Chapter Text
"I am so royally excited for thronecoming this year!" Apple exclaimed as she touched up her lipstick in the mirror. "The glittering ballgowns, the royal decor, everything is going to be absolutely spellbinding!"
Raven laughed as she watched Apple from her bed. Most days, she found herself mesmerized by how Apple buzzed about in the mornings. She truly was the fairest in the land.
"Plus, this is the year you can run for thronecoming queen," Raven said. "And you've already got one vote."
"Oh no Raven," Apple said, putting aside her makeup and rushing over to Raven's bed. "I'm not running."
"Wait, what?" Raven asked, astonished. "But you're the future queen of the fairy tale world! You're destined to win!"
"Exactly," Apple said. "I'm destined to win, so it just wouldn't be fairest. I'd rather give the other royal girls a chance to win. Besides, there are more important things in my life than winning or losing." She touched Raven's hand. "Like you."
Raven flushed. Ever since True Heart's Day, Apple had been saying more and more things that sounded, well, romantic. But Raven must have been imagining it. Apple had her prince charming, and she and Raven were destined to be fairy tale enemies. Raven had made sure of that when she signed the book.
"Well, that's a shame," Raven said. "I'm sure everyone would have loved to see you in a crown."
Apple giggled. "They will one day. But I don't mind waiting. Thanks to you, it will happen eventually." She squeezed Raven's hand and then got up to stand in front of her mirror again. "Now, which tiara should I wear to crownculus class?"
…
"Oh Brooke! It's teariffic that you're back! I was beginning to worry," Madeline Hatter said from her bedroom. Inside was also Kitty and Lizzie.
"The narrator's back," Kitty said with a yawn. She had to explain things to Lizzie when Maddie started talking to someone that wasn't there, since Lizzie couldn't hear the beautiful narrator like Kitty and Maddie could.
"Is something big going to happen?" Maddie asked. "Are we going to see Cedar and the others team up with Blondie Lockes?"
I was about to get to that, if you hadn't interrupted.
"Oh, sorry!" Maddie said. "Please, continue!"
…
One floor below, sitting inside the royal study ball, Blondie Lockes was fixated on her mirrorpad. She was trying to get her royal thronecoming announcement just right. Much to her annoyance, her editing tool was having trouble connecting, and she couldn't upload the perfect clip she had gotten yesterday. She sighed, turning the mirrorpad off. Oh well, there was always tomorrow. Surely, she was the only candidate prepared this early.
"Hey Blondie," Holly O'Hair said, sitting beside Blondie on the couch. She winced as she sat on her own hair, and had to readjust to move it out of the way.
"Oh hey Holly," Blondie said, moving her bag out of the way so Holly had space. "What's up?"
"Well, I was just thinking about Cupid," Holly said. She took a strand of hair in between her fingers and started to braid it as she talked. "Oh, but maybe you know, since you're roommates. Do you know what exactly Cupid's destiny is? It always confuses me a little bit." She giggled, and Blondie smiled at her friend.
"Sure, Cupid's destiny is to make sure that everyone finds their prince or princess charming." Blondie sighed a little. "Isn't that romantic!"
"Oh totally," Holly said. "It's like something out of a romance novel! But I do wonder, oh, nevermind."
"No, tell me," Blondie said, leaning forward. She didn't understand why, but she felt a little flutter in her stomach.
"Well, does Cupid get a happily ever after of her own?" Holly asked. "I mean, she creates all these amazing romance stories for others, but what about herself?"
Blondie leaned back, slightly embarrassed.
"No, actually, she doesn't." Her voice was quiet and meek like a mouse, nothing like her usual voice, which had to be loud and projected. "It's sad, really."
"Well, how do you know?" Holly asked. "I mean, that just doesn't seem right. Surely Cupid has a true love. The Storybook of Legends would have shown her."
"Cupid told me the Storybook of Legends didn't show her anything specific," Blondie said. It was truly heartbreaking, and Blondie understood. She loved her story, but she didn't get a true love to go with it. Then again, it just meant she got to choose who she loved. Maybe that was better?
"Did it show you anything?" Holly elbowed her friend in the side, and Blondie's face went hot.
"N-no! What are you insinuating?"
Holly shrugged. "I just thought maybe Cupid would show up sometime in your story. I mean, I didn't see her in my story either. Neither did anyone I've talked to."
Blondie narrowed her eyes. "Are you investigating something?"
Holly grinned. "Oh, I was never any good at keeping things from you." She leaned forward, even though the only other person in the study ball was Ashlynn, and she was entirely focused on her Crownculus homework. "Listen, I can't say much here, but I'm starting to think something might be wrong with the Storybook of Legends."
"What?" Blondie gasped. "No, that can't be right."
Holly looked towards Ashlynn, but she still wasn't listening to them. "Meet me tonight at six near the salon. We'll explain everything."
"We?" Blondie asked. "Who else thinks this?"
"Shhhh." Holly put her finger to her lips as she walked away. Blondie sat there, confused as ever.
