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Chapter Text

It was a lovely night: clouds drifting along an orange sky peacefully, a light breeze blowing in through the windows, and just enough clouds to create a good atmosphere without ruining the picture perfect view above. 

Which was why Darling Charming was so confused about what could possibly be distressing her. 

It had been weeks, weeks , since the Evil Queen had been sealed back up in her mirror, and nothing odd or out of the ordinary had occurred since. In fact, things couldn’t seem to be moving better at Ever After High, life resuming its blissful hum of tediousness. 

Perhaps it was something in the room? But that was impossible. Darling’s room was always cleaned to perfection, courtesy of her cleaning fairies, and Rosabella was the neatest roommate a princess could ask for. The shelves were spotless, the floors swept and mopped, the beds made perfectly. 

Even so, Darling couldn’t stop fidgeting, shifting around every five seconds in her chaise as she tried to focus on the book she was reading. Well, that couldn’t be considered the easiest task either, since the book was a mind-numbingly boring autobiography she had to read for her Damsel in Distressing class. It was an assignment, to “Help you girls get into the mind of a damsel in distress!” Darling couldn’t wait for Maid Marian to get back from her sick leave.

Still, nothing was right. There was something else, something more, weighing on her conscience, pulling at the corners of her attention span. With the knowledge that getting any more work done that night was a foolish hope, Darling snapped the autobiography shut and tossed it listlessly to the side, letting it bounce on the floor. She almost felt bad for it when a savage bolt of delight struck her upon seeing the crumpled pages. That seemed to not be enough, though, as the gnawing feeling in her stomach persisted. 

It would be another few hours until Rosabella returned. She was off protesting for more accessible bird feeders or something along those lines, if Darling was recalling their earlier conversation correctly. 

Pulling out her tank top and leggings, she took a careful glance around the grounds below. Her secret as the White Knight had already been revealed to her friends, but it still felt wrong to go prancing around in non-ladylike attire, her mother’s nagging voice playing on repeat in her head. 

There were only a few people walking around. Justine Dancer and Duchess Swan were chatting over on a bench in one corner of the field, while Ashlynn and Hunter were doing a terrible job of hiding behind a tree while they made out in another. Other than that, the coast was clear, so Darling figured she should be fine as she grabbed onto a vine, tightening her grip in preparation for sliding down it. 

The walk over to the stables was one she could probably do sleeping by now, her feet having memorised the familiar path of dirt as it bent under her boots. Sir Gallopad nuzzled her when she opened up his stable, always happy to see her face. It made Darling chuckle. 

“Don’t draw attention, or I’m gonna get caught,” she whispered to him, even as she laughed as she was nuzzled a second time. 

It didn’t take much to escape the school grounds, sneaking out through the back. People were relaxed, the late spring weather creating a calming afternoon, the setting sun making for the perfect scenery for Darling to ride to as she let the wind blow at her face. 

For a moment, she paused to take it in: the feel of Sir Gallopad’s muscles moving under her legs, carrying her, the orange sky above washing her in a warm glow, the breeze making her eyes water and cheeks burn, the hair whipping against her face as some got caught in her lip gloss. The school year was going to be over soon, and she’d be having to return home for the summer. Summer breaks only lasted four weeks at Ever After High, spanning from mid-July to mid-August, not much of a break at all, but it still weighed on Darling. She was so free right now, and who knew what would happen if she went home? The last time she’d seen her mother, things had seemed to get better, but as for her father, well…. 

Whatever. It wasn’t something that needed to be worried over at the moment. What was more important was thinking of the wind blowing over her face, her arms, her legs. Wherever the sun hit her tingled with a little bit of warmth, a short relief from the wind caused by the momentum of Sir Gallopad’s galloping. 

They finally came to a stop in a little cove that Maid Marian had shown Darling a while back, a surprise from the kind teacher. Darling really never would be able to repay all that she’d done for her. 

“Man, I’m exhausted. What about you, Sir Gallopad?” she asked, laughing at the huff the horse let out as he bent his legs to sit next to her. She leaned her head on his side, her hair tousled from the ride, eyes watery and tears burning from the wind, with a smile stretching her mouth to the point it hurt. “Yeah, me too. This seemed to distract me from whatever was bothering me, though.” 

Was it possible for horses to side-eye people? Darling hadn’t thought it was, but this was Ever After. Who knew? 

“I really do need to figure that situation out. I mean, how can I solve my problems if I don’t even know what they are?” The horse huffed again, looking out at the sunset with her. It made Darling smile. 

“Well, whatever it is, I’m gonna be just fine.” Gallopad looked over at her. “After all, I have you. As long as we stick together, I know we’ll be fine.” 

The two turned back to the sunset, the view from the cove always gorgeous since it peered out onto a small pond not even Headmaster Grimm knew about. 

Yeah, she was gonna be just fine.

*

The return to her room after was always bittersweet as she said goodbye to him, kissing his nose before crawling up the vines to her room. Rosabella was there when she got back, snoring loudly in her sleep. She still had her clothes from that morning on. Darling sighed. Rosabella’s days were always exhausting, and even though Darling didn’t participate in half as much as Rosabella did, she felt for the girl. Pulling the covers over her roommate, and slipping into her own nightgown, Darling slipped into bed and let her mind get carried away in its dreams. 

Tonight was a strange one, more a blur of things than one solid presence of plot. There were blue eyes, but not ones that belonged to her family. These weren’t the sharp, piercing blue of the Charming clan, no, they were soft, and round, almost familiar.

The eyes disappeared, and were replaced with a sensation. Lips. Soft, delicate, perfect lips pressed against her own, making room for her. A gasp. 

Shooting up, Darling realised she had been the one who had gasped. But what was that dream all about, seriously? She’d never even kissed anyone…. 

Okay, well that was a bit of a lie. But that kiss hadn’t been real, and even if it had, it was all in the past now. Darling knew perfectly well where she stood with that whole situation. 

Still, it wasn’t sitting right with her. 

Probably just hormones or something . Darling grumbled to herself, angrily yanking her brush through her hair, all her usual grace gone. Across the room, Rosabella stirred awake, stretching slowly with all the natural grace of a princess. She may have been the hero in her story, but she would never get rid of the fact that she was a princess too. 

“Did something happen yesterday?” A voice calls from across the room, stilling Darling’s hand from its murderous rampage through her hair. 

“Huh?” 

“Oh, you just… you seem like something’s bothering you.” Rosabella’s voice was as soft as always, ever understanding, which was pissing Darling off even more for some reason. But she got control of herself, reeling in her emotions the way she’d been trained to. 

“Yes, everything’s fine. Sorry to worry you. I must have just woken up on a pea,” she replied, letting out her practised giggle with a hand covering her mouth so as to maintain a semblance of composure. Rosabella didn’t respond for a few seconds, making Darling sweat under her nightgown. She didn’t know why, but the thought of confiding in Rosabella about her current predicament just seemed so… wrong . What was going on with her? 

“If you say so,” Rosabella sighed, hopping out of bed and changing quickly. She was so quick at those things, always in a rush to start her day of protesting for rights. Whose rights was she protesting for? Only she knew that. It changed daily. 

Darling finished up her routine, just finishing pinning her tiara up when Rosabella left without another word. Great, now she had another problem on her hands. How was she going to fix this?

Exiting into the hallway, Darling took a deep breath to brace herself. Sure enough, when she exited a bouquet was shoved into her hands, the culprit running off without a word. 

She dumped them in the nearest trash. They weren’t deserving of her room. After all, why should she reward cowardice like that? At least propose before you run off, geez. 

“If I was dating someone, this whole affair would be ended so quickly, wouldn’t it,” she muttered to herself bitterly, before stopping in the middle of the hall, making the person behind her run right into her back, because what did she just say? Date someone? Her? Darling Charming? When had she started thinking like that ? 

Twirling her fingers together, she felt a bead of sweat run down her neck. It was most unbecoming of a princess. 

That was just a split second thought, though, right? Yeah, just a passing thought, it happened to everyone. 

But then Darling thought back to last night, and how she’d been watching Ashlynn and Hunter. She thought back to last night, and the dream of a stranger’s soft lips pressed against her own. She thought of this morning, and her odd reluctance to talk about her issues to Rosabella. 

No. 

It couldn’t be. 

She, Darling Charming, youngest and only daughter of the Charming family, princess, damsel-in-distress to be, was… lonely? 

“Hey, are you okay?” a voice called behind her. Snapping out of her daze, Darling turned to see none other than Raven Queen looking back at her. 

Raven was a bit of a special case to Darling. Under normal circumstances, the two wouldn’t talk at all, much less check up on one another’s well being. But Raven was a bit of a special case. She’d rebelled against her destiny, something people hadn’t even known could be done, and was re-writing her destiny. 

That wasn’t the reason Darling was trying to be more friendly with her lately, though. Dexter had a crush on Raven, so Darling figured she could help him out with that if she got to know the object of his affections better. It wasn’t difficult. Raven was nice, and sociable, so getting close to her was a piece of cake. And she really was a sweet girl. Darling could only hope Dexter would find a way to win her over, because the thought of Raven becoming a part of her family really was an appealing one. 

“Huh? Of course, why?” Darling asked, a little taken off guard. 

“I just… ran into you?” Raven raised an eyebrow, but there was only light amusement in her expression. It was another reason Darling was so fond of Raven. That was the expression that met her whenever she acted odd, instead of the barely-concealed judgement of all her other ‘friends.’ 

“Oh, don’t worry about it! My dress is made of a very thick fabric, so I didn’t feel anything.” That was a lie. 

“Wouldn’t you get hot in that though?” Raven asked. Well I wasn’t before, but now… Darling thought, feeling a bead of sweat roll down her back. 

“I get cold easily, actually, so all my dresses are made of a thick material to help with my… delicate… constitution?” If she focused hard enough, Darling could almost see another version of her burying herself deeper with every word that came out of her mouth, like they were shovels of dirt piling on top of her head. 

“Huh, I never knew that was a thing with you. I know! I’ll find somewhere warm to hang out from now on. My usual spots can be a little chilly, can’t they?” Raven really was too sweet for her own good. It was impossible to hide a smile at her thoughtfulness, even if the thoughtfulness in question was based on a lie. It wasn’t like Darling never stretched the truth before, though. 

“I would enjoy that.” A bell chiming overhead had them looking up from their conversation. 

“Awe man, I’ve gotta get to Poison Making 101! Spell ya later, Darling!” Raven called, sprinting off down the hall. Darling waved after her, not bothering to shout. A princess never did. 

She ended up taking her time getting to class. Being late wasn’t really a concept in princess classes. You were almost expected to be fashionably late, in fact, and very few people showed up on time due to the rigorous grooming habits the majority of the class kept, Darling being one of them, even though that wasn’t her reason for being late this time. Plus, if being late were punished, many of the princesses would need to run to be on time for class, and that was unacceptable. 

Gliding in, Darling scanned the room to see who had shown up. It was always an unspoken competition to see who could get there in the perfect amount of lateness. Not the last person to show up, since that would seem negligent and tardy, and not the first, as being overly enthusiastic was a big negative in the life of a princess. 

About half the class was there. Good. That secured her place of polite lateness. 

Although she could technically sit anywhere, there was never a change in the configuration students sat in, and Darling’s place was always firmly in the far back corner, right next to the window. It let her look out at the Hero Training class without being caught. Not to ogle, but to observe the techniques being taught there. 

Maybe she should be ogling, though? After all, if she was right about being lonely, then where would be a better place to find a partner than Hero Training? All the best boys in the school were situated there. 

“Good morning everyone!” a honey-sweet voice chirped, drawing Darling’s eyes away from the window. 

Apple was as beautiful as ever, gliding effortlessly into the room as she waved at all their classmates. Everyone raised a polite hand in turn, except Duchess, but that was to be expected. The future swan wasn’t a fan of anyone in the class. 

Darling studied her for a second. The way she held herself; back tall and proud; her eyes, twinkling softly from the light outside; her hair, gentle waves caressing her face, and finally, her lips, barely curled in a cute smile that was just natural enough to be sincere and just reserved enough to be appropriate. 

Walking to the front of the class, Apple took her rightful place, front and centre. Darling let a quiet sigh escape her as she turned to look back out the window, legs already growing numb from the chaise she was perched on. She couldn’t be any further from Apple in the way they approached being a princess. Things were the way they should be. Apple, front and centre, and Darling on the sidelines. 

Something twinged, the same feeling from last night. Darling focused, tried to hone in on what it could be. Was it really loneliness? Then why did it feel like- 

“Good morning Class,” Snow White chirped, voice clear and twinkling. It was amazing, really, how Apple’s spine could somehow shoot even straighter when her mother walked in. Snow White had stayed around after the Evil Queen incident to ensure that everything was running smoothly, and when she heard about Maid Marian falling ill she was only too happy to relieve the woman of her teaching post temporarily, no doubt to try and correct whatever she thought Maid Marian had taught them. 

Darling had never hated Damsel in Distressing class so much. 

“Today, we will all be going around and sharing our thoughts on the charmwork you were all assigned. Does everyone have their readings?” The way she phrased it made it clear there was no question being asked. 

Shaking a little, Darling pulled out the book. That’s right, she hadn’t finished it last night. Not to mention… 

“Ms. Charming! What on earth happened to your book?” Snow White sounded scandalised, making Darling cringe. She wasn’t wrong to be, though. The books were paperbacks, so when Darling had thrown it last night, it wasn’t just the pages that had been crumpled. Still, she had to think of some excuse! The truth was, of course, absolutely off the table. 

“Oh no, did Sir Gallopad do that?” a honey-sweet voice asked, straining with sympathy. Darling’s head darted up, her eyes meeting pillow-soft blue ones when she looked up as Apple smiled at her, sympathy leaking from every pore. There was no way Darling was gonna let this chance go to waste! 

“Yes! Wh-why in fact, he did. He’s so sweet, but he can be a bit clumsy at times. It’s not his fault, what with him being unable to know better.” She turned to Snow White and bowed her head, making sure to let the shame show. “I’m so sorry, Ms. White. I should have trained him better. It’s unacceptable for me to show up with my belongings in such disarray, and certainly unbecoming of a princess.” 

Snow White seemed shocked at the amount of apologetic Darling was, but that was all acting. It didn’t hurt to turn up the waterworks every now and then, though. Plus, Apple had put herself on the line with her mom. That was no everyday occurrence. 

Sighing, Snow White smiled. “Well, I suppose as long as you know the material, that’s all that matters. But this will not be happening again, am I understood, Ms. Charming?” 

“Of course!” Darling replied, nodding. She couldn’t believe that she’d actually gotten away with that! 

It wasn’t thanks to any cunning of hers, though. Turning, Darling looked over to thank Apple- 

-but she was facing the board.

Right. Apple had only done that to save face for the class. After all, it probably wouldn’t reflect well on her if one of her classmates came in with their stuff all torn up. What sort of impression would that make on her mom? 

Yeah, Darling could understand that. It didn’t help quell the sting at knowing it was all for her mom, though. As if Darling was just another one of the others. 

But she was. To Apple, she was just another one of the many citizens she’d be ruling over one day when Apple finally married Daring and got that Happily Ever After she was always ranting about. 

I really need to find someone , Darling sighed to herself, flipping open her book as Snow White started their lesson.

The class droned on, each of the girls saying their part on what their thoughts were about the maiden in the book. Darling paid close attention, trying to figure out how the story ended from the summaries of her classmates. From what she gathered, it was a picture-perfect ending. Same as always. 

“Ms. Charming, your turn.” 

“I think that the maiden in this beautiful autobiography helps us all realise what it truly means to be a Damsel in Distress, and her enthralling story can keep us maidens captivated while acting as a guide on how we should act when our time finally comes to be rescued ourselves.” Stuff like this was so easy. Darling didn’t even have to read the book and half the class was in tears from her summary. 

All except one. 

Apple was facing forward, head buried in her own book, which was very heavily annotated. Tabs stuck out of almost every page, with multi coloured highlights on every page. Darling wondered what they meant. 

“Excellent work, Ms. Charming. Next!”

*

“Are you even listening?” A hand waved in front of Darling’s face, making her jump. “What’s up with you? You’ve been acting all weird.” 

“Sorry, guess I’ve just been busy.” Darling couldn’t believe she was lying to her own brother, but what was she supposed to say? ‘Oh hi, I’ve realised that I’m lonely and in need of someone to date, do you have any recommendations?’ That’s completely ridiculous! 

“Yeah right, what’s really going on?” Darling shrugged in response, and Dexter sighed, knowing from experience that she wasn’t gonna talk like this. 

“Oh, yeah, I saw Raven today!” Darling realised, changing the topic. 

“Really?” This approach always worked. The second Raven was mentioned, Dexter was practically an over-excited puppy. He could go on about her for hours. And he had. Several times. 

“Mhm. She ran into me in the halls.” Darling conveniently forgot to mention that she meant that literally. “We made plans to hang out soon!” 

“That’s great!” Since Darling was the only member of their family who knew about Dexter’s crush on Raven, he was always extra excited when he heard that they were getting along. He didn’t say so, but Darling knew it was because he was hoping that could be everyone’s reaction to them. 

Even though both of them knew that wasn’t true. 

“Y’know, you should ask her to hang out sometime,” Darling mentioned casually, grinning at the way Dexter’s face flushed when she said that. “C’mon, I think you have a real shot here!” 

“No-not yet! More preparation needs to be done! The groundwork hasn’t been all laid out yet!” Dexter protested. 

“You’re treating this like one of your video games…” Darling mumbled. Well, strategising had been the only way to calm Dexter down as a child. That must have stuck with him to now. “Still, you should make a move sooner rather than later. You know what they say: if you don’t, someone else will.” 

“Take your own advice,” Dexter grumbled. 

“Hah! Who would I even ask out?” Darling chuckled, raising a hand to her mouth to stifle it. She stopped, though, when Dexter looked over at her. It was only for a second, but it felt like the piercing blue of his eyes could be seen through his glasses for once as he looked at her, like he was waiting for her to be in on some secret joke he kept. “Dex…” 

“Forget I said anything,” Dexter sighed, standing up. He offered his hand. “I’m gonna head back in. Wanna come with? We can go meet up with Daring (although I can’t guarantee he won’t still be hanging out with Apple.)” 

“Actually, I think I’ll stay up here for a little while longer. Thanks for the offer, though. Really,” Darling said, pulling Dexter into a quick hug. He ruffled her hair gently before walking off the roof and back inside the comfort of the school. 

They always came to this spot to hang out. Dexter told Darling once about how he’d met up with Raven here, refusing to meet her eyes like he was feeling guilty about it. Well, he had been. He thought she’d be mad at him for bringing someone else to their secret hideout spot, but Darling honestly loved the thought of Raven joining in on their secret. 

This corner of the school was usually off-limits for students, due to the safety risks that the lack of a railing could cause, but Darling and Dexter had found it at the beginning of the year and had been coming here to talk ever since. It was nice, since it was a guarantee that no one could find out about their secrets. And boy did they have some big secrets to be found out.

Dexter was so quiet, it was hard for a lot of people to understand what was going on in his head. Ever since they were children he’d been that way, always preferring a book to other people. Burying himself in adventure was a nice way for him to block out the world. Darling understood. She did the same thing. 

Still, a lifetime of knowing another person can do a lot to your relationship with them, and Darling knew how to easily read Dexter by now. He would never admit it out loud, but he was terrified of other people finding out about his crush on Raven. Especially Raven. 

There was more to it than just your average teen angst, too. He was already the disappointment of the family by just being the second born son. Everything he did wasn’t good enough as it was. But if he told their parents about liking Raven, well, that’d be it. He would solidify his fate as the one who was never good enough. It would just be made worse by Daring going out with Apple. The two were everything a fairytale could be, and their parents had been thrilled when Daring introduced Apple for the first time. But if Dexter really did succeed with Raven, well, that would never happen. That could never happen. 

Daring and Apple, everything perfect. If mom and dad knew the whole story, what would they… Darling shook her head. What was she doing? Daring was her brother, she couldn’t sabotage him like that. 

Still, she couldn’t help but think over Dexter’s words from earlier. Take your own advice . About what, though? And why did he keep looking at her like she was some child who didn’t understand what was going on? 

Why did she feel like a child who didn’t understand what was going on? 

“What a confusing day,” Darling sighed, flopping back on the bench to watch the sunset.            

Chapter Text

The Charming family was perfect. As much as that may sound like useless bragging, it really wasn’t. With two loving parents who were still as beautiful as the day they’d met, and three children who got along much better than the average trio. When you looked up what the definition of perfect meant, the Charming family was what you would see. 

But something was off lately. 

Dexter was the exception to so many of his family’s rules, having proved himself imperfect many times over. His parents offered reassurance that it was just because he was second best, but really, he could brush it off easier than most thought. When you live your whole life in a state of constantly disappointing others, you get used to it. 

This state of invisibility came with a nice side effect though. Whenever something was bothering his siblings, he was the first to know. He was also the only person in their family who tried to empathise with the other members of it, but that's another story.

His conversation on the roof with Darling had confirmed his suspicions about her. Yes, it was true. After all these years of hating the idea of romance totally and completely, his little sister had a crush. 

Of all the developments, this was definitely one he hadn’t thought could actually happen. And Darling was clearly in denial about the whole situation, which wasn’t helping things. She was probably focusing on some obscure unimportant detail to distract herself from the truth like she always did when things weren’t going her way. So that took care of her side of things. 

Daring’s issues were a little more… complicated. To figure out the mind of Daring Charming, one must first approach it from his point of view. AKA one must compliment him as much as possible while extracting information. 

At least this time, the source of his issues was easy to pinpoint. Mainly because he wouldn’t. Stop. Talking. About. It. 

“I mean, of all the people in the world to fail at their destiny, how could it be me? Me? The most perfect Charming prince to have been born to our family?” Daring would sound so much more egotistical if the things he said weren’t true. 

But really, Dexter was going insane! How many times could one person talk about how they’ve failed their destiny? Not to mention that Daring hadn’t actually failed anything! He just mistook his destiny as something it wasn’t, and things didn’t work out. Was that really so awful?

There was more to it than that, which Dexter knew, and kept having to remind himself that he knew, because if he didn’t he would never look at his brother again. But it was getting more and more difficult to feel sympathy for the guy every girl was still fawning over, and every guy still wanted to be. 

“You’re still the epitome of the perfect prince, Daring,” Dexter reassured him, even though he knew his word didn’t count for much. What other options did he have, though? Royals like them couldn’t use magic, and even if he could fix it that way, it would be heavily frowned upon. Comfort was all he had. 

“But what good is it if I can’t use my gifts for the sake of my story?” At this, Daring began sobbing. Well, sobbing was really the wrong word. There was water coming out of his eyes, but no runny nose or ugly crying face to accompany it. When they were little, all the Charming siblings had to attend crying classes to perfect the face Daring was making right now, so they could keep their looks even while in distress. Dexter was the only one who hadn’t managed to get the hang of it. 

“Maybe you could, I dunno, use them for another story?” The second it came out of his mouth, Dexter knew it was the wrong thing to say. To even insinuate that his brother had been wrong about his destiny? That was a definite no. 

“But being Apple’s rescuer was always what I was meant to be….” He sounded so defeated. It made Dexter’s chest ache with sympathy. 

Daring was a bit eccentric, yes, but he had been genuinely excited at the prospect of being a Prince Charming. Unlike Dexter, he fit the role he was born to play perfectly, and he’d been all too happy to accept it. This recent development had shocked everyone, not just Daring. 

“Maybe Apple will get poisoned a second time? You never know!” That wouldn’t happen, Dexter knew it wouldn’t. The only way it could was if… 

“You mean, if Raven finally accepted her destiny and poisoned Apple?” Uh oh. Oh, what had Dexter just done? 

“Or if Faybelle poisoned her or something, it wouldn’t necessarily have to be-” 

“Why, you’re a genius brother! Yes, that’s it. I’ll make Raven fall for me with my abilities of seduction, and convince her to follow her destiny! For my sake!” Dexter felt a chill run down his spine at the thought, and a surprisingly violent wave of protectiveness came over him, one he didn’t know he was capable of possessing. “Oh, chin up brother! If the maiden chooses it of her free will, there’s nothing un-Charming about wooing her now is there?” 

But this wouldn’t be her free will, it would be manipulating her , Dexter wanted to scream. He couldn’t do that, though. It would just make a scene, and probably cause a rift between Daring and him that he didn’t need right now. 

Darling’s voice rang in his head. If you don’t, someone else will . Never in a million years had Dexter thought that this would be the situation where that rang true, though. 

“If that’s what you want, then…” What was he saying? How could he let this happen, and right when he was starting to be real friends with Raven? Everything was crumbling around him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. 

As if on cue, Raven walked into the Castleteria, hair a little mussed. Dexter’s eyes shot over to her on instinct, refusing to leave her even when he told them to. She was just so beautiful. 

Purple eyes scanned the Castleteria, lighting up when she saw Maddie Hatter dining with her mouse, although Dexter wasn’t sure if that was the right word for her somehow sitting upside down while sipping tea and excitedly waving Raven over. Her feet moved so smoothly, with such self-assurance. It was mesmerising. Dexter often wondered how the entire school didn’t have a crush on her. 

But he was right about staring being a bad idea, remembering the way Darling had noticed him, and quickly turned around to explain his actions. His words died in his throat, though, when he noticed the way Daring was eyeing up Raven. 

He’d seen that look on his brother’s face before. When he first met Apple, all the way back in preschool, when he made that bet with Sparrow Hood on if he could get a date with Lizzie Hearts, when he asked Cerise Hood if she was free on the weekend and wanted to go to the movies with him.

It was the face he made when he was about to dupe a girl. 

Well, okay, dupe was a bit mean. It wasn’t like Daring was ever intentionally cruel or anything. He just didn’t seem to register that the girls he went out with got a lot more emotionally invested in the relationship than he did. 

Raven was smiling as she sat down next to Maddie, the teal-haired girl whispering something in her ear that made her chuckle. She didn’t seem to have noticed the two Charming brothers staring at her. What a relief. Dexter always felt like he could die on the spot when she looked at him. 

As if on cue, Apple walked in right behind her. No one could miss her when she walked in a room. Although Raven had only gathered a couple turned heads, and a few people moving tables when she sat down to back away from her, Apple walking in elicited an audible gasp from the Castleteria. All eyes were on her as she walked over to Raven, saying something that made the girl’s face drop. Dexter felt his hands clench under the table, his shoulders tensing at the frown on Raven’s face as she began angrily shovelling food in her mouth. Just what had Apple said? 

It wasn’t of much consequence to him, though, since Apple came and sat herself right next to Daring, kissing him lightly on the cheek before nibbling at her food. 

“Hello Daring,” she cooed after kissing him. Turning, she nodded politely. “Dexter.” 

The two didn’t have a bad relationship, per se, but they weren’t exactly on the friendliest of terms. Polite acquaintances was probably the best way to describe them. After all, they weren’t allowed to hate each other. Not when Apple and Daring had been dating for years. 

“Apple,” Dexter replied, looking down at his food as he quickly finished it, trying to ignore the way his stomach was churning. Of course he was the only Charming with digestion issues. 

“Today has just been so fairest, wouldn’t you agree honey?” Apple started. Dexter immediately tuned the two out, not needing to hear this. Daring and Apple may have been the envy of the school, but if Dexter could live a thousand lifetimes without hearing their stupid petnames for each other again, he wouldn’t hesitate to do it. 

And since Apple had joined their table, this meant all the other Royals had joined as well. This also meant the happy couples had joined them, practically sitting in each other’s laps. It was making Dexter nauseous. 

“I’m gonna go train,” he muttered as he got up, but no one looked over. He was so used to it by now that he couldn’t feel bothered.  

He walked over to the corner of the Castleteria, dumping the rest of his food in the garbage. Hagatha’s cooking was atrocious. Maybe that was why he had digestion issues. 

“Hey Dex,” a voice called, making him jump, dropping his lunch tray in the trash. He knew that voice. 

Turning slowly so that he wouldn’t wake himself from this dream, Dexter saw none other than Raven Queen herself, who was laughing at the way he’d fumbled his tray. She was never judgemental with stuff like this though, no. There was only amusement and fondness to be found in her eyes. 

Dexter was so in love with her. 

“U-uh, hey Raven! You startled me, wow, um, yeah,” he couldn’t focus, tripping over his words as he tried to gracefully retrieve his tray from the garbage, a feat that wasn’t really possible. 

“Are you alright there? You look like you’re…” Dexter dropped the tray back in the garbage, “…struggling.” 

“Oh yeah I’m totally fine, just got a little fumbled and, well…” Dexter looked down at the tray and let his shoulders droop. “Man, I really am hopeless.” 

“Now I wouldn’t say that,” Raven reassured him, her shoulder brushing his as she walked past, picking the tray out of the garbage and brushing it off before handing it back to him, smiling softly. Dexter didn’t know what he’d done to please the gods, but he sure wasn’t gonna question it as he accepted the tray from her, their fingers brushing momentarily. Raven didn’t seem to notice, but Dexter felt his entire body flush at the contact. 

“It’s alright, I’m used to being a klutz.” Dexter could see the table full of Royals staring at him over her shoulder, and felt his face heat up at all the attention on him. 

Raven noticed him staring at something, and before he could protest she turned to look at the Royals staring at them. He wanted to die when he saw the way her face flushed as well, her ears turning red as she turned back to him, looking down. 

“We, uh, we probably shouldn’t be talking, right?” 

And Dexter wanted to reassure her. He really did. He wanted to take her in his arms and pull her into his chest and run his fingers through her hair and tell her that he didn’t care what the others thought, that she mattered more than they ever could, that he would give up his future at the drop of a hat for her if she asked him to. He wanted to kiss her in front of all the Royals in the school, wanted to stand up on the table beside them and scream that he didn’t care about his stupid destiny when it was the thing hurting someone he cared so much about. 

He wanted to. He really, really did. But Dexter wasn’t the brave one in his family. No, he was the coward. The one who would run when faced down with a boar, the one who would’ve accepted his fate if locked in a tower instead of risking the climb down. 

So instead he muttered a small, “They’re so stupid,” to Raven as he deposited the tray on a cart and walked out of the Castleteria, shoulders hunched and seconds away from crying. 

Unknown to him was that Raven had heard him, and walked back to her table with a small smile and a blush that she would deny having once Maddie pointed them out. 

*

Dandelions really shouldn’t be allowed to exist. Not for the benefit of other plants, but for their own. They were always trampled over like they were invisible, treated like trash even though they were flowers too (well, weeds, but who’s counting really?), and rather pretty ones. 

Dexter felt particularly bad for the one in his hands right now. He’d been picking at it for the better part of ten minutes, but it seemed there was no end to the petals on it, the flower still obnoxiously yellow. 

“I can’t even pick a flower’s petals properly,” he sighed, letting it flop out of his hand. 

“Careful who overhears you saying that. There’s more than one thing a saying like that can apply to,” Hunter drawled, flopping down next to Dexter, who jumped at the sound of his voice. Jeez, he’d really been spacing out. “What’s got your crown in a twist?”

“Hey Hunter,” Dexter replied, avoiding the question. But, as much as he hated to admit it, if there was one person who would understand the situation he was in, well, it would be Hunter.

“There was no need to throw the flower away,” Hunter sighed, picking up the crumpled dandelion and twisting the stem into a heart, tying it in knots Dexter wouldn’t dare try to replicate. “See? I wonder if Ashlynn would like this…” 

This was his chance. Dexter took a quick breath, trying to reassure himself. “How are things going between the two of you, anyway?” 

The way Hunter’s eyes lit up was something truly precious, holding all the innocence of a first love that had yet to be ruined. “Great! I’m taking her out to the carnival this weekend. Apparently Melody Piper got invited to DJ there, and offered for Ashlynn to come along too. She asked if I could be her plus one.” He stared off into space for a second, love-struck grin still stuck in place. It was the kind of smile Dexter could never imagine seeing directed at him, reserved for people like Hunter, who could wear it without hesitance, with complete certainty and control over their emotions. “I’m thinking of getting her some pink roses. They’re a bit cliche, but the ones in her room are dying and they’re her favourites!” 

“I think it’s a great idea,” Dexter said, giving Hunter a light punch on the shoulder. Hunter rolled his eyes and pulled Dexter into a half hug in response, making Dexter fall over onto his shoulder. 

A lot of people were confused by the friendship between the two, but there was something so comforting about being around Hunter. Dexter always felt safe when around the giant Huntsman. Hunter seemed to have that effect on everyone he met, having a tendency to make friends easily because of this. 

There was also a sort of protectiveness Dexter felt for Hunter. He always appeared so innocent when it came to his heart, and Dexter didn’t want to see that ruined. If he really wanted to dissect his own actions, he could say that he saw Hunter as who he wanted to be, someone with confidence in his actions and a healthy relationship with a crush that had worked out for him. Dexter remembered the night Hunter had confessed to Ashlynn. He was a mess, sweating and shaking and pacing all over their room. 

So, yeah, Dexter projected a bit. So what? It didn’t mean he cared about Hunter less, or didn’t want to see him happy. And all friendships were a little selfish, right? Was there really any way to be a truly selfless person? 

There was an atmosphere Hunter carried around him, one that demanded a calm attitude and being prepared to relax. It was why he was one of the few people Dexter allowed himself to be his real self around. 

So it would be okay to tell him, right? 

“Hey, Hunter?” Dexter muttered, quietly enough that if Hunter didn’t hear him, he could brush it off and pretend the thought had never crossed his mind. He did stuff like that all the time, a way to help him decide whether to tell someone something without actually deciding. 

“Yeah?” Hunter replied. Dexter tried to ignore the sweat building up on his palms, reassuring himself that Hunter was his friend, and would never tell anyone anything Dexter didn’t want them to know. He thought back to when Hunter first told him about his crush on Ashlynn, the way he’d been blushing and sputtering out the words, begging Dexter not to tell a soul after. 

“How did you… uh, well, how’d you know that… that, uh, that being with Ashlynn was, y’know, th-the right decision.” Of course Dexter’s stutter was coming back now, of all the times. It seemed to love showing up at the worst moments. Hunter looked over at him, shock morphing into a sly grin. 

“What’s this? Dex has a crush?” he drawled, poking Dexter’s cheek. Dexter blushed, looking away. 

“No…” he muttered, his blush deepening as he lied through his teeth. He hated that it was the easiest way to tell if he was telling the truth. 

“Liar,” Hunter said, grinning. He’d been around Dexter long enough to know his tells, which infuriated him. “C’mon, it’s only me.” Hunter paused after saying that, looking down, eyebrows scrunched in his ‘thinking’ face. “Wait… is the reason you were asking about me and Ashlynn-”

“It’s Raven!” Dexter blurted out, face on fire but unable to let Hunter finish his sentence, afraid he’d die of embarrassment if that happened. There was silence for a moment, and he peeked up at Hunter through one eye, scared to fully look at him as he kept the other squeezed shut. 

Hunter’s face was strangely calm. It was like being in a forest devoid of sound, toeing the line between serene and unsettling. Just as Dexter was beginning to think that telling him had been a bad idea, he responded. 

“Raven?” was all he asked, voice more monotone than Dexter wanted it to be. 

“Are you mad?” Dexter blurted out, feeling his cheeks heat up with embarrassment. That seemed to get through to Hunter, though, because his eyebrows shot up and he immediately looked sorry. 

“What? No, god no, I was just… it was just a lot,” he said, tentatively placing a hand on Dexter’s shoulder. “Are you sure?” 

This did manage to catch Dexter off guard. “I mean, it’s been since almost the beginning of the year, so… yeah,” he said, smiling. He felt dopey and lovesick and it was clearly coming through in his expression, because Hunter was looking at him with what could only be described as fond pity. 

“Okay.” A pause. “Okay, that’s good!” Hunter looked up at him, a little bit of his usual sparkle coming back into his eyes. “That’s fantastic! You like Raven! This is great!” 

“I can’t tell if you’re legitimately happy or just vaguely manic,” Dexter said, giving Hunter a half-smile that was packed with more fondness than he let on. 

“I am happy for you. Genuinely!” Hunter sounded a bit like a car salesman. “I think this will be good for you. Honestly, I was getting a bit worried. You’ve never liked anyone before, right? So you can get lots of experience out of this!” 

Dexter felt his chest tighten a little at the words. “Hunter,” he started, careful and cautious. 

“Yeah?” 

And the look on Hunter’s face was such genuine joy for his friend that Dexter hated himself for ruining the moment, but he needed to say it. He had to. “I don’t just want to use Raven for experience. You… you know that, right?” 

It was nice enough, but the sweat on Dexter’s palms had come back in full force, dripping down the back of his neck now. 

Hunter’s eyebrows raised a little, and he was clearly surprised by the comment. But he looked at Dexter a little longer, really looked at him, like he was searching for something, and seemed to find it when he let his hand drop off Dexter’s shoulder and leaned back on his elbows, smiling softly. 

Dexter hadn’t even known Hunter was capable of looking that mature. 

“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” Hunter said, but it wasn’t a question. He knew. Dexter let his shoulders relax, feeling the sweat cool down as he let out a small laugh. 

“Yeah,” he croaked, and it felt so, so good to finally tell someone new. 

Darling was amazing, of course, and she had been great at supporting him. But telling his little sister about his crush and telling his best friend were two completely different things. There was something so refreshing about having someone who understood. In more ways than one. 

“You know this is about to make your life a living hell, right?” Hunter asked, and he sounded sarcastic, but there was genuine concern in there that made Dexter smile. 

“I know,” he said, the grin never fading from his face. Hunter let out a low whistle. 

“You really like her,” he muttered, grinning. Dexter nodded, flopping back on the grass to look up at the sky. The sunset was a sort of light purple now, the oranges blending in with blues, and it made Dexter think of the lavender flecks he could pick out sometimes in Raven’s eyes, the few times he’d been brave enough to make eye contact. 

“If you don’t mind me asking…” Hunter started, before shaking his head a little and returning to gazing at the sky. 

“What?” 

“Why?” This took Dexter by surprise. 

“Why do I like her?” 

“Yeah.” Dexter thought about it for a minute. He’d liked her for so long, it was difficult to remember all the things he liked about her sometimes. 

“Well, if she ever agrees to go out with me there’ll probably be jokes about how she’s only doing it because she feels bad for me, and I only like her cause she was the first girl who was nice to me,” Dexter could feel his cheeks heating up. He’d thought about that scenario a lot. “But that’s not why.” He thought back to legacy day, the way even the clouds had seemed afraid of Raven, but she’d just looked sad . He looked at her, saw the fear and defeat in her eyes, and he’d just wanted to reassure her. 

And, maybe, he’d seen a familiar expression. 

“She was brave in a way I could never be. I wanted, I still want, to be like her. I’d always admired her from the sidelines, but the more I get to know her the more I realise that she’s not brave because of any great destiny, or hope for rebellion. She’s just like that because she’s a good person. Because she was dealt what was objectively one of the worst hands in life, and still found a way to be herself despite all that. Does that sound weird?” 

It was strange. That was the most honest he’d been about his feelings for Raven ever, even to himself. He hadn’t realised just how much she had an effect on his worldview. 

Hunter had laid down beside him, and turned his head so he was looking over at Dexter. “I think that’s some of the most romantic shit I’ve ever heard.” 

Dexter shoved Hunter’s shoulder, rolling over. 

And, hiding behind a tree a few feet away, a purple-haired girl scurried back into the school building, heart pounding in her chest. 

Chapter Text

A perfect morning consisted of three things: a sunny sky, an early rise, and the sound of healthily chirping birds sitting right outside the window. Well, that was Apple’s opinion, at least. And as she woke up, the morning had all the right components. The sun had just rosen and sat bright and proud in the sky, with the chirping birds singing in tune with every brush of Apple’s hair. 

So what was bothering her? 

“Wrinkled foreheads make for withered maidens,” she muttered to herself, relaxing her forehead. It was a saying that her mother had often repeated when she was a child.

“What are you muttering about now?” Raven asked, plucking the brush out of Apple’s hands to work on her hair as well. 

“Doesn’t this morning just feel picture perfect to you?” Apple asked, smiling widely. Deflection was a tactic she’d perfected in her childhood, and she wasn’t about to fail now. 

Raven rolled her eyes and smiled over at her. “Sure. My migraine is loving these early wake-ups. Morning classes are just hexcellent.” 

“Yup!” The sinking feeling got worse. “Just amazing. Anyway I have Princess Etiquette now, so I’ll spell ya later!” 

“Sure.”

A bouquet was thrown into her hands as she exited, and she smiled in the general direction of whoever threw it. Her heels were pinching, her collar felt too tight, and she was almost certain that her concealer was rubbing off even though she’d only applied it a few moments ago. All of it was nothing a little smile couldn’t fix, though. 

“Apple!” She smiled at the sound of her best friend, and turned just in time to be tackled into a hug by Briar. “I have spelltastic news!” 

“Do tell,” Apple replied as she smoothed out her dress from being pounced on. Wrinkled skirts had no place on a princess. 

“Classes have been cancelled! We have the whole day off!” 

Apple let her mouth stretch into a perfect smile as she celebrated with Briar, the two immediately launching into debates about which store they should visit, but internally her mind was screeching. Why would classes be cancelled? She tried to think of anything her mother might have said that would warrant something like this, but nothing came to mind. 

Whispers were already wandering down the halls of what it could be about. Several kids thought the school was considering a dance, which didn’t make sense considering there were no major holidays. A few thought it was to give students a break because of everything that has happened recently, but Apple didn’t believe that for a second. If they wanted to give students a break, they would have just made some excuse for a long weekend or something. No, they were planning something. 

While Briar was rambling about the new shade of pink in season for summer, Apple pulls out her Mirrorphone to see if her mother sent her anything, but she has no new notifications. She considers asking Briar if she knows anything, but nothing will come of that. 

Since there’s really nothing she can do about it in the immediate future, Apple resigns to a fun day with her friend, which honestly sounds so much more enticing. 

The gnawing feeling continues in the pit of her stomach throughout the day though. Even as Apple smiles for the crowds and blushes at the tens of dozens of flowers she gets by the end of the day, she can’t ignore the twist of her stomach. 

Town is different, too. Ever After was irreversibly shaken when the Evil Queen made her second attempt on the realm, and although it’s been over a month since the incident, the darting eyes of people hanging outside of shops is not missed by Apple as she walks. Shoulders are more tense, lips more pursed, eyebrows more furrowed. Maybe this is what’s causing her unease. 

Briar seems completely oblivious, although Apple doesn’t rule out the possibility that she’s pretending not to know. They’ve both changed so much since Legacy Day. 

The thought leaves her feeling so old. 

“Oh, look at this one!” Briar calls, pulling Apple out of her thoughts and wanders over to her. 

*

Over the next two weeks classes resume, but then the appearances start. 

At first, kids think their parents just want to see them after the fright of two months ago. Apple stays up all night when it happens, watching the clock tick away, waiting for the time to heal her like it promised it would. She barely feels tired in the morning, her nightmares that have started since then making sure she knows what sleepless nights feel like. 

Ashlynn’s parents are the first, with her mother a weeping mess and her father strangely silent through the whole visit. They stop to talk to Apple’s mother, but this doesn’t raise any suspicion. After all, the three have been friends for decades. 

But then Justine’s mom visits her. Rapunzel stops in, pulling the twins tightly to her and holding the hand of each the whole day while she’s there. Rosabella’s mother is a quiet woman, slightly mousy and surprisingly anti-social for a queen. 

Each time they just visit for the day. 

Each time they visit Apple’s mother. 

Each time they leave with a glance over at her. 

The nightmares become worse, much more vivid and fresh and creative. The Evil Queen holding out a hand, and turning into carnivorous beetles when Apple shakes it. An apple that tastes like blood when she bites into it. Her mother’s voice behind a locked door, but there are so many and Apple can never seem to pick the right one. Raven makes appearances occasionally. Looking up at Apple from a pit where she is chained as the water slowly rises, her eyes torn out and blood seeping down her cheeks as she asks why Apple would do this to her. 

The worst are the ones about the coffin. It starts the same each time; Apple regains consciousness, and looks out at the sea of mourners, bright and happy to inform them that she’s still alive. But they can’t hear her, and she is rapidly using up whatever oxygen was in there with her speech. They drop the coffin into the ground as she becomes more frantic, banging on the glass at certain points to see if that will have any effect. She can just barely start to hear their voices as they drop dirt on her. 

“She was so beautiful.” “I’ll miss her smile.” “I used to give her flowers.” “She was so kind.” 

“I loved her so much.” 

Apple can never see the person who says that, and only knows it’s not Daring’s voice. In fact, he never seems to make an appearance. She rationalises that he would be too comforting to ever show up. No, instead the person who says it is always the last to throw the dirt on her, finally sealing her in. That’s when she loses all oxygen, forced to choke on nothing for what feels like forever until she jolts awake in the night. 

On the third week, Apple stays back after her Damsel in Distressing class to finally clear her head at least a little. The night before she found dark circles under her eyes that barely faded by the time she had to get to class, and she knew there was only so long she could keep them at bay. 

“What’s wrong, darling?” her mother asked, although she had her eyes focused on the paperwork in front of her, her pen not even pausing when Apple approached her. 

“Oh nothing, nothing at all,” Apple reassured her, the automatic response to that question. “I’m as hexcellent as ever, mother. I was just wondering if I could ask a question?” 

Her mother’s eyebrows actually twitched at that, although that was the only response Apple got. She took that as the OK to move forward. 

“You seem to have a lot of friends visiting lately.” Her tone had been practised down to the intonation of her breaths in between speaking. One wrong move and her mother would have her shipped home to be tutored privately until she went on to her destiny. So instead of suspicious, she was innocently curious, and maybe a little conspiratorial. “Could I expect that we are having a ball soon?” 

Better to propose an innocent option than have her mother think she was suspicious. At that, Snow White finally put down her pen and looked up at her daughter, her hands folding perfectly across the desk with her elbows just missing it. The picture of poise. 

“Yes, terribly sorry to have not informed you dear. I’m sure your friends have all been talking about the amount of visitors, haven’t they?” They hadn’t, really, except to note that none of the rebels' parents had come to visit them, which was just all the villain kids. But everyone just assumed that Grimm put a ban on those visits until the rebel kids were under control. 

“It’s all anyone can speak of!” Apple said instead, knowing she was on a very thin tightrope that she had barely been able to train for. 

“Well, I suppose now is as good of a time as any to tell you. Yes, they have been visiting to plan a gala. We expect it should be held in about two months.” Her mother slides the paperwork aside, sending a chill down Apple’s spine. “But that is all I can give you for now, dearest. Tomorrow the plans will be finalised and I will tell you everything. And I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that this is a mother-daughter secret, right?” Tomorrow. Apple hadn’t heard of anything that was supposed to happen tomorrow. Maybe her mother was just meeting with Grimm to get final approval?

“Of course, mom. I’ve always been your best secret keeper, haven’t I?” That actually pulls a smile out of the pale woman, although her eyes don’t crease. She trained her smile so that it wouldn’t years ago. 

“That you have, my dearest Apple. I’m so glad you could understand.” 

But Apple doesn’t understand. She doesn’t understand as she walks through the halls, her smiles to her peers only coming from the years of training herself to be able to function in any emotional state. She doesn’t understand as she greets Raven, who has taken up a habit of pacing on the balcony in small, frantic circles over the past few weeks. Apple doesn’t question it, the same way Raven never mentions hearing her cry during the night. She doesn’t understand as her tears rouse her that night, demanding attention as she shivers in her bed. 

The gnawing feeling has prevented Apple from being able to have full meals for almost a month, and she feels thinner as she shivers more than she used to when she opens the balcony. It isn’t large enough for a chair, but just standing outside is enough. She closes the door behind her, not wanting to wake Raven. 

Wind bites her arms and she draws the shawl tighter around her, teeth chattering as she looks out at the lawn. By the stables, something catches her eye. It looks like a glint of armour, but she shakes off the ridiculous thought of someone even being up at this hour. If she did see someone, it was probably one of the groundskeepers doing one last round before heading to bed. It’s not uncommon to see them out late, with their terrible schedules filled with days of scrubbing potions rooms clean. Distantly, Apple wonders what she would have done if that was her destiny instead. 

Her mother’s face swims in the darkness. She was hesitating too much when they talked. Although they may not be the closest since the Games finished, Apple can still recognise when her mother is acting. There was more she wanted to say. 

The various possibilities swim in her head, all of them nightmare scenarios. Sometimes Apple wonders if she went insane two months ago, and she’s just become a very convincing actress in the time since. It would make sense, more sense than anything else has. 

What would be bad about a gala, though? They’re always been a source of excitement. Apple even understood the motivation to have one. It would be a great return to normalcy for the school, and a little celebration could even calm down the rebels for a little. Everyone likes a party, right?

But a secondary motivation was at play. Her mother would have told her immediately if that was all that was at stake. It would have been perfect; Apple could have spread word around the school on behalf of her mother, and it would help relieve tensions tenfold. Maybe the word would even spread to town, if she was lucky. 

There was more that didn’t make sense. The royal’s parents being the only ones to visit. Knowing that they had been planning something sent Apple’s mind reeling. Why were they there? If it was a simple gala then they shouldn’t have had to be informed. Those were usually arranged by the students. If Apple was a little more willing to play along, she could have said that they just didn’t want to put pressure on the kids and were trying to help them out for once. If that was the case, though, why was it two months away? Gala’s aren’t small celebrations, but they certainly aren’t big enough to warrant that much preparation. 

