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Chapter Text

At that moment, young Princess Chloe Charming was in front of King Ben’s office, pacing nervously. She tossed her long blue curls to one side and came to a halt. She took a deep breath. There was no real reason for her to be worried, but the official letter and the request to come at the earliest possible moment… Something was going on, and the fact that Chloe hadn’t heard from Red in over a week wasn’t helping her stress. The two girls had graduated from Auradon Prep just two weeks ago. There was a big party after the ceremony. Bridgie, Red, and Pink had stayed at the Charming Palace for four days afterward. It was a true celebration, one big sleepover. Then, Red and her family had returned home, duty called, after all. Since then, the princess hadn’t received a single letter from the redheaded rebel. And now this. She hoped everything was fine.

The office door opened, and Queen Mal appeared in front of Chloe. Behind her stood Counselor Evie, holding a small child in her arms. Chloe bowed.

"Your Majesty."

"Chloe. What a joy to see you here. How are you?"

"I'm well. Counselor Evie. Prince Max." Chloe held her bow for a moment longer.

"Chloe, there’s no need for this and you know it. We're family."

"Evie's right. Do you want to hold Max for a bit?" The child was handed to the girl before she could even answer.

"You’ve got a meeting with Ben now, right?" Evie asked.

"Yes. I received an invitation to…"

"I know, I know." The Evil Queen's daughter winked. "It’s not bad news, don’t worry."

"Yes, dear.  Why don’t you take Max with you to the meeting, and then just leave him with Ben?"

"Um… okay." And Evie held the door open while Max and Chloe entered the office.

The little boy, barely a year old, had already started playing with Chloe’s blue hair. Usually, the young prince was quite fussy, but a few months ago, he’d accidentally fallen asleep in Chloe’s arms. Since then, the young princess had unofficially earned the title of Aunt Chloe to little Maximilian.

"King Ben." Chloe addressed the man behind the large desk. He was hunched over a pile of papers.

"Princess Chloe." He stood up, pausing for a moment, then smiled. "And Prince Max. What an honor."

He bowed before them and stepped around his desk.

"I know my invitation came as a bit of a surprise and I apologize, but the situation demands it. So, I’ll ask you to sit with me, there’s something we need to discuss."

"Of course." Chloe sat down with Max in her lap.

King Ben went to close the window and took the chair across from the girl, not the one behind his desk. The man looked thoughtful for a long moment and then sighed.

"What I’m about to tell you is highly confidential. And I’m sorry for dragging you into this, but the truth is, I don’t think there’s anyone more capable than you for the job. And I ask this not as a king, but as a man and a father. You have every right to refuse. Alright?"

"I understand. I’ll keep that in mind."

"I don’t know how aware you are of the political relations between Auradon and Wonderland,  now and in the past."

"I’m familiar with the history, from both Auradon’s and Wonderland’s perspectives. As for the present, I can’t say much. From what I know, the relations have greatly improved. At least, that’s what Red tells me."

"You know about my father’s politics in the past?" The king looked down.

"I know his offensive policies led to the War of the Roses, yes. And later to the closing of the rabbit hole. But looking back, those weren’t the only questionable decisions your father made." Chloe shifted the boy so he wouldn’t chew on her hair.

"Exactly. That’s why what’s coming is so important." Chloe met his light brown eyes. "In about seven weeks, I’m expected to sign a treaty with Empress Bridget. A peace treaty for ten years."

The princess was stunned.

"Ten years?"

"Yes. By then, it’s expected that the new empress will ascend the throne, and she and I will sign a new agreement. The plans aren’t exact, but Bridget made it clear that once Red takes the throne, she will make the decisions."

"And what do I have to do with this?" Max began tugging gently on her curls, but the princess didn’t move.

"Have you heard about the first "New Tales Games"?"

"Not exactly. Red mentioned something about a competitionq that Aunt Bridget wanted to organize. And Dizzy hinted that she was sewing something, but that’s it."

"This competition will be called ' Games of the New Tales .' The Empress of Wonderland asked us to create a celebration for the new beginning of our relations. It will take place in Wonderland in six weeks. There will be five games. And three teams to compete."

"Three teams?"

"Yes. A team from Wonderland, coached by the Empress herself and captained by Princess Red. A team from the Isle of the Lost, coached by Uma and captained by Hazel Hook. And us, Auradon."

"Stories. Bridget asked for this to prove that Beast has no influence over Auradon anymore." Ben nodded.

"Yes. And the winner will receive a trophy I’ve never even seen, along with a small prize for the participants, bragging rights, and a 5% reduction in import and export taxes. If the Isle wins, Mal has declared that Evie and Uma will throw a seven-day, seven-night party. The money isn’t important."

"It’s the trophy that matters. I get it. And who’s representing us? If you want me to join, no problem. It’d be an honor."

"I’ll be the coach. And yes. I want you to join, as the captain." The girl rose from her chair, settled the little one properly in her arms, and bowed formally.

"I will give it my all. To bring…"

"Chloe." Ben cut her off, pensive. "Please sit and hear me out. It’s not that simple."

She took her seat again as Max snuggled against her chest, clearly sleepy. Ben stared at his son for a long moment.

"I’ve chosen our team. A month ago. But I couldn’t decide on a captain. It had to be someone strong, brave, and most importantly, someone I trust. Because we’re going to Wonderland with one goal."

The girl nodded, waiting.

"To lose." Chloe’s eyes widened. "And lose so convincingly that no one suspects a thing. This competition will happen before we sign the treaty and the plan is for Bridget and me to sign right after the awards ceremony. I know I’m asking a lot, Chloe, but it’s necessary, and…"

"I understand. It’s the smartest political move for Auradon. But do you realize what will happen if someone finds out? Be it Queen Mal or Aunt Bridget, they’ll have your head. This breaks all trust."

"I know. But it’ll be worth it. This treaty will change everything. It’s for the good of all. And we both know there are still figures in our alliance who follow my father’s old ways." Chloe nodded.

"This will secure things until leadership changes." She fell silent for a long moment.

A wild smile and messy red hair flashed in her mind. Memories of everything the two of them had been through together. The journey, returning and adapting to a new reality. Realizing that some people were gone, and others had never existed at all in this time. That awful time when Red used to sleep under her bed, terrified the guards would come and take her away. The day Chloe learned her grandfather had died in this timeline. Red’s first holidays here, when they both started receiving memories from this world and losing their own. The nights they stayed up writing until they fell asleep, recording everything from the original timeline, hiding the two journals along with the clock. Every time Red would tremble slightly when Bridget walked toward her. Chloe’s tears the first time she met Arty’s sister, Annaq who had died in a fire when she was just eight before. And now she was a head taller than Chloe, twenty-one years old, telling stories about the magic of the old Merlin. They had done what they had to.

Chloe also thought of her younger mother’s words. To follow your heart, not blindly obey laws and rules. Sometimes there’s a gray area. Neither good nor bad. Something in between. Like this. Red would understand.

"Alright. I’ll do it." She said firmly, gently brushing Max’s light brown hair.

"Are you sure? This could be dangerous. Princess Red…"

"Don’t worry about Red. I’ll handle her. But Ben, let me be clear." He nodded. "She’ll figure it out. Red will figure it out. And there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ll make sure she realizes only after the games, but she’ll put the pieces together. She’s too smart. I don’t know who my teammates are or who we’re up against, but if Auradon finishes third, she’ll know."

"How are you so sure?"

"Because she knows me. No matter how well I play it, she’ll see through me. It’s just Red."

"Do you think she’ll tell the Empress?"

"Not if it’s after the signing. She’ll understand. She’ll be furious, but she’ll understand."

"Alright." The king nodded. "There’s just one more thing."

"What?"

"You’ll have to keep your participation a secret. From everyone."

"If I have to lie to everyone, how are we going to prepare the team?"

"I’ll gather them under a fake summons, like how I called you here. And we’ll train."

"Seven weeks isn’t much."

"I know. But I know what you’re capable of. That’s why you’ll only train for four."The princess sighed.

"Four weeks… I think you’re overestimating me, Ben. Four weeks to prepare and be convincing. This’ll be a disaster. At least will I know what we’re preparing for?"

"Yes. I’ll send you the details in a week, along with the names of your teammates." He hesitated for a moment. "Again, I’m sorry, Chloe."

"I agreed, and I know what I’m getting into, probably better than you, Ben. Just promise me something."

"Anything, if it’s within my power."

"After this, stay away from me for a while, and confess to Mal when it’s all over."

"I’ll confess. But why I have to stay away?"

"I have my reasons. Just trust me, alright?"

"Alright." The two stood and shook hands.

Chloe stayed silent. She couldn’t tell him this betrayal went against every rule she had. He wouldn’t understand that this loss would be a stain on her honor forever. But it was for the future. One brighter future for Auradon and Wonderland. 

Chapter Text

"58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64…"Sweat was dripping down the blue-haired girl’s forehead, but she didn’t stop.

Her muscles were burning. Her back was slightly stiff, but that was the only thing keeping her from overthinking. She reached her eightieth push-up and simply collapsed onto the carpet for a moment. A few blissful seconds in which her muscles slowly tingled and recovered, and her mind was completely empty. Moments where she savored the endorphins from her workout.

After a minute, she forced herself to get up. Slowly rising to her feet, she turned toward the desk, covered in papers. She stared at the list of names and games.

Prince Arty of Camelon,
Lois from Encanto,
Robbie of Nottingham,
Princess Arabella of Tirulia,
Chloe Charming of Cinderellasburg.

The Events:
First event: Capture the Flag.
Second event: Croquet — in pairs and solo.
Third: Sword fighting — solo and in trios.
Fourth event: Magical Badminton  in pairs.
Fifth event: Flag Football.

Chloe had already considered her options and had researched her teammates. She made an entire table for processing information and strategies. She noted that even though there were five events, there would be seven medals, seven gold, seven silver, and seven bronze. Ben had also sent her the final team ranking method: By adding up the points from all events: gold was worth three points, silver two, and bronze one. This opened up a lot of possibilities and strategies. Because even if someone won four of the seven gold medals, it wasn’t a guarantee for first place overall. Charming spent ten minutes mapping out every possible path to a convincing victory, meaning at least 15 to 17 points. Chloe slowly realized that even the games were rigged. Two of the games were from Wonderland, and the princess knew the island kids were experts in taking things and had excellent agility. For them, Capture the Flag and Flag Football would be child’s play. Even Red had experience in being fast and nimble from her rebel days. To this day, Chloe didn’t know anyone quicker on rooftops than the Princess of Hearts. And Auradon only had sword fighting.

Knowing this, Chloe quickly reassessed her team’s real chances. They stood no chance at croquet. Chloe crossed that event out the moment she saw it. Magical Badminton was a fast-paced game based on skill, speed, and agility. With a little luck, maybe they had a chance, but realistically, even second place seemed unlikely. Flag Football was similar  and honestly, Chloe foresaw a clean, easy loss. Building and learning a solid strategy in four weeks would be nearly impossible. That left Capture the Flag and Sword Fighting. Sword fighting was theirs. Chloe wasn’t going to give that up. Years of effort and training had led here. She could accept failure in everything else, but not this. And in Chloe’s eyes, Capture the Flag would be the most important event. The first game would set the tone for the competition. That’s why Chloe was already planning her team’s loss. Bad luck, and everything else, just a sequence of small mistakes, nothing more.

Charming also considered every possible complication. Magic was the biggest unknown. If magic was allowed, things could escalate quickly. Lois and his strength. But Chloe wasn’t too worried about that. She’d handle it on the fly.

The princess turned to her already-packed bag and took a deep breath. In a few hours, the show would begin. She’d get into a car and head to one of the estates on the outskirts of Auradon City, where a small prep camp would be held. Cinderella and Christopher thought Chloe was going to a knights’ camp. Ben had even forged an invitation and everything. Chad threw a little tantrum about not being invited. And Red...Red didn’t even know yet that they wouldn’t be in touch for the next few weeks. Charming even decided to leave her phone at home to avoid the rebel’s yelling if she came to Auradon or any calls from Pink and texts from her Aunt Bridget. Four weeks of hard work lay ahead, four weeks of preparation, preparation for a lie.

She took a deep breath and shook her head. The decision was made, there was no turning back. Chloe lightly ran her hand over the skin beneath her sports bra. Her fingers traced the subtle difference in skin texture there. Her fingers first passed over two the sword, then over the words that appeared beneath it.

“The best ripper isn’t the sharpest, but the fastest.”
The words her grandfather always said. Words that had been with her her whole life, ever since she first held a sword in her hand. Words that made her keep going even when she doubted herself. Even when uncertainty told her to give up. She was a princess. Princesses didn’t fight with swords, they sang or sewed. But she didn’t quit, and the proud look in her grandfather’s eyes every time he saw her train made her realize it had always been worth it to follow yourself, not other people’s words.

Then her fingers moved to the right, over her ribs, tracing the ink there. Slowly outlining the drawings and words on her skin. These were memories, memories from a lost time, hers and the rebel’s. Secrets even Red didn’t know about. Stolen moments, sealed forever on her skin so she wouldn’t forget them. Her grandfather’s words beneath her right breast, the watch they traveled with at the top part of her right ribs. Words about a person who now existed only in Chloe’s memories, and a drawing of someone over whom Red once cried beneath the words. Beneath her left breast, young Ella’s words:

“Sometimes you can't afford to play it clean
Gotta get your hands dirty, I don't know
Just jump headfirst into the mess
Gotta get your hands dirty, maybe so
Give it your worst, give it your best
Bad and good, shouldn't and should
Isn't always black and white
Gotta get your hands dirty to get it right…”

A reminder not to be afraid when making hard decisions.

She felt the sting of tears in her eyes but quickly wiped them away and headed to the bathroom. The past was the past, but she wasn’t supposed to forget it. She needed to learn from it.

The girl undressed and stepped under the shower. There was no time now for tears and doubts. But the ache in her chest and the emptiness in her stomach weren’t helping. She leaned against the wall, her forehead touching the cold tiles. Her right hand rested on her right thigh. Chloe exhaled. The last two weeks had been awful for Charming. The very idea of standing in front of Red and lying to her was driving her mad. The two of them had promised never to lie to each other, not when it mattered. Never to stay silent.

Although Chloe had initially thought that Red wouldn’t keep that promise, she quickly realized she was wrong. The rebel had slowly begun to open up after they returned from their trip — to the point where, by the end of their first month living together, they were sharing a bed (under the bed, but for Chloe it was the same). Their relationship quickly changed and grew. From allies, to friends, and then best friends. They complemented and protected each other. And over time, Chloe understood why Red had become closer to her than anyone else. Red was the only one Chloe could speak freely to, could be herself with. In front of the rebel, the princess didn’t have to play a part or pretend to be perfect. Red accepted her just as she was, even with her odd obsession with clean swords and old books. Red had even given up most of her library to the princess, as long as Chloe didn’t move Red’s teapots.

On their very first day living together, Chloe learned just how important tea was to Red. The redhead couldn’t do anything without tea. She wouldn’t get up without her morning tea, wouldn’t go to classes until after her second cup. She wouldn’t have lunch without tea. The school even made a special break for Red’s afternoon tea. And the most important tea of the day, the bedtime tea. The rebel always drank a cup before bed, and even Chloe had picked up the habit. Afternoon tea while reading, morning tea with breakfast, lunch tea with dessert. And the worst part of it all was that Red’s tea was the best. Despite all the lessons they’d had, Chloe to this day couldn’t make tea like Red, even if her life depended on it.

After the shower, the girl stepped out into her big blue robe and took a sip from a water bottle. With every gulp, her mind flashed to Red’s tea. How much she missed the rebel. Her smile, those wild eyes, the exaggerated morning yawk, the tea and, of course, her hands. Those slender fingers that always found the rough, calloused hands of Charming and played with her calluses. The constant touch that Red sought only with Chloe. Their little thing. Lately, the redhead had started doing it with Pink too, but it wasn’t the same. Chloe could see it in the hesitant gestures, in Red’s fear of crossing a line, a line that simply didn’t exist for them.

Chloe shook her head and started getting dressed for the day. Before that, she applied lotion to her body and shrimp-tail cream to her tattoos. She carefully tended to each one, from those on her right thigh to those under her chest. She watched one of them shift slightly and a smile appeared on her lips. But Chloe knew she’d need to buy new cream when she went to Wonderland, as this one was almost gone.
After taking care of her skin, she got dressed and headed to the living room. Her mother and father were both there, reading.

“I see your day’s off to a good start. Mom.”Ella immediately put down her book and took the young woman in her arms.

“It’s been a good morning. And, as always on a Wednesday, you skipped breakfast. And so did your brother.”

“Why? He knows it’s his job to keep you company on Wednesdays.”

“Audrey said he’s sulking because you’re leaving him with us.” Christopher teased with a grin.

“He’s such a baby. Like he doesn’t love having you to himself.” The princess rolled her eyes. “Anyway, Mom, it’s past nine. When do your meetings start?”

“Tomorrow.” Ella smiled.

“What?”

“Your mother and I cleared our schedules. After all, you’re leaving. Are your bags packed?” Her father moved over to the couch beside them.

“Almost. Just a few things left.” The man slowly hugged both his daughter and wife.

“Are you sure you want to go? We could cancel it. Spend some more time together.”

“Dad. We’ve been spending time together ever since I got home. And you know I can’t back out now. It’s just four weeks. Then I’ll be back home.”

“For about two months, and then you’re off again, sweetheart.” Cinderella chimed in.

“Mom. Don’t act like I’m dying. I’ll just be at university. And you can always come visit, especially once Chad takes the throne. You’ll have plenty of free time. I’d be happy to have you both.”

“That’s not happening and you know it.” The king said with a smile. “Do you have any idea how many marriage proposals I’ve gotten for you? My little girl isn’t so little anymore. And if I go with you, I might end up punching someone.”

“Please don’t, Dad. Red picks enough fights for the both of you.”

“That little red devil. You two are going to take over the world one day, I know it. Together you’re unbeatable. Have I ever told you the story of how you two manipulated Maddox and me into taking you on that trip into the woods?”

“Yes, Dad. Mom and Auntie forbade us, and we snuck out while they were having tea with the palace ladies. Auntie Bridge was so mad.”

“She had every right to be. You both caught green lice.” Ella shook her head disapprovingly. “It was a nightmare afterward.”

“I remember. Me and Red in the bath while you scolded us and scrubbed our hair. It was awful, but so worth it.”

“Oh, those pinecones. And then the green fire.”

“It was so cool.”

“Yeah and then we banned chemistry until you bolt turned at least eight.”

“But it was cool, honey, and you know it.” Charming insisted.

“It was beautiful. But it wasn’t cool for two, three-year-olds to be experimenting with fire.”Chloe and her father chuckled softly.

Cinderella’s grumbling continued for a little while longer, and then the family went out for a short walk in the gardens. At one point, Chloe and Christopher had started a playful stick duel. Soon after, Chad and Audrey joined in, and Chad and Chloe deliberately teamed up against their father. Then the family had lunch, and before anyone noticed, the afternoon had arrived.

“It’s time. I’m going to go finish packing.” Chloe excused herself from the table full of pastries.

She changed into more formal pants and swapped her loose shirt for a blue t-shirt. Then she gathered all the papers from her desk and put them in her bag. Only seven letters remained on the desk. All for Red. Chloe sighed and took them with her as she brought her suitcase downstairs. Her family was waiting for her, Chad went up to grab her bag, and Charming took the suitcase, heading toward the car. Audrey and Ella walked Chloe out slowly, no rush in their steps. Chad’s fiancée handed the princess a small package and leaned in close.

“Keep this. A little care package. If anything happens, I’m your number one.” The two hugged tightly, and Chloe took the package.

Then she turned to her mother. Cinderella gently traced her daughter’s jaw.

“You’ll be careful, right?”

“Yes, Mom. On the field and off. And if someone’s rude, I’ll just punch them.”

“Sweetheart…” the woman scolded.

“Go for the nose, darling. You know hard, don’t hold back if someone’s nasty. I’m counting on you to…”

“Yes, Dad. I’ll be the knight you raised me to be.” The man laughed.

“No, darling. I’m counting on you to crush everyone at this camp.”

“As I should.”The two Charmings hugged, and the king even spun his daughter lightly in the air.

“My princess. Be gentle in the dance, but fierce in battle. I’m expecting to hear praise about your skills from the instructors. And don’t go too easy on the others, okay?”

“Yes, Dad. I’ll show them what you and Grandpa taught me.” The man nodded proudly, and Chad appeared next to them.

“But don’t be too much of a knight, sis. Don’t go too easy on them.”

“I know, Chad. Just because I’m nice to you doesn’t mean I’ll be nice to them.”

“Good. And if anyone gets too pushy with youр call me, I’ll be right there.”

“You’ll have to get in line, bro.” Chad hugged Chloe.

“I get priority. Red can rough them up after me.” Chloe laughed. “But seriously, if anything happens…”

“Chad, I’m leaving my phone here. If something happens, I’ll just punch them, right in the face and the liver.”

“Good.” The prince nodded seriously. “I’m counting on that.”

There was a light laugh nearby. They hugged a little tighter, just to be sure. Then they let go. Chloe hugged her father one more time, and he kissed her forehead. Audrey took a hug too, laughing when Chloe picked her up slightly off the ground.

“If he’s awful, send me a letter, alright?”

“Always.” Chloe gently set the older girl down.

Then she threw herself into Ella’s arms for a long moment. Ella simply held her tightly. Chloe’s strong arms didn’t let go, even when her mother tried to.

“I’ll miss you, Mom. I love you.” Chloe had started saying that more often since she and Red came back. “And these are for Red.”

“I’ll send them tonight. I love you too, my sweetheart.” Cinderella took the letters and let her daughter go. “Here.”

The girl stared at the keys in her mother’s hand. It was…

“Grandpa’s car?”

“Yes. It’s yours now. Just like we talked about.” Charming called out from behind. “You’ve got enough experience now.”

“Just… don’t drive too fast.” Her mother handed her the keys. “Or don’t you want it?”

“I do. I do!” Chloe said excitedly and took the keys.

It was the car her grandfather had taught her to drive in, back in their original time. The Daimler Double Six. Chloe had always loved that car. Her grandfather only ever let her grandmother drive it.

“And Grandma?” She asked softly.

“Your grandma thinks it’s collected enough dust in the garage. But she wants you to take her for rides sometimes.”

“Of course, Dad. Right after camp, I’ll go see Grandma. Thank you. Thank you.” She hugged him again.

“Don’t thank me, your mother was having tea with your grandma, and suddenly the car was in the garage.”

“Mom.”Ella laughed and squeezed her daughter back.

“Just take care of it. Your grandma only asks that you don't let your brother or your father behind the wheel.”

“Hey.” The two men said in unison, and Audrey chuckled.

“Dad’s not that bad of a driver. But Chad. I get it.”

“Double hey.”

“Chad. It took you eight tries to get your license. Love you, but there’s no way I’d let you drive my car too.” Audrey said, and the prince scowled even more.

“It’s not fair. Why do you get the car?”

“Because you’re getting the throne. Or do you want to swap?”

“No. And we both know that even if I said yes, you’d never actually give me that car.” Chad grinned.

“Exactly. This car’s better than a crown.” The princess twirled the keys in her hand. “It’s time.”

“Watch out for deers on the road.” Charming called as the group headed toward the garage.

“Easy with the brakes, they’re a little soft.” Ella added.

“I know, Mom.” They turned the corner and there it was.

The Daimler Double Six in Dark Red.
Her grandfather’s second wife, as Grandma used to say. Shiny and perfect, as always. The girl slowly approached and gently ran her fingers along the skirt of the car. It was so beautiful. She stopped at the driver’s door and slowly unlocked it. She opened it and looked at the light leather interior. She sighed.

“See you soon.” She said to her family.

Her mother had a handkerchief in hand, her father wore that slightly sad but proud look, Chad waved cheerfully, and Audrey leaned her head against his shoulder.

“See you soon, sis.”Chloe nodded and climbed inside.

She let herself savor the faint leather scent for a moment before putting in the key and starting the engine. The car purred softly. She buckled up, set Audrey’s package and her sword on the passenger seat, and slowly pulled away. She gave one last wave to her family before turning down the road away from the palace. And as she passed the gate, a guard whistled when he saw the car. She was smiling and crying.

She took the road toward Auradon and turned on the radio. One of those jazz-country stations her grandfather always listened to came on. Chloe liked the familiar sound and even cracked the window open a little. The wind teased her curls. And just like that, for a while, it was just her and the road.

Chapter Text

The gentle breeze, along with the music, made Chloe relax. For a moment, she forgot where she was going and what she was about to do, but that changed with the beginning of an old song.

"I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real

The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end

And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt..."

The words and the sad melody made the princess shudder. With each word, the pit in her stomach grew deeper. She was afraid. Afraid that she too would lose herself, that there would be no way back from this. If Chloe really fulfilled Ben’s request, she knew society would blame her. She expected it. She knew the stain of loss would be enormous, but her heart told her she had to do this. For Auradon, for Wonderland, for Red and for their future.

She saw a lay-by ahead and stopped. She got out of the car with trembling legs and took a deep breath. She had a bad feeling about this whole plan. About keeping secrets, about manipulation. It would all come to light at some point. And it wouldn’t be good. Chloe could already picture the disappointment on her parents’ faces, Chad’s anger. Stories! Red’s fury.

She walked aimlessly for a few steps, then returned to the car and leaned on the trunk. Red would turn her into fairy dust. She would ask what else Chloe was hiding. She would shout. And Chloe hated it when Red shouted. It never ended well for anyone. Then there was one more little detail. Chloe’s slight crush on her best friend. On this red hair, the lively eyes, the wildest smile. Red was perfect... Well, not entirely, but she was perfect in Chloe’s eyes. Perfect for her. And that caused the young Charming immense pain. After all, she could never be what Red wanted. And that sometimes tore the young girl apart. The fact that Red would never look at her the way Chloe looked at her, the fact that even if she did, it wouldn’t last long. Why?

Because Chloe couldn’t give the rebel everything she deserved. She couldn’t give her a real love story. Their story was a disaster. Nor a family. A child, an heir. Tears stung the girl’s eyes. But she stood up and...

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!! Damn it!!!!!!!!!!!!" After the scream, Chloe took a deep breath. "I HATE POLITICS!!!!!"

Then she got back in the car. The song had already ended, but her mind was still in chaos. Her lips were burning, and her tongue was itching. And she gave in, just for a moment. A single moment.

"I love you, my rebel." She whispered, almost inaudibly.

And her body relaxed just slightly. At least one truth. At least this empty and endless road would know the truth. She closed the door. Buckled her seatbelt and started the car. She gripped the steering wheel and took off with a little too much gas. There was determination in her eyes. She was going to do this...for Red. For the future, even if she had to break all her own rules. She would do it for Red without hesitation.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Just before six, Chloe turned into the driveway of the large estate ahead. The parking lot was empty. She slowly parked and turned off the engine. She got out of the car with a sword and Audrey’s package in hand. She grabbed her duffel bag and suitcase from the trunk, then locked the car and headed toward the house. She noticed movement, and the door suddenly burst open. A loud whistle sounded. A young man with long hair stepped onto the porch, staring at the car. Behind him, four more figures appeared, with King Ben coming out last. A rather tall and broad boy began walking toward her.

"Hi, I'm Lois. You're... the backup or something?" Chloe didn’t hand over any of her luggage.

But he was quickly pushed aside by...

