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Red dreaded the lessons her mother told her were coming. Being home for summer break was tedious enough without the Queen breathing down her neck. “I hope you don’t have to use this for many many more years, but it’s good to start these lessons, young darling.” She followed her mother to her Royal office. It was different than when Red was younger. Brighter and less threatening. “Today we’ll start with something simple.” She motioned for Red to sit in the chair across her desk. Doing so Red noticed the large leather-bound book splayed open. “You’re still familiar with family history, yes?” Nodding she leaned over to get a better look. “We will be going over why the Hearts are the ruling bloodline and the achievements of the past few generations.” Bridget leaned forward and took both of Red’s hands. “Darling, our family’s history can get quite dark at times and I need you to let me know if you get overwhelmed.” The princess almost scoffed. How ironic is it that her mother is warning her about the dark deeds of the royal family when she was raised watching beheadings? Regardless she agreed and they moved to the sofa. 

“No one is exactly sure when the Hearts started their reign over Wonderland, just as no one is sure who ruled before.” Leaning towards Red, Bridget opens the book and reveals countless pages of family trees. Page after page hundreds of Hearts filled the book. “However it has been agreed upon by most historians that the Hearts began their rule after a great war threatened to tear Wonderland apart.” A grim look settled over her face and it made Red squirm in her seat. She’s never seen that look on her mom before. It seemed almost remorseful? “As you are aware we possess a special and unique connection to the land. We could keep those who were hostile to each other apart and vice versa.” Turning to a different page she passed the book over to Red. A beautiful map illustrated the pages and her eyes widened. 

“It’s completely different!” Looking up she saw a small smile on Bridget’s face. “I know it changes all the time, but it usually stays in the same areas.” Nodding her mother took the book back and flipped to a new page revealing another map.

“The landscape was changed to fit the people’s needs. We are intricately connected to the land and all who live here. There is a reason we’ve ruled for so long.” Red’s eyes were glued to her mother as she talked about the great monarchs of the past. She didn’t particularly enjoy history, but this was all new to her. All the information sat in her mind almost pulling her in, and her mother’s face? It was seared into her mind. A wide grin spread over her face as she spoke of the kind-hearted Kings and Queens of the past. Occasionally she would stand to mime certain actions in the story and Red gaped. Her Mother, Queen of Hearts was making a complete fool of herself while teaching Red about how to rule without violence or fear. 

It was overwhelming. She felt a pressure build in her chest and she internally cursed the burning behind her eyes. There was no reason to cry right now. It was all good things being said. “Help the people and they’ll help you.” not “When you’re a Queen, submission should be default in your subjects, if not? Off with their heads!” Why did she feel like the world was caving in around her? Her vision blurred and she tried harder to breathe against her tightening chest. What if she was too much like the old version of her mom? What if it was too late for her? She couldn’t destroy the peace and happiness her people had! Pulling at her shirt she tried to get another breath. No matter how hard she tried, the air wouldn’t stay. Clocks, she can’t do this. 

She leapt back when someone touched her arm. Her vision blurred as she looked for an exit. She had to get out of this tiny room. She, she couldn’t get the air to stay in her lungs. “Red?” Her mother was going to kill her. She was being weak and the queen didn’t allow weakness. Fumbling she found the door handle and she sprinted down the hall. Ignoring the voices calling for her she pushed forward. She had to escape. She squinted as she entered the courtyard. Racing to her tree she stumbled over the roots. A whimper left her lips as she hit the ground. Scooting until her back hit the tree, she gasped for air. Her vision swam as she took off her jacket. Ripping the collar of the t-shirt she had underneath she could finally hold in a breath. Not long enough, but it was something. Keeping her eyes screwed shut she tried to do the thing Chloe did to help her calm down. How many seconds in? Oh right, four. 1…2…3…4, hold it in, and let it out. 

“Darling?” Her head snapped towards the voice. Her mother had found her. She never followed when Red got like this. 

“I’m- I- I’m sorry.” She gasped, scrambling around the tree. “Please, please, please.” She hated the way she always turned into a pleading mess. 

“Red, dearest you are safe.” As if to prove it the Queen knelt in the grass. “No one is going to hurt you.” She looked as if she was in pain keeping her distance. Her mother wasn’t here. This was Bridget. Kind, sweet, and caring Bridget. Hiccuping Red slowly returned to her spot at the bottom of the tree. There was still at least a foot of distance between them, but Bridget didn’t try to move closer. They watched each other as the time passed. It became easier to breathe, but there was a new pressure building up behind her eyes and she felt the tears fall once again. Her mother picked at the grass with one hand and ran her fingers over her dress with the other. The Red Queen never sat in the grass, or the ground. Always prim, always proper. Only getting her hands dirty when absolutely necessary. 

Taking the risk, Red held a hand out. The Queen stared at it for a moment unsure, but after she didn’t pull back a manicured hand slowly squeezed hers. Then moving carefully as if to try not to startle an animal she inched closer until Red met her the rest of the way. Leaning into her mother’s embrace she let out the sobs her chest kept in. “Oh, Darling. It’s okay.” Red felt a hand trace circles on her back and the other ran through her hair. 

This was the first time she’d ever cried like this in front of her mom. She sobbed harder. “Let it out dear, just let it all out.” And she did. Everything she still had in her body from before the time machine. The fear, pain, and isolation. Bridget gently rocked them and whispered kind words to her as she cried. Even after she ran out of tears the sobs wracked her body. It felt neverending. The pain was always there. The fear haunted her still. 

Eventually, she didn’t have the energy to keep crying and curled further into the arms that held her. They sat there for who knows how long before her mom spoke up. “How are you feeling love?” Keeping her face hidden she mumbled a reply. Shockingly a soft chuckle fell from the Queen’s lips. “I’m afraid I didn’t hear that darling.” 

“Better.” 

Bridget hummed. “Do you think we could make it inside? I’m not particularly trusting of those clouds.” Looking up, Red saw the large dark clouds that slowly took over the sky. Nodding she made to stand but stumbled. Catching her daughter and pulling to her side Bridget shot her a worried look. “Come now Red, let’s get you to bed.” Silently following her mother’s guidance she allowed herself to be set on her bed. A set of sleep clothes was pressed into her hands. “Are you able to get changed, or do you need help?” Suddenly aware of all the unexplained scars on her body she quickly nodded and assured Bridget that she could change. “Okay darling, I’ll be back soon. I’m going to change and get some water and a snack for you.” With that, she left and Red started to change when she heard the soft click of the door. 