Feeling dizzy, Apple headed back into her room, but her room was no more comforting. The walls felt too small, her bed too solid, the ceiling too low. 

Mimicking Raven, Apple started pacing in little circles, but that just seemed to make her thoughts race ahead of her even more. Eventually, a dangerous thought crossed her mind. Not even a particularly treacherous one. She could go out of her room. The idea of escape from the little box she had once called home brought immediate relief, but she hesitated for a long time at the doorknob. Apple didn’t break rules. Ever. It wasn’t a thing she did. 

The last time she had bothered was ringing through her ears, beating on them like a drum, but one glance back at her bed and the nightmares it promised twisted the doorknob and propelled her out. 

At night, the halls were quiet. For the first couple of weeks after the Games, a guard had been established to pace through the halls, but that had quickly been eradicated when it was clear that all it was doing was making the students more anxious. So instead of armour waiting in the darkness, all Apple found was the cold concrete and brick walls pressed up against her hand. 

She expected the guilt to wash through her at any second, propelling her back to her room. Instead she found quiet, detached curiosity as she wandered through the normal full hallway. She felt like a ghost, and imagined that she was still haunting a building that had long been abandoned. It comforted her more than she wanted to admit. 

Her treck brought her to a mural. It was one she had walked past so many times, never paying it any mind, usually too wrapped up in other conversations. In the dark, though, there was only room for her to focus on it. It demands her entire and immediate attention. 

At the sight of the glass coffin in the bottom left hand corner, Apple felt her throat constrict and forced her eyes away, adding that to the list of things making her feel uneasy lately. Instead she focused a little to the right of it where, in perfect detail, was her mother and father wrapped up in a loving embrace. 

Dozens of murals like this one existed back at her home. The palace had her parents on cups, on walls, on curtains, the ceiling, the cutlery. Her childhood had been filled with a never-ending stream of their faces, even as their schedules grew busier and they spent less and less time with her. In those renditions, though, they had never actually looked like her parents. Not how Apple remembered them, anyway. They were regal and beautiful and perfect and, arguably, happy, but there was a detachment in all of them she had never been able to overcome. It was like one too many layers of varnish, cutting her off from the world inside the picture. Solidifying them as part of the storybook, but never in the actual story. 

The mural at the school is different, though. As Apple stared up at it, she couldn’t wrench her eyes away from her parents' faces. For maybe the first time in her life she understood how art can immerse a person. 

Her mother had one arm wrapped around her father’s neck, the other resting on the plate of armour, while her father lifted her up with both of his arms wrapped around the backs of her thighs. Their foreheads are pressed against each other as the fabric of their clothes swirl around them, her dress and his cloak. The two make an array of blue and red and yellow that twist together in a swirling rainbow of hue. 

It’s not their clothes that impress Apple though. She doesn’t know how long she stares at their faces, but she knows that no amount of time will be enough. Her mother’s mouth is spread into a smile that pushes the border of her mouth, bordering on a grimace, the kind of smile you only get when you really aren’t focusing on how you look. Her father looks similar, with his eyes wrinkling at the corners and his teeth shining almost as brightly as his armour. 

They still looked regal. Royal. Beautiful. Happy. But there were cracks in the veneer, little imperfections sprinkled through the piece so intricately Apple knew they were put there on purpose. A twist of the light hitting the wrong angle here, a misshapen flower there. Each one brings the piece to life more. 

Apple sat across from it, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Hours tick by, but she doesn’t keep track of how many. Her vision began to focus on only her mother’s face, and Apple realised eventually that she has never actually seen her mother smile like that. It’s too gentle, too natural. Her mother is like the beautiful tapestries at home. Perhaps they mirrored them after her, or she mirrored herself after them. 

And Apple wonders. About her mother, and the person she was before the happily-ever-after. If she ever questioned it. If that version of her would have done better in Apple’s shoes than she seems to currently be doing. 

Apple wondered if she has the same varnish coat when she smiles through her thoughts, the practised reaction coming too naturally to be fought off. She wondered if one day she will be sitting behind a desk, lying to her own blonde haired, blue eyed daughter about an event because she’s trying to protect her child, or protect herself, or some fumbling mixture of both. 

It isn’t until the sun started to rise and Apple crept back into her dorm room that she notices the gnawing feeling that has been crawling up her neck has finally abated. Tomorrow has finally started, and soon she will have her answer. 

She was weirdly calm as she went through her morning routine. Raven noticed, too, sending her far too many worried glances to be any kind of discreet but never saying anything. They never said it out loud, but both have agreed that silence is better than asking. Having her best friend just be there is more than enough, and brings far more comfort than any sort of conversation could have. 

The skincare routine went by quickly. Her brush found no tangles in her hair. It didn’t usually, but the lack of rolling around in her sleep last night must have helped. Putting on her makeup made her feel lighter, for once, instead of like she’s donning her worst mask. 

“After school do you want to go study on the lawn?” Raven suggested. An olive branch. When she’s really worried, Raven will do that sometimes. Apple’s silence must have been more unnerving than she gave herself credit for. 

“I would love that! If you need any help for our Science and Sorcery charmwork I’d love to help.” It did its job as Apple watched Raven’s shoulders deflate. 

“Yeah, that would be great,” Raven replied, flinging her bag over her shoulder as Apple finished clipping on her ruby-red shoes. “Baba Yaga keeps yelling that I can’t get into arguments with Rumplestiltskin anymore. Apparently he’s started changing my marks after assignments to fail me.” The gnawing comes back upon hearing that. 

“I’m sure you’ll win him over. You’re such a sociable person, after all.” It took a long pause before Raven could register that she was being sarcastic. 

A small smile grew on the pale face. “Won you over, didn’t I?” 

“Eventually,” Apple conceded. Raven walked her to her Princessology class before heading off to whatever villain course filled her mornings, leaving Apple with a light feeling that really only came with a select few people. 

The day didn’t even kill the light feeling. Everyone seemed to be in fair spirits, and word had spread among a couple of the more high ranking royal kids that their parents may be putting together a ball. Apple mentioned vaguely that her mother had mentioned a party in passing, which was all anyone needed to run with it. 

“I have to pick out my shoes,” Ashlynn said, fanning her face over a mirrorpad open to a shoe store. Apple thought she recognised the logo of the store that she knew Ashlynn’s mom ran on the side, but she didn’t ask. It didn’t really matter. 

“Forget shoes, what am I gonna wear ?” Briar asked, who was sitting next to Apple. She pretended to wilt onto Apple’s shoulder for dramatic effect, watching through barely opened eyes at the chaos she had just caused. 

“At least I won’t have to worry about a date,” Apple chimed in, knowing she couldn’t be too silent or people would get suspicious. She patted Daring’s hand, who was on her other side, gently as people swooned. Her right hand woman and left hand man. The thought always gave a mixture of wanting to throw up and wanting to laugh.

“You might not, but I’ll pass that bridge when I get to it,” Briar said, even though Apple knew she would be taking Hopper. The two had grown surprisingly close, and Apple liked him for her. They balanced each other out well. Although Briar would rather die than admit that. 

“At least you won’t have to worry about getting matching outfits,” Apple replied, acutely aware of the eyes watching her. Be good-natured but not a pushover. Have humour but never take it too far. Always, always walk the tightrope. 

“I just hope bringing someone isn’t mandatory,” Ashlynn sighed, her attention diverted briefly from the shoe website. It was practically a miracle. “I would hate for someone to not be able to go.” A bird landed beside her on the table and began a warbly song that sounded like crying, as if proving her point. 

The rest of the lunch hour was just debate after debate on what the party would look like, who would attend, where it would be, and what oh what would people wear? Dresses to shoes to hair to makeup to jewellery to undergarments were discussed, the boys and girls eventually huddling at opposite ends of the table to talk. Apple tried her best to keep her mind on the conversation, but found her mind constantly wandering back to her mother’s words. Something was supposed to have happened today, but it had been nothing but peaceful. 

Once the thought started, it couldn’t stop. Like a cactus growing in a waterless desert, or a vine crawling up an abandoned house, it took root and would not leave. 

Suddenly, the brief peace that Apple had regained the night before was swept out from under her as she waited for the bomb to drop. 

But her classes continued. It would have been eerie if it wasn’t so familiar. Classes and conversation and laughter and studying and breaks and more classes. 

Even Damsel in Distressing was oddly calm. Her mother was practically jovial as she taught, and the thought of a ball had all the girls practically rearing to participate in class, with their questions always diverting off topic to how a princess should act at a party. After half an hour of the back and forth her mother finally gave up and went through a list of expected etiquette, which was copied with a ferocious intensity by everyone in class. 

Apple ignored the eyes on her back that had been there for months. It had become almost second nature. If she ignored them, maybe she could ignore it, too, the same way she ignored the gnawing in her stomach and heavy weight sitting between her mother and her for all of class.

Somewhere while she was writing notes, she realised why the day had been so odd. It was calm before a storm. She could feel the chill race up her spine again, and knew that she was right. 

Since Damsel in Distressing had been her last class, she expected to exit out into the usual craze of people pressed up against each other as they fought to get to their lockers and, eventually, upstairs to their dorms. Instead, people were congregated in little circles, huddling amongst each other. 

One or two people shot Apple a look she couldn’t quite place, but the majority of the eyes weren’t on her. It was odd. They were all fixated directly past her. 

When she turned to see who was being stared at, she was met with a deathly-pale Darling, who had her eyes fixated on two bright, sparkling diamonds of people. Their light was visible even out of the corner of Apple’s eye. 

A terrible, terrible feeling rose up in her. Past fear, past disgust, past horror or anger or hatred or repulsion or terror as she turned back. 

Because she suddenly knew exactly who was coming to solidify things with her mother today. 

And exactly why her mother had been lying to her. 

And she had a terrible, terrible feeling about this gala.  

Chapter Text

Dexter knew there was something wrong the second the crowd gathered. It’d been an odd couple of weeks regardless, with the royal's parents visiting. With the confirmation of a gala, though, he expected it to be done. 

A chill racked through him, followed by a need to find Darling. There’s no time, though, because he recognises the two men who come to fetch him. Has seen them every day for the past sixteen years of his life, guarding the door to his father’s study. Castor and Pollux. Of course they sent the twins to get the twin. Just his luck. 

At least he knew where the next destination would be.  

The walk was slow, with kids parting around their little trio to let them through. Dexter knew he was far smaller than both of the guards, and felt ridiculous being marched through his school like he was about to head for an execution. 

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Raven make her way to the front. She must have seen the people moving aside and wanted to know what was happening. An odd urgency flared through Dexter’s chest, the kind of feeling you expect when you will never see someone again, but he forced his eyes forward, not visibly reacting at all to her presence. The twins were surely watching his every move, ready to report anything about conferring with rebels to his father. 

In a way, he was kind of a prisoner. He hoped that Raven would at least forgive him for the cold shoulder and understand the necessity it was done out of. 

A little sigh of relief left him when he saw Darling relaxing in a plush, cushioned mahogany chair. Their parents were nowhere to be found. Neither is Daring, although he’d probably be showing up soon. A million unspoken words are exchanged when their eyes meet. Questions, answers, and more questions that neither can answer. 

The silence was excruciating. Pollux and Castor didn’t bother initiating conversation, which was pretty typical of them. When he was little, Dexter used to think they were stone statues. When he’d told his mother, she gave him a wary smile and told him to play with his brother. 

“How were your classes?” Dexter eventually asked, unable to bear the silence any longer. It was a safe enough topic, and Darling knew not to let anything slip here. They’re a well-trained pair. 

“The gala was all anybody could talk about,” she said, chuckling with a hand to her mouth in a light sound evoking wind chimes. 

“Yeah, I heard about that.”

“Where were you?”

“I’ve been studying, mostly.” That was a lie, but one he had a witness to back up. Hunter had been helping him with some ideas for asking Raven out, mostly telling him places no one would find you. The spots he used with Ashlynn. It’d been difficult, though, getting adjusted to navigating the woods. Dexter was always an indoor person. “Hunter’s been helping with my study habits. Apparently they’re abysmal.” 

Believable enough. Dexter was always a prodigy in school, so it would make sense that he learned unconventional study habits. 

The door opened before he could continue with his lie and start buttering it up for Castor and Pollux, though, and revealed his parents, with Daring in tow. 

The state of their older brother was a shock to the twins. He was staring at a wall, standing more still than he had his whole life, and was incredibly, dangerously quiet. Something happened behind closed doors, something they weren’t privy to. 

Something that, if they’re unlucky, they’re all about to pay for. 

*

No one asks why his parents were at the school. Dexter couldn’t answer if they did, because the second they’d disappeared so had he, retreating up to the roof to watch the sunset. It was too beautiful. Or the world was too cruel for it. Who knew anymore. 

“Dex?” a soft, wonderful, beautiful voice called. He wished he imagined it, but his head turned of its own volition and there she was. The sunset looked good on her, giving her skin warmth it usually lacked. Noticing his surprise, she let out a nervous half-chuckle and looked down. “Darling, uh, told me you’d probably be here.”

So that was why. Darling was giving him a last chance, before the eyes were on both of them, before they were put under surveillance for the rest of their lives. 

It was such a cruel reminder. But his sister had given him an opportunity their parents never would have. To say goodbye. 

“What’s up?” he heard himself say, although he didn’t remember moving his lips or even thinking the words into existence in the first place. 

For some reason, the words had an effect on Raven. Her face looked flush, but Dexter had already written that off as the sunset. But her eyes kept darting around his face, never staying in one place too long. The thought that he might be making her nervous didn’t do much to quell the crush of his thoughts. “You seemed kind of shaken up after your parents’ visit. I just… I guess I wanted to make sure you were okay.” 

The urge to kiss her flared through him for not the first time, but like always he ignored it. Suppressing those emotions had become second nature. 

Thinking back, Dexter would guess that he looked like he’d just seen someone killed when he walked out of that room, Castor guiding him by the arm back to his dorm. Hunter hadn’t asked questions when he let his legs crumple and sat at the door for over an hour, listening to the sound of Castor’s breathing. When the footsteps faded and he was sure the guard was gone, he bolted. 

“Thank you.” Dexter wondered if any fairy godmother would listen to his wish to go back and trade places with Raven, to give her his life of guaranteed comfort and prosperity and happiness. 

“Yeah, well, I know what complicated families are like, so.” It was the first time he heard Raven’s mother mentioned since the Dragons, even if it was just implied. The fire. The blood. Dexter wondered how much of it haunted her. Probably all of it. She was too compassionate for anything less. 

A long silence settled as she sat next to him and they watched the sunset. There were so many things he wanted to say, wanted to ask her, but somehow the quiet was better. After a while of pretending to watch the sky, once he was sure that Raven’s eyes were glued there, he turned to her and just watched. The way the red lit up her eyes so they looked like they were one fire, or the flush of her cheeks as the pink and orange dance on her skin. Dexter decided if he could make a wish, it would just be to freeze the moment and keep it on his shelf. 

As he got older, he understood little by little why his parents had creases under their eyes. All the little horrors that sit in each line.

“Do you like them?” Her voice was so unexpected that he jumped a little. 

“What?” 

“Your parents.” She didn’t look over at him, eyes still trained carefully on the sun, but Dexter was suddenly sure that she noticed him staring. 

“I don’t know.” It wasn’t a lie. Most of the time he didn’t think about them, let them recede into some faded corner of his mind where they could do no damage. But today, that was impossible. Darling and Daring would surely be able to answer without hesitation. Daring with yes, Darling with either no or maybe. As always, though, Dexter comes up short in comparison. The only thing he can think to say is, “They’re my parents.” 

The laugh it draws out of Raven surprised him. “That’s always the issue, isn’t it?” Her voice was soft, like it was trying to become a part of the sunset, too. “I’ve always liked my dad, at least.” 

“Yeah?” Dexter had never heard much of him. The Good King was known as, well, just that. Good. Reliant. Dependable. He had a good reputation, and it was what had left Raven with at least one parent to depend on. Other than being her parent, though, the Good King really hadn’t been a major thought in anyone’s head. It was kind of funny once Dexter thought of it. It was practically his older self. 

“Yeah.” A strange thing happens to Raven. Her shoulders lose so much of the weight they’re constantly carrying, and her eyes softened. It was like watching someone come back to life. “He took care of me. When I was really young, a little after my mom went away, I used to imagine he was my only parent. It was nicer that way, I think. More peaceful.” 

Dexter felt his chest tighten. With sympathy, and compassion, and a little jealousy. That Raven could have that closeness to even one of her parents was unfathomable to him. But one reminder at what it cost to get that left the jealousy with no spark to make a flame. 

She was inviting him. To talk, if he wanted. Or she could. Either way, it was a calm invitation to converse. 

“My parents never really looked at me,” Dexter said. It felt weird, to talk about his family with her, but also right. Outside of Darling and Hunter, he didn’t have many people he was friendly with, and Hunter wasn’t the kind of person you discuss family issues with. “I used to pretend to be a ghost. One time I disappeared for two days and when I came back I found out no one was paying attention because Daring had a jousting tournament next week. That’s what they told me, anyway. I don’t think they would’ve noticed regardless, though.” 

Raven was the one looking at him now as Dexter focused his eyes on a single pink cloud drifting right above the horizon line. It fascinated him. So close to something but so far. Perfectly where it was meant to be yet not where it was supposed to be at all. 

“Darling was my only real friend there. Daring and I… we were competitors. You try not to let it come between you, but….” He didn’t need to finish the sentence. 

It’s the real reason he wouldn’t let himself get close to his parents. That distance that they enforced, that wedge driven between all three of their own kids that they put there. The competition they fostered between Daring and him, and the distance they put between Darling and her brothers. At least with Darling, she could see how ridiculous the barriers all were. Eventually, the twins started ignoring them altogether. 

With Daring, though, things were different. He didn’t understand, which was part of it, but he also couldn’t. It made things so much worse. His destiny was vital, not only for him as a person, but to an extent for Darling and Dexter. There was a terrible distance that the twins had let their parents enforce because of this. Because if Dexter ever wanted to be someone who could tell his parents no, they needed a golden boy to fall back on, and the same went with Darling and her horse. 

Daring had become their unwitting sacrifice, and it was something Dexter will never forgive his parents for. Because if it didn’t mean costing his future, he could actually try to repair things with his brother. Sometimes he wondered if he still could, but he could never risk it. 

“That must have been difficult.” She was being sincere, which somehow made it worse. Dexter fought the grimace. 

“It was, I guess.” He looked back and finally fully met her eyes. There was so much history they have yet to share, but he knew that the second he walked up onto the roof. “I reckon I’m a bit better off than you, though.” That drew a laugh out of her, and he wanted to bottle the sound. 

When she leaned in his breath hitched, but they still had about a foot of space between them. “I just assume that at this point.” Her eyes darted up and down his face, scanning him. “Why do you trust me?”

He’d wondered, too, at first. Although he caught the hesitation before she asked, he didn't question it. After all, he’d long since known why. 

“You’re probably the bravest person I’ve ever known.” The confession felt good to get off his chest, knowing that it would probably be the last one he would give her. She opened her mouth to respond, but Dexter continued before he could lose the little courage that had given him. “Which is why you shouldn’t hang out with me anymore.” 

That does the trick immediately. Whatever Raven was about to say died as she snapped her jaw shut, eyes searching him for a sign of honesty. Dexter didn’t know what she found, but it looked like enough. “Why?”

The rawness in her voice stung, but Dexter shouldered on before he could stop. “Because I can’t be brave enough.” It was a realisation to him, too. “I know you want to forge your own destiny and-” this was harder to say, “-and I hope you do. But I can’t help you. I can’t stand up like that. Not for right now, or for a long time. Maybe not ever.”

Raven opened her mouth to say something else, but Dexter was through the door and back inside before she could get the first syllable out. 

*

The lunch table was tense the next day. Dexter could feel Raven’s eyes boring into him, demanding a real answer, and it was all he could do to keep from throwing up. 

Darling sat beside him, letting him steal her tea when he finished his own, with his food sitting untouched beside the empty cup. 

Daring and Apple couldn’t even look at each other. They were still smiling, though. Chatting among the other royals. But their presence across from Darling and Dexter couldn’t have been helping their mood. Dexter had half wondered why they bothered coming near the twins when they’d sat down, but as lunch ticked by he understood. 

Their little alcove of four, they were the only ones who knew about the news that was to be announced at the gala in two months. 

If he looked closer, Dexter could see the toll it had taken on Daring and Apple. Her skin was paler than usual, and no amount of makeup must have been able to hide the bruises that lay under her eyes. They weren’t visible unless someone were to look closely, but they weren’t invisible like they should’ve been, either. 

No one was prepared for the plan their parents had concocted. It was insane, really. A last minute save-face. Dexter wouldn’t have even cared that much, too, but the conversation yesterday kept replaying over and over. 

“No,” he’d said, possibly the first time he had ever rejected his parent’s requests. 

“It doesn’t have to be forever if you behave,” his father said, glaring at him in a way that said it would if he didn’t. But Dexter knew his parents. Knew the lengths they had lied to get their way before. Darling was never allowed near council meetings, especially during wartime. But he was. 

“You can’t make me.” An edge was growing in his voice. Over in the corner, Daring had begun shifting around, clearly wishing to be anywhere but in the little room delivering bad news to his little brother. 

“Dear-” his mother starts.

“It’s not a question, Dexterous.” The ridiculous full name was always reserved for times like this. “We cannot have it getting out that you and Darling are friends with a rebel! All eyes will be on your brother after the gala.” There was a change, then, in his father’s voice. “Don’t you want to make things easier for him?” 

It would have hit a lot closer to home if Dexter believed for a second that this whole ploy was anything but selfish. “So, what? I just stop talking to my friend because you decided Ever After needed a distraction?”

“Is she just your friend?” his mother asked, which would have unnerved him on a day where he wasn’t so infuriated. “Because all I seem to hear is that you two go off in little corners whispering about who knows what.”

“They really are just friends, mom,” Darling interjected. It was the first time she’d spoken since their parents had come in, and seemed to calm everyone down. “It’s just very sudden. I think we’re having trouble adjusting.” 

Darling should have been the prince. The thought that was always floating in the back of Dexter’s mind hammered into the front of his skull as he watched his sister calm down their whole family. 

“Then what do you think of this, Darling?” the king asked. Darling took a careful, measured pause. Briefly she glanced over at Dexter, and he gave an imperceptible nod. She could say whatever she wanted. He would follow the lead she gave. 

“I think it’s very sudden.” It was all Darling could muster, and Dexter knew there was no backing out of this. Darling may not have been the brains behind most of their operations, but her spontaneity was a strength that Dexter put a lot of faith in. “It’s hard to adjust to the idea so suddenly. If we had a bit more time, maybe things could be different?” 

Stalling. She was giving him options. But all Dexter could think of was strong, sweet, sincere Raven, and how she always saw the best in everyone. Even him. 

“I understand, dear, but there is no more time.” Hatred was too kind a word for what Dexter felt towards his father at that moment. “This is the way it needs to be. Just for a little bit.” Scoffing a little, he added, “I’m not sure she will be a great loss from your lives, either.” 

Darling’s hand on his wrist under the table was the only thing keeping Dexter from lunging at his father. 

“It is decided, then. You will both cut off all contact with Raven Queen. To ensure this, your mother and I will be sending in guards in two days.” At the look that Dexter gave him, King Charming added a last note. “This is time for your benefit. At this time you may tell her any excuse you like, but the truth is strictly confidential. If she tells anyone we will know, and you will never so much as see her again. You will still attend Ever After High with her, of course, but you will be forbidden from speaking with her. Castor and Pollux will be sure to be discreet in their presence, so long as you don’t cause trouble.”

Dexter found his throat tighten around the tea at the recollection, and began coughing it up. 

Tomorrow, Castor would be watching his every move. The thought made the rest of the food threaten to come up his throat, and he had to rest his head on the table to stave off the nausea. Occasionally he thought he could hear voices, Daring or Apple or Darling or someone else. Maybe Rosabella or Ashlynn or Hopper. It didn’t matter. 

After lunch, Dexter skipped his afternoon classes, choosing to spend what little free time he had left in Madeline Hatter’s tea shop. Technically it was her father’s, but Dexter didn’t think there was much of a difference. 

When the two walked in, he was playing with a floating mouse who made french horn sounds instead of squeaks. It was almost fun until they walked in. 

Raven froze when she saw him, clearly a little apprehensive after yesterday. But he owed her a proper explanation. Even if it meant never getting to see her again. There wasn’t much he could do against his parents other than this. 

His one act as a rebel. Not a bad title. If he was someone else he might have even thought he was being brave. 

“Hey,” he said, knowing he would have to offer the olive branch this time. “Maddie,” he started, nodding to the turquoise-haired mad girl, before turning to her, “Raven.” Their eye contact felt so weighted. 

She sat across from him, an act of mercy that he knew he didn’t deserve. Maddie bounded over to a door and hopped into what looked like a pit of bunnies made of clouds. They were all translucent and soft. Neither Raven nor Dexter commented on it. 

“I’m sorry I left yesterday,” he started, because maybe that could ease some of the damage he’d already dealt. 

“I’m sure you had your reasons,” Raven sighed, and it was too easy. She shouldn’t be forgiving him so readily, should be berating him and screaming at him and wishing for his death. But instead she was calm, her voice gentle. “It seemed like an emotional day.”

“Yeah.” You’ll find out why soon . “I’m not trying to just never talk to you again.”

“Well you’re doing a great job, then.” The dry humour would be in extremely poor taste if it didn’t elicit a genuine snort from Dexter, which even Raven seemed surprised by. 

He considered his next words very carefully. “My parents, they’ve been on edge since the whole thing with your mom.” When he mentioned her, he saw Raven’s shoulders tense, but soldiered forward anyway. “Their kingdom has, too. They don’t want me hanging out with you and potentially just adding to the tensions, y’know?”

He didn’t tell the whole truth, not willing to believe the last bit that he omitted himself, but it’s enough. Raven’s face fell the longer he talked, and Dexter wondered if his parents had ruined yet another relationship. 

“If your kingdom is having trouble, I don’t want to potentially jeopardise it. I know I’m a bit of a ticking time bomb.” Maybe that’s why he said it. 

“They’re such cowards.” The words echoed and rang in the empty tea shop. If anyone had overheard them, forget Castor, Dexter would have been tried for treason, family relation or not. Raven didn’t react too much, and could probably guess that any major reaction would have just brought questions. Or maybe she just didn’t know the crime that Dexter just committed. 

He wished that he had the courage to commit a much greater one, but there were too many factors. Too much potentially at steak. 

“Eh, don’t be too hard on them. I was pretty much expecting something like this to happen eventually,” Raven said, shrugging. The ease with which she tossed aside Dexter cut him bone-deep, because there was a moment in time where approaching her at all would have been nothing but his imagination. 

And she had every right to put up walls. His brother was probably responsible for some of the hell that the royals had put her through, and knowing that just made the ache in his chest worsen. 

“I wish you didn’t have to.” Dexter’s words had always felt hollow when he was trying to reassure someone. It wasn’t a gift he’d been granted. The person he was addressing being Raven was probably not helping with the feeling. 

“You get used to it after the first few years. Besides, I knew whenever your parents found out about us being friends they wouldn’t let me stick around.” Ignoring how his heart caught on the word friends, not knowing she thought they were that close, Dexter shook his head. 

“Still.” If he had more power, more influence, and was a bit of a better son then they might have let this transgression go. Overlooked it the way they overlooked how Daring talked to Rosabella Beauty. 

Not for the first time, Dexter wished that Daring would understand the things he confided in him. 

Raven started smiling again, which pretty much cured whatever gloom Dexter had been feeling. Then her eyebrows shoot up. “Hey, if they banned you from talking to me, did they ban your siblings too?”

Another sting. “Yeah. Sorry, I know you and Darling were pretty close.” He didn’t, actually, but that didn’t particularly matter anymore. 

“Oh no, that’s not- I mean, yeah actually, I won’t be able to talk to her, but that wasn’t what I meant. That came out all wrong, can I try again?” Dexter nodded, resisting the pull at the corners of his mouth at her stumbling over her words. Sometimes he could forget that Raven was pretty similar to him. “Well, I was just wondering, if your parents banned you all from talking to me, why hasn’t Daring been leaving me alone?” 

She laughed after saying it, but there was tension, a nervousness in her tone that betrayed her knowledge of how loaded the question she had just asked was. Tucking his shaking hands underneath the table, Dexter took a deep breath before replying. “What’s he been bothering you about?” 

“Nothing much. Just asking about how I’ve been handling everything. It was a little odd, but it makes even less sense if he’s not even supposed to be talking to me, y’know?” Another laugh, a small distraction from the ice running through Dexter’s veins. 

So Daring had already begun with his ploy to win over Raven. The very thought sent a wave of nausea running through Dexter. He’d always tried to overlook the way his brother interacted with women, giving the odd criticism if Daring ever went too far but mostly letting him resolve his issues on his own. However, it wouldn’t be fair to keep Raven in the dark. 

Another emotion was brewing, though. Anger. So much of it that Dexter felt his mouth seal shut for fear of any of it escaping into the wild and accidentally hitting Raven in the process. He knew Daring was callous, but to actually follow through on the throwaway comment that Dexter had thought he’d forget about in a couple days, and to do it after knowing what would be happening at the gala? 

Dexter hoped more than anything that Apple never found out about the conversations his brother had when she wasn’t around. 

“I can tell him to leave you alone, if you want.” Please say yes , he thought. But Raven just shook her head. 

“I just thought it was odd, but he’s been harmless, so I’m not worried. I was only curious about why he was ignoring the ban, but I guess he’s never been one to listen to anyone who wasn’t himself, right?” 

“Yeah.” Internally, Dexter imagined pushing himself off of Jack’s beanstalk, and wondered if the damage from the fall would hurt less than this conversation. 

“Anyway,” Raven continued, seeming to sense that the line of discussion they had stumbled into wasn’t one Dexter was keen on continuing to talk about, “has Rumplestiltskin been failing you in Science and Sorcery too?” 

The rest of the day passed quietly, just the two of them in the mad tea shop. Maddie returned at seven o’clock to inform them that they were closing, and the three walked back to the school together, talking about everything and nothing and laughing all the way. When they reached the school, Maddie gave Raven and Dexter a wave before skipping sideways down the hallway, humming a song in Riddlish, and leaving Raven and Dexter to each other’s company. 

“I guess this is goodbye for now.” Dexter tried to ignore the defeat in Raven’s voice. 

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“If you do ever want to break that rule and talk to me, though, I won’t ignore you. I promise.” She held out her pinky. It made Dexter laugh as he linked his finger with hers, the pounding of his heart something he had much practice in ignoring. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

Hunter knew not to talk to him when he returned to their dorm, staring blankly at the wall across from his bed. And the anger from before returned as he thought of the unfairness of his situation. The ban on talking to Raven had been bad enough, but with the new knowledge that Daring was going to go through with his ridiculous plan, which meant he got permission from their parents to do so, sent Dexter over the edge. Once Hunter was asleep, Dexter carefully took out his journal that was hidden under his mattress and wrote a promise to himself, feeling a rebellious spark for not the first time, and letting it grow into a fire instead of blow out. 

This time, he wasn’t going to sit idly by.

Chapter Text

Her life was surprisingly calm without Dexter in it, and before she knew it, two months had passed with his absence. It was difficult, seeing him in the hall, but the two managed to avoid each other quietly. No one had paid attention to their friendship beforehand, so it made sense for no one to comment on them going their separate ways. 

Except for Maddie. 

“I’m still allowed to talk to Dexter though, right? I need to get him to try my new dexterous tea recipe!” Raven hadn’t laughed at the joke when Maddie had said it two months ago, and didn’t laugh recalling it as she flipped through dresses. 

The gala was in two days, and she had yet to pick out an outfit. Upon mentioning this to Apple, the girl had become a wreck, rambling on about proper etiquette and what everyone would think if her roommate and the main part of her destiny wasn’t dressed appropriately so Raven had caved and agreed to go dress shopping, hoping it would take the edge off the nerves Apple had been sporting for the past two months. Her sleepless nights every once a week had turned into every day, so that her dark circles were beginning to create divots under her eyes, and Raven couldn’t remember the last time she had seen Apple finish the food on her plate. 

Even as they shopped, Raven could see Apple’s eyes darting around the shop, and noticed her hands shaking on the hanger, even though it was clear she was trying to conceal their movement. The layers of concealer Apple had applied that morning couldn’t cover the way the space under her eyes caved in, with a natural shadow lying there. 

“How about this one?” Raven asked, holding up a lavender dress with black lace sleeves. It had less spikes than Raven liked in her clothes, but she would have done just about anything to distract Apple. When Apple looked over, though, her eyes stayed hazy as she nodded. 

“It’s okay, I guess. Not really evil though.” Usually Raven would berate her roommate for a comment like that, but decided to give Apple a pass. If she hadn’t slept properly in over a month Raven wouldn’t have been able to function, so to her it was a miracle that Apple had even gotten out of bed that morning. 

“Do you think more black would help?”

“Maybe a darker purple?” Apple flipped through a few more dresses before her eyes focused on one, gaining a little life into them at last. “What about this?”

The dress had a black bodice with purple boning, a periwinkle sheer cape, and a long indigo skirt with blue embroidery. Raven felt the skirt. It was soft, and wasn’t too strict in its silhouette so she would still be able to move, the exact kind of skirt she loved. 

“Yeah, I like it.” 

A bit of colour returned to Apple’s cheeks. “Then you have to try it on. It’ll look spelltacular on you!” 

It did look spelltacular on her, and ended up being the one Raven bought. The money was worth it to see the light return to Apple’s eyes as they walked back, with her ranting about how fun the gala would be now that Raven would be in the proper attire. 

When they got back to the school, though, Raven could see Apple’s steps slow down, her speech go back to stilted, and her smile faded until it was clearly the one she wore while forcing herself to be in a good mood. Although Raven was glad her distraction had worked for a little, it didn’t help the sadness when she saw Apple go back to the exhausted, fidgeting mess she had turned into. 

They said goodbye at the doors, with Apple spouting some excuse about Briar having a hair emergency, although Raven suspected she was going to hibernate somewhere in the woods away from the school. That seemed to be where she had been disappearing to. 

The halls were quiet without Apple’s usual chatter beside her. Raven half considered hexting Maddie, but knew the Hatter would be helping out at her dad’s tea shop in the middle of the day on a weekend. 

The further along she walked though, the more Raven could hear a voice. And she recognised the song, too: Back to December by Tailor Quick. And she knew immediately who was singing it. 

Maybe it would have been a smarter decision for her to continue on to her room, but Raven couldn’t move her feet once she realised. She leaned against the wall, listening to Dexter’s voice float out into the hallway, filling up the empty space where only minutes before silence had sat. 

Her life may have been calm without Dexter in it, but that didn’t mean it was easy to not talk to him. Every time she went into the castleteria all Raven could think about was the conversation she had overheard between him and Hunter. 

She’d been scared to oppose him when he’d told her about his parent’s ban on them talking, if she was being totally honest with herself. She knew how powerful they were, and didn’t want them taking anything she did out on Dexter, so she had gone quietly. Since then, she’d never seen him alone. There was always a tall man in his vicinity, although the guard stayed outside while he was in classes that didn’t have Raven in them. When Raven was there, though, the guard was right beside Dexter. She had no idea what had really happened for that strict measure to be imposed on Dexter, but she hadn’t been able to ask. 

When her knees hit the floor, Raven’s eyes opened, staring up at the ceiling. The song was almost over, and she probably should have left, but she couldn’t move. Her dress was bundled on her lap, and she wondered how Dexter would react when she wore it to the gala, or if he would even be allowed to react. 

The door opening didn’t even register to her, but Dexter’s voice did. 

“Raven?” 

She looked over, and there was no tall guard by his side. They were totally alone in the hallway. 

“Uh, hi.” Realising how weird she must have looked, Raven began getting up, fumbling with her dress as it spilled out of her arms. “Sorry, I know I must look pretty weird right now. I heard you singing and you were really good and -! Uh, well, I wanted to listen. Gosh that sounds weird. Anyway, sorry for bothering you. I’ll get going now.” 

Whatever she was expecting, Dexter grabbing her wrist was not on her list. He looked at her, the blue in his eyes seeming to glow in the barely lit corridor. 

“You liked my singing?” Raven felt the blood rush into her cheeks at the sincerity in Dexter’s voice. 

“Of course. I’ve always liked it.” When Dexter donned a matching blush, Raven felt a little less ridiculous for her reaction to him, and wished she could confront him about what she’d heard. “You have a beautiful voice.”

That made Dexter light up like a tomato, and Raven bit her cheek to stop from laughing. 

“Thank, uh, thank you.” He was quieter than usual. “What’s with the dress?” Raven had forgotten she was even holding it, and felt her eyes widen as she looked down at it. 

“Yeah, that. Well, I couldn’t show up to the gala underdressed, could I? I am Apple White’s famous roommate after all!” She tried to project confidence, but there had been rumours about some royal families even attending the gala which had set even Raven on edge. It was an unusual occurrence, and no one knew the real reason why, although Raven had a sneaking suspicion it was something to do with Apple’s odd mood. 

Whatever she had been expecting, Dexter’s smile dropping into an immediate frown wasn’t it. And suddenly she wondered if there were more people than just Apple who had been in a sour mood over the past couple of months. “Right, the gala.” One deep breath later Dexter was almost back to normal, but Raven hadn’t missed the anger on his face a moment before. “I’m sure it’s going to look stunning on you.” 

Their eyes met, both leaning in just a little, and Raven understood what people meant when they talked about time stopping for a person’s eyes. She had never seen a blue that rich before. It was more vibrant than the sky at the height of summer, and she knew that if he asked her to do anything in that moment she would have done it. “Thank you,” she whispered, and could almost feel the small intake of air from Dexter as his eyes searched hers, as if trying to decide if what he saw was worth whatever risk he was about to take. 

It must not have been, because he pulled back, breathing heavily. “Yeah, yeah, no problem.” That was all he said as he practically ran out of the hall, tripping over himself multiple times. 

Raven slid back down the wall and knew she wouldn’t be getting up for a while. 

*

“Oh come on! What’s that thing Apple says? This is so not fairest!” Her phone wasn’t injured as she threw it on her bed for the fourth time in a row, although she suspected her aim was about to deteriorate from the sheer number of times she had thrown it. It was her sixth time calling Apple, and her sixth time without a reply. The gala was that night, and Raven had almost been excited to attend with her roommate and Maddie, but the roommate in question wasn’t there when she woke up that morning. 

“Maybe she wanted to host a tea party,” Maddie suggested, sitting with one leg propped up on Raven’s bed and Earl Grey playing a two person version of euchre. Raven was pretty sure she was the only reason that she hadn’t become furious. 

“Maybe.” But Raven had a feeling that, wherever Apple was, it was the furthest you could get from the relaxed setting of a tea party. 

“What other way could she prepare for her hat-tastic party! When is it, anyway?” 

“Three hours.” It seemed like more time than it was. Raven had been avoiding getting ready, knowing that her hair and makeup would take forever to get right, and knowing that if they were too messy she would get an earful from Apple. That, and she was beginning to worry for her friend. Something was planned for the gala that at least Apple and Dexter knew about, or that was what she had guessed based on their reactions to her mentioning it, and she had a feeling it wouldn’t be for Apple’s benefit. 

Sure enough, the three hours passed far too fast. Maddie was a helpful distraction to have around, talking to Raven, Earl Grey, and Apple’s mirror in three incredibly overlapping conversations. Following the conversation took an incredible amount of focus, so Raven had no time to think of other things. 

Maddie’s dress somehow managed to look like the dress version of a tea cup, and Raven couldn’t even question her friend because it didn’t even reach the top thousand weird things she had witnessed Maddie wear. 

The event was being held in the ballroom, so everyone was dressed like it was a wedding. When Raven walked in, she felt the familiar anxiety of large crowds seize her muscles, and took a step closer to Maddie to try and calm herself down. 

“They have crumpets!” her friend squealed, dashing off to the food table and leaving Raven in a very awkward crowd. She shifted off to the side of the room, wishing she had her snakeskin cloak with her so she could just disappear into the walls. As it stood, however, she didn’t fail to notice the way eyes followed her. The heavy black and purple makeup she’d put on probably wasn’t helping her look anymore friendly. 

Over by the food, Raven could see Maddie now talking to Lizzie Hearts. The two were always a pleasantly odd pair to see together, but Raven wished that her friend could just stay by her side.

The gala was the first proper party being hosted after her mother’s rampage, with the damage being so great that the school hadn’t gotten back to fully functioning until a month and a half after the incident. It also meant that all eyes would be on Raven, a thought on repeat as she hunched her shoulders, feeling a little short of breath. 

Everything was too bright, too loud, too noisy, and her throat felt dry but her skin was too hot even though her dress left her arms with plenty of air around them. 

In the corner of the room, she could see a balcony and practically dashed towards it, squeezing her way through the tight crowd until the air hit her lungs. Her fingers curled tight around the railing, as if letting go would release the relief. 

The music felt more distant out there, with the party being out of sight, a bush covering her view of the gala and its view of her. 

“Raven.” It wasn’t a question this time. She turned slowly, letting her feet move with every beat of the sluggish music barely drifting out to the balcony. 

“Hi Dex.” He looked her up and down three times, making her more red with each brush of his eyes, as if she could feel where they landed on her skin, but the gaze was never leering, only ever respectfully appreciative. 

“You look gort.” That earned a chuckle out of her as she remembered the first time he had ever said it, a blushing mess at the time. Now he seemed older, and it killed a part of her that the Dex who first said that was gone. 

“You do, too.” And he did, adorned in a grey waistcoat and matching pants, with a navy blue suit jacket on top, and his top two buttons undone. Although he looked less put together than usual. More tired, too. 

“Thanks.” A pause, then, “I always think I’ll know what to say in these moments, and I never do.”

“Yeah, me too.” Her eyes shifted between him and the door out to the balcony. “Aren’t you going to get in trouble for talking to me? Your parents are here, right?” An odd addition to the ball, but one no one had really questioned, assuming the Charming’s were brought in to help with financing or something. 

“No, I’m not the sibling my parents are gonna be worried about tonight.” He laughed after saying it, but Raven frowned, not understanding. After a second Dexter seemed to realise what he’d just said and glanced back at the door nervously. She could see the same debate that had flashed across his face two days ago. “Hey, do you ever think about leaving?” 

Nothing that Dexter could have done would have prepared Raven for that question. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well,” his eyes kept darting back at the door, as if he were afraid any moment someone would walk in on them, “just that things in Ever After… haven’t you ever wanted to leave it all behind?” 

“I mean, it was my whole childhood, so yeah, I’ve considered it.” Her head tilted a little, trying to figure out the root of what was bothering him. “What’s with the quarter life crisis, though? Are you considering retiring to a house in the countryside and raising sheep for the rest of your life?”

“Maybe.” He laughed again but it was still hollow. “It would be nice if I could, I dunno, have some choice? In my life? That seems like it could be nice.” 

“Are you going to sign the Storybook, then?” The question was out before Raven could even process what she was saying and she regretted it the second she said it because of course he would, Dexter had been hanging out with the Royals all year and was the son of King and Queen Charming who could’ve very well been right behind the door listening to their entire conversation-

“If you’d asked me six months ago, I would’ve said yes.” Even the air seemed to halt, curious about where he was heading. 

“And now?” 

His glasses were removed slowly, as if he couldn’t see things sharply while confessing this, as if he wouldn’t be able to confess it if he could. 

“I’ve always been vaguely aware that the way we treat the roles we play in our stories is performative and can be enforced wrong,” his focus was on a different time as he said it, and Raven could feel him recalling the moment he’d first gained awareness of that, “but I used to think that issue was just with people being human and making mistakes. Now, though… I don’t know, maybe I was wrong. Maybe we all were, and the way we treat destiny had been rotten this whole time. Maybe the system was always broken, and the human mistakes we’ve made along the way are just a result of trying to live up to something that was built for us to fall short of.” 

Raven could have lied to herself and said she did what she did because it had been a long two months without one of her best friends forever after around, or because the music had faded out for a minute after Dexter finished speaking and it felt intentional, like even Melody Piper could sense the weight of his words from inside, or because after a lifetime of people calling her evil this boy had seen the good in her from the moment they met and made an effort to make sure she saw it too, because he made her feel less alone, but really it was none of those things, even though they would have been wonderful reasons. 

It was because, for the first time in her life, Raven felt someone see the world through her eyes in an effort to understand, and it worked. 

So before she could think about the repercussions of her actions or whether she would be acting like a villain, she grabbed Dexter’s face and pulled him towards her, watching his eyes widen as he realised what was happening, his vision still blurry from the lack of glasses. Their lips crashed together and it was a little awkward and a little clumsy but it was her first kiss and that was to be expected and it was wonderful. 

Her eyes were open the whole time, and so were his. She blamed it on Dexter and the shimmering blue of his eyes, the million shades of azure and teal and cyan swimming around in his irises, but then she was pulling away to breathe and he closed his eyes as he pulled her in for a second kiss so she closed hers too, letting him carry her along. 

At that moment, Raven would have followed him anywhere. An image of the two of them in a small countryside cottage flashed through her mind and she pulled him a little closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt her neck heat up when Dexter’s hands landed on her hips and her back hit the railing, the two completely consuming each other. 

“Dexter?” 

Raven’s head felt fuzzy as Dexter turned around, but she didn’t miss the way he stepped in front of her, even as she saw his hands shake. Her hips felt cold where his hands had been only a moment before. She peeked over his shoulder to see none other than Daring, who looked the worst Raven had ever seen him. 

Between him and Apple, you would think someone killed their pets , Raven thought, eyes darting between Daring’s dark circles and tense shoulders. 

“What are you doing?” There was an edge to Daring’s voice that was partially angry, but also seemed partially scared. Raven wondered what had happened to him. 

“Why are you out here?” Dexter responded instead of answering. His voice reminded Raven of his presence as it shook, sounding hollow, and she felt fear spark through her as he shifted so she stayed behind him, creating a barrier between her and his brother. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready?” 

Raven would have wondered what that meant but Daring’s voice was rising. “How could you do this, especially today? What is this supposed to be, some kind of revenge on our parents for not letting you talk to her?”

“No.” Dexter’s voice darkened, deadly serious. 

“Then why?” The hurt in Daring’s voice cut through Raven so easily, surprising her. 

“Because I….” Dexter turned to look at Raven then, putting his glasses on slowly. He leaned in, hugging her, and whispered, “Get out of here now. I’ll deal with Daring, okay?”

When he pulled back she nodded, running around Daring before he could block the entrance and back through the crowd. She had no idea if her lipstick was smudged or her hair was a mess, but people seemed distracted, which was helping her. 

The crowd got more congested as she tried to wander through, forcing her thoughts to slow to the present and figure out how to leave. Which made her notice the way people were staring at her. Not in the usual apprehensive fear, more curious, or maybe accusatory. She could see people whispering to each other, but her ears were ringing and the music was still blaring overhead so she couldn’t make out what anyone was saying. 

When she neared the back of the hall it started to become less crowded and she sped up again, walking faster and faster until she broke out into a run. 

Her heels dug into the sides of her feet and she knew she’d have blisters tomorrow, but she was almost out when she felt someone run into her shoulder, knocking her to the floor. 

Raven could barely suppress the laugh when she saw who it was. “Hi Darling.” If she ran into King and Queen Charming she was gonna lose it. It took a few seconds for Darling to register that she was there, and the look on her face shocked Raven. If Daring had a dog killed in front of him, then Darling had just seen Ever After burn to the ground. 

“Hey Raven, sorry about this. I always run into you, don't I?”

“Don’t worry about it. By the way, are you o-”

“Anyway, charm you later!” And as quickly as she had appeared she was gone, in almost as much of a rush as Raven was. She looked about the same amount of dishevelled, too, and Raven couldn’t figure out what could have caused it.

The whole night had given her a headache, and she longed for the sweet release of her comfortable bed and sleep. Her problems could wait until tomorrow. 

“Ashlynn, would you mind helping me up?” she asked. Ashlynn jumped at her name, but was all too happy to help. She had been so sweet to Raven after the fiasco with the Storybook of Legends, and Raven didn’t know how she could ever repay her for that. She was always sweet, though, so maybe Raven had been the rule and not an exception. 

“Are you going to be alright, Raven?” Ashlynn asked once she was on her feet. Raven tilted her head. 

“I mean, my dress is dirty now, which kind of sucks cause it was brand new, but I’ll survive.” It was an odd question, but Raven knew Royals had been taught different priorities from the villain kids. 

“No, I mean about Apple.”

“Have you seen her?” But there was something wrong with Ashlynn’s expression. It was too kind, too concerned, and Raven’s bad feeling about all the people whispering when she was running out continued to grow. 

“Not since the announcement.” When Ashlynn sighed Raven swore she heard a bird cry. “Maybe she went back to your dorm?” 

“What announce-”

“I mean of all the things, this was so unprecedented. If you see her can you tell her to hext me when she’s feeling better? I’ll keep my MirrorPhone notifications on all night until she does.”

