[ "What happened" is a perfectly valid question, and Mary's aware that phrasing it the way she had was only going to bring up a question like that in the first place. And she has explained it here, a few times. But Rapunzel doesn't know what she is. She has to tread cautiously here, because maybe to fairy tales like Rapunzel, maybe she's afraid of monsters. She wouldn't blame her.

Also, even with what Malia had told her, about unreasonable promises... she's still ashamed of breaking it, and as Rapunzel lifts her eyes, Mary lowers hers. ]

I was... a lot younger, then. And Mother was asleep when I wanted to show her a picture I made... so I thought, because I hadn't ever been outside, maybe I could just... go out a little, see what grass felt like, how warm the sun would be, and make a flower crown like I'd seen in books. And then I'd come right back in and not go out again. I... just wanted to know.

[ Her fingers twist in her skirt, and she slowly shakes her head. ]

It... really was everything I'd ever wanted. But then... people came. [ Humans. ] They... beat me, hurt me, and they tried to take me away, and when Mother came out to protect me--

[ Mary still remembers it clearly, tucked protectively in her mother's arms, everything seen through a haze of pain and tears... ]

... I lost her.