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The chill of winter came to the kingdom, and while Rapunzel was well provided for (one can't be too isolated and still be royalty, after all), the steady stream of stuffed shirts slowed to a trickle, then stopped altogether. Rapunzel was delighted at her first day without the usual vociferous interruption. This delight lasted until the sunset of the third day. It was then that she felt something new -- a bitter something that had been bred out of her through seven generations of royal privelige. Loneliness.

She slept restlessly that night, giving in to fears that were previously unable to invade her walled-in mind. She remembered stories from her childhood about bandits who roamed the woods at night, and tales of killer bears who could tear a man to shreds. All those things had seemed fanciful and exciting as a child, but now they became grotesque and disturbing nightmares. As the birds began to sing and the first lights of dawn came up from the horizon, she fell victim to exhaustion and fell asl-

"Hallooo up there!"

Rapunzel allowed herself a brief moment of disbelief before she hauled herself up to the window, exhausted, but relieved at the chance to break the monotony by dishing out a little verbal abuse. Unfortunately, in her state, a sharp "What!?" was all she could muster. The restless night had done no favors for her appearance, either. Her hair was a mess, sticking up in several places, heavy bags drooped below her eyes, and she squinted in the early morning light. My Little Pony pajamas provided curious counterpoint to her disheveled appearance.

"Oh no, I've made a horrible mistake!" The man bellowed. "I was looking for a tower with a young woman inside, but it seems I've stumbled upon the home of a fearsome dragon! Please don't char-broil me with your fearsome fire-breath!"

Rapunzel groaned and rolled her eyes. "Please don't tell me you came all this way just to heckle me..."

"Of course not, don't flatter yourself. Your tower is merely on my regular trade route."

"And in what wares, pray tell, do you trade? Asinine remarks and snarky comebacks?"

"It's a pity I don't, I could keep quite well stocked by coming back here once a fortnight."

"Hah. You're funny." Rapunzel let out a loud yawn, then looked down at the man again. I'd love to continue this little conversation, but I desperately need some sleep."

"Ah, so you've got the whole sleeping beauty bit going on, too?"

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. "You're an asshole."

"And you're a crazy woman who's locked herself up in a tower." With that, the man smiled sarcastically and drove his cart off towards the castle.