“Yeah, sure, but Ashlynn-”

“And I’ll have to go visit Daring, too. I can’t imagine what could have prompted them to do this. It just seems so out of character.” Raven felt her stomach drop as she began to piece things together into a very, very blurry picture. Every minute since she had returned to the ball had just been another excuse to wish she was still on the balcony with Dexter. 

“They just looked so sad. I hope this was what they wanted.” 

“Hey, Ashlynn?” Finally, Ashlynn looked over at her. “What happened with Apple and Daring?” 

Ashlynn’s soft concern morphed into pity right in front of Raven’s eyes, confirming what she’d been afraid of, and Raven regretted asking the question. Time travel magic had been outlawed long ago, but Raven wished she knew it if only to take her words back. 

“You didn’t hear? We were all gathered here when it happened.” 

Raven let out an awkward cough. “I was… in the bathroom.”

“Oh.” There was no way Ashlynn believed her, but she didn’t say anything. “There was a proposal, Raven.”

“What?”

“Apple and Daring are getting married.”

Chapter Text

Picking out the ring had been the worst. As Apple had looked at them, she could see her years of life in the future contained in each reflection of a diamond, and felt her willpower drain away the longer she looked at them. It didn’t fill her with the comfort of Legacy Day, and instead seemed to rob her of the ability to breathe. 

Sparkling in the corner of her dressing room the diamond sat, staring at her. It was an apple, with two gold vines framing it. The picture perfect happily ever after. 

A fairytale ending fit for a princess. 

No one had been allowed in her dressing room to help her get dressed. Apple had known she’d want to be alone. As it was, she’d been staring at the dress for about ten minutes. White base, with gold embroidery and red sleeves, and a matching red and gold crown. It looked like a wedding dress. 

At least it suited the occasion. It was far too festive for her, but Apple didn’t bother pretending she had the luxury of choice in this matter. 

The news had been broken to Apple and Daring together, with the two of them sitting like scolded children as they were regaled with news of the chaos occurring throughout Ever After, hearing horror stories of war and famine and unrest in various kingdoms, with panic running rampant after the return of the Evil Queen. None of that was their fault, but Apple knew Daring had felt guilty as well while they listened. 

Neither one of them could have guessed that the solution to that would be a forced proposal. Honestly, it was a ludicrous solution to an incredibly complicated problem, but Apple knew there was more to it than that. This whole situation was just a distraction, and it was outrageously shocking, which would only work in favour of their parents as they tried to regain control of their kingdoms. 

With a teen engagement to distract people, no one would be paying attention to the reforms after the Evil Queen’s rule. Every time she thought too long about it Apple felt sick. 

This wasn’t how she was supposed to marry Daring. They were supposed to be older, and should have seen their story through. Although Apple suspected she would be fine, considering she had already been poisoned. She never thought of that for too long. The one time she had sent her into a panic attack that she was less than eager to re-live. 

Daring had laughed when they were told, but Apple had been completely silent for the whole meeting. Once, she nodded to her mother, the only movement she actually completed. It reminded her of having waiting homework, and how she had become quite good at letting her mind drift off without letting her body move an inch. 

She hadn’t cried once. Maybe she should have. She felt like she should have. If she could have guessed at her reaction to something like this, she would have guessed something similar to her almost drowning in that well as a child. 

Raven had noticed something was wrong, though. Her lovely roommate was probably one of the only people Apple truly couldn’t hide a thing from. They just knew each other too well. If she was concerned, which Apple was sure she was, she hadn’t said anything, preferring instead to cast worried glances in Apple’s direction when she thought she wasn’t looking. 

It would have been sweet if it didn’t just worsen her nerves. 

Peeling herself slowly off the couch, Apple made her way towards the dress, marching the same way she would down the aisle. 

She regretted lying to her mother about being poisoned, now. When everyone had agreed on saying it was Daring who woke her, Apple thought that just meant that the two would openly date for the rest of high school, which was really just labelling what they had before. Never had she thought that this would be the consequence of her lie. 

What hurt the most was that it made sense. She’d had her happily ever after, and now it was time to write The End in her story. 

The dress felt like it was squeezing what little air had been left in her lungs out as she shimmied into it. Of course it fit like a glove, she would suspect nothing less of her mother’s tailors. The white and gold made her skin glow, with the red bringing out the natural tinge of her lips. It was all stunning. 

She was going to make a beautiful bride. 

The thought made her bend over in nauseousness, pressing her palm to her mouth to avoid throwing up. How was she going to survive the rest of the night? 

No, the rest of your life. This is the end of your fairytale. She had to sit down after that, wishing that the dress didn’t fold with her. Wishing that she could teleport out of it, teleport out of this situation and just go back to attending school with her friends and feeling fairest. 

A small, terrible part of her was enjoying this, too. It would be a lie for her to say that she wasn’t having any fun. Finally getting her happily ever after was a relief and a curse, it was just that she was feeling the effects of the curse more. 

“Maybe I just need a different prince charming to save me from this tower,” she muttered. The second the words were out she wished she could take them back. She loved Daring. He was kind, and tall, and sweet, and the only Prince Charming for her! It was just nerves. She could learn to be happy with Daring for the rest of her life, couldn’t she? 

“Can I at least get a sign? Or, I don’t know, something, anything-”

She jolted when she heard a knock at the door. Carefully, she got up, sending a quick, suspicious glance upwards before walking over to it. 

Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. 

*

The day after was odd. 

Apple had been switched to a single room for the time being, probably because her mother didn’t want any of Raven’s rebellious ideas to shift over to her. Not that Apple had ever considered being a rebel, but she suspected her mother thought that the engagement could be the thing to push her off the ledge. 

A couple knights stood guard at her door, making sure she couldn’t escape. 

Sorry, making sure no one can bother me , Apple thought as she rolled her eyes. 

The quiet was weird. Raven was a naturally loud person, always bumping into something or accidentally hexing one of Apple’s furniture pieces. That had never bothered Apple, although it could be distracting. She never thought she would actually miss the noise, though. 

All she had to do was stare at her ring, which she had thrown into an empty drawer the second she’d been left alone in the room. 

Well, she could think about what happened before the gala, but her stomach twisted every time her thoughts even drifted in that direction. 

“I made the right choice,” she muttered, staring at herself in the mirror. Her eyes looked like they were lying, sparking a flash of annoyance. “I made the right choice.” Her nails dug into the palms of her hands. “I made the right choice.” She grabbed her gold hairbrush. 

“I made the right choice!” 

The shards of the mirror didn’t reach her when she threw the brush. She couldn’t even react properly, staring at the shards distantly for a few seconds before sitting back down on her bed. When she got some energy back, she would clean up the mess, but her whole body felt so heavy as she leaned back, letting her hair fan out beneath her as she stared at the ceiling. 

“I made the right choice,” she muttered to herself, biting her bottom lip. The more she said it, the more it sounded like a lie. 

“Miss White, you have a visitor,” one of All the King’s Men called. They were the ones who had been assigned to her door. Apple sighed, turning over so her face was pressed against her sheets. She didn’t want to see anyone, but it would be rude to turn someone away. 

“Okay, give me one second!” she called back. There was a dustpan she kept below her bed, and she scooped the glass shard into it then tucked it back under her bed frame, hoping whoever it was wouldn’t notice. Then she examined herself in what was left of her mirror, making sure she at least looked presentable. Her complexion could’ve been more rosy, but she had looked worse. “Let them in.” 

The door creaking open reminded Apple of how she used to get scared when her mother would visit her late at night, shivering under her covers until she heard that familiar voice that would wash her worries away. If only this were that simple. 

“Hello Apple,” Daring said, standing stiffly at the entrance to her room. She softened upon seeing him. He wasn’t at fault, just like she wasn’t. 

“Hi Daring. You can sit, if you want.” He jolted, becoming suddenly aware of just how awkward he looked. 

“Oh, right.” Daring took three steps into the room before perching on the very edge of Apple’s vanity stool, ready to run away at any moment. 

“So what’s up?” The air had never been this awkward between them. The two had been friends since they started school, and had always been more than comfortable in each other’s company. But now, the weight of their impending wedding hung between them. 

Apple wished she didn’t, but a small part of her hated her mother for creating this distance with someone she had considered one of her best friends. 

“I just thought we should talk.” An awkward silence. Daring coughed. “You know, about everything.” 

“What’s there to talk about?” She wasn’t trying to be rude, it was a genuine question. He had proposed. She said yes. Their story was over. It was a tale as old as time. There was nothing else to say. 

“I don’t know, I just thought that… I don’t know.” It was weird to hear someone who was usually so self-assured sound so despondent. “I guess I just didn’t want to be alone.” That did break through to Apple. She had been feeling the same way only minutes before, hadn’t she? 

“Yeah, me neither.” Daring’s shoulders immediately relaxed.  

“You aren’t wearing the ring,” he said, his voice a bit lighter upon hearing her agree. Then his face dropped again. “I’m sorry.”

“For what? You’ve done nothing wrong.” It was important to her that he knew that. 

“This wasn’t how I wanted things to play out.” His face contorted as he spoke, each word shooting through Apple, opening another wound. “I know I haven’t always been the most thoughtful prince, or the most considerate. I am dashingly handsome and a delight to be around, but I know that I’ve made mistakes since we’ve known each other.” Usually Apple would have laughed at his bragging, but she kept quiet, unsure of where he was going. “I really did want to be your prince, though. I wanted… I wanted to give you the Happily Ever After you deserve.” 

Her cheeks were wet before Apple could even realise she was crying. To his credit, Daring’s eyes had started watering as he spoke and his voice had become more shaky. 

“I really wanted to be your princess, too.” It was hard not to feel robbed as she looked at Daring, the two seeing the life that should have played out for them in the other’s eyes. Years of dreaming and planning taken away in the span of a few months. 

“You made a great Snow White.” He said it as a compliment, but Apple couldn’t help the way her stomach twisted at the reminder of the coffin, the sensation of choking. The knowledge of what breathing without air felt like. “You’re gonna make a great queen someday, too. I know you will.” 

“Thank you.” Apple hadn’t even thought about her eventual rule over her kingdom. It was one of the few things that she could still say she had time to wait for, but when she heard Daring mention it she felt her hands tighten on the sheets of her bed. “You’ll make a great king, too.” As the oldest Charming sibling, Daring was the one to inherit his throne. It was yet another reason the two would be so perfect for each other; their combined kingdoms when they took over ruling would span almost all of Ever After. 

The air felt too heavy, so Apple tried to lighten it. “You aren’t wearing your ring, either.” It was customary for both parties in an engagement to wear an engagement ring. Usually they were bought as a set, although Daring’s was inherited from his father. 

“Yes, well, I didn’t want to risk losing it. Plus it was really heavy for how thin it was.” 

“Really?”

“It even gave my princely muscles a strain!” He laughed and for a second they were just kids having fun again. “I didn’t know jewellery could weigh that much. How you wear those necklaces and rings every day, I’ll never know.” 

“Years of practice,” she replied. “It couldn’t have been much compared to the sword you’re always dragging around in Hero Training! Every time you manoeuvre it so easily I’m shocked. I would have dropped something like that so many times.”

“You and Dexter should make a club. He’s always been clumsy that way.” The fondness in Daring’s voice as he spoke of his brother was palpable, the way it always was when they discussed his siblings. Apple would never admit it to him, but she’d always been a little jealous of people who weren’t only children. 

“I’ve seen you two spar, and he always looks fine to me?” 

“That’s because he’s never wearing his full armour. Usually he becomes a mess with it on!” Daring jumped up from the stool and began waving his arms around, demonstrating. “He’ll hold up the sword, alright, but then-” he mimicked tripping on nothing, and fell forward, catching himself with perfect grace so he drifted into a plank, “-he’ll always manage to find a way to the ground.” 

“I can’t blame him. All you boys do is run around. Sometimes I find waiting practice burdensome, I couldn’t imagine the strain of sword training! And in full armour.” Apple shuddered. “Sounds like torture.” 

“It’s fun, though. You get used to the armour and swords after a while. A good prince never lets such things bother him.” 

Apple laughed. Her whole body was relaxed, something it hadn’t been in days. “And you are the best prince of them all, I assume?”

“Of course!” Daring puffed his chest out with pride, making Apple laugh more. It was true, too. She could never fault Daring for his braggin, because technically he was always right with what he said. Whenever she looked out the window during Damsel in Distress class, she could see him being used as an example. “I’m sure you could learn how to wield a sword. I could teach you, one day, if you’d like that.” 

“I would like that.” She tried to imagine their life spanning out through the decades. It would be peaceful. Fun, even. A closed storybook on a shelf collecting dust. 

“If you really wanted, I could probably convince Professor Knight to let you sit in on a class.” 

“I think we have an upcoming class together, actually!” 

Their parents would probably want to sit in on the occasion, observing how the betrothed would behave in public. They hadn’t left their rooms since the announcement. Apple sent a glance to her Mirror Phone on her desk. She’d silenced it and thrown it in a drawer when she got to the room, and knew there were probably countless hexts from Briar asking about what happened yesterday. Raven would be worried, too. 

“Are you sure it would be a good idea?” she asked, doubting the resolve she’d had only seconds earlier. Daring frowned, always quick to notice her expressions. 

“Apple.” She looked up. His eyes were such a deep, warm blue. “We’re in this mess together. You have a right to go anywhere I go. What people say doesn’t matter. Alright?” The kindness was visible in his irises. “It may not have happened the way I wished it would have, but I promise I’ll protect you like your prince should.” So why weren’t his eyes the ones she kept dreaming of?

She smiled back at him. “Thank you Daring.”

*

Another day went by before her next visitor, her mother. This was the visit she had been dreading. The last time she’d seen her mom, she hadn’t said a word, quietly listening as the “situation” was explained. 

It was quiet when she entered, sitting at Apple’s desk with perfect posture, the picturesque queen she always was. Apple was ignoring the fact that only an hour earlier she’d woken up in a cold sweat, with cold blue eyes dancing around her nightmares. That had been a new addition since the night of the proposal. 

“I’m so proud of you, my darling Apple.” Those were the first words her mother said to her. A couple months ago the words would have melted Apple, liquified her into anything her mother wanted her to be. But they sounded distant as she listened, like her mother was still behind the door she was always trapped inside during Apple’s nightmares. 

“Thank you.” It was the only response she could think to give. Heavy silence sat between the two of them before her mother took a deep breath and continued. 

“Now, about the wedding itself, I wanted to discuss some logistics with you.” Apple tensed as her mother pulled out her Mirror Pad, her fingers barely visible at the speed she was typing. “Normally an engagement of this nature would wait until you were both graduated. It happens, occasionally, with stories that come to fruition prematurely. Yours was not one I would have expected to fall into this category, but nonetheless it is workable.” It was Apple’s confirmation that she had been right about this engagement to Daring being her Happily Ever After. “With your case, however, things are a bit more complicated.”

“How so?” 

“Well, because this wasn’t initiated by the two of you, it will have to unfold on the timeline required of it.” Each word sunk deeper into Apple’s skin. She would be surprised if there were no indents left over. “Unfortunately that timeline is a little rushed. Both the Charming’s and our kingdom have become a little less chaotic since the announcement of your engagement, but it seems a new concern has arisen around your safety with supporters of the Evil Queen.” Apple’s blood turned cold. Her mother saw, and smiled, waving her hand through the air. It looked as if the air was cushioning it. “Not to worry, darling! My top security team will be around the school at all times until the wedding.

“Speaking of the wedding, I can return to my main point.” Her mother’s right hand had not stopped typing on the Mirror Pad since she had pulled it out. “With this all taken into consideration, the thought is that the six month anniversary of that dreadful woman’s attempt at power would be the perfect opportunity to show the might of Ever After, so that is when your wedding can be hosted. Just in time for Spring!” Ever After never really had winters, only extended autumns, but spring was still something many looked forward to. It used to be Apple’s favourite season. 

“So the wedding’s in two months?” 

“Yes. It will be tricky to do all the arrangements in such a short time, but I know with our combined wit we can work something out. This weekend we will have to purchase your dress so we can figure out the rest of the arrangements.” Every word was accompanied with the sound of clicking on the Mirror Pad. 

“Are you sure the dress can’t wait?” Apple would not be ready to see herself in a wedding dress by the weekend. She never thought she’d like the process after the announcement, but to go from a proposal to wedding dress shopping was just too much. 

“Certainly not. It will be the first thing to complete so we can move on quickly. Wedding invitations have been mostly arranged, but you will need to decide who from the school is attending. I assume Briar and Ashlynn will be there, of course, after that-”

“Could I invite Raven?” The tapping stopped. Complete silence. 

“Pardon?”

“Raven. She’s my friend, and you didn’t mention her. It would be so hexciting if she was there.”

“Darling,” it was far more strained than before, “Raven is the daughter of the Evil Queen. The whole point of this is to distract the citizens for long enough for everyone to get their kingdoms under control. How will that work if the daughter of the woman we’re trying to distract from is in attendance?”

“She’s my friend.”

“Darling, it could cause chaos. You can tell her about the wedding after. She could even stay in the dressing room if she really wants to attend.” 

Apple didn’t protest any more. She could probably sneak Raven in somehow. Besides, it wasn’t an event she’d wanted her friend there to celebrate, she had just been hoping for extra emotional support. 

“Darling Charming will be there too, of course.” Ignoring the tingle in her spine, Apple looked up. 

“Of course. She is the groom’s sister, after all.” If she made it through the conversation without throwing up, she would consider it a success. 

“After that I think Hopper Croakington and Rosabella Beauty can attend, and the rest I will leave to your discretion. Please pick the bridesmaids as well, darling, I cannot afford for that to be a last minute decision.” 

“Of course, mom.” Apple hesitated before asking her next question, dreading the outcome if it raised any suspicion. “What role will Darling be taking in the ceremony?” 

“Your maid of honour, of course. It’s only practical, not to mention traditional, and will likely foster community between the kingdoms. Seeing their favourite princess approve of this union should sway the majority in favour of it.” 

“I’m sure it will!” Apple put on her most dazzling smile, earning one in return from her mother, who reached one hand out to half cup her face. 

“I know this may all be happening a bit sooner than expected, Apple dearest, but do try to enjoy it, alright? It was always bound to turn out this way, after all. You finally have your happily ever after.” A wave of guilt rushed through Apple, quick and sharp as she clenched her hands on her skirt to keep from exhibiting a visible reaction. 

“How could I be anything but happy? This is everything I ever wished for.” Her mother smiled at the words as they hollowed Apple out. 

Polite goodbyes were exchanged before the shut of the door sent Apple cascading to the ground, the tears soaking her clothes before she had a chance to gasp in a breath. The carpet waved in and out of focus. 

She was set to return to classes tomorrow, but she had no idea how she would manage that. Being away from studying had been torture, since she’d always enjoyed keeping herself preoccupied with her Charmwork, but she had no idea how she was supposed to focus on studying with everything going on in her life. She wasn’t even particularly sure that she was supposed to still be in school, seeing as her destiny had been fulfilled. 

Apple laid down, rolling her head from side to side before spotting something glimmering under her bed. She propped herself up on one arm and grabbed it. 

The blue and silver pendant rolled around in her hand as she pressed it to her lips, almost unaware of the action. It was cool and clean, the result of the room being swept completely clean before Apple had arrived. Somehow the weight felt like home, as opposed to the oppressive heat of her ring. 

She slipped the chain around her neck, sitting up, and tucked it under her blouse. The silver stood out against her outfit, so if she wore it against her clothes her guards would immediately notice. It felt right to have the pendant against her bare skin, too. Comforting. 

Her hair was still perfectly curled when she looked in the mirror, with the remnants of her tears making her eyes sparkle. She always looked beautiful after she cried. 

“So, the past few months haven’t worked out fairest. I wanted a different life for myself, sure.” She slapped a hand on her desk. “But I’m Apple White! If this is what my Happily Ever After was supposed to be, then this is what it will be. I will be the best ruler Ever After has ever seen, and I’ll put on the best wedding this realm has ever known!” 

Blue eyes stared back at her, brighter than a fire, burning through the mirror. But no amount of yelling at herself could stop the hollow, sinking feeling in her stomach. 

“It’ll be fine,” she said, her voice more serious now. 

Her schedule sat beside her on the desk, waiting for when she would return to classes tomorrow. 

Chapter Text

Darling had always considered herself a fairly patient person. Since she was young all she had been taught to do was wait around for her perfect prince to save her. Even if she was bored out of her mind during waiting practice, she couldn’t deny that she needed patience to sit through it at all in the first place. 

But listening to her brother and parents talk about the upcoming wedding, Darling could barely keep herself from leaving the table altogether, and had to resort to pinching her thigh every few minutes under the hem of her dress to remind herself that she was supposed to be happy. It didn’t help, then, that the last time she had seen her brother’s fiancee face-to-face kept replaying in her mind. 

Darling’s emotions had been a disaster ever since she found out about the engagement. Aside from the obvious issue of the whole premise being based on a lie, which everyone seemed intent on ignoring for the sake of pacifying the adults, no one had even bothered asking her opinions of it since the first meeting. 

Really, she should have been used to being ignored by now. But something about this particular issue cut deeper than the others, and her frustration with the situation had already boiled over once before, which had ended in disaster. She could only guess at what horrors would await if she had another. And so she pinched her thigh, allowing her beautifully rounded long, dainty nails to dig into the skin until it was a dark pink that looked to be on the verge of breaking. She couldn’t afford to bleed, though, knowing that would probably be the only thing to catch her parents attention. 

Her only consolation was that Dexter had the good sense to look frustrated with the situation. It was a miracle he had managed a single tense expression at all for the lunch, considering he had been practically deliriously happy since the gala. Darling had a sneaking suspicion that had more to do with the many exchanged glances between him and Raven than anything to do with her, though. 

Apple and her mother were set to join them soon, so her parents had shifted the conversation from Daring’s recent exploits in Hero Training to mulling over which crown would suit him for the wedding. 

“Oh Darling, do eat something before our guests arrive. It would be terribly rude to leave an empty plate.” Darling found this ironic considering her mother had always encouraged the smallest possible bites of food when around company, and never failed to remind Darling that a princesses figure must be slim if she wished to be rescued by a handsome prince. The one positive of being acknowledged was that it gave Darling a chance to attempt escape. 

“I’m not feeling terribly well today, mother. Could I please be excused?” Before a word had come out of her mother’s mouth, she knew it would  be a no. The slightly pursed lips told what a million words would never. 

“You should have said something earlier, dear. We cannot change the seating arrangements now,” frowning, her mother placed a single manicured fingernail to the bottom of her chin, considering her options. Then she snapped. “If you feel truly ill, you needn't come to the meeting afterwards. Dexter can attend to you in your room. It would be more appropriate for the meeting to be smaller, anyway. And stay away from eating too much. Your arms are looking a bit thicker these days, dear. Remember that muscles are a prince’s duty, not yours.” 

Darling felt her teeth grind together as she smiled. “Thank you, mother, I’ll keep that in mind.” 

Her father let out a laugh that broke some of the tension. “Of course you will. Now, about the suit…”

A hand came to rest on her own, removing her nails from where they’d become entrenched in her skin as Dexter tilted his head at her. She shook it gently and saw his frown deepen. 

“It’s only lunch,” he muttered to her, linking their pinkies together the way they used to as kids. To most it was the sign of a promise being made, which may as well have stood true for the two of them as well. A promise of solidarity with the other, of understanding that ran deeper than another person’s ever could. 

Only Dexter couldn’t quite understand Darling’s particular plight this time, it was nice that his situation was similar. 

“I know,” she muttered back. Their current topic of conversation could surely only make her more upset, so she changed it. “How have things been with you lately?” 

Dexter had been making his presence more avoidant than ever since the night of the gala, only showing up for class before disappearing to Grimm knows where. Because of that, Darling had barely had a chance to talk to him, let alone ask about what was causing this change in mood. So it was to her surprise when his cheeks lit up like the wings of a fairy. 

“Good,” he managed to choke out after a silence that extended just a bit too long. “Normal, you know, nice.”

Darling felt the corners of her lips pull up at the state of him, and released his hand to turn so she could better antagonise him. “Oh, normal, is that it? Okay, I just thought there might be a reason that you’ve been disappearing all day for the past couple of weeks.” She made sure to keep her voice down, but their parents were so caught up in conversation they wouldn’t have noticed anyway. Sure enough, she was right about what was making him blush, because his eyes darted around in a panicked way before he made eye contact. 

“Don’t tell anyone,” he whispered. Her smile grew even wider as her suspicions were proven right. 

“So you and… her?” she asked, unable to contain the excitement in her voice. If one of them had to be happy, she would rather it be Dexter, anyway. He always seemed to be getting the short end of every stick, so he needed something good to happen in his life. When he nodded, starting to smile as well, Darling grabbed his hand and gave it a tight squeeze, which was all the congratulations she could really extend given the circumstances, but it reached him. 

“Thanks,” he muttered. 

“How long?” That was when his smile began to drop off, melting into a more neutral expression. Darling willed herself to do the same, but it was impossible to erase some of the joy from her face, so she settled for a small smile that wouldn’t get her reprimanded for causing wrinkle lines. 

“Since the gala.” Her stomach dropped at the very mention of the wretched night, although that too she had been suspecting. But she forced a tight smile on her face anyway, reminding herself to be happy for her brother. 

“That’s amazing. Does Hunter know?” Even the mention of a rebel’s name, even if he was only his roomate, had Dexter glancing nervously over at their parents, but when he saw that they were still preoccupied with Daring he nodded. 

“I told him the night it happened.” 

“Oh, children, our guests are here!” her mother’s voice called, making the two rise to their feet instinctively. Manners were a part of their system at this point.   

Darling saw Apple spare a glance over her way, and for a second time began to stop as she relived the last time the two had spoken. 

It was the night of the gala. Darling had been slowly going insane over the procession of events as she watched things from afar. She’d found herself escaping on Sir Gallopad more frequently, only to kick a tree for the night and return when classes began. Even Rosabella had begun to notice how restless she’d become, although the princess thankfully never bothered her about it, seeming to sense it would not have helped. 

The dreams that had been plaguing Darling since the Dragon Games finally showed her who she was dreaming of the night after her parents told Dexter and her about the plans for the wedding. She saw the glass coffin, felt herself walk up to it without a second thought, and the soft press of lips as she had her first kiss. 

After that, denying her feelings felt useless. It was a hopeless situation, one that Darling knew Apple would never take the time to change. Their kiss had meant nothing to her, if the way Apple had acted after had anything to say about it, and so Darling had figured she would just quietly move on, the way she did with most of the disappointments in her life. 

What she hadn’t expected, however, was the sheer rage that would have built up in anticipation of the proposal. By the time the actual night of the gala rolled around, she could barely see clearly, she was so angry. 

Maybe it had been the anger, or maybe it was a deeper frustration at the way she’d been ignored since the announcement, or maybe it was even resentment towards Apple that led her outside that gold and red door. No one stopped her, as it was pretty well known that Apple and she were friends, which was good because she wouldn’t have listened even if they tried to. 

Apple’s face was rivalling Darling’s in terms of who had darker circles under their eyes, and she felt a petty bit of happiness at the fact that Apple had been suffering as much as her, but didn’t dare let that show. 

The other half of her wanted to cradle Apple’s face and brush away the dark circles, but she ignored that to keep her composure. 

“Can I come in?” she asked, making sure to keep her posture steady even as she felt more unstable than ever. 

“Yeah.” It seemed to be the only thing Apple could say, although Darling really didn’t know what she had shown up to say either, walking in blindly. When the door clicked shut, they both stared at the other, willing each to say something, anything. That was when it hit Darling that it was the first time she’d been alone with Apple since their kiss. 

“Is something wrong?” Apple finally asked. She was never one who could stand extended silences, always needing to make her sunny personality known to the room. Darling considered lying, but the words came out before she had a chance to consider them. 

“Yes.” 

It wasn’t the response Apple was expecting, and Darling could almost see the rise in tension in the room that came with her response, but Apple waited, allowing her to continue. 

“Don’t marry him.” Finally, the words she had been dying to say for two months came tumbling out. And once she had started, it seemed she couldn’t stop, her mouth moving faster than her brain, spilling every secret thought she had kept since the day of their kiss. “Please don’t marry him. I love my brother, I do, really, but he isn’t your Happily Ever After. We both know he isn’t. He wasn’t the one who woke you up that day and he wasn’t meant to. I didn’t realise until then but he was never supposed to be your prince, Apple, please don’t marry him.” 

The tears came naturally and Darling didn’t even try to stop them. “You can’t want this. Even if you thought he was supposed to be your prince, surely you couldn’t have wanted it this way? And I know I haven’t talked to you since then but I was so afraid you’d hate me for taking away your destiny but-” she began to hiccup, her throat catching on words and tripping in an ugly sound Darling had never made before, “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since it happened. I’ve never felt like this for someone before, and I see it when I look at you two, you’ve looked so dead inside with him since that day. Please don’t marry him Apple. Please.” 

Apple had begun crying as well, although she was much quieter, the tears dripping in two straight lines down her cheek from each eye. “You know I have to. He’s my destiny, Darling.” Apple’s voice at least had the decency to hitch on the word destiny. 

“He isn’t your destiny, though.” Darling grabbed Apple’s hands, ignoring that her cheeks were soaked with tears, squeezing Apple’s palms with her own. “He couldn’t wake you up, Apple. That means he couldn’t have been your destiny.” 

Apple’s cheeks had gone pink the second Darling had grabbed her hands, but she could see the confusion as the blonde’s eyes darted between her own, still crying. “But you… you’re not a prince.”

Darling’s stomach dropped as she let go of Apple’s hands. To hear the one argument that had been levied against her for her entire life used by the person she thought would understand, at least a little, why it was wrong was one of the worst things she had ever had happen to her. 

“So what, you’re going to marry a boy who couldn’t even do his part in your story? What about his destiny, Apple? What if he’s supposed to be with another princess?”  Darling’s voice had grown cold, her desperation replaced by a rage at the sense of betrayal she felt as Apple pulled away from her. 

“He’s been my prince for as long as I can remember, I’m sure he’s not someone else’s, it’s our destiny-”

“I’m your destiny!” Darling finally screamed, and she’d done it then, sure that the guards had heard her. It would bother her more if she cared. “You would have died in that coffin, I-” She couldn’t go on after that, letting her shaking hands rest limply at her sides as Apple’s legs collapsed under her. The mention of the coffin hung over both their heads as Darling remembered how terrified she had been when she had tried to kiss Apple, wishing it would work with every bit of Charming blood she had in her and nearly collapsing in relief when it had, only to see Apple immediately jump into the arms of her brother. 

Darling couldn’t look at Apple, so she focused her eyes on the mirror in the corner of the room instead, something she’d overlooked when she first entered. When she saw her reflection, she looked like a mess. Her makeup was still in place, but her eyes were watering and tear tracks ran down from each corner of her eyes, while her lips trembled and her nose had taken on a reddish colour from her sniffling. The anger in her eyes was what really shocked her though, and underneath that his layers and layers of betrayal and despair. At the situation, at Apple’s reaction to it, and her own helplessness in the matter. 

“It’s your choice to make,” she said finally, the defeat in her voice palpable. “I won’t force anything on you. If you really want him, then I hope you guys are happy together.” 

Apple had looked up from where she was kneeling on the floor, her mouth open as if to say something, but after a second all she did was nod. 

“Goodbye, Apple.” They were the last words Darling directed over her shoulder before the door had closed.

Looking into Apple’s eyes, Darling felt as if she were just exiting that room for the first time, and couldn’t ignore the way her stomach dropped, or the betrayal that was impossible to ignore when Apple immediately looked away and greeted her parents with a tense smile. Once Snow White had done the same, everyone sat down, with Apple directly across from Darling and beside Daring, while their parents were sitting at opposite ends of the table. The adults dropped into conversation, leaving their children to an awkward silence that no one bothered breaking. 

Darling used the time to take in Apple’s appearance. She had returned to classes, but showed up just on time, sitting as far from Darling as possible, and leaving the second class was over. In the week since the night of the proposal, her dark circles had become even darker, and she seemed to have lost some weight, which reflected in her shaking hands. Darling couldn’t help but worry at the sight of her, even if it was coated with the knowledge of their last conversation. 

She still wasn’t quite sure what to make of the whole thing. There was almost no way for Apple and her to progress any further, and yet all she could think of was taking Apple’s shaking hands on her own, and placing a gentle kiss on top of them. 

There had been many times when Dexter had described his feelings towards Raven for Darling, but she’d never fully understood what he meant. Looking at Apple, though, she was beginning to understand how torturous it was to have someone you care about in front of you, yet so far away. 

Her nails dug into her thigh again. 

“So Apple, how have preparations come along? I’m sure your mother told you about the advanced schedule?” King Charming is as cheerful as ever when he asks it, making Apple start from where she had been staring at her water glass. 

“Yes, your majesty, they’re coming along very well. My mother had mentioned the schedule to me, and please rest assured that it will all be dealt with well before the ceremony date.” Again Darling was reminded of the natural ability of Apple to speak so authoritatively yet still remain approachable and friendly. It was something that she was sure Apple had trained to acquire, but was impressive nonetheless.

“Wonderful my dear! And have you chosen a dress?” Apple’s eyes ducked back down to her plate as she began to talk about the fabrics she’d looked at with her mother so far, but for a second they darted up, meeting Darling’s, then settling on a tree right behind Darling’s head to focus on instead. 

As if lunch hadn’t already been excruciating enough, Darling was sure these quick exchanges would be the death of her. 

Something kicked her foot, and when she turned her head Dexter’s eyebrows were furrowed together as he stared at her, asking with his eyes what his words couldn’t dare to. She couldn’t be bothered lying to him, and let the pain flash across her face for a second before composing herself again. He nodded, and leaned forward. 

“Mother, father, Darling looks like she’s about to throw up. Can I please bring her back to her room?” The threat of indecency is a good one to go with, because it allows the Charming’s panic to be visible, if only for a second. 

“If she really is too unwell to stay. Take care, dearest,” her mother said. Darling gave a quick, tight nod, trying to look as sick as she supposedly felt. 

She didn’t miss the way Apple’s eyes were trained on her as Dexter helped her up from the table, only returning to the conversation once she had been pulled away and tucked behind a corner where they wouldn’t be visible to the party. 

“What’s wrong?” Dexter’s voice carried urgency. Apparently Darling’s pain had looked greater than she thought it to be. His hands were on her shoulders, steadying and concerned. Apparently he was right to have them there, too, because the second he’d asked the question Darling felt the tears begin and her legs buckle under her weight. After that Dexter didn’t bother with questions, pulling her into a quick hug before letting her lean on him as he guided her back to her room. 

The lunch had been taking place under a gazebo in Ever After High, so the walk to return to her room was a short one, which Darling could only be grateful for as her legs felt weaker than ever once they got to er room, and she wasn’t sure she would have been able to travel any more than they already had.

Dexter let her roll onto her bed before he took a seat next to her, and waited patiently until she cried herself out. Rosabella was at an animal rights protest, thankfully, as Darling really didn’t feel like explaining the situation. 

When the sobs turned to sniffles and Darling began to sit up, Dexter finally asked her a question. 

“So, I don’t mean to pry, obviously it’s your personal business, but do you want to tell me what happened?”

As much as Darling felt like saying no, she knew this was something she wouldn’t be able to hide from Dexter forever. So she told him the whole story, from the dreams right up to the night of the gala, watching the shock melt into her brother’s face as he took in all of that information. 

“I know it’s a lot,” she finally added on once she finished. He shook his head a little, as if clearing it of unnecessary thought, before replying. 

“No, no, I just needed a little time to process.” For a while, silence. Then, “So you and Apple, huh?” 

“Not really.” Even the mention of her name hurt. “She chose Daring. There’s nothing I can do.” Dexter’s mouth opened, then closed, then opened, then closed again. “What?”

“Just, well, do you really think Apple looked happy today?” So her dark circles and shaky hands hadn’t just been a figment of Darling’s imagination. That, at least, was a relief, one of the few the day had given her. 

“Happy enough,” Darling lied, but it was impossible lying to Dexter, who raised an eyebrow the second the words came out of her mouth. 

“Really? Because to me it looked like she wanted to be there about as much as we did.” Darling just shook her head, but Dexter wasn’t finished. “Do you remember what happened after you woke her up from being poisoned?” 

Clearly he had a point he was trying to make, but Darling couldn’t fathom what it was. “Not really.” 

“We all agreed to say Daring woke her, right?” Darling nodded slowly. “But Apple wasn’t the one who suggested that.” 

And suddenly the day came back into focus. Darling backed away from the casket as Apple threw herself into Daring’s eyes, then saw the confusion and disappointment register as people explained what had happened. Darling opened her mouth. 

“I did.” Somehow she had forgotten all about that, assuming it was just a decision made by everyone there, something easier to lie about than tell the truth for. 

“Yeah. And Apple was the last person to agree.” Dexter was right. The decision passed around each person until only Apple was left, who gave a small nod, and then they continued with their plans to take down the Evil Queen. “But what if that wasn’t what she wanted?” 

“She told me she wanted to marry Daring, Dex.” Darling’s voice cracked as she explained it. “She told me I wasn’t a prince, so why should I even bother? Clearly that’s what she wants?” 

“She also must be really confused right now,” Dexter said. Darling wished she could argue back, but he always had a knack for telling when something was wrong with a person. When they were kids, it just manifested in him showing up every time someone was upset, and grew into a skill to tell as he got older. “She just got told she’s basically going to be a child bride for the sake of our parents using her as a distraction. Do you really think she’s making rational decisions?” 

“No, but-”

“But what?” Dexter scooched forward in his chair, leaning in so that they were forced to make eye contact even as Darling slouched on her bed. It reminded her of when he would fall as a kid and she would do the same thing. “The conversation you guys had seemed really heated, and didn’t really take a lot of time for you to have a rational one. Don’t you think if you sat down and actually talked to her about it, things might go a little differently?” 

“Maybe,” Darling admitted, finally allowing herself to open up to a little bit of hope. Only a little, though. The words she exchanged with Apple still hadn’t left, their damage already done, but the thought of them being said out of confusion or anger, the same way that Darling’s had, was calming her down. “What will change, though, even if she does feel the same way?” 

The question had an immediate dampening effect on the mood, but it was one she had to ask. 

“Honestly, I don’t know.” Clearly Dexter didn’t want to answer, since it was probably one he was having to think of in his relationship as well. “Best case, you guys get to live Happily Ever After.” 

“Worst case?” 

He took a deep breath. “Worst case scenario is that she marries Daring, isn’t it?” 

Really, though, it isn’t. That would be a bad scenario, but Darling knew Daring would treat Apple well, and they might even be able to carve out a happy life together. No, the worst case scenario would be Apple and Darling telling their parents about their relationship, and risk chaos for both their kingdoms. Technically, if the fallout was bad enough then they could be banished from Ever After. 

This was a reality Dexter could face with Raven, as well, so Darling didn’t correct him, knowing it might just cause him to panic, which would be unproductive for the both of them. 

“So what, do you think I should go up to her again?” Darling asked. Dexter shook his head. 

“Wait for her to talk to you. If I’m wrong she won’t feel a need to, but if I’m right then this is eating her alive, and she’ll have to come clear things up eventually. When she does that, push her if she seems stuck. It might be the case that she just needs reassurance. Remember how stuck she’s been on the whole Royal and Rebel thing?” Darling nodded. “And don’t force anything on her. If she really stands her ground, even if it’s a mistake, it’s one she’ll just have to make.” 

“So basically I’m in waiting practice still?” Darling asked. 

Dexter nodded grimly, and Darling got a terrible feeling that her trouble had only just begun.  

Chapter Text

“Apple, wait up!” Darling cried, chasing her twelve-year-old friend down the expansive hall of her castle. The princess’s parents were on a tour of a neighbouring kingdom, so the children had been left at the Charming’s house for the week. The lack of parents was also what was allowing them to run around, none of the maids wanting to call their future bosses out on it. 

“You’ll just have to run a bit faster!” Apple shouted back, turning behind a banister. Darling froze as she heard feet running up a staircase, trying to remember where those stairs opened up to. 

She quickly pressed her family crest on the wall, grinning as it opened to an enchanted elevator. One second her feet were entering, and the next she was spit out onto the third floor of her house, hitting Apple as the two tumbled back. Darling pushed herself up onto her elbows, blushing as their noses touched, before pulling back and grabbing the bracelet from Apple, jumping up in success. 

“Awe, no fun, I wanted to be an enchanted princess!” Apple pouted, Darling sticking her tongue out in response. 

She leaned back against the window seat, the wide pane glass showing the kingdom in the midst. “It’s my kingdom,” she pointed to the houses in the background. “That means I get the bracelet.” 

“Is it really magic?” Apple asked, eyes sparkling as she looked at it. Darling held it out, but made sure to keep it a safe distance away so it couldn’t be snatched from her hands again. 

“Of course! My mom says that if you wear it every day, your destiny is sure to be a happy one,” Darling said, letting her thumb trace the delicate diamonds laced in the white gold chain. It was a work of art, one that had almost left her breathless when her mother had offered it to her.

“Oh Darling, I’m sure your destiny will be happy. You’re a Charming, after all,” Apple said, helping herself up to take a seat beside Darling. 

“Not all princess stories end happily, though,” Darling muttered, thinking of Duchess Swan and how she would be doomed. As they grew older, Duchess could be seen becoming more closed off as that reality set in. 

Apple just smiled, taking Darling’s hand in her own. “You’re not just any princess, though. Besides, you have this!” She held up the bracelet, which Darling was sure she’d had in her hand only a second ago. Apple used her free hand to slip it around Darling’s wrist and secure it. “Nothing bad will happen as long as it’s on, right?”

“Right,” Darling replied, smiling. She held up her wrist to see how the light from the window reflected in the diamonds, bouncing off the two girls' faces as they admired it. 

“Girls, dinner!” a voice shouted, undoubtedly one of their nannies. The two stood up, Darling shooting Apple a wicked grin. 

“Whoever makes it there first gets seconds for dessert,” she said, already moving. Apple began sprinting after her.

“Hey, no fair, you know where all the secret passageways are! Darlingggg!”  

*

Darling secured the bracelet onto her wrist as she slipped out the window, Rosabella sound asleep in her bed. The night welcomed her into its darkness, the familiar routines soothing her as she went to retrieve Sir Gallopad. He wasn’t exactly hexstatic to see her, seeing as she’d been avoiding going out since the announcement of the engagement. Not to mention security had increased tenfold in the school. 

She gently patted his muzzle, slinging her saddle over his back as keeping a close eye out for anyone watching. Only when she was sure that there was no one did she hop on his back as they made their way through the vines beginning to sprout around the border of the school.

If she looked back at that moment, she would have seen the flash of blonde hair disappearing at the same time. 

The wind was fresh on her face, reviving her from what felt like a very long nightmare. As she felt Sir Gallopad begin to pick up speed, his muscles moving under her feet, she felt her heart quicken in turn and began to lean forward, a smile returning to her face for the first time in months. 

She was out in the forest for at least an hour, going in her practised circuit through the woods when she heard it. A maiden crying. 

Quickly, she brought Sir Gallopad to a halt, ignoring the scoff she got in response. They followed the sound slowly, Darling slipping off his back when she realised how loud they were being. 

She tied Sir Gallopad to a nearby tree, petting him for a minute to reassure him that he wasn’t being abandoned, before turning towards the clearing. 

There, sitting on a rock in the middle of a moonlit clearing, was Apple White. Darling’s breath froze at the sight of her. The moonlight was reflecting off her hair, turning it blue, and painting her red cloak a light purple. 

Slowly, to make sure she didn’t startle the princess, Darling moved forward. Her caution was all for naught, however, when Apple turned towards her and screeched, falling off the rock and onto her back. 

“Apple!” Darling cried, rushing towards the princess. She couldn’t help the laugh as she checked the princess over for any bruises. 

“Oh shush,” Apple grumbled, clearly annoyed. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Darling said, brushing her fingers over Apple’s knees where she was kneeled beside her as she checked for bumps. “I just heard someone crying, so I came to check it out.” 

A tense silence fell over them after that. 

“You must have heard someone else, silly,” Apple laughed, brushing her hand against Darling’s shoulder, sending sparks through the other where they’d touched. Darling became very aware of the way she was leaning over Apple with her hands on her knees, and pulled them back into her lap, leaning away. 

“It, well, it didn’t sound like anyone else?” Darling cringed at her own hesitation, but soldiered forward regardless. “I mean the forest is almost always abandoned. The only person who comes out here is-” Darling slapped a hand over her own mouth. She couldn’t believe she’d almost just ratted out Maid Marian! 

“It’s okay, I don’t expect you to tell me. I know it’s not exactly allowed to be out in the woods this late,” Apple said, sensing her panic. 

“Thank you,” Darling tried to say, hand still covering her mouth. She lowered it slowly, looking around to make sure said maid wasn’t hanging around anywhere now. After she made sure it was empty except for the two (three, including Sir Gallopad), she asked her question. “So, why were you crying?” 

Apple looked down at her hands. “You know, most people pretend not to hear and just try to cheer a person up when they hear something like that.”

“I don’t want to pretend I didn’t hear, though,” Darling said, eyebrows pulling together. She hated when people did that, and even though it was considered improper to be pestering Apple like she was, she couldn’t help it. She was worried.

“Thank you,” Apple muttered. Darling didn’t respond, unsure of if she was meant to hear that or not. “I had a nightmare again, so I came out here to clear my head.” 

Slowly, Darling sat on another rock, facing Apple. She couldn’t help but treat the girl like a nervous horse, fearing she’d bolt if Darling moved too quickly. “You’ve been having nightmares? I thought princesses couldn’t get those.” Her mother had told her that as a child. 

“They started after…” Apple paused, looking up at Darling with pink cheeks, making Darling shift in her seat, “after, well, after I was poisoned.” 

“Oh.” Darling had dreamed about that day plenty, too, blood chilling every time she thought about how Apple had looked in that coffin, cold and unmoving.

“And it’s so silly, because I wasn’t even awake when I was in that coffin. Really, I shouldn’t remember anything, and if I try to I can’t, but…” her eyes darkened as her shoulders curled in on themselves, “if I try not to think about it at all, I can’t forget the feeling of trying to breathe with no air.” 

“That sounds horrible,” Darling replied, unsure of how else to respond. “My dreams aren’t anywhere near that bad.” 

“You dream about it too?” Apple asked. Darling considered lying for a second, wondering if she would be messing up their relationship more than she already had. But enough damage had already been done, so she figured there was only so much more she could do. 

“Yeah,” she admitted. “They’re not anything like that, though. Mostly I just dream about you. Seeing you behind the glass in that coffin.”

Apple’s eyes were wide and fixated on her, and Darling considered for the first time how lonely it must have felt to be re-living the worst day of your life with no one to open up to. 

“What was it like?” Apple asked. Darling could feel the air grow heavier at the question. 

“Terrifying. I mean, after Daring didn’t work, I thought you might really be dead. I didn’t even realise what I’d done until after your eyes opened, and at the time I couldn’t think of anything except how grateful I was that you’d woken up at all.” Darling bowed her head, sighing. “I really didn’t mean to make such a mess of things. I’m sorry.”

To her surprise, Apple just shrugged. “If it weren’t for you I might really not have woken up. No one would have guessed what would happen after.” 

“Do you love him?” Darling cursed her mouth for moving faster than her brain. 

“Who?” 

“Daring. Do you love him? I mean I won’t get in the way of you guys getting married or anything I just… I’d like to know. If you want to tell me.” 

Apple stayed silent for a long time after that question. Darling watched the way her hair fell around her face, moving with each breath. For a minute she thought she wouldn’t get an answer, until Apple turned towards her, hands shaking. 

“I don’t know.”

*

Daring’s teeth were perfectly white. They sparkled and shimmered every time he opened his mouth, and no matter how many times he opened his mouth to talk while chewing, he never ended up with food in them. He also never had visible food in his mouth, even after it was clear that he was chewing something. 

When she was eight, Darling had choked on a piece of asparagus at the dinner table. She could still recall the feeling of trying to force air into her lungs and how scary it had been when she’d failed. Dexter had slapped her on the back hard enough to dislodge the asparagus quickly, but that moment had stuck with her for a long time after, following her around. She could even remember the words her mother had said to her after, scolding her for spitting the asparagus out onto the table. 

“Princesses never spit, Darling, and they never choke. You must cut your food into smaller portions and eat slower so this doesn’t happen again, do you understand?”  

Darling had nodded, although when no one was looking she would still sometimes stuff a whole biscuit in her mouth. It was so much more fun to eat quickly. 

Daring looked up from where he was eating his lunch. Mostly meat, as was expected of princes. Darling had an ‘appropriate’ plate of salad in front of her. 

“Everything alright?” Rosabella whispered. Darling started before quickly smoothing her features back into a patient smile. 

“Of course,” she replied, but she didn’t miss the raised eyebrow Rosabella shot at her as she turned back to picking at her food. There was barely any left, and yet her stomach felt so queasy she was sure any more would make her hurl. 

Rosabella had become more interested in Darling’s life in the past few weeks. In fact, since she had come back from her run-in with Apple a few days ago, it seemed the girl was intent on following her around everywhere. Darling wasn’t overly surprised. She had always been bad at concealing her emotions, and Rosabella was her roommate, so it was inevitable for her to pick up on Darling’s discomfort after a while. 

Her shoulders hunched as she tried to think up an excuse to leave early and abandon her food when Rosabella shot up. 

