Chapter Text
Apple's POV
Apple White pushed the red lace curtains open to let in the golden sunlight. The princess gazed out the window of the 5th story lounge in the White Kingdom castle. In the far distance she could just barely make out the white stone and red roofs of the legendary high school that she a her friends would be attending the very next day.
She turned from the window to gaze at those very friends right now. "Honestly though," Apple thought, "after everything we have been through, we are are really more like a family." Her heart warmed at the thought.
Said friends were all currently in the lounge with Apple as well. Everyone was either talking amongst themselves, reading a book they brought with them or, in Briar's case, taking a quick nap on the push red velvet couches in the room. Everyone in the lounge was the son or daughter of fairy tale royalty: There was Briar Beauty, the daughter of Sleeping Beauty, her cousin Rosabella Beauty-Beast, daughter of Beauty and the Beast, Ashlynn Ella the daughter of the glass slipper wearing Cinderella, Daring, Dexter and Darling, the sons and daughter of King Charming, Blondie Lockes, daughter of Goldielockes, Duchess Swan, the daughter of the Swan Princess, Holly and Poppy O'Hair, the twin daughters of Rapunzel, Hopper Croakington II, son of the Frog Prince, Justine Dancer, the youngest daughter of the 12th Dancing Princess, Humphrey Dumpty, son of Humpty Dumpty, and Meeshell Mermaid, daughter of the Little Mermaid.
The group had spent many days together in the various rooms of this very castle. During the war, the now teenagers, then children, would stay together in various rooms to play, talk and sometimes even have sleepovers as their parents would have wartime meetings. Sometimes these meetings would go on for hours upon hours as the famous fairy tales characters struggled to put a stop to the Rebel Queen's army.
Apple shook those thoughts from her head. Those days were in the past now. Thanks to their parent's valiant efforts, the Rebel Queen's reign of terror has finally come to an end. The leader of the rebellion was now trapped behind a mirror forever after for her crimes. Peace was finally restored to the Land of Ever After.
Things were almost perfect. Almost.
Apple sat down beside Briar, who suddenly woke up with a loud snore. The pink clad princess sprung straight up, "Hey, just letting you guys know, Mr. Grimm and our parents are almost done with their meeting and will be coming to talk to us soon." A few of the others nodded or let out small murmurs of acknowledgement. Apple smiled at her best friend.
Briar turned to face Apple, "Alright, spill it, bestie, what's got you feeling are nervous?"
Apple sighed, rubbing her hand over the apple red velvet, "I just, I can't help but think about, the 'other' students that will be attending Ever After High with us."
Apple heard Duchess let out a sharp snort. The ballet princess had been reading a book on the couch across from Briar, but had evidently lost interest it whatever she was reading after hearing Apple's comment. "If you ask me, those children of traitors shouldn't even be allowed to attend the school." She had said this loud enough for the whole room to hear, and a few others had turned their heads in their direction. One of those students was Rosabella.
"Don't say that, Duchess!" the glasses wearing princess joined the conversation, "They were innocents in the war, just like we were. They could not help who they were born too."
This must has set the Swan Princess off, because after loudly slamming her book shut, she fixed the brown-haired girl with a stare that could cut like glass. "Don't care if they were born to the Rebel Queen herself or her lowliest minion! As far as I am concerned, each member to that god-forsaken rebellion is just as much of a traitor as the army's first volunteer!"
Rosabella's mouth began to curl into a snarl, and Duchess's eyes began to narrow. Seeing that this was about to get out of hand, Apple jumped in, physically putting herself between to two girls.
"Okay, okay, both of you settle down. First of all Duchess," Apple mediated, "Rosabella's not wrong, those poor kids that were born into the Rebels have never know anything but their group's twisted ideology. They don't know any better, but now that they are gonna be going to school with us, they can begin to learn." Duchess began to look calmer at this, still irritated, but calmer.
Apple now turned to face the brunette, "And Rosa, don't be so hard on Duchess. I agree that what she said and how she said it was not okay," Apple put her hand up, letting Rosabella know that she has more to say, "But no one can deny that she, and the rest of us, have been scarred by this war."
Rosabella took a breath, visibly calmer now, "I get that, Apple, and you are right, we all have been scarred. All I wished to point out is that, as you said, these Rebel kids haven't known anything else, and that we should give them the benefit of the doubt and give them a chance."
Apple smiled sweetly, happy that she a Rosabella at least, were on the same page on that front, "Exactly," she then turned to the rest of the group, "and I think we should all do that. These poor kids probably have heard nothing but the biased, Rebellion view of the world and we need to help them learn and adjust to this new world they are about to enter into."
Apple's future prince, Daring stood up and joined Apple up front, he flashed his signature smile, "Apple is right, these Rebel kids don't need hate and scorn right now, they need help and support. We need to welcome them as if they were one of us."
Apple felt so proud and supported by Daring in that moment. Even though the two of them were not exclusively dating yet, it was nice to know that he had her back on these important issues.
"I could not agree more!" a familiar, deep voice suddenly declared form the lounge entrance.
Apple turned, not bother hiding the smile on her face, "Mr. Grimm!"
Milton Grimm, descendant of the famous Brothers Grimm, had entered the room, along with the teenager's family members. Even though he was not related to Apple by blood, the amount of time he spent with her and her family during the war made him feel like he was.
Apple and Daring moved a little bit to the side to that the other teenagers could see the adults clearly.
"Young men and ladies, I understand that you have all had a trying time, and that many of you feel uneasy going to school with the children of our enemies, but please, do not fear. Me and your parents have made it clear to the Rebel's that type of destructive or warlike behavior will not be tolerated at Ever After High. This is a chance for these Rebel children to begin a new chapter and have their life path corrected. So please, welcome them. Give them time and patience. Just like you have, they have also suffered during the Rebel Queen's rule, it is due time they also recover just as we have."
Apple could not help but clap enthusiastically at the end of Mr. Grimm's speak. "He practically took the words out of my mouth!" Apple thought. Her clapping slowly rippled through the room.
Once everything had quieted down, the kids and their parents began to leave so that the teens may prepare for tomorrow. Briar was the last to go, giving her bestie the longest hug she could before her father had to gently pull her away.
It was now just Apple, her parents, the White Castle staff, and Mr. Grimm. Apple began to head towards her bedroom to start getting ready for bed, but before she could begin her ascension, she felt a large, warm hand on her shoulder. She turned and was meant with Mr. Grimm's dark green eyes.
"Miss White, before you head off to bed, there is something your parents and I wish to speak to you about."