By the time her mom returned, she was half asleep on top of the covers. “Dear, you’ll get cold sleeping like that.” An amused expression on her face as she entered the room. Placing the glass of water and plate of cookies on the side table she made the princess get tucked in properly. Leaning over she pressed a soft kiss on the top of her daughter’s head. “Do you need anything else dear?” Grabbing onto her mom’s hand she pulled her towards the bed. “Oh!” Following the hand the queen sat beside Red in the bed. 

“Can you stay?” She couldn’t bring herself to look up at the woman. She was afraid if she did she would be unable to sleep. “Just ‘till I fall ‘sleep.” She felt warm arms wrap around her once more and she sighed at the odd but comforting cinnamon scent.

“Of course, Darling. I’ll always be here when you need me.” Bridget hummed as she ran a hand through Red’s hair. Soaking in the presence of her mom, knowing if she didn’t she’d forget from exhaustion. She let the waves of drowsiness take her to sleep. 

Chapter Text

The next day was uneventful since Bridget gave her the day off. She said she had back-to-back meetings, but she knew it was because of her breakdown. Embarrassed as she was, there were no complaints from her. When they reconvened to start again her mom gave her the same warning but started where they left off. “Now I must warn you this is where our family starts to get dark.” Red nodded for her to continue. Pressing on Bridget told her about many horrible things that the royals had done and how she could prevent herself from doing the same. “Not all the monarchs were cruel on purpose, but that is why education is crucial.” Red did her best to follow along, but she felt herself drifting away in her mind. “I think that’s enough for now. Let’s break for lunch and then I’ll have you join me after my meeting.”  

“Sounds good.” Giving her mom a hug she left and had lunch. Walked the gardens and did all the dumb stuff Chloe made her do when she got spacey. By the time she was done, it was time to go back to her mom. Repeating her earlier warning the Queen dove right into it. 

“King Albert was not like any of the other rulers I’ve spoken about.” Bridget paced as she spoke. “He was kind and patient, until one day someone took advantage of that and it was like a switch flipped.” Her eyes had a distant look to them, but she continued speaking. “He turned bitter, cruel, and malicious.” Going on she spoke on many of the horrible things the past King had done. “He had many citizens executed and imposed restrictive laws.” Red felt herself growing distant with the similarities, but she forced herself to stay grounded. Oddly her mom seemed more and more absent as she continued. “He died alone. No one dared enter his room when he gave the order to keep everyone out.” Bridget was facing towards the window effectively hiding her face. “Only one person attended his funeral.” 

Red was speechless. She was sure at least a small crowd would be there if her mother had died. Even if just to be sure she was dead. Albert must’ve been truly awful to have just one person show up. “Who was it?” 

There was a heavy moment of silence before her mom spoke. “His daughter.” Her voice was weak as she spoke. Her hands wiped at her face as she turned and Red was shocked to see Bridget crying. “Red, Darling we must be careful.” The Queen moved and sat next to the princess. Holding her hands they locked eyes. “There is a madness in us. A curse that is passed down through the generations.” Red’s eyes widened. “It bubbles just below the surface, a hot boiling rage that waits for the chance to spill. I hope that it skips you and you aren’t forced to carry its burden, but I was not so lucky.” 

“I- I don’t understand.” 

A dark chuckle filled the room. “You won’t until you feel it. It’s all-consuming and taints everything you see. You are filled with the fury and hate of every person who came before you and everyone who will come after. You can’t stop it, someone has to pull you out. Cut off its flow.” Silent tears stream down her face. “I pray that you never experience it, but if you do please try to control it. It feels impossible and it is, but you must try.” 

Red trembled as she absorbed her mother’s words. “I promise, I promise I’ll try.” 

Carefully Bridget holds her face. “I’m sorry for waiting so long to tell you, darling, I didn’t want to frighten you.” A fierce look morphed onto her face. “You are a strong and kind young woman and I am so, so proud of you, and everything that makes you, you. I know you will resist it, you are better than I.” Pulling Red into a hug they held the embrace for some time letting the weight of their curse sit on both shoulders instead of one. Once they pulled apart Red kept close to her mom throughout the day. She wasn’t scared she’d go mad, but she seemed so sad and distant. She wanted to help like she was helped, so she would sit in on meetings and relax reading books or sketching as her mom did paperwork. 

As the day turned to night they shared another hug outside the queen’s chambers. “Thank you for today.” The Queen had a knowing look. 

Red shrugged. “I’ve missed you.” 

Now grinning she pulled her daughter into her arms again. “I’ve missed you too darling.” Placing a kiss on Red’s head she wished her goodnight and turned to retire for the night, 

“I could stay with you!” Red shrunk back, surprised by her statement. “If- If you want, of course, I just thought it’d be nice and I really do miss you a lot.” 

Opening the door Bridget motioned inside. “You are always welcome, but you do not have to. I will be alright.” With a nod, Red turned to get sleep clothes and returned quickly. Snuggling up close she smiled as she took in her mother’s scent once again. She smelled sweeter than before, it helped her tell the difference. It was nice, just like her mom. If someone told her a year ago that she'd willingly sleep in the same bed as her mother, much less cuddling too, she would laugh them into the dungeon. Yet here she was, clinging to her mother like a baby monkey feeling sleep pull at her mind.

Chapter Text

Weeks went by and the two got into a routine. Every other day would be for lessons and the others would be for Red to use as she saw fit. Her lessons ranged from traditional ceremonies to diplomacy, to boring trade meetings that went on for far too long. Red never realized how much went into being a good ruler and how much of an impact her mom had made on the people. It was inspiring and while she still didn’t want to rule she knew she had to learn how to. If she was going to abdicate the throne she had to make sure people were ready to take her place. Looking through the book of royals it looked like no one had ever abdicated the throne without a clear Heart heir, so that would be a challenge, but she was smart! 