“Well I’m stuffed,” she declared, far too loud and awkward to sound honest. She glanced quickly over to Darling, as if she could make it any more obvious that this was a ploy, before continuing. “I’m going to go off to the dragon stables to check up on them, make sure they’re being well taken care of. Oh my, I wonder if anyone would like to join me?” 

As she walked away from the table, she continued loudly rambling about how she was going to be so lonely if she had to go to the dragon stables by herself. Darling half expected someone to call her out, but when she turned back to their table only Duchess was laughing, and she stopped when she saw Darling looking at her. 

Darling gave herself a few seconds before she got up, too. “I should go with Rosabella. Who knows what trouble she’ll cause if the animals don’t have a more luxurious stable?” 

Only Daring even acknowledged her, giving her a small smile and nod before she trudged off, dumping her entire lunch tray down the disposal shoot. 

The trek to the Dragon Stables was nice. The weather had finally begun to clear, and since her talk with Apple things had almost started to go back to normal with them. Not that the dreams had gotten any better. She still saw blue eyes and blonde hair, but she had a fair idea of who they belonged to now, and she even found herself looking forward to them, as guilty as that made her feel. 

Apple and her were just friends! They had to be, maybe forever, but at least for now. And as much as Darling still got a lump in her throat at the thought of Apple and Daring getting married, she was trying to be supportive. 

How much she was succeeding was another matter entirely. 

That all faded away as she approached the Dragon Stables, though. It still felt so comfortable being in there, even though so much had happened because of it. Raven was curled up next to Nevermore, snoring softly. Darling smiled at the sight, and took a quick photo to show Dexter later before moving further in and saying hi to her own dragon, Herowing. A little stab of guilt hit her as she realised she hadn’t been to visit in a month. It was just so difficult to come back. 

“Oh, Darling! You actually showed up?” Rosabella had two rats and three baby dragons curled up in her lap, all of them sitting up as if they were in class. She had that effect on people too. 

“It’s good for me to visit,” Darling replied. Polite. Neutral. A perfectly appropriate princess response. 

She hated herself sometimes. 

“Well come sit. We have to be quiet, of course,” Rosabella waved vaguely in Raven’s direction. “If I’d known someone was here already I would have suggested somewhere else. Sorry about that.”

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry about,” Darling replied, smiling a little bitterly. Unlike me , she thought. 

The hay made a comfortable seat. Darling shifted around to settle herself, and repressed an excited squeal when one of the baby dragons crawled onto her lap from Rosabella’s. Brown eyes watched her settle in, and when it was clear she was comfortable Rosabella spoke again. 

“So how have you been? I know things must be super chaotic in your family right now.”

“Oh, yeah, well everyone’s been very…” Darling tried to think of a finale to that sentence, she really did. But everyone had been falling apart since the news broke out. Dexter was the only one who had begun to be mostly unfazed, but even he was still worried about how this wedding would play out. 

“Excited, I’m sure,” Rosabella finished kindly. She really was a good person. Naturally good, too. The kind of good that radiated off a person, spilling into every corner of their life. 

Darling had joked once that she wanted to be Rosabella Beauty when she grew up, but really it was half serious. That kind of kindness was what she always seemed to be striving towards, and never able to achieve. 

“Of course.” The smile she forced felt fake even to Darling. “It’s a big event. I’ve never even been to a wedding before. I always assumed my first one would be my Happily Ever After.” 

“I think everyone does,” Rosabella replied, petting one of the rats in her lap. “But at least it’s with Daring and Apple. They’re fated, aren’t they?” 

Darling was surprised at the hint of jealousy in Rosabella’s voice. Then again, everyone in Ever After wished they had what Apple and Daring did. If only they knew , she thought grimly. 

“Yes.” The defeated sigh she let out was far too loud, but Darling was past the point of caring. “It’s not even their choice though.” 

The words slipped out before she could really think them through, but the second she realised she slapped a hand over her mouth. What had gotten into her lately? 

“What do you mean?” Rosabella asked. 

Darling tensed as she tried to think up something to cover it up. “Oh, just that they’re fated, right? So this would have happened regardless.” The nervous laugh she let out after was far too loud for the cramped stables, and she worried for a second that she had woken Raven, but when she looked over the dark haired girl was still sleeping. 

“I suppose,” Rosabella shrugged. She at least seemed pacified by that response, although Darling knew her too well to think that she would drop things there. “I’ve never really thought about it like that before. Fate seems a bit more cruel that way, don’t you think. I mean, everyone should have autonomy over their choices.” 

Darling shouldn’t have been surprised by the statement. Of all the princesses, Rosabella would have been the least surprising as a rebel. Still, she couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows. 

“You need to be careful with who you say that too, people might get the wrong idea,” she warned. Internally she was a bit relieved, though. 

“They might,” Rosabella agreed. She paused for a moment, twisting the bracelet she always kept on her right wrist. “But maybe it wouldn’t be so terrible if they did.” 

Before Darling could ask about that, a yawn made both of them turn. Raven’s hair was sticking up on one side, and she yelped when she saw the two of them, waking up Nevermore in the process. Darling had to stifle a laugh as a series of sputtered apologies left the princess’s mouth. 

“There’s usually no one here, sorry guys,” Raven said, words flying a mile a minute as she scrambled to pick up her stuff. 

“You don’t have to run off so quickly,” Darling told her, not bothering to hide the laugh this time. It made Raven’s mouth quirk up at the corner. 

“I don’t know, you looked like you were in the middle of a conversation,” she mumbled, and Darling couldn’t help but notice just how much she sounded like Dexter. Before Darling could think up a proper reply, Rosabella spoke up. 

“We just needed to get away from the school’s chaos for a second. In fact, I was just leaving to let Darling spend some time with her dragon.” As she spoke Rosabella’s eyes darted over to Darling to check that what she was saying was alright. When no protest arose, she continued. “I’m sure you two would have much more to talk about here, anyway. I know nothing about dragons, I'm afraid. All my animal knowledge is reserved for the less magical species. And beasts, of course.”

Raven just nodded along to the rant, eyes bugging a little. Rosabella had that effect on people sometimes. Even Darling could barely keep up with her ramblings some days. 

It was proving remarkably useful for their current situation, though, so she wouldn’t be caught complaining. 

“Always a pleasure running into you, Raven, and I’ll see you back in our room Darling!” Rosabella called out as she left, leaving Darling to realise all too late that she had been abandoned. She wouldn’t be surprised if it was because Rosabella was uncomfortable around Raven. A lot of people had become even more skittish around Raven since the incident with her mom. 

“She left quickly,” Raven said, a dry irony in her voice. Darling had a feeling they had been thinking the exact same thing. 

“Don’t worry too much about it. Rosabella tends to get along better with animals than people most days, anyway,” Darling replied, aiming for reassuring. Raven just let out another sigh before turning back to her. The smile she wore was forced, but Darling didn’t comment on it. 

She knew all too well why someone would fake one, after all. 

“Do I at least look half sane? I swear I always look like a troll after waking up,” Raven asked, moving to put the sweater her head had been resting on back into her school bag. 

“Well, your hair is a bit…. Here, just take this,” Darling said, handing Raven her compact mirror. That had been her thirteenth birthday present. It could shrink to the size of her pocket or grow to fit her whole body upon request. She’d wanted a sword, but she couldn’t exactly ask for one.   

“Thank you,” Raven said, fidgeting with her hair until it was smoothed back and her raven’s peak was visible again. Darling realised this was the first time she’d been alone with Raven since finding out about her and Dexter, and wondered if she should bring it up. Then again, you never knew when someone was listening, and something like that getting out wouldn’t do anyone any favours. “I’m guessing you’ll probably have to leave soon, right?”

“Why would I need to do that?” Darling tilted her head as Raven’s eyebrows raised in surprise. She handed Darling back her mirror. 

“I thought you and Dex weren’t supposed to talk to me,” she said hesitantly. Of course, if they’d gotten together Darling should have assumed that she knew about the ban. 

“Oh, well that’s only really for Dex. And public events. If we’re just talking like this then it should be fine,” Darling said, but even as she did, she wasn’t sure. Her parents had been clear when they’d ordered the twins to cut contact with her, but her guard was much more lax than Dexter’s. She was a model princess, so she’d given him no reason to be suspicious. 

“Right,” Raven scoffed. It was impossible to repress the guilt she felt in that moment for shunning someone she’d hoped to make a friend. Raven took in a deep breath before looking up with an expression Darling recognised. It was the same one she wore every time she was trying to force herself to look neutral. “It’s okay, Darling. I know I’m generally bad news.”

“That’s not true!” Darling protested, fiddling with the mirror in her hands. “Honestly, I think you’re brave. I could never go against my parents like that.”

“Haven’t you already?” Darling’s head shot up, her mind racing as she thought of the million things she’d done that had proven her to be anything but the princess she portrayed herself as. “I mean, you’re the white knight of Wonderland. That’s pretty rebellious for a damsel, if you ask me.”

For once, Darling was relieved to hear her Wonderlandian persona be brought up. She laughed, and it felt good. She seemed to laugh so rarely lately. 

“Yeah, I guess I have. But it’s not like the headmaster or my parents know about that,” she said. “I don’t even know how you stand up to your mother. It always felt so impossible to me.”

Raven’s eyes unfocused for a moment, and her expression darkened. Darling was about to apologise for bringing up her mom when her face cleared and she smiled sadly. “I guess it’s a bit more difficult if your parents are noble. Still, you’re doing a good job, in my opinion at least. Which probably doesn’t count for much.” She laughed, but Darling didn’t join in, pulling her into a hug that shocked Raven into silence instead. 

“It counts to me,” she mumbled into Raven’s shoulder before letting go of her. “I see why Dexter likes you so much.” Raven’s face flushed at just the mention of her name and Darling almost laughed again thinking of how similar they looked when the other was mentioned. 

“That’s not-I mean, we’re not-” Raven sputtered, her hands waving in front of her. 

“It’s okay, my lips are sealed,” Darling said, smiling at her. “You’re lucky to have each other.”

Raven’s shoulders untensed at her words, and her eyes unfocused again, this time a smile plastered on her face as she relaxed. “Yeah, I really am lucky.” She looked back up at Darling, who was trying to look happy but couldn’t hide the bittersweet tinge in her expression. Raven put a hand on her shoulder, smiling kindly, and Darling wondered not for the first time how so many people feared her. “And if you ever want to talk, not in public of course, but-well, I’m here. Dex told me how much stress your family has been under.”

“I’ll be fine,” Darling sighed, but to her surprise, for the first time she began to believe it. “Thank you, though.” 

“Of course,” Raven said, petting Nevermore before picking up her bag and heading towards the exit. She turned back to Darling. “I’ll see you around, Charming.” 

“See you around,” Darling replied, raising a time, but by the time she got it all the way up Raven had disappeared in a shadowy spiral. She assumed it was some kind of dark magic that she was prohibited from learning, although she couldn’t suppress the curiosity of how travelling like that would even work. 

Her hand went to slip her mirror back into her pocket, and her fingers made contact with something. She pulled it out, surprised to see the bracelet her mother had given her so many years ago. She’d completely forgotten to put it on that morning, barely slipping it into her pocket before rushing out the door. 

Nevermore came over, resting her head at Darling’s feet, and Darling ran her hand over the smooth purple scales, a smile blooming when the dragon began to purr. 

“Do you think I can get my happy ending, Nevermore?” she asked. The dragon just looked up and tilted her head quizzically, before shrinking into her smaller form and hopping into Darling’s lap, curling up. Darling ran her fingers over the diamonds in the bracelet before sliding it onto her wrist. 

“I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.”  

Chapter Text

Daring Charming had an extraordinarily easy life. He was dashingly handsome, roguishly strong and just sincere enough for everyone to be dazzled by his personality. He’d never had a particularly troubling decision to face, well, ever. With a guaranteed Happily Ever After with a girlfriend who everyone in Ever After wanted to be able to go out with, and his own string of admirers, not to mention his family name, he should never have known even an ounce of hardship, and that was just fine by him. He flourished in his lavish lifestyle, and would have gladly continued with it. 

If not for the kiss. 

Ever since it hadn’t worked, he’d discovered that lying was exceptionally easy if you did so with a smile. The lie that he’d woken Apple had come easily, and everyone had believed it even easier. Life seemed to breeze along the same as usual after that. People still complimented Daring, telling him how amazing he was, and how much they admired him. 

Except now he felt a strange twist in his stomach every time he heard those compliments, although he never let it show on his face. His interactions with Apple had become more stilted, too. Before, the two had gotten along so well. Their fate was made up for them, and they were admittedly not a bad team. They understood each other, and had been friends since they were children. 

After the kiss had failed, though, he had begun to question just how well they actually did work. Sure, they got along well, but did they care for each other like a pair fated for Happily Ever After were supposed to? 

Sometimes he could distract himself. Mirrors helped. He had installed twice as many as before in his room just to help clear his thoughts, which vanished when he flashed a dazzling smile in one of them. He had to be careful with those. He’d accidentally blinded people enough times to know not to stare too much at his mouth in the mirror. 

Things had gotten so much worse since he’d gotten engaged. His parents had called him into the office they’d co-opted at the school, and calmly explained the situation. He didn’t protest, didn’t see a point. He knew when they’d made up their minds on something. 

Seeing Darling and Dexter’s reactions to the announcement had been more difficult than he’d thought. Not to mention how Dexter had put himself at risk by talking to Raven Queen even after their parents had expressly forbidden it. He could still remember their fight out on the balcony. 

“What are you thinking?” he shouted, glaring at Dexter. “You know how important this night is, and you know she only brings around trouble!” 

Dexter’s eyes widened at his words, and Daring saw his brother’s clenched fists. They couldn’t worry him, he knew how to take Dexter down in less than a minute if needed, but that didn’t mean seeing them didn’t hurt. 

“You don’t know her, Daring! She doesn’t bring trouble, and this ban is completely ridiculous. How could you just let mom and dad do this?” 

“I’m performing my princely duties like a royal should,” Daring shot back. “Not fraternising with a rebel. Did you even think about how you talking to her would look?” 

“You didn’t seem to have a problem talking to her when you were planning to seduce her!” Dexter yelled, seething. Daring took a step back at the words, clenching his jaw. 

“You’re right. But that’s only because it was to help her fulfil her destiny!” 

“And what if you’re wrong about her destiny?” Dexter’s eyes seemed to be glowing through his glasses as he glared at Daring, who just shook his head. 

“I’m going to pretend I never heard that. And don’t see her again, or I’ll make Castor sleep in your bed with you.”

Daring sighed at even the recollection of it. His textbooks looked even more unappealing than usual, if that was possible. He pushed them away, defeated, and lay his head on the table dejected. 

It had been stupid to mention seducing Raven when he knew how Dexter felt about her. But he’d thought that might finally get his brother to leave her alone. He wasn’t stupid, he’d seen the way Dexter looked at Raven, had heard the revenant way he talked about the rebels. He was even friends with Hunter, who, while not necessarily a full-blown rebel, was far from a royal. 

Daring rolled his pen around on the table, trying to think of a way to make himself feel better. The more he’d been thinking recently, the more he realised that was all he ever seemed to do. Go play by the rules, smile when told, accept all the praise. 

Well, the praise can stay, he thought, smiling to himself. At the very least, things weren’t awkward with Apple. Since their talk after getting engaged, the two had formed an invisible pact to go along with all of this while remaining friends. And they’d stopped dating. While they were still affectionate in public to keep up appearances, in private they acted like any friends would, which felt so much more natural. 

His parents were the only others who were fully supportive of him, but they’d always loved everything he’d done. When he’d discovered he could climb a tree in three minutes when he was eight, his father had him do that for an entire evening, bringing out some of the staff and his siblings to watch. When he’d realised he was a natural with a sword, he’d been sent off to training with his own personal tutor and had excelled, his parents sitting in every now and then, and had naturally begun jousting shortly after.

“Are you done with that?” a voice asked, and he started, jumping and turning to see Darling’s roomate. What was her name again? He was sure Darling had told him, but there had been a mirror right in front of him at the time and he’d just had to fix his hair. 

He looked down at the book she was pointing at. It was a Science and Sorcery textbook, a class he’d always hated. Looking back up at the girl, he noted that she was actually rather pretty. If he’d been in a happier mood he might have flirted with her. She had big brown eyes hidden behind glasses, red and brown streaked hair, and tan skin that glowed softly even under the harsh library lights. 

“Studying is only a formality when you look this good,” Daring replied. She raised an eyebrow, but he handed the book over to her anyway. Then he noticed the pin she had on. It was a pin signifying support of the rebels. “You might want to be careful who you wear that around.” 

She glanced down at her lapel and seemed to just notice it too. “I’m not too worried about that.”

It was Daring’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “I thought you were a royal, uh…”

“Rosabella,” the girl finished for him. “Rosabella Beauty. We’ve met, actually, quite a few times.”

“Yes, well, I’m just so important,” Daring replied, trying to force confidence into his voice, but it just ended with him feeling like an idiot. Rosabella didn’t seem to buy it, either. 

“I’m sure,” she drawled. “Thanks for the textbook, in any case.” 

“Wait!” Daring wasn’t quite sure why he paused her. “Are you a royal?” 

“Yes,” Rosabella replied quickly, almost like it was a reflex. She looked down at the textbook and then back to Daring, as if she were trying to piece together what she was about to say to him and if it was worth it. “On paper, anyway. Aren’t you?” 

“Of course,” Daring said, trying to infuse the pride that used to be there when he would tell people that, but all his enthusiasm seemed to have run out lately. “It’s an honour to have completed my destiny already.” 

“Your destiny, huh?” Rosabella’s voice had that same hint of sarcasm she had before, and it was unnerving Daring. 

“Yes,” Daring replied, feeling himself get a little defensive. “I’ll marry my princess soon, and then everything will be as it should be, just like our fairytale says.”

“But I was there, Daring,” Rosabella’s eyes met his, and she looked a bit crazy, an intensity there that seemed to demand answers from him. “I know all about what your destiny was supposed to be. But I also know who it belongs to now. Did you ever think if it was fair of you to take something just because you believed it would originally be yours?”  

Daring swallowed and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He didn’t like the look that Rosabella was giving him, or the way that she was talking to him, as if she could see right through him and didn’t like what she saw. 

“Just because things didn’t play out in the most traditional way doesn’t mean what’s happening now is wrong.” But even as he said the words, he could hear the uncertainty in his own voice. He tried to force it down, though, thinking of his parents and how they were expecting him to go through with this. And he understood their reasons. 

He hadn’t told Darling or Dexter, but after the whole fiasco with Apple and her coffin had happened he’d gone home for a weekend, and it had been a disaster. Protests in support of the Evil Queen were all over the streets, the kingdom itself looked like a hurricane had gone through it, and the walls surrounding the palace were covered in graffiti on the civilian side. The graffiti was from all kinds of people, saying the Evil Queen should rule, saying his parents hadn’t done enough to stop her, asking what would happen if she came back. It looked like something straight out of a nightmare. 

Rosabella just frowned at his words, though. “Have you ever heard of a fatal flaw, Prince?” 

He didn’t like her calling him by his title instead of his name, but he just shook his head, determined not to seem weak. Rosabella nodded slightly. 

“It’s a characteristic that can be good, in certain amounts. But when taken to the extreme it can be fatally dangerous. For my father, his fatal flaw was his pride. He refused to listen to others in favour of his own opinion, and he got turned into a beast because of it.” Rosabella’s voice was totally calm, but her hands squeezed the textbook she was holding for comfort. “My mother’s was her empathy. She could never see when it was time to give up on a cause. It got her together with my father, but her kindness towards Gaston also almost got them both killed.” 

“And this has to do with me?” Daring asked. Rosabella sighed and continued. 

“I think your flaw is the same as my father’s. Your pride will hurt you one day soon, and you won’t be able to take it back. I know that having your fate be different from what you thought is disappointing, but what’s done is done,” Rosabella said. “If you don’t accept that, you’ll pay the price.”

“You’re wrong,” Daring said, but his voice was shaky. He took a deep breath before speaking again to steady it. “I know my destiny, and I’ll go through with it. You should do the same.” 

“I might,” Rosabella agreed, which didn’t sound very reassuring to Daring. “I’m not saying this to be rude. I hope you know that. But people get hurt when they only think of themselves, even if they have good intentions. I hope that doesn’t happen to you.”

With that optimistic note, Rosabella Beauty walked away and left Daring sitting dumbstruck in the library. 

*

Sword training was always relaxing for Daring. It helped him concentrate and got his mind off his troubles, as the only thing he could focus on was his form and his sword. He didn’t have a sparring partner at the moment, but that was okay. Just hitting the dummy in front of him was good enough. 

He’d run into Rosabella Beauty yesterday, and her words were still fresh in his mind. He couldn’t stop thinking about the series of events that had happened after Apple had woken up. 

It hadn’t even been his idea to lie about waking her up. Before anyone could propose what should be done, Darling had started going on about how this didn’t have to change anything and they could just say that Daring did it. He thought the reason was good enough, and he hadn’t been ready to confront what failing to wake Apple had meant, so he played along. 

But what if Rosabella was right, and he’d stolen his destiny? What if he could have an entirely different story? It was a troubling thought, but it wouldn’t leave him alone. 

In any case, Hero Training was going to be starting in a few minutes, and they would be practising with the Damsel in Distressing class, so naturally he would be getting paired up with Apple. 

He took a few more swings at the training dummy before sheathing his sword and going out to join the rest of his classmates who were lined up in front of Professor Knight. No one commented about him being a little late. Everyone had become much more docile about his comings and goings since they found out he would be fulfilling his Happily Ever After. 

“Welcome, Daring,” Professor Knight said enthusiastically. “I was just explaining our training exercise for the day. Each hero already knows the princess he is paired up with, correct?” Everyone nodded. “Good. Then without further ado, let me introduce you to your obstacle course for the day.” 

He gestured out to the green field behind the school where the boys usually practised sparring, and a couple of the other students gave each other suspicious glances, but Professor Knight didn’t seem to mind. 

“Now boys, I know it doesn’t look like much, but trust me when I say you have your work cut out for you. You will note the towers at the far end of the field.” When he pointed them out, Daring did in fact see many different coloured towers at the far end of the grass. “In each one a damsel resides, waiting for her prince. You may only save the princess who has been assigned to you. Scaling the tower will, of course, be your final test, but the field will provide an ample warm up I suspect.” Professor Knight picked up a leaf off the ground. “I will now demonstrate.” 

He let the leaf drift from his hands and be carried by the wind over the field, and the second it made contact with the ground dozens of different traps appeared. A trapdoor, a pit of spikes, a wall with a net hanging down to scale it, pillars the breathed fire, and a dozen more suddenly covered the field. The boys all shifted about nervously as they watched the onslaught of horrors waiting for them, but Professor Knight just nodded like everything was fine. 

“Baba Yaga has graciously lent us some of her sorcerers for today’s lesson, and they have enchanted the field with tests for you heroes. None of you will be fatally harmed, as I am still here and if anyone gets injured, I have harpies that have been instructed to come in and take away anyone who gets into too much trouble.” He gestured to the edge of the field that bordered the forest, where there were in fact a line of harpies, although they looked anything but friendly. 

“Now, before I send you into my little course, boys, I must warn you of one thing,” Professor Knight said, his voice dropping a bit as it grew more serious, and the playful smile he had on a second earlier disappearing. “The course has been designed to change and adapt as you heroes make your way through, so do not try to plan your attack only around what you see at the moment. As well, if I catch anyone working together you will get an automatic zero on this assignment. The point is for one prince to rescue one princess, and that must be done alone. The time for group projects will come later. Am I understood?” 

“Yes, sir,” the class chanted in unison. Professor Knight’s smile returned. 

“Wonderful. Does everyone have their swords and armour?” Another yes rang out through the line of boys, and Professor Knight nodded, walking over to the sidelines and away from the group of boys. “Then we will be starting.” 

Everyone braced to begin running, including Daring, who crouched and tensed the muscles in his legs, preparing to take off. He kept a hand on his sword handle, ready to draw it the second he got out on the field. Professor Knight’s voice rang out over the line as he counted down.

“Five,” Daring took a deep breath,

“Four,” he let his knees bend slightly, bouncing just a little to get used to the motion,

“Three,” he spotted a red, gold, and white tower in the distance, and began calculating how to get there through the course,

“Two,” he let out his deep breath

“One!” 

Daring didn’t bother looking at his classmates' progress as he sprinted into the course, vaulting himself over the spike pit and running in the direction of what he was sure was Apple’s tower. 

A couple vultures swarmed him, and he realised the witches must have been allowed to conjure illusions as well. He didn’t feel guilty as he cut through each of the vultures like they were butter, knowing that they weren’t real animals but instead projections of magic. 

When he reached the fire-spitting pillars, he ducked down into a somersault and rolled under the fire. That didn’t hold off the heat that singed the top of his head as he rolled, but he just patted his hair and knew he would deal with the consequences of that after he finished the course. 

His next challenge was the netted wall, which he scaled with ease, placing his sword between his teeth to do so. 

When he dropped down on the other side, he saw a sphinx waiting for him. She didn’t begin with a riddle, and instead launched herself at Daring, who rolled to the side before slicing up, wounding her slightly but not killing her yet. 

The sphinx took a wide swipe at him with her claw, sending him flying backwards and landing directly on his back. He was sore as he got up, but that wouldn’t stop him. Without waiting for the beast to recover, he charged head on and jumped up on top of her head, stabbing straight through her skull. When she finally collapsed, he sprang off her and kept running. 

He was so focused in front of him that he just barely stopped himself before falling into the pit in his path. Looking up, he saw metal bars that he would have to swing across to get passed. 

Quickly, he sheathed his sword, although he didn’t particularly like losing easy access to his weapon on a course like this. Still, the bars were probably the easiest obstacle he would be getting, and they posed no challenge as he landed smoothly on the other side of the pit. 

When he landed on the other side, he had to duck down immediately. On either side of him were two wooden walls, but every few seconds they launched arrows. The only way to avoid them was keeping to the ground, but Daring knew he didn’t have the time to crawl across the grass. The walls were too long. Instead, he waited for the firing of arrows to stop, launched himself up, and sprinted as quickly as he could before dropping as he heard the walls buzz, readying another volley. 

It took five sets of this routine for him to finally reach the edge of the wall, and he found himself at the foot of Apple’s tower. 

He figured he could spare a quick glance back, and so as he began climbing he surveyed his classmates below. 

Hunter was alright, ducking under a couple clubs being swung by two ogres, and shooting one before jumping on the other. Sparrow Hood was running away from a couple of dwarves who were pelting him with dirt and grass. But that wasn’t who Daring was really looking for. 

Finally, he found Dexter, who was on the same bars Daring had scaled. He was barely holding on, and was for some reason gripping onto the bars with both his hands and feet. Daring wanted to yell at him that doing that would only slow him down, but he knew they weren’t allowed to work together, so he just sighed and kept climbing. 

When he finally slipped into the window at the top, Apple was sitting as still as a leaf, her hands folded neatly in her lap and her legs folded neatly underneath her. She smiled at him as he entered. 

“Hello Daring,” she said calmly, like she was waking up from a long trance. Daring wondered if that was what waiting practice felt like. “I suppose you’ve come to get me out of here?”

“Right this way, my liege,” Daring said, holding out one hand while the other gestured to the window he had just climbed through. 

Apple took his hand, and he helped her towards the window where she sat patiently as Daring found his footholds. “Was the course even a challenge?” she asked, her voice lighter than it had been as she woke up. 

“Not even close,” Daring replied, holding out a hand as he finally found his balance. She took it, and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, tucking her head into the crook of his shoulder. Daring wrapped one hand around her back and began slowly making his way down the tower. 

Maybe he didn’t hear because he was so focused on helping Apple down the tower with only one hand actually able to hold onto the tower, or maybe it was because the tower was so high up in the air, but all he knew was one second he was holding onto the side of a white, red and gold tower and the next he was watching the field from very, very high up in the air. 

“What-” he started, but his voice trailed as he felt Apple get ripped out of his grasp, and without her there he finally got a look at what had grabbed them. 

It was a gryphon, who was holding each of them in one of its claws. Daring tried to reach for his sword, but he realised with a start that it had fallen out of his scabbard when they’d been grabbed. He looked towards Apple, who was clearly panicking, and felt fear well up in his throat. 

Then he saw something else. A foot, then a leg, and he realised with a cold rush that there was a rider on the gryphon that had snatched them. They were masked, but as they turned to look at him he saw pure white eyes staring back. 

When they spoke, their voice sounded like a thousand shards of ice stabbing him all at once. “You are unnecessary. Only the girl was required.” 

Daring was trying to figure out what she meant when suddenly he was weightless and falling through the sky. 

“Apple!” he screamed, reaching out towards her, but he was already too far. 

“Daring!” she screamed back, tears beginning to form in her eyes as she reached out to him, too, but all she could do was watch him fall to the ground. 

As he fell, Daring tried to think of how not to become a pancake when he landed. He thought of calling his dragon, Legend, but she would be in the stables and too far away to come and help him. With a roll of his stomach, he realised this might really be it, and he might die. 

He closed his eyes and tried to fight down his fear when his body began slowing down. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough that by the time he landed, it was with a simple roll down one of the hills in the field. 

He looked up blearily, trying to find whoever saved him to thank them, when he saw it was none other than Raven Queen, her eyes wide and pupils small as her hands shook, surrounded by a purple aura the way they always were when she performed magic. She waved the magic off of them and ran towards him, but Professor Knight got there first. 

“My boy! Are you alright?” he asked, checking Daring up and down for any injuries, but Daring just nodded. 

“Apple…” he managed, but his voice sounded small and far away. When he looked up, he saw Raven standing over him, and noticed her hands were shaking. “You saved me.”

“I did,” Raven replied. Her voice was shaking, too. She said it apprehensively, like she was waiting for Daring to draw his sword on her. “Are you alright?” 

“I’m not a pancake,” he said, still trying to think straight, but everything felt slow and sluggish. It dawned on him that he was probably in shock, and it wouldn’t wear off for at least a couple more minutes. If he was in a good mood he might have laughed at the thought that he, the great Daring Charming, was going through something as silly as shock. “They took Apple.” 

“They did,” Raven said, and her voice shook more that time. “I couldn’t reach her, she was too far out of range.” The girl sounded on the verge of tears, and Daring felt a little guilty. He hadn’t meant to make her cry. 

“It’s not your fault,” Daring muttered, opening and closing his hand in front of him as he tried to regain feeling in it. Professor Knight had run off, presumably to tell Snow White, who had been taking over the Damsel in Distressing course, that her only daughter had just been kidnapped. “It’s mine.”

“Don’t say that,” Raven told him, her voice firming up a bit. She knelt next to him. “It’s no one’s fault.”

“Why are you being nice to me? I’m horrible to you,” Daring said. Later, if anyone asked him about his exchange with Raven, he knew he would blame it on the shock. Raven just shook her head at his words, though. 

“No more horrible than everyone else,” she said, which didn’t make him feel better. “And you make Apple happy, most of the time.” 

“I do?” he asked, not sure if he was even asking her. But she nodded like he was. 

“Did you see who…” she trailed off as they both thought about what had just happened. All Daring could do was shake his head. 

“They said I wasn’t necessary, though. Someone planned this.” He got angry thinking about that, thinking that people would have planned to hurt Apple this way. Raven didn’t seem surprised. 

“Probably some of my mother’s supporters,” she said, spitting the words like they were venom. 

Dexter and Darling ran over to him, and Raven stood up as she saw them approaching, backing into the school as the shadows seemed to warp around her, helping her disappear. 

“Daring! Are you okay? We just saw you get snatched up by a gryphon, but whatever after happened?” Darling asked, tears in her eyes, as she hugged her brother quickly and then began examining him for any scratches. Dexter looked worse than him, though, covered in scratches and burns, with part of his hair still smoking. 

“I’m fine, but-” Daring choked, and began coughing, unable to force out the words. 

“What?” Darling asked, but her eyebrows were pinched together like she already knew. Daring took a deep, steadying breath as he looked up at her. 

“Apple is gone.”   

Chapter Text

If you were to ask Raven who was among the least likely list of suspects she expected to ask her for help, Daring Charming would be happily taking up the first position on that list. And yet it was past midnight, and she was in her pyjamas with her hair sticking up in six different directions, and Daring Charming was at her doorstep begging her to help him. 

In another circumstance, she might even have found it funny. 

As it was, the empty bed beside hers had been making her bedroom feel emptier than ever for the past two days, and Apple’s disappearance had been hanging over the whole school in a dark shroud. 

On the bright side, talks about Daring and Apple’s wedding had disappeared completely and wouldn’t be returning until she was brought back. Unfortunately, no one knew where she had to be brought back from. 

It wasn’t every day that a gryphon swooped out of the sky and stole one of your best friend’s, but Raven had learned a long time ago not to question her luck, lest it get even worse somehow. 

“Daring, it’s illegal. We’re underage, and even if we weren’t I’m a villain, remember? People would think I kidnapped you,” Raven explained, trying to fight off a yawn. She didn’t understand why this conversation couldn’t have waited until the morning, but Daring had insisted. 

“I would leave a note explaining the whole thing to my parents, but they won’t let me do anything about this! Please, Raven, I can’t go alone. I think whoever took her,” he swallowed, looking down with guilt, “I think they have magic. I’ll need you there.”

Raven hesitated. What he was asking her to do was dangerous, incredibly dangerous. But Apple was in trouble, and he had a point about the magic. Even if he didn't, Raven had a feeling she would have had to tag along anyway, because she had a terrible inclination about who had been behind Apple’s kidnapping. 

“We can’t go now,” she started. Daring opened his mouth to protest, but she held up her hand. “Not yet. We’ll have to prepare a little first, and then we can go tomorrow, alright?”

“Okay,” Daring said. He just seemed relieved that she had finally agreed. 

“And we can’t go alone. I think I know who did this,” she hoped not, but she didn’t want to say that, “and they’ll have help. We need to have people there who can back us up, and be trusted not to tell others.” 

“Darling and Dexter can help,” Daring said, his voice firm. Raven fought down a blush at the mention of Dexter’s name. 

“I don’t know,” she said nervously. “I mean, Darling is good at fighting, but should Dexter really tag along?” 

That, of course, wasn’t why she wanted Dexter to stay back. The real reason was they had been going out for a few weeks, and Daring absolutely could not find out about it. Daring, however, tilted his head in confusion. 

“No,” he said, and his expression made it clear this wasn’t a debate. “We’ll need someone who can strategize, and worst comes to worst Dex can call for help if something goes wrong.” 

“Fine,” Raven sighed. “But I’m not talking to you about this right now. If they agree to go, I’ll go, but if not we let your parents handle it. Deal?” She reached out her hand. Daring hesitated. “It won’t be binding, I promise.” 

“Fine,” he said, taking it. “You have a deal.” 

*

Tomorrow came far too fast, in Raven’s opinion. Strangely, the morning seemed to pass normally, a sense of calm hanging over it. 

Naturally, this didn’t last long. 

When she arrived in the cafeteria, Daring was sitting in a huddle with his siblings. He waved her over, and she didn’t miss the way Dexter and Darling’s eyes widened when they saw who Daring was gesturing towards. 

To be safe, Raven sat across the table from Dexter. He sent her a questioning look, but she just mouthed wait . 

“I wanted to talk to you guys about Apple,” Daring started. Raven wondered if he’d ever had a class on how to be diplomatic, because that was the last way she would’ve started this discussion. 

“What about her?” Darling asked, her voice clipped. She sounded like she was grinding her teeth together. 

Raven never had siblings, so she didn’t know much about how they were supposed to behave around each other, but she couldn’t help noticing how much more formal and awkward the air was with the twins around Daring versus when it was just the two of them. Dexter’s eyes kept flitting from her to Daring and back again, and Darling was staring at her older brother with a neutral smile, but her hands were clenched and her knuckles were white. 

“We need to go rescue her.” That seemed to surprise the twins, who shared a look. “I know it will be going against mom and dad, but I’m her prince, and it’s my responsibility to rescue her.” 

“So what does Raven have to do with that?” Dexter asked, eyeing his brother suspiciously. Raven didn’t understand why he seemed so bothered by the two sitting next to each other, and she felt like she’d missed a conversation. Then she remembered the last time her, Dexter, and Daring had been alone together, and how it had ended with her being kicked out while the two looked like they were about to kill each other, and she scooted away from Daring a little. 

“We’ll need her magic, and she thinks she knows who took Apple,” Daring said, though Raven wished he didn’t. Darling’s head whipped towards her so quickly Raven was surprised her neck didn’t break off. 

“You know who took her?” she asked, her voice laced with a desperation Raven was unused to hearing from the princess. She nodded hesitantly. 

“I think so,” Raven said, careful about her word choice. She had a feeling that if she wasn’t, things would go south very quickly. “When my mother returned, before she got captured again, she was in contact with some other head villains and their children. They were trying to organise an attack that would render Ever After completely indefensible, but she got taken down before she got to that part.” 

The mood was much more sombre at their table at the mention of the Evil Queen. Raven always felt her gut twist uncomfortably at the mention of her mother, but she ignored it to the best of her abilities. 

“So you think one of them took Apple?” Darling asked, her voice lower than usual and dripping with venom. Raven nodded. “But where would they have gone?”

“Somewhere out of the eyes of royals,” Raven said, shifting in her seat at the attention. All three siblings had their eyes fixed on her, the three sets of blue practically glowing with concentration. “The villains aren’t stupid, they know that their power is weak right now. Apple is probably a gambling chip. Easiest thing for them to do now would be to ransom her.”

Raven had a feeling Apple was in for much worse than that, but she decided to keep that to herself. No point in worrying anyone more than they already were. 

“But all of Ever After is under the royal's control,” Dexter said, frowning.

“Not all of it,” Raven corrected, her stomach continuing to twist. She felt so nauseous that she was sure her face was green, so she decided to concentrate on the way Dexter’s eyelashes fluttered a little when he blinked and how cute that was. It helped calm her a bit. “My mom designed her old territory so that it was out of sight of her enemies.”

“But that’s way too far, there’s no way the villains who kidnapped Apple could have gotten there in time,” Darling interrupted, frowning. Raven nodded. 

“They would never bother going that far. Instead, I have a feeling they’d settle just far enough to be out of reach, and just close enough to negotiate for control.” Dexter’s face went pale, and Raven knew he’d pieced together who she was talking about. 

“I thought they signed a peace treaty with the royals of Ever After,” he said, but Raven shook her head. 

“That was ages ago, and peace treaties can be forgotten,” she replied. 

“Who signed a peace treaty? What are you guys talking about?” Darling demanded, her head whipping between the two. Raven found herself twisting one of the silver rings she had on. 

“It’s the Ice Queen,” she said, her voice heavy. “We have to go to the ice kingdom.”

*

Surprisingly, escaping the school at night was the easiest part of their plan. Darling didn’t explain how, but she was able to get everyone out of the main building and to the dragon stables without any of the night guards catching them. The way she navigated, Raven had a feeling it wasn’t her first time doing something like this, but she let that drop. 

“Okay, here we go,” Darling said when they reached the stables, but her voice held no relief in it. Beside her, Rosabella Beauty was fidgeting nervously. Darling had insisted that she join them, since Rosabella was one of the smartest people in the school, and one of the only ones who’d actually read about the ice kingdom, but Raven didn’t know what to think of her. Rosabella always seemed very nice, but she had a flighty energy to her, and seemed to flit between subjects quicker than Raven would have liked for their guide, but she tried to file away those doubts and put her trust in Darling. 

“My turn,” Raven muttered to herself, nudging Nevermore awake. The purple dragon blinked her wide eyes, and Raven held back a smile. Nevermore always had a way of cheering her up. “Are you ready to go for a little trip, girl?” 

Nevermore just snorted, which Raven took as a yes. Meanwhile, Darling and Daring had gone to wake up their own dragons, while Dexter stood a little behind her. 

They hadn’t talked since the meeting with his siblings, and Raven didn’t know what to say now that they were alone. Daring would be riding up to the snow kingdom alone, while Darling would be taking Rosabella on her dragon, which left her and Dexter alone together. 

“You don’t have to go with us, you know,” Dexter finally said. His voice was so gentle as he spoke, the exact opposite of her mother’s. “I know Apple is your friend, but if these guys are really trying to ransom her….” 

Raven turned to him and forced herself to smile. “Going there is probably the only thing that’s going to keep you guys from getting killed.”

“We could figure it out,” Dexter said, but Raven could hear how unsure he was. She shook her head. 

“I know you don’t want me getting into danger, but Apple’s my friend. I should help,” Raven said. Dexter nodded, and looked over at his siblings quickly. Raven was just about to wonder why when he pulled her in for a quick hug. 

Something about being in Dexter’s arms relaxed her instantly, and for a second she let herself just breathe into the crook of his neck. Then he pulled away, and she slipped the reins around Nevermore’s neck. 

“When all of this is done, we should go see a movie together,” Dexter said, his voice a bit lighter. Raven hoped the hug had taken the tension out of him too, although a voice in her head chided her that no hug from the daughter of the Evil Queen could relieve tension from someone. She ignored it and smiled at him.

“That sounds hexcellent,” she said, then turned to Darling and Daring, who had set up their dragons as well. “Is everyone ready?” They all nodded. 

Raven concentrated hard for this next part. Her magic was still unstable at the best of times, but since she’d confronted her mother, it seemed to have gotten at least a little under control. But if her emotions weren’t completely calm she was at high risk of blowing the whole stable up. 

She squeezed her eyes together, putting one hand on Nevermore and holding Dexter’s hand with the other. She saw Darling do the same with Rosabella, and Daring put one hand on his dragon. Then she concentrated as much as she could on the shadows around her and called them up, letting them surround her and the others. She poured all her frustration and worry about Apple into her magic, willing the spell to work, and heard Rosabella gasp. 

When she looked up, she couldn’t see her. Only Dexter and Nevermore were visible, and they were surrounded by a faint purple glow. Before she could stop it, a wide grin split her face as she realised the spell had worked. 

“Okay, is everybody ready? You’ll all have to follow the sound of my voice,” Raven said. It was a risky mood, especially considering the night guards were still milling around, and normally any sound would alert them. But the cloaking spell was good for more than just hiding appearances, and if it had worked like it was supposed to they would be fine. 

Raven slowly led the group out of the stables and then hopped up onto Nevermore’s back, who had grown to full size when they left the stables, the reins growing with her. Dexter got on behind her, and Raven forced herself to calm the butterflies in her stomach when he wrapped his arms around her waist. Her only consolation was that his hands were sweaty, so he seemed about as nervous about this as she was. 

They all flew up and above the schools enchanted ivy walls, but that would be the least of their problems now. High above the school, the guardian gryphons were flying in circles. Raven glanced back, and she realised she could see Darling and Daring’s dragons now, shrouded in the same purple haze that Dexter and her were. Both were glaring at the gryphons, clearly remembering how one had taken Apple. But Raven just shook her head and turned back around. The school gryphons weren’t to blame for that. Still, she knew she’d feel more at ease when they were out of sight. 

“Are you alright?” Dexter asked, his voice surprisingly clear considering the wind around them. Raven just assumed it was an extension of the spell and nodded. 

“I will be,” she said, ignoring how shaken she sounded. “It’s just weird seeing them.” 

“They’re not to blame,” Dexter said, resting his head on her shoulder and squeezing her a bit tighter to him. She was tempted to just relax against him and sleep, but this first trail she needed to be leading for. 

“I know,” Raven sighed, letting herself relax just a little anyway. They were already in the air. It would do her no good to stress out more than she needed to. “Mostly I’m worried about Apple. I mean, I couldn’t do anything when she was kidnapped. I just stood there and stared.”

“You saved Daring’s life,” Dexter reminded her. “The person who took her was too far gone. No one would have been able to rescue her then.”

“Maybe,” she sighed, but she chewed her lip. “I just have a bad feeling about all of this. What if I’m wrong, and I’m just leading us on some wild goose chase?”

That, at least, got a laugh out of him. 

“I would gladly trust your instincts over my brother’s,” he said, the word brother catching like it was unfamiliar. “If it were up to him and Darling, they’d be raiding every palace and cave in Ever After until we found her.” 

Raven’s breath caught as they flew over the school walls. This was the most crucial, and she held up a hand for silence. They were just barely above the wall, flying low enough so they were at risk of clipping them, but it was necessary to avoid the gryphons. Gryphons were old magical creatures, and notoriously strong. Raven didn’t want to test her new magic strength on one unless it was in class. 

Above, one of them circled, and turned its head down to look at them. Barely daring to breathe, Raven focused on what the gryphon would see. She imagined they weren’t even there, just an odd shadow from a cloud, and tried to project that through the spell. Her whole body felt tingly, the way it always did when she tried difficult magic. 

She looked up, half expecting the gryphon to sweep down and catch her in its claws just like she’d seen one do to Daring and Apple, but it moved on to another shadow and left the group alone. 

Raven didn’t bother hiding her full body exhale. Dexter’s breath tickled her ear as he laughed, sending nice shoots of warmth up and down her spine. “You did it!” he said, keeping his voice low, but it was brimming with an excitement Raven didn’t want to fight off. 

“I did,” she said, feeling a little dazed. But the spell would need to last much longer than it would take to just fly out of school grounds. 

When explaining the plan to the others, Raven had left out a couple details. One of the benefits of being the strongest sorceress’s daughter was that Raven could sense magic, especially magic with strong roots. At Ever After High, this was a pretty much useless ability, considering any magic she needed to locate was usually on premises. But the witch that they would be visiting was old, cruel, and cold. Her magic spanned the world with every cool breeze that washed through a warm spring day. 

As they flew, Raven could almost feel the winds flying against her, as if urging her to go back while she could, but she urged Nevermore on anyway, flying towards the land at the furthest possible point of Ever After. 

“Hey, I think Nevermore knows where to take us,” Dexter said, stirring her out of her thoughts. “You should get some rest, while you still can.” 

Raven wanted to protest, but she knew Nevermore could smell the trail they were following, so she bent over to whisper in her dragon’s ear. “You know the way, girl?” A huff was the response she got. She just laughed, though, knowing for Nevermore that was an absolute yes. 

“Alright, a little shut eye couldn’t hurt,” she said, and when she looked behind her she realised Darling, Daring, and Rosabella had already drifted off, and Dexter’s eyes were slipping shut. 

A sense of dread washed over her, but her eyes were closed before she could piece anything together.

*

When she woke up, the smell of flowers greeted her. A middle-aged woman smiled down at her, making Raven yelp and sit up in surprise. She felt odd, like there was something she should be doing, but her head felt fuzzy. 

She remembered a fall. Maybe she’d hit her head. Either way, the woman began laughing. 

“Oh, my dear, I do apologise. I get so few visitors here, you see, so I must have some fun. My name is Djerba. Welcome to my garden,” she said, extending a hand. Raven took it, feeling her unease fade away the longer the woman smiled at her. She just seemed so kind. 

“I had friends who were with me,” Raven said, although it came out as more of a question. The woman’s smile widened. She looked so motherly, it made Raven’s heart ache.

“Oh yes, they’re out front in the garden. It took you time to wake up,” Djerba said, guiding Raven out front. What she saw was a stunning, wide garden, with seemingly every plant imaginable. It was amazing, and the smell was heavenly, making her head feel light. 

Standing amongst the flowers were Darling and Rosabella, who turned to Raven with wide smiles. Distantly, Raven recalled there being more people in their group, but the smell made it difficult to concentrate. 

“Your friends have been enjoying their stay with me, haven’t they?” Djerba said, patting Darling and Rosabella on the head, who looked at her like she was a goddess. Raven kind of understood why. Djerba seemed to glow with radiance, her smile so inviting. 

Still, Raven couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. She’d been doing something before she came here, she was sure of that. 

“You know, I always wanted daughters,” Djerba said as she guided them around the garden, pointing out different kinds of flowers with all sorts of colours. But there was a colour that was missing from the garden. Raven was almost certain of it, but she couldn’t place her finger on which it was. “Such a shame I was never blessed. And so few people ever come here. No one wants to visit an old sorceress like me.”

“You’re a sorceress?” Raven asked. She regretted it for a second, but Djerba just seemed to find the question funny. 

“Quite, my dear. My magical pull is not so strong as someone like your mother, but I have my abilities,” Djerba said, her voice light and airy, making Raven’s head begin to fog again. Out of Djerba’s eyesight, she pinched her thigh to try and wake herself up a bit before she could space out again. 

When she looked over at Darling and Rosabella, both seemed perfectly happy with Djerba’s story, and were giggling to each other about the flowers, which also felt wrong. Suddenly, she noticed that Rosabella was wearing different clothes. Her usual jacket and boots were gone, replaced by soft leather hiking boots that looked similar to the ones Cerise always wore. Her hair was plaited, too, and only the brown part was visible. 

Raven’s head hurt, and the smell of the flowers got stronger, almost as a response to her distress. She raised a hand to her nose, trying to block it out, but Djerba turned to her, tilting her head. 

“My dear, whatever is wrong? You don’t like the garden?” her voice was so soft and wounded, she sounded the way Raven imagined a deer would after having been run over. Raven quickly shook her head, which seemed to calm her down a little. 

“No!” she yelped, drawing her hands away from her face quickly. “I’m sorry, the garden is lovely, my head just hurt for a bit.” 

