((Tangled!AU. Nyo!CanadaxAnyone. 2p!America, Britain, or France would be awesome, but anyone's fine!))

Mother said that the outside was dangerous. That the tower was necessary to keep her safe, to hide her from the people who would want to use her hair for greed. But in the books Autumn had read, the characters seemed to thrive off of danger, leaping from one adventure to the next. It wasn't fair, Autumn wanted to feel sand between her toes and lay in the grass, basking in the sun. As a child, Autumn once remarked how she wanted to cut off her hair. Mother hadn't been very happy, and ever since the knives were locked away unless it was dinner time and Mother was home.

Autumn didn't make jokes like that anymore, she didn't like making mother angry. Still, she wanted to go outside. More than anything, she wanted to see the floating lights. The ones that came around once a year, just a few short days after her birthday. One day, Autumn would muster up the courage to ask Mother if they could go see them. Until then, Autumn painted every inch of the tower and practiced throwing forks and pins at invisible enemies and mannequins, enacting her own adventures.

When she turned eighteen, Autumn mustered up the courage to ask. Mother had said no, had said that Autumn couldn't manage in the outside world. Wolves and bears would tear her apart in minutes, she couldn't fend for herself. Then Mother left to get fabrics. Autumn had outgrown her last dress and was stuck in a tunic and trousers, meant for when she would paint and stained accordingly. Autumn would be okay by herself for the week, she had promised. Would watch the lights from the window.

Mother hadn't even been gone a day when someone climbed in through the window. Autumn was quick to sneak behind them, holding a weapon to their throat. "Who are you? Why have you come for me?" Hopefully, they didn't notice the weapon was a fork.