Today they were going to check on military operations. Her mom had told her about what had been done to protect her kingdom and how she kept a vested interest in maintaining a strong fighting force. Red fidgeted as they traveled to a nearby garrison, being in charge of a military force made her feel sick. Upon arrival, she felt much worse. A soldier opened the carriage door and more of them lined the path to the door. Every one of them stood at attention and saluted both of them. Upon entry, every soldier stopped what they were doing and saluted them. Nausea bubbled in Red’s stomach. She hated this, she wasn’t worthy of their respect. She didn’t do anything to earn this attention. Bridget dismissed them and they were led to a room with three important-looking people. “Welcome your majesty, your highness.” A woman in a crisp red uniform saluted them. 

Her mom grinned and raised her hand in dismissal. “Please Elda, no need for such formality. We are just visiting.” 

“It’s the princess’s first official visit! We must show her our best!” Elda smiled as she turned to Red. “Welcome your Highness, we hope you are satisfied with what you see today.” Unsure what to say she nodded. The lady seemed to understand that she was overwhelmed and pressed on. “We will be giving you a tour of the entire facility, have you observe one of the training exercises we do here, and you'll sit in on a logistics meeting at the end of the day.” Clasping her hands she turned to Bridget. “It's a busy day, but we have everything you asked for your majesty.” 

“Excellent work as always Elda, thank you.” Once the formalities were out of the way Elda led the two royals throughout the base. Everything was different from what Red remembered down to the uniforms. They seemed modern and practical but still held the traditional Wonderland style. All red of course. 

“This is by far not the largest base in our military, but it is the fastest to deploy.” Entering a classroom a man rose from his desk and saluted. 

“At ease.” An amused tone was laced through her mother's voice. 

Elda motioned from the princess to the man. “Princess Red, this is Professor Morris Fleming.” The professor bowed to her and the Queen. 

“An honor.” He rose and gave them both a warm smile. 

“He will be the one to explain the type of education infantry go through while they are here for their two years.” Again Gesturing to the professor she stepped aside. 

“Ah yes! The education of our troops! There are many things covered during one’s service.” Red sat back at the desk as Morris explained everything. He seemed passionate about the subject. Red could not say the same, it was interesting, but she’d never thought about it before. They learned a lot while in between training. There was a crash course on Auradon and all the kingdoms that joined the union, Cinderellasburg was also discussed. A basic rundown of how the army functioned and why they were serving. 

She was surprised to learn that there was magic 101 and non-human combatants 101. It made sense ever since Mal turned into a dragon her mother must’ve started preparing just in case of an attack. A plethora of electives were offered as well. Languages, advanced history, magic, non-human combatants, ethics & morality, logistics, and so many Red couldn’t remember them all. 

“Do you have any questions, your highness?” Morris’s gruff voice snapped her out of her thoughts. 

“Do any of the classes they take transfer to university?” The man smiled. 

“Indeed they do! All elective courses are up to standard for any Wonderland university. They can be used to cover any choice of general education credits.” They went back and forth for a few minutes before Elda stepped in to keep them on schedule. Even though it wasn’t the biggest base it was still huge, Red thought anyone not from Wonderland would never escape. 

They viewed the barracks, chow hall, officer quarters, and now they were about to see the armory. “Holy shit.” The room was enormous, the walls were lined with more weapons than she’d ever seen in her whole life. 

“Red, watch your language.” Her mom jokingly scolded her and Elda laughed beside her. 

“Impressive huh?” Red nodded. “Well, the room is set up with efficiency in mind. All the gear and weapons of a pawn are on the left wall. That way in an emergency we can open the blast doors on the far side there and they can run out after getting everything.” The princess was in awe at all the weapons hung up. She couldn’t figure out how many swords there were. 

“How many pawns is there gear for here?” 

“Well each pawn has their armor in their barracks due to frequent use, all other gear other than a dagger are held here. So if each pawn gets a short sword, sickle, shield, and ration bag.” Elda paused as if she was doing the math. “Roughly 240.” 

Red swung around in shock. “And you’re the fastest to deploy?” 

Elda chuckled. “Well yes your Highness, we are the closest base to the Rabbit hole. The guard station there only has a single squadron at any time.” 

“And how many pawns are in a squadron?” 

“Sixty, plus six rooks, six medics, and one knight.” 

Red gaped. “What, so how many are deployed from this base?” 

“If we need to deploy the full fighting force of this base then it would be 294 personnel. Not including support staff of course.” 

Red stood silently as she looked through the rest of the gear in the armory. That was almost 300 people ready to fight at the drop of a hat. That she was technically already in charge of. She was second only to her mother in the ranking system. Clocks, she wasn’t ready to lead an army! Luckily it was time to watch the drill they were doing today. Walking out onto a balcony she took in the scene below her. There was an empty courtyard save for a few officers. “Are we early?” 

“No, your Highness, the infantry don’t know when this drill happens, it’s to train their response time.” She nodded in understanding and waited. 

“How are you doing darling?” Bridget stood regal as ever next to her. 

“I’m okay, it’s just a lot to take in.” 

“Yes, I can imagine. In the future military days will be less intense, the first day is always intense.” Nodding Red jumped as a siren pierced the air. She saw dozens of infantry run through the courtyard while putting on armor. Within minutes they started to reappear fully assembled and saluting in formation. “Darling you’ll catch flies.” Red slammed her jaw shut but continued to be amazed as more and more units filled the yard. 

“Scarlet Squadron reporting for assignment!” A man in red and black armor, different from the rest, called out to them. They were all still saluting. 

“At ease Scarlet Squadron.” If there was one thing her mom kept was her ability to project. Her voice echoed off the stone walls. “Your response was quite impressive!” Red nodded along. Elda whispered into the Queen's ear. “Oh! Only 26 minutes! That must be a record!” Turning to Red, Bridget grinned. “I’ve brought my daughter to learn about our great army and you did not disappoint.” Waving her arms in grandeur her mother put the spotlight on the princess. “As such I will allow my daughter to decide what your reward shall be.” 

The air left her lungs. The irony of the situation was not lost on the princess. Her ears rang as she heard Elda announce that they would continue the drill as Red decided on the gift. Right, she was supposed to figure that out. Why did her chest hurt? A groan left her lips as a piercing pain stabbed behind her eyes. “Darling, is everything alright?” Bridget filled her vision, practically the picture of worry. “If you can’t think of anything I have plenty of ideas, I apologize, I didn’t mean to put more stress on you.” How is she supposed to explain that she was forced to order an execution? How does she tell her kind and perfect mom that she once left scars on her ribs because she couldn’t kill a kid her age? She took in a deep breath and allowed her mom’s embrace to fill her senses. She could hold it together for now, it would be fine. 