Djerba’s smile returned, relaxing Raven instantly. “Oh, well that happens sometimes dear. My flowers are quite strong, you know. They need to be handled with care. Almost like you young ladies, don’t you think?” 

Raven nodded, not wanting to accidentally offend the woman again. They finally emerged out onto a gazebo, only it was white marble and looked like the kind of thing Raven’s mother would have blown up on the spot. 

“Now, would you like some tea?” Djerba asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” Darling and Rosabella said in unison, their voices slower than normal. Raven tried to push the worry out of her mind. They were probably overwhelmed by the garden the same way she had been. Still, it was weird seeing them so calm. 

“Wonderful,” Djerba said. She snapped her fingers, and a gust of wind blew from the snap, ruffling the flowers gently and making Raven close her eyes. When she opened them, a round table with four chairs surrounding it sat inside the gazebo, which Raven realised was actually a pavilion, a structure she’d heard about in passing at Ever After High, but had never seen in person. It wasn’t exactly the kind of place villains usually hung out at. 

On the table sat a round teapot, with a three-tiered plate that Raven had seen the princesses eat from at school sometimes. Four teacups sat on their coasters, filling up with liquid as Djerba took a seat, Darling and Rosabella following her lead. 

Darling frowned at the teacups. “This looks just like the ones at home.” 

Raven was so relieved to hear her speaking in full sentences, she felt like crying. But Rosabella was still mostly nonverbal, poking at her cup once or twice before drinking from it. Raven and Darling watched her, and Raven almost wanted to stop her for fear of the tea being something else, but Rosabella just set the cup back down, and seemed perfectly fine if not better than before she’d drunk it. 

“Thank you, madame,” she said, her tone flat and positive. It was odd hearing Rosabella, who Raven only knew for her aggressive personality, being so demure. Darling seemed to hesitate when her roommate spoke, and Raven wondered if she was starting to feel weary of this place too. 

“Thank you,” Raven said, and Darling said the same after Raven nudged her with her foot. She still didn’t know what was going on, but she knew that refusing the tea would end badly. 

“Now girls, you are an interesting three to have come together,” Djerba said, her voice still cheery. Raven wondered where she stored all her optimism, and if she would ever be willing to lend it out sometime. “Three princesses, and yet all so different.”

Rosabella was happily eating one of the mini sandwiches from the tiered plate, but Darling and Raven glanced over at each other nervously. 

“How do you mean?” Darling asked, her voice reflecting the same light good-naturedness of Djerba’s, which seemed to make the sorceress happy.

“One the daughter of a rebel,” Djerba started, and Raven expected her to be pointed at, but was surprised when Djerba gestured towards Rosabella. “A princess who was stubborn and resilient. A good thing to be, to an extent. But believe in everything and you will stand for nothing.” Rosabella stopped eating when she was gestured to, and her eyes seemed to clear a bit at Djerba’s words, although Raven had no idea what they meant. 

“One daughter of a queen,” Djerba continued, waving towards Darling this time, who seemed to straighten a bit on reflex. “You wish to live up to your destiny, yet you keep looking for it in the wrong places. You must let go of your love if you wish it to return to you.” Darling dropped her teacup, but Dejrba didn’t even flinch, waving her hand again and making the shattered porcelain disappear. “You have already done this, to an extent. But you wish to be brave. Bravery is not what you have done. Bravery will come when you reveal who you are, and live truthfully.” 

“And one daughter of a tyrant,” Djerba finished. Raven felt her stomach churn as Djerba’s smiling face turned towards her. “You rebel from your mother’s teachings. A dangerous thing, to go against a mother.”

“I had to,” Raven said, unsure of how she was even able to respond with how much she was shaking. “What she did was wrong.”

“Quite,” Djerba agreed. “But are the powers that rule now right?”

Raven wanted to respond, wanted to yell in protest that she didn’t have to agree with the world around her just to reject her mother, but the protest died in her throat as Djerba kept smiling. She realised the protest would be useless, because Djerba knew that. 

“You aren’t a sorceress,” Raven remembered, the fuzzy edges of her mind clearing in the wake of the discussion. She wondered if the tea had helped. 

“In a way, yes. In a way, no,” Djerba mused, sipping her tea contentedly. “I am a magician. Closely related, often confused. Magic is the common tool between us two, my dear. I could teach you how to harness yours, if you wish.”

“No, thank you,” Raven responded. The details of their trip were coming back to her, and she remembered why she would feel suspiciously about staying here. “But I would ask for a favour, if that’s okay?” 

“You could easily take what you need, my dear,” Djerba said, raising an eyebrow as she stared at Raven. She seemed amused with her behaviour, though Raven didn’t know why she would be. “It is what would be expected, and what your mother would do. I may be old, but my magic is gentle. It would be no match for yours.” 

“Maybe,” Raven said, her voice growing stronger as the scent of flowers began to fade and her head felt clear again. “But I am not my mother. This isn’t an order, it’s a request.”

“Then by all means,” Djerba said, spreading her hands across the table. The teacups and tiered plate vanished, leaving only the teapot in the centre of the table. 

“Please, give us a red rose. We need one to find our friend. She’s trapped with the Ice Queen.” Raven could have sworn she felt a cool breeze sweep in when she mentioned the ice queen, and even Djerba’s smile twitched. 

“Best not to mention that name in here,” she warned, her voice still happy, but a little deeper. “As for your prize, it is hidden in front of you. I suspect this will not be the last time a prize is.” Djerba let out a long sigh, and it seemed to send out a calming effect over the whole garden. Even Raven felt her eyes grow heavy. “Such a shame you girls couldn’t stay. I really would have loved some daughters.”

“I am sorry,” Raven said, and she meant it. Djerba had been genuinely kind to them, nothing like she’d been in her mother’s story. As if she could read minds, Djerba’s eyes twinkled at Raven. 

“You are wondering why I am so lenient?” Raven nodded. “This is neutral ground, my dear. I am only an antagonising force for the time I take from people, but that is the mere nature of this garden. It is a place for weary travellers to rest. You are not the first to leave.” Djerba heaved a sigh, and Raven couldn’t help but feel bad for the woman with no family, only her flowers for company. “I wish you luck on your journey.”

“Wait,” Raven said, sensing the magician was about to leave. “What about our friends and dragons?”

“They are near the exit, completely unharmed,” Djerba reassured her. “I am not Circe, I see no reason for men to suffer, although the garden seemed to have a stronger effect on them anyway.”

“Thank you for all your help. I won’t forget it,” Raven promised, but Djerba just continued smiling, and for the first time she looked sad. 

“I doubt that, my dear. But I thank you for your kindness as well, and remember my words. You will be offered a choice at the palace of your captured friend. The way to get her back will rely on you. Good luck.”

With that, Djerba was gone. 

Darling and Rosabella blinked a few times, looking around in confusion before they finally settled on Raven’s face, and the two burst into questions, but Raven just told them it would get explained later. She sent the two ahead to find the boys before she turned back to the table, where the teapot sat, untouched. 

Carefully, she opened the lid and pulled out the red rose from within it. Raven took a deep breath. 

“Tell me where Apple White is.”

Chapter Text

Rosabella could put up with a lot of weird things in life. Her mother was a commoner who had fallen in love with a beast and been made a queen. She had grown up in the centre of weird and unusual, at least for Ever After. The only people who understood more about the odd would be the Wonderland kids, which was saying a lot. 

Still, she had a good head on her shoulders. She kept her head down, studied, and used her knowledge to understand all the odd things about the world. She knew her destiny would come for her one day, and she knew why. That comforted her. 

So when she was told how she’d acted in Djerba’s garden, she felt her face flush in shame. Rosabella spent her whole life either buried in a book or using her knowledge from one to try and make a difference, but she’d acted like she didn’t even have a brain in the garden. 

Darling tried to reassure her that it wasn’t that bad as they walked towards the exit where they’d been told the boys would be, but Rosabella wasn’t so sure. The only reason she had agreed to this rescue mission in the first place was because Darling had said she was the only one who would know how to navigate the Ice Queen’s palace. And sure, Rosabella had read plenty about the Ice Queen, but navigating her palace would be entirely different, and Rosabella was beginning to doubt if she would even be capable of it. 

She could kind of remember things, the smile of the magician who had greeted her when she woke up, the nice smell of the flowers, sitting for tea. But there was a haze in her mind that was clouding the memories, hiding them, and she hated that even more. 

Finally, the two girls exited the garden into the driveway out front. The road was a beautiful marble that Rosabella would have hesitated letting any horse trample over in a carriage, but she also suspected not many carriages came around here. 

“Dexter!” Darling cried, running over to her brother, who was slumped up against Nevermore in a similar way that Raven had been when Darling and her had gone to the stable. 

Rosabella took that as her cue to go wake up Daring. He had his head tilted back against his dragon, and had his hands laying at his side with his legs on the ground. Rosabella held back a chuckle at his appearance, and resisted the urge to take a photo of him on her Mirrorphone. He was just so different from how he usually looked, with his perfectly put together persona. 

Honestly, Rosabella didn't like Daring when she first met him. She thought he was far too full of himself to be a good hero. 

But try as she might, there was something magnetic about him as well. It was impossible for a person to be as popular as he was without at least a little of the persona being authentic. When she got glimpses at the authenticity behind the persona, those were the moments she thought she might not mind him so much. 

Rosabella also felt a bit awkward around him after their last interaction. Darling had been moping for so long, and she’d ended up taking out her frustration with the situation on Daring. It was easy to see how Darling and Apple felt, but Rosabella knew Daring wasn’t to fault for the situation they were in. 

“Hey, wake up,” she said, trying to keep her voice gentle as she poked his arm. His eyes fluttered open softly, and she couldn’t help but appreciate their colour. 

Darling’s eyes were an icy blue, and when she got angry sometimes they seemed to burn, like a fire that had burned too hot. Dexter’s were more akin to the sea, deep and rich blue that you only saw every now and then behind his glasses, but so intense they felt like they would knock you over. Daring’s eyes, though, were soft, like the sky on a warm spring day.

“Who…” he trailed off, blinking a few times in confusion as he turned his head around. Rosabella felt her shoulders tense as she wondered if he’d forgotten her name again. “Rosabella? Where are we?” 

“A magician's garden,” she replied, as if that explained everything. Her shoulders were still a bit tense, and she couldn’t shake the annoyance that had spurred when she thought Daring had forgotten who she was again. “We’ll be leaving soon, we’re just waiting for Raven.” 

She then stood up and walked away from him, going to gently stir the dragons, who blinked awake in the same way Daring had. 

“Raven?” Dexter asked, his voice still a bit muffled from sleep. “Why isn’t she here?” 

“She told us to go ahead. I think there’s something she needs to do in there, but she’ll be fine,” Darling said, putting a hand on her brother’s arm to try and calm him down. He relaxed, but only a little. 

Rosabella decided to focus on waking the dragons instead of on the conversation. She finished by gently petting Darling’s dragon on the nose. Herowing let out a small huff as she woke up, and nuzzled Rosabella affectionately. 

Rosabella could never understand how people wouldn’t go to the protests for magical animals rights when they saw how sweet the creatures were. 

Still, her mother’s voice would often ring in her head at times like these. 

“There are some things that cannot, and should not, be fixed my dear.”

She’d never gotten an explanation about what that meant exactly, but she had decided long ago that she didn’t need one. Besides, it was quite ironic for her mother to say that, the woman who had charmed a beast out of his beastliness. 

“Raven!” Dexter exclaimed, his excitement palpable. Sure enough, Raven was walking through the same archway Darling and Rosabella had come out of. 

“Hey guys,” Raven said, smiling even though she seemed much more tired than she had been before. She seemed older, too, but Rosabella decided to keep quiet about that. Raven had been the only one who had kept her head on in the garden, and Rosabella would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little jealous. “I know how to get to the palace.”

“What, did you not before?” Daring asked, and Rosabella considered kicking him for the question, but when she looked over he seemed sincere. 

“I was following her magic,” Raven admitted. Rosabella wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but none of the others seemed to, either, so she didn’t feel too bad about it. “It would have gotten us to the right place eventually, but it can be unreliable. Her roses told me where to find her, though.”

“Her roses?” Rosabella asked. If she hadn’t been feeling useless before, boy oh boy did she feel useless now. Roses were her whole thing, and yet Raven had been the one to channel them. 

“Yeah, long story,” Raven said. “But look, that’s not the point. The palace, it’s on the edge of Ever After. It’s not too far from my house, honestly.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Dexter asked, but Raven shook her head. She shifted her weight, which Rosabella had noticed she did when nervous. 

“When my mom built my house, it wasn’t supposed to be a place to live. It was a fortress, a collection of pure evil. She had to make sure royals couldn’t attack it, so she built it on the furthest edges of Ever After, somewhere other villains quickly gravitated towards.” Raven’s voice was heavy as she spoke, and it wouldn’t take a genius to recognise that she clearly hated the place. “The, uhm, the queen we’re going to visit, she has a palace near the same grounds. It’s up on a mountain, the highest mountain in Ever After, in the furthest corner.”

No one else seemed to get what Raven was hinting at, but Rosabella picked it up. “We’re going to the edge of the world.”

The Charming siblings all exchanged nervous glances, but Rosabella kept her eyes on Raven, who nodded. The edge of Ever After used to be a sacred place, where only the most important coronations and weddings could be held. But then the Evil Queen had taken it over in her first attempt at conquering Ever After, and she had allowed other villains to populate the area until it was swarming. 

Rosabella had read about the mountain that Raven was talking about, but only briefly. She tried to recall what little she could. 

“It has guards, doesn’t it?” she remembered, her blood feeling cold. 

“Yeah,” Raven said. 

“Wait, what guards? I’ve never heard of them,” Daring asked, glaring between the two. Darling and Dexter looked just as confused, sending glances between each other. Rosabella had asked Darling once what those were about, and she’d just said it was a twin thing. 

“The wind spirits,” Raven said, her voice soft. “They’re all around the castle, surrounding the mountain. It makes it impossible to approach it by foot.” 

“But that’s good, isn’t it?” Darling insisted. “We aren’t travelling by foot.”

“Not exactly,” Rosabella replied before Raven could, and she caught a grateful glance from Raven. “The wind spirits control the four winds: North, South, East, and West. They used to go anywhere, until they began working with… her.” Rosabella was careful to avoid the Ice Queen’s name. She wasn’t sure why Raven had earlier, but she had a feeling if she did mention the Ice Queen, it would lead to nothing good. 

“Because all four of the spirits are bound to one place, they’re constantly fighting for control over the domain. But the edge of Ever After is outside of their domain,” Rosabella continued.

“How could anywhere be out of their domain? I thought that was the whole point of them,” Dexter asked, eyes flitting between Rosabella and Raven. Rosabella sighed.

“Kind of. The edge of Ever After isn’t a destination in the same way the Mad Hatter’s Tea Shop and Haberdashery is.” Rosabella saw Raven’s mouth twitch at the mention of the Mad Hatter. “It exists outside space. It isn’t North, South, East, or West. It’s nowhere.” 

“But that’s impossible,” Dexter insisted. “Everywhere had to be somewhere.” 

“Not necessarily,” Raven said, smiling at him. “Magic is capable of a lot when it wants to work.” 

“Then what’s waiting for us when we get there?” Darling asked, her voice still a bit soft from the garden. Rosabella and Raven exchanged a glance.

“A hurricane,” Raven said. Rosabella was grateful to her for delivering the bad news. Darling and Daring looked horrified, but Dexter’s eyebrows just pinched together in thought. 

“So to get in, we need to fly into the eye of the storm,” he said, his voice catching a bit, betraying his nerves. Raven’s mouth was set in a grim line as she nodded. 

“Exactly.”

*

It went about as well as could be expected. Rosabella held on for dear life as the winds tried to whip her off her dragon, and could see Dexter doing the same with Raven a little over to her right. Daring, for his part, kept trying to fight the spirits, but how do you fight something that’s invisible? 

“There!” she yelled, hoping Darling could hear her over the roar of wind in her ears. “There’s the eye!” 

Darling was trying her best to keep Herowing from flying off, but the dragon was not handling the winds well. It was taking all of its strength just to keep them from getting sucked up by the wind spirits. 

That wasn’t the worst part. Apparently the wind spirits worked with the ice queen voluntarily, because the whole time that they were whipping past Rosabella’s ear she could hear them murmuring to her, feeding into every single doubt she’d ever felt. It was taking all her concentration to ignore them, but she still couldn’t block them out completely. 

Weakling.

Traitor. 

Rebel.

The word was practically spit at her. The wind spirits took up the voices of her mother, her father, her friends, everyone she had ever cared about.   

But Rosabella wasn’t about to complain. One glance over at how white Darling’s knuckles were and she knew it was probably ten times worse for the princess. Her family was three times as rich as Rosabella’s, and three times as influential, but that also came with three times the amount of pressure. 

Even if Rosabella did become a rebel, it couldn’t hurt her parents too much. But she wasn’t dumb. She knew Darling snuck out into the woods at night, and had seen her stashing armoury equipment in their room before. That kind of thing could be a huge scandal if it got out. 

“Okay,” Darling yelled, her voice barely audible over the storm, “I’m going to try and get us down there. If I don’t make it,” Darling’s voice cracked, and Rosabella felt her stomach drop, “then you jump off. Got it?”

“Darling-”

“Got it?” Darling’s voice was more firm this time, and Rosabella stamped down her fear. She was the daughter of Beauty, the woman who had stood up to a beast for the people she loved. She was not afraid. 

“Okay,” she yelled back, trying to avoid tensing her muscles. It would only hurt her if they crashed, which she suspected they would. 

Darling let out a long screech before they dove into the eye of the storm. Raven saw them and began leading Nevermore over, and finally Daring followed, but Rosabella didn’t have too much time to think about them. 

She had no idea how Darling wasn’t calling off this whole mission. Personally, Rosabella was scared out of her mind. Her stomach lurched the way it would on a roller coaster as they tumbled through the storm, the voice around them getting harsher and meaner as they got closer to the eye. 

Idiot. Useless. You will die at our hands, and your journey will be in vain. There will be no tales told about you, or your good deeds. Your story ends here.

Rosabella gritted her teeth and tightened her hold on Darling. The winds were ruthless, whipping over her skin, and she realised with a jolt of horror that cuts were beginning to form where the wind sliced at her. 

Yes. You see how useless you are against our power? Foolish to enter our domain, but no matter. We will happily kill you for our mistress.

“Not today you don’t,” Rosabella muttered, her voice completely inaudible because of the wind, but it didn’t matter. She felt like she was at one of her million protests, watching people walk by without even sparing a glance. The same heat burned through her, the anger at watching how passive people could be to the issues in the world. 

The wind had stopped hurting her as much, and as she looked down at her arms the cuts that were there stopped stinging as much. They only get to you as much as you let them , she thought. It was something her mother had said when she was getting princess training. 

It was impossible to stop the grin that came over her face, even though the smile hurt. That didn’t matter. She felt invincible as the winds continued to hurl insults and she ignored them. 

“Hold on tight!” Darling yelled, and with a rush Rosabella saw that they were only a couple feet from the eye of the storm, and tumbling down quickly. She held on tighter to Darling, her smile beginning to hurt, and closed her eyes as she braced for impact. 

For a second, they were tossed around so much Rosabella almost fell off, as the wind spirits anger washed over her, trying to take her down. They were thrown downwards, passing through the barrier into the eye of the storm at the last possible second, and Herowing spread her wings as wide as she could, just managing to land without breaking anything.

Unfortunately for Rosabella and Darling, that sentiment did not include them. 

Rosabella put her hands out in front of her as she was tossed off the dragon’s back. She couldn’t blame Herowing. They’d been coming down far too fast. Still, that didn’t make the friction burn up the side of her leg hurt any less. 

“Are you okay?” she asked Darling, pulling her new leather boots up to try and hide her leg as much as possible. It was a minor injury, and as long as she didn’t get hit there she should be fine. 

“I think so,” Darling said. She looked like a mess, but Rosabella figured she did, too. The princess’s hair had completely been separated out of its usual style, and was puffing out at certain angles. Her arms and legs had small scratches, but like Rosabella’s burn, they wouldn’t cause any real problems. “Where are the others?”

Rosabella looked around, finally taking in their surroundings. It looked like they were in one of the four watchtowers she’d read about. The ceiling was a high dome, and the walls were made of ice. That would explain why the slide off Herowing hurt so much. 

“They should be around here somewhere,” Rosabella said, but even as she did, she couldn’t be too sure. There were four watchtowers at opposite ends of the castle. If someone had ended up on the far side, they would have no idea how to navigate. “If you’re feeling alright, we should start looking for them.”

Darling nodded, going over to give Herowing an affectionate pet. “Where should she go?”

Rosabella hadn’t thought about that. Travelling through the castle with a dragon was definitely a bad idea, though. “I think it’s best if she stays here. It’s probably safest, too. Those wind spirits are the only ones who reside in these towers, and they’re on duty right now.”

“Are you sure,” Darling asked hesitantly. Rosabella felt bad, asking her to separate from her dragon. 

“I don’t think we have much of a choice,” she admitted with a sigh. Darling took it well at least, giving Herowing one last long hug before walking over to Rosabella. 

“So this is what a villain’s palace looks like,” Darling mused. She sounded almost impressed. Rosabella couldn’t exactly disagree. Of all the places she’d been, the Ice Queen’s palace was definitely the most impressive. 

The entire building was made from ice, but it was like nothing Rosabella had ever seen. The floor was just opaque enough for it to feel like a floor, but it was a light shade of blue, and light seemed to bounce around it at will. Around the two girls, pillars extended from the massive walls every few feet. And the ceiling, well, that was definitely the best part. It was high and arched, with intricate designs forming a spiral pattern that was just barely recognisable from how far down the two were. 

Of course, this open floor layout also meant it would be much easier for the two to get caught, but Rosabella was trying not to think about that. 

“It’s so different from reading about it,” Rosabella said. For example, she could actually experience how cold the place was. She’d read all about how the high ceilings coupled with the ice made the place a freezer, but she could feel the difference with just a few minutes inside compared to the winds. And if this place was making a storm feel friendly, she didn’t want to know what would happen if they stayed here too long. 

“I never thought I’d have to come here,” Darling admitted, her voice a bit sheepish. 

“Why?” Rosabella asked. She wondered if the question was rude, but Darling didn’t seem to take offence. 

“It was never supposed to be part of my story,” Darling said with a soft chuckle. Then she frowned. “I guess it could have been, though, if I signed the Storybook.” 

The mention of the Storybook of Legends was not helping Rosabella’s anxiety about the palace. If her nerves weren’t enough, the way it was designed literally sent cold shoots through her spine. 

“I think your destiny turned out alright,” Rosabella admitted. She’d never actually said that to Darling, but she had meant to. For a long time. It clearly took Darling by surprise, because her eyes widened and for a second Rosabella could have sworn they were a bit watery. 

“Thank you,” Darling said, her voice wobbling a little, and she was definitely holding back tears. 

“I mean it,” Rosabella said. “You’re a lot braver than you think you are, and so much braver than you pretend to be.” 

Darling opened her mouth to say more when the two heard a crash. They ran towards the sound, and found Dexter, Raven, and Daring in a room, their dragons frozen behind them. Neither Rosabella or Darling charged in. It was clear they would need some kind of a plan. The three were surrounded by five guards who were made of ice. Rosabella didn’t know if they were alive or not, but she couldn’t think about it too much or she’d get a hernia. 

“Okay,” she turned to Darling, whose mouth was open in terror at the sight of her brothers, “here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll distract them, you knock one out and grab his sword. I’ll try and get a couple weapons off them, but you’ll be much better with a sword than I will.” 

Darling frowned and finally turned to her. “How would you know that?” 

“We’re roommates, Darling. You aren’t as discreet as you think.” When Darling’s mouth opened to say more, Rosabella covered it with her hand. “Look, we can talk about that later, but for now do you know what you need to do?” She took her hand off Darling’s mouth. 

“Grab their weapons while you distract them,” Darling said, her icy eyes burning. Rosabella was suddenly glad they were on the same side. 

“Okay, then let’s go,” she said, before running out and screaming. “My god, this wasn’t on the tour guide! What kind of an exhibition is this?” The ice guards looked over at her, then exchanged glances, clearly confused, before they began marching towards her. She felt herself smile. “Well, let’s see if these terrible exhibitions can catch me!”

With that, she took off as fast as she could. As annoyed as she’d been when she realised her clothes had been swapped at the garden, she was glad for the change in boots if nothing else. Her furry heels would have been much more difficult to run in, but the leather seemed almost built for this. The ice didn’t make her slip the same way it made the guards, and she began leading them around different pillars as she saw Darling creep her way along the wall, prepping to tackle one. 

The three they’d left back with their dragons seemed to break out of whatever trance they’d been in, and ran to go help the girls. 

“Careful,” Raven yelled as she approached them. “One touch from them and you could turn into ice.”

Rosabella felt a lot faster all of a sudden. Still, she could feel herself about to tire out, and she met eyes with Darling, who nodded, and tackled one of the ice guys from behind, restricting his arms by wrapping her legs around him, leaving one of her hands free to wrap around his neck as her free hand grabbed his sword from its sheath. 

With a sickening slice, she slit his throat, and he exploded into ice cubes all over the floor. 

Daring seemed to get the hint, swiping a blade from another guard and between the two, the ice men were destroyed in a matter of minutes. The siblings stood panting over the mess of ice, and Rosabella sent out a small wish that they really had just been statues. 

“We need to find Apple.” Darling’s voice sounded rougher after the battle, not to mention she was still trying hard to catch her breath. 

“What about Nevermore?” Raven asked, her voice shaking. Rosabella felt so bad for her. She imagined her pet butterfly, Adelita, turning into ice and her stomach dropped at just the thought. 

“There’s no time,” Dexter said, grabbing Raven’s hand. He was shaking, but seemed to steady a bit when he touched her. “We have to find Apple. She could be in serious danger.” 

Raven let out a sob and buried her face in Dexter’s chest. His face lit up red as he looked up at his siblings and Rosabella, who all turned around to give them a moment, but Rosabella noticed how he hugged her back. Interesting. 

“In the meantime, we need to think of how to handle the Ice Queen,” Rosabella said to Darling and Daring, trying to keep her voice low. 

“We can never just enjoy the victory for a minute,” Daring huffed, crossing his arms. Rosabella frowned at him. 

“This is more important than that. And when we save Apple, I’m sure she’ll help you celebrate your victory as much as you like.” For some reason, Rosabella found herself getting annoyed at the thought. 

Ah, but there will be no victory today. 

For a second, Rosabella thought the wind spirits had come down to finish the job. But the voice that rang out through the hall was different. It was higher, for one thing. 

That wasn’t all. It was colder, too. Just the sound of it chilled Rosabella right down to her toes, and she felt her knees give a little. Daring grabbed her arm to keep her from falling, and she tried to thank him but her voice wouldn’t come out. 

You have been brave coming here, children. But I’m afraid this is where your journey ends.

All around them, the ice shifted, the floor spinning so they changed perspectives as the ice seemed to part, revealing a throne room. Raven had pulled away from Dexter so she was no longer leaning on him, only holding his hand. Darling lifted her sword, her eyes cold and murderous. 

Rosabella forced herself to stand with the same determination she’d summoned against the wind spirits. Even with that, she felt smaller, and she realised it was the room making her feel that way. 

Everything was either ice or snow, and it was slowly seeping into Rosabella, freezing her to bone. She was fighting it for the moment, but she didn’t know how much longer she could hold out. Her friends were all shivering, too, but that was not the worst part. 

No, the worst part was by far the statues. They sat all throughout the throne room, forming a giant circle around the throne in the centre, with each statue holding a face that was unmistakably human. They were frozen in different states of shock and horror. It took all of Rosabella’s strength not to vomit or pass out at the sight of them. It was unnatural. 

In front of them was a huge dias, with steps leading up to a throne that had to be at least ten feet high. Sitting on it was someone who Rosabella was sure was not human. 

The queen radiated winter. Just standing in her presence had cooled Rosabella to the bone, and she was sure that if she were to be even grazed by the woman she would become another statue. Her hair was long and should have flowed, but it crystalised at the end, turning into small icicles. An ice crown sat atop her head, tall and pointed at the ends, and it looked identical to the design of the pillars in the hall on the way in. Her skin was the worst to look at. She was so pale she had turned blue, with icy blue veins visible all over her arms, neck, and face, but Rosabella had a feeling they didn’t pump blood. 

Her eyes were pure white, and they fixed on her group with amusement. Her mouth curved into a smile, revealing sharp teeth that looked like icicles as well, and she stood, a sceptre appearing in her hand as her long white dress spilled out, fanning around her. 

Raven let out a small gasp, and Rosabella tried to look where she was, then felt her blood grow cold. 

“Welcome, children,” the icy voice said, but Rosabella was no longer focused on the Ice Queen.

Because there, at her right hand side, stood a frozen Apple.    

Chapter Text

Apple had been in classes about being kidnapped for as long as she could remember. It was what she had trained and prepared for her whole life. 

But it was so annoying.

As the gryphon carried her, she suppressed a yawn, and let Ever After pass under her. She’d stopped crying after the twenty minute mark, and the boredom had begun to set in after an hour of drifting mindlessly above Ever After. 

The past month had been so stressful that Apple was pretty sure she’d fried some nerves in her brain. She’d heard about things like that before, where people got so anxious their brains couldn’t handle it anymore so they just stopped feeling. At the time, she had wondered what could drive a person to reach that point. 

Apparently karma had a sense of humour. 

Her captor hadn’t spoken since they’d dropped Daring, and Apple honestly wasn’t in the mood for polite conversation. When she had first been flying away, while she was still crying, she considered asking questions to see what was supposed to happen to her. That plan had been thrown out almost as soon as it had been formed, since Apple both couldn’t think of what questions she would ask to figure that out and also wasn’t entirely sure whoever was riding this gryphon wouldn’t just drop her into a lake somewhere and leave her to drown. 

She shivered at the thought as she once again remembered the day she had fallen into a well. Small bodies of water made her nervous enough, but any big bodies of water like lakes were always avoided. She got close to one once and her legs shook so much she had to sit down to avoid fainting. Not her proudest moment. 

Her memories weren’t the only thing that had her shivering, though. The air seemed to be getting colder, even though they weren’t supposed to have winter for another eight months. Once again, she tested the strength of the gryphon’s claw by wriggling around as much as she could, but the beast just let out a sharp caw and tightened its hold on her. 

Apple could practically hear her mother chastising her for trying to rescue herself. That’s a prince’s job, darling , she would say, her smile neutral but her voice letting you know that this was not a debate. 

“A prince’s job,” Apple muttered to herself. 

Without meaning to, her thoughts drifted towards Darling. They had a habit of doing that ever since their talk in the woods. The denial that Apple had seeped herself in for so long was slowly coming unwound, and it terrified her. 

Still, the relief she had felt when Darling had told her that she had nightmares about that day Apple was trapped in the coffin had been such a relief. Her own dreams didn’t involve the coffin since that day, except for one flash. The same voice she had heard so many times, only now she was able to put a face to it. 

They still hadn’t talked about their fight. Apple wondered if they would ever get the chance to. She had faith that Daring would try his best to help her. He was a noble prince, and she had grown up with him. Whenever Daring was in charge of rescuing her, she was always confident he would follow through. 

But the air felt odd as the gryphon holding her began to sweep down, and her eyes widened at what she saw. 

Below her stood a castle bigger than even her mother’s. It was entirely made of ice, with blue and white lights running up and through the structure, but what really had Apple’s breath catching was the storm surrounding it. It looked like a tornado, the kind that Apple had only ever seen in books in her library, but the real thing was so much more terrifying. 

“Are we flying into that?” she asked, breaking her silence with her captor. The person on top of the gryphon looked over at her, their white eyes sending chills racing through Apple. 

They pulled down their mask to reveal a young girl of about fourteen with long jet-black hair and deathly pale skin. She glared down at Apple. 

“My mistress has demanded you, and this is her home,” the girl replied, her voice slicing through Apple the same way it had when she’d heard the girl speak to Daring. A smile filled with amusement and cruelty spread across the girl’s face. “Do not worry, princess. You are just a pawn.” 

“A pawn?” Apple muttered, but she was careful not to be heard. She figured she would be dying in a tornado pretty soon, so there was no more point in figuring this out anyway. 

Sure enough, her captor reared her gryphon forward quicker and Apple closed her eyes, bracing for them to be thrown around by the wind. Instead, a soft breeze cushioned them. It was still incredibly cold, but a brief respite from the gusts that had been surrounding them only a second before. 

Apple decided to risk opening her eyes, and had to hold back a scream at what she saw. The gryphon, her, and her captor were all in a pocket of air, flying peacefully through the tornado, but around them the winds continued to churn with bits of debris floating around. 

When Apple thought she saw some bones among that debris, she decided to keep her eyes closed until they got through the storm. 

She was shaking when they exited, and she had a bad feeling about what would happen to anyone trying to go through there without their air cushion. Then she thought about Daring, who would doubtless be coming to save her, and felt her stomach churn. 

It was more than the winds. Something evil had stayed in that tornado, something that would probably have torn her apart under different circumstances. 

Her captor seemed to notice her discomfort, because she laughed. It sounded like icicles chiming together, and wasn’t actually a bad sound. “You fear the wind spirits, daughter of Snow White. They would gladly remind you of your fears, but you are lucky my mistress has sole claim on you.” 

If that was the welcoming party, Apple was starting to like the sound of this mistress even less. 

“I’m not afraid,” she said, but her voice was shaking and she could feel how pale she was, from fear and the cold. Her captor let out another laugh. 

“No need to pretend. You soon will lack those emotions, so I would savour them if I were you,” the girl said, her voice turning bitter. Apple was tempted to ask who she was, but she didn’t think that would help her, and it would be easier to be rescued if she avoided developing a friendship with her captor. 

The gryphon drifted slowly to a courtyard that seemed designed exactly for this kind of an animal. Apple felt ice chains form around her wrists before she was dropped from the animal’s claw, and it set down a few feet away from her. 

“You will excuse the chains, of course, a necessity that I’m sure you understand,” the girl’s smile was really starting to get on Apple’s nerves. She held out her hand, and the chains around Apple’s wrists extended so that the girl was holding her on a leash. “You have doubtless guessed where you are by now.” 

Apple frowned. She had recognised the palace the second she saw it, and didn’t like the implication that she wouldn’t know what it was. 

“I’m the prisoner of the Ice Queen.”

*

The girl stayed quiet as she guided Apple through the halls, which was probably good because Apple’s mind was moving at lightning speed. She couldn’t help it when she saw the arches surrounding her. They were just spellbinding! She was tempted to question her captor about them, but the girl seemed to be in a bad mood, so she didn’t say anything. 

Mentally, though, she was taking several notes for when she got back home, and she would get back home. A place such as this needed to be recorded. If Daring didn’t come to get her, Apple would bust down this palace herself. 

As they walked, the walls seemed to accommodate them. Her captor had left her gryphon in the front. Finally, Apple thought up a good question to ask. 

“If you work for the Ice Queen, why did you kidnap me on a gryphon?” Her captor eyed her warily, weighing whether or not she should say. Apple had seen that look plenty of times before, but she was good at getting her way, especially when she wanted to. She batted her eyelashes at the girl and made sure she oozed innocent curiosity. 

“The gryphons are all around your school. It was an inconspicuous animal that would raise no suspicion,” the girl said finally, her voice clipped and short. 

Apple just nodded and continued to admire the palace, but she made a mental note to tell Headmaster Grimm about vetting which gryphons were on duty from now on. Then her stomach dropped, and she had to focus all her energy on not dropping to her knees. 

Her captor was smiling. Oh, joy. This would surely be a good time. 

She was marched into a throne room, where her captor kneeled towards the throne in the centre. Apple noticed that, unlike most thrones in Ever After, this one had only one seat. And on that seat was the most intimidating woman she had ever met. 

The air seemed to drop ten degrees, and she was tempted to bow like her captor just to see if she could get a bit more body heat going that way. 

“Apple White,” the queen said, her voice echoing around the high-ceilinged chamber. The sound reminded Apple of nails on a chalkboard, or ice and metal. The hairs on her arms were definitely standing now, if they hadn’t been before. 

If the queen noticed her discomfort, she didn’t comment on it, and instead spread her hands out widely like she was about to hug both Apple and her captor, which made Apple nervous. “Welcome to my palace. It is not often we have, ah, your inclined peoples here.”

It took a moment for Apple to realise she meant royals. But her reaction to the queen’s words were automatic, a response her mother had drilled into her at a young age. “Thank you for your hospitality, your majesty. I hope you will find me a humble guest.” 

When the queen smiled you were able to see just how pointed her teeth were a bit better, which was making Apple’s stomach do all sorts of flips, but she pushed down her fear. It would not serve her here. 

“You have been raised well. Very few still allow my court the courtesy of proper etiquette,” the Ice Queen complained.

“Then they haven’t seen how well manufactured this place is,” Apple said, the genuine compliment rolling off her tongue so much easier than her mother’s rehearsed manners. The queen laughed at her statement, a cold wave rolling off of her and chilling Apple to the bone. 

“That is sweet of you. You seem to be better mannered than your mother, at least,” the Ice Queen said, her face splitting again into one of her fanged grins. 

“My mother, your majesty? You met her?” Apple tried to keep her voice from shaking as she asked. The Ice Queen raised a white eyebrow. 

“Certainly. She was not pleased with my, ah, alliances in the first great war for Ever After, but I have escaped severe punishment thanks to my guards. They let the gryphon fly through here untouched.” At the mention of the tornado outside, Apple could not suppress a shiver. No one who didn’t already have the Ice Queen’s permission to enter would make it through that alive, she was sure of it. 

“And why have you brought me here, your majesty?” The Ice Queen’s eyes flashed, and for a second Apple regretted asking her question, but the queen just gestured around the throne room. 

“You are a necessary piece in this ploy, my dear,” she said. “And you will be joining my other darlings very soon.”

Apple looked around to the edges of the room where the Ice Queen was gesturing, and her stomach dropped. She was surrounded by ice statues, all of them frozen in horror. The Ice Queen seemed done with talking to Apple, and she racked her brain to remember the fairytale. 

Gerda had gone to find her best friend and true love, Kai, and she had withstood the Ice Queen by focusing only on the person truly in her heart. 

The Ice Queen pointed towards Apple, and she felt ice beginning to crawl up her legs. “I am terribly sorry if this is an inconvenience, princess, but you will understand. There are larger powers at work than you here.” 

“Of course,” Apple replied, making her smile sickly sweet. Her captor raised an eyebrow at her, but didn’t question her behaviour. 

However, Apple’s mind was far away from both of them. For once she allowed the memories of being in the coffin to wash over her in their entirety. She allowed herself to feel choked and helpless as she remembered the slow suffocation. 

And then, she remembered the kiss, and the way the slow warmth had woken her body from its trance. She held onto that feeling as much as she could, letting the fear pass through her as the ice crept up her body, encasing her neck then her chin. When her nose was covered she was relieved that she could still breathe. 

The ice encased the top of her head, and she was officially frozen. 

*

If you were to ask Apple later how much time had gone by while she was frozen like that, she would not have been able to say. It could have been a couple days, it could have been an entire month. 

Her vision was still intact, but she was in a trance, doubtless due to the Ice Queen’s magic. Apple was certain that after a certain point, the only thing keeping her from freezing was the memory of her first real kiss. 

Beyond her ice statue cage, she could see the queen’s palace continue its business as usual, with different ice statues weaving throughout the main hall every now and then. Once in a while, her captor would come in and deliver some form of news to the Ice Queen, her voice always a bit muffled and far away. 

Things finally began to slow when her friends started showing up. Apple wanted to yell at them to leave, but her mouth was unable to move through the glass. 

She was a bit surprised by who had actually showed up. Daring was to be expected, but she had no idea why Rosabella was there, and Raven and Darling were just a general surprise.

The sight of Darling was confusing. All Apple had been able to think about since she had been frozen was their kiss, out of necessity for her survival, but seeing Darling in the flesh made it feel so much more real. She could see the Ice Queen talking, but she couldn’t see who she was addressing. 

Then Raven spotted her, and her stomach dropped a little. She had no idea if Raven knew that she could see her or not, but Apple was not about to question it, because then Raven was nudging Rosabella, and soon the entire party had spotted Apple. 

She must have really looked bad, because the group looked horrified. 

A piercing sound ripped through the ice, and Apple felt it shatter around her. She dropped to the floor, her knees giving out instantly, but her ice manacles were still intact, now attached to the Ice Queen’s throne. 

“You have spotted your friend well, children,” the Ice Queen said, her voice more piercing than it had seemed when Apple had first arrived. She wondered if the queen had been holding back. 

“Let her go!” Darling yelled, held back by Dexter who was grabbing her arm, but one hand still waving an ice sword at the queen. 

The Ice Queen chuckled. “Those weapons will do no harm against me, dear. I made those soldiers that you destroyed. Everything they had was part of my creation.” She waved her hand, and the sword Darling was holding shattered. Darling shrieked, and stepped back to avoid being cut by the shards. 

Apple saw her captor enter from the same exit her friend’s had entered through, creeping silently along the walls. She wanted to open her mouth and warn them, but when she tried she found her mouth would not open. It had been frozen shut. 

“What do you want with her?” Daring asked, his voice much calmer than his sister’s, but still clearly shaken. 

“Oh, you children need not worry about that. Yuki will be dealing with you,” the Ice Queen said, and Apple’s captor Yuki released a breath of pure cold air, freezing Darling, Daring, Dexter, and Rosabella on the spot. 

“No!” Raven yelled, running up to Dexter. Purple flames appeared in her hands, but they were snuffed out in a second. 

“That will not be necessary here, dear. I have gathered you two here for a reason. Of course, I could not take the Evil Queen’s daughter, you had to enter here of your own free will.” The Ice Queen let out another laugh, but Raven looked just about ready to commit murder. 

Then the Ice Queen turned to Apple. “You should be familiar with the concept, my dear. After all, I wouldn’t want to hurt someone who has already sided with us once before.”

Apple found her mouth had unfrozen. “No that’s- that’s not what I-”

“Quite alright, dear, there’s no need to lie here. The beauty of ice is its transparency,” the Ice Queen said. “Of course, the chains were a necessary evil. But you understand about those, don’t you, Apple White? You know what it means to have necessary evils.”

Apple almost got sick at the reminder of how she had helped the Evil Queen. She looked over at Raven whose eyes were flitting between her and the Ice Queen, curious about what Apple would do. 

“I do understand the necessity of some evils,” Apple started, her voice still raw from being frozen. She looked over at Raven, locking eyes with the girl who had become one of her best friends since they had been rooming together, “but I also understand that certain evils shouldn’t be forced. If you try, things can just end up worse in the long term.” 

Raven smiled, her eyes a bit watery, and Apple thought she could feel a couple tears gathering in her own eyes as well. She had never properly apologised to Raven for the pressure she had put her through, her life exploding almost directly after the games. 

“Ah, but true evil can never be forced,” the Ice Queen said. She turned away from Apple and towards Raven. 

“Now you, dear, you are much more powerful than even you realise,” the Ice Queen said. Raven’s eyes widened a little, and she took a small step back. “The two of you have been very promising in your exploits. You, daughter of the Evil Queen, if you accept your destiny you will be able to rule the entirety of Ever After.” Raven looked like she was going to be sick. 

“I rejected that destiny,” she said, her voice shaking.

“Yes, your attempt to be a good person,” the Ice Queen said, frowning. Raven seemed to shrink a little at the attention. “But tell me, how have these royals treated you since you made that decision? They have rejected you, told you that you will be a villain anyway.” 

“That’s not true,” Raven protested, glancing back to the ice statues that had been their friends. 

“No? The princess in your story almost destroyed the world because she believed you to be a villain,” the Ice Queen’s laugh made Apple feel like she had just been stabbed. Or maybe it was the guilt. Because as much as she wanted to protest the Ice Queen’s words, they weren’t wrong. 

But it wasn’t the whole truth. Apple had been scared for Raven as much as she had been for herself. Her whole life, her mother had told her terrible stories of how you disappeared if you did not sign the Storybook of Legends, and then Raven had done just that. 

Who knew if they would disappear in one day or one year? Even in the time since, when Apple had realised she couldn’t force this destiny onto Raven, she had nightmares about her and all her friends vanishing because of that decision one day. 

Raven looked over at her, her eyebrows pulling together into a pained expression as she regarded Apple like she was a bomb that might go off at any moment. 

“Ah, but you still have doubts about my words, don’t you, Raven Queen,” the Ice Queen said, her face growing more cruel by the second. “You have someone else who has given you faith in these royals, don’t you?”

“No,” Raven responded, far too quickly for her to be telling the truth. 

“Yes, you think he loves you because he has proclaimed a few pretty words in your favour. But your mother would know better than to trust someone like him. Tell me, Raven Queen, who else has he told about your relationship? What has he done to show you that he means his words?” 

Raven’s face dropped at the Ice Queen’s words, but Apple was more confused than ever. Raven had a boyfriend? Since when? And by the description the Ice Queen had given, he was a royal!

“How do you even know about me and him?” Raven asked. Apple was relieved that she still at least seemed wary of the Ice Queen. 

“All ice, snow, and winter is under my domain, dear. And ice is a reflective surface. Your mother held a similar power, did she not?” the Ice Queen mused. Apple had no idea what she was referring to, but Raven seemed to, because her pale face got a bit paler. 

“You’ve been spying on Ever After through your ice,” she said, her voice soft and horrified. 

“Indeed,” the Ice Queen laughed. “And do you know what I see, Raven Queen? I see a kingdom that abandons anyone who dares to go against the rules even when it is not their choice. 

“You need not have been outcasted from the villains for your revolt. Anyone would have turned down a destiny with such a terrible end. But now that you have rejected that destiny, you can build the world that you want, with the powers that your mother did not have time to regain.”

The Ice Queen seemed sincere in her offer, but Apple couldn’t help wondering what Raven’s destiny had actually looked like in the Storybook. When Apple had signed, she saw her entire life play out. If Raven had seen the same thing, what terrible end would await her?

A long silence stretched out before them, Raven’s head going slowly from the Ice Queen to their frozen friends, and for a second Apple was worried she would be turned back into an ice sculpture. She wanted to warn Raven against the Ice Queen’s words, but her mouth had been frozen shut again when she was not looking. 

“The world my mother wanted would have only harmed the people I care about,” Raven said finally,  her voice low and measured. She turned back to the Ice Queen, her eyes a bright purple, glowing the way they usually did when she was upset. “My mother’s version of the world hurt Maddie, and kicked her out of the one place that she felt normal. It made me grow up in a palace full of goblins and ogres and other monsters as a child, and she wouldn’t even look at me if I didn’t have an idea for her next war council. 

“Then, she got herself captured, and made me grow up without her,” Raven’s voice cracked. “And maybe that was for the better. Because I got to see what the world could look like when it had good people in it. And let me tell you, Ice Queen, that world is not achieved using my mother’s methods.” 

She met Raven’s eyes, and her friend smiled at her. “It’s made through forgiveness,” she continued. “It’s made through trust, friends, and love. It’s made through good people with good intentions and compassion. So I won’t betray my friends for you.” Raven’s eyes went away from Apple’s as she made eye contact with the Ice Queen, her hair raising a bit as magic crackled around her. “Not now, not ever.” 

The Ice Queen’s friendly smile dropped, her face morphing into a hideous scowl. “Then you are a fool, and you will die a fool.”

“Maybe,” Raven shrugged. “But I’m no more fool than a tyrant clinging onto a fallen empire, and you seem to worship my mother enough for that to apply to you, too.” 

Apple wondered if that was the best decision when the Ice Queen let out a shriek of rage, nearly splitting Apple’s ear drums open. She tried to cover her ears as much as she could with her chained hands, but that was not the most of her worries. 

The Ice Queen thrust her hand out in front of her, and dozens of Ice shards flew towards Raven. Apparently Raven had been practising her magic, though, because the shards shattered just before they made impact with her. Yuki tried to stab Raven from behind, but Raven whirled around and grabbed her wrist, throwing her to the far side of the room. 

“You cannot defeat me, little sorceress!” the Ice Queen screeched, her voice high and splintering. Apple curled up to cover her ears as much as possible. “I am far older than you can imagine, and more powerful than you have dared to be!” 

“You know,” Raven said, her voice rippling from the magic, “I was told my whole life that I would never be strong unless I embraced the fact that I was evil. But I’m not just the daughter of the Evil Queen.” Purple wind surrounded Raven, forming a small whirlwind that swept up Yuki and a couple of the other ice statues, although their friends remained unharmed. “I’m the daughter of the Good King, too. My mother may have given me her magic, but my father raised me to be good, and I will not be taken down by the likes of you!” 

The Ice Queen backed into her throne. Raven snapped her fingers, and Apple’s chains were severed and her lips unsealed. She was still shivering from the cold, but she forced herself up and away from the Ice Queen’s throne, watching with wide eyes as Raven’s mini hurricane moved with her, the breeze forming a bubble around Apple to prevent her from harm. 

Apple was no longer shivering from the cold, though. Raven’s eyes were wide and a bit wild as she glared at the Ice Queen, and the way her hair floated around her made her truly look like the daughter of the Evil Queen. For a second, Apple was worried that Raven would kill her. 

