Chapter Text
“Don’t you dare drop me!” Sabrina screamed at Puck as they flew through the air at top speed. She was uncomfortably aware of their bodies pressing together, but she shook that thought off. It was Puck! And they were chasing a dangerous criminal who had just stolen some precious artifact from the place in Faerie.
“There!” She yelled, and they dove toward the ground. They landed just in time to see a man’s cloak swish around the corner of the building ahead. Puck set her down.
“Come on, Grim!” he yelled as he took off. She rolled her eyes, and they ran after the cloaked man.
“Go that way!” Puck gestured to a side street, and Sabrina understood the plan. They were going to corner him. After turning the corner, Sabrina was running out of energy. She couldn't keep running at top speed for long. Suddenly, Sabrina came face to face with the cloaked man. He looked surprised for a moment, then grinned.
“I should have known!” He laughed, and looked back at Puck, who was just catching up to them. “He’d never leave you behind!” Sabrina scowled. Puck wouldn’t think twice about leaving her in the middle of the street or even dropping her in a swamp! Sure, he had grown up a lot after the Everafter War. He had spent three years traveling with Uncle Jake, but a year ago he had come back and decided to stay with the Grimms. He and Sabrina had settled right back into their routine of pranking, screaming, and arguing.
But that was fine. It’s not like she cared about a stuck up, stupid, ugly Faerie prince. Except.. Well, he wasn’t ugly anymore. He had grown up. He was a sixteen year old teenager, like her. And Sabrina still hadn't forgotten about her little crush on him from when she was twelve. But she had been TWELVE. That had been years ago. Why was she thinking about this now!?
Suddenly, Sabrina realized she had been staring at Puck, who had silently flown up behind the cloaked man. He raised an eyebrow. Shit. She looked away, back at the cloaked man, who was watching them with an all-knowing smile.
“Oh, young love!” He proclaimed. “How romantic!” Sabrina and Puck both glared at him, and the smile snapped off his face.
“So you’ll be wanting that ring back, I presume?” Sabrina was startled. He was going to make it that easy?
“Yes,” Puck said. “We want it back, and we'll take it if you won’t give it to us!”
“Well then,” The man started. “I guess you’ll have to go find it!” He brought a small, tarnished brass ring out of his jacket pocket and held it up. Puck was about to lunge for it, but he collapsed.
“Puck!” Sabrina yelled, running over to him. But before she could figure out what had happened, her vision went black and she felt herself fall before going weightless.
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“Where… from?”
“Just… appeared… nowhere…”
“Girl...Clothes…”
“Prince Robin…?”
Sabrina woke to snatches of conversation. The only thing she was aware of was the intense pain in her skull. She groaned and rolled over, clutching her head. She had the worst headache of her life. Suddenly, the voices stopped. She opened her eyes, and saw Puck’s still form lying next to her.
“Puck!” She yelled. What had just happened? She tried to remember. The cloaked man! Where was he! She looked around and realized with a start that she didn’t recognize the street they were in. It looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place it. She didn’t recognize the people around them either. They were staring at her and Puck with wide eyes and whispering to each other.
“Puck!” She said again, shaking him. “Wake up! Come on!” His eyes fluttered, and he groaned and clutched his head, just as she had done a few minutes before.
“Puck,” She said urgently. “What do you remember? Do you know how we got here?”
“We were chasing the cloaked man… And I passed out?” He asked.
“Yeah,” answered Sabrina. “And I ran over to you, but then I passed out too.” Puck was about to say something back, but one of the people around them started to talk.
“Excuse me?” A woman wearing a long, old fashioned looking dress took a step toward them. “Are you Prince Robin?” Puck flinched at the name, but replied.
“Yes. Where are we?”
“You're a few blocks from the palace, your highness.” All the townsfolk around them immediately bent into curtseys and bows, and Sabrina gaped. Puck, being treated like royalty? He was royalty, but he sure didn’t act like it. Sabrina often forgot that he was actually the crown Prince of Faerie.
“Take us to the palace at once!” Puck commanded, and Sabrina elbowed him.
“Don’t be rude! They’re trying to help us!” Puck grinned at her.
“But I’m the prince! So I get to order people around! We have to see my mother. She might know what just happened to us.”
Then Sabrina noticed all the weird looks she was getting from the townspeople. She looked down at herself, and realised they were looking at her clothes. She was just wearing ripped jeans and a cropped t-shirt. What was wrong with that? But then she looked back at the people surrounding them. Women with floor length, puff-sleeved dresses. Men with suspenders, vests, and small, weird-looking ties. Cravats, she thought they were called. With a sinking heart, Sabrina looked to Puck.
“Puck…” she started, and he looked over immediately, hearing the panic in her voice. “I think… I think we’re in the past.” Confusion bloomed on Pucks face as he looked around.
“How is that possible?”
“I don’t know!” Sabrina exclaimed. “But look around. Look at their clothes!” Puck, almost as if noticing the other people for the first time, looked around. He seemed to come to the same conclusion as Sabrina. The strange clothes, the familiar yet different streets.
