulations!]

Multiple screens popped out in front of her.

"Welcome Rapunzel to the Bureau!" The orb of light happily exclaimed.

"The Bureau?"

"Yes! We are the Bureau and our goal is to let everyone have an eternal happiness with no ends. So we will greatly look forward to your performance our dear Rapunzel." Multiple voice resounded at once.

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(Third Person POV)

It was no avail even if how much Gothel wanted to be with her child. All she could do is watched as Rapunzel's kingdom got warped into something different. Her grandchildren transformed into something and her daughter was now playing the role given to the contract she accepted.

Gothel was now in a place where the Bureau that is behind her parents death trapped her in a room where everything is white.

"So what would you do? My dear sorceress, your daughter had already accepted our contract. "

The small orb of light that is in front of Gothel speaks. No matter how many times she destroyed this thing it just reverted back to normal.

Gothel gritted her teeth. "I would accept your deal. In a condition that I would not be directly got involved with the mission and just become one of the hidden keys as what you speaks of."

"Sure no problem. With this, you could follow your daughter where ever she is too. So it is not really a bad deal!" The orb with multiple voices spoke enthusiastically.

"I'm looking forward to working with you Ms. Gothel."

The orb of light vanished and everything becomes dark. A void appeared and absorbed Gothel inside it.

When the room was empty now, the orb appeared again but this time it is now shaping into a human silhouette

"Eternal Happiness for the Bureau! Ah hahaha!" The silhouette said and loud cheers were heard all over the place.

"Eternal Happiness!!!"

"Now what tale should we hunt down next?" The silhouette said with an unreadable tone in their voice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile...

(A certain someone's pov)

["V** *ake *p!" *Beep!*]

*Gasp!*

I open my eyes only to see that I'm in a place that is extremely dark. I felt like I've been dreaming for a very long time. The place I live in turned into complete chaos and I keep fighting and fighting until...

I died.

That's right! I died, but is that really the case? And what is this place?

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