But when Raven saw how frightened the Ice Queen was, the magic stopped completely, leaving the queen on her throne as she walked over to the statues. She didn’t even look in Apple’s direction as she walked past her. 

Raven’s hair had stopped floating, but her eyes were still bright purple. She went up to their friends one at a time, unfreezing them. Apple didn’t know how Raven knew how to do that, but she didn’t want to question it. 

The four looked between each other after they were unfrozen, confused, and then Darling saw Apple standing a few feet away and tackled her in a hug. It took all the strength Apple had left to stop herself from bursting into tears as she wrapped her arms around Darling’s neck and felt safe for the first time in a long while. 

“You will let us go,” Apple heard Raven say, and she pulled just enough away from Darling to look over at her friend, who still looked enraged. “You will not bother my friends and I again, or next time I won’t hold back, and you will tell my mother’s followers that she is gone. So is their hope of conquering Ever After.” Raven’s hair began to float a little again as she kept speaking. “And if anyone tries, then they will answer to me. Understood?” 

The Ice Queen’s eyes were wide, and she seemed a bit smaller than she had before. Apple couldn’t blame her. The entire throne room crackled with magical energy that anyone who had been exposed to magic could tell was Raven’s. 

Still, the Ice Queen managed to pull herself together enough to sneer at Raven one last time. “As you wish, your majesty. But you cannot run from your nature forever.” 

“Enough,” Raven said, her voice echoing through the chamber even as she seemed completely put together. Then, as if the Ice Queen didn’t matter, she turned back to her friends, who were all staring at her with wide eyes. Raven didn’t acknowledge the unspoken questions they held, though. “We’re leaving,” she said, her voice harsh and final. 

It reminded Apple a little of her mother, which made her think of the mess she had left back at home. When she turned, though, she realised she was still holding onto Darling’s hand, and she felt a little lighter. 

“Let’s go home,” she said. She knew what she had to do.  

Chapter Text

On the way out of the Ice Queen’s castle, Raven didn’t look at Dexter once. She kept a pace ahead of the rest of the group, and sped up whenever he tried to walk next to her, which he didn’t understand. 

He also was not fond of the way Rosabella, Apple, and Daring were looking at her. Sure, she had gotten pretty angry back in the throne room, but that was just in defence of them. Dexter felt the same anger that had followed him his whole life at the way royals treated anyone who wasn’t one of them spur. 

Now was not the time to get frustrated with his siblings, though. They followed Raven back to where Nevermore and Legend had been frozen, and she unfroze both with just a tap. 

“How did you do that?” Rosabella asked. 

“Magic,” Raven replied, her voice flat and clipped. “Apple can travel with me. Dexter can travel with Daring, and Rosabella and Darling can go together again.”

Dexter wanted to protest, but he didn’t want to upset her. Clearly something had happened while he had been frozen, and he tried to rationalise that she might just need to talk to Apple about whatever they had seen. 

Darling didn’t have the same reservations. “Why are you switching who you take? You took Dex on the way over.” 

“It’s fine,” Dexter said before Raven had to reply. He saw her look warily at him, and felt his stomach drop a little. Things had been so good with the two once they started dating, and he was so scared of having to go back to not talking to her, which had been torture. “It makes sense, girls and guys on each dragon. It’ll probably be morning by the time we get back, so that will look best.” 

At the mention of returning, everyone’s gaze dropped to the floor. Even Dexter didn’t want to think about it. There were so many rules they had broken by sneaking out, and the punishment could be anything from cleaning the stables for a year to expulsion. 

Dexter didn’t even know what would happen if he got expelled. Would he still live out his destiny? Probably not, but maybe that would be okay. 

He walked over to Daring, who hopped up on Legend with ease, his eyes pinned on Apple as Raven helped her up. Dexter wondered what his brother thought of the way Darling had tackled Apple when they had been unfrozen, but he didn’t ask his brother. 

In a way, Dexter was always at a loss for how he should act around Daring. He had a feeling that if they were ever trapped alone in a room together they would just sit in silence the whole time. 

This was at least the way they spent their ride back to Ever After High. Dexter held onto one of the spikes on Legend’s back to keep balance. He hadn’t hugged his brother properly since they were children, and that was not changing because of one dragon ride. 

The journey to Ever After High was quick and silent. Daring kept his eyes on Herowing, and Dexter counted every scale on Legend’s back. He kept expecting some creature to sweep down and attack them, or for a tempermental witch to decide she wanted prince stew that evening, but they encountered no obstacles on the way back. It was far from a reassuring omen. 

When Dexter finally caught sight of the ivy walls of Ever After High, he noticed a crowd of people gathered in front of the school. Not a huge crowd, but not a small one either. The sun had just begun to rise, painting the horizon red. 

Red sky in morn, sailors be warned , Dexter thought, remembering the nursery rhyme from his sailing lessons at the palace. Not that his parent’s kingdom had water surrounding it for him to sail on. They just told him that it might be useful one day, if ever he should meet a princess that lived in a sea-bound kingdom. 

Dexter remembered that Raven’s house was surrounded by a lake. 

No, he couldn’t think about that now. Those thoughts would have to wait for later, when things had calmed down. 

Legend landed, the grass shifting to accommodate the massive dragon as Dexter and Daring hopped off her back. Daring pet her neck and Dexter tried to get used to the feeling of solid ground under his feet again. The Ice Queen’s palace had taken a toll on his balance. 

“Dearest, whatever happened!” his mother exclaimed, marching over to the two boys. When Dexter looked around he saw that his mother was not the only parent there. King Charming, Snow White, and Headmaster Grimm were all glaring at him. 

Queen Charming, for her part, was fussing over Daring. Dexter usually would have felt hurt by her completely ignoring him, but at that moment he was wishing that his usual invisibility would come back to him and protect him from the anger of the adults standing in front of him. 

“Where in Ever After have you been?” King Charming asked, his voice starting measured and ending in a loud boom that echoed through the empty grounds. 

“Now, your majesty, I am sure the students would prefer to explain their absence to all of us inside,” Headmaster Grimm said, placing a hand on King Charming’s shoulder. Dexter could have cried in relief at that moment. 

“We didn’t leave for nothing,” Raven said. Dexter had no idea how her voice was so calm as she stared down the angry royals in front of her, unflinching. He tried to hide his blush. 

Apple walked out from behind Raven, and the adults all gasped. Snow White rushed forward, drawing her daughter into a hug. 

“My dear, you’re alright,” she sobbed, stroking Apple’s head as she hugged her. 

“I’m alright, mom,” Apple confirmed, her voice shaking much more than it had been in the Ice Queen’s palace. Dexter had no idea how she hadn’t broken down long before. 

“I think speaking inside would be best,” King Charming said, glowering at Raven. Dexter shifted towards her instinctively, and his father’s eyes landed on him. “There are some things that I think need to be explained to us.”

Rosabella Beauty was dismissed back to her room, which she seemed very relieved by. Dexter noticed Daring’s eyes following her as she walked off the field and into the school, but their group went in through the side tower, a direct entrance to the Headmaster’s office. They walked in pairs, with Headmaster Grimm alone at the front to lead them. 

Queen Charming was walking beside Daring, who she was still worried about being injured. King Charming and Darling walked in strained silence. Snow White seemed to have gotten over her worry for her daughter and was laughing about how proud she was that Apple had been kidnapped, and kept going on about what an accomplishment it was. 

Which left Raven and Dexter bringing up the rear. He was relieved that she was next to him and not one of his parents. With Raven, he could finally breathe easy. He wanted to talk to her about what the Ice Queen had said, but he knew that would have to wait for later. In the meantime, he pressed his shoulder against hers, and was relieved when she relaxed. 

When Raven had suggested riding home with Apple, Dexter had been afraid that he had done something wrong. 

They passed under an archway, and the shadows cloaked their group. For a second, Dexter let his hand slip into hers, and squeezed her palm. She looked over at him, but it was too dark for him to read her expression. When they got back into the light, though, she slipped her hand back out of his. 

Dexter tried to ignore the ache in his chest at the action. This was not the time to reveal their relationship to his parents. If he was worried about being expelled, he didn’t even want to think about what could happen to Raven. 

Headmaster Grimm took his place at his desk when they reached his office, the parents flanking him. Which left the five kids sitting on the other side, Apple on one end and Raven on the other. 

“First of all,” Headmaster Grimm said, “I will acknowledge that it is good to have you back, Miss White.”

“Thank you, sir,” Apple said. She was quieter than usual, but she sounded much more confident than Dexter felt. 

“However,” Headmaster Grimm turned towards the rest of their group, “it was incredibly dangerous of you students to go off in the middle of the night to find her. It’s been a week, and-”

“We weren’t gone for a week,” Daring said. Dexter nodded, and saw the rest doing the same. They had been gone for a day or two at most. However, Headmaster Grimm just frowned at their confusion. 

“I assure you, you have all been missing for a week. The school has been looking all over Ever After to find you students.” 

“Oh, the rose garden,” Raven said. Dexter noticed the adults all jump at the sound of her voice, like they had forgotten she was even there. 

“What rose garden?” Snow White asked, the disdain for Raven in her voice evident. Dexter knew that she had her own reasons for her dislike of his girlfriend, but that didn’t mean that he had to like her. 

“We landed in a magician’s garden,” Darling explained before Raven could. A good idea, seeing how every adult seemed disturbed by Raven’s presence. “It only felt like a day, but the flowers were odd.” 

“They slow time,” Raven explained. Dexter took her hand under the table, if only to calm himself. He noticed her eyes flicker down to their hands, and then she moved hers away. “The flowers are enchanted so that you feel sluggish and forget the outside world. It only felt like a day to us, but it must have been a week in reality.”

“Magic garden or not,” Headmaster Grimm interrupted, sounding much more irritated than before, “you were all still missing because you ran off from the school after curfew. The reason may have been heroic, but you all put yourselves in danger for a situation that the adults were resolving.” 

“Were you?” Raven asked, an edge to her voice that had not been there before. “Because Apple was missing for two days and nothing had happened.”

“We were forming a plan to get her back,” Headmaster Grimm replied. “And I do believe that you of all people should be careful with your criticisms Miss Queen, considering recent events.” Raven’s mouth snapped shut, but she continued to glare at the Headmaster. 

“There are consequences to actions as extreme as this,” King Charming said. He was the only one who hadn’t even looked at Raven as she spoke. “Now, usually expulsion would be discussed, but you are all rather important children.”

“We would like to keep this matter quiet,” Snow White continued. 

“Darling, I’m sure you will inform your roommate of our decision,” Queen Charming said, and Darling nodded. She looked a bit ill, and Dexter nudged her shoulder. She nudged him back, which was the sign that she was okay, but he wasn’t so sure. 

“Now, as I said before, you are all rather important children, so the Headmaster had agreed not to expel any of you,” King Charming said smugly, like he had personally convinced Headmaster Grimm. If Dexter had to guess, he would say that his father probably paid off the Headmaster. “Daring and Apple also have more important things to be worrying about at the moment, with their wedding coming up.” Dexter glanced over and saw Apple, Darling, and Daring’s faces turn green. “Children,” King Charming looked at his three kids, “you will all be returning home for a short while to be under stricter supervision. Clearly it is needed, considering recent actions.”

“But-” Dexter started, and shut up at the look his father gave him. 

“This is not a debate. The school year is almost over as it stands, so we will have tutors come to the palace to help you finish out your year.” Then, in a softer tone, he said, “It will be just like how you were taught when you were children.”

Dexter shared a look with his siblings. All of them remembered those times. Daring and Dexter had barely ever seen Darling because she was always up in that tower, and Dexter spent most of his time in his rooms playing games because Daring was always getting called off for some training that Dexter was too bad at to participate in. 

“Apple, you will be returning home as well,” Snow White said. Apple’s eyes widened, but she pressed her mouth into a thin line, her lips turning white. 

“Whatever you say, mother,” she said, her voice hollow. 

Dexter dug his nails into his knees and bit his cheek to keep from saying anything. He felt like a bomb ready to explode. 

“When do we go back?” Darling asked. Dexter glanced over and noticed she was doing the same thing he was, and pressed his shoulder back up against hers. Both relaxed, but only a little. 

“You have one week to gather your possessions and say any goodbyes,” Queen Charming said. She looked delighted by the decision. Dexter had never really understood his mother. They interacted even less than his father and he did, which essentially meant that they didn’t interact at all. Still, he had been hoping for her to seem a little more put off by this choice. 

“Now that that has been decided, I think Miss Queen and I are due for a chat,” Headmaster Grimm said. Raven was still staring him down, and he was glaring right back at her, but he flipped to a sunny smile when he turned to the royals. “You are all free to go back to your dorm rooms. As for your roommate, Miss Charming, tell her she has extra credit with Rumplestiltskin for a week. She’ll probably be delighted.”

Darling looked two seconds away from ruining the Headmaster’s carpet, but she nodded. “I’ll make sure she knows.” 

“Hexcellent! Well now, children, it’s time for us to go,” Queen Charming said, ushering them all out. Dexter followed in silence, letting his parents guide him and his siblings out of the office, Apple and her mother going in front of them. When they reached the hall, Apple walked off with her mother, glancing back once, while the siblings stopped for a moment with their parents. 

“Are we really leaving?” Darling asked. 

“Yes,” King Charming replied, before their mother could. “Daring had a reason to leave, but the two of you should have known better than to go on this vanity quest.”

“Father-” Daring started, but stopped when King Charming glanced at him. 

“From what I’ve heard from Castor and Pollux, this kind of sneaking around seems to come naturally to the two of you,” King Charming said, looking between Dexter and Darling. They glanced at each other, knowing he could be referring to any number of rules they had broken. “You have been giving your guards the slip since they started watching you, so until this wedding business is done and things are back to normal, you will be coming home where your mother and I can ensure you aren’t getting into trouble.”

None of them knew what to say to that. Their father just nodded solemnly and took their mother’s hand, walking off down the hallway with her and leaving the siblings in silence. 

“This isn’t fair,” Darling whispered once they were out of sight. “I mean they can’t just ship us off and pretend there are no issues.” 

“Yes, they can,” Daring said. Dexter looked over at his brother, whose eyes were still trained on the hallway, where their parents had disappeared into the darkness. “Father was right. I shouldn’t have involved you two in Apple’s rescue.”

“You were doing what you thought was right,” Dexter said. 

“It wasn’t your place to go, though,” Daring replied. He sounded so miserable that Dexter couldn’t help the pang of pity that went through him. “I’m her prince, I should have rescued her alone.” 

“The Ice Queen would have killed you if you’d gone alone, Daring,” Darling said, her voice lacking the pity that Dexter was feeling for their older brother. “If it wasn’t for Raven, none of us would have gotten out of there. And she never would have agreed to go with just you.” 

“Darling’s right,” Dexter said, but he didn’t believe it. “Just go to bed, we can think about this in the morning, alright? Maybe mom and dad will change their minds.”

Daring nodded and wandered down the hall, his usually perfect posture turned in for a slouch and lowered head. When he left, Darling let out a long sigh and slid down the wall. Dexter lowered himself down beside her, and she lay her head on his shoulder.

“What a mess,” she muttered. 

“I think we should do something,” Dexter replied, the words exiting before he could think them through. Darling raised her head off her shoulder and tilted it. 

“What are you talking about?” she grumbled, letting her chin rest on her knees. “Mom and dad won’t listen. We’re going back.”

“You can’t go back there,” Dexter said. He couldn’t, either, but he was not quite ready to admit why, not to Darling. “You were miserable. At least at Ever After High you can help me with Hero Training. If we go back there you’ll probably go back to that tower.” Darling frowned at the mention of it. 

“So what? You’re going to convince two people who have never once changed their minds because we asked them to let us stay because why not?” Darling asked, rolling her eyes. 

“No,” Dexter said, a dangerous idea spouting in his head. “I’m going to tell them why I want to stay.” 

Darling’s eyebrows knit together. “What do you mean?” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Dexter said, suppressing a smile. “I’m going to wait up for Raven, but you should tell Rosabella she isn’t expelled.” 

“Fine.” Darling hesitated as she got up. “Just don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

“I’m the smart one. Of course I won’t,” Dexter said, laughing when she kicked him. Darling looked over her shoulder at him one last time before going down the hallway, and in her absence Dexter let his head fall back against the wall. 

Time passed quickly as he waited for Raven. He counted the tiles on the ceiling as he thought up a plan, grinning like an idiot the whole time. 

“Dexter?” his favourite voice asked, startling him out of his stupor. He turned to see Raven staring down at him, and frowned when he saw the look on her face. 

“You look like I just killed your dragon,” he said, his earlier excitement dying down a little. Raven looked away. 

“That’s not-I just didn’t expect you to wait up for me,” Raven said, fidgeting with her ring like she did when she was nervous. Dexter stood up and took her hands in his, which seemed to relax her a little. 

“I’m your boyfriend. Of course I waited for you,” he said, still smiling at the knowledge that they were dating. Raven, however, shot a wary glance back at the Headmaster’s office. 

“Don’t mention that here,” she muttered, shoulders tensing up a bit.

“He’s not gonna hear. Headmaster Grimm’s so old he can only ever hear people directly in front of him.” That got a laugh out of her, and Dexter felt his chest flutter a little at the sound. 

“Come one, that’s mean,” she said, still laughing. 

“That’s more like it,” he said without meaning to. Raven stopped laughing at the words.

“Like what?” she asked, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight. Dexter hesitated, unsure of how she would react. 

“You were so tense after the Ice Queen’s palace,” he admitted, noticing how her shoulders tensed right back up at the mention of the Ice Queen. “I wasn’t sure what she said to you.” 

“It’s not important,” Raven said, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Dexter squeezed her hands. 

“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” he said, his voice wavering a little with the same old anxious worries of not being enough, but he pushed those down. “That’s the whole point of boyfriends.”

Raven hesitated, and for a second Dexter thought she wasn’t going to say anything. “The Ice Queen, she made me an offer in her palace. To join her, and build a new world that I wanted.”

“Oh,” Dexter said, trying to remain completely neutral. 

“Yeah,” Raven said, her voice breathy. “I didn’t accept it, obviously. She said a lot of things, though, and while I was listening to her all I could think was that she sounded like my mother.” Raven’s eyes began to tear up, and Dexter released one of her hands to wipe them away. She leaned into his hand. “And I thought of what a mess things have become lately, and how it all started with me denying my destiny.”

“This isn’t your fault,” Dexter replied, frowning, but Raven just shook her head. 

“Maybe not directly, but would Apple have ever helped my mother if I had signed?” Dexter didn’t know what to say to that. Raven sighed, as if his silence were answer enough. “Anyway, it got me thinking about some of the damage that’s done. I keep hurting people. And I don’t,” her voice broke, “I don’t want you to be one of them.”

Dexter would have blushed if he weren’t so sad for her. “You haven’t hurt me, though, and I know you never would.”

“This won’t end well,” Raven continued, as if she hadn’t even heard him. 

“Raven,” Dexter protested, his own voice cracking as she stepped away from him. 

“I don’t want you to have to lie for me. I don’t want you to get frozen again,” Raven said, really crying now, and before she could get out another word Dexter kissed her. 

They had kissed a couple times since they had started going out. Small, quick pecks stolen in shadowed rooms and hidden among whispers and muted laughs. But they hadn’t had a real kiss since their first one, out on the balcony of the gala. 

When Dexter kissed her this time, though, he poured in all of the fear of losing her that had been stewing in him since they started their relationship, and hoped that it could convey his feelings. He felt Raven relax into his arms and begin to kiss him back, weaving her arms around his neck and pushing him against the wall as she held onto his hair like it was the last time she would. 

After they finally came up for air, Raven was blushing and breathless, and Dexter blurted out, “I want to tell my parents about us.” 

Raven blanched. “What?”

“That’s why I waited for you. I don’t want to go home, and my siblings don’t either. This whole thing,” he waved his hands around, gesturing all around him, “has been rotten from the beginning, and it’s wrong. I don’t want to be a piece in this game they’re playing anymore.” 

“But you could lose your destiny, your Happily Ever After,” Raven protested, but Dexter noted her arms were still wrapped around him. “I don’t have a Happily Ever After, Dex, but if you do-”

“Maybe I don’t,” he replied, tightening his arms around her waist so they were nose to nose. “Royals don’t always end up happy. Just look at Duchess Swan.” Raven looked at the floor. “But I’m happy with you. And so what if that isn’t my destiny? What are they going to do?”

“Disown you,” Raven muttered, frowning at the floor.

“I’m not next in line for their kingdom. Disowning me does nothing,” Dexter replied. Raven’s eyes widened, his words finally resonating. 

“You’re serious,” she said, sounding almost impressed. 

“I mean, duh,” he replied. 

“Oh my gosh, this is so dangerous,” Raven mumbled, but she was grinning like an idiot, and Dexter realised that he was, too. 

“Maybe,” he agreed. His parents had already ordered him not to talk to Raven. Dexter had a feeling they would completely flip their crowns if they found out they were dating. 

But if he could get the attention onto him for once, it might just give Darling and Daring the breather they need to figure things out with Apple. As much as Dexter could resent his brother sometimes, he still loved him, and he knew Darling loved him too. She would never hurt him on purpose, but it was also clear at the Ice Queen’s palace that something was going on with Apple and her. 

He just hoped that this plan would blow up in the right way. 

“Now, do you want to go up on the roof and watch the sunset with me?” he asked, his face starting to hurt from how much he was smiling. 

“That sounds hexcellent,” Raven replied, slipping her hands into his. 

Neither noticed the swan at the window, who heard the whole thing.   

Chapter Text

Rosabella was not sure what to do with herself after she got back to her dorm. The empty bed across from her kept her from celebrating the success of rescuing Apple at all as she waited for Darling to get back. And even as she waited, she was so unsure of what she would say to Darling when she did get back. 

She had felt so useless at the Ice Queen’s palace. Even though she had been brought along for directions, once the Ice Queen brought them to the throne room they had been useless. She had helped find the dragons after, but even that felt like a bit of a hollow victory. 

Worse was how she had no idea what was happening with Darling. She really liked her roommate, and she didn’t want Darling to get punished for doing something good. She felt her cheeks puff at the injustice at it. 

Really, though, she had no idea what the adults were thinking! If her mother had been there, she would have gotten showered in praise for her good actions. They were supposed to be the next rulers of Ever After, but how were they supposed to rule well if they got punished for rescuing a friend?

Rosabella huffed and sat down on her bed. Another thing was bothering her. Darling had been so relieved when Apple had been rescued, but the entire ride back she was tense and quiet. Granted, there were times that Darling would just go quiet in thought, but she looked far too sad for that to be the case. The last thing Rosabella wanted to do was pry, but Darling was her friend! Was she just supposed to sit by and let her be miserable?

Not to mention Daring’s reaction to Apple. He had been glad to see her safe, obviously, but the two had not actually exchanged words since she got free. 

Not that Rosabella cared. They were engaged, and now that Apple was back she was pretty sure the wedding would be happening right along schedule. Even if they had stood about as far away from each other as possible after they landed. 

The door opened and thankfully pulled her out of her thoughts, but Darling looked miserable. Her makeup was running like she had been crying, and she grabbed her tiara after entering their room and threw it against the wall, making some of the crystals fall off. 

“So I’ll take it that they weren’t happy?” Rosabella said. Darling jumped, seeming to realise she was not alone. Then, she sighed and flopped face-first down on her bed. 

“It was horrible!” she groaned, the sheets muffling her voice. “You aren’t expelled, by the way.”

“Well that’s nice,” Rosabella said, trying to keep her voice gentle and not laugh at how ridiculous her friend looked. 

“But you have extra credit with Rumplestiltskin for a week,” Darling grumbled. 

“Oh hex,” Rosabella muttered. She had figured that she would get some sort of punishment, but her legs already hurt thinking of how much straw she would need to spin for her crazy Science and Sorcery teacher. 

“I wish I had extra credit,” Darling mumbled. Rosabella had a feeling she was not supposed to hear that, but she didn’t want to ignore it. 

“I’m guessing your punishment was a little more severe?” she asked softly. When Darling sat up to look at her, her eyes were watering again. 

“I have to go back home in a week,” she said, her voice wavering even as she spoke. 

“That isn’t so bad, is it? You can regroup and then come back to school,” Rosabella said, confused. But Darling shook her head. 

“You don’t get it,” she said, tears falling. “My parents want my siblings and I to go home for the rest of the school year. And yet we still have to go through with this stupid wedding!” Darling threw her pillow in the same direction she had thrown her tiara. At least the pillow bounced harmlessly onto the floor. 

“Why do you have to go home?” Rosabella didn’t want to sound slow, but she was genuinely confused. If the angry reaction they had gotten when they landed was confusing, this was even more so. Darling groaned and flopped back on her pillows.

“They think Dex and I have been running wild around the school and need more supervision,” she croaked. “Dex wants to fight them, but really, they’ll never listen! They never do! It doesn’t matter what I say.” 

Rosabella really did feel for Darling, and felt a little helpless. She hated when she didn’t have the right words to say to someone who was sad. It always made her feel so helpless. 

“If you can get some free time, I could go visit my house and let you stay there,” she offered. It was not a lot, but it was better than what Darling was stuck with. The other royals really did confuse Rosabella sometimes.

Darling raised her head up to look at her. “You are way too nice to me, you know that right?” 

Rosabella picked at the hem of her skirt, a nervous habit she had when she was a kid. “I’m really not that nice. I just think people should earn their destinies instead of expecting them.”

When Darling laughed, Rosabella felt the mood lighten a little, and smiled at the sound of her friend being happy again. 

“You’re so different from my family,” Darling said, her voice still a bit breathy from laughing. Rosabella leaned back onto her own pillows and looked out at the Enchanted Forest. 

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said, but when she looked back over at Darling, her roommate was sleeping. Sighing happily, she got up and pulled Darling’s sheets over her, then gathered her tiara pieces off the floor and deposited them gently on Darling’s desk. 

As she lowered herself into her own bed, she thought about the words. Maybe she was a little different from other royals, but if what she had seen tonight was what the other royals were like, then she was alright being a little different. 

*

The next day Rosabella was out of their dorm before Darling could wake up. She went out in front of the school to the bulletin board, where different clubs and extracurriculars could post signs for recruiting, and hung up her ogre rights poster in the centre of the board, so people could not ignore it this time. 

Maybe. 

Sighing a little as she walked away, she paused as she saw none other than Daring Charming leaning against a wall, watching her. He froze when she spotted him, twisting his head back and forth as if he were looking for someone, but there was no one else in the hall. 

He looks like a kid caught stealing candy , Rosabella thought, holding back a laugh as she walked over to him. 

“Why Rosabella! What a surprise to see you here on this lovely morning,” Daring said, the forced bravado in his voice making it harder for Rosabella to hold back a chuckle. “You know, I was just waiting for a friend.”

“Well then, what a coincidence that I just happened to be here,” she said. He deflated a little at her words.

“I’m not very good at this sneaking around business,” he admitted, his cheeks turning a bit pink. 

“Well that’s good, because neither am I,” Rosabella said, smiling at him. She looked down at her back, and felt her grin widen. “Would you like to help me hang up flyers?”

She held one out, and Daring’s eyebrows scrunched as he read it. “This is for a protest for ogre rights,” he said. 

“Yes,” Rosabella replied, still holding out the poster. 

“Isn’t that,” Daring hesitated, shifting his balance, “isn’t that kind of a non-issue? I mean I’ve never heard people talk about that before.” 

Rosabella frowned and handed the poster to him fully so she could cross her arms. “Just because something isn’t widely talked about doesn’t mean that it’s not an issue. Ogres are treated terribly! They get jailed for existing, or they’re kept at the edges of society as outcasts, and don’t even get me started on circuses! I mean really, they’re ogres, no amount of white and red face paint is going to change that.” 

She was expecting Daring to laugh the way everyone did when she started in on one of her rants. It was so easy for people to dismiss her when she got like that, patting her on the shoulder to tell her how nice it was that she cared, and then moving on with their day. But she was pleasantly surprised when Daring’s eyebrows raised a little at her words. 

“I didn’t know that,” he said, his voice softening. 

“A lot of people don’t,” she replied kindly. “They think that ogres are evil, so anything bad that happens to them is deserved, but just because they can cause problems doesn’t mean they’re bad! They’re just animals, no different than horses, and horses can do plenty of damage when they’re upset.”

“I suppose they can,” Daring said absently, studying the flyer in his hands. “So where are these going?”

Rosabella could not suppress the smile that Daring wanting to help gave her. Even her friends at Ever After High always ignored her protests, summing it up as just another one of her character traits, and hand waved away her rants. 

“We can start with the villain classes, and then move around to the damsel classes,” she said, bouncing a little on her toes. Daring seemed surprised by her reaction, and she realised this was probably the first time the two had a proper conversation. The first time they had spoken Rosabella had just finished hearing Darling lament the wedding, and had taken a bit of that frustration out on Daring. 

Okay, a lot of that frustration. But it wasn’t like she had not felt bad!

Still, she was surprised by how much she enjoyed him when he wasn’t trying to act like a perfect prince. 

“Darling told me that you guys are leaving in a week?” she asked as they walked towards the General Villainy classroom. Daring frowned at the mention of it. 

“Yes, our parents decided we should go home,” he said, much more guarded than he had been a couple minutes ago. “I agree with them, of course. We made a reckless decision, running off to go save Apple like that.”

“Maybe,” Rosabella mused. “But if you hadn’t taken that risk, would she have ever been rescued?”

Daring scowled. For a second Rosabella was worried she had pushed him too far. Really, the two didn’t know each other that well, and one near death experience could only add so much. But he just sighed and looked up at the ceiling as if it would answer for him.

“Maybe not,” he admitted, shoulders slumping. 

“You know,” Rosabella said, not fond of how miserable he looked, “I didn’t like you for a long time.”

“Thank you,” Daring drawled, rolling his eyes. “Truly, that’s helping my mood so much.”

Rosabella laughed at the reaction, which made him raise an eyebrow. “I didn’t like you because you were selfish, Daring. You would only care about your looks, and you would make girls fall for you left and right just to leave them a week later.” 

Daring frowned at her words. “I never thought of it like that,” he muttered.

“Of course you didn’t,” she said, placing a hand on his arm. He glanced down at it for a second, but made no move away from her, which she took as a good sign. “I’m not saying you were mean or malicious, you were just a bit self-centred. That can be a good and bad thing, to anyone. But when you decided to go save Apple, I thought, ‘Wow. That is a really selfless action.’”

“She’s my princess,” he said awkwardly. Rosabella took her hand off his arm. “Of course I would go save her. It’s my destiny.”

“I don’t think it is, though,” she said softly, speaking the same way she did to a rescue animal when she was trying to earn their trust. “Maybe it used to be, or you thought it would be. But do you really think you’re still the person Apple is supposed to end up with?” 

Daring did not respond, so the two finished their walk to the General Villainy classroom in silence. When they got there, as they were stapling up posters, Rosabella heard a crash from inside. She looked over at Daring, who had heard it too, and the two of them moved over to peek inside the classroom. 

Inside was a sight that sent Rosabella’s eyebrows right to the top of her head. Justine Dancer sat on one of the desktops, giggling, while Ramona Badwolf smiled up at her like she held the world in her eyes. 

“Are you sure no one will catch us in here?” Justine asked, her voice quiet and a little breathless. 

“I told you, princess, my dad never comes here until he absolutely has to,” Ramona replied, grinning. “Besides, shouldn’t you know a thing or two about sneaking around with your night dances?” 

“Those aren’t on purpose!” Justine protested, but she still leaned in when Ramona kissed her. 

Rosabella pulled back, her face bright red, and was very aware of how close Daring was to her. Daring seemed to notice as well, and the two took a step away from each other, both blushing furiously. 

“I think we can move on to the Home Evilnomics classroom,” she muttered, careful not to be overheard by the two inside. 

Daring let out a small cough into his hand and nodded. “Sounds good,” he replied, voice stiff. 

They managed to cover half the school without saying a word, but Rosabella could not stop thinking about what they had seen as she put up flyers. They had just gotten to the Wooing 101 class when Daring finally spoke to her.

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to end up with Apple anymore,” he admitted, keeping his eyes trained on the poster in front of him. “I always thought that was my destiny, but things have been so odd lately. I just don’t know.”

“It’s okay to feel scared when things are uncertain,” Rosabella said as she finished putting up her own poster. “I get scared sometimes.”

“But I’m a prince,” Daring protested, even as his voice wavered. “I’m not supposed to be scared, or feel doubt about my future. That’s the damsel’s job, everyone knows that.”

Rosabella’s hand paused. “My mom is braver than my dad.”

“What?” Daring asked, voice still cracking. 

“When my mom and dad met,” Rosabella continued as if she hadn’t heard him, “my mom was the one who stood up for herself. My dad is a total coward. He says all the time that he can’t do anything without her, and it’s true! And he was the prince in their story.”

“What does that have to do with me?” Daring asked miserably, leaning his forehead against the wall. 

“My point is that it’s fine for prince’s to get scared too, silly,” Rosabella laughed, walking over to him. She pulled him away from the wall by his shoulder. “Do you know why I told you about fatal flaws?” 

“No,” Daring admitted, his shoulders slumping. 

“Because it hurts everyone to lie about your feelings. Certain things are kept truthful because they have to be, and taking someone else’s destiny is going to hurt you just as much as it will hurt Apple if you go through with it.” He heaved a sigh at her words, and then did something she was not expecting, and pulled her into a hug. 

“You are way too nice to me,” he muttered. 

“It costs more to be mean than it does to be nice,” she replied, trying to calm her heart rate. 

When he pulled away from her, he was looking at the wall, and she noticed his cheeks were pink again. Their arms dropped back down to their sides awkwardly, and Rosabella could not help wishing he would wrap her back up in his arms again. 

“I knew Ashlynn and Hunter were in a relationship, but I never really thought it would work out,” Daring admitted, still looking at the wall. “But seeing Justine and Ramona, well, it made me think a little.” Daring sighed, running his hand through his hair, which mussed it just a little. Rosabella liked how it looked a little messy. “After you told me I was stealing my destiny, I thought about it for a long time. Even after I went to save Apple, it just felt wrong. Like I was playing a part that wasn’t written for me anymore.”

“Do you know who it is written for?” she asked, fiddling with the hem of her skirt to keep the excitement out of her voice. 

“I think so,” he sighed. “I think I have a lot of apologies to make, though.” 

“That’s alright,” she said, grinning. Her stomach fluttered when he grinned back. “And hey, if you ever need somebody to practise apologising to, I wouldn’t mind having a helper for these posters more often.” 

Daring tilted his head curiously. “I might just take you up on that, Rosabella.” 

“Good.” 

The rest of their time putting up posters was spent on much lighter small talk. Rosabella discovered that Daring was a huge scaredy-prince who hated horror movies, and decided that she would absolutely take him to one someday. He asked her what it was like to be an only child, and she told him about how her mom was always gentle with her, and never made her feel lonely, meanwhile her father could be extremely embarrassing sometimes, but he always tried. 

When she asked about his parents, he grew quiet. 

“They love me, and they want the best for me,” he said hesitantly. 

“That’s what good parents do,” she said, and let the subject drop. If what she knew of Darling’s relationship with her parents also rang true for Daring, then it was probably a much more complicated situation than he was letting on, but she was alright letting it drop. When he was ready to talk, he would. 

She also discovered that Daring really liked dragons, and had researched a bunch on how to properly care for his own dragon, Legend. When he started talking about how he had switched her feed to a more environmentally friendly brand, Rosabella went on a rant about animal produce products, and was pleasantly surprised when he could match her fact for fact. 

In fact, by the end of the morning Rosabella was almost sad to see him go. She finished stamping the last poster on, and saw the first few students begin to roll in for class. 

“So I guess I’ll let you get to your classes,” she said, unsure of how to say goodbye. 

“Yes, I guess,” Daring said awkwardly. 

“I hope you keep in touch, after you go home,” she blurted before she could think it through, and saw Daring’s face flush pink. 

“Oh, well, um, I will then,” he said, trying for one of his famous smiles, and ending up with a nervous crooked grin. But Rosabella thought he looked even better that way. “Sorry about your extra credit work, by the way.” 

“Don’t apologise. I always like informing Professor Rumplestiltskin how our classroom is in desperate need of some more economical lab equipment so that the school can afford to use more renewable energy sources.” That earned her a sincere laugh from the prince, who had to wipe a tear out of his eye. 

“Oh he is going to hate you,” Daring said. 

“I plan on making myself quite the nuisance. This is why I never have extra credit assignments with him. If he doesn’t hate me already, by the end of this week he’ll be seething,” she said, a little bubble of pride growing in her chest at the sight of the almighty Daring Charming giggling at her joke. 

He smiled at her as he turned around. “I’ll see you around then, Rosabella.”

“See you around, Daring,” she said. 

*

The rest of Rosabella’s day passed quietly. When she reached the Castleteria for lunch, Daring flashed her a small, private grin, and that was enough to warm her chest for the rest of the day. 

She was in Kingdom Management when Darling slumped in, and she looked terrible. Rosabella had wondered when she had not been to any of their morning classes, and clearly she hadn’t spent the morning cleaning up. If anything, it looked like she had made herself look worse on purpose. 

Makeup ran down her cheeks from her eyes, her lipstick was smudged, and her hair was not only missing its signature tiara, but was sticking up in every direction imaginable. Rosabella knew that Darling’s hair always bounced back into place perfectly, too, so this was definitely an intentional choice. 

Darling ignored everyone else and slumped into a seat next to Rosabella. She was late, too, and the White Queen had been stunned into silence at the sight of her pupil, but coughed after a minute to regain herself. 

“Now, students, one key to proper Kingdom Management is to arrive to meetings, or classes, on time and properly dressed.” Everyone looked at Darling, who sat up just enough to send a withering glare to the queen, who quickly coughed and turned back to her chalkboard. “But in the meantime, let’s continue our lesson.” 

As she spoke, Rosabella nudged Darling with her elbow. “So I take it you’ve been better.”

“I feel so unfairest,” Darling mumbled, her face tucked into her elbow. Rosabella frowned. She wanted to help her friend, she really did, but she just didn’t know what to say. 

“Do you want to go to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Shoppe and Haberdashery after class?” she asked, keeping her voice low. Darling’s head perked up a little. 

“Maybe,” she grumbled, and then went back to her elbow. 

By the end of class, everyone had missed the entire lesson from staring at Darling, and Rosabella was beginning to think going to the Tea Shoppe would be a bad idea with how much attention Darling was getting. Not the usual attention of suitors proposing and girls fawning over her looks, no. This was more of the Does She Need a Fairy Godmother kind of attention. 

Thankfully, Darling seemed to have lost the urge, but as she wandered away Rosabella held down the urge to chase after her, Darling’s name catching in her throat as she watched her walk away. There was nothing she could say to help her friend, but she would be there when Darling wanted to talk, and that was all she could do. 

Rosabella was feeling helpless, so she did what she always did when she felt helpless: she called her mom. 

It took two rings for her to get an answer. “Rosabella? I thought it was a school day?” They usually called on weekends so that Rosabella had time for her Thronework. 

“It is,” she sighed. Through the phone, she could hear her mom put something down. 

“Did something happen, dear?” she asked, her voice taking on that gentle tone it always did when Rosabella was upset. She felt herself relax just at the sound of her mom’s voice. Sometimes talking to her felt like the only thing that could put her back together. 

Her ease was shattered as she thought of how Darling did not have that. “I’m just a bit confused. Darling is leaving in a week.”

“Oh, how nice! Is she going on vacation somewhere?” Rosabella wanted to laugh. Her mother and father lived in a very remote castle, and any outside news had a huge delay when it came to the castle. It was one of the reasons Rosabella liked Ever After High so much. She could keep up to date with world issues and have them actually be relevant. 

“No, she’s going to be homeschooled for the rest of the year,” Rosabella said, her voice growing a bit more quiet. She could practically hear her mother frown. 

“Well why are they doing that? Ever After High is such a good school, the best in Ever After! No tutor will make up for that,” her mother said. Sometimes, the only way Rosabella could remind herself that she was not, in fact, crazy was to talk to her mother. 

“I know,” she sighed. “It’s because, well Apple got kidnapped and we went to go rescue her.” 

As Rosabella explained the story, her mother listened in silence, interrupting every now and then for a question on specifics. By the time she was done, her mother was silent for a minute before responding. 

“I forgot about that engagement,” her mother said, her voice sour. “They told me all about their little idea, and I told them it would just drum up more trouble than they could deal with. But why listen to the queen who’s known for her intelligence? No, us almighty Charmings must forge ahead with our doomed scheme.”

“I liked seeing you when you visited,” Rosabella admitted, and heard her mother sigh. 

“I enjoyed seeing you too, dear. I’m just sorry this is such a mess. Poor Apple must be going through so much right now.” Rosabella thought about that. She wondered what it would be like to get told you were getting married, even if she had known the guy for forever after, and then get kidnapped after weeks of press about your wedding and speculation from people on why it was happening. 

She felt ill.

“Yeah, I can’t even imagine,” Rosabella said. “I just don’t know what to say to Darling. I keep trying to comfort her, but I always pick the wrong words, and it ends up blowing up in my face.”

To her surprise, her mother laughed. “Oh, my dear sweet Rosabella, don’t you worry about that. It’s fine to not know what to say, what matters is that you’re there. No one has all the answers. Half the time I barely know how to comfort you, and you’re my daughter!” 

“But you give great advice,” Rosabella protested. 

“Sometimes,” her mother agreed. “When I have been in similar situations, or know the people involved. But there are some things that no one will be prepared for, no matter how old they are.”

Rosabella thought of how she told Daring that it’s okay to be afraid of the future. “I guess you’re right.” 

“I often am,” her mother agreed, which made Rosabella laugh. “Now, I would stay later, but I do have an ambassador’s meeting soon. Are you going to be alright?” 

“Yeah, I think I will. Thanks mom,” Rosabella said, and hung up the phone after they said goodbye. She ended up falling asleep before Darling. 

*

The next morning, Rosabella woke up at the same time as usual, with Darling already out the door. There was no Daring to greet her as she put up posters for trolls to live freely and not be confined to bridges, but she was fine with that. She had a feeling they would run into each other again after he had sorted some things out. 

Darling was present in all her classes that day, and decided to sit next to Apple. Rosabella noticed the two giggling together, and was glad that they were back on good terms. Things had been so stilted between the two princesses. 

She was going to head towards lunch in the Castleteria when she saw Daring waiting at her locker. He jumped when he noticed her, smoothing his hair, and she chuckled. It was sooner than she had expected. 

“What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to fight back her blush with very little success. 

“I had a very… enlightening conversation yesterday,” he replied. She raised an eyebrow at that, but didn’t comment on it. “I thought about what you said, and I think things are going to get better from here on out.”

As if on cue, Cupid’s daily podcast flashed up on the screen, and Rosabella could hear the click of hundreds of screens as half of Ever After tuned in. She may have still been in high school, but the girl had reach to the far corners of every kingdom. Even Rosabella’s mother had heard of her. 

“Welcome, everybody, to my love advice podcast,” Cupid began as usual, but Rosabella noticed she looked more nervous than usual. “Today I have a very special guest with me. Everybody say hello to Dexter Charming.”

Rosabella had a lot of words to describe Dexter Charming. Funny, nerdy, cute, awkward, shy, nervous. But she had never thought of him as scary until the camera turned towards him. His usual kind deep blue eyes looked like they were glowing, and his face was twisted up into a scowl that looked a little unnatural, which made it even scarier somehow. 

“This is a message for Headmaster Grimm,” Dexter said, his voice loud and booming, ringing throughout the hallways. Rosabella saw Daring stand up straight from where he had been leaning against her locker. “If you want to expel Raven, you may as well expel me too, because I, Dexter Charming, am dating the daughter of the Evil Queen.”   

Chapter Text

So, objectively, it had been stupid of Darling to go to class looking that messy. In her defence, she had slept through half the day, and by the time she got up her anger seemed to have stewed. Anger at her parents, mostly, but also at herself for agreeing to go along to save Apple. She had been so worried and let it cloud her judgement. 

Her face flushed at the memory of her tackling Apple in a hug as she got ready for school, having woken up much earlier than Rosabella for once. 

When she looked in the mirror, the same perfect princess she had been all her life looked back, and for a second her smile dropped. Yesterday she had been out of control, but she had been real. For one second, she actually got to be a person, and not a caricature of who she wanted to be. 

Darling sighed and grabbed her tiara. She had been so grateful when she saw how Rosabella had placed all the broken crystals in the same places they usually sat. It made it much easier to glue the crystals back on. By the time she had finished yesterday, it almost looked like it was back to normal. For one week, she decided to go back to normal. 

Her day started with her version of normal. Sir Gallopad was practically ecstatic when he saw her, and she hugged him a lot tighter than usual. 

“I promise not to leave for that long again,” she said, her horse whinnying in response. It was still several hours before anyone would be up and even thinking of classes, so she escaped into the woods. She didn’t know how many trips she had left, and she had already wasted one day. She would not waste another. 

Sir Gallopad fell back into their usual rhythm with ease, and Darling felt her layers of tension melt off as they took off. 

There was a hole in the vine wall that had not been repaired yet, that Darling had Herowing ‘accidentally’ create yesterday after they had been led inside. She was glad for the decision now as she raced right through it and out into the forest. 

The dark green trees felt so much more like home than the cold reflective surface of the Ice Queen’s palace. The winds in the Enchanted Forest were kind and gentle, nothing like the cold and cruel gusts that had stopped them from entering. Even the thought of them made Darling shiver. 

Their words had been all she could dream about last night. 

Traitor. Weakling. Failure of a Princess. You will ruin the legacy of your family and it will be for nothing. 

But she let the warm breeze clear her mind of those thoughts. The past couple days had been so difficult, and knowing that they had really disappeared for a week had not made things any easier. Not to mention her odd conversation with Dexter. 

She loved her brother, but he had a habit of biting off more than he could chew. Although she knew that, of the three of them, Dexter was definitely the one who had inherited the brains, she could not help but worry with the way he had been talking. He had been growing more frustrated with their parents all year, and she didn’t want him to do something he might regret. 

But, like the wind spirits voices, she put it out of her head. 

Focus on Sir Gallopad , she told herself. And she did; she thought of the way she could feel Sir Gallopad’s shoulders moving under her legs, of the way her hair would be just the slightest bit mussed because of this morning, of how she had not been able to do this in what felt like forever. 

That was the wrong thought, though, because it drew her mind back to how soon she wouldn’t be able to go on these horse-riding sessions at all. It had been the only thing that kept her sane in school, and now it was getting taken away from her. How was that fair?

Even the memory of the tower made her shiver. It had been so boring, she had wanted to cry every minute she was in there. The only thing that helped was Dexter coming to visit, but if their parents really were serious about keeping a closer eye on them, Darling doubted that those visits would be allowed to continue. 

Not even the feeling of riding her horse was making her feel better, so she pulled Sir Gallopad over and started walking towards a clearing. With a start, she realised it was the same clearing where she had run into Apple before. 

And there, sitting on a rock, was none other than Apple White. 

Darling took a deep breath before she approached. It was impossible for Apple to have not heard her, considering how many twigs were snapping under Sir Gallopad’s hooves, but Darling was not too worried about that. 

When she got close enough to sit down on the same rock Apple was perched on, Apple turned to her. The moon was still up, and it reflected beautifully against Apple’s skin, making her look ghostly in the pale white light. It was different to the golden glow her skin usually had, but Darling did not mind the change. 

“Hey,” she said lamely, kicking herself internally, but she had no other ideas on how to greet her… friend?

Apple laughed, and Darling wanted to bottle the sound. “Hi Darling.” 

See, that was the odd thing about having a name that doubled as a term of endearment. Even though Apple was only saying Darling’s first name, her entire body felt a warm rush as she thought of what that would sound like to someone who did not know them. 

“So, what are you doing out here so early?” Darling asked, the tension leaving her bit by bit as she sat down beside Apple. She noticed the way Apple leaned over just a little bit so they were shoulder to shoulder. 

“Probably the same thing as you,” Apple admitted. “I mean, I love my home, and my mom, obviously, but I have friends here. The castle is all… dwarves.” 

Darling couldn’t suppress a laugh, and it only got worse when Apple raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s so funny?” 

“Just the picture,” Darling to a moment to wheeze, “of you in a big palace, surrounded by a bunch of dwarves running around in their suits and on their MirrorPads.”

Darling looked up when she heard Apple snort, and then burst into the first genuine laugh Darling had seen from her since they were kids. She was not sure when it had happened, but at some point her and Apple had stopped laughing in the big, bellowing way they had as kids and their laughs had turned into small, pretty things, just like them. Something to be practised and perfected instead of something to be enjoyed in the moment. 

“It is a bit ridiculous, isn’t it?” Apple said, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. “I mean, I am the tallest person in my own house half the time, yet I’m the youngest one there!” 

“At least you’ll have company,” Darling said, feeling the locks on the secrets her family had urged her to keep quiet slip loose as she looked at Apple. “You know what I get? A tower where I get to do waiting practise all day, every day.”

Apple’s eyes widened a little at the admission, but Darling could not blame her. It was an odd thing, even among royal families, for one to do something like that if they were not sure of their child’s destiny. 

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Apple said, her voice so forcefully cherry Darling almost burst into laughter again. “At the very least, you should have some hexcellent experience for when we get waiting practise next year.”