"Artie!" She wasn’t surprised to see her old friend.

"Hey, Clo. You’re late."

"Ben said this afternoon. There was no set time."

"Still, I’m glad to see you. And you sure know how to make an entrance."

"Didn’t you come with Loki?"

"No, Dad forbade it. Loki’s in the stables at home. Anna will spoil him while I’m gone." He took the princess’s suitcase.

The two of them walked past Lois and approached the porch. Chloe recognized the red-haired girl.

"Princess Arabella." The two curtsied. "It’s a pleasure to see you too, Robby."

"You know my name?" The boy seemed suspicious, but they shook hands.

"A lucky guess. I know Artie, and the brute on the path said he’s Lois. So, that makes you Robby, Robin Hood’s son." He smiled gently and nodded.

"And you’re Princess Chloe..."

"Unfortunately, as of today, I’m not." The two on the porch exchanged glances, and Chloe turned to Arty and Lois. "Ben, is the training course ready?"

"Yes. Just as you requested." The king nodded.

"Good. I’ll drop off my bags in the room. Then we’re heading there. Everyone, change into training gear."

"What?" Came two voices from behind her.

"You heard her. Five minutes. Your room’s on the second floor,the only open door."

"Ok." She answered while heading up the stairs.

She crossed the hallway and entered the room. It wasn’t very big, but it was enough. Chloe placed her duffel on the bed, and behind her, Arty ran in, dropped the suitcase by the door, and entered one of the nearby rooms. Chloe pulled the suitcase inside and closed the door. She got ready quickly, strapped her sword to her waist, and went back downstairs.

Surprisingly, even Ben was in a tracksuit, standing next to Arabella and Robby.

"What exactly are we going to do?" Ariel’s daughter asked.

"We're going to get to know each other. Ben, has everyone eaten?"

"Yes. Just before you arrived." Chloe sighed.

"Are there buckets in the training area?"

"Buckets? What for?" Artie asked from the stairs.

"I don’t know, some people have weak stomachs." Charming shrugged.

The group chatted casually for another two minutes until Lois showed up in a white shirt and tracksuit.

"Seriously? White?"

"What?" He asked. "You're not my boss to tell me what to wear. You're just a princess."

He walked toward Chloe, standing tall, trying to make himself seem even bigger—to fill the space around him.

"Alright, if we’re ready." She ignored Lois and turned to Ben.

The king nodded, and the group set off. The sun hadn’t yet set as he quickly led them around.

"And over there we’ve built a cricket field." He pointed before entering one of the side buildings. Inside was a medium-sized arena. "This is where you wanted to come, right, Chloe?"

"Yes." The girl stepped into the center.

She looked around and assessed the ground beneath her sneakers. Not bad, she decided.

"Alright. Coach, are you handling this or...?" Ben shrugged and stepped back to a nearby bench.

"I’ve already introduced myself. Ben. Most of you already know me, and I’m more about organizing things, not so much about... discipline. That’s why you have a captain, so I’ll let the captain speak. They are all yours, Captain."

"Okay, coach." Chloe looked at the four in front of her.

Lois didn’t look happy.

"I’m Chloe Charming, and I’ll be your captain. Friends call me Chloe or Clo. But we’re not here to be friends. We’re here to represent Auradon in a competition and to win. Nothing more, nothing less. I’ve already drafted a strategy plan, but things might change. And, of course, I’ve worked only with information about you. I don’t know most of you. That’s why I think today, we’ll get to know each other." She drew her sword. "Anyone who wishes, take a weapon and step up for a duel."

The four in front of the princess exchanged glances. Artie was the first to draw his sword and step into the arena. He stood before the girl and launched a quick attack, but Chloe easily dodged and counterattacked. Their fight lasted about a minute before Charming tripped him, and he landed in the dust with her sword pointed at his throat.

"That wasn’t fair!"

"And the kids from the Isle don’t fight fair. They fight to survive." She offered him a hand to help him up. "This won’t be a knightly tournament. Next."

Robby had already taken one of the nearby mounted weapons and launched an attack before Artie had even left the arena. Chloe parried and knocked the sword from his hands with clean force.

"What?!" The boy looked at her, stunned.

"Your stance is awful, but it’s obvious you use daggers and a bow. With some work, we can fix most things,but your grip... I’m not so sure. Next."

Lois entered the arena without taking a sword. He simply started walking toward her and rolled up his sleeves.

"This was supposed to be a sword skill assessment, but... fine." Chloe sheathed her weapon.

Lois was just about to throw a punch when she ducked under his arm, grabbed his shirt, shifted his weight, and threw him to the ground. He lay in the dust in less than 20 seconds, frozen, unsure of what had just happened.

"Clearly no sword skills, and you can’t fight either. Great. Ben, did you really pick him just for the magic?"

"No. He also wrestles and is very good at fixing things. He’s smart."

"Strange. Doesn’t seem like it. If he were smart, he wouldn’t have charged in without thinking. Arabella?"

"I’m not good with a sword, Captain. Never held one, to be honest."

"Alright." Chloe walked over and drew her sword. "Here you go."

The girl stared.

"Uh..."

"Just take it. It’s a bit heavy for a first sword, but the truth is we don’t have time to train you with a lighter one. Just hold it. I won’t let you get hurt. Okay?"

The redhead took the sword with her right hand. She held it well, but it was obvious it was heavy when she raised it.

"You’re doing great. Now hold it with your other hand too. Keep it steady, you mustn’t drop it."

"Okay." Arabella did so.

"Good. Now just walk around a bit with it. Get used to the feel. If it gets too heavy, just let someone know and we’ll take it, alright?"

"Okay." The half-mermaid started walking slowly.

"So my assumption was right." Chloe turned to Arty and Robby. "Guys, would you be willing to team up with me for the trio battles?"

Robby laughed, and Artie gave a small bow.

"It would be a pleasure."

"If I have to..." Robby said. "I thought you'd want me for badminton."

"Oh, I do. We just need a third member for the team, and you’ve got the most potential." The boy sighed.

"Yes, Captain. So what’s the plan for the other games? I don’t know about the rest, but I have no idea how croquet works."

"Don’t worry, boys. That’s why I’m here." Arabella chimed in with a smile.

The boys exchanged a look, and Chloe sighed.

"Bella. Can I call you Bella?"

"Yes."

"Bella is a professional golf player. At least that’s what I heard and saw. Top 4 in the world."

"Come on, Chloe. It’s not a big deal. But I do have a question for you."

"Yes?" Bella’s blue eyes were thoughtful.

"Do we really have a chance of winning this?" Everyone turned to look at her. "Like, truly?"

Chloe sighed and looked at the ground for a moment. This was the moment.

"If we give it everything we’ve got, I believe yes. We can win. But it’ll be hard." A lie. They weren’t going to win.

"Why are you all talking like we’ve already lost before the competition’s even started?" Robby asked.

"Because of the events we’ll compete in." Bella began. "Croquet is a cultural cornerstone in Wonderland, and the other events are mostly based on skill and strategy. More precisely, agility. And the kids from the Isle are going to play dirty. We all know it. That’s why I’m asking. I need to know, is there hope if I give 110 percent?"

"We’ll win." Artie said confidently. "Sword fighting is ours. And we have something the other teams don’t."

"What’s that?" Robby asked.

"We have Chloe. She knows both the Isle and Wonderland. She brought Auradon the fencing titles the last two years, both in singles and team categories. She’s a strategist. I know other teams are strong too, but they don’t have Charming’s blade. I’ve known Clo since we were kids, she’ll give everything for this team. She wouldn’t have accepted this if she thought we couldn’t win. Because the thing she hates most is losing." There was a moment of silence, then Robby chuckled.

"Alright. If that’s the case, I’m in too. One hundred ten percent? I’ll give two hundred."

"Me too." Bella said as she continued walking.

"Two hundred sounds good." Artie nodded.

"No." Lois called out as he got up from the ground. "If we’re doing this... we give a thousand."

Everyone laughed, and Chloe turned to him, shocked.

"Don’t look at me like that, Captain. Are we doing this or not?" He extended a hand to her.

Chloe stared at the boy for a long moment. Her body was at war. The logical part of the princess knew this was the moment to back out, her chance to step away from this lie. But she remembered Ben’s words. This was for the future. So...

She took Lois’s hand. A smile forced its way to her lips, and she squeezed firmly. His hand was warm and steady. She looked into his brown eyes and saw a flicker of respect. Even the way he stood before Chloe had changed—more relaxed now, more grounded.

"We’re doing this. But I won’t be gentle. We’ve got just four weeks. It’s going to be hard."

"I don’t know about the others, but I’m here for the challenge. To write my own story. If I wanted easy, I wouldn’t be here at all."

"Good. In that case, you won’t mind getting up early tomorrow to run with me before training?"

"I am in." He nodded.

"I’ll join too, if that’s okay, Captain." Artie raised his hand.

"Anyone’s welcome. Just don’t be late. 6:00 to 6:05 sharp. After that, I’m not waiting."

"Wait, what?" Lois asked, worried. "6:00?"

"Yes. Training starts at 7:30, and afternoon training is at 15 sharp." Everyone grumbled, confused.

"We only have four weeks." Ben interjected. "I chose Chloe as captain because she can fix my mistake. The truth is, we’re in this situation because of my indecision. So, anyone who wants to quit, can."

Everyone looked around at each other, and Bella sighed.

"How far are we running tomorrow?" Chloe smiled.

"As far as you want. I usually do five km. But since we’ll be a group, we’ll start slower. Tomorrow at breakfast, 7:00. I’ll introduce the training plan I’ve made and we’ll discuss it. And the afternoon session will be more of a skills assessment to see who needs to work on what. It’ll be more of a test course. Ben built it for us, I has no idea what it really is."

"Alright. Sounds like a plan." Robby nodded. "Now, when’s second dinner?"

The boys laughed, and Bella just stared.

"Dude, you ate a whole chicken an hour ago!" Chloe laughed too, but stayed quiet as the others teased Robby.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

After dinner and an incredibly tense game of Monopoly, insisted on by Ben because it would "build team spirit", everyone headed to bed. Once the others had gone upstairs, Chloe stepped out onto the , porch. soon she was joined by the king.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" She whispered into the cool night.

"To be honest? I don’t know. The more I think about it, the more I doubt it. I’m scared, Chloe." He admitted softly. "Things always seem to go wrong somehow, and this could lead to another war. I don’t know, I don’t want to anger the Empress or Mal. Maxie... when I look at my son, I feel pure fear. Fear for the future, fear that I’ll screw everything up. just like "he" did."

"You’re not like your father, Ben. Even the fact that you're talking to me right now shows that. And Aunt Bridget, she’s as sweet as cotton candy, but also strict. You’ve heard the stories. If you lie to her, she’ll be furious. If we go through with this, there will be consequences. Big ones, if someone finds out. It’s risky. And stupid. This competition is supposed to be a fresh start. Is lying and deception the fresh start you want, Ben?"

"But what if..."

"Why don’t you write to Auntie? Why don’t you go and sit down for tea with her? Just you and her. No Mal, no Red, no Evie, and no prying eyes. Just the two of you. She’ll respect that, and she’ll be honest, open. Auntie is always open when people are open with her. Tell her your doubts. Talk it through. She’s a parent too."

"But politics..."

"Ben." Chloe interrupted and turned to him. "Are you sure this is what you want this relationship to be, politics? I’m a princess too. I’ve carried the weight of a crown to. Not like you, but... I’ve seen things. And sometimes, the crown isn’t the most important thing."

"I know." The king stepped closer and leaned against the veranda railing beside her. "If it were, you’d be first in line right now."

Chloe turned sharply to him.

"You..."

"Your father and I talked a year ago, back when Mal was still pregnant. A lot of rulers spoke to me then. I even got offers for alliances, if I had a daughter." Ben laughed. "Of all the nonsense I heard back then, your father's advice and my father's words stuck with me. That’s when I truly saw what a failure my father was as a king. Your dad advised me to step back a bit. To find a new balance between being a father and a king. He offered support and made it clear he was on my side. And my father reminded me not to forget my duties as a ruler."

"That’s my dad." Charming smiled.

"That’s why tomorrow I’ll write to Bridget. I’ll request a meeting. I’ll listen to you. And while I wait for a response, we’ll just have to prepare, whether for victory or defeat. Four weeks. Damn, what a fool I am. Even if I want to win, it already feels impossible."

Chloe chuckled.

"Red said the same thing before her final history exam. But after three weeks of hard work and a few tears, I worked a miracle. She got one of the highest grades in her class. And if I managed Red, this’ll be a breeze."

Ben laughed gently.

"Are you sure your name is Charming and not Wonderful ?"

"Sadly, no. Red offered to let me have it, but I declined. It’s her sixth name, she said I could have it as a gift when she got her grade."

"Really?" The king asked, surprised.

"Yes, and she even told Auntie Bri. She laughed a lot and said if I ever changed my mind, to come talk to her. Aunt Bridget’s always been ready to adopt me, so it’s no surprise."

"She and Ella are like sisters."

"And impossible to stop when they’re together. Mal must’ve told you what happened during last year’s class trip to Camelot."

"Yeah. They showed up on day four to watch the little improvised tournament Uma had organized. Bridget wore a blue shirt that said Chloe is #1, and Ella had a red one..."

"*Red wiped the floor with them*. Yep. It was a nightmare. And the worst part? Red loved it. But don’t tell her I told you that."

"That’ll be our secret. I know Red has a reputation." The two kept chatting into the cool night air, and the princess felt lighter. Maybe this mess could still be avoided.

Chapter Text

The first day of training went terribly, If you asked Ben and the teens, but if you asked the captain, the day went great. Only two people threw up, and surprisingly, everyone’s reflexes turned out to be quite satisfactory. The boys fell asleep while Chloe was explaining the rules of cricket after dinner, but it was already clear that Bella and Chloe would be the starters in that event.

The second day was harder. More grumbling and even a light fight between Artie and Robbie. But Ben insisted Chloe leave them be. That was, he said, the boys' way of solving problems.

The third day was just awful. The enthusiasm seemed to be missing, and even Bella joined in on the boys’ quarrels.

By the fourth day, Chloe had reached her own limit. She was sick of hiding and complaining. She was tired and worn out too. And when Robbie skipped the afternoon training, she simply lost it. And what did she do? She didn’t yell or lecture, she fought. She lunged at Robbie and they exchanged a few blows before Lois pulled the captain off the stunned boy. Everyone was shocked,even Ben. But somehow, that made everyone snap out of it.

By the end of the first week, Chloe wasn’t speaking to anyone outside of training or giving orders. The four teens fell silent under her firm gaze and stern eyes. Even Ben was cautious. But then came Monday, and the king had to leave for three days. Charming saw him off at five in the morning, scrambled 30 eggs, grilled four pounds of bacon, and then started her day early. At 6:00 , when everyone got up for their run, they were greeted by a silent house and cold food. The group set off, with Luis grabbing some bacon on his way out. Their pace was solid, with Artie leading and Bella beside him.

“Hey.” Mumbled a sleepy Robbie when Artie suddenly stopped. “What…”

And then he saw it too. Chloe Charming was hanging from a bar, doing pull-ups. She wasn’t wearing her usual workout polos, but a loose tank top. Her muscular arms moved effortlessly. Her back was quite exposed.

“For the love of…” Robbie said, trailing off.

“We’re not doing enough.” Artie muttered. “We’re weak. We’re letting her down.”

“I’m giving my best,” said Lois.

“But it’s not enough. Look. Just look at her. She…” Then Bella cut in.

“She’s more of a man than you guys.” The three of them looked at her. “What? You’re such babies. Aren’t you supposed to be the men? Why is she the one teaching me how to fight with a sword? You’re supposed to be the muscle of this so-called team. But all you do is whine.”

“As if you don’t.” Robbie said.

“I’ve never trained like this. Not this hard for strength. I’ve had muscle soreness for days.”

“Same.” Luis said.

“But you move buildings back home, don’t you?” He fell silent, then sighed.

And kept running. The other three watched him for a long moment. Then he suddenly stopped and turned around.

“You going to just stand there staring, or are we running? I want to eat, and the captain won’t let me unless I run at least four kilometers. Come on, ladies. I’m not whining anymore, but neither are you.”

Bella followed Lois with a smile, and Artie and Robbie laughed.

“Bet you’ll be the first to whine again, Madrigal.” Robbie said.

“I’ve got ten on Art.” Luis replied as they caught up.

“Then I’ve got ten on Robbie.” Bella said.

“In that case, I’m putting ten on Bella.” Artie sighed.

“Deal.” They all said at once, and so began a small competition among the four of them.

A competition that no one wanted to lose. A silent pact was later made that whoever whined first would be stuck cleaning swords with the captain, a guaranteed hour of scolding from Charming, because no one maintained the blades properly.

That morning, with her headphones on, Chloe was lost in her workout and her thoughts of Red, unaware of the most important pact the team had made. A simple bet. A bet that united four young people. That created a team.

For the first two days after the bet started, Charming didn’t notice anything. But on the third day, everyone was surprisingly motivated and didn’t complain, even when it started raining during cricket training. On Friday, Ben returned in the early afternoon. There was something different about him, even he joined in on training. At dinner, he gave a speech about how much everyone had improved while he was away. The team played charades. Then off to bed shortly after 23:00.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Well, everyone except Chloe, who stepped out onto the veranda after doing the dinner dishes. Ben was sitting on the bench, simply gazing at the landscape. She stayed in the cool evening air for a while, silent, waiting, expecting.

“Bridget knows.” He said simply. “She got it out of me and got angry. Gave me a lecture. I admitted that you became our captain by accident. That only made her angrier. I have a letter from her.”

He pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket. The princess took it but didn’t reach to open it.

“So what happens now?”

“We fight for victory.”

“The deal is off?”

“It never happened.” Chloe nodded.

She understood that even the fact Ben had tried to influence the games was dangerous information.

“Otherwise, did it go well?”

“Yeah. She yelled at me, then hugged me. I felt like a kid.” She laughed.

“Yeah, Aunt does that to people. Even Mom’s had those moments, and don’t even get me started on Dad. Aunt is one of the reasons Mom and Dad don’t fight.”

“She loves love?”

“She’s the Queen of Hearts. When she found out Chad was getting engaged, she sent a whole chest of gold and asked Audrey to have tea with her.”

“So that’s how Chad bought that palace?”

“Nope. That was Aunt’s gift to Audrey after their tea. The two of them quickly became friends. They gossip a lot. They're scandalous.”

“That bad?”

“You have no idea. Red swore she’d lie until she got engaged just to avoid them.” The king laughed.

“And how’s that going?”

“To be honest, I don’t know. Red hasn’t exactly been looking. I hope I’d know if there were someone, but it’s Red. You never really know.”

“What about you? I know there’s been a fight for your hand for about a year now, but…”

“Should I be honest?”

“If you want.” Ben sighed. “I’m not the best person for advice, but I can listen.”

“How do you know when you’ve found your person?”

“That’s a tough question. From what I’ve been told, it’s different for everyone. For Mal and me, it was kind of love at first sight. There was just something between us. For Evie and Doug, it was something like that too, but it took time. For Carlos and Jane, it started as friendship and then turned into true love. Innocent, even childlike. If any love was real, it would be theirs, not madness or epic romance, but just pure.”

“Jane will love him to her last breath. Evie’s told me that ones. But what if you’re not what the other person wants? What if you know there’s no future?”

“Why do you think that?” Ben patted the bench and Chloe sat beside him. “I used to think Chad and Audrey had no future, but look at them now. A wedding’s on the way. So learn from your brother and don’t give up if you think it’s the right person. Fight. The risk is worth it.”

The princess’s eyes filled with tears. All the doubts and reasons why it would never work came flooding in. Fear nearly paralyzed her for a moment.

“Even if it can costs you the only real thing in your life?”

“What do you mean?”

“I... I can’t explain it. But I know one thing for sure, I don’t see myself with anyone else.”

“Then that’s your person. You just have to be brave enough to admit it.”

“It’s not that simple.” Ben laughed.

“Are you sure? Usually, we’re the ones making things more complicated than they need to be.” She met his eyes.

In them, she saw certainty, strength, and a hint of amusement.

“Mal ran from me a lot, but I didn’t give up, and look at us now. It was worth it. And Uma always says everything was worth it if it brought her here now. But she’s in love with the countless waves and the sea. And Evie... haha, Mal’s told me ten times how she finally kissed Doug. She doubted he’d wake up. And do you know what he did?”

“What?”

“He didn’t open his eyes right away. He pretended to still be asleep, just to see her grumpy face, to savor a moment of her beauty. He says he’s never seen anything more beautiful than her in that moment. His true love. So don’t listen to me, a romantic fool. Listen to the stories, not to repeat them or deny them, but to write your own.”

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

A little later, the princess was in her bed, the letter on her nightstand. Only one thing was on her mind was Red. She got up suddenly, turned on the night lamp, and opened the envelope.

*I’m writing this in a hurry. That foolish king is waiting for me, darling. But please, be rational. If I find out you’ve gone along with one of his crazy ideas, I’ll be angry. And I already am angry. Red went mad when she got the letters. My daughter is angry at you, or rather, let’s say she’s displeased with you.

Pink and I are fine, but Pink, my sweet flamingo, is planning your execution. You’d better bring her a little something when you come visit.

As for Red. Darling, that’s your problem. I’ll just say that I’ve had to stop her from going after you twice. You’re lucky she has things to distract her. Otherwise, who knows where your head would be right now. She misses you, sweetheart. If you get the chance, send her a letter. And if anything happens, no matter what, write to me directly. I’ll handle it. Take care, my child.

Love you, Aunt Bridget.*

Chloe relaxed into the bed with the letter in hand. 23 days. There were 23 days left until she would see Red again. Just a little more, she promised herself. Less than a month. She placed the letter back on her nightstand and let herself drift to sleep, thinking of the gentle arms she used to fall asleep in.

Chapter Text

The third week of training began surprisingly at four in the morning with loud music that woke everyone up. Chloe, Artie, Robbie, Bella, and Ben went down to the living room, where Luis sat, disheveled, in pajama shorts without a shirt.

“What the hell, you idiot?” Robbie lunged at him while Bella turned off the TV.

Silence. A thud. More silence. Chloe rubbed her temples.

“Stop, Robbie.” She said sternly, and the boy surprisingly growled but stepped back. “Luis, give me a reason not to punch you.”

“I had a dream!” He said proudly.

“So did I, about my girlfriend and a picnic.” Artie snapped. “What did you dream, us beating you up?”

“No. I dreamed about the flag.”

“The flag?” Ben sat down on the couch.

“Yeah, I dreamed that we would win.”He said confidently, and everyone exchanged looks.

“Okay. Luis.” Chloe sat in one of the armchairs while Bella leaned against the wall. “Spill.”

Robbie sat on the floor and sighed.

“This better be worth it, because not even the captain will stop me otherwise.”

“Count me in.” Artie raised a hand.

“Okay, we just have to take them out.” Everyone looked at him like he was insane.

“I’m going to hit you.” Robbie stood up.

“You know what, Robbie? I’ll help, but first, what exactly do you mean by ‘take them out’?”

“Simple, we will…”

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

That same afternoon, Chloe and Luis began a new kind of training. And honestly, the others thought they were insane, but Chloe had somehow understood the idea. And the idea was a good one. Bella thought things were already bad with Robbie’s wild behavior, but when the captain and Madrigal started acting strange, she realized she hadn’t seen anything yet. Somehow, after the first weird stunt came a second, then another, and by the next morning Luis and Chloe were running around, with Madrigal carrying Artie and Ben, and Bella riding on Charming’s shoulder.

Then on Wednesday, they started discussing participant assignments for the events. The process went surprisingly smoothly.

Croquet Singles – Bella, Chloe.
Croquet Doubles – Bella and Robbie. Chloe and Artie.
Sword Fighting – Everyone must participate (Contenders: Chloe and Artie).
Team Sword Fighting – Chloe, Artie, and (Robbie or Luis).
Badminton – Luis and Robbie & Artie and Bella.

Then came the hard part, flag football strategy. The boys argued a lot, while Chloe was surprisingly quiet. Ben had to shut down the discussions when Robbie tackled Luis.

After that, it was lunchtime. The food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing either. After the meal, Bella stayed behind to do the dishes with Robbie, then went for a short walk before afternoon training. To her surprise, she saw the captain lying on the grass.

“Hey, captain.” She sat down next to Charming.

“Ugh. Hi, Bella. What brings you here?”

“Just walking. And you, Chloe? You’ve been really quiet today.” The blue-haired girl sighed.

“I don’t know. Today just feels like a bad day, somehow.”

“Something’s bothering you.” And then Chloe just blurted it out.

“We’re going to lose.” The half-mermaid immediately searched her face. “There’s just no time. We have 11 more days here, and then one more week. 18 days until the games, and even our swords and uniforms aren’t ready. We’re not ready.”

“But we do have 11 days to make it happen.” Chloe’s black eyes were serious.

“Even if we had 30 more, we wouldn’t be ready.”

“But we have a plan for the flag, and now a team plan, captain. We just need a football strategy. We’re all working hard.”

“But it won’t be enough.”

“You’re really pessimistic today, captain. Why not look on the bright side? We’ve made progress. We’re a team now. The boys don’t fight every day, we’re running 7 kilometers. We still bicker and mess with each other sometimes, but that’s improvement.” Chloe met Bella’s eyes.

“I know, but there’s so much that still needs work. Our communication, what happened today was an example. What if they fight in the middle of a competition? What do we do then? And this whole thing with keeping secrets... I know Ben is doing it to surprise them, but I haven’t spoken to my family in weeks. I miss them.”

“Yeah, that sucks. I miss my mom and her singing. But I know she and Dad will be proud when they see me compete. And my little brother? I miss him so much. I wonder what kind of trouble he’s gotten into while I’ve been gone.”

“How old is he?”

“Ten and a half. And your brother? What do you think he’s doing now?”

“I don’t know. Picking wedding napkins or fighting someone for my honor.” Bella laughed.

“Your honor? Do you have someone already? There are a lot of suitors for your hand.” Chloe sighed.

“It’s complicated. No, I don’t have anyone.”

“But you want someone? You like someone.” Bella winked.

“And what if I do?”

“Then there’s another reason to win. That way you’ll get the lucky one’s attention. So... is he handsome?” Chloe felt a sharp pain in her chest.

“Can we not talk about this?”

“Why? A little romance these days wouldn’t hurt. And I bet he’s handsome, tall, and rich.”

“No. That doesn’t matter. It’s complicated, like I said.” Bella raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t believe you, Charming. You’re a princess…”

“So what? A person’s status isn’t the most important thing about them. Tall? I wouldn’t say this person is tall. Beautiful? It’s... complicated.”

“You keep saying that like it explains everything.”

“Fine. Tell me something you’ve never told anyone, and I’ll confess.” Bella suddenly turned serious. “Tell me one truth.”

“I liked one of the young guards back home. I… I was with him.” She whispered. “Only my mom knows. I told her after I found out he was getting engaged. I was 16.”

“Damn. Tell me your mom did something.”

“He just disappeared one day. I don’t know what Mom did, but he was just gone and hasn’t been seen since. I suspect he was taken to my grandfather’s kingdom. And the worst part? A part of me still wants him to come back, to be okay, despite everything.” Tears welled in Arabella’s eyes.

“Come. Lie next to me for a while.” Chloe lay on the grass. “Love always leaves marks, Bella. Sometimes it just isn’t meant to be. Other times… it’s simply impossible.”