…
Cerise cruised through Grimmnastics class that morning, feeling quite bored with the game Coach Gingerbread had decided they would play. No matter what he chose, she always ended up winning, but she was more than an expert in Track and Shield. Maybe she should have lost on purpose to hide her secret, but she couldn't seem to care anymore. She was sick of hiding who she was.
She stormed through the halls, her long strides taking her somewhere she hadn't decided on yet. She avoided crossing paths with Daring Charming, who annoyed her to no ends. She really wanted to talk to Cedar or Raven, but they were always too busy for her. Cedar was always sneaking out in the middle of the night to go Grimm knows where, and Raven was always with Apple. She felt like she never saw her friends anymore.
As she turned the corner, she bumped straight into Ashlynn Ella. Cerise growled out of instinct, but quickly fixed her face to be neutral.
"Sorry," she murmured. "Wasn't looking where I was going."
"I-it's okay," Ashlynn said.
"Right, well." Cerise never knew what to say around the royals. "See ya."
She quickly went around Ashlynn, her feet moving too quickly to be human. Luckily, no one paid her much attention. Before she could question where she was going, she found herself in the basement library.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as the wood creaked underneath her feet. She remembered the last time she was in here, and the echoing laugh that chased her out. What made her want to return to this place?
"Hello, little one," a dark voice said, and Cerise gasped as she turned to face the lone mirror in the room. A dark face began to emerge, and Cerise leered closer to take a closer look. But before she could make out the face, the slamming of a door startled her and she jumped away.
"Cerise!" Maddie exclaimed. Wait. Maddie?
What are you doing here? This story doesn't involve you!
"Cerise, there you are!" Maddie said, grabbing Cerise by the arm. "I've been looking for you."
"You've been looking for me?" Cerise asked, confused. She wasn't the only one. Madeline Hatter wasn't supposed to be here, and she was clearly ignoring the narrator that was telling her to get lost.
"Yes, I was hoping we could hang out," Maddie said. "I feel like I hardly see you anymore."
"You want to hang out with me?" Cerise said. It lifted her spirits to know somebody was thinking about her. Still, she had her reservations. "Kitty won't be there, right?" She still wasn't very fond of the girl who had tried to out her to the entire school. At least she wasn't still trying to expose her secret. She must have found something else to entertain her.
"Oh, no, it will just be the two of us!" Maddie said. "So, what do you say?"
Cerise shrugged. "Sure, why not? Í've got some time to kill before chemythstry."
"Tea-riffic!" Maddie exclaimed. She looped her arm into Cerise's and escorted both of them out of the dusty basement. But as they were leaving, Cerise glanced one look back at the now empty mirror.
…
Ashlynn sighed as she slumped into her seat in Crownculus. Every day felt like a burden since her and Hunter had broken up. The only person she felt like she could talk to about it was Farrah, who never pressed her for any details. Her other friends meant well, but they just didn't understand without Ashlynn explaining it, and there was no way to explain that she had been dating a rebel. And she didn't want to have to talk to Blondie about it. The girl was already keeping enough secrets for her, and apparently more, if the not-so-quiet conversation she had with Holly that morning was anything to go by. Cedar was another option, but she was always busy nowadays.
"What's wrong Ash?" Apple asked as she sat beside her. "You seem distraught."
"Oh, it's nothing," Ashlynn said with a sigh. She couldn't be more obvious if she tried.
"Like hex it's nothing," Briar said, taking the chair opposite her. "You were gone when I woke up this morning. I thought we were going to walk to class together."
"Sorry, I needed to focus on getting my homework done," Ashlynn said. "I went to the Study Ball." Where she had overheard some very interesting information. She glanced at Holly, who was laughing at something Duchess said. At least Duchess was more bearable now. Though she mostly just stared down at her mirrorphone with a big, goofy grin on her face.
"You know you can talk to us about anything," Apple said. "We're your best friends forever after."
"I know," Ashlynn said. "Thank you."
"I think I know what would cheer you up," Briar said. "We should run for Thronecoming Queen together!"
"Why would I run for thronecoming queen?" Ashlynn said. "Surely you and Apple--"
"Oh, no, I'm not running," Apple said. "I want to focus on my relationship with Raven."
Ashlynn glanced at Briar, who gave her a knowing look. She wasn't the only one who had noticed how close Apple and Raven had gotten lately. Ashlynn was worried the two of them might end up like her and Hunter. Because of destiny, they couldn't be together, but they would love each other anyway. If Apple had realized that was happening to her, she didn't let on that she knew.
"Well, I don't know," Ashlynn said. "I don't think I'm the thronecoming type. That's more Blondie's thing."
"There's no reason all three of us can't run," Briar said. "It will be ever after awesome!"
"I don't know," Ashlynn said. She really wasn't sure running for Thronecoming Queen would be her thing. Then again, it might take her mind off Hunter.
"Hocus Focus ladies," The White Queen said, signaling it was time for class.
"Just think about it," Briar whispered as she took out her notebook. "I think it could be fun."