“What kind of ideas did you have in mind?” Red turned her gaze to the soldiers marching in formation. It was hypnotizing. 

“Well they usually enjoy a party, or at least nicer food.” 

Those were both good options. “We should give them a trophy. Like it should be a game.” She kept her eyes on the troops, but she could feel her mother’s inquisitive stare. “There should be a trophy that gets engraved with the squadron name and they should all get a little medal or something.” Glancing up she saw an amused expression on the Queen’s face. “I could design it, and we could have dinner to give it all to them.” 

“We could have everything ready by this Saturday if you’d like.” She looked up in shock. That was only four days away. 

“How?” 

“Well, you could design coins for them since a medal might be a bit much and trophies are not difficult to obtain.” The queen was sporting a wide grin now. “We do happen to know a few coin smiths, and know a few venues and caterers.” Now Red was smiling, they were royalty. If anyone could pull it off it was them. 

The drill came to a close and the soldiers stood in formation. Stepping forward Red tried to put on her best impression of Chloe leading the Swords and Shields team. “I declare that all present are invited to a celebration dinner at the palace this Saturday!” The crowd cheered as she waved. The thundering applause died off once the royals made their way back into the base. The final thing on the to-do list was to attend a boring logistic meeting. Red could not put into words how badly she did not want to do this, but alas duty calls. 

To her surprise, her mom stopped her from following Elda. “I think we will be returning to the palace at this time. We have some logistics of our own to figure out, and Red will have plenty more meetings to attend in her life.” Elda smiled and saluted before turning down the hall. The Queen and Princess quietly made their way back to their carriage. It was odd it just being the two of them. (Well minus the everpresent Crimson guards) Settling into the carriage Red let her head rest on the window. More drained than she realized her eyes drooped.

Chapter Text

Red didn’t know what to expect when her mom brought her to the annual trade meeting with King Ben. The last one was done virtually since the king was still traveling, but since his return, it was in person. It was King Ben, Queen Mal, two council representatives, Queen Ella, Bridget, and her. Oddly enough the former King Beast was also present, but she didn’t know much about him. Other than her mom disliked him in both timelines. Guards from each kingdom stood watch in the room, though she thought it was unnecessary, Mal was a dragon for pity's sake. Plus the Hearts still had magic outside of Wonderland. Clearing his throat King Ben began the meeting and Red faked interest as they talked about tariffs and trade agreements. 

“I will not lower the tariffs and taxes on our lumber.” Her mother stood her ground as one of the reps continued to apply pressure. 

“We cannot afford to continue to import the lumber if you don’t.” The thin man pushed his glasses up. Exasperation was evident in his voice. 

“Then don’t.” Bridget’s voice was gaining a harsh edge. Red shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the queen’s tone. “We have a limited supply and I refuse to damage my kingdom so that you can afford our lucrative goods.” 

The man sat with a huff and nodded in defeat. The meeting followed a similar pattern until the Queen of Hearts snapped. “Wonderland is not dependent upon trade with Auradon, yet every year I come to this meeting to be insulted by the greedy kingdoms that have spread themselves too thin.” 

“Bold words from someone who’d rather wage war than help neighboring kingdoms,” Beast spoke up for the first time since the meeting started. 

“I did not refuse to help. Who sent humanitarian aid and doctors to Eric and Ariel when a hurricane swept through their kingdom? Oh yes! Wonderland. What did the great United States of Auradon do?” 

Beast growled. “You know that is not what I meant.” 

A scoff filled the room. “Wonderland will never join Auradon as long as I am breathing.” 

The tall man stood to intimidate the Queen, but as she stood it was quickly revealed to be a moot point as Bridget was taller. Not by much, but it was enough. Both Royals baring teeth in a sense, Ben started to intercept. 

“Leave her alone!” The room fell silent. Red was now standing, chest heaving as she stared at the elder royals. “She didn’t do anything wrong,” Beast growled, but Bridget stepped over to her daughter. 

“I’m sorry darling, I got carried away.” Red flinched when Bridget touched her shoulders, but remained in place.  

“They baited you into that. It was stupid.” 

“Still, It was dangerous.” Red met her mom’s gaze and a moment of understanding passed over them. Remorse was an odd expression on Bridget’s face, but she didn’t hate it. Quickly hugging her mother, the meeting continued as they sat down. 

“My most sincere apologies to Your Majesty.” Ben half bowed as he apologized. “He promised to be silent if I allowed him to observe.” Suddenly realizing the absence of a certain beast. Red peered around the room to be certain. 

“It was not his fault alone, I apologize as well.” Bridget seemed to notice what Red had figured out as well. 

Mal gestured to the pair. “We only have a few additional items to discuss if we’d like to wrap this up.” 

“Yes, please.” They discussed the supplies donated by Wonderland to help the Isle after Ben learned of the true state of the island. Bridget insisted that nothing was to be repaid. “It was humanitarian aid, same as any other crisis situation,” Mal asked if there was a way that those on the isle could show their appreciation. Apparently, the culture of repaying any perceived debts was still a powerful sentiment. It was agreed upon that the Isle of the Lost and Wonderland would have a trade agreement that allowed creative goods of each culture to be imported without heavy tariffs or taxes. Wishing each other well, the royals parted ways and the Hearts made their way to Cinderellasburg. 

Chapter Text

Three times a week Red would have a training session with either the Queen herself or with Major Agatha Gardiner of the Crimson guard. The guard was eerily similar to the Crimson army of her past timeline, but Agatha was nice enough. She certainly never held back with Red’s training. Bridget was also surprisingly adept with a sword. The clashing of blades brought her thoughts back to the current moment. 

She was currently sparring with her teacher and was losing. Diving to the left she ducked a swipe of silver. Jumping up she parried the next attack. Stepping back she lost her footing and fell on her back. Looking up, the sharp point of Agatha’s sword was mere inches away. “You must practice awareness, princess.” 

Red huffed as she was pulled up. “I’m trying, but there’s not a lot of time to think.” 