“Like with you?” Bella’s black eyes studied her face, then Chloe stared at the sky.

“She’s the most beautiful. She made me believe in the impossible. And sometimes she feels like the only real thing in my life. Her smile is a dream, and I’d do anything just to make her smile at me. But…” Chloe looked at Bella.

The girl’s eyes were slightly widened. Her lips slightly parted. As if in that moment, she was putting the puzzle together.

“Damn.”

“Yeah. Damn.” Chloe laughed.

“By Poseidon… That makes sense. I didn’t expect it, but… I don’t know.”

“Hahaha. Yeah. I didn’t expect it either. I thought one day I’d meet a prince and he’d sweep me off my feet. But what happened? I only have eyes for her smile and I hear her quiet laugh in my dreams. And somehow, I think it’s worse for you.”

“No, you’ve got it worse. That’s rough. Do you have any idea if she…?”

“I don’t know. So far she hasn’t shown interest in… that. She’s only ever mentioned when she finds someone cute. But let’s stop this. It’s… impossible.”

“Are you sure?”

“Even if I had a chance, it would only hurt everyone involved. It’s just complicated.”

“Got it.” After a long pause. “Does she know?”

“No. I hate lying to her. That’s why I left my phone at home. I can’t bear the questions, or her voice right now. Part of me wants to run into her arms but… life sucks.”

Bella suddenly sat up and stared at the scenery around them.

“Okay. Then let’s do something. Boys!!!” Bella shouted, and within two minutes, Luis and Artie showed up running.

“What is it? Are you okay?” Artie asked.

“We’re fine. I just made a decision.”

“About what?”

“The uniforms. I support Luis’s idea.”

“Seriously? Awesome. This is going to be epic. That makes three to two. Majority! Great! What convinced you?”

“It’s summer.”

“No. Bella, why? No!” Chloe had her face in her hand. “Why would you take their side on this? It’s not practical.”

“But it’ll look cool.”

“And for once, see things from my point of view.” Luis said happily. “Freedom for the biceps!”

“Yeah. Freedom for the biceps.” Bella nodded with satisfaction.

“You know what? Screw you all. I’m going for a run.” Charming stood up.

“Wait, Cap. We need to increase the weightlifting and discuss…” And so, Charming realized a tough discussion awaited her.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Three days before the end of the camp, Charming was running with two sacks on her shoulders when she heard the commotion heading her way.

“No, this can't be happening. No way. Absolutely not!” Bella was shouting.

“But there’s no time. What are we supposed to do?” Artie was following her.

“I don’t know! I don’t care, but I’m not going out on that field in this!”

“What’s going on?” Bella stopped in front of Chloe.

The half-mermaid held out a pair of bright white pants in her hands. They looked quite large.

“What’s that?”

“These are the croquet uniforms. Look at it cap. I’m not wearing this, and it’s too big for me.” The princess scratched her forehead.

“Ahhh... okay, we’ll figure something out. Just breathe.”

“I’m refusing to breathe. And the rest of the uniforms arrived too, and everything’s a mess. A MESS! Luis ripped one of the shirts. They’re not reinforced like they were supposed to be.”

“Coach Ben?”

“He’s on the phone right now, but the chances of fixing things before the competition are slim. And the swords...” The captain tensed.

“What about the swords?”

“They’re not well-balanced. The weight is all in the tip.” Chloe froze for a long moment.

“And the hats. You have to see the hats for croquet. They’re awful. They were supposed to be navy blue, and they’re dark green.” Bella went on. “Everything’s wrong, even the socks. And those armored bras that were supposed to come with the uniforms? They’re missing.”

“They’re missing?”

“Yes, captain. We checked.” Artie said quietly. “And the wetsuits you and Roli insisted on, they’re way too big.”

“Okay. Aaaa... give me a minute. Let me go see what’s going on. We’ll sort it out.” They marched toward the house briskly.

And the moment Chloe stepped in, she knew something had gone very wrong. Ben’s yelling could be heard from afar. Lois was wearing a white t-shirt that fit him okay, except his biceps had torn through the sleeves. Robbie was critically inspecting a bow. Chloe whistled.

“People. I have just one question. Is anything here done right? Anything at all working?”

“Yeah.” Madrigal said and pulled out a navy-blue garment. “This looks fine.”

Chloe took the item and inspected it. A polo shirt, just as she’d asked, but something was off. The front part was…

“This is a men’s cut.”

“It’s your size, Cap.”

“Lois, I can’t fit in this. It may be my size, but it’s definitely not made for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“That her chest won’t fit in this thing. I’ll barely fit, and I’m a B cup, in the name of the crabs!” All the boys froze.

Three pairs of eyes darted between the shirt, Chloe, and finally Bella. They were visibly confused.

“Chloe could wear it, but she’d crush them.”

“Crush them?” Robbie repeated.

And apparently that was the last straw for Bella, because…

“You idiot, I’ll have you try on one of my jeans and see where you’ll stick that tiny pistol or the balls you clearly don’t have. Let’s see how comfortable you are? And stop staring. It’s rude. You know what, I’ll stare too.” The half-mermaid eyed the boys’ crotches. “Captain, don’t they seem small to you? I mean, I can’t even tell if there’s anything there.”

Chloe covered her face with her hand and turned away.

“Bella, for heaven’s sake. The pants are designed to hide that.”

“That’s not fair. They can stare at our chests, but we can’t see how big their bananas are. Oops, excuse me.” She covered her mouth. “I exaggerate. How big are your little carrots?”

“I don’t want to be part of this. Bella, stop. There’s no point.”

“Why? They’re rude. Roosters last longer than they do, I’m sure. Especially the muscle-head with the big arms. Funny thing is, his finger’s probably are thicker than his...”

“Bella!” She finally stopped.

“Yes, Cap.”

“Just stop. They’re not obligated to understand our clothing struggles. Just please stop. Your speculations are offensive. And we have bigger problems right now.” Artie cleared his throat.

“The captain’s right. And I admit I’m not well informed about your garment requirements, but if you’d like, I’d be happy to talk about it and learn from you.” Charming grabbed her head.

“I’d gladly explain things, Artie.” Bella nodded.

“Alright, enough of that for now. We need a plan of action. I want to see the swords while we wait for Ben.”

Luis tossed a sword to the princess.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

When Ben entered the room, he was greeted by a frankly terrifying sight. Luis and Robbie were hugging on the floor, while Artie held a very angry Chloe Charming, sword in hand, suspended in midair. And Bella? She was filming it.

“What’s going on here?” The king asked.

“Preventing a double homicide.”

“Documenting how Luis and Robbie are about to become ground beef.”The mermaid answered cheerfully.

“But why?”

“The swords are blunt, Ben. Blunt!” The blue-haired girl waved the weapon in her hand. “This is trash, even I could make better! Everything is messed up! Absolutely everything!”

Chloe tried to squirm free from Art grasp as Robbie laughed again.

“And the weirdest part is that everything really is messed up, from the uniforms to the equipment. Everything. They even sent us golf clubs instead of croquet mallets.”

“And even those are wrong. They’re for kids, ages 14 to 16. Only Chloe could use them, she is the only one whit the right height for them.”

“Hey.”

“Sorry, Cap, but it’s true.” Bella turned off her phone. “This is a bit suspicious.”

“Yeah.” Artie approached Ben with a pair of shorts in hand. “Is there a chance this is sabotage? One or two things being wrong, sure...but everything?”

The teens exchanged glances, and Chloe shot Ben a sharp look. The king cleared his throat.

“About that… turns out the uniforms were a light sabotage. One of Mal’s assistants was supposed to handle the orders under my name, and things got out of hand. As for the equipment...I have no explanation. I placed the orders personally.”

“Bad luck.” Artie sighed. “So what do we do now?”

“We have about two weeks to fix everything.” Bella nodded, sitting on a nearby couch. “I can call someone I know about the swords and other weapons, but I’m not sure.”

“I could contact Grandpa Merlin for the more sensitive gear. But we don’t have time, we don’t even have models for the uniforms.”

“Can you let me go?” Art slowly lowered the princess to the ground. “The best tailor I know is from the Isle. Even if we design them today, I don’t know who could make them in time. And that’s not even the main issue, the armored fabrics and fire resistance. We need quality, not just anything.”

“I doubt Bella’s contacts could make me a decent bow.” Robbie muttered, still inspecting the excuse for a bow in his hands. “And we can’t use our own gear. It doesn’t meet the standards.”

Then Chloe remembered something. She sighed.

“We have another option,but it won’t be easy.”

“I’m open to anything.” Ben said. “I don’t know anyone who’ll take on our orders on such short notice. Even if I start calling around… word would spread.”

“Alright. But I warned you.” Chloe went upstairs and returned with her emergency kit.

She came back down, placed it on the table, and opened it. Inside was an old flip phone, a few pages from Wonderland, and a note.

“I know you didn’t want a phone at camp, but this is only for…you know.
The pages are for writing to her when she distracts you too much.
I’m your number One. Love you. Call anytime.
Audrey.”

Charming took the phone and dialed the only contact. She answered on the second ring.

“Hi Clo. How are you?”

“I’m fine, Audrey. I just realized I need a little help.”

“At your service.” Her brother’s fiancée said eagerly.

“Can you give me a couple of contacts? Like, right now. It’s urgent.”

“Who?”

“Grandma and Leonel.”

“Of course. I’ll text them to you. But are you okay? What’s going on?”

“Nothing. Just… things happened. I need a tailor…”

“I could connect you with...”

“A military tailor.”

“Oh.” Then a pause. “If you want, Chad and I can come over immediately.”

“No. No need to come. I just need the contacts and… if you could keep this between us for now.” Audrey sighed on the other end.

“I’ll keep quiet, but you better tell me everything later, okay?”

“Don’t worry. You’ll get the full tea.”

“That’s all I want.” After a pause. “I miss you, Clo. And your brother’s getting a bit grumpy because Ella calls him three times a day. We all miss you.”

“I miss you too. All of you.” She stood up and took a deep breath. “So much. But there’s only a little left. Worst case, we’ll meet in Wonderland. Love you. Remind them all for me.”

“Love you too, shorty. Take care and kick butt at camp.”

“Funny you say that. We’ve got just one participant who deserves a beating. That’s why I’m calling.” Ben winced.

“Thank him for me and send my regards to the losers.”

“Will do. Bye.”

“Bye. Oh...and it’s going to rain. Dress warmly.”

“Mom’s rubbing off on you, but okay.” She hung up and waited.

“We’ve resorted to Audrey…” Ben muttered. “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

“Probably not, Ben.” Chloe nodded. “She sends warm regards...to the losers.”

Everyone grumbled. Robbie jumped to his feet.

“Said the captain of the losers.” He held up a shirt with text on it. “I’m keeping this.”

Everyone burst out laughing, and once Charming calmed down.

“What does Freedom for the Birds of the Caribbean! mean?”

The teens tried to stifle their laughter, while Ben stood to the side, confused.

“It’s nothing, Cap. Nothing at all.” Luis said.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

On the last evening of camp, after the final training session, Ben was grilling. Artie was helping Bella fasten and adjust her harness belt confidently. Chloe was approaching from a nearby path, two sacks of charcoal on her shoulders. Luis was sipping lemonade, and Robbie was running laps,his final kilometer of punishment from earlier.

The princess set the sacks down beside the king and sat on a nearby chair. The sky was already dark. Everyone wore their t-shirts that read Freedom for the Birds of the Caribbean! Even Charming had taken a liking to them, one of the few wearable things they had.

“We’re leaving tomorrow.” Luis said quietly.

“Yeah. My ride will be here at seven.” Bella said, finishing her fastening quickly and starting to undo it again.

“I’m driving Robbie. We’re leaving at eight. What time are you leaving, Cap?” Artie asked.

“Don’t know. I have a meeting with one of the tailors at 15:00. The drive to Grandma’s is about five hours. Probably around seven as well.”

“But that’s so early, Captain.” Chloe just shot him a look, and he fell silent.

“Is it bad that the last few weeks feel like a whole lifetime?” Lois tossed out a little later.

“No. I gained twelve kilos since I’ve been here. It really was a whole lifetime for me.” The mermaid said.

“Yeah, you’re more muscle than fish now.” Robbie said as he stopped next to Ben, and everyone laughed. “But jokes aside, Bella really changed the most.”

Everyone agreed.

“Lois gained a lot too, and the captain tore the sleeves off one of her shirts yesterday. I may have gained the most weight, but the captain’s biceps are way more impressive.”

The boys immediately started whistling and agreeing.

“We all built a bit of muscle. Robbie’s three centimeters wider in the chest, and Artie’s running 10K in under 40 minutes. We’re all tougher now.”

“Even the king lost his dad bod.” Laughter filled the air, and Robbie ran off with Ben chasing him.

“Just wait till I catch you, fox!” The king shouted.

Soon after, Luis ran after them with the idea of dumping a bucket of water on their heads, while Chloe and Artie took over the grill, and Bella continued her exercises. It was a nice evening. Just another peaceful night for the Auradon team.

Chapter Text

Two hours before the teams and their families arrive.

Bridget knocked gently on the pink door.

"Yes?" Came a voice from inside, and the Empress slowly stepped into her younger daughter's room.

But she froze on the threshold when she saw her child sharpening a rather formidable axe.

"My dear, I thought we made it clear that this is a friendly competition." The girl, wearing a long light pink dress, slowly turned to her mother, stopping her task.

"Yes, and what about it, Mom?" The woman gestured toward the weapon. "Oh, this? It's for Chloe."

"You're still planning a murder?" Bridget asked with a smile as she approached.

The woman gently caressed her daughter’s face, and the girl leaned slightly into the touch. The Empress studied her younger daughter's face with soft eyes, her smile widening.

"My little flamingo, how you've grown. Planning your first execution already. But is it really necessary?"

"Of course, Mom." The girl stood up and raised the axe in the air. "My sister has been moody for weeks. Last night she was wandering the hallway again. The entire staff avoids her after the incident last Friday."

"Yes, Red is a bit out of control, but that’s no reason to..."

"Twelve letters in the past week. And five nights she’s woken me, playing the piano in the middle of the night." Rink set the axe down on the table. "She misses her."

"I know, but Chloe’s just offline. Ella hasn’t spoken to her since she left for knight camp. She only got one letter saying Chloe would be at Grandma Konstantina’s for a while. But they arrive today. Things will get better."

The woman opened her arms slightly and embraced her child.

"And what if I don’t want things to go back to 'normal'?" The Empress sighed at those words.

"Pink. You need to stay out of people’s private lives." The girl shifted uncomfortably in her mother’s arms.

"But you didn’t say that yesterday." The Empress let Pink go.

"Yesterday was different. There’s nothing wrong with love and helping it along, but there are always boundaries." The girl raised an eyebrow.

"So, if I understand you correctly, I can matchmake everyone except my sister, and it’ll be fine?"

"That’s not what I meant, daughter. You can only matchmake free people. As for your sister, Red just needs time to understand her feelings." Pink laughed.

"So you’re going to intervene?" The Empress brushed a few unruly strands from her child's face.

"I’m not doing any such thing, dear. The truth is, now’s not the time. The Games are important. Everything has to go smoothly."

"You’ve been saying that for weeks, Mom. I know this is important, but my sister seems so lonely. Like her body is here, but not her mind. Red is in love, Mom, I’m sure of it."

"Even if that’s true, there’s a more important question. Who’s the lucky one?"

"She’s been spending a lot of time with Max. And it’s not just for training. They’ve gotten pretty close lately." Bridget fell silent but kissed her daughter’s forehead.

"Time will tell, and the wonders will sing when the moment comes. For now, just finish getting ready. You’ve got about an hour."

"Alright, Mom." Bridget left the room and walked down the hallway.

If she was honest, she’d noticed the change in her child’s behavior for some time but hadn’t wanted to interfere. But things had been slowly escalating, now even the teapots and walls whispered about her heir’s heart. And Red was already of age. There had been no shortage of alliance proposals, but the Empress wasn’t seeking a political marriage. Red could rule on her own.

Her daughter’s heart would choose a partner, or not. That decision was Red’s to make. She was still young, but even so, a small voice in the woman’s mind told her to intervene. Not to force things, but just to gently nudge her in the right direction.

The woman stopped in front of a black door. It opened before she could knock.

"Mom? I’m ready, don’t worry."

"I’m not worried, dear. I just came to see you. I like the outfit, but don’t you think it’s a bit..." Red was dressed in full blood-red leather attire.

"Intimidating. Yes, that’s the point. We want to scare the competition. Are you going like that?" The heir pointed at the woman.

"Something wrong with my dress?"

"Not really. It’s just… too pink for today. Why not try something… redder. For me." The woman sighed.

"Alright. Why don’t you come help me choose?"

"Okay." The two headed to the woman’s chambers.

When they arrived in the Empress’s quarters, the heir immediately dove into her wardrobe, while Bridget sat on her bed and waited. The truth was, she was willing to go along with Red for the day, for the sake of peace and her plan.

"Mom, I found something I like. And I don’t remember ever seeing you in this." Red called from inside. "It might be a lot, but would you wear it?"

The young woman emerged from the wardrobe with a tailored women’s suit, burgundy trousers, a beautiful white shirt with golden embroidery, a vest just a shade darker than the pants with golden details, and an intricately decorated jacket with gold motifs.

The Empress recognized the suit instantly. She really hadn’t worn something like that in a long time.

"Oh, this old thing." She got up from the bed and approached. "Alright, but I expect you to match with me. And call your sister while I get ready."

Red handed her the hanger and immediately left.

Bridget unzipped her dress with magic and gently removed the heavy garment. When she pulled on the trousers, there was a moment of doubt, would it fit? But surprisingly, the suit fit like a glove. Then the shirt, carefully buttoned, and finally, she slipped on the vest without fastening it. She left the jacket aside for the moment and turned to her mirror. With a touch of magic, she removed her makeup and quickly applied a new, softer one to match the outfit. She even coordinated her eyeshadow to complement Red’s.

After a long moment of thought, Bridget decided to leave her hair down.

Her two daughters entered the room.

"Wait, Red. You can't surprise me, I already saw Mom. I really liked her dres..." And then they stepped into the bedroom.

Even the heir stopped in her tracks when she saw her mother, and Pink's face was pure shock.

"Mom, you..." Red whistled. "Sis!"

"What?"

"That’s Mom."

"And she looks really good. Better than in those big gowns, if you ask me. It's a bit strange, but I like it. So..." Red cleared her throat. "Mom, you look very beautiful."

Red approached and slowly began buttoning the vest.

"I waited for you so we could choose a tie together, my dears. Will you help me?"

"Of course." Pink came over, and Bridget gently reached for her daughters.

"I want us to match today, so..." Two ties appeared in her hand.

Both were light pink, the color of Pink’s dress. One had small red hearts, the other, roses.

"Which one do you like?" The two girls exchanged glances.

"The roses." They said in unison, and the woman laughed.

"Alright. That was quick." When Bridget reached to put it around her neck, Red stopped her.

"Let me, Mom. Does it matter how I tie it?"

"No, sweetheart. Just not too tight."

"Got it." The redhead got to work while her younger sister watched her hands with interest.

"Pink, my little, would you get my jacket?" The princess hurried to fetch it while Red adjusted their mother’s shirt over the newly tied tie.

The woman stepped back, adjusted the tie herself, and looked in the mirror.

"A triple knot. Good choice, dear." Pink approached with the jacket. "Thanks."

The Empress took the garment, quickly and efficiently draped it over her daughter’s shoulders, then pulled out the pink strands from beneath it. Pink was caught off guard but just smiled.

"Yes. That’s perfect. Now we just need to fix the final details. Come on, girls." The woman headed for the door.

"Mom."

"Yes, Red?"

"Are you going to walk around barefoot?" The Empress looked down at her bare feet and chuckled.

"Wonders. Wouldn't be the first time. One second." The woman turned to grab her shoes.

Then she led her daughters through the palace. Red quickly figured out where they were going, and wasn’t happy.

"But Mom. I have enough jewelry. And I ..."

"Dear, I’m not going to make you wear a crown. I just want to give you something. You have so many ear piercings. You could wear one earring for me. It won’t kill you."

They continued down the corridor until they reached the massive doors of the treasury. Pink looked excited, while Red tapped her foot slightly as the doors opened. The three stepped through the hallway and soon entered the treasury, where several chests were running around and even paused for a moment to look at the newcomers before scurrying off across the vast chamber. A few butterflies immediately flew in and landed on the royals. Pink watched everything with interest, while her sister gently brushed one butterfly from her hair to her shoulder.

"You can choose whatever you like, dear. Just be careful, some cabinets bite here."

"I know, Mom." And with that, Pink disappeared among the piles of gold and artifacts.

Bridget and Red were left alone. The heir picked up a few gold coins and began to toy with them as she waited for her mother. The woman wasn’t surprised and slowly walked deeper into the treasury. As the two moved, various chests and boxes opened before them, but Red paid them little attention. Soon, they approached a table with a few chairs next to a large window overlooking the palace entrance.

"So, my dear. Didn't you like anything?"

"I have enough jewelry, Mom. And with the competition coming up, I don’t feel like anything new."

"Alright." The woman sighed. "But still, why not take a look at this or that?"

In front of her, was placed a small chest and a jewelry box, both filled with gold coins and jewelry. The heir sighed and began to browse. A few rings passed through her fingers until she found a beautiful gold chain. The pendant was a delicately twisted ribbon of gold shaped like a rose, with a ruby in the center. Red set it aside and kept looking. Soon, she came across two matching earrings. They made a lovely set. And just as she was about to close the chest, the jewelry box moved closer, as if presenting itself. Red sighed and set the set aside.

She began inspecting the jewelry so as not to offend the box. Her eyes happened upon a ring of white gold. It was rather simple, with no large stones. But it was inlaid with small rubies, emeralds, and purple garnets. It was beautiful, and without realizing it, Red smiled.

"What did you find, dear?" Red moved to put the ring down, but Bridget stopped her.

"Come on, show me, please." The girl raised the ring. "Oh."

The Empress took the jewelry and examined it.

"You’ve picked an engagement ring, my rose. It is beautiful, yes, but aren’t the stones a bit small?"

"Engagement ring?" Red was speechless.

"Yes, didn’t you see the knot at the back? This is an old engagement ring. Looks like it’s never been used. There are many such beautiful pieces here. You know how picky the women in Wondelend are, especially in ours family."

"I know. I didn’t realize it was an engagement ring. I just liked it. For me."

"But it’s quite modest."

"So what? I don’t want to wear stones the size of my head. Yes, they’re small, but they’re delicate. They’re beautiful." The Empress smiled.

"Got it. I’ll have to keep that in mind for the future." Red's eyes immediately widened.

"Mom! It’s too early for that."

"I know, dear, but it’s never too early for love. You've been pretty distracted lately. Is everything alright?" A large wooden box appeared on the table in front of them.

"I'm fine. It’s just been stressful. And I don’t know... I miss Chloe. She just vanished."

"I know, dear, but you’ll see her today."

"Yeah, but we won’t be able to..." She fell silent.

"What is it, dear?" the woman asked gently.

"We’ll see each other in front of everyone, and I’ll be busy with the team. The next twelve days are going to be hard, and even if she’s here, I won’t be able to really see her. I’m the captain."

"So what. You can sneak out of a few practices. It wouldn’t be the first time. And victory isn’t everything, we’ve talked about this."

"But you do want to win?" Red raised an eyebrow.

"I want you to have fun."

"And I want you to lose." Came Pink’s voice.

"What?" Red stood up from the table. "Sister, come here right now."

The pink princess appeared beside them a moment later, her arms adorned with bracelets and rings.

"What, are you threatening me, sis? I’m betting you’re going to lose."

"And why?" Red crossed her arms.

"Because we don’t know who’s competing for Auradon, and I have a feeling. And that person will beat you."

"How can you be so sure?" Bridget smiled knowingly, she caught what her daughter was hinting at.

"Yes, my dear. She’s right. If that person competes, we will lose, and I’d actually be happy about it." Bridget nodded.

"Mom, not you too."

"Dear, we both know if Chloe competes, it’s over. Even though the games slightly favor us, Charming won't go easy on us. She’ll crush everyone."

Red stopped in her tracks. She had thought about it but believed Blue would tell her if she was competing. And her family was right, her princess was the only one she was willing to lose to with a smile. Chloe would crush her, and do it kindly. She would be gentle and sweet. No snide remarks or playful banter, just a calm voice and decisive actions. And afterward, only once the victory was hers, she’d tease her with that playful voice and soft eyes. She might even lift her into her arms and spin her gently, like she weighed nothing. Red could see it clearly.

She sighed and fell silent. How she missed the princess’s hugs. Her deep morning voice, even the terrible way she cleaned her sword. And she laughed.

"You’re wrong. Even if Chloe does compete, I’ll beat her." Red said confidently. Pink laughed.

"Still betting on big sis Chloe." The pink girl said, spinning and skipping away.

Red sat back down and sighed, while her mother laughed.

"What’s in here?" She opened the wooden box.

Inside was a selection of rings. Fifty velvet-lined slots, three of them empty.

"Oh!"

"This is your great-great-great-great-grandmother’s selection. She never accepted your grandfather’s proposal. In the end, she proposed herself and wore the royal seal as her engagement ring." Red stared at the jewelry.

There were many ornate rings, but a variety of others as well. Her eyes landed on one in particular, a slightly thicker band, inlaid with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and sapphires. The sapphires made Red shiver. They were the exact color of Chloe’s hair. The perfect shade.

"Can I...?"

"Of course, dear." She picked up the ring and turned it over.

The band was gold, and at the back, the stones darkened slightly. Her eyes focused on a single very dark blue sapphire, and a lone purple stone beside it. Then her eyes caught the inside of the ring. There was an engraving.

"Jabberlockie." Inscribed in the old tongue. And inside, she saw a tiny imperfection. The rebel girl looked closer and identified the strange lines as a fingerprint.

"There’s a fingerprint inside." She said without realizing it.

"What, dear? Let me see." She handed the ring over with soft uncertainty.

She watched her mother inspect the jewelry.

"Yes, it seems so. I remember this ring. Your grandmother told me its story. The light sapphires came from the bottom of our seas, and that very dark one came from a Jabberlockie’s nest. If you notice, the rubies are blood-tears from the lands of the Dogs, and the diamonds were taken from the mines of the White Kingdom. This ring was made by a truly great jeweler. Your grandmother said it represented the entire land of Wonders, but it wasn’t for her. She called it too ‘strange.’ And this gold is some of the oldest in the kingdom. That’s why it’s darker, because it was mixed with the blood of the Bandersnatch himself." Bridget handed it back to her daughter, who stared at it for a long moment.

Red’s head buzzed lightly. The ring somehow reminded her of Chloe, of their first meeting in the original timeline. And those sapphires... blue hair.

"Why don’t you take it?" Bridget asked.

"What?" Their eyes met, and the woman smiled.

"Take it."

"But it’s an engagement ring. It probably costs as much as a castle. I can’t."

"Dear, that ring costs more than our entire palace." The heir shivered. "And the way you’re looking at it, as the ring knows something. So take it. We’ll put it in a little box, and you just carry it with you. You already stuff your pockets with a million things."

"Mom, I don’t know what you're implying..."

"I’m not implying anything. I’ve just... seen a few things lately. So just take it. Not to use it or anything. Just because you can. And because I want you to have it." Red sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"Mother, what are you trying to say? Just this once, be direct. You’re not trying to match me up, are you? I know there are offers for my hand, but..."

