Gothel felt a terrible chill as she stood on the shore. Something was wrong. A horrible feeling of loneliness washed over her. She hadn’t felt that alone since her sisters had died so many lifetimes earlier. She almost wanted to call out to the odd sisters to see if they were still lurking behind the mirrors, but something told her they weren’t. She didn’t have to take the mirror out of her pocket. She didn’t have to call them in vain. They’re gone. She could feel it.

They’re really gone. They’ve left me alone.

She heard her mother’s words echoing in her ears again. You are destined to be alone.

Gothel sighed. She was waiting for the ruffians to do their work, waiting until it was time to call out to her flower, save her from the terrible beastly men, and from the young man who had used and betrayed her. She had arranged a grand spectacle. All for Rapunzel. A ruse. And she was sure it would bring her flower back to her, back where she belonged.

Hades! I forgot the sleeping potion! Never mind. She would bring her flower back to the tower and give her the sleeping potion there, then take her to the country house herself. She didn’t need Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha. Nothing else mattered but the flower. The flower and her sisters. Her real sisters. She wouldn’t be alone for long.

I’ll be with you soon, Sisters.

Finally, it was time. Time for the performance of her life. Time to make the commotion. Gothel would be the savior, the doting mother who saved her dear sweet daughter from the nasty thieves who played with her emotions.

Gothel called out from the darkness. “Rapunzel?”

“Mother?”

“Oh! My precious girl!”

“Mother!”

“Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“Mother, how did you…”

“I was so worried about you, dear. So I followed you, and I saw them attack you, and…Oh my, let’s go—let’s go before they come to!”

Rapunzel watched Eugene sail away on his boat. Gothel could see her flower was heartbroken. She believed Eugene had betrayed her and that the only person in the world who really loved her was her mother, who was waiting for her with open arms. Rapunzel melted into a heap of tears and cried in her mother’s embrace. “You were right, Mother. You were right about everything.”

“I know, darling, I know.”