The Major rolled her eyes. “How many times must I tell you to follow your gut and training? In the heat of battle, there is never time to think.” Setting the swords aside the guard gestured to the man sitting on a nearby bench. “Princess Red, this is Sir Welter of the Spades.” Red’s eyes widened as she waved to the man. He had dark hair and a broad frame. Exactly what she would expect from the special forces division of the military. 

“Nice to meet you.” 

“The pleasure is mine, your highness.” He gave a quick bow and revealed two bow cases. “I’ve been tasked to refresh your archery skills.” Red paled. She hasn’t shot a bow since she was twelve. Watching the man pull out a black compound bow she silently hoped he didn’t expect her to be any good. 

Taking the bow she was handed she watched as Agatha excused herself. Oddly enough the weapon felt comfortable in her hands. She didn’t know how, but she knew she was holding it correctly. Watching Welter put on a quiver she copied his movements and silently slid the practice arrows in place. “Alright princess, let’s see how much you remember.” They moved over to the targets and he watched as she notched the arrow (with a slight struggle) raising the bow she drew back and set her sight on the target. Exhaling she let the arrow fly and watched as it pierced the second-most outer ring of the target. 

“Yes! I didn’t think I’d hit it!” She jumped up forgetting whose presence she was in until she heard a deep chuckle. 

“Congratulations Your Highness. It looks like you remember more than I expected.” He grinned at her relieved expression. “Come let's fix your stance.” He directed her to keep her legs shoulder with a part and chest straight as she held the bow. After a few minutes, he deemed her good enough. “Alright princess, let her fly.” 

Notching the arrow with more ease than before she held the bow up. “Lower your elbow.” Tilting her elbow down she heard his grunt of approval. Eyes on the target she exhaled, releasing the arrow. She blinked as the arrow thudded into an inner ring of the target. Not a bull's eye by any means, but certainly better. 

Grinning, she turned to look at the knight. He nodded sagely and gestured for her to continue. Repeating the process of her firing and him critiquing her technique she slowly improved her aim getting somewhat consistent with her shots. (Though she never seemed to hit the bullseye) “You’ll get there one day your highness.” 

She grunted in frustration. “You do it then!” She didn’t mean it, but the man moved as soon as the words left her mouth. Swiftly picking up his bow he expertly notched an arrow and fired. She gaped at the arrow. It was dead center . “How did you do that?!” 

“Many many years of practice.” 

Red groaned. “I was afraid you’d say that.” Sir Welter left her the bow and practice arrows saying they were hers. 

“You better start practicing if you want to catch up.” He teased as she punched his arm. 

She rolled her eyes. “Why would I want to do that?” 

He shrugged. “Guess you wouldn’t be interested in the specialty archery competitions huh? I guess princesses aren’t all that into climbing up towers and into trees while shooting shit.” 

Red felt her smile form before she could stop it. “Cursing in front of royalty? Whatever will my mother do if she finds out?” 

Welter kneels before her mockingly. “Bestow thine hearts desire. My life is in thou hands your highness.” Laughing with her he stood and packed up his bow. 

“Okay but seriously, what are these competitions?” 

Walking towards the palace gates he explained how “Scaling Archery” was a subsect of archery sports that focused on stealth, speed, and accuracy. You had to get up high on a course and shoot various targets and the points were calculated by who shot first, most accurately, and if they lost any equipment on the climb. Any type of bow was allowed, but the military used compounds, so it was the most often used. Red begged the knight to train her and he agreed if she continued to practice when he wasn’t there. 

Running to her mom’s office she burst into the room and started rambling about scaling archery. Bridget grinned as Red listed all the ways competing could benefit her. As if the queen didn’t purposefully start her archery training early. Red was a lot of things, but a swordsman she was not. At least not one who enjoyed practicing with a blade. “Can I compete Mom?” The Queen’s heart melted at the sight. The princess certainly knew how to use her puppy eyes. 

“Only if Sir Welter says you’re ready.” 

“Yes!” Red jumped into the air before rushing to hug her mom. “Thank you! I won’t disappoint you!” As quickly as she entered the princess was gone. Smiling, Bridget went back to the many reports she needed to read. 

Red kept her promise and practiced almost daily. She enjoyed the way it felt when she let the arrows fly. With each shot, she released another bit of tension. She still had to practice her sword work, but it was more tolerable now she could practice something she actually enjoyed after. Sir Welter came once a week to work with her and improve her technique. He always gave her homework and tips on how to improve her shot. The second week of practice she got her first bullseye. She shouted as he cheered with her and her mom even made a cake. 

After another week and a half, she started to get consistent bullseyes. She groaned as she arrived at the range only to see the targets moving on a track. “What don’t like a challenge princess?” She glared at Welter throughout the lesson. She only hit a target three times. Apparently, it was already on the slowest setting. It took her two more weeks to consistently hit the slow-moving targets. 

She frowned at the small obstacle course set up in front of the range. A couple of logs at varying heights, and several crates were between her and the targets. (Still moving of course) “Okay, now we need to talk about different firing positions.” For three hours he showed her how to fire while crouching, kneeling, and lying down. She practiced the various positions for a month before she could accurately land shots. Nearing the end of the summer she grew ansty to compete. Both her mother and Sir Welter assured her there were plenty of competitions in Auradon as well, but she wanted to compete now! 

Luckily her time came and Welter announced that she would do a dummy run on a nearby course and if she did well she could sign up for the upcoming open event. She grinned wildly as they approached the course. Upon entry, she could tell that the arena was just a fenced-off portion of the woods. How delightful, she’d be able to navigate the course with no problem. Stepping out of the vehicle she was led to the gate of the course. “Okay now remember the targets could be anywhere. You only have five minutes to walk the course before we start.” Nodding, she walked into the woods. 

Power Walking through the course. Before each competition, each competitor was allowed five minutes to look throughout the range. Then if they didn’t find all ten targets they were on their own. The only thing that made them stand out was the neon rings painted on them. 

Each color had a different point value based on the size of the ring. Blue, green, pink, and orange rings were on each target. Worth four, six, eight, and ten points respectively the most you could score per target was fifteen points. Five competitors were in the ring at a time and if you shot a target first you got five points, and so on and so forth. A perfect score was 150 points. You could lose points for losing gear, but otherwise, it was up to the skills of each archer. 