"I’m not doing anything like that. I’m just telling you... if your heart speaks, listen to it. Even if it’s not perfect or fairy-tale-like. Just trust your heart."

"Mother, I don’t know where you’re going with this, but I think you’re imagining things." The woman sighed.

"Alright. So be it." A small red box appeared in Bridget’s hand. "Here. It’s yours."

Red slowly took the box and placed the ring inside, then left the box on the table.

"Did you like anything else?"

"Yes." Red held up the set. "I liked this. And I think the necklace would suit Pink."

Bridget smirked when the girl winked. She nodded. Then the woman brushed her hair aside and removed one of her earrings. Red handed her one of the gold earrings and reached to take off one of her own. They both fitted the new jewelry and smiled at each other.

"Pink, sweetheart. Where are you?" The Empress called out.

Within a minute, the pink girl appeared with a tiara on her head. The two laughed, and Bridget patted her thigh.

"Come here."

"Mom, I’m not a kid anymore." She grumbled but still sat on the woman’s lap.

"You’ll always be one to me." The woman hugged her child.

"Why are you looking at rings?" Pink's eyes scanned the jewelry.

"They just appeared. But your sister liked something for you." Red got up and walked over to them, the necklace hidden behind her back.

"What?"

"Surprise. Close your eyes." The young girl pouted but obeyed.

Red carefully placed the necklace around her neck, and then her mother pulled her close to sit with them. And so both of Bridget’s children ended up in her lap. She hugged them with a smile.

"Oh, my darlings. I miss the days when you sat like this on my lap while I worked. My little roses." The two girls accepted the hug without complaint.

Red felt a bit out of place for a moment, but when she saw Bridget’s smiling face and Pink’s soft laughter, she felt warmth. This was her family. This was what she fought for. What she and Chloe had achieved. The heir leaned in and gently kissed her sister’s forehead, then her mother’s cheek. The Empress’s smile grew even wider.

"I love you. I love you, Mom." She stroked her sister’s cheek. "I love you, Flamingo."

"I love you more, my rose." Bridget replied so tenderly that Red nearly teared up. Then the woman nestled into Pink’s neck. "I love you too, my sugar cotton."

"I love you all too." Pink threw herself around her mother and sister, hugging them tight.

The embrace lasted a long moment, after which Pink jumped up. She quickly fixed her dress and jacket, fiddled with her necklace for a second, and took off the remaining jewelry.

"Alright. As much as I want this to go on, I’m heading downstairs." And off she went.

Red and Bridget burst out laughing at the pink girl’s enthusiasm.

"She knows the guests won’t be here for at least another hour, right?" the Empress asked.

"I don’t know, Mom. You insisted we be ready early. That’s probably why she’s rushing." Bridget pulled her daughter snugly into her lap.

"My little Rose. We haven’t done this in so long."

"I’m not that little anymore, Mom."

"And yet, we should do this more often. Before you find someone else’s lap to sit on." Red froze for a second.

"Mom! That’s so mean. There’s no one in my life yet, and I’m not in a rush. And even if there were, that doesn’t mean I’ll stop hugging you or being here. You’ll always be important to me."

"I hope you remember those words when you leave for Auradon in the fall. How will I manage without cuddling you?" The woman tightened her hug, and Red giggled.

"Why are you making it sound like Pink won’t be here, Mom? She’ll be more than happy to accept all your hugs."

"True, but it’s not the same. And you know it. I’ll miss you."

"And you’ll visit, and I’ll come back regularly to see you, and for my duties. We’ll write too. And you and Aunt Ella will be secret agents."

"It won’t be like that." The woman protested.

"Mom. You and Auntie sneaked into the school the week before we graduated because Chloe didn’t pick up her phone at nine at night. We had just dozed off." Red raised an eyebrow.

"That’s not true. We just missed you. That’s why we came."

"Why don’t I believe you?" There was a knock at the treasury door.

Red immediately tried to get up, but Bridget stopped her.

"Yes?" The door opened, and Maddox entered.

"Hello." He smiled when he saw them. "The Charming family’s carriage arrived a minute ago."

"See? Now ask Ella. She would’ve told you we came because we missed you." But Red’s face had changed completely. "What is it, dear?"

"The Charmings are here." Bridget nodded. "Chloe arrived."

"Yes, dear. Why are you worried?"

"Pink’s been planning her execution for a week now." Mother and daughter stared at each other for a long moment.

Then both sprang up and ran, before any innocent heads could roll... or worse, the head of one Chloe Charming.

And once again, the treasury was left empty, save for the soft clinking of metal on metal. The wooden jewelry box slowly and gently closed itself, and the space beside it remained empty, no trace of the little red box.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Four hours before the meeting in Wonderland  was scheduled to take place.

"Come on, Lois, faster. We’re already running late. And we still need to stop for flowers." Chloe was striding toward the car.

Constantina smiled gently at her granddaughter.

"Take a breath, dear. Everything is already taken care of. All that’s left is to arrive." The woman gently reached out and adjusted the girl’s collar.

The princess nervously touched the fabric of her white shirt. The truth was, her grandmother was right. Over the past week, the Auradon team had accomplished more than one impossible feat. The fact that they had all the equipment was a miracle in itself.

She ran her hands down her dark blue military-style trousers. The material was soft but durable. It was perfect. She was also aware of the garment beneath her shirt. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Today, the secret would be revealed. Charming smiled softly.

"You’re right, Grandma. And thank you for all the help. None of this would’ve been possible without you." The woman brushed aside a stubborn strand of hair from her granddaughter’s face.

"Don’t mention it. I just expect you to go there and show them how it’s done. Alright? Winning isn’t the most important thing. Just have fun. Trust yourself. And don’t hide the weapons." The young girl covered her face with her hand, and the woman laughed.

"Okay, Grandma. I’ll have fun. But why are you starting with that too?"

"Because Luis is right. It’s a shame to hide the results of your hard work. Besides, you never know,you might catch someone’s eye." The mentioned young man appeared at the door.

"Alright, yeah. Love you, Grandma." Chloe hugged the woman.

"Hey! Everything’s fine now, I found my glasses." Luis held up the case triumphantly.

"Good boy. Come here." Constantina called him over, and they hugged.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Charming. Everything was wonderful, and your cooking is to die for." She let him go with a smile.

"Just come visit again, boy. Give my regards to your family, and enjoy the games."

"Absolutely, ma’am."

"Safe travels, kids. It was a pleasure having you." Chloe and Lois got into the car.

"Goodbye!" The boy called.

"See you soon, Grandma." The woman simply waved as they drove off.

And when she was left alone in front of the estate, she sighed.

"She’s in love, my Max. Our granddaughter is in love, and once again, you were right. Ah, love. Young love." And the woman slowly made her way back to the house with a smile on her face.

An elderly man in a suit bowed slightly before her.

"Shall we begin preparations?"

"Not yet, Shon. There’s time. But start asking around. I want to know who my granddaughter has chosen, before she uses her grandfather’s gift."

"Of course. I’ll get on it."

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Chloe was driving a little too fast, while Luis fiddled with his cricket cap. The car stopped abruptly, and the princess jumped out. She dashed into the flower shop, slightly out of breath.

"Ah, Miss Charming. Your order is ready, don’t worry." The clerk said and disappeared into the back for a moment.

Chloe glanced around the shop and noticed some beautiful sunflowers, Red’s favorites. “A flower and a snack in one.” The rebel used to say. The woman returned with her husband, both carrying large bundles of flowers.

"That’s everything, right?" The woman asked as the princess took the largest bouquet.

"The sunflowers, are the seeds ripe?"

"These aren’t, but we have a few in the back. Why?"

"Could I get three, with purple and red ribbons?"

"Of course." And the woman got to work.

The man and Chloe walked back to the car, where Lois had opened the back door. The princess assessed the situation and carefully placed the bouquet atop the pile of duffel bags in the back seat. Luckily, it fit. Meanwhile, the man and Luis were arranging the other flowers on the opposite side. When everything was inside, the car was completely packed. Chloe returned to the counter, where the woman was finishing the bouquet.

"Here you go." She handed over the finished bouquet.

"Thank you." Chloe took it, pulled out a wad of cash from her wallet, and handed it to the woman. "And sorry for the urgent order."

"It was a pleasure, child. You gave us a whole three days, it wasn’t that urgent."

"True, but some of the flowers are very rare. So thank you again, and have a nice day." The princess exited the shop.

She and Luis exchanged a nod. He said goodbye to the man, and they got into the car, just as the woman ran outside.

"This is too much. We can’t accept it." She said urgently.

"Consider it a compliment to your work,nothing more." Charming replied. "Send my regards to your mother. Goodbye."

And she started the car and drove off. The sunflowers were up front, in Lois’s lap, as he lounged in the seat.

"How big of a tip did you leave?"

"Oh, it wasn’t much." He laughed.

"Said the princess."

"Luis, I don’t know if you know this about me, but I’ve been working since I was ten. First helping my dad and grandpa, then running a small business of my own."

"I didn’t know that." He looked at her, surprised. "What kind of business?"

"Making and selling protective gear."

"Wait a minute, is that how we got the armored clothing so quickly?"

"Not just because of that. Art pulled a few strings too. But that’s the reason you're currently wearing armored underwear. Is it comfortable?" He looked at her even more surprised.

"Yeah. It’s good. The fabric is nice and breathable."

"Glad to hear it. We mostly make gear for women, so I had to ask. If there's any issue, please let me know."

"Alright, Cap. So... how did you end up selling underwear?" He asked, and the princess sighed.

Chloe closed her eyes for a moment, then pressed the gas pedal. The meeting was in two hours and twenty minutes, and they still had at least another three hours to go.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Most of the guests arrived on time. The guests from Aupadande. The kids from the Isle showed up twenty minutes late because they’d gotten lost. At that moment, Red was sitting and watching King Ben with a scrutinizing gaze. Something was going on. The Auradon team was nowhere to be seen. A few royal families and individuals had arrived, but there was no sign of a team. And Chloe wasn’t there either. Pink had been talking to Audrey for ten minutes, and her mother was chatting with the other queens, since King Ben insisted that the team was on its way.

As for the Isle team… they were pure chaos. In the last half hour, there had been five arguments and nearly two full-blown fights.

"Hey, Cap!" Max shouted. "Come here. These guys from the Isle claim they can turn a sponge into an apple."

"Tell them to try the reverse." She replied without taking her eyes off Ben.

He looked nervous. He checked his watch every two minutes, and there was something... off about him. The way he stood was too stiff, even with a child in his arms. The rebel scanned the youths around her. Most were chatting in groups, but there was one girl sitting alone. She sat by her parents and hadn’t said a word since arriving. Arabella or something like that. She just held her mother’s hand and rested her head on her father’s shoulder.

And the Madrigal family seemed suspicious, especially Luisa Madrigal. She was restless. Like she was looking for someone. Captain Uma approached.

"Hey. How are you?" Red didn’t even glance at her.

"I’m fine."

"Why are you standing alone?"

"Something’s going on. The Auradon team isn’t here." The pirate laughed.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that too, but I overheard recently that there was some issue with their gear. I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up tomorrow. Mal said something about Ben almost getting beaten up. It was that bad."

"And that explains all this?"

"No, but it says enough. The Auradon team is starting to look weak."

"Have you already written them off, Director?" Red smiled.

"Not yet. You and I both know it depends on their captain."

"And who do you think that is?" Uma shrugged.

"I don’t know. I do know Ben delayed his choice a lot. That’s all. But I won’t lie...I have someone in mind. We all do." Red nodded.

Yes, Chloe was a force to be reckoned with, and even Uma knew that. The two remained off to the side a while longer, until the palace gates suddenly opened wide. A red car sped in at a fast pace. All conversations stopped. All eyes turned toward the newcomers. And then the driver’s door opened.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

The princess stepped out of the car quickly. She didn’t even bother to close the door and headed straight to the back to retrieve the large bouquet of flowers. She also grabbed a small pink gift bag and strode confidently toward the crowd. Everyone was watching her, while Luis picked up the rest of the flowers and followed.

Chloe scanned the crowd for her aunt, but didn’t see her anywhere. She spotted Red standing with Uma, and Pink with a group of teens, but no sign of the Empress. And then Mal took her child from a woman in a suit.

Charming froze mid-step. Bridget, Red’s mother, the sweet woman with the cupcakes, was sitting there in a suit, looking like the boss of all bosses.

The blue-haired girl refocused. She reminded herself of the plan and stepped forward. The other women stepped aside. And those eyes, so much like Red’s, watched her. Serious, but calm, and somehow pleased. Chloe dipped her head slightly.

"Aunt Bridget." The woman stepped toward her.

"Hello, my dear. You’re late." She said playfully with a smile.

"Unfortunately, I couldn’t avoid it. Please accept my sincerest apologies." The woman tilted her head slightly to the left.

"You’re here before me. Still whole and beautiful, dear. I hear you’ve vanished these past few days. I’m just glad you made it, late or not." Chloe took a deeper breath, a bit more at ease.

"It’s a pleasure, Aunt. I couldn’t miss the chance to see you. These are for you. But sadly, as always, the flowers nothing next to your beauty." Chloe handed her the large bouquet.

The woman accepted it with a gentle smile.

"Ah, how lovely. Even night lilies. Always in tune."

"As expected. May I see Princess Pink? I’ve unfortunately heard she desires my head." Bridget slowly stepped aside, revealing the pink girl, clearly searching for her axe.

The girl in pink, with her lovely jacket draped over her shoulders, glanced at Chloe for a moment before continuing her signal for a weapon. Chloe approached her slowly and made an exaggerated curtsy.

"A head in exchange for a surprise?" She asked coolly, extending the pink gift bag.

The pink girl immediately stopped, her eyes glued to the gift. Then they met Chloe’s.

"I don’t know..." Chloe turned, and Lois tossed her a bouquet of gorgeous pink tulips.

The girl jumped into Chloe’s arms. She held her tight.

"Big sis Chloe!"

"Hey there, little pink fluff. I’m sorry I upset you, but it wasn’t in my control." She spun Pink in the air and hugged her.

"Promise me you won’t disappear like that again. Big sis was awful." Pink whispered.

"I promise." After a moment, they let go, and Pink accepted the bribe-ahem—gift. Chloe adjusted the jacket on Pink’s shoulders.

Then her eyes briefly met Red’s, who was staring straight at her. The princess knew Red wouldn’t leap into her arms like Pink. The rebel didn’t like public displays of affection, but that didn’t change Chloe’s longing to scoop her up. Still, the blue-haired girl took a moment to steady herself and shifted her gaze to the pirate standing next to Red, Uma.

Chloe turned to Luis very slowly. They exchanged a nod, and she went to retrieve four bouquets. The first she handed to her mother with a small curtsy. The second she offered to Audrey.

"Thank you for your help." She whispered, earning a smile in return.

Then she stood before Uma and offered a bouquet of wildflowers, which the pirate accepted with mild confusion. Chloe raised a thumbs-up in the air. Behind her, Luis began handing flowers to the Queens and parents. Taking advantage of the distraction, Chloe stepped closer to Red and quietly held out the sunflowers.

"I know we need to talk, but the truth is...We don’t have time, rebel." Her voice was a whisper as she stepped even closer. "I’m sorry I didn’t write. I know I deserve your anger. But there’s no time. I missed you."

"You have explanations to provide, Princess. But I, too, found your absence... unpleasant." Red said formally, and that was enough for Chloe.

Every fiber of her body begged her to pull the redhead into her arms, but she wouldn’t do that to Red, not even if it hurt. So Chloe simply bowed slightly and reached out. Their fingers touched, and Chloe gently lifted Red’s left hand, brushing her lips softly against her fingers. Then she straightened, her expression tender.

"I will endure your wrath, however you wish it, and you will be in my thoughts until I can once again hold you in my arms, rebel." She paused for a long moment.
"I’m sorry."

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Red shivered at her princess’s words. Her body wanted to forget the games and just embrace the girl, but her mind knew better. Now wasn’t the time. Still, she felt a chill from Chloe’s words and watched, surprised, as the girl’s expression changed from soft to serious, her posture straightening. The princess was ready for a fight. But why?

And just as the blue-haired girl stepped back, a loud laugh filled the air.

“God, what a weepy reunion. Sorry to interrupt, princesses, but we’re here to fight.” Hazel Hook said confidently. “So, Princess Red, why don’t we kick off the competition right now?”

Just as the heir was about to reply, Chloe stepped in front of her.

“Apologies for the interruption, but Empress Bridget, unfortunately Miss Hook is right, and I must excuse myself from this pleasant gathering.” Bridget turned to her niece with a composed smile.

“Of course, dear. As long as you join me for a cup of tea later.” Everyone watched the exchange.

Surprisingly, Chloe gave a deep bow.

“Despite my strongest desire to be at your disposal, Empress, I won’t have that opportunity. From today until the next fourteen days.” The woman raised an eyebrow.

“And why is that, dear?” Bridget asked, and all eyes were on Chloe.

“Because of me, Your Majesty.” Ben stepped forward, and the whispers began. “Princess Charming’s time...”
He cleared his throat.

“Pardon… is occupied with duties related to the preparation of our little competition. I hope you understand.” Bridget was silent for a long moment.

“You’re participating, dear?” the Empress asked.

Chloe looked around and noticed her parents watching, slightly frowning.

“No, Your Majesty. I haven’t come to participate in the games.” A laugh sounded behind her.

“Better that way.” Now all eyes turned to Robby. “I spent four weeks in hell, and I didn’t even plan to join the army.”

“If only it had been the army.” Artie stepped forward, to his family’s surprise. “Camp with Chlo was on another level entirely. The running and training were fine, but the stories... Monopoly or Scrabble? We’re here to win.”

“The boss really had no mercy, that’s for sure.” Luis added with a grin. “But we survived. And yeah...we’re here to win, not to participate.”

“Thanks to Ben. May he be struck by a cart.” The boys said in unison.

“Hey! It wasn’t that bad.” The king interjected.

The boys only glared at him.

“Okay, the last week was rough, but… Yeah, it sucked. But now you’re here. And…” His face suddenly went blank.

Then he turned to his wife and son. No one noticed the hard stare from a certain princess aimed directly at him.

“I love you. I hope I survive this. If I don’t...Mal, my queen, remind our son that it’s my fault.” He slowly took off his jacket, revealing a tight white shirt that showed off his muscles perfectly. “Empress, you said our team would be quartered in the west ?”

“Yes. A soldier can escort you.” Bridget replied slowly, not quite understanding the man’s behavior.

Everyone watched as he headed down the path with the soldier, followed shortly after by the boys. Robby handed his leather jacket to his father, revealing a white t-shirt with the Auradon crest on the back. Artei handed his sword to his brother and took off his own jacket. The dark blue tank top underneath, bearing the team insignia, emphasized his toned figure.

“Is it time?” Came a gentle voice, and all eyes turned to a small family off to the side.

No one saw Chloe nod, but Arabella hugged her father, then her mother. She slowly unbuttoned her thin coat and placed it over her mother’s shoulders, revealing pale blue military pants and a cropped white top. She tied her hair into a ponytail and waited.

“What’s the plan, Cap? We’re about an hour late for afternoon drills.” She bounced lightly on her feet.

Chloe moved through the crowd confidently and slowly.

“Yeah, Cap, what now? Time to crush some teams?” Robby called out by the car, before covering his mouth. “Damn it!”

Everyone in attendance tensed. Most didn’t even notice when the white shirt came off and the blue curls were tied into a high bun. But no one could miss the voice.

“Two more for Robby and one each for the whiners. Lois, grab the equipment crates. Bella and I will handle the rest. And if anyone slacks off…”

“They’re doing dishes for a week.” They all said in unison. Chloe laughed.

“No. One hundred pull-ups. Before dinner.” Everyone was stunned. When they turned to Chloe…

They froze. As she walked by, her dark blue sleeveless top outlined her physique. Every muscle, every contour, and those arms. Her biceps. They were huge. Even some of the guys stood slack-jawed.

Lois grabbed the three crates from the trunk and ran with Ben and the others, carrying the golf and fencing gear. But he paused for a moment.

“Guys, we did it. We won. Long live!”

“Long live!” everyone echoed, except Ben, who shook his head.

“What are they cheering about?” Mal asked, bewildered.

“Freedom for the Captain’s biceps, obviousle.” Bella said, dashing forward toward the car.

“One more for everyone!” Chloe called, followed by the sound of a child’s laughter. “Don’t start, Maxie. Five kids are enough.”

The young prince laughed as Chloe moved to the car and grabbed five bags at once, plus a large suitcase. Bella, on the other hand, carried one duffel bag on her back and held a potted plant. Both of them jogged after the group. Everyone was left in stunned silence.

“Yeah. I’m definitely betting on Big Sis Chloe.” Pink said loudly and clearly.

“So am I.” Added Uma.

The teams from Wonderland and the Isle turned, surprised.

“Come on, Coach. I could beat a princess.” Said Hook’s daughter confidently.

“So could I, kid. But this isn’t just any princess. That one eats monsters for breakfast.” Uma glanced toward Red, who was staring at the sky like it held all the answers.

“Is it bad that we’re just being realistic?” Bridget asked. “This suddenly got a lot more interesting. But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re fighting for victory. Right, dear?”

A deep voice surprised everyone.

“Why do you make me do this, again?” The rebel muttered as she turned and began walking slowly toward the palace. Behind her, her teammates and the guests stood bewildered.

After a few steps, she stopped.

“Team meeting in one hour. I don’t care what you’re doing, Mother, everyone needs to be there.” And she continued walking.

Bridget’s soft laughter filled the air. Then she turned to her guests.

“Come, let’s get you settled. It seems the tour and tea will have to wait.”

The guests followed at a calm pace, Mal graciously accepting the Empress of Wonderland’s offered hand. They walked in serene step.

“Guys, did you see those arms?” Someone whispered behind them, sparking a loud discussion.

“Your husband’s looking pretty sharp too.” Bridget whispered.

“Yeah, and the worst part is, I’m only noticing it today.” The little boy in Mal’s arms reached for Bridget.

Soon, Mal’s arms were free, and the Empress started a soft conversation with the little prince, who laughed gently and pointed at things around them.

Chapter Text

Later that afternoon, the Auradon team was running around the building they were housed in, suddenly changing direction at random intervalsр or at least, that’s how it looked to Red and her team watching from a distance.

"And they call us crazy." Addie quipped.

Alice's daughter was lying on the ground next to Red.

"No, I’m the one calling you crazy. All three of you," Tin said, turning to  Jack next to him.

"Says the guy whose dad came back from tea with Grandpa." Max added, making Jack and Addie laugh.

"Why are we doing this again, Captain? You know the princess well." The youngest son of the Knight of Hearts asked.

"We need to figure out what they’re planning. Chloe always has a plan. She loves plans. I need to know whether she’s coming after us or the pirates. So I know who I should go after." Jack rolled his eyes.

"Don’t do that. Her Majesty is right. We need to maintain balance, if we go after the pirates and the pirates go after us, Auradon will have the opportunity to outsmart us. So, if Auradon goes after us, we need to be after the pirates to play the long game. We’re fighting for..."

"Shh. They might hear us." Red interrupted.

"Sorry." Max went back to watching. "How much longer do you think they’ll keep going?"

"No more than an hour." A voice said behind them, and everyone except Red turned quickly.

"Why do you think that, Mom?" Bridget looked around and lay down beside her daughter.

"Because in an hour, I’ll call them in for the welcome dinner." The woman said, taking the binoculars from the heir. "No pattern, right?"

"None. They just change direction quickly and abruptly. They’ve got stamina, but they’re not as fast as us. No sounds or anything else. I sent an agent to check."

"And did they notice you?" The woman asked.

"I don’t think so. What are the VKs doing?"

"Fighting with swords. Uma’s yelling a lot, and they’re singing." The two shared a long glance.

"Time to get ready?" Red sighed, and her mother nodded.

"Yes." The girl began to get up slowly.

Within two minutes, the group had gathered their things and left. Immediately afterward, the running team near the house stopped, on command.

"Stop! Good." Chloe said, only slightly out of breath.

She stopped the simulator on her phone. Her team paused. Everyone looked at her with interest, Ben slightly leaning on his knees.

"You okay, Coach?"

"Yes. Keep going. Don’t worry about me," Chloe handed him the phone.

"Okay. You take over." Then she turned slightly and sighed. "They’re gone, aren’t they?"

"They left, Cap. A red-haired woman showed up a little while ago." Robbie said, grabbing a water bottle.

"Alright then. Fifteen more at full speed, then showers. Dinner’s soon. Everyone ready?" The teens chuckled slightly and got into position, waiting.

And when Ben hit play, they started running five times faster. Robbie and Chloe were in front. In under thirty seconds, Ben pressed a button, the song changed, and the team abruptly shifted direction and picked up pace. They ran like soldiers in perfect rhythm and sync.

"Let’s go, Cap! Faster!" Robbie shouted and dashed ahead.

Chloe followed with a smile, and the others laughed, until...

"Anyone who falls behind, 20 push-ups! Let’s go, almost done!" And everyone sped up.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

When the servant arrived to announce dinner at 18:00., he was greeted by a nearly naked Robbie walking around in just a towel, his hair wet.

"Hey, dude. What’s up?" He asked.

"I came to inform you that the welcome dinner is at 18:00 and the ball..." The boy grabbed the letter and turned around, unfazed by the servant’s discomfort.

"Cap! You got a letter!" He shouted.

Footsteps echoed from the nearby stairs, and within a minute, a disheveled Chloe Charming appeared in a white T-shirt with a strange slogan. She gently slapped Robbie’s bare shoulder.

"Stop yelling, fox, and put something on. This isn’t the meadow. Quit being like this." The boy shook like a dog next to the girl and laughed loudly.

"Hick!" Charming said playfully, raising her voice.

"Where are your heels and dress, Princess?" He teased.

"Upstairs. Go get ready and wash your hair again. You still smell like mud."

"You made me run through that stupid mud pit, Cap. Fine, I’ll shower again, but I’m not combing my hair."

"Okay. Then come later, Bella and I will be happy to help."

"No thanks, I don’t want flowers in my hair." He said and vanished up the stairs, tossing the envelope to the girl.

"Sorry about that. Good day. What brings you here?" She performed a perfect curtsy.

"Lovely day. I came on behalf of the crown to inform you that dinner is at six, and the ball follows immediately. Proper attire is required. And a reminder, that the competition starts in two days, not today."

"Of course. Thank you. Please send my regards to the Empress, and have a wild day." The man smiled and bowed.

Then he left, and Chloe went up to the second floor, opening the letter. It was an invitation and a notice about the formal dress requirement.

"I expect everyone to be ready by 17:15! Meet downstairs! Coach?"

"Yeah, Chloe. What’s up?" Ben stepped out of Artie’s room with a sword in hand.

"When are you leaving?"

"My suit’s here." He said, and the girl frowned. "I’ll help you guys."

"No need. Please go get ready and help Mal. We’ll see you at dinner. We’re fine here. We’ll finish the gear tomorrow." The king looked doubtful.

"But..."

"Go!" Came a voice from the nearby bathroom. "Chloe and I will handle Luis and Robbie!"

Chloe smiled confidently. She and Bella were on the same page.

"Worst case, I’ll beat up Robbie and we’ll still make it on time." Charming whispered.

"Hey! I heard it!" Robbie shouted.