“What year is it?” Sabrina asked a woman standing near her. She looked surprised at the question, or maybe that Sabrina was speaking to her, but still answered.
“It’s 1822 in the human world.” Sabrina and Puck stared at each other. How had this happened?! They needed to go back!
“The ring!” they said at the same time. Queen Titania had not told them what it was that was stolen, only that it was a magical artifact and they needed to get it back. The Grimms had been visiting Faerie with Puck, and he and Sabrina had been the only ones around when the alarms had sounded. It had taken too long to organise the palace guards, so everyone was supposed to catch up to Puck and Sabrina while they went first.
“Do you think they’re okay?” Sabrina was the first to voice their thoughts. “The others were supposed to be right behind us, do you think he got them too? What if Daphne and Red are here!” Her voice was getting hysterical. “How do we get back?! How do we tell them where we are?! What if--” Puck cut her off, and put his hands on her shoulders. Her breath caught as he looked into her eyes. His were so green..
“Look at me. We will get back. And we will find out if anyone else is here. Remember, most magical artifacts like that have a limit, and he blasted us both back in time pretty far. He probably can’t do that to anyone else, anytime soon.” Sabrina gulped, already regretting her outburst. She knew he was right, not that she would admit it.
“How do you know that much about magical artifacts, Faerie boy?” She fake-gasped. “Are you a magic nerd?” Puck looked at her indignantly.
“Of course not! The Trickster King is not a nerd . I just spent three years traveling with Jake!” Sabrina ignored him.
“Did you read books about magic? Is that what you spent three years doing?”
“My allergies!” Puck cried. “You forget my allergies! I would never get within ten feet of a book, magic or otherwise!” Sabrina gave him a disbelieving look, and he made a face at her.
Puck stood up abruptly, pulling Sabrina up too after grabbing her hand, and she remembered that they were surrounded by people.
“To the palace!” He demanded, and people scurried to lead them. Before they had gotten far, a woman ran up to Sabrina, holding out a long jacket.
“Here, put this on, to… cover up.” Sabrina looked at her, confused.
“Why?”
“Well… to… to..” The woman stuttered. She didn’t know what to make of this confident young woman wearing half a shirt and tight trousers while walking around with the prince. Sabrina looked over and saw Puck next to her silently laughing.
“Shut up!” She said, elbowing him in the ribs. “What’s so funny?” Puck grinned at her, and replied.
“It’s just… The 1800s. To them, it’s scandalous that you're wearing pants in the first place. And your pants are tight and you have your stomach out. That’s as good as underwear to them!” Puck broke down laughing again.
“Puck!” Sabrina groaned as she accepted the jacket from the woman. “It doesn't look like I’m only wearing underwear!” Puck raised an eyebrow suggestively, and Sabrina looked away, blushing. The woman had looked scandalized at the blatant mention of underwear and scurried away.
“Oops,” Sabrina mumbled under her breath. “Looks like I’m being inappropriate.” Looking around at the long, modest dresses, Sabrina realized Puck was probably right. But again, she wasn’t going to admit that to him! She cleared her throat, and looked back to Puck. She realized he was looking at her with a small smile on his face. As soon as he noticed her looking at him, it cleared.
“Sooooo,” Sabrina started. “What are we going to say to your mom?”
“Well,” said Puck. “I guess we just explain what happened. And see if she knows how to get us back.” Suddenly, Sabrina had a crazy idea.
“What if you’re here?” She whispered urgently. “If we came back in time, you should be here too!” Puck shook his head.
“I shouldn’t be here. In 1822, I was still avoiding all my duties as prince. I had left Faerie for about ten years. We shouldn’t see me. And anyway, wouldn’t you love it if there were more of me?” He gave her a flirtatious grin and wink, and Sabrina looked away. Why did he have to be so infuriating?
“So that’s it? We ask your mom for help, and she believes us?” Puck considered.
“Well... I wouldn’t believe us.” He thought for a moment. “So I guess I’ll just pretend to be my past self, and make up a story for why you’re with me. Then we can figure out what to do, after we’re settled in the palace.” Sabrina was suspicious. She knew how it usually turned out when Puck made up stories, but she didn’t really have a choice. She had realised that past Titania didn’t know who she was, and had no reason to help her. All she could do was hope Puck knew what he was doing.
After only a few blocks, the palace rose up in front of them. Sabrina gasped. She had thought the present day palace was beautiful, but this was on a whole new level.
The ivory towers all gleamed in the sunlight as they reached for the sky. The walls were covered in vines blooming with hundreds of delicate flowers. The gates were made of freshly polished wood, and carved with intricate, swirling patterns of trees and flowers. It was the most beautiful building she had ever seen. She looked over to Puck to see if he was in as much awe as she was. But, she was surprised to see he was glaring at the palace.
“Puck?” She asked, and his face cleared. “Why are you glaring at the palace? It’s so beautiful!” His face darkened again.
