crossing the line AU

Chapter 8

Rapunzel

I apologise perfusly while untying Cass, helping her to her feet once she's free. I watch as she plays with her wrists and grasps the back of her neck. Clearly she's relieved she's free again, which is understandable.
Once I know she's ok, I race around the room, collecting up my hair into a bunch by the window, pushing aside the pot with her dagger inside, the grab my frying pan and pascal and walk Cass to the window.

"Alright, let's get going." She says with a neutral tone. I toss up my hair, hook it, and watch her start her climb down the side of the wall.

As I stare over the same edge I have done for my entire life, everything finally starts to hit me. I grip onto my hair, swing back and forth on my feet, feeling the wooden sill underneath.

This is it. I'm really doing this. For the first time... Ever! I'm about to step foot outside. I'm a step away from breaking my mother's No'1 rule. Not only that, but I'm with a total stranger.
I'm in a position I never ever thought I'd actually be in, but God am I excited to see where my feet take me.

For 18 years I've stared out at this clearing, the entire time having imagined how it looked past the rocks, but I never knew yesterday was the last time I'd be able to do that.
Once I take this step, I'm not longer going to be able to imagine 'what if...'. I'll finally get my answers, one by one, while also following my biggest dream.

"Are you coming down or..?" I hear Cass's voice drag.
"I'm coming! I just-" As I look up at the sky, I question whether or not this is real.
I've dreamed about this moment so many times, how can I be sure this is real?

I guess... The only way I can figure that out is... To just jump.

So I do.

I take that step, and my smile burns brighter with every foot that I drop. I slide down my hair gracefully, falling freely, without a single care. I pass Cass and notice her watching me, but I don't care. I let myself fall all the way but stop just before I come into contact with the ground.

This is the first time I've ever touched grass.

I stare down at the floor, making sure I appreciate every second, making sure I experience and enjoy every moment from this point forward.

I'm about to experience a whole bunch of 'first's within the next few days, and I can't let any of my feelings go to waste.

I hear Cass jump off of the wall and she pauses beside me, clearly confused at my obvious stalling, but I don't bother to say anything.

Then, I touch the ground. And the second I do, I feel a smile grow rapidly.

I can't contain myself, once I've fully appreciated the softness of the grass, I charge forward, over to the lake and splash in the shallow water. I'm smiling so much it hurts, but I'm unable to stop.
A small flock of bird shoot up from the water and flap their beautiful blue wings before heading straight into the sky.
Seeing them all fly as one, to god knows where, makes my heart practically sing in my chest. I feel like dancing to the sound of freedom, enjoying the wind toying with my hair, as if it's trying to dance too.

Then, I look to the tunnel I've seen mother enter and exit through countless of times, and every fiber of my being it telling me to run through it, to run out the other end and never stop.

And then I remember, there's nothing stopping me.

The only thing stopping me... Is me.

So with that in mind, I run towards the opening.

the surroundings were fairly quiet, but the sound of my adrenaline filled my ears. I can't help but throw a joyous laugh into the mixture of sounds, trying to find new ways to express my excitement.
I don't even bother to check where Cass was, I run through the tunnel, push past the vines that hide it, and enter a beautiful forest. I felt suffocated by the amount of nature, but in a good way. The best way.

Nothing could EVER ruin this moment.

I notice the same flock of birds appear overhead and watch as they circle me and saw high over the trees, travelling to who knows where.

"This is the best day EVER!" I squeal, loving the feeling of having no walls around me whatsoever. I look around me, studying the way everything looks. It's nothing like I imagined, it's so much better, mainly because it's real, but also because it has a specific tune to it, the forest itself just has a certain melody that comes with it and I my heart adores it.
I spin around, unable to focus on just one thing, then I spot Cass pass through the same drap of vines I just had. I take a moment to breath as she talks.

"Slow down, I can't exactly have you dying in the first five second." she utters, brushing her hair from her face as she looks in my direction. My smile still sees no need to stop.
"Sorry, but everything is just so... Ugh! It's just everything I'd dreamed it would be, and so... So much more!" I feel my sudden burst of energy catch up with me, taking the breath from my lungs.
"Careful there, you'll pass out. It's almost like you've never touched grass before." I hear her joke through the beautiful chaos. I look over at her, thinking whether or not I should tell her the truth, that I really haven't set foot outside until this very moment.

But the more I think about telling her, the more I start to think it's probably not something I want to drop out of no where.

So I don't.

"Haha, yeah..." I laugh, making my way towards her. I don't think she catches onto me, which I'm happy for.
"Alright well, we should get going. We don't want to waste to much time." She goes to pass over Pascal and my frying pan, but I get distracted by a small patch of flowers.

Sunflowers, more specifically.

"Oh my gosh! An actually flower patch!" I spring towards them, kneels down beside the patch and take in the sight, and the smell, I even spot a bee appreciating them just as much.
Though, I try not to make my excitement over a bee as obvious.
"Ok buttercup, up we get." She gestures in one direction but ends up following me in another, mainly because I spotted another lake.

In the end Cass had to physically guide me in the direction of the lanterns.
And I did follow her, eventually, but not without getting distracted by anything and everything along the path.

I'd apologise, but that would be implying I was doing something wrong.
We have just over 24 hours to get to the lanterns, I'm sure we can afford to get side tracked a few times.

Cass may not appreciate these moments now, but I'm sure she will at some point. Maybe.