"Well, he’s got good hearing, I’ll give him that." Ben sighed and nodded. "Alright, Captain, the ship’s yours. But if you need help, call me."

"Kiss Maxie on the cheek for me." And Ben ran off to get dressed, then dashed toward the castle.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

“Come on, girls! It’s 17:14!” Robbie shouted.

Luis was leaning against the wall in a beautiful green-blue suit, embroidered with intricate patterns by his aunt Mirabel.

“Stop yelling. You haven’t even tied your tie or put on your shoes.” Arti said, trying to fix his own tie properly.

“Come on. The Captain said 17:15. Where is she?”

“She’s coming.” The boys turned, and froze.

Bella slowly descended the stairs and walked toward them with graceful steps. The long, delicate fabric of her dress brushed the floor behind her as she moved. Intricate silver embroidery adorned the ocean-blue fabric, which faded at the ends of the dress and sleeves. The same silver threads were woven into her auburn hair, along with pearl and shell accessories.

“Lol...” Robbie managed to whisper.

“And just look at you. I like the dark green suit with the brown shirt, but your hair can’t stay like that, and this tie. Chloe will tie it. At least let’s fix your hair.” She made him sit on a chair.

Then she gently ruffled his hair and decided what to do.

“Captain, bring some silver threads when you come down!” She received a comb from Arti and slowly styled Robbie’s not-too-long hair into a ponytail.

Footsteps sounded behind them, and Chloe handed some silver threads to Bella, who tied them into Robbie’s hair.

“I brought some gold ones too. Weave them in to.”

“You want everyone to know he’s with us?”

“Why not? And you, Lu? You’re coming like that, with that hair?” The two young men who had been staring at Charming stirred slightly.

“Is there something wrong with my hair?” Madrigal asked.

“No, but it could be better. Those curls are a bit flat. Come with me for a minute.” He followed her upstairs. “Go to the bathroom while I get the products. It’ll take just a second.”

He went into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror, and the princess followed him, carrying two products and a comb. She placed them on the sink, slightly moistened her fingers, and ran them through his hair. She tousled it, opened the tube, applied a little product, and massaged it into his curls.

“Can you bend down a bit to make it easier for me?” Luis bent slightly as she worked the product in.

Then she ran the comb through his hair, slowly and gently. She took a minute to achieve the desired effect, one of her sleeves lightly brushing against his face.

“Sorry.” He smiled and moved the fabric aside.

“No problem. Thanks for the help and... you look beautiful.” Chloe opened a spray bottle and lifted his curls slightly, misting them.

“You don’t look bad yourself. Shake it out a little so it settles.” She stepped back to put away her things.

Lois did as told and looked at himself in the mirror. Even he had to admit the difference was striking. His hair had more volume and shine. The curls looked wild yet aesthetically natural.

“Just one more thing.” Chloe returned and slowly reached toward him.

He waited as she unbuttoned one more button on his cream-yellow shirt and adjusted the collar.

“You’re ready. Now let’s fix Robbie before Bella beats him up.”

Unsurprisingly, when they went downstairs, Bella was scolding Robbie and Arti as they struggled with the tie. Chloe stepped in with her black heels clicking and took over the task.

“I’ll tie it into a rose. I know it’s not really your style, but Auntie will love it.” She skillfully tied the knot, adjusted it, and made sure it wasn’t too tight. “Okay?”

“It’s great, Cap. And you look amazing. More breathtaking than the waterfalls back home.” Chloe giggled and kissed him on the cheek.

“And you look like a forest spirit tonight. I love the ponytail, it brings out your sharp features.” Chloe turned to Arti. “And you’re not looking bad either, friend. I’ll save my compliments so your girl doesn’t hit me. But you’re quite the looker tonight.”

The prince laughed and nodded.

“Are we ready?” Chloe headed to the small kitchen.

“Yes. Just need to grab one more thing.” When everyone was by the door, she returned with a bottle of wine in hand. “

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>--------

They crossed the distance to the palace—a short walk, about five minutes through the rose gardens. At the entrance, they were greeted by footmen, and one of the men escorted them to their families.

“This place is huge,” Robbie whispered.

“It kind of scares me. What if I get lost?” Lois asked.

“You yell,” Chloe said. “No need to worry—even I get lost here sometimes. Just stay close to the servants and never go toward the dungeons. That’s an even bigger maze.”

“Got it. And how do you know that?” Robbie asked.

“Red once abandoned me down there when she was mad at me,” Chloe said, causing everyone to stare at her. “It wasn’t that bad. It took the guards four hours to find me, and Auntie lectured Red for about an hour. It was kind of fun.”

Her teammates didn’t comment further, and soon they reached the guest wing.

“Well, this is where we part ways for a bit. I’m off to see my folks.”

“Later, Cap,” they all said as two servants approached to guide them to their rooms.

One servant continued leading Chloe up the stairs to the third floor, where another took over with a bow. After a few turns, she recognized the layout but said nothing. Soon, they stood before her parents’ room. Bridget’s room was about 30 meters down the hall, and Red’s was to the left, toward the west wing. Chloe knocked lightly. After a moment, her father opened the door.

“Oh, sweetheart. There you are. Come in.” Charming’s shirt was buttoned unevenly.

“Stories, Dad. What’s going on? Everything okay?”

“Yes, honey. I was just helping your brother get ready and lost track of time. Your mother’s with your aunt.”

“As always. Here, let me help you.” The two Charmings moved inside the suite.

Chloe took off the large semi-transparent shawl draped around her and laid it on the large bed. Then she began helping her father—fixing his shirt, adjusting his vest and jacket, and finally, when only the tie remained. On the bed, her mother had laid out three options.

“Which one do you want, Dad? I kind of like the one with the flowers, but I haven’t seen Mom’s dress yet.” She looked up and saw him staring. “What?”

“Sweetheart, you... you look stunning.” Chloe felt herself blush. “That dress. Stories. Give me a twirl.”

The young woman spun slowly and gracefully. When he saw the back of the dress, he sighed softly. Then she met his gaze.

“Do you like it? I wasn’t sure, but Grandma insisted. My favorite thing about this dress is the back.”

“There are no words. Truly none, honey. You look like a vision, something unreal, like a miracle.” The princess laughed. “Don’t laugh—just wait till your mother and aunt see you. They’ll be floored. And I’ll have to get my sword. You’ll start a fight. My sword—where is it?”

He started looking around as the outer door closed and the soft sound of heels echoed.

“My dear, why do you need a sword…” Chloe slowly turned and saw her mother in a luxurious dark blue gown matching her father’s attire.

“Whoa. Mom. You look gorgeous. Very Mad Hatter style.” Ella had frozen at the doorway.

Her lips slightly parted, she didn’t move. This worried the princess. Her mother was always the more articulate of her parents, so Chloe just waited.

“Found it!” Her father returned with a sword in hand. “As for the tie—I don’t know. I like the one you’re holding, but you know I’m not the best with these things.”

Chloe nodded, her eyes falling to the fabric. The light contrast of the white flowers would enrich the entire look and add a bit of whimsy to the outfit. She nodded to herself and turned to her father. She calmly tied the tie in a somewhat overly elaborate knot, then adjusted it. Done. She stepped back to admire the result.

“Auntie will like it. And so do I.” She glanced at the nearby clock. “Oh, it’s only 17:38. We still have time.”

The princess slowly moved to a nearby table and sat down. When her eyes returned to her mother, she stiffened. Ella was crying.

“Mom! What’s wrong? Stories. What happened?” The girl stepped toward the queen, who whispered softly.

“Sweetheart. Stories, sweetheart. Just look at you. Like a goddess. That dress... it’s beautiful, but you... you make it look otherworldly. I... I...”

“I must really look good if even you’re speechless, Mom. Thank you. But please don’t cry. Your makeup will—” The woman laughed.

“My child. My little girl. Talking about makeup and looking like this. You’re not so little anymore, are you?”

“I’m 18, Mom.” Chloe smiled gently. “Not exactly a kid anymore.”

The two laughed. And Charming joined them, fully ready now.

“In my eyes, you’ll always be the little girl running around with a wooden sword, yelling at your brother for getting you dirty.” He kissed her forehead gently. “Come on, let’s go. I can’t wait for Bridget to see you, sweetheart. I already know she’ll lose her mind.”

“Yeah. Let’s go. And the boys—what are they going to do?”

“Don’t worry, honey, I’ve got my sword.” Chloe wrapped the shawl back around herself and took the wine bottle.

“Darling, you can’t start a war,” Ella said, grabbing her husband’s left hand, while Chloe took the right, and they set off.

When they reached the great hall’s doors, they saw Mal and Ben. The Queen of Auradon was trying to button her son’s small jacket. The child looked unhappy, almost ready to cry. Ella immediately stepped in to help. Together, they managed, but the prince was clearly still upset.

“I don’t know why he’s so restless. He was fine earlier. He’s not hungry—he had breakfast half an hour ago,” Mal began rambling.

“Alright, darling. Breathe. It’s okay.” Her purple hair settled a bit. “Sometimes it just happens. He’s a child. Kids get fussy. Maybe he doesn’t like the fabric of the suit, or the shoes, or he’s just tired from traveling and all the attention. It’s okay. Just breathe.”

“But what if he cries and I can’t calm him down?” The child in Ben’s arms frowned even more.

“Don’t think about that. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.” The prince was on the verge of tears.

So Chloe stepped closer to Ben to distract the boy. The little one immediately reached for her, and she and the king exchanged a look. She showed him the wine bottle in her hand, and he helped so she could hold the child. And magically, as if by a spell, the young prince relaxed on Chloe’s shoulder. His tiny fingers clutched the fabric of her shawl. Their eyes met—dark and blue—and then he cooed softly. The only thing Chloe felt was a light tingle in her right thigh and just under her chest.

“Blu.” hHe said.

“Yes, my hair is blue, little one.” She whispered to him and began to sway gently in to the rhythm without even realizing it.

Within less than a minute, the two had settled in, and he simply sat content in the girl’s arms. The two women continued their quiet conversation. As Chloe watched them, an idea came to her.

“Why doesn’t Maxie just stay with me?” Everyone looked at her. “He seems good right now. He can just stay with me tonight, during dinner and the ball.”

“No, he can’t. We can’t ask you to do this Chlo...” But she cut Mal off.

“My parents were already worried about potential suitors. This solves that problem. No one will dare bother me if Maxie is whit me. It’s perfect. You know I can take care of him, and if anything happens, I’ll ask for help.”

The adults exchanged glances. Then Ben stepped forward.

“Are you sure? It’s a lot to ask of you.”

“You’re not asking,  I’m offering. And I benefit from it too. Plus, it would be a pleasure for me.” Mal sighed.

“Alright, but if it gets to be too much, just tell us, please. We’ll take him right away.”

“Got it. Come on, let’s go in. It’s past six. Auntie doesn’t like tardiness.” The adults immediately straightened up and paired off.

Soon, only Chloe and Max remained in the corridor with a few servants. The princess smiled gently at the child, took a breath, and nodded at the man by the door. He gave the signal, and the large doors opened. Chloe and Max were announced, and she stepped into the grand ballroom. Bridget stood a few meters ahead in a beautiful white dress with red and pink details. Red stood beside her mother in a black dress with red accents. The Empress’s eyes lit up the moment Chloe approached.

“Your Majesty,” Chloe curtsied.

“Excuse me, dear. What was that?” The woman raised an eyebrow.

“Aunt Bridget. I apologize if I’m late.”

“You’re not, darling. You’re the only one who’s on time.” Chloe could tell the redhead’s voice held a pointed jab.

Clearly, someone had arrived far too early. A serious breach of etiquette in Wonderland.

“I’m glad you welcomed me into your home, Auntie.” She lifted the bottle of wine. “For you. I know it’s not much, but…”

The princess cleared her throat.

“A gift from my house to yours. May the clocks bow before you.” The Empress’s entire demeanor changed.

From stiff, her body relaxed, and her smile became genuine, not forced. Chloe heard the whispers around them but didn’t shift her gaze. This was an old tradition, and just because Auradon’s people weren’t expected to know it didn’t mean she’d show disrespect to Bridget.

“Oh, my dear, you didn’t have to, but you knew that.” Bridget accepted the bottle and looked at it appreciatively. “Hmm. Fig wine, you say. And it’s still chilled.”

With a flick of her hand, two waiters appeared with glasses. The Empress handed them the bottle, and soon the glasses were filled halfway.

“Drink with me. ” She said, taking a glass. “I need it.”

Chloe smirked at the whispered words. She took the glass, and the two clinked gently. The princess brought the glass to her nose. The liquid was nearly clear, with a pleasant scent. Chloe took a small sip. As always, she didn’t enjoy alcohol. It was smooth and sweet, but the lingering sharpness at the end always bothered her. She swallowed and looked at her aunt. Bridget had taken a much larger sip.

“Yes. Very good. Excellent choice.” Then she finished her glass.

Bridget handed the bottle and glass to a servant and nodded at Chloe. The princess quickly asked a question with her eyes, and Bridget nodded. Relieved, Charming stepped forward as Red moved toward her.

“Good evening, Princess. I see a small mistake and apologize. May I correct it?” The blue-haired girl didn’t quite understand what Red meant but nodded. “Mother?”

And suddenly, the smiling Empress took Max from Chloe’s arms. Then Red took her glass. Chloe signaled for her to make it disappear, and Red smiled. Then the rebel extended her hand, which Chloe accepted, and she was gently spun around as Red grabbed the edge of her shawl and pulled. By the end of the spin, the shawl was been taken off ,and gasps echoed around the room. Even Red’s expression froze for a second before she drained the glass in one go and discreetly handed it and the shawl to a servant. Chloe was pleased that Red hadn’t flung the glass across the room, as she often did.

“Thank you. I completely forgot. And if I may add, you look very regal tonight, Red.” The rebel’s mask flickered briefly, but she recovered and tilted her head slightly.

“And you, Princess, are the embodiment of beauty itself.” Then she stepped closer and whispered. “Not quite as much as you are... divine.”

Charming’s body flinched slightly at the words, but she remained composed. She and Bridget exchanged a few more words before Max was returned to her arms and she moved toward her table.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Red couldn’t take her eyes off the princess’s body. Chloe had simply bewitched her. When she first entered, the shawl had covered nearly everything, but not the fact that the blue-haired girl was perfection. And when she took it off, when the long, airy fabric swirled, Red simply forgot how to breathe for a moment. Light navy blue and gold. The blue complemented the princess’s hair, and the gold made a stunning contrast against her skin.

Golden threads were woven into her bun, her dress, everywhere. One particular golden strand curled around Chloe’s neck and continued downward, highlighting her bare shoulders and flowing into the long sleeves. And those sleeves, they drove Red mad all by themselves. Airy and long, split along their length in a way that revealed Chloe’s muscular arms from just the right angle, before flaring out again. The fabric nearly touched the floor. She was simply a queen tonight, not a goddess. No, not even that described it.

Red couldn’t find the right words to describe her best friend. Only one phrase came close: “divine, miraculous.” Something far too wild even for Wonderland. Something impossible, even in the land of the impossible. And that was Chloe Charming, the girl who had made Red’s brain simply stop functioning.

And so the evening passed for the Princess of Hearts, in stolen glances at the divine being who, on top of everything else, was holding a child.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

After dinner, Chloe moved with Max in her arms to the end of the hall, as most of the tables were being cleared away. Luis and Robbie stood beside her. Bella had gone to speak with her mother, and Artie was with his girlfriend.

“So you chose this little guy as your date?” Robbie asked.

“Yep. Can’t you see how adorable he is? Sure, he’s a bit quiet, but I like that, and there’s a bonus.” The boys waited, curious. “I don’t have to dance tonight.”

The two laughed softly. Soon the little prince joined them again, much to Chloe’s delight. The child was calm in her care. And so the evening continued in light conversation and quiet laughter. Several queens came by to check on the child, and even Belle had spent half an hour with Chloe and Max. The night had worn on, and dancing had begun more than an hour earlier when a commotion formed in the center of the ballroom. A few minutes later, things settled, but Bella returned with a frown and sat beside Charming.

“What happened out there?”

“Hook’s daughter and the Knight of Hearts’ son almost started a duel. Right in the middle of the dance floor. They drew swords. Uma stepped in first and separated them. But the tension... it’s still there.” Chloe quietly observed the room for a while.

Yes, the tension was palpable. She thought about what to do and then glanced at her aunt. Bridget was sitting on a chair, speaking with the Fairy Godmother, her fingers lightly tapping on her dress. Then it struck Chloe.

“Luis, would you come with me to the restroom?” She asked, and the boy followed, confused.

On the way, they stopped by Ben, who handed them a bag. Then the servants guided them to a private bathroom. Once inside, Lois closed the door.

“Why are we here?”

“Because I’m going to change him, and I need help. I’m not exactly an expert at changing boys.” He nodded, and Chloe handed him the child while she prepped a changing area.

Then Max was laid down and the process began. The undressing part was easy.

“Don’t take off the whole diaper. Boys are sensitive to temperature. Wait. Let me.” They switched places, with Chloe speaking to the prince while Luis handled the changing.

Everything went well and surprisingly easily. Chloe watched with interest, trying to memorize the process as best as she could. In the end, Luis tossed the used diaper, while Chloe dressed Max back in his pants.

“You did that effortlessly, Lu. Thank you.”

“No problem, Cap. You know I’ve got experience. And your outfit wouldn’t have made it any easier.” He added, pointing to her dress. “Those sleeves are just way too long.”

“Well, I didn’t plan on babysitting until two hours ago. And speaking of children, there’s a lot of tension outside.”

“Yeah, thanks to those idiots.” Madrigal said, holding the child while Chloe packed up the supplies.

“Right. About that. Could you do me a favor?”

“If it’s within my power, Cap. What exactly are we talking about?”

She had just packed the wipes when she looked at him seriously.

“Well... I was going to ask you to dance for me.”

“What, dance? No. I don’t...” He sighed. “So that’s what that dumb dance course was for, the one you forced me and Rob into? Chloe!”

“No, it wasn’t. But hey, now’s your chance. And you won’t even have to ask someone directly. I’ll give you one of my golden threads, and you’ll use that. It’s usually done with flowers, but I don’t have any. Just two dances.”

“Two?”

“Yes, a waltz. Two dances and I’ll let you skip morning training tomorrow. You can sleep in.” He looked at her seriously for a moment and then...

“Alright. But only two dances.”

“Only two. We’ll make sure the next songs are waltzes, and you’ll just go and ask. I’ll show you how. First, left hand forward, it’s tradition here. You offer the thread as a sign. For the second dance, you ask with the right hand.”

“I ask the same person both times?”

“Yes. And don’t worry, Robbie will be dancing too.”

“Who am I dancing with?”

“The easier one.”

When they returned to the ball, Robbie was leaning against the wall. Chloe asked about the upcoming songs luckily, they were waltzes. Then they approached the marksman.

“Robbie. I want you to ask someone to dance on my behalf.”

“Why don’t you do it yourself?” Je asked, sipping from a water glass.

“Because I’m a lady, and because Luis and I think you can’t do it.”

“Can’t I? What do I have to do?” He liked a challenge.

Charming leaned in and whispered in his ear.

“You’re going to ask Captain Uma to dance. With this.” She untwined two golden strands from her hair and handed one to each boy.

“What? You’re insane. And Lu, who’s he dancing with?”

“Aunt Bridget.”

“What?” Madrigal whispered in alarm. “No. Nope. Not happening. I’m not that crazy.”

Chloe stopped them both. She adjusted Robbie’s tie and smoothed out his shoulders.

“Just trust me. Just ask. That’s all I’m asking, if she refuses. You’re done.” The boy nodded and composed himself.

Chloe gently took the prince from Luis’s arms and leaned in close.

“If I could, I’d ask her myself. But it wouldn’t be well received if I did. That’s why you’ll be my hand in this, Lu. My aunt wants to dance, but no one’s dared ask her because of her status. You’re strong, right? Now you need to be brave,for me. If she doesn’t want to, she’ll refuse gently. No scene, no fuss. It’ll be fine. Just be brave.”

“Okay.” He sighed, and Chloe gently kissed his cheek in gratitude.

The little boy in her arms stirred, and she turned her attention back to him. She kissed his cheeks gently too. He smiled at her and snuggled in.

“Go. The song’s ending soon.”

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Lois made his way to where the Queen of Hearts was seated. She was surrounded by queens and kings, so he respectfully remained nearby to be noticed. When he saw the song nearing its end, he stepped forward. Bridget looked at him, and he bowed. She raised her hand, and the conversations around her ceased.

“Yes, young man. What brings you here?” She asked with a smile.

“I come with a request, Your Majesty, on behalf of someone specific.” Luis took a breath and did his best to imitate the exact motion his captain had demonstrated.

He extended his left hand with the thread toward the woman.

“Would you do me the honor of dancing this dance with me?” The Empress was slightly surprised but didn’t show it. She rose gracefully from her seat and took the golden thread from his hand. Her eyes lingered on it for a moment before she accepted the young man’s hand. Luis led her to the dance floor a bit clumsily, while the people around them watched.

At the same time, loud laughter echoed through the hall. The pair looked to see Robbie slightly hunched, with Uma’s hand on his shoulder as she laughed heartily.

“Looks like you’re not the only one on a mission, is that right?” The woman whispered.

“It’s true, I admit, Your Majesty.” They stopped and began to dance slowly. “I must apologize, my dancing skills are not the best.”

“You’re doing just fine so far.” They moved smoothly across the floor. “So tell me, how do you find my home so far?”

“Large and very bright. It’s beautiful. And you’re all very hospitable here. The food was wonderful.”

“But the portions were a bit small?” She asked, and he blushed slightly.

“Not at all. Just…”

“There’s nothing wrong with having an appetite, young man. You’re Luis, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He gently twirled her.

“You arrived with my niece today?” He swallowed dryly.

“Yes. I’m sorry we were late, we just had a few equipment issues.”

“But everything’s in order now?”

“Yes. We managed. Thanks to Madam Constantina and a few others, we pulled through. Chloe… the princess was worried about the swords, but even they were ready on time. I was just there to give minor input and opinions. She and Artie fixed most of the mess.” The woman smiled softly.

“Yes, that’s my little Clover. And how is she enjoying the evening?”

“Well… it’s beautiful. She was a bit nervous, but having Maxie, the prince, in her arms calmed her. She didn’t want to dance tonight. Robbie and I were going to keep her company, but the prince stole her from us.” Bridget laughed warmly, and the song neared its end.

“Yes, the little prince is quite the charmer.” The song finished. “Thank you for the dance, Luis.”

The boy gently made the gesture again.

“Would you be willing to accept another from me?” In that moment, the Empress dropped her mask for a second but managed to suppress a laugh.

“It would be a pleasure.” And they began another dance. “Your dancing isn’t perfect, but it’s not bad either. You lead well. Who taught you?”

He smiled slightly before answering.

“My captain...your niece. She taught Robbie and me. Well, she and Artie, but the Camelot methods didn’t quite work, so she stepped in.”

“And how was dancing with my niece?” The woman asked with a mischievous smile.

“I’ll just say… good. It was pleasant, but Cap tends to aim for perfection. She insisted I lead more firmly. She described dancing as wrangling an animal. And even though I have two left feet, she managed to teach me.” He twirled Bridget again.

“I don’t know… In my eyes, your dancing skills are acceptable.” They continued their dance in silence.

The Empress scanned the room. She saw more people on the dance floor and even some groups starting to mix. Suddenly, the earlier tension was gone. And she realized, this had been Chloe’s plan all along. And so, Bridget decided to join in fully.

When the song ended, Lois escorted her off the dance floor. But before he could step away...

“Would it be a problem to do something small for me?” She asked softly.

“I’m at your service.” He said with a slight bow.

“Good.” A red rose appeared in her hand, and she offered it to him. “Could you invite Queen Jasmine to the dance floor for one dance?”

“I?” Lois considered his options and sighed. “Of course.”

He took the flower and made his way toward a group of women.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Chloe was standing near the refreshments table, where the light was dim. The little child in her arms was slowly drifting off to sleep. The princess was sure that tomorrow she’d be lynched, by both Lu and Robbie. Her little idea had worked too well. Suddenly, queens were asking the boys to dance on their behalf, and the crowd began mixing quickly. So for the past hour, the youths, mainly Lois, hadn’t stopped dancing. From the Empress, to Sultan Jasmine, Snow White, Queen Belle, Mal, Evie, the Fairy Godmother, Jane… and now he was dancing with Mulan.

The women were enjoying themselves with small, playful requests to him, and the men had followed suit, starting to ask their partners to dance more freely after talk spread through the hall about how good a dancer Luis was. Chloe spent this time in quiet conversations with guests and, sneaking glances at Red whenever she could. Interest in the Princess of Hearts had spiked after Bridget took to the dance floor, but so far the rebel had declined all eleven invitations to dance. She just sat, speaking with her teammates or guests, never once showing interest in the dancing. But Chloe knew why Red acted that way, she simply hated these kinds of affairs.

What caught Chloe’s eye, however, was a young man who hadn’t left Red’s side for most of the night. The blue-haired girl recognized him, Max Hatter. Purple hair, a crooked grin, and a contagious laugh. He was a product of the time shift, and he and Red had known each other since diapers. Friends for years. And he liked the redhead, anyone with eyes could tell. Even Red knew, though she had insisted to Chloe that she had no feelings for him. Later, she even started calling him her brother. And yet, tonight, the two of them were a little... closer than usual. Too close. His hand had found her waist several times.

Chloe didn’t like that. And the fact that Red hadn’t even come over to talk to her...it hurt. Even if she were angry, Chloe expected drama, sass, even that signature frown of her best friend. But what did she get? Nothing. Silence. And that wasn’t like Red.

The mask was there. The stiff expression, the uninterested eyes, the fake smiles. It was all there. Red was angry, upset, and only Chloe seemed to see it. But she was so beautiful in that moment. Those red curls, loose and wild. Her bold red lips, fuller from the lipstick, glowing against her skin tone. Red looked so stunning, so radiant under the golden light of the ballroom. She was perfect, truly...

"Hey, Chloe." The princess slowly turned and met the eyes of Counselor Evie.

"Good evening, Counselor."

"Oh, enough with the formalities, dear. I see my little godson is already dozing off." The princess glanced at the child asleep on her shoulder.

"Yes. He seems completely out. He’s been an angel tonight." The daughter of the Evil Queen laughed.

"A miracle, really. Mal was so anxious earlier. Then you came in like a savior, and he just melted. You have a way with kids, Chloe."

"I wouldn’t say that. More like... just this one. Changed his diaper half an hour ago, and he had some purée around nine. We compromised on carrots with a little spinach and mushrooms. He very loudly refused the mashed potato purée. Want to take him?" Evie offered her arms at once.

"Yes. It’s long past his bedtime. Thank you, Chloe. Go have some fun." When the child was in Evie’s arms, Chloe felt a pang of disappointment. She immediately noticed the absence of the little weight in her arms.

"Ugh. Couldn’t you have waited a bit longer? I really didn’t want to dance tonight." She muttered.

"Not even with your father?" King Charming stepped forward and offered his hand to his daughter.

"Oh, Dad. I’ll always dance with you." And the two moved toward the dance floor.

Soon, Chloe began to relax as she danced with her father, though her mind was still elsewhere. Her eyes were still searching for a black dress and red lips.

"Where are you, sweetheart?" Charming asked.

"What?" Their eyes met.