“Most of it’s a glamour. And anyway, it’s less of a palace and more of a prison.” Sabrina didn’t know what he meant, but then she remembered the brief time they had spent together in Faerie about four years ago.
Puck had been injured by the Jaberwock, and the only way to save him had been to bring him to Faerie. When they were there, Sabrina had learned all about how his parents, especially his father, King Oberon, had treated him. His dad had even banished him from Faerie! That was why he had gone to Ferryport Landing in the first place! But, soon after the Grimms had arrived in Faerie with Puck, King Oberon had been poisoned and killed. Sabrina’s eyes widened. Oberon! If they were in the past, then he would still be alive!
Sabrina turned to Puck so that she could tell him what she had realized, but it was too late. They had already passed through the palace gates and were entering the throne room. So, Sabrina did the only thing she could think of to give Puck any warning.
Sabrina kicked Puck hard in the ankle, and they both went sprawling over each other. Sabrina’s coat flew half open as she landed halfway on top of Puck.
“Grimm!” He whispered angrily. “What was that-” she put a finger to her lips.
“Oberon will be here,” She whispered, and his face whitened. That was when they heard a booming voice coming from the other side of the room.
“What is the meaning of this?” King Oberon yelled from his throne. They silently scrambled to brush themselves off and stood to face him. Sabrina glanced at the doors behind them and saw they were alone. None of the townspeople had followed them into the throne room.
“Puck?” The queen exclaimed as she saw her son’s face. “Puck!” Queen Titania jumped off her throne and ran over to envelope Puck in an embrace. “We haven’t seen you in ten years! And you’ve aged?” She looked over at Sabrina, suspicion etched in her face. “Why?” Sabrina mentally face palmed. Why had she forgotten about Puck’s aging? Now that she thought about it, she didn’t actually know why Puck had decided to age, but in the 1800s he had definitely been a twelve year old prankster. Not a sixteen year old hottie.
Sabrina’s face immediately reddened at the thought of Puck being hot, but Titainia seemed to think that Sabrina was blushing because of her words. Her eyes widened.
“Who is she?” She demanded. “Is she the reason you’ve been gone all these years? Did you marry her?” She grabbed Sabrina’s hand, presumably looking for a ring. Sabrina immediately snatched her hand away.
“Of course not!” She yelled indignantly. ‘Why would I marry him?” Titania looked her up and down.
“Why would he marry you?” She walked around Sabrina, and seemed to realize she wasn't wearing that much, at least by 1800s standards. “My son would never stoop so low as to marry a prostitute…'' For a moment, Sabrina was speechless. Titania thought she was a prostitute?!
“Now listen right here-” Sabrina started, but Puck stepped in front of her before she could start cursing out his mother.
“Sabrina is not a prostitute. We are not married. She is my friend , and she will be treated as such.” Puck commanded. Sabrina was stunned at the cold fury in his voice. Why was he so angry? Titania paused to look at her son, really look at him, and she seemed surprised at what she saw there. So, she gave Sabrina one last searching glance and walked back up to her throne, next to which Oberon was waiting.
Puck turned his eyes to his father’s cold gaze, and took a deep breath.
“Father,” He started. “We’re here to beg for your hospitality. I know that I left without any explanation a few years ago. I’m sorry and I deeply regret it.” He took a breath. Sabrina had never heard Puck apologize before, but she knew him well enough to tell he was not being sincere. She could see through his armour, and could tell that he was terrified to be facing his father.
“We don’t have anywhere else to go. And we don’t have to stay for long. Just for a few nights.” He turned his imploring eyes up to his father, and Oberon… Oberon laughed. Sabrina and Puck exchanged a glance. She could see the fear and confusion in Puck’s eyes. He knew how to act around an angry Oberon, but a laughing one? He had no clue.
“Son, you have become such a good actor. Shakespeare would have been proud!” Puck stood there, silent. Oberon took his silence for guilt.
“I am the King of Faerie, Robin! I know lies when I hear them! Even though you have lied to me, I am happy to see that you have returned and decided to grow up.” Puck looked up at him, incredulous. Not once in his thousands of years of existence had his father been happy to see him.
“So we can stay?” Puck asked hesitantly.
“Under a few conditions,” Oberon answered. “One: You have to see to your princely duties and learn the ways of ruling Faerie. Two: you must attend a ball. And three,” Oberon gestured to Sabrina. “The two of you must stay in different rooms!”
“We’re not married!” Sabrina and Puck yelled at the same time. Titania smiled. She could see the feelings they had for each other as easily if it had been written on their faces. And even though she knew nothing of this girl, and greatly disapproved of her attire, she couldn’t be half bad if her son was so protective of her.
“I agree to your conditions,” Puck announced. “Now where will we be staying?” Titania called a maid to bring Sabrina to a room in the guest wing, and Oberon said that Puck had to attend a royal meeting immediately.
The last look Sabrina got at Puck before she was whisked away was his emotionless face staring at his father, so far from the Trickster King that Sabrina knew.