Today she was going to be timed and observed to see how she does. Returning to the gate when a buzzer sounded she geared up. In order to participate you had to wear a layer of chainmail and leather on your torso. You also had to wear an arm guard, and a helmet and have reflective neon yellow on your uniform. Otherwise, additional gear was allowed, but most didn’t bother since it often got in the way. Choosing a waist quiver, she entered the arena. 

The buzzer sounded and she took off running. Quickly swinging up into a tree, she silently thanked Maddox for giving her an arrow-locking quiver. Notching an arrow she fired at the first target. She didn’t even look as she moved towards the next one. They were only given ten arrows, so it didn’t matter if she hit it or not, she needed to get to the next one. Quickly finding and firing at the next three targets she sprinted towards the fifth. She knew she was taking too long, but climbing with a bow in her hands was more difficult than she anticipated. Shooting a couple more arrows, she leaped to another branch and almost fell. Catching herself on another stick, she crouched down and fired another arrow. 

Firing at the rest of the targets she jogged over to the gate. Welter had a wide grin as she approached so she couldn’t have done too bad, right? He patted her shoulder as she caught her breath. “Excellent work princess! With your time and accuracy you’d probably score about 100 points!” 

She frowned. “Only 100?” 

The Knight’s grin softened as he took her bow. “Red, 100 points is incredible for a first attempt. Most people only score about 50…maybe 75 if they have previous climbing experience.” The princess stared at him. He’s never used just her name before. 

“You mean it?” 

“When have I ever lied to ya?” A pause. “NOT counting the balloon thing!” They both laughed remembering the day he tricked Red into shooting balloons filled with paint. It took days to get it out of her hair. 

“Does that mean I can go to the open?” She squealed in excitement when he nodded. 

The big day soon came and Red could feel her mother’s worry as she geared up. “Are you quite sure it is safe?” 

Sir Welter assured her for the tenth time today. “As safe as it can be with arrows flying around.” The Queen hummed but didn’t stop Red from collecting her bow. Holding her daughter’s face she took a deep breath. Embracing the girl she squeezed tightly before releasing her. 

“Promise me you’ll be careful?”

Rolling her eyes, Red nodded. “I promise.” Turning to Welter she listened as he gave her a lowdown on all of her competitors. They were all beginners too, but that didn’t mean she should go easy. Not that she would, her competitive edge ran deep. Finishing his pep talk he sent her to the arena gates. Her gear was checked and she was sent to the start zone. Her eyes were shut as she pictured the location of each target. The buzzer sounded and she surged forward. 

Immediately she bumped shoulders with other competitors, but she ignored them, choosing to climb into the first tree she could reach. If she was right she could get to the top branches and see four targets. Finally making it to a good branch she could see five targets, but only three had a clear shot. Thankfully only one had an arrow in it already. Notching an arrow she quickly fired at all three consecutively. Climbing down she ran along a tree limb and leaped to another firing another arrow as she walked. Cursing she was the last to find and shoot at one of the targets, flipping down from a branch she found a target high in the treeline. Notching an arrow she took in a breath, exhaling she let the arrow fly and watched as it hit the dead center of the orange ring. Rushing to find the rest of the targets she fired her final arrow and let out a breath of relief when she wasn’t the last one to return. 

She huffed, catching her breath. Bridget ran towards her cheering, Welter wasn’t far behind grinning wildly. Her mother held her face in her hands and praised her. “Red I didn’t know you could climb like that! It was breathtaking darling!” The princess preened at the praise but was startled when the final buzzer declared the end of the round. All the competitors gathered around the judges' booth awaiting the final placements. It was a bit amusing that there was a distinct gap between the royals and the rest of the spectators. But when scores started to be released it was like they were any other family. 

1st: Antonio Scenay (122 points)

2nd: Truman Boyd  (115 Points)

3rd: Red Hearts (93 Points)

4th: Molly Buckman (83 Points)

5th: Gabe Lowther (78 Points)

She came in third. She came in THIRD! Her mother squeezed her tight. “I knew you could do it, darling!” 

Welter swung her around. “You did it kid!” Setting her down he gave her an apologetic look. “93 points is ridiculous for your first competition.” She smiled and gave him an affectionate punch to the shoulder. 

“I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you, Welter.” 

He smiled and waved her off. “My pleasure, your highness.” 

She groaned at the title, but smiled regardless. She had gotten 93 points on her first try! Clocks, she was going to get a big head from this. “Pardon me, but did you say this is your first competition?” Red whirled around to face the voice. A stocky boy about her age stood in front of her. Still grinning she nodded

“Yeah! I’m shocked that some of the targets were so yadder!” 

The boy gaped at her before composing himself. “I’ve never heard of someone getting 93 points on their first try! I only got 67 at my first competition!” He waved his hands to emphasize his exasperation. “That’s gallymoggers! I’m going to have so much work to do if I’m gonna stay ahead of you.” 

Bridget rested a hand on Red’s shoulder. “And what was your score dear?” 

The boy did a double take and paled. He practically threw himself into a deep bow. “Your Majesty! I apologize I didn’t mean to be impolite!” Red’s stomach bubbled with a familiar anxiety. 

The queen reached down and gently guided the boy back up. “Oh it’s quite alright, there is no need for such a fuss here. Now tell me sir what was your score?” 

The boy stared a moment, but hastily pointed to the top of the scoreboard. “122 your majesty.”  

“Well, Antonio it warms my heart to know that my daughter will have such honorable competitors to share the arena with! Oh clocks, Red shall we invite the young man to train with you sometime?” 

Red smiled and released the tension in her chest laughing at her mother’s antics. “For sure, it’ll be fun to train with someone other than Welter over there.” The knight scoffed, faking offense. Returning her attention to Antonio she gave him an apologetic shrug. “Would you want to come to the palace sometime to train? I go back to Auradon next month, but I’ll be here until then.” 

The boy worked his mouth trying to find words. “Um, I’d- I’d have to ask my mom, but if she says yes, then yeah I’d love to.” His face was still painted with disbelief. 

“Oh of course dear! Please take this.” She handed Antonio a small card. “If your mother finds it agreeable to visit just put your address on this card and a good date, then send it to the palace. I’ll write out an official invite for your entire family.” Nodding he tucked the red note into his pocket and waved goodbye to Red. He sprinted off to find his family and Red laughed. “Was I too much?” 