"You’re not here, darling." Chloe blushed slightly. "Your mind’s somewhere else. Who took it?"

"No one. Just thinking."

"Thinking about the Games, or about someone?" She frowned.

"Dad." She scolded. "There’s no one in my life. It’s just... been a rough few weeks."

"I figured. Keeping a secret from everyone. Even your family." He gently drew her close. "But it’s over now. We’re not angry. Your mother’s just a little annoyed at Ben."

"Dad, I love you." She said, resting on his shoulder. "I missed you. I hate lying."

"Ok. I love you too."

"Auntie found out earlier. She’s known for about three weeks. And Grandma knew. She helped me deal with some... stupid stuff." Charming sighed.

"Well, your mother won’t like that. But otherwise, ow are you?"

"I’m scared." She whispered. "Red’s mad at me. But she’s not speaking, she’s silent. It’s only been weeks since school ended, and I don’t know what to do. I’m terrified. Until recently, I woke up and went to sleep with her tea. And now... I can’t even drink tea. It doesn’t taste right."

The song ended, but she didn’t let go, and neither did he. They kept dancing, in their own little bubble.

"So what do you plan to do now, sweetheart?"

"I don’t know. The Games are coming. We’re enemies. I’m captain, and she is too. I have to be strong, I can’t go soft now. But I miss her so much. I even miss her yelling." Chloe laughed sadly.

"That’s normal, sweetheart. You two were joined at the hip not long ago. Now you’re apart. Your feelings are valid. Just trust yourself. Be honest. That’s always the best policy." They danced on in silence.

A girl in her father’s arms.

"Could you try asking her to dance?" Chloe whispered.

"I can try. But she’s already turned down more than ten invitations." They parted.

And as if on cue, Chad appeared and spun his sister into a new dance. She giggled, and they quickly found a rhythm. Chad’s waltz was much like their father’s, a little too slow and inconsistent. But still, it was enjoyable.

"Look who I found." Chad twirled her. "Knight camp? Really?"

"It wasn’t my choice."

"And yet you agreed." Chloe sighed.

"Yes. And I talked to Audrey, we spoke before I came here. I asked her to keep quiet. I needed to focus. No time for distractions." Her brother gave her a soft smile.

"Like before exams or competitions, you cut off almost everyone and see only the goal. I get it. I forgive you. But I’ll want something in return."

"Alright. A day just for us. Training, junk food, annoying Dad, and stealing Mom’s romance novels."

"You’re forgetting something." Her brother spun her; she sighed.

"Okay, we’ll sneak into Mom and Dad’s bed for a bedtime snuggle." She rolled her eyes, and he nodded.

"Now that sounds like a plan." On the next spin, Chloe saw her father talking to Red.

And even without hearing them, she knew the rebel would decline. And she did. Charming gave a slight bow and walked away. Chloe forced herself to finish the dance with her brother. And when he led her off the dance floor, she saw all the young men waiting for their chance, and felt like a piece of meat. Luckily, Chad handed her a fizzy drink, and they started a conversation with Audrey. Chloe did her best to keep the conversation going.

Even though she no longer cared for small talk, she was looking for an escape route, and she never stopped watching. That’s how she spotted her salvation. Pink was talking with Bridget and the Fairy Godmother; they were laughing. As soon as Chloe excused herself from the conversation with her brother and his fiancée, she made her way toward them. Fortunately, her aunt spotted her and waved her over, effectively stopping the crowd behind her.

"How are you, darling?" the Empress asked warmly, smiling.

"Good, thank you." The three around her chuckled.

"No need to thank me. I see you’re a bit... hunted. How’s the running going?"

"Not great. And your evening, Auntie? I see you’re in fine company." Pink and the Godmother laughed as Bridget gave a mock-sad look.

"I’ve been trying to get my rose to dance all night, but it’s not working. I sent four roses, even Maddox tried. She refused. She even turned down your father earlier. I’m desperate. I just want her to relax a little." Chloe understood and took a deep breath.

"Considering the expectations and etiquette of tonight’s gathering, I understand why she wants to stay on the sidelines. Despite everyone’s efforts, there are still judgmental eyes who’ll be watching what happens tonight. But I think there is a way to get her to dance." Bridget waited, and Chloe leaned closer. "Just ask her."

The words were a whisper, but the woman understood, and laughed.

"It’s a great idea, but I can’t. Etiquette won’t allow me. As the current ruler, I can’t make the first move. Not for the first dance. That’s also why Pink can’t do it. These dances have meaning. It’s complicated. I’ll ask her the moment after she had her first dance."

"I want to dance with her too." Pink nodded. "Just like I danced with Mom after Maddox took me out first."

Chloe sighed. She felt tired and disappointed. It was a bad situation, but...

"Can I ask her?" Chloe whispered.

"Of course, dear. You know there’s no rule here that forbids it."

"No...I mean, can I ask her?" Chloe emphasized, looking around.

"Oh, Wonder!" The woman laughed gently. "Of course you can. Your actions won’t bring us any shame. And frankly, I don’t care. This is my castle. You two have been dancing together since diapers. Then or now, what’s the difference? If you remember, your very first official dance was with each other."

"Oh right! I know this story.  You and Big Sis snuck into a ball. You wanted to see what the adults were doing, and at just seven years old, you debuted together, in pajamas. That photo still sits on Mom’s desk." Pink laughed.

The Fairy Godmother joined in the laughter as Chloe looked at Red. So beautiful and composed in that moment. A memory from the new timeline surfaced, Red’s quiet laugh as they swayed with the music, and then the gasps. That night, the rebel had stuck her tongue out at some nobleman and kept dancing. Afterward, their parents wanted to talk, but they’d run away after stealing sweets from the tables. The next day there was a talk about etiquette and rules, but no scolding. Their parents never said anything about the dance.

"If you’ll excuse me." Chloe made a gentle curtsy.

"Go, dear. If you succeed, I’ll grant you one wish." Said Bridget. That made the princess pause.

"Two glasses of good red wine." She said simply, and her aunt’s eyes widened.

"You have a bottle." Chloe laughed softly and walked off.

She approached confidently. Red was with Maddox’s son, holding a glass.

"So you think there’ll be drama before the night’s end?" Red was watching a group of young people, but her eyes immediately flicked to Chloe.

And once again, Charming felt the annoyance stir in her chest at the boy’s presence. She wanted to talk to Red, just Red. So when she reached them, she stopped and met the heir’s eyes. The silence between them stretched, uncomfortably long. Then, suddenly, the rebel grinned.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"Unfortunately, no." The princess shrugged. "Seems I’m in need of rescuing."

"Rescuing, huh? Behind you is a crowd of princes ready to leap in." Red pointed.

Chloe stepped closer and whispered,

"And what if I told you I needed rescuing from them?" Red’s eyes assessed Chloe, then took her hand.

"Will you keep me company for the rest of the night?"

"With pleasure." Chloe, with a smooth motion, took the glass from Red’s hand, and drank it.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just removing your excuses. Now then." Chloe's hand moved to Red's waist.
"Excuse us, Max, but Red and I have some business."

And Charming led the heiress away. The Rebel followed, slightly confused, but didn’t ask. Chloe stopped them at the edge of the dance floor by a few empty chairs.

"What business again? Because as far as I know, our business is to not speak." Red crossed her arms, and the girl sighed slightly.

"Take off your heels." The princess simply said.

"What?" Red looked at her critically.

"Take off the heels. Now, before I do it."

"No. You're being an ass."

"And you're being stubborn. Take them off."

"Why?"

"World peace." The Rebel lightly began tapping her foot.

"No."

"Alright then." And the redhead was gently pushed onto a nearby chair.

"Ouch." The princess was already in front of her, removing her left shoe.
"Everyone's looking at us."

"Since when do you care?" Chloe pulled off the other one and then stood Red back up.
"Come on."

"What now, Bluey?" Chloe gently pulled her toward the dance floor.

Suddenly, they were among many other couples, surrounded by people.

"You leading or me?" Red gave Chloe a deadly look but didn’t respond.
"I thought so."

At that moment, the music started, and they began. The movements were dynamic and smooth, but not wild or over-the-top. Just classic. Just a waltz.

"You didn’t even ask." Red accused.

"You asked for my company. That means you have to entertain me. Now, spin." And Red was gracefully spun.

"I hate this."

"Okay. Let's play a game. I guessed your two reasons for not wanting to dance, and if you guess my reason now, I’ll skip my second dance." The heiress rolled her eyes.

"Fine. So, how was your time at 'camp'?"

"Terrible." Charming whispered.
"I was slowly going crazy. I usually care for one kid, and suddenly there were four."

"Is that an insult? Don’t forget, you're in my palace, princess."

"Not an insult. On the contrary. It was awful without my Rebel. I missed you. So much it hurt." Another spin.

"Sweet words don’t work on me, Bluey."

"It’s the truth, nothing more."

"I don’t believe you. But let’s leave that. Tell me, Chloe. Are you ready for me to beat you?" Charming laughed.

"You can try, but I won’t make it easy." The princess’s eyes never left Red’s face."I hate your mask. I hate the fake smile. But you’re still so beautiful, even like this. Reminds me of our first meeting."

"And you still have no charm, like back then. You’re such a cliché." Chloe spun them again with a smile.

"Yet you're still here." The song was nearing its end."So, did you figure out why I didn’t want to dance?"

The heiress's hazel eyes didn’t leave the black ones. The Rebel just sighed and relaxed into their dance. The mask was still there, but the body next to the princess's seemed calmer. And so, they began their second dance. They stayed silent, but their movements said enough. Both were content with where they were. But the song was nearing its end.

"I wish we had just a little more time, here, just you and me." Chloe’s hand lightly touched the Rebel's waist.

"Spin me." Red ordered, and the princess obeyed.

They continued their dance in a slow rhythm, maybe trying to delay the ending. And, surprisingly for Chloe, it worked, the song seemed to go on. She just enjoyed Red's presence, until her eyes caught the whispering people and the crooked smile of her aunt with a glass in hand. That made the princess glance around their little bubble. And she realized.

"You little rascal." Red raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Red." And a genuine smile appeared on the red lips.

"Why are you scolding me? I just granted your wish." Chloe rolled her eyes.

The heiress smirked, and the next time they passed the band, Red nodded discreetly. And just like that, after another spin, the song ended. Charming quietly led Red to Bridget, who waited with a pleased smile.

"What did you get me into?"

"Nothing. Your mother just wants a dance." The girl let go of the heiress’s hand but was stopped in place.

She looked down and saw Red’s hand on her left thigh.

"I’ll stay quiet about the sword, but that doesn’t mean you're forgiven." Then the hand let go, and Chloe quickly adjusted her skirts.

Soon, Red was back on the dance floor with her mother, and Charming moved toward her team. Luis and Robi were arguing with Bella about something. The Captain didn’t even listen, her eyes and mind were still with the princess of hearts.

After Chloe’s dance with Red, the ball’s energy shifted again. Ladies took off their heels and joined the dancing, even a few queens joined in. The heiress of Wonderland danced with her mother, and then with her sister. Young Princess Pink accepted the dance from her older sister and was later spun on the dance floor by the Captain of Auradon, who very discreetly had sent a glass of wine to the Rebel. And thanks to that small bribe, Red stayed on the floor with her sister later without even complaining. Near the end of the night, just past 23:00, when the crowd had thinned and grown a bit tipsy, Empress Bridget even led Queen Belle onto the dance floor. Which was immediately captured in photos by Jasmine, Ella, and the Fairy Godmother.

As eleven passed, Princess Charming slowly began saying goodbye to friends and guests. Somehow, when she had said her goodbyes and headed to the door, her team was waiting. Artie's girlfriend was still in his arms, but no one commented. And so they walked her to her room and then headed to their lodgings. Bella wore a gentle smile, Luis and Robi hummed softly. Artie walked beside Chloe with a calm expression.

"They really enjoyed the wine."

"It was just a glass." The cool air of the summer night was pleasant.

"Doesn’t matter. They’re just satisfied. Happy. The night was lovely."

"I have to agree. It was fun and joyful."

"And you're the reason for that. My father pulled me aside just to praise you. The idea with the dancing was brilliant. And you got the heiress on the dance floor. Many eyes are watching you, Cap." She sighed.

"As always." And she stopped.

The group behind her did too. Chloe reached under her dress. She unlatched the safety and pulled out her sword. When the weapon was in her hand, she seemed more at ease. Everyone stared at her.

"What? It got pretty uncomfortable. And there’s no need to hide it anymore." Bella laughed.

"You're crazy, Captain. Is that why you took so long in the bathroom?" Charming shrugged.

"Just a precaution. Nothing more." And the group continued down the rose-lined path.

Artie was in shock, and the others teased their captain. She took it with a laugh. The jokes only stopped when the door of the house was locked behind them.

"So, Cap? Do we have morning training tomorrow?" Louis asked.

"I vote we cancel it." Robi chimed in.
"Let’s just sleep. I don’t know about the others, but I’m beat. The travel, today’s training, and the ball."

"Strangely enough, I also think rest would do us good." Artie nodded, and Bella just yawned.

"I don’t care. I'm sleepy. Just wake me up tomorrow." And she headed upstairs.

Charming took a deep breath.

“Tomorrow at 11 they'll give us a tour of the Capture the Flag field. The plan stays the same. You three go there, Bella and I will scout the cricket grounds and the sword fighting arena. We'll be walking a lot, so no morning training. But the afternoon session is still on.”The boys nodded.“Goodnight.”

And everyone headed to bed. Chloe changed into her pajamas, but once she lay down, she couldn’t sleep. Her mind kept drifting to Red, and her father’s words. The truth is the best policy. But there had been no moment for a confession. And in the days ahead, there wouldn’t be one either. She would be busy, and Red too. The chance for the two of them to speak alone before the games started was slim.

Charming turned in her bed and hugged her pillow. But even that didn’t help, not when her body knew Red was so close. They were in the same place, yet it felt like miles apart. Suddenly, Chloe felt thirsty. She wanted tea. Just a cup, ideally shared with a soft laugh and a gentle “Goodnight, princess.” Words they hadn’t exchanged tonight, because Max had been talking to Red again. Max, with his hand on her waist and that flirtatious smile.

She got up abruptly. The clock read just before midnight. Chloe slipped on her slippers, threw an oversized T-shirt over her tank top, and simply left, straight out the door, feet guiding her through the rose gardens. Before she realized it, she was at the servant’s entrance, where two guards stood. She sighed and stepped out of the garden. One of the guards recognized her and bowed.

“Security's been tightened. Heading to the third floor?”

“Yes.” She nodded, and he winked playfully.

“Haven’t seen you tonight. Be careful. The Queens are still awake.”

And she entered the palace.

The guards knew sneaking through the palace was nothing new for Chloe. She and Red had built a reputation for stealing random things at night and playing pranks on the Empress, like the time they released thirty flamingos into her bedroom. Bridget had screamed when one woke her, but then laughed and plotted revenge by enchanting the girls’ wardrobes. Red wore pink for a whole week before the spell lifted, and Chloe refused to look at anything orange after that.

She navigated the corridors effortlessly, as if by instinct. Soon, she was on the third floor, walking toward Red’s rooms. She passed one of the tea lounges, from which laughter spilled. The grownups had no duties tomorrow. Chloe heard her aunt’s soft laughter and her brother’s booming voice. They were probably playing cards. She smiled, but her stomach tensed when she saw the red door.
*Would Red even let her in?*

She paused, took a breath, and knocked. She knew even if she turned away now, sleep wouldn’t come. The door cracked open,just a little.

“Yes? What does my mother want?”

Chloe gently pushed the handle and saw her best friend, wrapped in a red sheet, holding a teacup.

“It’s me. Hi. Can I come in?”

Red’s eyes sharpened and lit up. The door opened wider. Chloe stepped in. Red closed the door and just stood there, watching her. Charming had so much to say, but her mind went blank. She was here, and that was enough. Red sipped her tea in silence. Chloe gave in. She closed the distance between them and pulled the rebel into her arms. The hug was gentle, but firm. She buried her face in red curls and inhaled, herbs and cocoa.

“Stories. I missed you so much.” She whispered against her neck.

Red didn’t move for a long moment. Then her fingers began to play with the princess’s curls.

“I missed everything. Your soft snoring at night, your scent, your voice, the chaos you bring just by existing and your tea. God, your tea. Everything tastes like garbage now. When I wake up and go to the bathroom, and I expect to smell tea and chocolate when I come out. I almost expect to find you on my reading chair with a cup, chatting to the teapots and clocks. Damn it. It hurts so much when I walk in every day and you're not there. The first few days, I couldn’t sleep. I sat in the kitchen brewing tea. Mom was losing her mind. The staff was mad at me, when I started leaving teapots everywhere. We finally agreed I'd keep them only in my room.”

Chloe pulled back slightly, their eyes met.

“Red. Rebel. I was so empty without you. Without...”

She stopped. There were tears in Red’s hazel eyes.

“Oh sweetheart.” She murmured, and scooped her up.

The redhead didn’t resist. She leaned in closer, nestling into the embrace as Chloe carried her toward the open door of the bedroom, the teacup still in her hand.

“Where do you want to go?” Chloe asked softly.

“Bed. Drink.”

The nearly cold tea was lifted to Chloe’s lips. She drank it without a word.

“Stories! So good.” She said as she crossed the room.

Chloe kicked off her slippers and climbed onto the open side of the bed. She took the cup from Red’s hand, set it on the nightstand, and lay down with the rebel almost on top of her. She pulled the covers up, curled around her, fingers tangling in red hair.

“There. We’re here. Better?”

“Yes. I’m mad at you.” Red said quietly.

“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t write. But the situation... No. No excuse. I deserve your anger. But you have to know, I was hurting too. I started writing to you so many times, then burned the drafts. I knew that if I finished a letter, I’d send it. And there was so much I wanted to tell you. I wanted to vent about the team, to gossip, to talk. But I couldn’t. Even now…”

“You’re a captain.”

“So are you.” Chloe smiled. Red curled in closer.

“I’m going to crush you at the games.”

“I’d be thrilled if you did. But I’m not going down easy.”

A long silence followed.

“Can I stay? Just tonight?”

Their eyes met. Red sighed, tired.

“Even if you tried to leave, I wouldn’t let you.”

And Chloe felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

Charming slid down into the pillows, wrapped her arms around the rebel like she had so many nights back at Auradon Prep. For the first time in weeks, she felt truly relaxed, wrapped in warmth and the scent of herbs. She tucked her nose against Red’s forehead, while the other girl hid her face in Chloe’s neck.

“I’m sorry. Thank you for letting me come home.”

Red laughed softly against her skin.

“I want you to take me out in the car.”

“You got it. After this stupid tournament, you and me. We’ll go wherever you want. Doesn’t matter who wins. Just us. Okay?”

“And I get to choose the music.”

“I bought some tapes just for you when I was with Grandma. You’ll be in charge. I’ll even let you navigate.”

“And you’re forgiven. Goodnight, princess.”

Chloe smiled wide and kissed her forehead.

“Sweet dreams, Red.”

Chapter Text

Chloe woke up. She was somewhere warm and soft. She moved slightly, and then she realized there was something on her. Someone. She slowly opened her eyes and saw bloody-red hair. Red. Her arms tightened around the body, and she closed her eyes for just a little longer, but she couldn’t fall back asleep. So she turned her head slightly toward the clock. 6:32. She blinked, it was early. Their classes didn’t start until eight. But her eyes wandered to the ceiling. This wasn’t the ceiling of their room. It wasn’t a pale lemon color, it was black. Black, like the ceiling in Red’s room in the Wonderl…

And her mind clicked. They were in Wonderland. The Games were in a day. The Games! Chloe shivered. She wasn’t supposed to be here. In Red’s room. In her enemy’s room. She was supposed to be with her team. And as she thought of how to leave, she saw the calm face beside her and remembered last night. Red had almost cried. And Chloe had missed her. And so the thought of leaving the rebel burned in the princess’s chest. Just a little longer. She gazed at the beautiful features and tangled her fingers in the girl’s hair. This was heaven, but as 7:00 came and then 7:30, Chloe knew she couldn’t stay. Soon it would be time for breakfast. And she couldn’t be caught here. It wouldn’t be good, politically or for team morale. The Games were important.

So she kissed the heir’s forehead, then forced herself to get up. But she didn’t want to leave without a trace, without a word. She remembered how Red had curled into her neck last night. How she’d breathed in her scent. Surely Red hadn’t been able to sleep much without her, either. So without thinking, the princess took off her T-shirt and left it beside the rebel. Her hand gently traced the sleeping girl’s features. Then she slowly and calmly leaned in and left a kiss on the girl’s cheek.

“Sleep in for me too, beautiful. May your morning be impossible.” She whispered into her golden skin, then headed for the door.

Leaving the palace wasn’t as easy as entering, but she was only noticed by the butler on the third floor, who nodded to her, and then by two guards near the gardens. They watched her closely, but she signaled for them to stay quiet, pointed to her sword, and moved on. When she entered the house, everyone was still asleep. That reassured her, and with a smile, she set about making breakfast. Her body was buzzing with energy. Today was going to be a good day.

Breakfast went well, no one on the team dared to ask about the captain’s overly cheerful mood or wide smile. And before they knew it, they split up to do their tasks. Charming and Bella went for a pleasant walk, which lasted until the afternoon. Chloe had been taking detailed notes about the terrain, the grass, the wind, and even the hardness of the soil, and then handed her notebook to the mermaid before inspecting the arena. The girls walked every inch, stopping in several places to check the ground. Finally, when they were done, Chlo spent 20 minutes writing notes, and they headed back. Surprisingly, when they returned, the boys were already there. They didn’t look very pleased.

"Hi. How did it go?" Chloe asked cheerfully.

"Bad." Robbie replied thoughtfully.

"Why?" Bella sat next to him at the table.

"There was a fight." he said.

"What? Who? Please tell me it wasn’t you guys." Charming immediately grew serious.

"It wasn’t us, but Luis stepped in to de-escalate and took a punch to the jaw. He’s fine. Got checked out. Just…"

"Just what?"

"One of the brothers is in the infirmary. Jack and Hook got into it. And when she hit the guy, he hit back, but the blond one stepped in the way. There would’ve been an all-out brawl if Luis hadn’t stepped in. And that’s not even the worst of it. The Princess of Hearts wasn’t in the mood. And when the crazy pirate girl provoked her, we all paid for it."

"Paid how?"

"She use pollen magic on us. I got off easy, but the others…"

Artie opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Then Luis stood up and tried to yell, nothing.

"A silence spell. I was far enough away. Mine only lasted half an hour, but the doctor said the others will be out for at least six hours."

"Oooohh." Bella raised her eyebrows in surprise. "And what are they going to do about Red?"

"Nothing, as far as I know. She just made them stop and scared everyone. Well, there was also a short speech about what a bunch of sea oysters pirates are, along with a lecture to her own team. She didn’t take sides. She didn’t even want to be there. She only stepped in when things escalated."

"Got it. And the pirates?"

"Uma laid into them, but we were asked to leave at the start of her tirade, and Queen Mal was there. What about you guys?"

"It was fine. No one was there, just like we predicted. The Captain wrote at least twenty pages." The boys groaned quietly.

"Well..." Chloe began. "this is going to be a quiet practice. Let’s go."

The Princess stepped closer and examined Madrigal’s face. It was slightly swollen. She touched it gently, then nodded.

"You’ll live. Good job." She rose on tiptoe and kissed the spot lightly. "But next time, just start singing. Opera, you know. That’ll throw them off and they’ll just stop."

Everyone laughed, and they headed to the small, private indoor training area.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Ben stepped into the indoor area, only to freeze on the spot. The space was filled with absolute silence. In the center of the arena stood Chloe Charming. Bella was sitting on her shoulders, reading a book while the girl squatted with a sandbag in her hands. Luis, for his part, was holding Robbie and Artie on his shoulders, his arms wrapped around their waists as the boys did sit-ups.

No one noticed the newcomer. Ben stood there for several minutes, trying to process the sight. This… was a new training method.

"Hi. How’s it going?" He asked.

Chloe looked at him and nodded, while Bella and the boys waved. Lois didn’t even move. But no one spoke. The silence went on.

"I heard about the incident with Red, but everyone else has gotten their voices back, even Jack, just a little while ago. Is everything okay? Should I call a doctor?" No answer.

Chloe only rolled her eyes and went back to squatting. The King of Auradon lingered a moment longer, then simply left.

He returned to the palace and entered the tea room, where everyone was having tea.

"What is it?" Mal asked as soon as she saw him. "You look confused."

"It’s nothing. Or… at least I think so."

"What’s bothering you?" Bridget asked.

"I went to see them, and they were training. That’s normal, but the strange thing was… they were completely silent. Like, dead silent."

"Could it be leftover magic from earlier?" Snow White’s husband ask.

"Red said it was just a regular silence spell. I doubt it’s from that. Ben, are you sure they just don’t train that way? Stealth and all that…" All the adults looked at him expectantly.

"Highly doubtful, Brigdet. I’ve seen a lot while training with them. Chloe’s methods are… interesting and unconventional sometimes, and they once bet on who could last the longest without complaining, but being completely silent? More likely they’d repeat Chloe’s ‘intense weightlifting course’ or the mud bath than stay quiet." The adults watched Ben with concern. "Don’t ask. Just… they would never willingly give up complaining."

"Alright." Aladdin kondded "if you want, Charming and I can come with you to check it out."

"I’ll come too." Ariel added.

Ben agreed, and the four of them set off.

When they arrived, they saw something even stranger. Bella and Chloe were doing push-ups on the ground, but on top of the blue-haired girl was a sandbag, while the boys stood nearby, stomping their feet.

"What in the name of…" The boys looked at them and motioned for silence.

The adults sat and watched as Bella managed 11 more push-ups, then lowered herself for the twelfth… and failed, collapsing on the floor. Chloe simply kept going while the boys clapped. Soon, Luis lifted Bella from the ground, raising her above his head. The girl covered her mouth to keep quiet, while the blue-haired one kept moving in perfect rhythm, unfaltering.

Charming reached 42 before his daughter dropped to the ground. More applause and enthusiastic jumping from Robbie. Bella, now seated on Madrigal’s shoulder, snapped her fingers.

Artie took the sandbag, and the girl stood. The Captain looked at her team, still unaware of the newcomers, and they began chanting in unison. More applause followed before the girl released her hair from its tie and gave a theatrical bow.

When she straightened, she reached into her pocket, took out her phone, pressed something, and cleared her throat.

"And that was 3 hours, 16 minutes, and 14 seconds of beautiful silence." More applause from everyone. "I am very pleased. That was a good workout. Robbie lifted 190. Luis did 70 weighted squats. Artie survived a full rotation for the first time. And Bella, 64 push-ups. Good work, everyone. Tomorrow we’ll do some light cardio and rest for the big day. How’s everyone feeling?"

"Like a corpse on legs. This wasn't a ‘train-to-failure’ workout, more like ‘train-to-death.’ And you did 102 with 20 extra kilos. You’re a beastq cap" Robbie said, collapsing to the floor dramatically.

"My back already hurts, and I don’t even want to think about later." Luis scratched his head.

"I’m great." Bella said cheerfully. "I just want a shower and to hug my pillow for a bit."

"Okay. And who’s going to bury me?" Artie asked.

"Cap!" The others said in unison.

"Guess the honor’s mine. Fine. But can you at least wait until we win first?"

"Of course. Wouldn’t miss it." He paused for a moment, then. "Oh, and we missed something today. Freedom for…"

"Cap’s biceps!" Everyone shouted, except Chloe.