“If we’re even here next year,” Darling grumbled. Apple’s eyebrows wrinkled. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Oh, just that you are getting married and are probably going to have to start queen responsibilities, or at the very least queen-in-waiting, and I am probably still going to be stuck in that stupid tower.” Darling could not help but let her voice grow bitter at the thought of what awaited her. 

“That can’t be true,” Apple protested, but even she didn’t sound like she believed herself. “My mother would never pull me out of school early. I love it here, and she knows that.”

“Speak for yourself,” Darling sighed. “My parents would probably be all too happy to take me away from here. They think that it’s the reason I like swords and playing the hero.” She scoffed. “If only they knew, right?” 

“Yeah,” Apple muttered. It was Darling’s turn to raise her eyebrow. 

“What is it?”

“Just, well, when I got frozen I had to think of a lot to make sure I couldn’t be frozen from the inside out.” Was it Darling’s imagination, or was Apple blushing? “And, well I thought of the fairytale. You know how it goes?”

“Gerda has to think of her love for Kai to avoid being frozen by the queen,” Darling replied instantly. She had heard the story several times as a child from her mother, just in case she ended up inheriting Gerda’s role. It was unlikely, considering she and Kai had a child who would be destined for that role, but never impossible. 

“Yeah, that is how it goes,” Apple muttered, and her face was definitely red. “So I thought of someone who would bring me comfort.”

“Daring?” Darling blurted out. When Apple frowned, she felt her heartbeat raise. 

“Would you have liked that? If I had thought of him?” Apple asked. She sounded so small, the way she used to when her mother would come pick her up from Darling’s house. 

Darling felt her lips purse. She had already been rejected by Apple once, and the thought of having that happen again made her stomach drop. But Apple was staring at her, wide-eyed, and as Darling looked at her she could not help but feel that this time, things would go differently. 

“No,” she admitted. Apple’s cheeks flushed, and she looked away from Darling, toeing the grass. 

“Well that’s a relief,” she said. Although Darling was pretty sure she meant it as a joke, she could hear the relief in Apple’s voice as she said it.

“And why is that?” Darling asked, pressing her shoulder just the slightest bit more against Apple’s. 

“Because I didn’t think about Daring when I was getting frozen,” Apple muttered. Darling could feel her breath catch in her throat, and the whole world seemed to pause for a moment as Apple made eye contact with her again, her blue eyes sparkling under the moonlight and her skin glowing. She leaned a little closer to Darling, so that Darling had to go a bit cross-eyed to make eye contact with her. “I thought about you.”

There were a lot of things that Darling could have said or felt at that moment. But before she could think of anything good, the night she had confronted Apple flashed through her mind. 

“Even though I’m not a prince?” she asked, half expecting Apple to pull away at her words. Apparently the princess was in the mood to be surprising, because she just chuckled and leaned in even closer, putting them nose to nose. Darling was scared to breathe for fear of Apple pulling away from her. 

“Especially because you aren’t a prince,” Apple replied, her eyes flickering around Darling’s face. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realise.”

“That’s okay,” Darling said, feeling herself chuckle softly, but she could barely register the action as she saw Apple’s eyes flicker back down to her lips, and found her own eyes doing the same thing. She did not feel real as she felt Apple lean in until their lips were gently pressing against each other. 

When Darling had her first kiss, she had barely even realised what happened until much later. After Apple woke up, she had sprung away from her friend, her actions still not processing properly. Then, when she remembered the event, it was always a little blurry, mixed within the other million emotions that had been swirling around that day. 

As much as she had wanted her first kiss to have been a positive thing, she could not help but let it be clouded by the memory of how scared she was for Apple, and had consistently wondered since then if Apple had been mad at her. After all, Darling was not the prince she had been expecting to wake her, and had taken her first kiss just as much as Apple had taken hers. 

But this kiss, it was so different from the first. 

Apple’s lips brushed gently against hers, their shoulders tilting where they met so the two could face each other. 

Darling brought up a hand to rest on Apple’s cheek, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, and pulled her closer. She felt Apple sigh gently into her mouth, and it made her spine tingle. 

When she was younger, Darling had heard a story about how people used to all be one, and they had split apart a long time ago. That’s why true loves exist, her mother had told her in the same sing-song voice she spoke to everyone in. But the story had always confused Darling. She didn’t feel like half a person, she was happy just the way she was. All the talk of princes and towers had seemed so distant and boring. 

Kissing Apple changed that thought completely as she finally understood what her mother was going on about. The two just seemed to fit together. Apple brought her arms around Darling’s waist, and Darling wrapped her hands around Apple’s neck as they melted into each other, like two pieces of a whole that had finally been re-assembled.

When they pulled apart, they kept their foreheads together, breathing softly against each other, and with a blush Darling realised she could feel the way Apple’s chest moved with her breath against her own. To distract herself from that thought, she let her head fall into the crook of Apple’s shoulder. 

“That was different,” Apple whispered, breathless. Darling raised an eyebrow, and Apple laughed. “Good different, I promise. I’ve never kissed someone like that before.”

“True love’s kiss,” Darling mumbled, so content that she felt almost sleepy. It was Apple’s turn to raise an eyebrow. 

“Do you think so?” she asked, her voice growing small again. Darling tightened her arms around Apple’s neck. 

“I’m not sure, maybe we should try again just to make sure,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. Apple laughed, leaning her head back, but she still leaned back in. 

Darling felt like she was floating. 

*

Darling let Apple ride Sir Gallopad back to the school, and smiled at how well the two got along. Apple had always been her horse’s favourite among her friends. 

For once, she did not try to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as Apple wrapped her arms around Darling on the way back, leaning her head on Darling’s shoulders. It wasn’t until they got back to the stables and were putting away Sir Gallopad that Darling remembered her brother. 

“Oh my Ever After, what are we going to tell Daring?” she asked, eyes wide. To her surprise, Apple laughed. 

“I talked to him yesterday,” she confessed. “I mean, we decided a while ago that the marriage would just be for the public, and we would go back to normal in public.”

“But your normal was dating,” Darling replied warily. Apple shook her head. 

“We weren’t supposed to date until we got our Happily Ever After,” she corrected. “And, technically, that didn’t actually happen, so we just decided to be friends for now.” 

“But you talked to him yesterday?”

“Yes, well,” Apple brushed her hair behind her ear. “I told him about the Ice Queen’s palace, and he didn’t seem surprised.”

“Really?” Darling asked. The way Daring had reacted after they found out they were leaving had made Darling think he was all aboard their parents' insane schemes.

“I think he understood that I wanted my Happily Ever After. And that it wasn’t with him anymore.” Apple took Darling’s hand, and Darling felt her face turn pink. She felt like a cherry with how much she was blushing. 

The two made their way to class, but Darling let Apple go ahead of her. “I’ll see you there. I’m just going to grab something from my locker.”

Apple nodded.

Darling took a deep breath as she watched her walk away. She still had no idea what they were, but that was a discussion for later. Maybe during a picnic in the Enchanted Forest. 

She giggled as she walked off, looking for a particular locker. 

Her brother was staring blankly into his locker, completely ignoring the mirror beside his head, which made Darling frown. She had never known Daring to avoid looking at himself, even when they were children, but she brushed it off and walked up to him. 

“Hey Daring,” she said, her voice making him yelp and slam his locker shut. When a couple students walking by gave him a worried look, he smoothed his hair back and put on one of his plastic smiles. 

“Why hello there sister, I uh, I didn’t see you there,” he said, far too tense for her to believe he was anything close to relaxed. 

“Yeah, I noticed,” she replied, raising an eyebrow. “I just wanted to thank you.”

Daring frowned, his hand still smoothing out his hair. “Whatever for?”

“Your talk with Apple.” Darling could feel the air grow heavier at the mention of her. The two had never actually talked about the whole Apple situation, at least not in private. Usually Dexter would be there as a buffer, but Darling knew this was one conversation she needed to have alone. “Apple told me what she said to you.” 

“Yes, well, she was right. Her destiny wasn’t me,” he said, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. For a moment, Darling wondered if she was about to make a mistake. But her brother deserved the truth. 

“So are you two still going through with this ridiculous wedding? You seemed pretty set on it a couple days ago,” she asked quietly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Daring cross his arms and huff, but she did not quite know what that meant. 

“I had a talk with someone,” was it just Darling’s imagination, or was her brother blushing? “Well, it happened a while ago, but I think I need to figure out my own destiny. The one I thought I had isn’t mine and,” he looked straight at her, “I don’t want to take it from somebody else anymore.”

Darling always had a complicated relationship with her brother. He had everything she had ever wanted, including the girl she had liked, their entire lives. He was a prince, with a guaranteed Happily Ever After, and he had the freedom to live his life how he wanted until his destiny happened, meanwhile Darling was stuck waiting in towers and doing damsel training and figuring out which tiaras would not give her scoliosis thirty years in the future. 

Daring didn’t exactly help his reputation. She knew he had a tendency to be a bit self-absorbed, but she often tried to ignore that for his better qualities. Still, ever since he had been engaged to Apple, she had been a second away from yelling at him out of frustration. 

So to hear him finally acknowledge her, even if it was not directly, well, Darling couldn’t help bursting into tears. 

“Uh, are you okay?” Daring asked, bending a little to try and get a good look at Darling’s face. She felt so ridiculous, but the past few months had been so ridiculous that she could not bring herself to care anymore. 

“I’m hexcellent,” she replied through hiccups, wiping the tear tracks off her cheeks. Her makeup would still be perfect, since she had used her best waterproof brand that morning, so she was not worried about looking as bad as she had yesterday. Daring’s shoulders slumped a little in relief. 

“Well that’s a relief. I thought you were miserable about my decision for a second,” Daring admitted. 

“No!” Darling yelped, maybe a bit too quickly. “I mean, just, that’s not it. Believe it or not, I’m happy.”

“Okay,” Daring replied, raising an eyebrow. 

“I’m serious,” Darling laughed. “I mean I was so nervous about my destiny for so long, but I think I like how it turned out.”

Daring sighed, then did something Darling wasn’t expecting and pulled her into a hug. She stood frozen for a second before she finally hugged him back.

“I’ll talk to mom and dad,” Daring said when he let her go, keeping his hands on her shoulders like she was his kid. It reminded her of how he used to talk to Dexter and her when they were kids, one hand on her shoulder while the other would always be on Dexter’s. “Out of all of us, I probably have the highest chance of actually getting them to listen.” 

“You aren’t wrong,” Darling admitted. “And thank you, Daring. Really.”

“We’re family,” Daring replied, picking at his varsity jacket. Since when had he started doing that? “It’s my job to protect you.” 

“It’s our job to protect each other,” Darling corrected. 

When she headed to her Princessology class, she felt much lighter. She had not realised just how much the tension between her and Daring had been weighing on her, but when she saw Apple she felt all of that stress finally melt away. 

She went to go sit down, and felt Apple link their hands together under the table as the White Queen began their lesson. 

The rest of their classes passed smoothly for the first half of the day, with the two being inseparable the whole time. Their friends noticed, and seemed happy that the two girls were finally close again. Darling couldn’t have agreed with them more. 

She knew that there would be consequences to their relationship, and she would have to convince her parents to let her stay at school by the end of the week, but that could wait. She had made up with her brother, Apple was her girlfriend, and things were finally looking up for her. 

Darling told Apple to go on ahead of her, and went to go look for Dexter to tell him the good news. She had not known what he was planning to say to their parents, but she did not want him getting into trouble, especially since the majority of this mess fell on her shoulders. 

However, when she went to go find him at his locker, he was nowhere to be found. 

Her stomach twisted. Dexter always went to his locker before lunch, because he liked to swap out his textbooks for the second half of the day. He could never handle the weight of carrying all of them at once. 

Which Darling would have laughed about on any other day, but she couldn’t find her brother. 

She spotted Hunter and Ashlynn talking across the hall and marched over to them. She did not want to interrupt the couple, but she was worried. It was so unlike Dexter to just disappear from his usual routine like this. 

“Hey, Hunter, have you seen Dexter around?” she asked. Aside from Darling, Hunter was Dexter’s closest friend, so Darling figured if he would tell anyone about a routine change it would be his roommate. 

“No,” Hunter frowned. “He left pretty early this morning. Why, do you think something happened to him?”

“I don’t know, he wasn’t at his locker though,” Darling replied, her stomach sinking. She felt like screaming. He better not have gotten himself into trouble just when something good was finally happening in her life. 

On the screen above the hallway, Cupid’s podcast flashed on. Darling glanced over, then took a double take as she saw how nervous the girl was. It was so unlike Cupid to fidget, but her eyes were darting around and her seat was spinning back and forth gently like she was trying to self soothe. 

“Welcome, everybody, to my love advice podcast,” she started. “Today I have a very special guest with me. Everybody say hello to Dexter Charming.”

Chapter Text

Headmaster Grimm sat across from Raven, glaring at her. She was used to this little exchange of theirs by now. She broke a rule, he got mad, she called him out for being a hypocrite, he threatened her with expulsion unless she signed the Storybook. It was almost fun. 

She wasn’t quite sure what she had done to be called back in so soon, though. 

The last time she had spoken to the Headmaster was only yesterday, when he and the other royal parents had caught her, Dexter, Apple, Darling, Rosabella, and Daring sneaking back into the school. They had gone through their weekly fight about what was right and wrong, and Headmaster Grimm had spent an embarrassing amount of time guilting her for not signing the Storybook after the Charmings and Whites had left. 

It hadn’t helped that Raven had been having her own bad thoughts about not signing at the time, and admittedly she had yelled a bit much at him after he tried to guilt her, but the Ice Queen had put her on edge! How was she supposed to relax after everything that witch had said to her?

The worst part of that whole interaction had been how Raven remembered the Ice Queen. When she was little, before her mother had been locked away, she and the other villains she had recruited would gather for war meetings once a month, and once a month Raven had been able to feel the temperature throughout the whole castle drop at the Ice Queen’s arrival. 

Despite her less than warm welcome, the Ice Queen was always nice to Raven. By villain standards, of course, which basically meant that she never yelled at Raven for being soft like the other villains had a tendency to. 

No, the Ice Queen had always seemed a bit amused by Raven, like she was a puzzle the Ice Queen was missing a piece to. 

When Raven thought back to how scared she had made the Ice Queen look, she felt a twist of guilt and had to remind herself that Apple and the rest of her friends would have died if she hadn’t stood up to the Ice Queen. That did not help much. Raven couldn’t help but feel that there could have been another solution, that maybe she could have reasoned with the Ice Queen. 

But some villains couldn’t be reasoned with, she reminded herself as she stared down Headmaster Grimm for the second time in two days. 

“You wanted to see me, sir?” she asked, keeping her tone light and pleasant even though the Headmaster looked like he wanted to wring her neck. It wasn’t far from his usual expression, so keeping calm was not difficult. 

“Miss Queen,” the Headmaster started, in the same loud and disappointed tone he always spoke to her in, “you remember our discussion yesterday, yes?”

“Of course,” Raven replied, raising an eyebrow. Maybe the old man had finally gone senile. He wouldn’t ask her to be his caregiver at the nursing home, would he? Surely not even Headmaster Grimm could be that heartless. 

“And you remember what I said about being on your best behaviour for the rest of the school year?” Raven fought back an eye roll. Where was he going with this?

“Of course,” she repeated, letting a drawl creep its way into her voice. Headmaster Grimm’s eye twitched at her relaxation, but she didn’t let that bother her. It never had before, so why would it now?

“Good, good,” he continued, even though he sounded like it was anything but. “Then let me ask you, Miss Queen, if you know how delicate the state of Ever After is currently, why would you decide to go about spreading the word of a rebellious relationship?” 

Raven would have felt more scared if anger wasn’t welling up inside her. “What do you mean, why did I decide? Dexter was the one who came up with the idea!” 

“So you admit it!” Headmaster Grimm yelled, completely ignoring her second sentence. “You have not only decided to ruin your own destiny, but the destiny of a Charming, and during such a delicate time for their kingdom.”

The only thing keeping Raven’s magic from blowing up was how she was pressing her nails into her knees to keep herself grounded. 

“That’s not fair,” she said through gritted teeth. “Dexter has nothing to do with the wedding, and he can make his own decisions without you trying to make them for him.”

“The poor boy has no doubt been taken in by your propaganda,” Headmaster Grimm lamented. Raven’s dentist was definitely going to yell at her for how hard her teeth were grinding together. “But soon it will be of no concern to you, I assume? After he has left?”

“What are you talking about?” Raven scoffed. 

“Duchess Swan told me all about your little plan to prevent him from leaving the school.” Raven suppressed an eye roll. Of course Duchess had been the one to tell Headmaster Grimm. She wasn’t even sure how Duchess had found out about her and Dexter, but that hardly mattered now. “It will, of course, fail.” 

“You don’t know that,” Raven sneered. “And how is this any of your business? Aren’t you supposed to want kids to attend your school?” 

“Matters such as these are more delicate than a villain such as yourself could imagine, Miss Queen,” Headmaster Grimm replied. “There are greater forces at work here that must be kept at bay.”

“You mean my mother’s forces,” Raven snapped, her voice rising. “One of whom I defeated and got to return a princess to you, which, last time I checked, was something I was supposed to get thanked for.”

“And I did thank all of those who went out to rescue Apple,” Headmaster Grimm said, waving a hand as if hand waving away all her comments. Once again Raven was reminded of why she tried to avoid one on one meetings with Headmaster Grimm whenever possible. “But if it were to come out that the daughter of the Evil Queen was with an heir to the throne of a kingdom that is about to expand into Snow White’s territory? Well, it would be chaos.”

“So what do you want out of this?” Raven asked, not that she would grant his request. 

“You will end things with Dexterous Charming, of course,” Headmaster Grimm said. 

“I don’t get why you suddenly seem to care about your students' relationships,” Raven replied, taking her turn to ignore his comment. “I mean Ashlynn and Hunter have been dating all year and I didn’t hear one word about them from you.” 

The Headmaster frowned at the mention of Ashlynn and Hunter, but Raven wouldn’t back down. She was not losing this fight. 

“Those are different circumstances, and different students. Even if the Huntsman is not necessarily princely, he is still heroic. Not to mention Ashlynn has already signed.”

“In a fake book,” Raven retorted. She saw Headmaster Grimm’s eyebrows scrunch the way they always did when the fake Storybook was brought up. “So you have no guarantee that they’ll follow their destinies.”

“It is about more than just destinies sometimes, Miss Queen,” Headmaster Grimm snapped. “Surely you of all people would understand that?”

As much as Raven hated the mention of her mother, she hated talking to Headmaster Grimm about her ten million times more. 

“Fine,” she finally muttered after a long silence. Headmaster Grimm’s eyes widened in surprise. She never said that word in his office. “I will tell Dexter about your request, and he can decide for himself if that’s a risk that he wants to take.” The Headmaster’s face dropped back into a scowl. 

“Foolish girl,” he said. It would have hurt if she hadn’t heard it a million times before. “You have until the end of the week to end things, or you will not be welcome back to Ever After High next year.”

Raven could feel her eyebrows raise in surprise. Expulsion was extremely uncommon in the school, and only ever used as a last resort. To expel a student was to deny them of their destiny and doom them to a life outcast from society. Not that Raven wasn’t already an outcast, but still. 

“You wouldn’t expel me,” she said. “I’m too important. Plus, how would you explain that away to the rest of the world? If I really did something worthy of expulsion they’d be expecting me to be jailed.”

“That could be arranged.” Even though he sounded serious, Raven could not help the laugh that bubbled out of her at the words. 

“For someone who’s always going on about my stubbornness being my downfall, you seem to have enough of it yourself,” Raven said, before getting up and walking out, ignoring the Headmaster yelling at her to get back in his office. 

When she left, though, she felt her smile drop. As much as she wanted to believe it was an empty threat, she knew Headmaster Grimm always had at least a bit of seriousness in his threats. 

She sighed and didn’t look where she was going, promptly running into the wall. 

“Well hello there,” she grumbled, rubbing her nose. It had hit the wall when she ran into it. Headmaster Grimm probably wouldn’t expel her, but that didn’t mean that she would have no punishment. 

Raven thought back to what Dexter had told her yesterday. He had seemed so serious about telling his parents about them, but she was worried. As nice as it would be to have a public relationship, she also knew that it would bring a lot of attention to Dexter. Attention that she knew he didn’t usually have to deal with. 

But she had meant what she said to Headmaster Grimm. He could threaten her all he wanted, but she was not going to end the best thing in her life just because one old man wanted her to. 

“Duchess just had to tell him,” she muttered, slouching off down the hall. 

“Indeed I did,” a voice responded, and Raven held back a groan. When she turned around, Duchess Swan was sauntering down the hall like she owned the place, which was pretty on par with how she usually behaved. 

“Hello Duchess,” Raven said, trying her best to sound friendly. It was not working well. 

“You think that you’re just so much better than me,” Duchess sneered, “but I know better. You may have the rest of this school fooled with your self-righteous nonsense, but you can’t fool me.”

“So, what? You just did this to spite me?” Raven asked, feeling a flash of annoyance. 

“Maybe,” Duchess shrugged. 

“That’s low, even for you.” Raven could feel her temper flaring up. “And why bring Dexter into this? If you hate me that much, take it up with me, but don’t put him in danger.”

“Because you have everything!” Duchess yelled. “You have it all. Money, a destiny, a legacy . Meanwhile everyone else just has to sit by and watch you go on about how, oh no I don’t want to follow my destiny, even though it’s the most legendary legacy ever!” 

Raven frowned. “That’s not fair, Duchess. I deserve to choose my own life.”

“You can choose,” Duchess replied. “Some of us have actual respect for our legacies.”

Raven just wanted their whole conversation to be over. “So, what, are you going to try and steal my destiny now, just like you always are? Because you can have it.”

“As if.” In fairness, Duchess looked revolted at the idea. “No, I want you to face the consequences of your actions. For once.”

“Well congratulations, then,” Raven sighed. She didn’t have the energy to be angry anymore. “I might get expelled, and Dexter’s almost certainly getting disowned. You win. I hope you’re happy.” 

Duchess faltered at how calm Raven seemed. “I didn’t know he would expel you,” she said, much quieter than before.

“He hates me,” Raven replied. She knew she should have lost her patience with Duchess a while ago, but she really did look confused, and Raven didn’t want to get mad. She had meant what she said to the Ice Queen. From now on, she would choose to be kind. “It would have happened anyway.”

For a second, a look that seemed akin to regret passed across Duchess’s face, before it returned to her usual sneer. “Well then, you probably would have earned it regardless.” 

With a huff, she turned and marched back down the hallway. Raven just shook her head. 

*

After her talk with Duchess, she needed to feel better, so she went to go find Dexter, who was cleaning up the stables. It was a punishment he usually got after Hero Training when he failed the obstacle courses. He never actually went through with it after Apple got kidnapped, even though he had bombed, so he was making up for it with extra credit. 

At least, that was what he told Raven. She thought he just enjoyed hanging out with the horses. 

“Hey stranger,” she said, making him jump when she entered. When people didn’t know she was in a room, she had a tendency to blend in with the shadows. But when Dexter turned and saw who it was, his face broke into a wide grin. 

“Hello there, uh, stranger?” His voice cracked at the end of the sentence, which made Raven laugh as she pulled him in for a kiss. 

“You’re cute when you try to be romantic,” she said, but even as she did she could feel her own heart pounding in her chest, and wondered when her nervousness around him would die down. 

Dexter turned beet red, and looked down at the rake he was holding. “Well, you know, I try,” he muttered. Even his ears were red, and Raven fiddled with the hair there as he talked. “Not exactly the most romantic setting, though.”

“No, not really,” she agreed, looking around at the stables. Shovelling horse poo wasn’t her ideal date, but she didn’t mind. She’d come there for Dexter, not the location.

“So, to what do I owe this visit?” he asked, continuing to shovel the horse poo, but Raven noticed his hands had started trembling when she began playing with his hair. 

“Oh, I just wanted to see you,” she admitted, feeling her face heat up at the admission. “It’s been a tough morning.”

“Why?” The nerves in Dexter’s voice had been replaced with soft concern, and Raven held back the urge to kiss him again. 

“I got called into Headmaster Grimm’s office,” she explained, telling him about the meeting and how the Headmaster had threatened her with expulsion. She left out her run in with Duchess Swan, though she wasn’t a hundred percent sure why. It felt mean to bring that up, and she didn’t want Dexter getting mad at Duchess when Raven was sure she had her reasons. 

By the time she was done explaining, Dexter’s knuckles had gone white on the shovel handle. “That’s so unfair,” he muttered.

“Yeah, but what’s new about that?” Raven replied nonchalantly. 

Dexter looked over at her, frowning, and she was surprised by how angry he looked. “No, I mean it really is. He can’t expel you for dating someone, and I was going to tell my parents anyway.”

“Are you sure that’s still the best decision?” Raven asked, chewing her bottom lip and fiddling with one of her silver rings nervously. “I know you wanted to before, but if Headmaster Grimm got this mad, then your parents are probably going to react twice as badly.” 

She wasn’t even sure if Dexter was listening to her. He was staring at the handle of his shovel like he wanted to kill it. Then, he grinned, which made him look a little insane.

“Oh, I’m going to tell my parents, alright.” He turned to Raven and dropped the shovel completely, taking her hand in his, his bright  blue eyes staring directly into hers. “I have an idea, but I need to know that you’ll be okay with it. Alright?”

If it had been any other person, Raven knew she would probably be freaking out. But as she stared into Dexter’s wide eyes, she could feel herself beginning to smile. 

I’m going to follow this boy to the ends of the earth one day, aren’t I? She thought with a grin. 

“Okay.”

*

Cupid and Raven never had a close relationship. Ever since True Hearts Day, Raven had felt a bit awkward around the other girl, considering she had thought Cupid and Dexter were dating at one point in time. Her boyfriend seemed completely oblivious to this tension, though, as he sat Cupid down across from them in Maddie’s Tea Shoppe. 

Maddie, for her part, was doing cartwheels across the ceiling. Raven figured she would get a ridiculous explanation for that tomorrow. 

Cupid’s eyes darted between Raven and Dexter as Dexter explained their plan. Raven couldn’t help the pang of pity that went through her for the girl. It was obvious Cupid still had a crush on Dexter, and she tried to put a little distance between her and Dexter to relive some of the tension, but she knew it wouldn’t help. 

“It wouldn’t be for long,” Dexter finished. “Just the first few minutes of your broadcast, and then you can go back to giving love advice like you always do.”

“I don’t know, Dex, that’s a big ask,” Cupid replied, fiddling with the tablecloth. Raven wondered if she was supposed to be jealous that Cupid used Dexter’s nickname too. “My broadcast goes out to all of Ever After. Something like that could get me permanently banned.” 

“That’s why I need it to be you, though,” Dexter replied. Raven felt a surge of pity for her friend as she saw Cupid flinch at his words. “If all of Ever After sees this, then they can’t just sweep it under the rug anymore.”

“We’re in a bit of a time crunch,” Raven added, trying to keep her voice as nice as possible. The last thing she wanted to do was accidentally make Cupid feel even worse. “If we had a bit more time then we might be able to think up a better plan, but Dex is supposed to leave in a week.”

“You’re leaving?” Cupid yelped, turning back to Dexter with wide eyes. Dexter nodded solemnly. 

“I wouldn’t ask for this big of a favour if it wasn’t an emergency,” he told her. Cupid fidgeted in her seat, twisting her necklace around until it began to wrap around her neck and she had to let it unravel. 

“I can give you a couple minutes of airtime,” she finally said, although it didn’t feel like much of a victory with how solemn Cupid looked. “The broadcast will probably have to end after your announcement, though. If I had to guess, Headmaster Grimm will probably cut my signal once you make it.”

“That’s fine,” Dexter said quickly, grinning ear to ear. “You’re the best Cupid! I’ll go get some tea to spellebrate.”

When Dexter left, the two girls stayed in awkward silence. 

“So, you and Dexter, huh? That’s great,” Cupid said after a minute. Raven had to hold back a flinch at the forced positivity in her voice. 

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. Cupid frowned. 

“Whatever after for?”

“Well, I know you liked him,” saying it in the present tense would make Raven die of embarrassment, “and now I’m dating him. And you’re helping us. That’s really selfless of you.” 

To her surprise, Cupid just laughed. “Raven, do you know what my destiny is?”

Raven frowned. “Aren’t you supposed to take over as the next love god?” 

“Bingo,” Cupid replied, making a little finger gun. “My dad, Eros, took a long time to meet my mom. Part of it was because he was so closed off to letting people in. Pretty ironic for a love god, right?” 

“Right,” Raven replied, unsure of where she was going with this. 

“So when I decided to take on my destiny, I made myself promise that I wouldn’t make his mistake. He spent so long closing himself off from his feelings that when he met my mom, he almost lost her, just because he was too scared of getting hurt! How ridiculous is that?” Cupid laughed. “But the thing is, he did get hurt. Because part of love involves getting hurt sometimes. And even though my parents went through a lot to finally get together, when they did, they were so happy!”

Cupid sighed, her hand drifting back to her necklace again. “I vowed not to make his mistakes, and make sure I kept myself open to falling in love. But by doing that, I was keeping myself open to getting hurt, too. And that’s okay. Because until I find my own true love, I have the love of my friends. If I got mad at you for being happy, it would just be hypocritical.”

“I’m not sure what to say to that,” Raven admitted, a bit stunned by the maturity of Cupid’s response, but Cupid just smiled at her. 

“That’s fine.” Her eyes drifted over to Dexter, and her smile faltered a little. “It’ll take me a while to get over him. But the whole point of me is to help couples who share true love. And what you guys have? That’s as true as it gets.”

Raven smiled at her friend as she felt the tension dissipate. “I hope you get to find someone like that one day, Cupid.”

Cupid laughed. “Oh, I will.” She winked at Raven as Dexter returned, trying his best to balance three tea mugs on his arms, and having to call Maddie for help when he almost broke her dad’s china. 

*

The next day Raven woke up to an empty room, and frowned. She knew Apple tended to be a morning person, but Raven had been getting up earlier than usual to meet up with Cupid and Dexter, and she shuddered at how early Apple must have woken to be out of their room before her. 

Raven wandered over to her mirror and began her morning routine, which consisted of thirty minutes of trying to get her brush through her tangled hair, twenty minutes spent washing her face and brushing her teeth (ten minutes longer than she usually took, on account of her falling asleep with her toothbrush in her mouth five times), and finally applying a light layer of eye shadow and lipstick. She didn’t have the energy for a full face of makeup, and she would not be the one on screen, so it hardly mattered.

To her surprise, she felt pretty good on her way to Cupid’s recording booth. Although what they were about to do was reckless, it was a risk they were all aware of, which made it a bit less scary. 

That was, until she walked in on Cupid and Dexter arguing with Headmaster Grimm. 

“Your parents will be hearing about this, Dexter Charming!” Raven felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance at his tone of voice. That tone of voice was reserved for troublemakers, and she did not like the idea of it being used on Dexter, especially when she had spent so much time trying to make sure it was only ever used on her. 

“Do we have a problem here, Headmaster?” she asked, emerging from the shadows. She saw Cupid and Dexter relax, but only a little. 

“Miss Queen!” Headmaster Grimm’s face turned beet red, which would have been funny on another day if he didn’t look like a volcano about to explode. “Of course your influence would be here.”

“This is my choice!” Dexter interrupted, taking a step towards Raven. As much as she appreciated his concern, she had to hold herself back from telling her boyfriend to shut up. It would just get him in trouble in the long run, trouble that had to wait until after the MirrorCast. 

“Oh, I have no doubt you have put some spell on one of the few noble princes left at this school!” Headmaster Grimm yelled. Raven wondered if, had he been a locomotive, steam would have whistled out of his ears. 

“Yes, I bewitched him with my feminine wiles and mystique,” Raven drawled, trying to keep her voice monotone, as she looked over to Dexter, hoping he understood what she was doing. 

“Do not play dumb with me, Miss Queen! I know you have any number of spells at your disposal, and had it been for proper villainy I may have appreciated it, but meddling with the Charming family is not your destiny!” 

Over Headmaster Grimm’s shoulder, Raven saw Dexter open his mouth to respond, but she made eye contact and shook her head, just slightly enough so Headmaster Grimm would not notice. She saw Dexter’s eyes widen as he finally realised what she was asking, and noticed his lips pursed together as he turned towards Cupid, muttering something in her ear. 

“Oh yeah? You were so delighted when my magic would backfire on me all the time and make me do bad things, but now I’m not the right kind of evil for you? What kind of logic is that?” Cupid’s hands flew over the controls of her soundboard, and Raven wished that she would hurry up. She wasn’t sure how long she could distract the Headmaster for. 

“That was the evil your story demanded from you! I should have known that you would rebel in this way, though. You are your mother’s daughter, after all.”

Raven felt her magic spark with the same anger that had activated it at the Ice Queen’s palace. “I am not her daughter! My mother was evil for the sake of it. All I ever asked for was a fair chance at my own life, and the chance to love who I wanted, and now you want to call me as bad as the woman who almost took you and your world down twice? All because I dared to have a boyfriend you didn’t approve of?” 

She saw Dexter’s eyes flicker towards her, but she waved him off, even though she could see how frustrated he was at not being able to help. They could talk after this was done, though. For now, she needed him to focus. 

“Your mother could never resist ruining a story that was not meant for her, and neither could you!” Headmaster Grimm replied, pointing at her like she was a monster. It reminded Raven of the way kids in her town used to point at her when she was little and walked through with her father. They would all cower as their parents told them about her destiny, pointing at her. It had always made her feel like an animal in a zoo, and she had vowed to never feel like that again.

“At least my mother had some kind of originality, instead of repeating the same old stories over and over again because you’re so afraid of change!” Raven yelled, and saw Cupid waving her arms in a giant X. She snapped her mouth shut, and Headmaster Grimm’s eyes widened, but he was too late.

“Welcome, everybody, to my love advice podcast,” Cupid said, practically shaking with nerves. “Today I have a very special guest with me. Everybody say hello to Dexter Charming.”

Headmaster Grimm began to walk towards her, but Raven stopped him, freezing him with her magic as she released all the anger from their argument. Dexter met her eyes as he walked over, then stared at Headmaster Grimm, before finally looking dead at the camera, and Raven could see her own frustration reflected in him. 

I think I might love him , she thought, but brushed the thought away. Now was not the time for that. She needed to focus. 

“This is a message for Headmaster Grimm,” Dexter said, his voice lacking its usual nervous waiver. “If you want to expel Raven, you may as well expel me too, because I, Dexter Charming, am dating the daughter of the Evil Queen.”

Chapter Text

As they were marched towards the Headmaster’s office, Dexter could not help noticing the crowd gathering to watch. He felt like they were being led through a funeral procession, and found himself brushing against Raven to calm himself down. She glanced over at him and offered a tense smile, but he could see the worry in her eyes. 

It had been a reckless idea, to announce their relationship so publicly, but Dexter hadn’t known what else to do. His parents had been breathing down his neck and Castor had been at his heels even more than normal. Knowing he would have to go home to even more supervision had been driving him insane, and something had to be done. 

Admittedly, the something could have been a little less dramatic, but Dexter wanted something his parents couldn’t brush aside. He had a terrible feeling that if he told them about his relationship with Raven in private he would have been through the next portal back home. 

When they finally arrived in the Headmaster’s office, his parents were standing in the corner, glaring at their disappointment of a son. Dexter would have felt bad if the sight of them didn’t make his fists clench in his pocket. He bit his cheek, knowing he had to be careful with how he went about this if he didn’t want Raven to get expelled. 

“That was quite the stunt you pulled.” His father was the first one to speak after Raven, Dexter, and Cupid sat down. He felt like a child being reprimanded, which he supposed in some ways he was. 

“I-”

“That was not an invitation to interrupt, Dexter,” his mother interrupted. Dexter found himself sinking a bit into his chair at the sound of her voice. He could not remember a time he had ever heard his mother sound so angry. 

“Sorry,” he muttered. His cheeks burned with embarrassment as he felt Raven look over at him.  

“Oh, you will be,” King Charming promised, his voice loud and booming. Headmaster Grimm, for his part, was just sitting in his chair and scowling at Raven. Whatever happened, Dexter promised himself that he wouldn’t leave the two alone like he had a couple days ago. Any punishment she got he deserved, too. 

“I mean really, of all the irresponsible and reckless things!” King Charming continued. He began pacing around behind Headmaster Grimm’s chair as he talked, a habit that Dexter had inherited. He did the same when he had too much energy and standing still felt wrong for the severity of his words. For some reason, sharing that trait with his father brought him no comfort. “And announcing something this divisive after we just had poor Apple White returned to us. Are you trying to start a war?” 

“Miss Cupid, I would have thought that you would know better than to participate in a scheme like this,” Headmaster Grimm added, his eyes shifting from Raven over to Cupid. Dexter saw her sit up a bit straighter when she was addressed. 

“I think I made it pretty clear that I am not a royal sympathiser,” Cupid replied icily. “People deserve to find love, even if that love is outside of their stories.” 

“And yet you are living up to your own destiny by doing so,” Headmaster Grimm sighed. Cupid just shrugged. 

“I enjoy my destiny. But if someone doesn’t, then they shouldn’t be forced to go through with it,” she said. Dexter wondered how she was staying so calm, until he looked down and realised her hands were shaking in her lap.

“This isn’t Cupid’s fault, sir,” he interrupted, before the conversation could  become even more heated. King Charming was beginning to turn red at the mention of rebels, and Dexter wasn’t trying to actually give his father a hernia. “I was the one who approached her and asked her to let me on her MirrorCast. If anyone should get punished, it should be me.”

“Be that as it may, all three of you were still participants in this rebelling,” Headmaster Grimm said, finally fixing his glare on Dexter. Dexter understood why Cupid had sat up. Something about the way the Headmaster was looking at him made him want to challenge the man’s opinions. 

“And you of all people should have known not to do something like this, Dexter!” King Charming added. He looked like an overripe tomato. “You were explicitly warned not to go near the Evil Queen’s daughter, and yet you disobeyed! The kingdom will be furious.” 

Dexter felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance at his father’s words, and was so focused on him that he started when Raven pressed her knee against his under the table. It was a promise, a reminder of what this had all been for. 

“That order was wrong,” he replied, digging his nails into his knees and pressing his leg a bit more against Raven’s to keep his voice calm. “I told you that I thought it was wrong, and you wouldn’t listen to me! Instead you made Castor follow me around everywhere, who, by the way, is really bad at his job!” 

He felt a bit bad saying that, seeing as he had also put a lot of effort into slipping away from Castor since he had begun watching Dexter, but Castor had also made it remarkably easy for him. Part of Dexter had hoped it was on purpose, but he wasn’t sure. 

“Insolent child!” King Charming’s voice boomed, ricocheting off the walls of the small office. Dexter flinched at the sheer volume, and saw Raven and Cupid do the same. “It is not your place to question my orders, it is your place to follow them. That is the responsibility of a dutiful son!”

“Just look at your brother, dear,” Queen Charming added, placing a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “He knows that we only ask you to do things for the greater good.”

“I’m not breaking up with Raven,” Dexter replied, seething. “And all of Ever After already knows, so you can’t stop me anymore.”

“Oh, I would not threaten something you cannot guarantee,” King Charming said, his eyes glittering. Dexter had never seen his father look so… well, evil before. 

He was actually grateful when they were interrupted, the door to the office slamming against the wall as Apple, Darling, Daring, and Rosabella all walked in, crowding the entrance. King Charming looked ready for one of his veins to explode out of his forehead, Queen Charming looked ready to faint, and Headmaster Grimm groaned and rested his forehead in his hands. 

“You’re dating?” Apple screeched when she entered the room, staring at Raven, who burst into laughter. The sound seemed to startle all the adults, who glanced at her warily, like she would hurt them. 

“Yeah,” Raven said, looking over at Dexter. He grabbed her hand, and felt his stomach flutter at the way her face lit up when he did. “We are.”

“Oh my crown,” Darling said, feigning surprise. “Well, this is certainly a shock.” 

Dexter couldn’t help the snort he let out. All the tension in the room seemed to have dissipated with the arrival of his friends, but hearing his sister, who was notoriously terrible at lying, try to pull off fake surprise was just too much. He let his forehead fall against Raven’s shoulder as he laughed softly. 

“You knew, didn’t you!” Apple’s voice was still far too high for inside, let alone the small room, as she turned towards Darling, who shrugged. 

“Dexter isn’t exactly subtle,” she replied. 

“Hey!” he protested, glaring at the wink his sister sent him. 

Their parents’ heads were pinging between the three in horror like they were watching the worst badminton game ever. Finally, Headmaster Grimm cleared his throat, and the kids all looked over towards him. 

“What,” he started, his voice straining to stay calm, “are you all doing in my office, Miss Charming?” 

“We’re here in support of Dexter,” she replied, squaring her shoulders the same way she did when she was getting ready for a sword deal. Normally, Dexter would have been grateful, but he was trying to keep Cupid out of this mess and now his sister might be involved, which was not helping. 

“You didn’t have to,” he said quickly, glancing over at their parents who were both staring in shock and horror at Dexter’s hand. Before he could wonder why, he felt Raven squeeze his hand and realised their hands were still intertwined. 

“I wanted to, and so did Apple and Daring,” she said, moving aside so the other two were more visible. Apple nodded weakly at Headmaster Grimm and sent a shaky smile towards King and Queen Charming, who still weren’t looking at her, and Daring stood stiffly near the door, a couple feet between Apple and him. Dexter noticed that he was almost shoulder to shoulder with Rosabella, though. 

“I see,” Headmaster Grimm said, in a tone that implied he did not see at all. “And Miss Beauty is here for what reason, exactly?” 

Rosabella flinched a little at the sound of her name, but she walked forward into the office, her eyes steely as she stared down Headmaster Grimm, who seemed put off by her gaze. “I am here as a representative for the student body.” She glanced over at Darling and Daring. “And as moral support for my friends.”

“I believe I told you already that this is not a problem that concerns you, Miss Beauty,” Headmaster Grimm replied. “In fact,” he continued, turning to all four of the group gathered by the door, “this is not any of your problems, so I would advise leaving now if you don’t want to be doing hextra credit with Rumplestiltskin for the rest of the year!” 

“It is our concern though,” Darling said, crossing her arms. “Threatening a student with expulsion over a relationship is every student’s business.” 

“Hence me,” Rosabella added, a bit weaker than before. 

“And we’re also here to make an announcement,” Apple added, stepping a bit closer to Darling. Dexter looked at his sister, raising an eyebrow, but he couldn’t make out what she was thinking. 

“That’s right,” Daring said. “Apple and I have decided that we aren’t going through with the wedding.” 

Queen Charming fainted. 

*

When they brought Queen Charming to the school’s infirmary, she seemed to recover a bit. It was very embarrassing to have their entire group trailing after King Charming, who continued ranting with his wife in his arms all the way to the infirmary ward, and he was plenty loud enough for every other student in the nearby vicinity to hear every word. 

Queen Charming had been set down on a chaise lounge, while the others were all given regular wooden chairs to sit in a circle. It reminded Dexter of a particularly odd class setup. 

King Charming was sitting next to his wife, with his arms crossed and his children lined up in front of him. Rosabella, Raven, Cupid, and Apple had been ordered to stay until the matter was sorted, and they sat across from Headmaster Grimm. Dexter missed being next to Raven, since being sandwiched between his siblings was not exactly an ideal place to be. 

“So,” King Charming began, a vein still popping out of his forehead, “I believe there is some explaining that needs to be done.” 

“Of course, father,” Daring said quickly, saving everyone else from having to reply to the furious king, and Dexter knew he was not the only one sending Daring a grateful glance. “I’m sure this news must be a shock.” 

“Not the wedding, son,” King Charming interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. “I’ve no idea why you came up with the foolish idea of stopping it, but that will of course not be happening.”

“What?” Darling asked, her voice sounding almost as shrill as Apple’s had been. 

“The wedding was not a light suggestion,” King Charming said, turning his glare towards his daughter. Dexter couldn’t actually remember a time when he had seen his father look so angry with Darling, which did not make him feel better. “Our kingdom had been in turmoil ever since that woman wreaked havoc on our lands.” He practically spit the word woman. 

“That woman was my mother,” Raven said, glaring at the king, who was more than happy to glare back. 

“Oh, believe me, I am aware,” he replied, barely sparing Raven a glance before turning back to his children. “The documents have already been drawn up for the wedding. Now, the kidnapping was a surprise-”

“If anything, the kidnapping was the whole reason this shouldn’t happen!” Darling exclaimed, staring at their father in shock. “This whole thing has done nothing but remind people of the Evil Queen and stir up her supporters! Who knows what could happen on the day of the actual wedding, if this is what happened at a class.”

“Actually, I don’t think Apple should be in any more trouble,” Raven said. 

“And why would that be,” King Charming snapped, clearly miffed that he was still talking to Raven. She smirked, but it was cold and icy, the way you would look at someone you were about to kill. 

“Because I dealt with the leader of my mother’s supporters,” Raven replied smugly. “The Ice Queen had been warned to stay away from Ever After now that my mother, her leader, is gone, and I have made sure she’ll keep to that promise.” 

“How could anyone trust what you say,” King Charming snapped, looking over at the Headmaster, who was leaning back in his chair like he had a headache. “For all we know you could be aiding the Ice Queen to try and release your mother!” 

“We know that she’s not a traitor because we were all there when she told the Ice Queen to stay away from Ever After,” Dexter said, leaning forward slightly so that he was in his father’s line of vision. “Everyone here saw Raven warn the Ice Queen away, and I’m sure everyone would be willing to testify to that.” 

He turned to glare at his friends, and was happy to see that they were all already nodding along to his words. Raven was smiling at him, and he wished that he could be sitting next to her to hold her hand. 

Beside his father, Queen Charming finally stirred, and King Charming seemed to forget his anger for a moment as he helped his wife up. She held a hand to her forehead as she examined the kids in front of her, scanning them until her eyes finally landed on Daring. 

“Dear, are you really calling off the wedding?” she asked. When Daring nodded, she looked close to fainting again. “But whatever for?” 

Daring shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and Dexter realised with a start that this would be the first time he had ever seen Daring disappoint their parents. 

“Marrying Apple is not my destiny,” he said finally, his voice small. He looked small, too, small and vulnerable and young. It was the first time Dexter had seen his brother look more human than prince. “And I don’t want to spend the rest of my life married to a person who deserves her Happily Ever After. Without me.”

Dexter saw Apple and Daring smile at each other, and realised there was a conversation the two had, one he had missed. The awkward air around them that had been there since the wedding announcement was gone, and they looked almost like their old selves again. 

“But of course it’s your destiny, dear,” his mother laughed. “You woke Apple from her coma with a true love’s kiss! It may be a bit sooner than you two were expecting, but it is still your destiny.” 

“No, it isn’t,” Darling said. She glanced over at Daring, who nodded, then Apple, who nodded as well. Dexter nudged her shoulder with his own, and she nudged him back before she stood up, staring down at both of their parents. “Daring wasn’t the one who woke up Apple when she got poisoned. I was.” 

“Oh my,” his mother said, her voice soft, and Dexter noticed her grab his father’s arm, and knew she would have fainted again if she hadn’t. Their father, for his part, was staring open mouthed at his children. 

“But that… that’s impossible!” he said, gaze flipping between his three kids in disbelief like any moment they would reveal that this had all been one very long practical joke. “My dear, you are a princess! A princess cannot wake another princess, that is the job of a prince.” 

Dexter saw his sister’s gaze harden for a second as she took a deep breath before responding. “It is possible, though, because that’s what happened.” 

“It’s true,” Apple added, standing up as well and slipping her hand into Darling’s. Dexter saw his sister’s face light up at the gesture, and had to hold back a smile of his own when he saw how happy she looked. “If it weren’t for Darling, I wouldn’t be here.” 

“But,” King Charming’s head whipped around their group. And then, Dexter saw his father’s shoulders deflate as he slumped over in his chair, holding his head in one hand. “You lied to us about the kiss.” 

“I did,” Darling replied, twisting the bracelet she always wore around her wrist nervously. 

Their father looked back up at Darling warily, and then glanced at Queen Charming, who nodded. “And… you are happy?” 

“I am,” Darling said, her shoulders deflating a little. Dexter knew their father had to see it, too. The shroud of darkness and anxiety that had been hanging around Darling for months had finally shed, leaving her to be the same happy person she had been before. 

King Charming stood, Queen Charming following, and Dexter realised that was everyone’s cue. The rest of their group stood up as well, and King Charming turned towards his children, his face unreadable. 

“I will make an announcement about the wedding,” he said to Daring. Then, he turned towards Darling. “I am glad you are happy my dear, and that you have fulfilled your destiny. Even if it is unconventional.” Dexter could see the effort his father put into that last sentence, but he couldn’t dwell on it because his father was turning towards him. 

In his entire life, Dexter hadn’t had many exchanges with his father one on one, but mostly he spent the little time he did get alone with his father being told that he would be able to be a proper prince one day if he just hung in there. And now he had publicly gone against his family, practically declared himself a rebel to the entirety of Ever After, and fought back against his father in front of not only his siblings, but several students that would be able to spread that news. 

So, when his father put a hand on his shoulder, he flinched. “Dexter,” he started, his voice low and serious, “I do not approve of this relationship.” 