Grabbing her mom’s hand she waved bye to Welter. “Only a little.” Never in her life would she imagine that her mom would be the kind to be ‘too much’ when it came to inviting people to the palace. She was getting used to it though. She wasn’t even surprised when they both broke out into futterwacken when they were sharing a celebration cake (cookies and ice cream too). She still gets nervous or anxious sometimes. Had nightmares still too, but this ? Moments like this made it all worth it. 

Chapter Text

The summer festival was soon approaching and Red was not ready. From her memory, the festival was always dark, sad, and terrifying. Treats were baked but never eaten, set out on display tempting those who passed. 

Most knew better than to try and sneak one, but the younger kids who didn’t know any better were always caught. Rage would fill her Mother’s eyes and red would spill. Every year Red’s body would shake as she was forced into appropriate clothing and attended the event beside her Queen. 

This year was different. Of course it was, Bridget wasn’t a tyrant anymore. She wasn’t cruel and twisted. She was kind and patient. Freely gave out love and affection to all her citizens. She had Red help sample the sweets to be handed out during the festivities. That was another change, growing up the festival was barely a day and now it was an entire week. 

She stood as her mom explained all the events of the week and which ones they would need to be present at. Of course, the opening and closing ceremonies were a must, but Red was surprised to find out they judged several national competitions. The topics varied from baking, sculpting, and many more items. They would give a royal award while a panel of qualified judges gave awards based on quality and other factors. 

There would be dancing, art, music, and much more for the kingdom to celebrate with. This was the capital’s celebration after all! It was rumored that once the opening ceremony allowed the party to begin it never stopped until the closing ceremony finished. Red was exhausted just thinking about it. 

Sooner than she liked, the opening ceremony had begun. Her mother apologized for the formal wear but promised that she could change after the ceremony. Red didn’t particularly mind in this instance, the dress was gorgeous. Red lace woven throughout the dress accentuated the sharp angles. She’d still prefer her leather and pants, but if she had to wear a dress this was far from the worst. 

She stood and waited for her cue and when it was her time she moved to the center of the stage and added her flower to the summer bouquet. Every Wonderland Royal is given a unique rose that is grown from a pot with their parent’s blooms as the source. Red’s is called Rosa ‘WEKvaldoam’ or Lady in Red. (How fitting) 

Once the ceremony is finished she and her mother go to change. They attend a few competitions and give out awards accordingly. Once the afternoon arrived Red was allowed to attend the festival by herself since her mother had queenly duties to attend to. 

After about twenty minutes of wandering the booths, she hears a familiar voice call out to her. “Princess Red!” She turns and smiles at the boy walking towards her. He has a smaller girl perched on his hip and a couple of other kids their age by his side. “Hey, what are you doing out here?” 

“Antonio, what have I told you about calling me Princess?” 

The boy gave a shy smile as he adjusted the girl on his hip. “I know, but it feels odd calling out to you without it.” 

Red shrugs and directs her attention to the smaller girl. “Hey, Vida how are ya?” She’s gotten better at talking to younger kids, but she still wasn’t as good as Chloe. The girl giggled and hid her face in her brother’s shoulder. Red tickled the girl some but left her be when Antonio addressed her again. 

“Red this is Mallie and Elwin. Their family friends.” The two waved to the princess, staring slightly in disbelief.

“Hi, nice to meet you both. I’m Red.” She waved back and gave an awkward smile at the prolonged stares. 

Mallie was the first to recover, quickly shifting to a smile and offering a small bow. “My apologies your highness! It’s just we didn’t believe Antonio when he said you invited him to the palace.” 

The princess laughed, waving off the girl. “Please don’t bow. I don’t blame you for not believing him, but it’s true.” 

“Hey!” Antonio rested a hand on his chest in mock offense. 

Red patted his shoulder and ruffled Vida’s hair, who squealed in response. “Come on, I'm starving.” She led the group over to a series of food booths. “What are you all feeling?” The group glanced at each other nervously. Her smile dropped, but she caught herself before the others noticed. “I think I might like a cupcake, what about you Vida?” She’s learned that younger kids don’t feel as nervous around her compared to older kids and adults. The toddler nodded and held her hands out. 

Grinning Red took the girl from Antonio and led the group to a cupcake booth. “What flavor do you want?” 

Vida giggled as she whispered into Red’s ear. Red grinned and fake whispered back to the girl. “Are you sure? That’s an awful big flavor.” Vida nodded and pointed toward the cupcake she wanted. Red laughed and stepped up to the vendor once it was their turn in line. “One red velvet and one strawberry cupcake please!” 

The man grinned and gave a slight bow. “Right away princess!” He turned and grabbed each cupcake and placed them into a box. “Did your friends want anything?” Red turned and motioned for the others to order. They hesitantly told the man what they wanted and thanked Red. 

She waved them off and handed the man a silver coin. “Keep the change.” She turned before he could argue and found a table near a pond for them to eat at. Vida was practically vibrating with anticipation. Once everyone was seated Red handed the girl her strawberry cupcake while passing the box around to everyone else. “Careful-” She was cut off by Vida shoving the frosting into her face making a mess. 

She sighed exasperated and shot Antonio an apologetic look. He laughed alongside everyone else so Red assumed it was fine. She grabbed her red velvet cupcake and tore the bottom off and placed it on top making a sandwich-type treat. The others at the table stared but continued to eat their treats. Except Vida who continued to make a mess. 

Elwin tilted his head. “Why do you eat your cupcakes like that?” 

Red frowned and looked at her cake. “Chloe eats them that way, plus it’s easier for taste testing.” 

Mallie swallowed her first bite. “Who’s Chloe?” 

Red smiled. “Oh, my girlfriend, the princess of Cinderellasburg.” 

"I’ve heard of her! She’s like a prodigy at swords and shields right?” 

Red nodded. She loved bragging about Chloe. How could she not when her princess was just so amazing? “Yeah, she was the first to be captain in their freshman year at Auradon Prep! She practices all the time, but wow is it worth it to see her compete the way she does.” 

Elwin, Mallie, and Antonio smile as she continues to talk about Chloe and her life at Auradon Prep. (But mostly Chloe to be honest) Once everyone is finished with their food she flushes realizing how long she’s been talking. “Clocks, What about you two? I know Antonio does scaling archery, but do either of you do any sports?” 

Mallie laughs. “I am part of our local swords and shields team, but nothing like Chloe Charming. I just enjoy the swordsmanship.” 