She simply turned around and walked toward the newcomers when she saw them.

"Hey, Dad, Queen Ariel, Sultan Aladdin." She bowed.

"Sweetheart, you don’t go easy on them, do you?" Charming said simply.

"No time for mercy. But we’re doing fine. Our results are solid."

Ariel stepped up to her daughter and touched her arms.

"By the holy seas… sweetheart, you’re strong." Bella blushed slightly.

"Wait until you feel the Captain. Cap and Luis are like freight trains."

"Guess our chances aren’t so bad after all." Aladdin nodded approvingly. "So, will you come have dinner with everyone? Bridget insists you all eat together after today’s nonsense."

They all exchanged glances. No one looked very excited. Chloe stepped forward.

"If we can leave after nine."

"Just dinner. Yes." Her father confirmed.

The kids nodded in turn, and the group set off.

"Wait...no time for a shower? We reek!" Bella stopped.

"Ten minutes." Ben said, and they all bolted.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Red’s day had been awful.

First, she overslept, rudely woken from a beautiful dream. She had been dreaming she was back in her old dorm, in the arms of her Boo. In those strong arms that held her through every nightmare, that kept her warm through the winter cold. Arms that were always there to catch her, soft, but calloused. Fingers that had always been just a reach away. Fingers that were Red’s favorite thing to play with, even more than her cards. Fingers she had intertwined with her own, explored with her touch. Palms she had studied on countless mornings, either counting the callouses or gently caressing them.

But reality was cruel. When she woke, she was alone. In her cold bed. And she had to get up for breakfast and training.

The worst came when she stepped out of her morning shower. That’s when she saw it, a big gray T-shirt lying on her bed, between the sheets. Too big to be hers. And worst of all, it was familiar. When she picked it up, she knew. The soft, worn fabric, she recognized it. She had stolen this T-shirt before.

Red’s mind slowly put the pieces together. That dream hadn’t been a dream. Chloe had been here. The rebel jumped onto her bed and sniffed the pillow she had woken up on. Lavender. Chloe’s shampoo. And the realization hit.

The princess had left before Red woke up. She’d left her. The heiress grew furious, her stomach twisted, and her magic began to boil. They had an agreement to never do that. Always wake the other. Always say goodbye. And Charming had broken their rule. Red clenched her jaw, holding the gray T-shirt in her hands. Oh, she was going to pay for that. This would not go unaddressed. The moment she saw her, they were going to have a talk.

Breakfast went normally, except for the fact that her mother and sister asked her five times if she was okay. Then her team did, too. And to top it off, Chloe didn’t even show up for the morning walkthrough. She was off inspecting the cricket fields with some Bella.

Still, Red forced herself to behave appropriately, doing her own inspection of the field for the first game.

Halfway through, she heard shouting from the big group that had refused to split up. Jack the idiot had gotten into a stupid argument with that pirate witch. The tramp had actually dared to hit him. And then Jack lost it. Right before it turned into a full-on brawl, Red decided she was over it. She just enchanted them. And finally, she had a little silence. It was worth it, the panic and chaos were just a bonus. Even her mother hadn’t scolded her. She’d only asked her to keep herself under control and be careful. Her headmistress had discreetly nodded at her, even saying she would’ve done the same.

But that didn’t change the fact that now Red had to sit through this dinner. Keeping the peace. Pretending this was all was just a friendly competition.

Now the heiress sat at the head of a very quiet, tense table. Red’s team was silent, while the VKs whispered among themselves. The tension broke when the doors opened and the Auradon team entered. They took the remaining seats, ending up in the middle of the long table covered in food.

Red lifted her glass slightly, drawing everyone’s eyes.

"Now that even the latecomers have finally arrived, it’s time to begin… this." She cleared her throat. "I’m expected to host tonight and preach about how sportsmanship is the best way to play. But let’s not kid ourselves, I couldn’t care less if anyone plays fair. This is a competition. If you want to play dirty, fine. But that happens on the field. So let’s keep things civil until the games start in two days. Let the adults be happy."

Everyone exchanged glances and nodded,  even the princess lifted her glass with a smile.

“Alright. Since that’s settled, I’ll raise a toast. To a pleasant dinner, good manners, a moderate tone… and the fact that I’ll curse you all if you don’t stick to it.” Red sipped from her glass with a smile while everyone stared at her, frozen.

They all looked at each other as if reaching some unspoken agreement. Chloe laughed.

“Good joke, Red. To good manners.” The heiress raised an eyebrow.

“You think I’m joking, Chloe? Don’t forget, your date with the Jabberloki is always on the table.” And the table froze.

Red quietly resumed eating, watching Charming. The princess tried to play off the biting remark with a laugh, but the whole table knew. The redhead wasn’t playing games, these weren’t just words, not when Chloe was involved. After that, dinner went well for Red. She simply ate and kept mostly out of conversations, though her eyes never strayed from the blue-haired girl who kept the table chatter alive with everything she had. By the time 20:00 came, Red had had enough of the whole show. She would have left before dessert was served, but Addie was looking at her so pleadingly that she decided to stay.

When dessert arrived, a selection rather than a single dish, the redhead enjoyed her favorites and leaned back in her chair. She was slightly dissatisfied, because one tea cake was never enough for her, but she knew everyone else would love them. Even Max never shared his desserts with her. Dessert was sacred, especially when made by her mother, like these tea cakes. So Red simply stared at the ceiling, contemplating whether to slip out of the palace tonight, when...

“Cap, are you gonna eat that?” A loud voice piped up.

The rebel recognized the boy, Robbie. He was staring at the princess’s plate. On it sat a lone, perfect, untouched tea cake.

“I never eat those.” The blue-haired girl began gently.

“But they’re the best!” Max exclaimed, and everyone nodded.

“These are Aunt Bridget’s tea cakes. They’re the second best if you ask me and Red’s favorite.” She explained, and all eyes turned to the Princess of Hearts.

“Really, Your Majesty?” Max smiled. “You’ve never told us that.”

“I haven’t, because it’s a lie. I don’t have a favorite dessert.” Chloe slowly rose from her chair.

She took the plate with her and circled the table, stopping beside Red and looking at her thoughtfully.

“If that’s the case… fine. I’ll keep this, and you’ll have your evening tea as just tea. But let it be known, here in front of everyone, that I am not responsible for your bad mood tomorrow.” Red glared at the tea cake on the plate.

Then at the princess. Finally, she gave a low growl.

“I’ll take your head.” Charming laughed.

“And I’ll be more than happy for you to have it. But you know the rules.” Red frowned in thought again.

Then she snatched the tea cake, keeping her eyes locked on the princess, and placed a red rose on the plate. She noticed her best friend’s disappointment, but Chloe said nothing. Just sighed. Then came a bow.

“I’ll accept this trade, Your Majesty. And I’ll ask to be excused from this soirée.”

“Is the company not good enough for you, Princess Charming?” the rebel teased.

“The company tonight is… satisfactory. But I have a much more promising date than this. So, later, losers. I trust the castle will survive the night.” And she left with a confident stride.

When the door closed, Robbie shot up from his seat.

“She called us losers?!”

“And that’s coming from the girl who’s going on a date with her pillow.” Red sipped from her glass. “Well, I’ll leave you to your company.”

Red finished the juice in her glass and stood up.

“Seriously, Cap?” Jack asked. “You’re leaving us with these stiffs?”

“We’re not stiffs.” Hazel replied. “We just want a little fun. Since we got here, it’s been nothing but training and playing diplomats. And you people don’t have decent parties or decent fights here.”

Jack laughed sharply. “Soggy-hatted pirate girl, you couldn’t handle one of our parties.”

“Wanna bet?”

“I’d bet my head.” The boy shot back instantly. “Come on, Captain, let’s show them.”

“We can’t. The Empress will have our heads if we get them drunk or sneak them out.” Addie insisted.

Red looked around at the people at the table.

“We can’t, because Auradon would rat us out in a second.” Robbie snorted.

“Us, rat you out? Please. You’re such babies. Just because we’re nice doesn’t mean we don’t know how to party. And I’m only nice so our captain doesn’t beat me up. We’ll come. I wouldn’t mind a good drink or a smoke.”

“Robbie…” Bella began.

“The captain’s gone to bed. She won’t even know.” He said, standing. “But they don’t have the guts. They’re scared of a sweet lady who bakes cupcakes.”

“Alright.” Red’s voice echoed through the hall, “I’ll take you out, but Robbie, you’ll take responsibility if anything happens to your team. I’m not accountable.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“And I’ll deal with Uma if we get caught.” Hook nodded.

“In that case, meet at the fountain in forty.” And everyone left the dining hall.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Red changed into a tight leather dress, fixed her makeup, and headed for the meeting spot. Her mind was buzzing slightly. She wasn’t sure if this was a good idea, but it was too late to back out, and she needed a drink after this rotten day. Surprisingly, when she arrived at the fountain, everyone was already there. The rebel noticed a new face in the group, but didn’t comment. Not her business.

And so fifteen of them crossed the palace grounds. The heiress moved them without being noticed, and then, when they passed through one of the small hidden gates in the wall, everyone was confused.

“That was easy.” Hook said.

“Yeah, because it’s still early. The way back will be the hard part.” Max replied.

The group headed toward a club, with Red leading the way. They arrived at an ordinary-looking building and stepped inside. The club was in the basement.

“Here we are. I’m heading to the bar.” And with that, Red vanished into the crowd, leaving the group behind. She just wanted a drink.

But even after she finished her first glass, she felt nothing. The alcohol hadn’t calmed her, and the fact that Max had tried to invite her to dance twice only irritated her further. She glanced at the clock, it was just past 10:30. And she wondered:

Why am I even here? She looked around.

She saw Jack and Addie dancing, as well as that strange fox and the big guy from Chloe’s team. Beside them was that redhead taking photos of them. In one booth sat the pirates and Max, who was currently pulling frogs out of his hat. Red’s eyes lingered on a girl leaning against the blond boy’s shoulder, the two whispering to each other with interest. The music was loud, the lights dim. Normally, Red liked this kind of atmosphere, but tonight she just felt it… grey. Somehow faceless. And tired.

The rebel didn’t really want to be here, not truly. She wanted to sleep, to rest. But she also didn’t want to be alone in a cold bed. She wanted to be with the princess. With her Blue. So, after a moment’s thought, she dropped a coin on the bar and stood up. She scanned the group and headed toward one of the dancing couples, the tall blond boy and a beautiful dark-haired girl. The heiress pulled a small pouch from her jacket.

“Here.” She handed it to the boy. “For the tab.”

“But where are you...?” Red looked at him.

“I’m just going home. Don’t think that just because you’ve got the money, you’re responsible for everyone. Everyone here is an adult. And if Max goes too far, let Addie deal with him.” The boy nodded, and Red made her way through the crowd toward the door.

The moment she stepped outside, it was as if a weight lifted from her shoulders. The streets were still lively, but no one paid her any mind. She made her way through the small market toward the palace, to the warm arms she missed.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Chloe felt movement beside her, but she simply rolled over in bed and kept sleeping. There was noise behind her, but she didn’t stir.

“Damn clocks.”Came a whispered curse, and Charming turned over.

She cracked her eyes open, then closed them again. Sleepily, she saw a silhouette and shadow in the dim room. Stretching, she switched on the lamp.

“Holy rabbits!” The other person in the room jumped.

Rabbits?

“Red?” Chloe sat up, her eyes widening quickly.

The rebel was sitting in front of the small wardrobe in nothing but underwear. The blue-haired girl’s eyes lingered a little too long on the black lace.

“What are you doing here?”

“Looking for pajamas to steal. I think that’s obvious. But you only have long pants here.”

“I brought only two pairs of capris. The rest are leggings.”

“I’m not sleeping in leggings.” Red muttered.

The princess sighed and slowly lay back down.

“Fine. Just take something. But I’m not giving you mine.”

Red rummaged more, pulled something out, and headed for the bathroom.

Chloe turned the light off again and checked her phone. 23:24. Then she closed her eyes again. She opened them when she felt the sheet tug. The princess shifted so the body beside hers could climb in. Then, almost instinctively, her arm wrapped around the person next to her. But she couldn’t fall back asleep, because a sharp fingernail traced lightly along her jaw.

“Yes?”

“I’m mad at you.” The rebel’s voice filled the air.

“But last night you forgave me.”

“And this morning I woke up alone.” At those words, she opened her eyes and looked into the chocolate-brown gaze in the dark.

“I’ll turn on the light and we’ll talk...” But Chloe didn’t manage to move, because Red had almost climbed on top of her.

“No. I don’t want words or explanations. You broke the rules. You didn’t wake me. Do you know how I felt when I saw the T-shirt? I thought it was a dream. I was cold.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to...”

“I don’t care. We were apart for so long. You said you couldn’t sleep the first few days? I even went to sleep in mom’s room once and it didn’t help.”

“In Bridget’s?”

“I was desperate. She welcomed me without questions and was happy to have me, but… it wasn’t the same. In the morning, I still woke up alone in an even bigger, emptier bed. And Pink snores. Those weeks were awful, especially after you disappeared off the radar.” Chloe sighed and pulled Red’s body even closer.

“I’m here now.”

“But you left me again…” Red gently turned Chloe’s face toward hers and leaned in slightly. The space between them was only a few centimeters. “And if you do it again, I’ll take… your head. Am I clear?”

The deep tone of the rebel’s voice tightened the princess’s stomach, but she couldn’t help smiling.

“I’ll personally lynch myself if I ever do it again. Holy tales.” Chloe caressed Red’s cheek. “Your eyes are full of little sparks, they’re so beautiful. I’ve missed them.”

Their noses brushed lightly as Charming leaned in to adjust them. And soon, Red’s face was nestled into the princess’s neck again. They relaxed in each other’s arms.

“If I open my eyes and you’re gone again, I’ll…”

“I know. I will be a dead woman. Tomorrow at 7:00, we’re going for a run, just so you know.”

“I doubt it.” The redhead murmured against her skin.

“Why?”

“Because they’re probably still at the club. And I don’t think they’ll be back anytime soon.” Chloe’s eyes snapped open.

“What?!”

“It’s nothing. We all just snuck out. We went to the Mousehole, you know it. I just left after one drink. It wasn’t fun.”

“Red.” Chloe’s voice held disappointment. “One night I leave you with them and…”

“It wasn’t my idea. That loudmouth from your team was provoking us. I left them money and came home. I’m here, princess in your arms.” Red snuggled in even closer.

“Tell me you didn’t give money to Hook or Robbie.”

“I gave it tothe blond boy.” Chloe exhaled.

“At least Artie is not one to abuse it.”

“I gave him thirty silver coins. Not enough to abuse.” They both laughed softly.

“Sweet dreams, princess.”

“Impossible dreams, rebel.” Chloe kissed the heir’s forehead gently, and soon they drifted off into blissful sleep.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Ben no longer knew what to do. It was past two in the morning, and his son hadn’t stopped crying. He stood outside his room in the palace, wanting to bang his head against the wall. His son had been crying for hours, and no one could figure out why. Charming put a hand on his shoulder.

“Stop, don’t. I know you want to do something, but that’s not the answer. They’ll handle it. Nine women and one baby.”

“I know, but he’s been crying forever. The doctor said everything looks normal. But at the same time, the head healer isn’t here, and I’m worried.”

“We all are, son, but we have to trust the professionals.” Beast said. “You had moments like this as a baby too.”

Before Ben could reply, the door swung open suddenly. Evie ran out in tears.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. We tried everything. It’s not his teeth or cold. I just don’t know anymore!”

“Breathe, child. Calm down. We’ll figure it out.” Ella’s soft voice filled the corridor as the crying drew nearer.

Ella stepped out into the hallway, followed by Jasmine, Ariel, Belle who was quietly holding a sobbing Mal, and finally Uma and Bridget, with the little prince in her arms. Ben immediately stepped toward his wife.

“Hey.” Mal hugged him at once.

“I don’t know what’s wrong. I can’t figure out what he needs. He’s never cried like this, not even when he had colic.” Ben pulled Mal and his mother into his arms.

“But he’s okay?”

“That’s what the doctor said. No rashes or anything visible. They took blood. We’ll have the results by morning, but if anyone has a plan, we’re open to anything,” Belle said.

“Why is Aunt Bridget holding him?” Chad asked, and Audrey smacked his shoulder.

“Because he tried to push away everyone except Mal, Evie, Ella, and Bridget. And Bridget insisted,” Jasmine explained.

“So Maxie doesn’t let just anyone hold him?” Ben asked quietly.

“Yeah. He’s a little picky about that.” Mal wiped her tears.

And the King of Auradon remembered something, but it was madness. Absolute madness.

“I have an idea, but it’s crazy.” Everyone looked at him, exhausted and clearly ready to try anything to stop the crying. “He allows Bridget and Ella. What if he wants Red or Chloe?”

Everyone exchanged glances, and Bridget simply started down the corridor with the crying child in her arms. The rest followed. The woman crossed the distance to her daughter’s room and walked right in without even knocking.

“Red!” She called, but there was no answer.

She entered the bedroom, only to find an empty bed and a pile of clothes on the floor. She looked around, then quickly headed back out.

“Bri, what is it?” Ella caught her at the door.

“She’s not here. Red’s gone.” Everyone exchanged looks.

“Could she be with Pink?”

“No. Pink snores. She’s not there. We have to check the others.”

“Okay, I’ll go check my crew.” Uma nodded and left.

“We’ll go to Chloe, she’ll know where Red is.”

“And if she doesn’t?” Ben asked.

“Then we start a search.” And they set off.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Chloe was nudged, but she only tightened her arms around Red and kept sleeping. Then there was another nudge. She opened her eyes.

“Mhm.” Red just snuggled closer to her.

“Someone’s at the door.” At that moment, there was another knock. “Make it stop.”

“Fine.” Half-asleep, Chloe got out of bed, Red grumbling as she moved.

She walked over to the door and cracked it open. The sound of crying immediately hit her ears.

“Yeah?” Ben stood there. “Hi, coach, what’s up?”

“Sorry to bother you, Chloe, but we have a situation.”

“How can I help?” She asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Maxie’s been crying for hours, and nothing calms him down. We’re all at our wits’ end, so I was wondering if you could… uh…” the king trailed off. “I don’t know...hold him?”

“Alright.” The two of them went downstairs, the princess slightly nervous at the sight of the large group.

“Good evening, dear.” Her aunt Bridget said, holding the crying child.

Chloe woke up fully and looked around, everyone seemed exhausted. She simply stepped forward, and the Empress immediately handed her the baby. The prince’s behavior was strange, one tiny hand grabbed onto the girl’s tank top, while the other reached for Bridget.

The princess slowly began to sway, and the little boy started to calm down, the tears slowed but didn’t stop entirely. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s some progress,” Mal said, relieved. “How are you doing that?”

“I’m just holding him, I don’t know.” But she could feel her skin tingling, something was happening.

After about a minute, the crying stopped completely, and the little head fell onto the girl’s shoulder. The baby was asleep instantly. A minute later, when the small body was completely relaxed, Mal came closer with tears in her eyes and took him.

“Thank you. Thank you. I don’t know what you did, but thank you.”

“No problem. Anything else?” Then her aunt stepped forward with a thoughtful expression.

“Actually, yes. Sweetheart, do you know where my daughter is?” The Empress’s eyes sent a chill down the princess’s spine.

“And everyone else?” Uma chimed in from where she was leaning against the wall.

“I know they all went out tonight.” Chloe answered simply, though she honestly couldn’t remember exactly where Red had said they were going. “Some club.”

“You knew but didn’t tell us?” Uma stepped forward, somehow threatening.

“She’ll be back soon and when....” Bridget muttered.

“Wait a second. I found out by accident, they were already gone. And why are you blaming Red?”

“Because she planned it.” Beast answered immediately, and most people in the room nodded.

Chloe wanted to argue, but she knew it would be pointless. So she just looked around tiredly and decided what to do.

“Okay. Since Red is apparently guilty by default, I’ll just wish you all a good night and ask not to be bothered for the rest of the evening.” And the moment she set foot on the stairs, the baby in Mal’s arms started crying again.

She stopped for a moment and sighed. “Good luck with that.”

“But… but… Chloe...” Mal’s voice was desperate.

“What? You’ve made it perfectly clear you’re here for a witch hunt. This is no longer my problem.” She gestured to the group.

“Alright, dear, I’m sorry if it sounded accusatory, but everyone here knows what my rose is like.” Bridget began.

“So she’s guilty. No proof, no questions. just guilty.”

“No, but Red...” Chloe froze when she met a pair of chocolate-brown eyes. The rebel was sitting at the top of the stairs, a bedsheet draped around her shoulders.

“Hi.” the princess breathed. “I don’t want to lose my head.”

All the voices behind Chloe went silent.

“What are you talking about, dear?” Bridget asked.

“Maxie’s crying?” Red whispered.

“Yes. He’s been crying for hours, that’s why they’re here. I calmed him down once, but he started again.”

“Take him?”

“And what? Hold him all night? No, thank you. Not when people accuse you without proof.”

“Accuse me of what?” Red tilted her head.

“Because everyone’s gone. And you’re somehow to blame for everything.” A rough, raspy laugh filled the air.

The Princess of Hearts came down the stairs, passed Chloe, and reached the bottom. She looked over all the adults staring at her and kept laughing. Then she walked toward Mal at a slow pace, stopping just a step away.

“How are we doing, little boss?” She asked between laughs.

The child immediately reached out to her, and she took him without Mal moving an inch. The heiress gently swung him in the air, and he looked at her. She brought him level with her eyes.

“You’re listening to me now, huh? So what’s up, friend?” She shifted him in her arms. “Why are you crying and yelling?”

He kept sniffling while Red began to walk with him in her arms. But the tears didn’t stop. Then she suddenly halted.

“Tell me, little boss, are these incompetent idiots making you mad?” The boy didn’t look at her. “Maxie. Boss, in the name of the Jubjub birds, to talk, we have to listen. Ah, what a ridiculous hour this is… tick-tock, and again.”

The small eyes turned toward the rebel.

“Yes. What is it?” He blinked at her with his mouth slightly open. “You’ve been crying for quite a while, huh?”

The boy clung tightly to the light blue shirt Red was wearing.

“Isn’t that right? And you’re probably thirsty. I could go for a nice glass of water myself. Come on.” And she carried him to the kitchen.

Chloe leaned against the stairs, smiling. She glanced at the adults, who all looked stunned.

“Yes, now we’ll have some water, friend. That’s right, slowly now. We don’t want to choke. Wait, wait. Swallow first. There we go.” Red’s calm voice carried from the kitchen. The parents exchanged glances, as if unsure what to do.

“Blue?”

“Yeah.” Chloe answered.

“Do I need to burp him now?”

“No, heart, you don’t. Hold on.” Chloe joined them in the dark kitchen. “How much did he drink?”

“Just a few sips six, I think.” The prince was calmer now, rubbing his eyes.

“Alright. From what I can tell, he’s sleepy.”

“That’s what I figured, but the ones who raised our asses insist on keeping the lights on.”

“Red.”

“What? They can’t handle one baby, but they’ll blame me because a bunch of adults went out for the night?” Chloe just laughed.

“No comment.”

“See, boss? Even the princess agrees. Now, want to take a nap? You just have to close those beautiful eyes and give yourself to the wind.” She began to gently rock him and hum a soft tune.

Chloe recognized it and smiled, a song Red used to sing this back in the dorms.

"And how was that one? Yeah, yeah, yeah."  The rebel smirked slightly.

"Slippin' through the shadows like I'm ultraviolet."

"Yeah, yeah." The princess continued.

"Hearts on the walls, but no nightmares in your dreams." The princess laughed at the change in the lyrics "Appetite for destruction, a girl's gotta eat, yeah."

"You're not gonna change that one?" Chloe kept making the signature ooooo.

"Angel on my shoulder and it won't be quiet. Yeah, yeah…" The little prince was already dozing off, but Red kept going "I'm on a path of destruction. This is gonna be fun. Set it off, go berserk. Tonight I light it up like fireworks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ha-ha-ha-ha."

Red laughed softly.

"He's asleep."

"I can see that, Red." The blue-haired girl replied.

"So what do we do now?"

"Well, I don't know,Hearts. Give him back to his mom?"

"Even if she's incompetent? Ow...don’t hit me, I’m holding a baby."

"Then don’t be mean. They’re just having a bad day."

"So did I, but I still had to play along with someone else’s tune." Red walked toward the living room, Chloe following her.

Soon Maxi was back in his mother’s arms, and Red yawned.

"Sleepy, are we?" Bridget commented.

"Oh no, it’s not like I was already in bed. Mother, it’s past three in the morning and even the mice are asleep by now." Then she turned toward the stairs. "Careful not to let the door hit you on the way out."

She stopped on the third step, patting her shirt and waist as if searching for something.

"Wait, I had something for you… no, not in that pocket…" The kept pretending "Aha, here it is. In my back pocket."

And she flipped them all off. Chloe tried to hold back her laughter but failed.

"You don’t even have...ha-ha-ha-ha… Oh… Stories… I’m am so tired. I have no idea what to say after that. Good night."

And Chloe followed the rebel. Red went into the bathroom, while the princess lay down on the mattress. When the heiress returned, Charming opened her arms, and they settled into each other’s embrace again.

"Sweet dreams, rebel."

"Shut up, angel." Chloe chuckled softly but didn’t answer, and soon they were both drifting back into the world of dreams.

In the summer night, in each other’s arms, they simply gave in to the wind… until the air once again filled with distant crying. Red tensed beside the princess.

"Go get him." She said simply.

"What?"

"Chloe, go get him, let him sleep here."

"Are you sure?" The blue-haired girl asked.

"I’ll be, as long as I can finally sleep next to you in peace. Just get him, Blue."

"Okay." She kissed Red’s forehead before getting up.

She went downstairs quickly and looked at the adults.

"I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even move." Mal sobbed. "Why?"

"I don’t know." Chloe said, and they all looked at her. "But give him to me."

The girl took the baby and looked at his parents.

"I’ll have him sleep with me, if that’s okay with you, but just for tonight."Ben sighed.

"As long as he sleeps."

"If you want, stay here. His next feeding is at 8:00, right?"

"Normally, yes, but it depends when he wakes up." Mal began pacing.

"Okay. Do you have a bag with his things? When did you check his diaper last?"

"About an hour and a half ago. Here." Chloe accepted the bag from Evie.

"Got it. Then let’s go upstairs, check you, and then it’s sleepy time, Maxie. Before Red grabs an axe or the cards." She carried the baby upstairs.

After the prince was changed, the two of them entered the bedroom.

"Hi." Chloe said, and the boy rubbed his eyes.

"Hey, handsome boys." Chloe chuckled softly as the rebel shifted onto the mattress.

Once all three were lying down, there was some rearranging until Max ended up lying on Red’s chest, while Chloe hugged them gently from the side.

"May the mushrooms chase you in your dreams, prince… my princess," Red murmured without realizing it.

"And may you dream of Jabberwockies, my heart." Chloe replied. "Let’s hope this is the last interruption of the night."

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Red opened her eyes slowly and lazily. She felt a weight on her body, along with a strong arm wrapped around her. And when she turned to the left, the heiress smiled slowly. She smiled at the blue curls beside her, at the faint scent of lavender, even at the moment itself. Everything was perfect in that instant, because the princess was beside her.