Ashlynn nodded. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.
…
"So I guess it's just us now," Lizzie said. She was alone with Kitty in her dorm after Maddie had left, mumbling something about Cerise being in danger. She wished she, too, could hear the narrator, but it appeared that the gift only went to Maddie and Kitty. Just another way for her to be left out. Though, usually, she felt left out by the Ever After kids, not her Wonderland friends. She shuffled the deck of cards her mother had given her, each written with a different piece of advice. Maybe something on there would help her out, or get her Wonderland Friends to like her again.
"Brooke, can you get out of here?" Kitty asked the sky, rather rudely. "You're being utterly depressing. It's weird how you're in people's heads all the time."
Well, I'm sorry. I thought you would be happy the attention was finally on you.
"I don't want to know what Lizzie is thinking all the time," Kitty said. Lizzie harumphed.
"Anybody would be lucky to be inside my head," Lizzie protested. "My thoughts are perfect."
"Right," Kitty said. "So, Brooke. Leave us alone."
Fine. But we will have to come back to you eventually.
…
"Um, Maddie?" Cerise said, feeling rather uncertain. "Where exactly are we going?"
"Well, anywhere you want, silly!" Maddie exclaimed. The two of them were walking through Book End, which was mostly empty since everyone was in school. Of course, Cerise had a free period, and she assumed Maddie did too. Although, if she were being honest, she probably would have ditched school anyway. She didn't feel like being there right now.
"Well, how about the enchanted forest?" Cerise asked. She always went there to clear her head. She had never taken anyone there besides Raven before. She wanted to ask Raven to come again, and she thought maybe they would be able to, since they had given their blossoms to each other on True Heart's Day, but Raven still never felt like going anywhere.
"Let's do that," Maddie said. "I'm sure there's all sorts of interesting things you could show me." She took off her hat and began digging around in it, which made Cerise giggle.
"And this is for you," Maddie said, holding out a turkey leg. Cerise furrowed her eyebrows in curiosity.
"You keep meat in your hat?" She asked. Maddie laughed.
"No, of course not! Usually I mostly have tea, because it always cheers me up when I'm in a pickle. But I can see that you're in a pickle yourself, so I brought something that cheers you up." She smiled like it was the most normal thing in the world to say. Cerise couldn't help but beam back at her. Maddie really was a great friend.
"Thanks, Maddie," she said. Maddie nodded.
"It's only the Wonderland thing to do," she said. Cerise found herself laughing, even though she had no idea what that meant.
…
As soon as her last class was over, Duchess ran out of school and into Book End. It was pretty much a daily routine for her now, since she had someone that actually wanted to hang out with her. And Poppy and her did more than just hang out. Poppy was her girlfriend.
Girlfriend. Let her repeat: girlfriend. Poppy O'Hair was her girlfriend. She, Duchess Swan, had a girlfriend. Somebody liked her, and she liked that person back. So much. She liked Poppy so much. Words couldn't express how much she actually cared about Poppy. She had never actually cared this much about someone before. Except for her grandmother, but that was obviously different. And now, she felt better than she ever had.
Of course, there was still that lingering feeling of her tragic ending creeping up on her, but she repressed that. For now.
She practically skipped to the Tower Hair Salon, humming as she went, even though her voice was atrocious. But she couldn't find it in herself to care when people stared at her in the street. Let them think whatever they wanted. For once in her life, Duchess was happy.
The bell to the salon chimed as she danced in, and Poppy looked up from her client to watch Duchess.
"Someone's happy today," she said, her voice full of mirth. "And beautiful, but you're beautiful everyday."
"You do know how to flatter me," Duchess said. She leaned forward and gave Poppy a kiss on the temple. She liked being taller than her so that she could kiss her head anytime she wanted. It was something she had often seen in movies, and now she could finally do it herself.
"We can't stay here that long today," Poppy said, packing some things in her purse. "My sister needs it for something she did not seem interested in sharing with me."
"I didn't know Holly O'Hair could keep a secret," Duchess said. Poppy laughed.
"Me neither. But I figured we could go into town and do something? Maybe go to dinner and a movie?"
"Now that sounds like a good time," Duchess said. She laced her fingers with Poppy's, letting the now-familiar warm tingling feeling rush up her arm.
"When I'm with you," Poppy began, "everything is fablest."
…
"There you are," Cupid said, coming up behind Blondie and wrapping her arm around her shoulder. "I was worried when you didn't come back to our room. Where are you going?"
Blondie smiled slightly as she burrowed herself further under Cupid's arm. "Oh, just going to meet Holly. She says she has something to tell me."
"Oh, alright," Cupid said, not letting her disappointment show. She was hoping Blondie and her could hang out. They had decided to run for Thronecoming Queen together, though truthfully, Cupid was only running because Blondie was. "Maybe we could hang out later?"
"I'd like that," Blondie said. "We could meet at Float Building! And I won't be long. I'm sure it's nothing important."
Of course, it was important. After tonight, all of Blondie's plans would change.