“I run track, but only because my dad makes me, I prefer to work on my inventions.” Elwin plays with Vida as he speaks. 

“I get that, I used to have to do a lot of things I didn’t want to because of my mom.” The group looks at her confused. Shit right, Bridget was nice here. “But since I’m older my mom only makes me do the necessities of royalty ya know?” She winced at the break in her voice but gave Antonio a grateful look when he moved on in the conversation. 

They continued around the festival. Stopping by booths and playing games. Red won a toy rabbit for Vida. Mallie gave Red a stuffed bird she won at a hoops game. The princess was touched by the gesture and was sure to stow it away in her inner pocket. Eventually, they found Antonio’s mom who took an increasingly sleepy Vida from Red and reminded her son to be home by 10:30. 

The group began to get on some of the rides and explore the louder side of the fair. Live music blasted from speakers as bands showed off their art. Crowds formed around the stages and  Red made sure to steer clear. She never liked crowds and the sound was starting to grate on her nerves. Elwin lit up when he saw a ride and led the group to the line. It was fairly short and Red didn’t question what the ride was as they boarded. 

Oh how she regretted that as soon as it began. She was sure the ride wasn’t meant to be scary, but the sudden shifts in lighting and the animatronics moving around them frightened her regardless. How vazey was she to be afraid of a retelling of the classic Alice in Wonderland story? But this story was different from how she remembered it. The cards painted the roses red with ( blood) paint and the queen was ( screaming enraged) squealing with delight. Red was shaking, her chest tightening refusing to allow air in. No, no, no they fixed this. Her mother was nice now. “Off with their head!” 

The ride ended and Red scrambled away as soon as she was released. A sob ripped its way out of her throat. Clocks, she was truly mimsy. Her mother would batty-fang her for sure. “Red?” A whimper escaped her lips as she moved away from the voice. She had to fix herself before her punishment began or it would only get worse. “Red!” Her back hit a wall and she curled into herself. Tears fell from her eyes. 

“Please, I'm sorry.” Trembling, she kept her head down. “Please don’t.” 

“Don’t what Princess?” 

Her mother never called her princess. Or at least not without her name. Her eyes snapped open and she risked a glance up. Antonio was crouched down in front of her. His hands hovered over her, wanting to help, but worried that he would make things worse. “What have I told you about calling me princess?” Her voice was weak as she rested her head against the wall. 

“You didn’t answer when I called you Red.”  

A dry chuckle left her lips. “Touche” 

He slowly let one of his hands rest on her arm. Giving her plenty of time to reject him. She didn’t. His touch helped ground her, it was firm. He took in a deep breath and she tried to copy. It took several tries, but she managed to get her breathing back to normal. She glanced behind him, Mallie and Elwin were acting like bouncers keeping the public at bay. She was never more grateful for the pair she just met. “What do you need?” 

Red met his gaze and was startled to see genuine concern. She wasn’t used to seeing that from anyone other than Chloe or her mom. Her mom, Red never thought she’d say it but she wanted her mom right now. “Can you tell a guard to get my mom?” 

“I don’t want to leave you here. Is it okay if Mallie does it?” She nodded weakly. The adrenaline crash was starting to set in. “Okay.” She watched as he turned and shouted to Mallie. She nodded and disappeared into the crowd. Sometime later the crowd of people parted as Mallie led the Queen to Red. Antonio stood to the side and Red faintly heard her mom thank him. 

“Oh darling, are you okay?” Shaking her head she launched herself into the Queen’s arms. Listening to the coos of her mom she drifted off to sleep. Waking once they were in the palace she followed Bridget into her room changed into the pajamas that were handed to her and waited on her bed. 

The Queen returned in her nightgown and lay beside her daughter. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Red buried her face into her mom’s shoulder. “It was too much.” She couldn’t tell her the whole truth, but she shared what she could. 

“I’m sorry love, I wish I was there for you.” Red shook her head and clung tighter. A chuckle left Bridget’s chest. “Alright little one, let's rest. We have a big day tomorrow.” Red groaned but gave in to the call of the night. 

Bridget was not kidding when she said that they had a big day ahead of them. Dozens of national competitions awaited their judgment and Red was ridiculously anxious for all of them. The food ones were easy since if she couldn’t decide she could just go with her mom’s choice. After that, their taste varied so much that she had to keep reminding herself that her mom loved their differences now. 

Unfortunately, Bridget seemed to notice how the day seemed to wear on Red as they went from station to station. She hovered and on occasion took her hand. The Princess was grateful for the effort but was ultimately embarrassed by how Pigeon-livered she felt. She wasn’t even doing that much! Why couldn’t she handle judging a few competitions? It wasn’t even like their awards really decided who was best, they were just an added bonus. It wasn’t a big deal, so why was her body reacting like it was one? 

A hand firmly grasped hers and she resisted the instinct to yank her hand away. Turning she saw her mom give her a concerned look. Red turned her gaze to the attendants of the current competition they were judging. She heard Bridget say something to an official and soon she was being led away from the crowds. “Where are we going?” 

“Somewhere quiet.” 

Red clenched her free hand. She wasn’t a baby; she could handle the crowd. She could! Yet she couldn’t bring herself to say as much when the Queen sat them in an isolated tent that helped block out the excessive noise. Her shoulders sagged in relief as her headache lessened. Bridget wrapped her arms around her daughter and squeezed tight. Ironically the pressure helped Red breathe easier than before. 

The princess had no idea how long they sat like that, but she was grateful for the break. She pulled away and gave her mom a small smile. “Thank you.” 

Bridget brushed away a few of Red’s stray hairs and held her face in her hands. “You can always take a break when you need one darling.” Red turned her gaze to anything other than her mom’s concerned face. With a shrug, she pulled back from Bridget’s hands. The Queen took her hands and squeezed them. “It’s okay to be overwhelmed. I get that way as well.” The princess stared at Bridget. 

After a moment the Queen stood and offered Red a hand to get up. Taking her hand Red was led back into the bustling crowd. The rest of the summer celebration went off without a hitch. The Princess even got to hang out with her friends (?) again and invited them to visit before she left for Auradon. 

The summer was certainly overwhelming and scary at times. But with Bridget’s help and her new friends she was certain that her future was much better than it was a year ago.