But the moment ended quickly when something shifted on top of Red. She looked down and met two bright, childlike eyes.

"Hey, little boss. How’s big boy today? Better?" The ruffled his hair.

He laughed softly and rolled over on her body, his small frame relaxed against hers. It melted her. What a tiny little human… and those eyes that never left hers. He wanted something. And when the little hand reached for her collar and tugged, she understood.

"Are you hungry?" He didn’t answer, just kept looking at her.

The redhead didn’t want to get up, didn’t want to leave this moment, but it was time. She gently intertwined her fingers with those of the hand around her waist.

"Blue." She brushed her nose lightly against the skin under the princess’s chin, and it worked, as always.

"Mhm." But the arm around her only tightened softly.

"I know you want more sleep, Blue, but we have to get up. Maxie’s hungry." And those magical dark eyes opened.

"Maxie?" A husky voice asked.

"Yes, he’s pulling at my shirt, and I don’t have food for him, princess." The sleepy eyes followed Red’s body until they landed on the little boy.

"Food?"

"Yes, Blue. Food, milk, purée… you know." And it was as if only then she truly woke up.

"Milk?"

"Yes, that’s what babies eat, right? Milk from their mothers." Chloe blinked again, and Red leaned in to press her lips to her cheek, she was just too adorable. "Come on, I don’t want the little beast to eat me for breakfast."

That made the princess laugh, and she slowly got out of bed. Her long blue hair spilled around her, making Red’s brain stop for a second. Then Chloe stretched and smiled.

"Good morning. Red, Maxie. I hope you slept well, because I slept great." She held out her arms.

The heiress handed over the child without hesitation, then got up herself.

"I’ll go change him, then we can go downstairs and see if anyone’s around."

"Alright. But… clothes first?"

"Take whatever you want. My wardrobe is yours." And Charming disappeared into the bathroom with Max.

Red dug into the small wardrobe. She chose a simple black T-shirt and light jeans that would definitely be a bit short. And sure enough, once she put them on, the cuffs only reached her ankles, but the jeans fit well.

"What’s he going to wear?" She asked, poking her head into the bathroom.

"I don’t know, we should check his bag." Chloe was already fastening a new diaper. "But I suggest we eat first."

"Alright. Still… why not put one of your T-shirts on him too?" Chloe sighed.

"This, heart, is going to kill me one day, I’m telling you, Maxie. Come on, let’s see what she’s up to again." And the little prince laughed.

About ten minutes later, the three of them went down the stairs. Chloe in training leggings and a tank top, and the boy in a light blue T-shirt reading ‘You look good today, darling’, which was Red’s choice. In the kitchen, they were greeted by Mal, Ella, and Audrey.

"Impossible morning." Red said cheerfully, gently rocking the prince in her arms.

"Good morning." Chloe added from behind her.

"Good morning, girls. I hope you slept well. Did he bother you?" Mal held out her arms, and Red passed the prince to her.

"No. He just fell asleep on Red, and that was it. I just changed him. The T-shirt is just… what did you call it, Red?"

"For breakfast. A breakfast and tea T-shirt." Red was rummaging through the cupboards in search of various things.

"Did you get enough sleep? It’s only 10:20 , pretty early, considering we woke you at three." Ella sipped her juice.

"Honestly, no, but we had to get up." Chloe said, heading toward the stove.

"Red, want a sandwich?"

"Yeah, but…"

"No crusts, I know." And Chloe began making a small breakfast while Red made tea.

Soon the two were sitting at the table, Red pouring tea and having a conversation with the cups, Chloe placing two plates loaded with sandwiches.

"So, Mom, where is everyone? It’s pretty quiet here..

"They’re all at the castle. Having a talk with Uma, Bridget, and Evie. About last night."

"I see. And when’s our talk?" Chloe raised her tea after Red made it. "Preferably after tea."

"Your talk…" Mal began, feeding Maxie. " ...will happen whenever you wish. Some people owe Red an apology, and Ben and I want to say thank you. You didn’t have to help us, but you did. And I respect Red’s opinion. We deserved that gesture."

"What gesture?" Red asked.

"Nothing, nothing. You were already dozing off then." Red gave Chloe a strange look but kept drinking her tea. "Anyway, how’s that reform you wanted to push through going? The one you were working on?"

"Oh, the project for mandatory hats in the bathroom is going well, but we’ve run into a few small problems."

"And what are they?" Somehow, without even realizing it, Chloe’s right hand was in Red’s lap, and the rebel was gently playing with her fingers.

"The cats don’t think it’ll be practical for their tails."

"No." Charming feigned surprise.

"Yes. Can you believe it? Cats don’t even bathe, and they still have demands. They said it would cause disproportionate fluffing. Oh, please, as if it’s ever..." Chloe kept listening with interest, not noticing the three pairs of eyes on them.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

Mal and Audrey exchanged glances, while Ella simply watched with a faint smile. For Cinderella, this was normal, Chloe had always been interested in Red’s crazy political projects. but for Mal, this was a new side to the girls. It was the first time she’d seen the Princess of Hearts acting so comfortable with someone. She was surprised by it,  the constant contact Red kept with the blue-haired girl, the lighter tone, the gentleness. No wonder everyone had been shocked when Red had taken Maxie and sung to him. That was nothing like the usual tough girl. Even Bridget hadn’t been able to figure out where it came from. And when they asked the Empress, she’d been very clear, Red didn’t particularly like children.

But Red’s overall behavior the previous night, and even now when Maxie had been handed over to her, told a different story. She talked to him and even offered him some tea. Something didn’t add up, and Mal finally gathered the courage to ask when the girl’s second cup of tea was empty.

“Red. This might be a weird question, but I’d been told you’re not really fond of kids.” The heiress didn’t even look at her, just kept gently ruffling the boy’s hair.

“Yes, that’s true. Kids are a mystery to me. I don’t really like them much.”

“That’s not true.” Chloe laughed. “Red likes kids. You just don’t like spending too much time with them.”

“Chloe, me and kids… we don’t mix well. It’s just the way it is,  they’re crazy, even by my standards.”

“What about the little ones? I’ve seen you take care of flamingo chicks more than once. You love them, and they love you.”

“That’s different. They’re chicks, not children. I know how to take care of them, I know their behavior. Kids are… unpredictable. Something could happen.” Red shook her head. “I don’t like kids.”

“And there’s always the risk of something like that trip to the zoo. You and the goats started a revolt. That’s why you’re never left alone with animals or kids in Auradon.”

“It’s always good to have a plan B, right?”

“You mean someone to blame.” Chloe rolled her eyes, and the others at the table laughed.

Red just kept talking to the child in her arms without responding. Then, a red card appeared on the table. Red eyed it critically, and Mal picked it up. Glowing red letters appeared on it:

We need more hands. Sorry.
Evie.

The Queen of Auradon sighed.

“What is it?” Ella asked.

“We’re needed at the castle. Looks like things aren’t going so well.” She passed the card over.

Chloe’s mother sighed.

“Alright. But what will we do with Maxie? Audrey, dear, would you...”

“Why doesn’t Mal stay? I can come with you to deal with the young ones.”

“Because if Evie’s calling us, Uma can’t handle Hook, and she’s stubborn. I have to step in before there’s a fight.” Audrey sighed in disappointment.

“And here I was, hoping to watch the show.” At that moment, Chloe exhaled.

“Leave the prince with us, but I expect something in return.”

Red’s ears perked up immediately.

“But… Chloe.” The redhead sounded displeased.

“I know, but it’s just for a little, and there’ll be a bribe for you to.”

“A bribe?” Red was skeptical.

“Yes. Well, Mal?” The queen sighed.

“I’ll pick him up before lunch. Alright?” Chloe nodded.

Then, the three women stood. Mal kissed her son goodbye, Audrey freshened her makeup, and Ella kissed both girls on the forehead. Soon, Red and Chloe were left alone to finish their late breakfast. Afterwards, they went back upstairs. Together, they bathed the little boy carefully, Chloe washing him while Red talked to Maxie to keep him distracted. Once the prince was clean, he ended up in the rebel’s arms while Charming took her own shower.

When she came back into the bedroom, she found Red dozing again, the child asleep on her chest. Both looked perfectly content. She glanced at the clock, it was nearly eleven.

“Come here.” Red said, patting the mattress beside her. “Let’s rest a little longer.”

“As much as I’d like to, we can’t, Red. I have to go for a run, and our handsome boy here has his schedule, if he sleeps now, he’ll be cranky later.”

“But… that’s not fair. I want a nap.” Red gave her the most pleading chocolate-brown eyes.

“I know, but…” Chloe suddenly had an idea. “What if we compromise? We take Maxie for a walk in the gardens and have a small picnic. We’ll play with him, and then you can nap afterwards.”

“So you can do your annoying exercises? And what do I get out of it?” The princess chuckled as she walked to the wardrobe to get dressed.

“Get ready and choose food for our little picnic while I dress myself and Maxie. Then you’ll find out.”

The heiress sighed but set to work.

Twenty minutes later, the three of them were strolling through flower-filled gardens. Red led the way with the prince in her arms, Chloe behind her with a basket and a small backpack. The rebel guided them to the most secluded part of the palace’s inner gardens, surrounded entirely by tall rose bushes like trees. There was a small gazebo with a table where Wonderland’s royal family usually drank tea or played cards.

Maxie reached for one of the blooming flowers, and Red carefully leaned in so he could touch the white rose. Chloe quickly spread a blanket on the grass.

Soon, the little prince was crawling across the soft fabric with a few petals in hand, while the girls arranged their small picnic. When everything was ready, the child was laughing, leaning against a pillow while Red made silly faces at him.

“Isn’t this nice?” Chloe asked as she sat down near the prince.

“There have been worse options, but I still wouldn’t say I’m satisfied.” Chloe laughed.

“Alright.” She reached for her backpack and slowly unzipped it. “Let’s see if we can fix that.”

Red’s eyes followed her hands closely.

“Let’s see…” She pulled out a brand-new sketchbook. “This is for you.”

The heiress looked a little disappointed but accepted it.

“Thank you.” She said slowly.

“You don’t like it?” Chloe asked.

“It’s nice, Princess, but… I already have sketchbooks.” Charming laughed.

“I know. So that means you also have pencils…” She pulled out a medium-sized leather roll from the backpack. “Don’t want these?”

The redhead’s eyes lit up immediately.

“I do…” Chloe handed them over, then glanced at the prince beside her.

“Look, Maxie ,Red loves new art supplies, just like you love cuddles.”

The rebel slowly unrolled the leather case. A wide selection of colors appeared before her eyes,  brand-new, perfectly sharpened pencils. But Red’s breath caught when she saw the bottom row. She recognized them instantly. The set also included a pen and a small ink bottle.

“You got me natural pigments?” Chloe smiled warmly.

“They’re your favorite, and we both know you can be picky about pencils. The black ones up top are standard, and the technical pen...” Red immediately picked it up to inspect it.

“Coal?” Charming took the child into her arms.

“Yes. This way, at least my clothes will be safe from your black-stained fingers. Right, Maxie? Want to stretch your legs a little?” Chloe stood with the child in her arms. “Come on, let’s go see the red roses.”

Red just stared at the set before her, then at the princess’s back. Chloe had chosen them for her. She ran her fingers over the wood, then opened the sketchbook and began to draw.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

“...Sixty-two, sixty-three, sixty-four, sixty-five, sixty-six, sixty-seven, sixty-eight, sixty-nine, and—”

“Seventy.” Red chimed in, and the child laughed.

It was already past noon. The prince was holding a spoon in his right hand, a bit of fruit puree smudged on his cheeks. And yet, he was happy. The Princess of Hearts kept drawing while Charming did push-ups. The pencils were excellent, Red enjoyed their bright colors and the smooth, buttery feel to them.

After about half an hour, when Chloe sat back down on the blanket, Red paused for a moment.

“How much did you say these cost?”

Chloe was in the middle of eating a grape. She offered one to Maxie as well.

“I never mentioned it, and it doesn’t matter, as long as you like them.” The prince yawned.

“No, little one. Let’s play a bit more. Nap time’s in about an hour.”

Chloe tried to get the boy’s attention, but it didn’t work, so Red stepped in and pulled out her cards.

“Come on, let’s play. Want to see a castle, little boss?”

And so, their lunch continued, entertaining the boy and chatting quietly.

<<<<<<<<<< New Tales>>>>>>>>>>

When the children left the throne room, it was already past two in the afternoon. The queens and kings were tired and slightly irritable.

“Such stubborn ones.” Uma said.

“They’re children. They’ll learn.” Evie insisted, handing the pirate a glass of water. “At least we know they’ll be fine for tomorrow.”

“But they had to take medicine for that.” Ariel murmured, and Belle nodded.

“At least it’s over.” Bridget rubbed her forehead, and the door opened again. “Yes? What is it now?”

Pink froze mid-step.

“I don’t know, Mom. I came to see how things were going and to ask if you know where my sister is. She didn’t show up for lunch.”

“Red was with Chloe. They were...”

“I went by the house. They weren’t there, just this note.” The girl held up a small slip of paper. “Lunch is coming, and the flamingos are singing, we’re going for pink roots and sandwiches.”

“What?” Most of the adults asked at once.

“Red went on a picnic. That’s not like her.” Bridget scratched her forehead.

“Holyevil deeds!” Mal exclaimed.

“What is it, love?” Ben went straight to his wife.

“We left Max with them.” Evie and Maleficent’s daughter exchanged a glance.

“Oh, yes. So, they’re on a picnic.” Pink cleared her throat.

“But where? The gardens, the outer meadows, or the greenhouses?”

“Let’s split up.” Charming suggested. “That way we’ll find them faster.”

“But if you think about it, there’s no real need.” Audrey said slowly. “Why don’t we eat first and then see where they are? Max is in safe hands.”

The adults exchanged glances. Most of the kings nodded, but Mal rolled her eyes.

“No one asked for your help.” She headed for the door, with Evie, Ella, and Bridget following.

The women left, joined by Uma, Jasmine, and the Fairy Godmother. Pink held her mother’s hand as the group stepped out of the palace.

“So, where do we start?” Mal looked around.

“I have a hunch where they might be. We’ll start there, and if I’m wrong, we’ll see after that.” The group began to walk at a slow pace.

They kept up quiet conversations until Bridget gently raised her hand, and everyone stopped.

“Do you hear that?” They all listened.

It was a very soft sound, reminiscent of whistling. They moved slowly around the bend and quietly approached the gazebo. Bridget’s heart melted when she saw the picnic spread on the blanket. In the center, between teapots, stood a five-tiered card tower, and the rest of the deck was scattered among plates and cups. She also saw the girls, both lying in the shade, Red’s head resting in the princess’s lap. They were breathing peacefully. One of Chloe’s hands was tangled in red curls, the other holding a book to her chest, with a sword propped against the nearby tree.

“Ella, look at them.” The empress whispered.

The two women slowly approached their daughters, while Evie and Mal immediately pulled out their phones to take pictures. As they got closer, it became clear that the soft sound came from the Princess of Hearts.

“Red snores.” Bridget laughed. “She used to do that when she napped as a child. Oh, my little one…”

But before the woman’s hand could reach the red hair, it was stopped by a pair of dark eyes watching her critically.

“Hey, love.”

“She’s not fully asleep yet.” Meanwhile, Uma moved toward their teacups. “Don’t touch the cups.”

The pirate froze instantly.

“Never touch Red’s teacup.” The deep voice made everyone shiver, and they all nodded.

Then the dark eyes shifted to the picnic basket nearby, covered with a blanket. Chloe reached out and gently lifted the fabric. Ella and Bridget clearly saw the small boy napping inside. Then Chloe scanned the group with an assessing gaze, finally lifting the book from her chest and continuing to read.

“There’s more food on the table, you’re welcome to stay, as long as you don’t disturb Red’s nap.”

“You’re not worried about Maxie?” Mal raised an eyebrow.

“Maxie’s a baby. He’ll have something sweet, we’ll cheer him up, and put him back down for another nap. But Red, if you wake her, you deal with her mood, not me. Pink, come here.” Chloe lightly indicated the spot next to Red.

“I won’t wake her?”

“No. Just don’t touch her teacup.” Red’s sister settled next to the older girl, who immediately wrapped her arms around her and murmured softly.

“If she starts rambling, let her. She does that sometimes.”

“You’re doing fine, I just worried because we were late.” Mal said, slipping off her shoes and sitting on the blanket.

“No problem, he was an angel. We only had a little disagreement at lunch, but Red handled it. Old songs and a few proverbs work wonders.”

“Red really is good with children, isn’t she?” Uma asked.

“I wouldn’t say ‘good’, more like ‘natural.’ She just has experience. Maxie’s nothing compared to ten little flamingos. She’s got good instincts. But she’d never take care of one alone.”

“Why?” Jasmine asked.

“A simple, rational fear. She was like that with Pink too. Never left her alone, always insisted someone be with her. My doctor, who delivered both Red and Pink, said Red has an incredibly strong protective instinct. That’s just who she is, she protects in her own way.”

“She protects almost everyone.” Ella added.

“Yes. Almost everyone.”Bridget nodded.

“Who?” Ariel asked.

“Chloe.” The two women said in unison.

The princess rolled her eyes.

“Why don’t you mind your own business?” She asked. “Leave Red’s behavior alone. She’s just herself. If you want to analyze someone’s behavior, deal with Chad.”

Everyone smiled and stifled their laughter.

“Alright, switte. Sorry.” Bridget said, sipping from a teacup.

The queens and the pirate continued light conversation while Chloe read, listening to the soft breathing of the two girls resting on her. Soon Pink was dozing peacefully as well.

By the time the clock passed four, there was movement, soft mumbling and a yawn. Mal immediately stood to take her son, who was just waking up.

“All the things are in the basket.” Chloe whispered to Mal with a smile.

Mal and Evie began fussing over the little boy while the others watched with smiles. Stories about little children and mischiefs began to be shared. At 16:30, Pink also got up and asked for tea. A light sheet had been thrown over Red because a breeze had come up, while Chloe kept reading.

“This is normal for you, right, Clo?” Evie asked.

“What exactly?”

“Red using you as a pillow.” Mal pointed out.

“Well, this happens rarely. Very rarely. But naps are part of our routine, well, they were before, back in school. Saturdays and Tuesdays in the afternoon. From about 14 to 17. Then tea. It’s become a habit.”

“Today isn’t Tuesday.” Ella remarked.

Chloe slowly sat up and met her mother’s gaze.

“Mother, first, nobody asked you to be here. If you have a problem with something, you’re free to leave. And second, if you want to rest too, just come over, no need for the this.” Everyone tried to stifle their laughter, but didn’t succeed much.

“Even if I wanted a hug, I don’t anymore.” Ella said. Chloe was about to respond when...

“Max, no.” But he had already taken the cup into his hand.

As if on cue, the princess’s body rose into a sitting position. Everyone froze in shock, watching. Red simply stretched, gently took back her cup.

“No, my friend, don’t touch that. That’s mine. Here’s yours.” She handed another cup to the prince.

Then she put her own cup back in place and simply lay down again, adjusting herself comfortably, and sighed.

“Firmly.” She kept shifting slightly, almost discontentedly.

So Chloe simply reached out and pulled her closer. The rebel murmured quietly, but as soon as her head touched the pillow, Red relaxed instantly. Within a moment, the redhead was snoring softly again, still with a gentle hand in her hair. Chloe just smiled at the sound and went back to reading. But soon the gentle hand moved again, this time wandering chaotically over the princess’s stomach. Almost immediately after that came the babbling, sounds resembling words, but incomprehensible to Chloe.

The adults were caught up in their own conversation, but Pink’s eyes stayed fixed on her sister. At first the young princess smiled at her sister’s oddness, but then her gaze fixed on the moving hand. The movements were jerky, but didn’t seem random. She listened carefully, and her eyes widened.

“Mom.” Pink just took her hand. “Mom. Mom.”

“Just a moment, dear.”

“Mom.” The desperation in her voice made all the women go silent.

“What is it, dear?” The Empress immediately looked at her child.

Pink looked scared. Everyone was instantly on alert. The girl quietly pointed toward Red and Chloe.

“Mom, my sister, she’s …” Bridget immediately stared, and after a moment, she realized it too.

“Wonders.” She slowly stood up. “Chloe, dear?”

“Yes?” The princess paused her reading.

“You need to get up very slowly and gently. Right now.”

“Why?” Ella was already beside Bridget, along with the others.

“Holy tales.” Came the fairy godmother’s voice.

“Because Red is doing magic.” Bridget said with a frown. “Chloe, that babbling and those gestures, that’s magic. Old magic. Dangerous magic.”

The girl frowned even more, then looked down at the hand on her stomach.

“What are you talking about? Red does this sometimes.” The fairy and Bridget exchanged a glance.

“Sweetheart...” began the fairy. “this is old magic. The babbling is a forgotten language. I’ve only read it. Now there’s only one person in Auradon who speaks it, and that’s the great Merlin. So please, step away from Red until we figure out what she’s saying.”

Chloe shifted slightly to create distance, but the body beside her immediately reacted, and the princess recognized that reaction. Red pressed even closer, and the babbling grew faster, higher-pitched. And she simply acted on instinct, as she did on all those nights when the rebel had nightmares.

“Hey. Shhh. I’m here. It’s okay. I’m here.” The redhead’s body calmed slightly.

“Clo…” But the woman stopped when dark eyes looked at her firmly.

“Yes, Red. I’m here. I hear you.” The words slowly quieted.

“Did you catch anything?” Mal whispered.

“Something about roses. When she sped up, I lost almost everything, but now… I can catch every third or fourth word. It’s rhythmic, like a poem. A verse. But I don’t understand all the sounds. I sent a message to the Rabbit, he should be here soon. He understands the old language.”

Two minutes later, quick footsteps were heard, and the white-haired man appeared.

“Yes, I’m here. What…” Bridget gestured for him to be silent.

Everyone watched him expectantly until shock crossed his face. He took two slow steps toward the girls and stopped, just listening. The silence stretched, and Uma yawned.

“Quiet. Keep quiet.” The man snapped, and the pirate stiffened.

“Is everything okay?” Ella whispered.

“Shh. Enjoy it. Listen.” And the whole group just stared and listened for the next ten minutes, until...

“Booooo.” Maxie nearly shouted in his mother’s arms.

And Red stopped mid-word. Her hand also froze. Then there was a yawn and a cuddle against the princess beside her. The white-haired man sighed, almost disappointed.

“So, what did she say?” Pink asked.

“That doesn’t matter. Didn’t you hear her? The accent, the sound, the rhythm, the vowels… Even my grandfather and the old Cheshire never spoke like that. Her language is perfect. I’ve only heard trees speak that way.”

“And still, what did my daughter say?”

“It was a poem. A chant, old magic of life. Most of the words don’t have an exact translation; everyone understands them differently. But the chant itself… I think I’ve read it before. It might be from the library.” The Empress nodded.

“So it wasn’t dangerous for Chloe?” The fairy godmother asked.

“No. But I’ve never seen anything like it. Is this the first time it’s happened?” The adults looked at Charming, and the Rabbit also turned to her.

“Well…”

“Since when has Red been doing this? It’s important, Clo.” the Rabbit pressed.

“For quite a while. I don’t know exactly when it started.”

“And how often?” The man took out a notebook. “How long does it usually last?”

“Once a week… She only does it during afternoon naps, and only sometimes. Last summer she did it only once, but during the first two weeks of school, it was almost every other day. We had a few problems with new neighbors, and she slept whenever she could. And as for how long, it varies. Once it lasted more than an hour. Another time she said only a few words.”

"And the sound? Is it always that rhythmic?"

"It’s always sounded confusing to me, I don’t know how I’m supposed to answer that." The man quickly scribbled something down.

"And does she say the same thing every time?"

"Rarely. I think this was new. Sometimes I don’t even listen to her."

"But she hasn’t done it at night?"

"No. She doesn’t do that at night." The White kept writing. "Alright. We can start by observing her. I’ll write to the caterpillars; they’ll help. We can check if..."

"What’s going on? Why are you so loud, uncle?" The Heiress rubbed her eyes.

"Because of you. You have a perfect tongue."

"What?" Red slowly sat up, utterly confused.

"You were talking in your sleep again." Charming said.

The Heiress immediately turned to her.

"Again? I told you, when I start doing that just hit me."

"And I told you I won’t do such a thing."

"Still… why are you all looking at me like that?"

"You were speaking the Forgotten Tongue, dear." Bridget said calmly.

"Impossible. I can only read it. I’ve tried speaking it, but the vowels just don’t come to me."

"But you did speak it, child, and we all saw it." The Empress sat down next to her daughter. "Sweetheart, can I ask you something and you be honest?"

"Depends on what."

"I’m serious, dear." Red nodded. "How many books from the forbidden section of the library have you read?"

The Heiress froze like a deer in headlights. She scratched the back of her neck.

"I don’t know exactly… a few."

"A few?" Her mother raised an eyebrow.

"Alright… I’ve read most of them."

"Most?!" Red glanced around nervously and sighed.

"Ninety-five percent of all of them." The Empress’s eyes widened.

"Red, tell me you didn’t touch the section on ‘Practical Advice.’" Red avoided her mother’s gaze.

"I…"

"No. No. No. Tell me you didn’t!" Their eyes met and the Empress covered her face with one hand. "Wonders!"

"I didn’t read all three, mom. I was curious, and they were quite… educational."

"My dear, there’s a reason those books are forbidden. And the ‘clocks’… how much of it did you read?"

"Uh… I finished the first two volumes and twenty pages of the third." Her mother simply closed her eyes in silence.

"What’s going on?" Mal asked.

"Nothing. Nothing. Don’t ask." Bridget began to stand. "I remind you, Red, that most of what’s written there are family secrets, and I’m counting on you to be responsible."

"Bridg, you look pale." Ella also stood and took her best friend’s shoulder. "Do you want some water?"

"What did you do this time, devil?" Uma asked.

"She didn’t do anything." The Empress downed the water in one go. "I just find the knowledge that my daughter is a sexual expert… a bit much."

"Aaaaah!" Everyone exchanged glances.

"Theoretically." Red cleared her throat. "I just know the basics, nothing more."

"Do I even want to know why Aunt is talking nonsense?" Chloe asked.

"It’s not nonsense. It’s tradition. These books are passed down from generation to generation. You’re supposed to read at least a hundred pages before your wedding. I… may have read a bit more."

"And by ‘a bit more’ you mean you finished two of them?" Evie asked.

"Yes. A total of 974 pages of clinically clear methodology. It was… interesting. And disgusting at times."

"Sister, are you saying you’ve read sex books?" Pink was baffled.

"No, flamingo. They’re books about sex. Like textbooks. One is for traditional couples, the second is for same-sex couples, and the third is for, how should I put it… unusual couples."

"Cousin Reki?" Pink shook her head.

"Yes. Cousin Reki." The Heiress nodded.

"The one who married a goose?" Chloe asked.

"Yes." Bridget’s daughters answered in unison.

"Right. I don’t want to know." Chloe went back to her book. "Call me when it’s time to eat."

"After tea." Red announced, and a teapot filled her cup with steaming liquid.

"We’ll talk about your sleep-talking after the games." Said the Rabbit, tucking away her notebook.

The women resumed a calm conversation, while Red stared thoughtfully toward the castle. Nearby, Ella and Bridget walked together, accompanied by Jasmine, who kept repeating that it could have been worse. And Chloe read, occasionally sneaking glances at a certain wild redhead, trying not to think about a past already lost.