Dexter felt his shoulders slump in defeat. 

“However,” his father continued, “I cannot control the things that my children do.” Dexter looked up, eyes wide, and saw his father glance at his siblings. “Clearly, you have all been under much stress lately, and I fear that I have been the cause. And even though I think that this is a bad idea, you will always have a place at home, should you choose to use it.” 

“Thank you.” Dexter was worried he would start crying if he said anything more than that. His father just nodded, taking his hand off his shoulder, and Dexter was surprised when he felt the coldness from the lack of his father’s hand and missed the warmth. 

“You will be remaining at Ever After High for the rest of the school year,” King Charming said, addressing all three of his children now. 

“And if you need, you can come home anytime before then,” Queen Charming added, sending a pointed look towards Daring, who smiled gratefully. Dexter decided not to question that, just relieved that his parents were somehow taking this news well. 

“Indeed,” King Charming agreed, looping his arm through his wife’s. “We will be in contact with Snow White and inform her of the dissolution of the marriage, unless you would wish to deliver that news, Miss White?” 

“No,” Apple yelped, shifting so that Darling stood in front of her. “No, that’s fine, thank you sir.” 

King Charming nodded. “Well then, I think it is time we leave this school. It is a place for students, after all, not us old folks.” He laughed, and then nodded at his kids. “I will see you all during summer.” 

They nodded back, and with that King and Queen Charming were gone. 

It was silent for a long moment, all of them looking between each other, before everyone turned towards Headmaster Grimm, who looked ready for a nap. 

“Well then, problem children,” he said, glaring down at them. “I think one week of hextra credit for this nonsense.” Then, he softened. “But that will be all the punishment I will be dolling out today. And Miss Queen?” 

“Yes, sir,” Raven said, barely managing to hide her guarded tone. 

“Do not try freezing me with your magic again, or you will be in charge of cleaning the dragon stables until you graduate,” Headmaster Grimm smiled sweetly, but Dexter saw Raven shudder at the threat. The dragon stables were notoriously twenty times more dirty than the horse stables. “Now children, I think you should all be getting back to class, and I will be going for a nap. If any teachers ask after your absence, I will be happy to explain.”

“Thank you sir,” they all chorused in unison. 

*

Dexter was watching the sunset when she found him. 

The rest of the day had gone by smoothly, with Raven and Dexter able to sit next to each other in public without being questioned for the first time ever, and Darling and Apple participating in some truly egregious PDA. 

Dexter didn’t mind. He knew his sister had earned the right to be a bit obnoxious about her relationship. That didn’t mean that he didn’t gag when she sat in Apple’s lap during their Science and Sorcery lesson, though. 

He had gone up to the roof to clear his head. His last class of the day had been Wooing 101, so he and Raven had to go their separate ways, and all the questions he had gotten had been driving him insane. 

Hunter was the only one who mostly left him alone, which Dexter had been grateful for, sitting beside his roommate for the duration of the class. All he got from Hunter was a whispered congratulations, and then the two were able to complete their worksheets quietly, shooing off the other princes when they came up to their table to ask Dexter questions. 

The sky was painted various shades of purple and pink that night, and Dexter could not help but think it reminded him of a certain girl’s hair when he heard footsteps behind him. He tensed, turning, but relaxed when he saw who it was.    

“Hey stranger,” Raven said, walking up to him. “You know, if you wanted to meet up with me you could just look in the hallway, you don’t have to hide out here anymore.” 

He hugged her when she reached him, kissing her for much longer than was probably appropriate for a greeting, but it was worth it when he pulled away from her and saw how pink her face was. 

“Yeah, but this place is special,” he replied. He knew he was grinning stupidly, but she was too, and as they sat down he kept one arm wrapped around her waist, smiling as she leaned her head on his shoulder in turn. 

“It is, isn’t it?” she mused, her eyes fixed on the horizon. Dexter remembered the last time they had been up here, when he had the strongest urge to kiss her, but had been too scared. “What?”

“What do you mean what?” he asked, laughing. Raven let out a chuckle, too, and raised an eyebrow at him. 

“You were staring at me,” she said. “What is it?”

“Oh.” If it had been even a couple weeks ago, Dexter probably would have blushed and said it was nothing, but he didn’t want to anymore. The usual nerves he felt around confessing anything about his feelings to Raven were gone. Maybe it was his talk with his parents, but something in him had untwisted. “I was just thinking about one of the last times we were up here.” 

“Yeah.” Raven sounded a bit sadder at the mention of it, and for a second Dexter regretted bringing it up, but she just leaned closer to him. “You’ve become so brave.” 

His face felt like it was on fire. “What do you mean?” Raven looked up at him, smiling softly. 

“Just that, I dunno, if what happened today happened back then, I don’t know that you would have acted the way you did,” she replied, one of her hands reaching over to grab his free one, and she began fiddling with his fingers. 

“If I’m any braver, it’s only because of you,” he admitted. Raven hummed, relaxing into his chest. 

“I am pretty great, aren’t I?” she said sarcastically, but Dexter could hear the undercurrent of doubt. He tightened his hold around her shoulder and kissed her cheek. 

“You are the best person in my life,” he admitted. He was glad for the pink sunset, because otherwise his face would have looked much more red, although he knew that his blush was still visible. “I think I love you.” 

Raven sat up at the admission, and Dexter knew he should have felt more nervous about her reaction, but it just felt right to admit it, especially after his parents visit. He wanted her to know. 

“Really?” she asked, her voice small and vulnerable as her eyes searched his, and he knew she was searching for doubt, but he had never been so sure of anything in his life before. 

“Prince’s oath,” he replied, pulling her hands up so they wrapped up around his neck, and she started laughing, tears springing up. 

“I love you too,” she hiccuped through the tears, leaning in to kiss him. 

Dexter could have died happily right then and there, wrapped up in Raven’s arms. They were forehead to forehead when they pulled away, and he remembered a tale he heard a long time ago, about how all people were once one, and then they got separated, searching for their other half for eternity. Sitting there, breathing in unison with Raven, he felt like he understood how it would feel, to be two people in one whole. 

“You love me,” Raven whispered, her voice wavering with awe and disbelief. 

“Speaking of which,” Dexter said, pulling away just enough so that he could look at her without going cross eyed. “I believe I owe you a movie date.”

“I think we’ll be lacking in free time for a little,” Raven said, raising an eyebrow, but Dexter just shrugged. 

“That’s okay,” he said. “I don’t mind a little wait.”

Chapter Text

Daring wasn’t sure of what to do with himself after his parents left. For the first time in his life, he had no destiny to live up to. Not even the lie of one. He was completely free to do whatever he wanted, to live however he wanted. 

And he hated it. 

When he went to class, girls still fawned over his looks, but people no longer looked at him the way they used to. He wasn’t Daring Charming, prince who had woken Apple White, prince with the most legendary destiny in all of Ever After. Now, he was just some random prince who was good at his duties and devilishly handsome. 

It had only been a day since his parents departure, so he had no idea how the news of Darling being the one to wake Apple had spread so quickly, but it seemed that overnight the entire school had found out about his failure, and what had once only been known among their class was now up for examination from everyone. 

But at the end of the day, he was still Daring Charming, a thing he reminded himself of after he bested everyone in sword duelling during Hero Training. While he was changing, he found a flyer for an orc rights protest, and smiled before he could help it. 

“Hey, Daring, don’t worry about what people are saying.” Hopper Croakington’s voice shook him out of his thoughts, and he raised his eyebrow at his roomate. 

“Why would I worry about what people are saying?” he asked, frowning. 

“Oh, uh, you didn’t, um, well,” Hopper poofed into a frog, and smiled nervously at Daring, who was still glaring at him. “My brave roommate, it seems there are some who are not sure of your prowess in battle as your destiny now remains uncertain.” 

Daring would have kicked him, but he couldn’t help feeling like that would count as animal cruelty. 

“Well, they’re wrong, clearly,” he said, puffing his chest out a bit. It was a tactic he had found useful when trying to make himself appear more brave than he felt when going into battle. “My destiny may not have been what I initially thought, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be equally as heroic.”

“Of course,” Hopper replied quickly, waving his webbed hands in front of him dramatically. “I did not mean to insult you, my most valiant friend, I only meant to inform you of the current opinions on your stature.” 

Daring didn’t know what to say to that, so he said nothing, staring blankly into his bag for a moment before he realised he was running his thumb over the orc rights protest flyer from earlier. 

“Thank you,” he finally choked out, his voice much higher and more strained than it usually was, which he chose to ignore. “I, uh, I appreciate it. Your honesty. I’m glad to have a friend I can trust with this sort of thing.” 

Hopper tilted his head like he was thinking of going into a monologue, and Daring felt himself relax when he didn’t. He had only seen Hopper monologue a few times, usually around Briar, and it was always a very time consuming experience. 

“Regardless of the people’s opinion, you are still the future king, and heir to the Charming throne,” Hopper reassured him, hopping over to place a webbed hand over Daring’s. To his credit, Daring kept his wince at the slimy sensation to himself and smiled gratefully at his friend instead. 

“I am the future king,” he repeated, more for himself than for Hopper, if he was really being honest. 

*

Rosabella was staring at a fountain when he finally found her. 

The two hadn’t had a moment alone since the talk with Daring’s father. Rosabella had seemed to sense that he needed space, which he was grateful for, but it had gotten to the point where he hadn’t spoken to her in three days and he was beginning to worry. As much as he was loath to admit it, Rosabella was one of the first people he felt truly comfortable around, and he was not fond of the idea that she no longer wanted anything to do with him. 

“Hello,” he said, trying to keep his voice as soft and non-threatening as possible. It had taken him half an hour to find her, having to ask several different princesses, his face getting warmer with the more people he asked, until finally Cerise had come up to him and said she spotted Rosabella outside. 

His attempt at approachability apparently failed, though, because at the sound of his voice Rosabella started, and would have fallen into the fountain if Daring hadn’t grabbed her wrist, pulling her back upright and smack into his chest. 

She was quick to step back, coughing awkwardly, and Daring himself could not help the rush of blood to his ears. 

“Why hello, Daring,” she said, the forced relaxation in her voice apparent. “I didn’t notice you there.” She seemed to realise the irony in that statement, because her face turned a lovely shade of pink as she added, “Obviously.” 

“Part of Hero Training is meant to prepare us to be light on our feet.” Daring felt his usual winning smile falter as his attempt at consolation only seemed to make Rosabella pull further into herself. 

“Right, Hero Training,” she mumbled, and Daring could not even be sure he was meant to hear her. “How is that going?”

“Well,” he replied, perhaps a little too quickly, but the atmosphere around them was already so tense that he couldn’t see how it could get any worse. What he didn’t understand was why he felt so awkward, when things had seemed to be almost looking up a few days ago. 

When he was waiting at Rosabella’s locker, he had seen the excitement on her face, the way she had sped up to meet him. She had seemed happy that he was there, the reservation and stilted air that had been hanging around them clouding finally. In fact, Daring had just been about to inform her of his plans to tell his parents that his engagement to Apple would be called off when Dexter had pulled that stunt on Cupid’s MirrorCast. 

Now he felt like they were back at square one, which seemed completely unfair. How had he managed to lose two princesses within a seventy eight hour time frame?

“I found your flyer,” he added finally, after letting the awkward silence stretch for a few moments. He had found himself pulling it out of his bag every time he felt bored or lonely over the past few days, but of course that was not something he would be admitting to Rosabella. 

“Oh, yeah, that’s good,” she said, but it was painfully obvious that she was faking any enthusiasm. 

This was so unfair. Daring was fantastic around women. He always knew exactly what to say in exactly which way to make them swoon and fall all over him. His charmingly good looks helped, of course, but he knew that there was more than wooing to that. 

It was why he was always at the top of his Wooing class. 

With Rosabella, though, he was totally lost. Deep down, he knew there was not much difference between her and the other girls he had wooed, nothing that made her better or more special than them. But he also couldn’t help how drawn to her he was, and how magnetic she felt, even in their awkward bubble. 

He took a deep breath and tried to remind himself that he knew what he was doing. He had even managed to get Lizzie Hearts to like him, for crown's sake! She was much more stubborn than Rosabella, but he just felt more nervous. 

“Yeah, good, it’s good,” he said, cringing internally at how dorky he sounded, even to himself. A shock of horror ran through him when he thought that, as bad as he sounded to himself, he might look even worse to Rosabella. Part of him wanted to just give up and abandon ship. 

He told that part to shut up. 

“I was wondering if you would maybe need a prince at that protest?” he continued, finding it difficult to make eye contact. But he didn’t need to be looking directly at Rosabella to see the way her shoulders softened a little at his request. 

“Everyone is welcome at my protests, Daring, you know that,” she said softly, and he noticed that she seemed much more inviting than she had a few moments ago. 

“That’s good then. Should I bring snacks?” He was not quite sure what he was doing or why, but he knew that Rosabella seemed to like this topic of conversation, so this would be the topic of conversation that he would focus on. 

“It’ll probably just be you and me there. Not a lot of students go to these sorts of things,” Rosabella admitted, her smile faltering at the words. “So you don’t need to go out of your way.” 

“That’s okay.” His reply was far too quick to be casual, but Rosabella seemed to not mind. “Plus, I am a prince, you know. You could take a bit more advantage of knowing me than you do.” 

To his surprise, Rosabella flinched at his words, and the action made his stomach twist uncomfortably. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.” The sheer vulnerability with which she said that threw Daring completely off kilter, and it took a lot more restraint than he previously believed himself to have not to hug her. 

“Not like that,” he clarified, coughing into his hand awkwardly. “I just mean that I’m pretty popular. Sure, I’m not Apple’s prince anymore, but I still have sway. I could help you recruit people.”

“Oh,” Rosabella’s voice sounded totally devoid of emotion, and Daring felt like kicking himself. But as he watched, he saw her eyes dart around as she processed the information, then finally widened when his offer sunk in. “Actually, that might work.”

“I can lure them in with baked goods and a smile,” Daring said, feeling one of his signature smiles begin to stretch his face, almost a reflex to his words. 

“Would you be baking the goods?” Rosabella asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Maybe,” Daring replied, a little defensively. He had wanted to try baking since he was young, but every time he used to wander towards the kitchen a maid would usher him away, telling him that was not for him to do. 

To his surprise, Rosabella smiled back. “I’d like that. But only if I get to help bake them, deal?”

He grasped her outstretched hand, feeling his body warm from where they touched, his smile growing wider the longer he looked at her.

“Deal.”

*

He was expecting Ginger to be hanging out in the school’s kitchen. From Darling, he had heard that apparently she spent every free evening down there, thinking up more complex and ridiculous recipes each night to keep herself entertained. 

Distantly, he wondered if she had to keep her mind so occupied to stop thinking about her destiny. After all, it was her fate to be baked alive. He shuddered at just the thought, glad it wasn’t him. 

However, by the time he finally reached the kitchen the only person waiting there was Apple. 

“Hello there,” she said. Daring was surprised when he found himself excited to see her now that the tension of their engagement was finally gone. 

“What are you doing down here?” he asked, trying his best to sound curious and not judgemental. Darling had told him once that he sounded the same either way, but he was sure that couldn’t be true. Still, he didn’t want to appear to be rude just in case. 

“Oh, Darling was going to meet me down here,” Apple replied, her ears turning red. It took Daring a second to realise why, and when he did he felt his own face heat up. 

“Oh….”

“I hope that’s not awkward,” Apple said quickly. Daring looked around and saw that she was, in fact, preparing to cook, but the bowls were laid out haphazardly, as if Apple had never done this before. 

Which, knowing her lineage, she probably hadn’t. 

“No, it’s fine,” Daring said, putting his hands in his pockets so they would stop hanging useless at his sides. 

At the time when everything had been happening, Daring hadn’t given much thought to the fact that it was Darling who woke Apple. In the space of the dimly lit kitchen, though, he finally let the whole awkward situation that was his sister and ex-girlfriend dating finally get to him. 

Well, his ex sort of girlfriend. His ex-fiance? His ex-destined princess? 

“I was actually going to meet Rosabella,” he found himself saying, although he couldn’t tell why. That information was none of Apple’s business, but she seemed to take the news better than he had taken hers. 

“I didn’t know you guys were dating,” she said, excited, her mouth parted a little in surprise. 

“We aren’t!” Daring replied, but even he could hear how much that sounded like a lie, even though it was true, technically. Sure, he had begun to notice Rosabella more than usual, but he wanted to take things slow, and he still wasn’t fully sure if she thought of him that way. 

Apple just raised an eyebrow and smirked, oblivious to the existential crisis she had inflicted on Daring. “Sure. And pigs don’t fly, until they have balloons.” 

“That makes no sense,” Daring huffed, but he felt his traitorous mouth tick up at Apple’s joke as he remembered the time one of the three little pigs had floated across Ever After High because he was attached to a hundred balloons. “And you don’t have the setup right.” 

“What are you talking about? I researched for hours to do this,” Apple groaned as Daring showed her how to properly attach the whisk to the stand mixer, and taught her how measuring cups work. 

“I thought you loved science?” he asked after helping her clear a workspace to roll out dough. 

“I do,” she replied, tilting her head as she began to fiddle with the dials of the oven. 

“Why are you so bad at this then?” he asked, swatting her hand away from the oven dials and handing her the instructions, which her eyes scanned with the same intensity they always had when it came to a problem she had not yet figured out how to solve. 

“I’m not bad, I just haven’t done this in a while,” she countered, barely paying attention to Daring anymore as her eyes darted between the oven and instructions. Carefully, she turned one of the dials, and her face split into a grin when the oven beeped to signal it was on. “Plus,” she added, turning to smile smugly at Daring, “my issue is with the equipment. Hand me a recipe and I’m good to go.”

Daring was about to admit defeat when the door burst open and both jumped up, relaxing when Rosabella and Darling walked in, arms looped through each other’s. 

Apple and Daring exchanged a sheepish glance as both remembered that, of course, the girls were roommates. They had most definitely told each other about their evening plans and had decided to walk down to the kitchen together. 

Try as he might, Daring could not fight the way his palms began to sweat and his throat tightened at the sight of Rosabella in her evening clothes. She wore red sweatpants and a gold tank top, with her glasses slightly askew and her hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head. 

Even though he most certainly wasn’t, Daring could not help but feel underdressed. He had worn his usual blue jeans and a light blue t-shirt, but Rosabella somehow managed to make sweatpants look far more elegant. 

Their eyes caught each other, and Daring realised she had been staring at him as much as he had been staring at her, so both looked away with an awkward cough. 

Darling, meanwhile, gave Apple a light peck on the cheek and examined the workspace. 

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” she said, eyes drifting to Daring like she could tell he was the one who had set this up. The two never had the twin telepathy that Dexter and her had, but for a moment Daring almost felt like they did.

“Yeah, well it was no trouble,” Apple replied, puffing her chest out like a peacock. Daring couldn’t help but notice how good the two looked around each other, and how naturally they weaved together, like a puzzle that had finally been finished. 

Maybe he should have felt jealous at that realisation, or lonely, or just plain sad. But the only emotion that would register was relief. For himself, for Apple, and for his sister, that they could finally get together like this and have the atmosphere so relaxed and welcome, instead of the gloom that had been haunting all three for months. 

He fought back a grin as he clapped his hands together, getting everyone’s attention. “So, should we get started?” 

*

Daring tried to remind himself that the bake sale was his idea. It was not easy, given his current predicament.

Stubbornness could be a good quality, but why did Rosabella insist on continuing the bake sale when it was raining all afternoon? And of course, the school would not allow this kind of stand in the hall since it would plug up the halls, so they were stuck outside. 

Daring, helpful as ever, was slumped in a chair with his arms crossed in front of him as he tried to keep from shivering. Above their booth hung a sign that read: BAKE SALE - ALL PROCEEDS GO TO ORC PRESERVATION FOUNDATIONS. He had at least been able to work on the sign with Rosabella that morning, trying to prolong the process so he could avoid going outside. 

Somehow, he had ended up there anyway. 

“We don’t even have any customers,” he complained, although it didn’t sound very strong with his teeth chattering so much that every word came out a minute at a time. 

“They’ll come to us eventually,” Rosabella insisted. She had that same fire in her eyes all morning, through every protest Daring had raised to going outside, and scanned the crowd with a ferocity not far from that of an assassin looking for their kill. “We just have to be patient.” 

A pointed look was thrown his way, but he just groaned and sunk further into his seat. “Tomorrow’s weather is supposed to be perfect, by the way.” 

“Is that so?” Rosabella asked, rearranging the containers of cupcakes and cookies and other baked goods they made last night. 

“Sunny sky.”

“Mhm.”

“No clouds,” Daring added, glaring at her. If she noticed then she paid him no mind, continuing to shuffle around the stand as if there was actual work to do and they weren’t stuck in the middle of a storm. 

“That sounds nice,” she said, her voice airy and distant. 

“The kind of day people usually want something sweet on,” Daring continued. 

“Well, we can set up the booth again tomorrow,” Rosabella said, and Daring broke. He got up and stood in front of her, which made her finally make eye contact with him. 

“My lips,” he had to pause to let his teeth chatter, “are turning blue. Blue! Who wants baked goods when their lips are blue?” 

“Ah, but you aren’t a customer,” she smiled sweetly at him, but Daring felt a swell of panic at the thought that he might have to stay out in the rain for another hour, and on impulse grabbed her hand with his own. “Agh!” 

“Do you feel how cold I am now?” He could tell that his voice was far from gallant, and a better word would have been pleading, but he was so desperate he didn’t care. Rosabella’s eyes were wide and fixed on where their hands were connected, her eyebrows finally drawing together in concern. 

“You might have hypothermia!” she exclaimed, eyes taking in his appearance. Under normal weather conditions, Daring might have felt embarrassed by the state of his appearance, since he was sure he looked far from princely at the moment, but then he felt himself slumping against Rosabella, and those concerns didn’t seem to matter as much anymore. 

Through bleary eyes, he could see Rosabella panic as she ran inside the school, returning with several people who Daring could not quite make out, but who lifted him up and carried him inside. 

In the bleary haze of his almost unconsciousness, he felt himself get a little embarrassed that he had to be carried inside the school as if he were already a corpse. The thought was also surprisingly morbid for him, but his thoughts seemed to have gone that way since the Ice Queen’s palace. 

The Ice Queen. He had avoided thinking about her since they had gotten back, but he couldn’t deny that he had been feeling very useless the entire trip there and back. In fact, as he was laid down shivering, he thought that the feeling of cold from the rain was not so different from how it had felt to be frozen from the Ice Queen’s powers. Trapped in his own body, freezing from the outside in. 

He would rather fight any monster than go through that again. Plus, it had reminded him just how useless his training could be against powerful magic. Maybe it was better that he wasn’t Apple’s prince. If Raven really had been evil, she probably could have taken him out in a heartbeat. 

“Don’t say that.” 

A soft voice roused him, and he slowly blinked his eyes all the way open, noticing he felt much warmer and drier than before. It took him a few more minutes to realise that was because he was in his bed, covered in so many blankets that the princess and her pea would have been proud of him. 

Rosabella sat at his bedside, Hopper nowhere to be found, and her eyebrows were knit together in concern. “You had me really worried for a second. I’ve never had someone pass out like that in front of me.”

Daring felt himself blush at the statement, and was glad that his face was partially obscured by a blanket draped around his shoulders. “I told you we should have waited until tomorrow.”

That made Rosabella frown. Uh oh. He was sure she was about to tell him off, but she just sighed. 

“Yeah, I think you might have been right about that one,” she muttered, her hand clenching, drawing a bit of his blankets into her fist. When she saw him smirking, her frown deepened. “Don’t gloat.” 

“Who, me? And why would I do that?” Daring kept his voice light as he wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she playfully shoved his shoulder. But when he went to sit up and try talking to her for real, his vision swam and he pitched forward, Rosabella catching him before he could fall off his bed. 

“Whoa there, prince,” she said, helping him sit back. “I think you still need a few more minutes.”

“What happened?” he asked, his tongue feeling just a bit heavier in his mouth than it had been a second ago. Rosabella hesitated, clearly debating whether she should tell him the truth or not, but eventually her shoulders sagged in defeat. 

“You didn’t wear enough layers and ended up getting hypothermia,” Rosabella replied, her voice shaking a little. Daring was tempted to reach out and grab her hand, but felt himself hesitate as he remembered how tentative she had been around him at the fountain. “I thought they taught you guys how to survive in any weather conditions in those hero courses.” 

Even though he could tell it was a jab at his teachers, Daring couldn’t help but feel a bit defensive. “Sure, but that’s for when we’re on the move, not sitting still in the rain for hours.” 

Rosabella’s shoulders hunched further as her face curled up into a guilty expression, and Daring felt any small spark of anger dissipate. 

“I should have listened to you,” Rosabella mumbled, and this time Daring could tell it was meant for herself, but he couldn’t help his interruption. 

“You couldn’t have known what would happen,” he admitted, letting himself lean back a bit further into his bed. Rosabella’s eyes searched his, but he couldn’t tell what she was looking for, or if she found it. “By the way, I have a question.”

“Yeah?” she said softly, her fists unclenching as she seemed to relax ever so slightly. 

“Why were you acting so weird around me?” 

“Ah,” she said, her eyebrows pulling together again as she examined her hands. Daring wondered if she wouldn’t answer him. “I was thinking.”

“Thinking,” he repeated. His head was still throbbing from when he tried to sit up, but he tried to ignore that to piece together what was going on with her. “Thinking about…?”

Rosabella sighed, adjusting her glasses as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I got some advice, back when we saw the Ice Queen.”

“Advice,” Daring echoed. The mention of the Ice Queen still sent a chill up the back of his spine, and Rosabella didn’t look any happier to be bringing her up. 

“Not from the Ice Queen herself,” she corrected herself quickly, raising her hands to wave them in front of herself. “From the guardian of that garden we stopped at, before we reached her palace. You and Dexter got knocked out, so I don’t know how much you remember.”

Her gaze was gentle and non judgemental, but Daring could still feel his face heat in embarrassment when he remembered the way he had been totally useless at that garden, having to be woken by Rosabella. As much as he was tempted to lie and say he had no recollection of it, though, he just nodded instead. If he wanted Rosabella to tell him the truth, he figured he owed some honesty as well. 

“Well, she told me something. She told me if I believe in everything, then I’ll stand for nothing.”

“But that’s ridiculous!” Daring protested, sitting up a little again and only having his vision swim a little that time. “It’s a good thing that you care about everything.”

“Is it?” Rosabella’s voice was quiet and vulnerable, her shoulders pulling in as she looked almost like she was trying to make herself take up less space. “I was so focused on orc rights that I didn’t even notice you got hypothermia! Maybe it would be better if I took a step back from things.” 

“So that’s why,” Daring felt the pieces begin to fit together. “You didn’t want me to take your attention away from more important things.”

Rosabella flinched at his words, and Daring couldn’t hide the hurt in his voice and face as he looked at her, but she didn’t deny it. “You’ve had such a hard year. I thought that if I could take away some of that confusion, maybe it could be a bit easier.” She bit her lip, considering her next words. “It was also for myself. I’ve never known someone like you before.” 

“Someone like me?” Daring asked, trying to compose himself a little, which was not easy, especially at that moment.

To his surprise, Rosabella laughed. “You make me so nervous,” she admitted, and Daring felt his face warm. “I think you might just be able to take my attention away from my protests if you tried. And when I realised that, well, it scared me. Terrified me. I’m sorry.”

Daring took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, and reminded himself that he had never been rejected by a girl before. He would not be starting now. 

“Do you know why I was waiting at your locker?” he asked. Rosabella’s eyes widened a little, but she shook her head. 

“I had just talked to Apple about how we would tell our parents that we couldn’t keep up the engagement anymore.” Even recalling it was difficult, and Daring felt his voice catch, but he persevered. “I was finally free, and I realised the first person I wanted to talk to was you, Rosabella.” Rosabella opened her mouth, but Daring continued quickly. Now that he had started he knew he couldn’t stop before he had said his piece. 

“It wasn’t because I wanted you to fix things for me, or so I could distract you. I like being around you. You make me think in a way that people normally don’t. No one wants to challenge their future king.” As he spoke, Daring realised just how much that part of his identity had always bothered him. As much as he enjoyed praise and attention, talking to Rosabella was the only time he ever got challenged on his thoughts directly, and had a conversation where he wanted to listen.

“You aren’t afraid to stand up for what you believe in. And, sure, it’s hard to care about a lot of things all at once. You can never have all your attention on every issue in the world,” Rosabella snorted, and Daring felt a smile growing on his own face, “but it has to be worth trying. That magician who told you all of that? She may have just been trying to tell you the truth, but I think she was wrong. I like that you care so much, and that you believe in everyone.”

“I don’t think her advice was really about you,” Rosabella admitted after a moment of silence. She was smiling shyly, which Daring took as progress. “But it is related to you, in a way. Which I think scared me.”

“What do you think she meant, then?” Daring asked, silently celebrating that he might have actually changed her mind. 

“I’ve been questioning whether I wanted to be a royal or a rebel for a long time. I like my destiny, but seeing how miserable trying to live up to yours made you, well, it made me think, and I don’t know that I believe in that as much anymore,” Rosabella admitted. 

If she had told Daring that even a month ago, he would have scoffed and brushed off her concerns, but he realised that she had a point. Living up to his destiny had been making him miserable, and even though he missed the attention sometimes, he couldn’t deny that having no wedding looming over his head had taken a huge weight off his chest. 

“And you’re a royal through and through,” Rosabella sighed. She let her hands rest on the edge of the bed, and tentatively, Daring reached out and placed his hand over hers. 

“I was,” he agreed. “But I’m not so sure anymore. You have a point, about how miserable I was. Maybe… maybe I need to figure out who I am, without the destiny. Just let myself be Daring, instead of Prince Daring.”

“I still think you can mess up my life,” Rosabella said softly, letting her hand tilt up so that Daring’s hand was resting in hers. 

“But Prince Daring was the womaniser, not me,” Daring protested, making both of them laugh softly as their fingers intertwined. Rosabella tilted her head, regarding him. 

“So this Daring, sans prince title,” she said, a full smile blooming, “would he be interested in, say, coming to a protest about the negative effect of hexsticides in dragon feed?” 

“Is that a date offer?” he asked before he could help himself. Rosabella ran her thumb across his knuckles, humming. 

“Not yet,” she said, but the way she was smiling kept Daring’s hopes from dropping as she leaned forward to place a light peck on his cheek. “But maybe, if this Just Daring person shows up to the protest, I could consider a better location for us to have baked goods. Who knows, he might even be able to go inside a cafe instead of out in the pouring rain.”

Daring felt his face break into the most honest smile he’d ever had in his life as the spot where Rosabella had kissed his cheek tingled. 

“I’d like that.”

Chapter Text

The week of spinning hay into gold was finally over, and Darling was fairly sure she had developed a carpal tunnel, but that didn’t matter. She could have been struck by lightning that week and it wouldn’t have mattered, because she was dating Apple White. 

Apple White was her girlfriend. 

It still didn’t feel real. She had been wandering around in the happiest daze of her life for the past week, barely able to suppress the urge to giggle in all of her classes. 

Of course, not all the reactions to her heroic act had been positive ones. Plenty of her suitors had been furious that she had ended up with a princess instead of a prince, and a few had quite rudely let her know, but she had managed to brush all of them off for the moment. 

She woke up on the first morning of freedom from her after school punishment in an exceptionally good mood. The sun was just beginning to rise, the clouds drifting along the orange sky peacefully as a light breeze blew through her window. She hadn’t seen such a picturesque morning in months, and savoured the view as she slipped out of her bed. 

Her good mood only increased when she realised Maid Marian would finally be back from her sick leave. 

Snow White had not taken the knowledge of her daughter’s broken off engagement well, and had left the school in a huff, leaving them with no Damsel in Distressing class for the rest of the week. Darling had been more than okay, but Maid Marian was finally okay to be back. 

She had a particularly bad case of Wonderland fever that she had been taking forever after to get over, but she had announced that it had finally left her alone last Friday, which meant she would be all good to return to her class. 

A bird came to settle on her window and she petted its head gently with one hand as her other began untangling her hair, letting it regain its usual cascading. 

When Darling looked in the mirror, she almost didn’t recognise herself. For months, the face looking back at her had dark circles, a tense line in her mouth, and eyes that looked haunted regardless of the amount of eyeshadow she put on. But that morning her cheeks were rosy, her eyes twinkled, and even when her face relaxed a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. 

She almost looked like herself again. The her that she had been months ago, before the Dragon Games and the Evil Queen’s rampage, before her world had been turned upside down and inside out, her perception of herself following suit. 

Her revelry was interrupted by Rosabella’s soft snoring, which made her sport an actual smile. 

Rosabella had been in a good mood too lately, or so it had seemed. Darling was not entirely sure what was going on between her roommate and her brother, and no one else seemed to be able to guess, but they seemed happy, so she decided she would be too. 

When she was done fixing her hair and applying a small amount of eyeliner and powder to her face, she slipped her school bag onto one shoulder and left early. 

She had someone waiting for her, after all. 

*

The door made a loud sound as Darling rapped her knuckles against it. Even though she should have felt comfortable by now, she couldn’t help the nerves that sprung up while standing in front of Apple’s door. After all, the last time she had gone to Apple’s room to seek her out was not that long ago. 

It was worth it when a pair of bright blue eyes peeked out at her, Apple’s face breaking into a sunny smile when she saw Darling. She glanced back at Raven, who was half falling out of her bed, and stifled a laugh as she shut the door behind her. 

The two were careful to be quiet as they moved through the halls and out onto the field. 

After her kidnapping, it had taken Apple a few days to feel safe at the school again. Even now, Darling could see the way her shoulders tensed as they moved out onto the open lawn. She reached back to grab Apple’s hand, still amazed that she was allowed to, and squeezed it gently. A reminder that she was there, and nothing would happen. 

Apple smiled as she let Darling lead her out onto the field.

It had been Darling’s suggestion. She knew that afternoon would be difficult for her, so she had wanted to start her day off right. Watching the sunrise on their first actual morning free from their hextra credit only seemed right. 

Darling reached a hand into her backpack and pulled out the picnic blanket she had stuffed in there last night. 

“You really thought this through,” Apple remarked. Darling was relieved to hear that she sounded as nervous as Darling felt. 

“A princess never sits on grass. It could stain her dress,” Darling replied as she made sure the corners of the blanket were flat, her tone mimicking the one her mother reserved for scolding Darling about manners. 

Apple laughed, and Darling wished she could bottle the sound. “I wouldn’t want that, then.” 

They settled onto the blanket next to each other, shifting around as they tried to find a comfortable position. Apple’s knee brushed Darling’s and she flinched, making both of them laugh. 

“I’m no good at this,” Darling admitted quietly, feeling her face heat up. She finally settled on crossing her legs and resting her hands against her knees, which made her shoulders rise up and messed with her usual perfect posture, but she found she didn’t mind. 

Apple shifted a bit closer to her, so that their knees were touching slightly. “Well that’s good, because I’m no good at this either.” 

“Yeah, but you’ve actually been in a relationship before,” Darling complained as she felt a bit of the tension melt out of her, the touch of her and Apple’s knees grounding her. “I have no experience with this.” 

Her eyebrows raised when Apple started laughing at her. “What?” 

“I’ve never dated ,” Apple mimed air quotes around the word, “anyone but Daring, and all we did on those dates was eat at cute cafes so I could take photos.”

“Would you have preferred that?” Darling asked, suddenly self conscious about what was, admittedly, a pretty odd offer to hang out. 

Apple shook her head and took one of Darling’s hands in her own. “I like that this is what we’re doing instead. It feels more unique, you know? Those cafe visits, they were something I could have just as easily done with Briar instead. But I wouldn’t watch the sunrise with anyone else.” 

“You promise?” Darling muttered, eyes fixed on where Apple’s thumb traced her knuckles. 

“I may be a morning person, but even I usually don’t get up this early,” Apple replied, smirking. Then, her face softened, and a faint blush crept up on her cheeks. “You don’t have to be so nervous, is my point. I’m new at this too.”  

Darling felt herself relax more the longer Apple held her hand, her good mood when she woke up returning in full swing. “I can’t believe I almost missed this.”

“At least you told me,” Apple said, her face darkening. “I kept trying to ignore my feelings away.” 

As much as Darling had somewhat known that was what Apple had been doing, hearing it from her mouth was another matter entirely. She covered Apple’s hands with her own, holding her like she was a particularly fragile piece of china. 

“But you told me,” Darling assured her, feeling a little smug at the smile she elicited from Apple. “Why did you decide that was when you wanted to tell me, anyway?” 

“What happened with the Ice Queen was part of it,” Apple admitted, averting her eyes to stare out at the clouds, where a thin line of orange was just beginning to break through over the walls surrounding the school. “But there was also this sense of urgency that felt missing from before. I mean, you were moving in a week. If I hadn’t told you then, when would I?”

“At least now we don’t have to go home for a couple more months,” Darling sighed, and was surprised when she saw Apple’s frown. “What is it?”

“I,” Apple hesitated as she took in Darling’s face, and Darling could see the debate she was having with herself. “Would you come to my house this summer?” 

The offer took Darling off guard, and she felt her cheeks flush. A whole summer of Apple. It sounded like a dream come true, and she wanted to say yes, but she could see the hesitation in Apple’s eyes that meant she was holding something back. 

“Why?” Darling asked, even as internally she screamed yes. 

Apple paused for a long moment as she looked out at the sunrise, her earlier smile replaced with a small frown. Darling almost thought she wouldn’t answer when she finally said, “I don’t like the thought of you going back to that house.” 

She noticed Apple was avoiding her eyes, but her lips were quavering. Any moment she would tip. “But why does that bother you? It’s my childhood home.” 

Even as she said it, Darling felt a little bile rise in her throat. Sure, it was technically her house and where she had grown up, but it had never felt like home. Its only saving grace had been the presence of her brothers, but eventually, she had lost even that. 

“I don’t want you to get locked up in a tower,” Apple admitted, and Darling noticed how tense she had gotten, surprised by the amount it seemed Apple had been worrying about that. “It’s not right. I know my mom can be unfair sometimes, and I need to work on her, and myself even, but locking up your child?” 

Darling felt her throat constrict. Sure, she knew her brothers had complained about the tower endlessly, and hated the idea from the moment it was introduced, but Apple was the first person she had told outside of her family. 

Seeing her concern made her feel worse, a bit. But it also made her feel seen. 

“So you want us to have a romantic summer at your place instead,” Darling replied, leaning forward a little so that she could get a better view of how Apple went from being worried to being flustered. 

“That’s not what I said!” she protested, her face a bright, peachy pink. “And it doesn’t have to be my house.”

Darling felt her smile droop a little. “What do you mean?”

If Apple had been blushing a little before, then she had transformed into a full, well, apple. One of her hands came up to block her face from Darling’s view, who kept trying to tilt her head to get a good look at her girlfriend. 

“Stop looking at me,” Apple whined, her other hand coming up to block her face as her blush began to extend out to even her ears. 

“But you’re so cute,” Darling protested, her breath coming out in a small huff as she tried to contain her amusement. “And you were telling me about our amazing, awesomely romantic summer.”

Still, Darling didn’t want to push her luck too much, so she turned her head towards the sunset, which was what finally made Apple lower her hands. Out of her peripheral vision, Darling noticed how flustered the usually composed Apple White was, and had to suppress a pang of disappointment that she didn’t have a camera with her. 

“I was thinking,” Apple continued, brushing her skirt flat, “that if you weren’t comfortable with my mother’s palace, we could go somewhere else.”

It was Darling’s turn to flush red. “Like where?”

“Well, Ever After is a big place. Where do you want to go?” Darling whipped her head around to stare at Apple, and grinned when she saw the twinkle in her girlfriend’s eyes. She was serious. 

“We could go anywhere,” Darling felt her body warm up as the cool chill of the morning fell off her with each deep breath and thought of the possibilities. “We could go to Neverland and visit the mermaids-”

“We could go to Wonderland.” Apple had a knowing gleam in her eyes. “I know you liked being the White Knight. I didn’t mind the place, either. It’s a bit less logical than I would prefer, of course, but maybe a little illogic could help right now.” 

Darling was sure her jaw had to be on the floor. Apple and she had never talked about the fact that Darling was the White Knight, or at least his successor. After she had revealed the information, everyone had moved on as quickly as they found out, assuming this was a passing interest of the princess that would quickly fade. 

But she thought about what it would be like to go back. To spar with Chase Redford again, the only opponent who hadn’t condescended to her because she was a girl. To go where people didn’t know her family name, and suitors weren’t hounding her constantly with proposals. 

Before she could even think it through, she was nodding, her cheeks sore with the width of her smile. “Yeah.” She was surprised by how raw her voice sounded, but she had never heard herself so genuinely happy. “I would like that.” 

The sun began to become fully visible over the wall, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, and Darling and Apple talked through their new summer plans in flurried excitement, their hands intertwined the whole time. 

*

Darling was grateful that she had a good morning, because the current atmosphere made her long for the days of the Ice Queen’s palace. 

It was Dexter’s idea for the siblings to have a picnic. Why, she had no idea. He was under the impression that they needed to start talking to each other more so that messes like this could be avoided further. Darling wanted to be mad at him, but he had confessed that Raven had been the one to suggest it, and she could never hold a grudge against someone that sweet. 

Still, that did nothing to help her current predicament. Dexter, Daring, and Darling were sitting in a circle like they were about to start summoning spirits, and no one had uttered a word since they had sat down, which had coincidentally been the longest five minutes of Darling’s life. 

Finally, Dexter let out an awkward cough. “So, I thought it would be good to clear the air.” 

Darling glared at him, but he seemed intent on ignoring her, and was instead staring at Daring as if expecting him to be the one to break the ice. Daring just so happened to not notice Dexter’s staring, though, because his eyes kept flickering over to Darling. 

After the two had baked together, Apple and Daring had lost any residual awkwardness around them, and the tension around Darling and Daring had significantly faded. The most frustrating part was that the tension didn’t even come from anger. Darling was the furthest thing from mad at her brother. She just had no idea how to talk to him anymore, not that she had ever really known how to in the first place. 

“Yeah, what a great idea,” Darling drawled, which finally got Dexter to look at her. He at least had the good sense to seem apologetic. 

Clearing his throat again, Dexter continued. “Clearly, the last few months have been a lot. And I just thought maybe you guys would want to talk.” 

“About what?” Daring asked. He sounded genuinely curious, which threw Darling off. He had been doing that to her a lot recently, becoming so genuine that she almost couldn’t recognise him for the boy who carried a mirror around with him everywhere. She had even seen him regularly attending orc rights protests with Rosabella, and had to do a triple take at the time to ensure she wasn’t hallucinating. 

“The past few months have been difficult,” Dexter sighed, all of them frowning at the mention. “But we also haven’t had time to really talk to each other. I missed you guys.” 

Darling and Daring glanced at each other. They knew when Dexter was being sincere, and it was so difficult to be annoyed at someone who constantly radiated the energy of a kicked puppy. 

“Missed you too,” they muttered in unison. 

Even though the two sounded less than enthusiastic, Dexter brightened at their apparent willingness to partake in his enforced family therapy session. 

Clapping his hands together, he said, “Great! So I thought first I could apologise to you guys. Uh, specifically Daring.” 

“What are you apologising to me for?” Daring asked, incredulous, but Dexter just shook his head with a gentle smile. 

“I kind of told Darling that Raven and I were together immediately after it happened. And I should have told you guys about the stunt I was going to pull with the principal. I didn’t think you would get involved, but that was probably short-sighted,” Dexter smirked at his pun, adjusting his glasses as Daring stared at him, mouth agape. 

“Did you think I didn’t know?” He sounded almost hurt, and Dexter’s eyes widened as he stared at his brother. 

“What?” Darling wanted to laugh at how meek Dexter sounded. 

“Oh my crown, Dex, of course I knew! You were so obvious it was painful,” Daring chided. Darling didn’t miss how light and relaxed he sounded, though, his eyes glinting with a happiness and humour she had never seen in her brother, well, ever. 

“I wasn’t that bad,” Dexter protested, which made Darling snort. “Hey! You’re supposed to be on my side here!”

“Sorry Dex, but Daring’s right. Anyone could have guessed that you and Raven had a thing for each other,” Darling replied, smirking as Dexter’s mouth fell open in outrage. 

“Then why were you,” he pointed to Daring, “saying you would seduce her?” 

“You what?” Darling screeched, loud enough for a couple students passing by to glance at them nervously, but she was too busy glaring at Daring to care. 

Daring shifted. “That was with good intentions. Plus, I wasn’t going to make her fall in love with me or anything, it was just to get her to follow her destiny.” After a moment of being glared at by his siblings, he added, “Which I see now was wrong, of course.” 

“You two are impossible,” Darling groaned. 

“I’m inclined to agree with you on that,” a familiar voice said, and Darling turned to see Raven walking up to them, placing a quick peck on Dexter’s cheek as she sat down next to him. “So, have you told them the news?” 

“Don’t tell me you two are getting married now,” Daring said, voice wavering. But Raven just laughed, leaning back into Dexter like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

“No, we’re still far too young for that,” she said. “I’ll take that as a no, then.”

“What news?” Darling asked, staring at Dexter, who had begun to chew on his lip nervously. It was a habit he picked up when he was about to say something to an audience he knew would have mixed reactions. 

“I’m not going home this summer,” he told them, and Darling noticed the way he slipped his hand into Raven’s to ground himself. 

“But you can’t just not come home,” Daring protested. “You have duties that you need to live up to! We’re entering our last couple years of school, Dex, there are things our parents need to show us!” 

Daring was right. Technically, Dexter was his backup, so any official training that Daring got when they were at home to inherit the kingdom was also taken by Dexter. But Dexter just shook his head. Darling thought he looked like Headmaster Grimm’s brother, like he had seen the end of his life and accepted it years ago. 

“Actually I don’t,” he said. “Mom and dad removed me from the line of succession.”

“They did what?” Darling and Daring screeched in unison, once again earning their little picnic several worried glances from the people surrounding them. However, Dexter just shrugged like it meant nothing to him. 

Maybe it doesn’t , Darling thought, shocked. 

“They told me I’m still free to come and visit, but all my official duties have been stripped. Mom sent me the news a couple days ago.” Raven was playing with Dexter’s fingers, but Darling noticed she was frowning, and realised Raven probably felt guilty for the decision. On the other hand, Dexter looked relieved. 

“But why would they?” Daring’s voice trailed off. They all knew why. 

“This was the most peaceful public explanation they could give after I announced my relationship. People were horrified,” Dexter explained with a flat drawl. He had never sounded less nervous. 

“So you’re going to Raven’s for the summer,” Darling said, looking between the two, who seemed a bit sheepish under her gaze, but she saw the twinkle in Dexter’s eyes as he looked at her. 

“Raven’s going to take me sailing on a real lake,” he said, smiling at her. “Apparently ours doesn’t count.” 

“It’s barely even big enough to fit the classification,” Raven grumbled, and Darling had a feeling this was a discussion the two had several times already. “I mean really, you need space if you want to be a good sailor, and you had lessons! They were absolutely wasted.”

“Then I guess it’ll just be me and Darling,” Daring said, his voice quiet and soft and utterly disbelieving.

“Actually, I guess I have a bit of news too,” Darling confessed, feeling her face warm a bit. “Apple and I are going to Wonderland for the summer.” 

“Nice,” Dexter grinned at her, but Daring looked horrified. 

“So you’re leaving me alone with mom and dad?” he asked, his head whipping between his two siblings. There was no way Daring could get away with going away for the summer. Unlike Dexter and Darling, he had actual official responsibilities that he was beginning to be old enough to fulfil. 

Darling felt a pang of sympathy for her older brother. Even if he was no longer in a forced engagement, he was still trapped in other ways, and always would be. 

“Come on, Daring, they love you,” Dexter tried to reassure him. “And you’ll see Darling and me in September. It’s only two months.”

“Yeah,” Daring grumbled, but he still looked like the two had just shot his cat in front of him. 

Darling kind of understood her brother’s melancholy. If they were all going to be in separate parts of the world during the summer, then they really only had a couple more months of hanging out together. And the three had never been apart for that long. 

It was terrifying, realising the people who she had as constants in her life were about to be apart from her for the longest time ever. Dexter seemed to come to the same conclusion, because as the silence wore on his own smile faded, replaced by a small frown as his eyebrows knit together. 

“I promise he’ll come visit you at your house,” Raven interjected. Darling didn’t miss how uncomfortable she looked, and felt a little guilty for being part of the reason Raven felt that way. “And he can go to Wonderland any time he wants, too. I need to make sure I visit Maddie sometimes, so we can go then.” 

That made Darling feel a little better. 

“I suppose mom and dad couldn’t refuse a trip to Wonderland if I told them it was official business,” Daring mused. Darling had to stop herself from asking him who he was. The Daring she had known a few months ago would have never undermined authority like that, and yet there he was, doing exactly that. 

“We’ll keep in touch,” Darling announced. Her brothers looked at her. “At least twice a month we’ll get together, the three of us like this, and catch up. How does that sound?” 

Her brothers exchanged a look before nodding at her. The three stuck their pinkies out, linking them through the way they used to do when they were small, and burst out laughing. They were changing, and they still had a long way to go. 

But for the first time, Darling felt like maybe everything would work out okay.